2 Marvelous Challenges -1
A sudden wave of nausea overwhelmed Alex, forcing him to clutch the wall for support. His head spun wildly, a silent question throbbing in his mind.
"What just happened?" He whispered as discomfort engulfed him, intensifying with each heartbeat.
He spent a few agonizing minutes gasping for air, his back pressed against the cold wall, seeking solace in its stability. With each deep, deliberate breath, the fog in his mind began to clear, but clarity did not bring comfort.
Confusion merely deepened as he realized two unsettling truths: not only had he not been standing here moments ago, but the stark, steel-clad room with its imposing computer system sprawling across the wall was utterly foreign to him.
"Could this be reincarnation? Transmigration?" The words slipped from his lips, a whisper lost in the vastness of the unfamiliar space. Memories bubbled to the surface, alien yet strangely personal, painting a picture of a reality he couldn't reconcile with.
He stood in a high-tech command center, a secret bunker as alien to him as the name now attached to his identity: Alexander Ricci. This name and the memories it brought with it, suggested a life of wealth and power.
Parts of his memories belonged to a charismatic Italian crime lord, something that clashed violently with his sense of self. He couldn't help but feel that he was very distant from such descriptors.
"Focus, Alex, focus! What's the last thing you remember?" he urged himself, delving into the chaotic sea of his fragmented memories. He remembered being called Alex, yet details of his personal history were shrouded in obscurity.
Sorting through the jigsaw of his mind, he found more questions than answers. His past life was a tapestry with too many missing threads, though his grasp on the broader world remained intact. His eyes snapped open, his frustration boiling over as he slammed his hands against the cold steel.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed. Memories from both lives began to intertwine, including encounters with notorious figures like Xu Wenwu and Tony Stark.
"Fuck! I'm actually in the Marvel Universe!"
…
"Alright, I've forgotten a lot. I recall being called Alex... but not much else about myself. Oddly enough, that doesn't scare me as it probably should..."
Slowly, he began sorting through his memories, sifting through a myriad of gaps in both his old and new, though the former were notably more elusive. His past life felt like a distant enigma, with only fragments surfacing amidst a sea of unfamiliarity. Despite the uncertainty, he retained a wealth of random general knowledge about the world around him.
The revelation was staggering. Fictional characters from his past life were now terrifyingly real. "Okay, deep breaths. Think, think!" he muttered. "I'm in the MCU, apparently playing the villain's role in this world. What does that mean for me?"
Overwhelmed, Alex considered the implications of his past in this world and the chaos yet to unfold in the future. He doubted his past deeds would spare him from Thanos's impending snap. Yeah, fat chance his karma would put him among the lucky 50%.
As he paced, the new memories slowly started to become clearer. "Let's break this down. I'm a New York-based crime lord in the Marvel Universe. Though my power seem far beyond the likes of Fisk."
He pondered his next moves. "Even if I don't need to worry about him. New York isn't the best place to hang out in this world. What about relocating to Italy? No, it's too risky. Such a sudden major move would expose vulnerabilities unbecoming of a crime lord. No point escaping death by alien to instead die by mutiny."
Alex also grappled with another puzzling inconsistency. "How old am I, exactly?" His memories suggested a lengthy criminal career, spanning decades, if not far longer than that. Yet his reflection in the blank monitor showed a handsome man in his mid-twenties. "How is this possible? Sure, the MCU has its means, but I don't recall using any. What's missing from this puzzle?"
His confusion deepened as he contemplated the disjointed nature of his memories and the reality before him. There were glaring gaps in his understanding, pieces that didn't fit neatly into the narrative of his past.
The world he now inhabited felt simultaneously familiar in its grandeur and alien in its finer details. Alex understood the importance of proceeding cautiously, meticulously assembling the fragments of his dual existence to navigate this perplexing new reality.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for successfully transmigrating into a new and exciting universe!]
Startled by the sudden sound, Alex nearly jumped. The dead silence of his bunker was abruptly shattered by a disembodied voice, accompanied by a semi-transparent blue UI floating before his eyes.
