In seconds, he had been pushed inside the room, only for the door to close behind him and then be slammed against it.
The rough treatment and the hands holding his good jacket stirred up something within him and his eyes glared at the person responsible for it. The iris changed as a bright red took its place as the primary colour.
His gaze locked on identical bright red eyes that stared back, challenging him.
Rana was behind all of this and she was pressing him against the now-closed door. She was a head shorter but her well-trained body made up for it, as she exhibited the first ability she had evolved. Her red eyes challenged him mentally and her jaw was tense. Her pupils had dilated and her pulse had spiked, indicating that she was faintly listening to her more animalistic instincts.
And she was.
Hannibal triggered her impulses and her instincts more than anyone. She considered Will someone to protect and he came in, poking around. However, that was not the main reason she had reacted. No, the main reason was those red eyes that were like hers. Another Alpha, entering what she called her territory, entering her cases and in the way of life she had built for herself.
Hannibal, on the other hand, remained calm. His pulse quickened but his control at that moment was impressive. He placed his hands around her wrists, giving back a warning but firm squeeze about how she could ruin his suit. He kept staring back at her, taking a moment to mentally map every detail of her face that he had finally gotten in such proximity.
Then, he decided to speak up. "I am not your enemy, Rana. I am not here to challenge you either nor do I intend to harm Will" he said, using all the information he had picked up so far.
It was clear that both of them were reacting to each other's presence, as equally strong potential Alphas. The problem in the middle was Will. A simple ignorant Beta, that had subconsciously taken some sort of protection under her wing and she had gladly accepted him. It was in her instincts as a female and as an Alpha to protect one weaker member that was alone.
It was fascinating to watch but he also realised how careful he had to be at that moment. He was merely curious about Will and her, obviously, but he had failed to truly notice the signs or how reactive she could be because of him.
Somehow, his words seem to have gotten into her or she had gotten what she wanted, him admitting his intentions or proving he was not there to challenge her. She let him go and took a step back but still kept him trapped between her and the door, eyes never changing back to normal.
"What do you want then, Lecter?" she asked, her breathing calmer and her heart rate slowly dropping as she kept her eyes pinned on him. "You should know it was wrong trying to approach Will that way"
Hannibal wanted to scoff at her, something about her scolding tone amused him. He was no child and of course, he knew. Perhaps she was used to using that tone with Will or the weak incompetent humans she worked with but that would not work with him.
He started to fix the creases on his jacket, eyes never leaving hers. He wouldn't give her that satisfaction. "You do have a valid point, Agent Stones. However, you fail to see the reasons behind it. You and I are on the same team and I simply want to help you and the FBI to solve this murder, while also helping Will with his unique gift"
She folded her hands in front of her chest, listening to him. A part of her felt stupid for reacting that way but she also felt the need to set limits for he did not seem to understand them. "You do have a valid point, Doctor Lecter" she started, using his words that faintly amused both of them. "However, if you truly wish to help then don't overstep boundaries. If Will allows you, only then but this will not happen soon"
Hannibal finished fixing his jacket and the corner of his lips curved up in a slight smirk. "My observations stand correct then. You have taken Will into your pack. Do you also consider Jack part of it? Despite being a human" He started to analyse her, bringing up questions she truly did not want to answer. They were more private and she did not truly feel comfortable answering them. "Will doesn't truly know. His instincts guide him but he is clueless about specific matters and yet you have already chosen him. Do you plan to eventually expose him to the truth?"
"Enough," she said, her tone warning him as her eyes narrowed faintly.
Hannibal kept that smirk, noticing the tense muscles and knowing that his questions had already been answered. Her reaction was all he needed to get and he was more than pleased with what she showed him.
"My apologies. I do not control my psychoanalyzing. However, I do believe both of us have better control over our other nature" he said, implying something she picked up quickly.
She scoffed, leaving air from her nose before the red in her iris faded away and her usual brown was visible once again. He could not help but feel satisfied, seeing her being the first to do it. However, for the sake of peace, his own eyes turned normal, which seem to have already eased her slightly.
There was another moment of silence before she broke it with a sigh, hands falling by her side and eyes momentarily closing for a moment. She then looked back at him and took a deep breath. "I apologise...for my reaction...I shouldn't have reacted that way but instincts took control"
He studied her as she confessed and he was now even more intrigued. Usually, one of her kind wouldn't apologise for it but it was clear to him, that a part of her meant it. She worked with humans for far too long, she suppressed her nature and her true instincts, for the sake of secrecy and protection of her well-being. This caused such small outbursts to be easily triggered, by the presence of another.
Just like Will, she blocked a part of her true nature. That... he didn't like. He felt the other side to be a gift, one that should be embraced and accepted. That's what he did and had helped him find inner balance a long time ago. This was not something Rana had achieved but it was something he could work with, earn her trust and learn more about her.
