Evey was lying and glaring to herself in the dark. She was a failure. A mess. A nobody. Why did she have to storm out of the swimming pool like that, what did V think of her now? That she was the worst mess he ever gotten into. Evey crossed her arms, continuing to stare into the dark emptiness of her bedroom. She was very alone, very upset and very ashamed. She still smelled of chlorine water and her body itched. She wasn't used to it and hadn't had a shower after her failed swimming practise. Her curly hair was more frizzy now and her bed had a wet spot beneath her. Evey couldn't decide what to do next. What would she tell V next time she saw him? God, she was afraid even looking at the man for the moment. She wouldn't be able to look him into his mask, she was too cowardy. She wouldn't make it. For a moment Evey didn't know why she suddenly felt so sorry for herself. Earlier she would've thought it was ok pitying herself, but now it just felt pathetic. Why was she acting like a two years old? Why didn't she try again after failing in the pool?
Evey sighed loudly and got up. She walked through the dark to reach the door. She pressed down the handle and looked out. The Shadow Gallery was dark. All lights were out. So V must've gone to bed. Usually Evey would find him sitting and reading a book, but now he wasn't anywhere seen. Evey closed the door quietly behind herself and headed to the stairs.
Inspector Eric Finch nervously wiped some sweat away from his forehead with the back of his hand. What had happened a few days ago had made Sutler mad and now he expected it to be written all over his face. He glanced around as he hurried into the Situation Room. One thing he deeply hated about this was that some of the meetings weren't in the evening, but in very early morning. Guards were literally everywhere, Sutler had sharpened the security now. He was probably afraid V would attack him directly. In a few quick steps Finch reached the Situation Room, sat down on his place in front of the Interlink screen and nodded to the others as a greeting. This was going to be painful. Since Sutler had basically fired Creedy Finch expected a lot of yelling from Sutler's side. Was there going to be a riot? Creedy was not a man that gave up directly.
After 5 minutes of nervous messing with papers and glasses of water, the Head was assembled. Everyone nervously cleaned their throats before seeing Sutler appear on the screen. The atmosphere was incredibly tensed in the Situation Room and everyone feared they would loose their jobs. Creedy was the most nervous, but he didn't show it. His pale skin glowed in the dark and the sweat on his face was reflecting.
A click was heard and they were staring into the chancellor's angry face on the screen.
"What the hell happened!" he yelled.
Even though everyone expected him to have his voice up, they torched where they sat. Listening to a very angry Adam Sutler was always frightening.
"Why are you still here, Mr. Creedy?" he shouted, staring at Creedy. Finch, Heyer and Dascombe actually expected him to be angry at why the terrorist was still alive, but at the moment they got the impression he didn't care at all. The only thing that seemed to disturb him was the fact that Creedy wasn't out of the building.
"Sir…" he started with a thin, yet stern voice. "I think it'd be… Better if I, head of the Finger department, would stay a little longer to find…"
"I did not ask for your opinion, Mr. Creedy!" Sutler yelled, turning red. He seemed to have a difficult night. Half of London had been black-bagged and detained. Some of them executed. Creedy turned quiet. This was already difficult enough.
"I told you that what happened a couple of days ago was intoreleble, and I do not accept intolerance in this country! Mr. Creedy is a perfect example for that and that is why he is signing his recegnation today!"
Creedy cleaned his throat and continued:
"My Fingrmen have found certain… resources, Sir. Finding the terrorist would be quite… easy now." He said. Sutler thought for a short moment.
"And what is that, Mr. Creedy?"
"They have been searching the city for quite some time now, and finding traces from the terrorist. I believe in the present time they already have clues where he could be."
Sutler must've changed his mind, for he loud and clearly told him:
"You can still find yourself head of the Finger till the terrorist is found. Mr. Finch, what have you found out?"
Finch gulped.
"Well, not much since the riot, lots of information went missing but we're picking it up."
"Good, Mr. Dascombe?"
"We're telling them the terrorist is found dead."
"Mr. Heyer, I want cameras and guards in every corner of the city, any dead end and absolutely any other place you can think of! England prevails."
"England prevails…" they mumbled.
When the meeting was over, Finch was the first one to get up. This had went easier that he thought. Thankfully no one lost their jobs, even Creedy was in for a while longer. He could still bet there was a connection between code name "V" and Larkhill. But since the chancellor had blacklisted all information, he was as good as lost.
Evey stood on the edge of the swimming pool. She didn't want to be weak. She wanted to make it. She wanted to be able to do everything that V agreed to teach her. She adjusted her swimming suit and hopped into the water. Evey gasped for air when reaching the surface and blinked to get the small amount of chlorine out her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, touching her shoulders and not moving them. She started to stabilize herself by using her legs, her stomach and her back. She continued doing that. She kicked and kicked. Evey felt the pain grow in her legs. Her blood pressure hightened and the blood was moving faster through her veins. Evey started to breath heavily. She was so tired, her body was screaming for sleep. She glanced over at the clock on the wall. 3 AM. She was so tired she didn't even know her name, she just wanted to go back to her cozy, warm bed and fall asleep. But she couldn't. When she had been lying there in her bed, thinking, a strange feeling had ran through her body. It felt as if she had been filled with new strength. She felt that this time, she would make it. Evey didn't even notice, that V was regarding her through the little opening in the door.
V smiled behind his mask. Evey had such a fighter spirit. He didn't even understand why he was worrying in the first place, of course Evey would overwin her physical weakness. He watched her trying harder and harder. He saw the strength and courage hidden beneath her skin and in her little body. Evey was starting to rise higher, rise above. She was superior. At least in V's eyes. He stood and watched her for a long time. Where did she get all that energy from? Smoke of energy was almost rising up from her. He yawned and looked at his clock. She had been doing this for over an hour now. Quietly he went upstairs to his study. V glanced over the table and found what he was looking for. Carefully he picked some of his polished knives up and carried them to the hall where he put them on the table in the middle of the round room. Tomorrow he'd take step two.
