This story is the sequel to the game Metal Gear Solid
The Best Is Yet To Come
After Snake's (or Dave as people call him now) and Meryl's hunney-
moon in Florida, they went back to live in Alaska where Snake used to live.
"Whoa Dave, you need desperately to make some decorating changes!"
The newly wedded Meryl Silverburgh commented as she walked through the door
of Dave's very neglected one room home. "Hey, give me a break Meryl. I
haven't been here for 3 months." Dave argued sarcastically.
The home that Meryl referred to was covered in dust. A pile of dishes
lay on the floor beside what Meryl thought was Dave's sitting chair. The bed
was torn apart and looked like it was about to be made. A few shirts and
pairs of pants lay by the messy bed. The fire place had a heap of soot in
it and some spilling out onto the floor. A single log lie in front of the
fire place.
The newly weds quickly unpacked and set to starting the renovations
to there home over the following few weeks.
On Thursday of the third week of Dave's new life he received a phone
call. "Hello," "Hi Snake, how is heaven hanging out."Asked Roy
Campbell over the phone. "Is my girl giving you a hard time?" "Ha-ha. Not as
hard of time as Liquid.....my....brother..gave....me."Dave said sadly.
"I'm sorry about your brother's death Snake." "No, don't apologize Cornel.
I hope that bastard rots on Shadow Moses Island, or hell, which ever is
worse. But I wish I knew he existed before he became a terrorist. He might
have not became the way he was. He might have not have been sucked in by
Big Boss. He might." Roy broke in. "Come on Snake. Liquid would have turned
out the way he did whether or not you would have met him. And he would have
found out about his father Big Boss as well." "Yah.... Ok, lets get off the
subject. Cornel, how would you like to go hunting with me and a band of
Aleutian's that I know. We could go next week. So. How about it?" "That would
be great. But how about tomorrow?" "Well Cornel, the guy's don't have all the
supplies yet but if they need to, they could get the supplies by Saturday and
we could leave Sunday." "That's great Snake. I will be there tomorrow. Um,
sorry. Where do you live? I can't remember." "Why don't you look in your
government files? It should all be there. I'm just kidding. I live 93 miles
east of Alakanuk." "Thank you Snake. I'll be there. Should I bring a rifle?"
"No Cornel. I have a 30-30 you can use. See ya Cornel." "Goodbye Snake."
"Hey Dave! Who was that?" Meryl yelled through the door while she was
bring in some wood. "It was your dad. He's coming here tomorrow to go hunting
with me and my friends. You know. The hunt I told you I was going on next
week." "Ohh, why didn't you let me talk to him?" Meryl gave a little cute
disappointed look to Snake. "Don't worry about it. You'll see him tomorrow.
Now come here." As she did. Snake grabbed her and kissed her.
The next day at around 3 o-clock in the afternoon Roy's helicopter
landed on the frozen lake 2 miles from Dave's Cabin. Dave and Meryl was on
the shore waiting for him with the snowmobile that the two escaped from
Shadow Moses Island on.
Slowly but surly Roy and the pilot made their way across the ice
toward shore. "God dame-it. Why don't you guys build a helipad out in these
woods Snake." Roy cursed. " Hello Meryl. How are you doing?" " I'm having a
great time dad. You have to see Dave's little shack we're living in." Meryl
said as she hugged Roy. "My little girl is living in a shack! I thought you
would do better Snake." Roy complained. " Shut up Cornel and get on the
snowmobile." Dave shotback as he grabbed the complaining Cornel's suit case
and strapped it on the back." Meryl, Cornel. Get on. I'll run behind." "Dad, watch
this." Meryl whispered to her father. As she said that, she revved up the
skidoo and thrown a mound of snow on top of Dave as she took off up the trail.
"Hey Snake. That's what you get for calling me Cornel!" Roy shouted
behind as they took off.
"I'll get you my pretty!" Dave yelled toward the run-aways."And your
little father too!"
When Dave reached the Cabin, the snowmobile was parked out side
covered in snow.
