[ Aware of his status as a weapon, then. Root needs to build a mental image of his character in order to make a plan for how to get them out of here, and so far it's almost disappointingly compliant. Of course, he'd been raised in this environment and never known anything different, so that's probably to be expected. Children will normalize anything they need to in order to survive.
That just means she needs to push a little. Maybe there's more underneath she can dig up. This is only the first few minutes, after all... ]
Do you think talk therapy or medication is more effective for you in accomplishing that? [ she asks sensibly. Not that Root is qualified to prescribe anything, but she'd just take the Machine's advice. ]
[He figures that answer is a good one. It feels accurate, so it should be enough.
Her next question is a strange one.]
.... You really want to know my opinion?
[That isn't very common. There's always so much going on, so many researchers with their own goals and ambitions, strategic directions planned by higher ups. His own opinion rarely enters into it. The possibility that this is some kind of test, maybe an ambush, occurs to him and he eyes her suspiciously.]
[ Root-as-Caroline gives him a slight smile, what might be soft if it weren't so opaque. The demeanor of an empathetic but ultimately distanced clinician. ]
I just got here, and you've been here all your life. I have your case notes-- [ she glances back toward the desk she isn't using ] --but, I have to tell you...
[ She leans in almost conspiratorially, but doesn't lower her voice at all to match it, just states outright: ]
They sound like they were written by idiots.
[ Maybe that's a little too much Root too early, but she's not trying to move in, here. She'd like to get out as fast as possible. ]
[He's still staring at her, despite not being sure what to expect of her answer. It'll probably be something clinical, maybe about how taking his opinion into account is good for the therapeutic process or some shit.]
..............
[There's a blink, and then he lets out an abrupt, squeaky laugh. His voice is cracked when he does it, a side effect of the hormonal issues mentioned in his file.
He's heard Kihara tell off other scientists before, that's nothing new to him. It's the strange dichotomy between her demeanour being so professional and her calling his previous therapists idiots.]
Really?? Just how shitty are they? I bet Kihara's gonna be pissed when he finds out.
[ She's actually just guessing about that, but it sounds good, gives them the first little glimmer of rapport. Root settles back in her chair and smirks in amusement at his incredibly cringy, awkward laugh.
Just a kid after all. No wonder the Machine is putting so much of her time into this. ]
You can see for yourself if you want, [ she suggests. ] It would save me some time, honestly. Not like there's anything about your mental state that needs to be kept from you -- you're the one who lived through it.
[ Caroline would think this would help give her insight into what hasn't worked in the past and build further rapport, and Root sort of thinks the same thing, except the insight she's looking for is where she can find a space to press into and crack open that shell of numb compliance. She's well aware that if half of what's in his files is true, he could get himself out of here if he wanted to -- so she needs him to want. ]
[That makes a lot of sense. No one informed him why he has a new therapist, but it's basically been a revolving door of them for a while now. That they weren't up to snuff would explain why she's here. It's kind of funny, in his mind. Maybe because he doesn't see the researchers fail very often? He isn't really sure.
But he's interested. He's definitely interested. He wants to see what his file says even though Caroline is right, that he could probably guess what's in there. The only thing stopping him is the small bit of doubt in the back of his mind, that this is some kind of trap. He doesn't want to get in trouble, but still....
He sits back in his chair, thinking on this for several moments. If it's a trap then he doubts whatever punishment he gets probably won't be as bad as the usual experiments he goes through....
[ Root stands without delay, making good on her promise immediately. She strides over to the desk set behind them with a solid click-clack of her pointedly professional heels, and she bends over slightly to open a filing cabinet, rifles through it, withdraws what she thinks is the worst offender.
She tosses that onto the desk itself, keeps looking, tosses a couple more. ]
[Accelerator snaps up the first folder, settling back down into his chair and starting to flip through it slowly. He isn't expecting anything good to begin with but wow, it's bad. It's real bad.
This therapist has nothing encouraging to say about his mental state. A lot of professional jargon is thrown around that can best be summed up as considering him to be too unstable, lacking in empathy and motivation to be compliant towards authority figures. In short, he's far too dangerous given the power he wields. There's a reasonable chance he'll defy his handlers and cause more damage than he's worth. He should be disposed of before he causes any mass disasters and jeopardizes the entire project.
Accelerator stares as he reads through everything a second time.]
This bastard hated me.
[But it's more than that. He's aware a lot of the researchers here hate him, that's nothing new. This guy wanted him dead. If any of the researchers wanted him dead they've been keeping that information to themselves, so this is his first time facing this kind of hostility.
He isn't sure what to think about it, and frowns faintly to himself as he stares down at the file.]
[ She could say something trite here, a reassurance or a platitude. People always hate what they can't control or understand. But that's not really Root's style, and her top priority is getting him to leave with her, not sticking to her cover. The second they're out of here, Caroline Turing is going to be dead forever; that's not an identity she'll be able to use again. And although Root isn't reckless, she always plays to win the real prize and not the consolation. ]
He was scared of you, [ she says bluntly, leaning her hip back against the desk and assessing Accelerator frankly as he skims through the files. ] This next one, [ she nods down to it, ] was a little more maternal, kept thinking you needed to be taken care of.
Just another way to diminish you, if you ask me.
