A local pharmacy was in shambles. Police tape blocked off the entrance while officers stood on guard, being careful not to step on broken glass. Cold air whistled through what used to be a window, freezing the owner of the shop as he stood by with his arms crossed and shoulders hunched to conserve heat. Loose strands of white hair fluttered in the breeze while his wrinkled face looked around with worry. The police weren't giving him any answers and merely told him to wait for a so-called "expert" to arrive. Needless to say, he was thoroughly unimpressed with the conduct of the people who were supposed to be finding out who was responsible for all of this or—maybe even what.

The security camera picked up something strange. He had never seen anything like it. It was like something out of those spooky videos on youtube that were obviously fake. This didn't seem fake, though. That thing didn't move like a person did.

Suddenly, the cops stood up a bit straighter, catching the owner's attention. He turned his head to look at whatever had them looking so lively, only to find a rather frightening-looking man in a long, black, coat, leather gloves, and nice suit. That with the eyepatch made him look like a bad guy from TV. Strangely, though, he had a rather plain-looking teenaged boy with him, puttering along while trying to match his pace and posture. The boy wore a suit, too, but was somehow wearing shorts instead of trousers in this weather. He looked like a juniour version of the first man-very green, though, and completely out of place in all ways.

"Lord Phantomhive." Nodded a police officer.

"Hello." greeted the man clad in black. "Is the owner still about?"

"He's right there." The owner of the pharmacy raised his brows and jumped a bit as he was pointed at. Something about this person didn't seem right in his eyes. He wasn't sure if it was the obvious or if it was something more subtle. Either way, he was being approached.

"Hello, there. I'm Lord Ciel Phantomhive, the expert they called in." Ciel greeted, extending his hand to the elderly owner, prompting the other man to instinctively shake it. "And this is my protege, Luka."

"Hello." the boy piped up, doing the same gesture as the first.

"He's in training, so he'll just be observing for the day. We've already been filled in on the situation. Mind if we take a look around?" questioned the Phantomhive with a pleasant smile and a slight tilt of his head.

The owner just blinked at him. "That's a child."

"Indeed. Honestly, he's a little old to start training. So, the security cameras, then?"

"Right… this way?" the older man glanced between the specialist and his trainee for a moment before turning around and walking inside. Glass crunched beneath their feet as the Earl took a careful look around while following the owner. The place was remarkably orderly despite the destruction at the entrance.

"Do you know what all was stolen?"

"A few bits and bobs." the owner stated, turning the door handle to the back room. "He just showed up and went through the aisles like he was shopping! He grabbed some plasters, disinfectant cream, bandages, tweezers, deodorant, shaving cream and a razor… And candy. He took a few food items, too. No cash or drugs, though. At least he had the decency to take useful things!"

"Indeed. That is worth noting." The way the Earl said that gave Luka notice. He could tell that the gears were turning in Ciel's head and it was thrilling just being a part of it.

The group made it to an old, clunky computer with stickynotes from god knows when pasted to it. Some were faded and none of them were worth noting to the bluenette. The demons waited for the owner to sit down and log on, hunting and pecking at the keys with his index fingers and slowly maneuvering the mouse to play the video. The Earl's eye narrowed as a figure came into view just outside the front window of the shop.

He had seen the videos from the street camera, so he knew that a garbage can was thrown through the window. It bounced off the glass a few times before finally shattering it. The figure climbed inside in a very fluid motion, hunching over as it landed on it's feet and hands in a primate-like fashion. It winced before standing up and inspecting its knuckles. Then, it began to walk through the aisles just like the owner had said. It stood like a human being, but it's gait was a bit bow-legged and it's proportions were just wrong enough that it was obvious that it wasn't one.

Too-long arms stretched past the sleeves of the coat it was bundled in, exposing its too-long hands. Maybe that's what made it's legs seem shorter than normal, or maybe that was just how it was built. Its face was covered with a scarf as it covered its head with the hood of his coat pulled over it, exposing only the eyes. They were large and round with large irises and thick eyebrows over each one.

"Hm." hummed the Phantomhive, watching all the way until the video concluded with the creature climbing out the window from where it came, now with a backpack full of items slung over its back. Once it was finally done, he continued. "Can you show a live feed of the shop?"

"Uh, sure." the older man said, clicking around. "Like this?"

"Yes." turning to his associate, Ciel rubbed his chin. "Luka, can you do me a favour?"

"Yes, sir!" enthusiastically answered the boy, thrilled at the unexpected task.

"Can you stand in this aisle right here?" the Earl questioned, pointing at the screen. "About here. I want to compare how tall this thing is."

"Uh, yeah." It wasn't as exciting as the boy hoped it would be. Still, he slowly walked back toward the store, failing to hide his disappointment. "I mean, yes, sir."

"Thank you."

Once Luka was in place, he had to adjust his position. He rolled his eyes as thought the Earl couldn't see him whenever Ciel hollered out directions before finally getting him right where he wanted. With that, Ciel took a picture of the screen with his phone and produced a USB stick from his pocket, instructing the owner of the shop to copy the footage onto it. Once he had what he wanted, he stepped back out into the shop.

"Luka, you can move now." he called out, prompting the now slightly less enthused teenager to step out of the aisle.

"What did you figure out?" the boy questioned, returning to Ciel's side as he moved toward the front of the building.

