9:15am Shade had rolled out of bed and landed on the floor with a thud as the duvet settled on top of him, Shade groaned and flicked the duvet off his head, he sat up and ruffled his hair before getting up and making his way into the bathroom, tripping up over the ends of his trousers, he looked into the mirror and noticed the wound on his chest still bleeding slightly.
"Oh come on not now." Groaned Shade
He put his hand over it and applied pressure as he sorted himself out and got into the shower. Shade looked down as he noticed the water dripping down him slowly turning red as it touched his wound, Shade sighed and watched the water trickle down him, he shook his head to get rid of the loose water from his hair, looked ahead and stared at the bathroom tiles, questions filled his mind.
"What if the dream was a warning?, what if Shadow eye set us all up? Is the Jackal ready?" thought Shade
He growled as the questions spun round his head and he had no answers to them, he picked the towel off the floor and wrapped it round his waist as he walked out of the bathroom. A knock was heard at his door, Shade grumbled as he walked to the door half naked with just a towel protecting his modesty, Shade opened the door slightly and noticed Otacon standing there holding his laptop in his arms.
"Err Otacon... I'm kinda half naked at the minute." Gruffed Shade
"Oh sorry, can I come in?" Asked Otacon
Shade rolled his eyes.
"Hang on let me get some clothes on." Replied Shade
Shade closed the door, he rummaged around grabbing some clean clothes to wear, he pulled on some black jeans and his hat but left his chest bare so he could apply a dressing onto the open wound on his chest, he opened the door to Otacon and then walked over to his bag and started rummaging around in the pockets trying to find a spare bandage.
"Shade our clothes are here." Said Otacon
He chucked a back pack towards shade as he sat on the floor searching his bag.
"I found out some more information about Shadow eye." Replied Otacon
"Oh yeah." Replied Shade distracted
Otacon tilted his head slightly as he set his lap top up.
"Shade are you okay?" Asked Otacon
"Yeah I'm trying to find a spare dressing for my wound on my chest." Replied Shade
He sunk his arm right down to the bottom of the bag and rummaged around before finally finding what he needed.
"Ah ha, found the bastard." Gruffed Shade
he pulled his arm out and walked over to where Otacon sat fiddling with his lap top.
"So what have you found?" Asked Shade
"One of my contacts knows a way into his base" Replied Otacon
Shade smiled.
"Trouble is we ain't got long to stop Shadow eye completing his machine." Sighed Otacon
"How long are we looking at?" Asked Shade
"Two days." replied Otacon
Shade sighed, he walked over to his jacket and pulled out a cigar from his pocket, Otacon tutted and shook his head as Shade sparked up and leaned against the window pane.
"So your wound still bleeding?" Asked Otacon
"yeah, I'm slightly concerned but no worries." Replied Shade
Otacon laughed as Shade poked it and cringed in pain.
"Let's take a look." Said Otacon
Shade raised an eyebrow.
"You better not try anything mister." Joked Shade
Otacon laughed as he inspected Shade's wound, he shook his head and patted Shade on the shoulder.
"It's just a popped stitch, nothing to worry about. Just keep it wrapped up for a few days." Replied Otacon
Shade applied his dressing and then searched the back pack for a clean t-shirt, he pulled out a black one and applied it. Otacon sighed as he flicked through the plans of Shadow eyes base that was sent to him last night.
"The only way in, so far as I can see is entering through this location here." Said Otacon
Shade looked to where he pointed on the screen and raised an eyebrow.
"That's an emergency flood gate Otty." Replied Shade
"Exactly, no one knows about it, no one cares about it, what a place to stick an entrance to a base in. Genius in my eyes." Replied Otacon
Shade looked at the plans and then looked at a picture of the Thames flowing through central London, his face went pale as the slow realisation sank in.
"Otty have you noticed something about the base design?" Asked Shade
Otacon shook his head.
"Look at it and tell me that is not part of the Thames." Gruffed Shade
Otacon took a peek and then his face just went pale.
" He's using the Thames as a base, oh no this is not good, if that thing gets out all hell will break loose." replied Otacon stunned
Shade nodded in agreement as he took a long drag from his cigar, he went over to the door of his room and opened it.