[ Root smiles, eyes gleaming with a hint of suppressed fanaticism. Pity doesn't feel all that different from hatred sometimes. Root appreciates his power, assumes it's real and that he's worth saving if the Machine sent her here on a rescue mission, but she doesn't covet it. She doesn't need it for herself. She has what she wants from life already and is just fatalistically unsurprised to find people unable to reconcile with a power that is completely beyond them. She has one of those already and loves it with the kind of devotion that lives at the bottom of a dark pit and has clawed its way up into the light -- finding another doesn't threaten her at all. ]
They all wanted the same thing: for you to be under their control.
[Turning his gaze to the next file, Accelerator closes the one he's holding and sets it back on the desk. He grabs the one she's referring to, opening it up and skimming through it. Someone being scared of him isn't all that surprising. It's a natural reaction to have, given what he's capable of, and he's aware that sometimes emotions like fear can be projected as anger.
But maternal. Maternal.
That one is completely new to him, and he's visibly surprised at the idea. Slowing down, he takes his time with this file, fascinated by the very concept. None of his previous therapists ever struck him as maternal, but then he's only learned the textbook definition of the term. He knows how it applies to familial units in psychological and sociological settings. But he's never had a mother or a family himself, so he's missing out on that crucial personal experience. How could he recognize an emotional expression like that when it's directed at him? Would his behaviour changed if he had known she felt that way?
He isn't sure. Just like he isn't sure at her conclusion.]
Even her? [He glances up, lifting the file he's holding.]
[ It makes sense he wouldn't know how to recognize a parental force as something trying to narrow his agency, how love and care can become restraints under the guise of concern. He's probably never had someone genuinely care for him that way at all, or if they did, they didn't last long. It takes time for that kind of thing to come to light, for the dirty underside of a family to show itself. The person who wrote that file isn't here anymore, after all.
Root straightens up and walks back to her previous seat. ] Even her, [ she affirms, taking her time to sit and smooth her skirt out, eyes remaining bright and focused on Accelerator. ]
The term paternalistic came from somewhere. It's not any different if it's a female force doing it. [ Root's seen his absolutely astronomical test scores on standard intelligence testing, so she doesn't hold back here. ] It means they think they know what's best for you, that you aren't capable of knowing that for yourself.
But I think you do know. I think you are capable.
[ She smiles, a tiny hint of that abyssal-dwelling devotion at the corners. ]
[Right, yeah. His philosophy lessons touched briefly on paternalism within the context of law, so Accelerator knows that she isn't lying to him. This is also making him realize that it was probably deliberate on the part of that teacher that he didn't go in-depth into that subject. Just enough of a lesson for him to learn it, not enough for him to question it.
Because oh boy, as Caroline describes it Accelerator finds all kinds of questions are being raised in his mind. ]
... Thanks, I guess.
[][Right, yeah. His philosophy lessons touched briefly on paternalism within the context of law, so Accelerator knows that she isn't lying to him. This is also making him realize that it was probably deliberate on the part of that teacher that he didn't go in-depth into that subject. Just enough of a lesson for him to learn it, not enough for him to question it.
Because oh boy, as Caroline describes it Accelerator finds even more questions are being raised in his mind. Should he be disappointed that, apparently, the closest thing he's ever had to a mother figure was still only interested in controlling him? Were all his therapists this bad? Is it better when they're afraid of him? Every aspect of his life is controlled, the researchers don't exactly hide that, but — this feels different. This... this hurts?
He isn't sure if 'hurts' is the right word for it, but there's an uncomfortable ache in the pit of his stomach and he doesn't like it.
Should he be trusting Caroline or questioning her, too? Is she any different from his previous therapists? She's been offering him a lot more information about stuff the other researchers likely don't want him knowing, but she's still working for them.
He closes the file, a troubled expression on his face.]
... Thanks, I guess.
[He holds the file back out for her to take.]
Do you think you're gonna last all that long here with that kind of thinking?
[ It's so much worse when they sell it like they care about you. It stings deeper, cuts worse, tears you up inside. Root uses that tactic on people sometimes, but on adults, not children. She can still see Hanna getting into that car with a smile and questioning nothing about the man who was giving her a ride. ]
That's up to you.
[ Root takes the file and sits back, ostensibly getting comfortable, eyes still bright and curious and interested. That part she doesn't have to fake at all. ]
If I do my job, why wouldn't I? My job is to keep you from hurting anyone unintentionally. To help you keep your actions deliberate.
You want your gun to go off when you pull the trigger, not before.
[ That's intentionally goading, waiting to see how he'll respond. It'll change how she approaches what comes next, inform her assessment of whether he'll be a willing or unwilling escapee, whether she can depend on him to defend himself in the process or whether he'll be obedient or a loose cannon or some unfortunate mix. Despite his apparent complacency, he must be sick of being treated like a weapon. It's dehumanizing -- diminishing, like she'd said. Any human being would chafe against the presumption that they can be totally controlled. The chaotic willful nature of people is one of the few things Root actually appreciates about them.
She wants him to have that control. She wants to give him the tools to fire at the person or people he wants to fire at. It's her own version of ethics. If nothing else, everyone should have the freedom to make their own decisions, as dumb or messy or ill-informed as those might be. They should make their own decisions and face their own consequences.
Who will he be when he's forced to do that? Root is honestly excited to find out. ]
[Accelerator's gaze remains on the file, even after he's handed it over. There isn't anything he can do about that therapist, he knows about that, it's just... hard to process this. All of it. Should he even bother trying? That therapist is gone and she isn't coming back, so it shouldn't be worth dwelling on. It would be better to move on.
