January 2013
Hannibal's eyes fluttered shut, his veins still buzzing with the endorphins released from listening to a particularly mesmerising Opera performance. The pleasant sound of Alana's laugh echoed through the hall, as she continued conversing with the members of high society that surrounded them. Hannibal forced himself to open his eyes, bringing the champagne glass to his lips, enjoying the way it burnt down his throat.
"It's been too long since you properly cooked for us, Hannibal" A sharp voice muttered, as he turned to a woman who likely considered him a friend.
"And I will again, once inspiration strikes. I cannot force a feast, a feast must present itself" Hannibal replied.
"Won't you try to talk some sense into him, Doctor Bloom?" The woman pushed, as Alana gave her a polite smile.
"I'm afraid I don't have the influence over Hannibal's actions you seem to think I do" Alana stated, taking a sip of her champagne.
"It seems no one does" The woman huffed, as Hannibal's lips pressed together in a fine line.
The sound of glass shattering broke the tension in the air, as Hannibal twisted around to see one of the serving boys had dropped a tray full of champagne onto the floor. The sticky substance had doused many shoes in its wake, much to the horror of the waiter. One man appeared to have taken the brunt of the accident, with champagne having drenched his shoes and the tails of his suit jacket. He let out a snarl as the waiter dropped to his knees, quickly trying to pick up the broken shards of glass on the floor.
"They get more incompetent here every year. What on earth are you doing, boy?" The rich man huffed, as his wife passed him a napkin to mop up the alcohol staining his clothes.
"I...I'm sorry, sir. I didn't see—" The waiter stuttered, but the older man was quick to cut him off.
"Am I to believe you're blind as well as stupid?" The man scoffed, throwing the napkin he had used onto the floor, landing on the waiter's head.
Hannibal grimaced at the rude display, taking another sip of his champagne to hide his pinched expression. He was debating whether to ask for the man's business card when he noticed a woman crouch down beside the waiter, assisting him in picking up the broken champagne flutes. She appeared to mutter something to the waiter, causing a small smile to spread over the younger man's lips, as they continued to mop up the alcohol with napkins. Hannibal watched as she brushed some of her long brunette hair behind her ear, giving him a glimpse of her face, soft skin and a pleasing smile on display, but still turned slightly away from him. The crowd that had been watching the interaction soon went back to their conversations of needless gossip, but Hannibal's attention stayed on the stranger as she stood to her feet. His eyes trailed down the simple black dress she was wearing, cinched in at her waist, wearing flat shoes of the same colour. It was a dull choice for such an evening, certainly not standing out against the extravagant colours many of the ladies wore. As if the young girl was trying to blend into the background. The waiter gave her a grateful nod, as she finally twisted around, giving Hannibal a clear view of her features. A warmth spread through him, eyes widening a fraction as he drank in her image, feeling a stab of familiarity. She was stunning. Her dark brown hair framed her defined jaw perfectly, pink lips pulled into a sweet smile, and her eyes...
Blue, with darkness behind them that intrigued him, urging him to step forward and introduce himself. Those same blue eyes flickered over to the man who had acted so rudely moments before, who was muttering something about going to the restroom. Only due to piquing his interest, did Hannibal notice how the woman kicked over one of the last remaining champagne flutes that hadn't broken on impact, as the alcohol spilt out just behind the man. Her lips twitched into a sly smirk as she watched the rude man turn around to storm away, slipping on the champagne and flying onto his back, landing with a loud thud. A few gasps echoed around the hall, slowly descending into condescending laughter when they saw the state of the man huddled on the ground. The man's wife rushed to his side, both their faces burning with embarrassment as the girl took a few steps back. Hannibal's eyes narrowed as he watched an older man come to stand beside her, a displeased expression on his face, appearing to have to restrain himself from rolling his eyes.
"Jack Crawford" Alana exclaimed, breaking through Hannibal's trance.
