Chapter 12- A New Ally
Raiden's eyes slowly opened, what could've been, minutes, hours, or even days later. Jack had no clue. He looked up, and found himself looking at a well-built man with a snakeskin vest on along with a white sleeveless shirt underneath, brown army pants, and snakeskin boots. He had a M-17 in his hand, holding it as if it was a pistol. He had a pair of dog tags around his neck, the silver shining under the ultraviolet light.
Jack looked up at the man's face, but he had a thin, red cloth mask on that concealed his entire face, and he had two triangular punctures where his eyes should be, presumably to see. He had messy brown-orange hair that hung out everywhere except in front of his mask. He had one holster on each leg that carried two sidearms. On his waist were several knife holsters. He was a walking death machine.
The next thing Raiden saw was the M-17 that he was holding, which appeared to be pointed at him. Raiden, obviously paranoid, quickly stood up and pointed his M4 at the mystery man's masked head.
"Who are you?!" Jack's hand was shaking slightly; the small amount of fear that he undoubtedly felt was showing. The man then made his move. His action was too fast for Raiden's eyes to see, but before Jack knew what happened, he ended up with Raiden's M4 in his left hand, and his M-17, in his right hand, pointed at Raiden's chin. The gun was pressed so hard against Jack's chin that the barrel almost punctured the skin. It was clear that this man meant business. He gave Raiden his gun back, and took his own gun from against Raiden's chin. He gave Jack a hard stare, like he was trying to figure out who he was. Apparently, he did.
"So you're the one," he said. He started to walk off without Raiden, who was conferring on his codec. When he realized that Raiden was not with him he turned back and looked at his apparent partner.
"Jack, what's going on?" asked the Patriot agent.
"Is there another operative on this mission?" asked a slightly confused Jack.
"Nanomachines," said the masked man. "Definitely has cerebral implants as well."
"Yes there is, Jack. I see that you met up with him. Former Lieutenant Jake 'Hawk' McNeil. He's our own hired assassin, sent to assist you on your mission. Like it or not, you will be working with this man."
"Why didn't you just send him in the first place?"
"Solidus is their main hostage. We believe that he is the most likely to have the most information. He must be the first to be eliminated. We knew from the Big Shell that if anyone could stop him, it was you. We sent your partner to provide backup, in case something unfortunate were to happen that would jeopardize our mission."
"That man doesn't need a partner. He's a one man killing machine!"
"It doesn't matter what he is. You will be working with him. Now carry out your mission immediately. Assassinate those hostages."
"Understood. Over and out." Raiden disconnected the call.
McNeil started to leave the room, and Raiden followed. He crouched, so as not to make any noise. He looked back at Raiden, who was walking rather noisily.
"Stay low," McNeil advised. "No one can know that we're here." They continued down the hall, quietly. If anyone was around, they had no idea that the two were there. Raiden had the lead, his M4 pointed in front of him, and his eyes were looking all around the hallway in front of him. McNeil acted as a lookout, walking backwards down the hall, making sure no one would sneak up on them; the two were literally back-to-back. They came to a room, and Raiden peered around the doorway. He saw Solidus, and someone else. He fell back immediately, so he couldn't tell whom the other person was. He put his hand up, signaling McNeil to stop. He did, but underneath the mask, he had a very disgusted look on his face. He didn't like to be ordered around, apparently. They both pressed their backs against the wall and crouched, getting as close to the door as possible. They listened in on Solidus' conversation with the other man.
"--here yet?" said the man Solidus was talking with. Raiden didn't hear the first few words of the sentence.
"Yes, he arrived a short while ago," answered Solidus. "The Patriots sent him, no doubt. They didn't have much of a choice."
"Are you sure that his cerebral implants are carrying the information that we need?"
"Absolutely. They're using the boy's nanomachines to manipulate the electrical impulses in his brain. I should have no trouble tracing the signals to the Patriots location."
"Perfect. Your strategy is working better than I expected."
What the hell are they talking about? thought Raiden.
"McNeil, what-" Raiden's sentence was cut off by a loud voice.
"Intruders! Over here! I need backup!" Before either of them could blink, twelve soldiers surrounded them!
