Hellsing Fan Fiction / Gunsmith Cats Fan Fiction ❯ Night Angels: The Millennium War ❯ Pt. 5: Flash Flood ( Chapter 5 )

Night Angels: The Millennium War, Pt. 5 - “Flash Flood”

Hellsing/Gunsmith Cats fanfiction

By Elwin Blaine Coldiron

 

“Hellsing” and characters are created by Kohta Hirano, and is the property of Shounen Gahousha/Dark Horse Comics, Geneon Universal/Wild Geese/Satelight/Madhouse Studios, and Geneon Entertainment and FUNimation Entertainment, a Navarre Company. “Gunsmith Cats” and characters are created by Kenichi Sonoda, and is the property of Kodansha/Dark Horse Comics, Vap/Tokyo Broadcasting, and Sentai Filmworks. I do not own neither series, nor the characters. I just write the fiction.

 

FROM PART 4…

 

“Alright,” the police chief said, “we have done as you said - we've surrounded the hotel and released to the media that terrorists were responsible. Anything else?” he added uneasily.

 

The individual he was talking to -Tubalcain Alhambra - just smiledas he fumbled with a playing card. “You have performed excellently, chief. As long as we all perform our parts to the letter, then you'll be handsomely rewarded.”

 

“Then that means…?” the chief implored.

 

“Then the Major will have you all made into vampires,” Alhambra added with a fanged smile, “as your reward to the Millennium Order!”

 

AND NOW, PART 5…

 

A SEEDY MOTEL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF RIO DE JANERIO, BRAZIL, ONE HOUR BEFORE…

 

Just as the flatbed truck skidded to a halt, Pip Bernadotte was unceremoniously shoved out of the cab, while at the same time the box containing the explosives he needed - as well as Irene `Rally' Vincent - was kicked off the bed, landing upside-down on its cover. As the one-eyed mercenary recovered from his fall, the driver then gunned the engine and sped away, relieved to be finally rid of the `evil box', not to mention its apparently insane owner.

 

“YOU EEDIOUTS!!! DIDN'T YOU READ ZE LETTERINGON ZE BOX!?!”Pip yelled, pointing to the Portuguese lettering that read `Keep Upright', then threw-up his hands in exasperation. Then he remembered Rally, and frantically ran back to the box. The last thing the Frenchman wanted to face at that moment was an angry vampire!

 

Quickly, he managed to roll the box to where the lid was in its right place. Then stumbling with the key, he began to work the lock, not surprisingly with a few false turns, but Pip managed to unlock it, pull the lock from its hasp, and flung the lid open.

 

“OWWW!!!” Rally was rubbing her nose with both hands, the result of landing face-first on the lid. “Pip… next time someone decides to throw my box to the ground, I would appreciate a little warning first!” she grumbled.

 

“My apologies, mon ami,” Pip offered as he helped the dusky vampire out. “I'm not sure how zese people would react to see me yelling at a box!”

 

Rally just chuckled. “Think nothing of it, Pip,” she said as the mercenary got the satchel charges out. “I think I just gave off this… spooky vibe these locals latched onto.” Studying the run-down motel they were to stay in, she added as they went to the door, “So, this is our… `humble abode' for this mission. Charming place.”

 

“You and Alucard might call it `charming',” Pip grumbled as he unlocked the door; he previously rented the room before setting out to the Hotel Rio, “I call eet a shit house! Again, sorry about eet.”

 

“That's okay,” Rally dismissed as she entered. “May and I slept in dumps worst than this during my bounty hunting days.” Then her eyes went wide as she began stomping her foot in rapid succession towards the wall. “But then again,” she added humorlessly, “the cockroaches in those places weren't as big as skinless Vienna Beef franks!”

 

Pip had set-down the satchel charges on a table and began reconnecting the wires. “What are you talking about?” he asked.

 

Rally just looked at him oddly. “Don't tell me you haven't eaten a Chicago Hot Dog before, Pip?” she exclaimed.

 

Pip shrugged. “Should I?”

 

Again, Rally just looked agog at Pip. “Well… how about deep-dish pizza, and I'm not talking about that shit being served from the pizza chains either, I'm talking the real stuff!” Pip shook his head. “An Italian beef sandwich… dipped in au-jus?” she queried, almost shouting. Again, Pip shook his head `no'.

