Disclaimer: Certain characters and events are "borrowed" from Red Dragon and SOTL by Thomas Harris. As for the rest, I plead "guilty" or should it be a plea of insanity? You decide. Due to the premise of the story, there is no Clarice Starling, but don't let that stop you. There is someone else from Lecter's past you will be meeting.
Author's note: The story takes place during SOTL after Lecter escapes. It follows the novel canon with some of my own deviations. This is my first fanfiction; in fact, it's the first story I've written since I was a teen, which was quite a few years ago. My head's off....er, hat's off to all of you writers of fanfiction; you've given me so much enjoyment. I want to dedicate this first story to Guber who has been a real encouragement, help and friend, and give special thanks to my friend Richard for his proofreading skills.
Only the Beginning
Part One - The Escape
Latisha Anderson breathed heavily as she stopped by the high, chain-link fence that surrounded the grounds of the elementary school her best friend attended. She had run the two blocks from the newstand to share the news she knew Sadie would want to know right away. The high school, where she was a Junior, let out 15 minutes before Sadie's school so Latisha leaned against the fence and waited, her dark brown eyes scanning the concrete schoolyard and the double doors where, any minute, a stampede of students would be emerging from the large, two-story, brown brick building.
Latisha could see her breath in the cold air. The weather was typical for February - cold, damp, with dirty patches of snow lining the city's streets and sidewalks. But it wasn't a typical day, not after what she had found out!
Latisha thought about the newspaper, if one could call it that, that she had purchased on the way here. It was in her bookbag, now dangling from her hand. Twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays, Latisha bought the Tattler for her friend. It was an arrangement that became established only two weeks after they were introduced, six months ago, through a program the schools had put together. The program called for volunteers, from the high school, to be a mentor, friend or big brother/sister to elementary students. There were requirements: no drugs, no gang affiliations, no trouble with the law, no bad rep and the volunteer must be a good student. Having two older brothers, James and Jordan, Latisha thought this would be fun - she had always wanted a sister.
That is how she met Mercedes Anne Jones. They quickly became close, good friends. It was indeed fun knowing her "sister." The Home Director, Miss Jenkins, always called her Mercy, which she hated. Sadie lived in an orphanage - The Children's Home of Chicago.
A loud bell interrupted Latisha's thoughts. It was five minutes before she saw Sadie leaving the school in a too large, red coat with the hood up but untied. Sadie immediately spotted her and began quickly walking towards her. Latisha was not allowed to go beyond the fence.
When Sadie was only a few feet away, Latisha exclaimed, "He's escaped! He's escaped!"
"Growler?" asked Sadie referring to Latisha's Rottweiler. The big, black dog looked menacing, growled a lot (hence his name), but would probably either roll over, in hopes of having his tummy scratched, or lick an intruder to death were such a thing possible. Definitely a case of a wolf in sheep's clothing in reverse! Growler also had a habit of getting loose and roaming the streets - Prowler would have been another appropriate name for him.
"With all that's been going on, he could easily be shot!" Sadie continued with concern causing red-violet lights to shine in her deep purple eyes. An outbreak of thefts, in the area, made people a little jumpy and trigger-happy. "I'll help you look for him."
"I'm not talking about Growler," her friend said as she reached in her bookbag for the paper. As she handed the Tattler to Sadie, Latisha added, "It's Lecter!"
Sadie eagerly took the paper and walked over to a long, dark green bench that was at the side of the road - it was one of many bus stops that lined the streets.
"This is so exciting! That means the other papers will have the story too."
"I was planning on getting the Trib and SunTimes for you later," Latisha sat across from Sadie on the bench.
"Thanks."
The Tattler was Sadie's favorite paper only because the other papers didn't carry any Lecter news in them, for a lack of any new developments. The Tattler wasn't so neglectful, though Sadie thought that much that was written was fictional or conjecture. She was so hungry for any mention of the notorious Dr. Hannibal Lecter, serial killer of at least nine, and cannibal, that she settled on clipping and saving articles from the Tattler.
Sadie was so grateful for Latisha's help in getting the tabloid for her. There weren't many financial opportunities for an almost-eight year old, especially with the short leash Miss Jenkins kept on her. She might as well have been incarcerated herself! Hopefully, not for much longer; at least one of them was free!
This was front page news and sure enough, there on the front page in large, bold letters, the headlines read:
Lecter Escapes, Killing Four!
Still At Large!
