She slowly turned, finding an average looking man, dark hair falling around his forgettable face. Mirthless green eyes trained on her, his captive, and he observed as she unfolded herself from the center of the small room.

"Marcus I presume," she said evenly, pushing her panic down to concentrate. As she regarded the man in front of her, she heard the pounding of her partner from the outside.

"Marcus Welby, at your service," he said with a theatrical bow, pausing at the bottom to look up at her with a twisted grin, "Temperance."

"Why am I here?" she coldly questioned, getting straight to the point.

"Let me tell you a story first," he said, straightening from his exaggerated stance and starting to lazily pace in a circle around her, "of a boy who loved a girl. He adored her, was completely, blissfully in love with this girl. She returned this love, or so it seemed." He punctuated this last part with a sudden stop, his cold eyes zeroing in on hers. She kept her expression schooled, her own eyes following his demented movements.

"One day the boy got into some trouble. It wasn't entirely his fault and he could have gotten off, but a certain judge who decided to have a really bad day and take it out on this boy gave him five years in prison. The girl promised to remain true to him, and he believed her, writing letters every day to his beloved. She wrote back but eventually her responses died off and her final letter told of her lack of love, lack of empathy for the boy who had promised his heart to her." Brennan watched him become more animated with his movements as his agitation grew.

"When he got out, he went to find this girl who was now engaged to some low life rich boy who bought her out. He didn't even have the decency to be faithful to her!" He was near shouting by the end, his hands clenching in what could only be described as pure fury.

"David and Marguerite," Bones clarified and Marcus straightened up as if just remembering she was there.

"Yes. Unfortunate circumstances lead to unfortunate results," he replied, his tone light and conversational again.

"And the others," She prompted, trying to keep him talking. She had started edging herself away from the center of the room towards the wall that housed a multitude of instruments.

He waved them off with his hand saying, "Collateral damage. Judge Sanders, he cut off my life, it's only fair I did the same."

"Sophia?" Bones asked, watching as he continued his languid pacing while she took another step back.

"She was poison to the world," he replied with a shrug of the shoulders.

"The couple in the observatory?"

"Ah yes, my first kill," he continued in his light tone, "They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, why should they get to love while the rest of the world burns?"

"But Marguerite, she was your focus," Bones prodded him on. She was now within four feet of the wall.

The smile that had been playing on Marcus' lips grew wider and his eyes colder as he replied, "No, no, that's you,"

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Booth struggled to keep in control as he slammed his body into the door. How the hell Bones got herself locked in a room with a raging psychopath twice in the same night was beyond him. He kept pulling on the handle and trying to bust through the door, but nothing was helping. A hand on his shoulder made him whip his head around.

"Let me help," the man from the treasury said, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

"Thank you Mr.,"

"Jones, Samuel Jones," he replied, crouching down to rush at the door.

"I'll help too," the security guard's gruff voice came from behind as he too knelt by the other men in front of the panel.

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"Why me, what do I have to do with it?" she asked, cursing herself internally as her voice took on a slight quiver. Two feet to go. Marcus' eyes flicked to the doorway at the sound of a particularly hard thrust from Booth on the other side.

"How could I resist besting the famous Doctor Brennan?"

Bones bit back a gasp of relief when her finger tips grazed the wall behind her. She looked towards the door, waiting for Booth to burst through as he had before.

"huh-uh," Marcus chided as he followed her gaze, "the room is sound proof. David really went all out. And don't think I haven't been watching you back towards that wall. But really, what did you plan to do anyways? You have a mandolin, and well, I came prepared." He pulled a rather ornate dagger from under his jacket and Brennan immediately dated it to the early sixteen hundreds as her panic rushed at her full force.

"You see," he continued, playing with the blade in his hands, "this is my grand finale. You are the "N" and there really wasn't a way for you to stop that." His jade eyes caught her widened blue as he cocked his head in mock consideration. "My only real regret is the mess I'll have to leave for your dear partner."

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"The door ain't gonna budge," the security guard grunted after another hard hit against the door. Samuel and the security guard stood back for a moment, watching Booth frantic movements towards the door. They had made a slight crack in the wood but the paneling held strong. At this point Samuel was more concerned with the state of the Agent in front of him than the panel.

"What are you waiting for," he panted, hitting the door once again, "We have to get her out!"

"The door isn't breaking Agent Booth," Samuel pointed out.

"It has to, I have to, I have to save her," he said, breathing erratic in his panicked state. He hit the door with his fist in anger before turning on the two men behind him.

His face was red with exertion and rage and he took a breath, ready to yell at the men for giving up until he caught a gleam under the security guard's jacket. He lunged towards the larger man, grasping for the guard's holster on his side. He successfully yanked the pistol away, cocked it and aimed for the door.

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Bones fumbled blindly behind her as she watched Welby start to slowly advance towards her. Finding nothing of use, she softened her knees, ready to launch a counter attack when he tried to strike. Marcus watched her, calculating with a deadly smirk on his face. He was making measured half circles around her, closing the distance between them with each rotation. They both paused when a small metallic ping resonated from outside of the door. Taking a chance, Bones rushed Welby, trying to knock the weapon away as Booth came barreling into the room.

Turning to this newest intrusion, Marcus focused his sharp, predatory eyes on the fiery ones of the agent running towards him. His periphery caught movement from where Brennan had been and he saw the agent's eyes grow wide at the knife aimed towards his partner. Understanding dawned on the murderer, and in one quick decision he turned his body towards the flash of blue that tackled him. He heard the sharp pop of the pistol in the agent's hand before pain blossomed in his back and the world faded away.

Booth rushed over to Bones where she lay on top of the lifeless Marcus Welby. She placed her palms on the floor, shakily pushing herself up while Booth placed his hands on her sides, helping her rise to her feet. When she turned to face him her face paled and her eyes widened in shock.

"Booth," she managed weakly before her knees buckled. Her partner caught her dead weight, sinking to the floor while her blood quickly soaked through the fabric between them.

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I know, I know, you all hate cliff-hangers, but I had to stop here! The next chapter is already partially done, so expect an update tomorrow! Let me know what you think!

Silver. Wings.