Disclaimer: I didn't make these characters, especially when this place is called FAN fiction.

CHAPTER 3: TRAINING (PART 2)

The Commander of the Eclipse Team could just watch while the process began. Truth was Director Solid Snake was interested (But at the very same time terrified) of watching a small commando of four men and women infiltrating Shadow Moses island.

The VR version of that small remote island in the Fox Archipelago was dead on: Every single detail perfectly reproduced. It was said that even the terrorist's personalities had been copied. Snake wondered who was behind the Psychological investigation.

Snake and Otacon decided to keep the Dead Cell BR out of this. Originally, they were going to be the ones who would undergo the operation, to not harm the FOX-HOUND BR's psychologically. After all, shooting the shit out of your brothers, cousins and uncles isn't exactly Snake's definition of a walk in the Park. That was the exact same reason why FOX-HOUND BR's were chosen. This wasn't supposed to be a walk in the Park: Snake (And likely the NSA) would just love to see the FOX-HOUND relatives reacting at their own family wasting entire clips on them.

The agents sent to Shadow Moses VR would be packing the White Artic Warfare suits the Genome Soldiers packed, Level II Kevlar vests, and an M9 Beretta each, but each had their own weaponry and devices. The Tactical advisor, Jack Sears (AKA Raiden) handed Snake the list of four operatives undergoing the mission.

-Master Sergeant Elijah Slervansk. Team leader. Weaponry: Heckler & Koch PSG-1, caliber 7,62 x 51mm NATO, Sig Sauer P228, caliber 9 x 19mm Parabellum. ("Ha!" Snake thought. Wolf's brother? The team leader? "The Kurdish son of a bitch will probably get a nice surprise in that Underground Passage.")

-First Sergeant Joshua Machuttes. Team Sub-leader. Weaponry: FN M249, caliber 5.56 x 45mm NATO, Heckler & Koch USP, caliber .40 Smith & Wesson. ("Let's see how Raven's cousin endures the cold.")

-Private Nadia Slonoskvo. Reconnaissance specialist. Weaponry: Heckler & Koch MP5SD5, caliber 9 x 19mm Parabellum, Ruger Mk.1, caliber .22 Long Rifle. ("Mantis's niece? Oh gosh.")

-Private Sean Rodriguez. Combat Hacker. Weaponry: Colt M4A1, caliber 5.56 x 45mm NATO, IMI Desert Eagle .50 Action Express. ("Hacker? I barely needed Otacon back there!")

The four troopers sent had excellent Stealth and Combat capabilities, and he had confidence on Slervansk's leading skills. The four entered and saluted Snake in military style and started sitting on the Chairs of the VR machine.

Snake sat down while Otacon started loading the program.

"So, how do you think they'll do?"

"They can do it." Otacon said. "What do you think?"

"They'll all die." Snake said crudely. "I bet they will hesitate when they see their relatives, and they will kill them."

"Snake, there's a program that keeps the Terrorist AI constantly updated."

"Which means?"

"That the FOX-HOUND members will also react to Real-Time stimuli."

"In English?"

"That the Sons Of Big Boss will also react in a special way to the Eclipse team."

"Really?" Snake thought. "That means the terrorists will also get freaked up by seeing the Family?"

"Well, most of them thought they were all dead so."

"Ghosts, huh? This is going to be a party!" Snake forgot the pain, and Sadism kicked in.

The tactical advisor sat down next to Otacon, and also watched the screen, which would show the Eclipse Agent's area, besides a set of "Cameras" to watch the Eclipse team members through the complex.

Unlike Snake's mission, the ECLIPSE team would bring their own equipment, instead of the original On-Site Procurement. The Team would be packing also Level II Kevlar Armor vests. Enough to stop Ocelot's .45 Magnum (Colt Single Army) rounds and the Genome's .45 ACP (MK23 SOCOM). , and slow down the Genome's .223 Remington JHP (Jacketed Hollow Points) (FAMAS), but not enough to stop Wolf's .308 Winchesters , (PSG-1) or Raven's 20mm (M61A1 Avenger).

Snake watched the Eclipse Team close their eyes and entered the VR simulation. They would feel cold. They would feel pain. They would feel. Urgency? Fear? Anger? Every emotion of the battlefield? He just had to watch.

The simulation began.

