Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction / Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Circle of Blood ❯ Beginning in Red, White and Black ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Weiss Kreuz, Hellsing and/or any of their characters do not belong to me. You got that fiends from the seventh circle of hell AKA lawyers...

"......." Speech
//......// Thought's

==============================================

Circle of Blood - Chapter 1 (Beginning in White, Red and Black)
By: Azrael's Wing

==============================================

Tokyo , Japan - 1996

In Tokyo there is a skyscraper no different from others. A mountain of steel and glass bearing no glowing signs or letters of neon. No symbols to mark it apart from other such buildings filling most of the great cities. None the less, this one is different somehow. For within it houses a company different from others.

An organization veiled in false fronts and it's purpose dedicated towards goals differing from most and often nebulous as it's leaders mind. This man's quest for whatever he seeks would be deemed evil for the methods, he uses. Then again, most of those that work for him are blissfully ignorant of the true motives behind their leadership and sleep their nights in blissful dream of ignorance.

For those that know what they're doing and what for it is different. They are his servants, his soldiers. The eyes and ears that do his bidding from the shadows. Highest of them are known as The Triad, and though those of lesser knowledge may not know of their motives like all most lesser beings, they do recognize power and know to respect it.

-------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------

Now, one of those who serve him from the shadows is going to meet his master. Nataku Yusanori is his name but among those that serve him he's more often known as White. A nickname for them but in reality it is indeed also his title in The Triad.

As the title would suggest, the man is dressed in spotless white business suit and matching white shoes. As much as they are a fashion statement they're the uniform for his title. Looking at his face, one would think him to be in his early thirties. A handsome face with black hair trimmed short with slight styling. In over all he could be seen as quite attractive man if not for the strange coldness... or perhaps soullessness that seems to radiate from him. Even his eyes, steel gray and framed by simple square glasses are uncomfortable to look at, for their apparent lack of humanity seems to stare back at the beholder. If one would have time or even desire to look in to those eyes more closely, that observer could almost see little wheels and gears turning behind them and imagine hear ing the soft ticking sounds of a clockwork engine. That someone could almost believe that he were some soulless machine rather than a being of flesh and blood.

As Yusanori walks through the corridors he notices a fly buzzing around him. For a long time he gives it no attention, deeming it unimportant as he thinks of the details in the meeting ahead. Fly simply continues to hover around him, as if it would have some greater intelligence behind it's close interest on him. For a moment he looks at it bit more closely as it passes by his face. Seeing no apparent reason for it's interest he simply turns his attention away from it, and back to the plans in his mind.

His attention back at the matters at hand, he aims his steps towards the lobby of the building. Soon he finds himself standing near the main elevators of the building. Before it stands security post, and behind it sits a man guarding the entrance to them. Noticing who is approaching, the security officer raises from his seat and greets Yusanori politely as he steps in front of the desk. "Good evening Yusanori-san, going up?" He asks while holding out his hand to him.

"Yes." Is the only answer as Yusanori pulls a key card out of his pocket and hands it over to the guard.

The Guard takes the card and pulls it through a reader. A small light besides it flashes green and a clinging sound can be heard coming from the small elevator beside the bigger one. The Guard hands the card back to him while bowing lightly at Yusanori as he walks to the elevator.

When he gets in front of it two other persons appear besides him seemingly out nowhere. He just nods to them as he steps into the elevator. They simply step in and stand in front of him. Only after he dials the pass code in pushes button labeled M he turns to observe his companions.

One of them seems to be a man apparently in his late fifties. A slightly overweight body, balding spot in his greying hair and a face you wouldn't remember if you'd run into him on a crowded street. Dressed in a stylish red suit tailored to hopefully improve his fading figure he doesn't seem anyone special. One would think of him as a simple business man or such were not for the sharp and dangerous gaze within his eyes. That slight hinting that maybe he was not someone that ordinary after all.

Normally one couldn't find much to hint of his overt emotions from the face of this man but today it wasn't so. His eyes were shifting, looking around the small compartment as if he were some kind of captured animal and his face showed clear signs of discomfort. He also seemed to be sweating profusely, his armpits showing dark spots from the sweat and he seemed to be wiping his hands now and then drying them up. Something was surely bothering this man. Ichijou Nobuo, the normally calm and collected man also known by the title Red was disturbed by something and it must have been serious.

