Chapter 7 – Maybe If…

Years passed by so quickly. Henry reached the age of 69 in the year of 2152. Unfortunately for him, his age brought him his weakness. His duty fell in the hands of his son, Sheldon who is now 28 years old. Before Henry handed Sheldon his position and duty, he told his son about the issues that were left unsolved or left suspicious. Henry gave him some folders concerning the mysterious vampire-in-red. Henry told Sheldon that it wasn't Alucard and after a year when the issue arose, the said vampire who wore the red military trench coat was found in ashes with a silver cross resting on its head formed by the ash. What made it suspicious was the silver cross left on its head. He suspected Section XIII that they might've been involved in the scene but records show that they didn't visit Henry for a few years due to some other business needed to be attended in other countries. What made him think of the incident was that it could've been a sign of an impending doom; maybe a threat to Alucard. Henry then waited and devised a plan if ever something might happen but he didn't restrict Alucard from hunting with Seras on their missions. When the vampire-in-red was exterminated, the vampires along with their army of ghouls returned and caused frequent havoc to anywhere they might be.

It seemed like everything was back to normal but Sheldon, who was just starting to get used to his new job, was getting stressed with so many papers and reports to review. What made it worse was that he spent all his time in the day to review them and when evening came, a report of a vampire-attack at a place remote from where he is. After receiving the report, his butler came to remind him of the meeting with the conference that same evening. Sheldon sighed, got a glass of scotch, and drank it all down in frustration. After doing so, he called Alucard and Seras.

"You two. Here're the locations. Seras, you and your shadow go to the west. The vampires there were reported as a couple who has massacred a number of families, following a route. Follow it and you'll find them along the way. I'm sure you can handle it. Easy? Good. Alucard. The vampire you're to destroy is in the remote area in the north coast. It's far but my father told me that that wouldn't even bother you. The said vampire is hiding in the shadows so make sure your search is thorough, understood? I am not going to play games with you so obey. Understand?" He said in an obvious tone of anger because of his frustration which made Alucard chuckle. Like father, like son. He thought. In no second, the two of them head their way: Alucard disappearing in a blink while Seras gathered Pip before she left. Sheldon then prepared for the meeting. He gathered his monthly reports and some other papers from his father. His day was the most stressful so far after his father handed him the job and the meeting of the round table conference that evening is to officially welcome him into the convention.

The meeting started. Most of the members were the same age as Sheldon's father, Henry. But Sheldon isn't the only one who's going to receive a welcome. Halden Islands was also appointed to his position due to the early demise of his father. His father was caught up in a car accident on his way home and was announced dead on arrival in the hospital. The members were quiet when they gathered, thus, a formal meeting was arranged. Instead of having the same atmosphere every meeting, Sheldon asked the servants to serve them a few bottles of wines. The servants did as he asked and soon, four bottles of fancy red wine were served and 2 silver buckets of ice cubes. The meeting started with giving regards to Islands' loss and that he should stay strong, and afterwards, officially welcoming Sheldon and Halden to the council. Gawain was there to lead them as Islands is just beginning to learn the ropes.

"Sir Sheldon Penwood and Sir Halden Islands, we welcome you to the council. So far, all of our ancestors successfully achieved their roles to protect our country, the royal family, and our people. May the both of you continue what they have left in honor and glory." Gawain states.

"Let's have a toast in your welcome." Ragenald Byron offers.

They all poured themselves wine and had a toast. Halden Islands just sat there, watching them, quiet. He can't cope in the rush of the events but he took his glass and sipped. When the calm came, Sheldon asks about the incidents…

"Excuse me, gentlemen but I have a question. My father told me about an issue concerning a vampire besides Alucard and Seras who helped our citizens but was killed with a hint that the Section XIII might've been the ones to bring its total demise. Was it ever clarified?" Sheldon asks, wearing his stern look. If Henry was strict, Sheldon would be stricter; severe.

"No, it wasn't. We never had enough evidence to say that Section XIII were the ones who did it. But we can say that there's a possibility." Gawain answers his question.

Meanwhile, in the deep night, two figures emerge from the darkness. One having a light shade of hair, wearing a dark shade of clothing while the other one, taller than the first, having a dark shade of hair and having a light shade of clothing. They walked in the long road after alighting from their vehicle. They have a mission to accomplish that evening as the night wasn't getting younger. The moon was glowing a bright glow that illuminated their path to their appointed destination. They walk the long path towards a tall thick wall with a silver aged gate that's been its only entrance for decades. They approached it when the two gatekeepers stopped them, holding their semi-automatic rifles, specifically Colt Model 733s. The two guards pointed their guns to the two figures as they stepped into the dim light of the moon, revealing their faces.

