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Registered Phenomena Code: 406
Object Class: Alpha-White
Hazard Types: Temperature Hazard, Replication Hazard, Mind-Control Hazard
Containment Protocols: All instances of RPC-406 are to be stored inside a secure vault in Site-079's Alpha Wing. Only authorized personnel are allowed to have access to the vault. These instances must be cataloged with red tags bearing the correct Registered Phenomena Code to avoid it being mistaken as a normal object. These tags must not be removed at all.
Personnel should not hold RPC-406 if not necessary to avoid any unwanted incidents. Any personnel other than CSD Personnel must not lit any RPC-406-Beta instance under any condition. An individual designated as RPC-406-1 must be reported, detained, and isolated immediately after confirmed so. Unnecessary communication with instances of RPC-406-1 is prohibited.
Instance of RPC-406-1 which has lit less than five RPC-406-Beta, they are eligible to be studied further and should be relocated to the humanoid containment cell. The temperature within the cell must be set to 70°F or above. Any test or interview involving an instance of RPC-406-1 should be conducted in a room with a similar temperature and two personnel must be present during these activities.
RPC-406-1 which has lit RPC-406-Beta more than the previously stated threshold must be terminated immediately after interviewed. RPC-406-1 which shown hostility toward personnel can be terminated immediately without interrogation. To conserve ammunition and prevent injury to Authority personnel, instances of RPC-406 can be alternatively terminated by a rapid decrease in the room temperature.
Description: RPC-406 consists of two parts, designated RPC-406-Alpha and RPC-406-Beta. RPC-406-Alpha is a matchbox made of cardboard with a blank white cover that contains approximately 50 matches, which are each designated RPC-406-Beta. Despite the writable material, the cover of RPC-406-Alpha cannot be defaced by known means.
When lit by a person, RPC-406-Beta will burn as normal. However, if RPC-406-Beta is unlit or its flame extinguished, the subject holding RPC-406-Beta will immediately experience a drop in body temperature and attempts to seek a source of heat, most commonly by lighting another RPC-406-Beta. Persons afflicted by cold brought on by RPC-406-Beta are to be designated RPC-406-1. The body temperature of RPC-406-1 will decrease further as more instances of RPC-406-Beta are lit by them.
RPC-406-1 is capable of manifesting an instance of RPC-406-Alpha from any available pocket on their clothes. If they do not have pockets, an instance of RPC-406-Alpha will manifest in their mouth instead. This instance of RPC-406-Alpha is intended to be given to another person. This new RPC-406-Alpha will appear empty to the RPC-406-1 who manifested it, but individual unafflicted by RPC-406-Beta will find 50 instances of RPC-406-Beta within. They can only manifest one RPC-406 copy until another RPC-406-1 instance is created due to RPC-406 given by them. When that happens, five extra RPC-406-Beta will manifest on RPC-406 belongs to the previous RPC-406-1 and a new RPC-406 copy will be available on them. RPC-406-1 appears to only be able to manifest one instance of RPC-406 at a time. When another RPC-406-1 instance created due to RPC-406-Beta from RPC-406-Alpha given by them, five instances of RPC-406-Beta will manifest within their instance of RPC-406-Alpha.
Below is a table of RPC-406-Beta’s effect on RPC-406-1 instances:
| RPC-406-Beta taken |
Effect |
| 1-5 |
Subject body temperature is slightly colder than usual, but this effect isn’t detrimental. Normal heat sources other than RPC-406-Beta, like the sun, can provide heat for the subject. However, they will mostly attempt to use another RPC-406-Beta instance. |
| 6-10 |
Subject’s average body heat drops slightly. Any heat source other than RPC-406-Beta has less effect now. |
| 11-30 |
Subject has an average body heat of 36C. Any heat source other than RPC-406-Beta now has no effect on RPC-406-1. RPC-406-1 will now attempts to increase the number of RPC-406-Beta instances by giving others RPC-406-Alpha. |
| 31-40 |
Subject produces symptoms of mild to moderate stage of Hypothermia. One RPC-406-Beta no longer a sufficient source of heat, forcing them to take multiple RPC-406-Beta instances. |
| 40-50 |
Subject cannot move. If they’re not provided an RPC-406-Beta, the Subject will receive a severe stage of Hypothermia. Note that all test subject only managed to survive until lightening 44-46 matches |
| 51~ |
Until now, no subject has survived after lightening more than 46 RPC-406-Beta. |
Discovery: RPC-406 first came to the Authority's attention on 25/12/2004 in [REDACTED], North Dakota, USA. Reports of fires in multiple buildings came at 04:00 a.m local time on that area. Local authorities managed to detain multiple persons involved with the fire. All suspects were showing severe symptoms of Hypothermia and couldn’t be interrogated. They’re later expired due to said sickness.
