Chapter 19

"C'mon' move!!" Otacon shouted as the hostages grabbed the rails and progressed through the smashed down connecting bridge that led from the core to strut E and F. "Be careful." Otacon shouted again as he held the container with Emma's parrot tightly to his chest.

After a few gruesome minutes the hostages ran inside strut E and up the stairs to the heliport. Otacon followed close behind making sure no one was left behind. I have to do this one thing right. He ran up the stairs and suddenly heard something in his hear. The CODEC!! He answered.

"This is Snake, Otacon are you clear of the Big Shell?" Snake asked.

"We're almost there, by the way Snake the frequency is different, are you using your CODEC now?" Otacon asked as they reached the heliport.

"Yeah, I've change into my sneaking suit, Arsenal has to be crawling with guards, but I called because of what I put inside you right coat pocket."

"Huh!!" Otacon placed his hand in his pocket and took out a small disc. "…wait, is this?"

"Yeah, I kept it because there's something else at work here. See if you can find out what that contains"

The night chill was more than enough for every hostage to rub their hands in one another and move faster towards the chopper.

Otacon rushed past everyone and opened the side door of the Kamov letting everybody in. "Alright I'll see what I can do." He replied to Snake. The hostages gave him funny looks as he seemed to be talking to himself.

Jennifer was the last one to step inside and she noticed something that Otacon couldn't worry about. "Is the chopper going to hold all of us?" Jennifer and the rest gave him inquisitive looks.

Otacon looked at all of them, but instead of answering he slid the door shut. I hope it does. He didn't even bother to look at the part that needed to cool down. He just didn't have the time. He jumped inside the cockpit, threw the container to the co-pilot seat and started the Kamov.

"What's that noise? Are you leaving?" Snake asked.

"Yeah, I'm starting it up now!!" The propellers began rotating, but just for a few seconds before dying out. "Damn! Maybe it hasn't cool down yet!!"

"You have to hurry Otacon!!" My ride is almost here and that means soon this place will be no more." Snake said clearly worried.

"I'll start it up again." Otacon said as the voices of anxious hostages flooded the cockpit. Otacon started the Kamov again and the propellers started to spin, after a few seconds he knew he could lift off. "It's working!! We're lifting."

"Right on time Otacon, the elevator as just arrived here, I'm going inside Arsenal…crap!!" Snake sounded alarmed at the end.

"Snake is everything okay?" Otacon's question wasn't answered as he could only hear Snake grunting and panting. "Snake!!" Otacon had cleared off the Big Shell. In the night the Big Shell's location lights were the only thing visible.

"Snake answer me!!" Otacon was still not getting anything from him.

"Damn!!" Snake said and then silence.

A massive noise erupted and Otacon looked out the window seeing the disaster. The Big Shell was crumbling in front of him. Pillar after pillar, Strut after Strut the Big Shell was engulfed by the ocean, but that wasn't the end. A few seconds later Otacon could see an immense shadow rising from under the sea. Arsenal. "Snake! Snake!!" However there was no reply on the other side.

Snake had taken off his SEAL clothes. His sneaking suit and his equipment was everything he had to deal with the enemy inside Arsenal. He drew back to the computer room entrance to get his M4 and then waited near the Arsenal massive door until the elevator arrived. Snake noticed his reflection on the floor and saw something was missing. My bandana. Snake took out a blue bandana from his equipment and placed it around his head. It helped to get the hair out from over his eyes. I should check on Otacon. Snake thought to himself and reached for his CODEC as his radio was no longer necessary. "This is Snake, Otacon are you clear of the Big Shell?" He asked.

"We're almost there, by the way Snake the frequency is different, are you using your CODEC now?" Otacon asked.

"Yeah, I've change into my sneaking suit, Arsenal has to be crawling with guards, but I called because of what I put inside you right coat pocket."

"Huh!!…wait, is this?"

"Yeah, I kept it because there's something else at work here. See if you can find out what that contains" The elevator rumbled and warned Snake that it was coming up.

"Alright I'll see what I can do." Otacon replied.

Snake could hear the faint sounds of Otacon pushing buttons. "What's that noise? Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm starting it up now!!"

Snake heard the Kasatka starting up, but powering down soon afterwards.

"Damn! Maybe it hasn't cool down yet!!"

The elevator noise grew near. "You have to hurry Otacon!!" My ride is almost here and that means soon this place will be no more." Snake said.

"I'll start it up again."

After a few seconds of silence Otacon's tone of voice had changed. "It's working!! We're lifting."

Snake heard the elevator stopping on the other side of the door. The door opened and Snake saw that it was about eight inches thick. He stepped inside. The elevator could easily fit about thirty people. A black button on the side wall was the only thing that seemed not to belong to the blue shiny elevator. Snake pressed the button and waited a few seconds for the door to close. "Right on time Otacon, the elevator as just arrived here, I'm going inside Arsenal…" Suddenly something shook up the elevator throwing Snake to the side wall. His M4 flew from his hand and Olga's sword flew from the other towards the ground. "..crap!!" He cursed.

