Chereads / Marvel: The Foundation / Chapter 191 - The flesh  that burns -187

Chapter 191 - The flesh  that burns -187

 

[Russia: Siberia]

 

The biting cold of Siberia was unforgiving, a stark contrast to the chaos hidden beneath its icy exterior. A specialized Foundation containment team trudged through the snow, their breaths visible in the frigid air. They had been tasked with containing SCP-610, also known as "The Flesh that Hates," a monstrous and rapidly spreading infection that consumed everything in its path.

 

Dr. Elena Petrova, the lead researcher on the SCP-610 project, stood at the edge of the quarantine zone. The infection had already overrun an entire town, transforming it into a grotesque landscape of pulsating, fleshy growths. Structures that once stood as homes and shops were now unrecognizable, absorbed into the nightmarish biomass.

 

"Status report," Dr. Petrova demanded, her voice steady despite the grim scene before her.

 

"We've established a perimeter around the infected area," responded Captain Alexei Volkov, the head of the containment team. "No signs of the infection breaching the barriers yet, but it's spreading faster than anticipated."

 

Petrova nodded, her mind racing through possible containment strategies. "We need to set up more incinerators. The biomass is highly flammable; if we can control its spread with fire, we might be able to contain it."

 

"Understood, Doctor," Volkov replied, motioning to his team to begin preparations.

 

As the team worked, Petrova reflected on the reports that had brought them here. The initial outbreak had been swift and brutal, leaving little time for the inhabitants to react. The infection had spread through direct contact, consuming flesh and merging with the host. The result was a grotesque amalgamation of bodies and structures, a living, breathing horror that defied all understanding.

 

"Doctor," a voice crackled through her radio, snapping her back to the present. "We've detected movement within the quarantine zone. It looks like... survivors."

 

Petrova's heart sank. "Survivors" in this context rarely meant people who had escaped infection. More likely, they were individuals in the final stages of transformation, their bodies twisted and deformed by SCP-610.

 

"Proceed with caution," she instructed. "Do not engage unless absolutely necessary. We need to determine the extent of the infection."

 

The team moved cautiously through the ruins, their flashlights cutting through the thick fog that seemed to hang over the area. The air was filled with the sickening stench of decay, a constant reminder of the horrors that lay hidden in the shadows.

 

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the mist. It was a man, or what was left of one. His skin was mottled and fused with the surrounding biomass, his eyes vacant and devoid of humanity. He stumbled towards the team, emitting a low, guttural moan.

 

"Hold your fire," Volkov ordered, raising a hand. "Doctor, what do you want us to do?"

 

Petrova stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the grotesque figure. "We need a live specimen for study," she said grimly. "Sedate him and bring him back to the mobile lab."

 

The team moved quickly, administering a sedative to the infected man and securing him on a stretcher. As they transported him back to the lab, Petrova couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had settled over her. SCP-610 was unlike anything they had encountered before, a relentless force of nature that defied all attempts at containment.

 

Back at the mobile lab, Petrova began her examination. The infected man's body was a mass of tumors and growths, his flesh pulsating with a life of its own. As she took samples and recorded her findings, she couldn't help but wonder how far the infection had spread and whether they would be able to stop it in time.

 

The Foundation's directive was clear: SCP-610 must be contained at all costs. But as Petrova looked at the infected man before her, she knew that their task was only just beginning. The true extent of the infection was still unknown, and the stakes had never been higher.

 

 

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[Anti-Hydra Unit: Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, and Peggy Carter]

 

With Hydra managing to disappear off the map seemingly, the three of them had been itching to go for a while now. Planning to take the fight to the US, to clear out the Hydra that had taken root inside Shield, no matter the cost.

 

Yet they had been diverted to Siberia, not to take down more Hydra facilities, but to help the Foundation deal with another threat, that of SCP-610.

 

Steve Rogers glanced at his teammates as they braced themselves against the cold. "We weren't expecting to end up here," he said, adjusting his shield on his back. "But if the Foundation needs our help, we're not turning them down."

 

Peggy Carter nodded, her expression resolute. "We've dealt with some nasty things before, but this SCP-610 sounds like a whole new level of horror."

 

Bucky Barnes remained silent, his thoughts darker. What kind of nightmare are we walking into? He wondered. They said it's called 'The Flesh that Hates.' Sounds like something straight out of hell.

 

As they approached the quarantine zone, the sight that greeted them was more horrifying than anything they had imagined. The landscape was a twisted mass of flesh and growth, a grotesque amalgamation of what had once been a town.

 

"Dear God," Peggy whispered, her eyes wide with shock. "How do we even begin to fight something like this?"

 

"We adapt," Steve replied firmly. "We figure out what it is and how to stop it. One step at a time."

 

They met with Dr. Petrova and Captain Volkov at the edge of the infected area. Introductions were brief, and the urgency of the situation was palpable.

 

"Thank you for coming," Petrova said, her tone reflecting the gravity of their mission. "We're dealing with a highly aggressive infection. We need to contain it and find a way to stop it from spreading."

 

Steve nodded. "We're here to help in any way we can. What's the current situation?"

 

Petrova quickly briefed them on the spread of SCP-610, the nature of the infection, and their current containment efforts. As she spoke, the Anti-Hydra Unit members exchanged looks of concern.

 

"Sounds like fire is your best bet for containment," Bucky remarked. "But what about those already infected? Is there any way to save them?"

