The Eyes of a Lamb

Darkness

Hannibal stole glances at Clarice from the side mirror of the car that angled just right so he could see her face staring out the window with those unimaginably blue eyes that moved relentlessly on wherever they pleased. The car was moving fast, with Will at the wheel going exactly where they needed to go. Hannibal was not used to being in control of where he was going, but the atmosphere from Will and Clarice set him at ease that he was still in a way very much in control.

They were going to the first neighborhood to meet up with Jack Crawford and Beverly Katz to spread out and search the area for any possible attempts that Jame Gumb might try.

"You said the people that live in the house do not have a daughter?" Clarice said focusing on Will as he drove.

"Yes, but they have a niece that lives with them right now" Will said "And guess what she has?"

"Red hair" Clarice said shaking her head.

"What does he get out of having such a variety of girls?" Hannibal said outloud.

"He gets what he's always wanted" Clarice said "Girls that would do anything for him, girls he may have at one time fantasized about in his younger years."

"But why in that order?" Will said.

"His mother was blonde, that I do know" Clarice said "He often talked about her."

"And the other hair colors?" Hannibal said glancing back at her.

"He probably is just going in the order that the women hurt him the most, his mother was always first, I can only assume the other hair colors followed" Clarice said.

"So he lashes out on women that lashed out on him" Hannibal said "But why are they so young? You suppose he may be attracted to children?"

"No" Clarice said shaking her head "Children are just easier to control. He may have tried brainwashing women, but found them too strong. Children are easy to coax, easy to manipulate. He targets them because he needs control over them, absolute control."

"Which is why you escaped" Hannibal said softly.

"Which is why I escaped" Clarice said staring at the back of Hannibal.

Will talked about how Jack Crawford was trying to track down where the fishing line was purchased and how forensics had found traces of rock minerals in the house but Clarice was distracted as she stared at Hannibal from the backseat.

His features were handsome to her, his strong jaw line and intense eyes almost mesmerizing to look at. The rest of him looked distinguished, classy, and made Clarice feel frumpy and low classed whenever she stood around him. It didn't help that he was patient with her, gentle when he spoke, and looked at her as if she were fine art instead of a busy student.

Hannibal's eyes suddenly looked over at her through the mirror, and for a moment their eyes locked on to each other. Clarice could feel her heart pumping in her chest, the cavity walls fluttering as she couldn't break her stare with his. Hannibal felt the connection, felt the lightning bolt that struck between them in that moment. It made his skin come alive and a stirring deep within himself that he had not felt since he was very young.

Clarice suddenly bit her lip and looked away, which made Hannibal silently hiss to himself. He was losing control, losing his grip on things if he kept this up. Maybe he should kill Clarice, maybe he should end this torment...

"No" a deep resonating voice said within himself "She has given you all, and you would still take from her without giving nothing in return?"

Hannibal decided he would not kill Clarice...no, he could not kill her.