 

“Brother… you've been deprived!” the dusky vampire exclaimed, incredulous. “Haven't you ever been to Chicago before?”

 

“Look, I'm a mercenary, and until Sir Integra hired me, my travels, along with ze Wild Geese, were limited to one war zone from another,” Pip answered. “I sincerely doubt there would be non-stop shooting in Chicago, or else I would've been there.”

 

“I guess that's your loss,” Rally sighed, propping herself at a bed and looked out the window, watching the sun set. “So what you are saying is that, wherever there is some hotspot in the world that might score you and the Wild Geese some cash, you travel to said place hoping for a job.”

 

“Well… you could say zat, Rally,” Pip said. “After all, zat is what a mercenary does.”

 

Rally thought for a few seconds. “Guess there's no arguing that point,” she mumbled. “But still… wasn't there any time that you or the Geese did anything that felt right, regardless if there was any money to be made?” she asked. But all she got was an odd silence from Pip. “Hey Pip… are you alright?” she wondered, hoping she hadn't offended him. But he remained silent, as if he was remembering something…

 

FLASHBACK, FRANCE, 33 YEARS AGO…

 

On a porch during a warm spring's day, an elderly man wearing a navy blue beret satand read his newspaper, relaxing as he occasionally watched the clouds waft by. However, he seemed to be disturbed by the sounds of a crying child. Turning, he happens to see a young boy with orange hair and green eyes running towards him, obviously in distress.

 

“G-grand-père… ” the boy sobbed, standing next to the old man.

 

The old man, obviously the boy's grandfather, lookedperplexed at the boy. “Pip,” he asked, curious, “you're crying! What is wrong?”

 

Pip took some time to compose himself, but it seemed that his sobs were on automatic. “Grand-père, all of the children at school…they were making fun at me! They said that… that…you were the sonof a killer… and that we're ALLa family of killers that will do anything for money!” he said, hoping his grandfather would deny it.

 

However, the answer he got shocked him. “Oui, cest'strue,” Grandfather said nonchalantlyas he continued to read his newspaper. “So?”

 

“What? C-cest'strue?” Pip gasped, horrified.

 

Now Grandfather began to notice his grandson's reaction. “What?” he said, “Youmean that didn'tknow? Pip, our family has been mercenaries for over eight generations, right down to your great-great-great-great grand-père. Your own père was killedwhile fighting in Columbia, hoping to earn the money in preparation for your birth.”

 

Pip was horrified, the quantity of his tears increasing. “But… but why? Why do you have to kill people!?!”

 

“Why? For money!” Grandfather said plainly. “Weren't you listening to me?” Finally deciding to look his grandson in the eye, he put down his paper and expanded on his reasons. “Look, the enemiesthat we foughtagainst over the yearsalways seemed to be fighting for one useless cause or another, be it women, their families, food, drugs,” and in a whim of French history,added, “liberté, égalité, fraternité. But to our family, that's all a bunch of silly nonsense!”

 

He leaned closer to Pip, so close that the boy could smell the cigarettes on his breath. “Pip,” he said, “you want a reason to kill? To us, a bit of money is all a man is worth in life!With such a tainted pedigree like ours, it's no wonder you are being bullied!”

 

Grandfather did look a little sympathetically at Pip, but he knew that it was useless to say that the young boy would take some other life path. “Don't worry,” he finally said, patting the boy's shoulder, “I'm certain you'll understand one day.” He took a big sigh and finally said, “After all, it IS your destiny to continue in our family tradition.”

 

END FLASHBACK…

 

“I wish eet was zat easy, Rally,” Pip finally said in a sullen voice, his memories still fresh. “My family's been in zese business for far too long just to give eet up.”

 

“I suppose,” Rally sighed, stretching. “So, what's our plan of action once we pick-up Master and Alucard?”

 

Satisfied that the batteries were reconnected, Pip turned and answered, “I believe zat we're going to investigate zat pill factory zat is churning out zose Kerasine pills. Zat would be a good start.” Sighing, the mercenary again studied the charges, briefly stretched and added, “Ze one thing I would like to know is what do we do after we get ze findings.”

