Brennan does a dirty trick in this chapter, called a 'miracle' by Russ. Curious yet?
By the way, 'Slectovencto' comes from the Dutch words for 'bad guy': slechte vent. How creative of us. Just thought we'd let you know.
For those who cocked an eyebrow at the Marco Polo thing in the last chapter: We start this one explaining it.
Make us happy writers and let us know what you think! R&R!!!
Chapter seven: Marco Polo
Brennan had fixed her stare on the miles of road as they disappeared under the car and were left behind in the distance. Far behind. Far away.
Two words were repeating in her head.
Marco... Polo. Marco... Polo. ...Polo.
In school Brennan had never really belonged. She didn't have any good friends. She had always been the odd one out. But her brother, Russ, he had been the popular kid. Everyone knew him. Everyone looked up to him. Including his sister. And he made sure everyone knew Temperance was important to him. She loved being his little sister. When she'd have History he'd pop his head through the window and smile and say, "Marco... Tempe, Marco...", "Polo!" was what she'd proudly whisper back. Those words to her were as reassuring as, yes, a prayer.
When she had locked herself in her room because she had been bullied at school and wanted to pretend like the world didn't exist Russ would come and knock on her door.
"Tempe, Marco," he tempted. "Come on, sis, Marco..."
"Polo."
Eventually she'd answer him and open the door. Then Russ would smile reassuringly at her and she'd wrap her little arms around his waist and hug him tight.
"You're the one with the brains, remember? All the kids in school wish they'd have your brains but they can't and that's why they're so jealous and try to make you feel bad. But you won't let them get to you because later, when you're all grown up, you will be making lots of money and buy all the things that you want. Do everything you like with people you like and who will like you back."
Brennan had loved it when her brother would say this to her. She was so proud to be his sister. Back when everything was all right and her parents were there he never left her alone, he always came and saved her...
"You were lucky the bullet didn't hit any major arteries," Russ commented.
"Yeah, well, that's great. Let's just go find Bones," Booth replied impatiently.
They had left the hotel and gotten in Russ's car where he'd retrieved the bullet from Booth's leg with a pocket knife and some pure alcohol.
"You really are prepared for everything, aren't you?" Booth had joked while suppressing a moan of pain as the alcohol ate at the edges of his wound.
"I know what to expect by now," Russ had answered cryptically as he poured some more alcohol in Booth's leg.
"So, what do we do now, I mean, is there a procedure for something like this? Do we have a plan or... or what?"
"I have a couple ideas as to where he might be taking her," Russ replied bitterly.
"Ah. You mean places where you would go if you were him," Booth concluded.
"Listen, Booth. You are a good guy. I trust you with my sister. But to be honest I don't trust you with me. Or my father for that matter. I'm a criminal in your world. You're a cop. You could arrest me any moment you choose and I get that, really, I understand. I just need you to wait until we've found her. Getting my little sister back is the only problem I want right now. Wait until I know she's fine and you can arrest me if you have to. I'm not saying I won't try to get away," Russ added.
Booth nodded his head sincerely.
"I'm not going to arrest you, Russ. And thank you. You know, for getting the bullet out."
"No problem."
Brennan was grateful that Slectovencto had removed the rope from her wrists. Subconsciously she was softly touching the red ligature marks. She was also grateful that he hadn't put the gag back on. She couldn't believe the smoothness with which he had smuggled them out of the hotel and even passed a few people. Now she was in his car. He didn't say exactly where he was taking her but she knew Ortez would be there. It would be some place he felt save from people 'intruding' his plans.
"Did you kill him?" she suddenly asked. It was a rather bold question but it had been nagging at her for awhile now.
"Who? Who did I kill?" Slectovencto replied irritably from behind the wheel and glanced at his passenger through the mirror.
"That man. The man in the hotel whose remains I was investigating before you abducted me," she answered just as agitatedly.
"Oh, him," Slectovencto smiled. "Yes, I had to. I killed him," he said simply and looked at her through the mirror again and raised his eyebrows to watch her reaction.
"Okay," Brennan frowned. "I just wanted to know that."
"You feel happy now that you know?"
"No... I'm not feeling happy, I'm-" Brennan decided not to share her emotions with the man who abducted her and sighed instead.
