September Writing Challenge: Crossovers

[Sean *]

It's writing challenge time again. To enter, just post a ficlet (300-4000 words suggested) in this thread. When the voting for this month's OTM winners comes around, a voting poll will go up for this as well.

The Challenge: Hammel is a fandom in its own right, but it isn't the only fandom to which our players belong. So, for this month, you are tasked with placing Hammel characters into other fictional universes. The Chevalier twins in True Blood. Sean on-board the Starship Enterprise. Everyone in the Doctor Who universe.


The rules:

• Main characters must be in Hammel canon, but the ficlets are not site canon. Any other characters can be Hammel canon or crossover fandom canon.
  
• Characters must go into the other universe; Doctor Who can't come to Hammel.
  
• The fandom must be a published fandom (movies, TV, books, comics etc.); it cannot be the plot or universe of another roleplay site. Even if the site is based on a fandom.
  
• Entries must be more than 300 words.
  
• You can enter no more than three ficlets. Any ficlets posted after the original 3 will not be considered for voting. If you want to post more, however, have fun.
  
• Ficlets must be titled.

[Jayden "Jay" Hersch]

The Walking Dead: And So My Heart Stills

“Fuck,” Zack hissed, hitting the butt his gun against the palm of his hand in a mixture of frustration and terror. His barrel had just run dry, and there were still too many undead for him and Jay to be able to take on hand to hand. “Come on, baby, we’ve got to get out of here, now!”

Jay’s eyes were wide with terror as he sliced through the throat of a zombie that had nearly snuck up on them from the side, his breathing hard and fast as he scrambled to keep up with his boyfriend as they ran through the deserted city street, only now crawling with moaning, flesh-hungry creatures that hadn’t appeared until the boys had gotten deep into the city looking for supplies for their camp a half mile or so away. They had thought they had gotten lucky and weren’t going to run into this sort of mess, but they should have known better.

They passed around a corner and ran smack into a pair of creaking, bloodied undead that immediately lashed out at them with ragged nails and gaping jaws. Knives drawn, the boys slashed wildly, cutting at the monsters until they lay unmoving on the ground. Jay seemed a bit stunned, so Zack grabbed his hand and continued to flee through the streets, not daring to look behind them until they reached the outskirts of the city and lost the horde behind them.

They didn’t stop running until they reached a thick copse of trees and scrambled up a sturdy oak, nestling themselves onto a strong, thick branch way above zombie head height. They sat there panting for several moments, gripping each other tightly until the panic began to wear off.

Zack finally let out a weak, humorless chuckle. “Damn, that was close,” he breathed, wrapping his arms around Jay and resting his chin on the boy’s head. “We’re never going in there again. Screw getting supplies, we’ll find somewhere else to get stuff to survive.”

Jay didn’t speak, and Zack frowned, pulling back in concern. “Jay? Baby, are you okay? You know we’re safe now, they can’t climb up and-“

“Zack,” Jay barely whispered. His eyes were unfocused, gazing into the distance.

Zack’s heart picked up several notches as he lifted his hand to make Jay look at him. “Sweetheart, look at me. You’re making me wor-“

And then he saw them. Two tooth marks, puncturing Jay’s shoulder. Zack gazed at the wound, disbelieving, for several long moments, mouth agape as he tried to understand what this meant.

“No,” he whispered, then again, harder,”No.” No no no, this couldn’t happen, not his Jaybird, not the love of his life. He frantically pawed at the bloodied skin, desperately hoping he was seeing things and that it was just a scratch from stumbling through the streets. Jay sat, unmoving and staring into space, face expressionless as shock settled into his body.

“Jay, talk to me!” Zack pleaded, his voice cracking as he took Jay’s head into his hands once again and tears began to spill down his cheeks. “We have to… There must be some way…”

“It’s over for me, Zack,” Jay murmured, his eyes slowly coming into focus as he began to think again. He blinked, raising his hands to press against the back of Zack’s as his mouth trembled in fear. “You have to… You have to kill me. S-so I don’t… So I don’t become one of them.”

