All characters belong to Kojima Inc. I don't make money from this.

Remove the Mask

By Marie Nomad

Things were tense in Shadow Moses. Johnny stumbled out of the bathroom for what felt like the hundredth time. Everything was falling apart. Only a few months ago, he was a confident soldier eager to be latest generation of warriors. Now, he felt like a sick rookie who got his butt handed to him by not one but two prisoners. He sneezed in his mask. One of the prisoners was a hardened guy who looked too much like Liquid. He heard that his name was Solid Snake. He didn't mind being beaten by him. The redhead was a different story. She was cute but very buff. He hesitated because she was a girl but she didn't when she attacked and stripped him.

The other guards would have teased him mercilessly if they had not been killed by Liquid's lookalike and that mysterious cyber ninja that he kept on hearing about. It was a miracle that he wasn't killed yet.

A woman's scream echoed throughout the halls. As far as he knew, there were only two women on this base. He ran to see Revolver Ocelot electrocuting the redhead. At first, he felt vindication for all the pain he suffered at the hands of the redhead and then guilt for feeling those things. He knew that all she was doing was trying to prevent Liquid from attacking the US; it was the patriotic thing to do.

He gazed at her as she screamed. He wanted to turn away and yet he couldn't move. She looked so vulnerable and so young. She should not be suffering at the hands (or is that hand) of that madman.

Ocelot paused as he looked at Johnny. "You!"

"Yes, sir!" Johnny saluted praying he won't be shot for watching.

The old man smirked. "Enjoying the show?"

"I… uh…"

"That's okay, sometimes; it's hypnotic to see someone else's pain. It's a glorious sight to see the limits that one can take. You keep watch over Meryl while I update Liquid and make sure she heals enough for the next round. I've locked the handcuffs so not even Solid Snake can release her. Even you can handle that."

"Yes, sir." Johnny's hands shook. What did that girl do to make this man so mad at her? Did she cut off his hand? Or was he just feeling bored?

"Uhhh…" The redhead moaned as she opened her eyes.

"Meryl?" Johnny whispered as he took off his mask. She would feel better if she wasn't looking at some strange mask. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Help me." She pleaded. Her blue eyes looked at his and his heart melted.

"Don't worry, just… let me see…" Johnny didn't know what to do. His grandpa always told him to do your duty no matter what, especially when there's a nutjob around that could kill in a blink of an eye. Yet, she looked so helpless, like a princess waiting for a knight to save her. She was nothing like the soldier who knocked him out and stripped his uniform. The young soldier reached up for the shackles and looked for the button. "Damn it. I'm sorry."

"That's okay… you're not real."

"I'm real." Johnny urged. "You just have to hang on."

"I can't. I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can do anything, Meryl." He found himself looking around for a way to get her out. He had to do something. He couldn't just stand by and let her die or suffer more with Ocelot. "You just have to hold on until I can save you."

"I know you will, Snake." She whispered and then passed out.

"Snake?" Johnny felt his face and then put on the mask. Was she talking about Liquid Snake or some other Snake? He gazed at her and then saw the panel of the electric controls. He knelt down into the wires and altered the internal current. He couldn't destroy it or that Ocelot would just use another torture technique. This should at least make things a little easier for her to endure if he fails to save her. Ocelot shouldn't be able to see the difference. He stood up and took a deep breath.

"Oh, guard… is our prisoner nice and 'comfortable'?" Ocelot said in a creepy sing along tone.

"Yes, sir! She's right where she was before!" Johnny exclaimed as he stood straight.

"Good. Good. Back to work. Heh heh." Ocelot smirked. "You can watch if you want to."

"NO! I mean… I don't feel too good." Johnny excused himself and ran.


Johnny grunted as he leaned next to a wall to rest. He tried as hard as he could to save Meryl but he couldn't find her again. He gazed at his gun. What should he do? He had to do something to help her.

Suddenly, he heard people running and he held up his gun. "Freeze!" He ordered. Then, he gasped when he saw Meryl and Solid Snake standing before him. "It's you." Johnny said as he relaxed slightly. Meryl looked alive and well especially for someone who had been shot three times and tortured for several hours.

"Yes, it's me. What of it?" Meryl demanded looking nothing like the frail prisoner that he saw earlier.

"Nothing, you're kinda cute." Johnny flirted.

The female soldier glared at him and finally punched him. Johnny lay on the floor dazed. That girl was really strong but he still couldn't get the image of the frail girl he tried to help. At that moment, he wants to spend the rest of his life with someone like her.

The End?