Dick Vorstenbach was a very patient man. In his line of business, it wasn't just an asset...it was a necessity. A job could take hours, days, or even weeks, depending on the subject, but in the long run, it didn't matter, because he got the job done. He had a lot of practical experience and was a meticulous planner, anticipating every contingency before he began the hunt. Being well prepared allowed him to complete his assignments in a professional manner, and he was known for having an exceptional success rate. He was a cold blooded killer, pure and simple, and as such, his skills were always in high demand.
He had nothing better to do at the present except to wait until just the right moment to make the move on his target. He never acted on impulse, choosing instead to study his quarry carefully in order to finish his job perfectly, without the chance of an error. It was like working a puzzle...making sure that all the pieces fit into their places, in order to meet his exacting specifications so he could secure his victory. Like any other predator, he would lie in wait...watching...concentrating...focusing on taking out his target, and then, when the time was right, the plan would be executed flawlessly, and the problem swiftly and completely eliminated. That was the reason his services were so widely sought after by people who needed that sort of 'pest removal' accomplished on the sly. No one wanted to hire a hitman who couldn't get the job done right the first time. Instead, they wanted someone who could remove a problem without leaving a trace of evidence behind.
This time the subject of his pursuit had proved to be quite the interesting challenge. Seeley Booth was a worthy opponent...every bit as talented with a rifle as Vorstenbach, having had the reputation of being an extremely accurate Army sniper as a younger man. However, Booth had a fatal flaw as far as Vorstenbach was concerned. Booth was prone to becoming emotionally involved with the people he knew. According to Vorstenbach's sources, Booth had actually allowed himself to fall in love with his partner. So stupid...it's shit like that gets a fella killed...
For days, Vorstenbach had parked his car across the street from Temperance Brennan's apartment building. Studying her picture, he nodded to himself. She was a beautiful woman, but as a professional, Booth should've avoided allowing his emotions...and his libido...to rule his life. It did make things easier for Vorstenbach, however. All he had to do was threaten Dr. Brennan somehow, and Booth would come running to save her...and also run right into the trap that was being set for him. It was almost too simple, but one had to use what tools were available to get the job done. No need to draw this out any longer than necessary, I suppose...I'll still get paid, even if it is easy, and then I can move on to the next job for the Council...maybe pick up a side gig for the Persians if they need something...
The hitman had sat outside the apartment building for several evenings in a row, hoping to understand Dr. Brennan's movements. Her hours at home had been erratic lately, and he'd had a hard time keeping tabs on her. Something must've changed in her life recently, since her hours at the lab had become erratic also. Scratching his chin, Vorstenbach thought things over, trying to decide the best method of collecting her, when his phone rang.
"What? I'm working.," he growled. "Make it quick."
"She won't be back at her apartment for several weeks. She's out of the country on an anthropological expedition." The voice on the other end had an irritating whiny quality as it delivered the news. "Waiting around for her to get back won't do you any good, either, since there's no set date for her return. You'll have to go straight for him."
"And you're just now telling me this?" Rolling his eyes, Vorstenbach sighed in disgust. "Shit! Wasting my time like that complicates things...and complications cost money. This'll up the price by ten grand, since I have to go get him directly, okay? So where is he? He's not at his apartment...hasn't been there for several days. I've been watching that liquor store, too."
"He's been in the hospital, but he'll be discharged soon. He had a brain tumor removed, and his recovery has been difficult, but that'll make it easy for you...he's confused, so it'll be a piece of cake. He'll be a sitting duck when he's back at his apartment, and you can take him out at your leisure."
Vorstenbach nodded. "Okay...let me know as soon as you find out anything more about him...but it's still an extra ten grand."
"Yeah, okay. I get it. Whenever you can do the job is fine. He's incapacitated, so no rush. Let me know where to send the cash."
"You'll be hearing from me soon." Vorstenbach grunted as he started his car. "I don't want to let things go on too long. I've got other jobs lined up that need to be taken care of, okay? I want to get this over with."
"Fine. We'll be in touch."
The call ended, and Vorstenbach started his car and drove away. In a way, it was too bad things were going to be somewhat simpler than he'd first thought. He'd been looking forward to the challenge of tracking Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan before taking their lives.
oooooooooo
The minute Brennan stepped off the plane and into the concourse of Reagan National Airport, she wondered if she'd made a mistake coming home early. Even though logically she knew there was nothing to be nervous about, her heart rate increased as she thought about seeing Booth again. She hadn't had any contact with him while she was away, and she'd been desperate for an update, so, on a whim, she'd left the dig site sooner than originally planned, not even letting Angela know that she'd be returning early. As much as she loved her best friend, she knew Angela would want to know everything all at once, and Brennan wasn't sure she was quite up to that conversation yet.
