Usual Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Carmen Sandiego or any other character mentioned and related to the cartoon. They are owned by whoever owns Cookie Jar, WOEICS, and the Learning Company, Carmen Sandiego franchise. The Hannibal Lecter character is owned by Thomas Harris.

Two guards stood on each side and in the back boxing in the chained woman. It was a long walk from the processing room down to the "holding cells". The detectives had finally done it, due to a fault in both of her getaway devices Carmen Sandiego was now behind bars. World governments considered her too much of a threat to be processed through any regular penitentiary facilities, so she was processed through a specialized high maximum facility in the U.S. A.

"Finally, the world famous Carmen Sandiego has been caught" a guard sneered and poked her in the back with the brim of her hat.

"What's the matter Carmen" the guard on her left taunted "can't find a way to escape?"

Carmen averted their eyes and looked straight ahead. She knew they just wanted to get a rise out of her and if she were to retaliate it would give them just cause to beat her…or worse. The party approached a black steer door. The lead guard spoke into the intercom and the heavy door dramatically opened to reveal a large lit room, with two 10x20 cells in the middle with extended caged looking bathrooms with a large curtain draped around the walls.

One was empty and the other was occupied by a gentleman wearing a white shirt, khaki pants and white tennis shoes. For a prison cell it was very accommodating, almost to the point of cozy. The floor was carpeted more likely adhered to the concrete. Two overly stuffed chairs sat in opposite corners, a queen sized bed, table with books stacked on top.

Two guards held her arms tightly while the other two worked a complex lock, then the black bared door swung open. Her two side escorts undid her shackles and handcuffs.

"In you go."

Carmen stumbled forward.

"Let's see you break out of here" a guard spat and pointed to the corners of the room. "We've got cameras to monitor your every move."

"Yeah and for company you can talk to the cannibal."

Carmen looked at the man, who seemed highly enthralled in his book to pay them any notice.

"I'm sure we don't have to tell you to keep your hands to yourself" the guard laughed and tossed in her hat and coat.

She watched the four men leave and was somewhat sad to see them go. They were her only contact to the outside world.

"I see your being caught has taken the wind out of your sails" spoke the voice behind the book.

Carmen didn't respond. She picked up her belongings and put them on then sat heavily sat down on a plush chair.

"You know it's very rude not to speak when spoken to" the voice said and two hands lowered the book to reveal a man with dark slick back hair. "I'm surprised to see you here. I would've figured you'd have escape by now…"

"Look!" An irritated Carmen interrupted. "I'd rather not speak to anyone, ok?"

"Fine….then you'll listen to me…you unwanted child."

The veins in her eyes stood out, her breathing got heavy. She wasn't in mood to converse with anyone and certainly wasn't going to listen to this absurdity. He saw how she reacted and approached the bars that separated them. The bright overhead lights made the maroon streaks in his eyes glint. Carmen stood up and greeted him by the bar wall. She's not the type of back down.

"Unwanted am I?" Her blue eye glared as a red sheen glossed over it. "And what makes you so sure Hannibal Lecter?"

"Well I'm glad to know that even the great Carmen Sandiego knows who I am. After all, it takes one of great courage and conviction to do the things you do."

Carmen raised an eye brow.

Hannibal continued "Oh yes, stealing for the sake of what? Proving to yourself and to others that you can do it? To me this sounds like someone who is trying to prove to herself…on a deep personal level that, yes, she is wanted…an orphan not by birth…but by choice."

Carmen shifted on her feet and her eye narrowed. "What do you mean by choice?" she demanded.

"You see Ms. Sandiego your parents were selfish pitiful people who cared for nothing more than themselves and when you're mother found out she was pregnant her first thought was….abortion, but you're father in his half-sober state convinced her that, perhaps, having a child would be wonderful. Two years past and they grew weary of caring for you, so they gave you some "medicine" and abandoned you in S.F., all for the sake of living a care-free life. And not once have you crossed their minds."

Carmen closed her eyes; her entire body burned with repulsion towards this man who was gave an offensive speculation about her past. She cleared her throat to give herself a second to pull together.

"Tell me when your parents were killed leaving you alone to watch your little sister Mischa be brutally murdered for her flesh by a group of Lithuanian Hilfswillige. How did that make you feel? Did you wish it was you? Her little body cut up into stew pieces and boiled with rotten potatoes, only for the sake of satisfying their savage hunger. Answer me this Dr. how does it feel to be a cannibal at such a young age?"

Carmen stepped close enough to the bars giving him a chance to reach through and strangle her.

