Chapter Text
|| 10/15/24 UPDATE: rewriting this whole chapter and trying to actually continue this story after four years. No beta, this is just for fun, I'm not a writer, just a guy with way too much time on his hands. ||
Blood.
So much
Blood.
The sharp, copper tang, bitter and all consuming in his senses threatened to drown Hugo, assuming he wasn't already drowning. There was no telling which way was up or down, there was only the feeling of being covered, falling into so much hot blood and the sense that he wasn't alone, that someone was watching him.
Large eyes, burning bright as a raging wildfire burned themselves into his very soul. Who they belonged to Hugo couldn't make out at all, his eyes blurred with pain as he tried not to gag on the feeling of what tasted like blood rushing down his throat. It almost made him too distracted to feel the large, scorching hot, clawed hands reaching for his body, but the moment the appendages touched him, Hugo opened his mouth to make a noise, and it only seemed to make him lose more air, sharp claws digging into his skin and pushing into his lower stomach. In a strange way, it felt good for a moment, making his body wrung tight and euphoric, tingling like he felt after a strong orgasm. It felt right in a weird way, as if what was happening was something that was supposed to be, but deeper than that simple phrase could convey. Hugo couldn't explain it, but felt it with what seemed like every cell in body singing for the hands to touch him more. It was so perfect and good Hugo nearly forgot about the taste and smell of blood. At least until the hands suddenly sunk into his soft flesh with horrifying ease and the sensation turned, twisted into pure gruesome
torture.
In the back of his mind he understood a voice, and it scratched on his brain as it spoke, almost as painful as the claws digging into his body, as if the voice was physically painful to listen to, too beyond both his body and mind's capabilities to take in. The claws dug deeper into his pelvis, scratching and tearing against what felt like organs and bone, and Hugo sobbed and tried to grab and scratch at them in a vain attempt to stop the agony.
Mine. You're mine. I'll find you. Kill everything. Become mine.
A quick flash of what felt like thousands of images of death and destruction, the entire world screaming and on fire, flashed before his eyes before panic made Hugo's blood run cold, his mind racing to try to comprehend what he was seeing. He could barely understand what any of it meant, but he knew it was wrong, knew whatever it was he wanted nothing to do with it. He needed to get away, needed to run and never get close to whatever that
thing
was, needed to–
Hugo awoke with a strangled, panicked gasp, a cold sweat already drenching his body and making him instantly shiver in the cool night air of his apartment as he struggled to catch his breath. It took a full minute of panting, and quickly turning the lamp on beside his bed to illuminate his dark bedroom, assuring himself internally that it was just another nightmare. The same one he'd had in various iterations of since he was a kid, the same one he knew was just a nightmare. It wasn't real. It absolutely wasn't real.
The man sighed, getting himself up for the day despite the bright red numbers on his bedside alarm clock only reading out '4 AM'. He was about to have a big day ahead of him, he told himself he might as well make sure he was ready since sleeping was now out of the question. He never could go back to sleep when he had dreams like that. It was just a shame the nightmares happened more often than not these days.
BPRD Aspen, Colorado Headquarters:
The moment Hugo stepped out of the taxi he knew the day was going to be long. He'd always had a second sense about this kind of thing, ever since he was a kid. The plane ride across the country and private helicopter taking him to a remote part of Colorado up in the mountains wasn't helping ease the mood. The sight of a large, barely-held-together facility didn't bode well either after an entire day of traveling.
He’d only been less than a decade out of training in Quantico, and as much he’d been glad someone wanted him to be out of the glorified pencil pushing desk job he'd been working in Georgia for a couple of years, he hadn’t been expected to transfer again so soon, not to
this
anyway. The man who he’d spoken to who offered him the job barely told him anything at all except his name, Agent Edward Murphy, and a flash of the bureau’s special badge. The whole thing had been so incredibly hush-hush, which Hugo supposed was to be expected, he’d heard plenty of rumors of how low-key the ‘Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense’ tried to be, but that wasn’t enough to know what to really expect beyond their status of being 'monster hunters'. Even civilians knew some monsters were real, at least to some extent, the lid had been blown wide open on that a long time ago, but asking anyone what the Bureau was like was more like shooting darts in the dark.
