Disclaimer: I don't own "Hannibal" or any of the books by Thomas Harris. I don't own the characters such as Hannibal nor Clarice (but I have them in my closet /grins/)
A/N Yep I'm still alive , sorry guys :)My sis has finally finished her diploma thesis and she did it quite well :) Now she's an English teacher at the primary school. Poor kids ;) About this chapter…well I'm really sorry for such a long delay. School is killing me. But I'm here and I hope you'll forgive me and you'll review just like you did last time. Thank you again my sweet readers for patience. Is this chapter long enough to satisfy you? Let this be an apologize :) Lecterclaricelover, Katherine- thank you very much for a review, I luvv you /hugs/
Chapter 11: The Escape
When he looked at her scars he blinked few times and said.
"You think that he..?"
"No. Well, I don't know. I was just trying to show you that maybe he is in pain too."
"Oh my." he said with fake tone of worry and returned to his map completely ignoring Holly's look of hurt.
Melissa enjoyed very much her state of daydreaming but dr. Brown's visit woke her up abruptly. She wasn't really paying attention to his words but his pale face and a scent of blood alarmed her.
Oh my God! What's wrong with this guy? I was so happy when he wasn't here. I wonder what happened. Usually he stinks with soap but now it seems that he forgot to wash himself. Is it even possible? He is so getting on my nerves. Clearly father didn't enjoy his company either. I remember when I was little and I overheard a conversation between my parents about a doctor who was crying after visiting my father. Well, obviously Brown has all the limbs, muscles and organs so maybe father did something to him mentally. Oh goody goody.
"Good evening little one." he started with his sweetest voice " How are you feeling? I hope that pills are helping. You should smile more often. You're safe here. Your father is locked far away from you. I gave him your letter. He seems to be a gentleman but he's not a professional psychiatrist. Few minutes of a little chat and I already knew that I'm speaking with an impostor. A good one I must admit but still an impostor. It's so sad that people are thinking of him as an authority on human mind."
His disgusted face was a mask under which Mel could clearly see fear, rage and hurt proud. Smiling inwardly but pretending to show understanding she said.
"You're probably right. You gave him my letter. Did he say something? Anything? How did he react?"
He shivered at the memory of his conversation with Dr. Lecter and swallowed hard before answering.
"I heard he despise rudeness. What an irony! I know that you're in great pain and you should care about his words. He just wants you to suffer."
"Can you please just say it! I'll be perfectly fine." she hissed but he seemed to be too busy with his bad memories to care.
"He said something about him waiting for you if you want something from him. Ruthless as ever. Simply a monster. " he spat and absently rubbed at his forearms covered with still fresh wounds. Mel noticed his movements and recognized the scent of bandages and blood. She couldn't ask him about it because a nurse entered the room saying something about an urgent telephone. Again alone with her heart thumping like a drum she thought about things dr. Brown said. Her father was waiting for her. Was it an invitation? An invitation for what? Adrenaline was bumping through her veins violently. Was it a call for help? Or maybe for a game? "That's it!" she thought and began to scan the room for something that could help her with escaping. Was it a test for her? The final exam before adulthood? The room wasn't any help. She had to act quickly. Matt was away, her parents were away. Behind her bed in the darkest corner stood a figure from her dreams. Her strength, her curse. She was now petrified of what he was capable of but at the same time attracted. There was no time left for fear. She tried to call the nurse but for a long moment nobody was coming. Were they too busy? Finally somebody came. He was visibly in a great hurry.
"What!"
"I…. well…. I've got a headache. Can a have an Aspirin or a medicine of some sort?'' she said in a small voice.
"I'm too busy. Just go to sleep and don't bother me. We're waiting for a new patient. " said the nurse and hurriedly left the room.
New patient. That was a great opportunity. Mel sat on her bed and began to bring back all her memories and everything Matt said her about this building. Her room was situated on a second ground, isolated from other rooms by huge laboratory and a security room. There was no need for any special protection. Drugs made all the patients numb or meek. Two bodyguards were staying in the security room. There were supposed to patrol the floor but usually they were playing cards or watching porn movies. Only guards outside the building were real trouble. Deterrent for strangers, media, visitors. Melissa looked at the big watch on the wall. It was secured behind a solid nylon net. Matt would come for her at 4 or 5 pm. At this hour it was quiet and safe enough to talk in her room longer then usually. But it was too late for her to wait. She had to act quickly. When she called for somebody a nurse came after a while. This meant that there were no guards in the security room at the moment. The doors were closed on a simple lock. With something thin and sharp she would be able to force them open. Finding something like that in her room was nearly impossible but she had a small wire from Trevor, hided in her gown. It wasn't a weapon but when needed it could be really useful. For cutting your wrists when you're in deep trouble or for opening locked doors. She picked the second choice and soon was panting slightly in the security room. From this place she could see almost all the rooms and the outsides. Bodyguards were talking with nurses in the staff room. Everybody were wrapped up in preparations for the arrival of the newest patient. On the second floor only few nurses were busy with the patients. She searched the room but found no guns. The laboratory was empty. Lights were dimmed but she easily found a big metallic table with many medical items. This was simply heaven. A small smirk crossed her face when she touched the scalpel. But that could be not enough so she opened few cupboards and searched through all the medicaments. All the designations were clear to her. She mixed them professionally and made a very dangerous poison. Depending on the dose it could make somebody sleep for few hours or sleep forever. She filled the syringe with it and made her way through corridor. Quiet like a thief she managed to come near the elevator. The elevator opened and they went to the security room chatting about nothing in particular . She was hided behind the corner and after they left the elevator she swiftly entered it without a sound, like a shadow. The doors closed behind her. Panting heavily she seated herself in the opposite of the doors. "Ground floor" she said and the elevator thanked her with mechanical voice. This was completely insane. How possibly she could escape with only a scalpel and a syringe? Lost in her thoughts she didn't notice when the elevator informed her about the first floor. When she finally noted it, it was too late. The doors opened before she could hide somewhere. Her eyes met his eyes. She acted instinctively by pulling him by his coat inside the elevator. Doors closed and nobody noticed dr. Brown's sudden disappearance.
