Just my now-usual reminder, I do not own any of the characters This chapter includes French and Lituanian translations !
Chapter 4 : Planning
They both got out of the car as soon as Hannibal had parked and they looked up when they heard their name being called. They saw Evelyne hurrying down the stairs. She had her brown leather jacket open, letting them see a black shirt with origami birds on it, it was tucked in her high-waisted simple jeans, with her boots. She had her bag open and she was putting her book in it. Will saw some feathers held together by a piece of leather that was knotted at her bag' handle. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail and they looked grey-er than blond in the sun. When she got close enough he was about to drop his gaze, feeling the awkwardness creeping when he caught her eyes. They weren't all black as he had thought. They were just a very dark shade of blue. In the bright sun it looked like there were blue speckles of precious gems etched into her eyes. It was highlighted by her soft dark make-up as well. She smiled at them, the plump lips stretching into a large but kind smile.
"Hello Papa, thanks for the food, it was delicious as always."
"Hello Eve, you're welcome. I'm sorry I had to leave so early."
"It's okay, hello Will, nice to see you again, and nice to meet you I guess."
"Oh yeah, nice to meet you, Evelyne, was it?"
"Yes ! Merci de me laisser vous accompagner aujourd'hui."
"Pas de problème."
Hannibal looked at him with a surprisingly human face, his eyes large, mouth open.
"You speak French?"
"Yeah, um, hadn't practised in a while though."
Hannibal closed his mouth but his smile stayed there, a bit more secretive and his eyes shining strangely in the light. Evelyne got closer to him, her face closing down for a second before she turned to Will, her smile edgier but her eyes warm. She asked them what they will be doing and if it bothered them if she took notes and when Will shook his head and tried for a shaky smile, her face smoothed into a thankful expression.
"Well then, Allons-y!"
They took their seat, Evelyne at the back. They started to talk, Will actually not forcing himself and genuinely curious about her studies and different papers. Hannibal participated, adding informations and books he knew about, talking of where they had been in France, all of them somehow mixing French and English. The empathic man noticed and appreciated the fact that they made sure to speak slower when they were speaking French. The conversation dwindled down, but the silence wasn't awkward or heavy, it was even agreeable and calming, and Will was surprised to notice his usual headache had calmed down a bit and he was smiling softly. He looked at Hannibal at his side and to Evelyne in the mirror, the two of then somehow looking alike, smiling a calm smile, their heads held high with confidence and eyes dark with thoughts. Evelyne was even humming an unknown song, filling the car with her soft voice. Somehow, Will could see himself getting along with them. Without Evelyne he might have rebuked the doctor at his side, but now he was more intrigued by the multi-cultured man, who had visited so many countries.
They were going through the files, the annoying woman continuously talking, rude and appalling to Hannibal's taste. He could see the same distaste in Evelyne's face, her features more expressive than his. Even Will seemed tired of her and was on the verge of glaring at the loud woman.
"Two fellas and a girl, a trainee or somethin', from the FBI. They goin' through the drawers now. Mm-hmm. Puttin' papers in file boxes, the girl's readin' some of them. Yes, they are takin' things. No. Well, they didn't say- Yes they can!"
Addressing to them she asked louder than before "What did you say your names were?"
Hannibal was about to reply as polite as ever, even though images of the woman strangled by her own tongue was floating in his mind, when the young Agent interrupted the pig that was the woman.
"Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs?"
"He's one of our pipe threaders. Those are all the resignation letters. Plumbers' Union requires 'em wheneve' members finish a job." She whispered in her phone that she'll call back but Will ignored her and continued his interrogation, Not noticing he had everyone's attention.
"Uh, does Mr. Hobbs have a daughter?"
"Might have."
Will sighed, and Hannibal could see the tension that had disappeared in the car reappearing. He then glanced at his daughter. She had her arms crossed, looking cold and uninterested, but Hannibal could see the muscle taut with barely repressed disgust, the eyes that were intent and as dark as a black hole. Just like that, the psychiatrist knew that this woman would not live long if Evelyne ever gets her hands on her.
"18 or 19, wind-chafed, uh, plain but pretty. She'd have auburn hair, a bit smaller than Evelyne."
"Maybe. I don't know. I don't keep company with these people."
Evelyne took a deep breath, throwing a look at him, and walked towards the woman. The cold façade dropped to a kind polite smile as she thanked the woman for her help and asked for more informations.
Hannibal nodded and went to look over the Agent's shoulder.
"What is it about Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs you find so peculiar?"
"He left a phone number, no address."
"And therefore he has something to hide?"
"The others all left addresses. Do you have an address for Mr. Hobbs?"
The woman stuttered and was shaking her head when Evelyne spoke up.
"I have it actually. Found it in a file about an accident from a year or two ago. The boss needed to send assurance' stuff to Hobbs and wrote it down there."
"Perfect, you're a life-saviour. Let's take all of this back to the car."
As Will took the first box and took it to the car, Hannibal looked at his charge, conveying with his eyes his intent. She tilted her head, her right eyebrow raising as it always did when she was doubting him. He breathed in just a tiny bit and Evelyne got the message that he knew what he was doing, and that she'd have to distract the Agent and the Pig. She nodded minutely, taking a big file and walking out, intentionally bumping into Will and making everything fly.
Hannibal quickly called the Hobbs' family. The idea of seeing Will under stress and Evelyne fight against her own demons appealing him. He was doing it for them really. He was trying to make them grow: for Will it was about making him see the dark world they lived in, making him see how he could belong, especially if he ends up killing Hobbs. For Evelyne it was about her dealing with a family slaughter, a girl that might end up in the same position she had been in, her facing loss of innocence again.
He might have to hide for a while and be incredibly careful at home for a few months since Evelyne was the kind to plan her revenge, to stalk and wait for the perfect moment. She had been raised by him, but Hannibal wasn't ashamed to admit he didn't know if he would survive if she ever got serious about killing him.
The ringing stopped and a young girl replied on the phone, her voice sweet.
"Hello?"
"Hello, I'm here to speak to Mr. Hobbs."
"Just a second. Dad! It's for you!
Who is this?
Caller ID said it was blocked.
-Hello?"
"Mr. Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs?"
"Yeah."
"You don't know me and I suspect we'll never meet. This is a courtesy call. Listen very carefully. Are you listening?"
"Yes."
"They know."
As Hannibal put the phone down he felt a stare on his back and turned around. His daughter was in the entryway, leaning against the frame.
"How much have you heard?"
"Courtesy bullshit. I don't know what you fucking want to do, but I am pretty sure it's shit."
The psychopath cringed. He hated when she got vulgar, it was distasteful and made for people of a lower category, it was for uncultured swine. He had tried to stop her from cursing but Evelyne's mother could swear like a drunk sailor, and she had regretfully kept that from her. But they had achieved a compromise and Eve would keep her cursing to a minimal and avoid it in front of him, and he would let her use his kitchen to make cakes, and let her have access to his collection of alcohol as long as she asked him. For her to curse in front of him meant she was angry or disappointed, but he would not let her ruin everything. He soothed his face and glared coldly at her, and used his mother-tongue to remind her who was in control here.
"Gana."
She immediately straightened, her face losing some colours and she bowed her head, her eyes looking down.
"Atsiprašome, Tėvas."
"De rien, avec plasir" - You're welcome, with pleasure.
"Yes ! Merci de m'acceuillir aujourd'hui." -Yes! Thanks for welcoming me today.
"Pas de problème." - No problem.
Allons-y ! - Let's go !
"Gana." - "Enough.
"Atsiprašome, Tėvas." - Apologies, Father.