"A system, huh?" Alex muttered, his thoughts racing as he considered the chaotic and perilous nature of the MCU.
"In a world as dangerous as this, a survival and growth aid is more than welcome," he concluded, acknowledging the stark reality of life in a universe where even the slightest misstep could lead to a premature demise, especially without the protective shield of plot armor.
'Alright, this might not be so bad,' Alex thought, contemplating the dangers of the MCU. 'It's perilous but far from the worst. Plus, it offers opportunities to gain powers, opportunities I can exploit with my knowledge of the future.'
With a sense of anticipation, Alex sat in the lone chair in front of the computer system, noting its comfort.
"Alright, system, show me what you've got!" he exclaimed, his excitement mounting as he envisioned the system's potential powers and advantages.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for acquiring the SCP system! This system will aid Host in bringing SCP objects into the new universe, facilitating Host's growth in power!]
Alex's initial excitement quickly gave way to shock and apprehension as the system revealed its purpose and capabilities.
[Ding! The system allows the Host to transport random SCP objects into this universe. By doing so, the Host can unlock additional resources from the Foundation to assist in containing SCP objects.]
"System, is it restricted to only summoning random SCPs?" Alex asked nervously, well aware of the potential dangers associated with many SCPs, particularly those best avoided by anyone of sound mind.
[Ding! Yes, Host. All SCP objects summoned will be entirely random.]
The system responded with its cold, detached voice as if its words wouldn't instill terror in any who understood what it meant.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Alex quickly retorted, deciding against using the system. The risk of summoning even a single random SCP was too high.
While he wasn't an expert on all SCPs, he knew enough to understand that many were far more trouble than they were worth, and a significant portion were world-ending Keter-class threats.
'I Refuse to tangle with those monsters... perhaps I should pursue magic instead? Magic, after all, has its own allure!' Alex began to envision himself wielding various magical powers. However, his thoughts were interrupted by another notification from the system.
[Ding! Host, please be advised that Host is required to bring at least one SCP to the new universe every month or be penalized!]
Alex's heart sank as the system's warning reverberated in the bunker. "What kind of penalties?" he asked, his voice laced with apprehension.
[Ding! The Host will lose wealth and power at first, and further penalties can include the removal of Host's extended life!]
A sense of dread enveloped him. Even though losing his extended life would mean death, he realized he might not even live long enough to face that consequence.
As a seasoned crime lord, he understood all too well that losing wealth and power often led to a swift demise.
With a silent prayer for humanity, Alex resigned himself to the inevitable. The SCPs had to be unleashed to preserve his own existence.
"Do you at least offer some kind of starter gift?" he inquired, his tone reflecting his reluctance to engage with the system.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for receiving the SCP systems starting packet!]
[Ding! Host received one SCP of safe class previously unknown to the Foundation!]
Before him, a small golden ring materialized, floating and slowly rotating in the air. An irresistible urge to wear it washed over him.
…
Gently rotating the golden ring around his finger, Alex admired the warm metal. "The Ring of the Nine Cats… not bad at all."
A smile crept onto his face as he understood the SCP's function. It was straightforward yet extraordinary - nine lives in exchange for nine cats. The concept of the ring might defy logic, but who was he to argue with a ring offering resurrection?
[Ding! System has detected an uncontained SCP. Host is asked to place it in containment as soon as possible for the reward!]
The announcement caught him off guard, leaving him reluctant to part with such a life-saving artifact. "It's a godsend for an ordinary mortal like me," He thought, reluctant to relinquish it.
However, an idea suddenly struck him as he eyed the dozen screens in his command center, all displaying the SCP logo except for one, which requested login credentials. With a smirk, he whispered, "Can't hurt to try," and initiated the login sequence.
[Please provide credentials]
The screen changed, and with a smirk, he confidently provided the requested information.
"Authorization O5-1"
He figured that since he was to be burdened with the Foundation, he might as well claim the top spot, and his experiment paid off.
The screen changed in response to his verbal command, and as the computer unlocked for him, so too did information seem to unlock in his mind, guiding his actions. He swiftly created an SCP entry, restricting access to O5 clearance.
