Clarice relived the same nervous feeling when she walked through the same hallway. She had expected it to be full of agents but it was empty, as it should be at 4:30AM.
Will seemed to think about something, something painful because he wasn't exactly smiling.
Clarice remembered that he had been accused of Hannibal Lecter's crimes. Imprisoned under Frederick Chilton's watch. In this building.
"You must be Will Graham and Clarice Starling from the FBI," a younger officer walked up to them. Clarice nodded. She wanted to follow him but Will was hesitant.
"I'll wait in the car," Will said. He was gone before Clarice could say something.
Mysterious man, she thought while she got to the elevator with the boy to lower herself into the basement of the asylum.
The zooming noise was followed by the metallic sound of the gate opening. Clarice took one step forwards. She had only been here a few days ago but everything had changed. She was no longer alone. Instead there was a small elite troop of FBI agents behind her. The pressure was higher.
The FBI was going to tape their conversation, Dr. Chilton had agreed. They were all listening.
The leader had given her a few instructions. Lecter refused to talk about the head Clarice and Will had found in the unit.
Hannibal Lecter had insulted director Chilton and had smiled for the rest of the time. He enjoyed this game of his. He had all the power and knowledge.
Clarice was pleased when the interrogation leader called Dr. Chilton a d*ckhead. Apparently Chilton made fun of the fact that "he wasn't a pretty FBI trainee" which lead to another snarky response from Hannibal Lecter. Good.
When Jack heard about Lecter's stubbornness, he had decided to call her and Will.
And there she was. Again. Still wet from the rain, exhausted and confused about everything.
She looked at the cell on her left, Miggs was gone, dead. The other inmate was also gone, they probably wanted Lecter alone.
She heard the echo of her own footsteps. She swallowed hard. Then she thought about the head in the jar and all her stress seemed to disappear. She felt anger and felt strong determination to find out what had happened to the man and –more importantly- who had done this to him.
One more step and she could have a look in his cell. He was going to give her everything she wanted to know.
His cell was dark. She couldn't see where Dr. Lecter was. You're not scaring me.
"Hello Dr. Lecter," Clarice spoke unsure if it was already morning. She did no longer care.
"Hello Clarice," a voice spoke from the darkness. Clarice couldn't see him.
Dr. Lecter emerged from the darkness. If she wasn't as angry as she was, Clarice would probably be frightened.
His dark eyes scanned over her body. She looked more informal in her wet FBI coat than a few days ago.
"You found my Valentine's gift?" he suggested.
Clarice nodded. She got closer to the glass of his cell when the lights turned on.
Hannibal Lecter looked at her carefully. Still beautiful even though she looked tired.
"Where are all your drawings?" Clarice noticed they were gone. His cell looked emptier and more depressing without them.
"Ah, a punishment. For Miggs," Hannibal Lecter said.
Clarice looked over at the empty cell on her left. Hannibal noticed.
"It's quiet without him. Don't you think?" Hannibal wanted to see her reaction.
She shrugged.
"Weren't you happy when you heard?" Hannibal asked her with a mischievous grin.
"No, not really," Clarice said.
Lecter looked at her expectantly, as if he wanted her to continue, "It's sad for Miggs but no, I wasn't happy."
Dr. Lecter took a step closer to the glass. He sat down with his legs crossed and made a gesture to Clarice to do the same. She was thankful for that, her legs could collapse any second.
Hannibal Lecter said nothing but seemed to inhale her scent. Oh no. He'll know about…
"How's dear Will, Clarice? His dark eyes seemed to be burning even though his body remained calm.
"Ah, he's fine," she mumbled. Clarice looked away, not wanting to look into the eyes of the devil.
Will's scent on Clarice made Hannibal furious inside. He wanted to do something very bad to Miss Starling when he ever got out. She'd suffer. If he ever got out.
But when Hannibal looked at her, he just couldn't. She looked so much like her.
When Clarice had pulled herself together and looked at him. He's not the one in charge. She was.
Lecter noticed the change of temperament in her eyes. The look on her face said: ask ahead, what do you want to know?
Lecter knew she was playing a mind game right now.
Lecter smiled at her. Nice try Jack. Well done. You teamed them up.
"What did you think of my gift, Clarice?" he asked her.
"Yes, the head. Thank you for that. Original. Former patient of you, dr. Lecter?" she asked him.
"You know they will dispose you a soon as I tell you," Lecter spoke.
"I figured," Clarice laughed because it was true. She was only here because Lecter wanted her.
He wanted her to stay, she was a good listener. Not some cocky Special Agent to snarl at him. Hannibal had to admit he had grown fond of Clarice Starling, he enjoyed her intelligence and wit.
