Disclaimers 'n' crap: Haihai peeps! Well, I FINALLY FINISHED CLIFFHANGERS UNIT! WHICH MEANS I CAN FOCUS MORE ATTENTION ON THIS! WOOT! Well, I'm reaching the rough part of the story where I have to work in the regular MGS storyline. It shouldn't be THAT hard. I'm not really going to be talking about The Patriots. Now, THAT would be hard. Anyhoo, this chapter takes place a few months after the last one. You already know who and what I do and don't own. Enjoy!
"Look, Jack! Oooo, here comes the plane!" Marilyn could hear Raikov sniggering uncontrollably in the next room. For heaven's sake! She was just feeding the baby! "Honey!" she said over Jack's babbling "If you think it's so funny, maybe you should try it!"
"Eh, no thanks," said Raikov, doing up his tie as he strode into the room "The diapers are 'fun' enough."
Ring! Ring!
"I'll get it!" Raikov picked up the phone "Hello?"
"Ivan?"
"Major Fisher?"
"Listen, I don't have much time, but this is very important. Big Boss just called me. He wants to speak with a representative of the USSSSD about the 'Les Enfants Terribles' project and he specifically asked for you."
This is unusual, thought Raikov Me? Wait, no, it's not THAT unusual. Big Boss and I have already met. Although, the circumstances were much different…
"Did he say when and where?" said Raikov.
"2 o' clock P.M. at the FOXHOUND research facility in Washington D.C. this Thursday," said Major Fisher "I'd recommend leaving the junior and the Mrs. home for this one." Raikov sighed.
"Alright, then. Tell him I'll be there."
"That I will. Godspeed, Ivan."
"Goodbye, Major Fisher." Raikov hung up the phone and turned to Marilyn "I think I'm going to be taking a little trip."
The FOXHOUND research facility was an ominous place. Dark and dingy, and cold too. Raikov pulled his jacket in a little closer. His footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallway.
"Hello?" he said, tentatively.
"There you are." Raikov spun around to see a man emerge from a side-room. He was tall and well built with an eye-patch over his right eye. He held out his hand and Raikov shook it. "Ivan Raidenovich Raikov, I presume?" he said with a small chuckle "Yeah, I remember you. Name's Big Boss."
"I'm glad that we could meet again in a situation where we're on the same side," said Raikov "I've heard great things about your exploits. I even have to thank you for stuffing me in that locker. My wife was part of the medic team that…"
"Yeah, I've heard all that already," Big Boss interrupted "C'mon inside. I'm afraid I don't have that much room for hospitalities." Raikov followed Big Boss into an advanced looking lab room.
"Wow," he said "Impressive! So, I understand that you wanted to speak with me about the 'Les Enfants Terribles' project?" Big Boss explained the general statistics of the project. Raikov listened with great interest, although he didn't understand a lot of the genetics talk.
"So these cloned sons of yours," said Raikov when Big Boss was finished "Are expected to grow up to become the ultimate soldiers?"
"That's right," said Big Boss "And if we made an army of them, imagine what the world could be capable of!" Raikov furrowed his brow.
"We'd live in world where only soldiers and war existed," he said, bitterly "Is that really what you want?" Big Boss stood silent, eye closed.
"Only a true soldier could even begin to understand," said Big Boss "And from what I hear, you want nothing more to do with the field of battle."
"That's right," said Raikov "I have a family now. I can teach my son not to make the same mistakes I did." Big Boss smiled.
"You have pretty noble ideals," he said "I like that in a man." There was a pause. "So, Ivan, care to see the results of the project?"
I've seen enough already, thought Raikov But still, cloned humans? This could be interesting. "Alright, then," he said. Big Boss pulled a large data book off a shelf. He flipped through the pages until he came to one with a physical analysis next to a row of pictures of a boy.
"I've assigned each child a codename and sent them to different posts," said Big Boss "This one is David Sears, codenamed "Solid Snake", sent to a military center here in the US."
"Snake?" said Raikov "Is that a take on your old codename?"
"How'd you guess?" said Big Boss, smiling and turning the page. The boy on this page looked almost exactly like David, save a lighter shade in hair color. "This is Clarke Sears, codenamed "Liquid Snake", sent to a military center in the Middle East." He turned the next page "And this is George Sears, codenamed "Solidus Snake"." Big Boss paused "He lives here with me."
"Father?" said a voice at the door. Raikov and Big Boss turned to see a boy of about 8 or 9 years of age standing there. Raikov found something alarming in those bleak, dark eyes of his.
"Ah, speak of the devil," said Big Boss "Ivan, this is my son, George." George, almost robotically, thrust out his hand. Raikov paused and shook it.
"Pleased to meet you, sir," said George before turning to Big Boss "Am I needed for anything, father?"
"No," said Big Boss "You can go back to your studies." George bowed slightly and left. "Kid's always got his nose in a history book," said Big Boss to Raikov "He's as interested in politics as he is in combat training. He'll make a well-rounded soldier."
"It sounds like you're turning your own sons into killing machines!" said Ivan "Really, don't they anything that normal boys do?"
"Well," said Big Boss "Sometimes I see George reading one of those goddamn Spiderman comic books. He's got a whole stack of 'em in his room, as well as a poster of that weirdo 'Doctor Octopus'."
"Well," said Ivan "I greatly disagree with your methods, Big Boss, but it was nice meeting you a second time under better circumstances than the first. I should be going. Thank you for showing me everything."
"You're welcome," said Big Boss and gestured towards the door "Door's open. Don't forget to close it." Raikov left.
"Well?" said a voice. Big Boss turned to face George.
"He's not the greatest guy I've ever met," said Big Boss "But he's okay." George scowed, grimly.
"I don't trust him, father."
Yes, you should be noticing a LOT of foreshadowing here. I threw in Solidus' interest in Spiderman as a cute way to explain those robotic tentacles he has in MGS 2. For those of you with Substance (like me), you'll notice in Casting Theater (Solidus vs. Mass Produced RAYS) that any character you pick other than Solidus will appear to choke Raiden with Force Lightning at the end. This is especially weird with Rosemary. Metal Gear Star Wars anyone?