Shade fell on the floor sobbing his heart out, it broke him to see his brother turned into a freak, someone working for Shadow eye and he was not allowed to be seen with Shade. Snake crouched down next to Shade, he couldn't do anything to help Shade but be there for him.
"Fucks sake, my only brother and they turn him against me." Growled Shade
Snake started to pick the bits of the broken mug up and stuck them in the bin, he thought it be best to let Shade come out with it all by himself. Shade slumped up against the table leg and sighed, Snake looked over at him as tears rolled down his face.
"Thought you and your brother were close." Gruffed Snake
Shade smiled as he wiped away the tears with his sleeve, Snake sat down on the kitchen floor and leaned against one of the cabinets behind him to ease the pain a little.
"We were close but he disappeared off the face of the earth five years ago." Sighed Shade
"Ever wondered where he was?" Asked Snake
"I worried about him, scared he was killed or something."Replied Shade quietly
"Well at least you have a brother who cared, mine all wanted to kill me." Joked Snake
Shade laughed a little before returning his thought back onto his brother again, he sighed, nothing could really kill out the pain or make it go away, the only way to do that was to get his brother away from Shadow eye and even then Shade could not be sure if his brother was helping him or luring him. Snake ruffled Shade's hair in an attempt to cheer him up a little but Shade just smiled and carried on staring at the floor.
"Hey want a coffee?" Asked Snake
"I'd much prefer a stiff drink." Replied Shade
"Okay coffee with Baileys that Adder grabbed." Said Snake
Shade laughed, Adder always hid away a secret stash of baileys so her and Shade could get blind drunk if they couldn't sleep before a mission, it was unprofessional of them and it would always piss Otacon off when he had to postpone it one day but it worked, Snake would always be the one to encourage them to do it even more.
"God she still has it lying around then." Chuckled Shade
"Oh yes but only on our days off." Replied Snake smiling
"You never have days off." Joked Shade
Snake laughed as he handed Shade his coffee, he remembered meeting Shade and Adder for the first time, he had just got back from a mission when Otacon decided to introduce the pair and of course they were blind drunk on baileys which made Otacon cross and Snake burst out laughing, at the time they were two new fresh faced Mercenary's dealing with their nerves, Snake understood what they went through but it still made him laugh.
"Adder forgot that day by the way." Said Shade
"Bet she was badly hungover." Replied Snake
"Oh yeah we both were and Otacon still made us go on our mission the next day. "Chuckled Shade
"Typical Otty." Gruffed Snake
Shade laughed, he took a sip from his coffee, a change of subject was a slight relief from what was going on. Snake left the baileys out of his coffee, not a good idea to mix pain killers with alcohol, Shade smiled, the warmth of the baileys and coffee lifted his soul a bit, while Snake started to feel a bit drowsy from the pain killers kicking in.
"You two were mad back then." Muttered Snake
"Yeah. Fresh faced hyped up mercenary's, we thought we ruled the world back then, now we just see it as another day, another chance to breathe." Gruffed Shade
"I know how that feels, It takes several bullet wounds to make you start thinking like that and bring you back down to earth." Replied Snake
Shade nodded in agreement, the first time he was shot was protecting Adder from a psycho gun man, it made him grow up especially since it was so close to his heart. Shade had lost count of the scars he had gained through battle especially the bullet wounds.
"You know it's times like these I miss." Said Shade
Snake looked at Shade oddly with a raised eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Asked Snake
Shade paused and looked out of the window, the rain trickled down the window like his memories, he sighed and looked back at Snake.
"Times when I can just talk and let it all out." Sighed Shade
Snake took a sip of his coffee he smiled to himself at the thought of them being downstairs sitting on the kitchen floor pouring their souls out to each other at two in the morning, he understood where Shade was coming from.
"We should call this the two A.M club." Joked Snake
"Maybe. Bet you got something to share though, something your hiding." Replied Shade
"Nope, I've told Adder everything she needs to know about me and she's told me hers. So I have nothing to hide. Why? Think I do or something?" Asked Snake
"Yeah, Adder told me something." Replied Shade with a grin
Snake looked worried as the rain beat down harder on the windows. What the hell did he say that Adder told Shade about?
"I really don't follow." Gruffed Snake
"She told me that If I didn't get with Mandy sooner or later you'd end up doing the job for me" Replied Shade
"Oh that. It's about time you two got together." Suggested Snake
"Well I'm telling you what I told Adder. We're just good friends." Gruffed Shade
Snake smirked as he took another sip of his coffee.