“I’m not going to fucking kill you!” Zack sobbed, clinging desperately to Jay’s neck. “You’re not going to die. You’re not. You can’t.” He refused to accept it.

“Zack,” Jay whimpered, trying to push him away. “We both know what’s going to happen. I… I can’t bear the thought of… Of being…” He shuddered and pressed his hand against the wound, small, scared sounds escaping his throat. “I might… I might come after you,” he whispered, raising his dark, watery eyes to stare at his lover.

“I don’t care,” the other boy replied, pulling Jay tighter to him as he continued to sob in agony. “I can’t live without you. I wouldn’t have anything to live for.”

They continued to speak in hushed whispers between sobs as acceptance settled in that they were helpless to do anything against the sickness slowly crawling through Jay’s veins. Zack kissed him, and continued kissing him because he knew they only had so much time left before they no longer could. Jay did his best to stay strong, but as he slowly felt his body failing, he began to shake and whimper in Zack’s embrace. His boyfriend consoled him as best he could through his own pain, continuing to refuse to end it until Jay stopped requesting it, knowing nothing he could say would give Zack the strength to do the deed.

After some time, Jay began to grow too weak to talk. “I… I love you so much, Zack,” he barely managed, his weakening body slumped against Zack’s strong, broad chest. He ran his fingers against his boyfriend’s arm. “I know we’ll see each other again someday.” He couldn’t imagine dissolving into nothingness and never seeing his love again; it just wasn’t possible.

Zack clung to him tightly, as though he could force Jay to stay in this world as long as he held him tight enough. But he could feel Jay’s body shutting down, beginning to grow colder as his skin paled and the veins around his wound purpled. He was past the point of crying, and could only hold onto Jay as he rocked back and forth, trying to contain the well of pain that had opened and filled his entire being. “I love you too, Jaybird,” he whispered. “I’ll find you, no matter where you go.”

A faint, loving smile crossed Jay’s face then, and his eyes fluttered closed as his breathing evened out and he fell into unconsciousness. Zack began to cry again, harsh, wracking sobs that jolted his whole body. Taking Jay into his arms, he managed to get them both to the ground and slumped back against the trunk of the oak tree, sitting back as he placed Jay in his lap and playing with his hair as Jay’s breathing continued to shallow. Once, twice, three times Jay’s body shuddered painfully, breath wheezing, before he grew still and breathed no more.

Zack had nothing more to give. He felt like he was the one that was dead. And so he waited, having already decided what he was going to do. He waited, continuing to caress Jay’s lifeless form until the disease took over and made Zack’s love turn on him and make Zack one of them too. But the boy didn’t care – he would rather die here and now than try to live on as an empty shell, without anything left to live for in this cruel, sick world.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

God Bless the Absentee

The future is the present.
The present’s in the past.
The highways are in litigation.
The airports disagree.
God bless the absentee.

Joshua Bernstein thought that he had died. He didn’t know from what he could have died; perhaps his heart had finally failed him (although he was a little young for that, even with the smoking, the binge drinking, and his poor diet), or he’d suffered a fatal stroke. He had no other explanation for the sudden flash of light, coupled with the motion sickness and sensation of being torn from his body.

However, he had not expected a sterile, white and blue room.

That was more in line with Sean’s childhood belief system. Not quite, since his understanding of the Christian afterlife involved puffy white clouds over the blue sky, pearly gates, and a robed man in a beard. While the white clouds represented purity, he’d never gotten the impression that it was supposed to be sterile, like a hospital room.

Judaism’s afterlife also had no connotations of sterility. Although he was supposed to answer for the deed recorded in his Book of Life, he’d never imagined a room quite like this. An older middle-aged man (angel?) approached him, holding a mechanical device.

Josh had always imagined that God would be...more impressive than that. He also hadn’t expected advanced technology, but, upon reflection, realized that such an expectation was faulty. After all, God had created the entire universe, and everything was made in His image. Surely, whatever technology He had was more impressive than laptops. Surely more impressive than papyrus and the bronze tools from the time the Torah was written.

“Joshua Oren Bernstein?” The angel asked him.

