13/09/2015

Operation Goals: To locate and retrieve Dr. Vogel from inside SCP-3608.

Operation Overseer: Site-3608 Director Haugen

Operation Members: MTF Alpha-5 "Paranaughts" Captain Lauder, Agents Yukon, Powers, and Imski.

Foreword: On 13/09/2015, four hours prior to this operation, Dr. Vogel, acting against all Foundation security and operational protocols, and in clear breach of containment procedures, entered SCP-3608. Director Haugen approved Operation 3608-V immediately when this was discovered.

TRANSCRIPT

05:00:00 - 05:04:15 - Alpha-5 team members perform standard pre-mission checks of weapons and communications equipment. Each team member is equipped with short-range radios for intra-team communication, long-range radios for communication with Director Haugen, and chest-mounted body cameras. Each member is issued a field bag with five days of survival rations, six FRKs, an emergency medical kit, six autoinjecting needles with Class-D amnestics, and additional ammunition for their firearms.

Cpt. Lauder: Alright, boys, standard search and retrieve. You all know who Dr. Vogel is, he's the target. If he's become compromised by the effects of 3608, we are authorized to terminate and retrieve the body. Understood?

Yukon: Got it.

Imski: Understood.

Powers: In and out, sounds pretty simple.

Dir. Haugen: To recap, the entity is a sapient dimension with, presumably, complete control over its internal layout. It's also been documented to have the ability to cause severe emotional distress. You were chosen because you all have clean records, no notable phobias, and high scores on the PRI . D-Class have only been sent in one at a time so far, and we're not sure how it will react to multiple targets. No direct hostile activity has been seen from any entities inside; the danger seems to come from the entity's ability to manipulate emotions.

Imski: I don't know boss, I stole a candy bar when I was seven. Might want to keep our eyes out for a giant, angry Mars bar.

Powers and Yukon laugh.

Cpt. Lauder: Can it. Anyone beginning to experience any regret, sadness, anger, anything like that, is to report it to the team immediately. We have low-strength Class D amnestics handy for short-term, recent memory erasure. Any hostile behavior towards a teammate or repeated refusal to follow orders will be seen as probable contamination and result in immediate termination. There will be no exceptions to this. We can't risk letting this thing into our heads. We all need to be on high alert - eyes up, ears open, heads clear.

Alpha-5 team approaches the door. As Cpt. Lauder extends his hand to open it, the door opens before he makes contact.

Powers: Well, that's not ominous.

Cpt. Lauder: Sounds like we have a volunteer to go in first. Nods at Powers. Powers leads, Yukon and I follow, Imski brings up the rear.

As Agent Powers crosses the threshold, his body-cam malfunctions. Cpt. Lauder and Agent Yukon attempt to follow, but the door violently swings shut, catching Agent Yukon's fingers between the door and frame, cleanly severing his forefinger and middle finger at the distal interphalangeal joint . Agent Yukon shouts in pain and stumbles back from the door, attempting to stem the bleeding. Captain Lauder attempts to force the door open, but it remains shut.

Cpt. Lauder: Shit! Powers, do you read? The door shut behind you, the rest of the team is not with you. Do you read?

No response is heard from Agent Powers for roughly twenty seconds. Captain Lauder continues his attempts to force open the door. Agent Imski calls for on-site medical staff to assist Agent Yukon.

Powers: I read, Captain. Christ, that hurts…

Cpt. Lauder: Powers! Powers, what the hell happened?

Powers: The door opened in the middle of the fucking sky. I fell probably…10 meters? Left leg is injured, potentially broken, and this place is…oh. Oh, shit. What the hell?

Cpt. Lauder: What is it, Powers?

Powers: I'm…I'm back at Site-3608. It dropped me right outside the entrance. But it's…wrong.

Dir. Haugen: Of course it's wrong. I just checked with the security team, there's nobody at the entrance.

Cpt. Lauder: Jesus. It recreated the site.

Powers: What?

Cpt. Lauder: It's able to get information about the subject's universe of origin. Dr. Vogel is inside right now. It's probably recreating the site from his mental image.

Dir. Haugen: We've only seen it make uniform changes on a larger scale up to this point, but that sounds feasible. You are likely seeing 3608's recreation of Site-3608.

Powers: I'm…not sure what I should do. Command, advise?

Dir. Haugen: I would recommend proceeding into the facility with great caution. Attempt to locate the equivalent of Secure Wing Alpha in the hopes of finding an egress point.

Cpt. Lauder: Agreed. Sounds like your best chance of getting out is to go in.

Powers: I…I really don't like that idea. This place is really starting to get to me.

Cpt. Lauder: Powers, stay calm. Remember, this thing hasn't hurt anyone directly. You're one of our best agents, and you've survived a thousand times worse shit than this. You can do this. No doubt, no fear.

Powers: No doubt, no fear. Eyes open, head clear.

Imski: You got this, Powers. Show this son of a bitch that it can't scare the Paranaughts!

Yukon: And hey, uh, grab my fingertips if you can find them?

The three MTF agents and Captain Lauder laugh.

Powers: I'm going to splint my leg and head in. Still nothing on the video feed?

