The next morning, Matthew awoke with slightly less of a headache. There
was a note on the table, along with another bucket of ice. Matthew read
the note. It was from Seras.
Matthew:
No time to rest, I'm afraid. Let me know when you're up. Sir Integra is holding a briefing as soon as we're recovered.
Seras
Matthew nodded. He'd expected a fast turn around time for their next mission. They needed to take out Shalrik as soon as possible. 'But how we're gonna do that... I have no clue.' Matt grabbed the bag of blood out from the bucket and left, holding the bag under his jacket. He knew where Seras would be; in her room.
Minutes later he was outside her door. He knocked. "Just a minute," she called. A few moments later, she spoke again, "Come in."
Matthew opened the door and walked inside. "Good morning, fearless leader." That got a bit of a chuckle. "You all right?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. How's your head?"
"Eh, it hurts a little. Nothing I can't ignore." He looked over at her table. On it sat a bucket of ice. "Had 'breakfast' yet?"
Her expression sobered a bit. "No, I haven't. I was hoping you would bring your 'meal' with you."
He pulled the bag of blood from his pocket, then walked over to Seras's bag and tossed it to her. "Shall we?" In near unison, they each bit off the drain tube's tip and drank down the bag. They each tossed their bags into the bucket. "Now that that's over with, shall we go let Integra know we're alive? Umm... You know what I mean."
Her expression didn't change, but Matthew could tell the comment helped her mood slightly. "Yes, let's." She gestured to the door, and the two departed.
A few minutes later they were in a familiar scene, all be it with one absence. Sir Integra sat as Fargason and Alucard stood around the desk. Seras stood next to Alucard and Matthew next to her. This time, however, Integra spoke first. "Jemeth, I've read the reports of last night's mission. The loss of Johnson is regrettable, but you did all you could to save him."
Matthew paused. He hadn't expected to hear that from her. "Thank you, Sir Integra. That's good to hear."
"I only told you that to keep you from moping about it later. I will not have that in my organization." She turned to Fargason. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Sir Integra. We got one last good piece of information from the data you two collected which Iscariot was able to confirm." He grabbed a map of the local counties. "There is a central data storage facility here, about fifteen kilometers outside of London. The good news is that they won't be able to remotely delete their data. The bad news, they are far better defended and probably know we'll be coming. This will be another large-scale mission. I will be on scene, but Harison will be leading. Jemeth and Victoria will escort. Also, we'll have a full computer team there. If there is anything worth finding, they'll find it. As we are in need of this information as soon as possible, we will be launching immediately, rather then wait for nightfall."
"Very well. Jemeth, Walter has finished a new weapon for you. This would be a good time to try it out. Report to the armory, then to the assembly area." Integra looked to Fargason. "Proceed on your mission. May God and her Majesty be with you. Amen."
Fargason replied. "Amen."
::Minutes Later::
Matthew entered the armory. Needing more ammunition for her Harkonnen, Sersa had followed. Walter stood in his usual place, as if he had known they were about to enter. "Greetings, Ms. Victoria. Mr. Jemeth. I trust you are both well?"
"We're fine, Walter," Seras replied.
"I know why Mr. Jemeth has come, but why are you here, Ms. Victoria?"
"I need some more ammunition for my Harkonnen." Wordlessly, Walter grabbed an ammo case and set it on the table. "Thank you, Walter."
"You're quite welcome, Ms. Victoria. Now, Mr. Jemeth, I assume you would like to see what new weapon I have for you." Matthew smiled and nodded. "Excellent." He grabbed a decent sized case and lifted it to the table. He unlocked the case and swung its lid open. From the case, Walter produced a very strange looking weapon. "This is the Spitfire Assault Rifle. It is a combination 223 caliber assault rifle / 12 gauge shotgun anti-freak weapon." He passed it to Matthew. Matt quickly found the magazine port, under the weapon in front of the trigger group, and a loading gate for an internal shotgun shell magazine, on the right side of the weapon just above and a bit behind the shotgun slide. It had two barrels. The upper was smaller, for the rifle. The lower was larger, and behind it was pump-action shotgun slide, with a button on its left side. On the weapon's left side were the ejection ports for both the assault rifle cartridges and shotgun shells. Housing the two weapons was a mostly plastic casing. The whole weapon the length of his arm.
"It's impressive, Walter." Matthew held the weapon to his left shoulder and aimed at a nearby wall. "Fits perfectly." He set the Spitfire on its case. "I'll be able to test it out on this mission. What does it shoot?"
"The rifle ammunition is solid silver. Unfortunately, I couldn't make true anti-vampire bullets for it. The shotgun shells are silver shot. As you had said they will slow down a vampire, so I left it in the design. The trigger fires the rifle, and the button on the slide's side fires the shotgun when a shell is loaded."