Caroline is here. She's here and isn't judging him. She's already given him more control in this session than he ever had in any other session, experiment, trial... any of it. That should mean something. He may still be uncertain, but he should at least give her that.
Accelerator chews on his lip, thinking hard about all of this, and decides it does mean something. Hell, she's already better than most of the researchers who have developed him over the years. She isn't scared of him, and she isn't overtly antagonistic towards him. She's been nice, she doesn't seem to want to control him, but instead wants to give him control. What that could translate into is a big unknown for him, but it can't be any worse than some of the experiments he's been through. It could be new, potentially frightening, and above all, worthwhile.
He stares down at this hands, nodding slightly, his voice quiet.]
... Right. Yeah.
[Her words stab into him, making him realize the absolute irony of his situation. His ability allows him to control the vectors of anything, but he's only ever used it when directed by one of the researchers. Most often, Kihara. He has a gun, but it's always been someone else pulling the trigger.
Why can't he be the one to do it?
His hands curl into fists and Accelerator glances back up at Caroline, his expression hard.]
That's what I want, too.
[After that day, Accelerator's behaviour towards the rest of the researchers became about a hundred times more difficult.
That isn't to say he's ever been an easy child to wrangle. Growing up, the most consistent adult in his life was Kihara Amata, which unfortunately for everyone meant he took after the lead's prickly mannerisms and behaviour. In spite of that, he did listen to the other researchers and always did what they wanted him to do. He had a bad attitude, but overall he was still obedient.
It's a change that starts slowly, and with every session with Caroline it ramps up. One day he decides to start criticizing the measurements some researchers are taking for an experiment, calling them all "fucking idiots and dumbasses." Another day he takes it a step further and, during an entirely different experiment, decides he wants to do it differently. He claims that his methods are better, citing some additional physics theories the scientists didn't take into account. Then he decides that the lunch he's served one day is "fucking garbage," and refuses to eat it. The next morning he's demanding coffee, wanting the same swill the researchers are often drinking.
It honestly isn't all that unusual for a teenager, but he quickly starts driving the researchers up the wall. Some of them, the ones terrified of him, capitulate, while others start arguments with him. The majority, though, go to Amata. They're at a loss as to what to do, and Amata, being the head of the entire project, has always had the most control over Accelerator. It's natural for them to go up the chain of command as quickly as possible when they're seeing a major obstacle to the success of the project. Amata is furious and the first of many, many verbal fights begin the two of them. But Accelerator doesn't back down. In fact, with more sessions with Caroline he gets even bolder.
He likes those sessions. After a couple more of them Accelerator begins feeling more and more reassured in his decision to try and trust her. She's smart, she isn't patronizing, and it takes him several sessions to figure it out, but what she offers him that no one else ever has is very simple:
She gets to carry out justice, push her limits of her understanding of reality, and completely and thoroughly mock some unbearably self-interested corrupt authority figures. Not that they know that yet. Root carries on with their counseling sessions, and it works much faster and much better than she'd expected. She thinks she likes this kid. She can't blame him for not busting out of his cage after being raised to that environment, but she shows up and cracks the door just a smidge open, and he's already peering out. And he keeps criticizing their methods, which is hilarious.
Of course this means she's quickly getting in some hot water with the administrators, but she says (truthfully) that therapeutic progress can lead to a decline before it leads to an improvement, and she doesn't betray a single ounce of nervousness or pressure to Accelerator. She just smirks to herself as she reviews some of the security camera footage alone in her pilfered residence at the end of the day, eating crackers recklessly in bed and occasionally sending Shaw a saucy, annoying text message littered with emojis.
Meanwhile, in the background, she uses her key card and unassailable confident demeanor to poke around the facility and place remotely-activated aerosol canisters of anesthesia throughout the ventilation system. (Why mess with what works?) It's a long process and more than once she has to abort and try again, the Machine softly beeping in her ear to let her know of incoming danger, but she's most of the way through the plan by the time she runs across Kihara arguing with Accelerator and quickly understands the timetable is going to be moved up.
That's fine. Root is flexible. She's a consummate professional and can hold her cover as long as necessary, but she has to admit she would like to see this whole place go up in flames if she can swing it. Firestarting must be trivial for someone who can do vector manipulation...
She hears them before she sees them, and she pauses around the corner to listen, shamelessly eavesdropping. ]
[It's another day, and another experiment. With Accelerator's growing disobedience Amata's patience (which is already nearly nonexistent) has been growing thin. The teen has been arguing with him about inane things for the last few days, so he's already in a sour mood. He's curt as he explains what Accelerator will be doing today: testing out his control over the electrical signals in the human brain. To run the tests the researchers have planned they've brought in a couple of additional test subjects, actual humans who had been quietly detained for supposedly being war criminals or prisoners being held for terrorist activities against the United States. In other words, people the government can easily disappear without the general public knowing or raising a fuss.
Accelerator listens to the parameters Amata gives him quietly, and when Amata turns to leave he finally speaks up.
He doesn't want to do it. There is no explicit outcome of death, but it's clear from everything about this experiment that these people are going to end up braindead. There's no way they could survive this kind of testing, not if everything runs as it's supposed to.
"I don't want to do it," is his own blunt reply.
Amata stops, surprised, and spins on his heel. "I didn't fucking hear that. Be a good guinea pig and do as you're told," he snaps back.
