I finally got out of this writer's block and have this chapter completed. I want to thank all those like leafninja, Ominae and everyone else who sent me reviews and emails of encouragement. It helps me know that evean after not updating for so long people still love this story. I'm glad to thank SniegZ for all his help in this story. I am still looking for someone to go over grammar and sentence structure. Anyone who wants to help than send me an email or message and we will talk. To those who sent me emails that expressed intrest than get back to me and we will talk. Thanks and again I don't own FMP or MGS. I do own Michael and SniegZ owes Joe. Thanks and review!
Shunya Chidori always worried about his eldest daughter. Even before his wife passed away she always had problems with authority and did not know the meaning of the phrase 'speak loudly but walk softly.' After she stayed in Tokyo he grew worried about that her attitude and how it would make others see her. Shunya was relieved that once she entered high school her old ways changed slightly. Her old rebellious nature simmered down and only would appear if the situation required it.
The only thing he was against was dating of any kind. The fact that Kaname lived alone by herself didn't help his worries either. However, Shunya knew the burden of having a beautiful daughter. Before he left they agreed no boyfriends until she got into to college in either Japan or the U.S. Distractions like that presented a real threat to her future and a bad choice could ruin her entire life.
When she visited out of the blue with her new boyfriend, he was less than thrilled. It seemed that his daughter ignored their agreement and seemed to start dating carelessly.
Shunya's opinion changed after meeting the young man called Leonard Testaroosa. He was very polite, well mannered and above all very ambitious about his future. It seemed that they met at a school function her school was throwing. Leonard was an exchange student visiting from Italy looking at schools to study aboard.
His daughter continued to explain that they had met and things got off to a rough start but after a while his daughter grew on him. After some emails and a few dates they started to care and love each other. The young man seemed to be what his daughter needed to set her on the right path.
"Mr. Chidori, again I thank you for your time in this matter." Leonard said to Mr. Chidori. He was in town for a few days while his daughter was in Tokyo for the start of the new school year.
"It is my pleasure Leonard," He leaned back in his chair, "I make time for my daughter's friends especially someone who has helped my daughter so much."
Leonard waved his hand, "Please Mr. Chidori, you give me more credit than I deserve. Your daughter is a very lovely young woman. She has a lot of passion but is kind when she wants to be. I can tell that she got that from her mother."
Shunya smiled sadly, "Her mother is a good person. Too bad she could not meet you, I believe that she'd be delighted to make your aquaintance."
Leonard smiled, "I appreciate the compliment Mr. Chidori. I just wished that her younger sister would. I still don't know what caused such a negative reaction, on my part."
Shunya nodded. It was unlike Ayame to be as rude as she was to Leonard. When he spoke to his daughter later that night, she seemed nervous around him. Shunya believed that it was just envy for her older sister.
"Well then Mr. Chidori," Leonard said getting to the point of his visit, "the reason for my visit is simple. I would like to invite you and young Ayame to Italy."
Shunya was surprised to hear that. He knew that Leonard was a wealthy young man. He explained that his parents died as a result of a fire that killed them. At a young age he was left with a vast fortune. Despite the fortune he was very humble about it and never let it get to his head.
"I extended the offer to your daughter and she would only come if you accompanied her." Leonard finished.
Shunya smiled, "It would be rude not to..."
The door slammed behind them causing them to turn around. It sounded like someone was hitting the door with something.
It paused and than another slam.
Shunya stood up, "What is the meaning of this!?"
Leonard turned his head wondering if it was the clumsy secretary , who, perhaps, tripped and hit her head against the door.
Another slam. This time, much stronger. The door was starting to break and the hinges were coming out!
Shunya reached for his phone, "Whoever is doing this will..." He stopped when he got no dial tone. He than remembered that maintenance was repairing damaged wires and the phones would be out.
Another slam and Leonard rose to his feet, "I assume that knocking is the polite thing to do, but this is too much."
Shunya noticed that the man had paled a little. It could not be as bad as he thought it was.
The doors flung open and both men in the room got a good look. They were in military uniforms. Neither Shunya or Leonard could get a good luck at their faces because of the hats they were wearing.
"Whoever the hell you two are you need to leave right now!!" Shunya yelled.
Leonard was amazed that they had ignored him and proceeded to try and repair the door.
"You kicked it too hard." One said.
"Entering the room was our main concern. We needed enough force to get in." The other one said holding the door up.
Leonard lowered his head. It was a brief moment but he could believe that they could and had moved this fast.
Shunya yelled again, "Are you two deaf!?"
One of them turned keeping his head down, "Please sir one moment. We need to fix this." The man had proceeded to push the door back.
"Leave the door alone! Hooligans! Leave before I call the police and have you arrested." Shunya threatened. He could not call anyone but had his phone in his pocket.
The door was closed but rather a sloppy job was done. The doors still hung from the hinges and it looked like either door could fall out. The frame and wood were cracked and were begging to be replaced.
"Now then," One of them took their hats off, "We can get to work."
The other copied his friend and took his hat off as well.
Shunya got a good look at the two men. It surprised him that they were still so young. They looked no older than Leonard but their eyes seemed to speak of experience. The first one who took his hat off had brown hair and brown eyes. The thing that stood out was that he looked Asian but with European features. Shunya believe he could be a Eurasian which is a person of mixed Asian and European heritage.
The second man stood out even more. He was Japanese with messy, spiky brown hair. His eyes were grey which were unusual and a cross shaped scar on the right side of his face. Shunya for a brief moment was taken aback by his eyes. They were focused but there was something else about this young man and Shunya could not put his finger on it.
"Mr. Chidori, I apologize for our entrance," The scar man looked back at the door, "but it is very important that we speak with you."
Shunya remembered it, "You two were the young men coming to speak to me about going to West Point." He shook his head, "I will report you to your superiors the moment you.."
"There is no need for that Mr. Chidori." Leonard smiled and looked at them, "Time does fly quickly Mr. Sagara and Mr. Kanzuki." He leaned back into his chair without a care in the world.
Sousuke ignored him but bit his teeth. He wanted to drag him out by that long hair of his and be done with it but that was not the purpose of this visit. He glanced over at Michael who seemed to have the same idea as he did, "Mr. Chidori, we come to you for a whole different reason."
Shunya looked at the man and decided to go along with it. If he had a good enough reason to break his door that it may be just worth hearing, "Go ahead then young man but if I am not impressed in two minutes than you both will leave in handcuffs. Am I clear?" He was happy they answered with a quick 'yes sir'. It seemed very second nature for them.
"Would this have something to do with his daughter maybe?" Leonard smiled looking at Mr. Chidori. This could work to his favor if Leonard played the right cards.
"Does it?" Shunya asked quickly. He had a feeling this would make the questions much easier. The young man reacted just like he thought he would. His face displayed a slight touch of shock and his eyes darted for a quick second. Reading men the right way was the only way to get through politics.
Michael kept his eyes on Shunya and not on Leonard. Any kind of indication to hostility could make things worse. Their time limit would be cut away almost instantly.
Sousuke gulped and said, "Yes sir."
