Chapter 22: Silence of the Storm
(Authors Note: Thanks to my reviewers and ON WITH THE SHOW!)
Last time on The Seeley Booth Job: The first gunshot from the basement was followed by many more, Sophie hit her knees in a silent wail, Parker froze, Hardison cursed, Nate remained silent . . .
Things in the fan remained the same. In fact, it was only when Nate made a decision that anything changed at all.
"We have to leave, no one has left the building and we're too close."
"NO!" Sophie managed, "We have to go in there and get Elliot," she lunged for the door, Parker and Hardison following without hesitation.
A few feet from the van Nate caught her by the elbow, "Wait!"
The door to the mansion was opening and someone was coming out.
Breath froze in the four.
The person was large, male, long hair with an extra arm draped around his neck. He wore a plaid shirt and the owner of the arm was in a suite, other arm draped over a woman.
Last to react before, now Parker was the first, "Elliot! It's Elliot! and Agent Booth, Temperance!"
Booth was shot and suspended between the other two, who were, themselves, eaten. The groups met up halfway and Parker (blushing) and Hardison took the burden of Booth, leaving Elliot and Brennan to sink to the ground, exhausted.
"Nice job saving the day," Elliot said between gasps.
Brennan was out of breath as well, "I disagree. I don't believe that is the kind of saving Booth normally does. He usually is much more active and hands-on."
Nate couldn't help but laugh and Sophie draped her arms around Elliot's neck and began to sop into his shoulder, almost sitting in his lap. He awkwardly patted her back and made eye contact with Nate.
"What the hell happened in there?"
"What are you saying?" McGill was smiling.
Ellito leaned forward, elbow on his knee, "I'm not 'saying' anything, merely asking: can you take out the entire FBI? I'm sure these two won't talk and me? Hell, you could buy me off with less than one tenth of what you make in a week." McGill was listening: Elliot was trying to buy time, and running a hail-Mary. "How about this –"
A gunshot interrupted him and Conan McGill, a grotesque look on his face, slid to his knees and then onto his face. Standing behind him, gun still poised and smoking was MaryLee McGill. "Take that Daddy."
This caused a moment of confusion that persisted long enough for Elliot to knock out a guard and take his gun, tossing it to Brennan in time to spin into another, easily overpowering him and taking the gun as well.
As soon as the remaining guards caught on a firefight ensued. Elliot was moving too fast to hit, keeping the heat off of Booth and Brennan (she really hadn't improved in her shot over the years but did manage to hit one man in the knee), he kept low and quickly took out the guards one by one.
"He is good Booth," Bones hissed as Elliot faced off against the last guard.
Elliot raised an eyebrow, giving a "bring it on" gesture with his free arm. The man began shaking and Elliot sighed, closing the gap between them and hitting him over the head with the butt of the gun. This was not before the man, in all his shaking, pulled the trigger, the bullet just grazing Elliot's side.
He ignored the pain and looked up at MaryLee. "What the hell?"
Just as Elliot finished his tale the red-head appeared in the doorway of the mansion, a gun dropped limply to her side. The team turned to look at her, and she blushed heavily, the hard look she had worn in the basement turning to one of concern. "Elliot," the gun dropped to the steps as she rushed off the porch and to Elliot's side, "I tried to keep him out, I did but . . ."
It was at this point that Nate and the others realized that Elliot had planned another con completely without him. Time for that later, they could tell by the sirens that the little gun show in the basement had not gone unnoticed.
"Ya'll had better get out of here," Booth grunted, lifting himself off of Hardison and Parker. The girl wrestled with the idea to take his knees out but she resisted. (Hardison noticed and made a mental note to give her a cookie later.)
Sophie pulled herself off Elliot long enough to dry her eyes, "You're letting us go?" MaryLee helped the hitter to his feet.
"Of course he is," now Brennan had Booth, "that man very well just saved our lives. And her," she pointed from Elliot to MaryLee, "she helped a lot." Because Elliot was within arm's reach she reached out and touched his arm.
Nate clasped his hand on Booth's shoulder and motioned his men to follow him back to the van. "Agent Booth, you are forever in our debt. If you ever need any help with a case or anything, we're here."
Booth grinned, "Yeah, doubt that but sure. I'll give you a call." Nate knew he wouldn't but that didn't mean that he felt any more indebted to him.
Author's Note: Okay guys, in a fit of boredom I finished up the fic but be sure to read the last chapter!