"Oh, a couple of things. I know it's not a sasquatch, for example. The height and anatomy is completely wrong. Same with a lycanthrope, cynocephalus, human, or any of the usual suspects. I know that it's probably living in this area somewhere. And…" Ciel began, stopping in place and pointing at the ground. Following his finger, Luka noticed the red spots sparsely speckling the white floor. "We have a DNA sample. Could you locate me a cotton swab and a plastic bag, please? We should bring this back with us."

It was like a light lit up inside of Luka again. Springing back to life, he immediately began to rush to another aisle. "On it!" It was rather charming, Ciel found. When he returned, he eagerly shoved the items into Ciel's hands and watched as he carefully crouched down and collected the sample.

"Did you just find that or did you see it on the way in?"

"I had a hunch from all the broken glass." Ciel replied. "Our suspect winced on the video when he put his hand down on the ground. He probably cut it then. Luckily for him, he was robbing a pharmacy, I suppose. Seems like a rather deep cut from the amount of blood."

"How do you know it's a bloke?"

"I don't. I just noticed that the feminine hygiene aisle is untouched. If one is going to bother stealing hygiene and medical products from a pharmacy, one can assume they are without. Since they avoided that aisle, I think it's a safe bet."

"You think about weird stuff…"

"I'm a detective. It's my job." the Earl stated, standing up and placing the bag in his pocket. "Now, assuming that the wound was pretty deep and bled for a bit, what else can we assume?"

"He bled all over the store?"

"Right. But what else?"

"He needed the stuff he stole even more?"

"Yes, but what else? Rather, where else?" Ciel questioned, looking toward the front of the store. Blinking, the boy lit up again.

"He might've led a trail outside?!"

"Precisely. Shall we have a look?"

They failed to pay for the items they used on their way out. Instead, they chose to walk right through the shattered window. Ciel held out a hand to help his young ward down. "Mind the glass." he said before all four of their feet were firmly planted on the ground. Then, their eyes turned downcast, looking for spots of blood.

"There!" Luka pointed, not knowing that the Earl had already seen them.

"Nice work. Shall we?"

Dodging police officers, they stared at concrete, making their way down the pavement for about a block until the trail ran dry. Furrowing his brow, the boy placed his hands on his hips while the Earl fiddled with his phone. "What now?" the lad questioned. "It didn't lead us anywhere. It just stops."

"Wound probably closed." Ciel replied simply. "But it does tell us a thing or two. It does tell us that wherever our suspect is hiding, it's probably in this direction. It doesn't narrow down much, but it does tell us that he's not back there. Look here."

Showing the boy his phone, he presented Luka with a map of the area. "According to the email Integra sent me, the suspect has hit several shops within this radius. The shops are here, here, and here… And then there's this one." Ciel continued while pointing. "This last shop was within the radius, so that narrows it by at least a small margin. More importantly, however, is what's in that direction."

"What?" Luka questioned with an arched eyebrow, only for the Phantomhive to take the phone and place it in his coat pocket. "What is it?" the boy asked again with more vigor. Ciel was messing with him, he just knew it! It was going to be something exciting, Luka was sure of it!

"I'm afraid it's nowhere you should go. The owner of that place is going to be locked up in Belmarsh by the time his trial's over. I'm going to go over and take a look, meanwhile you are going to go home."

"Oh, come on! That's not fair! You're skipping over the good part!" the boy huffed, clenching his fists at his sides and stomping his foot. "You only let me walk around a store for a few minutes! I saw broken glass and a few specks of blood! Now you're gonna go on some secret mission without me?!"

"The fact that you're yelling about it in the street is precisely why you probably shouldn't be involved." retorted the Watchdog with a quick poke to the lad's forehead with his finger. "I'm going to call the house and have Sebastian or Finny bring the car around. Then you're going to get in it and consider this the extent of your training for toda-" The Earl stopped when he felt a hand tugging at the sleeve of his coat. "Luka…"

"Please…" the boy began. "You're not listening. This is my only chance. Jim won't train me like this. I just… Please let me go with you!"

"Uh…" Making a face, the Earl averted his eye as the lad began tugging on his sleeve with both hands, swaying him back and forth.

"Please, Ciel?! I'll do anything! Anything you ask! I promise I'll stay out of the way! You won't have to worry about me a bit! Honest! Just let me watch, okay? There's no telling when I'll ever get a chance like this to see a mission up close! You've gotta let me come too!"

Ciel's shoulders slouched as he deflated with a sigh. The corners of his mouth turned slightly upwards as he shook his head. He then locked eyes with the lad and paused. Luka clenched the fabric of the man's coat in his fists, waiting for the verdict.

"I happen to like being married very much, so no, I don't think I will."

"Oh, COME ON!" Letting go of the treacherous Phantomhive, Luka spun around and walked a few paces before returning to the man's side again. "Jim wouldn't break up with you for that!"

"I'm not going to gamble my marriage, thank you."

"How am I supposed to get any experience?! You were going on missions way younger than I am! If anything, I'm getting too old to train! I could run out of time and then I'll have to learn things like everybody else!"

"How is that a bad thing? You would still be learning."

