Ch 2: Home Sweet Home
After the car had disappeared, Constance was left wondering if she had just committed a career-limiting move. Walter sensed her worry and remarked, "I wouldn't worry too much. Sir Hellsing may be stern, but she is not in the habit of firing people for simple misunderstandings". Constance turned to the older man and smiled. "That's good to hear. It would be a shame to have come all this way just to have to turn around and go home."
"Speaking of home, if you will please follow me, I will show you to the house and your quarters." Walter turned and began walking toward the house that more closely resembled a fortress with a steady stride. Constance fell into step just behind him as he inquired about the bump on her head. "I think I'll live" she said as the reached the main door of the house. When Constance followed him inside, she got a sensation that the air inside the house was somehow heavier than the air outside, as if the house itself were suffocating. The sensation was almost strong enough to stop Constance in her tracks, but she continued to follow Walter. The feeling passed after a few minutes, but had left the impression in Constance's mind. She told herself that she was simply not used to the climate and was tired from a long journey. She shoved the feeling to the back of her mind and followed Walter as he opened a door that led to a long hallway. Toward the end of the hall, he opened a door to reveal a decent sized room that contained a bed, a large armchair, a desk and a bookcase that held a television and a stereo. Closer inspection revealed some moving boxes that Constance recognized as the boxes that she had sent ahead of her arrival. Through the single window adorning the wall on her right, she noticed that the sun was beginning to set.
After Constance had shed her jacket and left it behind in her room, she followed Walter as he showed her the rest of the house, the last stop being the infirmary where Constance would be spending the majority of her time. It was quite drab, as hospitals usually are. Constance's trained eye could see that the equipment that the room held was new and not cheap. Whatever the Hellsing Organization did, it must pay quite well, Constance thought.
While Constance was being given the grand tour of the house, a creature stirred in the one area of the house that she had not been shown. In a basement room, there was a slight humming sound as the motorized lid of a bed that more resembled a coffin rose and the occupant opened his eyes. The person who had just awoken was the most capable and most feared agent of the Hellsing Organization. The vampire Alucard made his way to the door and slid into the hallway without having ever touched the door.
"Feels like a good night for a battle and a drink" he thought to himself. He was hoping that there would be a mission for him and the police- girl that he had spent many months training. She was definitely improving, but had a long way to go before she reached her full potential as one of the undead. Alucard harbored some doubts about whether she would ever become what she could be. He started to call to her telepathically to wake her up, but thought better of it. She had been weaker than usual lately and needed rest and nourishment more than training at the moment. Instead, he turned and headed toward his master's office to find out whether there would be a mission to relieve his ever-present boredom.
As Alucard was making his way toward Integra's office, he heard the voice of Walter explaining the layout of the house and the various schedules that the house ran on. Walter was answered by a voice that was unfamiliar to the vampire, which piqued Alucard's curiosity. He used his vampiric skill to melt into one of the numerous inky-black shadows that were filling the house now that the sun was gone. He waited in the hall for what seemed like some time until he saw Walter emerge into the main hall. With him was a tall, dark haired woman who was nodding to Walter as he said "I must take leave of you now, but I will show you to Sir Integra's office when she is prepared to meet with you". "Thank you, Walter" Constance replied as Walter bowed and started to walk away, leaving her alone (or so she thought) in the hall.
Alucard was staring at the newcomer intently. There was something about her that held his curiosity. She did not appear to be any different from any other ordinary human. From his vantage point he could see her dark brown hair and her green eyes. She was almost as tall as his master but was more casually dressed. He supposed as humans went, she could be considered quite a beauty. But it was not this that made him stare at her. Humans held very little interest to someone who had been around as long as he had and had seen countless humans live and die. "What am I sensing about this person?" he thought to himself as his frustration began to mount. After studying her for another moment, he suddenly realized that it was not what he sensed that was disturbing, but what he didn't sense. One of his many talents as a no life king was the ability to sense what human beings were thinking. It was something that he normally took for granted, but this woman's thoughts were a mystery, as if an impenetrable fog shrouded her mind from him. Very odd indeed, he mused. Odder still was the fact that the woman was now looking directly at the shadow he had concealed himself in as if she were able to see him. Impossible. Integra and Walter were able to dimly sense him when he was in the room, but were not able to actually see him. No ordinary human could see him when he chose to hide. Best not to take the chance right now, he decided, and melted into the wall behind him. He must ask Integra about the newcomer, he thought as he continued to make his way to his masters office.
I must be really tired. Either that or I'm going crazy, Constance thought to herself. She had been talking with Walter and thought she very dimly saw a large red object in the corner where the shadows were the darkest. After studying the shadow for another minute and seeing nothing, she shook her head, turned, and began walking back toward her room, wanting nothing more after her long journey than a shower and perhaps a short nap.
