The Perfect Run

It ended as well as expected.

With Ryan naked and shackled to a bed, a maniacal Vulcan in a black nightgown on one side, and the plushie on another.

“It was all a trap,” the courier accused the mad Genius, straining against the shackles. “You only cared about the plushie!”

“Very good, Ryan,” Jasmine said, playing with her knife. The inactive plushie looked on while sitting on a chair. “Now, tell me everything you know about it.”

“I would, but I look down on short people.”

“If you won’t talk,” Jasmine put the knife against his chin, and her free hand on his chest, “I will make you squeal.”

“Don’t look,” Ryan told the inactive plushie, trying to avert its gaze. “Please don’t look!”

A phone called in the other room, interrupting the roleplay.

Jasmine let out a heavy sigh. “Gimme a sec,” she said, stepping over an empty condom box before searching for her cellphone among their clothes on the ground. Ryan whistled while she moved out of the bedroom to answer the call.

As it turned out, Vulcan didn’t live in a luxurious villa, but inside her own foundry. She had repurposed the upper echelons of the area into a spacious, soundproof apartment in an elegant steampunk style. Brass pipes and tin gears formed the main decoration, although Vulcan had also embedded a plasma TV in the bedroom’s wall facing the bed. It was rather cozy and she even included a litter for Eugène-Henry, although Vulcan clearly didn’t clean up the place often.

Jasmine eventually returned, rolling her eyes. “Was it Mr. Monsanto again?” Ryan asked.

“Neptune. He’s pissed about last night and wants to call a meeting because he’s a pussy.” She let her nightgown fall on the ground, raised the bedsheet, and slipped below. Her naked skin brushed against the courier’s own, though she didn’t undo his shackles. “Ryan.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t ever call me short again.”

“Come on, Jasmine, be the bigger person.”

Her knife hit the wall behind the bed, a few inches away from the courier’s face. Ryan didn’t even blink; by now, he had learned that her bark was worse than her bite. Though bite him she did…

“You’re lucky to be good in the sack, so you get to live another day,” Vulcan said, resting her head against his shoulder. “How many women have you had?”

“I lost count,” he replied. Practice made perfect.

“I figured as much. I didn’t know you could do that with a tongue.” Jasmine glanced at the rabbit watching them. “Actually, what is that plushie? Some pieces just don’t make sense, and I don’t know what to make of the energy readings.”

“I tried to use it as a probe to explore a higher dimension,” Ryan admitted.

“And?” Jasmine asked, not even questioning the sanity of it. “It worked?”

“Not really. All it did was allow something from the other side tohitch a free ride to our dimension. Now it won’t leave.”

“Wait, you’re saying that your rabbit is haunted?” Ryan nodded, and much to his horror, it made Jasmine even more curious. “That dimension, can you describe it?”

“It’s an area beyond space and time, but I haven’t been able to observe it much.” He frowned. “Why?”

“You know that Red Genomes can manipulate energy? From lightning to wavelengths?” Ryan nodded. “Well, Red Genomes, real Red Genomes, actually emit an energy field around them. Like radiation. This ambient energy, this ‘Red Flux’ can be captured, stockpiled, and then refined to make batteries. That’s how Dynamis makes laser weapons.”

“And you think this energy comes from another dimension?” Ryan asked, suddenly very curious.

“I think so, and Dynamis does too,” she replied with a nod. “The Firebrand knockoff Elixir alters genes so a Genome could perform pyrokinesis, but doesn’t create a link to the Red Dimension. So the body only uses the energy available, that of the human body.”

“That’s how your Fireman armor enhances their pyrokinesis,” Ryan guessed. “You take the batteries meant for laser weapons, and you transfer this Red Flux energy to the Genome’s body.”

“They become just as powerful as the original pyrokinetic Genome the knockoffs are based on, at least as long as the battery juice keeps flowing,” Jasmine said with pride. “Dynamis has been wasting fortunes in an attempt to create a bridge towards that hypothetical Red Dimension, though they haven’t managed to do so yet.”

“That Flux, do you think Genomes with other colors produce variants?”

“I suppose, but I haven’t been able to observe them. Red is energy, so it’s easy to measure it, and since almost all Red Genomes have offensive applications, my power has an easy time with them. But how do you measure life, like with Green Genomes?” She gave him a knowing smile. “Though, if you told me the truth about your power, we could work on it together.”

Ryan let out a shocked gasp. “You know about my true, true power?”

