Wings of the Damned

Sapphirewyren

Chapter 5: Death of a Pope

Disclaimer: I do not own Hellsing

Hellsing Manor

On a brisk morning, Integra's good night's sleep was interrupted by what she called 'that ass of a vampire. Alucard'. His booming cackling could be heard even outside the Manor. When Integra reached the living room, she saw Alucard holding his sides from laughter, Seras who looked a mix between angry and sad, and a straight-faced Sam, not usually the way Integra found her 'pets' in the morning. Usually, Alucard and Seras were asleep after a night of hunting rogue vampires and Sam with a face full of food in the kitchen.

"Alucard, what is so funny that you have to wake up half of London?" asked Integra irately.

"Look, master, a ton of bricks fell on the Pope's head" snickered the vampire pointing to the television.

On the television, a brown-haired anchorwoman, with a mournful look in her brown eyes stood in front of a half-constructed church. "The Pope was in London this past week blessing a series of churches, both Catholic and Protestant, temples and mosques as a show of good faith and tolerance towards all religions. While giving a blessing for the church behind me, to be named New London Protestant Cathedral, a crane that was carrying a load of bricks, broke and fell on the Pope and two of his bodyguards, killing them instantly. Right now, we are not sure how this happened; some speculate that the crane was carrying too much weight. So far this has been ruled as an accident, not as an assassination attempt or any terrorist attack. We will bring you more information as we get it."

At this Alucard started laughing again. "This is not funny!" cried Seras.

"You are right, Police Girl," said Alucard "This is hilarious!"

"Sir, make his stop laughing" pleaded Seras.

"You're just going to have to wait until he finds something else interesting," said Integra. Sera's shoulders slumped, unlike her master who thought that an old man being crushed to death by a ton of bricks was humorous, she thought it was grisly. When they got all those bricks and the platform off the Pope, the medical examiners are going to have a doozy of a time trying to separate what was left of the Pope's organs from his two bodyguards, and that image left Seras feeling a bit queasy. Seras didn't have anything against the Pope, even if he did make the silly decision of reviving Enrico Maxwell using Dr. Lazarus Thorton a known criminal. While Seras was still moping on the couch she could see Integra and Sam talking on the other side of the room. Seras could have used her vampiric senses to hear what they were saying, but she was too busy listening for new information on the Pope's death in the news. After Sam left-with a creepy looking smile on her face- Integra went over to the couch picked up the remote and turned off the television. Alucard groaned, "Master, I wanted to see if they had video footage of the flattened Pope." Integra gave him a stern glare, while Seras opted for elbowing Alucard in the stomach. Looking around Seras asked, "Where did Sam go, Sir?" Integra smirked, "She had a doctor's appointment."

As she made her way to her office, Integra pondered over the Pope's death and cursed what she called his 'ineptitude in death'. The old fool had to die in London and on the site of a Protestant church no less. How could a person be so stupid, even when dying? She had a gut feeling that somehow the Vatican would probably spin it and blame Hellsing if they could get away with it. It seemed like a farfetched thing to do, but knowing Enrico it would seem plausible. The last thing Integra wanted to do was to defend her organization against the insipid claims of a mad man, but it was better to be prepared than to regret it later. And if Maxwell decided to do something as idiotic as blame Hellsing for the Pope's death, he would get a nasty surprise. Integra prayed that he used what little brains God gave him to truly think through his next course of action because if not, tearing down the Vatican would bring her great pleasure.

Apartment in Vatican City

Joseph didn't bother getting off the couch, where he had fallen asleep the night before. By the dead silence in the apartment, he knew that Dr. Thorton was probably somewhere skulking about listening in on what was supposed to be private conversations. He had been doing that for the last couple of weeks. Dr. Thorton was nosy like that. But it wasn't like he wasn't being nosy himself. Joseph sighed, how on earth did he get caught up in all this anyway? It all started about a year ago, not too long after the Trafalgar Square incident. Dr. Thorton had been intent on getting away, that he left important things behind including his assistants. A few days after that occurrence, Joseph was mindlessly strolling down the street, waiting for his boss to call to tell him where to meet up when suddenly he was knocked on the back of the noggin. Before going completely unconscious, he felt himself being hoisted on someone's shoulder and heard a voice say sharply, "Just open the trunk…." After that Joseph had no idea what happened. He was semi-conscious when the car arrived at its destination and he heard the same commanding voice order, someone to pick up, what they referred to as a 'useless sack of horse mess'. Even in his state, Joseph found that to be rather insulting. He blacked out again and sometime later, he became fully conscious. He looked around and saw that he was in some kind of dungeon. When he tried to get up he realized that he was bound to the wall by a heavy chain attached to the thick concrete wall. "What the….? Where am I?"

