Gunsmith Cats Fan Fiction / Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Years ❯ Part 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Through the Years, Pt. 9
Hellsing/Gunsmith Cats fanfiction
By Elwin Blaine Coldiron – bigkwell@gmail.com, bigkwell@hotmail.com and bigkwell@netscape.com

“Hellsin g” and characters are created by Kohta Hirano, and is the property of Shounen Gahousha/Dark Horse Comics, Rondo Robe/Wild Geese/Satelight/Hellsing Production Committee, and Geneon Entertainment. “Gunsmith Cats” and characters are created by Kenichi Sonoda, and is the property of Kodansha/Dark Horse Comics, Vap/Tokyo Broadcasting, and ADV Films. I do not own neither series, nor the characters. I just write the fiction.

GOLDIE MUSO’S HIDEAWAY MANSION, EIGHT HOURS LATER…

“…And as of this time,” the news reporter’s voice came over the television, “there has been no word from the Chicago police or fire departments about injuries or deaths as a result of a ceiling which collapsed inside an old condemned warehouse in the early morning hours, although witnesses near the scene reported hearing a small explosion prior to the collapse. If there is any further word, we will be sure to…”

(CLICK)

Goldie Muso switched-off the television, and then set down the remote in frustration. “Are you certain you cannot get anything further?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, Mistress,” one of her wards replied over the cellphone, “but there’s no way I can navigate around the police barricades. If you want, I can try to ask one of the officers about what happened.”

Goldie sighed and shook her head. “No, that could cause some undue attention to us. Look, don’t worry yourself, just get back home. You’ve done well.”

“Okay. I wish I could’ve done more, Mistress.”

“You’ve done better than expected. I’ll see you soon,” Goldie answered, then switched off the cellphone. Walking over to another girl, who was seated at a table working on a laptop, she asked, “How about your end? Have you found anything?”

The girl looked up fondly to Goldie and said, “Well… I made a few discreet inquiries to the local hospitals and they haven’t reported anything about Rally Vincent being admitted to any of them.” Noticing the look of distress on the beautiful crimelord’s face, she added, “I also made inquiries to the local morgues. No one’s been interred there, too. That has to be something, Mistress.”

“Yes, thank goodness for small favors,” Goldie added. “Look, continue looking into the hospitals and morgues, I want to know if Rally survived.” She sighed in frustration and added, “I should’ve killed that engineer when I had the chance.”

“Well… he is a man, after all,” the girl smirked.

Goldie smiled as well. “Well… don’t sell the male of the species too short, my dear. After all, they do have their uses… as little as they are. The human race, after all, wouldn’t be possible without them.” She gave the girl a small peck on the cheek and added, “Listen, I’m going to check in on our guest and see how she’s doing. You continue to look into the matter… and while you’re at it, look into the bank accounts, just in case we have to leave town.”

“Alright, Mistress,” the girl chirped, continuing to work on her laptop. Goldie then exited the room and headed down the corridor of the mansion.

‘Minnie’ May Hopkins was in a foul mood. For the last few hours, she sat in a caged-off alcove of an elegantly-decorated room, forced to watch the news reports that had been broadcast during the day. It was bad enough that Goldie had kidnapped her just to lure Rally into a trap, but listening to how the trap the crimelord had set so go wrong had worried her greatly.

Of course… being forced to wear a skimpy red bunny costume didn’t help the explosive expert’s mood much. Why in the world Goldie would force her to wear that hideous thing was beyond her reasoning, nor was having to see her guard, a young girl, dosing herself with an intravenous injection of Kerasine.

The door to the room opened. Goldie entered the room and noticed the guard. “Well dear,” she began, “I’m so glad you’re taking your medicine like a good girl.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Mistress,” the girl said, smiling.

“Why thank you. Now why don’t you go to the kitchen and get our guest some dinner,” Goldie glanced at May, who just rolled her eyes. Goldie simply smiled at her, “I’ll watch our guest while you do.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” the girl replied, setting her gun on the table and exiting.

As soon as the door closed, May decided to let Goldie have it. “BER-OTHER,” she snarled, staring daggers at her captor, “Goldie, you’ve got some gall to call that junk ‘medicine’!”