He offered her a smile, showing no grudges or ill intentions. "I accept your apology, agent Stones. There is nothing, however, to apologise for. I was the one, who tasted your patience" he said, his words targeted specifically to appease her other side and seem to be working as the muscles of her body relaxed. "I believe we started on the wrong foot. We should be working together to find this killer, not fighting between us. How about, to a new start?" he extended his hands.
Rana heard him loud and clear, each word coated by his charm. She picked it up and yet could not help but feel them working, soothing her other side, and feeling so genuine. Despite everything, he gave the aura of this strong calmness...the one coming before a loud storm...and she found some comfort in it.
His words, and his tone, all showed sincerity and eased her mind from the thoughts she had earlier, muting the warning at the back of her mind. Refocusing on what was important, the mission and the dead girls, she realised how right he was. She looked at him again, his smile contagious to her and she soon graced him with a small of her own. "To a new start," she said, shaking his hand with hers, in a firm and sold shake.
After that small moment and with the tension between the two leaders have disappeared, they focused on the case.
Meeting Will at the reception soon after, they all headed for the car. Rana, having been entrusted with the keys, was the one driving. Hannibal took the seat at the back and Will became her co-pilot. As they fixed their belts and Rana checked the mirrors when both noticed Hannibal smiling.
Will lifted an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about?" He asked him.
Hannibal kept the smile. "Peeking behind the curtain. Curious how the FBI goes about its business when it isn't kicking in doors." This earned him an eye-roll from Rana, who had actually seen and heard such talk before.
"We're lucky we're not doing house-to-house interviews."
The female agent turned on the engine and started the car, smirking faintly. "If things lead us there, we might. Don't worry, I can deal with them. For now, let's focus on what we have"
Hannibal looked at her with curiosity. "And what do we have exactly?"
"We found a little piece of metal in the clothes Elise Nichols had on. A shred from a pipe threader."
Hannibal looked between her and Will. "Jack Crawford wants me to make sure Wil is of sound mind and body... to look for metal pipe threaders?"
This amused the duo at the front and the next to speak up was Will. "That's between you and Jack."
"Must be hundreds of construction sites all over Minnesota." Hannibal continued as Rana increased speed and kept going down the road.
Yet she replied. "Certain kinda metal. Certain kinda pipe. Certain kinda pipe coating. So we're looking at construction sites that use that kinda pipe. There are a few that seem to fit in the category"
Hannibal still had questions and was not satisfied by such vague answers. "And what are we looking for?"
"At this stage, anything. But mostly anything peculiar." Will explained.
Not long after, Rana pulled up to a construction site. The trio stepped out of the car and walked towards a camper trailer office. Taking a few steps inside, they spot a flustered, mildly suspicious secretary.
Rana was quick to show her badge and explain the reason they were there, sort of, before, Will, Hannibal and she started to leaf through pages. Eventually, she picked up the phone and started to talk in a very ineffective hushed tone that was easily hearable to the three Wolfskin individuals.
"Three fellas from the F.B.I. They're going through drawers now. Putting papers in file boxes. Yes. They're taking things. No. They didn't say whe - Yes, they can.."
Rana was often casting her glance at the secretary as the older woman gossiped on the phone, studying her body language and picking up her pulse.
Eventually, she stopped talking for a moment and turned on the trio. "What did you say your names were?"
Before any of them could answer, Will found a resignation letter of note.
"Garret Jacob Hobbs." He read the name out loud.
The secretary immediately recognised the name. "One of our pipe threaders. Those are all the resignation letters. Plumbers union requires them whenever members finish a job." She then focused back on the call for a moment. "I'll call you back." With that, she hung up and scooted out from around her desk.
"Did Mr Hobbs have a daughter?" Will asked her.
"Might have." Was all Dixie replied.
"Eighteen or nineteen, wind chaffed? Plain but pretty? She would have auburn hair. About this tall."
"Maybe. I don't know. I don't keep company with these people." She justified herself.
Rana felt the need to roll her eyes at the excuse the woman used. Or maybe they don't keep company with you, she thought in her mind, not truly liking the gossiping secretary.
Hannibal seemed to have picked up something as he turned to Will. "What is it about Garret Jacob Hobbs you find so peculiar?"
His question, made Rana also focus on him, curious as well. "Left a phone number. No address."
"Therefore he has something to hide?"
Will shrugged, not putting too much weight on the matter. "Everyone else left an address."
This made the female agent lift an eyebrow. She turned to the secretary. "You have an address for Mr Hobbs?"
Soon after, our three heroes and the secretary named Dixie were all busy hauling the boxes to the trunk of their rental car. Suddenly, Rana's phone started to ring and she walked away from them to pick it up.
It was Jack and he was waiting for a report on how things were going. Rana gave detailed answers to his questions, waiting for him to guide her on how she should proceed. Usually, if she was alone or with another agent, it would be easier but considering it was Will with her and Hannibal, who was a citizen, it complicated things.
She kept walking further away from the others as she spoke, not noticing that Hannibal had "accidently" dropped a box and used the distracted Will and Dixie to enter the office and make a call.
