CHAPTER 6:

NEMO

Harry gently laid down the prone body of the young woman onto the bed, before he left the cell, closed and locked the door, and then waved his wand at her. "Finite," he murmured.

Almost instantly, Meryl Silverburgh was on her feet, glaring at him. "You bastard," she snarled.

"I'm an orphan, not a bastard," Harry said dryly. "And you should be grateful that a Body-Bind is all I did to you. As it stands, you're good leverage. We know who your uncle is."

"And you've betrayed him!" Meryl snapped. "He said you were a good man! Do good men do things like this?"

"…Maybe one day, I should tell you about the Boss," Harry said. Suddenly, the lights flickered, and then went out for several seconds, before coming back on. Harry knew what had caused it, and sighed. "Anyway, if it makes you feel any better, anyone who says they're going to try anything with you, outside of this little fracas, anyway, I will personally neuter. Just let me know if anyone does threaten you. If you'll excuse me."

"YOU FOOL! YOU KILLED HIM!"

"I'm sorry, sir."

Harry entered on a rather macabre scene. The DARPA Chief, Donald Anderson, was dead, if the wisps of smoke and the fragrant bouquet of charred flesh and voided bowels was any indication. Harry knew this was coming. Ocelot had been recognised by the former DARPA Chief. They had kept quiet about knowing each other, but Ocelot was taking down the still living and public members of Zero's branch of the Patriots. A shame the man once known as SIGINT was dead. Despite the man's greed for bribes, he was also one of the more intelligent men Harry knew.

Liquid was berating Ocelot, who had been operating the special electrocution table that Anderson had been secured to. Mantis, meanwhile, looked on. "His mental shielding was strong. I couldn't dive into his mind."

"Now we'll never get that detonation code!" Liquid snarled.

"Boss…" Mantis said quietly. "I have a good idea…"

"About time you had one," Harry remarked. "We should have a cake for the occasion."

"Oh, fuck off, Griffin!" Mantis retorted. "What did you do with Silverburgh?"

"Put her into a cell," Harry said, shrugging. "That's the joy of magic, really. You can cast a Body-Bind on them, and they're frozen until you release it, or it wears off. Anyway, unless you need me anywhere else, I'll go and monitor the likely insertion location of Solid Snake…" He blinked. "Did I just say that out loud?"

"Yes," chorused Liquid, Ocelot, and Mantis.

"Okay, well…"

"Actually, Griffin, I need access to your reserves of that Polyjuice Potion you brew for Octopus," Mantis said. "He'll need to look like Anderson. It will work with hairs taken from a corpse, won't it?"

"I think so," Harry said. "He's freshly dead, so I'd take them off him now. If not, Octopus will have to do it the old-fashioned way. Why are you going to get Octopus to imitate the DARPA Chief, anyway?"

"Need to know basis at this moment. Just get me the damn potion, and then go to the insertion location…"

Harry made his way to the old loading dock, once used by subs to offload supplies here. He had his Invisibility Cloak at the ready, and he was thinking very carefully about how he was going to screw over Liquid, without alienating Wolf. Especially now he knew what the plan was.

When the rebellion first began, Harry contacted, on Ocelot's suggestion, Richard Ames, a member of the Defence Intelligence Agency. While working for the Patriots, or at least the artificial intelligences calling themselves that, Ames was also his best chance at allowing Harry to speak to Campbell and Snake.

Ocelot had also given Harry and Wolf a couple of syringes. As far as Wolf was concerned, it was a cold vaccine, but Ocelot had managed to procure the FoxDIE vaccine.

There was an additional problem. Gray Fox had arrived on Shadow Moses Island, having fled Naomi's home some weeks ago. Naomi had said that he had a premonition, that he and Snake would be fighting before long. Harry had yet been able to track down the Cyborg Ninja, though, but he had killed three people here.

Anyway, as far as Ames, Campbell, and Snake were concerned, he was an anonymous informant. He called himself Nemo. A bit clichéd, but whatever.

Liquid soon came down, and looked around. He inspected everywhere, before he turned to Harry, who hadn't donned his cloak. "Ocelot has dealt with Miller. I'll be masquerading as him through the Codec. You keep an eye on Snake. Don't interfere unless necessary."

"So, the plan is, lure him through Shadow Moses, and have him find out how to override the PAL, assuming he doesn't know already? And we have the others fight against him in order to find out what he knows? Risky plan."

"Who dares, wins," Liquid said. "The motto of the SAS."

