Chapter 6

Snake walked past the dead guards to the right side of the room and saw a big double door from where the guards came from. As he entered it he saw that inside there was a big desk, some lockers and nothing more, no sign of any key to use on the elevator. How can this be the Security Office if there's nothing here?

He went back. Maybe I should hide the bodies. He took them one by one to the office on the left side of Floor 2. Whilst he was doing this he saw that one of the guard's balaclava had a red mark in it, a red square. Snake investigated the body and it made sense. This guard was a higher rank then the others. He was the one that stayed behind in the room. In his pockets he found a strange little square key and he also checked the guard's pistol. It was a strange looking weapon, on the handle there was a tiny green light. Snake took the gun out of the dead guard's hand and once he picked it up the tiny light became red. It was obvious that this gun could only be used by one person. Snake got up, went back to the elevator and called for it.

"I've got some kind of key Otacon." Snake said reaching for his ear with one hand and holding the key in the other.

"Good, but you still don't know where Raiden is." Otacon sounded worried.

"One thing at a time Otacon." Snake calmed him.

After a few seconds the elevator arrived. Snake entered and surveyed the numbers of the floors carefully "Top – Floor 3; Security Office – Floor 2; Research and Development Labs. – Floor 1; Floor 0; Floor -1" and so on, only floors 1, 2 and 3 were open to everybody, the rest had slots next to the number to insert the special key. Snake didn't know in which floor the key would work so he inserted it next to "Floor 0" it made a small clicking noise and the elevator door began to close.

"It works." Snake said to Otacon.

"Be careful Snake, you don't know what it's down there."

The doors had shut completely, but before the elevator began to move Snake pressed a large red button that stood on top of every other button, the STOP button, the elevator halted.

"You're right Otacon, I've got an idea." Snake said looking to the elevator floor.

Raiden didn't know what to make of what was going on. Who's this woman? How does she know I was in FOX-HOUND? And why did she help me? Raiden and Meryl went to the room below the white mirrored detention room. From the room below Raiden looked up saw with immense clarity the room he had just left.

"I knew someone that belonged to FOX-HOUND too." Meryl said as Raiden's eyes dropped and stared at Meryl. "That suit is very similar."

"Who was it?" Raiden asked still not sure who this woman was, but he knew she wasn't an enemy.

"It's been a long time it doesn't matter." Meryl said turning away her face. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

Raiden hesitated, but decided to answer. "I'm looking for someone" Raiden's voice was decisive.

"Who is it, maybe I can help." Meryl seemed like she had some info on something.

"I don't think you would know her." Raiden talked wondering if this woman had seen Rose.

"Wait, is it a woman?" Meryl suspected.

"Yes it is." Raiden said with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Have you seen her, what was she like." Raiden spoke quickly.

"She had dark hair…" Meryl talked causatively.

"About this height?" Raiden said making a hand gesture to show Meryl Rose's height compared to him.

"Yes." Meryl was sure it was the same woman.

"Where is she?"

"Well, she's probably in the detention block."

"Where is that?"

"I'll show it to you, if you help me first."

Raiden's look changed. So this is why you helped me. Raiden didn't like to help unknown people, it felt like he was being controlled, but he had no choice, she knew where Rose was. Maybe she was lying, but it was the only chance he had.

"What do you mean, help you?"

"I need to find some information about someone in here, but I can't do it alone, that's why I need you."

Raiden hesitated, but as soon as the thought of Rose being incarcerated got to his mind he knew what he had to say. "Fine I'll help you" Raiden was decided.

The elevator got to Floor 0 and two guards turned immediately to it. As the door opened it revealed an empty elevator.

"What the hell?" The first guard said as the other scratched his head.

The two guards surveyed the elevator more closely and found nothing.

"Forget about it, probably some kind of malfunction-" Replied the second.

