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,

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

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

“Why Luigi? Was

the maniac didn’t even take his money,” Grunt 1

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

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

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

hockey equipment than Luigi’s address.

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

say,” Ryan

that, events happened as predicted. Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went

a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same events over and over again. It was no

a while, always reacting the same way to the

would

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

him back to reality, interrupting the

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

for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved

care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

for such surprises, good or

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

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

preparing to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

Ryan, as he didn’t expect that answer.

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

stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’

“But I don’t

...

shit! Did her power somehow

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

your

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

The courier couldn’t explain

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

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

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

Ryan!” he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension.

you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid, play smart, run, or say

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

her order, he would

out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke the ice. “So, who’s up for Chinese?”

breath of relief. “Blabbermouth,

didn’t I do?!” Ryan replied, just as confused. “Or would

Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’

her face full of concern,

here?”

take command of the clean-up since she’s been itching to test her new

did to poor Luigi,” Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own house… if you can’t feel

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

isn’t a big group. It would make sense for them to outsource

the sequence of events. It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations.

entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she

made

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 than that. And if they tried to force him into one fetch quest after

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

Comments ()

0/255