AUGUST 21ST, 2011

SOMEWHERE OFF THE COAST OF BRAZIL

A figure swam through the warm waters of the coast, after emerging from a torpedo-based insertion pod and piloting it through a busy dock. Slowly climbing onto the the concrete dock platform, he slipped past the sleepy guards and managed to make his way into a facility, where he knelt and removed his oxygen mask.

The man rubbed his scruffy chin briefly before placing a hand to his ear.

BEEP BEEP!

An electronic whine of a frequency going into tune. "This is Snake. Can you read me, Otacon?" "Loud and clear, Snake. As we went over in the mission briefing earlier, this Doctor Banner guy that this PMC organization has working for them may be working on a new variation of Metal Gear using gamma ray technology." "Metal Gear? Again? I thought the United States Navy's RAY prototype was to put a curb on the-" "Snake." "What?" "Don't you remember during the Big Shell incident? The mass produced RAY units were destroyed."

Snake paused, rubbing a hand through his graying hair. He let out a gruff grunt. "I .. guess my memory isn't what it used to be, Hal." "I'm.. aware. I'm concerned, Snake." The man on the other end of the radio spoke frankly, the soldier rising to his feet and leaning against the side of the hallway's entrance, out of sight of a passing sentry.

"Don't be. It was only a matter of time before accelerated aging began to kick in. I've still got plenty of time for Philanthropy and to stop the Patriots." "I know, Snake. I know." The man sighed. "What can you tell me about Doctor Banner?"

The CODEC showed a grainy series of images, mostly aged photographs and images of various doctorates. Eric Bana, Bill Bixby, Edward Norton and Mark Ruffalo are seen in the montage."I don't get it, Hal. None of these images are of the same people." "I can't explain that one." "Are you sure the real Banner's here?" "Positive. I know my intel's good." "Why?" "Because he contacted us. Philanthropy-" "When?" "When you were on the way in." "So you sent me in initially on a hunch?" "No, no. I -know- there's work on a new Metal Gear project in this facility. Banner is of a secondary concern. He should be down the hall past a security checkpoint."

The soldier leaned out, glancing down the hallway at the security checkpoint. Various thugs in hot-weather military attire, face-concealing balaclavas. "I see it." Snake spoke, his hand moving to his ear once again as he ducked back into hiding. "Now.. the M9 I sent with your kit should be more than capable of taking out a handful of guards-" The soldier glanced to his left at a pile of cardboard boxes. A widening smirk. "I don't believe that will be necessary." "What - What are you planning? Snake?"

Moments later, the guard manning the station yawned, murmuring to himself in Portuguese. He scratched his rump, going to look at a nearby computer screen briefly. He then focused his attention down the hall. A cardboard box is there against the wall- It wasn't there earlier. He lifted a brow. "O que há com a caixa?" He asked, stepping over to the box. He gave it a once over, then gave a passive shrug. The soldier inside stood up quickly, grabbing the man by the collar and shoulder. Throwing his body weight, a quick pivot-

The man was thrown against the wall, upside down. He slumped to the floor with a whimper, lying face down with his knees bent, his butt sticking out in the air. Snake chuckled to himself, adjusting his headband. "Oldest trick in the book."

The operative reached to his belt, unclipping his sidearm. He carefully stepped into the area of the security station and watched over the monitors. The nearby lab was in sight, with a single melancholic scientist going over a clipboard. "Target in sight. Going to exfiltrate him now and get some answers." "Be careful, Snake. I've heard ..'rumors' about his temper." Snake offered a chuckle. "I'm sure I've dealt with worse."

The lab door opened. Snake stepped in, checking the room for soldiers. He trained his weapon on the scientist, before lowering it. The man reacted with an exaggerated gasp. "W- Who are you?" "Doctor Banner. I'm here to get you out of here. First, I need some information. You're working on a new form of Metal Gear, right?" He asked, holstering his rifle. The scientist tilted his head in confusion. "What? I - don't know what you're talking about. I'm being held here against my will to work on a super soldier program-" "A what?"

A brief montage of the events of the Incredible Hulk. Blonsky being injected with various needles and serums. "A super soldier program. They know about my work with the-" Reality snapped back into focus. Snake shook his head. "Super soldiers. Nanites?" "No-" "Super science?" "..Sort of-" "..Well, which is it? I've had a -lot- of run in with nanites lately. Starting to get a little annoying." The man spoke with his trademark gruff tone. "Let me finish."

Blonsky charged the Incredible Hulk with a grenade launcher and got laughably punted. "They want me to try to recreate a serum I worked on in the late 2000's for the United States Government-" "Who's 'They'?"

"A group called Advanced Idea Mechanics. They're run by a man I've only met twice. They tell me they've got collateral and I .. I'm afraid to lose control again after recent events." He rubs the bridge of his nose, pushing up his glasses.

"Lose control?" "You don't know-" "Know what, doctor? You've got a temper problem, I've been told." "That's putting it lightly." "..Huh. Anyway, I'm going to get you out of here." "Not a moment too soon. Another minute in here and I figure I was going to start making imaginary friends." The man forced a chuckle.

Snake quirked a brow and headed towards the door. The scientist scrambled to gather his notes and followed, only to trip on a final step and stumble out the door. The man fell into another hallway. A faint mechanical whirr. A security camera froze, paused on Snake and Banner, and an alarm klaxon began to blare. "A SECURITY CAMERA?!" Snake snapped, taking aim with his M9. A single round. The camera was disabled. "WE'VE GOT TO MOVE, DOC."

Guards began to file into the room, firing on Snake and the doctor. The doctor was hit in the chest and hit the floor. "GAH! NO!" Snake snapped, firing on the enemy guards. "OTACON! THE DOCTOR'S HIT, IS THE EXFILTRATION VEHICLE READY-" He snapped into his radio, pegging a guard in the head. The guard hit the floor in an exaggerated flail. The operative dashed to cover.

Banner slowly stood, shaking and writhing in anger. Snake stared in abject shock. "WHAT THE?!" He snapped. Banner began to transform, his body taking on significant mass, his lab coat and shirt ripping, his brown slacks turning into blue shorts. He also turned green. Now eight feet tall and built like a freight train, Banner had become the Incredible Hulk. ..And the Hulk was -NOT- happy. "MEAN MAN ATTACK HULK! HULK SMASH MEAN MAN!"

Several moments later, Snake fled down a hallway from the behemoth who was giving chase, leaving a trail of destruction behind him. Once outside, Snake activated an emergency ex-filtration delivery system in his belt and kept running, screaming at the top of his lungs. The Hulk smashed through the wall of the building, the facility exploding behind him.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!" Snake yelled, his parachute activating. He took to the sky. The man took a brief sigh of relief, rubbing a bead of sweat from his forehead with his wrist. "OTACON! WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?" "I -"

The Hulk had already jumped to intercept the Parachute. Snake let out a loud scream.

The world went black.

GAME OVER.

"SNAKE? SNAKE?! SNAAAAAAAKE!"

__

Snake woke on board the Nomad, screaming in horror. Otacon looked over from his computer. "What- What's wrong? Another bad dream?" He adjusted his glasses. Snake gave a nod. "Yeah." "Was it the one where you fought all those Nintendo mascots?" "No. Another one."