Item#: 7875

Level3

Containment Class:

keter

Secondary Class:

none

Disruption Class:

keneq

Risk Class:

danger

link to memo

Special Containment Procedures:
All in vitro samples of SCP-7875 are to be stored in a ULT Freezer in Site-92's Pathology Wing. Testing with SCP-7875 must be approved by Dir. McIntyre, with Level-3 personnel or higher supervising said testing has been suspended until further notice. In the event of a mechanical failure of said storage units, mobile Scranton Reality Anchors (SRAs) are to be deployed to ensure the containment of all in vitro samples.

Any personnel found to be infected with SCP-7875 are to be immediately quarantined within a modified Negative Pressure Isolation Unit (NPIU). Under no circumstances are healthy Foundation personnel permitted close contact with SCP-7875-a instances. Any physical interactions with infected instances must be conducted via Remote-Piloted Medical Drones (RPMDs).

Should an instance of SCP-7875-a expire, or otherwise attempt to breach containment, attending personnel are to immediately enact the following procedure.

Phase

Title

Description

Thermal Treatment

Upon immediate cessation of life-functions, SCP-7875-a, and its subsequent containment chamber, are to be incinerated by a team of modified RPMD units. The interior of the chamber must reach temperatures of at least 800°C to ensure the destruction of all organic materials. The cremated remains of SCP-7875-a are to be collected and disposed of in accordance with the Foundation Disposal Guidelines for Biohazardous Materials

Decontamination

Following the removal of the prior instance, all surfaces of the chamber are to be thoroughly coated in DIA-149. This solution is to remain for a minimum of 15 minutes before implementation of Phase III

III

UV-Hume Irradiation

Until the admission of a new SCP-7875-a instance, the chamber is to remain constantly UV irradiated via mobile UVC lamps. In addition to this, the retrofitted SRAs are to implement widespread genomic annihilation of the Acinetobacter genus

A space-filled 3D model of the proposed quaternary structure for SCP-7875-1

Description:
SCP-7875 denotes a previously unidentified, extremophilic strain of Acinetobacter baumannii. Found exclusively in Site-92's Medical Wing, SCP-7875 shares many similarities to other members of its species, primarily in regards to their nosocomial nature and general cellular anatomy. Where SCP-7875 differs from other strains is its expression of SCP-7875-1.

A 0.97 MDa protein complex, expression of SCP-7875-1 results in the absorption of ambient Hume levels in its immediate environment. While this typically results in mild spatial distortions in non-organic environments like medical equipment, when present in living organisms, the reduction of Hume levels gradually dematerializes the host's affected tissue.

In addition to this ontokinetic manipulation, SCP-7875 has also displayed an anomalously high level of genetic plasticity. While the exact mechanism behind such plasticity is under investigation, current hypotheses link this genetic reparability to the heightened expression of RecA proteins. It is further believed that SCP-7875-1 contributes to this anomalously rapid activity, converting excess ontokinetic energy from the absorbed Hume Fields into mechanical energy for these RecA proteins.

Due to this rapid rate of genetic alteration, treatment of SCP-7875 infections have become increasingly difficult. While the onset of symptoms in those infected progresses at a rate comparable to other A. baumannii strains, SCP-7875's reparability has rendered all available anti-biotic treatments nigh-ineffective. Presently, Adaptive Phage Therapy (APT) has proven to be the only viable means of counteracting said infections.

Should an SCP-7875-a instance be left untreated, or otherwise succumbs to their infection, SCP-7875 will completely dematerialize the infected subject. Upon reaching this stage, the remaining SCP-7875 colonies will proceed to restructure themselves into a biofilm, effectively laying dormant until a new subject has been infected.

For details surrounding the discovery of SCP-7875, see Addenda 7875-1 through -5.

Addendum 7875-1: Excerpt from Project Panacea Proposal

PROJECT PANACEA
Dr. E. Aldrich, Dr. R. Carvalho, Dr. Y. Hasashi

Introduction
Since the emergence of streptomycin resistant M. tuberculosis in the 1940's, humanity has remained in a persistent struggle against anti-microbial resistant (AMR) bacteria. Pathogens like S. aureus and the aforementioned M. tuberculosis, once thought to be treatable through the use of anti-biotics, re-emerged more potent than before. While the discoveries made during the so called "Golden Age of Anti-Biotics" kept many of these AMR bacteria at bay, human exploration and innovation could only stretch so far. This well-intentioned, but flawed effort resulted in many of the Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens (MDRPs) seen today, ravaging both public and Foundation-affiliated healthcare facilities alike.

