98 To catch a harmless cat -96

With bomb collars tightly around their necks and drones in the air, keeping a sharp eye on them at all times, it was finally time to start the operation in earnest.

First, they moved the trailer into position before driving back away to a safe distance. Then it was time to play with drones, as they sent out plenty of the smaller seeker drones to survey the area for any signs of SCP-247.

Before long, Natasha saw something. "Sarah, I think I got something here," she said, showing Sarah the feed.

It showed a mutilated body, one on the small side, likely a child.

 "It sure looks like they got torn apart by a wild animal. Keep looking around that area," Sarah said as she moved her drones toward the area Natasha was watching.

After several tense minutes of searching, another drone picked up movement in a nearby backyard. The infrared camera revealed a significant heat signature consistent with that of a large feline, starkly contrasting with the small, kitten-like image visible to the naked eye.

"There," Natasha pointed out, her finger hovering over the screen, "That's got to be it. The heat signature is too big for a regular cat."

Sarah nodded, her focus narrowing as she prepared to initiate the next phase of their plan. "Alright, let's proceed with the securement then. Deploying hunter drones."

With a small army of drones in the air, the air was buzzing, and the sound drew the attention of the area's inhabitants. Windows and doors were opened so they could see what was causing the ruckus.

"Damn, they will attract the attention of the object and get in danger. Do we have a plan for this?" Natasha asked as she saw what was happening from the drone's live feed.

Sarah nodded and fiddled with her tablet for a bit before going back to focusing on the drones. "There, that should do it."

Natasha, seeing no immediate change, couldn't help but ask. "What did you do?"

"We sent out text messages to everyone from the official police channels, alerting them to a dangerous criminal in the area and an active manhunt. We told them to get inside and close all doors and windows."

Natasha admired the Foundation's means and methods once again and watched on as the residents, upon receiving the alarming messages, hurriedly retreated into their homes, securing their doors and windows. The neighborhood, already quiet, sank into an eerie stillness, the only sound the buzzing of drones and the distant hum of the containment unit's machinery.

With the area now clear of potential civilian interference, Natasha and Sarah focused on the task at hand. The bait drones had moved into position, and the hunter drones, with their rubber bullets, flew up high, ready to corral the entity into the containment unit should the painting fail.

Thankfully, the object was easily enough lured towards the trailer with the scent of a female Bengal tigress in heat. Added in the right sounds and finally, a holographic projection inside the containment cage.

Natasha finally released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding as she saw the cute little kitten enter the cage. The weight indicator clearly shows a much larger animal, and the trap sprung, sealing the object inside and releasing a powerful gas to knock it out for the drive.

"It's hard to imagine something so innocent-looking can be so dangerous," Natasha commented on this whole mission. It really just shows that the Foundation dealt with threats most people couldn't even see.

"Alright, Natasha, that was the easy part done, not come the dangerous one."

Nodding, Natasha quickly helped pack up the drones. She was well aware that this part had been without much risk to themselves, while the next one was so dangerous that they had strapped bombs around their necks.

"Be alert and remember, follow any and all instructions given; you can't trust your own judgment from now on." Sarah reminded her as they drove down to the trailer.

Her words struck a chord within Natasha, and suddenly, she realized something important. She realized why everyone seemed to follow orders blindly within the Foundation. It was because they couldn't trust their own judgment. It was because they were all compromised.

Only by following the orders of someone who wasn't compromised could they navigate the world of SCP objects safely. That was why someone like Shield could never compare: while noble in its goal, it was driven by unclear motives. Only someone who wouldn't be swayed by power or wealth could handle dealing with the anomalous.

She also knew that such people were beyond rare, but the Foundation had solved this issue by having people in charge who had all the power and all the wealth. Which meant they wouldn't be seeking more since they already had everything.

Natasha's realization deepened her understanding of the Foundation's operating principles. It wasn't just about containment and neutralization; it was about maintaining an unwavering focus on the mission, unaffected by personal biases or external influences.

This stringent adherence to protocol was what allowed the Foundation to operate effectively in the face of anomalies that challenged the very fabric of reality.

As they approached the trailer, Natasha felt the weight of her insight settle over her. She recognized the necessity of the Foundation's rigid structure and the reason behind its strict hierarchy. The challenges they faced were not just physical but psychological, requiring an extraordinary level of discipline and detachment.

The experience of the mission, coupled with her newfound understanding, solidified Natasha's resolve. She saw the Foundation not just as an organization but as a necessary bulwark against chaos. The risks they took and the burdens they bore were essential in preserving the semblance of normalcy in the world.

The rest of the mission saw Natasha and Sarah act like robots, following orders given over the radios in their collars, never questioning them, even if they felt absurd. They acted like their cargo was dangerous.

Natasha's sharp instincts, trained over a lifetime of deathly training, clearly told her that the only dangerous thing here was the collar around her neck. Yet, that very same collar did ensure she didn't go out and prove them wrong.

It wasn't until she stood by the side of a road, watching Sarah drive off under escort, that she started to feel that something was off.

Looking to the side where Graves stood for answers, she saw a knowing smirk on his face. "It seems your senses are as sharp as they are rumored," he said, sending shivers down her back.

Knowing what she knew about the nature of the object she had been transporting and the feeling she had now was enough to freak her out. She had completely felt at ease with the object and thought of it as completely harmless.

