Mark of Innocence

That voice, that voice he hears in his nightmares, is it actually him? Is it the man who stole his humanity?

"Speechless, aren't you boy? Good, because you are beginning to feel what I felt in 1964. That empty hollow heartbroken feeling, I heard them all tell you to kill your friend and yet they're still forcing you to finish the mission. Did you know that Kyle had a wife, Snake? He was once a father too but they took his daughter away, killed his humanity and then I gave him a new family…" Big Boss said,

"You're…you're not real…"

"I am real, Snake. I am a part of you whether you like it or not and soon you'll see things like I do and just like me, you will be free from the lies and misery that they gave you. To show you that you can trust me, I can tell you where Marv is. In Kyle's pocket there's a level 2 keycard that you can use to get out of this room without dealing with the gas. After you get the keycard, find the man with the Green Beret and follow them into the jungle then you'll find Marv." explained Big Boss,

"W-why…why me…" Snake asked which made Big Boss chuckle quietly,

"Only you, my dear boy. You're my dream come true, my one and only you." Big Boss replied, Solid was still frozen in fear, hearing this man's unnerving voice it sent chills through his spine,

"Only you…can make this world seem right, only you can make the darkness bright…" Big Boss calmly and yet eerily melodaic sang,

"Only you and you alone…can thrill me like you do…and fill my heart…with love for only you…" Continued Big Boss, making Snake enter a feeble position and shaking.

"Oh, only you…can make all this change in me…For it's true, you are my destiny…" he continued as his son was shivering in horror.

"When you hold my hand I understand…the magic that you do. You're my dream come true, my one and only you…." Solid couldn't help but feel frustrated and horrified tears pour from his eyes, his fists clenched as it bled.

"Oh oh, only you…can make this change in me.

For it's true, you are my destiny…" continued Big Boss, getting closer to his microphone so his son can feel his haunting voice.

"When you hold my hand…I understand the magic that you do…You're my dream come true, my one and only you…one and only you…" Big Boss finished with a little chuckle,

"I love you, son…keep up the good work." The call ended and Snake broke free from his traumatized state. Panicked, he quickly dialed Campbell,

"Colonel! He's alive, Big Boss is fucking alive! I just heard him on the codec!" said Solid Snake,

"Calm down Snake, what do you mean Big Boss is alive?" asked Campbell,

"I heard him, he called me on the codec. He talked to me on the damn codec!" Snake replied,

"We got no record of a call. We can see when you get calls and when you call someone but there was nothing. Are you doing ok, Snake?" asked Campbell,

"Campbell I'm telling you the truth, he's fucking alive! He told me where to go, Colonel, I swear to you!"

"Snake, you need to calm down, I'm just telling you what's on our end-" Snake angrily hung up on him and just punched a wall,

" Damnit…get out of my fucking life! " demanded Snake. He sighed and took a deep breath knowing he had to continue the mission so he got up and used the level 2 key card to open the other door and found himself in the room with the sensor. Snake carefully avoided the sensor but right when he was going to leave the room, he felt someone nearby.

"What are you doing here, David?" said a familiar voice, Snake quickly turned around to see that standing in green cargo pants, black boots, a green vest and red headband was Gray Fox. Snake quickly aimed his gun at him,

"C'mon David, do you even have the guts to shoot me?" Gray Fox asked with his cold dead eyes.

"I'll try." Snake replied seriously, Fox slowly walked towards Snake as he kept his aim lock,

"Frank I mean it, stop!" ordered Snake. Fox then quickly dashed, grabbed Snake's arm and wrenched it behind his back.

"Oh David, you have many things to learn yet." Fox then shoves Snake into the garbage chute. Snake slid down and down, trying to adjust himself as he slid. Snake then was launched out into the garbage room.

