EE-8832 - SCP Foundation

Project Hecatoncheires

From the Desk of the Director

In accordance with Level-3 Clearance guidelines, only those authorized to review project documents are allowed access. Any unauthorized access of this file will be met with administrative consequences including amnesticization, possible termination of employment, and other action as deemed appropriate.

The following file represents our understanding of a very unclear picture of events due to disparate sources and incomplete accounts making up the bulk of this administrative record. No matter how this conflict resolves, it will be on all of us to shield normalcy from the fallout.

My condolences to those who lost loved ones or trusted colleagues, but the work must continue.

- Iona Varga, PhD/MD, Director of Site-91

Event #: EE-8832
Level 3/8832

Scenario: Anomalous Covert Engagement
Classified

Extranormal Event 8832 (EE-8832) was a singular episode of anomalous armed conflict, which occurred in several anomalously-connected locations. Significant levels of thaumaturgical energies interfered with MTF recordings and in the recovery of physical evidence.

No persistent containment procedures are required beyond those taken immediately to ameliorate threats to normalcy directly in response to EE-8832.

Preceding Events:

Containment Breach of SCP-5267.

On 1 July, 1993, unknown forces breached the ruins housed within SCP-5267. Foundation forces were notified immediately due to the triggering of motion sensors and countermeasures in the area. Motion was logged for fifteen minutes and forty-two seconds. By the time containment specialists arrived at the anomaly, none of the culprits were present. Despite the detonation of three explosive mines, no bodies or blood was found. A small amount of charred clay and moss was found in the blast zone of detonated ordnance.

Inside the ruins of the fort contained in SCP-5267, a wall of the throne room was found to have been demolished with explosives. The revealed chamber contained numerous chests and display pedestals. Any material goods stored within were taken with the breaching individuals, but residue from thaumaturgical ritual items was diffuse within the chamber. Foundation surveyors had missed the chamber due to a subtle cognitohazard worked into the mortar between stones that made up the wall. Some small residue of blood dating to the 2nd century CE was found worked into the mortar.

Diego Marquez – PoI-8832 sighting.

On 3, July, 1993, members of MTF-Omega-20 (“Thought Police”) confirm sighting of Diego Marquez/SCP-4612-B in Manhattan, New York City. Marquez is witnessed entering the Grand Central Library. Mobilization orders are issued but not completed due to the events in York.

Explosion occurred at York Art Gallery in York, England.

York Art Gallery moments before the explosion destroyed the front elevation.

On 3 July, 1993, at 08:00 hours, an explosion occurred at the Gallery which contained SCP-3743-A-2, only known functioning Way to SCP-3743-B. Explosion is determined to be thaumaturgical in nature, theorized to be a forcing open of the Way. CC-TV footage in the area revealed an assault force of several dozen armed individuals, dressed in camouflage.

The assault coincided with several other explosions across Europe: Madrid, Nice, Budapest, and Istanbul.1 A cover story was developed and released to the public with the help of affected governments concerning a concerted terrorist attack. Any witnesses of the assault force were amnesticized during cleanup operations.

Mobilization

Within an hour, Site-91, only sixteen kilometers outside York, had mobilized forces to investigate. Given the explosion’s location at SCP-3743-A-2, it was theorized that the attack was focused on the pocket dimension designated SCP-3743-B.

Director Varga ordered a mobilization of the Project Hecatoncheires joint task force. In the months since the Way designated SCP-3743-A-1 was discovered, and ultimately neutralized, researchers at Site-91 had investigated the originating rituals thoroughly; the thaumaturgical research staff were able to determine a mechanism to reactivate the Way. As SCP-3743-A-1 also led to SCP-3743-B, it was targeted as an insertion point.

Mobilized Personnel:

MTF-Beta-777 (“Hecate’s Spear”): Captain Sahara Zadeh;2 Lieutenant Marcus Gibbs; Sergeant Maria Waltham;3 Sergeant Gabriel Merced.

MTF-Omega-20 (“Thought Police”): Captain Rashid al Hasin;4 Sergeant Julie Chen.

