Chapter 13

Riki and Hal

Riki and Hal turned their camo back on as they left the torture room. Snake followed shortly after, but they took no notice of each other as they traveled in opposite directions.

"Where are we going?" Riki asked.

"To the main control room. It has the most computers and contains the main information concerning Shadow Moses."

"Why are we going there?"

"I need to try and find as much information as I can."

"How are you going to do that? I'm pretty sure that the info stored here is secure. There must be locks everywhere."

"I have my ways…"

"Are you…a hacker?"

"Yup."

"Wow. Cool. I've never met a hacker before."

"Well, now you have."

They reached the main control room. The door is locked. "Crap," Hal said. He crouched to the floor and leaned against the wall.

"What's up?"

"I…I forgot to unlock the door from my computer room…where you met me."

Riki remembered something. "Hal…I found a weird looking card on one of the guards that I killed earlier. Do you think you can use it?" Riki reached into her back pocket and handed Hal the card.

"Oh my God! This is it…I can't believe you ran across it." Hal placed the card key in the slot next to the door. The door opened quietly. "Yes…it worked."

They walked into the room and Riki was completely astounded. There was walls and walls lined with computers and their hard drives. She had never seen so many computers in one place, not even at a library. In the center of the room was the biggest computer. It had a huge monitor and was apparently touch-screen, there was no mouse.

Hal walked up to it and started typing things. He was typing so fast that Riki couldn't make it out. She looked at the screen and realized that even if she could keep up with him she wouldn't understand what he was typing anyway. He was using the computer language, obviously…he was a hacker. She started walking around the room. She sat down at one of the smaller computers and began a game of Solitaire.

"Riki," Hal said after a few minutes. "You won't believe all the stuff that I found."

"Oh, really." She got up from her computer and went to his. She saw files and files on the Shadow Moses project, Metal Gear, and Baker. All kinds of stuff that only a few chosen people were supposed to know. All of that stuff was here…right in front of her. She could read about any of this. Classified…whatever. Not anymore.

"I wonder what this is…" Hal told Riki as they were looking at the screen. He was referring to a file labeled "MM".

" 'MM'," Riki pondered out loud. "That's my uncle's initials. McDonell Miller." She scratched her head. "You might know him as Master. That's his code."

"Master's your uncle?"

"Yeah…You know him?"

"No. Heard of him. Want to find out…"

"Yeah…"

"Okay…" Hal ran his finger across the screen and double-tapped on the file. A huge picture of Master appeared at the top. "You're right, Riki. It's Master…"

"Who would want information on my uncle and why would they want it?"

"I have no idea. But, he was in the military, ya know. Look." Hal pointed to the screen again. "They…whoever…have every little detail about your uncle here on this file. You are even mentioned. Your family…and Snake. Stuff about Zanzibar…oh my…Who ever wanted to know your uncle did extensive research. His whole life is mapped out. Somebody must have been obsessed or something."

"Yeah, I agree."

"How's he your uncle anyway? He and your dad have different last names."

"They both had different dads."

"Oh. Same mom?"

"Yeah. Dad didn't remember much. The only things he ever told me about her was that she was in the military and that someone once called her 'Tatyana'." Nikita yelped and nuzzled into Riki's chest and began to sleep. (Author's Note at end…)

The codec beeped and Hal answered. "Yeah?"

"I'm at the door to the walkway. Why won't it open? Don't dawdle…I'm being chased and shot at."

"Uh…did you use the card?"

"No, dumbass, I just stood here and looked at it like I'm stupid…of course I tried the card…Gaw…"

"Hey, just checking…"

"Well, shut up and answer me."

Hal sighed. "That door sometimes gets stuck because it's so cold outside."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ya didn't ask so I didn't know to."

"Yeah, ya meanie," Riki said into her codec. She just turned hers on.

"What should I do?" Snake asked.

"Well, you can't open it from the inside so you'll just have to cross on the roof. Good luck." Hal turned off his codec. "God, he's so damn angry all the time."

"Tell me about it," Riki said. "I grew up with him."

"Well, I guess we should head up to where he's going."

"Why?"
"I gotta ask him something."

"Okay. Let's go."

Hal and Riki started for the towers. By the time that they arrived Snake was trying to open the elevator doors. "Why won't you open, dammit?"

