Catching The Scent
She wasn't well and it was something she was aware of. Painfully aware of. Pain could make one aware of a lot of things. Which was why the drugs were there to take that type of pain away. They didn't remove the flashbacks. Or the nightmares. Nothing like that. Instead they just made them more tolerable. Will Graham had been the source of this pain. He'd wanted this to happen. She doubted that he was even aware she would survive. He'd sent her to be slaughtered like a lamb but now she was resurrected. She'd come back from what was an assumed death twice. He wasn't going to come back this time. Not from her wrath. The FBI and media at large presumed them dead. She knew better. Why break Hannibal out of jail just to kill him in some weird sort of murder-suicide pact. Will was unstable but not that unstable. There was no way either of them had gone that quickly. Everything had been just too perfect. It's what they wanted people to think not what actually happened. Hannibal was a master manipulator and Will had become his surrogate. Though she tried to point this out to anyone who would listen, it was mostly written off as paranoid ramblings of a drug addicted freak. Perhaps the drugs played some role in it, perhaps not. She was insane but still sane enough to be aware of it. PTSD, a bit of psychosis. Madness and pain. Pain and madness. Paranoia and anger. Her once smooth skin and cheek marred by the bite of the dragon. She wasn't the lamb any more. She was the fox and she was going to sniff out the true lamb in all of this. Bite him right in the throat.
"She's after us, you are aware of that, yes?" Will asked Hannibal over their morning coffee. Hannibal looked up, utterly unconcerned even though he was aware of who Will was referencing.
"She won't find us." He said and went back to the local newspaper he was reading.
"Won't she? That's kind of her job and she's not bad at it." Will told him then turned his laptop in Hannibal's direction to show him the latest article that had been published on Tattlecrime.com. As much of it was ramblings of a mad woman that some how retained a following, it was pretty close to accurate. Dangerously close to accurate. Will wasn't sure how she knew what she did but he wasn't going to risk anything. They'd only been on the run for a few months. He still couldn't run from his leg broken in the fall and Hannibal still had trouble recovering from being shot. Not to mention the various cuts and bruises. Some infections which had to be treated later than either of them had wanted because they'd been on the run. They were not at peak capacity for taking this on. Even with as small as Freddie Lounds was, she was fierce.
"Will, no one believes her. If she does find us, then she'll be finding us alone." He said, "Pity that your plan to have her killed didn't work out quite as expected." This was not something he truly believed. Not that he would tell Will that. Freddie surviving that encounter and in the shape she had nearly amazed him. Made him curious. She'd narrowly escaped death quite a few times but this one? It was remarkable. Something he hadn't even predicted, which of course made her incredibly interesting. He couldn't deny that within himself even if he could to others. It wasn't as if he'd been asked about it. Will didn't care too and he was well aware of that. He watched the younger man pout for a bit, going back to his laptop and muttering under his breath.
"In our current conditions, finding us alone may be just what she needs to get revenge." Will replied.
"I don't believe she'd be getting revenge on me." Hannibal said and chuckled. It was certainly meant as a joke because he would do anything to protect the man who sat before him. The attempt to lighten the mood fell flat and only served to make Will twice as huffy as he had been at the beginning of this conversation. "That was not meant as a serious statement."
"I'm aware of that, I still don't find it funny." He finished his breakfast then reached for his crutches. Once he was stable and on his feet he used them to move to the large window overlooking the city of Tokyo. A very odd place for them to end up but going back to Europe would have been too dangerous. It seemed Hannibal at least knew enough Japanese to get along, and since it was such a hub, many people knew English. Will still knew basically nothing other than common greetings and how to order food. He didn't go out much, let Hannibal take care of that part. He had been assured they'd move somewhere else once the dust had settled and they were both healed. The good news in all of this would have to be that if Freddie did make it there, her mountain of curly red hair would be very easy to pick out among the crowd of Japanese they were surrounded by.
