A Pain That I'm Used To—Chapter 19
Disclaimer: As much I would enjoy owning the characters (especially Booth), alas they are not mine.
Author's notes: First, let me begin by thanking everyone for reading and giving a special shout out to those of you who continue to leave very funny, comforting and insightful reviews. A special thank you to ataralasse for trying to get the reviews to 200—they'll get there eventually. (wink) And a special thank you to fan2bones and Ashley Booth for your nice comments. And a big YOU'RE WELCOME to BonesDBchippie!
Second, I give you fluff over angst and what happens? You demand more! You demand kissing and…well, I think we all get the picture here. (brings in chalk board) Okay, let's review the first season. In "The Man in the Bear", Brennan makes a comment to Dr. Goodman about why he is sending her to Aurora with Booth—something to the effect of "Do you want me to sleep with Booth?". Now at this point I think we all know the good doctor would have jumped into bed with that very special agent if for no other reason than recreation. (grin) As the season progressed we saw an actual friendship develop between the two and in my opinion, we saw Booth become aware of certain feelings he's been harboring for our favorite forensic anthropologist. I certainly believe that if these two were going to fall into bed together, it would have happened after "Two Bodies in the Lab"—I mean, come on, injured Booth to the rescue! No woman, not even Brennan, should have been able to resist that! But she did and we had to see David again. (looks at chalk board and the very lame stick figures I've drawn) I'm a writer damn it, not an artist!
Third, thanks to your reviews Booth and Brennan have been arguing now about the progression of their relationship. Booth of course believes that Brennan would have already undressed him and totally taken advantage of him. (oh my) Brennan, on the hand, has continued to be logical and admits that she likes Booth as more than a friend but is concerned about the ramifications a romantic relationship would have on their work. (rolls eyes) I completely understand why Angela gets so exasperated with her! (glances over to see Booth removing his shirt) Okay, read, review, and enjoy…sayanora! (Hey Jean, that's the only Japanese I know…well, besides Toyota and Mitsubishi…and sushi…you get the gist--LOL)
I'm officially on a sugar high from the chocolate chip cookie from the-tangoing-mango-addict and the chocolate from Bella-mi-amore so excuse the rambling. (LOL)
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Sitting in traffic, Booth watched the SUV's windshield wipers work at furious pace against the pouring rain. The day was gloomy and dark, lit occasionally by flashes of lightening but he didn't notice any of it. He was still riding a wave of euphoria that Brennan had, in her own way of course, acknowledged his presence in her bed and had not been upset about it. While the other motorists around him honked their horns at the traffic to show their displeasure, Booth sat in his SUV smiling.
After pulling into the parking deck of the Hoover Building, he sauntered to the main building and made his way to his office. A few cups of coffee and several frustrating phone calls to the Chicago field office later, Booth's smile had become a snarl.
"Yes, I need to speak to Special Agent Charles Andrews." He paused and listened to the secretary on the phone. "I understand that he's busy…I'm busy too. Look, just interrupt him for two seconds…." Another pause as he was interrupted yet again. "Okay, Nancy…it was Nancy, wasn't it?...lovely name…it is imperative that I speak with Agent Andrews right now."
Booth leaned back in his chair and patiently listened to Nancy the secretary list the numerous reasons she could not and would not interrupt Agent Andrews' meeting. Placing a pencil between his fingers, Booth snapped the writing implement in half. "Nancy, I will make a little prediction here. If you go into his office and whisper the names Patrick Kava and Max Keenan in his ear, he'll throw everything else aside…..yes, Nancy I absolutely believe that…no, I'm not psychic…." He rolled his eyes at the naïve young secretary's questions.
Thirty seconds later he heard the booming voice of Agent Andrews in his ear. "Who the hell is this and what information do you have on Patrick Kava and Max Keenan!"
Booth leaned forward in his chair, gripping the phone tightly in his right hand. "Agent Andrews, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth with the DC bureau. I've gathered some information regarding the cases of Patrick Kava and Max and Ruth Keenan but I need your help in filling in some blanks sir."
"You've got information but you need information?"
"Yes sir. I'll explain everything in just a moment. Can you tell me more about Patrick Kava? I ran his name through the FBI search engine and received very little intel apart from his name, date of birth and a list of misdemeanors he was convicted of as a teenager."
"Agent Booth, why are you looking into this matter?"
