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, from

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

door and then

“Why Luigi? Was it a

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

witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from

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

his arms. “But

actually took Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than

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

don’t say,”

played poker,

his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same events over and over again. It was

the laws of causality. With a few exceptions, he 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

repetition would drive anyone

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

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality,

defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s orphanage, intact,

Psyshock taken care

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises,

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

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

to

“Have we met before?”

Ryan, as he didn’t expect

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

Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The

marked,” Pluto said. “But

...

Did her power somehow

boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully backing Ryan

is your

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

as if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t

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

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

Ryan, completely dismissing

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

you back

threatened him… No, wait, that

Ryan didn’t follow her order, he would die. The

complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke

of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck

Ryan replied, just as confused.

is serious, Quicksave,” Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is not a

her face full

is she even here?” Lanka

since she’s been itching to test her new weapons in the field, and Pluto loaned her the Killer Seven hit squad.

said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own

just a guy with a hockey cross. It if was a Meta, there should have been

Meta-Gang isn’t a big group.

promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with

play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could identify him even after

time he made progress, a new problem

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

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