I do not own any of the characters, the movie, or anything like that. This story is based on the events after the movie.
Please read the bottom, as it is somewhat important!
"Christ that stinks!" Eric Finch silently agreed with his partner, but made no move to turn away from the grisly sight in front of him. He starred into the blank eyes of one Mr. Creedy and Adam Sutler. It had taken his men several days to get down there and retrieve the bodies from the crumbling train station. The first time they had tried, a riot had broken out when they showed up. Even though the Fingermen were bringing the people back to heel, it made the police work ever more difficult as they were made to serve and protect the people; plus they all knew that he'd shoot the first one of his men to kill an innocent. After being attacked, mobbed, and have riots break out around them, they had decided to sneak in at night in civilian clothing. They had gotten what they wanted, even if they were a little chewed around the edges.
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he tried to not let it bother him; even if he was sure he looked a little green around the edges. Dominic clasped the handkerchief to his nose as he waited for the coroner to begin his report. "Well, after examining Peter Creedy's body, we find that his spine was broken at the neck. We also found bruising around his throat which suggests that he was being strangled prior to his death." Eric rolled his eyes at the statement as the bruises were an obvious ring around the dead man's throat. "Anything else," he gruffly asked. Eric continued to do his best to ignore the evidence of rats on the corpses, even if it was becoming more difficult by the minute.
The coroner shrugged as he pulled the sheet over Creedy's body. "Nothing that we can find; besides the rats getting to both of them. Mind telling me how you knew where they were?" Eric gave the man a cool stare before the coroner shrugged and turned back to his next 'patient.' "As you can tell from the bullet hole in the forehead, he was shot. What is most interesting about his is two facts that we found." Turning away from the detectives, the man crossed the room into the evidence cabinet.
Eric turned away from Sutler's body, looking Dominic up and down. "Do you need some air?" He watched the younger man visibly swallow before shaking his head. Turning back to the rotting thing in front of him, he tried in vain to see the man that had ruled England with an iron fist. Starring into cloudy blue eyes, he couldn't see anything visible that made him want to follow this man, anywhere. Looking up, he watched him lay three items on a plain white table. Striding over, he starred in surprise. "The gun here belongs to Mr. Creedy, it is registered to him and even has name engraved on it. The bullet that killed Adam Sutler came from this gun." Eric's head whirled at the meaning of this, knowing anything else couldn't be good. "Is there any smudging of fingerprints that might have someone else firing it?" Dominic asked, starring at the weapon. The coroner shook his head and then began to explain the intimate process they had done to reveal the secrets of his art.
Holding up his hand, Eric quickly brought their conversation to an end. "And the rest here?" The coroner held up a black bag and night stick that had dried blood on it. "Mr. Creedy's fingerprints are all over both of these items along with Adam Sutler's blood. I believe that Mr. Creedy delivered our esteemed leader to Codename V for his own benefit. I also believe that Mr. Creedy killed Adam Sutler for his own benefit as well."
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"Do you realize what this means?" Eric quickly strode up the stairs, heading for the exit as fast as possible. He wanted clean air and bright sunshine desperately after what he had just seen and heard. "Inspector!" He spun, reeling on the younger man. "Yes Dom, I know bloody well what this means!" Slamming the door open, he stepped onto the busy street, running a hand down his face. Heading towards the car, he popped open the door, sliding into the driver's seat. Dominic got in beside him, his shock and surprise still evident on his face. "Now all we got to do is figure out how to tell the rest of them without signing our own death warrants." Sighing, he put the car into gear. "We've got one more place to go, after that we'll go to a pub and get drunk off our asses." Dominic gave a bitter laugh. "I don't think all the liquor in England can help me to forget what I just saw." Eric grunted his agreement, his mind still racing faster than he could comprehend.
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"Hello Guinness." Eric couldn't help but smile as the old man jumped. If they hadn't known each other forever, he knew he wouldn't be here right now. Clasping hands, he murmured a quick reply to the questioning of his well being while introducing Dominic. "I need your help with something and it must be kept quiet." Pulling out his safety net, he made sure that the light was green before continuing. "I need you to tell me who this was." He calmly handed him a small blood vial, starring at him intently. The old man's shaking hands grasped it before looking at the inspector. "Do you have any idea who it might be?" Eric nodded, scratching the side of his nose before he began to pace the lab. "All I know for sure is that is Codename V's blood your holding."
Dominic had to catch the old man as his knees gave out. Eric quickly helped them over to a chair, silently hoping that the color would return to his face. Clutching his chest and the vial, Eric was given a glare that could stop a Fingerman's charge. "Are you out of your bloody mind coming in here and trying to get me to believe you have Codename V's D.N.A.! And it's right in my hand!" Eric calmly let him go off into a tirade of curses directed towards him, knowing it was his way of dealing with the situation. "So will you do it Guinness?" The older Irishman gave him one final scorching glare. "Aye, I will do it for you, only because I'm curious myself." Clasping his shoulder, he gave him a grim sort of smile. "Good man. Need I say to keep this quiet?" His smile grew a little at the gruff laugh. Heading towards the door, he paused as Guinness's voice rang out. "You're going to have to tell me how you came by this over a pint one of these days." Eric shook his head, throwing a wave over his shoulder as he headed out on his errands once more.
