Chapter 80: Diplomatic Visit
Johan Adams jolted awake, quickly taking in his surroundings. He realized he was on a commercial flight bound for Norway. Sitting next to him, also asleep, was Dr. Harris Flint of the GOI Research Group, a man in his early thirties. A flight attendant was gently trying to wake Johan, flashing him a professional smile.
"Sir," she said politely, "I've woken you because the plane will be landing at Alta Airport in 20 minutes."
She moved to wake Harris, but Johan waved her off, saying, "Don't worry, I'll wake him myself—he's my colleague." She nodded and left them in peace.
Johan took out his phone, entering a series of specific passwords and codes, gaining access to a hidden application. He selected "Mission Order 3637-421" and reviewed it silently:
Mission Directive: By order of [DATA EXPUNGED], Ambassador Johan Adams from the Department of External Affairs and Intelligence Agency, along with Dr. Harris Flint from the GOI Research Group, must travel immediately to the island of Seiland, in the Finnmark County of northern Norway. Upon arrival, they are to proceed to coordinates XXXX and establish contact with the Group of Interest Valravn Corporation. Although the organization is aware of the Foundation, no official contact has ever been made. Full mission details, resources, and targets are attached.
Johan quickly skimmed through the accompanying information when the pilot's voice came over the intercom:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing at Alta Airport in five minutes. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts."
Johan turned to Harris and gently nudged him awake. "We're landing soon."
Still groggy, Harris nodded and fastened his seatbelt.
After passing through Norwegian customs, they retrieved their bags and hailed a taxi. The driver helped load their luggage into the car before asking, in broken English:
"Hello, where do you want to go?"
Johan, smiling, responded in perfect Norwegian:
"Vi ønsker å dra til hotell XXXX."
("We'd like to go to the XXXX hotel.")
Surprised, the driver laughed:
"Hahaha, du snakker norsk perfekt! Det er sjeldent at turister kan språket vårt. Jeg skal gi dere halv pris for turen."
("Hahaha, you speak Norwegian perfectly! It's rare to meet tourists who know our language. I'll give you half price for the ride.")
He drove cheerfully to the hotel, and upon arrival, Johan paid him double the fare. The driver attempted to refuse, but Johan said:
"Den andre halvparten er et tips."
("The other half is a tip.")
The driver, pleasantly surprised, thanked him:
"Tusen takk, jeg setter pris på det. Om dere trenger en taxi senere, ring meg gjerne."
("Thank you very much, I appreciate it. If you need a taxi later, feel free to call me.")
Johan replied:
"Vi trenger en taxi om en time for å dra til fergen XXXX."
("We'll need one in an hour to go to the XXXX ferry.")
The driver smiled:
"Jeg skal være der ti minutter før."
("I'll be there ten minutes early.")
He waved them off and drove away. Harris and Johan exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.
Harris and Johan stepped into the hotel lobby. As they approached the front desk, Harris leaned in toward Johan and whispered, "You're really good with people. I didn't expect less from an ambassador." Johan smirked in response as they reached the receptionist.
Switching to Norwegian, Johan said, "Jeg vil gjerne ha to enkeltrom for én uke, takk."
("I'd like two single rooms for one week, please.")
The receptionist smiled professionally, typing away on her computer before replying:
"Det blir 10 500 norske kroner."
("That will be 10,500 NOK.")
"Vil du betale med kort eller kontanter?"
("Would you like to pay by card or cash?")
Johan chose to pay in cash, pulling out the necessary amount, and they received their room keys. After heading up to the third floor, they settled into their adjacent rooms, each unpacking their bags.
A few minutes later, Johan heard a knock at his door. He quickly drew a ceramic pistol, specifically designed to bypass airport security, and cautiously asked, "Who is it?"
A voice from outside answered, "When the sun rises."
Johan responded, "The moon sets," then opened the door to find Harris standing there. Johan holstered his weapon and stepped aside to let him in.
Facing each other, Johan began, "According to the mission briefing, we're heading to a secret Valravn Corporation base. We'll reach a designated location, and then wait for them to emerge. They've likely set up surveillance, so expect armed guards to approach with weapons drawn. Just let me handle it, and you watch."
Harris nodded. "Okay."
Both men changed into formal business attire, donning long down jackets to shield them from the cold. As time passed, they left the hotel and found the same cheerful taxi driver waiting for them.
He greeted them and asked in Norwegian:
"Fortsett til fergen på kaia?"
("Still heading to the ferry at the port?")
Harris answered simply, "Yes."
As they drove off, the driver whistled and jokingly commented:
"Flotte dresser! Skal dere på bryllupsreise?"
("Nice suits! Are you two heading on a honeymoon?")
Harris nearly choked on his water, while Johan laughed heartily and replied:
"Nei, vi er her for å gjøre forretninger."
("No, it's strictly business.")
The driver nodded and refocused on the road. Once at the ferry, they exchanged goodbyes, and Harris and Johan found a spot by the rail at the bow of the boat.
Johan offered Harris a cigarette, lighting them both with his lighter. As they took in the view, Johan commented, "Beautiful sight. Too bad we don't have this back in the States. And it's way too cold here."
Harris chuckled. "Typical Americans, always whining about something."
Johan shot back, "Well, why don't you go chug some maple syrup instead of annoying me, you damn Canadian?"
"Stupid American."
"Fucking Canadian."
They both shared a laugh before Johan asked more seriously, "How do you feel about the mission?"
Harris exhaled smoke, thoughtful. "I just hope they hear us out before pulling the trigger."
