Arucard smirked as Diane overrode his compulsion. Elizabeth and Michael looked over at the portal and straightened.
"Arucard." Elizabeth's voice sounded resigned. Michael squeezed her hand. Arucard dissolved the portal and entered the room, leading Diane. Elizabeth glanced at the German woman, saw the tightly closed eyes and smirked. She walked over to her desk and sat, Michael moved to stand at his customary space.
"Master. May I present Diane Richter, the thief." Diane's eyes popped open and she turned on Arucard.
"You underhanded, scheming…"
"That will do." Elizabeth said firmly. Diane whipped back around and bowed, fist over heart.
"Forgive me, Sir Elizabeth, for my outburst. Your agent has been less then gentle with me." She straightened, keeping her head lowered respectfully.
Elizabeth studied the woman in front of her. One of her old black suits fit Diane well. The silver around her throat did not detract from the tie carefully knotted under the shirt collar, nor did the cuffs peeking out from the coat sleeves lessen the severity of the outfit. She looked like a dignified prisoner.
"You have been accused of stealing weapons and arms from our base in Germany. How do you plead?" Elizabeth asked, folding her hands on her desk.
"I left what I could to pay for the items in question, sir. Your organization is the only one that had what I needed."
"Why did you not simply apply to join us?"
"Because people I loved had taken that course and they died in a few months. I was their family and I was not informed of their deaths. I had to go to the Hellsing cemetery to find them." Elizabeth glared at Arucard.
"Is this true?"
"I do not know, Master. Diane was a gang member. Perhaps her comrades did not offer a next of kin."
"Miss Richter?"
"Not anymore, sir. They are all dead. Killed by vampires Hellsing failed to exterminate."
"You blame us for the death of your gang."
"I blame your agents, not you directly. You are here in England, how could you possibly keep tabs on everything?" Diane glanced up through her hair, which had slid to cover part of her face.
"I knew how to get in without setting off the alarms. It was a simple matter to take what I needed to protect the streets as best I could. I paid for everything."
"She left gold, jewels and an offering." Arucard tossed out casually.
"And you did not go back." Elizabeth added. Diane shook her head.
"I had enough to last me a while. I would only have gone back for ammunition if my contacts could not duplicate it for me."
"Criminal contacts?"
"One does what one must to survive." Michael and Arucard smirked. Elizabeth glared at the vampire, ignored her husband.
"Where are the items now?"
"I've used four clips of ammunition and two bottles of holy water. Arucard has what he took off me, the rest is stored safely in Germany." Elizabeth looked at Arucard, who produced the guns, two full clips, two empty ones, the silver knife and laid them all on the desk. Elizabeth's eyes widened at the blade and she glared at Diane.
"Where did you get this blade?" She demanded, jumping to her feet. Diane raised her head.
"A Spaniard made it for me."
"It is different." Arucard added. Elizabeth glared at them, then unsheathed the blade. After a few moments study, she sheathed it.
"So it is. Well, Diane Richter, you have confessed to your crime. By all rights I should turn you over to the police for trial." Diane met Elizabeth's gaze, impassive.
"However, you have courage. How many vampires have you fought?" Diane reached into her pants pocket and pulled out four fangs. She moved forward and dropped them on Elizabeth's desk. Everyone stared at the ivory giving off a dull gleam in the lamplight.
"If your agents are diligent about reporting in, you should know they only killed one lieutenant and the Father of that nest. Arucard killed Hensel. I killed Valerie." Arucard's eyes blazed. Elizabeth picked up one of the fangs.
"How?"
"She wasn't as developed as the others. I incapacitated her, took her fangs, and sent her to Hell. I'm planning on making them into earrings." Elizabeth dropped the fang with a clatter. Diane scooped up her trophies and put them back in her pocket.
"Embarrassing way to die." Arucard said. All three mortals turned and looked at him; Elizabeth and Michael annoyed, Diane amused. Arucard grinned.
"The start of a collection?" She asked Diane.
"No. First kill." Diane's smirk mirrored Arucard's. "Do you still want me?"
"A suitable punishment. You will report directly to Arucard on all missions."
"How long?" Diane shifted, stood at attention. Arucard grinned madly. Elizabeth ignored the vampire.
"Until you die or reach an age suitable to retire. We are a lifetime organization." Elizabeth's hand moved slightly. Bernard entered the room and joined Diane.
"Yes sir."
"See that Diane is outfitted with a proper uniform. She will be staying in the manor, the room next to Seras' will suffice." Bernard bowed. Elizabeth looked at Diane.
"You may keep the armor you brought with you."
"What about my blade?"
"That will be returned after a successful mission. You are dismissed. Report to me tomorrow night for assignment."
"Sir." Diane bowed and turned on her heel. Bernard caught up with her quickly and the pair left the room. Arucard turned to Elizabeth.
"Thank you, Master."
"I did not do this for you, Arucard. She needs to be taught a lesson. If she proves herself worthy, I will move her to the barracks. You only have her until then. Dismissed." Arucard grinned and disappeared. Michael sat on the desk and took Elizabeth's hand.
