Metal Gear Solid: The Shadow Moses Incident

Duel

Liquid then climbed aboard REX, giving Snake no option but to destroy it. In addition, he also learned from Roy Campbell that if Snake failed to destroy REX, Campbell will be forced to resort to using the USS Discovery to bombard the Shadow Moses facility with nuclear warheads as a last resort. Otacon then called Snake and told him REX's weakness: REX's radome was Liquid's only view of the outside world while he was piloting it under the nigh-indestructible hull of the Metal Gear, meaning that he needed to destroy the radome to force Liquid to open up the cockpit and thus expose himself to enemy fire. Despite his valiant effort, it seemed like Snake was getting nowhere against REX. At that point, Gray Fox jumped out from the shadows and damaged REX's radome, which temporarily blinded Liquid. Fox and Snake used this opportuity to hide, which allowed Fox to explain to Snake that he adopted Naomi because he killed her parents, and felt guilty because of it. Fox then attempted to take out REX, but was eventually crushed under by it, although not before completely destroying REX's radome which forced Liquid to open up the cockpit and expose himself. With Liquid now being forced to leave REX's cockpit open and expose himself, Snake shot REX several times with the stinger before REX exploded, knocking Snake unconscious.

Snake, hands bound, awoke atop the destroyed REX with Liquid watching over him, the latter having survived REX's destruction. Liquid proceeded to explain his plans to Snake, of creating a war-torn world in which warriors such as the two of them would always have a place, similar to Big Boss's dream. He also accused Snake himself of longing for such a world, despite his protests, citing his actions on Shadow Moses. Liquid went on to reveal the existence of "Les Enfants Terribles" to Snake, a project in which the two of them were created: they were both clones of Big Boss, with Liquid Snake having supposedly inherited Big Boss's "inferior" recessive traits, while Solid Snake inherited his "superior" dominant traits. The Genome Soldiers were also products of Big Boss's genes, though their gene therapy had resulted in the appearance of a certain genetic disease, for which they needed Big Boss's DNA to cure them. Liquid then revealed his belief that he was obeying the "will" of his genes, so that eventually he would surpass Big Boss and his own heritage, and that he would kill Snake in order to do so.

Liquid then directed Snake's attention behind him, to the prone body of Meryl, whom he had also placed atop REX. Although Liquid was unsure as to whether she was still alive, he told Snake that he would release her as soon as they both finished their business. Informing Snake that they were just about "out of time," Liquid relayed intel that the Pentagon had likely learned of Naomi's betrayal and REX's destruction, and were about to destroy the Shadow Moses facility. Apparently, Naomi's manipulation of the FOXDIE virus (casting grave doubts on the reliability of FOXDIE itself) and the destruction of REX (thus ending the nuclear threat) had put the Pentagon on alert. This was shortly confirmed by Campbell, who explained that a nuclear strike (from a payload of surface-piercing B61-13 tactical nuclear missiles) was on its way, though he intended to delay the launch in order to buy Snake and Meryl some time to escape. Campbell revealed that the Pentagon had deliberately and knowingly assigned her to Shadow Moses on the same day that FOXHOUND would rebel, in order to blackmail him and that he was forced to hide vital information from Snake in order to ensure Meryl's safety. He apologized to Snake, saying that it was the least he could do for lying to him throughout the mission.

However, before he could give any orders, in order to confuse the chain of command, Campbell was arrested by Jim Houseman, the Secretary of Defense. Houseman personally took over as the mission's commander and headed for Shadow Moses on an E-3C AWACS. Houseman assured Snake that the facility would be destroyed, along with him and his brother, both of whom he considered to be an embarrassment from the 1970s. When Snake accused him of setting up Donald Anderson and the other hostages, he expressed sorrow that Anderson had died, due to the fact Anderson was a friend of his. Houseman then offered to stop the bombing if Snake provided him with the REX battle data. Since Ocelot had stolen it during the torture session, Snake couldn't meet that demand.

After Houseman signed off, Liquid demanded that the two fight. A gruelling bare-handed fight then ensued between the "Twin Snakes," with Solid Snake eventually forcing Liquid over the side of REX's head, to a long fall to the ground below. Snake immediately ran to check on Meryl who was fine. Otacon called and Snake demanded that he leave as soon as possible, warning him about the F-117 Nighthawk and B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that were on their way to nuke the base, but Otacon refused. He told Snake that he would rather stay where he was and help him and Meryl to escape, using his hacking talents to open any doors and passages for them.