Pain was the first thing Krissy felt as she woke. Her hand twitched as she felt a shooting sensation radiating up her forearm, causing her eyes to slowly flutter open. She could hear soft footsteps from nearby as if the person in the room was trying not to disturb her. Her vision was blurred at first, only able to make out what appeared to be an IV attached to her arm. Krissy tried to move her arms, wanting to push away some hair that had fallen into her eyes, when she realised she couldn't. Her forehead wrinkled as she looked down to find her arms tied with rope to the chair she was sitting on, as her memories slowly came back to her.
Hannibal.
As if he could hear her inner thoughts, the man in question came into view, a small smile playing on his lips. Krissy stared up at him in horror as she realised her legs were all restrained, tied to the legs of the chair. She couldn't move.
"Good morning" Hannibal greeted, pleasantly.
Krissy gave no reply, instead opting to strain against the ropes that held her in place, gritting her teeth as pain bloomed in her arm. She could now make out a bandage covering most of her left forearm, remembering how Hannibal had burnt her. When the restraints showed no sign of weakening, she resorted to thrashing around in the chair, growing more desperate. Krissy had no desire to find out what Hannibal had planned for her.
"I must insist you stop, Krissy. I would hate for you to bring yourself to further harm" Hannibal told her.
"You're the one who attacked me" Krissy spat out, still straining against the ropes.
"After I was threatened with a gun" Hannibal clarified, making Krissy scoff.
Something told her that she was the only one who had been in any danger in Hannibal Lecter's home. Krissy's eyes darted around the dark room she now found herself in, spotting stairs leading up to what looked a cellar door. There was very little in the room, only a few metal shelves, some bottled water, and a tub of chemicals by Hannibal's feet. She strained to look behind the chair, just able to make out a large metal door, which would likely lead deeper into the cellar. There was another small door to her left, revealing a basin inside, which she guessed was a bathroom. But there was no sign of Will anywhere. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
"Where's Will?" Krissy asked, after a few moments of being lost in deep thought.
"Not here" Hannibal retorted, vaguely.
"What did you do to him?" Krissy pushed, as Hannibal came to stand in front of her.
"I merely nudged Will in the right direction. As I have done to you" Hannibal informed her.
"If you've hurt him—" Krissy began, but was quickly cut off by Hannibal.
"He has been in hospital. Treated for a fever that led to a mild seizure. He was discharged yesterday" Hannibal went on, watching as Krissy's shoulders slumped in relief.
Will was safe. Hannibal had no reason to lie. But it led to the question, why had Hannibal let him go? Before Krissy could think too much into it, another realisation hit her, causing her heart to quicken.
"How long have I been here?" Krissy inquired, not sure if she wanted the answer.
"Four days" Hannibal replied, simply.
Krissy's eyes went wide, as she tried to process the information. She had already been missing for four days and hadn't been found? She looked up at the IV drip running and realised it was a sodium lactate compound. Her eyes flickered down to her other arm, finding her inner arm was bruised, most of the veins seeming blown. Hannibal had been taking her blood and keeping her well hydrated. He wanted her alive. That was something.
"Why have you been taking my blood?" Krissy frowned, as Hannibal pursed his lips.
"Are you in any pain?" Hannibal inquired, completely disregarding her question.
"No" Krissy shook her head, despite still feeling the stinging pain in her wrist.
She tensed as Hannibal took a step closer to her, flinching when his fingers touched the rope tied to her injured limb. Krissy's frown grew as Hannibal began to undo the tight knot until her arm was completely free from the bindings. He took her hand in his own, bending her joint gently, hearing the way she hissed through her teeth, feeling pain shoot up her arm.
"I don't appreciate being lied to, Krissy" Hannibal complained, after making a tutting sound.
