Wrapping this up, finally. Hope you all have enjoyed the ride.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"We have terrorists in Scotland, sir," Captain Stuart informed Elizabeth three days later.
"Ten to fifteen men, all with some military experience. They've taken over a monastery outside Eglin."
"Hostages?" Elizabeth asked, taking the file.
"Eight hostages, sir, all monks. Satellites show they're holed up in the chapel proper."
"Any undead?"
"Not this time."
"Thank God for small favors. Very well. Send in Richter and Arucard."
"Just them, sir?"
"They need the exercise. Observe them quietly and report everything back to me."
"Yes sir," Stuart departed the office, heading downstairs. He rapped on Diane's door. She opened it, dressed in a robe.
"Good evening, Captain. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"You have a mission. Report to the helipad in ten minutes."
"Sir!" Diane slammed the door in his face. Stuart sighed, looked down the hallway. Arucard was stalking towards him.
"How many?"
"Ten to fifteen terrorists, all human." Arucard's face dropped in disappointment.
"Pathetic. This will give me no pleasure."
"You'll be fine. Remember, we will be watching," Stuart walked away. Arucard put his hands on his hips and glared after him. Diane walked out, dressed in her uniform.
"I'll need a weapon," She said. Arucard snickered and pulled out a Casul, one of the ones she had stolen. She took it with a hiss of pleasure.
"Hello, my pretty. I've missed you," Arucard gave her an amused look as he handed her three clips of ammunition.
"Do not waste this."
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The helicopter ride to Eglin was free of conversation. Diane kept her eyes glued to the window, ignoring the vampire beside her and the idle chatter of the crew. She was eager to be out and about after eight days of confinement. Stuart had given them a quick briefing about who they were up against; an anarchist group that liked to target historical buildings. Most of the time the group simply bombed the sites, but they had changed tactics recently. Diane looked at the black ripples of the Scottish Highlands in the distance. Leaving the course of action up to Arucard seemed foolish on the surface, but she was eager to see the vampire in action again. Even against mere humans.
"We're in range, sir," The pilot called back.
"Excellent," Arucard and Diane unbuckled. A grunt threw open the chopper doors and they dropped lightly to the ground. Diane pulled her Casul out of her thigh holster and looked around. The chopper pulled away and headed north. Arucard sidled next to her.
"The monastery is still a mile away," Diane grumbled, moving in the right direction.
"Couldn't they have dropped us closer? What the…" White mist swirled around her, enveloping her completely. Red eyes gleamed in the whiteness.
"Come," Arucard whispered, the mist curling around her wrists. Diane resumed walking, looking past the eyes.
"You will let me know before I walk into any walls, right?" Chuckles rang in her ears. Diane sighed and broke into a jog. It took fifteen minutes to reach the abbey. Arucard kept the mist thick, sending it creeping around the perimeter. Diane listened hard, back against the wall.
"Bloody weird, I'm telling you."
"Please. You haven't been in Scotland before. Mists like this creep up and block out the entire area. Nature of the land," Voices came faintly above her. She pushed away from the wall and looked up. The mist parted, giving her a clean shot of the two men on the wall. She hit both in the nose, the bullets ripping through flesh and bone and sending the bodies hurtling back. Faint thumps sounded behind the wall. Arucard materialized next to her.
"Any more?"
"Twelve inside, along with the monks."
"Front door?" Arucard smiled, tongue hanging out.
"You look like a puppy."
"At last, a real Hunter," He turned and led her to the solid oak doors. She stood back while he shot the lock. The entire door exploded, bringing shouts from the inside. Arucard and Diane charged in, Diane ducking for cover, Arucard in full view. He laughed as five terrorists filled him with bullets. Diane left him to his fun, sneaking around the wall. She could hear voices to her left and followed, keeping to the shadows and cursing the light blue uniform. Arucard appeared, guns drawn. She continued on her course and reached the chapel. Kneeling, she peeked inside. Seven monks were huddled near the altar, flanked by two terrorists. A third terrorist had another monk in front of him while three more guarded the door. Diane pushed on the window, it didn't budge. She shrugged and shot it out just as Arucard broke through the door. The terrorists focused on Arucard, ignoring the woman climbing in on their flank.