Shunya was impressed that he answered the way he did. Sagara was very quick to answer but it sounded different. There had to be more to this than he was being lead to believe. It seemed almost ridiculous that two men would fight over a woman to this extent but it was different when he was growing up, "What kind of relationship do you have with my daughter? Be honest with me for I will know if, when and how you lie." He kept a steady gaze and presence at Sagara and Kanzuki, "You may begin."
Sousuke's mind raced with how to answer that question. If he said that he was Kaname's bodyguard it would send him into a huge frenzy. If he lied than both of them would be kicked out making this trip a waste. He gave a quick turn to Michael who just nodded hesitantly. They had no choice in this matter and at least they could present their evidence about themselves and about Leonard's true nature.
Sousuke took a deep breath and said, "I'm a classmate of Kaname but I am also her bodyguard sir." He said it definitively without a second thought.
Shunya raised his eyebrows at that one, "Her bodyguard?" He heard a lot of things as a politician but this was beyond anything he heard before, "Young man I am going to-"
"My name is Sousuke Sagara and I am a Sergeant with Mithril sir."
Shunya looked at him confused. The name Mithril was well known in the inner circles of the U.N. It was praised as a good way to handle civil wars without the worry of international ridicule or repercussions. It employed mercenaries from around the world to fight these wars and they were very good at what they did.
The mere idea of this Sagara being in Mithril blew his mind. He looked no older than his daughter and yet he took part in these battles.
"Mithril?" Shunya still skeptical, "Young man I have no idea of what games you are playing but you need to leave now." He pointed at his broken door.
"Sir," Sousuke pulled out a folder. He pulled it away when Leonard tried to grab it, giving the man a stern look.
Shunya stood up from his chair and took the folder. He glanced through it and after a few minutes he took a deep breath. Shunya shook his head reading the material he was given. The man spoke the truth, "I see you have been," He gulped when he saw Afghanistan during the Russian invasion, "around the world."
Leonard looked over at Sousuke, "If a man such as that is at high school, don't you think he would be a danger to the students and especially your daughter."
Sousuke felt that same anger building.
"A person who has seen as much as he has should not be around civil people. Who knows who could get hurt." He smiled looking at Sousuke.
Sousuke took a step forward but Michael grabbed his arm. He turned to Michael who just shook his head slightly. He mouthed a few words to Sousuke who shook Michael's hand off.
Leonard than turned his eyes to Michael, "I can only imagine if these two were indeed related. Who knows what kind of damage they could bring to people. Students and teachers caught in their careless antics could suffer greatly."
Now it was Sousuke's turn to stop Michael. Sousuke did the same thing and Michael backed off.
Shunya realized that there were two of them. He was so focused on Sagara that he forgot about Kanzuki, "And what is your relationship with," He hesitated for a second, "Sgt. Sagara."
Michael was a little surprised that he was forgotten, "I'm his brother."
Shunya did not know what to say but today seemed to have one surprise after another, "Brothers? But... But you look nothing alike!"
Michael handed him a folder similar to what Sousuke had.
Shunya started reading it and paled when he saw the word FOXHOUND. He knew very little about this group but heard tales about them. They were not tales for the faint of heart. The soldiers in this organization were good at what they did and were professionals like Mithril.
The difference was that FOXHOUND did not deal directly in border despites or civil wars like Mithril did. They handled black ops ranging from assassination, espionage, and even direct involvement in country politics.
Shunya scanned through this supposed file and saw Afghanistan, "So that is how you two know each other." He sighed sadly, "You both fought in Afghanistan together. I'm amazed that you two survived through it all."
"We were with the Soviets for some time but than joined the rebels. After that we left." Sousuke answered.
"Sounds like nothing has changed," Leonard commented, "Mr. Chidori, if you allow me to intervene, allow me to say that this story sounds hardly believable. This proof? For all we know these files could be fabricated."
Shunya looked at the files and than looked at the two young men. He considered Leonard's suggestion and it seemed very possible. Two young boys no older than sixteen years old surviving the battle grounds of Afghanistan seemed almost impossible. However, he recalled children taking arms with the rebels to fight the invaders in their homeland.
Shunya took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, "Sagara, was it?"
"Yes, sir."
Shunya tapped the desk and studied Sousuke Sagara. The young man's face betrayed no emotion but knew that Sousuke was not lying about anything, "Fine then, Sgt. Sagara. State your business."
Leonard looked baffled at what he just heard, "Mr. Chidori I..."
"I want to hear this. This young man is not lying as far as I can tell. If he is lying than he is a very good liar but until I determine otherwise you will be silent and let them talk. Is that clear?" Shunya cut Leonard off completely. Both of them had impressed him and would hear their reason for coming.
Michael sighed in relief but was still nervous. Leonard was nervous but not as nervous as he wanted him to be. It almost seemed like he did not care, "We came to speak to you about something else but we can actually prove something to you."
"And what is that Mr. Kanzuki?"
Sousuke pointed at Leonard, "That man is a weapons manufacturer who has made and sold powerful weapons. He is also responsible for the attack in Tokyo months ago."
Shunya's blood ran cold. When he heard the news he immediately called his daughter to make sure she was okay. She did not answer her phone for two days but finally got a hold of her. Kaname told him she was with Leonard in north Japan on a school function. She presented evidence of it in a fax and he was satisfied.
Now Leonard was being called a weapons dealer, "You have said a lot today, Mr. Sagara and Mr. Kanzuki. I expect that you two have proof of this," he paused to find the words, "allegation?"
Michael reached into his bag and handed Shunya a small portable device. The screen had a movie playing and Shunya watched it silently.
Sousuke heard the noise and knew what it was, "How did you get that?" He whispered.
Michael turned to him keeping his eyes on Leonard, "Nanomachines in my body can record everything I see. It was a simple matter of downloading the memory to that."
Sousuke bit his lip and tried to block out the noise and dialogue. He did not want to be reminded of that war filed day.
He saw enough from that day.
Shunya put the device down when he heard Leonard's voice. He glanced over at the massive Arm Slave that looked like something from hell, "Aren't you going to try and explain yourself?" he looked directly at Leonard.
Leonard only smiled, "What can I say? They caught me." He clapped, "Bravo gentlemen, bravo indeed. It seems that your not mindless killing machines."
Both ignored him but stood ready to act if he tried anything.
Shunya took a deep breath, "Where is my daughter?"
Leonard only smiled, "That is a secret." He was cocky with his response.
"Answer the question." Sousuke threatened.
"And what if I don't?." Leonard replied.
Michael had enough. He grabbed Leonard by his coat and threw him out of the chair and against the wall, "I suggest you change your tone Leonard. You're not in the best position right now."
Leonard still smiled, "And your not aware of what I can do Mr. Kanzuki. I assure you that I and my sister are two very different people."
"Very scary," Sousuke commented and drew his gun, "Take the coat off."
Leonard shook his head and pointed to him, "See Mr. Chidori, this man knows nothing but violence and intimidation. I'm sure he's not the best choice for your daughter. He's killed people without a second thought and you crucify me?"
