"We've gone over what information we could gather, and tracked down an address where information was to be sent. We're uncertain if it's an actual base of operations, or just another link in the chain, but it's located in the industrial district." Back in Sir Integra's office, Fargason was giving his briefing. Sir Integra, Johnson, Seras, and Matthew were visibly present. Alucard was undoubtedly waiting in the shadows until he had some comment. "This will be a reconnaissance mission. As we're not certain what will be found, stealth is imperative. The mission team number should be kept to a minimum."

Johnson spoke up. "Are you suggesting only vampires be used in this operation?" Matthew raised a mental eyebrow. He almost sounded disdainful of the idea. "If our human troops are forced to sit and do nothing for too long, their morale will drop."

Alucard seemed to walk in through a nearby wall. "And if it is another ambush and they are turned to ghouls, I think they would loose much more than that."

'About time he showed up,' Matthew thought. He could see Alucard eye him from behind his glasses, that trademark smirk on his face again.

He turned his attention back to the briefing. "You asked about the new threat we face, and it is known to me." He eyed Seras and Matthew. "But first, I believe that the Police Girl and young Jemeth have a mission to prepare for."

Matthew was a little annoyed. He wanted to know what they were facing too. Unfortunately, his curiosity would not be appeased yet. Sir Integra nodded. "Yes. Victoria, Jemeth, go prepare. You will attack tonight. Johnson, inform your troops. Depending on the outcome of this mission, they may be going into battle. Dismissed."

Shortly after, Matthew and Seras were loaded up and starting for the transport. Along with his weapons, Matthew carried a number of data carrying devices. Several flashcards, a blank CD, and even a couple floppy disks. No telling what they might find, but as Matthew grew up with the now ancient 5.25 inch floppy disk, it was tough to scare him with old tech.

Matthew held back as Seras hopped in. Matthew moved to join her but something interrupted him, prompting him to step back. A voice entered his mind; Alucard's. 'Young Jemeth, we will soon be in a battle the likes of which this world had never seen,' Alucard's voice came, sounding pleased.

"You sound like you're looking forward to it," Matthew said.

'Oh, but I am.'

Suppressing a shudder, Matthew said, "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I take it you've already told Seras about this."

'I have. Young Jemeth… Matthew, you must be ready to help your Master. This will be a trying time for us all, and she will need your help. Be prepared.'

Determinedly, he replied, "I will be."

He heard Alucard chuckle, 'Yes, you will indeed to well in this battle, young Jemeth.' Alucard's voice faded out in a chuckle, and after a moment Matthew turned and jumped into the transport.

Matthew found a seat and looked over at Seras. "Seras, I'm curious. What's with Alucard calling you 'Police Girl'? Private joke?"

Seras lightly chuckled. "In a way. It refers to how we met, with my police squad and me sent to deal with a 'disturbance'. A vampire masquerading as a priest, not that anyone had told us. I was alone at that point, and seeing him frightened me, especially when he'd killed a ghoul with his bare hand and said that the night was perfect if one was a blood sucker. I… well… shot him. It didn't even phase him, and I ran off. He'd called me 'police girl' then, and again later when I was held by the priest. After he turned me, it became his pet name for me." She gave a small smile.

She'd said some of that before, but he didn't call her on it. "So 'Young Jemeth' is his pet name for me?"

"Probably, though why he'd use one for you when you're my fledgling I don't know."

Matthew shrugged. "He's Alucard."

Seras considered that. "True."

As they approached London's industrial sector the ride became quiet. Seras and Matthew concentrated on mentally preparing themselves for battle. Matthew pulled back the slide of each browning, then gently released the hammer and slid them back into their holsters. He would wait on loading Valkyrie. Once a round was in the chamber, pressing its firing stud would fire it. There was no way to decock it like releasing the hammers on the brownings.

The transport slowed to a stop, Seras and Matthew hopping out. It lumbered away back the way it had come. The pair paused a moment, waiting to see if they had been detected. Hellsing transports weren't the most stealthy. It was dark. The lights of London, while not too distant, were easily blocked by the abandoned buildings. The moon wasn't able to do much to help either. They started off in the general direction of their target. Sticking to grass and dirt, rather than the broken pavement, muffled their footsteps a bit. But the fastest route took them through one of the old buildings. Matthew led the way, the now loaded Valkyrie around every corner they passed. Seras hung back as rear guard, her cannon better suited to long range support.

Carefully, they made their way through. Matthew stopped at the slightest noise, waiting until he could identify the source of each before moving ahead. Pale moonlight managed to find a way in through a row of dusty windows up high on one wall. It appeared on the floor as poorly defined squares. A rusty catwalk above them showed the ways to upper workstations and supervisory positions. Any equipment was long gone. Probably removed when the place closed.

They exited slowly, checking the surrounding area for any movement. There was another building ahead. It was much smaller; probably a storage building. Quietly, the pair made their way to the single door. The smallest sliver of light showed at its base. They took opposite sides of the door. Matthew counted off with his right hand from three. At one, he balled his hand into a fist, swung around, and kicked the door off its hinges. Seras moved back to get Harkonnen aimed as Matthew charged in with Valkyrie at his shoulder.

