OPERATION INTRUDE N313
DAY SIX – 0032 HOURS
UNDERGROUND WAREHOUSE, NEAR THE WATERWAYS
The impromptu four-man squad of Snake, Wikus, and the other two men who introduced themselves as Cyrus and Christopher pushed forward with purpose back up the tunnel to the ladder by the freight elevator. Snake covered his team as they descended back to the warehouse below before climbing down himself and tapping the shoulder of the point man, who took up the rear.
As he and the rebels quickly moved behind the concealment of the stocked shelving, Snake clutched at his stinging chest and examined his hand, his finger glowing deep crimson in the dim lighting. Snake was in the middle of the fire team element, and he noticed that he and his team were moving slower due to their injuries. If and when they made it out of here, all four of them were going to need medical attention. Snake shook his head. Don't think about it, he reminded himself. Compartmentalize.
He tried to ignore the slight shaking of his hands as he held his rifle, or the small limp that carried him as he hobbled alongside the three other equally battered spies. Between the four of them, they might make up one single healthy soldier, Snake joked grimly to himself. The dark humor was all he could do to keep himself steady.
Wikus took point, guiding them through the warehouse and using silent hand signals to warn of incoming patrols so they could keep themselves concealed. On the other side of the shelving was a tunnel that broke off into a small aqueduct over which was suspended a metal walkway. The sound of running water could be heard faintly from far below. Alongside the walkway were metal pipes lining up against the wall, turning the corner before disappearing into the wall next to a continuation of the concrete tunnel.
The group waited for the patrols to move far enough away before heading to the walkway, hoping that the distance and the sound of the water below would muffle their footsteps on the metal grating as they made their way across the chasm into the opposite tunnel. Once back on solid concrete, they passed a couple of doors and stopped at one more corner. Wikus held up a fist, signaling the makeshift squad to halt. He peeked around the corner.
Wikus looked over his shoulder to Snake, who stood behind him. "At the end of this tunnel is the cell where they're keeping the old man," he whispered. "There are two guards posted outside the door, facing this way. If we open fire, we might be heard from up the tunnel."
"Hang on," said Snake. He fished out of his vest pocket an empty 9mm magazine that he'd been hanging onto for the sake of collecting ammo from any enemy sentries that they might have to put down.
"Switch places with me," Snake grunted.
Snake took up the point position while Wikus moved to the second position of the element. Snake placed his back against the wall and sidled up to the corner. "What're you going to do?" whispered Cyrus.
Snake just held a finger to his lips, before tossing the magazine into the hall. The piece of metal bounced along the concrete; the tunnel dim enough that it would have been difficult to make out the source of the noise from the well-lit door where the guards stood.
"What was that?" said a voice from down the way. There was a moment of silence, then: "I'm gonna check it out."
Snake waved the squad back into the shadows, and together they waited for the guard to appear from around the corner. The merc slowly and cautiously approached their position in the dark, seeming to stare right at them. They all tensed. A few seconds passed, and the guard relaxed, turning around. "It's nothing," he called.
Snake lunged forward and wrapped his hand around the guard's mouth in a vice grip and grabbed the top of the guard's head with his other hand. Within seconds, the guard's neck was broken, his gulping scream stifled by Snake's arms as he quickly wrapped them around the merc's torso to keep the body from falling to the ground. With Cyrus's help, the body was lifted further up the tunnel so it wouldn't end up in the other guard's view.
"Hey, Fallon, what's wrong?" called out the other guard on station. "Fallon, answer me!"
Struck with inspiration, Snake moved back up to the edge of the corner and whistled, before extending his arm into view and waving. "Come over here real quick," Snake whispered. He drew his knife.
"Why are you whispering?" the guard asked bemusedly as he obeyed the odd request. Seconds later, as soon as he was around the corner, Snake rushed him, pinning him against the wall as he stabbed the man three times in the gut. When Snake withdrew his knife on the third stab, he was once again given a front-seat view of the life leaving a man's eyes as he collapsed in front of him. Snake glanced down at the blood on his knife and on his hand. He wiped the blade and his hand on the guard's shirt.
Snake didn't know when exactly this became so easy for him to do, but the fact that he now did it so mechanically without hesitation or sickness unsettled him. Snake took a breath and put the thought out of his mind. He waved his squad forth. They still had a job to do. He grabbed the dead guard's card key.
"Cover the rear," Snake ordered. Cyrus and Christopher took up positions at the corners adjacent to the metal cell door and aimed their weapons back down the hall. Snake and Wikus stacked up on the door, and on a silent count of one, two, three, Snake quickly opened the door and burst in ahead of Wikus, who came up behind him.
The single occupant immediately cowered as two soldiers towered over him, leveling their weapons at him. "No, please!" the old man cried feebly in Russian as he backed himself into a corner.
"Quiet," Snake commanded. He turned to Wikus. "Keep your gun trained on him. I'm going to search him."
Snake moved forward and patted down the prisoner, an old man in a torn khaki suit and a dark, filthy lab coat that used to be white. Once Snake was certain that the prisoner had no weapons, he told the old man, "Look at me."
The old man did as he was told, tears falling freely from his eyes and into his bushy white moustache before landing onto his tie and staining the lapels of his suit jacket. This was the scientist Snake had been sent to rescue, he was sure of it. "Drago Pettrovich Madnar?" Snake asked in confirmation.
"Y-yes?"
"Dr. Madnar, my name is Solid Snake. I'm here to get you out," Snake said, extending a hand to help the doctor to his feet.
"W-what?" Dr. Madnar muttered with disbelief. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at his saviors.
"I'm here to get you out," Snake repeated. "If you'll follow me right this way, sir. We need to go. Right now."
Dr. Madnar's expression became searching as he looked into Snake's and Wikus's faces. Whatever he was looking for must have satisfied him, because his face was awash with relief a second later. "Oh, thank God!" he cried, taking Snake's hand and pulling himself to his feet.
"B-but what about my Ellen?" Dr. Madnar asked nervously. "She's being kept here too."
"Right now, our focus is on making sure you get out of here alive," Snake replied.
This was the wrong answer. Dr. Madnar's voice rose in panicked anger. "I'm not going anywhere without my daughter!"
