Chapter 19

Ocelot took the elevator to the Research floor. Once there he found no guards. He went to Naomi's laboratory. There were two soldiers dead and one knocked out. Ocelot reached for his radio.

"Shadow, its Ocelot."

"Has she finished it?"

"No. She isn't here. Two soldiers are dead and another knocked out"

"What?" Shadow's tone was one of fury.

After a few seconds of pause.

"Is it possible they left?"

"Not likely, I posted soldiers on the Top floor."

"Good, but that means they're still here. We have to get her alive, we can't quit now. She's too close."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Lyla told me there were intruders in Floor -3. Maybe the one that took Doctor Naomi went there too."

"I'm on my way."

"Remember Ocelot we need her alive."

"I know." Ocelot turned off his radio.

I need her Snake, I need Naomi. I'm so close.

Ocelot headed for the elevator and used a little square key on Floor -3. The doors closed and the elevator went down.

As Raiden opened the door and pointed his gun he could see someone at the far end of the corridor. It was the Enforcer, a beautiful oriental woman with black hair. She wore some kind of silver bandana. Raiden couldn't see any gun on her.

"Keep away or I'll shoot." Raiden pointed his gun steady. "Let's move."

Meryl, Rose and the child, followed behind Raiden.

"I cannot let you pass." Lyla's voice conveyed no emotion

Raiden took out his balaclava and stopped. He took aim to Lyla's heart.

"Meryl, take Rose and get out of here, NOW!"

Meryl obeyed, she grabbed Rose and they began to run.

"If you touch any of them I'll shoot."

Meryl and Rose passed by Lyla, she did nothing.

"They will die after you." Lyla opened her eyes wide.

Raiden froze.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh." Raiden screamed.

Meryl and Rose whipped around.

"JACK!" Rose yelled out

Meryl didn't know what was going on. Lyla hadn't moved an inch and somehow Raiden took his hands to his head and screamed out loud. She reached for her radio.

"Snake can you hear me, Snake!"

"Meryl! What's going on?"

"It's Raiden he needs help."

"Where are you now?"

"We're near the entrance of the detention block in Floor -3."

"I'm close, I'll be right there."

Raiden fell to his knees. Rose wanted to help him. Meryl grabbed harder. The child began crying.

"No you'll only get yourself killed." Meryl said.

Two soldiers appeared behind her.

"What the hell?"

"Get your hands up."

The situation was impossible to resolve. Raiden was kneeling on the floor screaming, Meryl was holding Rose back from helping him and a child was crying.

"I said get your hands up."

Two shots broke through the noise. The soldiers fell to the ground. It was Snake.

"What's going on here?" He saw Rose with a child in her arms and Raiden on his knees screaming from the top of his lungs.

"How did you get here so fast?" Meryl asked

Snake made no case of it "Meryl, get Rose and Naomi to a safe place. I'm going to help Raiden."

Meryl obeyed, she pulled Rose. Rose saw Snake looking at her.

"Please help him." Rose pleaded

Snake nodded.

Meryl led the way followed closely by Rose and Naomi.

Snake could see Lyla's back. He pointed his gun. Raiden stooped screaming and fell to the ground. Lyla turned around and faced Snake.

"Your friend has had an amazing life. But I wonder if you really know why he's here."

"What did you do to him?"

"The same thing I will do to you."

Raiden watched as Meryl and Rose passed by Lyla, she did nothing.

"They will die after you." Lyla opened her eyes wide.

Raiden couldn't move.

What is this?

Then an enormous pain passed through his body.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Raiden screamed.

Raiden only felt pain. He heard someone shouting out his name in the distance "JACK!"

Raiden began seeing things as the pain grew bigger. He saw his childhood. He could see himself holding a gun, killing people. He was with other kids. He saw the adults passing by, congratulating him.

"Good one Jack the Ripper."

"Nice one Jack."

"You really are the White Devil."

Then one man kneeled before him.

"You see son I told you. You're great at killing."

Raiden knew that face.

Solidus.

Raiden saw himself growing up. He was taken from the battlefield and into an army base. He was in a room assembling weapons blindfolded. Outside the room behind a glass several men and women took notes.

The pain grew bigger. Raiden took his hands to his head and fell on his knees.

He could see Rose standing outside Federal Hall. He was talking to her. The pain got bigger. Now he saw the Big Shell. He could see Snake handing him a SOCOM. The pain grew even more, Raiden felt like he was dying. He could see Snake, Fortune, Ocelot and Solidus on top of Arsenal Gear. Then fast forward to the top of Federal Hall. He could see Solidus talking.

"Jack, listen to me. We're all born with an expiration date. No one lasts forever. Life is nothing but a grace period – for turning our genetic material into the next generation."

Raiden felt like he was near death.

Now he saw Ocelot. He was talking to him.

"Follow my orders and Rose won't die."

Then suddenly just like it started the pain stopped. Raiden fell to the ground. He opened his eyes calmly and saw Lyla and Snake.

"Your friend has had an amazing life. But I wonder if you really know why he's here." Lyla spoke.

"What did you do to him?" Snake asked.

"The same thing I will do to you."

Raiden still had nightmares about his past, but now he had relived it again. Raiden tried his best to speak.

"Get away Snake. She has some sort of power."

Snake took Raiden's remark into consideration but he had already fought his share of freaks.

"I'll take my chances kid."

Raiden had to do something. Somehow Lyla could make people relive the past.

"Yes Jack." Lyla spoke still facing Snake "You saw your past. It is an amazing past. The more pain you have in your past the easier it is for me to hurt you."

Raiden didn't know what to say.

I can't believe it.

"Believe it Jack the Ripper, by knowing your past I know everything about you."

Snake had enough of it he was going to shoot her.

"Now you Snake." Lyla stared at Snake's eyes.

He wouldn't give her time, he shot. The bullet hit Lyla right on the chest, but she didn't budge.

"My suit his bullet proof Snake. Your reactions are quite fast, no wonder Steiner could not defeat you, even in his personal room."

Snake aimed for her head, but it was too late. The pain was going over his body.

"Now it is time to look into your past Solid Snake." Lyla was giving a very faint smile.