I do not own anything related to Hannibal, either thru television, or written books. Everything belongs to Thomas Harris and Bryan Fuller. I do own all the created characters. I do not own any songs, or literature mentioned. They are included to enhance the written words. Please read, review, and enjoy!
Hannibal is a gritty, provocative, seductive, murderous bloody show. My chapters contain scenes of violence, sex, drugs, language, triggers, traumas and sometimes hard to stomach scenes. I will give warnings at the beginnings of chapters.
This story is rated M.
Chapter Ten
Song(s): Strange Fruit (Blakelight Remix) Nina Simone, The Path (David Mumford), Natural Blue (Julie Byrne), There Is A Light (Nick Cave)
…
It had been four days since she had thrown all caution out of the window and had kissed Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the late hours of a snowy night. Folding her pile of t-shirts that were still warm from the dryer, Oliveah picked up a raspberry colored v-neck that had definitely seen better days. Poking her finger through the two holes that ran along the bottom of the seam, she tossed it aside on the floor and began going through the already folded pile to section out any pieces that were ragged, had holes, or were nearly worn through enough that a tank top was required beneath.
Twenty minutes later saw all the clothing she owned sectioned into three piles in the middle of the floor. A donate pile, a pile for the trash, and a very small pile to keep.
Throwing her hands up onto her hips, she stared at the keep pile and frowned.
"You're a Masters student at Hopkins Oliveah, you need a proper wardrobe. Business casual or no one will take you serious," she spoke out loud as she left the bedroom and headed downstairs for plastic bags to pack the items up for Goodwill.
I'm sure someone with a sewing machine would take care of these
"What's all that banging up there?"
Hearing Tyler's voice from the living room, Oliveah came to stand behind the couch and ran her fingers along the woolen throw blanket.
"Just doing some early spring cleaning," she offered as Tyler laid his pen down in between the pages of his organic chemistry textbook.
"Oh, just to let you know, Andrew and I are going to Hoboken for the weekend so feel free to have anyone over," he smiled tilting his head back to catch Oliveah's questioning eye.
"You have someone in mind?" she scoffed, as Tyler's smile grew wider.
"Andrew thinks you should make a pass at Dr. Hannibal Lecter."
His statement was so blunt that she couldn't help but laugh.
"God, the pair of you seriously. Hannibal Lecter is a professional and someone that works closely with Dr. Bloom. What do you think Dr. Bloom would do if I was caught sleeping around with Hannibal Lecter?"
"I'd say shit on her if she is not willing to go after him herself."
She probably has. She was one of his student's way back in the day
"I'm not about to jeopardize my job and my future at Hopkins just because I haven't had sex in a while Tyler. Tell Andrew to mind his own business," she spat just as the front door slammed shut.
"I brought coffee's and am proud to say that I didn't fall on my ass once," Andrew smiled as he sat the cardboard tray down in the middle of the living room table.
"They are all black, so add your mixings accordingly."
"Olive and I were just discussing Dr. Lecter" Tyler smiled as his partner slumped down onto the other side of the couch.
"Ah…how was your dinner date the other night? Is his mansion full of exotic worldly paintings and sculptures? Four poster iron wrought bed?"
Remaining silent, Oliveah shook her head as she walked around the couch and took up a coffee.
"It wasn't a date."
There is no way in hell I'm going to announce to them that I kissed Hannibal Lecter just steps from the front door. I'd never hear the end of it.
"You're the worst liar in the world Oliveah. Just make sure that he wears a condom I'm not ready to be an Uncle yet."
Turning around to head back up the stairs without a reply to her best friend's wit, she heard Andrew's voice calling out from around the corner.
"Let me know when you are planning to go shopping, I'll give you my best critiques."
…
Modawmin Mall, Baltimore, Maryland…
"I'm not looking for cheap sweatshop made jewelry Andrew, I've got a budget of one hundred and fifty dollars and as much as I'd like to not spend it all on one pair of pants and a top, I need to make it stretch to as many versatile pieces as possible… professional pieces."
"Yeah, yeah thankfully this place doesn't have a Sears because I'd be waiting on a bench, with a waffle cone," Andrew smiled as Oliveah swung her small beige handbag over her neck and shoulder.
"I don't even know what I'm looking for."
"Well thankfully, I've tagged along so you don't buy more black pieces. You need some more color to bring out that pretty pale face of yours. You know, get people to notice you more" he smiled as he tucked his arm along hers.
"Please say you're not thinking of the two men that cross my path weekly, honestly Andrew, I'm…"
"Oh just relax, I'm only having fun. Even if I think you should take a run at one of them."
Trust me Andrew, that thought has crossed my mind more times than one.
…
December 5th
North Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland…
9:24pm
Closing the lid to her aging laptop, Oliveah felt the coolness of the wooden floor boards under her bare feet as she rose from her nest of blankets on the sofa to make another pot of tea. Two hours earlier she had bid goodbye to Andrew and Tyler for the weekend as they were on their way to Hoboken, New Jersey to introduce themselves as a couple for the first time to Andrew's family.
