The Perfect Shot – Chapter Seventeen
WARNING: Spoilers for Season 6
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or any of the characters. They are all owned by Fox and Hart Hanson.
Booth and Brennan were the last to arrive at Founding Fathers. He was agitated. Booth hadn't shared his plan with his partner. He knew her acting skills weren't the best and he feared she would give something away by looking around.
Booth knew if his gut was right Broadsky was following him. He had instructed Charlie to keep everyone clear of the Regions Bank building because he knew that Broadsky would use the same location he had used the previous night. It had the best vantage point plus he knew that a sniper of any caliber would have already scoped the place for the best exit routes.
He ushered Brennan inside the bar careful not to expose her or himself to open spaces. As they joined their friends Booth's phone beeped with a message, "Everyone's in place and we're good to go."
The group chatted about the anticipated arrival of the Hodgins baby, Michelle's hunt for a suitable college, Cam's boyfriend Paul and inconsequential things. No one wanted to risk talking about Hannah or the fact that one of their own had been gunned down just outside this very bar they were now sitting in.
Booth joined in when appropriate but was quiet for the most part. The guilt for his past and the fact that it had put his partner's life in danger was eating away at him. He was concerned that they wouldn't be able to grab Broadsky before Bones was hurt. He knew he had the ability to take down a sniper, he had done it before, but he didn't have as much confidence in the S.W.A.T snipers.
Brennan saw that Booth wasn't really paying attention to the conversation. She could see the worry etched on his face. The way he twirled his scotch glass around on the table spoke volumes of the thinly veiled tension that was coursing through him. She placed her hand on his knee and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Booth's head jerked up when he felt her hand touch his knee. Reading people had never been one of her strong suits but she could obviously read him. He smiled at her when their eyes met and took a drink from his scotch.
Broadsky had taken up his post from the previous night. He had followed the partners from the Jeffersonian all he had to do now was wait. He thought about the sweet revenge he'd get when Booth saw his partner die the way his father had.
His face twisted in agony at the memory of that day so many years ago. It was his 5th birthday; he was excited as any child of that innocent age would be. Not only was he getting a party but his father was there. He didn't know what his father did but he knew he was a very busy man because he was never at home very long. His father had called him over to give him a special present; as he was pulling the bow he heard a loud bang and saw his father drop to the ground. He remembers screaming as he looked into his father's lifeless eyes and his tears mixed with the blood that was splattered on his face. He doesn't remember much of what happened after that.
Two years later his mother changed their name to her maiden name and moved him to America. She tried to make a life for her only son and he had to admit it was a good life. But his heart was filled with rage and he vowed to get whoever had done this to his father, his family. Now he was doing just that, settling the score.
From their positions they knew he couldn't see them. They watched as every so often he would raise his head to peer over the side and into the windows of the bar. They knew the mission; they knew he was a trained sniper. That was the reason they wouldn't rush the building to get to him. They'd wait and when the time came they'd do their job.
After a couple of hours Booth turned to his partner and asked, "Well, Bones, are you ready to head out of here?" He reached into his pocket for the bills when she nodded her agreement. After they bid everyone good night Booth led her through the bar and toward the door.
Brennan found it odd that Booth didn't show his alpha-male by ushering her from the building. She frowned at the back of his head as he pulled her behind him as they opened the door.
Just as the door shut behind them the shot rang out and they both dropped to the ground. They lay motionless for a moment both fearing the worst. Slowly Booth angled his head to look at Brennan. He could see the terror in her wide blue eyes.
"Are you ok Bones?"
"Yes, Booth, are you?"
"Yes, I'm fine"
Suddenly Charlie was standing beside them, "Agent Booth Sir, we got him, it's safe to get up now."
Booth rose to his feet and extended his hand to help Brennan from the ground. At her look of confusion he said, "I'll explain everything later Bones, I promise. First let me get the details from Charlie here and then I'll take you home and go over everything with you. OK?"
She looked like she was about to argue but instead she said, "OK" and she turned to headed to the SUV to wait.