Scene: A dimly lit backstage dressing room in Little Rock, Arkansas. BILLY BOB THORNTON sits on a worn leather couch, tuning a guitar. He is wearing a trucker hat and sunglasses indoors. Suddenly, the air vent unscrews silently. SOLID SNAKE drops down, landing in a crouch without making a sound. He stands up, adjusting his bandana.

Billy Bob: (Doesn’t look up, keeps strumming) Well, now. That’s a hell of an entrance. usually folks just knock on the door, or talk to my agent. You here about the HVAC repair?

Solid Snake: (Gravelly voice) No. I’m here for the man who wrote the book on quiet desperation.

Billy Bob: (Pauses) Faulkner? He’s dead, son.

Solid Snake: I’m talking about you, Billy Bob. Since 1996. Sling Blade.

Billy Bob: Sling Blade, huh? Most people just want to hear me talk about french fried pertaters. You want some biscuits and mustard?

Solid Snake: I don’t eat on the job. Unless it’s a Calorie Mate. Listen to me. That movie… Karl Childers. A man cast out by society, living by a code, handy with a blade. I respected that. It reminded me of… my own life. A lone wolf. A soldier without a nation.

Billy Bob: (Nods slowly) Well, I appreciate that. It was a heavy time. I put a lot of my own ghosts in that one. Why are you wearing a sneaking suit in Arkansas?

Solid Snake: That brings me to the second reason I’m here. A while back, my Codec rang. It was a Code Red.

Billy Bob: Code Red? Like the Mountain Dew?

Solid Snake: No. It was a high-priority client. Angelina.

Billy Bob: (Sits up straighter, takes off sunglasses) Angie? Is she alright?

Solid Snake: She’s fine. She put out a request. She said the world was getting dangerous again. She told her security team, “Get me a Snake to protect me.”

Billy Bob: (Chuckles softly, a wry smile forming) Ah. I reckon I know which snake she was reminiscing about. We were wild back then. Blood vials and all that.

Solid Snake: She got me instead. Solid Snake. But when I reviewed the mission data… I realized she wasn’t looking for a mercenary. She was looking for that specific kind of chaos you two had. I told her I couldn’t fill those shoes. Only one man can.

Billy Bob: I don’t know, partner. I’m just an old drummer now. I just wanna play with The Boxmasters and stay out of trouble.

Solid Snake: (Steps closer, hand on his hip holster) That’s exactly why you need to step up. Look at this country, Billy Bob. The La-li-lu-le-lo… the Patriots… the politicians in D.C. They’re all acting. Bad acting.

Billy Bob: You ain’t wrong there.

Solid Snake: We need someone real. Someone who’s been to the bottom and came back. I’ve seen war. I’ve seen Metal Gears destroy cities. But I’ve never seen a Governor with your resume.

Billy Bob: Governor? You talkin’ about the mansion? It’s got nice porches, I hear.

Solid Snake: I’m endorsing you, Billy Bob. Officially. You take Arkansas. You run this state like you directed that movie—with grit, vision, and no compromise.

Billy Bob: (Scratches his chin) Governor Thornton… Has a ring to it. But I ain’t wearing a suit every day.

Solid Snake: Wear whatever you want. Just keep it real.

(Snake taps his ear piece)

Solid Snake: Otacon is calling. I have to go. But remember… you’re pretty good.

Billy Bob: (Salutes lazily) You take care now, Snake.

(Snake throws a smoke grenade at his feet. POOF. When the smoke clears, the room is empty. Billy Bob coughs, waves the smoke away, and puts his sunglasses back on.)

Billy Bob: (To himself) Weirdest fan interaction I’ve had since the 90s.