As soon as Fury arrived back at his office, he quickly called upon his most trusted agents. He knew it was late and that it would take some time for them all to gather, but this could not be pushed off until the morning.
The things he had learned during his meeting with the enigmatic O5-1 were chilling, and he could understand why the Bulwark had decided to call upon SHIELD for help. He doubted that if he had turned them down, Bulwark would have moved forward on its own. However, it was clearly an operation of such scale that it would be all but impossible to hide from other interested parties, such as SHIELD or just the government and militaries.
Then again, there was no doubt that they were doing it to save their own manpower and to hide their strength. After all, with SHIELD and possibly even the military helping out, they could show off far less strength and use far less of their manpower while still achieving the same results.
These results were, without a doubt, the complete eradication of these creatures designated as 3199. He was still shocked and amazed at this Overseer's strange power to materialize objects out of thin air. It certainly had helped him properly understand the threat they were facing. These creatures, which looked like some twisted hybrid of a chicken and a human, were revolting and, if the intelligence he had gotten was to be believed, incredibly dangerous as well.
His inquiries into their creation had been met with a "We don't know who made them, only that they have to be killed." Fury doubted this was entirely true. They likely knew far more than they were admitting. At least he didn't believe that they had accidentally created this monstrous beast.
After all, these creatures were clearly from the deranged mind of some truly mad individual. So that did bring up the question of who and just how many such individuals existed who had the ability to create monsters like this.
There was that silver locket that was lost after the auction. It had the ability to create not just super soldiers but also twisted monsters. And now, some personal organization was trying to create an army of monsters to replace the human race itself.
No, this was not just about stopping this monstrous threat but also an opportunity to glean far deeper into the workings of the Bulwark. The chance meeting with Coulson in that Wondertainment amusement park had already provided them with quite a bit of information.
They had been able to learn how they meticulously tested things from a scientific point of view, using disposable people, who were likely criminals or traitors or something along those lines, to test all dangers and then carefully record it all.
This, however, could allow them insight into their more combat-focused operations. No, he was certain he had seen the shadows of those aberrations around constantly mysterious things happening.
Entire cities evacuated, and yet the next day, when his own agents went out to ask the people what happened, not a single person even remembered that they had been evacuated.
Yes, many strange things were going on, and it wasn't always easy to determine who was behind it, so at least this time, he would know who he was working with. He would be able to get a better glimpse at their military power other than the fact that they apparently had an enormous fleet at their disposal.
However, this mission was likely to draw a lot of attention, forcing him to deal with the political ramifications of it all, something he wasn't looking forward to.
He was so trapped in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice the fact that the first person arrived until they entered the office. "Hill, good to have you here."
"I only wish you wouldn't have called so late; I was about ready to go to bed. It's been a long day, you know." His right hand, Maria Hill, said as she entered his office.
"I wouldn't still be here myself if this wasn't important Hill, though you will have to wait until the rest are here for a full briefing." Fury said as he got back to waiting for the rest.
Hill only managed to wait for so long before she went to get coffee. As she placed a fresh cup in front of him, he was reminded why he had picked her.
One by one, the others arrived: Hand, Coulson, Romanoff, Barton, some of the best of the best, the people in the know and people who would need to know for his mission to be carried out properly.
Once everyone had settled in, Fury stood up and faced his team, his expression as serious as they had ever seen it.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he began. "I won't waste your time. We've got a situation that's too critical to wait."
He activated the holographic projector on his desk, displaying images and data about object 3199. The grotesque, chicken-human hybrids spun slowly in the air, drawing grim looks from everyone in the room.
"This," Fury continued, "is object 3199. It's a designation given by the Bulwark, the organization we've been keeping tabs on. These creatures are extremely dangerous. They breed rapidly and possess an overwhelming strength and resilience. Our latest intelligence indicates a significant population buildup, and if we don't act fast, it could spell disaster on a global scale."
Maria Hill leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she took in the information. "What exactly are we dealing with here, sir? What's their origin?"
Fury sighed. "The Bulwark claims they don't know who made them, only that they have to be eradicated. Personally, I think they're holding back information. These things are too specific, too deliberately designed to be an accident."
Coulson spoke up next. "What's the plan, Director?"
"We're going to assist the Bulwark in containing and eradicating these creatures," Fury replied. "But this isn't just about neutralizing a threat. It's also about gaining insight into how the Bulwark operates in the field. We'll be coordinating with them directly, and I want eyes and ears everywhere."
Natasha Romanoff, ever the pragmatist, asked the next question. "What kind of support are we expecting from the Bulwark?"
