“There, it's on.”
“Alright, settle please, settle. Ladies and gentlemen, I call this meeting to order. There are no new faces, so I will forgo introductions and proceed directly to business.”
“All work and no play…”
“Keeps us all alive. May I? Thank you. The last control theory has failed. Again. What's more, it does not appear to be vanishing quietly as was hoped, and may pose a serious issue in the immediate future. I would remind the group that I stated on the outset that Colonel Marshall lacked the self-sacrifice needed for-”
“Yes, you told us so. And?”
“Indeed. The direct identity of his backers are still under investigation, but it appears he intends to utilize his seized resources for simple profit. While unsettling, I think it's agreed that this is one of the more low-impact outcomes. In the light of previous failures, it-”
“Sir, with respect, I think newest members may be unaware of our past…track record.”
“…indeed. While a exhaustive history will be counter-productive, I think a recap of the currently active issues is in order. Our outside control theories break down in to two basic sets, official and independent. Lights, please?”
several seconds of silence, followed by humming
“Our currently longest-running theory was based on several, older theories. It was enacted after a review of the failing modern theories, with the hope that a more direct and simple strategy would be more effective.”
click
“The initial start up was very promising, and the intuitive nature and direct involvement of the small team allowed for exceptional mobility and response. However, there were rapid…complications. It appears the direct involvement with the-”
“English, for pity's sake.”
“…We put too much power in to too few hands. What's more, the concentration created something of a…ah…cross-pollination issue, so to speak.”
click
“Mother of christ.”
“I think not, but who's to say. Yes, this is theorized to be the current force behind the team designated 'Serpent's Hand'. It appears to be self-aware, however it is unknown if it exerts a form of mental dominance, or simply attracts fanatics. It also appears to be out of phase with normal timespace, hence our inability to pin down the location.”
click
“It also appears that certain documents and items lapsed in to the public arena. With this-”
“What are we looking at here? Is that Lydecker standing-”
“Yes, it appears he underwent a…'religious awakening' and attempted to seed a cult of worship. It fell through rather rapidly, thanks in a large part to our suppression efforts, however seeds of this ideology keep cropping up. The greatest of which appears to be rooted near Mexico City, however it is still relatively minor and centered around a decommissioned clockwork device. However, the fallout from the Serpent's Hand splintering lead to the founding of a more strict, focused team.”
click
“These men and women were selected from various agencies worldwide. FBI, KGB, MI5, The Kempeitai, all were tapped for the cream of the crop, the top-class talents. This group was installed to control and suppress any and all anomalous item activity. They were instilled with a 'zero tolerance' stance to any and all paranormal interaction, in the hopes of avoiding the…corruption issues presented by the former Serpent's Hand. However, after the first year, it became apparent that…mistakes may have been made in the choice of recruitment stock.
click
“Oh god…that was the august incident, wasn't it?”
“Yes, that's correct. After a year of operation, on August 19th, the Global Occult Coalition engaged in a armed action in south Africa that nearly destabilized the entire Veil protocol. No less than eight hundred witnesses observed both personnel and anomalous items in a prolonged armed action over several days. When probed for the reasoning behind this action, the GOC reported that they felt the risk to normalcy incurred by their action was less then that of the items. The incident was suppressed, with great cost, and the GOC was officially ordered to stand down.”
click
“However, many of the GOC cells felt that defense of humanity was now a calling above and beyond the conclave command structure. They went rogue, leaving this…rather grim parting message. They now function much the same as their initial form, but with a independent command structure. The new GOC also lend support and command to several other, smaller groups with various political and anomalous interests.”
“Well, it could be worse, right? I mean, at least they didn't flip all the way over.”
“That is somewhat true; however, their zero-tolerance stance has now led to the basic focus on the eradication of any and all anomalous items and activity. They have no review process, no real testing or research branch…just detection, and eradication.”
click
“That fat son of a-”
“And here we have our most recent failure. Colonel Marshall, who had been a original member of the GOC, was tapped to spearhead a new containment theory. This photo was taken shortly before the central records building was looted and burned, with Marshall vanishing at the same time. We may never know the full damage done, but it appears several items, along with the bulk of the documentation, have been stolen. It now also appears that he has found partners, and plans on utilizing his gains for financial advancement.
click
“This is Dr. Carter, his first partner. Not much is known of him yet, however he's been a major mover in London high society the last few years, and appears to have a near-limitless personal fortune.”
click
“W…what are we looking at?”
“This is Mr. Dark. We know next to nothing about this individual, and he has eluded any and all investigation. He has no citizenship, no birth records, on paper this man does not exist. We assume he is a man, however we have been unable to confirm even this. Based on some fragmentary records, he may have been in the entertainment industry at one point. His role in this venture is still unknown. Lights, please.”
small snapping noise, followed by several moments of silence, then rustling paper
“These dossiers detail our current containment theory. It appears the American government has a embryonic containment team formed, and is investigating. We propose to fund and aid this group, and guide its direction and growth, with a eventual goal of autonomy. The major focus is on containment and detachment. Actual interaction outside of a containment area will be extremely limited, massive bureaucratic structure will keep individuals and separate cells well isolated, and enormous resources will limit outside interaction and oversight.”
“This will take ages, you know that, right? Autonomy could take years in a best case scenario.”
“True, however it was determined that this was a minor price to pay. The overall detachment, isolation, and limited individual focus, along with the greatly subdivided command structure, will limit rogue and corruption events to a minimum.”
“…seems to be in order, but I have issue with the name.”
“the…name, sir?”
“Yes. 'The Special Containment Bureau' sounds too…lofty. Give someone a lofty name, they start to have lofty ideals. This is for the safety and security of mankind, and reality as a whole. The name should reflect a sense of self-sacrifice and dedication.”
“…well…sir, what would you advise, then?”
“Something simple, obscure…basic.”
“…such as?”
“…how about…The Foundation?”