Chapter 1: Faces, Old and New
Three forms stood on the roof as they looked down on the Museum where the leaders of the two most powerful monster hunting organizations were making, all three of them wearing midnight blue cloaks completely covering their bodies and shrouding their faces.
One was short, no larger than a teenager, and carried a large book under his arm. He seemed to be studying the scene in front of him with deep interest, as though he were searching for the secrets to the universe within it. The second was tall and thin, an aura of boredom seemed to surround him like a pall of mist. Everything about his body language screamed disinterest. The third cloaked observer was built like a bull. He was huge and broad, his cloak straining to keep itself around him. He stood tall and straight, like a statue.
After a moment the skinny one spoke up. "Are we quite done peeping on two rather stupid humans, all we have observed is a Hallmark moment between two furballs. All rather boring." he said.
The short one responded quickly. "We need to know if the Voice is correct about Gunsche, if he really is the Alpha."
The skinny one snorted. "Whatever, I still say this whole thing is pointless."
"All the same, we should give Henry a proper chance to analyze the situation." said the large one in a deep, gravely voice.
The skinny one snorted. "Whatever, it's all the same to me."
When Hans introduced the beautiful white haired nun to Seras as his sister, the Draculina's first feeling was that of relief. When she had seen Hans animatedly talking with the woman she had assumed that it must have been an old flame of his and had felt an irrational tug of jealousy.
"Oh, your sister huh. Your 'dead' sister?" she asked.
Maria shot Hans a look. "Vhat? I assumed zhat you vere dead." said Hans a little defensively. "Vhat else vas I supposed to zink?" asked the German.
Maria sighed. "It iz understandable zhat you vould zink I vas dead. I vould have died had it not been for Alexander."
Hans took the opportunity to catch up on teasing his sister. "Oh, so it iz Alexander, not Father Anderson?" asked Hans with a mischievous gleam in his red eyes.
Maria smacked him upside the head. "Trottel! Alexander is my friend you fool! Und ve cannot be anything else." she hissed.
Seras smiled. These two were definitely siblings, what else could they be when they behaved like this? Hans rubbed his head and looked at his sister indignantly. "Your back for ten minutes und your already beating me up." his face broke into another smile and he wrapped her in a bear hug. "I've missed that."
Maria struggled to hide the smile on her lips and the tears in her eyes. "Oh shove off you dumbkoff." she said affectionately. Hans reluctantly released her, but continued beaming. Maria's face twisted into a mischievous smile as she glanced between Seras and Hans, and Seras felt a strange chill in her bones. "So, vhy don't you introduce me to your beau Hans." she snickered.
Seras felt a blush come to her cheeks and Hans's eyes bugged out of his sockets. "Ne-nein!" he cried. "She iz n-not mein girlfriend."
Maria gave a very un-saintly giggle. "Methinkz zat ze man und ze voman protest too much."
Seras felt indignation rise in her chest. "For your information, Hans and I are co-workers and friends Miss Gunsche, or should I say Mrs. Anderson." she said, her own evil grin growing on her face.
Maria whirled, a playful grin on her face. "Vhen is ze vedding Mrs. Gunsche?" teased Maria. "I certainly hope zat I am invited."
Hans could feel a battle worthy of the Gods brewing and prepared to run for it if things heated up. However, salvation came in the form of his new whelp, Walter. "Oi, boss!" cried the new werewolf jogging down the hall to where the others stood. The situation momentarily diffused by the rather timely arrival of Walter Hans appreciatively turned to Walter. "Ah, Valter, waht do you vant." he said, his tone reeking of a 'get me the fuck out of here' sentiment.
Walter looked around Hans at his sister who stood looking with polite interest at Walter, shooting the occasional dirty yet friendly look at Seras. "Hans my dear friend," said Walter in a perverted tone, "ehy oh why did you not tell me that your sister was such a babe."
Hans didn't care what Sir Integra would say afterward, the whelp deserved the punch that Hans delivered right into Walter's face. Walter went flying and landed a good twelve feet away from them.
"Oi Hans!" cried Walter, sitting up on one of his elbows, his other hand rubbing his cheek where a nasty bruise was already forming. "What the fuck was that all about? All I did was-" his words were cut off as a flash of sliver and black shot past Hans and materialized in front of Walter as his sister. Maria raised her foot and brought it down hard onto Walter's crotch.
Walter's agonized cry cut Hans deep, and his hands flew protectively to his own balls. His annoyance at Walter's new perviness had evaporated into pity as his sister glared daggers down at the butler.
