Snake snuck deeper into the tanker and slowly crept through a long corridor. Suddenly, he heard a sound from the end of the corridor and ducked behind a nearby crate. Soon, three Gurlukovich soldiers walked out of the hatch door at the end of the corridor. One of them called Sergei and reported, "Colonel, we have sealed the stern hatch."

"All right," said Sergei.

"The lift is also under our control."

"We're on the foredeck. About to descend to the holds."

"Sir, the Marine commander has started his speech already."

"We will complete the preparations before the end of the speech."

"All communications to the holds have been severed. No one is aware of our presence."

"Let no one down into the holds until we are out."

"Yes sir! We will secure your exit, with our lives if necessary."

"There is one more thing..."

"Yes sir?"

"My daughter - keep her safe."

"Yes sir!"

The transmission ends and the three soldiers started to patrol through the corridor. Snake leaned up against the crate he was next to before one of the soldiers noticed his presence.

"Who goes there?" the soldier exclaimed.

The soldier alerted his comrades to Snake and soon more soldiers entered the room. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Snake dispatched his opposition and made his way to the hatch door, unaware that another soldier was watching him from behind. Snake walked through the door and the soldier quietly closed it behind him. The soldier breathed a sigh of relief before he heard someone approaching him from behind.

"Who goes there?" the soldier asked as he raised his rifle.

To the soldier's surprise, it was Ocelot.

"Oh, Shalashaska," the soldier said as he lowered his gun. "Why are you here? We thought you were with the Colonel."

Without saying a word, Ocelot pulled his Single Colt Action Army Revolver out of his hoister and aimed it at the soldier.

"What the…!" the soldier exclaimed before he was shot in the face.

Ocelot sealed the hatch door and then looked at the corpse.

"The colonel will be joining you soon…"

Snake reached the holds of the tanker and spotted a group of Marines standing below watching a projection movie of a speech by the Marine commander. Otacon contacted him and asked, "Snake, are you in yet? Have you made it to the holds?"

"It's taking longer than I expected," said Snake. "We've already passed the Verrazano Bridge."

"All right," said Otacon. "We'll use another recovery point."

"They may be planning to change course."

"What?"

"The exits to the deck are all sealed."

"What are they planning?"

"If they get Metal Gear, we're going right off the fringe."

Snake peered down at the Marines and said, "The men down here are definitely Marines."

"If the deck is sealed off, they have no way of knowing that the ship's been taken over," said Otacon.

"I'm not interested in fighting these guys," said Snake. "The weapons won't do me much good here."

"Can you see Metal Gear?"

"No. I'll have to go around to the bow. They have some serious defenses here. I doubt the recent arrivals want to blast their way through the Marines either."

"Wonder where they're headed."

"I don't know... Not the beach, that's for sure."

"OK, Snake. Let's go over this one more time. Use the camera to get photographic evidence of the Metal Gear prototype. Now, do your thing and take pictures that speak louder than the government's plausible denials. We need four shots: Metal Gear from the front, front-right, and front-left, and a close-up of the Marine Corps marking."

"Marking?"

"There should be a "MARINES" insignia on the body of Metal Gear. Just let someone try explaining away a clear shot of that."

"All right."

"There's actually one little thing..."

"Just spit it out. I'm used to things going wrong."

"It looks like someone's monitoring our transmission."

"Who?"

"I don't have a clue. All they're doing is watching - it would me out less if they tried to interfere with our communications."

"Could it have something to do with that Cypher we saw?"

"Maybe. I've switched the encryption protocol for our burst transmission for now. What I want to do is use a different method for sending those photos, just in case."

"Instead of using the Codec?"

"Exactly. There's a workstation in the southeast corner of the block where Metal Gear is housed. I've made arrangements so that you can send the pictures from the machine."

"'Arrangements'"?

"I hitched a ride on Link 16 into U.S. military's proprietary network. Managed to get into that workstation and overwrote a part of the system software so I could remote-install a little app I wrote..."

"Why bother with anything that complicated..."

"No, it's pretty simple, really. Look, all you have to do is stand in front of the machine and start it up. The app will automatically launch and download the image data from the camera, split the files and encrypt them individually. The data packets can then masquerade as...