Josh blinked in confusion. That wasn’t his Hebrew name; he’d been taught since childhood that his Hebrew name was the one by which he would be known in Israel and for all eternity. Was it right to correct an angel? Perhaps there was a mechanical failure. “Yoshua,” he whispered. When the angel stared at him, and then down at his handheld device for confirmation, Josh spoke a bit more clearly. “Yoshua ben Raviv.”

Fortunately, the angel took his correction in stride, rather than punishing him for his impudence. He simply tapped on the mechanical device for a moment, regarding Josh carefully. “Born in New York City on April 12, 1960?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘Sir,’” the angel said with a chuckle. “You can call me ‘Al.’”

“Like the Paul Simon song?” Had he really just asked that? Of an angel? Josh’s face flushed with embarrassment, and he quickly added, “Never mind.”

Al shook his head and (thankfully) chose to ignore his comment, or to accept his apology. There was a reason that angels were more graceful than human beings.

“Do you know where you are, J-Yoshua?”

Josh looked around at the blue and white surroundings. He noted the absence of other people, the cramped quarters, and the fact that this appeared to be a waiting area of sorts. That wasn’t exactly surprising to him, given his actions in life. He’d been petty, jealous, selfish, thoughtless, oblivious and domineering – so much so that he often ran roughshod over Sean’s needs and took his partner for granted, he never listened when other people talked (mostly when Sean talked), he oscillated from being emotionally distant and needy, and for all of his bluster, he was cowardly and hypocritical. There was only one place that he could be.

“Gehinnom,” he whispered, lowering his head in shame.

From the corner of his eye, he thought he spotted Al’s face melt into shock. By the time the (former?) attorney lifted his head, the expression had passed. Instead, Al continued to type on his machine. After seemingly an eternity (this was, admittedly, an exaggeration; Josh could add impatience to his list of personal flaws), the angel said, “This is a Waiting Room of sorts, but you aren’t dead.”

Josh stared, because he couldn’t comprehend how that could possibly be true. If this wasn’t the afterlife, then absolutely nothing about this already difficult situation made a lick of sense.

Perhaps sensing his confusion, although still refusing to acknowledge that it was warranted, Al said, “My name is Al, but my full name is Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci, of the United States Navy. I work with Project Quantum Leap, which is classified and its original purpose doesn’t matter. Right now, you can think of us as a scientific division involved with time travel.”

“What?!” Josh’s eyes widened as he fully absorbed the implications of this. The government was involved with time travel. No, scratch that. The military was involved with time travel. They’d kidnapped him, or they’d somehow managed to wipe him from the face of existence and history for some reason. Were they targeting liberal activists? That made less sense with a Democrat in the White House, even if the current administration left much to be desired. Were they targeting Jews? – Unlikely, since Al hadn’t seemed disgusted with his Hebrew or his surname. Were they targeting gay men? Meta-humans? He wasn’t even meta-human, although he considered himself a staunch and committed ally.

Had he merely been caught in some sort of military crossfire? Was he collateral damage?

“It’s a long story, and it’s classified. However, I work with a Doctor Samuel Beckett, who is currently occupying your body.”

So they weren’t targeting meta-humans after all. Instead, the military was exploiting meta-humans with some sort of body possession power (an unsettling and terrifying thought in and of itself) to...impersonate citizens? For what purpose?

And if his body was being possessed, then how was he having this conversation with a third party?

Josh wasn’t an expert on meta-human powers. In fact, everything he knew came from Sean and the occasional case he handled at his law firm. Still, he didn’t think that even some sort of mind or body possession would have him talk to a third party. Wouldn’t it make more sense for his brain to manifest the person trying to take over his body? And why would his brain look like this odd technological Purgatory?

The attorney also wasn’t an expert in psychology (that, too, he mostly learned from Sean) but that didn’t seem to make sense for any sort of subconscious mindscape.

Besides, Sean had seen his mind before, and the telepath had never mentioned a blue and white room.