Filing this tidbit into his mind, Yusanori continued to observe the troubled man for a while in hopes to find some reason for his apparent worries, something that would give him an edge in the coming meeting.

Nobuo's apparent feelings of disquiet seemed to aggravate him badly indeed, and when a fly buzzed nearby he reacted accordingly. Hand moving with unexpected speed for someone of his physique, he swatted it against the wall with his bare hand. This sudden violent act brought him under the attention of the third passenger on this lift, and with all their attention on each other no one seemed to notice that there was no splatter on the wall but neither was there any fly around either...

This third one in the lift was a woman. She was perhaps in her late twenties or early thirties, it was hard to tell. Dressed in a black dress, stockings and elbow length gloves, she was a sight to behold. To finish the look she wore matching stiletto heels. The dress was obviously designed to her personally, hugging her body from just the right places but enabling her to move unhindered. It showed just enough of her tanned skin to incite lustful feeling in most humans regardless of gender. Her beautiful face and long platinum blonde hair should have made her quite irresistible for nearly anyone, were not for her eyes.

Eyes are to said to be the mirrors to the soul. If that's true then what one would see in hers would be twisted like a funhouse mirror. These eyes seemed to have terrible hunger in them, as if there was some bestial desire she needed to satisfy but never could. It was look no sane human should have and for now that hungry gaze was directed towards Mr Nobuo. His clearly apparent weakness and distress seemed to draw her attention to him like honey to a bee. One could almost imagine her as a tigress stalking a wounded prey instead of a human woman. This animal in a human guise was Helena Fleisch. Othervise known as Black, she was Yusanori's fiercest rival in the games of power these men and women played amongst themselves.

...And of these three was observing the strange little insect. Hanging in the ceiling by it's legs as if it had never been swatted at all, mocking them all by it's continued existence. If any them could have known to look at it more closely they could have seen it glowing briefly until fading like some strange obsidian shadow.

Finally a sudden clinging sound informed the passengers that they were finally at the penthouse of their master. Acting like a single mind they step out of the elevator and walk to a door at the end of the hallway. Finally reaching it they all pause for a moment, perhaps to consider what to say and how to respond in front of their master. That moment doesn't seem to last for long though, as the man in red opened the door with his shaking hands and the stepped through the doorway, the others following close behind. And as they pass the threshold to their masters sanctum, they never notice the shadow of a fly that passes through the door right behind them silently...

------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------

As one steps into this room, first thing to see would be the countless monitors and screens that decorate the walls surrounding it. They seem to showing many things, ranging from the latest news to chilling occult symbols, runes out of history and pages of text written in languages long forgotten. At the center this room, surrounded by the screens is a table cluttered with obscure instruments, remote controls and paper... lots and lots of paper. What space there might have been is filled with books, letters, pieces of perchament and rotting manuscripts. Behind that mountain of research material and dead wood is a chair, though throne would probably be a better description. Sitting on it like a king of the old is a colorless shade of a man, illuminated only by the flickering light of the monitors.

This shade, calling himself Lord Gabriel is the master of those who come to see him. Being this withered husk he shouldn't by any chance have right look imposing or menacing, but none the less it was those feelings that his presence invoked among those who entered. Even Yasanori, the calmest and perhaps most 'inhuman' of them could not help but to feel stirrings of unease when confronted by their master.

Because for all the tubes and wires, coming and going into him from the numerous machines around the chair and making him look like he should drop dead any moment, Gabriel Müller is none the less a man whose presence inspires awe. For all physical frailness he has, one needn't but to look in to his eyes to prove you otherwise. Those eyes were perhaps the only thing of color left in him and that color was bloody crimson red. In them seemed to glow a fire far greater than any human could or perhaps even should posses. It was fire for power, desire for control and most important of all, it was a flame of one who desired to live, no matter what the cost. It was the fire that had kept him alive far longer than anyone even with his heritage should have lived and he wasn't about to give up anytime soon, no matter what he would have to do.

-------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------

As the trio walked towards him Müller looked at each of them closely. When they finally reached the table before him, the man in red stepped forward, apparently acting as their spokesmen due his seniority. Bowing deeply at his Lord he greets him politely.

"I hope are you well today, Lord Müller."

