Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bones or its characters. All credit goes to their rightful owners.
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Chapter Five
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Angela knocked on Brennan's door. It was eight in the morning, and considering Brennan had said she'd be back at the lab by six? She was late. Brennan was hardly ever late.
She'd called Booth, who hadn't heard from her. He'd offered to stop by her place, and she could hear him getting out of bed, but told him she was already up and dressed and heading out the door.
"Brennan? Sweetie?" She felt the panic try to sink in as her knocks remained unanswered. She tried calling again, but the call remained unanswered as well.
Bang. Bang. Bang. "Brennan!" She called as she tried the nob. She'd assumed it would be locked. Brennan was a stickler for that. But the nob turned, and the door swung open. Her instincts went into overdrive. Something was wrong. She'd known from the moment Cam called her this morning that something wasn't right.
She hesitantly stepped in, trying to breathe through the panic. Surely she was being… "Oh god."
The scene before her had her heart in her throat. Things were knocked over, others looked to have been tossed from their normal place. There was juice and broken glass on the floor. And with bile in her throat, she realized there was blood on the living room rug.
Within moments of taking it in, she had her phone to her ear. "Oh god, Booth. You have to come quick!" She could hear the hysteria in her own shaking voice. The bile was building, burning her throat.
"Angela? What's wrong?" Booth's tone is alert.
"I think Brennan is in trouble. Booth, there's blood."
Booth barked orders as he stood in Brennan's apartment. Bag everything that's out of place. Leave nothing unturned. He wanted every surface inspected for anything that might tell them something. He looked over when Cam walked in.
"Is that too much blood?" He snapped. He felt bad. But fuck he felt like he was going to explode with the rage he felt. Someone hurt her, and they will pay.
"It's quite a bit, but doesn't look to be enough to suggest she's…" Cam trailed off. "Easier there, big guy. We are going to find her."
"I want every surveillance camera within ten miles confiscation! I want no leaf left unturned. I want every street sleeper talked to. Every door in this building is to be knocked on. Everyone you run into needs to be shown a picture of Brennan. We never know who might have seen something.
He turned to Hodgins who was picking up something off the floor with tweezers. As if he could feel his gaze, Hodgins spoke. "I won't miss a thing. If there is evidence here to lead us to her, I swear I'll find it."
"You do that," Booth replied because he had to. Because he needed to feel like he covered all the bases.
Booth turned to Angela who sat at Brennan's breakfast bar, crying silently. She rubbed her stomach and he wondered if she was soothing the baby, or if the baby was soothing her.
"I will find her. I swear it to you."
She looked up at him, eyes red. "She can't. I can't." She swallowed, shaking her head.
Booth bent over, giving her a hug. It was the last thing he wanted to be doing at this moment, but he felt the need to soothe her in some small way. Hell, maybe he needed soothing. Or maybe he didn't want the pregnant woman to stress. Who the hell knows why. But it didn't matter. Not really.
"This was planned."
He narrowed his eyes in question. "What do you mean?"
"Brennan has said things over the last few months. Like the night she was told you were engaged, her keys went missing. She told me that she's been home a few times and things aren't where she left them. A scarf I bought her went missing not long ago. I bet you those things mean something. Someone has been in here before and they planned this. I feel dumb for not seeing it before."
"You can't see the future."
"Still. Had I realized?" She shook her head as Hodgins pulled her to him, rubbing her back to comfort her.
"I will find her." He said out loud. Even if I have to burn the world down to do it. Anger built in his chest along with the fear. He would find her. And whoever dared hurt her was going to pay.
Nothing! Nothing on surveillance cameras, nothing from people on the street. No one in the building saw or heard a fucking thing!
"Tell me you guys have something!" He bellowed as he strode into Angela's office. All eyes went to him, all eyes were red from tears. "What?" Oh god, don't be dead! His heart sank.
"Agent Booth." Sweets started, but he cut him off.
"What? What did you find?"
"We found her phone," Angela replied. "We have the audio of the last couple moments she was in her apartment. She must have turned on the recorder somehow. Probably by mistake."
"We got the voice of the suspect," Cam added.
"You all looked like you had horrible news," Booth spoke through a tightened throat. He thought they found evidence that she was already dead.
"It was just hard to hear." Hodgins rubbed Angela's back.
"I need to hear it." He needed to hear the voice of the man who dare put his hands on Brennan.
Angela's eyes flicked to Sweets, who nodded as if they could stop him from listening if Sweets hadn't given his approval.
