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Title: The Agent On the Run

Summary: Some things are just plain dangerous to know...

Genre: Drama/Romance/Mystery/Action/Suspense

Rating: T

Characters: Temperance Brennan, Seeley Booth, Angela Montenegro, Zach Addy, and Jack Hodgins

Pairings: BB and Hodgela

'Listen to your heart

When he's calling for you

Listen to your heart

There's nothing else you can do...'

-D.H.T., Listen to Your Heart

Raleigh, North Carolina; Four PM

Booth threw his duffel bag in the backseat of a blue Honda Element in sheer frustration. Now that he'd traded his car again, he would be behind schedule in getting to Illinois. Figuring he would probably be better off driving endlessly just to get hlafway through Tennessee and into Missouri.

"Stupid--of all the idiotic..." Booth shook his head, starting up the engine. His cell rang and he grabbed it as soon as he sped ontot the highway. "Yes?"

"Looks like you got stalled on time, Agent Booth."

""Look, I'm doing my best! I have two days left!" Booth swerved.

"Two days...two days. Do I need to remind you that I have--"

"No! You don't!" Booth blew a fuse and wished that he hadn't.

"Tsk, Agent. You need to learn how to keep that temper of yours under control. It's not good for business."

"This isn't even about me killing Ryan anymore! It ws defense, you know it, and now it's personal!"

"You're right. But the public doesn't know that."

Booth sighed.

"And for your outbursts, you now have one day left."

Click.

Furious, Booth slammed both hands on the wheel and swore. One day left to get from where he was to get through Tennesse, Missouri, and into Illinois.

One. Day.

To save the two people he loved most...over the stupidity of what he'd done.

Killing Ryan Jones was not the reason for all of this. He'd defended himself. He'd ran because of something much bigger. No, Jones was the least of his problems when he got to Illinois.

Not at all.

Brennan writhed her wrists and kicked. What happened with Booth that got far--so far to this? What had he done?

Her bloodshot eyes darted to Parker in the corner. Tied to a chair, he stared at Brennan then, almost as if he was hoping she'd help. Shaking her head, Brennan closed her eyes and let out a cry.

She was scared for both of them. They were on the verge of death with a day left to get to them. Brennan calculated in her head. Booth was only in North Carolina, heading out. He would have to drive near to forty-eight hours to get to them by Thursday.

One day to get to them. One day to sort whatever bad he did out.

She cried, only to stop abruptly by a sharp slap on the cheek, followed by blood running down her face. She kept her eyes down.

"Shut it."

Brennan closed her eyes, bearing the sting.

"Doctor Brennan, I do feel sorry for you. For getting in the way."

Brennan glanced at Parker.

"See if you didn't know Agent Booth, you could've avoided this whole thing."

Brennan's eyes darted back when she spotted a glint on the ground in front of her out of the corner of her eyes.

Knife? No, no, not again, please, no.

The deafening sound of the knife being sharpened filled Brenna's ears and she writhed, screaming and crying with a muffled sound.

"Shut her up!"

Brennan's eyes grew slightly when she felt two cold hands on her neck. She froze and watched with her head down as Parker started to squirm and cry as the blade made its way to the boy's neck. Brennan kicked her bound legs and screamed, ignoring all else. She screamed with her throat starting to get sore and she used her mouth and chin to slip the gag down.

"Stop! Stop it! Leave him alone!"

The blade was under Parker's chin by now, the boy crying and closing his eyes tightly.

"Stop!" Brennan cried. "I am begging you!" She sobbed, fighting the whole while to be re-gagged. She eventually lost and felt it being tied tighter, but it didn't stop her from yelling.

"Doctor Brennan. I am going to count to ten. I need you to cooperate with me. If you do not, I will kill and or hurt him." A pause. "Brutally."

Brennan's eyes darted to Parker as the gag was taken off.

"Doctor Brennan?"

Brennan nodded numbly.

"What do you know about Special Agent Seeley Booth?"

"Nothing. He told me nor my team anything! I knew he was acting fun--"

"One."

"No, please! I am telling you the truth! I didn't know anything! He came to work quiet and was so jumpy when I s-"

"Two."

Brennan stomped her foot, closing her eyes and swallowing hard. 'Booth was jumpy and quiet all day the last time I saw him. He spoke barely three sentences to me."

"Three. You're not telling me everything."

Brennan stared at Parker. "Parker, don't--stay calm, okay? That's the best thing you can do for both of us, okay?"

"Four, Doctor Brennan."

"What is it that you want? Why do you want Booth so bad, what--"

"Five. I am asking the questions here, Doctor Brennan."

Breannan swallowed again. "Booth said he was in trouble. That's it. He told me that when he called days ago. But the last time I saw him personally, he said nothing to me that was out of the ordinary or that he was in danger or anything."

"How much trouble?"

"He--didn't say."

"Six."

"No! No he said that to me!"

"Doctor Brennan, I need you to tell me the truth!"

"I am! I am!" Brennan sobbed, hanging her head.

A pause. "Seven."

Parker squirmed more and cried, staring directly at Brennan.

"Parker...just---listen to me. Your daddy didn't know this was going to happen. He loves you, Parker." She paused. "He didn't know."

"Eight."

Brennan threw a fit, keeping her verbal rage inside, then blinked. "Booth didn't say-"

"I head it before, Doctor Brennan." A pause the knife was pressed against Parker's neck harder. "Nine. I would prefer not to hurt him, Brennan."

Brennan caught a sob in her throat. "Don't touch him. Please! Whatever you need, whatever you--"

"Ten."

"NO!"

In a blinding instant, Brennan's heart jumped as an incision was made in Parker's neck, causing a good bleed and the boy to yell in pain, followed by crying.

"No, no, no, you--no! How dare you touch him!" Brennan was furious and almost at a loss for words. She sobbed, but leaned back as the knife sliced her bindings off her wrists.

"You don't threaten me, Doctor Brennan. And you should be very grateful that I didn't kill him. He'll live." A pause followed. "You can't run. So don't try."

As soon as her captors left, Temperance Brennan ran over to Parker and scopped him up onto her lap, putting presseure on his neck with a torn peice of her shirt sleeve.

"Doctor Bren..."

"Don't talk, Parker. Don't talk. Just hold still and hang onto me, okay?" Brennan shook, but smiled for him.

One day. She hoped that Booth could make it before things got worse.

One. Day.

JayJay