Chapter 1
Hello every one! This will be my second fic on Fan Fiction, and my first Hannibal fic. Please be gentle. I am going to try my hand at Hannibal, but a character like this is so unique it's a fight to get
even a simple yes or no from him (Clarice knows what I mean ;-) ). Hope you enjoy. This will take place after all the movies, but Hannibal is caught again (I'll reveal how later in the fic.)
Down the stone corridor of the mental institution, Clarice Starling couldn't believe she was traveling, a lone chair sat in front of the cell that held the hospitals star patient. As she approached, Clarice could see the impeccable drawings of the man that sent chills down her spine. When she first arrived the cell was empty, and a pit formed in her stomach, but the sudden sound of a gurney, and that silky smooth voice met her ears, and her heart stopped for a beat.
"Hello Clarice. Have you come to visit? Not another case I hope. I have barely renewed my stay at the hospital, and you need my help." The strong vocabulary of Dr. Hannibal Lecter cut through the silence in the hall, and forced Clarice to stare at her lap. She had always felt like he was her teacher when she talked to him, always being chastised for not knowing the right answer, and being forced to do the homework for herself.
"Hello Dr. Lecter. I'm sorry to bother you so soon, but the reason I'm here is because the force has a new case, and they want your help on it." She could feel Hannibal's gaze as the nurses untied him from the strait jacket. She looked up at him, and the first thing that caught her was his strong maroon eyes. They stared down at her over the muzzle he wore, and dared her to tell him everything, not about the case, but about her. She broke the gaze first, returning to the paper work in front of her, and Hannibal smiled at her down cast head. A sudden clack of footsteps on the stone caught both their attentions, as the guard retreated down the hall, and another man approached. He wore a crisp business suit, and had sandy blonde hair that fell on his features like a mop. His green eyes, caught the light and blazed with their own brilliance, and Clarice knew at once this man would crumble under Hannibal's scrutiny.
"Special Agent Starling?" He questioned, extending a hand. Clarice shook it, feeling the maroon eyes behind the glass follow her hand up to meet this mans extended one. "My name is Special Agent John Rening. Have you briefed Dr. Lecter?" He sent a gaze at Hannibal, and then returned to Clarice without an introduction. Aware of Hannibal's immediate distaste, Clarice turned to the man who had both saved her and destroyed her.
"Actually, no Agent Rening. I was hoping you could clarify just what we are asking of Dr. Lecter."
Agent Rening turned to Hannibal, and seemed to realize that he had made a grave foul.
"Oh, Dr. Lecter, I'm so sorry I didn't introduce myself to you earlier. Actually, I am so used to talking to my most recent catch, that I completely forgot we have never met." Rening put a hand against the glass to signify a hand shake, and Hannibal returned the gesture with a practiced ignorance.
"Truthfully I don't know if this is going to work, but I want to give it a try. You see, Dr. Lecter, the young lady that I have recently caught has a similar motive to her killings, that is she kills for food. As of late she refuses to talk to me, and every mental test we throw at her seems to be nothing but a waste of money. She has even taken up the habit of going mute in the middle of lie detector tests and not finishing anything, or making her heart beat so fast that the tester is afraid she is going to have hypertension. We need someone she will open up to. Some one she wants to talk to and who can bring out her inner self. We, the state and I, believe that if she is forced to spend time with you, you can get a better grasp of her character, and what makes her tick, do to speak."
Clarice was almost dumb struck at the stupidity this man was showing. The state was actually going to let two serial killers shoot the breeze in a cell with each other, and they weren't worried about the safety of either prisoner? She voiced this opinion to Agent Rening. Hannibal cut Rening off before he could answer.
"Of course I would love to have a little company in this little piece of hell, and don't worry….I'll be a good little boy and let her live. But there is something I must request in return for this service." Clarice inwardly groaned at the mention of a catch. Hannibal seemed to hear her silent objection, and stared her right in the eye for over a minute, then snapped his head to Agent Rening. "I want you both to come here every single day and listen from those chairs. For the first couple of days she won't say anything, but as soon as I get her talking I want you both present to witness the genius of conversation and psychology at work." Clarice got the feeling that Dr. Lecter's request wasn't what he really wanted, but just a way to get around to it. Agent Rening, on the other hand, was all too eager to accept Hannibal's request.
