Evolution, a Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 31. Into the Woods...Again

It took Dr. Bescardi nearly a month of frantic searching to find a suitable venue.

During that time, she could concentrate on very little else. Her staff remarked on her distraction, her lack of focus. And they didn’t understand why she fired a staff member.

But Bescardi understood why. The clinic was funded by private donations and government allocations. It wasn’t enough to make the ‘retreat’ possible. The yearly salary, as small as it was, of a minor functionary gave her the leeway to lease a very exclusive hideaway.

It was upstate. It was slightly south of Malone and north of Tupper Lake. It was in the middle of land that no one visited and that passed through the thoughts of very few.

It was juuuuuust right.

It was an abandoned monastery in upstate New York.

The church had kept it functional. Maintained, but not occupied. Bescardi managed to rent the rights to both structure and land for a total of four days. The building consisted of a honeycomb of cells, a kitchen featuring a wood oven, and communal showers that spit a bit of rust no matter how long the water was allowed to run.

While Bescardi walked through the silent catacombs, she tried to use her phone. No signal could penetrate the stone walls. Outdoors, reception was spotty, unreliable. The doctor sighed with satisfaction. When she returned to civilization, she set about ordering supplies and paying extra to have them delivered to the remote locale where even a GPS seemed to have trouble functioning in the heavily-wooded terrain.

Once she was sure of the facility being properly stocked with food and equipment, Bescardi issued a formal invitation. There was no need to obtain the services of a printer; only two were produced. One went to Ana. The other to Reid.

Ana had already committed herself ‘plus two.’ But after discussing the particulars detailed on the official invite with Spencer, it was decided that another call to the paranormal clinic was in order. Rossi did the honors, partly because he had already established himself as a sort of liaison between Reid and the clinic, but mostly because he wanted Hotch’s participation as chaperone to come as a complete surprise.

xxxxxxx

Bescardi was feeling almost ecstatic when she answered the phone. She’d announced she’d be taking a long weekend, but hadn’t told anyone why. She had been assured that the monastery was ready. Everything was falling into place. She allowed herself to daydream about the accolades and honors she would garner once she had the remarkable Dr. Reid and his slightly less remarkable companion, the female subject, safely locked in her stable, so to speak.

And she was sure she could find a way to occupy or…neutralize…David Rossi once he had delivered the patient to the site. She almost welcomed the sound of his voice.

“Hello, Carol. How’s it going?”

“Dave! Very well. I haven’t heard from your Dr. Reid for a while, though. I hope everything’s alright?”

Rossi ignored the way she had bypassed the common courtesy of asking after his well-being and gone straight for Reid. “Couldn’t be better. But you’ll see for yourself soon, won’t you?”

“I’m sorry?” She had to keep reminding herself that she wasn’t supposed to know about the connection between the young doctor and the girl.

“You’re…retreat…is it?”

“Oh! Has Dr. Reid decided to attend? I’d be sooo delighted if he would!”

Rossi thought it was time to lay his cards on the table and call Bescardi out concerning her tactics. “You know he’ll be there.”

“I do?” The laugh was almost believable. Almost. “Dave, really, I’m not the psychic here. I only study and…and try to help them. How would I know what Dr. Reid’s plans are?”

“Because you know what Ana Ashcroft’s plans are. Because she already replied to you with a ‘plus two.’ And you know she and Reid are acquainted. I mean, really, Carol, how many of those ESP-ers do you think are walking around out there?”

Silence. Bescardi was running rapid calculations, trying to weigh the consequences of acknowledging Rossi’s claim against protesting her innocence. She concluded there was nothing to be gained by continuing the charade. It might even be detrimental if it fed Rossi’s suspicious nature. She sighed and adopted another strategy.

“Alright. I suspected Dr. Reid and Ms. Ashcroft had met. I was only trying to allow them some privacy. If they want their…friendship?...to be discrete, who am I to deny them that. And, David, discretion is the mainstay of our agreement, isn’t it?” There! I’ve accounted for any pretense and turned it back on him…on the conditions he’s imposed on this whole situation.

“Just so you know, Carol, the ‘plus two’ includes the chaperone. And to be even more clear, this counts as Reid’s remaining two sessions with you. He’ll be free to leave and never return once this is over. Got it?”

“Really, you make me sound like the witch in Hansel and Gretel, Dave. I’m not going to devour your agent. And I do need to remind you that Dr. Reid is also free to continue his work with me should he choose to do so. Got it?”

“As long as we understand each other.” Rossi shifted gears. “Now, about the arrangements for transportation included in the invitation. It says a car will pick participants up from the nearest airstrip and bring them to the retreat location. Don’t bother on Reid’s account. We’ll rent a car.”

“It’s a three hour drive, Dave. And it’s somewhat hard to find. I’m only trying to make things easier.” Bescardi tried to keep annoyance out of her voice. He wants a way to leave at a moment’s notice…without having to rely on me.

“I appreciate that. But we’ll rent a car. So, if you want Reid there, you’ll need to provide some driving directions or GPS coordinates.”

“GPS isn’t totally reliable out there.” There was a note of defeat, but only a faint one, as Bescardi accepted more frustrating conditions attendant on access to her prime test subject. “I’ll send you a map with the route marked on it. Anything else?”

“Just a reminder. Dr. Reid’s situation demands discretion and freedom of choice. If he’s denied that, if either condition is compromised, then you risk your professional life. You’ll be discredited and your funding will dry up. Guaranteed.” Rossi heard another deep sigh on the other end of the call.

“I get it, Dave. I get it in spades. Are we done?”

“Don’t let your…enthusiasm…affect good judgment, Carol. I imagine it can be very hard to see clearly when your vision is obscured by one all-encompassing, all-important goal.”

“Dave, you worry too much. This weekend then? Dr. Reid will be there?”

“He’ll be there. But not alone.”

“Understood.”

xxxxxxx

Five days later, Carol Bescardi hovered about the monastery entrance, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her star subject. She had contacted Ana days earlier and been told not to bother picking her up from the airstrip either.

When a dusty rental car with darkened windows pulled into the rustic driveway, the doctor was sure it would contain Reid, Ana and David Rossi. She put on her best professional smile as the girl and then the young doctor emerged. But she was hard-pressed to maintain the expression when the driver side door opened and, instead of Rossi, a stranger appeared. He might have been described as tall, dark and handsome, but in Bescardi’s lexicon he looked quite simply…dangerous…unexpected…. And with very unsettling eyes.

Her smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. As she walked forward, hand extended in greeting, she reminded herself that she was above all an experimental scientist, a researcher. And if an unknown variable popped up unexpectedly, she would just have to find a way to minimize its impact.

By the time she took the hand of the newcomer, hearing him introduced as Aaron Hotchner, she was already thinking of a way to remove him and any unfortunate influence he might have on the outcome of the weekend.

For the noble cause of science.