Part 5 - Blood of the King

Chapter 77 - Questions That Shouldn't Be Asked

Charlotte was home from school before Max, and Miles was still at work. Rachel was with her, but the spider couldn't shake her lightbulb moment about her mother's death out her head. How had the infamous Gwen Stacy, Spiderwoman, the Empress, her mother, really died? There was a locked box under her father's bed. He had always told her never to touch it, and now she was sure why. She slid the box out; it was made from a solid Reapersteel-Vibranium alloy that was almost indestructible. There was no way she could force it open, despite her super strength, but Rachel had some skills with lockpicking from a time when she had been interested in being an engineer. Rachel fiddled with it for nearly twenty minutes, but finally it clicked open. She looked at her friend.

"Are you sure we should look inside this, Charlo? Your dad must have some reason why he's hiding things in here."

"I have to know how Mum died."

"And you're certain the answer is in here?"

"It has to be."

Charlotte pulled the lid off. Inside was a pile of envelopes, each shut with an old wax seal. Rachel raised her eyebrows.

"Your dad really went all out with this."

"It's wax."

"Yeah, so it can't exactly be opened by accident. He'll know you opened them."

"It doesn't matter."

The spider picked up the one on the top and snapped the seal. Inside was a folded sheet of paper at the top of which was written 'Report R-0: DIR01ELA eyes only'. Rachel read over her friend's shoulder:

'Nobody else should be reading this. No level fives, nobody. Just me. I've been thinking about it a lot after Gwen's death and I have to write it all down and gather my thoughts. There is an omniverse: something bigger than the multiverse. I mean if there's an omniverse, could there be an omni-omniverse? How far back does this go? Where is the true beginning? It throws into question the whole story about the Quintari living in the world between worlds. The High Aether says there are six multiverses, possibly seven. This one is Premis and there's another called Bastria. Bastria is a 'Bastion of the Dead'. It's where everyone goes when they die. It's where Lucifer came from, and I'm guessing the Scarlet King as well. It wouldn't surprise me: the King first mentioned the word ten years ago in a conversation about the Animator. When he said it, Gwen's eyes glowed magenta like that damn Plate. If she hadn't merged with it, she might still be alive. Then again, I'd probably still be dead. The multiverse is changing; the Ethereal Legion was given the green light today. Once everything get's going, I'll be the single most influential person in the multiverse. I could have world leaders shot with just a word. I've already ordered the mass wiping of people's memories concerning the Ethereal Plates. Damn the Foundation and their amnestic technology; it's so tempting to make them all forget what Gwen did. But I can't; I'll find another way. Anyway, Bastria holds the key to the Animator's origins but I promised the High Aether I would never tell anyone. This concludes the first report of the Ethereal Legion, I guess.'

Rachel and Charlotte exchanged looks.

"Dad doesn't just work for the Ethereal Legion..."

"He is the Legion."

"And he founded it. I remember him saying he was getting a job when it started. I didn't know he was on his own payroll."

"What's this thing about a 'Scarlet King'? And your mum merging with a Plate?"

"I don't know. But that Plate killed her somehow."

"And an omniverse: more than one multiverse."

"It changes everything."

Charlotte picked up the next envelope and opened it.

'Report R-37: The Death of Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy-Morales. Author: Miles Gonzalo Morales (DIR01ELA)'

"This is it."

'Forenote: I request that this report be kept hidden from assets SPI-1 and SPI-2 unless told otherwise under step three of Procedure AMM-1-F.'

"There's that AMM-1 you were talking about."

"And the -F. My godfather said to Teresa not to say anything about it."

"You don't think those four are the directors of the Legion? Plus your dad."

"Teresa, Edward, Lisa and that Robert guy. Whatever, I need to read this."

'Gwendolyn Maxine Stacy-Morales (referred to as 'Gwen' from now on) first showed signs of health problems approximately six months before her death. She started having headaches which would last for a few seconds before disappearing again. Over the course of the next couple of months, the duration and intensity increased until she had them on average once a week, and lasting up to two to three days.'

"I remember her headaches. She spent days on end in bed drugged with Ibuprofen."

'When I asked her how painful they were, she replied with: 'they make giving birth feel like a massage'. We decided to go and see a doctor who said she had some form of cancer that they had never seen before. When asked if it could be treated, they said it couldn't. Following this, we took a trip to Ardveer leaving the kids with Edward Melbourne (now DIR03ELC), SPI-1's godfather.'

"Who's SPI-1?"

"Me."

'On Ardveer, the Quintari doctor told us it was similar to cancer, but wasn't. It appeared her neurons were mutating and becoming entangled with each other. The doctor said it may have been a side-effect from ELO-003 and they could not treat it as it was something even the Quintari, in all their billions of years of existence, had never seen. Over the course of the next few months, Gwen began to forget things. It started off with saying the same thing twice in a conversation, but eventually intensified into forgetting simple bodily functions such as how to eat. Fortunately, she was already in hospital when she forgot how to breathe. She died three days later. I don't know what she said to our kids, but she asked me to never let anyone suffer like she did. This request led to the formation of the Ethereal Legion, and is where the codename 'Dying Wish' originates. Our kids were told she died of a heart attack, simply because they could never understand it all.'