Wikus's eyes widened in alarm as he looked to Snake. The old man's complaining was going to get them killed. Snake nodded to Wikus in agreement—they did not have time for this. He shoved Dr. Madnar into a wall, pinning him with his arm. The old man gasped painfully. Snake drew his pistol, pulled back the hammer, and pointed it at the old Russian's head. Dr. Madnar shook with fear as he went limp, the little fight left in his body abandoning him. Wikus looked surprised but said nothing.
"Listen to me very closely," Snake slowly and deliberately whispered, his words heavy. "We are not safe here. Every sound you make—every second you waste—is a chance for us to be found and killed, and then nobody makes it out, your daughter included."
The old Russian's eyes darted between Snake's stony face and the gun's barrel. He licked his lips, his moustache twitching.
"You endanger us all with your outbursts," Snake continued. "You do that again, and I'll kill you myself. Indicate to me whether you understand." Snake felt a weighty bead of sweat slowly drip down the side of his face. He ignored it.
Dr. Madnar nodded his head nervously, eyes wide with shock.
Snake lowered and uncocked the hammer of his weapon and then withdrew his arm so that Dr. Madnar could move freely again. "We will get Ellen out," he promised. "But in order to do that, I need you to do your part by shutting the hell up…and doing what I tell you. Got it?"
"I understand," Dr. Madnar whispered.
Snake turned to Wikus. "You said you knew where the girl's being held?"
"No, but Cyrus does."
"Then we'll have him lead. You watch our VIP. I'll watch your back."
Wikus nodded, putting a leading arm around Dr. Madnar's shoulder as he led him out of the cell, Snake close behind. Christopher took up the rear position, and with Cyrus at the front, the squad and their VIP retraced their steps back through the tunnel and the warehouse to the waterways, taking care to dodge patrols as they went.
The pathways lining the canals were so narrow that the team was forced to walk single file to avoid knocking each other into the water. The further into the maze they navigated, the more disoriented Snake became by the surroundings as every section of tunnel looked more and more the same. Cyrus didn't show any confusion as they turned down a series of tunnels and descended down some sloping walkways. Snake was glad that at least one of them appeared to know where he was going.
After descending a short stairway, the group came up to a door on their left a few paces ahead. Cyrus stopped them just ahead of the door and grabbed the handle. Slowly, Cyrus cracked open the door and peeked inside. After a moment of silence, he pushed the door further in and led the rest down a corridor. At the end of the hallway was a second door. Cyrus once again took a position just out of view of the doorframe and put his hand on the knob.
"Down these stairs is a short hall with a small maintenance office, a boiler room and a couple of storerooms. One of these storerooms was repurposed to serve as the girl's cell," Cyrus explained. "There's bound to be three or four guards down there, at least."
"Then we'll need to move fast to keep them from raising an alarm if we don't want to have to fight our way out," Wikus said.
"Agreed," Snake replied. "Christopher, stay behind and keep the good doctor secure. Cyrus, Wikus and I will head down and eliminate the threats."
"No, I want to go with you," Dr. Madnar demanded.
Snake shut him down quickly. "Not a chance," he said. "You'll just get in the way. We can't have you as a liability with the enemies down there. Christopher, we'll call you down when it's clear. Stay up here and act as our lookout till then."
"You've got it, boss," Chris replied.
Snake thought of Big Boss and his home back at FOXHOUND. He shook his head. Stay focused, he told himself. He looked to Cyrus. "On your go," he ordered.
There was a silent count, and Cyrus opened the door to admit the three down the stairs to the hallway. There were three doors on the left, and one at the end.
"We'll go room by room," Snake whispered.
Cyrus nodded, and they stacked up on the first door, with Snake resting a hand on Cyrus's shoulder and Wikus on Snake's. Snake gave Cyrus a squeeze, and they burst through the door into the office, Cyrus pointing his gun into the face of a surprised maintenance technician sitting at his desk facing the door.
"Freeze! Put your hands up!" Cyrus demanded.
The tech did as he was told while Snake and Wikus checked the rest of the room. The room had two desks, one facing the door where the tech sat, and another on the left in the corner. Cluttered around the desks were cardboard boxes of varying size filled with documents and random machined parts and valves. There was also a couple of wall lockers in the corner opposite the corner desk. Snake checked under the desk and behind the boxes while Wikus checked the lockers.
"Clear," they both called out, pointing their weapons at the technician.
"How many others are down here?" Snake demanded.
"F-four," he answered. "A sentry in the cell, and two more in the boiler room."
Snake nodded, commanding to Wikus, "Secure him."
"On it."
Wikus grabbed a baggie of zip ties from the locker and tied the tech's ankles together and his arms behind his back, then yanked a shop rag from a stack of boxes and shoved it into the tech's mouth. He shoved the technician into one of the open wall lockers, shoving his pistol in his face threateningly.
"Don't you fookin' move," Wikus hissed.
The tech nodded, and Wikus closed the locker door. "Let's hit the next room," he said, and the group stepped out into the hall and moved to the next door, which had a plaque labeled 'BOILER ROOM, DOOR A' in bold letters. The door immediately next door was door B.
Once again, the squad stacked up on the door and once ready, burst into the room. The boiler room was large and filled with steam, heat, and noise. The rumbling of the four massive boilers that hummed and provided heat and energy to the rooms above camouflaged the squad's footsteps as they pushed into the tight spaces of the room. Above them were grated catwalks overlooking the metal occupants, surrounding hanging light fixtures that sparsely lit the room. At the edge of one of the catwalks on the opposite wall was a door with a sentry standing outside of it.
Snake gave a silent hand signal, and the three men split up to wind around the boilers and root out any other enemy, keeping out of the overhead light to stay out of sight from the sentry above. Cyrus caught a guard sitting on a stool with a toolbox next to him, elbow deep in the innards of a machine. Cyrus snuck up behind and plunged his knife in the guard's throat, dragging him into the dark. The lower section of the room now clear, the team regrouped at the bottom of the ladder leading to the catwalk above.
