"You found it?" Evey stared at the brown package that was being set down in front of her.
A man about her age with spiky black hair smiled at her, "I told you I would."
Evey picked up the package; "I don't know how to thank you." she softly spoke as she studied her package.
The man chuckled slightly, "Well you can start by paying me for my troubles. That wasn't an easy movie to get my hands on, not too many copies left."
Evey stared at the man then looked around in surprise, "Right! Right!" She grabbed up her bag and dug around in it till she found her wallet. She paid him right away and he departed with a smile and a wink. Evey just shook her head as he exited the book store.
Once he was gone she looked back down at the package then back up at the clock. "Ops closing time." She beamed as she went to the door to lock it.
V sat at a fine oak desk staring at a monitor. He moved the black mouse around as he placed the finishing touches on one of his plans to come. The Shadow Gallery was filled with a variety of different music for over the past hour as he worked. He read over an email he just received and sat back with a smile.
"There, it's done."
An email displayed in front of him with a list of all his shipping addresses. Half of London a month before November 5th would receive a box from him. It would contain a wig, cape, hat, and Guy Fawke's mask. He took a last look over the list as he scrolled thru all the names he had compiled. The boxes would be flown in from dummy company from France, then sent thru a re mailing company to be delivered by a separate delivery carrier. He made sure to cover his tracks completely and also leave no traces to wreak his wonderful surprise to all of London.
He stared over the list idly now as a thought crept into his mind. "I dare to wonder if your new name is on my list dear Evey."
Evey sat on her couch and carefully cut thru the tape and paper. She pulled the DVD out of its wrapping and smiled softly. "The Count Of Monte Cristo" she read to herself.
She stood up and opened the DVD container, walking to her small TV, placing it into the built in DVD player. She went back to the couch and sat down. It wasn't before long till she was lying down on the couch instead. The time she lived with V filled her head, she had lived with him for weeks never sure of what was going to happen to her exactly. She thought about the time she spent in the fake cell, how she was drawn into a well acted lie to show her 'the truth'.
When the film finished she rolled over and stared at the ceiling. She thought about the last song she heard there in the Shadow Gallery. She missed that song dearly; she missed the smell of eggs and toast in the morning. She missed all the art, the books, the conversations they had and all the ones they didn't. Her vision slowly went blurry as her eyes filled with tears.
"I miss you V" she cried as tears that she had been holding on to finally drained out over her face.
V carefully clipped away a few branches from the rose bush he was working on. He set his cutting shears down and placed the remains of his pruning in a small trash bag. He bent down and smelled the roses thru his mask, "Lovely" he complemented them.
V took off his gardening gloves and laid them next to the cutting shears. He tied up the bag and walked out of the room he devoted to Valeria and the growing of roses. He passed by the TV he left on to listen to while working, he stopped and watched when he saw his picture display on the screen.
"..the terrorist known as 'V' has been recently connected now to the terrorist attack at St. Mary's…"
V stared at the news woman as she was now blinking more than would be called normal. "Is that so?" V mused to himself out loud.
He shook his head and sighed at the newest news on him that the government had been filling the airwaves with. V tossed the trash into the larger trash bin in the kitchen. As the lid clicked shut he sighed as he looked around the Shadow Gallery. "I suppose the place could use a good cleaning." V rolled up the shelves of the grey cotton shirt he had on under his vest.
V sat on his knee's with purple rubber gloves on and a rag in hand. A red bucket sat next to him full of water and soap. He had spent the past two hours now cleaning, he polished the statues, swept and mopped the floors, wiped the dust from the paintings, and now he was wiping down all the walls. He was starting to wish he had some windows to air out the Shadow Gallery. So he did the next best thing and opened the roof door and left the lift's door open. He was blessed with a pleasant summer breeze blowing off from the Thames.
He dropped the rag back into the bucket smiling as his last cleaning task was completed. He cleaned up the bucket then he took a shower himself. Refreshed and having it all done before two o'clock he felt accomplished. He zipped up his doublet then place on his mask and wig. He came out of his bedroom and viewed the spoils of his labor.
He sniffed the air that was drifting in from above and down thru the lift shaft. A soft smell, warm and fragrant floated on the air. V walked over to the lift and rode it up to the roof. He walked out into the blazing but pleasantly warm sun. He walked to the edge of the roof and looked over the railing.
A soft smile slid on lips, "I forgot what today was" he humored at himself.
People and flowers filled the streets, music and voices echoed from below filling the air. A banner tied over the street reading "Summer Festival" in bright colors, flapped in the wind. V leaned against the railing resting his chin in his cupped hand; he was up high enough to not have to worry about anyone spotting him.
He watched as children laughed and blew bubbles into the air. A group of men laughed as they sat outside of a pub a few buildings down. Women laughed and joked in different groups, keeping watch ever still on their children running about. Vendors of balloons, flowers, and all kinds of food walked the streets. As V watched more it made him feel a million miles away. This was what he was fighting for, for the freedom to laugh like the children were now doing. To have a care free chat with your fellow Englishmen freely. To enjoy such freedom's more than once a year on a government deemed and monitored holiday. As he looked closer, he watched as the fingermen tried to blend into the crowd, watching for anything. Keeping the so called peace but more likely instilling fear on not being arrested.
As much as it looked care free it was being controlled and directed in the direction they wanted it to go. But still as dulled as holidays go he couldn't help but wish he could join. To walk thru the decorated streets and smell all the different flowers for sale. To sit outside the pub eating fish and chips with a pint to drink. There were so many pleasures of life he wanted to go and enjoy that very moment. Pleasures he would never have but could only hope his actions would allow countless others to instead in his place.
V watched off in the distance now as large summer clouds drifted along on the distance horizon. He couldn't help thinking about the many things he would never get to do. He pictured going on a summer's picnic in the country. Laying in the grass, watching the clouds go by as they changed their shape. He thought about Evey in a pale yellow summer dress. A wicker hat on her head, smiling like there was no tomorrow. Eating sandwiches and drinking soda together under the cool shade of a large oak tree. He thought about watching her hair sway in the summer wind around her soft face. He thought about her smile, her eyes, and her lips. He thought about what it would be like to touch her lips, what they would taste like. What her midrange moan would sound as he touched her.
V gasped when he found himself gripping the stone railing almost painfully hard. The day dream he was lost in faded away. He shook his head as he felt an odd ache over take him. He frowned and let out an exasperated sigh. He walked backed to the lift to take another shower, a cold one this time. Part of him cursed his self for day dreaming off in such a manor. But another part sighed, knowing that he would never see or do such things, so was it so bad to just dream of them? He pulled off his mask and rubbed the bridge of his nose, he had another headache coming on.