Author's note: Hi all-----I'm back-k-k-k-k! Sorry I haven't been able to post anything for quite awhile, but my daughter and I have been going through some problems, and thank god, they have now been solved---I hope. I have 4 chapters to add, so I will have them posted as soon as I can. Then there will probably be another waiting period----I'm heading for NC in 2 weeks----so please have patience with me as this story is about to reach it's end. Please enjoy and keep those reviews coming!!!!!
Chapter 15
' To Thine Own Self Be True '
Jazlyn had been awake for hours, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling---- replaying the conversation between her and V over and over in her head. According to him, his life would be over in a short time, but she had made her mind up----he would survive, she would see to that----all she had to do was find out how his vendetta was to end. She loved V, and would be with him, no matter what.
Throwing the covers back, Jazlyn slipped from bed, Shadow by her side and started down the hallway toward the labyrinth's main room when her ears caught the sound of music softly filtering through the room and down the hallway. Standing under the hallway arch, she watched as V leaned over the antique Wurlitzer, his hands on either side of his body, braced against the top of the glass case, his shoulders slumped. Jazlyn could see the black wig back in place as well as the leather gloves----she also knew that the Fawkesian mask once again hid his face. Sighing, she walked up from behind him, her arms encircling his waist as she laid her face against the muscular back.
" V?" she whispered softly as he grew taunt. " I love you, that will never change and because of that love, I am not leaving-----no matter what happens." Her arms fell away, as she stepped back. " I thought I could, but I can't."
" There are eight hundred seventy-six songs in this jukebox. Each one, I know intimately----each note, each melody----yet, I have never danced to one song." He spoke, a note of sadness in his voice as he turned to face her.
Jazlyn placed her hand on his shoulder. " Would you like to dance with me?"
" Yes, very much." V whispered behind the mask as she moved into his arms. " Jazlyn, I can't promise something that I can't keep."
" I know...." her voice faded off as she laid her head on his black clad chest. " Let's just enjoy this moment." Her voice broke on the last word.
V pulled her closed, the chin of the mask resting gently atop her head. " I love you Jazlyn." He whispered to her. ' More than you will ever know.' He added silently.
Jazlyn stopped, and looked up at him moving her hands to the sides of the mask as V lifted his to the buckles hidden within the wig. Slowly, the mask slid into her hands and she laid it on the top of the nearby piano.
V closed his eyes when her hands softly caressed his face, her lips touching his in a gentle kiss. Slowly, he scooped her up in his arms as if she were no more than a feather, his silver-gold eyes burning into hers. Without a word, he began down the hallway toward his rooms, where she would remain by his side every night until the end of his life.
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Peter Creedy smiled smuggly as John Packard walked into his office closing the door behind him. " Well?"
" It's an ancient spell book----most likely Wiccan." The man answered laying some blown up pictures of Jazlyn on Creedy's desk.
" Wiccan?" Creedy repeated glancing at the pictures. " Are you sure?"
" The symbols etched into the leather cover are Pagan. The book was probably scribed by a priest-----several hundred years ago."
" There is no doubt?"
" None, sir. It's authentic."
Creedy pushed the intercom button. " Send Laslo to my office."
" Yes, sir. Right away." a voice answered.
Creedy looked at Packard. " Would that book be worth anything to us if we could appropriate it for the sake of national security, Mr. Packard?"
" In the right hands, we could possibly become the most powerful country in the world." Packard grinned at Creedy as a knock sounded at the door.
" Enter." Creedy said, and a young man walked into the office, an air of arrogance about him.
Andrik Laslo stood a little over six feet tall, a muscular frame filling out black leather pants and jacket. Around his neck hung a silver pentagram, a large emerald, matching piercing green eyes, was set in the center. Along with the shoulder length black hair, the man did indeed make an imposing figure. " You sent for me, Party Leader Creedy?"
" What can you tell me of this book?" Creedy handed him the pictures.
Laslo was silent as he studied the photos. " You have this in your possession?"
" No....." Creedy began, " but we know who has it------we just need your help in procuring it, Mr. Laslo."
Laslo smiled at him. " I'll begin right away, Mr. Creedy."
" Keep me posted on your progress." Creedy ordered as Laslo left the office.
" Think he can do it?" Packard asked quietly.
" He hasn't let us down yet. " Creedy answered leaning back in his leather chair, closing his eyes. A smile appeared on his lips. He could almost taste victory.
