Disclaimer: I don't own Metal gear series. Kojima does.
The Briefing
In north carolina at Fort bragg a man was arranging the myriad of boxes and containers inside a storage room, to him this was simply a way to pass the time in the base. He was there really as an advisor training the local US soldiers in strategies and tactics of unconventional and counter-insurgency warfare.
The man had a green colored 'blurred edge' camo with a hooded jacket and on his head he had a white beret with a winged dagger signifying him to be a member of the British SAS.
In truth however he was an american sent by some high ups to be a part of a squad of very special individuals taken from around the world with his placement in SAS being a cover to mask the involvement of the US in 1940.
To say that he was completely normal would be a lie. He looked like he was only 19 or 20 years old even though he was already 43 years of age. He had senses and reflexes which while not quite super human were still something that unlike him no one could normally be born with.
'Finally done I think I should take a break,' thought the guy as he turned around.
To his surprise he came face to face with a blond haired woman in her early forties. One he knew very well as his squad leader during the second world war.
"Boss," he said quickly acknowledging her presence.
"Marcus," greeted the boss calmly.
Motioning him to follow her the pair left the storage room Marcus pulls out a cigar out of his pocket and lights it, they walk to corridor where she stops and turns around.
"Since when have you started to smoke cigars?" asked the boss folding her arms.
"John wanted me to try one out and god damn these are good. That guy has a good taste at least when it comes to smokes," answers Marcus smiling and can sees a faint smile on her face as well.
"How has Jack been doing"? Asked the boss.
"He's been doing ok but you leaving has obviously affected him," said Marcus. At that boss looks down as if little bit ashamed about the fact that she left.
"Anyway what brought you here"? At that boss lifted her gaze to look at Marcus.
"I was finally able to get the CIA give us a mission, if we succeed the Director will make the FOX unit official," told the boss. Marcus was surprised the agency had been very reluctant about giving the green light to FOX unit.
"I'm guessing that getting the DCI's green light wasn't easy," said Marcus.
"Yeah it wasn't," replied the boss.
"So anyway what is this mission that you are supposed to handle"? Asked Marcus curious as he took another drag from his cigar.
"It's one of Zero's loose ends. They'll be expecting you to the briefing," said boss convincingly.
At that Marcus' eyes widened, "You want me to be part of it"? he asked surprised.
"Consider this as me calling in that debt you owed me for saving your ass back at egypt," said the boss as she smiled.
Marcus let out an amused 'Hmph' as he smiled, "Alright I'll do it, just point the way."
Sometime later in an undisclosed location
"Jack I've got some important news. The head of the CIA has finally given us a green light for the Virtuous mission," told Major Zero to Jack who was sitting on an armchair smoking a cuban cigar.
"Virtual mission?" asked Jack confused.
"No the Virtuous mission, the future of the Fox unit depends on it, if it succeeds we'll be officially organised into a unit," clarified the Major .
"Virtuous mission, sounds like some sort of an initiation ritual," commented Jack with a hint of amusement under his tone.
"Now don't get cocky this isn't a training op," replied Zero seriously.
Just as Jack was about to say something the door opened and Marcus walked in.
"Sorry I'm late I hope I didn't miss anything important," said Marcus.
"Don't worry we just started," assured Zero.
"OK anyway so what is this wonderful mission," asked John.
"Well about two years a go certain soviet scientist asked for an asylum in the west through one of our moles. His name is Nikolai Stephanovich Sokolov," started Zero.
"The Rocket scientist"? Asked Marcus curiously.
"The very same, he is the head of OKB-754 design bureau, one of the soviets most top secret weapon research facilities and the east's foremost expert on weapons development," explained Zero.
"On april 12th soviets achieved the first manned space flight in history," said Zero
"The earth was blue. but there was no god," said John quoting the now famous pilot.
"Well spoken. The rocket that carried Yuri Gagarin into orbit was the A1, known as the vostok rocket. Sokolov is said to be the man most responsible for the multi-engine cluster used in that rocket. After Gagarin's flight sokolov left the rocket development to become the head of the newly established Design bureau," told Zero.
"From a lowly technician to a head of a design bureau," commented John mildly impressed.
"Quite a rapid career advancement so why would he want to defect"? Asked Marcus.
"It seems that he'd become afraid of his own creations," told Zero.
"Afraid"? Repeated John in confusion.
"Call it a crisis of conscience," clarified Zero.
"And for that he left his country and his family to go over the fence?" asked John.
"Not exactly. One of his conditions was that his family was also to be taken safely to the west. We used a mole to get his family out first then and succeeded in sneaking Sokolov over the Berlin wall shortly afterwards I was the one who conducted the operation," told Zero.
"The security on the eastern side was till full of holes back then. Then what?" replied John with a question.
"We got Sokolov over in one piece, but the whole ordeal had left him exhausted, and we checked him into a hospital in west Berlin. It took him 2 weeks and 600 miles to reach from the research lab in the Soviet union to west Berlin, he was in no shape to say anything coherent," Major said before pausing for a moment.