“What do you want with me?” That seemed like a fair question. And, even though he was talking to a Rear Admiral, he didn’t feel bad about seeming impudent. This was a military man, not an angel. There was good reason to expect that they were planning something sinister since Al had just admitted to someone having hijacked his body.

“Information.”

“My cases are privileged.” Not that Josh expected the military to care about attorney-client privilege, but he took his duty of confidentiality very seriously. His clients held the privilege, not him, and thus he couldn’t disclose. Not that he thought that he could hold up well under psychic torture, but he had to make a record of his principles and his professional ethics.

Al shook his head. “This isn’t about your cases; it’s about you.”

“I don’t want to talk about myself. I want to remain silent.” Josh didn’t think that invoking his right to an attorney would have any effect here (since how would that even work?), but he could invoke his Fifth Amendment rights. Then, at least, anything they pulled out of his mind might be subject to a suppression hearing.

If there was such a thing as a judicial hearing with military bodysnatching.

That was more of a long shot.

“You’re about to make a very big mistake.”

“My constitutional rights are mine. They aren’t mistakes.”

The look Al gave him made him wonder if they were having the same conversation, since the older man seemed to be judging him. Very, very hard.

“Not here.” Even though Al didn’t call him an idiot, Josh could just hear it in his voice anyway. “Not here. Back home, you’re about to make a very big mistake. That’s why Sam leaped into your body; he needs to fix what went wrong.”

That made precisely zero sense. Josh knew what those words meant individually, but combined into those few sentences, the older man might as well have spoken Aramaic.

“We fix people’s mistakes, in order to help them and to save the space-time continuum.” That also made no sense, although Josh wasn’t a physicist. He had to assume that there was something that Al wasn’t telling him, some sort of self-serving motive because bodysnatching and the U.S. military were involved. Neither of those could be altruistic by themselves, let alone when combined.

Plus, he was taking it a bit more personally than if this was merely some hypothetical problem. This was his body and his life.

“Pray tell, what am I going to do wrong?”

The older man typed a few things into his mechanical device. “You and a...Sean Neville are going to sleep together.”

Josh’s eyes widened. The military was keeping tabs on his sex life? And they were passing judgment on him for sleeping with his best friend and ex-lover, instead of neatly severing ties so that the telepath could move on with his life.

His mortification gave way to protective anger. “You can’t discriminate against me for being gay.” Technically, the U.S. government could, between the Defense of Marriage Act, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and the absence of federal protections for people based on sexual orientation. But the letter of the law wasn’t right, and the absence of protections wouldn’t prevent Josh from bluffing (or backing up his bluff with a lawsuit once this nightmare was over).

This time the older man sighed; it was obvious that he was getting frustrated. “This isn’t about being gay. You’re going to sleep with this Sean Neville, and afterward, he’s going to reach out to you emotionally. You’ll rebuke him from fear, or self-disgust, or something else, I don’t really know. That starts a chain of events whereby Sean is absent from somewhere he needs to be to prevent a tragedy.”

“So you’re going to try to keep us apart?”

“At first, that was the idea. But...” Al’s device beeped angrily at him. “It doesn’t look like that works very well. So I need information from you: about Sean, about your relationship with him – it looks like you’re friends according to Ziggy. About why you’d rebuke him, so I can tell Sam how to avoid that same outcome.”

“Someone with the military stole my body so that I can talk about my feelings the morning after sleeping with my best friend?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds a little silly, but yes.”

“And I’m stuck here until he forces that conversation and whatever bad outcome is avoided?”

“That’s right.”

Josh heaved a weary sigh. He didn’t want to cooperate; he didn’t want anyone else to know about his lapses of judgment that brought him and Sean to bed together. He certainly didn’t want anyone to know his terrible secret regarding his feelings for the telepath.

But he also didn’t want something horrible to happen to Sean, who was the most important person in the world to him. And he didn’t want to be trapped in this...this...Waiting Room with a Rear Admiral for the rest of his life, while some stranger wore his face and ruined everything he’d worked for.

And, maybe this was a stroke after all, which meant that nothing he disclosed would actually matter since it would all be in his head anyway.

“Fine, if it’ll help Sean.” That’s what he would tell himself. “What do you need to know?”

