Chapter 1

Manhattan was disappearing from view as a figure surfaced from under the water, agitating the somewhat calm ocean. A man with swimming goggles was heading towards the offshore cleanup facility named the 'Big Shell'. The name pointed, obviously to its weird tortoise shape like structure, but it also had the conation of protecting the environment.

The man's suit seemed much worn out and so did his flippers, but he was closing in on the facility quite fast. The protective fence was just a few feet away when the man reached inside his equipment and took out a small knife. He used it to cut a hole, big enough for one man to get through, on the barrier that surrounded the entire facility. He then swam through the hole and looked up at the difficult task that lay ahead. Strut A of Shell 1. Pictures and schematics of the entire facility rushed to the man's head. Just a few minutes ago he was in dry land and now here he was swimming in the middle of the Atlantic heading towards a strange place.

"I think the info is good Snake." A man with a white jacket, green shirt, black pants and blue trainers tried to convince Snake that he was right. He jerked his green framed glasses and moved his hair to the side.

They were in a small room that had no windows, only one small door and a small lamp.

"Do you think both incidents are related?" Snake asked suspicious.

"Of course they are. As far as I can tell the info is reliable." Otacon said and raised his arms as too make it obvious.

"I'm not sure." Snake said while checking his equipment.

"Well we'll see about that." Otacon closed the discussion with that.

"…" Snake remained silent as he packed his equipment. "Are you sure those papers will work."

"Of course. They'll think I'm a security systems architect and they'll let me on board." Otacon said sure of himself.

"I hope you're right. Well, you better get going right?" Snake said packing in his equipment a knife, a USP and a pack of smokes.

"Here Snake, don't forget these." Otacon handed him white headphones. "It'll come in handy when you're near the SEAL's."

"I'll use them instead of the CODEC right?" Snake asked.

"Yes and you'll be able to keep track of the SEAL's movements." Otacon replied.

"Won't they find it suspicious? I mean only team leaders use these kinds of headphones and they usually never go on the field." Snake asked wondering if Otacon had slipped up.

"Don't worry you'll think of something." Otacon grabbed his things and got ready to leave. "When you find me I'll give you the card keys."

"Why can't you give them to me now?"

"Well I'm not so sure you should carry around these with you, they might get ruined if they touch water."

"You know you could have just made papers for me too." Snake asked with a frown.

"Who would believe that the SEAL's needed two security specialists?" Otacon replied.

"I see your point. Anyway I hope that machine you got me doesn't malfunction." Snake said as he packed some green clothes and a small weird looking device.

"Don't worry it's in top shape. It'll get you up close to the Big Shell, but you'll still have to swim a little." Otacon said as if suspecting Snake physical.

"I'll be fine. What about you?"

"Once I get there I'll try to find the computer room and get more information." Otacon got ready to open the door. "I'll be airborne in about thirty minutes according to the mission plan. Do you know where you need to go?"

"Yeah I read the mission plan you gave me, and those schematics about the Big Shell and all the info you had on Dead Cell and the terrorists. I'm ready." Snake closed his equipment bag and picked up his swimming equipment.

"Snake if I'm wrong and this is some trap by the Patri…" Otacon sounded preoccupied.

Snake interrupted. "Don't worry. I know you need to do this." Snake knew Otacon's other motive for wanting to go with him.

"Thanks Sna…" A noise interrupted the conversation. "They're getting ready. I better go. Good luck." Otacon left closing the door behind. After that it only took about five minutes for Snake, to leave the facility where the SEAL's were setting up for their assault at the Big Shell, and get to open water.

Snake was in Strut A Deep Sea Dock. The dock was populated with all kinds of swimming equipment. A small submersible hanged overhead Snake, diving suits, several computers, lockers and several equipments filled the dock nicely. According to his plans there was an elevator nearby. He got out of the water using a small ladder and removed his goggles and flippers. He then shook his head a bit to dry the little patch of hair that had been out in the water. After doing so he opened his equipment bag and took out the essentials, the USP, the knife, smokes, headphones the green clothes and the small device. He was quick to notice that Otacon had put something on his bag. A shaver? He grinned and as he heard noise coming from a nearby door he threw the shaver nearby the diving suits and checked the area for a hiding place. The hatch started rustling and Snake had no time to reach one of the three lockers that stood by the left side of the door.He quickly threw his swimming equipment to the water and cursed.