"You can't be a super badass like that! You and Jim were off doing detective and assassin stuff at my age! You were already badasses and I'm behind… If I don't start now, then…"

The lad practically shrank from Ciel's sight right before his eye. He looked down at the top of that reddish brown head of hair as it hung low and a strange compulsion came over him. Raising a hand, the Earl plopped it down on top of Luka's noggin, giving it a light pat.

"Calm down. You have all the time in the world. Your job is to enjoy your childhood while it lasts, not hunt monsters."

"That's what Jim says." Luka pouted. "He says he wants me to do it because the two of you didn't get the chance. But what if it's what I want? I don't want anything else…"

"You don't know what it is you're asking for…"

"I do! I know… I know there's a lot at stake. I know that people could die. I know there's people counting on you. I can help. I just need you to trust me and that I can do it! I can! I know I can…"

Shoving his hands in his pockets, the Watchdog looked up at nothing in particular. The look on his face wasn't good. It was wrought with dread—anticipating some terrible, terrible punishment that might come his way as he tapped his foot. Furrowing his brow, he pinched the space between his eyebrows and looked down. With a huff, he turned on his heel and began walking.

"Reconnaissance only. That's it." he said, causing the lad to perk up. "You're going to do exactly as I say when I say it—am I clear?"

"Yeah… Yes, sir!"

"Good. If you end up getting hurt, it'll be my head, next. The last thing I need is Jim coming home from Scotland with divorce papers and murder on his mind."

"At least you'll have a little under a month to work on a will?"

"If you think he would not drop everything and make his way down here the moment he hears a peep about this, you are sorely mistaken." The Earl stated before crossing an intersection and continuing onward down the street with his underling in tow. "Step lightly."

"We're not calling a car?"

"Our suspect made his escape on foot. The ground is where we're going to spot potential escape routes and hiding places along our way."

"Got it." Luka said surely. He followed behind the man dutifully like a puppy, looking up at him and paying attention to seemingly everything he did. "Is Jim really that scary? Or are you joking?I know he's strong—and he always beats you at sparring, but he's just really… nice?"

"Oh, he most definitely is. He's ferocious like a lion and is the only person to have ever beaten me soundly. I still haven't been able to return the favour. It's just that he's sweet at home."

"What's the scariest thing you've seen him do?"

"Mm, I'm not sure. It's not really about what he's done. It's about what could have happened to him. There's been a few times when I thought I was close to losing him on a mission. But, if you're more interested in his fearsome exploits… That time he possessed my body probably tops the list."

"Really? That?" the boy questioned incredulously with a rather unimpressed look on his face. Raising an eyebrow, he squinted, trying to see if he was being messed with. "I thought it would be like, torture or something..."

"Well, if he's hitting other people, it's usually for a reason. He completely hijacked my body! He even injured me! Then he went and turned me into a demon—and that was before he was the force that he is now. He was an amateur back then. He was dead. Normal people can't pull off things like that."

"And you married him?"

"You can't help who you fall in love with, Luka. Besides, it's only logical to want such a person on your side, isn't it?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I can see that." As if he had been let in on some great secret, Luka nodded. His eyes lit up for a moment. "So, you think about that stuff even when not at work? Is that part of it?"

"It's just practical, given the family business. A strong partner is ideal. His robustness is part of his charm. But, there are plenty of soldiers out there. Jim is much better than that."

"How so?"

Pausing, the Earl thought. Pressing his lips into a thin line and furrowing his brow. Rather than pondering the subject deeply, however, he pondered how well his answer would be received. "He's cute."

"That's all?!"

"No, he's also charming and he makes me laugh, among other things. While Jim is my ideal from every tactical standpoint, yes, some things are more about love than war."

"Unbelievable… Even on a mission—and while he's off in Scotland!-you're still lovey-dovey… Blegh…"

"Work-life balance is essential in this business. It's best to find pleasant things to look forward to. If you are unable to relax or feel secure when you're outside of a mission, the stress will accumulate until you are no longer useful during a mission."

"Ohhh…" With a pause, the boy hummed a long, flat note.

"What is it?" Ciel asked, looking over his shoulder at the boy.

"So basically, he makes you feel safe…" Suddenly, a heavy hand plopped on top of the boy's head and ruffled his hair. "GEH!

"Your partner should! Your partner in life and your partner in crime—they should be reliable, given the amount of trust you need to put in them. It's not just the lives of others on the line, it's yours, too! Honestly, it would be nice if you had a compatible buddy who could train with you. Hounds hunt best in numbers."

"I wouldn't have to marry them, would I?"

"Only if you felt so inclined." Nonchalantly, the Earl diverted his course, heading down a narrow side street. The polished look of the front of the buildings in the neighbourhood faded as there were fewer windows on this side of them. It was so the residents didn't have to look at dumpsters, fire escapes, and the like. The light was obscured a bit from the tall buildings, but if Luka looked straight up, he could see the overcast sky above them. Bit by bit, everything seemed to fade into black and white.

"Where are we going? Blythe's rich, isn't he? Why would he live down here?"

"He doesn't. But if you were a supernatural on the loose, which way would you take? Would you walk up to the front door where there's someone in a nice suit keeping watch for riff-raff, or would you sneak around back?"

"Right…." Thinking about it, Luka continued: "There's a lot of thinking like criminals in this, isn't there?"

"Well, we're not exactly upstanding members of society ourselves, now, are we?"

"Yeah… I guess killing people is kinda bad… Except when it's good, right?"

