Thankyou to Thess for her offer of the manga but I have now found a source. However Survival on the Street of Insincerity will continue to be based solely on the TV series as the manga is too different to incorporate.
Also I would like it to be known that I support same-sex relationships. There is an argument between Integra and Alucard regarding this topic, and if people want to take offence because it is either mentioned or they are to narrow minded to recognise that characters may express opinions not of the author; then they are more than welcome to. To anyone who takes genuine offence, I apologise.
…Chapter Two – Entry onto Sacred Ground…
Special Officer Seras Victoria stood to attention in Sir Integral Wingates Hellsing's second-floor, dark stone office and reported on her mission. All she wanted to do was get to her coffin-bed, the night had been a trying one and the thought of Ferguson still weighed on her mind.
"Good, that will be all," Integra finally dismissed her, allowing Seras to salute and leave.
In the long hall outside her superior's office, the vampire found her master. Alucard was leaning against the wall in the disjointed manner only he could. His shoulders were against the wall while his legs were bent, and in an impossible manner managed to both support him and reach the other wall. Once again his gaze had been drawn by something that didn't exist in the physical world, and in a place his apprentice would never be able to reach.
"Umm, Master?" something was bothering Seras, and she hadn't got to ask Alucard since she had been interrupted in the lower levels.
"Yes, Police Girl?" Alucard spoke, but didn't take his gaze from where it lay.
"Why are we still fighting the FREAKs? I thought they would have all been destroyed that night at the Tower."
"Not every one was eliminated. FREAKs are still very human in the way their mind works, however much vampire power they may have," a sigh escaped his lips, "They form alliances and play at what they like to think of as 'vampire politics'. Real night children are not so idiotic as to go for 'games' such as that," the sarcasm in his voice was more than evident, "So while most would have been at the Tower, some of the punks would not have bothered to show. It seems the makers of the FREAK chips did not incorporate complete obedience into their design. All it is now is a matter of flushing the rabbits from their holes and ridding the world finally of their annoying, fluffy, cottontails," a malicious, echoing laugh followed, "Now it is your time to shine as an individual hunter, Police Girl. Take the night as your own, send those to Hell that are unworthy of its station. Fill the night with the screams of those inferior, and make all tremble at the mere mention of your name," the laugh and accompanying smirk grew louder as he swept past her and into Integra's office, "Hunt, kill, destroy, and become a true daughter of the night!" the door closed behind him and Seras was left in the candle-bracket lit corridor alone.
---
Integra was still sitting behind her desk when Alucard swept in and shut the door behind himself. The leader of the Hellsing organisation's hands were resting under her chin and a half-finished cigar smoked gently in the ashtray. Her blue eyes regarded the tall vampire in front of her.
"You finally seem to have used the door, and learnt what it is for," her tone was biting, but held no malice.
"I didn't think you would want to be interrupted," Alucard's grin stretched across his face, making what should have been a polite statement a joke. Integra's wrath was kindled.
"And just what is that supposed to mean!" she was on her feet now, leaning over the grand wooden desk.
"I thought you didn't want to be, interrupted," the smile stayed in place, the implications staying with it.
"There is absolutely nothing between us!" Integra's teeth were grinding and both her eyes and glasses flashed at the insolent underling in front of her.
"You humans are so prissy about same-sex relationships. We vampires have indulged in them openly since the beginning of time."
"Just because vampires seem to think it is right does not automatically make it so!"
"Oh but it does. We are, after all, a superior species."
"Superior in which sense? It is obviously not in manners!"
"At the moment you do not seem to be superior in that sense either. It is you after all that is yelling. Most unladylike," Alucard's voice was calm and taunting.
"My being female has nothing to do with this!"
"But it does," Alucard glided forward until his lopsided grin was a mere hair's breath away from Integra's frown, "It has absolutely everything to do with it," his voice was a deep whisper.
Integra fumbled in her draw and drew out her pistol, bringing her arm around so it was pointing directly at the side of Alucard's head. He didn't even blink, if anything the smile got bigger. She shot, the bullet parting the vampire's hair and slamming into his skull.
"Maybe this will get through your thick head!"
Alucard fell, blood pouring out of the wound and seeping onto the floor. Slowly the edges of the wound began to waver and grow until the regeneration was complete. Getting to his knees, the vampire rose. Integra was now sitting calmly behind her desk, smoking a cigar as if nothing had ever happened. Alucard glided over until he was behind his master's desk and picked up a sheaf of papers.
"You want my help finding new recruits," Alucard surmised, it was a statement, not a question; "I do not just turn any human."
"What about Seras then?" Integra may be calm now, but that had never stopped her from trying to get her own back at the vampire before, and she wasn't about to let it now.
"She was still a virgin. Besides the Police Girl made the decision herself."
Integra glared at him, she had never really believed that part of the story.