MTF-Tau-9 (“Bookworms”): Lieutenant Gilroy Laguerre,5; Sergeant Mark Kenoshi.6

Agent Rebekah Douglas.7

Forward: The Project Hecatoncheires joint task force is ordered to reconnoiter the pocket dimension designated SCP-3743-B, and observe the attacking force for purposes of intelligence gathering and identification. Primary goal is to ascertain the purpose of the assault and assess the potential danger to normalcy if the conflict were to escape the boundaries of the pocket dimension.

SCP-3743-A-1, approximately two kilometers from Site-91.

[Joint task force members approach the Way. Captain Zadeh is hanging back by the vehicles, operating communications equipment.]

Douglass: Last time we were in there, the video didn’t work.

Zadeh: There’s been some improvements since then. The researchers worked with the technicians to make sure the thaumaturgical bleeding wouldn’t interfere with video capture.

Douglas: And you’ll be out here, manning the comms?

Zadeh: And commanding, of course, but Captain al Hasin will be in command if there’s any problems. You all know the priorities, right?

[The assembled task force members nod and check their equipment.]

Zadeh: Okay. Don’t die. Now move out.

[The eight task force members approach SCP-3743-A-1. LaGuerre hangs an icon from a nearby tree, chanting in Enochian. A slight hum audibly registers on the recording after he has finished chanting. He walks around the structure of the Way and cuts across when he has reached the halfway mark.]

LaGuerre: We’re leaving it open this time, so keep an eye out. [LaGuerre looks at the two security staff next to Captain Zadeh] Watch her back, you hear?

[The taskforce members enter the way and are seen from Zadeh’s perspective moving across a desert plain. For the first eight minutes, nothing of note occurs. Then the feed from the team cuts out.]

Zadeh: [Adjusting the sling on her left arm, she bends down to the communication equipment laid out in the back of the armored vehicle transport.] Lieutenant Gibbs, do you read?

[No response is forthcoming.]

Zadeh: Agent Douglas, do you read? Sergeant Waltham?

[Zadeh turns and looks towards the open portal; the team is no longer in sight.]

Zadeh: Command, we have a situation.

Director Varga: Go ahead.

Zadeh: Director?

Varga: No time for explanations, things are progressing across Europe. This isn’t the only attack. I have my hands full. What is the situation?

Zadeh: I’ve lost contact with the team, none of the communications are working.

Varga: When did you lose contact?

Zadeh: Less than a minute ago.

Varga: One of the security staff with you is a communications officer. See if you can’t get them back online within the next five minutes. If not, call me back.

The communications officer tries to reestablish contact with the taskforce members for the next five minutes. No contact is made.

Zadeh: Director, we’ve got nothing. I’m not okay with leaving my whole team on the other side without knowing what’s happening. Please advise.

Varga: Captain, what are you telling me?

Zadeh: I’m going in.

Varga: You’re injured, Captain. That’s a very poor idea.

Zadeh: I have my skills and a side-arm.

Varga: Wait, don’t go in yet. I’ll send another squad to back you up. ETA five minutes.

Once several more task force members arrive to support Zadeh, she enters the Way. Communication is immediately lost. After approximately thirty minutes, the Way closes and Foundation staff are not able to reactivate it.

Location of Agent Douglas and others after neutralization of the Way.

Approximately two hours after losing contact with command, Agent Rebekah Douglas contacted Site-91 and requested medical evacuation to a location on the southern plains of Greece, just south of Tripoli.

Remnants of the joint task force, along with members of GoI-8832 (“The Second Haptic Assembly”), were found sheltering in the temple structure previously recorded as existing within the pocket dimension designated SCP-3743-B. The structure had weathered significant damage from explosive ordnance and anomalous means.

Recovered Video Records

Upon retrieval, video files were extracted from the joint task force members’ recording equipment. Most of the data was unusable due to degradation theorized to be the effect of statistically abnormal surges in thaumaturgical energies. The following transcribed segments were all that remained uncorrupted:8

► Segments of Video Logs ◄

▼ Close File ▼

Video segment begins approximately ten minutes after entering the pocket dimension.

[Members of the joint task force march across a desert plain towards a temple structure. Merced signals for the group to crouch and points out a large military force to the West.]

