Author Lucas Monaco Date 
Well, we have 
our first 
casualties. The 
purchase spike 
started in early 
October in 
preparation for 
Halloween; a lot 
of people seem 
to have handed 
them out to kids, 
who downed 
them by the 
handful. They're 
clustered 


Comments 


Halioween spike. 


Christmas spike. 


April Foois’ spike. 
Tail from April Fools. 
Popularity drops mid- 
month. 


November 01, 
2006 


primarily in the 
US, so the 
chance of 
anyone leading it 
back to us is 
low. The 
Foundation - and 
the UIU, 
surprisingly - 
seem to have 
cleared up a lot 
of the mess for 
us. 


The few 
casualties in 
Europe seem to 
have been from 
using the sweets 
as ingredients, 
primarily in 
desserts. After 
running some 
tests, the effect 
seems to spread 
between sugars: 
when dissolved 
in sugar water, 
the effect 
spreads to the 
entire cup, with 
increased 
efficacy 
proportional to 
the added sugar. 
There is a slight 
spread into fatty 
foodstuffs, but 
nowhere near as 
pronounced. We 


could start 
manufacturing 
duplicates from 
current stock, 
but the potential 
for unexpected 
side effects we 
see in a lot of 
Wondertainment 
goods is a pretty 
good deterrent. 


No real 
problems with 
hiding it from 
patrons, of 
course, just 
making a note of 
the fact. Dead 
customers aren't 
return 


Marshall, Carter 
and Dark, Ltd. 


‘Lego MiniThinkers' (8Y9D5/2X4H7/S89M2) 


~ ailing 

~ WwW 

~ JO USD/74.80 GBP per item 

~ 3tablished Supply Chain 

~ go MiniThinkers 

Description Humanoid miniature plastic 
figurines created in the style of 
those produced by Lego A/S. 
Individual items vary in 
appearance and are modular in 
construction. Items are sentient 
and capable of independent 


otion. 
Marshall, Carter and Dark, Ltd. 
Author Teodor Date February 08, 
~ ordskov mA) 
Interest Low Identifier | Lego 


MiniThinkers 
Items were 
discovered after 
the sub rosa 
corporate 
takeover which 
was managed 
under orders 
from Mr. Carter. 
Upon review of 
the company's 
inventory, the 
items and their 
properties were 
discovered. 


Previously, Lego 
A/S had been 
automatically 
neutralizing the 
items via 
placement in 
large tubs of 
water for 1 hour 
and selling the 
unremarkable 
variant. Practice 
continues due to 
inexpensive bulk 
supply and the 
supplier's 
insistence on 
only providing 
the current 
version of the 


File Opened 8Y9D5/2X4H7/ 
se ~39M2 
Marshall, Carter 
and Dark, Ltd. 


Owner Date 
Godtfred Kirk February 06, 1979 
Christiansen 


Doctor 
Wondertainment 


February 17, 1979 


Marshall, Carter and 
Dark Lid. 


Angelina Baar 


Angelina Baar May 05, 1980 


November 08, 1979 


December 19, 1979 


Comments 
Initial Discovery. 


Shipment of 10,000 
items was received 
from an associate of 
Doctor 
Wondertainment. 
Item placed for sale in 
preparation for the 
Christmas spike. 

200 Items purchased. 
Attempted to return 


Marshall, Carter and 
Dark, Ltd. 


Inventory 


Owner Quantity 
Marshall, Carter and 75,532 (26 Crates) 
Dark Ltd. 


The Foundation 52 
Doctor N/A 
Wondertainment 

Customers ~15,000 
Others Unknown 


Marshall, Carter and 
Dark, Ltd. 


External Report 
8Y9D5/2X4H7/ 


Organisation Wondertainme 
~ corporated 
Method of | Initial Dr. 
Acquisition; Wondertainment 
ipment. 
Document 
Dr. 
Wondertainment's 


Acquired 


198 items for 
monetary 
compensation. 
Request denied. 


