"Neutrality means that you don't really care
Cause the struggle goes on even when you're not there
Blind and unaware"
- "Collapse" Rise Against
Booth stepped out from the local convenience store with a back pack full of food. He crunched across the soft packed snow to where he'd parked his snowmobile. Slinging the bag over both his shoulders, he climbed aboard. With a mighty roar the vehicle started up underneath him. Despite everything he couldn't help but to smile. He could never get sick of that sound.
It'd been three days since he'd left home. He'd traded the warm Washington D.C. weather for the cold northern winds of Alaska. Coming here had been his own choice. Before leaving he'd informed Hacker of his decision. The assistant director hadn't been happy Booth had taken matters into his own hands, picking his own hideaway instead of accepting the FBI's protection. Only for safety purposes had Booth let him know where he was. Hacker had put local police in the town he was staying in on the look out. But Booth had concealed himself so deeply in the woods that he doubted anyone would be able to find him. It was just the way he wanted it. If Vick was to find him then he planned on facing him down alone.
The snowmobile cut through the snow as if it were butter. In town Booth stayed on a trail next to the main roads. The town was small. Houses were few and far between. One convenience store was all that provided any sort of grocery. In the warmer season he was sure the road the townspeople drove on was made up of stones, hidden now by the frozen white powder.
After a mile and a half he cut off the trail. His tracks from his previous journey were still apparent. At a slow pace he followed them, dodging trees and other hazards. The further he went, the more confident he grew. Gradually he began to pick up speed. Before this he'd never actually driven a snowmobile. But it reminded him a bit of a motorcycle, something he had experience, though limited, with. It didn't matter. He was sure he was able to handle any vehicle. After all, when it came down to it, he was a cop.
The wind whipped at his face, reminding him he hadn't worn any sort of hat or face mask. Later he was sure he'd be paying for it. At the moment though he was too busy losing himself in the fun. After days of stress it felt good to let go with such a simple activity. A tension released across his shoulders. It was the first time he didn't think about Brennan, and wonder how she was doing in his absence. Worrying she hated him.
He increased his speed to an even faster pace. The cabin he was staying in wasn't too much further. Just as it was coming into view did disaster strike. Underneath the even snow was a slight plateau. Really it was no more than a few feet off the ground. But having it unexpected threw Booth for a loop.
Suddenly he found himself air borne. He immediately let go of both the gas and brake. As they grew closer to the ground he prepared himself for a rough landing. There was absolutely no way he would be able to set it down smoothly.
Down onto the earth they crashed. The snowmobile bounced, sending Booth off balance. Sideways he tipped. Helplessly he could only watch as the powerful machine fell down on top of him, trapping him and instantly knocking him unconscious.
***
Brennan pulled up in front of Booth's apartment building. The late sun was setting across the sky as she hurried across the parking lot and used her key to let herself inside. Up a set of stairs she traveled until she reached his front door. Before inserting the key into the lock she froze, as if steeling herself. Having Booth disappear out of her life so abruptly was painful enough. Was she prepared for what laid inside?
She could compartmentalize, she reminded herself. Booth would be no exception. Though she knew she was lying she kept trying to tell herself that. Like ripping off a band aid she let herself inside before really thinking about it further.
Nothing looked all that changed. Except the apartment was emptier. The homey feeling he provided was gone. It was a shell of its former occupant. Brennan tried to push the feeling aside. She was there to work, not get emotional.
The first place she started her search was his bedroom. In there she again found nothing really looked all that altered. His bed was freshly made. A few books sat on his bedside table, one of them being one she'd written. She picked it up and peered inside. The first page dedicated the book to him. He was her best friend. Firmly she pressed her lips into a straight line. Booth had to have been lying. He had to have had a reason for acting the way he did.
She reflected back to the last night she saw him. Down onto the edge his bed she collapsed. Just then she began seeing little things she hadn't noticed at the time. Booth hadn't relaxed at all. At the time she'd just assumed he'd been upset with her. But then there'd been their conversation in the street. The slightest noise had caused him to pull her close to his body. The look of caution had appeared in his eyes. He'd been trying to protect her, she realized.
Something was most definitely wrong. Back into action she sprung. She searched his closet to find most of his long sleeved and winter clothes gone. A box advertising boots sat empty. Brennan wrinkled her nose. It was near sixty degrees out. Obviously then he'd gone somewhere cold. Somewhere far.
Her search of every other room turned up much of the same evidence. Either nothing, or things relating to cold weather. In his living room she booted up his computer only to find it password protected. All guesses she tried turned out to be wrong. Before giving up she typed in one last word. Bones.
Sure enough the computer beeped to life. Brennan proceeded to search his computer's files for any other indication of his whereabouts. Sadly she turned up empty handed. Just as she was about to close the lid on the lap top it occurred to her to open up his internet browser. It was a last chance hope.
Clicking on a few icons, she brought up his browser history. There were a few sites relating to their last case. Her eyes were immediately drawn to one address. A mapping website. Heart racing, she clicked it open.
Instantly a map appeared before her. A map leading from an airport in a city in a Alaska to a remote location.
Booth was in Alaska. And that was exactly where Brennan was going to go.