"Where are you going?" Asked Otacon
"To tell Snake and Adder." Replied Shade
"No leave it, Ill tell them when we meet them downstairs for breakfast, besides if I wake them from their sleep it usually means they get in a mood with me for the rest of the day." Grumbled Otacon
Shade laughed, he remembered Adder not being one for mornings and knew where Otacon was coming from, he closed his door and dived onto his bed causing Otacon to grasp onto his lap top tightly.
"Shade this thing is worth five hundred bucks." Growled Otacon
"Oh come on, you've always got the warranty to fall back on in case some idiot like me drops it or kills it." Replied Shade laughing
"That's not the point." Replied Otacon in a pissed off tone
Shade laughed and watched as Otacon played solitaire on his five hundred bucks worth of lap top, Shade annoyed him by pointing to where the cards should not go and in the end got slapped round the head for his troubles.
It was half ten when Snake and Adder eventually made their way downstairs, Snake was off his crutches but was limping around after Shade near the breakfast bar, Adder was sitting with Otacon as he searched the Internet for random things that Adder told him to type in, mostly stupid road signs or something like that. Shade looked around the restaurant in case the nosey reporter came back to annoy him, he saw a man sitting at the table with a paper, Shade took a glance at the headline, mainly the plane crash, then the dream from last night came back to haunt him, the restaurant suddenly turned into the plane crash site, Shade froze as the images came back he was suddenly woken by a tap on his shoulder, Shade turned around and saw Snake standing next to him, the plane crash disappeared and the Restaurant returned.
"Hey you okay?" Asked Snake
Shade blinked and then looked at his empty plate.
"Err yeah, Just some fucked up thought came into my head that's all." Replied Shade
Snake raised an eyebrow
"Sure you okay, never seen you so traumatised in my life." Replied Snake concerned
Shade followed Snake with his empty plate and grabbed an orange from the fruit basket on the side leaving his plate behind, he started to peel it and then cursed when a bit of juice flicked up into his eye, Snake laughed.
"Look Snake do you ever have dreams that you fear could come true?" Asked Shade
"Yeah some times, but most of the time I take them as a warning and they usually end up not happening." Replied Snake
Shade shrugged his shoulders.
"It's just I had a rather fucked up dream last night that's all, That's why I look so traumatised." Replied Shade
"If it's porn tell otty about it." Joked Snake
"Oh har har." replied Shade sarcasticly
Snake ruffled Shade's head and then carried on piling the food onto his plate, Shade sighed as he took a segment of orange and started eating eat.
"What's the matter not hungry or something?" Asked Snake
Shade shook his head as he walked back to the table, Otacon looked at him concerned as Adder sat there playing on Otacon's lap top and munching on some breakfast.
"Shade is that all you're having?" Asked Otacon
"Yes, got a problem?" Gruffed Shade
"Go and get something else other then that, I need you running at full tank not a half empty one." Replied Otacon sternly
Shade mumbled to himself before heading off to grab something to stop Otacon moaning at him.
"You know he could have had some of my breakfast if he was hungry." Said Adder
Otacon sighed and then looked at the laptop screen to see Adder chatting to one of her pals. He shook his head.
"Is that all you do all day?" Asked Otacon
Adder shrugged her shoulders, Snake came over and sat down with his plate full of food, Otacon laughed.
"Well that's me for the day." Joked Snake
Adder rolled her eyes and started helping herself to the bacon sitting on the side of his Plate, Shade wondered over with a plate of breakfast and sat down at the table, he looked as Adder fought Snake for the bacon and laughed.
"Hey Adder I saved you some look." Said Shade sympatheticly
"See someone loves me." Joked Adder
She took two bits of bacon off Shade's plate, Shade laughed as Adder stuck her tongue out at Snake, he just laughed and carried on eating his breakfast.
"Okay Guys I have some news to tell you." Said Otacon
Snake looked at him grinning
"No Snake I'm not gay." Replied Otacon
"Damn it." Joked Snake
Shade laughed and put his feet on the table as he ate his breakfast.
"I found plans of Shadow eye's base and you won't believe this but... he's made the Thames his base." Said Otacon
Snake looked at him stunned, Adder nearly dropped her plate and Shade shrugged his shoulders and carried on eating as he had already heard this earlier.
"Have you found us a way in?" Asked Snake
"I have,the problem is security is tight, the best way in is to go at midnight when there are little guards around." Replied Otacon
"Now that bit you did not tell me, How many guards are we looking at by midnight?" Asked Shade
"Usually a patrol of six compared to a patrol of twelve." Replied Otacon.
