Due to the fact that Booth had immediately started complaining about how uncomfortable military flights were when he heard that's what they were flying on, Brennan was expecting a rough journey on a very uncomfortable seat. She was pleasantly surprised when they found that the C-17 was packed with a battalion of soldiers returning to Fort Carson after a deployment to Afghanistan.
When they stepped onboard, she heard the gentle murmur of voices just before they all looked up and saw them standing there. A big staff sergeant in the front rose from his seat and approached them. Brennan looked into his eyes and saw mild curiosity in his gaze, but no hostility. When he spoke, his voice was low, but it echoed through the quiet cargo hold of the C-17.
"Excuse me, ma'am, this is a military aircraft returning a battalion of soldiers to Fort Carson, Colorado. May I ask why you and the gentleman behind you are on this plane?"
Brennan smiled as she felt Booth begin to move up behind her. Wait, Booth. Let me handle this. She thought, and he immediately relaxed and went still. "Forgive our intrusion, Sergeant…Rodriguez," She said as she read his nametape. "But we're going to Fort Carson by request of Sergeant Cory Hughes. Do you know him?"
Recognition flashed in the sergeant's eyes immediately, and a smile crossed his face as he said, "Yes, Hughes. We know him." Some confusion entered his eyes as he asked, "But who are you, and why does he want you to go to Fort Carson?"
Booth spoke now, his voice steady and clear. "FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth. This is Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institute. We were the last targets of the feller that was called The Watcher." The tension that filled the hold was so thick that Brennan swore she could have cut it with a knife.
A low murmur began before Sergeant Rodriguez snapped, "Quiet!" Silence fell once more as he turned his attention to Brennan again. "The Watcher, eh? He's destroyed so many lives. He killed a soldier of ours, Sergeant Kurt Tobiano. Tobi's death drove another of our soldiers, Sergeant Katelyn Bell, to near madness. She was given leave to go after him almost six years ago. We hear from her from time to time, and every single time, she's closer and closer to finishing him permanently. What with the fact that we've been on deployment for the last thirteen months, we haven't heard anything about her. What news do you have?"
Brennan's heart sank, and she thought, Oh no…they don't know she's dead… She looked at Booth, noting the look of sorrow in his eyes, before she transferred her gaze to the sergeant standing in front of her once again. "Sergeant Rodriguez, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Sergeant Bell is dead. She was killed by The Watcher about eight months ago."
The sergeant's dark eyes widened with shock, and he staggered back a couple steps, falling back into his seat with a strangled grunt. Every soldier in the cargo hold reacted differently; some launched themselves to their feet and cried out in wordless expressions of pain. Some just sat and looked numb and shocked. Others had tears running down their faces.
Booth nudged Brennan gently, and even though he didn't speak, she understood. "I doubt this will make you feel any better," She called over the noise, and silence fell immediately. She looked around for a moment before she spoke again. "Sergeant Bell's Rottweiler, Rafael, killed The Watcher that day. The two of them saved both our lives, as well as the lives of many of my staff. I am Rafe's new caretaker now, per your sergeant's wish. He's defended me ever since."
Sergeant Rodriguez stood up slowly, approaching Booth and Brennan again as he asked softly, "So where does our comrade lie? Where was she put to rest?" Booth answered the sergeant quietly. "She was buried with full military honors in Arlington. Sergeant Hughes was entrusted with the flag that graced her casket. It is my understanding that he placed the flag where all of Fort Carson can view it. I also recall that he told me that the unit had a memorial made for Sergeant Bell, and that it sits near the main entrance to Fort Carson. Sergeant Hughes saw to it that Kate will never be forgotten."
Sergeant Rodriguez nodded his head as he said, "Yeah, that sounds like Cory. Leave it to him to make sure that we will never forget our fallen." One of the flight crew stuck his head in the cargo hold and instructed everyone to take their seats. Booth and Brennan quickly found a pair of open seats, buckling themselves in as the sergeant called over his shoulder, "Why is it that Cory asked you guys to come to Fort Carson?"
Brennan looked at Booth for a moment before she yelled back, "They found some more bodies. They're not sure if the remains are from The Watcher or another new threat. That's why we're going. Hopefully, we'll be able to assist in determining who they are and who it is that killed them."
As the soldiers around them quietly discussed this new revelation, Brennan thought, I hope this is just leftovers from The Watcher. I'd rather not face another new bad guy. Not now. She sighed to herself before settling back more comfortably, waiting for the plane to take off, waiting to see what the future held.