The Perfect Run

Chapter 21

All was well so far on the Augusti Path.

Ryan had met Zanbato as expected, beat up Sarin at the harbor, and now repeated the exact same conversation which would lead him to crash at Jamie’s house. All was well and good, to the sound of crashing waves against the piers...

“I have to be sure about something,” Luigi asked the courier. “Are you a snitch or a double agent?”

“Well, I’m not really on anyone’s side,” Ryan replied, but then his mouth acted on its own, “But I’m a Carnival infiltrator, yes.”

… or not.

Everyone present turned to look at him, a tense silence settling in. The grunts raised their weapons, while Zanbato’s face turned from shocked, to disappointed, and finally, to furious.

“Uh oh.”

Okay, two lessons learned.

One, Ryan hated truth-tellers. Hated them, with a passion.

Two, Zanbato could make sashimi out of people with his laser sword. Ryan wouldn’t look at sushi the same way ever again.

But this time… this time, it would be different. The courier had rehearsed the perfect misleading answers. Luigi's power compelled Ryan to say the truth, but only according to the teller’s exact words.

“I have to be sure about something,” Luigi asked him again. “Are you a snitch or a double agent?”

“I can’t snitch on a group I haven’t officially joined yet, and I am not a double agent.” Technically, he was a triple one.

“Are you a mole?”

“Of course I’m not a mole, I’m human.”

There! Saved! He did it, he did it!

“Okay, I should work on my wording,” Luigi sighed but didn’t give up. “Are you, or do you intend, to relay information about us to another organization?”

“Well, yes, I intend to. Hell, I already did!”

Goddammit!

Okay.

Okay, third time's the charm.

Through timing and intelligence, Ryan had skillfully navigated through the chain of causality to avoid the fated question. He had put on the charm, befriended everyone, distracted the grunts with funny anecdotes. Now, the courier and Zanbato prepared to return to the Plymouth Fury, and go eat some delicious pizzas.

“Hey, Quicksave,” Luigi asked, as they took a few steps towards the car. “Before you go, there are a few questions I must ask every new recruit.”

“Luigi, seriously, please, don’t do it,” Ryan replied, his eyes pleading. “For your sake, don’t say this. It won’t end well, I swear it won’t—”

“Sorry, protocol. Are you a snitch?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Yes, I am! Is that what you want me to say, Luigi? Is that what you want me to say?”

Quicksave breathed deeply, fighting off his rising frustration.

“Luigi,” Ryan pointed a finger at the truth-teller, as everyone raised their weapons at the courier's face. “We’re going to have a problem, you and I.”

“Where’s Luigi?” Zanbato asked Grunt 1 when the truth-teller failed to show up at the harbor, leaving only the henchmen to deal with the operation. “Wasn’t he supposed to take care of the shipment?”

“Sorry, he was attacked yesterday night,” Gruntie said, carrying Luigi’s cell phone. Apparently, he would have to fill in for the Made Man. “He’s at the hospital right now, and he’ll be out of commission for a while.”

“What?” The news shocked Jamie, who clearly hadn’t been informed. “By whom?”

hockey mask and stick, from

sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at

returned home late for a party, you know, perfectly normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows, breaks his jaw with a hockey stick, beats him up for a while, and then

chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

Grunt 1 replied.

really, uh, passionate according to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least

homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous

could be the Meta.” Zanbato crossed his arms. “But then how did they learn

to find the hockey equipment than Luigi’s address.

a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my

don’t say,” Ryan

Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and

timing guide him forward. The auto-pilot wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered

rehearsal. People held no mystery to him after a while, always reacting the same way to the exact same

would drive anyone

it was necessary suffering to reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn

to reality,

consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded

while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s orphanage, intact, and a

Psyshock taken care of. Children

Thanks for the tip.

lived for such surprises, good or

met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon meeting

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat the

“Have we met before?”

Ryan, as he didn’t expect that answer.

we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning

bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’ mere attention terrified

said. “But

...

power somehow

Jamie joined the conversation,

is your

on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but said out loud. “Quicksave,” Zanbato answered Pluto’s

intense stare, as if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure

would have noticed a memory alteration or infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your powers

innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made Man said. “He

Quicksave?” she asked Ryan,

with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano.

she replied coldly. “I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon

him… No, wait, that wasn’t a

didn’t follow her order, he would die.

in complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke the ice. “So, who’s up for

letting out a breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what

replied, just as confused. “Or

serious, Quicksave,” Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is

said, her face

here?” Lanka asked her

the clean-up since she’s been itching to test her new weapons in the field, and Pluto loaned her the Killer Seven hit squad. I

what they did to poor Luigi,” Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own house…

did that though?” Lanka asked, skeptical. “I mean, it was just a guy with a

junkie they paid off,” Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would make sense for them to outsource their

had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to divert their attention, the criminal

would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had

every time he made

how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than that. And if they tried to

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