The Pathos in the Pathogens

The Pathos in the Pathogen is the twenty-third episode of the eighth season of Bones.
==Synopsis==
The Jeffersonian team rushes to prevent a viral outbreak while investigating the murder of journalist Mia Garrett after her infected body is found at a biohazard facility. When the mutated virus that killed Mia infects Jeffersonian intern Arastoo Vaziri, their only chance of saving him is by solving the murder. Tension and passion build as the team races against the clock to find the killer - and the cure.
==Summary==
Biohazard warnings and clear plastic coverings cover the Jeffersonian lab. Turns out remains were found inside a highly toxic location in nearby Maryland. "They don't know if it's viral or bacterial or airborne or bloodborne," Bones warns. Dr. Jacobs from the CDC arrives and announces that the team needs to ID the female victim as quickly as possible. Moments later, Bones determines that the killer has intentionally damaged the mandible to prevent a dental ID. But why? Booth, on the video monitor, theorizes that the killer intends to infect others and doesn't want to provide clues on how to stop it.
Angela scans the victim's heavily mutilated face and, with the sharp eyes of Bones, positively identifies the victim as a woman named Mia. Sweets interviews the dead woman's fiancée, Ben, who and reveals that they're both bloggers. Turns out Mia was investigating something big and mysterious. "Mia like to keep things to herself until she finished the project," Ben says. Back at the lab, Camille, Arastoo and Dr. Jacbos confirm that the virus isn't airborne. Thank goodness. Later, Angela examines the dead woman's hard drive and discovers notes from an interview with a Dr. Tessa Burke.
Sweets interviews Burke, who appears shot that Mia is dead. "She was working on an expose on the dangers of mutating pandemics," explains Burke, who works at a bio-hazard lab. "She was interviewing me ... I can't believe she's gone." Back at the lab, Arastoo gets pricked while attempting to move the body. He is immediately put into lockdown -- and Bones discovers a micro needle on the victim. That's how she was injected. "If I get sick, you can study my symptoms," Arastoo tells a distraught Camille, who is dating the intern. "I could be the key." Shortly thereafter, Arastoo becomes feverish and achy. Not good. Bones theorizes that the person who injected Mia -- and, inadvertently, Arastoo -- probably has an antidote. They need to find the killer.
Angela discovers that Mia was investigating a racing stable that was doping horses. The owner, Byron, denies creating a virus to kill Mia, with whom he was also sleeping. "You found out she was only doing it to bring you down!" Booth says. Byron asks for a lawyer. Angela then discovers that Mia accidentally sent a sexy email intended for Byron to Ben. Meanwhile, Dr. Jacobs gives Arastoo a potential serum, but it only causes him to go into convulsions. Camille is able to bring his heart rate down with some quick medical work. Soon, Arastoo is stabilized ... for the time being. Camille sighs heavily and cries.
It's a race against the clock. Arastoo, according to Dr. Jacobs, has four hours at the most. Angela then does some homework and discovers that Burke used to work at a much higher-level bio-hazard lab, but was fired for an undisclosed reason. Bones and Hodgins then create an herbal remedy that they want to try on Arastoo. Dr. Jacobs strongly objects, but is overruled by Bones. Booth then interviews Burke's former employer Thorn, who explains that cultures went missing under Burke's supervision. "We didn't have proof, but I'm sure it was her," the former employer says. Those missing cultures are similar to the virus that killed Mia. All signs currently point at Burke.
Back at the lab, the herbal remedy has succeeded in slowing Arastoo's deterioration, buying the team more time. Bones then determines that Mia was injected with both a virus and a bacteria, the latter to speed up the work of the former. Burke is brought back in for questioning. After learning that Thorn told them about the reason for firing her, she claims that she was innocent and framed by Thorn so that he could steal her research. If Thorn doesn't come up with something big soon, he could lose his grants. Burke had been working with Mia, supplying her with information to help bring Thorn down. "He would do anything to keep his grants," says Burke, explaining that if Mia had something on the man, he would go out of his way to quiet the investigative blogger. Burke never brought up Thorn before because she had a court order preventing her from doing so.
Dr. Jacobs then calls with news: the bacteria has been identified as coming from Thorn's lab in the past year -- one year after Burke was fired. So Burke is cleared and Thorn is now the primary suspect. Booth arrests Thorn who he believes intended to release the virus, let it kill countless people and then "miraculously" come up with the antidote. Booth demands the antidote to save Arastoo. Thorn refuses, so Booth drags him into the Jeffersonian and shows him the close-to-death Arastoo. "Please help him," Camille cries. He refuses.
So Bones grabs a needle she claims is full of the virus and injects Thorn. "Perhaps now you'll tell me where the anti-serum is," she says. Indeed, Thorn caves. Arastoo is saved. Later, Bones admits to Booth that she didn't use the real virus. He guessed as much, but admires his partner's ingenuity all the same.
==Cast==
===Main Cast===
*Temperance Brennan - Emily Deschanel
*Seeley Booth - David Boreanaz
*Jack Hodgins - T.J Thyne
*Angela Montenegro - Michaela Conlin
*Camille Saroyan - Tamara Taylor
*Lance Sweets - John Francis Daley
===Intern of the Week===
*Arastoo Vaziri - Pej Vahdat
===Guest Cast===
*Dr. Ivan Jacobs - Mackenzie Astin
*Ben Carr - Kenneth Mitchell
*Dr. Tessa Burke - Laura Kai Chen
*Dr. Leonard Thorne - Lennie Loftin
*Byron Fuller - Robert Mailhouse
==Featured Music==
*"Martin Rev" by MASERATI
*"An Arrow" by Sarah Blasko
==Noteleave==
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Category:Season 8
Category:Episodes