Social Animals: An SCP Story

By Neoxenok Neoxenok

Becoming an employee for the SCP Foundation is no small thing. For Dr. Joseph Taylor, it was the moment his life changed forever. Aside from the secrecy and focus on security, it didn't seem that different from what he would have expected from a secretive organization. The first project he and a team of colleagues are given involves an anomalous wormhole: a gateway to a parallel Earth. It does not take long until it becomes apparent just how dangerous this other world is. It is so dangerous, in fact, that Dr. Taylor and his colleagues may be moved off the project entirely as they scrap their plans for the new facility Dr. Taylor was supposed to be a part of. However, when a Foundation prisoner escapes during the initial containment operations of the anomaly, Dr. Taylor sees an opportunity. Eager to prove his worth, impress his superiors, and advance his career, Dr. Taylor volunteers to find the prisoner and study this world in detail before the wormhole is permanently closed. Now, Dr. Taylor must find the escaped prisoner, study how this world came to be the way it is and the all-powerful architects of the new shape this world has taken, and return home without being found. If he fails, our world may suffer a fate worse than total extinction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neoxenok
• Release date: Oct 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9798985025019

Book preview

Prologue: February 2nd, 1992 CE

The sun has long since set and the activity of the music studio has died out. It is early in the night. People still roam about, moving equipment, cleaning, and performing maintenance. A middle-aged man sits in his office, finishing paperwork as he hums the country tune of someone he had finished working with hours ago.

A younger man arrives at his office door and casually lets himself in. He has a lot of energy despite the late hour. Hey Howard! How did the recording go?

Howard stops and looks up at him. His expression displays just how tired he is. It’s been a long day, Frank. What do you want?

Just wondering why you’re here, filling out paperwork at this hour.

None of your damned business that’s what. Don’t you have an amplifier to move or something?

Fuck no. I’m done and I’m going the fuck home.

Howard files his papers away, apparently finished or at least done with it. I’m glad one of us is excited to get home.

What’s crawled up your butt?

Howard stands and grabs his coat and hat as he motions toward the door. Oh, my wife found this damned cat a few months ago. I thought she was going to get rid of the stupid thing but she and the kids begged me to keep it.

The pair step out of the office and walk together as they leave the building. Maybe you should get a doberman and teach it the joy of cat meat.

Howard cracks a smile. Yeah, maybe. We’ll see how things go. Maybe it’ll piss on something and we can get rid of it.

The pair leave the building into the frigid outdoors, going their separate ways to their cars. Well, happy wife and happy life or however that goes. Good luck, man.

Yup. Take care. Howard gets in his car, turns on the heat and radio, and leaves the studio. The night is relatively quiet and driving is easy. He feels strange at the moment, taking the time to take in the view of the open roads. The moon. The quiet neighborhoods. The night-drivers. He eventually finds and stops at a convenience store on his way home.

He takes a long breath of the cold air and listens to the wind breeze as he steps out of the car. He feels strangely restless and he doesn’t understand why. Perhaps, he figures, Frank’s energy has rubbed off on him and he feels the same way that he does after a day’s work when he’s ready to go home. He shakes off the errant thoughts and continues into the store. He swiftly locates milk and eggs but he runs across a few items that catch his eye on the way to the counter. A toy mouse with catnip. Tiny toy balls. Other assorted cat toys.

The urge to just leave is strong, but he steps back to take a closer look at the more expensive catnip mouse toy. Picking it up to examine it, he tries not to feel his spirits lift at the thoughts of how the cat will react. He decides to take it with him to the counter, pays, and gets in his car. He can feel the strange restlessness that he felt before even more strongly now. With no answers as to why things feel off, all he can do is go home. With a sense of anticipation, he leaves the convenience store.

Howard’s drive is fifteen minutes before he arrives to the driveway of his home. It is a two-story suburban house, built a few decades ago but well-kept. Howard enters the front door and announces his entry. I’m home! I brought home milk and eggs!

No answer, but he thinks nothing of it as he takes off his coat, hat, and shoes. He draws breath to call his wife again to find her, but he stops when he hears noise coming from the kitchen. It’s a rumbling sort of a pattering, like a small animal struggling in one spot.

See there? It’s his wife, speaking aloud in a soft but flat tone, as if to someone near her. It came from the kitchen. Even after two hours, the female reacts as though she were suffering the injuries of the subject here to the extent that she has caused severe stress effects on her mind and body. I don’t understand why one affects the other.

Who is she talking to? Mary? What’s going on? Are you okay? What are you doing? Howard asked aloud, trying to be quiet enough to not wake his children. He approaches the kitchen cautiously, considering the possibility that someone else is here. His heart begins to race.