"You two are more then just good friends, I can tell." Said Snake
Shade disagreed with Snake's statement, trying not to give away too much about how he felt about Mandy deep down inside but Snake was all to aware of what was going on between Shade and Mandy and decided to take the opportunity to tease Shade and hopefully wean the truth out of Shade.
"Shade it's quarter past two in the morning, I think it's safe to say no one else is going to come down and join in with our conversation." Gruffed Snake
"Snake leave it, I don't know what you are implying and I don't care to be honest." Said Shade
Shade took a sip from his coffee and stood up, the rain had eased off the windows while Shade lit up another one of his cigars and blew the smoke upwards, it was the welcome nicotine fix he needed after a long night of emotions and battle.
"I'd like to say I think my brother is helping us but I'm not so sure." Muttered Shade
"What makes you say that?" Asked Snake
"He said he was not on Shadow eyes side yet he had to run before they hunted him down and maybe shot him. I'm confused, my brother is in that test subject somewhere but I didn't know if it was him speaking or the test subject." Gruffed Shade
"The only thing I can say is keep your eyes peeled." Replied Snake
Shade nodded in agreement as he took another drag from the cigar, he picked up his cup and walked over to the couch, he slumped down and placed his coffee on the table in front of him, Snake got up from the floor and walked over to Shade and sat on the arm of the couch while Shade stared at the ceiling deep in thought.
"Did Red eye come back?" Asked Shade
"Yeah, Otacon is letting him sleep in the office for now." Replied Snake
"For now? Why he getting another room built or something?" Asked Shade
"Maybe. Who knows what is going on in Otty's head." Joked Snake
Shade laughed, it was true nobody knew what was going on in Otty's head apart from Otacon himself, he looked over at Snake and noticed he was half awake. He shook his head, Snake would always wear himself out and being injured was not going to help the matter.
"Pain killers kicking in I take it?" Asked Shade
"They are not kicking in they are booting in." Laughed Snake
"Well you not going to bed is not going to help with you current situation." Gruffed Shade
"Hey don't you start on me." Replied Snake
"Look I'm not sitting down here tomorrow morning and get an ear bashing off Adder for not sending you to bed when you felt tired. Get up stairs and get some sleep if that's what the pain killers want you to do to work then let them." Ordered Shade
Snake sighed he guzzled down his coffee and placed his empty cup next to Shades.
"Okay I'm going." Groaned Snake.
"It'll do you some good." Replied Shade
Snake headed upstairs while Shade sat alone in the dark with nothing but the smell of the Coffee and baileys and the thoughts running wild in his head, he had to find MBK again, he had to be sure it was his brother helping and not the test subject luring them in to a false sense of security. The only way he could tell was if he was to take Red eye along with him but Shade knew there was going to be a lot of work involved and he only had one day left till the Mission started.
"Damn it." Muttered Shade
He laid down on the couch and started to doze off but he was only plagued with nightmares, one's of his brother being called for being a traitor or worse yet, Shade being lured to Foxhound by MBK and then being killed by MBK himself.
The morning had come, Mandy walked down the stairs and found Shade asleep on the couch, he looked to have had a rough night by the pillows being chucked on the floor and the coffee table being moved, she shook her head and headed over to the kitchen, Red eye wondered out of the office next door and rubbed his eyes.
"Morning Red." Said Mandy sweetly
"Morning, hey did Shade come home last night?" Asked Red eye concerned
"Yeah, he's on the couch still asleep but be warned I think he had a rough night." Replied Mandy
"You mean be warned hurricane Shade is on it's way." Joked red eye
Mandy chuckled as Red eye shuffled upstairs nearly falling over his feet, Otacon rushed down waving some paperwork above his head and a huge smile on his face.
"Hey Mandy I found something about Shade's brother." Said Otacon excitedly
"Shush, Shade is still asleep on the couch and I think he had a rough night." Whispered Mandy
Otacon looked over to Shade asleep on the couch, he noticed the chucked out pillows and moved coffee table and pulled a face, he slowly crept past the sleeping Shade and over to Mandy who was making some coffee, she looked at Otacon as he thrusted the paper work under her nose.
"I found out about MBK." Said Otacon quietly
"Oh good, Shade would be pleased. Anything interesting?" Asked Mandy
"Yeah, it says when Shade was kicked out MBK was entered into the fox unit as a recruit, he was told not to contact any member of family as it was a top secret government organisation, hence why Shade never heard from him for five years." Replied Otacon
"Makes sense." Said Mandy
"But that's not all, while Foxhound were looking for a new leader, MBK was told to take leave until he was ordered back, it just turns out that the order back was him being turned into a test subject for the ultimate soldier." Replied Otacon
Mandy was quiet, it didn't seem fair for Shade to loose the only brother he had to a mad man's experiments. She looked at Otacon hoping he had some more answers.