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The car was silent during the drive. Eric trusted Dominic with his life, but he wasn't sure if he could trust him with other things that were turning out to be much more important. "Inspector, I have to tell you something." The sharp edge to his partner's voice quickly brought him out of his musing. "What is it Dom?" Dominic turned in his seat so his upper body was facing the older man, a hard glint in his eyes. Eric glanced over at him, noting that despite his calm and angry façade, his hands were clenching and unclenching, belaying his nerves. "I was…I was outside of Parliament when it was blown up. I was in the crowd." Eric couldn't help but chuckle as he realized that all of his fears about him were unneeded. He cast another glance at his partner, giving a small but full laugh at his dumfounded expression. "Close your mouth before something flies in it."
He turned the car from their original destination, figuring Dominic might as well know everything. "You're not mad?" Eric snorted, noting how the high class buildings were slowly descending down the rank. "I won't be so long as you keep your mouth shut and that formidable temper of yours in check during this next errand." He didn't noticed the sharp gleam in the young man's eyes as he looked around. "Are we about to do something devious?" Eric smirked in spite of himself. "Not really…Just…sharing information." He knew he had his curiosity flaring, but he was going to keep quiet until they got there. "You know there's quite a little revolutionist in you Dom." He smiled as his partner once again gave him the fish face as they drove on.
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Evey had had a very long, but fruitful day. She had been mastering all of V's equipment that he had left behind for her, and was making headway into understanding the surveillance system he had left for her. "I may never understand or be able to do what you did love, but I thank you for leaving it to me." She had all ready learned vital information about the way the new government was forming, and she felt sorry for the Inspector. She knew he had been having a hard time swallowing everything the old had been saying and doing, but this new one was a hundred times worse. She felt a thrill of fear slide through her at the thought of something happening to him. She couldn't help but laugh as she realized that he was her only connection to the outside world, and she had decided that he was her friend.
Her laughter was cut short as a sharp buzzing sound rang out through the Shadow Gallery. Her mind whirled, wondering what it was. Running to the computer, she found the source on one of the small screens. The very man that had been occupying her thoughts a few moments ago was standing outside her door with his partner. She grimaced as she realized that now another person was going to know about the precious secrets that lay behind her door as she saw that they weren't going to leave without being let in. Going out into the main room, she put away her sewing materials and quickly headed downstairs. Checking the remaining monitor that showed the door, she felt a slight relief that nothing had changed in the last few minutes, except for the agitated expression the Inspector now wore.
Opening the door open a crack, she hissed out from behind it: "What do you want?" She heard one of them take a step back before the Inspector calmly spoke. "I'd like a word with you Miss Hammond." She heard the sharp intake of breath from his partner and she couldn't help but smile. Opening it up, she stepped into the light. "Won't you please come in." Evey nodded her head back to Eric, but her eyes were laying on his partner. She noticed that he seemed older than the last time they had met, but he was still handsome with the fire of justice still burning brightly. Heading back towards the top floor, she calmly let the men take the lead as they stepped into her home. "My god, would you look at all of this?" Evey's eyes shot to the young man, surprised at the joyous expression on his face.
"Please look around. Inspector, shall we talk in the living room?" Not waiting for his answer, she proudly marched over to the back room, heading straight for what she thought of as her side of the couch. She stared straight ahead as if it wasn't important if the man entered or not. She allowed herself a momentary smile as Eric slowly entered the room. She made a mental note to try and sneak up on him one day as he constantly took stock of his surroundings. "Now, what brings you to my door this evening?"
She gave Eric Finch a very cool expression as his blue eyes bored into her brown ones. Evey could tell that he wanted something, she just wasn't sure what. The Inspector was the first one to look away, startling her. "What's wrong Eric?" She asked much quieter. She wanted to reach out to him, but found herself unmoving as her emotions began to turn on each other. "I have something to give you…Well, two somethings actually." Evey felt her herself going cold at the sight of a large black box. Taking in a shuddering breath, she told herself it wouldn't be all right to start screaming like a mad woman and throw them out. "Do I want to know what's in it?" Eric sighed, looking towards the floor while wringing his hands together; she couldn't help but wince when she heard some bones crack from his strength. "It's the mask and some fragment of clothing from V. The other something that is in there is also from him, but it is much more valuable."
Evey Hammond found herself mute for the second time in forty-eight hours, and she found herself dreading the knowledge of what the second item was. 'Acting like a lunatic sounds better and better,' she thought to herself while her mouth mumbled out the all important question. Eric stared at her again as he put on the calmest face that he could. "A sample of V's blood." She watched the room start to spin with that one sentence. She wasn't a genius, but she knew that the computer system in the laboratory was advanced enough to tell her everything about anyone with the right kind of sample. She could know everything about him that he couldn't remember. The implications of that one thought made her feel ill. To know who he was, what he did, everything about the man that had stolen her heart was entirely to much for her.
Evey found herself going on autopilot as her mind shut down. She couldn't remember what she said to the Inspector or his partner or how she got them to leave. All she remembered from that night was opening that hateful present and seeing the cracked mask of her love resting atop the tattered remains of his clothing.
So, what do you think? I know no fighting or anything like that, but that will hopefully be coming up soon. I do apologize for the delay in writing this, but I've been very busy trying to clean up the unnecessary drama in my life. Anyways, leave a review to let me know if you like, hate it, or think some things need to be changed. Go ahead, I dare you!