"Yes, but polite people don't really see it that way." The Earl stopped at a side door and gave the handle a few tugs. Locked from the inside. He moved on. "That's part of what's got Jim so nervous about you, actually."

"Why's that?"

"It's hard—much harder than it looks. You're toeing the line and have to figure out how far is 'too far' before you cross it. You have to keep yourself in check so you don't become a complete monster."

"But if they're bad guys and need killing, then you kill them. Right?"

"Depends. If the mission is to kill them and they are indeed a threat, then you kill them. At the same time, though, that won't always be the case. Sometimes intel will be wrong or sometimes that simply isn't the mission. There's nuance."

Trying another door, the man was somewhat surprised to find it open. Holding onto the handle, his body froze and he stopped it at just a crack. Luka could see something shift on his face. While the Earl always wore a rather serious expression regardless of the situation, this time, it felt real. This was work. Quietly, Ciel turned his head to face the boy and held a finger up to his own lips.

"Don't make noise." he whispered. Lowering his hand, the boy watched carefully with wide eyes as a small ball of black fire concentrated in his palm, slowly forming the shape of a weapon. Holding the door open with his foot, held up the small pistol as the flames died down before taking out the magazine and checking it. With a click, he reloaded the weapon, making sure that the safety was on. "You remember your pistol training?"

"Yeah." Luka answered back in equally hushed tones, jumping as the gun was presented to him. He had held pistols much larger and more menacing than this one before when practising with Jim, but never before had his heart raced this quickly when holding one. Even the first time, he wasn't this anxious or on edge—this ready.

Steadying himself, he held onto it's handle, keeping his finger out of the trigger guard and pointing it at the ground when not in use. Then, his frown deepened. "It's kind of… small, isn't it?"

"That is the same kind of gun I used when I first started as The Queen's Guard Dog. It will suffice." Ciel answered, opening the door a little ways. "Stay here."

"What?! I'm not going to?!"

"You need to guard the door in case the culprit tries to escape." The man informed, seeing the lad droop just a tad at the revelation. It was a good point, though, so Luka couldn't exactly argue. "A few last things: Keep your senses keen. Remember the differences between signatures. Pay attention to mine. Do you remember the qualifiers for lethal force?"

"It's… If you think your life is at risk."

"Right, but it's a little more than that. You're a demon, so what constitutes as your life being at risk is different. If they're unarmed, don't shoot. If you think they might take your weapon, though, shoot. If they're fleeing without a hostage or something that might put other people's lives at stake, don't shoot. The exception is if it's an extermination mission, which this is not. Understand?"

"Yes, sir…"

Ciel was not pleased to still find a bit of disappointment in the lad's voice. It made him uncomfortable with the idea of leaving the lad on his own. Whether it was fear of lack of preparedness, fear of over-eagerness, or both, it was unsettling enough to make the Phantomhive second guess his decision to allow Luka to come along. The boy was clearly not ready. Yet, at the same time, Ciel wasn't really sure how else he could prepare him.

Turning back toward the building, he slowly opened the door and took a step inside. "I'll be right back." he said before disappearing into the corridor in front of him.

The lights were off, but he could see clear as day in the dark. There was no need to switch on the lights. All it would do was highlight the dirt in the dingy, unkempt maintenance area he walked into. The building's boiler room and garbage room were down here, as well as closets where supplies were kept. It looked like it had been a few weeks since it had been swept or mopped, so it wasn't too bad—just bad enough to be noticeable. With all of the press around the building since Blythe's recent court appearance, the building staff might have had their hands full warding them off.

Ciel's presence was known, however. He dropped all pretenses of sneaking around and walked normally as he felt eyes on him from somewhere in the dark. Letting his hands fall at his side, he stopped.

"I know you're there." he informed. "I know you're not human, too. Don't worry, I'm not afraid of you and am not here to cause trouble. I just want to talk."

Silence. Being open didn't work. Turning toward the creature's hiding place, he continued. "I'm not human, either. I can see in the dark, so I know what you look like already. How's your hand? It doesn't have any glass stuck in it, does it?"

"N… No… I… I got it all out…" a voice answered back. It had an odd quality to it that Ciel couldn't quite place. "I'm sorry…"

"About the pharmacy? Yes, the owner is rather cross, but nothing that can't be swept under the rug. You only took what you needed, didn't you? Seemed just like household basics, but you're not ill, are you?"

"No, no… Just… Bits and Bobs. Who are you? What do you want?"

"I work for an organisation that deals with supernatural and otherworldly disturbances. I was referred when the person on the CCTV footage didn't appear completely 'human.' My name is Lord Ciel Phantomhive. The organisation I work for is HELLSING."

"'Lord?'" the voice echoed.

"I'm an Earl, but due to my own circumstances as a supernatural being, I work to earn my keep, so to speak. I have a family to take care of, so it makes things easier. What do I call you?"

"Mister Blythe called me 'Darwin.'" the voice replied. "He used to live in this building. A lot of people came to the apartment and I had to leave. He hasn't been back, yet…"

"Mister Blythe has been arrested by the police. He's going on trial for aiding in treason against the crown."

"Treason? Why… Treason… Although Mister Blythe didn't want to help Lord Abhartach… What happened to him? Do you know?"

"Abhartach is dead. He was killed in combat when he attacked the palace."

"I see… And Lord Merritt?"

