Metal Gear Solid 4: United They Fall
A SonicTH228 Fanfic
Disclaimer: Hideo Kojima owns Metal Gear Solid, not I.
Prologue
One year and six months following the "Big Shell" incident…
Solid Snake has returned to his refuge in Alaska and Jack (Raiden) has settled down with his wife Rose and their son, Lucas.
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"Jack! Lucas is crying again! Could you bring him some milk?" Rose called out from the living room.
Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. It was the fourth time today that Rose had asked him to get a bottle for their son.
Oh well, I guess its part of the territory… he thought to himself.
Jack went into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle from the fridge from their cache of spare bottles.
"Here," Jack said with a hint of sarcasm. He turned around to return to his room.
Rose was on the couch and holding Lucas in her arms. The family had been happy since they had settled down after Jack resigned from espionage. To him, "Raiden" was a name that had no more meaning. To everyone he knew, and even to himself, he was just "Jack". The family had moved to a suburban community on the coast of the US. It was the as close to perfect as he could have asked for.
However, there were some things that were not as easy to let go of. Jack still believed that "The Patriots" were still out there, the mysterious organization who had revealed themselves before his fight with Solidus that claimed to control the world's supply of information. The strange series of events that concluded his mission at Big Shell made him question the very world he thought he knew. How much had The Patriots censored? How much of the world's knowledge was real?
Still, despite such troubling questions, Jack didn't let it bother him. He had recently begun work on a book detailing his experiences at Big Shell and his life as an agent of espionage. He used the book to distract himself from having to question the notion of a secret government who was using underground censorship to control the masses. It was something he'd rather not concern himself with since he was a family man and would rather not wrap his son's head into the business.
"Jack, would you like to sit with me?" Rose asked, sweetly.
Jack wanted to return to his writing but after giving it some thought, he figured there was still enough day to accomplish that. He turned around and went back into the family room, taking the seat next to his wife on the couch. The wind was rustling the leaves on the orange trees outside. A slight breeze picked up for a brief period but returned to the serenity in moments. It was one of those fall days that just doesn't end.
"I'm thirsty," Jack said as he stood up. "I'm getting a soda."
The next few moments seem to pass as if time itself were suspended. When the breeze picked up, a shady figure had slid into position in front of the house's large picture window, behind a tree. As Jack was rising from the couch, the mysterious man also rose out from behind his hiding spot and raised a pistol. He took careful aim and pulled the trigger, but all within mere moments in real time. His marksmanship was rewarded as he was aiming directly at the back of Jack's head. The bullet exited the gun's barrel and soared through the window behind Jack. Jack didn't even have time to respond to the sound of gunpowder exploding when the marksman connected with his target.
"Oh my God!" Rose screamed in terror when she heard the glass shatter, followed shortly by watching her husband crumple to the floor face first, struck down by the assailant. The sound of gunfire had also startled the baby and it broke into a shrill cry. Rose looked out the broken window just in time to see the assassin spin the long-barreled weapon on his finger before sliding into his holster. Before making his escape, the man threw a clear tube through the shattered window.
Rose picked up the tube. The message inside was addressed not to Jack, but Raiden:
"There are some things that man should never know…however, he knew one of them…Raiden…
The Twelve"
Jack was lying face down on the floor with a glazed look in his eyes. Rose set the terrified baby down before rushing to the phone. She frantically dialed "911".
"Hello, Emergency 911. What's your emergency?" the dispatcher on the other end said.
"My husband was just shot! He's bleeding! Please send an ambulance!" Rose said with a panicked voice. She gave the dispatcher her address and then hung up the phone.
Jack remained motionless. His eyes didn't blink and he didn't utter a word. His bright blonde hair was slowly being coated red around the fresh wound.
Later, at the hospital…
The emergency personnel had managed to get Jack to the hospital. He was barely alive when they wheeled him into the emergency room. Sadly, he was not expected to live through the night, despite the hospital's best efforts as his wound was too severe. They did the best to sustain him that long.
When Rose arrived at the hospital, she was allowed to see Jack. She went into the room where he was being treated and sat down next to his bed. Jack was almost unconscious.
"Rose…" Jack said, labored in his voice.
"Yes?" she replied with concern.
"Rose…the doctors…they said I won't make it…" his voice was fading. "Please…take care…of Lucas…and…you must…do me a favor…"
"What?" Rose said, nearing tears.
"Find…Solid Snake…give him…the note…" he said. His voice was barely audible at this point.
"Yes…I will…anything…" Rose said, as supportively as possible.
After those words, Jack passed out. The nurse asked Rose to leave. She knew that it was the last time she would see her husband alive.
After returning home late that night, Rose looked through Jack's personal files. She found an email address of interest. She took the note that the killer left behind and put it into the scanner. After scanning the image, she typed up a brief message and attached the picture before clicking "Send".
Elsewhere…
A sound startled a man doing some late night research in his office. He turned around and faced his computer, which was the only source of light in the room.
"Hm…?" he adjusted his square glasses and sat down in front of the computer. "I've got some email…"
To be continued…