 

Petrova shook her head. "Once the infection takes hold, it's irreversible. Our priority is containment and preventing further spread."

 

Steve clenched his jaw. "Then let's get to work. We'll do whatever it takes to stop this."

 

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[Quarantine Zone: Siberia]

 

Steve, Bucky, and Peggy moved swiftly through the quarantine zone, their senses on high alert. They could see the makeshift defenses and the workers frantically setting up more incinerators. The air was thick with tension and the putrid stench of the infected biomass.

 

Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by a series of guttural moans and the sound of shifting flesh. From the shadows emerged a wave of grotesque figures, their bodies twisted and fused with the pulsating biomass of SCP-610.

 

"Here they come!" Steve shouted, raising his shield. "Get ready!"

 

Peggy and Bucky took their positions, flamethrowers at the ready. The first of the infected lurched forward, its movements jerky and unnatural. Without hesitation, Peggy squeezed the trigger, sending a stream of fire towards the abomination. The creature was engulfed in flames, its flesh sizzling and crackling as it writhed in agony.

 

"Keep them back!" Bucky yelled, firing his own flamethrower into the advancing horde. "We need to buy time for the others to finish setting up the defenses!"

 

Steve stood at the forefront, using his shield to bash away any infected that got too close. He could feel the heat from the flamethrowers behind him, a necessary evil to keep the monstrosities at bay.

 

"They just keep coming!" Peggy shouted, her voice strained from the effort. "How many of these things are there?"

 

"Doesn't matter," Steve replied, his voice resolute. "We hold the line. We can't let them breach the perimeter."

 

The team fought fiercely, the flames creating a temporary barrier between them and the relentless wave of infected. Despite their efforts, the horde seemed endless, the infected driven by an insatiable hunger.

 

"Incinerators are almost ready!" Volkov's voice crackled over the radio. "Just a little longer!"

 

"We don't have a little longer!" Bucky retorted, his eyes scanning the ever-growing swarm. "We need those incinerators now!"

 

Just as it seemed they would be overwhelmed, a deafening roar filled the air. The ground shook as the newly established incinerators roared to life, sending massive jets of fire across the infected landscape. The biomass ignited instantly, the flames spreading rapidly and consuming everything in their path.

 

The infected creatures screamed in unison, their bodies disintegrating in the inferno. The team watched as the flames did their work, reducing the grotesque horde to ashes.

 

"We did it," Peggy breathed, lowering her flamethrower. "We actually did it."

 

Steve nodded, his expression grim. "This is just the beginning. We have to stay vigilant. The infection might be contained for now, but we can't afford to let our guard down."

 

Volkov approached them, his face a mix of relief and determination. "Excellent work. The perimeter holds, for now. But we must remain on high alert. SCP-610 is a persistent threat."

 

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[SITE-██: Debrief Room]

 

The three heroes sat around a table in the debrief room of the nearest SCP Foundation site, the tension from the battle still palpable. The room was sterile, a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped. They sipped hot coffee, trying to shake off the chill of the Siberian wilderness and the horrors they had witnessed.

 

Steve broke the silence, his voice steady but concerned. "What we saw out there... it's like nothing we've ever faced before. The way it spreads, the way it consumes everything in its path... it's terrifying."

 

Peggy nodded, her brow furrowed. "To think that the Foundation deals with things like this all the time. We've seen the kind of horrors they handle firsthand with SCP-3199. But this SCP-610... it's different."

 

Peggy struggled to express the difference, but she didn't have to; they all had the same feeling. They were used to fighting against things that could be dealt with by bullets. Even SCP-3199 could be taken down by bullets.

 

This, however, was different; this wasn't something that could just be fought, shot and killed, beaten and locked up. This was a threat on a whole other level, and neither of them had much experience with it.

 

Peggy, after Foundation Shield, working with them to stop Hydra after the war, had seen a few strange objects. After all, Hydra and the Nazis were obsessed with weird and unnatural stuff.

 

But even then, everything had been something that could be locked away and forgotten about, even the tesseract was something that a strong vault could deal with.

 

These things, be it 3199 or even more so with 610, weren't something that could be locked away; they needed near-constant oversight and round-the-clock effects to keep the world safe.

 

The future seemed ever more perilous with each new SCP object they learned about. Making the threat of hydra seem ever smaller; after all, who cared about who ruled the world if there were no humans left?

 

Steve broke the silence again, his voice more reflective this time. "You know, the more we learn about these SCPs, the more I realize how small our previous battles seem. Hydra was—and still is—a huge threat, but these SCPs... they could end the world as we know it."

 

Peggy nodded, her expression serious. "The Foundation's motto—Secure, Contain, Protect—it's not just a tagline. It's a mission that goes beyond anything we've faced. We need to adapt to this new reality. We need to be ready for anything."

 

Bucky leaned forward, his eyes intense. "And we need to stay united. The Foundation has shown us the importance of teamwork and resilience. If we can combine our strengths with theirs, we can handle whatever comes our way."

 

Steve smiled, a rare moment of lightness breaking through the tension. "We've got this. Together, we can face any threat—be it Hydra, SCPs, or anything else. We've overcome the impossible before, and we'll do it again."

 

As they sat together, united in their purpose, they knew that the road ahead would be challenging. But with their combined strength, the support of the SCP Foundation, and their unwavering determination, they were ready to face whatever horrors the future held.

 

A/N

 

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