"We're not quite sure… He fled to France, but we've lost sight of him after that." Ciel explained. "Were you acquainted?"

"You could say that." Darwin replied. "Do forgive me, kind stranger, you know a lot, but… I'm still reluctant to reveal myself to you entirely."

"Understandable. You'll find, however, that I'm difficult to shock; as I've seen a thing or two in my time. I do understand the need for privacy, though. It's difficult for supernaturals who don't look entirely human living in London. There's too many eyes."

"You keep mentioning supernaturals-" the creature in the shadows began, "I am familiar with them. Lord Abhartach was a revenant after all, although if what you say is true and that he is dead, that's a rather impossible feat."

"Well, 'dead' is technically incorrect. He lives on as a tree—effectively dead in every meaningful way, but still."

"Perposterous. One cannot simply become another thing entirely."

"You'd be surprised. What about vampires and werewolves?"

"The mere byproduct of supernatural disease."

"True, but also false…" Ciel nodded. "You speak as though you aren't a supernatural, yourself. If I may ask, what are you, then?"

"Why, I'm human, of course! And also not…"

That did give the Earl pause for a moment. He could tell that the creature in front of him wasn't human, but with a second look, the opposite also seemed true. This was new to Ciel. Whatever he was, the Earl had never encountered a creature like this before."

"Blythe liked his machines." Ciel stated. "He thought that he could obtain immortality by slowly replacing his biological parts with prosthetic, mechanised versions. You seem organic, though."

"I am, with a few augmentations here and there. Just a bit of polish, is all. Just buffing out some of my… imperfections…"

Taking a few steps back, Ciel sighed as he got comfortable, leaning against the wall behind him. With a tilt of his head, he folded his arms and crossed his shins, effectively setting up camp until the other decided to step forward. "Try me."

It was quiet and uncomfortable as the other didn't speak right away. Fingers twitched as Darwin debated on coming out from behind the machinery. Hesitantly, carefully, fearfully, a large shoe took one step outward and inch by inch, the rest of the body soon followed. The coat he wore during the robbery was gone and he now wore a poorly fitting dress shirt that was baggy around the torso, yet just too short in the arms. Ciel could see razor burn where the skin was exposed and more of the same on Darwin's face. There was a plaster on his chin where he had cut himself, but it didn't seem like he had gotten to his eyebrows just yet. His brows were bushy and connected to his hairline. His hair was slicked back out of his face, exposing his round eyes and flat nose. His shoulders were hunched, making his already short stature look even smaller while anxiously rubbing his too-long hands together.

"You're not frightening at all." the Earl stated. "With all of that build-up, I expected you to have some sharp teeth and claws, or be some kind of insect-person. I haven't seen one of those yet."

"But have you seen one like me before?"

"Similar, but not the same. You're too short and to lanky to be a sasquatch."

"Sasquatch?! I assure you, I am no mythical creature! I was born from the most cutting edge science combined with naturally-occurring life processes."

"Caesar Merritt is involved in your conception, then, I suppose."

"Correct."

"Well, Darwin, my good man, I'm afraid you have me stumped. He must have combined human genes with something." A singular blue eye looked at the man in front of him again, meeting his gaze. Darwin's forehead was creased with worry. It felt like he was being sized up so he folded his arms across his body. "A chimpanzee?"

Darwin opened his mouth to speak, exposing his large canines every so slightly. "Correct."

"A humanzee… The improbable cross between a human being and a chimpanzee... I never thought I would ever see one… A Russian doctor tried it in the early 1900s and it caused quite a scandal but naturally, artificial insemination doesn't always work, especially with lackluster technology and uncooperative subjects. Merritt's method removes the obstacle of fertility entirely, so hybrids that should be physically impossible are now entirely within the realm of possibility…"

"You… You don't seem surprised?" the other man gawked, blinking as Ciel didn't move an inch out of place.

"Not at all. Merritt was a rather frivolous sort. His hedonistic tendencies led to all manner of irresponsibility. I assume Blythe used his prosthesis technology to augment your muscular or physical structure to help you stand upright."

"Cor-correct…"

"That wasn't his area of expertise, though. If I may be so blunt, why would he keep you?"

"I'm… Not quite sure… I helped around the house and took care of things, but he never… Well—he could always get human assistants. They're far more useful and pleasing to look at than me."

"Aesthetics are unimportant. It's quality that matters when it comes to help. And to abandon one's servants…"

"He'll come back. He didn't want to help Lord Abhartach, so he will surely be let go. And when he does, I'll clean the place up for him… Once I can get back inside."

Blinking, the Earl raised his brows at the statement and the confidence with which it was spoken. It pained him. The loyalty of a good servant was something not to be squandered and yet here he was, cast aside like he was nothing—just like the Phantomhive servants were ages ago.

"Darwin…" Ciel began, "I don't think he's coming back…"

"Of course he will. The world of man is one ruled by rules and order. Justice will prevail, I'm certain." Darwin replied with a nod of his head.

"It will, but… Not in Blythe's favour…"

"What do you mean?"

"There is evidence that Raymond Blythe provided funds to a terrorist organisation that attempted to overthrow the crown and conquer England." explained the Watchdog, standing up from his position against the wall. "Even if he did not want to, that doesn't erase the fact that he did it."

"He was forced!"

