A/N: The assault begins, and some familiar scenes come to play, with some slight adjustments as well as the repeat of the There but for the Grace concept.
There was a rock sticking into his back.
It was small, sharp, and incredibly irritating.
And it was right in the middle of the only spot where Hunter could lean his back on in the entire cave and keep an eye on all the various members of Iscariot.
He only kept a half eye on Yumiko. As long as her glasses were on, she'd be ok to turn his back to for a moment or so. Heinkel was slightly better, since she regarded him, half-breed that he was, as more an object of pity than something to be sliced to pieces.
Anderson was across the cavern doing the exact same thing, and thinking about the fact that that half-blooded monster was still up and moving after the pummeling he had given him. It was inconceivable that he could have survived that.
Vash and Wolfwood were trying to get the portable stove lit so they could cook something to eat. They were having difficulties with the igniter coil. Suddenly, it flared up, blue flames flickering in the air. Vash dropped backwards onto his rear and looked over at the young blonde sitting on a chair at the back of the cave, the two bands of ribbons gleaming in the artificial lights.
"Thanks, Robin. That's some ability. Bet it comes in handy when you go camping, huh?"
She just smiled and nodded. The comment was too funny to comment on.
Integra and Walter were setting up the communications gear, assuring that they would be able to stay in touch with the butler, who would be staying behind to coordinate all the various groups as they went about the various tasks. There had been some slight adjusting of the fire teams with the new additions. Vash and his group would be going in first to draw Knives and as many of the mercenaries out of the line of fire. Alucard, Anderson, and Integra would then go in for the Search and Destroy mission, which was the only reason the two had agreed to work together. Seras would be going with Robin and Amon, which left the two ladies of Iscariot for Hunter.
He felt the press of the equipment in his pockets. It had been a long time since he had played with toys such as these. It would be good to just cut loose with his full compliment again. There were more important things at stake here than just his conscience.
Heinkel was cleaning one of her pistols, so very similar to his own Cain and Abel, if smaller in bore and power. She seemed very comfortable with them, as though they were mere parts of her body. A good sign. A dangerous sign.
Yumiko was dozing, waking from time to time to make sure her glasses weren't falling off. He found that rather amusing, actually. He knew that she voluntarily removed them in battle, despite the blow her conscience felt afterwards.
Alucard and Seras were in the furthest back portion of the cave, sleeping in makeshift coffins made of the crates they had transported the equipment in. He thought on the blonde haired vampire. She still wore the pendant he had given her, almost as if taking it off might cause him to disappear. They had grown close over the last month, and he wondered if he might actually wind up signing back on with Hellsing on a permanent basis.
It wasn't a bad prospect. Alucard, Walter, the resources that he lacked working as a freelance agent for that enigmatic Corporation. He wondered just what they gained having him work that way, distant from the main office, communicating only through blind dumps or e-mails.
He glanced out at the mouth of the cave. The rain still fell hard, like tiny hammers trying to break into the stone that surrounded them. It was a somber mood, and the atmosphere was rather bleak.
"I still don't see why ye don't just apparate in there and slice yer father to shreds, half-breed. What could it hurt?"
He looked at the priest. He didn't like the man, and it was no secret that the feeling was mutual. "Because, if I got caught or failed, the situation would still exist. This way, we take care of all possible avenues of possibility and fact at the same time. Then, when all of our scores are settled, we can go out merry ways again and the next time we see each other, we can go back to trying to kill each other. Would that work for you?"
"Jest fine by me."
He stood, getting that damn rock out from his back. He walked to the cave entrance and stared across the kilometer of water that separated them from the island. He could barely see the haze on horizon that the spire of land made, despite the enhanced vision he had. Somewhere out there was his father, and a fight was in the making. He wondered idly who would walk away from it.
A hand landed on his shoulder. He looked to the side and saw Wolfwood standing there. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind, friend. Need to confess?"
