At last. She had found it, the new lair, the new hide out. She cursed the FBI forces for her lack of back-up before coming to the stark realisation that there was nobody to aid her in this, FBI or otherwise. No one knew she was missing. She suspected it would be a long time before anyone noticed she was gone, especially now she didn't have a job. Maybe they wouldn't have even noticed then, if not for her being such a case obsessive, working well into the night to find him.
And now here she stood, in the shadow of the impressively hidden house in front of her. It was a similar residency to his last home, a smaller version of a stately manor almost, secluded in the darkest of forests and likely impenetrable even once found.
But she had found it, and she couldn't stop now. What she should have done was reached for her phone and dialled the Bureau, 911, anything and anyone to let them know that she was standing before one of the FBIs most wanted's hide away. What she could have done was turn around and run as fast as her strong legs would carry her to make sure she never came into contact with him, and informed the nearest authorities. Safer.
She did neither of these things. Had it been anyone but him, she would have. Instead, she stepped closer again to the now visible front door, blocked only by a driveway containing a black Ferrari, a car built entirely for a quick and silent getaway.
Clarice froze as the front door opened slowly. She thought she was still well hidden behind the trees but she knew his eyes were already locating her frame, a slight grin upturning his sometimes frightening features.
"Come on in, Clarice." The calm voice echoed towards her as he stepped back to open the door fully and walk inside.
This was her second chance to turn and run. This time however, she was almost certain she would be caught. There was no doubt he would be utterly inescapable. The thought has barely formed in her mind before she registered that she was already inside, her feet having moved towards him without her permission. "Close the door, Clarice." The voice reverberated down the corridor and she was still moving towards its owner, down the long well lit corridor which she thought must lead to a kitchen.
She should have been petrified. The sound of his voice should have chilled her to her very soul, rooted her to the spot with fear for her life. It did not.
"Ah now, Clarice, do you reserve that expression for me alone? That wonderful mixture of fear, excitement, dare I say it – arousal? I hope you do."
She closed her eyes. Her hands were hanging by her sides limply, her chest rose with her slightly accelerated breathing. She didn't hear him glide closer to her, but she knew he was taking full advantage of her willingness to allow him to see her defenceless.