"And he didn't call the authorities? He didn't report it to HELLSING? He did nothing to allow us to prevent the attack in the first place? That's aiding them. It doesn't matter if he didn't want to help them. It may lessen his sentence, but he will not escape unscathed."

Suddenly, a screech as the other man bared his large canines. "Lies!" he bellowed, only to cup his good hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry… That sound was unseemly…"

"Well, if you're half chimpanzee, then it's normal, isn't it? Think nothing of it, but I'm not lying. You're wanted by the HELLSING organisation for the disruption you caused in robbing those stores and I have been tasked with dealing with you."

Understandably, the other man took a step back at this, recoiling as it became apparent that the Earl did not come here with good intentions. "'Deal with me?' As in extermination?! Or are you going to take me to a lab and dissect me?!"

"No. I'm going to take you somewhere no one will bother you. While you may be… born from more scientific methods, there is a supernatural settlement where no one will gawk at your appearance. There is a doctor there that can look at your hand."

Darwin furrowed his brow, completely unconvinced of what Ciel had to say. Cradling his hand in his other, he watched the demon intently, bracing for any sudden movement.

"A theft of basic necessities is not a high enough crime to warrant execution, even if you aren't fully human." Ciel stated, keeping his hands at his sides where they were plainly visible. "We only do that for threats that are at a risk to human life or the safety of other supernaturals. You're just doing your best to get by."

Holding out his hand, he gestured for Darwin to come closer. "Let me help you get out of this dark room. This is no way to live."

Looking at the hand and then back to Ciel's face, the other man hesitated for a moment. "What kind of place is it?" he asked. "This… 'settlement?'"

"It's rather metropolitan, actually. It's a small town called 'Gehenna' where supernaturals and other beings can live normal lives without having to hide themselves. They're normal, good, people, there. You can have a job, you can work honestly, and you can live in your own apartment. You won't have to be at the mercy of Mister Blythe or someone else to let you in."

"Like what? I don't know how to do anything else…"

"Most jobs teach you how to do them. Depends what's open. You'll have to find out what's there and apply for them like a normal man. A postman, a tailor, a craftsman, a bookkeeper…"

"A tinkerer, tailor, soldier, or sailor…"

"If that's what you prefer, then yes." chuckled the bluenette, finally offering up a very slight smile. "But you'll have to go there and see for yourself, first. No one gets anything by waiting for it patiently. You know that much. If you didn't, you wouldn't have provided for yourself the way you did. Let me offer you another way to go about it. An honest way—like an honest man would."

Darwin's grip on his hand tightened as he brought it up to his chest. His eyes darted downward as he contemplated the offer, thinking it to be almost too good to be true. It was too good. How could it possibly be true? The man in front of him was smartly dressed, he was well-groomed, tall—a gentleman, through and through, just like Mister Blythe. How could he outstretch his hand to a wretch like Darwin? How could he act, even for a moment, like he wasn't disgusted by the very thought of touching his hand?

"I… That can't be possible…" insisted the humanzee with a shake of his head. "I… am an honest man, but… A world like that…"

"...Is real, but you won't ever know if you never set eyes on it." Ciel stated. "I don't want this to end with the death of an innocent man who's just trying to live his life the best he can. It's not necessary. It's not sensible or decent."

"'Innocent…'" Darwin echoed, his eyes casting downward.

Yes, he was innocent. He could not help the circumstances of his inception. He did not decide it. It was the whims of madmen that lead to his creation—the curiosity to push the limits of the genetic blueprint and create something that could not happen in nature—that should not happen in nature. It was that carelessness that led him here. It was that frivolousness that rendered him only "half" a man and doomed him to be a repugnant blend of man and beast.

Despite it all, Darwin did enjoy living in the apartment. He got to eat good food and wear freshly laundered clothes every day, although he could not leave. The curse of his birth rendered him abhorrent to the human eye. Only the chimpanzee could be seen, but not the man. Darwin spoke and read and took care of the home just like an ordinary man did. He spoke eloquently and made sure not a single thing was out of place in that house, just like a proper gentleman should and yet; he could not be perceived as such. He was kept in captivity like an animal but free to play the part of a man—only the part. His heart yearned for more, though. He knew that he could not be satisfied living a life in the shadows down below the building, but he also contemplated whether or not he could be truly happy within the walls of that apartment, either.

And yet, this man before him was dangerous. Ciel had admitted it himself. He could kill Darwin at his discretion, so how could he be trustworthy? How was Darwin to know that what the man said was true? How was he to know that he wouldn't be killed the moment he accepts Ciel's hand? How could he know? The lack of knowledge scared him. The lack of knowing what was to come was frightening. Even if there were no falsehoods here, the thought of starting again was daunting. How could he, a half-beast, possibly become a full-fledged person and integrate into society amongst others?

He wouldn't know if he didn't try. Even if it was too good to be true, even if it was a lie, Darwin would perish either way. In this gamble, his odds were skewed against him, he knew, but at least there was something to be won.

Loosening his grip on his injured hand, he took a step forward and then another. Bit by bit, he approached the Earl. Soon, he was standing right in front of him, looking up at the towering Phantomhive, but despite their difference in height, the Earl didn't seem to look down on him.

"Right this way." Ciel said, gesturing down the path he came from. "I'll call a car to pick us up so we don't need to sneak around."