“What can I say?” Goldie giggled as she shrugged her shoulders. “It was, after all, for the girls own good that they take it. You can’t imagine how miserable their lives were before I was able to liberate them from their families. Just look at them, May: they’re happy, well-educated, and their lives fulfilled.”

“You mean to say you’ve doped them up and forced them to kill their families to fulfill you sick fantasies!” May countered. She looked again at the television and added, “And you better make sure Rally wasn’t hurt or killed because of this stunt you’ve pulled!”

Goldie looked at the television, and added, “Oh I’m certain Rally survived. My girls haven’t gotten any information that she was admitted into any hospital, nor in any morgue. After all, she is destined to be by my side.”

“Oh brother,” May groaned, rolling her eyes, “you are SO deluded! And by the way, why did you have me wear this ugly thing? I mean, even when I was a high-priced hooker, I wouldn’t wear anything THIS tacky!”

“Oh I don’t know,” Goldie muttered, smiling, “I think you look cute.”

“You WOULD!” May sighed.

Goldie just giggled as she walked to a covered mannequin, which she wheeled in front of May’s cage. “Plus, I had to make sure that you didn’t have any hidden explosives on your person that you could have used to free yourself… and my girls did find quite a bit of them, you should be commended on how clever you hid them. And as we’re on the subject of fashion, I wonder if you’ll offer your critique on this charming little outfit I’ve selected for Rally.” She then uncovered the mannequin. What May saw nearly caused her to loose her lunch!

For what little was there, it was made of black leather and PVC. It consisted of what looked like a studded dog collar, a crossed harness and leather garter belt with PVC gloves and stockings, the highest heels ever – and with no panties or bra to speak of. “OH… YUCK!!!” May groaned, a sick look on her face, “THAT HAS GOT TO BE THE WORST PIECE OF CRAP I’VE EVER SEEN!!! I DON’T THINK RALLY WOULD BE CAUGHT DEAD WEARING THAT THING!!!”

“Well… who cares what you think,” Goldie smirked, covering it up. “This is Rally’s uniform of servitude to me.” She had a dreamy look in her eyes as she added, “She’s going to be wearing this as my personal slave, whatever she likes it or not.”

“MISTRESS,” the girl monitoring the laptop yelled, crashing through the door, “SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO THE ACCOUNT IN GENEVA! IT… IT’S GONE!!”

“WHAT!?!” Goldie gasped, looking at the laptop that the ward set down on the nearest table.

Almost immedietly, Goldie and her ward tried to look into what was happening, with May looking on. After a few minutes, the ward looked up to her mistress and said, “I’m sorry… but I’m afraid the money is… gone.”

“Now take it easy, this is no time to panic,” Goldie reassured the girl, although May could tell that the crimelord was visibly shaken. “Check the accounts in Antigua, Hong Kong and Singapore. Make sure they’re still intact.”

The girls made inquiries into the requested accounts, and with a relived sigh said, “They’re alright. The money’s still there.”

“How odd about the Geneva account, though,” Goldie muttered, scratching her chin. “I only established that account very recently with the funds I got from the formula sale.”

“What are you talking about?” May asked, overhearing.

“Well… if you must know,” Goldie began, turning around, “about a month ago, I was contacted by an unknown party about their obtaining the Kerasine formula. It took a bit of personal debate on my part, but last week, I traveled oversees and greeted the person I spoke of. And after a small amount of negotiation, I licensed the Kerasine formula to him.”

“YOU WHAT!?!?” May gasped, horrified at the prospect of Kerasine flooded on the open market.

“Yes… in exchange for a considerable amount of money, I licensed a copy of the formula to this individual.” Goldie then looked at her ward, who was frantically trying to recover said money and added, “Unfortunately, those funds are now gone… and once I find the party responsible, I will make sure they’ll suffer for it.” However, Goldie soon found herself thinking, ‘Although I suspect that the person I licensed the Kerasine formula may have had second thoughts about paying for it. He was a strange individual at that. I've never seen someone that required eyeglasses with multiple lenses. And his hands… when I went to shake them to seal the deal… I can almost swear he had SIX fingers through those gloves.’ Wresting herself from those thoughts, Goldie went up to her ward and said, “Nevermind about recovering that money. Just make sure our other accounts are secure. Then, have the guards take their posts outside… in case Rally shows up.”