The response clearly isn't what he hoped, but instead what he feared. "As well as can be expected, Mr Nobuo." Gabriel's answer comes in a tone so dry that you could imagine it causing droughts. His tone clearly indicating lack of interest in small talk, the members of The Triad in most part patiently wait for him to start this debriefing. After a small pause as if to collect his thoughts, Gabriel starts his speech with the same dry voice but now he has managed to put a good dose of venom in it.

"The reasons I have for called this new 'meeting' so soon are quite simple." He says, pausing for a moment. "Last time when you were here I gave you some quite simple orders. You were to put in motion plans that I had designed with some care. They were to work in my... and therefore at the end to your advantage." He pauses to give them a brief mocking smile. "But from what I've read from the reports gathered at my desk, most if not all of them have failed, for one reason or another. Now I have you here to tell me in detail, what exactly went wrong with these plans? And perhaps in the end we will find out who I am to blame for this unholy mess we're in."

Gabriel spits the last words out with such malice in his voice that even Yusanori has to suppress a shudder for a moment. That, however was the only reaction from him. The on the other two were far more satisfying though. Lady Fleisch does seem have strong control over her body language when she wishes so, but her widening eyes clearly show that she had been taken over by surprise. She obviously hadn't been expecting all this despite... or perhaps indeed due her careful plans.

The same impressive use of control could not be seen at Mr Nobuo. As soon as he hears the word 'blame', it seems as if his bowels had been turned into jello... From the obvious look of panic and fear in his eyes, the tremble of his hands and perhaps his entire body it is clear that he is well aware of these troubles their Lord speaks. And in his mind it is obvious who Gabriel is going to blame for them.

After that brief pause of observation he continues his speech while looking sharply at Mr Nobuo. "It's common knowledge that the one blamed for such things is usually an underling, someone who been obeying orders poorly. Or perhaps it someone who managed to mess his the orders when giving them onward. That is the way these things usually go, isn't it? In this particular case it cannot be so though. For now we are dealing with plans so complex that no faceless, or for that matter witless minion can be blamed for all these failures."

"It was clear to me that one of you had the supreme authority and therefore responsibility over these matters in question Mr Nobuo. The Summoning, project the elders were to perform for me was one such thing. There was also the job of preventing Kritiker involving with our business while giving them false leads and clues. Mainly to prevent untimely deaths in the Takatori family by actions of the Weiss, while at the same time allowing them to take care of the most useless of the corrupts officials and other maniacs. It is clear that the most important part of this mission was a failure. That failure gave Weiss the necessary information to hunt down and kill all known members of the Takatori clan."

"This mistake clearly has put the project 'Dh-T3' back innumerable years, perhaps even forever as the things stand now. Years that we, or more importantly I might not have. All these mistakes are becoming quite troublesome for me, and I would like to have some clear and solid explanations for them, from you Mr Nobuo Ichijou, Red of the Triad!"

While the speech gone on, the man in whom the blame seemed to rest upon had attempted to keep some kind of a facadé of calmness, but whatever calm he might have had was soon gone for good as time progressed. When Gabriel finally finished this speech of his and made the demand Mr Ichijou was shaking where he stood. Now pinned under Gabriel's needle sharp gaze he was terrified out of his mind. His Lord was clearly waiting for an answer, but at this moment the man in red suit could only stare at him fear radiating from every spore. Finally, with a obvious and excessive display of willpower he steels his nerves and begins his defense concerning the accusations of Lord Müller. Starting loudly and boldly trying to summon some amount of righteous indignation to his voice he begins:

"Finding one to blame these mishaps and who's fault they were is of course important my Lord, but I find it curious and disturbing why it is I that should be the one to blame for these mistakes, Lord Müller. Failures such as these are obvious results of mistakes by the other members of Triad and their underlings. It was the Weiss assassins that killed Takatori and his heirs, and were they not also the ones that interrupted the summoning and stole the sacrifice? They were clearly under the jurisdiction of Mr Yusanori."

Pausing for a moment to gather strength he continues. "And was it not the assassins of the team Schwarz whose job was to guard the Summoning. They were also the ones responsible for protecting Taka- ...A-a-aargh!"

Suddenly right in the middle of his speech, Mr Nobuo suddenly screams and falls to his knees grasping at his chest as if it were on fire. Lord Müller had obviously grown bored to Nobuo's feeble posturing and this did not go unnoticed by the remaining members of the Triad for the obvious display of power.

