Disclaimer: ? Really...

Authors Note: Exactly Rowan55, he wasn't getting out of there at all. So if you'd like to discover the fate of our horrid and despicable Mr Wiggins, read on dear friend, read on….

Chapter 10

She looked back over her shoulder to see an extremely tall man coming closer to them. From the looks of things, he'd walked right through the wall. Confident that this was Hellsing's mysterious agent, she was sure that he had done just that.

"Ah Alucard." said Integra. "Just in time to meet Jane before she retires for the night."

"What a pity." he drawled. "And here I thought we were going to have a nice dinner and talk calibers."

Jane had by this time stood up and offered a hand to the crimson clad giant.

"Very pleased to meet you at last."

Alucard looked down at the proffered appendage and then at the person it belonged to. He had eschewed his glasses for the moment and so red eyes met hazel ones and he stared at them intently for a moment. He took her hand and bowed over it as he swept his hat off.

"Alucard, one of Hellsing's many killers." Trying to get a rise out of her, while proving he had been eavesdropping the whole time.

She could feel the coolness of his skin even through the gloves that he was wearing. He surreptitiously felt the veins in her wrist, gauging her pulse. It was steady and unwavering.

* How disappointing. I'll have to try harder. * he smirked inwardly.

He had been hoping to give her a bit of a scare, perhaps even shock her with his commentary.

"Be nice Alucard." warned Integra, well aware of what her servant was up to. He had always liked giving new staff members near fatal heart attacks.

"Jane's going to put your new toy together. So behave yourself."

"And a good evening to you too Miss Hellsing." he said spitefully as he released Jane's hand.

He settled his hat back on before taking the other seat in front of Integra's desk. Reclining in it, he could see both women. Jane resumed her seat and once again looked around Integra's desk and said:

"Is there perhaps a piece of paper and a pen I could use?"

Before Integra could offer the requested items, one of Alucard's shadows sidled up to her with a fresh note book and pen.

"Um, thank you." she said, taking them from the wiggling blackness.

"Stop showing off." hissed his master.

In reply, Alucard lounged further into the chair and propped his feet on the corner of the desk, as

Jane opened the book and dated the first page, while muttering to herself.

"I feel like a psychiatrist, asking about your gun preference while we both know you mean your mother or the size of your..."

Clearing her throat, she looked up at him. Amusement danced in those maniacal red orbs and she realised that he had heard her. A snort from the other side of the desk confirmed that she had not been as quiet as she thought. She groaned out loud and said:

"So, as I'm sure you've gathered, there's no filter between mouth and brain."

"Oh you're going to be fun." Alucard purred, and Jane wasn't sure if she had just been complimented or a threatened.

"I didn't mean for you to get started tonight Jane." interrupted Integra. "You must be tired, and I'm sure you'd like to have some supper and some sleep."

"Yes, thank you Sir." she said, closing the book.

She was rising to leave when suddenly Alucard's voice rose from under his ridiculously large hat.

"In this age of bought soldiers and paid service, what keeps you here at Hellsing?"

"Loyalty." she said simply. "Not as employee to boss, but from family to family. I'm sure you know that my father made your first gun, but if you look deeper into the records – you'll find that my family have been arming the Hellsing family for generations. I wasn't about to let those year of service be besmirched by the narrow minded opinion of one little man."

"Interesting. I didn't know that." said Integra.

'Yes. There's a plot of land that we own where the original smithy still stands. I'll give you tour one day if you'd like."

"Perhaps. In the meanwhile, Walter is waiting in the hall to take you to your room. Good night Jane."

"Good night Sir. And, thank you for your faith in me."

She was nearly out the door when that resonant baritone stopped her.

"I never thanked you for your letter Miss Smith. It was most helpful, and very….fragrant."

Jane turned the colour of Alucard's coat and fled.

"Good night Miss Smith." he chuckled wickedly.

Integra watched the byplay and then shoved the massive boots off of her desk. They hit the ground with a thump and Alucard sat up with a grunt.

"Stop trying to get a rise out of her Alucard. I do believe that if you push her too hard, she'll shoot you."

"She's interesting." he drawled. "I like her."

"Good. But that's not why I called you here earlier."

"And what foul creature do you need me to take care of now?"

"Actually, I was hoping Seras could help me with this one, and maybe it would help her at the same time."

"Go on."

"Have you ever seen a kitten with a ball of string?'

Jane nearly knocked Walter over in her haste to leave the study. Righting herself quickly, she brushed at imaginary dust on her overall trying to hide the fact that she was flustered.

"I take it you met Alucard."

"Something like that."

"Don't let him frighten you, he cant harm you."

"I'm not scared of him. But is he always so….antagonistic?"

"You have no idea." he said with a long suffering sigh. "Come along."

Walter escorted her down the corridor to a guest suite where dinner was waiting along with a nice hot bath. He bid her good night and this time when he left, there was no sound of a key in the lock.