Douglas: Are those the same ones?

Waltham: Hard to say, they’re far off. But they’re dressing like troops and I think that’s Chernoff.9

[Waltham points to a tall man in a long coat, standing in the center of the group, clearly giving orders to the homunculi.]

al Hasin: [Nodding.] It definitely is. So, assume mercenaries and those humanoid entities.

Merced: There’s got to be thirty guns over there.

Douglas: [Looking towards the temple complex.] Have to assume they’re here for a reason.

al Hasin: Alright, I say we move towards the temple and–

[Captain al Hasin is interrupted by a large figure appearing over a rise and marching towards the task force. The figure is an animate humanoid-shaped arboreal entity equipped with an organic, wooden cannon on one upper extremity.]10

[Douglas, Merced, Gibbs, and LaGuerre open fire with their carbines. The instance shudders with each impact but does not stop advancing. Waltham raises her palm outwards and chants in Enochian. The instance begins to burn as it raises the organic cannon towards the group.]

Gibbs: Scatter!

[Task force members retreat, spreading out in all directions. Merced stands steady in a firing stance, looking through the sights of a carbine.]

al Hasin: Merced, move it!

[Merced waits until the instance’s weapon is pointed at him and then fires. A flair of light and concussive force erupts from the cannon, partially vaporizing the instance and sending its body backwards.]

Video segment begins fifteen minutes into the expedition.

[Sergeant Merced is receiving medical attention11 from Lieutenant Gibbs when the radio squawks and starts receiving.]

Zadeh: Task force, do you read?

Douglas: Sahara?

Zadeh: We’re in the field, remember? And yes, I’m on this side. We lost connection a few minutes ago. Where are you?

al Hasin: Captain Zadeh, we’re about two clicks north from the Way we entered via. Hunkered down behind a ridge. Be aware, there are significant armed forces active in the area accompanied by anomalous entities.

Zadeh: Right, the Daevic homunculi from Mongolia. We’ve had to take care of a small patrol.

Douglas: That’s not all they brought with them. Who’s “we”?

Zadeh: Sent in with some back up – Montgomery and Kokkinos. We’re headed your way, just st–

[The sound of an explosion is heard across the transmission, through both the radio and echoing on the recordings of the task force, clearly some distance from their location.]

al Hasin: Captain Zadeh, sitrep?

[Static plays over the radio.]

Douglas: Sahara!

Zadeh: …position …come to you.

[Several more explosions are heard on the recording, closer to the task force. Douglas sidles up to the edge of the ridge and peeks over the top. Her body camera captures several bursts of energy cast out from the temple against a group of soldiers. Distortion overtakes the recording as the energy flares again.]

Video segment begins contemporaneously with the last. Edited to avoid repetition.

[Captain Zadeh stands overlooking several neutralized homunculi as they slowly dissolve into piles of clay, mud, and moss. She is holding a sidearm in her right hand.]

Zadeh: Sent in with some backup – Montgomery and Kokkinos. We’re headed your way, just st–

Kokkinos: Captain! Behind you!

[An explosion distorts the recording for fifteen seconds. After distortion fades, Captain Zadeh is on her back looking up at an SCP-3140 instance, its cannon appendage smoking.]

[Zadeh scuttles backward on the desert soil, creating more space between herself and the animate tree entity.]

Zadeh: [Speaking into her radio] Maintain your position. We’ll come to you.

[The entity is manually reloading its cannon appendage with a glowing orb, oozing green sap. Captain Zadeh looks around for her firearm and sees it several meters away. As the instance points the cannon appendage at her, she raises her right arm and whispers along the tattoos that trace her inner forearm. Just before the cannon fires, a concussive force explodes from the ground around Captain Zadeh, forcing the barrel up and causing the instance to miss its shot and take several large steps backward to regain its footing.]

Zadeh: Boys, you still with me?

Kokkinos: Shield your eyes!

[The instance bursts into flame as a flare of light erupts from between the entity’s legs. The light is bright enough to flare out the camera, forcing it to readjust and refocus automatically over several seconds. As the camera regains its picture, the instance is seen on the ground in pieces, burning and struggling to move.]

