Sanctuary to the Lost and Damned

Chapter 25 The Offer

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AN: (Sorry about the accidental publishing of the repeat chapter...'chapter 11' I think. I was trying to fix something...)

I want to make a couple of things clear. First of all I do not hate Germans or any related peoples. Though I have only met a few Germans they have all have been nice, warm-hearted people.

I do however have an issue with Nazism.

Having said this, I would like to point out that although most Nazis between 1929-1946 were German, not all Germans were Nazis. During this time there were secret underground movements against Nazism within both Germany and surrounding countries.

Secondly, there will be some things said, some propaganda, ethnic and perhaps even racial slurs which were common to be said at that time.(some were born as a result from the war.) These insults are not part of my belief! I will find them as revolting as you. Please do not make that mistake and burn me in a review.

Oh and Please Review It gives me feedback as to how things are going :)

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England: Hellsing Manor

A blond haired man brought his head up from the desk.

"Alucard? What are you doing here?"

"I have come to waken you."

"Is that all?" Arthur rubbed his forehead where an indent of papers was still pressed into his skin.

"No. I have come to ask you something. This war...you have been strangely silent about what emotions you have for the fighting."

"I don't understand."

"You seem so passive, so neutral. I am curious: are you repulsed by violence, by war? Is that the reason that you have not sent me out there to fight your enemy?"

Arthur took a deep breath. "I would be lying if I told you that I approved of violence against other human beings. The truth is that I have not been asked to send such aid for the crown just yet."

"hum." it occurred to the vampire that although Arthur was his master, the human had a master as well. This fact made him feel slightly better about of situation of being a slave.

"And....I believe that I may have at least one relative living there. My father hinted at it in his journals."

"There? You mean Germany? And you are concerned for their safety. Interesting isn't it. ; How relatives can so easily be found on the over side of the battlefield." The vampire said referring to his younger brother Radu, who had once fought against him on the side of the Turks.

"People...Human beings do not stay in one spot for very long. Immigration is human nature Alucard. For as long as history goes back, starting with the Garden of Eden as the bible tells us, people have moved about. My father once lived in Holland. Before my birth...With your defeat he moved here to England..."Arthur thought about what he knew about this relative which was very little. "Of course I can't be sure that this relative still lives there...If he still is there...I hope that he has not entangled himself with these Nazis, you have told me of, in your reports."

"Would you kill him? Flesh and blood. Though distant it may be."

Arthur took a breath. "We are at war with Germany. When faced with an enemy it is our duty for God, King and country to destroy them...regardless of who are are.... "

"But would you kill them master?"

The young man wasn't sure that he could answer such a question if only to himself."Can I ask you a question." He asked changing the subject. He saw the vampire nod. "Why do you seek violence?"

"It's my nature, I suppose?"

"You suppose. I can't help but be reminded of a moth flying to his death to the light of the flame. It is possible that you will die eventually if you keep doing this."

"Me? Die? I never lose."

"But you have lost before." Arthur reminded "Forty-years-ago, If you recall."

"Your father was a remarkable scientist...and a good warrior." Alucard ground his teeth. An observer might have noted that Alucard made no reference to Abraham being a good human.

"But it has happened once before." Arthur reminded him again.

"And it will never happen again."

"Why do you say that?" Arthur asked ask he straightened up his papers.

"Because there isn't a flame hot enough to consume me."

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London

Walter sat on the ground with his knees up to his chest facing the moving water of the river Thames. Overshadowing it was London most famous bridge; the tower bridge.

The wind blew throw his uncut hair. It had not been cut since he had begun his employment for Arthur Hellsing.

His thoughts traveled back to his first mission...His first invited Hellsing mission.

He could remember entering a small room where several Hellsing soldiers were sitting at three tables waiting for their briefing.

All of the men had looked at him. He heard them whispering among themselves. One of the men had even tried to escort Walter out of the room. This man told him that he could come back in another 9 years... when he turned 18.

Walter had fought this man and others who had tried to make him leave the room. Then Arthur entered the scene and informed the soldiers that, on request of Alucard, Walter would be joining their hunt.

One of the men stood up. "But Sir! He's just a kid!"

Arthur had looked calm. "I know that soldier, and these are my orders: Follow them."