[Lani Hunter]

Abstract

Lani took his time to look around his quick silvers flashing from point to point making an analysis of the building, the twists and turns they were making as he was unceremoniously pulled by the arm by blue suits. His look of indifference masked the flitting feelings of terror in his gut. He counted the turns and his eyes were on the grates tracing the unseen airways. Finally a door swung open and thudded shut with the weight of years on it. The chair skidded with the force with which Lani was shoved into it.

Metallic and cold beneath his arms. Two chairs sat empty across a metal table bolted to the ground. The blonde swallowed and braced himself as the door opened revealing two men, one had a coloring equivalent to polished wood, the other tall, handsome and blonde. “Mr. Hunter. Good to see you again.”

Lani swallowed and lifted his chin. “Dr. Lecter.”

~~~

“He’s an old colleague of mine. I think he’ll be good for you.” Dr. Neville’s words floated through Lani’s mind as he looked from the address hastily scrawled on a note to the numbers on the door.

He wasn’t there to get help with anything. He wasn’t here to see this new doctor because he liked Dr. Neville and took his advice. No. Lani was here keeping this appointment because it was this or prison. Courts had decided Dr. Neville was too close to the situation. Too close to Lani to be a good influence on the thief. With a sigh of resignation he turned and gave a little wave to the ‘undercover’ agent, who had been tailing him for about an hour now, before he headed inside.

Lani put his guard up a long time ago against people. Few people crossed the threshold to be let into his very secret world. With his boss gone, he thought he could be free again, apparently that had a few chains as well. He had to get clearance of correction from a psychologist who specialized in the criminal mind before they’d leaving him to his own devices. Unfortunately that man could not be Dr. Neville. Over the past few month Lani had gotten comfortable with the man, not trusting. Never trusting. But comfortable. And he was the enemy that Lani knew. This man… He was a stranger.

With a sigh Lani tossed away the idea of hiding in favor of knocking. That was only going to hurt him. This wasn’t a situation where he had to be seen with the new doctor. He had to get the new doctor to sign off.

A muffled voice beckoned him inside and he slipped through the door and his eyes quickly flashed around. A large room. An oversized desk surrounded by a dual level of bookcases. A few trinkets here and there and a lounging bed and several overstuffed chair. Lani’d be damned if he was expected to sit down and ‘it all started when…’. The books were fascinating though, so many tomes of knowledge. A secret fancy of Lani’s, he dreamed of rooms with such majesty.

“Welcome, Mr. Hunter.” The man behind the desk said. Lani’s eyes had skipped over him at first but now they fell back on the wise face under a swoop of golden hair. Lani eyed him with suspicion. “I’m Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Please have a seat.”

“No thank you,” Lani said and with a sigh of long suffering he propped himself up against the door, “Let’s just make this real simple. Law’s scared me straight. I just need you to sign this.” With a flick of his hand he pulled a carelessly folded note out of his pocket and tossed it to the man. He smiled at the precision at which it soared and fell just to the left of the center of the desk.

Dr. Lecter took his time unfolding the paper and reading it. After what seemed like ages he set the page down and folded his hands over it. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hunter, I can’t do that. Not until after I know you’ll be able to be a functional member of society.

Lani grumbled unintelligibly in response. Lani never liked being under the attention of a shrink. It was like being put under a microscope and it was something created to make secret hoarders cringe and twitch.

“Tell me, Mr. Hunter… may I call you Lani?” At Lani’s shrug the doctor continued. “Lani, are you so afraid of me that you want to be in closest proximity to the door?”

“I’m not afraid.”

“You’re skeptical.”

“You’re a shrink.”

“That’s a nasty thing to say, Lani,” Dr. Lecter chided gently.

Lani shrugged. “I’m not here to make friends, Dr. Lecter.”

“I’m not here to be your friend, Lani, I’m here to help you.”

“I never asked for your help.”

The doctor shrugged. “You didn’t. But the court has ordered you here for an hour twice a week until I deem otherwise. What does that say to you?”