Krissy's heart thumped loudly in her chest, as she realised the opportunity she had been given. She may have only had one hand free, but that was all she needed. Her hand quickly shot out, grabbing Hannibal's neck, her fingernails biting into the delicate skin there. Hannibal's movements stilled instantly, but his face gave no inkling of emotion. Krissy pressed tighter against his neck, causing Hannibal to let out a choking sound, but he made no move to push her away. Instead, his lips spread into a smile, seeming far too pleased with himself. Krissy saw him pull something out of his trouser pocket, holding it up for her to see. It was a tiny electronic device of some sort, silver in colour, that blinked a green colour every few seconds. Hannibal's eyes then flickered down to her leg, as she followed his gaze. It was then that she spotted a black electronic tag wrapped around her ankle, with the same green light blinking every few seconds.
"What is this?" Krissy exclaimed, pressing further against his windpipe.
"A…necessary deterrent" Hannibal choked out, his thumb brushing against a button on the device.
With a snarl, Krissy realised Hannibal had once again got the upper hand, and pushed him away, releasing her grip on his neck. Hannibal chuckled lightly, as he straightened out his tie, brushing away a speck of blood on his neck, where her nails had cut into his skin. He seemed far too happy for Krissy's liking.
"What do you mean by deterrent?" Krissy pushed.
"As well as being able to track your every move, this device can also deliver a non-fatal electric pulse to incapacitate its wearer" Hannibal explained, as Krissy gave him a look of disbelief.
"You…you've given me a shock collar?!" Krissy cried, angrily.
"In simple terms…yes" Hannibal replied.
"I took you for a lot of things, Doctor Lecter, but a coward wasn't one of them" Krissy exclaimed, watching Hannibal's jaw tense.
It was good to know her words were still able to penetrate through his human veil, no matter how hopeless the situation was. If Hannibal was going to kill her, she wanted to make sure she had the last laugh.
"I know better than to underestimate you. I have seen you fight close up now, and while it may have been a rather exhilarating encounter, I believe we both need time to recuperate" Hannibal explained.
"Couldn't you at least let me get a rise out of you just once before I die?" Krissy scoffed, as Hannibal gave her a fond smile.
"I have no plans to kill you, Krissy" Hannibal told her, reaching out to begin untying her other wrist.
"Do you understand your current situation?" Hannibal asked, a moment later.
"If you're asking whether I plan to strangle you again…not today" Krissy muttered, as Hannibal nodded, before kneeling in front of her.
"You will need to be careful when you stand, some of the sedatives may still be in your system" Hannibal advised, beginning to untie her ankles, not missing how she flinched when his fingers brushed against her skin.
"Would you like to use the bathroom?" Hannibal inquired, as she nodded quickly.
The moment all her limbs were free, Krissy instantly felt calmer, hating being restrained in such a way. She looked down at her other ankle, remembering how Hannibal had cut her, finding a large bandage covering the wound. She jumped a little when Hannibal's hands then reached out to remove the drip still attached to her arm, standing up to hang the tubing against the bag of fluids. Krissy took the killer's advice and stood up slowly, feeling a wave of dizziness hit her. She took a step forward, but almost fell to her knees when her injured ankle wouldn't take her weight. Without thinking, she reached out to grab the closest thing to her, which happened to be the collar of Hannibal's shirt. His hands were instantly on her arms, helping to steady her, as he stepped closer.
"Do you require some assistance?" Hannibal offered, as Krissy realised she was still gripping onto his collar.
"No" She retorted, shrugging his hands away from her.
Assuming the small door she had seen earlier led to the bathroom, she started to hobble towards the doorway, as Hannibal followed her. He stayed close to her side at all times, his hands held out as if he was ready to catch her if she were to fall. Krissy held on tightly to the doorframe once she reached the bathroom, her forehead wrinkling when she saw what was inside. A toothbrush, toothpaste, towels…even clothes. She did a doubletake as she reached out to pick up a plaid-shirt, thinking it was one of her own, but soon realised it was only a similar design. How long had Hannibal been planning this?
"I believe you will find everything you need. I must insist you keep this door open" Hannibal told her, making Krissy scoff.
