Part 2 - 'Til Death do us Part
Chapter 47 - Breach
It was time, that was all Gwen knew as she was escorted down a corridor into another holding chamber outside a large room. She wondered what horror waited on the other side. Was it 096? She waited patiently, trying to focus on Miles...his goofy humour, his smile, his yellow eyes...or were they brown? They seemed to change, like one of those rip-off mood rings that she would so often find in tourist shops. She hadn't really thought about it before, but now was as good a time as ever. Or not, in the eyes of the staff assigned to this 'experiment' as a voice crackled over the intercom.
"Alright, 9519. You are about to come face to face with SCP-173. Your mission is to find out whether it can survive contact with you. Take a deep breath, and don't blink."
She took the deep breath, although it did nothing for her nerves. The door opened and she walked in. She was facing what looked like some sort of giant peanut with big, black eyes, some red paint and some sort of green blobs on its forehead. What confused her most was its resemblance to some sort of concrete sculpture.
"OK...what happens if I blink...oh Jesus!"
She stumbled back as 173 seemed to teleport towards her, its hands now raised up to her head height.
"You're not breaking my neck today, no thank you."
She charged up some Ethereal energy in her arm and raised it, wondering if it was actually going to break her neck or maybe transport her to the past like the Weeping Angels in Doctor Who. She placed her hand on its arm, not breaking eye contact, although the urge to blink was now painful. Its arm felt like concrete, and the Ethereal Plate didn't seem to affect it.
"So...you're either worthy for being a peanut, or you aren't alive. Err...if you researchers could just let me out. It can touch me."
"Get 173 away from the door and we'll let you out."
Gwen closed one of her eyes to let it rest, then the other being careful not to close both at the same time. She backed against the wall opposite the creature and door, then let herself blink. There was no sound, just 173 staring at her from only a foot away.
"Personal space...jeez."
She ducked under its arm, watching it as she backed towards the door. It didn't open until she was right up against it. Only when it had closed again did she let herself blink. She bent down, resting her hands on her knees and breathing heavily. The other door opened, letting her into the control room where the researchers were taking down some last notes. The scientist in charge of her lowered her clipboard.
"You haven't got much time to rest, I'm afraid. Dr Daniels wants to try you against 096 this afternoon."
Gwen's legs felt weak and she let them collapse from under her. The scientist sighed.
"For the record's sake, SCP-9519 appears to be suffering from some form of shock."
Gwen wasn't entirely sure what was going on with her body. She felt shaky and weak in every muscle, like something was draining her of her strength. She rolled onto her back and lay there, wondering if it was fear over 096, or something else. She pulled the Plate from its slot, forcing a reaction from the guards who snapped their guns up at her in case she made a break for freedom. She didn't, instead just putting the Plate on the ground and breathing. That felt better...a lot better. Was the Plate draining her? Surely not...Conall had survived thousands of years using one. Then again, it had been merged with him not attached to a suit like this. On the other hand it could just be shock that the Plate didn't help. When she felt fine again, she put it back in its slot and stood up slowly, keeping her hands visible so the guards wouldn't shoot. However, her arms began to feel weak. She ignored the feeling this time, and asked to be taken back to her cell.
As she and her escort walked, Gwen turned to the scientist.
"I need to take this Plate out. I'm not supposed to be in contact with it for so long."
The scientist nodded.
"You can take it out but only when in your cell. I'm also going to see if I can get your appointment with Shy Guy changed. You aren't fit for meeting it."
"Shy Guy?"
"SCP-096. We call it that because..."
"Nobody can see its face."
"Yes." The scientist thought for a second as the group came to a stop outside Gwen's cell. "You need something to do in there. Just eating and sleeping is killing your brain. Any requests? Within reason of course."
"Miles has been getting books, he said."
"Yes. I'll have a look and see what can be done. However, you must remember that 9521 has not killed anyone."
"Most SCPs haven't made 682 scared and they get more than me."
"Not all, but yes. You are Euclid for a reason. Now in you go. Get some rest."
