Will's trip across the city had felt like an eternity.  He wondered what he would find when he arrived at the Belvedere; Clarice, perfectly fine and unharmed, wandering through the empty museum, dazed and sleepwalking, or would he find her talking with Lecter, walking through the deserted halls of the Belvedere, like some depraved beauty and the beast in her red gown, or maybe he'd find her lying on the floor between two ageless works of art, with her blood pooling around her body in the same shade as her scarlet dress, or perhaps worst of all, he wouldn't find her there at all.

And then what will you do, Will?  Wait for her to come back and pretend to ignore that she was out all night and try to follow her tomorrow night?  Sounds like a bad television show to me.  "Me, too," he said, meaning the comment for only himself.

The driver said, "Pardon, Signor?"

"Nothing," Will covered.  "How much longer?"

"Just around the corner, Signor."

Will gripped the door handle as he waited anxiously for the driver to pull up to the sidewalk in front of the Belvedere.  As soon as the car stopped, Will shoved his hand forward to hand the driver money and at the same time, pulled on the handle to get out.

The driver glared at Graham's rudeness, but took the money, and sped off as soon as the door had closed.  Graham looked up wonderingly at the impressive building, just the same as Clarice had done twenty minutes earlier, but no slamming door greeted his arrival.  No easy entrance would there be for Will Graham.

Will jogged around the building at a brisk pace.  Then he pulled out his cell phone.  Dialing quickly, he soon got an answer.  "Yes.  This is Will Graham with the American FBI.  I need to get into the Belvedere… yes, I know what time it is… yes, I know that my status with the FBI will not allow me to have a private midnight tour… yes… look, call Jack Crawford at … Hello?… Hello Captain Vella… oh, Crawford's already spoken with you… five minutes? Okay… come in an unmarked car, just you.  I don't want this to be a circus."

Will snapped the phone off with a click.  Almost instantly, it began ringing.  "Graham," he announced.

"Yeah, Will, it's Jack.  Listen, I've had a word with the Florence police and someone…"

"I know, Jack.  I just called them.  Vella said he'd be here in five minutes.  Did you tell him who we suspect is in the museum?"

"No.  No use scaring the man and alerting the press to start a panic."

"Good thinking."

There was a long pause.  "What are you planning, Will?  You won't be able to take him by yourself."
            "I'm hoping to speak to Starling's good sense, if she still has any."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Will.  I'm sure Clarice is still on our side."

"That's one of us."

"Look, Will.  She might not even be there.  He might not even be there.  It could have been some woman on her way to have an affair with someone's husband, for all we know."

"No, Jack.  There are too many coincidences.  She's here," he paused before delivering what he was sure would be a bomb for Crawford, "and he's here with her."

There was along uncomfortable silence which was only cut short by the arrival of Captain Vella.

"Signor Graham?" he said.

"Yes," Graham answered.  "Do you know anything about the museum?"

"Only that all the pieces are under tight security.  Who would be crazy enough to try to steal anything?"

"I don't think stealing is the purpose behind this.  The floors are under surveillance, then?"

"Yes, totally.  Cameras, laser beams, watchmen, the works."

"Is there any area that's not under surveillance?"

"Um… well, I'm sure there are no cameras or such in the service areas.  They take the artwork back there to refurbish it."

"How do I get into the service area?"

"There's a door to your left as soon as you enter marked 'restricted' in English.  I'll show you," he said as he fitted the key in the lock.

"No," Will said.  "I'll go in alone."

Vella looked reluctant.  "Okay, but I have to call the security guards to shut off the system."

"Yeah, okay, but then tell them to get out of there.  And avoid the service areas!"

Vella then became distracted in dialing numbers and Will took deep breaths.  Not much time left.  Twenty minutes head start, now more.  All kinds of things could have happened to her in that time.

All kinds… said that devilish voice in the back of his head.

Will practically cringed at the thought.  He tapped Vella's shoulder.

"How could someone have entered the service area?"

Vella put his hand over the mouthpiece.  "There are four service doors for the museum workers.  They must have a pass code and thumbprint identification."

"Ask if anyone reported their card missing."

Vella turned back to the phone and started to ask the question when Will tapped again.  "Ask if any of the workers didn't show up to work today."

Vella again turned back to his call, only to have Will tap again.  "Get names and addresses."

Vella started to tell the security guard when Graham went to tap yet again.  Vella grabbed his hand in the air and held it as he finished his conversation.  "Okay… yeah… alright…. They're coming down the main stairs.  The security systems have all been turned off."

"Okay.  I'm ready.  Let's just get them out first."

"Let me give you one piece of advice, Signor Graham.  Whoever it is you're trying to capture, it's obvious you know them, and they probably know you.  There are many open spaces in the museum.  Vantage points they could see you from.  I would stay near the walls, and cross those spaces as quickly as possible.  Don't give them any easy shots."

"Thank you, Captain."  Graham locked eyes with Vella.  Vella broke first, looking into the open door of the museum.

"Here, they come," he announced, as four men sprinted through the door.  "Good luck, Signor Graham."

Will only nodded, and as soon as the last man cleared the door, he ran full speed through it and then headed straight to the left, for the door Vella had described.  He fell into it hard, and then wiggled the handle open, and closed it behind him quickly.  In the darkened stairwell, he stared around him, wondering whether to go up or down.  Well, I guess it's time for Plan A… "Clarice?"