"I already told you, I'm not planning any sneak attacks" Krissy insisted.
"I ask this for your own safety, not my own" Hannibal replied, before he stepped out of the room, as she heard his footsteps stop not far away.
The message was clear. Hannibal suspected she could try harming herself in a bid to escape whatever he had planned. The idea was becoming more attractive by the second, as she wondered how difficult it would be to choke on her own tongue. Brushing the thoughts away, she was hit with the realisation that she was in desperate need to empty her bladder. She thought of how she would often keep an eye on her patients in the bathroom, in fear of them falling and felt a pang of sympathy now. It wasn't very nice when the tables were turned. There was a bathtub and a shower in the bathroom, but she certainly wasn't in the mood for a long soak. The whole bathroom had the same elegance as Hannibal's home, making her wonder if she was in some secret room that he hid away. If that were the case, her escape would be easier. Hannibal's neighbours were close by, she just had to bide her time. She took a second look at the clothes that were stacked on a nearby stool, finding that they were all new, with the labels still attached. She tried not to think too much about the fact that the underwear he had bought was her exact size. Underneath the clothes, were plastic covers to protect the numerous bandages on her body and the ankle tag. She didn't want to find out what would happen if the device short-circuited. Krissy's eyes flickered to the still-open doorway as she pulled her shirt over her head, grabbing one of the large towels to cover herself as she pulled off the rest of the clothes. Hannibal had always portrayed himself as a gentleman, but how much of that was part of his mask? Her shower was very quick, as her eyes continuously darted towards the doorway, only to be obscured by her tears after a few minutes. She ran a hand through her wet hair as she took a few deep breaths, feeling her bottom lip wobble. She couldn't afford to be weak. Not now.
She pulled on her new clothes before her skin had even had a chance to dry, feeling vulnerable in only the towel. Once she was fully dressed, she walked over to the basin and began to brush her teeth, hating how normal the task felt. She grimaced when she realised that Hannibal seemed to somehow know what brand of toothpaste she used. It was then that it hit her. The time that the Chesapeake Ripper had snuck into Jack's home while she had been sleeping, how he had taken some items from her room…it had been Hannibal all along.
With new anger bubbling up inside her, Krissy limped out of the room, searching for Hannibal, jumping when she found him standing silently on the other side of the doorframe. He tilted his head when he noticed the expression on her face.
"You've been playing me all along. You knew that I wouldn't want to stay at my Dad's after the Ripper had been there…you wanted me to move out. To drive a wedge between us" Krissy realised.
"Your father has held you back. You have already progressed quickly in his absence" Hannibal suggested.
"Progressed towards what?" Krissy frowned, as Hannibal's eyes flickered towards her bandaged wrist.
"Your bandage will need re-dressing" Hannibal told her, seeing how the water had soaked into the white material.
"It's fine. What do you mean—" Krissy began, but Hannibal cut her off.
"Please have a seat. I will grab the necessary materials" Hannibal insisted, gesturing towards the wooden chair she had been sitting on.
With a huff, Krissy did as she was told, knowing better than to argue with the older man. She turned in the seat to see him opening the metal door on the other side of the room, coming back a few minutes later with a trolley.
"Would you like any analgesia?" Hannibal inquired, setting out the different packs of medical supplies on the top shelf of the trolley.
"No" Krissy replied.
"It will hurt" Hannibal pointed out.
"I'll grit my teeth and bear it" Krissy retorted, as Hannibal nodded, opening a pack of gauze.
"I can do it myself" Krissy argued, when he donned a pair of sterile gloves.
"Do you doubt my bandaging abilities?" Hannibal smiled, amused.
"I simply don't want to be touched by the person who caused the injury" Krissy muttered, as Hannibal set out a sheet of sterile paper on top of the trolley.
"Noted" Hannibal exclaimed, taking her hand in his, nonetheless.
