"He's a monster. A complete psychopath. It's so rare to capture one alive, especially him. Your mentor gave us a real gift! On a research point of view, he's our most prized possession! Le pactole!" Doctor Francis Bonnefoy was a smarmy little peacock who spent most of his days sitting behind a vast desk with a wall decorated with certificates behind him.
Ivan couldn't help but cringe a little. Doctor Bonnefy spoke of the patient like he was some sort of wild animal. Well, it wasn't a lie. What he did was far from human. Alfred the cannibal, a former respected psychiatrist.
"We get a lot of detectives around here, and I have to say, I don't remember seeing one as… attractive as you. Are you staying overnight? The city is lovely with the right guide." Dr. Bonnefy gave Ivan a charming smile. He stroked the card that Ivan gave him earlier with an expensive looking pen.
Ivan didn't hesitate to shoot the doctor a silent but fierce glare emitting the vibe of 'I carry a gun and I take classes of intense training to bring down men three times the size of you'. The doctor nervously laughed as if he read his mind and turned his gaze down to the floor to avert the heated glare.
"I'm very sorry doctor, but I'm on strict instructions to talk to Dr. Jones and report back this afternoon. I'm sure you know how Beilschmidt operates."
The whole mood seemed to change with him. Tall proud peacock feathers wilted into something more sulky and sour. Perhaps a porcupine. "Well, he's not a doctor anymore…" The doctor almost spat.
Ivan shifted in his seat and sighed heavily. Dammit, why didn't his mentor straight out tell him about the doctor's slimey attitude? If he was an actual FBI agent, maybe this would be easier instead of dealing with yahoos who never took him seriously. He envied the way people listened to Ludwig, the way his subordinates listened to him like obedient children and how he made criminals shake in their boots. But he'd get there. This was already a blessing.
"Mr. Braginski " Ivan looked up and his eyes met with icy blue ones. He stood up immediately out of respect and Ludwig, his mentor, nodded back in mutual understanding. It was the one thing that Ivan liked about their relationship. It weighed on a mutual respect. Voices started to quietly whisper and a few snickers whispered by his ears muttering about how he was sooo in trouble.
"I need a favor." The snickers stopped. It was difficult trying to ignore the pair. Especially since Ludwig Beilschmidt, a retired FBI agent who caught the most feared predators, never asked for favors. Especially from his students.
"Then I suppose we should just get to it. Let's make this quick, I'm a busy man."
Ivan could only describe the asylum as a nightmarish reality. It wasn't like in the horror movies. Well, a little bit. There was no natural light because the asylum was underground for maximum security purposes. Behind every nurse were at least two security guards fully armed. Ivan shuddered when he heard a loud clang as the iron gate behind them started to close. The doctor took the opportunity to be in the lead, and Ivan didn't object.
"Jones killed 15 people. Or at least, that's all that we confirmed. Sliced 'em up and cooked his favorite bits. Apparently the heathen even served his victims to guest. We really did try to study him, but he's a former psychiatrist himself. Too…. sophisticated for regular tests. And my goodness, does he ever hate us! He considers me as his nemesis I think." Francis hummed and Ivan wondered why on Earth would the doctor be so proud of the fact that he was enemies with a serial killer. But Ivan realized it wasn't the fact that they were enemies, it was the fact that Alfred was his prisoner. "Quite surprised Beilschmidt even gave you the opportunity to talk to him. You're still a student after all, and it's not like we had other FBI agents come in here to talk-"
"I came here because my mentor believed it would be good experience for me. And a breath of fresh air for Dr. Jones." Ivan noticed the little flinch Francis gave him every time he mentioned Alfred as 'doctor'. If Francis was going to give him a hard time, why not retaliate?
"Sir? Are you sure about this? I'm not questioning you, but I'm not exactly the most qualified for this task-"
"What did I tell you about self doubt? Ivan, you are one of the brightest student here in the academy. You graduated top in your class double majoring in forensic sciences and criminal justice back in college. You are the youngest student here and no doubt the most successful. I have no doubt about your potential. Do you?"
"There are strict rules here. Remember, you are being watched and recorded as well. Do not touch or approach the glass. You pass him nothing but soft paper. No pencils or pens. No staples or paperclips in his paper. Use the sliding food carrier. If he attempts to pass you anything, do not accept it under any circumstances."
"Understood."