This meant that she would have the townhouse to herself for the entire weekend. Peace and quiet, and with Dr. Bloom back in Washington for the next week at Georgetown, she was banking on finishing with Hogarth's The Four Stages of Cruelty as a source for the side of nature in her thesis.
Entering into the dark kitchen, she flipped on the light over the stove and drummed her fingers as to what she should eat. Opening the cabinet to her right, she pulled out a box of Yogi ginger tea and after tossing it onto the counter, she plugged in the kettle just as her ears picked up the sound of scratching on the window glass.
"Get a grip Oliveah, it's windy outside," she soothed ripping open a packet of tea and looping the string around the mug's handle. Spying a half-eaten box of gold fish crackers at the back of the cupboard, she pulled it out just as loud knocking came from the front door around the corner.
I'm not expecting anyone, and Andrew and Tyler are not here she thought as she looked to the wooden butcher block of well used knives.
Grab one
Baltimore is just as dangerous a city as any, you've seen proof of that
"Shit," she scolded as she grabbed a random knife and rounded the corner of the kitchen, finding herself in the foyer. Flipping on the light, she listened for more knocking and when it remained quiet, she tried to peek through the eye hole.
Nothing.
Flipping the light off, she felt a draw towards the door and as she opened it, she sat the butcher knife on the wooden floor by her foot.
The cold air of the night blew her hair around just as a cough came from her right side.
"Oliveah?"
Gripping the edge of the door and nearly falling backwards, the young woman cursed loudly as she felt a cold breeze blow past her and into the house.
"Will? Jesus Christ, what are you doing here?" she spat angrily watching as the floppy haired FBI instructor took his hands out of his jacket pockets.
"Can I come in please?" he questioned, feeling his teeth starting to chatter.
This is getting ridiculous. He is involved with Alana Bloom, yet he keeps coming to me.
"Will, it's late" she began as Will noticed the silver blade of the knife laying on the floor.
"I'm glad to see that you are protecting yourself, even when someone knocks on the front door," he replied, nodding towards the knife.
"Can you blame me? It is almost ten o'clock," Oliveah replied as she continued to block the way into the house. Wrapping her arms around her front, she was about to bid the man at her door a final goodnight just as Will fixed his eyes on hers.
"I had an MRI this afternoon, and…they found nothing. Nothing that can explain what's been going on with me."
Hearing his words, she felt the rawness of each syllable as he threw aside his pride in front of her.
"Come inside Will."
Feeling the fabric of his jacket against her bare arm as he entered the house, she didn't see him bend down and pick up the knife that she had laid on the floor. Closing the door and throwing the lock, Oliveah turned around and watched as Will held the knife up.
"You don't want to step on this," he spoke holding the blade before offering her the wooden handle. Taking the knife in her steady hand, she watched as he shed his jacket and hung it on the handle of the door.
"Um, I was just going to make a pot of tea but if you prefer coffee?"
"Coffee would be nice."
Moving into the kitchen, she watched as Will pulled out one of the kitchen table chairs. She was about to interrupt and suggest the comfort and warmth of the living room, but thought better given that it was just the two of them.
"I'm just going to run upstairs and grab a sweater," Oliveah spoke as she strode past Will and went up the wooden stairs. Entering her bedroom, she walked past her Hopkins hoodie that rested on the back of her white desk chair and took her mobile out of the back pocket of her sleep shorts.
"Will is not stable Oliveah, and if he comes around to see you outside of working hours, please call me."
Staring at the lit screen, she thumbed through her contacts before coming to rest on Alana Bloom's name. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Oliveah sighed as the screen went black. "I don't feel threatened by you Will," she whispered as she sat her phone down on her desk and pulled on the hoodie sweater. "And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
Rounding the corner into the kitchen minutes later, her eyes fell on Will's back as he poured two mugs of coffee, leaving them black as he put the pot back on the holder.
"The heat is better circulating in the living room if you want to sit there?"
Moving her nest of blankets off the sofa and onto the faux leather armchair, Oliveah sat down carefully balancing her mug while Will did the same.
"What's going on Will?"
Taking a small sip of the scalding liquid, Will leaned forward and sat the cup down on the worn wooden coffee table.
"I…was at a crime scene two days ago in Greenwood, Delaware."
"Agent Crawford asked you to go?"
Nodding his head, he ran his fingers through his hair before folding his hands together in his lap.
"A woman was murdered in her own home. She was grabbed and dragged underneath her bed where the sides of her mouth both left and right were slashed wide and deep."
"Will…"
"I was in the room with her body and I…"
Feeling a shiver run down her spin, Oliveah gathered her feet beneath her as she stared at the man beside her.
"I saw myself killing her but I know I didn't kill her," he dragged out as he shifted on the couch.
"The stress you are under is making you hallucinate Will. I'm not a Doctor but even I can see that."
"I was gutting a fish on my kitchen counter the day after and as soon as I started to drag the knife across the belly, blood just started pouring, running out and pooling over the edge. Fish don't bleed like that," Will muttered rubbing his hands together.
He sounds like he's on the edge of psychosis
"Have you spoken to anyone besides the Doctor you saw for the scan?"
"Dr. Lecter."