“Yes, Mistress,” the girl said, logging-off and closing her laptop. “But I still wonder who hacked into the Geneva account.”

“So do I, although I seriously doubt we’ll ever find him,” Goldie answered.

As the two continued to talk among themselves, May sat herself down on her rather comfortable bed. She then looked at her left hand, grateful they left her engagement ring, then whispered to herself, “Where are you, Rally? I know you’ve survived, you just have to. Please… come back and get me away from her.”

GENEVA, SWISTERLAND, A FEW MINUTES PRIOR…

“Please, I’m begging you… don’t make me do this,” the injured banker pleaded to the individuals standing hover him.

“Just do vhat you are told,” Heinkel Wolfe replied in a low voice. “Othevise… I vould hate to think vhat Yumie vould do to you next.” She then pointed to her partner, crouched in front of the banker, a demented smile on the nun’s face as she held the bloodied katana which she used to slice the banker’s hamstring muscles on both his legs. Then pointing to the laptop she set in front of the banker, Heinkel added, “Now… find the account requested.”

Gulping visibly, the banker nervously complied. Quickly calling up the account, he displayed it for the two to see. “Now,” Heinkel said, “I vant you to transfer all funds to this account, then close the previous.”

Not wanting to have further harm inflicted upon his person, the banker completed the transaction. “There,” he said, “it’s completed.”

“Danke,” Heinkel replied, picking up the laptop, “You have done the church vonders. Come Yumie, ve must be off.”

“’Bout time,” Yumie said, stretching, “I was getting tired of hearing this guy’s sniveling.” She pointed to the banker’s direction and added, “So what are we going to do about him?”

“Yes… you’ve got to help me to a hospital. I… I won’t tell anybody… I promise,” the banker pleaded.

“Oh I’m certain you von’t,” Heinkel calmly replied as she affixed a silencer on her Desert Eagle.

“W-W-W-WAIT!! YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS!!! PLEASE HAVE MERCY!!!” the banker pleaded, holding up his hands.

Heinkel just shook her head and replied, “I must apologize, mein heir… but it is not in our nature to take mercy upon you. Only vne has that right… and ve’ll pray that, if you are truly repentanent, then our lord vill have mercy on you.” She then aimed the gun about two inches from his head.

“NO… NOOOOO!!!”

“My lord, into thy arms we commend our poor brother to thy graces, Amen,” Heinkel atoned, then pulled the trigger, sending a bullet into the banker’s skull. After the deed was done, she turned to Yumie, who was cleaning her sword and added, “I am surprised that I don’t hear you complaining about being the vne to do the honors.”

“Hey, I did the pervert priest back in Chicago,” Yumie began, sheathing her sword, “so I think it was only fair you took care of the drug dealer’s banker.”

“How very charitable of you, Yumie,” Heinkel answered, walking away from the banker’s body. “Ve better report to Archbishop Maxwell, tell him the deed is done and return to the Vatican.”

“Yeah… he sounded a little concerned about the news coming out of Chicago,” added Yumie. “Kinda wished we stayed to help Father Anderson.” That brought out a chuckle from Heinkel. “What’s so funny?”

“Yumie,” Heinkel replied, “I don’t think that Father Anderson could handle both a couple vampires and you slashing everything in sight… not to mention both of us going before Archbishop Maxwell with him and trying to explain the damages.”

“You really should have fun more,” grumbled Yumie.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, GOLDIE’S HIDEAWAY MANSION, NIGHTFALL…

Other than the occasional stray cat stalking down the street, the area outside the otherwise nondescript building near Lakeview was otherwise quiet. Inside the building, one of the two sole males in the building looked somewhat bored. Still looking out the window, he looked over to his partner and said, “How much longer do we have to watch the outside?”

“As long as the boss says so,” the other thug said. “Somehow, she’s got the feeling that this Rally broad survived the collapse and wants everything ready when she arrives.”

“Yeah, whatever… just so long I don’t have do drive down ‘Boystown’ again,” the first grumbled.

Just as he said that, a blue 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby Cobra GT-500 drove up to the building, the headlights dimming as it did. “Hold on,” the first one said, “this might be it.” Sure enough, Rally Vincent got out of the car and looked around.

“Boss,” the first one said over a radio headset, “she’s here. What shall we do?”