"Why is Miles Euclid? He hasn't hurt anyone."
"Not yet. He has potential to do so with his ability to create bioelectric shocks. The classes are not just how dangerous something is, but how hard to contain it. Safe is usually quite easy to contain: it requires little or no resources. Euclid requires some exceptional resources, such as for you, robotic machinery to administer injections and what-not. Then there's Keter, like 682. They're Keter for the reason 682 said: with just a single lunge it could break free. There's two more classes but they're rarely used. Now hurry up and get in there."
Gwen entered her dreary cell and lay down on the bed, pulling the plate free once more and dropping it on the ground. She felt like someone had just taken a pallet of bricks off her chest. It was a relief, to be sure. But probably short lived since she couldn't avoid 096 forever.
Gwen's 'appointment' with Shy Guy was moved, as the scientist had promised. But it couldn't be forever. She was feeling a lot better after nearly a day and a half of sleep and slightly better food, along with a book. It wasn't very entertaining, but kept her brain active. Suddenly, her door opened making her jump. She put the book down and looked up at the scientist. Gwen sighed.
"Is it time?" She asked.
"Not quite, but almost. They're making preparations over at 096's cell. But the O5 have granted you another meeting with 9521. He really got under his researcher's skin. Hazard of the job, eh? Attachment to the enemy."
"Usually you get rid of the enemy before you get attached to them. Otherwise it's just Stockholm Syndrome, I'm pretty sure."
"We'd love to get rid of some, but we can't. That being said, by dinner time the Foundation is going to be down an object. The question is whether it will be 096, or if you'll go like the rest of them. Not even 682 could kill this guy. Only one we haven't tried after you is 001."
"That Scarlet King guy?"
"No, Uriel. Unfortunately the O5 wouldn't allow that after we nuked it and it nuked one of our submarines back. Anyway, back to the point: you're going to see 9521 again. He'll be around for the fight as well, said he'd cause a containment breach if we didn't allow it."
"Good to see Miles is still Miles."
"Grab the...Plate and let's go."
Miles wouldn't let Gwen go, and she was glad of it. The warmth of his body against her's was comforting, and she needed all the comfort she could get right now.
"Miles, is there anything else you can tell me about 096? Maybe I can kill it?"
"I want to believe you can, but from what I've heard I doubt it. You managed to survive 682 long enough to find the Plate solution because you're more agile than it and can get to places it can't. Not 096: it's faster than you, it'll break every bone in your body with a single stroke. Heck, the thing can outrun a jet plane."
"Where do you find all this out?"
"My scientist guy chats with me. I tell him what he want's to know, he tells me what I want to know. I love you, whatever happens."
"I guess I'll see you in the afterlife."
They stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds then began to kiss. For some reason, wedding vows popped into Gwen's head: 'til death do us part'. She would love him to the end no matter what.
"Sorry to interrupt but we're on a tight schedule." Said the intercom.
As they pulled apart, Gwen could see tears in Miles' eyes. He clutched her hand as she turned to leave, unable to keep staring at him.
"You can do this, I love you. I believe on you. Kill it."
He was desperate, and the tears broke through. He sank to his knees as a pair of guards entered, but the intercom told them to wait. Gwen knelt down in front of him and wiped the tears away before kissing his forehead.
"I'm sorry I was never the person you deserved." She whispered.
"No. You were more."
The person on the other end of the intercom became impatient again and ordered the guards to force them apart. The guards raised their guns, backing Gwen into her entrance and Miles into his. The steel doors descended, separating them.
Gwen didn't do anything in the five minutes she was given to prepare. She just sat, staring at the SCP Foundation logo printed in the wall. The speakers burst into life.
"9519, move to ready area."
She stood up slowly and stopped in between the steel doors. One set descended.
"This is Dr Daniels. For the record, this is test number thirty in attempting to terminate SCP-096. All security precautions are in place and functional. Initiating test...now."