Hunter smiled. "No offense, but the last time I went to confess it was to tell the bishop that I intended to kill him. Not exactly something you want to make a regular habit of and not something that gets you invited back for more confessions." He gazed at the tiny blot of the island. "You ever have to kill your own father?"
The solidly built man lit a cigarette. "Killed the man that raised me, but he wasn't my father. Closest I could claim would be a man named Chapel. Taught me everything I know about life and guns. Haven't looked back, really. Isn't necessary."
"I thought that way once, but those of us who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." Hunter looked at the man. "You watch your back in there, ok?"
"You too. You've got the nastiest of all the jobs."
Hunter nodded and gazed out at the island again. They'd be moving out as soon as the rain stopped and the sun went down.
The only thought that went through the guards mind was 'this is the most boring post I've ever been on. Not even a television to distract me.' He had been up in this blind for three hours now, seeing nothing for the rain and hearing even less. They were way out in the middle of the ocean, where you could spot a ship coming for kilometers. Why post guards?
He tried again to light a cigarette and failed again. He wished something would happen.
"My friend, it has been too long."
The tall slim man smiled as Knives stepped down and extended his hand. He took it and shook it with the slight reverence that was required of him. He was dressed in a dark suit, reminiscent of a priest's garb, with a rustlers hat sitting on his bald held. Red lenses gleamed in the glasses that sat on his nose, obscuring his eyes. He nodded and smiled as he spoke.
"I agree. It will be good to be in action again. It's been too long since I've felt the thrill of combat. I assume since you called me you have need of my talents?"
"In a sense. I have two thorns that I wish dealt with. One is my brother and the band that travels with him. The other is my current employer. I would like you to deal with my brother in such a way that they no longer present a problem. Legato will assist you in that matter."
Chapel the Evergreen smiled.
"Ready?" she asked.
Hunter looked at her with a wry smile. "You're asking me if I'm ready to storm a facility that is manned by mercs, the possibility of ghouls and FREAKS, and face my father in a duel to the death. That is what you are asking, right?"
Seras looked at him with a smile and sat down next to him as he gazed out across the ocean. "Yeah, that's what I'm asking. I could ask some questions that are easier to answer, if you wanted me to."
"Oh, like what?"
"The airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow."
"African or European?"
She looked at him with a slight glare. "Stay out of my mind, you."
"I didn't read your mind. I watched the movie in the theatres when it came out. And it isn't exactly a new joke, either." He smiled at her. "But the sentiment is appreciated."
She leaned over, resting her temple on his shoulder. "You are going to be careful, right?"
He kissed the top of her head. "I told you I was coming out of this alive and walking on my own power, remember?"
"I know, but still. Watch your back. I don't want to loose you today. I've lost enough friends in this conflict."
He gave her a squeeze. "I'll be careful. Now go, it's almost time for you and your team to head out." Alucard and Anderson should have created quite a stir by now. He wondered how Vash was making out.
"Wolfwood, down!"
The hail of bullets rained down as Vash swept the legs out from under the priest seconds after he fired one of his miniature rockets from his cross. The man fell just as the line of gunfire swept through where he had just been. He climbed back to his feet, swiveling the gun around and firing a hail of 12.74mm lead across the catwalk. Guards scrambled out of the way or fell wounded. Then a voice called out above the din.
"It's been a long time, Nicholas. I see you still shoot well."
Wolfwood paled. It couldn't be, not here.
Chapel the Evergreen stepped out, carrying a smaller version of Wolfwood's cross. The other mercenaries backed off, content to watch.
"Damn, I hoped I wouldn't run into him here," he said as he gazed across the way.
The Beretta M93R gave out another stuttering shout as she sprayed three rounds into the ghoul approaching her. It fell to the ground as a pile of dust as she continued on, firing as she went. Alucard was a few meters to one side, clearly enjoying himself as he blew FREAK and ghoul away with his guns or simply with his hands. Anderson had already sliced a few up like so much butter. They were making progress, but it wasn't quick, and it was eating up a lot of ammunition.