“You lot are bastards?” Lani supplied holding no blows of sarcasm. To his surprise that earned him a chuckle.

Dr. Lecter was smiling when he opened his arms. “It takes you a long time to trust people. Sometimes you never come to trust people. You believe everyone in the world it out to get you. I’d like to show you otherwise. To start, ask me anything. I pledge to answer truthfully.”

Lani wanted to gape but held it together through sheer force of will. “How do you supposed you’re right?”

“Your stance, arms crossed. You’re guarded, you think that everyone is out to hurt you. You stand close to the door in means of making a quick escape if necessary. You slouch and give that bored expression to make yourself seem dull and unimportant. But your eyes have the mark of mischief and caution.” Dr. Lecture said and now Lani did gape. It was always the eyes! The damn things always gave him away! He hated psychologists. But Dr. Lecter wasn’t done yet. “You’re suspicious of people who try to help you, specifically adults. Which from what I know is understandable. How is your relationship with your father?”

Caught off guard by the question Lani hesitated before he caught onto the game again. “Uh… shouldn’t you tell me?”

“I’d like for you to tell me.”

“It’s fine.”

“Do you like to read?”

“What?” Lani asked looking at Dr. Lecter suspiciously.

“Do you like to read? The first thing you did when you came up here, I gather, was to find an escape but then your eyes lingered on my books. Do you like to read?”

“I… uh… occasionally.” Lani replied and narrowed his eyes at Dr. Lecter, how had this guy gathered all of that information in such a short period of time?

Dr. Lecter rose from his seat earning a twitch in Lani’s muscles before they went back to playing the role of a relaxed careless teen. “I’ll tell you what, for today, I won’t ask you any more questions. For the remainder of the hour you may take a look around.” Dr. Lecter seemed to gather Lani’s suspicions and settled back in his chair. “I’ll stay right here. I only ask that you ask before you borrow anything.”

Lani flushed realizing after Dr. Lecter did that he was indeed considering what he could take from here and get away with it. Taking a few hesitant steps into the room Lani was careful to keep one eye of Dr. Lecter but explore he did and soon he was perched on the upper level of bookshelves after finding an escape route out the window, a second door, and the vents that hung overhead. Lani leaned against a bookcase and it swayed threatening to topple over. Oops, lani hurried to steady it and took to leaning against a more stable bookcase to skim a text. He was indeed surprised to hear nothing more from Dr. Lecter until their session had concluded.

But, he couldn’t read Dr. Lecter. It was disturbing. Lani wasn’t an expert at reading people but he was better than most. The weeks following each noted a consistent question from Lani for a signed page, and a subtle pressing for information from Dr. Lecter. Lani usually spent the hour thereafter posted near the door.

“You’re stuck here for an hour, regardless of what you do. Would you like to make it at least productive, the more I know the better I will be able to gauge your progress and sign for you.” Dr. Lecter said one meeting on the third week.

“I’m not going to tell you a sob story.”

“I don’t want a sob story. I want your story. Lani’s story.”

Lani scowled from the door. “I’ve no skill for storytelling.”

“Is that so?” Lani nodded and the doctor continued, “You know the story of all of your identities, tell me one of their stories.”

Lani groaned and shook his head. Well, he was stuck here for another hour. “My name is Tyler,” he said and as soon as he said the name he fell into character. His shoulders rolled back and he put his hands in his pockets and paced away from the door like he owned the office. “My father left when I was four and my mother does her best.”

“What is it that you do, Tyler?”

Lani grinned, clever tricks from Dr. Lecter. Lani continued, “I’m an informant. I have ears everywhere and I will tell.”

“Can you tell me about Lani?”

“For a price.”

“How much?”

Lani’s act dropped and he slid to the window and without asking opened it. “Too much.”

“You are an actor. But who are you, Lani?” Dr. Lecter rose and started to walk closer. Lani’s senses heightened and he braced himself defensively and a moment later Dr. Lecter had to jump to avoid a book thrown in his direction.

