Sorry I took longer than usual :/ I'm on hiatus once again, but only for a few days (and you can expect a really awesome short story then :3). So here we are, the Battle of London has begun (as Enrico already said). We'll see what comes out of it and if some get back their senses in time...
Thanks to catsvsdogscatswin for the review :3
Chapter 20: Symphony of Destruction
British National Security Special Guidance Division HQ, 10.30 pm
Caitlyn felt her body go limp. The phone almost fell from her hand. God, oh God, no.
He who hath no stomach in this fight, let him depart. She didn't want anything more. Just walk away. She had not chosen this. Why should she be responsible for all those lives? What had she been thinking, telling the Major "The game was up"? Was she crazy? Let the professionals deal with this. They knew what to do. Let Walsh and Irons take the reigns, if necessary. They knew how to win a war. They had done it before. Caitlyn had never been that scared in her life. All she wanted to was to be normal.
Penwood was staring at her like a rabbit at a fox. Caitlyn barely managed to speak loud enough to be heard. "They're coming."
The doors were ripped out of their hinges by an explosion. Everybody winced and spun.
"And here we are," a gleeful voice announced. Spoiler, McDaniels and Smith were accompanied by a group of heavily armed soldiers. They aimed the automatic rifles at the men in the room, alone three of them at Caitlyn. I was so wrapped up with trying to make a good impression that I forgot we have traitors in our ranks as well. Walter should have seen it.
Outside, an explosion shook the building. Plaster rained down. Caitlyn stared at the white particles on her black jeans, how tiny and unimportant they were, but in dozens they made a huge mess. She thought she would have broken into tears already, but right now, she couldn't cry.
"Wh-What is going on?", Penwood demanded to know. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Oh shut it, human. These head quarters are under control of Millennium now!" Penwood went even paler.
"How can they be here? We didn't-"
"No news came through," McDaniels said. He shrugged his shoulders. "Tell you a secret, the systems broke down hours ago. A virus or something. We almost missed the party ourselves." He laughed. "Doesn't matter. You won't tell anyone, right?" These men, who should protect their fellow citizens, damn, their fellow humans, had sacrificed them for their own sake.
"Et tu, Brute?", Caitlyn whispered, without noticing it herself. She was shaking and tried her best to control it. This was not fair! She was no Hellsing, never had been. She almost wished she had stayed in the orphanage, finished on a regular school, would be doing a regular, boring job, complain about normal problems, and have a regular, meaningless life. No vampire armies, no hostile royals, or psychopathic priests, no family, no responsibility.
"Julius Cesar, right?", he asked. She looked up to find McDaniels pointing a gun at her. The muzzle was still warm. It had been fired not long ago. McDaniels grinned, fangs flashing. For some reason that didn't look as impressive or even beautiful as it was with Mira and Walter.
"We heard you're such a Shakespeare fan," he said, pressing the gun hard enough in her skin to hurt. "Then how about this: 'Some rise by vice, and some by virtue fall'?"
"Sin," Caitlyn said.
"Huh?"
"It's "Some rise by sin". You said vice. It's from Measure for measure, Act 2, Scene 1. Escalus says it." Snickering among the men. McDaniels frowned. He could have shot her right there on the spot, but he was too egocentric for that. He wanted to enjoy holding her captive.
"Whatever. I can consider myself lucky, Lady Hellsing. To be the one to snatch you. The Führer will be so pleased."
You had measured how long a fool you were upon the ground. The thought didn't make her smile as usual. She would find that bastard and rip him to pieces with her bare hands if necessary, for everything he had done. She couldn't know what was going on outside, but she did.
Hell had opened its gates.
"He will kill you. Somebody who betrays his first lord with betray the second."
The muzzle felt like it was burning into her temple. Caitlyn clenched her fists and tried to ignore it.
Laughter. "Nice try. Who said we will return to him? Tell you something, in case you didn't notice. Vampirism is magnificent."
"I agree." They spun, but there was no one there. The muzzle on Caitlyn's temple vanished. The spot was rough and sensitive to the touch. "Pardon my late appearance, milady."
"Who are you? Show yourself!", Spoiler barked. The men pointed their guns in all directions, but their opponent remained unseen. "If you dare, kid!" To Caitlyn's surprise the answer to this was not anger, but a giggle. They would be dead soon anyway. Walter did not see them as a threat.
Caitlyn nodded reassuringly at Sir Penwood, who was frozen in his seat, livid and terrified. No, he was not a traitor. Caitlyn looked down at her hands still holding the phone. The warning had been high treason. Sure, Lisa was the chief's sister, and Enrico would do anything to protect her, but that didn't save her eternally. Hopefully she didn't get into trouble because of this. If only she had called earlier.
