Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews and follows! If you are enjoying the story or have any feedback, I'd love to hear it!
ACT II
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - ANGELA'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Everyone stares at the screen. The kissing gets more intense.
INT. POOL PALACE - PRACTICE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The door is finally breached, but they barely notice
as Walt enters. Surprised, he pulls the door shut
behind him.
When Walt clears his throat, they break apart... slowly.
Booth looks over at Walt; Brennan looks at Booth.
Brennan looks over at Walt; Booth looks at Brennan.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - ANGELA'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
From the glasses POV, Brennan reaches for them
and puts them on, revealing Walt to the group.
Off Walt's presence...
CAM
We should all... get back to work.
The others agree half-heartedly, dispersing
from the room.
INT. POOL PALACE - PRACTICE ROOM - NIGHT
Booth and Brennan stand at the cue bag, putting
the evidence holders into Chinese takeout containers.
They work fast. Brennan labels the containers with
her colleagues' names and notes. Walt then places
those into a brown paper bag.
The silence is awkward. So, so awkward.
WALT
Bill saw you go in and he sent me to-
BOOTH
We're all just keeping up our covers.
Walt nods. A beat. Walt shifts gears.
WALT
Only I thought you said your cover was
being her bodyguard.
BRENNAN
(as Roxie)
There's more than one way to guard a
body, doll.
Booth's look is clear: shut up. Walt smirks. A beat.
WALT
I'm going to get this out to my guys.
The first game starts in a few
minutes. Every win puts you closer to
Green's suite... and more evidence.
Walt gives them a pointed look, then heads out
with the bag.
BOOTH
Okay, that...
(waves a hand over the pool table)
was a little too much. A lot too much.
BRENNAN
It was the most logical direction for
our characters. Why else would we be
locked in a room together? You did
read the binder, didn't you?
BOOTH
I just don't think Roxie should lead
Tony on, is all.
BRENNAN
Maybe she was just feeling him out.
BOOTH
(mumbled)
Out or up?
Brennan eyes him, about to question him, but he
grabs the cue bag and leads the way out of the
room. She chases.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - MAIN LAB AREA - NIGHT
Sweets tries to keep up with Cam as she walks
through the lab. Sweets carries the Alex Elias box.
CAM
Really think a box of sketches and |
pictures can help you find this guy?
SWEETS
Of course. Our belongings are an
extension of our hidden desires.
Cam nods along skeptically.
SWEETS
Or... maybe he wrote down a forwarding
address or something?
She smiles. That's more like it. They walk past
Angela's office, parting ways. We STAY ON:
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - ANGELA'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Angela and Hodgins sit on the couch, watching
a game of pool from Brennan's POV.
On the screen, the trajectory lines appear so
Brennan can make a difficult shot.
HODGINS
Angie, those glasses are amazing.
ANGELA
Booth called me Q.
HODGINS
Hell yeah, you're Q.
ANGELA
Yep. The one stuck in the lab while
those two are out on their exciting
spy adventure.
HODGINS
They're always in the field. We're
always in the lab.
ANGELA
But it's not always so... in my face.
HODGINS
Could it be you're just realizing that
with the baby on the way, adventures
may be fewer and farther between?
ANGELA
I mean, isn't the baby an adventure?
HODGINS
Yes. And that is one of many reasons
why our life is better than theirs.
On screen, the camera FINDS Booth. He smiles
encouragingly.
ANGELA
Because I get swollen ankles and they
get to make out on a pool table?
HODGINS
Sure, they made out on one pool table
one time, but then you know what
they're gonna do tonight?
ANGELA
I know what I hope they're gonna do.
HODGINS
They're gonna go back to their own
little lonely apartments... where they
will sleep all by themselves... both
wishing they had exactly what we have.
ANGELA
A loving, committed relationship?
HODGINS
Yes... and... lots of killer sex.
Angela laughs. She moves in to kiss Hodgins.
WENDELL (O.S.)
Is everyone just making out tonight?
They break apart, standing up. Wendell lingers
at the door.
WENDELL
Evidence is here.
They all rush out of the room.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - FORENSIC PLATFORM - MOMENTS LATER
Cam has the Chinese takeout and is passing
out the parcels.
CAM
Hodgins...
He walks up; she hands him a few boxes.
HODGINS
Man, I hope this isn't shrimp lo mein.
He scurries off the platform and toward the
Ookey Room.
Cam passes Angela a box. She opens it to find
the eight ball.
ANGELA
Real pictures. Thank God.
She strides away toward her office.
WENDELL
I guess I'll be examining the
photographs as well?
CAM
Hang on...
Cam hands Wendell a box. He lights up, takes
it and hustles off toward the bone room.
INT. POOL PALACE MANSION - NIGHT
Brennan is mid-game with the handsome, but
sleazy 30-something ADAM DENT. Booth leans
against a wall, watching.
