-Venus POV-
Booth dropped me off and went to interview the son of Judge Ramos with Temp. I had written up the permission slip just in case Cam was going to against it. But I think that Zack had somewhat convinced her that we could do it. I was seating things up with Zacks help as Hodgins comes in with Cam and Angie as he says, "The FBI couldn't find any evidence of an explosive charge." Angie then asks, "Then what blew up?" Zack answered as I was busy finishing the explosive replica that Hodgins were identified in Hodgin's list. "There was liquor in the room, paint, turpentine." Cam asks, "Paint, turpentine and liquor blew down a wall, torched four people and deposited a corpse in a chandelier 12 feet off the ground?" I nod, "There was also a petroleum distillate in six HVLP canisters hidden under tarps." Hodgins adds, "High volume, low pressure. So you can see where this is going."
Angie and Cam looked at all three of us as I help Zack and Hodgins with their suits, "No, we can't." I chuckle, "It's okay, I will explain it. A fire was set. The actual problem is, given these ingredients, would there be a secondary explosion?" Zack then adds, "I did the math very carefully. This experiment should generate an explosion approximately one-one thousandth the magnitude of the explosion at the hotel." Cam then asks, "Excuse me?" Zack repeats, "One-one thousandth." I chuckle, "Cute again Zack, but she meant the explosion part. But there is no need to worry, I built all of these things." Cam looked around, "All of these? I'm impressed." Hodgins laughs, "This is merely anything she could do, she is the one that built most of the equipment's that we use, and she is the one who developed and built the security system that we have today." "That's amazing, I would have never guessed." I chuckle, "Yeah, no one believes it at first."
Hodgin then says, "This blast wall Venus built is merely a precaution." Zack and I made it to the other side of the wall as I say, "We could watch the explosion through this porthole. Plus, I didn't do this experiment all by myself, Zack helped me with adding the right amount of ingredients for the explosion." Both Angie and Cam looked at us as Angie says, "Okay, I'm gonna wait outside." Cam followed her, "I hear that." I waved the girls goodbye as Hodgin comes over to us with the detonator button. Zack then ask, "Did they not hear me say I did the math quite carefully?" I chuckle and pat Zacks head as Hodgin says, "All right, I'll ignite the alcohol."
I nod as Zack explains, "The math says there will be a ten- to 12- second gap before the HVLP container explodes." I nod as Hodgins says, "Igniting the alcohol..." We started counting down, "Ten..." I then ask Zack, "How much of each ingredient did you put?" "About one third of what would the original bomb be." "What?!" But right at eight seconds I grab the two guys and pushed them down to the ground as the bomb explodes and we all yell." The glass cracked and we avoided the fire, but we did get the ashes and somewhat crazy hair as Hodgins laid on his back and I landed on top of Zack.
The alarms went off and the air ventilations started up and was sucking out all of the smoke as we all start coughing as Cam and Angie came inside. They helped us up as they asked us if we were okay. The boys nod as I say, "We are good. The air ventilations that I fixed a few weeks ago has already kicked in." We exited the room as Zack asks, "I don't understand what happened. I did the calculations right? How did you know it was going to explode like that Venus?" I coughed a bit as Angie shook some of the glass off me, "Oh, when you told me one third of the ingredients, I knew that it was too much. Plus, I am practically an expert in the knowledge of all types of bombs making and the amount it's necessary to create a certain type of explosion." "Cool."
Hodgin then says, "Oh, you know what that proves?" Angie then says, "That you guys are idiots?" I chuckle, "Yes, that one is a bit true, but it also means that a blast that strong wasn't necessarily a bomb." Hodgins nods, "Most likely, somebody killed Lisa Winokur then started a fire to cover up their crime." Cam started to catch up what we were saying, "Without knowing there would be a huge explosion. That's good, guys. Nice job." We smiled as I say, "That's nice to hear, but I am going to take a shower now." Zack then says, "I'll join you!" I blush a bit as I say, "Yeah, you could come with me, but you need to wait your turn." We are walking off together as the other three laugh a bit about our conversation as Zack says, "Why not together? We already seen each other naked?" I blush even more, "ZACK! This is different from last time. We were exposed to a disease, but we aren't now." "But we will save much more water." "Don't try to persuade me or trick me into taking a shower with you Zack. If Booth were to find out, what would you think he would do?" "Shoot me..." "Yup, so you will wait your turn, right?" "Yes" I chuckle and try to fix his hair back to how it was as we walked off to a washroom where we had installed a shower in there about two months ago.
