Snake glared viciously at Hauk. He was leaning heavily on the wall across the room, leg still on fire from where they stitched up the arrow's puncture wound. Hauk was taking his good ol' fucking sweet time preparing the pardon papers and it made Snake suspicious. Not that he wasn't wary of the bastard already but this all smelled of bullshit. The wait for the papers, the nukes which Snake was beginning to believe were never there and most of all the fact he was in the Max Control tower without handcuffs or guards. It all smelled of blackbelly bullshit.
Snake stepped forward watching Hauk fold his copy of the paper. Hauk's version was a simple piece of paper covered in signatures but the one they were giving Snake was gaudy and covered in gold foil stamps. For some reason the paper disgusted Snake down deep in the pit of his stomach. He had been pleasantly surprised that this blackbelly commissioner was keeping his word. That was if the papers were even real. Snake stared down at the desk watching Hauk intently.
The paper slid into the water resistant envelope so slowly it was antagonizing to watch. Snake's eye trailed across the desk to the pearl handled pistol and the mound of cigarettes. Just being here made him want to steal but now he couldn't decide what to take. The envelope zipped shut and Snake's eye jerked back to look at it. Even through the intense fatigue a spark of excitement hit. If he was cleared maybe he could sleep when he was out of this hell hole instead of constantly running.
"Here you go, Snake, full pardon just like I said." Hauk's hand extended out across the desk. Plissken looked between the hand and his face. There was something of a proud smirk in his old face. Probably happy that his ass had been saved at Snake's expense. Snake saw the smile growing as he reached out for the envelope. He couldn't help thinking, "Maybe letting me off the damned hook is Hauk's private "fuck you" to the state." Snake started to smile slyly as he took the envelope. Immediately he reopened it and examined the paper. It looked legitimate.
"Just don't get yourself killed now. It'd be such a waste of a pardon."
"Don't plan on it." Snake replied as his eye skimmed the list of crimes and signatures that confirmed his forgiveness. His eye lingered on the list of crimes. Snake hadn't even realized he had committed so many. Snake folded the paper returning it to the envelope and stuffed it into his cargo pocket. He looked up at Hauk. He was still grinning.
"I assume to see a man like you dead…" He paused leaning back in his chair. "I'll need half the police force with me." Snake saw in Hauk's eyes a wise old treachery that demanded respect even from Snake.
"They'd be a good start." Snake answered cockily. "Can I get a gun?" Snake had been given rations, medical supplies and a hummer without asking. It was worth asking and trying to get a gun.
"Still a soldier, Snake?" Hauk was moving from behind the desk toward a far wall. Snake's eye never leaving him.
"Never stopped." Snake answered taking a cigarette from Hauk's desk. He lit it watching Hauk with unbridled curiosity as he opened a wall panel. He couldn't see what Hauk was into but hobbling to get to another angle was out of the question. His leg was burning with spikes of pain shooting up into the hip. The last thing Snake wanted to do was move. He took a long drag from the cigarette waiting; it was starting to get uncomfortable. He wanted to get away before the blackbellies discovered the tape but he also desperately wanted a gun.
Hauk turned back toward Snake and tossed something black at him. The office was too dark to discern the item until he felt the weight in his hand. It was an old Special Forces pistol. The kind every officer was issued. Snake smiled at the weapon like he had once more discovered a lost companion after years of separation. This gun would be like ten in his hand. He had become one with a gun like this one once. They fought for survival together, the Snake and the black pistol.
"Perfect for a war hero." Hauk stated retaking his seat behind the desk. Snake could hear the cynicism in his voice. Laughing Snake put the gun in the pocket of his jacket. His hand lingered on it. As he caressed it, the need to shoot something became intolerable but Snake knew he would have plenty to shoot at very soon.
"What now Snake?" Hauk asked as he fished three boxes of bullets out of a drawer and placed them in the center of the desk. Snake snatched the shells off the desk before Hauk had a chance to change his mind. The bullets went into the other jacket pocket.
"Don't know, Jersey maybe."
"You could stay here. We'd make a hell of a team Snake."
Snake wondered what Hauk was thinking; maybe he just didn't care any longer. Snake scowled. He felt dirty and slimy from hearing that offer. "I'd rather die." Snake replied flatly.
Hauk became visibly disappointed in Snake's answer. "See ya 'round then, Snake."
"Yeah, in Hell." Snake replied walking toward the door. He knew he would see Hauk again and they would be on opposite ends of each other's guns. Snake found that thought satisfying as he hobbled down the hall toward the helipad and freedom.