Shunya rose from his chair, "You're a weapons dealer, for heaven's sake! A snake selling it's venom!"
"Very poetic, Mr. Chidori, but I'd use something other for your reference," Michael drew his gun as well, "I know someone who wouldn't appreciate that comparison."
Sousuke kept his focus on Leonard, "The coat!"
Leonard shrugged his shoulders, "I guess I will play along but if we are revealing secrets Sergeant than I have one you should hear."
"I'm not interested in..."
"Did she tell you what happened before Hong Kong?" Leonard knew that would peak his interest.
Sousuke lowered his gun, "What do you mean?"
Michael cursed to himself. This was what he was worried about the most. Sousuke knew nothing of those events and about Michael's mission.
"Gauron told you he sent a assassin to kill Kaname didn't he?" His blood chilled when he saw Gauron in that decrypic state.
Sousuke answered but brought his gun up, "Yes he did but take the coat off now."
Leonard complied, "What did she tell you?" He took the coat off and threw it to his side. Leonard appeared to have no visible weapons on him but nothing was going to be taken to chance.
Sousuke gulped, "She told me that Wraith saved her."
Leonard chuckled, "Ah! But quite the contrary - she was the one who saved Wraith." He smiled looking at the shocked look in his face, "Don't you get it Sergeant, she lied to you about the whole thing. Kaname was afraid of how you would react to the truth."
Sousuke held his anger for moment. He could not believe that Kaname would lie to him about anything. If she trusted him like she said she did than what was she so afraid of him finding out, "Then what happened?"
Leonard's confidence seemed to gain steam, "The truth was that she outsmarted Yu-Lan in a brilliant display of cunning, tactics and intelligence." He smiled at Sousuke, "It's all the reason why I fell in love with her."
Sousuke aimed for the head but held back his finger. He could almost hear Michael telling him to back off but that comment was pushing the envelope. They had already wasted enough time with his games.
More time wasted, was more time for Leonard to plan something.
"But that is not the point Sgt," He pushed a few strands of hair from his face, "That is when I appeared."
Sousuke could not believe his ears, "You?!"
"Yes Sgt. I appeared before her. My objective was to track down Yu-Lan. Such a naughty, naughty girl and she needed to be taught a lesson. When she tried to attack me, I dealt with her appropriately." Leonard recalled the detail with chilling detail.
"You mean kill her?" Shunya said.
Leonard nodded, "'Kill' is such a strong word. I'd prefer 'put down'." He laughed slightly at that joke, "But I digress. Kaname got upset with me for killing Yu-Lan. However when I think about it, I'm sure you would've taken care of her in a similar fashion. Isn't that right, Sergeant.?"
Sousuke fought back the bile in his throat. Hearing Leonard say that he would simply kill her made his skin crawl like never before. Gauron was one thing but Leonard was different.
"As a last resort." Sousuke tried to reply but he knew he was lying to himself.
Leonard chuckled at that one, "Really Sgt just admit it. You would kill her without a second thought. It would really make it easier since you and I are the same."
"We. Are. Nothing. Alike." Sousuke said each word with building fury, "Your nothing like me or him." He mentioned Michael who was silent the whole time. Sousuke wondered why he was not saying anything.
Leonard shrugged his shoulders, "Keep living in that dream world Sgt but the more you fight it, the more you realize what you are." He waved his hand dismissing the topic, "But that is not the point, Sergeant, is it? You want to hear the rest of what happened, correct?"
Sousuke was silent and slowly lowered his gun.
Michael looked at him surprised but Sousuke grabbed his hand and forced the gun down.
Leonard was surprised to see the good sergeant do that, "Continuing the story, Sergeant, I would have to say that she tried to defend you but could not really find the words. She couldn't seem to find the reason why she was attracted to you," He started to get disdain in his face, "Why anyone would like you is beyond me but one thing that will be taken care of I assure you."
"Try it." Sousuke challenged.
"Ohh," Leonard taunted, "I'm shaking like a leaf, Mr. Sagara. But, really, I could die happy right now since I beat you already. Because... I was first."
Sousuke was confused, "What do you mean by 'first'?"
Leonard smiled and laughed softly, "My friend," He touched his lips, "No cherry could taste so sweet as her lips."
Sousuke's heart stopped, "What did you do?" He demanded.
Leonard was silent.
Sousuke placed his finger on the trigger of his gun, "WHAT DID YOU DO!?" He yelled , startling everyone, even Michael.
In all the years Michael knew Sousuke he had never seen him that angry before. Unfortunately, it was only the start.
"I kissed her, Sergeant." Leonard said and put his hands in his pockets.
Sousuke's breathing got heavier and heavier as he felt the urge rising. Leonard did not have that special coat of his and Sousuke could take care of Leonard once and for all.
"Please, Sergeant," He spread his hands out, "If you're going to kill me than kill me. You would have a better chance than he did." Leonard pointed to Michael.
Sousuke turned to Michael and asked, "Is that true?"
Michael took a deep breath, "Operation Strip mine." He knew that Sousuke was going to throw a fit at him for this one, "After the incident in North Korea, President Sears charged FOXHOUND with finding out who was behind the kidnapping. An organization with power and influence to hire someone like Gauron and have advanced technology would not be easy to find. After a two month investigation we uncovered one name," He looked at Leonard, "Amalgam."
Sousuke looked at him unable to speak or say anything.
Michael continued, "Once we identified the organization our next goal was to locate and eliminate targets. We had dead leads and blockades from the government. Only did we realize later that they were Amalgam agents blocking us at every turn."
"People are so easy to buy off." Leonard turned to Shunya, "Don't you agree."
Shunya was silent and let Michael continue. Any information he could get about this Amalgam would be important later.
"When we started to see the blockades, the Colonel changed the plan to have only a few people know what was going on. These were people that could be trusted." Michael added, "We soon got a lead and it was Yu-Lan."
"You're orders were to tail her and capture her?" Sousuke asked. There was more he wanted to ask but that would come in time.
Michael nodded, "We tailed her and did not realize that she was after someone. Only after we got in position to move did she attack Kaname."
Sousuke's face slowly grew with anger hearing that, "And you did nothing?"
Michael was silent, "We were going to try and hit her with a tranq dart and than grab her but," He pointed to Leonard, "That was when he appeared. The moment Yu-Lan confirmed that he was Mr. Silver we had our lead."
"Of course the mission changed didn't it Mr. Kanzuki." Leonard added.
Michael looked at him, "When we found out that he was a whispered and working for the enemy our orders changed from capture to terminate."
Sousuke understood the change in orders. He heard rumors from other FOXHOUND agents that the organization would try and save those captured. It would only change if they were working for the enemy willingly.
They would do whatever it took to prevent more Black Technology from leaking.
"That mission was blocked by one person." Michael said with venom in his voice. He could still remember his orders to withdraw and abort.
It was the only time in his FOXHOUND career he wanted to disobey orders.
"Who was that person?" Sousuke asked.
Michael paused and said, "Your Captain."
Sousuke felt a tight knot in his stomach. Everything was hitting him at once and the room seemed to spin.