"Then understand the precautions we take. Two years ago, he started to complain about sharp pains in his stomach and we took him out to the medical ward. His restraints were removed for an EKG. When the nurse leaned over him, he tried to eat her. The doctors managed to reset her jaw, more or less, save one of her eyes. His pulse didn't even rise when he ate her tongue. A true psychopath. I'll spare you the grisly photograph."
Ivan shuddered. The description was horrific enough. "Um, Dr. Bonnefoy. If Jones thinks you are rivals, perhaps it's best if I go in by myself."
Francis looked back and gave the agent a glare. "You might have suggested this in my office and saved me the time." Shit, he was starting to mess this up.
"I apologize sir. I would have missed your company if I had though." Ivan tried his best to fake a charming smile and he wasn't sure or not if the doctor bought it or not.
The doctor leaned over to a nurse. "Bring him out when he's done." And he left Ivan alone. The student actually was starting to feel a bit terrified. The whole idea seemed fine, and well, traing to become an FBI agent, one like him didn't really feel fear. He must have shown it in his face, because the nurse gave a reassuring smile and a small comforting laugh.
"Don't worry, we have twelve guards on standby and three more will be right outside. I'm Bella, one of the nurses that happens to attend to Mr. Jones. You can hang up your coat if you like." She smiled and held out her hand. Ivan didn't hesitate to shake it.
Bella was a charming young woman with beautiful short brown hair and huge green, deer-like eyes and had an essence of a mother. She was comforting. Ivan smiled, already starting to feel a little bit better.
"Very nice to meet you, miss."
"Follow me. Please ignore the other patients, they can get rowdy. He's all the way in the back to the right. His cell is the only one with safety glass. Pretty hard to miss. I'm sure the doctor already went over the rules! No touching the glass and all of that." Ivan walked at her side as she trotted through the loud hall.
If Ivan ever went to Hell, he would imagine the gateway would be a little like this. Men screamed and shouted indecencies. Many making suggested catcalls and Ivan could have sworn one started to masturbate and fling his own semen across his cell. He couldn't imagine what it was like working here. They got to a doorway and Bella gave him a smile.
"I'll be right outside the hall. You'll be fine! There's a chair for you to sit at. There are security cameras everywhere!"
"Thank you very much."
Ivan took a deep breath.
"Sir, I understand why we are talking to him, but do you really think that he'll be willing to help the FBI? What if I can't get any information from him-"
"Then we'll try something else. But the murders are incredibly similar, almost identical in some cases. It would wouldn't be a coincidence if Alfred actually knew the Spider. We have to try"
"Good morning." Ivan could have sworn the modulated voice could break through the thick glass. It was strong, sharp, and almost mocking. Ivan took the seat across the chair and Alfred smiled.
The cell was one he never seen before. Unlike the others which was iron bars, glass held Alfred in his cage. The cell was neatly organized as Ivan spotted some sketches in the corner of his cell and books in the other. Alfred was perched on his bed, reading what looked like the Communist Manifesto. Mugshots of Alfred did him no justice. The man had a strong jawline and eyes icy enough to even rival Ludwig's. His hair was messy, and he popped the collar on his jumpsuit like some sort of teenage deviant, but nevertheless, he still looked sophisticated, like he belonged in a seat of an opera house.
"Hello, Dr. Jones. My name is Ivan Braginski. May I speak with you?" Ivan kept his tone level. Alfred Jones is a master manipulator.
"Huh. You're one of Beilschmidt's? Thought the FBI didn't hire commies." He smirked and held up his book as if to show it off. "Great concept, bad in reality. Humans are like lambs; dumb and useless and blindly led by wolves."
"I am with him, yes. I am also from Russia, but that doesn't make me a communist, especially since that I must be a legal US citizen who went under several-"
"Boring. Can I see your credentials?"
"Certainly." Ivan stood up, and took out his badge inside of his jacket that was issued by him by Ludwig and held it up.
"Closer please. I have very bad eyesight." The Russian was a bit hesitant, but took a step closer.
"Closer~" Alfred purred out again. Ivan was careful not to touch the glass. "That expires in a week. You're not a real FBI agent are you?"
"I'm still in training, doctor." Ivan kept his breathing even, focusing on not trying to show his surprise. Ludwig warned him that he was manipulative, observant, and the essence of evil.
"Ludwig Beilschmidt sent a trainee to me? That's rich. They're bored of me already?"
"Yes, I'm a student. I'm here to learn from you. Maybe you can decide whether or not I'm qualified enough to do that."