"Now listen here dumbkoff. she said coldly. "I may look like a frail voman, but I am a werewolf, a powerful one." she said in a dark tone. "If you try to perve on me again I vill take Valter Junior und I vill cut. Him. Off. Understood?"
Walter had tears of pain in his eyes and he nodded, incapable of speech. In a flash Maria went from murderous to pleasant as she removed her foot from Walter's groin. "Good, ve understand each other." she said in a merry tone wich sent shivers down Hans's spine. He had forgotten just how fucking terrifying his sister could be.
He doubted that Walter heard his sister as he had begun to moan in pain and curl up into fetal position, his hands covering his aching balls.
Maria turned back to her brother, ignoring the groaning man. "You made a Velp?" she demanded. Hans nodded, feeling like he was ten years old again under his sister's intense gaze. "I am inclined to ask vhy." she said crossing her arms over her bosom.
Hans gulped and began his explanation. "Vell, Valter vas originally Millenium's secret veapon, programmed to be a traitor. But I cured him."
"Cured him?" asked Maria.
"He ripped the chip out of his skull." supplied Seras.
Hans nodded in thanks and continued. "Vithout it he vas a veak old man, so he asked me to turn him into a verevolf, und I did." said Hans, hoping that would satisfy his sister's curiosity.
Maria frowned. "Vhy though, just because he asked?"
"For vhats coming, ve vill need all ze power ve can get." said Hans grimly.
Maria nodded, apparently satisfied by his answer. She turned to Seras. "Could you excuse us for a moment, I need to talk to my brother in private."
Seras nodded and walked off. She had expected this. Long lost siblings tended to need some alone time after all. Maria then looked down with distaste at Walter who had finally recovered from both of the Gunsche siblings's blows. "Get lost." she said simply. Walter nodded meekly and walked off, vowing to never awaken the wrath of Maria Gunsche again.
"Vhat do you vant to talk about Maria?" asked Hans, already knowing what she wanted to know, and dreading the story to come.
Maria looked at him with imploring eyes. "Hans, vhat happened to mother?"
The Major strolled down the halls in the lower levels of the Millenium base, the Doc by his side. "Tell me herr Doctor, vhat do you zink of our newest recruits?"
The Doc rubbed the back of his neck, choosing his words carefully knowing he was still very much on the Major's shit list for his failure with Hans. "Umm, I zink zat zey vill prove useful." he said after a moment.
The Major nodded. "Oh of course, but do you zink ve can trust zhem?" inquired the Major.
Honestly, the Doc didn't trust either of those vampires at all. Something about them, especially Light, just gaze him a bad feeling. "Nein Major, I do not trust zhem." said Doc finally.
"Vell, neither do I." said the Major, much to the Doc's relief. "Und I am no fool. Zherefore, ve need an insurance policy should ze prove to be uncontrollable."
The Doc nodded, the Major's reasoning made sense after all. Both Light and Anastasia were powerful unknown factors, factors that needed to be controlled. Trouble was, where were they going to find someone powerful enough to keep them in check.
"Um, Major, how vill ve carry out zis?" asked the Doc.
The Major's eyes sparkled with a strange light. "My dear doctor, vhy do you zink ve are going to ze lower levels?"
It took a moment for the Doc to figure out what he meant, but the moment he did he froze in horror. The Major was joking, he had to be. There was no way he was considering using... him.
"Ma- Major, you cannot be serious!" cried the Doc in horror.
"Vhy not?" asked the Major with a shrug. "He iz perfect for ze job."
"B- but, he i -i -is uncontrollable!" cried the Doc, he was begging now, begging the Major not to go through with this ultimate insanity. "He vould just as likely lay vaste to us as our enemies."
The Major laughed. "Ah Herr Doctor, ve have leverage over him, leverage ve did not before." He turned his head up to the ceiling. "Schrodinger! Bring it here!" he cried.
There was a pop and the cat boy appeared beside the Major. Ever since Hans's betrayal Schrodinger had been... well... quiet. It was no great secret that Schrodinger had been attached to the giant werewolf. Now that he was gone, much of the mischief had gone out of the little cat boy.
"Here you are Major." said the little boy in a melancholy voice as he handed off a rather large package to the Major. The package was large, half a foot wide and six feet long, a box wrapped in linens.
The Major grunted under the boxes weight. "Oof, zank you-" the Warrant Officer teleported away, probably to sulk some more. The Major frowned. "I vill have to take disciplinary action against him, hiz behavior of late haz been inexcusable."
