Damn you S.O.S Band for doing this to me! I can imagine Seras just walking with her helmet tucked under her arm with a sunset behind her down the highway.

Luck Be Good to Me

Avoidance and timing was her friend tonight. Every corner she passed while in her motorcycle uniform, Integra or Pip were headed into a room or around another corner out of their line of sight. With it being about 3:00 in the evening, Seras knew her master was definitely NOT going to be up. Alucard usually never woke up until about six at best, eight at worst. But always when the sun just went over the horizon and could not be seen at all. The race was decided to be held earlier in the day because of the other racers that may be headed to the intermediate circuit tonight. If the Police Girl played her cards right and hit the turns on the nose, she would be headed down that same way.

Out by the door to the garage, Brett and Walter were waiting for her as she tiptoed in, closing the door behind her. "How much time do I have?"

"A lot of time to kill. Got like….45 minutes." Brett replied, looking at his watch. "You sure you wanna go early? I mean I've heard of practice runs, but us leaving at this time is just ridiculous."

"Well, I wanna make sure the gears are well taken care of before I make any moves. I heard the track is gonna be REALLY trying tonight." Seras replied, knocking on the hard plastic of her helmet. "Luck, do be good to me today AND tonight, if I make it to Intermediate level." Walter kept an eye on the door, his monocled eye narrowing as he spotted a tuft of chestnut hair sticking through the crack in the door. Pip was listening in; Walter gave a motion with his head to let Brett know someone was eavesdropping. "Who?" mouthed the mercenary.

"Your Captain." Walter mouthed back, which Seras noticed right away. After mulling over the thought of the prank from last night, Seras decided against it, shaking her head 'no' vigorously at the two men. Brett looked crestfallen, while Walter understood how badly this could go for them. Considering it WAS Bernadette, she decided to just be honest. "All I can say is I hope I can qualify today. I would hate myself if I placed fourth or fifth."

"Losing steam, Seras?" Brett asked, concerned as to the change in attitude all of a sudden. "I thought you wanted to get first place all the way through." Rubbing her head, the fledgling sighed heavily. "Yeah, but I keep wondering about if I can handle the pressure or not. I mean now that Heinkel is involved, I don't know if I could…God….I'm so tired."

"Mignonette…." Pip's voice said delicately as he came in, seeing the Police Girl in the racing uniform. Now he understood as to why Brett and Seras were hanging out so much; Brett was helping Mignonette with the ropes of motorcycle racing! He felt bad now that he knew, having accused the two of them the night before. Walter, Seras and Brett turned to look at the Captain, who had a very apologetic look on his face. "You can do this. I know you can. How many races have you won so far?"

"Qualified for two so far."

"Last I remember, this last one is all you need to get into intermediate, correct?"

"Yeah, she just needs to get in the first three places to make it to the next circuit." Brett said, looking at Walter, who just shrugged his shoulders. "Any input you wanna give for this?"

"None that I can really give except that we will be rooting for you, Miss Victoria." This put a small smile on the vampire's face as she looked at all three men. "Pip…can you keep this a secret?"

"Mignonette…" the Captain of the Wild Geese chuckled. " I kept it a secret when Brett was doing it. I can keep it a secret now."

5:00 P.M. Brett and Pip clanked their beer bottles together and cheered as they saw the one named 'S.V.' erase 'Shiva' from the scoreboard for first place. She made it. She finally made it! Her last check for 469 pounds. Now for the bigger guns and bigger races! And the Banzai had not failed her yet. The money was well spent, VERY well spent. And now she could get a new helmet that would fit her! Out on the track, Mannie, who was in the crowd, came racing out past Heinkel, who made it in third to go to Seras and give her a strong, one-armed hug. "Congrats, girlie! You made it!"

"Thank you, Mannie." Seras practically sang, looking at the Iscariot member, returning a nasty glare before Heinkel stormed away. "So, are you gonna go out to the intermediate run tonight?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I've been so worn out with work AND this that it just…" the Police Girl sighed, running a gloved hand through her blonde hair. "Hey, I've been there before, believe me. They usually set it up to where intermediate is during the evenings and not late at night. So don't fret. I can put in a word to the controller and see if he can put together a schedule for the intermediate dates. I got it good like that, y'know?" Seras chuckled a bit at the thought, but she was grateful that Mannie could pull strings like that. "Well, you take care, okay Mannie? And keep off that arm!"

"Will do, girlie! You get some rest now, hear?" A nod was her reply as Mannie waved, walking away from the former rookie rasher, who gained a smile on her now, for her BED…or her coffin as was the case for her. A nice fluffy pillow would be good for her in the coffin, maybe a thick blanket as well.

The ride back to Hellsing Manor was one full of chuckles as Pip and Brett watched the Police Girl just sleep away, resting on the former's shoulder and giving a soft sigh every now and then. "God, she is just too darling, isn't she?" Pip asked softly.

"Yeah, she is." Brett said, feeling a bit uncertain. "Look, Captain, about the night before-"

"Hey…I'm sorry about that. I dunno why I let him influence me like that. Damn vampires." Pip replied, shaking his head and chuckling again as he looked at the sleeping Seras once again. "They just put you under a spell no matter what they do."

"True that, boss. True that."

They pulled back into Hellsing Manor, Walter awaiting them in the garage as Pip carried Seras in his arms and Brett grabbing the motorcycle from the back of the truck. "I take it she did well?" Walter asked.

"First place." Pip smiled, looking down at the sleeping Mignonette once again as he carried her to her room, setting her down gently in her coffin with Brett following close behind with a pillow and a thick blanket. They tucked the blanket in the coffin, wrapping Seras up in a little cocoon of fabric before replacing the lid of the coffin. "Sleep well, Mignonette." Pip said softly, a hand placed on the coffin lid and blowing a kiss before leaving, with Seras dreaming of winning the ultimate cash prize with both Brett and Pip at her side.

"I take it that you've been watching her activities closely?"

"Every last one. Apparently she just recently got involved in the illegal racing circuit. Brett and Walter were also in this same circuit long before, which doesn't surprise me about Walter. He was easily bored."

"Walter? How interesting…"

"It also comes to my knowledge that Pip knows something about it too, since he left WITH them to the rendezvous."

"Hmm. I thought the police force was active around that time of night. Perhaps I may have to have someone on the inside to watch her."

"Are you suggesting that you yourself get involved?"

"Part of me is curious, I will admit. But….it would be interesting seeing you in a motorcycle uniform."

"Like this?"

"…Yes. Like that."

"Ahhh, I take it that you like this?"

"Don't start with me."

"Hm. Your orders?"

"Infiltrate the racing circuit. And make sure she places. Even if you have to beat her to first place."

"As you wish….my Master."