Chapter Three: First Encounter

Hellsing Manor

2 hours later

"Alucard, come in here please."

Integra called him in through the house intercomm, and seconds later he appeared through the wall, hat and glasses donned.

"Yes my master?"

"I have your next assignment," she said, tossing a file onto the desk in front of her.

"How fond are you of Italy?" She asked with a sly look on her face.

"A pitiful country, clinging desperately to a bygone empire. The Vatican never will learn to let the world go, will it?"

"Well, this has nothing to do with the Vatican."

"Oh?"

"Volterra, a city in Italy has hosted an annual festival celebrating vampires for the last thousand years."

Alucard grinned, somewhat amused.

"Interesting."

"There's more. We've received intelligence that the family that hosts this festival is comprised of powerful vampires- some that could even match you," she grinned briefly before adopting a sober expression. "And what's more, they slaughter innocents by the hundreds yearly for food."

"Hmph," he began. "Vampires as powerful as I am should know restraint. Wouldn't this fall under the jurisdiction of Iscariot?"

"Normally, yes. But this festival has gone on for many years without Iscariot taking any sort of action... dealing with problems that others can't handle is our business, after all - and if this is allowed to continue in any part of the world, how long will it be before some clan sets up shop here in Britain?"

"Yes, I can see your point," Alucard responded cooly.

"I assume you are dispatching me to deal with this, then?"

"Immediately. You and Seras will be attending the festival. Walter has developed an agent Seras can wear that will completely deflect all sunlight should the need arise. It's supposed to be bright out."

"I look forward to it," he said calmly. "What of Walter?"

"Walter will staying here to provide tactical support and information. We have booked a private jet that will discretely get you into Italy."

"Of course, we'll need a few hands to escort Seras, Integra," he stated.

"But of course. Oh, and Alucard?"

"Yes Sir Integra?"

"This mission is Incognito. Do everything in your power to hide our presence from the Vatican. We don't need our already tenuous treaties stretched even further."

"Yes, Sir Integera."

He began to walk away, then turned to face her again.

"Thank you."

He left the room, stopped just outside her door, then looked down at his boots, lost in thought.

"This is as much for revenge as it is for my master... did you think you'd be able to hide from me forever, Radu?"

_____________________________________________________________________

The yellow sports car tore recklessly around another corner, another accident narrowly avoided; it wasn't so much luck as it was a testament to the reflexes of the driver.

"Carsick yet?" Alice asked, truly enjoying herself as she tore through the Italian countryside.

"No. Scared," Bella croaked out through swerves and turns.

"Don't worry about it, Bella. We'll get there in time."

"How long?"

"Not very...wait."

"What?"

Alice's vision was changing before her very eyes.. Edward was standing in the shadows before the clocktower, his shirt behind him. And just as it strikes twelve, he steps into the sunlight, attracting the attention of everyone around him, just like it was on the airplane. What was different? Alice didn't have time to concentrate. Blurs of yellow, black and red were lost as she put her concentration into driving. She shook her head of the visions and turned onto a main road.

"The vision is changing, but I can't really pinpoint how.... we have to hurry."

"How long?!" Bella cried anxiously.

"Well, the festival has been on for at least a day... but Edward steps into the light at 12."

"What time is it?"

"Almost half past Eleven."

"Ohhhh," Bella moaned, clutching her stomach.

"Now I'm carsick."

"I can see the future Bella, you're not going to vomit."

"Yes, I am."

"Bella, this is a 150,000 dollar Italian sports car. You're not going to vomit."

"Ohhhh....."

_____________________________________________________________________

Private Airfield

Italy, several miles south of Volterra

11:15 AM

"Sir. The coffin you've instructed us to carry to the car is unusually heavy...and I think there's someone...screaming in the coffin," one of Hellsing's private guard reported, somewhat confused, to the incognito Alucard, almost unrecognizable in his black suit, red tie, and long hair down to the shoulders. His coat was draped over his back, being one of the few regular setpieces in his attire.