[Zadeh stands, with Kokkinos’ offered hand. She grunts as she regains her footing.]

Kokkinos: Are you alright, Captain?

Zadeh: Half blind and otherwise not great. What was that, phosphorus grenade?

[Nodding, Specialist Kokkinos begins looking over the Captain’s body.]

Kokkinos: You’re injured?

Zadeh: Cracked ribs, stab wound [Pointing to her left arm in a sling] and a head injury that was cleared. Left over gifts from the last time we tangled with these assholes in Mongolia. Where’s Montgomery?

[Kokkinos looks over to his left. The body of Sergeant Montgomery is seen covered with significant traumatic damage causing catastrophic tissue loss.]

Kokkinos: He took the brunt of that thing’s ordnance, whatever it was.

Zadeh: Something Daeva but I’m not an expert. We need to move.

Video segment begins twenty-seven minutes into expedition.

Douglas: I don’t give a fuck! If the things come anywhere near us, I’m taking them out.

al Hasin: Agent Douglas, calm down. You heard Captain Zadeh. We’re to stay put and she’ll make it to us.

Douglas: How am I disobeying the order? Asshole was looking to flank the people in the temple, and it was about to trip all over us.

[Another explosion echoes in the distance followed by shifting hues of green and orange light flaring behind the ridge in the direction of the temple.]

al Hasin: Let’s just not draw attention to ourselves.

[Merced observes the gathered force surrounding the south-facing portion of the temple. His body camera registers a shimmering dome around the temple structure. He scans the main body of the assault force.]

Merced: Captain, come take a look at this.

[Captain al Hasin approaches the ridge and looks out.]

al Hasin: What are they doing?

Waltham: Ritual of some sort – look at that pedestal in the center.

[Gunshots are heard nearby and Captain Zadeh ducks behind the ridge, followed by Specialist Kokkinos. Task force members crouch against the ridge as gunfire hits the cover immediately following Zadeh’s appearance.]

Zadeh: Sitrep, now.

Merced: Enemy force can’t seem to break through the defenses around the temple. Hard to tell who’s in there, but they’re holding them off.

Waltham: And the homunculi are setting something up, a ritual of some sort.

[Gunfire continues to impact the ridge the task force members are crouching behind.]

Zadeh: We need to take care of this before the main contingent notices.

[Waltham takes out her knife and traces a circle in the soil of the ridge. She gestures to the rest of the task force, then counts down from three with her fingers.]

[A strong wind whips up and spreads sand throughout the air just beyond the ridge. The members of the task force take aim from behind the cover and fire on the approaching homunculi. Several go down quickly but others require further shots before they begin disintegrating.]12

Douglas: One of them is still moving.

Merced: [Looking through his sight.] That’s not one of the homunculi, that’s a person.

Zadeh: Any movement from the larger group?

Merced: Negative.

Zadeh: Go get him.

Video segment begins thirty-two minutes into expedition.

[Mercenary is sitting up against a rock, surrounded by some task force members.]

Zadeh: Meaning what?

Mercenary: I don’t [cough] I don’t know. That’s what she told us.

Douglas: She who?

Waltham: The matriarch.

[Mercenary nods and coughs again. His breathing is shallow. Lieutenant Gibbs is trying to administer medical aid.]

Zadeh What did she say exactly?

Mercenary: Wasn’t talking [coughs] to me. To the commander.

al Hasin: Chernoff.

Douglas: Fine, but what did she say?

Mercenary: [coughs] That if we couldn’t break through, we’d win by changing the battlefield.

Waltham: What does that mean? Something to do with this ritual?

[Mercenary slumps, his head falling forward as he collapses. Gibbs catches him and lowers him to the dirt so that he is lying flat.]

Zadeh: How is he?

[Gibbs shakes his head as he continues to stop the bleeding.]

Douglas: So, what’s the plan here? We’ve got a pretty good idea what’s happening, do we go back?

Zadeh: No. Whatever they’re trying to do, it’s bound to impact normality. We were sent in to assess, and I think we can all agree this is a problem.

al Hasin: I’ll admit, I don’t know Marquez’ group beyond the files, but 5267-A and Chernoff are bad news.