Booth sighed. It appeared that he was going to have to share his part of the investigation first. "Agent Andrews, I work with a forensic anthropologist who identified the remains of her missing mother approximately four months ago. That missing woman was Ruth Keenan."
"Ruth's dead huh? We all assumed that she and Max had been killed by the syndicate….although we didn't know about any children."
"Max and Ruth ran from the syndicate. They changed their names, their children's names and lived a relatively normal existence for a number of years until someone from the syndicate made them. Then they left…their lives and their children." Booth ran his left hand through his hair. He was frustrated just relaying the wild truth of Max and Ruth Keenan. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Brennan felt.
"Wait…are you the agent who had Vince McVicar taken out of the Witness Protection Program and placed in prison on murder charges?"
"Yes, Ruth Keenan's murder. Her daughter, my partner, was able to identify the weapon he used to kill her mother."
"What other new information do you have Agent Booth?"
"How about you share a little something with me first Agent Andrews? What was Patrick Kava's standing with the syndicate?"
The older agent chuckled. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. Fine. Kava was a damn smart criminal….he got caught for small petty crimes as a teenager and learned quickly from his mistakes. He was never caught again…although he was a suspect in several robberies but there was no solid evidence. Kava managed to work his way up in the syndicate. All the intel we gathered at the time suggested that he brought Max and Ruth into the 'family' so to speak. Shortly after Max and Ruth disappeared from our radar, Kava was purported to have been killed in a car accident."
"He wasn't," Booth stated.
Now it was the older agent's turn to sigh. "I figured as much, although I really did believe he was dead….I just thought McVicar got him. The car accident was real hinky. Car goes off a bridge into a river and there's no body to be found."
"Why would McVicar go after Patrick Kava?" Booth's brow furrowed at the tangled web of deceit in which Brennan's parents had been involved.
"Rumor was that Kava funneled about five million dollars from the syndicate's nest egg over the years…most of it done with the assistance of Max Keenan."
"Five million dollars?" Booth let out a low whistle. "Yeah, that's reason enough to want someone dead."
"Exactly, Agent Booth, exactly. Now besides Ruth's demise, what other information do you have?"
"Patrick Kava wasn't killed by McVicar or anyone. He lived to be an old man under the name Jacob Curry. After her parents disappeared, my partner was placed in the foster care system and Jacob Curry showed up claiming to be her grandfather."
"Well Kava was known as 'Gramps'. How did you manage to figure all of this out?"
"Unfortunately, I had to talk to McVicar."
"Yeah, he's a piece of work. Crazy son of bitch….what other information do you have on Max Keenan? Was his body found with Ruth's?"
"Um, no….I have reason to believe that Max is still alive and on the run." Booth didn't feel the need to inform the other agent that he had personally heard Max's terrified pleading voice on Brennan's answering machine.
"If he's smart, he'll stay on the run. This syndicate has a long memory and I can guarantee that fifteen years has done nothing to dull the betrayal he and Kava perpetrated. Look Agent Booth, I'll send over copies of all of my files and notes on Kava and the Keenans…you can return the favor by sending me copies of your findings. Deal?"
"Yes sir, I believe that can be arranged. Thank you for time Agent Andrews." Booth placed the phone back in the cradle and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment. He had news for Brennan. And while it wasn't necessarily good news, it provided a few more answers than they previously had.
A knock on his door startled Booth. He glanced up to find a member of the Ballistics team standing his doorway. "Agent Booth, I'm sorry to interrupt but I have the remaining results you requested."
The young man entered the office and deposited the stack of files on Booth's desk. "Whoa, Bones and her team have got their work cut out for them," he said as he eyed the mountain of paperwork.
"Bones? Oh, you mean Dr. Brennan?" The young man's eyes glazed over for a moment. "If anyone can match markings and striations to the data we collected, it's her. She's great….have you read her book?"
Booth gritted his teeth at the enthusiasm and adoration the young man was displaying for his partner. "Of course I've read her book….she based Agent Andy Lister on me."
The young man looked at Booth and studied him for a minute. "Really? I don't see it."
Standing behind his desk, Booth pointed to his door indicating his desire for the young man to leave. "Yeah, well, it's me. Trust me, okay? She doesn't know any other agents…it's me."
"Yeah, I'm still not seeing it," the young Ballistics expert stated as he exited the office.