"Damn?" Snake surveyed the area again as the door was about to open. "There." Snake looked down and saw a small vent shaft. He quickly grabbed his small knife and pried it open. A few sea lice poured out, but Snake was able to squeeze himself in. The sea lice crawled over him whilst someone overhead checked the area. Snake could see the soldier and his equipment through the grilled floor. Makarov and AN-94, Russian. Just like Otacon said, Gurlokovich's army.

The soldier surveyed the area. "Must have been nothing." He said with a deep Russian accent. At that time Snake noticed that his radar wasn't working. What the hell! There's no harmonic resonance here, but it doesn't work. The conjectures would have to wait as Snake saw the guard heading back for the door. Snake placed the knife back with the rest of his equipment and left the vent shaft silently. He then headed for the door behind the guard. As the guard walked on, oblivious to what was happening behind him, Snake closed the hatch door and proceeded stealthy towards the guard. As he got close Snake kicked the guard with a roundhouse kick and rendered him unconscious. The elevator room door was right around the corner.

The elevator room was filled with boxes, crates and several small cylindrical containers. Snake could see two guards by the elevator.

"Where is he?" One of the guards asked the other.

"I don't know, better check it out." The other replied and twitched his head in a commanding way.

One of the soldiers started walking towards the place where Snake was carefully hiding.

At the first glimpse of the guard Snake held him by his neck and forced him into submission. The guard lost his senses.

"Hey what happened?" The other guard asked raising his voice.

Snake went around the boxes and crates with a close ear on the other guard. His footsteps indicated that he was going the other way.

Snake went around a few more feet before coming face to back with the other guard, and as he took the position to put the guard on a chokehold the door opened up and the guard that Snake had knocked out before saw him.

"Behind you!" The guard shouted.

However Snake reacted faster a punched the guard right before him as he turned around. He then jumped behind the boxes.

"Dammit." The guard by the door cursed with a Russian accent. "We need backup."

Snake whipped out his USP and held it tightly on his hand as he went around the boxes. I can't let him call for backup. Snake could hear the breathing and overall fear of the guard and although he was afraid he began walking towards Snake, probably thinking that Snake had kept still.

The guard was keeping his gun pointed directly to every corner that came up and when he got to the corner where Snake was he made it incredibly fast only to find it empty.

Snake had climbed the box and was now safely behind the guard. "Freeze!" He shouted.

The soldier threw his hands in the air. "Please don't shoot me."

"How many men are up there?" Snake only wanted information.

"A lot…" The man quivered and spoke with fear in his voice. "…there are men in every strut."

Snake only hoped that Otacon's assessment of the situation had been accurate. Snake used the butt of his gun and knocked out the soldier. He was of no more use to him.

He then proceeded towards the elevator door only to find that one of the guards was crawling into it. Snake ran to the elevator preventing the man from taking it up. "You'll have to take the next one." Snake pushed the soldier out of the elevator with his foot and pressed the button to take the elevator up.

As he got away from the dock the sun appeared. Snake had to raise his arm in front of his face to get used to the light. Soon the elevator arrived at the top and Snake saw an incredible view of the entire facility. The Big Shell was massive cleanup facility, used for the sole purpose to clean up the oil that was spilled two years ago on this same location. At that time Snake was blamed for the spill, but like so many things it was a sign that they had something to do it. The tanker that Snake infiltrated had no oil. Instead it had a weapon that Snake swore to eradicate. For two years Philanthropy had doubts about this place and now it seemed that those doubts were accurate. Several armed men united with Dead Cell, a unit created by Ex-President George Sears to fight terrorism, took over Big Shell and at that time there were several men visiting, one of them being the President of the United States of America, James Johnson.

The elevator reached Strut A roof in a few seconds. Snake got out and noticed that the elevator descended immediately. The sun was very strong and it was a bit hot, apart from Snake the only living things on the roof were several seagulls that flew over and occasionally landed near the rails. There were to entrances but both were surrounded by fences. Snake got by the side of the right fence and inspected it. Maybe the knife can cut through this. Snake took out the knife from his equipment and started cutting the wire fence only to notice that as he did the knife didn't seem to cut so well. As he cut a little rectangle of the wire fence and took it out he noticed that the knife was severely damaged and couldn't be used anymore. "Humph…" he uttered as he threw it over the rails along with the small wire fence rectangle he had cut. Damn knife! Snake crawled and a strange smell invaded his nostrils. Bird droppings. He got under the wire fence and made his way inside Strut A Pump Room.