While Nobuo Ichijou was kneeling on the floor trying to make his body work, rest of Triad looking raptly at Gabriel as he fixes his burning gaze upon the shaking and moaning man. When Gabriel begins to speak again, the remaining duo of 'servant's' listen at him very keenly indeed.

"I expected much better from you Mr Nubuo, but it seems that you are not half as intelligent as I hoped you to be when I raised you into your position. Wasn't it yourself back then that told me: Weiss and Schwarz are tools and weapons, far too important to be discarded because of mistakes made the those who might wield them, even if they were kill someone important to our cause. That was you, was it not Mr Nobuo?"

"A sentiment to witch I agreed upon when Ms Fleisch brought up certain troubles with a politician killed by Weiss. They are but tools, wielded by your partners and you. But in the end it was YOUR job to make sure that these sharp weapons of ours would be pointed somewhere else than our entrails, for it might have been White's and Black's job to wield them, it was yours to direct them. Therefore I cannot see blaming the other members of the Triad saving you from the reckoning."

"Your dismal failure on that account alone should have been enough to make you step down from your position at the top. It was your other mistakes, mainly those with Kritiker that make it quite obvious that your 'stepping down' should be quite permanent. Failure to obtain the control of the leaderless Takatori enterprises, capturing two rogue Kritiker agents, Manx and Birman and the other mistakes like these make it quite clear that there is no place for within our ranks."

"So, without a further notice Mr Nobuo Ichijou, you're fired. You may die now." Gabriel finishes with a vicious smile.

These words said Gabriel directs the full force of his mind on Mr Nobuo as he kneels on the floor. Amplifying force of his will over the weak minded fool the effects are seen immediately. As Ichijou shakes at the floor in a seizure Gabriels eyes start to glow brighter like miniature suns. For those observing the event, it would seem as if behind those eyes were fires of hell itself. The effects on Nobuo could be seen easily. His body became rigid as if in throes of a premature rigor mortis, stiff as a board and incapable of any rational movement. As his body starts to break down internally, small but slowly growing streams of blood start to seep out of his eyes, ears and nose. Making it look like he was weeping blood for a penance for his mistakes.

As the soon to be ex-leader of the Triad starts to bleed to his death at the floor, Gabriel turns his attention towards to the two remaining members and speaks. "Both of you must be aware by now why this organization of ours exists. It is for a single purpose, immortality. To achieve that goal you must keep it in mind and not to be fooled by delusions of power you may get. Late Mr Ichijou felt empowered by his apparent control of Kritiker and others. The feelings of power he had made him careless and at the end he made a fool... a dead fool of himself. His foolish actions doomed him, and now he is history and for now you the future..."

"Now that your in mind, would two of you care to tell me your reports on your current projects? Mr Yusonori, Miss Fleisch?"

Fleisch was first to react for Gabriels not so subtle prodding. She soon began to inform him on matters under her jurisdiction, such as monitoring and of manipulation of Schwarz and manufacture and distribution of the V-chips needed by projects of their allies.

While the debriefing goes on, the corpse in front of the desk was apparently noticed a certain insect. It hovers for a moment and finally lands into a pool of blood given by the body of dead Mr Ichijou. Strangely enough there seemed to be no change in the pool of blood this it went on. It was as if it the fly wasn't there at all...

All this wen't unnoticed though as Miss Fleisch latest topic caught Mr Yusanori's attention as well. "...and it seems that the members of the Schwarz are starting to find some disturbing evidence of the fact that they may have been manipulated, before and after the failed Esset summoning. Mr Crawford especially has always been highly intelligent and due that those powers of his make him somewhat of risk to us.

"In my opinion Mr Crawford should be taken out of picture for a while. Some careful conditioning within our facilities and a nice mind swipe should take care of his... far too curious nature, for a while at least. We don't want a precogs poking with their minds somewhere they shouldn't, wouldn't you agree upon that, Lord Müller?" Her last sentence was spoken with a such soft voice it seemed almost if she was purring like a cat.

Hearing that tone of voice made Gabriels lips to form almost a smile and when he finally answered there were traces of amusement within his voice.

