It was still night as Hellsing's vampires neared their next target. The address was in an industrial section of Sydney, reminding Matthew of their first mission against the Global Fangs. It made sense to have a base out that far. Pick the right part, you'll find abandoned buildings with more than enough room for one's purposes. It was far out, near the edge of the industrial zone, but they'd found a number of abandoned buildings. Figuring out which one was the target, they slowly approached.
Matthew let his senses scan over the building and hesitated a moment. It wasn't the numbers that bothered him; they'd dealt with more in the past. But something was… different about them. He looked to Alucard and Seras. Seras nodded. Yeah, she'd noticed it too. Alucard shrugged. He knew, couldn't explain it either, and didn't much care. Matthew nodded back. They didn't know, but they were going in anyway so there was little point in worrying.
Their run back to the safe house had indeed been short. Matt had collected his pistols, Spitfire, and his backpack. He left Amenthyl and his shield, figuring for once the hack-happy Paladin wouldn't show. He also left Valkyrie. Somehow, a three-inch cannon felt like overkill. Seras grabbed her pistols and Harkonnen. Alucard just watched. He had all his equipment already. This time, they used an SUV the Hellsing organization had rented and arranged to have nearby to get to their target. A lot faster than walking, and they had only so much night to work with.
So there they were, standing in front of an old, rusted factory. Alucard started for the shadows and vanished. By earlier agreement, he was heading to the far side of the factory. Seras and Matthew would enter together on the close side. They each drew their pistols and closed on the building. It was dark. The moon wasn't out that night, and the lights of Sydney were too distant. Matthew could half sense, half see lighting within the building, but the outside areas weren't lit.
Seras and Matthew approached the door, Matthew grabbing the handle. He looked to Seras and saw she'd already dropped into her search and destroy mode. Yeah, it was good to be fighting alongside her again. He started up his usual mental countdown. At zero, he hauled the door open. Seras swung in, checking for targets as Matthew got his pistols out again and joined her inside. Through a combination of the low light levels and their vampiric senses, they started navigating the building. Their half of the building was the office section of the factory. Alucard was searching around the machinery. Eventually, the two split up to cover the most ground in the least amount of time, wishing each other good luck and making the usual 'call for help if you're in trouble' speech.
Matthew rounded another corner. It was almost identical to the London factory; dark, hazy windows, rust on the exposed metal, and dank, heavy air. But as Matthew entered a larger lobby area, he was about to discover just how different this night would be.
He slowly made his way around the room to another door, continuing with the search pattern. Halfway there, metal doors slammed shut at every entryway. 'A trap!' He tried kicking the door, but it barely dented. A punch to the wall showed it had been reinforced. The lights flicked on, and Matthew brought his pistols around to look for a target. There was the standard lobby furniture, but nothing else.
A light flipped on in a room above the far side doors. A man stood there, hands held behind his back. Matthew knew the man was a vampire, and a stronger one at that. Next to him was another vampire, though weaker. The stronger one smiled. "Well, well, well," he said, his accent indicating Australian origin, "look what we have here. I think you'll do just fine for our little test, mate."
Matthew looked up at his, scoffing. "Well, at least you didn't moan about how I'm not Alucard."
"His turn will come later." He started inputting commands in a control panel. "Oh, and don't bother calling for help. Won't work in here." He looked back at Matthew. "And with the reports we got from the States, this just might be interesting." He punched a final button.
On the far side of the lobby, a door swung open inside stood… Matthew looked up at the head vampire. "A ghoul? One ghoul? That's some big test? Or is it that after one comes two, then three, and so on?" He quickly checked the claim that he couldn't contact Seras. "I may not be able to call for help, but they'll find be before I'm even breathing hard."
"You sure about that, mate?"
Suddenly, the ghoul did something Matthew hadn't seen before. It… opened its eyes?
Every ghoul Matthew had fought had something in common. Well, most of them anyway. Their eyes were sunken. They were open, yes, but they were always glazed over. They relied on their vampire master for all information of their surroundings and instructions for battle. Shalrik's serum eliminated some of that weakness, allowing one ghoul to receive instruction and pass it on to others.
