Brennan opened her eyes and groaned. She felt dizzy and nauseous. She had no idea why. She noticed she was in her car, but it was dark inside. Had she fallen asleep in her car? Was it nighttime? She tried to start her car, but nothing happened. She noticed the radio was playing.
"Where am I?" she asked. Her voice sounded groggy to her. A pain in the back of her neck made her reach to touch it. "Ow." She went to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"What?" she asked herself. She tried again, but it wouldn't move. She tried to roll down the window, but dirt just came falling in, so she rolled it back up quickly. For a moment, panic set in as she sat up straight and realized where she was, what had happened, and what case she had been working on.
She was buried alive in her car.
...
Booth was looking at Rebecca's case file. He hadn't given up on it, not in the slightest. He kept going over the details of what was in the file plus what Marcus had told him. He kept feeling like something didn't add up.
"Booth?" Duke asked, sticking his head into his office. Duke was from the police department.
"Yea?" Booth replied.
"There's been a shooting."
"And?"
"The vic is pretty much dying."
"Okay. Why are you telling me this?" Booth asked, confused.
"It's Marcus Vance."
Booth felt his stomach drop as he stared at Duke.
"What?" he asked.
"Big surprise he was involved in another robbery, but this time, the owner had a gun behind the counter. He shot Vance. He's dying, and he wants to talk to you."
Booth was on his feet instantly.
"Where is he?"
"Hospital."
"Thanks, Duke," Booth said, rushing off. He wondered what Marcus had to say.
...
Angela was coloring with Parker and showing him a new shading technique that he was really picking up on. Angela had high hopes that Parker would be an artist. She loved the idea of having a protege. The only problem was she was worried about Brennan. She hadn't called or texted to tell her where she was or when she was coming home. Angela had picked Parker up from school as a favor because Brennan was working late on the Gravedigger case.
"Bones didn't leave me, did she?" Parker asked suddenly, looking up from his art at Angela. She swallowed.
"No, sweetie. She's just working late."
"I don't want her to leave me. Ever," Parker told her.
"I don't think she plans to," Angela promised. His eyes had so much hope that it almost made her hurt inside. This boy had been passed around like a football. He knew when someone cared about him and when someone didn't, which was hard to think about since he was so young.
"If anyone is going to be my new Mommy, it's her," Parker went on, going back to his coloring. Angela felt warm inside. Both Brennan and Parker deserved love and commitment, and they were perfect for each other.
...
Brennan was taking in deep breaths when the groan behind her made her yelp.
"Hodgins!"
He looked terrible. His legs were a mess. She twisted in her seat, looking at him.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"In my car. Buried alive," she answered. "He got us."
"Who?"
"The Gravedigger."
"Shit," Hodgins muttered. He groaned again. Brennan started thinking about Parker and how panicked he was going to be when he learned Brennan was in danger. She hoped Angela wouldn't tell him. She stopped herself from thinking about what would happen to him if she died. She refused to believe she was going to die.
...
Booth was led to Marcus, who was being worked on.
"Move," he ordered.
"Sir, we have to work on him..."
"He has something important to say to me first," Booth said. "Then he's all yours."
"Sir..."
"It pertains to a murder investigation. Do you want to be arrested for obstructing justice?" Booth asked.
The nurses and doctor were disgruntled, but they stepped back. Marcus rolled his head towards Booth, his voice barely a whisper. Booth leaned down to his mouth to hear better.
"I got rid of her," Marcus was saying. "I panicked."
"What are you talking about?" Booth demanded. Had he been tricked by Marcus?!
"I didn't...kill her," Marcus said, gasping now. "Found uncle...her...dead...panicked...threw in...river."
"You found your uncle Steve and Rebecca both lying dead on his property, panicked, and threw her in the river?" Booth confirmed.
"Y-Yes."
"But you left the gun behind she used."
"Yes."
"How did he kill her?" It was a trick question. He knew how she had died.
"He...on top...her. Strangled...bled out."
"He had managed to strangle her after getting shot and bled out from his gunshot wound after she died?" Booth clarified.
"Yes."
"How can I trust this? You lied to me."
"Please," Marcus said, coughing and choking now. "Didn't...kill...her."
Booth looked at him. He was clearly not going to make it. Why lie on his deathbed?
