Hellsing: Battlefront
Chapter eight: The Bulge.
ZR: Yay! Eighth chapter ish here! And better yet, more vampires are comming into play!
Disclaimer: I don't own Hellsing, Only the characters I've created.
Location: Outskirts of Bitche (Yes, that's a real town)
Time: 1600 hours
Date: February 20, 2009.
What the hell? This is all John was thinking. How could the commanding Generals even let this happen…AGAIN? The Nazis pushed through the defensive lines ONCE AGAIN, and created a massive 'Bulge' in the Allied held territory. This time, it was up to John's Elite Corps to take care of the 'nip and tuck' operation.
The Elite Corps, called the Hunter-Killer Corps, is renowned for killing many FREAKS. So many in fact, that even the Waffen SS fear them. Mainly consisting of foot soldiers, the Hunter-Killer Corps moves swiftly, and decisively. They are Shock troopers, the lightning corps.
They only started out as the single squad that John trained himself, then, after a few decisive battles, they grew to the Elite Corps. Encompassing all perspectives of the military, land, air, and sea, they are the first to do so.
Not too long ago, John and Seras had a promotion, after taking out a freak held bunker, and continuing to hold it, on their own, for four hours. John was now a Major, and Seras a Lieutenant. It was an impressive feat, even for a vampire. Still, much to John's dismay, there was even MORE paper work. Not now anyway, just the way he liked it.
"Blue team, what's your status? Over."
"My squad is holding position just outside the town, we nearly ran into a snag. Over"
"Roger that. Green Team, status? Over."
"Green leader here, Humvee distraction squad ready to go. Over."
"Roger. Yellow team, status? Over"
"Yellow leader here, Yellow team is ready for 'Steel Rain'. Over"
"Roger. Orange team, status? Over"
"Orange leader here, armor support ready to rumble. Over"
"Affirmative. Be ready to go when I give my mark. Over."
"Roger."
"Ten-four."
"Affirmative."
John clicked off his radio and looked to his left and right. Twenty-seven other soldiers, beside himself, Seras and Amelia, were crouched, waiting for the right time to strike. All of them were armed to the teeth. (No pun intended) Seven of them were armed with FAF guided rockets, just in case there were any tanks within the town. More than likely there were.
Ten minutes left to go. John slowly made his way through the lines, mentally checking every soldier, and checking their equipment. These soldiers were the first 'ground-pounders' to receive the new standard M8 rifle. Most of the components of the rifle can be switched with a different part, so that the standard rifle can become a machine gun, or an SMG, or a sniper rifle. This is truly the ACR, or All-Combat-Rifle. They were new, so that meant that they could break down in the field, likely, they all had replacement parts stowed in their packs.
One-minute left, John turned his mike back on, "Yellow team, fire when ready."
There was no need to reply to his order vocally. It was replied when five seconds after he given the order when the Paladin mobile artillery shells began raining down upon the Nazi held town. Several shells exploded before impacting, sending dozens of grenade size explosives over the city. They in turn exploded ten feet from the ground, sending shrapnel into the unfortunate bodies of the FREAKS in the open.
Buildings erupted in brick and smoke, the shells tearing huge chunks of mortar and brick from the structures. John could see dozens of FREAKS scrambling for cover as the hundred pound shells rained down on the town.
Thirty seconds, "Green Leader, now's the time."
"Roger."
Three seconds later, machinegun fire erupted on the east side of the town. The Humvees drove around the east side of the town, attempting to distract the FREAKS. A few of the Humvees had TOW missiles mounted, which they fired upon the town. Smoke trails exited from the Humvees, and connected with more buildings, aiding the artillery barrage in the destruction.
Time was up.
"ALRIGHT BOYS AND GALS! OOORAHH!"
"OOORAH!" They replied in unison.
"OOORAHH!" John yelled into his mike
John jumped up and held his gun in the air, "OORAH!" He then ran into the town, Seras and Amelia following close behind. The Elites not too far behind shouting profanities, hooting and hollering as they charged, en masse toward the town. By now the FREAKS were thoroughly confused and started shooting anything that moved, including their own fellow soldiers.