Lani scowled at his escort. The blue suits knocked on the door and stood back a sour look on adolescent between them. Lani’s arms were crossed and his eyes were downcast in the midst of fury playing indifferent. He allowed himself to be pushed inside and a cleared throat from his left got a scoff from Lani. “I’m sorry for throwing things and jumping out the window.”

“All is forgiven. Thank you gentlemen.”

“New orders,” Suit One said handing over a page, “As you requested.”

“Thank you,” Dr. Lecter stood at close proximity for a time after the left, Lani felt like he was an experiment. He wouldn’t yield first as much as he wanted to distance himself. “I’m sorry if I frightened you.”

Lani didn’t give Dr. Lecter the benefit of seeing his surprise at the apology. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hit you did I?”

“I’m quicker than that. You’re not a violent person, Lani, why do you lash out at anyone who tries to know you?”

Finally Lani did break. “Fuck you.” He declared and made himself comfortable on the top level and pointedly ignored Dr. Lecter the remainder of the hour. And the next session and the one after that.

Lani glared at the clock and as soon as the hour was up he was out like a held breath. Home now in the safety of his cave he had invited Adrianna and Shapiro over and they were settling down to watch a movie. Lani’d vetoed Adrianna’s request for a horror flick and then Shapiro, (Lani figured just to spite him), declared this a democracy and Lani was outvoted. Shapiro was opening the case and working on getting the movie started when the news came on. “Hold on!” Lani cried before the mode was switched.

“Lani, don’t worry me and Adrianna are here to protect you from all the scary monsters!”

Adrianna snorted in laughter and Lani shot both of them a glare that only goaded them into more laughter. He stuck his tongue out and enjoyed how his two favorite people collapsed into giggled at the uncharacteristic action. “No, no, the news I wanna hear it real quick.”

He leaned forward and his brow creased. A man was on the news, an FBI agent who went mad and kidnapped... Dr. Lecter?

“What’s wrong, Lani?” Adrianna asked her soft hand on his shoulder.

Lani glanced at her for a moment and back at the television. “That guy there. That’s my court ordered psychologist.”

“You’re kidding,” Shapiro cried and turned to get a better look. “He looks so sleazy.”

“You’ve no idea,” Lani chuckled with a shake of his head. The arrested agent looked like he wasn’t completely there. Lani shook his head and ignored the fact that it looked like the agent was looking right into the camera. Shapiro had a point. The look on Dr. Lecter’s face… it wasn’t right.

“Alright, let’s watch the movie,” Lani suggested and snagged a blanket and snuggled under it with just enough room to hide.

Sleep came hard for the blonde that night. Two things haunted his dreams. Admittedly one was a monster rising out of a black well, the other, a much more present and real terror. He couldn’t get the expression of Dr. Lecter out of his head. The man looked like he’d won the lottery.

Giving up Lani dressed himself with care and precision in closefitting faded black. He pulled a hat over his ears and folded up his collar and slipped out his window. Roof running like he’d been born to it Lani swiftly balanced on fences and swung on gutters. He paused for a moment and glanced down the street and then with a leap he landed soft as a cat on the roof of Dr. Lecter’s building. He found the grate and snaked his way down into the building. The pace was slow but the travel silent. When he found the office he pressed his ear to the side of the grate and made note of no vibrations indicating life. His eyes confirmed moments later and Lani dropped himself to the ground.

Some thieves might have left the grate open, but Lani closed it. Always close the way behind, so his shadow can be there and gone without a trace if he had to abort and find a new exit. His feet hit the ground and Lani immediately fell into a crouch melting into the shadows like he was one himself. Shifting down the Lani slipped from level two to one and cautiously approached the desk as though it were booby trapped. Tugging at the drawer Lani found it locked. With a grin the thief expertly ran his fingers along the inners of the wood and in moments Lani’s nimble fingers had the drawer open. No one had invented a lock that Lani couldn’t coax open.

Lani quickly sifted through the files and found one labeled ‘Will Graham’. Taking a small flashlight Lani lit it and held it between his teeth as he sank down behind the desk so no one would see the light from the windows. Lani gagged at the pictures of murder scene’s he was suddenly accost with. He flipped through them quickly and finally found the handwritten notes. Lani’s eyes read quickly and frantic as he gathered more information.