"They want to remain in charge of this operation, and I have agreed. They will provide intel, but we won't get any other support; we are the support." Fury said, somewhat unhappy about that part of this arrangement, but this was important, and he had decided that the opportunity to see them in action and the threat faced was more important than who was in charge.
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "So, we're going in blind?"
"Not completely," Fury responded. "We'll have access to their intel, which I suggest you all read right now; then you can continue your questioning." He said, letting them all read the information on the large holographic screen.
The room fell silent as the team absorbed the details displayed on the screen. The intel provided by the Bulwark was thorough, outlining the nature of SCP-3199, its behavior, and the locations of the largest infestations. The grotesque visuals and the cold, hard facts painted a clear picture of the severity of the threat.
After a few minutes, Clint Barton broke the silence. "These things are... relentless. We need to be prepared for anything."
Fury nodded. "That's why I've called you all here. We need to be ready to face these creatures head-on. Our primary objective is to contain and eradicate them, but we also need to gather as much intel as possible on the Bulwark's operations."
Victoria Hand, who had mostly been quiet up until now, spoke up. "This is difficult to believe, though given that something like the Hulk was made out of an accident, it's not impossible for someone to create these things. But still, if they are as dangerous as said, that's the plan B?"
Fury's expression hardened. "Plan B involves a full-scale containment breach response. If the situation goes beyond our control, we may need to call in additional support, including airstrikes and the Overseer I talked with spoke of a potentially nuclear option, though that's an absolute last resort. Our goal is to prevent it from ever getting to that point."
Hand, always focused on the logistics, asked, "What about civilian areas near the hotspots? How do we handle evacuations without causing widespread panic?"
"We've coordinated with local authorities to set up evacuation protocols," Fury explained. "The cover story will be a hazardous chemical spill. It's believable and should get people moving without too many questions. Our agents will be embedded within local law enforcement to ensure the evacuations go smoothly."
Natasha looked around the room, her gaze lingering on each agent. "We need to be ready for anything. These creatures are not just dangerous; they're a potential extinction-level event if not handled properly. We can't afford any mistakes."
"And we won't make any mistake." Fury said, his tone as serious as the situation. "We will kill these things, we will learn as much as we can about bulwark and we will deal with what follows, but for now, yes we will focus on the task at hand."
The room fell into a tense silence, each agent processing the gravity of their mission. They knew the stakes were high, and the margin for error was non-existent.
Fury took a deep breath, letting his gaze sweep across the room. "I know this is a lot to take in, and the stakes couldn't be higher. But I have full confidence in this team. We've faced impossible odds before and come out on top. This will be no different."
He glanced at Maria Hill. "Hill, you'll be coordinating the evacuation protocols. Make sure all our agents on the ground are in sync with local law enforcement."
Hill nodded, her expression determined. "Consider it done."
Fury turned to Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. "Clint, Natasha, you two will be leading the first strike team. Your objective is to hit the largest nest identified in the intel. Your goal is to clear the area and secure any civilians."
Barton and Romanoff exchanged a look, then nodded in unison. "Understood," Natasha said.
"Hand and Coulson, you're with me. We will be dealing with the behind-the-scenes stuff; hand; you deal with personnel, Coulson, you're her assistant and will deal with outside forces; I'm going to have to deal with the Council."
Hand looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking up again. "And if we do run into trouble, what's the fallback plan?"
Fury's expression darkened. "If things go south, we have extraction points set up. If those fail, we call in air support. But let's make sure it doesn't come to that."
Coulson, ever the optimist, added, "We know what we're up against now. We'll be prepared for anything."
Fury looked around the room one last time, ensuring he had everyone's attention. "This mission is critical. The fate of countless lives depends on our success. Stay sharp, follow your orders, and watch each other's backs. We'll get through this." With that, the briefing concluded, and the agents dispersed to make their final preparations.
The weight of their task was heavy, but they were SHIELD's best, and they knew what needed to be done.
Natasha, the person who knew the most, as she herself was a secret Foundation agent, couldn't help but be surprised that the Foundation was willing to do this, to involve Shield in their operation. This meant that it was likely far bigger than Fury expected.
Or it meant that there was an entire layer more to this that none of them saw; even Fury was likely blinded by both the threat and the opportunity to gather intel about this mysterious bulwark to see the truth hidden under layers of lies properly.
Though she herself had to admit that she was eager to join in on this far more meaningful and exciting mission, rather than just stay undercover and do very little at all. This was a huge opportunity, not just for Fury, but even for herself, to see the Foundation flexing its muscles.
A/N
If you want to read up to 10 chapters ahead or even get the chance to pick what SCPs get summoned, or just support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / SCPsystem