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Hellsing: Coat of Arms	By : KDKB Category: Hellsing > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1360 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We do not own Hellsing or any characters. We also do not make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 3: The Choice

             Anna glanced at the clock. The second hand leered back at her, mocking her doubts with every silent tick toward the time limit. She found herself thinking that she had no right to make a decision of this magnitude, only to bitterly remind herself that the responsibility to make the important decisions would be hers now and for many years to come. "I take it you have the vial that you need?" she asked at last, turning her eyes back on him.

             A malicious grin spread across his lips. "Indeed." With a swift wave of his hand, a tall, onyx flask encrusted with rubies appeared on the desk in front of her. Tucked into a leather string tied around the neck of the bottle was a small, silver dagger only as long as her finger. "You need only provide a few drops...and the scroll will be yours."

             The girl chewed her lip as she eyed the seemingly innocuous object before her. "How do I know that what is on that scroll is going to be of any use?" she asked warily, trying to stall for time even as she retrieved the dagger from the cord.

             "Thirty seconds," he reminded her dryly.

             She sighed, defeated. "Done answering questions, aren't you?" Swallowing hard, she squeezed her eyes shut and drew the razor sharp blade across her fingertip. A few drops of crimson blood welled up atop her soft skin, shimmering ominously in the waning sunlight. Her guest kept his face carefully expressionless as he quickly removed the stopper from the vial. Anna gave him one last baleful look, and then slowly placed her wound over the small opening, letting a few drops of blood drip into the flask.

             The moment she drew her hand away, the man returned the stopper, and the vial disappeared from her grasp in a puff of smoke. "The deal is done," he said smugly. With a snap of his fingers, the tightly bound scroll appeared in her hand. "I must say, you've made the right decision...for now." Sneering to himself, he waved his hand between them and was quickly enveloped in a veil of black smoke, which soon faded into the familiar surroundings of her office.

             “Somehow...I doubt it," she murmured, setting the scroll carefully on the desk before her. Pulling a handkerchief from her breast pocket, she sat back in her chair, pressing the delicately embroidered cloth to her injured fingertip. "Seras, you can come in now."

             No sooner had the words left her mouth than the vampire girl had flung open the door, darting across the room to stand by her side. "What does it say??" she demanded, using every last ounce of self-control to keep from snatching the scroll from in front of Anna.

             “I haven't looked at it yet.” Dabbing her wound one last time to make sure the bleeding had stopped, she wrinkled her nose and dropped the handkerchief into the trash.

             “Why not?”

             “I'm...still not so sure I did the right thing,” she said softly. “I tried to ask myself what mother would have done, but in all honesty...I wasn't sure.” She let out a mirthless laugh. “I never wanted anything to do with any of this.”

             “Bringing Alucard back is the right choice,” Seras assured her quickly, trying to keep the impatience from her voice. “Your mother would have done the same thing.”

             “I hope you're right.” Taking a deep breath, she slowly reached out and picked up the scroll, carefully removing the crimson tie and unrolling the parchment. Seras leaned over her shoulder, and the two began to read.

Annabel Integra Hellsing:

Near the end of the battle of London, the soul of the vampire Alucard was fragmented into millions of pieces. The absorption of Warrant Officer Schrödinger released the souls of the familiars he had gathered, scattering them around your world. This shattered consciousness has prevented him from recognizing himself in any one place, and therefore, while he is everywhere and nowhere, he is effectively nowhere. He has been killing these wretched souls one by one in order to return to your plane; however, he has been unable to return thus far because the final soul does not lie within his reach. This soul has been placed well outside the mortal plane to prevent his return. However, since you have obviously helped me, I shall help you in kind. This final soul will be returned to your plane at 3 AM tomorrow morning by your mother’s grave. Find her, and you will find Alucard.

             Anna lowered the scroll, her brow furrowed in confusion. “What on earth does this mean? Who was warrant officer...” She scanned the letter for the name. “...Schrödinger? What does he have to do with Alucard?”

             “Sir Integra never told you?” Seras asked, surprised.

             “I...” She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I never paid much attention to mother's stories,” she muttered.

             The blonde draculina shook her head in wonder. “With all due respect, Anna, maybe you should have listened a little more.”

             “It's a little late now,” she said acidly, shooting her an irritated look. “So please, can you fill me in on what I've missed?”

             “Sorry, ma'am.” Seras bobbed her head in apology, and then clasped her hands behind her back. “Warrant Officer Schrödinger was a creature who was, quite literally, a real world representation of the theoretical Schrödinger’s cat. He was a being whose very existence rejected the laws of life and death; indeed, he was everywhere and he was nowhere. As such, he could be anywhere, so long as he could recognize himself.”