Though greatly disturbed by this news, the soldiers were forced to accept the 9-year-old boy would be accompanying them on a mission to kill a vampire and its reanimated victims.

The soldiers all jumped onto the back of the truck and headed to their destination. It was a long drive. Throughout which many of the Men had taken to napping using their hats as pillows while leaning up against either the back the siding or if they became tire enough, someone else.

The truck stopped. One of the men had leaned over to the nine-year-old boy and told him to 'stick close.'

Walter noted this, but did not believe that this soldier would be of any use to him. He didn't believe that he needed anyone. In his opinion no one could defend him any better than he could defend himself.

When they came to the warehouse Walter realized that there was a harbor nearby.

Walter looked around searching for signs of the vampire known as Alucard who had a way of appearing where ever he needed to be. Walter did not know about the many ways of travel that the vampire took. He simply expected the vampire to be there.

"Men," the most superior soldier, known as Lee, called out team A take the north, Team B take the south-west and Team c, come with me." he turned to face Walter. "You come with us."

"Where is Alucard, Sir?"

The soldier either did not hear the boy, or simply ignored him for he did not answer.

Walter's gaze went to the harbor again.

"Sir?" Walter asked with his mental attention to the harbor. "What about the harbor? The vampire could escape that way."

He heard one of the men say that this would not be a problem as long as there were no boats near the docks. Much to Walter's curiosity no one was concerned that the vampire might simply swim.

Walter followed the largest group toward a building with large steel doors.

"Alright men according to Alucard this building is our primary-"

"-Look Sir!" one of the men shouted as he pointed to two limping figures mere feet away. Unless one had training in the occult, one would not be able to identify these creatures as ghouls.

A grin slowly appeared on Walter's face. He had had a bit of a private lesson by Alucard already. The nine-year-old boy cracked his knuckles before bringing his wires out.

His attack had lasted only seconds. He looked at these ghouls from the distance. He was somewhat disappointed by this until out of the corner of his eyes he saw more.

From nowhere came ghouls which seem to come from every direction. To ordinary people, even to some of the Hellsing soldiers this was a scary event...but to Walter the prospect of being surrounded by ghouls merely meant that he was in the presence of moving targets; something he had been waiting for these last few weeks.

Walter grinned more as he flexed his wires before charging forward slicing the reanimated corpses in his path. Three, then ten, thirteen, twenty, and forty. Then two more came from behind the boat house; this brought the grand total up to Forty-two.

Walter watched the last reanimated corpse fall to the ground. They had all been destroyed to his stealthy attacks. The boy's eyes darted around looking for more targets. Walter then looked on the ground where proof of his victory lay in piles of flesh.

Unnoticed by Walter, until then was the absence of any gunfire...at all. This was a curious event for Walter who had expected for them to blast these ghouls on sight. In Walter's mind either they all had some sort of weapons malfunction or Walter had worked too quickly and the soldiers never had a chance to shoot.

Walter Dornez turned around to face his companions. He had expected them to be relieved that the threat was gone that they were no longer in danger. He expected that now they would treat him like a soldier of the Hellsing organization, a Training one, yes, but still acknowledge that he was not just some kid. Maybe receive a 'good job' or two, but this was not what Walter saw. Each one had a look on their face which he was sure he would remember for the rest of his life. Their faces were twisted up. It was more than just shock to see a nine-year-old boy slaughter 42 ghouls before their eyes...it was fear.

"What the hell are you?" one of the soldiers asked him bewildered.

Walter did not notice until then that the soldiers had now turned their guns to him in a gesture of aggression...no...It was self protection. These men had taken a defensive posture.

"Mr. Dornez is the training retainer to the Hellsing family," said a high feminine voice "and a future full-fledged member of the Hellsing organization." Everyone's attention was turned to a figure standing by one of the boat houses holding a large gun. It moved out from the shadows to the moonlight. She couldn't have been any older than 12 or 13..."Lieutenant Lee," She addressed the soldier in command, "can I assume from these piles that all the ghouls have been deactivated." she wore a white suit under an equally white long coat. She had a white scarf which blended in to her coat that at first most would not have seen it. Her straight black hair fell to her bum. On top of her head was a little white cap. A red tie struck out on her chest. Its color matched her red predator eyes perfectly.