These weren’t notes on a patient. These were notes on blackmail. Very detailed, notes on a disease and how this Graham’s ignorance of it made the job more interesting, it was an experiment. Lani held his breath. Will Graham wasn’t crazy. He was framed. Lani’s heart skipped a beat. Dr. Lecter… Dr. Lecter was a liar, he was playing games with Graham’s head! What games was he playing with Lani’s?

Lani sensed the shift in the air before he even heard the key in the door. He quenched the light and through expert feel put the file back and closed the drawer. He was slipping out the second door when the first door was opening. Lani’s heart pounded with panic. He’d be heard if he moved to quickly. His eyes went to the grate he knew that was covered by a plant. Moving silently Lani crouched and stuffed himself into the corner. If the door opened Lani’d be hidden by the door.

As it did then. Lani held his breath and his mind panicked telling his heart to stop beating so loud, it was going to be heard! Still and invisible. The light from the office cast a shadow over the hulking figure, it’s demonic form stretching to an inhuman length.

The door swung and a shadow flew at him. Lani flung his arms up and the hands closed on his wrists instead of his throat. He was pulled to his feet and slammed into the opposite wall. Lani struggled, he’d never been physically strong, he always relied on quickness and cleverness to get him out of binds.

And now he was ensnared in a monster’s web. A hand flew and swiped his hat leaving him exposed but he also managed to twist a hand free. He blitzed the monster’s face and his teeth closed on the hand still on him. A howl emitted from the monster and Lani wriggled his way out of its grip and fled into the office.

He turned to face Dr. Lecter. He nursed his hand as he stepped into the office and took in the information that Lani was here in his office. Lani paused only a moment longer and bolted to the door. The doctor was quicker and blocked Lani’s way. “Lani. You get to have secrets but no one else does?”

“I won’t say anything!” Lani cried and raised his hands backing away from the larger man.

“Unless it’s for a price.” Dr. Lecter echoed.

The hair stood up on his neck and he made a quick move and Dr. Lecter again blocked his move to the window. Lani narrowed his eyes. He’d gotten out of scrapes like this before. He knew it was more important now than ever. The look in this man’s eyes. Lani swallowed. If he couldn’t get out. He was going to die here.

Lani backed up and turned and flew up the ladder to the second level and raced along the walkway. He didn’t look to see if Dr. Lecter was behind him he knew. Lani’s heart raced and he skidded to a stop where the walkway dead ended. He whirled and pressed his back against the bookcases.

“I’ve very much enjoyed this game of cat and mouse, Lani. You are certainly the most stubborn patient I’ve ever had and I am sad to see you go before I was able to get to know you.”

“You don’t have to,” Lani said desperately. A few more steps.

“You’re such an interesting fellow, and a terrible liar for a thief.”

One more step. Lani kicked the bookcase, the unsteady one and the books came down in a rain on Dr. Lecter. Lani jumped forward his foot propelling him over the railing and he came down on the lower level in a roll. He didn’t pause and as soon as he was on his feet again he raced to the window and using his momentum he jumped and his hands caught the window frame and his feet kicked the glass out his body following after.

Lani hit the pavement and staggered a bit. He didn’t look, he needed to get away. He raced the night. The sirens pushed Lani onward. Suddenly they were everywhere! “Fuck.” Lani declared as he rounded a corner and slammed into a pair of blues.

Lani’s frantic eyes traced the building, counting turns and searching for a means of escape. His look of indifference masked the flitting feelings of terror in his gut. The door swung open and Lani was shoved into the barren room. The chair skidded with the force with which Lani was shoved into it.

Metallic and cold beneath his arms. Two chairs sat empty across a metal table bolted to the ground. The blonde swallowed and braced himself as the door opened revealing two men, one had a coloring equivalent to polished wood, the other tall, handsome and blonde. “Mr. Hunter. Good to see you again.” The latter said with a smile.

Lani swallowed and raise his chin. “Dr. Lecter.” Eyes narrowed and focused Lani murmured: “See.”