Specifically in regards to the latter, Site-47's Logistics Division has reported a staggering ███ deaths across all Foundation Sites as a direct result of such infections in 2022 alone, up 175% from 2019's toll. While this value is ultimately a culmination of various AMR bacterial infections, one pathogen in particular that has resulted in upwards of 65% of such deaths is Acinetobacter baumannii.

An opportunistic, Gram-negative bacterium, A. baumannii has displayed an unnatural level of resistance to nearly all classes of available anti-biotics. While research has strongly affiliated this resistance to the expression of the RecA protein complex, efforts to effectively target this DNA repair complex have been futile. As a result, polymyxins are one of the few viable therapeutic avenues capable of halting the spread of A. baumannii infections. However, the limited supply of such anti-biotics can not nearly match the ever increasing demand, leaving many patients in dire need for new, innovative treatment options. This is in addition to the ever-increasing risk that A. baumannii will eventually develop resistance pathways to counteract polymyxin treatment.

While this would almost certainly spell doom for public healthcare facilities, pathological research conducted throughout Foundation facilities has already begun exploring promising alternatives to anti-biotic treatments. One of the most notable candidates, which this proposal will further explore, is an experimental therapy whose aim is to completely eradicate the presence of foreign pathogens in a host's body. Currently dubbed "Hume Therapy", this treatment utilizes an array of modified Scranton Reality Anchors to target the genetic sequence of a pathogen, in this case, A. baumannii, and counteract its Hume signature with an opposing field. This interaction between the two fields effectively results in the erasure of the targeted pathogen from baseline reality.

Materials & Methodology

Genomic Hume Targeting
Using early schematics of Dr. Scranton's eponymous Reality Anchors, Dr. Hasashi and her colleagues in the Department of Applied Ontokinetics were able to integrate a series of modifications into said SRA models. Such adjustments included the insertion of components like a MicroKant Scanner, and a Prokaryotic BLAST Database, amongst others which can be found in Figure 2c. By implementing these modifications, the newly dubbed Genomic Reality Anchors (GRAs) were able to effectively scan for and target genetic sequences inherently unique to the model organism in question.

Much like a matter-antimatter annihilation event, this targeting would induce a counter-field to negate the natural Hume signature of the genetic sequence in question, erasing it from baseline reality. By mapping out genomic regions vital to the pathogen's survival, the erasure of these sequences would induce a widespread apoptotic event throughout these foreign bodies, while leaving the host unharmed.

Model Organisms
The model organisms that were used in this study were provided by Site-107's Department of Microbiology. These organisms included the following; Acinetobacter baylyi (Variants 87, 105, 149, 289, 302, and 375), Escherichia coli variant 401, and Enterococcus faecalis variant 269. All organisms were handled and grown in accordance to the Foundation Regulatory Guidelines for Microorganism Experimentation. Also provided by Site-107 were 5 Mus musculus subjects for in vivo testing. As with the previously mentioned bacteria, all Mus musculus organisms were handled and cared for in accordance to the Foundation Ethical and Regulatory Guidelines for In Vivo Experimentation.

Results

Objective

Test Subject

Result

Ensure the efficacy of Hume Therapy on single bacterium species

A single Petri Dish of Acinetobacter Baylyi

Complete ontokinetic annihilation of all present bacterial colonies

Ensure the accuracy of Hume Therapy in the presence of numerous bacterial species

A multi-streaked Petri Dish consisting of A. baylyi, E. coli, and E. faecalis

Complete ontokinetic annihilation of A. baylyi. E. coli and E. faecalis colonies remained untouched.