But this one's eyes were clear. And focused directly at Matthew. He stepped out with much more fluidity than a ghoul should have, lacking also the normal groan ghouls had. Matthew suddenly noticed a weapon on a desk at the far side of the room. It was some sort of semi-auto rifle. The ghoul grabbed it, took aim at Matthew, and fired. Matthew had been watching the ghoul, wondering why it was so different. Luckily, his mind came back to reality in time for him to leap aside. After the surprises this ghoul was sending his way, he didn't want to add silver bullets to that list.
Matthew brought his pistols around and opened fire, sending his nine millimeter anti-vampire bullets at the strange ghoul. The ghoul sidestepped, but not completely out of the way. It simply took the hit to a non-vital area and continued firing. Matthew kept moving, landing in one place and leaping towards another. He kept trying to score a hit, but kept failing. Luckily, the ghoul was faring no better.
But Matthew's problems suddenly doubled. Another of these extra enhanced ghouls entered the room. This one was armed with an MP-5. Matthew did what he could to return fire, but with so many bullets flying in his direction, all he could do was evade while the vampire in the control room laughed.
There was an explosion from the far side of the room, the security door being blown from its mounts. Seras stood there, Harkonnen in hand. She dropped the cannon, drew pistols, and entered the fray. Her twin Glocks spat out their nine millimeter bullets at full auto, taking out the rifle armed ghoul before it could move. The other managed to dodge and return fire, but Matthew was able to score a hit on the distracted ghoul. It too fell to the ground as ash and pieces.
The vampire laughed at the two of them. Matthew glared back, knowing what that laugh signified. He saw Matthew as pathetic, weak. While Matthew shouldn't have let it get to him, it did. Without a word, the vampire walked away, a metal plate sliding into place over the window. Matthew continued glaring, trying to calm his mind. Alucard joined them, walking past Matthew and to the door the first ghoul had come from. He reached out a hand, clenched it, and pulled. The door, grabbed through telekinetic force, was ripped from the wall. Alucard led the way, Seras tapping Matthew on the shoulder and following. Matthew was a few steps behind.
There was no resistance through the next few corridors. Alucard knew exactly where he was going. As usual, he had no weapons drawn yet. Seras and Matthew had pistols drawn, ready for whatever was around the next corner.
They found the target vampire. Matthew gave a mental sigh. 'Do every one of these guys have a friggin study?'
The vampire sat in the far corner behind a desk, leaning back and looking unconcerned. Though he was looking at the trio. He raised a hand, and gestured. At that command, three vampires and a several more of the new ghouls came through the door behind them. "Must say I've been looking forward to this, Hellsing scum. Fight. Information is your prize if you survive."
The Global Fang forces moved first. None leaped for close in attack, rather drawing guns. Seras and Matthew ducked behind cover. Alucard gave his standard 'bring it' chuckle, finally drawing his pistols.
Both sides opened fire.
The battle was short and fierce. Alucard ignored the shots that hit him and sent a large silver bullet at two of the vampires. Each got a new hole in his head before falling in a pile of ash. One of the ghouls managed a good shot that hit Matthew's shoulder, but Matthew dropped it and the next one over moments later. Seras's rounds took down another pair of ghouls. Bullets from both their guns met on the last ghouls while Alucard took out the remaining vampire.
They looked back at the head vampire in near unison.
He nodded. "Good show, mates." He held up an envelope, then slid it across the desk to them. "You'll find the next part of the chain there."
"Why tell us?" Matthew asked, feeling that he was his job to ask the stupid questions of the group.
"You're going to find us sooner or later."
"That's it?" Matthew replied.
The vampire merely shrugged. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other things to deal with tonight. Until later." He vanished from his chair, teleporting away.
Alucard looked back at Matthew and Seras. "This next 'part of the chain' better put up a fight, or else I'll start thinking you didn't need my help here after all."
Matthew finally cracked a small smile and shook his head. 'Same old Alucard…'
The envelope's contents gave them some information, though certainly not as much as they would have liked. Their next target was the second in command of the Global Fangs, named Charlie. He was currently at a stronghold some distance outside of Sydney. From there, they would get their 'next stop'. They made a final run back to their safe house, this time packing every weapon and supply they had into their SUV. Made selection a lot easier, that was for sure.
Matthew took the wheel as they drove away from the lights of Sydney. They covered many miles in the remaining darkness, moving into the Blue Mountains. Alucard directed them off the road and into a nearby cave for the daylight hours. They could work in daylight well enough, but they would need to get rest eventually, and with another hour of driving they would be at the target.