 

“You know what we're going to do when we get there, Pip.” Creeped-out by the dark tone of Rally's voice, Pip turned around… and regretted it! The dusky vampire had this absolutly malevolent look on her face as she added darkly, “That was what Integra told me, Master and Alucard what to do regarding whoever's operating that plant making those pills - search and destroy!” Then a normal look came back to her face. “Sorry about scaring you back there, Pip… but I couldn't resist!” she laughed. Then she stopped laughing, “Seriously though, Integra wants that plant closed… and she wasn't too particular on how we do it. Hopefully, those explosives you're re-wiring will do the trick but no guarantees.”

 

`Merde!' an unnerved Pip thought to himself, returning to the charges, `If joking about killingiswhat vampires do for fun - I hate to think what zey do if they're seriousabout such matters!' Deciding not to give the matter any thought, he redoubled himself to his task until he was satisfied that he was finished. After setting down the charges, he then headed to the television and added, “Now zat ze task ees done, let's see eef zese thing works. I'm dying to watch a football game.”

 

“Oh not soccer again!?!” Rally groaned.

 

“Why not?” Pip gleefully countered. “After all, eet ees ze world's game!”

 

“Well I don't know about you,” began the dusky vampire as she sat next to Pip, “but whenever I wish to see a `football' game, I would rather to see the Bears kicking the shit out of either the Packers, the Vikings or the Lions - not necessarily in that order.” Then Rally thought for a bit. “Well… anyone in the NFL can beat the Lions, so it's not much of a stretch.”

 

“If you ask me,” Pip added, changing the channels, “eet doesn't take too much to beat somebody senseless to win. Ze football I like ees more art zan brute force.” Then he found a channel. “Oh, looks like I've found a game in ze United States.” Rally just grunted her distain but said nothing else. “From ze looks of it, one of ze teams are from… er… Chicago, I think.”

 

“Chicago!?!” Curious, Rally made her way besides Pip. Indeed, the game that was on was an MLS match-up that featured the Chicago Fire, who were battling the Seattle Sounders FC. “Oh well… we've got a few hours to kill, so I hope you don't mind if I watch… do you, Pip? I really like to see the Fire beat-up on Drew's crew!”

 

“Not at all, mon ami,” the merc replied, a little more than entertained about Rally's interest in the game.

 

And so for the next hour and a half, the two continued to watch the game while waiting to start their assignment. Every once in a while, Rally would have some question about the rules of soccer that Pip was more than helpful to answer, but the two did nothing more. However, around the time that the game was getting to `extra time', a news bulletin cut-in. “Attention, we interrupt your regularly-scheduled programming,” the announcer began, “to bring you a situation developing at the Hotel Rio at this time!”

 

“The Hotel Rio?” Rally queried. “Isn't that where Master and Alucard are?”

 

“Oui… very curious,” Pip added, intrigued.

 

“Several minutes ago,” the announcer continued, “several terrorists had taken over the top floor of the hotel, holding a good number of hostages as well. Although the authorities have not received any demands from the terrorists, it is believed they are heavily armed and is believed that they intend to kill the hostages!” Then the picture changed, showing pictures of the aledged terrorists.

 

Those pictures were of Alucard and Seras Victoria.

 

Pip, who was drinking a beer at the time, nearly choked upon seeing the pictures. “W-what!?! Alucard!?!? Mignonette!?!” he gasped. Rally didn't say anything, but was dreading what was next.

 

“We have been told that local S.W.A.T. troops are preparing to storm the penthouse where the terrorists are said to be barricaded in,” the reporter continued. “From what we have learned, there might be orders in place to take the terrorists down, no prisoners taken.”

 

“OH NO!!! MASTER!!!” Almost immedietly, Rally got our of her seat and raced for the door. Pip followed, hoping to stop her… and only seeing the dusky vampire's body exploding into a huge flock of bats flying in the direction of the city.

 

Frustrated, the mercenary could only return to the apartment to gather any weapons he might need. “Merde,” Pip said to himself, “I've got zeze bad feeling zat ze mission has just been flushed down ze toilet!” Already, though, he was beginning to formulate possible strategies about salvaging whatever plans they previously had.