"Well..." the man had been so fixated on the bloody display of the nine-year-old that he did not search for any other undead creatures. "On it! Move out men!" he addressed the other soldiers. They spread out on a mission.

All while this was happening Walter watched the girl. There was something on her face...in her eyes that did not seem to match what one would expect from a girl of that age.

"Can I also assume from the lack of bullet holes in the bodies that you are responsible for this display Mr. Dornez?" she pointed at the many deactivated ghouls.

"And...You are?" Walter questioned the stranger.

She laughed. "I'm not surprised that you do not recognize me. I don't look quite like myself, but then again you don't know what I truly look like so I guess that doesn't really matter."

"And you are?" He asked the girl who appears only a few years older than he.

"You're so cute and innocent Mr. Dornez. But soon that will change. Just remember that I gave you a chance to back out while you still could and you didn't want to." she grinned "So be prepared Little Fish because I will tell you now that much more similar and worst things will now face you."

Walter further examined this feminine figure. While he was sure that he had never seen her before there was something about her which was very familiar. He thought briefly about the words she had used to address him: Little Fish....Little Fish...It soon occurred to him that only one person had ever addressed him as such. ".....Alu...card.....?" Walter asked slowly.

"Yes Mr. Dornez." She smiled making sure to show her fangs.

This puzzled the boy who viewed life in extremes; Right/wrong, black/white, left/Right, Man/Woman... Walter pointed his finger at the vampire in an accusing fashion. "But you're a...uhh...I mean aren't you a.....uhh....uhh"

"I'm a vampire." Alucard replied not truly answering the boy's question of it's gender. "A high level vampire as such I, has the ability to change my form into anything I desire."

"But...why a girl? You...you are really a guy....or are you a girl masquerading as a man...that would make you a girl pretending to be a boy pretending to be a girl...???...You're a man right?" Walter made a gesture with his hand with his palms facing toward him.

She laughed. "Me? A man? Don't be stupid!" she adjusted her hair "I'm a monster! I was male as a human, but now.....let's just say that this form or any other I take has no emotional significance to me. "

"Then why not use your true form?"

She turned from him.

"Do you know that pond on the western part of the estate; the one with the water which sparkles in the moonlight. The one that is so full of activity...of life."

Walter nodded his head. Arthur had been there having tea with a man named Penwood several times that past summer.

"A pond is a beautiful thing for it is filled with plants, animals and the water, it's essence, is what keeps that pond alive...what keeps it beautiful. But if that pond were to dry-up it would lose that beauty. Would you like to see such an ugly sight Mr. Dornez?" the vampire asked with its back still toward Walter.

"No..." Walter tried to imagine the pond dried-up. He found it hard since it was such a vibrant place.

"Then believe me when I say that you do not want to see my true form either." the vampire sounded sad.

This change in tone from the vampire surprised Walter. He had never heard the vampire sound sad. He would never have thought that Alucard would be capable of feeling such emotion.

Walter watched as the feminine Alucard walked away. The vampire disappeared into the shadows. Walter had just stood there. He did not know how long he stood there time just seemed irrelevant.

He heard the sound of the motor trucks firing up and then that sound becoming more and more distant.

It was not until several minutes later that Walter started to process what was happening.

The soldiers had left him there. Alucard had left him too. Both humans and monster had left the nine-year-old boy to find his own way back home in the middle of the night.

The wind blow his midnight black hair...it was only the beginning of November; the snow still had yet to fall and yet already a coolness had frozen a part of him inside.

Present....

Walter's mind returned back to River. The sun had already set and he knew that Alfred would be waiting for him. He had agreed to take a letter to London for the old butler. He had biked there hours ago and had yet returned. He was sure that Arthur Hellsing would be fine with Alfred attending to him.

The truth was that he didn't want to back just yet. He didn't want to face the Hellsing soldiers or the staff...with exception to Alfred.

When he had returned from the mission the people at the manor had started to regard him differently. They had started to move out of his way, much quicker than necessary. It wasn't the way that distinguished men moved for Arthur or how the other employees moved for Alfred...It was not out of respect....it was out of fear, and he swore sometimes out of repulsion.

