CHAPTER 5:
SHADOW MOSES ISLAND
A year later…
"It's. Fucking. Freezing," Harry snarled.
"Griffin, I grew up in Iraq," Wolf said, rolling her eyes. "You, on the other hand, grew up in England. You told me your magic school was in Scotland. You should be more used to this weather than I am. Not only that, but you've been here a few times before, and for the past few weeks now."
"There's cold," Harry said, his teeth chattering, as the two of them strode across the snowfields to the Warhead Storage Building, "and then there is cryo-fucking-genic. Even Warming Charms don't do much. I don't know how Raven can stand it with his shirt off, never mind you with your shirt on. And a jacket. It's like the frosty equivalent of Fiendfyre. Alaskan blizzards are like evil flurries of snow given sentience and malice."
"Cope. We'll go and pick up Hal and go and feed the children." As they entered the building, Wolf asked, "Have you been talking to that Johnny Sasaki again?"
"What? Oh, yeah, the tech guy. I brew him Pepper-Up potion for his colds, but he's got some sort of chronic bowel problem that I don't know how to help."
"Too much information, Griffin," Wolf said as they walked down the ramp, and into a vast, hanger-like space filled with old warheads. As long as they didn't linger, they should be fine.
They went to the elevator, and then took it down to the second basement floor. As they did so, Wolf said, "Anyway, you shouldn't be complaining about the cold. At least not in the bedroom."
"Well, there are advantages to sharing body heat," Harry chuckled. "By the way, Mantis told me to tell you not to scream in your mind so loud while we're having fun. Again."
"Fuck him," Wolf retorted. "On second thoughts, no. I wouldn't fuck him, even if he wanted me to."
Harry chuckled again. Though the mental image of Wolf and Mantis in bed together was disturbing enough. Quietly, he said to Wolf, "Think on that mental image, as loudly as you can, of you having sex with Mantis. I want to hear him screaming at the thought of the two of you in bed."
Wolf scowled, but the allure of freaking out Psycho Mantis was too much, and she concentrated. Then, Harry got a call on his CODEC line. It had taken some getting used to (though the inventor, an enthusiastic Chinese girl called Mei Ling, was helpful), but he knew how to use it. "Hello?" he asked, through what was effectively a 'telepathic' link.
"Know this, Griffin: I will find a way to kill you, and bring you back from the dead so I can do it again. Repeatedly."
"Been there, done that, Mantis. I've brushed with Death so many times, I should give her high-fives every time I pass(1)."
"…Her?"
"C'mon, Mantis, haven't you ever read The Sandman? Death is a hot goth babe."
"…Fuck off." And with that cheerful greeting, Mantis signed off.
Harry laughed. "For a psychic, he's pretty easy to fuck with."
Wolf also cackled. She enjoyed tormenting Mantis. Asexual and misanthropic, but also more than a little misogynistic, he was. Okay, she was a bit of a misandrist, but that was more of a front than a deeply-held belief.
Hal Emmerich was a thin, gawky man with glasses and messy hair. He preferred calling himself Otacon, and had posters from old video games around his programming workshop. He was the only programmer left on the base now.
Harry liked him. He was quite dorky, and seemed to like Wolf more than Harry would have liked, but he also had the good sense not to come between Harry and Wolf. Plus, Harry occasionally joined Hal for his anime nights (the only other ones who came were Ocelot and Raven, which was surprising). He found himself enjoying Neon Genesis Evangelion, in particular. Shinji reminded him quite a bit of Neville, while Gendo was like Snape, albeit with tinted glasses and a beard that wouldn't look out of place on a child molester…or Abraham Lincoln(2).
"Ah, Wolf, Griffin," Hal said, turning in his seat from where he had been engaged in his work at a terminal. "Sorry, I just need to finish this last bit of debugging. The Radome software had some problems in the last simulation. But that first railgun test was a huge success."
"I'll say," Harry said. He had seen it happen. FoxHOUND had been present at that test. The railgun was ridiculously accurate. "Heard from Emma lately?"
