Wings of the Damned

by DianaPrince31

The Vatican employs Dr. Lazarus Thorton to bring Enrico Maxwell back to life in order to restore the Iscariot Organization to deal with Italy's Chimera problem. But after learning of the Catholic Church's policy of toleration of all walks of life, Enrico believes that the Church poses a bigger problem to Italy, than Chimera. Rated M. No pairings. Part 2 of Winds of Change series.

4. Meetings and Meetings and Meetings Oh My

Wings of the Damned

Sapphirewyren

Chapter 4: Meetings and meetings and meetings, oh my

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing

The next morning Enrico was reminded of his meeting with the United Nations. This did not make his already sour mood better. He would have preferred another crack at convincing the Pope about the church's tolerance policies. Why wouldn't the U.N. just write a note or send an email? They insisted on a face to face meeting. Well not technically face to face, the leaders of the meeting would log on to a special computer and send notifications to those they wanted to attend. Once logged in the person would be in a virtual meeting room, in this case to a conference room of the United Nations Security Council.

The United Nations Security Council was charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. They are made up of fifteen member c0untries; five permanent and ten nonpermanent. And since vampires and other test tube monsters were running around the countries, the UNSC decided to add dealing with them to the UN Charter. When Enrico logged on he saw the heads of the fifteen countries that consisted of the UNSC: China, France, Russia, United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, Australia, Jordan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Nigeria, South Korea, Chile, and Venezuela. The Director of the United Nations: Ayumi Miyamoto and the president of the Security Council; Adebiyi Obademi, a native of Nigeria. Also, there was one person he knew would be at the meeting: Integra Hellsing. Enrico sighed any meeting with that boorish English woman was bound to be a disaster. He was glad that it was a hologram because that meant Integra couldn't punch him if she didn't like what he said. Even though the option of the commander flying to the Vatican to sock him a good one was not beyond her.

Miyamoto cleared her throat, "This should be a short meeting, just installing the Iscariot Organization as a vampire-hunting faction under the United Nations representing the Vatican City and Italy." President Obademi took out a stack of papers, shifted his glasses and said, "There has been a substantial rise in vampire sightings and attacks, so this is a good thing because the people of Italy need protecting." Other people at the meeting nodded in agreement. "The Iscariot Organization has lawful jurisdiction over the Vatican City, Italy and the Sicily and Sardinia. Under no circumstances will the Iscariot Organization intrude onto the Hellsing Organization or the CIA's territories without notifying them first. Failure to do so will result in immediate disbandment." Miyamoto sent both the Pope and Enrico a steely gaze, "Am I clear?"

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" asked Enrico. The other people the table looked at him as is he just said the most unintelligent thing in the world. The representative of Venezuela Rodrigo Garcia tugged at his thin mustache before saying, "Countries have gone to war for a lot less. It must be this way, so it does not bring chaos, to the countries and the organizations."

"But countries whose main religion is Catholic should be under the protection of the Vatican, the Iscariot Organization! We had a meeting with your government, Garcia, about leaving Hellsing. If you would leave, then others would follow" stated the Pope.

Enrico glanced at Integra, expecting the leader to say something snarky or vulgar, but the only sign he could get from her was a bored expression and a slight raise of the eyebrow.

"Yes, about that," said Garcia, "Our president has refused your offer, due to lack of experience and money. You see our country is also in economic strife and even though we cannot offer Hellsing any support of our own, she has still decided to help us, at no cost, you can say. Whereas the Vatican still demanded what we cannot give."

Since when did the bitch grow a heart? thought Enrico. He then realized the truth behind the generosity. Hellsing didn't NEED their resources because she already had resources. By going to economically wealthy countries, they gave her resources out of sheer gratitude because her organization dealt with their monster problems. So poorer countries didn't need to give as many resources as wealthier ones. These countries supplied Hellsing with something more valuable than money or manpower: information. This enabled Hellsing to have a large expansive network of any monster sightings but also anything else they wanted. Also, bases baring the Hellsing logo were built so that local and federal armed forces could learn how to deal with monsters and be trained by Hellsing forces. Enrico ground his teeth, that woman was truly a force to be reckoned with.

