Matt waited as the other troops arrived. He stayed off to the side for the most part; didn't really feel like he was a part of the team yet. A few glances came his way, probably because of the cannon. 'Maybe after tonight I'll be a better contributing member?' He had to do something big. Something that would show he was committed to the task at hand. He wasn't sure what that something was, but he would recognize it when he saw it.
Seras arrived with the last group, Harkonnen on her shoulder. They gave nods of greeting to each other, but that was all there was time for. Fargason addressed the assembled troops. "We have something of a hostage situation on our hands tonight. A large group of people are being held in a hotel on the other side of London. The vampire is preparing to turn them to supplement the ghouls he already controls. Alucard will go in ahead of us to engage and distract the vampire. We're going in to silence the ghouls and rescue the hostages. We have a plan set up, and will finalize it once we're on site and have the latest intel. Load up!"
The troops turned and ran in formation to the transports. Matthew, shifting his weight to compensate for Valkyrie's mass, managed to keep up with Seras, who was used to running with her six foot plus cannon and was a bit faster on her feet.
Matthew ended up setting Valkyrie on his lap once everyone had filed on. He'd sat across from Seras, by the door. They'd been the first to the transport, but they let human troops fill the transport before they joined. 'Last in means first out.' They would be leading the way. 'Probably helps inspire confidence in the troops. Let's them know we're on their side.'
They stuck to darkened back roads, but quickly made their way across London. The hotel in question wasn't a four star, but it wasn't a seedy motel either. It was a couple stories tall, and looked to have hosted business meetings some time ago. Once the hatch dropped, Seras and Matthew ran out and over to where Fargason, who had been on a transport ahead of theirs, was planning the attack.
Fargason was looking over plans for the hotel's first floor. There weren't any staterooms there, mostly just administration, food preparation for the restaurant, and conference rooms. Occasionally as he spoke, he looked up at Johnson to ensure they were on the same page. Johnson would, in fact, be leading the team. It'd be a bad thing if he didn't know what the plan was. Fargason's finger slid over to one of the conference rooms. "Latest intel suggests the hostages are being held in this conference room. An unknown, but probably small, group of ghouls is standing watch over them." His finger slid to the conference room next to it, connected by a short hall. "But this room is the problem. Intel also shows a large contingent of ghouls here for backup. We'll need to hit both rooms at once. But the more we have on one team, the less we can have on the other. And our priority must be safeguarding the hostages."
'Now! Now's your chance!' Matthew stepped forward to the table, opposite Fargason. "Sir, I can take care of the ghouls in the second conference room."
Fargason looked up. "'You' will?"
"Yes, sir, 'I' will. You said so yourself, you need all the men you can get to save those people. You'll need Seras there for cover fire. I'm free, so I can hit the other ghouls. They tend to be a bit single minded, and I plan on drawing as much of their attention as possible." He pointed to the conference room's side door leading to the connecting hallway. "I'll plant myself there and keep those ghouls bottled up tight. You'll have all the time you need to get those people out." Matthew gave a small smile. "I might even finish them off before the rescue team is done with theirs."
"You're sure you can do it." Fargason's tone told Matthew he wasn't sure, but was considering the plan.
Matthew's voice was filled with confidence. "I'm sure, sir. I won't let you down."
Fargason was quiet a moment longer, looking as if sizing Matthew up. "Mission approved. Let me know when you are ready to proceed. If you pull this off…" He trailed off, gave a slight nod, and without another word he started for the troops.
Matthew watched after him for a moment, wondering what that had meant. Truth be told, he really did feel all the confidence he showed. He may not have come to grips with what he had become, but there was no question about his job. Besides, silencing ghouls made him feel better. For one, he was essentially ending their suffering. For two, he felt he was getting back at the evil that forced him into his decision to be turned and all the events that followed.
Seras walked up, looking a little concerned. "Are you sure you can handle it? It is a rather major mission to undertake."
Matthew nodded, a quiet determination showing on his face. "I can. The people inside need me to. The troops need me to." He paused. "'I' need me to. As Yoda said, 'Do or do not, there is no try.' I must, therefore I will."
Seras placed a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, ok?"
Matt turned his head to look at her, and smiled. 'That's the first time she's touched me since…' "Of course. You too. See you in a while." He started forward towards Fargason and Johnson. He was already ready to go, so better to get moving now while he still had his nerve. "Sir."
