The Face with Two Skeletons
By: Tropicwhale
Disclaimer: Mine? Who's been saying that wonderful lie? oh...ignore them, they lie like rugs. Bones and all things associated with the show belong to other people...dammit.
Author Talk: fire water earth and air; will someone get these curls out of my hair?
Chapter Eighteen
Zack was stumped. It wasn't unprecedented but it happened rare enough that he was frustrated by the lack of progress he made with the remains. Even with all his injuries he still should have made some progress with the Alabamian bones. Dr. Brennan walked in and placed her hand on Zack's shoulder. "What's amatter, Zack?" Zack shifted his weight from his good foot to his crutches and back again minutely.
"I feel like I'm missing something with this skeleton." Zack admitted. Brennan looked down at the remains. "She was killed with a shotgun by the way. I'm not sure what sort of bullet that was used by there is a spread pattern to chipping on the ribs."
"Where was she found?"
"Alabama."
"Let me see the file." Dr. Brennan held out her hand. Zack handed her the file. She took a minute to look at it. "This skeleton isn't from the 1930's." Zack furrowed his brow. "It's much too young."
"I thought that the coloring was a result of the treatment that the Jeffersonian uses to strength the bones."
"Partially but the bone density is completely different. Look." She went over to the computer database and quickly filled out the search engine. She then wrote down a number onto a slip of paper that they kept by the monitor and walked down the aisles. She checked the number again and pulled out a bin that was about shoulder-length to her. She walked back to Zack and set the new bin on an empty examining table. "These bones were found in Alaska, 1935, worried past recognition by wolves." She picked up the pelvis. "Male." She laid the bone out on the empty table. Then she walked back into the stacks and pulled out another bin. She placed it on the second examining table next to the Alaskan pelvis. "Female, Arizona, 1933, eaten by coyotes." She pulled out the pelvis again. She took the two pelvises and laid them next to the skeleton that Zack had been examining. Zack notice the difference right away. The older bones were still darker than the Alabamian skeleton even after the ultraviolet light treatment. "Touch them…feel the difference."
"With my bare hands?" Zack was very confused.
"No, with the gloves." Brennan said. Zack reached down and touched the male pelvis and the Alabamian one. "The male one feels rougher."
"Exactly. This skeleton is recently deceased. I would say less than six months." Dr. Brennan said. Zack looked at her. She picked up the two 1930's pelvises and put them back into their respective boxes, and put the bins back into the proper shelves. She removed her gloves and told Zack to contact whomever it was that send them the skeleton and figure out what was going on. Zack said that he would and started to put away the skeleton as Dr. Brennan left Limbo. After he juggled the skeleton in its bin back into its place in the shelves and, grabbing the file off the table, hobbled up into the main labs. He took the long way around the platform to Brennan's office so no one could claim that he was attempting to tamper with the evidence of Anne's death. He sat at Dr. Brennan's desk and dialed the phone number that was in the skeleton's file and put the phone on speaker so he would not have to try and hold it to his ear with his broken wrist and bruised ribs. It was answered on the second ring.
"Department of Justice Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham. How may I help you?" A female voice said over the line.
"Hello, this is Dr. Zack Addy from the Jeffersonian. There seems to be a problem with one of the skeletal remains that your department sent us two months ago."
"That would have come to you through the general anthropology department."
"The number in the file was this one."
"I see. Will you please hold for a second?"
"I will." Zack hear her put the phone down and the distant murmuring of a conversation. After a moment the female came back on the line.
"Alright. According to the Department head the only reason any remains would be sent to the Jeffersonian because the police deemed it a cold case and donated the remains to educational purposes or whatnot."
"I see. You wouldn't happen to have contact information for that, would you?"
"Hold please." Again the click of the phone hitting desk came over the line then the clicking of a keyboard. She picked up again. "Alright. Ready?" Zack grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper.
"Yes." She gave him the information and contact info. "Would there be a record there of the remains?"
"Yes….give me a second." She clicked a few keys. "Alright, give me the identification number."
"PX0-336"
"Alright." There were seven more clicks. "It was discovered in Pittman Bay 1934 and kept in storage at the Houston County sheriff department until three months ago when it was sent to us."
"See, that's a problem. The skeletal remains are less than six months old."
"Whoa. Really?"
"Yes. My boss confirmed it and she is the premier expert in forensic anthropology."
"You work for Dr. Temperance Brennan?" Zack blinked. He was expecting the recognition.
"Yeeessss." He said slowly.
"I'm such a fan of hers. Her treatise on identifying defensive breaks post-mortem was inspirational."
