Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkeys, a Pleasant Conversation

Interrogation of 049 is underway.

Researcher: The plague you speak of, is it the Black Death?

049: (Pauses) Why do you ask?

Researcher: Because your attire resembles that of doctors who treated the plague in the 15th and 16th centuries.

049: Well, the plague is not the Black Death. I don't know how to explain it to you.

Researcher: In that case, let's skip this for now and discuss the events in Athabasca. Did you kill those villagers and turn them into mindless corpses?

049: They were all infected. I had to do it, but I... I cured them.

Researcher: Cured? They're all dead. Is that what you call a cure?

049: (Slightly annoyed) Death? No, Doctor! (Voice heavy with emphasis) Please do not question my efforts with layman's terms. There is only one disease in this world, and that is the plague. The vast majority of them were gravely ill!

Researcher: I apologize, I didn't mean to anger you. But the fact is, those you "cured" are, in a sense, no longer human.

049: (Appears sad) Ah... Yes, with my current medical skills, I cannot completely save them. I am sorry.

Inside the containment facility's control center.

William, seeing 049's calm demeanor and gentlemanly conduct, understood why the original 049 was so popular. But who were the three patients 049 mentioned? William was puzzled. Could it be Tyrant?

Halsey, standing beside him, said with great interest, "It seems 049 and I have much in common! May I speak with him personally?"

"No!" William immediately refused. It was nonsense. Even if 049 was called a 'little angel' online in the original world, it was still an SCP. It possessed the ability to kill with a touch. What if Halsey had the plague 049 spoke of? Umbrella couldn't afford such a loss.

Seeing William's anger, Halsey approached, stood on tiptoe, and whispered in William's ear, "Boss, I believe 049 can answer many of my questions. I must ask him in person. It would be beneficial to the refinement of the Spartan Program, and even to the research on the T-Virus."

The other personnel in the control center had no idea what Halsey was discussing with William. To this group of senior employees, the Olympus Board of Directors was like the pinnacle of a mountain peak, an object of admiration. Besides William and Andre, the most mysterious was Halsey. After all, only a few people knew her true appearance. But seeing such a young postdoctoral researcher, they unconsciously held a degree of contempt. Colonel Andre, for instance, possessed immense pressure with his age and appearance. William's abilities, on the other hand, were unanimously recognized throughout the company, and his frequent appearances earned him the sincere respect of the employees. Of course, the most important factor was William's absolute control and the loyalty of all armed forces. Who dared to disrespect him? As for Halsey? Upon seeing her true face, doubts arose within them. Did she get promoted through connections? Did she steal the achievements of others for her technology? Even Dilson, standing nearby, thought the same, even feeling some anger. At Dilson's age of fifty and his academic standing, showing respect to the twenty-year-old Halsey was an extreme humiliation.

If William weren't here, Dilson absolutely wouldn't have paid any attention to Halsey.

Seeing Halsey make such an 'unreasonable' request now, his resistance grew even stronger.

"..."

William, staring silently at the screen, was also a little moved after hearing Halsey's words.

If safety could be ensured, she wasn't entirely against questioning him personally.

However, before William could even speak, Dilson interjected, "Boss, I believe Dr. Halsey's actions are against regulations."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, William turned to look at Dilson, while also glancing at the reactions of the surrounding technicians.

Having seen countless people, he instantly understood their thoughts.

Slipped up.

William realized that management of the containment center could never be handed over to doctors and researchers; it needed to be taken over by trusted personnel from the military.

Halsey, a highly intelligent female genius, also sensed Dilson's dissatisfaction with her. She then tugged at William's sleeve and whispered:

"Boss, actually I..."

"Shut up." William interrupted Halsey, then smiled and asked Dilson, "Dilson, do you know what rank Dr. Halsey is?"

"Uh?" Dilson blinked and replied, "Olympus."

"Correct." William narrowed his eyes, clapped his hands, and raised his voice, "Hunk."

"Swish--"

As the automatic door opened, Hunk led six Alpha members into the room.

William's expression suddenly changed, and he asked, "If members of other ranks show disrespect to Olympus members, what does the protocol dictate?"

"Those above B-rank are demoted to D-class personnel, and D to C-rank are executed directly," Hunk replied truthfully.

"This... Boss! I'll from now on..."

Hearing Hunk's words, Dilson's face turned ashen. He immediately knelt on the ground, trying to beg for mercy.

Although William's face still held a smile, his tone was exceptionally cold as he interrupted, "Hunk, you know what to do."

"Yes, Boss." Hunk, having received the order, commanded two Alpha members, "Corson Dilson has been demoted to D-class personnel. Take him to the D-class holding cells."

