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The Director sat at her desk staring down at the pile of reports. Most were regarding the situation in Somewhere, and the increasing mess it was becoming. But more were from their offices across the country as well. The town in West Virginia wasn't the only place that was being targeted by the anomalies. But it was apparent that it was the epicenter if the diverseness of the people and creatures that now occupied in and around the town was anything to go by.

She sighed as she set aside the other reports, while they were still no doubt pressing, the situation in Somewhere was at the top of their fix list and needed her full attention.

She opened the vanilla folder that contained the report from Agent Smith and immediately guffawed at the start.

Ma'am.

The situation has gone from interesting to full on meltdown upon the arrival of the new denizens from another world. Despite reinforcements, the situation will continue to degrade and eventually crumble entirely as local efforts by the State is borderline non-existent. It is my professional opinion that even if we were to take a step back from the situation and allow the State to deal with matters, that they would have neither the resources, manpower, nor temperament required to handle such a situation of this scale on a local matter.

As such, I recommend commencement of Phase 3 with due haste. What aid that has been given to the people by the local government has been nothing short of inefficient given the sheer size of the issue at hand.

Attached are reports by Agent O'Doyle as well as statements by his team that will confirm that my recommendation is the best course of action going forward.

Agent William Smith.

She set aside the report that was little more than a desperate plea and turned her attention to the report of Agent O'Doyle.

Director.

While I will leave the details to my own team's respected reports I will give key details as I am able to do so at this point.

The denizens from this other world come from a port city called Daele that was in the middle of a siege. It was, until recently, ruled by a Duke Magnus and Duchess Helena. The former is believed to be deceased from fighting. The Duchess retains little, if any, actual power over the people of Daele anymore. Though her word still holds weight that shouldn't be ignored, she is increasingly being pushed aside as the situation becomes more dire as her people suffer from the elements, sickness, and hunger as well as a noticeable criminal element that has arrived with them that has already begun to take hold and that local law enforcement as well as the Duval's private army has been too overwhelmed to handle.

If we do not act soon than the town will more than likely descend into a lawless state as the local would-be tyrant that is Mortimer Duval will more than likely try to enforce his will upon the town proper, thus coming into conflict with the criminal element, local law enforcement, as well as the locals themselves.

It is all but certain that the town will crumble and the people, of this world and the other, will scatter. Making containment all but impossible.

So I support Agent Smith's recommendation for Phase 3.

Agent Ryan O'Doyle

She sighed as she set Agent O'Doyle's report. That was all they needed right now was crime from another world on top of would be despots trying to take their own slice of the crumbling pie.

She flipped to the next report belonging to the medical doctor Dr. Zhu.

Director.

In the short time that I have been observing the "Short Rounds", recommend better designation, recommend homo diminutive based on similarities to humans, my theory is that they may be an offshoot of humans from the other world, will explore more at a later date. I have come to the conclusion that they will need to be regularly culled.

The Director blinked at that for a moment before continuing.

If what they have freely told me, as well as my own observations and tests, are to be believed then they have the fertility that would easily rival rabbits if their incubation periods were any shorter.

Even given the near human like incubation, their impregnation chances are a surety in only a small handful that are confirmed to be barren. Their numbers will continue to swell and could pose both a significant boon and problem to the agricultural sector. Their claims of proficiency in farming is spoken of with absoluteness that is either delusional or well founded.

Regardless, their increasing numbers will become an issue within a matter of decades as they populate without any force that can act as a balance for their potential growth. This is more obvious when given the fact that they are run by a Familial Oligarchy based solely around family size and prestige. The fact that they eat with a ravenous of locusts will present an earlier problem. How they have yet to succumb to diseases relating to the heart or even diabetes is a medical anomaly that I will continue to explore.

I agree with Agents Smith and O'Doyle that Phase 3 will need to be enacted. I would add however that a introduction of a sterility drug to their food and/or water supply to counteract their virulent fertility be facilitated. Also recommend beginning of live testing as well as offering test subjects relocation to secure facilities for better and more controlled observation.

Dr. Allie Zhu.

She set it aside. While she had no reservations that Dr. Zhu was blunt, the suggestion of outright culling a population that has so far been nothing but passive is certainly something she didn't quite expect. The claim that they will be an issue down the line through sheer population is an issue that will have to be dealt with. Hopefully by another department other than their own.

She moved on to the report by Agent Mason.

Director.

In my time observing the "greenskins" that make up the entirety of Mortimer Duval's army I believe whole heartedly that they are the dumbest and most callous beings, in our world and more than likely in their own.