She didn't want to do this. It had already been too much. Too much blood, and death, and madness. She had been able to ignore this side of her vampires for most of the time. But what choice was there? None, of course. There never was. Freedom was life's biggest lie.
"Hellsing is more than a century old," she said. "We were founded by Abigail van Hellsing, the greatest vampire huntress in history. Do you think Millennium were the first to think of using vampires?"
Silence, then laughter. "That little show your butler staged?", Spoiler jeered. "Please. For a human that might be impressive. We have an army." Caitlyn had the irrational urge to answer "We have a Hulk". She didn't, of course, though in metaphorical terms it would not have been that wrong.
"Sure. You know, I don't like the term 'use' when it comes to sentient beings. Vampires are persons. They're my friends. My family." She stared at her hands, then forced herself to look up. That was her duty. She could not just avert her eyes and pretend it didn't happen. "Walter, would you, please?"
"My pleasure." It happened very fast. Just a blue glimmer, the sound of metal wires being stretched, a swishing of air, and the traitors fell into pieces, their blood splattering all over the room. A big splash hit Sir Penwood right in the face. He froze, then almost fell of his chair when Walter appeared beside him, holding out a handkerchief. Penwood's hands shook when he took it.
"T-thank you."
Walter indicated a bow and vanished, to appear next to Caitlyn a moment later. "A thousand pardons for the mess." He hadn't even bothered to change his form. Maybe he didn't care anymore. Caitlyn liked him best like that anyway. "Thank you. Just in time."
Penwood wiped the blood off his face. "Go ahead," he said miserably. "Accuse me of being a traitor. It's too late now anyway."
Nervous murmuring in the room. "I never thought you were a traitor," Caitlyn said warmly.
The surprise and then joy on his face made him look several years younger. "B-But... Everybody did."
"I know. But I'm not like the others. I knew you would never deceive us."
He closed his eyes for a moment. "Thank you. I know I'm incompetent, but I'm no sneak."
"I know. You're not good enough at acting." She smiled, though she didn't really feel like it. But the smile dancing at the corners of Penwood's lips made it worthwhile. "We need to get the civilians out of the way."
An elderly officer named Erik Wilcox (he had showed her around on her first visit, she remembered) cleared his throat. "I'm afraid it might be already too late for that." They had managed to access YouTube. Somebody had filmed the dark, smoke-covered sky over London. Why he had done this after such an attack was a mystery to her, but whoever this psychopath was, Caitlyn was glad for the help. Three zeppelins hovered over London, blocking out the moonlight. The were gigantic, much bigger than any Caitlyn had ever seen, even on TV. The smaller ones were silver. The middle airship, it had to be bigger than Westminster Abbey, was painted in a black and red chessboard pattern. The video quality was too low to read their names, but one thing was sure: In the gondola of this colossal red and black war machine, the Major enjoyed the show. Best seat in the house.
Lights were raining down, tiny comets falling towards the orange lights illuminating the airships and sky from the ground. Then the video ended.
It's raining men. Suddenly that joke was not funny anymore. There was a terrified gasp on on of the other consoles. Slowly, Caitlyn walked over to a young IT guy, on legs she barely felt. He had managed to get a shot of London from above. Fire had spread through the streets, fueled by millions of cars with gasoline, trees and whatever else got in the way. Even if there was somebody left to fight it, a conflagration like this was unstoppable. A burning swastika all the way from Kensington to Whitechapel shouted its creator's existence into the world.
Somebody grabbed Caitlyn's arm and helped her into a chair. She didn't protest. Otherwise she would have fallen. "Millennium will target all offices. We should leave as soon as possible," she murmured. Her eyes were fixed on the dark tiled floor. Reports rushed past her. Conflagration, panic, riots, the first vampire sightings. Communications were cut. Something had infiltrated the system.
Tap-tap-tap. Typing.
All the innocents in London would die. This was all her fault. Had she provoked the Major? Even if not, she should have dealt with this before. Why didn't they see it coming? Walter and Mira should have known. But of course they wanted to fight. The undead had the privilege of not having to mourn. Millennium had roamed freely for more than seventy years why? Were there so many traitors? How could anyone be so delusional? But of course greed was stronger than reason. It always was.
All the policemen, soldiers, authorities that still remained would be directly targeted. The royals, including the queen and most of the Round Table, had left London after the conference. Of course they did. Because they should not die. They would return once the battle was over, London swarming with eight million innocents brutally murdered and turned into ghouls. Caitlyn had lost, had failed everything and everyone she wanted to protect. She died, she survived, it didn't make a difference anymore. The Vatican would lead a crusade to recapture the Protestant territory. Fine with her, as long as they stopped Millennium. There was somebody calling her name, but she didn't listen. She wished Mira was here. The vampire countess always knew what to do, no matter how horrible. She would know how to defeat Millennium. One vampire could only do so much, even Walter. They had failed to obliterate Millennium once. Walter had been human, and a child, back then. That wouldn't happen a second time, right? And her, what should she do? She was useless, both in command and on the battlefield. The former Hellsings would have fared much better. They had been trained for this. Just because she was a descendant of Abigail van Helsing? That medieval bullshit didn't mean anything. Blood didn't mean anything. It didn't make her special.
