Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Integral gets a break ❯ The plans of nosferatu ( Chapter 5 )

Alucard paced the length of his cell, plotting a sweet and sinister revenge. He definitely was attending this time, no matter what the cost. Now just who to take? First his choice went for Seras; it should be useful for her to attend such fests. She was young and knew almost nothing about her kind. On the other hand she was too young, not even adapted to what she is, still naïve and chaste, the kind vermin liked so much. Nobody was allowed to lay a siege on his fledgling, as long as she refused becoming a vampire of her own.

A picture of a young, fair woman of decision floated in his mind, the one that commanded him in cold blood during this Iron Age. The one he served grudging no pane for two packs of blood a day and a place to shelter from the sun. Alucard the vampire was in plight thanks to her kin, oh she would be perfect. The most difficult part would be to convincing her. That could take a while, luckily there still was time.

The undead heard a clock chime the ninth hour, Integral must be working as usual, and perhaps she never left to sleep. How foolish of her. Eventually it would be easier to win over her at that state. One way or another, he had to act with circumspection.

Integral was standing near the opened window, watching the nightly sky. She sighed heavily and pressed her forehead to the cool pane, depressed by thoughts only she knew. Something silky tickled her cheek when she leaned back from the window. First she thought it had been a curtain, but then realized it was hair, long and pitch black. Momentary young woman shot her strict gaze to the ceiling and stepped from under the source of dark bangs. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed his arrival.

“I wonder how much longer you could survive without sleep, master.” Her vampire changed his position from vice versa to a more common one. “I would be happy to roam the streets unbound again.” He was grinning darkly.

“Humans are more resistant than you think, vampire.” Integral's reply carried the usual frost.

“Who do you want to prove it to? Yourself, me, the protestant knights, or your unseen enemies?”

“I don't have to prove anything, vampire.” Hellsing heir replied returning at her bureau.” I'm just doing my work.” She finished.

“No, Master, you are a slave for your work.” He took a seat graciously opposite to Integral, measuring her. “What a pity.” She returned the gaze, indifferent to lingering silence. Dead silence was something she had grown used to in his company, but now it was highly unbearable. Simply ordering him to leave could be misread as surrender.

A telephone rang suddenly on Integrals desk, the woman almost jumped out of her seat, to the joy of her pet vampire. He snickered.

“It is harder to remain unflinching when you're tired, isn't it?”

“Be silent!” She hissed back as she lifted the receiver. The undead was about to leave his mistress to talk confidentially, but she gestured him to stay. Then he decided to study the play of expressions on his ladies` face, apparently it was nothing worthy of attention.

“Alucard” she said after dropping the receiver in its cradle “I am concerned and I need information.” Vampire frowned; she had changed the subject, how feminine, even if she tried to hide it behind men's suits.

“It appears your ancestor hasn't taught you enough.” This note was plenty to earn him a vow of slow and painful death in her mind.

“Keep your comments to yourself, servant and tell me about “The drunken Lady”.” She was walking bluntly into his nets, oh how delightful.

“Which one, Master?” Integral frowned, why he always had to make it so difficult?

“You know full well what I am talking about, vampire!” Servant used the moment of vulnerability to probe her.

“It has been a while since I have roamed those circles, master. As you might have noticed, I'm bound to you.” His last words poured sweetly over his lips. Oh how he wanted her to loose her temper, even if it meant becoming a target. He had become quite masochistic during his years of servitude.

“I see, what convinced you then?” Integral raised an eyebrow.

“The fact you were being groped by a werewolf.” This forced Integral to take in a deep breath, they both were playing with fire, the question was who would burn his fingers?

“I already know that, what about the others?”

“The barman was human; still I think he was aware of his customers. Without regard to the overwhelming amount of werewolves, I managed to notice a couple of vampires, some elves, three humans and a siren, oh yes and the local band was the most exquisite set of monstrosities I've ever seen.” He never told that “siren” was meant for his master.

