Deep Legend - DeYtH Banger (best free ebook reader for android .TXT) 📗

just as V had
done. She suddenly feels V watching her.

EVEY
V?

V
Yes.

Evey smiles as V steps out of the shadows.

EVEY
V, what's going to happen?

V
Change, Evey. That's all. Just
change.

EVEY
Is it going to be violent?

V
Yes, I suppose it will.

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

Creedy empties a bottom drawer, making room to hide the
costume. As he does, the closet door behind him slowly
creeps open.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

V stands at the jukebox.

EVEY
But why? Why must is be violent?

V
Because, Evey, that is the nature
of change. She is a temperamental
creature that appears in earnest
rarely but, when she does, she will
wear one of two faces. The first
face is the destroyer. It is
lamentable but all true change
begins with death.

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

A dark figure stands over Creedy. The hammer raises, a slash
of silver against the velvety darkness.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

V punches a button on the jukebox just as --

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

The hammer falls with a sickening soft crunch.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

The song begins to play; a melancholy song that says goodbye
to love.

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

Blood pours down Creedy's snarling face, he snatches one of
V's knives as another hammer blow cracks through his collar
bone.

He screams, lunging at Conrad.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

V listens to the song, the smiling eyes somehow knowing.

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

The hammer falls again and again until the metal head is
slick with blood and meat.

Conrad stumbles back, dropping the hammer. He looks down at
the hilt of the knife protruding from his stomach. He yanks
it out and holds V's knife which is bright red with his own
blood.

He collapses to the floor.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

The song continues.

EVEY
What is the other face, V?

V
The other face? She is the true
face of change. The face of the
creator. She is the one that
remakes the world. Evey?

EVEY
Yes, V?

V
May I ask you for a favor?

EVEY
Of course.

V
It is a small thing but it would
mean a great deal to me.

EVEY
Tell me.

V
I've never danced before. I've
thought about it many times, here
in this room, listening to the
music. But I've always been alone.

Evey smiles and crosses to him.

EVEY
It would be my pleasure.

He opens his arms and she steps into them. They dance,
standing very close, his gloved hand holding tightly to hers,
her smile against his.

EXT. CITY STREET

Dozens of military vehicles swarm around the entrance to
Victoria Station while heavily armed men pour through the
gates of the underground.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

The song ends.

V
Thank you, Evey. You are an
excellent dancer.

EVEY
All it takes is a little practice.

V
Alas, I have run out of time.

He bows, pressing his frozen lips to her hand. Evey is
suddenly nervous.

EVEY
V? What are you going to do?

V
Don't you remember? I have a date
tonight, Evey.

EVEY
You're coming back though, aren't
you?

She seizes hold of his hand.

EVEY
V, I won't let you leave unless you
promise me that you will come back.

V
Of course, I'll be back. You don't
think you can be rid of me now, do
you?

EVEY
Just promise.

V
I promise.

She lets him go.

INT. TRAIN STATION

Soldiers swarm through the station. Susan stares in shock,
outraged by the mere presence of the train.

LEADER
Mark my words, Mr. Finch, this man
is going to become an example so
that every man, woman, and child in
this country will remember what
happens to those who would ever
think to stand against the state.

He turns to the Captain.

LEADER
Captain, I need a gas unit down
here with enough nerve gas to fill
every rat-hole in these tunnels.

Suddenly the lights go out.

FINCH
I don't think that will be
necessary.

The Leader smiles.

LEADER
There are over one hundred of the
best trained soldiers in this
country down here. Let him come.

INT. TRAIN TUNNELS

Five soldiers creep forward in a tight formation, their
flashlights probing every nook and cranny.

Behind them, a secret passage opens and V steps out.

He is among them with frightful speed, a grinning dervish
with blades like metal fangs ripping and rending flesh,
slashing bright in the flashlight.

Other soldiers rush towards the screams and gunfire but they
find only five bodies and warm blood running down the walls.

LEADER
Captain, what's happening?

RADIO (V.O.)
No sign sir. Repeat, no sign of
him.

