Confession
AN: Okay, the beginning of this chapter is Jason telling what happened before Seras found him. To help the tale flow better, I haven't inserted any of Seras's, reactions to the specific things that I mention. Her overall reaction can be seen after the flashback.
Flashback
"I heard them, you know, the humans in the town. I was miles away, in my parent's hotel room, but I heard their screams. It's not really that impressive. My father can hear across entire continents. My hearing's pretty much confined to whatever city I'm in, and I don't have much control over it. My hearing just kind of cuts in and out, randomly. But I heard them, their shouts, their screams, their cries for help. I couldn't ignore them. I opened up the window and jumped out.
"We weren't that high up, fourth or fifth story. When I hit the ground I took off. I ran to the shouts of terror. It didn't take me long to reach them. I'm pretty fast. I shouldn't have gone, not on my own. I should've called my father. He could of saved those people, but I didn't. I wanted to save them myself. I wanted to be a hero, just like Father. I should've known better. I'm no hero. Hero's save lives; they don't kill. But I tried anyway.
"I ran to the center of the town. When I got there, it was a mess, buildings on fire, dead bodies in the streets and those things eating them. I gagged, when I saw that, but moved on. I couldn't help the people who were already dead. It was then that I noticed I had lost the screams. My hearing had kicked out; and I couldn't follow them anymore. I just stood there for a moment. I didn't know what to do. One of those ghouls, jumped at me. I grabbed it, and threw it away like a rag doll. I didn't kill it though. After it smashed into a parked car, I saw it get back up and limp off. I thought about following it. I thought it might lead me somewhere, but then I heard a cry. My super-hearing was still out, but this one was close enough that I didn't need it.
"The scream came from a small, corner store. The family that owned it, was upstairs. The ghouls were coming for them. The father was standing at the top of the stairs. He had a shotgun and was trying to hold the ghouls off. He was doing okay, but one managed to bite his ankle. I ran up, pried its jaw open and threw it away from the man. I beat on the rest of the ghouls until they staggered off. It didn't take long. After I broke a couple of their jaws and threw a few of them into the building across the street, they staggered off to find easier prey.
"The father seemed impressed, then he slumped to the floor. His family, a wife and two kids ran over to him. I remember the fear on their faces. It was different than the terror a moment before. Now, they weren't worried about themselves, they were scared of loosing their father.
"His ankle was still bleeding. His wife tore off a piece of her dress and tied it off. The blood loss slowed. I picked the father up and slung him over my shoulder. I turned to his family. 'We've got to get out of here.' They nodded and followed me out of the store. They didn't even question who I was or how I was strong enough to carry the father. I don't think they really cared, just as long as they had someone to help fight off the ghouls.
"When we got outside, there were three more ghouls. I set the father down and dealt with them. When I went to pick him back up, he shook his head and pointed to a wheelbarrow in front of a nearby hardware store. I ran over, grabbed the wheelbarrow and brought it to the man. I set him down inside. His wife insisted on wheeling him herself, said that I could protect them better if I had my hands free. I didn't argue. We went through the town. I managed to help some other people along the way, and our group grew in size. Pretty soon, we had two families, a few couples and a couple of loners. I was leading them all through the town. I felt like a big hero. Ha! I was nothing more than a fool.
"We found a church on the town's border. It seemed intact. I led the group in. When I asked the priest why the church hadn't been attacked, he said that it was under God's protection. There were already a few people inside. They were kneeling in the pews, praying. The priest said that he'd be happy to shelter us too. I left the others in the church and went out to gather more survivors.
"Eventually we were all hold up in the church. The priest said that we only had to make it to sunup, that the ghouls couldn't stay out in the sunlight. We could all leave then. It sounded good to me. I'd done it, gotten the people to safety. I thought myself quite the hero. I even counted up how many I saved. Can you imagine that? I counted them like a rancher taking stock of his herd.
"Thirty-four, that was the number, including one wounded father. I should've never gotten involved. Then at least the priest and few people who were already in the church, before we got there, would've made it.
"The father… He started to change. He got angry, not at anything in particular, just at everything around him. The candles were too bright. The prayers were too loud. His ankle was wrapped too tight. The church was too dusty. I'd never heard so much complaining from an adult before, at least, not about such unimportant things. I don't think his wife had either. She asked him what was wrong, but he didn't answer. About five minutes later, he started complaining about pains in his stomach, said he was hungry. The priest had been generous with what was to be the Lord's supper. He said that since he hadn't blessed it yet, anyone could have some. He only asked that we remember the others and takes small amounts. The father's daughter brought him some crackers and grape juice.
"But that wasn't what he was hungry for. He bit a chunk out of his daughter's arm. She screamed and started crying. I ran over and pulled her away from him. His face was stained with his own daughter's blood, and he was smiling. I shouted at him, 'What's wrong with you!'
"His face changed into a confused and shocked expression. 'I don't know. I just…' He grabbed his stomach and hunched over. His eyes closed, and I thought he was dead. Then he raised his head and said 'Young flesh is just too tender'. His eyes shot open and they had this eerie purple glow. The man lunged at me, but I threw him off. I turned back to his daughter. I was worried that he'd go after her again, but she was already attacking her little brother. Her eyes were glowing too.
