The Perfect Run

“So, let me get this straight,” Wyvern asked, floating above the street outside Ryan’s hotel bedroom. “You came to New Rome hunting for the Meta-Gang, who managed to uncover a cache of Mechron tech beneath Rust Town. You also strongly believe that someone in Dynamis, probably Hector—namely, my employer—hired them to harass the Augusti.”

“Pretty much, yes.” Ryan nodded, wearing nothing but his underwear.

Wyvern smiled. “Am I being pranked?”

Was it because Ryan refused to wear a shirt? He had been replicating the plans for Vulcan’s armor when the superhero knocked on his window to make her sales pitch. “I would like to joke about it, but no, I’m serious.” The courier raised a thumb up. “Honest.”

Wyvern crossed her arms, a frown on her face. “Do you have any proof? These are dangerous allegations.”

“You can ask Ghoul,” Ryan said, pointing at a cooler next to his bed. “He makes the best ice cream.”

The superheroine’s frown only deepened. “But you didn’t let the Private Security bring him in custody.”

“I won’t surrender my favorite cooler,” Ryan replied. “Or else your incorruptible mooks will let him escape.”

“This meeting is going as well as I thought it would,” Wyvern lamented. “Let’s assume for a second that this isn’t some conspiracy theory and that I believe you. Why are you telling me this?”

“Because somebody trusted you.”

“Somebody?” Wyvern put her hands on her waist. “Quicksave, it will be difficult for us to build a degree of trust if you play your cards close to the chest. All in all, I find your tale rather… flimsy.”

“Well, she said you were naive too,” Ryan said and shrugged.

“I will not set aside what you said, but I only have your word on it. While you have a reputation for reliability, your psych evaluation implies you are highly unstable and prone to attention-seeking behavior.”

“Duh, you can’t make life a comedy without an audience. If you’re alone, it’s just a tragedy.”

Wyvern sighed, before offering Ryan the Dynamis business card anyway. “While I’m not sure you will follow through after what you just said, I suggest you meet with my manager. See if you are a good match, clear this up.”

“I hope he won’t mind if I bring a bottle of weedkiller?”

Wyvern couldn’t help but chuckle in response. “I wouldn’t try if I were you. Enrique isn’t fond of aggressive negotiations.”

And with those unwise words, Dragon Mom flew away and left the courier alone.

She didn’t believe Ryan, but at least the superheroine gave him the benefit of the doubt. It didn’t surprise the courier all that much. Wyvern didn’t know him well yet, and had been doubtful even with Mosquito’s testimony in an earlier loop.

And at long last, Vulcan called immediately afterward.

Ryan briefly hesitated to take the call, worried about how it would go. He eventually braced himself for the impact and answered. “Quicksave Deliveries?”

“What did the bitch tell you?” Vulcan’s encrypted voice asked.

The mere sentence sent a chill down the courier’s spine.

He had heard it before.

“My name is Vulcan,” the caller continued. “I represent the Augusti. We are the organization that runs things in New Rome, and most of Italy. Whatever the winged lizard promised you, we can offer more. We need people who get things done.”

Ryan listened to his former girlfriend the way one did a recording. “I’m sorry, mystery voice,” he interrupted her sales pitch. “But have we met before?”

bluff. Perhaps she was toying with him, only to reveal that the armor had worked. That for once, things would be

hit him like a

I would remember

like that, the last ember

I sent you the Bakuto’s coordinates,” Vulcan said, Ryan not even bothering to check the

Yet, she just did.

More than twice.

You traveled for miles to pitch the perfect product to

blue cooler,

Ryan’s throat while his

at him from within. “Made by Third World children paid five cents per hour and sold at the mere price of ninety bucks, this

chit-chat,” Mr. See Through

Matty, my friend, the sales won’t last forever,” Ryan mocked him. “You’re wasting

my name gives you power?” Shroud threatened. “I was ready to risk discovery when I came

to access the control panel of a Mechron-made orbital satellite, called the Baha…” Ryan tried to look

all fractured

for a while, before removing the shard aimed at his guest’s throat. He sank on his chair in front of the shack’s computers, hands clenched. “Okay,” the vigilante finally said,

select the one which favors me the most,” Ryan lied. While he had grown to know the glass manipulator through the various loops, he was still wary of confiding

where Adam the Ogre gets his hands on the Bahamut.” The

never seen him startled that much before.

possible there was a leak from someone like Nidhogg, but you haven’t been in

Ryan asked

fidgeting. The news really had him worried. “Why are

Living Sun to hurry up because I can’t destroy the bunker alone.” At least not

of turnovers. After our last outing, the Carnival doesn’t have the numbers to take on the Augusti. We

Why rely on asymmetrical warfare to weed out the enemy if you

protectorates for long,” Shroud admitted. “Leo

Meta-Gang destroyed New Rome on May 18th, though the courier doubted it would happen

intel…” Shroud joined his hands, his fingers intertwined. “If you are correct, then

“How long?”

most.” Oh? Well, that went a lot better than expected. Ryan thought he would have to argue for hours, but the threat was dangerous enough for the Carnival to finally throw caution to

will infiltrate the Augusti and deliver on my end of the bargain,” Ryan said while moving towards the door, leaving the boxed Ghoul behind. “You still owe me

vigilante replied, trying to shortchange

don’t do

hired the Meta-Gang, then

the Augusti? Because I won’t oblige unless

resources to wage war on both the Augusti and Dynamis, if it turns out they’re the Meta-Gang’s employers,” Shroud declared, although it clearly wounded him to admit it. “Augustus is a monster and his business kills thousands each year, but he will sit on his mountain unless challenged. That

stop your serial apartment bombing spree

know about that?” Mr. See Through shook his head. “Whatever. You have my word. At least, until Mechron’s

for a

Ryan wasn’t sure he could stand an Augusti run so soon after losing

had thought he could confide in someone, and not have it all wiped away with his inevitable death. Yet he kept

a scoundrel’s last refuge,” Ryan muttered to himself, exiting Shroud’s shack with a heavy heart. Hope was all he had, once the loop had

only to find someone had

slouched on the car hood, his magnificent blue eyes dazzling Ryan with the splendor of their nobility. The

it was Eugène-Henry. The courier could recognize

and

demanding to be petted. So Ryan obliged, raising his hand