"Sir? You need to go now," the doctor said. Booth stepped back, and they resumed working on him. It wasn't long, though, before Marcus flat lined. They brought out the paddles, but he didn't come back. Booth stood there as they declared Marcus dead and thought about what Marcus had said. He'd found the bloody mess and panicked, cleaning it up. He was afraid of being accused of the murder, so he didn't tell Booth that the first time they talked. Booth slowly made his way back to his SUV, knowing that he finally had solved Rebecca's murder. An angry man who blamed her for what his own wife did decided to hurt her. She fought back and lost. As Booth drove, he gripped the wheel hard. Her parents were going to be devastated. Then he thought of his next mission, which was to find his child. He would do it because it was the least he could do for Rebecca. His phone rang, startling him. He let it go to voicemail. He wasn't in the mood for talking. He found Cam at the coffee shop in her usual spot.
"Hey," she said as he came in.
"I solved Rebecca's case," he blurted. She frowned.
"What? How?"
"Marcus Vance."
"That guy? But wasn't it his uncle...?"
"On his deathbed, he told me he found both his uncle and Rebecca dead on the property. He panicked and put her in the river."
"Oh my God."
"Yea," he said, rubbing his face. "Now I just need to find my child."
"And you will. I know you will," Cam promised.
"Hang on," Booth said, remembering the phone call in the car. "I gotta check my voicemail."
"Okay," she nodded. He was not expecting the message that he got.
"Temperance Brennan and Jack Hodgins have been buried alive. Wire transfer $8 million to the following Grand Cayman account or they will suffocate to death. Upon receipt of the wire transfer, I will provide you Brennan and Hodgins GPS Coordinates. This will be my last communication."
All the hair on Booth's arms and neck stood up.
"What?" Cam asked, noticing his face.
"Bones and Hodgins are buried alive," he answered.
...
"I have lots of water," Brennan said, rummaging in her bag. "I have it for Karate."
"Where are we?" Hodgins asked again.
"Buried alive in my car," she answered again. "Obviously you've been hit by a car and filled with drugs to ruin your short term memory like he did with Ryan Kent. I got hit with a stun gun."
"Zack was working on that," Hodgins said. "The stun gun. Wait, how long have we been down here?"
"About two hours," she answered. Hodgins was doing the math in his head.
"My head isn't working," he said after a moment.
"If the Gravedigger is as consistent as I think he is, then we've started with 12 hours of oxygen and have 10 left," Brennan explained. Hodgins looked like he was going to throw up.
"And if no one finds us?" he asked. Brennan felt sick herself then. Parker's face flashed in her mind. Then Russ's, Angela's, Zack's, and Booth's.
"We're dead," she answered.
...
When Angela got the call, she had no idea what to tell Parker. He was waiting for her to tell him what was going on. The expectant look on his face was not helping.
"I have to go to work," she told him finally.
"What happens to me?" he asked.
"You get to hang out in my office."
"Cool!"
Angela was glad he was young enough to still find sitting at a desk "cool." She got him ready to go, hiding her shaking hands as best as she could. When they arrived at the Jeffersonian, Booth was waiting for her with Zack and Cam.
"Hi Booth!" Parker called excitedly. This alerted Booth to the fact that Angela hadn't told him Brennan was missing.
"Hey, buddy," he said back.
"I get to hang out here with you guys," Parker went on, grinning.
"You sure do. Hey, let's get you set up in my office," Angela said, taking him there. When she came back alone, Booth was concerned.
"What do we tell him?" he asked.
"Let's see how long we can hold off explaining where Brennan is," Cam suggested. "To keep his anxiety levels down."
"He's already worried she isn't coming back," Angela explained. "He told me he never wants her to leave him, that he wants her to adopt him."
"Wow," Booth said. This boy was really attached to Brennan. He could kind of see that connection between them the more he thought about it. Brennan was so different with him than she was with work and colleagues.
"Put a pin in it for now," Cam said. "When it comes time, I'll help you explain it to him."
"Okay," Angela agreed. She wondered what experience Cam had with little children, but she didn't ask.
"So, you're going to pay the ransom, right?" Cam asked Booth.
"Even if I lose my job, yes," he answered.
"Hodgins is loaded," Zack said, finding his voice finally.
"Really?" Cam asked.
"Yes."
"How did Hodgins even get caught with Brennan?" Booth asked.
"He had something important to tell her that he found," Zack answered. "He ran after her when she left."