She had noticed the glint in his hazel eyes and parted lips, his gaze having stayed on the young girl in front of him for the last couple of minutes. It was a strangely unrestrained action from the usually composed doctor.
"Ah. The founder of the Evil Minds Museum" Hannibal nodded, still not looking away.
"And his daughter. Krissy—" Alana began, but Hannibal cut her off.
"Dixon" Hannibal murmured, realising why the girl's face seemed so familiar to him.
"You're aware of her history then?" Alana guessed, earning a sharp nod in return.
Hannibal had heard little of the girl in the past five years, her adoptive father had managed to keep her out of the spotlight well. But there she was, undeniably in front of him. A perfect storm of nature and nurture, resulting in the death of dozens. The vicious curve of her smile sent a surge of excitement through him that he hadn't felt in many years.
"She's certainly not someone I'd like to be left alone in a room with" Alana muttered under her breath.
Hannibal found the opposite true for himself. He watched as Jack Crawford took hold of his daughter's wrist, pulling her away from the scene, much to the young woman's annoyance. Hannibal inhaled sharply as they walked past him, breathing in her delicate scent, watching her closely until she disappeared from view.
Perhaps a new feast had just presented itself.
March 2016
The memory left Hannibal with a strange nostalgic feeling, there was no regret to the emotion. Rather the distaste of missed opportunities. What he could have done differently that would have led to Krissy remaining at his dinner table. What he could still do to have return to him. Hannibal's skin itched underneath the bandage wrapped around his shoulder, his expensive suit jacket digging painfully into the recently stitched wound on his chest. Still, he showed no outward sign of his discomfort, pouring ice into the drink for his newest guest. His eyes flittered over to Bedelia, who appeared more tense than usual, the veins on her neck protruding.
"Punch Romaine; a cocktail created by Escoffier. Served to first-class guests on the Titanic during their last dinner" Hannibal announced, passing the drink toward Professor Sogliato.
"The committees have a new curator...they do not miss the old one" Sogliato congratulated, with poorly veiled contempt.
"If my victory pleased the professore, I could not tell" Hannibal replied, gathering some of the meat on display onto his own plate.
"Hmm. They find you rather interesting, Doctor Fell. Especially when it comes to the company you keep" Professor Sogliato commented, as Hannibal quirked an eyebrow.
"A young girl was seen asking for you earlier this week. A pretty, little thing. A tad young for you, I'd think" He continued, clearly trying to get a rise out of Hannibal.
"A friend from a previous life" Hannibal clarified; hearing Bedelia audibly gulp.
"Only a friend? Ah, somehow the Studilo came to the assumption she may have been a prostituta" Sogliato murmured, watching Hannibal's reaction carefully.
"I wonder how they came to such a conclusion?" Hannibal retorted, his hand running over the handle of a nearby ice pick.
"One should always be mindful of the company they keep, Doctor Fell" Professor Sogliato warned, as Hannibal's lips pulled back into a sinister smile.
"Yes, they should" He answered, before he plunged the ice pick into the side of the Professor's skull, right behind his eyes.
Bedelia's jaw dropped open at the violent display, her hand stilling in the air, her cocktail still in hand. Hannibal sauntered over to his seat, dusting off his jacket before taking his place next to her. He let out a quiet sigh, reaching for a slither of meat on his plate.
"That may have been impulsive" Hannibal muttered, with a slight shrug.
"Been mulling that impulse ever since you decided to serve Punch Romaine" Bedelia stated, as the Professor began stuttering, his eyes wide.
"I...I can't see..." Sogliato trailed off, descending into a fit of manic laughter.
Hannibal seemed rather content with watching the Professor suffering for as long as his body would allow, but Bedelia was quickly on her feet, grabbing a nearby napkin. Blood had started to drip down from the ice pick planted in his skull, causing the man to begin shaking. With gritted teeth, Bedelia wrenched the object from his hand, finally stopping his muttering as Sogliato slumped forward onto his plate, blood now pouring from his wound.