No, I don’t understand how humans have any use for these at all. There’s so much to understand here but for us to come to a greater understanding, we still need to wait for the husband to... She stops. The sound of struggling reaches a pitch but peters out.

Have I been found out? Howard wonders as his heart sinks. He prepares to enter the kitchen to confront his wife, stepping close enough to see her but he stops involuntarily. He feels something happen to him that he has never felt before. It feels like a wave of cool flowing water washing over him from head to toe, but he feels it in his nerves inside his body, as though his naked brain and spine just felt this wave of energy just wash over them from one end to another. It wasn’t painful but it felt electrical. He shook a little bit. His posture changes. Wait. He walks into the kitchen despite the caution he wished to exercise, as though he were no longer in control. What’s happening? He tries to speak but his body moves of its own accord, as though he were experiencing the body of another person with no control over what it does.

You’re right. Howard involuntarily states. Their nervous system is more complex, though not significantly so.

He can now see the entire kitchen. His wife is standing before the cutting board with various knives and other tools at her side. The entire area is covered in blood. She turns to face Howard directly. Her typical cheery and energetic expression is replaced with a blank, dispassionate stare that seems alien to her face. On her cutting board is their adopted cat, still somehow alive. Its vocal cords must be cut as it seems to be trying to vocalize its agony. Parts of its flesh are missing, exposing the fascia and musculature underneath. Its belly is open, exposing its internal organs. It seems unable to move some of its limbs. It appears to have been cut with the precision and skill of a surgeon. Howard tries to scream and force his body to help the poor animal, but his body refuses to react.

Howard’s body continues to speak. This mode of existence is fascinating. This one had just arrived and yet it reacts to the animal much like your subject had but the cat’s perspective and senses are entirely different. I understand that the Mary was the perpetrator and the Missy is the subject of dissection, but I do not understand the connection of the three to one another. Why does the creature react to the physical damage of the body? Why do humans react to the animal’s distress? I don’t understand any of this.

There is much to study here. It would be beneficial for us to collaborate as the others join our efforts. She states, picking up the cat by its arm. I’m so sorry, Missy… I’m so sorry! Howard impotently cries into his own mind as the helpless cat is tossed into the garbage can.

Mommy? Daddy? Howard and Mary’s head turn to see their eight year old son looking up at them. Normally, he would come running to greet his dad when he comes home this late, but he seems to sense something is amiss.

It’s a young one. Mary states.

That’s right. There are two of them. What is it contemplating? RUN! PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE DO NOT HURT MY CHILDREN! It’s reacting again in rather interesting ways.

The female is also. There is still so much to study.

Mommy? Daddy? What’s going on? The child asks with a more fearful look in his eye.

We should get started. There is much to do.

Chapter One: March 22nd, 2023 CE

The sun shines bright and early and there is a cool, gentle breeze blowing over the city. A man in his mid-thirties waits at a bus stop in his best business-casual attire. He picks through his cell phone as the strangers around him go about their business. As the bus turns from the corner and comes to a stop, he initiates a phone call. With his phone still ringing, he steps onto the bus, presents his ticket, then takes his seat.

Hey, sweetie! I’m on the bus now.

Are you excited? A woman responds.

In a manner of speaking.  If I get any more nervous, I’ll look like I swam to the interview.

I’d be terrified too if I were anywhere near those SCP guys. Do you even know what they do? Do you even know what you’re interviewing for?

Of course I do. You saw their job posting.

Yeah, but I mean you’ve heard the stories haven’t you? Aren’t you afraid that you don’t know what you’re signing up for? What about their cozy relationship with the criminal justice system and those private prison companies? Did you know they have their own military?

Well, they are well funded and the pay they advertise is really good. That’s why I took this job so I wouldn’t have to move out of state. Besides, the people who talk about that nonsense also talk about reptile people using the SCP Foundation to control the world and blah blah Bigfoot blah blah aliens blah blah space amoebas are using fluoride to make the frogs gay. It’s a giant and influential organization. The pay and benefits are good. We could really use this, Kelly. He can hear her let out an exasperated sigh.

I know. Just be careful. Don’t disappear on me, okay?

I’ll be fine. I’m sure. They told me no cell phones, so I’ll need to shut mine off. I’ll call you when the interview is over. With any luck, I’ll be home before supper and I’ll try to get some ice cream for Katy. Love you, sweetie.

Sounds good. You might want to pick up some carpet cleaner too. Sassy hasn’t been feeling too well lately. Love you too.