"I see, Miss Fleisch. And perhaps you would like to be the one taking care of his 'conditioning' personally, hmm? ...of very well, take care of him in if you must but please do keep him in one piece... or at very least alive through your 'sessions'. He is a quite useful tool after all, and it would be waste of good material to ruin him as such."

As Miss Fleisch hears those words her eyes seem to glow with a feral light. Soon she seems to withdraw into her own world while grinning madly like a kitten that had just gotten her cream. Gabriel smiles briefly at the sight and turns his gaze to Yusonori.

"And now for your report, I trust that things are running smoothly on your side of the field."

As Mr Yusanori starts explain the progress of his current projects with his calm monotone Gabriel must wonder not for the first time, is that man really a human being? The saying 'to lack a soul' seemed to be much more than just a mere metaphor for him. Those that knew his first name must have wondered weather his parents were clairvoyant, or perhaps the gods indeed have a strange sense of humor. To name a child after a soulless god and have him turn he did.

When finally finished detailing the situation with Weiss and their recent activities Yusanori pauses for a moment. After mentally collecting himself he continues.

"There are certain things that have come into my attention. They would have been in the area of interest and of late Mr Red, but I'd imagine that they might be of some interest for you Lord Müller."

Face emotionless Gabriel motions him to continue on the subject. There were only a few things that Yusanori could deem so interesting and though he might not show it he quite curious.

"There are two things really. One is related to the control of the Takatori Entepraises. It is of lesser importance but none the less somewhat vital to our efforts."

"What about it? Have you found out the reason for our failures on controlling the company?"

"The documents we have obtained indicate that the rogue agents Manx and Birman are apparently pulling the strings behind scenes. They were Persia's must trusted aides and logically they would know a great deal of late Reiji Takatori's business empire. We haven't yet located them or their allies, but it's only question of time and effort on our part. As for why they have taken such steps, that is part of my second piece of information as well."

Gabriel simply continues to act as if he were bored and comments. "I hope the other matter is of more importance than the first one Mr Yusonori. You wouldn't want to waste my time on such simple matters as that. As it is, Kritiker or their agents, former or not are no longer a threat to us. Their limited control of Takatori's company is a matter of minor annoyance. In few months we'll have Takatori Entepraises within our control by means of simple corporate takeover. Only a legally proven heir of the Takatori Clan could prevent that from happening and due the mistakes of your former leader that is quite impossible."

Yusonori takes the reprimand in stride and continued on as if it had never happened. "That second thing, one I suspect you are quite interested of concerns that as well, my Lord. You see, among the documents our agents have managed to discover from the remains of Reiji was found something quite interesting, a file concerning life of Mamoru Takatori, his youngest son. You see, if a one thing could be said of Reiji Takatori it would be that he was a perfectionist. Therefore he would keep all his files up to date, and that would strangely include the previously mentioned document. From it's 'updates' we could deduce that Takatori bloodline is still active."

Those calm words seem shatter Gabriel's apparent boredom in instant. His face suddenly shows an emotion rarely seen upon it, utter shock.

"How can that be? As we know, sons of Akira Takatori are dead by now. Reiji's three son's are all dead as far as we know. His only daughter is dead as well and his brother Shuichi never had any children. How can there be anyone left of the bloodline?"

Yusanori's answer is filled with a certain amount of smug satisfaction. As much emotion Gabriel has ever had heard within Yusanori's voice. "Yes, the common knowledge is that. But close examination of the documents now in our possession was quite enlightening. Comparing them to other related documents as well the one I mentioned was even more revealing. It would seem that most if not all of the facts that we took granted were nothing but false assumptions."

"Reiji's youngest son, Mamoru Takatori is still quite alive, under a different name though it seems. Also, instead of being son of Reiji he was really biological son of his brother. It would seem that Shuichi and Reiji's now dead wife had an illicit affair and Mamoru was the direct result. That was presumably also the reason behind Reiji's lack of desire to the ransom for Mamoru when he was kidnapped. After all, why to pay ransom if he was aware of the fact that Mamoru wasn't really his own son. That kind of ruthlessness would have suited Reiji just fine."

Gabriel interrupts Yusanori's monologue impatiently. "That's all fine to know but it matters little to us unless we can locate that missing child. Are you so certain that the kidnappers didn't just kill him? He could by dead for all we know."

"Due the fact that Reiji was apparently aware of Mamoru current name and that it was written into the document are quite clear indications that he is still alive. Reiji would have kept all his documents up to date, it was part of his nature after all."

