Rescue Mission
A/N: Today's Monday and, like I promised, here's chapter 14. No one reviewed! What's up with that? Please review, okay? I hope you all like this chapter!
As both Walter and Alucard were working on the new ammunition, it took only two days to make enough to load both Inori's and Alucard's guns, with cartridges to spare. Inori looked the bullets over and nodded her approval. Solomon also looked impressed with the work. He was also impressed with the fact it was done only in two days time.
"This should be able to do some serious damage to anyone who gets in the way," he said. Seras had met Inori's father after the first night but they didn't get along that well either. She also looked worried. Inori was curious as to why. She pulled Seras aside.
"You look worried," she said to her friend.
Seras tried to look calm. "I'm worried about you," she said.
"Why?"
"Too much activity during a pregnancy can cause an miscarriage," she said.
Inori was struck. She hadn't known that. But she still had to go. Her mother was depending on her.
"I still need to go," Inori said.
Seras had a mournful look in her eyes. "Then please be careful."
"I will."
They joined the group again as Walter was explaining the risks of the bullets. Apparently, there was some chance they would explode, causing damage to the gun. Or they might expand and get stuck. But the chances were slim, and not likely to happen. Inori loaded her silver handgun and made sure there was nothing out of place. Alucard did the same then both were ready. Seras was also equipped with a new gun with the special ammunition.
Solomon insisted he would not need a weapon of any sort, as he would only be opening the gate. Inori was almost disappointed that he wouldn't be going with them. They were only just beginning to get to know each other again. They walked out onto the field and Solomon stepped forward. He drew in the energy needed to open the gate and the air in front of him began to distort. It reshaped into a gate that led back into the world they had been in only a few days ago.
"Do you know how to navigate?" Solomon asked Inori.
"I think so," she said.
"Just focus on where you need to go and most of the doors should take you there. I think they're keeping Sylvia in a cell in the west area. Good luck to you."
Then, Alucard, Seras, and Inori passed through the gate. But one thought never even crossed her mind; how did her father know where Sylvia was being held?
They were walking as quickly and as quietly as they could down the hallway towards the west area. They reached a door at the end of the hallway. Inori tried opening it but it was locked.
"I don't have keys..."
"How do we get in then?" Seras asked.
Inori pondered for a moment. She was silent as she thought. Alucard was about to say something when her wings materialized and she pulled a feather from her right wing. She eyed the feather for a moment then stuck the end in the keyhole.
The lock clicked and the door swung open. Inori pushed it open further. There was another hallway only this time, the doors were black. Solomon never said which cell her Mother was in. There were thousands of them. Inori stretched her thoughts out in search of Sylvia. It was harder than she thought. Then she found a trace of thought, on the brink of unconsciousness, in a call to the far right. Inori walked down several doors and stopped in front of one. Alucard and Seras followed close behind.
This is too easy, Inori thought as she stuck the feather in the keyhole again. The lock opened and she pushed the door open. There, chained to the wall, was Sylvia. Her face was drawn and her eyes had sunk in a little. She also showed signs of beating. Inori had to use every ounce of effort not to scream in rage. She ran over to her Mother and shook her slightly. Sylvia moaned and opened her eyes.
"Inori?" she asked in a weak voice.
"What did they do to you?" Inori said, fighting back tears.
Inori went immediately to undoing the chains that held her mother down. When the chains were off they tried getting her to her feet. There was laughter behind them. The group turned to find Nirvana standing in the doorway.
"I knew you'd come," he said with a smirk. "And I see you still haven't gotten rid of that abomination. Well, it will be gone soon enough."
Alucard looked as if he was going to go all out on Nirvana. He drew out Jackal and aimed.
"Do you really think your little toy can hurt me, vampire?" Nirvana sneered.
"Yes, actually, I do," and with that he fired.
The shot hit Nirvana right in the gut. The smirk disappeared as shock took place. He stumbled back and Alucard went after him. Nirvana tried shutting the door but Alucard forced it open. Blood was running down the hole in his stomach and he looked slightly panicked. He laughed in fear. His eyes were wide and crazed.
"You think that if you kill me, all will be well?" he cried. "Think again! I have a whole army that will kill you all. Yes, including you and that monster you carry, Inori!"
Inori closed her eyes as the final shot was made. Nirvana's body shuddered as he died. Then he was still. Inori fought a fresh wave of tears that was turning into a losing battle. Alucard seemed to feel no remorse. His eyes practically glowed with delight.
"We still need to find Melody," Inori chocked.
Alucard snapped out of it and turned to face Inori. Sylvia was leaning heavily on her and didn't look so well. He blinked a few times trying to look too pleased with himself and offered to carry Sylvia. With Inori's mother safely in his arms, Inori searched out her sister's thought waves. It took longer and from the direction it was coming from, she was in the east area.
"She's in the east area," Inori said.
"How far is that from here?" Seras asked, looking concerned. "I don't think we have much time. I'm sure Nirvana's death will attract attention."
"If we move quickly, it shouldn't take us more than half an hour to reach her," Inori replied.
"Then let's go," Alucard said.
