Chapter 172: Failed raid -168
Steve, Peggy and Bucky were once more back on the hunt for their old foe Hydra. The mission to deal with SCP-3199 had been a distraction from that goal. But also to allow the Foundation to gain new information from Whitehall and plan its next step.
But it also served as a clear demonstration of the Foundation's goals, Allowing them to get some firsthand experience of the dangerous, out-of-control SCP objects.
It had been a humbling experience to learn about this was to protect humanity from the forces of the dark for centuries without anyone knowing about it.
Steve previously asked why the Foundation didn't do more, why it allowed someone like Hydra to exist, and why it hadn't stepped into some of the horrors that happened during the World War.
However, he was quickly shown that while they could do that, they were busy dealing with more important things. And that line of thinking was the philosophy of Hydra, for the common man to give up their freedom in exchange for peace.
Being told that he was thinking about the same things as Hydra had been a heavy blow. He could see why Hydra had this goal: to take over the world only after the people wanted it. And he had agreed that the way the Foundation is doing it, while not perfect, was still the better option.
Now, however, they had been given their next target, something Bucky was very excited about. Steve didn't like all the counselling they were forced to take, but he still did it just because it was how he could get Bucky to take it as well.
He was obsessed with getting back at Hydra for what they had done to him, what they had forced him to do as the winter soldier. Steve knew it wasn't healthy, but he would stand by his friend; he would be there for him.
Slowly, the stealth jet neared their target, and Steve took his mind off everything else and focused on the mission alone. "Alright, we all know what to do. Let's do that and take these monsters down."
Peggy and Bucky, the only people there with him, just looked up at him. Steve himself, too, felt rather embarrassed, but it seemed that giving speeches like that had almost become a habit for him.
The jet landed quietly, and the trio disembarked, moving swiftly and silently towards the Hydra facility. The entrance was unguarded, which was unusual. They proceeded with caution, their senses heightened for any sign of trouble.
"Stay alert," Peggy whispered. "This is too easy."
Bucky nodded, his expression tense. "Yeah, something's not right."
Entering the main corridor, they were met with a disturbing sight. Bodies of Hydra operatives were strewn across the floor, their expressions frozen in terror. There were clear signs of combat—bullet holes riddling the walls, shell casings scattered across the floor, and overturned furniture—but no blood. Every Hydra member they encountered was dead, each one killed by a precise stab to the heart. Their bodies were unnaturally pale, as if they had been drained of blood.
"What the hell happened here?" Bucky muttered, his eyes scanning the carnage.
Steve knelt by one of the bodies, examining it closely. "No visible wounds other than the stab to the heart," he noted. "It's like they were just... drained."
Peggy stepped over to a nearby console, hoping to find some answers. "The system's still intact," she said, relief in her voice. "Whatever did this only cared about killing."
Steve stood up, his expression grim. "We need to find out what they were after. Hydra's been experimenting with all kinds of dangerous things. If they were taken out, it means someone was after something specific."
They moved through the facility room by room, each step deliberate and cautious. The eerie silence was only broken by the occasional creak of the building settling. Every room they entered told the same story: signs of a violent struggle but no survivors. It was as if a ghost had passed through, leaving death in its wake.
"Clear," Bucky whispered after checking another room.
"Clear here too," Peggy confirmed, moving to the next door.
Steve motioned for them to stay close. "We're missing something. Keep your eyes open."
Steve, Peggy, and Bucky moved through the Hydra facility with the precision and caution of seasoned operatives. Each door they opened revealed more of the same: rooms in disarray, equipment overturned, and the lifeless bodies of Hydra operatives. The facility appeared to be a research and development site, with laboratories filled with advanced technology and experimental setups.
In one room, they found what looked like a high-tech armory. Weapons and ammunition were scattered across the floor, and more dead Hydra agents lay in heaps. Despite the evident struggle, there was no sign that any of the weapons had been taken.
"Looks like they fought back," Bucky said, examining the bullet holes and spent shell casings. "But whoever—or whatever—did this didn't leave any survivors."
They moved on to what appeared to be a medical wing. The sterile environment was now tainted with chaos. Medical equipment was strewn about, and several doctors and scientists lay dead, each with the same stab wound to the heart and pale, bloodless skin.
"It's like they were attacked by something inhuman," Peggy remarked, her voice tinged with unease. "No signs of forced entry or any typical combat injuries. Just those precise stabs and the draining."
Steve's expression was grim as he scanned the room. "Whatever did this knew exactly what it was doing. It was methodical, and it didn't care about anything but killing."
Next, they entered what looked like an office area. Desks were overturned, papers scattered, and the bodies of administrative staff lay lifeless on the floor. Computer monitors flickered with static, but the systems appeared to be functioning.
"We need to get into their servers," Steve said. "Maybe we can find out what Hydra was working on and who—or what—might have wanted to stop them."
Peggy nodded, already moving towards a central console. She plugged in a portable drive and began downloading the server's contents. "Let's hope their security measures are down with everything else."
As the files began to transfer, Steve and Bucky kept watch, their senses alert for any sign of danger. The eerie silence of the facility was unsettling, broken only by the hum of the equipment and the occasional drip of water from broken pipes.
"What kind of rooms did we miss?" Bucky asked, his eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor.
"Mainly storage and sleeping quarters," Peggy replied. "If whoever did this wanted something specific, it wasn't material. Everything is still here—just disrupted and destroyed."