The ladder itself was bathed in light, but beneath the door guard's notice. Cyrus and Wikus covered the room behind them while Snake climbed up first. When he reached the top, his feet hitting the metal grating caught the guard's attention. Snake quickly pointed his pistol and plugged the guard multiple times, hoping that the noise of the boiler room would overpower the sound of the gunshots. He took up a position by the door, waiting for Cyrus and Wikus to ascend and join him, Wikus's hand on his shoulder to let them know they were ready. Wikus squeezed, and Snake moved into the storeroom, where they found nothing but tool shelves and a couple of crates.
Satisfied that the boiler room area was clear, they returned back to the hallway, where they heard gunshots and Madnar yelling something in Russian. Snake looked to his men. "Back upstairs!" he barked, and they rushed to the hallway's entrance just in time to see a guard's corpse finish tumbling down the stairs. Snake looked up to see the faces of Christopher and Madnar.
"Where'd he come from?" Snake demanded.
"Same hallway you did," Christopher called down.
"He must have been the fourth guard," Wikus said. He and Cyrus looked to Snake.
"Someone might have heard those gunshots. There's no alarms yet, but we'll be safer if we assume that it's just a matter of time. Let's grab the girl and get out of here. Christopher, take a position at the bottom of the stairs."
"Understood," acknowledged Christopher.
"Dr. Madnar, come with us, it'll be safer for you down here until we're ready to leave."
Dr. Madnar nodded hurriedly and together both men jogged down the stairs to the bottom. Snake, Wikus, Cyrus, and Madnar moved down the hall to the last door at the end. Snake waved Madnar to the side as he and the two others stacked up on the door. Once Snake got the other two men's confirmation, they quickly burst in, checking the small room.
Ellen was found hiding underneath the bed, trembling. Snake and Cyrus crouched down on one side, startling her into crawling out, right into the arms of Wikus, who picked her up to her feet.
"Check her," Snake ordered. Wikus complied and started checking her for weapons.
"What are you doing!?" Dr. Madnar shouted while Cyrus restrained him.
Snake and Wikus ignored the scientist. When Wikus was finished, he nodded to Snake. Snake faced her, looking her in the eye. His tall, shadowed figure and cold expression made Ellen flinch, but his voice was soft and warm as he spoke to her in Russian.
"Ellen, right? My name is Snake. We're here to get you out of this place. Your father's here, too. You'll be safe with us."
Ellen looked around and spotted Dr. Madnar. "Ottsa?" she asked.
"Ellen!" gasped the scientist. Together, they rushed forward and embraced each other.
Snake put a hand on Dr. Madnar's shoulder as he addressed them both. "I appreciate your need for a reunion, doctor, but we're not out of danger yet. We need to get moving."
"Right. Of course. This way, Doch," Dr. Madnar led his daughter under the guiding arm of Cyrus as the team returned through the hallway to rejoin Christopher, and together they emerged back into the waterway tunnels.
"We'll head back to the warehouse area," Wikus said, once again leading the way. "There will be a loading dock just outside the end of that tunnel you saw. You have transport?"
"We're working on it," Snake said. As they double-timed to retrace their steps back to the warehouse section, Snake turned on his radio for the first time since he came to R&D.
"Dr. Eliza Stone, this is Cpl. John Connors," Snake said, being careful to stick with established aliases, in case anyone was listening in. "I've got the passengers you requested back in Medical. We're heading to a warehouse tunnel just above the end of the waterways. Do you have transportation ready?"
Snake felt some of his wounds tearing, the sting of the cloth of his uniform brushing against the open cuts intensifying as he moved as fast as he could with the rest of the squad. His breathing was heavy, and he was beginning to feel light-headed. He needed to get these people out of here before he ran the risk of passing out.
"Hello, Corporal, I read you," came Jennifer's voice. "We've secured a truck for your medical transport offsite as well as bandages to cover the extreme facial injuries that were reported earlier."
The bandages were Jennifer's idea: a way to mask the identities of himself and the Rebel spies he'd rescued in case of vehicle inspection on the way out.
"I also retrieved those special medical supplies we needed," Snake said, referring to the VIP hostages. "But I've got no way to carry them out securely without violating security protocols. Do you have anything that might help?"
"We can conceal the supplies in the truck bed, but we have nothing for the loading dock—the supplies will be totally exposed. You'll need to find a way to conceal them per protocol yourself."
Snake growled in frustration before answering, "Roger that. We'll be coming up on you shortly. Be ready with the truck." He quickly cut off the call. He didn't want to spend any more time on the radio than he had to. As they returned to the underground warehouse, Snake spotted a stack of large cardboard boxes, giving him an idea. He grabbed three boxes and took the team to the janitor's closet where he'd stashed the ex-Spetsnaz. The guard was still there, still as subdued and still as pissed off as Snake had left him.
Snake gave the guard a nod and a friendly smirk as he stepped over him to grab a roll of bandages off the shelves before locking the door once more and returning to his team and the two hostages they'd saved and directing them to the ladder next to the freight elevator.
"What're you going to do with those?" Wikus asked curiously, pointing to the bandages in Snake's fist and the flattened boxes under his arm.
"They're going to be our ticket out of here," Snake explained. "Just trust me."
Looking around and spotting no one, the group stepped onto the freight elevator and crouched low as Snake pressed the button to send them up. The siren blared twice to announce their ascent as the elevator rumbled upward. Nearby guards looked over, but by then the elevator platform was high enough to obscure their crouched forms.
When they reached the top, the group moved into the tunnel to the very end, where they ran up some small steps to a side door that led to the loading dock. Snake opened the door a crack and stuck his head out. Mercenaries were moving along the dock, hauling cargo into waiting trucks. In the truck nearest to them, Snake spotted Jennifer looking nervously out of the driver's side window.
Snake closed the door and started unrolling the bandages, handing them out to the three rebels. "Wrap your heads in this, to obscure your faces," he said. "We're going to send you three to the truck first."
"What about you?" asked Wikus as they accepted the strips.
"Madnar, Ellen, and I will go across separately once you're safely loaded in the truck bed. That's what the boxes are for—camouflage."
The three men all looked confused. Cyrus asked, "How will cardboard boxes—"
Snake cut him off with a stern shake of the head. "No time to argue. Just to be ready to go on my mark."
