Chapter 14: Chaos in the Streets of Strasbourg - Part 2

Chapter 14: Chaos in the Streets of Strasbourg - Part 2

From the control room, Leonard, now designated by the codename Overwatch, nervously listened to the radio communications coming from Strasbourg. Dozens of security cameras displayed on the screens showed a city plunged into chaos. The SCP-049-2 were spreading at an alarming rate, flooding the streets, and the situation was completely beyond the control of local forces.

With his heart pounding, Leonard monitored Delta-4's movements. Their specialized team, "Safari Time," was racing towards the intervention zone. Even with all his confidence in them, he knew that what they were about to face was far beyond what they were used to handling. The pressure was palpable. For Leonard, now the focal point of all critical decisions, every second was a race against time.

Suddenly, a priority notification flashed on his screens. The artificial intelligence system had just detected a major escalation in the situation. The law enforcement forces would no longer be able to hold their ground. A massive intervention was now required.

ALERT: CRISIS LEVEL RAISED TO "CRIMSON"

Local response capability deemed insufficient. Authorization for deployment of MTF Xi-13 "Sequeres Nos" granted. Immediate mobilization approved. Aerial support activated.

Leonard swallowed hard as he read the message. Xi-13, a Mobile Task Force composed of 44 heavily armed agents, was now en route. This unit specialized in urban interventions with high contamination levels. By activating Xi-13, the Foundation clearly indicated that it considered the situation out of control.

With the microphone in hand, Leonard—now Overwatch—took a deep breath before speaking. "Xi-13, this is Overwatch. Deployment confirmed. Delta-4 will arrive on-site simultaneously. Objective: neutralize SCP-049 and secure the contamination zone. Local forces are overwhelmed."

A cold, authoritative voice responded. It was Colonel Ismaël Serano, the Commander of Xi-13.

"Received, Overwatch. We are five minutes out. Heavy weapons ready. Xi-13 will ensure neutralization of the entities."

Leonard, focused, watched the helicopters' progress. On the screens, dozens of heavy transport aircraft and attack helicopters were speeding towards Strasbourg. Xi-13 was preparing for a rapid deployment into the war zone. Meanwhile, an AC-130 Gunship had also been deployed to provide massive aerial support.

Leonard's heart raced, but he forced himself to remain calm. Everything needed to be perfectly coordinated. Every wrong decision could result in massive human casualties. "Hawk 1, this is Overwatch. Status?"

"Overwatch, this is Hawk 1. We have visual on multiple clusters of SCP-049-2 in the northern zone of Strasbourg. We are ready to engage."

"Fire authorization confirmed. Engage at will, priority to hostile clusters."

The attack helicopters immediately opened fire, their rotary cannons lighting up the night. The SCP-049-2 were mowed down in mass, their grotesque bodies collapsing under the sustained fire. Meanwhile, the transport helicopters descended rapidly, allowing MTF Xi-13 to deploy on the ground.

Colonel Serano and his 43 special intervention agents landed with exemplary military efficiency. Armed to the teeth and protected by anti-anomaly suits, they formed up to engage the SCP-049-2 still roaming the streets.

Leonard watched the operation unfold, his face tense. Delta-4 and Xi-13 were rapidly converging on the same point. SCP-049, the cause of this horror, needed to be eliminated before the casualties became uncontrollable.

Leonard's radio crackled again. Captain Alain Delacroix of Delta-4 reported: "Overwatch, this is Delta-4. Imminent arrival on-site. Coordination with Xi-13 underway."

Leonard nodded, though he knew no one could see him. "Received, Delta-4. Engage as soon as you are in position. Xi-13 is clearing the surrounding sectors. SCP-049 is your priority. We cannot let it escape."

Leonard's screens showed the Foundation's special forces at work. While the police attempted to secure the remaining civilians, Xi-13 advanced methodically through the streets, taking down SCP-049-2 with deadly precision. The ground shook with the explosions from heavy weapons, and each gunshot echoed as a reprieve for those who had survived the horror thus far.

But despite the efficiency of the operation, Leonard knew that everything would hinge on locating SCP-049. This plague doctor, surrounded by his "patients," needed to be neutralized at all costs.

On his screens, a figure appeared. SCP-049 had reappeared in a narrow alley, surrounded by a dozen SCP-049-2. He walked calmly, as if the chaos around him was of no concern.

"Delta-4, SCP-049 in sight!" Leonard shouted into his microphone, his tone urgent. "Coordinate with Xi-13 and engage immediately! He is on Rue de l'Aubette, west sector."

"Received, Overwatch," Delacroix replied. "Approaching."

Leonard, or rather Overwatch, knew the decisive moment was near. Every fiber of his being was tense as he watched Delta-4 approach the target. SCP-049 remained there, impassive, observing the carnage from above with a detached demeanor.

The fate of Strasbourg and everyone within it now rested on the shoulders of these elite men and women.

—

5 Minutes Earlier

The gunfire continued to resound, relentless, as Officer Thomas Marchand fought alongside his two colleagues, Vincent Leroy and Mathilde Fournier. Their bullets seemed almost useless against the attackers. The grotesque creatures, once men, advanced toward them with inhuman contortions. Their faces, now devoid of emotion and life, bore the marks of their abominable transformation into SCP-049-2.