“Whatever you do, make sure she enters, do not accost her,” Goldie’s voice called out. “Let me be the one who greets her.”

Sure enough, Rally exited the car and looked around at her surroundings. She was dressed in the one outfit she knew May approved of when she bought it: tight blue denim pants with boots, a white turtleneck blouse and her favorite leather jacket. However, the one thing she wore that was unusual was the wrap-around sunglasses, even though it was clearly night. The hoods monitoring her arrival took note of it, but thought it was just an eccentricity she had and didn’t get excited about it.

Rally then pulled out a scrap of paper from her pocket and looked at it. “Well, this is the address Alfie gave me,” she said, looking at the address of the building. “Let’s see if this is the right place.” Drawing her CZ-75 from the shoulder holster under her jacket, she then made her way up the stoop to the door, found it unlocked and carefully made her way inside, gun aimed ahead of her.

“Okay,” The dark-haired woman remarked while quietly making her way around, “if I were Goldie, where would hide May?” Rally quickly made her way to the downstairs garage and was satisfied that she wasn’t held there; there were just two cars and two garage doors, with a side door for pedestrian access. Rally quietly unlocked this door, then made her way back upstairs and checked the parlor, kitchen, dining room and storage areas. “So it’s upstairs I go,” she said, then ascended the staircase to the second story.

Reaching the landing, Rally was confronted by a corridor filled with doors. Cautiously, she tested the first one… and found it unlocked. “Hmmm… this could be promising,” she mumbled, then slowly opened it, making sure to aim ahead of her. She peered inside the room, which was dimly lit, and found it to be exquisitely-decorated, almost resembling a drawing room. Creeping slowly inside, Rally quickly found something out-of-the-ordinary for this room: a barred-off alcove… and a familiar person sleeping on a bed inside of it. “May… hey c’mon May, wake up!” she hissed, headed for the bars.

May, still dressed in her bunny outfit, sleepily raised her head upon hearing the voice. “Umm… wassap… RALLY!!!” she called out.

“Shhhh,” Rally whispered, holding her finger up to her lips. “You okay, May? Goldie didn’t do anything to you?”

“Other than dressing me in this awful thing,” began May, also whispering, “nothing much. Oh Rally, I’m glad you’re alright. I thought that collapse was the end of you.”

“Umm… yeah, about that,” Rally said, almost hesitantly, “we’ll talk about that later. Look, do you know how to open these bars?”

“I wish I did, but I was out cold when I got here, not to mention Goldie took all my explosives and had her girls dress me up in this cheap outfit.” May then noted Rally’s glasses. “Isn’t it a little dark for you to wear those?” she asked.

Rally looked a little uncomfortable before answering, “It’s alright… really it is. Now let me see what I can find.” She then walked carefully around the cage and noted a panel on the wall in another alcove next to May’s at a right angle. “This looks promising,” she said, going over to the panel. She bent over close, trying to figure out which switch operated the door. “I think it’s… this one.” She then pressed a button… which caused the light to go bright, as well as another set of bars coming down in the alcove entrance, trapping Rally.

“Well… that was expected. Why am I not surprised she’d pull that?” Rally muttered as she holstered her pistol, not sounding surprised about the bars.

The door on the side of the room opened, with Goldie and a number of her wards, each of them armed, exiting out of it. “Well Rally,” the crimelord began, walking up to Rally’s cage, “I thought you survived that fiasco yesterday. I’m so relived that you finally came to your senses and decided to join me as my slave.”

“Yeah, sure,” replied Rally sarcastically. “Okay Goldie, you got me. So why don’t you be a good girl and let May go. She’s no use to you now.”

“Well, I’d certainly love to,” Goldie added, “but I’d like to keep your little friend as my guest for an extended period.”

May didn’t like the sound of that. “Wha-what do you mean?” she meekly asked.

“What she means is that you’re an insurance policy, May,” Rally answered, looking around at her surroundings, “just to make sure I don’t attempt a break-out. Meanwhile, I suspect Goldie will try to dope you up so that she has an explosive expert to help her out in arranging bombings of either the cops or her rivals.” May gulped, her eyes looking like a deer’s in the headlights of a car.

“Now that’s a bit harsh, Rally,” Goldie purred. “I’m certain we can arrange some sort of… arrangement that might put you at ease.”

