Lovecats

Some people easily separate their private lives from their professional ones, much like when a dyer makes batik- the wax covering up the area of cloth the artist wants separated, and the colour never even touches what lies beneath. Others tend to bleed and intermix like some sort of tie-dye, swirling everything together into one interesting combination. Right now, Sir Hellsing could say that her personal life was beginning to merge into shades of grey. Since the return from Italy, the organization had been running smoothly, in fact, it was perhaps the best combination of applied and coordinated military that she had ever experienced in her fifteen years of running Hellsing. However, with the new added task of adding 'motherhood' to her list of operations, the choice was starting to take on a rather militaristic tone.

At 10:30, she had a short meeting to go over basic operations for defending the borders between England and Wales. At 11:45, she had to re-state the health benefits and personal leave acts of her soldiers and personnel. At 12:30, she would be leaving for an combined appointment with Dr. Trevelian and Dr. Seward, her family physicians for consultation, assessment of her situation, and advice. If all went successfully, then a short trip with Andrew into town for lunch and the purchasing of vitamins, books, and family planning kits would partake. All would be over and done with by the late afternoon in preparation for a nice, quiet discussion with her private staff, extended family, and mate about the impending new choices . Then by evening, actions to assure a successful beginning would take place- mission accomplished.

"Lord, you sound like you've going through tactics for the battlefield, not planning a child....." a voice chided. Integra cocked a brow.

"Like everything else, the policies of war can be applied." she countered.

"Do you want me to go with you to the doctor's?"

"Not yet, I want to have a regular physical and discuss a few things first- I will certainly expect you to come along for the second meeting, but right now, I have to get a few things cleared up."

"Like what?", Alucard inquired. As she passed the great hall mirror, the vampire let his presence become known in a swirl of shifting shadows covered in curious, claret eyes. Sir Hellsing tapped the glass and a transparent tendril reached out and caressed her cheek.

"Well, I have to inform them that my husband may be a little....out of the ordinary." she said with a smile.

Elsewhere-

Hyde Park, London

A camera crew closed in onto the police who were still cleaning up the incident. Red and blue lights flashed and the repetitive scream of sirens broke the still of the morning. The cameraman drew near before turning his own head away and looking quite green.

"Fucking Hell! " the young man exclaimed, the disgust edging onto his face. Trevor Carlyle rolled his eyes. Interns, they came at you with piss and vinegar, but they couldn't handle a third of the things thrown at them in this line of work. After being a head reporter specializing in homicide for over a decade, his skin had thickened enough to withstand even some of the more gruesome crime scenes. However, when he saw the spread before him, even he shuddered.

During the course of the early morning, a young mother now identified as Selma Colt was dropping off her son, Henry, and a neighbour's child at nearby a nursery school. Apparently, the little group had taken a short-cut through Hyde Park where unfortunately, someone, or something had been waiting for them. Their blood ran thick and dense, staining the grass black, and the pavement bright red. The childrens' torsos had been rendered limb from limb, Henry's right arm severed brutally from his little frame. The other child, Timothy Scott, attempted to flee, but was mauled down a few yards away from his friend . The backs of his calves had been torn open, like some sort of wild dog had grabbed him by the ankles and dragged him back. His small hands still clung into the damp earth, forever locked in tiny, cramped claws. For a brief moment, Trevor thought of his own, toddler daughter at home and a shiver of fear raced down his spine. The body of the woman was still missing.

"Stay professional, stay professional..." his inner voice chanted. It was this mantra that kept his head when all others were losing theirs.... He approached, indicating for his crew to start to rolling and taking more intimate footage.

"Sir," an officer began to state, "Can you please give us a few more moments-we're still containing the situation." Mr. Carlyle shot the police man an authoritative glance.

"We have a right to show our public what's happening in their own neighourhoods - are you attempting to censor what's going on here?"

"No, but please, this is a very delicate situation- I'm going to ask you and your crew to pause filming for at least another fifteen minutes!" Trevor began to open his mouth to start with his 'freedom of the media' speech, when he caught a glimpse of the image behind him. A dour-faced officer and a burlier fellow had found the remains of Ms. Colt. The woman couldn't have been more than twenty-five, and had once been rather attractive, minus the great, gashes in her cheek and chin that looked like flesh had been bitten off. Her upper torso was bloodied, staining the blanket crimson and a defined bulge rose from under her breasts. Pregnant. The deceased was at least in five or six months along- this tiny life also now snuffed out in the grizzly maylay. For a moment, Trevor's mind raced, but his determination steadied him.