The absolute disregard for their fellows is astounding to behold. Even the unsightly and pitiful creatures that are at the very bottom of the pecking order will still readily stab one another in the back if they believe it meant that their lives will be even marginally improved, or at least that another's isn't better.

The only exception to this is when we get higher up the ladder of leadership. The tanner, almost human like, "Red Caps" as we've heard them referred to are the officers of the army and the back bone that keeps it all together. If the creatures are fighting, it will be a Red Cap that comes down on them with absolute aggression and authority. If work isn't being done in an acceptable manner, a Red Cap is the one that brings down the stick.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

The only instances of a difference were some of the more "well behaved" goblins, that is what they are both called and what appear to be. It put me and my boys for a doozy the idea that fantasy creatures were now real. Anyway, the more well behaved goblins act as a sort of intelligentsia/nobility/clergy for the goblins. They tinker and experiment, been seen advising the Duval, as well as being seen giving religious blessings that appear similar to Christian blessings, of course none of it would be in line with any Christian denomination, but I suppose they get credit for trying.

Not all of them are well behaved, a sort of thunder dome has formed in the hedges in the front of the estate as various "tribes" fight and slaughter one another for the glory of trimming the hedges, no that is not a typo or a mistake, they butcher and kill each other to get a chance at cutting the hedges into shapes that befit their tribes like a form of tribal clan marker. The entire estate is apathetic to it.

If that wasn't enough, our observation posts have had to be converted to mobile as they've repeatedly been made by what my boys have only described as "green bigfoots/bigfeet" that have been seen reporting to the Duval.

Then at the top are two ogres, yes, ogres. 9ft, 600lbs of woman. They appear to be both the bodyguards as well as girlfriends of the Duval, not sure how he isn't dead yet but that is for another report quite possibly from someone more curious than me, and the three of them make up the tip top of this biological caste system.

I agree with Agents Smith and O'Doyle that Phase 3 commence. I also recommend acquiring specimens of the various varieties of the goblins. The scope of variety of the goblins here at the Estate as well as the ones reported to be infesting the town and even the wilds nearby is something I'm sure the lab rats would enjoy exploring. I have little doubt that securing some will be easy and they won't be missed.

Agent Ryan Mason.

She set the report aside. If the report was true than it was even more urgent to implement Phase 3 if only to stop the Duval from lording over American citizens with actual goblins.

But she still needed the full picture to make as an informed decision. So she moved onto the next report and sneered in disgust as she saw the name.

Director.

My team has been tallying the number of the scaled beings residing within the proximity of the potential offspring of APL-1. But it is not enough and we have had little visual confirmation of said offspring. My only observation is that their numbers are limited by some unknown factor, which has resulted in them being quite cautious and skittish in public despite their observed openness when occasionally observed within the main domicile, and that they have established two bases, one within the home of the reported offspring, and another within the hill in the back of the property.

We have been ordered not to approach APL-1 as well as avoid engaging the offspring. But I seek a dismissal of this order, at least when it comes to the offspring. An entity belonging to APL-1 in such an apparent dormant state that containment and experimentation could be better handled is a boon that should not be so readily abandoned!

The same goes for the lizard creatures that inhabit the residence. I must acquire specimens to research not only how they are sapient but how their close proximity to the eldritch entities have affected their biology! Even you must realize that to not do so would be a wasted opportunity that our world could ill afford!?

I have no issue with the implementation of Phase 3. I do however demand permission to begin active study of the lizardfolk as well as move to acquire the offspring for containment, observation, and intense study.

Dr. Ulrich Obermann.

She discarded the report without a second thought. If he wasn't a brilliant, and useful, asset to them he wouldn't be allowed to leave his office! As it stood, he was among the best they had that better understood the esoteric and eldritch. So she would have to save her disgust for another time.

She pressed a button on her desk.

"Stuart?"

"Yes, Director?"

"Send up the division heads will you? And bring me the files for Phase 3."

"Right away, Director."

As she awaited the heads to arrive she shuffled and organized the reports before placing them to the side. Minus Dr. Obermann's report that mysteriously disappeared into the trash. But that's the nature of bureaucracy. Papers always somehow manage to vanish.

Before long a group of five individuals arrived to her office. The heads of Medical, R&D, Containment, Financial, and Communications.

"Glad to see you all here."

"I trust this is about the evolving situation in the Appalachians?" The head of Containment asked.

"That's correct. Reports from the ground suggest that if something isn't done soon then we will be looking at a significant collapse and a splintering that will result in subjects of interest going to more populated, and harder to manage, centers of activity."

