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.”

thought we did that this morning.” She chuckled.

funny, and the perfect gentleman, yet I can tell you’ve got your

a friend in need,

said. “You joined this organization as a stepping stone for something else. It’s fine, I’m not particularly loyal to Augustus either. But I’m pretty sure your power is something world-changing.

a bit too early to talk about

on his chest, one leg on each

last encounters with Len and the Meta-Gang, in more ways than one. “I don’t

can promise you that.” Vulcan stroked the courier’s cheek. If only she knew. “I’m fine with a

the fucking before the kill, I would appreciate it.”

She put both her hands on

“Yep.”

We’ve got enough time for one more round

who’s going to be unhappy,” Ryan pointed out. “I was supposed to help them clean up the house in

hierarchy, so that’s

stopped time

the bed, the two having switched positions.

to tell me everything about Ischia Island, Miss Sharif,” Ryan said, his body towering above her. “We have ways of slipping past

at him.

have to pump you for

keep a straight face, but ended up

kinda cute

carried the duo all the way to Mount Augustus with her

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 area, a marble

had been repurposed into a vast park, including Roman-theme sculptures, flower gardens, Versailles-styled fountains,

the place awed even the

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

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 with a

on a folding beach chair near her niece, keeping a mummified head on a small table nearby. She looked oddly peaceful

gaunt face. He was so lanky Ryan could see the

was heavily inspired by a Roman centurion’s dress, though it covered every part of the body and included a crimson cloak. The helmet included a metal face

see only the lower part of her

his hair and thick long beard blue, which complemented his eyes. He wore no mask except

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

Neptune,” Jasmine pointed

starting to form out of nowhere in the swimming pool. Clearly, he was

not.” His girlfriend smirked. “He’s an Orange, so organic matter interferes with his power. Besides, he is a macro hydrokinetic. The bigger the water volume, the greater his control. The priest is

“I imagined him taller.”

who doesn’t leave his home,” Vulcan snickered. “He can reanimate corpses and command them, so he sends them on

Narcinia waved a hand at

Livia said, though she didn’t rise up from her longchair. A true queen. “We were just

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

replied with a wink, examining his suit.

few flowers if you want!”

all my weed killer on

interrupted by a very furious Neptune. “You little, irresponsible brats!” he snarled, pointing a finger at

Coca-Cola?” Ryan asked innocently. Much to his surprise,

in acid,”

my death will

what you did?” Neptune thundered. “Vulcan, you and your soldier could have sparked an

did it on my orders,” Livia spoke up calmly. “I will take full responsibility for

still stupid,” Neptune snarled. “Blackthorn labeled your prank

part where I undressed

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

replied, more amused than anything. “What’s wrong with letting them indulge

suspect Hector Manada to have hired the Meta-Gang to harass us,” Livia said, all business. “This was a calculated attempt to put them back in their

stealing a suit?” her uncle asked with

summon us to bitch about it?” Jasmine asked

is also the matter of Mercury’s replacement,”

our previous meeting, I stand by my decision to retire,” the mummified head spoke with an old, weary voice, startling Ryan.

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