CAPTAIN
They lost him.

From the opposite end, there is another series of screams and
machine gun fire that lights up the dark tunnel for a moment.
Then, nothing.

FINCH
This... this is a mistake.

LEADER
Don't tell me you're a coward, Mr.
Finch.

Back in the tunnels, V drops from above, his cloak a swirling
cloud of squid ink that hides him in the darkness.

Again, quicksilver knives lash out, drawing fonts of blood.

INT. TRAIN STATION

Finch can feel the panic that is spreading through the
tunnel.

FINCH
Leader, we have to get out of here!

LEADER
This was your idea.

FINCH
It was a mistake. This is what he
wants. He knows us, Leader. He
knows us too well. We have to get
out of here before it's too late --

A voice rings out from hidden speakers, echoing through the
tunnels.

V (V.O.)
Good evening citizens of London.
This is the voice of Fate. Your
fate...

LEADER
What trick is this?

V (V.O.)
Tonight, the face of London is
going to change and I am going to
offer you the chance to change with
her. Your Leader is finished. He
will not leave these tunnels alive.

The Leader screams to be heard over the resonant voice of V.

LEADER
This is an outrage! I order you
not to listen to this!

V (V.O.)
At midnight tonight, the Head will
be destroyed and a new era will
begin. You must now decide if you
are going to be a part of that era.

Everywhere, terrified soldiers listen to the voice.

V (V.O.)
You can choose to stay here and die
with your Leader or you can choose
to be free. The decision is yours
and yours alone.

LEADER
Captain, order all your men to fall
back and secure this position!

V (V.O.)
Some of you have wives. Some of
you have families. All of you have
lives. Consider each of them as
you ask yourself, are they a part
of the past, or are they a part of
the future?

CAPTAIN
Fall back. Fall back and secure
the central platform.

Deep in the tunnel, two soldiers look at each other.
Simultaneously, they drop their guns and run.

LEADER
Any man that disobeys this order
will be court marshaled!

Groups of solders drop their weapons and disappear into the
shadows.

LEADER
Captain! Captain, where are your
men?

The station fills with the sound of boots running wildly
away.

LEADER
Goddammit, I will not tolerate this
insubordination! I want those
deserters shot, Captain.

Finch slowly draws back away from the Leader.

LEADER
Shot on sight!

The few men on the platform are soon the only men left.

CAPTAIN
You! You! Point position. We're
getting out of here! Now!

A knife sings through the air and buries itself in the
Captain's chest. With a tiny rasp, he falls to the ground.

The remaining men bolt.

LEADER
Traitors! You cowards!

He grabs for the Captain's machine gun.

LEADER
I know who you are! I'll see you
hang! Every last one of you!

"You" echoes down the dark empty throat of the tunnel.

The Leader looks around, his flashlight sweeping in big arcs
as he realizes that he is alone.

LEADER
Finch? Finch! Finch, goddammit,
you can't leave me! Don't leave
me!

V
You are going to die as you ruled --

The Leader screams, whipping around towards the voice.

V
Alone.

The smile is as cold and as sharp as the knife that flicks
from his hand.

The Leader raises his gun just when the knife sinks into his
shoulder.

Howling in pain, he drops the gun.

LEADER
Damn you! Damn you!

V smiles into the spot of his flashlight.

LEADER
Conrad? Is that you? You're
working with Finch, aren't you?
And Creedy! You're all in this
together!

V closes in.

LEADER
Who are you?

V
You, most of all, should know,
Leader. You created me. Without
you, I would never be. More than
life, Leader, you gave me purpose.

V draws his final blade.

V
"He that killeth with the sword,
shall be killed with the sword."

V raises the knife.

LEADER
Noooo!

FINCH
Don't move!

V and the Leader turn to find Finch aiming a machine gun at
V.

LEADER
Mr. Finch! Oh god, Mr. Finch!

FINCH
Drop the knife.

V does and Susan begins an almost hysterical laugh.

LEADER
Oh, I knew it, Mr. Finch. I knew
you wouldn't desert me. You're a
good man, Finch. A damn good man.