Zadeh: Douglas, what do you think about approaching the cultists within the temple? We can’t fight both of these groups.

Douglas: Why are you asking me?

Zadeh: You know Marquez better than the rest of us, no matter how that happened. What’s your instinct?

Douglas: That he’s only violent when someone he cares about is threatened. Problem is, he could see us as part of that threat.

al Hasin: Doesn’t matter, he’s in Manhattan.

Merced: We need to know what they’re up to. [Indicating the force of homunculi, mercenaries, and arboreal entities constructing an apparatus around a central pedestal.]

Douglas: [Speaking to Waltham.] You have some trick for making me invisible or hard to notice?

Waltham: No, where would I have learned that?

Douglas: Well, we’ve seen it a few times in recent years. The door to the vault at Eckhart House, the area around the fort in Mongolia.

Waltham: That’s not the sort of thaumaturgy you throw together on the fly, I’d have to study for weeks and design – or copy someone else’s – ritual.

Douglas: Shit.

al Hasin: Actually…

Zadeh: What is it, Captain?

al Hasin: I think I could help with that, but we could use a distraction.

[Significant yelling, gunfire, and explosions start echoing from beyond the ridge.]

LaGuerre: How’s that for a distraction?

Video segment begins thirty-four minutes into expedition.

[Marquez is on the far side of the gathered Daevite homunculi forces, attacking the Daevite forces. Chernoff is visible in frame, as is the Matriarch, apparently issuing orders. Marquez is yelling something but it is indecipherable from the sounds of explosions and gunfire. Captain al Hasin and Agent Douglas approach the ritual site, a scaffolding of brass and wood arrayed above a small pedestal. Captain al Hasin has his hand on Agent Douglas’ left shoulder and his eyes are closed.]

Douglas [whispering] We could move a lot faster if you had your eyes open.

al Hasin: The darkness helps. Don’t distract me. I’m broadcasting the absence so no one looks at us. The faster we get an idea of the ritual, the quicker we can reconvene with the others.

[The pair reach the outskirts of the Daevite forces and circle around towards the ritual site; the pedestal is placed at the meeting point of the Daevite force and the shimmering dome surrounding the temple.]

Douglas: [Whispering into a mini-tape recorder.] The scaffolding holds several ritual vessels, oblong in shape and made of bronze. The handles look like bone but they’re eight feet in the air. Also, impossible to see what the vessels hold, but given what we know about these people, I assume it’s blood. The pedestal itself is made of ivory, leather, and bronze. It looks ancient, like it’s been in storage for centuries. If I can get a little closer, I can get a reading.

[al Hasin shakes his head and indicates they should leave, eyes still closed. Just then, the Daevite forces become surrounded by flames and Marquez begins yelling.]

Marquez: You attack my home with creatures of mud and wood? Daeva. [Marquez spits] Failed state! Slavers! I thought the Sarkics ended you, but here you are back again. Like roaches.

Matriarch: The Sarkics had nothing to do with our fall, it was you and yours, celestial spawn. Your slug. Where is the creature? If you’re still around, I assume your pet is too.

[Marquez’ eyes glow bright blue. He grits his teeth.]

Douglas: Oh shit.

Video segment begins thirty-five minutes into expedition.

[Zadeh and the rest of the task force have circled the temple, getting between the tomb behind the temple and the temple itself. The conflict between forces is on the other side of the structure.]

Zadeh: I can’t really help, it’s on you.

[Waltham nods and begins drawing in the sandy soil of the plain with her knife, just beyond the dome’s circumference: a half circle, with sigils in Enochian. Waltham steps back and the dome of shimmering energy extends out with the semi-circle she has drawn in the soil. She steps forward and through the section of the barrier.]

Waltham: Let’s go, should be safe for the next few minutes.

[The rest of the joint task force members file through into the area surrounding the temple and take cover against the temple walls on either side of the only rear access door. At Zadeh’s gesture, Merced knocks at the door.]

Unknown woman: Who the fuck is that?