We are in the Bone room as my hair is still dripping wet as Cam had called Booth over. He then asks, "She was strangled?" I nod as Zack says, "The hyoid is cracked at the tips, but not burned." I add, "Something was around her neck when the fire got her." Cam adds, "Hodgins found burned fibers- he's analyzing them now." Zack adds, "I also noticed a broken finger. I'm using those words especially for you, Booth." "Thanks." I chuckle as I say, "Also disjunct of acromion and coracoid with damage to the glenoid. Which is basically a dislocated shoulder." Cam then says, "The typical injury of a victim on the ground straining against someone strangling her from behind." We watch as Cam leaves as Temp then says, "There was a split in the cartilage between the T-3 and T-4 vertebrae." Booth then excuses himself as I looked as he leaves knowing where he is going as I just smile as Zack says, "I thought that might be from the fire or explosion." "But why only those two vertebrae?" "You make a good point. I'll take another look."
Temp and I walk into Booth's office as he was typing something in the computer as she says, "Hey, I've had a realization. Oh. I've never seen you on the computer before." "I'm, uh... just trying to find out who bought Lisa Winokur expensive jewelry. What, me being on the computer is that what, your realization?" I chuckle as Temp says, "No. Antonio Ramos could not have been Lisa Winokur's attacker." "Why couldn't our prime suspect have committed the murder?" "Antonio's arm has pins in it." "Pins?" "Yeah. So he's maybe 30% of his normal strength. No way that's enough to dislocate our victim's shoulder. So how?"
Booth is on the computer trying to type things in as he asks, "How what?" "Well, how can you find jewelry thing on the computer?" "I have a bank routing number that dead-ends at an offshore corporate account belonging to a shell corporation in the Netherlands Antilles." "Isn't that impossible to trace?" I chuckle, "Well, no longer sis. Since 9/11, all foreign wires have to register an individual's name..." Booth finishes my sentence, "-with the State Department." Temp asks, "So?" "I simply access the State Department database. Aw, hell." I then ask, "What happened?" "That little bastard is protecting someone." I sigh as we looked at each other.
We are now speaking with Radziwill as he says, "If the computer says 'confidential,' then it's confidential. I find it best not to argue with computers." We enter Booths office as he ask, "Were you the one who authorized the block, or did it come from higher up on the food chain?" "Go through channels, make a request." "Go to hell, Alex." Temp then asks, "Why are you being so mean?" "Cause 'go through the channels' is just diplomatic double-talk for 'get lost." "Can I talk to him?" Radziwill then says, "Hello? Dr. Brennan? I'm just small, not invisible." "Well, under what circumstances, in general, would the State Department block a name like this?" He sighs as Booth says, "Come on, Alex. Hey, don't be one of them- go out on a limb, huh?" "Fine. Might be an intelligence asset or someone under investigation. It could be request from Homeland Security. They just do whatever the hell they want. Could be a CIA shell company masquerading as a bad guy, or a bad guy who's been compromised. The IRS could be working offshore shelters. It could be someone..."
Booth then says, "Ha! Ha!" Temp then says, He didn't say anything." I add, "He was about to say 'diplomatic immunity' Temp." "Let's say the boy bought that girl some jewelry. That doesn't mean he killed her." I nod my head, "Yes, it could be, but it is saying that he was lying when he said he met her for the first time that night." Booth then says, "Come on, Alex, this isn't evidence for court. I'm just, you know, collecting names." "Please. Like that's gonna work on me." Temp then says, "Whoever killed Lisa Winokur is responsible for the deaths of four people, including a priest." I then ask, "Doesn't the State Department have to assure those families they're doing everything they can to apprehend the responsible party?" "Are you threatening the State Department?" "No?..." I looked at Booth as he gives me a look I then say, "Maybe?... Yes?... Yes, I am." At that Booth nods as Temp was confused, "What?" Booth then answers, "That is a great idea." "What's a great idea?" "FBI blackmailing the State Department."
Radziwill then says, "He has diplomatic immunity." "Come one, Alex, baby steps." I then add, "No offence." We then hear Temp chuckle, "I just got that. It's 'baby steps' because..." "You don't want to finish that sis." "It's probably offensive." I nod as Radziwill says, "Sorry, I can't help you." Temp then says sorry when he leaves. We all sighed and waited for a few minutes as the mother of the victim was coming over to discuss about a few things. We went to an office as the mother arrived as we showed her a file as she says, "I don't see how health insurance forms can help you." Booth nods, "Yeah, I'm gonna have these photocopied, okay?" "Sure." Booth clears his throat as I knew what he was saying as I stand up with him and exited the door as he clears his throat again and tried to signal Temp to do something as we then left to the photocopy room.