Dir. Haugen: Sorry, Agent Powers, still nothing but static.

Cpt. Lauder: We'll continue to monitor it as you go. Keep us updated if you notice anything abnormal, but assuming the site layout is identical, you should be able to get to Secure Wing Alpha no problem.

Powers: Copy that, Captain.

The sounds of Agent Powers bandaging his leg are heard. Medical staff have bandaged Agent Yukon's fingers and he is attempting to force the door open with Agent Imski. Captain Lauder and Director Haugen are monitoring Agent Powers' audio and video feeds.

Powers: Alright, my leg is patched up as best as it's going to be.

The sounds of Agent Powers getting to his feet are heard.

Powers: Putting some weight on it. [Grunts.] It still hurts, but I think I'll manage. I'm heading to the main door.

Cpt. Lauder: Copy. Keep us updated as you continue through the complex. Yukon and Imski are still trying to get that damned door back open.

Powers: You got it, cap. The main door opened by itself as I approached, didn't need to insert my access card. I suppose complex security systems are a bit beyond this thing's ability, at least for now.



Cpt. Lauder: What's the inside look like?

Powers: It's identical to the site. It's kinda unnerving, seeing how it all looks right but just feels wrong, you know?

Cpt. Lauder: Powers, we're the Paranaughts. Looking right but feeling weird is what we do.

Powers: Got that right, captain. I think that this is helping, it's keeping me grounded. I'm heading through the door to the main hallway. No signs of activity.

Cpt. Lauder: Just keep going. Still feeling alright?

Powers: Yeah, I feel okay. There have been sort of…pinpricks is how I'd describe them. Like, it feels like something is trying to mess with me, but it just can't get in, can't get a grip on anything.

Yukon: [Shouting] It's got nothing because you won't give it anything! No fear!

Powers: Hallway was totally empty. I've reached the door to Secure Wing Alpha.

Cpt. Lauder: You're almost out, Powers. Get in there, find the door, and get back to us. Drinks are on me.

Powers: Yeah, like that would ever happen.

The three MTF agents laugh.

Cpt. Lauder: Oh, shut it, Agent.

Powers: Just kidding, cap. I'm entering Secure Wing Alpha now.

Cpt. Lauder: We all know you can do this, Powers.

A sharp burst of static is heard over the audio feed.

Powers: No! You're not getting in my head, you piece of shit!

Cpt. Lauder: Powers, what's going on?

Powers: I crossed the threshold and just…a spike of anxiety and fear hit me. It didn't try to bring up anything specific, it was like it was just trying to force emotions on me. I think I deflected the worst of it, though.

Cpt. Lauder: Damn right! Show this thing who's boss!

Powers: [Shouting] Yeah, you son of a bitch! My mind is my own, you can't feed on me!

Cpt. Lauder: Alright Powers, you should be nearing the door now. What do you see?

Powers: I'm entering the containment chamber now. And the door is…what the hell? Doctor?

Dr. Vogel: Hello, Agent Powers.

Cpt. Lauder: Powers! You found Vogel?

Powers: Yeah, he's here. Doctor Vogel, I'm here to bring you back home. Do you know how to get out-

Dr. Vogel: There is only one exit, Agent Powers. Me.

Powers: Doctor, come on, we need you back at the site. Especially now, you've got some really useful information. We'll get you back to work-

Dr. Vogel: Laughs. That's nonsense, and you know it. I've breached protocol. If I come with you, I might as well be dead. Which is why that's the only way you're getting out. You have to kill me.

Powers: Screw that! Doctor, come on. You haven't done anything that can't be fixed. Director Haugen will understand-

Dr. Vogel: Haugen is a fool! Just because some D-Class got scared, he wanted us to stop! To stop exploring this world! He is not a man of science, not like me.

Cpt. Lauder: Powers, I think….I think you have to do it. We knew this might be an outcome. The doctor has clearly been compromised by this thing.

Powers: I…alright. If that's your order, captain.

Muffled movement is heard, presumably Powers unholstering his sidearm.

Powers: Doctor, I'm sorry about this.

Cpt. Lauder: Powers, wait!

Three gunshots are heard in quick succession. The door to SCP-3608 opens, and Doctor Vogel's lifeless body falls through it.

Cpt. Lauder: Shit! Powers, get out of there, now!

Powers begins screaming, and his audio feed begins to become distorted. The video feed reactivates, and shows the scene of Powers shooting Doctor Vogel twice in the chest and once in the head on repeat. Agent Powers is seen through the door as it begins to close, raising his gun to his temple.

Cpt. Lauder: [Shouting] POWERS!!!

The door loudly slams shut, rendering it unclear if a gunshot was heard as well.

OPERATION TERMINATED

Note from Director Haugen: We have recovered a small audio recording device from Doctor Vogel's body. We hope that it will give us some insight into his actions. We are holding a small ceremony for him and Agent Powers, after which amnestics will be administered. The loss of Agent Powers has clearly had an effect on the morale of the other Alpha-5 team members, and it would be dishonest of me to say that the loss of Dr. Vogel has not affected me. It would be a liability to allow us to remember.