Hal grinned a little sheepishly. "Yeah. At least we're back on good terms now. I don't think she's forgiven me for…the incident, but we can at least exchange emails without it devolving into a flame war."
Harry nodded. On prompting from the Sorrow and Hal's mother, Dr Strangelove, Harry had persuaded Hal to get back in touch with his stepsister. It wasn't the best of reunions. They had parted on bad terms, given that Emma had nearly joined Huey Emmerich in dying in the swimming pool, while Hal was in bed with Emma's mother and his stepmother, Julie Dazinger. Emma had glimpsed what had happened, and this was actually the reason Huey committed suicide, that his new wife preferred his son to him.
Harry had to intervene during one rather angry video call, and it was probably his intervention that allowed Hal and Emma to agree to start over. And while Hal was a brilliant programmer and hacker, Emma, nicknamed 'E.E' by her stepbrother, was a prodigy.
"That's good. Did you tell her about your mother?"
Hal chuckled ruefully. "My father never spoke about her. I'm glad you got Ocelot to tell me about her, though. I wish I knew her better. As it is, I only have dim memories. But Emma, once she learned I was Dr Strangelove's son, went into fangirl mode. I think that's what has gotten her to be nicer to me."
Harry smiled. He persuaded Ocelot to tell Hal about his mother. Hal was disturbed to learn of the full depravities of his father, like nearly forcing him to become a test pilot for a Metal Gear system, as well as locking his mother into the shell of an AI system and leaving her to die. But he accepted it after some time, and resolved to model himself more on his mother, at least as far as morality was concerned (he still wanted to work in robotics, though). Ocelot even had an old tape of her last moments, and Harry was there when Hal broke down crying, hearing his mother proclaim his love for him from beyond the grave.
"Whatever works," Harry said. "I mean, you were good friends before. No reason you can't be again with a bit of effort."
Hal nodded, before he turned back to the computer. "Okay, well, I've done everything I need to for the time being. Let's go feed the kids…"
They took the elevator to the first Basement Floor, where the Commander's Office resided. They passed Liquid at his desk along the way, and gave him a polite nod. Harry knew that the man was up to something. Both the Sorrow and Ocelot said he was, and more or less what, and had told him. The time was coming when Harry would have to do what Hermione once called his 'saving people thing'.
Even so, that was no reason not to enjoy moments like this. Simple moments that reminded Harry and Wolf that they weren't just mercenaries or killers. They were human beings, capable of genuine kindness, and not faked, mechanical facsimiles of the same.
The wolf-dogs, while semi-wild, were used to Harry and Hal's presence, and loved Wolf. She had saved them from being shot not long after FoxHOUND and the Next Generation Special Forces came along.
They made their way through to a series of caves that led to the Communications Tower. It was in the caves that they fed the wolf-dogs, along with Berthold, who had taken up residence here for the past little while. Berthold still retained his loyalty and love for Wolf, though.
"The final test is coming in a week," Hal said. "Once I get all the bugs worked out, the definitive test of the railgun will happen."
"Impressive piece of work," Harry remarked. "Plus, REX looks pretty intimidating. Looks like a big mechanical Godzilla."
Hal chuckled. "One of the latest transfers said that too. She's usually assigned to my lab, but she was assigned to the REX hangar. Meryl, I think her name was."
Harry remembered meeting her in the mess yesterday, actually. Redhead, rather sexy. When she learned who he was, she got slightly fangirly, like Ginny, only more restrained. As it turned out, she was Roy Campbell's niece, and a major FoxHOUND fan. She was a bit more interested in learning what he had to say about Solid Snake, though. Eager, and more than a little wet around the ears, but serious about her profession.
He just hoped she would survive what was coming.
As they came through afterwards, Liquid halted them, having been joined in the office by Ocelot and Mantis. "Griffin, Wolf, stay here. Dr Emmerich, go back to your lab. I have someone waiting outside to escort you."
Hal grimaced, but went out through the door, saying nervous goodbyes to Harry and Wolf as he left. After the door closed and was locked behind him, Liquid looked at them both. "Sit down."
Harry did so, a little rankled by Liquid's authoritarian attitude.