"Yes."

The two Alpha members dragged the now limp Dilson out of the command center.

All the technicians, witnessing what had just happened, dared not breathe loudly. The silence was so profound that a needle drop could be heard. They all lowered their heads, avoiding William's gaze.

Umbrella's benefits and salary were extremely high, but when signing their employment contracts, they had also signed confidentiality agreements akin to indentured servitude.

The terms of the confidentiality agreement explicitly stated that the Olympus Board of Directors was sacred and inviolable.

The technicians could only say that the old doctor had unfortunately run afoul of the boss's need to make an example of someone. They had no room for complaint.

"Everyone."

At this point, William's demeanor shifted back to being amiable and approachable as he said, "Although Dr. Halsey is still very young, she is still a member of Olympus.

Do you all understand what I'm saying?

I won't have to remind you again, will I?"

A chill ran down the spines of all the technicians. They stammered, their lips trembling, and replied loudly, "No!"

"Good. Then please prepare the special interrogation room for Dr. Halsey to safely interrogate Subject 049."

"Yes! Boss!"

Receiving a satisfactory answer, William then took the somewhat bewildered Halsey outside, saying to Hunk, "Come with me."

"Yes."

Halsey, following behind William, had long guessed that employees above the Hive level would not always show her respect.

She was only twenty years old, yet she was positioned above older and higher-ranking doctors and scholars. How could she not be envied?

But she had never cared.

However, after William's declaration, she noticed a qualitative change in the gazes of those technicians.

William was also young.

Thinking this, Halsey looked at his retreating back, feeling an immense sense of security.

After leaving the control center, William ordered Hank:

"Hank, Doctor Halsey will personally interrogate SCP-049 shortly. You and six other Alphas will provide close protection for her."

"Understood."

"Wow~!"

After everything that had happened, Halsey couldn't hide her excitement as she hugged William, smiling with narrowed eyes, "I knew the Boss was the best!"

"Uh..."

Sensing she was being a bit too intimate, William looked up and away, pushing her embrace aside and cautioning her, "When we enter the room later, follow Hank's instructions completely. No messing around, understand?"

"Mhm mhm! Got it~" Halsey nodded obediently.

Soon, fully armed security personnel escorted 049 to a larger room.

049 remained seated on the side against the wall. The security personnel then placed a specially made bulletproof glass wall with a sound transmission hole in the center of the room, dividing it into two sections.

A short while later, Halsey entered the room, protected by Hunk and other Alphas, and sat opposite 049.

049 offered no resistance throughout the entire process, which greatly eased William's tension as he observed from outside the interrogation room through the one-way glass.

The following is the dialogue between Halsey and SCP-049:

Halsey: Hello, I am Doctor Halsey.

049: (Smiling) Hello, Doctor.

Halsey: The patients you mentioned being treated earlier, were they three 'strong men' wearing green leather suits?

049: Yes, could it be... your masterpiece?

Halsey: That's right.

049: (Somewhat excited) Really? That's great, it seems I'm not alone!

049's reaction made Hunk and the others tense up.

049 also seemed to realize its inappropriate behavior and quickly regained its composure.

The conversation continued.

049: This proves you are different from other doctors (the word 'doctor' was spoken with a tone of disdain).

Very different, your vision is much broader.

It has also brought a lot of inspiration to my plan, thank you, Doctor.

Halsey: (Waving her hand a bit sheepishly) You're welcome. So... do I have the plague you mentioned?

049: (Did not answer directly, but stared at Halsey for a while) Not yet, for now.

Halsey: Is that so... Never mind, let's not dwell on those issues.

049: (Nodding) Exactly, let's discuss academic matters.

Afterwards.

Halsey asked 049 various questions multiple times, and 049 patiently answered them.

049's attitude when conversing with Halsey was significantly better than that of Doctor ■■.

049 even proactively pushed his notebook through the gap at the bottom of the bulletproof glass to Halsey's feet, sharing his insights on treating the so-called plague.

The entire process lasted about one hundred and forty minutes, and Halsey and 049 conversed with great pleasure, appearing to be like-minded individuals.

It ended with 049 stating it needed rest, and 049 was escorted by security personnel to a specially designed containment room.

Shortly after the interrogation ended, a Captain sent from Troy Base took over command of Containment Center One.

William briefed him on some precautions, such as the lavender sedative, to better contain 049.

Afterward, he led Halsey back to the surface and boarded the private jet waiting at the airport.

Finally, an A380 and two F-22s took off successively from Containment Center One and returned towards Troy Base.