The Doc gaped at the box, what could possibly be in the monstrosity? "Herr Major, vhat iz in zhe box?" asked the Doc nervously.
The Major's eyes twinkled, "You vill see soon enough Herr Doctor. Und it looks like ve are here." he said, gesturing to the elevator doors at the end of the hall. "Come Herr Doctor, let us parley with our tenant." said the Major, pushing the button for the Elevator.
With a ding that sounded like a funeral bell to the Doc the door opened, and the Major stepped inside. "Are you coming Herr Doctor?" asked the Major in a tone that sai, 'you're coming down or I will feed you to the ghouls'.
With a gulp, the Doctor stepped inside and the elevator doors closed. There was a lurch as the Elevator went down, hundreds of feet down into the Earth. The Doc was sweating bullets. He knew that what they were doing was suicide, no one was stupid enough to go down and face the beast imprisoned down here. Not even Zorin was willing to go down the elevator to the nightmare that waited at the bottom.
But as nervous as the Doc was, the Major was perfectly calm. He even hummed to himself merrily as they neared the bottom. Whatever was in the box, it was clear the Major trusted it to control the monster at the bottom.
There was a ding, and the elevator dinged open. Outside was a small cell, about twenty feet by twenty feet. In the ceiling four fluorescent lights flickered, buzzing slightly. Chained to the far side of the room was the creature they had come to see.
He didn't look like much, just an emaciated man with stringy brown hair and skin bleached from lack of exposure to the sun. But a strange aura surrounded him. An aura that felt like... pure evil.
The man let out a wheezing laugh as he heard the Major and the Doc enter. "So, my jailer visits me at last. And he brings his little servant with him. so... much... fear." The man inhaled sharply and looked up. Emerald green eyes glittered with madness as they stared out from a gaunt face. "Delicious." he sneered, in a thin voice lacking any accent at all.
"Ah yes, it iz good to see you again my friend." grinned the Major. "Und, ve have a gift for you."
The haggard man cocked his head to the side, the same half-bored half-amused smile on his face. "Oh, and what gift could you have brought me? New chains? I fear that you and I have different tastes when it comes to the bedroom Major." sneered the man.
The Major chuckled. "Oh nein my friend, I have something much more valuable than that." With those words, the Major unwrapped the box from the linens. The Doc peered at the box, unimpressed. It was a simple wooden crate with a detachable lid on one end. The Major set the box down and removed the lid. Smirking at the bound man he pulled the object from the box, and took the Doc's breath away.
In the Major's hand was a sword. A beautiful two-handed Bastard Sword. The Hilt was wrapped in silken cord and the crimson cross guard was shaped like wings spread open in flight. The blade itself was the color of a ruddy-sunset and gleamed wickedly in the pale light, like a hungry shark's tooth.
The reaction from the man was instant. He lunged forward, his thin muscles straining against the chains with all their might, and the Doc was alarmed to see the brackets holding the chains in place start to loosen.
"GIVE IT TO ME!" screamed the man, his green eyes glinting maniacally. "GIVE ME MY WINGS! GIVE THEM TO ME YOU FILTHY MORTAL FUCK!" he raged, thrashing about, attempting to get free.
The Major was unperturbed. "Now, now, I have every intention of giving you this, but you have to promise something first." said the Major in an amused tone.
"I will give you nothing you witless worm!" roared the prisoner. "GIVE ME MY WINGS! GIVE THEM TO ME OR I'LL RIP THEM OFF OF YOUR CORPSE!"
The Major clucked in disappointment. "Now now, all you have to do is swear fealty to me, und I vill give you your Wings." said the Major pleasantly. "There is no need to shout and rage, we can sort this out like civilized beings."
The prisoner's eyes were those of a wild beasts' now. "Why should I deal with human filth like you. Biological asswipe is all you are! WHY SHOULD I SWEAR FEALTY TO YOU?!" he screamed.
"Because if you do not," said the Major casually, "I will throw this sword to the bottom of the sea. You will never see your Wings again."
Those words hit the prisoner hard, and his face... broke. It was the only way that the Doc could describe it. Tears filled the green eyes and he sank down to his knees, the chains going slack. "Lord... I am your Man." he said softly. With those words the chains binding him fell to the floor, dissolving into ash.
The Major smiled in unrestrained glee. "Oh thank you so much my friend, note you reward." And he laid the sword on the ground.
The man rose to his feet and stumbled forward on legs not used for years. He reached down, and grabbed the blade.
The moment the man touched the sword, there was an explosion of power. The intensity of the explosion was so great it sent the Doc flying into the wall, the heat of it chapping his lips and blistering his skin. The Major stood, unruffled as ever, and smiled into the explosion.
