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?”

psychopath with a hockey mask and stick, from what I

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

starts opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the

chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

the maniac didn’t even take his money,” Grunt

to witnesses,” Gruntie said.

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

Meta.” Zanbato crossed his arms. “But then how

find the hockey equipment than

Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the night, just in case.

say,”

happened as predicted. Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and Ryan

conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same events over and

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

repetition would drive

necessary suffering to reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn right when Ryan found Len. He was certain

to reality, interrupting

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

checked his phone, while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of

taken care

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises, good

to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon meeting him, and said the exact

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to

“Have we met before?”

surprised Ryan, as he didn’t

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

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

said. “But I

...

power somehow mark him across

the conversation, carefully backing Ryan up

your new

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

into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure around him. The air thickened, something

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

convinced, her eyes set on Ryan. The courier whistled and looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made Man said. “He

Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your

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

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 no, and you will

way she threatened him… No, wait, that wasn’t a threat.

her order,

his group watched the underboss leave with her bodyguard in complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to

breath of

replied, just

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

said, her face full of concern, “She

she even here?” Lanka asked

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

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

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

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

It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to divert their attention, the criminal syndicate had decided to focus entirely on wiping

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

he made progress, a new

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

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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