I do not own Criminal Minds.
Update 3/15/12: I made some improvements on the first chapter, I also fixed a few embarrassing mistakes I failed to notice before on other parts of the story.
Warnings: Mentions of sexual assault/rape, death, animal abuse/neglect, and some language and violence.
Note: Normally, I'm not one to do OC stories, but I've been playing with this idea for some time. I just had to get it out, and I hope it turns out okay... (Sweats nervously)
This is also my first semi casefic. (Twiddles fingers)
A cell phone started to ring, causing a bundle of brown curls to slowly rise from the warm covers on a bed. Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid moaned groggily as he reached for his phone, glanced at the caller ID then flipped it open.
"Hi Hotch. We have a case?"
"Yes, we do. We're going to brief at the BAU first before heading out."
"Okay, see you there." He shut his phone and sat it back on his nightstand. He slid out of bed, debating on a quick shower or not. He decided not to and began to change out of his pajamas and get dressed. He put his skinny arms through the sleeves of a shirt before buttoning it, he then pulled on a pair of dark slacks before tying on a tie and pulling a sweater vest over his head and on top of his shirt. He grabbed his messenger bag, cell phone and credentials locking his apartment and heading out. He decided to walk instead of taking the subway, that way he could stop by his personally favorite coffee place on his way to work.
Besides, walking is good for you.
After making a stop and ordering coffee for the entire team, he resumed his journey, holding onto the tray of hot morning beverages. Once he reached the FBI Headquarters and entered, he climbed the stairs up to the sixth floor, Morgan's and Prentiss's desks were vacant, also, JJ's, Rossi's, and Hotch's offices were all dark. He took that as a sign that the team, minus Garcia, were all in the room already, waiting for the arrival of their youngest.
He made sure to give Penelope her drink first before proceeding over to the conference room where everyone except for JJ was seated. He handed everyone their coffee, they thanked him and each gratefully took a sip of their caffeine in a cup. Spencer sat down and JJ began the briefing.
"Six women have gone missing in Centralia, Washington, two of them were found dead yesterday on the side of the road near a small farm. They haven't been identified yet." She pressed a button on the remote, the screen showed the gruesome photos that had been taken. "One of the bodies found had several stab wounds, and the other appeared to have been strangled."
"Aside from the same dump site, how exactly might these victims be related?" Morgan questioned.
"They both showed signs of sexual assault." The blonde said grimly.
"No DNA or trace evidence?" Emily pondered.
"None, no known witnesses either."
"No wonder we're being asked to help." Rossi spoke. "I hate to admit it, but this guy sounds pretty damn good, leaving not one single clue behind that could lead to him."
"That's not all, the first victim went missing fourteen years ago, she was never found." JJ added.
"Fourteen years?" Prentiss gaped. "She's probably nothing but bones now."
"Maybe the unsub kept her body and preserved it, like she meant something to him since she was his first victim." Reid suggested. "Which is why she was never found."
"How does that explain the others that are still missing?" Hotch raised an eyebrow. As the team continued, JJ pulled out her cell phone that had started ringing.
"It could just be some kind of trick he's pulling." Dave mused. "Like he's trying to confuse investigators and throw them off his trail."
"You would think that putting two bodies where they could be found so easily might have the opposite effect." Derek said.
"Whatever the reason, we can further discuss this on the plane." Hotch stated. JJ hung up her phone and exhaled. "Good, because another woman was just reported missing."
(Spencer Reid!)
The team sat scattered around the jet, they reviewed their case files enough times that they all took a little break. Hotch sat near the front, talking to his family on his phone, JJ, Emily, and Rossi were at the table, playing cards, they decided not to let Spencer play with them because he cheats. The dejected young man was on the couch reading a newspaper with Morgan by his side.
"I didn't know you read the papers, kid." He speculated.
"I don't usually." Reid admitted. "There was just an article on that looked interesting."
"Really? What's it about? Some study on long division?" Derek smirked.
Spencer glared at him for a moment. "No. It's about this horse that's said to be the most intelligent in the world. His name is Cavalry, he has an IQ of 161, he can respond and understand the human language, he can even communicate by writing."
"Is that for real?" Morgan asked. "Sounds like a bunch of bull to me."
"It is real," He explained. "The horse was born in a Las Vegas laboratory, he was part of in experiment to increase an animal's intelligence. Before he was born, they injected something in his sac that they called 'homemade artificial intelligence'. They expected him to be smarter than the average horse, but he surpassed that and eventually reached what is considered 'genius' level in humans."
