Evolution, a Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 35. Morning Cup of Joe

Hotch looked at the hand proffering an aromatic cup of his favorite beverage.

Coffee.

Black and hot.

He mastered his reflexive desire to step away from the touch of the woman offering it, and took the cup she was pressing against his arm. He didn’t want to appear rude, so he stood his ground and smiled his thanks. Actually, the warmth of the cup felt good cradled in his hands. It was comforting against the morning chill. Bescardi watched him take a small sip, testing the temperature.

It was her turn to smile.

“Good morning, Mr. Hotchner.”

“Dr. Bescardi.” Hotch still didn’t like her, even if the coffee was a welcome gift. He kept greetings as short as possible with people he didn’t feel good about. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“In a minute.” Her smile grew wider. “Enjoy your coffee first.” She drank her own and watched the FBI agent do the same. Monkey see, monkey do. She reminded herself to remain cordial, even if she was dealing with an inferior intellect. When Hotch had taken a few swallows, she began the distasteful task of explaining herself to someone who couldn’t possibly  understand.

“Mr. Hotchner, I don’t expect you to agree with anything I’m about to say. But I do hope that you’ll try to see past my methods and embrace the value of my goals.” The man just looked at her over the rim of his cup. “The reason I brought your remarkable Dr. Reid out here…”

“And Ana.”

Bescardi paused, discomfited by the interruption. “Yes, yes. Ana, too.” Hotch disliked the way she discounted humanity and treated others as though they were cheap action figures. One could play with them and if they broke, they could be replaced easily enough.

“And me.”

This time the doctor’s only acknowledgement was to narrow her eyes at him.

“Do you know what people like Dr. Reid…and Ana…have been called throughout history?” As usual, Bescardi didn’t wait for answers. She didn’t expect a shallow guard-dog mentality like this man’s to extend into the realms of higher learning. “Witches. Demons. Unnatural. Evil. A whole class of people with extraordinary gifts have been persecuted and destroyed in civilization after civilization. It still happens today, Mr. Hotchner! You can still find instances of people being burned alive…at the stake. Accused of witchcraft! Of being gifted.” Bescardi reigned herself in and took a deep, steadying breath.

“Humankind’s biggest fear is the unknown. Did you know that, Mr. Hotchner? Because of ignorance, of a lack of quantifiable, demonstrable data, the evolution of the human race may have been set back, truncated by these…these…superstitious bigots who would rather destroy such amazingly gifted creatures than study them and admit they’re superior beings! A step up on the evolutionary ladder.”

“People,” said Hotch.

“Pardon?”

“People. You said ‘creatures.’ These are people we’re talking about. Specifically, Spencer Reid and Ana Ashcroft.”

“As you wish.” Bescardi waved a hand in front of her face as though warding off an irritating insect. “The work I am doing will free these…people…from the shackles of mankind’s ignorance. If we study them, understand them, they will no longer be frightening. No longer the things of legend and nightmare. They will be free to live among us and breed and…and…” The light of fanaticism was shining in the doctor’s eyes. It made Hotch shiver. “…and maybe someday we will be able to enhance them. Can you imagine the impact my work could have on actually improving the human race, Mr. Hotchner?”