Chapter 34

Otacon complied and turned off, reluctantly, the CODEC. He didn't even have time to ask Raiden about Vamp. He adjusted his glasses and decided to concentrate on something more important. What were those men doing outside? He didn't think he should bother Snake with it.

"Is everything ok?" Rose peeked into the cockpit.

"Yeah…"Otacon wasn't sure, but he didn't want Rose to worry.

"Are they coming back?" Rose asked with a glitter of hope in her eyes, she had been apart from Jack and their child for too long.

"Humm…not yet, they still have something to do."

Suddenly they could hear voices outside. Otacon and Rose stared at each other.

"Don't make a sound" Otacon whispered as he looked out of the cockpit window. Two men were walking and talking as if looking for something.

"Are you sure he came this way?" The two men had to scream because of the intense storm.

"Yeah I'm sure. He hit me on the head and ran this way."

Otacon sighed and turned to Rose. "Don't make a noise and make sure the child doesn't wake up."

Rose nodded and closed the cockpit door. Otacon turned to the computer and pushed a few keys. Damn. He thought about leaving the area, but although communications with Snake and Raiden would be possible, access to the facility's computer wouldn't. We can't lose this info.

Otacon could only find a way out of this. He reached for his CODEC.

"Mei Ling, are you there?"

"Yes." Mei Ling's voice was innocent.

"I need you to do something else for me."

"Sure what is it?"

"Go to the computer room again. When you get there I'll explain it to you." Otacon took quite sometime explaining everything to Mei Ling. His idea was to use the computer in the Kamov as a medium to transfer the data on the Patriots facility to the computer where Mei Ling was.

"Why can't you use your computer Otacon?"

"Well the disk space is not nearly enough to hold the data, so I need that one." Otacon was disobeying Snake's order to avoid contact with Mei Ling and let her use their computer for the second time.

"I did what you told me Otacon."

"Good it may take a while to transfer everything." Otacon gave priority to the Metal Gear files and the security files of the facility, so he could keep tabs on Snake and the others. He just hoped that the men outside didn't stumbled upon the Kamov.

Snake raised his eyebrow. "What truth?"

"About…everything" Big Boss coughed even more.

"You don't have the strength to speak." Naomi pleaded.

"Please…" Big Boss turned his head slowly and stared at Naomi. "…I must do this."

Somehow Big Boss was completely different from Gray Fox at Naomi's eyes. Naomi's feelings towards Big Boss were changing. Long ago he had been the one who brought Naomi and Gray Fox to America. It didn't last much though, soon both Gray Fox and Big Boss returned to Africa to continue the war. After that Naomi heard from her brother that Big Boss was behaving differently, more erratic. After Outer Heaven Naomi didn't hear from her brother until the Zanzibar Land incident, after that she thought of Big Boss as someone who corrupted her brother. Gray Fox was murdered by Solid Snake and following Big Boss's death she did everything she could to avenge her brother. Now, after all this time and although she couldn't prevent Big Boss's return, she was face to face with him, but it was different. Big Boss was nothing but an old man, that didn't even remember who she was. Naomi felt no grudge towards him, only pity, but she thought that maybe Snake should hear what he had to say. Maybe there was still good in Big Boss, maybe only the circumstances made it seem like he had done wrong before. Anyway it didn't matter to her anymore. She only had to make sure of one thing that Big Boss didn't turn out like her brother, a mindless body that only wanted to fight one last battle against Solid Snake. She was responsible for him now just like he had been responsible for her and her brother all those years ago.

Naomi sighed. "Alright."

Big Boss closed his eyes and began breathing in and out.

Naomi got up and went near Snake. "You'll have to listen to him." She whispered at him.

"We don't have much time, Ocelot has Meryl and…"

Naomi grabbed Snake's arm. "Just listen to him."

Snake noticed a strange look in Naomi's eyes. She wasn't a stranger in this type of situation. Snake nodded and turned to Raiden. "Get her ready to go."