Accelerator shakes his head, standing his ground. "I'm not doing it. I'm not killing those people."
"You damn brat!" Footsteps click along the floor, quickly, as Amata rounds on Accelerator. "I don't have time to play around with this petulant bullshit! You think you want to be some fucking delinquent, now?! Well, it stops now. No more backtalk, no more fighting with the goddamn team, and no more deciding you don't want to do things!" He's grabbed the front of Accelerator's shirt, continuing. "You do what I want when I want, got it? You're just a shitty test subject, so be quiet and do as you're told."
Accelerator doesn't move, partially out of defiance, partially out of fear. He's never seen Amata this angry before, but he doesn't want to back down. "Fuck you."
That's it, that's all he says.
Amata doesn't respond. He only pulls his free hand back, which has been curled into a fist, and slams it into the boy's face.]
[ Root can't use the excuse that it's a reflex, because she's always in control of her actions. She doesn't do things recklessly or impulsively, though it can seem that way from the outside since she's so decisive. Root makes up her mind fast and fully commits to all the possible downstream effects of her actions. She knows the Machine wouldn't want her to, but she does plenty of things the Machine doesn't want her to do.
When she steps around the corner and pulls out the single-shot 3D printed polymer gun she's kept tucked under her blouse at the small of her back, she knows what she's doing. When she takes several swift strides forward, intentionally orienting herself so she's coming up from behind Kihara, and presses the muzzle against the base of his skull and pulls the trigger --
There's no shock and no regret. Just the odd plastic sound of the firing mechanism and the dull thud of Kihara falling to the ground like a sack of potatoes. It's a small low-caliber gun, so it doesn't make an exit wound; the bullet goes into his skull and destroys the part of the brain at the stem that mechanically operates the living body, and that's all that's needed. Quick and clean.
She was an assassin, after all. Nice to get to use those skills again. ]
Oops, [ she says, bright and sarcastic, tossing the used polymer handgun onto the floor after the corpse. ] That was a little ahead of schedule.
[ A mechanical voice tones in her left ear: ACCESS CARD.
Root bends down to grab the card from Kihara's jacket, patting him down perfunctorily until she finds it, and then straightens to face Accelerator. ]
[Accelerator's reflection isn't up when Amata swings his fist. Despite it being something he could easily be running 24/7 thanks to his subconscious taking care of the necessary calculations, it was decided early on that he would only have it up during certain experiments. He didn't think much of it at the time, but now Accelerator is wondering if that decision was made to keep him a little weaker, in case any of the researchers needed to retaliate against him.
Like right now. It's a surprisingly powerful punch and Accelerator without his ability is weaker than the average teenager, so he goes down easily. His cheek stings as he hits the floor, though he doesn't have any time to process this as he suddenly sees Caroline stepping up behind Amata. There's a strange, muffled noise, and then Amata is dropping to the ground. Accelerator scoots back a bit, confused, looking between Amata and Caroline before settling on Amata.
Rather, Amata's body. It takes him several moments to process the fact that he isn't just knocked out, that there is now a hole leaking blood in the back of his head. There's a clatter as the gun hits the floor and he glances over at it, dumbfounded.
Holy shit.
Accelerator directs his gaze back up at Caroline, utterly bewildered.]
..... You killed him?
[Give him a second, everything happened in quick succession and this is a lot to take in.]
[ Right, he's probably going to need a second to catch up. Root is used to having that effect on people, but she's not about to slow down for it. They can't afford to.
Plainly, ] I didn't like him hitting you. And he's just going to cause problems if we leave him alive.
[ She has to assume Kihara would never quit trying to get his favorite test subject back, and that could be a major issue for Accelerator living any kind of life outside of this place. Meanwhile, if he's dead, she can probably intimidate or threaten the rest of them into leaving him alone -- but Kihara's ego would never allow it. Sometimes Root makes the decisions she knows the Machine isn't capable of, and in this case, the world is all just better off without this trash.
Root slips Kihara's keycard on a lanyard around her neck and reaches down to offer Accelerator a hand up. ]
I know this is all a lot to take in, but we need to get to my office. We don't have a lot of time.
[That seems like such a simple answer given what she just did. Accelerator isn't unfamiliar with death, there were other test subjects in the past who died, and as part of other experiments he's killed people, but for some reason seeing Caroline kill someone is... different. Maybe it's because she's a psychiatrist and not someone more directly involved with the experiments that result in death? Maybe it's because it was Kihara she killed? He isn't really sure, and he doesn't have time right now to sort through his feelings.
Reaching up, he grabs her hand and hauls himself onto his feet. His legs feel a little shaky, and he stares down at Kihara's body with a hardened expression.
Then he kicks him, once, in the stomach. It's a normal kick, no psychic ability behind it at all. It doesn't make up for a lifetime of abuse, but he at least wants the satisfied feeling of being able to return the punch. Once he's done that, he turns back to her with a conflicted expression.]
They're going to want to kill you for this.
['They' being security here, the other researchers, the higher ups making sure the entire project runs smoothly. She just killed the head of the project, that's going to throw everything into chaos. Surely she's aware of that, regardless of how calm she is right now.]
I hope so, [ she says lightly, watching with approval as Accelerator gets a kick in. ] I'm not usually on assignments this long and this slow.
Not that I'm complaining. [ Root winks at him in reassurance. ] You're more than worth it.
[ She's decided she likes him, which means all bets are off on what Root is willing to do for his sake. She's just considering hiding the body when the Machine intones GO in her ear, and that's enough.