Matthew was able to doze during the daylight hours, but he didn't get much rest. Seras did better, but Alucard was out completely. It seemed that nothing ever bothered the elder vampire. The same couldn't be said for Matthew, however. Those times he was fully awake he was running the upcoming missions through his head time and time again.
Suddenly, Alucard broke the silence. "Police girl, would you tell your fledgling to stop thinking? Some of us are trying to sleep."
Matthew sighed, leaned back, and tried switching his thoughts to something truly annoying, like small dogs yapping non-stop.
Later, as they started collecting their things to head back to the SUV, Matthew dug out a single magazine from his gear and slipped it into a pocket. Taking the wheel once again, Matthew brought the SUV back to the road in the growing twilight, starting for their target once again.
It was dark when they neared it. Having abandoned their SUV behind a ridge, the trio made their way through the brush toward the target. This part of Australia was green, as they were still close enough to the coast. It was a moonless night, so they walked to the top of the ridge with no hesitation. Alucard would keep them hidden from their foe for a little longer.
This Global Fang stronghold seemed purpose built, unlike others. There weren't exposed gun turrets or something, but there were a number of garage type doors for transports and there were few windows. All sides of the building appeared reinforced. Matthew simply grabbed the new and improved Valkyrie. Alucard smirked, chuckled, and gave an approving nod. Seras drew her Glocks, and Alucard drew Jackal and Titan. They started toward the closest door. This time where would be no splitting up. They would fight together.
Matthew slammed a ring magazine into the cannon, the first shell moving into place. They stopped about twenty feet from the door, and Matthew shouldered Valkyrie in a two handed grip. He pulled the trigger. The cannon gave it's tremendous report, a single three inch shell launching and blasting the door off its hinges… along with a bit of wall from each side. They started in, Matthew dropping Valkyrie by the door. He wouldn't need it again. He drew one browning and his auto-mag.
Alucard had done a fine job hiding them. The vampires at this stronghold had known they would be coming, but hadn't known they were there until Matthew blasted down the door. The hallway lights were on, giving the concrete floor and walls dim illumination. Heavy doors were spaced at semi regular intervals, and other corridors crossed every so often. The hallway was easily wide enough for the three to walk nearly side-by-side with room to hold their weapons out a bit. Seras covered the doors on one side, Matthew the other, and Alucard kept his down the middle.
A door opened, a vampire rushing out to identify the noise. Surprise on his face, he tried to duck back into the room. Alucard put a bullet through his head. Further up the hall, several armed vampires took positions of cover. The trio all took aim ahead and sent a veritable wave of silver and mercury at their Global Fang foes. Taking a moment to reload, they continued, shooting at targets as they appeared.
They reached an intersection. Matthew heard the 'braap' of Seras's full-auto Glocks as she mowed down her targets. "Matthew," she called as she ran out of ammo and had to reload.
Not missing a beat, Matthew swung around and took aim. He fired the remaining rounds in his browning. As its slide locked back, he brought the auto-mag around and took out the last few foes with its 44 magnum bullets. He reloaded the browning and holstered the auto-mag after hitting its slide release, then drew the second browning and continued along the hallway.
This continued for some time, Alucard directing them around the stronghold and steadily removing their foes. They approached a wood double door. Somehow, Matthew knew that beyond was a conference room. But they were expected. The element of surprise had long left them. Alucard put a bullet through the lock and kicked the door in, taking aim at the far side of the room. Seras and Matthew, pistols drawn, slipped in beside him and attacked the sides of the room.
There were many rows of chairs set up in typical conference room / auditorium style. At the far side was a low stage, a podium on one side and a computer operator's terminal on the other. A white projection hung between them. But the most prominent feature of the room was its occupants. Vampires and ghouls had been assembled to fight the Hellsing intruders.
Matthew took aim at a nearby pack of ghouls. These weren't the new 'refined' variety, just the standard ghoul. But he was sure they were armored, so he didn't spare the bullets in dealing with them. Reloading his brownings, he moved on to the next foes. Seras had switched over to Joshua; slower to take out targets, but could take each one down with one shot. Alucard simply picked off targets one at a time, taking the ones furthest away from him, as if to show off the power of his weapons.
