Chapter 40

Raiden and Snake weren't surprised to see Vamp again.

His clothes were red with his blood and he had an enormous cut on his chest and a bullet hole in the side of his head, results of his fight with Raiden.

"The last member of Dead Cell…" Liquid pointed his Colt to him. "…shouldn't you be dead by now?"

Vamp was staring at Ocelot between his oily hairs. Ocelot was speaking with a different voice, but that didn't matter to him. "Unfortunately, hell still had no vacancies" Vamp held up his hands, his daggers between his fingers.

The soldiers around Snake and the others quivered. They knew what Vamp was capable of.

"You don't honestly think you can kill me?" Liquid grinned as he held up his Colt.

Raiden and Snake stood motionless not knowing what to do. The soldier guarding Meryl started to pull away from the scene.

"Snake?" Raiden was starting to move his hand towards his gun.

"Stay still Raiden." Snake moved his hand so that Raiden would stop. He knew Vamp's grudge was towards Liquid and not them.

Vamp stayed quiet for a few seconds and then, with a leap, he threw the daggers. These were aimed not to Liquid but to the soldiers that stood around Snake and the others.

One after the other the soldiers fell to the ground, some dead other badly wounded, even the soldier grabbing Meryl was hit giving her the chance to get away.

Liquid witnessed everything with a smile on his face.

When Vamp struck the ground, between Snake and Liquid, he got up quickly and grabbed his knife, still stained with Raiden's blood.

Liquid laughed out loud. "Come on…come and face me." He grabbed his other Colt and pointed them both at Vamp.

Vamp began running towards him. Liquid didn't hesitate and with a quick look though the guns sights he started shooting at Vamp. He however swerved and veered among the bullets avoiding them. He was getting closer and Liquid wasn't hitting anything.

As this was unfolding the soldiers that stood several feet away near the hangar door and the Metal Gear heard the shots and started to make their way towards the noise.

Meryl took advantage of the situation to get close to Snake.

"Get back Meryl." Snake yelled out to her as Liquid's bullets passed dangerously near Snake and Raiden and hit the back wall of the hangar.

Meryl took Snake's advice and got back close to Naomi and the man on the wheelchair.

Raiden was amazed at the sight, he had battled Vamp to exhaustion and yet here he was dancing between deadly bullets.

Vamp was dangerously near and Liquid had already used nine bullets. As the last bullet of one of the Colts missed Vamp by a few inches Liquid smirked. He dropped the empty Colt and with his left hand free pushed a button on a small device that stood on the right side of his chest, pinned to his suit. From feet to head Liquid disappeared in front of everyone's eyes. Vamp stopped immediately, taken aback.

"Stealth camouflage!" Snake said out loud.

Raiden immediately noticed that the technology was similar to the one on the Kamov.

Vamp turned his head around and inhaled. Where are you? In a fraction of a second he whipped his head around and made a couple of his dance moves. "There!" He waved his knife for the attack and hit something. He had used his amazing sense of smell to find Liquid's position

"You'll pay for that." Liquid threatened.

Vamp got ready for another attack, but before the knife struck a shot was heard. Vamp's knife fell to the ground resonating through the entire hangar. He had been shot right near the heart and started to fumble backwards. "AHHHHHH." He screamed until his body hit the ground.

Snake took out his machine gun immediately and pointed to where Liquid had shot from. It was about 25 feet away. Without the threat of the soldiers Snake and Raiden had a chance. "Show yourself!" Snake yelled out.

Raiden followed by grabbing his gun.

After a few seconds of silence Liquid started making noises, his body still camouflaged.

"Ahhh...Liquid!" His breathing was heavy and audible. "Damn you." It was Ocelot's voice, but somehow different.

"It's Ocelot!" Snake noticed that the voice was rougher than Liquid's impression of Ocelot. What the hell is this?

"Wait I thought Liquid was Ocelot?" Raiden kept pointing his gun even without fully understanding the situation.

Ocelot's body began to appear as small lightning's appeared from all around his body. A cut, probably caused by Vamp, could be seen in the small device that rendered him invisible. He remained motionless with his eyes wide opened, staring at both Big Boss and Snake.

Ocelot hadn't much time, soon Liquid would take over again, that was the price he had to pay to make sure Liquid wouldn't remember anything that he did.

He surveyed Big Boss's body. It's you…Big Boss. Ocelot had mixed feelings towards him. He wanted to fight him once again, but the situation wouldn't allow it, Big Boss was in no shape to fight and Ocelot still had a mission to complete. Ocelot pondered the situation and never thought Liquid would be able to convince Shadow Fox that Big Boss had important information in his mind. Shadow was too gullible. Ocelot knew Liquid's mind was twisted, but to get to the point where he would revive Big Boss just for revenge was sick "I apologise…Snake." Ocelot spoke out in Russian. He regretted both Liquid's actions and the impossibility to do battle with Big Boss once again.

Big Boss heard what Ocelot had just said and raised his head a little bit, but he wasn't getting better, the fatigue wouldn't go away like it had the last few times.

Snake wondered what he meant by that. "Apologise for what?" Snake said not understanding that Ocelot was in fact speaking to Big Boss.

"Solid Snake…" Ocelot turned his eyes to him. "I wonder if he told you about your past." Ocelot grinned. "I still remember our last battle Solid Snake, but unfortunately we can't resume it for I'm running a little short on time..."

Snake was ready to shoot him. "Liquid! Ocelot! I'll stop you both." A shot broke from Snake's machine gun but it swerved away from Ocelot.

Ocelot smiled again and pointed to the belt on his waist.

"Hell I can't hit him!" Snake said frustrated as he noticed the gizmo that prevented bullets to hit the user.

"I wish we had more time Snake, but they need me."