             “What does this have to do with Alucard?” she repeated impatiently.

             “I'm getting to that,” she mumbled. “Alucard lost the majority of his familiars when Alexander Anderson, leader of the Vatican's secret anti-freak operation, struck him with a blessed blade after using a holy artifact to become a monster of God. In an attempt to restore his strength, Alucard began to drain the blood of the city from the streets.”

            “Sounds revolting.” Anna's lip curled in disgust.

             “...yes, ma'am. Anyway, under the command of the Major, Schrödinger took his own life, allowing his blood to mingle with the blood of the city. Alucard took this tainted offering with the rest, and...disappeared.” She gestured to the roll of parchment, which had curled itself around Anna's hand. “We were never really sure how it had happened. This certainly explains a lot.”

            “Indeed.” The young Hellsing sighed, dropping the scroll back onto the desk. “Seras...I may have never known Alucard as you and my mother once did, but I can't help but wonder if this fact gives me a less biased perspective. You speak of Alucard drinking the blood of the city as if it's nothing. To be perfectly honest, the thought terrifies me. I am aware that he is bound to serve my family, and I did listen to enough of my mother's stories to accept that he was completely and utterly loyal to her. However, I am not my mother. If I am not strong enough to control this monster, what is to stop him from showing his true nature?”

            “Forgive me, ma'am, but where were these reservations when that demon approached you yesterday?” Seras asked, knitting her brow as she attempted to speak as delicately as possible. “You know nothing about him, and yet you have invited him into your home with almost no inhibitions.”

            “He saved my life,” she shot back through gritted teeth. “And he had important information. What was I supposed to do? Besides, my men are keeping a close eye on him.”

            Seras spread her hands wide. “What can a few humans do against a demon like him? Listen to me, Anna, that...creature...is much more powerful than you or I are prepared to handle. At least you know your mother and I trusted Alucard; you know nothing of this stranger.”

            Anna searched for some sort of rebuttal, but could think of none. Once more feeling the hot flush creep across her cheeks, she cast one last withering look at the scroll before snatching it from the desk. “Fine. We leave at 0200 hours.”

            Seras nodded, recognizing the unspoken acquiescence in her superior's tone. "Does this mean you're going to follow this lead personally?"

            "I figure this is a private mission that requires my personal attention."

            "What mission would that be?"   Without either woman noticing, Seiryu had slipped through the open door just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. His brow was furrowed in what could almost be described as an anxious frown, and his arms were crossed tightly across his chest. "I'm not being left out of the loop, am I?"

            Anna cast him an irritated look, silently wondering how much he had heard. "Seiryu...didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to enter a private office without permission?"

            "When that person is quite likely acting against their better judgment to deny such permission, I am of the opinion that such formalities are no longer necessary," he replied flatly. "I was considerate enough to leave you to your 'work', but when I passed your office on my way to my quarters, I saw you enter and ask Seras to wait outside. This was most unusual, so I decided to see what was going on."

             "For your information, it is not unusual for Seras to be elsewhere when I conduct business," she shot back, wondering briefly how he would assume to know what was 'usual' in the first place.

             "You know this not to be true," he returned promptly. "Seras is constantly by your side, morning, noon and night. Not to say that this isn't a good idea; in your position, the young draculina alone is probably not enough. This is why I found it highly unusual that you asked her to wait outside." Noticing the scroll clutched tightly in her hand, he nodded toward it, taking a step further into the room. "What is that?"

             "Nothing that concerns you." She handed the scroll to Seras, who accepted it silently and tucked it away. Narrowed red eyes were fixated on Seiryu, ready to spring into action should the need arise. Seiryu seemed not to notice.

            "This wouldn't have anything to do with Alucard, would it?" he asked, forced nonchalance belied by hands balled into fists in the crooks of his arms.

             "Indirectly yes. Why should that concern you?" she asked, noting his feigned indifference.

             Seiryu took another step forward. "Anna, that monster was destroyed, and the world is better for it. Would you really bring a holy terror back from the grave, subjecting millions of lives once more to his tyranny, just to satisfy your own selfish desires?" By this point he was standing a few mere feet from Anna. His expression had melted into one that could almost be called pleading; soon enough, he had gracefully descended to one knee, head bowed as he rested one fist on the floor and the other on bended knee. "I would gladly serve as further protection for you," he said quietly. "I have watched you from afar for what seems like an eternity. Believe me when I say I will keep you safe from the threat at hand; the evil that is Alucard is no longer necessary. Please, you have to believe me."