"You're sure about this?" Darwin questioned. "You're… you're sure this is going to work?"

"Completely. It's a routine process, actually. We have people like you with no where to go all the time—often enough to have an entire procedure around it."

"What procedure?"

"Well, it starts with us getting to Gehenna and checking in at the gate. I want to take you to the doctor to get that hand looked at first and then we'll go to the town welfare center to set you up an appointment to acquire housing and employment. I'm friends with one of the caseworkers, though, so hopefully, it shouldn't be too long. In the meantime, though, I believe the church has beds set up for people waiting for said appointment." Stopping, the Phantomhive, smacked his own forehead. "My apologies, you should pack the things that are important before we go. Do you clothes to last you a few days?"

"I do, but… They're a little dirty…"

"That's alright. You can wash them at the church." Putting his hands in his pockets, the Earl shrugged. "Do you need me to wait here, or…?"

"You're… You're gonna leave me to pack myself? You're not going to watch me?"

"Do you need supervision? I was just going to tell my partner outside that things are pretty well wrapped up, if you didn't."

"Partner? You have someone else waiting outside?"

"He's new. I didn't want him moving unnecessarily. The 'action hero' veneer hasn't quite worn off yet. Do you need any help?"

"No, no… I… I should be fine…" the other man answered, his eyes darting downward at the ground. He had to admit to himself that he felt a bit bashful in that moment. The way the Earl spoke to him was so calm—so human. He spoke as if Darwin were a normal human being before him. Earl Phantomhive, with his lone eye, could see the "man" in him and not just the chimp. At least, that's what Darwin thought. That's what Darwin wanted to believe. Raising his head, he continued. "Thank you, my Lord."

"I'll be just outside the door to the alleyway." Ciel offered with a smile. "Meet me there once you have everything."

"Will do, sir." Darwin spoke eloquently and gave a slight bow of his head. With that, he turned to pry open the room he had been sleeping in. Ciel could hear rummaging behind him inside before making his own exit. He was pleased with the outcome, although it was still a bit early to be content. Darwin was respectful and well-spoken. Raymond Blythe had molded him into a perfect servant, really. He would be perfectly suited to continue service somewhere—not at Ciel's estate, however.

The thought made the Earl uneasy. It wasn't just a matter of allowing a stranger into his home—he had done it before with relative success, making friends in Charlotte and Amelie Garou during their temporary service. It wasn't the man's appearance, either. Ciel was unphased by such trivial matters. Ciel knew exactly what sort of operation he was running. A humanzee wouldn't be out of place.

No, it was different than that. Ciel could tell by the way he spoke, by the way he bowed his head, and by the way he seemed so dependent that it would not be a good fit. Ciel had had his fill of incomplete people—people who needed someone else to hand them an identity. He had learned his lesson, already. The last thing he wanted was another Johnathan.

No, Darwin needed to figure out who he was, first. He needed the chance to be a person, not just a human. The only way he could do that was to garner some form of independence. That was precisely what the citizenship system of Gehenna was meant to do. Once Darwin had mastered that and should he for whatever reason decide to turn in an application, only then would Ciel consider reading it. Until then, everything was up to Darwin. Once he was given the tools, he would have to either sink or swim. That was his fate.

The door to the outside opened and Ciel stepped to it, casually swatting the barrel of the pistol pointing at him out of his face. His unwitting opponent yelped as the gun was wretched from his hand. The magazine was slid out, the bullet was removed from the chamber, and the weapon was rendered inoperable. Once it was secure, Ciel let out a very, very, heavy sigh.

"You didn't use your senses." the Earl stated. "You were supposed to memorise my signature. If you had, you would have realised not only that it was me approaching, but that I also came alone. Fortunately you caught it before you fired, but if I hadn't been quick, you could have shot me. That's a failing grade, Luka."

"I…" The boy was panting. His heart was racing. The thunderous thumping of it pounded in his ears as he looked up at his mentor—eyes wide and hands a bit shaky. "I'm sorry. You just took so long, I…"

Tilting his head, the Watchdog gave the boy a once over with his eye before causing the weapon to disappear in a flurry of black fire. Once his hand was free, he raised it at the boy before placing it on top of the messy head of reddish brown hair in front of him.

"You psyched yourself up, didn't you?" he asked, gently stroking the boy's head. "The anticipation got to you and you got jumpy. That's normal, your first time. The trick is to learn how to keep your wits about you. That was the real test, today. Now you know for next time, don't you?"

Luka furrowed his brow and wrinkled his nose when he didn't like something just like Jim did. He swatted the Watchdog's hand away and looked up at him with a defiant gleam in his eyes. "What about the suspect?!" he demanded. "What happened with him?!"

"The suspect is secured. He's packing his stuff. He'll be out shortly."

"Wha—you're just going to let him come out whenever he wants?!"

"Why not?"

"What if he's packing a knife or a weapon?"

"What weapon could he possibly have that can hurt us?"

"He hung out with Blythe. Abhartach had blessed blades, right?"

"Hm. I suppose so."

"Well, then?"

"Keeping things low key has worked so far." Ciel informed, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He began searching through his contacts, not even looking at the boy as he continued to speak. "This is one of those times where it's just an ordinary person trying their best—not some hardened criminal or murderous madman on a power trip. So, we keep an eye out, keep our wits about us, and treat the suspect as a normal person who's in a tight spot. There's no need to go in guns blazing in this instance. If we act to aggressively, we can push someone too far by mistake. That's how you end up with dead people who could have lived."

