Author's Note: This story is an obvious AU, taken from a scene in the movie. Remember when V sends out all those packages of his costume, and someone uses it to rob a store…well…that's where the idea began. What if V was that man, what if this is how he started out? I'm not completely sure where this story is going, but believe me, it's got hundreds of different possibilities, and I'll take it from there.

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Evey Hammond flipped idly through an old newspaper, attempting to find something worth reading. That search would prove futile, however, as it had the past seventeen times she'd scanned the headlines tonight. She sighed in boredom as she came to the final page, folding the uninteresting piece of literature (if it could really be called that) and tucking it back under the desk she was currently sitting at. Everything was exactly the same. The white paint was peeling off of the wall in precisely the same place it had been since she'd started working at the convenience store, the neon "Open" sign always flickered occasionally where the p was connected to the e in a cursive flourish, and after nine o'clock, there would be no customers.

Propping her hand upon her chin, the disengaged young woman frowned and stared out one of the giant windows that led to the outside. Yet the outside did not equal freedom—no in fact it might even be safe to say that once she abandoned her post at the mini-mart, she would be under more scrutiny than ever. At least within the four walls she was free to become lost in a train of never-ending thoughts, or speak quietly to herself whenever no one in the store was present, but never an inflammatory statement. Something too caustic or scathing could alert the ever-present patrolling vans that picked up any and all conversations. And it would not do to complain about something so trivial as a boring job. This was simply her fate, her lot in life. Nobody said she would have to like it.

As Evey dove into the vast and cavernous sanction that was her mind, she felt perturbed for barely a moment—as if something horribly heavy had been dropped into the pit of her stomach. But the moment flickered past as quickly as it had come and soon she was completely lost to the world surrounding her. So lost that she did not hear the door at the other end of the store open, nor did she notice on the security camera in front of her that the customer was wearing a strange mask to conceal his face.

After a few moments, Evey recognized that someone had entered the store. Perhaps had she not been craving some company, she would have thought it odd that for the first time in the six months she'd worked here, someone had come in after nine. But, her need for companionship caused her to overlook this oddity, and also caused her to ignore the many TV screen monitors that were revealing the strange customer and his mask.

"Good evening, sir," Evey called out the trained response that only varied depending on the time of day. She could not hide the tiniest bit of hope in her voice, that maybe her final hour working wouldn't be so dull.

When there was no reply, Evey slumped a bit in defeat. Frustrated, she slouched in her chair, and glanced downwards. Maybe the masked man noticed her movement, and he turned away on purpose. Or perhaps he was just lucky and pivoted at the right moment. Whatever the reason, he turned his back to face towards the surveillance camera just as Evey peered at the screen.

She watched as the man meandered up the aisles, inspecting various snacks and treats. He would run his fingers over the products, sometimes even lifting them to read the labels, but he did not seem interested in purchasing anything. This began to frustrate Evey; she tapped her nails on the counter, impatiently. Eventually she voiced her annoyance,

"Are you planning on buying anything?"

The man seemed to be taken aback by the impatience in Evey's voice. He turned a bit, not revealing his face to the young cashier, but tilting it enough to show his mild surprise.

"Is my presence to your displeasure, miss?" His voice was velvety smooth, and it washed over Evey, almost intoxicating her. She could not disguise her astonishment at the man's elegance in his speaking. Intrigued, she attempted to get a better look at his face by leaning over the counter slightly.

"Uh, no…not at all."

"Oh…well…it will be."

Before Evey could even process the words, the man reached for his waist, and still with his back to her, pulled out a gun, and aimed it at her. His right hand was gloved, and he grasped the weapon tightly in it, all the while concealing his face.

"I'm assuming your expression is one of confusion, and extreme fright. No doubt you are gaping at me, disbelieving and unable to comprehend how and why a firearm is being pointed directly at you."

Frozen, Evey could only shift her gaze from the metallic weapon to the stranger's head. Her mind raced, yet it could not settle on one specific course of action. The seemingly polite albeit odd man now turned robber did not skip a beat, as he continued his speech of sorts.

"Let me assure you, I mean no offense when I say this, but that expression only serves to mar such a pretty face. So close your mouth, and listen to what I have to say, and it is my intention that the two of us shall part ways exactly the same as we as we met…unacquainted, unharmed, strangers."

A pregnant pause followed—as if he were waiting for Evey to say something. But when there was no response, he sighed, and flicked the gun towards the register.

"Go into the cash box, and pull out all of the money contained within it," he commanded. When Evey made no move to comply he sighed yet again, this time frustration was palpable. He pointed the weapon into the air, and fired. Every involuntarily screamed and raised her arms up as if to protect herself.

"I won't say it again," he chastised, his once smooth voice becoming increasingly jagged, and laced with annoyance. "Go into the cash box. And take out the money. Then, put it in a bag."

With shaking hands, Evey reached for the cash register, and opened it. As she grabbed some of the bills, her mouth began to move of its own accord. She began to speak without actually meaning to.

"Why are you doing this? You're not going to get away with it."

A chuckle escaped the thief. He stroked his chin with his left hand as if bemused by her question.

"Well, that is a rather bewildering inquiry if you ask me. Because why would I be robbing a small convenience store, knowing full well the consequences if I were to be apprehended? Why run such a risk? Why jeopardize my life, if not for some obviously significant and vital reason? The answer may not be as romantic as one might hope, but then again, the life of a criminal is never so. I am stealing for the sole purpose of acquiring money, much needed money. Now if your question was why am I taking what is not rightfully mine from this particular store, than I apologize if your hopes are dashed, because I chose this store at random."

Evey gawked at him, positive that he was insane. She dared not ask anymore questions, no longer sure if she was afraid of the weapon he was brandishing or of hearing another long winded speech. So, wisely, she complied with his wishes, and placed the fistful of money in the bag. As she reached out to place the overflowing sack on the counter, she toyed with the idea of pressing the red emergency button beside the monitor. Just as her fingers ghosted over the glass protective panel the burglar's voice rang out.

"Now, come, come my dear…did you really think I'd simply let you push that call button? At least have the decency to wait until I've left."

Instantly she pulled her hands back as if she had been slapped. Her face reddened in embarrassment--though why she was embarrassed about being caught by a criminal was rather ironic in her mind.

"Well, there you go. It's all there," she snapped, bitterly. But he made no move to approach her, he only waved the gun as if motioning her to get closer.

"If you would be so kind as to complete this transaction, by bringing the bag and its contents to me, I'd say we could both return to our lives."

Shaking her head slightly at the man's flippant reply she snatched the bag off of the counter and strode toward the figure clothed in nearly all black. When she got within close proximity of the gun, though, her confidence faded. She sidestepped around the weapon and was about to walk to his front when she was halted.

"That's close enough." And in one sweeping motion he whirled around, seizing the sack out of her hands and turning back around before she was able to get a close look at him. All she noticed before she was swallowed up by the darkness was a fast moving hand, and a smiling, white face.