"And it was only a week later that we had something bigger in our hands," said Zero. The faces of the two FOX operators suddenly turned very serious knowing exactly what that 'something bigger' Zero referred to was.
"The Cuban Missile crisis," said John voicing the name of the event.
Marcus remembered it well after all who wouldn't, humanity almost blew itself up. The US discovered soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba. After US demand on removing the Nukes from Cuba was rejected and instead lead to the Soviets increasing the readiness of their armed forces both sides prepared for a full scale nuclear war but thankfully negotiations through the UN and otherwise was able to prevent any nuclear exchange. The soviets pulled their missiles out of Cuba and in exchange US would pull theirs out of turkey.
"No. The Jupiter IRBMs deployed in Turkey were obsolete and we were going to get rid of them anyway. They had no strategic value whatsoever to either the US or the Russians. The Turkey deal was a ruse - a cover story that was fed to the other intelligence agencies around the world," told Zero.
"So what did the Russians really want"? Asked John. Marcus too was curious he had heard rumors of the Turkey deal being a ruse but could never find out what the russians really want "Sokolov. They wanted us to return Sokolov," answered Zero.
The two operators looked at each other shocked and surprised.
Soon John put both of their thoughts into words, "You mean the Soviets pulled out of Cuba just to get their hands on Sokolov"?
"That's right," said Zero confirming their suspicions.
"What was so Important about him that they were willing to sacrifice Cuba to get him back to the east," asked Marcus still shocked about the revelations.
"At the time we had no idea. We were running out of time. It was either give up Sokolov or risk full-scale nuclear war. In the end, we had no choice. President Kennedy gave into Khrushchev's demand. The next day, I got Sokolov out of the hospital and handed him over to agents on the eastern side. Sokolov kept on screaming "Save me!" until he disappeared from my sight," told Zero.
"Then, a month ago, we received some new information from one of our moles," said Zero
"About Sokolov"? Asked John
"Yes. He was taken back to the research facility and forced to continue working on the weapon in question under KGB supervision. What's more, it's on the verge of completion," told Zero.
"So? What kind of weapon is it? Something to do with space rockets"? Asked John curious.
"No, missiles," answered Zero.
"Same technology," replied Jack.
"I guess you're right. We don't know the details but it appears to be a new kind of nuclear device. For a year now the Soviets have been conducting frequent nuclear tests at Semipaiatinsk,"
"Something to do with the weapon I assume," stated Jack.
We're talking about a secret weapon so big that Khrushchev was ready to pull out of Cuba to get it back,
"Is Sokolov still in the facility?" asked Jack.
No. According to our intelligence, he's in Tselinoyarsk, a place in the mountains about 3 miles to the west that's known as the Virgin Cliffs.
"The Virgin Cliffs. Nice name for a Virtuous mission," remarked John.
"They moved him there just recently"
"Why?" asked John.
"Apparently they're conducting a field test of the weapon. But it's our best chance to get him back. This mission would never have been possible if he were still in the research facility. This is our last chance. Sokolov must have known that, too, when he contacted us," answered Zero.
"Marcus you will be covertly inserted to Tselinoyarsk. Your task is to observe the enemy and inform us of their movements and other actions," said Zero
"Sounds easy enough," thought Marcus out loud.
"Oh and the only weapon allowed with you will be your knife," said Zero.
At that Marcus' eyes widened and he turned to face Zero shock apparent on his face.
"Only a Knife," repeated Marcus unsure if he had heard it right.
"That's right," confirmed Zero.
Sighing Marcus merely replied, "Alright, When do I leave"?
"As soon as you can reach the airport, there is a plane already waiting for you there," answered Zero.
"OK and John I'll see you in Russia," said Marcus to which John merely smiled and lifted his hand as a gesture of goodbye.
Tselinoyarsk 3 days later
Marcus was crawling on the ground surrounded by grass with a stolen AK-47 in his hands he was dressed in his usual combat gear that included british paratrooper helmet with goggles and the FOX standard STABO harness. His trip to the Virgin cliffs had so far been uneventful crossing over Soviet-pakistan border was a simple matter and only some lightly armed guards were here and there some of whom he took down with CQC.
CQC was something that he loved and hated at the same time but mostly loved. It is very useful tool during operations and it's rudimentary form had proven to be effective during World war 2. Buy when he, The Boss and John had started to develop it into a coherent Martial art style they had to beat it into each other and that was something he didn't really want to experience again. Marcus chuckled and winced at the memories of the trio throwing punches, kicks and other moves on each other.
Soon he saw a wooden bridge crossing a river surrounded by cliffs.
"This is Cobra 7 I have reached the target area," said Marcus or 'Cobra 7' as was his nom de guerre.
"Excellent our man is just about to make his jump," came Zero's calm voice through the radio.
Soon through the radio came an announcement "Countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," then the voice changed to that of Zero's, "Spread your wings and fly god be with you," was said and Marcus knew that John had jumped out of the plane. The First halo jump in history.
Snapping himself out of his thoughts Marcus turned his thoughts to the mission at hand and decided to take a look a round before John would touchdown.
Here it is, Kind of a boring chapter but I think it was important that I the briefing. Anyway
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