CHAPTER 2

"This Bravo-Zulu-1, Checking in, we are entering SCP-10506," Johnson Radios to Smith.

"Copy Bravo-Zulu, Dr. Evans, make note, Operation Gateway has commenced on September 3rd, 2021, at Twenty-Hundred hours. Bravo- Zulu, you have until 0545 to get back, leaving an approximate 1-hour window for error. Unless you want to be stuck there for 30 days."

"Yes Director, Making a note now." Dr. Evans was by no means the ideal assistant, he often seemed not to care about... well anything. He was only about 5'6 and didn't watch what he ate. His work station was always a mess. Aside from the mess last year, he had been the biggest hindrance to the mission. Always losing notes, research, being bad tempered to some of the newer staff members, and blatantly missing work on purpose

"Dr. Evans, those note better be accurate or else."

"Or what? You'll threaten to report me again? You act tough, but the truth is you're too nice for your own good."

"Watch it Evans."

"Oooooh, I'm Terrified."

"Um Excuse me, if you two are done with your office drama, we've entered SCP-10506," Johnatan interrupts over the radio, "It's amazing. We're in a forest, it has plant life similar to Earth, however some of them have some unique properties. We found a flower that sings! And hey what's this one? *toot* Jesus that's disgusting"

"What happened Bravo-Zulu? Everything ok?"

"Everything's fine, director. A flower just... farted on me..."

Director Smith can't help but laugh. "Hey, it's not funny. Keep laughing and I won't buy you drinks tonight!"

"What a shame, guess I'll have to keep laughing then."

"Uuuugh, must I deal with such unprofessionalism?" Evans interjected.

Johnathan overheard him, "Was that Evans?" He asked.

"Unfortunately," Smith replied.

"Tell him to shut the hell up or I'll come back there and beat his ass."

"Hey, Evans. Cap told you to shut the hell up or he'll come back here and beat your ass!"

"Y-yes mam..." While Evans didn't fear director Smith, He's absolutely terrified Johnson, even though he outranks him.

A few hours pass with little to no other valuable reports. Director Smith sighs, "Bravo-Zulu, anything new..."

"Oh, so you haven't fallen asleep on me? Nothing new," Johnathan checks his watch, it reads 0047. "Director, we'll have to turn back now. We've reached the half way point. If we want to do this right, we'll have to gather a team to spend 30 days or more in here."

"Understood Bravo-Zulu. Dr. Evans please not-" The director turns to look at Evans to find him asleep, covered in potato chips, "EVANS!"

"AGH!" Evans falls out of his chair, "Aw what the hell, I was having a nice dream about fucki-"

Smith face palms, "I'm gonna stop you right there. No one, and I mean no one likes hearing about your... fantasies..."

"Ok, whatever. Your loss."

"I really want to slap you right now..."

"Mmm kinky~" Evans says as he consumes more potato chips.

Johnathan overhears the conversation and says in unison over the radio with Smith "What the fuck Evans?"

The Director walks over to Evans, "Evans?"

"Yes Director?" Director Smith makes a fist, winds up, and punches Evans right in the face, "OUCH! WTF! WHY! OOOOWWWWWW!".

"Still think it's kinky ya creep."

Evans Smiles through his bloody and bruised face, "Yes. OUCH! OH GOD WHY! WHY WOULD YOU PUNCH ME AGIAN! FUUUUCK!

"Good, so as long as you're enjoying it, I can keep beating the shit out of you then?"

"NO! I'M DONE PLEASE STOP!" Evans runs out of the room, "I'm going to medical!"

Johnathan breaks his silence over the radio, "Holy shit Smith, I didn't think you had it in you."

Smith takes a deep breath. she used to have a very bad temper, and while it reared its ugly head every so often. she tried to keep it under control, but sometimes she'd just lose it, "Just focus on the getting back here ok..."

"Wait a minute, Director Smith, I see a campfire. That means someone, or something is here."

Smith almost spills the coffee she was drinking, "Good work Johnson! Proceed with caution. And do keep the time in mind, you only have three hours left."

"Understood, Sargent, take three men to the left flank and set up defensive positions. Lt. Zharykhin and Private Jefferson, you're with me. Let's see what's out there."

"Yes Sir!" His men respond.

Meanwhile, Callum has fallen asleep in each other's arms. They've had one heck of a night. They didn't take 'things' too far, but they definitely kissed each other a lot. They headed back to camp after, giggling the whole way. Rayla, was having difficulty sleeping, drifting in and out of sleep. She eventually finds sleep, or so she thinks.

Rayla is awoken by the distant sound of footsteps. "Ez?" She whispers, "Ez? Is that you?" She carefully gets up as not to wake Callum. She looks over to Ez, and both Guards have fallen asleep.

She hears distant voices now.

"Bravo-Zulu to Site 243, we are approaching the target," a distant man's voice says.

Approaching the target? Rayla thinks, she looks at Ez. They're probably here for us...