"Y-you…!" One of the guards recognized them.

The two guards were about to shoot them but in a glimpse, they saw a silver line flashed to them and they both fell to their demise.

Meanwhile, Seras and Pip were working on their mission. The place where they were supposed to clean up was an old abandoned building. It was filled with ghouls and the vampires that created them were nowhere to be found. Seras then summons Pip to envelop the whole building as she shoots holes into the heads of the ghouls that were attacking her.

In the other end, Alucard was doing the same. Killing the ghouls were easy, using his 454 Casull. He basically walked over them, blowing their mindless heads off, and proceeded to find its maker. He favored the night because of its nostalgia sinking into him. The No Life King has indeed become sentimental. The night reminded him of his previous ones, whether in pain or in excitement. How he felt a mixture of both sadness and joy. The nights that he enjoyed himself in tasteful blood and the sorrow that every dawn reminded him gave him a sinking feeling which made him curious.

"How odd. It seems that I have felt something like this before. It's very… thrilling." He said to himself in an audible whisper, trying to contain his excitement.

Alucard continued his path to a vast open field, leading to grassy hills where small cottages were resting. It was a small province where its villagers were once peaceful before the wretched vampire came across it and brought destruction to it. He knew that at the other end, the endless sea would be visible. He smelled the scent of sea from where he is. His target would be close. And how'd he love to throw his target to the sea where he'll watch it agonize in pain and suffering.

It was getting later in the night. The two light and dark figures broke the locks of the gate open and they entered. The estate was enormous but they knew which way to go to their main target. They put on a mask to cover their true identities as they start to break in the front door. They were greeted by the officers who were guarding the mansion. The officers fired to kill them but the bullets had no effect on them. With a snap of a finger, a number of back-up came in and with a swift swing of a blade, the officers are killed. The one who was in-charge in the surveillance room quickly notified the head of the household. Upstairs, in the third floor, the sound of guns firing was heard. The members shot up in surprise.

"What's happening?!" Wyndham stands.

Sheldon grasps the situation that they're being invaded. His telephone rang…

"Yes, officer? What's the situation?" Sheldon asks in an urgent tone.

"Sir! We're being overrun by an unknown group. There's not much of them but they managed to kill five armed officers!" The commanding officer replies when a loud crash was heard…

"Sir! The enemies reached the surveillance room! I–" He was cut off by the sound of gun shots. The members stood, leaning against the long oval table in nervousness as they hear what happened.

"We must find our way to the heliport. Sir Penwood, let's make our escape." Lyttleton says.

There was another call to Penwood. He answers it, knowing the captain of his troops was the one calling him.

"Sir! The enemy we're facing aren't freaks! They're humans!" Shots from automatic machine guns were heard in the background. "They're armed with blades and pistols! My men are buying as much time as we can to defend the first two floors but we're not in luck because my men in the first floor are in perish! You must find a way to escape as we try to fend them off." The captain says.

"Captain. This is an order. Protect our people with your lives. Tell the staff to make their escape quickly. We cannot let the innocent get caught in this mess. The least we can do is keep them from harm as we can. I'll handle the council here. Do your best and good luck, Captain." Sheldon says. He didn't know how he composed himself but he knew that this dire situation meant that he needed to take action as a leader, head, and authority.

"Sir, yes, Sir!" The Captain hung up.

"Everyone, let's–" Sheldon was cut off because of a tremor, causing their grounds to be shaken by a loud explosion coming from the roof. Sheldon didn't need a second to know that the explosion was from the heliport. He cursed, clenching his fists and biting his teeth. Their enemies are humans. They've already taken the first floor and with a nudging feeling, he thought that the enemies already started for the second. Their escape was impossible.

"The heliport and helicopter are destroyed…" Sheldon holds onto the table, gripping the edges.

"What!? Sir Penwood! You must have another escape plan?" Warren asks.

"Where are your vampires, Sheldon? Shouldn't you call for them? We are in a crisis! Tell them to fend off the invaders!" Byron demands.

"The vampires are in a mission because I received some reports earlier this evening. Gentlemen, please prepare for the worst. All we can do now is prepare to defend for ourselves…" Sheldon instructs them.