Root grabs him by the arm, firm but not rough, and starts towing him down the corridor. The Machine periodically gives her directions on how to take the shortest route back to her office that encounters the fewest people. She hopes the two of them walking calmly and quickly together is ordinary enough that they get away with it even if they are seen -- at least for long enough to make it to her office. ]
Quick question. Could you repel gas particles in an area around us without suffocating me?
[Assignments? What the hell is she talking about? Accelerator is at a complete loss, blinking confusedly at her. To his credit, he doesn't pull away from her when she grabs him, following her. She killed Kihara, which should mean she's a threat, but he also likes and trusts her. He wants to believe Kihara was the right thing to do, since she was the one who did it.
Her question causes him to momentarily focus.]
Um, yeah. That would be easy to do. [He can recall a couple experiments in the past where they had him manipulate the surrounding air.] Why? What the hell is going on?
[ Hearing that, Root abruptly pulls him to the side and ducks into the nearest room, swiping Kihara's keycard to give them access. She reroutes her plans lightning-quick. Though not, of course, as fast as the Machine can, she thinks affectionately. When they're really working together like this, fully in sync, she only needs minimal directions from the Machine. Just those times when she has information Root doesn't or the situation has grown too complex for a human mind to contend with.
Door closed behind them, she releases Accelerator and faces him, excitement dawning on her face with a sort of careful composure layered over the top. ]
What's going on is I'm breaking you out of here. Want to come?
[ This moment is what she's been working towards with him. If she opens the door, will he step out on his own? Or does she need to drag him through? ]
[He's pulled unceremoniously into a spare office, his brain blanking briefly when he sees her swipe Kihara's keycard. It's such a strange little thing, but it feels like that action is cementing the fact that that bastard is dead. After all, if he was still alive there's no way he would let anyone use his keycard.
It isn't something he can dwell on though, not when Caroline is dropping another bombshell on him. He stares at her, wondering if he should wait for the punchline to this insane joke.]
What? What the fuck? Are you serious? That isn't possible.
[There have been times, mostly when he was a lot younger, that he thought about the world outside the research facility. He'd wonder what it was like experiencing the things he learned about in his classes firsthand, but over time that curiosity dulled. Leaving wasn't realistic, so he gradually forced himself to stop thinking about it until today, where the very idea of it is completely laughable.]
You're the one who's going to block specific air particles in a defined area around us, and you think leaving this place isn't possible?
[ She's just saying. Accelerator really needs to expand his concept of what he's capable of doing.
Root sounds insouciant but means the fullest interpretation possible when she counters with: ] I really will buy you a coffee. And anything else you want.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
That just means she needs to push a little. Maybe there's more underneath she can dig up. This is only the first few minutes, after all... ]
Do you think talk therapy or medication is more effective for you in accomplishing that? [ she asks sensibly. Not that Root is qualified to prescribe anything, but she'd just take the Machine's advice. ]
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Her next question is a strange one.]
.... You really want to know my opinion?
[That isn't very common. There's always so much going on, so many researchers with their own goals and ambitions, strategic directions planned by higher ups. His own opinion rarely enters into it. The possibility that this is some kind of test, maybe an ambush, occurs to him and he eyes her suspiciously.]
You're serious?
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I just got here, and you've been here all your life. I have your case notes-- [ she glances back toward the desk she isn't using ] --but, I have to tell you...
[ She leans in almost conspiratorially, but doesn't lower her voice at all to match it, just states outright: ]
They sound like they were written by idiots.
[ Maybe that's a little too much Root too early, but she's not trying to move in, here. She'd like to get out as fast as possible. ]
no subject
..............
[There's a blink, and then he lets out an abrupt, squeaky laugh. His voice is cracked when he does it, a side effect of the hormonal issues mentioned in his file.
He's heard Kihara tell off other scientists before, that's nothing new to him. It's the strange dichotomy between her demeanour being so professional and her calling his previous therapists idiots.]
Really?? Just how shitty are they? I bet Kihara's gonna be pissed when he finds out.
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[ She's actually just guessing about that, but it sounds good, gives them the first little glimmer of rapport. Root settles back in her chair and smirks in amusement at his incredibly cringy, awkward laugh.
Just a kid after all. No wonder the Machine is putting so much of her time into this. ]
You can see for yourself if you want, [ she suggests. ] It would save me some time, honestly. Not like there's anything about your mental state that needs to be kept from you -- you're the one who lived through it.
[ Caroline would think this would help give her insight into what hasn't worked in the past and build further rapport, and Root sort of thinks the same thing, except the insight she's looking for is where she can find a space to press into and crack open that shell of numb compliance. She's well aware that if half of what's in his files is true, he could get himself out of here if he wanted to -- so she needs him to want. ]
no subject
But he's interested. He's definitely interested. He wants to see what his file says even though Caroline is right, that he could probably guess what's in there. The only thing stopping him is the small bit of doubt in the back of his mind, that this is some kind of trap. He doesn't want to get in trouble, but still....
He sits back in his chair, thinking on this for several moments. If it's a trap then he doubts whatever punishment he gets probably won't be as bad as the usual experiments he goes through....
He sits up a little.]