He ends the call, shuts his phone off, sits back, and tries his best to relax as the bus drives through the city. Eventually, the bus pulls into a stop where a conspicuous person stands next to an unmarked police car with its lights flashing. He is wearing a black and blue uniform with the SCP logo on the shoulders and the left breast of his uniform. He stands alone with a hand to an earpiece and seemingly talking to someone. There are many items attached to his belt that he can’t identify aside from his handgun. When the bus comes to a stop, he enters the moment the driver opens the door. SCP security. Stay here for a moment. He commands as he pulls out a touch pad and adjusts it for several moments. He looks over the occupants as he steps further in until he finds Taylor, glancing at him and his pad several times. He approaches, kneels to meet at eye level, and presents his touch pad screen that displays a clear picture of Taylor’s face. Are you Joseph Taylor, born at the Parkview Regional Medical Center of Fort Wayne Indiana on the 30th of June in 1988?

Taylor feels very intimidated. Yes. He manages to weakly utter.

I am SCP Foundation Security, Investigations Division. I need you to get off the bus with me. He puts the touchpad away and stands back up.

All eyes are on the two of them. The silence is loud.

Now, please.

Taylor stands and the officer follows him off the bus. Once out, the bus departs. The eyes of the other riders quietly watch as the bus drives out of view. The officer goes up to the unmarked and flashing vehicle, a four door sedan. A man sits in the back, eyeing the pair. He’s an older man with salt-and-pepper hair but a significantly less dour expression than the security officer, who turns to face him after he reaches the car and opens the driver's side front door. Are you carrying any personal items? Cell phones? Keys? Watches? As soon as he finishes asking, he opens his door and reaches for a metal detector wand and a metal box the size of a shoe box. He opens and presents the box. Its interior appears to be a Faraday cage. Place all personal items in this box. If it can’t fit, it goes in the garbage.

Taylor reaches for his phone and keys and places them in the box. That’s all.

He glances at the items and closes the box. As Foundation security, I must remind you that your interview instructions were to leave any and all electronic devices at home. I will tell you as part of your orientation process that this is standard procedure for entering your workplace environment. You do not enter Foundation property nor do you perform work for the Foundation with anything that is not given prior security authorization. This is your only warning. If you fail to follow this procedure, your device or devices will be confiscated and you will be detained. The punishment for this offense is a temporary revocation of security clearance and a permanent reprimand on your record. If you are found to have used your devices to record Foundation activities, assets, or business in any way, shape, or form, you could suffer legal action that could result in imprisonment. Do you understand? He puts the box back into the car.

Taylor can’t help but feel as though he is already being scrutinized for punishment. He expected the Foundation to be secretive but being confronted with all of this all at once is overstimulating and a little terrifying. I understand.

The officer reaches for an object on his belt. It’s an audio recorder. He works the controls for a moment and situates the microphone between the two of them, stepping in closer. I am Officer Bradley Tennshaw, Rank SC2, Inv-E1938751. I have given Dr. Joseph Taylor, Foundation employee candidate, standard security instructions. This point of the interview process requires that I inform you of your employment contract with the Security, Protection, and Containment Foundation, hereby referred to as the SCP Foundation. This contract hereby states that, upon your verbal agreement, you must clearly state your full legal name, the current date, and your proclamation confirming acceptance into employment by the SCP Foundation. When you do this, you are agreeing to the legally binding contract for employment by the SCP Foundation, which includes the agreement to nondisclosure of classified information and the duty to adhere to the mission statement, goals, rules, and the leadership of the SCP Foundation. Failure of any of these duties can result in punishments ranging from reprimand, revocation of security clearance, demotion, imprisonment, or death depending upon the severity of the infraction. This agreement is immediate and binding. From the point of agreement and onward, you will enter into a probationary period that will persist for no shorter time than three months. Attempting to terminate your employment during this trial period will result in temporary detainment or arrest in which you will be investigated by the SCP Foundation internal affairs and may be subject to attend a hearing with a lawyer that will be provided to you by the SCP Employee Advocacy Department that will determine your future. As of the end of this sentence, you have ninety seconds in which to ask and have answered any questions you may have. He looks at his watch.

Is that it?

Yes. He states, not looking away from his watch.

You’re not going to tell me anything else about employment with the Foundation? I’m not going to talk to anyone I’m going to be working for before I agree to work for them?

No and no. You must accept employment to receive any further information.

What happens if I don’t agree right now or I run out of time?

The interview ends and you go home.

Taylor huffs, frustrated to have an interview out in plain view of the public in front of what looks like an unmarked cop car. May I have my phone back? Can I at least discuss this with my wife?

No and no.

