"We have finished decrypting enough of the data to give a preliminary
briefing. It may be enough to launch a mission." Fargason cleared his
throat before continuing. "We have learned several things about Shalrik.
First, he is based in the ruins of Cheddar."
Seras noticeable tensed on hearing the name. The group looked at her. She waved them off. "Sorry. It's nothing." Matthew decided to ask later.
Fargason continued. "We can't be certain on how many forces he has there, but based on our last mission we can guess they are extensive. We'll worry about the actual plan in a moment. Our decryptors have also discovered this interesting bit of information. Shalrik has been running experiments on enhancing vampires and ghouls through use of a chemical additive injected on biting. The early experiments only created more violent vampires, which explains the earlier increase in activity. Recently, however, his experiments have been turning out improved vampires. Stronger, faster, and with resistance to silver and mercury."
Now Matt tensed. "How long has Shalrik been running the experiments?"
Fargason paused before answering. "About two months."
It was a long moment before Matthew spoke again. His words were carefully selected and spoken without inflection, "Continue, Commander." Seras watched him for a little longer before returning her eyes to Fargason.
After another pause, Fargason continued. "Most of the rest is information to be sent out to vampires around the world to draw them to him. We also found some information designed to draw humans into his forces. There is no way to tell how much of this got out into the public, so there is no way to know how many have been drawn in."
Alucard, again not hiding in the shadows, spoke. "Enough that he feels ready to face us." He turned to Integra. "Send in none of Hellsing's troops. Only myself, Seras, and young Jemeth. We will get in contact with Iscariot and have them send the regenerator."
Sir Integra glance at him turned a few degrees colder. "You don't make the orders around here, Alucard."
"Then consider it a suggestion you should follow. I know Shalrik, Master. He only makes moves like these when he knows he can handle as great an attack as we can muster. If all our troops so, they will be killed or turned into ghouls and vampires, only increasing Shalrik's strength. He is counting on that to build up his final defenses against us. If only the four of us go, and go now, we will be unprepared."
Integra started to consider this. Matthew's mind was only half concentrating. Connections were being made in his mind, and they were both frightening and maddening. Before he could boil over, Integra replied. "Fine. Mission approved. Leave when you are ready. We will make the contact and give you Paladin Andersen's ETA when we know it. Dismissed."
The group, except for Sir Integra, left the room. Seras walked up to Matthew, looking concerned. "Later," he said in a 'drop-it' tone of voice.
She nodded. "Let's get to the armory and pick up our weapons. Cheddar is a long way from here."
"Right. Let's move."
Walter again wished them well as they equipped their weapons for the coming mission. Seras strapped on her ammo box and hefted her cannon, this time taking a couple pistols as back up weapons. Matthew strapped on his various ammunition and holster belts, put on his jacket, and pulled on the loaded backpack. After attaching the Valkyrie and the Spitfire, he turned to Seras. "So, which small country should I take out next, oh fearless leader?" Seras laughed, and Walter cracked a smile. The humor helped Matthew push what he'd just learned to the back of his mind for later.
Word came in from Integra. Alexander was on his way and would be at Cheddar that night. Seras, Matthew, and Alucard planned to arrive at a similar time. As Seras and Matthew couldn't simply teleport themselves to Cheddar, they were put in a helicopter. Alucard set a rendezvous point, and disappeared into the shadows. The helicopter lifted off as the sun started to set.
As they flew and approached Cheddar, Matthew's expression hardened. Seras spoke up. "Matthew, what's wrong?"
Matthew looked at her. "Sharik has been running experiments for the last two months; experiments which started with overly violent vampires. Fargason's pause in telling me told me one important thing: the vampire in that London mall on that fateful night now two months ago was one of Shalrik's first experiments. Because of that vampire, I was turned. If not for him, I wouldn't have been in that hostage situation. If not for Shalrik, that vampire wouldn't have been in that mall." His red eyes burned with rage. "Alucard had better not kill Shalrik before we can get there. I'm going to tear that bastard apart with my bear hands. He stole my life from me, and now he will pay." Matthew never yelled, but his voice carried an intensity he'd never heard from himself before. 'What have I become...?'
Seras obviously picked up on that thought. "You're a vampire hunter with the ruiner of your happiness in your sights. Don't hesitate to shoot."
"I won't."
Below the helicopter, the ruins of the town of Cheddar shown in the light of the full moon. The sky was a strange color of red as they passed. Seras walked to Matthew's side of the helicopter and looked down. "This is where is all started for me."
Matthew's anger was cut down as his concern for Seras jumped up in his mind. "This is where you were turned?"
"Yes." She pointed to a building. "In that church, actually. Being back brings back memories, and not to pleasant ones."
"I can imagine." Matthew lifted an arm and grasped her shoulder. "Well, maybe by silencing some vampires here you'll get some closure with this place. Maybe."
"Yes, maybe." Seras sat down, and the rest of the trip was made in silence.
The helicopter set down long enough for Matthew and Seras to jump out. After that, the pilot wisely made haste in departing. Matthew envied him for a moment before joining Seras's walk through the woods. They'd landed a short distance from Cheddar, their rendezvous point about 500 meters away from the town limits inside the woods. As they arrived, Seras quietly called out. "Alucard, are you here? We're in position."
