The Bones in the Serial Grave (A Bones/Criminal Minds Story)

Chapter 1: The Jeffersonian

Updated: 4/2/14

Forensic anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan walked through the glass doors of the Jeffersonian intending to spend the day identifying the remains of soldiers from the Civil War. Her assistant Zachariah Addy ran up to her the moment she entered. His floppy brown hair falling into his face.

“Dr. Brennan,” Zack said.

“Did the remains of the Civil War soldiers arrive?” She asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “But I think that there is a case.”

“Why?”

“Agent Booth is in your office.”

 “Why? What does he want?” Brennan threw her assistant an exasperated look before heading off at a brisk walk towards her office.

“He says it’s urgent,” Zach said, trotting to keep up with Dr. Brennan.

They passed the local entomology and botany expert Jack Hodgins who bending over his microscope to look at some obscure bug or plant particulate. The facial Reconstructionist and resident artist Angela Montenegro was in her office inputting some info into her computer. Camilla Saroyan, the head of the Forensic Division at the Jeffersonian Institute was reading over some paperwork at her desk.

Brennan entered her office to find the smiling and ever handsome federal Agent Seeley Booth reclining in her chair with his feet on her desk.

“What do you want Booth?” Brennan asked sharply. She walked around her desk, setting down her bag and laptop before tipping the agent out of her chair.

“We’re going to Olsen National Park,” Booth said. Ignoring him, Brennan sat down and opened her laptop.  

“Well you can go without me.”

“Is that your new book?” Booth asked. He leaned over the desk, trying to see her screen.

“Where’s Olsen?” Zach asked. He was still standing in the doorway to Brennan’s office.

“Washington,” Booth replied. “I thought you knew everything anyways,” he said the last part a bit louder than he intended.

“I don’t know everything,” Zach replied. “It’s impossible for anyone to know everything. Scientist have dis-“

“Don’t you have something else to do?” Booth asked pointedly.

“I am supposed to help Dr. Brennan with the identification of the Civil War soldiers,” Zach replied, not understanding Booth was hinting at him.

“Don’t you have something to squint at?” Booth asked again with greater emphases. “Out there?” Zach looked confused for a moment. “Something to squint at that’s not in here?” Slight embarrassment crossed Zack’s face when he understood what Booth was hinting at.

“Uh, I think Hodgins needs some help identifying plant particulates,” Zach muttered. He quickly left Brennan’s office, shutting the door behind him.

“That was mean,” Brennan commented dryly when Booth turned back to her.

“What?” He replied defensively. “It’s not my fault that the kid can’t pick up on any hint, nonverbal or otherwise.” Booth glanced down at his watch. “Come on Bones, let’s go.”

“You heard Zack. I have Civil War Soldiers to identify and I already said I’m not going,” Brennan said. Oblivious to the growing impatience’s of her partner. “Besides I’m sure you can get another Cam or another tech to look at the body.”  

“Only it’s not just one body Bones. It’s a giant hole full of bones.”

“Like a mass grave?” Brennan was searching through her files for a piece of paper, unaware of Booth rocking back and forth on his heels.

“Yes,” Booth said exasperatedly. He flopped down in one of Brennan’s chairs and started drumming his fingers impatiently against his thigh.

“I worked on identifying bodies in mass graves after the genocide in Rwanda. You said there was more than one body?”

“Yeah, so far six human skulls have been found,” Booth grinned slightly. He knew that she was interested in the case now. “And there was a body decomposing in the woods nearby but I can get on of the other squinterns to come look at it if you’re too busy.”

“What!” Brennan exclaimed. “Why are there people digging? They might compromise my bones Booth!”

“I thought you had Civil War remains to identify.” She responded with a withering glare. “Then let’s go,” Booth stood up.

“Zach is coming with us,” Brennan told Booth over her shoulder. They walked out of her office and across the immaculately clean lab space. Zach was talking to Hodgins outside of the entomologist’s office.

“Come on kid,” Booth said. He grabbed Zach’s tie and tugged him along after them. “You’re coming on a road trip.”

* I am working on the next part for this one. Do you guys like this cover?

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