Chương 180: O5-2 discovery -176
The guards were naturally nervous and on edge; they had just been doing their job, guarding the O5 member, something that most of the time wasn't all that difficult. Yet suddenly, they received such an urgent order without any context or explanation.
[Secure and evacuate principal – Priority Alpha-1]
[Full information blackout, principal going dark - Priority Alpha-1]
Priority Alpha-1 was the highest level of alert there was, and it pretty much meant that they were to use any and all means of securing their boss and enforcing the information blackout at gunpoint if needed.
Holding your boss at gunpoint was never good for one's long-term employment, but they knew that nothing was more important than following orders and ensuring that O5-2 was secured.
Their sudden action wasn't unnoticed by the security of Pamela Lawton; they were, however, less prepared and determined than the members of Alpha One, who opened fire without hesitation, immediately shooting their guards as well as Lawton herself.
Chaos erupted in the conference room as gunfire echoed through the hall. Julian Cross, the identity O5-2 had assumed, watched with a mixture of shock and anger as Pamela Lawton, his carefully cultivated political ally, fell to the ground, lifeless. The diplomatic effort he had invested so much time and resources into was now shattered in an instant.
"Move! We need to get you out of here, sir," one of the Alpha One guards barked, grabbing Julian by the arm and pulling him towards the exit.
O5-2 activated his special protective suit, rendering him impervious to bullets and none-energy attacks. He was about to question them about what was happening when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something shocking.
Pamela Lawton's dead body suddenly changed from a human woman to a very much none human-looking reptilian creature, humanoid but not human. "That thing!" He shouted, pointing over and drawing his guard's attention back to the now alien-looking body.
Something that earned it a few dozen extra rounds of ammo to make sure it was fully dead and his guard's level of alertness to heighten further.
"Idiots! Take it with you! I need to know what the fuck it is, and how it got close to me. And explain yourself, what are you doing?"
"Sir, we have orders to evacuate you and enforce a full information blackout, Priority Alpha-1." the lead guard responded, not missing a beat. "So please follow along sir, and be patient, we will inform you of more once the information blackout is lifted."
"That creature could be part of the breach. Secure it and send it to the nearest SITE!" O5-2 order, he wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew not to question anything to do with a Priority Alpha-1 evacuation order.
Additionally, he was shocked that some kind of shapeshifting creature had somehow managed to get this close to him. He wasn't sure if he was the target or even if Lawton had always been the alien, but he knew that answers had to be found.
Leaving behind a single guard to secure the area and await someone else to come and pick up the alien body, he allowed himself to be rushed out of the building. And into the convoy of armored cars that rushed him off to the nearest Foundation safehouse.
Leaving behind quite a mess as his men didn't care about ramming their own escort vehicles into traffic to make way for him. Something he could clearly hear and knew that it would cause him a headache to clean up after this incident.
"Is this really necessary?" He couldn't help but ask as it touched the blindfold placed on top of his suit.
"Yes, sir," the lead guard replied firmly. "Protocol requires full sensory deprivation until we reach the secure location. It's for your protection and to prevent any memetic hazards from spreading."
Julian sighed but didn't argue further. The blindfold made him feel even more vulnerable, but he trusted his team to get him to safety.
After what felt like an eternity, the vehicle came to a stop, and Julian was guided out and into what he assumed was the safehouse. The blindfold was removed, revealing a stark, secure room with minimal furnishings.
Sighing, he sat down in the most comfortable-looking chair. "Keep me updated on what you can. I need to get ready to deal with the mess this evacuation left behind."
-----------------
The activation of Protocol Zeta-12B1 affected more than Alexander or O5-2. The other members of the O5 Council were also placed under information lockdown and rushed into secure bunkers.
But it wasn't just the O5 council, either. Alarms were going off at every SITE around the world. While only SITE-160 was evacuated, on every other SITE, every SITE director and senior researcher of class 4 were rushed into safe rooms, unable to communicate with the world.
In a single moment, the giant, the SCP Foundation, was temporarily left leaderless. While others stepped up to try and close the gap, in this moment when a nuclear explosion had just happened within the borders of a UN member, they struggled to deal with the fallout.
