Chapter 10
"The Ex-President! That doesn't make any sense Otacon." Snake said clearly startled, but with a thought rising in the back of his mind. George Sears…he looks like…
"I know…" Otacon interrupted Snake's chain of thought. "…but the more I tried to prove I was wrong the more I found out that it was true. It's amazing that you never noticed…"
"Noticed what?" Snake asked with a suspicious look on his face. Could it be?
"See here." Otacon pushed a few keys on the keyboard and an image appeared on the screen.
"No…" Snake was at a loss for words. "This can't be! He looks…." I was right…
"That's Ex-President George Sears…also known as…"
Snake turned his eyes to Otacon.
"Solidus Snake." As Otacon said the name it seemed that time had stopped. Both Snake and Otacon stood still for a few seconds.
What does it mean! Snake saw Solidus face in the screen and it looked much like Snake's, apart from the facial hair that was in abundance. "Are you sure this is right Otacon?" Snake broke the silence painfully aware of the truth.
"Yes. The info I received told me about George Sears being the terrorist leader, codenamed Solid Snake."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Snake asked a bit irritated.
"I'm sorry, but I thought it was an error or something. I needed to check it out because the rest of the info was extremely reliable."
"Damn." Snake spoke out.
"According to his file, Solidus was the last baby of Les Enfants Terrible project."
"But Liquid said we were only two!"
"Well from what I dug up Solidus is younger than you and Liquid"
"He looks just like…"
"Yes it seems that he's obsessed with Big Boss, he desperately tries to look like him."
"He's one of the family alright." Snake replied now deeply aware that the Ex-President was in fact one of his so called brothers.
"And that's not all. It seems that Ocelot has been working for Solidus for quite some time. According to what I found it goes all the way back to Shadow Moses."
"Shadow Moses." Snake said.
Four years ago the Shadow Moses incident triggered the events that led Solid Snake into his new life. It was in the Alaskan Fox archipelago that Snake was confronted by his brother. That and the deceptions of the U.S. Government led Snake away from public eye and into an organization that dedicated itself to the elimination of Metal Gear.
"Ocelot was working for Solidus at that time." Otacon continued.
"So that's how he got away from the base."
"Not only that, but as you might recall the blame fell into the hands of the Secretary of defense Jim Houseman."
"He was framed by the President?" Snake asked fearing Otacon's answer.
"Not likely Snake." Otacon shook his head.
"The Patriots!" Snake sighed. "Damn."
"Yes and it seems that after the Shadow Moses incident Solidus was forced to resign. Somehow his plans didn't go well with the Patriots."
"And two years ago Ocelot stole the Metal Gear Ray. Some kind of payback?"
"I'm not sure, but I think that Solidus was underground at that time, but that meant that Ocelot was working on his own."
"Probably getting the work done so everything would be ready as soon as Solidus returned. What about the Metal Gear Ray, is it here?"
"Well yes and no." Otacon answered as he pushed his glasses up his nose.
"What do you mean?"
"Until very recently I thought that the Metal Gear that was stolen two years ago was here in this place, just like I told you before we came here, but that doesn't seem to be the case."
"You're telling me that there's no Metal Gear here?" Snake asked getting a bit infuriated.
"No, what I have to tell is a lot worse. They are developing a new type of Metal Gear in this place!"
"Wait, I don't understand. Ocelot brought the Ray here so they could develop a new model?"
"No. According to what I read they are developing is an all new type of Metal Gear altogether. It has nothing to do with the Ray."
"So why did Ocelot steal it?"
"I haven't found that out yet but what worries me is that I only know someone powerful enough to sink a real tanker and erect this place in the same location."
"The Patriots again."
Otacon nodded. "What scares me now is this type of new Metal Gear." Otacon pushed a few keys on the keyboard brining several images on the screen. "It's been codenamed Arsenal Gear. That's the reason of my sister being here."
"She's involved with this new Metal Gear?" Snake asked.
"Yeah." Otacon responded depressed. The idea that all the members of his family were connected to weapons of destruction was a frightful one. "Apparently she's been working on making a complex Artificial Intelligence designed to gather and process digital information. However I think it's much more than that."