"I-"
"And her fictional books are so informed….I didn't scream in frustration once."
"Yes well,"
"Is she around?"
"No. She's consulting with the FBI at the moment on a murder case."
"Her life is so fascinating." Zack recognized the tone of an obsessed fan.
"I have to go now." He hung up. He dialed the number for the Huston sheriff department. It picked up on the first ring.
"Houston County sheriff department, how may I direct your call?"
"Hello, my name is Dr. Zack Addy calling from the Jeffersonian in Washington DC. There seems to be a mix up with a set of incomplete skeletal remains that came to us two months ago and I've tracked back to your department."
"Really? What seems to be the problem?"
"The files state that the remains were found in Pittman Bay in 1934 and have been in storage since but we've found that the remains have only been deceased for less than six months."
"I see. Let me direct your call to the person in charge of evidence storage." He was placed on hold with smooth jazz music playing over the phone. Hodgins popped his head into the office.
"Oh! Hey, Zack…I was looking for Brennan." Zack looked down at Brennan's schedule that she kept on her desk.
"She's at lunch with Booth right now. At the Diner."
"Oh. I guess I'll tell her later." Zack nodded.
"Okay." Hodgins started to leave, snapped his fingers and turned back around. "Zack? We need to talk."
"Alright." Hodgins sat on the edge of Brennan's desk. Zack sat back, keeping an eye on the phone which was still on hold.
"Tired?"
"Exhausted. But I finally figured out why the skeleton that I've been classifying was so frustrating. It's been deceased for less than six months and not since the 1930s like the file says. I'm trying to track down the skeleton that's suppose to be here and who is the one we have."
"That's…Zack, you should be resting. You were nearly blown up."
"I rested for nine days in the hospital. The doctor said I was able to go back to work for light duty. I'm sitting here doing waiting on hold for a sheriff's office in Alabama. I would consider that light work. What did you want to talk about?"
"Hello, this is Forensic Evidence Storage of Houston County Sheriff office, how can I help you?" The phone suddenly said, the voice was that of an older woman. Zack slowly sat up so not to shift his ribs too much.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Zack Addy from the Jeffersonian calling about a set of remains that were shipped to us from there." Hodgins was grinning. Zack suspected it was because he was thinking better Zack then him. Zack flipped him the middle finger of his unbroken hand. Hodgins fell off the desk in silent giggles. Zack was satisfied. "The file said that the skeleton was from the 1930's and the skeleton we have is less than six months dead."
"And it's a completely unbridled skeleton?"
"Yes. It's incomplete and showed signs of being partial eaten by an alligator."
"We haven't had anything remotely sounding like that come in at all."
"That's…" Zack was trying to figure out how that happened."
"Weird." The woman said.
"yeah." Zack was distracted. "In about a week I'm going to come down and try to figure it out in person. Is that okay?"
"Sure sweetie. When you're ready to come down just call this number from nine to five and ask for Pack Rat."
"Pack Rat?"
"Police have nicknames for everyone. Evidence locker lieutenant is the Pack Rat."
"That makes sense."
"Alright, Mr. Dr. Zack Addy….talk to you in a week."
"Talk to you in a week." The call disconnected and Zack turned off the speaker. He then slumped back into the chair and looked up at the ceiling vacantly. Hodgins righted himself on his perch on the desk.
"Are you sure you're alright?" The 'bug guy' asked, concerned. Zack frowned.
"I just realized that I don't have anywhere to live." Hodgins reared back a little.
"Zack, that's not a problem. We'll rebuild the apartment, make it better than ever. We can't rebuild you." Hodgins reached over and touched Zack's shoulder. "Or Angela. There was nothing you could do."
"Can I stay in the main house, then?"
"No. I'm not moving back in until I find out how the bomber got in and upgrade my security system so it never happens again. I'm staying with Angela until it's done. She needs someone to take care of her anyway."
"Oh…well, where am I going to stay?"
"Why don't you ask your lover to take care of you?" Zack was certain that Hodgins' tone was condensing and snide. Zack chose to ignore it until further proof was presented. After all Zack still had trouble recognizing sarcasm.
"He's angry at me for telling about our relationship…I doubt that he would want me at his house…not to mention it would look bad if I moved in right after Anne's death."
"Murder. Definitely murder. Shotgun to the chest. Your replacement found it." Zack knew that was meant to hurt. "What about your other basketball buddies?"
"Bailout lives with his parents. Othello lives in an apartment with no elevator on the eight floor. Wineskin….has a small child. Keg's girlfriend doesn't like me….I don't know about Robbie…I guess I could call and ask." Zack turned toward the phone and started to dial Robbie's cell.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you played basketball, you date men….what else don't I know about you?"
