Chapter 17: The Rendezvous
Leonard stood before his bedroom window, gazing out into the quiet suburban streets illuminated by the glow of streetlights. His mind swirled with the weight of what lay ahead. The meeting with O5-4 was set for today. His first face-to-face encounter with one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures within the Foundation. The very thought of it stirred a mix of anxiety and excitement inside him.
He walked to the edge of his bed and sat down, absently rubbing his temples as he tried to calm his nerves. It had been a whirlwind few days since his unexpected rise to the position of Administrator. The tasks had been overwhelming—coordinating personnel, reviewing site security protocols, and approving various operations. And now, today, he had a meeting.
A knock on his bedroom door startled him.
"Leonard, is everything all right, my dear ?" his mother called from the other side.
"Yes mom, everything is fine," he replied quickly. "I'm going to leave soon."
The irony of it all was not lost on him. Here he was, the leader of the SCP Foundation, tasked with safeguarding some of the most dangerous and mysterious entities in the world, and yet he was still living with his mother in the same house he had grown up in. Life had taken strange turns.
His phone buzzed. The screen lit up with a message:
[ Your escort team is in position. Ready when you are. ]
Leonard exhaled deeply. It was time. He grabbed his jacket, took a final look around his room, and headed downstairs. As he passed through the small living room, he gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I'll be out for a while," he said, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Take care of yourself" she said with a smile, not fully aware of the gravity of his situation.
He stepped out the front door, closing it softly behind him, and was immediately greeted by a group of figures emerging from the shadows. The operatives of Resh-1 materialized from nowhere, their optical camouflage flickering briefly. Their armor gleamed in the dim light, equipped with high-tech gear that looked decades ahead of anything Leonard had ever seen before. Each operator had the Resh-1 insignia—a stylized seat of consciousness—emblazoned on their shoulder.
The leader of Resh-1 approached Leonard, his helmet faceplate retracting to reveal a young but stern face with sharp features. His voice was calm but carried a tone of unwavering authority.
"Administrator, we are ready to escort you," the leader said, bowing his head slightly in deference. "Per your instructions, the team is divided into five squads. My squad will accompany you directly. The others are positioned in concentric security layers around the perimeter of your destination."
Leonard nodded, feeling a sense of security despite the surreal nature of it all. "Understood. Lead the way."
With that, the operatives of Resh-1 moved with silent precision, falling into a tight formation around him. The leader took point, while two operators flanked Leonard, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as they walked through the residential streets. Even though Leonard knew the neighborhood well, the presence of Resh-1 made it feel like a completely different place—a battlefield, rather than a quiet suburb.
As they moved, Leonard couldn't help but glance at the operatives around him. They were a far cry from the normal security personnel he was used to seeing at the Foundation sites. Resh-1 was a specialized task force, elite even among the Foundation's already impressive Mobile Task Forces. Their movements were fluid, almost robotic, yet their eyes were always alive with focus and determination. They were still invisible thanks to their optical camouflage.
Leonard's mind wandered to the reports he had read about them. Resh-1 had been involved in some of the most secret and sensitive operations in the Foundation's history. They had successfully neutralized anomalies that had eluded other MTFs for years. Their mere presence now suggested that the stakes were higher than ever.
After a short walk, they approached the café where the meeting was scheduled to take place. On the outside, Café XXXX looked unremarkable, nestled on a quiet street corner with warm lights glowing from inside. It was a popular local spot that Leonard had passed by countless times but never paid much attention to.
Tonight, however, the café was different. Even from outside, Leonard could sense the presence of the Foundation. The usual patrons had been replaced by undercover agents. Alpha-1, the infamous "Red Right Hand" tasked with protecting the O5 Council, were scattered among the tables, disguised as ordinary civilians. Yet their postures and the subtle bulges of concealed weapons under their jackets betrayed their true nature.
The entrance to the café was discreetly guarded by two more Alpha-1 operatives, their sharp eyes scanning everyone who approached. They nodded at Resh-1 as Leonard and his escort entered, acknowledging the mutual respect between elite units.
Once inside, Leonard took in the scene. The café was cozy, with soft lighting and a calming ambiance that contrasted sharply with the tension he felt building inside him. Agents posing as baristas moved behind the counter, preparing drinks with practiced ease, while others sat at tables, casually glancing at Leonard as he walked past.
At the far end of the room, O5-4 sat alone at a table, his back to the wall. He was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and jeans, with beige hiking boots. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and his striking blue eyes were fixed on Leonard as he approached. O5-4 looked younger than Leonard had imagined—perhaps in his mid-twenties—but Leonard knew better than to let appearances fool him. O5-4 was one of the most powerful individuals in the Foundation, a member of the shadowy O5 Council that governed the entire organization.
As Leonard neared the table, O5-4 stood and extended a hand. "Leonard," he said with a smile. "It's good to finally meet you."
Leonard shook his hand, feeling a bit of the tension ease from his shoulders. "Likewise."