"It's nothing. Get to the truck."

"Uh...but, sir..."

"Just shove it in the truck. She'll shut up eventually."

After blinking a few seconds, the man looked up at Alucard.

"Is there a problem? I'm not asking much. Just carry the coffin to the truck."

He lifted his right hand up, and pointed at him, his shape changing into that of a black shadow with multiple eyes all over it. Each one stared down at the man, locking eyes.

"Go. To. The. Truck."

"Go...to the...truck.."

The man walked back over the work crew, hypnotized, barely shuffling along the tarmac.

"Well? What did he say?"

"Go...to the...truck.."

One fellow member looked at him questioningly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine...go...to the...truck."

Not pushing the issue further, the men shrugged and lifted up the coffin, groaning under it's great strength.

"Let me out! Let me out of this filthy dirt-ridden box before I haul off and kill someone!! Let me out!!"

Seras pounded and screamed vainly as she felt the weight of the coffin shift upwards, quite uncomfortable with her captivity.

"LET ME OUT!!"

The coffin was just passing Alucard as the screaming continued.

"Uh, sir? This coffin is moving."

"Let me handle this," he said commandingly. They stopped and lowered it slightly so that the coffin was waist level.

Alucard walked up to the coffin.

"Police girl!"

"Master! Let me out! Let me out! It's dark and damp and dirty in here!"

"Go to sleep, police girl. You'll be out in a few minutes.

"Master, please!"

"Silence!

Sleep."

Seras felt her eyes become very heavy, and then she slipped into unconciousnes.

_____________________________________________________________________

Bella hugged her stomach as they rounded another sharp curve.

"How much longer?" Bella moaned as their car slowly pulled forward, only to stop, again.

"Not much longer, Bella. Not much longer."

"How did you know that I wouldn't-"

"I'm psychic, remember?"

"Yeah, I know, but I thought you could only predict based on people's decisions?" Bella was still a little green, but much more steady than earlier.

"Exactly. You decided not to throw up," Alice stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't see how I can choose whether or not to vomit, but-"

"If you tell yourself you're going to vomit, then somehow, you'll make yourself vomit. But if you tell yourself that everything's fine, then everything will be fine."

"It's a mental thing?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes you can't help it."

"Huh."

The car pulled forward, finally at the gates to Volterra. The gates were large and wrought-iron, gothic architecture clearly having influenced the walls around the city, which were at least 20 feet high. The yellow car stopped at the gates; and through them you could see crowds of people in a huge plaza, balloons and various stands. This was clearly an important event, for whatever reason.

"Sorry, we're not letting you in," said a man in a hardhat, who was obviously underpaid.

"Oh, come now," Alice cooed gently, stuffing a 100 dollar bill into the guard's front pocket.

"We're special guests of the Voultuei." She winked, and then motioned to the car, which admittedly outshined every other vehicle in line.

After a moment of deliberation, the guard opened the gate, and they slowly pulled into Volterra.

_____________________________________________________________________

"Walter, I'll need the layout of the Volterra city," Alucard said into the phone, staring at the city from a hill just adjacent to it. He was no more than fifty meters away from the nearest entrance, Seras steadfast by her master.

"Yes, of course sir," he replied over the phone as he booted up a map on the library computer. Hellsing had access to all sorts of information others might not be privy to; but one perk that is given to a state sanctioned agency that specializes in covert ops.

"There appears to be a main gate, probably heavily guarded with multiple persons either in or around said gate. There are two secondary gates on either side of the city- also guarded, by the Voltuei's personal bodyguards, no less... there doesn't seem to be any other way in aside from the main gates. I show sewer tunnels under the city but these seem to be self-contained within the city..." Walter trailed off.

"That's all I have, I'm afraid."

"Hmm...this is going to require creativity," Alucard noted to himself as he thought of a plan.

"The gate I would personally recommend is due north of your position some 100 meters, then east another fifty meters. It's lightly reinforced steel, a minor inconvenience at best."

"No. The main gate will suit us."

