It was a very peculiar day in London, not because of the cold rain pelting the city's citizens, but because of a certain meeting going on at the Hellsing family estate. The Phantomhive assumed that it would be about the matter of the parliament building still being in disrepair, but the subject of the meeting was not made clear to him over the phone. Even as he stepped out of the black Mercedes Benz and underneath the umbrella held up by his beau as they made their way to the front entrance, Ciel was not quite sure what was going to happen, or just how strange this meeting would be. After all, upon his arrival, he was more than surprised to discover that he was not simply at an ordinary meeting. He was invited to sit at the table with the council.

"What is all of this about?" he questioned with unwithheld skepticism. "Never in my seventy years of working for the Convention of Twelve have I ever been offered a seat. I certainly hope you aren't asking for an unlucky thirteenth member." He mused, sitting down regardless while his assistant stood behind him.

"This time, rather than your services as an assassin or the like, we have a request for your expertise in another area." Informed Sir Greendown as the bluenette intertwined his own fingers in front of himself and leaned forward.

"Go on."

Sir Integra chuckled at the confused demon before speaking. "Following the investigation of the Cerberus Incident, the Intelligence Department and the Dispatch Division at H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. has alerted my attention to an odd phenomena in regards to the Special Zone." She elaborated. "While monitoring supernatural activity both in and around the area, a trend has been noticed in a drop of undesirable activity by the zone's residents."

"Predatory behaviour?" Ciel asked for clarification.

"Yes, among other things." The Hellsing woman answered. "Specifically, during the period of time when H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. was in collaboration with Girasol, we saw a significant drop in illegal activity across the board, and not just in relation to that specific coven."

"So you unified the community against a common threat." Spoke the Phantomhive. "That's bound to solve a few problems. Their focus is elsewhere, after all."

"That's true, however, they were also issued supplies by H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. for their efforts, and it would appear that they had made their way around the special one." Sir Greendown chimed in. "We also theorize that this contributed to the decline of criminal activity as well."

"So you're telling me that if you take away the necessity to commit crime, less crimes will occur? Shocking." Ciel replied while his partner's eyes rolled. "What does this have to do with me?"

"The point is, that the special zone is a mess." Sir Hellsing stated, pushing things along. "If guns aren't the only thing that can decrease the amount of criminal activity in a poverty-stricken area, then what will? What it is that we require from you is your business expertise and your knowledge of criminals, Sir Phantomhive. That is why you're here."

"You're joking…" the cyclops answered, leaning forward while resting his chin in his palm. "Are you asking me to create an entire economy for a society of supernaturals to whom I am a sort of 'boogeyman'?"

"Would you rather us tell you to?" Integra questioned. "What we need is for you to tell us how we can both control the citizens of the special one through less violent means. We will do the work, but you need to devise a plan."

"It's going to cost a lot of money, you know…"

"H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. is prepared for this, with the additional support of the Round table." To this, Ciel actually laughed. He leaned back in his chair as his chest fell and rose before finally containing himself. The man standing behind him cracked a smile as well, placing a hand on the back of Ciel's chair as the bluenette spoke.

"Very well." The man said, still wearing a grin. "It will take me some time to create a more in-depth plan, but here is what I have off the top of my head: For starters, make investments in the public service establishments that the special one has put in place for its citizens on their own. The Wolf's Glen, the 'Library', and the church owned by the vampire known as Sister Dorothy. Each of these places provide services to the public where H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. has already failed the people, but they run low on both funds and means to assist at times. Secondly: There needs to be a way to create jobs within the zone itself in order to strengthen the economy, as well as put in place a bartering system. It doesn't matter if it's pounds, euros, dollars, or something new entirely, but there's not enough money for them to spend in order for them to survive in an 'acceptable' manner by H.E.L.L.S.I.N.G. standards."

"Sounds reasonable." Integra replied.

"'Reasonable'?" echoed a certain Sir Arthur Kirkland. "I don't even understand why we don't simply just kill them all off." He protested, prompting a bark of a laugh from Sir Walsh.

"Hitler thought genocide was a very good answer, too." The old man retorted, putting out his cigarette in one of the ashtrays on the table. "Always good to take cues from history, eh, Artie?"

"That's… Well… They're not human, so they don't count…" mumbled Kirkland, fidgeting in his seat.

