Chapter Five

- Government Policies

He lost another game of chess to Phillips; the other man's features brightened when he checked mate, his rugged face seemingly possessed by the light of the youth. And he was glad Phillips was happy, it made the older man forget about the past, about the haunting past battles and the horror that were constant in his dreams at night. Phillips forgot he lacked legs to walk and fight with whenever he won a battle of chess - a fine replacement for the days of glory.

Walter never told Phillips he lost most of the games on purpose as it would have spoiled their happiness.

"Your daughter no longer visits you?" Phillips had asked before his private nurse had taken him to a stroll on the gardens. No matter how many times he had explained that Integral was not his daughter, Phillips insisted on the same. Walter supposed that their relationship outside the organisation was more akin to that carried among a family rather than business.

"She's very ill, her… husband told me the other day."

Phillips had grimaced; Alucard's sinister presence intimidated him. "That man is bad news for her. My daughter no longer visits me because of hers." Walter had been relieved when the nurse had interrupted, taking Phillips away. Denise, that was his nurse' name, had offered to take him along with his roommate, but he had graciously declined, choosing to settle near the window and look to the world outside.

Walter had remained too long in the veteran of wars hospital - too damn long, considering how his body had healed by the end of the fourth month. Her Majesty's messengers had explained to him the importance of keeping a low profile and that this was why he had been sent to this clinic and no other. Some of the patients were fellow framed men, sacrificed to keep the Empire's glory intact and to preserve its immaculate image. Walter had nodded courteously and smiled politely as, in spite of his inner rage, he had to keep calm for Integral's sake. The news of her vampirism and her plight had only increased his bitterness; had he been there, a member of their party, as usual, she would still be human and free of that monster's thrall.

His hands closed into fists, arms trembled in collected anger. Walter reminded himself not to strain his fingers; he had lost most of the dexterity of his left hand during the crash, and with it half of his utility on the battlefield. A "one winged Angel of Death," Alucard had called him months ago.

Walter saw the sun set slowly, the dark starting to spread and the mist of London increasing, a layer of it even entering his humble chambers.

"Is the Angel of Death still too wounded to fly away from its cage?" a basso voice asked as the door shut and locked of own accord. Though Alucard's tone was never friendly, Walter found it that way.

"It's past visiting hours, Lord Alucard," he replied, glancing at the mist as they reformed into a man.

"The visit hours of this death house are for humans, we vampires have a different schedule," Alucard retorted, lips pursed up in one of those infernal smirks that faltered for a second. "And still they keep you here, Walter."

"I am still weak," Walter admitted - he had no strength to walk for a long time. He deemed his hips were no as good as they had once been.

"They are making you weak," the vampire said darkly.

Walter's eyes widened, his eyes falling on the serum and the box of pills over his nightstand. Could that be? Could his constant fatigue be consequence of some drug? "You cannot take me away any longer, Lord Alucard," he said sadly, regretting for not having taken the vampire's previous offers to aid him to escape the hospital. "I am too heavy for you to carry me, old friend," he added, too polite to point out how Alucard's own powers had diminished.

Alucard nodded, taking his hat, realising a mirthless chuckle. "She needs you."

"How is she, Alucard?" Walter asked, forgetting his self-pity in favour of his curiosity for Integral's welfare. He knew she refused to see him in this state, not for shame but for his own safety.

"Her control has been fading slowly ever since she found out her Master's identity," Alucard explained, moving next to him. Walter shut his eyes, perturbed by the foul news; he felt so tired and so…old "She was starting to get out more. Seras and I were following her, to check if it was her will to depart rather than her being controlled by him. She attacked the Police Girl yesterday when she tried to block her way. If I had not been around, she might have wounded Seras gravely."

"Has she killed anyone?"

"Several people, but that is hardly surprising," Alucard said with a hint of pride in his tone. "She's a fierce hunter, we trained her well." Walter shot him a weary look and the vampire's expression shadowed. "But she's our little girl no longer."

"Phillips' stroll must be nearly over by now," Walter stated; he did not want to cause further problems to Integral, she had enough to handle for now.

"Afraid I will provoke his first heart attack?"

"Lord Alucard…"

Alucard chuckled loudly and he started to dissolve into mist. "Remember what I said about their 'medicine,' Angel of Death." Walter heard the door cracking as the nurse opened it, making to enter. The vampire had just poured out the window when Phillips returned from his stroll. He turned to glance at them without interest, his attention focused in Alucard's warnings.

"You are thoughtful tonight," Phillips indicated.

"Just musing on our government's policies on hospital administration, Phillips," Walter assured his roommate and grimaced inwardly when Denise stepped inside, carrying a new jar of pills. "Nothing important," he said, resigned.

-----

She had taken a shower not so long ago. She recalled the softness of the soap, the vanilla scent of her shampoo. Yet why did she find herself wearing blood stained clothes? Why were her clothes tattered? Why was her hair tangled with muck?

Integral Hellsing took another shower and changed into a newly prepared suit. She took a seat at her office, recalling, attempting to type down her recollections of what she had done that day. There were time lapses for which she could not account – between ten thirty and eleven o'clock, around three P.M. and about an hour ago- no matter how hard she thought back, no new memories repaid her effort.