"I do not want more vampire recruits," she said, picking up and scrutinising one of the papers, "I need human ones. For all the supposed benefits of having vampires, the last thing my organisation needs is a whole harem operating from its dungeons."
Alucard shrugged, this was not his problem.
"Either way I can not help you," he stated, "Human recruiting is not my, speciality." Drifting over to the wall he left backwards with a sweeping but mocking bow to his master. Integra sighed, all anger gone now and instead replaced by exhaustion. Wearily she picked up Alucard's sheaf of papers again. Her fist slammed into the solid wooden desk again. What was she going to do?
---
Walter C Ddollneazz followed the police super-intendant down the main corridor of the Central London Police Station and into his office. Overlooking a busy square, the morning sun slanted in and caught a glass on the desk.
"Now then, Mr Ddollneazz, what is it that you want from the police?" the super-intendant was a middle-aged man with balding hair and an experienced face.
"As you well know, Mr Gotesby, the Hellsing army was decimated in the attack on the Tower of London. We need more recruits and desperately."
"It was not our forces that were involved in that, debacle," the police official defended himself.
"We understand that, all we need are recruits."
"Don't you usually go to the SAS? Can they not help?"
"I am afraid they need all the men they have got at the present time."
The super-intendant cleared his throat.
"I am afraid we won't be able to help you a lot either, much as we would like to. I don't want to risk any of my boys in such, chancy, situations. They just aren't trained for that level of conflict. And with all the bad press Hellsing has been getting lately, I doubt many would join of their own accord anyway."
A muscle tightened in Walter's jaw, but he smiled politely anyway.
"Thankyou for you time then, Super-Intendant Gotesby."
He rose to let himself out.
"I hope you do find your recruits," the other man called to him as he left. Walter didn't reply; just shut the door behind him.
---
Just as the elderly Hellsing retainer was about to leave by the police headquarters' front entrance, a uniformed policeman approached him. Just into his thirties he was the medium side of tall and well muscled. Brown/blonde hair was cropped short above brown eyes.
"Hello, sir; may I ask are you from the Hellsing Organisation?"
Walter was taken aback, "I am the retainer to the Hellsing family, yes."
"My name is Hugh Johnson. I was wondering if you needed any new recruits."
"The Hellsing Organisation?" Walter's eyebrows shot up, this was certainly a surprise.
"Yes, if I may."
"I see, and may I ask how you know about the Organisation, Johnson?"
"I was on duty a couple of years ago when your organisation made a raid on a warehouse over in the East District. I was very impressed with the organisation and efficiency with which your men carried it out. Then I saw the Tower of London monstrosity on the television about a month ago. Very bad press, such a shame because you are obviously a very professional organisation."
"I see, and even after seeing that on television you want to join?"
"From what I saw at the raid, the press got it all wrong."
"Hmmm," Walter thought on this, "You would be prepared to undergo vigorous training?"
"Yes."
"Earning no public recognition?"
"Yes."
"Working in a secret organisation about which you can tell no-one?"
"Yes."
"Well, I will certainly put you on the interview and appraisal scheme. However there is no guarantee of a job."
"I understand."
Walter handed him the details and left in the black Hellsing car. So far he had one possibility, not a good prospect.
---
Seras Victoria burst into the office of her master's master. Her uniform had been thrown on, her mini skirt was back-to-front, boots on the wrong feet and hair awry. She came to a skidding halt.
Sir Integra's jaw dropped at the display of unutterable madness, the person on the other end of the telephone forgotten and she almost dropped it. Alucard was behind her, regarding the waning moon from his master's central, cross-shaped window.
Seras hurriedly tried to smooth her hair, adjust her skirt, and shuffled her feet, wondering why they were so uncomfortable.
"What…is the meaning of this?" Integra was too shocked to give the Special Officer her normal glare and blistering tone. Behind the knight Alucard laughed.
"Running around half-dressed again, Police Girl?" his eyebrows rose mockingly.
Seras blushed deeply, her cheeks almost matching her eyes, "I…I…I've come up with a solution to the recruitment problems," she stuttered.
Integra recovered herself, "Perhaps you would kindly think of knocking then?" there was definitely acid in her tone that time.
"I…" Seras stuttered again, and fled from the room, the door closing behind her. Once in the hallway outside she paced up and down, not believing how monumentally stupid she had just been. After several moments of this she realised her hair was still not flat and her skirt still skewed. Just as she had finished fixing it Walter came up the stairs.
"Good evening, Miss Victoria," he greeted her.
"Oh, hello Walter," she replied.
"You look flustered."
"Yes," but before she could continue the door swung open and Integra's voice came from within.
"You may now enter."
Seras entered as if she were being led to the gallows. Walter appeared behind her, "May I enter as well, Miss Hellsing?"
"Certainly, Walter," the Knight replied.
