The Blood-stained Deer

Chapter 20: Gifts and Betrayal

Soon, it was time for Will's appointment with Doctor Lecter and he struggled this time. He had extra packages with him that Hannibal noticed. "What are these?" Hannibal asked as he glanced down. "Presents I bought Abigail and Elain. I thought better of it, I wasn't thinking straight. I was upset when I bought it. Maybe still am." Hannibal leaned down and picked one up. "What are they?"

"An art set for Elain, and fly-tying gear for Abigail." Will said, as if he memorized everything perfectly. Rehearsed it to the T. "Why are you so angry?" Hannibal asked Will, as he watched him pace around the room instead of sitting down like he usually did. Will sighed. "I should have saved Elain. And now she is with...whoever took the lost boys."

We were in the car, driving to somewhere undisclosed when I heard my phone ring. I took a deep breath, hoping that she would at least let me answer it. "Who is this?" she asked, showing me the caller ID. "Um, that's my dad." I said with a lack of preparation. "Okay, go ahead and answer it, but on speaker." She said.

I gulped and answered it. "Hey, dad." I said, nervously. I was glad that Hannibal went with it. "Hello darling, where are you?" he asked. "We've been worried sick." I looked to the woman slightly and she nodded to me. "I'm lost. And frankly, forgot our address." I said, to which he responded with his actual home address which freaked me out, but I trusted he knew what he was doing. "Okay, I am on my way. Thanks. Dad." And we were off. I sat in the backseat, sandwiched between two boys, feeling like I betrayed Jesus.

We were there almost in ten minutes flat, parked right outside and I was to be bait as they found another way in. I knocked on the door and Hannibal raised to grab it. He opened the door. He and I were both silently locked in each other's gaze for a moment. "What is happening?" he asked, knowing there must be something else at large. "They are trying to find another way in..." I whispered. He nodded, "back door is unlocked." He said. "Jack and Bella are here too."

I took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was here finally. "Do what you need to." He said as he let me in, playing the father figure as was the role I had given him. Inside the car I was given a handgun, to hide. I walked into the dining area, and stood in front of Jack, and Bella as Hannibal retook his seat. For the brief moment that the room was empty, Hannibal silently explained what was happening, and jack said swiftly, that if I needed to shoot anyone, to shoot him. I was not prepared to shoot anyone, but knew it was a high likelihood.

It didn't take long after that, for the woman to find the backdoor. "All in one place." She said as she hugged me to her chest lightly, still giving me arm room. "Do it." She said, as she whispered in my ear. "They never loved you." I took a deep breath and brought out the hidden gun, and the supposed victims played their part. Jack stood up, slowly trying to approach me. But I knew it was to open up target range. "Please, that's not true." He said.

"Do it." She said once more, and I shot. Jack kneeled in pain, grasping his thigh tightly. With the commotion that caused I was able to run and get lost to a spare bedroom. The bedroom that was mine. I heard the front door get kicked in, by fellow FBI monitors I assumed, and I huddled in the corner of the room, furthest from the door. Afraid of who would find me first. The door was opened by the eldest boy, holding a gun in his hand. "I was dying to shoot you from day one." He said. "I knew women were weak." He said as he raised his gun.

I chuckled. "I don't think that's wise." I said as I removed my hat. "You don't want to kill the prodigy daughter." And with his shock of who I was, I ran threw him, dropping my hat in the room. I ran to Hannibal's side, as the woman was getting handcuffed. "It's ... its you?!" She gasped. I hid my face in Hannibal's side more and she was taken away. Once everything was gone, I ran to Jack.

"Are you okay? I am so sorry... I just didn't want to be shot myself..." I said as I was wary of touching him. "Not the first time I was shot and good call on the leg." He said as Bella was wrapping a tourniquet around it. "You go get ready, I will make you and Abigail something to eat." Hannibal said as he was helping with bandaging up Jack. I nodded and was happy to know Abigail was here.

I left to the washroom and washed my hands and face. Once I was done, I turned the water off and leaned over the sink. There was a knock on the door and I opened it to see Abigail Hobbs. "I came to see if you were alright." She said as she walked in and placed an arm around my back. I nodded slowly and walked with her, back out to the dinning room. Jack said that he and his wife were going to head out and that I could either get dropped off at his house or stay with Hannibal.