Date Acceleration II (Complete)

Chapter 15

Westcott stepped back into the room, his presence cutting through the air like a knife. Accelerator's eyes locked onto him with sharp and cold eyes. The ones focused on something.

Accelerator stood frozen, his jaw clenched and his hands curling into fists at his sides. His breath hitched, caught somewhere between a growl and a sigh, as if the storm of emotions and thoughts collided with each other inside of him. 

Westcott, standing in the doorway, leaned slightly against the frame, his lips curving into a faint, knowing smile. His eyes softened with a deliberate calm, the kind of steady patience that spoke louder than words ever could.

With a slow, measured gesture, Westcott beckoned Accelerator to follow. Accelerator hesitated, his gaze dipping briefly to the floor before flicking back to Westcott. His steps were sluggish, each movement burdened by an unseen weight and thoughts, while his furrowed brow betrayed the churn of thoughts

The hallway stretched out before them, a corridor of shadows where even the faintest echoes seemed to dissolve into the gloom. Westcott strode ahead with an air of unshakable confidence, the soft click of his shoes cutting through the oppressive silence. Without breaking stride, he extended an iPad toward Accelerator, its screen glowing faintly against the dark.

Accelerator took it with a slight hesitation, his fingers tightening around the device. He tried to maintain his usual exterior—a mask of cold detachment, sharp and dangerous—but cracks were forming, that were undeniable. His grip on composure felt tenuous, as if his arms were shaking in fear in trying to grip the ipad.

This was too much. He knew Westcott was seeing it and taking advantage of it, but he was powerless. Sure, he could decimate this place, but it would just start a domino effect.

Westcott's piercing gaze flicked back briefly, a silent reminder that he knows everything. That everything he does whether predictable or not is a part of his plan.

Accelerator's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding as he suppressed the urge to lash out. He could obliterate this entire place with a lift his finger, reduce it all to rubble and ash. 

Operating on the tablet, he saw the details of the project. As Accelerator navigated the tablet, the screen flickered to life with schematics and lines of dense calculations. Images of strange devices appeared—devices that seemed alien to him. Some calculations were familiar and could be correlated to existing principles he was aware of, but most were beyond his understanding.

 Then, his fingers hovered over an image. His own body, dissected and analyzed in meticulous detail, data eerily similar to the experiments performed on him in Academy City.

A video icon caught his attention next, and he tapped it hesitantly. He played a video featuring a teenager who bore a striking resemblance to himself. Shocked for various reasons, Accelerator could draw conclusions, but none felt definitive.

Next, he played another video, this one depicting conditioning.

It depicted a child, no older than six or seven, with wide, curious eyes brimming with innocence. The child looked up at unseen figures, desperate for affection and guidance.

A voice spoke over the footage, its tone clinical and devoid of empathy:

"Deus Ex Machina is humanity's savior. You will follow its emperor, and you will serve. That is your purpose. You will be the death corps to bring its will."

The video cut to black, leaving Accelerator staring at his reflection in the screen.

All of this was accomplished within a matter of weeks.

The documents accompanying the footage were labeled: The Dark Mage Project. He read on, trying to remain unfazed but his mind was conflicted on how to react to stay sane.