[SCP-001]
[object class – THAUMIEL]
[Special Containment Procedures: must be worn by a member of O5 at all times.]
[Description: REDACTED]
As soon as he finished his entry, he heard the ding of his system, and he couldn't help but laugh as he read its message. "It fucking worked!"
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for the successful containment of the SCP object and the improvement of the SCP database. As Host Contained his first SCP before opening the free Foundation personnel packet. Host has proven himself worthy of overseeing the Foundation, and additional rewards have been unlocked!]
He could hardly contain his disbelief and joy as the system went on. He didn't expect something like that. Heck, he didn't even know he had a personnel packet waiting to be opened in the first place.
[Ding! Host has been rewarded with SITE-011, a class 3 Foundation facility in Washington. DC! 500 class C combat personnel, 50 research personnel, 100 administrative personnel, and 30 maintenance personnel!]
[Ding! Host has been rewarded with SITE-014, a class 4 foundation facility in New York! 50 class B combat personnel. 5000 class C combat personnel, 250 research personnel, 1000 administrative personnel, and 150 maintenance personnel!]
[Ding! Host has been rewarded with unit ALPHA-1 250 highly trained combat personnel of class A as personal protection to members of O5 high command!]
[Ding! Host has been given an additional reward of the SCP Foundation disinformation branch, including SITE-644, a class 5 foundation facility! 200 class B combat personnel, 5000 grade C combat personnel, 500 research personnel, 10000 administrative personnel, and 300 maintenance personnel. 100000 undercover agents loyal to the Foundation!]
That last one was a surprise, though a welcome one. He knew S.H.I.E.L.D would be out for his blood if they caught wind of him.
Not to mention that capturing, securing, and protecting SCPs was not the only job of the Foundation; he also needed to keep the masses ignorant of anything anomalous, and this last reward would go a long way towards making that possible.
'With all these undercover agents, surely some are embedded within SHIELD and Hydra,' he mused. Dealing with SHIELD seemed a daunting task, especially with Nick Fury at the helm.
[Ding! Host has been given the additional reward of 3 safe class SCPs in containment at SITE-001.]
And what was SITE-001? Well, he is currently sitting in the command center of it; his whole mansion is the site, and his underlings are mostly SCP Foundation members.
New knowledge unlocked in his mind, making him aware that he was in charge of getting funding from the underworld, doing dirty deeds, and getting class D personnel for Foundation use.
The revelation that his underlings wouldn't betray him brought significant relief, alleviating one of his primary concerns. This was, however, tempered by the realization that he would now be constantly in the presence of elite agents trained to detect unusual behavior.
This posed a problem, considering his persistent and somewhat troublesome habit of talking aloud to himself.
"Well, there's nothing I can do about that, so let's go look then." He said rather excitedly while pushing his worries and concerns to the background, walking towards the bare wall to the right of his chair.
Standing there, he could see no clue that this wall was anything but just that, a wall. He, however, now knew better.
"Black hound howls in darkness."
The wall slid open at his words, revealing a well-lit tunnel lined with vault doors leading to a spacious locker room.
'Plenty of space for SCPs down here... almost makes me want to collect them all,' he mused, chuckling at his own inner joke as he stepped into the room.
The area was mainly equipped with containment lockers for Safe-class SCP objects. His gaze, however, was drawn to a large safe in one corner.
"SCP-216, the safe. Not the most exciting SCP, but perfectly harmless, so that's good." He said to no one as he stood before the safe. As he was looking it over, information about it entered his mind.
It was a safe for which every combination would open a different interior space. Making it possible to access whatever was placed inside only with the right combination.
'A bit underwhelming; there are definitely more intriguing Safe-class SCPs out there,' he reflected, moving to a locker labeled with a number.
[SCP-113]
"Now this one is dangerous… and fun if used right." Alex stood there for a bit, thinking about how to use this SCP to amuse himself, and went to the final filled locker with his face flushed red.
"And here we have SCP-005. A key that can open any and all locks. Useful, but risky. It could cause havoc in the wrong hands." Satisfied with this last SCP, he nodded to himself and left the room, hearing the wall close behind him with a soft hiss.
