Chapter 5
There was a lot of things that Hannibal actually prided himself with. And rightfully so, he was a successful man with a lot of accomplishments to boast about. He doesn't, of course, that would be unbecoming of him and the image he has carefully crafted for his life in the United States of America. He was financially stable no matter what happens, even if he had to pack up and leave now. He would be okay. Hannibal also can say that he has a lot of connections, people who both know about him and those who do not. All willing to side with him, which in the long run is helpful.
The most important thing that he could boast about – his intelligence. His mind itself.
Having the memory that he does and the ability to utilize his mind like a fine-tuned weapon is the main reason why he managed to slip the law's grasp and hold onto precious freedom. He always made sure to know everything about anyone coming into his orbit. He did so with the caretakers – if you want to call them that, in the orphanage. The people who made the fatal mistake of taking her life. Later to bullies and as he grew - Inspector Popil and eventually Inspector Pazzi. The late Inspector Popil died of old age, celebrated for his accomplishments. Inspector Pazzi, however, has had his image too tarnished to consider coming after Hannibal.
Jack Crawford is the latest and as fun, as it was to watch him squirm and not even know just how close he was to catching the Chesapeake Ripper – it would eventually come to an end. When Hannibal was ready to move on, however, now he won't be moving on alone. He now has Will. Will Graham had things he had to work through, things regarding them and Hannibal's preference for meat and murder. But as things were, things looked promising.
So Hannibal takes it as a good sign and lets life carry on.
And as it did, brought another man into his orbit – albeit temporarily.
One Eddie Brock, a reporter from San Francisco. Hannibal looked him up, read a few of his articles. He was an impressive writer. Not as much flare for the dramatic as Freddie Lounds, but his words were still captivating. His determination to stick to the story and chase it regardless of what happens had Hannibal admiring that tenacity. It may very well be a good thing that it wasn't directed towards killers as Freddie Lounds writing does.
Hannibal made a note to potentially invite the man over for dinner with himself, Jack and Will if his own interview with the reporter goes well.
Hannibal thought back to conversations he had with both Jack and Will regarding their own interview, it would certainly make things interesting at the dinner table. His curiosity first peaked when Jack jokingly called himself paranoid before explaining that it felt like there was something staring back at him through Eddie. And Will was nearly convinced he was going crazy again, saying that it feels like something is moving beneath Eddie's skin.
It almost made him want to invite everyone to his dinner table in spite of how his own interview will go. It would make things very interesting.
Considering his own interview for a moment, Hannibal was fully aware that this wasn't the normal gig that the man does, so it would be interesting to find out why. And if it had to do with whatever happened with Life Foundation. Hannibal looked more into that situation because of his conversation with both Jack and Will not to mention it was interesting that after whatever happened Eddie Brock seemed to have gone quiet for a while. A little over a year now. On the net, there were odd pictures of a creature in San Francisco, some going back to whatever happened with Life Foundation. It was something Hannibal has never seen or heard about before and that was with the odd events happening every now and again with gods and aliens in New York.
There wasn't much to link any of this creature to New York and for all Hannibal knew, it may not have linked to Eddie Brock as well. Who knew – who really cared beyond simple curiosities.
Meeting Eddie in person, Hannibal was pleasantly surprised at how polite the man actually was. It made things go considerably smoother than anticipated. Hannibal made sure to focus a decent amount of attention on the man who was sitting in front of him, both for this interview and for his own curiosities. Their conversation started pleasantly enough, basic generic questions. However, he did notice that the man's attention would shift inward slightly every now and again. Agitation seemed to be setting in as well.
Something was triggering the man. PTSD? Possible but it didn't seem too likely at the moment. A disorder not yet diagnosed? Possible, the conversation would have to be directed towards Eddie and his own personal life for Hannibal to have anything to provide a decent guess. The bracelets around the man's wrist told him that he was seeking other means of trying to get himself in order. Other means besides medication and psychiatrist help. It wouldn't shock him if meditation was a regular activity for the man.
His own manners pushed him forward, asking “Are you alright?” Making sure the right amount of concern can be identified.
Eddie seemed tense before him like he was trying to contain himself. For a brief second, he could see how Jack would describe it like someone or something was staring back at him through Eddie's eyes. Only for Hannibal it almost felt like something had its teeth bared and yet Eddie Brock's jaw was clamped shut.
It made Hannibal think back on his own research. San Francisco and Life Foundation. Could it be? What he see's before him leads to the possibility that he was onto something.
“Do you have a bathroom?” Eddie asked it was a bit off-putting that he didn't answer Hannibal's question. But curiosity had him forgiving the man. For the moment. Hannibal nodded and informed him, watching with slight disapproval as he was failed to be thanked while the man was short of running towards it. The door slammed behind him leaving Hannibal alone with his thoughts. Closing his eyes for a moment he travelled inward – going through everything once more. It wasn't until he heard talking – something more like arguing that pulled him out of his mind and towards the bathroom.
