Well that certainly wasn't right. -- -- A thought that V mumbled aloud as he sat back in his chair.
Somewhere in England's fearless government -- whether it be the former, tyrannical Norsefire, or the people's government now fully seated -- someone had goofed. Red-tape and the errors it created, were apparently not regime dependent.
The list of computer systems he had been able to tap into was growing week by week; month by month. And within every new network, he found himself doing searches on the issues and people of importance to him. -- -- A cautious vigilance well-learned during years of distrust and oppression.
'Mistakes', were a phenomena he usually viewed with suspicion, always suspecting they were better defined as 'cover-ups'. Especially when the department involved was in the business of intelligence or law enforcement. Corruption knew no party lines.
The mistake he found on this day, however, did seem relatively innocent. More of a goof than a cover-up. But given the subject ... the importance of the subject ... it was not one he could ignore easily. He had no choice but to investigate.
The guard on duty that night never had liked his job. Not really. It was disconcerting to spend dark, haunting nights surrounded by the memories and remnants of other people. Other *lives*. ... ... It felt like violating their privacy, even if he wasn't actually peeking at the items in question.
Not that he expected some white-cloaked ghost to hop out and scare him to death, mind you. He wasn't terribly superstitious. Unfortunately, nor was he expecting the black-cloaked, flesh-and-blood stranger that suddenly emerged from the shadows behind him.
The gloved hand came swiftly out of the darkness, wrapping around the guard's throat just as the poor man was setting off on a routine check of the second floor.
"My sincerest apologies, old man," V spoke with genuine remorse. "I do promise your safety ... I simply require some time alone on the premises."
And it didn't really hurt ... not that much at least ... when V adjusted his fingers to press just the right artery, and pinch just the right nerve in the man's neck. The guard slumped to the floor, merely unconscious, but destined to be in that state long enough for V to find the treasure he sought.
A slip of paper was pulled from his cloak. A string of numbers whispered under his breath, and he entered the doorway through which the guard was just about to pass. Before the masked avenger stretched a room with aisles and aisles of lockers.
This might take longer than he thought.
V had his prize at the ready though, that next evening when Evey came down to the Gallery. The nondescript box sat patiently on the table, waiting to reveal its contents.
She didn't notice it at first. -- -- Ironic, considering what it was. He'd almost expected her to somehow sense it. ... For the box to call to her in some way. But it was by his own hand that he finally led her to the table on which it sat.
"I hope you don't find this too intrusive of me," he warned carefully, his gloved fingers landing demonstratively on the box lid. "It was brought to my attention by CID's record database. I found my way into it yesterday."
... ... It was a minor fib ... it hadn't been so much 'brought to his attention', as 'popped up when he'd done a search on Evey Hammond'. Merely a check -- nothing more -- to ensure that there were no hidden threats still lingering. He couldn't help it. After twenty years of guarding his tracks, he couldn't resist guarding hers now as well.
"CID?" she asked, wondering why anything to do with her would still be floating around the intelligence departments.
"It harkens no bad news, I assure you," he quickly consoled. "But it's something from your past that ... might come as a bit of a shock. As it happens, it appears that due to a clerical error, some of your earlier possessions have survived unscathed. There were nine boxes collected from your flat, years ago, while only eight were then destroyed. The ninth became misplaced among the possessions of another woman whose property had also been raided that day."