The steel door separating Gwen from 096 opened revealing a humanoid, but only just, figure. It was hunched over, facing away from her, seemingly whimpering like a scolded child. Every limb and finger looked as if it had been stretched until it couldn't anymore. This was not what she had envisioned, and she almost felt sorry for it. But she had gathered this was one of the most dangerous SCPs, and now she had the task of killing it or being killed. She charged up some Ethereal energy in her hand and approached slowly. If she got the first hit in she might be able to win. She punched the back if its head; it howled and screamed, clutching the injury. Gwen backed away, drawing a pair of black katanas from thin air. 096 turned to see what had attacked it with so much power. She had seen its face: a horrible, malformed human face. It opened its mouth excessively wide and screamed, charging at her with its hands raised. Gwen leapt at it and sliced with a katana. The weapon became embedded in its wrist and wouldn't come free. It grabbed her arm and hurled her against the wall, but she recovered, pushing off and driving her second katana through the creatures chest. It had no effect, and 096 swatted her away, sprinting, screaming at her. She charged another Ethereal punch and swung her fist from her perch half-way up the wall. It made contact with Shy Guy's head, blasting it across the room. It could definitely touch her, but the energy seemed to hurt it. If she held the Plate to it, it might kill it, or get her internal organs ripped out which she imagined Miles wouldn't like to see. She wondered how everyone was watching this without upsetting the apex of self-consciousness. Then again, why was she devoting her possible last moments to thinking about that? She climbed up onto the roof. 096 leapt at her. Gwen's eyes widened as she realised how little of an advantage height gave her. Its claws raked into her skin and she was dragged down with it. It bore down on her, its mouth open like it was about to bite her head off. She used one hand to slow it down just for long enough to free the Ethereal Plate and stab it into the beasts back. It howled and screamed, returning to its hunched position and thrashing around. Gwen dragged herself up a wall, blood oozing from a gash across her forehead. 096 still screamed a horrible sound, searching its body for the source of its pain. Gwen just watched, occasionally wiping the blood from her forehead. However, after nearly half a minute, 096's hands found the Plate. It ripped it out and hurled it at Gwen. She webbed it and pulled it into her hand pushing it back into its slot. She admired the work the Plate had done: its flesh was pealing away, coming off in small chunks as it moved. She charged up an attack she had only used once when rescuing Miles from Conall three years ago. A black beam of energy erupted from her palm and struck 096's chest, pushing it back and melting away its skin and internal organs. It was draining her, exhausting the very essence of her life, which was why she didn't use it often. Eventually she couldn't do it anymore and the beam ceased, expecting 096 to drop dead with all the damage to it. Its head was just a skull, its body just ribs and a spine with some small pieces of flesh here and there but nothing left of its internals. However, the skeleton stared at her for a few seconds before leaping forward.
"What?!"
She leapt to the side to avoid being caught again. It dug its bony fingers into the wall and ran after her. Gwen kicked it and leapt onto the floor, picking up her katanas which had come free. She wished she had the Subtle Knife; it would turn this thing into 096 spaghetti. The skeleton leapt after her again, swiping furiously. Gwen parried the bones with a katana but it shattered under the force. The bony hand grabbed her by the hair and hurled her across the room. There was a sickening crack as something in her body broke.
Miles was watching through a camera from the control room. 096's face was blurred out on the screen. He saw Gwen being shaken around like a baby's rattle. He had to do something...anything. He looked around and saw the door to the chamber had a manual release. Before the guards could react, he bolted for it and wrenched it open, opening the way to the chamber. He had seen its face now, or at least its skull, and so had a couple of the guards who had turned to gun him down. Instead, one pulled the manual release again, sealing Miles inside. He was just in time to see the skeleton skewer Gwen and hurl her away before it turned to him. He charged a venom strike, channelling all his rage into it. He struck 096 as hard as he could. Yellow bolts of energy ripped in every direction, blasting the skeleton away. At the same time, an alarm began to blare. Miles didn't care. He ran over to Gwen and cradled her in his arms. She was still alive. His spidey sense screamed at him as 096 stood up, but he didn't care. Instead of going for him, it busted through the wall into the control room to kill the guards who had seen it. Miles stroked Gwen's cheek as he held her, looking over her injuries. The beast had skewered her through the hip, which was at least better than the chest or head. Suddenly, his spidey sense screamed even louder. He looked just in time to see 096's skeleton bearing down on him, its jaw hanging open. He was dragged off and hurled across the room, pursued by the bony remains. He prayed for a miracle, suddenly more scared than he had ever been before. He thought he would be ready for death, but not at the hands of this monster. He closed his eyes as there was a resounding crash, followed by someone, or something speaking in a deep voice. He dared to look, opening his eyes to a scene that shocked him. A large, black and white creature was locked in a vicious wrestling match with SCP-096.
