Chapter 10: Kohl: The Cyborg Ninja

"You all are aware of our plans here with the development of Metal Gear Gava and X." Liquid said before a large crowd of his own soldiers. Russian genome soldiers to be exact. "Can you remember a time when Colonel Jackson lead his men to secure Metal Gear Ray? You, the soldiers, will protect Gava and X with your lives."

Eyes were still, staring intently on the words that were said and the stride Liquid took across the floor above them. From the crowd, mysterious green eyes followed him, halfway visible beneath the beret that sat just above them. Liquid continued.

"The compound has been breached by two women. I expect you all to be on full alert. And I expect you to shoot to kill."

Those teal eyes turned to Liquid. Intently watching his subtle movements. "I want anyone who's out of uniform's, head blown clean off."

One guard became noticeable amongst the others. His gloved hand raised above his head, drawing the attention of Liquid. The teal eyes were directed to the soldier as well. "Sir. What do we do about the women?" He paused, creating a grin for his comrades. "Will you be cutting us loose, like rabid dog? We have… our time of needs too."

"Do as you want, mates, just make sure that you kill them. Don't report in if they aren't dead."

When the crowd began to murmur softly, Liquid waved them a dismissal as he swung around. Still, those teal eyes followed the trench-clad attractant as he stepped down from his pedestal. The figure moved toward him.

"Sir."

Liquid turned around with his hands loosely placed in his pockets. He strolled forward, taking a few steps, and stopped in front of the smaller frame. "What is it?"

The sentry pulled away the beret from his head, revealing the curly lot that would surround a face of features painted with beauty. Only because he really was a she. She moved to speak. Her rose-colored lips pursing in thought to move, but she halted. She pushed a handful of hair from her face and proceeded to clear her throat. It was then, without the beret, that he noticed her. He saw the shortened haircut, the sexy teal eyes, the baggy-fitting B.D.U.s, and didn't even know it was the woman from Shadow Moses. Sniper Wolf? It can't be.

"I wanted to tell you that I am capable of taking them out by myself. Him as well. These men are a waste, Liquid." He came a bit closer, bringing his face close to hers, just inches from a tender kiss. She only stared into his eyes with a strict admiration for work, not love.

"Luv," he said, placing a hand to her face. He came even closer, with his lips lingering and his breath brushing lightly against hers. He gave her light kisses, not long enough to savor and not short enough to miss. "I know you're capable of doing away with them. I witnessed you in Shadow Moses, Wolf. You almost killed my brother."

She pulled away, pushing his face from hers with her right hand. He straightened and chuckled while rubbing a thumb across his lower lip. She sighed, staring him straight in the eyes with little traces of mutual emotions. "Almost, Liquid. You should of left me there to die in the snow."

"I couldn't. You're the greatest asset to me."

"I'm nothing to you. Not anymore."

"If you wish, luv. You'll come crawling in the end."

"You're dreaming. I'll contact you when I find those women." She waved a hand behind her, dismissing herself from the conversation. Liquid smirked, bringing his arms to fold across his chest. He watched the sweet curves of her body, smothered by the folds of her baggy uniform, walked away. He chuckled.

"I won't be dreaming for long, Wolf. You'll come back." He mumbled as he continued to admire her, stepping backwards toward a door behind him.

*.*.*

Shit! Jammed! Pressing her back against a wall, Cora tampered with the .357 magnum in her hand, trying to relieve the weapon of its malfunctioning lock. Frustrated, she threw it aside. She removed the Glock-18 from behind her and peeked around the corner.

"Looking for someone?" A voice rang. Before her stood the Cyborg ninja, holding the 49" katana aimed in her direction. Cora stepped out from behind the wall and pulled up her aim.  She remained silent, staring at the suit. Analyzing its complex design with her mind and making a mental note of it. The Ninja lowered the sword, and in place he brought up a S.A.A Colt Python, immediately snapping the trigger back.