-----------------------
[SHIELD Headquarters]
Director Nick Fury stood at the center of SHIELD's command hub, his one good eye focused intently on the multiple screens displaying the latest intel. The sudden, unplanned detonation of a nuclear device in Canada had sent shockwaves through the intelligence community, and SHIELD was no exception.
"Get me everything we've got on this explosion," Fury barked to the team of analysts and operatives surrounding him. "I want to know who was there, what they were working on, and how the hell this happened."
Maria Hill, Fury's trusted second-in-command, approached with a tablet in hand. "Director, initial reports confirm the explosion happened near a classified research facility. However, our databases have nothing on the specifics of the site or its operations."
Fury's expression hardened. "Nothing? A nuclear detonation on our radar, and we know nothing about it? That's unacceptable."
Hill shook her head. "The site appears to be under some extremely high-level clearance. It's as if it doesn't exist in our records. We're running into encrypted barriers everywhere."
As Hill continued to relay information, a holographic display activated, showing a live feed from the Canadian government's emergency response team. Prime Minister Stephen Harper appeared on screen, addressing the nation.
"...we are working closely with our allies and international agencies to understand the full scope of this disaster," Harper was saying. "We urge everyone to remain calm and follow the directives of local authorities."
Fury turned to the room. "I want a team on the ground in Canada ASAP. We need eyes and ears close to the site. Get Romanoff and Barton; they're good at moving unnoticed. And send a Quinjet with backup, just in case."
Hill nodded and immediately began issuing orders. "What about our approach with the Canadian government, sir? Should we reach out for more information?"
Fury paused, considering his options. "Yes, but discreetly. We don't want to tip our hand too early. If this was some kind of covert operation gone wrong, we need to tread carefully."
As the team scrambled to execute his commands, Fury stepped back, his mind racing through the possibilities. An unknown, highly classified research facility detonating a nuclear device within Canadian borders was a scenario with vast implications.
--------------
The sudden nuclear explosion naturally made the whole world tense up; the fear of a new nuclear world war, the war to end not just all wars but even humanity itself, spread like wildfire.
Few could keep their cool in such a situation, and even Natasha Romanoff felt the blanket of uncertainty covering her. More so since she, as an undercover agent working for the SCP Foundation, knew that they utilized nuclear self-destruction devices in their containment SITEs.
She wasn't aware of the location of many such SITEs, but she knew that Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk was contained at a SITE up in Canada. So she couldn't help but suspect that this unexpected explosion might somehow be connected with the Foundation.
She would have to tread carefully. Even though she was deep undercover with SHIELD, her primary loyalty was still to the SCP Foundation. She had to balance the delicate act of gathering intelligence for SHIELD while protecting the secrets of the Foundation.
The whole situation was only made worse by the fact that apparently the Foundation itself was in a state of alert, and she couldn't get in contact with anyone; everyone just replied that they were busy or unavailable, telling her to deal with the situation as she saw fit.
She didn't like it. If the SITE had chosen to detonate its nuclear bomb, then whatever had caused that was likely highly dangerous, and now she was heading towards it.
…
As the Quinjet sliced through the cold Canadian skies, Romanoff and Barton reviewed the limited intel they had gathered so far. Barton looked up from his tablet, concern etched on his face. "What do you think we're walking into, Nat?"
"Something bad," Romanoff replied tersely. "We could be seeing a new war, one that will engulf the entire world, though I do hope it was just some weapons research lap that messed up." She said, still thinking about what she should do.
Barton nodded, though the tension in his posture indicated he was far from reassured. "We need to be ready for anything," he said, echoing her earlier sentiment. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
--------------------
While Shield and the rest of the world rushed towards the site of the explosion, the staff of SITE-160 left it. They all moved away, their target, SITE-210 in Alberta, Canada. At the same time, that SITE was busy trying to deal with the political fallout.
The Foundation naturally wished to prevent the world from investigating their lost SITE and control the narrative of the incident, though without their leadership, they were slow, and their ability to act was greatly reduced.
Dr. Marcus LeBlanc, the director of SITE-210, was likely one of the only class 4 personnel allowed to have some limited form of communication with the outside world. At least he assumed so since he was allowed to send out orders but was heavily limited to what he knew.