"Do you think you would benefit from speaking to someone else?"
Raising his eyebrow, Will smiled.
"I'm talking to you aren't I?"
"I'd like to think that we are becoming friends Will, but I have nowhere near any skills except making the strong suggestion for you to take a step back for a while, or maybe even for good. The stuff that you see, would not do anyone any good," Oliveah spoke watching Will as he downed the last dregs of his cup.
"Do you want a refill?"
Nodding her head, she listened to his movements and the clinging of cups before hearing his footsteps again on the hardwood floor.
"I have to ask this Will, but Washington is closer to Wolf Trap than Baltimore. Why did you come here tonight?"
Catching his raised eyebrow, Oliveah had an inkling as to what he was going to say next.
"Why would I go to Washington?"
Why would you come here? To my house?
"I don't mean to pry into your relationship with Dr. Bloom, but if you are seeing her, why wouldn't you go to her instead of coming here to me?"
The look in his eye told her immediately that his associations with Alana Bloom were not what she had been told by a certain Psychiatrist.
Dr. Lecter…
"Alana and I are not dating. She has no interest in being involved with me; she told me herself" he muttered as he focused his eyes on hers.
"Where did you get the idea that we were dating?"
"I…just thought that maybe you two were involved," Oliveah lied as she shook her head and smiled. "Guess I wouldn't make a good detective."
"Trust me Oliveah, being first on scene to pick up the clues that other's overlook is not all it's cracked up to be."
The living room settled into silence as Oliveah opened her mouth to speak.
"Dr. Lecter and Dr. Sutcliffe suggested that I may have a mental illness."
"You've been exposed to too much Will I imagine even a hell of a lot more since before I arrived. Since I started working for Dr. Bloom in September, I've heard about the crime scenes, I've seen the pictures, and heard the details. Your mind is constantly being overworked and you need to take a break," she spoke firmly as Will rubbed his temples.
"All my headaches, my night sweats, hallucinations, sleepwalking, losing amounts of time all point to nothing physically wrong with me but I don't feel like myself. I don't feel like I am in control."
"Little by little, things from your crime scenes attach themselves to you Will. Each death, each murder, each body… something leaves with you," Oliveah noted as Will sneered.
"You're associating gore details with my habit of attracting stray dogs?"
Straightening her back as she sat up against the couch, Oliveah felt the chill in the air as she looked over to the thermostat.
"The heater probably crapped out again, hence, the basket of blankets" she nodded towards the wall.
"I am going to have another MRI scan the day after tomorrow with Dr. Sutcliffe and I was wondering if you could drive me to the hospital. That is, if you're free."
Nodding her head, Oliveah shifted closer on the couch to Will as she reached out and laid her hand on his.
"You're going to be okay Will."
Am I so sure of that?
Setting the mugs down in the sink, Oliveah followed behind Will as he moved towards the front door. Pulling open the door, the wind draft nearly blew them back inside as heavy snow fell into the foyer.
"God, look at that! You're not driving back to Virginia in this are you?" she questioned, her eyes going wide as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her sweatshirt.
"I can go to a hotel…"
"I'd rather you not drive anywhere in this; no one should. You can stay here if that's not inappropriate."
Turning around, Will narrowed his eyes.
"I feel comfortable with you staying here Will, my housemates are gone for the weekend, you can even sleep in a bed with sheets and not a second hand couch with a spring in your side," Oliveah offered as Will slowly closed the door before turning the lock.
"Do you think that's wise when I've just hallucinated killing a woman not much older than yourself?"
Blinking quickly, Oliveah took a step backwards and kept her eyes trained on Will.
You don't scare me William Graham
"The boy's room is upstairs at the end of the hallway, just past mine."
…
687 Bayshore Ave, Baltimore Maryland…
Sitting perfectly still in his brown leather armchair, the dark eyed man felt the warmth of the roaring fire against his skin as a pair of small logs shifted against the stone wall. Slowly reaching out, he gently picked up the half full tumbler of scotch and took a small sip.
Licking his lips, Hannibal Lecter settled back into the chair and stared directly into the flames.
"You have mentioned a young woman almost as many times as you have mentioned William Graham in our conversations."
Sitting across from the attractive older woman who sat cross leg in a comfortable position, Hannibal felt his mind thinking back to the day two years previous that Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier had informed him that she was planning to retire from practice.
"My work with the FBI has brought me into contact with one of my former student's assistants who is working towards her own Masters in Psychology at Johns Hopkins," he confirmed as he remembered Oliveah had promised to deliver her thesis to him. Taking a casual look at his watch, his eyes read December 5th.
She was a day late.
Folding his hands together in his lap, Hannibal took in a deep breath as he debated his next words.
"Do you like her?"
"She is very likeable."
Nodding her head, Bedelia felt her lips turning into a smile.
"We've already established that trust is difficult for you Hannibal, do you feel that she can earn your trust?"
It was an honest question.
"I feel that I share many similarities with Ms. Adler, both in thought, word, and deed."
"I have to admit Hannibal, that I am curious in meeting this young woman who has been given a precious pass into your life. From the sounds of it, not many people men or women, have truly been granted the gift to really see you."
