And Shine Simple Heroes

Prologue

The brightness of Times Square was a glorious image to anyone who was having their first visit to New York city, tourists milling around the flashing ads as the sun set below the horizon. A few were staring fixedly at news reports coming in about a massive attack on London, but for now, most were still walking and marveling, taking pictures and making memories.

In a now-empty apartment in the Bronx, however, a lone man sat in the darkness, smiling as he flipped a card between his fingers. A group of homeless in tattered rags stood around him, moaning and grunting, the rank smell of their decomposing flesh thankfully blocked by the man's powers. "Are we ready, brothers?" he said in his native language. "I hope you are, because we're about to make our Broadway debut."

Anne Warbucks sat in her office, looking over the latest reports on the movements of Millenium, as well as Iscariot and the myriad other secret forces that roamed the Earth, searching out and destroying each other. Setting the papers down, she rubbed her forehead. Ever since Sir Hellsing and her people had shown up, the President had ordered the Warbucks Organization to keep tabs on any paranormal forces that might endanger America or her interests. For the President, it was typical posturing. For Anne, it meant more late nights pushing herself to the limit, as well as her agents. Poor Rebecca was beginning to meld with her computer desk, searching the internet for any kind of strange or bizarre attacks or incidents involving vampires. Rally was working doubly hard as well, machining the mechanisms and parts needed for Anne's high-end weapons. Looking back down at the desk, she felt her nerves literally starting to unwind and split apart. "Somebody shoot me."

"Now that we're all present," the President said, looking around the table at the cabinet. "We've received credible information from the CIA that a major incident is going to take place in London, England in the next few days." Nodding, the cabinet looked down at the manila folders each had in front of them, opening them up, then looking very confused.

"Uh, Mr. President," the Secretary of State said. "What on earth is this?"

Looking down at his own folder, stamped with various "Top Secret" and "Classified Black" markings, the President opened it to see a single sheet of paper, covered in a myriad of disturbing and Nazi-like images, so terrible it made him almost heave. "Who brought this in!" he yelled, rising from his seat, his good ol' boy drawl amplified by his anger.

"I did, you cheap, unfaithful race-traitor," said one of the aides standing near the door. The secret service agents inside wasted no time pulling their weapons and moving to tackle the man. The aide merely swatted them aside like flies. Grabbing one by the neck, the aide threw the agent into another, both landing in a heap. Another agent was thrown headfirst through a wall, a comical sight if it wasn't so obvious the man was probably in excruciating pain. The cabinet members jumped from their seats, some moving for the windows, others making a desperate move for the door. All the exits, however, were locked and bolted, thanks to a few surprise addition the aide had made during the previous night. Realizing that a direct assault on the aide was useless, the remaining pair of agents positioned themselves directly in front of the President, who was standing back against the wall, quivering in fear. "W-w-what is it you want?" he said, doing his level best to keep firm.

"That's easy," the aide said, suddenly flashing a set of newly grown fangs. "I want the football." With a leap, he closed the distance between himself and the agents, as pistol fire erupted in the conference room.

Well, here's my first solo Hellsing fic, folks, starting off with a short prologue to get us all started.

A note, this story follows the information set down by the webcomic "And Shine Heaven Now", so reading is recommended, not only to understand the story, but to see the Hellsing verse from a wildy different and entertaining point of view.

hellsing. comicgenesis. com

All rights on "And Shine Heaven Now" belong to Erin Ptah.