In the official records, "Area-51" was actually Area-14—another layer of the Foundation's meticulous deception.
How many truths in this world are buried?
The more Luo Shu learned, the more he realized his ignorance.
As an SCP enthusiast, he'd thought he knew the Foundation well—but reality was far stranger.
Area-14 was proof.
The Illusion of Keter
Area-14's fame stemmed from its publicly listed location and its Keter-class residents—though most barely qualified:
SCP-058 (Dark Heart): The sole "true" Keter here (hourly containment repairs).
SCP-082 (Fernand the Cannibal): Euclid (kept docile with a mock French court).
Others: Overclassified for funding reasons.
But SCP-058's documentation never conveyed the sheer scale of its upkeep—until now.
The Dark Heart's Toll
As the convoy returned, a Peterbilt 389 "Optimus Prime" truck rumbled past, hauling:
Six 5m×5m steel plates (5cm thick, 10 tons each).
Destination: SCP-058's unit.
The lieutenant explained:
"Dark Heart's got four limbs and four razor-tendrils. It breathes fire, melts standard steel. We replace every wall/floor/ceiling plate hourly."
Math:
144 plates/day (1,440+ tons).
Dedicated mini-mill on-site to recycle damaged plates.
Luo Shu whistled. "So Area-14's size isn't just for secrecy—it's for logistics."
(And to space out nuke-ready units.)
The Scale of Area-14
Each containment wing was 1km apart (minimum).
Consequences:
No nighttime strolls: Luo Shu's unobservability lasted <1 hour—not enough to cover even one round trip.
Transport needed: Stealing a Humvee would raise alarms (even if unremembered).
IR1901's dilemma: Borrowing SCP-126's sensory deprivation would doom him.
(Conclusion: Area-14 was a fortress, not a playground.)
First Night in the Abyss
The convoy reached Nu-7's containment-zone barracks, where Luo Shu would stay for observation (until SCP-XXXX's protocols were confirmed).
Other MTFs present:
Omicron-7 ("Orkin"): Handled SCP-940 (flesh-weaving spiders).
Most personnel rotated between 51 (surface) and Area-14 (underground).
As Luo Shu settled in, the lieutenant tossed him a dossier:
"O5's orders. Tomorrow, you're consulting on SCP-076-2 (Able)."
Luo Shu's blood ran cold.
Area-14 wasn't done with him yet.