Booth was trying to do it, but it wasn't photocopying it. "Ah, come on. Right when I need you, you decide to break down on me..." I chuckle, "Here let me check on its Ranger." He moves out of the way as I look around the photocopy machine and open it checking inside as well. I found the problem and started fixing it. About two minutes later I had fixed the problem as I stand up and close the cover, "I finished fixing it Ranger, check it out." He goes up to it and started photocopying the file. "Hey, it's really working. It's even smoother than before." "Yeah, there was a few things that were coming out, but I still think you guys should get a new one." "Yeah, we should, this one is a dinosaur."
We laugh as we finished photocopying them and we walked back to the conference room, just to see that the mother is crying. Booth opens the door a bit, "Excuse me? Bones, can we talk to you for a moment?" "Umm... Excuse me." She gets up and comes over to us as Booth asks, "What did you do to her?" "I don't know." "Hospital admission forms." "Yeah, what about them?" "Well, look at the signature of the person who dropped Lisa off at the emergency room." She picks up the paper and reads it, "Juan Vasco Ramos. That's Antonio's father." I then say, "Lisa was having an affair with the Judge's husband, not her son."
Temp adds, "And he was leaving her." Booth asks, "How do you know that?" "She advised her daughter to get pregnant when it looked Juan Ramos was about to dump her." "Yeah, Lisa sees the boy drunk, decides to seduce him..." "Has unprotected sex in an effort to get pregnant." I continued, "Dad finds out, and suddenly the troublesome girlfriend is worth killing." Temp then says, "She's worried that her advice got her daughter killed." Booth nods, "Yeah, she's probably right. I'll tell you what, I'm gonna call Radziwill and have him bring Dad in for questioning." He was about to enter the door as he stops and looks at Temp, "Oh, you know what? I should leave you alone more often."
Temp and I leave as it was the end of the day. The next morning we get up and head back to the FBI head quarters as we wait Radziwill is coming over to us, "Good morning." Booth then asks, "Where's Juan Ramos?" "He declined your invitation. He decided to back home to Colombia." "What airline?" "Why? You can't do anything anyway." Temp then says, "Well, he killed five people." "Yes, yes, let's not go through the morality list again." Booth says, "I need to know what airline." "Private jet out of Kent Island airport." We then start heading out.
We are in the car as driving as Temp says, "Even if we get there on time, how are we gonna stop them from taking off?" We sit there quietly as I got an idea, "Call Hodgins." Temp then asks, "What can Hodgins do? I mean, this isn't about evidence." "He is much more useful right now. Just call him Temp." She calls and wait we then hear Hodgins answer, "Bugs, slime, particulates. What's your poison?" "Hey, Hodgins. Do us a favor and come up with the most craziest, most paranoid conspiracy mode and call the FAA and tell them that a private flight to Bogota is about to leave Kent Island private airport and is carrying anything you want. I will make sure you get something from the lab. Do you have any questions?" "Just one. Full-court press? No holds barred, maximum effort?" I chuckle, "Go crazy Hodgins." "Nice."
We get to the airport as the FBI are there already stopping the plane and they have their guns out at them and getting off the plane. We get down as Temp asks, "What will happen to Hodgins if the State Department finds out?" I shrug as Booth says, "Know what? Better they don't find out." We see as the family comes down the plane and take them away.
We are back in the lab as Radziwill comes over to us, "The FAA got a call saying Judge Ramos's plane had been targeted by the National Liberation Army, a terrorist organization in Columbia." Temp then says, "And you took it seriously?" "The caller used a highly classified code phrase which established the threat as authentic." I was about to laugh but caught myself as Booth says, "Really?" "A highly classified code phrase known only to a gold-plated asset inside the terrorist organization. If it weren't, I might suspect you had something to do with it. Booth, you seem have trouble accepting that there is absolutely nothing you can do in these circumstances." "Well, Juan Ramos just, you know, flying out of here, this whole diplomatic immunity thing- the whole thing just stinks."