Without further any thought, Rayla's training kicks in, with only one goal, protect them. She climbs up into a tree, using her powers to keep herself invisible. She leaps from branch to branch without making a sound. She first assesses how many of them there are. She counts 3 approaching from the southeast, and 3 from the north. She comes up with a strategy to split them up and capture them, and find out who sent them. From the south east she causes distractions, taking them out one by one, dragging them into the bushes. Then she gets to the ones from the south east. These ones appear to be more experienced than the others. She'd have to take two out at once, then fight the remaining one.

She knocks out the two in the rear first, not making one sound. Then she goes for their leader. He turns around and is able block her first attack. She knocked his weapon out of his hands, not before he could activate the strange weapon. Flames shot out the end, and Rayla felt a great pain in her arm. The man pulls out a knife.

"Who are ya, and who sent you?" Ralya demands, ignoring her injuries.

"I was about to ask the same thing." They cross their blades, Rayla being cautious as not to kill the man.

"Oh? And what is this target you were talkin' about? could it be the King and his brother?"

"Lady, I have no clue what you're on about. As far as I'm concerned you attacked us unprovoked."

Rayla manages to land a blow, knocking then man to the ground, "If I remember correctly, I heard one your friends say something along the lines of 'approachin the target'. Don't lie to me, you're here to kill king Ezran!" She walks up to the man, and put her blade to his throat.

The man looks into Rayla's eyes "I have no clue who Ezran is t, I promise this just one big misunderstanding." The man beings to see that his attacker is simply being protective, the way a mother would be with a child. She could potentially be what he was looking for,

Rayla was trained to detect lies, she stares back into his eyes, "You really don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Nope. Don't know a thing about here. This forest, this world, why you have horns, why your hair is white. Not a damn thing."

Rayla sighs, "If I let you get up you won't kill me?"

"I actually came here looking for friends, not enemies."

Rayla steps back, puts her swords away, and reaches her hand out to the man, "Don't think for one second that I've let my guard down."

The man laughs, it's almost like something he would say if the roles were reversed, "The thought never crossed my mind."

Rayla helps the man up, and nearly faints. Her injuries were starting to get to her. The man catches her before she hits the ground, "Easy there, killer," He jokes, "Might want to do something about that there bullet wound."

The man pulls out a box from his bag he was carrying. It contains medical supplies, some of which Rayla had never seen before. Rayla gives the man a less than trusting look.

"Lay on your side, the good arm obviously," The man says calmly, "So, what's your name?"

"Rayla, and you?"

"Captain Johnathan. So, I know you're not a killer, I can see it in your eyes, but what did you do with my men? Try and hold still. I need to close the wound." He says as he pulls out some needles and string.

"Oh, those guys? I knock them unconscious and tied them up, if you didn't talk, I was hoping I'd get something out of them. Sorry about that...ouch!"

"My bad. All stitched up. Just one more thing." Johnathan grabs the bandages out of the box, and wraps them around the wound, "There, almost good as new. Just give it a few weeks."

"Thank ye, and sorry about the misunderstanding."

"Sorry about making you think we were going to kill you, which was partially true if you turned out to be... less than friendly."

"Oh? Understandable, I guess."

"We should probably go untie my men."

"Oh yeah, that. Might be a good idea." The two of them walked to where Rayla had done her handy work, and untied the others. One of them nearly freaked when the captain woke him.

"Captain," The young private asked as he regained consciousness, "Is that you?"

"Everything is fine priva-"

"CAPTAIN BEHIND YOU, IT'S THE THING THAT DID THIS TO ME!"

"Relax Private, she wouldn't hurt a fly. She overheard us talking and needless to say, there was a bit of a small misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" a man with a very thick Russian accent chimed in, "She tied us up, and you shot her arm. I'd call that more than a small misunderstanding."

The captain face palmed, "Yeah, what LT said. Oh, LT, report back to Site 243, let them know what happened and that everything is ok"

The tall Russian salutes him, "Yes comrade."

Rayla walk over to the private, "Um hey there," she says awkwardly, "Name's Rayla. Sorry about bonkin ya on the head and tying you up."

"Private Jefferson, nice to meet you?"

"Comrades, it's getting late. We must be getting back."

Johnathan checks his watch, 0436, "Oh damn, he's right. Guess that's why we have the one-hour window."

"Leaving so soon?" Rayla ask.

"Yeah," the captain replies, "We came here through a gate way from our world. It only appears when the moon is full."

"What! Where is the gateway?" Rayla exclaims

"It's about an hour or two away, which is why we need to get going before sunrise."

"I can't believe it! I've heard stories about it when I was a kid, but I always thought I was just that, a bedtime story for kids!" Rayla is ecstatic, "I have to go get Callum and Ezran!" Rayla runs back to wake Callum and Ezran.

"Hey, Rayla, wait up!" Johnathan follows chases after her. His men so join him

She first wakes Callum. She wraps his arms around him, and kisses his forehead, "Callum, wake up."

Callum slowly opens his eyes, "Hey beautiful, what's up? Rayla what happened to your arm?

"Oh, that? Don't worry about it. It's nothing. Come on I have something to show you. Wake Ez up why don't ya?"

End Chapter 2.