They turned around. The elevator was empty, but under the elevator behind a small hatch Snake was hanging. The elevator had no cables whatsoever it was moved by some kind of magnetic accelerator. Snake was looking through the hatch as he had left it almost closed. He hoisted himself up, silently, took out the SOCOm from his equipment and closed the hatch quietly. The two guards were in front of him with their guns holstered and oblivious to what was happening behind.

Snake moved a little bit closer. "Freeze!" Snake said in his rough voice.

The guards hesitated for a moment, but then heard the intruder behind them getting a bit closer and cocking some kind of weapon. They wouldn't risk it so they put their hands up. Snake was fast kicking one in the head and the other in back. They fell unconscious to the ground. Snake grabbed the first one and dropped him through the hatch, the second followed. So far no one knew they were there.

Snake surveyed the room and found that it was exactly like the one before. He started walking, always on the watch for other guards, and saw that the room had a difference. A very big door opposite the elevator had a sign which read "Official Personnel Only". Snake walked a bit more and this time we went right in the bifurcation. It was the mess hall, stacks of boxes with food and the likes. A noise halted the investigation and Snake turned. He could see two armed men, who seemed different from the guards, these had a more military equipment uniform and a weapon that was certainly modern, probably with the same security measures as the guard's weapons. They were coming to the mess hall. Snake decided that the best option was to hide, but the tables were to high, they would see him underneath them. Snake looked fast to left and to the right and found no hiding place, the guards were coming very close and Snake made a bold choice.

"Because you were in FOX-HOUND, I hope you're good."

Raiden did no gesture.

"Well then, I need to get to an office, the problem his when the person leaves the office the security measures are applied to the office and all sorts of anti burglary systems are activated."

Meryl paused and Raiden nodded.

"I know how to turn off the security measures." Meryl continued. "But, I don't have enough time to get to the office and comeback with no suspicion being raised."

Raiden interrupted. "So you want me to get into the office?"

"Yes." Meryl replied, sensing this man was smarter than he looked. "Will you do it?"

Raiden thought about it for a few seconds, he was about to help some one he didn't know, but he remembered he met Solid Snake the same way two years ago, somehow he got the same feeling towards this woman. "Fine."

"Good, now I have to give you some quick explanations about the personnel in this facility." As Meryl was saying this Raiden put his hand to his ear and tried to make contact with the CODEC. It gave a "No Response" signal, he was alone.

"They are five kinds of personnel in this place, guards, soldiers…" Meryl pointed to herself to show her uniform. "…scientists, officers and The Enforcers."

Raiden nodded, but when Meryl said "The Enforcers" he became puzzled. "The Enforcers, what is that?"

"I really don't know, but I do know they are more dangerous than all the soldiers put together." Meryl hesitated. "They are only two."

"Two?" How can two people be that much dangerous.

"Now, stay here, I'm going to get you some soldier's equipment so you can pass as one."

Not that again. Raiden had had a bad experience when using someone else's equipment.

Meryl left the room, leaving Raiden alone for just a few seconds.

"Here put this on, I think they're your size." Meryl threw down some uniform clothes. She was saving them for someone else, but he would have to do.

"One more thing, you can't use this gun." Meryl showed Raiden a very modern looking weapon. "It has a special system. It can only be used by the person that registered it. Make sure you hide that tiny red light with your hand, if they see it they'll know you're not the owner of the gun."

Raiden began dressing as he heard her. After the conversation he directed his eyes to Meryl's own weapon.

"How about yours?"

"Mine also doesn't work. I stole it, as I did my uniform."

Raiden looked intrigued as he could have attacked her in the white detention room. This woman had been in this place, in disguise and she had no real means to defend herself.

"How long have you been here?" Raiden asked putting on his clothes and becoming less suspicious about this female character.

"About two months, I've been trying to get into the office, but it's been hard. At least now I know how things work around here."

Raiden was surprised, two months, and she was never discovered. Raiden finished putting on the enemy's clothes.

"Good you're ready, now take this." Meryl gave Raiden a radio. "After leaving this room go left, when you reach a corridor to the left, call me."

"Got it." Raiden said has he left the room.