CHAPTER 4: In the Lair of V
Sorry for the delay in posting a new chapter, but I found out that there are three Hot Topics within two hundred miles of here, two of which are only an hour's drive in either direstion. So, as a rational, logical-minded man of science, I couldn't help but put on my custom steel-toe-capped Johnny the Homicidal Maniac style boots, my custom Jack the Ripper coat, and along with my platonic life partner, hopping into my souped up, tricked out custom S-10 (With me, everything's custom), and going mall ratting. Then I was delayed with everyday, commonplace events such as laboratory sterilization, physics research, and dun dun dun...laundry. Anyway, enough witless jaw-wagging about my life.
This chapter will be mostly back story. I wanted to work more on V's character, and help to build up the cannon of the world of my fic. Be prepared for heavy reading in this one. I don't own Invader Zim, or V for Vendetta for that matter.
Tak awoke to the sound of music, and the soft comfort of a plush bed. She sat up inquisitively, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The sudden upstart caused her head to ache, and she lay back down, recollecting the last things she could remember. The men chasing her. the broadcast. Saving V. Getting whacked in the head.
"Ah," She said softly. "That's what happened." Tak slowly swung her legs out of bed, and stood, feeling the cold stone floor beneath her bare feet. Still confused as to her exact whereabouts, she simply headed in the direction of the sounds. She rubbed her still aching head as she entered through a low doorway. To her surprise, there stood V, holding a mug of rich, black coffee toward her. He still wore his costume, but had shed his cloak and hat. Tak looked at him silently for a moment before gently taking the coffee, and heading for a small breakfast table in the amazingly large and elegant room.
"You're awake." V stated. "Good. I was beginning to worry as to whether you suffered any major injuries from the blow to your head."
"I just have a splitting headache." Tak replied, sipping the coffee. "That's all." She took another sip, and glanced over. V still stood, watching her. "I suppose I owe you a thanks for saving me again, huh?"
"Oh, not at all, my dear." V replied. "In fact, I should be thanking you. In fact, I believe I will. Thank you."
"Yeah." Tak sighed. She looked around the room. Fine wooden furniture filled the room, along with artwork, and enough books to fill a library. "So," She said conversationally. "Is this your place?"
"Indeed, it is." V said. "The last true place in this country where truth prevails, and choice is left to the individual. It is my home. By base of operations, as it were."
"Sooo, where are we?"
"Someplace safe, and free from the prying eyes of the Irken Order."
"You know," Tak said. "I would really like some real answers. Who are you, really? Where am I? And what precisely is going on?" V sighed and walked to the table, sitting across from Tak.
"Were you here from the beginning?"
"Yes." Tak replied, a slight hint of pain in her voice. "I...saw it all."
"Then the prologue is rather unnecessary." V said. "As to your first question, I am a man in a mask. I know this because I am quite certain I am a man, and I'm rather certain I'm wearing a mask. But I suppose you want to know more?"
"I would." Tak replied.
"I was here in the beginning as well. Not in this city, though. I came to be here by a series of events which fortuitously shaped my destiny, and possibly that of the entire planet." Satisfied that she would not get any personal information out of V, Tak moved on to her second question.
"Ooookay, and where are we again?"
"Look around you." V said. "What do you see?" Tak's eyes wandered around the room. "Or rather, what don't you see?" She noted the cool, moist air, the lack of windows, the stonework floor and walls. The answer hit her.
"We're underground." She said.
"Very good." Replied V. "Now, the story. We are in what was once the main area of an underground complex built and maintained by a network of humans for the purpose of surviving an alien attack. Though this was more than most humans, including the armies of the world had, the preparation was, sadly, not enough. When the Irkens invaded Earth, this network hosted the remaining rebels and refugees for some time, while also hoarding away anything they thought would be valuable to the survival of the human culture."
"Such as..."
"Books the Irkens deemed 'dangerous', and incenerated. Here you can find everything from Bradbury to Poe, from Thoreau to Shapespeare. They also stocked this underground complex with various pieces of artwork, music, historical artifacts, and even musical instruments. Oh, and let us not forget the weapons that were cached...before..." V lowered his head slightly.
"Before what?" Tak asked with interest.
"Before the Swollen Eyeball Network and its subterraean city of human refugees were betrayed. One of their own alerted the Irken Command to their existance and whereabouts." V sighed sadly. "The human rebels were able to find out about the attack beforehand, and left this part of the complex, sealing it so that any future generations would be able to find the treasures herein. I suppose they still had hope that man would prevail at some point."
"What happened?"
"There was a final battle. The Swollen Eyeball Network led a counterattack against the Irken army, just as it was preparing the attack of its own. Using technology stolen from the Irkens, the resistance was able to at least make it one of the most successful battles against the Irkens. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but when Agent Darkbooty, head of the SEN fell, and a new contingent of Irken soldiers with battle mechs arrived, the humans were routed. All of those who weren't killed were captured, and sent to camps. In the torture and experimentations that followed, they were all either killed or driven insane."
"How do you know all of this?" Tak asked.
"I make it my point to know as much as possible."
"And you just found this place, and used it to wage your secret war against the Irken Order?"
"In a nutshell. But as you know, in the nutshell is the meat of the nut. Inasmuch, there is much more than just a one man rebellion against the Irkens being orchastrated from this quaint hobbit-hole of seclusion." Tak felt as if she had enough to digest for the moment, and she hadn't even had breakfast yet. She asked one more question, which seemed pertinant at the moment.
"Am I a prisoner here?"
"In a way." V replied. "But I hold no key, nor keep any cells. You are a prisoner in the sense that, due to your heroic actions last night, you would do well not to be seen in public for a while." Tak ruminated the statement. He was right. She had aided a revolutionary, and it had all probably been caught on video surveillance. Maybe, it would be better to lay low for a while.
"So," Tak said. "What do you do around here, you know, when you're not fighting tyrrany and all?"
"Do you like movies?" V asked.
I know it was a short chapter, but worry not. More will be en route soon enough. Honestly, I'm out of coffee and energy drinks, and my writing suffers when I'm decaffinated, so I think I'll brew a pot of Earl Gray, and try to get a couple more chapters posted either tonight or on the morrow. So, till next time, as always, cheerio.