"I don't see it," Booth muttered in a mocking tone as he stared at numerous files. "How could you not see it? It's so obvious," he mumbled.
"Booth? Talking to yourself again?" Cullen inquired from the doorway.
"Huh? Oh sir, I didn't see you standing there. I was just contemplating how to transport all of these files to Dr. Brennan's lab." Booth walked around the desk and grabbed an empty box that was sitting on the floor beneath the table in his office. Cullen stepped into the office and shut the door behind him, watching as Booth placed the files in the box.
"Booth, you didn't have another visit with McVicar this morning did you?" He placed his hands in pockets and watched the agent.
Glancing up at his boss, Booth placed the last file in the box and smoothed down his tie. "No sir, why do you ask?"
"I just received a call from the warden again. It seems that McVicar had another clumsy moment and fell on a knife…about ten or twelve times…while in solitary confinement." He watched as the color drained from Booth's face.
"Is he dead?"
Cullen shook his head. "Not yet. He's in surgery at the moment. I just thought you might want to know…."
"Temperance," he whispered as he grabbed the box and raced toward the door, flinging it open. His only concern at the moment was how quickly he could get to the Jeffersonian.
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Racing through the wet streets of DC, Booth pounded his right fist against the steering wheel. He couldn't believe that McVicar had been telling the truth—telling him about Patrick Kava had indeed put McVicar in danger and now Brennan could be next. Booth's nightmare of Brennan's lifeless body, covered in blood, on one of the lab's examination tables came rushing back to him. Pressing his foot a little further down on the accelerator, Booth weaved the SUV in and out of the left and right lanes in order to get around the slow moving vehicles.
He pulled into the parking garage of the Jeffersonian and left his SUV parked behind Brennan's car. Screw parking spaces, he thought as he yanked his keys from the ignition and climbed out of the SUV, leaving the box of files in the passenger's seat.
Running at full speed, he entered the building and was met with curious stares by security. "Where's Dr. Brennan?" he demanded.
One young guard simply shrugged and pointed to the lab area. Booth ran into the lab and skidded to a halt. Angela's office, he thought as he turned and ran down the corridor.
"Bones!" he yelled as he rushed into the office, startling Angela.
"God, Booth. You scared the hell out of me," she said as she placed her left hand over her heart.
"Where's Bones?" His eyes darted around the room unable to locate his partner.
Angela was frightened by the panic in the agent's eyes and his movements. "Booth, what's wrong?"
"Is she in her office Angela?" He turned and ran out the door with an anxious Angela following closely behind.
"Temperance!" He entered her office and found it empty.
"Booth, calm down! She's around the lab somewhere." Angela placed her hand on his arm in an attempt to soothe the agent. "Now what's wrong?"
Ignoring the artist, Booth exited his partner's office to continue his search. Brennan, reading over a file, rounded the corner and came face to face with her panicked partner.
"Booth, are you okay?"
He stepped toward her and gathered her into his arms into a crushing embrace. "I couldn't find you," he whispered as though that explained everything.
Brennan looked at Angela over Booth's shoulder. The artist shrugged and managed to smirk at the sight in front of her.
"Booth, you can let go now. I'm having trouble breathing."
Relaxing his grip slightly but not releasing her, Booth pulled back and looked down into her eyes. "Sorry Bones."
"What's wrong?"
"I've been asking him that since he ran at top speed into my office demanding to know where you were," Angela said as she crossed her arms.
"I was in Hodgins' office reviewing more of the fibers we located on the Thompsons' remains," she explained. "Booth, seriously you can let go now."
He reluctantly released his hold on her and took a step back. "We need to talk Bones."
Brennan narrowed her eyes at his tone. "What's happened Booth?"
Shifting his stance under her intense scrutiny, Booth placed his hands on hips. "McVicar…he's been stabbed. He's in surgery right now…."
Brennan stared at him and Booth could see her mind working in overdrive.
"That still doesn't explain why you acted like a madman running around here Booth," Angela said in an exasperated tone. "I hate to say this Bren, but if that psychopath dies, it's not exactly a big deal in my book."
"Normally I would agree with you Angela," Booth said as he continued to watch Brennan silently digest the news and how it correlated to her safety. "But if they've gone after McVicar, Temperance might be next…."
Author's notes: Sorry for the short chapter but work has been hectic. I'll try to post another chapter soon.