Standard disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing. I just like writing stories in my own little sub-universe of it.
UPDATE: I'm uploading a new version of this story. It fixed a number of grammar errors, Anderson's name, and a few other things. I'll transfer a few of the notes over if any still make sense.
Also, I'm planning to write a new version of this story. The basic plot will be the same, so go ahead and read this one until it's done (no estimated time to completion as of this writing), as you'll need to know what happens before moving on in the series. This update will be a simple chapter replacement, but the next one will have an entirely new listing. (And, unlike the first version of A New Child, which I keep for sentimental reasons until I'm ordered to take it down, this one will get deleted.)
So, enjoy the story. I feel it's the weakest of the series, but I also learned the most while writing it and it will make the others in the series that much better. It'll be brought up to par with the others when I can. (School the next couple weeks will be a serious pain in the rear…
Oh, and I just realized that I had to be very specific on how I did my scene breaks. Had to go into the HTML code itself to punch it in. Making another quick fix to everything.
Well, I'll hush now. Read!
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Seras Victoria gave a sigh of relief as she leaned her back against the heavy metal door of her room, pushing it shut. The soldiers of the Hellsing Organization had just completed another mission. Not that it was particularly hard, but this group managed to come up with some new tricks that nearly got some of their newer members killed. Quick thinking saved the day, and they had returned with no losses.
She walked across the room, removing her jacket and tossing it over a nearby chair. She brushed some of her reddish-blond hair from her eyes and took a quick look in the mirror. As usual, she looked no worse for wear.
Her room had changed little over the years she'd been at Hellsing; mainly moving some of her belongings from her old flat on the other side of London over to the Hellsing mansion, especially after Matthew joined their ranks…
'Matthew…' she thought with another sigh. Ever since the defeat of Breka and the Global Fangs two months earlier Matthew had been… off. He wasn't the high-spirited chai drinking young man she'd met. He was… darker. Once he'd even mentioned enjoying combat. He was getting more like Alucard than Seras felt comfortable with.
She tried to shake the thought. Alucard had once mentioned that vampires grow in time. Doubtless he'd meant she would grow to embrace combat, but technically it could apply to Matthew as well.
Her thoughts reluctantly drifted back to the mission. Hellsing had been around for a good couple centuries. Until today, they thought they had seen everything. The vampire of this mission, when he realized Hellsing was near, instructed his ghouls to… well… 'play dead' for a while, waiting for the Hellsing troops to be surrounded before jumping up to attack. The human soldiers of Hellsing showed discipline, not panicking in the face of danger, and intelligence, immediately forming into firing circles and fighting back without waiting for obvious orders. After that, the ghouls acted as normal, and Alucard silenced the vampire.
On the table was the usual blood pack in a bucket of ice. She sent a mental thank you in Walter's general direction, knowing the kind old man had brought it there knowing they would be returning soon. She grabbed the bag. Normally, as she'd long since gotten used to drinking blood, she'd pour it into a bowl and take her time to reorganize thoughts or something. Tonight she changed her mind, biting off the tube as Matthew had shown her years before…
Matthew… Why did her thoughts keep going back to him? True, he was her friend and fledgling, but she wasn't attracted to him or something. No… She was still bothered by his recent behavior changes. But why? Suddenly, she sensed something happening. Her eyes opened wide and she gasped, dropping the partially drank bag of blood and sprinting to the door. 'Matthew!'
The corridors were a blur of dark gray stone, all Seras's efforts focused in getting to Matthew's room; the place she'd sensed the… disturbance was the only word that worked. She could also sense Alucard moving as well. Either he sensed it too, or simply knew that something was really frightening her. She arrived at the familiar door to Matthew's room and pushed hard. It swung open, banging into the wall of the room.
The room itself was still in order, everything in its usual place. Matthew was standing in the center of the room. His Hellsing jacket, the one with a jean vest and cloth sleeves, lay torn nearby. He had on black jeans and a black t-shirt. In his left hand he held his bastard sword Amenthyl. He was facing her, but looking at the floor. Slowly, Matthew's gaze drifted up to fix with her eyes. He gave her a smirk, one a lot like Alucard's.
And with a slight salute of his sword, Matthew vanished.
Seras stared at the spot Matthew had stood in for a long while, finally turning to see Alucard when he arrived. He had that steel gaze he wore when he knew things were serious, and probably bad. His gaze followed Seras's for a moment before he looked over to meet her eyes. He knew what had just happened as well. Then, he turned and left the room, Seras following close behind.
An emergency meeting was called. Sir Integra sat at her desk, with Walter, Fargason, Harison, Alucard, and Seras standing nearby. Sir Integra had asked the question, "What happened to Jemeth, and why didn't we see it coming?" All things considered, she was showing a great deal more calm than Seras had expected, but she could sense the anger within her.
Alucard spoke. "It's his demon," he said. "In the United States against Anderson, and later in Australia against the Global Fangs and Breka he had to utilize its power several times. Some vampires are ready for that level of power, but his transition has been… slow. He may have found that level of power too attractive to pass up. It would have only been a matter of time before it drove him into a path of destruction."
Somehow that didn't set well with Seras… but she waited a moment before speaking.
Integra replied, "How much of a threat does he pose?"
Alucard continued. "His strength will never match mine. He is simply too young. However, he does not have the restraint that I do."
Seras normally tried not to blurt out as Matthew normally did that for her, but he wasn't here and she really wanted to know. "Restraint? You?"
Alucard smirked, appreciating the comedic element. "The binding spells placed on me," he replied. "I was, in fact, the most dangerous vampire ever known to humankind."
"And now we need to make sure Jemeth does not trump your claim to that," Sir Integra interrupted. "It would appear we need to track him down and eliminate him on sight."
Now Seras finally said her mind. "Sir Integra, I don't think that's true." There was silence for several moments. Sir Integra simply fixed her with a patient, waiting look. "I don't know why I think that, but the idea that Matthew decided to give in to his darker energies just doesn't sit right in my mind. I think we should try capturing him, see if there might be something else going on."
The ball was back in Sir Integra's court. She leaned back in her chair, thinking it over for a moment. Her eyes glanced over to Alucard. After a moment, he gave a slow nod. Then, she spoke. "All right. We'll try to capture him, but if we can't he must be silenced." Seras gave a slow nod, though hers did not hold the meaning Alucard's had. "Walter," she said, "work with your contacts to locate Jemeth. And Fargason, keep our soldiers at alert level 3. I want them to be ready to move out soon after we learn where Jemeth is. Dismissed."
As she walked back to her room, Seras couldn't help but wonder if she'd missed something. If somehow she shared some of the blame for Matthew's disappearance. And she knew that sleep would not come easy that night.