---

After a couple of seconds of being unconscious, the Squad Leader, Elijah Slervansk, opened his eyes. The warm, well illuminated room of the VR simulator was gone: Replaced by the dark waters of the Bering Sea. He wasn't wearing his comfortable BDU anymore: He was now wearing a Neoprene Scuba suit. Behind him, a Squad of another three, almost as confused as him.

He swam pretty well, but the rest of his partners were excellent divers, so he was kind of left behind. The Underground Cargo Area was in front. It was only a simulation, he knew but it felt. So real.

"Pull your self together, Master Sergeant" He thought. It was just a computer. And his mind.

---

Snake watched. The four dark figures pulled themselves form the water, and made signs to each other. Snake finally saw them. Those grunts wearing white uniforms and white Ski Masks. The Next Generation Special Forces. A battle was coming.

---

Nadia Slonoskvo watched the Artic Warfare grunt walk closer. The FA-MAS G2 he was packing looked threatening. She turned her head around. Elijah Slervansk had already pulled his SIG Sauer from his back pack, and taken his Neoprene mask off.

Both commandos waited for a distraction. The guard turned around, returning to his patrol route. Nadia and Elijah crawled towards the elevator, where Joshua and Sean were waiting, with their Pistols locked and loaded.

"Great. We got here in half the time Snake did." Joshua said angrily. "So much to find the elevator in the upper level"

An alarm suddenly broke the silence. Someone was coming down. The four troopers dispersed. One of the Artic Warfare soldiers got closer. The elevator reached the ground, and a man walked out.

Elijah stared at the man. He looked exactly like Commander Snake. Except his hair, which was lighter, and his skin, which was darker. Liquid Snake. Wearing a trench-Coat, he got closer.

"Has our unwelcome guest arrived?" The British sounding voice sounded. Joshua looked at the team leader. He was perfectly concentrated in hearing what was happening.

"No sir. But our Anti-Personnel detectors sounded earlier. Must have been rats."

"Stay alert. He'll be through here. I know it." Liquid sounded confident. Elijah knew what Liquid was talking about. He was waiting for Solid Snake. But now, ECLIPSE was in the house.

First Sergeant Joshua Machuttes observed quietly. He, a former 7th Cavalry Regiment gunner had to hide from the enemy. Ironic as hell. He glanced at Master Sergeant Slervansk. He was quiet, staring at the couple of Tangos.

"I'm going to swat down a couple of bothersome flies". The British accented voice remarked, and Liquid Snake went up in the elevator. The Genome soldier turned around and walked away.

Nadia Slonoskvo watched the guard walk towards the body of water. She had no military training, just a short time in the KGB Para psychological training facility. This was too much for her and Sean, while Joshua and Elijah were ready. God, in her opinion, those two were born with guns in their baby cribs.

"Now what." Nadia asked, showing no emotion at all.

"We wait until the elevator comes down. Again." Elijah explained coldly.

---

Snake stared at the screen, glancing every two seconds at the four unconscious soldiers, living the life of a VR simulator. The screen showed the four ECLIPSE agents, waiting for the elevator in the shadows.

"See? They are doing great." Otacon said confidently.

"Ha! That's only the beginning. In my opinion, Rodriguez will die by the Tank Hangar. Slonoskvo will be captured in the DARPA Chief's cell, probably killed by Ocelot later. Machuttes will be dead by the time Raven's tank appears, and Slervansk is going to be really lucky if he survives Fox. "

"You are WAY too harsh with 'em."

"What? You think they will actually destroy Metal Gear, rescue the hostages, take out Liquid, not to mention take on FOX-HOUND? Please Otacon; you are giving the fuckers too much credit."

"But. Snake, aren't they FOX-HOUND's relatives? Aren't they up to their level?"

"They lack combat experience. Yes, Slonoskvo was in the KGB for a year, but Mantis was with the KGB for three years and in the FBI for four. And yeah, Slervansk worked with the Green Berets for 16 months, but Wolf was with the Nepal Ghurka's for five years."

"And if we gave them that combat experience?" Otacon asked.

"That COULD work, but it's gonna take time." Snake peeked at the Monitor. The elevator was coming down. "But we'll have to train them before they beat the Shadow Moses simulation."

"But they will someday, right?"

"I guess."

---

"You heard the news?" John R. Dolph interrupted his comrade's meal, sitting in their table. "The FOX-HOUND relatives were sent to the Shadow Moses VR, instead of us!"

"Don't know about you, but I heard stuff about that place. Really fucked up stuff." Bogart responded in a quivering voice.