Raiden's eyes slowly opened, what could've been, minutes, hours, or even days later. Jack had no clue. He looked up, and found himself looking at a well-built man with a snakeskin vest on along with a white sleeveless shirt underneath, brown army pants, and snakeskin boots. He had a M-17 in his hand, holding it as if it was a pistol. He had a pair of dog tags around his neck, the silver shining under the ultraviolet light.
Jack looked up at the man's face, but he had a thin, red cloth mask on that concealed his entire face, and he had two triangular punctures where his eyes should be, presumably to see. He had messy brown-orange hair that hung out everywhere except in front of his mask. He had one holster on each leg that carried two sidearms. On his waist were several knife holsters. He was a walking death machine.
The next thing Raiden saw was the M-17 that he was holding, which appeared to be pointed at him. Raiden, obviously paranoid, quickly stood up and pointed his M4 at the mystery man's masked head.
"Who are you?!" Jack's hand was shaking slightly; the small amount of fear that he undoubtedly felt was showing. The man then made his move. His action was too fast for Raiden's eyes to see, but before Jack knew what happened, he ended up with Raiden's M4 in his left hand, and his M-17, in his right hand, pointed at Raiden's chin. The gun was pressed so hard against Jack's chin that the barrel almost punctured the skin. It was clear that this man meant business. He gave Raiden his gun back, and took his own gun from against Raiden's chin. He gave Jack a hard stare, like he was trying to figure out who he was. Apparently, he did.
"So you're the one," he said. He started to walk off without Raiden, who was conferring on his codec. When he realized that Raiden was not with him he turned back and looked at his apparent partner.
"Jack, what's going on?" asked the Patriot agent.
"Is there another operative on this mission?" asked a slightly confused Jack.
"Nanomachines," said the masked man. "Definitely has cerebral implants as well."
"Yes there is, Jack. I see that you met up with him. Former Lieutenant Jake 'Hawk' McNeil. He's our own hired assassin, sent to assist you on your mission. Like it or not, you will be working with this man."
"Why didn't you just send him in the first place?"
"Solidus is their main hostage. We believe that he is the most likely to have the most information. He must be the first to be eliminated. We knew from the Big Shell that if anyone could stop him, it was you. We sent your partner to provide backup, in case something unfortunate were to happen that would jeopardize our mission."
"That man doesn't need a partner. He's a one man killing machine!"
"It doesn't matter what he is. You will be working with him. Now carry out your mission immediately. Assassinate those hostages."
"Understood. Over and out." Raiden disconnected the call.
McNeil started to leave the room, and Raiden followed. He crouched, so as not to make any noise. He looked back at Raiden, who was walking rather noisily.
"Stay low," McNeil advised. "No one can know that we're here." They continued down the hall, quietly. If anyone was around, they had no idea that the two were there. Raiden had the lead, his M4 pointed in front of him, and his eyes were looking all around the hallway in front of him. McNeil acted as a lookout, walking backwards down the hall, making sure no one would sneak up on them; the two were literally back-to-back. They came to a room, and Raiden peered around the doorway. He saw Solidus, and someone else. He fell back immediately, so he couldn't tell whom the other person was. He put his hand up, signaling McNeil to stop. He did, but underneath the mask, he had a very disgusted look on his face. He didn't like to be ordered around, apparently. They both pressed their backs against the wall and crouched, getting as close to the door as possible. They listened in on Solidus' conversation with the other man.
"--here yet?" said the man Solidus was talking with. Raiden didn't hear the first few words of the sentence.
"Yes, he arrived a short while ago," answered Solidus. "The Patriots sent him, no doubt. They didn't have much of a choice."
"Are you sure that his cerebral implants are carrying the information that we need?"
"Absolutely. They're using the boy's nanomachines to manipulate the electrical impulses in his brain. I should have no trouble tracing the signals to the Patriots location."
"Perfect. Your strategy is working better than I expected."
What the hell are they talking about? thought Raiden.
"McNeil, what-" Raiden's sentence was cut off by a loud voice.
"Intruders! Over here! I need backup!" Before either of them could blink, twelve soldiers surrounded them!