"Oh good, you're awake. I was about to resort to other painful methods to bring you to" said the frosty voice of Integra. Jonathan stared at her, wide-eyed and said in a quivering voice, "T-this is kidnapping! This is illegal!"

"Really? I guess it couldn't be anymore illegal than releasing mutant bat hybrids on the populace."

"It wasn't me! I don't know what…."

This denial earned Joseph a hard slap to the face, which loosened some molars.

"Did that help jog your memory?"

Joseph nodded his head and decided that staying silent was best in the situation he was in. Just then the door opened and a butler walked in and handed a thick folder to Integra. "Here is the information you asked for, Sir." When the butler left, Integra said, "Here is what is going to happen, you are going to work for me WHILE working for Dr. Thorton.

Joseph's mouth fell open, "No way! I'd never betray Dr. Thorton!" Integra tossed the folder that she had received from Philip at the red head's feet, "I had a feeling you would say that." Joseph sifted through the papers and with each passing sheet; he was more and more horrified. He looked up at the commander, who had an almost wolf-like grin on her face. In the folder was information about him, from where he was born, to where he went to school, and everything in between. It even had the names of his previous girlfriends-all three of them- and even all their information as well. The folder contained details about his fellow assistants and their lives. The most shocking thing was there was a detailed profile on Dr. Thorton. How? How was this possible? No one was supposed to know about Dr. Thorton!

Integra had to admit that she enjoyed seeing the look of terror on the young man's face as he looked through the folder. When exactly had she become this sadistic, she had no clue, but she liked it. "Where did you get this?" whined the lab assistant. Integra shrugged, "It's easy when you know where to look." Joseph gave Integra a defiant look, "This…this changes nothing! I'm not doing anything you say!" The Hellsing commander took out a cigar and lit it, after taking a puff, she said; "One call to the authorities and I can have your dear, sweet, grandmum sitting in a tiny cell in Baskerville Penitentiary*."

Baskerville Penitentiary was Britain's answer to the climbing crime rate. The off-island facility was reserved for the worst of killers and rapists, kind of like the monstrous beast it was named for. Most prisoners that went into that place only came out in a body bag or an urn. The food was horrible, the conditions were just as horrible and tax dollars were paid so that the conditions stayed terrible. The only thing good about Baskerville was its security. It was built on a man-made island and if a prisoner did make it outside the walls, it was a long drop onto man-made jagged rocks and metal spikes. The thought of his eighty-eight-year-old grandmother in that deplorable place gave Joseph the chills. The young man gave Integra a look of defeat, "Fine, I'll work for you. What is it that you want me to do?"

"I just need you to put this on his person, if you have to shove it up his ass, then do so. Integra tossed a small plastic square case as Joseph. Inside was a small transmitter. "Yes, Sir"

Fast forward several months later. Joseph had finally heard from Dr. Thorton and he placed the transmitter in a place the scientist would never look…his favorite watch. When he had contacted Integra to let her know that the deed was done, she replied with, "I can see why Dr. Thorton likes you so much, you are so obedient. Such a good dog." Joseph hung up the phone before the Hellsing director would say anything else. Several months after that phone call Dr. Thorton was hired by the Vatican for a special project. As he relayed all of this lying on the couch Joseph felt like crap. Dr. Thorton had given him a chance at becoming a scientist and he betrayed him. "Screw it!" Joseph said to himself. He would tell Dr. Thorton everything. Sure, the scientist would be angry at first, but when everyone settled down, he would think of a plan to keep Hellsing from finding them and keep his grandmum out of Baskerville Penitentiary. Joseph got up from the couch as the door to the apartment opened. "Dr. Thorton, is that…who are you?" Joseph asked the copper-haired woman who was not Dr. Thorton. Sam smirked at the man's frightened expression, "I'm just here for lunch."

Dr. Thorton ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He had snuck into the Papal Palace…well more like walked in because there were barely any security guards in sight. He had seen people wailing and crying in the streets but had not paid too much attention to them. When he reached the Palace, he saw Cardinals running back and forth like a bunch of headless roaches. When he was able to stop one of them to find out why all the frenzy, the Cardinal had given him such a mournful look before telling him the worst news of his life; the Pope was dead. Dr. Thorton didn't wait to hear how or why he just knew he had to leave Vatican City and fast. Hellsing was probably on its way now. Or maybe M16 or the CIA or any government agency in the world, if they knew. Dr. Thorton was certain that Hellsing was on their way because they knew exactly where he was. He ran through a list of things that he needed to pack and he tried calling Joseph a third time. Where was that boy? He had better not be sleeping! He called the other two assistants and got no answer. Why couldn't he find good help?! When Dr. Thorton reached his apartment, he could tell something was very wrong, it was far too quiet. It was as if no one was around. The first sign of life or more like non-life was when he nearly tripped over a bloody severed arm. Dr. Thorton looked around the place, there were body parts from all three assistants scattered about. Most of these parts looked like they have been eaten. The sight made Dr. Thorton feel like throwing up. Just then a sultry voice from purred, "The main dish finally makes its appearance."