There was a bang and pain shot through her cheek. Caitlyn found herself on the floor, her jaw burning. Penwood gulped, but Walter made no attempt to cut him to pieces for assaulting his master. Penwood helped Caitlyn to her feet. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do."
"It's fine." Her head felt a bit clearer now, although she was still frightened and clueless what she should do next. "That was just what I needed. Walter-"
"Lady Hellsing," Penwood interrupted her. Sweat gleamed on his face, but his voice was calm. "I know I am incompetent and I'm a coward. Nothing of this, my status, my rank, I have achieved through my own volition and effort." Tell me about it. At least you were raised to meet these expectations. "You need to go. You're stronger than I could ever be, you can win. Defeat Millennium. As to me, I will stay and distribute whatever orders may come in."
Walter suppressed a snicker. Caitlyn didn't feel like laughing, but he was right.
The Vatican will attack too.
"Sir Penwood, that is the most stupid plan in all of creation."
"You don't understand. It's my duty."
"Your duty is to serve your country, not to die. I really doubt any orders will come in on the modern channels. Use CB and tell everybody to get the hell out of here. Everybody still alive has to leave."
"The military – Irons and Walsh have surely-," Penwood protested.
Caitlyn cut him off. "Sure they do. Tell me, what do the great leaders outside know? They don't see what we see. They have their nice little camp and once this is over, they will strut in and judge everybody who might be left. You can be the one to ask all the innocent souls if the 'honor' of resistance was worth their sacrifice. Give orders to withdraw. Now. And get somebody to pick Mira up. Without her, we can just as well surrender right now. No offense, Walter."
The vampire waved it off, seeming more amused than offended.
"C-Can't she come here using her vampire powers?"
Walter snatched a cigarette from a holder on the table with his wires. "Not over an ocean," he said.
Caitlyn took a few deep breaths. She needed a plan. There was no time for panicking. They wanted a leader, they got one. Even if it was all just pretend. "Alright, get off your asses! Tell Walsh and irons it was all my idea, I don't care, just get everyone out of here. You too. All of you."
"Do we have a chance?", Sir Penwood asked miserably.
Walter chuckled. The sound made Caitlyn shiver. Millennium's soldiers were not the only monsters around. Fortunately, he was her monster. The creature looking like a young boy blew smoke in the air, slouching on a chair with his legs folded over the armrest. To him, this was just an interesting new game. "No human can stand against an army of monsters," he said. "You just keep giving them more to feast on." He didn't need to add that he would like to join in if not for his loyalty to Britain.
Penwood, his face ashen, nodded slowly. "Alright." He raised his voice, as if he had to drown out some huge noise. "Only the minimum staff remains. The others can go."
"We will be safer in a group," Wilcox said. "Lady Hellsing, you should go. We'll wrap up here." He tossed her a small CB radio. "Official channels are dead. The virus froze almost the entire system. The Internet on most private devices still works, though."
Caitlyn looked at the radio and hesitated. Walter appeared next to her. "Lady Caitlyn, we need to go. Millennium will probably target our HQ as well." She closed her eyes and took a deep, shaking breath. Of course. The Wild Geese were informed, but only human. They wouldn't hold out for long. She would be damned if she let any more of her men die.
"Walter, you-"
"I'm not leaving you here," he interrupted. His red eyes were glowing slightly, a sign he was angry or excited. That little -
monster.
What's in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet. And a monster by any other name is still a monster. He was waiting to be sent into battle. They had felt it coming, both of them, and he had told her. She had just overestimated the time she had left. But nevertheless, Walter was a good butler and loyal to the crown. Loyal to her, because of what she hoped was more than mere duty. He would not leave her side unless she was safe.
Caitlyn looked at all these brave men. She had not signed up for this, but neither had they, so she should better take care they would get out of here. She saluted. "Fare thee well, gentlemen, and God rest you merry."
Every last one of them stood up and returned the greeting. She hugged Sir Penwood. "Stay safe."
"You too," he said softly. He was still scared, but it was the first time she had seen him really determined. And if Penwood could do that, she should as well. Mira would arrive soon and then this would be over in an hour. There had already been too many dead.
"Farewell," Sir Penwood told her, before she left the room. There were dead guards on their way outside, more victims of the traitors. Caitlyn wanted to look away, but didn't allow herself to. The closer they got to the street, the worse the smell of fire got. It was mixed with gasoline, burning metal, and other things she could not (and did not want to) identify. The air was hot and seemed to choke her. Her car was waiting outside, a bit scratched from rubble, but otherwise intact.