Charlotte dropped the sheet of paper, letting it float down to the floor. She was on the verge of tears when the front door opened. The pair made to stuff the reports back into the box, but it was too late. Charlotte prayed it was Max, but it seemed her father was home from work early. Miles looked between his daughter, her friend, and then his eyes fell on the box hanging open. His expression changed from its usual calm and composed look to one of anger. What scared Charlotte most was his silence as he dropped his briefcase and picked up the two sheets of paper. He unfolded them, glancing at the titles. He muttered one word as he read the title of the first the pair had read:

"Shit."

He checked the second then sat and slammed both down.

"I assume you read both of these?"

It was a statement more than a question, but Charlotte nodded. The front door opened again and Max walked in. Miles looked at him; the former became confused about his father's rage, but decided not to question his instruction:

"You: dump your stuff and go for a walk. Don't come back until I text you. And if you have any of your little microphones in here, get rid of them."

Max had removed them all after the incident with Teresa so he just threw his bag down in his room and walked back out with his headphones in. Miles turned back to Charlotte and Rachel and took a deep breath.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?!" He roared.

"I wanted to know about Mum." Charlotte murmured.

"And Rachel, you know what these say as well?"

"Yes."

Miles growled, looking at the titles again.

"If it was just this," He held up the second document. "I might have been a bit more understanding. There's very little sensitive information in here other than my damn ID and 'ELO-003'. But this:" He held up the second. "Both of you read it all? Every word?"

"Yes." Said Charlotte, her voice barely audible.

"If you two were anybody else, you would have been placed under arrest and in front of a firing squad before you knew what was happening. If something says it's only to be viewed by a certain person, and you are not that certain person, then don't read it!"

"I'm sorry..." Started Rachel, wondering whether Miles would go through with putting them in front of a firing squad.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!"

"It was my idea." Said Charlotte.

"I figured. Do you remember Teresa saying there are some questions best not answered? Half the answers to those questions are in this. The omniverse: the three of us are the only humans who know about it, and I've now broken a promise to the High Aether. Do you understand how serious that is?"

Neither answered.

"Ethereal Plates, the Scarlet King, the Animator, the SCP Foundation. I had trillions of people given amnestic treatment to make them forget those. And now you know I'm the Senior Director of the Ethereal Legion, you're a threat to temporal security. What the hell do I do with you both?"

"You could give us the amnestic treatment, make us forget." Suggested Charlotte.

"No. No, no, no, no. Amnestics are dangerous. Too dangerous to risk using on you, and now I can't justify using them on you either."

Miles pushed back his chair and began pacing. Rachel's phone buzzed. She went to check it, but Miles whirled round and barked:

"No! Pass that here. Yours too, Charlotte."

Both handed them over. Miles plugged them into the wall.

"ELIS, permanently wipe all audio logs collected from these two devices. If the information is being held anywhere other than Apple Inc. servers, corrupt the system."

"Processing operation. Operation complete."

"You two didn't text anyone about this, did you?"

"No."

"Good."

Rachel was getting fidgety.

"Something you want to say?" Miles demanded.

"Mum will be getting worried. She's always really paranoid if I don't text her back."

"What's the arrangement with this today? I can't remember if you were staying overnight or just for the evening."

"I was staying until five."

"Well you're staying overnight now until I can figure out what the hell to do with you both."

"But..."

"This isn't some teenage secret, Rachel. This is official government...no, beyond government information."

"Are you going to tell Mum about this?"

"No, because if I do that she becomes a security threat as well."

"Dad, I don't get what the big deal with all this stuff is." Said Charlotte.

"Everything mentioned in this document could lead to what we like to refer to as a 'Stacy Class' scenario; in other words, the things in here present a significant threat not only to lives, but to the multiverse itself. With the exception of the Animator, that is."

"What's the Animator?"

"Stop asking questions. You'll just make things worse. I need to speak with Teresa."

Miles picked up his briefcase and popped it open, sliding out a laptop which he switched on and fiddled around with for a minute. Finally it started making noises as if calling someone. A second later, Teresa picked up. She was walking down the street.

"If you want me to babysit your kids, my answer is no."

"We need to talk. SLIL five."

"Give me a minute. I'm almost home."

She picked up the pace, then came to a house which she unlocked, entered and locked again.

"What's happening?"

"Charlotte and her friend Rachel decided to open up the box with R-0."

"Ah. That report you don't let anyone else read because of a promise to the High Aether. Since it's level six, how can I help?"

"There's a lot of level five info as well. Specifically on ELO-001 to 010, a bit on 012, a brief mention of the Foundation branch and then a bit about Tufto."

Teresa bit her lip, wondering how to react.

"My go-to would be amnestics, but I doubt you would be willing to take the risk on your daughter. Are they both there?"

"They are."

"Do they know about anything else?"

"They know I'm Senior Director, and I'm guessing they've figured out the rest of you."

"Have they?" The question was aimed at Charlotte and Rachel.

Miles looked at them expectantly.

"We guessed it was you, Edward, Lisa and that Robert guy." Answered Charlotte.