After wiping all the snow off, and covering up the snowmobile Dave
went inside to find a surprise. Roy was sitting in Dave's favorite chair
which pissed him off and holding a gun case.
" I thought I said I had a gun you could use!" Dave roared at Roy.
" You have been an ass hole ever since you got off that chopper. First you
bitch at me about not having a place cleared off for you to land your damn
helicopter, then about where me and Meryl live, then you bury me in a god damn snow pile, and to put the icing on the cake, your sitting in my favorite chair.
Meryl! Why didn't you tell him to get out of my chair anyway?"
" Get off my dad's case . Oh and sorry about the chair Dave." Meryl
said trying to contain her laughter. " What is so funny Meryl?" As Dave said
that, Roy opened the gun case and pulled out a PSG1 sniper rifle. " Hey Dave,
remember this?" " That isn't the same one as...?" Snake stumbled with
disbelief. " Yes Dave," Meryl cut in. " it is. It is your PSG1 that you found
and used, to save my life, at Outer Heaven." Roy continued." After the
government declared Shadow Moses Island as a neutralized threat,
I sent a team in there to recover all technology and sensitive materials
in the complex. We recovered a lot. Including some new designs, discoveries, and
technologies. When they were searching the area around Metal Gear Rex, they
found your gear. I was aloud to only give you your PSG1. And I brought back
your Colt Python that we confiscated from you."
Dave was in shock. He thought he would never see that gun again. And
personally, he didn't want to. He killed his now best friend Hal Emmerich's
only love with that gun. Hal forgave Dave but he knew in Hal's heart he
could never forgive him. Hal had a new girl friend but Dave knows it wouldn't
work out.
" Thank you Roy. You didn't have to do this." Dave said with little
feeling. " No problem Dave. One of the search members tried to sneak it out.
Your weapons are like holy object to them. To think, the legendary Solid Snake
once used it. The others tried to sneak out your other weapons. I caught
them. They had no interest in your other belong though. They past them in.
Just the weapons they wanted."
" Did you get the bullets?" Dave asked with hope. What is the point
of having the gun if you don't have the bullets.
" Sorry Dave no bullets. The jackals got them." Roy said with a laugh.
" I got some bullets from the US Armory though. But they don't have as much
stopping power. But out here all you'll use them for is hunting anyway,.....
right?"
" Yes, don't worry Roy. That's all I'll use them for. Unless you don't
stop being such an ass hole. And get out of my chair!" Dave threatened Roy,
pointing the gun at him ( unloaded, with the bolt open ). " Anyway. How many
rounds did you bring?"
" Five thousand. I hope that's enough." Roy said easing his behind
out of the comfortable recliner.
That evening Dave, Meryl, and Roy were having rabbit stew, roast duck,
and caribou meat for supper.
"So dad." Meryl paused eating. "I was thinking you could sleep in
the bed, I will sleep in the recliner and Dave will take the floor."
"Damn." Dave mumbles to himself."Why do I have to get the floor?"
"Did you say something Dave?" Meryl asks.
"Did you go hunting before...Roy?" Dave tries to change the subject.
If Meryl wasn't here he would have kicked Roy's fat ass off that bed.
The next morning Dave woke up first, so he quietly slid out of his
sleeping bag to make a fire. But something caught his eye. His old codec that
was sitting on the mantel of his fire place was blinking. He slowly got up
and stared at it. He knew for a fact that the batteries ran out weeks ago.
Dave inserted the ear piece. "Hello?" Dave whispered in response. " Zeeech,
zeeerch, zeeech, beep!" was all Dave heard ,then the other end signed off.
The codec went dead. Dave didn't have a clue what that was. It could have
been a last surge of energy left in the battery but why would it go off now
and not sooner. He decided not to say anything to Meryl or Roy.
Dave start to fry some eggs and bacon for breakfast on the fireplace.
Meryl woke up and took over for Dave, but not after getting a good morning
kiss. " Dave sweety, do you mind if I take daddy out for a drive." " No, I
don't mind. I need to site in my new rifle anyway. Just clean the snow off
skidoo this time. I don't want it to rust." " Ok Dave.... wait, can you go
wake up Roy."
