Chapter 13: E.E.
Heero attempted the famous Heero Yuy 'Death Glare' on Vamp. Unlike usual, Vamp was not impressed or intimidated. "You survived my shots in Havana." Heero stated for no clear reason.
"Unfortunately, Hell had no vacancies."
Heero pointed his .45 at Vamp and fired, Vamp easily dodged.
"Human muscles are quite eloquent, they speak out clearly what a person's next move will be, including which direction a gun will be pointed."
Heero fired three more times, the last bullet grazing Vamp's cheek. He licked the blood off with an evil smirk and sat back down in the water.
"You're actions are meaningless. The girl is up ahead in Filtration Chamber Number Two but you're too late. This facility is armed with one Purified Hydrogen Bomb."
"Purified Hydrogen Bomb?"
"This is no normal nuclear weapon; it uses a core of purified plutonium to induce more efficient thermonuclear fusion, effectively magnifying the power by thousands of times."
Heero's eyes widened for a split second before he withdrew to his usual air of indifference, the very slight shock, however, was not unnoticed by Vamp, and he smirked.
"Don't plan on using it." Heero stated calmly. "You're insane."
"Insane? We might be the only ones telling the truth."
"Even though you're right to resent the Patriots, I still can't let you proceed with the strike."
Vampe sneered and withdrew a knife, signifying it was time to stop talking and begin their fight. He stood up and pointed at the water. "This water is very high in oxygen content, once you go in you don't come back up."
Vamp jumped out of the pool and stood on the ground behind it, his knife being held below his waist. Heero traced his movements and fired a .45 round from his SOCOM, a round that actually hit Vamp's chest. Vamp flipped toward the door that led toward Filtration Chamber Number Two and threw a knife at Heero, who shot it out of the air as Vamp jumped on top of the catwalk. He threw a succession of three knives at Heero, who jumped and rolled away from them. Vamp then jumped into the pool and swam, Heero waiting for him to come back up.
Vamp came up toward the left-north end of the room, and suddenly Heero had an idea. He broke out his stinger and shot a missile at Vamp. Vamp groaned and was knocked back into the water by the blast. Heero's eyes widened when he realized Vamp was still very much alive-and swimming.
Heero next took out a grenade and tossed it into the water. It exploded and Vamp came rocketing out back up onto the right catwalk. Vamp took several knives in his hand; Heero readied his M4 to combat them. He shot the knives out of the air and hit Vamp, just as he had done earlier in Havana.
Vamp jumped back into the water, and Heero threw another grenade. Vamp groaned and came up on the ground level, running at Heero with his knife behind him. Vamp made way to slash Heero across the middle, but Heero rolled out of Vamp's way. Vamp flipped to the other end of the room and ran toward Heero again, this time he was met with a well-timed kick from Heero to his chin.
Vamp grunted and flipped into the water again. He came out about a minute later and jumped all around, finally settling for a spot on the catwalk. He threw a barrage of knives at Heero, who fired them out of the air rapidly with his M4, and hit vamp about ten times in the chest. He fell into the pool in the center of the room. Vamp screamed a low tone of distress as he sunk into the pool, bloodied. Heero glared and watched him sink, never taking his M4 off of him.
Heero went toward the door and looked at the hallway in disbelief. The entire thing was flooded. He gave Snake a call on the Codec.
"Why didn't you tell me this place was flooded?"
"You never asked."
Heero scowled. "Anyway, what's the situation over there?"
"Snake and I are getting everything ready in the control room." Otacon said as he joined the conversation.
"Otacon, what happened between you and your sister anyway? I think that information may be necessary, seeing as I'm about to get her and bring her back to you."
Otacon sighed. "My father was drowning in our pool when we were kids...and Emma nearly drowned as well. Emma blamed me for not being there to save her and I was so saddened that I left. That's the condensed version."
"Hn." Heero replied with his trademark phrase as he processed the information. "All right, see you soon." He hung up and dove into the water, swimming for a few minutes and coming up for breath when the opportunity presented itself. Heero checked his Soliton radar with more vigor than ever before, for failure to do so would result in death.
Heero dove down and opened a door. What came out of the other side after he had finally managed it startled him. A dead body emerged, blood filling the water in its wake. Heero swam past a large fallen beam and came up for air. He dove down again and opened a door, swimming into a second hallway.
