The door is already open, but Pirisend knocks anyway. “Sir?”

Gears stops writing. “Yes?”

“It’s about nine-six-three, sir.”

“Ah.” He sets his pen down. “Perhaps you’d better close the door.”

Pirisend shuts the door and sits in the chair opposite the desk. “Sir, we have a Euclid-class object literally walking around. Sapient, presumably read into more classified information than I’m cleared to know exists, and we gave it a position on staff?”

“Dr. Bright is not SCP nine six three.”

“I understand the difference between the amulet and the personality bound to it. But how can you be sure that the personality is actually Jack Bright? It could be impersonating him, or, or anything.”

“Ah.” Gears types something into his laptop. “It says here you were recently cleared for work on SCP zero eight six?”

“Yes. That’s what got me thinking about this, actually. If Doctor— if oh-eight-six had its clearance pulled, then why—?” Pirisend gestures vaguely. “Why not Bright?”

Gears taps a key. “How long have you been aware of Dr. Bright’s association with SCP nine six three?”

“Maybe a year or two? It should be in my file.”

“Seventeen months. And you were read into SCP zero eight six last week. Why did you never raise this issue before now?”

Pirisend shrugs. “Never occurred to me, I guess. It seems obvious once you think of it, though, doesn’t it?”

“It seems that way, yes. The problem is the suggestion has never been raised by anyone who was not first exposed to SCP zero eight six.”

“…Oh.”

“Yes.”

A pause.

“I must ask that you refrain from discussing this with your colleagues,” Gears adds.

“R-right, of course. I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else yet. Oh – except Lector.”

“Very well. Please send her to meet with me as soon as possible.”

“Of course,” Pirisend says, standing to leave.

“Please feel free to come to me again in the future.”

“Thank you, sir. I will.”


SCP-086 by Agent Angus Smith and Voct
SCP-963 by DrBright
Dr. Bright by DrBright
Dr. Gears by Dr Gears