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Jazlyn's fingers traced the scars on V's shoulder, her hand sliding slowly to his waist, gently tracing patterns on his rock hard abdomen. Earlier, in the evening, Jazlyn had confessed her uneasiness about not using protection when they made love. V had remained silent for several moments, then had confessed something she had already suspected----V was sterile because of Larkhill-----not only had they taken his memories from him, they had also taken any chance of him becoming a father.
" Your gentle touch betrays your thoughts, my love." V's voice broke the silence as he took Jazlyn's hand in his.
" I didn't mean to wake you." she whispered as his arm went around her, his hand gently caressing her side.
" You did not. I've been awake for some time." he answered, holding her close, " A wandering mind seldom sleeps."
" V, " Jazlyn began, her eyes shut tight against growing tears, " I'm scared------scared to let you go."
" I will always be with you, my love. Wherever your adventures take you, I will never be far from you." He moved her gently from his arms and raised up. Pulling the nightstand drawer open, he removed a small black box. Reaching up to turn the small lamp on, he handed it to her, a smile on misshapen lips. " A gift."
Jazlyn removed the ribbon slowly, letting it fall between them. Gently, she removed the lid, her fingers taking out the necklace. The small circled V glistened in the light's reflection as a lone tear trickled down her cheek and she began crying softly.
V raised her chin, and wiped away the salty wetness with his hand. " I will always be with you." He took the chain and fastened it around her slim neck, following it with his fingers until it stopped, nestled in the valley between her breasts, next to her heart. " Always."
Lewis Prothero stepped from the shower and wrapped a nearby towel around his waist. Opening the bathroom cabinet, he took out the bottle of pills and quickly popped two into his mouth, washing them down with a mouthful of whiskey. It was getting to the point that taking pills was the only way he could sleep anymore. Between Viadoxic, Norsefire, Sutler, Creedy, and that bloody damn terrorist , the stress was beginning to affect him. Pushing the cabinet door close, Prothero jumped as a Fawkesian mask stared at him in the mirror.
" Good evening once again, Commander Prothero." V's low, ominous voice broke the silence.
" You!" Prothero began to panic, looking around for anything to protect himself against the terrorist. " How did you get in here?! How the bloody hell did you get through security!?"
" Commander, " V chuckled, " Do you really think I will tell you my trade secrets?" Prothero watched as he reached into the cloak and withdrew a sheet of paper and a disc. " Do you remember the conversation we had some months ago, Commander?"
" No." Prothero answered.
" Come now Commander," V paused as he took several steps closer. " the one about the truth?"
Prothero remained silent.
" The time has come to let New London know the truth of which we spoke of." V replied, handing the paper to Prothero.
" What's this?"
" Your confession, Commander."
" I'll not read any of this bloody shit, just to satisfy some crazy, disillusional terrorist!" Prothero spat at V.
" You will, Commander." A knife suddenly appeared in V's hand as if by magic, " or you die where you stand." In a matter of seconds, the blade lay pressed against Prothero's fat neck.
" Alright! Alright!" Prothero exclaimed, and V lowered the blade. " What do you want me to do?"
" We are going into your private studio Commander, where you will record your confession onto the cd, then....." V stopped, grinning under the mask, " the next move will be up to you."
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Jazlyn was running as fast as she could------ rounding a corner of a building, she felt an arm grab her roughly, pulling her into the shadows. " V?" she asked looking up at the mask partially obscured by the darkness.
" Hello, Jazlyn. " A dark, low voice whispered to her as a disembodied hand tightened around her arm.
With her eyes straining into the shadows, a sudden coldness covered her as the mask began to morph into a human face, a sneer curling upon thin lips. " I'm coming Jazlyn...." the voice paused as the face continued to change, " I'm coming.....for you......."
Jazlyn screamed at the staring skull trying to free herself from its grasp as her eyes flew open and she bolted upright in bed. She reached out into the darkness for V, but her hand found only emptiness.
" What is wrong, Mistress Jazlyn?" Shadow's voice purred as she rubbed lovingly against her.
" Just a bad dream, my love. Nothing more." She smiled, stroking the huge cat as she tied V's robe around her and left the room.
V popped the cd from the machine, placed it in the case, then into his cloak. " Thank you, Commander." Reaching into his jacket, he pulled a hypodermic needle from his pocket, took the protective cap off, and checked the fluid.