The procedure was done quickly and effectively, with far more gentleness than Krissy had been expecting. The burn was mostly superficial, but it still stung as Hannibal cleaned the skin around it. She refused to let out so much as a whimper as he re-dressed the wound, despite the pain that shoot up her arm. Hannibal seemed pleased with her silence, as he taped the bandage together.
"I have always admired your strength, Krissy. Even before I knew you" Hannibal admitted, as Krissy pulled her hand away.
"So, it's true? You knew who I was when we first met?" Krissy asked, watching Hannibal nod.
"Of course. You were just as I had hoped. Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent underneath" Hannibal went on, his tone almost fond.
"I'm not in the mood for riddles, Doctor Lecter. How long are you planning on keeping me down here?" Krissy insisted.
"As long as is needed until I can trust you, and vice versa" Hannibal informed her.
"So, never then?" Krissy scoffed.
"I know this may be hard to believe in your current situation, but I have always had your best interests at heart, Krissy" Hannibal told her, as he reached out to grab one of the discarded ropes.
"You're right, I do find that hard to believe" Krissy rolled her eyes.
"I will be away for the rest of the day. I must ask for you to be restrained once again" Hannibal explained, watching as Krissy's eye twitched.
"And if I refuse?" Krissy questioned.
"I would rather not use force, but if the situation demands it, I will" Hannibal replied.
Krissy looked down at her burnt wrist and thought of the way her entire body ached, the bruises from their fight still blooming. With a long sigh, she offered out her arm a second later. Hannibal smiled at this action and began to tie her back to the chair, making sure the bindings would hold. Just as he went to reconnect her drip, a question came to the forefront of Krissy's mind again.
"Why are you taking my blood?" Krissy asked, as Hannibal mulled over her question.
"All in good time" He exclaimed, letting his fingers linger on her arm for a few seconds, before walking away, leaving Krissy alone with her thoughts.
Will's eyes shot open as he became deafened with panicked barks from all around him. He could feel his shirt and boxers were wet through with sweat and went to rub his eyes. Krissy was still missing. The last place she was seen was his house and then…nothing. The last place her phone had pinged was in Wolf Trap. It was like she had vanished off the face of the earth. He had left the hospital with the intention of finding her, but instead, his feet brought him to Abigail and then…he couldn't remember. In fact, he couldn't remember even going home. Pushing his sheets back, he spun his legs around, sitting upright in the bed. His eyes widened as he saw the state his feet were in, muddied and covered in cuts. Where had he been? Will felt bile rising in his throat as he looked down at his clothes and found they weren't soaked in sweat, but a far too familiar red substance. He jumped from his bed, his breathing becoming erratic when he saw blood covered the mattress and looked down at his hands. Dried blood was coated underneath his fingernails, and splattered high up his arms.
"No, no, no…" Will stuttered, as he looked past his hands and saw the state his front room was in.
It looked like a massacre had happened. Blood was flung high up the walls, even reaching the ceiling at some points. Furniture was overturned and broken, but Will's eyes focused on one particular spot. A pool of blood in the middle of the room, which could have only resulted in some losing litres of blood. Will rushed towards his sink as he felt the bile clawing up his throat, as he began to vomit. His vision blurred as he saw what he had vomited up. An ear. A severed ear. He jumped backwards, almost stumbling over his feet, as he clutched at his head. He ran towards the front room, picking up the phone and scrolling through his contacts, clicking on a name before he knew what he was doing.
"Will?" Hannibal Lecter's voice answered in a matter of seconds.
"Hannibal, I…I need…h-help me…" Will stuttered, a sob escaping his lips.
Jack sat in his car, his hands still on the steering wheel, despite having arrived at his destination ten minutes ago. He felt frozen to the spot. When Beverley had called him, stating that Will's home had become a crime scene…a bloodbath, he knew what she was inferring. But he couldn't listen. He couldn't accept it. Not yet.
"No one has seen Abigail Hobbs since she left with Will yesterday. And Krissy…this was the last place she was seen heading towards on CCTV" Beverley announced, through the open window of Jack's car.
