Chapter 37

"Radio silence Otacon." As soon as Raiden spoke the CODEC went silent. Otacon stared at the computer screen waiting to complete the transfer of files and awaiting new communication from Snake or Raiden. As he sat there images of Emma came to his mind. He was finally at peace with her, he dwelled with the dead long enough, now it was time to help make a better world for the living.

Rose appeared by the cockpit door, holding the radio device in her hands, with a slight grin on her face.

"Is everything Okay?" Otacon asked.

"Yes, he's fine." Rose seemed like an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had endured many things. She had been kidnapped by several men about two weeks ago and sent to the Patriots facility. There, inside a holding cell with white mirror walls, she was visited by a man she knew to be Revolver Ocelot.

"Do you know why you're here?" Ocelot walked left and right inside the cell.

Rose was looking scared at him as she recoiled into a corner. "Please don't hurt me!"

"I wouldn't think of doing that. What I want is your collaboration." Ocelot waved a soldier in.

The soldier approached Rose and handed her a copy of the New York Mirror.

"Take that and hold it in front of your face." Ocelot ordered.

Rose complied and the soldier took a picture.

"We'll make sure this goes to the right person." Ocelot grinned as the soldier left the room. "Now I want you to wear these clothes and use this." Ocelot threw a few clothes and a can of hair colourer to the ground.

Rose looked surprised at the clothes. They were exactly like the ones she had used two years ago. And she didn't understand why Ocelot wanted her to ruin her blonde hair by painting it black. "I won't do it." She said defiantly as her eyes met Ocelot's.

Ocelot grinned and opened the door of the cell. The soldier entered carrying a big cardboard box.

Rose looked taken aback. She knew Ocelot's reputation in interrogations and torture and she could only guess what kind of torture devices the box had in it.

The soldier rested the box on the floor and a different soldier entered the room. Rose was bewildered even more. What kind of torture would this be?

The soldier was taking into the cell a small child by the hand.

Rose had a feeling she knew the child's face from somewhere.

"If you go against me I'll make sure the two most important people to you…" Ocelot paused as he kicked the box. It was full of toys. "You know what I mean. Take care of this child."

Rose understood the threat perfectly. Ocelot would kill both Jack and their child, but why did he want her to take care of this child. "Why me?"

Ocelot ordered the soldiers to get out of the room as the child headed towards the toys. "When he arrives I need to make sure he knows who's in control." Ocelot headed out of the cell and locked it.

Now Rose was safe with Otacon on the helicopter and her child was ok. Having that experience changed her. She could relate more to what Raiden had felt two years ago when all of his actions had been carefully scripted. She was free and she wanted to remain that way.

"Good." Otacon responded.

"Hey what is that?" Someone screamed outside dangerously near to the Kamov.

Otacon and Rose looked attentively outside and saw two men to the left of the Kamov looking to the ground.

"Are those tire marks?" Another yelled out between the thunders of the furious storm.

Otacon stared continuously as one of the men went around the cockpit and got near the other side. A thud was heard near the side door.

"Damn…I just bumped my head into something…"

The soldier on the other side ran a few inches before hitting the Kamov.

"What the hell is this?"

"Rose get ready we're leaving." Otacon quickly threw the computer aside, got to the Kamov's controls and called Mei Ling. "Mei, stop the transfer!"

"What's wrong?" Mei Ling noticed the panic on Otacon's voice.

"Don't argue just do it." Otacon replied and started the propellers.

Rose was making sure the child was securely tight, the child was still sleeping.

The soldiers were stroking the surface as the propellers started turning. "It's a helicopter!"

One of them groped the surface and found some sort of handle, he pushed it open and as it did the entire Kamov helicopter came into view. The soldier could see a woman beside a child that was sleeping. "Who are you?"

Rose didn't hesitate for a second, she wouldn't be captured this easily. She kicked the soldier right in face. "Let's get out of here!" She yelled out to Otacon.

Otacon lifted swiftly from the ground and urged Rose to close the side door. "You have to close it or they'll continue to see us."