Snake thumbed his radio again. "Dr. Stone, this is Connors again. I've got your patients right here, but it'll take me a moment to get your supplies out to you. I'm going to send the injured out to you first while I get them ready, if you don't mind," he said casually.
He saw Jennifer step out of the truck and walk confidently to the back of the covered bed, lowering the tailgate before answering. "Roger," she said. "We're ready for them."
"Go, now!" Snake commanded, and Cyrus and Wikus marched out there, each carrying one of Christopher's arms around their shoulders as he made a show of stumbling with them. Jennifer extended her arms as she welcomed them into the truck.
Snake unfolded the boxes and crouched low to the ground. As Madnar and Ellen crouched to follow his example, Snake pulled the boxes over their heads. Ellen gasped in surprise.
"What are you doing?" she asked, lifting her head through the box's top flaps.
Snake pushed her head down causing her to yelp in protest before pulling his own box over himself. He spoke to the other two through the slits of their boxes. "Listen carefully," he instructed. "We're going to be disguised as boxes of medical supplies on the truck, and we're going to use these boxes to camouflage ourselves as we move across the loading dock. There's so many boxes lying around, the enemy won't know the difference."
The box around Snake shifted comically as he turned himself completely around to face the door. He reached up out of the box to grasp the handle before turning his head over his shoulder to address the Madnars. "Stay low and move only when I do," he said.
He pushed the door ajar, and together the three boxes rushed forward across the dock.
Jennifer looked up to see the three boxes with legs scurrying along, just three pairs of bent legs moving as fast as their feet could carry them. She'd never seen anything like it before.
"What the hell are they doing?" she said under her breath. She looked to the side and noticed a couple of mercenaries turning in their direction and moved out of view around the side of the truck so that she could frantically gesture for the boxes to get down. The three boxes complied, looking for all the world to be just three stray boxes left unattended on the dock, just waiting to be loaded.
One of the mercs approached one of the boxes, inspected it, and turned to face her. "Excuse me," he said. "Are these yours or ours?"
"They're mine," Jennifer called out. "Sorry about that. Just had to set them down to talk with my navigator for a moment."
"You want us to help you load them?"
"No thanks," Jennifer said, waving him off. "That won't be necessary. I appreciate the offer, though."
The guard took one last look at the box before shrugging. He said, "There's no shipping label on these. Don't forget to check with the clerk to get them printed out."
Jennifer nodded, smiling. "I will. Thanks!"
The guards turned their backs and moved back to their dock, and the boxes popped up to move up to the truck again. Hands reached out through the canvas to help Ellen climb inside, followed by her father and finally Snake. Snake made sure to pull the boxes in with him. The three Rebel spies sat on the benches on either side while Snake and the Madnars huddled together in their boxes towards the front next to the cab.
Snake heard Jennifer climb into the driver's seat and tap the rear view window. He pushed his fist out the top of the box to give a thumb's up. Within seconds, the diesel engine was rumbling, and the truck slowly rolled out of the dock and turned northward to the security checkpoint on the far side of the R&D complex.
Dr. Petrokov glanced around nervously as they passed the massive hydrogen and helium tanks that towered on the north side of the main R&D building before the truck came to a rolling stop next to the security booth. Both Jennifer and Petrokov showed their IDs to the guard.
"Where are you heading?" the guard asked.
"Medical transport for FOB 12. We've got injured in the back that can't be treated here at the moment due to a bed shortage. We're going to head to FOB12 for an airlift to Kungenga where they can be properly taken care of."
"How come you're going?" the guard asked, pointing to Dr. Petrokov.
Mikhail replied nervously, "Some of these men will require limb amputation and prosthetics. As the resident expert in bionics, I have volunteered to assist with the surgery and installation."
Another merc pulled back the canvas flaps to inspect the truck's contents. Snake could see the guard staring right at them and quietly pulled back the hammer on his Beretta.
"What's with the boxes?" the merc called out. The security officer at the front gestured to Jennifer to answer.
"FOB12 requested a milk run for some medical supplies they were missing onsite," she smoothly replied. "We decided to kill two birds with one stone. Is there anything else you need answered, or may I move on? Their need is urgent, Corporal."
The guard nodded, satisfied. He waved his partner back to the security booth. "I'll radio in your departure and have them open the gate. You can go on through—I won't waste any more of your time. Do what you can to save those boys."
"Yes, sir," Jennifer said with a nod. "Thank you."
The barbed wire gate pulled open and the truck rolled forward into the darkness of the night. About forty minutes later, when the truck was long gone, an alarm sounded throughout the base: the bodies that Snake and company had left behind had been discovered. All the security gates were locked down. The security officers that let them go would later be reprimanded, demoted, and thrown into the brig to be questioned in the morning at first light.
Search parties were mustered and sent out to look for the escapees' truck, but by then it was far too late: Jennifer had already driven into the northern hills and turned off the headlights to switch to night vision while Dr. Petrokov navigated them through the dark.
Snake uncocked his Beretta and turned on the safety before stashing it. It was not a comfortable ride, as Jennifer had eventually abandoned the dirt road to drive directly through the countryside to a place only she knew; Snake trusted her sense of direction. When they were over thirty miles away, Snake and the Madnars lifted off their boxes and got as comfortable on the benches as they could be while Snake tuned his radio to Diane.
"Diane, this is Snake. Do you read me?"
A few seconds went by, before Steve's suspicious voice answered again, just like before. "This is Steve. Diane's indisposed at the moment. Out shopping."
"Out shopping…this late at night?" Snake asked.
"That's right," Steve said coldly.
Snake pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, whatever," he said dismissively. "I have a message for Diane. Can you make sure it's delivered?"
Snake heard a sigh on the other end, followed by, "What do you want me to tell her?"
"I have a couple of people that have been rescued and taken off-site. I need her to meet me and have them taken to a safe place far away from here."
Something about the phrase, 'safe place far away from here' must have triggered something in Steve, because when he spoke again, he sounded much more perked up. "Sure, Snake. That won't be a problem. I'll make sure she gets the message," he said.