Luka tried to open his mouth to answer back, but his mind went blank when he tried to think of a reply. His mouth closed, his arms folded, and he leaned against the metal handrail on the stoop they stood on.

"Did you want to fight something?"questioned the Watchdog.

"I…" the boy hesitated. "I don't think the answer to that is 'yes…'"

"Fighting is a necessity. Not a past time."

"I know."

"So ideally, this can be resolved by talking."

"I know…" The brunet's voice was soft as he looked down, half-listening to Ciel as he called vehicle dispatch for a ride. He thought. He thought hard. It was a tough thing to look at—a tough thing to know about himself. The violence he was looking for and the violence he had romanticised so seemed so close, now. It seemed so frightening. If anything, he was glad he didn't have to pull the trigger this time, though he was still uneasy about the fact that Ciel had taken the gun away. What if he needed it? What if Ciel lost his gamble?

Ker-chak! The boy flinched when he heard the door open. Once again, he realised he hadn't been using his senses and kicked himself for it. Whipping his head around, he saw the bundled up bandit from the CCTV footage, wearing the coat fastened all the way up and the hood over his head so that he could only see the man's eyes. The figure before him was shorter than him by a little. He noticed that right away. On the stranger's back was a backpack, stuffed to the brim so that the zipper couldn't quite fasten at the very end.

"He-hello…" the man greeted with a slight nod of his head. He had such kind, round, eyes.

"Hi…" Luka nodded in return. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he glanced up at his mentor, uncertain as to what to do. Moments later, Ciel hung up the phone.

"A car will meet us at the end of the alley shortly." the Earl said, placing the device back in his pocket. Gently, he placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Darwin, this is Luka, the apprentice I told you about. Luka, this is Darwin. We'll be taking him to Gehenna this afternoon. The mission has changed from an investigation to an escort mission."

"Uh, yes, sir!" the lad dutifully answered before turning his attention back to the shorter man. "Don't worry, sir. We'll get you there, easy!"

The round eyes in front of him creased as they smiled. Luka didn't have to see the man's mouth to know. "Why, thank you! I feel safer already!" he chuckled. "Although, I must say, you're awfully young, aren't you?"

"I should've started sooner! I'm already fourteen!"

"It's a… 'unique' situation, Mister Darwin." Ciel interjected. "Sort of like the 'family business,' if you will. This is his first ever mission, so I'm showing him the ropes."

"'I look forward to doing business with you.'" Luka recited, having heard Ciel and his brother say the phrase countless times while living with them. His mentor found it a bit cute how obvious the imitation was as the boy extended his hand to shake with a look of intense resolve on his face.

Darwin looked at the hand, then looked at the boy, and then looked at the hand again, weighing the situation carefully. The lad could see him up close and could tell that he wasn't "quite" in terms of a "human" appearance despite how covered he was, and still held out his hand politely without hesitation. It was Darwin who had to gather courage, instead.

Carefully, he took the boy up on his offer. His long fingers fit awkwardly as they limply wrapped around the boy's hand. The lad startled him when he held back firmly and gave two gutsy shakes just like Ciel had taught him to do. There was a proper technique to a handshake, you see. One wants to be cordial, to extend the proper politeness to the other person and not be too aggressive—yet also needed to have an air of confidence about them. It was a confidence Darwin didn't have, yet he admired it. He raised his brows at the gesture. Even someone young like Luka could do it. Maybe that was just the way it was when one looked like he did.

"You gotta hold a little tighter." brashly stated the boy, rubbing salt into the wound. "Your grip's too loose."

"Luka," his mentor began to scold, "He hasn't met a lot of people. Give him a break."

"Then he needs to know how to do it. Here, like this!" Wrapping his other hand around Darwin's, he squeezed. "Yeah, that's good. Make sure the space between our thumbs and the rest of our fingers line up and then give it two firm shakes—like that! You're gonna meet a lot of people, so you need to know how to do it!"

"Uh… Yes! Quite right!" Darwin nodded rather vigorously. "Like this?"

"Yeah! Just like that! So whenever someone's about to shake your hand, you do that!"

It was a silly display, but the two were sincerely invested, leaving Ciel to watch on as a bit of a third wheel. He didn't mind it, however. Watching how genuine Luka was about interacting with the man, the Earl felt pleased by the interaction. It was a passing grade and a sign that perhaps Luka was getting the idea a bit. It was too early for him to be completely certain, but it was a start. A start was just fine and a start was worth reporting back to the boy's older brother with some confidence. Surely, the Earl would be able to keep his head attached to his neck when the menace returned.


A/N: IT'S STILL OCTOBER! I updated before the month ended! Just like I promised!

Yeah, I'm sorry about that...

I don't have any excuses, I've just had a lot going on, y'know? I'm still here! I'm still writing this! I'm not done yet!

I'm trying to fall in love with the series again, if I'm honest. I love it, don't get me wrong. It's my favourite of all the projects I've got going on, but I dunno... It's felt like I've been going at it by myself for a while and it's gotten harder to get pumped about it than it used to be. I think I need to get comfortable with doing this for myself again.

Anywho, I'll update as quick as I can, as always!

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!