“Look, that bullshit you told Pluto? About how your power really works?” She looked into his eyes. “You were just pulling our legs.”

we did that this morning.” She chuckled. “Why didn’t you call my

replied, stroking his cheek. “You’re smart, funny, and the

help a friend

I’m not particularly loyal to Augustus either. But I’m pretty sure your power is something world-changing. I don’t see why you

it’s a bit

leg on

needed to blow off steam after his last encounters with Len and the Meta-Gang, in more

fine with a summer fling,

you can do the fucking before the kill, I would appreciate it.”

her hands on

“Yep.”

for one

who’s going to be unhappy,” Ryan pointed out. “I was supposed to help

the hierarchy, so that’s an order. Entertain

stopped time

to the bed, the two having switched positions. “Fuck,” she said. “You can

Miss Sharif,” Ryan said, his body towering above her. “We have ways of slipping

at him. “She’s too

I will have to pump

face, but ended up

kinda cute that

carried the duo all the way to Mount Augustus with her mech. Obviously, Ryan had put on

enormous from afar, but it was even more impressive from above; Ryan estimated it to be around fifty hectares. Located atop a heavily-defended hill, the complex included a vast amount of monuments, the most impressive being a copy of the Parthenon to the east. An enormous, multi-floor Roman-themed villa covered roughly a third of the

including Roman-theme sculptures, flower gardens, Versailles-styled fountains, and even a freaking zoo.

sheer luxury of the place awed even the jaded

though a private sea might have been a better term. The enormous body of water was separated

relaxing under the sun. Livia was among them, sunbathing in a one-piece swimsuit next to Narcinia. Augustus’ daughter immediately raised her eyes at Ryan and Vulcan when they emerged from the mech, welcoming them

on a small table nearby. She looked oddly peaceful for a mass murderer, though the head’s eyes moving on their own made the

older people discussed around a table near the villa, drinks in hands. One was a priest in his fifties, with a receding grey hairline and a gaunt face. He was so lanky Ryan could see the bones below the skin, but his black eyes oozed a frightening, almost maddened intensity. His

entirely covered in thick armor. His equipment was heavily inspired by a Roman centurion’s dress, though it covered

straight out of a playboy magazine; she kept her hair in a bun and wore an ancient Rome-styled dress adorned with gemstones. Though he could see only the lower part of her face and sapphire eyes due to a gold-plated masquerade mask, Ryan noted a family resemblance with Fortuna in that woman’s jawline. She was probably the lucky girl’s mother, keeping her arm around

dyed his hair and thick long beard blue, which complemented his eyes. He wore no mask except a golden diadem and dressed in an elegant navy blue business

and Vulcan upon seeing them, leaving the table with a dark look on his face; much like Pluto and Minerva,

Jasmine pointed out

out of nowhere in the swimming pool. Clearly, he was jealous of the courier’s better

matter interferes with his power. Besides, he is a macro hydrokinetic. The bigger the water volume, the greater his control. The priest is Bacchus, the couple is Mars and Venus, and the mummified

“I imagined him taller.”

doesn’t leave his home,” Vulcan snickered. “He can reanimate corpses

hand at the couple upon

queen. “We were just discussing yesterday’s events.

we win a prize?” Ryan asked. “Personally, I would settle for a statue in

a wink, examining his suit. “I love it.

could add a few flowers if you want!” Narcinia told

killer on Blackthorn,” Ryan said, Jasmine

little, irresponsible brats!” he snarled, pointing a finger at Jasmine and Ryan. “I should drown

Coca-Cola?” Ryan asked innocently. Much to his surprise, Vulcan didn’t smash his foot to silence

in acid,” Jasmine

my death

“Vulcan, you and your soldier could have

it on my orders,” Livia spoke up calmly. “I will take

“Blackthorn labeled your prank as a terrorist

the part where I undressed and put

had listened to the conversation, clearly struggled to contain her laughter, much to Ryan’s shock. Neptune glared at her. “Am I the only

Pluto replied, more amused than anything. “What’s wrong with

to have hired the Meta-Gang to harass us,” Livia said, all business. “This was a

stealing a suit?” her uncle asked with heavy

asked with a

also the matter of Mercury’s replacement,” Livia

decision to retire,” the mummified head spoke with an old, weary voice, startling Ryan. “I’ve

last time I met you in the flesh you were lively for someone past pushing ninety.” Ryan turned towards the speaker, Mars. The Roman cosplayer had risen from his table to meet the group, his wife holding his arm. Bacchus followed his hands behind his back. “You’re still one of our