Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Prelude to Eternity ❯ Their blunders ( Chapter 2 )

Dark water rushes beneath her as she stares blankly into the Thames. Absentmindedly, she rubs her neck and shivers at the tiny wound, still healing there. Her Master's bite lingers.

Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, Seras tries to visualize, objectively, the room she walked out of several hours ago. Feeling emotion threaten to consume her, she steels herself against the flashes of carnage that drive themselves to the forefront of her musings. The ghouls, they had been in uniform. Seras frowns as she tries to absorb the information, she has seen ghouls in uniform many times, but somehow, this had been different. Of the six or seven (making sense of their remains had turned her stomach and proven difficult, even with the help of her new senses) there had been at least three different crests present. She had recognized D-11 as well as Hellsing among them.

Slumping forward Seras sighs, hating the feeling of uselessness. Had she any forethought, she would have tried to capture one, perhaps Sir Integra might have a way of extracting information from the beasts. Glaring angrily at the churning waters beneath her, Seras suddenly hates them. Hates all of the faceless uniforms that battle each day against eachother. “People fighting people, it isn't right.” She mumbles dejectedly.

A change in the breeze alerts her to his presence less than a second before he speaks. “And what of vampires fighting vampires Police Girl?” he asks mockingly. Seras ignores him. “They have worse things to worry about than other humans.” Her Master grins, she can sense the maniacal smile split his jaw at the prospect of such an easily won debate. “And what of them? We drink to survive Police Girl. They seek blood for vengeance. Enjoyment.” He states it almost flatly, she can tell he is forcing the mirth from his voice. As if she would fall for such flights of fancy, she knows a monster when she sees one. Whirling on him, suddenly angry at his callous confidence, at his self-assurance, that ever-present smirk that leaves a body to wonder if someone didn't let him in on life's joke, she cannot help but accuse him. Although she knows she stands before him with fists curled like a child in the midst of a tantrum. “Vengeance Master? Fun?” She laughs a little hoarsely, visions of her own all too recent bloodlust clouding her mind. “What do you call it when you kill them? Compassion? Or is it something deeper?”

He regards her with disdain, pity for the child before him. “Police Girl, what of this?” From inside his billowing red cloak he draws the Cassul. She glares at it, at him, daring him to laugh at her for not replying. “And those below us?” Making a sweeping gesture, he indicates the homeless that dot the streets nearby, huddled around garbage-bin fires, almost invisible against filth-covered buildings. Seras feels herself begin to understand what he means, but that doesn't make it right. “Master, they do not choose…” All of a sudden, he is close, appearing before her, much closer than before, cutting off her words, “And what Police Girl, what of Nuclear weapons?” His voice rises, eyes flashing behind yellow glass, “And what of hunger and artificial diseases? And how about the wars your precious humans have?” He finishes with anger in his voice and she steps back, frightened by her suddenly emotive Master. “I… I don't know, I just, I mean… You…” She stutters desperately, unsure of her own convictions, but his wild laughter stills her tongue. He quietens and, almost gently, takes her chin in his hand, lifting her uncomprehending face to his own. Meeting her eyes, he is suddenly dead serious. “Think child, before you condemn us all to hell. Their god forgives a great many blunders.”

She turns from her Master, almost grateful that he releases her from his gaze. Too many conflicting emotions now accompany his presence. As if there weren't enough before. “I was sent to take you back Police Girl.” Nodding numbly, she allows him to grasp her shoulders and feels her world dematerialize around her.

Dismissing the young vampire, Integra watches her leave. “What do you make of it?” Her question would not seem directed, but a figure steps out of the wall behind her. With a chuckle he replies, “It was just another infestation Master. No different from the others.” Stubbing out her cigar she frowns down at the crystal ashtray, wondering at the thoughts reflected within. “I think you know what I mean Alucard. The ghouls Officer Victoria spoke of were all wearing uniforms. Not only that, but from several different organizations.” She looks up to where the ancient vampire stood. The shadows are empty. “Dammit Alucard.”