"Technically...you killed him" Hannibal pointed out, in an amused tone.
"You are no longer interested in continuing your game here now that your former playmate has returned?" Bedelia exclaimed, bitterly.
"No one else has played the game as well as she has" Hannibal retorted.
"Are you not concerned that she might win?" Bedelia scoffed, watching as Hannibal's lips into a smile.
"One can only hope" Hannibal responded.
Aukštaitija, Lithuania
There was little comfort to be found in the abandoned grounds of Castle Lecter, forgotten by time long ago. A thick mist enveloped the grassy terrain, creating a sinister tension in the air as if the Castle's previous inhabitants could jump out at any moment and drag any stragglers away. A chill ran down Krissy's spine as Hannibal's face flashed behind her eyes, blood splattered over his cheek, jaw clenched in pain. She didn't regret her actions, it was what Hannibal deserved but...it still hurt. Everything led to pain when it came to Hannibal Lecter.
Krissy came to a grinding halt when Will's footsteps in front of her faltered, his eyes becoming unfocused. It had taken them almost three days to travel from Florence to Lithuania, and they were both exhausted from the seemingly never-ending train ride. She was quick to note the way Will's lips twitched into a smile, as if someone had just said an amusing comment, realising he was doing more than just stopping to rest. His mouth didn't move, but she could tell a conversation was being had in his mind. Would he get lost in his imagination one day?
"You still see him?" Krissy exclaimed, causing Will to flinch, slowly coming out of his trance.
"You don't?" Will retorted, raising an eyebrow.
"Hannibal's not the Devil on my shoulder. That position was taken up by someone else a long time ago" She huffed, continuing their walk through the wooded area, clutching at her cane, trying to steady herself.
"This is where the construction began on Hannibal's memory palace. Yet, he can't bring himself to enter the rooms devoted to his earliest years" Will explained, matching her pace.
"He's locked it all away, and here we are, feeling for the latch. Do you think he meant for us to do this?" Krissy frowned, as Will mulled it over.
"Every word that leaves his mouth has weight and meaning. He devotes a great deal of time to imagining the scenarios he could create. It excites him" Will suggested.
"And what excites you now, Will? I'm not the only one changed from what happened that night" Krissy stated, as a lopsided grin grew on Will's face.
Before he had the chance to reply, two loud gunshots rang out through the forest, as the pair ducked for cover, unsure whether they were under attack. When no further gunshots came, they cautiously moved toward the sound, sheltering behind a fallen tree as a woman came into view, a shotgun in her hands. She was beautiful. Elegant, even. Her black hair was pulled up into a tight braid behind her head, dark eyeshadow used to emphasise the brown of her eyes, and her mouth tense. It was difficult to distinguish her age, appearing between thirty and forty, perhaps. Old enough to have known Hannibal when he had resided there. Krissy watched on as the woman shot a bird expertly in mid-air, before suddenly turning her gun toward the pair who were still hiding. Will's hand automatically reached out to push Krissy behind him, clutching at her waist in an almost protective manner. After a few tense seconds, the stranger lowered her gun and went to collect her prize, as Krissy let out a sigh of relief. Her forehead wrinkled as she noticed the object in Will's other hand and raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you have binoculars?" Krissy scoffed.
"I used to birdwatch" Will replied, looking through the binoculars to watch the strange woman walking away.
"That...actually doesn't surprise me at all" Krissy said, in a teasing tone.
"Come on" Will exclaimed, his hand dropping from her waist to her hand, and hauling her upright.
"Sure. Let's follow the woman with a shotgun, what could go wrong?" Krissy muttered, under her breath.
"Don't you trust me?" Will asked, his tone laced with amusement.
"As much as I trust myself" Krissy replied, choosing not to mention how Will still held her hand and gently pulled her onwards.
They soon came across the eerie site of a graveyard, overgrown and abandoned many years ago. Dozens of extravagant grave markers littered the fenced area, some much older than others. Vines and a thicket of bushes now covered the stones, hiding the names of the dead. All but one.
