Off Time #3: Obligatory Flashback

By: SleepyNinja

Disclaimer: Don't own Hellsing and not making a dime. I'm not even making any pennies off of this whatsoever. The entire idea goes out to the creator of the show itself, not me.

A/N: Review or I'll cry and stuff.

A/N: All dialogue in means it's translated from a different language.

Alucard was cackling at the sight before him. Jack was ripping the Iscariot swat team in shreds. And Judas! He killed Judas. It was too bad, he did want to fill that man from head to toe with silver, but he had to admit, he hadn't been entertained like this for a while. It was a fine show indeed.

He gave a grin as Jack tore one of the soldiers in half. He had potential. He vanished from his perch in a nearby tree and appeared inside the chapel just in time to see Jack tear out a soldier's throat with his teeth. Alucard leisurely clapped his gloved hands together. "Well done, Owens! Well done indeed!" Jack looked up, startled. His red eyes gleamed with a hunger that he'd never felt before.

Alucard looked around. It was more of a butcher shop than a chapel now. Blood and gore was everywhere; littering the church with the remains of what used to be mortal men. Soldiers were torn in half, skulls were crushed, and several just had an arm go through their organs pulled out by hand. "I must admit, Seras made an excellent choice."

The claps echoed through Jack's consciousness, bringing back some coherent thought. The first thing he noticed was blood. A lot of blood and he was covered with it. He looked around. Oh god. "What have I done?" he whispered to himself.

Jack hadn't moved from his position on the steps of the church for several hours. Alucard left soon after he arrived, but left Jack to suffer in the wake of what he'd done. He put his Hellcat on the steps, placing his sword next to it he sat with his face buried in his hands. Thoughts came and went at regular intervals as he tried to piece together the events of the night. Images of the dead came to a standstill, loitering in his minds eye in a severity he'd never known before as he sat and with his head hung low.

One of his hands managed to reach into his pants pocket and pull out a pack of cigarettes. He looked at it for a minute. How long had he had this? Before all this, before everything ever happened. He pulled out the last cigarette and threw the empty pack into the grass. He pulled out a lighter from his pants and lit it.

He took in a few quick puffs and slouched forward again. When the Hell did things start going so wrong? What the Hell did he have to kill all of those people for? Yes, they were Iscariot Soldiers. But they had done nothing to deserve death at his hands. He knew why he killed Anderson, though. The bastard was a thorn in anyone's side if you let him live long enough. But the lingering question still remained, summed up into one word for the benefit of no one and for everyone at the same time: Why?

Enrico Maxwell awoke at precisely seven o'clock, as usual. He dressed himself and went downstairs for breakfast of eggs and toast. Breakfast was already on the table when he came down the stairs. He pulled back his chair, placed his napkin on his lap and scooted up. He picked up a fork and started to eat.

Father Renaldo walked into the room, briefcase tucked under his arm. "Ah Father. I wasn't expecting you so early. Are you hungry? I can have the kitchen bring you something."

"No."

"Ah, well then take a seat. Breakfast is important." He put another bite of egg into his mouth. "So," he said as he swallowed, "how did our little vampire hunt go yesterday?"

"That's what I'm here about."

"Tell me all about it."

"Once we detected the vampire I dispatched squad nine, as you ordered."

"Ah-h, the new recruits. How did they perform?"

"Well the vampire headed to Ferdinand Luke's."

Enrico burst out laughing. "Oh-h-h…looks like they had to do cleanup. Anderson must have been pleasantly surprised."

"Well…no."

"Taking the children on an overnight field trip eh? I suppose he has earned his off time."

"Squad nine is dead sir. All of them."

Enrico's expression hardened. "Get Anderson back. He can deal with it."

"So is Anderson."

"WHAT?" Enrico stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

"I know. But it's true, Anderson was found dead at the scene. We have video footage from one of the troop's helmets."

"Show me." Enrico threw his napkin next to his half eaten breakfast and followed Father Renaldo into the next room.

Father Renaldo reached into his briefcase and brought out a mini-disk. He opened the disk player on a computer and put it in. A video player popped up on the screen. The screen flashed into a first person view from one of the soldiers. After a while it turned into scrambled pictures of death.

"That vampire…" Enrico muttered. "I've seen him before…HELLSING!" he shouted. "That's a Hellsing vampire!"

"That's not the female or the Nosferatu Alucard."

"They have a third."

"When did this happen?"

"Some time ago. Anderson mentioned him in several of his reports. The description fits perfectly."

"He doesn't wear the coat of arms of the Hellsing family."