Comments 
Available from 
Supplier on demand. 
Stored as anomalous 
item. 

Supplier. 


ltems commonly 
purchased for use as 
children’s toys. 

An unknown quantity 
of unremarkable 
variants entered 
circulation prior to 
MC&D involvement. 


February 17, 
1979 


Significant 
Minifigures!™ 


Hey there new 
guys! | heard 
about the 
change in 
management 
and wanted you 
wonderful 
wondertainers to 
know all about 
Dr. 
Wondertainment's 
Significant 
Minifigures!™ 


They build! They 
play! They write 
bedtime stories! 
Just plop them 
down in front of 
a kid full of 
childish energy 
and watch the 
magic happen! 
And don't worry 
about playtime 
getting stale, Dr. 
Wondertainment's 
Significant 
Minifigures!™ 
do something 
new every day! 


Marshall, Carter 
and Dark, Ltd. 


8Y9D5/2X4H7/ 


Sender Anthony Young Recipient 


Concerning the 
attempted return 
of the items by 
Angelina Baar. 


While her 
request was 
denied, | fear 
that we may 
have lost one of 
our more reliable 
customers. 
Specifically, she 
expressed 
concerns over 
the actions of 
the items as time 
progressed. 


According to her 
written 
complaint, she's 
upset about the 
items 
participating in 
"miniature lynch 
mobs and 
general 
barbarism". | 
don't think she'll 
be buying 
anything else in 
the foreseeable 
future - not until 
this is resolved, 


Marshall, Carter 


Teodor 
Nordskov 


and Dark, Lid. 
8Y9D5/2X4H7/ 


Sender Teodor Recipient 
Nordskov 
Send her the 
altered blurb as 
well as the 
document and 
put this 
exchange on the 
main file so | 
won't get more 
of these memos. 


Attachment 1: 


Dr. 
Wondertainment's 
Significant 
Minifigures!™ 


Hey there! | 
wanted all you 
wonderful 
wondertainers to 
know all about 

Dr. 
Wondertainment's 
Significant 
Minifigures!™ 


They build! They 
play! They write 
bedtime stories! 
Just plop them 
down in front of 
a kid full of 


Anthony Young 


childish energy 
and watch the 
magic happen! 
And don't worry 
about playtime 
getting stale, Dr. 
Wondertainment's 
Significant 
Minifigures!™ 
know exactly 
what your kid 
wants to do! 
Wow! 


Attachment 2: 


"Identification of 
mental illness 
and homicidal 
tendencies in 
young children"; 
Prometheus 
Labs 
Psychological 
Division; 26 July 


Marshall, Carter 
and Dark, Lid. 


by SCP-053. SCP-053 appears to be afraid of SCP-682, and hides 
behind a chair in her containment area. SCP-682 lowers itself to the 
ground, resting its head on the floor. SCP-053 approaches 
SCP-682, and after several seconds of hesitation, briefly touches 
SCP-682 before rapidly returning to her hiding place. SCP-682 does 
not react in any way. SCP-053 approaches SCP-682 and pats its 
head, causing it to exhale through its forward nostrils. SCP-053 
claps and hops in place several times before embracing the head of 
SCP-682. For the remainder of the testing period, SCP-682 appears 
to be in a very docile state, with only two low-level escape attempts 
being made. SCP-053 is observed to bring toys and other items to 
SCP-682, and makes several drawings on its forward carapace with 
crayons. 


Staff entering at the end of the test phase are immediately attacked 
by SCP-682, resulting in two deaths and five injuries. SCP-682 
contained and moved to separate containment unit. SCP-053 
observed crying for several minutes after SCP-682 is removed. 


Notes: The reaction of SCP-682 is notable for several reasons. First, 
it is one of the few incidents where SCP-682 has come in contact 
with biological tissue and not entered a “rage” state. Second, it has 
raised questions as to the physical make-up and composition of 
SCP-053, in regards to the lack of response of SCP-682. Third, it 
has provided a possible solution to long-term containment. However, 
approval for the mutual containment of two highly dangerous SCP 
items in a single containment unit is not likely. 