Kaname kept her meeting with Leonard a secret.
Sousuke's own brother took part in a search and destroy operation that involved Amalgam and kept him out of the loop.
Now his superior and so called friend interfered with the same operation. Sousuke was appalled that Tessa would even consider helping her brother despite what he has done.
All people he trusted deeply and yet they still kept secrets from him. Sousuke did not know how he would even look at Tessa or even Kaname anymore.
He would deal with Michael properly after this mission was over.
Michael heard the codec going off and knew the Mithril staff had to be throwing a fit just as much as FOXHOUND. He could care less about the Captains excuse. His mind recalled an old saying 'You make your bed, you lie in it'. They made their choice and now they had to reap the consequences.
Michael ignored the call and continued, "Look we can deal with it later."
Sousuke looked at him unsure if he could even trust him right now. He didn't say anything but just looked at him.
Michael matched him and knew that this was going to happen. Sousuke did not trust him and he did not blame him in the slightest, "Sergeant, we have a job to do." He said in a low voice to get his attention.
Sousuke raised his gun and kept it aimed at Leonard, "Yes, Major."
Shunya studied the scene and knew that things were more tense than they were moments ago. A while ago those two trusted each other and now it looked like they were going to tear each other apart, "Gentlemen, detain him for questioning."
Leonard raised his hands almost mocking the two, "Yes 'gentlemen' do behave."
Sousuke spoke first, "Against the wall and spread your legs."
Leonard did as he was told which made the two more tense.
Things were going too easy for this situation and both knew it. Sousuke may not trust Michael but he knew he was thinking the same thing.
They had to be cautious and alert for whatever could happen.
Michael tucked his gun behind his back and walked forward. He could trust Sousuke to make sure Leonard did not get away. If he was going to be alive, even he did not know.
Leonard smiled, "I'm truly sorry that things had to turn out this way Mr. Chidori. I really felt that we had a connection with each other."
Shunya scoffed, "Where is my daughter?"
Leonard continued, "I did want to give the news that to save your life and her sister's life she agreed to marry me."
Sousuke kept his cool and tried to remind himself that they needed him alive.
Shunya ignored it, "Where is my daughter?! Tell me before I have these two make you tell me!"
Michael started to pat his legs down to check for weapons. He slowly moved up to check every possible spot he could hide something. He was pretty sure he had nothing on him but he had a coat that could block bullets. It made him wondered what else he could make.
"I wonder how this sounds Sgt." He smiled when he saw Michael at his waist, "Miss Kaname Chidori Testaroosa."
Leonard's coat sprang to life and jumped up three feet in the air making everyone turn.
Including Michael!
Leonard quickly turned and hocked his arm around Michael's neck and held it tight. He had Michael as body shield from Sousuke and everyone else who could arrive. A small knife slid out of his other arm and had it pressed against his hostage's neck.
Michael was seething being at the mercy of this guy. Before he could reach for his gun Leonard took it.
Sousuke immediately jumped to action, "Let him go!"
Leonard started to move with the wall against his back. He slowly moved and dragged Michael making sure he still had his shield, "I would rather not Sgt." He pressed the knife against Michael's neck, "You see I would love nothing more than to slit his throat."
"Do it! Because if-" Michael stopped when he felt the blade cut his skin.
"Do be quiet Mr. Kanzuki. Your voice irritates me." Leonard turned to Sousuke, "Put the gun down Sergeant. or I WILL kill him."
"Shoot him." Michael ordered.
Sousuke paused and tried to align his sights for a head shot but had no luck. Leonard kept as low as he could to still move Michael but keep himself safe from fire. They had underestimated him again. Sousuke never expected Leonard to be as strong as Michael right now, "Let him go right now."
"Sergeant, I order you to open fire on the target." Michael ordered him again and was once again silenced by Leonard's knife.
"Yes, Sergeant, shoot him. How will you explain it to dear, sweet Kaname, that you had to shot your own brother just to get her back. It'd just break her heart from knowing that you spilled his blood on her head." Leonard taunted. His back was against the door.
"Sousuke! Just shoot him already! I lied to you! Shoot me! Just kill the arrogant son of a bitch!" Michael ordered.
"I will not do that Michael. I'm upset with you at the moment but not that upset." Sousuke answered still keeping his focus on the door and Leonard.
"Awww... A dogs heart, ever faithful. Even a warhounds heart! How perfect. How... Predictable." Leonard flipped a switch on the knife and banged the blunt side of the blade against Michael's neck.
Michael gasped through his teeth feeling the electrical current. His body was going numb and could not move.
Leonard quickly threw Michael in front of Sousuke surprising him.
Michael crashed into him throwing both of them on the floor.
Sousuke was about to throw him off when he heard a muffled sound. He looked up and saw Leonard holding Michael's gun.
It was smoking!
Leonard smiled sadly, "It's a shame Mr. Chidori." He fired again hitting Shunya's stomach, "I cannot let you live with what you just heard I did like you." He fired one more hitting his left elbow, "But it appears you will not be giving Kaname or even Ayame away."
Shunya looked at his stomach and saw the blood pouring out. He took a step forward and fell right to his knees. Shunya grabbed the desk and tried to stand up but fell to his side. His hand covered the hole in his stomach in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding.
Sousuke threw Michael off, "You!" He charged right at Leonard who countered with a kick across his face.
Leonard smiled and ran out the door throwing the broken door to the side.
Sousuke rubbed his chin and looked over at Michael still struggling to get up. He knew he would be fine and rushed to Mr. Chidori.
Michael was telling his body over and over to move. The electrical shock not only distorted his neural network, but also scrambled the nanomachines in his body. A complete reboot and nano-link reconnect had to be done to fix this. He crawled using his elbows and grabbed the corner of the desk to pull himself up.
Sousuke rushed over, trying to assess the situation and remain as calm as possible. He looked at Shunya who had been bleeding in two places. One wound was in the shoulder and the other more serious wound in his stomach. If Mr. Chidori doesn't get immediate medical attention he's going to die, either from either internal bleeding or poisoning from his stomach acids.
Sousuke looked around to find something to stop the bleeding. Anything. He looked down and saw a coat on Shunya's stomach. Sousuke looked up and saw Michael coming around the corner still trying to get over whatever Leonard did to him.
Sousuke without asking took the jacket and started to put pressure on the wound. He was relived that Shunya reacted even if he flinched.
Shunya started muttering something that neither Sousuke nor Michael heard or even cared to listen.
"Hey! What's the situation!?"
Both looked up and saw Yang and the rest of the team inside the room.
Sousuke got up once a medic started to tend to Shunya and Michael, "I'll stay and..."
"No." Michael said, "You have to go after him!"
Sousuke looked at him unsure if he would even listen to him, "You think I'd listen to.."
"An order. That's what you'll listen to!" Michael felt the numbness in his body start to lessen, "I order you to pursue him! Is that understood, Sergeant?"
Sousuke paused for a second and looked at him, "Will you get him out?"
Yang looked at them, "The mobile hospital is on standby, sir. ETA – seven minutes. Don't worry. We'll take care of him."
