(The Conspiracy in the Corpse)

Queenbee1711: you gotta bring back Tessa Jankow!

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Booth had asked for a lawyer and none had been provided. He knew he was being stonewalled, but he was helpless to do anything about it. He was locked up and had no contact with anyone he knew including Brennan. He planned to fight to stay alive as long as possible and hoped that eventually he'd be exonerated and released from prison. He just hoped he wasn't killed before that could happen.

Brennan had hired a lawyer, but that lawyer had been unsuccessful in getting in to see Booth. Nathan Pak had been told that Booth was in solitary confinement because of some serious infractions and no one was allowed to see him. The lawyer had tried to get a court order to get around that problem but Judge Riley hadn't signed off on one, at least not yet. Brennan wasn't sure who to trust. Was the Judge part of the conspiracy against Booth? She didn't know, but she would keep fighting to get Booth out of prison.

Working to free Booth, Carolyn Julian was working as quietly as she could on the problem. She didn't want to catch the attention of whoever was behind Booth's attack. She knew that as a mature female attorney she would not be able to protect herself like Booth had done. The agent was a warrior and she had never known a braver man. She was concerned that he hadn't seen a lawyer yet, but so far there didn't seem a way to get the lawyer that Brennan had hired into see Booth. She needed to do something about it, but she wasn't sure what that was. She was on the verge of approaching Judge Ted Kemper. If there was anyone she could trust on the bench, it was Judge Kemper. So far, she was hesitating to bring him in to the situation because she wasn't sure if that would make Kemper a target or not. Still, she couldn't let Booth sit in jail and not get him some kind of help.

While Caroline waited for the Prison warden to get back to her about letting her see Booth, she had an unexpected visitor.

"Ms. Julian, may I speak to you?" Tessa Jankow stood in the open doorway of the federal prosecutor's office and waited for Caroline to respond.

Surprised to see Ms. Jankow, Caroline motioned the attorney to enter her office. "Go ahead. I'm just waiting for a phone call."

Closing the door behind her, Tessa moved across the room and sat down on the chair facing Caroline's desk. "I wasn't sure who to talk to, but you seem the most promising, so I've come to you . . . It's about Seeley Booth? Does he have an attorney yet?"

Curious, Caroline leaned on her desk and stared intently at the attorney. "Technically he does, but so far Nathan Pak is having trouble seeing his client. May I ask why you're interested?"

"I've been hearing rumors around town for the last two weeks about Agent Booth." When Tessa had heard about Booth's arrest, she was certain that something was wrong. She considered Booth to be an honorable man, with a record of service in the Army and with the FBI. She found it hard to believe what the press was bleating about and kept her ears open around the various courthouses in the area. "I know that he hasn't seen a lawyer yet and I wish to volunteer my services."

Suspicious of Tessa's offer, Caroline paused and thought about what she knew about the younger woman sitting in front of her. "You work for Jenkins, Smith and Ardoin . . . a very expensive law firm. Why are you volunteering your time?"

She sensed that the prosecutor was wary of her and if the rumors were right, Caroline had a right to be. "Let's say a Federal Agent stumbled upon something very dangerous, so dangerous that if it was exposed hundreds of people in positions of power might be terrified of the attention and decide to lash out. Let's also consider what those powerful people might do to get rid of someone that might expose them . . . Who do you trust to help this Federal Agent? Who do you approach? How can you be sure that the person you approach isn't part of the group that the Agent is on the verge of exposing? It's quite a dilemma . . . And now let's say that a partner in a very prestigious law firm served with the Agent and knows that something is so wrong with what is happening to the Agent that he is willing to use one of his best attorneys to help the agent. Of course, the brilliant attorney has studied the situation, listened to the gossip in the courtrooms and at a few law firms, maybe a few bars and health clubs and she knows that the partner is right. Now this brilliant attorney has also decided that she has to trust someone to help her help the agent and she has decided to approach one of the best prosecuting attorneys at the Justice Department. That prosecutor is also known to be a friend of the Agent and if anyone can be trusted . . . well you know." She moved her hands so they were palm up.

"Let's say I decide to believe your story, what do you want from me?" Caroline was intrigued with Tessa and knew she had seen her before, not just in court, but with someone she knew, she was just having trouble remembering who.

"Well, I have the ear of a certain judge and I think he can be trusted, but I need your opinion." Tessa leaned forward, grabbed a notepad from Caroline's desk and wrote down a name. After folding it, she handed it to the prosecutor. "Let's be cautious, shall we?"

Flipping the paper open, Caroline read the name, smiled and folded the paper back in half. "I think you're on the right track Cher'. If he's dishonest then God help us, because no one can be trusted."

Satisfied, Tessa stood up. "Thank you for your time Ms. Julian. I will make arrangements to see my new client as soon as possible."