“I got it wrong then, and like now everything I had was just speculation and observations.”
Interesting. It was enough that told him that the man did his research, something he can respect but it means that he may have looked into Hannibal's past as Hannibal looked into the man's career. And what brought it crashing down.
There was nothing else heard beyond this and snippets of other things said.
Hannibal had an idea, it was insane and crazy and could very well jeopardize his life here. But images, blurred and sometimes frightfully clear came to mind from his research made the risk slightly more tempting than it had a right to be. Slipping off his shoes he walked back and picked up what looked to be a letter opener but was in fact a sharp small blade. If he was right, he would have to find a way and fast to talk his way out of trouble.
Approaching the door once more, feet light and giving off no sound. It wasn't until he was close to the door did he ask if the man inside was okay. Worst case scenario, he stabs the man and would, therefore, have to make him disappear. He'll inform anyone looking for him that this interview was the last time he saw him. He invited him to dinner – Hannibal made a note to invite Jack and Will as well, his cover story – and be surprised that Eddie didn't show after all. Hannibal would also have to contact his lawyer in case anyone pushed too much in bothering him about Eddie Brock's disappearance.
“Yeah – yeah we're fine. Be right out. Thank you.”
We?
Dissociative identity disorder? A possible realistic alternative to this situation. But he set things into motion, it was time to see how things unfold. Hannibal held the blade ready, watched carefully as the doorknob started to, watched the door open and Eddie Brock emerge. A hard toss, an aim for the neck – one that would have caused a lot of potentially lethal damage given their distance away from each other.
Had it hit it's mark.
Hannibal found himself stunned, research proving correct – as always.
Something black, impossibly liquid looking and alive held the blade inches away from a stunned Eddie Brock's neck.
“Wh- What?” Eddie asked, clearly not quite catching up to what just happened as he stared at the blade held before him. Safely away from his neck.
Next came anger as Eddie took the knife from the liquid holding it before him.
“You tried to kill us?” Eddie accused – or was it Eddie. The voice took a deeper tone, the snarling undertone spoke of something wild.
“Merely to see if a theory was correct and as -” Hannibal stated, voice not giving way to any concern he was feeling at this moment. Not yet considering that he may have gotten himself into trouble he wouldn't be able to get himself out of. Not without loss of some sort.
“See? You threw a blade at us to see if your theory was correct.” Eddie – Hannibal wasn't sure it was Eddie now – forced out letting the blade drop to the ground. Black liquid spilled out of different parts of Eddie, creating a horrific abstract version of the man before him. Fingers no longer dull but pointed and sharp, jaw filled with teeth that could easily be described as something from nightmares dripped clear drool. Less than a second the black completely covered Eddie Brock and in his place stood a massive creature. Black. Muscular. Inhumanely tall. Disturbingly long tongue lashing out of its mouth coated with more of that clear drool.
It was those eyes, large and without pupils. Nothing to really focus on but milky white. Narrowing slightly as it – whatever it was – grinned down at him.
Troubling. And perhaps the first time in a long time, he feels his heart beat irregularly. Fear.
“Does this let you see enough?” The thing said, but not giving Hannibal a chance to reply as it shot a hand out grabbing Hannibal by the neck. Easily wrapping its hand securely around his throat. Black tentacles shot towards the windows, closing the blinds and darkening the room. He could hear clicks as doors lock. Looking to his side he could only see the black things receding back to the thing in front of him.
“Does this prove your theory correct or false, because you proved our theory correct. We knew you were a killer even before we walked into this room.” The thing spoke, it seemed like it wanted to talk or willing to – something Hannibal can work with.
“Indeed it has.” Voice steady, he counted that as a win. Hannibal did what he could do to try and loosen the grip around his throat, he could breathe comfortably so asphyxiation was not the purpose of this hold, further proven with the fact that it allowed him to hold onto its wrist. The better of the two options, still things would be remarkably better if he wasn't held off the ground by a foot.
“You're not denying our theory.” The thing pointed out, head tilted in a curious manner – an action that didn't seem entirely fitting on something this big or threatening looking.
“No.” He wasn't in a position of power nor one where he could lie, so the truth will have to be used to set himself free.
“Good. Because we eat bad people.” The thing grins wildly at him – Hannibal wondered if this was the end and if he finally ran out of moves, or if his intelligence had reached its limit. Because he shouldn't have found himself in this situation, had he been smarter about it he wouldn't have been. He's kept out of reach of the law and those who wanted to see him fall his entire life, only to find himself gripped by something not of this world.
The thing licked his face and the smell was horrible enough to have him gagging, his skin tingled where the tongue touched. It's mouth widening to reveal what almost seemed like an endless supply of pointed threatening teeth. The stuff of nightmares no doubt.
“Wait! Wait! Let's talk – you and I.” Hannibal said, finding footing on the thing's leg but not enough to do anything. For something that seemed so malleable and liquid-like – was harder than expected.
Think fast! He had to think fast as it seemed to consider what he said momentarily.
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