Temp then adds, "You should think it stinks, too, Mr. Radziwill." "Put together your evidence package, submit it to State- we'll present it to the Columbia authorities, let them decide whether or not levy charges." Cam then says, "Wait, wait. That's our only option? Hope that a foreign government lay charges based on a forensics-heavy investigation done by American law enforcement on another continent?" "Unless you can persuade him to give up diplomatic immunity, yes, it's our only option." I then ask, "How long have we got to do that?" "About as long as it takes to take apart a plane and put it back together again. Maybe 24 hours."
Temp and I were fixing the case file as we hear Cam call for us from her workspace. We made our way as Temp says, "I have a cell phone, Dr. Saroyan." Cam just went straight to the point, "I found evidence of a perforation in the membrane of her lungs." I nod saying, "That could be connected to the T-3 and T-4 vertebrae damage." "Exactly what I thought. Could it have been pierced by a rib during the attack?" We look at Zack as he says, "The ribs were not broken pre-explosion." Temp then says, "The vertebrae were pushed apart, so they'd slide across the lung surface. That would cause a tear."
Cam shakes her head, "No, this definitely a puncture." Zack adds, "Whatever pierced the membrane was forced through the vertebrae." "A knife?" "Zack?" "No cuts on the bone. Something softer than a blade." Cam sighs, "To reach the lung from the back means moving through the epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, subcutaneous fat, and three layers of thoracic muscle fiber and connective tissue, not to mention splitting those vertebrae." I add, "That requires a great deal of pressure, suggesting the force of a leg, not an arm."
Zack adds, "It's as though Juan Ramos drove something into Lisa Winokur's back with his foot. L-like a golf tee?" I shrug as I say, "We should go to Angie and check the footages again." Temp nods and we walk over to Angie as Booth had come over to us as she brings up the images and video. Booth then says, "A golf tee? That makes no sense." Angie adds, "I'm not sure what we're looking for." Cam answers, "A sharp implement." "He has a pen in his pocket." Booth asks, "Wait. How would he force a pen... through her back with his foot?" I then say, "Judge Ramos is five foot nine?" "Yeah." 'Why is she the same height as her husband?" Angie scrolls down the image, "Three-inch stiletto heels." I chuckle, "We were assuming that the killer was six feet tall and a he, but what if it was a five foot nine woman wearing three-inch heels? Judge Ramos could have driven her heel into Lisa Winokur's back as she strangled her?"
Booth adds, "Judge finds out that the waitress is having sex with both her husband and her son, trying to get pregnant, that's motive for murder." Angie adds, "Also, before the fire, she has a beautiful silk wrap on. Afterwards... it's gone." We then hear Hodgins from the back, "That's what she used to strangle Lisa Winokur." Booth nods, "Great. It was Judge Ramos. She did it. Very compelling evidence. Excellent. But you know what? Too bad. It's useless." I then say, "Unless... we can find a way to make Judge Ramos waive her diplomatic immunity." "How we gonna do that?" Booth sits as everyone was looking at the screen or that's what Cam thought she bends towards Booth and caresses his head and said, "Go grab a cup of coffee." He quickly stands up as Cam looks at us as we all saw what just happened and Angie and Hodgin look stunned as she says, "I'll figure it out." Booth then says, "Get some pie, Bones, Blueberry? Let's get some pie." I chuckle as Temp asks, "Pie? Why are we having pie?" I then say, "I will catch up to guys in a second. When they walk out Hodgins says, "Oh, yeah, baby, that's what I'm talking about." "Wow." I chuckle, "Love is in the purified and ionized lab air right now. I got to go and catch up with them, bye."
We are in the Royal Dinner sitting as Temp says, "A woman like Judge Ramos, who stood up to drug cartels, who always did the right thing, it's hard to imagine her killing another human being." Booth says, "Bones, she's a strong woman. That's why she stood up to the cartels, you know, live on after her daughter was killed. Hey, look her point of view, Lisa Winokur was threatening her family, so... she snapped." "Will she get away with it?" I sigh, "Maybe. She might get away with it." Cam then comes over to us, "Okay, we all got together- well, Zack wouldn't help until I threatened him, but the rest of us." I chuckle as she continued, "The blowback patterns shows that Lisa Winokur's killer was six feet tall. Antonio Ramos is six feet tall. Lisa Winokur had sex immediately before her demise. DNA tests show it was with Antonio Ramos. Lisa Winokur was strangled with a silk ligature. Antonio Ramos favors silk ties."