He tried to ignore these looks. He didn't know what these people had been told but he had done his duty to the organization. He had proved himself to be very capable of combat with the ghouls at least. He suspected that Alucard had the responsibility to kill the vampires, thought Walter believed that he could outrank him one day to move on to killing what Alucard had refereed to once as 'the true undead'.

The sight of a fish coming near the surface brought the boy out of his thoughts.

Through it was already dark Walter could see some more fish swimming. He wondered if he could catch one. While he didn't have a fishing rod he did have his wires. And while he had always used his wires to cut through objects and ghouls he knew from his earliest experimentation that if he did not use enough force then his wires didn't go all the way through. He wondered if he applied a little less force if he might be able to simply 'grab ' something. He thought that it would expand his wires' capabilities if he succeeded. It was worth a try.

He tried once. The fish was sliced in two. Its scaly body sunk to the bottom, where Walter was sure something else would eat it. He tried again. and again; each time getting a little closer to his goal until finally a fish was flung out of the water completely intact wrapped in his special wires. He released the wires.

He smiled at his own success, but as he looked down at the fish out of water he started to feel sorry for the creature. It thrashed around on the grass slowly dying. It soon occurred to Walter that the fish was dying, not from his wires as the other fish had, no this one was dying because it was outside its environment. He knew that it had no change to live outside the river. It must have known too, he believed as he tried so desperately to find its way to water.

Father Dornez had once told him that fish were created by God to fill the waters. Walter then 4 years old had asked why they could only live in water. To which father Dornez had replied that this was so because of God's plan; 'if God wished that fish live outside the water, he would have given them legs on which to walk.' the priest had said.

It seemed evident to the boy, that God had not wished this particular fish to survive on land for it had not sprouted legs.

It was such a little fish....

Walter watched as the fish's movements slowed; then it died.

Normally he would not have thought twice about the fish, but tonight he knew what it was like to be a fish out of water. To be alone. To try your best, to succeed and somehow still fail....The next thought he had was whether he would suffer the same fate as the fish because of this. Would he die alone and defenseless struggling to success where there was no hope?

Walter picked up the dead fish and put it into his carrying sack. It was dirty, but it needed to be washed anyhow.

He wondered what he would tell Alfred once he returned home. He knew that he could not tell the old man his inner thoughts of isolation. He knew that the old man would believe this to be a period of his life which would quickly change. Walter wanted to believe this but his fear that his loneness would last forever hung in his mind as fresh as clean laundry yet to be tainted. Too afraid to hear Alfred's thoughts he would not say anything to the man who had become a mentor and the father figure which the priest had left open.

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Germany

Rita lay in her bed listening to the gramophone on her nightstand. (1)

If she had been in a good mood she might have been singing to her favorite tune, but now she was lost in her thoughts.

The moment that she heard about the war. She was surprised. Then she was upset.

She had gone crying to her father.

"Don't cry" he had told her.

"Things are going to be fine. We won't lose this time."

"But, how do you know, father?"

He smiled. "Because this time, we have a plan. Something that we did not have before."

"But...Isn't there another way?" Rita though not old enough to remember the Great War and the treaty which ensued at the end of it, knew of its restrictions on her county.

What concerned Rita mostly was the fact that with the restriction of the treaty, which had only recently been lessened, came the restrictions on firearms and bullets. She knew that all weapons and ammunition at the range where she had practiced all her life had been illegal. She knew that with a new war meant that traveling would cease. There would be no more traveling to the family lands in Africa. No more hunting trips with her father...This would further decrease the time that she had with her father who had been more absent than there over the last few years.

Another part of her understood the amount of lives which would be lost as a result of war. Rita, who wasn't particularly concerned for the lives of people who she did not know, did fear that with the loss of so many young men her father might decide to have her marry an old man.

"No. this is our Führer's decision. The Führer's decision is always the right one." Her father told her.

"But..." she stumbled. She didn't want to argue with the supreme leader's decision, but she didn't want the war to happen. "There must be diplomacy."

Her father sighed. "This is more than a simple disagreement. It is about Germany regaining its pride.... and it is a cleansing of not only our country, but the surrounding ones. A cockroach allowed to roam free will spread disease. Europe is like a large house, my daughter. Vermin in one room, or country, will quickly infest another. To prevent this quarantine measures have been taken." the Baron saw his daughter's uncertain face. "You understand this don't you Rita?"