"Please, sit," O5-4 gestured to the chair opposite him. As Leonard sat down, one of the undercover servers approached with a tray of drinks. "Coffee?"
"Thank you," Leonard said, taking the cup. He took a sip, the warm liquid calming his nerves somewhat. He glanced around the café, noticing the subtle but constant vigilance of the Alpha-1 operatives. Even the servers were keeping a close eye on the exits and windows.
"Quite the setup you've got here," Leonard said, nodding toward one of the disguised agents.
O5-4 chuckled. "We can't be too careful, especially with a meeting like this. The world is a dangerous place, and we're always at risk of being exposed or targeted."
Leonard nodded, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. "So, what's our agenda?"
O5-4 leaned back in his chair, his expression growing serious. "First, we need to discuss the state of the French branch. I'm sure you've been busy trying to get everything under control since your appointment."
Leonard exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "That's an understatement. I've been reviewing all the sites, their personnel, containment protocols, and resources. There's a lot to manage."
O5-4 nodded sympathetically. "It's a big responsibility, but you're not alone in this. I've been monitoring the situation, and we've made significant progress in fortifying key sites."
He pulled out a small tablet from his pocket and slid it across the table to Leonard. On the screen was a detailed report of every SCP Foundation site within yours properties . Leonard recognized the layout from his earlier reviews but was surprised to see how much more detailed it had become. Each site was broken down into sections, listing personnel numbers, security protocols, containment levels, and recent incidents.
"Let's start with Site-17," O5-4 began. "As you know, it's our actual most heavily fortified and well-armed site. We've been allocating the majority of our resources there to ensure it can handle the most dangerous anomalies we have. Automated defense systems, reinforced containment chambers, and a rapid response team are all in place. It's essentially our stronghold."
Leonard nodded as he reviewed the report. Site-17 had become the cornerstone of their operations, housing some of the most dangerous SCPs in Europe. The upgrades to security and containment were impressive, to say the least.
"Site-Yod and Site-Ayin," O5-4 continued, "have also been reinforced, albeit on a smaller scale. Site-Yod is primarily focused on exploratory missions and handling anomalous artifacts, while Site-Ayin is dedicated to extraterrestrial threats. We've deployed the Farfouilleurs and the Zinzins de l'Espace MTF units there, respectively. Both sites are crucial to our overall strategy, even though they don't house as many high-risk anomalies as Site-17."
Leonard scrolled through the data on the tablet, noting the personnel allocations and MTF deployments. It was clear that the Foundation had been investing heavily in the region.
O5-4 continued, his tone growing more serious as he discussed the other sites. "Site-Aleph and Site-Tav, as you know, serve more specialized purposes. Site-Aleph has been heavily reinforced in terms of psychological and memetic containment. The 'Pots Cassés' unit has been working overtime there, ensuring that any cognitohazardous or memetic SCPs are securely contained. Their work is invaluable—without them, we would be dealing with mind-altering anomalies wreaking havoc among our personnel."
Leonard nodded as he skimmed through the data on Site-Aleph. The number of personnel assigned to memetic research had nearly doubled since his initial appointment. It was a necessary move given the nature of the anomalies housed there. The mental health and safety of the personnel stationed at Site-Aleph were of paramount importance.
"And Site-Tav," O5-4 went on, "is where we have our dealings with SAPPHIRE, that... organization of anomalous dealers who handle valuable relics and items of importance. 'Les Joailliers' have been handling that site, dealing with the anomalous artifacts and events associated with them. It's risky work, but they're some of the best we have when it comes to diplomacy and containment combined."
Leonard took a deep breath. It was a lot to process, and the sheer scale of the operations being run under his watch felt immense. The numbers on the tablet spoke to the vast resources of the Foundation: hundreds of personnel, thousands of anomalous objects and entities contained, and an ever-growing list of threats to humanity being neutralized.
"Site-35 is still functioning well as a regional logistics hub," Leonard noted. "But what about the smaller, more isolated sites?"
O5-4 waved a hand. "We've reinforced the isolated sites as best we can, given the limited personnel and resources. They serve their purpose—remote containment for anomalies too dangerous to house near population centers—but they don't have the same level of fortification as the larger sites. We simply don't have the manpower to keep them as secure as we'd like."
Leonard nodded. He understood the limitations. Even with all the resources the Foundation had, there were always gaps that couldn't be fully covered. It was a delicate balancing act between keeping personnel safe and ensuring that anomalies were properly contained.
O5-4 sat back in his chair, letting out a small sigh. "And that brings us to the finances, Leonard. We've made some progress, but we're still running into funding issues."
Leonard frowned, his mind shifting gears. "I've noticed that. The operational costs keep rising, and with the expansion of some sites, we're burning through our budgets faster than expected."
O5-4 nodded. "That's why I've had to dip into my own accounts. I've transferred some funds—roughly 600 million dollars—into the Foundation's coffers to keep things afloat. It's enough to keep us going for the next several months, but it's a temporary fix."