 

XXX

 

Of course, Pip and Rally weren't the only ones watching the events unfolding…

 

At a rooming house run by the Catholic Church within Rio de Janerio, Paladin Alexander Anderson watched with glee at the events unfolding. Sent by Section XIII, Iscariot Organization to monitor the Hellsing Organization's activities, the regenerator priest was mildly surprised - and delighted - that this obvious plot by Millennium was set into motion, which would hopefully solve both problems for Iscariot.

 

“Alright ye freaks,” the priest sneered, grinning at the television, which showed armed police surrounding the hotel, “let's see ye dance yer way out o' this one!”

 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AT THE SAME TIME…

 

“Kenny, is it still on?” `Minnie' May Takigawa called-out, racing out of the kitchen of the house she formerly shared with Rally, now the home of herself and her husband.

 

“Yes, May!” Ken Takigawa replied, his eyes glued to the television as his wife sat down on the couch next to him. They had planned to watch a Cubs away game when the news had cut-in and they saw Seras' face.

 

All May could do was to watch the screen anxiously. “I just hope Rally isn't there!” she wondered.

 

“Same here, May!” Ken added, who was then distracted by the doorbell.

 

Quickly, May got out of her seat and answered the door, and found Misty Brown and Becky `the Nose' Farrah at the door - and she peered over their shoulders to see three cars parking in front of the house. “You saw it too?” she asked Becky.

 

“Of course, what do you think?” the information expert said curtly as May showed both of them inside. “Do you think I could borrow your Internet connection, May?” Becky added, borrowing into the backpack she lugged-in and setting-up several components. “I need to set-up this secure modem to e-mail Sir Integra about what's happening!”

 

“Sure, go ahead, Becky. I was a little surprised that you were with Misty at the time,” Ken said.

 

“I was visiting with Becky when the news broke,” Misty added, noting that Roy Coleman, Bean Bandit and Riff-Raff were exiting their cars. “You don't think Rally might be involved, do you May?”

 

“I hope not, Misty,” Coleman said, pushing aside the two girls. Coleman was currently listed as `retired/reserve' in the Chicago Police Department, which meant he still had his badge. He was at the shop `Gunsmith Cats' when the news broke. Anxious, he made his way to May and Kenny's. “I know how Rally is impulsive about these things, so I hope she isn't stupid enough to get herself involved in this!”

 

“No argument there, Lieutenant,” Bean Bandit added, he and Riff-Raff making their way inside. “I was in England a few weeks before, and I hope Rally has the brains to stay away from there!”

 

“Look, you know Rally - especially since she joined Hellsing,” Coleman countered. “If she knows Seras is in trouble, she's going to go all-out to save her, no matter what the risk!” Bean could only nod in agreement.

 

Riff-Raff, on the other hand, looked a little confused as she brushed away one of her green-dyed bangs from her eyes. “Say Bean,” the blonde courier asked, taking him aside, “I got a few things to ask you, do you mind?”

 

“Uh… sure, Riff,” Bean said, allowing Coleman to join the others in the living room. Certain that no one was eavesdropping, he added in a low voice, “Okay, what's it all about?”

 

It took a while for Riff-Raff to concoct her question. “Look Bean, I might not have known Rally as long as you,” she said, briefly scratching the tattooed star under her left eye, “but I do know that she wouldn't have dropped everything here just to jet over to London. Something happened to her, and I would like to know what!”

 

Bean sighed uneasily. He knew Riff-Raff would try to get information about the dusky vampire's circumstances, but for weeks dodged directly answering her. Deciding that she could be trusted, he leaned over and whispered, “Well… I guess you deserve the truth, so I better tell you, Riff. However,” he added, “once you hear it, you might doubt my sanity about it. Hell, I'm still trying to wrap my brain around it!”

 

And so, Bean began tell the story he hoped to avoid. Riff-Raff, for her part, just listened but did nothing - but her green eyes widened when she heard it. “You've got to be kidding me!” she whispered. “Rally… a vampire!?!”

 

“No shit!” the burly courier said gruffly. “Now don't go spreading this around!”

