AN: As always I do not own any form of V for Vendetta----it is property and copyrighted materials of Warner Brothers, Alan Moore and the Wachowski Brothers. I'm not making a red cent off of this, just the pleasure of having you read it! This fiction will be set up on a monthly update basis since I only work on this one when I get writer's block on the others I am writing. So, please be patient with me! And as always, leave a review or two-------I will answer all who do.
' Silence of the Night '
Chapter 1
' The Calling'
The young woman stood poised, the 2-foot knives clutched in her hands as her assailant approached her. Cautiously, she moved around , never taking her eyes from the figure that matched most of her moves. Twirling the knives in her hands, she waited for the right moment to launch her attack, but it never came------the figure was upon her in a matter of seconds, lunging and cutting the air around her, coming closer to her flesh with each thrust. She parried each move, dancing around her opponent, her reflexes as sharp as the first day she had picked up the weapons. " Come on, you can do better than that....." She taunted as the attacker quickened his pace------then she found her opening, and caught his thrust with the blade of her knife, sending her opponent's weapon flying through the air as her other arm caught the figure's neck, thrusting the body against the wall, the second blade resting gently against the soft, bared flesh. She removed the blade, backing away, tucking a strand of jet black hair behind her ear. " You're letting me win." She accused placing the knives into the belt that fit snugly around her waist.
The man looked up at her, a smug grin on his face. " How do you know if I am or not?"
" Com'on Dad, " She paused, looking at him, " You may be in your sixties now, but I have seen you practice before, remember-----you've never been this slow."
Lord Samuel King grimaced at the word she had used in reference to him----' Dad '--- " I would prefer if you would address me as Father, or even My Lord.........but please refrain from calling me ' Dad'----"
" Why?" She grinned at him, " That's who you are, right?"
" Victoria......." V's voice took on a tone of sternness as he looked at his 17 year old daughter.
" She is right, you know....." A soft laugh came from the doorway.
Both turned to find Evey standing in the archway her arms crossed, a wide grin on her face. He looked at her, his heart pounding against his chest more rapidly than before---- after all these years, only she could affect him like this. " Eve, " he paused, putting his knives away, " You know how I feel about that word......we have had numerous discussions, and I----"
" Ok, Dad, you win.....I shall address you as Father from now on." Victoria smiled as she hugged him tightly around the waist, her head laying on his chest.
' To disagree with- three fourths of the British public is one of the first requisites of sanity.' (1) V quoted quietly as Evey joined them.
" Lunch is ready if you two are quite finished." She smiled as Victoria left V's embrace and grabbed a nearby towel, wiping the sweat from her eyes.
" We are finished for today. " V replied as he placed a towel around his neck----something he really had no use for but still, it made him feel more normal.
Evey reached up and ran her fingers across the red-mottled right side of his face, and V closed his eyes at the soft touch. Over 60% of his body had been reconstructed over the last years, but the remaining left side of his face was so badly covered in scar tissue that the doctor had no choice but to discontinue the restructure of his face surgically. There was nothing more that could be done-----so V immediately once again disappeared behind his prosthetic masks to make himself presentable to the staff and others that presided at Ravensclaw--------that was until one day when he and Evey had one of their most livest disagreements the manor had ever heard. In the end, the problem had been resolved and V no longer wore a mask around his home----unless visitors were coming. At first it was difficult for him, but soon with Evey and the children's encouragement, he realized that he was indeed among friends and family, thus giving him the courage to do something he never thought to be possible-----to live without shame or a mask any longer.
" Granny said to tell you that if you don't come and eat, she'll be feeding the hogs with our lunch." Seven year old Alex announced as he appeared at the doorway, watching his parents.
" Tell Granny to keep her pantaloons on, Alex....." Victoria grinned at her little brother as dark amber colored eyes locked with her blue ones. He was the spitting image of Evey, from the eyes to the soft honey brown hair that hung over his forehead.
" Ok," A mischievous smile appeared on his lips as he made a quick dash down the hallway toward the kitchen.