Leonard's eyes widened at the mention of such a vast sum of personal wealth. It wasn't unusual for O5 Council members to have vast financial resources, given their influence and reach, but 600 million dollars was staggering.
"That's... generous of you," Leonard said, unsure of what else to say. "But I assume we can't rely on that forever."
"Exactly," O5-4 agreed. "It's only a stopgap solution. We need to start establishing partnerships with external financial backers and corporations that can funnel money into the Foundation without drawing suspicion. We've done this in the past, but with the increased threat levels, we need to start finding new partners quickly."
Leonard glanced at the tablet again. Managing finances wasn't something he'd ever imagined he'd be dealing with, but now it was his responsibility. "Do we have any leads on potential partners?"
O5-4 nodded. "Yes, we've already begun reaching out to a few key players in the financial world. I'll have more details for you in the coming weeks. But I'll need you to oversee the logistics of setting up the shell companies and handling the day-to-day financial operations. It's tedious work, but it's vital."
Leonard hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'll do whatever is necessary."
"Good," O5-4 said, offering a slight smile. "In the meantime, I have a proposal for you. Given the complexity of the tasks at hand, I think it would be beneficial for both of us if i took on a more direct role. I want to become your assistant—temporarily, of course—so you can focus on the internal affairs of the French branch more efficiently. You'll be handling personnel, resource allocation, and any other matters that arise while i will take care of most of the day-to-day work."
Leonard blinked in surprise. "You want to be «my assistant?"
"For the time being, yes," O5-4 replied. "I think it will help you gain a better understanding of the broader picture. And I will be able to advise you and help you."
Leonard felt a wave of relief wash over him. The idea of having someone as experienced as O5-4 guiding him through the complexities of his new role was reassuring. He knew he was still relatively inexperienced in the grand scheme of things, and having a mentor of sorts could only help him succeed.
"I accept," Leonard said, without hesitation. "I think it's the right move for now."
"Excellent," O5-4 said with a nod. "I'll arrange for the necessary documentation and clearance levels to be updated. Let's talk about SCP-123-FR and the Wormhole Project."
Leonard sat up a little straighter. He had heard brief mentions of SCP-123-FR in passing but hadn't had the chance to dive into the details. And the Wormhole Project was something that had been kept highly classified, even from him.
"SCP-123-FR," O5-4 began, "is one of our most pressing concerns. It's an anomaly that has the potential to alter reality on a fundamental level. The exact nature of the anomaly is still under investigation, but we know that it can manipulate space-time in ways that defy our understanding of physics."
Leonard felt a chill run down his spine. Anomalies that could alter reality were among the most dangerous in the Foundation's catalog.
"We've been working on containing it," O5-4 continued, "but it's proving to be incredibly difficult. It has the ability to create localized wormholes—essentially portals to other dimensions. We've seen glimpses of what lies beyond these wormholes, and it's not something we want to let loose in our world."
"The Wormhole Project," Leonard said quietly, starting to put the pieces together.
"Exactly," O5-4 confirmed. "The Wormhole Project is our attempt to understand and potentially harness the power of SCP-123-FR. If we can control the wormholes, we might be able to use them for our own purposes—transportation, containment, even exploration of other dimensions. But if we lose control…"
Leonard didn't need him to finish the sentence. The potential dangers were obvious.
"We're still in the early stages of the project," O5-4 said. "But I want you to be involved. You'll be overseeing the personnel assigned to the project, and one of my assistants will keep you updated on any developments."
Leonard nodded, feeling the weight of yet another responsibility added to his growing list. But he couldn't deny that the prospect of working on such a cutting-edge project was exciting, despite the risks.
As their conversation continued, Leonard noticed a subtle shift in O5-4's demeanor. The normally calm and composed council member glanced over Leonard's shoulder, his expression growing tense.
"What is it?" Leonard asked, following O5-4's gaze.
O5-4's eyes were locked onto the television screen mounted on the wall behind Leonard. The news was on, and the reporter on screen was covering a seemingly mundane story about police activity in a nearby city. But something about the footage had caught O5-4's attention.
"Turn up the volume," O5-4 ordered one of the Alpha-1 agents standing nearby.
The agent quickly complied, and the sound of the news broadcast filled the café.
The reporter was speaking to a local citizen, interviewing him about an increase in police patrols in the area. Behind them, a group of ten heavily armed police officers could be seen walking down the street. They were carrying assault rifles and wearing tactical gear, but it wasn't the police presence that had caught O5-4's eye.
One of the officers—the one who appeared to be their leader—was wearing a mask.
A white mask.
A mask that smiled eerily.
Leonard felt his heart skip a beat. The mask was unmistakable. He had seen it in countless containment logs, in reports that had crossed his desk. He know too well what is this mask.
The screen flickered as the group of officers disappeared into a nearby alleyway, but that one glimpse was enough to send a wave of dread through Leonard's body.
Suddenly, a notification flashed across Leonard's vision—an alert from the system.
[ Ding ! SCP-035 has been detected by the Host . Please contain it. ]