"Yes Father." the 22 year-old dark haired young woman nodded her head.

"This isn't just my party; it is ours. You have been a member of the party for the last 4 years now; since you turned 18."

"It was my first request as an adult." She said plainly

"I know. That is why I want to take you on my next trip to Berlin."

"To Berlin? Are we seeing an opera?"

"We will do that too, but there are party business affairs which Need attending to. I want you to take more of an active role in the political party to which we belong.

"But I have read all the books recommended by the party."

"I know that you have. I'm very proud of this fact." He smiled He had been giving her the best literature the Third Reich had endorsed since she had turned 16 years of age "The werewolf Schrödinger will be joining us too." The baron knew that although the werewolf had terrible shot, he was every bit as loyal to the baron as any dog. The aristocrat knew that if his daughter were attacked by someone, perhaps an enemy of the party which their führer had warned them about, scrhodinger would gladly take the bullet for her.

"Which one?" Rita asked remembering the marriage between Siobhan and Albert, There were now two Schrödinger.

"Beasts do not marry." her father said firmly. "So there is only one."

The baron then saw a questioning look in her eyes. He knew that she meant to ask him something. "You are wondering about Hans, aren't you?"She looked down at the floor feeling guilty, not in the fact that she felt as she did, but because her father had understood. Hans has not returned with her father a few weeks ago when he had returned. She had wanted to know why, but had been too.

"Hans has not returned because he is overseeing...something in Berlin with a close associate of mine.

We will be staying there for...Actually I'm not sure. So you will need to pack some things....you will need to bring some nice clothes makes sure to include some clothes suitable for a party." The man looked at his watch "we leave in a half hour's time." Rita continued to sit on a chair. "You still need you to dress so I will meet you in front of the house."

One of the maid entered the moment her father left. He had probably already asked the woman before he spoke with his daughter. Then another one came in.

The first one started to pack the first of her bags. The second pulled out some for her to wear from the closet and proceeded to prepare it for her to wear. The maid tried her corset and even helped her into the dress.

Next the maid started to apply her make-up.

Just as the maid had started on the blush had Rita spotted the maid putting stuff into the suitcase which she didn't want there.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled at the girl younger than her.

"I'm Pa-"

"Your putting causal spring and summer dresses in there! Are you a complete idiot?! Don't you know the difference?!"

The younger girl looked at the floor. This girl did not know the differences between them "Sorry, my Lady."

"Don't be sorry? Do it right, Damn It!!" Rita yelled in a tone that was completely demeaning to the younger woman.

Tears were forming in the young maid's eyes. The girl looked as though she might cry. The poor young woman had just received word that her only brother, had been killed in the war. But Rita did not care about the emotions of this servant or any other for that matter.

The other maid asked the younger one to get something. This object, which was very far away was in fact of no use, but it did get the younger woman out of the room.

"My Lady, How about I pack your things."

Rita nodded.

She then lay down on her bed while she waited for the maid to finish.

The maid quickly packed away everything that the baron's daughter would want including her gramophone and the many disk that went with it.

When the maid and a couple other servant carried out her bags to the front she spotted the luxurious car they would be traveling in, but she also saw something else: It was a truck.

It was a military truck and as she approached it she could see that there was a large metal crate in one. All around this metal box, she recognized the many werewolves, who had left many days ago on what her father called secret Party business.

They all looked out at her from their benches inside, never looking her in the eyes as they were instructed not to do with the baron, his daughter or any other of the baron's employees, friends and associates ...In fact the Baron had told them not to meet the eyes of any human unless under some cover for him; The aristocrat had been drilling this into the werewolves for most of the decade.

Her eyes searched the group for Hans; he was not there, so she carried on towards the car. She had not expected to see him there, but had hoped for it.

Rita spotted her father standing in between their fancy car and one of the military trucks arguing with the doctor.

One of the servants followed behind her with her many suitcases all the while talking about how well they were going to care for her room and that it would be just as she left it when she returned. Rita instructed the man to put the bags in the back of the car trunk before going to greet her father and doctor.

"My deepest apologies." the doctor replied to some comment which she had not heard.

"Apologies? You brought 'Her' to my home where my daughter lives, to pick up something!! How can you, you be so stupid!!"