Snake didn't know what caused this massive change in attitude, but if it meant that Steve would be more cooperative in the future, he wasn't going to complain. "Great, thanks Steve. I'll call again with more details on where to meet once we've found a safe spot. Please let her know before then."
"You've got it."
Snake signed off and tuned his radio to Gray Fox's frequency. "Snake to Fox. Do you read me?"
"This is Gray Fox, reading you loud and clear. It's good to hear your voice, Rookie."
"I'm here too," came Kyle's response. Sounded like they were both in the same room.
"Good to hear from both of you, Architect. How's the fort holding up?"
"We've had a few light skirmishes with Outer Heaven personnel, but nothing we're not equipped to handle. We've even set up a makeshift listening post on the third floor so we can monitor enemy transmissions."
"That's great," Snake said.
"How are things on your end?" Fox asked.
"I've rescued our two VIPs. I've also managed to extract some more of your men, Architect. I've got the two Nkosis, Cyrus, and Christopher with me. We're moving north by northeast, away from the base."
"What about Arno Tagger?" asked Kyle. "He was another man on the inside I had."
Snake went quiet for several seconds. "He…he didn't make it, Architect." Snake inhaled, breathing in his guilt before exhaling the useless phrase, "I'm sorry."
"I see…I'm sure you did all you could," Kyle answered. "He was a good man."
"It's a shame I didn't get the chance to know him better," Snake said. "Everything happened so fast."
"No point in stewing in your regret, Rookie," Fox said. "Remember, we still have a job to do."
"Right," said Snake. "Architect, I'm going to need you to do me a favor. Two, actually."
"I'm listening."
"I want to send Dr. Madnar and Ellen both to safety separately just in case the enemy comes looking for them. I'm going to have Diane escort Ellen to a civilian area where she can be kept hidden while my team arranges for her extraction out of the country. With your permission, I'd like to have Dr. Madnar sent with your men to a rally point where my CO can have him picked up for a debrief before we send him safely back to Ellen."
"That can be arranged," Kyle said.
"You can have Jennifer give you the coordinates," Snake said before relaying her frequency to Kyle.
"Got it. What's the other favor?"
"I'm going to try to get into the bunker tomorrow. With all the hell I've been raising around here, it's only a matter of time before Outer Heaven brings in reinforcements from outside."
Kyle sighed wearily. "You've got that right. Intercepted transmissions state that their nearest forward operating base, FOB 12 is supposed to be sending in another unit of three tanks, as well as three LAVs. This isn't even counting the men they already have stationed onsite for the assault. They'll probably be making use of some of those decommissioned armed Walker Gears as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if they even brought an artillery piece or two. They're going to try to wipe us off the face of the earth."
All of the rebels' eyes widened as they took in the news. "Fook," Wikus breathed. His compatriots' faces showed similar sentiment. Cyrus tightened his hands into fists.
"We're planning to evacuate all of our personnel here," Kyle said.
"I see." Snake said, hanging his head.
He nodded to himself before craning his head upward to look at the canvas ceiling, squeezing his eyes shut as tears of exhaustion and self-hatred started to form. He knew he was a piece of shit for even thinking of making the request, but he knew he needed to ask Kyle anyway.
"I need you to buy me some time to get inside," Snake mumbled. "Just enough to get me in, and then you can get your people out. I know I'm asking a lot…I wish I didn't—"
"Stop."
"What?"
"Just stop, Snake. You've done more than enough for my people. I'll make sure you get your shot at that weapon, and at Venom." Snake could hear the smile in Kyle's voice.
"As it happens," he continued, "I'm already in the process of arranging for the arrival of some reinforcements of my own to help us defend the fort. Whatever happens, we'll be ready for it. We'll buy you as much time as we can. You just let me know when you're ready to move in."
Snake felt all the tension in his body release as a wave of relief hit him. He felt more tired than he'd ever been in his life. His facial muscles pulled into a smirk—a Herculean effort. "Will do," he said.
Snake remembered one more detail from his briefing. "Architect, one more thing. Fox, you need to hear this too; I don't know if you've been briefed on this. If I fail in destroying the weapon Outer Heaven's working on, stealth bombers will be sent in to wipe this place off the map. So, just in case I don't make it—"
"Don't be stupid, Rookie. Of course, you will."
Snake smiled a little at the vote of confidence before continuing, "—but just in case I don't, you need to start your evacuation as soon as I get inside the bunker, using whatever guerilla tactics you need to use to get them off your back. Leave nothing to chance. Whatever debt you think you owe me ends at the entrance when I set foot inside."
Snake's grip on his radio tightened. He gritted his teeth. "You hear me, Architect? Get your people out. You get them out, and you run. Fox will assist you in the escape. Ain't that right, Fox?"
"You've got it, Rookie," Fox assured him.
"What about you?" asked Kyle.
"I'll find my own way out, or I won't. Either way, do not make me your priority, under any circumstances. Once I'm in, I'm no longer your problem. You got that?"
"…I understand, Snake."
Snake hissed through his teeth, "Say it."
"I'll buy you enough time to get inside then get my people out. After that, you're not my problem," Kyle echoed.
Snake nodded. "Good. We should be hitting our destination soon. I'll leave you to your prep and call you in the morning. Thanks guys," he finished, and then signed off.
A short distance later, Jennifer parked the vehicle inside of a cave she knew of and shut off the engine. As the passengers descended over the tailgate, Jennifer jumped out of the cab in time to see Wikus. As the two siblings locked eyes, her breath caught in her throat and time around them seemed to slow down. They rushed forward to meet and gripped each other in a fierce embrace, tears flowing freely. No words were exchanged, just shared relief that the only family they each had left was still in this world.
Dr. Madnar and Ellen hopped down after the three spies exited, Ellen being sheltered under her father's guiding arm. Their attention was captured by the sound of another Russian voice coming from around the side of the vehicle.
"Drago…"
Dr. Madnar and Ellen looked up to see Dr. Petrokov's smudged and sweaty face, dark circles under his eyes exaggerating his tear-soaked face and the moonlight reflecting in his glasses, tie flapping in the wind.
"Mikhail…?" Madnar whispered in disbelief.