"The Iscariot Organization's jurisdiction are Italy, the Vatican City, Sardinia, and Sicily. If you want to work together with Hellsing, that is fine, but to try and take away business when you've barely the resources and manpower is a rather low tactic. Prove that you can protect your own lands before trying to take on others" stated Director Miyamoto.

"Doesn't it say something like that in your Bible?" sneered the Representative of Jordan. The Pope and Enrico could only look shamefaced and the Cardinal did not have to look at Integra to know that she was wearing a smirk of superiority, he could practically feel it being burned into his brain.

"Well the last thing that we need to know is where is Dr. Lazarus Thorton II?" stated Obademi. "As of now, it seems that there is no conclusive sighting of the man."

Enrico's blood went arctic cold. The only people who knew where the crazy quack was, were the Vatican who hired him and Hellsing who seemed to know everything. And since the Vatican was not going to say anything, that just left the Hellsing Organization to spill their guts. Both the Pope and Enrico waited for the dreaded moment for when Integra would rat them out, ending everything they had worked so hard to get. However, the only thing the knight said was, "Unfortunately at this time we do not have any new information on the whereabouts of Dr. Thorton. If anything should arise, you will be the first to know." She had said it so smoothly and convincingly that both leaders of the UN believed her. They nodded and the meeting went on about different topics, but Enrico couldn't get the fact out of his head that Integra LIED to the United Nations Security Council. She LIED! Integra knew that at this very moment Dr. Thorton was in the walls of Vatican City, yet she LIED! She must be up to something. All the years that he knew her, he knew that she was not one to lie. It didn't seem to be part of her, not even a white lie. She made it a point, to be honest, sometimes brutally so, at least he thought. And here she was LYING to the U.N. Did she do something? Did she know something more? What did she want? Enrico was certain that Integra was not doing this to help the Vatican, so there was something more. But he couldn't ponder this right now, as the meeting had come to an end, the members were saying their farewells and logging off. Soon everyone had logged off except for the members of Iscariot and Hellsing.

"You're just dying to know why I lied to the UN, are you not?" Integra asked with a knowing smirk.

"Huh?" said Enrico stupidly.

"It's written all over both of your stupid faces. You two looked like stunned cattle for the remainder of the meeting."

"So why did you do it?" asked the Pope. "Blackmail? Money? You want us to give up the Iscariot Organization? Whatever it is you are not getting anything!"

Surprisingly Integra just smiled, "It is not anything as simple as that."

"Stop playing games, you sow!"

This earned Enrico a glare so intense he thought for a minute that Integra would kill him. "When Icarus has come crashing to earth after flying too close to the sun, I will be right there to put a bullet in his head." And with that, the hologram image that was Integra winked out of existence. Enrico and the Pope sat there for a couple of minutes, confused at these words, before logging off themselves. "What in God's name did she mean by that?" demanded the Pope. "You knew her a life time ago!"

Enrico scratched his head, this woman was not the same Integra he knew. There was something different about her, something darker and he was sure it had something to do with the Battle with Millennium. The new version of Integra seemed that she would do anything to accomplish her goals, even if it was morally or legally questionable. The Integra he knew would not even think of doing such a thing. Then a little voice in his head said in almost a whisper, "You did this to her." Even though the two organizations did not like each other, taking the time to set aside their differences to fight their common enemy; Millennium, should have taken priority, but it didn't. Because of the actions, he and many others had taken, the survivors of that fateful night, came out of it changed in many ways. Enrico shook his head, "That was a lifetime ago and even then, I didn't know her."

"Well whatever she meant sounded like a threat, do try and be careful around her." With that, the pope left the room.

Later that week Enrico decided that he had enough of trying to convince the stubborn pontiff to change the lax ways of the church. Gathering five Cardinals who also hated the changes as much as he did: Mario Salvietti, Stefano Bianchi; a white-haired man of short stature and was bowlegged, Antonio Ricci, an obese man who forgot about the part where eating in excess was a sin, he had a large bald spot in the middle of thick brown hair, making him look like a friar, Giovanni Piero; a tall noodle necked man with no chin, a drooping mouth, and his unkempt dirty blond hair looked like a bird's nest and Pietro Romano. As of late, they had been discussing how to persuade the Pope, but because of his stubbornness, they had to find a new way to show the Pope he was wrong. "Or maybe we need a new Pope," said Cardinal Ricci. The room became still with all eyes on Cardinal Ricci. Enrico smirked, "He did say when I became Pope that I could change the rules."

