Chereads / A skeleton's journey / Chapter 30 - Unwanted attention

Chapter 30 - Unwanted attention

[Lauren pov]

Lauren Mayfield is a new class C scientist working at the SCP foundation. At first she applied for research of anomalies in Nasa expecting to be working on strange phenomena in space, analyzing the universe. Instead, her exceptional observation and analysis skills has attracted the attention of the SCP foundation and she unknowingly walk into their interview. When she noticed how the room she walked in was more of an interrogation room than interview one, it was already too late. A man with glasses wearing a lab coat introduced himself Dr Edmund. He sat down on the chair opposite of her and asked her if she knew why she's here. Lauren of course was completely lost and answered no and asked if she did anything wrong. Edmund assured her that all is fine and that she was just here for another interview. Lauren question who would she be working for to which Edmund asked if she believes in the supernatural before handing her a fountain pen. That pen was scp 067, the moment Lauren picked it up, her hand moved on its own as she started to write about her whole life up to this point. He then explains to her what the foundation is and their role in preventing world-wide disasters and offers her the position of a researcher. She also had the option to refuse to which they would give her amnestic drugs to forget being in this conversation.

She accepted the job and 3 months later here she is, working at a mobile SCP outpost in Colorado. Everything was going well, she couldn't visit her little sister Lizzie as much but she can still sees her on holidays under the supervision of undercover foundation agents. A few days ago, Lizzie told her that she's going on vacation to which Lauren just wishes her a good time. Never would she expect to find that the flight Lizzie took has gone missing and later on discovered in the woods with all of the passengers missing or dead. After that, Lauren barely got any sleep or did she eat much which began affecting her health. Seeing this, one of her colleagues Kevin, an energetic redhead guard, asked if she is ok.

Kevin: Hey Lauren, is something the matter?

Lauren: You know how i told you about my little sister Kevin?

Kevin: Oh Lizzie right, how's she doing?

Lauren: S-S-She's dead Kevin!

Kevin didn't expect Lauren to suddenly yell at him and breakdown into tears. He realized what he has said and finds out from the article Lauren was reading on her phone that Lizzie's plane crashed with no survivors so far. Kevin tries to comfort her when suddenly Lauren's phone rings startling both of them. What's even more weird is that the caller is supposedly Lizzie. Lauren shakily picks up her phone. Her mind is telling her that the police found their body and called to inform her but her heart tells her that there's a chance Lizzie herself is calling her.

Lauren: H-hello?

Lizzie: Umm Lauren can you come pick me up?

Lauren: Liz-Lizzie? But how? The news said there were no survivors.

Lizzie: I would've died too if it weren't for Yosif and Sergei saving me.

Lauren: What? Lizzie where are you right now and who were the people you mentioned?

Lizzie: I'm currently borrowing the phone in a gas station near Wyoming. I don't really know who exactly are Yosif and Sergei, they are quite unusual. Yosif just said that he will start a little diner around Wyoming before he left a few minutes ago with Sergei.

Lauren: What do you mean they're unusual?

Lizzie: well for starters they both wear the same odd cloak. The cloak is extremely dark and it looked more like a shadow and i noticed that no matter how near i am to them, i could never see their faces. Not to mention how they seemingly saved me like a miracle, i couldn't see any scars where my wounds were though they didn't tell me how they did it.

Lauren was relieved to hear that her little sister is safe but her heart drops when she realizes something. Yosif and Sergei might be undiscovered SCPS! Lauren assures Lizzie that she will come to pick her up soon before hanging up

Lauren: Kevin come with me, we're going to see Director Edmund.

Kevin: Eh? Why?

Dr Edmund Matthews or otherwise known as Director Edmund is a class B personnel of the foundation overseeing the operation in Colorado. He was enjoying a nice warm cup of coffee before Lauren, one of the new employees he had personally hired, barges into the room dragging a guard by his collar. Edmund watched the news and thinks that this may have to do with the accident her sister has been in, maybe she's been found and Lauren wants to ask for time off to visit her.

Lauren: Director Edmund sir, i need to speak with you!

