They main characters belong to Thomas Harris, this story is written for fun and no profit.

Thanks to all the faithful readers who have been following Adam from the go. Specially to those who with their comments encourage me to go on. There will be just a few more chapters now and we'll be done with this one. Let me know how do you like the way is going.

Chapter 20
The Cult

The news of Tunberery's death was reported four days after they mailed the package. They heard it on CNN during the mid afternoon feeding, in the kitchen, while Clarice sorted the laundry and Hannibal gave Adam his bottle which the baby occasionally managed to hold on to by himself. A wondrous achievement for a baby his age.

"The body found yesterday floating on the Chesapeake has been identified as that of Gabriel Tunberry, the former director of the FBI, who was under Senate investigation regarding his masterminding the project that allegedly succeeded to clone the infamous Chesapeake serial killer Dr. Hannibal, the Cannibal, Lecter. The cause of death has not yet been determined contingent with the results of the autopsy now under way. Unidentified law enforcement sources suggested the possibility that he might have killed himself rather than face the possible charges resulting from the on going investigation; while others implied that he might have been assassinated .

A source from the Senate Investigation Committee, who chose to remain anonymous, assured this reporter that the untimely death of the former director will not put a halt to the investigation, which will continue with the diminished resources now available. Other individuals connected with the "Tunberry project" met an equally untimely demise during the last five weeks. There is speculation regarding the possibility that both former Special Agent Clarice Starling and the cloned child might have be met a similar fate."

"Per..fect!" Clarice said, a huge smile on her face.

Adam suddenly dropped the bottle that Lecter had allowed him to hold entirely by himself, and it rolled over the doctor's chest and legs before it hit the floor; leaving a trail of formula on his shirt and trousers.

"He is only 5 weeks, Hannibal, there is just so much he can do by himself," Clarice chuckled without missing a beat. "He is not Superbaby, you know?"

Hannibal Lecter took a deep breath and contemplated her with his head tilted to the side, his face a blank mask.

"He is not?"

"Well…" Clarice trailed off, dismissing his question "Did he almost finish the bottle of we have to change the nipple on the thing?"

The doctor pondered on the fact that not only he would never own her but neither would he intimidate her in the least. The thought amused him, he was proud of her.

"He was almost finished," he responded with a smile, while he bent to pick up the bottle, holding the child in the crook of one arm, then placed the bottle on the table and accommodated Adam over his shoulder to burp him, the boy immediately began to play with the Doctor's collar, attempting to reach for the button and bringing it -and the collar, to his mouth.

"You have baby formula all over your pants, and now he has the collar of your shirt as well," she teased, finding the thought of "hands on" fatherhood functions outrageously funny and out of character with the Doctor's public image. "You might want to change and I'll add them to the laundry."

"There is no need for that Clarice, I CAN survive a few stains until I change for dinner." Responded her usually perfectly groomed monster

She chuckled , then suddenly switched back to business mode.

"When do you suppose we'll read anything regarding the package to the NY Times?" Clarice was anxious to see their plot unfolded. She was anxious to reach some degree of safety.

"I think tomorrow. Calculate 2 days in each direction for the turnaround; and one day for processing. Once the Times get it, it will be hours before it hits the street."

The next day, as expected the news began to pour in at about 12 Noon, clearly the Times had received their package.

CNN had a Special Report, entitled Hannibal the Cannibal eats Mini-Me. Starling dead!

In the report that followed they announced that the NY Times had received package containing an infant body suit and a woman's T shirt both soaked in blood, accompanied by a note, allegedly from the notorious serial killer, boasting to have killed and eaten both the former agent and the child.

The Times had turned the package over to the FBI, and a spokesman promised to produce positive identification of all items within 24 hrs.

The reporters elaborated about speculations and presumptions from endless "anonymous sources" claimed that the doctor was responsible for all the deaths related to the case, while others, insisted that the other deaths didn't fit the doctors MO.

Still other sources, according to the reporter, claimed that the deaths of A Bennings, Dr Janice Duncan and the pediatrician were also related to the case, and insisted that the former Director had killed himself when it became clear to him that the charges of embezzlement would inevitably be added to those already under investigation. They further demanded that the Committee investigate and fully disclose the allocation of the 2 billion dollars granted to Tunberry for his project

No soon the news hit the media, the talk shows and panels began to conjecture about the fate of Starling and Adam and the reappearance of Dr. Lecter.

Every faction group used them for their purposes, some extreme liberal groups decided that maybe Dr. Lecter had decided to eliminate the infant, cloned without his consent and in complete violation of his human rights. They conjectured that probably Starling got on the way and he killer her too.