Once the attorney was out of her office, Caroline walked over to her shredder and placed the piece of paper in it. She wasn't sure if she was being watched, but she was making sure that there wasn't anything in her office or her home that might help the opposition. At this point in time, her motto was 'trust no one'.

Ooooooooooooooo

Tessa sat in the small room waiting for her client to appear. She noticed the door open and a very pale man shuffled in wearing an orange jumpsuit. He was obviously recovering from being injured and that worried her. She had been told that Booth had been shot and it had only been three weeks since he had been operated on. "Seeley, please be seated."

Surprised to see Tessa in the room, Booth pulled the chair back and sat down while the guard closed the door leaving the couple in the room alone. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard that the lawyer your wife had hired couldn't get in to see you, so I made a few inquiries and your wife has agreed to let me represent you." Tessa felt sorry for Booth and decided that he needed assurances and what better way to do that than to be as professional as possible. "I don't know if you know it or not, but I work for Jenkins, Smith and Ardoin now. You served with Jessie Jenkins in Kosovo. He's concerned that you're not getting proper representation and he recruited me. He wants the best working on your case and I am the best."

He had seen Tessa over the years in courtrooms working for various defendants, but he hadn't really talked to her since they broke up in what seemed like a life time ago. "I didn't kill any FBI Agents. I was attacked in my home and I defended myself."

"Good, I'm glad to hear you're still one of the good guys." Tessa had been told the same story by Dr. Brennan and she knew that she was going to have her hands full proving that Booth had been set up. "I am consulting with your wife and a certain attorney that shall remain nameless. We know a little about what is going on, but we're not sure who is involved and why. I tried to obtain the autopsy reports of the men killed in your house, but I'm being refused. I have an appointment with a judge we might be able to trust to see if I can shake those records loose. I'm also trying to verify who those men are, but again the FBI is stalling. I'm sure that what you said is true and someone is trying to cover their tracks. This is not going to be an easy case, Seeley. It may take a month or two to get you out of here. You need to be alert and to fight when you have to. I'm sure you know that, but it bears repeating. "

"When can I see my wife?" Booth felt weak and he wasn't sure he had the strength to survive prison, but he would not give up no matter what. He knew that Brennan was counting on him to fight. He just needed to see her to make sure she was okay.

Tessa understood that Booth wanted to see his wife, but it had taken her a week to see her client. It was going to be harder to get Brennan in here. Opening a folder that she had with her, she removed a picture and handed it to Booth. It was a picture of Brennan with Christine. "This picture was taken four days ago. You can see that your wife and child are in good health. I asked if I could give you the picture and the warden has agreed. I'm not sure why since he's not on your side at all. You need to know that. He will not help you if you get into trouble."

"Understood." Booth took the picture, looked at it and placed it in his shirt pocket. "Thank you."

"I know you're a religious man," Tessa smiled. "I have asked if I can bring you a bible and the warden has said yes . . . I think he wants to appear cooperative even though we know he isn't. He's giving in to the small things so he can deny you the big things. Just letting you know."

Nodding his head, Booth knew that Tessa was probably right. "Got it . . . It's good to see you again, Tessa. It's been a long time. You've done pretty good for yourself . . . I keep track. A rising star at your firm. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Tessa sighed. "I wish I could say the same about you, but we will get you out of here and we'll prove you were set up. Just have faith, Seeley. Have faith that I will fight for you and so will the ones who know you and believe in you."

"Thank you. I will."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Tessa had been working for two months trying to get autopsy reports, personnel files from the FBI and the reports the FBI had to have filled out about the attack in Booth's home. She and her boss had pulled every string they could pull and finally got copies of the autopsies and that was when they both knew that Booth was being framed. The autopsies were for men that didn't exist. At least they weren't FBI Agents and they could prove that. Yes, the reports clearly said that the three men were FBI agents, but Jessie used some contacts that he had at the Pentagon and at the CIA and found out that the attackers were really ex-Army Rangers. All three had been cashiered from the Army for serious infractions. He knew that the FBI was counting on their reports to be taken at face value, but Jessie was smarter than that. He had worked with the CIA just like Booth had while he was in the service and he knew how to get the information that he needed.

After Jessie and Tessa had contacted a CIA Agent that Jessie felt they could trust, they met secretly a few times setting up a plan to get the information they had out in to the public. The information had to be scrubbed. They needed to make sure the information couldn't be traced back to Danny Beck or his job and maybe his life would be on the line as well as theirs.

They were on the verge of releasing the information in a huge media blitz when miraculously the charges had been dropped against Booth and he had been released from prison. Stunned Jessie and Tessa had met in his office and talked over their next move. They were sitting on important information and they wanted to release it, but they needed to make sure they weren't going to cause serious repercussions. It was decided that Tessa would contact Dr. Brennan at her office and find out if what they had could be used to clear Booth's name. Both Jessie and Tessa knew that dropped charges was not an exoneration.

