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,

hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at the

nodded. “Apparently Luigi returned home late for a party, you know, perfectly normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then

“Why Luigi? Was it a

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

witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from what

out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend?

his arms. “But then how did they

actually took Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than

think you should crash at my place for the night, just in case. The city isn’t safe at

say,”

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

long entered auto-pilot, as he let his sense of timing guide him forward. The auto-pilot wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to

People held no mystery to him after a while, always reacting the same way to the exact same things; they

repetition would

soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn

him back to reality, interrupting the flow of

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

laying defeated on the ground. The

taken care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

such

he met Vulcan.

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

as he didn’t expect that answer. “Possibly, I’m

sure of it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious to confused.

while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’ mere

Pluto said. “But I don’t

...

Did her power somehow mark him

joined the conversation, carefully backing

your new recruit,

speak to her when talked to, he all but

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

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

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

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

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

be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up.

No, wait, that wasn’t a threat. That

Ryan didn’t follow her order, he would

out of sight. Nobody dared to

Lanka said, letting out a breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what

Ryan replied, just

Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is

Ki-jung said, her

here?” Lanka

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 it’s finally time we

Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own house… if you can’t feel safe at

was just a guy with a hockey cross. It

unpowered junkie they paid off,” Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It

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

out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had

made progress, a

didn’t matter. Ryan only had to play along until Vulcan told him how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t

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

Comments ()

0/255