"Ms. Lounds is resourceful. I'll give you that." Hannibal said and then sipped his coffee slowly, "However we have friends. Connections. I can alert them to our current predicament and get her cut down before she ever reaches our door."
"Are you absolutely sure of that? This is a woman who has manipulated everyone. Up to and including the FBI. You think she doesn't know how to play the game? Hire goons of her own? She has money now, Hannibal. A lot of it. That lawsuit against the FBI and myself was very lucrative for her. Not to mention the book and movie rights plus her trashy website still running and more popular than ever and did you see--"
"Will." Hannibal cut him off firmly. "If she makes it here, it will be taken care of. We won't be caught or harmed. Maybe she just wishes to have a nice conversation."
"Nice and Freddie aren't two words that will ever go together in a proper sentence." He sighed. Hannibal got up and walked over to Will slowly. He still had residual pain from his injuries but was well aware it was far less than what Will was experiencing. Not enough to prevent him from protecting them both if he had to. Ms. Lounds didn't even register on his radar as a threat. Since he had not seen or heard from her since he had gotten out, he even thought it may be interesting to talk to her. Will hadn't gone into too much detail about her current appearance. How he'd seen her after she'd been attacked by Dolarhyde. She'd begrudgingly given Will the information to catch the man correctly. Will hadn't said a lot. Not more than him becoming physically ill at the damage to her face and the pain he must have caused her. Even with his extreme dislike of her, it turned his stomach to understand and empathize with what she had gone through. To realize in the moments of her recovery that maybe she was not a monster, but a human being. Someone who could suffer and someone who had feelings. It was still something Hannibal watched him struggle with. Going back and fourth between hate and understanding. There were no public picture or recordings of Freddie's injuries. Though she had done interviews and had photos taken after the events, her face had always been covered with a fashionable scarf. The only injury Hannibal could possibly detect was at the corner of her cheek where a bit of scarred tissue peeked above the hem of the fabric. That coupled with the way her words slurred and her voice was labored indicated something extensive had happened to her jaw or mouth. Possibly both. Her voice was a bit more deep too, raw. As if something had permanently burned her throat. Milking any more information out of Will than what had already been given seemed impossible and he had stopped attempting to care. Until now. At that point he was becoming curious again. If only to see her one last time before what he assumed would be her ultimate demise.
"Doctor Du Maurier? You have a visitor." The nurse said. "Are you seeing people today?"
"Depends on who it is." Bedelia replied, not turning from her seat at the window to even attempt to truly acknowledge the woman speaking to her in the moment. She hadn't been seeing the majority of people who had attempted to come there. Mainly because they had been reporters first and law enforcement second. Men who didn't believe her story and people who didn't believe her story but also wanted to sensationalize it. She didn't care for either. At the end of the day it was some what concluded that she'd cut her own leg off. Yes it was possible, but no, she didn't have a reason to do that. Crawford didn't believe her stories of Hannibal and Will returning to get revenge. He wouldn't be wrong about that. The evidence showed the two of them were dead and it was better for everyone involved to just believe that in order to avoid some sort of mass panic. A very stubborn and idiotic man who would prefer to appear right and get people killed than continue on with a nearly impossible investigation. Chasing what could be considered ghosts at that point.
"She says you know her. Freddie Lounds." The nurse said. Bedelia took in a deep breath. A year ago she would have turned that down. In fact, a year ago was one of her first encounters with the woman. Under false pretenses, lots of alcohol, and a drunken night of sex. Then another few nights of sex. Only ending when Bedelia caught her snooping around, found out her true identity, and kicked her out as soon as possible. She vanished shortly after that period of time trying to avoid being slaughtered by Hannibal. Not that Freddie really had influenced that decision at all. Things had just piled up on her at once and she'd had to run. She didn't have a choice. She wished now she'd have stayed away. That the FBI hadn't found her. That she'd never said anything to draw attention to herself and put her own mark on Hannibal's radar. She'd been left alive but at what cost? She wasn't unaware of what Freddie had gone through. Not a victim of Hannibal's, at least not directly. Anyone would be foolish to think that this wasn't done by Hannibal with a proxy known as Will Graham. As sleazy as Freddie Lounds was, Bedelia didn't believe she deserved to be fed to the wolves in such a manner. She also hated herself for somewhat retaining feelings for the woman even after being manipulated and betrayed. Some nights she wondered if Freddie felt the same. SInce she hadn't been approached since that point in time, and so many things had happened, she felt it may be best to allow her in for a chat. If only to see what she could possibly want. That was the most pressing curiosity to her in the moment.