Back in his control room, he couldn't shake the concern about the random SCP he would soon need to summon. 'It could be something beneficial like SCP-500, or it could be catastrophic...'
He recalled the numerous SCPs he had read about, many of which he preferred not to summon, especially now with the Foundation still in its infancy.
"Fuck why did people come up with so many fucking death trap SCPs… ahh who am I kidding? They did that because it was cool!"
Seated back in his chair, Alex typed in the number of his old favorite SCP. SCP-2845, The deer god, a godly being with unimaginable powers and an unfathomable mind. The once-cool SCP now filled him with dread. 'Yeah, this world is fucked... Hopefully, the Ancient One can handle all the Keter-class ones I summon.'
"System, how exactly does summoning SCPs work?"
[Ding! Responding to Host, SCP objects can be summoned at any time and appear randomly worldwide. However, the chance for them to appear in a setting familiar to the original one the Foundation encountered them in is increased!]
'So, SCPs originating in the wild are less likely to materialize in urban areas. That's a relief. There are plenty in the database capable of leveling a city quickly.'
[Ding! To summon an SCP, the Host needs to use Foundation points, which can be earned in several ways!]
"Wait! You mean that not only do I need to summon them at least once a month, but I also have to pay for it?"
[Ding! Host is correct! Each summon takes just 1000 Foundation points!]
"Are there other uses for these points than random summons?"
[Ding! Not currently!]
'So, there might be in the future….'
"Will I still be punished if I fail to summon a new SCP if it is due to not having enough points?"
[Ding! Yes! The system hopes Host will work hard to bring glory to the Foundation!]
Alex sighed heavily, realizing the weight of the responsibility placed upon him. "Looks like I have my work cut out for me," he muttered under his breath, steeling himself for the challenges ahead.
"How many points do I have now?"
[Ding! Host has 200 points for containment of SCP-001, though Host has one free summon as part of the starting packet!]
"Right, didn't I also have a free Foundation personnel packet?"
[Ding! Use all free packets?]
That might summon the SCP, but I must do that at some point anyway. I could wait, but that might be a bad idea. It's the 15th today, so I have half a month to secure and contain it before considering the next one. Would be even more dangerous if I have more than one out there at a time.'
"Do it"
[Ding! Congratulations to Host. Host is rewarded with SITE-160, a class 3 Foundation facility in Canada! 500 grade C combat personnel, 50 research personnel, 100 administrative personnel, and 30 maintenance personnel!]
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for being promoted to O5-1 and becoming the highest-ranked person in the SCP Foundation!]
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for getting access to the O5-1 bank account! Host is now rich!]
[Ding! Warning! Host an SCP has appeared in the world and is outside Foundation control! Host is asked to deal with the situation and follow the Foundation's goal of Securing, containing, and Protecting!]
[Ding! Warning! SCP-787 has appeared!]
[Ding! To contain SCP-787 Host is rewarded with a new system function! SCP location tool can help Host find the location of SCP objects!]
Looking at the barrage of notices, he could not help but feel a little suspicious about the system giving him the same rank as he picked for himself. Was the system reacting to his actions, or did it influence him in ways he was yet aware of?
Then, there were concerns about the possibility of other members of O5 appearing in the future. He might not have had the Foundation for long, but he liked the idea of it being entirely his.
'Still, though, SCP-787. Rather disappointing that one, safe sure but boring as well. Not to mention the question of whatever containing it will give me enough points for the next summon.
After all, the last safe class object I contained only gave me two hundred. Though that might just be due to how I went about doing it.'
Taking the elevator up from his bunker, he appeared in the master bedroom of his manor while taking note that he had been given another Foundation facility of C grade.
This one had a large enough hanger for the SCP object he needed to contain, though sadly, it was much too far away to be an effective choice.
"Attention!" He yelled out as he left his bedroom, and members of unit ALPHA-1 turned to him, all waiting for his command.
"An SCP is out there, and the Foundation needs it contained! We are heading to SITE-011, and I will personally observe as personnel works to contain the SCP Object."
