Chapter 5 What Happened In Rome…
Feb 17 2009 morning
Pip yawned wide and loud in a chair seated before Integra's desk. Annabel stood staring out the window showing the faint morning light over the grounds and shadows slowly shrinking away. They were both a few minutes early and awaited for Sir Integra's arrival.
"I'd love to have your energy Dame de Rouse, miss all perky zhis morning."
"It's not all a blessing Captain, When someone has twenty-two hours to kill in a day boredom comes easily. And you how I am when I'm bored." She said smiling brightly.
"Yeah you get an evil glint in your eye and start messing with people, and zheir zthings." He commented sourly.
Deciding to change the subject she asked "So how are things with Seras?"
Pip exuded a great sigh. "Me and Seras I think its okay except zat zee big guy isn't fond of me getting cozy with her, period."
Annabel went to respond when Sir Integra finally entered. Pip straightened up in the chair and Annabel took a seat in the second chair by the captain. The regal blond swiftly made her way to her desk, pulled out a manila folder for the two of them, then sat down.
She began. "A meeting has been arranged with Section Thirteen to discuss recent developments that have occurred in several countries around Europe. You Captain Bernadotte and Miss Phoenix and myself shall travel to Rome to the heart of Iscariot territory to exchange information and delegate a proper course of action. Something big is happening across Europe and beyond, I want to get to the bottom of this. Some strange person or group is taking out our targets before we have a chance to make them our targets. Sketchy as the information is the Iscariots are receiving similar reports from all over. The Archbishop has asked that I meet with him, on his turf of course. That is where you two come in. You are to be my bodyguards while I confer to his counsel in Vatican City."
Annabel had a suspicion but asked anyway. "Why me and Pip?"
"Because his holiness blatantly refuses to have a vampire within his beloved city walls, and Walter must stay to look over my affairs here."
Annabel nodded. 'That's what I thought.'
"Its likely to last a number of days just to get past the bickering." Integra said dryly. Annabel snorted softly and the regal blonde glared at her harshly stopping anymore sound.
"The two of you will be provided with the proper wardrobe." That didn't sound very appealing to the redhead who rarely wore the Hellsing issue uniform or any part of it in the first place. "Both of you are to remain as low key as possible." She said then looked straight at Annabel for the next part. "Which means no fire stunts unless there's sufficient danger to warrant it. I don't want a city crying out about the second coming because you torched some guy's hair for pissing you off."
"It only happened once." Annabel murmured low in her chair.
"Anyway, we are leaving at ten am today on the private jet so read what's in the folders and be ready."
Both of them acknowledged their yes sirs and left promptly.
Annabel raced down to the basement. When she opened his door she spotted Alucard sitting casually in his throne chair with a leg folded over the other and hands precisely clasped together. "Oh good. You're still awake." She marched over and planted her knees into the insides of his chair. Her rump neatly rested on his upper most leg. "There's a few things I want to discuss before I leave." Then she busted out "I'm going to Rome! Squee!" His grin never faltered. "Okay," calming down "First off, I want you to be nice to Deatrice." He lifted an eyebrow as if she was crazy. "You're right that's too much to ask from a bastard like you. How about keep her out of harm's way and… don't give her any nightmares."
"How do you know I don't already give the Bug nightmares?" The grin widened.
With narrowing eyes she poked a finger to his forehead pushing his head against the back of chair. "Don't go there, Red. I'd like to stay in a good mood for awhile."
"She will be the same as you left her, Spaz." He conceded. She nodded removing her finger and caressed an ear instead.
"Good. Next, can I have your cravat so I can have a piece of you with me? And I'll even wear it too."
"You're actually asking for once?"
"Well, I, I've never been to another country without you since appearing in Britain and I want some thing with me that's familiar. Captain Bernadotte does not count." She stared at his mouth as it turned into a slight frown.
"I want it back."
She thanked him brightly kissing his mouth while untying the red cravat then pocketing it. "You got it Red." She kissed him again in earnest, this time gaining a physical response with his hands gliding up her chest to cup her size Cs and his tongue swirling around hers. He stopped though and pulled away inhaling deeply of her scent.
Annabel looked back at him with concern. "Alucard, are you alright? You've been acting a bit off."
It was a long moment before he spoke. "You are going into the heart of the Vatican. It could be very dangerous for you, not to mention the Judas Priest is likely to be there."
Her hand flew to her neck and air got sucked into her lungs. "I had almost forgotten about him slicing my head off. Gahh. So you are concerned about me? Awe. Well, what about Integra? She's going to be there too."
