Chapter 3
Infiltration
The Nomad sped through the night sky over the vast spans of Siberia. Sunny had a fierce look of determination as she zipped up her sneaking suit and began securing her equipment. She tightened all of the straps and cords on her suit and began checking her equipment to make sure she had everything, and zipped it up in a small duffle bag she strapped across her back. She then placed her stun pistol and deadly baretta into their holsters and turned from her ammunitions chest. She leaped into the air and performed various flips and dives to make sure everything was securely fastened. As a final test she turned on the small display screen on her left wrist. Everything seemed to be functioning optimally.
Otacon was making preparations of his own as he was organizing all relevant information into his computer in order to provide faster, more reliable support to the Maiden once she was in action. fluttered around his desk in mischievous manners as he tried to work. He had tried swatting at the small machine numerous times, but nothing stopped it from making its loops and rounds.
Sunny entered the command room. "I am ready. Are we at the drop zone?"
"Just about," Otacon turned to face her, "Relax, would you. If you stay tense like that, something will go wrong. Remember your training."
"I know. It is just…a lot to take in."
"And use some damn contractions, Sunny. You sound like some sort of android."
Sunny smiled, "I am sorry."
Otacon merely grunted and shook his head.
"Any idea why they took Snake's body?" she finally asked.
"Beat's me. It could be any number of reasons. Solid Snake wasn't your ordinary specimen. Everything about him is different than normal humans. But whatever it is, it can't be good."
Mother, Sunny thought to herself, what are you doing?
"Approaching destination," one of the pilots said as Sunny looked up.
"Well," Otacon said matter-of-factly, "this is it. Are you sure you're up for this?"
"Yes. I still feel that I must do this. I have to meet her, and try to find out what she is up to."
"I understand. I will make preparations for your insertion. Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Otacon threw her a piece of attire made from the same fabric as her suit. "I packed you a face mask this time."
The drop bay of the Nomad opened as it approached the Titan's Trench. Sunny slowly inched her way outward. She blended perfectly into the night, her suit making her appear as a shadow. Two pitch-black lenses had been crafted into the eye holes of the mask, to shield her eyes while allowing maximum visibility. The wind was strong as forced its way into the bay. "Maiden, do you read me?" the feed buzzed into her ear.
"Affirmative. Maiden in position for jump."
"Okay, your target is the Left-Arm Wing of the facility. If you land on the roof, there are no cameras and no guards. The two Arm Wings are filled mostly with scientists, but don't let your guard down. Guards will be present as well throughout the building. Your first objective is to find Victor Ward. He could be housed anywhere in the facility since he worked on the actual project. I highly doubt he will be kept in the Head building with the other prisoners."
Sunny nodded, "Objective Confirmed. Ready for jump."
"Oh and Sunny."
"Yes?"
"Good luck out there. I hope you find what you want…"
"…Thanks Otacon."
The buzzers began to sound as the Nomad reached the Trench. "HALO jump in progress," Otacon buzzed over the speaker, "Maiden launch, prepare for insertion." Sunny leaped from the plane and held her body stiff as she fell through the clouds. She could hear nothing but the hard flapping of the wind as it pummeled against her body. Her blood began to pump as the rush set in, the feeling was truly exhilarating.
As she dove through the clouds, the lights of the facility began to come into view. It was a massive collection of structures, formed in the shape of a titan, just as Otacon had said. Four massive spot lights rotated four beams of light back and forth across the buildings, possibly to spot any attacks coming from the air.
The Titan's Trench came into startling clarity as she came closer and closer. The wind rushed around her and she continued to plunge in the direction of the Left-Arm. Once she had reached the recommended altitude, her chute opened and she glided slowly down to the building.
Suddenly, one of the cables snapped from her parachute and she began to fall faster. A startled Sunny began grabbing for the loose cord to stabilize her fall, but could not reach it. She kept struggling as she plummeted toward the rooftops of the Left-Arm Wing.
Remembering her training, she tried to stay calm. Panic would only lead to defeat. After resolving that nothing could be done about the situation, she began to brace herself for impact. Shifting her weight, Sunny landed in a forceful barrel roll as she hit the roof. She cut the rest of the chute off and it fluttered off of the roof, along with the duffle bag that held most of her equipment.
"Damn." She whispered to herself as she got to her feet. She crouched behind a protruding part of the roof and flipped the switch on her ear, "Maiden here. There were complications."
Otacon buzzed back, "Complications? Are you okay?"
"My parachute failed. I'm okay, but it dragged a lot of my infiltration gadgets off of the roof. I'm naked except for my guns and a few other things."
"I don't like the sound of that. Perhaps it's a bad omen. Do you wish to extract? This will like be our only chance to get you out of there."
"No I am fine. I will just have to procure what I can on site. That was Sanke's specialty, right?"