Dave, bitching the whole way over to the bed shakes Roy awake.
" Wake up sleeping beauty. Time for breakfast." Dave says with a overly perky
tone.
After breakfast Meryl and Roy set off on the skidoo. Dave pulls the
PSG1 out of its leather case and lays it on the floor. While he is loading
clips he catches a flash in the corner of his eye. The codec was blinking
again. He jumps out his chair, knocking it over, places the ear piece in his
ear, and responds. " Who are you!?" "Zeeech, zeeerch, zeeech, beep!" the
other end signs off and the codec goes dead.
Dave rips the ear piece out and screams " What the hell is going
on. " He fiddles with the codec. Nothing happens. " You piece of shit!"
Dave screams as he rips the battery out and drills it at the wall. The casing
breaks open when it hits and acid runs down the wall. " Damn. Got to clean
that up." He gets a rag and sits the codec beside him as he scrubs the wall.
The codec flashes. " What the..." He found the ear piece and responds.
" How can you do this!?" " Zeeech, zeeerch, zeeech, beep!" the other end
signs off. Dave drops the codec as it melts. Nearly burning him. Dave stares
at the pile of bubbling plastic and silicon, he hears gun fire out side as
the logs that make up the front wall explode while bullets fly through.
Dave dives for his PSG1 and grabs a clip. Taking cover behind the corner of
the fireplace. It seems like minutes until the unseen enemy finally stops.
Dave cautiously peers around the corner. A 4 foot robot with a 30mm chain gun
on it's right shoulder was strutting towards the house preforming some kind of
reloading procedure. Dave swings the sniper rifle around and fires. Hitting
it square in the shoulder knocking it down. Dave breaths a sigh of relief.
" Well that was....shit" The robot flips its self up on its feet and returns
fire. Dave leaps as the bricks of the fireplace explode, this time hiding
behind the recliner. He grabs all the clips he can before the recliner is
blown apart. The robot begins reloading as Dave takes aim at the head. He
fires, hitting dead on and ducking as the head explodes. Bits of metal and
glass fly everywhere. Dave listens for a moment. To hear if any more of them
are out there. All he hears is sparks and shorts coming from the one he
hopes he just destroyed. Moving cautiously toward the pile of metal he sees
no one else. As Dave was checking the lifeless metal corps he found the
inscription " United States Military " on the left leg. " Cornel you
bastard!" Dave cursed as he ran into what was left of his log cabin. He
picked up the phone and called the one man he trusted.
" Hello, put Hal Emmerich on the phone NOW!" " Ok hot stuff." a
womens voice he heard must be his girlfriend. He also heard in the back
ground " Hally, some man wants you." Hal picked up the phone. " Hello?"
" Otacon, is that Nastasha Romanenko with you?" " Dave nice to hear you.
Um... ya..it is. I can explain Dave..." " I don't care, Otacon are or were
you working on a new robotic weapon for the army?" "...I can't say. I'm
sorry." " Otacon, get that government bull shit out of your head and tell me.
One just trashed my cabin. It had the US military stamp on it. Now TELL ME!"
" Ok,ok. Uh... tell me what it looks like." " It's about 4 feet tall, has 2
legs, no arms, a small torso with camera and antenna as a head, and a 30mm
chain gun where the right arm should be." " Oh crap! Dave...ROA isn't
supposed to exist." " ROA? What the hell is that?" " Metal Gear ROA. A new
counter terrorist weapon I've been working on. I sent in the prototype
designs last week to Cornel Roy Campbell. I was called to see the first test
sequence for Monday. But you said one just attacked you? What did you do?"
" I took it out with my rifle." " What about the shield?" " Shield?"
" Yes in my design I had added a new ion shield I was working on. It can
deflect any bullet that is traveling less than 4237 feet per second. I guess
who ever sent ROA after you didn't have time to add one. Thank god." " Hey
Otacon, what does ROA stand for.?" " Um, Robotic, Offensive, Action or ROA. I
think ROA sounds better than what Roy Campbell was going to call, Hopper."