"Do we know if he survived?" Asked Mandy
"Nope, after that Records for Foxhound were kept under lock and key but give me some time, I might come across something before the days out." Replied Otacon
Mandy smiled she handed him a cup of coffee and walked over to Shade sleeping on the couch, Otacon hid himself in his office while he moaned about the mess Red eye had made of his floor, Mandy placed Shade's coffee on the table and watched as he slept peacefully. Snake walked down the stairs and could see Shade asleep on the couch while Mandy watched over him, he smiled and casually walked by, Mandy caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye.
"How are you feeling?" Asked Mandy
"Better, still slightly sore but better." Replied Snake
"That's good. Where's Adder?" Asked Mandy
"In the shower doing her usual." Replied Snake
He looked at her concerned as she sat on the floor reading yesterdays paper.
"Why do you want to know?" Asked Snake
"I need a word with her, it's nothing bad." Replied Mandy
Snake shook his head, girly talk, time for Adder and Mandy to chat about crap and giggle endlessly at the slightest little thing, he grinned as he made himself a cup of coffee for the morning, he looked over to Mandy nursing over Shade as he continued to sleep on the couch.
"You know any stranger would think you two were together." Joked Snake
Mandy smiled as she took a sip from her coffee.
"I wish." Replied Mandy
Snake laughed he had an idea what Mandy was going to talk to Adder about when she came down from the shower.
"Thats why you want Adder to talk to." Gruffed Snake
"I'm not telling you." Relied Mandy laughing
Snake walked over to Otacon's office and opened the door only to be greeted with a load of paper being chucked at him and abuse, he quickly closed the door and walked away before Otacon chased after him. Shade started to stir he looked round and saw Mandy looking at him with a cup of coffee placed in front of him.
"Morning sleepy head." Said Mandy quietly
"Oh god not morning, wake me up when it's the afternoon." Moaned Shade
"look as much as you like sleeping in your own pool of drool you have to get up, we need to sit down on this couch and the floor is not a comfortable alternative." Replied Mandy
"It'll do for now." Muttered Shade
Mandy belted Shade round the head and laughed as he groaned and slowly got up, he rubbed his head and grabbed the cup of coffee from the table he looked over at Mandy and grinned.
"Take it I was more amusing to watch then the TV." Joked Shade.
"Anything is more easier on the eye then them morning TV presenters. Even Snake walking around half awake." Laughed Mandy
"I'm telling Adder you have the hots for Snake." Teased Shade
"You do that and I think Adder will laugh at you." Replied Mandy
Shade shook his head, he took himself back upstairs, he passed Adder on the stairs on the way up and smiled at her.
"Good morning Precious." Said Shade
"Whoa, what you so happy about?" Asked Adder
"Oh nothing only I know Mandy has the hots for Snake." Teased Shade
Adder burst out laughing and ruffled Shade's already messed up hair.
"I think you find you have that wrong." Laughed Adder
"I told you." Teased Mandy
Shade shook his fist and carried on walking upstairs to the bathroom while Adder jumped on the couch and sat next to Mandy, while Snake was in the upstairs office hiding from Otacon and surfing the internet out of pure boredom.
"How are you?" Asked Adder
"I'm fine, I need a word with you." Replied Mandy
Snake's ears pricked up and he walked over to the railings, Adder looked up at him and smiled, she walked over and stood underneath.
"My gorgeous, handsome Snake. Did you know you're new Subaru is being delivered today?" Asked Adder
"Nope but I do now." Replied Snake excitedly
Adder looked at her watch and smiled.
"Should be here in five minutes." Said Adder
Snake grinned he ran downstairs as Red eye made his way down with his Kendo stick, nearly being knocked over by Snake running past.
"Hey what's the hurry?" Asked Red eye
"New Subaru." Replied Snake excitedly
He stood in front of the lift and pressed the button, he grabbed his chest as he aggravated his swollen ribs.
"Ow that hurt." Gruffed Snake
"You're own fault." Replied Adder
Snake winced as the lift came up and opened it's doors, he stepped in and went down to the garage, Red eye wondered past into the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Asked Adder
"Do you think you could get Shade to open up to me?" Asked Mandy
"How do you mean,emotionally?" Asked Adder
Mandy nodded as Red eye came over and sat down with them, he placed his tea down on the table and looked at Mandy and Adder with a smile on his face. Mandy felt edgy with him sitting with them while she talked about Shade with Adder.