"What do you mean?" Snake asked sensing the subject was becoming exceedingly complicated.
"I'm not a specialist but from what I gather this AI is designed not so much to gather and process information, but to actually control it. If this fell into enemy hands they could…I can't even think about it, but let's just say our world would drastically change. Free information would be suppressed and the only thing we would have access would be things pre determined to be safe to know…it's a frightening thought." Otacon was disappointed for he knew that probably her sister had been too gullible.
"Is there anyway to stop it?" Snake asked.
"Of course, from the information I read EE made a computer virus that would destroy the connections of GW, that's the AI's name." Otacon replied.
"Where do we get it?"
"I have no idea…"
"That's another thorn on our side." Snake said realizing that the operation had just taken a turn for the very worse.
"That's no the last one, Arsenal is also equipped with a nuclear weapon."
"A nuclear weapon." The Navy Captain! How could I forget! "Don't you have any good news…what kind of nuclear weapon?"
"I don't know yet I'm still decrypting the files, but I do now what's needed to activate the weapon."
"What?"
"The system that is being used is state of the art. The President's own vital signs are the password for the nuclear bomb!"
Snake was raising his eye trying to grasp the situation. President James Johnson…
Otacon continued. "His vital signs are relayed by nanomachines. That data serves as a biometric password. It's unbreakable. The password entry itself cannot be performed unless his vital signs are all normal!"
Snake expression became one of direness. "The terrorist wouldn't risk coming here knowing that the President wouldn't give his password…does that mean he's working for them?" Snake said raising more questions than answering.
Otacon continued. "I have no idea, but as a failsafe, the input has to be reconfirmed hourly, this info was all written by Secret Service Agent Richard Ames."
"Huh." That's why the kid was talking about him. "Richard Ames."
"I heard you say the name when you're talking on the radio. You know him don't you." Otacon asked.
"Yeah, I know the name, but how can that information be in the Arsenal Gear's computer?"
"Beats me, but I'm just scratching the surface. There's a lot more in here, but we need to focus. Solidus, Dead Cell and Gurlokovich's army can steal Arsenal quite easily. The security surrounding it is a joke." Otacon said.
"Well, we're still here. Hopefully we'll be able to stop them."
"I hope so." Suddenly the computer screen started flashing.
"What is that?" Snake asked.
"It's a camera feed." Otacon pushed a few buttons and the pictures of Arsenal Gear on the screen were replaced by a live feed. Several soldiers were running through Strut J. The camera was located a corridor from where Snake hadn't passed by when he he had been in Strut J.
"They'll be here in a few minutes." Snake said. "We've got to get a move on." Snake turned to Otacon.
"Okay we need to head to the core section of Shell 1 that's where the entrance to Arsenal Gear is located, but first I need to find where my sister is."
"We'll get out of this place and find where she is, after that we'll head towards Arsenal." Snake turned to move.
"Just hold on a sec." Otacon took, what looked like a small device with small screen on it and three other small black devices with little antennas. "I'm going to put this near the computer so I can continue to have access to Arsenal's computer. Can you hold these others for me?" Otacon handed the two other small black devices to Snake.
Snake took the devices and placed them on his equipment. "Hurry up." Snake looked at the screen and saw the soldiers on top of the IJ connecting bridge.
Otacon placed the small device with the antenna near the computer and turned on the other. "It's on let's go."
Snake opened the door and Otacon got out running. Snake followed him towards HI connecting bridge.
Olga walked carefully to her next destination. When will it end…? She thought to herself as she opened the door to the communication control studio. Two men were inside. One of them was wearing a brown suit complete with a tie and two holsters for two colts. His white hair ponytail and his white moustache showed that he was not a young man. The other however was secluded beneath a black cloak and only his while silvery hair was visible. Olga walked passed the two and with her back turned to them she asked. "What is that cyborg Ninja, Shalashaska?"
"I cannot even guess..." The man with the brown suit replied with an uneasy rough voice.
"What about you?" She asked the other man.