 

“Don't worry, Bean,” Riff-Raff replied as the two headed for the living room, “even if I did, I'm libel to get locked-up in the loony bin!”

 

ROANAPUR, THE LAGOON COMPANY'S HEADQUARTERS…

 

It was late morning when the story was broadcast on this corrupt island near Thailand, and the whole of the Lagoon Company watched on their television in equal concern. “Fuck,” Dutch remarked, the muscular African-American taking a drag off his cigarette, “this has got to be some mistake!” Turning to his right, he watched as Benny worked on a laptop, while Revy and Rokuro `Rock' Okajima continued to monitor events unfolding. “Any chance of finding-out what's really going on, Benny-boy?” he asked the blonde tech.

 

“Sorry Dutch,” Benny replied, hunched over. “Normally, hacking into a police's database, especially Rio's, would be a piece of cake. But somehow they got this odd firewall up and even I'm a bit frustrated about it.” Stretching briefly, he added, “I'll keep trying, but this is tougher than I imagined.”

 

“Say Dutch,” Revy added, the Chinese-featured woman's hair undone as she laid on the sofa, “I don't know about you, but this whole shit in Rio has got `set-up' written all over it.”

 

“Huh?” Rock grunted. “What are you talking about, Revy?”

 

Revy just looked at the former salaryman, an annoyed look on her face as she got up. Then sighing, she said, “Might as well, since you didn't see what I saw.” Turning to her fellows, she added, “This all has to do with when Rally went after that Radinov bitch. While me and Seras were watching the whole thing go down, she transformed into this fuck-awful form that she used to rip her arm off and all sorts of shit. When Radinov took off, she ran after her, laughing like some crazy fuck.”

 

The pirate paused to take a sip of beer. “Anyway, me and Seras followed when Rally took-off after her, making sure of course not to get in the way. But when she caught up, Radinov up and gave up.” A chuckle, then, “I could tell Rally was disappointed, but then all of a sudden Radinov caught fire - and I'm not talking any fire, but this weird blue shit. Radinov then started screaming at Rally, saying that `Millennium was coming', then poof, no more.”

 

“I'll tell you one thing, Two-Hands, that is some strange shit,” Dutch commented. “So what the fuck is this… Millennium Radinov had told Rally about?”

 

“The fuck if I know,” Revy said with a shrug. “My guess is that those were the guys that put that vampire chip in her head, as well as setting fire to her.”

 

Rock was quiet, almost thinking. “Millennium… there's something about that name that sounds familiar…”

 

“You know something, Rock?” Revy asked.

 

“Not offhand, Revy,” the former salaryman answered, “but it's something I could possiblyresearch about. Benny, have you got my laptop fixed yet?”

 

“It's been finished for quite some time, I just need to make sure all that customizing you asked for works,” Benny replied. “Why?”

 

“I'm thinking about doing some searching online about this Millennium,” Rock said. “Maybe there's something we might give Hellsing.”

 

“You sure they may want our help after the trouble we caused them?” asked Revy.

 

“Could be a good way to make amends to them.”

 

Dutch thought for a bit. “Alright. As soon as Benny-boy's sure your laptop works, I'll let you get to it,” he finally said. “Just make sure you do it between jobs.”

 

It was then that Rock cracked a smile. “Don't worry, Dutch, I won't let my work here suffer because of some side project.”

 

Revy, however, seemed troubled. Despite causing Hellsing an inconvenience months back, she came to like them, especially Moria Hedgley, and sorely didn't want them hurt because of it. “I hope it's enough,” she said to herself as she got up. “I've got a really bad feeling about this shit.”

 

HOTEL MOSCOW, AT THE SAME TIME…

 

Balalaika was also watching events in Rio go down, her scarred face a mask of concern as she watched from her desk. Her second-in-command, Boris, was troubled. He hated seeing his commander in this mood. “Sergeant,” she said, “do you think you can get in touch with our branch in São Paulo?”

 

“I suppose it's possible, Capitan,” Boris rumbled. “You wish to find-out about the Rio situation?”

 

“Indeed,” the Russian crimelord said. “Hellsing had saved this area from Bloody Pierce, so I would like to return the favor for Sir Integra, if I could. I have a very bad feeling about this current… situation.”

