"I have no idea," Autor says, knowing that if he thought about it for just a moment, he probably could figure it out. He turns to prepare his own tea ball--ginger-lime for him.

"Dr. Lecter wants me to be more like him--to poke people and watch what happens," he muses, almost to himself. "He wants me to learn--no, refine--my ability to do that. He says he can... see me as an equal someday."

And Autor can't say that wasn't tempting.