Disclaimer: I own nothing and I apologise for any geographical errors as I do not live in the UK and have to rely on maps for my information. I have used names of real places and institutions, without permission and no insult or harm is intended.

Author's notes: Long time no see patient reader. I'm not going to explain, I'm not going to apologise.

I'm going to carry on with the story.

Chapter 14

Night had fallen across England, and at Kings Cross station, Jane and Joshua shared one last laugh before she caught the train back to Cardiff.

Alucard was teaching Seras a painfully vital lesson in combat, while Sir Integra steadily marched her way through the never-ending pile of paperwork that was on her desk, bolstered by tea and cigars.

It being the month of October, the "sighting" of vampires was painfully high, and all of them so far had turned out to be some pillock getting into the Halloween thing a little too early.

Walter was drawing up the next months roster for blood donors, as all of the Hellsing soldiers and staff donated, apart from Integra of course. It was a vital source of nourishment for the resident vampires, as it was not always possible to obtain a supply from the local hospitals, and since Seras had joined the ranks, the required volume had increased.

And far away in the little village of Taverham, a storm was brewing.

On the village outskirts, there was a condemned warehouse that was awaiting demolition. Despite all the signage that had been placed to warn the public away, local children insisted on exploring the building on the pretext that it was haunted. And with the storm overhead adding atmosphere to the October night, it was only a matter of time before a group of teenagers forced their way inside to try and find a little excitement.

They were about to get more than they bargained for.

Deep in the basement of the warehouse, he waited. He could hear them walking around upstairs, the old wooden floor booming under the footsteps that they took no pains to hide. The sounds faded as they made their way upstairs. This was the normal pattern, they came in, went upstairs and then stood at the entrance to the basement steps, trying to convince themselves that there was nothing worth seeing down there.

It was always the same, they would huddle together, using their cellphones as torches, maybe one of them trying to record some footage that they could post to prove that they had really been there. Slipping in the fetid mud that coated the floor, one of them would ask:

"Oi, did you hear that?"

"No John, I didn't hear a thing, and neither did you." came Alice's sharp reply.

"Shut it you two," snapped George, "I'm trying to record this."

"Guys, it really stinks down here." complained John.

"There's most likely been some spillage from the sewers due to the rain. I mean its not like there's been any maintenance to the building." explained George impassively.

"And I thought being in the shit was a figure of speech." retorted Alice.

The three teenagers picked their way through the ankle deep slime that was on the basement floor, Alice holding up her phone as a torch, while John used his as a camera. George was a few feet in front of the couple, holding out an extremely sensitive microphone. They were hoping to prove the local legend that the warehouse was haunted but so far they had turned up nothing.

As he heard them move further into the room, he silently moved to avoid the glow from the light. He moved quietly, but the water betrayed his movement none the less.

"There is definitely something moving down here!" said George excitedly. "The mic is picking up all sorts of things."

"It's probably a rat or some stray animal." grumbled Alice.

"I dunno but there's ripples in the water." said John. "Georgie boy's right, something moved."

"I think we should leave."

"Alice, we have to get proof." insisted John.

"No, no. I'm done, I'm leaving." she said sharply and turned around and started sloshing back to the stairwell. He shrank back out of the light that she held and let her pass by unscathed.

With an exasperated sigh, John called to George:

"Just give us a minute."

"Go and fix it, I'll be fine here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, go make sure that Alice is okay. She's probably right you know, its most likely nothing more than a big rat."

John grinned and turned to follow his girlfriend out of the basement. He had just reached the stairs when he noticed a gleaming in the far corner. He quickly pointed his camera at it, and swore as the light showed nothing but sluggishly moving water. Shaking his head, he mounted the stairs and was soon standing outside in the downpour, trying to convince Alice to come back inside at least where it was dry.

"No John!" she shrieked. "I'm not going back in there, and I don't care what you say, there's nothing good to be found there. Please, please call George out and lets just go home."

"Okay, I'll ask John to come out, but please come inside so you're not standing in the rain."

She shook her head and backed away from his outstretched hand.

"I won't go back in there. I wont!"

"Fine!" shouted John, his patience at an end. "Stay here and get sick. I'm going to get George."

He turned his back and stomped back into the building, so angry that he didn't bother turning round when Alice tentatively called out his name. Intent on getting back to George, he didn't hear the soft sound of flesh striking flesh in the hissing rain. And he never saw Alice's kicking feet rise into the air as she was dragged up the side of the warehouse and out of sight.

"George!" he shouted as he started down the stairs. "George, it's over. Time to go."

He continued descending and nearly slipped as he neared the bottom.

"Shit! George, where are you?"

There was no answer and John was staring to get a little anxious when a small voice called from the darkness.

"I'm here John. You have to come and see this."

"Where? We have to go, Alice wont come back in and I don't want to leave her standing outside in the rain."

"Here, in the far left corner."

Lifting his light higher, John could make out George's back in the corner and impatiently sloshed over to him.

"Okay, what's so important?" he demanded.

"Look." whispered George, pointing down.

They both looked down at a what at first seemed to be a pile of sticks but soon it became obvious that they were staring at a pile of human bones. Left to decompose in the water, the bodies had sloughed away and left the hard framework of themselves behind.

"Bloody hell!" breathed George. "I think we're going to have to call the police."

"Whatever mate, lets just get out of here, get Alice and go home. We can figure the rest out after."

The two boys turned and began making their way to the exit but before they reached it, he struck.

The bodies were found two days later.

Integra received a report and a copy of the medical examiners findings. All three had been exsanguinated, and decapitated. In light of the murders, the village council had hurriedly demolished the warehouse, but it was too little too late for the parents of Alice, George and John.

"If this is a vampire, then they didn't want ghouls running around." she said as she read the report.

"What else could it have been?" asked Walter, who was collecting the days dispatches.

"I hope nothing. But lets send a team out anyway, let them see if there's evidence of further nests."

"Of course, I'll arrange it immediately."

The investigative team found nothing.

He had already left Taverham the night of the storm, and was heading in a southern direction. As he traveled, he murmured ceaselessly to himself.

"They were not worth saving, they were beyond redemption. They were nothing but food. I need food, need to keep strong. I have to go home, there's lots of them to save at home. I couldn't save them then, but I can save them now. I have to get home."

He traveled through the nights, it wasn't far and he was well fed and full of vigor. It only took an hour before he entered the town of Norwich and headed up a street as familiar to him as his own face. And then he was there, standing in front of a stately red brick building, covered in ivy.

Headlights from a passing car illuminated the sign:

Welcome to Hellesdon Hospital.

"Home."