She tucked the Beretta away now that she had some room to work in and unslung the Remington. She clicked the safety off and gripped the cut-off stock firmly in her grip, pulling the trigger. The silver slug ripped out, passing through a ghoul and into another, dusting them both. She jacked the pump of the weapon once, sliding another shell into the chamber and firing again. She would clear a small section out around her, and then reload it with the Beretta in hand.
Enjoying yourself, Master?
She smiled. Are you?
More than I thought. Just the sheer number is a fight worth seeing at least. Behind you, he said.
She dropped the shotgun onto her shoulder and squeezed off a round, hearing the quiet shh of dust settling to the ground. Thank you, she thought, sending him a wink.
Ah, it had been too long since she had stepped out in the field. She had forgotten how exciting this could be.
Hunter stalked down the corridor, his pistols out and held ready. Unlike Heinkel, who slipped down the corridor in a slight crouch, or Yumiko who stayed behind them in a timid fashion that was belying the truth behind her abilities, he walked down the middle of the hall at his full height. They rounded a corner and ran straight into several guards. They whipped their rifles up and the lead man demanded that they stop.
Hunter began firing immediately, with Heinkel only a second behind him. Soon, there were only a few left standing, and they were retreating. As he went to reload his guns, he heard a quiet whisper from behind him.
"Is that normal?"
He turned, looking and seeing what Yumiko was referring to. One of the bodies lay on its back, his face missing. A foot bounced in a nerve reaction.
"Yeah, it happens sometimes." He slammed the clips into his pistols and glanced around.
"Is there anything you can do about it?"
"Vhat vould you have him do, Yumiko? Shoot him again?"
"Thank you, Frau Wolfe, but I think there is another thing I could try." He reached out and pressed his booted foot against the leg of the body and pressed down with his full weight. There was a snapping sound, and the foot stopped moving after a moment.
"Better, Yumiko-sama?" he asked.
She looked pale.
They continued down the hall, looking for the men that had escaped. There was a quiet sound behind them, and he turned and found himself staring into the barrel of an automatic rifle held in the hands of one of six very nervous guards.
"You and your companions will drop your weapons now," the guard said. His voice held a trace of fear.
Hunter held his pistols in such a way that it looked like he was complying. "Might I translate for my companions? They don't understand English."
"Do it quickly."
To Heinkel, he spoke quickly in German. He repeated the same to Yumiko in Japanese and started to bend over, setting Cain and Abel on the floor, his companions doing the same. He started to pull the old Colt out from its shoulder holster with just his finger and thumb, and set his gaze on the area behind the six guards. There was a small bit of metal tubing stacked up in a corner, part of some maintenance project. He picked a piece of pipe and used the slight telekinetic power he had to make it roll off the pile it sat on with a loud metallic clinking sound. It sounded rather like the cocking of a weapon. He touched the minds of the guards at the same time, planting a suggestion.
The guards spun, rifles firing at what they thought was a force sneaking up behind them. By the time they had peppered the area with bullets, they realized their mistake and started to turn back around.
By that time, three were already dead as Yumie's sword swept through their necks. The other three fell as she made a backhanded pass. She stood for a moment, looking around and caught sight of Hunter.
"Who's he?" she asked in a voice that was more than just a more forceful version of Yumiko's. It was deeper, almost more seductive. The sound of a woman who loved the smell of blood.
"Leave him be, Yumie. He is vith us."
"How is he in a fight?" she asked, her eyes looking him over.
"Vell enough. Come on, ve've got to catch up vith Alex and the others. There is a big fight coming up. You vouldn't vant to miss that, vould you?"
That was enough to get the small Japanese woman to sheath the sword and slide the glasses back on her nose. Yumiko seemed to be the traveling personality, holding Yumie in check until it was time to fight.
Hunter led the way down the corridor, senses on alert.
Seras and Amon fired a few shots around the corner. Up that hallway was the control room for the complex. They had to take it if they wanted to find out anything about this place, let alone how to destroy it.