" Goddamnit…I hesitated…can I even do it? " questioned Snake, he then saw a couple of trash bags come down the chute. Suddenly, he heard a machine turn on, he looked to the left to see a giant roller winding up and then on his right the sound of whirring blades beginning to start up, he had to move quickly. Snake rushed towards the door and took out the level 2 keycard only to realize it didn't work, the roller was getting closer now to him. He desperately took out the level 1 keycard and opened the door, narrowly avoiding being crushed and cut apart. Snake looked around his surroundings and figured out where he was,

" These are the sewers under Zanzibar. " Snake said to himself. He then looked at his radar and began to walk to find a way out. Solid Snake then heard his codec ring and decided to answer,

"Hey, David." Meryl said,

"It's Solid Snake, Meryl." Snake replied,

"You don't have to be like that." Meryl said annoyed,

"Did you just come here to say that?" Snake asked,

"No, I wanted to check in on you. This is a private call so anything said here is strictly confidential between you and me." Meryl told him,

"I really don't want to talk about it, not like anyone believed me." Snake said,

"You remember my dad right? Matt?" asked Meryl,

"Yeah, whenever he showed himself." Snake replied,

"My dad affected me for a long time. I try moving on from it but I know it's one of the hardest things to do."

"It's not like your dad, your dad didn't decide to set up an entire mission so you can become a psychopath. Your dad didn't decide to stab a knife into your chest and carve a scar ." Snake replied,

"So Big Boss gave you the scar?" asked Meryl, Snake sighed realizing he opened up about that,

"Yes, he called it the Mark of Innocence, he had one too. He stabbed and carved the scar into me, the entire fight he was just…laughing. He wanted me to carry his name, to continue his mad agenda…" explained Snake,

"And you lived with those memories for years?" Meryl asked,

"Yeah…when he called me he began saying how I was the only one who could make his dream come true…even singing that old song, ' Only You '."

"He sounds like he's trying to manipulate you to show some kind of sick love. You know what a real father's love is like and he's trying to use that so he can win you on his side. I suggest you talk to Miller more, maybe it can help you regain focus on things and make you come to terms with that man."

"Maybe…I'm afraid to talk to him because of what happened a while ago." Snake told her,

"He's your dad, Snake. No matter how mad you make him, he'll never stop loving you." Meryl reassured him.

"I will ... .thanks Meryl it's…really nice to have someone to talk to again." Snake genuinely said,

"Talk to you soon then?" asked Meryl happily,

"Yeah, later." Snake hung up and decided to dial Miller,

"Hey Kaz…" Snake said to him,

"Hey…are you ok?" asked Kaz,

"Not really…still feeling like shit after that fight…"

"Which one?" jokingly asked Kaz,

"Heh…Kaz, Big Boss has a scar on his chest that he called the Mark of Innocence, what's it about?" asked Snake,

"During Operation Snake Eater, he was captured by the Soviets to be interrogated. To prove her loyalty to Volgin, The Boss cut out his right eye and gave him the same scar she had." explained Kaz,

"Oh…" Snake simply said,

"She called it the Mark of Innocence because during the invasion of Normandy, she was pregnant and had a C-section to give birth on the battlefield." Kaz followed up. Snake then thought back to the Boss's A.I. Pod, the one he destroyed.

"Kaz, back in Outer Heaven, there was this A.I. Pod who I spoke to. Big Boss said it was The Boss herself…do you think she regrets what happened to Big Boss?" Snake asked,

"I…believe she does. I think she's watching over him and seeing what he became, she probably regrets what she did despite her intentions but I also have a feeling she's watching over you right now, I can see that. You're not Jack, I always raised you to be better and I gave you that bandana because I know you will be better than him." Kaz's words helped Snake feel a little reassured, he made it to the end of the sewers with a slight smile.

"Thanks, Kaz…" Snake said to him,

"Listen I may be against you on this mission but when am I ever on your side?" Kaz said with a chuckle which made Snake chuckle as well.

"What I'm trying to say is as you go on more into this mission and into life, you do what you feel is right, not what Campbell or Houseman say but yourself. You're your own man David and whatever you feel like you need, you do it." Miller said to him, Snake scanned the level 1 keycard and opened the door,

"Thanks Kaz, Snake out." Snake hung up and found himself at the elevator, he called it and began to wait as he prepared himself to continue the mission.