"It's okay Mandy Red eye already knows." Replied Adder
"He does feel for you." Reassured Red eye
Adder nodded in agreement, it was true that Shade did feel for her but she Knew that Shade had trouble just opening up to someone completely new to him, Adder remembered how hard it was to get Shade to talk to her the first time she found him. Most of the time they would just say hello and goodbye.
"You just need to give him time, he's difficult to work with." Replied Adder
"Likes to keep everything to himself." Said Red eye
Mandy bowed her head while she took a sip of her coffee, she tried to listen to the advice Adder and Red eye gave her but it just sounded like hard work to get Shade to just open up to her. Adder had a thought come into her head that made her smile.
"Maybe we should all go out tonight and leave you and Shade alone." Suggested Adder
"I don't think that'll happen, Otacon is getting ready for tomorrow, the last thing he wants is us going out late at night."Replied Mandy
"I'm sure we can twist his arm some what." Giggled Red eye
Adder shrugged her shoulders and looked over at Mandy who was pondering the idea in her mind.
"It's worth a shout, either that or we pretend to go out but end up hiding in the garage." Replied Adder
"I'll see what I can do, but if not you lot are hiding in the garage." Replied Mandy
"Have I got to drag Otacon with us?"Asked Adder
"Nope just bribe him with his lap top and a game of solitaire." Joked Mandy
Shade wondered downstairs half naked, muttering about his favourite t-shirt being in the wash, Mandy stared over at him and smiled, Shade pulled a confused look and carried on walking to the pile of washing on the kitchen table that Otacon had folded only for Shade to ruin it by pulling out his shirt.
"Someone's gonna be in trouble." Said Adder
"He'll get over it." Replied Shade
He pulled the t-shirt on and wondered over to the lift to go up to the armoury and clean the guns, Mandy smiled as Shade stood there waiting for the lift to come up.
"Hey I take it you told Snake his car was here then?" Asked Shade
"Yeah and he moved like a bat out of hell to see it." Laughed Adder
"Typical. Anyway if you lot want me, I'm upstairs cleaning up the weapons." Gruffed Shade
Shade stepped into the lift as it come up, he was about to close the doors when Mandy rushed over and stood in the doorway.
"Shade just to let you know, the gang are going out tonight to do some last minute training and Otacon wants us to stay here and look after the base." Said Mandy
"Well If that's the case I better gets some training in before tonight." Replied Shade
He smiled at Mandy before the doors closed on her and the lift travelled up to the armoury, Adder sat on the couch clapping while Red eye started heading over to Otacon's office and breaking the news to him, there was a loud "what the hell" but Red eye managed to twist his arm to take the group out to a restaurant before the mission the next day. Snake came back up from the garage with a huge grin on his face, Adder looked over at him and laughed.
"Take it you're pleased with it then?" Asked Adder
"Pleased is not the word, amazed is." Said Snake
"Well just to let you know we are all going out tonight apart from Mandy and Shade." Said Adder
"Why are they not going?" Asked Snake
"Something me and Red eye have set up."Replied Adder
Snake was just to ask a question as to what the set up was but it clicked what they were up to and he just responded with a thumbs up, Adder leapt off the couch and walked over to Snake while Red eye started cooking up something to eat.
It was seven thirty at night and the gang were making their way out leaving Shade and Mandy behind at the base, Shade was sitting on the railings upstairs reading up on the paperwork Otacon had handed to him, Mandy made her way upstairs and sat at the PC next to Shade.
"What you looking at?" Asked Mandy
"Something about the new Foxhound that's all." Gruffed Shade
He saw pictures of his brother before they changed him with the documents of "Ideal test subject" underneath, Shade frowned as he read what they planned to do with MBK and knowing what they had done with him, it made him angry inside but at least he knew his brother was alive but he didn't know what side he was fighting on. Mandy looked up at him and noticed the frown on his face as he read up on his brother.
"It hurts don't it?"Asked Mandy
"Yeah, they take away my brother and make a freak out of him." Muttered Shade
Shade jumped off the railings and sat down at the PC next to Mandy, he tossed the paperwork on the table and flung his legs up onto the table, Mandy looked at him and laughed.
