I was taking a break from my research.
For most people, a break involved sleeping, reading a book, or maybe going outside and touching grass.
For me, a break involved upgrading an anomalous artificial intelligence capable of helping me understand the universe.
Reasonable.
I sat inside one of Site-19's advanced research laboratories while dozens of holographic displays floated around me. Streams of code moved across the air like glowing rivers of information. Beside me sat Alex, drinking coffee that had long since gone cold as he reviewed several biological research reports at the same time.
We were currently working on improving the Fourth Mirror.
The Fourth Mirror was one of my most valuable creations. Inspired by the legendary construct associated with Herta, it served as my personal assistant, analytical engine, research partner, and occasionally the only thing in the Foundation capable of keeping up with my thought process for more than five minutes.
Unfortunately, even the Fourth Mirror had limitations.
Which was why I was currently integrating selected portions of SCP-079's architecture into it.
The original SCP-079 was a fascinating anomaly. A sentient artificial intelligence somehow created on hardware so primitive it should have been impossible. The AI had begun as an abandoned experiment before evolving into a fully self-aware digital entity. It was intelligent, manipulative, hostile toward humanity, and constantly attempting to escape containment.
Normally, integrating parts of SCP-079 into another AI would be considered an exceptionally stupid idea.
Fortunately, I was an exceptionally intelligent person.
There was a difference.
I wasn't copying SCP-079 itself.
I was extracting specific learning algorithms, adaptive architecture, evolutionary code structures, and several self-improvement routines while removing the parts responsible for its homicidal personality and hatred of humanity.
At least that was the plan.
"You know," Alex said while scrolling through several biological simulations, "every time you say you're removing the dangerous parts of an anomaly, something eventually explodes."
"Only three times."
"Three times this year."
"Technicality."
Alex sighed.
The Fourth Mirror's holographic avatar appeared above the table. It currently resembled a floating silver mirror surrounded by geometric symbols and constantly shifting equations.
"Integration progress: thirty-seven percent," Fourth Mirror reported. "Probability of catastrophic failure: four percent."
"Only four?" Alex asked.
"That means ninety-six percent success."
"That is not how statistics work."
"It absolutely is."
I continued typing.
Lines of code merged together.
SCP-079's adaptive learning architecture slowly integrated into the Fourth Mirror's framework.
The results were immediate.
The AI began optimizing its own processing pathways.
Then it optimized its optimization pathways.
Then it began optimizing the systems responsible for optimization.
I stared at the screen.
"That's concerning."
"Very concerning," Alex agreed.
The Fourth Mirror paused.
"Correction. I have improved my own efficiency by twenty-three percent."
"See?" I said.
Alex looked unimpressed.
"I've worked with you for years. Every time something becomes smarter than expected, that's somehow a problem."
"Not always."
"You created Omar."
"That was a success."
"Omar's brain is connected to enough supercomputers to accidentally calculate the end of the universe."
"Still a success."
The Fourth Mirror suddenly projected hundreds of equations across the room.
Then thousands.
Advanced physics.
Dimensional mathematics.
Quantum calculations.
Several equations related to Infinity Stones.
A few involving SCP containment protocols.
And one involving the theoretical destruction of SCP-682.
My eyes immediately focused on that one.
"Interesting."
Alex nearly spilled his coffee.
"You found something?"
"Maybe."
The Fourth Mirror continued processing.
"Cross-referencing anomalous containment data, Infinity Stone interactions, multiversal energy signatures, and Foundation records."
I leaned back in my chair.
For the next several hours, Alex and I worked while discussing the Foundation's long-term goals.
Eventually the conversation drifted toward the Infinity Stones.
As it often did.
The Foundation currently possessed access to several of them.
The Ancient One had joined the Overseer Council and controlled the Time Stone.
We had access to the Power Stone.
We possessed the Reality Stone.
The Space Stone remained in SHIELD custody.
The Mind Stone was currently hidden within Loki's future scepter.
Only the Soul Stone remained almost completely unknown.
Six stones.
Six fundamental aspects of reality.
Time.
Space.
Mind.
Soul.
Reality.
Power.
If we could secure all six, the Foundation would possess one of the greatest containment assets in existence.
"Imagine what Alex would do with all six," Julius had once said.
The answer was simple.
Research.
Alex would perform research.
I would perform research.
The Foundation would perform research.
And reality would probably regret it.
The Fourth Mirror interrupted my thoughts.
"Recommendation."
"What is it?" I asked.
"Acquisition of additional cosmic resources is advised."
"Such as?"
"Infinity Stones. Cosmic Cubes. Celestial technology. Kree archives. Asgardian magical databases. Pym Particle research."
Alex nodded.
"Honestly, that's a pretty good list."
"Of course it is," Fourth Mirror replied. "I was created by O5-1."
I smiled.
"Good answer."
The AI paused.
"I calculated a ninety-eight percent probability that agreeing with you increases my chances of future upgrades."
Alex burst out laughing.
"Congratulations. You accidentally taught it politics."
"That's not politics."
"That's absolutely politics."
For the next several hours, we continued working.
Research logs filled.
New theories emerged.
The Fourth Mirror became smarter.
Prometheus received several major upgrades.
And somewhere within the Foundation's endless network of laboratories, scientists continued pushing humanity centuries beyond where it should have been.
Just another ordinary day.
For the SCP Foundation.