"Would you spit it out already Yusonori, I have little interest in these verbal games you play, but I WOULD like to know where to find our missing Takatori heir." An impatient demand interrupted Yusanori. Gabriel was starting to get impatient and Yusonori's way of giving information in small pieces was obviously starting to irritate him.

Not apparently chastised at all Yusonori continues calmly. "It was really quite obvious when we figured it out. Who is better suited to save him than his REAL father. For that matter who better to raise him as well. It was the leader of the Kritiker, the man who called himself 'Persia' that rescued and took care of young Mamoru. Raising him to be the founding member of Weiss and never ever figuring out that he made his own son a killer.

"You mean..."

"Exactly, our missing Mamoru Takatori is none other than Weiss team's Bombay, Omi Tsukiono."

"Has he gained any awareness of who or for that matter 'what' he really is?" Gabriel asks with a sudden interest.

"By now he is likely to know his true name but that's all. He has no real knowledge of his heritage and even less knowledge about the secret behind their bloodline. The knowledge that their dark history went even beyond Akira Takatori was hidden from everyone. Even Reiji himself. He still uses the false name given him by Persia as an identity and thinks that Reiji was his real father. In truth he is still in dark concerning most things regarding his heritage.

"Perfect, we have no time to lose then. Have him captured as soon as possible and taken to the Alfa lab. I want Dh-project re-started as soon as possible. Coordinate the capture of Oracle with Lady Fleisch within your operation as well, Mr Yusonori. It would be useful diversion to us to have the teams active against each others again. We have no time to lose and a conflict to keep them off our backs for a while would give the time needed to the laboratory finish the experiments I need."

"As you command, Lord Müller." A clear and emotionless response from comes from Yusonori and a similar words can be heard from Fleisch though they are filled with more emotion than Yusanori's.

With that Gabriel apparently decides that the meeting is at end. His final words held clear dismissal in them and they bow to his direction and turn towards the door. As they reach it and Fleisch reaches to the door Gabriel suddenly calls out for them for last time.

"When you get down please tell the guard to send carpet cleaners up here. I don't do not want blood stains on my floor and that corpse would eventually start to stink. Mr Yusonori... YOU are now the new head of the Triad. Congratulations, I will send Nobuo's replacement to your office tomorrow morning."

Nodding numbly for their Lord's last words the two members of for now former Triad quietly walk out of the room, both puzzled by the strange note of cheerfulness in Gabriel's voice. That was something they had never heard from him before...
------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------

The confusion Gabriel's last words caused in his underlings seemed to amuse him somewhat as he relaxed in his 'throne'. A small bitter smile formed upon his face as his mind drifted into his memories.

The alchemical experiments performed in his youth, the Summonings and their consequences. Those and countless other attempts in between. For more than three hundred years had this 'man' lived but at last the keys to the immortality would be in his grasp... after having lost them too many times before already.

Caught in the web of his musings of future and past he failed to notice the other, rather unusual occupant still in the room. The fly was still in there, seemingly feasting on pool of blood on the floor. Without a sound it started to raise from the still warm blood and flew to look at Gabriel. For the moment it would glow red and if it had a mouth you could have been sure it was grinning. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared in the building it fades into the air as if it had never been there. The room remains as if it never had been there, all that's left in it is a old man dreaming of a crimson future...

==============================================

In a hotel room in Tokyo...

Alucard raises from his sleep like trance, and can not but laugh at the foolishness of that vampiric wanna be. "Heh, Gabriel Müller probably has enough blood to fill a bat and yet he thinks himself as a Lord, Master... What a joke!"

Eventually he banishes these from his head and reviews what he learned from his spy session. //So, we finally know where those little freaks come from. Integra should be pleased about that. Though recently she has been far more irritated than usual, declarations of war and armies of Nazi vampires might do that humans, I suppose. I do wonder what she makes of this business with the Takatori clan. It sounds a pretty interesting game...//

Alucard had been bored for a quite a while for now you see. Even after the war had started the things hadn't improved that much for him. Integra had kept Hellsing out of the conflict so far, giving normal military chance to make fool out of themselves and that they had done indeed. It was a shame in his way of thinking, so much potential but so little fun for him. Then again most would say that this wasn't exactly a sane attitude. Alucard didn't mind though. Sanity was highly overrated according his point of view. Most of the mankind... or for that matter nearly anyone knowing him would agree upon that about him.

