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,

absentmindedly, looking at the sea. “I

opening his home’s door and then

Jamie almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was

money,” Grunt 1

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

lot, a real homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend? It had

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

actually took Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than Luigi’s

should crash at my place for the night, just in case. The city isn’t

don’t say,” Ryan

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

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

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 the only

repetition would drive anyone

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

to reality, interrupting the flow

Ryan a second to remember when and where he was when he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition

phone, while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the

care of.

Thanks for the tip.

lived for such surprises, good or

noticed Pluto and her bodyguard talking with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon meeting him, and said

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

preparing to

“Have we met before?”

he didn’t expect that

we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone

it?” her bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to

Pluto said. “But I

...

Did her power

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

is your new

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

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

female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your powers interfere with each

innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but

asked Ryan, completely

he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the

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

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

Ryan didn’t follow her order,

out of sight. Nobody dared

breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck did

replied, just as confused. “Or would you

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

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

she even here?” Lanka

hit the Meta-Gang hard,” Jamie replied, his arms crossed. “Vulcan will take command of the clean-up since she’s been itching to test her new weapons

“To attack him in front of his own house… if you

we sure that it’s the Meta who did that though?” Lanka asked, skeptical. “I mean, it was just a guy with a hockey cross. It

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

trying to puzzle out the sequence of events. 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

how Pluto’s newfound interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could identify him even after he altered the

every time he made progress, a new problem

it 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

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

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