 

“I will get on it right away, Capitan,” the burly former soldier said, saluting and leaving Balalaika's office just as the phone rang.

 

Irritated about the sudden intrusion, Balalaika, picked-up the receiver. “What is it?” she said tursly. “Oh… Mr. Chang. I do apologize for the way I answered, this has not been a very good day. You have been following the current events unfolding in Rio De Janerio?” A pause, then, “What was that you said?”

 

THE OFFICE OF BAI JI-SHIN CHANG…

 

“You heard me, Balalaika,” the Chinese Triad leader said, his eyes glued to the television in his private office. “Let me start from the beginning. I've had some trouble with this really stupid Thai who thought he could see drugs within my territory, despite my every attempt to dissuade him to the contrary. I finally had enough of his excuses and decided to take matters in my own hands. After a few minutes of… how can I say this, `gentle persuasion', I was able to get him to see things my way.” He then picked-up a vial containing what looked to be a computer chip and added, “Then I found out from him that he had this interesting side-job, which was to sell a certain piece of equipment in town - one that involves our mutual friends in England.”

 

“Another of those chips that made Bloody Pierce into a vampire?” Balalaika queried over the other end.

 

“Well,” Chang sighed, again studying the chip, “I really don't believe the chips he had were as sophisticated as the one Radinov had in her head - but it looks strikingly familiar to the chip Rebecca grabbed from those gun smugglers our dear Sister Yolanda hired. Still, even if it's not quite the caliber of that chip, it's still unnerving.”

 

“So what do you suggest we do about it?”

 

“Right now, I thought I better warn you about it in case someone tries to see that chip in your territory,” Chang said. “I'm going to put-in a courtesy call to Abrego and Ronny the Jaws just the same. I hope those two don't decide to be stupid enough to sell that chip.”

 

“They had better not,” Balalaika growled, “or else there will be hell to pay from me!”

 

“I have no doubt about that. Well, I better get out of your hair,” Chang glancing at the television, “from the looks of it, I believe you have… better things to do with your time than wasting it talking to me.”

 

“Why thank you, Mr. Chang. I will get out of your way, then. Until the next meeting.” She then hung-up. For a few minutes more, Chang watched the television, then got up from his desk and gone inside his living room, where his men and guests were staying.

 

Several of Chang's thugs, all tastefully dress in business suits, were standing around, taking in the scene of Roanapur Harbor in the window, while on the floor was a heavily beaten-up Thai man, bound by rope. Also, Shenhua was there, the Taiwanese woman redoing her lipstick job. “Daino,” one of the thugs said, “I'm afraid there wasn't much we could get out of this man,” he indicated to the Thai man, “other than he didn't know who was it that supplied him with the chips.”

 

“Yeah, Bossman,” Shenhua added, an annoyed tone in her voice. “All he is doing is lying there bleeding. So what are we to do with Dumbass here?”

 

“I'm thinking, okay?” Chang replied calmly, who walked over to the beaten-up man. “Listen, friend,” he said, bending down, “I hope you realize that, not only you were selling something that could make our little island a little worse than it is - but your bleeding is creating a problem for me, if my Feng Shui master has his opinion about it.”

 

“I'm-I'm telling you the truth!” the man pleaded. “All I know is this guy gave me these chips and told be to sell them around town! I don't know of anyone else he's pushed them to!”

 

Chang just stood there, looking disdainfully at the man. Finally standing up, he walked over to the lead thug and Shenhua. “Go find a trunk,” he said, “stuff this poor bastard in it, and take him to Sawyer's place.”

 

The Thai man's eyes went wide. “SAWYER THE CLEANER!?!?NOOOO!!!” he yelled.

 

“Tell her I'll pay her whatever she wants,” Chang continued, ignoring the man, “just so long as he's in little bits. Oh, and you'll get a bonus as well, Shenhua, for taking him there.”

 

“Okay, will do, Bossman,” the Taiwanese woman said as Chang's thugs picked up the wildly screaming and thrashing man.

 

However, Chang didn't look at all happy as he returned his gaze upon Roanapur. “Somehow, I've got this bad feeling Integra is going to be in deep shit because of this business in Rio.”