Krissy noticed the gravestone even appeared to have been cleaned recently, the name as clear as day. Her chest tightened as she read the words aloud, understanding the Lithuanian term, causing Will to stop in his tracks.
"Mischa Lecter. Beloved" Krissy murmured, crouching down in front of the gravestone.
"Fresh flowers" Will added, pointing to what looked like tulips on the earth in front of the gravestone.
"She was probably around the same age as my sister when she died" Krissy sighed, reaching out to run her fingers over the letters.
"Killed. No one around Hannibal dies naturally" Will reminded her.
"He didn't kill Mischa, Will. I think we both know that" Krissy chided, as the older man pursed his lips.
"It doesn't mean his actions didn't lead to her death" Will mumbled, turning on his heel and continuing up the path to the Castle.
Krissy stayed where she was huddled on the ground for a few more minutes, finding the strong desire to pay her respects to the girl she never knew. She was never someone to pray for, but if she was, she would have prayed for Mischa. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she pressed a kiss to them before placing her hand back on the cold gravestone.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you" She exclaimed, before grabbing her cane and pulling herself to her feet.
The sun soon set, throwing the pair into darkness, only illuminated by the eerie light of the moon. They watched on as the inhabitant of the Castle prepared some sort of dinner, before disappearing behind cellar doors for a few minutes. They hadn't seen another soul since arriving on the grounds, but it appeared the woman had some sort of guest. Be that an animal or a person. The strange woman was agitated when she emerged from the cellar, the food no longer in her hand.
"So, are we gonna' talk about it?" Krissy whispered, watching as the woman disappeared into the shadows of the trees.
"Talk about what?" Will murmured.
"Your trances. Losing time. Have you started sleepwalking again?" Krissy pushed, as a frown flashed over Will's face briefly.
"You remember that?" Will asked, knowing Krissy's memories were disordered, to say the least.
"More and more. I remember finding you on the roof of your house one day, almost gave me a bloody heart attack" Krissy stated, as Will's lips twitched into a smile.
"You cut your wrist, just here, trying to break into my house" Will mumbled, reaching out to run his fingers over the white mark remaining on her left wrist.
"It's healed well" Krissy suggested, looking down at the small scar.
"Better than your other scars" Will exclaimed, his fingers still brushing over her skin, eyes flickering up to meet hers.
"I don't regret this one," Krissy told him, leaning a little closer, listening to the way Will's breath hitched.
"We should go" Will said, quick to pull his hand away, the sting of rejection evident on Krissy's face.
"Worried about making the same mistakes you did in the past?" Krissy muttered as Will walked out from the treeline.
"We weren't a mistake, Krissy. Not to me at least" Will replied, as he continued to amble toward the cellar.
"Not sure if I'm sane enough anymore to know what a mistake is any more" Krissy stated, earning an amused chuckle from her companion.
The cellar turned out to be closer to a catacomb than what would usually be found beneath a building. Will and Krissy walked down the steep stone steps, journeying further into the structure, narrowly missing stepping on the hundreds of snails that appeared to be everywhere. They eventually came to a room that was being used as a wine cellar, bottles lining the walls. Krissy's head snapped up as she heard a shuffling sound coming from behind a metal gate, her eyes narrowing as dirty feet came into view. A malnourished man staggered toward them; his bony hand outstretched toward them as he muttered something in Lithuanian. Krissy grabbed the collar of Will's jacket and pulled him away from the gate, quickly recognising the look in the stranger's eyes. The coldness that she knew could only mean one thing. He was a killer.
"You're upsetting him" A feminine voice announced from behind them, as Krissy and Will twisted around to find the woman they had followed was holding her shotgun toward them.
"Or maybe it's the gun you're aiming at us that's upsetting him" Krissy retorted, not a hint of fear in her tone.
