The Perfect Run

Sitting around Vulcan’s workbench in the depths of her lair, two Genomes brainstormed around a sketch. For the past hour, they had struggled to solve one of the world’s most important questions; some would say, the only question worth answering.

How many guns could you fit into one power armor?

“It’ll be better with rocket launchers,” Ryan said, discussing his armor’s design. Vulcan had chosen a design that fit the courier’s body rather than an enormous mech; an exoskeleton rather than a tank. “Two hidden switchblades below the arms, a big chest blaster, mounted turrets…”

“The goal is to increase your power, not blow up half of Rome,” Jasmine told him with a grin.

“Personally, I can settle for the Dynamis HQ.”

“In that case, you will need a bigger laser.” Vulcan scribbled on the design. “Nuclear-powered.”

“Let’s call it the Chernobyl,” Ryan said with a deadpan face. “You think some of their Genomes might survive it?”

“Yes, but they will become radioactive. If the laser doesn’t kill them, cancer will.”

Ryan looked at Jasmine with absolute respect. “So cruel, it becomes art.”

“I know,” she replied. “Now that I think of it, I could actually design a cancer ray. That would be fucking nasty.”

It was such a fun date, spending quality time with his girlfriend designing weapons of mass destruction. Then again, the courier had spent most of the weekend at Jasmine’s place, so the two had grown more familiar with each other. Jamie was too busy dealing with his new promotion, and while Dynamis hadn’t yet delivered on its promised retaliations, Vulcan had all but ordered Ryan to lay low for a while.

Well, as best as someone like the courier could.

“If your theory is correct and all true Genomes produce a Red Flux variant, then it should be possible to contain this hypothetical energy, even if we can’t observe it.” Jasmine brainstormed out loud while looking at the ceiling, both feet on the workbench. “I mean, your plushie keeps a creature from this Violet dimension sealed from what you told me.”

“I wouldn’t say sealed is the best ter—”

“Doesn’t matter, it can still contain it and prevent its energy from leaking out,” Jasmine interrupted him. “If we combine both our technologies, then we could design something keeping this hypothetical ‘Violet Flux energy’ inside you. Instead of dispersing the heat, we’ll ramp it up.”

And in theory, this would increase the energy his power would be able to access. “I love it when you talk dirty.”

“I’m so fucking excited about this, Ryan.” Jasmine was trembling from impatience. Much like Len and all Geniuses Ryan had met, she felt happiest when doing mad science. “We’re going to discover the source of powers, change the whole world. Scratch that, we’ll own it.”

“If you could, would you change your power?” Ryan asked innocently. “Trade it for something else?”

“Nah, I’m pretty glad to have mine. Hell, I wish I got it earlier, though I wonder how much my state of mind back then affected my power.” Jasmine glanced at him strangely. “You?”

Ryan sighed. “I dunno,” he admitted. “I’ve hated and loved my power in equal measures, but now, it’s just part of who I am. I can’t imagine myself without it.”

“I get it,” Vulcan replied, though frowning. “You’re a pretty private guy, you know that?”

“Do you want to know my secret identity?”

“You’re asking me questions you don’t want to ask yourself, and I don’t like that,” Jasmine replied. “I ain’t your psychiatrist, Ryan. In the end, everyone is on their own.”

“I know,” Ryan replied, his mood turning sour. “But it would be nice to be able to count on someone else long-term.”

“Close your eyes peacefully, knowing someone has got your back for life? I thought I had that once. Didn’t work out.” Jasmine pointed at her mech with her chin. “The only things you can count on are those you made yourself.”

Yeah, Ryan felt the same way about his car. “Do you know of the hedgehog's dilemma?”

“What’s that, a pet disease?”

“Two hedgehogs seek to move closer and share heat during cold weather, but they cannot avoid hurting one another with their spines. They want to snuggle, but that would mean lowering their guard.”

Jasmine quickly caught on. “Are you the hedgehog, or am I?”

“We both are.”

fucking pessimistic,” Jasmine

“It’s experience talking.”

would produce results; that somehow,

courier

and Ryan didn’t see any way to evict him without casualties or revealing the base’s existence. The best solution he had found was to recruit Shroud to invade the

have happened

“What?”

power,” the courier said. “It’s not just the potion.

“What

the same Elixir to one person while he’s afraid for his life or feeling safe, he will get a different power, though within the color’s classification. Same if he’s healthy, poisoned, or

can’t repeat an experience in the exact same circumstances,”

could, and

to replicate his power... but while he had learned a great deal about Elixirs, he also learned

He responded by putting his arms around her waist; she was warm to the touch. “But if I humor your theory,” she said, putting her back against his chest, “what you’re saying

have gotten my power. The Elixir partly adapts itself to the person drinking it. And once the unique power has been assigned,

true for

due to a unique genetic quirk, according to Dynamis’ research.” Jasmine rested her head on his shoulder, her face thoughtful. “How did you

of three. I took mine while trying to get out of a hopeless situation.” The real tragedy was Len though. Shortie had won a power she would have loved under normal circumstances, but one that couldn’t grant her dearest wish.

a scowl. “If you think Italy was a shithole during the Wars, then you haven’t seen my homeland. Now Dynamis owns the oil field, and nobody controls anything else.

worse

a little curious. “What’s up

her seriously. “No matter how desperate things get, don’t go

at his confusing words.

“What? Why?”

I ask

playfully, raising Jasmine’s hair and assembling it into a bun. The courier looked at the neural interface below them with interest.

said. “I’ve got to admit it though, it’s not really my tech. It’s

“Dynamis?”

about downloading minds in new bodies to achieve immortality. Scan a whole brain

knew corporations would eventually

which their creepy Dr. Tyrano can provide.” Jasmine shrugged,

remake that

Jasmine was too modest to boast. “That’s why I’m interested in your Chronoradio’s brain-interface. My human reaction time can’t entirely keep up with my armor

we each wear an interface connected to the other’s brain, and then do child-unfriendly

try for research purposes,” the Genius said, before tossing her empty bottle away. Her

cashmere suit will protect me

she smirked at him. “But my

A true winning team.

while he wouldn’t be allowed inside the superlab itself, Narcinia had asked that Ryan come to visit.

permission

don’t get why the princess wants you

Livia had her own agenda and played with her cards close

it under wraps. All I know is that she’s a pseudo precognitive who can interact with alternate

far. Vulcan hadn’t received any tactical advice or warning in the loops where the Junkyard raid

Livia lied about her abilities, or

“That superlab is almost as well-defended as this armory, and my place isn’t haunted. You would need an army to bring

Challenge accepted.

project, Ryan would need to pay them a visit too. Len had already sent him the design of her communications

had seen Vulcan’s armor design, Ryan had memorized it. If he could combine Len’s tech with Jasmine’s, hook it up with the Chronoradio, and

a long

Ischia used to be a paradise once. A beautiful resort in the middle of

the fabled paradise had turned

island, but he had done a pretty good job of it. Even more than fifteen years after the deed, a purple miasma covered most of the area, a plague so toxic it had killed every lifeform there. Plants, animals, humans… The substance's toxicity and radioactivity had transformed the island into a graveyard. Thick iron walls equipped with wind turbines

the island by a stone bridge, shattered yet never rebuilt. In stark contrast with the rest of the island, the castle’s outer layers housed plant life; overgrowth and

automated anti-air defenses. Mooks in power armor kept watch over the facility, equipped with

masters come and go since its construction, from the Romans to the