Staring at the lid of her coffin, Seras tries to sleep. “Their God forgives a great many blunders.” What did he mean by that? Annoyed, she turns on her side and traces the dark wood grain with her eyes. After all of that, she hadn't even found the target. Sir Integra had not seemed angry at what she had reported but still… “What exactly was I supposed to be looking for?”

Alucard had deposited her outside of her commanding officer's office and informed her that she should report before fading away. On entering she had haltingly recounted the events to Integra minus the blood lust and incident with her Master. The older woman hadn't seemed at all phased by her failure to silence the target, only deep in thought.

“She didn't expect me to find him so why…?” `Why what Police Girl?' Seras `eeps' and shoots upwards, banging her head on the lid of her coffin. “Dammit,” she mutters, rubbing the throbbing bump, “So much for my record.” Her Master's chuckle fills the air around her and she realises that he is in the room with her. Hitting the button to lift the lid of her coffin, she climbs out, regarding him warily. Lounging back on the one chair in her room, he regards her from beneath his red hat. “Did you have to do that Master?” She tries to ignore the unsettling scent that accompanies him. Raising an eyebrow at her he replies, “No, but I saw no reason not to.” Grinning, he leans the chair back impossibly further, revealing his entire face to her. “Why do you think she sent you Police Girl?” Seras refuses to look him in the eye, “I don't know, I thought it was to find… the target.” “And who was the target Police Girl?” he questions, deliberately provoking her. She angers, “You bloody well know who he was!” His grin fades at her insolence and she instinctively cowers back from him, “I want to hear you say it.” She opens her mouth to snap at him, but thinks better of it. Not meeting his eyes, she does as he wants. “The target was Ex Lieutenant Ferguson.” Her Master nods thoughtfully. “Of course, and what were you to do if you found him?” “Silence him,” she replies without hesitation. “Such an automatic answer Police Girl,” he chuckles mockingly, “They have you so well trained.” He glances towards the full blood pack defrosting on the table. `I wonder how they managed it?' “But would you have done it?” She glares at him, finally meeting his blood red eyes. “Of course, it's my duty!” His smile is small, self satisfied, as he disappears, “I thought not.”

A figure sits in her office, a half full glass of southern comfort held loosely between her fingertips.

“You moved too slowly. You could have collected them days ago but instead you allow an artificial to find them and use them. It is not acceptable.” He flinches almost imperceptibly at her words. “I apologise Ma'am but we have been very busy. Things will not organise themselves.” She sighs deciding not to mention the old saying about finding good help. Some of her men are so insufferable. “Why didn't you bait her, lead her away from the goods before they expired? Surely you are capable of that.” Her voice has gained a nasty edge to it that makes the other back away from her desk a little. “We were arranging it but, well, it was disgusting Ma'am, she went straight into a blood lust. I don't know what they were thinking sending a starving vampire into the city with no human supervision. We just couldn't risk it.” The raven haired woman nods at the man on the other side of her desk, eyes never leaving the glass in her hand. “Very well. It would seem that we will have to keep a closer eye on her. I want constant surveillance when the fledgling is out of Hellsing grounds. I will not have this happen again.” The vampire stares at his Master. “Ma'am, her Master was with her though, shadowing her the whole way.” She frowns at the information. “Alright. Assign a more experienced recruit. We wouldn't want some fool blundering about behind her and giving the game away.” The other acknowledges her order with a sharp salute. “Yes Ma'am.” She stops him, “And Consecro.” “Yes?” “How did Hellsing find them?” He pauses and regards her carefully, “We believe it was a fluke Ma'am. If they thought it was important, they would not have sent the fledgling.” His Master nods and he is relieved not to have angered her. “Dismissed.”

A/n WelI made it to chapter two but still no reviews. There is a storyline forming here, albeit slowly, I tend to get around to these things in my own way and time. ~grin~ Anyway, thank you for reading and please review. Flames will be regarded as great entertainment!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing or its characters. Darn.