– Arizona, America - 12:00 AM –
At the stroke of midnight, the Arizona highways lay deserted with only a minimal amount of cars piercing their headlights through the darkness. But a certain Pillar Man was, let's just say, wearing a gray tank top, dark red leather pants, and black boots, his form enveloped by a sleek black motorcycle jacket bearing a blazing skull emblem. Mounted upon a roaring Harley Davidson chopper as he drove down the highway and cut through the silence like a knife.
And yes people, it's Esidisi.
Now you might be thinking why he's wearing human clothing and using a human vehicle? He had his reasons. Firstly, he's blending in and sure he can deal with any human easily but it's best if he didn't draw attention to himself since he didn't want annoyances like humans following him everywhere asking death by his hands.
Secondly, this vehicle will help him get from one place to another easily. Being a Pillar Man, mastery over such machinery came naturally to him as it didn't take him much time to figure out how to ride it.
As for the origin of his attire and vehicle, Esidisi had acquired them through his own means, taking all of this stuff from some human who was unfortunate enough to lock eyes with him and meet a gruesome end at the hands of Esidisi. Along with the material possessions, he had claimed the man's wallet and phone. Through the device, he gleaned insights into the state of the world. He learned that after World War II, many changes took place in the world as it seemingly embraced an era of peace and technological advancement.
"These humans really think peace can exist? Laughable, these insignificant primates will forever chase the illusion of this peace that they called," Esidisi mused with a derisive snort. "Regardless, they will always find another excuse to start a war again, and again, and again, failing to realize that conflict is ingrained in their very nature, destined to repeat endlessly."
Undeterred by these musings, Esidisi continued his journey along the deserted highway. Little did he know, the Earth that he was in was not the same earth he knew all those years back. This was one of the many dangerous universes of SCP, where monsters from your worst nightmares lurk in the shadows and can end the world anytime.
– Ward P, Infirmary, Site-19, America - 7:00 AM –
In Ward P, Carlos sat on the floor with a relaxed demeanor. Nearby, Molly was asleep in a chair beside Lawrence's bedside, in which the latter was still in the same injured and comatose state.
A creak signaled the entrance of Amelia Buck, clad in a crisp gray button-down shirt and flowing blue trousers, her hair cascading loosely around her shoulders beneath her usual lab coat.
"Good morning, Carlos," she greeted the skeleton bird.
Carlos emitted a soft chirp as Amelia gently patted his head. Casting a glance at the sleeping Molly, she proceeded to approach her.
"Collingwood, wake up," she urged, but Molly remained undisturbed. Recognizing the futility, Carlos unleashed a resounding roar, jolting Molly awake with a start.
"Ahhh! I'm awake!!" she exclaimed, startled.
"Smart thinking, Carlos," Amelia commended, her gaze shifting to Molly, who glared at Carlos in mock irritation.
Offering a thumbs-up with one of his six arms, Carlos chuckled lightly. But it seems like the roar didn't wake Lawrence somehow.
"Jesus, Carlos. You scared the heck out of me!" Molly exasperatedly shouted at Carlos who just let out a small chuckle. Behind him, Amelia approaches her.
"It's time, Molly." she announced solemnly.
"For what?" Molly inquired.
"For the Stands' arrival."
– Rooftop, Site-19 - 7:15 AM –
On the rooftop, a gathering of familiar faces stood beside the helipad: Amelia Buck, Molly Collingwood, Evan, Carlos, Emma, Sophia, and Rodeo, the latter was on a wheelchair, still adorned with bandages and ice packs.
"Why am I in a wheelchair again?" Rodeo asked, voicing his confusion.
Amelia provided a swift response, her tone authoritative yet empathetic. "Your wounds from yesterday's attack haven't healed properly, Rodeo. Walking or exerting yourself could reopen them. It's a precautionary measure."
"Fair enough." Rodeo conceded.
Evan, observing the scene from a distance, couldn't help but speculate. 'I'm pretty sure her motherly instincts told her that,' he mused to himself.
As if on cue, footsteps approached from behind, drawing Evan's attention to Agent Green's arrival. Clad in his customary attire of a dark green shirt, brown leather shoes, and dark gray pants, he wore his trademark black jacket over his shirt, embodying the essence of professionalism.
"You're late," Evan chided as Agent Green finally joined them.
"Sorry, I had to attend to something. It took longer than expected," Green explained, positioning himself next to Amelia.
Amelia's keen eye caught a change in Green's appearance – his formerly gray hair now a sleek black. She raised an eyebrow, leaning in to whisper, "Did you dye your hair?"
Green nodded affirmatively. "Yes, I did."
"It suits you," she admitted quietly.
"Was that a compliment?" Green teased.
Amelia chuckled softly. "Yes, at least now people won't mistake you for an old man."