"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible time," Harry retorted. "Finagle's Law. He may have orders to kill us. And you know that Naomi may very well have been ordered to use that FoxDIE assassination virus she's been developing."

"The vaccine's been added to our list of demands. You just play your role, Griffin."

Harry snorted, before donning his cloak, and then climbing up onto a container. As Liquid spent a few more minutes checking the arrangements, Harry called Campbell on the Codec frequency he had been given by Ames. He had learned how to mask his voice and face in the feed, as well as prevent FoxHOUND from finding out he was betraying them. Amazing what some magic could do to nanotechnology.

"Hello? Who is this?" came Campbell's voice.

"This is Nemo. When will Snake be here?"

"He's on his way. You're the informant Ames was talking about?"

"Of course. I will have to remain hidden for the time being. Liquid cannot know that I intend his betrayal. In exchange for helping Snake out, I require a full pardon for myself, and one other FoxHOUND member. That is all."

"I cannot promise anything. I'm just a figurehead, Snake's immediate superior. But I'll do what I can. Can I give Snake your Codec frequency?"

It was the frequency he set up for his masquerade as Nemo, rather than his standard one as Thaumaturge Griffin. "Of course. Nemo out."

Just as Nemo finished, his eyes caught some movement in the water. A man dressed in diving gear emerged from the water. Just then, Liquid finished his inspection, calling out as he went onto the lift, "Stay alert! He'll be through here, I know it. I've got to go and swat down some bothersome flies."

As the lift ascended, the man in the diving gear knelt down and pressed a couple of fingers to his ear. Clearly he was still getting used to Codec. A few minutes passed, before suddenly Harry heard a trilling noise in his own ears. Snake was calling him. He answered it. "This is Snake. Is this Nemo?"

"Of course. I'd suggest you get a move-on once the lift comes back. We'll talk in further detail once you're at the heliport."

After hiding on the same lift with Snake as it ascended, Harry waited patiently as Snake went through his Codec call, along with watching Liquid take off in his Hind-D. Harry made his way to a parked truck and waited. Eventually, he was called up again. "Nemo here."

"Nemo, as you seem to be an informant here, tell me, what's going on?"

"Hmm…well, it's very complicated, but one thing you must understand, Snake, is that Campbell isn't in charge. Houseman is, though President Sears has overriding authority. Thus, Campbell is not being told the whole story, or is being ordered to keep it from you. Keep in mind Campbell is doing this under duress: his niece is one of the hostages."

"I know, Meryl Silverburgh. So what you're saying is that Campbell's intel can't be trusted?"

"Not the intel, no, at least as far as what he's NOT telling you is concerned. He will give you good intel for the most part, but he's not telling you anywhere near the whole story. But if push comes to shove, he will help you. Unfortunately, he's being forced to keep silent on a few, important points, and these are points that I will tell you about. This isn't just a nuclear warhead disposal facility. It is, big surprise, also a facility for developing the latest Metal Gear system."

"Metal Gear?! It can't be!"

"Actually, it can. Hal Emmerich, the guy who designed it based on Granin's old blueprints, was designing it to be a TMD, but he got duped. He wanted it to just shoot down missiles, but now, it's the latest iteration of your favourite nuke-laden walking deathmobile. Now, of course, you can't discuss this yet with Campbell or anyone else on the sub: Houseman will be watching, and he'll wonder where you got that info from. Like I said, you can trust Campbell to a point: he's not helping you out as much as he'd like because he's under duress. But try to be careful what you say to him. Now, some rather more pertinent intel: the DARPA Chief is dead. The man who currently has his nanomachines is Decoy Octopus, albeit using an appearance-altering concoction cooked up by Thaumaturge Griffin. They're trying to see if you know the PAL code, and if not, they'll try to trick you into using the emergency override key. That, by the way, is with Silverburgh. There's a knack to using the key that we don't know. Supposedly there are three keys, but I suspect a trick with them. Anyway, when you see the DARPA Chief, remember that it's Decoy Octopus. Don't worry, he doesn't have orders to kill or attack you: once you free him, he's just going to scurry off and hide."

"Got it. Just act like he's the DARPA Chief, right? What about Baker?"

"I think Ocelot took him into the second floor basement of the tank hangar. Anderson and Silverburgh, incidentally, are in the first floor basement. I'd ask if you have any questions, but I'm sure you have many more, and I'll answer them shortly. I do have one more warning: FoxHOUND's old medic, Dr Clarke, revived your old war buddy Gray Fox some time ago. The poor bastard's currently on Shadow Moses, and if I know him, he wants a showdown with you."