Catching Bedelia's eye, Hannibal pursed his lips as he internally tasted her words.
To really see you…
Finishing the remaining contents of his glass, he rose from the armchair and left the warmth of the fire for the floor to ceiling windows that looked down into the street belong. The heavy snow fall had been expected for the Baltimore area and as he stood and stared into the empty street below, he had a vision of throwing snowballs into the mouths of the house dogs, delighting his young sister who laughed with innocence…
"Again! Anniba…again!"
Clearing his throat, the man at the window pulled closed the heavy curtains before returning to his desk and the charcoal drawing that he had begun shortly after meeting a young, twenty-three year old Master's student.
…
"I've set out a towel on the sink if you wanted to take a shower to warm up, and I grabbed one of Andrew's clean t-shirts he's about your size," Oliveah spoke standing in the bedroom doorway just as Will pulled his black knit sweater over his head.
"Thanks, I'll be gone early once the roads are clear. I'm sure the dogs are worried."
Hearing the concern in his voice, Oliveah gave a small smile as she remembered his gang of canines.
"Good night Will." Leaving the doorway, Oliveah made her way to her own bedroom and went to stand in front of her window. The snow was still falling at a heavy rate and she was surprised to not see a single car driving on the road. "Everyone is hunkering down for the night" she whispered, wondering if Hannibal Lecter was sitting in front of his fireplace with a glass of wine.
I wouldn't mind being in his company on a night like this she thought with a shiver as she thought back to the feeling of her lips pressing against his and the feeling of his fingertips lingering against her jaw. Feeling her stomach give a rumble of hunger, she pulled closed her curtain against the draft of the wind and decided to cook up the rest of everything in the freezer. Could Andrew and Tyler really blame her? Payday was next Friday and she would offer to restock and throw in some pastries from Piedigrotta Bakery.
Walking down the hallway towards the stairs, she heard the pressure of the water running in the shower and tried with all her might to not give a thought to Will.
We are… friends
That's it
Entering the kitchen, she cranked the oven and pulled everything out of the freezer which amounted to a half box of chicken nuggets, a box of mini fish sticks and a small bag of thin fries. Grabbing a cookie sheet, she poured everything on and shoved it in the oven before the warming light shut off.
"By chance, do you have emergency candles in case the power goes out in this snowstorm?"
Hearing Will's voice, Oliveah turned around took in his borrowed white t-shirt and boxers.
We are just friends
"I have candles they are all in the living room if you want to get them together. Um, if you're hungry, I'm cooking everything that was in the freezer."
"I can go for that."
Checking the timer, she prayed that the power would not go out before the food was done.
"Now that you've mentioned a possible power outage, it's gonna happen. You do realize that?" she shouted from the kitchen, grabbing a large stainless steel bowl.
"You're going to dump everything into a single bowl?" Will questioned as he came to stand beside her at the counter.
"Makes it interesting. Like the box of chocolates, you pull one out, you don't know what it is until you bite into it."
Oh my god, what the hell am I doing?
Hearing his chuckle, Oliveah felt relieved as the timer went off.
"Did you want a separate plate?"
"I like your idea better, dip into the bowl and see what you pull out," Will replied as he moved past her. "I'm going to grab the blankets off the chair and we're going to get comfortable," he spoke leaving the kitchen.
What?
"What?"
Stepping back through the doorway, Oliveah felt tense as Will fixed his eyes on her.
"I know that when we first met I insulted you, and I apologize for that Oliveah. But you've opened your home to me tonight under a snow storm, and I'd like to make amends and be…friends" he spoke, leaving the kitchen and Oliveah holding a dishtowel as an oven mitt.
…
Adjusting the pillow behind her back, Oliveah tucked the Hudson Bay blanket around her knees as Will blew out the match between his fingers.
"This is cozy, now I wish the power would go out," Oliveah smiled as Will pulled a brown fleece blanket around him. Setting the bowl of baked items between them, Oliveah reached over for her glass of water just as the room went completely black save for the small lit wicks of the jarred candles.
"No way."
Sitting still, Oliveah felt Will's arm graze hers as he stood up and walked to the window. Pulling the curtain aside, his eyes took in the darkness of the other townhouses on the street and the lack of street lamps.
"Looks like the power is out all around us," he spoke settling back down onto the bedroom floor.
Watching Will grab blindly into the bowl, Oliveah heard him emit a low grumble.
"Please don't say they are not cooked, because I am going to eat them either way," she spoke as Will shook his head.
"These are missing a bottle of ketchup, I saw one in the fridge" he confirmed, standing to his feet and leaving the dark bedroom with a candle in his hand.
Hearing his footsteps disappearing downstairs, Oliveah took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair.
"What is going on here? Okay… okay… okay. Will Graham is here, sitting on the floor in the dark with me eating half assed cook fish sticks. He's in my bedroom surrounded by candles and…and I like him" Oliveah whispered to herself as she rubbed the palms of her hands against her blanketed knees. Reaching under her thigh, she grabbed her phone and frowned at the blank screen.
Why am I hoping to see a text or missed call from Doctor Lecter?