The outfit he was wearing was good example of that thinking. An elaborate suit of red velvet, silk gloves and a huge red hat. The round yellow glasses were just the icing on the cake and the mad grin on his face would complete the picture. It made Alucard look like something out of a nightmare, a strange one but a nightmare none the less. He would probably look out of place anywhere but no doubt that was likely his intention. Perhaps it was originality above anything else, even sanity, only he would know the truth of it. No one seemed to ask him that for some reason...

Right now he was thinking of what to report though. "I don't wan't her screaming at me again. Headache this spell gives me is nasty and I don't need anything extra for top of it. Sometimes I think that she's half of a banshee for all I know. She does have a impressive voice, no doubt about that though."

"Hmph, I guess it's time to pay the piper." He mutters while pulling a cell phone out of his sleeve. Phone lays in his hand for a while as he looks at it through slit eyes. If looks could kill the phone would be six feet under, no matter that is an inanimate object. No such luck at hand he simply gives it a nasty look before dialing. Almost as soon as the number is in the phone he is answered.

"Yes?" An irritated feminine voice answers from the phone.

"It's me Lady Integra."

"Its about time, I wouldn't think a simple surveillance mission would take that long. I assume everything went according to the plan?"

"Yes, I did as you ordered. Quite boring really. I could just go in and take care of them now without a problem, good riddance to bad thrash..."

"What part of word 'order' you don't understand Alucard! The point in this operation is to get information, not to alert every agent of the third millenium of our intentions! If you go there guns blazing we'll never find the chip plant or possible infiltrators, no matter how many people you slaughter!"

Alucard grimaces and holds his head for a moment before answering. "Fine, no need to yell. It was just an offer. To see face of that half blood wannabe would be priceless though. Anyway, I did what you ordered, right mistress?

"Feh, you never really change, do you Alucard? Tell me then, are we on the right track on this?"

"Yes, our information was right about this, they are the top researchers and suppliers of the chips. I couldn't find out much about the location fo the plant besides something about brazil, if it's any help..."

"Very well, we'll direct our efforts to that direction, I hope you got it right. Was there anything else of interest?"

"Oh yeah... The old man did seem to have a fixation on Takatori's and especially some kid named Mamoru...

"What! Was it Mamoru Takatori by any chance!"

"Mamoru Takatori, yes I think so... What do you want me to do about it Integra?"

"Find him and keep an close eye on him. Do not interfere unless it's necessary to save him. Use your discretion, if you have such a thing. Alucard, I hope I'm not going to regret this..."

"Heh, as you command. No need to worry, I handle it as discretely as I can Lady Integra."

"That's what I'm afraid of... Do your job!" *click*

As soon as the line goes down Alucard contemplates on closing his fist around the phone crushing it instantly. Deciding against the action he simply mutters in a quiet voice. "Infernal machines, these things. Heh, I'm not really suited for these low profile missions but as she commands I must obey I suppose..."

//I hope that kid doesn't mind it too much when we fuck up his life royally. I really hate dealing with children. Victoria is enough of a burden for me now with her new fixation. Then again, those fools are likely to do it before me anyway so I shouldn't need to worry about it too much.//

That happy thought mind Alucard walks out of the room and fades in to the dark shadows around him and the empty corridor echoes with faint sound of maniacal laughter...

==============================================

London, Great Britain

Within London there is a mansion of a high class, building owned by a family whose history reaches back centuries. It is the home of the Van Hellsing's. A family whose name has long been known for their fight against the supernatural evil. The building is old and filled with many secrets and hidden parts not known to outsiders. Those are not what matters now though, for there is one room that is of more importance. It is a not hidden but it's under protection of guards none the less. The two soldiers that guard it are strong and fit, clearly veterans by the look in their eyes. Upon their arms they bear symbols uncommon for those of the usual military knowledge. The shield and the marks in it show that they are Knights of the Hellsing organization. Those that would know of it would also know that these are men that have seen hell it self in their fight against evil and would respect them for it.