Ensure the accuracy of Hume Therapy in the presence of related bacterial species

A multi-streaked Petri Dish consisting of 6 variants of A. baylyi

Complete ontokinetic annihilation of V149, with the other 5 variant colonies remaining unharmed

Observe the effects of Hume Therapy in an in vivo model

Mus musculus infected with attenuated, pathogenic variant of A. baylyi

Complete ontokinetic annihilation of A. baylyi. No detrimental effects observed in model organism

The following figure is a summary of all pre-clinical testing done using Hume Therapy on a variety of model organisms. Testing was primarily conducted by Dr. Riccardo Carvalho, under the direct supervision of Dr. Aldrich and Dr. Hasashi

To: Aldrich, Ethan (gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla#gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla)
From: McIntyre, Kieran (gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm#gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm)
Date: 24/05/2022
Subject: Clinical Trial Proposal: PROJECT PANACEA

Dr. Aldrich,

I hope you've been adjusting well at Site-403. I just wanted to reach out and let you know that the Ethics Committee and I have officially reviewed your Clinical Trial Proposal, and are prepared to greenlight it. Before we do though, we have one minor concern we were hoping you could clear up first.

We noticed that, under the Personnel section that you listed Dr. Carvalho as the Lead Medical Researcher for this stage of the project. While I have no doubt that he is a talented researcher given their prior track record, the significance and inherent risk behind handling such trials is no small order. Are you sure he's ready to bear the responsibility of such testing?

-Dir. McIntyre

To: McIntyre, Kieran (gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm#gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm)
From: Aldrich, Ethan (gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla#gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla)
Date: 26/05/2022
Subject: Re:Clinical Trial Proposal: PROJECT PANACEA

Dir. McIntyre,

Thank you so much for reaching out. Your concern over Dr. Carvalho is completely understandable, given his lack of prior exposure in such scenarios. However, I can assure you he is absolutely ready to take charge of these trials. Dr. Carvalho is as meticulous of a researcher as he is brilliant. His reliability and ingenuity in my lab is second to none, and leaves me completely comfortable putting him in charge during my absence.

Plus, he won't be conducting all of this on his own, either. Dr. Hasashi will be personally supervising all GRA operations, and I already plan to check-in with him frequently for status reports on each patient.

If you have any other questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

Best,

Dr. Aldrich

To: Aldrich, Ethan (gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla#gro.tenpics|e.hcirdla)
From: McIntyre, Kieran (gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm#gro.tenpics|k.erytnicm)
Date: 05/06/2022
Subject: Re:Clinical Trial Proposal: PROJECT PANACEA

Dr. Aldrich,

Given the rather urgent nature of this project, I'll trust your instinct on this. I don't believe I have any other questions though, so I'll go ahead and greenlight your project.

Best of luck!

Dir. McIntyre

Addendum 7875-3: Clinical Trials

Prior to testing, Site-92's Medical Wing was screened for A. baumannii induced infections, the results of which can be observed in the following figure.

Patient 053
Patient 077
Patient 035
Patient 007

Date: 26/06/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho, Dr. Yelena Hasashi
Diagnosis: Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Treatment: Genomic Hume Therapy.
Results: Urinary analysis displayed negative test result. 053 experienced a full recovery approximately 36 hours post treatment.

Date: 29/06/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho, Dr. Yelena Hasashi
Diagnosis: Surgical Site Infection (Left Bicep)
Treatment: Genomic Hume Therapy, Localized Disinfection
Results: Needle biopsy of afflicted tissue came back negative. Subject's surgical site is expected to regenerate normally, with localized disinfection applied to ensure sterility.

Date: 01/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho, Dr. Yelena Hasashi
Diagnosis: Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
Treatment: Genomic Hume Therapy, Oxygen Therapy, IV Fluids
Results: Pulmonary needle biopsy came back negative. 035 continues to remain in a serious, but stable condition. Supplemental oxygen and IV fluids will continue to be provided until full recovery.

Date: 05/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho, Dr. Yelena Hasashi
Diagnosis: Surgery-Induced Sepsis
Treatment: Genomic Hume Therapy.
Results: See Addendum 7875-4

Addendum 7875-4: Patient Zero Timeline

Despite the initial success of GHT in treating various A. baumannii borne infections, Patient-007 displayed an unusual reaction to their treatment. A timeline of their reaction can be found below, recorded by attending physician Dr. Riccardo Carvalho.

30 Minutes Post-Treatment
24 Hours Post-Treatment
72 Hours Post-Treatment
84 Hours Post-Treatment
100 Hours Post-Treatment
108 Hours Post-Treatment

Date: 05/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: Patient 007 has displayed no adverse reaction to Genomic Hume Therapy. Their prior symptoms still remain, but could be linked to a lingering immune response. They will remain on a cephalosporin cocktail and fluid replacement until their vitals have stabilized. In the meanwhile, I've gone ahead and extracted a needle biopsy sample from the subject's pulmonary tissue to scan for any remaining bacterial colonies.