"Send her in." Bedelia said, rolling her wheelchair back from the window to turn to look towards the door. She was in this institution by self-administration. She had chosen to commit herself. Mostly for her own safety. Much like Freddie (even though she had no possible way of knowing it) she was insane but sane enough to know it. Unstable would have been her word of choice. Not even to herself. She'd have been hunting them down herself if she wasn't without a damn leg to kick their asses with. Besides, as she recognized her instability she also recognized it would only compromise her when the time came to exact he revenge. In here she got nearly all the sedatives she wanted and had an army of people to protect her. Since she wasn't marked as any sort of actual danger and it was a private hospital, this place was more like a resort than a prison. The nurse nodded at her and stepped out. It was only a few moments later that Freddie stepped up to the door. A beautiful and most likely expensive red scarf that complimented her pitch black pant-suit covered her face. Bedelia attempted not to stare at the scarf like she was trying to see through it to Freddie's mauled face. There were rumors about how she looked but just like the rest of the world, Bedelia did not know the true extent of the damage.
"Brought you some flowersh." She said, her words slurring softly. Her voice raspy as if she had chain smoked over the past 20 years of her life. She cleared her throat and walked over to the table to set down the expensive bouquet. "I apologize for my voice. It'sh far more rough in the morning. Taking up shmoking again wash not the besht idea but…keepsh me shane."
"You are far from sane. I can see it in your eyes." Bedelia told her.
"Did you believe I wash ever sane?"
"Not entirely. I suppose you didn't ever believe I was. Seeing as how you knew quite a bit about my relationship with Hannibal before you ever sought me out." She sighed, "Have a seat and tell me what brought you here."
"Getting right to the point, I shee." Freddie chuckled and took a seat in the comfortable chair near by. Her gloved hand came up to fix the scarf a bit. She was only wearing the glove on one hand. Her right one. That was curious. It was obviously to hide something. Given the weather the complete suit must have been hot and entirely too uncomfortable. That and her voice? She'd been burned and she was attempting to cover the scars. It made sense now. Bedelia decided not to draw attention to it in favor of information. "I need to know where they went."
"Where who went?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Bedelia." Freddie warned. "I will find them with or without your help."
"You're saying you believe me, then?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"No one else does. People pretend to but it's obvious they are less concerned about reality and more concerned about ratings and selling a story. Even if I did know where they went, why would I tell you and why do you give a damn?" She snapped.
"I want revenge."
"You? For what? Hannibal didn't do much to--"
"Not on Hannibal. I believe he wash involved but…this wash far more the reshult of Will Graham than hish little muddier hushband." Freddie replied. A smiled spread across Bedelia's face. Due to all she'd been through at the hands of Hannibal she wasn't very certain she would or could hurt him. Will Graham was another matter entirely. Yes, she could get on board with revenge against that twitchy little animal. She still couldn't say she wanted Hannibal harmed, though, even with as much contempt as she held for him.
"Wherever Will is, Hannibal is going to be with him. You wouldn't get away with much." Bedelia said, moving the wheelchair to the table so she could grab the flowers and move them to a vase.
"What makesh you asshume you have any idea what I intend to get away with?" She asked.
"Decent point. You aren't as predictable as one of Hannibal's usual victims. It's the one thing we have in common." Bedelia said, "You and I now have many things in common."
"You shay that ash if you mish me." Freddie said.
"And if I do?"
"Maybe I feel the shame." She replied with a casual shrug of her shoulders, "Can't exactly have much of a relationship if my woman is in a nut housh though."