She had considered it silly to be so careful with it. Yet now she became fully aware that she had had those thoughts under his strange effect, and it was one of the scariest things he had ever experienced.

"That was… something else." She finally said to Graves, who chuckled lightly.

"Let's get in the car. We can talk about it while going back. Just don't fiddle with that collar, it's not as stable as your normal one." He said, reminding her that she still carried the collar since they had been unable to remove it here.

"Worried you will lose your head as well?" She teased him, pushing the nervousness about the unstable bomb collar down with some humor.

…

Once in the car and back on the road, driving back towards the New York mansion, Graves once more asked a question, breaking the silence.

"So, how was this first solo mission of yours?"

"It wasn't really a solo mission; I had Sarah with me the whole time."

"We don't like to send agents in alone, so this is what we consider a solo mission, one team."

Natasha could see the use of that. After all, if something happened and they stumbled over some Object, even if one of them died due to it, the other one should be able to alert the Foundation.

"Well, it was very different from the type of missions I did for Shield, or for the KBG before that."

"Not enough fighting for you?" Graves teased her, as he knew well what type of missions her skillset was best for.

"Well, yeah, I'm more used to dealing with people, not whatever this all can be considered as."

"There is no need to worry; there are plenty of tasks and missions dealing with people rather than objects. Given your skillset, I doubt you will be assigned to this kind of mission often."

Natasha slowly nodded her head as she gazed out the window, deeply thinking about all the things she had learned over the past months and what they would mean for her. "Guess I will be much safer than most of you guys then."

Now it was graves turn to nod his head. "You most likely will yeah. Even this mission was one where almost nothing could go wrong, not that you didn't do a good job."

"Say, how did the first mission go? The first containment of the object?" Natasha asked, finally asking a question she had sat on for a while now.

It was clear that they had wanted to keep it somewhat secret, but over the weeks, she had been able to piece together that the Foundation had suffered a large-scale containment breach, allowing many objects to escape.

The past few missions she had been on had all been to recontain objects, which was why they had all the information on them. She didn't know the hows and whys, but for now, that could wait.

"You are sharp indeed, Romanoff. Last time, we lost many people. That harmless-looking kitten has a kill count in the three digits."

"That's the power of information, huh? From a dangerous mission with many casualties to a mission easy enough that you can send an intern out as part of the only two-man team."

Graves chuckled, a sound that held a mix of admiration and a somber undertone. "Exactly. Knowledge and preparation transform the battlefield. Every object we contain teaches us something new, sometimes at a great cost."

"As much as we prepare, there's always an element of the unknown," Graves continued, his tone more serious now. "That's why the Foundation exists in shadows. We shield humanity not just from physical threats but from the existential dread that comes from knowing just how fragile our reality is."

The drive back was filled with a blend of reflective silence and discussions about the nature of their work. For Natasha, it was a time to ponder her place within this hidden world. She had fought on many fronts, against many foes, but the Foundation's mission resonated with her on a deeper level. It was about safeguarding not just a country or an ideal, but the very fabric of reality itself.

As they neared the mansion, Graves's parting words to Natasha were a reminder of the gravity of their work. "Remember, Romanoff, what we do here doesn't just require courage and skill—it demands a willingness to face the unknown, to confront the unimaginable, and to do so knowing that the true extent of your success will never be recognized by the world you're protecting."

…

Once back inside her room, without the weight of the collar around her neck, she felt another weight settle on her: the weight of her decisions and her path forward. She was slowly coming to terms with the fact that she wouldn't ever be able to leave the Foundation.

Not because they wouldn't let her go, but because she herself probably wouldn't want to leave. While she was still eternally thankful for what Clint did for her, for the chance Shield gave her.

She just couldn't turn a blind eye to all the dark things she had learned about them since coming here. Nor could she possibly compare the amount of good these two organizations did for the world.

"No matter how I look at it, the Foundation is too important for the world, but Fury would never allow them to be if he knew about them." She whispered as she lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

The Foundation, with its clandestine operations and moral ambiguities, was a far cry from the clear-cut missions of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the espionage of the KGB. Yet, here, in the complexity and the grey areas, Natasha found a depth of purpose she hadn't realized she was seeking.

Protecting humanity from threats they couldn't even conceive of was a responsibility that went beyond national allegiances or personal redemption—it was about safeguarding the very essence of human existence.

Lying there, Natasha reflected on her conversation with Graves. His words, meant to caution, had instead solidified her resolve. The unknown, the unimaginable, those were the domains she had always excelled in navigating.

Yet, the Foundation offered a challenge that dwarfed everything she had faced before: a challenge not just of physical prowess but of mental fortitude. The realization that she could no longer imagine a life outside the Foundation was a revelation that came with a sense of peace.

In this world of anomalies, of objects and entities that defied reality, she had found a cause that demanded everything she had to give and more. The secrecy, the sacrifices, the loneliness—it was all part of the price of being a shield in the darkness, a protector of a world blissfully unaware of the dangers it faced.

The decision to stay wasn't a conscious one; it was an acceptance of who she had become, of where she belonged. The Foundation was more than an organization; it was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a gathering of individuals willing to face the abyss so that others might never have to know it exists.

A/N

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