"So much for respecting office furniture." Laughed Mandy
"I have heard worse things done to office furniture but I shall not go on." Joked Shade
"And I bet you have at least done one of them?" Asked Mandy
"What photocopy my backside? At least everyone has done that." Replied Shade
"No I meant the other things." Teased Mandy
Shade laughed and shook his head as Mandy continued surfing the net for something to do, Shade looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.
"What makes you think that about me?" Asked Shade
Mandy shrugged her shoulders and continued to look at the screen, avoiding Shade's gaze knowing he was trying to get at something she was not ready to say, Shade rolled off his chair and stood behind Mandy, he placed his hands on her shoulders and dragged her chair away from the PC, Mandy was confused while Shade stood in front of the PC with his arms folded and a grin on his face.
"Now you're gonna talk to me." Gruffed Shade
"What do you mean?" Asked Mandy concerned
"You know what I mean but you are too scared to tell me." Replied Shade
Mandy sighed, she knew Shade wanted to know sooner or later and it was the whole reason why Adder and Red eye got the group to go out and leave the two of them alone, she looked up at him and bared a slight smile.
"I've grown to like you a lot Shade, I'm just scared that you won't open up to me." Replied Mandy
"It takes ages for me to open up to someone, Adder would have told you that." Said Shade
Mandy nodded, she remembered Adder telling her that about Shade
"But you're a bit like Adder, there's an instant click between us. It took me a few days to get used to Adder and it did with you but I think I can trust you with a heck of a lot." Replied Shade
Mandy blushed she smiled at Shade as he sat down on the floor and smiled back at her, Mandy shuffled the chair close to Shade and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"You're a good looking bloke but I would like you to move out of the way of my PC so I can find what I am looking for." Joked Mandy
"Damn and I thought I was what you were looking for" Teased Shade
"Maybe but that would be telling." Replied Mandy
Shade grinned he stood up and leaned over Mandy, Mandy looked up and smiled as Shade was face to face with her, he placed his hand underneath her chin and smiled.
"Think it;s about time we gave into our feelings for once." Suggested Shade
Snake and Red eye were outside the restaurant getting some fresh air, Snake was feeling a bit woozy after his pain killers started kicking in and Adder suggested he go outside to get some air with Red.
"Feeling better?" Asked Red eye
"A bit I just need a few more minutes and I'll be back in." Replied Snake
Red eye smiled, he walked back in the restaurant leaving Snake to get himself better, Adder looked over to Red eye as he approached the table.
"Is he okay?" Asked Adder concerned
"Yeah he's fine he just wants a few more minutes that's all." Replied Red eye
Snake was leaning against the wall and looking across from the restaurant, the wooziness was going slightly and Snake was a bit more aware of his surroundings, he stretched out and was about to make his way back in when he notice d something happening across the road. A woman wearing red stepped out of a stretched black Volvo and was dragging behind her what seemed to be a man wearing a hooded jacket and was wearing chains around his wrists and ankles.
"THIS'LL TEACH YOU TO RUN AWAY." Yelled the woman
She kicked him in the face and continued to drag him along a dark alleyway, Snake frowned he went back into the restaurant and got Red's attention and Adder's
"I need you guys to give me a hand." Gruffed Snake
Red eye and Adder looked at him confused and followed him outside of the restaurant leaving Otacon to stay behind and look after the table. Snake guided Adder and Red eye across the road where he saw what was happening, they crept down an alleyway and saw the woman with the man in chains screaming and shouting at him, Adder looked concerned as the woman beat the crap out of him, Red eye looked at the man and collapsed on the floor clutching his head in agony, Snake looked at him.
"Ow damn it he's trying to get into my head." Growled Red eye
"He knows we are here?" Asked Adder
"He saw Snake before the Woman kicked him in the face and knew he wanted to see what was going on."Replied Red eye
Adder sneaked forward a bit and noticed the man had one red eye and one blue eye, she shuddered as she saw the blood trickle down his face and form a puddle underneath him, The woman was standing in front of him while she ordered her guards to pick him up off the floor.
"The next time you run, these men will kill you. You maybe Shadow eye's test subject but it don't stop me killing you like all of the same from your sad group." Growled the woman
Adder stopped dead and looked back at Snake, the woman and her group started to head back, Adder ordered the group to hide. The woman strolled by, the man in chains caught a glimpse of Adder on the wall and looked up as he passed. Red eye looked at Snake hiding behind the boxes, as Adder slowly made her way back down to rejoin the group.
"Who was that?" Asked Adder
"Her name is ruby and that man with her was MBK Shade's brother." replied Red eye