The Hellsing Organization did not typically concern itself with the affairs of criminals who were already behind bars. But this case required Integra's attention.
Five prisoners and one police officer had been murdered in the Lancashire County Penitentiary; four males and two women had been found dead with their throats ripped out and ninety percent of the blood within their bodies missing. Luckily, they also were found with their skulls smashed in, causing them to remain free of becoming ghouls. England, now that Millennium had been taken care of, had become rather void of vampires. New cases were hard to come by, and the rogue vampires were easily dispatched.
Alucard was positively ecstatic about the job. He had returned three years ago and had continually complained to his master that things had gotten far too "boring". And a bored vampire king was something that Integra definitely did not want to have on her hands. When he became bored, mischief soon followed. The fact that Seras was alive (mostly) was a good example of this. She did not want any new fledglings, despite how close she had grown to the former bobby. With the ever present silence and boredom of her pets, Integra thought that it was a good thing that she could finally send them off on a job that would preoccupy their time.
"Why a prison?" Seras had asked her as she picked up the box containing her old blue uniform. "Is it because they are easy targets?"
The old heiress had nodded, leaning on the fist that supported her head. A plume of smoke drifted through her lips as she spoke, a cigar clenched between her teeth. "It could be that they are simply like pigs in a pen, a perfect target for someone who wants an easy meal. Maybe the vampire in question goes by a code of honor: maybe the prisoners were deemed bad people and it is unwilling to attack an innocent. But if that were so, the guard would not have died.
"An accident," Alucard guessed, tossing the dark grey uniform casually over his shoulder. "If we're going by that assumption, the guard caught him drinking a prisoner's blood and decided that he needed to go. But I don't think that's the case. The guard was found long after the death of the fifth man."
"It could be a grudge," Integra pointed out. "Perhaps the vampire is linked to his victims somehow. Regardless of what the situation may be, it is up to you both to silence whoever committed the murders."
"Will all the guards know that we're from Hellsing?" Seras asked, albeit a bit nervously.
Alucard scoffed. "You're far too trusting of the authorities, Police Girl. A cop could have murdered them just as easily as a prisoner- likely more so. When we go in, we have to be careful as to who to trust."
"He's right," Integra said. "You'll meet the four guards that you can rely on. Everyone else remains a suspect. The police and the criminals alike: both are capable of evil. Don't let appearances fool you."
And so it was that they were brought inside the prison within a Police vehicle filled with the only people they could trust.
When Isaac heard the news that he would be getting a new cell mate, he did not have any idea of as to how to feel about it. In prison, one never really knew just what manner of person would be dropped onto their lap. The new guy could easily be a new friend just as easily as he could be a new enemy; would he have to be prepared for a fight, or would he be capable of carrying out a civil conversation? It was a minimal-security prison, meaning that most of the convicts weren't too bad to handle (save for a small group that he would rather not think of). He had been fortunate enough to not have to share his bunk with anyone, but some of the horror stories he had heard from his friends told him to be wary of the new inmate.
And at first glance, he discovered that he would have to be a more than just wary.
The towering, lean hulk of a man could be heard walking confidently down the hall by their footsteps at first, as well as the hoots and hollers of the other prisoners calling out viciously towards him. Isaac quickly put his book down and readied himself to meet the stranger, his body tensed and ready for anything.
His first thought upon noticing the guy was: holy shit. The guard that was walking him down the hall, a thick and burly man that was several inches taller than Isaac, barely met his collarbone. It was unlikely that anyone in that prison would be as tall as him (except maybe Lancer). But the height was not the only thing that tipped him off that he was bad news. He had a sort of mean look in his eyes, like he would be all too comfortable with ripping him apart. Combined with the eerie red eyes, he looked like some sort of monster.
The guard turned the prisoner around and looked up in his eyes and said, "Don't give us any trouble, and your stay will be much happier here."
The smirk he had on made Isaac extremely "wary". Were his teeth really that sharp, or was that just his imagination? The guard took the shackles off and pocketed them, then opened up the metal bar doors. He found himself wishing the shackles could have stayed on, not that it would be too much of an advantage against someone of his stature. And suddenly, he found himself alone with him in the cell.
Isaac cleared his throat, drawing the guy's attention. Not sure how to go about breaking the awkwardness of the moment, he waved slightly. "Uh… hey."
The prisoner raised an eyebrow. "Hello," he greeted back, an amused glint in those weird eyes of his. His pupils weren't slit like a cat's, were they? Did one of the inmates slip something into his lunch?
Boy, this was not easy whatsoever. "So… what's your name? Not that it matters, since you're going to get a nickname pretty soon."
He crossed his arms. "Alucard."
Of course the weird guy would also get a weird name. "Well… my name's Isaac. So what are you here for?"
Alucard grinned mischievously. "I killed someone."
Isaac's eyes widened and he gulped. "O-Oh. Right. Um… who?"
"Which one?"
Shit this is not a good day for me. "Um… how many… have you killed?"
"I've lost count."
And thus began the vampire king's first day behind bars.