"We're friends of Hannibal's" Will informed the newcomer, raising his hands up, as Krissy reluctantly did the same, her cane still in one hand.
The woman straightened up a little at Will's words, the expressionless mask she had been wearing faltering for just a moment. When she composed herself again, Krissy noticed she was gripping her shotgun tighter. Unsurprisingly, she seemed to be as conflicted about the man as they were.
"He sent you?" The woman frowned.
"My name is Will Graham. This is Krissy Crawford. We're unarmed" Will exclaimed.
"And I can't hold my arms up any longer" Krissy muttered, dropping her aching left arm to her side, and lowering her cane back to the ground.
The caged man continued whispering behind them, as Krissy concentrated, trying to pinpoint the few words, her Lithuanian not as good as it had been. Not to mention, the man's accent was much thicker than Hannibal's.
"Why is he so desperate for us to look at him?" Krissy asked, putting the pieces together of the man's fragmented speech.
"You speak Lithuanian?" The woman questioned, as even Will turned to her in surprise.
"Only what Hannibal taught me" Krissy confessed, causing the woman to purse her lips.
"You've cast aside the social graces normally afforded to human beings" Will murmured, gesturing to the caged man.
"He's cast them aside. All he's allowed is the sound of water. It's what the unborn hear. It's their last memory of peace" The woman went on, a bitter tone to her voice.
"You're keeping him like an animal" Will stated.
"I wouldn't do this to an animal" The woman said, with a slight smirk, strangely reminding Krissy of Hannibal.
She then gestured for the pair to start walking away from the cage, eventually leading them into the cold night and down the steps away from the Castle. Will stayed close to Krissy, who he was aware had a small knife in the pocket of her coat, her hands edging closer to the weapon with every moment that passed.
"What did he do?" Will inquired.
"He ate her" The woman answered, bluntly.
"Mischa? How long has he been your prisoner?" Will asked, coming to a halt.
"We have been each other's prisoner...for a very long time" The woman replied, coming to stand in front of the pair, still on high alert.
"What's your name?" Krissy exclaimed, as the woman appeared to mull over whether to tell her the truth.
"Chiyoh...how do you know Hannibal?" The woman pushed, as a sad smile spread over Krissy's lips.
"Intimately" She answered.
"Nakama? It's a Japanese word for very close friends" Chiyoh suggested, as Krissy gave a quick shake of her head.
"Not anymore. Hannibal saw to that" Krissy mumbled, as the older woman's eyes softened somewhat.
"All sorrows can be borne if you put them in a story...tell me a story" Chiyoh exclaimed, finally lowering her gun.
"We construct fairy tales and we accept them. Our minds concoct all sorts of fantasies when we don't want to believe something" Will announced, sitting across from Chiyoh, piping hot tea steaming in front of them.
The pair had given Chiyoh a brief explanation of their confusing relationship with Hannibal, watching as the woman's eyes slowly widened with every minute that passed. Krissy certainly wouldn't call the last few years of her life a fairy tale. Nor, did she appreciate the look of sympathy Chiyoh regarded her with when Krissy admitted to her intimate relations with the killer.
"I accept what Hannibal has done. I understand why he has done it" Chiyoh murmured, causing Krissy to scoff.
"Then perhaps you can enlighten us. Because few of the thoughts he admits to make sense to me" Krissy exclaimed.
"Mischa doesn't explain Hannibal. She doesn't...quantify what he does" Will pointed out, bitterly.
"He does what was done to her" Chiyoh replied, making Krissy frown.
"That man down there...he killed Mischa, he...ate her?" Krissy questioned, hardly able to utter the sickening words, as Chiyoh nodded.
"How do you know it was your prisoner who killed Mischa?" Will asked.
"...Hannibal told me so" Chiyoh admitted, as Will let out a long sigh.
"And it never crossed your mind that he could be lying to you?" Will muttered.
"Hannibal took someone from you. Are you here to take someone from him?" Chiyoh inquired, tensely.
