OTACON

When you set up your base of operations in one of the smallest towns of a forgettable state, you can get a lot of apartment for the money. Being a scientist in such high demand, I was always set up in the big city, or near enough to the big city that I lost myappreciation for quiet. But there in that small town, it was something new. It was still too early to decide which style of living I preferred, but just being in a different place was enough to lift my spirit. After what I decided to do with Snake, I needed a whole lot of lifting.

What we decided was that we would team up. A partnership to end injustice in the world, little by little. We ended up in that big loft, full of boxes, shelves, and boxes. Everything cold and uncozy. Only utilitarian. Full of everything we needed; Broadband, army surplus, big mailbox, secrecy. Absent of everything we didn't; people.

Back at his cabin, right after Shadow Moses, we had some food. They were army rations, everything else he had was spoiled. They were decent-tasting, but it was nice to get some warm food in me. Once I was settled I was feeling unusually giddy. It was finally starting to sink in that I survived something great and terrible, and I had a lot to look forward to. I asked Snake if he had anything to drink. We had reason to celebrate, after all.

As soon as we started drinking, Snake told me his thoughts on wanting to fight for something. But he didn't want to fight for any government's armed forces. He wanted to find his own reason to live, and fight for that belief with all he had. How could I refuse an invitation like that? I was still in awe of how amazing he was. I thought it was an honor.

As soon as we were drunk enough to be silly, we decided on a name. Philanthropy.

The dusty cave we ended up in, in a small complex in small town was not what I imagined. I imagined a glamorous crime lab, maybe a even a war room. Where we would have fun and adventures, just me and Snake. James Bond movies come to mind.

Disappointed only at first, I smiled at my good fortune. Sitting on a box with the sun illuminating the dust in the air, I waited for Snake.

-

SNAKE

Me and Otacon had dinner and drinks at my cabin. Nothing special, just a little celebration in honor of completing our mission. During the ride there, I decided that I still wanted to fight. I just didn't want to fight for someone who would use me. I also didn't want to fight for my own personal gains. I wanted to fight so that future generations would not have to live in fear of global destruction. In this nuclear age, the future is never certain. I just wanted to do my small part. To alleviate the fear of the future? That's impossible. I just couldn't let uncertainty go unopposed.

That's what I decided, and I asked Otacon to join me. Together, we had the combined expertise to fight against anybody. That's how I felt, how confident I was of our abilities.

He accepted my offer, and we set up our base of operations in a small town, private enough to do anything, and with all the resources we needed.

Our first day there, Otacon talked to the landlord and moved us into a big loft in an apartment complex. I went out to scrounge for supplies. Not the kind of supplies you can just walk into a store and buy.

After Shadow Moses, I got a tip from Campbell about a guy in the area who could set me up, so I went to pay him a visit.

This guy was operating out of the back of his van. As his last favor to me, Campbell set up a meeting for us. He pulled into an abandoned parking lot, in his rusted Econoline. The lot seemed more like an abandoned wheatfield, with its waist high yellow grass growing through the cracks in the pavement. Not another soul for miles.

I pulled up alongside him in my car, equally as impressive as his, a 1990 Honda Prelude with faded paint. I got out, he stayed in. So I knocked on his door.

He looked at me carefully, squinting, and looked down at a photograph in his hand, then back at me. He paused for a moment, then opened the door.

"I gotta be careful. You're Snake then, right? You look older than this picture Campbell sent me. I gotta be careful." he said.

"Right. And you are?" I asked, holding out my hand.

"Oh, um, if you have to call me anything, just call me, uh, Salamander."

"Okay."

"You weren't followed were you? Campbell told me government types are always houndin ya."

"I know how to spot a tail. I wasn't followed."

"Alright, just gotta be careful, y'know. You sure?"

"I just said I wasn't followed. Now, let's see this gear of yours. This place in the middle of nowhere, but there's still a chance somebody might wander in here."

"Oh god! Why did you have to say that? I just can't get comfortable now! Dammit!"

"I'm sure it won't happen, just open up. I know what I need."

He kept chanting to God as he opened the back of his van. He was really sweating bullets, even though it was during a cool, autumn sunset. It was everything I needed, weapons, ordinance, radar equipment, electronics, even armor. I packed it all up and stuck in the car, there was barely enough room for everything, even with the trunk and every seat filled.

I started counting out the money to Salamander, who was sweaty and jittery. He looked as if he was really about to cry. I was 500 dollars short. I told him I could him the rest if he would just follow me to the bank. He ran off and told me to consider it a discount. He sped off, forgetting to close the back door. His one loose item fell out from the bed the van. I went over to pick it up as I waved for him to come back. He stuck his hand out the window and waved to me, and he sped down the road.

I picked it up. A Walther PPK.

When I got back to the base, Otacon was there, sitting on a box.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked.

"Oh, I was just... thinking about something funny." he said. "Did you get everything?"

"Yeah. Everything you told me, and everything I need. I got something extra too."

"Huh?"

"Here." I handed him the PPK.

"Are you serious, Snake? I've never used a gun before. And what am I gonna need it for anyway? I'm not going to be out in the field with you. That's why we got all this communications equipment. And did you have to buy this stolen gun with the serial number scratched off?"

"First of all, we need our gear to be untraceable. Second, when I'm out in the field, you just might need to defend the home base, if anybody ever found out where we're holed up. It's not likely, but it never hurts to have a contingency plan."

"But I still don't even know how to use it."

"Don't worry, you'll learn. There's a lot of things you're going to learn."

He stared at me, with his eyes as wide as the girls in his Japanese cartoons. I had no doubt we would both learn everything we ever needed to know. All it takes is a reason to live. And the will.