As she scanned the boards in the baggage claim area for information about where to pick up her suitcases, she rolled a pendant between her fingers. It was a polished cat bone, hung from a braided leather cord. When she had told Lidia that she needed to leave early, the little girl had carefully cleaned and polished the bone, then carefully wrapped the top in leather and braided a necklace loop. She had placed it over Brennan's head and given her a tearful hug before the anthropologist climbed into the jeep that would take her from the remote dig and back to civilization.
As the carousel brought her luggage around, she tried to clear her head from the lingering thoughts of the little girl. Lidia would be fine. Her parents were willing to do what was needed to make sure she received a good education, and with her intellect and natural talent, it was conceivable that she'd be able to go to college, perhaps studying anthropology if she chose to do so. Still, it hurt somewhat to realize that she'd probably never see the child again. But that's what happens when one gets emotionally involved with others...people get hurt.
She gathered her bags, and walked out of the terminal into the bright sunshine. Flagging down a taxi, she had a silent ride to her apartment, glad for the time to think. She was exhausted, but she knew herself well enough to know she wouldn't be able to rest until she found out what was going on with her partner. However, before she went to see Booth it would be helpful to know the state of his mental and physical health. Lost in thought, she was startled when the cab driver signaled that they had arrived at her destination. She tossed him a few bills and took her bags up to her apartment.
Entering the door, she leaned against the frame and marveled at the silent room in front of her. She had forgotten how empty and quiet her apartment could feel. Between the scientists participating in the expedition and her talks with Lidia, her days at the dig had never been lonely.
Costa Rica suddenly felt like it was millions of miles away. She was back in her own place now, and it was time for things to get back to normal. She was ready to be Booth's partner again, working with him to solve cases for the FBI.
Making a decision, she took a quick shower and headed over to the Hoover, figuring that Sweets would have an update on Booth's condition since he'd been the one helping her partner recover. Glancing at her phone, she hesitated, wondering if she should call first, but decided against it. Having the element of surprise on her side might be a good thing. Sweets would be far less likely to 'experiment' with her emotional reactions if she showed up unannounced.
oooooooooo
She took the elevator up to the Hoover's fourth floor and walked down the hall to Sweets' office. After hesitating for a few seconds, she knocked quickly, more of a courtesy than anything else, greeting the psychologist when he opened the door. "Good afternoon, Dr. Sweets."
"Dr Brennan!" He gaped at her in shock. "I didn't expect you back for another two weeks."
"I decided to cut my trip short. We'd reached a point where my participation in the expedition had become tedious. May I come in?"
Stepping aside to let her through, he gestured to the couch, waiting quietly as she sat down. He stared at her for a moment, fidgeting with his tie as he took a seat across from the couch. "Um...I assume you're here for an update on Booth's condition."
"Yes, I would like to have some context for my visit when I see him again. I assume he's been released from the rehabilitation hospital and is recuperating at home, correct?"
Sweets pursed his lips and sighed deeply. His shoulders slumped and he softened his tone. "Well, actually...that is not correct, Dr. Brennan. I'm so sorry to give you such bad news in this manner, but Agent Booth is dead."
She scoffed in disbelief. "No, he's not. You're experimenting on me as you've done in the past, trying to see my reaction to sudden emotional trauma. Well, I don't find it amusing, Sweets, nor is it particularly good scientific practice. Please tell me the truth. Where is Booth?"
The young man bit his lip, unable to meet her intense glare. "Dr. Brennan, I'm so sorry, but that is the truth. Booth died due to post-surgery complications. The doctor believes he had a blood clot...an embolism...in his brain, not far from the site of the tumor. It took us all by surprise. I'd just been to see him that morning...and then he was gone that afternoon. It was so sudden..."
Unable to fully process what he was saying, Brennan shook her head emphatically. "No. No, that's not true. Someone would have told me. No, Sweets."
"I'm afraid it is true. I tried to contact you, but Dr. Pak's associate here in the States said he was out of communication range at the dig site...that there was no way to reach you…"
"That's ridiculous. There had to be a way...we had a satellite phone for emergencies. You could've called me." Sinking back into her chair, Brennan inhaled sharply. "I want to see Booth's autopsy report."