"What the..!" he started but she cut him off by a simple punch in his lower abdomen. He fell on his knees and spat some blood.
"Shut up and listen! I'll kill you if you try to stop me. I need to get out of here. You are expecting a new patient arrival this night. Are you to take care of him?"
"You're not gonna get away from here so easily. There are many guards and…"
"Just fucking answer the question!" she screamed losing her control.
"No. I was going to my office to take some notes. The new patient will just be secured for the night. Tomorrow I will check on him. It's too late. I was planning to go home."
"Fantastic. You're gonna help me with escape. But if you try any trick on me I swear I'll made a salad out of you!".
Doors opened again and she quickly stood next to him with her weapons hided in her hands, inside the sleeves.
"Take me to your car . Say to the guards that you're taking me home for .. I don't know. Think of something. Your life depends on that." she whispered and he gulped but headed to the main doors.
Mel was pretending to be completely drugged with slightly open lips and inexact look. Few nurses were slightly surprised but for Mel's luck dr. Brown's escapades with female patients weren't something rare. He liked to have some good fun with them alone. Entertain himself. Guards were more suspicious.
"Good evening dr. Brown. Are you okay? You look pale? Is something wrong?"
"Just open those damn gates you moron!" he yelled impatiently and gritted his teeth. One mistake and a scalpel would make him really sorry. A really dirty and definitely not disinfected scalpel. They headed to dr. Brown's car. She was almost free. Her heart was almost escaping from her chest.
"Now what?" he asked fearfully.
"Just drive"
Dr. Brown's mind was working desperately. "I could provide an accident. Take away her scalpel. She's just a little scared girl after all! Yeah, right. A little scared sadistic girl. Terrific. I must to something! This monster mustn't be on the loose! God I cannot think properly. My head is spinning furiously. What the fuck is wrong with me? I hardly can breathe! This pain in me is rising. Is it possible that…?" he thought. It was almost midnight. Melissa tried to remember where Trevor's motel is. It should be not far away from the hospital. A half an hour of driving. Nice occasion for a little chat.
"Do you know how much time is left for the execution?"
"No, I don't. I think they don't know it too. It's a matter of few days."
"How did you enjoy your conversation with my father? He can be such a nice man if he want to "
"That's for sure. So tell me was it a code of some kind? I must admit I didn't know you're such a good actor. "
"It was easy. A little story about butterfly from my childhood. Now it's not important."
"You're planning to help your parents with escaping? What about your brother?"
"Non of your business" she answered icily. He instantly knew that he hit the right spot.
"Maybe not but are you not interested about revenge? He betrayed you. And you trusted him so much."
"Shut up! You know nothing. Just shut up and drive. "
Sudden pain made him grip his throat. He stopped the car.
"What's wrong with you!"
She knew he wasn't simulating. He was too afraid to do so.
"What time is it?" he asked coughing violently with blood. She looked at his watch lying in the compartment.
"Midnight in two minutes. Why are you asking? Do you need a medicine?"
"So it must have been truth. Your father.. he did something to me. He said I'm gonna die at midnight. I thought it was impossible. I beg you, help me.. I don't want to die.."
Mel was totally shocked. Was it possible? Her father was a genius but was it really achievable? Human mind can be easily deceived but killing himself by manipulating his mind and body? It isn't a suicide. His body was killing itself against human's will but not against human's subconscious. This could help her.
"Now listen very carefully. I can help you, I can manipulate this ..disease. You just have to do what I'll tell you."
"I'll do whatever you want.. I swear on my mother's grave I swear just save me!" his cries made her sick. She took his hand and cut the skin on his forearm ignoring his screams.
"All the bacteria and viruses are flowing out of your body from this wound. You are clean now, safe. Do you hear me? Can you feel it? Look at me! Can you feel it!"
He saw her eyes shining with some kinda power in the dark of the car.
"Yes, I can feel it. It's.. wonderful."
"Look at your watch. What time is it?" he moved his sore eyes at the watch she was holding now.
"It's 3 minutes after midnight…I'm still alive."
"Yes but I can kill you at any second. I have the same power as my father. Now you're gonna drive with me and then you'll do all that I say and you'll stay alive. Is it clear?"
"Yes, I swore you that already."
"Good boy" she smiled and bandaged his wound. "What a naïve idiot" shethought to herself.
Dr. Brown started the car again. An ambulance with a new patient passed by but they didn't care about it. The mental hospital greeted the new patient with a straitjacket and more injections. Two nurses were looking at him with a great interest.
"Such a young boy. I wonder why he did it? He looks quite normal to me."
"Most of them seems normal but then BANG something like this happens. "
"He could at least shoot himself. That's less painful than hanging."
"Dr. Brown has more painful experiments for him."
"You think about this new program?"
"Yeah, electroshocks. Old methods as the newest way to cure the toughest cases."
"Poor kiddo."
"Don't forget about his father."
"You're right but still I will pity him. He looks so angelic while sleeping like this. Just like his twin sister"