To the Bureau's credit, Hugo had even witnessed some of their work himself firsthand, though he hadn’t realized who they were at the time. The incident of a plant creatures taking over in his home state in Upstate New York, back when he was still in high school. He still recalled the day it all went down, all the screaming and panicking an entire city could bring, and more namely, the chaos that ensued when an entourage of heavily armed BPRD members showed up to the scene. It took them three days and several tons of explosives to stop the creatures and finally bring an end to everything, and although the body count was pretty low, all things considered, there were still buildings that hadn't been rebuilt when Hugo finally graduated. A lot of people had blamed the Bureau, but that was the moment Hugo had decided he was going to get into the FBI to help people the same as they did. Seemed utterly bizarre to think one day he'd actually get invited there personally.
The older man greeting him when he'd stepped out of the helicopter gave him a brisk smile, and an even brisker handshake. "Mr. Blake, hello there. I'm Sam, Sam Hoffman; we've been expecting you. Ed sends his apologies, he got caught up in a meeting, but he'll be right inside. Please, this way." He motioned, as Hugo followed him out the blistering cold winds of the mountain peak into a much warmer building, the loud echoing of the helicopter's blades fading away.
The inside of the facility was a bit more put-together than the outside would give the impression of. Tall, industrial walls and wide expanse of hallways and the sense that the facility went very far down, if the elevator marking over thirty floors was any indication. The ride down was long, a strange air of tension washing over Hugo the farther they traversed down until he couldn't keep his mouth closed any longer.
"So, Mr. Hoffman, if you don't mind me asking–" The elevator shuddered, coming to a stop with a distinct pinging signal, opening the way to a large hallway that connected to several rooms, most of them shut closed but one of them open on the far end of the hall, offering a glimpse of a much brighter, inviting light than the rows of flickering, dull fluorescent lights lining the hallway above could give.
"Ed is just down the hall in that open room, he's expecting you, don't worry." Sam flashed Hugo a polite smile, holding the elevator door open as Hugo stepped out into the hallway.
It was a tense walk down the hall, but Hugo could hardly help it. The closer he got, the more two voices, one of them raised and clearly not happy, could be heard. Some kind of argument was happening, becoming perfectly clear when he finally reached the entrance.
"I've heard your complaints, but this is quickly getting out of hand. You can't just do whatever you want, you need to be more careful out there–"
The moment Hugo stepped into the door frame the room went silent, two of the residents inside went silent, turning toward him. Agent Murphy he recognized, meeting his eyes first, but the second man, if he could even be properly referred to as such, was who really caught his attention.
Hugo didn’t know how he was supposed to react to the sight before him. It was such a different feeling to see anything like this in person. Standing there, not thirty feet from them, seated behind the room's large conference table was somehow exactly the same spitting image he remembered from his childhood; A tall, unbelievably huge, tan coat wearing, brightly red colored inhuman figure. The proof of what must’ve been horns sat on his forehead, cut down mostly flat with dark hair pulled back to a neat bun. A long equally red colored tail flicked behind the figure. What might’ve been most jarring though, was the very large intimidating stone-shaped hand the figure has attached to him. Hugo remembered just how deadly a punch from that appendage could be, recalling the splattered remains of the plant creature the man had pummeled effortlessly into the ground.
A pair of shockingly bright amber colored eyes with dark cat-like slit pupils flicked to Hugo and Murphy at the agent’s calling and Hugo’s stomach tightened uncomfortably. So much of him looked human and yet everything was screaming at the agent that his figure was anything but, and they were definitely something dangerous. The glare the stranger held toward him gave little comfort, but Hugo couldn't help but wonder how it was that the man looked like he hadn't aged a single day after all this time.
“Ah, Mr. Blake, good to see you again, good morning!” The older man said cheerily, greeting Hugo with a smile, closing a manila envelope that had been open on the table a moment prior. Immediately snapped Hugo out of his slight stupor.
“Of course, a pleasure, Mr. Murphy.” Was all Hugo could think to say, wanting to keep face through the circumstances, holding his hand out to shake Murphy's.
The man cleared his throat. "Allow me to introduce the two of you. Blake, this is–"
"Hellboy." The much larger man stood, barely nodding in the men's direction in acknowledgment. "A pleasure, but I was just leaving, excuse me." He said with a tense tone, brushing past the men and walking with heavy steps down the hall.
For a moment Hugo just watched the man leave before turning back. Murphy seemed to somehow read his mind, his expression almost apologetic as he gestured toward a chair for Hugo to sit in. “Please, take a seat. Sorry for the chaos, it's been a long week. We've all been on edge a bit lately with Washington breathing down our necks lately.” Murphy sat down, taking a sip from a small white mug on the table beside him.
"I just saw him on TV a bit ago. Something about a giant dog out in England?"
"Ah, yes, that was quite something, wasn't it? I just got done debriefing him about that very mission. Exciting stuff, but we quickly put an end to all that."