Unknown man: No idea. [shouting] Who is it? What do you want?

Zadeh: We’re representatives of the Foundation! We were sent in to assess the situation.

Unknown: Get out of here! We don’t want any more trouble with you.

Zadeh: We’re not here for trouble, I’m in command and I’m willing to offer a deal.

[Lieutenant LaGuerre’s eyes widen and he opens his mouth, but Zadeh holds up a hand.]

Zadeh: [whispering] We’re in a bad spot here, we need to simplify the field.

Unknown man: What deal?

Zadeh: A ceasefire between our parties. We focus our attention on those attacking your complex.

Unknown man: What happens to us after?

Zadeh: We can work that out after, but there’s a goddamn army outside your gates.

Unknown woman: They can’t get in, and Euboea isn’t here!

[Significant explosions on the other side of the structure cause the building to shudder.]

Zadeh: Think about it, we’re going to check what’s happening.

Video segment begins thirty-seven minutes into expedition

[Douglas and al Hasin are crouching only a few meters from the ritual pedestal, which stands approximately ninety centimeters in height. They are sheltering behind one of the scaffold’s legs while Marquez is screaming. The group of homunculi surrounding Chernoff and SCP-5267-A erupt in flames.]

Video quality flairs and degrades into such severe artifacting that the visual is indecipherable. Audio continues.

Marquez: HOW DARE YOU?

[Sounds of further explosions and several individuals scream.]

al Hasin: Douglas get back here!

SCP-5267-A: NO! Stop her!

Douglas: Let’s go!

Marquez: Pay attention when I speak, hag!

SCP-5267-A: Deal with him! [She begins speaking an unknown language, possibly Daevic.]

[An instance of SCP-3140 makes a loud roaring sound and fires its cannon. An explosion sounds and Marquez grunts loudly. Video quality starts improving, showing Douglas and al Hasin running away from the Daevite force around the circumference of the dome. A loud thud sounds to their left and, as they turn to the sound, Marquez’ burnt form slides down the exterior of the dome.]

Douglas: Jesus!

Unknown man: [From within the temple.] Euboea!

[The dome opens and several figures run from the temple doors towards Marquez. Captain Zadeh and the other members of the task force also approach. Douglas sets down the pedestal.]

Zadeh: What are you two doing?

al Hasin: Don’t ask me!

Douglas: I saw an opportunity. Can’t do their ritual without the gadget, right?

Merced: Fuck.

[Douglas turns to look behind her and sees the remnants of the Daeva force moving in their direction, approximately fifty meters away. The sole remaining SCP-3140 instance leads the fifteen homunculi, Chernoff, and SCP-5267-A. The arboreal entity loads its cannon with green sap ordnance, and points the cannon at the task force.]

SCP-5267-A: No. [Again intones in the unknown language.]

[The arboreal entity lowers the cannon but continues to approach. All homunculi, mercenaries, and Chernoff point their guns at the task force, who, in turn, raise their own weapons.]

Douglas: Jesus, close the dome back up.

Unknown man: I can’t, it was something Euboea set up before he left in case of problems.

Douglas: Who’s Euboea?

Marquez: Me. [groans] Henry, bring me inside.

[The previously unknown man bends down and drags Marquez into the perimeter. Joint task force members close ranks around them, with Lieutenant Gibbs assisting the cult member in carrying Marquez.]

Zadeh: Jesus, Rebekah. You need to start listening to orders.

[Douglas nods as she looks down sights at the approaching force.]

Waltham: What are we doing here?

Zadeh: I don’t know.

[The Daevite force splits to allow SCP-5267-A to approach Captain Zadeh’s team.]

SCP-5267-A: Oh, the mice are back, Leonid!

Chernoff: Da, they are very annoying.

SCP-5267-A: But tenacious… I like that. [To Zadeh] Give us the ritual object and I will let you live.

Zadeh: What about these people in the temple?

SCP-5267-A: No. Their fates are sealed.

Henry: Get fucked!

[Henry raises his free hand and several of the homunculi burst apart, each creating a small concussive effect throwing others to the ground.]

SCP-5267-A: Kill them!