"You don't look very tasty. All bones, no flesh." Said Venom.
Miles stood up, charging a venom strike, ready to hit 096 if it somehow broke free, although the symbiote seemed to have it really quite under control. He moved around the fight back to Gwen, who he picked up and carried through the hole in the wall and out into the bright sunlight. There was a horrible crunching sound behind him, but he didn't look. Either Venom or 096 was going to come up behind him. He didn't really care. All that mattered was a chance to get Gwen to safety, maybe in time to save her. There was a Phantom jet in the middle of the courtyard, being circled by another which was gunning down any SCP personnel that dared approached. Miles had been expecting it to be daytime, but it was so dark. He looked up to see it was actually day, but the SGC Valour hovered overhead blocking out all light to the facility. He reached the Phantom and clambered aboard. As he lay Gwen's body down, he removed the Plate and she was engulfed in energy, transferred up to the ship. He looked around to see a black and white creature bounding towards him. It leapt up the ramp and the Phantom lifted off, accelerating quickly towards the mothership. The Venom symbiote began to disappear into Edward's body. He sat on the ground, panting for breath.
"That was fun." He said with a grin.
Miles looked at him sadly. The admiral sighed.
"Sorry; fun for me, not you. I got tired of Venom calling me a 'pussy' and figured what better to take on 096 than it. They're about the same size and strength."
Miles glared.
"Right...not helping. Err...Peter and Teresa are being held somewhere north of Lansing, Michigan. Are you gonna help out with that one or do you need a break?"
Miles still said nothing. He rolled his eyes and sank into a seat, not exactly sure what to do with himself. On one hand, Peter and Teresa were his friends. On the other, his wife might be about to die. Edward sat up in a seat opposite.
"Hey, she's in good hands. We got the doc from Arachnid ready to go on Valour when we set out. If anyone can help her, he can."
"And if he can't?"
Edward glanced around, not sure what to say. Suddenly, the aircraft jolted. The pilot turned back to them.
"Buckle up! We've got a passenger."
Edward and Miles thought the same thing at the same time: 096. The aircraft began to perform some rather crazy manoeuvres but couldn't shake the skeleton as it pulled panel after panel from the fuselage. Miles put the Plate in a slot which had emerged on his suit on his chest; Edward allowed Venom out again. Everything went silent and the aircraft began to hurtle back towards the ground. The ramp was wrenched open and 096 bolted at Miles. He struck it with an Ethereal punch, grasping his knuckle with the pain. The beast hurtled out again, and Venom leapt after it. Miles looked at the cockpit and saw the pilot had bailed put. He took a running leap into the abyss of the sky and opened his wing suit, diving after Venom and 096 which were biting and tearing at each other. Neither seemed able to hurt the other. As they broke apart, Miles grabbed 096's skull and blasted it with as much energy as he could, both from his venom strike and the Void Plate. He felt bony hands trying to reach to crush his head, but a black hand wrenched them off and began to twist 096's limbs. The ground was coming up quickly. Miles let go, firing a web at a watch tower and rolling out the landing. There was a resounding crash as 096 and Venom smashed through a building's roof. There was an almighty roar. Miles swung over to the hole and looked down to see the two humanoids fighting each other with SCP-173 just watching. He blinked and it moved towards the pair. Miles dropped in.
"Venom! Leave it in here!"