"What did you do? Who are you?"

"Well now, you've hurt my feelings, Lazarus. I thought we were friends."

"I don't know you!" The scientist looked around frantically trying to find who and where the voice was coming from.

"Such a shame, you've forgotten me already." As Sam stepped out of the shadows, Dr. Thorton gasped in recognition. The assassin gave a mirthful smirk, "So you do remember me. That's good, then I don't have to tell you why I am here."

"Please let me live. I promise I won't do any more experiments!"

"Let you live? After what you did to my friends? My family? My children!?"

"I'm sorry…please…I'm begging you….!"

"Tell me, did your victims beg for you to stop their torture?"

"I'm….I…."

Sam grabbed Dr. Thorton by the throat, "TELL ME!"

"Yes! Yes, they did!"

"And were you so kind to grant them any mercy?"

"No…I….I wasn't."

"So, why should I let you live?"

"Please…don't….don't kill me. I'll do anything."

"To save your skin, I'm sure you will. But after what you have done to me and the so many I have cared about, letting you live would be very stupid." Sam gave the scientist a rough shove, "I will, however, give you a couple of minutes to start running."

Even though his brain screamed for Dr. Thorton to start running, his legs wouldn't move as he watched Sam slowly morph from a human woman to a large tiger.

So, you have decided not to run? That is fine with me; I love it when my meal is fresh.

Dr. Thorton was alive long enough to know what it was like to have one bowels eaten by a large cat. Let's just say it was messy and painful. People outside would later claim to hearing screams, but couldn't place where they were coming from.

Langley, CIA Headquarters, USA

When Director Douglas was told that the Pope had been killed, it hit her like a ton of bricks. (Too soon?) She knew it was only a matter of time before Hellsing would sink her claws into the not so good Dr. Thorton. So, she immediately sent the Black Night squad to the Vatican of the fastest plane. This time she hoped that someone there would be more cooperative. The last time, the Pope had flat out denied that the Vatican hired Dr. Thorton to do something as preposterous as bringing a person back from the dead. They tried to convince her that Sir Hellsing was insane or possibly making things up because of her dislike of the Vatican. But Douglas was not convinced, sure the Hellsing leader could use a crash course in common courtesy, but she was certainly not the type of woman to fabricate complete nonsense. That would be a waste of time and Integra Hellsing did not waste time, this much Douglas knew. So, she knew that she had to move fast before either Dr. Thorton fled, which he would be inclined to do or before Hellsing caught him.

As soon as the Black Night's plane touched down, cars were waiting for them, and they sped towards the Vatican City. When they reached there, Captain Bach demanded to see the person in charge and met Cardinal Mario Salvietti. He practically bellowed; in the poor man's face for the whereabouts of Dr. Thorton.

"You didn't let Hellsing in did you?"

"Hellsing?" blustered the Cardinal "No, I haven't seen them. Are they coming?"

"Just pray they aren't here already."

Cardinal Salvietti led the Black Night Squad to the apartments where Dr. Thorton and his assistants were supposed to have resided. When they opened the door and entered the apartment Cardinal Salvietti screamed and broke down in tears at the grotesque scene that greeted them.

"What happened here?" gasped Derekson.

"Hellsing happened" growled Captain Bach. He called Director Douglas and she was steamed.

"Gather as much evidence as you can."

"That's going to be a problem," said Jules.

"What? Why is that?"

"The room is spotless besides a pile of human bones in the center of the living room."

The apartment looked as if no one lived in them. Everything of Dr. Thorton and his team was gone except for their bones. Captain Bach turned to the sobbing Cardinal, "I thought you said that you didn't let Hellsing in!"

"I didn't! No one's been here, at least as far as I knew. I saw Dr. Thorton this morning and gave him the news of the Pope's death and he ran off."

Director Douglas was pissed, if Integra could see her, she would probably have steam coming out of her ears.

"Sir Hellsing, you have crossed the line!" the CIA leader bellowed.

"And what would that line be?"

"You killed Dr. Thorton!"

"So, where's my 'thank you' card?"

"You think this is funny!? I told you that if Dr. Thorton was apprehended, he was to be turned over to US officials."

"And I told you where you could find him. Why didn't you take him into custody then?"

"The Pope denied it and we didn't have a search warrant."

Integra chuckled, "You just had to do things by the book. No wonder you can't get anything done."

"We are not brutes, we don't just barge in. What you did was illegal! The United Nations Security Council will hear of this!"