"Yeah, it was his. Not particularly yours. You've never been on a mission without your gear before."
"Agreed, but I wish to continue the mission. I have to reach my mother."
Otacon sighed, "Whatever you say. Not like you would listen to me if I told you no anyways."
"Yeah, exactly. I- What? What is that?"
"What is what? Sunny, what's going on."
Sunny ducked lower as the helicopter came in. "An American helicopter is approaching the facility."
"What? Where? Wait yes I am picking them up on the radar now."
"It is landing on the Right-Arm Wing rooftop, opposite of me. It appears to be the NAA Marine SEALs."
Otacon sounded perplexed, "The new covert assault branch of the North America Alliance?" What are they doing here?"
Sunny nodded, "It appears we are not the only ones onto FOX. Maybe they can help us."
"Or take us down with the terrorists. I am updating your objectives. Stay out the sight of the Marine SEALs and try to discover what their intent is. If they are on our side, we could definitely use their help."
"Right. But first things first, I need to find a way in. Maiden out." Sunny stayed concealed until the Marine SEAL team entered the building and the helicopter left. She stood and watched the chopper fly off.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a surface-to-air missile shot from the facility and hit the tail of the helicopter. The aircraft spun out of control and crashed in the nearby tundra. The explosive could bee seen from her position on the roof. She blinked; FOX knew the SEALs were here, but did they know she was? It was possible they also picked the copter up on radar. Perhaps if they did not know she was there, all of their attention would be on the American team.
She turned and began walking slowly across the roof as she surveyed possible entrances into the facility. There several emergency escape hatches, but she knew well that she could not open any of them without setting off an alarm. Of course there was the stairwell, but that was likely to be under guard. She then decided to go in the old fashioned way; a good trick she learned from Snake and nearly always used.
She knelt down before a large fan and tied a rope to the base. She then fashioned the rope through the hooks and fasteners and secured it. After taking a deep breath, Sunny began to rappel into the ventilation system of the building.
The impenetrable blackness only got deeper as she continued her decent into the ducts. The walls were slick from the cold air, so she took her time maintaining her balance as she climbed down further. After finally reaching the bottom, the she released the rope from her body suit and began making her way into the narrow network of vents and ducts that supplied air to the wing.
The pathways were tight and dark, but because of the cold metal she was able to slide through them much easier. Snake had infiltrated many strongholds through the ventilation, and had told her to always look for them, for that was the easiest way to slip into any place unnoticed. He had definitely been right about that. It seemed no one cared for guarding them.
She had lost her cutting tool with the parachute, so she would have to find a secluded room to mask the noise of her kicking off the vent to get out. She continued down through vents, trying to find a suitable room. She passed by many rooms, almost all of them filled with dozens of scientist working tirelessly on designing and improving weapons. It seemed that the new Metal Gear was not the only weapon being developed and that Olga had somehow come across a lot of funds. If she were allowed to finish her project, it could not end well for the world.
Sunny continued on until she found a suitable room that seemed secluded enough from the rest of the compound. She began kicking at the vent until it gave way and dropped down into the room.
Taking off her facemask and latching it onto her suit, she tapped the switch on her ear and waited for the feed. "Otacon, do you read me. I have successfully infiltrated the building."
"Otacon responding. That's certainly good news. Make sure to stay on your guard. You will have to contend with the Marine SEALs now in addition to the mercenaries and FOX members."
"Right. Any idea where I should start looking for Victor?"
"Try to gain access to a computer terminal. If he is being detained in a room, it should be in the registry. All the data from warehouse says is that he is being held at the facility. Like I said since he is of use to them as a scientist, I am sure they won't be holding him in the prison block."
"Affirmative. There is a computer here, I will see what I can find."
"Good luck."
Sunny flicked off the transceiver and began to make her way to the computer. Suddenly, her transceiver began to ring again. "Yes Otacon?" she asked curiously.
"This isn't your Otacon." The gruff voice replied.
Sunny looked at the screen on her wrist, it was from an unknown frequency. "Who is this?" she asked.
"An ally."
"How did you get my frequency?"
"You would be surprised at the amount of information I can obtain. I see you successfully made it into the facility. Right on time."
"Right on time? Who are you?"
"We have mutual goals, you and I. Maybe with my help you will actually make it out of here alive."
"Sorry, I work alone."
"I will contact you again when the time is right. Do not be fooled by what you want to see. If you let your emotions control you, you will die tonight."
"What are you talking about? Hello?" Sunny sighed as the line went dead. She looked around the room, no one was there. She wondered who the strange voice could be, and how they got in contact with her. Unfortunately, nothing could be done at the moment. Perhaps she could rig her transceiver to track their frequency the next time they contacted her. But for now all that mattered was the mission at hand. She steadied her thoughts and made her way to the computer to find the location of Victor Ward.
