Site-113.

Chapter 19. Can you keep a secret?

As we approached the MTF camp, I closed my eyes to try to calm down. If the MTF saw me on fire, they would think they were under attack. I took a deep breath, focusing on my inhalation, the pauses between and finally the exhaling.

This usually helps to get me focused. It's a form of meditation, I think. I opened my eyes after exhaling one final time, looking down at my hands. They were no longer burning.

Nice.

Me and the pack continued walking toward the MTF camp, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. We eventually reached the perimeter guard, which I greeted.

"What's with the SCP-939 horde following you? Are... Are you sure they're friendly? Also how come you're not... wearing a spacesuit?"

I chuckled a little. "I don't really know, to be honest. I just woke up outside the facility this morning, and I didn't need to have a space suit to breathe. As for the 939... No, I'm not sure."

The operative was not happy with that answer and ordered me to step around the other side of the facility. "All right, all right, relax."

Around back they had a special airlock with reinforced metal doors that could only be opened from the inside of the facility. Me and the pack of 939 all fit nicely as the doors were primarily intended for storing large APC vehicles when the site was fully operational.

The blast doors closed behind us, and the lights turned on. It didn't take long before I saw a familiar face on the other side of the bulletproof glass: Alex.

Alex looked angry, as she always did.

"Agent Bacon, reporting for duty." I mockingly saluted toward Foxtrot and Cherry sat down politely beside me.

Alex angrily glared at me through the windows. "Care to explain why all these 939 are flocking around you like you're their shepherd or something!? And how can you breathe without a suit?!"

I lowered my arm before picking up Cherry from the floor. I faced the window again, now cradling Cherry like a baby. "I don't really know. I've just always had my way with these guys." I cleared my throat. "As for me being able to breathe in Martian air... I don't really know. I just woke up being able to breathe it."

Alex looked like she'd seen a ghost. "I know you had something special with Tomato but to have earned the respect from 18... no, 26 otherwise feral 939?" She noticed the 939 children that were playing among their pack members and scoffed. "You're unbelievable."

I put Cherry down to the floor again after giving her a little kiss on the snout. "I guess I'm just quirky like that." I said, smiling to Alex on the other side of the door.

Alex sighed. "Are you absolutely sure they won't go on a rampage ripping my crew apart if I let you out of the hangar bay? I'm talking with 110% certainty."

I quickly shook my head. "No. I cannot guarantee that."

Alex pinched the bridge on her nose. "I'll be fair with you. In any other circumstance I'd have your head, along with all these 939. But... You seem to have a good grasp on them, even though we cannot be certain they're going to leave other people beside you alone. I'll make you a deal. Your pack here can have its own holding cell and you'll be able to go freely in and out of the cell on your own and take them on missions if we deem that necessary. Your part of the deal will be that under absolutely no circumstances are you allowed to take them through the facility. They will only stay in the holding cell or go directly outside. Have I made myself clear?"

I thought about the offer and considering that the alternative was they all being killed, I agreed. "That sounds fine to me. I can guarantee that Cherry will be nice though, I've had much longer time to raise her to be docile around other people too."