Snared by the Ravenstag

15

"I don't like this," Chilton repeated for the second time as he, Crawford, Will, and Anna sat in Alana's office with glasses of wine, "I understand why Will has to be involved with Hannibal's 'escape', but why does Anna?"

Crawford crossed his arms as Anna continued staring out of the window at the snow. Freddie Lounds would be here in an hour for an interview to draw the Dragon out.

He wanted Anna out of here, to go and visit Hannibal.

"Because Hannibal likes Anna."

"She's a sociologist, a lecturer, not a trained member of the FBI, Jack." Alana snapped as Will went to stand beside Anna. Frederick clenched his fists over the top of his walking stick when Will put a gentle hand on her arm and murmured something to her.

Whatever he had said made Anna nod faintly.

"Neither were you, yet you trained with a gun and confronted Hannibal yourself," Jack argued, drawing Anna from her silence.

"And almost got herself killed, not that either you or Will were in better shape." Anna said finally as she turned away from the window.

"And yet, somehow, the only one who walked out of that house unscathed that night was you." No one could dispute that fact as they all looked at the woman and wondered. Hannibal's sexual relationship with Alana had been common knowledge, and yet only Anna had walked away with a few bruises while the rest were sped off to hospital in ambulances.

The memory of the body bag holding the body of Hannibal's charge, Abigail, made her suddenly nauseous. Crawford saw the change in her and pressed on,

"'Anna Petrova is alive because Hannibal Lecter likes her that way,' you said that once, Dr Chilton. We need Hannibal to remain here...and if your theory is correct, Hannibal Lecter will not put Anna at risk of coming into contact with the Dragon."

***

Hannibal was led on his bed when she arrived, reading a book,

"Anna, what an unexpected surprise," he slotted a bookmark into his page and sat up slowly, "please, sit."

She sat on the chair the nurse had provided.

As Hannibal began to walk around his cell, Anna took a deep breath,

"Why...why did you keep me alive that day?"

Hannibal looked at her sharply,

"Why would I not? You did not know what they were planning, you did not try and cause me any harm...I enjoy your presence."

The words were stuck on her tongue, words she dreaded.

"Do you like me, doctor?"

The answering smile chilled her to the bone, and he collected the paper he had left on his desk, putting it into the dispenser tray.

"Read it, please. The passage in its entirety."

"Could he daily feel a stab of hunger for her? Find nourishment in the very sight of her?" He closed his eyes as she continued, "But would she see through the bars of his plight, and ache for him?"

She put the paper back in the tray, but he stopped her.

"Keep it, Anna. Please."

Silence.

"I don't understand you, Hannibal. I don't understand what you do, or why. I think there is a good man inside of you...a good man in an insane mind. I'm not like Will. I can't understand your mind, I can't feel as you feel. You appreciate life because you respect death, but you also take life and.. if that's your plight, to make me see as you see, I will never understand it."

He approached the glass and knelt so they were at eye level.

"I would never want to change you, Anna. You're perfect as you are."

Both hands touched on the glass.

At the sound of voices in the corridor, Anna pulled back.

"You know something," Hannibal said sharply, "tell me, Anna. Tell me what you know."

"I can't, they'll know...I can't..."

"Are they going to put you in danger? Are they putting you beside the Dragon?" Frantic, the monster was frantic. Surely Crawford…

Of course, to make sure he complied with whatever devious scheme they had concocted, they would use Anna…use her as an asset.

It sickened him.

Making eye contact with Hannibal was terrifying when his eyes darkened. Being under his gaze was enough to pierce the soul but under his true gaze, his nature laid bare? Horrific.

"Jack Crawford endangers your life. I will not forget this."

His face went blank as the nurse appeared and gestured for her to leave.

No, he would not forgive or forget.

Behind him, the shadow of the Ravenstag danced across the walls.

His time was now.