"What're you gonna do about this, Sheldon!? Do something about this! We didn't come here for our demise!" Randall objects.

"Everyone! Fortify the door! Now!" Sheldon got angry. This wasn't the time to panic. They need to defend themselves, not let themselves fall to their doom. Sheldon stood up and locked the door of the conference room, got his chair, and started a barricade.

"Get your chairs and put up an obstruction!" Sheldon commands and the others did as he said so.

"We can use the table!" Warren suggests.

"No. We'll use that as another shield. Turn it to its side and hide behind it." Sheldon instructs as he fortifies the barricade of the door.

Once he was done with the door, he went to the side of the room and gropes for a hidden button. He knew that the security in the whole mansion was as bad as ever but it was improved at some point. When he found the button, he pressed it and a partial section of the wall turned and revealed some firearms. It had machine guns, pistols, and rifles for emergency use. He took some FN 90s, H&K MP5K PDWs, Glock 17s, and L85A1s to the back of the table and collected as much ammunitions he can find in the hidden compartment to the back of the table. When the time comes, those are the only weapons they can use and empty when their enemies reach them. They were all sitting on the carpeted flooring behind the table they set as a second barricade.

Another explosion was heard coming from the second floor. The Captain contacted Sheldon. Sheldon quickly answers.

"Captain, report!"

"Sir…" His voice was haggard and was tired. "The ones we're fighting… Normal bullets can't affect them… Neither would normal firearms would injure them… Sir… My time is short. If there's anything that could injure them or kill them is a shot through their eye or eyes, leading to the brain… Sir… I must say farewell." The sound of pulling a small metal from its body was heard. "I have fulfilled my duty." The Captain says and then only static was heard after a sound of explosion. Sheldon's clenched fists tremble in denial, anger, and perturbation.

"Our firearms wouldn't be enough to kill our enemies… The only way to kill them directly is to shoot through their eye or eyes… Tch!" Sheldon slams his fist to the carpet flooring of the room.

"What!?" Many of the members asked the same, panicking question. Many of them complained and blamed Sheldon for the lack of his preparation of emergency procedures. All they can do now, is prepare for whatever may happen.

Meanwhile, Seras was emptied the 3 floors of the building she entered. Pip found the vampires at the top floor. Seras made her way to the top floor, shooting the ghouls dead with one shot per head. When she reached the top, the two vampires were preparing to attack her. It was nostalgic to think of it. The situation she's dealing with is similar to what happened before. The only difference is that her job now is easier because she accepted what she truly is and with the help of the one person who loves her. She fires two bullets, killing the two vampires when one of them tried to jump off the edge. The vampire dies, falling from the top floor. And when Seras watches the body fall, there was something that caught her eye: a shining silver cross that was hanging on the chest of the vampire. With her sight as a vampire, she didn't fail to notice it. It made her wonder. When she finishes the mission, Pip manifested himself into his solid form. Seras learned how to let Pip manifest on his own with her permission. Alucard taught her how and now that she's used to whatever ability she can manipulate, she can let Pip materialize own his own with her shadow.

"Ma Cherie, I believe we have a lot of time to spare. May I offer you a long walk home?" Pip gives a chuckle and Seras smiles with a follow-up nod.

"It's very nostalgic, Pip. Before you and the Wild Geese came, only Master and I went on missions like this. My first mission as a vampire was to exterminate a vampire that's been using families as victims. Sir Integra told me to go with Master and gave us the location where the vampires were heading. I killed the female vampire as Master killed the male one. It feels like it was just yesterday that this happened. Now, I have you as my best partner. Master probably wants all the 'fun' all by himself but I know he was amused in lecturing me on how to be a 'proper' vampire." She chuckles. They went out of the ghoul-less building.

"You're very cute when you're like that, Ma Cherie. And let me get this straight… Integra actually knew where the vampires were heading?!" He sounded and looked surprised which Seras thought of a comeback for him.

"You look like an ignorant dummy." She laughs. "But you're my ignorant dummy. And yes, Sir Integra knew it. She's kinda used to the strategies and some tactics. Many cases for her are just a walk in the park."

"I see… I might've underestimated her… Before, that is." Pip scratches his head.

"You shouldn't have. She's got more balls than you or any other man in the world." Seras smirks. "And you know how I hate people bullying her, right?" She wears a fake innocent smile which made Pip sweat-drop.

