A/N: First off, I just want to give a huge shutout to everyone that has sent me messages, favorited the story, and the support I continue to receive from you all. It really inspires me to continue writing and I am so thankful you all are enjoying it as much as I am. I know this chapter is shorter, but once again it is a set up for a much longer chapter next. So please enjoy and get ready for some more action. After all, our Clarice has to go save her husband now doesn't she?? Keep reading to find out! And as always, please leave a review. I love to read the reviews!

Chapter 22

Hannibal Lecter sat bound to a metal chair in a large empty room. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all the color of a metallic gray with very little lighting. The room was rather dark. His wrists, head, torso, thighs, legs, and ankles were firmly secured to the chair. He wore the same drab blue colored top and pants that he had worn in the insane asylum all those years ago. One man and one man alone was in the room with him, and that man was none other than Clint Pearsall. He paced back and forth, back and forth, but hadn't spoken a word. What little lighting the room had was on Dr. Lecter. His eyes followed Pearsall.

"Where is she Lecter?"

"You are going to have to be more specific than that Mr. Pearsall."

Clint jerked around and stomped his foot, it echoed loudly in the room, "Don't you dare fuck with me!!! A lot of good agents are dead because of you and your bitch! Now tell me where she is."

After that insult, Hannibal felt like he could break out of the chair and rip out Pearsall's tongue and shove it done his throat, but that was not the way. Best to remain calm.

"Still not being specific enough Clint."

Pearsall nodded in a direction behind Hannibal. A door opened and a large man came in the room carrying a water bucket and a cloth.

"You will talk Lecter, it's only a matter of time."

The man covered Hannibal's face with the cloth from behind and began pouring the water over the cloth. Hannibal's breathing became labored but his composure remained none the less. When the cloth was finally removed he felt a choking sensation and gagged.

"We can do this all day, I doubt your lungs can handle it though. Where is Clarice Starling?"

Hannibal smiled, "Oh, is that who you were talking about? I'm afraid she is dead, I killed her."

Pearsall nodded again and the man approached with the cloth and began pouring the water. Hannibal was choking again. When it was removed a second time the man put his hand a little too close to Lecter's mouth and Hannibal bit down hard tearing a chunk of flesh in the process. The man screamed and pulled back, falling onto the ground. Pearsall punched Hannibal across the jaw.

"Fucking animal! Where is Clarice Starling?"

Hannibal looked him in the eye, "Dead…I killed her."

The man on the ground stood up and brought out a gun, Pearsall grabbed the gun from him, "No you idiot we need him alive! Get out, get your hand checked."

Three more guards came rushing in, "Take Lecter to his cell where he will await for further questioning."

"Yes sir!"

Hannibal was carried away leaving Pearsall standing in the room alone. He shouted, "Bring me Agent Ardelia Mapp!"

Mapp came walking in through the door about 10 minutes later.

"Ardelia Mapp, how long have you been an agent of the FBI now?"

"Almost 11 years now sir."

Pearsall nodded, "That is a good amount of time to be serving your country, young lady. You should be proud."

Ardelia shook her head, "Fuck you Clint! Fuck you for making me watch whatever bullshit you were trying with Lecter, and fuck you for getting me involved. Will told me you were in on the whole thing!"

Pearsall approached her, "And we discovered you helped Starling escape in the first place. So what say you that we call it even? Or should I have you arrested now for assisting the escape of a wanted criminal? Where is Starling?"

Mapp looked at her feet, then back up to Pearsall, "Lecter told you didn't he? She is dead."

"Please! Why would the bait have worked then??? Lecter wouldn't come to save you! We have video footage of Clarice and Hannibal together thanks to Will. We know she is alive!"

"You don't have proof of shit."

"Tell that to the courts, you are on suspension until further notice. Turn in your badge and gun before you leave."

"Gladly. While I am at it, why don't you turn in your records of kidnapping a Federal Agent. I will be sure to tell the courts that as well."

Mapp turned on her heels and walked out of the room and down the hall. Lecter was in a cell at the very end of the hall. He was alone while the men were pulling up a van from the side door. There were ten men ready outside to transport him to a more secure location. She looked inside the cell to see that his hands were bound behind his back, his legs were shackled together, and he wore that same mask from so long ago. It was just the two of them now.

"Good evening Miss Mapp, I never got the chance to thank you for saving my life."

"Not before you saved mine Doc. I do have one question though."

Lecter walked all the way to the glass and looked at Ardelia, "Yes Miss Mapp?"

"Clarice once told me, when we lived together, that you didn't lie…that it was rude to do so and you hate the rude."

A pause.

"Continue please Ardelia."

"You told them Clarice was dead…"

"Because she is."

Ardelia blinked in confusion, "N..no she escaped I saw her."

"That woman is not Clarice Starling. Clarice Starling is dead. The woman you saw on the day of the shootout was someone far more matured and evolved. Clarice Starling did die Miss Mapp, but Clarice Lecter lives on."