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 I

said absentmindedly, looking at

you know, perfectly normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy

Jamie almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was

take his money,” Grunt

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

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

arms. “But then

to find the hockey

staying at a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the night, just in case. The city isn’t safe at

say,”

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

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

laws of causality. 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;

would drive anyone

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

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting

to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially when his power noticed an alteration

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,

taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

lived for such surprises,

until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

didn’t expect

already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious

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

“But

...

Did her power somehow

the conversation, carefully backing Ryan

is your

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

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

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

came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made Man said. “He helped us fight off

she asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words.

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

coldly. “I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid, play smart, run, or say

that wasn’t

didn’t follow her order, he

the underboss leave 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 Chinese?” he

Lanka said, letting out a breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the

Ryan replied, just as confused. “Or would you

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

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

even here?”

“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

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

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

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

It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting

newfound interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission,

time he made progress, a

to play along until Vulcan told him how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than that. And

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