[Boss sighed. It was a deep, heavy sigh, as if he had been laden with a ton of brick on his shoulders with no way of lifting them off easily. The phantom was part of the plan. The part Zero had enforced so that Boss could escape the hospital easier and run off with Ocelot. Was it cowardice or just situation? He hated telling his friend that he had replaced himself with a copy.]

It's complicated. The phantom existed so I could escape from the hospital with Ocelot whilst V took my place. It wasn't about hurting you, Kaz. None of this was about hurting you or abandoning anyone.

[He inhaled on his cigar and blew the smoke upwards, whilst chewing on the tip. Shit. Why did it have to come to this? Kaz had a right to know though. He had to know. Boss wiped some blood off his nose with the back of his arm and looked at the blond.]

Zero constructed the idea of the phantom and with Ocelot's help it came to happen. I wanted to tell you but I couldn't. It got complicated.

[That's all he could say. What else could he say? He ran off to start Outer Heaven while Venom Snake started Diamond Dogs.]