"Damn." The dark skinned agent breathed. "I'll bet the animal is probably a movie star or something by now."
"Actually," Spencer pointed out. "Cavalry's whereabouts are currently unknown."
"Maybe it's better that it stays that way. Can you imagine having a pet horse that's smarter than you?"
"Well, technically, he wouldn't be, I have an IQ of 187, his IQ is 161."
"You know what I meant, smartass." Derek chuckled. The jet bumped a few times, causing the two young agents to instinctively grip the edge of the couch.
"We're landing soon." Hotch announced. Everyone got in a seat and buckled up.
(Spencer Reid!)
He watched as the man effortlessly dragged another one from his old fashioned pickup truck and to his rundown house. He wished there was something he could do for her, as well as all the others that eventually died. He'd try making noise to hopefully alert somebody but it only resulted in irritated neighbors and a beating. He didn't want to get beaten again, he had already endured one from the last time the man brought another one home.
The electric fencing prevented him from being able to take action of any kind. He once tried to kick down one of the fence posts, only to miss and hit one of the hot wires and bring himself more pain. He sadly watched as the all too familiar sight unfolded before him.
The female human struggled, begged and pleaded, but it only fueled the other human's happiness and satisfaction. The truck was about 20 feet from the house, 20 feet where she had a chance to get away but the man was so strong. Too strong, and the woman was so young. It only made things harder to bear.
Their screams would echo through his head at night, it made sleeping almost unpleasant. Every morning when the man would casually stroll out and around the farm, he would point his ears back and glare at him with pure hatred. How could a human be so cruel? And to their fellow species?
The man would at least give him regular feedings and make sure he had water to drink, but it didn't make things much better.
Of course, of all the animals from that laboratory, he had to be the one who's 'increased intelligence' had surpassed expectations. An IQ of 161 by human standards, but that meant unlike normal animals, he had to know what horrors went on in this world, like with his current owner and what he does to all those poor women.
He could see the TV through the window of the house and he could hear what was being said on it thanks to his excellent hearing. The man watched crime shows during his spare time. He had to make sure he did everything right and didn't get caught. He had to admit though, the man was doing a good job. Too good for his liking.
Some of the shows that came on involved the FBI. He always wondered what it would be like working alongside the humans there. He knew that could never happen. The FBI didn't use horses, probably not even ones with intelligence considered "genius" in humans. He did all he could to try and help all of the man's victims but it never truly helped in the end. It only increased his guilt.
He shouldn't be having feelings like that, he should only be thinking about his next meal and staying alive, like a normal horse. But no, he had to be part of an experiment on increasing animal intelligence in a lab before he was even born!
He exhaled slowly. He hated his life sometimes. He hated being as smart as a human. Although he loved Mary and John to death, they treated and raised him well. He never went through a week without being told how proud they were of him. He appeared on TV and newspapers, was mentioned on radio stations, even made it on a billboard or two. Life was good and was looking promising at the time.
He always felt his name was rather peculiar, "Cavalry", which is supposed to refer to a group of horsemen in a battle or something. But Mary had picked it, and he accepted that.
Life slowly turned to hell when she and John retired. He had been passed to a 'friend' whom they thought they could trust, they were wrong to think that. The so called friend's only interest was money. He sold him to the highest bidder at a farming auction, to a drunk ass man who didn't take proper care of him. He eventually landed in another place, and another, and another. His high intelligence disregarded and taken for granted every time.
The cycle continued for sometime, some would wait long periods before feeding him again, some would treat him like a pinata. This went on until he ended up here, with a man who takes females to his house so he can rape and kill them. When he was done, he would bury them in his pasture, because nobody would question dirt patches in a horse pen.
Ignoring the fresh rounds of screams emitting from the house, Cavalry trudged off back to a small barn connected to his paddock, where he slept. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand hearing another human life be cruelly taken by this awful man. Police had been to the farm a couple times, but he had been unsuccessful on getting their attention long enough.
Once he reached the barn, he slowly laid down on a pile of straw. He wished somebody would come and end this nightmare, both for him and all the women yet to be taken by that horrible man.
The sound of a small jet flying by alerted the intelligent animal and he watched as it flew by above the treeline, it was considerably low to the ground, meaning that it would be landing soon.
It didn't occur to him to think on what or who was inside it.
To be continued... maybe.
Is this worth it? Should I keep going or abandon it right here and now? Be honest please!
Reviews, alerts, favorites, whatever you can do, helps encourage me. :P