Sadie quickly read the story of how Lecter was transferred to Memphis to speak to Senator Martin concerning her daughter, Catherine, who had been abducted by the serial killer Buffalo Bill, who skins his victims. Sadie thought there was a significance in the fact that all the killer's victims were tall, heavy-built women. What was he doing with the skins? Sadie put aside her speculations in order to concentrate on the news.
Senator Martin was willing to cut a deal with Lecter if he would give information that would lead to the rescue of her daughter. Dr. Frederick Chilton, administrator of the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where Lecter had been incarcerated for eight years, led her to believe in this possibility. It was unclear how Chilton had known of Lecter's knowledge about Buffalo Bill, but in light of the events that took place after his arrival in Tennessee, that was glossed over by the paper.
Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the doctor gave information to F.B.I. agent Will Graham that helped in solving the case of another serial killer, known as the Tooth Fairy.
"Who comes up with these names?" Sadie thought as she briefly pondered the situation. The help Lecter gave came as a two-edged sword: aiding in the case and cutting up Will Graham's face in the bargain. Lecter had also helped the killer, identified as Frances Dolarhyde, by giving him information: Graham's home address. As a result, directly and indirectly, Lecter had Will cut up twice. The first time happened after Graham realized Dr. Lecter was the killer he had been looking for.
Latisha sat quietly, knowing how her friend liked to absorb and process information. She was fascinated by this. The conclusions Sadie reached were amazing in their accuracy.
Sadie reached the part where the doctor had killed two police officers: Boyle and Pembry. Lecter got away in an ambulance, identity mistaken for Pembry's because he had on his uniform and part of his face too. Pembry's body was found, later, on the top of an elevator. In the meantime, the ambulance never made it to the hospital.
Sadie silently put the paper in her backpack, carefully putting it between the lining so it wouldn't be found. Anything concerning Lecter, cannibals or serial killers was taken from her. In fact, her favorite t-shirt, which she decorated at school, read, "Don't say, 'Bite me,' a cannibal may be listening." Miss Jenkins was waiting at the door, which suggested that her teacher had informed her of the shirt. It was confiscated and discarded so when Sadie made another one, this time in Latisha's room, she kept it well hidden along with the album filled with articles about Dr. Hannibal Lecter. She even made a new shirt that read, "Got people?" a cannibalistic take on the popular ad "Got Milk?" They both stood up and started walking.
"He was very clever in how he got away. Gory, but clever." Sadie was thoughtful about all that she had read. "I need to get on a computer to look up some things."
"You're going to try to find him." It wasn't a question, Latisha knew how much her friend wanted an opportunity to meet the doctor. She also believed Sadie would have a good chance of succeeding in her quest, the only thing she was uncertain of was what would Sadie do when she found him and what would he do to her?!
As if sensing her friend's thoughts, Sadie said, "As far as I know, he's never harmed any women, except that nurse, or children. He's also not a sexual deviant so I should be safe. Whether or not he'd be willing to take a paternity test or have me stay with him is another story."
"I know you, girl. You bawled your head off when my hamster died," Latisha began.
"What about the roast?"
"That was already dead when you got a hold of it," Latisha reminded her.
"You know it was all for fun, I'm not planning on following 'in my father's footsteps,' if he is indeed that. There's a lot more to him anyway. He plays a lot of instruments and does superb drawings. He's a genius, very perceptive and understanding...."
"I'm sure his victims thought that. You can say some of the same things about Hitler. Don't forget his cooking talents and the ingredients he sometimes uses. This is a man who uses knives and other things to get his point across." Latisha groaned, "Listen to me, you're rubbing off on me, girl."
"You've always listened and even helped me in the past. Now I need your help even more and it sounds like you're against this whole thing." Sadie looked up to try to prevent the tears from falling down her face.
"Lecter was safely locked up at the time. With him loose, I'm really scared. Scared for you."
"I could be the best thing for him."
"Yeah, like a spin-off on your shirt....people does the body good! Or maybe you could help him get 'in touch with his feminine side.' Are you crying?" Latisha stopped and looked down at Sadie who only came up to her chest.
"This is so annoying!" Sadie angrily wiped her eyes and face with the sleeve of her coat. "What do you think he'll think about this annoying tendency of mine to cry over the most stupid things?"
Latisha briefly hugged her friend and said, "My hamster was not a stupid thing and remember, I cry during some movies too."
"During Bambi?"
"I think it's one of your more endearing traits and girl, you've got a lot of them. In fact, if Dr. Lecter has any sense of humor, I'm sure he'd enjoy having you around.....alive!"