"Where is he?" Jack asked, running a hand over his face.
"In the police van. Hannibal's with him. He…he called him first. Before the police" Beverley pointed out, an almost accusing tone to her voice.
"How bad is it?" Jack questioned, not sure he wanted the answer.
"There's litres of blood in there. Enough for…for a dead body, Jack" Beverley sniffled.
"But there might be…" Jack trailed off, as he spotted something out of his peripheral vision.
Price and Zeller were standing on Will's front porch, the latter with an iPad in his hand, and the other clasping Price's shoulder. Zeller was shaking his head, looking like he was close to tears. Jack was on his feet in an instant, ignoring Beverley's cries to stop him.
"I don't…I don't remember anything…I can't…" Will mumbled, his hands shaking as he sat opposite Hannibal in the back of the police van.
"You mustn't fall into despair, Will. I will help you through this. I promise" Hannibal insisted, reaching out to take the other man's hands in his own.
Just as Will's eyes snapped up to Hannibal's, they heard a sound from outside that had them both shooting to their feet. Hannibal was the first to exit the van, spotting the person who had cried out instantly. A cry wasn't the right word to describe the sound he was making, Hannibal realised. A howl would be a better description. Like a wounded animal. Jack fell to his knees a second later, clutching at his chest, as he continued to scream. Beverley was hovering over him, her hands raised out, clearly wanting to comfort him, but not being sure how.
"No…" Will cried, with a violent shake of his head, as he realised what Jack's reaction meant.
"Will, I think we should go back into the van—" Hannibal started, but was cut off by a shout.
"You!" Jack screeched, his head turned towards the pair, as he rushed to his feet.
"You did this!" Jack yelled, as he ran towards them, his eyes on Will alone.
"Is it Abigail? The b-blood—" Will stuttered, stumbling backwards as Jack grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.
"It's not her blood! It's my daughter's! My…my Krissy" Jack sobbed, shaking him.
"No…no, you're wrong. I wouldn't…I couldn't hurt her" Will rambled, as Jack suddenly struck out, punching him square in the jaw.
"You son of a bitch! What did you do? What did you do to her?!" Jack screamed, throwing another punch, as Hannibal tried to get in between the pair.
"Jack, don't" Hannibal insisted, grabbing the older man by the shoulders.
Price and Zeller had rushed over a few seconds later, and with the extra help, Hannibal was able to pry Jack's hands away. Will seemed to withdraw into himself, his eyes completely zoning out, becoming still as a statue. Jack's knees suddenly gave out from underneath him, as Hannibal helped lower him to the ground, still clutching his shoulders.
"She's gone. She's gone…" Jack sobbed, tears flowing freely down his cheeks, as Hannibal rubbed his back.
"I'm so sorry, Jack" Hannibal offered, his tone not matching his sad expression.
Krissy frowned when she saw the smug look on Hannibal's face when he arrived back in the room, a number of hours later, a bottle of water in his hand. Her eyes stayed on the bottle of water, as she realised just how dry her throat felt. If not for the restraints, she might have tried to grab the bottle in desperation. As he made his way over to her chair, she realised something, making her scoff.
"You don't even walk like a normal person" Krissy muttered.
"Pardon?" Hannibal asked, as he leant down to begin untying her arms.
"You glide across the floor, like…I don't even know what. Not a human, that's for sure" Krissy went on, as Hannibal mulled over the observation.
"You should drink. You must be parched" Hannibal exclaimed, holding out the bottle of water, after he finished taking the rope away from her legs.
"Have you done something to it?" Krissy frowned, inspecting the bottle, finding the label had been removed.
"As you can see, the lid is still screwed on tight and I have already removed the label to prove that I have not injected anything into the bottle, nor tampered with it" Hannibal explained, as she cautiously took the bottle.
"You've thought of everything, huh? As usual" Krissy scoffed, unamused, as she unscrewed the lid.
