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?”

with a hockey mask and stick,

said absentmindedly, looking at the

door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows,

chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

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

to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from

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

his arms. “But

hockey

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

don’t say,”

played

of timing guide him forward. The auto-pilot wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind

With 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 him and relearned the same information, over, and over again. They became machines, and Ryan

repetition would drive anyone

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

snapped him back to reality, interrupting

he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded

phone, 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,

Psyshock taken care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

lived for such

met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

Ryan, as he didn’t expect that answer.

it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning

Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’

Pluto said. “But I

...

her power somehow mark him across

boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully backing Ryan

is your

her when talked to, he all but said out loud. “Quicksave,” Zanbato answered Pluto’s question in the courier’s place. “He’s

a Blue?” Pluto observed Ryan with an intense stare, as if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure around him. The air thickened, something weighing

infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your powers interfere with

set on Ryan. The courier whistled and looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is

asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your real

the tension. “Ryan

“I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play

threatened him… No, wait, that

didn’t follow her order, he would

silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak

letting out a breath of

do?!” Ryan replied, just as confused. “Or

Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and

follow her lead without question,” Ki-jung said, her face full of concern, “She can kill

she even here?” Lanka asked her team

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

frown. “To attack him in front of his own house… if you can’t feel

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

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

the sequence of events. It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to

could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could identify him even after he

every time he made progress,

told him how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than

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