"I'm having that matter looked into." The man replied with a strong voice.
"Olga! Don't cast suspicion where it isn't due!" Shalashaska replied back.
"Where it isn't due? When you watched my father die and did nothing." Olga spoke with a glare in her eyes.
"It's been two years, Olga. Let it go." He replied.
"I read the case file for Shadow Moses, by the way." She answered back with a tone of suspicion.
"Olga, how could you suspect me?"
"I know that the Ninja's not one of MY men."
"How meaningful you make that sound. If Sergei were still alive…"
"If the old man were still alive, I wouldn't need to take orders from you."
"Olga, Sergei was my best friend..."
Olga quickly drew her gun and pointed it to Shalashaska. "If you sell us out I'll kill you myself." Olga had had enough deceit for one life.
Shalashaska pulled out one of his colts with his left hand and pressed against Olga's chest. "Listen, daughter of Sergei. Don't ever let me see your gun pointed at me again."
Olga holstered her weapon. "If you wish. I'll put a bullet in your back instead."
Ocelot twirled the colt and also holstered it. "Humph…" He grunted.
"Stop this infighting!" The man hiding beneath the cloak spoke out. "I took you both in when no one else would. You think any government would have you as irregulars in this political climate? The worst kind of wetworks, maybe. But that's even doubtful." The man changed the tone to a more reassuring one. "I'd recommend against switching camps…you've nowhere left to go."
Olga murmured and left the room from where she entered. A drop of sweat appeared in her forehead. I'm so sorry father…
Ocelot grinned as Olga left the room. As he was turning to face the man with the black cloak a slight itching started in his hand. "U-ughh!" Ocelot shouted.
"It's happening again?" The man in the cloak spoke out.
"This damn right arm…Liquid! It's almost as if it's having its revenge." Ocelot replied. He was as if wrestling with his own arm.
"How much do you think we spent on that arm in Lyon? The best transplant surgery team in the world." The man answered back.
Ocelot reached for something in his pocket, a little white device with two small protuberances. "I never trust a Frenchman." He placed the device near his right hand and an electric shock went over it. "There's something going on. The incidents are becoming more frequent. Maybe that man's presence..." Ocelot had a faint feeling that Solid Snake was around.
"Ocelot, I leave this place in your hands. I have the intruder to take care of." The man in the black cloak replied.
"Yes, King." Ocelot said still holding his hand.
"Otacon are you ready to fly a Kasatka?"
"Sure." Otacon responded while running and looking at the small screen in his device. "It's a good thing you found those choppers because they've planted IR sensors and C4's on the connecting bridge between Shell 1 and Shell 2.
They're halfway of the connecting bridge when Otacon's small device rang an alarm.
"We have an intruder in Shell 1! All personnel, we are on red alert! Begin Caution Mode protocol. Search every section of the structure! The intruder may be dressed in our own colors. Face check all personnel encountered! I repeat…" The voice was coming from the enemy side and it was being relayed through the computer. "Snake!" Otacon said.
"Damn, it's probably Raiden." Snake kept on running closely behind Otacon until they reached Strut H.
"Let's head to the heliport on the double Otacon."
Snake's words fell in deaf ears as Otacon was deeply absorbed into looking at the small screen.
"Otacon!" Snake raised his voice to get his attention.
"Hold on a second Snake. This is amazing!" Otacon's tone was not of surprise, but of fear. "I found more info about the nuclear weapon. It's a Purified Hydrogen bomb. Oh! Capable of heavy Hydrogen nuclear fusion by the use of lasers and magnetics to generate heat-insulated compression." Otacon seemed to be reading something.
"I don't know much about nuclear bombs but that doesn't sound good."
"It isn't!" Otacon replied.
"We should get out of here. We'll worry about the bomb later." Snake pushed Otacon to move for the stairs.
They started running up the stairs into the heliport. Snake reached for his radio.
"Raiden, can you hear me?"
"Pliskin? Where have you been?" Raiden seemed a bit out of breath.