Being careful to avoid the mines that were strewn in the water, Heero eventually came across a staircase and went up them, coming out of the water. The door was marked 'Filtration Chamber Number Two.' He checked the radar and saw a life form in a locker. Heero approached and slowly opened the door.
The young woman inside gave a startled yelp as she looked up at Heero.
"Take it easy, I'm not a terrorist." Heero stated in his usual monotone. "Your brother, Hal sent me."
"...Hal?"
"Yes, he's here, and he needs your help. The terrorists are going to use Arsenal Gear to initiate a high-atmosphere nuclear strike to short-circuit all the electricity in New York. They are going to attempt to take it over. We need your help to disable the system and prevent the strike."
"W...I've been hiding here the whole time. I didn't know. If you want to disable Arsenal's AI, take this." Emma gave Heero a disc. "It's a digital counterpart to the FOXDIE virus. It's the only thing that will be able to disable GW."
Heero took the disc, turning it a couple of times over before putting it into his pocket.
"There, you have the disc. Now you can go back to my brother. Leave me alone now; I don't want to see him."
"Sorry, I can't do that." Heero stated gruffly. His mission was to take Emma down to the control room in the Shell 1 core, and that's exactly what he was going to do. "We have to leave now before this place completely floods."
"NO!" She screamed in terror. "I can't swim!"
"That's not what I've heard." Heero countered, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.
"No! I can't go into the water! It's going to consume me! That endless blue..."
Heero could tell then that the girl had aqua phobia. He had to think of a way to get her to go with him. Even with this disc in hand, there was always the possibility that something could go wrong, and they would need Emma to cover their bases.
Then there was Otacon, who Heero hated to admit, had become his friend, his bona fide friend, along with everyone else since this little soiree got started. Who he once considered allies and tentative acquaintances, he now considered friends.
"Ok. Emma, grab onto my back and I'll do the swimming. Close your eyes and count to one hundred and then we'll be on the other side. And really do keep your eyes closed. We'll be coming across a dead body on the way back and I don't think that's what you want to see."
"Oh...ok." Emma trailed as she climbed onto Heero's back.
The extra weight was not overburdening as he made his way out of the room and dove back into the water. He swam, avoiding mines and periodically coming up for oxygen, Emma's gasps being much more desperate than his own. Heero then came across the dead body of Stillman once again, and finally got back to Filtration Chamber Number One, where he had fought Vamp.
"We'll rest here for a little while."
Emma sat down and sighed. "So...Hal is really here?"
"Yes."
Emma sighed. "Hal and I were close as kids...we never really had any friends but at least we had each other. We used to always play house. You know, he was the husband and I was the wife. But it was just a game...we were only kids."
"Hn."
"You don't talk much, do you?"
"No." Heero grunted.
As if ignoring Heero's reply, Emma kept on talking. "But then Hal abandoned me and my mother when we needed him the most!" Emma stated angrily.
Suddenly, the Codec began to ring.
"Heero, what's your status?"
"Snake? I've got Emma. We're in Filtration Chamber Number One at the moment."
Emma jumped into the Codec conversation. "Hal...?"
"E.E.? Is that you?"
"You have a lot of nerve coming here!" Emma regained her composure.
"What?" Otacon asked in mild shock.
"Just why are you here? What's with all of this anti-Metal Gear stuff?"
"It's for peace E.E.! We have to come to terms with some of the mistakes we've made as a species. As scientists, we know the true danger of nuclear weapons and it is up to us to educate and prevent the disaster associated with them!"
Emma laughed haughtily. "Science and weapons have always co-existed Hal! The Manhattan Project was sponsored by universities and taking place in public laboratories!"
"But man and nuclear weapons cannot co-exist."
"Wrong Hal...wrong. You see, I do not accept Relena Peacecraft's ways. Her belief that peace is attained through giving up fighting is wrong. Peace can only be attained through fear. Mutual fear."
Hal was shocked at how cynical his sister had become as she continued her rant.
"All she is is a pretty face to satisfy old men with erectile dysfunction. If it wasn't for her we wouldn't even need to hide Arsenal."
"E.E. uhh...there's something you should know about Relena Peacecraft, especially if you are going to insult her."
"Oh? What is that?" Emma asked angrily.
"Heero is her boyfriend."
"What...?" Emma asked as she looked toward Heero, only to receive his famous death glare. "Uh..." She shrunk.
"All right." Snake cut back in. "That's enough."
