The Eyes of a Lamb

Ragamuffin

Clarice was restless as she and Hannibal drove towards the next victim's house, hopefully getting there in time to move the family to safety. Will and the agents had found where the doll had come from that had been placed in Clarice's house, leading them to an old apartment complex where Rachel Wilson, age ten, was located. The doll had been handmade from her mother's toy shop and was purchased a week ago by a man described as Jame Gumb.

"This isn't right" Clarice said "He's more careful than this."

"Perhaps because he did not succeed in kidnapping Hannah he has become desperate" Hannibal said trying to keep his eyes on the road. Clarice sitting close to him in a confided space was more than he could handle at the moment, his initial instincts wanting to pull over and make her forget all about Jame Gumb.

"Hannibal" Clarice said looking over at him "What happens if we don't catch him?"

"We will catch him Clarice" Hannibal said giving her a reassuring smile "I promise."

They drove fast through the night, coming upon a large building with many windows lit up, police cars flashing the way to their destination as they finally stopped in front of the apartment building. Clarice quickly got out of the car but did not go until Hannibal was right beside her. They walked in together, their bodies close and moving as if they were one.

"Floor 6 ma'm" an officer said waving them through as Clarice put her badge away. Clarice moved like water through a river, moving past people with speed and accuracy even Hannibal had a hard time keeping up with her. They finally made it to the elevator, Clarice pulling herself close to Hannibal as other people moved into the box along with them. Hannibal took this moment to breathe in Clarice's scent deep within his lungs, her fragrance like the sunset of a warm summer day as the cool breeze picked up all around the body.

Clarice could feel Hannibal behind her and felt her internal wants battling to lean into his body, feel his warmth against hers, but she had to concentrate on what was going on now, had to push aside those wants that had been buried deep for months. Hell, could she even remember the last time she had gotten intimate?

The ding of the elevator woke Clarice up as people piled out of the elevator and she exited quickly with Hannibal following her lead. Clarice could see Jack Crawford standing at the end of the hallway as Will turned to her with a grim look.

"No" Clarice whispered as her feet pounded by everyone. Distress fueled Clarice's body as she catapulted into Will, her eyes pleading that it wasn't true.

"Her family is still alive" Will said steadying Clarice "But Rachel has gone missing. We checked the apartment security and no one has left the building."

"So she's still here" Clarice said.

"We checked all the floors though" Will said.

"Not all of them" Clarice said stepping back "Apartments like these, they are old, brick foundations."

"There is a hidden basement" Hannibal said out loud. Will and Jack Crawford's eyes got wide, their bodies running and shouting orders to the basement. Hannibal followed, thinking Clarice was behind him as the group ran for the stairs, but Clarice stayed behind, finishing her thoughts. Apartments like these were plenty old, and during those times bootleggers would use secret passages to store the illegal liquor.

Clarice found herself moving down the hallway and up the stairs instead of down. Her feet wandered upwards, her thoughts clouded but she still knew where to go. Jame wouldn't be that stupid, wouldn't choose the dark and hidden path to steal away Rachel, he would be a wolf in sheep's clothing, going up the stairs towards heaven rather than hell to hide from the angels of persecution.

Her footsteps started to silence as Clarice slowed her pace, knowing there was no need to alert Jame, and no need to rush. He would have left once the police left, he would have gone down and just walked out of the apartment with Rachel, maybe in a bag of some sort. She found herself at the top floor, a single door in her view as she involuntarily started shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. But she moved none the less, her hand moving slowly to her belt, clicking it open and drawing her weapon, ready to take Jame on, ready to save Rachel, ready to end this once and for all.

Her hand moved slowly on the door knob, letting it twist slowly until she opened the door with a swing, her stance even, her breath neutral as her arms stood straight out, her finger ready on the trigger. But nothing stood in front of her, just a wide, empty room, with wooden floors and stained windows that had not had a good washing since the apartment went under renovations. Clarice felt her arms drop and a sigh escape her lips.

She stepped forward into the room, her eyes wandering as her head desperately tried to clear up from the fog she had been under.

Then she heard it...the slamming of the door behind her.

And then the feel of Jame's hand around her mouth as she sunk into darkness, her scream only sounding out inside of her head.

Hannibal and Will watched as the FBI raced down into the abandoned cellar, the screams of Rachel being heard loud and clear through the walls as they busted down a sealed door. The team raced in, finding Rachel tied up and fully alive as they scrambled around the basement, clearing the area with no sign of Jame Gumb anywhere.

"This is wrong" Will said shaking his head "What is he playing at? He wouldn't just leave her here to be found."

"Unless this is a diversion" Hannibal said as his head turned "What do you think Clar-."

He suddenly stopped and did not see his angel among the faces that crowded the brick hallway of the dusty basement. Hannibal felt his heartbeat increase, his breath stiffen as his eyes quickly observed everyone in the room and realized Clarice was not with them. Only in that instant did Hannibal realize why Rachel had been left down in the basement for them to find. Them, not Clarice...

"Will" Hannibal said softly as his friend turned to him "Clarice is not with us."

"What?" Will said alarmed.

"This was a trap" Hannibal said feeling angry "Rachel was a diversion."

Will's eyes became wide, realizing what the doctor meant.

"CLARICE!" Will screamed as he ran past everyone. Hannibal ran quickly and caught up with Will, his body pumping to get upstairs as they raced upstairs.

"Clarice where are you?!" Will screamed when they reached the sixth floor. Hannibal saw the stairs leading up, knowing his angel would go up there if she knew Rachel was not going to be down below.

"Will!" Hannibal said firmly "The stairs!"

Will followed Hannibal's lead, their feet echoing in the hall, their lungs fueled with fire and brimstone to get up to where Clarice had gone.

They saw the gray door and quickly ran through it, only to stop dead in their tracks. Their hurry had been in vain, their efforts futile as they saw another ragamuffin doll in the middle of the floor, it's hands and feet pinned to the ground with various needles as it stared up at them mockingly.

Clarice was gone.

And now Jame had his final victim.