Edmund: ah Lauren, i have already expected that this would come up. You have your permission to visit your sister in the hospital. It is better if you work without worries plaguing your mind to minimize risks.

Lauren: No Director, it is my sister but... she is completely fine after the crash.

Edmund: Huh? how could that be?

Lauren: Director she has described two strange individuals that have healed her wounds completely without even leaving scars. Furthermore, they wore cloaks that concealed their identities, no matter how close my sister was to them, she couldn't see their faces at all. I suspect they may be new undiscovered SCPS.

Edmund: Interesting... Where did you sister said that she met them?

Lauren: She called from Wyoming saying that the individuals calling themselves Yosif and Sergei were intending to open a diner in the area.

Edmund: I will issue an order for a recon squad to be in the area. Lauren, you and Kevin are to pick up your sister and locate the anomalies, it may be easier to approach them with them being friendly with Lizzie.

Lizzie was waiting at a nearby park, fixing her hair from the time sleeping in the cave and the time walking through the forest. She was quite surprised to hear her sister calling her not far away from where's she sitting. Lizzie thought that it would take at least 4 hours or so before Lauren will be able to pick her up instead of 50 minutes, aren't she busy with work? Still, she was overjoyed that her sister still cares so much about her so Lizzie runs towards Lauren and hugs her tight

Lauren: i'm so glad that you're safe Liz.

Lizzie: I'm not going on another plane anytime soon, that's for sure. Hey who's the guy standing behind you.

Lauren: Oh, he's a colleague of mine, Kevin. I'm getting moved here for a project with him so i was nearby when you called.

Lizzie: colleagues... are you there's nothing more going on between you two.

Kevin who was standing quite far away didn't hear the conversation and was taking note of the surroundings, possible places that the diner might be until he heard a commotion. He glances at the 'happy' reunion to see Lauren instead of hugging Lizzie, is now chasing her down saying the she will kill her. It's going to be a long day for him. The trio made their way to Kevin's car as they drive around to find Yosif's diner. Lizzie now has a bump on her head the size of an apple and Lauren wouldn't meet Kevin's eyes for some reason. It's getting quite late and they were about to head back when they see a diner that is... out of place. It's not that strange for a diner to be in the middle of nowhere, but it's strange to see a diner in the middle of nowhere filled with customers like a festival. Lizzie also catches the familiar scent of Yosif's shashlik so Kevin pulls over and find a spot to park in the crowded lot. The diner itself was a medieval style one being above a giant tree with stone stairs leading up. Lauren and Kevin waits for most of the customers to leave before going despite both theirs and Lizzie's stomach protesting.

1 hour 35 minutes later, all of the other customers has left completely and the diner is still open despite it being late at night. Kevin has to carry Lizzie who nearly faints from hunger and Lauren got her notepad out to prepare for an interview with Yosif. Inside was the exact match of an old-fashioned tavern with the employees even wearing knight armor though Lauren can't see their face behind the helmet. Lizzie sees Sergei behind the counter cleaning some mugs, still with his cloak on and ask for a menu to order. Kevin is quite famished as well so he grabs a menu along Lizzie and orders some Borsch soup with black bread. Lauren, curious about the cloak tried to look inside the hood but like Lizzie's words, she couldn't make out Sergei's face no matter how hard she look.

[Yosif pov]

Is Sergei serving more customers out there? It's like 11pm who could be eating here this late? I make my way out the backroom where i was preparing more vodka to see Lizzie savagely eating a salmon log with 2 more people horrified at the scene. The older girl looks a lot like her, must be her sister but who's the other guy? Something's wrong i can feel it, why would they look for me so quickly, i was sure nobody saw any of the spells i used to make the diner.

Me: Lizzie, i didn't think you would look for me this soon, did the wounds open up?

Lizzie: Oh hi Yosif, no i'm perfectly fine, it's just i want to try your cooking and again and my sister Lauren wants to personally thank you for helping me.

Lauren: If you would Mr Yosif, can i speak to you in private?

Me: Sure, we can talk at the roof.