"OK, OK. So all I have to do is power up the computer once I have the pictures, right?"

"Well, sure, if you put it that way. And one more thing... The Commandant's already begun his speech, but you need to get the pictures before he's done talking. Otherwise, they'll spot you. OK?"

"How much time do I have?"

"I hacked into his personal files and took a look at the text of that speech. I'd say you have seven more minutes - longer if he throws in a joke or two."

"A seven-minute time limit, huh?"

"Remember, Snake, just the photos, OK?"

"With these kinds of odds, I won't be making any sudden moves. But that doesn't mean we can just let Metal Gear be hijacked."

"Okay, okay, but first, the photos..."

"All right. We'll deal with the rest when we get there."

"Stay low."

Snake snuck past the Marines through the first two holds and walked into the third hold of the tanker, where he found a group of two dozen Marines watching the Marine Commander, Scott Dolph, give his speech. The group were flanked by two cameramen who are taping the speech. Behind the Marine Commander was Metal Gear RAY, the new Metal Gear prototype.

"Metal Gear?!" Snake muttered.

Snake proceeded to snap all the pictures he needed and used the machine to upload them to Otacon just as the commander finishes his speech.

"We the Marines will lead the charge into a new world order with Metal Gear RAY," said Dolph. "That is all. Dismissed!"

The Marines saluted the commander before clapping was heard from the rear of the hold. Dolph and the Marines looked around, puzzled, before Ocelot emerged from behind RAY.

"Excellent speech, my friend...," said Ocelot.

"Who the - !?" Dolph exclaimed as he turned around.

"Gift of the silver tongue - they say it's a mark of a good officer - and of a liar," said Ocelot. "Americans are too in love with the sound of their own voice to speak the truth."

"Identify yourself!" Dolph demanded as several Marines rushed to Dolph's side and trained their sights on the intruder.

"I am Shalashaska!" Ocelot introduced himself. "Also called Revolver –"

Snake recognized Ocelot as he steps forward and they both uttered the same word, "Ocelot."

The Marines tried to advance forward but they were held back by their commander.

"What do you want?" asked Dolph.

"This machine will be quite useful," said Ocelot.

"What are you planning to do - steal this thing?"

"Steal? No, no, I'm taking it back."

Snake moved to a different location where he could see an arm reaching out for the commandant. The arm grabbed the commandant and the Marines turned around to train their sights on Colonel Sergei Gurlukovich, who was holding a gun to the commandant's head.

"Gurlukovich..." Snake mumbled.

Gurlukovich took a few protective steps backwards with his hostage, his gun still trained on Dolph's head.

"Nobody move!" Ocelot instructed. "Understood?"

Ocelot stepped onto the platform as the Marines in the other holds started to panic. Ocelot raised a device above his head and announced, "This ship now carries enough SEMTEX on its key structural points to blow it out of the water - at the touch of this button."

The Marines, still holding their aim, slowly backed away from the intruders.

"That's right...no one has to die needlessly," said Ocelot.

Suddenly, Gurlukovich soldiers rappeled from the ceiling and took up positions covering their commanders from the Marines."

"We're almost at the target. Get a move on!" Ocelot instructed.

A group of soldiers started to undo the lines holding down Metal Gear Ray and Dolph asked, "What do you intend to do with RAY - sell it on the streets?"

"I was raised in Snezhinsk, formerly known as Chelyabinsk-70, the nuclear research outpost," Sergei replied.

"What are you talking about?"

"After the Cold War ended, my home was bought out by the Americans."

"Is there a point to this sad story?"

Gurlukovich angrily pressed his pistol against the commandant's head and continued.

"Not that you would understand," said Sergei. "Land, friends, dignity...all sold to the highest bidder - the United States of America. Even the technology that gave birth to these weapons is Russian, developed by us!"

"What do you intend to do?" asked Dolph.

"Russia will rise again - and RAY is the key," Sergei answered.

"I regret to inform you that I have no intention of selling Metal Gear," said Ocelot. "As I said, I came to take it back."

Ocelot walked in between the Marines and the Gurlukovich soldiers and said, "Yes - returned. To the Patriots!"

"The La-li-lu-le-lo!" Dolph exclaimed. "How's that possible!?"

