Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own or control the characters used here. No profit was made from this creation.
Edit: 2-19-04 – Changes made to scene with Integra. Previous method did not convey the emotions I wanted.
Times of Trial
Order 1
Progression of Confinement
The red eyes shifted rapidly behind closed lids, falling still as their owner sighed and tipped back in the chair, bringing his head even closer to the cold stone of the manor hall's basement floor. The shadows cast by the solitary candle flickered slightly, throwing monsters onto the walls as they adjusted to the real monster's new position, amber lenses glinting in the dull light of the withering flame. A dozen or more drained packs of medical blood lay carelessly on the ground, dust gathering on their abandoned forms.
With an idle thought the telepathic link between himself and his protégé was severed and Alucard was once again alone. While it was not necessarily a feeling he was unused to it was rapidly becoming one he found less and less enjoyment in. Watching his protégé progress was one of the few entertainments available too him, and judging from her just finished engagement in the subway her skills were developing quite rapidly.
The No Life King stretched out his other senses, mentally walking beyond the closed, warded doors of his chambers and down the rough hewn corridors, pausing briefly at his protégé's room before reminding himself that she was still on her way back to the hall, and continuing on. His mind's eye leapt straight up, passing though the floor and arriving silently in the entryway of the manor before emerging out into what he knew to be a cool, crisp night, though he couldn't physically feel it from his guarded position.
'Good. The seal is showing no signs of wear.'
A fanged smile appeared on his lips as he surveyed his handiwork; the last task he had been allowed to complete prior to his . . . restraining.
The glyph was quite massive; occupying a space equal to half a basketball court, a duplicate of the wards on his glove had been blasted into a recently leveled stretch of the Hall's front lawn. He smiled as he noted other, smaller single character glyphs encircling the larger one; Seras' skill was beginning to become apparent. This close to the etchings, it was easy to feel the measure of power she was contributing to his work.
A spotlight swung across the flattened area, reminding him that it wasn't just him keeping Hellsing hall safe. The glyph's aura made it very unpleasant for any undead to try and breach Hellsing's grounds without his or Victoria's consent, and with her smaller markings, he imagined it would be strong enough to even make it uncomfortable for uninvited humans to hang around. But even with those defenses, and the glyphs ability to let his mind wander the halls of the area he protected, it wasn't quite enough.
And so those spotlights had been installed at Ceras' command, one on the roof of each wing with each spotlight having been fortified and sandbagged. Without even looking he could sense the three humans at each rooftop bunker marked as they were to allow passage in and out of Hellsing grounds. Another group of three was patrolling the perimeter, and six of them were sleeping in the barracks. The remaining eight had yet to return from the nights excursions.
Alucard's minds eye knelt next to the recently disturbed earth, the trapped body wishing he could run a gloved hand along Seras latest in a long list of recent accomplishments. Even without physically being there, though, he could feel the power they radiated; remarkable, given that he had only been able to give her a cursory lecture on the nature of crafting such wards. Still he reflected, it was hardly burned into the earth as his was. He could see shovel marks; he had yet to show her how to utilize the raw energy she possessed.
Back behind warded, cast iron doors, a bigger smile crept onto the nosferatu's face. It would be something he would look forward too.
***
"Dinner, Sir Hellsing."
Integra sighed as the mahogany door opened, nudged forward from the frame by a rosewood tea cart upon which a rather extensive collection of silver service rested. A guardsman in full dress uniform was providing the propulsive force and behind him, further down the carpeted hall another officer was visible. His face was not however, being hidden in the shadows cast by the imitation gas lamps mounted on the walls.
"Braised chicken, fresh greens, rolls, and a red wine."
She rolled her eyes as the soldier lifted the lid on the serving platter with a flourish. She ate better here than she ever had back at Hellsing hall. Still . . .
Integra took the proffered plate and glass, then motioned her hand to dismiss the server. He bowed deeply and turned for the door, but halted before he was fully through.