"Hard to believe he got out in one piece. I heard Stonehenge wasn't quite as lucky."
The older man tried to hide the slight grimace the corner of his mouth was threatening to turn into, taking another sip of his drink. "Such is the cost of safety. Although Hellboy can be a bit…" Murphy cleared his throat. "Well, actually it brings me to the point of this meeting. I'd like to discuss what position I'd like you to fill."
Hugo nodded, not sure what to say. He couldn't say he wasn't deeply curious why anyone, let alone the Bureau had asked for his name specifically.
"First, I'd like to ask you a personal question. You graduated top of your class and had a promising career in being a field agent. Hell, I heard you were on a fast track to being sent to DC if things kept running smoothly. But eight years into your field assignments you suddenly asked to be transferred to somewhere in forensic accounting; why?"
The younger man blanched at the question. "I'm not sure how to answer the question, sir."
"Try. I want the honest truth." Murphy encouraged, letting Hugo take a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Well, after the whole giant-demon-bat invasion that happened over the Midwest three years ago I realized I wasn't helping people the way I wanted to, none of us knew what to do, not until the Bureau– you guys, stepped in. I think it rattled all of us a bit." Hugo's eyebrows knit together. "I want to really help people, but I was getting frustrated out there. I'm sure it's already in my file but… " The man took a soft, deep breath. "I had an incident. Lost my nerve after the bats. A drug bust that went sour and I ended up freezing and causing a few injuries. So I was advised to apply for the transfer so I could collect myself." Hugo's shoulders squared, meeting Murphy's gaze. "But It's never going to happen again, I can swear on that. I'm committed to this. I want to be out there. I want to find out more about these monsters."
"Good answer." The response seemed to brighten the other agent's mood, the shoulders under his plain black suit relaxing. "You know, you were also the only agent of your graduating class who put down the BPRD on your dream sheet." The man pivoted, a slight smile on his face.
"You saw that?" Hugo's body mimicked the release of tension. "I forgot about that."
"The Bureau keeps tabs on things like that, when we can. Actually, we would've taken you in sooner had things been done my way, but the Director is careful about who we let in. But I assured everyone you were the right fit for this position."
Hugo hadn't realized there had been any internal debate at all, considering what he was told, or why they'd let him in now, but sometimes the bigger machine working these things behind the scenes just worked in mysterious ways.
"Sir, if I can be blunt, what will my position be?"
This time it was Murphy's turn to sigh, heaving a tired sounding breath. "Alright, I won't mince words about this, son. I have a problem, and I think you can help me fix it."
Enticed by the words, Hugo straightened out, conveying his attention.
"I can give you a position of being a full time field agent here, full coverage and flexible salary pay, with opportunities for promotion."
Sounded almost too good to be true. Even despite the worry of how dangerous the job probably really was, it wasn't like Hugo wasn't already dedicated to giving his life to do what he could to protect people anyway. That was the whole point with pursuing this career to begin with.
"And the catch?" Hugo's blue eyes met Murphy's tired brown ones.
"I'd like to assign you a partner. It's a bit unconventional around here, we usually work in situational teams, but these are trying times. I have DC breathing the Bureau's neck after some recent incidents, and I think you being here can fix our relations, help smooth things over. Despite your record you're still well liked in DC, they know your name, so I think this will settle down, especially if you can keep him from getting into too much trouble and report to me directly about his involvements."
"Who, exactly?" The moment Hugo asked the tension in the air was palpable.
Murphy's tentative expression almost told the whole story. "Hellboy."
The grimace and confusion on Hugo's face wasn't well hidden. "Hellboy?" He repeated back, his confusion only growing. "I'm sorry, but I think I'm a bit lost. I don't have much experience with this sort of thing. Wouldn't I just get in his way?"
"I have full faith that you'll be a fast learner, based on your track record. Besides, he needs someone to keep an eye on him and my hands are tied with other agents. Hellboy's been running solo for too long and I don't like it." Murphy's hands clasped together on the table. "I assure you, this is just a temporary measure until things settle down, then we can discuss other positions available for you to fill."
Hugo stared down at the glossy wooden table, reviewing his options. "This is a lot to take in. How much time do I have to think about this?"
The older man looked down at his wrist, revealing an expensive looking watch that almost seemed out of place on his otherwise plain attire. "The next helicopter leaves in about 20 minutes, then they'll be grounded for a while. Storm's coming in soon. Could be a while before it calms down. If you need longer than that, well, might be hard to keep this position open, if you catch my meaning."
