"Oh dear, I had better Call the Cardinal and let her know," The Professor said taking his pipe out of mouth while dialing a phone that was hidden behind a stack of official documents on the desk.
All Seras could do wa sit there in shock while thinking, "What is Sir Hellsing going to make of this?"
In the mean time Father Petros was making his rounds checking up on his men, he was afterall the head of guard for The Vatican. Father petros was an astute man with a face to match. He brows always furrowed above his beady eyes, and his mouth in a hard sturdy straight line. Just like a soldier, a soldier of God. Petros paused at a guard that was putting his full weight of his staff. "You there, Brother Bianchi. What are you here for?" The young guard was taken aback, "Guarding the armory Sir!"
"Correct you are gaurding the armory because we need our weapons in case of an attack. You are acting as a gaurd because you are a soldier, one chosen by the almighty lord himself!" Father Petros pointed at Brother Bianchi to exagerate his statement, he was one for the dramatics.
None the less Brother Bianchi reacted how any soldier would he stood straighter and saluted his commander, but something caught his attention. "Uh Sir? Who is that man?" Brother Bianchi was looking over Father Petros' shoulder and down the hall a little ways down.
Father Petros turned around to find a man who stood six foot three clad in red. Not the red of the Clergyman, but a trench coat with a black waist coat underneath. His black boots reached up to knees; and his eyes you couldnt see because they were hidden behing sun orange sunglasses, and if he didnt have the glasses his eyes would have still been hiden behind unkempt black hair and a large red rimmed hat. He looked menacing as he practiacally danced in and out of the shadows of the windows and wall with the seeting sunlight giving a glow to his glasses. Petros can here Brother bianchi and the other gaurds to shake. As if to sense their fear the stranger gave a smile with a flash of fang. That is what set Father Petros on edge, "You there in the name of our Lord Almighty identify your self." He pointed his lance, with had three tourniquets on its end that spin creating a sort of sonic boom energy blast, right at the approaching man.
"Ah I knew ic ould find something to do if I walked around, your other guards went off running scard but you, you are different, " the starnger said with his smile growing even wider revaeling more fangs, vampires usually only had three sets. Two on the top and one at the bottom, not this one though he da three on top and one on the bottom.
Petros could feel his pulse quicken. Out of fear? Never is he affraid, his pulse quickened to the expectation of battle, and good one from the looks of it. He pushed his botton on his lance activating the tourniquets. " In the name of the Holy Spirit I vanquish you from..."
He was interupted from a shout behind him "Waaaaaiiiiit!" the voice was desperate and out of breath. Father Abel Nightroad was charging at them with fullspeed, or at least as fast he could go. His long silver hair looked disheveled and clung to his face from sweat, glasses slightly askew yet again he always looked disarranged. Father Abel Nightroad standing at six foot three himself was always in some sort of stooper he managed to put himself in. Abel was doubled over trying to catch his breath, "You really are a trouble maker aren't you? Just like Sir Hellsing said." Abel said still trying to get some air. "You know this man?" Petros demanded.
"Yes he is a guest of Cardinal Sforza, his name is Alucard," Abel stood straight now, giving his usual honest smile that showed every where on his face. He put his hand out for Alucard to shake, "Hi there Alucard, my name is Father Abel Nightroad I was told to locate you and take you straight back to your coffin until Sir Hellsing is ready to greet you there."
Alucard stared at his face for a few secaonds his smile now gone, the man before him seemed too; licit, crimeless, untainted, chaste, angelic. No matter how you looked at Father Nightroad he seemed like a goody two shoes. Aloofly walked right by Abel. "I'm not done looking around," Alucard stated.
"Hold it you vile creature of the night!" Petros shouted at Alucard when he was an arms length in front of him.
Alucard just grinned, "You know you remind me of a four eyed priest that I have met." He took another few steps right past Petros.
"Father Nightroad, Cardinal Sforza will be hearing from me about letting a monster such as him on to the Vatican grounds," Petros made his last statement as he stalked off down the hall, leaving his guards shivering against the armory hopelessly pointing their staffs at the vampire.
"Yes, yes I am sure we will," Abel said under his breath letting a little sigh of relief escape his lips. That sigh came to soon when he realized Alucard had pulled a disappearing act. He was no where to be seen. "Did you see where he went?" Abel asked the cowering gaurds.
Brother Biancho answered, "Th-through the wall Father." He pointed at the wall directly across from him.
" Through it?" exclaimed Abel, "Oh Father in Heaven why do you test me so?" he set back down the hall in the direction he came from.