“I bet,” mumbled Rally, not believing a word of it. “Look, now that you’ve got me, there is one thing I like to know, Goldie… did you know you’re selling Kerasine to people that use it to turn others into artificial vampires?”

“Is that what that awful Sir Hellsing been telling you, Rally?” the crimelord teased. “Now really, we all know that there’s no such thing as vampires.” Rally smirked at this comment as Goldie continued. “As for the Kerasine, I’ve recently sold the formula rights of another party who promises to improve on it.” Goldie then rolled her eyes and added, “Well… I did have the money, but somehow it disappeared and I’m still trying to figure out who did it.”

“Well isn’t that the breaks, Goldie,” commented Rally, walking closer to the bar.

By this time, May had made it closer to the bars of her cell. She had a full view of Rally’s confinement and noticed several things that were off about her friend. Rally seemed calm, considering her situation. One might say she was overly casual. She also noticed that Rally’s dusky skin seemed paler than normal. May was beginning to wonder if her friend had suffered some serious injury in the collapse, which would take into account the pallor in Rally’s skin and her attitude.

“Still have that same spunk, Rally,” Goldie smirked, walking closer to Rally’s cell. “Well… after your training, I think I can eliminate that annoying trait.” She then reached her left hand through the bars to caress Rally’s cheek. “I am so looking forward to making you completely mine… my dear Rally.”

However, when Goldie’s hand touched Rally’s cheek, an expression of horror came over her face and tried to draw it back. Then Rally grabbed Goldie’s wrist with such speed it caught everyone in the room with surprise. Goldie’s girls then drew upon Rally, but were waved back by their mistress with her free hand.

Watching this, May noticed a change in Rally’s expression: she was looking at Goldie as if she was a cat who had just cornered a mouse… extremely predatory. “What’s the matter, Goldie?” Rally smirked, “I thought you wanted me. And I came all the way up here just to see you.”

All that Goldie could do was to shake her head in disbelief. “No… no… you can’t be Rally,” she managed to say, reaching for the pistol she had behind her. “No one… could have skin that was… as cold as yours!” Moving quickly, Goldie aimed the pistol point-blank at Rally’s forehead – and fired!

“NO, RALLY!!!” May yelled in horror, seeing her friend shot… but then her mouth… and the mouths of Goldie’s girls… nearly dropped to the floor seeing what’s next.

Rally didn’t let go, her right hand still in a firm grip with Goldie’s left. She didn’t even fall to the floor; she was simply bent over, shaking off what was supposed to be a fatal shot. In bending down, Rally’s sunglasses had fallen off, broken from the pistol’s effects.

“That was a cheap shot, Goldie,” Rally groaned after a few tense seconds. She then straightened up, pulling Goldie closer to the bars and snarled, “What are you trying to do, piss me off?”

May screamed in terror. Rally’s eyes, which were normally a brilliant blue, were now blood red… the same color as Alucard and Seras! And the teeth that were barred in front of Goldie… the canines were enlarged! “Oh my god… Rally!” May called out, “What… what in the world’s happened to you?”
Rally snapped out of her rage, clearly hearing May’s distress. Trembling, she managed to catch a look at her friend, who was now obviously frightened. Rally could feel her insides tightening as she looked down almost in shame.

“Rally?” May managed to say, her fear giving way to curiosity. “Are you alright? Did something happen at that warehouse?”

“I… I’m sorry, May,” Rally began, finally looking up. “This wasn’t exactly the best way to break this to you. I was hoping to get you out of this first, then tell you.” Turning her attention back to Goldie, she was able to get her anger in check before continuing with the crimelord. “‘No such thing as vampires’, eh Goldie? Well… you just happen to be looking at one… but not one of those cheap knock-offs you’ve been helping to create with that Kerasine of yours. No… you’re looking at the genuine article,” Rally’s face twisted into further anger, “and I’ve got you to thank for this! You know, that little bomb of yours was really brilliant, Goldie: knock me out and deliver me so that you can do what your perverted heart wanted! Only problem is the location you used to lure me to it: a warehouse that was due for demolition! Two things got in the way, though… namely Alfie’s conscience bothering him. He tried to disarm that bomb but that little booby-trap you had really screwed-up the works! He hurt himself pulling me away when the bomb exploded and I had to save him when the first part of the ceiling fell down… but I ended up trapped when the rest of the ceiling came down on me…

FLASHBACK – THE WAREHOUSE, 24 HOURS BEFORE…

A group of people were frantically trying to uncover Rally from a half a ton of fallen concrete and rebar from the destroyed second level. Detective Roy Coleman and Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing were doing all that they could do with the smaller pieces of debris. Seras Victoria, using her vampire strength, was having good luck with the larger piece. And even Alucard, who would normally not be involved in rescuing ANY human, was aiding, working side-by-side with the humans and his former fledgling.