Booth was instantly going to the parking garage, and they followed. They found blood on the ground. Angela looked very sick after seeing it.
"All right. Find security footage. Get this place crawling with crime scene investigators. Now."
"Got it," Cam nodded.
"And you," Booth said to Zack. "I need you to be Bones."
"I don't know what that means," Zack stated, sounding exactly like Brennan.
"Just work," Cam interpreted for him. "Work this case like any other case, but go a bit faster."
"Okay," Zack nodded.
"I'll look at Hodgins's notes," Angela said. "See if I can find what he found. I understand his writing."
"And me?" Cam asked.
"Call Russ. See if he can come and look after Parker to keep him distracted. I'm going to contact the chairman of the Cantilever Group."
"Okay."
Everyone ran off to do their tasks. Booth found himself feeling so much dread and fear at the thought that he might never see Brennan or Hodgins again.
...
Brennan had finished making the incision in Hodgins's leg and wrapped it up. He had passed out from the pain. She felt bad for him to have had to experience such pain, but it had to be done. He had told her how crazy he was about Angela, and Brennan felt a little surprised by it. She had obviously missed it somehow. Then she started thinking about Parker. Did he know she was missing? He'd be panicking. She felt so sad at the thought of possibly never seeing him again. What would he do? Would Russ take him in? Would he be sent back into the system? She hadn't wanted that for him. Then she felt sucker punched. If Booth really was his father, he could take him, but he had no idea. She hadn't had them side by side again to see if she was wrong or not. She didn't want to because the irrational part of her wanted to adopt Parker and pretend she had never noticed the similarities. Now, she realized he should have the chance to find out because Parker deserved to have his father after everything he'd gone through. When she got out of there, and she hoped she would get out of there, she would tell him. She'd figure everything else out. All she cared about was Parker's well being. She wanted him happy and safe. She'd do whatever it took to do that for him.
...
Parker looked up at the man they brought in to see him. He recognized him from a picture back home.
"Parker, this is..." Angela started.
"Uncle Russ!" Parker finished for her. He grinned at the guy. Bones had told him about her brother. It made him wish he had a brother.
"That's right," Angela nodded.
"Hey, buddy," Russ said, going to sit beside him. "Temperance asked me to come and take you home for the night."
"Is she coming back?" Parker asked, afraid. Russ looked at Angela for help. He knew what was going on.
"She should be home by morning," Angela answered. She hated lying. Parker, however, seemed to see right through her.
"Something happened to her," he said. "Right? You're not telling me."
"Um," Angela tried.
"What happened to her?" Parker asked, his voice hitching up a notch. He got up from his chair and looked at both Russ and Angela.
"We are trying to find her," Angela said.
"She's missing?!" Parker shrieked. He ran then, and Angela chased after him with Russ on her heels.
"Parker!" she called. He found Booth and ran to him.
"Booth, where is Bones? Angela said she's missing," Parker said, tearing up. Booth glared at Angela, who gave him an apologetic look in return.
"He figured out something was wrong," she insisted.
"Where is she?" Parker asked Booth. "Are you gonna find her? Please find her. I love her. I need her."
"Okay, okay," Booth said, bending to pull Parker into his arms. "We are doing everything we can to find her."
"I don't want her to leave me," Parker sobbed. Booth felt the pull in his heart. He felt like crying a little himself.
"I don't either," he said. "But I need you to be brave and go with your uncle so we can work to find her. Okay?"
He pulled back from Parker a little to look at him. Parker's eyes and cheeks were wet.
"Promise?" he asked in a whisper. "Promise you'll find her?" Booth knew better than to promise such a thing when he didn't even know where Brennan was let alone the fact she had little time left before suffocating. But, he couldn't break this child's heart either. So he did the unthinkable.
"I promise," he answered. He could feel the shock from Angela and Russ at this, but he didn't care.
"Okay," Parker said, wiping at his face with his sleeve. "I'll go with Uncle Russ."
Booth gave the boy's arms one last reassuring squeeze before Russ took the boy's hand and led him out.
"Do you have any idea what you've done promising him something like that?" Angela asked accusingly.
"Yea, I do," Booth answered. He left her standing there then, going off to push Zack for answers. Angela hoped for his sake that they found Brennan because she had no idea how Parker would react if they didn't.
Stay tuned! The next chapter is almost finished so look for an update within the week!