"There wasn't an official autopsy done…"
"What? There had to be one. His death was unexpected." Brennan rose from her seat and began to pace the room, pausing again as she turned to face the psychologist. "You're lying."
"No, I'm not." Reaching into his desk drawer, Sweets pulled out a death certificate and held it up so she could see it. "Dr. Jursik told me afterwards that he'd been concerned about this happening...that there's always the chance of this sort of blood clot occurring in brain surgery, but he'd hoped Booth would be able to avoid it, given how many days he was past the procedure. The doctor was saddened, but not really surprised, so no autopsy was ordered. Look…" He pushed the form towards Brennan. "He signed off on the cause of death."
"Fine. I'll go talk to the doctor myself." Grabbing her coat and jacket, Brennan headed for the door. "He'll tell me the truth. I won't leave his office until I get an answer. He never mentioned any possibility of an embolism to me...in all our discussions, it never came up. I'll make him answer my questions..."
"Um...I'm afraid that won't be possible, either. Dr. Jursik is in Iraq. The Army requested that he assist them over there with some of the soldiers that have experienced head trauma. He'll be gone for at least six weeks."
"So Angela...Cam...Hodgins...they all knew, and nobody thought to contact me? I could've come home sooner…" She inhaled sharply, blinking back her tears. "Someone should've called me…why didn't they let me know?"
"Dr. Brennan, there was nothing you could've done, even if you had returned when the event first took place. It was quite sudden...it all happened too fast...and there seemed to be no reason to wait to have his funeral. His grandfather has been ill, and the shock of Booth's death has taken an even greater toll on his health. He was anxious to get back home to his assisted living facility, so the decision was made to go ahead with the service as soon as they could." Sighing softly, Sweets leaned back in his seat. "Listen, I know you're in shock, Dr. Brennan, and you may not feel like talking about this...but, if you need me…"
"I can't imagine a situation in which that would occur." Bolting through the door, she slammed it behind her.
########
Swearing softly, Brennan tried to get her bearings as she stood outside Sweets' office. She'd felt her body move towards the door, but it hadn't seemed to happen of her own volition. It doesn't make sense! How could he be dead? Dr. Jursik said he'd be fine...that was why I left…
Taking a deep breath, she struggled to regain her composure. I need some answers...I need to talk to someone...someone must know the truth about what happened….
She took off towards another office, the one belonging to the only other person she knew on that floor. "Agent Perotta?"
The blonde woman looked up from her computer, furrowing her brow. "Dr. Brennan, um...hello. What can I do for you?"
"Booth? He's really dead?" Brennan stood shakily in the doorway, not making any move to enter, knowing that she was being imprecise and vague, but those words were the only ones she could utter at the moment. "I...just...I mean…"
Agent Perotta stared at the scientist for a moment, her features contorting into an expression Brennan couldn't name. She tightened her lips into a grim expression. "Yes, unfortunately, he has passed away. They had a military funeral for him last week. I'm so sorry, Dr. Brennan. At least you can take comfort in knowing that he didn't suffer. They said he died in his sleep...but I guess that doesn't really help, does it?"
"No...it doesn't." Brennan clenched her fists, hoping to maintain her composure. She felt numb...it was like swimming through jello. Nothing made sense...it was all a blur…nodding her thanks, she fled from Perotta's office.
She had to get away...she couldn't stay at the Hoover any more. Entering the elevator, she jabbed at the button that would take her to the parking level. Biting her lip, she strode to her car and quickly got in before allowing the flood of tears to begin.
Ooooooooo
Bored. Booth was bored out of his skull. He laughed bitterly to himself. Ironic, isn't it? I had something taken out of my skull, and now I'm bored out of it...
He'd been so goddamn bored that he'd studied an online anatomy book, trying to learn the name of every single fucking bone in the human body. He'd run through all the saints he could name, forwards and backwards. He'd read everything he could get his hands on, and watched an endless stream of Roadrunner cartoons on cable. He was so bored he's even watched some soccer on television. Talk about boring…
He was so bored that he almost wished his nightmares would resume. They had given him something to think about...and something to talk about. But as obnoxious as Sweets was, at least he'd been right about that...with Bones out of town, the horrible dreams had faded away. Thank God I don't have to worry about her right now...at least not any more than I normally do...
He was supposed to be dead as far as the rest of the world knew, even going so far as having a funeral with military honors for him. Sweets was supposed to tell everyone on his list that he was okay, but everyone else, including Cam and the rest of the squints, thought he was a goner.