Brennan lines up her shot, leaning down with
her back to Adam. He unabashedly checks her
out with a unsavory smirk.
From Brennan's POV, we see the red lines
helping her aim.
Brennan shoots and sinks a ball. She pops back
up with a smile, smacks her gum, then gives
Adam a flirtatious wink.
Adam's eyes flick to Booth. Booth glares back.
ADAM
Who is this guy, your boyfriend? Seems
like he likes to... watch.
BRENNAN
Oh, him? Nah. That's just my
bodyguard, Tony. He's totally
professional.
BOOTH
But he does get paid to watch so...
Brennan rolls her eyes, then sets up a bank
shot. Booth squeezes his eyes shut because
he sees it coming: she makes the shot, but
the cue ball follows into the hole. A scratch.
Booth stares Adam down. Adam averts his
eyes back to the pool table, but then he notices
Brennan who leans alluringly with a hand on
the edge of the table. Another glance at Booth.
Adam sets up, shoots and misses. Booth chuckles
silently.
BRENNAN
Kinda kickin' your ass, ain't I, hon?
ADAM
You can do what you want with my ass.
She giggles. Booth folds his arms and swallows
back some rage, trying to make seething look
like playing it cool.
All that's left on the table for Brennan is the
eight ball. Cocky, she takes off the glasses and
puts them in Booth's jacket pocket. He catches
her eye, concerned. She smirks.
Brennan moves back to the table. Adam's look
is leering as she takes aim. Booth is focused on
the pool table. Mostly.
Brennan shoots. The eight ball goes right in.
She wins.
Adam shrugs it off and holds out a card.
Off the card...
ADAM
If you want to ditch the bodyguard
for a man who's gonna do more than watch.
Brennan smiles and takes the card. Adam
exits the room. Brennan turns to find herself
face-to-face with Booth.
BOOTH
What are you doing, huh?
He snatches the card from her.
BRENNAN
You told me to flirt.
BOOTH
I might've underestimated the effect.
BRENNAN
Perhaps so because I obviously did
very well. I won the game, and I
obtained his phone number.
She takes back the card.
BRENNAN
And now we have his contact
information. In case he is a witness.
BOOTH
The only thing that clown witnessed
was you making a fool of yourself.
Brennan is affronted. Booth grabs the card again.
BOOTH
Besides, I thought Roxie, you know,
had a secret little thing for Tony.
BRENNAN
So you did read the binder?
He shrugs. Of course he did.
ADAM (O.S.)
Hey, Roxie, you wanna join me in-
Adam re-enters from a door behind Booth. He flips
around and moves into Adam, pinning him against
a nearby wall. Hard.
BRENNAN
Tony!
Booth doesn't let up.
BOOTH
She has your number. She'll call if
she's interested. Which she ain't.
Booth tosses the guy back into the hallway.
He rushes off.
BRENNAN
Was that really necessary?
BOOTH
For Tony? Yeah. Yeah...
Brennan shakes her head, equal parts annoyed and amused.
CAM (V.O.)
I am so jealous.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - OOKEY ROOM - NIGHT
Hodgins looks up from a microscope as Cam enters.
HODGINS
Because all Santa brought you was one
measly hair?
CAM
Yes. And now I wait for DNA results.
HODGINS
At least you got something considering
there wasn't any flesh left... and I
think I know why, by the way.
CAM
Do tell.
HODGINS
Dermestes lardarius.
CAM
Flesh eating beetles?
HODGINS
Well, just the one.
He holds up the beetle exoskeleton with a pair of forceps.
HODGINS
But I'm thinking there were more.
CAM
Someone used beetles to remove the
flesh from the bones just like we do?
HODGINS
Just like. It's easy and it's clean.
CAM
Is it common knowledge, though?
HODGINS
To scientists and taxidermists, yes.
To your average Joe, no.
CAM
So we're looking for a-
HODGINS
Unfortunately, it's quite Google-able.
Everything from where to order them,
how to do it... even how to get rid of
the beetles after they feast.
Hodgins pulls up several Google searches on his screen.
CAM
Damn.
HODGINS
The good news is, based on the
condition of the molted exoskeleton, I
can say this little guy did his
nibbling about two months ago.
CAM
Where would someone get the beetles?
HODGINS
Online only. It would take a pretty
large-and expensive-order to deflesh
an entire set of human remains.
CAM
Maybe Angela can work with that.
HODGINS
She already is.
Cam nods, about to exit when he holds up a specimen dish.
HODGINS
But wait, there's more. The fiber Dr.
B pulled from the vertebra fracture
turned out to be green wool.
CAM
Pool table or poker table?
HODGINS
Poker tables use green baize felt also
known as speed cloth. Not wool.
CAM
So pool. Our poker pro left before the
pool tables were brought in.