There was no reply. Alexander hadn't yet arrived either. With half their party missing, Matthew and Seras simply found places to stand and wait.
Suddenly, something interrupted their wait...
Seras noticeable tensed on hearing the name. The group looked at her. She waved them off. "Sorry. It's nothing." Matthew decided to ask later.
Fargason continued. "We can't be certain on how many forces he has there, but based on our last mission we can guess they are extensive. We'll worry about the actual plan in a moment. Our decryptors have also discovered this interesting bit of information. Shalrik has been running experiments on enhancing vampires and ghouls through use of a chemical additive injected on biting. The early experiments only created more violent vampires, which explains the earlier increase in activity. Recently, however, his experiments have been turning out improved vampires. Stronger, faster, and with resistance to silver and mercury."
Now Matt tensed. "How long has Shalrik been running the experiments?"
Fargason paused before answering. "About two months."
It was a long moment before Matthew spoke again. His words were carefully selected and spoken without inflection, "Continue, Commander." Seras watched him for a little longer before returning her eyes to Fargason.
After another pause, Fargason continued. "Most of the rest is information to be sent out to vampires around the world to draw them to him. We also found some information designed to draw humans into his forces. There is no way to tell how much of this got out into the public, so there is no way to know how many have been drawn in."
Alucard, again not hiding in the shadows, spoke. "Enough that he feels ready to face us." He turned to Integra. "Send in none of Hellsing's troops. Only myself, Seras, and young Jemeth. We will get in contact with Iscariot and have them send the regenerator."
Sir Integra glance at him turned a few degrees colder. "You don't make the orders around here, Alucard."
"Then consider it a suggestion you should follow. I know Shalrik, Master. He only makes moves like these when he knows he can handle as great an attack as we can muster. If all our troops so, they will be killed or turned into ghouls and vampires, only increasing Shalrik's strength. He is counting on that to build up his final defenses against us. If only the four of us go, and go now, we will be unprepared."
Integra started to consider this. Matthew's mind was only half concentrating. Connections were being made in his mind, and they were both frightening and maddening. Before he could boil over, Integra replied. "Fine. Mission approved. Leave when you are ready. We will make the contact and give you Paladin Andersen's ETA when we know it. Dismissed."
The group, except for Sir Integra, left the room. Seras walked up to Matthew, looking concerned. "Later," he said in a 'drop-it' tone of voice.
She nodded. "Let's get to the armory and pick up our weapons. Cheddar is a long way from here."
"Right. Let's move."
Walter again wished them well as they equipped their weapons for the coming mission. Seras strapped on her ammo box and hefted her cannon, this time taking a couple pistols as back up weapons. Matthew strapped on his various ammunition and holster belts, put on his jacket, and pulled on the loaded backpack. After attaching the Valkyrie and the Spitfire, he turned to Seras. "So, which small country should I take out next, oh fearless leader?" Seras laughed, and Walter cracked a smile. The humor helped Matthew push what he'd just learned to the back of his mind for later.
Word came in from Integra. Alexander was on his way and would be at Cheddar that night. Seras, Matthew, and Alucard planned to arrive at a similar time. As Seras and Matthew couldn't simply teleport themselves to Cheddar, they were put in a helicopter. Alucard set a rendezvous point, and disappeared into the shadows. The helicopter lifted off as the sun started to set.
As they flew and approached Cheddar, Matthew's expression hardened. Seras spoke up. "Matthew, what's wrong?"
Matthew looked at her. "Sharik has been running experiments for the last two months; experiments which started with overly violent vampires. Fargason's pause in telling me told me one important thing: the vampire in that London mall on that fateful night now two months ago was one of Shalrik's first experiments. Because of that vampire, I was turned. If not for him, I wouldn't have been in that hostage situation. If not for Shalrik, that vampire wouldn't have been in that mall." His red eyes burned with rage. "Alucard had better not kill Shalrik before we can get there. I'm going to tear that bastard apart with my bear hands. He stole my life from me, and now he will pay." Matthew never yelled, but his voice carried an intensity he'd never heard from himself before. 'What have I become...?'
Seras obviously picked up on that thought. "You're a vampire hunter with the ruiner of your happiness in your sights. Don't hesitate to shoot."
"I won't."
Below the helicopter, the ruins of the town of Cheddar shown in the light of the full moon. The sky was a strange color of red as they passed. Seras walked to Matthew's side of the helicopter and looked down. "This is where is all started for me."
Matthew's anger was cut down as his concern for Seras jumped up in his mind. "This is where you were turned?"
"Yes." She pointed to a building. "In that church, actually. Being back brings back memories, and not to pleasant ones."
"I can imagine." Matthew lifted an arm and grasped her shoulder. "Well, maybe by silencing some vampires here you'll get some closure with this place. Maybe."
"Yes, maybe." Seras sat down, and the rest of the trip was made in silence.
The helicopter set down long enough for Matthew and Seras to jump out. After that, the pilot wisely made haste in departing. Matthew envied him for a moment before joining Seras's walk through the woods. They'd landed a short distance from Cheddar, their rendezvous point about 500 meters away from the town limits inside the woods. As they arrived, Seras quietly called out. "Alucard, are you here? We're in position."
There was no reply. Alexander hadn't yet arrived either. With half their party missing, Matthew and Seras simply found places to stand and wait.
Suddenly, something interrupted their wait...