When the light was gone and the heat dissipated, the Doc opened his eyes. Where the emaciated, pathetic creäture had stood was now a man. His body looked like that of a bronze God's perfectly chiseled muscles and facial features. His hair was now a rich, luxuriant mane of raven-black, and his eyes burned with power. the man sighed and hefted the sword, testing it's weight.
Suddenly, the man shuddered, and wings exploded out of his shoulder blades. Huge, black, powerful wings stretching to either side of the room. The man smiled and stretched his wings laughing at the feel of them. "Azazel, the Fallen Angel of Destruction, is back." with that the demonic angel threw back his head and laughed.
And the Major smiled.
Enrico Maxwell was not a happy man. In less the ten minutes the man who was supposed to be his greatest servant had made a fool of him in front of his archrival, given Hellsing another powerful operative, and had made the Iscariots look incompetent.
Now here he was, sitting across from Sir Integra who was wearing a shit-eating grin and trying his damnedest not to cut her throat open. "So, Sir Integra," said Enrico through clenched teeth. "shall we discuss the purpose of this meeting?"
Integra smirked and crossed her legs. "Well Maxwell, it seemed from the letter that you had information that you wished to share with Hellsing."
Enrico nodded, putting on his best fake smile. "Yes, the true identity and whereabouts of the organization which assailed your compound." said the Director of Iscariot.
Integra smiled the little half-smile that Enrico immediately distrusted. "If you are perchance referring to Millenium in Brasil then I'm sorry to say that we already have that information. yes, Millenium, the organization the Iscariots helped to escape Europe." she said in a pleased tone.
Enrico stared in blank shock, his mind unable to process the information that Integra had just given him. Not only did Hellsing know the information on Millenium, but they also knew the truth about Iscariot's involvement in their escape. "H-How-" was all he could stutter out around the building fury in his heart.
"Oh, the werewolf who recently reunited with his sister." she said lighting a cigar. "He's a former member of Millenium. In fact, we know all about their members, their weapons, their plans. Everything." Integra breathed out a smoke ring. "So we have established that we have no information to exchange, let's discuss a different matter." said Integra.
Enrico stood so fast his chair fell over, his rage coming to a rolling boil. "I DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH HEATHEN-" he began to rant but was cut off by Intgera.
"Shut up and sit down Maxwell, you'll find my proposition rather intriguing." said Integra quite casually.
Shocked at Integra's unnatural calm Enrico obliged and sat, still gritting his teeth in fury.
"Now," began Integra. "Though we both have no information to share we have other things we can trade." she said around her cigar. "We at Hellsing are particularly interested in the little formula you used on Anderson, the regeneration serum was it?" she asked.
Maxwell was trembling with rage. How dare this heathen woman try to take Iscariot's greatest weapon away from them! "Sir Integra," said the Italian in a venemous voice. "I do not need to tell you that you will only receive the formula when you pry it from my cold dead corpse." he said with enough poison in his tone to choke a rhino.
Integra remained unruffled. "Now of course we don't expect to receive the formula for nothing, we of course intend to trade." she said.
"And what kind of trade would tempt us to trade away our greatest weapon against Satan's hordes?" sneered Maxwell incredulously.
Integra smirked. "Oh Maxwell, I would have thought that you would have jumped at the chance to retrieve what slipped through your fingers." Maxwell's eyes widened as comprehension dawned on him. Integra's smirk widened even more. "Oh yes, that is the deal. One vial of werewolf venom for one vial of Regenerator Serum."
In an instant Maxwell's demeanor changed. His rage seemed to disappear and a pleasant smile adorned his face. The change was so sudden and so complete it unnerved Integra a bit, but she refused to let it show. "Well Sir Integra, that is a completely different matter altogether."
"So you're willing to make a trade." said Integra.
"Perhaps, but we must be certain that it is genuine werewolf venom, not some sham." said Maxwell.
Integra nodded and raised her radio. "Walter, it's Sir Integra. I need you to come up to the café now." A few moments later Walter appeared beside Integra in a black flash.
"Jesus Christ!" he cried. "Sorry bout that but I'm still getting used to this whole werewolf speed thing." said Walter.
"Do not take the Lord's name in vain you Protestant Bastard." spat Enrico, a bit of his rage surfacing from under his calm veneer.
Walter looked ready to punch Maxwell but, as satisfying as she would find it to be, it would not send negotiations in the right direction. So she raised her hand and grabbed Walter's shoulder, calming him. "Walter, we need a sample of your werewolf venom." she said simply.