"So what are you suggesting?" The head of Comms spoke up.

"We go in full force on the situation, at least as much as we dare without outright implementing Code Black."

"Has it really gotten that bad down there?"

"Not yet it hasn't, and that is why Phase 3 is being considered. To prevent such a scenario from happening."

"Isn't our ground agents supposed to prevent things from getting this bad?" The R&D head said.

"Normally yes, but our line of work ISN'T normal now is it? This situation especially."

"So what's the plan?" Financial asked.

Stuart entered and gave each division head a file simply labeled Phase 3 on the vanilla folder before depositing one onto the Director's desk.

"The plan is simple. We go in and completely retrofit the entire town. Plumbing, housing, electrical, regular shipments of food, water, and cash. In essence, I want a modern city where once was a podunk mining town."

"Director, with all do respect. We are R&D, Research & Development! Our job is to experiment and fabricate works of modern marvels! Not civil engineering!"

"Don't consider it civil engineering. Consider it urban development and you'll still be doing what your division is labeled as." The Director retorted, earning a couple snickers from the others.

"Director? The amount of funding this will require won't go unnoticed by the government. While our stockpile is large we don't have the amount needed for the overhaul of an entire town." Finance chipped in.

"Then skim some from the DOD. God knows they don't use it all anyway. If that isn't enough, slip something into a bill for Congress or sneak some from Langley, not like they'll rat us out given that alot of their income isn't exactly above board either."

"What about communications? A project of this size will be all but impossible to hide." Comms chimed.

"At best, use our contacts and agents on social media to flood everything with noise and overwhelm anything even remotely connected to the situation. At worse, a gag order curtesy of the Federal Government. If the rest of the Fed start poking around say it's Top Secret and Need to Know only and then give them the run around."

"And us, Director?" Containment spoke up.

"You are to do your duty as always. Form a perimeter around the town and check, double check, and then triple check every movement in or out of the town. If anyone asks, it's for a military exercise."

"What about the mountains?"

"Avoid them per our deal with APL-1. Warn and steer others from going near them."

"And our duty Director?" Medical asked.

"You are to issue a full quarantine and vaccination. We don't know what they have or what they might have brought over with them but we can't let it turn into another pandemic!"

"Great. Fencing, guard posts, medical tents, quarantine shelters, more work for us." R&D muttered.

"I'm sorry? Last I checked it was our job, no, our DUTY to see to the protection and safety of these United States! Did that somehow change in the past fifteen minutes that we've been here?!"

"No-"

"Then I suggest you keep your grumbling to yourself! You are being ORDERED to provide our forces and these people with everything necessary so that this doesn't blow up into something we can't come back from and will more than likely result in the US Federal fucking Government overseeing and micro managing everything! Is that what you want?! Because if it is then you can be retired and we'll find you a nice cozy job being a city clerk!"

Despite some initial chuckles at the expense of the head for R&D, the mood went dark at the mention of retirement. It wasn't as it sounded, there wasn't any nice retirement plan, or send off with cake and balloons. What it was instead was some sort of jellyfish creature that fastened itself to your head and drained you of your memories until they were sure there wasn't a speck left that you could use to blab about.

Some newbie gets cold feet after the first mission? Slap a jelly on them and give it a couple minutes and send them on their way, clean mind free of the burden and knowledge of their work. But if it was someone higher up? It could take hours, even days, for the creature to clean everything up nice and tightly. It was not a pleasant, nor painless, process.

Which usually meant those that wished to leave the job, did so via a self-inflicted method. Which just added to the fact that this profession was considered "life-time employment".

"Are we clear?" The Director spoke up and the various head nodded hurriedly.

"Good. Your division's directions are listed out in the folders for Phase 3. Among them are parameters for specimen recovery."

"Specimen recovery?" Medical, R&D, and Containment all looked interested.

"Yes. Though it will be highly supervised and heavily restricted. We have been informed that some among the new arrivals can be freely acquired and transported for more in-depth study. On top of that, the approval of tissue and blood acquisition."

It will be a cold day in hell before she gives Dr. Obermann the green light for his mad experiments. But acquiring some subjects from others, and heavily monitored collection of tissue and blood samples from the lizardfolk was something that wouldn't hurt.

"With that. I declare that Phase 3 is approved and is to be set in motion." The Director declared as she stamped APPROVED on the file. Giving the rest of the heads the chance to actually open and read their new directions as they left to oversee their divisions while she did some last minute addendums clarifying the procedure of specimen acquisition just so that the boys on the ground know EXACTLY what is and isn't allowed, and the punishment should any of them try to be clever.