Fargason turned to see him. "Are you ready, Jemeth?"
"Yes, sir. With your permission, I will enter the building and start for the second conference room. From the looks of things, I should be in position to strike in about three minutes, if I move quietly. I'll probably wait to fire until I'm in position to guard the main conference room."
"All right, then. Wait for Johnson's team to be ready. You'll enter together, and he will hold off his attack until you fire. Good luck."
"Thank you, sir." He gave Fargason a salute, waited for the reply, then started for the building. On the way, he reached back and activated the pack's ammo dispensers. Two rounds appeared at his hips. He grabbed a shot filled round and loaded it into the Valkyrie. He didn't know how much recoil the cannon would have, which was the main reason he would wait until he was in position to fire. Then, he reached to his side, grabbed the Walther, and cycled its slide. Johnson's team assembled behind him, moving almost as quietly as he did. The front doors were already unlocked, so he quietly slipped through them and into the hotel.
The inside lights were still on, and the lobby visibly showed its markings of struggle. Tables and chairs overturned, magazine racks shoved over, planters in disarray. Johnson came up beside him, and Seras beyond Johnson. They exchanged nods. Signs of struggle, blood, but no bodies anywhere. That meant some of the human population of the hotel was undoubtedly turned. It was too late for them, but with all hope they would save the others. The team continued through the lobby toward the side of the hotel. Broken glass from fallen pictures covered the floor, and other wood chairs lie broken further down the hall. One looked to be broken into a crude steak. Whoever had wielded it gave a valiant effort, but the blood nearby showed they had failed.
The first conference room they passed held the hostages. The doors were sealed tight. Matthew continued on to the second one. He stopped, turned around, and started counting down with his fingers. 'Five, four, three, two, one…' He balled his fist, pulled down hard, and gave as hard a side kick as he could to the door, right where the doorknobs sat. The double doors flew open, and Matthew charged.
How many ghouls and their exact position didn't matter to Matthew. All he cared about was getting into position. Tables and chairs had been overturned into crude barricades, but they would have only stopped a human. He simply leapt over them and wove past the still unmoving ghouls. He saw the door to the other conference room. It was closed, but it wasn't boarded shut. Whoever had put these ghouls here intended for them to break in on any team moving to save the hostages.
Matthew landed in front of the door and set his stance. The ghouls were finally moving, slowly hobbling toward him. Matthew wasn't sure what they would do to him, but he had no desire to find out. He brought the cannon to his shoulder and pulled the trigger.
With a deafening report and shoulder breaking recoil, Valkyrie coughed its silver-lead shot into the room. Several ghouls in an arc before him fell to ash and pieces. He gave a quick glance at his shoulder. Seeing it was still attached, he gave a thoughtful, "Hmm." Seemed his vampire abilities had more uses than he would've allowed himself to guess. He loaded a slug round, took aim at another line of ghouls, and fired. Watching the round pass through the ghouls… and through the far wall… he was glad the others were behind him.
Third round, third group of ghouls down. He figured about 15 of the lot were silenced, with another 10 damaged. The cannon's firepower was definitely not in question. Though fire rate left something to be desired. He fired the cannon a fourth time, taking out another several ghouls and splitting one of the barricade tables in half.
As he started for his fifth shell, a pair of ghouls finally reached him and moved in. His hand changed course, yanking the Walther out of is holster and firing several rounds at the approaching ghouls. Both fell. Thankful for the whim that had him bring the pistol, he stuffed the Walther back into its holster and grabbed that fifth round.
It took ten rounds, but 90 of the ghouls in the second conference room were silenced. He grabbed the Walther again and silenced the few remaining. It was done… He holstered the pistol and paused in a moment of silence. Slinging Valkyrie under his left arm, and hearing no gunfire from the room behind him, Matthew started for the door.
As he walked down the hall, he saw a group of figures leave the room ahead of him. It was the rescue team, escorting a group of twenty-five scared innocents to safety. Matthew smiled. All had made it, both among the rescuers and the rescuees. Seras has been bringing up the rear, but seeing Matthew she broke rank and jogged over to him. "Matthew! You're all right!"
He suddenly realized he'd never actually checked himself. Looking down and around, he made sure he was still in one piece. "Yeah, it seems so. Good to see you're ok too."
Seras shrugged. "Not too many ghouls where we were. Heard some rather loud gunfire where you were, though."