"True." Green conceded with a grin
"So when do you think they will arrive?" Sophia interjected, breaking the brief interlude.
Emma's response was assured. "They'll be here."
Rodeo, ever vigilant, narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of something in the distance, prompting the group's attention.
"Wait, I see something."
All eyes turned to follow Rodeo's gaze, fixating on the approaching CH47 Chinook helicopter bearing the foundation's insignia on both sides. As it neared the helipad, the gust of wind generated by its propellers buffeted the group.
With a gentle touchdown, the helicopter's wheels met the helipad, and its propellers ceased their whirring. The ramp lowered, revealing a contingent of Mobile Task Force Units clad in hazmat suits emerging from within.
A member of the MTF approached the group, his voice muffled by his protective gear. "Good Lord, what happened to you?" he exclaimed upon laying his eyes on the man in the wheelchair.
"Carson, is that you?" Rodeo asked, recognizing the familiar voice beneath the hazmat suit.
"The one and only. But in a hazmat suit because of the Stand we brought," Carson confirmed, pointing toward the aircraft behind him.
Rodeo and the group looked behind Carson to see Kreig, now embodying the Purple Haze Stand, descended the ramp, the MTF soldiers had their guns trained on him with his hands restrained with cuffs, which made the Kreig's psycho side less than pleased.
"I WILL BATHE IN YOUR BLOOD AND USE IT AS SOUP!!!" he bellowed in a manic frenzy, his threat echoing across the rooftop.
"Yup, that's Krieg alright," Evan remarked, his tone tinged with a mixture of familiarity and wariness.
"But to think he became Purple Haze of all Stands, it's rather surprising," Rodeo mused aloud, his expression reflecting a blend of astonishment and concern.
With caution, the MTF soldiers escorted Kreig closer, maintaining a safe distance from Rodeo and the rest of the group.
"Now who the hell are you guys?" Kreig's rational side interjected, seeking clarification to the group.
"My name's Rodeo." Rodeo introduced himself.
"Evan Williams, and the big bird here is Carlos," Evan followed, gesturing to himself and towards the imposing figure beside him, eliciting a low growl from Carlos.
"Uh huh. So who's the big shot in charge around here?" Kreig asked, his gaze shifting between the members of the group.
"Wait up,"
The group saw three people in hazmat suits approach the group, carrying boxes with purposeful strides. As they halted before the group, one of them stepped forward.
"Hi guys," a familiar voice greeted them warmly.
"Hello, Gustav," Amelia responded, acknowledging the familiar face.
"Hi Gustav. How's everything going?" Molly asked, her tone laced with genuine interest.
"Ah, you know, the usual routine, interviews with SCP victims, researching SCPs, and occasionally being fashionably late to meetings. Everything's great," Gustav replied with a casual smile.
"Well that's good to hear."
As Amelia's words faded, the other two individuals in hazmat suits drew nearer, revealing recognizable faces of their own.
"To think I'd find you in this state, kid," one of them remarked with a wry grin.
"Johnson, you made it," Rodeo exclaimed with relief before turning his attention to the other figure. "And you must be Simmons?"
Simmons gasped in surprise. "How did you know?!"
Rodeo chuckled. "I didn't. That was a joke, lads."
As laughter filled the air, the group's attention returned to the helicopter as two figures emerged. Michelle Keegan, now embodying Spice Girl, and Jeff Howard, the one who became Sticky Fingers, stepped onto the rooftop. However, one member was conspicuously absent.
"Where's Miguel?" Johnson questioned, scanning the surroundings.
"Over here," came a voice from behind Carlos.
The group turned to see Miguel, now Black Sabbath, standing in Carlos's shadow. "Apologies, sir Johnson, but the sun can still burn me, so I had to seek shelter," he explained.
With everyone assembled, Michelle and Jeff approached the group. Sensing that the moment had arrived, Rodeo stepped forward to address the gathering.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?" he called out, drawing all eyes towards him.
As silence fell, Rodeo continued, his tone authoritative yet inviting. "Welcome to Site-19. I am Rodeo, known as Killer Queen. And the reason you are here is because of me. Now, let's proceed to the briefing room."
– Briefing Room, Site-19 - 7:30 AM –
The entire group was now gathered up in the briefing room and everybody gave their names to each other. Carlos brought a large rectangular table from the cafeteria and placed it in the middle of the briefing room. As they gathered around, Rodeo, still in his wheelchair, placed something on the table.
It was a hand-drawn sketch of Ride Me to Hell that he was able to get an artist from the foundation to draw based on the description Rodeo and Evan provided to the artist.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is 'Ride Me to Hell,'" Rodeo announced, indicating the sketch with a solemn gesture.
"Dear God!" Carson and Simmons exclaimed in unison, their voices laced with shock and apprehension.