"Snake is everything okay?" Otacon's voice still ringed in Snake's ear but the elevator shook again leaving him with no chance to respond. "Snake!!...Snake answer me!!" Snake was thrown left and right. The Big Shell is crumbling. Snake's assumptions had to be correct. If Arsenal was moving then it meant that the elevator shaft that connected the two would be the first thing to go. The last shake threw Snake a few feet into the air. "Damn!!" Snake cursed again before he hit the ground on the elevator and passed out.

"Good work Olga!!" Solidus spoke to her. A black eye patch was over his left eye. He had an eerily resemblance to Big Boss.

The torture room was now occupied with Olga, Solidus, Ocelot and two Arsenal Tengus who stripped down Raiden and held him down to Ocelot's torture device.

"Was he alone?" Solidus asked while the Tengus left the room and Ocelot headed towards Raiden's equipment that was inside a sturdy metallic box.

"Yes." Olga replied.

"Good, that means we won't have to worry with Snake." Solidus faced Raiden. "He does look familiar…"

Olga saw from the corner of her eye Ocelot taking something from Raiden's equipment. Ocelot noticed and looked over at Olga grinning slightly. "What about the Ninja?" He asked.

Olga's eyes opened wide.

"It's highly unlikely he got inside, but if he did, we have to find him. The Patriots can't find what my plans are. Not when I'm this close." Solidus said and got closer to Raiden's naked body. It was filled with scars and several weird tattoos. I know you! "When will he wake up?" Solidus turned to ask Ocelot.

"A few more minutes." Ocelot replied.

"I have a few matters to take care with my comrades." Olga said as she headed for the exit.

"Very well." Solidus replied not letting go his attention from Raiden.

"Olga, take the boy's equipment too. He won't need it anymore." Ocelot said as she was about to leave the room. "Very well." Olga replied, picked up Raiden's equipment and headed out of the room.

"Somehow I feel like I can't trust her no more." Ocelot spoke out.

"Why may I ask?" Solidus asked without taking his eye from Raiden.

"I don't know, but if I were you I'd keep a close eye on her."

Solidus turned to Ocelot. "I will…" Then something caught Solidus attention, Ocelot's right hand was without a glove.

Ocelot was quick to notice Solidus's expression and quick to respond. "It's nothing." He reached with his left hand for his belt and took the other glove. He then hastily placed it over his hand.

"Then see if you can wake him up." Solidus ordered.

"Of course King." Ocelot replied.

Snake opened his eyes and saw the failing lights on the elevator. He sighed, picked up his M4, Olga's sword and got to his feet. Suddenly the elevator doors rustled. Somebody was on the other side. Snake pointed his M4, but as soon as the door opened he realized he was safe. Olga.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"A bit…" Snake felt his ribs with his right hand to see if the ache he had was just bruised or some broken bones. "…but I'll be fine."

"Good because there's not a lot of time. Come with me."

Snake followed Olga outside the elevator. A wave of frosty air ran though his body. So cold. Even with Snake's suit the cold was immense even his breath stretched for a few inches before disappearing. As he cleared the elevator he and Olga found them selves in a massive hangar room and there Snake opened his mouth in trepidation. Metal Gear Ray's were placed in each side of a massive warehouse. "Is that…"

Olga interrupted him. "Yes, those are Metal Gear Ray's. Unmanned and controlled by GW."

"How many are there?" Snake said still trying to take everything in.

"These are being serviced, but there is at least twenty five operational not counting Ocelot's Marine Ray."

Ocelot. He's here. "Where do we start?"

"This way, you were lucky I found you, a few more minutes and you'd have been discovered by Tengus." Olga began walking to the side of the warehouse and up some stairs. "You won't accomplish much on your own. After I leave you I'll go and free the boy. I'll also make sure to plant what you gave me."

Snake and Olga reached the second floor and Snake could clearly see the Ray's heads. "There." Olga pointed to a door on the left side wall. "After that door you'll find yourself in a big tunnel. Head for the door on the opposite part of the tunnel, hopefully the boy will make it there. I'll call you when I release him."

"I have a CODEC now. If you want to reach me my frequency is 141.80." Snake replied.

"Very well."

There was silence for a few seconds. The realization that they were parting ways was apparent.

"So, I'm leaving you alone again." Olga remembered Snake of somebody else, someone Snake cared about.

"I'll be alright. I just hope you and your partner can find something about…about my child." Olga turned away and made it down the stairs.

"I hope so too." Snake headed for the door.

"And by the way Snake?" Olga spoke out without turning to him.

"What?" Snake asked.

"You need a shave." Olga continued down the steps.

Snake grinned and headed for the door.