"You asked for Schrödinger so-"

"I wanted him alone. I made that very clear Doktor. So you decided to bring them all, with that thing!" The baron pointed at what looked to Rita to be a large metal crate.

"I have made an error. I-"

"This error proves to be a deviation of my orders! Get that thing away from here now."

"But while I am here-"

"You will take 'her' to away from my home! Anything you need will be sent to you."

"But baron. I just-"

"Maybe I should have sent Siobhan with you!"

"But she is not well, Baron!"

"No she isn't, but at least then you might actually make it to Poland!!" Rita did not believe that she had ever seen her father more angry than he was now.

"Leave now before my daughter-"

"I think that I have everything, Father." Rita told the baron.

This action scared the baron who had not seen her approach. "Rita!"

"You told me to meet you out front."

"Yes. Yes I did." the baron had not expected then to find the doctor returned with all of the werewolves he had sent on the duty of relocation 'her'.

It was at this time that Albert Schrödinger approached. Rita noticed that Schrödinger as dressed much better than she had ever seen him. "Ah Schrödinger." her father greeted the werewolf. "I need you to come with us." he looked at Schrödinger's single small bag. "do you have everything?"

"Yes, sir." Schrödinger nodded.

"Go sit in the car." both Schrödinger and Rita stood there unsure of whom he was talking to. "Both of you please." he clarified.

Both Schrödinger and Rita sat in the car. Schrödinger took the drivers seat, while Rita took the right side of the back seat which was much more comfortable since her father had that seat altered for their tastes.

Rita's mind started to wonder what was so dangerous in that crate that her father would not want it at their home. Her mind started to consider that it might be some sort of animal. A lion?, No, her father had referred to it was as a female. A lioness? But what puzzled her was the number of werewolves guarding it. Ten there was her father's explanation of where the werewolves went when most left; Party business. She supposed that her father had obtained a prime hunting specimen, perhaps he was to bring it to some party members for a grand hunt...Perhaps her father's orders were to simply let it loose on the Polish people.

"Schrödinger."

"Yes, Mistress."

"What is in that crate?"

There was a long silence.

" I asked you a question werewolf!" She screeched at him.

"...I think that you father should answer that Mistress."

Moments later her father appeared and sat next to her.

"Father?" Rita began, "what is in that crate? Is it a lioness." she knew her father enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and she knew that the crate was more than enough for a lion at least for the ones she had seen when they went hunting on the grounds of the family land property in Africa.

"No...It's nothing you should worry about." he told her as they watched the truck drive off.

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Germany: Berlin.........

A pair of werewolf eyes looked out from a third story window of an apartment.

The moonless sky darkened the street below. Not that there was much of a sight at nearly 2 in the morning.

The werewolf known as 'silent Hans' watched as a white cat moved along the street.

He heard the sound of a door creaking open.

Hans heard the heavy footsteps of his temporary master.

The small fat man stood beside the werewolf

"What are you thinking about?" He asked the werewolf.

Hans knew that the second lieutenant was not referring to just then, but to the previous weeks he had been in Berlin with the fat man.

The truth was that two of them had not 'talked' since their introduction. The werewolf had mostly watched a the Fat soldier obtained whatever he desired from whomever he visited.

"I hope that you have not felt that I have been avoiding you. That would be unfortunate, because I have been wanting to get more acquainted with you. You have been of interest to me for quite some time now."

Hans did not look at the fat man, but continued to watch as another, a gray cat proudly marched along the street with its prey hanging from it mouth.

"I have been silent towards you, not in avoidance, but in display. There are things about me which I'm sure that you have learned. I'm sure that you have noticed that I am no dog; I have my own goals...my own will. I always get what I want."

Hans could not disagree with this for over the last few months he had seen this fat man manipulate some of the most influential members of the Nazis party.

"You have no doubt seen some of my more prominent traits, but there is much more for you to know. I am not what most people would consider 'a nice person'. I do not believe that most people are truly Kind. These people restrain themselves completely to the expectations of society. Society expects us to...be repulsed by the death of our fellows. The more violent, the more repulsed we are expected to be. I do not follow this dogma." Hans noticed a glint of mad pleasure appear in his eyes. "To put this into the simplest way: I love war."