"It's only a simulation!" Dolph said.

"Yeah? Imagine yourself, alone in a cold island, meeting your dead family. Who is shooting at you! It's plain sadism." Bogart said again.

"Sadism? Well. I wouldn't like to be caught telling this to you." Amerstraus said looking around suspiciously, then lowering his head, like if someone was looking at them. "But my partner told me he had heard from one of his men that there are certain." He paused to take a peek to his sides again. ".Stories about this "Solid Snake" individual."

"He took on FOX-HOUND in Shadow Moses, right?" Dolph asked.

"Not to mention that Tanker." Bogart added.

"Well. Word is that "Snake" is a really, really troublesome guy. You know, the kind of soldier who has fun slaughtering the enemy with extreme brutality."

"Putting it that way." Bogart had his eyes like plates.

"It's just rumors. I heard another Myth about the guy. First Sergeant Machuttes told me he is some sort of outcome of a failed genetic experiment of sumpthin'. " Dolph said.

"That source is reliable; Machuttes is one of the few members of ECLIPSE allowed to read the Shadow Moses report." Amerstraus thought.

"Hey! I read that book." Bogart tried to remember. "Yeah! Nastasha Romanenko's in the Darkness of Shadow Moses! A fairly good book."

"Gosh, it's only an overrated tabloid." Amerstraus said laughing. "Tell you the truth; I think the whole Shadow Moses thing is exaggerated."

"Didn't you just say you never heard about what happened there?"

"People talk. Besides, you aren't the only one who read the book. It's a best seller, remember? I bet the Ukrainian chick is in a Mansion in Malibu or something."

"So, you guys know about the FOX-HOUND relatives? What you guys think about them?" Bogart asked.

"Did you see that girl, "Slonoskvo"? That's my type." Dolph said jokingly.

"I met the officers." Bogart said.

"Machuttes and Slervansk? So, what's with those dudes?" Dolph asked to Bogart.

"Machuttes is your average brute. I saw him in a Hand-To-Hand combat VR training. Smashed the enemy's faces like they were made out of paper."

"How bout the other one?"

"Slervansk? I made a promise to myself: Never talk to a Sharp-Shooter." Dolph said.

"No way!" Amerstraus shouted out. "You are talking to me!"

"Bah! You are just a watcher! I mean, what kind of honorable soldier shoots an enemy who is unaware from half a mile of distance?"

"You are shitting me! We have no other choice. Is it honorable? Maybe no, but it isn't dishonorable either. If they knew, then they'd call reinforcements and then, we'd die for nothing. Is that what you'd like? " Amerstraus explain, in a kind of energetic way.

"I guess you are right." Dolph accepted.

"So? What's up with him?" Bogart sounded anxious to know.

"Slervansk is kind of quiet, you know?" Amerstraus seemed to wait to find the right words to describe the Master Sergeant.

"So?" Bogart repeated.

"I heard he was with the Green Berets in Iraq." Amerstraus mentioned.

"What? He was from the 101st Airborne Division?" Dolph suddenly asked, like changing his opinion towards Slervansk.

"Nope. He's a former Peshmerga." Amerstraus said in a low voice.

"WHAT?" Bogart asked.

"Peshmerga. Kurdish Commandos. The Free Iraq's Special Forces, if you will. " Amerstraus explained.

"Counter-terrorism against Saddam's state terrorism, I guess." Bogart said jokingly.

"Not far from the truth, according to him."

---

ECLIPSE's mission was going well. In the following 4 hours, when Snake was already captured and about to be tortured by Revolver Ocelot, ECLIPSE was without casualties (Except a .45 bullet stuck in Sean Rodriguez's shoulder) and without captures.

They had followed Snake's footsteps so far, except, of course, when Snake screwed up. For example, they avoided Wolf's sniper trap. (Using a truck stolen from the terrorists), and avoided a certain capture and unnecessary wounds and casualties.

And they were. Even though no-one was captured, they at least tried coming back to the main complex, in the 1st floor basement of the first building, just south of the Warhead Disposal building.

Master Sergeant Slervansk stood silent, just behind the door of the Torture Room. All his team was just as silent. According to the mission, Decoy Octopus and Mantis were dead, and three out of the four remaining terrorists were inside that room. A well placed flash-bang, a few shots and the mission was over.