Item: SCP-123 


Tissue Test Record: 
Tissue sample absorbed by the core. 


Termination Test Record: 

Test canceled after review of testing done between SCP-162 and 
SCP-682. The potential issues arising from SCP-682 gaining control 
of SCP-123 are too great at this time. Review of this proposal will be 
made if SCP-682 is totally incapacitated by some means, with no 
potential of escape or sudden adaptation. 


Matryoshka: 


Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 


Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 


Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 


Matryoshka: 
Matryoshka: 


Matryoshka 


Prologue - New York City, 1950 


Part One 
Part Two 


Part Three 


Part Four 
Part Five 


Part Six 


Part Seven 


Part Eight 


Part Nine 


Epilogue 


« | Voices Unassailable | Hub | Cleon | » 


Matryoshka: Prologue 


O5-8 opened the door to the observation deck, brightly lit by a clear 
morning sun. The observers on the 86th floor had a clear panorama 
of Manhattan, still buried in snow from the storm passing through the 
day before. A healthy crowd of men in business suits and women in 
fur coats were clustered along the concrete wall, peering down at 
the skyscrapers, posing for photographs. O5-8 scanned the wall, 
narrowing his eyes against the sun as he spotted a white haired 
man in a long, black coat standing by the southeastern corner, apart 
from the crowd, looking up into the sky. He picked his way among 
the crowd, weaving amongst tourists and businessmen. 


He took a place next to the man, and tried to figure out what it was 
he was looking at. Whatever it was, it was too close to the sun, the 
glare threatening to blind him. O5-8 settled for a view of the East 
River, the tiny barges below steadily moving up and down the blue 
line winding between the endless expanse of the city blocks. 


"I'm pleased that you heeded my note." The old man kept looking 
upwards as he spoke, his deep voice tinged with a Moscow accent. 


"You picked a fine place to meet, in enemy territory." O5-8 selected 
a cigarette out of his case. "I had always envisioned this group as 
more of a committee, you know. Thirteen men with a common 
purpose." He lit his smoke as he continued to study the crawling ant- 
barges eighty stories below. 


"The naiveté of youth.” O5-13 idly scratched his head in thought. 


"How are we going to survive if Two and god knows who else is 
working against me?" 


"Two isn't working against you. He simply doesn't care what you 
think." 05-13 sighed. "He's been waiting for something like this for a 
long time." 


A crowd seemed to be gathering at the other end of the observation 
deck's eastern wall. 05-8 turned to face the deck now, leaning his 
back against the concrete. "Sending a mission to Soviet territory 
without my knowledge, activating assets, ordering the 
decommissioning of an anomaly? What else is it but a challenge?" 


"Oh, it's a challenge,” replied O5-13, "but not to you. Like you, Two 
sees the world as organized into a series of clear, identifiable 
factions. And like you, he is wrong about that." 


05-8 let a stream of smoke pass his lips. "The world seems to be 
shaking itself into two very clear factions, if you ask me." 


The older Overseer laughed. "You may be right. And it may very 
well be happening within this very Council." 


"That's an odd observation, coming from you. You're surely aware of 
the rumors about your loyalties." 


"| am the Subdirector for Eastern Eurasia. Only a fool would think | 
had no ties." 


The crowd at the other end of the wall was murmuring. O5-8 
glanced over briefly at the increasing commotion. Too many bodies 
were in the way to discern much of anything. 


The younger Overseer frowned. "I'm beginning to think it was a 
mistake to meet you here." 


O5-13 looked over at O5-8. "That mindset will serve you well. The 
day may come where that is true, but | assure you, it's not today." 


05-8 shrugged. "So what do you recommend? How do | call off the 
mission? The personnel are already in Poland." 


"Call it off? No, no. You're sitting in a good position right now. If you 
meddle, you waste resources stopping a Foundation initiative, and 
you concede Site-7 to the Soviet Union. You diminish yourself to the 
rest of the Council." 