Things are not as they seem, although this may just be a personal talk, i can sense how tense Lauren is and why would she bring a notepad with her? Stepping onto the roof under the moonlight and cold wind, Lauren steels herself for the interview. I thought she may have concerns about her sister's health or something instead of jumping in my face holding recorder in one hand, a notepad in the other.

Lauren: Yosif... who are, no. What on Earth are you?

Me: What? Can you repeat that?

Lauren: What are you to be able to heal Lizzie like that, to bring her back from the brink of death?

Me: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Lauren: We've done research on you Yosif, there's not a single thing listed about you or your friend Sergei, it's like you didn't exist until yesterday.

Wait we? This is definitely not the normal Earth but what organization could Lauren be working for? I've read the news and saw nothing out of the ordinary or catastrophic events, there are only a few missing cases or odd phenomena reported but ultimately concluded as accidents. A world where there's an organization dealing with the supernatural while hiding both their and the anomalies' existence from the public. There's one particular organization that fits the bill but i really don't want it to be what i think it is. Only one way to find out.

Me: Oh, so the Foundation has already noticed me eh?

At that, Lauren's jaw hits the ground and she nearly drops the recorder in her shock. That further confirms my theory. I'm in the SCP universe!

Lauren: H-how do y-you know about us?

Me: i know a lot of things Lauren, your organization is no exception.

Lauren: How much do you know about the Foundation.

Me: That's for me to know and for you to find out. So, are you here to observe me and report back for a team to retrieve me?

Lauren: N-no!

Me: you're a horrible liar Lauren and don't worry i don't have anything against being in custody.

Lauren: wait what?

Me: Don't get me wrong, there's still a lot of things i don't agree with but it's better if i'm not in public. Also here's a little advice, don't try to make me fight SCP 682, i doubt that the battle can be contained within the facility.

Lauren: So... you're just going to stay in the Foundation just like that?

Me: What, did you expect me to go berserk and kill you? I'm still very much sane and try to pick me up AFTER tonight, i have to erase my traces. So enjoy your meal and quickly go home, i won't be held responsible if you're caught in the deconstruction of the diner.

Lauren quickly finishes recording and rushes downstairs to finish her meal before filing a report for Director Edmund. The report so far read:

-SCP: 1025

object class: Euclid

Special containment procedures: Not determined

Description: SCP 1025 appears to be a cloaked humanoid standing at approximately 6'7". In addition to SCP 1025, it is accompanied by more entities which will be referred to as scp 1025-1 and SCP1025-2. SCP 1025-1 wears a similar cloak to SCP 1025 but instead is a little bulkier and lacks speech. SCP1025-2 seems to have been made by SCP 1025 though it is not yet confirmed. There are 10 SCP 1025-2 in total, each seems to wear old rusty knight armor of unknown origins armed with a shield and sword that they sheath on their belts. What's odd about it all is that SCP 1025-1 and SCP 1025-2 both have an emblem resembling the symbol of the USSR, further questioning is needed regarding this matter.

SCP 1025 which refers to itself as Yosif is rather friendly towards people and seems to possess excellent cooking skills though it is only able to make Slavic food. It has the ability to heal wounds without even leaving scars, evidence to this is the survival of Lizzie Mayfield who it has saved from a plane crash. The wounds included heavy blunt force trauma, a large puncture wound, severely damaged organs and massive blood loss. Though the methods of healing is yet to be known, so is the extent of its healing powers, may prove beneficial to foundation medical staves' research. Other than that, SCP 1025 has also shown signs of control over natural elements and further confirmation is needed to determine the limits of its powers.

Additional notes: SCP 1025 has knowledge regarding the Foundation itself, extreme caution is needed in interacting with SCP 1025. SCP 1025 is not be antagonized or provoked under any circumstances, its extensive knowledge can cause the Foundation massive losses.

Total inventory:

Ascended Wraith set

Enchanted runic sword

Diadem of supreme arcane might

Crystal of decay

Greater ironskin potion

76 copper 53 silver 39414 gold

Current familiars:

- Sergei the Skeleton Paladin