THE NOMAD - IN FLIGHT - DAY

Sound: Background hum of the Nomad

OLIVIA

So, let me get this straight. The bullet in my leg is really a transmitter?

OTACON

For Russian technology, it's really not as crazy as it sounds.

OLIVIA

Viruses that are programmed to kill specific people. Worldwide censorship by a group of men more powerful than the President. That is crazy. A transmitter bullet in my leg is the most normal thing I’ve heard in ten months. What I don't get is why me?

OTACON

It probably wasn't very hard to find out you had helped Snake. As hidden away to the general public you were, you were no doubt an easy find for Ocelot. And he couldn't have overlooked the fact that we'd bring you underground with us if anything happened to you.

OLIVIA

But he would have killed me if Raiden wouldn't have come at the time he did.

OTACON

It's no accident you're alive. Ocelot knows what he's going to do with his revolver before he ever uses it. If he would have wanted to kill you, he would have done it...and without a video camera. He wanted to get our attention.

OLIVIA

That seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to track you guys. He told me he could find you guys without me.

SNAKE

Trouble? You lived by yourself with no one for miles around. He couldn't have asked for a better backdrop.

OTACON

He's right. If anything, you made it easier for him. He knew we were tracking him, one step behind just about everything he did for months. Bugging you would turn the tables in his favor.

OLIVIA

He used me this whole time. Oh, God...I feel sick...

OTACON

It wasn't your fault, Olivia. We'll fix this.

OLIVIA

How? What are we going to do?

OTACON

We'll disable it...somehow.

OLIVIA

We have to remove it.

OTACON

No! It's too risky.

SNAKE

Why can't it just be removed?

OTACON

The bullet in Olivia's leg is resting on a major artery. Removing it would rupture it. She'd bleed to death in as little eight minutes.

SNAKE

Is there any way to go around it?

OTACON

No. She might have a better chance having it removed by a doctor but, it's not a guarantee that one would even take a procedure like this on. Even so, it's not like we can just walk in and schedule a surgery at the local hospital.

OLIVIA

Hal, all the surgeons these days are being trained by using VR. I bet after a few lessons, you could remove the bullet yourself.

OTACON

What? That's not even realistic! I'm not a surgeon, Olivia! All the lessons in the world couldn't prepare me to do that. Just...just give me some time. I know I'll think of another way to disable the transmitter.

OLIVIA

Time is not something we have a lot of. The longer the transmitter is active, the longer Ocelot can track us. We have to do something soon.

OTACON

I can't believe you actually want me to do this!

OLIVIA

What about all the documents you showed me? Procedures like these work sometimes. You said that yourself.

OTACON

That was before we were talking about me doing it! (quietly, quivery) I don't think I can do this...

OLIVIA

You can do this. You have to.

OTACON

I can't...

OLIVIA

(firmly) Listen to me. I need you to not think about me right now but about what has to be done and you know what that is. I don't like it anymore than you do but it's the only option we have open.

OTACON

God, I can't believe I'm doing this...

OLIVIA

Tell me you'll do this, Hal.

OTACON

I'll do it...

OLIVIA

Look at me and tell me.

OTACON

I'll do it, okay, I'll do it!

SOUND: Otacon exits

OLIVIA

Hal!

SNAKE

This is suicide, Olivia.

OLIVIA

So is not doing anything...and you know that.

THE NOMAD - IN FLIGHT - DAY

SOUND: BACKGROUND HUM OF THE NOMAD

SOUND: A series of beeps followed by a buzz

Female computer voice 2

Simulation failed. Try again?

SOUND: confirmation chime, series of beeps

FEMALE COMPUTER VOICE 2

Begin simulation.

OLIVIA

How's it coming, Hal?

OTACON

I need more time.

OLIVIA

You've been doing this for three days straight. You can probably do this with your eyes closed.

OTACON

I'm not ready. There's too much--

SOUND: program buzzes

FEMALE COMPUTER VOICE 2

Simulation failed. Try again?

OTACON

Damnit! I can't even save my virtual patient...how am I going to save you?

OLIVIA

Hal, you know the point of the program isn't to learn how to save me but to learn how to take out the bullet. Are you having second thoughts?

OTACON

Second? I don't even remember having a first thought about this!

OLIVIA

Just try not to think about it so much--

OTACON

I'm not...I'm not getting my driver's license, here, so don't tell me to not think about it! Of course I'm thinking about...it's all I'm thinking about! You're asking me to kill you! Do you even get that?! (calmly, sadly) First Wolf, then Emma...now you...