She poked her head around the corner, trying to get a head count but another hail of shots caused her to jerk it back before she could fix her gaze on anything. They had been here for twenty minutes now. There would soon be more guards approaching as backup and they had to get into that room.
"Robin, can you do anything?" she asked.
"No," the younger woman said. "I have to be able to see what I'm setting on fire, otherwise I could do more damage then I want to. However," she nudged Amon. "How about helping out, fuddy-duddy?"
He scowled at the name. He looked at Seras. "You'll have to keep the suppression fire up," he said and closed his eyes. An image formed in the air in front of him, showing the area just around the corner. It was hazy and transparent, but it was accurate down to the number of bullet holes they had pegged into the walls around the guards. Robin stared at the picture and Seras saw flames burst into being around the men. There were shouts and the sounds of flames from up the corridor. Robin and Seras burst around the corner, firing in both senses of the word, working their way into the control room. Amon came a moment or two behind, a little disoriented. His powers left him weak for a bit, which was why he rarely used them. The fight for the control room was short.
"Look at the size of this place," Seras said as she pulled up a floor plan. "At least sixty levels, most of the mountain hollowed out. This is going to take a lot of explosives to bring it down. More than the tiny bit we brought with us."
Amon pointed at a point on the map. "That's a power generator. If we rigged it right, it would take out a good portion of the lower levels. The weight of the upper levels would cause the place to collapse in on itself. We might not even have to use the explosives as more than an accelerant."
Robin spoke up from the other side of the room. "I think we have a bit of a larger problem," her voice held a tone of worry.
Seras glanced over and saw two people striding up the hall on the security monitors. One was huge, massive beyond belief. The other was mostly compact and had a sword slung across his shoulder like a walking stick he wasn't using. They were both heading for the control room.
"Time to go," she said, suiting actions to words and heading out the opposite door.
The man set the cross down on the ground, leaning on it as though it were a fence post. "How have you been, son? It's been forever. You never write or call. I'm disappointed."
Wolfwood held his weapon on the older man. "I've been a bit busy, Chapel. I thought you'd understand that."
"I do, and as you know, Knives is my employer. It's my business to make sure that my employer is happy. I would prefer to do so without harming you." He pulled out a small green apple, holding it aloft like a man taunting a child even though some distance separated them. "Think you can take it from me this time, Nicholas?"
Vash set his hand on the priest's shoulder. "Don't, he's trying to goad you."
"I know," said the broad-chested man. "But that doesn't mean that I can't face him. He's here for me. He'll leave the rest of you alone. Go on, get going." He turned to Milly. He brushed a hand across her face, wiping the tears that had sprung to her eyes away. "Don't come back, keep an eye on Tongari. I'll be ok."
But it sounded hollow even to his ears.
When he turned back, he saw that his former teacher had separated the cross into its two halves, rifles primed and ready. He nodded at him. "Each time you hesitate," Chapel said.
"You wear down your life," Wolfwood finished. "Let's go, preacher man," he said, sliding the lever that would lock the fresh chamber of rounds into the loading chute in his weapon. "There but for the grace of God go I," he said to himself, thinking of Vash, of Meryl. Of Milly. "And into His hands should I be delivered in the end should that be today."
After that, the only sound was that of the two cross punisher weapons firing, .50 and 9mm rounds firing, rockets exploding and the sound of ricochets.
"What's the matter, Anderson?" asked Alucard. "Did you expect more of a challenge from these pitiful creatures?"
"No," said the priest as he extracted himself from the piles of dust that had piled around him. "But I would have thought that I might have been the only one to walk away from this. I don't like working with ye."
"Nor I you," said the vampire. "But we have a common purpose, one that we should attend to before we go back to our games."
"If you two could stop this territorial pissing match," Integra said as she slid more shells into the Remington. "We could get to that point much faster. I'm going on," she said, heading down the corridor, slamming the last shell into the chamber of the shotgun before slinging it over her shoulder. Her long coat billowed behind her as she walked up the hall.