Shaking the ketchup bottle as he re-entered the bedroom, Will covered himself back up with blankets as he felt the warmth of Oliveah next to him.
"Want some?"
Bringing her eyes up onto his face, Oliveah felt her stomach sink as Will leaned in close and gently pressed his lips against hers.
"Hmmm, this…" Oliveah whispered as Will settled in closer beside her.
Grabbing the silver bowl that sat between them, Oliveah tossed it aside as she allowed Will to pull her into his lap. Pressing her lips hungrily against his, she felt hers parting to welcome him as he pulled her closer against his chest.
She wanted this and it was obvious that he wanted this as well.
The setting couldn't have been more perfect. No power, candles lit, a cold night…
Feeling Will's fingers pulling at the ends of her t-shirt, Oliveah suddenly broke their kiss and sat back.
"Wait…wait wait…"
Taking Will's hands in her's, Oliveah licked her lips as her window creaked under the pressure of the wind.
"Will…I don't think this is a smart idea. Working for Dr. Bloom, it would be seen as unprofessional, and…don't get me wrong, I want this" she spoke, as Will squeezed her fingers.
"I understand," he whispered as Oliveah moved to sit down beside him once to his feet, Will grabbed one of the candles and a pack of matches. Moving to her bedside table, he sat them down and checked out the window once more.
"Keep this close in case the power doesn't come back on before morning."
"Will?"
Turning around to face her, he had nearly half expected her to retreat on her earlier words.
"Please don't come to my home again unannounced."
Watching his back disappear around the corner of the bedroom, Oliveah rose to her feet and closed the door tightly.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, she reached for her phone and began to read the text messages from Andrew and Tyler…
Mom thinks Tyler is sweeter than her homemade jam
Andrew hopes you are hanging out at a bar to get some strange for the weekend
Feeling the edges of her lips turning into a frown, Oliveah rubbed her tired face and put her phone aside.
"Ethics got in the way Andrew."
…
Noble Hills Health Care Centre, Baltimore, Maryland…
2 days later
7:49pm
Turning the engine off, they sat silent in the Honda Civic as Will raised his eyes from the first floor to the top of the Noble Hills Health Care Centre. Few floors had lights on, and Oliveah assumed there would be an on duty security officer trying to stay awake behind a desk just inside the main hospital doors.
"I can go in with you if you'd like?" she offered, as the man beside her shifted in his seat.
"It's just a follow up MRI scan. As there was nothing on the first one the other day, I don't imagine anything will rear its ugly head tonight" Will spoke as he pulled out his cell phone.
"I can call you if I have to."
Have to.
Although he hadn't meant for his words to sting, Oliveah felt their bite as she nodded her head.
"I'm just as comfortable waiting in the car, I even thought to bring a book" she smiled, suddenly wishing she had brought something for a snack.
"I shouldn't be long. Dr. Sutcliffe is seeing me after hours as a favor to Dr. Lecter, apparently they went to Hopkins together."
Dr. Lecter is doing you a favor Will
"Well, my phone is on."
Watching Will walking across the dark parking lot, Oliveah kept her eyes focused on his back until he entered through the hospital doors and disappeared around a bend. Turning around in her seat, she stretched her fingers out and took hold of the Forensic Psychology textbook that she had lifted from her housemate Tyler. Reading the first few pages, she could feel her attention waning as she looked out the windshield to the scattered lights on the various floors of the hospital.
She had no desire to read this at all at this very moment.
She didn't feel cold in the slightest as the freshly fallen snow from the night before had made nearly everyone in the City of Baltimore reach in the back of their closets for their warmest outer layers. Unbuttoning the top two buttons of her peacoat, Oliveah laid her head back against the car headrest and closed her eyes.
(Flashback)
Pulling on her jacket that was one size too small, thirteen-year-old Oliveah Adler ignored the rumble of hunger that she could feel in her stomach and picked up her book bag for another day at school. The day before, she had left school early and hid out at the local library until close to finish reading an illustrated atlas of human anatomy.
Today though, there would be a light at the end of the day.
The arrival of her stepbrother Michael, honorably released from the Armed Forces after spending two years overseas.
"I just have to make it through the day. The last time he came home, he took me out for dinner and dessert. It was normal" she thought as she walked down the uneven sidewalk, passing a garbage can that was overflowing and attracting bees.
Spying a group of fellow students up ahead, Oliveah tucked her chin down into her chest as she moved past the bodies.
"Well well, if it isn't the drug addict's daughter."
Keeping her head down, Oliveah felt a shoulder bang hard into her own as she nearly stumbled off the sidewalk.
"Pay the fuck attention Adler!"
Ignoring the shouts at her side, Oliveah raced up the steps of Westview Centennial and made a beeline for her locker. Shoving her bag inside, she grabbed her biology textbook and kicked the silver metal door shut just as a looming shadow overtook her locker.
"Why the fuck does your locker have to be right beside mine? You're probably stalling here so you can dump your mother's used needles before you get caught."
Raising her eyes to stare into the face of Courtney Bond, the one girl that had taken it upon herself to harass her nearly every day since she had entered the school, Oliveah felt the anger growing in the pit of her stomach.