Oooooooooooooooooo

"Dr. Brennan, may I have a word with you?" Tessa waited for Brennan to invite her into her office. Once she saw the scientist nod her head, she entered the room and closed the door behind her. "I know who the men were who attacked Booth in your home. I need to know if I can release that data to the press and clear Booth's name or would you like me to wait? I need to make sure that it won't interfere with anything that you and Booth are working on. I know he is back at the FBI and he's looking into two murder cases. I don't know if he's going after who set him up, but if he is, I don't want to harm that investigation or give that person a heads up that things are starting to unravel."

Grateful for Tessa's help, Brennan pointed towards a chair and waited for the attorney to sit down. "As you know Dr. Lance Sweets was murdered two days ago. We think his death is connected to the attack on Booth and two other murders that we are presently working on. The information would be very useful in the future once we have solved the mystery of who is behind these deaths and we know why. If you could wait, we could release that information when we are ready to make an arrest."

"I understand and I'll wait until you give me the word." Tessa knew that something big was going on, but she had tried to keep in the background as much as possible. Neither she nor her boss wanted to be targeted by whoever was behind this mess. They knew that a congressman's career was over because of it, a FBI psychologist was dead as well as the two that Brennan had mentioned. The fact that Booth had been attacked by cashiered Army Rangers just made the situation more dangerous. Add to that Danny Beck was anxious that whatever Booth was working on was going to be so big that many powerful people were going to go to prison and that might make for a restless population. Danny was putting together something that could be released to the press that might assure the citizens of the country that they were safe and so was the country. He was going to use Homeland Security as his front. There were several men and women there that he trusted. Tessa just hoped the good guys won this one.

"Thank you for all of your help, Tessa. You probably saved Booth's life." Brennan was certain of it. "We couldn't get a lawyer in to the prison and I was afraid that they were going to kill Booth and we'd never know what happened. Your perseverance in seeing him every four days and the fact that you had a judge on your side meant that they couldn't outright kill him. Thank you for helping my husband."

Tessa smiled. "You're welcome. I don't know if you remember me. I dated Seeley for a while, many years ago. I think your partnership was new at the time. I broke up with him because I was too chicken to commit to him in a serious relationship. It wasn't his fault. I just wasn't ready. I knew Seeley to be an honorable man who had served his country for many years. I know what kind of man he is and I couldn't stand by and do nothing to help him."

"I remember you." Brennan had an eidetic memory. "I remember when you broke up with him. He went on vacation without you. I think he was sad about the breakup, at least it appeared that way to me. He went on vacation and came back and he moved on."

She didn't know why, but Tessa was glad that Booth had felt sad that she had dumped him. It meant that had he cared for her. She had cared for him, but she was just too afraid to commit to him or anyone else. She supposed that was why she was still single. "Well, that was a long time ago. Let me know when I can release the names of his attackers. You will find that me, my boss and a contact we have in another agency have come up with a campaign that will completely clear Seeley's name."

Brennan stood up and leaned forward to shake Tessa's hand. She didn't do that very often, but when she did it was usually heartfelt. "I will contact you soon."

Oooooooooooooooo

Glen Durant had been arrested for treason, murder, attempted murder, bribery and several other charges and Tessa and Jessie had released the information they had to the press. The media had eaten it up and soon everyone knew that Booth was a wronged man and it had not been a mistake when he had been released from prison. Hundreds of judges, federal agents, state and local officials and some members of the military were also under arrest and most of them would never be free again.

Avidly reading the newspaper, Booth read about the three ex-Rangers who had died in his house and he realized that he had been up against men were just as knowledgeable about warfare as he was. He had been lucky to have survived the attack and he would never forget that Brennan had been a key to his survival. "Tessa did this?" Brennan had explained to Booth about who was involved in clearing his name and he still couldn't believe that Tessa had been part of that group. "I really liked Tessa when I was dating her, but our relationship would have never lasted. She didn't want the things I wanted . . . Of course, I didn't love her like I love you, Bones. I'll never love anyone like I love you."

Her cheeks warm, Brennan leaned against Booth as they sat on the couch and knew that she was glad Booth and Tessa hadn't worked out either. "I know . . . Tessa is a great friend to you, Booth, but I think that was all she ever wanted to be." Brennan clasped her husband's hand. "I was like Tessa for a long time, but I finally realized that I didn't have to live my life alone. Not if you find someone that loves you and can be trusted . . . I love you Booth. We're going to be alright now. You have your job back your name has been cleared and everyone knows that you're an honorable and brave man. You are also my husband, my friend and my partner. Welcome home, Booth. It was a long wait, but you're finally where you belong."

Oooooooooooooooooo

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