They'd let him send an email to Rebecca, telling her what was going on with the whole 'playing dead' scenario. She'd been angry with him, as if it was his fault some asshole was trying to kill him, but Booth didn't care, as long as she knew what was happening. At least Parker would know his old man is okay, and that was all he'd wanted from her anyway.
Still, he was growing more restless every day, and he'd let Director Cullen know about it in no uncertain terms, only to be ignored. He felt like he was being punished for something he had no control over. The guys calling the shots had decided that the location for the safe house they'd normally used had been compromised, and now he was stuck in the burn unit at Walter Reed Army Hospital, twiddling his thumbs with nothing to do. He couldn't even leave his room to take a stroll down the hall without an escort, so he'd sat there for days, staring at the walls, until Sweets had convinced Hacker to let Booth have access to a laptop, which offered some relief, even though his internet access had been limited to cruising for sports scores and reading gossip columns before he'd asked to access some textbooks.
A week passed, and then another, and and another, and he was still so goddamn bored. He'd run out of books to read and puzzles to do and new television shows to watch and new things to learn, so now most of his time was spent trying to figure out just how long he would continue to be imprisoned there in that tiny room. It bothered him that he never could get a straight answer from Sweets about that. His gut was telling him that the guy was hiding something, but with his brain still being slightly scrambled, it was like he wasn't quite getting the signal...like things were hidden by shadows, just out of his reach.
Finally, Booth decided he'd had enough. At this point in time, it might be worth it, being shot at, just to end the utter boredom he was experiencing, so when Sweets showed up for another visit, he decided that the shrink wasn't going anywhere until he heard the truth, even if it meant Booth had to break the kid's legs. He'd had enough of that 'I'll tell you later' garbage, and he didn't want to hear any more of the 'we don't want you to worry about things' shit, either. It had been at least six weeks, and he still hadn't heard anything from Bones, and, by God, Sweets was going to tell him why, or there'd be hell to pay.
"Good afternoon, Agent Booth.," Sweets began pleasantly as he walked into the hospital room. "How are you feeling today?"
"I feel like fucking Hell, you little son of a bitch." Booth laughed sarcastically at the shocked look on the kid's shrinky face. The kid didn't have any idea what he was in for, because the agent was ready to take his head off.
"What brought that on?," Sweets asked in astonishment. "I haven't done anything…"
"Exactly. You've done nothing to get me out of this prison cell." Seeing Sweets' shock, he nodded. "Yeah, it might as well be a prison cell with no more freedom than I have." Pacing the room, Booth proceeded to give Sweets a piece of his mind, explaining his point of view in no uncertain terms. "I'm tired of hearing the same 'we don't know how long you're gonna be here' shit, okay? Has the Bureau made any headway in finding that guy who's gunning for me, or did they just hope I'd be a good soldier and play along forever? Because I'm here to tell you, Sweets, that ain't gonna happen...not without a helluva good reason."
Sweets knew he was in deep shit now, especially since it was obvious he didn't have a good answer...at least nothing that would appease Booth. "I don't know what you want me to say, Booth." he whined. "Director Cullen doesn't tell me anything about their investigations…"
"Bullshit.," the agent growled. "You know exactly what's going on, but you're not supposed to tell me, right? Well, you can take this bit of information back to Cullen as soon as you leave here, okay? If I don't get a good answer soon, I'm getting out of this goddamn jail cell and taking things into my own hands...if they don't take care of it first, that is. I'm tired of being held a prisoner here just because of their incompetence…"
"Incompetence is a pretty strong word, Booth…" Sweets licked his lips nervously. "I can assure you that they're doing everything they can to find Vorstenbach…"
"Yeah, whatever." Grunting angrily, the agent crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the young man. "They're trying to take him alive, right? They want to know for sure who he's working for, and they're using me as the bait, hoping to draw him out. They're just waiting for him to come after me, and I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing to protect myself, right? Well, that ends today. I'm bored out of my mind and I'm tired of doing nothing. I'm going crazy, okay? I need to be working or something."
"I really don't know what the real plan is, Booth." Sweets sadly shook his head as he slumped into a chair next to the bed. "I haven't been told anything about what's happening. I understand why you're upset and I get that you're stir crazy, but I'm sure Director Cullen has your safety as his number one concern. Please, just try to be patient a little while longer..."