Becky ‘the Nose’ Farrah, still in shock hearing the news of Rally being buried, simply stood at the side, with Walter C. Dolnez still outside making sure Alfie was restrained. “Please Rally,” she pleaded, “you’ve got to be alive in there.”

“RALLY!!!” Coleman called out, “ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?!?”

“YES RALLY, ANSWER US, PLEASE!!!” Sir Integra added as well, her suit getting torn and dirty working with the rough concrete.

For two minutes, the debris pile gradually diminished as the four worked feverishly. But then, Seras’ nose twitched. “I… I smell blood,” she gasped.

“Yes, as well as I,” the No-Life King added.

In almost a panic hearing this, Coleman redoubled his efforts, pulling chunks of concrete as he did. Then a groan was heard. “THERE… SHE’S THERE!!!” he yelled, pointing to a large block of concrete.

“ALUCARD, SERAS, GET THIS OFF OF HER!!!” Sir Integra commanded, aiding the two vampires as well. Quickly but carefully, the three pulled the huge slab away.

Rally did not look well. Her right arm looked as if it was broken. She had cuts and wounds all over her body from rebar and concrete. And when the three rolled her on her back, she screamed in pain.

“WALTER… GET IN HERE NOW!!!” Sir Integra called out, then turned to Coleman and added, “He’s had medical training equal to your E.M.T. training! He should be able to assess her situation!”

“I’ll call an ambulance!” Coleman announced and started to run for the exit… only to be stopped by Alucard. “What are you doing? We’ve got to save her!”

“It will all in vain, human,” Alucard said. “She will be dead before they arrive.”

“What are you talking about?” the detective snapped back as Walter arrived and began a cursory examination of Rally. “She’ll be dead if we don’t get her out of here!”

“I am afraid Alucard is correct, Detective,” the butler said, turning away from Rally. “I am not a doctor, but I’ve had enough battlefield experience to know that Miss Vincent has suffered serious internal injuries. If we do call the ambulance, there is a good chance that she would die before they arrive at the hospital, if not when they arrive here.”

“No… that can’t be right,” Coleman pleaded, not wishing to believe the dire diagnosis.

Sir Integra walked up to her butler, asking, “Walter… is there any way…?”

“I am afraid not, Sir Integra,” Walter answered, his voice with a note of sadness. “The best we can do for her is to try to make her comfortable… until the end come.” He then knelt at Rally’s side, brushing the concrete dust off her bloodied face. Becky, also hearing this, fell to her knees in tears, with Seras trying to comfort her.

Suddenly, Rally attempted to stand up, only to cry out in pain doing so. “Miss Vincent… you shouldn’t try to move in your condition.”

“Yes, Rally,” Sir Integra added. “You only hurt yourself more.”

But Rally wasn’t listening. She continued to try to stand, only to fall back in pain doing so. “M…May…” she groaned, “I’ve… got… to save… May…”
“Rally… please don’t worry… we’ll get Goldie for you,” Coleman said. “I promise we’ll make her pay for doing this to you.”

“That goes doubly for me, my friend,” Sir Integra added. “We will save May and bring Goldie to justice. Now you just lie there and…”

“NOOO!!!” Rally yelled out, startling everyone. Gathering what little strength she had, she managed to say, “Roy… Integra… Goldie wants me… nothing else. She… she’s… libel to kill… May if I don’t sh-sh-show up! Only I can… stop her… save May…”

“But you’re dying, Rally,” Sir Integra pleaded. “There’s no way you can be able to do that.”

A slight grin came from Rally’s mouth. “I… know of one… way… one way I can… save her.” She painfully turned her head in the direction of the two vampires. “One… way I know…”

“ARE YOU CRAZY, RALLY!?!?” Coleman yelled, realizing what she had in mind. “YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY WANT TO BECOME A VAMPIRE TO DO IT!!!”

