Broken Bones

Episode 59 "The Beaver in the Otter"

-Venus POV-

We were called in as a body was found at a collage. Temp and I are examining the body as I begin speaking, "Male. Some of this costume has fused to the remains." A guy then walks over to us saying, "Uh, good morning. I'm Vernon Warner, dean of students." Booth talks for us, "Special Agent Seeley Booth. These here are Dr. Temperence Brennan and Dr. Venus Brennan from the Jeffersonian." Temp then says, "There is a lot of damage to this body." The other officer points at the cannon, "They had a cannon. More like a blunderbuss, really. Filled to the brim with bric-a-brac and sharpnel." Mr. Warner then says, "Yeah, look, I suspect, that this might be a prank." Temp and I ask, "A prank?" Booth says, "Well, it's a college, Blueberry, Bones." "I suspect that one of our less reflective frat houses may have stolen these remains from the, uh, medical school." The officer then hands booth a file, "Beta Delta Sigma. I got a missing cadaver report yesterday." Booth then says to us, "Tell you what, Bones, Blueberry, when I was in college, my frat, we stole a cadaver, dressed it up like Caesar and put it on a statue of a horse." I ask, "Why?" Temp asks, "Would this by any chance be a fraternity of sociopaths?" Mr. Warner then says, "But if the Betas did do this, I will withdraw their certification."

Booth reads the report, "Stolen cadaver was male, 73 years old. His snowmobile fell through the ice. Donated his body to science." Mr. Warner nods, "Yeah, snowmobilers and motorcyclists are our main source of cadavers." I then say, "It's not him. The third molar has not fully erupted. I'd be surprised if he was older than mid-20s." Mr. Warner asks, "So this is not the missing cadaver?" Temp then says, "I think you'll find your missing medical school cadaver is over there." Booth asks, "Where?" "Sitting on the bleachers. He hasn't moved since we got here." The officer then says, "No, that's just campus security. They're always like that. But I'll go check it out." We nod as Mr. Warner asks, "So if he is not a stolen cadaver, then, uh... He wasn't alive when our students shot him with the cannon was he?" I shrug, "We won't know cause of death until we get him back to the lab." We then hear the officer say to us, "Yeah, she's right. It's your cadaver. He reeks of formaldehyde." Booth then says, "Okay. Let's get it all back to the Jeffersonian, shall we?"

I was in my office with Temp as we got the identification and information of the victim as I called up Booth and put him on speaker. We waited as he answers, "Booth." I then say, "Hello. Angela identified the boy in the otter suit." "Well, that was quick. Just give me a second." Temp then asks, "Are you talking to us?" "No, I'm talking to my brother. Just give me one minute... Look, hey, I'll help you find a job?" I then say, "I need a job?" I look at Temp as she shrugs as we hear Booth again, "Yeah. I'm back." Temp then says, "The student walk-in dentist was able to provide dental records. Venus has emailed you the particulars." I then say, "The victim is James Bouvier. But his friends called him 'Beaver." Temp adds, "I assume because of his last name, which is Bouvier." Booth then says, "Yeah, I'm sure that's why." She then adds, "Although, despite the similar sound, 'bouvier' means ox, not beaver." I nod continuing, "Beaver is 23 years old and a member of the Beta Sigma fraternity." Booth then says, "Yeah, that's not a coincidence." Temp then adds, "Statistically, given the size of the campus, it could be a complete coincidence that the murder student is also a member of the group of sociopathic young male cadaver thieves." Booth says, "Statistically, maybe. But this is not math class, okay, Bones? Just meet me at Middlesex College in 30 minutes."

Booth only took Temp this time as I was up on the platform with Hodgins and Arastoo taking objects out of the body. Hodgins was sorting them while we take the objects out as he says, "This is a commemorative pin from the Chinese Olympics." Arastoo says, "It was in what's left of the victim's liver." "Ball bearing. All this stuff is extremely common. Nails, screws, bolts, washers, keys..." Arastoo then asks, "What is this?" He places it down onto the tray as Hodgins and I looked as I say, "It may be a USB drive." "What kind of people do this? Perforate human remains with household commonalities and refuse." Hodgins comments, "Gee, I don't know. Every bomber who ever lived." Arastoo looks at him, "Did you make that comment simply because I am Muslim?" Hodgins looked at him, "You serious? Of course." Arastoo started naming some bombers, "Timothy McVeigh, Ted Kaczynski, William Ayres..." I add, "Don't forget of Mr. George P. Metesky- known as the original Mad Bomber." Arastoo nods, "Yes, amazing example Director Brennan." I smile, "Thank you, but please just call me Venus or Dr. Venus. Don't want to get confused with my sister." He nods as he then looks at the body, "Seems an insurmountable task, this. Each of these could have been the cause of death, and yet we will not be able to trace its..."  I watch as he pulls out a bullet as Hodgins asks, "Trace its...? What?" He turns around as Arastoo finishes while placing the bullet down onto the tray, "... origin. This is a bullet." I looked at it, "It's a .22 caliber." "A bullet says 'I wish to kill you' much more clearly than an Olympic pin. Can we agree?" We nod.