Sousuke nodded as he got up and looked at Shunya one last time. He turned to the door and start rushing forward when Joe stopped him, handing him his 590 Mossberg shotgun, "Bleach hoped a few floors up. No idea what he's planning, so don't go in without a second thought, alright?."
"Affirmative." Sousuke answered and rushed out the door.
The halls were frantic with people standing up from their desks confused with hysteria and panic. No one knew what was going and were rushing all over the place.
Sousuke knew Leonard would use this panic to make his escape. This was their one chance to find Metal Gear. He thought about what Liquid and Leonard could subject her to and it quickened his pace.
Sousuke sent a call, "Otacon?"
The channel was silent and then, "Yeah, I'm here."
"Can you find Leonard's exact position?"
Otacon mumbled something and than said, "Okay, I had him on that floor one minute ago and he is heading up to the sixty-fifth floor Sousuke."
Sousuke got to the elevators and pushed the 64 button, "What's on the sixty-fifth floor?" He checked if the shotgun chamber was loaded. On the side it had a travel case with five additional shells marked "HE" for "high explosive". He knew this would be useful if he encountered the Alastor units.
"It's an empty floor where they are doing reconstruction and remodeling. Lights were disconnected since they are tearing out walls. The only thing on this floor is a conference room and some smaller offices. The only way he could escape is the conference room. Be careful, you're going in blind since the cameras are shut off."
"We need him alive, Sergeant. Don't forget that." A new voice came on and it was the Colonel.
"Roger, Colonel." Sousuke answered when the doors opened. He saw several startled people who got out of his way. Sousuke quickly rushed up the stairs to the 65th floor. Using the elevator would put him in a closed situation where he would have no escape. The stairs would provide him with a quick escape and better cover if there were people waiting to ambush him.
"Sergeant Sagara... Sousuke, please-"
Sousuke cut the call once he heard Tessa's voice. He did not want to hear anything from her until this was over.
He reached the door and ducked down to present a smaller target. He quietly opened the door and used the barrel to open it more.
Sousuke peaked over the edge and saw no one in front of him. He swung the door open and looked left and right with the gun up ready to fire.
No one was around.
Sousuke lowered the gun to his hip and tightened his fingers on the handle. He took quiet and cautious steps toward the end of the hall.
Sousuke reached the door and jiggled the handle to see if it was locked.
The door opened creaking quietly.
It was dark except for the big windows at the end of the room. Sousuke saw that this was a large conference room with a large table in the center.
Sousuke took a few quiet steps in and looked around. The darkness prevented him from seeing clearly.
Sousuke was starting to feel nervous wondering what was going on with Shunya and..
"Sousuke!"
Sousuke quickly turned around hearing a voice behind him. Nothing was there but his gun was up ready to fire at the first sign of…
"Sousuke? Why are you here?"
Sousuke frantically looked around hearing more of the same voice near him but he still could not see anything. The voice was haunting and almost alluring.
"Why do you kill when you know its wrong? Do you enjoy killing?
Sweat started to drip from his face hearing those questions around him, "Who's there!?" He called out to the darkness.
"Why are you asking questions when you know the answer to them Kashim?"
Sousuke started to feel nervous. He sensed his nerves getting shaken and raised the shotgun to keep his focus at the mission at hand.
Leonard was around here and he was playing the same games he always played with people.
"Sousuke why do you do these things?"
The voice whispered in his ear and turned around. His heart stopped and the shotgun was lowered.
The only one he ever desired was right in front of him standing barefoot, in a white dress. She walked towards him the same way she would if she was nervous around him.
Sousuke's arms were at his sides with the shotgun pointing down, "Kaname?"
Michael pushed the medic away from him watching the scene in front of him. He watched as Shunya had a quartet of combat medics swearing over him as they worked to stabilize his condition. The blood kept flowing.
Michael had seen it many times before. He didn't need a medic to tell him how serious they were.
One of them focused on getting a tube down his throat, "Okay got a clear airway." He attached a plastic balloon like thing to the end of the hose and started to pump it gently and slowly.
The lead medic from Mithril was a Staff Sergeant, Robert Carmine, "We managed to get good blood pressure and readings. He's as stable as we can get him! The time to move him is now!" He took off his stethoscope to check the heart again, "Where's med-evac?!"
"Pulled up a few moments ago. Squad, form up!" Yang pointed out getting his men ready.
Robert turned to Michael, "Orders?"
Michael got up still a little woozy from before, "Have one squad escort him to the hospital." He popped his shoulder, "Second squad tags with squad one and makes sure they depart safely. Once Mr. Chidori is safe I want the second squad to regroup and secure the sixty-fifth floor. Clear?"
"Yes sir!" They all yelled.
The medic team was moving Shunya down the halls with armed men surrounding them. Nothing was going to get by them or close to Shunya now or ever.
Michael stopped Joe, "Give me that." He reached and took his Mark 23 right out of the holster.
"HEY!" Joe yelled, "What the hell are you..."
"I'm taking your gun. I lost mine." The clip slid out and he saw that it was loaded, "Got more ammo?" Michael had his hand out.
Joe threw an angry glance at him, but the facemask and goggles hid it away. He brought up three more clips and handed them to Michael, "You're leaving me with only a knife to pick my teeth with."
"Don't whine," Michael said pulling back the slide a little to check if the chamber is loaded,"I'm sure you have a whole bag full of explosives somewhere".
"I do, but I was saving them for a special occasion. Listen, maybe I should go with..."
"No." Michael stopped him, "You have orders and you carry them out." He said and ran off before Joe could say anything in protest.
The team lifted the stretcher up and carefully pushed Shunya out of the room. The escort formed a circle around the stretcher with guns up and pushing people out of the way.
The crowd tried to get close to see what was going on but the soldiers kept everyone at a distance. It was all too easy for a sleeper to strike and finish the job.
They reached the elevator and Michael watched them enter with Shunya on the stretcher. The medics continued to pump oxygen into his lungs, trying to keep his pulse and heartbeat as strong and as stable as possible.
The wounds were serious and blood loss was only one thing to worry about. If it appeared there was damage to his organs than he would require immediate surgery.
"Be careful." Michael said watching the elevator door close.
"You too." Robert replied and the door closed.
Michael walked past the second squad as they crowded into the next available elevator. He reached the staircase and followed Sousuke's trail.
Rushing up the stairs he had Joe's gun up and ready. Quickly reaching his goal, he got in contact with the others, "Shunya is on his way with Yang and Robert's squads as escorts."
The Colonel came on the radio, "Good work, Major. We will discuss other things when you return."
Michael scoffed when he reached his destination, "They already knew about Strip Mine. They have been playing with us for a long time. Let us factor in Dr. Hunter who turned traitor on us. I bet she was the one who gave them all the pass codes when they attacked the base. Who knows how long she had been giving information? She may have been the one to expose Strip Mine. So excuse me for giving him additional information."
Tessa got on the radio. She was furious about Michael putting the blame on her for the failure of Strip Mine. The mission had been compromised and she was trying to save lives, "You still had no right to give him that information. The details of that mission before, during and after Strip Mine are classified Major. Who knows how he will act now with what you told him!?"