"How about you get out of my way" she spoke, as Courtney looked taken aback.
"Or what, you'll stab me with a dirty needle?"
Pushing her way past her own personal bully, Oliveah strode down the hallway with her eyes focused on the floor. Spying the bathroom, she ducked in and let out the breath that she had been holding since leaving her locker.
"Five more years…five more years until I graduate. I'll be free of everything and everyone and I will be able to truly live" she whispered to herself as she sat her textbook on the broken radiator that was half detached from the wall.
"So this is where you hide is it?"
Hearing Courtney's voice at the entrance of the bathroom, Oliveah slowly turned around and balled her fists at her sides.
"Biology? Are you trying to prove that you're better than the druggies you live with?"
She didn't even feel the contact her fist made with Courtney's nose as the girl fell down to her knees and started to cough heavily.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!"
Taking a step forward, Oliveah watched as Courtney held her hands up to her bloody nose.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU CUNT!."
Kneeling down, Oliveah felt her lips twisting up into a smile as she roughly pushed Courtney's hands away from her face.
"I wanna see you bleed..."
Pulling up the collars of his dark green peacoat, Dr. Hannibal Lecter walked past the security desk and smiled knowing full well that the officer would not be returning anytime soon to question his presence.
Stepping out into the cool winter night, Hannibal raised his eyes to the high moon and breathed in deeply.
His latest kill had been perfect.
John Sutcliffe, his former fellow resident from Hopkins had died at his hands and he was pleased.
Opening his eyes, he dipped his fingers into his coat pocket to withdraw his keys when he froze.
There had been no vehicles in the lot when he had arrived less than an hour ago and from his distance, he could not identify it as belonging to Will Graham who at this moment was on the very top floor undergoing a second MRI.
Reaching into his other pocket, he felt the sharp blade of the surgical scalpel against this thumb as he took a step back into the shadows of the building. Keeping his eyes trained on the windows of the vehicle, he waited for the slightest of movements that would cement his next action. He couldn't risk a witness.
If anyone moves, they will die…
(Flashback)
She knew that Courtney would not go to the Principal.
If anything, she would make up the lie that one of the girl's elbows in cheerleading practice had struck her square in the nose.
She would lie because she would come after Oliveah herself.
Jamming her books into her backpack, she didn't bother to zip it closed before moving down the crowded hallway towards any exit door.
If Michael was up for it, she would skip her classes tomorrow and suggest that they head to the zoo for the day. There was nothing in the house for groceries, but if she could lift a few of the bills she knew her stepfather kept stashed in the toilet tank, she would drop her bag off and run to the corner store behind he arrived.
Breaking out into the cool afternoon air, Oliveah slipped the straps of her bag over her shoulders and started down the sidewalk towards the run down housing complex that was her home. Rounding the corner gate, Oliveah's eyes went wide as she spotted a red Pontiac Sunfire parked outside her unit.
"Michael?" Feeling a rush, Oliveah took off in a sprint across the street, hoping over a child's chalk drawing that was partially washed out. Running up the set of stairs, Oliveah pushed open the door and let her bag fall to the ground.
"Michael?"
The house was silent as she stood in the hallway.
She knew her mother and Tom wouldn't be home. It was late enough in the day that they would both be out either in the back alleyways or associating with their criminal friends before returning at dark to continue their drug use.
Kicking her bag to the side, she stepped over a box filled with broken computer parts and opened her ears for any sign of her stepbrother.
Peeking into the kitchen, she found it empty and crossed her arms over her chest.
Where is he?
Climbing the stairs to the second level, she checked the small room that was her bedroom and called out once more.
Spying the bathroom door closed, she gently knocked and took a step back as the door easily pushed in.
"Michael?"
Pushing the door fully open, she froze and stared down at the pool of blood at her feet…
"JESUS!"
Throwing her arms out, Oliveah swore loudly as her hand hit the door and her elbow hit the horn in the middle of the steering wheel setting off a loud beep. Her chest was heaving as she stared out the driver's side window and into the dark. She could see no people or other vehicles around and she shivered as she turned over the Honda's engine.
Twisting her watch in the sparse parking lot light, she was amazed that forty minutes had passed and as she swiped the lock on her mobile it started to ring with a call.
"Hello?"
All she heard was heavy breathing on the open line as she pulled the phone away from her ear before setting it to speaker.
"Will? Is that you?"
"Oliveah…you need to come up here now. 4th floor, Dr. Sutcliffe's office."
It was all he spoke as Oliveah ended the call and threw open the door. Tearing around the front of the Honda and across the empty snowy parking lot, she mentally praying that she would not wipe out on ice, as she ripped open the front door of the medical centre.
Running past the security desk, she found the elevators and hit the button for the fourth floor.
"Did they find something on your scan Will?" Oliveah muttered as she tried to prepare herself for what waited for her in Dr. Sutcliffe's office.
Stepping out from between the metal doors, her eyes flew left and right before choosing the right end of the corridor. Jogging, she passed an open door and halted in her steps.
Blood
A large smear of blood on the outside of the office door.