"So I'd have to be Sheherazade to survive?" Sadie sniffed but smiled when she saw her friend's blank look at this question. "Long story. Thank God, I don't ever cry around Miss Jenkins."
"You're usually too angry or full of mischief to. I'll say this, Miss Jenkins sure has a stick up her ass! Makes her mean. Now, there's someone with no sense of humor."
They continued to walk, ignoring the traffic, and everything else around them. The buildings they passed were so close that you could shake your neighbor's hand if the windows were open.
"She sure didn't appreciate my creativity with last week's roast. Gourmet cooks do all kinds of creative things with food like cutting vegetables to look like flowers or animals. I'm sure the doctor has done similar things."
"Yeah, in his case, he did.....to a person! And I'm sure that gourmet cooks don't 'doctor' the roast to portray the 'Wound Man,'" chided Latisha, chuckling at the memory.
"Well, he is a doctor who cooks," Sadie laughed. At that moment, she pictured an operating room with Dr. Lecter in a surgical mask with a nurse and two assistants.
"Scalpel....spatula," the doctor ordered, "Oh, nurse, heat up the butter, if you please."
As a sizzling sound could be heard, one of the assistants asked, "What will it be today, doctor?"
"I think a salmagundi would be good. Variety is the spice of life."
Sadie felt much better. The situation was serious enough. As far as Sadie could tell, Dr. Hannibal Lecter didn't know about her, but she was hoping that his escape would provide better opportunities to remedy that. Her two letters to the doctor hadn't produced any results. The Tattler said he corresponded with a number of people, was even published in psychiatric journals and cookbooks. Either he never received the mail or didn't take her seriously. She had been five years old when she wrote the letters and sent them to Baltimore. Sadie didn't want to be a pest, so when she didn't receive anything in return, she stopped the letter campaign. She knew they weren't intercepted by Miss Jenkins because she had "obtained" a post office box for that very purpose. Sadie was able to keep it for a year until a closer look at the financial records showed a certain post office box that was being financed by CHC. That resulted in stronger locks and bars on the windows of the office. Thankfully, Miss Jenkins didn't realize that all Sadie needed was a computer with a modem, and better yet, with internet access. She could get around the 'security measures' electronically from another building - usually the library. The password had even remained the same, two years later.
It was mainly through a 'visit' to the main office at CHC, when Sadie was 5, that she became privy to information in her file. She learned her mother's name was Rachel, who delivered and abandoned her at the Community Memorial Hospital. Her mother didn't even give her a name. A nurse, who had a hankering for a luxury car, named her. Rachel had taken advantage of the three-day window of opportunity, the state gave mothers who did not want their babies. Within three days of birth, a mother can drop off her newborn at a church, hospital, police or fire station, with no legal consequences for her choice. This was passed in the hopes of decreasing the number of babies being found in trash cans or dying of exposure in alleys; for that a mother can be punished. In Sadie's case, Rachel had delivered her then left the hospital the next day. When questioned, the attending nurse was only able to provide the absent mother's first name.
As a result, after reading the file, Sadie focused her attention on finding her father. As far as she was concerned, Lecter was it! Of course, Sadie didn't just randomly pick him. She had given the matter extensive thought and research. In fact, there was another, less-likely candidate: Peter Daniels, an accountant who resided in Michigan. The timing and circumstances fit Lecter much better. Her age put her conception prior to the Lecter trial and his subsequent life sentence to be served in Baltimore. Sadie imagined that was probably why her mother abandoned her - it made sense. Daniels was married to Sarah, had two children and a history of infidelity.
In addition, there was the speculation, the overheard conversations and even comments made to her face. Sadie enjoyed encouraging and reinforcing those opinions that she may be Lecter's daughter. It had kept her an orphan, in the system, the same system that had held Dr. Lecter. The pleasure she took in identifying with Lecter sometimes caused problems, especially with her tormentor Miss Jenkins, who went out of her way to keep Sadie "in line." That, of course, made Sadie want to have even more "fun."
They both stopped at the corner, knowing that this is where they'd be going their own separate ways.
"Latisha," Sadie said as she removed her white, left mitten, "Would you have your mother clear things with Miss Jenkins for a weekend visit with your family?"
Latisha took off her blue, left glove, which matched her coat, answering, "Sure. Just don't go playing with the food so you won't get grounded again. Now give me five with interest." Her hand met a six-fingered hand in the air.