"If I were like Hannibal...I would've killed you already. Cooked you...ate you...and fed what was left of you to him" Will explained, as Krissy gave him a look.
"It's a good thing neither of us are like Hannibal then, isn't it?" Krissy said, her blue eyes boring into Will's.
"Yes, it is" Will replied, with a slight smirk that was so unlike the man she had first met.
It was then that Krissy realised how easy it had become for Will to hold another person's gaze. He could barely look at her for more than a few seconds at their first meeting, and now? He could stare down a stranger like Chiyoh without a care in the world. How much Hannibal had changed him...
"Why do you both search for him after all he has done to you?" Chiyoh pushed.
"Why have you stayed here all these years?" Krissy responded, dismissing her question.
"Hannibal wanted to kill that man for what he did to Mischa. I wouldn't let him take his life, so Hannibal left his life with me" Chiyoh confessed.
"He was punishing you" Krissy stated, causing the woman to frown as if she had never thought of it that way before.
"Do you believe his actions toward you have been punishment for your rejection?" Chiyoh pushed.
"No. He thought...he hoped I would rise from the ashes of my ruined life" Krissy mumbled, her eyes dropping to the teacup in her hands.
She suddenly felt the odd urge to drop the teacup to the floor and have it shatter, only to prove her point to Hannibal. The teacup could never gather itself up again.
"And have you?" Chiyoh asked, getting no reply from Krissy this time.
"Hannibal was curious to see if you would kill your prisoner. I imagine he still is" Will murmured, in a tone that betrayed the thoughts flying through his mind.
Krissy looked out of the car window into the dark night, the trees illuminated only by the car's headlights, the mist still thick in the air. It gave her an impending sense of doom. She twisted around to face Will, who once again seemed to have disappeared into a trance-like state. She wondered how much time he spent in reality anymore.
"It's not too late, you know. We could still kill that man before he goes after Chiyoh" Krissy suggested.
They had released Chiyoh's murderous prisoner almost twenty minutes prior, watching as he stumbled back toward the Castle, his intentions clear. He wanted revenge. But, so did Krissy. She truly believed the man had killed Mischa. Hannibal wouldn't lie about something like that.
"To save Chiyoh, or so you can kill him to ease your guilt?" Will murmured, his eyes still closed.
"Won't you feel guilty if your actions lead to Chiyoh's death?" Krissy insisted.
"She has a choice. Let's hope she makes the right one" Will stated, causing her forehead to wrinkle.
"You're really going to let that woman die for your curiosity?" Krissy huffed, as Will turned to her.
"You've let people die for less" Will retorted, as she gave him a look of disbelief.
"I'm not the person you're angry at Will. Don't forget that" Krissy muttered.
"Aren't you? You could have killed Hannibal. You could have freed us. But you let him go...again" Will spat out.
"And what would you have done in my place?" Krissy questioned.
"I would have slit his throat" Will replied, bluntly.
"...You really can't see it, can you?" Krissy realised.
"What?" Will frowned, as a sharp scream echoed through the woods.
There was no doubt in her mind that it was Chiyoh's voice. Dread quickly filled her as no other sound followed, realising the woman could already be dead. She might have just got another person killed.
"If you did that...you'd be just like him" Krissy announced, watching as Will seemed to flinch at the suggestion.
"At least I know what I am" Will retorted, hurting Krissy more than he knew.
His words cut somewhere deep inside her, in a place she didn't think was even accessible anymore. Because he was right. She was always toeing the line between right and wrong. Of being with Hannibal and without Hannibal. He had stabbed her, left her for dead, and still, that wasn't enough to make up her mind. What was it going to take?
"Do you know why I came here, Will?" Krissy mumbled, after a few moments of silence.
"For Hannibal" Will retorted, as she shook her head, sharply.
"I came to save you. And I'm not giving up" Krissy insisted, with a look of determination.