"Exactly what uniform are you putting her in?" He asked. Elizabeth smirked and laced her fingers through his. Michael burst out laughing.
"Oh, cara mia. You may have outsmarted yourself."
"What do you mean?" She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed it.
"Arucard wants her."
"What?"
"I am surprised you did not see it. Any time he looked at her, there was a gleam, something I have not seen since Integra was alive. It is stronger with Diane."
"He cannot have her."
"It is not your choice, cara."
"It will take us a few hours to prepare your room for you." Bernard led Diane back to the guest room. "In the meantime, you can stay here. Would you like a book?"
"No thank you, Bernard." Diane shrugged out of the coat the second she entered the room. She tossed it on the bed, the tie quickly followed.
"How I hate suits. I hope the uniform is more comfortable." Bernard kept his face expressionless. "Will I be allowed off-duty clothes?"
"Your outfit is currently being cleaned. If you wish for other clothes, I suggest you do a little shopping. Seras will be happy to accompany you."
"Seras?"
"Seras Victoria, our other elite agent."
"Another vampire."
"Correct, miss."
"Please don't call me that. I've never been a 'miss'." Diane sat on the bed and studied the butler.
"You don't need to hover either." She smiled slightly. "I'm not going to run away."
"You would not succeed. I will bring you your uniform for fitting shortly. Please excuse me." Diane nodded and Bernard left. Reaching for a pillow, she tossed it into the air and punched, hard. After three punches, the pillow ripped and began leaking feathers. Diane growled and continued pounding at it until there was nothing left but feathers coating a large section of carpet, the nightstand, the bed, her and a ripped pillow casing. She stood there, breathing hard.
"Damn Hellsing. Yes, that means you, sir." She sneered. Heading for the bathroom, she grabbed the rubbish bin and began cleaning up. Bernard walked in as she was finishing sweeping the feathers off of herself. His eyebrows twitched.
"Thank you." He said finally. Diane turned, holding the full bin.
"A suitable punishment." She glanced at the uniform draped over his arm. "That looks a little small."
"It might be too big. Please try it on." He handed over the uniform. Diane put the bin down, took the uniform and looked it over. She glanced at Bernard.
"I may have to destroy another pillow."
"Your pay will be docked accordingly."
"At least I'll get paid." She headed into the bathroom and shut the door. Bernard allowed himself a wry smile. A knock sounded and he opened the hall door. Seras stood there grinning.
"Hello, Bernard. I heard we have a new agent."
"Yes, she's trying on her uniform."
"She?" Seras' red eyes grew wide.
"Oh dear." She walked in just as Diane walked out. The two women stopped and stared at each other. The blue top hung loosely on Diane, but the skirt fit well. Bernard nodded.
"As I suspected. If I may, Diane?"
"Yes." Diane held her arms out as Bernard approached with a pincushion. Her eyes remained fixed on Seras, who was smiling nervously.
"Let me guess. You weren't wanted either."
"Wanted?" Seras blinked, then giggled.
"Oh, not like that. Arucard turned me and I had nowhere else to go. It took a while, but Sir Integra learned to like me."
"Integra?"
"Sir Elizabeth's mother." Bernard chimed in, pinning the seams.
"Are there any other females in this organization?"
"Not here in England. Most of them are in Ireland or the continent." Seras chirped, smiling.
"Do they wear this uniform?" The smile faded and Seras rubbed the back of her head.
"Umm."
"I thought so."
"All done." Bernard stepped back. "You can change now, Diane. I will have the right size ordered; you should get three changes of uniform by tomorrow night. Your room will be ready soon."
"Thank you, Bernard." Diane went back to the bathroom to change. Seras looked at Walter.
"That bad, is it?"
"It would appear so. At least she cleans up after herself."
"Where is she being moved?"
"Next door to you."
"But she's human!"
"She stole from the German base."
"Oh."
"I have other things I must attend. If you will excuse me."
"Of course. I'll be along." Seras frowned at the bathroom door as Bernard fled the room. Diane came out in her borrowed suit, the uniform over one arm. She glanced at Seras before walking by to lay out the uniform neatly.
"I am glad you'll be staying in the manor. It can get a little lonely sometimes without another woman to talk to."
"I suppose it can." Seras gasped at the anger she felt rolling off of Diane. The human turned suddenly and smiled.
"We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Diane Richter, incarcerated criminal." She held out her hand. Seras took it gently.
"Seras Victoria, resident vampire."
"I was told you were the one who could take me shopping."
"Shopping?" Seras' eyes lit up. "I'd be happy to! We'll go first thing in the morning. What do you like to wear?"
"Black."
"Is that all?"
"Mostly."
"Well, we can do better then that!" Seras plopped down on the bed, tucking her legs under her. "Come, sit down. I'd like to get to know you."
"That could be dangerous." Diane said wryly, joining Seras on the bed.
"Not for me. I survived the Millennium."
"The what?"
"You don't know that story? Well, it all started…"