The Codec call ended. Heero continued, however, to give Emma the glare. After all, she had just insulted the woman he loved.
"I'm...I'm sorry."
"C'mon. We have to go now." Heero managed to say it without clenching his teeth.
"But wait...I've been drugged. My legs..."
Heero was really getting annoyed now. He seriously contemplated knocking this troublesome little thing out and carrying her there. That meant hurting her. It would upset Otacon, which was fine. He could deal with that. But upsetting Otacon meant angering Snake...a somewhat dicey proposition.
Heero did the only thing he could; he grabbed the girl's hand and walked out.
A painstakingly long walk later, Heero was back on the K-L connecting bridge. He had thrown a chaff grenade to fend off being spotted by any Cyphers, and carefully tranquilized any sentries that were wandering too close to his position.
Heero saw that part of the bridge was on fire. He used the coolant that Trowa had given him back on the ship to partially put it out, allowing him and Emma to pass. At first he had been skeptical of the coolant's necessity, but now was thankful that Trowa had insisted he take it. There was no such thing as being too cautious.
Heero opened the door to Strut L and took Emma inside. Otacon had instructed him to use the Strut L oil fence to get back to Shell 1 as the Shell 1-2 connecting bridge was out of commission. Heero opened up a trap door in the floor, revealing a very long ladder.
"This thing's about 140 feet to the ground. Are your legs ok, Emma?"
"Yeah...I think I'm fine now."
"Ok, you're not afraid of heights are you?"
"I can't say I like heights, but water's bigger on my phobia list...why?"
"I need you to climb down this ladder. I'll be right behind you."
"Will you take no for an answer?"
"No." Heero and Emma both said at the same time.
Emma slowly and reluctantly began to climb down the ladder, Heero hot on her heels. Once they finally reached the ground, Heero stopped her from continuing and scanned the area with his scope, revealing the oil fence...and many enemy sentries.
"Emma, how much do you weigh?"
"Are you gonna ask me how old I am next?"
Heero scowled at this annoying creature. "You need to cross the oil fence alone. I'll cover you with sniper fire and meet you on the other side."
Emma sighed as she began to walk toward the bridge.
Heero got a call on the Codec.
"Heero, it's Snake, I'm on my way to Strut E to assist you. Hold out until I get there."
"Roger that."
Heero immediately got to work, shooting claymore mines that were planted on the bridge before Emma stepped on one of them. Heero's next target was an enemy soldier who spotted Emma.
Head shot. The enemy died instantly, blood spurting from his head.
Heero took out two more enemy sentries, and then began to pick off Cyphers with weapons attached at their bottoms.
Emma made it to the first post on the oil fence, and began circling to begin her second crossing. Heero took out two enemy sentries that were stationed on the third post, headshots both.
Emma stepped onto the second leg of the fence, Heero blowing up a Cypher just as she stepped onto the bridge. Heero immediately after changed his sights on an enemy sentry, who moved just as he pulled the trigger, the result being that the 7.62mm round from the PSG-1 bullet hit him in the chest. The enemy soldier staggered and fell off the post, hurtling into the water with a scream.
Heero then received a Codec call.
"Heero, I'm in position, tell me when you need me to shoot." Snake said.
"Which would be right now, it's getting kind of hot."
"All right, I'll show you how sniping is done." Snake said confidently.
Heero smirked as the call ended. He took out a Cypher, then, set his sights on an enemy soldier. He did not get to fire as his head exploded in a crimson shower, a well-aimed shot from Snake. Snake and Heero continued swatting any enemy-man or machine that popped up around the oil fence.
Then something came out of the water. It back flipped toward Emma.
Heero instantly recognize the person as he held Emma hostage with a knife-Vamp. This would be a hard shot.
Heero carefully and deliberately fired upon Vamp's chest-a headshot was impossible as there was too great a chance of hitting Emma.
Vamp grunted as his chest was hit, moving-and moving Emma along with him-which exposed his head. Heero quickly but carefully took the shot. The bullet hit Vamp. Blood spurted from his head as he fell into the water. Emma's face looked exhausted as she stumbled across the fence.
Emma gave a blood curling scream and collapsed, her shirt was becoming dyed with crimson. Snake immediately got up and ran toward her, shooting two Cyphers out of the sky as he did so.
Snake checked her wounds and pulse, causing the oil fence to wobble under their collective weight. Heero gazed in wonder at what was wrong. Seconds later, he saw Snake carrying Emma away. He received a Codec call, the frequency was 141.80.