Caitlyn stood there for a moment, unable to avert her eyes from the gigantic zeppelin. It was quite a bit away, over the western part of the city, but something that big was impossible to miss.
I'm coming for you Major. Once your troops are dealt with, you have nowhere else to run.
"On the back seat are weapons and a jacket," Walter informed her.
"Can't we just fly? You can do that, right?"
He growled in a low voice. "Not over the Thames. And it's too dangerous. A rocket might not be enough to kill me, but humans are so fragile..." Caitlyn stopped asking and climbed in. A shotgun, the handgun she had been training with the last weeks, and a rapier were lying on the seat.
"Uh, Walter, I'm probably the worst shooter in all of -" Royalty? Nobility? That had to be a joke. "Hellsing."
"The ghouls don't know that. Just shoot." Walter changed to his adult self, so he didn't need to adjust the seat. The strong engine roared and they sped off. Caitlyn was pressed into the seat.
With every meter they made, every block they passed, Caitlyn felt the terror she had thought she had gotten rid of creep back into her mind again, paralyzing her.
London was completely destroyed. Buildings were crumbling, burning, consuming anyone who might be left. She didn't see a living person. The occasional ghoul stumbled past her, to a destination only known to it. Some were missing limbs that had been torn of before death, she was sure. She saw a man whose body was pierced with glass shards, blood running from the popped eyeballs. Caitlyn felt sick in her stomach.
She closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees. She concentrated on her breathing. Stay calm. This doesn't help you. The words didn't get through. Neither was the worried "Caitlyn? Caitlyn" from the front. She could hear explosions, screaming, the car getting hit by rubble, smashing through dead, walking bodies.
"Caitlyn!" The brakes screeched and then the world spun as Caitlyn was thrown forward. She landed on the floor of the car, together with her weapons. In the end the coat lazily settled on top of the pile. Her head was throbbing. She managed to free herself. The coat was made of tough black fabric, old, but well-maintained and definitely too big for her. There were faded gold letters engraved in the collar.
A.H.
Arthur Hellsing? The last head of Hellsing, dead for more than twenty-five years? What the hell...?
"Lady Hellsing, to your left. You might want to shoot." The window rolled down all by itself and showed her a scene that could be straight from a horror movie. A group of policemen had been cornered by ghouls. There was only one of them left, desperately trying to shoot at them with an empty clip. Caitlyn took the gun she had trained with.
Of all base possessions, fear is the most accursed.
Walter flashed her a smile over the rear-view mirror. It was already too late for the poor man. Caitlyn aimed and controlled her breathing like she had learned. Aiming, shooting, holding. Her shot hit him in the head and she gasped.
"A very good shot, milady," her butler commented. Caitlyn wanted to take out the other ghouls, but Walter rolled up the window and they sped on. There was no point to it anyway. It would only steal valuable time and not help anyone.
"I aimed for the ghoul next to him," she whispered eventually. The gun in her lap felt as if it was burning her hand. She threw it on the bench in disgust.
"It was too late for him," Walter dismissed it. Caitlyn didn't bother to tell him she knew that. It was not the point. From time to time, she could see people, living people, climbing from the ruins, fighting for their lives. The car didn't stop to save them and Caitlyn didn't order Walter to. There was the occasional vampire, easy to spot in a ridiculously authentic World War II uniform, but they didn't pay attention to her. It was like they had orders not to bother her. Walter had found a way where the streets were almost free and they were driving fast.
All these people had lost their lives because she had failed. Because Britain had failed to deal with this problem twice, seventy years ago and today. The Vatican was at fault for helping them. The goddamn traitors were at fault. This disgusting maniac calling himself Major and Führer, their Doctor, and the whole cursed battalion. Mira and Walter had failed to destroy Millennium. Not only the Major was having the time of his life or unlife. For that matter, was he a vampire as well? He had to be, considering he had not aged a bit.
The radio cracked loudly. Statics were drowning out most of the broadcast, but she could make out words. She knew the voice. Walter adjusted the frequency.
"This is Admiral Shelby Magnus Penwood. I'm not sure if anyone can hear me. I hope so. To all of you out there that are still alive, still human. I'm not issuing orders anymore. This HQ has almost fallen and the monsters will knock on our door any moment. This is my last plea to anyone who can hear me. Leave London. All that are still alive have to evacuate. Millennium is not ours to deal with." Caitlyn pressed her hands to her mouth, unable to do anything else. She didn't get anything out but a weak whimper. Why were they still there? They had never planned to leave, she knew now.
