Chapter 4: Parting
Jean-Paul Garouz walked into the offices of Francis Chervouz, feeling slightly apprehensive. It was generally assumed that when the boss called you into the office, heads would roll.
"Did you need something, sir?" asked Jean-Paul as he sat down.
"I wanted to talk to you about the method in which you disposed of those ghouls. You were specifically told to get rid of them without shifting, were you not? The evidence that your beast left behind is making Hellsing suspicious."
"Sir," said Jean-Paul indignantly, "your niece's life was in danger. I had to shift to ensure her safety."
"Did you really? That's odd, because Belle said that you shifted before the creatures were even close, and went on the offensive. You have to stop doing this, Jean! You are making both Hellsing and the Vatican suspicious with your antics. And lately it seems as though you are losing control of your beast. Is this true?"
"I'll tell you what is true," said Jean-Paul, rising from his chair. "The Knights and their leader have gone soft, that is what is true. You have of late become more concerned about PR and your own image than you are about lives! Regardless of what your niece says, she would very likely have died if I had not shifted when I did. I saved her life at risk to my own, and yet now you reprimand me for doing so?! You have become a disgrace to this organization, and I want no more of it."
Jean-Paul turned to go, and then stopped. Francis sat in his chair, saddened by his friend's outburst. He looked up as Jean-Paul stopped. "Was there anything else, my friend?"
"Yes. The weapons that you have been gracious enough to allow me use of. I would like to purchase them from you. These magnums," he said, drawing them and twirling them on his fingers, "the sniper rifle, and that wonderful Vulcan cannon. How much do you want for them?"
"You are one of my best friends, regardless of your opinion of how I run this organization," replied Francis. "And as you are really the only one strong enough to use those weapons anyway, I will only charge you for the ammunition that you have expended in training and missions. The total," he said, tapping on a keyboard, "Comes to 3,000 U.S. dollars. I trust that you have that much saved up from various mercenary outings in your past?"
"Yes, my savings are more than sufficient. I thank you for counting me among your friends. The feeling is mutual, I assure you. Honestly, this was bound to happen. I have of late been restless, and you know what happens when I am restless. I must move on. But I wish to take back my angry words of a few minutes ago. I want us to part as friends."
Francis rose from his chair, and embraced Jean-Paul. The Director barely came up to the other man's shoulder. "I will miss you, Jean. I wish you luck in your travels; may you finally find a place to rest."
"And may you achieve your goal and eradicate the vampire menace. Rest assured, I will still be helping with that!"
Jean-Paul turned and headed out of the office doors, leaving his friend to contemplate the words that he had heard. Was he going soft? Had he lost his nerve? They were certainly things to consider.
Pierre Consteau helped Jean-Paul load his newly-purchased weapons into his truck. He was sad to see his friend go, but was prepared for it. He had seed this coming for several months.
A moving van was the only thing sufficient to hold all of the massive firearms that Jean-Paul had taken with him, so that is what they were using. The last gun was loaded in, and the doors were closed. Jean-Paul embraced Pierre and goodbyes were exchanged. Then Jean-Paul jumped into his van and drove away.
"I wonder if I'll ever see him again," thought Pierre, and then turned and walked back into the headquarters. He had some work to do. A new recruit was coming in to take Jean-Paul's place. His name was John Carrigan.
:: Ok, I know this chapter wasn't all that great. I'm tying this in with my other Knights story, Charlemagne's Champion, and I'm going to put Jean-Paul in there. So read that one if you want more of this character and organization. Ciao!
Jean-Paul Garouz walked into the offices of Francis Chervouz, feeling slightly apprehensive. It was generally assumed that when the boss called you into the office, heads would roll.
"Did you need something, sir?" asked Jean-Paul as he sat down.
"I wanted to talk to you about the method in which you disposed of those ghouls. You were specifically told to get rid of them without shifting, were you not? The evidence that your beast left behind is making Hellsing suspicious."
"Sir," said Jean-Paul indignantly, "your niece's life was in danger. I had to shift to ensure her safety."
"Did you really? That's odd, because Belle said that you shifted before the creatures were even close, and went on the offensive. You have to stop doing this, Jean! You are making both Hellsing and the Vatican suspicious with your antics. And lately it seems as though you are losing control of your beast. Is this true?"
"I'll tell you what is true," said Jean-Paul, rising from his chair. "The Knights and their leader have gone soft, that is what is true. You have of late become more concerned about PR and your own image than you are about lives! Regardless of what your niece says, she would very likely have died if I had not shifted when I did. I saved her life at risk to my own, and yet now you reprimand me for doing so?! You have become a disgrace to this organization, and I want no more of it."
Jean-Paul turned to go, and then stopped. Francis sat in his chair, saddened by his friend's outburst. He looked up as Jean-Paul stopped. "Was there anything else, my friend?"
"Yes. The weapons that you have been gracious enough to allow me use of. I would like to purchase them from you. These magnums," he said, drawing them and twirling them on his fingers, "the sniper rifle, and that wonderful Vulcan cannon. How much do you want for them?"
"You are one of my best friends, regardless of your opinion of how I run this organization," replied Francis. "And as you are really the only one strong enough to use those weapons anyway, I will only charge you for the ammunition that you have expended in training and missions. The total," he said, tapping on a keyboard, "Comes to 3,000 U.S. dollars. I trust that you have that much saved up from various mercenary outings in your past?"
"Yes, my savings are more than sufficient. I thank you for counting me among your friends. The feeling is mutual, I assure you. Honestly, this was bound to happen. I have of late been restless, and you know what happens when I am restless. I must move on. But I wish to take back my angry words of a few minutes ago. I want us to part as friends."
Francis rose from his chair, and embraced Jean-Paul. The Director barely came up to the other man's shoulder. "I will miss you, Jean. I wish you luck in your travels; may you finally find a place to rest."
"And may you achieve your goal and eradicate the vampire menace. Rest assured, I will still be helping with that!"
Jean-Paul turned and headed out of the office doors, leaving his friend to contemplate the words that he had heard. Was he going soft? Had he lost his nerve? They were certainly things to consider.
Pierre Consteau helped Jean-Paul load his newly-purchased weapons into his truck. He was sad to see his friend go, but was prepared for it. He had seed this coming for several months.
A moving van was the only thing sufficient to hold all of the massive firearms that Jean-Paul had taken with him, so that is what they were using. The last gun was loaded in, and the doors were closed. Jean-Paul embraced Pierre and goodbyes were exchanged. Then Jean-Paul jumped into his van and drove away.
"I wonder if I'll ever see him again," thought Pierre, and then turned and walked back into the headquarters. He had some work to do. A new recruit was coming in to take Jean-Paul's place. His name was John Carrigan.
:: Ok, I know this chapter wasn't all that great. I'm tying this in with my other Knights story, Charlemagne's Champion, and I'm going to put Jean-Paul in there. So read that one if you want more of this character and organization. Ciao!