Ch. 1: The Case
Clarice Starling brushed her fiery hair into a simply ponytail. There was no time for extravagance today. She had been assigned the hottest case the bureau had yet received. She added simple silver studs to her delicate ear lobes. Starling glanced at her reflection and caught herself smiling, the first real smile since she had last seen him. She was glad she finally had a case, a hot one at that. So long the bureau had pushed her aside, so long had she been forgotten. The paperwork she suffocated in after the Chesapeake incident left her disenheartened with the bureau. Crawford finally gave her the credit that should never have been taken away, with out apology for Starling's rejection. Her so-called love, the FBI, cast her aside for an alleged affair with a killer.
Clarice finished her outfit with a light jean jacket and stepped outside with a
sense of renewed passion. She was back on the case that made her famous, that of her only true confidant, Hannibal Lecter. Or so the bureau thought...
Starling brushed into the office, straight to Crawford's for briefing on her new assignment. Though she was careful to avoid his eyes, Paul Krendler stopped her.
"Where are you off to Starling?"
"To see Crawford, if'll you'll excuse me..."
With one sly move Krendler was upon her, trapping her against the wall. His hand slowly moved up the side of her thigh, migrating north toward her breast. "You know you're only on this case for media, Starling. You aren't an agent anymore. You're just common country p- - - - that Crawford keeps around to get off."
Clarice held his glare. "If you don't mind Mr. Krendler, I have business to take care of."
Krendler stepped away from Starling, but not before popping her on her backside. Starling hurriedly straightened herself and walked into Crawford's office.
Crawford visably brightened when she entered his room. "Please Starling, sit. We have a good deal of information to cover in only 10 minutes."
Though he tried hard to conceal his wandering eyes, Clarice saw how they wandered lazily over her endlessly well-shaped legs. He saw her eyes follow his own and decided he had better get his mind on the task at hand.
"OK Starling, listen up. You were put on this case because we believe this is Lecter's handiwork, and you have experience with him. We have two victims so far: one teenage male and one adult female. The male was found in an alley on 15th Street one week ago. They guy who found him though the kid was sleeping until he shook his arm. When his coat fell open, Starling, his chest was revealed to be sunken. It had been opened and closed with the precision of a surgeon. His heart had been carefull removed and has yet to be found. We think it's Lector because though his chest was neat, his shoulder was torn apart. Forensics has the results stating human teeth as cause of shoulder wounds. Finally there was a word carved into said victim's back, the word "Je". We are, needless to say, confused, as Lecter has never carved or written anything on his victims before."
"The next victim was found last night three alleys away from the boy. Her face was totally destroyed, so we IDed her with dentals. She layed out in a ... provocative position, Starling, but without signs of molestation. On her back, we found the word 't'aime'. Forensics put the pieces together and found out that 'Je t'aime' is french for 'I love you'. Starling, I don't mean to alarm you, but I think Lecter is trying to send you a message. I'm sure you remember your interlude in Chesapeake. After no contact with you for the past five years, he must be trying to lure you in again. That's why you are on this case. He will no doubt try to see you, and since he won't hurt you, this can be a quick capture. He will record all calls you receive, and if he makes contact, you will have backup at your disposal. Questions so far?"
"No Mr. Crawford."
"Good... Tomorrow you are flying to Paris, France, where some of our contacts will fill you in on information and sightings. I didn't tell you this Clarice, but Lecter has been seen in that area... Anyway, you have the rest of the day to pack and arrange your affairs."
"Thank you Mr. Crawford. I'm glad to be on a case again."
"No thanks needed Starling. We're all glad you're back."
As Clarice left Crawford's office, she couldn't help but wonder if she ever left.
****Author note! OK, I hope you guys enjoy this so far. I will have Ch. 2 up by the end of the week, so please review!!!
Clarice Starling brushed her fiery hair into a simply ponytail. There was no time for extravagance today. She had been assigned the hottest case the bureau had yet received. She added simple silver studs to her delicate ear lobes. Starling glanced at her reflection and caught herself smiling, the first real smile since she had last seen him. She was glad she finally had a case, a hot one at that. So long the bureau had pushed her aside, so long had she been forgotten. The paperwork she suffocated in after the Chesapeake incident left her disenheartened with the bureau. Crawford finally gave her the credit that should never have been taken away, with out apology for Starling's rejection. Her so-called love, the FBI, cast her aside for an alleged affair with a killer.
Clarice finished her outfit with a light jean jacket and stepped outside with a
sense of renewed passion. She was back on the case that made her famous, that of her only true confidant, Hannibal Lecter. Or so the bureau thought...
Starling brushed into the office, straight to Crawford's for briefing on her new assignment. Though she was careful to avoid his eyes, Paul Krendler stopped her.
"Where are you off to Starling?"
"To see Crawford, if'll you'll excuse me..."
With one sly move Krendler was upon her, trapping her against the wall. His hand slowly moved up the side of her thigh, migrating north toward her breast. "You know you're only on this case for media, Starling. You aren't an agent anymore. You're just common country p- - - - that Crawford keeps around to get off."
Clarice held his glare. "If you don't mind Mr. Krendler, I have business to take care of."
Krendler stepped away from Starling, but not before popping her on her backside. Starling hurriedly straightened herself and walked into Crawford's office.
Crawford visably brightened when she entered his room. "Please Starling, sit. We have a good deal of information to cover in only 10 minutes."
Though he tried hard to conceal his wandering eyes, Clarice saw how they wandered lazily over her endlessly well-shaped legs. He saw her eyes follow his own and decided he had better get his mind on the task at hand.
"OK Starling, listen up. You were put on this case because we believe this is Lecter's handiwork, and you have experience with him. We have two victims so far: one teenage male and one adult female. The male was found in an alley on 15th Street one week ago. They guy who found him though the kid was sleeping until he shook his arm. When his coat fell open, Starling, his chest was revealed to be sunken. It had been opened and closed with the precision of a surgeon. His heart had been carefull removed and has yet to be found. We think it's Lector because though his chest was neat, his shoulder was torn apart. Forensics has the results stating human teeth as cause of shoulder wounds. Finally there was a word carved into said victim's back, the word "Je". We are, needless to say, confused, as Lecter has never carved or written anything on his victims before."
"The next victim was found last night three alleys away from the boy. Her face was totally destroyed, so we IDed her with dentals. She layed out in a ... provocative position, Starling, but without signs of molestation. On her back, we found the word 't'aime'. Forensics put the pieces together and found out that 'Je t'aime' is french for 'I love you'. Starling, I don't mean to alarm you, but I think Lecter is trying to send you a message. I'm sure you remember your interlude in Chesapeake. After no contact with you for the past five years, he must be trying to lure you in again. That's why you are on this case. He will no doubt try to see you, and since he won't hurt you, this can be a quick capture. He will record all calls you receive, and if he makes contact, you will have backup at your disposal. Questions so far?"
"No Mr. Crawford."
"Good... Tomorrow you are flying to Paris, France, where some of our contacts will fill you in on information and sightings. I didn't tell you this Clarice, but Lecter has been seen in that area... Anyway, you have the rest of the day to pack and arrange your affairs."
"Thank you Mr. Crawford. I'm glad to be on a case again."
"No thanks needed Starling. We're all glad you're back."
As Clarice left Crawford's office, she couldn't help but wonder if she ever left.
****Author note! OK, I hope you guys enjoy this so far. I will have Ch. 2 up by the end of the week, so please review!!!
