Chapter 198: Good news and Bad news -194
Natasha and Clint escorted the three unfortunate agents towards a prepared quinjet and immediately took off as soon as the doors shut behind them.
There was no time for pleasantries or explanations; they needed to get them out of the city, and they needed to do it fast. Carrington was only slightly nervous, after all he believed Natasha to be a fellow Hydra spy, though the other two were far more nervous about what was happening and why they weren't given any information.
They half believed that they might have been exposed, but since they weren't taken to the cells or to Fury, they quickly gave up on that idea, which just left them guessing as to what could possibly be going on.
So while they were pushing the jet to go as fast as it possibly could, far away the mass evacuation of civilians and the orders to stay inside and not look outside were in full swing.
Having been able to narrow down the target of SCP-096's rage, the Foundation had been able to precisely calculate the route the object would be taking, and therefore they were able to determine which houses it was likely that the entity would smash through and which it wouldn't.
This meant they didn't have to evacuate entire villages and towns and cities but instead just entire streets. So it was still a massive undertaking but far more manageable.
Even more so since they had help from local authorities, who were quickly urging everyone to get inside, seek shelter in their basements, and hunker down under tables. The public was told whatever would allow them to survive without possibly seeing the Shy Guy's face.
Normally, an operation of this enormous scale and magnitude would have brought about immense attention from the media. Yet not a single bit of local, national, or international media said a word about it. Even online, there were practically no mentions of the evacuation at all.
All major social media was scrubbed clean, and the few mentions on private message boards and obscure forums around the internet were far from enough to draw any real attention or questioning towards this sudden and unexpected evacuation.
At SITE-019, they were hard at work constantly mapping the exact route between the SCP object and its three now identified targets as Natasha Romanoff supplied them with accurate, constantly updating GPS location.
Since they knew where the jet was heading and its speed, they were able to easily calculate everything to make exact changes to the evacuation efforts and to minimize the unfortunate loss of innocent life. Even despite their best efforts, there was a loss of innocent life, mostly because not everyone took kindly to being suddenly forced from their properties. Many American citizens were well-armed and willing to resist even law enforcement.
The Foundation naturally did not take no for an answer and did not hesitate to open fire, which led to the deaths of civilians and a few Foundation personnel. The constant urgings of top officials pushed local law enforcement to also go to extremes, which ended with resisting citizens opening fire and more shootouts happening between local law enforcement and the very people they were trying to save.
Such is the chaos and madness of an SCP object breaching its containment. There could be no mercy, there could be no hesitation. The situation was dire and only the containment protocols of the SCP Foundation could minimize losses, protect, secure, and contain.
Back at the Triskelion, Fury was frustrated to realize that he was quickly being sidelined the moment the targets had been identified. The steady stream of information that had come from the Bulwark had almost stopped immediately after the jet took off. Instead, it seemed they were just passing responsibility on to him. Everyone suddenly wanted to know why he had authorized all these insanely over-the-top evacuations of entire cities only to cancel them the next.
Even the president, whom he had talked with a bit earlier and confirmed that he indeed supported it, had suddenly just called up again and expressed confusion as to what was going on. And wasn't that a frightening thought?
He was fairly sure that the person he had talked with originally was also the real president, which meant that if he had no recollection of this conversation or of his approval and permission for this operation, then his memories must have been erased.
To be able to casually erase the memories of the sitting U.S. President was pushing it far beyond what was reasonable. To treat the leader of the free world like that? Unthinkable! While he himself had little respect for foolish politicians, he still respected the chain of command, even if it was often made up of fools and idiots.
Deep inside, he was a tiny bit envious that they could act with such freedom and impunity while he was bound by all kinds of foolish red tape that prevented him from doing many things.
That line of thought, however, wasn't something he would ever admit to anyone. If he had to be bound by red tape, he damn well would make sure that others had to play by the same rules as well, which is why he resolved to figure out a solution to this blatant memory erasure that the Bulwark was capable of.
Back onboard the quinjet, they were receiving plenty of orders, all sent from the Foundation, disguising their signals as those of SHIELD, allowing them to guide the jet to the optimal location without having to negotiate with SHIELD or risk Natasha's cover.
Carrington, still under the impression that Natasha was a fellow Hydra operative, remained relatively calm, though the other two agents, Kelly and Ramirez, were visibly anxious. Natasha, maintaining her stoic demeanor, kept a close eye on them, ensuring no one attempted anything foolish.
"We're approaching the designated drop-off point," Clint announced, his eyes scanning the instruments. "ETA five minutes." Natasha nodded, turning her attention back to the agents. "Listen up. When we land, you need to follow our instructions exactly. Any deviation could mean your lives." Kelly and Ramirez exchanged worried glances but nodded in agreement. Carrington, trying to maintain his composure, simply replied, "Understood."