"Alucard, are you sure? You're taking quite a risk you know. This is supposed to be a covert operation."

"Risk taking is what I do, Angel of Death."

"Noted. Best of luck. And remember: we're not here to attract attention. Get in, remove the target, and get out. No distractions."

"I'll handle the situation," Alucard said calmly.

Alucard closed the phone and stared at the city. It seemed so very large from where he was; he could only imagine how big it was inside. He turned to Seras and looked at her from behind his glasses.

"How good are you with children, Police Girl?"

_____________________________________________________________________

Another day in the three-day long festival of the vampire gave way to various identification methods at the front gate, which, as always, was crowded.

Georgi Rali was a temp-hire at the festival, which always generated tons of tourism and just as many jobs; festival greeters, candy sellers, gate keepers; his job being, of course, gate keeping.

With the sun high in the sky he checked his watch.

"5 till," he said with relief. He always took a break at 12, for lunch.

"Mister! Mister! Mister!"

A little girl in a white coat with a white fez and beautiful black hair tugged anxiously on his pant leg.

Startled, he turned around and stared down at her. She seemed a little pale, but he paid this no mind; by the way she was dressed, she could've easily had some sort of skin condition.

"Yes little girl?"

"Have you seen my mommy?"

"Well, no," he answered sweetly. "What's she look like?"

"She has blond hair, a yellow shirt, and she's very pretty," she answered, her words like honey. She smiled up at the man.

"Oh, excuse me sir!"

He spun around and was greeted by a buxom blonde bombshell in a yellow worksuit- the little girl wasn't lying. She was very pretty.

"That's my little girl," she smiled awkwardly at him. He assumed she was a musician of some sort; she had a large case big enough to hold two oboes strapped to her back.

"She's…yours?"

Seras nodded at the man eagerly.

Georgi scratched the side of his head, looked from the girl to the mother, and then asked,

"Aren't you a little young to be a mother?"

Anger immediately shaded her face, and before the man could react, she had knocked him to the ground. He was barely conscious.

"Come on," the little girl called, and Seras slipped past the gate following eagerly behind Alucard.

"That was a good plan, master!" She chimed sweetly to Alucard, who had reformed into his normal shape, with normal costume, while on the way in.

Alucard didn't seem to notice the compliment, and instead, his nostrils flared. He made a surprised face and his eyes became very large.

"Do you smell that, police girl?"

He sniffed the air for emphasis.

"Uh…" Alucard's abrupt change of topics caught her off guard. He spun around to face her, a fiendish smile etched in his face.

"I smell a vampire!"

_____________________________________________________________________

The clocktower's big hand moved closer to the hour…11:59. Bella had to hurry.

"Bella, run fast! Go as fast as you can! You have to stop him, he won't stop for me!"

She nodded quickly and then turned, and began shoving her way through the crowd. It was impossible to know how much time was left- all she knew was that there was very little, and at this point the distance to the other side of the plaza seemed infinite.

But she had to keep moving, or Edward was done for.

"Excuse me, pardon me," Bella shoved as fast as she could through the crowd of people. There was no time for nonsense- she had to keep moving.

Then, the tower tolled. It was 12. She wasn't even halfway there- she began to run, desperate to reach Edward. But, her foot got caught on a cobblestone, and she fell, tripping to the ground face-first.

It was too late. Edward stepped into the sun, exposing himself for what he was.

_____________________________________________________________________

"What.. what is that?" Seras asked as she pointed to the glowing boy just in front of the clocktower.

"A target, Seras. Only a vampire would display such... tendencies." He cringed.

"Though I hardly think a vampire with such little reserve is of consequence."

"Tendencies?" Seras asked, puzzled.

"There exist in this world different kinds of Vampire, Seras. There are our kind; the true midians. We are powerful and the closest to "immortal" that there can be. Then there are lesser kinds, who wander unseen. He is one of the stranger breed, almost not a vampire," he said with authority.