"I've made up my mind," Liquid said. "This place, Shadow Moses, is where we make our stand, where we fight against our fate. No longer will we be beholden to the whims of governments. This is what the Boss wanted. This is what Big Boss wanted."
"What are you talking about, Liquid?" Harry asked, though he actually knew very well what he meant.
"After the final test, we are taking over this island," Liquid said. "We are taking Metal Gear. Ocelot and Mantis have helped formulate a plan. My only question to you two is: Are you in?" Ocelot raised his revolver, aiming it at them. "Or out?"
"If this is what Big Boss wanted, count me in," Wolf said without hesitation.
"And you, Griffin?" Liquid asked. "In? Or out?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "In, of course," he muttered wearily. "Were you expecting anything different?"
"You're part of the old guard of FoxHOUND, Griffin. Can't be too sure," Liquid said as Ocelot put his revolver away. "At least we know you're not for the Patriots."
"Liquid, I am sure that none of FoxHOUND is for the Patriots," Harry said. "Even the old guard. Your brother and Colonel Campbell would want them demolished."
"Well, they toil in blissful ignorance like dogs on the leash, and I don't intend to disillusion them. At least not yet. We're choosing to revolt because President Sears is signing START III. This will be a very uncomfortable time for him. How silly he was to have Metal Gear REX finishing development during this time."
"What happened to that special forces unit of his? Dead Cell? It's still around, isn't it?"
"Yes, but thanks to their antics, we're under scrutiny too," Liquid said bitterly. "There's rumblings that special forces with too many people with…abnormal abilities and personalities are a bad thing."
"Or, as Sears put it to me," Ocelot said, "people are getting scared of the Freak Brigades."
Freak Brigades was the colloquial term for elite special forces units, particularly those with questionable pasts and even more questionable abilities. Despite being called a freak by the Dursleys for much of his life, Harry found the term highly amusing. "They don't remember how the Cobra Unit saved the Allies' collective arses during World War II?" he asked.
"Yes, but they also remember that they turned traitor and went behind the Iron Curtain with the Boss during the Virtuous Mission," Ocelot pointed out. "Plus, you have all those people working under Big Boss at Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land."
"Fair point. But also another fair point: aren't we basically doing what Big Boss did at Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land? And, for that matter, Volgin, if you substitute Metal Gear with the Shagohod? Or San Hieronymo, and…"
"You've made your point, Griffin," Liquid snapped irritably. "But unlike Big Boss or Volgin, I intend to use some leverage. Once the power of Metal Gear REX is demonstrated, governments the world over will be scrambling to obtain it. In addition, Ocelot has been promised resources by an old comrade, Colonel Gurlukovich. Mark my words, you two. Soon, this desolate little speck of an island will become the flashpoint for a global revolution."
Harry nodded. Even so, though, he knew that it would probably not be the revolution Liquid wanted. He knew that Liquid was a puppet, and that while he knew the Patriots were pulling the strings, they were far from the only puppeteers.
His eyes met those of Ocelot, who inclined his head ever-so-slightly. He knew the man was playing his own little game. The only question was, did Harry and Wolf's survival factor into it? Did anyone's? Or did Ocelot intend to be the last man standing at the end of it all?
CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:
Yet another chapter down. We're finally at Shadow Moses, and Liquid's getting ready to rebel. Next chapter will take place during the initial stages of the revolt, with Harry bringing Meryl into custody, and the DARPA Chief getting fried.
Review-answering time! Squadpunk 2.0: See above for the debut of Otacon.
Zazi The Beast: Frankly, I would think that he would be ready to kill them if they launched a surprise attack, but he also listens because they may have good intel. Psycho Mantis and Vulcan Raven are cases in point in the game.
1. This is taken from Gordon Freeman's line at the end of Episode 22 of Freeman's Mind. I thought it funny, and decided to have Harry crib it.
2. This is used to NERV's advantage in the fanfic Nobody Dies. Long story short, Gendo Ikari (who is a more moral character in that story) dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to avert disaster in one chapter. There's a really good reason for that that I don't intend to spoil.