"Of course we will be here. I wouldn't miss it for the world, right Agent Starling?" He said turning to her with a hopeful smile.
"Right, wouldn't miss it." She said, secretly wondering who was convincing who to do what here.
Three days later…
Agent Rening was nervous as they transported the captive to the hospital that day. She had to be heavily sedated, and she had still broken a guy's nose getting into the car. They were leading her through the corridor when he noticed that she was coming back to reality.
"Hurry everyone." He said to the nurses who were leading them into the cell. Dr. Lecter sat on his bed, watching them walk down the hall. He rose and moved to the door, blocking the way in.
"Dr. Lecter, please return to your bed until your cell mate is secure in the cell." A nurse requested, but Hannibal stayed stationary. Agent Starling began to get nervous too. They had put a muzzle on her before transporting, but they had left off the strait jacket, because the last time she had been in one she had run herself into a wall a couple of times to break her shoulder in order to escape. Slowly the girl began to regain consciousness, and identify her surroundings. When she had finally completely cleared her head, she met eyes with Hannibal, her Caribbean blue eyes, contrasting the blood red hair that slid down her back like a waterfall of blood. Clarice would later speculate that it reminded her of a part of the Shinning movie when the elevator doors would open and blood would pour down the walls and into the hallway.
The girl took a step forward, toward the glass, and the nurses who thought she was still drunk with morphine, stepped forward to catch her, only to be tripped by her foot. They both cracked their heads off the glass, and the guard took a step to help before being sent backward by her left foot connecting with his chin. Everyone with weapons drew them, and Clarice already knew this was a bad idea. Hannibal took seven steps back, as the nurse fumbled with the lock. He watched as she did a spin outer crescent kick to send three guns against a wall. The distraction of the guns and their owners gave her the time to move in between Clarice and John, where she placed a foot on their backs, and used the chairs to support herself. She sent them both forward into the glass, Clarice recovering quickly, John down for the count. The girl came within inches if Clarice, and was about to head butt, when the nurse got the door open, and Hannibal broke out of his room. He laid a strong hand on the girls shoulder, and she rounded on him, as if she would rip into him in no time at all, then caught the glint in his eyes, and froze.
"I understand perfectly if you feel the compulsion to rip into the flesh of Agent Rening here, he seems to be a very annoying man. Agent Starling on the other hand, is my… how you say…. Prey, and you would do well to leave her unharmed, or this arrangement may not go so well." Hannibal explained. The girl looked at him with clear eyes that showed no fear. Agent Rening got up slowly, holding his head.
"Jesus Micha, you don't have to be so mean. Just get in the cell, like a good girl, and nothing bad will happen." The girl shot him a glare that could have killed the Grimm reaper.
"Let us get one thing strait, before this arrangement, Agent Rening, I have no idea who Micha is, and I doubt that using a name that appears in the record books about a supposed girl that Dr. Lecter knew is going to protect me from his anger or hunger. Therefore I refuse to respond tot his fake alias, and prefer that I be addressed by the name I have given myself, seeming as my parents refused to give me one. I am Artemis, and any other name is unacceptable. Are we clear?" She looked back and forth between Clarice and John, as if she knew Hannibal had followed her perfectly and that the Special Agents would need the refresher in her namesake. Both agents nodded, and Agent Starling led both captives back into the cell. She noticed that Artemis had an I-pod, and wondered what kind of music she listened to. Artemis followed her gaze, and then laughed.
Most likely nothing you would like, Agent Starling." She said, lifting the I-pod off her belt and holding it out. Clarice refused, and walked out of the cell.
"We will be back in the morning. That will give you two time to connect." She said, helping the guard to his feet.
"Good by Clarice. See you soon." Hannibal commented, and then turned his gaze to Artemis. She waved to both agents, but said nothing. The look in her eyes gave the impression she was up to no good, but the expression she wore was one of complete innocence.
What does everyone think? Hannibal is going to start talking a lot more now; I just had to introduce the characters. There could be whole chapters where Artemis doesn't talk at all, but she is still developing after four years of work, so be patient. See you soon!