"Kill him!" Bullets sprayed, riddling Arucard with holes. Diane dropped behind the pews and crawled up the aisle. Arucard burst out laughing and she grinned.
"You miserable little worms. Taking holy men hostage to further your pathetic claims. This is not how anarchy works. You must seize control!" The vampire threw his arm forward, the Jackal barked and a terrorist collapsed in a bloody tangle. The ones guarding the monks moved forward, the hostage-holder moved back and the others shifted closer. All the terrorists were equipped with helmets, body armor and black market automatic rifles. But that didn't protect the backs of their necks. Diane silenced the monks with a gesture, crawling behind them.
"I'll have to borrow your shoulder, Father. Will the rest of you move?" The monks dived for the pews, except the one she was hiding behind. Resting the muzzle on the monk's shoulder, she leaned in. "This may make you deaf."
"Just rescue us, child," The monk whispered back. Diane nodded, aimed and caught the closest terrorist through the third vertebrae. He dropped with a gush of blood through the throat.
"Shit! There's two!"
"Move, Father!" Diane stood, shoved the monk aside. He scrambled to his brothers as she shot the second in the groin. He dropped, howling. The monks crossed themselves. Diane smirked.
"Make your choice, scum. Surrender or die," Arucard said to the remaining three terrorists. The one holding the monk turned on Diane, nudging the trembling man in the temple with a pistol.
"What's a pretty bird like you doin' here? Get your jollies shooting men, do you?" He taunted. Diane lowered her gun, dropped the clip.
"That's more like it. Now, come here," Diane grinned and gripped the Casul in her teeth. The terrorist gaped as she pulled another clip out and shoved it home. She winked, took the gun slowly out of her mouth, and cocked it. Arucard smiled maniacally. The two terrorists closest to him freaked out and filled him with bullets again. Arucard laughed the entire time.
"You really are stupid. It didn't work last time," Diane said, shaking her head. She turned the gun on her terrorist, who jerked the monk closer.
"Forgive me, Father, for I know exactly what I do," Arucard reformed and shot both terrorists in front of him. Diane looked directly at the monk, eyes cold. He nodded.
"Wait. What?" The terrorist protested. Diane fired. The incendiary round tore through the monk and terrorist, exploding inside the armor. Both were sent hurtling backward. Arucard stepped out of the way and the bodies landed on top of the pile of flesh and bone beside him. Diane holstered the smoking Casul and walked forward. Arucard watched as she pulled the monk free of the bodies. The surviving monks stood and hurried over.
"We will take care of them," One of them said, resting a hand on Diane's shoulder.
"You did what you had to. He forgave you before you pulled the trigger and we forgive you now." He reached up and drew a cross on Diane's forehead.
"Go in peace, child. Thank you," Diane looked at the monk, nodded and jumped over the bodies.
"Hey! What about me?" A voice called. Arucard looked over at the terrorist still bleeding from Diane's bullet. The monk shook his head.
"We are healers. We will tend to him. With God's help, by the time he has healed, he will have reformed."
"He's an anarchist, Father. It would be better to end it now," Diane said.
"No. There has been enough bloodshed tonight. We thank you for your help. Please, what are your names, so that we may say Mass in your honor?" The monk looked at them. Arucard threw back his head and laughed. Diane's lips twitched. The monk looked confused.
"Say the Mass in honor of…Hellsing. It was they who sent us," Diane said. Bowing slightly, she left the chapel, a still-chuckling Arucard on her heels. The monk sketched a Sign of the Cross after them, then turned to help his brothers clean up.
"You enjoyed that," Arucard said as they walked out of the destroyed gate. Diane smirked and toggled her radio.
"Mission accomplished."