The suspicious man snuck around the corner carefully. He seemed to fumble clumsily for something in his pocket, but I couldn't see what it was at first. Then, suddenly, he shifted to reveal the dark gleaming barrel of a pistol. I felt the fear that had steadily been bubbling up arise and burst into a pain in my chest that left me panting for breath.
"Stay calm," I stuttered to myself. "H-he could be anyone."
Yet, as he turned and the moonlight glistened across his face, a small gasp escaped me. My breath was short and desperate, as if someone had a tight grip around my neck. I was suffocating. This couldn't be right... I could feel the wrench of alarm now. What was happening?
The blizzard at Shadow Moses Island grew strong, and I was starting to lose grip of my pistol, an original SOCOM; silenced. I stuffed the handgun into my jacket, ready to make a break for it, but then I heard him.
"Snake," he said, that strong, dark voice had spoken and there was no doubt in my mind. It was my brother.
"Liquid," I replied disapprovingly, trying to maintain strength and calmness in my tone. He couldn't know how nervous I was. "It's been a while."
"So it has, Snake," he sneered, lips curling into what resembled a snarl. "But I'm sorry, I don't have time for family reunions." With that, he staggered backwards through an open door and shut it behind him.
I had no reason to go after him now, as much as I wanted to. It was not my mission. I had what I wanted and it was time to get back. I forced my way through the raging storm and managed to find my way back to the chopper. Luckily, I had returned before dusk and Otacon was still there waiting for me.
"So was it him?" he enquired silkily, eyes flickering across my face in a scrutininsing manner.
"I'll tell you when we get back. I'm dying for a cigarette," I replied monotonously.
"Cigarettes are bad for you, Snake; you shouldn't smoke..." he muttered in disapproval.
"Whatever. I'm gonna die soon anyway, right?" I shrugged nonchalantly to enhance my uncaring statement. Anyone could die at any given time, so what the hell was the problem?
"Well, we'd best hurry. The Colonel is waiting for us," Otacon said, ending the previous conversation. I bit back a cynical snort. Showed how much people cared. "He needs our information on Liquid as soon as possible." Otacon attempted to turn on the engines of the helicopter, and for a hopeful moment, the engines sounded as if they had flared to life. Then, much to our shared disappointment, the sound stopped and it failed.
"Otacon, why won't you get us out of here already?" I grunted irritably. I needed a cigarette already!
"It appears that the engines have frozen over in the blizzard," he explained calmly, clammbering out of the helicopter. "And in this blizzard we have no way of warming them up, the only thing we can do is--" he was speedily interrupted by his smoking partner.
"Start a fire," I finished impassively, slightly annoyed. I knew basic rules of survival already...
"Yes, but just your lighter won't do it. We'll need gasoline to start a fire at this temperature, and there's only one place to find it around here." He looked up, eyes clashing with mine, and I nodded.
"Shadow Moses Weapons Facility," I responded, sparing no time in walking out back through the blizzard. The piercing cold bit mercilessly at my exposed flesh and seemed to weave through my clothes. I gritted my teeth to prevent them from chattering and resisted the urge to wrap my arms around myself. I could handle this. I've had worse.
"Wait, Snake! Where are you going?" Otacon shouted, shivering and stuttering in the cold, unlike me. I could handle it, I just had to keep telling myself that...
"Where do you think?" I snapped. "I'm going to get us something to burn." I continued walking until I was no longer visible by Otacon's eyes; the blizzard creating a thick shield of snow all around me like a barrier.
"I sure hope he knows what he's doing," Otacon muttered despondently, closing the door of the Hind D and started to get to work on warming up the inside of the Helicopter.
But if we want to leave Shadow Moses, then it was all down to me... and I was gonna do it.