After the car had disappeared, Constance was left wondering if she had just committed a career-limiting move. Walter sensed her worry and remarked, "I wouldn't worry too much. Sir Hellsing may be stern, but she is not in the habit of firing people for simple misunderstandings". Constance turned to the older man and smiled. "That's good to hear. It would be a shame to have come all this way just to have to turn around and go home."
"Speaking of home, if you will please follow me, I will show you to the house and your quarters." Walter turned and began walking toward the house that more closely resembled a fortress with a steady stride. Constance fell into step just behind him as he inquired about the bump on her head. "I think I'll live" she said as the reached the main door of the house. When Constance followed him inside, she got a sensation that the air inside the house was somehow heavier than the air outside, as if the house itself were suffocating. The sensation was almost strong enough to stop Constance in her tracks, but she continued to follow Walter. The feeling passed after a few minutes, but had left the impression in Constance's mind. She told herself that she was simply not used to the climate and was tired from a long journey. She shoved the feeling to the back of her mind and followed Walter as he opened a door that led to a long hallway. Toward the end of the hall, he opened a door to reveal a decent sized room that contained a bed, a large armchair, a desk and a bookcase that held a television and a stereo. Closer inspection revealed some moving boxes that Constance recognized as the boxes that she had sent ahead of her arrival. Through the single window adorning the wall on her right, she noticed that the sun was beginning to set.
After Constance had shed her jacket and left it behind in her room, she followed Walter as he showed her the rest of the house, the last stop being the infirmary where Constance would be spending the majority of her time. It was quite drab, as hospitals usually are. Constance's trained eye could see that the equipment that the room held was new and not cheap. Whatever the Hellsing Organization did, it must pay quite well, Constance thought.
While Constance was being given the grand tour of the house, a creature stirred in the one area of the house that she had not been shown. In a basement room, there was a slight humming sound as the motorized lid of a bed that more resembled a coffin rose and the occupant opened his eyes. The person who had just awoken was the most capable and most feared agent of the Hellsing Organization. The vampire Alucard made his way to the door and slid into the hallway without having ever touched the door.
"Feels like a good night for a battle and a drink" he thought to himself. He was hoping that there would be a mission for him and the police- girl that he had spent many months training. She was definitely improving, but had a long way to go before she reached her full potential as one of the undead. Alucard harbored some doubts about whether she would ever become what she could be. He started to call to her telepathically to wake her up, but thought better of it. She had been weaker than usual lately and needed rest and nourishment more than training at the moment. Instead, he turned and headed toward his master's office to find out whether there would be a mission to relieve his ever-present boredom.
As Alucard was making his way toward Integra's office, he heard the voice of Walter explaining the layout of the house and the various schedules that the house ran on. Walter was answered by a voice that was unfamiliar to the vampire, which piqued Alucard's curiosity. He used his vampiric skill to melt into one of the numerous inky-black shadows that were filling the house now that the sun was gone. He waited in the hall for what seemed like some time until he saw Walter emerge into the main hall. With him was a tall, dark haired woman who was nodding to Walter as he said "I must take leave of you now, but I will show you to Sir Integra's office when she is prepared to meet with you". "Thank you, Walter" Constance replied as Walter bowed and started to walk away, leaving her alone (or so she thought) in the hall.
Alucard was staring at the newcomer intently. There was something about her that held his curiosity. She did not appear to be any different from any other ordinary human. From his vantage point he could see her dark brown hair and her green eyes. She was almost as tall as his master but was more casually dressed. He supposed as humans went, she could be considered quite a beauty. But it was not this that made him stare at her. Humans held very little interest to someone who had been around as long as he had and had seen countless humans live and die. "What am I sensing about this person?" he thought to himself as his frustration began to mount. After studying her for another moment, he suddenly realized that it was not what he sensed that was disturbing, but what he didn't sense. One of his many talents as a no life king was the ability to sense what human beings were thinking. It was something that he normally took for granted, but this woman's thoughts were a mystery, as if an impenetrable fog shrouded her mind from him. Very odd indeed, he mused. Odder still was the fact that the woman was now looking directly at the shadow he had concealed himself in as if she were able to see him. Impossible. Integra and Walter were able to dimly sense him when he was in the room, but were not able to actually see him. No ordinary human could see him when he chose to hide. Best not to take the chance right now, he decided, and melted into the wall behind him. He must ask Integra about the newcomer, he thought as he continued to make his way to his masters office.
I must be really tired. Either that or I'm going crazy, Constance thought to herself. She had been talking with Walter and thought she very dimly saw a large red object in the corner where the shadows were the darkest. After studying the shadow for another minute and seeing nothing, she shook her head, turned, and began walking back toward her room, wanting nothing more after her long journey than a shower and perhaps a short nap.