Angela hit the play button and a crashing sound filled the room. They heard Bones grunt before it sounded as if her body hit the ground. Footsteps, more sounds of struggle. A cry of pain ripped into Booth's soul. A man's shockingly familiar voice. "Now look what you did? Now we will have to worry about infection." There was another thud, then Bones' terrified voice filled the room. "Booth help! Booth! Booth!"
Booth left the room, not getting very far before punching the wall. His angry "fuck" escaped him as Brennan's voice filled his head. She cried for him. In her time of need. In her moments of fear, she cried for him.
"Booth," Cam said gently from behind him.
"That voice. I know that voice." Booth spun to face her.
"We thought it sounded like him too. But Booth? Sully? Really?"
He shook his head. No, it made no sense to him either. But no leaf was left unturned and while he had no idea where to find Sully, he'd find him.
"Are you serious?" Sully asked, nearly laughing with nerves. "Booth, you seriously think that I would do anything to hurt Tempe?"
Booth's jaw ticked as he looked at Sully. The man had been in the keys. Chances of him having anything to do with this, are slim. But it's been twenty-nine hours since she's been gone and he was losing his mind.
"Where were you between the hours of midnight and five AM?"
"I was in a hotel room. Alone. But just before midnight I was having drinks with a friend, and I met up with that same friend for breakfast around seven. Booth, I swear I have nothing to do with this. I would never hurt her."
"I'm going to need the name and contact number of this friend."
"Gladly." He wrote the information down.
"Let me help."
Booth left the room without an answer. First, he'd check the alibi. Then he'd have to listen to that audio again. It sounded just like him. Just like him. But even he didn't think Sulky would do this. And given that the man was in the keys? He didn't think he'd have enough time either. Sully was a dead end.
Brennan drifted. It felt as if she were on a boat that rocked with the waves. Nothing was right. She couldn't feel her physical spell. Yet she rocked. There was a sudden Jolt that made her fly up into the air, so high it felt like she was floating. Falling! She was falling! She tried to reach out and grab something, but she was bodiless.
She felt as if she were a feather, swaying back and forth lazily on the wind. At least she was falling slowly. Maybe that meant the landing wouldn't hurt. Drifting. Ever. So. Slowly.
She drifted until she was nothing on the wind.
…..
She was so heavy. It felt like gravity was doubling down on her, making damned sure that she wasn't going to float off the earth.
Her mouth was dry. It felt like she had cotton balls in there, and as she tried to move her tongue, it felt heavy too. But she was sure she was moving it.
Her dry tongue licked dry lips. She tasted copper, dirt, and mint. Copper? No. No, it was more specific than that. There was something familiar about the flavor. Blood. Yeah. It was blood. But why? She swallowed painfully, her throat as dry as her mouth. Were her lips bleeding? Maybe. But why?
Confusion settled in her as she became acutely aware of her heart. The sound seemed to fill the space around her until she get it everywhere. Her chest, head, belly. Even her hands seemed to pulse with the thump, thump, thump of her heart.
Her hands were numb. Numb. Cold. Heavy like the rest of her body. She couldn't figure out where they were though. She felt like there was a disconnect between her and her body. She knew it was there, but couldn't quite feel it.
After some time. She couldn't say how long, she realized she was sitting, prop up against a hard surface. The ground beneath her was also hard and cold. She moved her hands, trying to feel the ground beneath her, but no. Something wasn't right. Where were her hands? She had them. She could feel them. Numb. Aching.
Tired. So tired. She tried to fight the empty darkness that started to claim her. She wanted to wake up. To understand that prickling part of her that told her something was wrong. Really wrong.
She came to, she felt more aware. She was still heavy, but now her mind seemed more awake. Her thoughts made more sense.
Taking stock of her body, she tried moving her legs to find they only moved a little. Not because she couldn't use them. She could, but they were shackled at the ankles.
Working her way up her body, she could now feel, she realized there was pain in her legs. Probably for the same reason her butt was numb. How long had she been in this same position? Her stomach ached, both on the inside and out. Her chest moved as she breathed, and she realized she was breathing frantically. Probably because her heart rate was way elevated. She was afraid. Yeah. That was why she shook. Why adrenaline was pumping through her. Her body already knew what it was taking her mind a moment to understand.
Her arms hurt. There was a slash on the left one. It felt deep. Her numb hands were chained over her head. She could feel the shackles digging into her wrist. She wiggled her fingers, glad that they still moved.
She couldn't see anything. She tried blinking, but that changed nothing. She thought maybe she was in a dark room. So dark she couldn't even make out her arms, which were right next to her. After some time, she feared she'd gone blind. But she could figure out how. Her mind was still confused. She knew it was bad. Knew she was in danger. But could grasp why.