When John was ten feet away from the town, the artillery stopped, and the Humvees continued their attack on the east side of the town. He shouldered his rifle and opened up on the closest FREAK, gunning him down as he tried to flee from the charging forces.
"Mendoza, Seras, Amelia, Joel, Michael, Perez, your with me! We're cleaning house! Machine gun number one and two, follow us!"
John ran up to the first building he reached, a small three story house. HE stood waiting on the right side of the door, Seras and Amelia close behind. Mendoza, Joel, Michael, and Perez were not too far behind. Gunners one and two were standing adjacent to the house, crouched on the ground waiting for their signal. Mendoza and Perez shattered the windows, and threw flash-bang grenades into the house. Two seconds later, a bright flash and a loud BANG erupted from the house. John kicked down the door, and motioned Joel and Michael inside. They went inside and swept the interior room, three FREAKS clutching their eyes and ears. Their rifles roared, and the FREAKS were gunned down.
"All clear sir!" Shouted Perez.
The rest of the squad entered the house.
"We'll split up. Seras, Mendoza, you're with me, we'll clear theupstairs of the house. Amelia, Michael, Perez, clear the rest of the house, including the basement. Gunners, follow us up."
John, Seras and Mendoza went up the stairs, closely followed by the gunners, While Amelia, Michael and Perez went from room to room searching out any and all FREAKS within the base floor and the basement.
John and his squad arrived on the second level, three doorways, which meant three possibilities of FREAKS. John went to the first doorway, Seras and Mendoza on the other side of the door. Seras bashed the door in, and John threw in a frag grenade. A loud WHUMP and hundreds of splinters erupted from the doorway. John peeked inside, there was a FREAK in there, or what used to be a FREAK, just a pile of dust now.
The squad repeated this process when they got to the third floor. However, when the last door remained, John hesitated.
"Sir, what's wrong?"
"Something isn't right," John grabbed the door handle, and twisted it swiftly, rendering the lock useless. He pushed the door inward, and stepped inside gun at the ready, the room was empty. He went to the closet, and opened it. The family was in there, all huddled up together, except the father. The mother attempting to shield her three children, two sons, one girl.
John exhaled a sigh of relief. "Good, there are survivors. Gunner one, set up in the room next door, Gunner two, adjacent room below us."
The gunners jogged off to their assigned windows, "This is Major John to all units, do not I repeat, do not destroy anymore buildings, I want them searched thoroughly. We may have civilians that are still alive."
John crouched down and looked at the frightened family, "Its alright," he said in French, "We're here to rescue you. You just wait here, rescue helicopters will arrive shortly."
"Thank you, thank you so very much! You have no idea how happy we are."
John smiled, making sure he didn't expose his fangs, "What happened to the father?"
"He was taken by them, we don't know what happened to him."
"What about the rest of the families here?"
"The same thing, they all loaded them up on trucks and took them away. That was almost a year ago."
John's face took a grim expression, "Thank you."
Seras looked at him with concerning eyes, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"The men of this town were taken by the FREAKS. All of them."
"What does that mean sir?" asked Mendoza.
"Something bad, very bad. I've got a very bad feeling about this. Come on, we've got a cancer to remove."
The next day, the 'Bulge' had been cut off from the Nazi resupply lines. Which meant that they'd starve before they ran out of ammunition, which is what the Higher-ups wanted. It only takes a few days, which are all that was needed.
John, Seras, and Amelia were meeting with Sir Integra in a recently constructed command tent.
"Apparently the Freaks are 'conscripting' the men from each town they capture. We have no idea what they plan to do with the men, but I have possible ideas on what they do." Stated John.
"What do you think Major?" asked Integra.
"The first that came to mind, was that they're using the men as cows, taking the blood they need from them, but leaving enough to keep them alive."
"And the other?"