"Keep filming!", he commanded. At this time, the captain of the squad came over, a big, bear of a man that looked furious and red-cheeked. He smacked the intern on the shoulder.

"Cut the film now, for Christ's sake, have some decency!", he bellowed.

The intern protested, but the Captain's eyes locked into his. "Please, this woman was a friend of mine- I have to call her husband. Be decent. Stop. Now." It was as if you could slice the sudden silence. The film crew paused and even Trevor ceased his rant. This officer, the seasoned Captain Harring, was almost on the verge of tears.

"Thank you for your co-operation. " he quietly, yet firmly stated. "I understand that you have the right to be here, but this is a very unusual circumstance. "

"My God, who or what did all this?" was all Trevor could say.

The Captain shrugged.

"We're not quite sure, but unfortunately, she's not the only one....." a great sobbing gulp hit his voice. "We were neighbours for years and I knew her kid.... he used to come over and play with my dog...."

"Are you saying that this murder could have connections to the slaying of the two other pregnant women months ago in Cheddar and Manchester?", Mr Carlyle pressed. "Captain Harring, can you give us any information on the possible connection between this event and- " The reporter was cut off by the policeman pushing him roughly aside and storming off to see the corpse of Selma Colt zipped into a body bag. One of the young officers, a girl that appeared to be barely out of her teens, ran after him.

"Captain, Captain- are you alright?" she called. The cameras started rolling again. Trevor shook his head- he both loved and hated his career; drama, angst, mystery, bloodshed- real life could be more outrageous than fantasy any day

Elsewhere-

Hellsing Manor

"Captain, are you sure that you're all right?" the little vampire quipped. She was leaning over her fiance's bed, Pip's face barely out from underneath the covers. His russet hair was tangled into a nest and there were huge bags under his eyes.

"I'm fine, sweetie, just fine. I just got a bit of the cold that everyone's catching, that's all." A small sneeze slipped out. Seras patted his forehead.

"Oh, poor, poor, baby," she cooed, leaning over to give him a peck.

"Ah, don't.", he stated rolling over to his side. "You might catch whatever I got..."

"Um honey, it think it's a bit too late for me to be worrying about colds." She rolled her hands over his shoulders and he merely buried himself deeper under the coverlet.

"Do you want me to leave you alone and come back later?"

"Yes." he replied, like a grumpy five-year-old who does want to leave his bed. "Come back in a few hours, Okay?"

"Okay", the fledgling sighed. She pecked his head and made her way out of the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, slowly, Captain Bernadette peeked out of his blankets. He felt no lingering presence and could not hear anything outside. He sat up, fully dressed, and parted the bedclothes away. He stood up and smoothed out his mop of long hair, tying it back quickly. She had fallen for his ruse and now the Frenchman could put his plan into action. He strode to his dresser, opened the first drawer and pulled out his checkbook. His good eye ran over the figures and a smile lit up his face like a firecracker. Today was the day- he was going to used his bought time to go downtown and pick up the little 'surprise' that he had discussed the other day with Walter and His Spookiness.

"Damn, what a clever little cat I am.." he thought smugly. Love it seems, was developing much a stealth attack- cite target, close in and surprise the troops- or troop in this case. A particularly lovely one at that, whom he was sure had not a single clue that this was coming.....

Meanwhile-

The sirens had long since silenced and the dogs of the media had their fill of sensation for the day. The remains of the horrific morning were paled into pink stains on the concrete. Yellow police tape surrounded the sections of grass like an invisible border- this was suppose to keep on lookers away, bare them from getting too close to such an incident. In a thicket, surrounded by tall shadows, two figures hovered.

"Ha, ha, she had no clue what was coming, did she...." a husky t ember purred.

"No, no she didn't, but she wasn't the one- the child she was carrying, it was fully human." a more feminine voice replied. A frustrated sigh burst forth.

"But I could smell a vampire on her- it had an essence similar to our Master's." A growl started.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that it was him- I swear, your senses have dulled over the years..." There was a snarling and a bearing of teeth.

"You were the one who screwed up in Cheddar... and stop calling him 'Master', he hasn't been our master for almost one hundred and ten years."

"Fine.... , but when, when are we going to find that abomination? If we don't soon, it could spell the end for all of us."

"We'll just have to keep looking. After all, he is a tricky one, I'm sure that he wouldn't just leave his offspring out there in the world unprotected."

"Don't worry, tomorrow we search again, but tonight," the pause was sharp and jagged like glass, " tonight we hunt...."