"She's got a presence about her," the Scottish man said. "How do ye put up with her?"
"It's taken a while," Alucard said. "But you get used to it after a while. I could ask the same of you and Heinkel or Yumiko."
He was moving up the corridor before the priest started to sputter an inarticulate retort. "Vile beast," was all that made sense.
He smiled. He loved irritating that man. While he respected his conviction and bravery, he was still beneath him. He would enjoy it when it was time to go toe to toe again.
Integra was coming up on a corner and eased a single eye around it, the Beretta held in her hand. She rounded the corner and fired, the sounds of falling sand reaching the vampire's ears.
Do leave some for us, Master, he thought wryly at her.
Hurry up, sluggard, was the reply.
He grinned as he pulled his pistols out again.
Hunter dropped his pistols as the slides locked back and whipped the asp out from its sleeve. It flicked out to its full length as the last three guards rushed at him with knives. Heinkel had dropped back, covering Yumiko as she bound a wound in her arm. Yumie had tried to continue on, but the Austrian woman had slammed the butt of one of her pistols into her stomach, sliding the glasses back onto her friends face while she was winded.
He flicked the baton out and into the lead man's wrist, the impact causing his hand to reflexively open, the knife dropping out from his grip. The baton was already into the second stroke, rapping against the side of the man's head, dropping him to the ground unconscious. He whirled as the body flew to the floor, whipping the weapon into the gut of the second man, having a brief flashback to Helsinki.
While the second man stood trying to breathe with his bruised body, his partner was knocked off his feet and kicked across the large room, landing on the floor and sliding across to the far wall. Hunter turned and snap-kicked the second man, felling him as well.
"Is she going to be ok?" he asked as he put the asp away and retrieved his pistols.
"She'll live," Heinkel said. "But she vill need stitches vhen ve get out of here." She checked the clips in her pistols. "I'm almost out of ammunition."
Hunter shrugged out of his shoulder harness, tossing it to her. "Use that when you run out."
They continued up the hall and came to a room that was mostly barren except for a large podium with a device on its top.
"What is that?" Yumiko asked, pushing her glasses up her nose. It was electronic, with a small cluster of LEDs on one side.
"Offhand, I'd say it is a bomb," Heinkel said. "Not much of one, though. It vould hardly take this room out."
"No, but its brothers and sisters would," Hunter remarked. They turned to him, his gaze fixed upward. Yumiko gasped as she saw what was on the broad expanse of the ceiling.
At least thirty tiny cluster devices, each the size of a video cassette. Each wired together. Heinkel whipped her gun up to shoot the central mechanism.
"Would you mind not shooting at the high yield explosives? You'll set them off," Hunter said calmly. "They're wired in series, not circuit. Taking one out won't do anything more than piss off the controller. Plus, it's a sequential charge. It's designed to go off one at a time, each one adding to the explosion. Judging by the size and number, this could take out a good thirty cubic meters of mountain."
"So vhat do ve do then, half-breed?"
"Well, if you promise not to blast me for using my powers, I'll get rid of the triggering device. Oh, and I suggest you choose quickly, since it seems as thought it's going to go off in forty-five seconds."
"You promise to only do that?" asked the Austrian.
Yumiko slapped her partner across the head. "Go!" she shouted at Hunter.
Hunter grabbed the central mechanism, apparating out to the edge of the island, flinging the device to the sea.
So, it seems like the meek little nun could be pushed a bit too far after all.
He returned and shrugged. "Sure, only that." He nodded as though he were tipping a hat to the women. "Shall we, Frau Wolfe? Yumiko-sama?"
They started up the hall again. Somewhere in the depths of this mountain was his father, and the pack on his shoulder was a surprise he wanted to present himself.
He was still in those thoughts when he rounded a corner and saw Seras, Amon, and Robin running down the hall, a hail of gunfire turning the wall behind them into Swiss cheese.
And behind them were a walking mountain and a man in old style Japanese clothes.