"Alright. We'll go see her grave to say I'm sorry before tonight ends."

"Yes, you should." Seras laughs.

Meanwhile, Alucard was fighting the vampire he's appointed to butcher. He was starting to get bored of the ghouls that were attacking and lunging at him one by one. Why wouldn't they just attack all at once? He was patient enough to play with the vampire's games. When he shot the last ghoul that lunged at him, a long continuous moan from many voices was heard. There were more ghouls as the vampire stepped out from the shadows. Alucard got thrilled and started to shoot with his Casull in rapid succession. In no time, he terminated the vampire. He took a closer look on the vampire and upon doing so, he saw that the vampire was a pastor. He chuckled to himself. He now knew the reason of his nostalgia.

"Ah… This must be it. These nights truly are interesting." Alucard gave a dark chuckle before vanishing in a blink.

The members of the council already prepared themselves in formation, holding the firearms that they acquired. They all pointed their guns at the only entrance to the room. Some of them were devising an alternative plan of escape… Islands, Penwood, and Gawain were having a conversation…

"Sir Penwood, can't we escape through the air dams?" Gawain asks. Sheldon realized it.

"Yes. I think we can." He looks up at the tiled ceiling, counting, and calculating which of the tiles was the bung that leads to the air dams was. He finds it and points at it, marking it. "That one would be the lid."

"Let's proceed." Gawain declares. The three of them started to reach the bung of the ventilation shaft when the door to the room got bombed, breaking their defense, and sending debris to them. The men hid behind the large table and as they peeked, they only saw two figures: the one in black, and the one in white. As the smoke from the explosion thinned, they saw their enemies and tried to open fire at them. The figure in black slowly walked towards them, their bullets having no effect on the figure. The man pulled his mask off, revealing his face, and getting two pistols from his holsters. Sheldon quickly knew who he… no… she was.

"You're… You're Heinkel Wolfe! From the Vatican's Special Operations Division XIII!" Sheldon shouts. "How dare you!" He stepped up in anger.

Heinkel kept silent for a while before speaking. "Hmph. Traitor. You and the Round Table Council are going to die. Goodbye."

Heinkel fires 12 consecutive bullets in rapid succession to where the heads of the members of the council was, only to be repelled by a repetitive flash of silver to where the direction of the bullets were heading. The bullets were repelled by a figure of red, wearing a red military trench coat with its hood falling off the head, and the coat swept to the side due to the speed and force it exerted, revealing more of its features: long legs covered by black slacks, black suit that is exposed as the military trench coat was swept sideways, a red cravat in which its ends flowed to the side like the red coat. The figure-in-red was holding a knightly sword which it used to repel the bullets that Heinkel fired. The vampire's head was exposed, revealing its true identity. Its long blonde silky hair that curls at its ends, creamy brown skin, and the eyes that were once icy cold blue and once needed eye-glasses were now blazing dark red that could see every bit of detail even from a distance. She was no other than…

"Integra Hellsing!"

A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! This is my Christmas gift for all of you! *Smiles wide* I hope you all like this. Hmmm... Can you guys guess the mysteries I've put in the first few chapters? Haha! For those who wanted to have Integra back, she's there. I just didn't put her in the scenes because I wanted all of you to be surprised. Did I succeed in making you guys believe that she's really gone? If so, then I'm TRULY VERY happy! Hahaha! I'm excited to write a lot of scenes with Integra back in them so yeah. This is my start! Mwahaha!

Integra was always present in the first few chapters. I just hid her very well. LOL. In some points of it, I lied just to make you guys believe that she's really gone. But now that she's back, prepare for some answers I left unanswered! Hahaha!

Please review or PM me if I succeeded in my goal because my original goal was to hide Integra. Mwahahaha! But for those who will review, please keep Integra a secret from those who haven't read my fic yet. I would love to surprise them as well. *Cheshire grin*

I hope that you guys had fun in this because I CERTAINLY had! Moreover, thank you all so much for your patience and for sticking with me! I am so very flattered and I feel loved for those who have been keeping in touch with my fic and with me.

I hope you all like your Christmas gift even if it's a cliff-hanger. Spoiler? Stay tuned for Chapter 9 because I'm pouring so much love in it right now, as we speak. Hahahaha!

Merry Christmas! Have a blessed holiday, everyone! I'll be right back and will be updating soon!

Tschüß und Auf Wiedersehen!