Hodgins nods.
HODGINS
The wool was at the site of the injury
so a pool table couldn't have been
far. Too bad, from what I could tell-
BOOTH (V.O.)
This place is all pool tables.
INT. POOL PALACE MANSION - NIGHT
Booth leads Brennan into another room with a pool table.
BOOTH
Okay, I think this is it, Ms. Roxanne.
A man, TERRY BECK, 50s and dressed like a
wealthy cowboy, stands waiting at the table.
He tips his hat.
BECK
(to Booth)
You player number five?
BOOTH
No, that would be-
BRENNAN
Me. Hi. I'm Roxie.
Beck's smile is friendly as Brennan shakes
his hand.
BECK
My mistake, ma'am. Congrats on makin'
it to the fourth round. Impressive.
Beck and Booth eye each other.
BECK
First time at the Pool Palace?
BRENNAN
Yep. Super duper fun so far.
BECK
I'm slated to break, but I'd be glad
to give you that honor if you'd like.
Brennan glances at Booth. He nods.
BRENNAN
Thanks, doll. I'll take the charity.
She racks the balls and moves to break them.
CLOSE ON the cue ball just before she hits it.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - BONE ROOM - NIGHT
CLOSE ON the hyoid bone on the table.
Wendell zooms in on the fracture with the camera. Cam enters.
CAM (O.S.)
That looks promising. Strangulation?
WENDELL
Without the other bones, it's hard to
say, but this looks more like a
crushing fracture. Maybe an arm?
Wendell turns to Cam, raising his forearm up to her neck.
CAM
Killer presses our victim up against a
wall and uses his forearm?
HODGINS (O.S.)
Rock Maple.
They look to Hodgins as he rushes in.
HODGINS
Just got the swabs out of the mass
spec. The one from the hyoid showed
traces of Rock Maple.
WENDELL
Pool cues are made of maple.
INT. POOL PALACE MANSION - NIGHT
CLOSE ON: The cue stick as Brennan makes a shot.
BRENNAN
Hey, did you see that creepy skeleton
in the practice room?
Beck glances at Booth who looks around.
BECK
Oh yeah. It's been there for months.
BRENNAN
Think it's real?
BECK
I guarantee it.
She sinks another ball.
BECK
Growing up in Texas, I heard many a
tale about Indians scalping cowboys
then leaving 'em tied up outside their
little teepee towns.
BRENNAN
To which tribe are you referring?
Because that seems highly inaccur-
BOOTH
You think the skeleton is a warning.
Booth glances up at a camera in the corner of the room.
BECK
The camera's got no audio. He uses 'em
to check out the competition is all.
BRENNAN
That Mr. Green guy? The one who runs
this tournament? What's with that guy?
Brennan makes another shot.
BECK
A friend of mine, Alex, he was
coaching Mr. Green in poker...
BRENNAN
Oh yeah, we heard this tournament used
to be head-to-head poker.
BECK
Most of the others went back to the
casinos after the switch, but not me.
Billiards is actually my game.
BOOTH
What happened to your friend?
BECK
He up and skipped town.
Brennan and Booth glance at one another. It lines up.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - BONE ROOM - NIGHT
Wendell zooms in on the fractures. Hodgins and Cam look on.
WENDELL
I don't think it was a cue. The
pattern here shows one long fracture
with several smaller fissures
spreading from the initial break.
CAM
Does that mean the weapon was wider?
WENDELL
Three to four times wider, at least.
It has to be something that would
disperse the fracturing.
HODGINS
Something flat. Huh...
CAM
Share your hypothesis with the class.
HODGINS
Ball racks can also be made of maple.
Hodgins types on his computer and pulls up
a picture of ball racks and materials. He clicks
on rock maple to show a rack.
CAM
Were the other injuries to the ribs
and vertebra also perimortem?
WENDELL
Yes. The bone damage was clean with no
signs of remodeling.
CAM
Check with Angela. See if she can help
you connect all these injuries.
INT. POOL PALACE MANSION - NIGHT
Brennan's shot connects. Booth gives her a smile and nod.
BRENNAN
You said your poker-playing friend ran
off? You sure he ain't the skeleton?
BECK
Hadn't even occurred to me. I made it
to Mr. Green's suite a few months
back. He had a guy there coaching him
on pool, but I beat him good.
BRENNAN
Was he pissed?
BECK
He was polite to me. Shook my hand and
all. When I left, though... sounded
like quite the scuffle. Never saw that
pool coach again.
(then)
You gonna take a shot, little lady?
She leans down to line up another shot. She looks
concerned, adjusting the glasses. She looks up at
Booth, panic showing.
POV from her glasses shows the red lines blink, then go away.
BOOTH
(stalling)
You think Green killed the pool coach?