"My regards," a voice in the background said. It was Wilcox. "I prefer to die human." A bang and then silence. The sound of boots on the tiles.
"You haf made us a lot of trouble, human," a voice with a strong German accent said. He paused. "Vat's so funny?"
Caitlyn could hear Penwood chuckle softly. "Farewell Caitlyn. Thank you for your trust in me. It was a pleasure to know you."
"Hey, stop zat!", the Millennium soldier barked. Then the connection was interrupted and only statics remained. Caitlyn couldn't breathe. She didn't see anymore, only heard the statics and the sound of the drive.
Fear is the most accursed.
Caitlyn screamed. It was an animalistic sound full of terror, and rage, and pain. It lasted for several seconds until she broke down, her throat rough and hot. Tears were streaming over her face.
"These bastards! I'm gonna kill them!", she spat, her voice on the edge of breaking glass. "Every last one of them! Not one will get away! They'll pay! They-" She broke off, and wiped her face on her sleeves, sobbing.
"Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once," she whispered. "Hurry, Walter. The Wild Geese will need us." He nodded and pushed the accelerator down, the car leaping forward. They broke through rubble and dead bodies, not slowing down. Caitlyn ground her teeth. They would pay. What did it matter if she was incapable in fighting herself? Mira and Walter would rip them to pieces and the Vatican's crusade as well if they tried to fuck with her home.
He pressed her hands to her temples. What was she saying? That was how everybody thought and what had gotten them here. It was not her way.
She straightened up, wiping her face with a handkerchief, and fastened the rapier to her hip, then the holster of the small gun. Just in case. Walter had slowed down and she squinted to make out why in the twilight of the fires. There was a dark figure standing in the middle of the street alone.
The car came to a halt. They were near the Globe Theater, Caitlyn realized. It was probably in ruins right now. She had watched a play there barely a month ago. The Globe had burned down once before. It would rise from the ashes again.
"Lady Hellsing, turn around and search for a different route." She winced, snapping out of the much more pleasant memories into the harsh reality she had to face.
"What?"
Walter was already getting out of the car. "Don't look around. Drive as fast as you can."
"You just said ten minutes ago you won't leave me alone!"
But Walter wasn't listening anymore. He walked up to the figure in a relaxed speed indicating he was not the least afraid. "I'm going to get him," he murmured, already preparing the glistening blue wires. "This time he's dead." Now Caitlyn understood. She was not the only one who still had a score to settle with Millennium. She got out of the car and went to the driver's seat.
"Walter!", she called. He stopped and turned around.
"Yes milady?"
"Come back as soon as you can. We'll beat them. We'll kick their butts right back into the forties."
He nodded and turned back to his old enemy. The car's engine roared as Caitlyn sped off. Walter's eyes were fixed on the two red dots glowing in front of him.
Walter grinned at his opponent. "Well hiya there. Looks like we both haven't changed a lot." The wires wrapped around flesh. They stretched to the point of breaking and stayed still. Blood was running over the tall man's hands, but he was still as a statue.
"Indeed, my boy," the Major's voice echoed over the zeppelin's speakers. "It's been seventy years and you haven't changed a bit. I vould love to hear ze story of how zis happened. It surely will be remarkable. And I will even forgive you for interrupting my dinner."
Near Globe Theater, 11.30 pm
Yumie decapitated two of the ghouls with her katana. By now there was a whole flood of them. The Iscariots moved in a wide-spread line, covering the whole street. There was nobody to notice them.
"Hey, look, there's the Globe," Antonio said. Heinkel joined Yumie and they killed off a group of ghouls stumbling aimlessly along. "Anyone ever been in a play?"
Yumie sprinted off, pushed herself in the air on a fallen wall and slashed through a tall ghoul with splinters all over him. "You know, I thought we might go there someday. Watch a play or something," she said to Heinkel. Her partner followed close behind, taking perfect head shots whenever a monster appeared.
"We went there in my last year of school. Stayed a week in London, looked around," Heinkel said. "Was an awesome week." From the London she had known when she was 18 only few things remained. The Globe seemed to be still intact. She could see the Millennium Bridge over the Thames. Quite the ironic name. She wouldn't even be surprised if the Major had let it stand just because of its name. As a reminder.
She remembered walking along the bank with Cassie and Chris, from the Tower Bridge (which was in ruins now) to the Globe, picking up a book on the way, then over the Millennium Bridge in search for something decent to eat. Tate Modern, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Shard, Buckingham Palace, all in ruins. It had been such a beautiful city.
"We too. The orphanage," Yumie said. "Only for a few days, but yes. It was great."
"Do you think it will ever look like it was again?", Marcus asked them. He dodged a ghoul and shot it. It was a little girl.
"Sure, we will rebuild it even better," Giorgio said. He stopped for a moment and stared down at the lifeless young body. The face was gone, and the flower dress soaked with blood. "Pretty sad, huh?", he murmured.
