Alexander remained within SITE-001 for the days following the operation within Wakanda, there was just so much work which involved having to deal with the other members of the O5 council that it made little sense to leave.
So he kept himself busy and spent what fleeting breaks he could find to daydream about lazing about at his pool.
Days were spent in meetings or doing other administrative work, as one would expect from one of the heads of a global organisation the size of the Foundation. Only Alexander and the others were even more busy than they should have been since most of the council was missing.
Among the things Alexander was spending his time working on was the fallout and aftermath of Wakanda, but also many other operations; for one, as the leader behind the Exo-suit program, he was naturally kept busy dealing with all the data from that.
Not that he understood most of it, but he still had to deal with requests and inquiries. Thankfully, some of his work could be taken off of him by O5-6, meaning he could focus a bit more on the tasks that would normally fall onto the hands of O5-7,
Speaking of O5-6, the Watcher, Thoman Hobbes was also kept very busy with his own work these days; after all, one didn't just cause massive amounts of global disturbances and distractions easily.
After all, the Foundation didn't like to just cause chaos, and if they did, it would be the Chaos Insurgency that would be behind it. And while parts of it were caused by Alexander's undercover agents, a lot wasn't.
So rather then just causing chaos, it was all controlled, there had to be reasons behind everything, and well, everyone wanted something, so when the chance happened by, everyone jumped at it.
However, even though O5-2 wanted some general assassinated, it didn't mean it could just happen, which meant that not just Alexander, as the head of dark operations, but also O5-6, as head of intelligence, had to figure out how to make things happen.
The door to his office slid open, and O5-6, Thomas Hobbes—the Watcher—entered, carrying a tablet brimming with data. His expression was as worn as Alexander's, though his eyes still held that familiar sharpness. It was clear he hadn't had much sleep either.
"You look like you could use a vacation," Hobbes said dryly, setting the tablet on Alexander's desk. "But I'm afraid we've got a few more fires to put out before that happens."
Alexander chuckled, a mirthless sound. "Don't remind me. What's next on the agenda?"
"More cleanup from Wakanda," Hobbes replied, swiping through the data on his tablet. "We've managed to handle most of the global distractions, but a few key players are proving difficult to silence. The UN will wonder why a nation suddenly stops responding to them and cuts off all communication."
Alexander sighed, rubbing his temples. "We knew that was going to be an issue sooner or later. How long do we have before they start sending more than just emails and phone calls?"
"Likely a few months." Hobbes admitted. "The chaos will distract them, but also make them less likely to ignore something being strange or out of the norm, and while we can fake phone calls, there are other things that are harder to fake.
Alexander leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the ceiling as he mulled over the situation. Indeed, hiding it would only work for so long, even sending people disguised could be risky in the long term. "Sounds to me like we need Wakanda to somehow leave the UN."
Hobbes raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the suggestion. "And how exactly do you propose we accomplish that? It's not like they can simply hand in a resignation letter at this point."
Alexander couldn't help but sigh. "Indeed, such a thing won't happen easily, and not without extra attention, likely we should go around it from the other direction and find a way to make Wakanda unwelcome."
Hobbes nodded slowly, considering the idea. "We'd need to create some kind of international incident, something that paints Wakanda as a threat or an unstable element. If we can manufacture enough evidence to make the UN see them as a liability rather than an asset, we might be able to force their hand."
Alexander's eyes sharpened, and he began to think aloud. "We can always go with the true and tested method of trying to distance themselves from the powers that be, maybe some black pride? That will annoy the US, and you annoy them, you annoy the UN."
Hobbes smirked slightly, catching on to Alexander's line of thinking. "The narrative practically writes itself—Wakanda, an isolationist state, suddenly stirring up black pride movements across Africa and other parts of the world. The Western powers won't take kindly to a country trying to unite the African diaspora under one banner, especially if it's framed as an anti-Western sentiment."
Alexander nodded. "Indeed, I guess we should discuss it with O5-5, she seems interested in claiming the place, so in that case she should also take care of her fair share of the problems the place will give us."
Hobbes added. "Yes, she have been making a serious of movements already, I'm not sure what she is up to, but well, no reason we can't make use of her all the same."
Alexander tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the desk. "Yes, O5-5 is ambitious, and this could be an opportunity to see just how far she's willing to go. If she truly wants to claim Wakanda as her own stronghold, she should be more than willing to handle the political fallout. It's only fair."