Riki walked up to Snake and pushed him. He ran into the closed elevator doors. What the hell…? Riki had her camo on so he couldn't see her. Snake turned around, gun aimed, ready to shoot when she grabbed his AK and hit him with it. He got in his favorite stance ready to 'kill' when Riki revealed herself. "Riki…what…?"

"Sorry," she said. "Just having my hourly dose of fun."

"Ha." Snake turned around when he heard boxes moving.

"Don't worry…it's only Hal." Riki looked in Hal's direction when he turned off his stealth. She turned back to Snake, "You know he's harmless." Snake chuckled to himself.

"How'd you guys get up here?"

"The elevator," Hal answered.

"It was working?"

"Yeah…" Riki looked at Snake. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Snake ignored her. He went to the edge of the elevator and looked down.

"You're incredible, ya know?" Hal told Snake. "Like a movie hero or something."

"No, I'm not. In the movie's the hero always saves the girl…"

"Meryl? She'll be fine…she's tough." Riki tried to cheer him up. It didn't work. Riki started walking down the stairs, to get away. She didn't really like Meryl, but now to think of it, she started to feel real sad, mostly because her life was on the line. As she descended, she started looking for stray items and petted Nikita.

"Snake, I gotta ask you something." Hal walked closer to him, noticing Riki's meandering.

"What?"

"Have you ever…loved someone?"

"That's why you followed me?"

"No…I mean…I was wondering…do soldiers fall in love? Do you think love can bloom even on a battlefield?"

"Yeah, I do. Why?"

"I think I…love…her."

"Riki?" Snake whispered her name because he understood Hal's reluctance to talk like this in front of her.

Hal nodded…and kind of blushed.

"I think at anytime, any place, people can fall in love with each other. But…if you love someone, you have to be able to protect them."

"I think so, too. No offence." Riki came walking back up the stairs and Hal stood where he was, petrified.

Snake ignored them both. "Otacon, can you get this elevator to move?"

Hal walked over to the edge and looked down. "That's weird…Yeah…If it's the mechanism."

"Well, I've got to go swat a noisy fly." Snake paused for a few seconds and the added, "You look like hell, are you okay?"

"Yeah…" Hal said and walked away.

"Good luck, Dave." Riki said.

"Just how much did you hear?"

"Pretty much all of it, I guess."

"He loves you."

"Well, the feeling's mutual."

"Really? I never pictured you with someone like him…oh, wait…yes I have."

"Shuttup." Riki hit him on the shoulder.

"You need to tell him before he makes himself believe it's not a mutual feeling."

"Okay…will do. You got swat that noisy fly…whatever the hell that means."

"Tell you about it when I'm done." Snake walked off and Riki did the same, but again in the opposite direction.

Riki had to run to catch up with Hal. "So, you heard us, huh?" Hal asked.

"Yeah, I did. It doesn't surprise me."

"How so?"

"I can tell by the way you've been acting lately. Besides, you're such a sweet person by nature."

"So, do you…?"

"Yes, Hal, I love you, too." Riki blushed just as Hal had earlier. Hal stopped walking and turned to Riki. She saw him and stopped walking, too. He got really close to her, face to face, and looked her in the eyes.

"Do you really love me, or are you just saying that?"

"Why would I just say that?"

"There has been so many people who said that they loved me, but never really did."

"I really do, I'm not just saying words, I mean them. They come from my heart…"

Hal leaned into her and placed a small, nervous kiss on her lips. She returned the kiss. She had never felt as much love as she did for Hal, and she had only just met him earlier this same day. She didn't care how long she had or hadn't known him. She felt like she'd known him all of her life. They were so much alike, yet they had differences, but they were small, insignificant differences. They didn't matter…all that mattered to her at this moment was Hal and how much they loved each other…no matter how long they hadn't known one another…it made no difference.

They parted and Hal said, "We need to go back to the computer lab."

"Now?" Riki asked.

"Yes, now…" Hal said but Riki interrupted him by kissing him again. She put her arms around his neck and he embraced her. "You know," he tried to say, "we really need to be going in case Snake needs us…"

"I need you…"

The puppy had obviously woken up because he started barking. He was probably saying, "Hey, you're squishing me…"

"Okay, fine…let's go," Riki agreed.