"A Section Thirteen member will more likely attack a mythological being who consorts with heathens than a flesh and blood human, especially in the Pope's vicinity."
She nodded at his logic. "Well there's no worries because I WILL Return," poking at his chest with each word. "I promise." She pecked his cheek and he seemed to ease up slightly although no normal person could tell. She slid off his lap and headed for the door. Halfway there she snapped her fingers. "Oh yes, one more thing. I know you don't care for the captain much but could ya loosen up on the guy. Seras likes him, and he's actually trying with her."
His face grew dark. "She is my fledgling. It is my right to dictate who the Police Girl can or cannot spend time with."
She grumbled at his oh so possessive attitude. "If that's how you feel about it then why did you even allow the first date?"
"I assumed the horny human would mess up." Annabel slapped her face in a hopeless gesture and left the room to pack.
A few hours later Pip came by Annabel's room to give her a written message for Seras. He figured she could get it to Seras easier than he. Annabel slipped it under the neatly folded uniform on her dresser. It mainly said that Pip had a mission to Rome and that he would miss his mignonette not that he already missed her company because of her master. He also left the number to reach him should she want to call.
00000000000 Vatican City Rome, Italy Feb 17 2009 early evening
"Must I wear this Sir Integra? I feel like Jay from the MIB." Annabel tugged at the collar of the black business suit type jacket. Her undershirt was white, the slacks matched the top, and white gloves adorned her hands. Her red hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, her blue eyes hidden by dark sunglasses, and she had Alucard's cravat tied presentably around her neck. Annabel's sword only slightly poked out of her jacket. It did not look overly noticeable to the normal passerby.
Pip looked much like her except he wore a bold blue modern tie. Pip had a few pistols hidden away under his suit.
Integra looked much the same as she normally did except she had a funky looking hat on. The same one she wore when first meeting the archbishop Annabel remembered from the manga in the old world and always thought it was ugly. As far as she knew Integra had no weapons on her as a show of "Friendship," although Annabel suspected she had something lethal concealed on her person.
"You and me both, Annabel." Pip agreed as he fiddled with a button at the bottom of his left sleeve.
Sir Integra ignored her bodyguards discomfort as she stood between them in a massive long hallway with century old décor kept in prime condition waiting until the Vatican party showed up. The threesome arrived in the city a few hours ago and were shown where to stay for the duration. Annabel couldn't remember the name of the building but knew it was just north of the Church of St. Anne. They currently waited in the massive Apostolic Palace which was more a collection of buildings arranged in a specific way in the city.
Supposedly they were meeting Enrico Maxwell and a few of his retainers in just a few minutes.
Thirty minutes later three figures appeared. One was taller than the other two.
'Don't be Anderson, don't be Anderson…' Annabel chanted in her head. Luckily for her it wasn't, just a young looking brown haired priestly fellow, much like the other that flanked the Archbishop. She looked at Mr. Maxwell surprised at how attractive he looked and appeared younger than she expected. 'Oh it's the hair. Its definitely the hair. Makes me wanna touch that blond mass and steal the hair tie. Maybe I'll cut it off and save it as a souvenir for Red.' She resisted smirking with the devious thought and focused on the man's cold grey eyes.
"A pleasure to see you again Sir Integra Fairbrooks Wingates Hellsing." He extended out his hand. It was not shook with. Retrieving it back to his person in elegant fashion he glared at the two persons with her. "No little pet with you?" His voice laced with sinister triumph.
"I consented to the Pope's request, not yours, Enrico Maxwell, for not bringing a vampire into this country." She replied sternly. "However, don't think to underestimate anyone under my command."
He huffed softly eyeing the regal blond with contempt. Those eyes moved over to the right where Annabel stood. "Who is this rose who thinks to protect the English… Lady?"
"You need only to refer to me as Miss A and that is all you are required to know, your holiness." Annabel responded in deathly calm mimicking Integra somewhat.
Maxwell twisted his mouth in slight irritation. "And you?" He directed at Pip.
"Mr. P." The mercenary replied taking on a similar code name.
"A and P? Such absurdities." He twirled around making a hand motion to follow him into a room a few doors down. Annabel decided then and there she did not like Inrico Maxwell.
Pip with one of the Iscariot retainers were stationed outside the door while she and the other one stayed inside with the persons they were ordered to protect. While she was here she decided to appear as mysterious as possible to fuel the imagination that she is not one to be reckoned with. She stood by the door with the average looking priest on the other side. Occasionally the priest would glance at her in curiosity.