             <What is his DEAL?!> Seras yelped through her mental link with Anna. His stance reminded her of Alucard kneeling before Integra, and she did not like the resemblance. <He's been watching you from afar? What the hell does that mean? Tell him to get his ass off the ground and out the door!>

             "Oh, get up!” Anna snarled. “You are never to enter my office again without my permission. Now if you will both excuse me, I'm going to go change." Storming past him, she pushed open the door and started towards her room, leaving the vampiress and the demon alone in her office.

             Rising slowly to his feet, Seiryu inclined his head ever so slightly, sapphire eyes now hard and cold. "As you wish," he murmured. Once she was out of earshot, his gaze shifted to Seras, who was silently gloating over Anna's blunt refusal of his affections. "I will simply glean the information from your servant.” Before Seras could react, he had struck her from behind, sending her sprawling, unconscious, to the tile. "Come with me, little girl..." Leaning down to grasp her gingerly by the ankle, the two of them disappeared in a swirl of mist.

             Anna showered quickly, and then changed into a clean blouse and loose pair of cargo pants. <Seras?> she called silently, brushing out her hair and pulling it back into a bun.

            There came no response.

            She frowned and walked out of the bathroom, grabbing her belt and holster from the vanity and hooking quickly around her waist. Pulling the gun to make sure it was loaded, she checked the safety before strapping back into the holster. <Seras, answer me immediately.>

             Still no reply.

             The young Hellsing pursed her lips, then strode over to the door and threw back the bolt, pulling open the door and stepping out into the hall. Spotting one of her men dutifully manning his post at the end of the hall, she made her way to him and asked, "Have you seen Seras?"

             "No, ma'am, I haven't," he replied humbly, giving her a slight bow. "Perhaps she has gone to her chambers?"

             She nodded. "Perhaps. Thank you." She turned and started toward the sublevels.

             "Looking for Seras, are you?" came Seiryu's voice. Upon further inspection of the hall before her, she could make out Seiryu standing beside a window overlooking the darkening courtyard. "I'm afraid she has gone without you to your mother's grave. She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry."

             "Oh?” She clenched her teeth, attempting to seem unconcerned. “And did she happen to tell you why she was going there?"

             He shrugged. "For some reason, that girl holds me in the utmost contempt. I found it unusual that she would leave you here to fend for yourself, though. Perhaps you might know why she would have left without you?"

             "I do not."   <SERAS?>

             “How unfortunate,” he mused, watching her expression darken with growing concern.

             "Damn it," she muttered when her call was once again greeted with silence. Ignoring his remark, she turned on her heel and started back to her room.

             “Where are you going?” Seiryu asked casually, easily falling into step behind her.

             “To find Seras.” Kicking open the door to her room, she grabbed the phone from the hook on the wall and dialed an internal number. “Hello? Yes, this is Annabel. I want a team of our best remaining soldiers assembled immediately. I will brief them in the entrance hall in exactly fifteen minutes. Do not keep me waiting.” Slamming the phone back onto the receiver, she brushed past Seiryu, who had stopped just outside her doorway.

             "If you'd like, I can accompany you on your way," he offered, following her once more down the hall. "After all... it's not safe for you to be out on your own at this time."

             "That won't be necessary. My security team will be more than sufficient. "

             "Do you really think your security team can kill a demon?" he asked wryly.

             "They can certainly slow one down.” Reaching the end of the hall, she started down the stairs, taking them two steps at a time. “Besides, I'd prefer someone to stay here in case Seras shows up before I get back." She looked back at him as she reached the bottom stair, wondering if he would call her bluff. "Any tips on how to kill a demon?"

             Raising an eyebrow, he halted his descent and leaned against the mahogany banister, a look of exasperation twisting his lips. "Do you not remember how we originally met?" he asked incredulously. "I destroyed a demon right before your eyes. Tips?" He snorted. "I could kill an army of demons in the time it took me to explain one aspect of demon hunting to you."

             She whirled around to face him, giving him an irritated look. "True, but I'm not about to depend solely on you for protection. So are you going to help or not?"

             “If I don't get to accompany you, I'm not telling you anything. Either accept my company on this mission, or wander blindly into whatever awaits you.”

             “Then I will manage on my own.” A small smile permeated her tight-lipped glare when she saw the look of frustration on his face. “You will remain here and wait for our return.” Turning on her heel, she marched away from him toward the foyer, a mild sense of accomplishment putting a bit of spring in her step.

              "Fine, have it your way," he called after her. "Keep in mind that you are searching for a monster you haven't even met; for all you know, he could only have been loyal to your mother, and will tear you to shreds the instant he has the opportunity." His long coat-tails rustled as he turned his heavy booted feet back up the stairs. "I hope you and your little playmates with guns know what you're doing."

              She ignored his ominous remark, forcing herself to think only of the task at hand as she made her way toward the group of armed men waiting in the entrance hall.
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Hellsing: Coat of Arms