Matthew nodded. "Yep, this'll do fine. I like the size and power, too. Strong enough to be dangerous, but small enough that I can easily control it. Thanks, Walter."
"You're welcome, Mr. Jemeth. Oh, I also have a new backpack for you." He grabbed a backpack from the wall and set it on the table.
"Wow... Different..."
It was. Along the top was a rail about an inch in diameter. The left side had a snap railing system on it, possibly to hold the Spitfire in place. The Valkyrie ammo dispensers had been moved to accommodate the Spitfire's presence. "The new rail is for the Valkyrie. It'll allow you to hold it across your back rather then on your shoulder and to move it from one side to the other so you can store it at your right shoulder and fire it on your left shoulder. The rails are for the Spitfire. You can snap it in and out relatively easily, but only from a certain angle. Put it on." Matthew complied, adjusting it to comfort. "Now, take the Spitfire and swing it over your shoulder into the rails." He did so, and the rifle stayed in place. "Now, Ms. Victoria, try to pull the rifle off." She grabbed it and yanked. The rifle didn't move, but Matthew did.
After making sure he wouldn't fall, he grabbed the rifle by its stock, which was sticking over his shoulder, and yanked. The rifle popped out and landed in his waiting hands. "Nice." He smiled, and set it on the table before taking off the backpack.
Walter handed him a belt holding about forty shotgun shells, twenty on opposing sides with some blank space at either end. Matthew took off his jacket and draped the belt over his torso: from right shoulder to left waist. Next, he handed a pair of shorter belts. Each held four magazines of rifle ammunition. They had two straps each, which connected with snaps. Positioning them on his thighs, he snapped their straps, holding them in place. "Excellent, Mr. Jemeth. I didn't even have to tell you where they went."
Matthew shrugged. "Eh, it made sense." He slipped the jacket back on, then pulled the backpack on. "Hmm, light. Haven't loaded the Valkyrie's ammo yet."
"Oh, that reminds me, Mr. Jemeth. I need to make some modifications to the Valkyrie. If you leave it here, I will have them finished within a day or two. Do you think you can manage with your brownings and the Spitfire?"
Matthew paused. "Well, I suppose I'll have to." He snapped the Spitfire into place. "The Valkyrie is over there," he pointed to a case. "I generally leave it in here when I'm not using it."
"I understand, and yes, I've seen it in here. Good luck to you both."
In unison, the vampires replied, "Thank you, Walter." After a questioning glance at each other and a shrug from Matt, they left for the assembly area.
Matthew:
No time to rest, I'm afraid. Let me know when you're up. Sir Integra is holding a briefing as soon as we're recovered.
Seras
Matthew nodded. He'd expected a fast turn around time for their next mission. They needed to take out Shalrik as soon as possible. 'But how we're gonna do that... I have no clue.' Matt grabbed the bag of blood out from the bucket and left, holding the bag under his jacket. He knew where Seras would be; in her room.
Minutes later he was outside her door. He knocked. "Just a minute," she called. A few moments later, she spoke again, "Come in."
Matthew opened the door and walked inside. "Good morning, fearless leader." That got a bit of a chuckle. "You all right?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. How's your head?"
"Eh, it hurts a little. Nothing I can't ignore." He looked over at her table. On it sat a bucket of ice. "Had 'breakfast' yet?"
Her expression sobered a bit. "No, I haven't. I was hoping you would bring your 'meal' with you."
He pulled the bag of blood from his pocket, then walked over to Seras's bag and tossed it to her. "Shall we?" In near unison, they each bit off the drain tube's tip and drank down the bag. They each tossed their bags into the bucket. "Now that that's over with, shall we go let Integra know we're alive? Umm... You know what I mean."
Her expression didn't change, but Matthew could tell the comment helped her mood slightly. "Yes, let's." She gestured to the door, and the two departed.
A few minutes later they were in a familiar scene, all be it with one absence. Sir Integra sat as Fargason and Alucard stood around the desk. Seras stood next to Alucard and Matthew next to her. This time, however, Integra spoke first. "Jemeth, I've read the reports of last night's mission. The loss of Johnson is regrettable, but you did all you could to save him."
Matthew paused. He hadn't expected to hear that from her. "Thank you, Sir Integra. That's good to hear."
"I only told you that to keep you from moping about it later. I will not have that in my organization." She turned to Fargason. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, Sir Integra. We got one last good piece of information from the data you two collected which Iscariot was able to confirm." He grabbed a map of the local counties. "There is a central data storage facility here, about fifteen kilometers outside of London. The good news is that they won't be able to remotely delete their data. The bad news, they are far better defended and probably know we'll be coming. This will be another large-scale mission. I will be on scene, but Harison will be leading. Jemeth and Victoria will escort. Also, we'll have a full computer team there. If there is anything worth finding, they'll find it. As we are in need of this information as soon as possible, we will be launching immediately, rather then wait for nightfall."