"One thing, your lordship. Inspector Grumman said he would be calling tonight, sometime after the dinner hour," and with that the door clicked shut. A second later she heard the thunk of a deadbolt being set and then the padded footfalls of her two impeccably dressed jailers.
Less than five minutes later, the plate was empty, the glass drained, and with cigarillo in hand Integra was once again ready to continue pacing; from the way the plush red carpet had been worn down and darkened in one spot even the most casual observer would see that the practice was a common one.
A knock sounded at the door and before Integra could answer, it opened. The frame was filled by a bear of a man, with shoulders just shy of preventing him from fitting through the entryway. A lightly tanned leather coat hung loosely and unbelted around him and the whole imposing figure fairly blocked out the light from the hallway, casting long shadows onto his face. A visage which was, save for a rather flat nose and square jaw line, rather unremarkable, though the man's hair was kept in a tight crew cut that reminded Integra of the Hanging Judge more than she would have liked.
"Sorry Integra, didn't mean to inte . . . oh, yer finished, I see." The big man's voice came out in a smooth, strong and deep tone; an accent which the Lady Hellsing had never been able to place, even though she had known him since she took the reigns of the Knights Protestant.
Bruce Grumman, Inspector Chief of the Knights of the Round Table, was one that few could place or categorize, no matter how long one had known him.
She smiled. "You know I eat fast. Good news?"
He chuckled as he pulled an overstuffed recliner up next to the dinner table and sat down, filling the chair completely.
"Fairly good. Business first as always, I see, though I know I've told you that before," he said, reaching into his coat pocket and rummaging around before producing a cigar with a grunt of satisfaction. He held it toward Integra.
"Do you mind?"
Integra shrugged, and touched the lit tip of her cigarillo to the cigar until it smoldered.
"That's the stuff," he puffed. "Anyway, to the news, which, since your muscles were clenched when you lit my cigar, you are undoubtedly dying to hear."
She nodded stiffly and he grinned, sucking in a long breath.
"Well then. Best news is you will be outta here within oh . . . two weeks, maybe two and a half, depending on how fast this investigation clears up."
"That quickly? Regulation states that I should be here for at least . . ."
"Integra. How long have we been friends? Over 15 years I'm thinking . . . you know I have ways around it when time is of importance. I've got all my men working double overtime to finish up the paperwork and am plying the uncooperative with cases of the finest English brandy."
Bruce paused, waiting for a comment, but when none was forthcoming, continued on.
"Anyway, that's that. Full reinstatement of all rights, so you'll be able to continue using that vampire of yours. Though I would advise ya to keep him kinda low for awhile."
"Excellent. What is Hellsing's current status? With Alucard on stand down I imagine that they haven't been responding to any calls. Has D-11 been successful at keeping the undead at bay?" She leaned over the table, eyes gleaming, and for the first time in a long time, a self satisfied smirk spreading across her face.
"Feh. Integra, you know full well that D-11 can't handle vampires. At least not well. And by that look I can guess you were hoping to show that to the other knights. But since you've been kept in an information black out, I guess I can fill in a few blanks."
Integra nodded, sipping at her tea, muscles relaxed for the first time in weeks. She felt them ache dully as they were suddenly lifted of the stress.
"Well, there is good news and bad news to this second part, though nothing too terrible. First of all, the good news. Hellsing has not been lying excessively low; in fact they've been able to respond to 90% of the calls, which in the past month, has been 14, with one day seeing three separate incidents, one of which was in the daytime. Success on all responded missions is 100%, with 0% casualties, though several soldiers have been wounded. Hellsing has 24 active members not including that former D-11 agent of yours. Who, by the way, is acting as commander in your absence. She's doing relatively well in my opinion. Especially since she seems to lead the charge during most of the encounters. That's the reason none of your men have been lost, by the way. Captain Burnadette and the others usually only provide perimeter cover or supporting fire.
