The Perfect Run

“When is the sound coming?” Lanka asked Ryan for the third time, an elbow on the loudspeaker.

“When you find me another brain,” Ryan replied, tinkering with the device. A few people had already taken over the dance floor, but the house’s equipment couldn’t support a true rave party. Seriously, Ki-jung needed to stop buying Dynamis home products. They were barely a cut above pre-Wars Chinese imports.

Actually, did buying the enemy's products count as collaboration?

“Stop distracting him,” Narcinia told Lanka, defending Ryan with such zeal that he considered making her his sidekick. The Green Genome was busy cultivating strange, phosphorescent mushrooms on the ground. She had promised it would help with the rave, and the courier let her run wild with her imagination.

Quicksave glanced at Mathias, who was talking with Fortuna and other members of the Killer Seven. Half an hour had passed since their conversation, and the house was now filled to the brim with guests.

“So, you’re adopted?” Ryan bluntly asked Narcinia. “Did you ever learn who your birth parents were?”

“Ryan!” Lanka snapped at him.

“They were raiders,” Narcinia replied, almost casually. “Father Torque said they were killers and rapists, and that Augustus punished them because it was divine justice.”

Ryan could have sworn the TV’s screen threatened to crack for a brief second. He glanced up at Mathias, whose smile contrasted with the icy look in his eyes.

“Sorry,” Lanka said, glaring at the courier. Thankfully, the power outburst had been subtle enough for her to miss it. “Blabbermouth has no tact at all.”

“It’s okay!” Narcinia replied with a cute smile. “My real family is the one that raised me. My mom and dad are awesome, and my siblings even more so.”

“I was adopted too, but it sucked,” Ryan said with a shrug. “Well, half of it.”

“Really?” Narcinia’s head perked up in interest, while Lanka listened in silence.

“My parents died when bandits wiped out our community to steal our supplies,” Ryan said. It had been so long ago, it had lost almost all emotional effect. “I was… eleven I think? Maybe twelve. And I turned out great!”

“Ryan.” Lanka’s voice had lost all playfulness. “Did these bandits...”

Ryan glanced at the snake tattoo on her arm, that of her former gang. “You weren’t among them and they’re all dead,” the courier replied with a shrug. “I’m over it.”

Lanka fell silent with a thoughtful look on her face, while Narcinia looked between them in confusion. Thankfully, a newcomer interrupted them before the mood turned even more awkward.

Ryan almost didn’t recognize Vulcan at first sight, because the Genius had cleaned herself up; she had traded her usual clothes for a black halter-top and pants, and let her hair fall down on her shoulders. While she was no head-turning beauty, the Augusti Capo looked great.

He really had a thing for Geniuses shorter than him.

“Ceres, Sphere.” Vulcan smirked upon seeing the courier. “Ryan.”

“Hey, my favorite arms dealer,” Ryan rejoiced, raising a screwdriver. “Your arrival is just perfect.”

“Always,” she replied, a hand on her waist. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Do you have anything to boost the sound?” Ryan asked. “I’m trying to jury-rig the loudspeakers, but I need more juice.”

“Now you’re talking my language,” Vulcan said, searching inside her pocket and tossing him some kind of mouse-sized battery. “It’s a mini-generator.”

“Why do you carry that in your pocket?” Lanka asked, an eyebrow raised.

“‘Cause my phone has less autonomy than a sloth,” the Genius replied with a shrug, before grabbing a beer can from Lanka’s personal reserve. “It’s been an exhausting day.”

“Did you kill the Meta?” Narcinia asked before Ryan could.

“Almost, but Dynamis got to them first. Fucking kill stealers.”

“What, they tried to buy them off?” Lanka snickered.

“With bullets and lasers,” Vulcan replied. “They sent three armored squadrons, plus heavy hitters like Devilry and that bitch Wyvern. Those vultures fell on the Meta and opened fire on sight.”

Oh, was there gas in their alliance? “Well, I guess it was time to clean up loose ends,” Ryan said.