"Heero, Emma's been stabbed."
"That bastard!" He growled.
"How bad is it?!" Otacon entered the conversation.
"She's conscious, but the bleeding's bad. I'm bringing her over there now. Heero, bring that disc she gave you over as soon as possible. I don't think she has much time!"
"I'm on my way over."
Heero ended the call and ran as fast as he could over the oil fence, not caring that it was shaking violently. He soon emerged from a ladder in the Strut E Parcel Room.
"Snake, what's going on over there?" He asked via Codec.
"Emma seems to be doing...something to GW's defensive capabilities. We just need the disc. You better hurry, I don't think she's gonna make it."
"Hn." Heero grunted as the Codec call ended.
Heero got through the Big Shell easily. Security was at a minimum since everyone was aboard Arsenal. All that he saw was one sentry, who he quickly tranquilized, and three Cyphers on the D-E connecting bridge, which he took care of with his .45.
Heero called Snake to check in as he prepared to cross the bridge leading to the Shell 1 Core.
"How's Emma?"
"Not very good. I can't do a detailed examination here, but it looks like the damage to Emma's muscle tissue is equal to the actual size of the wound." Snake said the last part somberly.
"That means there's the possibility of intestinal damage..." Heero trailed.
"Yeah...she's also bleeding bad, losing blood pressure. She needs abdominal surgery, but this ain't the place to do it! She's running out of time! We have to hurry!"
Heero did indeed hurry across the bridge as the Codec call ended. He hurriedly pushed the down button on the elevator as he got into the core. As soon as the doors opened on level B2 he rushed into the control room.
Snake slowly got up from Emma's side and walked toward Heero as he saw him from the corner of his eye.
"How is she?" Heero asked.
"He definitely got some internal organs. We can't stop the bleeding."
The two men looked at Otacon tending to his sister.
"H...Hal?"
He grabbed her hand. "I'm here..."
"Got the disc?" Snake asked.
Heero nodded as he handed the disc to Snake.
"Emma's already set everything up. Apparently all you need to do is pop in the disc."
Snake and Heero walked toward the computer and inserted the disc.
"Uh...that should put the virus into the AI."
After a few seconds, the computer beeped and showed a yellow bar.
"What the?!" Snake said in surprise.
"An antibody agent?" Otacon asked as he looked up at the monitor.
"Damn! The connection's been cut!" Snake yelled and slammed his fist on the table after a few more beeps.
"The virus stopped at ninety percent?!" Heero yelled.
"Otacon...?" Snake looked back at him.
"I don't think Emma's made any mistakes. It could have been altered after the disc left Emma's hands."
"Will the virus still work?!" Snake gruffly asked.
"I have no idea..." Otacon trailed.
"Hal...is...is everything all right?"
Snake frowned and shook his head.
"Uh...it's all right. Everything's all right." Otacon assured.
"Good...at least I won't be another link in our family's dark legacy." The dying woman stated quietly.
"What now?" Heero asked Snake.
"Either destroy that thing, or take out Solidus and his men."
"Hal...I...I...always…."
"What is it?" Otacon asked as she put her hand on his face.
"...Wanted to see you again."
"You don't hate me?"
"Never. I just never wanted to get in your way. I thought that I'd be following in your footsteps with Arsenal...I thought I'd be closer. I just wanted you to see me as...as a woman."
"E.E. you'd never get in my way."
"Don't be so honest...it hurts..."
"Sorry..."
"Hal...can I ask you a favor...?"
"What is it?"
"Call me...call me...Emma. Please call me Emma..." She said as she tried to keep her hand close to Hal's face.
"What's wrong with E.E.?" Hal said sadly, with tears in his eyes as she took off his glasses.
Emma's arms then dropped to the floor, the glasses clanged, making her lifelessness more apparent.
"Emma? Emma?! Answer me!" He cried as he tried to uselessly fight what had already passed. Otacon then broke down into sobs, Snake and Heero looked down in sadness, and Heero was surprised that his eyes began to get watery. He had seen death, oh; he had seen death, more than anyone else in the Earth-Sphere, perhaps only with the exception of Snake (who only owed it by virtue of his being fifteen years older, Heero was sure). But he had never seen death like this. Death that was so...personal.