"And finally, after 30 long years, the two of us finally meet" The voice of Liquid Snake sounded. Elijah could recognize him easily, that cold voice gave Slervansk a slight shudder, making him breath deeply.

"Who are they talking about?" Slonoskvo asked. "I thought we were alone in this one."

"We aren't." Slervansk explained. "We arrived earlier than Snake, so we got to Ocelot before Snake and the Ninja. We found Emmerich before the Ninja killed all those Next Generation Special Forces guys. "Said sarcastically" Not to mention we crossed the Underground Passage before even Sniper Wolf got there! We are doing a record in time! "

"You mean Snake is here?" Joshua asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, but we never run across him."

But he was interrupted: Liquid Snake left, and ECLIPSE team wasn't even noticed: Liquid had other things to do. The Team Leader watched the British terrorist leave.

"Joshua, Sean, follow him. Nadia, stay with me. " Elijah ordered. Sean raised his M4A1 and nodded. Joshua just turned around, and both of them advanced crouching, following Liquid's footsteps. Elijah had just used a tactic Commander Snake had taught him a couple of days earlier: When things look bad, always call your men by their first names, so they feel the Team Leader is their friend.

"So? You wanna stay for the show?" Revolver Ocelot asked. Nadia Slonoskvo had studied this situation over and over. Someone was about to leave, and she remained hidden. However, Elijah looked expectant, while he waited, "Back to wall" next to the door.

"No. It's time to feed the family"

"So you prefer your wolves to my show, huh?"

Nadia could hear someone walking towards her. She looked at Elijah. He was calm, like he was expecting that person to come. He was quiet. He didn't even move, not even breathe. She looked at him with worry, but he only answered doing a "silence" signal with his right hand. He was holding a silenced SIG Sauer 9mm pistol in his left.

Footsteps became louder. The automatic door opened: Nadia's heart stopped. The woman came out. She was distracted. She was wearing the usual in-doors BDU. She had long, blond hair, something that really called Nadia's attention: These people weren't the usual military types she imagined when she though of FOX-HOUND.

The woman walked out, in the same direction as Liquid. Nadia took a glance at Elijah's face. His face showed no expression, like that of a man who was about to meet his destiny. Yet, he had fire in his eyes.

He quickly stood up, right behind the woman. He was ready to attack. Without holstering his pistol, quickly wrapped his arm around her throat violently, and pulling her head back, aligning his mouth and her ear, while closing his SIG Sauer to her temple.

He readied his pistol right next to her left ear, so she would hear the sound of the 9mm bullet entering the P228's breach.

"Yoen meaba, henm meaba yhimnt, hmn ret hedja. .. purim pesaj" He whispered to her ear. "Don't move. If you move a muscle, you're dead, dear sister"

He was talking in a language Nadia didn't understand. The woman nodded, with an odd expression in her face. Elijah was using another thing Snake had taught him: If he had to take a hostage, make sure you force them to surrender first. He remembered Charles Hanson, the Psychological Advisor, who, to force terrorists to surrender, tried to establish a connection. Maybe that's why he spoke to Wolf in Kurdish.

Nadia glanced at Elijah. He nodded at her, and Nadia nodded back. She was holding her MP5 sub-machinegun. She had her back pressed against the wall, and sneaked in. Snake's torture was proceeding.

---

The simulated Solid Snake (Just like the real Snake before him) had to take the torture. With around 5,000 volts running through his body, and yet he had to resist. To save Meryl. To accomplish the mission.

Still, he looked at his torturer, who seemed to enjoy every drop of cold sweat Snake released. His eyes were concentrated; he wouldn't blink even if he had to kill all his family, in case he hadn't killed them first, Snake thought. Ocelot smiled.

How could he? Would he die there? Would Meryl be killed too? What would happen? The Colonel was seeing this. And what the hell was that behind Ocelot?

A dark figure crept behind the Russian madman, raising a SEAL Knife. This knife was smaller and lighter than the usual Combat Knife, making it perfect for sneaking and eliminating silently. Without him noticing, the figure covered his mouth with HER (Snake had figured a woman was doing this, due to the thinner arms and certainly more attractive legs) hand and quickly dragged the knife over Ocelot's throat, then thrusting it violently, ripping it wide open.

Due to blood pressure, the blood was ejected upwards, staining the walls and the control panel. The woman hid the knife and threw the body violently downwards. Snake figured Ocelot was dead: If he had been alive, he would have tried to stop his fall with his remaining hand, yet he fell like a puppet which had its strings cut off.

