Not a damn thing was there except a mattress.

"Hello?" I called again, confusion in my tone.

"God, would you shut up? You're making it to where I can't think," the same familiar voice from earlier whined.

My eyes widened as my mind raced.

What was going on?

"What did you do to me?" I asked, remembering the foul smell just before lights out.

There was shuffling again, then a light turned on beside the bed I was laying on.

"Don't flatter yourself, Masen. This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with my family," Dash growled. "I've got stuff at stake that you couldn't fathom, and I can't have you ruining it with your stupid bitch mouth."

I blinked, surprised at Dash's outburst.

I'd never, not once, heard him talk to me like that.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I pleaded.

He turned his glare on me, letting me feel all of his displeasure in that one, single look.

"I told you," he repeated, turning back to the empty wall he'd been staring at. "I'm busy."

He was busy.

It sure looked like he was busy.

He got up and looked out the window, staring at something I couldn't see.

"Your man's blocking the mailbox," Dash growled.

I blinked, surprised that we were anywhere near where my 'man' would be.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

He hissed at me.

"Shut up!" He grabbed his head with both hands, but held onto the blinds as he did, shaking the entire window treatment with the force of his head hitting it. "God, would you stop talking?"

I hadn't said anything in well over fifteen seconds since his whatever had started. I wasn't sure what to call what he was doing at that moment in time.

I would almost call it convulsions if he didn't look like he was clear headed.

"Shit!" he cried, his eyes locking on the clock. "It's time to put the flag out or someone will notice I'm not me today."

I didn't bother to tell him he wasn't making sense, maybe he'd realize it on his own.

Maybe he'd also leave me here by myself and I could slide out the door without him noticing.

If I could leave, I thought to myself. My arms aren't working right.

"Get up, grab that flag next to the bed," he ordered.

I got up, and not prettily, either.

I had to roll over on my side, which made my body scream in protest.

I then had to get up to a sitting position on the side of the bed, letting my feet hang off as I panted for breath.

According to the doctor and the X-ray tech, I didn't have anything broken.

It sure felt like it, though.

Every part of my body hurt, my head being at the top of the list.

With one final heave, I got to my feet.

"God, you're so fucking slow," Dash growled, grabbing the flag himself. "If you can't keep up, maybe I'll have to tie you up."

"No," I blurted. "I'm coming. Is there anything else you want me to take?"

He shook his head and shoved the folded up to perfection flag into my hand and pushed me.

"Get going," he ordered.

I went, even though I had no idea where we were.

"Dad's at the donut shop and mom's doing books in the office at the shop, so there is no one to hear you if you scream," Dash said.

Something in his tone of voice made me glance over my shoulder, and my heart shuddered in my chest as I saw the huge, gleaming knife he had in his hand. "And if you scream, I'll stab you in the throat, got it?"

I got it. Oh, how I got it.

Nodding, I walked forward, winding my way through the house, listening to his directions as I went.

"We're going into the backyard. It'll take us to the flag pole that's on the side of the house," he said.

I went out the back door, carrying the flag with care as I did.

The backyard was sparse, as was the house, making me wonder if anybody even lived here.

Surely there would be something, but I just shook my head.

This whole situation was kind of screwy.

"Do you know how to raise a flag?" He glared, poking me in the back with what felt like the knife, but I couldn't be sure without moving.

And if I moved, I might get stabbed in the back, so I chose to stay where I was.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Good," he backed up. "I have to go get the water hose. Don't do anything stupid," he ordered.

I nodded and he left me.

Taking the time to unfold the flag nicely, really having no earthly idea what the hell I was doing, I hung it up.

Quickly I realized it wasn't right ways up, but then a glimpse of a conversation I'd had with Booth when he'd first gotten news of his deployment flashed into my brain.

"What's the significance of an upside down flag?" I asked Booth.

He shoved a Christmas Tree Cake into his mouth and looked at me.

"You don't know what an upside down flag means?" He teased.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes as I did.

"No, I have no clue...which is why I asked you what it meant," I reminded him.

He grinned, pieces of sprinkles clinging to his lips as he did.

"It's not really an 'official' sign of distress, but some people use it as such," he explained. "An upside down flag represents a country or individual in distress. Someone that needs immediate help."

"Is it illegal?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Most military know what it means. What pisses people off, though, is when there are protests and shit that have people purposefully using it upside down, which is a sign of disrespect."

"So don't put the flag upside down unless I'm really in distress, got it," I said, eyes widening with humor.

He pinched me on the ass. "Right."

Knowing Dash might very well see what I was doing and kill me, I took the chance anyway.

Hopefully someone would see it.

If Booth was still across the street, I knew he would.

He noticed everything.

Booth "Dammit, fuck, damn, shit," I snapped, pushing away from the table where the helpful neighbor, John Goates, showed me the video. "Thanks."

"No problem," John apologized. "I wish I could offer more help."

"You did everything right," Luke said. "Wish we could've seen more."

I rolled my eyes at Luke.

So much for letting me do what I needed to.

The man hadn't let me out of his sight since I'd gotten here.

"You're welcome," John smiled. "I know one other person on this street that has the same system, but he's out of town for Thanksgiving."

I nodded.

That was how life worked, wasn't it?

Offering him my hand, I walked out shortly after with Luke at my side.

"Now what?" I asked Luke.

"Now you let me get my detectives on it," Luke expounded. "I'm not one, and I won't try to be. Flores and Butcher are good, though, so you have nothing to worry about. If there's something to find, they'll find it."

My eyes went skyward as I scoured my mind for answers, but I froze as I saw the flag on the neighbor's flag pole.

That hadn't been like that when I'd gotten here earlier.