Other members of the same group claimed that the violation of Starling and her baby right to privacy and the publicity that ensued had all lead to Lecter learning about the project and enacting his own kind of self serving whimsical justice. They claimed the media had been a factor in their untimely death and made some to the participation of the media in the death of Princess Diana.

In short, everyone was in an uproar, regardless of their platform, and everyone mourned the death of Clarice and Adam.

Hannibal and Clarice, laughed, drank an excellent beer, and ate pistachio nuts on the patio, while they watched the whole brouhaha on a small TV that stood on a serving cart and was plugged in the outdoor outlet; whilst the Doctor set up to grill two lobster tails for their lunch, which he served with a salad of mixed greens and tomatoes.

They had set Adam's infant/car seat on the floor of that patio, in the shade. He seemed to like the arrangement, probably because it gave him ample view of the surrounding areas, he seemed fascinated by birds, which he inevitably tried to reach with his tiny hands or entertained himself playing with a fuzzy toy that hung from the hood of the seat.

By 2:30 PM CNN was playing video clips of a small demonstration by some of Starling's "fans" in Seattle, who demanded to full disclosure of the fact regarding their hero.

Suddenly a thumping noise, from Adam's direction attracted their attention.

To their astonishment, he had each tiny hand on the sides of the seat and was attempting, rather successfully, to rock the entire seat, in a clear effort to free himself from the restraining straps. His little face was red from the effort, and as he took momentum the seat rocked slightly from side to side.

"I'll be dammed," Clarice muttered, getting up swiftly "he is not even 6 weeks old yet, he is definitely not suppose to be able to do this….is he?"

"Not supposed is true, but clearly he can do itHis motor skills, and strength are quite unique for his age," said Dr Logic, joining her at Adam's side, "Would you say that he dislikes being restrained?" he quipped with obvious satisfaction.

"What could ever give you that idea?" she retorted.

Hannibal Lecter unbuckled the boy and picked him up. "Here you go, Superboy, you are free now".

The baby laughed, kicked his legs with delight, and reached for the top button of the Doctor's polo shirt and lunged to it with his mouth.

"Clarice, why don't you set that blanket in the floor, I want to try something?" He pointed at a blanket wrapped around the handle of the baby seat.

He then placed Adam on his stomach atop the blanket and gestured for Clarice to wait and watch. They only had to wait second before the boy figured out what he could do. Then he rocked himself and rolled over on his back, then, not without difficulty, he rolled back up on his stomach. After the first attempts he mastered the maneuver and continued to roll back and forth, laughing with delight of his own newly found prowess

"This," The doctor said, pointing at Adam's rolling "is expected from a 4 to 5 month baby, even older. But never from a 6 week old infant" He said, sounding pleased, while he picked Adam off the floor. "Nor is someone this young expected to reach out for objects as we see him do, or have the control of movements that he displays."

Once the Doctor accepted the fact that his feelings for Starling were indeed love, and allowed himself to the double edged reward derived from feeling of human emotions, he found a wealth of yet untapped experiences waiting to be explored.

When he fist knew of Adam's possible existence, he followed his instinct that directed him to protect his own, his kin, as it were, and a child, made as a duplicate of himself was on the top of his priority list; and while he was fully prepared for the intensity of his feeling for Clarice to grow as their relationship developed, he had been totally unprepared for his the intensity of his feeling for Adam.

The bond that developed between them during the past 5 ½ weeks far exceeded the boundaries of his previous experience.

Now he was as proud of the baby's accomplishments as he had once been of any of his own.

"The kid is amazing," he muttered, then looked at Clarice and blushed.

Clarice could honestly declare she had never expected to see him blush and was pleasantly surprised. As much as she adored his keen mind, and his seemingly supernatural perception, she thrived on any display of human emotions and positively loved his hands on attitude towards child care.

"He is you, Hannibal, a small version of you, and just as brilliant." She reminded him.

"Adam," she said to the boy, pocking him gently on the tummy as she often did, "A D A M"

"A Dam…Adam" responded the tiny infant with concentrated effort.

"Yes, A D A M," she repeated a little overenthusiastic.

"Adam," the boy repeated with glee, noticing he had gotten it right

She pointed to the Doctor, "P A PA, Papa."

"Pa…pa" Adam whispered tentatively.

"That's enough for one day, I can't stand this much competition." The Doctor teased.

They feed him then and set him up for a nap.

"Why don't we try napping too, " suggested Clarice, taking him by the hand and smiling suggestively. "Sounds like a much more interesting prospective that watching the news of my death…however convenient it might be"

The Doctor smiled in agreement, pleased with the suggestion.

To be continued

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That's all for now, the next chapter will follow in a few weeks. Until then, let me know how I'm doing