The room behind them is decorated sparsely. The walls are bare apart from a large picture of an elderly man, a man whose name by the plague appears to be Abraham Van Hellsing. There are no bookshelves by the walls or pieces of art to decorate this room. But the room isn't what they're guarding after all but the person in it. For by the single window at the end of the room is a table. On the table apart from the usual phone and such stands a bottle of fine brandy and a glass, beside them an opened box of thin cigars.

Behind the table sits a woman. Perhaps in her late twenties, dressed in austere but well cut clothing. On her cold but beautiful face are delicate reading glasses and her blond hair comes to her shoulders. Her name is Integra Van Hellsing and she is the leader of the Hellsing Institution.

For a one with her responsibilities there is always something to worry about and right now her mind is concerned with a certain 'eccentric' vampire. //Leading a para-military organization such as Hellsing would be a complicated job even without loose cannons like Alucard. That 'man' is a walking hazard to anyone around him. To think that I had to send him to mission that required subtlety... I must have been out of my mind. But then again I didn't have much of a choice did I? Victoria has her own 'recruitment' mission to complete and Walter is required here at the mansion. Alucard was my only option, may god help us all...//

As she sips from the half filled glass of brandy her mind turns back to the phone call she just had. //So, Herr Müller was the one behind the chips after. It is a shame I can't allow Alucard to take care of that problem for now. It would solve some of our problems but in the end it would just ask for a counter offensive from the one above him. That damm idiot doesn't realize that, or perhaps he does but doesn't care. For him it's just a game to challenge his limits. Perhaps I shouldn't expect anything more from him, Alucard is whatever he is after all, and I don't think anything can change that.//

Finally Integra's mind turns away from Alucard and into the one whose folder she holds in her hand. She opens it and at the first page she sees a picture of a young man in his late teens. Blond hair, cute face and a happy smile would make it seem he's nothing but a ordinary teenage kid. But for a one used to reading people there seems to be something about the picture that is off. Perhaps the smile seems bit of a fake or his eyes seem to glint at strange way. Whatever it is, it screams to Integra that this boy is not what he seems but a predator instead of a prey. And the first page of the opened folder proves it...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Name : Omi Tsukiono AKA Mamoru Takatori
Codename : Bombay
Age : 17
Profession : Florist / Assassin
Organisation : Formerly a Kritiker team Weiss, now presumed to be member of the same team but independent since Kritiker destruction.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
//Hmm, I hope that our actions make him an ally instead of an enemy. We have enough of latter ones already. Hopefully you know what you are doing Alucard. We don't need professional assassins after our heads as well. Blood crazed nazis are enough for now...//

==============================================

A t same time in a flower shop a young man is sneaking out. Dressed in black trench coat he slips out of the building and fades into the shadows around him. Heading towards his favorite nightclub, his mind is filled with scrambled thoughts regarding recent events but he forcibly pushes them out of his mind for the moment.

"Time to have finally some fun. It's been a while since I last visited Melting Pot... I wonder if there will be any newbies to play with?" Omi smirks evilly as he starts walking to his destination. A fleeting thought crosses his mind while walking. //I wonder if someone has been thinking about me. My ears have been ringing the entire evening...//

==============================================
To Be Continued In... (Omi just want's to have fun... or was it 'A Night of Bloody Revelations'... ^_^;)

==============================================

Afte rwords:

I. This fic assumes that Weiss and Hellsings story lines happen at somewhat same time, just to make things a bit easier for me...

II. Alucard's spy trick isn't in the anime or for that matter in the manga so it probably isn't canon. Heh! The guys supposed to be god knows how old so he must have more than one trick in those big sleeves of his... For that account, in my fic he isn't Dracula as the manga gives more leeway on that account.

III. Conserning that, I base things on my fic mostly to the manga witch I've read to the beginning of the fifth book. So the anime story line will only work as far as to the Valentine brother assault to Hellsing headquarters. After that things tend to change quite a bit...

If the style seems strange, remember this IS my first fic. It may change or perhaps not, who knows. I for sure don't... Feedback is of course appreciated. Like this or not, some kind of response would be nice (love it, hate it, wish to burn me (and the fic) at stake on the next full moon O_o;;;), that kind of stuff. Flames will be laughed at, but I may post the silliest of them to a web site where everyone else can laugh at them as well.

- Azrael's Wing

Till next time...

If I could drop dead right now, I'd be the happiest man alive.
Samuel Goldwyn (1882 - 1974)