She was blindfolded. The longer she sat there, she realized there was something on her face. That's what the strange pressure on her eyes was. She tried getting it off, rubbing her face in her arms, but the damned thing was on too tight. And now that she realized it was there, she couldn't stand it.
She must have fallen asleep again because she came to with a start, her mind seeming to come alive all at once. She remembers standing in her kitchen. Feeling suddenly strange. Her hand dropped the glass. A man was there and he used a voice she knew. At least she thinks he did. The. She was fleeing, but her body wasn't working. Kidnapped. She'd been kidnapped.
She jerked, fighting the restraints. That held her. They were too tight. She could slip her hands through them. Her feet either. She let out a sound of frustration as she wished she could see. She hated that she couldn't see. Why did they have to blindfold her? She clearly wasn't going anywhere.
Booth's words came to her mind. "They try to disorient you by taking away your senses." He'd told her this once when she'd saved him after being tortured. He hadn't been wrong. Not being able to see made her fear much worse.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her frantic heart. She played her kidnapping over again in her head. Drinking the spiked juice. Falling. Trying to get away. Recognizing the voice and realizing that the figure was way too big to be Sully. Crying out as something sliced into her arm. Yeah, her left arm did hurt more than her right arm. Crying for Booth like he'd magically appear. Blacking out.
A door opened and she fell still immediately. She couldn't tell how far away it was but heard footfalls descending. She was downstairs. Likely a basement. Makes sense.
"Who's there?" She croaked out, her throat dry and horse. She cleared it. "Hello?"
"Temperance." The voice was male, higher in tone, and breathy. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this."
She said nothing, her mind reeling. "Oliver?" She asked when she finally placed the name.
"I knew you'd remember me. He didn't believe me, but I told him you'd remember me by my voice alone."
"Who?" Stay calm. Panicking won't do me any good.
"My partner. He helped me get you here. As you know, I'm not very strong. And I know that you are excellent at self-defense. Did he manage to sound like your ex? He said it would be fun to use a voice you knew when capturing you."
She said nothing. "Don't give them anything," Booth had said. "Remain as passive as you can. They want to hear you scream. They want to know they are scaring you. Don't give them that pleasure."
"Don't worry, Temperance. I will not hurt you. You are important to me."
She jerked when his hand caressed her cheek, startled by his sudden touch. She didn't like not being able to see. There was too much left to the imagination. "What do you want with me?"
He let out a chuckle. "I just want you. That's all I've ever wanted. To know you. Be beside you. To have you love me in return. I know you don't right now, but you will."
"And if I don't?" She countered.
"You will." She could hear the smile in his voice as he moved over her. She could feel his hot breath on her face and she turned her head to get away from him. "Don't fight me, Temperance. It'll only make this worse for you." He kissed her cheek before backing away.
She took deep breaths. Apparently staying calm was going to be easier said than done.
"I'm so happy you are here." His voice came from further away this time. "I'll be back. Don't worry, I shouldn't be gone long. And Willis might show up before I return. Remember, he's good with voices and likes to play with people. I Love you."
She waited until he went up the stairs and she heard the click of the door. Then she tried again to get herself free.
"Come one!" She cried, after a while. She couldn't get her hands to slip through whatever had her wrist, and she couldn't reach the wall behind her to try and break her thumb either. It would hurt like hell, but it might allow her hand to slip through.
She stilled after some time, labored breath and exhaustion taking over. She wasn't sure how long she'd struggled. Couldn't be sure of anything. She tried to fight the sleep that overtook her but found she couldn't. Maybe whatever drugs they gave her were still on her system. Regardless of the reason, she slipped into sleep where nightmares haunted her.
"We have to look at every possibility." Sweets said as he laid out folders into different piles. "This pile is people she's helped put away that have recently been released from prison. These are people who've threatened her in the past. This is ex-boyfriends or anyone who was once a romantic prospect. And these are the crazy fans. Those who seem to be just a little too in love with Dr. Brennan."
"This is taking too long," Booth growled. He was at the end of his rope in the patience department. Still, he grabbed the first file, reading through it, then tossed it aside. "We need to break these up into even smaller piles, then pull everyone in for an interrogation."
"We will help," Angela said walking into the room with Cam on her heels. "Hodgins is still looking over particulates and whatever else he found at the scene, but we don't have anything to do."
"Don't you guys have another case?" Sweets asked.
"No offense? But screw the other case. She's already dead. Brennan is still alive." Angela sat, pulling a pile to her.
Booth nodded, pulling his pile to him. They had work to do. He looked up when Sully walked in. "What are you doing here? You're not in the FBI anymore."