Date: 06/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: Patient 007 appears to have returned to a stable condition, with their vitals returning to mostly normal levels. Their blood oxygen levels seem to be slightly lower than normal, consistently measuring at around 92%. Rapid testing on yesterday's biopsy sample has yielded nothing of note though, so we will proceed to long-term observations for any potential side effects.

Date: 08/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: The patient's breathing has become more labored, indicative of some type of respiratory pathogen. Their breathing has also become raspy, with emitted sputum being noticeably bloodier as well. Given their prior diagnosis, their immune system could be compromised, making them more susceptible to infections like this. There's also the possibility that this was simply an uncharted comorbidity, that has been given free reign in the absence of A. baumannii. Regardless, we will focus on symptom mitigation until we can obtain new biopsy results.

Date: 08/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: Despite a negative screening for any foreign bodies, the patient's condition has worsened exponentially. They appear to have gone septic once again, with numerous patches of what appear to be necrotic tissue emerging erratically throughout their body. Given the likelihood of a case of necrotizing fasciitis, I'm scheduling an immediate surgical intervention to excise all necrotic sites, followed by transfer to an intensive care unit for further observation.

Date: 09/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: The patient's condition continues to rapidly decline, with the subject having entered a vegetative state. Furthermore, necrotic sites continue to spread throughout the body, despite previous emergency surgical intervention. During the debridement of the patient's forearm, we retrieved an additional incisional biopsy sample in an attempt to identify any kind of pathogen in question. However, rapid microscopy of the affected tissue proved to be inconclusive due to some kind of optical interference. Whatever the case may be, I'm afraid we're running out of time.

Date: 09/07/2022
Attending: Dr. Riccardo Carvalho
Observations: Patient 007 has officially expired. The subject's body is currently being transferred to Site-92's Autopsy Wing for Post-Mortem examination. While the official report has yet to be released, I did notice something unusual in my prior incisional biopsy sample. After my first round of testing proved to be inconclusive, I preserved the sample following proper storage protocol for future analysis. When I returned to check on it today though, the sample was gone. The only thing left in the container was a small film present on the bottom. Whatever it is, I'm going to run some tests on it, see what I can dig up.

Direct Communication Log

Personnel:

Ethan Aldrich, MD/PhD; Senior Researcher of Pathology
Riccardo Carvalho, MD; Lead Researcher of Pathology

July 18th, 03:25

Carvalho: Hey Ethan, you awake? I could use your help with something.

Aldrich: You know how timezones work, right?

Carvalho: Sorry. We're having a bit of an issue in the Medical Wing, and I could use an extra pair of eyes on some biopsy results.

Aldrich: Yeah, just give me a little bit to get moving, and I'll give you a hand.

Carvalho: Thanks, I really appreciate it.

July 18th, 05:37

Aldrich: So it’s a respiratory infection?

Carvalho: From what we've seen, yeah. There could be other vectors of transmission too, but we just haven't seen it yet.

Aldrich: I see. Well, why don't you send that data over. See what kinda magic I can work.

Carvalho: Sent. Check your e-mail.

Aldrich: You sure you sent the right one?

Carvalho: Of course I did. My lab space may be messy, but I know how to organize my files.

Aldrich: Well, you're gonna need more than an extra set of eyes, then. This microscopy's a mess. Who took these pics?

Carvalho: I did. That's actually one of the better ones, believe it or not.

Aldrich: Huh. Well, it seems like you've probably got a faulty 'scope. You should have Kieran request some new ones.

Carvalho: He already put an order in. Until those units come in though, new imaging's a no-go.

Aldrich: Alright, well, I can't really do much with these at the moment. Have you done anything else I can take a look at?

Carvalho: We did run some PCRs, see if we could ID any hallmark sequences. I didn't include those in the file, though.

Aldrich: Why not?

Carvalho: All we got were mostly incomplete fragments, and assays that were too broad for me to draw any conclusions.

Aldrich: You're certainly not making my job easy here.