"Feel free to tell them whatever it is you want. Just know that I take protecting my country very seriously. No set of idiotic rules or bureaucrats will tell me how to do so."

With that, the Hellsing director hung up the phone. Integra stared through the smoky haze of her cigar. The U.N. would probably tear her a new one for lying to them about Dr. Thorton's whereabouts. But this wouldn't be the first time that she would have been yelled at by a bunch of old men. The good thing about all this was, Integra was at no risk of losing her job. No matter how much the U.N.S.C. may yell and piss their pants, both the Prime Minister and the Queen of England would take no action against her or the Hellsing Organization. The Prime Minister had told her, "I do not give a damn, what you do to Dr. Thorton when you catch him. He is to be treated like one of the monstrosities that he created. Why the Americans want to give him a trial and all that rot is beyond me. He showed callous disregard for human life. I don't see why his life should be any different." Integra had completely agreed with him. The usually calm and cautious man had become so tired of Dr. Thorton and those like him, that he was not willing to let the mad man defend himself in court or worse get away. The creation of monsters and human experimentation outraged him. So, when Integra told the Prime Minister and the Queen that the criminal scientist was dead, it was cause for celebration.

The other good thing that came out of Dr. Thorton's death was all the notes and evidence that he had in his room. Integra had all his notes and journals destroyed something she over-saw personally. The last thing she needed was for anything more of this man to get into the hands of some other crackpot or fanboy. The only things that were saved, was a recorder with the many meeting of the Cardinals and a detailed journal that had the date, times, and places that the Cardinals met. The journal and the recordings went together like a puzzle. Integra laughed to herself, the stupid Cardinals had no idea that they were being listened in on. If anything the recording and journal would make it easier to blame the Pope's death on the group of traitorous clergymen, even if dropping a ton of bricks on the Holy Father's head was not part of their plan.

Vatican City

Enrico and his group sat at the table, none of them saying a word. Salvietti had just given them the news of Dr. Thorton's death, which disappointed Enrico because he had planned to use him for his services when he became Pope. The good thing that the Vatican had some of the scientist's journals from before they hired him. But it was the Pope's death that weighed heavily on them all. Just a week ago they had just paid a man to kill the Pope and before the assassin could do the deed, the Holy Father was killed and in London, no less. Now several things were going to happen, the conclave would be called a new Pope was to be elected. In Enrico's twisted mind, God was working a miracle for him.

"Well that was convenient," said Cardinal Ricci "Not exactly as we planned, but at least we can truly say we had nothing to do with it." The other Cardinals nodded. "And he died in London, on the construction site of a Protestant Church," said Cardinal Ricci slowly. "We could find a way to pin it on Hellsing." As the other Cardinals nodded emphatically at this suggestion, Enrico said, "No".

"Why not?" demanded Cardinal Bianchi who did not like having his ideas rejected.

"Because when Hellsing finds out about it, it will be bad news for us."

"What do you mean 'when'?" asked Cardinal Romano.

"She knew that Dr. Thorton was here and the only way she could have known that was if someone here told her," said Cardinal Piero. The Cardinals glared at one another for several moments until Cardinal Ricci declared "That's ridiculous, none of us gain anything by working with or for that madwoman."

"And only four people knew about Dr. Thorton, you Salvietti, Cardinal Maxwell, the Pope, and Cardinal Verrechio. And since Salvietti and Maxwell are here and the Pope is dead, the only plausible choice is Verrechio", said Cardinal Romano.

"How could he betray the Vatican to work with Hellsing?" yelled Cardinal Ricci.

"Shh! We will keep an eye on him and what he does. But he can't know we are onto him" said Enrico. "We will wait for him to slip up, gather evidence, and then confront him."

"So, we are not going to blame Hellsing for the Pope's death?" questioned Cardinal Ricci. Enrico shook his head, as much as he would love to bring Integra to her knees if a thorough and objective investigation was done and the results came back that Hellsing had nothing to do with the Pope's death then it would all backfire on him and the Vatican that was something that Enrico did not want. So Hellsing would be spared, besides Integra would have his head, literally. "The most important thing to do now is to quickly find out who will be voting in the conclave and have them sway their votes for Maxwell" said Cardinal Romano. Even if they had to bribe or blackmail their fellow Cardinals, this group would make sure that Enrico became the next Pope and then the real change can begin.

Chapter End

Author's Note: Dun dun dun! Sam has kids! Who knew? More details about that will come out later, hopefully. I had a list of ways to kill the Pope; from being stabbed, the cliché being shot while giving a confession, to even poisoning the Communion wine and him barfing blood all over the altar. Pretty sick isn't? Of course, this is only for the Fanfic, I do not want to kill the Pope. Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter and will join us for the next one.