"You know, Miles, she reminds me of Gwen sometimes." Said Teresa.

"I know. And not always for the best reasons."

"Doing what she thinks is right for the greater good, but really messing up. What to do...what to do..."

There was some silence before Teresa continued with a suggestion.

"Since the High Aether made you promise not to share the contents of that document, you could take them to speak to him. He'd have a better idea of the bigger picture."

"I'm not sure I can justify taking Rachel on a round trip to Ardveer." Miles replied.

"We can't do nothing. While they know the information, we can't let them out of our sight."

"And we can't post a level two to tail them."

"It's an idea. Level twos can be given amnestics."

"I'll sleep on it. I need to persuade Rachel's mother to let her stay the night."

"Good luck with that. Anything else?"

"Inform the other level fives."

"Will do."

Teresa hung up. Miles looked at the girls, the anger on his face not quite as intense as it had been.

"Dad...I'm sorry. I just wanted to know about Mum."

"I get that. But maybe if you had looked at the warning on Zero, we wouldn't be in this position. And you could have at least waited until Rachel had left so that she could go home."

"I'm sorry. To you too, Rachel."

Miles stood up.

"Right now there's nothing I can do within reason. Not a word to Max; if he asks, send him to me. Now let's sort things out with your mother, Rachel."

Max was really confused. His father seemed to have calmed down, as if nothing had ever happened. Dinner had been extremely awkward; nobody had said a word. But now, in the middle of the night, he woke up. It didn't take long for him to realise what had disturbed him: Rachel was shouting for help. He clambered out of bed and rushed through. Charlotte looked like she was having some sort of seizure, saying the word 'no' over and over.

"Do something!" Rachel begged.

Max had no idea what he could, so he ran to get his father. Miles was fast asleep with his headphones in. It looked like he had been trying to stay awake to think things over, but failed. Max shook him; he groaned and pulled his headphones out.

"What?"

"It's Charlotte...she's...I don't know what's happening."

Miles was up in an instant. He burst into the room his daughter and her friend were sharing and surveyed the scene. He tried shaking her, but she didn't stir. He shouted her name in her ear, but still no response.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Max suggested.

"She's never had seizures before. No, this isn't normal. Do not call an ambulance."

"What if she dies?" Pressed Rachel.

Miles ignored the question.

"ELIS, analysis."

"Processing operation. Operation complete. Unable to compute."

Suddenly, Charlotte stopped moving. She sat up slowly, then opened her eyes staring directly at Miles. Even he seemed freaked out, although not by what had just happened, but by the red glowing that was classic nightmare fuel. She said a single sentence before passing out again:

"The Scarlet King's reign is eternal."

Max switched the light on, staring at his father expectantly.

"ELIS. Suit."

A few seconds later, a red and black ball shot into Miles' outstretched hand. He pressed it to his chest and it morphed into his Spiderman suit. When he had control of his nerves, he approached his unconscious daughter and shook her gently. She stirred, and another shake brought her round. Miles double tapped the side of his head and his mask disappeared. Charlotte sat up, terrified, choking on her breaths. She looked at her brother, her friend, then her father.

"Oh my...Oh god..."

"Breathe, Charlotte." Said Rachel.

The spider took a moment to try and get a grip. Miles sat himself down on the edge of the bed.

"Max, you are not to say a word about any of this to anyone, do you understand?" He said.

Max nodded, looking slightly shaken.

"Is this because I read that document?" Asked Charlotte, shakily.

"I don't know. I need you to do something. Rachel, can you pass me that notepad and pen?"

Rachel handed Miles what he asked for.

"I need you to write down everything you saw in as much detail as you can."

Charlotte took the pen and paper and started to write. Miles stood up, facing Max and Rachel.

"I need you two to leave the room. What she writes, I need as few people as possible to know what it says."

"Will she be OK?" Asked Max.

"She should be. If you want to help, fill the kettle."

"Yeah..."

The pair disappeared, clearly freaked out. Miles turned back to Charlotte.

"I'm going to get an envelope. Just keep writing."

She nodded.

The morning arrived. Max was curled up, fast asleep, on one of the two couches. Rachel had gone upstairs a few hours earlier and fallen asleep. Charlotte was still shaking, Miles was pacing.

"What's happening to me, Dad?"

"I'm not sure. Today is Saturday, isn't it?"

"I don't know."

"Yeah, it is. OK...all four of us are going to visit Legion HQ today."

"Why all of us?"

"Because you and Rachel for obvious reasons, me because I work there, and Max because now he's heard the name 'Scarlet King' and is in a similar, but not quite as severe, boat as you two."

"Who is the Scarlet King?"

"Robert Montauk would be the best person to put that question to. He spent twenty years studying him."

"The director?"

"Yeah. Charlotte, look. I'm going to be honest here and say I don't know whether you are going to be OK or not. I'm not sure if this is related to that document; it could be to do with anything."

"Could it be to do with you being shot?"

"That was almost a week ago. But...you might be on to something. We'll discuss this with the directors. Go and wake Rachel and do what you need to do to get ready."

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"I know."

Crossovers in this Chapter

- SCP Foundation