Author's note : This story still has a ways to go. I am a couple chapters ahead at the moment and am at one of the forks in the road about where this story will go. Thanks to all of your reviews. I am taking many of them into consideration as I move forward. Life's experiences have me leading to a not so happy ending, but things change daily so when the next fork comes I still have choices. meanwhile I hope you all are enjoying the story.

Angela walked into the lab and looked around. Seeing Cam, she walked over with eyes filled with worry.

"Have you heard from Brennan and Booth." Her voice was thick with concern

"Not since Booth called and said Cell reception was bad." She glanced up at Angela. " I am sure everything is fine, Ang. You know how Dr Brenna gets with bones. Seeley said the cage was pretty big and she probably has him spelunking all over the place to find more." Cam did her best to comfort the woman, but she had to admit she thought things weren't quite right either.

"Yeah I guess you are right. She is in her element out there, but still I think she would be hounding us about what we have found." Angela couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Speaking of, let everyone know I want to have a meeting in about 30 minutes. I think a little collaboration is needed. I think we have found about all we can. It should be up to Booth to do his thing now."

About a half hour later:

"Ok people so what do we have here?" Cam asked.

"Well the bones date from 2 years to 100 years ago." Wendell started. "From what I can tell there is no sign of foul play, they look to have died of Natural causes."

"I analyzed the samples from the cave and the particulates from the remains themselves. They don't match. These bodies were moved from other locations, from what I can tell at least 5 locations." Hodgins added.

" I reconstructed all the faces of all the victims and then ran facial recognition. Once I was able to find some of the names I was able to find some obituaries giving the locations of where they were buried before they were brought to the cave. I couldn't find everyone but I assume since Wendell said that some of the bones were from before the computer age, that we won't be able to ID them unless we search cemeteries for missing bodies." Angela declared.

"Ok Hodgins and Angela I want you guys to compile a list of names and cemeteries, go out and take samples and see if you can find any graves that look like they may have been tampered with. I will call Brennan and booth and let them know what we have found so far."

The whole situation felt wrong. She put her hand in her pocket and grasped her Cell phone. She walked back to her office to make the calls. Both of their phones went straight to voicemail. She left each a message pertinent to the information they would seek. She also asked, almost begging that they return her call as soon as possible. It wasn't like either of them to not be in contact for this long.

She decided to make another call, this time to the ranger station. The man in charge had told her so many words that their crime solving duo had been upset with how they had handled the situation and that Special Agent Booth had kicked them off the scene and told him that if they returned before they were summoned that he would b inclined to shoot whoever stepped foot near them. Cam laughed to herself. That's Seeley alright. The man had told them that Booth, said it might be a few days before they were done with the area. This info did little to set Cam's mind at ease, though. They should be calling them to check in.

He sighted in his weapon and waited. He felt more at ease with Booth and his pesky partner out of the way. He had a job to do and they wouldn't be disturbing him anytime soon, if ever again. A tiny spec of remorse hit him, but he quickly pushed it away. Booth was a good, honorable man; but he had warned him. Why a man like him had stood in the way of ridding vermin from the earth he didn't know. Booth was just too soft. He could have just put a bullet into him and the woman. He didn't he left it to fate if they should meet again.

His target came into sight. He gently squeezed the trigger. He quietly gathered his things. He gave one last look over the area to make sure no evidence was left behind. With Booth out of the way, he knew no other government agents would be able to touch him, but he was always a careful man.

Hours later a thick southern drawl echoed through the lab. Everyone left from the team hurried towards the entrance to see what the commotion is about.

"Where is he, where is Booth?" Caroline yelled through the building.

"He and Brennan are out of town on a case, what's wrong?" Cam answered.

"Booth' psycho nemesis, that's what's wrong. I have the crime scene secured. Called him 5 times. He needs to get his cute behind down there this is his case." Caroline looked as if she were ready to burst from anxiety.

"We haven't been able to reach them either. They are out in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. Wendell and I can go work the scene. We have worked with Booth and Brennan long enough to know everything they would do. Lend us Agent Prada for the FBI side and we can get this done. I am sure when he gets the messages he will be back as fast as his truck will drive." Cam offered.

"Fine… fine… but you better not mess this up. Booth will burn all of you at the stake if you do and I will hand him the torch." Caroline exclaimed as she stormed from the building.

"I will get everything we need, you get the truck ready." Cam told Wendell.

The young man couldn't help but swallow his nervousness hard. This would be his first time out of the lab. He had always imagined it would be with his instructor. Not that he doubted Dr Saroyan's abilities, but he was trying to be a bone guy, not a medical examiner. He ran to do as he was instructed. Maybe this would be the chance he needed to really show everyone what he could do.

Cam and Wendell worked the scene with the greatest care. They knew what this case meant to Booth. They saw the change that took place over him since Broadsky took out Gravedigger, even more so when he wasn't able to make the shot at the courthouse. Deep down, both wished that it were Booth and Brennan here with them.

On their way back to the lab with everything they gathered. Cam sent a text message to Booth. A number of emotions floated in the back of her mind. If there was no response by morning, she didn't care what the rangers said, she would make them take her to the other scene or she might just shoot them herself.

Brennan continued to struggle to the surface. The water pouring down in addition to her injuries made to journey difficult. She had not heard anything from Booth since her declaration of love. She fought the urges to look down to see if he were where she had last seen him. Knowing he needed her to succeed gave her the inner strength to overcome the obstacles in her way. She could do this… she would do this. She had to.

Only a couple more feet and she'd be at the surface. Her had swimming with every emotion that existed. Only a couple more feet and she would be free to get help, only a couple more feet to freedom. She gathered all the fortitude she could muster and stretched to reach the edge of the whole. Her fingers slipped on the loose rock and mud. She lost her balance and began teetering. She scrambled to readjust her footing and handholds. Her heart felt as if it would burst from her chest. She took a moment to compose herself and calm her breathing.

How stupid could she be taking such a risk? She could have lost everything. This was her one and only chance. If she had fallen, even if she didn't further any injuries, she wouldn't have been able to get high enough to make the climb without Booth.

Booth? The silence from the cavern below unnerved her. Her best thought was that he had made it to the water's edge. She wouldn't allow herself any other thoughts. Those thoughts were not acceptable. She had heard the snap of his bones, she had heard his scream of pain, she had seen the blood surrounding him in the water. No he was strong, he was Booth. He survived so much in his lifetime. He would survive this as well. She would make sure of it.

She continued her climb. This time insuring that each step was stable. Her head mere inches from the surface, her heart began to race. She was almost there. She pushed upward and the fresh air raced through her lungs. With everything else she hadn't realized how stale and dirty the air had been. Within minutes she rolled to her back, taking in all her senses could take. She shed tears of relief.

She rolled to her hands and knees and crawled to the mouth of the opening. Peering into the darkness, she saw nothing. Even with the storm clouds blocking the sun's rays the brightness canceled her vision into the cave below.

"Booth?" she yelled "Booth?" she called again. She received no response. Panic stricken, her body racked in sobs, hope the thing she never allowed herself to rely but that which she had been clinging to disappeared.