He nodded. "Yeah. Gotta hand it to Walter, though, he makes some damn fine weaponry." He rubbed his left shoulder with his right hand. "Hurts like a bitch to shoot, but works great."
"Well, the mission is complete. Alucard got the vampire."
Matt looked at her. "Really? Good."
"Yeah. Complained that it was too easy, too."
That got a chuckle from Matt. "I take it that's common." Seras nodded. "Oooh Kaay. Anyway. So are we sprung?"
"Sprung… Oh, can we leave? Yes. We can head back to base."
Matt gestured to a nearby transport. "Shall we go?"
The next morning, Matthew hopped out of bed with a new conviction. Today he would be using the internet again. He had to get in touch with his folks. There was no telling how difficult Sir Integra would be about it, but with the dreams he'd been having the last couple nights… If he didn't hear from his family soon there was a good chance he'd be pretty damn worthless to Integra's precious organization. After what he'd done for them last night… he gave his shoulder a rub as it remembered Valkyrie's recoil… if she still felt he had to prove himself he was going to damn well ask her what the hell he had to do to prove it.
Yeah. He was starting to feel a little bitter about it.
He grabbed his Hellsing jacket, making damned sure the coat of arms was fully visible on his check. For better or worse, he was a part of this organization. Most of the others treated him as such. It was time he got that same treatment from a certain other member. He started out of his room and through the dark stone corridors of the Hellsing facility.
Matthew walked up the various flights of stairs, not pausing on his way to Sir Integra's office. He was certain she already knew he was coming. They'd just finished a major mission, so it was logical he'd try again. That and the cameras she had to have position around the mansion. He approached and knocked the heavy wood doors to her office. "Enter," came the reply from the far side of the door. Matthew pushed against the door and entered.
Her office was the same as the last time he'd been here. Bookshelves, a large window mostly covered by a heavy drape, a large wood desk with various décor and lamp. Behind sat Integra Hellsing, wearing her usual dark green business type suit and blue neck scarf held by a silver cross. Her tanned face was bracketed with long blonde hair, and a pair of blue eyes stared from behind her glasses with that same cool and steel expression he'd come to expect. The only change from the last time was Matt. This time, he had the same 'all business' expression she had, with no lack of confidence showing through.
His first time actually speaking with her was after he'd arrived and first recovered. He'd probably gotten permission for those first couple e-mails because of how frightened he'd been. Not that he was kicking himself in the teeth for how he was; he was fully justified in how he'd felt. The second time he was still unsure of himself, and hadn't earned enough trust to be given extra liberties. Now, he knew what he wanted and wouldn't leave until he got it. "What can I do for you, Mr. Jemeth?" she asked, once against getting straight to the point.
His reply was as profession as her question had been. "Sir Integra, I request permission to access the internet on a regular basis."
Integra leaned back in her chair. Each time she had paused a moment before replying, and each time the reply had been a little different. First time she'd spoken with him about where he'd found himself. Second time was more about how he hadn't proven his worth. This time… "I've heard all the reports of the last mission. You did a fine job, but I still do not see how your actions were any different from what Victoria could accomplish."
Just a month ago, that comment would have made Matthew slump his shoulders in defeat. Now, he was conflicted. A big part of him wanted to explode at her. But the rest of him was above that. His only physical reaction was a slight squint of his eyes. "Permission to speak freely."
A new reply for him. If the change had surprised her, she didn't show it. "Granted."
He chose his words carefully, and when he spoke he kept his tone neutral. Getting angry wouldn't solve anything, he reminded himself again. "You're right. My abilities are very similar to Seras's. In ways, they're inferior to Seras's. But because I was there and was ready and able to do what I did, we walked away with twenty-five hostages and an intact rescue team. Could we have still pulled that off with me not there and Seras doing what I did? There's every chance. But with me around, even if I'm just another Seras, the troops will have that much better a chance of having everyone come home every time."
Integra thought on that for a moment. She probably knew that already, of course. She wasn't a stupid woman. It could've been, Matthew thought, that she was testing him. She wanted to see if he would stand up for himself and what he wanted. If that was the case, he understood the reasons why. Looking very closely, Matthew thought he could see the slightest bit of a smile cross her features. Finally, she replied. "Granted. Your access will be restored. Is that all?"
He bowed his head. "Yes. Thank you, Sir Integra." He turned and started for the door, quickly discovering it was impossible to keep the smile from his face.