Walter looked at her like she had grown another head. "Why would you want a sample of my werewolf juice?" he asked.
"We're making a trade, werewolf venom for Regenerator Serum." she said sternly.
Walter's eyes widened as hundreds of possibilities swam through his mind. He knew just how powerful the Regenerator could do, how it could turn a man into a killing machine, how it could grant a man the ability to be ripped to shreds and get up like it was nothing. Oh yes, Walter knew just how powerful the Regenerator was, but he also wasn't sure if he wanted to betray his Alpha like this. He also dreaded what Iscariot could do with that type of power at their disposal.
"Sir Integra..." he said trailing off. "I don't know if that's wise."
Integra narrowed her eyes at Walter, "Captain Hans may be you Sire or Alpha or whatever you want to call him, but I am still your employer, I am still your commander, I am still the woman you answer to. And if I tell you to give Iscariot some of your venom you will ask how big a vial." she said in a cold tone.
Walter gulped, but nodded. "Yes Sir Integra." he said softly.
Integra released Walter's arm and turned to Enrico. "So Maxwell, do we have a deal?" she asked.
Enrico smiled and took out his phone. He pressed a button on it and brought it to his ear. "Renaldo, retrieve a sample of the Regenerator and bring it here, we have a trade to make."
Seras walked around the halls of the Museum, no real direction in mind. She absently wondered what Hans and Maria were talking about, and about how Integra's meeting with Maxwell was going. Seras curled her nose in distaste at the thought of the Italian. She didn't trust the man, there was something about him that made her blood run cold.
"Excuse me miss!" cried a voice from behind her. Suddenly remembering that she was still dressed as a Museum Employee she turned and put on her best 'may I help you?' face.
Approaching her was a tall man with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was well dressed suggesting he was a well-off British businessman or nobleman. He had an open, pleasant face and horn-rimmed spectacles. "Yes, miss, I'm glad I caught you." he said in a slightly out of breath voice. "I was wondering, where might I find the works by Picasso?"
Seras, who had not set foot in the building until today, had no idea where the Picasso's' were. "Oh, um, well," she said trying to buy herself time. "You would want to go left... yes left." she said hoping it would send him away.
The man frowned slightly. "Miss are you quite alright, you seem to be sweating profusely."
Seras waved him off, wishing he would just go away. "Oh yes I am quite alright. But thank you for asking good sir!" she said a little too brightly.
"Well, if you do need a medical check-up here is my card." he said with a small smile, handing her a business card. "I own a small clinic in London, please drop by anytime!" he said turning down the hall. Seras looked down at the card. It read:
Private Practice: Dr. Henry Jekyll. 2376, Baker Street, London
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
The three figures stood on the roof as their fourth member clambered up the fire escape. Henry Jekyll swung onto the roof, a grim look on his face. "I apologize my brothers, but I was not able to talk to Gusche, though I did observe him from a distance."
The short one uttered a quiet "Damn," and the tall, skinny one shook his head.
"All this work, and nothing." sneered the skinny one. "I told you that it was nothing but a waste of time."
"We could set Hyde after him." suggested the large one.
Henry paled at that and shook his head. "NO!" he cried. "Not Hyde! Not unless we have to!"
"We may have no other choice." said the skinny one.
"We are not using Hyde." said the short one firmly. "He is far too dangerous and unstable. Using Hyde is far to large a risk. We will go to Brasil and observe the werewolf there."
"Not an optimal choice." said the large one quietly.
"Besides sending Hyde after him we have no other choice." said the short one. He turned to the skinny one. "Dimmesdale, ready the jet, we're going to Brasil."
Dimmesdale shrugged. "Alright, see you guys at the jet." he said with a dismissive wave. With hat he melted into shadow and dissappeared from the roof.
"I hate flying." said the large one in a gruff voice as he, the short one, and Henry went over to the fire escape.
"I do to, but it's the fastest way to Brasil." said the short one sympathetically.
Henry suddenly stopped a shiver running over him. "Henry, are you alright?" asked the large one in concern.
Henry nodded. "Hyde heard his name is all. We should get going before he wakes up even more." said the young doctor grimly. He pushed past both the large man and the short man as he made his way down the fire escape.
Both men looked after Henry with concerned eyes. "I have a bad feeling about Brasil." said the short one finally.
"I do as well." said the short one grimly. "I think, that once we're ll in Brasil, it blows. This powder keg we're sitting on, it finally goes off."
He had no idea how right he was.