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?”

mask and stick, from what

a very dangerous sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at the sea. “I don’t recommend

opening his home’s door and then

almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it

maniac didn’t even take his money,” Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe

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

Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend? It had to happen one

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

hockey equipment than Luigi’s

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

say,”

him home, they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and Ryan saved the

a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same events over and over again. It

a few exceptions, he constantly lived through an endless theater rehearsal. People held no mystery to him after a while, always reacting the same way to the exact same things; they forgot

would drive anyone

reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn right when Ryan found Len.

beeping snapped him back to reality,

Ryan a second to remember when and where he was when he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially when his power

defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s

care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

for such surprises, good

noticed Pluto and her bodyguard talking with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

to repeat the

“Have we met before?”

didn’t expect

her tone turning

her bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’

said. “But I don’t

...

power somehow mark him across

something wrong, boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully backing Ryan up with

is your

putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but said

trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why,

have noticed a memory alteration or infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out.

Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made

Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your real

Ryan!” he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal, but don’t

will call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid,

No, wait, that wasn’t a threat. That was a

follow her order, he

with her bodyguard 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 the fuck did

just

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

lead without question,” Ki-jung said, her face

she even here?” Lanka asked

replied, his arms crossed. “Vulcan will take command of 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 say it’s finally time we clean up the

with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own

skeptical. “I mean, it was just a guy with a hockey cross. It if was a Meta,

junkie they paid off,” Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would

Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti

wasn’t sure how Pluto’s newfound interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out

made progress, a new problem

Vulcan told him 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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