AN: Beware of the long author note! Mwhahahaha! No, but really, I got to apologize for the late update. I was going through hell these past couple of months and had to put my life together. For all of those who waited, thank you. Also thanks to all of those who reviewed. I really appreciate it. Oh and just in case if any of you are confused about the first two chapters before the briefing, those were flashback chapters. The first before MGS and the second between MGS2 and MGS4. I'm not saying anything else. You just have to wait for the main villain to explain everything like in any other MG game.

Now on to the story.

Disclaimer: Oh yea, I don't own Metal Gear and none of its characters. (If I did the radar would have never left the game. That thing was hell of helpful.)

"Ump… two sentries stationed outside of the front door. Pineapples and AKs."

"AKs? Russian equipment?" asked Campbell on the codec.

"Maybe, but it doesn't really mean the Russians are directly involved, considering their close relationship during the Cold War. I wouldn't be surprised if China still has some of their old toys from them. Plus were talking about a rebel faction. The AK is easy to use and hell of durable, making it the terrorists and rebels weapon of choice. Not the mention they're cheap."

Raiden moved closer to the base, moving from one barrel to another. He then settled behind the closest pair and zoomed in with his binoculars.

'There are gasoline footprints stretching from the front to the side of the building. It must be from the sentries walking back and forth.' Raiden thought.

He continued to scope out the place as Otacon started to speak, continuing their conversation.

"You're right, Raiden. There's no telling what these guys have so be careful."

"Understood."

"Now Raiden," said the Colonel taking over again, "Infiltrate the base and look for the Prime Minister's body. Take pictures so they can be analyzed and get the hell out of there. Remember, we're not here to start any trouble."

"Do you see a way in?" asked Otacon.

'There are only two paths going in opposite directions, both ending on the opposite sides of the building. Therefore, there are only two guards and they both leave the front door open eventually. They also separated from one another making it easy to take one down and sneak in from the side… or the front before the other return. No, the front might be too risky if the other guard returns, the side it is.'

"Raiden?" Otacon asked, waiting for the man to respond.

From the slump shoulders, the guard on the right is tired, so I'll enter from the right side.'

"Yeah, I found a way in."

Raiden tapped the side of his helmet to turn off the binoculars. He took out his M9 ready to use it, until he realized that the noise would draw attention. That would have been a rookie mistake, no suicidal. However, he's not a rookie, not anymore. He replaced the M9 and waited for the two guards to go their separate ways. The guard on the left quickly made his repeated trip to the side and back. However, the guard on the right was slower, taking long dragged out steps, making his trail of footprints look connected, less distinct than his partner's footsteps.

'Like an injured animal', Raiden thought, taking his tracking lessons into account.

He was correct to pick the man on the right. He withdrew his katana, the hilt facing outward, he only wanted to knock out the man, not kill him. The man was easily taken care of and Raiden found himself sneaking into a vent in the building.

It was quiet, his only company being the sound of footsteps above him. Who would ever think that he would be here again, crawling under danger, living in the shadows? He promised that he would give this up. He promised that he would be a man again. Now that he was given a second chance he would be more than just a ghost, a phantom, only living to follow orders. That's what he promised. That was what he promised the legend himself.

Flashback

"Kid, what are doing here? Don't you have a family at home, waiting for you?"

The lights were dim in the worn out bar. No one really needed lights to drink, especially a shadow. Raiden was used to the dark, use to the light feeling the alcohol gave him. It reminded him of the gunpowder, made him feel good just like it use to when he was a kid. What he wasn't use to was a family. He wasn't use to trusting, he damn sure wasn't use to loving and he wasn't use to the raspy voice coming from the man beside him. No, he was use to being alone.

"Family," asked the man sitting in the dark corner of the bar, "No, I don't have a family. Roy Campbell is the one with the family, not me."

"Ump, you always was such a drama queen."

Raiden just return his attention back to his drink. He didn't have time for this. All he wanted to do was get plastered and forget about it all, everything. He just wanted to forget, the pain and the hope. That's how he dealt with his childhood for as long as he did. He just forgot, let it stay in the recesses of his mind. This, however, was different because no matter how much alcohol he consumed, he could never 'forget'. That kid, John, his kid, didn't ask for this, to be forgotten and neither did Rose. So he drank and drank until it disappeared, at least for the night and the next night he will do the same. The only problem is that tonight someone was here; no Snake was here to stop him.

"Doesn't the legendary Solid Snake have something better to do with his time?"

"Ain't I suppose to be a hero," Snake answered, "The least I can do is save a friend."

"I thought you didn't believe in that hero bull," Raiden said still looking into his drink.

"I don't," Snake said taking a sip from his own, "But I thought it would be a good excuse for helping you."

"What do you want from me," Raiden said finally making eye contact.

"Look kid, I'm going to give it to you straight. I'm dying soon- really soon- and I just want to make sure that you don't fill my shoes."

"Ump," Raiden said nonchalantly, "Who wouldn't want to fill the shoes of a legend?"

"Anyone who knows the shadows hidden in that path."

"It doesn't matter, I'm walking it anyway. I was trained to do the things you've done. I can't run from it."

"I'm not telling you to run. I'm telling you to fight," Snake said, "If you're going to fight, fight to bring your family closer to you instead of pushing them away. Fight to be a man, not a machine. Don't you think you owe yourself that?"

"I am a machine."

"No, you're a man! I'm the machine. I was created for war but you- you have a family. You have people waiting to love you, to pull you out of this. Why would you refuse that? People are willing to kill for what you have. Ask Naomi, even Liquid envied me because he felt that Big Boss 'loved' me more. Even Solidus just wanted to be remembered and your legacy is right there, that little boy of yours. Why would you give that all away?"

"I-I never thought of it that way. I just don't want to burden them. They seemed happy with Roy."

"You know that was a cover up."

"Yeah I do, but she doesn't need me."

"You're right kid, she doesn't."

"What?"

"She loves you. You're not just a necessity to her, like you are for the government and anyone else that feels like using you. No, you're a human being that she loves and cherish."

Raiden looked at the man with wide eyes. Loved and cherished? No one could love something like him. Even if she could, there was no way her could love her back. Not how he is now. He has to change to deserve her love, her affection. He would have to be a better man. Then one day he could accept her love and return it to her. Until then he would fight to be the man she needs. Until then he will fight for a purpose worth fighting for.

"Now go," Snake said as he lighted up a cigarette, "Go and let yourself be loved. Don't make the same mistakes I made. Fight for something that's worth it and leave the government to fight their own idiotic wars. Promise me that kid."

"You have my word," Raiden replied, "As a… man."

"Good… Jack."

Raiden, no, Jack returned home, leaving the aging man to enjoy one of his last cigarettes.

He had to go back to what he once was. Yes, there was a promise that he had to keep, but there were lives that he had to save, even if it meant destroying his own. That was the life of a legend, the life of a hero and the life of a shadow.

AN: I hope you enjoyed the Snake's brief appearance. Review and don't worry action is coming soon.