Evolution, a Spencer Reid/Criminal Minds Fanfic

Chapter 4. ESP-er Outed

        Rossi's arrival was like a brisk wind blowing through the BAU.

        Hotch had retreated to his office, mulling over Reid's lonely concerns. Morgan and Prentiss had tried to engage the young agent in conversation, but he'd avoided giving anything more than courteous, yet curt, replies to their efforts. J.J. had noticed the futility of the others' attempts and had simply ruffled his hair on her way to her own desk where she immersed herself in graphic depictions of all the horrors men could inflict on their brethren. Garcia had trotted through the bullpen, felt the dour atmosphere, done an about-face, and returned to IT.

        But Rossi was all jovial hope.

        He tapped Reid on the shoulder and inclined his head toward Hotch's office.

        "Come on, kid. Time to talk." Reid followed the older agent up the stairs, stumbling a little, weariness affecting his coordination.

        The door closed, but at least this time the blinds didn't.

        Prentiss tapped a pen against her teeth and glanced at Morgan. "So what's your take? I can't see Reid doing anything seriously bad."

        Morgan pushed back his chair and stretched out, feet on top of his desk. "Reid can do bad. He just doesn't usually get the opportunity." Both agents watched the figures in Hotch's office for a few minutes.

        "You think they'll clue us in?"

        Morgan shook his head. "I have a feeling this one's already on Hotch's need-to-know list." He sighed. "We'll just hafta wait."

        Prentiss echoed his sigh. "I hate waiting."

xxxxxxx

        "Know your enemy. We're flailing around with no idea what we're dealing with. I think I found someone who can help us at least put a name, a label, on this...thing."

        What Rossi said made perfect sense. Reid felt a little better, if still anxious. Hotch took his cue from the doctor and perked up a little. If his teammates were good, he was good.

        "Reid, you've said it yourself: the unknown is the most frightening aspect of any situation. And the way to deal with the unknown is to..." Rossi looked from one pair of brown eyes to the other, but both looked too tired to play the complete-this-sentence game. "...unveil it; take away the mystery."

        "Who did you find?" Hotch didn't want a lesson; he wanted official, professional reassurance that the world and its people still functioned in predictable, logical ways. And he wanted to quell the vague stirrings in his gut that made him nervous, as of yesterday, to be around his youngest team member.

        "I found Carol Bescardi. She works at the Paranormal Investigation Center in New York. I've known her for a while and she's a level-headed scientist, not some frea...flake." He'd almost said 'freak,' but caught himself, knowing the word was already too prominent in Reid's personal lexicon.

        "So what's next?" Hotch was too cautious to be as upbeat as Rossi seemed.

        "So next, our young doctor has an appointment at the Center this afternoon." Rossi checked his watch. "Unless you wanna be on a night train coming back, I suggest you grab your go-bag and the next commuter flight, and spend the night in New York."

        Reid nodded. "Thanks, Rossi." He stood, but before leaving he turned back. "So this time tomorrow we should know what's going on, right?"