Chapter 33 Chapter Thirty-Two

The Grumman Gulfstream carrying Dr. Hannibal Lecter landed in Memphis, two puffs of smoke from the tires of the plane.According to the tower's instructions, the plane taxied quickly to the hangar of the National Air Guard without entering the passenger terminal.An ambulance and a car for emergency services waited in the first hangar. Senator Ruth Martin watched through the smoked glass of the car as the state troopers rolled Dr. Lecter out of the plane.She wanted to rush forward, peel off this bound and masked human-like thing, and dig out information from it, but she had brains and couldn't do that.

Senator Martin's phone rang.Her assistant, Brian Gossage, reached from the event seat to pick it up. "It's the FBI—Jack Crawford," Gorsch said. Senator Martin held out his hand for the phone to be handed to her, his eyes still fixed on Dr. Lecter. "Why didn't you tell me about Dr. Lecter, Mr. Crawford?" "I'm afraid you'll do what you're doing, Senator." "I did not contest with you, Mr. Crawford. If you contested with me, you would regret it." "Where is Lecter now?" "I'm looking at him." "Can he hear you?"

"Can't hear." "Senator Martin, you listen to me. You want to make a personal pledge to Lecter - yes, fine. But please do this for me, before you go and take on Lecter, get Allen Bloom The doctor will give you a general introduction of the situation first. Bloom can help you, trust me." "I've had professional advice." "Hopefully better than Chilton." Dr. Chilton was banging on the window, and Senator Martin sent Brian Gossage out to entertain him. "Internal intrigue is a waste of time, Mr. Crawford. I could do a better job than sending a naive novice to Lecter with false promises." Promise to respond is possible, and I'm going to give him that promise - no time-consuming red tape, no personal attacks, no questions about her credibility. If we get Catherine back safely, everyone will be like roses, including you .In case she... dies, I won't give even the slightest excuse!"

"Then use us, Senator." She could detect no anger in his voice, only a professional coolness, as if to say "to cut your losses."To this, she responded accordingly: "Go on." "If you get something, let's act on it. Make sure we get all the information, make sure the local police get it. Don't let them think they can please you by pushing us out." "Paul Krendler from the Department of Justice will be here shortly and he will be in charge of this." "Who is your senior official there now?" "Major Bachman, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation."

"Very well. Try to keep the news under wraps before it's too late. You'd better warn Chilton about it—he's a showman. We don't want Buffalo Bill to know everything. When we find him, we want to take hostages." Rescue team. We want to get him quickly and avoid a standoff. Do you want to question Lecter yourself?" "yes." "Can I speak to Clarice Starling first? She'll be there." "Why? Dr. Chilton has given me that material. We've played each other enough." Chilton was knocking on the window again, mouthing something through the glass.Brian Gossage put a hand on his wrist and shook his head.

"I'd like to see Lecter after you've talked with him," said Crawford. "Mr. Crawford, he has promised to speak Buffalo Bill's name in exchange for some favours--comforts, really. If he doesn't, you can have him forever." "Senator Martin, I know this is sensitive, but I have to say to you: You can do anything, just don't beg him." "Okay, Mr. Crawford. I really can't say anything more at this moment." She hung up the phone, "Even if I'm wrong, she'll just die like the first six you dealt with, and what more !" she said in a low voice, waving Gorsky and Chilton into the car at the same time.

Dr. Chilton had requested an office in Memphis for Senator Martin's audience with Hannill Lake.To save time, one of the National Aviation Guard's call rooms in the hangar was hastily rearranged for the meeting. While Dr. Chilton settled Lecter in the receiving room, Senator Martin had to wait outside in the hangar.She couldn't stand being in the car all the time.She paced in small circles under the huge roof of the hangar, looking up at the latticed rafters high above and down at the streaks of paint on the floor.At one point, she paused next to an old Mirage Next 4, resting her head on the cold side; emblazoned on the side: "Do Not Trample".The plane must have been older than Catherine.Dear Jesus, come on!

"Senator Martin!" Major Bacheman called to her.Chilton waved to her from the door of the ordination room. There was a table for Chilton, a chair each for Senator Martin and his assistant, and Major Bacheman.A videographer is at the ready to record the meeting live.Chilton claims this was one of Lecter's demands. Senator Martin walked in, looking very nice.Her navy suit oozes power.She had Gorsch apply some starch to the clothes, too. Dr. Hannibal Lecter sat alone in a solid oak chair in the middle of the room, chained to the floor.A blanket covered his upper body straitjacket and leg straps so that it was impossible to see that he was actually chained to the chair.He still wears the hockey mask, though, in case he bites.

