The SCP Foundation

Chapter 168: The Citadel

"Are you nearby?"

"Yes, we're almost there. Give us about fifteen minutes."

"Alright, if you say so..."

The captain put down the radio, then looked back at her superior, currently napping with her feet up on the desk. The captain sighed and walked out of their makeshift office.

The Foundation force had been stationed at a site nearby the city of Birmingham, Alabama. They have gained permission to use it as a forward base a week ago, with the local forces supporting the Foundation assault any way they could.

The area was busy, with Foundation personnel and troops patrolling, gathering supplies, conversing, and preparing for the impending assault. Once their allies from the GOC had arrived, they can finally put their formulated plan into action and make a large impact to the cultist threat.

"This will surely make a difference with those cultists..." the captain thought to herself. "Once we take over their headquarters, this will make neutralising them all the more easier."

With that thought, the captain began to walk around the area, monitoring the personnel and their conditions. As the captain walked, this had caught the attention of a nearby duo.

"Heh, guess we're all in for it now, huh? Taking the fight to them? The cap's all serious and shit, this is it."

"About fucking time..." the tomboy responded, loading her magazine into her pistol. "Once we're done here, those cultist pricks will have nowhere else to go."

"Easy there..." the joker chuckled. "I don't think they're gonna give up easy. You know, they could make another base of operations."

"If it's gonna be like that..." the tomboy then cocked her pistol. "I won't give up easy either."

"Right..." the joker nodded. "Glad we got some extra hands this time. I just hope everything's gonna go smoothly."

"Since this is their headquarters..." the tomboy spoke up. "You think... you think Dustin's gonna be holed up in there somewhere?"

"No guarantees on that, Dusty's a ghost on our radars." the joker sighed. "But hey, if we find him, then well... actually, I dunno... try to talk to him again."

"And you seriously think talking to him will work this time?"

"Now that we're taking the fight to his army of yes-men, he won't have any other choice." the joker answered. "This'll probably be the last time we'll try before the colonel would just consider killing him."

"Then let's hope when we do see him, it goes well."

"Hey, guys... lazing about I see..."

The two looked to see that Freddie was walking towards them, all prepared for the upcoming assault.

"Hey, look who's geared up and ready to go." the joker responded. "Fredman's ready to get his game on."

"They forced our hand, so we're responding in kind..." the peacekeeper replied with a sigh. "Just wished that it didn't have to come to this."

"They're getting what's coming to them, Freddie..." the tomboy interjected. "They took Dustin with them, so might as well just rescue him through force."

"Hang on there, Drista... we're still not certain that Dustin's in the area." the peacekeeper rebuked. "Even if he was, he's not our primary objective."

"Well, I think we should at least try to talk to him..." the tomboy reasoned with him. "We can't just leave him hanging out with these bastards."

"Still..."