part 2 fractured trust

The dim light of the meeting room flickered slightly, as the five Council members sat once again in silence. The high-security briefing room was designed to withstand almost any possible breach, but now, after the breakout, the thick walls seemed less comforting. They had regrouped after their first, near-disastrous missteps with the containment of SCP-2377, SCP-7694-2, and the misidentification of SCP-23234. However, the escape of SCP-7694-1, combined with the theft of the phone, left them deeply unsettled.

Director Hawthorne, the head of Site-17, cleared his throat and leaned forward, breaking the silence. His voice, strained by the weight of recent failures, filled the room.

"Before we continue, we need to address a larger concern— SCP-1000," Hawthorne said.

Dr. Mitchell, who had spearheaded the investigation into SCP-7694's escape, shifted in his seat. "Are you saying that SCP-1000 was involved in the breakout? We didn't see any direct connection."

"We didn't," Hawthorne admitted, "but our recent capture might change that."

At the mention of their "recent capture," the room grew colder. The SCP-1000 specimen had been brought into the facility shortly after the containment breach, discovered near the perimeter of Site-17. It had initially been assumed to be an unrelated event. However, the sighting was too much of a coincidence. This creature, once thought to be mere myth, had appeared at the site of an unprecedented security failure. The Council was no longer willing to chalk this up to chance.

Hawthorne gestured toward the screen behind him, which flickered to life, displaying an image of the SCP-1000 instance that had been apprehended. The humanoid figure, tall and covered in thick hair, resembled the long-rumored depictions of what the public referred to as "Bigfoot."

"We've caught one of them," Hawthorne continued. "SCP-1000, or rather, an individual from their species. And it seems… cooperative."

Dr. Hudson, who had been silent up until now, frowned. "Cooperative? These creatures are sentient, but we've never had one that was willingly communicative. Their past interactions with humanity have always been marked by avoidance or hostility. Why would it cooperate?"

"That's exactly what concerns me," Hawthorne said, locking eyes with the Council members. "When interrogated, this SCP-1000 instance claimed that it was aware of the breakout."

The room erupted in murmurs of disbelief. Dr. Mitchell was the first to speak out. "You're telling us that this creature knew about the breach of SCP-2377, SCP-7694-2, and the theft of SCP-23234?"

"It did," Hawthorne confirmed. "And more alarmingly, it suggested that the breakout might have been an act of sabotage from within. SCP-1000 claims that it has knowledge of certain anomalies—including SCP-23234—that pose a danger not just to us, but to their kind as well."

Dr. Hudson sat forward. "SCP-1000's history with the Foundation has always been volatile. They were once a dominant species, technologically advanced beyond our wildest imagination. But they were decimated, nearly wiped out. Are you saying there's a chance this breakout ties back to their species' history?"

Hawthorne nodded grimly. "It's possible. They might see SCP-23234 as more than just a smartphone with dangerous capabilities. It might be something they've encountered before, long ago, in the days when they ruled."

Dr. Mitchell interjected. "That's a massive leap. SCP-1000 has been relegated to the shadows for millennia. Why would they reemerge now, after all this time, just to get involved with a smartphone and a handful of other SCPs?"

"Maybe it's not about just the phone," Hawthorne said. "Maybe it's about control. SCP-23234 can change its make and model to any phone, it can hack any system, and it can answer any question. It's a tool of knowledge and influence. If SCP-1000 has reason to believe that the stolen SCP could endanger their species, they might have orchestrated or facilitated the breach."

There was a long pause before Dr. Hudson spoke again, her voice low. "You're suggesting SCP-1000 helped SCP-7694-1 escape, aren't you?"

"I'm not ruling it out," Hawthorne said. "What I'm saying is that SCP-1000 might have acted as a pawn or an accomplice. Or, more troubling, they could be part of a larger faction that's manipulating this entire situation."

Dr. Mitchell's brow furrowed. "So what now? We have a rogue SCP-7694-1 on the loose, SCP-23234 missing, and now you're telling us that an ancient, sentient species might be involved?"

"I think we've been looking at SCP-1000 all wrong," Hawthorne said. "The instance we captured isn't an anomaly in itself. It's a part of a larger collective. SCP-1000 is a species, and we've caught a single member. This one individual may not be acting alone."

"We've always known SCP-1000 was more than a simple cryptid story," Dr. Hudson mused. "But we've never been able to figure out their goals since their near-extinction. If this individual is part of a greater plot, then we need to dig deeper."

Hawthorne nodded. "Exactly. And that's why we need to proceed cautiously. SCP-1000 is too dangerous to handle the way we have been. Their technological capabilities, even degraded over time, surpass much of what we've developed. If they've been lying low all this time, waiting for the right moment to strike, we need to be ready."

Dr. Mitchell leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. "And SCP-7694-1? You think it's still out there, trying to regroup and free the others?"

"We believe so," Hawthorne confirmed. "From what we gathered, SCP-7694-1 wasn't abandoning its allies when it fled. It was acting based on a plan. That smartphone, SCP-23234, may have been guiding it. It might know exactly where the others are and how to free them."

"And what about the phone itself?" Dr. Hudson asked. "If SCP-1000 is involved, could they be the ones in possession of SCP-23234 now?"

"It's possible," Hawthorne said. "Or SCP-7694-1 could still have it. Either way, the phone is too dangerous in the wrong hands. We've launched search teams and increased surveillance, but so far, no leads. SCP-7694-1 has gone dark."

For a moment, the room was silent. Each member of the Council was deep in thought, weighing the implications of the new information. The paranoia that had begun to creep in during their earlier discussions now took root fully. SCP-7694-1 was still out there, and its escape was more calculated than they had realized. With SCP-1000 possibly pulling strings from the shadows, they could no longer trust that they were dealing with a random breach.

"We need to start treating SCP-1000 as a much larger threat," Dr. Hudson finally said. "This isn't just about a single instance we caught. This might be the first wave of something bigger."

Hawthorne stood, signaling the end of the meeting. "Agreed. We'll begin by increasing our interrogation of the SCP-1000 specimen in custody. We'll continue searching for SCP-7694-1 and SCP-23234. If they're working together, we need to stay two steps ahead."

As the Council members filed out, the tension in the room was palpable. None of them would say it aloud, but the look in their eyes revealed the truth: they were afraid. The anomalies they contained were no longer just a set of random entities. The escape, the theft of SCP-23234, and the possible involvement of SCP-1000 pointed to a deeper, more insidious threat.

One that was planning something far beyond the confines of their facility.

As Director Hawthorne left the room, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were already too late. SCP-1000 had been biding its time for centuries, and now it had found the perfect opportunity to strike.

And if SCP-7694-1 was out there, guided by the stolen smartphone, then the Foundation was facing a threat they couldn't yet comprehend.

That is what's the problem

---