The silliness concludes.

The usual applies; I own no one or nothing pertaining to this story.

Chapter 3    Lost Little Sheep

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Dr. Lecter decided it was his turn to play for awhile.

"So, tell me Agent Mills, how is it that you happened to stumble across my whereabouts, hmm?"

"Well, I 'm on vacation and I was about to….. Hey, I don't have to tell you anything.  You just sit there and be quiet." he said in a shaky voice.

"Just trying to make polite conversation, no need to be rude." the Doctor said as he glared at Mills.

Feeling the full force of Dr. Lecter's eyes on him almost made him wet his pants.

Even while holding a gun and knowing the Doctor was handcuffed, the fear that the Doctor could evoke, just from a look, sent a cold chill through Agent Mills' entire body.

Pleased with Mills' response, Dr. Lecter continued,

"So tell me Agent Mills, do you still have family in New York?"

Mills just sat there, mouth hanging open, not sure what to say.  Not sure he could speak, even if he had a reply.

Clarice listened from the bedroom, as her soulmate proceeded to unhinge what was left of Agent Mills' nerves.  She finished dressing, putting on jeans and a sweater.  Walking back into the livingroom, she thought Mills had suffered enough, so she broke in asking,

"Can I get you something Agent Mills?  You look a little pale.  Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really," he responded as he wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

"I just wish the back-up would get here."

"Don't worry they'll be here soon."

"I hope your right, the longer this goes on……"  Just then Agent Mills brain seemed to kick in, "Hey, you don't think he's got any weapons on him, do ya?"  He said, waving the gun in Dr. Lecter's direction.

Well it's about time, Clarice thought.  What the hell have they been teaching these young pups at the Academy anyway?

"You can bet on it," she replied.

"So whatta we do?" he asked nervously.

"You just sit there and keep me covered while I search him."

"You sure you want to do that?"

"Would you rather do it?"  She looked at him inquisitively.

"No" he said quickly.  "You go ahead, I got your back."

That's what I figured, she thought.

Clarice turned and walked over to where Dr. Lecter was seated and said, "I'm going to search you now and I would appreciate it if you didn't resist, least Agent Mills be forced to shoot you."

He looked at her with a smile saying, "Resist?  I wouldn't dream of it, Special Agent Starling. 

As a matter of fact, what you are looking for can be found in my left front trouser pocket."

Starling nodded and moved to the left of the chair.  She bent at the waist and wiggled her right hand into his pocket.  As she let her hand linger, much longer than she needed to, Dr. Lecter leaned forward in the chair, ever so slightly, just far enough to run his tongue along her jawline.  As he did, she gripped his thigh, almost hard enough to make him flinch.  This was indeed more fun than she had had in quite some time.

With some reluctance, Clarice removed her hand from his pocket.  Now holding his harpy, she gave him a wink, and turned to show Mills the knife.

Mills eyes widened at the sight of the Doctor's preferred weapon.

"God, I wonder how many people he's killed with that thing," he said, staring at the knife.

"Several, I assure you Agent Mills," Dr. Lecter responded, playing on the young man's fear for all it was worth.

Clarice slipped the harpy into her pocket, not wanting Mills to get to good of a look at the knife, as the inscription on the handle, read:  To H  love  C.

She didn't know if he was bright enough to figure it out, but better safe than sorry.

"What the hell is keeping our back-up?" Mills said, almost ready to fall off the edge.

By this time, he had about as much as he could take.

Noticing that Mills was about to lose it at any moment, Clarice said, "Let me give them another call, maybe that will speed things up a bit."  That seemed to calm him down for the time being.

Clarice decided it was time to end their little game, as fun as it was, any longer and Mills would become too unpredictable.  So as she went for the phone, she shot Dr. Lecter a look, which he understood to mean the game was coming to an end.  He had released himself from the handcuffs a couple minutes after sitting down.  He knew that cuff key stuck in the back of his belt might come in handy someday.  So he prepared himself for whatever his little bird had planned.

Clarice picked up the phone and dialed time once again.  After having a short discussion with the recording, she looked to Mills and said, "They want to speak with you."

Mills got up and cautiously made his way to the phone, never taking his eyes off of Dr. Lecter.

That was his last mistake.

He took the receiver from Clarice and the last thing he heard before dropping the phone was, 'at the tone the time will be….'

With the cold blade of the harpy resting tightly against his throat, Clarice said in an eerily calm tone, "Drop the gun Agent Mills or I will kill you where you stand."

By the sound of her voice, Mills knew better than to hesitate, he dropped the gun instantly.

Taking his time, Dr. Lecter rose from the chair, quite pleased with his little Starling's performance.  He reached down, picking up the gun and securing it in his waistband.

Looking to Clarice he inquired, "Now my dear, whatever shall we do with

Special Agent Mills here?"

Positive it was now dinner time, Mills fainted.

Feeling Mills' body go limp, Clarice released him, watching his body bounce as it hit the floor, shaking her head, "Kids," she said.   Looking from Mills' unconscious body to Hannibal she said,

"I got an idea."

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After loading their luggage into the trunk, Clarice and Dr. Lecter entered their rental car.  Turning to her he said, "Well played my dear, but did you have to handcuff me so tightly, it did make it rather difficult to remove them?"

She laughed as she said, "So it took you what, thirty seconds longer than usual?"

"Oh you're gonna get it."

"Is that a promise?"

"Most assuredly," he said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out Agent Mills' handcuffs.

"What are you gonna do with tho….."

Hannibal slapped the cuffs on her before she could even blink.

"That's very funny," she said "So where's the key?"

No answer

"Where's the key?"

"Patience Clarice," he chuckled as he started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

"All good things to those who wait."

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Eight hours later the local P.D. received an anonymous call of a burglary in progress.  They responded to the address given.  Carefully entering the residence, they found a man, still alive, ducktaped to a chair with a note pinned to his shirt.  The note read:

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Hi, I am Special Agent Jeff Mills, property of the F.B.I.

If you are reading this, I have become lost and I am unable to find my way home.

Please return me to the nearest field office at your earliest convenience.

Any assistance you give will be gratefully appreciated.

Thank you for your time and have a nice day.

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Thank you all once again for your kind words.

I'm am honored that all of you wonderful writers allow me to hang out

and that you take the time to read my short little stories.

Fondest regards,

Steel