I want to see.
no subject
She tosses that onto the desk itself, keeps looking, tosses a couple more. ]
Go ahead. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
[ She would, genuinely. ]
no subject
This therapist has nothing encouraging to say about his mental state. A lot of professional jargon is thrown around that can best be summed up as considering him to be too unstable, lacking in empathy and motivation to be compliant towards authority figures. In short, he's far too dangerous given the power he wields. There's a reasonable chance he'll defy his handlers and cause more damage than he's worth. He should be disposed of before he causes any mass disasters and jeopardizes the entire project.
Accelerator stares as he reads through everything a second time.]
This bastard hated me.
[But it's more than that. He's aware a lot of the researchers here hate him, that's nothing new. This guy wanted him dead. If any of the researchers wanted him dead they've been keeping that information to themselves, so this is his first time facing this kind of hostility.
He isn't sure what to think about it, and frowns faintly to himself as he stares down at the file.]
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He was scared of you, [ she says bluntly, leaning her hip back against the desk and assessing Accelerator frankly as he skims through the files. ] This next one, [ she nods down to it, ] was a little more maternal, kept thinking you needed to be taken care of.
Just another way to diminish you, if you ask me.
[ Root smiles, eyes gleaming with a hint of suppressed fanaticism. Pity doesn't feel all that different from hatred sometimes. Root appreciates his power, assumes it's real and that he's worth saving if the Machine sent her here on a rescue mission, but she doesn't covet it. She doesn't need it for herself. She has what she wants from life already and is just fatalistically unsurprised to find people unable to reconcile with a power that is completely beyond them. She has one of those already and loves it with the kind of devotion that lives at the bottom of a dark pit and has clawed its way up into the light -- finding another doesn't threaten her at all. ]
They all wanted the same thing: for you to be under their control.
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But maternal. Maternal.
That one is completely new to him, and he's visibly surprised at the idea. Slowing down, he takes his time with this file, fascinated by the very concept. None of his previous therapists ever struck him as maternal, but then he's only learned the textbook definition of the term. He knows how it applies to familial units in psychological and sociological settings. But he's never had a mother or a family himself, so he's missing out on that crucial personal experience. How could he recognize an emotional expression like that when it's directed at him? Would his behaviour changed if he had known she felt that way?
He isn't sure. Just like he isn't sure at her conclusion.]
Even her? [He glances up, lifting the file he's holding.]
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Root straightens up and walks back to her previous seat. ] Even her, [ she affirms, taking her time to sit and smooth her skirt out, eyes remaining bright and focused on Accelerator. ]
The term paternalistic came from somewhere. It's not any different if it's a female force doing it. [ Root's seen his absolutely astronomical test scores on standard intelligence testing, so she doesn't hold back here. ] It means they think they know what's best for you, that you aren't capable of knowing that for yourself.
But I think you do know. I think you are capable.
[ She smiles, a tiny hint of that abyssal-dwelling devotion at the corners. ]
That's why I asked.
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Because oh boy, as Caroline describes it Accelerator finds all kinds of questions are being raised in his mind. ]
... Thanks, I guess.
[][Right, yeah. His philosophy lessons touched briefly on paternalism within the context of law, so Accelerator knows that she isn't lying to him. This is also making him realize that it was probably deliberate on the part of that teacher that he didn't go in-depth into that subject. Just enough of a lesson for him to learn it, not enough for him to question it.
Because oh boy, as Caroline describes it Accelerator finds even more questions are being raised in his mind. Should he be disappointed that, apparently, the closest thing he's ever had to a mother figure was still only interested in controlling him? Were all his therapists this bad? Is it better when they're afraid of him? Every aspect of his life is controlled, the researchers don't exactly hide that, but — this feels different. This... this hurts?
He isn't sure if 'hurts' is the right word for it, but there's an uncomfortable ache in the pit of his stomach and he doesn't like it.
Should he be trusting Caroline or questioning her, too? Is she any different from his previous therapists? She's been offering him a lot more information about stuff the other researchers likely don't want him knowing, but she's still working for them.
He closes the file, a troubled expression on his face.]
... Thanks, I guess.
[He holds the file back out for her to take.]
Do you think you're gonna last all that long here with that kind of thinking?
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That's up to you.
[ Root takes the file and sits back, ostensibly getting comfortable, eyes still bright and curious and interested. That part she doesn't have to fake at all. ]
If I do my job, why wouldn't I? My job is to keep you from hurting anyone unintentionally. To help you keep your actions deliberate.
You want your gun to go off when you pull the trigger, not before.
[ That's intentionally goading, waiting to see how he'll respond. It'll change how she approaches what comes next, inform her assessment of whether he'll be a willing or unwilling escapee, whether she can depend on him to defend himself in the process or whether he'll be obedient or a loose cannon or some unfortunate mix. Despite his apparent complacency, he must be sick of being treated like a weapon. It's dehumanizing -- diminishing, like she'd said. Any human being would chafe against the presumption that they can be totally controlled. The chaotic willful nature of people is one of the few things Root actually appreciates about them.
She wants him to have that control. She wants to give him the tools to fire at the person or people he wants to fire at. It's her own version of ethics. If nothing else, everyone should have the freedom to make their own decisions, as dumb or messy or ill-informed as those might be. They should make their own decisions and face their own consequences.
Who will he be when he's forced to do that? Root is honestly excited to find out. ]
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Caroline is here. She's here and isn't judging him. She's already given him more control in this session than he ever had in any other session, experiment, trial... any of it. That should mean something. He may still be uncertain, but he should at least give her that.