Also of note, Hellsing Hall has been attacked on two separate occasions by vampires trying to duplicate the Valentino Brothers' success: both attacks were halted near instantaneously, though Ms. Victoria will not give me all the details as to how. Perimeter defenses at the manor have been upgraded, with 6 troopers on guard at all times," Bruce reported, then paused to suck on his cigar.
Integra's face had steadily darkened as Bruce had related these facts, an occurrence the Inspector now took note of.
"Problem, Integra?"
The familiar ache of tensed muscles returned to her body.
"Ceras. Is giving orders. To Hellsing." Her voice was halting and hard as she spoke.
Bruce paused, his hand stopping in mid air, preventing the delivery of more nicotine to his bodily system. "Umm . . . yes."
"Ceras. A vampire. Is acting as the head of Hellsing."
"Well, she was the most senior of all the officers, and so far . . ."
"Her success is not the issue." she sneered.
"Hellsing destroys Undead, and most certainly is not to be commanded by one!" she finished, punctuating her final words by returning he cup to the unlucky carafe with some measure of force, her muscles once again taunt and stretched as she rose to stand over the inspector.
"I will not allow her to act in my stead," Integra stated, her calm voice seeming to replace the heat in the room with pure, unadulterated menace.
Bruce regarded her change in mood with idle curiously. "Sit down, dear Integra. Frankly, you don't have much of a choice, as no orders are allowed to reach between you and your organization until you are released from the tower." He sighed casually, expelling a smoke ring but refusing to meet her gaze. "Besides, you already employ vampires, and if she serves well in that purpose, why not? And please, don't give me that bullshit about tradition, Integra. Your father kept Alucard in the basement, that's one hell of a weird family heirloom."
Her voice had gone cold as ice. "You bastard. She's running my organization."
He laughed and tapped his cigar, dropping ash onto the now empty silver platter. "No, she's taking care of it in your absence. De facto leader, she has no formal
title. Pip is technically in command, he just defers to her a lot of the time."
Bruce sighed and stood up, taking one last puff before grinding the cigar onto the platter and abandoning it.
"I suggest you relax, Integra. Those quite rages of yours may scare the hell out of your subordinates, but I doubt they're good for your health. And please, don't throw the tea cup at me on my way out like last time, that's her majesty's good china."
He smiled, and strode out of the room, leaving Lord Hellsing to stand locked in a cold, quiet rage.
"And by the way, the brandy I'm paying those bastard officials with? It's that stock your grandfather put down way back when, found it in the basement when I was trying to find Ceras . . . hope you don't mind."
In the dimly lit hallway, Inspector Grumman's frame shook with silent laughter as he heard the sound of fine porcelain shattering against the door of the room he had just left.
- - - - - - - -
Author's Notes: Well . . . wow. It was quite a shock to see reviews for the Intro that said more than Good Job or You Expletive. I am somewhat humbled that people actually felt my scribbles fit into the genre of Hellsing and even suggested that I had seemingly passed the first part of some sort of acid based test, though I am curious as to where one can obtain digital litmus strips. These expectations should, I suppose, make it interesting when I work with Alucard or Integra; the series always maintained the characters as rather static (with Ceras' development being the exception to the rule, though even that went at a geological pace). This is something I will be endeavoring to alter. Slow, gradual and logically backed adjustment to character perspectives while maintaining the dark quality that made Hellsing Hellsing should prove a challenge both fun and difficult. Additionally, I wish to try and implement at least a little of the humor present in the manga, as I personally do not find a bleak, black picture of the world to be that entertaining or enjoyable. Anyway to these ends I welcome people's opinions as to whether they think any changes to personality come too fast (though not necessarily whether the character should have changed in the first place ^_^). And if you find a grammar error, feel free to point it out in an e-mail or review as any assistance is greatly appreciated. Work will also progress according to the ingenious 'whenever I feel like it' writing process, which means slow. Anyway, sorry if this chapter seemed slow; next chapter you can expect a little more Integra, the intro of a villain, and of course Seras and Alucard, and a significant amount of gunplay/swordplay/generic death dealing weapon play. Thanks for your continued support, hopefully.