"Gray Fox? But…how?"

"Long story short, Dr Clarke didn't really give a crap about the natural order of life, death, and medical ethics. She turned him into a Cyborg Ninja, so if you ever see a blue-coloured robot-like exoskeleton with a single glowing eye, wielding a katana, and demanding you fight a battle to the death with him, that's Gray Fox. He's already killed a few of the soldiers here. He's insane, which I guess what happens when you meddle with bringing the dead back to life. He's normally fine when he's had his meds, but unfortunately, he's been off them for a while."

"…Great. Anyone else from my past who's not dead?"

"Well, Big Boss is in a coma, but that's another story."

"…You're kidding, right?"

"Snake, believe me, I'd know if he's dead. Besides, I know a guy who knows what's going on. Anyway, I'll let you ask one question. We'll get in touch once you meet the so-called DARPA Chief, and we'll discuss things then."

"Just one, huh? Then tell me: is Liquid Snake truly my brother?"

"Yes. I'll tell you the details later. And he's not your only one. You have a third brother."

"…Terrific. I'll contact you after I meet Octopus. Snake out."

Harry followed Snake into the tank hangar (using the front door, rather than the ventilation ducts Snake used), and soon followed him into the first floor basement. He used the cloak to get close to the door, and listen to the conversation. Snake was a good actor, almost as good as Octopus. He made no sign of knowing that the man in the cell was Decoy Octopus.

And then, suddenly, while asking Snake about some things, Octopus convulsed, crying out in pain, before sagging to the ground, dead, of an apparent heart attack. Harry knew better. Meryl began yelling for help, and Johnny Sasaki, like a fool, rushed to her cell, and opened it. Meryl then promptly beat the crap out of him, before swiftly divesting him of his clothes. She then opened Snake's cell door, while Harry, knowing this was going to get ugly very soon, moved into her cell, keeping it open.

Even as Meryl and Snake argued, a squad of soldiers appeared, and they were forced to fight back, Meryl understandably nervous about actually killing someone for the first time. Soon, the squad was decimated, and she fled, firing at Snake in an apparent attempt to deter him from following her. And then, Harry felt the distinctive presence of Mantis nearby briefly. Snake was silent for a time, save for his breathing, and Harry realised he was using his Codec. Eventually, Harry heard a new call for him. "This is Snake. Are you there, Nemo?"

"Well, it's not Major Tom," Harry remarked. "But yeah."

"Anderson…well, Octopus is dead. From a heart attack. Campbell seemed to know something, but didn't tell me. Do you know?"

"I suspect. It seems like the Pentagon have deployed FoxDIE, with you as its vector. I don't understand all the technical explanations: it's basically a nanomachine-assisted retrovirus that targets people with specific DNA profiles. In short, it's a targeted assassination weapon, developed by Naomi Hunter. You shouldn't let on that you know. Houseman is probably trying to off FoxHOUND. Campbell knows more than he's telling, but please don't hold it against him. I know what he's truly like, Snake, and it's probably tearing him up inside to deceive you."

"My heart bleeds," Snake remarked acidly. "But what's your game, Nemo? Why are you betraying FoxHOUND?"

"Because unlike Liquid, I know the truth about whose ideal he is fighting for. Did you ever learn of who trained Big Boss?"

"No."

"It was the Boss. You should look her up some time. But don't believe the history books. They claim she defected to the USSR, when in reality, she was a double agent, trying to prevent a madman from throwing the world into conflict. She wanted a world united, by peace and understanding, and where soldiers were not prey to politics. Unfortunately, your father misunderstood her. The Boss is who I strive to emulate. Plus, I want to get out of this with myself and the one I love out intact, thank you very much. Along with the innocents, obviously."

"Hmm. I'd better go and deal with Baker. Is what Octopus said reliable?"

"About the new walled-up doors? Yes. You can find some C-4 in the second floor basement, it's an armoury after all. Just a heads-up, though, you'll have company down there, and he'll have a nasty surprise in wait. Nemo out." Harry hung up, and then tailed Snake covertly to the lift. Hopefully, he could help the seasoned operative out. He just hoped he could get Wolf, Hal, and Meryl out of this alive…

CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:

Harry begins helping Solid Snake. Hopefully, this will end up for the best.

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