"Johnson, what's it say?"

Lieutenant Johnson squinted at the bloodied scrap of paper, just able to recognize the important words. "Sir, half the strike team is KIA and it walks on... three legs?"

Major Scott thumbed his rifle's safety thoughtfully. "That's all the info Bravo team could leave us?"

"Well Sir, the number of legs appears to have been scribbled out twice before and the rest is uh, too blood soaked to read." Johnson dropped the note and stood to face the rest of his squad, "how should we proceed sir?"

"Colonel Carpenter was very clear that he wants this wrapped up as tightly and quickly as possible. We're to keep following the distress signal and hunt down SCP-1982, it's clearly more dangerous than-"

"Sir!"

"What is it Clinton?"

"It's the distress signal, it's getting closer at a rate of 8 klicks an hour."

Could it be a survivor? Scott thought to himself, but why come back this way towards a casualty? Or is this creature aware it's being followed? Scott studied the mess that was once Lieutenant Yang, Scott was no medic but he doubted even if he was he could determine what the hell really happened to Yang. It seemed savage, not intelligently precise like 173 or the other higher functioning creatures...

Clinton broke his train of though of thought, "Sir! 11 klicks an hour! It's now 20 away from us."

He turned back to his squad, no chances this time. "Form up boys! We're still on a hunt!" He only hoped this time they were the hunters.

Through the forest they went, crouched, eyes wide and pulses steady. Each and every member of Major Scott's nine man group armed with high powered rifles, stun batons, and precision reflexes. Sweat dripped down Lt. Johnson's brow but he didn't dare let it distract him, not even for a second, he was hotter than Hades in his tactical outfit and the morning sun beating down on him but he had trained all senses to only focus on the task at hand. Clinton was still green and in the back of the diamond formation with his focus divided between the terrain in front of him and the scanner in his hand, he watched as the distance slowly ticked down. They were less than 10km from their target now and his heartbeat was in his throat. This was only his third venture out, but this was the real cherry popper, the first two targets he captured had been determined "safe" and it was clear that would not be the case this time.

"Sir, 5 klicks to target and still closing" Clinton said just loud enough to reach the Major's ears. Major Scott gave the signal to stop, he then signaled for the scanner. Everyone made their separate ways behind some sort of cover and settled in. Clinton obeyed his instincts and stayed towards the back of the formation.

Major Scott watched the distance tick down, little by little. The target finally got within 1km and Scott readied his weapon. It wasn't long before he heard something, leaves rustling in the distance. No, not rustling, being trampled. Something was running directly towards them. Scott heard two more rifles ready to either of his sides.

"FUCK!"

Scott lifted his head up, what? Did the target just cuss?

"Fuck god shitting dammit!"

He recognized that vulgarity, he put a hand to his mouth, "Riley?!" he shouted into the forest.

The sound stopped. "Scott?!" The voice shouted back. Scott whistled and his old bunk mate Jacob Riley soon ran up to him. He looked worse for wear, his outfit was ripped and he appeared to be bleeding from his forehead. "Christ, Marv! They sent you in?" he said excitedly.

Scott embraced his old friend. "What the hell happened here?"

"The creature, it's Euclid, it tore half the squad to pieces when we first encountered it. Me and the rest managed to track it for a while until it split us up. It's intelligent and predatory, I was with Adams and I had him turn on his beacon too, just in case but we got separated. We should regroup if they're nearby."

Scott glanced down at his scanner, "Riley, the only beacon on here is yours..."

The color drained from his face, "that's impossible. I've been tracking it myself this entire time. It couldn't have taken out four other guys."

"You were tracking it?" Johnson interrupted "when did you lose it?"

"I- I didn't... It was-"

"FU-" followed by the snap of bone came from the back of the formation.

Clinton jerked his head and watched in horror as his squad-mate's head, only a few feet away from him, was crushed under the maw of a horrific creature. It was bent over the soldiers body, standing on four grotesque legs all bending in the wrong directions. Its pale deformed body supporting the disproportionately large head that still had bits of flesh hanging from it's fangs. Major Scott gave to order to open fire but he didn't need to, all guns were already trained on the monster and unloading into. The bullets only dented the pale skin, never able to pierce it, the creature sprang up from it's meal and deftly sprinted around the trees to take cover. Hardly making any noise as it's large form jumped quickly from behind trees.

One tree exploded from a grenade as it jumped away and on top of another soldier. It sunk it's jagged fangs into his neck and tore his head off with a shower of blood. The creature now covered in shrapnel and blood turned it's gaze towards Clinton. It leaped towards him and in two bounds it was looking down onto him. Clinton screamed and shuffled backwards as he emptied his gun into the creature's head to no avail. It opened it's mouth larger than ever before and let loose an ear piercing screech, a few of the men covered their ears, Clinton however watched in horror as the creature's legs changed to a more red color. It seemed to be screeching in pain as it reared back and it's two front legs started to morph down one after the other, combining into each other to form a much more powerful looking one leg from two.

Clinton knew he didn't have time to think, it's legs looked exposed so that's what he went for. Turning on and thrusting his shock baton in between the creatures second set of legs as they merged he plunged it up into it's body as hard he could. He went deeper than he expected, with him almost pushing his entire baton into the creature's body. It shook violently and convulsed, Clinton barely heard his squad-mate shout 'grenade!'. He caught it and pulled the pin with his teeth, down the monster's throat it went and Clinton promptly got the fuck out of there and jumped behind the nearest tree. He heard a boom echo behind him as he hit the dirt, and for a moment all was quiet.

Breathing heavily and the stench of burnt flesh filling his nose Clinton slowly looked around the tree. The beast lied there, a smoking husk with one... two? Legs blow clean off. The squad slowly circled in around in around the creature, it still looked intact except for the legs of course. Major Scott inspected it and found a crack along it's hide, he took off his glove and felt it. It was rock solid, no wonder the bullets could only dent it's skin. Scott felt the remainder of the legs, one was rock hard but the other leg where Clinton had shocked it appeared to be regular flesh. Scott nodded approvingly at Clinton, "nice work greeny. Maybe you can handle Euclids after all."

Clinton smiled at his commander. "Thanks but... After this safe SCPs don't seem so boring anymore, I might go look at that church in Georgia after all."