Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - The Novel

Eliminate the Renegade Threat

December 3rd, 1974 13:28

Snake slid down a dry rocky cliff and landed in front of a small cave overlooking the surrounding waters. It took some work, but he was finally in position to start his latest mission; eliminating the sniper-spotter team known as Glaz and Palitz – the eye and the finger. These two veterans were currently stationed in a United States Naval Prison Facility in Cuba. During the United States' involvement in the Laotian Civil War, these two conducted a number of horrific acts against NVA officials and their families until they retired shortly after the United States withdrew from the conflict.

The client of this mission was none other than the KGB who were able to contact MSF through Snake' second in command, Kazuhira Miller, who he was acquainted with when he was a trainer for a Colombian guerilla group. Naturally, the legendary mercenary was apprehensive at first, but his partner assured him that his contacts weren't connected to Vladimr Aleksandrovich Zadornov, the KGB agent that coaxed them into Costa Rica in the first place. Against his better instincts, he agreed to the mission and allowed Miller to send spies from the Intel Team to study the targets and the base they were stationed in. Once they reported their findings of the target's most common travel patterns, Snake geared up and made his way to the prison facility.

Snake was no stranger to sneaking into secured facilities, but this facility seemed to have fewer places to hide than most of the others he had ever had missions in. The main facility itself was split into several smaller areas: a heliport, two refugee camps, an old prison and the Administration Building. Splintered throughout these areas were guard towers with search lights, armories where they stored their weapons and equipment and several anti-air emplacements. As standard with these kinds of operations, Snake had to use everything in his environment to make sure he wasn't seen. If anyone caught wind of his presence, then the targets would flee and escape his reach.

"Kaz, I'm in position," he reported to his Second-in-Command.

"Good, how do things look there?" Miller asked.

"I don't know why I let you convince me not to bring the Cardboard Box."

"Boss... I still don't understand how you consider that an indispensable tool for sneaking."

"The cardboard box has saved me from certain life-or-death situations for as long as I can remember. Plus, we have R&D working on so many variations now."

"I still can't believe you have our men working on that."

"Compared to MSF-Branded rations?"

"We could actually make money off of those, Boss. Know what, we can discuss this later. Get back to the mission."

Using the tents of the East Refugee Camp as cover, Snake reached for his binoculars and used them to survey the immediate area. It didn't take long for him to spot one of his targets next to one of the many armories in the base accompanied by two other soldiers. It was the sniper of the duo, Palitz, also known as The Finger. He stealthily made his way closer to his target and crouched behind a nearby crate. It was there where he noticed a drop of sweat roll down Palitz's shaved head and watched his hands violently twitch. He didn't know why, but the legend knew that it presented the opportunity he needed..

Snake dashed from his hiding spot and, with lightning speed, grabbed the nearest guard and threw him down to the ground, knocking him out in the process. He then kicked the other guard into the armory wall, knocking him unconscious too. By the time Palitz finally noticed his presence; Snake disarmed him of his shotgun and punched him unconscious.

"Kaz, I ran into Palitz," reported Snake.

"Did you send him to Hell?" asked Miller.

"No, I'm bringing him back to base."

"What?!"

"I have a feeling something's not right here. We're going to have to change the mission objectives."

"I... I guess you could stick them into the chopper and we can tell the client that we killed them. Just don't take any more unnecessary risks."

"Right."

Snake hid the unconscious guards into the armory and lifted Palitz over his shoulder. He carried him back to the designated extraction point and started to make his way to the Administration Building, the location of his next target: Glaz.

His trip was quickly cut short as he heard the roar of a car engine. The famed mercenary immediately dived into a nearby bush and watched a jeep driven by Glaz pass by. Without a second thought, Snake grabbed his tranquilizer pistol, aimed at Glaz's head and fired. The shot instantly knocked Glaz unconscious, causing the jeep he was driving to spiral out of control and crash into a nearby fence.

"Nice shot, Boss," Miller complimented. "Very subtle."

Snake quickly approached Glaz and was surprised to find him covered in sweat. His curiosity peaked, but there was no time to indulge in it. He retrieved Glaz and took off for the extraction point before the nearby soldiers arrived to inspect the crash site. The moment he arrived, the extraction chopper flew by and landed as close as it could to his position. Snake wasted no time in loading the two targets into the vehicle and jumping in himself, allowing the chopper to finally fly off and away from the facility.

"Mission complete, Boss," Miller congratulated. "Come on back to base."

But despite the mission's completion, Snake couldn't get his mind off the state of his targets. What were Glaz and Palitz so afraid of and why?