Snake had never seen Campbell look so worried. He could tell something was wrong. The way that he was hurried into the study didn't seem right. Nor for that matter was the way that Campbell was acting. Roy Campbell was one of the few people that Snake knows that could look at him and treat him like a normal human being, instead of some hired killer. However, this time, since Snake arrived at Campbell's home. Roy hadn't looked at him or spoken a word--- not even once. Something was seriously wrong.

Snake sat there on one of the antique couches and watched Roy pace up and down the room in an uncomfortable silence. Each time he would pause for a few seconds and shot a worrying glance over to the stack of files that were clumsily organised on the edge of his desk. Several minutes went past as Snake watched him repeat the same routine over and over again.

"Colonel, I appreciate you wanting to see me but do you mind telling me what's going on?" Snake was able to break Roy out of his trance, causing him to swing round and knock all the files onto the floor. For a moment Snake thought that Campbell had forgotten he was there. Roy got down and tried to pick up the scattered files but Snake found watching him struggling so unbearable that he got down and gave him a hand.

"Sorry Snake, things have been a bit hectic lately"

Snake handed the files over and smiled, he was beginning to notice. Campbell looked unwell, like he hadn't slept in weeks. Roy sat down in his chair and dumped the files back on his desk; he let out a slight groan. He was beginning to look old.

"Yeah, I'm beginning to tell. You look like hell Colonel, like you haven't slept in months" Snake replied positioning himself back on the couch. Roy let off a weak smile and rubbed his forehead

"Well, the truth of the matter is that you aren't that far off. Things aren't looking good Snake."

"....Colonel?"

"Snake, I'm not a colonel anymore and even if I was. I would have no right to be one. Snake I feel ashamed. I feel as if I could have prevented it from happening if I had only known...." Whatever Campbell wanted to say, Snake noticed that he couldn't, as if just by looking at him Roy was forced to relive the past events of some hellish nightmare.

"Colonel, why have you called me in?" Snake watched him fumble through the files, till he found the one that he wanted.

"It's a lot easier for me to just show you, I feel so bad about this. I have no right to be called your friend" he pushed the file across the desk. Snake picked it up; he flicked it open and read the first few paragraphs. Snake found he couldn't take it in; the words that were in front of him weren't making any sense. He was shocked but not just shocked, he felt angry, as if he had been violated. He kept reading. The more he read, the angrier and more abused he felt. Rage was building up inside of him, as if he was a bomb ready to explode. The whole thing was making him feel sick. It took a while before he was able to force the words out

"I--- I've been cloned?"

"It would seem that way--- yes" Campbell couldn't bring himself to look at Snake anymore; he sat there at his desk cradling his head in his hands. He was feeling tired and his body was starting to ache but he felt that this was the only way that he could make it up to him, as if, just by doing this he'll be that one step closer to the hell that Snake was going through.

"But-- I can't, the Les Enfants Terribles project shouldn't have allowed for such a thing to happen"

"Well, with the advancements in science, scientists have found a way. The whole thing makes me feel sick to be human and that's not the worst thing about it" Snake stared at him "they were our scientists. As if, me being commander of Foxhound meant nothing." Campbell slammed his hands down on the desk

"That's not the worst of the problem is it?" Snake knew there was a lot more to this situation, there always was. He re-opened the file and read the more recent entry. "Where is he?"

"You mean she and to be honest--- we don't know. There were some complications in the last mission. When she returned to the base, she disappeared--- I'm afraid she's gone after someone"

"What makes you say that?"

Roy shifted uncomfortably in his chair

"Before she went AWOL we were able to find out what she was doing. She broke into the armoury and afterwards she managed to hack her way into the database. She was looking for information on someone...." He looked at Snake "It was you"