Ricci huffed, "Why do you think that you will be Pope?"

Salvietti chuckled, "Antonio, all you care about is food, perhaps someone who can concentrate on more than their dinner plate should lead the church." Ricci glared at Salvietti but then began to laugh, "You are right, I do appreciate meals. Never mind me, Enrico, I haven't had my after-dinner snack yet." All the Cardinals had a good laugh at that. Cardinal Romano declared, "I think that Enrico should be the next Pope, not only was this his idea to change the church, but his youth is a great advantage. I believe that he will be able to connect to the younger Cardinals and people."

"The question is now, how to get rid of the Pope we have now?" asked Enrico.

"A sudden sickness?" suggested Romano.

Salvietti shook his head, "For an old man, the Pope is very healthy. He has no heart or other organ problems. He rarely gets even a cold."

"You can forget about poison," said Ricci, "it would look very suspicious. His aids would be the first under suspicion."

"So, the only way for this to happen is if one of us does it?" asked Cardinal Piero nervously. Again, the room became silent. Even if they wanted to make changes in the church and getting a new Pope was a way of going about it, none of the cardinals were prepared to kill the Pope. They all looked around the room as if to see who would agree to do the detestable act, but no one volunteered. Finally, Bianchi said, "There must be another way. We are men of God, killing is a grave sin and none of us are willing to spend an eternity in Hell just for a couple of rule changes." There were murmurs among the clergymen. Enrico had to think fast, the Cardinals were getting antsy and might back out completely, "How about hiring someone?"

"You mean like an assassin?" asked Ricci.

Piero rubbed his chinless face, "That just might work. If someone can make it seem like an accident, we might have a chance." Given by the nods, all the men agreed, as long as they didn't have to get their hands dirty, now they just have to find someone who would take the job. Soon a nearby bell rang out the late hour and after bidding each other a good night, the cardinals left the room. Finally! Enrico thought things were finally beginning to look up. Soon the Pope would be dead and he would be in charge. He was feeling so giddy with the turn of events, that he let out a loud laugh, meanwhile fully unaware of the secret listener that the meeting had.

As he retreated quickly and quietly down the dark hallway, Dr. Thorton pondered what to do with this newly acquired information, which he had recorded. He didn't know the other cardinals' voices but recognized Enrico's. While everyone lived their lives at the Vatican, they mostly forgot about him and that was just fine with him. It enabled him to be invisible and to listen in on conversations like the one he just heard. This was just too good, now he had leverage. He could get anything he wanted or he could threaten to give Hellsing the recording, that would teach those uppity Cardinals. But he was not where he was because of stupidity, he would wait for the perfect opportunity and then he would reveal his hand. As the days went by, Dr. Thorton made sure he overheard each meeting, though most of them were just whining about church policies. What he wanted to know was when exactly they would carry out the deed. By now they already found someone who had a grievance with the church and wouldn't mind offing the Pope. But suddenly their plans took a detour. "What do you mean he's flying to England?" shouted Ricci. Salvietti who was one of the Pope's aides had just informed the group of the abrupt change in the Pope's schedule. "Why would he be going there? Is it the Hellsing Organization?" asked Enrico. Salvietti shrugged his shoulders, "He didn't say, I'm guessing for a mass; what else could it be?" Throwing his hands in the air, Enrico growled, "Fine, we will wait until he gets back from his trip."

A couple of days later, the news came on with this headline:

POPE DEAD AT 85 YEARS OLD.

Chapter End

Author's Notes: Well that's a cliffhanger if I ever saw one. How did the Pope die? Was it Hellsing? Did Alucard eat him? Find out in the next chapter or maybe the chapter after that. The countries that are in the UNSC are not the same countries that are there now. Besides the first five countries, China, Great Britain, the U.S, Russia, and France are permanent members, the other ten are non-permanent, so they change. Well, that's all for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.