OLIVIA

Hal...

OTACON

I can't keep anyone alive. I'm so sorry, Olivia.

OLIVIA

I'm so sick of everyone apologizing and feeling guilty!

OTACON

Huh?

OLIVIA

It was my choice to help Snake. When I saw him lying there unconscious, I couldn't just leave him there. And maybe it would have been smarter to leave him there but you know what? I've never been that smart. (lightly begins to sob) I'm not sorry about anything that has or will happen and neither should you.

OTACON

Please, just give me a little bit more time. I know there's another way to do this...I just gotta find it.

OLIVIA

We can't risk it. I can't risk it. If something were to happen to Snake or you because of me, I'd never forgive myself. I told Snake that I'd never risk the safety or work of you guys...and that's what I meant. Ready or not, we do this first thing tomorrow.

THE NOMAD - IN FLIGHT - DAY

SOUND: BACKGROUND HUM OF THE NOMAD

SOUND: Metal instruments clanking

OLIVIA

Okay...I think that's everything you're going to need. The Novocaine is starting to set in. Hal--. Hal?

OTACON

(coming out of a bit of a daze) Yeah.

OLIVIA

Did you hear anything I just said?

OTACON

Yeah.

OLIVIA

You can do this, Hal. Go on and make the first incision.

SOUND: Otacon makes the incision and starts to move around inside her leg.

OTACON

I think I see it.

OLIVIA

Hal, I need you to promise me something. As soon as you have the bullet, leave and go destroy that thing.

OTACON

But-

SNAKE

Don't worry, Otacon. I'll stay here with her.

OLIVIA

(surprised) You...you will?

SNAKE

Yeah.

OTACON

I wanna stay here, too.

OLIVIA

Why? There's nothing more you can do. Just go and destroy that thing.

SOUND: The bullet is taken out.

OTACON

It's out.

SOUND: Bullet is put in metal tin

OLIVIA

Now, please...

OTACON

Let me at least put a bandage first. Then I'll go.

SOUND: Otacon applies gaze/bandage to it.

OLIVIA

(breathing is slightly labored, voice is weaker than normal)

OTACON

Olivia...

OLIVIA

Go now, Hal...

SOUND: Otacon leaves.

OLIVIA

I've never hated myself more than I do right now.

SNAKE

He's a lot stronger than he looks, you know.

OLIVIA

I know. But I'm not. I could kill myself if I wasn't already dying (laughs a bit).

SNAKE

Is there anything I can do?

OLIVIA

Yeah...you can stop asking questions and just once tell me what you're thinking.

SNAKE

You don't deserve this.

OLIVIA

That means a lot coming from you. For the record, I don't think you deserve what's happening to you either. (as if she just remembered) Snake...your test results. Did Hal tell you if the inhibitor was working or not?

SNAKE

Why are you--

OLIVIA

Hey, I still want to know how you are. Perhaps more than ever right now.

SNAKE

I feel fine.

OLIVIA

That's not what I asked you. (Long beat) Snake? What is it?

Snake

It's not working.

OLIVIA

What? No...

SNAKE

You did what you could.

OLIVIA

That's not fair, Snake, not to you. (sobs lightly)

SNAKE

It's okay, Olivia.

OLIVIA

How long do you have left?

SNAKE

A year. Maybe less. It's hard to tell.

OLIVIA

Maybe...maybe we treated the wrong thing, Snake. Maybe it's not the FoxDie at all that's doing this to you... (Faints)

SNAKE

(a bit panicked) Olivia! Olivia, wake up!

OLIVIA

(slowly coming around) Snake...

SNAKE

I'm here.

OLIVIA

Who's going to take your stitches out?

SNAKE

What?

OLIVIA

The stitches in your arm.

SNAKE

Oh...I'll manage.

OLIVIA

(laughs weakly) That almost sounds like something I would say... (begins to sob again)

Snake

Olivia...?

OLIVIA

I failed, Snake. I'm sorry.

SNAKE

What are you talking about?

OLIVIA

I just wanted to help you. I just wanted you to know that there was still good in the world and what it's like to be treated like a human being rather than some expendable government experiment. (sobs more) Hal told me everything about the Les Enfants Terrible project and how you were created in all the cruelness and inhumanity our government could offer. But, I failed...