He let go of his daughter and tentatively stepped forward to meet his old colleague. Dr. Petrokov extended his arms in invitation for a warm embrace from his old friend. What he received was swift strike to the head, knocking his glasses to the ground.
"Father!" Ellen called out in surprise.
Madnar followed up with a slug to Petrokov's gut, and Petrokov keeled over and fell onto the ground. Madnar straddled the other old man and started laying into him. Snake and Cyrus had to physically drag him off of Petrokov, which was surprisingly difficult, given the age of the older man and their combined weakened state.
Madnar let out a stream of incoherent Russian curses and then pointed an accusing finger at Petrokov. "You were the reason those men came to find me at my daughter's recital! You were the reason I was forced to violate my oath and make weapons again! You put us in danger-my daughter was in danger because of you, Mikhail! Ya dolgen ubit tebya, grebany sukin syn!"
Snake and Cyrus kept Madnar restrained, but otherwise said nothing, content to let the old man tire himself out. When Madnar eventually went limp, he was released, and Ellen took her father's arm and led them away from the commotion. Petrokov lay there, simply taking the physical and verbal abuse.
As the Madnars walked away, Petrokov could only respond with a weak mumble, "Izvinite, pojaluista. I'm sorry, Drago. I'm so sorry…"
Dr. Madnar responded with nothing but a hateful glare as Ellen walked them both to the other end of the cave on the opposite side of the truck.
Snake limped over to the other side, approaching Jennifer and Wikus, who had peeked over to see what the commotion was about only to go about setting up camp once it was obvious that the situation was resolved. As Wikus and Christopher set to the task of obtaining firewood and Cyrus started removing the canvas from the truck bed's canopy to lay out onto the cave floor, Jennifer was conversing with Kyle over the radio via her earpiece.
As Snake approached, she said, "Yes, everyone is as safe as they can be. Snake is coming over. Of course, I'll let him know. Talk to you later."
Snake leaned against the truck, clutching his shoulder. "Any news?" he asked.
"I just finished talking with Kyle. He's received word from our intel teams in Calvinia and Fraserburg; we have reinforcements coming from Sutherland via river and from the western mountains southeast of Loeriesfontein. It will take them time to get here, but they can be here by midday at the soonest."
"In the meantime," she continued, "I have a small surprise for you coming down the river from Sakrivier Railway Station: a truck with some able-bodied men who will be able to assist you when you make your return to Outer Heaven. They should arrive in a few hours, after morning's first light."
Snake laughed, shaking his head. "That's a hell of a gift. You people are amazing." His face quickly turned serious. "You don't have to go that far for me, though."
"You freed our people from Venom's internment. You brought my brother back to me," Jennifer reminded him. "This is the least we can do."
"Well…thank you. What about Diane?"
"Kyle put me in touch with her. She's on her way. Should arrive at around the same time as my truck. Me and the escaped prisoners will drive away with your scientist, and Diane will take the daughter, just like you planned. You'll need to give us the coordinates to your rally point, though."
Snake nodded. "Yeah, of course. I need to contact my CO anyway to give him my progress report. I'll do it now."
He stepped forward and stumbled, pain and light-headedness finally getting the better of him. Jennifer caught him and led him to a secluded spot where he could sit down with his back against the wall, and then helped him pull off his shirt to examine his knife wounds.
She bit her lip. "These are going to need stitches. Wait here. There's a first-aid kit in the truck cab."
As she jogged away to grab the bag from the truck, Dr. Madnar and Ellen approached him. Snake looked up to regard them as Jennifer returned and began tending to his wounds.
"Thank you for rescuing us, Snake. We are in your debt," Ellen said kindly in English.
Snake responded in Russian, "I was happy to have had the privilege to set you both free. My commander will make sure you are taken care of."
Dr. Madnar and Ellen both smiled—their first real smile since meeting Snake in the bowels of Outer Heaven. "If there is anything I can do to help you, please do not hesitate to ask," Dr. Madnar replied cordially.
"Actually, there is something," Snake said as he tried to shift slightly and turn towards Dr. Madnar, only for Jennifer grab his shoulder roughly.
"Keep still," she commanded. "I'm not done with this stitch, and if I mess this up, your wound could get infected."
Snake rolled his eyes, but otherwise obeyed. He continued to Dr. Madnar, "It's about Metal Gear. Your TX-55."
Dr. Madnar's eyes lowered, and a shadow came over his face as he bowed his head. He turned to look at Ellen. "My dear, could you please give us a moment?"
"Of course, Ottsa." Ellen stepped away to rejoin the others and started making conversation with Cyrus, who spoke some Russian as well as English and Afrikaans.
Dr. Madnar took a seat next to Snake, contemplating the wrinkles on his hands. "It is my great shame," he said. "When I left the service of the Presidium, I swore that these hands would never again be used to make instruments of war."
"You had no choice. You were looking out for your daughter," Snake offered sympathetically.
"It does not make me hate myself any less." He sighed heavily and rubbed his face, turning his eyes to the ceiling. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then turned his head to look at Snake. "Before I tell you anything, I must ask: what is your intention with Metal Gear? To destroy it, or take possession of it?"
"I'm looking to destroy it."
Madnar nodded with approval. "Good. This is good. That monster should not exist. It represents the resurrection of some of the worst excesses of the Cold War. I will tell you whatever you need to know to help you destroy it."
"Let's start with capabilities. Is the weapon operational? What can I expect?"
"The good news is, it shouldn't be ready for field deployment just yet—the last I heard of it, they were performing testing in a virtual environment, and they have all of the computer data they could ever need; what they require is actual field data. The actual weapons mounted on the platform are operational, but the bipedal motor system has yet to be properly tested in a real-world environment. It was going to begin field-testing within the next couple of days, so it should still be sitting the hangar, waiting for fueling and initialization—and that hangar dock is too small for it to walk in."
"If it's too small for it to walk in, how is it supposed to exit the bunker?"
"The hangar dock is most likely underground. It would be lifted to ground level via large freight elevator."
"Okay…you said the weapons themselves still work, as do the computer systems in the cockpit? So, if anyone's down there, like say, Venom himself—"
"He could conceivably use Metal Gear to attack you inside the hangar, yes. The main body of the platform is armed with Vulcan cannons and large-caliber gatling guns. There is a missile pod on the shoulder too, but it would not be advisable for Venom to attempt missile launches from inside the hangar, da?" Madnar chuckled softly.