FINCH
No, Mr. Susan. No, I'm not. I'm a
man who does his job and does what
he's told. For twenty seven years,
that's all I've been.

He steps toward V, staring into his smiling black eyes.

LEADER
Careful, Mr. Finch. He's quick as
the devil.

Finch ignores the Leader.

FINCH
I've read Delia's diary over and
over all year. It sickens me but I
am unable to judge her. I am as
guilty as she.

LEADER
Mr. Finch, what are you doing?
Shoot him. Kill the bastard,
Finch.

FINCH
I have no excuse. I did what I was
told to do.

LEADER
Finch, I order you to shoot him!
Finch!

FINCH
My job was to find you and catch
you. I've done my job. I've done
it for the last time. I'm tired of
it. I'm tired of it all.

He tosses the gun to the Leader.

FINCH
Kill him yourself if you can.

The Leader seethes, his eyes boring into Finch.

FINCH
Thank you, V. And goodbye.

V
Goodbye, Mr. Finch.

The machine gun burst shatters the quiet concrete silence.
Finch falls dead at V's feet.

LEADER
I warned you, Finch, the penalty
for treason is death.

He aims the gun at V.

LEADER
Are you ready to die?

V
The real question is, are you?

The Leader laughs.

LEADER
Do you really believe you can pick
up that knife before I pull this
trigger?

V
No. But I don't have to.

Almost casually, V bends down to pick up the knife --

The Leader screams and fires.

Bullets knock V back a bit but he continues, grabbing the
knife and standing.

Eyes widening with disbelief, the Leader fires another blast
as V begins walking towards him.

The machine gun roars, bullets shredding out through the back
of V's cloak as he continues with short deliberate steps
until --

The hammer clicks against the pin. The gun is empty.

V stands before him.

V
You see? You cannot kill me.
There is no flesh and blood within
this cloak to kill. There is only
an idea.

V smiles.

V
And ideas are bulletproof.

The Leader screams.

V drives the knife into his heart, killing him instantly.

V stands alone amidst the carnage and seeping pools of red.

His body wavers. He takes his hands out from beneath his
cloak and reveals his gloves, wet with blood.

INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE

The front door opens and Helen enters.

HELEN
Creedy? Creedy, you dumb bastard,
you left your car parked in front.

She walks up the stairs to the bedroom.

HELEN
What did I tell you? Creedy.

INT. BEDROOM

She steps into the room, her sole and heel sinking into the
plush carpet soaked with blood.

HELEN
Oh my god.

When she sees Creedy's head mashed open, she covers her
mouth.

CONRAD
Helen...

Conrad has propped himself against the bed.

HELEN
Conrad! What have you done?

CONRAD
I won, Helen. I did it. I won.
I'm the better man.

He crawls toward her, slipping on the wet carpet.

CONRAD
We've been through a bad patch,
Helen. But now, he's gone...
There's nothing to come between
us...

He reaches for her foot, his hand gloved with wet red.

HELEN
Don't touch me! You stupid piece
of shit! You've ruined it! I had
it all planned perfectly and you've
ruined it!

She checks her watch; two hours to midnight.

HELEN
I have to get out of here! I have
to get away!

Conrad seizes hold of her ankle.

CONRAD
Helen --

HELEN
No! Let go! Now!

The look in his eyes frightens her. She tries to kick free
of him but he won't let go. Twisting, she reaches for the
door but slips on the carpet.

HELEN
Conrad, damn you! Let me go!

CONRAD
No, Helen, you're not leaving me...
not this time... not ever.

He crawls up her body still clutching the bloody knife.

HELEN
No, please! Oh god, no! Oh god,
please help me!

Conrad raises the knife.

CONRAD
No one can help us, Helen. God is
dead.

The knife falls.

INT. SHADOW GALLERY

Evey hears V on the spiral staircase.

EVEY
V?

Scarlet footprints trail behind V as he struggles down the
stairs.

EVEY
You came back.

He nods and then collapses, rolling down the rest