She spent the next ten minutes getting her hands to stop shaking and trying to figure out what had just happened. She hadn't lied when she had said to Walter that Alucard didn't scare her, but he sure as hell got under her skin.

Back in the study:

"You really have a nasty mind Master." said Alucard. "I like it."

"Good."

"Tonight?"

"Tomorrow, I think that we'll need more time to make disposal arrangements."

"And so tonight?"

"There's been no sighting of that Angel of Mercy in the area that we've been watching. Is there anywhere else that we should be looking?"

"No. It's possible that with us tracking down two of her creations, she's biding her time. Or maybe there just haven't been any more accidents."

"Probably the latter, although with this weather that could change." she said darkly, glancing up at the ceiling.

"In the meantime, is there anything else?"

"Not unless you feel like doing this paperwork." she grimaced. "Good night Alucard."

"Good evening Master."

He vanished out of the chair and reappeared in the basement outside of Seras' door. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door and strode in to find his fledgling toying with her glass of blood. He plucked it from her hands and drained it in a single swallow.

"You're going without until tomorrow night." he said flatly.

"Why? Is this punishment because I won't drink because if it is, its a weird way of going about it."

"No punishment." he said smoothly. "I just want you good and thirsty."

"Okay." she said slowly, still not understanding but if her master said starve, then she starved.

"We wont be going out tonight. So rest up."

Seras nodded, very confused about what was going on, but Alucard had already left the room.

He entered his own chamber and lit the candelabra with a negligent wave of his hand. Taking up residence in his massive chair, he enjoyed his first glass of wine. Then he drew out the dagger that he had used on the vampire in the park. Turning it over in his hands, he examined the blade and soon found what he was looking for. The makers mark was stamped onto the blade, worn away now by the march of time but clear enough for his eyes to pick it out. It was Jane's family crest.

***** (And time passes) *****

Jane spent an uneventful night in the guest suite, had a nice breakfast the following morning and was on the road back to Cardiff in one of Hellsing's private cars. She had a folder full of instructions, lies and authorisation letters from Sir Integra and although her new project thrilled her, she was not looking forward to telling her brother that he was out of a job.

Sir Integra spent the morning making quiet arrangements with Walter and Major Ferguson, who was back from a short leave. She felt no qualms about her orders, even though they pertained to the death of a man.

Evening came and Alucard was waiting impatiently by the car that was going to take him and Seras to the urban combat training facility. It was a large collection of empty buildings and streets that had been built on Hellsing land in order for the soldiers to practice hunting the undead in an urban setting. Very occasionally he had played the bad guy for them, but most often he let them hunt Seras or one of their own teammates.

This night however, there was a different kind of hunt going on.

"I'm here." Seras called as the ran into the courtyard. "Sorry I'm late, I didn't know if I needed my gun or not but then Walter saw me and told me to leave it behind."

Her master said nothing and stared down at her from behind those impenetrable glasses, so she couldn't tell if he was angry or not. She was about to start apologising again when the car door swung open and the imperious tones of her other master floated out.

"Get in Seras."

Climbing into the car, she took up the seat opposite Sir Integra. Alucard closed the door behind her and leaned down to speak through the window.

"I'll meet you there."

He vanished from sight as the vehicle began moving. Integra closed the window and lit a cigar, drawing deeply. They traveled in silence and smoke until Integra crushed out the remnants and asked:

"Do you enjoy working for Hellsing Seras?"

Taken off guard by the question, Seras hesitated for a moment while she thought about it.

*Do I enjoy this, really? Well it really beats the alternative. It's better than trying the get the guys on the force to take me seriously. No one calls me Kitten any more. And I have my master. *

Looking up she answered.

"I do. It's a learning curve but I do like it, really."

"And yet you wont give your best efforts to this organization that you claim to enjoy so much!"

The young vampires eyes widened at the reprimand.

"I do try..." she started hesitantly.

"Try isn't good enough. We don't have room for a half starved fledgling that tries." sneered Integra.

Seras said nothing and hunched in the corner, trying to hide the fact that she was ready to burst into tears. She didn't have any defense, everything she'd been accused of was true. She was half starved, weak and more of a liability than a help.

"Well, you can redeem yourself this evening."

She was so unnerved by the gravity in Integra's tone, she almost didn't have the courage to face her, but uncurled from the corner to look up and ask:

"How?"

"By accepting what you are. You chose this life, and now seize it, embrace it and feel everything that your master has promised you."

"What do I have to do?" she whispered.

By the time the car reached the training camp, Integra had explained what Seras was there for, and her heart was pounding. She couldn't decide if she was excited or terrified, so she settled for trying not to vomit. Exiting the vehicle, she saw that Alucard was waiting for them at the entrance gate – a large steel sliding door set in a solid concrete wall that contained the men when they worked within the buildings.