"Implanting FREAK chips into their bodies, thereby creating even more soldiers for their armies."
Integra pinched the bridge of her nose. She muttered something that even John couldn't hear.
"Ma'am, is there something wrong?"
Integra looked up at John, ice-blue eyes staring into crimson red, "I want you at the front."
"Ma'am? I'm not sure I follow."
"I want you and your elite corps at the front. No more playing around with them."
"Ma'am? You mean that I take my Corps to the front lines, and lead the charge?"
"Yes. That's exactly what I'm ordering you to do. In fact, there's someone I'd like you to meet."
"Who would that be Ma'am?"
"Let me be more specific, I'd like you to meet Mathew Canaan, leader of the American Vampire Association. Mathew, you may make yourself present now."
A dark figure appeared behind Integra wearing a black trench coat, black leather baggy pants held only by a ruby red belt, a crimson red shirt with a white star pierced by a bloody sword upon it. Dark pilot sunglasses shielded his eyes from John's gaze. Mathew walked slowly around the desk to John. Mathew slowly walked around John, studying his figure, his freshly pressed uniform, and the numerous medals that dotted his black uniform. Mathew stopped once he completed a full circle around John. HE took off his sunglasses, and stared deeply into John's eyes, as if gazing into his soul.
"So, you're John. I've heard so much about you. Tell me, why didn't you join the AVA?"
"My place is and always will be on the battlefield. Not some desk in a backwater post." John replied sternly.
Mathew was not fazed by his response, "Interesting, I've seen many vampires John, so many in fact that I hardly remember many of their names. Out of all the ones I've seen, you are completely different from the rest. You fight, laugh, and live among the humans, just as if you were never a vampire. I'm impressed. You have more people to meet before you are dismissed though."
"That's right American! Stop beating around the bush and let me see the vampire soldier."
"Of course Dimitri."
Another vampire appeared from thin air, this time wearing the normal Russian attire, fur coat, fur cap, thick leather boots, and leather gloves.
"Impressive comrade." He spoke in his heavy Russian accent, "Your appearance deceives your skill comrade. I too, am impressed. My names Dimitri Sokalov, I am the leader of the Russian Vampiric Republic."
"Still, we shall see first hand how he deals with a one on one vampire combat, but don't go too far, we don't want widespread destruction." Another figure appeared just behind John, this Vampire was apparently Asian. John turned to look at the new comer, and saw that this one was a woman, a very attractive woman. Combat boots, skin tight leather pants, a katana hung loosely at her side, a black silk shirt covered slightly by a thin trench coat that hung on her shoulders.
"John, this is Jessica Magumi, she is the leader of the Asian Vampiric Nations. She will be testing your close combat skills."
"A pleasure to meet you Miss Magumi," John bowed slightly.
"Likewise." She returned the bow.
"So, you think you're up for the challenge comrade?"
John materialized his long sword in his right hand, blade pointed downward, scabbard still encasing the sword.
"Ready when you are Magumi."
"Come, follow me." Magumi exited the tent.
"Integra." John saluted promptly before following Magumi. Mathew and Dimitri followed likewise.
Magumi led John out beyond he town, into a distant field. She stopped in the middle of the field, John stopped just in front of her. Mathew and Dimitri stayed well out of their way. John buckled his sword to his side, and hung his hand loosely by the hilt.
"Are you ready John?"
"On your signal." John smirked.
Magumi and John stood there staring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. Some distance away a tree limb snapped, and John turned his gaze to the direction of the snap. Magumi grabbed the hilt of her sword and rushed headlong at John. Just as she came close to him, she slashed at John's face. John was expecting this move, as he unsheathed his sword at the last second, and blocked her slash. Magumi grinned, bearing her fangs.
"Impressive."
"Same to you."
John pushed back Magumi, and gave her and overhead slash. She blocked that as well. John kicked her in the stomach and she staggered back from the blow. He then created doppelgangers of himself, three in all. Magumi took note of this, jumped up, and kicked two in the head, sending them to the ground.