MGS: Lightning 20

[Shadow taps his ear, signaling to stay quiet and use his Codec.]


Shadow      : Sorry about earlier. I had to use you as bait to gain access to
             Arsenal. It worked.

Silver       : Why didn't you tell me about Olga?

Shadow      : You never asked.

Silver       : ...

Shadow      : Not happy about that? Get over it.

Silver       : ...any effects of the virus yet?

Shadow      : Still waiting on that.

Silver       : So it was rigged by the Patriots?

Shadow      : Looks like it. From what I can tell, Arsenal is headed for
             Manhattan. I don't know what Solidus is planning, but we'll have
             to deal with it one way or another. There's also a troop of
             production-model RAYs ahead.

Silver       : How many units?

Shadow      : Twenty-five, according to Olga.

Silver       : Twenty-five!?

Shadow      : Yeah. Can't say I've faced that many Metal Gears before, but --
             I think we can deal.

Silver       : No way we can...

Shadow      : We can because we have no other choice. I've stocked up on
             Stinger missiles. Oh yeah, Olga left this for you.


[Off of the Codec.  Shadow hands a sheathed sword to Silver.]


Silver       : Why?

Shadow      : Olga asked me to give it to you.


[Silver practices with the sword for a few minutes to get the feel of it. Then
Shadow decides to leave.]


Shadow      : Come on, time to go.


[Silver sheaths the sword.]


Shadow      : If you run out of ammo, you can have mine.

Silver       : You got enough?

Shadow      : Absolutely.


[Shadow places the tip of his thumb on his bandana.]


Shadow      : Infinite ammo.


[He makes a small smile. The bandana he's wearing was in fact the one Blaze gave him after escaping from Shadow moses 4 years ago]


Silver       : Wait up, Snake.

Shadow      : What?


[Codec screen.]


Silver       : Shadow, have you ever -- enjoyed killing someone? I'm not sure.
             Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between reality and a
             game...

Shadow      : Diminished sense of reality, huh? VR training will do that.

Silver       : No, it was field training, when I was a kid. I lied, Shadow. I
             have more field experience than I can remember. It's not VR
             that's doing this to me.

Shadow      : Raiden, we don't carry guns to take people down. We're not here
             to help some politician either.

Silver       : You can say that because you're a legend, a hero. I'm Silver the
             Ripper, a dirty reminder -- of a terrible mistake.

Shadow      : Legends don't mean a whole lot. I was just a name to exploit.
             Just like you. People will remember only the good part, the right
             part of what you did.

Silver       : There's no right part in murder, not ever.

Shadow      : And we're not in this to make a name for ourselves.

Silver       : Then what are you and Otacon fighting for?

Shadow      : A future. You can stop being part of a mistake, starting now.

Silver       : What am I -- what am I supposed to do?


[Shadow and Silver move through a door with their guns drawn.]


Shadow      : Find something to believe in. And find it for yourself. And when
             you do, pass it on to the future.

Silver       : Believe in what?

Shadow      : That's your problem.


[Silver hesitates.]


Shadow      : Come on!


[Otacon calls Shadow and Silver.]


Otacon     : Snake, Raiden!

Shadow      : Otacon! You all right?

Otacon     : Yeah. So are all the hostages.

Otacon     : How's everything on your end?

Silver       : All right for now. But there is something -- The Colonel's last
             transmission was strange.

Otacon     : Strange? How?

Silver       : Just -- strange. No idea --

Otacon     : Interference?

Silver       : I don't know.

Otacon     : Where is this Colonel?

Silver       : I don't know. I've never met the man, actually...

Otacon     : ...I'll dig around.

Silver       : Thanks. I owe you one.

Otacon     : If there's anything else, call me on the Codec, I might be able
             to help.


[They get spotted by a Cypher and have to battle their way through a squad of
Arsenal Tengus, soldiers wearing high technology gear.  When they reach the next room Otacon calls them again.]


Otacon     : Raiden? About this Colonel of yours -- I found out where he is.

Silver       : Where?

Otacon     : Inside Arsenal.

Silver       : ?

Otacon     : I've checked out all the possibilities, but I keep coming back to
             Arsenal. It isn't a relay point, it's the origin of the signal.
             And, the encryption protocol it uses is exactly the same as that
             of Arsenal's AI -- the so-called GW.

Silver       : ...What the hell does this mean?

Otacon     : I think it means -- you've been talking to an AI.

Silver       : That's impossible!

Otacon     : GW was most likely
             stimulating cortical activity in the dormant part of your brain
             through signal manipulation of your own nanomachines. The Colonel
             is in part your own creation, cobbled together from expectations
             and experience...

Silver       : That's crazy...

Otacon     : But it's probably the truth. The virus may be starting to affect
             GW, which would explain the Colonel's behavior.

Silver       : It was all -- an illusion? Everything I've done so far...?

Shadow      : Silver!

Silver       : Shadow -- what's happening around here?

Shadow      : I don't know. What I do know is that you're standing right here
             in front of me. Not an illusion -- flesh and blood. It's your
             call. You can drop this if you want.

Silver       : No, I can't do that. Let's go...


[Shortly after they get another call from the Colonel.]


Colonel    : Raiden! They've got Rose! Rose is being held in the holds!

Shadow      : It's a trap!

Rose       : Help!

Silver       : Rose!

Shadow      : Silver, get a grip!

Silver       : But Shadow!

Shadow      : It's a trap. Since the Colonel doesn't exist, there's no way he
             can take Rose hostage.

Silver       : Yeah -- you're right...

Shadow      : I am right.

Silver       : ...OK. But... Does Rose -- exist -- ?

Shadow      : Don't be weird. She's your --

Silver       : What if I've never really met her... If the Colonel is something
             that I partly dreamt up, then... everything I remember about her
             could be...

Shadow      : Don't jump to conclusions!

Silver       : You and Otacon are the ones that say the Colonel never existed.
             Is this what Olga was talking about?


[in the next room they are attacked by about 25 or so Arsenal Tengus.  Quickly
killing all of them they look around the room for more.  Suddenly Fortune
strides into the room with her still menacing looking rail gun.]


Silver       : Fortune...

Fortune    : It's been a long wait, Solid Snake -- the root of all my sorrows.

Shadow      : What?

Fortune    : Two years ago, you killed my father. That was the beginning of
             hell for us. Everyone I love has been taken from me, one by
             one... and no matter how hard I try, I can't follow them. An
             endless nightmare... The only thing we live for is to see it end.
             Our wait is almost over.

Silver       : You can't be serious about firing the nuke!

Fortune    : Since no one can kill me, I may as well kill everyone I can.


[She starts to charge up her gun.]


Fortune    : Starting with you, Solid Snake!

Silver       : Damn!

Shadow      : Looks like I'm today's pick. You go on ahead.


[Silver hesitates and holsters his gun. He starts to walk towards the ladder.]


Shadow      : You want eternal rest? I've got it right here.


[Silver reaches the ladder. He puts one hand and one foot on the rungs and he
turns back towards Shadow.]


Silver       : What are you going to do? Bullets can't get near her.

Shadow      : I'll think of something. There's no such thing as a witch.

Fortune    : You think you can kill me?

Shadow      : I don't know what your group's been through, but let's get one
             thing clear... I didn't kill your father.

Fortune    : Do you think anyone believes your lies!?

Shadow      : Raiden, get out of here!


[As Silver climbs the ladder to an unknown destination Shadow and Fortune begin
their battle.  Shadow starts unloading bullets at Fortune and lets out a loud
yell that could only come from a man that is facing certain death.]