Taylor stops to contemplate his options, his hand over his mouth as he tries to think of a way to tell his wife about what’s going on. He can see the future of this secret life he has at work. What kind of organization can imprison you and stop you from leaving? What kind of place is allowed to put people on trial internally that can imprison people? That should be illegal! On one hand, he feels as though he should have expected this but on another hand, this is asking a lot from him. There is always some kernel of truth in all fictions.

Forty-five seconds.

What was it you said I had to say to agree to this?

You will need to state aloud your full legal name and today’s date as well as affirm your desire for employment with the SCP Foundation.

Taylor sighs, feeling anxious as he could feel himself readying to agree to this, sensing that this agreement will change the future course of his life. It feels important. It has to be. It must be in order to go through all this trouble to be so secretive and offer so much for working there. This must be worthwhile… right?

Twenty seconds.

Is working for the Foundation worth it?

The officer stops and breaks his stern visage for a brief moment, nodding without saying anything.

Okay. He takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing. "My name is Doctor Joseph Reginald Taylor and on this 22nd day of March 2023 of the Common Era, I declare that I choose to be employed by the SCP Foundation."

The officer takes his eyes off his watch, still holding up the recorder’s microphone. Then per agreement set forth per the SCP Foundation Human Resources Division, you are hereby considered an SCP Foundation Employee with all of the benefits, duties, and responsibilities that entails. Welcome to the SCP Foundation, Dr. Taylor. The officer shuts off the recorder and reaches out his hand.

Taylor shakes the officer’s hand.

When the two finish, the officer takes out the metal detecting wand and performs a full body search, coming up with nothing and saying nothing. He returns the wand to the car, opens the door to the backseat with the older man and he motions for Taylor to get in the car.

Taylor steps into the backseat, the other man adjusts his position to make room as the officer gets into the driver’s seat. Once the doors are shut, the officer quietly takes the wheel and begins driving. The one-way windows raise and darken the interior of the car. Taylor can feel his heart pumping. What did I just agree to? What’s going on now?

The older man takes out and opens his briefcase. As he rifles through his paperwork, he speaks. So, Dr. Taylor. It’s good to meet you. My name is Eugene Davis. I work with the Foundation’s Human Resources Department. Like most mid and high profile hires, our process is very secretive and we do ask a lot from our potential hires before any employment contract is finalized, so I apologize for the manner in which this process is conducted. I know you don’t realize it yet, but it’s all quite necessary. The Foundation requires meticulous attention to privacy, secrecy, and all matters of security. I’m sure you have many questions and I am here to answer them as best I can while we take you to orientation. He finishes and takes out a thick stack of paperwork and hands them to Taylor.

It’s good to meet you, I suppose. This is all kinda scary if I’m being honest.

It is, certainly. Now this is the boring part. Tax forms, nondisclosure agreements, consent forms, legal forms, and so on. He hands Taylor a pen that looks as though it costs as much as a low end car.

So I suppose I’ll start by asking where I’m going to be working and what sorts of things I’ll be working on. Taylor begins reading through the papers. The employment ad was rather light on specifics.

I don’t really know much about that but I know that everyone that does know these things will be there. They’ll probably show you an introduction video and the site manager will spend an hour or two talking about basics but once all that is over, you’ll be given an opportunity to talk to your project manager who’ll oversee your work assignments. You might want to reserve those questions for them.

As he reads over his papers, Taylor stops at one that grabs his attention. Why am I required to sign up for the Foundation’s Employee Health Service?

All employees of the SCP Foundation are required to sign up for the EHS.

Why? Our family has used our family Doctor for years now. I think we'd prefer to keep him, if possible.

Davis shakes his head. In the line of work for the Foundation, it is possible that you may come into contact with rather… exotic or esoteric conditions that your family doctor may lack the expertise to treat. I can assure you that the Foundation’s medical care is the best in the world. Once your paperwork is in order, you and your family will need to undergo a medical checkup at a Foundation healthcare office. We’ll provide you with a number to call tomorrow so you can have time to discuss this with your family and set up an appointment. You can still visit outside doctors or hospitals in emergencies, but the Foundation is frequently alerted in such instances so you’ll often end up in Foundation medical care regardless.

Exotic conditions? I see. Taylor feels that more questions have been raised than answered and he is beginning to feel some very authoritarian overtones, but he continues through his paperwork, noting more red flags he sees along the way. The Foundation will dominate my medical needs, handle all legal and security matters internally, and I can’t even see my own doctor or use my own lawyer! Why exactly, can’t I use my own lawyer if I have an issue with the Foundation?

That would create a situation where a possible security breach could occur. An outside lawyer may need to necessarily know things with regards to internal matters that would constitute a security risk for the Foundation. Issues between Foundation employees and the Foundation itself are handled through Internal Affairs and the Ethics Committee. There’s a department for Employee Advocacy that works as an employee union of sorts that acts independently and can provide you with a lawyer should the issue arise.

