May 1993
Somewhere on the outskirts of Mogadishu Somalia
The hot desert wind blew. A barren wasteland devoid of any life. Scars scathe the landscape creeping down from the mountains, a reminder that water used to flow freely here. The setting sun cast long ominous shadows across the earth. A far off mosque begins the evening prayer. The holy man speaks with a deep brooding voice praising the work of local rebel forces currently engaging UN and US forces.
All at once dozens of mosques across the city erupt into a tumult of clatter. A silhouetted figure appears in the shadows of a deep gorge that runs parallel to the city. All that fanaticism and no coordination, he thought, what a waste.
This was to be his first. His first solo infiltration. He had worked several times as a member of a team in operations such as these; many more as a team leader. He had been with that unit for quite some time. A member of the legendary SAS. No, he was no rookie.
T minus 0003 minuets to Actions on the Objective. He still had a couple of hundred meters to go to his Objective Rally point where he would make his final preparations.
The compound was large. Housing several warehouses, a barracks, a medical facility, and what used to be a commissary for the National Army Unit that used to be located here. It was the only one of its kind still operable. That had been before the outbreak of war.
The rebels had not degenerated, at least not yet, he thought.
Quickly and furtively the figure darted from crevasse to crevasse, nook to nook. Ensuring security to the front the whole way, all the while giving quick glances to his rear. His boots hardly made a sound along the graveled dirt floor.
T minus 0000:30 to time of departure.
The bones of his inner ear twitched.
BEEPBEEP – BEEPBEEP
He found cover behind a jutting precipice. He had arrived. Quickly taking a knee he put a finger to his ear activating his communication system.
"This is Snake." his British accent light and airy, showing a shade of pomp. "Big Boss can you hear me?"