"Why don't you ask me about Buffalo Bill?" Lecter winked at her.
Clarice shivered. This wasn't about Buffalo Bill, this was about the man in the jar. Will and Jack had sent her in here to ask him about that. They had lied to her, but Lecter knew. He knew something about Buffalo Bill.
Clarice sighed realising this little game of his. Hannibal shook his head like a proud teenager that knew something he wasn't supposed to know.
"What do you know about him?" Clarice asked, knowing he wasn't going to tell her without being a little brat.
"Maybe if I can look into the case file.." Hannibal started.
"I'm not on the case, I'm just a trainee remember?"
"Never just a trainee. An agent in training," he said. Clarice scoffed as she remembered when he called her white trash. He probably said that to Miriam Lass as well before he captured her and sent her arm to Jack Crawford.
"I can't give it to you, dr. Lecter," even though it could help the both of them, "can't you tell me something about the head?"
"Did you find only the head? I only saw the head. Still wondering about where the rest of him was," Lecter said.
"It was just the head," Clarice said hopefully.
"What can you tell me about it, Clarice?" Lecter was teasing her again. Tell me about Buffalo Bill.
"White male. 27 years old. Had European and American dental surgeries," she sighed. They had just found the head a few hours ago.
"He was Raspail's lover. A Scandinavian sailor. And before you ask me who killed him. It was not me," Lecter continued. But you know who did kill him…
"Buffalo Bill?" Clarice asked while her heart beat faster and faster.
Hannibal stared at her. The little bird was getting excited.
"No. Raspail told me he had strangled him, and if I recall correctly his name was Klaus. Our decapitated friend had cheated on him. But Raspail liked to make stories up so I have to disappoint you. I think he was killed during some obscene sex game. Raspail was not a killer."
"He told you that?" Clarice said.
"During his therapy he thought that he could tell me anything. Doctor-patient confidentiality."
"Raspail ended up dead. Thanks to you, right?" It got harder for Clarice to hide her accent.
"Yes, his therapy was going nowhere. He was annoying. After I heard his bad flute playing in the Baltimore Philharmonic, I snapped his neck. He was ruining the concert. The next day I had a lovely dinner party," Lecter said it as if it was nothing.
"Right, dinner party," she mumbled.
"I'd love to invite you one day to one of my dinner parties one day, Clarice. Bring your boyfriend Will with you," Hannibal said sassily.
"Will is not my boyfriend, dr. Lecter," Clarice sighed. Wasn't he your former 'murder husband'?
He watched her carefully.
"Do you think he likes you?" Hannibal wasn't going to let the subject of Will Graham go this easily.
"I never thought about it," Clarice remembered that moment in the car.
"Your first lie to me, Clarice. How sad. Do you think Wil wants you, sexually? He's much older than you but do you think he visualizes... scenarios, exchanges... sleeping with you?" there was the same darkness from earlier in his eyes.
Was this jealousy? Really, Dr. Lecter?
"No, that doesn't interest me, Dr. Lecter. I think he has already enough on his mind, right?" Enough meaning you.
Clarice felt uncomfortable. She didn't really knew what Will thought of her and she didn't knew what Hannibal and Will were. Former friends, lovers, partners in crime, …
"How unfortunate for Will then," Hannibal concluded.
He looked sad. Clarice understood the meaning of his words and tried to hide her confusion.
"Tell Jack that I want to give him information if I can see the case file."
"And?" Clarice said.
"I want to be transferred to a federal institution as far away as possible from Frederick Chilton. I want my books back and I want a room with a view. I'll give him valuable information, about Buffalo Bill." He closed his eyes. Clarice took the opportunity to look at his face carefully.
"So you do know him?" Hannibal Lecter ignored her question.
She sighed.
"What if Jack Crawford refuses, Dr. Lecter?" Clarice wondered. Lecter opened his eyes but did not look at her.
"Then wait until Buffalo Bill takes another," he replied.
"But-," Clarice began.
"I'm afraid that you know enough Clarice. Goodbye." Hannibal Lecter got up and dimmed the lights.
Clarice sat there for a brief moment.
"Goodbye dr. Lecter," she said to the darkness.
She got up and had one single look at the cell.
Nothing.
Clarice knew he was watching her. That's when she left the hallway and left Dr. Hannibal Lecter behind.
Hey guys GOOD NEWS: Augustus 2017 is the date that talks about Hannibal s4 will continue. It won't be the SOTL/Clarice storyline, but I'll be glad if the show just continues with the old cast. Thank you for the lovely reviews I got on Chapter 9, you are amazing.