"My condolences to you and your family" she said in a soft voice.

Hannibal's eyes narrowed, the maroon flecks sparkled.

Carmen smirked, "Hurts doesn't it?"

A small smile crept across his face "I see you've done your homework. I'm impressed and might I add I, too, am a fan of yours." His voice was low and dangerous. "Tell me Ms. Sandiego why do I intrigue you?"

Carmen sat down on a nearby plush chair. Her askew hat casted a dark shadow down to her upper scarlet lip. The red coat fanned out behind her showcasing two shapely legs. His eyes looked at the well-toned flesh and could feel their smooth texture between his teeth.

Hannibal pulled a chair closer to the bars. He's always wanted to have a conversation with this fascinating creature, but didn't think he'd ever get the chance. Now she was sitting across from him, separated by the law. Oh yes, he knew she had what it took to perform the same deeds he did, but was unsure if she knew it. Even if she did, was she too afraid of its intoxication?

"I admire your work of….retribution."

He raised both of his dark eyebrows "Retribution?"

"Yes, you put all that you have into your work, in fact you….devourer it."

She sighed.

"What a tragic beginning to what would have been a life full privilege and honor. You escaped your captures and sought refuge at an orphanage until your Aunt and Uncle adopted you. Then he died and your Aunt took you under her wing, teaching you the way of the Samurai. But your heart wasn't living comfortably in the chateau; it was dead in your family's lodge with Mischa. After awhile you became obsessed with revenge and after years of searching you finally found one of the Lithuanian soldier deserters. He tried to ambush you, but you got the upper hand and made him talk…using a rather…unique method and once he gave you the information you needed…you decapitated him and worked your way through the rest…one by one. What a fascinating way of dealing with those that have wronged you."

Hannibal's heard his tale told many times, but it never seemed such a tragic tale until now.

With smiling eyes he said "Why thank you. May I call you Carmen?"

She nodded, her crimson lipstick shone in the bright light.

"I remember reading how you teamed up with ACME to capture Gunnar Maelstrom. You know he always disgusted me."

Carmen laughed.

"I admit I had my qualms about working with ACME again. I had no choice, that madman broke out of prison and went on one of his usual rampages, but this time his motivation was pure revenge. The detectives were unfamiliar with his "methods" and how dangerous he can be."

She sighed.

"I can't believe I gave him a Viking warrior burial. What was I thinking?"

Hannibal smiled, his slick hair game him an, almost, aura.

"Out of all the years you spent chasing him, did you know about his unhappy childhood?"

Carmen shook her head.

"His father was a Naval Captain and his mother a very gentle soul. The Captain didn't approve of his wife's constant coddling so he took the young boy screaming from his mother's bosom and enrolled him in military school. A classic tale of a domineering father thinking he knew what was best. In reality, he was so insecure about his own actions that he felt compelled to belittle his family to make himself feel superior."

Carmen got up and paced the length of the cell. "That does make sense now that I think of it" she thought out loud then sat back down. Her hand cupped underneath her chin ready to hear more.

"He rarely saw his parents, and swore he'd never be like his father. But you see the real kick in the butt is that his father purposely didn't tell him about his mother's death. He thought it might make him soft, so young Gunnar found out after graduation when he returned home. However the emotional discipline mixed with years of repressed feelings didn't provide him with a healthy outlet. Instead he enlisted in the Navy, entering the life he only knew for 15 years. In the end he turned out exactly like his father. An uptight, repressive, narcissist rolled into a naval stereotype."

Carmen couldn't believe what she just heard. She sat there, open-mouthed, as her mind played through all the dealings she had with him and how he treated his henchmen.

Suddenly a voice boomed over the loudspeaker "Lights out!"

Then the room went black with only two dim lights buzzing overhead. This added a somewhat romantic ambiance to a rather dismal situation.

Hannibal got up and approached the bars. "I've never meet anyone quite like you Carmen" he whispered.

Carmen got up and walked over to meet him. "Neither have I" she said softly.

They positioned themselves in such a way that it would be difficult to decipher what they were saying.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he mouthed.

"Yes."

He reached for her hand and brought it up. Carmen felt a little nervous and wanted to jerk away.

"I can feel your pulse racing" he said and Carmen exhaled. "I won't hurt you, unless you want me to. May I?" he asked tenderly.

Carmen nodded, as if she was in some kind of trance.

Hannibal took a small sharp object out of his pocket and carefully cut her finger. His mouth wrapped around the bleeding appendage and gently sucked on the tiny wound. Carmen gasped and held onto the cold steel.