LECTER JAMES: Rise of the Braveheart

Chapter seven

Joe dragged his luggage out of the mansion while Venita was away with their father. He could tell that something terrible was about to happen to them, and he was not sticking around to find out what exactly it was.

Joe felt guilty about trying to leave Venita behind, however, from what she said, he was certain that she had made up her mind.

"If you all want to kill yourselves, be my guest. I won't be here when the brimstone rains on ya," Joe muttered as he put his luggage in the trunk of his car. He had a flight that was leaving for Brussels City in the next hour.

"Fuck! My phone!" Joe rushed back into the house. He grabbed his phone and dashed out, but when he saw several policemen standing beside his car, Joe froze.

"Can I help you? You're making me nervous," he said to them. One of the cops stepped forward and showed Joe his badge.

"I'm Detective Bruce. Joe Thorn, you are under arrest for breaking into the Orient Museum and stealing an artifact," Bruce said to him and Joe chuckled nervously. 

"Are you fucking insane? How dare you make such an accusation against me? Do you know who I am?" He asked Bruce who sighed.

"Your friend, Kurt, confessed. We were able to apprehend him thanks to Lecter James, your sister's ex-husband. Now, you can come with us willingly or unwillingly. However, I advise you to pick the former. It will be less painful," Bruce threatened him.

Joe thought for a moment about his next line of action as Bruce stated his rights to him and two cops approached. Just as they were about to touch him, Joe dashed toward the left fence.

"Get him!" Bruce yelled. The officers ran after him as Joe sprinted.

He then got to the fence and started to scale it. However, Joe suddenly felt a strong hand grab him and throw him down.

He crashed with a thud and the cops pinned him down to put him in cuffs. Lecter watched as they cuffed him. And while Joe kept screaming as they took him away, Bruce walked up to Lecter.

"Thank you again, Lecter James. We continue like this and you may have my job soon," Bruce joked. Lecter did not give any response. Bruce could see that Lecter was furious, so, he stopped.

"I will see to it that Joe gets what he deserves. He won't get away " Bruce assured Lecter.

"Of course, he won't," Lecter replied. On that note, Lecter walked away.

***

"Do you know who I am? I will bury you all! I'll fucking burn this place to the ground!" Joe yelled and fought as the officers dragged him to the cell. As soon as they threw him in, he grabbed the bars.

"I want to speak with my sister. I can make a phone call, can't I? Let me speak with my sister!" He kept screaming. Then, a cop took him to the phone booth and he dialed Venita's number. After ringing for some time, she picked up the phone.

"Venita, hey, it's me. Joe. I need your help. I've been arrested," he blurted out.

"What the heck did you do this time, Joe?" She asked while she sighed.

"They know about the heist. Lecter James brought the cops to our house," he said to her.

"Lecter? How long ago were you arrested?"

"Not long," he replied.

"Hold on. I'm on my way. Do not say anything to them," she told him and then hung up.

Venita picked up her car keys but as she was about to leave the house, Morris showed up from the corner.

"Where are you going?" He asked her.

"Joe has been arrested. I want to bail him out," she told him.

"You won't," was Morris' calm response. Venita frowned.

"I'm sorry?"

"Leave him there to rot for some time. We have something very important to do today and your brother cannot be a distraction. Now, go back inside and continue to make plans," he told her.

"Father, Lecter James has him right now. If we don't bail him out, he will go to jail, or worse!" Venita groaned.

"If he was careful enough, he wouldn't have been caught. Whatever it is that happens to him is his fault," he said and walked closer to her. Then, he grabbed Venita's keys from her hands. "Stay put," he commanded.

Venita wanted to do something but she didn't want to annoy Morris any further. She was wise enough to know that he had a temper. So, without arguing, she returned inside.

Joe waited for hours but there was no sign of Venita. As reality dawned on him, he began to laugh in the cell. He knew they had abandoned him, and while he could not say he was surprised, it still hurt.

"I won't go down alone!" Joe said to himself.

He then walked towards the bar and rattled it.

"I want to speak with Detective Bruce," he called out. In a few seconds, Bruce stood there with him, arms crossed. 

"What is it?" Bruce asked him. Joe thought about what he was doing. Something told him to hold back, but he was furious. No one can abandon him and go free.

"Arrange a meeting with Lecter James. There's something very important that I must tell him," he said to Bruce.

"Why don't you tell it to me? I'll make sure he gets the message," Bruce asked.

"No! The information that I have is for Lecter's ears only!" Joe snapped. Bruce sighed and walked away. "Hey! Does that mean you'll do it?" He yelled but Bruce did not reply.

"Bloody hell!" Joe yelled as he crashed into the bed. He fell asleep amidst the mixed emotions and suddenly jumped up when he heard the bars rattle from his sleep.

Lecter stood there with darkness covering his face. As soon as Joe saw his frame, he quickly rushed to the bars.

"Lecter! Please. I'm sorry for what I did. Please, save me! Forgive me. I-I am a changed man!" Joe pleaded. However, Lecter paid no attention to the words.

"You have information for me, yes?" He asked Joe.

"Oh, yes. Um, I overheard my sister and father say that they will attack your family. I don't know how they plan on doing it exactly but I know it's close..." Joe then looked around and made sure it was safe before he whispered. "There's a spy in your mansion as we speak. They say that this same spy will carry out the operation."

Lecter listened carefully to the information. But he decided to confirm its authenticity. "You're lying," Lecter said to Joe whose anger flared, but he quickly kept it under control.

"I have no reason to lie. I've got nothing to lose. My family has abandoned me. It's time I give them a taste of their own medicine!" He snapped. Lecter gave him a deep stare before he walked away.

"Hey! Lecter! You'll not send me to jail, will you?" He asked.

When Lecter didn't reply, Joe shuddered.

"But I gave you information! I demand we make a deal!" 

"You should have done so before you threw away your only shot at freedom," Lecter added and then dashed out of the police station. He had to root out the spy and he needed to do it as soon as possible.

But then, his phone rang. It was Alaric calling.

"Yes, Alaric?" Lecter said while he got into the car.

"Boss! Come quickly. We have a serious problem! The mansion is under attack!"