"Oh I'm liking them odds." Replied Snake sarcasticly
Otacon grunted as he looked at his lap top.
"Other thing is we have roughly 2 days to stop him." Said Otacon
"Oh great it just gets better and better don't it." Gruffed Snake
"It's better then finding out by the time it's too late." Replied Shade
Snake shrugged his shoulders and sighed, Adder snuggled up to Snake while Shade crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling, he frowned as memories of how Shadow eye took advantage of his emotions towards Adder and used them against him, he looked back at the gang huddled round the table.
"I think we should move tonight." Gruffed Shade
Otacon looked at Shade like he was out of his mind.
"Shade are you insane, Snake's limping around while you have a popped stitch on your chest, if we go tonight while we are like this we won't have a hope in hell of stopping him." Ordered Otacon
"And if we leave it till tomorrow it will be too late." Gruffed Shade
Otacon huffed and then looked at Snake for support.
"I agree with Shade, we better go tonight, If we stick together we'll be okay. At the minute Adder is the least affected one by the crash, she can be the leader of this." Gruffed Snake
"But you and Shade, if you get injured again that's it." Replied Otacon concerned
"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Replied Shade
Otacon sighed and started tapping away on his lap top, he raised an eyebrow before looking back at the group.
"I'm counting on you guys." Said Otacon
Shade smiled and then got up and walked away.
Shade, I want you lot to be in bed by six and meet me down here at the reception by eleven tonight. Okay?" Asked Otacon
Shade raised a thumb and wondered back to his room leaving Snake and Adder to fight over the Bacon he left on his plate, Otacon packed his laptop away and caught up with Shade.
"Hey Shade wait up." Yelled Otacon
Shade turned around and caught Snake and Adder kissing one another, Shade rolled his eyes and turned away his heart sank. Otacon walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Just be happy Shade." Said Otacon
"It's easy for you to say, you didn't loose the girl of your dreams." Replied Shade sternly
Otacon bowed his head and then sighed
"I do know what it's like because I lost mine too, it was only a few years ago but it still hurts." replied Otacon
Shade raised an eyebrow as he could see a tear roll down Otacon's face.
"Outside." Ordered Shade
Otacon trudged outside as Shade followed behind concerned.
"So she must have meant a lot to you then?" Asked Shade
"Yeah she did, she meant a lot but she never cared, she just used me to get to some other guy." Replied Otacon sobbing
He pulled out a tissue and wiped his eyes under his glasses, Shade looked at him as he placed his hands in his Jean pockets.
"Her name was Venom." Stuttered Otacon
"Yeah? Were you two together?" Asked Shade
"Briefly, she cruelly broke my heart for a guy called Ocelot." Muttered Otacon
"Ouch man, makes my heartache look stupid." Replied Shade
Otacon laughed slightly then quickly wiped away his tears and stood up straight, he looked at Shade as he bowed his head and sighed.
"That's why I'm saying be happy for her, I don't want you to end up like me, pining over the past. There's no point Shade. The more you beat yourself up over it, the more you become cold inside. You don't want that." Replied Otacon
Shade smiled, he patted Otacon on the back.
"I suppose you have a point there mister." replied Shade
Shade looked behind him through the doors and saw Adder and Snake walking out of the restaurant holding hands and talking, Shade just smiled, he tried to take on-board the advice Otacon gave him, just be happy she's happy, he shook his head and walked inside. Otacon followed behind and wiped his face to try and disguise he was crying.
"Hey guys get your coats, we're having ourselves a training session in the snow." Shouted Shade
Snake stuck his thumb up as Adder laughed when Otacon's face dropped.
"Oh god, we're not having a snowball fight are we?" Asked Otacon concerned
Shade grinned.
"Oh yes we are having a snowball fight." Replied Shade
Otacon cringed and walked away.
The Jackal was tested once more, this time it was successful in it's response times and now the engineers were testing it's weapons ability while Shadow eye watched it from a distance, a smile beamed across his face as he watched it unleash hell on it's targets.
"It's beautiful." Gruffed Shadow eye.
"Indeed sir, It's nearly a symbol of sheer power." Replied Max
"No not nearly, is." Said Shadow eye
Max laughed as a scientist handed a report over to Shadow eye, it was the results of the test.