He was informed that another SITE had been critically compromised to the point that it had to self-destruct. He had then been tasked with giving orders to coordinate some assets in handling the fallout.
Dr. Marcus LeBlanc knew the gravity of the situation. With SITE-160 gone and the O5 Council under lockdown, the burden fell heavily on his shoulders. The limited information he had painted a dire picture, and the world outside was closing in fast.
"Dr. LeBlanc, we've received another transmission," his assistant, Dr. Eliza Grant, said as she handed him a printout. "it's barebones, but it should allow us to hopefully navigate the current situation."
LeBlanc scanned the message quickly. It is a tiny amount of information about what could have triggered the protocol and a few points of order he was to carry out, prioritizing containment and misinformation strategies.
"We need to mobilize our assets immediately," LeBlanc said, turning to his senior staff. "Dr. Grant, coordinate with our field agents to establish a perimeter around the blast site. We must ensure no unauthorized personnel gain access."
Grant nodded and began issuing orders to the field teams. LeBlanc continued, "We also need to prepare a cover story. The public must not know about our involvement. Let's coordinate with SITE-644 staff for plausible explanations."
He knew that he likely couldn't get in touch with anyone highly ranked at the Foundation headquarters of disinformation, but anything at all would be helpful. After all, his SITE was merely Class-3. And he didn't have many people or resources to use.
"Understood, sir," Grant replied, moving swiftly to relay his instructions.
--------------------
[Breaking News Report]
Good afternoon, I'm Sarah Matthews with Channel 7 News, and we have breaking news from the far north of Canada. Reports are coming in of a sudden and unexpected nuclear explosion in a remote area of Nunavut. We now go live to our correspondent, Mark Stevens, who is standing by outside the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa. Mark, what can you tell us?"
"Sarah, it's a tense atmosphere here in Ottawa as government officials are scrambling to respond to the news of a nuclear explosion in Nunavut. The explosion occurred in an extremely remote area, far from any population centers, so thankfully, there are no reported casualties and no need for evacuations. However, the implications of this incident are causing considerable concern."
"Mark, do we have any information on the immediate impact of the explosion and the response from the Canadian government?"
"Sarah, the Canadian government has been swift to assure the public that the situation is under control. They have deployed emergency response teams to the area, although access is difficult due to the high radiation levels. Environmental impact assessments are underway, but the primary concern right now is understanding the cause of this explosion."
"What about the cause of the explosion? Are there any speculations or official statements?"
"At this moment, there is a lot of speculation but very few concrete answers. Some experts are suggesting the possibility of an accidental detonation of old, undisclosed munitions, while others are considering the chance of a rogue nuclear test. There are even whispers about potential terrorist activity, although no evidence has been presented to support this theory. Government officials are being very tight-lipped, and no official cause has been confirmed."
"Thank you, Mark. We will check back with you as more information becomes available. Stay safe."
"Thank you, Sarah."
"For those just joining us, we are covering breaking news from Nunavut, Canada, where a sudden nuclear explosion has occurred in a remote area. The Canadian government and international agencies are responding to this unexpected disaster. We will continue to bring you the latest updates as they unfold. Stay tuned to Channel 7 News for comprehensive coverage."
"In related news, we have reports that the global community is reacting swiftly. Leaders from around the world are expressing their concerns and offering support to Canada. This incident has sparked a wave of emergency meetings among top international security and intelligence agencies. The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session to address the potential ramifications of this explosion."
"We now go to our senior political analyst, John Harris, for more insights into the geopolitical implications of this incident. John, how significant is this event on the global stage?"
"Sarah, this is a significant event with far-reaching implications. A nuclear explosion, especially in such a remote and unexpected location, is bound to cause international alarm. The fact that it happened away from any population centers and without clear targets or explanations adds to the mystery. Speculations range from secretive government projects to potential terrorist activities. Countries will be eager to understand the cause and ensure that this isn't a precursor to a larger threat."
"Thank you, John. We will continue to monitor this story and provide updates as we receive them. Stay with Channel 7 News for ongoing coverage of this developing situation in Nunavut."
A/N
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