Raiden understood that they would leave soon and that Naomi didn't have anything to do in this place anymore. Naomi followed Raiden to the room where Snake had fought Shadow.

Big Boss opened his eyes and spoke.

"In 1964…I learned the truth…about the United States." Big Boss spoke with incredible clarity. He had to do this one thing right. "Early…in the twentieth century the United States, the Republic of China, and the Soviet Union, gathered…in a meeting known…as the Wiseman's Committee"

"The Patriots…"

Snake's interruption meant one of two things to Big Boss. Or Snake worked for them or he had fought against them. "Do…you work for them?" Big Boss put the question bluntly. Snake's response would change the course of the conversation.

"No." Snake couldn't believe Big Boss's arrogance. What gave him, of all people, the right to ask that question?

"I…am sorry…" Big Boss paused for a moment. That meant that although he never told Snake the truth he became an enemy of the Patriots. "Snake…Outer Heaven was not what it seemed…"

"What do you mean?" Snake wasn't sure he wanted to hear anymore, the knowledge that Big Boss and the Patriots were somehow connected was worry enough.

"…I stole…the plans of a new…weapon that was being…developed by the Patriots…"

Snake pulled a chair and sat down. "Metal Gear." He was afraid to believe Big Boss, he was afraid that he wasn't what he seemed to be in the past.

"Yes…I stole the plans from a scientist that worked for the Patriots…I don't remember his name…" Big Boss memories despite being very good for someone that was dead an half hour ago still had some holes, he could only remember that the scientist had long hair and that he used round shaped framed glasses.

"…I then delivered the plans…to Dr. Pettrovich who I had taken hostage in…Outer Heaven…He had no affiliation with the Patriots." Although Big Boss's speech was getting better he was growing tired, sweat stains were appearing on the lab coat, but Snake made no case of it, he wanted to hear the rest.

"Go on."

"The Patriots…they didn't care about us…the soldiers…"

Snake narrowed his eyes. Big Boss had just used the word "us" making Snake feel they both belong to the same category. Even though he would deny that they were anything alike, he didn't speak, letting Big Boss continue.

"…that's why Outer Heaven was erected…with Metal Gear and soldiers free of any attachment to the Patriots, we would destroy them…" Big Boss paused. "…when I discovered the Les Enfants Terribles project my worst fear was met…" Big Boss coughed a little bit. "The Patriots were going…to use clones. Made in my own image, to fight their battles…I was able to get you to join FOXHOUND but…" Big Boss started coughing even more and the lab coat was starting to drip sweat onto the floor."

"He has to stop." Naomi came rushing in to the room.

"No…'cough'…no" Big Boss pleaded.

"It's too dangerous…" She turned her head to Snake. "Please Snake…"

Snake looked bewildered. Why didn't Big Boss tell him that? Was it because he was too young? Or was it because Big Boss knew that Snake wouldn't have believed it? He agreed with Naomi and let him rest.

"Don't you think you heard enough Snake?" Ocelot's voice could be heard across the entire laboratory.

"Ocelot?" Meryl immediately came to Snake's mind.

"I think it's time you brought him to me." Ocelot was giving an order and Snake knew he had to obey if he wanted to see Meryl alive again. He looked over at Big Boss, who was sweating a lot and had a strained look on his face.

"Naomi, we need to get him to Floor 0, can he do it?"

Naomi checked Big Boss's pulse. "He's a bit agitated but he's ok." She then looked at his face and checked his right eye. "However this eye concerns me."

"Why?" Snake was getting ready to leave.

"His body is still fragile and I worry that his eye his particularly vulnerable to infections."

"Couldn't you have cured his eye?" Naomi bowed her head. "It was possible, but Ocelot wanted him just as he was."

Snake got sickened by what Ocelot had been doing. Something caught his eye, a transparent box pinned to the wall. Inside there was something that could prove useful, he grabbed and smashed the box to the ground. He then picked up what was inside and stretched out his hand to Naomi revealing a black eye patch. "It's for him."

Naomi nodded and took the eye patch. As she was putting it in Big Boss, Snake contacted Otacon.

