The torture chamber was silent, and Markus slowly walked toward the puddle and tapped a boot in it. Then he laughed with sadistic glee. "Hah! I've killed the infamous 'last resort' of the Hellsing Organization! The way they've talked him up, I expected it to last longer!"

"You have the nerve to claim this was your work? I don't see any supernatural claws on your hands!"

Alucard's voice came from nowhere and everywhere, and he sounded angry. Markus looked around sharply, trying to find the source. His eyes widened as he saw the puddle of ick begin to writhe and gather together. Markus whipped out his gun as he stumbled back quickly, and began to shoot at the mass, but the bullets only soared through and it kept rising. Before his eyes the disgusting mess assumed the shape of a man, and then Alucard's features, and even his clothing, returned in perfect order. He looked now as though nothing had happened.

"I'm starting to think I would have enjoyed meeting Mr. Bentomir. I admire his work." He looked sharply at Markus and pulled out his Jackal, aiming it at the Freak. "What a shame you had to go and kill him."

Markus looked alarmed. It was a look many people adopted when the thirty-five pound Jackal was whipped around like it was a lady's handgun. "You're going to shoot me just for that?!"

Alucard maintained a scornful expression. "Do you honestly think your fate was based on your actions just now?"

"It's all about motivation, Alucard!"

Alucard opened fire and Markus staggered back, his arm hanging useless at his side. He grinned and shimmered into transparency, lifting a gun with his good arm. "I don't have a Master; do you see where I'm going? I have Bentomir's Beast, and she will kill anyone and anything that stands in my way – Even you!"

Alucard shot at him and noticed the bullets whizzing into the wall behind the vampire. Markus shot back and Alucard was surprised to feel them hitting his body. That was interesting. "But you're forgetting one thing, you fool! You've tried that already and here I am!"

"Bah! She's simply used to killing mere humans! I'm not worried. I'm sure if I make her try a little harder, she could take down a Vampire like you."

"You use her to kill humans?" Alucard stared at Markus, "You pathetic bastard! You can't kill them yourself?"

"Of course I can! But why should I when I can push a button and have an animal do the work for me? Have you heard her scream? It's so perfect! Bentomir once told me she'd been a singer before he started mucking around inside her DNA." Markus grinned, showing his sharp white teeth. "Oh, and don't get me started on the way she makes her victims scream! I think myself a Maestro sometimes! It's all about the screaming, Alucard. It makes for wonderful motivation!"

A scream echoed through the compound. Markus leaned his head back and closed his eyes, smiling in ecstasy. Alucard tilted his head slightly. Rifka was already awake again; and back in her own mind. Her resilience was admirable, but he had to wonder – how many more times could she stand to wake up, covered in blood, without breaking? Or had she already broken?

"Now I know your motivation, Markus, but what's your goal? What's the point of it all?"

"When Bentomir was in charge I was his right hand man. It sounded important at the time, but I soon learned that I was just as much a lackey as any bottom feeder. I wanted more! And I took it! Now I'm the one people invite to black market auctions, and what I like I get cheap. Hell! With this little remote, I could kill any businessman and usurp his entire company!"

"So you did all of this just to be the big dog in the sandbox?"

Markus narrowed his eyes at Alucard. "Refer to it as you will, but this particular sandbox is already filled with some dangerous dogs. Soon, they'll all work for me!" While they talked, the Freak had backed his transparent frame against the wall. Now he gave the True Vampire a broad grin. "Ta for now, Alucard. I'm sure we'll meet again. Oh, and you can take Rifka, I know you will, but know you this! I will come back to claim what's mine!" With that, he vanished through the wall. Alucard extended his senses, and was intrigued to find no trace of the Freak.

Going back through the compound, Alucard casually dispatched the ghouls on guard, littering the walls and floors with their white ashes. He strolled down the corridors until they were all destroyed, then made his way back to the holding cell. He radioed for animal control to collect the animal test subjects, and then slowly turned to look at Rifka through the bars.

She was staring at the blood covering her hands and clothes. He could tell she'd tried to wipe it off and clean her face, only to smear it even more. When she sensed him, she gazed back at him with her dark, haunted eyes. "I didn't kill you?"

"No, but I'll give you an A for effort. My blood looks good on you, by the way. It's quite fetching."

Her eyes were wide, at once revolted and also confused, and then she looked away and crossed her arms petulantly. He enjoyed how expressive her face was and watched her intently. "Did you kill him?"

"He ran away."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "That figures."

"Would you like to stay here and wait for his return, or do you want to come with me?" He couldn't help but grin as he watched her reactions to his bait. He loved how the anger flushed her cheeks and darkened her eyes. He loved how she bared her teeth at him and pulled at the chains to lunge at him.

"Come on! Let me out of here!"

"Do you promise not to tear me to pieces with your claws again, cat-woman?"

"Dammit! Please!"

Alucard grinned at her. "All right then, since you said the magic word." A wave of his fingers and the cell door sprung open, followed by the cuffs chaining her wrists to the wall. With a hiss of pain, Rifka rubbed at her wrists, looking down at her hands as she flexed them. She tried to stand, but her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor, growling in frustration.

"Dammit! Dammit, dammit…" When she looked up, it was to find Alucard crouching close to her. She jerked her head back with a sharp breath and her eyes widened with surprise, but she said nothing. She simply stared as the vampire drew her into his arms and lifted her from the floor.

On Integra's orders, Rifka was given a room to herself in the Hellsing mansion and allowed a week of rest. She kept to herself for the most part, with Walter being the only one to catch glimpses of her, other than Alucard of course. Over the course of a few days her appearance improved. She showered, brushed her hair, and wore the clothes they provided, which fit her rather well, displaying a figure more womanly and feminine than the one they saw on the video.

Walter reported the cat-woman's status each morning to Integra, along with all the small facts he learned about her from their brief encounters. Her food requests were either raw or rare large game, usually venison or beef, with wild rice and salad. Sometimes she opted for birds like duck or turkey. When she wanted a snack she asked him for cold cuts with bread and fruit.

"So," intoned Integra, "she has a sophisticated palate? That suggests a life before she was a slave. A rich life, would you say?"

"Yes, my lady. I would have to agree with you."

"Tell Peter to start a search for Missing Persons from the upper class."

"Tell him to look for singers and musicians, too," Interjected a familiar, disembodied voice.

"You have other information, Alucard?" Integra's eyes slowly moved about the room until she saw the glowing orbs on the wall where the monster was watching her. His grin appeared in the shadow next, like the Cheshire cat, and then he stepped forward into solid form.

"It's something the Freak had said; that she screamed on key. She may have been a singer before she was experimented on."

"Noted; Thank you, Al-" Integra stopped short. The vampire had gone. She rolled her eyes then dismissed Walter to carry out her orders.