Fan Fiction ❯ Metal Gear Solid: Sovereignty ❯ Crossing Paths ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 11: Crossing Paths

The small card key, a single yellow 3 printed on the top right corner, sat on the cell floor. The
gloved hand of Solid Snake lifted it off the ground as he exited the room, leaving what just
happened behind him. Whatever it was, the lapses, the headaches, it was nothing more than a
nuisance to the operative, he had a mission to complete and it would take death itself from
stopping him.

Snake took a knee and contacted his comrade, "Otacon, I just spoke with an engineer, Dr.
Sullivan, heard of him?"

"Yeah, he's a very prominent nuclear physicist. He's there, in the base?"

"Apparently he was captured along with Metal Gear SAM. He just told me SAM's nuclear
mechanism was damaged during the first launch, meaning Metal Gear can no longer nuclear
capable."

Otacon couldn't help but feel jubilant, "That's great news! I'll alert the UN."

"I don't think you should do that, just yet. Who says they'll believe Philanthropy and even if they
do, they'll ask you how you know, and that'll open a can of worms we don't need right now. The
Patriots don't need to know anymore than they do now."

"But shouldn't the people their not in anymore danger?"

"That's just the point. Metal Gear isn't nuclear capable anymore, but it has other weapons and is
still dangerous. Let's not give the people false hope. Not until Metal Gear is completely
incapacitated will we be sure the people are safe."".

"Did Dr. Sullivan say anything else about Metal Gear?"

"Nothing new, it doesn't sound like anything more than an advanced Metal Gear REX."

"Uh-huh." Otacon absorbed the information. "So, now the only question is how you're gonna
find it. Where are you now?"

Snake scoured his surroundings, "Outside the jail cells."

Emmerich searched the blueprints on the Kasatka's dashboard, looking for the prisoner wing.
"Got it," Otacon proclaimed in accomplishment, "Well, down the hall from the two cells there's
a doorway that should take you into the transportation bay. Head across the factory floor and
you'll find the entrance to a lab."

"Alright." Snake cut the Codec transmission.

The commando sauntered down the hallway, going over Otacon's directions in his head. He soon
reached a pair of double doors, and looking through the small window in the doors, he saw what
looked like the transportation bay. Using the card key, Snake was granted access. He pushed
open the doors and entered the large warehouse.

Conveyor belts filled the room, carrying boxes to numerous modules. The right side of the room
was filled with, now closed, retractable metal doors used to load trucks that ran to and from the
facility. Snake stood on the ground floor, but soon found himself crouched behind one of the
conveyor belt machines, out of view from the several sentries that patrolled the room.

After a few evasive maneuvers and taking advantage of the many modules in the room, Snake
made his way to the other end of the warehouse. He was crouched behind the last long conveyor
belt and the door to the lab was in sight. Unfortunately, it was a far way away and in the open,
making it easy for a nearby sentry to spot him. The nearest guard was at the other end of the
conveyor belt, and making his way toward the commando.

Finding a small pebble at his side, Snake decided to use an old trick. The operative picked up the
pebble and began to raise his arm when a loud bang resonated throughout the room, coming from
up above Snake's head. The operative twisted his neck trying to get a good look at what caused
the noise. Well above his head was a long walkway where the noise originated.

Someone was standing on the walkway, but Snake couldn't see who from his vantage point. All
the sentries in the room raised their rifles and began firing at whoever was on the walkway. The
guards were all distracted, leaving the path open for Snake.

He came up to the door, which slid open once he used his level 3 card key. The operative took
another look at the man on the walkway, and couldn't believe his eyes.

"Fox?" Snake knew it couldn't be. Grey Fox had died already, and the second time was definite.

The amethyst exoskeleton loomed on the high walkway. The loud noise was the ninja kicking
down the walkway door. Snake stared at the cyborg deflecting numerous bullets with his sword,
another reminder of Frank Jaeger.

"Hey, over there!" one of the sentries yelled to his comrades.

Snake, still trying to figure out the appearance of a ninja, stood in the doorway, and out in the
open. One of the sentries spotted him and alerted the others. Two of the four sentries in the room
turned their attention away from the ninja and to Snake.

With no weapons, Snake was forced to go on the defensive. The sentries fired at the operative
forcing him out of the doorway and he rolled back behind the conveyor belt.

Snake needed a weapon and fast.

Luckily for the operative, a label on a nearby box caught his eye. Snake, his head down low,
bullets flying over his head, grabbed the box and ventured back behind the conveyor belt. If what
he read on the box's label was true then he was a happy man. Snake opened the top of the box,
bullets still firing over his head, and reached inside. The commando pulled out a Tokarev TT
pistol.

