Solid Snake leaned against a dimly lit concrete wall, the familiar rasp of his voice cutting through the silence.
“Listen carefully,” he said, looking directly at Angelina Jolie. “You may not realize it, but you were the first real Hollywood friend that Nelly Furtado ever had.”
Angelina raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty specific piece of intelligence, Snake.”
Snake shrugged slightly, as if it came from a classified file. “I’ve been around long enough to know when alliances matter. When I heard the soundtrack for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider… something clicked.”
She folded her arms. “The soundtrack?”
Snake nodded.
“Yeah. Music tells you things about people. When I heard Nelly’s voice in that era, I knew there were good people around that production. Real ones. Not just Hollywood noise.”
Angelina smirked. “So what does that have to do with me?”
Snake’s tone hardened.
“That’s when I made a decision. A vow.”
“A vow?” she repeated.
Snake stepped forward.
“I swore I’d protect the entire Tomb Raider cast if things ever went sideways. Call it a soldier’s instinct.” He paused. “Once you play a hero like Lara Croft, people start expecting someone to watch your six.”
Angelina laughed softly. “You realize that sounds completely insane, right?”
Snake gave the faintest grin.
“Maybe. But I’ve taken stranger missions.”
He turned toward the exit.
“Besides… anyone who helped bring Nelly into that world is worth protecting.”
Angelina shook her head, amused.
“Next time,” she called after him, “just say you liked the soundtrack.” 🎬🎵