INTERVIEWS

Pearsall stood as soon as Hannibal mentioned the name and immediately called Noonan to relay the information. At the end of the call he returned to the table and continued to question Hannibal.

"Is there anything you would like to add other than the name, Doctor Lecter?"

Hannibal's expression was as cool and fixed as a marble statue. Pearsall was rude in the extreme and that just wouldn't do. He would not continue to share information under these circumstances. "There is nothing at all that I wish to say to you Mr. Pearsall."

Prime Minister Bashandi understood Lecter's hesitation and shook his head disapprovingly at Pearsall.

"Mr. Pearsall, what would inspire Doctor Lecter to share information with us? Why would he assist in the reclamation of my daughter if you feel it is your personal right to offend his relationship with his wife and his personal integrity as a husband and as a man?"

Bashandi waved the correctional officer into the room. "Officer, could you please do me the personal favor of removing Doctor Lecter's handcuffs?"

Pearsall looked at the officer and shook his head.

Hannibal recognized the flash of panic in Pearsall's eyes and he immersed himself in the Deputy Director's discomfort. It was as if this emotional disturbance provided necessary sustenance for Hannibal.

"Prime Minister, I thank you for your confidence in me, however there is absolutely no way that Mr. Pearsall will allow that."

"And why would that be?" Bashandi looked directly at Pearsall as he asked Hannibal the question.

"It is because he is fearful, if I am no longer in restraints, that I may be tempted to kill him. I must say that at this moment, Mr. Pearsall's assessment is not far from the realm of human possibility."

Bashandi was impressed by Hannibal's candor and less than impressed with the comportment of Pearsall.

"Doctor Lecter, temptation aside, if I ask the officer to remove your handcuffs, will you give me your word, one father to another that you will refrain from violence?"

"You do indeed have my word, Mr. Prime Minister."

Bashandi waved to the officer and, as Pearsall's heart beat escalated to inhuman levels, Hannibal's restraints were removed.

Pearsall shifted nervously. He was well aware of Lecter's feelings regarding rudeness and understood that he had screwed up royally. He would either have to suck it up and apologize or Lecter would refuse to cooperate and he would be forced to pass the case to another agent. As much as it made the bile rise up the back of his throat, he chose the former.

"Excuse me, Doctor Lecter?"

"Yes, Deputy Director Pearsall."

"Please accept my apologies. I meant no disrespect to Agent Starling or yourself. It was inconsiderate and rude of me. I really am sorry and ask your forgiveness."

"On behalf on my wife, Ex-Special Agent Starling, I accept your apology, thank you."

"Miggs…how are you associated with him?" Bashandi questioned.

Pearsall answered, though incorrectly. "Doctor Lecter killed his father."

Hannibal corrected him. "I did not kill Multiple Miggs, Mr. Pearsall and I have never claimed to, though I did witness his death with distinct pleasure. I merely suggested to him strongly after his disrespect to Clarice…that it would be better for him to die at his own hand than at mine."

"In what way was he disrespectful to your wife, Doctor Lecter?"

"Through the process of self-gratification, he collected semen and assaulted her with it."

"That is vile in the extreme." Bashandi was horrified by the explanation. "How did he die?"

Hannibal's crimson eyes sparked as he recalled the events of Miggs' death.

"It was actually quite a thing to watch. The pathetic excuse for a human being sniveled for most of the night, begging for his life. By morning the pleading had ceased and he was found gagging and gasping by the orderlies. He was removed from his cell just in time for me to watch him choke out his last pitiful breath from behind the glass of my own Spartan accommodations. The timing of his death was quite fortuitous as I would not have been able to bear witness to the event had he expired in his own cell."

"He choked…on what?" Bashandi was curious, the story too incredulous to imagine.

Pearsall answered. "He was so terrified of Hannibal that he choked to death after intentionally swallowing his own tongue."

Hannibal leaned forward, his steepled hands resting against his lips, and glared at Pearsall. "Hannibal is it? Are we so familiar that you are now comfortable addressing me by my Christian name?"

Pearsall froze. He was finding out just how unprepared he was to deal with Hannibal and was having difficulty maintaining his professionalism. Not to mention that an unrestrained Hannibal Lecter was an incredibly intimidating sight in the extreme. Again, Pearsall was forced to penitence.

"Excuse me, Doctor. I should not have addressed you by your first name without your permission."

"You are excused, Mr. Pearsall." Hannibal smiled inwardly, enjoying immensely the fact that he was able to keep Pearsall so completely and totally off balance.

"Doctor Lecter in your opinion, why do you believe this man, the son of Miggs, has been taking women and killing them?"

"He wishes to capture that which Clarice and I have captured. He wishes to find that one person who, knowing everything there is to know about him, all the good and all the bad will choose to love him. He kills those he has assessed will not."

Pearsall rolled his eyes. Both Bashandi and Hannibal recognized the disrespectful gesture. The Doctor, not one to let a sophomoric affectation such as this pass by unnoticed, instantly drew attention to it.

"Deputy Director, you may find it difficult to believe but Clarice Starling, though she may not have initially agreed to accompany me, has chosen to remain by my side. She was not forced to become my wife, nor was she forced to share my bed. I am unconcerned as to your opinion but I feel, to defend the honor of my wife, that I must inform you she was never forced to share her body with me, though if you will excuse my indiscretion, I do promise you, she shares it with me very, very willingly. As I am certain you will interview her, I warn you, she is exceedingly protective of our relationship, and of our child. I would be careful not to offend as I will indeed take offense for her and my reaction will be unmerciful in the extreme."

