HELLSING: A trip between two worlds

Chapter #17: The Fog

Chapter #17: The fog

The sunlight shone bright behind the bus windows, making the three vampires currently occupying it cringe. They had woken up early in the morning just so they could reach the village in time for the opening party. Alucard was not amused. Almost fifty people filled the vehicle and their loud voices, the sun and the fact that he hadn't slept at all due to the recurrent dreams were beginning to test his patience. He was tired and angry, maybe that was the reason why he didn't partake in the humans' conversation. His small party was seated at the back of the bus, with the two people from before who had introduced themselves as Miguel and Jolene. They were talking nonstop about this medieval paraphernalia. He scoffed, tugged the curtains closed harder than necessary and, with a last glare towards the girl, he turned away from them.

Inés was glad they'd decided to go with the group, even if she was a bit uncomfortable with so many people at once. Seras and Pip seemed to be having fun talking and laughing with them, but the brooding vampire had sat on the window seat, arms crossed and a permanent scowl on. The change in his personality was as sudden as his change in appearance and Inés didn't know what to think of it. It was as if someone had flicked a switch and he was a different person; she didn't understand why he was so angry.

He was so angry. Angry at himself for dreaming those delusional things, angry at the girl for involving them in this charade, angry at the mercenary and his fledgling for agreeing to this circus and angry at the boy who kept talking with her. Alucard growled and crossed his arms and shifted, trying to at least find a comfortable position in his seat, although it seemed not even that would be given to him. Desisting in the obvious futile attempt, he opted to listen to the human prattle as a form of entertainment, his curiosity perking when he picked up the Spanish girl's voice asking a question to the insipid boy .

"Yeah, some of our people just disappeared. We think they just quit, seeing as their characters were not that relevant in the act and they'd already been paid for the first representation. It's not uncommon in this business, you know? People who come for fun because it's cool and all that, and then they just ditch us after they realize all the work that goes into it. No hard feelings, though." Miguel finished his story with a beaming smile at Inés. "Don't worry, you won't have to do much" Alucard resisted the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance at the evident flirting of the boy. As if Inés would consider him. He paused in his thinking; frowning. Where had that come from?

"So you've been doing this for how long?" asked the Frenchman while he tried, in vain, to put an arm around Seras . It earned him a punch in the ribs and an indignant huff from her. The boy and the red-head only laughed at their antics with a knowing smile before answering.

"I've been in this for several years now. This is my company, actually," he said proudly. "Though it's been quite a handful since I'm doing everything all by myself: planning, costumes, etc. It's a blessing Jolene appeared out of nowhere and volunteered for co-manager. Just in the right moment too, when these people decided to leave." The red-head merely smiled at this, winking at Inés when their eyes met.

Co-manager indeed...Alucard watched the exchange out of the corner of his eye. He had picked up the scent the moment the creature had come into view back at the motel, and he was sure it had picked up on them too. Too bad the police girl was still a newborn, for he was convinced she didn't suspect a thing or else she wouldn't have been talking so freely with it. He closed his eyes intending to sleep for the rest of the trip. As long as it was not a problem, he would do nothing. For now, he would watch.

----------------

The smoke from the expensive cigar filled the room, disappearing into the already heavy air at Integra's office. It was her third—no, fourth one—and she hadn't been able to calm down one bit. Her finger tapped the wooden desk at a fast rhythm while her eyes fixed on the unused phone. Her Vampire had called and what he had to tell her was not a good thing. True, they had completed their mission quickly enough and without no casualties, which was a first. But they were stranded God knows where and she couldn't take them back because the queen had summoned the roundtable and Iscariot (her eye twitched at that thought) to an emergency meeting to discuss Millennium. Integra sighed.