Almost like he'd planned it this way, backing him into a corner like this, Hugo mused as he grit his teeth in thought. The seconds ticked on quietly, but it couldn't have been more than a minute of debating internally that Hugo spoke up again. "Alright. I'd like to fill the position." Not that he had much choice in the matter. It would've been hard to go back to his desk job after being offered this.
"Wonderful! I knew you were a smart man." Murphy brightened again, standing up and offering once again to shake hands with Hugo. "Welcome to the BPRD, Mr. Blake. Let me give you a proper tour now that the formalities are done."
As the two men walked and Murphy began explaining various buildings, their functions, and about the people who worked there, it didn't take long for them to bump into a familiar looking figure. It would be hard for anyone to mistake the large, imposing figure Hellboy effortlessly took up anywhere he went, Hugo supposed. But interestingly, he seemed to be chatting and laughing with an older looking woman, dressed in a sleek all black outfit, a bit different than other people he'd seen walking around; much more modern and casual.
“Oh, Miss Sherman, I was hoping to bump into you. I have something I need to discuss with you.” Murphy continued, smiling offering a wave to them both, clearly ignoring Hellboy's less-than-thrilled reaction to seeing him. “Sorry for the interruption, it’s important.”
"Careful Liz, I think Murphy's about to give you babysitting duty." Hellboy offered just loud enough for them all to hear as he spoke behind his raised hand towards Liz.
The woman shot back a kind smile, and pushed her elbow into Hellboy's stomach, just hard enough to be playful. “Ah, don’t worry about it. We can catch up later, right Red? Behave.” She tossed a look his way in mutual amusement.
“Me? behave? Always!” Hellboy called back with an obvious smile in his voice as he walked down the hall, seemingly all too eager to get far out of sight.
Liz shot him back a weary smile before turning her attention back towards the men. A glance down at Hugo and her eyes narrowed in thought. “New recruit?” She asked, obviously aiming it at Murphy.
“Good guess; Mr. Blake will be joining us as of today. Mr. Blake, this is Elizabeth Sherman. She's one of our highly experienced consultation experts.”
“Nice to meet you, Ma'am.” Hugo idly fixed his glasses a bit higher on his face, holding out his hand for her to shake which she seemed slightly hesitant to take.
"Oh, ma'am is a bit much, I prefer 'Liz'." She smiled, letting go of the handshake and sticking her hands into her pants' pockets.
"I have a favor to ask, Miss Sherman. I'm going to be out of town for a bit and Blake here is going to need someone he can rely on for questions in the future–"
"Wouldn't Eugene normally handle that kind of stuff?" She asked, tossing Murphy a look.
"He's busy with something else right now. Unfortunately I don't have too many other agents to ask, or I would."
When Murphy didn't elaborate further Liz raised an eyebrow at him. "Uh-huh. Okay." She turned to Hugo next. "Well I'll tell you what I can. Don't be a stranger. I'm pretty easy to find around here these days." She said with an unsure but polite smile and that seemed to please Murphy enough that he ushered the tour onward.
Murphy led Hugo down into another long stretch of hallways, large high vaulted ceilings and a route that led to even more doors, and all interestingly made of steel this time. The doors also seemed to be marked, large black neatly spray-painted numbers on every door. The men stopped at one labeled ‘103’.
“This will be your new housing quarters, we always give our agents a place to stay on site here for convenience. Your bags should already be inside. Sorry I don’t have any keys to give you.” Murphy joked, smiling.
“Thank you, Mr. Murphy, I appreciate everything you’ve done so far.” Hugo felt far from a good mood, but found himself smiling anyway. This place might’ve been weird but at least Murphy seemed alright.
The older agent nodded and began to walk a few steps before abruptly turning back. “I almost forgot, I left some files on the desk in there for you.” He handed the agent the manila envelope he’d been carrying. “It’s a copy of some notable missions I'd like you to see. Figured it would help you get to know your new partner and the bureau a little better, it would be... a lot to try to explain in person. I’ll let you know about your assignments too, but for now just get settled in.”
“Thank you, I’ll be sure to look through them.”
"Good man. I've got high hopes for you, Blake, very high hopes!" Murphy called out from down the hall as Hugo stepped into his new room.
The towering stacks of what was easily hundreds of packed manila files piling on top of the modest writing desk in the room hadn't exactly been what he was expecting, but with a heavy sigh, Hugo supposed he was used to this level of paperwork by now. Sitting down and flipping open the first folder on top of the pile he began to read the report.
'December, 1944, on a small island off the Coast of Scotland…'