173 was a genius at breaking bones, and that was what they needed right now. Venom leapt up, slamming 096 into the concrete. The pair listened intently to the scraping of concrete, and hideous cracks. Miles looked back: 096 leapt up at him; Venom slapped it away.
"We can't kill it with brute force. Its arm is broken, but it still lives." The symbiote growled.
Miles noticed this as well, spotting one of the skeleton's arms was lying on the ground in front of 173. Another thing struck him: it was hollow, and there was now a gaping hole in 096's strength.
"We have to get it to 682." He said.
Edward's face appeared through Venom's.
"You've got to be kidding."
"682 is scared of the Ethereal Plate, but it's also contained in hydrochloric acid. If that stuff gets in 096's bones it could cause a lot of damage."
"Good thinking."
The symbiote formed over the admiral again as 096 bounded after them. Miles let his spidey sense guide him to their objective, where he venom struck the roof. It caved in and he stuck onto the inside. 682 snarled at him, looking up, but spotted the Plate, then 096. Miles was surprised at just how big the 'Hard-to-Kill Reptile' was.
"You bring that thing here, but I have failed to kill it." It grumbled.
"We're not here for you, but feel free to do a number on it." Miles replied, dodging a strike from Shy Guy.
Venom grabbed the skeleton by the head and hurled it into the enormous pool of acid. It thrashed around violently. 682 watched curiously, then roared and slammed its foot down on the...Miles didn't have time to finish analysing the situation. Something else smashed into the cell: something which drifted towards him like a ghost, glitching constantly. Edward reappeared.
"You didn't deal with Helltreader?"
"We didn't have time. Get 682 to kill him."
682 looked up at them again, hearing its name. Miles swung towards Helltreader, charging a venom strike. Helltreader flicked his hand, snapping his web. Miles landed on 682's back, merely a couple of feet above one of the most corrosive substances known to humanity. 682 roared as Ethereal energy scorched it. Miles leapt up as it thrashed, narrowly avoiding a spray of acid. The reptile jumped up at Helltreader, snapping at him, smart enough to know Miles hadn't touched it by choice and to get its priorities straight. Venom jumped on Helltreader from above, ripping into his flesh, only to be hurled away and crash into the wall. But the damage was done. 682 leapt up again and caught the glitching immortal's legs, dragging him down into the acid. A tsunami of the liquid sloshed against the walls. There was a bang and the glitch was gone. Miles looked at Venom.
"Mission successful."
The symbiote was more interested in 682. The reptile stared up at Miles in particular, unable to reach them.
"You are not of this world. But you are just the same, human."
With that, it lunged at the side of its container, smashing through it like someone stabbing a block of butter with a sword.
"I think it's time to go." Said Edward.
Miles' thoughts returned to Gwen and he prayed that she would be OK as he followed Venom out of the chamber and onto the roof where they were consumed by energy.
A medic was waiting for them as they arrived on the transfer pad. Venom disappeared into Edward as they ran up to Miles with some sort of spray.
"You need to be decontaminated. This world contains a lot of things which could wreck havoc."
"You think?"
Edward sat down on the step as the medic sprayed Miles down.
"I've always been a fan of the SCP Foundation, at least the fictional version. Suddenly meeting all that stuff might make me reconsider."
Miles morphed his mask off and sat down with him.
"I feel bad. The scientist with me was really nice. I hope he's OK."
"The Foundation has never failed to re-contain him before. Besides, they're down one of the more dangerous. What number were you?"
"9521, Euclid."
"In my dimension the fictional one is up to fifteen thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine."
The admiral suddenly had a thought and tapped his com badge.
"Melbourne to bridge, any word from the guys at Site 19?"
"Yes sir, they're secured our people and are returning to base."
"Understood. Melbourne out."
Miles stood up and walked to the door.
"I have to check on Gw...arrgh. I have to check on her."
"I don't think you'll be able to see her. They'll be operating on her. But you do you."
Edward was left alone with the medic and transfer officer. The medic raised the spray.
"I need to do you as well, sir."
"Go for it."
Crossovers in this Chapter
- SCP Foundation
- Venom