Hans' eyes widened a little bit. He had fought in a war before. He had fought in the second opium war. (2) There had been so much blood sled; innocent blood... He could think of no reason for anyone to embrace such a horrible thing.

"Now, Now, such a look is not necessary. We need not share the same interests to benefit from one another."

"I know that you do not like the Baron. Why then do you not leave?"

Hans could tell by the fat man's voice that he was not truly asking a question. It was purely rhetorical.

"While it is true that many werewolves have tried unsuccessfully to escape, no one has escaped...Not alive at least. Even you have tried before. Twice I have been told. After your first attempt it became clear to the baron that punishing you was pointless so after your second attempt he did not punish you; He punished her instead."

The werewolf looked down now at the floor. The feelings of guilt had started to build up again as he remembered what had happened to her following his previous and probably last attempt at escape.

"Siobhan is a strong werewolf though. I wonder how she would do now that her strength is currently diminished. Last time was able, but now I don't think that she could survive it."

The werewolf did not know what the fat man was talking about, but he did not care either. He was focused on what the baron had done to Siobhan all those years ago. The baron had ordered that Siobhan be locked in a small metal box with several holes which the aristocrat had the doctor attach needles through. Each of these sharp needles protruding through into the small box were filled with a liquid metal, the doctor said was mercury, mixed with silver. It was liquid death to a werewolf.

The baron had made him stay in the room with Siobhan in that tiny box, a box that had been so small that if she leaned one way or the other...if she even moved a bit, her skin would be pierced with the liquid silver solution. She would have died!

The baron had gone in at least once a day while she was in there to remind the large werewolf that she was in there, needing to remain perfectly still, not able to eat, drink, sleep or even stretch because he had tried to leave. For four days he heard the same speech from the baron with little variation. He was helpless to save her because the baron had promised that if he did anything her punishment would be worse. Each day he felt even more guilty as she watched the small box where Siobhan was knowing what fate would be hers if she didn't stay perfectly still.

She talked to him. Likewise he made noises outside the box...nothing sudden he didn't want to startle her. He just wanted her to know that she was not alone.

"Of course the two of you could always leave together, but she won't go will she?" The fat man added.

Hans brought his head up to the window again.

"She won't go because there is little if anything out there for your kind." Max explained. "The werewolves of the baron cling to their servitude. That is what it is. Servitude, for none are free to live as they wish, nor are they allowed to leave. They rely on the baron to support them... to survive."

The werewolf understood what the fat man was talking about. The baron provided, barely, but still did provide. He gave them food, shelter, clothing....as little and as poor quality as these things were, they had still been a step-up from what most of these werewolves had before.

"You do not cling to this baron...but Siobhan does. If only there was a way to take both you and her out of the baron's service." though the fat man sounded like he was musing it sounded like the beginning of an offer to Hans.

"I am not like your baron." The fat man started again. "I have plans and ambitions. And you have a place in my plans, if you want it. Siobhan may join too if you accept."

Now Hans had a confirmation of the offer which he had suspected had already been made. A part of Hans' mind started to consider this prospect.

"There will soon come a time, when I will be in need of you. If your nature does lean to your human half, as I think that it does, you will embrace this alternative to the life you lead under the power of the baron."

Hans looked up at the moon which was at its quarter phase.

"I will not treat you as a mere dog, but rather a fierce embodiment of what strength our party aspires to.

If you join me I will assure you that Siobhan will be taken care of."

Hans watched as a night patrol guard started his check to make sure that the curfew was being followed.

"I will also offer you something else." The fat man grinned. "I don't expect you to approve with my enjoyment for war, but...if you can ignore that, I can fulfill your greatest wish." the fat man's grin grew. "You will get Hellsing."

The werewolf's eyes widened as his head snapped around so quick that it made a sound. He wondered how the human had known.

"I know that you have tried to contact them. I also know that the baron has been trying his best to stop you. He has caught you doing this only once before, but I suspect that you have been doing this many more times even after you were warned by the baron...I wonder if perhaps this is the reason why you occasionally vanished from this apartment when I retire for the night. I will not stop you, but I would like to inform you that you need not seek them. Not when we have a vampire within our custody."

Hans had noted the fat man talking with many people with knowledge in the occult. Hans had not been allowed to listen to the discussions but had suspected it had something to do with werewolves. He had been wrong about this. He had however on many occasion wondered when they would make use of the creature.