Within seconds the handgun was loaded and Snake's pockets were filled with cartridges. Snake,
personally, didn't like the Russian pistol, the grip was terribly uncomfortable, and had no manual
safety, making it very dangerous. They say the only safe way to handle a Tokarev is with an
empty chamber.

Snake caught a flash of purple to his left through his peripheral vision. Lieutenant Miller flipped
over the railing on the walkway and landed in the center of the warehouse, between all of the
sentries. At this point the sentries forgot about, or just didn't care, about Snake and focused on
the bigger threat.

Four sentries firing four gas-powered assault rifles equaled a lot of lead firing in all directions.
With so many bullets flying around, Snake didn't dare leave cover. Numerous bullets ricocheted
off the walls and other objects and almost struck him.

Somehow, from what Snake could see, the ninja was untouched by all the firepower, just waving
his sword around, and moving back and forth. After a few more moments, Snake realized there a
method to the ninja's madness.

It was inevitable, first one sentry was struck in the arm then another in the leg, and another died
of from multiple shots to the chest. The ninja knew, especially with the high recoil of the rifles,
the sentries would eventually hit each other. The shooting finally stopped when the Russians
noticed their were killing their own.

Snake popped out from behind the conveyor belt and fired two shots, both of which ended the
life of two sentries. The ninja immediately turned in Snake's direction, completely caught off
guard by the appearance of another.

Miller was still staring down Snake, so the lieutenant didn't notice the sentry slowly creeping up
behind him. The former FOXHOUND operative pulled the trigger of the Tokarev. Miller,
thinking the bullet was intended for him, rolled out of the way. The slug became lodged in the
sentry's cerebellum, killing him instantly.

The 1st Lieutenant, crouching on one knee, stared at the dead sentry on the floor just feet away
from him. He was either shooting for the tango, or has bad aim, Miller thought to himself.

Snake, the Tokarev trained in front of him, and walked toward the exoskeleton. The legend
approached Lieutenant Miller, both of whom unsure of the other.

"Who are you?" Snake asked the most apparent question.

"I should say the same to you," Miller's grip tightened around the handle of his sword.

"We're not gonna get anywhere like that. Just answer the question."

Scott Miller got to his feet, and answered the long awaited question, "1st Lieutenant Scott Miller,
75th Ranger Regiment. What about you? You don't look like one of the terrorists."

"I'm not. Rangers, huh? Don't tell me they sent you in here alone."

This man wasn't one of the men he was briefed on, so Miller didn't know what to believe. "Yes,
a one man operation was the only option. You still haven't told me who you are."

"It's not important," Snake placed the Tokarev in his leg holster and walked back to the door to
the lab. "I suggest you leave before things get ugly," Snake remarked.

"Leave? Where're you going? Your hostile and I should take you into custody!" Agent Miller ran
after Snake, and got between him and the door. His sword held threateningly, Scott demanded,
"Who are you?"

"Look, I'm on your side. If I wasn't then I would've tried something by now." Miller couldn't
argue with that logic. Snake continued, "If you're here for the reason I think you are, then I'd
suggest you get of my way. Time is running out."

"You're here for the Colonel Dzhugashvili?."

Time was wasting away and Snake was getting agitated, "Yes, now get out of my way."

Snake waited for the man in the exoskeleton to budge, but he didn't, so the legend brushed past
him and pulled out his card key.

"Look, if we're here for the same reason, then maybe we can help each other," Miller supposed.

"You're just gonna slow me down. Exoskeleton or not."

Before Miller could reply Snake slipped through the door.

Miller stood there, motionless, confused and not quite sure what to believe. Within a matter of
seconds he dialed in 140.85 on the Codec and was online with Colonel Andersen, "Colonel, I've
just encountered a hostile. But he's not one of the terrorists."

Colonel Andersen quickly replied, "You are the only man we have in there, any and everyone
you encounter must be taken as one of the enemy, and you will deal with them as so. Is that
understood?"

"Yes, Colonel."

"Any news on Colonel Dzhugashvili?" Andersen inquired.

"No, I've yet to find him."

"Hurry, soldier. Civilians are getting restless and fear is growing in our country's homes. We
need closure and we need the terrorists silenced. The people of America are counting on you,
make them proud."

The weight of the world was on Lieutenant Miller's shoulders, and the colonel did a great job of
letting him know it, not to the liking of Scott, who was a generally modest person at heart.

Miller responded, "I know. I'll do my best, Colonel."