" Alex! No! I didn't mean that.....oh crap......." Victoria tore out of the room after him at full speed.
" This should be quite interesting...." Evey laughed softly as she placed her arm through V's.
" Quite..." He chuckled.
" Shall we go save our children?"
" If we must...." He smiled into sparking eyes as their lips met gently.
" Desert will have to wait until after lunch....." Evey whispered.
" If you insist...." V replied as his lips gently touched her neck.
" Oh my god.... you still know how to make me melt......." Evey sighed as she leaned into his embrace.
" And will continue to do so in the future, my love...." V husked as she closed her eyes. Yes, the world
was once again perfect in her mind. She had survived the destruction of Parliament, V's 'so-called' death, the birth of a daughter and son-----but most of all, she had been blessed by his presence again in her life------the set of wedding rings she wore on her left hand bond them together, and Evey just dared anyone or anything to try and break that bond. Together hand in hand, they would face anything that came in their direction and survive as they always had.
" I think we better get down stairs before Alex looses his good graces with Granny." Evey grinned up at him.
V let out a deep sigh, " That boy will be the death of me yet."
" You know what they say.....like father, like son." Grabbing his hand she pulled him from the room, heading toward the staircase.
V raised a dark eyebrow at Evey's words. " I'm afraid you are wrong this time, sweet Eve...." He smiled lovingly at her.
" Why?"
He sighed softly, " This time, I believe the correct phrase would be----' like father, like daughter."
Evey giggled softly, " You may be right."
Chief Inspector Dominic Stone looked up from the paperwork and stared at the phone on his desk, the annoying buzzing growing louder by the second. Sighing, he grabbed the cell and put it to his ear. " Stone, here."
" Dominic, it's Finch."
" Mr. Prime Minister.....it's nice to hear from you." Dominic smiled.
" You too...." Finch's voice paused on the other end. " Have you been keeping up with the news lately?"
" As much as I can....."
" What do you know of this bunch calling themselves ' The National Reformation Group'?" He asked.
" Not too much, really. They have only been around for a few months, haven't broken any laws yet----but they have come close on a couple of occasions. Mostly, they plan and carryout rallies in different parts of the city. We've had to police a couple of the demonstrations, but nothing came of it. Why are you asking, Eric?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone." I've had a few of my contacts run background checks on some of the primary figures involved with them-------you'll never believe who turned up."
It was Stone's turn to remain silent as he digested everything Finch had said. " What have you got?"
" Delia Surridge's son, Peter Creedy's grandson, and Sutler's younger brother are just a few." Finch replied. " Do me a favor will you Dominic, put surveillance on a couple of them-----see where they go, who they contact-----anything to give us an idea of what they are involved in."
" Sure Eric, no problem......"
" I'm going to contact Samuel and Evey and see if they have any information------I know V still monitors the city----maybe he's picked up on something."
" I can take a run to Hull and check on it myself....." Dominic offered----it would be good to see Evey again, it had been awhile since he had gone to V's estate-----7 years to be exact. The last time was at Alexander's baptism when he was named Godfather for the boy----how that had been managed was still a mystery------mostly Evey's doing he had decided on, for V and he were still not on the best of terms---the retired vigilante held him responsible for the scar that was still faintly visible on his wife's forehead..
" That would be good, " Finch paused on the other end, " just be careful Dominic."
" No problem there, " He answered, " I'll ring you when I have some information."
" Right then. Give my love to Evey."
" Right. Bye." Dominic replaced the phone back in it's holder----good god---what had he just gotten himself into?!