"I know. But please, unless you seriously think I'm a suspect, there's no reason why I can't help. I'm good with fieldwork. Good in interrogations. I'm a profiler."
Booth looked over at Sweets. "We have a profiler already."
"Booth."
"What do you think, Sweets?"
"I agree with you're assessment, Agent Booth. Sully isn't a likely suspect."
"Fine." Booth motioned for him to sit. The more help they help the better. And Sully had been great at his job. "But don't think for one second I'm not keeping a close eye on you."
Sully smiled. "Wouldn't dare."
"Oliver Laurier, Dexter Trudoe, Nathaniel Pratt, Jeffery Harper, Branden Marshal, and Gram Patrick," Booth said as he put their names and pictures on the board. "So far, these are our most Likely. We will start with them and go from there."
Oliver Laurie, stalker. Dexter Trudoe, freed convict. Nathaniel Pratt, super-fan. Jeffery Harper holds a grudge. Branden Marshal, recent date. Gram Patrick freed convict.
Booth stood, ready to jump into action until he noticed the time. Shit. Looking around, he could see they were all tired. They'd been working this none stop since she disappeared. His eyes landed on Angela. He was such an ass. When was the last time she ate? He was working everyone to the ground, and no one even complained.
"Okay, everyone go home. Eat. Get some sleep. We will pick this up in the morning."
Cam went to him, her face set in a serious tone. "You get some sleep too. You being tired isn't going to do Brennan any favors." He nodded, though he couldn't imagine how'd he get any sleep.
"Hey, we will find her. Tempe is strong. She won't go down without a fight. I will start compiling a send group to interview if this last one proves useless."
Booth nodded but left without saying a word. He felt like he was going to explode. Like there was a bomb inside him and anything could make it go off. Where was she? Was she afraid? Hurt? Alive? He swallowed the fear. She was alive. She had to be. She…god, please don't take her away. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the pressure making his head hurt. She was alive.
"Seeley!" Hannah went to him the moment he entered his office. "Is it true? About Temperance?"
"Yeah." Getting the word out was hard, sitting heavy on him. He couldn't stop the tears that sprang to his eyes as he looked at her. Hannah pulled him to her, her worry evident.
"What can I do? I have connections. Maybe if we get it out there, get her face put on every news station?"
"It's already out there." And yeah, he got his ass handed to him when Max found out about it. The man looked as ready to murder as he felt. He just hopes Max didn't do anything stupid in an attempt to find her. He had his hands full. He didn't need extra things to worry about.
He'd been right though. He should have called. Under normal circumstances, he would have. But he was so angry, so scared, he couldn't seem to think straight.
"Hey, she's going to be okay. She's smart and strong." Hannah rubbed circles on his back. "Let's go home, eat dinner, and sleep. Then we can start fresh in the morning." She leaned up to kiss him, frowning when he jerked away.
"I'm sorry. I just…" can't kiss you when I'm thinking about Bones. "I'm wound up."
"It's okay. Come on. Food, sleep, and kicking ass tomorrow."
"I'm worried about Booth." Sweets sat in Cam's office not at all surprised that she didn't go straight home.
"I know. I've never seen him so worked up before. Then again, someone has Brennan. I'm not sure they could have picked a worse person to kidnap."
"You think he will kill them?"
"Oh yeah, I do. Have you seen the rage on his face? He might not do it if he can't justify it, but I'm willing to bet that he's willing to make it justifiable even if it's a stretch."
Sweets let out a sigh. He'd been watching. Booth the last two days, and the man was a live wire. He's ready to let the world burn to find Brennan.
"Do you think she's alive?" Cam asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
"She has to be." Angela walked over to them looking far too tired. "Right? She has to be."
"Angie." Hodgins followed in after her. Come on, we said we stop in to grab your things, but you need sleep."
"How can I?" Tears blurred her vision. "My best friend has been kidnapped and we don't know by who or why. How can we just go home and sleep like she's not out there possibly scared out of her mind?"
He went to her, pulling her to him. "Because, Baby, she's Brennan. And she's resilient. And we will be more helpful to her if we aren't dead on our feet."
Sweets stood now, nodding his agreement. "He's right. This isn't going to break her. She's strong and we will find her."
"I hope so. Because I'd anything happens to her, I don't think Booth will ever be the same."
Angela nodded her agreement. "Cams right. I don't think any of us would be, but Booth? He's not handling this well."
"Hey, someone took you away from me and I'd react the same way." Hodgins held her closer for just a moment. Like the idea freaked him out.
Sweets said his goodbye before heading out. Cam was right. Booth would never be the same. He just hoped that It didn't take losing Dr. Brennan for Booth to understand he was still madly in love with her.
….
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks :D
