Chapter 35

Raiden and Snake exchanged looks, what did Meryl meant by that? "Otacon do you know anything about these soldiers?"

"Sorry no…well…unless they're using stealth camouflage. The Patriots seem to have a lot of resources and…"

"That will complicate things." Snake said as he interrupted Otacon. He then glanced over at Big Boss. He was wearing his eye patch. It made him more alike his old self. "Alright we have to start moving. Naomi you'll guide him, and Raiden and I we'll cover you."

Naomi nodded. Her desire to get out of this place was bigger than anyone else's.

"Then let's move." Snake headed towards the exit door. Raiden followed. Naomi grabbed a new lab coat put it on, and started to push Big Boss's wheelchair.

"Otacon what's the fastest route to the elevator?" Snake asked.

"I'll guide you to it."

"Snake." Naomi called out. "I heard Shadow talking to some soldiers, he told them to guard the Floor -4 elevator."

"This isn't our lucky day." Snake glanced over at Raiden and his doubts dissipated. "But I think Raiden and I can manage it."

Raiden remembered two years ago when he fought alongside Snake, now however Raiden knew that Snake didn't think of him as a kid. He was his equal.

As they all exited the room Snake picked up his machine gun, Raiden saw Shadow's body lied against the corridor wall, the water beneath his body was red because of the blood that kept pouring out from the holes in his body. He picked up his gun that stood near the open door and what was left of the HF Blade which he put on his back, although he thought of it as useless it would have an important use.

"Alright, Raiden you take point, I'll follow you and Naomi will take the back." Snake reached for his ear. "Otacon give the directions to Raiden."

"Ok." Raiden took the lead and went in the direction that Otacon ordered.

"Snake?" Naomi was curious as to know if Snake knew why his enemy wanted Big Boss. "Why does Ocelot want Big Boss?" Naomi knew that in normal circumstances Snake would never let Ocelot near Big Boss, but with Meryl in the equation the situation changed.

Snake had no time for guesses, but somehow he thought that maybe 'he' was behind it. Anyway Ocelot hadn't told him, and he already knew that Naomi didn't believe they wanted something from his memories. "I don't know." Snake said bluntly.

"Turn left on the next corridor and after a few feet take the second right and your there." Otacon was giving out Raiden the directions.

"Good." Raiden turned to Snake. "We're getting close to the elevator."

"Alright…"Snake responded as he saw Raiden stopping dead on his tracks. "What's wrong?"

"It can't be…"

Snake made the corner and he saw it. The corridor walls and floors were filled with blood spatters and, what Snake guessed to be the rest of the HF Blade, pinned to the corridor wall.

"Vamp?" Snake asked knowing full well that he it had to be him. His body was nowhere to be seen.

"I killed him, he couldn't have survived!" Raiden's eyes and mouth were wide opened.

"How much time will the file transfer take Otacon?" Mei Ling sounded a bit worried.

"I don't know." Otacon replied knowing full well that the men outside could find the Kamov at any second.

"I can't stay here every minute. I think I have to feed the child and your selection of food is rather minute."

Otacon grinned very slightly at Mei Ling's remark. Here he was, helping Snake and Raiden, bringing down a weapon that could cause serious destruction and there stood Mei Ling wondering what kind of food she should give the child she was babysitting.

"Anyway you can leave the computer on and…" Otacon sudden had an idea. "Mei I'll contact you right away hold on." Otacon opened the cockpit door and called Rose. "Rose, take this." Otacon knew that she hadn't been in contact with her child for some time and although the situation was precarious due to the fact that they were still in a very dangerous place Otacon thought that Rose would appreciate it.

As Rose peeked into the cockpit Otacon handed her a small radio device. "Call frequency 140.96 and talk to the woman on the other side, she's called Mei Ling and she taking care of your child."

"Thank you." Rose smiled at Otacon.

Otacon thought that no matter how difficult the situation is family is still important. He had learned it the hard way.

Rose left the cockpit as someone reached Otacon on the CODEC.

"Otacon?"

"Yeah Snake?" Otacon responded swiftly.