"His kind is the kind that doesn't necessarily have to drink human blood, instead feeding off animals like some lower form of unlife. His kind... sparkles. That is the blinding effect that you see. And his kind are remarkably weak," he finished with a smile as he dug the Casull out of his trenchcoat.

"But weren't we ordered to…not fire unless necessary?"

"We were ordered to deal with the Voultuei. Until we know who he is with, we must assume he is part of the enemy. Now ready yourself, Seras."

Thankfully the assault canon was easily transportable, thanks to the sizeable case she had strapped to her back. She withdrew it and had it assembled in seconds; the sight of guns startled some who in a panic began to run. Seras held it with one hand by the handle.

"Ready sir!"

_____________________________________________________________________

Several vampires approached Edward, powerful guards of the Voultuei.

"You! Stop right there!" one ordered.

"You've crossed a line." commented another.

"And what do you intend to do about it?" He asked coyly, already well aware of the answer.

The guards looked at each other, then motioned behind them.

A loudspeaker attached to the clocktower began to sound.

"ATTENTION! VALUED GUESTS. IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET THAT WE MUST CLOSE DOWN FESTIVITIES FOR THE DAY. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT!"

People were still staring at Edward, but several guards escorted most of them away; few went out the main gates, for most had stopped and stepped to the side at the sight of a glowing human being. Within a few minutes the plaza was clear, with only Bella, Alice, Alucard, Seras, Edward and the Guards remaining.

"You! Leave now!"

A guard approached Alucard, somewhat unaware of the power behind this formidable opponent.

Alucard smiled, and egged him on.

"Why don't you say please?" He stepped forward with the casull resting at his side.

The guards stopped, somewhat caught off guard by his refusal.

"Your funeral, pal!"

The guard lept at Alucard, fangs bared; but he missed, Alucard's lightning reflexes allowing him to leap effortlessly out of the way.

"Hahahaha. Very good try, pit dog. But let's see what you really have!" Alucard was standing about 10 meters away from his original position, space all around him. Several more guards joined the one, and the guards lept, attacking in all directions; he was nowhere to be found.

"Where the-"

"HERE!"

Alucard was behind one of the guards, and he fired his gun directly into his head, shattering the guard's skull on impact, his brain decorating the pavement.

Bella was watching with Alice, stunned at the vampire's crushing attack.

"What the- how did that gun?" Bella stared in disbelief

"Alice, how did that gun kill him?!"

"I don't know. This guy came prepared, whoever he is." Alice and Bella were on one side of the plaza watching with interest. Bella turned to Edward and ran.

"Edward!"

Bella managed to distract her focus from the fight, and threw herself towards Edward, collapsing into tears in his arms.

"Edward, Edward, how could you?!"

"It's okay Bella, It's okay." His soft voice and cold, pale skin brought her comfort- she had never felt so happy. For the first time in a long, long while, she felt whole.

Edward stared at the man in the red trenchcoat, confused. He was completely unable to read his thoughts, incapable of penetrating the mind of this man. Whenever he tried, he was met with black, thick fog and darkness, and it inspired a fear in him that made him shake.

It was clear to Edward that, whoever this was, he was not to be trifled with.

"You…you…" One of the guards stammered.

"What is it, you sniveling coward? Have you never seen one of your own kind killed?

"Wha-wha-what are you?!" Another asked, stammering.

Alucard turned to them and merely smiled.

"What ever do you mean? I'm a vampire."

Before the two were aware of what was going on, Alucard was behind one of them. The first guard was thrown into the second by a powerful strike, and then Alucard appeared behind the second, striking again. He was juggling them in the air effortlessly. This went on for about five seconds before he struck them both into the air, firing his casull with precise accuracy.

The battered and bullet-ridden corpses of two vampires hit the ground with a sickening crunch.

"Hahahahaha," Alucard laughed. "That was midly amusing." He was calm again; Alucard seemed bi-polar to Seras, fluctuating from angry to calm with almost no warning.

He turned toward Bella and Edward, holding eachother close on the other side of the plaza.

"You."