"I take it you know why you're here."

"Sir Integra told me. Is this really going to happen?"

"It is if you can stop being a coward."

Seras gritted her teeth and said nothing.

"I'll be watching from the observation deck, make me proud police girl." ordered her master as he started walking towards a flight of steel stairs leading up to the elevated platform.

"Yes master." she said firmly, determined not to fail, not again.

She was about to pass through the steel gate when Alucard looked down at her from the stairs and called:

"And Seras?"

She looked up at him, red eyes glimmering in the moonlight. He gave her a truly terrifying grin.

"Remember to play with your food."

And with that, he disappeared up the stairs, leaving her to pass through the gate. It rumbled closed behind her, locking into place with a resounding clang.

Seras stood in the shadows and sniffed the night air.

* You can do this. * she told herself. * You're allowed to do this, your supposed to do this. *

She walked slowly down the street, trying to open all her senses to the environment around her, seeking her prey. As she walked, the fear inside of her drained away and was replaced by a burgeoning sense of excitement. Adrenaline coursed through her as she realised she was a vampire stalking a single defenseless human. Her excitement built until it bordered on near arousal.

Stalking the streets, her heightened senses became aware of a heartbeat. Stopping, she closed her eyes and listened. Definitely a heartbeat, on the second floor. Remembering her masters advice, she crouched down and used her limited, but still beyond human, strength to leap onto the roof of the single story building next door. From there it was a jump onto the roof of her target building. She landed with a clatter of roof tiles and she could hear the heartbeat go from fast to frantic. She grinned and grasped the edge of the roof, leaning over so she could look through the open window.

"Boo!"

With a scream worthy of a beauty queen with a spider in her sash, Peter Wiggins shot out of the corner he was huddling in and caromed down the stairs and into the open.

"Ready or not, here I come." she called after him as he scuttled down an alley. Giving him a moment to get a little head start, she dropped to the street and stalked after him.

The hunt was on.

High above, Alucard and Integra stood side by side watching, silent. Then without taking his eyes of the little drama below, he asked:

"And the remains?"

"Walter will burn them along with his house in the early hours of the morning. There's no family. He's a smoker and it isn't too far a stretch to believe that he smokes in bed."

"You've thought of everything."

"Its my job to." she sighed. "It's always my job. This man had to die at my hand, whether I used a gun, a firing squad or a vampire. The method may vary but the order is always mine."

"And that is why of all the Hellsings I have served, you are the only one I respect."

Integra remained silent, surprised that her servant was so unusually forthcoming. Then she said wryly:

"I'll try to remember that when I have to lever your arse off my desk again."

He flashed his fangs in a wide grin and then gestured below.

"She's found him again."

Peter ran until he couldn't, and with his lungs on fire and his heart near to bursting, he stumbled down a set of basement steps and crouched against the door. He had tried to hide a few times and that wretched miniature vampire had sniffed him out, ousting him and making him run. He cast his eyes about frantically, looking for anything that could be pressed into service as a weapon. He didn't see the red eyes looking down at him from the window.

Seras wanted to leap down out the window, grab her prey and drag him kicking and screaming into the street but she held off, knowing now what her master had meant when he had told her she was weak. Still stronger than Peter, but not strong enough to keep running. Instead, she jumped out the window, landing just in front of the cringing man. It was time to end this, she had played enough and she was thirsty.

Peter could find no voice as the little blonde stepped up to him and seized his throat in her hand. He plucked ineffectually at the iron grip but she swatted his hands away with her free hand and then use it to push against his shoulder, forcing him to his knees.

"You were going to get my master killed." she hissed at him, leaning towards him.

He gurgled, fear robbing him of rational thought and speech and then his mind shattered into madness as he felt her fangs pierce the skin on his neck.

Seras marveled at how easily she broke through skin and then ecstasy swept away all thought as hot, rich blood pumped into her mouth. She swallowed as fast as she could, savoring the coppery sweetness, but some still leaked from the corners of her mouth. After a timeless moment, the flow slowed and she became more coherent. She could already feel how the blood invigorated her, giving new strength to her limbs, eradicating fatigue and sharpening her preternatural senses.

She could her the heartbeat slowing down, eventually stuttering to a halt. She let go before it stopped, instinctively not wanting to drink from a corpse, and not wanting to have a ghoulish Wiggins shambling around the training field.

She turned as her master materialized behind her. This time, she had felt him coming.

"So was that fun police girl?"

She looked at him with shining eyes, blissful wonder all over her face.

"It was glorious!" she exclaimed.

He handed her a handkerchief and pointed at her face.

"You may want to clean up a little before getting back into the car."

She scrubbed at her face and then dropped the soiled linen over the dead mans face. Then she looked at her master and said:

"I understand now what you've been trying to tell me. And I know that I never want to feel like the weak little creature that entered this place, ever again."

"Keep drinking Seras, and you never will."