Alfred smirked again and stood up from the bed he was sitting on to stand in front of Ivan. "I'm tired of formalities, and this place is making me rather impatient nowadays. You're here to inquire about the Spider, aren't you? That serial killer on the loose. Tell me, why do they call him that? Newspapers don't tell em much and you can probably guess I'm rather a shut in to the outside world. "
"It started out as a joke at the police station, since he uses traps to catch his victims then rips out their organs. Also, the first victim had her intestines hanging on a tree branch and I supposed it looked like a little bit like a spiderweb."
"Ah, right. I remember reading about that one. She missed her liver and kidney and half of her brain. He has good taste." Alfred closed his eyes and licked his lips, looking like he was relishing a memory. "You know those Morman's who come to your door? Or perhaps he was a Jehovah's Witness. It didn't matter, he ended up in my stomach. I crushed his skull and scooped out his brains like ice cream. It's actually quite delicious. Later I ate his liver with some rice."
Ivan narrowed his eyes. He knew Alfred was trying to intimidate could be a test. And Ivan would happily play along if it meant getting the information he wanted.
"A trend we noticed with Spider is that he only targets young women, doesn't matter their race, but the always have long hair. He takes a lock of every victim. That, and he started to take organs. We still don't know if he eats them or not, or keeps them as a trophy."
"My oh my, it looks like I have an admirer! Too bad he's insulting me. Really, intestines on a tree? I would have at least made a more decorative scene."
Alfred looked at Ivan as if to expect him to say something. And Ivan was, but bit his tongue. He couldn't show weakness.
"Doctor, can you please help me?"
"Who is your father, dear? ls he a coal miner? What about your mother? Perhaps a whore back in Russia who spent all of her earning to get you out." He laughed. "And what about you? All those tedious, sticky fumblings in the back seats of cars, while you could only dream of getting out, getting anywhere, getting all the way to the FBl."
Ivan smiled. Oh wow, was he ever good.
"Actually, my mother was a doctor and she was murdered. I used her earnings to send me, but also my sisters out to the United States for a better life. You see a lot, Dr. Jones." Ivan remained calmed and his breathing slow. He knew Alfred just wanted to get something out of him, a reaction, an emotion. And as much fear as Ivan felt, he wasn't going to give the doctor the pleasure.
"There can be only three animals here in the world. Wolves, lambs, and lambs who think they're wolves. I've yet to figure you out, Agent Braginski. I'm done here now. Trot back to school and send Ludwig my dearest regards. Trot, trot, trot!"
Ivan huffed when Alfred turned his back to him. It was over then. He knew this was going to be a bust. God, and this really could have been his big break too. The agent stood up, feeling defeated, and without a word started to walk out the door. Bella was waiting for him at the end of this Hell.
"I bite my wrist so I can die!"
Ivan looked to his left just as he left Alfred's cell. A huge dirty man gave him a sinister smile and flicked his wrist. Blood splattered on his face and Ivan stood still in complete shock. "Got ya!" Men around him started to howl in laughter.
"Look at that blood!" One shouted.
"Marty you stupid fuck! I'll fucking kill him! Agent Braginski, come back!" Ivan turned back and hurried to Alfred's cell. Guards were already starting to flow in from the ruckus.
"Agent Braginski! I would not have had that happen to you. Discourtesy is unspeakably ugly." Alfred seemed to just snap. It was both fascinating and frightening and the glass between them felt thinner.
Adrenaline started to pump in Ivan's veins and he desperately tried to ignore the screams, shouts and howls. He remembered How dr. Bonnefy alluded to the fact he thought Alfred was an animal. He wondered what he thought of the other patients.
"I'll give you a chance for what you love most."
"And what is that?"
"Advancement. Listen carefully. Look deep within yourself, Ivan Braginski. Go seek out Miss Artfeo, an old patient of mine. I don't think Marty could manage again so soon, even though he's crazy as shit. Go!"
Welp, there's my first fan fiction here. I'm trying really hard to improve my writing. As you could have guessed, this is a Silence of the Lambs AU with Agent!Russia and Cannibal!America. I feel really bad that I'm making France a total asshole but I was tired and had no idea who else to put as the doctor. I really wanted to try something a bit difference (even tho this AU has been done to death). Russia is usually always the bad guy, and I don't know about you, but he'll make a great FBI agent! :P
I don't know when the next chapter will be, but please leave me comments and constructive criticism! That will mean a lot!
xoxo Ghost