Carvalho: I know, I'm sorry. My diagnostic toolbox is starting to run a bit short though, and I'd rather not start shuffling through treatments trying to crack a differential. If it's too much to handle, I understand.

Aldrich: No no, I can handle it. I just need some time.

Carvalho: How much?

Aldrich: Depends. I've got a contact at 671 who can help with the imaging, but the fragments are gonna take a bit.

Carvalho: So, you want the PCR results? Even though they're shit?

Aldrich: Anything's better than nothing. Who knows, maybe it'll expedite the process.

Carvalho: Alright then. Got any recommendations until then? Something to at least hold it back, y'know?

Aldrich: Maybe try to get Kieran to reinstate old COVID policies. Similar restrictions should apply, respiratory or otherwise.

Carvalho: Sounds good. I'll leave you to it then.

July 23rd, 11:25

Carvalho: Any luck so far?

Aldrich: Still working on it. HIPPOC's still rendering those pics.

Carvalho: I thought that thing was still experimental?

Aldrich: HIPPOC's fully functional. They just haven't had much exposure beyond their clinical trials.

Carvalho: Not sure I'd be using it, but to each their own. You know how much longer it's gonna take?

Aldrich: A day? Maybe two? Look, I know you're anxious, but this sort of thing takes time.

Carvalho: Oh, I'm aware. The Director's been the antsy one. He's been on me for updates pretty much hourly.

Aldrich: You can invite him in here, if you want. Make your life easier instead of jumping back and forth between us.

Carvalho: Sure. Just give me a second.

K. McIntyre has joined the chat

McIntyre: Hey Ethan.

Aldrich: Long time no see. How are things?

McIntyre: Stressful, but that's nothing new, I suppose.

Aldrich: Well, I'm sure this outbreak of yours isn't helping.

McIntyre: No kidding. How's life at 403?

Aldrich: Pretty mellow, for the most part. Never in my life did I imagine I'd be working with fossils, but here I am.

Carvalho: Since when did you have a paleontology degree?

Aldrich: I've got experience, just not professionally. They set up a Paleopathology unit recently, and want my expertise on fossilized microbes. I guess they want to see if dinosaurs could get the sniffles, or something.

McIntyre: Well, send Dir. Grant my regards. Speaking of microbes, do you have any clue what we might be dealing with here?

Aldrich: Nothing substantial. I don't want to put anything out just yet until I get those images back.

McIntyre: I see. Do you at least have any recommendations for some kind of therapy, then?

Aldrich: I'd focus on symptom mitigation if you can, and keep following those COVID protocols. Maybe even restrict access into and around the Med Wing to essential personnel only. Can't recommend much else, though. Sorry.

McIntyre: It's alright. Sorry if I'm being a bit…forward. This whole thing's just driving me up the wall.

Aldrich: No, I understand. I'd probably feel the same. The second I get a positive ID, I'll let you know.

McIntyre: Thanks, Ethan. I appreciate it.

July 24th, 13:17

Aldrich: The results are in. Seems like you've got a particularly nasty case of MR-AB running amok.

McIntyre: MR-AB? Is that like, MRSA or something?

Aldrich: Multi-resistant A. baumannii, so, kinda close.

Carvalho: You're certain?

Aldrich: I wouldn't be reaching out if I wasn't. HIPPOC came up with a 94% match for it. The genomic fragments filled in the rest. The only uncertainty though, was the variant present.

McIntyre: Is that a bad thing?

Aldrich: It narrows our treatment options a bit, but there are still a couple we could try.

McIntyre: I'll take whatever you've got.

Aldrich: Well, there's the usual anti-biotic route. Given the circumstances, polymyxins would be your best bet here.

Carvalho: That's a bit overkill, no?

Aldrich: Yes, but it's one of the few groups that can cover all variants. With a strain this aggressive too, we don't wanna misfire.

McIntyre: They're that bad, huh?

Aldrich: They don't call it a heroic dose for nothing.

Carvalho: Think of it like a Scorched Earth approach.

McIntyre: Christ. Is there anything a little more… mild, we can use?

Aldrich: Sure, but I don't want to take a gamble on something it could be resistant to. Or better yet, it could develop resistance too.

McIntyre: Alright, well, what else do you have?

Aldrich: There's the GRAs.

McIntyre: You're kidding?

Aldrich: I'm 100% serious.