"I'm impressed, when will it be ready?" Asked Shadow eye
"In about 36 hours, we need to maximize the tanks, weapons and increase the strength of the reflexes." Replied the scientist
Shadow eye watched as the Jackal was towed back into it's hanger for the final stages before launch, it was a moment of glory for Shadow eye as the beast had come to life and performed to how Shadow eye expected.
"Make sure it is ready, I don't want no setbacks." Gruffed Shadow eye
The scientist nodded in agreement and headed back to the labs, Max looked at the machine and a question came into his head.
"Don't worry about them, I have a plan for our pest control." Said Shadow eye with Venom in his voice, Max smiled and Followed Shadow eye as they left the Jackals holding bay.
Shade and the group returned inside the hotel plastered in snow, Shade, Snake and Adder were not too bad while Otacon walked in covered, his glasses steamed up as the cold hit the warm, Shade laughed.
"You guys are cruel." whined Otacon
"Well when you stand in the middle of a battlefield looking confused what do you expect? A bunch of flowers?" Asked Shade
Otacon grunted and wiped the steam off his glasses.
"Why didn't you pick on Snake, he was virtually and easy target?" Grumbled Otacon
"Hey don't you go blaming my abilities to move quick while Injured on the fact you made yourself a target." Replied Snake laughing
"He has a point Otty, he still moved quicker then you out there." Gruffed Shade
"Hey can you please stop pointing out I suck at snowball fights." Groaned Otacon
Shade laughed as he dusted himself down, he watched as Snake removed clumps of snow off Otacon while laughing at his whining about being useless, Shade looked over at Adder and saw her struggling to get Snow out of her hooded top, he walked over and gave her a hand.
"How the hell do you manage it?" Asked Shade
"I don't know, it's just useful as recycled ammo." Replied Adder laughing
Adder brushed herself down and looked at the snow pile beneath her then looked as Snake was still trying to find Otacon's black Jacket underneath the layers of snow while they argued as Snake demanded for Otacon to stop moving and Otacon whining.
"Maybe them two should get married."Joked Shade
Adder laughed and then watched as Snake left Otacon standing still like a Snowman and laughing.
"Nah, I think they'd divorce 5 days later." Replied Adder
Shade laughed and then flicked Adder's hood up, Adder sighed and then looked at Shade
"Shade you'll make a great husband to someone one day." Chuckled Adder
Shade grinned.
"Ah but I gotta find someone first." Replied Shade
He bowed his head and sighed, knowing there was nobody out their worth having other then Adder but he had to move on.
"Just be safe in the mind that anyone hurts you, I'll be there to kick their asses." Replied Adder
"Same to you." Replied Shade
Adder giggled and gave Shade a much needed hug.
"Hey we better go to bed, it's six you know." Called Adder
"Thought you never ask." Replied Snake smiling
"Hey any signs of you two not sleeping and I'll be in there nagging you to death to pack it in." Joked Shade
Adder laughed and made her way upstairs while Otacon was left standing still covered in Snow.
"Love you Shade." Chuckled Adder
"Love you too." replied Shade smiling
He shook his head and thought to himself wishing she knew just how much of that was true, he looked at Otacon as he struggled to move, Shade laughed and made his way over and helped remove the layers of Snow. Two lonely souls helping one another out.
It was Eleven, Otacon was downstairs waiting. Snake and Adder were the first to appear.
"Where's Shade?" Asked Otacon
"Oh he's upstairs arguing with the door." Replied Snake
Otacon raised an eyebrow.
"The door ate his jacket." Replied Adder laughing
Shade came down the stairs grumbling as he twirled the keys on the end of his finger.
"Bloody door, has a fetish for Jackets." Groaned Shade
Shade pulled out a cigar and sparked up, Otacon gave him a glare as he blowed the smoke in his direction.
"What?" Asked Shade
"Do you have too." Asked Otacon
"Err yeah I do actually otherwise I get ratty." Gruffed Shade
Otacon tutted.
"Are we all wearing our Black Sneaking suits provided?" Asked Otacon
"Yeah, Adder's looking fine in it too." Replied Snake.
"Okay Snake too much information. Shade?" Asked Otacon
Shade gave Otacon a glare and shook his head.