About an hour into the "talks" between their leaders he asked "What does the A stand for?"
As part of her act she turned her head slowly to him then looked up and down at him sizing him up. "I think I'll call you Ted*. It rhymes well with bust-ted, annihila-ted, and decapita-ted." She said in a low monotone. Then she returned her gaze back on her leader. She could swear the guy gulped and shifted an inch away from her. It was really hard not to visibly express her amusement. He did not speak again. After several hours of listening to Integra and Enrico not make much headway, which was mind numbing after a while, they called it quits for the day.
*(The Ted name thing came from an episode of Mythbusters not me. I just liked it so much.)
00000000 Feb 18 2009
It was much the same the next day only much longer. This time she was paired with the other priest and stood outside this time. According to Pip this one didn't speak one word when he tried to start a casual conversation. She doubted this priest had anything in common with the Frenchman.
Instead she politely greeted each and every individual that pasted by. Most were priests and nuns but there were a few business men as well. Greetings like "Nice morning sister, it's a fine bright day is it not father, and may god bless you today sir," she would say with a friendly smile. Five or six people would pass them in an hour. It went like this for a few hours until someone she met before passed by with a distinct limp. She gasped and hoped her silent partner did not notice.
The green eyed blond stopped surprised to see her there.
"Hello Father Anderson." She addressed coldly by name. The priest beside her lifted an eyebrow.
"What are you doing here, heathen?"
"Doing god's will."
He snorted darkly. "And how is that?"
"My comrades and I are sanctioned by the Pope to be here, and is it not the Pope's duty to convey and execute god's will?"
Anderson scrutinized the red head with his beady stare hoping to break her equally cold glare. He shuffled off after a minute in irritation. Of course he knew the Hellsing woman was here. He just did not expect the pet's whore to be here as a guard as well.
Annabel smirked at his retreating back and when Anderson was out of earshot she leaned toward the other priest. "I gave him that limp." Internally she relaxed glad the Judas Priest didn't go ape shit like he does with Alucard.
He grew surprised darting his eyes back and forth. "Really?" He spoke for the first time.
Annabel grinned evilly and tapped the hilt of her sword. The next minute she warmly greeted a passerby as if Anderson was never there. The priest began to wonder if the woman suffered a mental personality disorder like a nun he was acquainted with; openly friendly one minute and disturbingly cold the next. Although Miss A hadn't been either to him. "How do you like our blessed city?" He asked innocently.
"Honestly I haven't been able to see much yet but I would love to see the Sistine Chapel." The woman responded brightly.
"The Archbishop has graciously scheduled a guided tour of our fine city including the Sistine Chapel later this evening."
"Hmm." 'How thoughtful of him.' She thought dryly. 'I hope he's not the guide.' "I think Bob. Bob is good." She said creepily.
Having known what she said to Paul yesterday he wondered why she's naming him that. "Why am I Bob?"
She looked at him and replied flatly. "You seem… buoyant."
'The woman is nuts' was his first thought. 'I think I prefer the mercenary.'
000000000
Annabel's mouth stayed gaped open for full minutes as she stared at the amazing artwork on the high ceiling, the side panels, and the back wall. Sir Integra studied one of the panels in particular while Pip merely skimmed over the paintings with boredom. Thankfully the Archbishop assigned a knowledgeable nun by the name of Linda to guide them around instead of himself. There were a handful of other tourists milling about as well.
"This is so cool! The vibrant color and detail is amazing!" She exclaimed in the acoustic chapel. A few of the tourists looked at her from her outburst. Her eyes darted downward with embarrassment then shuffled toward the huge back panel. She gazed at each figure wondering if they represented a real person at one point.
After a short while Annabel felt the weirdest warm trickle down her spine. It felt genuinely benign so she wasn't alarmed, but was just so odd a feeling and she couldn't pinpoint it like she normally could.
A minute later a man and a woman walked up next to her. The man exuded an energetic flair of animation. "Ah The Last Judgment. Wonderful piece. Took Michelangelo Four years to complete. He sure had a strange sense of humor, though I find most artists are a bit quirky."
"Ehh, I'm more of a Van Gogh girl." The girl commented then noticed Annabel. "Wow, that's red hair."
"Thanks." Annabel replied happily.
"Is it natural?"
"Every strand." Annabel grinned.
The man started. "No. No hu-"
"Come on Dame de Rouse, we're moving on." Pip called out to her.
"Awe what's the hurry? Art needs to be appreciated." She whined but physically complied to the command.
"I'm done "appreciating" five hundred year old naked men." Pip mentioned dispassionately.