Michael was silent and quietly opened the door. He scanned around to make sure there was no one to keep him out. Michael saw no bodies or gun shot holes or shells on the floor.
He quietly entered the floor keeping the gun lowered, "Now are you mad that you kept something like this from him?" He paused taking note of his surroundings one more time, "Or are you mad at me because he will just be mad at you?"
The question caused her to stutter, "You….! How dare you make such an accusation!?"
Michael switched off the radio before she could continue. He knew that would get her mad but he was not looking to be friends with her. Michael was well aware of the consequences of his actions.
That was the last thing on his mind right now. The mission came first and Sousuke would needed back-up.
Michael followed the hall until he got to the conference room Otacon told him about.
He saw the door and slowly pushed it opened, into the room quickly and quietly.
Michael scanned the room and saw that the only light was the sun breaking through the blinds.
His codec was going off again and he was trying to ignore but he recognized the beeping. Michael opened the channel, "Mei Ling? I'm a little busy so what is it!?"
The channel was static and Michael was worried. Mei Ling worked night and day to modify the codec again to keep it tight.
Michael turned and saw a figure with his back toward him, "Hands on your head!"
The figure did not respond and Michael took a few cautious, "Hands on your head now!" His gun was trained on the figure's head ready to fire.
Michael was right on top of him, "Hands on your.." He stopped when the figure turned around and it was Sousuke!
Michael dropped his gun when he saw the look of terror and fear on his face. His face was pale and was sweating bullets down his face.
It was a look full terror.
Michael slapped his face, "Sousuke! Sousuke its me!"
Sousuke looked at him and Michael helped him up. He shook his head and realized he was still holding his shotgun.
Michael picked up his gun, "What happened?" In all his years of working with Sousuke he had never seen a face like that.
Sousuke took a few deep breaths and wiped the sweat from his face, "I don't know what I saw."
Michael looked at him unsure on how to even ask, "What do you mean.."
They heard laughing and each had their guns up at the ready. They were back to back with each other moving in a three sixty pattern in the empty conference room.
Michael wondered something, "Leonard in-"
"No." Sousuke answered sharply, "Someone else is here."
"What happened Sousuke? You looked like you saw a ghost or something?" Michael kept his senses focused on his surroundings.
Sousuke took another deep breath trying to control his shaking arms. The sight was still strong and it would always haunt him, "I saw Kaname."
Michael turned around, "What?! Is she..."
Sousuke shook his head, "No. I thought she was here but she wasn't." He paused trying to find the words to explain what he saw, "I'm not sure what I saw."
Michael was confused still trying to get something out of him, "I don't..."
"Michael!"
Michael's heart froze hearing that voice in his ear. His body spun to the direction of the voice and saw nothing.
"Did you..." Michael could not finish the sentence since Sousuke pushed him out of his way.
A chair nearly took his head off and slammed into the wall.
Sousuke fired the shotgun at another chair and another piece of table. He didn't see the chair hit him from the side.
Michael rolled away from table almost landing on him. He sprung to his feet but a chair hit his back.
Sousuke started to get up and reach for his shotgun. The gun flew away from him and onto the other side of the room. The next thing Sousuke could register was being lifted up and thrown against the wall.
Michael quickly joined him but he was still holding his gun.
"For all your skills and all the talk, the two of you have not matched my expectations."
The voice was the same as the laugh that taunted them.
The air in front of them revealed a floating figure and Sousuke recognized what it was, "Stealth camo." He got out before more of the visible force pushed up back.
The figure appeared wearing black pants, a black muscle shirt and black elbow length gloves. The strange thing about his was the gas mask he wore.
Michael knew who this was, "Psycho Mantis or Mr. P."
Mantis floated to them, "I see you have heard of me but you know nothing of my power Michael." Mantis turned to Sousuke, "You have seen it. Haven't you Kashim?"
Sousuke tried to fight back but Mantis kept a tight control over his body, "You! You made me see that!"
Mantis chuckled and it chilled Sousuke to the bone, "Reading your mind is as easy as opening a book. I am the greatest user of telepathy and psychokinesis in the world. You two are nothing but roaches in the face of my power."
Michael scoffed, "You're starting to..." His head slammed back at the raise of Mantis's hand.
"My power is greater than that of the Whispered. It is nothing more than a joke when compared to my mind." Mantis moved his head closer, "You should fear and tremble!"
Sousuke started to feel he could move his arm. He reached down and...
Mantis raised his other hand without even looking at Sousuke and stopped him from moving, "Trying to reach for your gun and aim for a part of my body. You think that if you shot me than the hold will get weaker."
Sousuke cried out as his arm started to move without his control. The arm reached from the gun and aimed it at his head.
Mantis laughed, "I could snuff your life out like a candle."
Michael would have to thank Sousuke later. The control on Mantis was strong but gave him an idea. He kept pressing his finger on the wall until, "Damn it!" Everyone heard a crunch sound from Michael breaking a finger.
Mantis was caught off guard and in an instant had his gun at Mantis's head.
Mantis laughed, "You are not going to shoot me Michael."
Michael still had control on his trigger finger and slowly pressed it, "Try me."
Mantis laughed again and took his gloves off. It revealed a pasty white arm so thin and bony it was a surprise he was alive, "Your not going to shoot anyone Michael."
Michael heard the same voice again and started to lose his will and Mantis took over. The gun was now aimed at his own head.
Mantis floated closer to them, "What's wrong Michael lost the nerve to shoot? You still have it when you kill." Mantis turned to Sousuke, "Sousuke, Sousuke, Sousuke, no matter how many lives you save and how many times you save me you will never escape the stench of blood and the whispers of the dead.
Mantis lowered his hand and guns were thrown away. Now he had his hands on their heads, "Now, let's see what you have in those heads of yours. I want to see what wonderful memories we can bring to the surface."
Mei Ling threw her headphones off when she heard them scream. Mantis was probing their minds and making them suffer, "Colonel they…"
"What's the status of Yang's team!?" Tessa yelled.
There was a momentary pause and than, "They will be there in two minutes! We.."
"Tell them to hurry up or I will give them shit duty for the next two years!"
Tessa started to breath heavily trying to keep her professional composure but she had a hard time doing it.
She glanced over at Mei Ling who wasn't doing any better..
Mantis was satisfied and let them fall to the floor. He laughed watching them struggling to get up or even to move.
All their memories from the good ones to the worst ones were experienced at once. It was enough to shatter the strongest mind.
Leonard came out and looked at the two broken men, "There are many ways to kill a man they say."
Michael and Sousuke looked up trying to keep themselves together. The mental shook was so devastating that they had problems staying conscious. Sousuke started to get up but Leonard grabbed his shirt yanking him up.
"You can break bones." He kneed him in the stomach, "Shoot them until they bleed out." Leonard threw him against the wall making a sickening smack with his back. He than turned to Michael almost on his knee's, "They say though that to truly break a man's spirit." He stomped on his hand and grabbed his hair pulling him up, "That by breaking the spirit you can truly kill a man." Leonard slammed his head into the floor.