"They said the same thing about the Jews, and the Romani, people with mental disorders and physical impairments as well as homosexuals." Ciel quipped. "Sir Kirkland, if this discussion is going to continue, I would highly appreciate it if you ceased your talk of a 'master race' like a proper Englishman." As Integra nodded at the bluenette's terms, Sir Kirkland slouched in his seat, grumbling illegibly to himself while the others moved on.

"So," began Sir Midford. "How quickly can you get a detailed plan for reformation to us?" he asked. Sighing, the Phantomhive leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"That depends…" he answered. "It depends on work, and I would like to do a little bit of investigating on the infrastructure of the Special Zone in order to make a thorough judgement as to what needs to be done. Sir Integra, may I speak with some of the officers who patrol that area?"

"Of course." The woman replied. "I don't expect results over night, as quickly as possible would be nice."

"I'll get on it as soon as I get home." The Phantomhive said.

"Is there anything else that you would like to add?"

"Nothing that I can think of."

"Then you are dismissed." Integra replied. "As for the rest of us, we will discuss what you have already told us."

"Yes ma'am." Ciel replied, standing again. His time seated at the Round Table was short lived, but it was significant. The Phantomhive was visibly pleased with himself as he walked out of the conference room, and his beau noticed.

"Think you can do it?" Alois asked. "Rebuild an entire system?"

"It's possible, but the question is, how, and will they follow through?" the bluenette replied. "This could be a total flop and waste millions, if we don't win over the support of the supernaturals."

"That would be hard to do, I would assume." Said the menace. "Apparently, the soldiers of the Glen are not taken kindly to."

"Of course, that's to be expected. It's a police state at the moment. It has been since its conception." Ciel informed, grabbing his coat from the coatrack at the front of the manor and putting it on. His beau did the same and grabbed their umbrella as they prepared to go out into the freezing rain once more.

"So it's going to be nearly impossible, then."

"Not without time, but orders are orders." Ciel said as they stepped outside, the umbrella opening and shielding them both.

"If this fails, you might face the blame…"

"If it fails, then it will obviously be their fault. If they didn't follow my instructions precisely, then that's on their heads."

"I'm just a little worried, I guess…" the blonde admitted as they approached their vehicle. Suddenly, he was forced to stop as the Phantomhive abruptly stopped walking. Water dripped onto his shoulder as he tried to keep the umbrella over the bluenette's head. He stepped toward his beau again, arching his eyebrow in confusion, but that soon faded at the expression on his lover's face.

"You don't need to worry." Ciel said, closing the distance between them by wrapping his arms around the other man's waist, making it difficult for Alois to hold their protection from the rain. "I'll be fine." Gently, he pressed a kiss against the menace's lips, laughing a bit when they pulled away. His hair was wet as the blonde lost the concentration geared toward holding the umbrella upright.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" apologized Alois, quickly fumbling to right himself, but the action was lost on the bluenette, who simply went back in for another kiss. With one arm, he held the menace around his waist, but with the other, he clasped the blonde's hand in his own, wrapping around both it and the handle of the umbrella before mischievously moving it so that the rain fell on both of them.

"Ack! Jerk! Nooo!" the blonde half-heartedly protested while laughing at the watchdog's silly antics. Despite this, he kissed the bluenette back, even as cold water tan down their faces and soaked their clothes. Between kisses, both men laughed while the Macken grabbing the sides of the watchdog's face as the CEO pushed his back against the car door. They were now wet, cold, and were possibly being stared at by gaurds, but they didn't really mind that.

"Coooold…" the menace complained as the bluenette wrapped his arms around him.

"Then get the keys and open the door." Ciel replied, releasing his beau and shivering at the lack of the man's body heat. The pair hurried inside, slamming the doors shut before the blonde's hand immediately shot out to turn on the car and mess with the heating system.

"Oooh, you fucking shit…" he whined, placing his hands against the vent to get warm. "Why would you dooo that?"

"Because you looked cute and I thought it would be funny." The Phantomhive answered bluntly over the pitter-patter of rain hitting the roof and windshield. A grin was prominent o his face as he spoke, amused by the menace's complaints. Taking off his gloves, he gently took the other's hands, clasping them together in hopes of warming them faster.

"There's no need to worry about this." He continued. "I can come up with something. All anybody would have to do is look at a history book or simply open their eyes. Everything will be fine."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You wanna spy on people in the Glen?"

"Can I?"

"Yes."

"Then yes."