Looking serenely at Seras so that the girl trembled in her opposite boots, Integra lit a cigar.
"What was it you wanted then?"
"I…I think I have a solution to the recruitment problem," the former policewoman still trembled.
"Let us hear it then."
"Ummm, why don't I go and talk to some of the people from my old organisation? All my unit died, or," she shuddered, not wanting to remember, "Well all of them are gone now. But I could go and talk to the other units, sort of like a career afternoon?"
Integra was silent.
"Surely you took career lessons when you were at school?" Seras asked desperately.
Still no reply, Integra hadn't moved a muscle.
"Didn't you ever want to be anything other than the Hellsing leader?" she was really desperate now.
"No."
"That's not quite true," Walter broke in, "I seem to remember at around age three you wanted to be a vet for a month."
"Every girl wants to be a vet when they are three. It was only a silly, passing obsession."
"But don't you think a career afternoon is a good idea?" Seras tried again.
Integra's razor-sharp gaze redirected itself so it fell on the girl again, "Hellsing is a professional vampire-hunting organisation. We are NOT guidance councillors!"
"We do have to go to the public though," Walter interrupted again, "I went to several of the leaders of the police in London today, and I'm afraid only a select few were any sort of help at all. There is still hardly anyone even signing up for interviews."
Integra rose and started pacing angrily, "This is not good enough! How many do we have so far?"
"At this moment, around fifteen who have expressed interest. There will probably be more as the week goes on and the word gets around."
"Fifteen! Fifteen! How the hell am I supposed to run a vampire-hunting organisation with only fifteen men!"
"I am sorry, Sir Integra."
"Have they any training at all?"
"Only as policemen as far as we know."
"What about religion? Any Protestants?"
"Not that I know of, but there may be a few."
"Royalists?"
"Don't think any of them are."
"Royal sympathisers?"
"Possibly."
"Possibly isn't good enough, Walter! I want a worthy army! I want results!"
"I shall keep searching, ma'am."
"You are dismissed," Integra sighed.
Walter bowed low and dragged the unfortunate Seras out with him. Having gained the safety of the corridor outside their leader's office, Seras turned to Walter.
"I sort of stepped in it back there, didn't I, Walter?"
"I would say it was more than sort of, Miss Victoria. I would go as far as saying you definitely stepped in it."
Seras looked at her feet, "Oh."
Walter sighed.
"But Integra didn't have to yell at you like that, did she?" Seras asked the retainer.
"Sir Hellsing is under extreme pressure at the moment. More than either of us can imagine. She is also the leader of this organisation. If the leader isn't strong and demand perfection, who will?"
"But she still shouldn't have yelled at you, should she? The leader shouldn't lose their temper, they are supposed to set an example."
"Every leader is still a human, though. And I think that because Sir Integra is such a brilliant one, we should be able to forgive her now and then."
"I suppose so."
"If you are not prepared to work under Sir Hellsing, then you need to seriously consider your position. There is no room in this organisation for only semi-loyal soldiers. Either she has all your loyalty, or none of it. I suggest you decide which it is quickly, and then act appropriately."
He turned down another corridor, and Seras was left to ponder his words.
---
Back in her office Sir Integra collapsed into her large leather chair. Alucard regarded her with his blood-red stare.
"You are still weak from your injury. It will take several more months before the muscle and flesh has fused together properly. Exerting yourself like this is not a good choice."
Integra sighed, "But what am I supposed to do?"
Alucard shrugged, "Why ask me? I am only good at sucking human's blood. Unless you want an army of ghouls? So much easier to control."
"Absolutely out of the question!" Integra was on her feet again, "And don't you dare mention the idea of a vampire-harem again either!"
"If I remember correctly, it was you who mentioned the idea of the harem first. Seras is more than enough for me to train."
"Why don't you go and train her then? Make her into something that has more use than for stupid laughs."
"But you need to laugh more, Integra. It seems to do you humans good."
The woman advanced on him, "Are you, a dead and rotting corpse, giving me tips on how to live my life?" her voice was now a contemptuous hiss.
Alucard took the hint and drifted towards the wall, "I was just leaving anyway. Need to go and give Seras some training." But the echoes of his mocking laugh could be heard through the wall. Integra slammed her fist into the desk for the umpteenth time that day. Damn all vampires to Hell! And why could they never use the door!
---
Spirit is hiding and trembling under a blanket.
Spirit: It seems Integra is in a bad mood.
Seras: Yes trembles Can I join you?
Spirit: No, this is my blanket, go away.
Seras: Fine! If you want to be that way I will find my own blanket! (pulls out a pink and purple striped blanket)
Spirit: Why do you get the good blanket? I want one like that!
Seras: But it is pink and purple, a girl's blanket!
Spirit: I don't care, give it to me! (chases Seras off) Blanket!