Cora lunged back, feeling the bullet skim past her ear. She scowled, bringing her aim up again, this time cocking back the hammer as she was supposed to do.

"Who are you?"

"You can talk after all." The Cyborg chuckled. "My name isn't of importance."

Cora stiffened. The voice was too distorted to determine whether it be a man or woman behind that mask. Even the body structure was difficult to assume. The cyborg raised an index to his mouth and tapped his ear. Cora blinked, realizing the request and searched her pocket for the codec chip. She found it and placed it in her ear.

"Who are you—?"

"I was sent here to kill you." The ninja started. "But…I will hold that off for now."

"What's your deal?"

"You help me shut down the Metal Gear: Gava operation."

"Metal Gear: Gava?"

"That's what I said."

"…" Cora blinked. "Why should I help you?"

"Because I have what you're looking for."

"Yeah? What's that?" Cora mumbled.

"Your friend."

"I don't carry friends."

"I figured that's why she's here."

"…What're you implying?"

"Nothing."

"…."

"I can help you get her out of here."

"…Why should I work with you? It might not even be her."

"It is, because I was the one who brought her here."

"You?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Equal trade."

"Figures. And this Liquid stabbed you in the back?"

"He may be planning it."

"And you've secretly gone neutral…"

"It's not official. I, too, have something that I want from here."

"What's that?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"…"

"The prototype is almost to its completion."

" What's its purpose?"

 "Pre-chaos for the United States and other tyrannical countries."

"…?"

"Yes—Gava, Metal Gear Gava, is designed for the destruction of profitable countries, like the United States, Europe, Japan, China, and Russia. All are specifically targeted."

"…. And this Liquid?"

"He's the one going to conduct the first strike. He plans to overtake the countries and conceive another world war. According to him, the first strike targets those capable of high death threats through chemical warfare and nuclear bombs. "

"Hm. And I thought he'd team up with them, not kill them."

"He has partnered with a few of them. The late Sergei Gurlukovich was brought in two years ago to discuss his militia's plans of giving Liquid over 60 billion in chemical warheads. President Johnson, coaxed into relations with Liquid, entrusted him with access to Military assistance."

"…. Interesting. But it could be a bluff."

"Liquid thinks of it as a world for himself. If the countries are to believe that they are under fire from their most trusted allies, then they have no other option but to retaliate. And with this, Liquid isn't bluffing."

"But he could—"

"Were you even listening? Gava is already operational. I don't think a fully-operated machine capable of mass counts of fatalities is referred to as a bluff. Metal Gear X is soon underway."

"Metal Gear X?"

"The counter-part to Gava. Kind of its mother, to put it simple."

"…."

"Think of the damage that will cause. If Gava can destroy an entire country in less than two months, how long do you think it will take X? Think of X's capabilities."

"…A worldwide massacre in a little over a year?" Cora mumbled.

"Correct."

"So how do we destroy it—" Cora looked up at the sound of footsteps. A shadow stretched down the hall, advancing with each echo of a footfall. The Cyborg produced its sword.

"Liquid." They both broke away from codec and whirled around. The Cyborg grabbed Cora from behind, pinning her against him, held the katana to her neck and the Colt Python to her head. "Don't move."

Liquid looked up from the floor. He paced his steps slowly, watching the Cyborg struggle with the mercenary.

"Kohl." Liquid spoke as he stopped short of the two. Cora winced, feeling the katana press against her throat. Liquid stood before her, clad in a lengthy trench coat that touched an inch off the ground with baggy mud-colored trousers that were pressed within his boots. His chest rested bare before her, peeking from behind crossed arms as he watched her. Cora scowled, her fingertips clutching the Glock-18, trying to keep it in her hand.

The Cyborg nodded at being acknowledged. "I ran into this one first."

"Who is she?" He asked, glancing over the shorthaired woman.

"She will not talk."