"And | tip my hand. As well as yours." 


The hint of a smile crossed O5-13's lips. "The best advice comes 
with a dose of self-interest." 


"So | can't act against a mission that | didn't authorize and don't like. 
How is that a good position?" 


The old man turned his face back to the sky. "Two is gambling. He's 
ignoring factors that would usually make him hesitate, because he 
sees an opportunity. It's blinding him, and the mission is likely to 
fail." 


A flash of light pinged O5-8's peripheral vision. He glanced over, 
light glaring from a gold wristwatch. He saw a single person above 
the fray now at the other end of the wall; a silver-haired man ina 
gray suit, standing on top of the wall, facing the air. The noise had 
coalesced into various entreaties not to jump. The man didn't seem 
to hear them. Sirens started to echo, far below. 


As 05-8 was about to step away, he felt O5-13 gently hold in him in 
place, his gloved hand on his arm. 


"Never mind that. It's been a long time coming," the old man said, 
casually waving the scene off. "Use your contacts to keep tabs on 
the mission. Be ready to pick up whatever pieces are left after this. 
And pull the snare that Two has set for himself at the right moment." 


Thirty feet away from them at the other end of the wall, a gasp went 
up from the crowd. O5-8 looked over again. The man was no longer 
on top of the wall. 


05-13 turned up his collar against the cold. The hand on O5-8's arm 
now patted him on the back. 


"Time to go." 


The two Overseers walked back toward the elevator, passing 
unnoticed against a stream of onlookers rushing to see what they 
had missed, several in police uniforms, a dull roar of excited chatter 
and word already sparking between the assembled visitors as 
salacious details, real or imagined, filtered away from the wall and 
out to the world. 


As the doors of the elevator closed on the two men, the car to 
themselves, O5-8 faced his colleague. 


"Who was that, anyway?" 


O5-13 had removed his gloves, slender fingers laced together, 
cracking his knuckles. 


"A piece with only one possible move left. The rest you'll read in the 
papers this evening." 


The arrow above the elevator door steadily swept to the left. 
Seventieth floor. Sixtieth floor. 


"I'm sure | will." 05-8 put his hat on. "| appreciate the information, 
Thirteen. Though | suspect you're the one who should be thanking 
me, in due course." 


"If you play it right, we'll both be pleased." 
The two men rode the rest of the way down in silence. 


The doors opened. A line of police had cordoned off access to the 

observation deck, and the two Overseers passed through a mostly 
empty lobby on the way to the main entrance. Before heading back 
out into the world, they shook hands. 


"Udachi," the old man said. "One believes that you're the man for 
this job. I'm inclined to agree." 


“Auf wiedersehen," the younger man replied. He held the handshake 
for a moment longer. "If the time comes, Thirteen, you'll need to 
push me yourself.” 


05-13 felt the younger man's firm grip tighten just a little. He smiled, 
broadly. "I know, Eight. | know." 


The Overseers pushed out onto 5th Avenue, taking their leave as 
they went in separate directions. Down the street, a man freshly 
arrived from the city coroner's office read off a time as he looked at 
his watch, an assistant scribbling notes next to a crumpled mass, 
hastily covered in a sheet. The red stains were beginning to bloom. 


« | The Coldest War | Matryoshka | Part One | » 


Matryoshka: Part One 


"Do you have children, Ekaterina?" 


SCP-1041, dressed in loose-fitting gray and black striped clothes, 
picked another file out of the cabinet and rifled through it, her 
flashlight scanning quickly, assessing its relative importance against 
its weight and size. "Experimentation in Extraction of Compound 
H13-White: Trial Series VII." Into the briefcase it went. She hurriedly 
moved on to the next shelf. 


"No. That would be a grave error." Nechayeva's French was 
flawless, her aptitude for language one of the reasons for her initial 
assignment. She looked again at the clock mounted above the door, 
undoing and redoing the cuff of her thick woolen coat while she 
waited for her companion to finish. She was ill at ease in civilian 
attire.