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

Otacon took his attention to the computer and started looking for the security files to see if anyone was near that area that could present a problem to both Raiden and Naomi. As he heard Snake talking to Raiden over the CODEC he discovered that the facility had been locked down. There were no exits.

"Err…Snake there's a…"Otacon was looking for the right word. "…problem."

"What kind of problem?" Snake sounded apprehensive

"Well the facility has been locked down!" He was almost sure what Snake would ask next.

"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." Otacon knew that the explanation would leave Snake not too happy.

"Damn."

Otacon could hear the frustration in Snake's voice.

"It was Shadow…" Ocelot's voice could be heard in the distance on Otacon's CODEC. "He locked everyone down here, but I can safely say that there's an exit where I am…"

Otacon searched his computer and realised that someone was using the facility's intercom, he knew that if Ocelot was anywhere near Snake he would be already dead.

"We all have to go to Floor 0." Otacon heard Snake say.

"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."

"Otacon do you know anything about these soldiers?" Snake asked promptly.

"Sorry no…well…unless they're using stealth camouflage." Otacon had a hunch he was right. "The Patriots seem to have a lot of resources and…"

"That will complicate things." Snake interrupted.

Otacon searched the computer for more information on Floor 0 as he heard Snake and the others talking.

"Then let's move. Otacon what's the fastest route to the elevator?"

Otacon pushed a few keys on the computer and a map of Floor -4 appeared. "I'll guide you to it."

"Snake." Otacon could hear Naomi's voice. She had been the one that had injected Snake with the FOXDIE virus on Shadow Moses and although Otacon didn't trust her he wouldn't doubt Snake's judgement. "I heard Shadow talking to some soldiers, he told them to guard the Floor -4 elevator."

"This isn't our lucky day, but I think Raiden and I can manage it."

Otacon heard them moving.

"Alright, Raiden you take point, I'll follow you and Naomi will take the back." Snake's voice became clearer. "Otacon give the directions to Raiden."

Otacon heard Snake turning off the CODEC and so he contacted Raiden. "Raiden, go out of the laboratory and walk left until you reach a cross."

"Ok." Raiden responded.

After a few seconds Otacon spoke again. "Turn left on the next corridor and after a few feet take the second right and your there."

"Good. We're getting close to the elevator." Otacon heard Raiden as he spoke out to the others.

"It can't be…" Raiden's voice was cold. "I killed him, he couldn't have survived!"

Otacon stared at the computer screen without talking. The thought that Vamp was still alive was unbearable and unbelievable. This time Otacon didn't sobbed, this time he spoke out.

"Raiden…it's…it's fine…"

Otacon's voice was the only thing that brought Raiden back to reality.

"It's not fine…he should be dead!" Raiden turned to Snake. "I've failed you." He was speaking both to Otacon and Snake.

"You haven't failed anyone. You just saved my butt back there." Snake reassured him.

"But…Otacon…" Raiden was at a loss for words.

"Raiden if you hadn't helped Snake he would be dead…" Otacon sighed. He knew that if Raiden had remained fighting Vamp, trying to avenge Emma, Snake would have died. It was time for Otacon to let go of those that had been wrongfully killed. Emma, Wolf. Otacon gave them one last thought and then spoke. "You've done enough. For both of us you don't need to prove anything else."

Raiden breathed heavily and calmed himself. Both Snake and Otacon needed his help. He wasn't being controlled anymore, now he had control.

Snake could only guess what Otacon had said to him, but it seemed to take effect. Raiden made eye contact with Snake. "Let's go Snake." He said with a resolute face. He was going to do everything he could to get Meryl back.

Snake gave a slight grin and nodded. Naomi and Big boss appeared around the corner.

"You should stay here. Raiden and I will check the elevator." Snake guessed that there were no more soldiers in Floor -4 apart from those that were near the elevator and those he had killed before, so Naomi and Big Boss wouldn't be in danger.

"Okay." Naomi agreed as she stopped the wheelchair. Big Boss had recovered his breath and wasn't coughing anymore.

Snake got the machine gun ready and Raiden followed. They headed towards the elevator.

"Ready?" Snake asked Raiden as he reloaded the machine gun.

Raiden cocked his gun and answered. "Yes."