Backing up, she slowly pushed open the office door with the back of her arm and found Will sitting on a two seat sofa. Lifting her eyes, she froze on a white coated lump that was pushed back in a reclining chair. Stepping into the office, Oliveah moved past the sofa and took slow steps towards the body.
A dead body
Making sure not to touch anything, she stood beside Sutcliffe's dangling arm and stared into the gaping face.
A Glasgow smile
Recognizing the deep cuts that pulled apart the man's mouth clean through the bone, Oliveah caught sight of the tissue layers and heard Will clear his throat.
"I didn't do this, if that's what you're thinking."
"You have no blood on you Will, and no, it didn't enter my mind. Are you alright?" she asked, turning and walking back towards the sofa.
Breathing out, Will shifted forward and folded his hands together.
"Sure I'm alright, this is the second victim in less than a week that has had their face nearly cut off the bone. Jack Crawford and his team will be here soon, so don't go anywhere I'm sure they are going to check us over."
"This man is Dr. Sutcliffe?"
Looking over to the reclined body, Will nodded his head and remained seated.
"I didn't see anyone when I entered the building, not even the security officer…" Oliveah began as Will cut her off.
"Chances are whoever killed Dr. Sutcliffe also killed the guard somewhere else in the building. I need to tell Jack that he was at the desk when I came in earlier. My name is Will Graham, I am in Baltimore Maryland, and it is 8:58 in the evening" he whispered, rubbing his hands together.
"Will?"
Hearing a low baritone voice at the doorway, Oliveah straightened up and watched as Jack Crawford stood aside to let Brian Zellers and two other evidence collectors into the room.
"What are you doing here Ms. Adler?"
Opening her mouth to speak, she was cut off by Will who rose to his feet and shoved his hands into his pant pockets.
"She drove me here for my appointment with Dr. Sutcliffe. I asked her to" he confirmed as Jack crossed his arms over his chest.
"You're Dr. Bloom's assistant from Johns Hopkins right?" hearing a woman's voice at her side, Oliveah met Beverley Katz's eyes and nodded her head.
"I'm Beverley Katz, I work with Zellers and Price"
"Katz, I want you to check both of them."
"We didn't touch the body Agent Crawford" Oliveah offered as Crawford looked bored.
"I don't know that for sure Ms. Adler. Katz will you check them please?"
Sitting on the sofa beside Will, Oliveah took off her jacket and watched as Katz used a pair of tweezers to take some hairs off of Will's sleeve. Giving a quick check beneath his fingernails, Katz shifted over to Oliveah and took up her hands.
"I'm not seeing anything Jack" she spoke shaking her head as Crawford peered over the sofa.
"Keep looking."
Feeling the irritation growing in her stomach at Crawford's mutter, Oliveah sighed as Beverley shook her head once more.
"You're clean. You couldn't have done this without getting something on you, and there is nothing on you. Neither of you."
"I don't feel clean" Will muttered as Oliveah rose to her feet.
"The murder weapon has the same sort of diseased or damaged tissue fibers that we found at Beth LeBeau's house" Jimmy Price spoke, holding up a pair of bloody scissors in his right hand.
"What's this guy got to do with the other victim?"
"Just me. I am the common denominator between them" Will spoke as Oliveah crossed her arms.
"What do you remember?"
Shifting against the back of the sofa, Will rested the palms of his hands on his knees.
"I remember coming here, going into the MRI, getting out, and uh, finding Dr. Sutcliffe's body. After that, I called you and then I called Oliveah to come upstairs."
"No confusion?"
"Well, not that I'm aware of."
"Ms. Adler, where were you while Will was getting his MRI?"
Hearing her name on Jack Crawford's lips, Oliveah met his eyes and felt the intense interest.
"I drove Will here, and I waited downstairs in my car. It's the Honda Civic in the lot."
"How long were you in your car?"
"I know that I fell asleep and I woke up just shortly before Will called me so about forty, forty-five minutes?"
Nodding his head, Crawford reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew his mobile phone. Scrolling through, he thumbed in a quick message before shutting his phone off.
He's going to mention this to Dr. Bloom
"Was your Dr. Sutcliffe in the habit of seeing patients after hours when he is the only one in the office?"
"He was very accommodating, apparently he is a friend of Dr. Lecter's."
"If this was Georgia Madchen, then she followed you here, and while your ticking away in the MRI, she does this to your doctor. Why him?"
"She can't see faces, maybe she thought he was me" Will offered as Crawford came around the sofa.
"Alright, while we're at it, why you?"
"I don't know. I have a habit of collecting strays. I…I told her, tried to tell her the night I saw her, I tried to tell her that she was alive; maybe she heard me. Maybe it hadn't occurred to her in a while."
"Maybe" Crawford muttered as he looked to Oliveah.
"It's late Jack, and Oliveah should get home. She's not a part of this."
"On the contrary Will, Ms. Adler is increasingly become involved in your business and it's been noticed" he spoke as Oliveah reached for her coat, biting her lip.
You need to take a serious look at your situation Oliveah
Following Will out of the office, Oliveah kept her hands in her pockets as they approached the elevators.