The officers had already emptied several magazines into these creatures, but every time one fell, another immediately took its place. The ground was littered with corpses, yet they continued to come, tirelessly. Thomas, breathless, turned to his colleagues. Vincent was bleeding from the shoulder after being grabbed by one of the entities. Mathilde was shooting frantically, each shot echoing in the dark alley where they had barricaded themselves. They were surrounded, cornered at the last barricade they had managed to erect in desperation.

"Thomas! We're screwed!" Vincent cried, his voice trembling with fear and pain. "We're out of ammo! These things… they're everywhere!"

Thomas shared his despair. They were at their limit, and soon the SCP-049-2 would be on them, ready to tear them apart. The officer felt a cold sweat running down his spine, his heart pounding wildly. The creatures were dangerously close. Only a few meters separated the small group of exhausted officers from the approaching swarm.

As Thomas began to prepare for the worst, a whistling sound suddenly pierced the air, followed by a deafening explosion. The entire street seemed to shake with the force of the impact. A missile had just struck the heart of the creature horde right in front of them, pulverizing several SCP-049-2 in one blow. The blast wave swept them all away, throwing them violently to the ground.

For a moment, Thomas could hear nothing but the deafening buzz in his ears. He struggled to stand, his body bruised by the impact, his clothes torn and covered in dust. His eyes sought to understand what had just happened. He then saw, just above him, a heavily armed helicopter swirling in the sky like a giant falcon, its guns spewing fire on the creatures below.

"What's with these reinforcements?!" Mathilde yelled, disoriented, as she struggled to get up, her eyes fixed on the helicopter decimating the remaining SCP-049-2.

The creatures were ruthlessly swept away by the deluge of bullets and missiles from the air. Their bodies fell one after another, shattered by the destructive power of the attack helicopter.

On Thomas's radio, the panicked voices of other police forces continued to sound.

"What unit is this?! We need to know who the hell is up there!"

"This is command post! No information on the air reinforcements! These helicopters aren't ours!"

The communications were chaotic. No one seemed to understand where these miraculous reinforcements were coming from. Their uniforms were unrecognizable, yet they were there, providing crucial support when everything seemed lost.

"Look! Up there!" Vincent shouted, pointing to the sky.

Another helicopter approached, descending slowly. Soldiers in tactical gear, all dressed in black, were rappelling from the helicopter. They landed on rooftops and in the streets with impressive military precision. The special forces had sophisticated assault rifles and seemed perfectly organized. Within minutes, the new arrivals had formed a defensive perimeter around the officers, methodically engaging the remaining creatures with formidable efficiency.

The police watched, stunned, as these well-trained soldiers fought the creatures as if they knew exactly what they were dealing with. Every shot was precise, every movement calculated. The SCP-049-2 had no chance against these men. Within minutes, the street was entirely secured.

Taking advantage of the moment of respite, Thomas fully stood up, helping his colleagues do the same. All three were astonished by what had just happened.

"Who are these guys?" Mathilde asked, still in shock, her eyes fixed on the anonymous soldiers deploying methodically in the street.

"No idea, but it doesn't matter. We need to evacuate the civilians now that we have a breather!" Thomas replied, taking charge of the situation.

Without wasting a moment, they used the intervention of the special forces to organize the evacuation of the remaining civilians in the area. Terrified families, crying children, injured elderly people—all were fleeing the hell that had become this part of Strasbourg. Thomas, Vincent, and Mathilde guided people as quickly as possible to safer areas, away from the creatures and the ongoing combat.

But as the evacuation continued, Thomas couldn't help but cast glances toward the soldiers. He had always been keenly curious, and something about their intervention troubled him. They were too organized, too fast, too efficient. They didn't appear to be French military. They seemed… different. They looked like they belonged to a far more secretive and specialized force.

An idea began to form in his mind. Thomas made a quick, instinctive decision. As his colleagues continued to evacuate the civilians, he stealthily slipped into the shadows and started to follow the mysterious soldiers at a distance. He ventured deeper into the ruined alleyways, keeping a close watch on their movements. He needed to know who they were, where they came from, and why they seemed so familiar with these creatures.

The Xi-13 soldiers continued their relentless advance, unaware of Thomas's silent pursuit. They moved rapidly, eliminating the last pockets of SCP-049-2 resistance with clinical precision. None of them spoke much. Their discipline and silence added to the mystery surrounding them.

As they turned into a narrower alley, Thomas hid behind an overturned car, watching as the soldiers cleared a path to a specific building, formerly a warehouse. One of them, likely their leader, ordered the team to secure the entrance. Some of the group entered the building while others remained outside, forming an impenetrable barrier.

Thomas was fascinated. He had never seen such a unit operate in France before. It was neither the GIGN nor any other specialized police or military unit he recognized. Who were these men? And why did they seem so prepared for such a unique and dangerous situation?

Without daring to get closer, Thomas remained hidden, his mind racing with these questions. The soldiers continued to neutralize any threat in the area with surgical precision. The gunfire still rang out, but the situation seemed to be coming under control.

And there, on the rooftops, Thomas saw the sinister figure again, that masked figure. SCP-049 watched from above, impassive, observing everything like a maestro orchestrating a macabre concert. A chill ran down the policeman's spine. This plague doctor seemed almost out of time, untouchable, watching the events with a strange serenity.

A sense of unease overtook Thomas. He knew he was touching on something much greater than himself, something he wasn't supposed to understand. But it was too late to back away.