COPYCAT

The young girl thought to herself that maybe she should close her eyes but that was probably a bit pointless. Instead she began trying to memorize everything she could about his features. He had pale eyes, maybe green. His hair was dark brown and a little on the scraggly side, shoulder length. He was tall probably about six feet, and looked strong, though not bulky. He stared at her intensely.

"Are you frightened?" He asked with very little emotion.

She considered denying her fear, but that seemed foolish. He wouldn't trust her if she lied from the start and she needed him to trust her. That was probably her only chance of surviving. "Sure, I'm scared. I'm tied up…I don't know where I am and you're showing me things that look as if you want to hurt me but I don't know why…I'm scared out of my mind."

"Why? Nothing has happened to you yet?" He said calmly, his eyes unblinking.

"I'm not afraid of what you've done…I'm afraid of what you are going to do."

"Your fear will have very little impact on what I do to you so why waste your energy?"

She thought that if she engaged him in conversation, she might seem less of a threat and maybe, he might change his mind about hurting her. "I can't control that I'm afraid…I just am."

"I'm going back to the house. We'll talk again soon."

"Please can you cover up the instruments? I'm going to have nightmares."

He walked over to the table and covered the tools. He smiled at her and shook his head.

"Is the house far?" She called after him. "I'm afraid to be out here alone."

"Knowing my future intentions…wouldn't you prefer that I leave you alone?"

"I'm just scared."

"I won't be far and you will be locked inside so no one aside from me can get in."

"What if there's a fire or something?"

"There is no need to worry about that. There is a detector that will activate in the event of a fire. There is also a camera that has a live feed. I can see you all the time. The only worry you have is me."

As the man turned to leave, she called after him once more. "My name is Mariyah… Mariyah Bashandi."

"My name is Stuart. See you later, Mariyah." He left the lights on in the container. She was grateful for that. The sound of the metal handle slamming shut was one of the most terrifying sounds she'd ever heard.

Mariyah looked around the metal container. She had gotten quite a bit of information from Stuart, if that was really his name. With all of the posturing, it seemed as if he was more interested in talking than anything else. She decided it would be an intelligent course of action to keep him talking. If he was talking he wouldn't be reaching for those tools and that was what she wanted…him to stay as far away from the objects of torment as possible. She searched for the cameras and found several. She chose the one that seemed to be facing her directly and smiled at it. Okay psycho…let's be friends!

YOUTUBE

Ardelia was cooking while Lloyd and Logan were bonding over the internet. Lloyd was showing Logan internet sites and the pair roared with laughter. Ardelia thought it was ridiculous. Two grown men laughing over kittens in cardboard boxes, French bulldogs being pushed in swings, babies falling asleep in their dinners and whatever the hell Epic Meal Time is, it was just insane.

They clicked on a link called, "Fat Man Gets Owned."

Ardelia listened for the next rounds of laughter and all she heard was Bowman yell for her.

"Ardelia! Get in here! We have a situation."

She walked into the living room and glanced over at Logan. He was shaking his head, a terrific look of panic spread across his face. "Dee, I didn't know what I was clicking on."

Bowman was hysterical. "Play it again, Logan! Holy shit that was Lecter and Starling! Play that again!"

Logan replayed the video. There, very clearly for the entire world to see was Hannibal Lecter crushing the hand of some fat man and kissing Clarice Starling. Ardelia looked for ways to get around the subject.

"That's not Lecter. Look at the scar on his wrist. He's obviously had a severe injury that has healed. Lecter has had no such injury."

"Well it's been a few months. It could have happened during the escape."

"You can't even see their faces. The person with the camera focused on the fat guy. There is no way it's them. How could you explain all that blood? How can you explain what I saw?"

"What did you actually see, Ardelia?" Bowman asked.

"I opened the bedroom door and Hannibal was standing over her and they were both covered in her blood. He chased me down the stairs and tied me up."

"Yeah why would he tie you up anyway? Why wouldn't he just kill you instead of chancing that you might escape? What was Clarice doing?" Bowman questioned. "She might not have been dead when you saw her. He may have drugged her for the purposes of abducting her.

"She was not responsive and there was blood everywhere...absolutely everywhere."

"You mean she didn't move at all…did you call to her?"

"Jesus Christ, Bowmeister give her a break. She saw her friend dead on a bed with Hannibal the Cannibal standing over her. What do you mean did she call to her? She screamed her fucking head off. Not to mention that I put a damned bullet in his chest! I know he was a creepy fuck but he wasn't a goddamned vampire."

"Let it go, Lloyd. It's not them. She's dead and so is he. This is just a coincidence. Two people that have similar coloring and body types, that's all it is."

Logan sought to support Ardelia. "Yeah look at the way she's grinding on that dude! That's love not some kidnap victim."

"He was in love with her and he was a genius. It wouldn't take much for him to make it look as if he killed Starling. He was also a brilliant psychiatrist. Who knows how much brainwashing he could have subjected her to, not to mention psychotropic drugs."

Ardelia played devil's advocate. "Okay Lloyd, let's say for the sake of argument that he faked it. He faked her death, and he faked his own death. What the hell would he have done with her while he was faking his death? I watched him drag her body out of the house. She was bleeding everywhere. And if he had been able to abduct her, how the hell would he transport her unconscious body? You weave an interesting story but it's just that…a story. I wish it were true because then she would be alive and she would be happy, but it's not true. It's not her…it's not them."