Leonard glanced over and saw Sousuke's Glock 19, "Now gentlemen," He walked over and picked it up, "I did have a great deal of fun with you both but you two have been nothing more than pains for a long time." He cocked the gun and walked over to Sousuke, "I've been waiting for this for along time Sgt. Sagara." Leonard tried to aim the gun but his arm would not let him.
Mantis kept his gaze on Leonard, "Boss told us not to leave them alone. Especially Sagara."
Michael's interest perked and looked up trying to keep himself from passing out.
Leonard sneered, "Your Boss told you but he is not my Boss." He tried to move his arm but his arm snapped to his head. Leonard looked at the corner of his eyes of the barrel now aimed at his head.
"Watch who you speak to Silver," Mantis warned putting his gloves back on, "Boss will not tolerate any more stunts or disobedience from you. Remember what happened last time."
Leonard gulped with the memory of the helicopter. Liquid only spared him since he was the only one to pilot Belial. He dropped the gun and turned hearing the banging on the door.
"Our ride is here." Mantis said as he floated to the window with Leonard behind him.
The door burst open and Yang and his men followed in, "Hands in the air."
Mantis responded by throwing the large conference table at them.
The men moved out of the way and the table crashed hitting a few men.
Yang got to his feet and saw a window broken, "Damn it." Leonard and the floating guy got away.
Joe helped Michael to his feet, "I told you should've taken me with, but noooo..." Suddenly Micheal bent down and threw up everything he had in his stomach. Joe winced looking at his boots, "Pancakes. Beautiful."
Yang rushed over to Sousuke who tried to stand up but only collapsed, "Sergeant! Sergeant?" He shook him trying to get him up but Sousuke did not respond.
He glanced over and saw Michael in the same position. Yang heard Joe saying he was unconscious but alive, "Get a medic now!" He yelled backing away from the body.
The next thing Yang did was contact command. He had the latest on Shunya and needed to report about Sousuke and Michael.
The large warehouse was anything but empty. A small squad of Mithril and FOXHOUND soldiers stood around the bodies collecting evidence on anything and everything they could find.
Wraith pulled the sheet off the body of one of the victims. She kept a straight face since she was use to this kind of stuff. Still, seeing the body of a seventeen year old dead was something she was not use to seeing.
The young girl named Melanie Burns was one of the four Whispered they were looking to find.
The red hair seemed to match the trail of blood from the bullet wound in the head. She had been dead for so long that the lifeless eyes gazed back at her.
Wraith covered the head again when she heard a phone close. She was happy that Snake had finished his call and could get back to work.
Wraith had her doubts working with the so called legend. All Snake seemed to be to her was another old man who thought he knew everything. The smoking she got use to but his 'socializing' was anything but fun. It was strange to see Snake wearing a simple black suit and tie.
Wraith got up as Snake looked at the second body that laid next to it, "What was it?"
"Silver was at Shunya's office. We did not expect that so we sent in the kid and Michael to try and get him," Snake pulled the sheet back more to examine the body, "He pulled a fast one on them and shot Shunya."
Wraith walked over to his side, "That sent them on a rage-chase after Silver. They would not stop to think they were walking into a trap."
Snake covered the body of the young Mitch Fore. He, like Melanie, had a bullet hole in the center of his head. This meant they were executed at the same time. After pulling the sheet over the body Snake pulled a cigarette, "They did. Psycho Mantis was waiting for them. Last Command heard they were alive but in some kind of mental breakdown."
Wraith lit Snake's cigarette, "He had psychic powers. It would be easy for him to break their minds." She put the lighter back in her pocket, "Anything else?"
Snake puffed out smoke, "All the Colonel told us was to get the bodies and head back to HQ. Other than that, we are done."
Wraith gave an order to one of the other people in the warehouse. They would get a gurney for both bodies and move to leave the area. They had a close one in Canada since the lead there had been a cold one. They talked with a few people and they were directed to Seattle.
Snake gave his assumption, "My guess is that they were shot, firing squad style. Liquid did not want them to leave and they may have fulfilled their usefulness in whatever project they were working on." Snake dropped the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it.
Wraith gave one last look at the bodies, "So what kind of gun do you think killed them?" She had a hutch but wanted to confirm it with Snake.
Snake picked up one of the empty shell casings and looked at it closely. After a few moments he spoke, "Shell casings of a .45 Long-colt. Meaning-"
"Ocelot killed them both." Wraith answered for him, "He seems to have a bigger role than we originally thought."
"You are just starting to realize that Wraith?" Snake snapped, "Ocelot appears to be Liquid's right hand man. No doubt Silver is furious over that."
Wraith was following Snake to the exit, "Now the question is, who set up the trap for them? Liquid or Silver?"
Snake pondered that for a second, "My money is on Silver. Liquid wants Sagara for something and if the trap was set up by Liquid than it would be meant to capture, not kill."
Wraith nodded, "That is true but-"
A loud gunshot and cry stopped them both in their tracks. They reached for their guns and scanned around.
In a matter of seconds they were surrounded with several men behind the large crates and two on the rail acting as snipers.
Wraith lowered her weapon and Snake did the same. Instead of having his hands behind his head, he reached for another cigarette.
Two members of their squad were pushed onto the floor near Wraith and Snake.
"Well," A tall man with long black hair appeared throwing another member on the floor. He was Asian with black piercing eyes holding a Jericho 941 F, "I knew leaving those bodies would force you out." He smiled when he saw Snake, "I never thought that it would bring out a snake."
Wraith dropped her Arcus 94 pistol. They were surrounded and she growled quietly seeing Snake still smoking without a care in the world. He had a mark 23 pistol in his holster but seemed to refuse to use it. Her mind raced trying to figure out why he was not pulling it out or even doing anything!?
The man walked forward and introduced himself as Lee, "I am Lee and it is an honor to meet you Snake. I've heard many things about you, but you not exactly what I expected."
Snake scoffed, "What did you expect?" He tapped his cigarette letting the ashes fall, "A Rambo look-alike with big muscles and a belt of machinegun rounds across my chest?"
Lee laughed and walked forward still keeping his pistol aimed at Snake. He glanced at Wraith, "This beautiful woman must be Agent Wraith."
Wraith was silent with her hands behind her head. She did not like being surprised and this was the second time she was.
Lee smiled, "My orders were to see who would arrive and take them alive. However," He nudged his gun at Snake, "You would not be the easiest person to capture or even stay captured." He cocked the hammer, "I should just kill you to make sure. Are you ready Snake?"
Snake took his cigarette out and walked to Lee, "I'll die after I kill you."
Lee chuckled putting the tip of the gun at Snake's heart, "Brave words for..."
Snake in one motion grabbed the gun and spun Lee straight to the guard. He moved so fast that Lee did not have time to even think about pulling the trigger. Lee's back hit the floor and Snake knocked him out by kicking him across his face.
Lee's man started to fire as both Wraith and the surviving agents took cover behind the nearby crates.
