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?”

a hockey mask and stick, from what I

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

normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the

chortled. “Why

his money,” Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe it was

uh, passionate according to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from what I

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

his arms. “But then how did they learn where

took Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than Luigi’s address. Nobody played that sport

you’re staying at a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for

say,” Ryan

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

auto-pilot wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be

a while, always reacting

repetition would drive anyone

and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn

beeping snapped him back to

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

defeated on the ground. The message

taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

for such surprises,

he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

surprised Ryan, as he didn’t expect

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

bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’ mere attention terrified her into

marked,” Pluto said. “But I

...

power

wrong, boss?” Jamie joined the conversation,

is your new recruit,

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

Blue?” Pluto observed Ryan with an intense stare, as if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure around him. The air thickened, something weighing on

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

to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the

name, Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely dismissing

reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal, but don’t

forever,” she replied coldly. “I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid, play smart,

No, wait, that

her order, he would die.

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?”

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

just as confused. “Or

Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is not a

Ki-jung said, her face full of concern, “She can kill with a

she even here?” Lanka asked her team

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

frown. “To attack him in front

skeptical. “I mean, it was just a guy with a hockey cross. It if was a Meta, there should have

replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would

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

entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure

he made progress, a new problem

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

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