"Yeah," Heinkel agreed. "The kids are always the worst. They can't even choose the right way."
The street seemed empty. The paladins feathered out, weapons ready. Father Anderson was quite a bit out front, being the vanguard. So far, there had been no losses, not even in narrow streets that could easily become a trap, even for professionals. For some reason the vampires left them alone for now.
"I'd love to know – ouch!" A thump and Nils cursed. The paladins around him stopped. Nils was one of the new ones, passing his exam only this year. Now his pale cheeks turned a bright red. He rubbed the scratch on the right one and laughed uncomfortably. "I'm good. Just a scratch." He had a soft Swedish accent. Angelo, one of the instructors, pushed his hand away and inspected the wound.
"A rock? What happened?"
Nils nodded. "...I tripped." The others roared with laughter. That story would follow him the rest of his life. It would always begin with "Do you remember when you...". If he made it out of here alive. Everybody somehow expected to die this night. Time would show who was right.
"Sorry for the commotion." His best friend, who was only called Hannibal by everyone, slapped him on the back.
"Angelo takes care of us newbies, right?" Angelo was in his forties, but had full blond hair and a thick, neatly trimmed beard.
"Sure," he said. "But if you get hungry, tell us." The paladins laughed. On the edges of the group there was the occasional shot if a ghoul got in their way, but otherwise nothing spectacular happened. If it looked like this everywhere, the crusade would be child's play. The zeppelins were hanging like storm clouds over the city, but they hadn't faced any of the vampires yet. There had to be a reason for that. One of the smaller airships had changed course and was slowly moving towards the city outskirts. They weren't flying fast. There was a lot of time. The night had just started. Yumie frowned, but didn't comment on it. Her sense of orientation might be off and she had never been there herself. Even if they were on their way to Hellsing, that was not her job to worry about.
"You don't become a ghoul if you get bitten, right?", Nils whispered to his friend. The paladin girls exchanged a grin. Fear was getting the better of the boy. Ghouls weren't zombies.
"Of course not," another voice snapped. One could actually hear her roll her eyes. "Only if you die. How did you become a paladin if you don't know that?"
The Thames behind the houses began to swerve southward. Anderson held up a hand and the Iscariots stopped. He listened into his earpiece for a moment.
"I gotta check on something," Heinkel whispered to her partner. Yumie nodded and stayed where she was. Nobody was going anywhere for now. The other paladins, especially the new ones, respectfully stepped out of her way. Heinkel was young in absolute numbers, but in this business she was already an old hand. A survivor. She didn't get her reputation for no reason.
The young paladin with the black hair was in the back, her head bowed as if she was praying. The jacket looked a bit too big for her.
"Caitlyn Hellsing was sighted only ae few streets fae here," Anderson announced. "We'll tak the rooftops." The Iscariots entered the deserted buildings and climbed to the top, a black, silent mass with many heads. The roofs were flat and perfect for traveling. Heinkel followed the group. The black-haired paladin sped up to walk amidst the others. Heinkel grabbed her and dragged her into a small alleyway.
"How the hell did you get here?", she growled, keeping her voice down. Vicky squirmed in her grip, but when she looked up, her dark eyes were furious instead of guilty.
"I sneaked in with the others," she explained without the hint of remorse. "Maybe you should rather wonder why nobody said anything." She did have a point there. Heinkel let go and ruffled the short black strands. "What did you do to your hair?"
"I cut it," the girl murmured defiantly. "Based it off you." Right. The hair color made a huge difference, though. "And now?", she asked.
"You stay with me and Yumie all the time. If Anderson finds out, we're in deep shit. So do what I say."
Vicky nodded, not really convinced. "Okay."
Heinkel cursed internally. "Hey, listen, I'm sorry. I didn't want to slap you. You know-"
Vicky shrugged her shoulders and turned to go. "Sure, whatever. Let's go before we lose the others." She ran up a fire escape. Heinkel followed. Thanks for the conversation.
The group had quite a head start, but the two caught up when the paladins stopped at a ledge. Heinkel was a bit out of breath from the sprint and stepped up to the edge of the roof next to Yumie. Vicky merged with the paladins behind them, keeping her head low. She was smaller than the men anyway. She was not sure if Anderson would recognize her at first glance after she had cut off her hair, and so far she had gone unnoticed. Renaldo – he really seemed to know everything – had asked if Heinkel knew she was here. Not wanting to lie to him, Vicky had shaken her head. He had merely sighed and asked if she was more worried about an enemy or her teacher killing her.
Then he had said something she didn't understand: "Be careful. She has already suffered enough."
There were shots and a crash, then silence.