"So what is it exactly that you do for a living?" Slectovencto asked and looked at her in the mirror again.
"Why would you want to know? And would you please just keep your eyes on the road before you get us both killed?"
"Okay, okay. Easy, sweetheart, relax. We ain't even close to where we're going yet. I was only making conversation."
"I thought you weren't allowed to speak with me."
"I'm not allowed to let you manipulate me into stuff I ain't supposed to do. Sure I can talk to you. As long as you don't try any of that psychology shit on me."
"I don't believe in psychology. It's a soft science."
"So then we agree."
Brennan started to say something but then decided she wouldn't. All she needed was one more peek at the display of her cell phone to see if Booth had picked up. The trick of distracting someone while she secretly dialed a number was not unbeknownst to her. She had used it on her own father once!
The fact that she had regained a chance against her abductor took most of her fear away. She only got scared when she couldn't think of a solution, when she couldn't find a way out. But now she had found one and was carefully but determinedly carrying out her plan.
The beeping sound of Booth's cell phone startled both men in the car and Booth rushed through his pockets to find the thing.
"Who's calling?" Russ inquired.
"Booth?" he asked as he didn't receive a reply.
"Oh, God," Booth finally answered as he accepted the call and brought his cell phone to his ear.
Russ looked at him questioningly.
"Temperance? Temperance, can you hear me?" Booth started to shout into the phone.
"Booth! Hey, Booth keep your voice down, man!"
"Oh my God, I'm not hearing anything," Booth said frantically.
"Sh! Just listen. Can you make anything out? She probably just dialed your number so you can hear where he's taking her," Russ told him.
Booth listened intently.
"Yes! Yes, I can hear her!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Good! What does she say?" Russ asked.
Booth paused to listen, then smirked.
"She's asking him where they're going. The nut-job is answering, I can't believe it!"
"Okay, give me the address," Russ demanded.
"..."
"Oh shit, he's only describing the place. He won't give her the address."
"..."
"Hold on. This is bad." Booth turned his head to Russ.
"What?"
"I don't know where he is taking her exactly, but I know who he's taking her to. It's Ortez, he's behind all this. Temperance took him down once in the FBI building. He threatened to take revenge but I handled that. I told him to stay away from her or I'd come after him and finish him off. Put my freaking gun to his head."
"Apparently you weren't as impressive as you thought."
Booth said nothing but stared in the distance. We'll get her back. We'll save her. In time. And when we do, I'm never going to let her be taken away from me again.
"So, Slectovencto, you're taking me to Ortez. Why?" Brennan spoke a little louder than usual. She had to make sure Booth was able to hear her.
"Because... he told me to. He's my boss. Like I said, sweetheart, I'm just doing my job here."
Brennan nodded her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Slectovencto didn't notice her left hand slipping into her inside pocket and ending the call.
That should have been enough information for Russ and Booth to track down the place they were heading for and Brennan didn't want to push Slectovencto too far. This was not a good time for him to get suspicious of her.
It had been a miracle that he hadn't found her cell phone. He'd searched her pockets but didn't notice her inside pocket. Besides, she convincingly told him that she'd left her cell phone in her room because there was no reach. Like she had thought before, this Slectovencto guy wasn't stupid but not very smart either.
Booth turned to Russ who was still driving.
"She ended the call," he said with disbelief in his voice.
Russ grinned.
"You want to tell me what's so funny about that? He might tell her more and then there's no way she can let us know," Booth told him.
"No, you're wrong. My sister is a genius. Booth, the mere fact that she's been able to keep her cell phone out of his hands is remarkable but it is a miracle that she has actually called to your cell phone without him knowing and asked him all those questions without making him suspicious! Besides, she should save her battery in case she needs to call again. He's not going to tell her more than he already has and she won't push him any further. I know she hates psychology but she's great at using it when she needs it." Russ felt proud of his Tempe.
"Really, Booth, she can take care of herself for now."
"I know that. It's just-" Booth glanced at Russ's face again and saw he was interested in the rest of his reply. "Never mind," Booth said instead. He knew what Russ had expected to hear. But he wasn't going to admit that he had an urge to protect her that went far beyond taking care of a partner.