"Besides, there are only two miniature silos—not ideal in combat scenario, save for long-range artillery strike with nuclear payload."
"What about close-range options?"
"Between the legs there is hanging a high-powered electrical laser firing a focused ion beam that creates a conducting track of ionized plasma, similar to lightning, and can melt through metal in a matter of seconds. This weapon has two weaknesses: firstly, there is the matter of its range. Its effective range is limited by the camera's cone of vision, as it is placed such that the majority of the weapon is protected by a hanging metal plate between the legs—think of it as analogous to a codpiece in human armor, and it also shares space with another weapon which I will get to in a moment.
"This shared space means that the weapon can only move in a horizontal arc, further limiting its range and utility. That is the first weakness. The second weakness is power: Metal Gear TX-55 requires a great deal to run, and the laser is a very small tertiary subsystem that primarily draws power from a battery—this power draw is immense and the weapon itself can only sustain fire for approximately eighteen seconds before it must recharge. The recharge time is closer to thirty to forty-five seconds."
"I see…" Snake said, more to himself than to the Russian. "What about the other weapon between its legs?"
"Hanging on the chassis just underneath the laser is a chemical flame thrower connected via hose to a small, attached armored tank on the rear of the vehicle, capable of firing a single continuous arc of burning napalm for up to two minutes before the tank runs out. In controlled bursts, it could last for much longer. It's intended as an extreme-range antipersonnel weapon."
"You haven't mentioned the onboard cameras connected to the cockpit. I assume they're equipped with infrared?"
"Normal view and infrared thermal and night vision are available settings, yes. The platform is also equipped with a radome to both detect airborne targets and to assist in interfering with radar signals transmissions."
The whole time, Jennifer listened intensely to the ongoing conversation as she stitched up Snake's knife wounds. This vehicle indeed sounded like a horrible monster. The fact that it was apparently also equipped to load and fire nuclear warheads also made her shiver. And this thing was right under the Resistance's collective noses the whole time? Under the noses of the South African government? How was Outer Heaven able to get away with building this thing in secret? The only thing that was there to mollify her worries was that this thing was apparently unfinished. It was a very small comfort.
"This thing sounds terrifying," she admitted. "Does it have no weaknesses?"
"There is one," Dr. Madnar said. "And thankfully, it is one that will be relatively easy to exploit, as Snake will need to get close to Metal Gear to do so and its confinement will make this approach possible."
"I'm listening," Snake replied.
Dr. Madnar raised a single finger. "The front of Metal Gear is heavily armored, as are the roof and parts of its rear, but underneath the weapon, there is a point that is exposed: the drive and motor which governs the legs. Metal Gear is very top-heavy and requires the great strength and hydraulics of the bipedal bionics to keep it aloft, as well as a robust drive to enable its movement. This drive could not be armored without negatively affecting the delicate balance of the vehicle's weight—any heavier, and the thing could collapse under its own weight.
"If you introduce an explosive force of sufficient magnitude to this unarmored drive train—for example, a well-placed shot from an RPG or planted plastic explosives, then not only would you prevent the vehicle from moving, but you could also damage the sensitive electronic and motor equipment held just above it, rendering Metal Gear completely inoperable. If it falls forward, then the whole thing essentially becomes a steel coffin for the pilot."
"You intentionally engineered a major catastrophic design flaw into your weapon?" Snake asked with wonder.
Dr. Madnar shook his head sadly. "Metal Gear is formidable, but it is still just one weaponized vehicle. It was meant to be accompanied by an escort of an armored column of tanks and APCs, which, when combined with the various anti-tank and antipersonnel weaponry at its disposal, would ensure that enemy combatants would never get close enough to damage it. Metal Gear, for all its terror, was never meant to operate alone save in missions requiring the utmost stealth. The true terror comes from its nuclear launch capabilities and from the fact that Outer Heaven intended to mass-produce it. If just one Metal Gear managed to launch its payload behind enemy lines, it wouldn't matter if the vehicle itself was destroyed; there would be nothing to stop the nuclear holocaust that would ensue from the accomplishment of its mission."
Dr. Madnar once again contemplated his hands. "Under normal circumstances, if the weapon were operational, I would say you have no chance to stop Outer Heaven. That they had already won. But the weapon is unfinished and confined to the hangar; and it is the only one of its kind. You still have time to put a stop to it." He raised his head to look Snake in the eye. There was a fire in Dr. Madnar's gaze.
"There is still hope," he insisted firmly.
Snake smiled and delivered a sharp nod. "That's right, doctor. You're goddamn right."
Dr. Madnar smiled warmly and shook Snake's hand in thanks. Both men looked at each other with silent understanding and camaraderie for a moment before the Russian scientist gave his farewell and returned to the side of his waiting daughter.
Jennifer finished the last stitch and began wrapping a new clean set of bandages around Snake's arms and torso. When she finished, she put her tools away into the first aid kit and admired her handiwork. Snake flexed his arms, feeling stiff. His injuries still hurt like hell, but at least he wasn't bleeding anymore. He pulled himself up to try to stand but felt a wave of nausea and had to sit back down.
Jennifer looked at him in concern. She shook her head. "It's amazing you haven't broken yet. Any other man would have died several times over by now after what you've survived."
"Guess I was just born lucky," Snake muttered with a grimace, squeezing his eyes shut to keep the contents of his stomach where they were.
"I'm serious, Snake," Jennifer insisted. "You can barely stand, much less fight. If you go out there like this—if you keep pushing your limits much further, you're going to get yourself killed. Why not call your friend, that Fox guy? Or ask your commander to send in someone else?"
"There is no one else," Snake refuted, "and Fox has his hands full helping out Kyle. Ready or not, I'm all we've got, for better or for worse. I've still got a job to do, and I need to see it through."
"But why?" Jennifer demanded. "You don't know us. You're an outsider—you don't owe us anything."
"That's not true at all," Snake muttered softly, mostly to himself.