"Caitlyn Hellsing!", a rough voice with a German accent announced. "Ve are here in ze name of ze Führer! Say your last prayer!"
Vicky edged forward. She wanted to see what was happening. The Paladins spread out until they filled the edge of the building, all black clothes and blinking crucifixes. Yumie threw her an absent glance, then spun, recognition spreading on her face. She threw a hasty glance at Anderson and changed places with the trainee to keep her hidden. "What are you doing here?", she hissed. "Does H-" She was interrupted by laughter.
Caitlyn Hellsing had managed to free herself from the wrecked car. Even in the flickering lights she looked bad. It was not even the gash on her right temple or the burn on the left. She was pale, and frightened, and weak. She had a rapier in her hand, but it was trembling badly. That was their so-called archenemy? That girl? She didn't seem strong enough to beat anyone, especially not Iscariot.
"You can't escape," the vampire said. "Surrender." Lady Hellsing still seemed to be dizzy from the crash, but raised her rapier. Her eyes wandered over the scene, searching for an escape even now.
"A knot you are of damned bloodsuckers," she said and giggled. It sounded hysterical. "Walter and Mira will crush you, with or without me."
The vampires roared with laughter. "Do you want to die?", the leader asked with a wide toothy grin.
"Of course not. I just wish there was an ally nearby, maybe..." She looked up, directly at the paladins. How did she- ?
"If only, ja? Too bad for you," the first vampire mocked and leaped at her. A bayonet pierced his head and he slammed to the ground a meter from Lady Hellsing's feet. The paladin's laugh echoed through the street. Bible pages fluttered and then he was standing right in front of Caitlyn. What made her so special anyway? Only because she was from Hellsing blood? That was just as stupid as monarchy itself.
Now the damned monsters understood. They stumbled back, eyes wide open, realizing who stood in front of them. "B-bayonet priest."
"Saint Guillotine."
"Killing Judge."
"Angel Dust."
"The regenerator."
"Alexander Anderson," Caitlyn said. She seemed genuinely relieved to see him. He laughed in her face, his voice a roar, but she didn't seem scared.
"Ye really have the nerve tae ask fae oor help? Oor sworn enemies. Ye really are ae remarkable heathen o' all." Some of the paladins chuckled. Asking your enemy for help. What kind of strategy was that? Did she have any strategy at all? Or was she just trying to survive at whatever cost?
"Ye have ma respect, at least that. Heinkel, Yumie, ye heard that? She's lucky the archbishop ordered us to capture her alive."
"He was promoted? Congrats," Caitlyn Hellsing said. Anderson stopped, blinked, and utterly lacked an answer to that. Uh.. What? Did she understand what situation she was in? Vicky was about to ask Yumie about it, but the leader of the vampires stepped forward.
"Du! From ze Iskariot organization! Get out of ze way!"
Anderson looked around. The so-called vampire super soldiers were barely more than frightened kids. Their leader was the only fearless one and that was his mistake. What a fool.
"Hold yer tongue, the dead don't speak," Anderson growled. "Do the dead dare walk the earth before ma eyes? Will the dead raise an army, fall in and advance with those who have abandoned God and raise the heretical order dare to meet my gaze?" The paladin drew his bayonets. The vampires stumbled back, but were too used to obeying their orders to flee. They could have lived a few hours longer.
"Get Lady Hellsing out of the way," Yumie told Vicky before she jumped off the ledge, following Heinkel.
"Iscariot will nae allow it!", Anderson proclaimed. "I will nae allow it!" He formed a cross with his bayonets. "Ye will be cut down like straw, trembling before ma rod. AMEN! Speak up ye men o' God. Tell us all who ye are!"
The Chaos Girls, who weren't chaotic right now, flanked the regenerator. Vicky looked around. She needed to get Lady Hellsing out of the way, but if she jumped down now, everybody would look at her.
"We are the soldiers of Iscariot!", the paladins proclaimed. "We are Judas Iscariot!" The vampires noticed them only now. Their grim expressions, trying to act like whatever honorable thing they saw themselves as, turned into fear again. The first paladins jumped off the roofs. Vicky just joined in, following the stream and landing on her feet. The slightly too big jacket fluttered in the wind. She didn't have one of her own yet.
"Well then, Iscariot! Ah ask o' you: Whit do ye hold in yer right hand?" Vicky managed to push her way through the crowd, as far back as she could so not to disturb the picture of a black, determined wall of God's soldiers. Her mind was on Lady Hellsing, but her mouth formed the words by itself.
"Daggers and poison!"
"Well then, ma soldiers o' Iscariot! Ah ask o' you: Whit do ye hold in yer left hand?"
"Thirty pieces of silver and a straw rope!"
The vampires ran forward. Alexander Anderson let out a battle scream and his bayonets cut the attacking soldier's arms right off. The vampire stumbled back, gasping in pain and blood splashing everywhere.