Rose closed it and hoped that they were invisible again. Otacon watched as the soldiers grabbed their radios to report in.

"Damn. Mei I'm going to disconnect now, I'll call you right away." Otacon turned the CODEC off and contacted Snake.

"Snake…can your hear me?" Otacon was nervous.

"What is it?" Snake responded in urgency.

"I didn't tell you before, but there are people here near the abandoned factory where the other elevator is." Otacon made sure he got high enough so the soldiers down couldn't see anything in case the stealth device wasn't working.

"I thought that elevator didn't work?"

"So did I." Otacon said with guilt. "That is why I think they were already here. Anyway they almost found me and I got airborne. I don't think they can see me but they know I'm here" Otacon looked down again from his side window. The soldiers reunited with other soldiers and got into jeeps. "They are getting inside jeeps and…oh my…" Otacon could see the big empty space where he had been investigating before opening up. The ground was literally opening up before his eyes.

"What is it?" Snake asked confused.

It had to be some sort of exit that had been built a long time ago, a hole in the ground. As it opened more and more, Otacon could discern some sort of very big and wide road that went into the earth.

"It's an opening Snake. A massive door about…I can't even tell."

Snake thought Otacon sounded crazy. "I don't understand what you're saying."

The elevator stopped and both Snake and Raiden got their guns ready. Otacon was still babbling on the CODEC.

"There's a massive opening on the floor, there's a road that heads down."

There's no one in sight and they all left the elevator. Snake continued the conversation with Otacon. "Explain yourself better Otacon."

"Alright, it seems that this is the exit Ocelot was talking about."

"Ocelot wasn't lying then." Snake found that Ocelot was behaving very differently. "It's not like him to tell us these things."

"I agree." Otacon responded. "Snake, be careful."

"I will. What about you?"

"I don't think they can see us, I'll put the Kamov down and refuel." Otacon paused. "I'll be there when you come out."

Snake appreciated Otacon's positive thinking.

"Alright, watch your back Otacon." Snake turned the CODEC off and caught up with Raiden and Naomi who were heading towards the other elevator.

Floor -3 was deserted and silent except for the voices of Raiden and Snake.

"So what are we going to do?" Raiden resumed the conversation they began in the elevator about the soldiers in Floor 0.

As they walked, through the relatively small corridors compared to those in Floor -4, towards the elevator Snake surveyed the walls and an idea came to his mind.

"Maybe we can do something about those soldiers."

"What do you mean?" Raiden asked puzzled

"Grab that one and I'll grab this one." Snake pointed towards two places in the wall.

Once they got to the elevator Naomi pushed the call button. Once the elevator arrived Naomi and Big Boss entered. Snake and Raiden followed, walking as if they were holding something heavy.

"Can you press the button to Floor 0 Naomi?" Snake said as he gave her a small square key.

Naomi used the key and pressed the button. She then got behind Big Boss's wheelchair.

"Do you think this will work?" Raiden asked with a suspicious look.

"I have no idea." Snake responded truthfully.

The elevator doors closed and the elevator began moving up.

Ocelot stopped glaring at Meryl when noises came from far away behind the massive hangar door. It's opening.

Meryl could only guess where the road, behind the hangar door, lead. She thought it could probably lead outside.

"Sir it's fully opened. We're heading down now." Ocelot's radio was speaking again.

"Very well." Ocelot responded and then called for a few soldiers. They came running towards him. "Get the other jeeps ready to transport Metal Gear. All others, be on the lookout."

"Yes Shalashaska." The soldiers ran towards the two jeeps that stood right behind the hangar door.

"It's a crude way of transporting such a fine piece of technology but this hangar is quite old." Ocelot talked directly to Meryl as if sensing she was wondering what was happening.

The jeeps made their way near the Metal Gear Ray, after a few seconds the jeeps started again and very slowly moved the platform on which the Metal Gear was standing.

"Sir, sir." A soldier was running towards Ocelot.

"Yes, what is it?"

"The soldiers on Floor 0 reported that the elevator is moving."

"He's coming."