"Point taken." Bedelia said, "However, I will not be offered much protection otherwise and no offense, I don't believe you can offer too much of it."
"I probably can't, I won't deny it." She said, "What I can offer, though, is revenge on Will Graham. I jusht need to know a bit more about them. The trail ishn't cold. I have more information than you probably think I do. Just need to confirm a few thingsh."
"Such as?" She asked.
"Hannibal wouldn't be dumb enough to go back to Europe firsht. No. He'd hide shomewhere elsh. Off the radar. Even if he believed he washn't being looked for. Hannibal ishn't where he ish by being carelessh." She said, "Europe is out, India wouldn't have pleasant smellsh, which leavesh a limited number of locations." There was a pause as she put a hand to her face and turned away for a moment. The ungloved hand went to her hair and tugged on it roughly, almost like a nervous tic. She stood up, and turned. Her back to Bedelia there was a quick flurry of movement. The scarf was adjusted again to hide most of her face and she sat back down on the couch. If Bedelia had to guess what all of that was about, it was Freddie taking medication. More than likely narcotics. She had a few tell tale signs of addiction to them that any doctor could easily pick up on by watching her for a few moments.
"Continue then?"
"Aushtralia would have too many english speakers aware of American media and newsh. This leavesh only a few other placesh." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Once again the ungloved hand moved to one of her curls tugging at it until it was yanked out completely, as if she didn't even feel the pain associated with the action. "China or Japan."
"I'm going to have to give you kudos for getting that far in your own logic given that you've most likely been high as a kite for the past month they've been missing."
"I wouldn't talk about recreational drug usage if I were you. Eshpecially not about shelf medication." Freddie replied and made a motion as if she were drinking out of a bottle.
"Get to the point." Bedelia hissed.
"Where ish it? China, or Japan?" Her gaze narrowed almost as if she already knew what the answer was and it was a test. Bedelia was unsure why she'd come there if she knew the answer. Was it intimidation? Was it an attempt to rekindle something they had before? Was it because she knew that they were both victims and this was a chance for her to finally have a relationship with someone who could understand the position she was in? Was it all of those things and a hunger for revenge against the same man that had screwed them both over? Could be any number of those things and it could be none at all.
"More than likely it's Japan." Bedelia said. She rolled into the bathroom, grabbing a vase from the dresser along the way. She didn't know why she was playing along, or even trying to humor this. Could Freddie even get to Japan and even if she could, could she find them? Could she take Will down? Or was this going to be some attempt to beg for money and help? Bedelia couldn't even honestly say she wouldn't help. She actually kind of wanted to now, despite the risk that it would impose on herself. On both of them. How much was life really worth living if this was where she'd be until the end of her days. She came back out into the the bedroom and surprisingly, Freddie was still there on the couch. Her eyes a bit more glossy and her demeanor a bit more calm. Had to have been whatever pills she took just moments earlier. Not that they'd have worked that quickly but the placebo effect was one hell of a good influence on the human mind.
"Then that ish where I'll be headed next."
"Why are you attempting to involve me?"
"I wanted to extend an invitation for you you come. Free of charge. Maybe we could…find common ground." Freddie said. It could be a trick, and Bedelia was aware of that. Freddie's intentions could also be completely honest. There was no way of knowing and it was a fifty fifty shot. She did badly want revenge. To take away from Hannibal the one thing he'd gone batshit insane over. The person he'd willingly turned himself into police to in some backwards way protect and monitor. The person who he'd destroyed his entire life for in order to stay close to. The one person, if harmed or destroyed could also destroy him. Maybe even make him finally wish to take his own life or at very least feel emotional pain for the first time in his horrific existence.
"The common ground of wanting to murder Will Graham?"
"Yesh…and other thingsh." Freddie said. Bedelia nodded and took in a deep breath.
"I'll need to think it over." She said, "Because I don't know if I can trust you, for one, and for two, it'll take a few days worth of paperwork and waiting to get them to release me even if I was self committed. I'll also need to have more of a plan decided on than randomly flying to Japan and seeing what happens. If you can agree to all of that then I'll say yes."