Accelerator chews on his lip, thinking hard about all of this, and decides it does mean something. Hell, she's already better than most of the researchers who have developed him over the years. She isn't scared of him, and she isn't overtly antagonistic towards him. She's been nice, she doesn't seem to want to control him, but instead wants to give him control. What that could translate into is a big unknown for him, but it can't be any worse than some of the experiments he's been through. It could be new, potentially frightening, and above all, worthwhile.
He stares down at this hands, nodding slightly, his voice quiet.]
... Right. Yeah.
[Her words stab into him, making him realize the absolute irony of his situation. His ability allows him to control the vectors of anything, but he's only ever used it when directed by one of the researchers. Most often, Kihara. He has a gun, but it's always been someone else pulling the trigger.
Why can't he be the one to do it?
His hands curl into fists and Accelerator glances back up at Caroline, his expression hard.]
That's what I want, too.
[After that day, Accelerator's behaviour towards the rest of the researchers became about a hundred times more difficult.
That isn't to say he's ever been an easy child to wrangle. Growing up, the most consistent adult in his life was Kihara Amata, which unfortunately for everyone meant he took after the lead's prickly mannerisms and behaviour. In spite of that, he did listen to the other researchers and always did what they wanted him to do. He had a bad attitude, but overall he was still obedient.
It's a change that starts slowly, and with every session with Caroline it ramps up. One day he decides to start criticizing the measurements some researchers are taking for an experiment, calling them all "fucking idiots and dumbasses." Another day he takes it a step further and, during an entirely different experiment, decides he wants to do it differently. He claims that his methods are better, citing some additional physics theories the scientists didn't take into account. Then he decides that the lunch he's served one day is "fucking garbage," and refuses to eat it. The next morning he's demanding coffee, wanting the same swill the researchers are often drinking.
It honestly isn't all that unusual for a teenager, but he quickly starts driving the researchers up the wall. Some of them, the ones terrified of him, capitulate, while others start arguments with him. The majority, though, go to Amata. They're at a loss as to what to do, and Amata, being the head of the entire project, has always had the most control over Accelerator. It's natural for them to go up the chain of command as quickly as possible when they're seeing a major obstacle to the success of the project. Amata is furious and the first of many, many verbal fights begin the two of them. But Accelerator doesn't back down. In fact, with more sessions with Caroline he gets even bolder.
He likes those sessions. After a couple more of them Accelerator begins feeling more and more reassured in his decision to try and trust her. She's smart, she isn't patronizing, and it takes him several sessions to figure it out, but what she offers him that no one else ever has is very simple:
She treats him like a person.
And he likes that.]
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She gets to carry out justice, push her limits of her understanding of reality, and completely and thoroughly mock some unbearably self-interested corrupt authority figures. Not that they know that yet. Root carries on with their counseling sessions, and it works much faster and much better than she'd expected. She thinks she likes this kid. She can't blame him for not busting out of his cage after being raised to that environment, but she shows up and cracks the door just a smidge open, and he's already peering out. And he keeps criticizing their methods, which is hilarious.
Of course this means she's quickly getting in some hot water with the administrators, but she says (truthfully) that therapeutic progress can lead to a decline before it leads to an improvement, and she doesn't betray a single ounce of nervousness or pressure to Accelerator. She just smirks to herself as she reviews some of the security camera footage alone in her pilfered residence at the end of the day, eating crackers recklessly in bed and occasionally sending Shaw a saucy, annoying text message littered with emojis.
Meanwhile, in the background, she uses her key card and unassailable confident demeanor to poke around the facility and place remotely-activated aerosol canisters of anesthesia throughout the ventilation system. (Why mess with what works?) It's a long process and more than once she has to abort and try again, the Machine softly beeping in her ear to let her know of incoming danger, but she's most of the way through the plan by the time she runs across Kihara arguing with Accelerator and quickly understands the timetable is going to be moved up.
That's fine. Root is flexible. She's a consummate professional and can hold her cover as long as necessary, but she has to admit she would like to see this whole place go up in flames if she can swing it. Firestarting must be trivial for someone who can do vector manipulation...
She hears them before she sees them, and she pauses around the corner to listen, shamelessly eavesdropping. ]
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Accelerator listens to the parameters Amata gives him quietly, and when Amata turns to leave he finally speaks up.
He doesn't want to do it. There is no explicit outcome of death, but it's clear from everything about this experiment that these people are going to end up braindead. There's no way they could survive this kind of testing, not if everything runs as it's supposed to.
"I don't want to do it," is his own blunt reply.
Amata stops, surprised, and spins on his heel. "I didn't fucking hear that. Be a good guinea pig and do as you're told," he snaps back.
Accelerator shakes his head, standing his ground. "I'm not doing it. I'm not killing those people."
"You damn brat!" Footsteps click along the floor, quickly, as Amata rounds on Accelerator. "I don't have time to play around with this petulant bullshit! You think you want to be some fucking delinquent, now?! Well, it stops now. No more backtalk, no more fighting with the goddamn team, and no more deciding you don't want to do things!" He's grabbed the front of Accelerator's shirt, continuing. "You do what I want when I want, got it? You're just a shitty test subject, so be quiet and do as you're told."
Accelerator doesn't move, partially out of defiance, partially out of fear. He's never seen Amata this angry before, but he doesn't want to back down. "Fuck you."
That's it, that's all he says.
Amata doesn't respond. He only pulls his free hand back, which has been curled into a fist, and slams it into the boy's face.]