"Why not?" He asked, narrowing his eyes on Cora. Cora stared him down, amazed at the uncanny features displayed before her. Solid Snake's brother? The jaw line, face structure, and eyes were identical, whereas the hair and speech were not. She scowled with no reply, pressing to break free from the Cyborg's grasp. Liquid frowned, stepping back and dropping his arms to his sides.

"Bring her to the chamber. We'll make her talk." He said over his shoulder as he stepped away from them.

"Yes, sir." The Cyborg nodded, watching him disappear through the west sliding door. Cora was released, rubbing her neck as she stepped forward. Her eyes shot up with a groan as a shock of pain ripped through her body. The katana's hilt slammed into the back of her head then fell slowly to the Cyborg's side. Cora gave a strenuous sigh as she fell forward and collapsed. Total darkness flooded her mind until she drifted into unconsciousness.

*.*.*

"I'll show that Liquid a thing or two. 'Wolf' ha! I look nothing like her!" A woman's voice grumbled in fatigue. Half of an unconscious sentry's body slid across the floor into a room. Strenuous grunts echoed softly amidst the silence of the locker room. A gloved hand moved to pull a locker door open. For a brief moment, a woman's gasp filled the room. Startled by the image of herself in a mirror, the woman jumped. She didn't expect to find a mirror inside one of the lockers. Usually it was an indecent exposure of a woman who was usually mounted on the inside of the door. She stepped over to the guard, pressed his back to her chest, and pulled him into the locker. She propped him up against the interior wall and slammed shut the locker door. She sighed.

"Now to get out of these ridiculous clothes." She said, pulling open another locker door.

First went the contacts. The teal circles fell from her eyes into the palm of her hands. She tossed them in their case and slid the tiny capsule onto the shelf. Next went her shirt being pulled over her head to expose a crimson-laced bra. She reached into the locker and claimed the ground floor's B.D.U.s supposedly set there for the next shift. She pulled on the top then moved down to the trousers, shimmying her way out of them.

A sliding door pulled open with a bell sound. She halted, stifling a gasp as she looked off in the direction of the doorway. Whistling with a murmured song, a sentry trudged into the locker room. He paused, inhaled to a yawn with his arms outstretched, then sighed. Mumbling how tired he was, he continued to walk further into the room. She froze in place, her eyes locked onto the sentry as he walked in her direction. He still hadn't acknowledged, the half dressed woman because he was too busy looking at his boots. Slowly, she walked along the wall until she stepping into the locker, clothes in hand. Reducing the creaking of the locker door, she closed it slightly, leaving it open enough to view the sentry. She drew in a breath as he stopped at her door. He raised a brow at the AK-105 leaning against the wall.

"Huh? A weapon?" He said as he took a step forward and picked it up. Her brows drew together and she scowled. Her fingertips pressed against the door, ready to forced it open for a surprise attack. She stiffened when he straightened and removed her hand. He took a few steps back, examining the weapon, and bumped into the locker's door. She gasped, hitting her hand against the back of the locker. He swung around and stared at the metallic door.

"What was that?" He said as he stepped forward. Her eyes narrowed as he reached for the door. He raised his weapon as his free hand caught a good grip on the handle. He pulled it open and immediately took aim. The woman darted out. She pushed away at his weapon with her right hand, and grabbed his face with her left. Her hand clasped against his mouth. Bewildered, his eyes grew wide as she held a tight hand to him. He struggled, trying to pry her hand from his mouth, but she wouldn't budge. She slammed him back against the opposite locker and stripped the combat knife from his shoulder. She banked it against his neck.

"Afraid?" She grinned. The sentry gave a muffled yell. A forceful knee slammed into his mid-section, causing him to double over in pain. She swept the combat knife across his neck, revealing raw exposure of a shower of blood. She stepped back and the sentry fell to his knees. His head drawn back and neck cut open, spewing crimson contents into the air. Grabbing her AK from the ground, she crossed her arms and watched as his labored breathing rasped into a demising THUD. She turned away to face her locker and grabbed the rest of her uniform.