 

LONDON, THE HELLSING MANSION, THE OFFICE OF SIR INTEGRA FAIRBROOK WINGATES HELLSING…

 

“Well no, I am afraid talking to you just will not do,” Walter C. Dolnez calmly said over the phone. “My employer needs to talk with the Brazilian ambassador at once regarding this delicate matter.”

 

As for Sir Integra, her teeth angrily ground upon her cigar as she looked out her window into the gloom. “You bloody bastards!” she snarled in a low voice. “So it is war you want, then war you will have!”

 

The doors to the office opened, Kenneth Hedgley striding inside, his daughter Moria right behind him. “Sir Integra, I heard from the household staff that there's some trouble in Rio!”

 

“It was the same for me as well,” Moria added.

 

Sir Integra didn't say anything yet, but waited until Walter was finished. “I do apologize, Sir Integra,” the butler began, “but I have not been able to get ahold of the ambassador. It seems that what I had gotten from his staff was, and I quote, `the ambassador is currently involved in trying to contact the government officials involved in the crisis in Rio'. Personally, though, I doubt that talking to the ambassador will do anything to resolve this conflict.”

 

“I was afraid you would say that, Walter,” Sir Integra sighed. “Somehow our enemies have made that even impossible.”

 

“Sir Integra,” Moria finally asked, silently afraid of the answer, “what exactly has happened?”

 

For a few minutes, Sir Integra paused, gazing into the darkness before saying, “A few minutes ago, the hotel Alucard and Seras were staying in was surrounded by units of the Rio police's Special Weapons And Tactics team - with the two identified as terrorists. Thankfully, we haven't heard anything of what happened to Rally and Captain Bernadotte, but that is libel to change very soon.”

 

“These SWAT troops,” Kenneth added, “what will they do in regards to Vlad and Seras?”

 

Sir Integra took note of Kenneth's question, turned to Walter and asked, “So what about it, Walter? What will Alucard's reaction to these troops be?”

 

“Sir Integra, Kenneth,” the butler began, “you must take into account his history on these matters. I summize that, given these factors, and what I theorize is the enemy's strength and tactical armaments… I would not give those troops any chances of succeeding, much less surviving.”

 

The silence in the office was palpable. “Mr. Dolnez,” Moria began, breaking it, “does Alucard realize exactly who he is facing?” She stepped up, along with Kenneth. “After all, those SWAT troops are normal humans, who haven't have any chance of succeeding in defeating him.”

 

“Miss Hedgley,” Walter replied, his tone matter-of-factly, “you should know by now exactly what Alucard is capable of, having worked at this mansion the length of time you have. He is not like anything any human has ever faced.” He turned his back to them and returned to Sir Integra's side, concluding, “He is a monster!”

 

Moria cringed, being startled by her father's hand on her shoulder. “Walter's right, Moria,” he gently said. “Those troops are as good as dead!” It was all that Moria could do, just to nod in agreement.

 

HOTEL RIO, AT THE SAME TIME…

 

In the penthouse, Alucard grinned madly as sixteen SWAT troops raced inside, all of them heavily armed. “That's right,” he laughed, his orange-red eyes glowing brightly, “come and face your deaths, you dogs! I'll be waiting for you!!!”

 

Meanwhile, in the command center tent, the police officials looked worriedly at each other, while those monitoring the radios raced to them. “The first team is taking the elevator up,” an aide said to the commander. “Second team will proceed them as soon as the lift returns.”

 

“Good,” the commander said. “Soon we will prove ourselves worthy of Millennium's blessing,” nodding to Tubalcain Alhambra, who returned the nod.

 

However, Alhambra grinned, thinking to himself, `On the contrary, my dear commander… your troops are only going to show their incompetence! It was all planned by the Major after all!'

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

AUTHOR'S NOTE - BTW, characters of `Black Lagoon' also appearing were created by Rei Hiroe, and is the property of Shogakukan/Viz Media, Geneon Universal, Madhouse Studios, Geneon Entertainment and FUNimation Entertainment, a Navarre company.

 

Until part 6… LATER!!

 

9/11/01

FDNY-NYPD-THE REAL HEROES