Chapter 21

The footsteps were dangerously close to the entrance. Campbell secured the enemy's HK G36K and got near Naomi and Mei Ling. "We need to move from this place, stay close to me" Campbell said as he headed towards the exit.

"Hey, are you goofing around, c'mon we need to return to point one" An enemy voice shouted, probably trying to get the attention of the man that now lay dead on the floor inside the room.

"On my move, run, I'll cover you!! Head for Meryl's room." Campbell said in a whisper and moved out into the open area of the corridor. He immediately saw two enemies and with no faltering he fired the machine gun, providing covering fire to Mei Ling and Naomi. Campbell hadn't stopped firing until he reached the corridor across, now he had some cover behind an office room. Mei Ling was right by his side, but Naomi wasn't. "Where's…" But the answer came right away.

"AHHH!" A scream alerted Campbell and Mei Ling to the side of the corridor that they had just passed. Naomi was holding her shoulder. Blood was seeping from a scratch-like wound.

"Don't move!!" One of the enemies shouted at Naomi.

Naomi dropped the Desert Eagle and she had no choice but to obey the order. "It's just a flesh wound, run!!" She shouted before one of the enemies, grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

Campbell nodded at Naomi and pushed Mei Ling forward into the other corridor. "Let's go, she'll be fine"

"We're just going to leave her!!?" Mei Ling asked as she felt Campbell pushing her back.

"We'll get her back!!"

"STOP!!" The other enemy was now in pursuit of Campbell and Mei Ling.

Damnit I can't stop to fire…he'll pick me off immediately! Campbell was already panting as he thought of a way out. Both were running across the wide corridors and the cold in their unprotected faces felt like needles. Because of several office rooms in the way to Meryl's room, they managed to avoid having a clear line for the enemy to shoot, but Campbell couldn't run forever. Unexpectedly Campbell's CODEC rang. Meryl! "Meryl!! We're heading your way; I need you to provide us with cover!!" Campbell shouted. Then he saw Mei Ling taking the wrong way. He hastily grabbed her arm and pulled her to the right. "This way Mei!!" Gunfire broke out from the enemy and it almost hit Mei Ling. Meryl's room was right in the next corner, as soon as they went around it Campbell saw Meryl holding her gun steady with both hands and with a flaring confidence in her eyes. The enemy never stood a chance, one single bullet was all it took, Meryl didn't miss. A bullet to the forehead ended up with a corpse by her feet.

Velkan was massaging his left temple sitting down in front of the now disconnected laptop. Gunfire could be heard in the local area but Velkan didn't seem to be bothered by it. A radio message stopped his massaging hand and brought a slight grin to his otherwise serious face.

"This is sweep team one, one of ours in on pursuit with the man described as Campbell and we also have one man down, knife to the throat. I also have a hostage with me but I respectfully request to go on pursuit and dispose of the hostage"

"No!" Velkan grabbed the radio and said. "Bring the hostage to me, now!!"

"Roger" The man on the other side replied.

"Sir?" The Major asked as he heard Velkan's reply. "Shouldn't we kill them and…"

"This is my operation Major and I want Campbell alive…." A loud sound far away was the thing Velkan expected. A .45! "Humph…just as I thought. Campbell still has a few aces up his sleeve. Let this place cool down a bit more, than they'll be fragile, worn-down and we'll be ready."

"Sir" The Major pointed out to Velkan that his radio had an incoming message on a secure line.

"Leave me Major" Velkan ordered.

"Yes sir" The Major retreated and joined the other men.

"What is it Ocelot?" Velkan answered his radio.

"Just checking in" Ocelot replied.

"Everything is going fine, there's no need for you to keep tabs on me." Velkan replied taking hand to his left temple.

"It should have ended by now Velkan! Are you wasting time?"

Velkan grunted. "No!"

"Velkan, it's about him isn't it? That Colonel!!"

"You and I both know that I need to do this my way"

"Just make sure you don't fail!" Ocelot replied. "Over and out" The transmission ended.

Velkan placed the radio down and continued to massage his left temple. Damn headache!! I have to do this…I can't stop now!! I need him to know.

"Sir, the prisoner" The Major was by Velkan's side. Velkan turned and saw a woman, her hands in plastic straps.

"What's your name?" Velkan asked.

Naomi saw the incredible stature of Velkan, it was threatening but she didn't reply.

Velkan looked her from head to toes. She was wearing an unbuttoned white lab coat and most of her was hair tightened into a bun. "Are you a doctor? Because I have a splitting headache right here" Velkan took his hand to his left temple.

Naomi said nothing, she only lowered her head. "If you stayed behind, then it means you have some connection with Campbell and that makes you a very useful hostage" Velkan turned to his Major. "Put her in someplace where she can't do anything and have someone guard her"

"Yes, sir" The Major grabbed Naomi by her arm and pulled her towards the elevator door.

Naomi glanced at Velkan speculating what connection existed between this man and the Colonel, however after a hard push where Naomi was thrown to the ground right next to the elevator doors she quickly wondered what would happen to her.

"Keep an eye on her you hear!" The Major addressed a soldier standing in front of the doors which seemed to be shaking.

"Ahh, yes sir…right away!!" The soldier replied.

As the Major moved away Naomi heard the solider talking to himself. "Man, what a ball buster! I shouldn't have come with them…damn military types…" Naomi, who was face down, turned and looked at the soldier's face. It was covered with a balaclava. "I'm not cut out to be in the Special Forces…huh!!" The soldier realized that the woman on the ground was looking at him. "Ah…" The soldier turned his eyes and grunted under his breath. "Oh jeez…she's really good looking…I hope I don't have one of my crisis!!"

It didn't take much time for Snake and Raiden to find a jeep, identical to the one that had been shot up by Black Garand, on the other side of the deserted village. It had almost a full tank and the key was on the ignition.

" 'East' that's what Robinson said." Raiden spoke as he took the passenger's seat and took out a compass from the small pouch on the left side of his waist belt and placed it on the dashboard.

"Right. Let's go!!" Snake turned the key and accelerated.

The air was getting colder now and night was just an hour away. To the east was the rumored railway that Robinson dismissed as being real. Snake and Raiden would soon find out the truth.