Chapter Eighteen: Insubordination

-Present Day, August 25-

It has been five days since the Major issued his challenge to me at the Hellsing-Vatican conference. I have been placed under house arrest until they could prove that the girl was indeed Terri. I have been locked in my room at the Hellsing mansion for five days, with someone from the Wild Geese bringing me my meals. I knew Mr. Bernadotte was the one sitting outside my door keeping watch; after all he was the only one who called me mon petite.

Walter had left a decent bruise on my face because of how hard he hit me, and there were more than one who were stunned by his reaction. Sir Integra agreed that I was to be kept under surveillance until Hawkens and Officer Scott could prove that Terri was now safe. Sister Blanchett referred to it as Walter going too far, because it is a natural reaction to make sure that my friend was safe. Hawkens had said that I shouldn't have struggled, and Officer Scott seemed too shocked to say anything. I was sent out to the car to wait for Seras and Alucard, and I passed out in the car waiting.

When I came to I was tucked neatly in my bed, and I couldn't open the door. When I found out that I was to stay there, I had kicked the door in my frustration. Mr. Bernadotte made it clear that I didn't have my pistols in the room with me, so taking my temper out on anyone who came into the room wasn't going to let me see her any faster.

This is why I'm laying on my bed, feeling my brain cells decay in every passing moment. I had never thought about asking for a book or something, I didn't want to ask for anything but to see Terri. But it was obvious that was not happening anytime soon. I could only thank the fact that my room has its own shower and stocked bathroom, otherwise surviving this long would've been a pain. I rolled over onto my side and noticed that Alucard was standing in my room. His red eyes glowed as he placed down my food tray and stood by the door waiting with his arms crossed.

"You need to keep up your strength, Non-Character. I am ordered to stay here until you finish everything on that tray." I knew he was making a reference that I wasn't eating properly. Most of the time I ate only a little bit, but I just wasn't hungry. I narrowed my eyes and turned my back to him, and I heard him snort at my antics.

"You are acting like a child, Non-Character." I felt the anger rush faster than I could keep my mouth shut.

"I am a child!" Alucard froze at my expression. "People need to stop telling me how to act. I am acting the same way someone else my age would. I'm not a legal adult, Alucard. Doesn't that mean that I'm a child by social standards as well?"

"You are a member of the Hellsing Organization, Kiara." He actually called me by my name. "You've killed countless of Ghouls in your service here; you've lost the right to call yourself a child the moment you pulled the trigger and killed."

I had gotten off the bed and backed into a corner, but I couldn't flee from the vampire as he towered over me. I could feel tears forming, but I refused to look away from him as he stared me down. Mr. Bernadotte had opened the door and was standing there, ready to split us up before things got out of hand.

"Don't ever forget that we've been helping you out from the start of this investigation! You can't let your emotions get the better of you the moment you have one of your missing friends dangling in front of your face. That is what that Major will be waiting for, and then he'll crush that hope in order to make you submit to him. We need you to trust us."

"Is that what this is about; you thinking that I don't trust you? It's Hawkens that I don't trust, Alucard." That seemed to shut him up. "I butt heads with Hawkens all the damn time. I've called him out on being a shady individual, and I've made it perfectly clear that I don't trust him or respect him. And he's the only one who can stop this investigation with one simple lie: she's not Terri."

"You don't know that it's a lie."

"And you can't question if it's the truth. Because if the GCSU lies; everyone else has to believe it, even if they know better." Alucard turned away and glanced at the food tray, and then noticed Mr. Bernadotte standing in the doorway. Alucard huffed and glared down at me.

"You still have to eat."

A/N: A short chapter for those who hated how I cut the last one off. And guess what: the story is almost finished. Well, at least part one. Shout outs to those who rate and review at the end of the story!