Annabel snorted loudly and slapped him on the back. "What's wrong with that? I do that all the time," winking at the captain wickedly.
It took a few seconds but he got it. "Mon dieu, Annabel! Zat is something I never wanna zhink about visualizing again."
"It was you who said it Captain, not me." She giggled as the two trailed behind the sister Linda and Sir Integra never noticing that the man and woman overheard most of their conversation.
0000000000 Feb 19 2009
Another day went by of guard duty and freak out the priest enjoyment. She had the one she called Ted again who was the easier of the two to freak out; young and gullible.
At one point Annabel pulled out her sword, puffed on it, then polished it with her glove. She pretended to examine it for the tiniest blemish like she was itching for action or for a catholic shish kabob. Her actions put Ted on edge, and irritated the Archbishop.
But aside from messing with the guy the job was dull as dirt. Even the retorts between Integra and Enrico were getting old. Mind you there was progress with the information exchange and plans formulating, but neither Annabel nor Pip cared much for the details as long as it produced a result.
Around six pm She and Pip were let loose from Integra to do whatever for the evening while Integra holed herself up in the assigned room to go over things. Unfortunately they were required to have an escort at all times while roaming around the city. That annoyed the redhead but at least she wouldn't get lost. She had Sister Linda while Pip had some other brawny looking priest.
She loosen up the cravat around her neck. "So, what is good to see outside of the Vatican?" Annabel asked the small petit nun.
"The coliseum is quite grand, and within walking distance, but the light is fading." Sister Linda offered.
"Oh that's alright. Sometimes the most beautiful things are seen at night. Lets go!" She didn't bother to change.
A nice scenic walk, and several camera clicks from her cell phone later they arrived at the huge monument of history. Lights from lamp posts and nearby buildings illuminated the coliseum with a haunted beauty. The two sat on a bench across from it just taking in the sight.
"You're right. It is beautiful." The nun breathed.
"Yeah." She seconded the thought. "Mind if I make a phone call?" She nodded. Annabel got up and wandered a little ways.
"Hey Seras, ya busy?"
"Eh, no. How's Rome and being a bodyguard?"
"Boring mostly, but I'm getting to see a few things. I'm standing not twenty feet from the Coliseum. Its huge!"
"Wow. Is Pip with you? The number he gave me doesn't work."
"Huh. Ah no. He's on his own little adventure. I'm with a nun called Linda as an escort. Pip's got a big burly guy tailing him." She snorted. "How's Deatrice coping without me?"
"Alright I suppose. She's mostly following Walter and me around."
"…and Alucard?"
"He dangled her out the second story window for trying to steal his blood pack last night. Luckily I was there to catch her."
"He. Did. What?" She yelled into the phone. "I'm so gonna burn his junk off!"
The next voice wasn't Seras's. "Going to burn what off Spaz?"
"I'm not talking to you! Put Seras back on."
"The bug needed to be punished. The fall wouldn't have hurt her much, and since Police Girl was there I dropped her anyway."
"You're impossible." Annabel groaned. She could almost feel the bastard grin through the phone. After a few moments she heard something indiscernible in the background.
"The Bug wants to talk to you."
"Put her on."
"Hi Auntie Phoenix!" The girl yelled through the speaker making her wince.
"Hi Sweetie. You don't need to yell. I can hear you just fine."
"But Alucard told me to." She said at a normal volume. Annabel held back an angered grumble and a few choice words.
"Deatrice, don't take everything he says for granted, and don't steal anything from him. He's very possessive."
"Okay Auntie."
"You doin' okay?"
"I miss you Auntie."
That warmed Annabel's insides. "I miss you too. I miss all of you, even the big meanie. I'll see you soon okay? Now give the phone to Seras, bye bye!"
"Bye bye!" The connection ended. She pocketed the phone into her jacket, and sat back over beside Sister Linda.
"Was that your family?" She asked.
"Yeah, they're a bit dysfunctional but they try." She leaned back inhaling the air of an ancient city. "Am I keeping you from something, Sister Linda?"
"Oh no, Miss A. It's a nice break from my normal routine. I'm usually within the halls of the Vatican. Besides I am ordered by his holiness to follow you around and report what you do."
"Wow, at least your honest. I think we should return. I wouldn't want you tired for morning mass." She said getting up.
"You are very considerate, Miss A." The nun stood up as well.