"Ah, it seems that we don't get to leave just yet, ladies." He whipped his pistols up again and shot twice, disrupting the aim of the minigun in the mountain's hands.
Monev the Gale and Rai-Dei the Blade came on with the slow confidence that made them such fearsome opponents.
He gestured for Seras and the others to get through the room they had just vacated. He kept firing, obviously pissing the large man off. He came on faster, his weapon spewing out a hail of deadly fire. The smaller, quiet Rai-Dei just walked on calmly.
That was bad news. He remembered hunting down the Bishop with the same slow, even steps. The kind that let you know that you were dead, and that it was just a matter of time until the facts caught up with you.
As he made it to the far side of the room, he shot one of the explosives, setting off a small cascade of debris blocking the door. It wouldn't stop that monster of a man for long though. As he walked out of the room, he had already pulled three of the small spheres from a pocket of his jumpsuit.
"Vhat are those?" asked the Iscariot woman.
"These lovely little things," he said, holding up the golf ball sized weapons. "Are resonant thermite charges."
"What do they do?" asked Seras.
He held them so they could see. "Push and hold this button, slide this lever, release the button, and in fifteen seconds, they make a big boom. When added to the charges in that room, they should take care of the human force of nature." He activated the charges but held the buttons down. "Considering that this will take care of a good forty meters or so, I think we should get a good distance away." He chucked the tiny spheres as his companions ran. They rolled into the room just as he heard the crumbling of the makeshift wall he had made. The hail of the minigun came just as he leapt out of the way. Seconds later, the devices went off.
Then, the surrounding charges added to the explosion. The shockwave blew the Dhampir to the ground.
Amon looked at the ruined section of the compound. A charred and twisted minigun rolled off from the top of a pile of debris.
"That sure is a hard way to fall," he said as Hunter brushed himself off.
Wolfwood ducked behind a small storage crate and worked to clear the jam in his weapon. Of all the times for his weapon to stick. The 9mm rounds of Chapel's weapon ate into the metal box and he fired a missile at the man to distract him as he dove to the side. He landed hard, the barrel of his weapon catching on the support girder for one of the catwalks. The impact jarred the caught shell free.
Good old emergency repair procedure number one, he thought as he turned and fired a spray at the man that had raised him. He wasn't trying to kill, just end the fight.
Too much time with Needle Noggin, he thought. Or maybe I don't really want to kill this guy. I owe him my life, after all.
Chapel meanwhile was finding it very hard to shoot as well. Maybe I trained him a little too well. He's come real close a few times. He looked at the readouts on his weapons. He was almost out of ammunition. He had to end this soon.
They continued the deadly dance, and then the rifle in his left hand clicked on an empty chamber.
Wolfwood fired, catching the man in his leg, dropping him to the ground. He came up, weapon trained on the bald assassin. He saw the sweat on his forehead. He came up, and then reached into the man's jacket, pulling the apple from within its folds. He took a large bite out of it.
"Hmm, tastes good. Thanks for holding on to it for me." He turned and started to walk away.
Chapel just stared at the man. He couldn't shoot him now, he had beaten him fairly. It would be dishonourable. Then his hand shook open, and gripped the dropped rifle. He looked down, watching in horror as his arm lifted the weapon on its own volition. He knew it was Legato.
"Nicholas!" he shouted.
Vash fired the last shot from his revolver, spinning a man around into the wall, bleeding from a wound in his shoulder. He felt like he had betrayed his friend, but he also knew that it was his wish. They had to keep these goons off the preacher's back. He flexed his wrist, and a small pistol slid forward out of his left sleeve, dropping firmly into his hand. He fired a few more shots, his right hand thumbing open his pistol and sliding it into its holster, reloading it one handed with a speed loader.
He heard a gasp, and turned to see Meryl and Milly holding their weapons on each other. He gaped, and couldn't believe his eyes.
"They will kill each other at that range, Vash." The silky voice slid across the air, and he turned to see a blue haired, golden eyed man slide forward. The other men slinked away, as though they were afraid to be near this man.