“Adam didn’t look surprised. He sacrificed a few men, but he managed to escape on a goddamn submarine.”

to resist the lure

with

Lanka toyed with her smoke, a frown forming on her

get the feeling the situation is more complicated than it looks.” Vulcan sipped her beer while glancing at Ryan. “I called the Underdiver to investigate since she’s a specialist for underwater

had crossed Ryan’s mind, but he was wary of involving her now. She was probably busy with all the orphans, no need to add more pressure on

gadget, he completed his design and amplified the sound, turning the modest loudspeaker into a weapon of mass destruction. As if to answer his

his drink, Ryan cleared

glass, his voice reverberating through

Lanka created multiple colored spheres above the dance floor, one for each Elixir type. They floated near the ceiling and pulsated with energy, slowly shrinking while

Lanka, more people started taking over the dance floor while the music switched to a catchy Synthwave

before turning to Narcinia. “Nice

the teenager replied. “I help Father Torque open the path

of heaven?” Ryan asked, immediately

I’m not supposed to say anything about

declared, pumping his fist. “Building a South American cartel has always been my dream. If you need a drug wizard, I know

drugs?” Lanka asked,

every addictive substance on the planet except Elixirs, and when he ran out, he learned how to create his own supply. His drug

that childhood dream, Ryan.” Vulcan brazenly put an arm around his shoulder. “You’ve got

settle on an open relationship?” Ryan replied while brazenly putting his hand around her waist.

are,” Vulcan replied,

work or

to meet Ryan again. “Father Torque says the equipment needs an update. Especially

amusement turning into frustration. “Besides, you’ve got a freaking ghost guarding

once, and that he

please?” Ryan asked Vulcan, doing his best impersonation

before glancing at the dance floor. “You know

I say I’m amazing, then I’m being

put that boast to the

dance floor alongside other couples. It quickly became apparent that Vulcan didn’t have much experience, but Ryan had mastered every dance under the sun, so he guided them through. Mathias also danced with Fortuna,

Vulcan asked Ryan. He could

for the unpleasant sensation of someone watching him from afar. A quick glance quickly told him

started asking questions to Sparrow nearby, and while Ryan could read

did capture the mysterious woman’s attention though. It must have been his magnetic

“Fuck off!”

swordsman had grabbed a fire-manipulator whom Ryan had sighted earlier during the party by the shirt, and looked ready to murder him. The guest carried a broken inhaler in his hands, full of a bluish,

seemed one idiot had ignored Jamie’s rules and brought Bliss to the

She seemed paralyzed and

Genomes. It was also incredibly addictive, which Ryan could personally attest. He could never finish a run after trying it, and while he had only ever found one way to cure the addiction,

to mention the

a bear. While he hadn’t manifested any laser weapons from his hands, the scowl of black fury on his face made it clear he was barely restraining himself. The contrast with his usual kindness made it all

this angry when Luigi had exposed his infiltration in some

“But—”

backward, his tone turning venomous. “Don’t bother ever coming

around, surrounded by glares from other guests, and moved towards the door with a cowed face and his inhaler. “It’s okay?” Jamie immediately asked his girlfriend, his frightful face softening back

didn’t mean it. “It’s fine.

hands around her waist in a protective manner and then turned to Ryan when he and Vulcan approached the

entrance. “I’ll discipline that idiot, Zanbato. You got

think we will retire early. Can you and

“Sure,” the courier said.

trust you not to do anything stupid?” Jamie asked,

I will not start any fires under

but had more pressing

and crossed his fingers behind his back with the other. Jamie and Ki-jung moved upstairs, leaving the ground and main room to the guests. “I didn’t know Chitter was a recovering addict,” Vulcan noted, showing surprising insight. “I’m

your

surprised face. “I watch movies

before they could return to the dance floor. “Quicksave.” The bodyguard cleared her throat.

Vulcan asked, her tone shifting from flirtatious

Sparrow replied. “But you can come if you

willing to deny the request either. That