I see what she was getting at as I did not like it. Temp asks, "Why are you manipulating the facts to make it sound like Antonio was the killer?" Booth then says, "Oh, it's okay, Bones. Let her... het her continue." "Because of his broken arm, Antonio Ramos was forced to place his foot on Lisa Winokur's back, damaging her vertebrae." I then decided to speak, "You are fabricating a scenario by misrepresenting the evidence and omitting key facts. I know you are trying to make it a bluff, but I still don't agree with this." Booth then says, "So you think if we frame Antonio, Judge Ramos will... confess to... save her own son." Cam nods, "What mother wouldn't?" Booth looks at me as seeing that I already stated my opinion and looks at Temp, "Bones?" "No. No." Cam tried to persuade us, "It's no different than lying to a criminal to get a confession."
Booth then adds, "Or having Hodgins call the FAA with a fake terrorism tip." I chuckle as Cam looked at us, "He did what?" Booth looks at Cam, "Oh, what? Now, suddenly there's a line here?" Temp then speaks, "You can't allow this." "I am hundred percent against this." Cam says, "Seeley, you hate diplomatic immunity." "Well, I'm... I'm against it when it's interfering with my murder investigation, but the world's bigger than that." 'What are you talking about?" "We cheat diplomatic immunity here in DC, we catch a murderer, that's great. They do it in Upper Kamikazistan, and our boys end up on a red-hot spit over a slow fire." Temp adds, "There's no such place as Kamikazistan." "Okay, bottom line is, we ignore diplomatic immunity and the rest of the world finds out, it's open season on Americans. So... you know what? Thanks for the effort and the fake file, but..." He rips the file as he says, "let's just remember all right... we're the good guys. Oh, I'm gonna need that real evidence file, too." "Okay." Cam gets up and leaves as we sit there for a moment and wait until she brings the real evidence report.
We are back in the FBI headquarters showing Judge Ramos the real evidence as she looks through it, "Even if this were true..." Temp then says, "It's true." "My family and I have diplomatic immunity." Booth then says, "That's politics. A woman like you, a judge, a prosecutor, who's given up their whole life for justice, you can't live with what you did to Lisa Winokur." We sit there quiet as she thinks about what he has said. "What next?" Radziwill says, "The FBI formally hands this evidence over to me. I present it to the ambassador. He presents it to the attorney general of Colombia"
Temp adds, "And the State Department gets what it wants, what you've been working for all along." Booth says, "This mess in another country." Radziwill says, "All parties play by the rules- that's diplomacy... Still, speaking outside of my role as a member of the State Department, the attorney general of Colombia is not a friend to you." "No. He is not." "This evidence is political ammunition. I mean, there will most certainly be a trial, and he would most certainly want you in jail, which would mean..." "The cartels have been trying to kill me for years. In prison, they would succeed on the first day."
I then add, "They would torture and kill you." Radziwill then adds, "Might I make a suggestion? Waive your diplomatic immunity, and be trailed fairly, here in the United States." We watch as she thinks about it and she looks back at her family. Booth then asks, "What's it gonna be, Judge? I turn this evidence over to an American prosecutor? Or to Mr. Radziwill?" "I waive diplomatic immunity." Booth nods as Temp and I stand up and make our way out of the room.
We are upstairs on the second floor of the lab looking around watching the team work as Booth comes over to us, "Well... look at them down there, huh? Heh. Probably falsifying evidence." Temp then says, "I'm not sure I can totally trust Dr. Saroyan after that." "You know, Bones, Cam's a cop at heart. She, uh... she just wants to catch the bad guys. There are a lot of gray areas." "Not for you. You did the right thing." "Yeah. It worked out, is all." I chuckle, "You did the right thing Ranger." We then see two men come up the platform as Booth says, "Uh-oh." We see that they grab Hodgins as Temp asks, "Well, shouldn't we do something?" Booth chuckles, "You kidding? Hodgins being abducted by men in black? It's a dream come true." We see that Hodgins gives us a smile as they take him away as I straighten up, "Maybe for you Ranger, but I still need him working at this institution or the work will double up for me... I'M COMMING HODGINS!! DON'T SAY ANYTHING WITHOUT ME THERE!! I WILL GET YOU OUT!!" The whole team watches me as I make my way down stairs and rushing off behind the two men and Hodgins as I say, "I will see you in about... 5 hours sis?! Don't wait for me in the lab!" "Okay!"
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN "BONES". IT IS OWNED BY JOSEPHSON ENTERTAINMENT, BY HART HANSON. I ONLY CLAIM MY CHARACTER VENUS BRENNAN. I ALSO DON'T OWN ANY OF THE IMAGES. THANK YOU.