“This is curious. Aren't the creatures of the night loners? They could share a company of their own kindred, but this is different.”

“Obviously they evolve, alongside with humans. A dreadful habit methinks, still there isn't much of their public left, probably they just seek partnership or fellow sufferers.”

“Does human society influence them that badly?”

“Persuade to accept the terms of the game would be a more accurate designation.”

“Sharp, but I still would like to know more.”

Integrals mettle convinced Alucard in the accuracy of his choice, she will be perfect. All he needed now was a proper tactic.

“Oh I will satisfy your claim if you let me to, master.”

“What is you offer?” She asked suspiciously, legislating for a trap.

Vampires vermilion eyes flashed and he glanced at the door.

“I believe it isn't a proper time for such discussion.” He replied returning the crimson gaze to the female. Integral was ready to grant him a peppery remark, when she heard an urgent and un-English knock on the door. Moments later a man from Hellsing intelligence department rushed in. Mumbling something very fast handed her a plain sheet of paper. She skimmed the text while the worker continued to patter. Lady Hellsing frowned, partially disturbed by the worker and the news.

“Yes, thank you Jacobs, you may leave.”

There was something wrong and he might get a mission this night, it was rather refreshing, sadly his offer had to wait

“You will have an assignment tonight.” Integral began when Jacobs had left. This news spread a grin across her servant's features.

“Where am I going to eliminate the trash master?”

“Not this time, servant. You will have to keep the watch over one of the Iscariot agents. His mission here is still unknown to us, this case requires insightful espionage. He is arriving at the Charing Cross station at midnight. Your duty is to keep him under observation; intervention is unwelcome as long as he doesn't threaten Hellsing or the Queen. Is that clear?”

“Is there a fatal shortage in human resources, you have to use me? “ H had apparently looked forward a good fight that night, not just spying.

“It cannot be done by humans this time.”

“You can always take police girl; she has too much time for causing trouble.”

“I thought educating her was your responsibility, you are her master are you not?”

“Yes, and this should be the opportunity, don't you think master?”

“Alucard, she is far too inexperienced and easily spotted, she might not even survive the encounter, my decision is irrevocable. Considering the usual manner you shift, this is an appropriate job for you.”

“You're insightful, master.” Vampire replied shooting his master a venomous look.

“Walter has prepared a special set of bullets though. I think he would gladly clarify their effects to you. This would be all for tonight, you may depart.”

The male vanished and Hellsing leader returned to her paperwork duties.

“I loathe you, you waste of good lumber!” She mumbled towards the heap of papers.

Walter was in his workshop, working at a new design of a weapon. His drawing board was unlikely cluttered with bits of carbon paper and discarded sketches Alucard observed him quietly from the shadows, he knew an expert at work when he saw one. This warhorse still was as creative as usual.

“Good evening, Walter, was there anything you wanted to show me?” A strange, devious expression crossed the aged man's features, the mix of pride and malicious joy; he reminded a boy who has dismantled his first squib.

“Yes, Alucard, Sir Integral was aware of our regenerator problem. I took the liberty of adding some new features to your bullets and I think you might give them a try tonight.” He noticed Alucard`s inquiring glance.

“What should the expected effect be?”

“Nothing much but they should keep your opponent down for a longer while and cause more damage, thanks to the toxic filling.”

“Isn't the use of toxic weaponry illegal?”

“Don't tell me you've started to care Alucard.” Butler replied amusedly.

“Walter, you're fishing for compliments” Vampire smiled “What is the filling?”

“Well the casing is the same silver amalgam rounds but I've experimented by filling them with curare instead of the usual explosive substance, knowing your target is alive, the neurotoxins should have some influence.”

“Since when have you taken interest in exotic poisons?”

“Heh, it was a sort of puppy love, I guess.”

“So I should give Anderson a warm welcome then?”

“Only if he causes too much trouble.”

“That is out of question.” Silence fell before both collocutors burst in loud laughter.