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When she steps around the corner and pulls out the single-shot 3D printed polymer gun she's kept tucked under her blouse at the small of her back, she knows what she's doing. When she takes several swift strides forward, intentionally orienting herself so she's coming up from behind Kihara, and presses the muzzle against the base of his skull and pulls the trigger --
There's no shock and no regret. Just the odd plastic sound of the firing mechanism and the dull thud of Kihara falling to the ground like a sack of potatoes. It's a small low-caliber gun, so it doesn't make an exit wound; the bullet goes into his skull and destroys the part of the brain at the stem that mechanically operates the living body, and that's all that's needed. Quick and clean.
She was an assassin, after all. Nice to get to use those skills again. ]
Oops, [ she says, bright and sarcastic, tossing the used polymer handgun onto the floor after the corpse. ] That was a little ahead of schedule.
[ A mechanical voice tones in her left ear:
ACCESS CARD.Root bends down to grab the card from Kihara's jacket, patting him down perfunctorily until she finds it, and then straightens to face Accelerator. ]
Ready to get out of here? I'll buy you coffee.
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Like right now. It's a surprisingly powerful punch and Accelerator without his ability is weaker than the average teenager, so he goes down easily. His cheek stings as he hits the floor, though he doesn't have any time to process this as he suddenly sees Caroline stepping up behind Amata. There's a strange, muffled noise, and then Amata is dropping to the ground. Accelerator scoots back a bit, confused, looking between Amata and Caroline before settling on Amata.
Rather, Amata's body. It takes him several moments to process the fact that he isn't just knocked out, that there is now a hole leaking blood in the back of his head. There's a clatter as the gun hits the floor and he glances over at it, dumbfounded.
Holy shit.
Accelerator directs his gaze back up at Caroline, utterly bewildered.]
..... You killed him?
[Give him a second, everything happened in quick succession and this is a lot to take in.]
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Plainly, ] I didn't like him hitting you. And he's just going to cause problems if we leave him alive.
[ She has to assume Kihara would never quit trying to get his favorite test subject back, and that could be a major issue for Accelerator living any kind of life outside of this place. Meanwhile, if he's dead, she can probably intimidate or threaten the rest of them into leaving him alone -- but Kihara's ego would never allow it. Sometimes Root makes the decisions she knows the Machine isn't capable of, and in this case, the world is all just better off without this trash.
Root slips Kihara's keycard on a lanyard around her neck and reaches down to offer Accelerator a hand up. ]
I know this is all a lot to take in, but we need to get to my office. We don't have a lot of time.
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Reaching up, he grabs her hand and hauls himself onto his feet. His legs feel a little shaky, and he stares down at Kihara's body with a hardened expression.
Then he kicks him, once, in the stomach. It's a normal kick, no psychic ability behind it at all. It doesn't make up for a lifetime of abuse, but he at least wants the satisfied feeling of being able to return the punch. Once he's done that, he turns back to her with a conflicted expression.]
They're going to want to kill you for this.
['They' being security here, the other researchers, the higher ups making sure the entire project runs smoothly. She just killed the head of the project, that's going to throw everything into chaos. Surely she's aware of that, regardless of how calm she is right now.]
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Not that I'm complaining. [ Root winks at him in reassurance. ] You're more than worth it.
[ She's decided she likes him, which means all bets are off on what Root is willing to do for his sake. She's just considering hiding the body when the Machine intones
GOin her ear, and that's enough.Root grabs him by the arm, firm but not rough, and starts towing him down the corridor. The Machine periodically gives her directions on how to take the shortest route back to her office that encounters the fewest people. She hopes the two of them walking calmly and quickly together is ordinary enough that they get away with it even if they are seen -- at least for long enough to make it to her office. ]
Quick question. Could you repel gas particles in an area around us without suffocating me?
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Her question causes him to momentarily focus.]
Um, yeah. That would be easy to do. [He can recall a couple experiments in the past where they had him manipulate the surrounding air.] Why? What the hell is going on?
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[ Hearing that, Root abruptly pulls him to the side and ducks into the nearest room, swiping Kihara's keycard to give them access. She reroutes her plans lightning-quick. Though not, of course, as fast as the Machine can, she thinks affectionately. When they're really working together like this, fully in sync, she only needs minimal directions from the Machine. Just those times when she has information Root doesn't or the situation has grown too complex for a human mind to contend with.
Door closed behind them, she releases Accelerator and faces him, excitement dawning on her face with a sort of careful composure layered over the top. ]
What's going on is I'm breaking you out of here. Want to come?
[ This moment is what she's been working towards with him. If she opens the door, will he step out on his own? Or does she need to drag him through? ]
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It isn't something he can dwell on though, not when Caroline is dropping another bombshell on him. He stares at her, wondering if he should wait for the punchline to this insane joke.]
What? What the fuck? Are you serious? That isn't possible.
[There have been times, mostly when he was a lot younger, that he thought about the world outside the research facility. He'd wonder what it was like experiencing the things he learned about in his classes firsthand, but over time that curiosity dulled. Leaving wasn't realistic, so he gradually forced himself to stop thinking about it until today, where the very idea of it is completely laughable.]
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[ She's just saying. Accelerator really needs to expand his concept of what he's capable of doing.
Root sounds insouciant but means the fullest interpretation possible when she counters with: ] I really will buy you a coffee. And anything else you want.
So? You coming?
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