He thought of Gray Fox and the family he'd come to build with FOXHOUND back home. He thought of Lima Company and what could happen to them if something like Metal Gear were ever unleashed. He thought of the Resistance fighters he'd met along the way who were all counting on him for their own victory and survival. He thought once more of Big Boss, and the America that believed in him so strongly that they were willing to build him up into the man he was today and entrust everything to him.
He looked up to Jennifer. "I have plenty to fight for. Plenty to sacrifice for. Just like you and yours. I've got more than enough reason to keep making it through this. I wouldn't have gotten this far without the Resistance, and I wouldn't be where I am now without my homeland and the people in it that stuck by me. You say I don't owe you anything. The truth is Jen, I owe you and them everything. And I'm going to give it."
Jen's face softened. "Snake…" She sighed. "You're either very brave, or very stupid."
"Eh, a little of column A, a little of column B," Snake joked. His voice and face hardened. "I don't expect you to understand," he said quietly, "but don't tell me not to go back out there."
Jen crouched and started digging in the first-aid kit, pulling out a small white bottle. "Fine," she said, tossing the bottle to Snake.
Snake shook it—it was full of pills. He checked the label: painkillers.
"Those will keep you moving. Just try not to overdo it and open your wounds again. I'm getting tired of treating you." Jennifer smirked.
Snake's mouth twisted into a wry grin. "What, are you mad that you missed your chance to explore when you laid hands on this handsome physical specimen?" Snake asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Jennifer laughed and punched Snake in the shoulder. "In your dreams, American."
She stood up and turned to rejoin the others. Before she left Snake, she gave one final piece of advice: "Make sure you get your rest, Snake. As much as you can. There's not a lot of time left before you have to go back out there."
"You got it, doc," Snake said with a smile and a wave, and Jennifer rolled her eyes as she walked away.
Snake picked up his radio. Only one thing left to do now, before he could let himself sleep. He tuned to Big Boss's frequency.
"Mission Control, this is Solid Snake. Come in…"
OPERATION INTRUDE N313
DAY SIX – 0255 HOURS
MISSION CONTROL LISTENING POST
APPROX. 15 KM EAST OF HOPEFIELD, SOUTH AFRICA
"…make sure to have them take Madnar to those coordinates. There's a CIA listening post nearby with a FOXHOUNDer on standby. I'll have them send someone to pick him up," Big Boss intoned.
"Yes, sir."
"You're doing great, kid. You've been passing the mission with flying colors so far. You're approaching the home stretch."
"Thank you, sir."
"Your plan's a sound one. Use your Resistance friends to get in close, then take care of Venom and Metal Gear. Fox had reported that Venom had been spending most of his time in that bunker, so you'll likely find him there. Be ready for anything."
"Understood."
"One last thing: Outer Heaven has likely increased security now since you've escaped. Fox has reported multiple alarms after you left the base with the Madnars. To prevent security leaks, we're going to change Mission Control radio frequency. You'll still use the same frequency to order the air strike as necessary, but you'll be contacting Control with frequency 120.13 from this moment forward. All orders and status reports are to be forwarded to this frequency. Understood?"
"Understood, sir. Will adjust frequency as necessary."
"Alright. Get your rest, kid. You're going to need it. I look forward to hearing you report the mission's success."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Solid Snake out."
Big Boss signed off of the radio. The kid really did have talent, he thought to himself. Snake was a much greater force than the Boss had initially given him credit for. He might actually see this mission to its conclusion. Big Boss couldn't have been prouder—the kid turned out to be a fine soldier. In all of Big Boss's years as an operator, he'd only seen a few others with that level of skill, and Snake had grown to be their match at a much younger age than any of them.
I suppose, given where he comes from, that that's to be expected, Big Boss thought to himself.
A fluttering sound was heard, growing to an intense booming as the black helicopter landed in the yard outside the barn. It was time to go. Big Boss stood up from the table he sat at, which was covered with maps and radio equipment, and strode over to the makeshift desk where Salamander sat. He put a hand on Sal's shoulder.
"We're reaching the end game, now," Big Boss said.
"Yes, sir," Sal acknowledged.
"And you're ready to do your part?"
"Always, Boss."
Big Boss nodded in approval. "The nearest rail station is Sakrivier. After the air strike passes, if he makes it out of there, Snake will most likely head for the rail line to make for Johannesburg. Standby in case he calls you for assistance and be ready to intercept. He'll be looking for you to meet. Be careful when you approach; I expect he'll still be rattled by everything when all is said and done. It'll make him skittish and unpredictable. Be ready for anything."
"You can count on me, Boss," Sal promised.
Big Boss nodded and thumped Sal's shoulder. "Good man," he said. "When this is all over, if you're up for it, there'll be a place for you where I'm going. If you want it, come find me."
"Thank you, sir. Good luck," Sal said earnestly.
Big Boss nodded and stepped out of the barn and walked to the open and waiting helicopter, ducking his head and shielding his face from the wind kicked up by the rotors. A young soldier offered a hand to assist the Boss in climbing into the vehicle and slid the door closed behind them both. Within moments, the helicopter lifted off the ground.
Big Boss grabbed a walkie-talkie from his attendant. Only one more loose end to account for.
"This is Big Boss," said the old one-eyed warrior. "Everything's in place for the endgame. You're on."
His business concluded, Big Boss handed the radio back to the young soldier and leaned back to stare out the window to fondly regard a new beginning as they buzzed through the night sky.
A/N: A bit of a breather episode compared to everything else we've accomplished so far. Another victory for our heroes, but this one serves as a personal victory for Snake himself. He was able to get the hostages and all but one of his allies-including keeping his promise in saving Jennifer's brother. I think it might genuinely be one of my top five favorite chapters to have written so far for this story just for the post-escape cave section alone. So, now we're approaching the dramatic endgame for the Outer Heaven mission. Hope you're as excited to get to it as I am. I had some thoughts for how I'd like for Chapter 16 to go-but I decided to make some changes to it to make it flow better, so you probably won't see it for a while, maybe sometime next month.
In the meantime, I sincerely wish happy holidays to all of you reading this if it's still December when you come across it. I look forward to seeing your feedback. Please feel free to review and tell me what you think.