“AND I WILL NOT SAINCTION IT!” Sir Integra added. “RALLY, YOU DESERVE TO LIVE AND DIE AS A HUMAN!! LET LIEUTENANT COLEMAN DO THIS!! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU WOULD ACTUALLY…” But then felt Alucard’s hand on her shoulder.

“Master… it is not your place to say what Rally Vincent wishes,” the red-clad vampire explained in an even tone.

“AND JUST WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?” the Hellsing leader snapped back.

“She has made her choice, my master,” Alucard replied. “Are you going to deny your childhood friend’s last request because of your own pride.” He then grinned and added, “Let her join the darkness. I sense she can be a very powerful ally of all in this world!”

“Integra…” Rally asked weakly, tears flowing from her eyes, “…please…?”

Never had the Hellsing leader had felt such uncertainty. For the better part of ten seconds, she wrestled with her soul about allowing yet another vampire to walk the earth… a vampire that was also her best friend. Sighing heavily, she conceded, “Very well… I cannot refuse Rally. You may proceed, Alucard.”

“I would be happy to,” the No-Life King began, “IF it were my place to.” He then looked at Seras, who was still with Becky.

“Huh?” the Draculina said, getting up. “What are you talking about, Master?”

“Rally Vincent IS your chosen prey, Seras,” Alucard answered. “The honor should be yours.”

“You cannot be serious, Master?” Seras replied, incredulous. “You’re not asking me to make Rally into a vampire?”

“No, I am not,” Alucard said, then pointing to the dying Rally, he added, “However, she IS. You better hurry… she doesn’t have that much to live.”

Seras looked down at Rally. The dying woman could only look up at her and weakly ask, “Seras… please help me… save May.”

For the longest five seconds she could think of, Seras sighed and answered, “Yes Rally… I will.” The young vampire knelt down and gently cradled Rally in her arms. “Are you certain this is what you want to do, Rally? Do you really want to become a vampire?” she asked.

“Not really… but I… have to save… May…” Rally’s voice was almost a whisper. “So Seras… please…?”

Seras then gently planted a kiss on Rally’s lips. “Alright then.” Steeling herself, she removed the bandage over Rally’s earlier bite wounds, then bent down and bit Rally once again.

As Seras quickly fed upon Rally, the injured girl managed to place her unbroken arm to hug her. As she saw her vision slowly fade, Rally smiled as she felt her heartbeat slowing… and as it stopped, her left arm fell limply to her side.

Coleman held Becky during all this. When he saw Seras lift her head, he had to ask, “Is… is Rally…?”

“Yes… she’s dead,” Seras answered, “but I got to her in time.” The Draculina took the time to close Rally’s vacant eyes as she did.

All everyone could do was to watch.

END FLASHBACK

May’s eyes were bright with tears as she heard Rally relate what happened. “Rally,” she breathed, “it’s… amazing. You did that… you sacrificed your humanity… just to save me?”

“I wish I didn’t had to, May,” Rally glumly answered. “If it were possible… I wish I could’ve stayed human and save you as one.” Turning her attention back to Goldie, she coldly looked her in the eye and said, “Well… I hope you’re happy, Goldie. I died on that warehouse floor, but because I didn’t want to leave May in your grubby hands, I chose this.” Goldie turned her head, not wishing to look at those angry red eyes.

“DAMMIT LOOK AT ME, GOLDIE!!!” Rally yelled angrily, tightening her grip on Goldie’s wrist, the crimelord wincing painfully as Rally’s fingers dug into the skin. Reluctantly, Goldie found herself looking in a face that held mixed expressions of grief, hatred and anger. “BECAUSE OF YOU, I CAN NO LONGER ENJOY A NICE SUNNY DAY, SEE THE CUBS AT A DAY GAME, OR EAT AT MY FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE!!! BECAUSE OF YOU, I MUST NOW SLEEP DURING THE DAYTIME AND DRINK BLOOD IN ORDER TO LIVE… BUT THAT LAST PART I DON’T MIND… BECAUSE I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO DRINKING YOUR BLOOD, GOLDIE!!!”

“Girls,” Goldie whimpered, “I could use your help here!”