"Checking around. I'm in the Strut H right now. How's the situation over there?" Snake and Otacon reached the heliport and saw the two Kasatkas
"We have a lead on the President's location."
"Where is he?" Snake asked interested, not only in his location, but knowing that the President was directly connected to the nuclear bomb.
"Shell 2 Core, the first floor."
"I'm cut off from the core where I am." Strange I didn't see him there.
"All right. I'm on my way to Shell 2 right now."
"There are IR sensors in place on the connecting bridge between Shells 1 and 2. If you break the beams, the Semtex will go off."
"Yeah, I heard them talking about that."
"Target the control units and destroy them." Snake had had experience with this type of IR sensors before. "Make sure you don't shoot the Semtex."
"What about the coolant spray?"
"They're not stupid. The Semtex is on the other side of the railing, out of reach."
Snake saw Otacon entering one of the choppers.
"What do the control units look like?"
"Take a look with your binoculars."
Snake signed off and turned to Otacon. "Otacon I'll make sure the other one doesn't leave the ground."
"Good idea Snake." Otacon was already pushing buttons and the propeller was starting to revolve.
Snake reached for the other Kamov chopper and opened the panel located beneath the propeller. A whole assortment of wires populated the inside of the panel and with out a lot of delicacy Snake yanked a couple of wires out.
"That'll do." Snake ran to the other Kamov as the noise of the propeller stopped. "What happened?" Snake asked as he entered the Kamov's side door.
"Well I'm not used to this model so you'll have to bear with me." Otacon replied.
"Can it get us to Shell1?"
"Yeah it's got a full tank the problem is that this is a bit different from the civilian model."
"Do the best you can Otacon." Snake reassured him as he noticed a few large boxes in the cargo room. Snake jumped inside the Kasatka and reached for the radio. "Raiden, I found us a ride."
"I'm all ears."
"One of the enemy's Kasatkas."
"Is it in good shape?"
"Full tank. I'm heading for Shell 1 now. What about the Harrier?" Snake asked remembering Raiden mentioning it.
"It's not on the heliport here."
"Good. I'll set this one down there then."
"Can you cover the hostages? They're being held on the first floor of the core. Pliskin, you didn't happen to find any other places where hostages were being held, did you?"
"No…nothing like that." Snake had found several things, but other hostages was not one of them.
"Ok... " Raiden seemed a bit frustrated.
"How many hostages are there?" Snake asked looking at the space of the cargo.
"A few short of thirty. One dead, and several wounded."
"The Kasatka's cargo area will hold 13 max."
"What about the other Kasatka?"
"I sabotaged it. It can't come after us if it can't get off the ground."
"Oh." Raiden sounded disappointed.
"We'll have to make two trips." Snake replied. He had no intent to leave innocent men behind.
"Can you fly the Kasatka?"
"I have a pilot who's flown the civilian model, the KA-62, in VR. There's not a whole lot of difference between the military KA-60 and the civilian model." Snake said as if mocking Otacon's inability to get the chopper running.
The instruments inside the cockpit began beeping and the propeller started up again.
"Cleared for takeoff..." Otacon said.
"Raiden, let me introduce you to my partner Otacon."
" 'Otacon'?" Raiden sounded deeply surprised.
Snake reached for the radio on his back and turned it on so that Otacon could hear Raiden.
"Hey Raiden. Nice to meet you." Otacon said.
Suddenly several guards with state of the art equipment erupted through the door that led to the heliport.
Snake saw them and gripped his gun tightly. "Damn!"
The soldiers saw the Kasatka starting up and opened fire.
"Open fire."
"Shoot it."
"Raiden, I'll talk to you later." Snake turned off the radio and loaded a grenade into his M4 grenade launcher attachment. "Get us out of here Otacon!" Snake shouted as he felt the Kasatka lifting up.
The bullets hit the left side of the Kasatka, but before they could hit it anymore Snake shot the grenade.
"Grenade!" One of the guards shouted.
The sound of the chopper almost muffled the explosion of the grenade which blew up some of the boxes that rested on the heliport and maybe some of the guards too.
"All right we're airborne Snake. Hopefully we'll have a smooth sail to Shell 1."