"Legato," said Vash. "I see you're still working for my brother."
"And I see you are still reticent about killing." He raised his hand and clenched it into a fist. Meryl's derringer went off, the bullets cutting twin furrows into Milly's cheek. "I don't hold that qualm, however."
"What do you want, Legato?" he asked.
"Merely to fulfill my master's wishes," the man said smoothly. "I promised him that you would suffer for eternity. And you will. You must choose. Let them die, or kill me."
"What if I choose a third way?" he said, hand firmly on the grip of his revolver.
"There is no third choice. Someone will die here, now. You may choose however." The gold eyes fastened on the tall blonde. The effect was hypnotizing. "Do you recall the present we left you at the boot maker's shop? Just before you dealt with Monev the Gale?"
Vash gritted his teeth. He had been blamed for that man's death, and then the small village had been destroyed by the behemoth's rampage, half the town injured or killed by the man.
"I have much to atone for, and you have the option to make me pay for it," the man said, his fist still in the air. He gazed across the short space between him and his opponent. "Or will it require the death of one of your friends? The short one? The tall one? Or the priest, perhaps?"
Vash blanched. Wolfwood. He just realized that the dim sound of the man's cross hadn't been heard for several minutes, nor had he rejoined the group.
"Vash, just shoot him," Meryl said, a fresh pistol in her hand. She was visibly trying to lower her hand, but it wasn't listening to her. The fear in her eyes was visible.
"Yes, Vash. Shoot me." The manic glee in the man's voice was evident.
"Why are you in such a hurry to die?" he asked.
"Because it will accomplish my master's purposes. You have thirty seconds to make your choice. At the end of that time, someone will die. Your scene is concluded. Soon, the final curtain will rise."
Vash's mind spun as he tried to think of a way out of this neat little trap.
Integra looked on as Alucard shoved his hand through the chest of a ghoul, dissolving it instantly. "Show off," she said. He just shrugged, brushing his gloves together.
Anderson was chuckling with his maniacal cackle as he cut two ghouls apart, flinging a bayonet out to skewer a FREAK. He was in heaven, fulfilling his purpose on Earth. None of these monsters would ever threaten innocent children. He began speaking to himself as he filleted another ghoul.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for Thou art with me," he sliced another ghoul apart.
"And now, O Kings, be ye wise, be admonished, ye judges of the Earth. Serve Him with fear," a FREAK fell before him.
"Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry," three more fell.
"And ye perish in the way, though His anger burns but a little. And should ye remember, as regards me, what life is. Wherefore hast thou created all the children of men to be vanity?"
He spun, blades hacking ghouls apart. "What man liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?"
Integra looked on. "I'll say this," she said as she blew the last ghoul facing her to dust. "He's enthusiastic."
"Yes," said the vampire as the priest wiped dust from the blade in his hand. "Very. And a delight to toy with as well, but now is not the time. There are few imitations left, and we are nearing the crux of the matters at hand."
Anderson looked at the No-Life King as he said that. "What do ye mean, monster?"
Alucard looked up, his eyes closing. "Events are spinning quickly now. The crucial, pivotal moments are falling into place. Valar is waiting for something. I can sense his patience."
Integra wondered just what he was waiting for. When the Hellsing house had been attacked, it had been all she could do to keep from going crazy, from leaping into action.
Whatever it was, he was willing to let his minions die to wait for it.
The pistol fired with a sharp crack, and Legato fell to the ground. Vash stood there for a second, eyes not seeing, mind not registering. Rem, I'm sorry, he thought. But I had no other choice. He lowered his pistol and just stared for a moment. He felt Meryl wrap her arms around him as a few tears leaked from his eyes. Then he heard Milly moan from the other room.
Wolfwood, he thought. Oh, God, Wolfwood.
He rushed back into the room that they had vacated and looked at the sheer destruction the two men had wrought. Wolfwood was kneeling, leaning against his cross. He had a large spot of blood coating his stomach. He moved like he didn't notice it, pulling a cigarette from his jacket. He was talking to himself.