Otacon went on his guilt trip then. "I didn't...I didn't leave you because of the accident. I had...I had a relationship with your mother. She seduced me. And it went on. My father's death was no accident. He took his own life. It was my fault! All my fault! Forgive me Emma." He broke down in sobs again.
Heero had never expected this. Otacon had much more personal demons than he could have ever thought imaginable.
"Hal..." Heero's train of thought was interrupted by the parrot in the control room that he had not noticed before. Otacon closed his sister's eyes and went to free the bird. "Hal..."
Otacon sobbed again.
"Attention! Arsenal Gear is ready for launch!" The radio boomed. "Evacuate the upper levels immediately!"
"Sounds like their cutting this area loose." Snake observed.
"They're gonna sink us..." Heero stated.
"We have to get the hostages out!" Snake said.
"Kamov repairs?" Heero asked.
"Done." Otacon answered immediately.
"It's gonna be a tough to get them all onboard." Heero said.
"We'll just have to take as many as we can." Snake replied.
"My sister...won't be able to come with us." Otacon said sadly. "I'm always the survivor...why, Wolf?"
Snake closed his eyes as the memories of Shadow Moses, and particularly Sniper Wolf, returned. "Otacon, take care of the hostages." Snake ordered as he regained his composure.
"What about you guys?"
"We've got other arrangements, there's our ride out of here!" Snake pointed at the large door outside the room. "We'll have to sink that thing if the virus doesn't work."
"I should be going with you."
Snake's face sobered as he walked over to his friend. "You've got your job, we've got ours."
"You mean...I'd only get in your way."
"Wrong." Snake declared as he put his hands on Otacon's shoulders. "Only you can save those hostages, got it?" He shook Otacon for good measure.
"Right." Otacon regained some semblance of composure. "Listen, you guys won't be able to destroy that thing." He went on as he began to walk away. "Eliminate the enemy, that's your only option."
Snake's face hardened as he followed his friend out, Heero following hot on Snake's heels, determination in his Prussian blues.
The three stopped at the large door as the parrot spoke again. "Hal."
"E.E.? DAMN!" Otacon said in sadness as he banged his head on the hard metal.
"Otacon!" Snake put a hand on his shoulder and peered at him. "Try and get as many hostages out as you can. It's a short flight to the shore so don't worry about overloading the Kamov."
Otacon turned toward Snake. "...Leave it to me." He choked.
Heero saw the two of them engage in an odd sort combination of high-fives and handshakes that ended in a hug.
The alarm then began to go off.
"I'm counting on you, Otacon." Snake said as he sent him off.
Otacon slowly walked up the stairs as the parrot kept saying "Hal...I miss...you." Otacon fell down in sobs once more.
"You and me...we're the same. Both you and I...we were always alone. We only wanted to be loved. We were always waiting for somebody who would love us, but we were wrong. You can't just wish to be loved and have a happy family...you have to go out and find it. I learned that...as you probably did.
"You think he'll be ok?" Heero asked back in the control room.
"He's tougher than he looks, consider it done." Snake said as he handed Heero the disc.
Heero looked over the doorway to Arsenal. His face got grittier, ready for a fight as he realized Relena had to be in there, they had looked in every other place, and he would do anything he had to in order to get her back.
"Heero." His thoughts were interrupted by Snake. "I need you to do me a favor."
"What?" He asked as he pondered what Snake could possibly be up to.
"The only way to get access to Arsenal is for someone inside to give us a hand. I've contacted that person. But I need you to be captured by my contact."
"WHAT?!"
"I need a diversion to get into the proper position. My contact will free you shortly. Judging by your history, especially that time you self-detonated your Gundam, I thought you'd be up to it."
Heero scowled. Duo really did talk too much, not that he had a problem with Snake knowing, but still, he would have to have a 'word' with 'the God of Death' once he saw him again.
His thoughts were interrupted by something jumping down.
"A ninja?! What the hell...?"
"Arsenal's going to take off. Are you ready?"
Heero sighed, stopping Solidus was his mission, and besides, he remembered his vow to do anything to get Relena back.
"Ready." He stated emotionlessly.
The ninja allowed its face to be seen as it unsheathed its sword.
Heero recognized the woman that was revealed. Olga Gurlukovich, the leader of the very terrorist army they'd been facing.
"Ready for some shut-eye?" She said with some insult as she slammed the sword into Heero's side, sending a jolt of electricity through his armor.
The last thing Heero remembered before going out was Snake standing behind Olga with his arms crossed.