[The SCP-3140 instance raises the cannon again, but is consumed by a detonation when Kokkinos throws another white phosphorous grenade. Task force members open fire on the Daevite force, knocking several homunculi and the last mercenary down. The remaining homunculi open fire. Waltham tries to bring up a defensive cantrip but is struck by a bullet in the leg and falls screaming to the ground.]

[ SCP-5267-A rushes forward and grasps the pedestal from Douglas, who fires her carbine three times into the Matriarch’s chest. SCP-5267-A falls and loses her grip on the pedestal. Chernoff raises his AK-47 and points it at Douglas. Captain Zadeh grabs Douglas and pulls her backwards, then clutches her chest as Chernoff fires.]

Douglas: No!

[Two walls of flame cut through the remaining homunculi, separating Chernoff and SCP-5267-A. Marquez, still burned but having regained his footing, grabs Douglas and pulls her away from the flames as they spread between where she crouched and Zadeh is laying.]

Douglas: Get your fucking hands off me!

[SCP-5267-A extends her hands out towards the pedestal, which starts reacting by emitting pulses of light. Clutching at her chest, Captain Zadeh reaches for the pedestal and pulls it close to her, leaning on it as she tries to stand. The view from her body camera shows the pedestal covered in her blood, just before she collapses over it and the pedestal starts rapidly pulsing.]

Video segment begins forty minutes into expedition. GPS coordinates connected to body camera footage tagged the task force members as being in Greece, but transmission to Site-91 was still not functioning.

[Agent Douglas is kneeling over the crumpled remains of Captain Zadeh, the pedestal, and the small crater in the earth surrounding them both. The plant matter around the pedestal is smoldering.]

Douglas: Fuck you.

Marquez: I was trying [coughs] to save your life.

Douglas: …you should have saved hers.

Video segment begins forty-four minutes into expedition.

al Hasin: Where do you think you’re going?

Marquez: We’re leaving, all of us. You do what you want.

al Hasin: No, no way. We just lost two team members in effort to understand what the fuck you’re doing. We need answers.

Marquez: I’ll be in touch, but my people are leaving.

Unidentified woman: Not all of us.

Marquez: Cynthia… what?

Cynthia: That was too much. I don’t know what you did to make those people so angry, but this is a war. I’m not equipped for that. None of us are. [She indicates the two people behind her.]

[Marquez reaches out and touches her face.]

Marquez: Are you sure?

[The woman nods and Marquez turns away. Twelve of his followers begin gathering behind him.]

al Hasin: No! [Raising his gun and pointing it at Marquez.]

Marquez: How many more die today?

[Douglas touches al Hasin’s shoulder. al Hasin lowers the gun.]

Douglas: Where did she go?

Marquez: Who, the Daeva? Somewhere to nurse her wounds and make more mud people to point guns at me, I assume. What is it with you people and your guns?

[Marquez puts a hand on Douglas’ shoulder.]

Marquez: I’m sorry about your friend, but I have to leave. She made it so we never moved the temple in the first place. I need to see if she’s changed anything else.

al Hasin: She could do that?

Marquez: The Daeva are old masters of re-writing history.

Douglas: So, why do we remember?

[Marquez shakes his head and walks away; after he and his remaining followers have traveled a few hundred meters he opens a Way and they walk through.]

End Log

After-Action Reports

► Agent Douglas ◄

▼ Close File ▼

Post-Incident Summary Report

4 July, 1993

Agent Rebekah Douglas

By now you’ve watched the tapes, what you can anyway. Apparently, the Matriarch’s plan if she couldn’t outright wipe the cultists out was to rewrite history. Some sort of blood sacrifice ritual to cancel out the temple having ever been moved off the plain back in Ancient Greek days. If she’d succeeded, Marquez… or Euboea, I guess, would have been screwed – none of the traps or preparations he’d made would be there, and maybe the cultists also. Who knows how that would have rewritten things? But I guess we don’t have to worry about that. The spell wasn’t successful. Not completely.

I don’t know if I caused Sahara’s death, but I feel like I did. The others certainly think so. By the time I got back to the temple, I could see it on all their faces – except maybe Waltham’s. My fault.