What are you doing?Senator Martin didn't understand—the original meaning was to allow Dr. Lecter some dignity in an office setting.Senator Martin took one look at Chilton, then turned to Gorsky for the documents. Chilton walked behind Dr. Lecter, first glanced at the camera, then unfastened the straps of the mask, and took it off with a fancy movement. "Senator Martin, please receive Dr. Hannibal Lecter." Senator Martin was horrified by this ostentatious display of Dr. Chilton, as much as by everything that had happened to her daughter since her disappearance.What little confidence she might have had in Chilton's judgment was replaced entirely by a chilling fear that he was a fool.

Now she had to act with the camera. A lock of Dr. Lecter's hair fell between his maroon eyes.His face was as pale as the mask.Senator Martin and Hannibal Lecter looked at each other, one astute, the other elusive by any means known. Dr. Chilton returned to his table, looked around at everyone, and spoke: "Senator, Dr. Lecter has made it clear to me; he wants to contribute to our investigation what special information he knows of, in exchange for our reconsideration of the conditions of his captivity." Senator Martin holds up a document. "Dr. Lecter, here's a written pledge that I can sign right now. It says I'll help you. Want to see it?"

She thought he wouldn't answer, so she turned to the table to sign, when he suddenly spoke: "I don't want to waste your time and Catherine's time haggling for a mere favorable condition. People who seek fame and fortune have already wasted enough. Let me help you now, and I'm sure you will help me when it's over. " "You can rest assured. Brian?" Gorsch held up the notebook in his hand. "Buffalo Bill's name was William Rubin, or Billy Rubin. He was referred to me in April or May 1975 by my patient, Benjamin Raspail. He said he lived in Philadelphia, I can't remember the address, but he was in Baltimore with Raspail at the time." "Where's your record?" interposed Major Bachman. "My records have been destroyed, they were ordered by the court just to-" "What does he look like?" Bacheman said. "Please don't do this, will you, Major? Senator Martin, the only—" "Tell me his age, describe his physical features, and anything else you can remember," said Major Bachman. Dr. Lecter simply ignored it.He was thinking of something else—remembering the anatomical studies done by Gerico for the Raft of the Medusa—and he did not say whether he had heard the latter question. When Senator Martin brought him back to his senses, they were alone in the room.Gorsky's notebook was in her possession. Dr. Lecter stared at her intently. "That flag smells like cigars," he said. "Did you nurse Catherine?" "Excuse me, what am I?" "Are you breastfeeding her?" "yes." "It's a thirsty job; isn't it...?" Her pupils blurred, and Dr. Lecter took just a small sip of her Pain Taste, finding it delicious!One bite is enough for today.He went on: "William Rubin was about six feet one, and would be thirty-five years old now. He's a solid build—about a hundred and ninety pounds when I knew him, and I guess he's grown since then. .He has brown hair and light blue eyes. Give them that much and we'll talk later." "Okay, I'll get them," Senator Martin said.She handed the notes out the door. "I only saw him once. Although he asked me out again, he never came back." "Why do you think he's Buffalo Bill?" "He was killing people then, anatomically similar to what he's doing now. He said he needed someone to help him so he could stop, But really he just wanted to talk to someone about this kind of thing, to talk to." "You haven't—he's sure you won't betray him?" "He thinks I won't, and he likes adventures. I don't give away the whispers his friend Raspail whispered to me." "Raspail knew he was doing this?" "Raspail has a wicked appetite, too—he's got scars all over his body." "Billy Rubin told me he had a criminal record, but he didn't say what. I did a brief medical history, and it was nothing special, except for one thing: Rubin told me he had a Had ivory anthrax. That's all I can remember, Senator Martin, and I think you're in a hurry to go. If I remember anything else, I'll let you know." "Did Billy Rubin kill the guy with the head in the car?" "I think so." "Do you know who that is?" "I don't know. Raspail called him Klaus." "Is what else you told the FBI true?" "At least as true as what the FBI has told me, Senator Martin." "I've made some temporary arrangements for you here in Memphis. We'll discuss your situation. When this... When we've settled this matter, you'll move on to Maoshan." "Thanks. I'd like a phone, if I remember something..." "You will." "And the music. Glenn Gould, the Goldberg Variations, huh? Isn't that asking too much?" "No problem, very good." "Senator Martin, don't just trust the FBI with any clues. Jack Crawford never plays fair deals with other departments. It's enough for those people. He is determined to come in person Finish this capture. It's called 'a stranglehold,' as they say." "Thank you, Dr. Lecter." "I like your outfit," he said as she went out.