But Rodeo pressed on. "There's more," he continued, undeterred by their reaction.
"Nooo!" The two men cried out again, eliciting bemused glances from the rest of the group.
Ignoring the outburst, Rodeo forged ahead with his explanation. "...Okay, as I was saying. This thing is an automatic Stand that targets Amelia. I have reason to believe that Chilli Pepper, the one who nearly electrocuted me to death yesterday might be connected to this Stand's user. But we lack concrete evidence to support this theory."
"But he did mention a French man, who we believe to be his boss or at least he perceives him as such," Sophia stated, her tone tinged with frustration. "But again, we lack any evidence or leads."
"And we're uncertain about the number of Stand users that may have been made out there," Evan added, his expression reflecting the uncertainty of the situation.
"So basically, we have no idea who they are working with and whether they possess a Stand Arrow or not." Miguel concluded, summing up the grim reality.
"You're absolutely right, Miguel." Rodeo affirmed with a grim tone.
"Speaking of Stand arrows," Amelia interjected, directing her gaze towards Jeff. "Mr. Howard, weren't you the one who had a Stand Arrow in possession?"
"Wait, what?!" Rodeo exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Jeff remained silent with his arms crossed defensively.
Gustav stepped forward, offering an explanation, "Dr. Buck, he has some trust issues with certain people, especially with us."
"Is that so?" Amelia inquired, raising an eyebrow in response.
Gustav nodded solemnly. "Yes."
"I assure you, Mr. Howard, that you can trust us," Amelia reiterated in a sincere tone.
"I don't distrust you because you're bad people; it's the organization you represent that I have reservations about, the Foundation," Jeff clarified firmly.
"Mr. Howard, the Foundation's primary objective is to safeguard humanity. We have no malicious intentions," Amelia countered, attempting to assuage his concerns.
"Amelia, don't force him. It's up to him if he wants to trust us or not." Rodeo intervened, sensing the tension.
"Can I at least explain how it went down? Because Damien provided me with a detailed explanation of how it happened," Gustav offered.
"Sure," Amelia agreed, open to hearing the explanation.
As Gustav recounted the events, the group listened in astonishment and disbelief, except for Amelia and Green who were already informed by Gustav about this crazy feat by Jeff and Damien.
"Dark Blue Moon, Little Feet and a woman who has a Stand called Touch the Skies fought Jeff and Damien... on a freaking plane?!" Rodeo exclaimed, his disbelief palpable. The sheer audacity of the encounter left him feeling both amazed and slightly envious, considering the intensity of the fight compared to his own experiences.
"Yes. Ain't that right, Jeff?" Gustave stared at the one who became Sticky Fingers.
"Yes, it's true." Jeff admitted reluctantly.
"If only I had that on camera," Carson remarked, eliciting a deadpan response from Molly.
"Really, Carson?" she retorted, her tone unamused.
"Come on, Collingwood. This might have been the craziest thing-" Carson's words were abruptly interrupted by Rodeo, redirecting the conversation back on track.
"Okay, Carson, we're going off track. Now, while these three were able to get the arrow from France, it still doesn't explain how that Stand User named Katey obtained her Stand. If any of you have a theory, please share," Rodeo urged, prompting the group to engage in speculation, except for Kreig who was more confused regarding this.
Amidst the discussion, Michelle raised her hand. "Yes, Michelle?" Rodeo acknowledged.
"Maybe she acquired it from another arrow?" Michelle suggested.
Rodeo pondered for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm... maybe."
Turning to Gustav, Green inquired, "So, were you able to track them, Gustav?"
"The MTF team at Site-06-3 did their best, but they couldn't locate them in any airspace across the world," Gustav reported.
"So they've likely gone into hiding, knowing the Foundation is now after them," Johnson deduced.
"That does make sense actually," Miguel concurred.
"But are those three individuals connected to Ride Me to Hell, the French man, and Chilli Pepper?" Simmons questioned.
Rodeo sighed. "I'm not certain if they belong to separate factions or if they're working together. I just don't have enough information." he said, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
"So, essentially, we're in the dark," Emma summarized.
"Yes, we are," Evan confirmed with a nod.
"Okay I have no idea what you guys are talking about but I'm pretty sure it involves very bad people." Sane Kreig remarked.
"Again why did we bring him here? He knows nothing about Stands or JoJo." Jeff interjected, pointing towards the Kreigs with a hint of exasperation.
"Don't talk to him like that. He's older than you." Michelle intervened, defending Kreig's honor.
Actually, Michelle's point was valid. Despite his eccentricity, Kreig was an adult after all.
"THANK YOU, LITTLE GIRL!!!" Kreig exclaimed gratefully.
"You're welcome," Michelle replied with a small smile.