Wraith was smart enough to get her gun as she dodged for cover, returning fire on the enemy. The opposition was armed with assault rifles that were eating away their cover with little effort.
Snake was firing at the snipers and was able to take one out. Once the Arcus was out he switched to his 23 pistol and quickly rushed to take cover.
Wraith was reloading her pistol as Snake joined her, "Any ideas?" She glanced over at the other agents keeping the enemy at bay.
Snake reloaded his pistol and leaned over the edge, "Stay here and keep them occupied." Before Wraith could say anything Snake was already out from behind the boxes staying low to not be seen by the enemy. She growled and loaded another clip.
Snake quickly covered the distance and was already at his first target. Two enemy soldiers holding FAMAS rifles had their back against the wall. The gunfire that Wraith's team provided was good enough to mask his movement and noise.
Holding his pistol up he slowly advanced to his target. In seconds he was close enough to touch their hair but Snake kicked the back of the leg of one the soldiers. The soldier lost his balance and Snake took quick advantage of it by grabbing his shoulders and throwing him to the floor with all his might.
The other soldier turned and tried to aim his rifle. Snake blocked it away with his pistol and grabbed the barrel with his right hand. He elbowed the soldier's throat with the bottom of the handle. Snake pulled the FAMAS right out of his hands and dropped his pistol. Smacking the butt of the gun in the stomach and on the back of his neck took care of the second soldier.
Snake, without stopping, aimed the rifle at the remaining sniper, taking him out with a short burst from the rifle. He then turned to the remaining soldiers standing on the floor and open fired.
The solders dove for cover but were quickly taken care of with the combination of Snake and Wraith's team.
Wraith had seen a lot of things in her military career but there was no doubt about one thing. The style and technique of Solid Snake were indeed legendary. In a matter of minutes he turned the tide of battle with just a few simple moves. All previous doubts about the man's style and fighting were gone.
Snake dropped the FAMAS and again pulled out another cigarette. He watched Wraith grab the one who called himself Lee. "Let's bring him in for a friendly chat. That loudmouth might actually have something interesting to tell us."
"Roger." Wraith answered. She turned to Snake, "Why are you so interested in Sergeant Sagara, anyway?"
Snake did not turn to her. He lit his cigarette and took a big drag, "The kid has a lot of potential. All he needs is a push down the right track."
"That did not answer my question Snake." Wraith snapped. She turned around as the remaining agents dragged a handcuff Lee out the door, "Why are you interested in him?"
Snake turned to her and gave a small smile. He did not say anything as he followed the team out of the warehouse.
Wraith watched the bodies being moved and her mind tried to make sense of things. Sgt. Sagara was another soldier who just happened to use the Lambda Driver with frightening skill.
Compared with Snake, Sousuke Sagara was still just a rookie.
Another time to answer such questions, Wraith concluded. She could only hope that things would get better than they already were.
Metal Gear could be close to compilation and two of their best agents were down. Wraith wasn't worried if they would get up, she was more concerned with what would happen when they woke up.
Sousuke had only one place in mind and nothing was going to stop him. After at least three days in the hospital all he could think about was getting answers out of his so called brother.
Tessa tried to calm him down but he downright refused to even listen to her. Melissa and Kurz tried to do the same thing but like with Tessa he did not want to listen to anything they said.
Everyone was keeping secrets from him and he was getting sick of it. If anyone knew information about Leonard or where Kaname was they had better given to him or else.
The fight with Tessa just moments ago was fresh in his mind. She apparently stayed with him to keep an eye on him.
When he woke up she tried to explain things to him.
"Sousuke you have to understand that what I did was for the best. The mission had been compromised and the team was in danger. I had to take action before more people died."
Sousuke scoffed at it and said, "Sounds like you're making excuses for your brother. If FOXHOUND thought he was a threat than you should have as well." Sousuke shot Tessa cold look that caused her to recoil a little. He started to get out of bed but Melissa tried to stop him.
Mao tried to smile, "Sousuke you should rest and..."
Sousuke shoved his way past her grabbing his pants and putting them on, "I don't want to hear it."
Kurz grabbed Sousuke's shirt to keep him from going, "Sousuke listen, you should try listen to Tessa and sis. They are only trying to help you."
"Let him go." Joe put his hand on Weber's shoulder," He won't understand. Not now."
Sousuke grabbed his shirt and yanked it out of Kurz's hands.
"We're only trying to help!" yelled the blonde, but Sousuke walked out slamming the door behind him.
Sousuke was nearing his destination when Mei Ling tried to stop him. She stopped Sousuke with her hand on his chest, "Get out of my way." He warned.
Mei Ling kept her hand on Sousuke's chest, "If you go in there, you will both regret it."
Sousuke gently moved her hand out of his way and walked past her to Michael's office. He slammed the door behind him and saw Michael at his desk working on papers, "What else have you kept from me?" Sousuke demanded.
Michael put the papers down and looked Sousuke dead in the eye, "Operation Strip Mine was something I was going to tell you. I needed to the right time to tell you."
Sousuke scoffed and shook his head, "When would that be? After Leonard told us everything or if Liquid told me."
"If I told," Michael rose from his seat, "about his and my involvement in the operation you would gone off the deep end. You've furious with rage that you would abandon us and go look for her yourself."
"Maybe I should!" Sousuke yelled, "Because everyone that I am suppose to trust keeps secrets and information from me. My superiors," He pointed at Michael, "You, my own brother on the command staff who has access to that kind of information and even," He paused for a second, "Kaname has kept things from me and I thought she trusted me."
"Perhaps she was afraid you would react this way and you have." Michael walked around his desk, "You would have been so dead set on tracking that guy that you would not give thought to anything else. Am I wrong?"
Sousuke did not answer.
"See," Michael pointed at Sousuke, "I am right you would have gone after him just to kill him. This all goes back to what we talked about before."
"That is different." Sousuke said regaining his cool, "He involved her in.."
"'Involved her'" Michael pointed out, "You said it. This is not about you or him marking your territory. This is all about you keeping her from your world because she is afraid of what she might see or what you might see."
Sousuke soon changed to a very cold demeanor at that comment. Michael was going to a place that neither one of them wanted to go.
Michael paused to let Sousuke digest that one. He knew he was pushing the limit to how much either could take and it was closing quickly.
"Your one to talk," Sousuke countered, "You afraid of what you might see. You are afraid that you might be more like Ocelot than you think!"
Michael grinded his teeth at that one, "And your afraid that Kaname will see you as Gauron." The next thing Michael felt was Sousuke's fist colliding with his jaw. It sent him back and he leaned against his desk. He moved the jaw horizontal to make sure the jaw was not broken.
Once he knew it was not broke, he lunged right at Sousuke.
I have been playing this for a long time and thought it would be important on alot of levels. The one thing I will hint to you is I promise a fight between Belial and the ARX-8 very soon. Maybe in the next three to four chapters so keep in touch with this. I hope to try and get a few more chapters out before summer is up but my job has me getting up at four am so I will try and keep my promise. To those reading this please review if you can and again thanks for all the support to everyone!!