Author's note: Please be aware that this whole story line actually takes place after the anime, in a completely different direction to the manga.The events may hint slightly to the FREAK chip infestation, for reasons of continuity, but this is my interpretation on how events unfold post Order 13 in the anime.
Chapter One:A Pain in the Neck'I have a fix on the target, closing in.' said Seras, pressing her earpiece. She clutched a pistol in her other hand, and hurried up the dark alley. In the distance ahead, she heard the sound of toppling trashcans and hurried footsteps. She saw the figure that she pursued much clearer than a human could.
'Make the kill, Officer Seras, clean-up will finish the rest.' Said the voice in her earpiece.
She squeezed off a round at the fleeing figure, but narrowly missed. The freak leapt up onto a fire escape and climbed up.
'In pursuit of the target up the west wall of the building, heading to the roof,' she reported back, before leaping up with the ease that only a vampire can, following the freak up the ladders. She fired off another mercury-charge bullet, but the freak disappeared on to the roof unscathed.
Before she reached the roof, she suddenly stopped and clutched her neck. She felt a burning sensation in the scar, still there after all this time, by someone she feared to meet again. Regaining her resolve, she hurried onto the roof.
The freak stood there, facing her. She stopped and pointed the pistol at it – it was a man, perhaps no older than she had been when she was a human. Not that her age mattered any more, of course. Her finger tightened on the trigger. At this range, she thought, I have no chance of missing.
The freak suddenly shuddered violently as a hundred blades skewered its body. It fell and exploded in a cloud of dust.
Seras gasped. The burning in her neck suddenly became stronger, for as the dust cleared away; she saw the tall, grinning figure standing before her. It was the figure of the man she had never wanted to encounter again. She froze, terrified.
'Well, if it isn't wee Draculina!' said Father Alexander Anderson mockingly. 'Long time no see, Eh?'
Seras could not speak or act. She knew that not a single bullet from her gun could possibly harm the deranged priest, nor could she persuade him from carving her up like a Thanksgiving bird. She could try to run away, but she was sure he would be much faster, and put a few blades through her before she was even two feet away.
'It has been such a long time, has it not, lassie?' Anderson grinned. 'But obviously not long enough for you, I see. Frightened? Good, so ye should be.'
Seras remained rooted to the spot, and Anderson seemed to be enjoying his little speech. Suddenly a voice entered her mind. A voice was familiar, and comforted her greatly.
Police Girl, you are much stronger now than the day you and the Paladin last met. Search yourself, you know the truth. You can face him. You can fight him.
Alucard's voice resounded within her head.
'I've waited such a long time for this day - the day I finally smite ye back to Hell…' Anderson continued.
Police Girl; listen to your Master! You are a creature of the night, far more than any human, and certainly more than any freak. You are strong, Police Girl. Stand up to him at last!
Her master was insistent. The voice in her head was excited, enthused.
Suddenly Seras was aware of a great strength running through her body. She was a true undead, a nosferatu sired by the most feared and powerful of all the undead. The blood of Alucard coursed through her body, and she knew it was true. She was stronger. She was more powerful. She had nothing to fear from this priest. Suddenly her fangs felt sharper in her mouth, and her blood ran hotter inside her.
Yes, Police Girl. Now you're feeling it! Now fight the Paladin!
Alucard's voice was now manic, thoroughly unhinged. She too felt a surge within her, of pure power that she felt so long ago – when she'd 'vamped out', as she called it - that night she single-handedly laid waste to a pack of ghouls that had invaded the Hellsing lair.
It was a feeling she very much enjoyed.
'Yes, my Master…' she hissed gleefully. Her eyes glowed wildly.
'Officer Seras, what it your status?' said the voice from her earpiece. She tore it off and threw it to one side.
'Go ahead, Father – strike me down… if you can.'
Anderson's grin grew wider and his eyes glowed maniacally. 'Well, well, Draculina has grown a spine, has she? This should be interesting!'
The Paladin let loose a hail of blades in rapid succession. To his surprise, Seras moved with unbelievable speed, dodged each one, and leapt high in to the air, over the priest's head, landing behind him. The young vampire was surprised in herself to discover that she had moved so fast, so precisely – so fearlessly. She fired the pistol at his torso, ripping a hole straight through him. He turned and faced her, his wound closing up as he moved. He fixed her with a fearful stare.
'Seems Hellsing's new pet learned some new tricks…'
He launched another blade at Seras, but she deftly returned it with a well-placed high kick, sending it back at him, piercing his neck. He clutched at it, dropping to his knees. Gasping for breath, he looked down at the blood pouring out onto his robes.
'Regenerator or not – you still can't breath with a knife in your neck!' Seras spat mockingly. 'This makes us even.'
She reached over her shoulder and pulled out a sword, kept in a sheath on her back. The blade shimmered in the moonlight.
'This blade was made from all the knives you used on my master, the vampire Alucard,' she said proudly. 'I have been waiting for this day – the day I got to use it on you.'
Anderson gurgled incoherently, then managed to splutter the words, '…How can this be…?'
'This one's for Gareth!' Seras yelled, slicing off the Paladin's left arm. He let out a shriek as he watched his limb splatter to the concrete. His right arm moved to throw another blade, but Seras' sword severed it in a movement so quick it was almost invisible. Seras kicked the helpless priest onto his back, and placed a heel on the knife in his neck.
'Only human…' she growled. Anderson retched from the blood in his throat, and for the first time, Seras saw a look of mortal fear in his eyes.
'Do it then…' Anderson spluttered, 'Kill me… ye child of Satan…!'
Seras straddled the priest and pulled the knife sharply out of his throat. She looked menacingly into his eyes.
'I will not kill you. I am sworn to protect all humans… even those like you.' Seras said. 'Instead, run back to your precious section XIII and tell them all who you lost your limbs to.' She stood up, sheathed her sword, and flicked her hair back.
'But if you do come back – I will kill you.'
With that, Seras sprinted across the roof and dove into the darkness below.