Halfway back to the Vatican, a very bad feeling shivered down her spine, and that bad feeling was coming at them fast. Annabel gripped the hilt of her sword pulling it out quickly. She yelled "Linda, run!" and twirled around toward the threat. The Sister didn't run but pulled out an intricate dagger out of her habit and stood beside her. "There's two co-" A huge force slammed her across the quiet street into a wall. Annabel gasped breathlessly from the air knocked out of her. The nun grunted trying to fight off the being before her. Annabel pulled out of the dent in the wall and charged at the pair of threats. They looked like regular males cloaked in grey robes. They didn't feel like any freak or vampire she had dealt before, but knew only darkness prevailed in their hearts. "Hey dickwad! Hands off the nun!" Annabel sliced her sword through the backside of the nearest creep surely cutting through the heart. It did nothing but make the creep turn fully to her. The other held Sister Linda by the throat with both hands. Linda stabbed and slashed away at her captor's chest and arms without avail. He didn't even bleed. Neither of them did. Annabel ignited her entire body and sword surprising both the creeps and the nun for a second. Using the advantage she sliced off the nearest creep's arm. It yowled in pain this time but his hand regenerated like sand being poured into an invisible mold. 'They're completely bloodless!'
The other began doing something to the nun. A white glow grew inside the nun's skull. His mouth opened wide and then hers forcibly opened bringing forth the energy like glow. It siphoned into his mouth like he was sucking the very breath out of her. Annabel redoubled her efforts hacking viciously at the first being until she pushed him back enough to get at the one giving the nun the kiss of death. She intensified her fire plunging her sword through the male's skull. He broke the connection dropping Sister Linda to ground, alive but unconscious. The jab in the head didn't kill him. It only pissed the creep off. Now both had their full attention on Annabel. "What the hell are you two?" She screamed at them moving off away from the collapsed nun so they would follow her. They did. One charged her punching her right in the face. She tumbled a good number of feet. She felt a good gush of blood leak out of her nose and knew the bastard had broken it. It healed quickly but the blood was still there. She snapped a foot to the ground creating a barrier of fire around the two. The pain her blue flames gave them did not deter them from hopping through the fiery wall to get at her.
She blasted fire at them, swung her sword through their bodies, and even tackled one with her intensely burning body. Nothing she did seem to slow them down. Her tactics produced physical pain and left them without a limb or two for a second but it didn't weaken them at all. All this put the three of them into a vacant lot. Annabel was running out of ideas. The only good thing at the moment was that she was equally matched in regenerative ability and still had a good storehouse of stamina left. As long as she kept their soul sucking mouths away from her she was good.
"She's got oodles of energy, enough for both of us." One creep said to his partner. The redhead shivered at the thought.
"She's fun. Lets make her last awhile." The other suggested. They both nodded then crumbled away into nothing.
Only one word screamed into her head. 'RUN!'
0000000 Feb 20 2009 2:30 am Rome time
In the very early hours of the morning a woman dressed in a white dress shirt and black slacks with a red cravat around her neck was discovered stumbling about near the Pantheon by an Italian police man. Her shirt and slacks were torn to shreds. Her hair and the tops of her shoulders were matted with blood while her mouth area was smeared with it. She didn't seem injured to the officer, just in a state of extreme shock. The poor woman didn't even acknowledge him as he shuffled her over to a bench and dug through her pockets for an ID. He found a visitor ID badge from the Cittá del Vaticano. The officer called an official there about a visitor fitting the woman's description. It wasn't long that he got a name and that her companions were coming immediately to her location to collect her and get her proper attention.
By the time Pip hopped out of the posh rental, followed by Integra and two Iscariots, Annabel had become mostly aware of her surroundings. The police man held a hand up to halt the Frenchman. "Easy, she's been in shock. No rash movements."
Pip slowed and stopped a few feet before her. Integra sat unassumingly beside Annabel and touched her shoulder gently. Annabel flinched. The two Iscariots stopped behind Pip. "That looks like an awful lot of blood." One of them said. "Are you sure she doesn't need medical attention?"
Integra ignored the priest and addressed her faithful phoenix. "Annabel, what happened?"
She turned her head and looked hard and long at Sir Integra. In a small voice she responded. "Who… are you?"
It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop a kilometer away.
'Oh… shit…' was Pip's first thought, shared equally by Integra.
000000000000000
B:N/ Oh my goddess why the hell, I don't wanna know. Alucard's gonna go ape shit. And for all you who missed it the cross began in this chappie, if you can't find it you are either not a fan or BLIND!
A/N That's harsh, but then again YOU missed it too until I told you. Lol. Oh, correction: She's supposed to be an EVIL Beta so its ok to be mean.