What did we gain? We interfered in a war between two ancient cults and we lost two people. Matriarch’s army was destroyed, that had to hurt, but the temple is no longer the cult’s safe haven. And now, we don’t know where any of them are. Took me over an hour to find a way to communicate with Site-91, and that was by pay phone.

The more time goes by, the less I think we’ll be able to contain any of these people. Maybe we should be content to put them in the ground and call it a day.

We brought the pedestal back, the thaumaturges are analyzing it. I tried to get a read on it, but all I felt was her. She did it on purpose. Figured it was powered by blood like the rest of Daeva nonsense and she co-opted the ritual. Guess that’s something.

► Captain Rashid al Hasin ◄

▼ Close File ▼

To: Director Iona Varga

From: Rashid al Hasin

Subject: Concerning performance in the field.

04/07/1993

Dir. Varga,

I think I’m not alone in being disappointed with the results of yesterday’s mobilization. Waltham is injured, we lost both primary targets, and Captain Zadeh is dead.

Before I get into the nitty gritty, I want to commend Sergeant Waltham in all aspects of her performance. Without her, we would have been a much worse situation on several occasions. Her actions saved the lives of her fellow task force members on numerous occasions. If my opinion is relevant at all, I think a battlefield commission is in order. She’s going to be a great leader someday.

As for Douglas. She’s out of control. She doesn’t follow directions and she decides the best course of action without much thought to the consequences. I’ve looked over the past year’s action reports and she has shown a growing tendency to just do what she wants. She sees an opportunity to hurt the target, and she does it. In Mongolia, she shot the Matriarch without much warning. It didn’t kill her – is she dead already? I’m confused by how that woman is walking around – but it started a chain of events that ended in losing custody of the anomaly and potentially to yesterday’s loss.

Captain Zadeh’s death, while not entirely on Douglas’ shoulders, could not have happened without her ill-advised actions in the field. This cannot continue. Either she shapes up, or I don’t use her in the field again.

Sincerely,

Captain al Hasin

Interim Joint Task Force Field Command

To: Captain al Hasin

From: Iona Varga, PhD/MD – Director of Site-91

Subject: Re: Douglas

I’ll take your thoughts under advisement. For now, our goals are the same: finding and containing both 4612-B and 5267-A. Keep your eyes on the mission.

Varga

The sudden manifestation of a temple structure in modern day Greece is a threat to the Veil. Therefore, with the approval of the Overwatch Council, Director Varga has worked with contacts in the Greek State Department to declare the area off-limits. An electrical perimeter fence has been erected in the meantime while further containment efforts are considered.

The three cultists who did not leave with 4612-B surrendered to Foundation custody. Given the lack of any ethical way to contain their abilities, Director Varga had contained in a secure ward of the Site-91 Medical Center alongside Rudolph Carmichael.

Hecatoncheires Cycle

<< SCP-5267: Golems of the Eastern Steppe | EE-8832 | Oh So Smart Or Oh So Pleasant >>

Footnotes

1. All eventually found to be thaumaturgical in nature.

2. Class-A thaumatologist. Although Captain Zadeh was still injured from the events during discovery of SCP-5267, she was assigned overall field command and tasked with maintaining oversight and communications while outside the pocket dimension.

3. Class-A thaumatologist.

4. Psionic Grade-3; lie detection (Class-C divination), thought transmission, and weak precognition.

5. Expert in Ways and member of the Wanderer’s Library.

6. Linguist, specializing in several dead languages including: Daevic, several Ancient Greek dialects, ancient Japanese, Sumerian and other Eurasian writing traditions.

7. Class-3 psychometrist; the ability to make relevant associations from an object or person of unknown history by making physical contact with that object or person.

8. Any personnel wishing to review the original video files may present written request for approval to Director Varga.

9. Ex-GRU-P agent tied to Daevite forces. See SCP-5957.

10. Analysis has led researchers to designate the entity as an instance of SCP-3140.

11. Merced is presumed to have been burned from the explosion in the last segment.

12. Homunculi often require complete destruction of the head or central torso before cessation of the animating thaumaturgy.