Gurlukovich restrained the commandant and snarled at Ocelot, "Ocelot, you...! Have you sold us out?"

Ocelot chuckled and said, "I was never in your employ, Gurlukovich..."

"Are you still in league with Solidus...!?" asked Sergei.

"No hard feelings, Colonel," said Ocelot. "Mother Russia can rot, for all I care."

"Since when, Ocelot! When did you turn?"

"I'm glad you noticed comrade. I abandoned "her" during the Cold War."

Sergei snarled again, angered by Ocelot's betrayal.

"Metal Gear only has room for one!" said Ocelot. "Gurlukovich, you and your daughter will die here."

"Damn you!" Sergei shouted.

Gurlukovich released the commandant and shoved him forward at the same time Ocelot threw his trench coat into the air between him and Gurlukovich.

"Die, you dog!" Sergei yelled.

Both the Russians drew their weapons and fired madly. As the trench coat fell to the ground bullets ripped through it. When it finally settled, both the commandant and Gurlukovich fall to the ground.

"Sergei! Looks like you were long overdue for retirement," said Ocelot.

Ocelot dropped his revolver and Sergei muttered, "Traitorous dog..."

The surrounding Gurlukovich's soldiers drew their guns to fire at him. But, with lightning speed, he drew his second revolver and twirled in a quick circle burying one bullet in each soldier. As they fell to the ground, Ocelot pulled out the detonator and announced, "Show's over! If you wish to live, I suggest you run now! This ship is still in the Lower New York Harbor. You may yet make it to shore if you swim for your life!"

Ocelot pressed the detonator and the SEMTEX detonated, killing some of the Marines. One of the blasts punctured the hull of the ship and water started to pour into the chamber. As the Marines scramble, Ocelot climbed up to the upper platform of the hold and approached the open cockpit of Metal Gear Ray. A few Marines tried to shoot Ocelot but none of the shots hit their mark. Knowing he couldn't let Ocelot hijack RAY, Snake rushed forward and aimed at him.

"OCELOT!" Snake shouted.

Ocelot looked down at Snake, but before he could do anything, his arm started to twitch. Ocelot grabbed his right arm in pain. Suddenly, he straightened up but this time his was voice was different. He started speaking in a voice Snake was all too familiar with.

"It's been a while, brother!" said Ocelot.

"Who are you?" asked Snake.

"You know who I am," said Ocelot.

Snake didn't want to believe it but there was only one person who would talk to him like that.

"Liquid?" asked Snake.

"Not so young anymore, eh, Snake…" said Liquid. "You're drowning in time. I know what it's like, brother."

Snake tried to process this bizarre turn of events as Liquid continued, "No wonder Naomi passed you over for the FOXDIE program.

Ocelot's right arm started to twitch again and Snake heard Ocelot say, "Out - get out of my mind! Liquid…"

Ocelot let out a roar and after a few seconds of silence, Liquid said, "The price of physical prodigy… Few more years and you'll be another dead clone of the old man. Our raw materials are vintage, brother. Big Boss was in his 30s when they created his copies. But I - I live on, through this arm."

Snake took a closer look at Ocelot's right arm and realized that it was Liquid's. Suddenly, an explosion knocked Snake off his feet and Liquid took the chance to enter Metal Gear RAY. Liquid activated Metal Gear RAY just as Snake climbed back on to the platform.

"You don't have what it takes after all," said Liquid. "You're going down, Snake - with this tanker!"

Metal Gear RAY stomped on the platform Snake was standing on with enough force to fling Snake into a nearby wall, knocking him unconscious. A few minutes later, Snake woke up and found Metal Gear RAY running rampant.

"Otacon, we have a problem…" Snake reported.

Metal Gear Ray fired its hydraulic beam and ripped a hole into the tanker, allowing more water to rush in. The surge of water rushing in knocked Snake into the water, causing Otacon to yell, "Snaaaaake!"

Snake swam through the Holds and latched onto a ladder. Snake climbed out of the water and ran down the path he came through. Water came rushing in behind him and eventually the floor under him crumbled away, causing Snake to fall in the water. Snake looked around and spotted a hole large enough to swim through. Snake swam through the hole and swam to the surface. Once there, Snake noticed RAY land on the remains of the Tanker. RAY then back flipped into the river and disappeared.