"Otacon?"

"Yeah Snake?"

"Naomi and Raiden are going back to the Kamov."

Naomi gave a sigh of relief. She would get out of this place at last.

Raiden however acted different. "What! Snake I can help." He was facing Snake.

"I know that's why I'm sending you up." Snake put his hand over his good shoulder. "I'm taking him to Ocelot and if I can't bring Meryl back I want you to get her." Snake gave a dire sigh. "You also need to make sure Metal Gear doesn't leave this place."

Raiden felt stunned at how much responsibility Snake was giving him. "Alright…"

"Err…Snake there's a…"Otacon paused as if not knowing was to say. "…problem."

"What kind of problem?" Snake wasn't expecting any more inconveniences.

"Well the facility has been locked down!"

"What do you mean, the facility has been locked down?"

"Someone locked all the exits, according to what I'm seeing the elevator that leads to the Kamov no longer works and the one you took to get inside the facility only works to Floor 2."

"Damn." Snake clenched his fist as he spoke.

"It was Shadow…" Ocelot's voice was audible again. "He locked everyone down here, but I can safely say that there's an exit where I am…"

There was no way of knowing if Ocelot was speaking the truth.

"Guess we need a new plan." Raiden said knowing that he would be fighting alongside Snake again.

"We all have to go to Floor 0." Snake said as he turned to Naomi.

She nodded in agreement. She had stayed in his place all this time and a few more hours wouldn't matter.

"Very well…ahhhh….what…." Noises were coming from the speakers where Ocelot had been speaking. "Snake…" It was Meryl's voice yelling out. "…there are soldiers in Floor 0 who can't be seen…" The sound of slapping was heard. "She's a tough one Snake." Ocelot's voice was again heard, slightly furious. "Get up here, fast."

Ocelot, the soldier guarding Meryl and Meryl herself could hear Big Boss's explanation to Snake, after a while when Big Boss started coughing and Naomi got to his side. Ocelot got near a microphone that stood beside the computer and spoke.

"Don't you think you heard enough Snake?" Ocelot's voice was crystal clear, but so was Snake's response.

"Ocelot?"

"I think it's time you brought him to me." Ocelot said as he gave a glance to Meryl as if threatening her with these words.

Snake saw as Snake talked to Naomi, broke a small transparent box that had Big Boss's eye patch and talked to Raiden.

When Ocelot heard Snake talking to Otacon he knew that he had been able to hack into the facility's system.

Meryl watched as the soldier glimpsed a few times over at the computer screen. Maybe I can warn them. She waited for the soldier to glance again at the computer screen.

"Damn" As Snake spoke Ocelot grinned and spoke back.

"It was Shadow…He locked everyone down here, but I can safely say that there's an exit where I am…"

Ocelot stared at the screen as Snake and Naomi debated. The soldier guarding Meryl glanced and Meryl got ready.

Ocelot was talking to Snake again. "Very well…"

The soldier was staring at the screen completely oblivious to Meryl. She took the chance. With her right arm she pushed the soldier's gun away and elbowed him with her left arm.

"Ahhhh" The soldier screamed as he fell down unconscious.

Ocelot turned to Meryl. "What…"

Meryl punched Ocelot right in the face and then yelled out to the microphone. "Snake…there are soldiers in Floor 0 who can't be seen…"

Ocelot slapped Meryl and she fell down. "She's a tough one Snake." Ocelot spoke to the microphone staring with his eyes opened wide at Meryl. "Get up here, fast." He turned off the microphone and continued to stare at Meryl. "You are lucky I need you or you'd be dead by now." Meryl looked over to the soldier's gun that was on the floor. She moved to get it, but even before she moved an inch Ocelot's Colt was right above her head. "I don't think so…" Ocelot waved his Colt and hit Meryl on the head with it, she fell down knocked out. Ocelot threw his attention back at the screen. They were starting to leave the laboratory. "At last, it's time." Ocelot's voice followed by his laughter reverberated across the control room.