Suddenly, loading in another pair of fresh magazines, Matthew left the group and charged headlong into the largest group of enemies. Seras yelled for him to stop, but he didn't hear her. All his focus was on his targets. The rest of the room had gone dark, the sounds of gunfire fading to dull thuds. He took out vampires and ghouls one by one, the Global Fang foes not able to even touch him let alone hurt him.
"Matthew!"
The room snapped back to normal, Matthew holding a pair of empty, smoking pistols and breathing heavily. He looked back at Seras. The room was cleared, ash surrounding them. Bullet holes in the walls were a testament to the havoc they'd wreaked. "Sorry," he calmly replied. "Went a little far for a moment."
"Are you all right?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." That was a bit of a lie. He was really nervous about that… burst. 'Where'd my control go?'
Alucard spoke. "We'll have to split up for the time being if we want to catch our prey before they scatter." He started for the far door. "Keep in contact." And he was gone.
"Be careful," Seras said, heading for the other far door.
That left the door they'd come in through for Matthew. Most of that area had already been covered, so he started for another quadrant. The sharp snaps of gunfire told him his fellows were doing just fine. Other than the occasional vampire or ghoul pack, Matthew had few problems.
Though suddenly, that changed. A door burst open, and the master from the base on the outskirts of Sydney entered the corridor with three of his refined ghouls. He hissed, pointing at Matthew. The ghouls growled at each other, then started an intelligent multi-sided attack as the master fled.
Matthew waited until the ghouls were point-blank, then quickly holstered his brownings and whipped Spitfire around. He scythed his fire across the hallway. The ghouls dodged some of his fire, one managing to get through and slash Matthew's arm before getting a face full of silver. His arm healing quickly, Matthew set off in pursuit of the master, switching back to his brownings.
He found him a short distance away, having now armed himself with a pair of uzis. No words were exchanged this time. The opponents simply opened fire. They were in a sort of workroom, with workbenches and stools at various places around the room. They gave good cover as the two looked for a good firing position.
Matthew swung around one bench and got a lucky hit on the master's leg, injuring him but not disabling him. He ducked back as the master sent another pair of bullets his way.
Then all was silent. The two moved from one bench to another, trying to find the one they were trying to kill. Matthew moved around another bench, and his vision was suddenly filled with stars as the butt of an uzi connected with the back of his skull. He fell to the ground, rolling over to see the master aiming his uzi at Matthew's face. "Pity," the master said, "you would've done well if you'd joined us, Hellsing."
The bang of a pistol… But it was the master who turned to ash. Matthew quickly hauled himself to his feet. There, in the doorway, stood Alucard, a smirk on his face.
Normally that smirk didn't bother him. But this time it triggered a pool of rage within Matthew. Nothing came of it. Any words were interrupted. 'I could use some help here!'
Alucard and Matthew bolted for the door at Seras's call. The elder vampire led the way through the corridors to a large office type room. Tall bookcases lined one wall, and a heavy wood desk was prominent in the middle along the far wall. The rest of the room's furniture, chairs and a low table, were thrown or broken to splinters. Seras and another, a tall muscular vampire in a black t-shirt and black jeans, were locked in combat. Each danced around the room, spraying their fire at each other. Neither had scored a hit yet. But as Alucard and Matthew entered, a burst from one of Seras's Glocks hit the vampire's arm. He dropped that hand away from his weapon, an AK-47, and he let out another burst of fire that caught Seras in the leg.
The other looked up and saw he was outnumbered. He tossed of a salute. "Be seeing you," and vanished.
Matthew ran to Seras's side. Her wound had been shallow, and had already regenerated. "I'll be fine," she said before Matthew could ask.
They walked to the desk, a computer sitting atop it. A document was already up.
Greetings Hellsing forces,
I trust you'll be reading this. If not, then I've wasted all this time writing it, not that I'd mind too much.
I am Charlie. You could call me the XO of the Global Fangs. That you've come this far is good, though I'm sure Alucard knows exactly what is going on, so I'll be blunt. My master, Breka, is ready for, as she puts it, round 2. At the bottom of this message you will find coordinates of our headquarters. You can check with a map if you like, but don't think about aerial bombardment. This base within a mountain.
Feel free to stop by. We'll be waiting.
-Charlie
Matthew and Seras looked at Alucard. He had his smirk on again. He's just been challenged. No vampire worth his fangs would pass it up. "This base is clear," he said. "Our enemies are defeated, or have fled. We know where they're going. I saw we follow them, let them regroup, then crush them in one quick strike."