"Why the hell not?" Asked Otacon
"Well I really am not the sort to wear tight fitting clothes, makes me feel naked and the last thing I want is feeling Naked when I'm going to work. So i have chosen the baggy I don't give a fuck look"Gruffed Shade
Snake laughed as he wrapped himself in his warm Jacket while Adder pulled up her face mask and snuggled into her warm jacket, she looked at Otacon as he slowly got pissed off.
"Shade I like it, if you're comfortable in it wear it." Replied Adder smiling
Shade grinned back, he pulled on his black half cut gloves and checked to see both guns were in their holsters, he frowned as he took off his hat and spiked up his hair.
"Come on we're gonna get that son of a bitch once and for all." Gruffed Shade
He stormed out of the hotel and chucked Adder his hat, Adder caught it and looked at Shade confused.
"I don't want you getting cold." Gruffed Shade
Every one followed Shade out of the hotel as the mission began, Shade plugged his earphones in and started listening to music as he marched down the streets of London, Otacon directed the group where to go, Snake looked at Adder concerned she just stared back at him and smiled, he shook his head as Shade lead the way, determined to bury his nightmare behind him, determined to put his soul at ease, he looked back at Adder as she messed around with Snake.
"I don't want you getting hurt." Sighed Shade
he looked on ahead and saw the entrance point fast approaching, Otacon jumped on a boat and placed his laptop securely in front of him, Shade jumped in while he helped Adder lower herself in, while Snake just jumped in. Otacon started the boat up and travelled to the emergency flood gate he looked at the gang before they entered the hatch.
"Please make it back alive guys." Muttered Otacon
Shade nudged him as he hung over the entrance of the gate.
"So long as we stick together there's nothing to fear." Replied Shade
He gave Otacon a pat on the shoulder and then disappeared with Snake and Adder into the darkness, Otacon got concerned
"Don't forget your codecs." yelled Otacon
"YEAH YEAH OTTY." Screamed Shade as his voice echoed around the huge concrete pipe.
"Wish he would not do that." Muttered Otacon
Shade was the first to approach the Guard check point, he peered round the corner to see Six guards huddled round separate bits of the entrance. Shade signalled to Adder and Snake the number of guards and their positions, Snake move round to the first one and took his position, he snapped the guards neck and quickly disposed of the body in a nearby empty crate, Adder jumped up on the ceilings and sniped out her target with her crossbow, Shade just walked up to his guard face to face and blew his brains away with his silenced Socom, the blood sprayed against the wall behind them, Snake was nearby and looked at it and then back at Shade, Shade shrugged his shoulders and grinned, Snake rolled his eyes and pretended to tut while Adder jumped down in front of Shade.
"Hey let me take these three out." Whispered Shade
Snake peered round a crate and lined up his next victim while Adder and Shade discussed their plan, Snake snook round the back of the guard and placed his gun to his head and blew the guys brains out but the guard screamed before Snake pulled the trigger and alerted the remaining two guards to his position, Shade ran round to where Snake was and pushed him out of the way as the two guards ran round the corner.
"SNAKE GO, I GOT THE WEAPONS TO DO THIS." Growled Shade
He lined up the two guards with his gun as Snake crawled under the crate next to him, Shade leapt up as the guards opened fire on him, Adder rolled out of the way and hid in one of the nooks in the walls while Shade carried on dodging bullets.
"Ah to hell with this." Grumbled Shade
He punched a guard in the face with his gun and then blew a hole in his head, the other guard ran up behind him but shade moved out of the way and raised his gun, the guard stopped and turned around as the red dot rested on his forehead, Shade grinned, the guard frowned.
"You'll pay." Growled the guard
"Not before you." Replied Shade sarcasticly
The guard started to run up to shade, Shade looked away and then looked back as the guard ranged about 10 yards away, he squeezed the trigger and watched as the guard fell down while his legs continued to carry him forward, there was a sickening thud as the guards Neck broke on impact, Shade twirled his gun and then placed it back in it's holder, Snake reappeared from under the crate, while Adder crept out from the nook to check the cost was clear, Shade done the same and then approached the entrance door, he looked around for another way in and noticed an air duct to his lower left, he grinned.
"You two, nick them guards uniforms and put them on." Gruffed Shade
"What about you?" Asked Snake
"I have an idea where that air duct goes." Replied Shade pointing to the one on the floor.
He crouched down and heard chuckles of laughter. The guard room.
"I'll see you guys in there." Gruffed Shade
He lowered himself onto the ground and crawled through the air duct. Shade was warming up.