"I can plan. I need to do that in any case….conshidering that without a plan there ish no beating a man like Hannibal."
"I think I've underestimated your intelligence versus sanity level."
"And I think I'll take that ash a compliment…thish time." She stood up and tugged at the glove and then the scarf around her face. Her hand reached into her pocket and from it she produced a business card, which she placed on the table gently. "Give me a call when you've made up your mind. I'd like to hear from you either way."
"Understood." Bedelia said. Freddie nodded and walked out of there without another word. Bedelia set the vase on the dresser and then wheeled herself over to the table to look at the business card. Right next to it was the lock of hair Freddie had yanked right out of her head. Some sort of macabre offering, possibly. She smiled and reached to run her fingers over the silky strands. What did she really have to lose?
If there was one thing Hannibal lamented, it was that their sex couldn't be nearly as rough as he wanted it to be. Currently on the bed with Will, on top, he was nipping at his neck and shoulder. One hand on his ass as his fingers slid into Will's opening, stretching it a bit to prepare it for his cock. How they'd gotten here from the tense breakfast they'd just had, he didn't know. It was a good way to release pent up emotions and relieve tension. It would most definitely distract Will from his distress over the possibility of them being found. Will let out a loud moan which was muffled as he turned his head to press it into the pillow under his face. Hannibal worked him slowly, stretching him in a comfortable manner.
They hadn't had much time for sex since getting on the run. Even with lube, Will would have found it too uncomfortable to take his cock straight away. This was the better option and it didn't mean risking Will having an early release during other types of foreplay. Even though he had been married it seemed like he was still sexually starved and Hannibal wasn't interested in gaining information on his previous sex life. If there had even been one in that capacity. The way he had referred to Molly after the fact had seemed tense and awkward. Almost as if her were a man posing as straight in order to deter people from thinking he had ever had any interest in men. Or just a criminal. No, it wouldn't have looked very good for him to be in love with the man he was also allegedly investigating and trying to bring to justice.
After working his fingers for more than a few minutes, letting Will relax, Hannibal removed them. By that point the poor man was rubbing into the bed in order to get friction against what must be his painfully hard cock. He couldn't move very efficiently given the large cast over his leg, but Hannibal was there to take care of everything for him. He added a bit more lube to his erect shaft before starting to push it into the opening waiting under him. His groan was eclipsed by Will's even if his mouth was still being muffled by the pillow. Hannibal shifted and adjusted a bit so he could get in a good position to start thrusting. Will's ass gripping and massaging him tightly as he started to move. Grunting and groaning with the pleasure of penetrating the one he loved so deeply.
"Fuck…" Will breathed, finally turning his head to the side as it was getting too hard to breathe properly in the manner of which he had his head positioned.
"Naughty language…" Hannibal chuckled, using his hand to grab Will's thick locks and pull his head back, "You know what that does to me…"
"You love it when I'm rude…you crave it…" Will panted. Hannibal snarled and started to really pound into him, angry that Will was correct about that more than anything and not wanting to admit it.
"Mmmm…you will be punished. Won't walk right for a few days…even with the crutches." His free hand slapped Will's ass roughly causing a high pitched yelp. He chuckled breathlessly and kept pounding into him, leaning down to bite and lick at his neck and shoulder again. Will thrust up as much as he could given his injuries, thrusting back down towards the bed to get attention to his cock. Hannibal bit into the back of his neck, like a wolf holding it's prey in place as his climax rose to the very height of ecstasy and the two of them released. His teeth applying enough pressure in the moment to draw blood which he drank in happily, even if it weren't the best idea. This was the most he'd ever be able to taste of Will and it was never enough. Will bucked under him screaming and whining as he came hard, soaking the sheets under him with his hot seed. For the moment, both of their minds clear of any sort of danger. Which was exactly what Freddie was going to need in order to succeed in her mission.