Here is my second fan fic. This prologue is mainly to set the scene. I have altered the timeline slightly and as you read om you will find the sotry deviateds off the film and book cannon. Disclaimer: The plot is mine but the characters belong to Thomas Harris.
As usual reviews are greatly appreciated and I'm also searching for a beta to look over my work before I post it up here. If anyone is interested feel free to email me.
Prologue – Different Choices
A cool breeze gently swept around the figure of the man sitting at the piano. It was evening at the sun was just setting, ready to leave Florence bathed in the harsher tones of the street lights. Mahogany book cases were circulated around the room which seemed to overflow with exquisite culture and history. The piano, by far the grandest piece, was situated in the centre and emanating from it was a calm yet haunting melody filled with longing and passion.
Hannibal's hands glided effortlessly over the keys. He still remembered the song although it had been such a long time since he had last played it. Newspapers had replaced the unrequired music score on top of the piano. They showed images of Agent Starling who had now been given the title 'Angel of Death'.
Hannibal stopped playing barely halfway through the piece and began focusing entirely on the woman in front of him. It had been three years since he had last seen Clarice in the flesh. Following the highs and lows of her career as they were thrown onto the front pages was a very poor substitute for the real thing.
Perhaps now Clarice had hit rock bottom it was time to make contact once again. Searches for 'Hannibal the Cannibal' had dwindled once more as there had been no apparent incidents since his escape. Hannibal prided himself on his self control and it was only the previous curator of the Capponi Library (well and Chilton but that slimey bastard deserved all that came to him), who had joined Pembry and Boyle in the afterlife. He smiled inwardly at himself then; the police would find it very hard to find the body of his predecessor. The whole body that is.
Hannibal had decided that he would write a letter to Clarice. However tomorrow was the day before her birthday. Maybe she deserved a present. Which would be delivered, politely of course, in person.
Clarice pushed down harder on the accelerator. She was already hitting 80 but wanted to go faster. The quicker the countryside blurred passed her the quicker the pain seemed to leave her body. Short break my arse Mr Pearsall. I got shot in the line of duty doing exactly what I was trained to do and you're trying to get rid of me. To hide me away until it dies down.
Clarice was glad she had thrown that apparent offer back in their faces and she was still in current employment. Albeit her present assignment was purely an interview with one Mason Verger. Verger had rung with what he called new information for the Lecter case. Clarice doubted it would help greatly in the arrest of the Doctor. If he didn't want to be found then he wouldn't Clarice thought; but at least anything to do with this man would be interesting. Even in his absence Hannibal Lecter was able to enthral an audience with, well, anything about him was more exciting than paper work.
"She has just arrived sir. Would you like me to send her straight up?"
"Yes. Bring Starling here Cordell and the x-ray. I want that as well,"
The man who was originally Verger's physician and now merely a fancy nursemaid retreated and scurried back down the stairs.
Moments later he returned with a confident looking young woman and a large unremarkable brown envelope which he set down on the bedside table.
"Thank you Cordell. You can now start preparing my lunch," Mason's voice made a harsh guttural sound over the consonants. The bitter look on Cordell's face lingered momentarily before he once again left to do his master's bidding.
"Good morning Mr Verger my name is Agent Clarice Starling. I have come here to interview you about an apparent new lead on the Lecter case,"
"Sit down Agent Starling please. I have been so very eager to talk to you for quite a long time now. To ask a few questions as well," Mason's one good eye slowly crept from left to right.
Clarice was unsure how well Mason could actually see her but his lack of vision did not affect the fact she did not show any discomfort towards his appearance.
"Mr Verger I am here solely to discuss the Lecter case. I have no wish to diverge to you anything about myself you may or may not have seen recently in the papers,"
"Yes of course Agent Starling, very formal aren't you. I'm sure Doctor Lecter liked that in you,"
"Mr Verger I will not even begin to try and analyse the Doctor's feelings because…"
Mason cut her off abruptly amidst this outburst "and that rebellious streak too, how charming. Tell me Agent Starling did you not at one point or another trick Doctor Lecter, refuse to answer his questions and shout at him,"
Clarice opened her mouth to speak but Verger stopped her "Now the last person to exhibit such rudeness I believe was a Mr Frederick Chilton, now deceased."
"That accusation has not been proved Mr Verger,"
"Indeed but I want to ask you something Agent Starling," Mason's hard consonants rang out, "Why are you still alive when everyone else to ever cross Doctor Lecter is dead? Why did he never come after you?"
Clarice seemed to regard Mason for a long time. She appeared almost puzzled as if no-one had presented her with this point of view before. "I don't know why Mr Verger."
"I do," Mason left this comment drifting then he moved on apparently forgetting what he had just said. "In the brown envelope on the table you will find an x-ray from Brazil that may interest you. Good day to you Agent Starling,"
After he flicked the light off Clarice stood up, grasped the envelope and left; briefly acknowledging Cordell on her way out. She was still trying to decipher Verger's comments.
Cordell had returned to Mason's side. "What would you like me to do sir?"
"Call the boys Cordell. Tell them they are going to take a little trip to the States. They've got some hunting to do. The plan will be set in motion Cordell. Lecter will be brought out of hiding and I'll need Agent Starling under lock and key."