The chair squeaked at the stout man's weight as he lowered his body into place. Silently, he looked up at the portrait that hung over the fireplace. Taking a stogie from his jacket pocket, he bit the end off and raised the lighter to it, taking a few deep breaths he watched the smoke raise to the ceiling as he exhaled. Looking around the room, he spotted many objects he recognized-----several picture frames grouped on a nearby table top that followed moments in the lives of the people preserved on Kodak paper, a dried bouquet of roses in a long forgotten dusty vase, and a battered and worn leather wallet lying next to handgun on the mantle. It had been almost twenty years since he had returned home------twenty years of living in fear of being found and murdered as most of his family had already been-----twenty years to plan the restoration of the true government to a country that had fallen into the hands of sinners and the blasphemous alike. A nation that no longer held God's word in their lives-----but that was all about to change-------he and his fellow crusaders would see to that. This was their kingdom to rule and oversee, to reclaim everything that had been lost----to bring unity through faith once again! He removed the cigar from his mouth as a small, thin grin curled his lips. And, this time there would be no one to stop them.
Granny Lucas hobbled around the manor house kitchen slowly, but in a steady gate grabbing together
the ingredients for her employer's lunch. In two months, she would be seventy years old------something she was not yet ready to acknowledge, and even with the gratuitous amount Lord Samuel had bestowed upon her, not to mention the small cottage also, she still found herself in the kitchen most every day.
Since Colin had passed on into the waiting arms of St Patrick, taking care of her family was the only thing she knew, and she would continue to do so until it was time for her to join her true love on the Emerald Isle permanently. As she stood looking out the kitchen window toward the grazing thoroughbreds, Gordon Alexander King burst through the doorway, his older sister on his heels and headed straight for Granny, grabbing her by the waist and hiding behind her back. " 'Ere now, what's this?" Granny laughed as she was pulled this way and that, protecting the young master from his diabolical sibling.
" She's going to pommel me, Granny!" Alex cried as Victoria grabbed for him, missing.
Granny twisted back and forth between them, " Good lord child, why would she pommel you?"
" Because I threatened to tell you what she said!" Alex ducked another grab.
Granny's eyes narrowed. " An wha' would that 'ave been?"
" I'm going to kill you Alex if you breathe one word....." Victoria stood hands on hips, glaring at her young brother.
" All right," Granny pulled the boy from behind her, holding him securely in front of her waist. " Wha's this all 'bout?"
Alex stared at Victoria. " She told me to tell you to hold your pantaloons on!" Alex shouted before Victoria could get a word in edgeways.
Granny looked over at Victoria her head lowered, not looking at the elderly woman who was grandmother more to her than housekeeper. " Oh, she did, did she?" Her voice held a tone of amusement.
" Yeah, she did!" Alex answered, as a smug smile crossed his lips.
" Alex......" Victoria began, moving toward him.
" 'Ere now, that'll be 'nough of that." Granny cackled as a strong laugh erupted from within her. " Ye two remind me of me brother Seamus and me self......" Her eyes sparkled as she reminisced about the past------like others, she too had lost him during the St Mary's outbreakt in Ireland. " Fought 'ike cats en dogs, we did....." Her eyes began to mist over as a faraway look settled over her wrinkled face. "….aye, that was before St Mary's and Norsefire....." She sighed heavily, " But that was long ago and in another time......"
" A time that shall ever be burned into the minds of England." A deep velvety voice spoke softly from the kitchen entrance. " For they did not die in vain."
Granny looked up to find Lord Samuel and his lady standing in the doorway. " Aye, they did not Lord Samuel-----you saw to that."
V walked over to stand by Granny, his hand gently coming to rest on her shoulder. " They shall forever be in our memories and our hearts."
Dark green eyes looked up into his, tears welling and threatening to overflow. " You are among the blessed, Lord Samuel.......one of the truly blessed....."
" Now, let's not get carried away." Evey laughed softly, " You'll have his head twice it's size."
V looked at Evey, his head tilting to the side studying her. " Eve, I must insist on......"
" Never mind....." She stopped him mid-sentence, a smile flashing across her lips. " I know you would never let that happen."
V's head tilted the other way as he watched her walk away. " There are some papers I have to take care of in my office, I will be back in a moment or two." Evey smiled at him, her hand waving him off into the other room. Exhaling a deep breath, V moved out of the kitchen and toward his office as the knocker on the front door sounded. Changing his route, he paused for a moment before opening the door, and staring into the terrified face of Dominic Stone!