Krissy was relieved when she found Chiyoh hunched over on the floor of the cellar, droplets of blood covering her cheeks, but appearing otherwise unharmed. With a sigh, she stepped forward and sat down next to the older woman, her gaze dropping to the bloody corpse in the middle of the floor. Chiyoh had done exactly as Will wanted. Her prisoner was dead.
"You did this. You set him free" Chiyoh accused, as Krissy ran a hand over her face.
"You don't have to stay here anymore, Chiyoh. You can leave. Start anew. Don't you want that?" Krissy asked.
"You said Hannibal was curious if I would kill. You were curious too" Chiyoh suggested, as Krissy's brow furrowed.
"No. I wanted that man dead, whether it was you or I that killed him...that didn't matter to me" Krissy admitted, as Chiyoh huffed out a bitter laugh.
"It's worse than I thought then. You did what Will told you to do. And I imagine you do the same with Hannibal. He'd be proud of you. Of both of us" Chiyoh muttered, as Krissy turned to face her.
"I don't want to be like you. Twenty years from now still keeping a promise I made to Hannibal. I want you to show me it can end. That...that you can let go of him" Krissy insisted, in an almost begging tone.
"...I'll help you find him" Chiyoh announced, pushing herself onto shaky legs.
"Why?" Krissy frowned.
"Because we both know what Will plans to do when he finds Hannibal. And neither of us wants that" Chiyoh explained, holding her hand out to Krissy.
"I can handle Will" Krissy retorted, taking Chiyoh's hand, nonetheless.
"Can you? You haven't so far?" Chiyoh pointed out, dragging her to her feet, her other hand going to her back to steady her.
"You don't know him as I do. Before Hannibal...he wasn't like this—" Krissy began, but Chiyoh cut him off.
"Hannibal doesn't change people. He influences them. Whatever darkness is in Will, it was always there. He knows us better than ourselves" Chiyoh exclaimed, releasing her grip on Krissy's hands.
"Then we're both killers" Krissy stated.
"I was violent when it was the right thing to do. But he likes it. So, do you, I think" Chiyoh retorted, as Krissy pursed her lips, knowing she was right.
"I didn't stay here because of a promise to Hannibal. I stayed because of a promise to myself. Hannibal hasn't invaded my mind in many years. I've always been free to do as I wish" Chiyoh went on.
"How? How have you managed to free yourself?" Krissy asked, as Chiyoh gave her a sympathetic look.
"You have to decide whether you can live without him or not" Chiyoh informed her.
Florence, Italy
Jack's hands were shaking as he brought the wooden urn to his lips, closing his eyes and imagining giving his Bella one last kiss. It seemed fitting to scatter her ashes in the country they first met, and the beautiful St Trinity Bridge in Florence seemed like the perfect place. He couldn't look as he opened the lid of the urn, pouring his wife's ashes into the river below, his chest painfully tight. He still wasn't sure how he would keep going without Bella, but finding his daughter seemed a good place to start. She had told him that Hannibal was in Florence, but her misguided loyalty to the man kept her from revealing where he had been living. As dozens of people walked past him every minute, Jack could see why the killer had found it so easy to blend into the busy city. Even if someone spotted him, he could quite easily slip into the shadows, never to be seen again. If Jack had any hopes of finding him, he'd have to catch Hannibal off guard. Something he had learnt was almost impossible to do. Placing the urn onto the bridge, he began toying with his wedding ring, knowing what he had planned wouldn't be what his deceased wife would want.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...etc, etc. You gonna' wrap up this touching display anytime soon?" A voice questioned from behind him.
Jack whipped around, his jaw clenched in anger, ready to release hell on whoever had interrupted him, but the words died on his lips. His mouth went slack, eyes growing impossibly wide, as horror began to slither around his heart. He knew that voice. He knew that face. It belonged to someone he had hoped he'd never meet.
Ken Dixon. His daughter's psychotic brother.
"It looks like someone's having a very bad day" Ken grinned at him, a manic look in his eyes.