Local authorities also witnessed multiple civilians corpses on the street in the morning, all expired due to Hypothermia. All these reports prompted Authority investigation.
Forward: Below is footage recorded by Researcher Jerry during their observation on the area:
[Footage begins with a view of the area. Snow coats the ground as well as the multiple corpses that litter the road and sidewalks. Black smoke rises from a charred building in the background. Senior Researcher Dr. Van Gordon can be seen leading the group as they observe the area.]
Dr. Van Gordon: Gadverdamme… Corpses everywhere. At least the personnel on the quarantine zone confirmed whatever anomaly occurs here isn't airborne.
Researcher T. Samuel: Yeah, all the officers and other local civilians we checked on seemed normal, so it's either non-airborne or the effect is slow. Don't you think it's strange that all the victims of this anomaly died from Hypothermia? I mean, it's December, but the weather's not really that bad.
Dr. Van Gordon: It's either the weather or something else that makes them more vulnerable to the cold. [Dr. Van Gordon then kneels and checks one of the bodies on the street. He obtains a burnt match from their right hand and a matchbox on the others.] I assume that they're trying to warm themselves with whatever fire they could find, or make. Didn't work, I guess. [Chuckle] Whoever coincidentally sells these matches here is probably filthy rich by now, eh?
Researcher T. Samuel: You know, it kind of reminds me; almost all the victims retrieved from here had the same brand of matchbox in their possession. Blank white cover. Possibly has something to do with it?
Dr. Van Gordon: [Stands up] I don't really know, nothing strange happens while I'm holding it, but I'm keeping it. Besides, if they end up burning down a building to warm themselves up, that means they need a bigger heat source. [Brief silence, then looks around] We should check the alleyways as well, I doubt that we'll find any living witnesses on the main street.
Agent A. Becker: There are several alleyways on both roadside. Should we split up, sir?
Dr. Van Gordon: Yeah, you and Terry investigate the left side while agent Norman, Jerry, and I, will check this side.
[Team split up. A few minutes after, Dr. Van Gordon's team make contact with six people who are surrounding a makeshift fire on an alleyway. The group startle upon Dr. Van Gordon's team arrival]
Dr. Van Gordon: Excuse me, but we just got here and saw this mess. Do you folks know what's happening here?
Local Civilian A: Ah, come here, sir. The weather's very cold out there. Come here and join us!
Dr. Van Gordon: Thanks, but we'll be leaving soon. We just want to know what happened here, that's all.
Local Civilian C: Bad thing. You see the people out there freezing to death. [Local Civilian C pulls out a matchbox from his pocket] You may need this to survive.
Local Civilian E: [Pulls out a matchbox as well] Nah, take mine instead.
Local Civilian A: [Pulls out a matchbox as well] Not a chance! I need more as well!
[The civilians get into a fight over who should give the matchbox]
Dr. Van Gordon: [Whispers to the rest of the team] Terry's right, don't let them give you a matchbox, no matter what. Let's back up. Remember, safety off. [The team back down the way they came]
Local Civilian C: Oh you're not going anywhere! [To the group] Here's a deal; I take the bearded ones while the rest of you can take the nerd and the helmet ones over there. For the sake of our lives, man! Come on! [Charges toward Dr. Van Gordon's team]
Dr. Van Gordon: [Yells to one of the personnel] Norman, shoot them!
[The personnel open fire on the six civilians; no survivors.]
Dr. Van Gordon: What a mess…
[A few moments later, another team arrives at the scene]
Agent A. Becker: We heard gunshots! what happened?
Dr. Van Gordon: Hostile civilians. I have a reason to believe that the matchbox we found earlier has something to do with this mess. How about you, what did you find so far?
Researcher T. Samuel: Well, we found a group of corpses near the corner of the street and about to investigate it when we heard the gunshots. They seem to be gathered around a little girl's corpse. I think we may have found the possible source of this anomaly.
Dr. Van Gordon: Good. Lead the way.
<End Log>
At 07:21 a.m local time, the Authority found a group of corpses gathered around a corpse of a female child on the area. All corpses there were dead due to Hypothermia. Surveillance camera footage from around the area was taken by the Authority for further investigation.
The following footage was retrieved from a shop across the street from the bodies and has been reviewed and concluded that it contains most of the information required:
<Begin Footage>
<03:00 A.M> This footage was recorded before RPC-406 spreads. A little girl sits on the sidewalk and seems to have been sitting there for a long time.
<03:00-03:12 A.M> No change in condition. The subject tries to warm herself. Multiple bystanders are also visible in the footage, ignores her.