Caterina sat her desk trifling through papers. The papers told her about possible laboratories the crooks could be doing their experiments. Integra sat across from her looking through a similar stack of papers when a knock came at the door. Walter walked in giving a bow, "Father Able Night Road and Alucard are here to see you Cardinal Caterina and Sir Hellsing."
"Let them in," the two women said in unison.
Walter opened the door to reveal Alucard looking perfectly amused and right on his heels looking bushed, defeated and on the brink of tears was Abel.
Integra raised an eyebrow, "Causing trouble again Alucard?" Her hear went out to the other man, really it did. She knew better than anyone how much of a handful Alcard can be. She told Caterina that she should just order Alucard back but Caterina had insisted that they let the two men get acquainted since they will be partnering together.
Alucard chuckled, "I just wanted to look around for a bit. Abel was a wonderful tour guide." "Cardinal Caterina, please I beg off you, tell me I'm done working with him," Abel whined slumping to the plush carpet floor. "Actually Abel your time working with Alucard has just begun. Since we do not know what these artificial werewolves are capable of we are sending Alucard along with an AX agent," Caterina set the papers on her red oak desk. "But, why me? Why not Leon? Or Father Hugue? He bullys me," Abel whined in protest.
Alucard laughed. Integra gave him a look of disapproval, although if she were in his position she probably wouldnt be able to help but give the poor priest a haed time as well. "Father Nightroad, I assure you Alucard will be on his best behavior with you from now on."
Abel stared at Integra in disbelief, after all what was Alucard's best behavior. After nearly causing a fight with Father Petros, Alcucard then proceeded to wander around The Vatican and if he came across any locked doors he'd simply walk through the wall, leaving Abel baning on the door demanding that it be opened. One time Abel heard a scream only realizing then that Alucard had walked straight into his Holiness' bedchambers. Apparently Alucard found great humor in drinking the holy water that was kept in the chambers leaving the Pope completely defensless and realizing that Alucard wasn't the average vampire. It took Father Petros and his men to break down the door only to find a cowering Pope in a corner helplessly holding up a holy cross in protection, that would do him no good, but no vampire wich left Abel on the hunt yet again. He finally found Alucard sleeping back in his coffin in The Professor's lab, Sera explained that he probably got bored.
Alucard took in the Cardinal's office. The walls were an live green with a dark wood trim lit by soft lantern lights. the floor was a red carpet with a Persian rug that was fitted under her red oak desk. Behind the desk were heavy red velvet curtains that were tied back with golden ropes. The wall behind the curtains hung a painting of a blonde man who was weraing the robes of The Pope. Alucard assumed it was her father. Integra had a similar painting of her father in her office back home in London. In fact the two women had a lot of similarities, from a strangers point of view you might say that they were related. Caterina seemed to be a more feminine version of Integra, which made Alucard a bit uneasy because he could never imagine Integra having a coffee table in her office with a lace table cloth like Caterins does with a forest green love seat to go with it.
Caterina feeling Alucard's gaze on her gave him her full attention, "Is there something I can help you with?" She was affraind of Alucard, who wouldn't be after the rumors you heard? Some people say that he ate an Egyptian god, that made her nervous leaving him with her beloved Abel.
"Not at the moment, but I do have to say that this trip might turn out to be most amusing," with that last statement Alucard turned on his heel and left the room.
Abel still trying to pull himself together grabbed Alucards arm, "We still havnt recieved out orders."
Alucard stopped, "Oders? We already have something?"
Integra stood and faced him, "Yes Millenium is working with a group here in Italy creating artificial werewolves.
"Millenium? Well now things are getting more interesting by the minute," Alucard smiled at the anticipation of an ardruous battle.
"Millenium?" Abel asked in confusion.
"Yes back in London they are creating artificial vampires," Integra explained, "We are still trying to track them down from back home."
"Oh I see," Abel didnt like the sound of that, artificial vampires on top of the werewolves. What was this world coming too?
"Alucard, since Millenium knows you and knows your appearance, I request a change in clothing," Caterina said.
Father Havel standing behind her gave a small chauckle, with what was coming he couldn't help himself.
"Oh?" was all Alucard said back to her, but he didnt hide the displeasure in his voice.
"Yes and Integra agrees, trying to hunt down these men was hard enought when they thought it was just The Vatican. If they hear Hellsing has come to our aid they will be that much more careful, therefore I request that you wear this," she placed a black box on her desk.
Abel recognizing the box, immediatley covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. Alucard wen to the desk and lifted the box's lid, "No absolutely not." He removed his glasses to show Caterina his eyes and how displeased he was with her request. "I think it will look stunning on you," Integra teased as Alucard held up his new uniform of the next few weeks. A preist's robe.