"I hope so. Land us in Strut E, there's a heliport there."
"Roger." Otacon responded while piloting the Kasatka safely above the Big Shell.
The Kasatka was flying over Strut H when Snake saw a figure on the Shell 1 – Shell 2 connecting bridge. Raiden. "He made it!" Snake said.
"Is that the strange man you've been talking to? He looks like a girl."
Snake saw Raiden even better as the Kasatka moved closer to him. Raiden was with his gun drawn out, but as he saw Snake sitting in the cargo room with the door opened he placed it on the holster. The Kasatka made his way easily towards Strut E. Snake held his left hand high and waved at Raiden who was blocking the sturdy sunlight with his left arm.
After a few seconds Otacon spoke out. "Alright I'm putting it down." The Kasatka was just a few feet from the heliport when Snake turned his head to check on Raiden one more time.
"Otacon turn back now!" Snake shouted. Near the door to Strut H stood a dark shadow, but even from afar Snake knew something was wrong, something that maybe Raiden wasn't ready for yet.
What's going on?" Otacon spoke out while turning the Kasatka around.
"Just do it." Snake held his M4 tightly on his hand.
The Kasatka circled around, the large propeller engulfed most of the noise, but Snake still heard a small whisper. "No, not just around here. I'm the Boss to surpass Big Boss himself... Solid Snake." A rough voice.
"No! That is NOT Solid Snake!" Snake shouted from the top of his lungs overshadowing the propeller noise. For how little meaningful a name was on the battlefield the name Solid Snake could never be associated with one of his 'brothers'.
The Kasatka was going back towards the connecting bridge. Snake was getting his gun ready.
"What a pleasant surprise…brother." Solidus spoke directly to Snake as a black cloak covered all of his body except the face.
Solidus was exactly like Otacon had said. An almost exact copy of Big Boss. "Save it. You're no brother of mine." Snake was pointing the M4 towards Solidus.
"Don't say you're forgotten me…Snake." Solidus walked out into the open sun and Snake saw his face even more clearly. He looked at Snake as if daring him.
"Raiden, take cover!" Snake shouted and held his M4 ready to fire.
The shots erupted from the M4 and began hitting the steps that led to the doorway of Strut H, where Solidus was standing tall. As soon as bullets hit just a few inches away from Solidus, he dashed out of the way, leading the stray shots to hit a pack of C4 that was placed near the door. The sheer velocity of Solidus sliding through the ground sent his cloak up in flames. He stood still as the flames revolved around him. Solidus was wearing a black power suit with a few orange markings and a symbol near the neck area. It read 'Sons of Liberty'.
Snake witnessed the incredible display of power. It was Solidus attempt to show how much he was like Big Boss. "Stop impersonating him!" Snake shouted again and fired a few more rounds.
But Solidus quickly deflected them using his left arm, his suit was bullet proof. As Snake stopped firing the flames around Solidus calmed down.
"Brother, I'm a whole different game from Liquid." Solidus shouted. "HRRRRRR!" Solidus grabbed the rails on the connecting bridge and almost kneeled. "Urgh!" After a few seconds his power suit began growing. The artificial muscles on the suit seemed to be getting bigger. "Hrrrraaaaa!" Solidus lifted his head and shouted letting go of the rails.
Damn! Snake decided to try something else. He reached for his equipment and took out a grenade. He quickly placed it on the M4, but Solidus took notice of it immediately. He slid the protection of the suit over his face and kneeled down.
Snake pulled the trigger, but Solidus had been faster. The grenade explosion promptly threw Raiden backwards and immediately he felt a sniggering pain in his back. Solidus, however, had safely landed on one of the large tubes that stood beside the connecting bridge. The utter impact of Solidus landing dented the massive tube.
"That the best you can do, Snake?" Solidus got up and focused his eyes on the Kasatka.
You won't get away. Snake picked up another one of his grenades and reloaded it. This time he had been a lot faster and Solidus had no chance of getting away. The impact of the explosion sent Solidus over the tube and hopefully into the depths of the Ocean.