<03:12 A.M> Subject lies down, visibly shivering.
<03:29 A.M> An unidentified man wearing a black coat and a fedora approaches the subject. They engage in a conversation for a few minutes, before the unidentified person passes the subject an object, which was later confirmed as a matchbox. After that, the person walks away. The subject lights one of the matches.
<03:32 A.M> A civilian walks near the subject. The subject proceeds begin to approach him but quickly collapses. Subject offers him what seems like a matchbox. The person takes the matchbox and lights it while walking away. The subject keeps doing this to any person she meets until 03:45 a.m.
<03:45 A.M> Subject seems to have Hypothermia, Subject is no longer sitting and remains lying down for the rest of the footage. The subject attempts to light one more match but is unsuccessful.
<03:57 A.M> Subject no longer moving, presumed dead at this point.
<04:03 A.M> A group of people approaches the subject, some are struggling to walk. One person from the group points at her and tries to wake her up. Upon realization that the subject has expired, the members of the group show visible frustration.
<04:03-04:10 A.M> One by one people in the group begin to fall. At 04:10 a.m, all persons in the group are dead.
<07:21 A.M> The Authority personnel are visible on the footage and check the corpse.
<End Footage>
The Authority has obtained 50 samples of RPC-406-Alpha, disposed of the corpses, detained all RPC-406-1 on the area, and amnesticized the surviving local population.
Incident-406-1: On 02/01/2005, Junior Researcher D. Janes was discovered to be an RPC-406-1 instance. He was recently tasked to assist in the research of RPC-406. It’s not clear when did he became an RPC-406-1 instance, but he’s been forcing CSD personnel designated for high-risk tests to take RPC-406-Alpha instances from him and light RPC-406-Beta from it before their tests. Surviving CSD was given amnestics and designated for another test immediately. These actions were not known by other personnel before this point.
He was then apprehended by Senior Researcher Dr. A. Frederick when D. Janes managed to trick him into lighting up an RPC-406-Beta given to him. Unfortunately, Junior Researcher D. Janes tried to escape from the security personnel and was shot and later died. Senior Researcher Dr. A. Frederick was interviewed shortly after this incident.
Interviewed: Dr. A. Frederick
Interviewer: Dr. Van Gordon
Foreword: Interview conducted in the Site-079 Interview room. The temperature has been raised to 70°C. Two ASF stands behind both Dr. Frederick and Dr. Van Gordon.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Frederick: …And I took just one match! Only one! God…
Dr. Van Gordon: I understand, Al. But you know-
Dr. Frederick: [interrupted] Cut your [EXPLETIVE], Houston. You never had empathy for anomalies. You did everything by the book. The document says to kill all RPC-406-1 instances and everyone knows you’ll do immediately. I still got my sanity, Houston! [subject pulled out RPC-406 from its pocket, startled Dr. Van Gordon] I assure you, I won’t force anyone to light this up for me, not even you. So please, why don't you reconsider the decision to terminate me? I’m a damn senior researcher here, for christ's sake! After all these years working here, this is a ridiculous way to die!
Dr. Van Gordon: Alright, just calm yourself first, we're all just following the protocol here. [Brief Silence] Anyways, why don’t you tell me what happened earlier? It’s getting damn hot in here.
Dr. Frederick: [subject calmed a bit] That [EXPLETIVE] approached me when I tried to lighten up my cigarette, my lighter didn’t work at the moment. He looks damn pale, and he was shivering a bit. I should have been suspicious of him at that point, but at that moment, I thought it because of the room temperature. He then offered a matchbox to me to light my cigarette up. I kinda let my guard down and immediately took it and lit up one of the matches. The moment the match went out, I suddenly felt cold. At that moment I remembered that [EXPLETIVE] matchbox, so I asked him where did he got it, and well, you know the rest. But I only took one. One!
Dr. Van Gordon: And you think that you can handle the cold? What will keep you from lighting up another one, and another one, and another one, and soon you'll end up forcing a matchbox on another staff member?
Dr. Frederick: Well, I’m not thinking of killing myself or getting myself killed. I’ll just have to try to bear it.
Dr. Van Gordon: Well then, I’ll get this recording reviewed later. You’ll be under observation, Al. If we catch you giving RPC-406 to other personnel, you’ll be terminated immediately. For now, we have to put you in isolation. You're not working on any projects, right?
Dr. Frederick: Yeah, I don't have any research currently. And I guess I won't have ones anymore.
Dr. Van Gordon: Good. And if things go well, I’m thinking of updating the containment protocol. Just… pray for yourself, Al.
<End Footage>