BECK
Couldn't say for sure, son. But there
was some serious tension between 'em.
She looks to Booth, shaking her head. Glasses are a no-go.
BRENNAN
I like this guy, Tony. He's got all the juicy gossip.
BECK
It's still your shot, ma'am.
Brennan lines up the shot. She shoots. It's a miss.
Beck gives her a wink, then starts shooting, making
shots in fast succession. Booth and Brennan trade
a worried look.
INT. JEFFERSONIAN - ANGELA'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Angela stands before a static filled video window.
She is pushing buttons on her control panel.
Wendell enters.
WENDELL
What happened to the show?
ANGELA
I don't know, but I'm worried it took
down the billiards algorithm, too.
WENDELL
So this is a bad time?
She gives him a dirty look, but gets the feed back up.
WENDELL
I need to talk injuries with you.
On screen, Brennan watches Beck shoot. He's flawless.
ANGELA
Okay, injuries. I already loaded in
the values for the damage to the
vertebra and ribs.
Angela pulls up her simulation program and the injury photos.
WENDELL
All the anterior injuries have a focal
point and radiating fractures,
extending about three centimeters.
ANGELA
So we're in the world of pool, right?
How about a pool cue?
She types. On the screen a pool cue comes in and
swings at the skeleton from behind, hitting the
vertebra and ribs.
WENDELL
It would need to be more of a jab.
She adjusts. The simulation switches to jabbing.
WENDELL
The tip of a pool cue is just over a
centimeter. What kind of velocity
would be needed to get enough force?
Angela inputs some values.
ANGELA
Fifty-four meters per second.
WENDELL
That's like... a hundred twenty miles
per hour. No one could jab that fast.
Cam and Hodgins join them, looking at the simulation.
CAM
Remember when Booth and Brennan were
rolling around on that table and the
pool balls hurt his back?
ANGELA
Nope. I was more focused on the hot
From Here to Eternity aspects of that
moment. But I see where you're going.
Angela slides in a pool table.
ANGELA
If someone about the victim's size
slammed him down, it would be plenty
of force to create these injuries.
The skeleton is dropped onto balls on the pool table.
HODGINS
That would explain the wool.
WENDELL
Plus, it gives a plausible angle for
our ball rack choking theory.
CAM
We need to find that rack.
WENDELL
Think Dr. Brennan will make it to the
final game so she can get a look
around Mr. Green's suite?
ANGELA
No. No, I do not...
They all look at the screen as Angela enlarges
the feed through Brennan's glasses. She switches
on the audio.
BECK (V.O.)
Good effort, young lady.
Beck shakes her hand, then exits with a tip of his hat.
CAM
She lost.
ANGELA
Damn glitch in the glasses.
BOOTH (V.O.)
Angela? Over.
ANGELA
Hi, Booth. You don't have to say over.
BOOTH (V.O.)
Look, Bones lost, okay?
ANGELA
We saw.
On screen, from Brennan's POV, Booth, carrying
her cue bag, ducks into a bathroom. She follows.
BOOTH (V.O.)
We?
ANGELA
We're all here. Except Sweets.
SWEETS (O.S.)
No, Sweets too. Me too.
Sweets rushes into Angela's office.
INT. POOL PALACE - LARGE BATHROOM - NIGHT
Booth locks the door, then pulls out the earpiece,
broadcasting the sound for Brennan to hear too.
SWEETS (V.O.)
Agent Booth, can you hear me?
Brennan grabs hold of his wrist and speaks into the watch.
BRENNAN
I can't believe I lost.
Booth snatches his wrist back.
BOOTH
Whaddya got, Sweets?
SWEETS (V.O.)
You're going to love me.
BOOTH
Don't get cocky. You don't have the
belt buckle for it.
SWEETS (V.O.)
I found Alex Elias.
BOOTH
Casino like the wife said?
SWEETS (V.O.)
No. Bar like the wife said. He did it.
BRENNAN
He's the killer?
BOOTH
He means Alex Elias opened a bar and
restaurant. The wife mentioned it.
SWEETS (V.O.)
I saw the name in one of his planning
sketchbooks. Looked it up online. It's
in the Keys. Just like they wanted.
BRENNAN
Why does that mean he's not a killer?
SWEETS (V.O.)
It shows growth. He's not a gambler
anymore. He's goal-oriented. Usually
behavior becomes less measured and
more erratic after committing murder.
HODGINS (V.O.)
Plus, time of defleshing is two months
ago. The guy used beetles, by the way.
BOOTH
That timeline fits what we've heard
here. I'm liking Mr. Green for this.
BRENNAN
Except losing the tournament means we
also lost our opportunity to get into
his suite and investigate further.
BOOTH
Yeah, we're at a dead end here.
There's a banging on the door. Booth and Brennan
look at the door then back at each other, panicked.
END ACT II