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?”

crazy psychopath with a hockey mask and stick,

said absentmindedly, looking

normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows, breaks his jaw with a hockey stick, beats him up

almost chortled. “Why

his money,” Grunt 1 replied.

passionate according to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At

homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was

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

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

a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my

don’t say,” Ryan

played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and Ryan saved the

wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through

always reacting the same way to the exact same things; they forgot him and relearned the same information,

repetition would

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

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

and where he was when he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially when his power noticed an alteration

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

taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises,

with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

Ryan answered, preparing to

“Have we met before?”

surprised Ryan, as he didn’t expect that answer.

already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious to confused. “Who are

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

“But I

...

shit! Did her power somehow

boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully backing

your new recruit,

prepared to joke when Jamie invaded his personal space, putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but said out loud. “Quicksave,”

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

female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your

to his defense. “Quicksave may

Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words.

reverence, alleviating the

call you back

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

Ryan didn’t follow her order, he would

watched the underboss leave with her bodyguard in complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke the ice.

breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck did

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

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

follow her lead without question,” Ki-jung said, her face

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

did to poor Luigi,” Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him

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

a big group. It would make sense

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

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

time he made progress, a new

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

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

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