Chapter Fifteen: The Meeting
-Present Day, August 16-
I sat on the edge of my bed, unsure whether I should sleep, or eat, or do something. Of the ninety-seven members of the Hellsing organization; Walter, Sir Integra and I, along with ten others survived the siege of the Valentine Brothers six days ago. The ten others survived because they weren't here for the attack; Alucard and Seras are already dead, so it would seem repetitive to list them among the deceased. I stared blankly at the wall, remembering how cruelly the conference demanded that Sir Integra executed all of her men that were turned into Ghouls by the enemy, even going as far as to blame her for this entire mess. But at least we were given a clue by that bastard Jan Valentine.
He had dodged my bullet and fled back into the hallway whilst being shot by everyone at the conference table. Even that coward Sir Penwood seemed to have good aim. However everyone stopped firing when they noticed that Hellsing's men were turned into Ghouls, and Seras was ripping them apart with just her bare hands. Sir Integra had stopped her and held her until she calmed down. If that is what it's like being a vampire, I don't think I want to ever choose that path; not having control of myself and attacking wildly at the smell of blood.
Walter had kicked the prick into a wall and as he predicted, before he could answer any questions, he burst into blue flames. But before he could be completely incinerated, he gave us the only clue we now had.
"Beware the Millennium." I closed my eyes, but could still see that vulgar bastard's charcoal hand as it remained somewhat intact, flipping off Sir Integra in a mocking farewell salute. Millennium, what does a thousand years have to do with this? I dressed myself in uniform, today I was meeting the new recruits that Walter had hired. Well, they were actually mercenaries, and I deliberately left that issue out of my "report" to Hawkens. Like he needs anymore evidence of how this Plain is unsuitable for my protection. Then he could have me pulled out of this Plain, and forced to hide in the Material Plain indiffently.
Walter had assured Sir Integra and me that these mercenaries that go by the name "the Wild Geese," were proper professionals. As long as they got their money on time, they'd do the job without complaint. I only wished that they knew what was in store for them; I only wished I did before I got involved in this affair. But I have to save Sean and the others, so for them; I guess I'd go to Hell and back if it would help them be rescued.
"Wait, wait, you actually expect us to believe that vampires exist? Everyone knows that's just a load of crap that just became a fad for the movie industry." I felt my eyebrows rise as I listened to a snarky prick insult Sir Integra, him backed up by a room full of men chuckling.
"Then allow me to introduce you to a genuine vampire." I glanced into the room to see Seras standing against the wall, a nervous smile on her face. The men just kept on laughing and the one I assumed was the leader stood up from his seat. He had long auburn hair that was tied into a long braid; he had to loop it loosely around his neck twice to keep it from being trodden on by his associates. His eyes were green, and he had an eye patch over his left eye. He strode over to Seras confidently.
"So you're telling me you're a real vampire?" He seemed amused, when she confirmed and he started laughing again.
"Sir, I think they're laughing at me."
"Then do something to make them stop laughing, Police Girl." I felt a small smile tug on my face when the idiot accepted her challenge.
"If you're a vampire, than I'm the Frankenstein monster." He taunted. All she did was flick him in the forehead, but because she is a real vampire, she's a lot stronger than him. I watched as the idiot began bleeding, but she didn't stop. Twice more, she flicked him until he was knocked over. At the men's startled comments, I made my presence known.
"Well Seras, I think they're not laughing anymore. It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, is what my Auntie Sheryl used to say." The men glanced at me warily as I walked fully into the room, as if they were sure I was a vampire as well. Seras smiled lightly when she saw me, though I'm sure she was being checked out by the man she just defeated.
"She may be the lowest of the low when it comes to vampires, but I can assure you that she is a real vampire." We all glanced at the wall as Alucard walked through it, making the men cower in shock and fear. I heard the hurried pace of Walter coming down the hall and I clapped a hand to my face in annoyance.
"I thought you were supposed to meet them later, you know, to not make them piss themselves." His dark chuckle made my skin crawl and the leader of the Wild Geese managed to get to his feet slowly. Walter hurried to Sir Integra, breathless and tired.