"I have been put in charge of a project which involves this vampire. There are two main groups of vampire hunters. The Vatican's section 13...and the Hellsing's organization. The Vatican mostly governor itself....but it's a state inside the country of Italy; It is not invulnerable to my...influence. I have heard that Mussolini favors siding with France; But Italy is a fascist country: because of this I believe that he will soon see that he has more in common with us than them."(3)

Hans continued to watch the fat man.

"When this happens. I will work my way through their hierarchy to the top most level. Then to their most secretive faction: Their vampire fighting force the Iscariot organization. I will persuade them to cease their hunting activities. Since the Hellsing organization is an English order, a faction of defense which takes its orders directly from their king, even I do not think that they would turn a blind eye. At last not its leader... It is always possible to sway....." Montana Max seemed to be considering something. "This will leave the Hellsing organization in our way. So sooner or later, Night Warrior, they will try to come to stop us...to stop me. And you, if you join me, you'll be with me when they do. They will come to you Night warrior."

The werewolf had not taken his eyes off the fat man as he talked. He thought that everything this little man was saying was possible...but would it happen?

"I do not believe that you have completely stopped with your own agenda. If he finds out that you are not as loyal to him as he wants to believe he may use Siobhan as a tool to get you into submission. He has punished Siobhan before. He will punish her again if he finds evidence of betrayal. He will do this because he knows that you would never care what happened to you"

This held Han's attention.

"How badly do you want both freedom and Hellsing? You may not think that you need me. You could continue to pursue Hellsing on your own, but Siobhan would still be punished in your place."

"So you face a dilemma. You could pursue Hellsing at the cost of Siobhan's safety... maybe even at the expense of her life, but would you want to? Would it be worth it? Even if you could live with yourself for this...knowing what would happen, the baron or someone in his pay-roll would have you captured before you could make contact with them. Remember that England is now an enemy country, so Siobhan would be treated as a traitor. I do not know how badly she will be treated now, opposed to a few months ago, before the war, but I'm told that a traitor's torture is the most painful."

Montana Max shook his head.

"Quite a dilemma...And there is such an.... easy solution." The fat man said with a yawn

"So if you review your options; you will find that there are no other choices if you want to live your life as more than what you are now."

Montana Max put his hands in his pockets.

"I will need some time to get some things done first....But I will come for you wanting to know your answer."

Hans heard the sound of two tom cats fighting outside, But this did not interest him in the slightest bit.

"Once again! Join me. Join me and when I rise, you will come with me. I always keep my promises and I always get what I want. What do you have to lose? Hmm? What do you and Siobhan still have that the baron has not stripped away." There was a pause as the fat man locked eyes with the werewolf. The small fat man smiled. "It is your pride. Isn't it? Wouldn't you like to keep it?"

The werewolf walked away from the Fat man and towards the door. He needed to think the offer over in his mind. He preferred to do this in solitude. The streets were now completely empty.

The Werewolf also knew that the letter to Hellsing would not send itself.

"Are you going outside, Night Warrior?" The fat man asked. "The curfew is still in place."

The werewolf knew about the curfew and what would happen to him if he was caught roaming the streets at that time of night. He had already seen someone 'checking the streets' walk by. He did not expect to see another else, who would certainly try to give him some trouble, but he doubted that anyone could stop him.

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END of Ch 25

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AN:

(1) – A gramophone is an antique device which plays music (it was new when this chapter takes place.) It what we had before we had before we had record players...which is what we had before 8-tracks...which is what we had before we there were cassettes....which was before there were CD...Well CDs are still very popular (I still but them), but many people are moving away from, them and using their Ipod or other Mp3 player....Wow technology has changed a lot in 60 year....

(2) – Second Opium War - 1856 to 1860 also known as the Anglo-Chinese War

(3) – I have read that when the war broke Italy did consider joining France for a time, If this had happened Italy would probably have been on side of the allies, instead of the axis...I wonder how that would have turned out.....

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Preview of the next chapter: Günsche

"Schrödinger!!" Rita yelled at the werewolf. She appeared in the doorway in a bath robe. "Didn't you hear me calling I ....." Rita saw Hans on her bed in nothing more than a pair of pants.

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