"A lot."
"Zack." Hodgins' tone indicated that Zack's lack of disclosure was making him angry. Logically Zack should offer something about himself that Hodgins didn't know as a peace offering.
"Studying under Dr. Brennan was a secondary reason for coming to DC." Hodgins looked intrigued by that.
"What was the first?"
"I needed to get out of my hometown in Michigan."
"Well, yeah....Michigan."
"I like Michigan….I didn't like the media hounding me at every opportunity."
"Why would-?"
"I was implicated in the murder of my best friend and…my first love." Hodgins gave a half-sure smile.
"You don't believe in love."
"Bradley was murdered by his father almost right before my eyes. If I hadn't climbed out the window and run I would have been dead too." Hodgin's smile faltered and disappeared. "Love…any emotion….it wasn't worth Bradley's life...its not worth it."
"Zack…I'm sorry." Hodgins was pacified but the floodgates were open; Zack couldn't seem to stop.
"I also can drive. But, when I first came to DC, I drove my rented truck into a bicyclist. Keg and Robbie were the ones to pull me from the wreak and Zerbrowski was my criminal defense lawyer. I nearly ended up in jail except the cyclist never showed up to his day in court…the charges were dropped. I'm obviously not trustworthy behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle...and non-motorized vehicles obviously aren't safe so.....I don't drive anymore."
"Zack…" Hodgins' look was slightly horrified.
"I don't want to…cause any more trouble than I already have. I'm tired of it. Excuse me." Zack tried to stand but with his ribs and leg he was stuck in Brennan's chair.
"Zack, none of that is your fault." Zack attempted to stand again. His eyes were tearing up. "Zack, stop! Let me help-" That pissed Zack off.
"I don't need help." Zack floundered for his crutches and got up without the help of a stunned Hodgins. Zack hobbled away back to Limbo. When he was safe within the rows and rows of skeletal remains, then he cried. He slid down to the floor and cried. What he had had with Zerbrowski was a good thing. What he had had with the Copperheads was good, too. What he had at the Jeffersonian was a great thing. Now it was all crumbling down again…just like in Michigan. It was very frustrating.
Some hours later he realized he couldn't stand up again. He had thrown his crutches out of reach in a fit of illogical, emotional distress. He was stuck in Limbo. Another hour after that he fell asleep. It wasn't until the next day that someone found him. "Zack." He heard in his dream. "Zack?" The dream was very pleasant. He was ensconced in a bunch of blankets and cuddled next to someone very warm. "Zack!! Zack's dream snapped like a piece of wet lettuce and he was awake on a cold concrete floor, very stiff and very cold. Booth was crouching next to him.
"Agent Booth?"
"Zack, what are you doing here?"
"I got angry at Hodgins for prying into my life and I came down here to escape and I sat down and got stuck." Booth helped him sit up. Zack was aware of several things. He had to relieve himself, he was hungry, and he had a headache and the beginnings of a cold.
"How long where you down here?" Zack looked at his wristwatch.
"About fifteen hours."
"Fifteen-Zack." Booth slowly helped Zack stand and gave him back his crutches. "Why didn't you just go home?"
"I don't have a home." Booth stopped. "Hodgins is freaked out that someone bombed my apartment which is supposedly secure. He's staying with Angela until he can have his security upgraded and my apartment rebuilt."
"That doesn't help you out."
"He said I should go stay with Zerbrowski."
"That's-"
"I told him that I'm pretty certain Zerbrowski broke up with me because I told about our relationship. I should call Robbie….he might lead me a couch."
"Forget that…you're coming home with me."
"Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest? I'm a suspect in a murder you're investigating."
"Zack, you were nearly blown up. Chances are by the same person that killed Anne Zerbrowski…it's like federal protection. Not to mention, it's looking more and more like it was someone that isn't you so you know what? You're staying with me." That didn't sound logical. It probably was a conflict of interest.
"For an undetermined length of time?" Zack's tone implied he didn't think that it would work.
"Just until you can sit on the ground and not get stuck…then I'll pass you off to someone else, okay?" That was reasonable. Zack couldn't think of any other excuse not to. He decided not to tell anybody that he was staying at Booth's. Things might be assumed. Things that might hurt Booth's career.
"That's fine. Thank you."
"Come on." Zack followed Booth out of Limbo.
Author After Talk: :) This is something you all wanted. I know it because I'm psychic. You all want Zack to go home with Booth because Booth is a knight in shining armor and Zack is a little lost puppy dog....and you lot are a bunch of sick twisted slashers. How I love you all.
Tropic