SNAKE

There's rarely a reward for anyone who helps me. Nearly all my friends are corpses with good intentions. But even with everything I've lived through I never lost hope that there was good in the world...I knew I had just never seen it.

Olivia

(laughs very weakly/faintly) You saw it...you just ignored it. You're one of the good things, Snake... (trails off)

SNAKE

Olivia?

SOUND: Snake walks out

THE NOMAD - IN FLIGHT - DAY

Sound: otacon punches a few key strokes on the keyboard and a portion of olivia's torture video begins to play. He stops the video after she burned and fast forwards it to Ocelot loading his gun to shoot her.

OTACON

He had to load his gun...

(FLASHBACK 1):

OTACON

Ocelot knows what he's going to do with his revolver before he ever uses it.

(FLASHBACK 2):

OTACON

The scar on your face...

OLIVIA

What's wrong?

OTACON

I don't know...it looks irritated.

OLIVIA

Oh come on, Hal. It always looks that way. You know that.

OTACON

I know but...it almost looks infected now.

(FLASHBACK 3):

OTACON

Just two years ago, Russia perfected a digestible tracking device smaller than a pill that was completely resistant to the corrosion caused from the acids in the stomach. Technology along those lines are becoming increasingly common.

(FLASHBACK 4):

OLIVIA

This leg hurts, the scar itches. I'm one big malfunction.

END OF FLASHBACKS

OTACON

Oh God...no...

THE NOMAD - IN FLIGHT - DAY

SOUND: BACKGROUND HUM OF THE NOMAD

SOUND: Distantly, Something crashes to the ground.

SNAKE

Otacon?

SOUND: More things begin to crash in a violet fit

SNAKE

Otacon!

SOUND: hurried foot steps

SNAKE

What the hell? What are you doing?

OTACON

Let go of me!

SNAKE

GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF, OTACON! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!

OTACON

(calmly, slightly quivering)I...I killed her, Snake...

SNAKE

We did the only thing we could.

OTACON

No, you don't understand! Olivia didn't have to die.

SNAKE

What are you talking about?

OTACON

Ocelot never had plans of killing or even shooting Olivia.

SNAKE

But what about the transmitter...?

OTACON

The bullet...wasn't it.

SNAKE

What?!

OTACON

As soon as I took the bullet out of Olivia's leg, I knew something wasn't right. It should have been hollow but it was heavy...just like an actual revolver bullet. I went back to watch the video, to see if there were any answers there when I realized that Ocelot had to load his gun before he shot Olivia.

SNAKE

What does that have to do with anything?

OTACON

Think about it, Snake. If Ocelot would have really had intentions of ever firing his gun, it wouldn't have been empty. He probably thought Olivia was going to be intimidated by him and tell him whatever he wanted to know. The one thing he knew he was going to use was the fireplace shovel. It was already being heated in the fireplace before he started the video.

SNAKE

So there was never a transmitter?

OTACON

Yes, there was one. This is it.

SNAKE

It's so...small.

OTACON

Yeah...small enough to be buried in someone's face.

SNAKE

What?

OTACON

The scar on Olivia's face never healed correctly but since Mei Ling and I never took her to the hospital for her injuries, we always thought it was a consequence of not treating it properly. But then it started to look infected, like there was something buried under it.

SNAKE

The transmitter...was embedded in her face?

OTACON

It's a micro transmitter but completely unlike anything I've ever seen. It's able to be put under the skin by way of extreme heat.

SNAKE

Meaning that chip was on the shovel when Ocelot branded her with it.

OTACON

Exactly. I screwed up, Snake. She trusted me and I let her die needlessly. I should have tried harder to convince her to give me more time...but I failed. Damn!

SOUND: Otacon hits a hard surface in frustration/anger/anguish

SNAKE

Olivia had a mind of her own and that's not your fault. It's no one's. Look, Otacon, Ocelot's going to get what's coming to him...but I need you to pull it together, first.

OTACON

(finishes sobbing) Okay, Snake. What do you need me to do?

SNAKE

This chip. Can you disable it permanently?

OTACON

Looks like that's already been done from Ocelot's end. He probably did it when he realized we found out about the transmitter.

SNAKE

Is there any way you can find out where and who Ocelot got this from?

OTACON

Just give me a couple hours and I can tell you what the guy who programmed it was wearing.

SNAKE

Good.

SOUND: Computer chimes a warning

SNAKE

What's that?

SOUND: busy typing

OTACON

(puzzled)It's...Ocelot. He's setting something up in the Middle East.

END