She took desperate gulps of the water, pleased that it seemed to taste fine. After a few seconds, she reluctantly took the bottle away from her lips, realising she didn't know when the next time she would be given water. Hannibal noticed this, with a small shake of his head.
"I do not plan to starve you if that is what you fear" Hannibal exclaimed.
"I imagine I have a lot more than that to fear from you" Krissy mumbled, under her breath.
"Would you like to hear where I have been?" Hannibal asked, pleased when Krissy took another sip from the bottle.
"Not particularly" Krissy responded, as Hannibal came to stand behind her chair.
"Your blood has proved more effective than even I had hoped" Hannibal went on, as she turned to look up at him.
"Let me guess, you've staged a crime scene?" Krissy suggested.
"A murder, to be exact" Hannibal replied, as Krissy's eyes widened.
"…My murder?" She gulped.
"Your father was quite distressed. But not to worry, I made sure he was not allowed to see the crime scene. I fear it would damage his psyche permanently" Hannibal explained, as Krissy glared at him.
"You son of a bitch—" Krissy spat out, but Hannibal cut her off quickly.
"I do not appreciate vulgarity in my home, Krissy" Hannibal tutted, as she clenched her jaw.
"Well, guess what, Hannibal? You fucked up! You want to know who the last person who saw me was? Your therapist! I stole my dad's badge, how long do you think it's going to take before he connects the dots?!" Krissy argued, pushing herself to her feet, angrily.
"You met with Doctor Du Maurier?" Hannibal asked, seeming a little taken back.
"Yes. And she sure had a lot to say about you. I thought you said you'd like your loose ends ties uo?" Krissy went on, as Hannibal pursed his lips.
"It appears I have still underestimated you and your…tenacity" Hannibal murmured.
"What the hell do you want with me? Just cut the bullshit and tell me!" Krissy shouted, as Hannibal gave her no response.
She frowned when he simply turned on his heel and walked towards the large metal door, unlocking it, and stepping inside. When he didn't return after a few moments, Krissy cautiously stumbled forwards, her ankle still weak from her wound. The room inside appeared completely dark as she stepped past the doorframe. The smell was the first thing that hit her. It smelt like…a butchers? She could hear the clanging of metal from nearby, as her feet begged her to run away.
"Hannibal?" She called out, in a shaky tone.
Suddenly, bright lights were turned on from above her, blinding her momentarily. She held her hand up to shield her eyes and realised she didn't want to look. Her heart was beating so hard she worried she would pass out soon. When the coppery smell of blood hit her next, she reluctantly pulled her hand away. Krissy's eyes were instantly drawn to a man strapped to a nearby metal table, bloodied instruments left next to the body. He wasn't moving. As she took a nervous step forward, she got a better view of the body and came to an instant halt. Her hand flew to her mouth when she saw the man's chest was cut open, revealing his fleshy insides, as bile rose in her throat. Her eyes snapped over to a metal table, feeling her breathing become erratic when she saw what was on top. A kidney. A human kidney wrapped up in plastic like you would find at the butchers.
There is an extremeness to both the Ripper and the Copycat's murders. It's almost overkill. But this killer doesn't do anything without a reason. The brutalisation it's like a distraction…
Her words from months ago came back to haunt her. Hannibal had been distracting them from something far worse. He wasn't just killing people…
"You're eating them" Krissy gaped.
Sick crawled up her throat as she rushed to the side of the room, spotting a nearby bucket as she wretched. She hadn't eaten for days, so all that was left was stomach bile that burnt at her throat. Krissy thought she'd never want to eat again. She jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand brushing through her hair, pulling the brunette strands over her shoulder.
"As I told you…I have great plans for our future, Krissy" Hannibal smirked, as he loomed over her.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Lot's of intense scenes coming up between Hannibal and Krissy, as he begins to really scramble her brains. Poor Will, he really needs a true friend right now...and definitely not Hannibal. Please leave a review:)
BaDWolF89: And the intensity continues in this chapter, haha. Thanks for reviewing!
BookwormKW: Enjoy the update:)