" What---what are you going to do with that?" Prothero began to shake
" I'm going to kill you." V answered softly, moving toward him.
" Kill me?" Prothero repeated, backing away. " Why kill me----I've done nothing to you-----bloody hell, I don't even know who you are!"
" Oh there, you are wrong, Commander." V paused, " We met many years ago----at Larkhill."
Prothero stared at the mask, then acknowledgement flashed across his face. " You're him----the man from room five-------you destroyed Larkhill!"
" Yes, Commander, I am------and I'm here to repay you for all you have done."
The last thing Prothero saw was the mask coming nearer. V watched as the man collapsed onto the floor with a loud thump. Smiling under the mask, with a swirl of the cloak, V was gone again into the darkness.
Andrik Laslo smiled smuggly to himself as he extinguished the black candles, the last remaining ribbons of smoke, drifting toward the ceiling. He had touched her mind-----finally, he had found the melder! He had sensed her the moment she had come through the time portal just as he had many years ago. Creedy would have the book, but he would have the girl------Jazlyn Sommers!
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Jazlyn sat quietly in the kitchen sipping on the mug of hot tea, trying to figure out what had just happened. Shadow lay at her feet, her eyes closed, resting contentedly as she tried to understand who had tapped into her subconscious, and why. The melding had only happened once before-----when she was a mere child, and her abilities were just emerging. She was what her mother called a Wiccan melder-----a witch that could touch anything---animate or not, and relive the past, present or future of that object or person. Because of her unusual abilities, it left her open to attack from anyone else who also had the ability. The first melding had left her shaken and terrified at the age of four. She had told her mother that a monster was going to hurt her-----a thought so terrifying to her mother and grandmother, that Shadow was summoned as a protector for the young girl-------and now, someone else had found her again.
Jazlyn heard the gallery door open and close, booted footsteps moving across stone floors.
" Jazlyn?" She heard V's voice. Looking up, she found him standing under the kitchen archway and was on her feet and in his arms.
" V, please hold me...." she whimpered, shivering.
" What is the matter, my love? You are freezing." He untied the cloak and drew it around her shoulders.
" Something happened." She answered burying her face into his chest. "I'm so scared V."
" Why should you be frightened? You are quite safe here with Shadow." He soothed her, holding her close. " What has happened that has upset you so?"
Jazlyn looked up at him. " Someone touched my mind."
" Touched your mind?" He asked, tilting the mask a little further to the right than normally. " I don't understand...."
" You wouldn't...." Jazlyn spoke softly, " It's something that few people are capable of. It's an ability that most are not born with."
" And you were?" He asked, looking into troubled eyes.
" Jazlyn shook her head slowly, withdrawing from his arms. " Yes, I am one of 'the gifted'. " She paused, " One or two are born every other generation into the world. They are usually taken by the age of two from their parents and placed with a melding trainer to begin their grooming for future use." She looked away from him, her eyes on the floor. " My mother hid my abilities from the coven, that is the reason why Shadow is with me----to protect me."
" Jazlyn-----that's enough. He needs to know no more." A strange feminine voice spoke from behind them, and V turned, knife in hand, to find a dark-haired beauty emerging from the shadows. " There is no need for your weapon." The woman stopped mere inches from where they stood.
" Who are you?" He asked, the knife still in his gloved hand.
The woman smiled, crossing her scarlet clad arms. " My true name is Cassandra, but I am known by many------you know me as Shadow."
" Shadow?" V repeated, his eyes wide under the mask.
" I am what many call an anamorphic in our circles." Cassandra explained as Jazlyn locked eyes with the mask.
" You knew of this?" V asked her, his hands crossed at the waist, his body rigid and taunt.
" Yes....." She lowered her eyes.
" Are there more secrets?" V's right eyebrow raised under the mask.
" No V, you know as much about me now as I know about you." Jazlyn sighed.
V tilted his head in acknowledgement.
Jazlyn turned to Cassandra. " You know who melded with me, don't you?"
Cassandra's dark eyes locked with green ones. " Yes. I believe I do." She moved to sit opposite of Jazlyn at the table. " Many times, I have sensed a strong presence within the city, and have searched endless nights seeking this person out, until I finally tracked him." Cassandra paused, looking at her mistress. " His name is Andrik Laslo. He works for a man by the name of Peter Creedy."
Jazlyn felt a cold numbness spreading across her body----the last thing she saw was V's mask staring at her before her world went black.