That seems like it would create a conflict of interest. How would I expect fairness or Justice if the Foundation plays both sides of the trial?

Davis gives a halfhearted smile. I can understand your concern. Let me explain. The Ethics Committee represents one of the five main branches of SCP Foundation Command, of which Human Resources is a part. Their purpose is to provide a check on the Foundation’s power and authority. The Justice Branch of the Ethics Committee handles all matters of justice and the Employee Advocacy Division provides for court cases and the attorneys that defend the interests of Foundation employees. Prosecution is handled by the other departments, usually internal affairs if, for example, an employee were to sue the Foundation. I’d like to believe this results in fairness and justice, but the difference between going to court in the Foundation and going in front of a United States judge is that you have different rights and applicable laws as an employee of the Foundation than you do anywhere else in the world. You might need to think of yourself as a citizen of the Foundation as much as you are an employee.

What does that mean, though?

Davis pauses for a moment before formulating his answer. It means if the Foundation wrongs you, you have as much recourse within the Foundation as you would outside of it because the distribution of power is not strictly top-down as it would be in corporate or military hierarchies. You will come to understand this.

Taylor feels much worse now about his decision than he did before. He continues to fill out his paperwork despite his mind being awash in worry and regret. After a further ninety minute drive from where they were in the city, the car arrives at its destination. Davis and the security officer exit the car.

This is our stop. Bring the paperwork. Davis exits the vehicle and motions for Taylor to follow. You’ll have plenty of time to finish your paperwork inside. Come.

This is insane. Taylor feels anxious and sweaty again. What am I going to tell my wife about all this? What about any of this can I tell my wife? Taylor’s imagination runs wild with all the possible things that can happen. He gets shot by a disgruntled officer that claims he was stealing secrets. He’s injured and HR just purges the employee rolls as though he never existed. One after another, Taylor can’t help but feel that he is walking into a trap he can no longer escape from. With some hesitation, he steps out of the car and looks around the parking lot of an office building that appears fairly nondescript. There is a sign post nearby that indicates that it once belonged to a law firm he vaguely remembers seeing commercials for a few years ago. There are other buildings nearby but the foliage is fairly dense. The parking lot is fairly large, with numerous other unmarked police cars like the one he arrived in. People still linger about the parking lot, directed into the building by Foundation staff.

Davis circles around the car to him. Let’s go. He gestures toward the building and the two begin walking toward it. They are swiftly joined by Officer Tennshaw.

The trio pass a pair of heavily armed security officers that look more like military soldiers than peace officers. Davis and the Officer Tennshaw flash their badges and wordlessly enter the building. The interior looks much like any other office building. Security officers swarm about the area, frequently seen escorting similarly distressed people dressed for interviews. Their eyes dart about as though they are ready to run and hide. Taylor, Davis, and Officer Tennshaw move into a large room with a projector set up at the center. The room is large enough for about three hundred people, though it appears to be at less than half capacity with most being HR and security, though more are still flowing into the room. Many others have already sat down while chatting among themselves.

Davis and Officer Tennshaw direct Taylor to an open seat, to which he obliges. Orientation won’t start for a little while, so you can go ahead and try to catch up on your paperwork. I’ll be nearby if you have any questions.

Yeah, actually, I’ve been meaning to ask. What, exactly, does the Foundation do? You mentioned before that the Foundation’s purpose even overrides my own rights. Why is that? Is the Foundation a military outfit?

The Foundation has a military division for a number of reasons, but that is not as important to the Foundation as you might suspect. Your question might be better answered by the orientation once it starts.

Taylor’s frustrations and anguish feels to be reaching a boiling point. He turns and leans into the person sitting next to him. A woman with a petite build who looks to have dressed the most professionally he has seen yet. She’s putting on a tough face, but she looks as though she is panicking beneath her stony visage. He whispers to her. I hope that I am not the only one that feels like I’m signing my soul away to the devil!

She leans in and whispers back. All I wanted to do was program code but now I’ll just be happy if they don’t announce they’ll be hunting us for sport.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE! Shouted a man who looks to be in his early fifties, wearing a business suit. All eyes turn to him. The room quiets down as he faces the crowds of people near the projector. "My name is Dwayne Henderson and I am or at least I will be the Site Manager for the new site that will be built in this area. I want to personally welcome you all to the Security, Containment, and Protection Foundation. I’m sure many of you are worried about what you’re signing up for and one of the first things I will do for you now is explain exactly what the Foundation is and what the