Chapter 2: Vengeance -
A now Ex Agent Clarice Starling whom had been hanging low the last seven months, jogged down the long path that she so often used as a track. Now working as a secretary for the local criminal justice courts, she had plenty of time to jog. Though she had no hard feelings for Pearsall's decision to let her go, it was hard seeing his face everyday at work.
She jogged harder.
The phone rang four times before the answering machine took over. A frustrated Pearsall growled as he heard Clarice's recorded voice.
"Clarice." His voice was stern. "Clarice are you there? I hope for your sake you are. It's Pearsall, listen to me. Matthew Carter was accidentally released from prison this morning and has already killed someone. Nobody knows of his whereabouts. Clarice..." He paused a moment and sighed. "We have reason to believe he might be after you. If you would like we can hold you in protective custody until he is captured. If not..." he paused again. "Just be careful."
The machine clicked off.
"We have breaking news for you this afternoon," The eleven o'clock news started with it's opening line. "At nine am this morning a convicted Serial Killer by the name of Matthew Carter shown here," A picture of a middle aged man with evil eyes and a clean shaven appearance crossed the screen. "Was accidentally released from prison when a security officer mixed up the papers for a scheduled release of a man serving five years for domestic violence. You may remember Matthew Carter from five years ago, caught by this woman, Ex Special Agent Clarice Starling of the FBI and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Officers say Matthew walked out of the West Madison Prison, killing a security officer and stole a visitor's car. He is considered armed and very dangerous." The television, which was in a relativly nice hotel room, clicked off.
Clarice was lost in thought as she continued jogging. She couldn't get the night at Krendler's summer house out of her mind. The way Dr. Lecter was that night. Both amiable and malicious all at once. The look in Dr. Lecter's eyes, how the meaning of his words pierced her heart and how his kiss had been full of passion.
Something was different in the air, the sound of someone else jogging behind her. Clarice casually looked behind her but nobody was there. She had been in that situation before, thinking someone had been following her and when she went to look there was nobody around. Was she it all an hallucination or was she merely going insane? She decided that a break would suit her well and she stopped beside the rest rooms that was just off the path. She leaned down over the water fountain and quickly indulged in the cool wetness.
Someone was standing directly behind her.
He quickly dunked behind the building when he saw her turn. The woman was fast and smart, just like he had remembered her to be. She had to have been in order for her to have caught him. She would get what she had coming to her though, Matthew had dreamed of the day that he would kill Clarice slowly. He would take great pleasure in watching her suffer. Just like he had suffered inside all his life. He could very well take her right now and get it over with. But now wasn't the right time. In daylight...it would be too risky. He would wait until this evening where he would drag her back to the park's clubhouse. He had killed in a clubhouse before back in Montana and he doubted if anyone would have the brains to look for him in one. He smirked to himself as he headed back for the car. Yes, he had everything planned.