"Maybe I'll try..." he began to pace the room again, trying to get his emotions under control. "...but I'll tell you what might help me be more patient, alright, Sweets? I want to see Bones, okay? And I want to see her soon...as in tomorrow morning. She ought to be back in town by now. It's been over six weeks, so she should be home, right? So bring her here."
"Dr. Brennan?", Sweets squeaked. "You want to see her? I'm not sure that's a good idea, Booth. Are you sure you're over all of the issues caused by your coma dream? I'm afraid that you might regress...you might start having nightmares again if you see her…besides, she might be in danger if you're seen together..."
"Nightmares if I see her? Nah, I'm over that." Then the alarm bells started going off loudly in Booth's head. "And you're just feeding me more bullshit, aren't you?! You know I can see right through your shrinky excuses, right?" He clenched his fists as he towered over Sweets. "Where is Bones? What's wrong? Why can't I see her? Tell me the truth, dammit, or I swear…"
"Dr. Brennan won't be coming home from her dig, Booth…," Sweets began softly. "I'm sorry...I should've told you sooner, I guess."
"What? What happened?" Booth's knees almost collapsed under him as he felt the weight of Sweets' words. "Oh, my God...I knew we shouldn't let her leave the goddamn country for some fucking dig, and now you're telling me she's...she's dead?" The room started to spin as nausea overwhelmed him. "I'm gonna kill you, Sweets. This is all your fault…I shoulda never listened to you..."
"Calm down, Booth." Sweets gingerly put a hand on the agent's shoulder, praying he wouldn't get his arm broken for his trouble. "She's fine, okay? I misspoke...she's not dead. What I meant to say was that she emailed me to say that she'd accepted a position with the University of Costa Rica, in San Jose'. I guess Dr. Pak was very convincing when he offered her the job. Evidently it was a great opportunity for her, and she'll get to continue her work on the archaeological site while she's employed there. She'll be out of the country for at least two years. She's already found a place to live...and she's hired a moving company to put her belongings from her DC apartment in storage so she doesn't have to come home to take care of that. She's supposed to start teaching classes immediately."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Booth sputtered angrily as he considered the news he'd just received. "So...what? She couldn't call me to let me know? She couldn't tell me this news herself? I haven't even gotten a goddamn email from her, you know? Not even a fucking postcard! So she gets a job in Costa Rica and she just abandons our partnership like that? No way. She wouldn't do that..."
And then it hit Booth like a ton of bricks. It wasn't just a new job. Bones didn't want to be saddled with a feeble minded cripple like him, so she'd run away again. She was embarrassed by the love he'd expressed for her, and since she couldn't return those feelings, she wanted a clean break from their partnership, and from him. She probably thought she was doing him a favor by not coming home, thinking that it'd allow him to heal sooner, but…
He glowered at the psychologist. "When did you find out about this new job of hers, Sweets? The truth…"
"She sent me the email about a week ago, asking me to tell you, but I couldn't find the right time..." Seeing the anger surge through Booth's body, Sweets held up his hands in surrender. "I was going to tell you sooner, but I was afraid of how the news might affect your recovery. I know you care deeply for her." Sweets bit his lip as he sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Booth. I realize that her decision comes as a shock, but at least you'll have the satisfaction of knowing she's doing something that makes her happy…"
"Yeah...I guess you're right, Sweets." Booth nodded slowly. "That's important."
And he really is right, he thought to himself as he sat on the edge of his bed. I'm glad that Bones is going to be happy and safe, working in Costa Rica, even if it means that I might never be happy again. I'm so angry with her. How could she do this to me? To us?
"I understand how hard this is for you, though. I know you were looking forward to seeing her."
Seeing Sweets' expectant expression, Booth cleared his throat. "Yeah...but..you know, it's fine that she's not coming home, if that's what she wants to do. I know she's missed teaching." Glancing up at Sweets, he shrugged, trying to act unconcerned. "I guess I can't do anything about her decision, but I still want out of this hellhole…"
"I get it." Easing towards the door, the psychologist gave him a thumbs up. "I don't think it'll be much longer. I'll see what I can do, okay?"
"Yeah...okay. Sooner instead of later, okay?"
"Okay." As the door closed behind Sweets, Booth struggled with his composure before choking back a sob.
He'd never felt more alone in his life.
A/N: I know my readers will be upset that I allowed Sweets to lie to Booth and Brennan again, but I'm asking for your indulgence. They won't be apart long, and Sweets will face the consequences of his actions in later chapters.
Having written this during the COVID shutdown, it's a little darker in tone than most of my stories, but remember...things will work out in the end. I promise. Laura