" Otacon, I need you to come out here right now. You have to find out who
sent this after me." " Ok Dave. I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll
bring Nastasha with to. She might be able to help. I should be there
tomorrow." " Otacon about Nastasha..." " Bye Dave."
Otacon hung up. "Damn Hal why the hell do you have to bring her."
Dave cursed to himself while slamming the receiver. He thought of nothing else
to do so he started to clean up. Almost the entire front wall of the house
was blown apart. The fire place was a pile of shattered bricks. The back wall
had about a 1000 fist size holes blow though. His recliner was a mound of
wood and felt material. There bed had a few holes. Then it hit him. "Ohhhh
shit, Meryl is going to kill me." He picked up the lump of plastic that
used to be his Codec and drilled it at the "ROA" in his front yard. And
continued to clean up. First he covered up the ROA wreckage with a tarp.
The sun was setting when Meryl and Roy came back from the ride. Dave had almost finished cleaning when from behind him he heard, " Holy shit, what the hell, did you fell you couldn't waste paper so you used the god damn cabin for target practice?" Roy yelled in shock. Meryl had her mouth open and looked like she could cry.
Dave simply said " Lift up the tarp."
Meryl was still in shock so Roy pulled the tarp off. "Shit." was all he could say. " So Cornel," Dave started " remember that. Have you ever seen it before?"
" No.... I have not." " Liar!!!! If you look on the left leg you will see the official UNITED STATES OF AMERICA seal. You are the god damn head of research for the government, military and black op. You would have to clear this for this to be able to exist. Explain that!"
" Since when have you become so knowledgeable of protocol. How do you know what and what doesn't have to be done." "Shut up Cornel! Don't lie! What the hell is it doing here!?" "I don't know." was all Roy said and Dave knew he wouldn't say anymore.
" Meryl?" Dave slowly walked over to her and held her. She start to cry. Being out of the army and around people who cared about her almost completely destroyed the phycopharapy she was given to make her "tough". Dave continued, "Meryl, don't worry, this won't happen again. You'll be safe. Don't worry." He brought her close and gave her a long kiss.
After holding her for what have must been the best 10 minutes of Dave's life, he turned his head to Roy. " Your daughter is in danger. Is your cushy government job more important than her?" Dave turned back to Meryl to let Roy decide. Roy finally said " No Meryl," he start to break down, "you...are...the...most important thing in my life...But I can't tell you about that project." He pointed to the hunk of metal. He continued. " If I did you would be in danger, not just from who sent it but also the government. Meryl, I am protecting you and Dave by having my job more than you will ever know." He started toward he cabin. " I'm calling for a chopper. At least I can get Meryl away from here."
Meryl pushed away from Dave still crying and began to talk, still chocked up. " No. I want to stay. I'm not running. My husband risked his life to save what was left of our cabin just for me. I'm staying to protect him." " Alright. But I'm going. It's not that I'm heartless, or I don't care. I'm better to you all if I'm alive and at Washington. I'll keep the dogs at bay, you find out who sent it." Roy knew if Meryl at least one ounce of his blood in her veins it was useless to argue.
After one last embrace Dave and Meryl helped Roy pick his things out of the rubble.
By sunset they dragged out the mess and used the tarp off of the snowmobile to make a make-shift tent. One thing was sure, if more of the enemy would come or no, none of that mattered, it was damn cold. Even with three of the in there, it was damn cold.
In the morning, they were all tired, the night brought no rest for them. Somehow they had the strength to drag themselves out of the cramped tent. With Meryl and Roy shivering in the corner with minor frost bite, Dave drug the snowmobile in front of the cabin and lit the whole thing on fire. Quickly Meryl and Roy stumbled over to the flaming wreck. "Well that was simple." Dave said, then Roy asked "How the hell are we going to get to the lake?" With a defeated grunt Dave barked "Shut up!"
The sun was well above there head when they heard the chopper off in the
distance. By then the fire was long out. When Dave got up and walked back into
the cabin. He came