"Very well. Jemeth, Walter has finished a new weapon for you. This would be a good time to try it out. Report to the armory, then to the assembly area." Integra looked to Fargason. "Proceed on your mission. May God and her Majesty be with you. Amen."
Fargason replied. "Amen."
::Minutes Later::
Matthew entered the armory. Needing more ammunition for her Harkonnen, Sersa had followed. Walter stood in his usual place, as if he had known they were about to enter. "Greetings, Ms. Victoria. Mr. Jemeth. I trust you are both well?"
"We're fine, Walter," Seras replied.
"I know why Mr. Jemeth has come, but why are you here, Ms. Victoria?"
"I need some more ammunition for my Harkonnen." Wordlessly, Walter grabbed an ammo case and set it on the table. "Thank you, Walter."
"You're quite welcome, Ms. Victoria. Now, Mr. Jemeth, I assume you would like to see what new weapon I have for you." Matthew smiled and nodded. "Excellent." He grabbed a decent sized case and lifted it to the table. He unlocked the case and swung its lid open. From the case, Walter produced a very strange looking weapon. "This is the Spitfire Assault Rifle. It is a combination 223 caliber assault rifle / 12 gauge shotgun anti-freak weapon." He passed it to Matthew. Matt quickly found the magazine port, under the weapon in front of the trigger group, and a loading gate for an internal shotgun shell magazine, on the right side of the weapon just above and a bit behind the shotgun slide. It had two barrels. The upper was smaller, for the rifle. The lower was larger, and behind it was pump-action shotgun slide, with a button on its left side. On the weapon's left side were the ejection ports for both the assault rifle cartridges and shotgun shells. Housing the two weapons was a mostly plastic casing. The whole weapon the length of his arm.
"It's impressive, Walter." Matthew held the weapon to his left shoulder and aimed at a nearby wall. "Fits perfectly." He set the Spitfire on its case. "I'll be able to test it out on this mission. What does it shoot?"
"The rifle ammunition is solid silver. Unfortunately, I couldn't make true anti-vampire bullets for it. The shotgun shells are silver shot. As you had said they will slow down a vampire, so I left it in the design. The trigger fires the rifle, and the button on the slide's side fires the shotgun when a shell is loaded."
Matthew nodded. "Yep, this'll do fine. I like the size and power, too. Strong enough to be dangerous, but small enough that I can easily control it. Thanks, Walter."
"You're welcome, Mr. Jemeth. Oh, I also have a new backpack for you." He grabbed a backpack from the wall and set it on the table.
"Wow... Different..."
It was. Along the top was a rail about an inch in diameter. The left side had a snap railing system on it, possibly to hold the Spitfire in place. The Valkyrie ammo dispensers had been moved to accommodate the Spitfire's presence. "The new rail is for the Valkyrie. It'll allow you to hold it across your back rather then on your shoulder and to move it from one side to the other so you can store it at your right shoulder and fire it on your left shoulder. The rails are for the Spitfire. You can snap it in and out relatively easily, but only from a certain angle. Put it on." Matthew complied, adjusting it to comfort. "Now, take the Spitfire and swing it over your shoulder into the rails." He did so, and the rifle stayed in place. "Now, Ms. Victoria, try to pull the rifle off." She grabbed it and yanked. The rifle didn't move, but Matthew did.
After making sure he wouldn't fall, he grabbed the rifle by its stock, which was sticking over his shoulder, and yanked. The rifle popped out and landed in his waiting hands. "Nice." He smiled, and set it on the table before taking off the backpack.
Walter handed him a belt holding about forty shotgun shells, twenty on opposing sides with some blank space at either end. Matthew took off his jacket and draped the belt over his torso: from right shoulder to left waist. Next, he handed a pair of shorter belts. Each held four magazines of rifle ammunition. They had two straps each, which connected with snaps. Positioning them on his thighs, he snapped their straps, holding them in place. "Excellent, Mr. Jemeth. I didn't even have to tell you where they went."
Matthew shrugged. "Eh, it made sense." He slipped the jacket back on, then pulled the backpack on. "Hmm, light. Haven't loaded the Valkyrie's ammo yet."
"Oh, that reminds me, Mr. Jemeth. I need to make some modifications to the Valkyrie. If you leave it here, I will have them finished within a day or two. Do you think you can manage with your brownings and the Spitfire?"
Matthew paused. "Well, I suppose I'll have to." He snapped the Spitfire into place. "The Valkyrie is over there," he pointed to a case. "I generally leave it in here when I'm not using it."
"I understand, and yes, I've seen it in here. Good luck to you both."
In unison, the vampires replied, "Thank you, Walter." After a questioning glance at each other and a shrug from Matt, they left for the assembly area.