"I didn't know it could spread. I really didn't. How could I? But spread it did. I just stood there while the infection spread throughout the church. I knew that I should do something. I tried, but my body wouldn't obey my mind. I was frozen to the floor as I realized that I hadn't saved anyone. All I'd done was bring them to their doom. I didn't move again until, one of the ghouls bit me. I wasn't even aware of it at first. I just felt a numb pain, then I turned and looked at my shoulder. The father had his teeth sunk into it, and something in me just snapped.
"Everything that I'd tried to do, all the people I thought I'd saved, it was all a lie. My eyes started to burn, and I just attacked. I crushed the father's head and tore through the others like they were made of cardboard. They were slow. They were clumsy. They were week. They were nothing but savage animals, and then they were nothing but twitching body parts.
"My eyes weren't burning any longer. I shook my head and looked at what I'd done. It was horrible. I couldn't believe it. In one moment of uncontrolled rage, I'd killed everyone I was trying to protect, everyone I was trying to save. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand what I'd done, what I'd become. I fell down and cried. I cried until I heard you and the others coming. My hearing had been on since I went crazy. I heard your hearts, your breath, your weapons and everything you said. I was afraid, afraid of having people see what I'd done, so I hid."
Seras's Reaction.
Seras just stared at the boy. She knew he was the red eyed creature so she'd expected the part about tearing through the ghouls, but the rest of it? No, she hadn't expected the rest. Wow, no wonder he's so messed up. Because he brought the infected man to the church, he blames himself for the whole thing. He wanted to be a hero, instead he led them all to their deaths. That would mess up anyone, but a ten year old kid, one who shouldn't have even been placed in that kind of situation to begin with… What do I say to him? Do I tell him it's not his fault? No, because in the strictest sense, it is his fault; and he knows it.
He's the one who brought the man to the church. He's the one who gathered the other survivors there, and he's the one who ripped them apart. Of course, I don't blame him for what happened, and he shouldn't blame himself. He had no way of knowing. Maybe I should tell him that? But he already knows that too. He said it.
I could tell him that he didn't actually kill the ghouls, that they were still alive when we got there. No, I doubt that would be any comfort. In fact, it might make things worse. Jason's a smart kid. He might realize that all those ghoul body parts were suffering from what he did to them, suffering until my men put them out of their misery.
He's looking at me, same hopeful look he always gives me. Oh God, what do I say to him? What do I do? Unable to think of anything else, Seras just wrapped both arms around the boy and hugged him she didn't know it, even if she'd had years to think of a proper response, she couldn't have come up with anything better.
Jason knew exactly what he'd done. He wouldn't have accepted lies to make him feel better, nor did he want her to make excuses for him. He'd opened up, told her everything, and she proved that it didn't change how she felt about him. In that, Seras gave Jason the best gift she could of. She accepted him for what he was, a flawed, imperfect ten year old who had tried to help and failed miserably. He wasn't a hero, and Seras didn't care. He was what he was, and that was enough for her.
Interrogation
Integra nailed the Lieutenant with a strong right cross. "I told you I wasn't going to ask nicely again."
Rip spat in Integra's face. "I don't care how many times you ask or in what ways. I will tell you nothing!"
Integra wiped her face off and replied, "Oh, is that so? Alucard!"
One of the room's shadows shifted slightly, and Alucard stepped out of it. He replied, "Yes, my master?" Rip could swear that the room's temperature dropped by at least ten degrees.
"The Lieutenant is being difficult."
"And you need my help? I could probe her mind, but she probably has the same mental conditioning as the others. This could take some time."
"Agreed, and we've wasted enough time already. Abby's found another hideout." Integra lied. "I think we'll have better luck with someone else."
"You mean?"
"Yes, Alucard. The Lieutenant is of no further use. Do what you want with her."
Alucard didn't reply. He just started walking to the Lieutenant. He could've reached her before she even saw him move; but, instead, he moved slowly, ever so slowly. And with each tap of his foot against the concrete floor, the Lieutenant's terror increased.
"This isn't going to work." She struggled against her restraints. "I will tell you nothing. Nothing!" Alucard was to her now. She could feel his breath on her neck. It felt cold. Shouldn't it feel warm? "I am an agent of Millennium. I will not betray my people." Alucard gently ran a fang over the same spot he drunk from last time. "I've been a ghoul before. I can be one again."
Integra chuckled. "A ghoul? Is that what you think he's going to do to you? Oh, no my dear. He's not going to turn you back into a ghoul. He's going to consume you utterly and make you a familiar. You thought being a ghoul was bad, just wait."
Alucard applied a little bit more pressure to his fang and just started to penetrate the Lieutenant's skin. She screamed out. "All right! I'll talk! I'll tell you anything you want to know! Just keep this monster off of me!" Alucard extended his vampire tongue and slowly licked the small trail of blood that came from his incision. Rip added a pleading and rather pathetic sounding, "Please?"
At this Integra responded, "Alucard."
Alucard turned to her. "Yes, Master?"
"Down boy."
(Well, thats chapter 10. I hope you liked it. Please Review. Thanks. I'm going out of town for a couple of weeks so the next few updates to this story may become less frequent. I might drop down to one a week instead of two. Sorry, but I'm not sure how much time I'm going to find to write while I'm out of town.
Have a good day, and God bless.
Metropolis Kid.)