McIntyre: I get you're optimistic to use them, but it's still too early.

Carvalho: In normal circumstances, it would be. But this isn't exactly "ordinary".

McIntyre: Sure, but we haven't exactly mapped out any long term effects from it.

Carvalho: Long term effects? It isn't mutagenic.

McIntyre: You don't know that yet, which is exactly why I'm hesitant to use it.

Carvalho: It's targeted ontokinetic manipulation. Any side-effects would almost certainly be immediate.

McIntyre: Really? Have you thought about sub-cellular damage and the possibility of it being carcinogenic?

Aldrich: Relax, it was just a suggestion.

McIntyre: What about Phage Therapy? Isn't that like, made for these sorts of bacteria?

Aldrich: They'd be the most effective, sure, but we'd need to fully characterize this strain before we implement them. Phages are awfully specific, and not exactly a common course of treatment.

McIntyre: That's it then, huh? Is there anything else?

Carvalho: Not really.

Aldrich: Nothing worthwhile, beyond those two.

McIntyre: Christ. Well, I'd rather start with the tried and true option first. No offense.

Aldrich: None taken. Just keep me posted either way.

McIntyre: Will do.

Aldrich: In the meantime Ric, if you could keep running PCRs on any samples you have and send the results over, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Carvalho: They'd…be incomplete though. You're sure you want them?

Aldrich: I'm aware. I'm trying to test something out.

Carvalho: Fair enough. I'll go ahead and get started.

July 28th, 19:47

Aldrich: Any luck so far?

Carvalho: Not really. For the first couple of days, the antibiotics seemed to decrease the severity pretty significantly. Now, it's practically back to pre-treatment levels.

McIntyre: Not to mention this thing's broken our quarantine zone. I'm getting reports of multiple people calling out from Logistics.

Carvalho: Well, they're adjacent to the Med Wing, so it's not totally unexpected.

McIntyre: Sure, and Diagnostics is next to that. And the Security Hub next to that. Should I keep going?

Aldrich: Well, antibiotics clearly aren't the solution right now, so it's time to move on.

Carvalho: What about a cocktail? I've seen a few groups use it for resistant TB before.

Aldrich: Too dangerous. The side effects alone could be lethal with the groups we'd have to use.

McIntyre: More lethal than what's lurking around here?

Aldrich: Put it this way; if the infection doesn't get to them first, the combo will. Plus, then we'd have the possibility of it developing pan-drug resistance.

McIntyre: Phages are still a no-go?

Aldrich: Do you realize how much time that takes? I'm not the miracle worker you think I am.

McIntyre: Guess that leaves me with no other choice then, right?

Carvalho: Unless you've got any better ideas, I'd say the GRAs are our best bet now.

McIntyre: For the record, if this were any less severe, I wouldn't be so keen on using these.

Aldrich: Understandable. I'll keep working on mapping out this variant, see if I can find any exploitable vulnerabilities. Who knows, maybe we can loop back to a different group of anti-biotics if I find something promising.

Carvalho: You need me to keep running samples for that, Ethan?

Aldrich: For now, no. There's still some files I haven't gotten to yet, so you can hold off with them.

Carvalho: Sounds good.

August 3rd, 19:47

Carvalho: Ethan, we've got a problem.

Aldrich: What is it now?

Carvalho: I don't know what it is exactly, but the GRAs aren't working.

Aldrich: Like, mechanically?

Carvalho: Maybe? I mean, we've run patients through it multiple times, but it seems to be making them worse.

Aldrich: Are you…sure you're using them right?

Carvalho: I mean, Hasashi's been running them, so I'm pretty positive she'd pick up if something in it was wrong.

McIntyre: God damnit, I told you two this wasn't a good idea.

Aldrich: Let me talk with her, see if we can do some troubleshooting.

McIntyre: You can do that, but I'm afraid we're stretching our resources thin here. Is there anything else we can try in the meantime?

Aldrich: Treatment wise? No. Not now, at least. You need to refocus your efforts on containment.

McIntyre: I mean, what else do you want me to do? I've pulled out everything. Curfews, restricted spaces, sanitation stations, the whole nine. What else can I do?

Aldrich: You know what you've gotta do. Snuff the source before it spreads.

McIntyre: Jesus Ethan, we're talking about peoples' lives here. I can't just sign their death warrants like that.