They walked back to the computer lab, holding each other's hand the whole way. They walked hurriedly though. They made it back and Hal pressed Riki up to the closest wall and began to kiss her…(Fade Scene…sorry…you guys are probably better at this than I am…)

Hi, Tsugi here…sorry about the 'use your imagination' thing, but considering the fact that you are reading on FanFiction tells me that you do have one, so, don't let it go to waste…love you all forever…

Author's Note: Notice the reference to Tatyana. I am currently writing a story not yet posted on any site (so don't try to find it…) dealing with EVA's life after Snake. This story has a little tie-in with MantaRay. If you want to understand; read it. When I do post it, it will be finished and will be titled: A Troublesome Time: EVA's story. The first chapter will be in her POV and the second/ last chapter will be in my (Tsugi's) POV explaining what happened after she disappears. It will be short, but you might understand MantaRay a little better.

Chapter 14

Riki, Hal, Snake and Sniper Wolf

Hal noticed something beeping on the main computer. "What the…?"

"What does that mean?" Riki asked pointing to a blinking yellow light.

"The elevator's working…but I didn't do anything. I didn't have time…"

"We should call Snake, tell him what's up."

"Yeah." Hal turned his codec on. Riki turned hers on, too. "Snake, the elevator's working."

"You fixed it?" Snake asked Hal.

"No that's the weird thing."

Riki finished Hal's statement, "It just moved by itself. It looks like it's headed your way now."

"Yeah, it is," Hal told him.

"Okay…"

"Hey, Snake, what was that explosion? It wasn't just me, was it? No point in asking Riki." Riki blushed.

"Why's that?" Snake asked.

"No matter…anyway, what was it?"

"Nothing much. I just had to take down that helicopter, that's all…"

"Helicopter…Snake, no way! I knew you were good, but geezees." Riki started laughing. "That's totally awesome!"

"Are you sure this is the way to get to where Metal Gear is being stored?"

"Yeah, positive. The entrance is toward the back of the snowfield ahead."

"Okay, so you guys need to find a safe place to hide out for a while…"

"Got it covered, Snake," Riki said.

"Yeah, Snake, call us if you need to."

"Will do…" The conversation had ended.

"Hal, we need to get to that snowfield."

"But Snake told us to stay put."

"Not really…he told us to be safe…there's a difference."

"But…he said…"

"Shut up, Hal, and let's get going." Riki started to walk off. She turned to Hal and added, "Do I ever do what he says?"

Hal didn't even answer, he got up and started to follow her. The monitor started beeping again. "What now?" He walked up to the computer. "Hey, the elevator that Snake's on is too heavy…What's up with that?" Hal thought for about half a second. "OH MY GOD!" Hal called Snake.

"Snake, there were five stealth camos in my lab…if you take out the one I'm wearing and the one Riki's wearing, that leaves three."

"Hey, this isn't first grade math class, I'm not stupid."

"I know but the weight limit warning is going off on that elevator…it says here that there is four people on board. Someone must have stolen the camos. SNAKE, LOOK OUT! I SAW THEM MOVE…THE CAMERA…BE CAREFUL! THEY'RE IN THERE!" Snake cut off the codec… "Oh, no…"

"Hal, don't worry…He's gonna be okay…He's not completely stupid…"

"You're right, Riki, we need to get down there…"

They began to go to the snowfield. They had to go pretty much the way that they had come. It took them a while. About half way there, Snake called Hal again. "Uhh," Snake groaned. "Someone's shooting at me…again. I'd bet my best guns it's Sniper Wolf."

"Yes, it's her…it's definitely her…"

"Um…Ottie, buddy, why do you sound happy?"

"I'm not happy…uh…don't kill her…please…"

"Are you insane…? She's shooting at me…"

"She's a good person…you'd know that if you talked to her…"

"Listen to me…she's a merciless killer…"

"She's not merciless…"

Sniper Wolf cut into the conversation. "I can see you perfectly from here." Wolf chuckled. "I told you…I'd never quit the hunt. Now you're mine."

"Wolf, no! You can't!" both Hal and Riki yelled at the same time.

"Don't get between a wolf and its prey!"

"Wolf, you're pretty good if you can hit me in this storm."

"You see? Women naturally make better soldiers."

Riki almost said, "Yeah, you're right…" but knew better, considering the conditions.

"Snake, I'm near…can't you sense me?"

"You know, it's a mistake for a sniper to reveal her location."

"Is that right? Well, I'm going to send you a love letter, my dear. Do you know what that is? It's a bullet straight from my gun to your heart."