There were a few vampires and a number of ghouls scattered around the room. The largest concentration was around a pair of computers near the middle. Several vampires had shielded their heads, while others just looked startled. The ghouls… just stood there. Matthew didn't give them time to react. He fired Valkyrie slug round, catching a vampire in the chest and launching it across the room. Without missing a beat, he dropped to a knee as he reached back for a shot round. Seras's Harkonnen shell passed over his head to hit the back wall of the room. The concussion from her incendiary round tore several ghouls apart. Matthew aimed left, firing his shot round into another group of ghouls. It tore through them much better than against the vampire he'd shot at before. They fell to the ground as ashes and parts.

He slid Valkyrie to the floor, switching to his brownings as Seras lobbed another Harkonnen around into the fray. He felt the force as it hit, but didn't see the results. The initial vampire he'd shot was coming back. Thumbing back the pistols' hammers, he fired several rounds. One hit it in the head, dropping it in ashes. Another vampire was in motion as well. Matthew fired a small volley at it before it could move too far. He felt a bullet graze his shoulder, and rolled back behind cover. Hoping it would work, he moved to the far side of the filing cabinet set he'd found himself behind, looked fast, and fired faster. The vampire fell to ashes. Seras fired her third or fourth round, catching a vampire square in the chest with one of her incendiaries. Matthew looked away from the results.

The few remaining vampires and ghouls were quickly felled, and Matthew's attention turned to the computers as quickly as he could get his eyes to respond. He told himself, once again, that it was all right. He did what he had to. One of the computers had taken a hit, but the other was still running. A fast examination told him flashcards were the way to go. As Seras joined him, he grabbed the largest flashcard he had and stuffed it into the computer. It took a moment, but the computer recognized it. 'Thank goodness these folks were running Windows…' he thought. He had the most experience with it. He started grabbing files where he could, stuffing them onto the flashcard, when he noticed one file disappear as he went for it. "Damn… They're going for a remote delete." He moved faster, trying to stay ahead. He ended up with a clean twenty megabytes of information… out of a possible hundred. "Well," he said as he pulled the card out, "let's hope I got some of the good stuff on this."

"Not that you or your masters will ever have the chance to find out, Hellsing pests."

Matthew stuffed the flashcard in his pocket as he and Seras trained their weapons at the newcomer. It was definitely a vampire, but this one was different from the ones they had just silenced. He had a presence about him, and his eyes seemed a brighter shade of red. He smiled, showing off his pointed canines. Valkyrie still laid on the floor, but Matthew was pretty sure it wouldn't help. His brownings were aimed, but they were still loaded with lead-ammunition. His remaining anti-vampire ammo was still on his belt.

"I hope you'll actually prove a challenge with those puny human weapons." With a hiss, the vampire charged. Matthew fired a barrage of lead as Seras swung around behind the vampire and fired her cannon. Matthew leapt aside as the vampire flew by. He came to his feet, aimed, then realized his pistols were empty. The vampire stood up easily, unphased by the bullets. 'Huh?' Matthew thought. Normally even a lead bullet would make a vampire pause if aimed correctly. The vampire sighed as the bullets were pushed from his chest and the wounds sealed. "Oh well. So much for my fun."

Matthew punched the magazine releases and tossed his right browning to his left hand. He heard the boom of Seras's cannon, wordlessly giving him cover fire. He dug into his holster belt for a couple anti-vampire ammo mags, shoved them into the pistols, tossed one browning back to its hand, and hit the slide releases as Seras launched another round. The first had knocked the vampire back, the second kept him back. Unfortuantely, that was the best Seras could do for him. He was too close to this guy for incendiaries.

Both brownings shot up as the first rounds were chambered. He fired a volley, but watched as the vampire dodged in a blur. When it came back upright, Matthew saw a single hole in the vampire's forehead. The vampire had fallen to a knee, but brought itself back up and grabbed at its head. Matthew stared in amazed horror.

"Bloody bastard! That actually hurt!" The vampire leapt again, directly at Matthew unbelievably fast. Matthew got off a snap shot which took a chunk out of the vampire's shoulder, but before he could get of a second the vampire was upon him. His claw like fingernails dug into Matthew's chest. Luckily, Matthew's ribs blocked them from his lungs and heart. Before the vampire to plunge his claws again, Seras fired her cannon and sent the vampire flying. Matthew aimed and fired, landing two bullets simultaneously into the vampire's skull. Finally, the vampire fell to ashes.

Matthew waved off Seras's attempt to help him up, then stood. "What the hell was that thing?"

Seras shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm sure Alucard has an idea. Is the flashcard all right?"

Matthew dug it out of his pocket. "Yeah. It's in one piece." Stuffing it back in, he holstered his brownings and grabbed Valkyrie. "Let's call in evac. Targets are silenced, let's get out of here."

"Agreed." She pulled out a radio and contacted the transport.