Aldrich: You'll be signing a lot more if you don't. Look, I know it's not favorable, but right now, there's no other choice.

McIntyre: Not favorable?! There's nothing favorable about any of this! There's always another choice.

Aldrich: Not within our capacity, there isn't. Realistically, this is your only option.

McIntyre: You think High Command's gonna be keen on me just wiping out a majority of my staff?

Aldrich: I'm sure they'd still rather have a Site than a graveyard. It's not optimal, but they'll understand.

McIntyre: And what about their colleagues? Their families? Do you think they'll understand?

Aldrich: You're acting like they're not my friends either. This is what we signed up for, Kieran. We all came here knowing full well the risks of a job like this.

McIntyre: Easy to say when you're not on the other side of that decision.

Aldrich: I know. But if saving the lives of others meant sacrificing my own, I wouldn't hesitate.

Carvalho: I hate to say it… but Ethan's right. The more time we spend throwing shit at it, the further it spreads.

McIntyre: I… need to think about all this.

September 14th, 11:13

Aldrich: Hey, how're things over there? I know we didn't exactly leave things on the right note, but I wanted to check in anyway.

McIntyre: Not great, but we're surviving. Site's still under curfew, but cases have been declining, so that's a plus.

Aldrich: Well that's a relief. I know this wasn't your preferred option, but you did the right thing.

McIntyre: Sure doesn't feel like it. I failed them, Ethan.

Aldrich: What do you mean?

McIntyre: I swore an oath to run this site not only in the best interests of the Foundation, but of the people here too.

Aldrich: And you did. You made the best possible choice in a time of crisis, Kieran.

McIntyre: Did I really, though? The more death releases I sign off, the less I'm willing to believe it.

Aldrich: Even if we caught it as early as possible, it was never going to be perfect. That's the unfortunate reality you're going to have to accept.

McIntyre: I don't think I ever can. I'll move forward, but it's just something that's going to haunt me until the end of days.

Aldrich: Try not to let it cloud your future. The Site's gonna need your leadership in recovering from this shitstorm. If you need someone to confide in, my door's always open.

McIntyre: I appreciate it, Ethan.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING FILE IS LEVEL 4/7875 CLASSIFIED

ANY ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THIS FILE WITHOUT LEVEL 4/7875 AUTHORIZATION WILL BE LOGGED AND WILL LEAD TO IMMEDIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

Granted

Audio Log

Personnel:

Kieran McIntyre, PhD; Director of Site-92
██████ Adebayo, PhD; Regional Director

McIntyre: What kind of damage are we looking at?

Adebayo: 417 and 509 are both a hot mess, to put it lightly. Toivonen's already considering the nuclear option.

McIntyre: I get using whatever means necessary, but obliteration is a bit of an overstep, no?

Adebayo: I don't think you're grasping the severity of the situation, Kieran. The personnel aren't the only carriers.

McIntyre: What do you mean?

Adebayo: Apparently… some Type Greens have been among the interred at 509.

McIntyre: (sighs) Shit. Is it just them, or are others susceptible too?

Adebayo: Hard to say, but I'd imagine any organic ones would be more than vulnerable. The Greens in particular seem to have a nasty weak spot for it, though.

McIntyre: We never saw that here, but it never really got the chance to spread to our Containment Wing.

Adebayo: Well, that’s the sort of risk you take when you re-home field units from other sites.

McIntyre: You’re saying this is my fault now? Do you even comprehend what I had to sacrifice to contain this fucking nightmare?! Don’t you dare put that burden on my shoulders!

Adebayo: Watch your tone, McIntyre. This debacle has already run my patience thin, I don't need you adding to it.

McIntyre: (sighs) Well, aside from the warheads, what else are you considering?

Adebayo: That's something I was hoping you could help me with. 417 and 509 aren’t exactly built for personnel curfews. Their work requires a more constant, hands-on approach.

McIntyre: Hmm, well, I personally can’t help you with this, but a couple of my staff have been working on a containment protocol for this thing. Something about repurposing isolation units and Hume mitigation.

Adebayo: Do you think it could work here?

McIntyre: Maybe? They said this was for smaller scale outbreaks, but they might be able to broaden it for large scale operations. I can get them in contact with you, if you’d like.

Adebayo: Please do. I’d appreciate it.