He was aware that this was against the rules, members of O5 weren't to risk themselves being near objects. Yet rules are dead, and he is very much alive, so no questions were raised.
Neither did they question how he knew about this object; after all, it was taboo to question one's superiors within the Foundation.
All agents, in perfect unison, acknowledged with a simple. "Yes, sir!" as Alex proceeded towards his personal helicopter.
It was far from a typical luxury vehicle of the wealthy; this helicopter was a fortress of the sky - armed and bulletproof, a veritable instrument of war.
Only thanks to the Foundation could he possess such an asset. He was confident that if the military ever discovered the advanced technology it harbored, they would spare no effort to claim it for themselves.
"Inform Site-011's director of the situation and let them be ready to greet us and to deal with the SCP object." He ordered his escort, which wasted no time executing it to the letter.
The trip was surprisingly quick for the distance traveled, giving him just enough time to calculate the timeline.
'It's 2008. Iron Man's debut is around the corner, with the first Avengers movie in four years.
There's some time before things escalate.' Time he decided needed to be used well since the Foundation needed to be ready to act for Loki's invasion at the latest.
When he arrived at the base about 2 hours later, he was greeted by more Foundation personnel, which added to his escort as he made his way to the site of SCP-787.
"Sir, I'm Dr. Simmons, and I'm in charge of this new SCP situation."
"We would not have noticed it so soon if it had not been for your warning. So far, we have done our best to prevent any information about it from escaping. But well, you don't just hide that a plane that size appeared on a random field like that. We are doing what we can to contain information, though many other agencies are trying to either take over or join the investigation."
The doctor kept briefing Alex about the situation as they drove toward the site in a large formation of pitch-black jeeps, a sight that did not go unnoticed by the locals.
"Tell me, Dr., why were we unable to fly to the site itself?"
"Air space was closed, sir. It was not the first time either; we even struggled to get our men and equipment out. Now we met increased resistance trying to open it up for you."
'Hmm, it seems I need more agents in the military and government around here, not to mention SHIELD is surely intent on taking over this case due to its strangeness.'
While Alex and the Foundation staff made their way to the site, another agent from a different organization made a report to his superior.
"Agent Coulson, a large convoy of black jeeps just entered the blocked-off area."
"You still haven't been able to get access to it?"
The voice of his superior asked from the other side as agent Phil Coulson sat at his desk working on different projects and cases he had been entrusted with.
He had initially not paid much attention to the agent and this mysterious plane situation but was slowly becoming more interested.
"No sir, the Air Force is doing everything they can to keep us out so far. We barely kept the air space closed around here, though we are unsure if we can keep that up for long either."
"All right, just keep up the pressure and take note of everything happening there for now."
"Yes, sir."
With that, Coulson hung up and grew even more curious about what it was the Air Force was trying so hard to hide from SHIELD.
-------------------------------------------
"Sir, we have arrived," Dr. Simmons announced as the convoy halted.
"I'm only here to observe, perhaps provide some input. For now, focus on the most important steps of the investigation, then move the object out of here before going in depth." Alex instructed.
Observing the surroundings, Alex noted curious civilians lingering around the established perimeter and what appeared to be a local reporter. Among the crowd, a few individuals, dressed a bit too sharply to be ordinary onlookers, caught his eye – likely agents from SHIELD, he surmised.
His own personnel, donned in military uniform, effectively barred them from getting too close, citing their strict orders.
Internally, Alex pondered the complexity of his situation. 'Maintaining secrecy from SHIELD is proving more challenging than anticipated. The Foundation's methods can be quite intrusive, and SHIELD isn't accustomed to being left out. Especially not if we are going to have incidents occurring monthly.'
As he contemplated strategies to manage SHIELD's involvement, Foundation agents diligently inspected the SCP.
Alex knew that due to the loss of many Foundation SITEs that the database for SCP objects was currently empty. This meant that he held exclusive knowledge about this SCP.
He could have shared this information, but he was still trying to figure out how to deal with this entire situation. As well as taking advantage of this chance to see the Foundation at work. Doing it this way would allow him to see if they would reach the same conclusions this time around as well.
