Disclaimer: See chapter one
EDITED: 7/2019
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Chapter five

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11:40 A.M. Monday

Jeffersonian

Parking lot section C

The parking lot was now buzzing with Police, FBI, Forensic personnel, and curious onlookers. Even the press had arrived, it was big news that a forensic anthropologist/famous author of an international number one best-selling book, had gone missing and was likely kidnaped.

Booth was standing next to a police cruiser watching all the activity, he had been pretty much sidelined as soon as Cullen had found out that it was Bones who was missing. Booth had argued with the FBI deputy director to have the lead in this investigation but was told in no uncertain terms that this was going to be a high profile case and that he was too personally involved. He was told that, under no circumstances was he going to be the lead agent and that the case was going to be given to an agent Brad Penning. Thankfully, Booth had at least gotten Cullen to agree to let him be part of the team investigating this case.

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Agent Penning walked past the throng of reporters. He hated to deal with the press. They almost always made his job much harder. How these people always found out about these types of cases - when the victim and /or the suspect were famous - so quickly was a mystery to him. As soon as he was in the cordoned-off area he was surrounded by official personnel all of whom were demanding his attention.

While Penning was getting updated on the case by his fellow agents he kept an eye on agent Booth. He knew that Booth had wanted to be the Agent in charge and though he couldn't tell by looking at him, Penning knew Booth was less than pleased with how things had worked out.

He had worked with Booth once before and they had made a good team Booth was an excellent agent and Penning respected him.

When Penning was finally finished being briefed, he made his way over to Booth, who was just standing by a cruiser observing the organized chaos around him, his face an unreadable mask. He wanted to test the waters so to speak and see just how mad he was and who or what he was mad at.

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Booth watched as the tall blond agent walked toward him. He really didn't want to talk to the man right now, and it wasn't that he didn't like the guy. Nor was it even that he thought Penning couldn't handle the case because Penning was more than capable, it had everything to do with the situation and the fact that he had been pushed aside in favor of Penning.

"Agent Booth," Penning said in way of a hello.

"Agent Penning."

"Have you interviewed the co-workers?"

Booth let out a frustrated breath, "nope. I was told to, and I quote 'park it, and stay out of the way.'"

"Cullen?"

"Cullen," Booth confirmed, with a ghost of a smile.

Now that the tension was broken Penning grinned and slapped Booth on the shoulder and said, "I'm glad you'll be working with us on this, I would appreciate your help with the interviews."

"Sure."

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12:00 P.M. Monday

Location: Unknown

Temperance had just dozed off when she was startled awake by someone or something stepping on a twig. She looked through the bushes to see if it was The man or if it was someone who could help her. As the footsteps came closer, she scarcely dared to breathe. Finally, a figure came into view at the base of the hill. It was The man.

She stifled a gasp when she recognized her kidnapper. She watched him as he slowly made his way past her and back into the woods. As soon as he was gone, she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

She resented the fact that she was stuck there, basically helpless, because of her injuries. She found even the littlest of tasks exhausted her, she could never hope to hike out of there and find help. She hated feeling helpless, weak, scared, and most of all she hated that she was scared of him. But Temperance had only herself to blame for the situation she was in now. She thought back to the day before, she supposed herself to be six kinds of stupid for all the mistakes she had made.

Her first mistake had been not going back into the Jeffersonian, and have Tucker walk her to her car, if she had only gone back, she wouldn't be in this mess now. Well, after that, when she was in the trunk, she had not one but two pocket knives in her bag that she could have used to get away, but she had completely forgotten about them. As for the gun, she should have known that he would have a weapon of some kind, she should have been watching her back.

Then there was her biggest mistake yet, she had him, this all could have been over had she hit him again and knock him out, but no, she had been too rattled to think straight, too afraid of him to go near him again.

If only she had knocked him out when she had the chance, she could've tied him up. He would've no longer been a threat she could have searched him and gotten the gun and car keys and who knows, he could have even had a cell phone on him. On top of that, she had run into the woods never thinking that it might no longer be a good idea to go there now that she was injured. She had had so many opportunities to get away and she had blown them all.

At that last thought Temperance, slammed his fist in frustration on the ground instantly regretting the action as it shot pain up her arm and to her side. She hugged her arms around herself and gently rocked back and forth until the pain subsided, "stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered softly through her clenched teeth. She should've known better, 'great now my headache is back,' she thought.

As she was reaching for her bag to get some aspirin and water, a shadow passed in front of the entrance blocking her light for a moment Temperance froze afraid that if she moved she would attract attention. The shadow passed once again when she couldn't stand not knowing what it was any longer she slowly turned her head to see what it was.

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Sorry for the cliffy. I really am not too fond of cliffhangers myself but this was the best place to end this chapter, so again sorry. Please review.