"Are you threatening me, Doctor Lecter?" Pearsall postured.

Hannibal's eyes narrowed reflecting his steely resolve. "No, I am not threatening you Deputy Director Pearsall. I am in fact, promising you."

Pearsall was terrified, overwhelmed and now understood that he was definitely in over his head and functioning rather unsuccessfully beyond his pay grade. He looked at his watch and tapped at the glass, directing the Prime Minister that the time was indeed, up.

"Mr. Prime Minister, our time with Doctor Lecter is at an end. The psychiatrist assigned to this case is scheduled to interview the Doctor momentarily. We can continue to gather information after the gentleman has concluded his interview."

Bashandi was not pleased with this outcome. "My daughter is running out of time, Sir."

But we don't reckon time the same way do we…this is all the time you'll ever have.

Doctor Lecter stood and extended his hand to the Prime Minister.

"Mr. Prime Minister, I assure you that I will do everything in my power to return your daughter to you."

Bashandi grasped Doctor Lecter's hand and covered their grip with his remaining hand.

"I thank you, Doctor. It has not gone unnoticed what you have risked for my family. I pledge to you your safety, the safety of your wife and that of your unborn child. You have my word that whatever the outcome. I will not leave you to the mercy of those who would do you harm."

Hannibal lowered his head respectfully. "I thank you, Sir. We will indeed speak again very soon."

Pearsall nodded grudgingly to Lecter. "Doctor Lecter, I appreciate your cooperation. Excuse my…"

He couldn't find the word. Hannibal assisted finishing his thought.

"Excuse your… discourtesy, Mr. Pearsall?"

"Yes, please excuse my discourtesy. This case has been…difficult. Your assistance has been invaluable."

"For a final time… you have been excused, Mr. Pearsall."

Prime Minister Bashandi smiled at the way in which Hannibal accepted this last apology. He discharged Pearsall as if excusing a small child from the dinner table or as if dismissing a servant. It seemed to him that Lecter was a monarch waving away a serf. He nodded his approval to Lecter.

"Until we see each other again Doctor."

"Indeed until then, Mr. Prime Minister."

Pearsall waved at the guard. The correctional officer opened the door allowing Pearsall and Bashandi to exit.

Lecter was left sitting at the table. The officer returned moments later with another guard. The second guard was carrying a tray. On the tray there was a plate of freshly sliced fruit and an assortment of cheese. There were croissants and a carafe of espresso as well.

"Doctor Lecter, as our guest, we are allowed to provide you with a meal that is alternate to the food served to our residential population. Please enjoy this repast with my compliments and that of our mutual friend. The Doctor assigned to your case will be in shortly, at which time I will be forced to restrain your hands. Until that time, you will be free to enjoy your meal and move around this room at your discretion. If you are in need of bathroom facilities, the door in the back of the room is unlocked and available for your use."

"Thank you officer, your assistance and your grace are appreciated more than you can know." The guard smiled and nodded politely, locked the door and left Hannibal to his meal.

CLARICE

"Okay, Dee…let's go over this again…I was unconscious the entire time?"

"Of course you were! You can't go into that interview and tell them that you allowed Lecter to set this up and that you were in on it the entire time! He drugged you. He kept you here, in the duplex. I was unaware that you were being held here. He was withdrawing your blood and storing it to use. You were in his company unwillingly at first, but as time progressed, your relationship developed."

"They will claim Stockholm Syndrome."

"Hannibal already thought of that. Here he wrote you a note about it…wait I'll find it."

Ardelia flipped through the file Hannibal sent to her. She found a note, written by his hand, and gave it to Clarice. Clarice read it carefully.

"Dearest Clarice,

If you are reading this letter, I am in the company of your friends at the Bureau and you must prepare for your interview. It is extremely important they believe that during the time of my escape, you were drugged and wholly unaware of your surroundings. I do not wish you to appear complicit. I have provided a detailed journal that records dates of injections, the types of drugs and dosages allotted. I do not wish to have either You, Ardelia or Logan implicated in any way.

It is important that your courage and incorruptibility remain beyond reproach, though they will suggest the possibility of Stockholm syndrome to explain your empathy and love for me.

You may feel free to make it clear to those who question our relationship that the suggestion of such is an insult to our union as it suggests that I am the person of power in our marriage. We both know this to be categorically untrue as you are my life and I am ever your servant, my Love.

If there is a seat of power between us, it belongs to you, Clarice. I am at your mercy each and every day of our lives. You alone have dominion over me. You alone guide my hand. You alone stay my wrath.

You have my permission to share any of the intimacies of our marriage that you see fit. I will trust your judgment in that regard. Please forgive me for putting you in this position, Clarice. For the sake of our lives together and the sake of our child, I would risk all that I am and all that I have.

Remember, I am not alone for I know that I am loved. Remember, you are not alone... Our love grows within you.

Ever yours,

H

Clarice folded the letter and clutched it to her chest as if it were a source of power recharging her. She paused, briefly touched it to her lips and handed it back to Ardelia.

"Okay, Dee…just tell me what I have to do."

Until the next chapter, my friends!

LH