As the quinjet descended towards a remote, isolated location, Natasha's mind raced through possible scenarios. She knew the Foundation had a plan to contain SCP-096, but the unpredictable nature of the entity meant they had to be ready for anything.
The jet touched down smoothly, and the rear hatch opened, allowing a rush of cool air to fill the cabin. Natasha and Clint quickly ushered the agents out, leading them to a secure containment area that had been prepared by the Foundation. A team of Foundation personnel, clad in tactical gear and equipped with advanced containment tools, stood ready.
"SHIELD agents," one of the Foundation team leaders greeted them. "We'll take it from here." Natasha nodded, stepping back as the Foundation team moved in to secure the agents. Carrington shot her a confused look, but Natasha simply gave him a reassuring nod, maintaining the facade. As the agents were led away, Natasha and Clint stayed back, watching the operation unfold.
"Should we really just let them take them like that?" Clint asked quietly, not fully agreeing to just hand over their own to Bulwark like that.
"Wouldn't make much difference whether or not we agreed or not, the outcome would always have been the same," Natasha replied. "For those who have seen the monster, only death awaits."
Clint clenched his fist, not wanting to believe in all this, but he knew too much to be able to not believe. He just didn't want to. Didn't want to have such a monster exist in the same world as the people he loved.
The Foundation agents were working on a tight schedule, needing to get the three men into position before SCP-096 arrived. So at gunpoint, the members of MTF Tau-1 forced the three Hydra and SHIELD agents into the back of an armored transportation vehicle.
"Two minutes until arrival, get ready for object to become visible!" The leader of Tau-1 said as he was updated on the situation. After securing the people inside the vehicle, they pulled away and made sure not to look behind them.
Inside the transport, Carrington, Kelly, and Ramirez were visibly distressed, their eyes darting around the confined space. Carrington, still under the impression that Natasha was a fellow Hydra operative, tried to stay calm, but the fear was evident in his eyes.
"What's going to happen to us?" Kelly asked, his voice trembling.
"We need to stay calm and follow their instructions," Carrington replied, attempting to reassure himself as much as the others. "They know what they're doing."
Outside, Natasha and Clint watched as the transport vehicle moved into position. Natasha couldn't shake the feeling of dread hanging in the air. She knew that the Foundation's methods were harsh but necessary. There was no room for error when dealing with something as dangerous as SCP-096.
"Do you think they'll be able to contain it?" Clint asked, his voice low.
"They have to," Natasha replied. "There's no other option."
Everyone was well aware of what could happen next. Either SCP-096 would kill those three and then return to its dormant state and be taken back to SITE-019 for containment, or if they were unlucky, someone else had seen its face while it was moving down here, and it would continue its rampage.
The tense silence was broken by the sound of distant screams. SCP-096 was approaching. The creature's wails echoed through the night, sending chills down the spines of everyone present. The Foundation team tightened their grips on their containment tools, ready to act.
"Get ready!" the leader of Tau-1 barked. "It's almost here!" Inside the transport, Carrington, Kelly, and Ramirez could hear the terrifying cries of SCP-096 growing louder. They huddled together, trying to maintain their composure. The fear in the confined space was palpable.
With a sudden burst of speed, SCP-096 appeared, its gaunt, pale figure rushing towards the transport. The Foundation agents braced themselves, but they knew there was little they could do once the creature locked onto its targets.
The transport vehicle shook as SCP-096 reached it, the creature's anguished screams piercing through the metal walls. The agents inside were frozen with terror, unable to do anything but wait for the inevitable.
The doors had been left wide open, allowing SCP-096 to enter without a problem, and as it did, the three people inside screamed loudly as they came face to face with the frightening monster. They didn't understand why this was happening. Their confusion, however, was short-lived, as was their remaining time alive. Their screams were cut short by the sharp claw-like fingers of SCP-096 as it tore them apart, their blood and guts covering the steel plates of the vehicle.
Natasha and Clint stood at a distance, watching the gruesome scene unfold. Natasha's expression was stoic, though she felt a deep sense of unease. Clint looked away, unable to watch the carnage. The Foundation agents moved in quickly, working with practiced efficiency to contain SCP-096. The creature, having expended its rage, was now docile and compliant. It was quickly restrained and secured.
"Object is contained," the leader of Tau-1 confirmed over the comms. "Repeat, object is contained." Natasha and Clint exchanged a glance, their faces reflecting the weight of what had just transpired. The immediate threat was over, but the implications of the breach were far-reaching.
"Let's head back to the Triskelion," Natasha said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. Clint nodded, equally drained. "Yeah, let's go."
They would be returning to Fury to report what had happened, and the Foundation would be bringing SCP-096 back to containment, while trying their best to ensure that no more pictures had been taken. They also had to make sure that the original pictures and footage that had led to this incident were taken care of.
However, sadly, it wasn't all good news that reached Alexander after the incident report was placed before him. For in the chaos, another SCP had gotten lost: SCP-049 had escaped containment and was once again on the loose.
A/N
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