"I tried to stop him, sir. He was determined to meet them, after all." I felt pity for the older man. He was so tired; it took him three days to completely clean up the mansion, and he refused to let me help him. He said that this was his job, and now Alucard is bullying him. Maybe Walter saw my expression, because he stood a bit taller with a small smile on his face.
"Now then, since all the introductions are out of the way." He pulled out a letter from his breast pocket and held it out to Sir Integra. "A rather curious letter arrived in the post today."
She glanced at the back of the envelope to see who it was from and she went rigid. "It's from the leader of the Vatican's Section Thirteen, Enrico Maxwell. He's the head of the Iscariot."
I felt myself go cold, remembering Father Anderson during the Badrick incident. I almost couldn't breathe, and I felt myself tremble a little. Seras put a concerned hand on my shoulder and forced me to look at her.
"Kiara, you're as white as a ghost! Are still not feeling well?" The leader of the Wild Geese was gauging my reaction, and then he pulled a cigarette from a case within his pant pocket. After lighting it, he glanced at Sir Integra as she read the letter.
"Does mon petite have a problem with these people? She was fine before she heard who the letter was from." Walter seemed apprehensive of the man's curiosity; however Sir Integra glanced up from the letter to level a stern gaze at me.
"How observant, Captain Bernadotte; the first and last member of Iscariot that she met tried to kill her. Ms. Summers, it seems that Hawkens has discovered our current situation with Iscariot, and with what has happened here six days ago." I stared at her shocked that the bastard had the nerve to go behind my back to get information that he wanted to have.
"Maxwell has planned to meet with us tomorrow at the British Museum, and apparently Hawkens will be there along with Officer Scott to mediate the situation. They've invited the AX Agency to join in."
"Is this Maxwell guy claiming to have information about my friends or their kidnappers?" Sir Integra kept her face blank and I glanced between Walter and Alucard, trying to see if they'd give any hint. "Why else would the AX Agency be coming here? They said that they don't keep in touch with anyone else to avoid confusion."
"We'll find out both Iscariot and Hawkens' game tomorrow, Ms. Summers."
-Present Day, August 17-
I was dressed in my pale blue blazer and skirt set once more, standing with Sir Integra and Walter in the British Museum waiting for Hawkens or Maxwell or someone from the AX Agency. Sir Integra was staring sternly at the portrait as if it were the source of our associates' tardiness.
"What time is it Walter?" Dutifully, Walter pulled out a silver pocket watch. He seemed indifferent with what he saw.
"Just past three, ma'am." She made a noise of impatience and glanced at me, perturbed by my fidgeting. I sighed and stared at the most violent painting in this entire gallery. It seemed to be depicting a battle that was about to start; it seemed to send shivers down my spine with every glance. I froze when I heard a group of people walking towards us, but relaxed when I saw the familiar flash of white, blue, and red.
"Hello Sister Blanchett, how was your trip back here?" Esther was smiling tightly, followed by a nervous Father Nightroad, Hawkens, Officer Scott, and two men I didn't recognize. Both men had silver hair, but the taller man was younger and had vivid purple eyes that fixed on me the moment he saw me observing him.
"It seems we are a bit late." The purple eyed man glanced at his companion with a careless shrug. When Sir Integra didn't reply he forced himself to incline in a short bow. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Enrico Maxwell."
I stiffened a little; this was the man in charge of the Iscariot unit? He seemed far too sarcastic for this role, and I found my eyes gauging him before I caught Hawkens' sour stare. I realized that everyone was watching my reaction and I felt myself blush a little and I looked down at the floor.
I heard Walter sigh and he motioned for me to go with them when they started moving towards the café gallery, yet he stayed there with the man that had accompanied Maxwell. I was keeping my eyes on the backside of Mr. Maxwell, when I thought I saw a flash of white move past my peripheral vision. I carefully turned my head to not draw any more attention to myself, but I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
We combined a table to be beside a corner booth to accommodate Officer Scott, Sister Blanchett and Father Nightroad while Sir Integra and I sat in the corner booth across from Mr. Maxwell and Hawkens.
A/N: I'm not going into the details of the conversation that takes place in the café gallery in this chapter. I mean, I'll touch on it in the next chapter; but it'll take too long and I don't think that it'll be necessary. Next chapter has Millennium being a nuisance.