---
A few hours later, Johan and Harris walked side by side, each carrying a briefcase. Johan led the way, checking a GPS on his phone as they made their way through rough terrain. Eventually, they arrived at the entrance to a cave, where they stopped and waited. Five minutes passed without any movement or signs of life.
Harris, growing impatient, muttered, "Are you sure this info is accurate? I don't think they're actually here."
Johan smirked, "You sure about that?" He pointed toward a rocky outcrop, and after a moment, Harris noticed it—barely visible, a small camera lens embedded in the stone.
Both men turned toward the camera, giving professional smiles. Almost immediately, a section of the rock wall slid open, revealing a small squad of soldiers dressed in gray tactical gear. The soldiers pointed their rifles at them and sternly ordered, "Get inside."
With their hands raised, Johan and Harris complied, entering the hidden facility as the heavy stone door sealed shut behind them. Inside, they were greeted by more armed guards, their rifles aimed at the duo. Harris tensed up, his eyes darting nervously, while Johan maintained his professional demeanor, smiling as if he was merely entering a business meeting.
One of the leaders gestured toward their briefcases. "Give them up." The soldiers took their cases, rifles still trained on them, and patted them down for weapons before leading them deeper into the base.
Eventually, they were escorted into what appeared to be an interrogation room. Harris sat stiffly, glancing at the door, while Johan leaned back in his chair, calm as ever. A few moments later, a man entered the room, flanked by six armed guards. He sat across from them, his face impassive, and in a cold, flat voice, asked, "Who are you?"
Johan smiled confidently and responded, "Just two businessmen and diplomats, here to make a deal with Valravn Corporation."
The man across from them looked surprised but quickly recovered. "I have a lot of questions for you, like how you found us and who told you about us, but I suppose I'll get my answers once I know who you're working for. You mentioned being diplomats earlier. So, I assume you're representing some sort of paranormal organization. Who sent you?"
Johan's smile widened as he leaned forward slightly. "I'm Ambassador Johan Adams, part of the Department of External Affairs, and currently an employee of the SCP Foundation."
The man's eyes widened in shock at the mention of the SCP Foundation. "The SCP Foundation?! You mean the SCP Foundation?!" He stood up abruptly, his expression still one of disbelief. "Excuse me, I need to contact my superior." He hurried out of the room, his guards following him closely.
Johan leaned back in his chair, glancing at Harris with a smirk. "See that? Watch and learn from the pros."
Harris shot him an annoyed look and muttered, "Shut up."
A few minutes later, a large escort entered the room, surprising both Johan and Harris. The man who had questioned them earlier returned, now addressing the teenager following him with a respectful tone, "Sir, these are the two men from the Foundation."
The teenager, brimming with excitement, took a seat across from Johan and Harris. "Good day, gentlemen. I am the CEO of Valravn Corporation. How may I assist you?"
Johan smiled, "Good day, Mr. CEO. I am here for two objectives. The first is to establish contact with you. I'd like to confirm that you are indeed the leader of Valravn Corporation."
The teen grinned widely. "Yes, that's me."
Johan continued, "There's a computer in my briefcase. I'd like it returned."
The CEO snapped his fingers. "Bring him his computer," he ordered. Three guards rushed out and returned with the briefcase in under two minutes, placing it in front of the CEO.
Johan proceeded with several tests on the device, ranging from eye-scans to psychic influence checks. Once the tests were complete, Johan stood up and stated, "I do not have the clearance required to listen to the next conversation. I believe everyone but you and your guards should leave."
The man who had previously escorted them in wanted to protest, but the teenager silenced him with a glance. "Everyone out, except for my Huscarl unit."
Once the room was clear, the computer screen lit up, facing the CEO. A dark and unknown figure appeared, its voice distorted and robotic. "Good day. I assume you are the host of an Esoteric System?"
The teenager immediately understood. "Pleased to meet you. I am the CEO of Valravn Corporation."
The voice continued, "I am the Administrator of the SCP Foundation."
The teenager's eyes sparkled with excitement. The Administrator went on, "I am here for three matters. First, we wish to reinstate the Cartagena Agreement. This treaty permits Valravn to operate freely as long as it respects the Veil and restricts the use of anomalous weapons to anomalous objectives. This ensures that we never interfere with each other's affairs. Do you accept?"
The CEO agreed without hesitation. The Administrator's voice continued:
The Administrator's voice echoed through the room: "There have been some… frictions in the Hope System recently. Two factions have formed, ready to go to war. My allies and I wish to stop this conflict, but for that, we need a force unaffiliated with our organizations to avoid diplomatic complications."
The teenager CEO raised an eyebrow. "And this is where Valravn comes in? You want us to handle the dirty work, huh? Let me think about the price… Since I feel you're about to become one of our main clients, I'll give you an 80% discount for your first contract. The price will be 100 million U.S. dollars."
"Deal," the Administrator replied swiftly. "The details and information will be provided by my two employees there with you."
The CEO nodded, then asked, "You mentioned three matters. What's the third?"
"I've just sent you a contact request. Through it, we will be able to communicate further."
Suddenly, a notification appeared in front of the CEO:
[Ding! The SCP Foundation has sent you a private message request. Do you accept?]
Without hesitation, the teenager replied, "Yes." The Administrator chuckled softly, saying, "It was an honor meeting you, Mr. CEO. I hope we have more opportunities in the future."
"The feeling is mutual," the CEO responded as the computer powered down. He let out a satisfied sigh and then shouted, "Convene the High Table immediately. Serious business is finally starting."