"I hope you don't mind me barging in like this. In spite of the profession I've chosen, I've never actually made a confession before. It's these times we live in, I did what it took to protect the children at any cost. That's how I always justified my actions. I took many people's lives, all that time believing there was no other way. My sins are so heavy. Too heavy, too heavy to ever atone for." Milly fell to her knees, crying as he spoke. Vash raced up to him and laid him back, trying to assess the wound. Wolfwood kept talking.
"Yet, somehow I feel happy, at peace with myself today. It really can be done. Once you stop to think about it, there are plenty of ways to save everyone. Why didn't I ever listen to him? Why didn't I see that before it was too late?" As he talked, he lit the cigarette, oblivious to the world around him. "That tastes good," he murmured.
"Nick," Milly whispered. "You know those things are bad for you."
"I'm sorry, honey," he said, the cigarette falling from his mouth. For a moment, Vash thought he had said it in response to what she had said, then as he saw the glazed look in his eyes and realized that nothing the priest was seeing or hearing was in this world.
"If I am reincarnated, I'd like to live somewhere where life is easier. Somewhere with more peaceful days. Somewhere with no stealing, no killing. Eden. In Eden, I could live happily with him, and the girls," he struggled, trying to sit up. Vash held him down, trying to bind the wound.
"I'm not ready yet! There's still so much left to be done. I want to stay, with them! I don't want to die! I'm a man!" His struggles ease. His voice was softer, almost non-existent, his eyes focused on something above him. "Was everything I did in my life a mistake? Would I be wrong now to ask for your forgiveness? I did not want to die this way!" He fell silent as his eyes closed.
The only sound in the room was that of the women's sobs, and Vash worked to bind the wound. He felt tears stinging his eyes as well.
"You arrogant ass," he said as he tied the bandages off. "Why'd you send us away?"
If they didn't get him out of here soon, he'd die from his injuries. He'd lost a lot of blood.
Yet another crime for Knives to pay for.
Drum Fill
I never really feel quite right and I don't know why
All I know is that something's wrong
Everytime I look at you you seem so alive.
Tell me how do you do it?
Walk me through it,
I'm following everyfootstep
Maybe on your own you take a cautious step
Do you want to give it up?
But all I want is for you to SHINE
Shine down on me
Shine on this life that's burning out.
I say a lot of things sometimes that don't come out right
And I act like I don't know why
I guess the reaction is all I was looking for, yeah
You looked through me,
You really knew me,
Like no one has ever looked before
Baby on your own you take a cautious step
Do you want to give it up?
But all I want is for you to SHINE
Shine down on me,
Shine this life that's burning out.
I know, I know, girl you got something
SHINE (Shine it on to me)
Shine down on me (I wanna feel it)
Shine on this life that's burning out
Instrumental break
Baby on your own you take a cautious step
Do you wanna give it up?
But all I want is for you to SHINE
Shine down on me (Just show me something)
Shine on this life that's burning out (You give me something that I never
know)
SHINE (It's coming down on you if you can show me the way)
Shine down on me (I wanna know what's going in on your mind)
Shine on this life that's burning out
Don't you know I want you to SHINE
Shine down on me
Shine on this life that's burning out
Preview
Wolfwood: Well, that sucked.
Seras: Didn't you just die?
Wolfwood: Your point is?
Seras: Oh, never mind. In our next chapter, the assualt takes on a deadly aspect as...
Pip: Hey, Vicky, have you seen my hat? I'd swear I left it at the manor.
Seras: Pip? What are you doing here?
Pip: Asking about my hat. I mean, I know I've been dead for a while, but that doesn't mean I don't want to look good in the afterlife.
Seras: What is going on here?
Author: I just enjoy messing with your previews. I don't want the readers to get an idea of what's going to happen too soon.
Seras: Blimey, then why do I have to do them?
Author: Authenticity and humour.
Seras: You're just as bad as Master ever was.
Chapter 13: Tomorrow's Past