Big Boss eyed Ocelot and noticed his Colts. A memory came to his mind. Two Colts rested on the floor and a young man stood in front of him.

"What's your name?"

"Snake."

"No, not that name. You're not a snake and I'm not an ocelot. We're men with names. My name is Adamska. What's yours?"

"John."

"Very well, John... Plain name, but I won't forget it. C'mon! "

Big Boss gathered his vigour and talked. "…You…"

Snake looked back at Big Boss, he had recognized Ocelot.

"So you remember me. I hoped we would meet again, but I thought it would be in different circums - ahhhhh." Ocelot started grinding his teeth and screaming. "Till we meet…again…Snake." What happened next was bizarre. Liquid's voice took over Ocelot's and the screaming became laughing. "…Now that Vamp's gone I can take care of you."

It seemed that Liquid had no idea that Ocelot had appeared. The situation was too strange to figure out, but from what Snake had gathered it seemed that Ocelot was in the same position Liquid was two years ago.

Big Boss, with his eyes still staring at the man he thought to be Ocelot, wondered why he had changed his voice suddenly and then it hit him. Wait I know that voice!

Liquid's eyes were filled with hate. He always told me I was inferior and now I'll have my revenge! Liquid picked up his empty Colt from the ground.

Snake had no idea of what to do. There was no point in hiding. The soldiers that were near the hangar door were nearing them.

"Snake what now?" Raiden asked as he saw Liquid with his gun ready to fire and Snake not moving.

Meryl pulled Naomi away from the scene towards stairs to stay away from any shooting.

Snake was stunned at what had happened. Everything in his world was changing. Liquid had taken over Ocelot and sent him here just to get Big Boss and to kill them both. It doesn't make sense. It seemed crazy just thinking about, but Liquid, Snake thought, had lost his mind a long time ago.

"Now it's over." Liquid tighten the grip on his Colt.

What should I do? Raiden was filled with doubts and looking over at Snake he wasn't the only one. Snake looked bewildered at the whole situation.

"Liquid stop!" Snake yelled out. "There's no point in you killing him, that's just mindless slaughter. He's dead, he died twelve years ago and there's nothing you can do to bring him back."

Liquid didn't fire instead he looked over at Snake. "I think you don't understand I did bring him back, he's here…"

"That's not Big Boss. The Big Boss I knew could stand on his feet…" Snake wasn't sure of what he was doing, but since there was no point in shooting at Liquid he thought this would stall until he had an idea.

"It's good enough for me." The other soldiers got near the scene with their guns drawn out. "Is everything ready?" Liquid turned his head to them as he heard them approaching.

The soldiers could only wonder why the other soldiers were all dead on the ground. "Hmmm – yes sir the Metal Gear is ready to go to the surface." The soldiers found strange Ocelot's voice, but it wouldn't cross their minds to disobey him. "Good." Liquid turned his head back again to Snake, Big Boss and the others. "I guess this is it." Liquid quickly raised his Colt. "Who will die first?" Without hesitation Liquid pulled the trigger.

The storm was starting to calm down. The rain was less intense and noise of the thunders was distant. After Otacon finished refuelling the Kamov and got safely on board with Rose he decided to fly back to the entrance. As he did, he thought about the future, what would happen after this.

"Where are they?" Rose asked through the cockpit.

Otacon hadn't told her anything. "I'm not going to lie to you." Otacon was now serious. His last talk with Mei Ling affected him. "I don't know where they are exactly, but I do know I'll do everything to get them back."

Rose nodded her head hoping Jack would be fine. Otacon looked outside and saw the massive tunnel that went down, it was like the earth was opening its mouth. As they got nearer Otacon's CODEC beeped again. "Yes?"

"Otacon it's me." Mei Ling's voice seemed fearful.

"What's wrong?" Otacon asked forgetting their last conversation.

"I just found the files about Metal Gear and I can't believe it."

Although Otacon would be normally upset, by Mei looking into those files, now he felt that he could trust her.

"I've seen it, that laser gun…"

Mei Ling interrupted her. "It's not that."

"It's not?" Otacon was puzzled.

"No, it's the fact that the Metal Gear wasn't supposed to be controlled by a man."

Otacon was dumbstruck, not just because of that revelation, but because Mei Ling got past the encryption of those files.

"How did you…"

"No matter." Mei Ling interrupted again. "Do you know why the Metal Gear is like this?"

Otacon knew by Mei Ling's tone of voice that the explanation wasn't on the files.

"I have no idea."

Otacon's computer came to life as they approached their previous landing site. "Mei can you restart the transfer? I want to get everything we can."

"Okay…Otacon?"

"Yes Mei." Otacon was putting down the Kamov.

" 'From listening comes wisdom and from speaking, repentance. '" It was one of Mei Ling's famous quotes. "I'm sorry for what I said." Mei Ling's voice was soft as she spoke.

"It's okay, I'll contact you soon." Otacon turned off the CODEC knowing full well that some of Mei's words were right. Otacon and Snake were growing apart from the world as they tried to fight both the Metal Gears and the Patriots. It was all to energy consuming for both.

As the Kamov stopped Otacon looked outside. The massive hole on the ground was right in front of them, but still far away. Maybe I should inspect it more closely. However, before Otacon moved a muscle the CODEC rang frantically.

"What is it Mei?"

However it wasn't Mei Ling "Otacon shut up and listen, where are you now?" Raiden sounded like he was in a hurry.

Otacon was caught off guard. "I'm just outside…"

Raiden interrupted him. "He's coming out, be careful and stay away from the tunnel entrance."

"What do you mean, who's coming out and where the hell is Snake?" Otacon heard a loud noise coming from deep within the tunnel. "Raiden – what exactly is coming up?" Otacon felt a tingling in his spine.