Arthur closed his eyes, a soft sigh escaping his lips to rustle through his beard as he rested his chin atop folded fingers. His daughter of twenty-three years stood stiffly before his desk, penetrating blue eyes never wavering from his face. The topic of their discussion was one he had hoped to only reveal to her upon his deathbed. However, things were becoming desperate and the secrets of the past could not stay buried forever.
"You cannot be serious, Father," she repeated yet again, pressing her palms onto the top of his desk as she leaned forward. Her eyes danced with an emotion akin to anger, never wavered that piercing gaze from his face. "A vampire? You have a captive vampire?"
Leaning back in his wheelchair, Arthur folded his hands upon his lap, his eyes snapping open to fix a glare upon her. "Sit, Integra. The vampire is only part of what we must discuss this afternoon."
The woman stiffened, straightening as she suddenly realized she was standing over her father and superior in the Hellsing organization. Backing up a step, she lowered herself into one of the chairs, crossing her legs and draping her wrists over the chair's arms.
Taking a deep breath, Integra lowered her voice, forcing a fake calmness over her body language. "Father," she began again. "Our organization exists to destroy vampires, not capture them. Yes, we've captured one or two for questioning, but they always meet the same, and swift end." She leaned back against the chair, hard sapphire eyes watching his reaction to her statements. "If this is some sort of joke, you've a very poor sense of humor."
"This vampire has been prisoner to our family before the Hellsing order ever existed," Arthur replied quietly, moving his hands to clasp atop his desk. Aged, pale blue eyes locked upon Integra's, never wavering as he continued. "You've read many accounts my grandfather, Abraham, had written and left for us to learn from. However, what you have read is only a portion of what exists."
Integra offered no interruption, her head leaning forward a bit, several strands of blond hair sliding from her shoulders. There was disbelief in her expression, yet he knew she would accept everything very soon.
Arthur continued, closing his eyes as his thumbs brushed over wrinkled skin along the backs of his hands. "There was, in fact, one vampire my grandfather captured and never did successfully kill. That vampire's name was Dracula. I'm sure you know most of this story, and of course the parts Abraham himself fabricated to deceive others."
His daughter's eyes widened, yet she continued to keep her silence. Arthur could see the muscles in her jaw clench. "Dracula was brought back to England after his defeat, and kept subdued here for many years. Abraham managed to somehow enslave the creature. It obeyed him, walked unchained at his side, and carried out orders to the letter. He never explained to anyone exactly how he tamed that beast. Whatever secret he held, died with him."
"After my father's death, I had hoped I would be able to act as that same force toward Dracula. He was almost a family pet by then, still a savage creature by no argument, but he had been with the family for so long and was quite often somewhat friendly toward Abraham. I was very wrong."
Integra nodded, seeming to piece things together on her own. "The vampire attack on Hellsing over sixty years ago," she whispered under her breath. The details on that event had been sketchy at best, as if someone had been trying to hide the event while still documenting it.
"Indeed," Arthur replied with a sigh. "That had been Dracula. He broke loose from whatever frail bond had connected him to me barely a year after my father's death and commenced to killing every man, woman, and child who entered his field of vision or tried to stop him."
"Why didn't you kill him?" Integra finally asked after her father paused.
Arthur steepled his fingers before his mouth, leaning forward a bit to settle his eyes on her. "I tried. Many times. My father did as well, I believe, as did Abraham. There are several notes in his journal near the end of his life about attempts to destroy the beast. Abraham knew something, probably knew future generations would not be able to control the creature through whatever method he used.
Nothing worked. In the end, I chained him up, locking him in a cell deep beneath the manor then closed off most off the lower levels. I left him there to rot and be forgotten."
"I see," Integra commented, her composure rattled for a moment before she stiffened, eyes narrowing sharply behind dainty glasses. "Why are you telling me all this? Do you expect to return that creature to the surface?"
A smile ghosted onto his lips, Arthur finally reaching the climax of this conversation. "I am telling you," he started. "Because he is yours now. I have considered this for some time, and finally reached my decision. You are more than ready to take over the Hellsing organization, Integra. My health is failing, as everyone knows despite my attempts to hide it. Beginning next week, you will be taking the commanding position of Hellsing, and with that comes many responsibilities and weapons. Dracula, with this organization, would be yours. You can choose to forget about him, but let me first point out a few things."
He held up his hand, stopping whatever comment had been forming from her surprise. "Abraham used Dracula as a weapon. I'm not quite sure why Dracula obeyed him, but he respected Abraham first and foremost. Dracula never respected me, and I question if he respected my father. I implore you to give conquering the vampire a chance. If you are successful, you will have a grand weapon at your disposal. Think about the enemies we have rising around us: Vatican's encroaching, the surge in vampiric activity, threats from all sides. When you are behind this desk, do as you wish. However, use the time until you are to think about what I have said."
Integra shook her head, reaching a hand to remove her glasses and rub over her eyes. "Father this is a bit sudden," she commented finally. "Yes I can run the organization but to be thrust into the position at the start of next week? How will the soldiers handle it?"
"Most of them already answer to you, my daughter," Arthur chuckled. "Now it's all just a matter of titles and responsibility. You will do well. I know you will. And if you choose, I am quite positive you will subdue Dracula as well. I never could, my will was not strong enough. You are far stronger."
"As far as I'm concerned, that beast can lay right where it is and continue to rot."
Arthur nodded, sitting back in his wheelchair. "Just think on it. There is no harm in waking him up to gauge for yourself."