"Listen, we've lost an item that can create Stands, and if it falls into the wrong hands, particularly those of very dangerous individuals, it could spell disaster," Jeff emphasized.
"That's precisely why we've gathered you all here, to help us," Rodeo reiterated.
"I understand that, but you've been doing nothing with the resources you have at your disposal to track them down," Jeff expressed his frustration.
"I acknowledge your concerns, Jeff. However, it's been a tumultuous year for us all. We can't afford to scatter our forces recklessly to search due to the risk of containment breaches, encountering new SCPs coming on our radar, or facing unexpected attacks from rival organizations," Amelia explained, highlighting the complexities of their situation.
"Or because the higher-ups have other plans?" Jeff suggested, his tone skeptical.
"It's nothing like that, Jeff," Emma interjected, defending the organization's integrity.
"Oh really? You have surveillance cameras and operatives everywhere scouring for monsters, yet you can't find a damn arrow while our enemies seem to have no trouble?" Jeff countered sharply.
Bam!
Rodeo slams his fist on the table, reverberating throughout the room and commanding everyone's attention.
"Listen, Jeff, you can argue about the Foundation's methods all you want, but even if they did shift their resources and people properly, there are no guarantees of instant success in locating the arrows," Rodeo asserted firmly.
Jeff scoffed dismissively, but Rodeo pressed on. "We may lack leads or connections, but that doesn't mean we can't prepare ourselves for another attack and continue our search for the arrows. That's why you're all here to-"
"To save the world?" Michelle interjected, finishing Rodeo's sentence.
"Um... yes, that, and to bring change to it as well," Rodeo confirmed, regaining his composure. "This meeting is over."
Everybody nodded and as they started leaving the room, Jeff approached Rodeo.
"Why do you trust these people?"
"Because they are friends and family to me." Rodeo replied earnestly.
Jeff looked at the departing group before returning his gaze to Rodeo. "I hope you're right," he murmured before departing with Gustav and the others, leaving only Rodeo and Amelia in the room.
"Well, that was something," Rodeo remarked, breaking the silence.
"You handled it well, especially considering it was your first meeting you organized," Amelia praised.
"Did you know that the Arrow was stolen by another Stand faction already?" Rodeo inquired.
"Yes, Gustav informed me of everything that transpired yesterday. I chose not to burden you with the news at the time, to spare you additional stress," Amelia admitted with concern.
"We're both stressed out, Amelia. The amount of things that are happening until now it's mostly been you know... bad. I know things will get better soon but we don't know why the enemy is doing it and who the enemy is working for and when they will attack. That's what bothers me. The who, the when, and the why."
Amelia gently patted his head, "For now, Rodeo, I just want you to relax. Don't forget you're still not healed up fully and the O5 have yet to approve our request for the use of SCP-006."
Rodeo sighed, conceding, "Yeah, you're right. I need to relax."
"Good. Perhaps you could spend some time talking with the other Stands," Amelia suggested, “Try to get to know them a little bit better.”
"Are you giving me advice?" Rodeo teased.
"Well, since your phone is still in a storage containment locker, what else can you do right now?" Amelia replied with a smile.
"Yeah, you're right,” Rodeo relented. For a brief moment, he suddenly dropped his playful demeanor, “Can I get off of this wheelchair now? It's kinda annoying as fu-"
"No," Amelia responded firmly.
"...Please?" He pleaded innocently.
"No," she reiterated, unmoved.
Rodeo sighed and dropped the act. "As you wish, Amelia."
Amelia smiled and then began to push his wheelchair as they exited the room together.
– Down the hallway –
As Rodeo and Amelia exited the briefing room, they made their way down the hallway, where they encountered Michelle petting Carlos' head. Michelle spotted them and waved enthusiastically.
"Hi Rodeo! Hi Dr. Buck!" Michelle greeted them cheerfully.
"Hi Michelle. Getting along with Carlos?" Rodeo inquired.
"Oh yeah, he's quite friendly... even though he's now a Stand that belongs to a crazy falcon," Michelle replied with a chuckle.
"Yeah," Rodeo agreed with a wry smile.
"Michelle, I think you can look after Rodeo for a bit. I have some work to do," Amelia instructed.
"Sure thing," Michelle affirmed.
"Also, make sure he stays in the wheelchair," Amelia added firmly.
"Okay, ma'am," Michelle replied obediently.
Amelia nodded and leaned down to plant a kiss on Rodeo's forehead before continuing down the hallway.
"She really cares about you," Michelle observed.
"Yeah, she does," Rodeo agreed warmly.
Carlos snuggles Rodeo's face, in response he affectionately patted him on the head, reflecting on his relationship with Amelia.
'Well she does see me as a son, and I see her as a mother. It's only natural that she cares about me. I just want to see her happy and safe.'