"Show them who ye are, ma soldiers o' Iscariot!", Anderson demanded. Then all hell broke loose. The vampires began to run, at human speed though, their automatic pistols in both hands. Heinkel was the first to draw her guns. A grin had spread on her face. Vicky drew her guns as well, still trying to get out of the troop of Iscariot's soldiers.
"We are apostles, yet not apostles!", Anderson announced. "Believers, yet not believers!" He drew new bayonets, balancing the blades between his fingers as if that was the easiest thing in the world. Vicky tripped over something, but finally managed to reach the wall Lady Hellsing had crashed in.
"We are disciples, yet not disciples! We are heretics, yet not heretics! We are soldiers in the service o' death, who bow oor heads in reverence to oor Laird, and whose prayers have fouled in the withered bodies o' oor enemies." He jumped and the bayonets pierced the air, blinking brightly in the fire's light. They hit the vampires, their pained screams echoing in the streets. Anderson ran at them, a wide grin on his face. Vicky was too stunned to move. She was lucky there was no enemy next to her. Lady Hellsing just stared at them, openly impressed.
"Ae poisoned serve at every supper, oor daggers flashing i' the moonlight!" The vampires fell like straw under a scythe by Anderson's bayonets. He could have won this fight all by himself, Vicky realized. He just didn't want to spoil the fun for everyone else. And maybe not even the great Father Anderson was immune to a bit of bragging. Judging from Lady Hellsing's face, it worked. Vicky almost couldn't focused on her own task, she was too much in awe. Warmth spread through her body when she realized she would be part of this elite group, these great warriors herself once.
No. She already was, even if it was just temporarily. This night, she was a paladin.
"We are the apostles of Judas Iscariot." He drew new bayonets, the blades glistening blue.
"Where does he get them from?", Caitlyn murmured. Vicky would have liked to tell her she should just accept it. Holy magic was only available to the greatest of God's soldier.
"We are his holy flock o' assassins and on the earth on which we were called, we cast our thirty pieces of silver intae the sight o' the Holy and hang oorselves wi' ae rope o' straw." The bayonets dug onto the vampires' bodies, the hilts beginning to sizzle as the propelling charge took off, ripping them to pieces. Lady Hellsing winced. The paladins drew their guns, in perfect unison.
"Thus do we move to meet Hell's legions as a mighty army. And form our ranks against Hell's gates." Their voices echoed in the street, the bullets ripping the vampires to pieces. This was not a fair fight, Vicky thought. She could see her teacher, a grin on her face, her guns blazing. But now the vampires began to fire back. She grabbed Lady Hellsing and pulled her behind a wall. Bullets sparked on the bricks.
"Who are you?", Lady Hellsing asked, looking her over.
"Paladin Victoria Caine," she introduced herself. "I've got the order to make sure you're safe."
"And prepare to meet the 7,405,926 demons of evil," the paladins exclaimed. Yumie dodged the bullets from an automatic rifle, her katana finding no resistance in the enemy. Lady Hellsing stared at her for a moment, then probably decided her eyes had played tricks on her.
"Aren't you a bit too young to be a paladin?"
"Just passed my exam," she lied. "Don't worry." There was a shadow rushing at them. Vicky automatically drew her pistols and pulled the trigger. The vampire dropped to the ground, barely meters from them.
She pushed Lady Hellsing a bit further into the shadows. Her body was itching to join in, seeing her teacher and Yumie fight back to back, having the time of their lives, Father Anderson mowing down these abominations, even as she saw some of her fellow knights fall. Peter, Michele, Glen did not escape the fire of the undead. They died worthy deaths.
With Anderson's last battle scream and the splashing of blood, the first battle in the war against the unholy and unclean ended.
Soooo... Badass iscariots here, including one that should not be there at all. "Does Heinkel know you're here?" I bet Vicky was so pissed off by that question in the end, because literally everybody who recognized her asked it xD
I really enjoy this scene. Normally I take all the canon dialogue from the manga (simply because it's a lot easier), but for Iscariot's creed I went with the English OVA. Yes, I am aware that Anderson has a weird grammar at a few points, and I'm not entirely sure if I got everything right. If you find a mistake, tell me, please. Also, his accent in the OVA is a lot weaker than in the manga, at least in the pronunciation you can actually write.
Yeah... Avengers reference. I love that movie. (Loki ~) I just couldn't resist. Hehe ~ :P
Poor Caitlyn. She's totally overwhelmed by the whole situation. How lucky the IScariots are there, right? And Walter vs Hans, what will come out of that? (Teasing you, because I'm evil. Sorry xD)
Anyways, I hope you liked it. The next chapter will take a while, because I'm on vacation without Internet. But I'm doing my best.