"Bloody hell!" she shut the laptop violently and slammed her left fist on the desk. It was a few hours ago, I am not supposed to have forgot..

She did not know what was worse: to suffer from this selective amnesia or to remember the impotent feeling of being controlled against her will. She gritted her teeth, trying hard not to cry in frustration. It was a nightmare how that vampire could keep her under his thumb, an unwilling puppet and a danger for everyone. She hated it, she loathed herself for being such a pathetic hunter to have allowed him to get as close.

And now I must pay the consequences, Integral thought, glancing at the remains of Her Majesty's letter that she had received yesterday and been left near her ashtray.

"Alucard," Integral called out, looking towards the right corner of her room, to the mist concealed by the shadows. "For how long have you been there?"

'Since you returned,' Alucard replied inside her mind. 'I talked to Walter. He also resents your pathetic human government policies.'

Integral pinched her nose, attempting to collect herself. She could not break down, not now, not when she was so close to finding out the dear 'Earl''s current alias. "Have faith in Her Majesty," she said, sounding wearier than she had intended to. "She has supported my actions so insofar."

'That may very well change…' Alucard stated, venomously. She had no opportunity to argue his lack of confidence as someone knocked at her twice. Her sharpened senses of smell and hearing indicated it was Seras Victoria long before the girl had spoken.

"Sir Hellsing, Her Majesty's emissaries are here."

"Let them pass, Officer," Integral shot a warning look at the shadows as she rose to greet the two agents. They took off their hats and bowed, sporting a serious expression. "Gentlemen, it is an honour to received your visits twice this week."

"I am afraid we carry foul news this time," the slimmer one confessed as his shorter companion offered her another letter branded "confidential".

Integral accepted the envelope and opened it, reading the note carefully. Twice. Making certain those ill words were real and not another nightmare. She sat down, overwhelmed by her grief and she tried to hold her self-control so not to rug the paper or lung towards them in a blind rage. "Is this her final word?"

-----

Seras Victoria wasn't intent to eavesdrop. She was just waiting outside to open the door for the gentlemen, that was all. The rest of the personnel had grown terrified of Integral and none dared to come close to her now. With Walter in the hospital, she had had to assume a butler role of sorts. She had not meant to accidentally listen on the conversation Sir Hellsing and the emissaries had been holding but, damn, when would they stop being so cryptic? She had no notion of what they were referring to and the suspense was killing her.

Sir Hellsing sounds stressed, Seras noted, feeling billions of butterflies inside her stomach. It must mean those where truly bad news, if her leader outwardly displayed any grief, however minimal. Her conscience was disturbed by what had happened recently.

Alucard had suggested that she follow Integral around on that particular day instead of plain stopping her, as usual. He had thought it might be worth the experience, if it meant learning what the blazes she was doing. And Seras had been naïve enough as to think her task would be easy. She had lost track of Integral; for one reason or the other, the staff had required her aid just when Integral had chosen to do her little vanishing routine, only to return quite bloodied. She had failed her boss and her Master andcould not explain it.

'You can ask for forgiveness later, Police Girl,' her Master's voice rung deep in her mind. 'Now open the door, they are eager to return before becoming the main dish.'

Seras gasped, snapping from her worries and noticing the firm knocks on the wooden door. Embarrassed, she leaned off and opened the gates. "I am sorry, sirs," she apologized, lowering her gaze. "I was distracted."

"Good evening," they bid farewell, tipping their hats and ushering to the exit without awaiting her guidance.

"Officer Victoria," Integral addressed her from her seat. Seras turned and examined the woman; there was such a hopeless expression on her face, one whose liking she had never seen before. There was no anger, no flames ignited inside her eyes. "Come in and close the door."

"Yes, Sir," Seras nodded and complied, side glancing at the shadows where her Master was hidden. "Is there anything you need?"

"Take a seat, Miss Victoria," Integral gestured to one of the chairs in front of her desk. "The Government has dictated new policies regarding our organisation."

-----

It was a dream to him, a dream come true. Enrico Maxwell smiled widely to his mysterious informant over the phone, a grin of a true spawn of the devil. "And you swear this information is reliable?" he questioned, just as Father Renaldo attempted to track the man's number to no avail.

There was a pause until Maxwell added, "Then these are great news indeed! God has finally sent His divine punishment upon that sow!" his tone was trembling, exhilarated. "I suspected something was happening to the heretics as they had been maintaining a low profile, less prolific than usually, but… this? This is better than I thought! May our Lord reward you for your kindness, brother," he bid him farewell and hung up. His green eyes focused on the older priest, who shook his head. He did not know who the gossiper was but that did not matter, it would not spoil his mood.

"Get me Anderson, now," Maxwell, waiting to obtain his new cell phone number and the country code. He had dispatched him on a special mission in Chile, a simple matter of trash disposal. Minor plagues could wait for them should they stop the biggest threats. Renaldo handed him the new number and Enrico dialed it, tapping his digits on the desk as his patience wore thin.

"Father Anderson?"Maxwell asked when he was finally attended. "Finish that assignment as soon you can and go to London to meet Sisters Takagi and Heinkel," he ordered, licking his lips as a sadistic glee shone in his eyes. "New heretic government policies, Father. The Hellsing Organisation has just been disbanded."

Edited by Lyanna Kane and StrangeSingaporean! Thanks for the feedback so far.