....
"Get me the initial classification and a report of their work so far." Alex ordered. Reading through it he was surprised that they had given it the Euclid class mark.
As he continued to read, he started to figure out why that was. They currently didn't know if it would disappear from its current location in a manner similar to how it had suddenly appeared.
Alex knew that it was a safe class object, though reading on, he saw that they didn't even mention that possibility once; clearly, that kind of classification was only given out after careful research.
It was interesting to see how they worked and what thoughts they worked through as they studied an anomaly. He gained a new kind of respect for the Foundation personnel as he saw them in action for the first time.
'I have earned an unexpected 41 points without much effort. Is it the result of the team's work or the public stir we're causing?
It is ironic to gain points from both fulfilling the Foundation's objectives and attracting attention, given that one of the Foundation's key objectives is to avoid attracting attention.
Time flew, and the Foundation persevered despite resistance from parts of the military, FAA, NTSB, TSA, and SHIELD.
It had been necessary to acquire an old military airfield nearby, due to having nowhere else to store SCP-787. It was an expensive acquisition, though thankfully, he had been able to bribe his way past any questions.
[Triskelion]
Phil Coulson stood apprehensively outside the director's office, preparing to deliver his report. As one of the agency's top agents, he was unaccustomed to the sense of failure that now weighed on him. In this case, the Air Force's unwavering determination was something he still struggled to comprehend.
He knocked and entered promptly, finding his boss facing away from him, a preferred stance that masked his facial expressions. While also showcasing the trust he had for him, he wouldn't show his back to him otherwise.
"So, what do you have for me, Coulson?" his boss inquired.
"Yes, sir… I regret to inform you that we've hit a wall. The Air Force completely stonewalled us, sir," Coulson reported, bracing for a response.
"Continue," came the tense command.
"Yes, sir. We have scant details about the aircraft. It bore no identifying marks or numbers. We identified the plane's model, but that trail went cold as we found no missing aircraft of that type reported, and all crafts seem accounted for."
"Under pressure, the investigators did reveal that the plane carried passengers – or rather, bodies. There were 515 deceased individuals, presumably passengers and crew."
"Can we confirm that?"
"We managed to obtain a photograph of the interior. It was in disrepair, littered with bodies."
"Disrepair? Elaborate."
"The plane's exterior appeared brand new, but the interior showed signs of extensive wear, misuse, and neglect."
"Have the bodies been identified?"
"Not yet, sir. The photo we have doesn't reveal any faces. Given that we couldn't get close, it was taken from far away and from a subpar angle."
"Hmm. Alright, we'll await the Air Force's report to understand their motives for such tight-lipped secrecy. Dismissed."
Coulson left, leaving Fury alone with his thoughts. Determination stirred in him – he was resolved to uncover what the Air Force was concealing from S.H.I.E.L.D.
[SITE-001]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for containing SCP-787! Rewards are being given out!]
[Ding! Host has been rewarded with three stealth quinjets in all current bases and 50 engineer class personnel at all SITEs!]
While not extraordinary, the reward was nonetheless valuable, reminding Alex of the potential benefits the Marvel universe's technology could offer the Foundation.
"O5-1 to all SITE directors, you have been allocated three stealth Quinjets. If additional units are needed, reverse engineering is authorized to understand their mechanics. Coordinate amongst yourselves to achieve this shared objective."
Alex abruptly ended the communication, putting his phone away. Not waiting for a response, and resumed his leisurely position by the pool. He reclined in a chair, leisurely sipping a glass of red wine.
'Now, this is quite the way to enjoy oneself. Imagine if the pool were graced with naked beauties,' he mused, allowing himself a moment of indulgent fantasy. However, his thoughts soon drifted back to SCP-113, prompting him to shake his head vigorously to clear the provocative images.
'That SCP is more treacherous than its file indicates. Could it possess a memetic effect?' he wondered, striving to settle into a more relaxed state. Even though Alexander Ricci was accustomed to a life of luxury, he himself was not. Therefore, he rationalized that a bit of celebration for today's achievements was perfectly acceptable.
