9 - Following a Fox and Unlikely Allies

*Characters: Michael, Stone, West, Brooks*

Micheal rubbed his wrist as he felt a faint pain, where the young Fae from an unnamed SCP site had broken it a few months prior. He still remembered the anger on the faces of the staff who had rescued their friend.

The deserted halls of Base Echo provided Michael a type of cover while he snuck out. He had grown tired of being forced to raid Foundation Sites.

Michael was careful to keep moving through halls he knew would be empty, knowing he would be shot for leaving his post and he did not wish to die at the mercy of Head Agent Stone.

Michael was still unsure where he would go after leaving, but he did know that he was going to have to be cautious wherever he ended up as the Insurgency would hunt him down upon finding his abandonment.

He was lost in thought as he felt a tug on his pant leg, and was surprised to see a very odd looking fox standing in front of him.  Michael barely had time to register the foxes eyes before it began to pull him.

Michael got this strange feeling that this fox, somehow was connected to the researchers from the raid, so he decided to follow the fox as it led him through the base.

Once they reached the outside and had entered the nearby forest, there was a shrill ringing of an alarm: Michael’s absence had been noticed. At the sound of the alarm, the fox began to move quicker forcing Michael to almost run to keep up.

Michael panted as the fox started to finally slow down, but his breath caught as he realised they were standing right in front of the site he was forced to raid not long ago.

“H..hey wait, I can’t go in there!” He tried to inform the fox as it trotted into the front doors, the fox simply turned and yelped at him before continuing.

Michael sighed as he followed the fox, just barely managing to sneak past the guard standing at a desk. Michael jumped as the sound of an alarm began to blare through the echoing hallway.

He lost sight of the fox as he panicked and began to run down the hall, not knowing if he was being chased. It was about seconds later when he ran straight into someone.

Michael’s eyes widened as he saw the researchers standing in front of him, and seconds later he was on the floor. “What the hell are you doing here” it was the fae.

Michael attempted to speak, but nothing came out as he felt a tight grip around his neck cutting off air. Suddenly he was able to breathe again, but felt a foot on his chest.

“I’ll give you five seconds to explain yourself before I let Stone do whatever the hell she wants to you” he recognized the winged researcher and nodded before speaking.

“You want the truth? Fine, I’ve gone rogue from Insurgency, and I was led here by this fox with these crazy ass eyes”  Michael winced as she pressed her foot harder into his chest.

“Why the hell would the fox lead you here?” Michael panicked knowing that it would seem suspicious without proof, but seconds later the fox trotted towards them.

At the sight of the fox the winged researcher lifted her foot and eventually the fox began to lead the four out of the site, and into the surrounding forest.

They’d only been walking for a few minutes before the one  he believed was Brooks started to walk towards something when the faun suddenly began looking around quickly.

“We need to either get out of here or hide” Michael, not wanting to find out why she said this, hid in the bushes nearby shortly followed by two of the others. As two of the researchers crouched beside Michael, a figure stepped out of the trees, glaring at the teen.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Michael’s eyes widened as he realized it was HA Stone, but he raised an eyebrow when the third researcher replied, somehow knowing Stone.

As Michael watched the two in front of them, he heard gunshots and right after “You think I’m still scared of you now, mother?”  Michael out loud replied drawing the attention of HA Stone, but before she could move, she was shoved into a tree.

Michael and the two researchers stepped out as the third raced off after another agent, as he stood he realized he knew the two -now dead- other agents: they were Nick and Val.  Michael had hated the both of them, but the sight of them dead drove the fact that their end could have been his.

Michael looked up as he heard a laugh, it was HA Stone “Well, well, I should have figured you’d defect, Michael”

Michael sneered “And I should have known they’d send you after me” as the winged researcher began threatening HA, he knelt and stared down at Val’s body. “I’d say rest well, but knowing you: You’ll likely end up in hell” Michael muttered as he stood, kicking Val’s body roughly.

His eyes widened as he watched the ram horned teen loudly snap at her winged colleague  “YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND MY ANGER!” He took a step back as he saw her sclera dark and static forming. Michael noticed that her lab coat had a large amount of blood staining the bottom and sleeves.

Michael was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his sleeve, he turned to see the researcher who he ran into just ten minutes prior “Come on, we’re heading back” Michael followed the group, and when the group split he was led to a small white room.

After a small interrogation, he was given clearance to stay at the site. As he walked out of the room, he saw the faun standing beside the door- noticeably without the bloodstain coat. “First off, Kah jaes Michael” she stated without looking at him “Second, just because the others are likely gonna accept you quickly does not mean in the slightest that I will”

Michael nodded as he followed her down the hallway, she continued “However for the sake of peace I will tolerate you.. somewhat”  suddenly she turned to face him “Finally, the others call me Stone,  however you are to only call me Dr. Stone since we are not friends and likely won't be for a long while”

He nodded in response as he and Dr. Stone walked into a staff room, Dr. Stone flopping down on a couch shortly after.