"He's going to tell Dr. Bloom that I drove you here," she spoke as soon as the doors were closed.
"Why would it matter if Alana knew?"
"Because the last time I spoke to Dr. Bloom, she told me to call her if you approached me outside of working hours"
Turning around to face her, Will Graham took his glasses off and started to clean them on his shirt sleeve.
"Alana is asking you to spy on me and report?"
"She's concerned just like everyone else is about the work you are doing. The toll that is taking on you" Oliveah replied as they exited the elevator and walked towards the dark parking lot.
"Did you tell her that I was at your house the other night?"
Raising her eyes onto Will's face, she gently shook her head as the elevator dinged to signal the first floor.
"No."
…
North Clinton Street, Baltimore, Maryland…
2:12am
Not bothering to wash her face, Oliveah stripped out of her clothes as she made her way to bed.
Reaching the single bed, she sat her phone on the side table and pulled the covers up over her naked skin….
(Flashback)
"OLIVEAH! WAKE UP!"
Feeling a rough kick against her bed, fourteen-year-old Oliveah Adler sprang up and fumbled for her pillow as it fell to the floor boards.
"What's going on Tom?"
Spying her step-father standing at the foot of her bed, Oliveah narrowed her eyes as she tried to focus on where her Swiss army knife was at this very moment.
"Get some clothes on, you're coming with me" he spat, turning and leaving her closet size bedroom.
Standing on shaking feet, she grabbed her hoodie and pulled on a pair of jeans and her doc martin boots in the dark before grabbing a Nike ball cap.
Following her step-father out of the townhouse and into the cool 3am early morning, Oliveah yawned as Tom revved his truck's engine.
"Where are we going?" she questioned, watching as they turned off Jane and onto Sheppard Ave.
"I've got a meeting with a perspective buyer and I need a look out" Tom spat as Oliveah felt numb.
"I'm not a criminal, I don't want to do this."
Hearing Oliveah's objection, Tom sped the truck up as he shot her a look.
"Good ahead then, jump out of the fucking truck, he offered but don't forget who is giving you a roof over your head."
Pulling the hood of her sweater up over her head, she settled down into the uncomfortable ripped seat and watched the traffic.
Pulling over to the side of Bathurst, Tom cut the engine and shoved Oliveah's shoulder.
"Stop falling asleep. Now listen, I want you to stand outside beside the truck and pretend that you are texting on this. You are gonna keep watch on the street and if you see anything or anyone approaching the alleyway, I want you to fall to the ground like you've hurt yourself."
She couldn't believe he was pulling her into this.
After the suicide of her mother only months ago, she had packed her back pack and a found duffle bag with all her clothing and a few items with the intention of leaving the house in a split second if Tom had made any threats or advances to her.
And now…
Now he was getting her to take her mother's place as his lookout while he dealt heroine.
Watching his back disappear around the alleyway, Oliveah shivered as she danced from foot to foot in an effort to keep warm. It was pitch black dark and try as hard she might, there was no way she would be able to keep watch for anyone who didn't want to be seen.
30 minutes later…
Watching her breath snaking around her, Oliveah swore she could hear sirens in the far distance. Shaking her head, she looked down at the cigarette case Tom had given her in place of a texting phone and wished that she was back in bed with her fleece Hudson Bay blanket.
Hearing the sirens getting louder, Oliveah leaned back against the truck and felt a rise of panic as a figure came running out of the alleyway chased seconds later by a second figure.
"FUCKER!"
BANG BANG
Letting out a scream as she dropped the cigarette case, Oliveah fell to her hands and knees and watched as her step-father stood over the other man who was spitting blood.
"DOUBLE CROSS ME FUCKER!" Tom shouted as he trained his handgun onto the face of the man lying at his feet.
Shooting the man point blank in the face, Oliveah tried to catch her breath as Tom kicked the body aside.
"He thought he could fucking rip me off and steal my shit" he seethed, hauling Oliveah up roughly against the side of the truck.
"Get in the truck."
No sooner had the words fallen from his mouth, did the sirens that had been heard earlier came screaming around the corner.
"FUCK!"
Pushing Oliveah roughly to the dirty sidewalk, Tom ran around the front of the truck and wretched his door open just as shouts to put his hands up came from behind
"GET YOUR HANDS UP AND DROP THE GUN!"
Crawling away from the truck on an ankle she was sure was sprained, her eyes were blinded by the flashing blue and red lights that lit up the street as gun shots rang out around her.
Closing her eyes, she laid her head back against the concreate and hoped to god one of the bullets would hit her…
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Sitting up straight in bed, Oliveah fumbled for her phone and knocked off her table lamp to the ground with a crash. Breathing heavily as her eyes squinted at the white screen light, she felt her hands shake as she took in the time.
5:12am
Thumbing through her contacts, she hovered over the number of Hannibal Lecter's office and without a second's thought, allowed it to dial.
Reaching the voicemail, she closed her eyes as the service voice gave instructions.
"Hello Dr. Lecter, this is Oliveah Adler calling and….and I would like to make an appointment with you…as a patient" she spoke, keeping her eyes closed as she ended the call and sat her phone down in the covers.
…
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