"Did she talk about him a lot?" Lloyd pressed.

"She talked about him all the time. What the fuck does that have to do with anything? Christ, Logan talked about him all the time too but that doesn't mean he wanted to run away with him."

Bowman was nervous and framed his next question carefully. "Okay don't freak out over what I'm about to say and hear me out, Dee. What if Clarice wanted to go with him? We all know that she had a special connection to him. He did for her what he would never have done for anyone else. What if she felt the same way about him? She did save him from the Sardinians. It cost her everything. Maybe she gave it all up willingly. Maybe she loves him."

Ardelia needed to shut Lloyd up and shut him down. "You know what I think, Lloyd? I think Fuck You! That's what I think!"

"Dude…quit while you're ahead." Logan whispered.

"You act like I judging her or something and I'm not. If she returns his feelings, that's no reflection on Clarice. She may have really loved the guy. It was always obvious he loved her. Why is it so hard to believe that she might have wanted to be with him? He's charismatic, intelligent, and he would defend her no matter what. Isn't that what everyone is looking for?"

"Plus the son of a bitch can really cook and Clarice couldn't boil a pot of water." Logan laughed.

Ardelia shot him a sideways glare. Great, Logan…Encourage the little bastard!

Logan lowered his eyes penitently. "Sorry, Dee…I know she was your friend. I didn't mean to joke about it. I know how hard it was for you when she died."

"I know it's not enough for a positive identification but it's enough to cast doubt. I think it's them. I think he's still alive and whether or not Clarice wanted to leave with him, I think that's her and she sure as hell looks like she wants to be with him now. If they're alive…We've got to find them."

"Why don't we sit down and enjoy our dinner. You can chase Hannibal's ghost all over the country tomorrow. Tonight, let's just relax and eat. I didn't spend the last four hours making dinner just to toss in down the garbage disposal. "

"C'mon Bowmeister! Let's eat!" Logan encouraged, slapping Lloyd on the back. "Bro Code, you don't leave a buddy when his girlfriend is pissed. It's really bad form, you know?"

"Yeah…it can wait until tomorrow. What's for dinner?"

"Your brains!" Logan joked as he palmed Lloyd's head like a basketball.

Lloyd was initially startled but tried to laugh it off self-consciously. "Yeah, that's very funny, Loganator!"

"You should see your face! That was freaking priceless!" Logan laughed hysterically.

Ardelia shook her head at the pair. "It's a pork roast, Lloyd. I don't do brains."

THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS

Hannibal was taking the mirror apart in the bedroom when Clarice entered carrying a cup.

"Here you go, H. Drink this."

His nostril's flared. "I don't recall purchasing this, Clarice."

"So? It's good for you. Drink it."

"It has a very different scent. Where did you purchase it."

"I ordered it over the internet. It's called Red Bush."

"Ah yes, Rooibos! It's an Afrikaan blend that is known to be very high in anti-oxidants. Are you trying to look after my health, Clarice?"

"Isn't that my job? I am your wife."

"That you are." He sipped the drink with his hand resting on Clarice's lower back, his thumb stroking the curvature almost absentmindely. "It's quite good."

"Can I ask you a personal question, H?"

"Please, Clarice. There is nothing that would be considered a personal question. We share everything. You may ask me anything without qualifying the question before posing it. I will answer anything you ask at any time."

"Anything, H? Really?"

"Anything, my Love."

"Last night? The way you were before the shower?"

"Yes?"

"You were different outside at the car, when you first got home."

"That was before you slapped your hand across my face, Clarice."

"If I hadn't hit you…you were feeling how?"

"I was feeling much the same way I feel every single time I see you, Clarice. I wanted you. I always want you."

"Would you have made love to me…like that?"

"Probably…Yes, if the opportunity had presented itself. As I remember, you brushed me off."

"Would it be indelicate of me to ask if you'd ever had a woman when you were in that state of mind?"

Hannibal's brow creased. He considered whether or not he should answer. "It would be somewhat indelicate for me to be specific, but, yes, Clarice. I have."

"Was it different?"

Hannibal set the cup on it's saucer, pausing to consider the question.

"Different than what Clarice…please make every effort to be specific. I need to know precisely what information you are seeking."

"Was it different than it is with me?" she asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Of course it was different, Clarice. I am in love with you. You must remember that there has never been an emotional connection to sex for me before you."

"I hear the words but I don't know what you mean."

"Clarice, are you jealous?"

"I'm jealous of every woman you have ever been with that wasn't me."

"Would you be jealous if you found out that I have at one time or another masturbated?"

"That's ridiculous? It isn't even remotely comparable."

"It is the only thing that is comparable. Sex is a primal urge, Clarice. They were merely a means to an end that is all. You are the beginning of all things."

"The next time you find yourself feeling a little primal…I want in, okay?"

"You want me to unleash the Beast for you my Beauty?"

"Don't be such a wise ass, H."

The phone in Clarice's pocket began to ring. Hannibal's eyebrow arched suspiciously. Clarice checked the number. "It's Ardelia! She wasn't due to call for another ten days."

"Answer the phone, Clarice and do not panic until we know what we are dealing with."

Clarice greeted Ardelia, listened carefully, paused and held the phone against her chest.

"H, that video?"

"Yes, Clarice?"

"It was posted online. We have a situation."