"He could be incognito. Wearing the arms would be too flashy. Is there any sign of the Nosferatu?"

"None, not that we could find any."

"If you see him, then Integra Wingates Hellsing has launched a war upon the Catholic Church! Search the area. Find him and destroy him!"

"Signore!" The bellhop yelled. Jack turned around and placed his bags on the floor and removed the cigarette from his lips.

"Yes?"

"Vietato fumare all'ingresso."

"What? The one language I never learned…" He muttered to himself. "Parlez-vous français?"

"Oui monsieur."

" Then what do you want? "

" Sir there is no smoking in the lobby. "

Jack sighed. " Where's the ashtray? "

" Outside sir, but I can take that for you. "

" Fine. " He handed the cigarette to the bellhop, picked up his bags and walked to the elevator. Before the door even closed he was already going for his pocket. This was a really crappy week. He walked off down the hall toward his room. He was looking forward to some sleep.

He reached into his room and reached into his pocket for the keycard. He stopped. Someone was in there. Dammit he just got settled in. He reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol. He dropped the bags again and slid the card into the door. He kicked open the door and went in pistol first.

Seras yelped when Jack burst in. She dropped the trash bag she was using the clean up the room and spun around. "Oh god Jack!"

"Seras?" Jack said, lowering his weapon. "What are you doing here?"

"I used some vacation time to come look for you. What are you doing here?"

"At the moment, hiding." He grabbed his bags from outside and shut the door. "Borders are locked tight."

"No I mean why are you in Italy? And Rome of all places! Gimme that!" She tore the cigarette from his lips and put it out on an ashtray.

"Hey!" He sighed. "It's been on the news every night; I'm surprised you don't know. Listen I don't want to talk about it." He walked over to the bed and fell face forward.

"Well where have you been? I've been worried sick about you Jack!"

"Japan. Didn't you get all that stuff I sent you?"

"No, what are you talking about?"

"I sent you a bunch of stuff? You mean you never got it?"

"No! I haven't heard about you for months! What happened?"

"Well I FedExed myself to Japan."

"You FedExed yourself?" she said as she sat down on one of the chairs.

"Yeah. Lemme tell the story."

Dusk fell on the country side. Jack trudged up a long flight of stone stairs. This place just had to be this far out of the way. This better be where it was. He looked up. An old red Japanese arch was at the top of the stairs. Only a few hundred more stairs to go. Wonderful; simply wonderful. He continued walking.

" Hey, you! " Someone yelled at from the top of the stairs. " What are you doing here? "

" What does every stranger who comes around want? " He yelled in Japanese.

When Jack reached the top of the stairs there were three young men clothed in robes standing behind the arch. He noted that each had a katana under his robes as if they were awaiting a battle. " You are here to see Master I take it. "

" Indeed. "

" He is no longer accepting students. " One snapped. Obviously, someone had to teach these kids their manners.

" I insist I talk to him. " Jack kept his voice cool and calm as he spoke. They were only boys, - compared to him- after all. If they refuse him he would only knock them out. The older did not want anymore bloodshed on his hands than was necessary. Thought too soon.

" We refuse. "

" I will fight my way through if necessary. " All three of them pulled out katanas.

" Then fight. " One said launching an attack on the newcomer. Jack sighed and pulled out his katana. He had hoped it would not come to this.

An old man dressed in dark grey and blue robes sat on the floor at the low traditional Japanese table sipping tea. " I was wondering when you were going to come in. " He said as Jack opened the door. " I seem to have a decision. It has been my practice to only take three students at a time. However, I see you have killed all three of them. "

" Knocked out actually. " Jack stated.

" Doesn't matter. I will take you, but first you must survive two minutes against me. I cannot grantee your safety. " Taken aback at the way the old man talked, Jack could only sigh as he stifled a laugh.

" That's it? Lets go.

"A Japanese sword master? You? Explain." Seras asked. Her eyes bulged as she listened to him rattle on about how it went. Jack frowned; annoyed that she would interrupt at such a time.

"Where else would I go? Come on, let's go for a walk then maybe we could talk some more about it." Seras shrugged offhandedly and followed her old student out of the room. "I don't miss it, any of it. But I did miss you."

"I see. You know what? A walk sounds great. Let's go."

A/N: Since I'm getting busier here's the deal. I'll write a teaser and post it on Wednesday, then on the next Wednesday I post the rest of the chapter. This way you get new stuff each week, I don't go crazy and get to whore for reviews. Because I'm not above that, certainly not.

A/N: R&R