Goldie’s girls, who were originally aiming at Rally, soon turned their guns to their own heads. “Excuse me,” the lead girl called out, “but could you let of our mistress and not hurt her… otherwise we’ll have to pull our triggers… and I know you don’t want it to happen.”

“Oh brother, not this ploy again?” Rally grumbled, rolling her eyes. Then looking at the girls, her red eyes glowing, she added, “Hey? You girls look a little tired. Why don’t you take a nap?” Immedietly, the girls’ eyes glazed-over, then collapsed altogether, all of them deeply asleep.

Seeing an opening, Goldie quickly hoisted her foot on the bars of Rally’s cell and wrenched herself free from the dark-haired vampire’s grasp and fall to the floor– but in the process breaking her wrist. Rally then kicked the door of her cell, breaking the lock and causing the door to swing away.

Goldie managed to pull herself up from the floor, but was having trouble standing on her feet. Rally exited the cell, staring intently at the fallen crimelord. Then her nose caught an unusual scent. Staring at her right hand, she happen to see that blood was staining her fingers – Goldie’s blood. With a wicked gleam in her red eyes, Rally smiled as she licked the blood off her fingers. “Mmmm… tasty. Goldie, if your blood tastes this good on my fingers, I just can’t wait until I can get it from your veins,” she purred.

Panicking, Goldie quickly gathered herself on her feet and fled the room, clutching her broken left wrist. “Go ahead and run, Goldie,” Rally called out, “you’re not getting away from me!” She then went to May’s cell, forced the door open… and was promptly surprised to see her friend rush at her with an enormous hut. “Uh… May?” she asked.

“Alright Rally, I knew you wouldn’t let me down!” May cried, her face streaked with tears.

“May… thank you,” Rally said as she forced herself from May’s embrace. “I’m really surprised. Aren’t you scared just being this close to me?”

May sniffled as she replied, “Of course not, Rally… well… maybe at first. Look, I don’t care if you’re a vampire now… you’re my friend and that will never change, no matter what!”

“Well… that’s nice to know,” said Rally, smiling. “Look, May, I gotta leave you. There’s still Goldie to take care of.”

“Then take me with you, Rally,” the blonde explosive expert pleaded. “I think I can find my clothes in one of the other rooms…”

“No, May… you can’t come with me!”

“But Rally…”

“May,” Rally began, placing her hands on her friend’s shoulders, “just stay here and disarm these girls,” she indicated the still-sleeping girls. “Don’t worry about Goldie… she’s not getting away… and besides, what I’m going to do to her… I really don’t want you to see.”

“Then… you’re really going to do it?” May said. “You’re really going to kill Goldie… drink her blood?”

Rally nodded. “Roy and Integra are on their way here right now. I want you to promise me to stay here until they arrive and go with them… got it?”

May thought for a while, then smiled a big smile and replied, “Okay! Go get her, Rally!”

“I like your enthusiasm,” Rally remarked as she took off for the door Goldie made her escape from and disappeared.

Gathering herself, May soon began taking the guns away from Goldie’s girls, thinking to herself, ‘Well, she may be a vampire now… but she’s still the same Rally!’ However, a new, more unsettling thought came over the petite blonde, ‘But… now that’s she’s a vampire, what going to happen to her in the future?’

TO BE CONTINUED…

AUTHOR’S NOTES – Before I hear all the complaints and reviews… yeah I know: Hellsing canon only allows vampires of the opposite sex to make another vampire! However, there is a precedent I am following that allowed me to let Seras make Rally a vampire. A couple of months back, there was a story in FanFiction.net that I liked ‘Can You Hear the Darkness’ (that story is gone, BTW, I wonder what happened to it?). At the end of the story, if featured Seras with a female fledgling of her own, a young woman named Sara. I liked that, and it fit into the shoujo-ai/yuri dynamic that I am writing this fic series in.

As a matter of fact, I’m thinking of making a new series of fics based on “Through the Years”. If you think it’s a good idea, let me know about it. And while I’m thinking about it… how about a tie-in story covering the 24 hours before Rally goes to rescue May, and the reactions and opinions of the people in Rally’s life – or unlife, if I might say?

Also – I like to see all the reviews on THIS chapter!

Until the next part… LATER!!

9/11/01
FDNY-NYPD-THE REAL HEROES












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