Hobbes nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We'll have to approach this carefully. If we push too hard, it might look suspicious, even to someone like her. We need to make it seem like an opportunity she can't afford to miss, rather than a burden."
"Agreed," Alexander said. "I'll reach out to her directly and propose the idea. Frame it as a chance for her to showcase her capabilities and secure a valuable asset for the Foundation. Meanwhile, keep working on the international angle. Start planting the seeds of unrest, but keep it subtle. We don't want anyone connecting the dots back to us."
Hobbes gave a slight smirk. "Subtlety is what I do best."
As he turned to leave, Alexander called after him. "One more thing, Thomas. Make sure you monitor O5-5's movements closely. If she's making moves of her own, I want to know about it. We need to stay one step ahead."
Hobbes gave a slight nod. "Of course, Alexander. As always." And with that, he exited the room, leaving Alexander to ponder the next steps in their carefully woven plans.
Alexander leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling once more. He knew that the coming weeks would be crucial—not just for the aftermath of Wakanda but for his position within the council. Every move counted, and there was no room for mistakes.
----------------------
It wasn't long before Alexander once again was faced with a new month, and with that, the task of brining more SCP objects into the world, something that was always risky, but also something he had to do.
However, it wasn't just Alexander who was getting ready; no, far away from the secrets of SITE-001, the Ancient One and SCP-343 had once ago met up. SCP-343 might not be all-knowing, but he was close enough to be just that, that he could know when something was about to happen.
"System, please summon an SCP."
[Ding! Understood Host, please stand by as the random SCP is summoned!]
[Ding! Warning! SCP-001 has appeared!]
[Ding! Warning! Host a SCP has appeared in the world and is outside Foundation control! Host is asked to deal with the situation and follow the Foundation's goal of Securing, containing, and Protecting!]
Alexander froze as the number of the SCP flashed up on the screen; he completely missed the rest of the announcements; nothing even registered within in his mind as he looked in horror at those three numbers. 001.
The Foundation had used this particular designation a few times, and not a single instance was something to be taken lightly, maybe with the sole exception being the first one he made of his Ring, an entry he had long removed from the database.
This meant that it was highly likely that it was one of the dangerous ones, and while he had already been unlucky enough to summon a few dangerous Keter class ones able to destroy the world, even among those, the ones making the 001 list stood out.
The different SCP objects under that designation flashed though his mind.
The first possibility that struck him was The Gate Guardian, a towering, sword-wielding entity of immense power, standing watch over an unknown, glowing doorway. It was a being of sheer, unparalleled strength, capable of incinerating anything that approached. If The Gate Guardian had somehow been summoned or released, it could mean that some fundamental barrier had been breached, and reality itself might be at risk.
Next, his mind jumped to When Day Breaks, an apocalyptic scenario in which the sun's light transformed all living creatures into waxy, melted abominations. It was a nightmare where every day became a struggle for survival, and the world could be engulfed in madness. If this were the SCP-001 that appeared, there might not be time to prevent the spread of its devastating effects.
Then, there was The Scarlet King, an ancient, malevolent god who sought to bring about the end of all things. The rituals and sacrifices required to keep it contained were known only to a select few, and the idea that it had now been summoned into the world sent chills down Alexander's spine. Its power to unravel reality, to summon hordes of twisted, demonic entities, could spell the end of all life on Earth if it was left unchecked.
The Prototype was another dangerous thought—an unstoppable, metallic abomination that served as one of the Foundation's first attempts at containment. Its regenerative abilities and ruthless nature made it nearly impossible to destroy. If it had somehow resurfaced, they might be facing an enemy that could adapt and overcome any attempt at containment.
Another terrifying thought was The Black Moon, a cosmic entity with the power to manipulate gravity, causing cataclysmic natural disasters on a global scale. Entire continents could be ripped apart or submerged, and humanity would be powerless against such devastation.
But perhaps the most chilling of all was The Factory, a vast, interdimensional construct that consumed everything in its path, producing horrors that defied explanation. It was a place of endless suffering, capable of churning out weapons, entities, and anomalies of unimaginable power. If The Factory had somehow become active again, it could potentially overwhelm the Foundation's ability to respond, creating an army of unstoppable horrors.
Alexander's mind raced, trying to focus on any piece of information that might hint at which version of SCP-001 had manifested. The possibilities were endless, and each one was equally capable of plunging the world into chaos. He needed more data, and he needed it fast.
A/N
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