Steve looked back at the carnage. "It's like they were after something... or someone. But they left everything intact otherwise."
The download completed with a beep, and Peggy unplugged the drive. "Got it. Hopefully, there's something in here that will tell us what happened."
"Let's get out of here," Steve said. "We'll analyze the data back at the base. Maybe we can figure out what we're up against."
As they retraced their steps through the facility, the sense of unease remained. The sight of so many dead, all killed in the same brutal manner, left a lingering chill. Whatever had done this was beyond anything they had encountered before.
Back at their stealth jet, they secured the drive and took off, leaving the silent, death-filled facility behind. As they flew, Peggy connected the drive to the jet's computer system and began the preliminary analysis.
"Any luck?" Steve asked, glancing over.
"Not yet," Peggy replied. "But we've got a lot of data here. It'll take some time to go through it all."
Bucky stared out the window, his mind racing. "Whoever—or whatever—did this, we'll find them. And we'll make sure they can't do it again."
Steve nodded, his resolve firm. "We will. Hydra or not, we can't let this kind of thing go unchecked."
As they flew back to their base, the trio remained vigilant, ready to face whatever new threat had emerged from the shadows. The answers were in the data they had retrieved, and they were determined to uncover the truth and stop this new menace before it could strike again.
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Steve, Peggy, and Bucky returned to the Foundation's Site-031 in Germany, where they were immediately ushered into a secure briefing room. Dr. Müller and several other senior researchers were already waiting, their expressions a mix of concern and anticipation.
"Welcome back," Dr. Müller said, motioning for them to sit. "We've been eagerly awaiting your report."
Steve placed a portable drive on the table. "We found the Hydra facility as you described, but it was a massacre. Every Hydra operative was dead, drained of blood with a single stab wound to the heart. There were clear signs of combat—bullet holes, casings everywhere—but no survivors. We downloaded everything we could from their servers."
Peggy leaned forward, her face serious. "Whatever did this, it wasn't human. We need to figure out what Hydra was experimenting on and who or what attacked them."
Dr. Müller nodded, taking the drive. "We'll start analyzing the data immediately. Thank you for your work. We'll take over the investigation from here."
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The following day, a team of Foundation personnel, led by Dr. Müller and Senior Researcher Dr. Hargrove, arrived at the Hydra facility. They wore protective gear and carried advanced scanning equipment, ready to meticulously document and analyze every detail of the scene.
"Spread out," Dr. Müller instructed. "Document everything. We need to understand what happened here."
The team moved systematically through the facility, starting with the main corridor and working their way through each room. They took detailed photographs, collected samples, and carefully examined the bodies of the Hydra operatives.
"All the bodies exhibit the same wound pattern," one of the researchers reported. "Single stab to the heart, but no blood. It's like they were completely drained."
Dr. Hargrove frowned, looking at the readings on her scanner. "I'm picking up residual energy signatures. Whatever did this, it wasn't just physical—it had some kind of energy-draining capability."
As they moved deeper into the facility, they reached the control room where Peggy had accessed the server. The screens still displayed the encrypted files and surveillance footage. The researchers set up their equipment and began the process of decrypting and analyzing the data.
Dr. Müller reviewed the footage, fast-forwarding through hours of surveillance until he found the critical moment. "There," he said, pointing at the screen. The team gathered around as the footage showed a shadowy figure moving through the facility with unnatural speed, systematically killing each operative it encountered.
"Freeze it," Dr. Hargrove said. The image paused, showing a dark figure clad in black armor, its features obscured. "Enhance the image."
As the picture clarified, Dr. Müller's eyes widened. "I've seen this before. Cross-reference it with the SCP database."
One of the technicians quickly pulled up the database on a nearby terminal, entering the parameters. After a few moments, the screen displayed an entry: SCP-5151, the Black Knight.
Dr. Müller read aloud from the file. "SCP-5151, a Keter-class anomaly. A figure in black armor, impervious to harm and capable of passing through solid matter. Known for targeting individuals it deems dishonorable and draining them of their life force."
Dr. Hargrove shook her head. "No wonder Hydra was massacred. They must have tried to contain or experiment on SCP-5151, and it retaliated."
Dr. Müller turned to the team. "We need to secure this facility and ensure SCP-5151 isn't still here. Everyone, be on high alert. We'll also need to inform the O5 Council and coordinate a strategy to track and contain SCP-5151."
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Back at Foundation Site-031 in Germany, Steve, Peggy, and Bucky were debriefed on the findings. Dr. Müller explained the nature of SCP-5151 and the current status of the investigation.
"So this... Black Knight," Steve began, "it's still out there?"
Dr. Müller nodded. "Yes. SCP-5151 is highly dangerous and unpredictable. We're deploying Mobile Task Forces to track it down, but it's proven extremely elusive in the past."
Peggy frowned. "And what about Hydra? Did they have any success in their experiments with SCP-5151?"
Dr. Hargrove replied, "From what we've gathered, Hydra was trying to harness SCP-5151's abilities for their own ends. They underestimated its power and paid the price. We'll continue to analyze the data for more insights."
Bucky, his face grim, spoke up. "We need to stop it. Whatever it takes."
Dr. Müller placed a reassuring hand on Bucky's shoulder. "We will. The Foundation has contained worse. But we appreciate your help."
A/N
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