They moved down to were they had entered the west area and back through the door. They moved as quickly as possible down the hallway they had just entered and walked for a long time. So far, they had seen no one. Not that they were complaining.
They stopped in front of another black door, opened that one and walked through. There was another hallway, just like the last one, with a long line of black doors on both sides.
"Which one?" Alucard whispered.
Inori said nothing but began to move down the hallway. She hardly looked at the doors as she passed. Then she stopped abruptly, causing Alucard to nearly trip over her.
"I think it's this one," she said in a low voice. She pulled out the feather and stuck it in the keyhole. This door opened as well. It creaked slightly as she pushed it open. Suddenly, Inori's arm went up and a dagger embedded itself in her arm. She winced slightly, lowering her arm.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Inori!" Melody cried as she ran over to her sister. "I thought you were Nirvana."
"It's alright," Inori replied, pulling the dagger out of her arm. The wound healed instantly. "It's good to see you're alright."
"How's the baby?" Melody asked.
"Not that happy right now. I think I've been moving around too much."
"Let's get out of here then. Where's Mother?" Melody asked looking over at Alucard and gasped when she saw her mother in his arms.
"What happened?" Melody cried.
"We don't know," Inori said.
Melody looked extremely anxious as they exited the cell. They turned to head back the way they had come when they saw a young guard. He looked only a little older than Melody. He froze. Then he turned and ran. Seras ran after him and turned a corner. Alucard, Inori, and Melody caught up with the two to find Seras had the boy cornered, her gun aimed straight at his head. He cowered.
"It's too late. They're already coming," he whimpered.
"Leave him," Inori said. "Hurry, this way."
They all turned and ran down the hallway when they heard yelling. The other guards were coming. No! Inori thought rapidly. What could they do? She opened another cell and ushered the others inside. She closed the door to a crack. The guards ran by and down to where they were earlier. Inori sighed with relief. She opened the door and they left. They were almost back to where the door that led to the room where the portal was. They ran through the door only to find the portal was gone.
The door closed behind them. Inori looked behind them. Solomon was standing there with an evil look in his eyes. The others seemed at a loss.
"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this," he said. "But I see now I have no choice. The child you carry is a monster that cannot be allowed to be born. I've seen it happen once and I'm not about to see it happen again."
He pulled a diamond bladed dagger out of his belt. He was about to shoot it at Inori who was frozen to the spot when a large silver wolf with silver-grey eyes leapt through the wall and landed on Solomon. The wolf was only a little larger than Heartbreak had been. He sank his teeth into Solomon's shoulder and held on. Solomon howled with rage and tried to throw the wolf off. The wolf snarled and held on tighter. A single gunshot rang out and Solomon's struggles ceased. Blood trickled from the hole between his eyes, which were wide with shock.
The wolf released his grip and looked mournfully at Inori, who still held the gun. She was shaking violently. She dropped the gun and sank to the floor, crying. The wolf walked over to her and nosed her arm. She looked at the wolf and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered.
Alucard moved beside her, resting his hand on her shoulder. The wolf growled at him. He glared back. Inori released the wolf and looked at him, her face still streaked with tears. He didn't know what he could say to her, she had to kill her own father. Alucard had known he didn't like Solomon; there had been something wrong with his behavior.
The wolf whimpered. He was standing by the door, with a hopeful expression on his face. He yipped and pawed at the door. Inori rose and walked over to the wolf.
"What does he want?" Alucard asked.
"He's going to show us how to get out of here," Inori replied.
"Inori," Melody said, "Is that who I think it is?"
Inori was silent a moment. "Yes," she finally said.
Alucard gave her an inquiring look but Inori pretended not to notice. She opened the door and looked out with a frustrated expression. There was a team of guards waiting outside the door. The wolf whimpered and backed away. The head of the guards, Vulcan, approached her with a note in his hand.
"Under any other circumstance Inori, you would be sentenced to death for your crimes. You broke two people who were under arrest out of their cells, and you murdered one of your own. But the note we found with Nirvana's body says otherwise."
He handed her the note. She opened it and read it.
By now you have found my body. I am sorry to the whole guards who have been so loyal. I was wrong to sentence Sylvia and her daughter, Melody, to confinement. I wish to say that Inori should be cleared of all charges. The exile, Solomon, had used a forbidden curse to posses me and used me to get to her. I have sent my other half to watch over her. I also hope that Inori can forgive me. I was wrong to have tried to force you. I hope you find happiness with the vampire. And congratulations on the baby. Take care of my other half, and he will protect you always.
-Nirvana-
Inori almost cried again. Nirvana had died for nothing. He hadn't been himself; it had been her father speaking through him the whole time. She looked at the silver-eyed wolf and smiled. His ears pricked up and wagged his tail.
"We'll take you back to Earth," Vulcan said.
A/N: How sad, poor Nirvana. Well, Inori's baby is okay and Nirvana's other half is still alive. He'll act as a sort of guardian. Only four more chapters left… well, 3 plus an epilogue. We're so close. Then I start posting the sequel, when I get to actually writing it. I couldn't find the original version of this story because the computer it's on is out of service right now. Sorry! I'll get it back soon.