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

dangerous sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at

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

“Why Luigi?

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

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

pointed out, “Maybe

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

find the hockey equipment than

think you should crash at my place for

say,” Ryan

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

sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind

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

would

perfect ending and soon, it would finally end.

snapped him back to reality,

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

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.

for such surprises, good

with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

he didn’t expect

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

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

said. “But

...

power somehow mark him

the conversation, carefully backing Ryan

is your new

to her when talked to,

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

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

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

she asked Ryan,

Ryan!” he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal,

call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid, play smart, run, or say no,

No, wait, that wasn’t a threat.

follow her order, he would die. The

until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at

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

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

is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is not a

her face

here?” Lanka asked

hard,” Jamie replied, his 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

Luigi,” Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his

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

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

promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to divert their attention, the criminal syndicate had decided to focus entirely

entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure

time he made

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

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