The woman wasn't Meryl, was his first disappointing thought. She had dark hair, but she looked relieved when she saw the Legend strapped to the torture machine. He then looked to the door. It opened, revealing a young man's back. He had blond hair, and an Artic Warfare suit.

To the virtual Snake's surprise, he was dragging Sniper Wolf at gun point! He had his pistol (A SIG Sauer, probably because they were Navy SEALs, but he wasn't sure) against her temple.

Could it be possible the Colonel had sent him help? The couple secured the room.

"All clear" the woman announced in clear English, yet with a noticeable Russian accent. Then, Snake noticed she had an MP5 sub-machinegun hanging off her shoulder. They were NATO forces, for sure.

The blond haired man let go of his hostage "We have one of the terrorists!" He said, then he placed his SIG against the back of her neck. He spoke in excellent English, but it was clear he was a Middle-Eastern man. "Private, release Snake."

"Yes sir!" She responded. They were Western soldiers, for sure. She nodded and headed for the Control Panel, and started typing. The straps released his arms and legs. The legendary Mercenary fell to his knees after being freed, due to both the emotional and electric shock. Nadia rushed to his side, while Elijah held Wolf up.

"Who. Who. Are you?" Snake managed to ask the woman who tried to keep Snake standing.

"You'll meet me in four years. " She said, smiling to the Computer- Simulated commando.

"Who. Is. He?" He looked at Elijah, who was still aiming the pistol to the Assassin's neck. Snake realized he was a professional. Unlike Meryl, his hands didn't shake when he pointed a gun. Second, he had chosen a one-shot one-kill point to aim. In case Wolf made the stupid decision of counter attack, she'd be in the terrorist's heaven in a couple of fractions of second, if such thing existed.

"He's a friend." She said, showing respect. "Sarge, you think you can interrogate the lady?"

"I don't do miracles, Private" He said, and raised the pistol. "Purim pesaj, turn around!"

"Why do you call me that?" She asked violently.

"Just do it!" Elijah said, showing absolute resolution.

She did. She looked at the man wondering: He did resemble her. He had the same piercing eyes, high cheekbones, blond hair. He spoke Kurdish quickly, naturally. But. Why? Why would any Kurd help Americans? After all their people had suffered because of them? And why did he call her "Dear Sister". No, he couldn't be, she reminded herself. All her brothers were dead, victims of the Iraqis and the American betrayal.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Where's Raven?" He said.

"Who?"

"Vulcan Raven! He's a member of FOX-HOUND! Where is he?"

"What do I get?" She asked.

"It's not what you get, it's what you don't. In example, you won't get a bullet in your head."

Suddenly, his radio beeped. ECLIPSE didn't have access to CODECs. He'd complain about that when it was over?

Sniper Wolf heard the entire conversation.

"Sergeant Slervansk? Slervansk! Do you copy? Elijah!" A voice behind the radio said. It was. Otacon? But the name. Elijah Slervansk. No.. It couldn't be.. It was impossible. She hadn't been called by her surname since she was thirteen, so she took a couple of seconds to figure it out. The name. Her brother Elijah was dead. Nerve gas. She had never actually seen his body, but victims of Soviet VX are hard to identify due to the horrible deformations. But she had survived. Why couldn't he? Elijah had always been good at running away when he was a kid. Maybe he had time to escape? And now? He worked for the Americans? The world was a really small place.

"Copy, this is Slervansk, Hal, what's going on?" Hal? Hal Emmerich? Oh shit. "We're plugging the plug. We'll finish this thing later, there's a situation in Washington that need to be taken care of. " Now, what the hell were they talking about?

"Roger that. What are our orders?"

"We'll call for the briefing. "

"All right."

"Oh, and Elijah."

"Yeah?"

"Remind me Snake owes me five bucks."

The Kurd smiled. "Roger that."

The world broke into light: A bright light surrounded the Counter Terror Ops team, blinding them. Nadia opened her eyes. She was sitting again in the VR room, wearing a BDU. The simulation had been postponed.

---

Author's note: Well, that was the end of a tough Chapter to write. I have a lot of people to thank for helping me to make this the best Chapter I could. First, Simon Wolf, for all his advice, the people at World Guns for their info on weaponry, and Sarah Wade, for all her constant support. Thank you guys!

Oh, and special thanks to "Shadow", for the Kurdish translation and support. Thanks, man!