"Please! Wolf! Snake! No!" Hal interrupted.
"Quiet!"

"I'm gonna pay you back for Meryl…I'm afraid I'll be sending that love letter…not receiving."

"Men are so weak…You could never finish what you start…" The codec conversation ended.

Riki and Hal just looked at each other. "We need to get down there and stop this…Now!" Riki said to Hal.

Hal nodded in agreement. "I…it…it's not fair. I know them both…they can't kill each other…" Hal ran off and Riki had to hurry to catch up with him.

By the time they had reached the snowfield, the battle had already finished and Snake was walking through the snowfield. Hal and Riki followed him. "Snake!" Riki yelled. Snake turned around. Hal saw it in his eyes.

"NO!" Hal ran. Wolf was lying on the ground. She was mortally wounded.

"I…I've…waited for this moment…" Wolf managed to say. Everyone knew that these words would be her last. They let her talk as long as she was able. "I'm a sniper…waiting is my job…Never moving a muscle…concentrating…" Wolf coughed and blood came out of her mouth like mist. "I am lung-shot. Y…you cannot save me. Please…Just finish me quick. I am a Kurd. I have always dreamed of a peaceful place like this…"

"So that's why you're called Wolf…" Snake suggested.

"I was born on a battlefield. Raised on a battlefield. Gunfire, sirens, and screams…they were my lullabies…Hunted like dogs day after day…driven from our ragged shelters…That…was my life."

"Oh, Wolf," Hal said and crouched down next to her. Riki began to cry. For comfort, she petted Nikita.

"Each morning, I'd wake up…and find a few more of my family or friends dead beside me. I'd stare at the morning sun…and pray to make it through the day. The governments of the world turned a blind eye to our misery. But then…he appeared. My hero…Saladin…he took me away from all of that…"

"Big Boss?" Riki asked.

Wolf nodded. "I became a sniper…hidden, watching everything through a rifle's scope. Now I could see war, not from the inside, but from the outside. As an observer…I watched the brutality… the stupidity of mankind through the scope of my rifle. I joined this group of revolutionaries…to take my revenge on the world. But…I have shamed myself and my people. I am no longer the wolf that I was born to be…In the name of vengeance, I sold my body and my soul. Now I am nothing more than a dog."

"Wolves are noble animals…" Snake said softly. The way he was treating Wolf just now proves how much of a good guy he really is. "They're not like dogs. In Yupik, the word for wolf is "Kegluneq", and the Aleuts revere them as honorable cousins. They call mercenaries like us 'Dogs of War'. It's true. We're all for sale at some price or another. But you're different. Untamed. Solitary. You're no dog. You are a Wolf."

"Who are you? Are you Saladin?"

"Wolf, you spared Meryl's life…"

"She was never my real target…I don't kill for sport."

"Rest easy. You'll die as the proud wolf you are."

"I finally understand. I wasn't waiting to kill people…I was waiting for someone to kill me…A man like you…You're a hero. Please…set me free…"

Snake stood up and pointed the gun at Wolf. He hesitated for a few seconds. Wolf reached for something. "What is it?" Snake asked.

"My gun…give it to me." Hal ran for it and brought it to her. "She's a part of me. Everyone's here now. Okay hero. Set me free."

Riki turned away. "Bye, Wolf," she said.

"I love you, Sis," Hal told her and began to cry.

Snake pulled the trigger and Wolf's new life began.

The gunshot resounded for it seemed like hours, but was only just a few seconds. It was such a sad few seconds. Snake pulled out the handkerchief that Riki gave to him earlier. He placed it on Wolf's face. "What are you doing?" Hal asked.

"Returning it to it's owner. I don't need a handkerchief."

"Why?" Riki asked.

"Well, I don't have any more tears to shed. I'm going to the underground base. We're out of time. You protect each other. If I can't stop Metal Gear, this whole place will probably be bombed to hell. We might not meet again…"

"Snake…" Riki interrupted.

"You can leave anytime…get a start on your lives…"

"We'll keep helping…"

Snake walked off.

"Hal, we gotta go back…"

"Yeah, let's go…"

The headed back to the computer lab.

Sorry that it was mostly all game again. I intended to use a little of it, but Wolf wouldn't shut up. Anyway, I hope you still likes…read and review…Tsugi…