The Perfect Run

Chapter 54

“And right in front of us, you can see Rust Town’s famous orphanage, where the most dangerous creatures in the world are raised in the wild,” Ryan said as he finished giving his team a tour of the area, parking the Plymouth near the entrance. “Human children.”

“You exaggerate,” Wardrobe chuckled, looking through the window. Len was waiting with Sarah and another boy near the orphanage’s entrance, the kids playing with a labrador. Unlike the previous loop, the Genius hadn’t put on her diving armor yet, sticking to her brown suit and water rifle.

“I think you underestimate these creatures,” Ryan argued. “They eat baby candies, and they listen to loud music at night.”

“Why are we here exactly?” Atom Cat asked from the back.

“Well, according to my intel, the Meta-Gang intends to target the place today,” Ryan said, though he didn’t mention which source. His words caused everyone to look at him in alarm. “They will abduct the residents unless we drive them off.”

“They intend to attack children?” Wardrobe’s adorable face had turned white from the horror.

“I would like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not,” Felix grumbled.

“Don’t worry, Sifu, we will save them!” The Panda said with enthusiasm, a hand on his chest. “We will break these villains like… like bamboo!”

“We will need to work on your puns, arrogant young disciple,” Ryan said as the group stepped out of the car, instantly catching the children’s attention.

“Oh, it’s Wardrobe!” Little Sarah’s eyes widened upon recognizing the heroine. It seemed that while she wasn’t as well-known as Wyvern, the fashion designer had her fans.

“Where, where?” another child asked, rushing out of the orphanage alongside half a dozen of the tiny devils.

“Riri,” Len whispered softly, while the children swarmed the heroes, most asking for Wardrobe’s autograph. The Panda looked really jealous of her fame, which he coveted for himself.

“Guys, this is Len, alias Underdiver,” Ryan introduced them. “She’s a friend. Shortie, this is Atom Kitty, my new BFF Wardrobe, and Superpanda. He can fly and shoot lasers from his eyes.”

“Atom Kitty, huh? Never heard that one before, Quickie.” Atom Cat crossed his arms while he observed Len. “Isn’t she a criminal though? I heard Vulcan paid the Private Security to have her released.”

Len immediately tensed up, looking at Atom Cat suspiciously. “Your corporate overlords are the real criminals,” she replied harshly, waving a hand at Rust Town. “This… this is their work.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Felix admitted with sheepish embarrassment. “You’re taking care of the place?”

“Someone has to.”

“Quicksave, you monster!” Wardrobe glared at him, having finished writing autographs for the kids. “I’m so disappointed in you.”

“About what?” Ryan asked with a frown.

“You can’t let your friend dress like this!” Wardrobe ranted, as she approached a very surprised Len and touched every part of her outfit with her soft fingers. “Her costume is hideous!”

Clearly, Len didn’t know how to react to this. “I’m, what, what…”

“The colors are all wrong, it stands for nothing, and it’s not even form-fitting!” Wardrobe started touching Len’s breasts, much to her dismay. “Look at her beautiful figure! All that potential, wasted!”

“S-stop please,” Len pleaded, as if attacked by an over-affectionate puppy.

“I’m sorry, darling, I can’t look the other way.” Wardrobe removed her hands from the Genius and adopted a pose reminding Ryan of the Rodin’s Thinker statue. She devoured Len with her eyes, the poor Genius now as red as a tomato. “We need silver and blue, with scales…”

“What’s your power?” Little Sarah asked the Panda.

“Oh, I can become the best creature in the world!” The Green Genome immediately transformed into his animal shape, much to the kids’ delight. “Overpanda overdrive!”

“It’s a bear!” a little girl squealed, as the Panda lifted her on his shoulders. “It’s a bear!”

“So soft and warm,” another boy said, as he touched the beast’s fur.

“Oh!” Little Sarah looked up at Felix. “Can you transform into a cat too?”

Felix replied with a

“But your name—”

like cats,

him, before giving in to the Panda’s cuteness. The animal eventually laid on his back, letting the children use his belly as

found his power’s true purpose.

found the scene quite funny, had his mind not been distracted

in the hen house… It was a joke phrase that Ryan told people when they asked details about his power. But he hadn’t used it once in this entire loop! The fact someone sent

Somewhere, somebody remembered.

hopes up, in case they ended up dashed. For all he knew the Chronoradio could have broadcast

loop, once to Shroud when he asked his power, and once with Livia. It

name. He was also pretty sure she had a second power like her father, one he didn’t fully understand yet. For all the courier knew, it could allow

his thoughts raised more

backfire. If it was Livia, Felix would ask why the courier received messages from Augustus’ daughter; he might mistake the time-traveler for a mafia mole,

for an autograph managed to distract Wardrobe long enough for Len to escape her clutches. “Riri,” the Genius whispered to the courier. “Do you

with Psyshock was a flop,” Ryan admitted. He thought Wardrobe could cosplay as Cancel and finish off the bodyjacker, but clearly, it

she said, raising

of course, Psyshock had an automatic suicide button to avoid capture. The Psycho didn’t use any

one in his early loops, but he never found the right balance. One of his devices, meant to protect him against mind-readers, ended up mistaking his ‘saves’ as memory manipulation attempts. In another case, a chest bomb kept detonating at inopportune times. Eventually, Ryan gave

same conclusion? He couldn’t tell until they crossed that

noticed Psyshock’s black, rusted minibus drive

had brought

Land probably noticed a large group of Genomes around the

with Acid Rain. Especially since she murdered Felix the

them,” Felix guessed, tensing up.

in the basement, and don’t come out until I say

ma—” Little

I say,” the Genius asked

said with a reassuring wink.

head, but Ryan hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

it inside his suit.

he tried to put on a brave front, Ryan could tell the hero wannabe didn’t have any

eyeing Ryan’s suit. “Some

Ryan replied, preparing himself for his performance as the Meta-Gang parked in front of

out of his car first, followed by Mongrel and Mosquito. The other minibus stopped nearby, two more

run. He had run the lizard over on his way to the bunker, while the jaguar-man, Rakshasa, could

two groups were evenly matched, or

Cesare.” No matter the number of loops, the possessive way Psyshock said it always

pack of Genomes,” Mosquito said, cracking his knuckles. The other Meta seemed to barely restrain themselves. Mongrel showed

only came for the children in that shelter, this is a good day indeed,”

explain that to Don Hector,” Ryan lied, channeling Blackthorn’s corporate arrogance. “He’s not happy

sentence made

Ryan knew he could still win with a

at their leader, who carefully examined Ryan. He sensed something was wrong, but the fact he didn’t immediately call

did not have the pleasure of meeting with any Hector,” Psyshock said,

he breathed. “If you don’t deliver results soon, you can say

He could have spied on them, but the knockoffs and drones were safely hidden

which Psypsy found more

team. All of them had tensed up, while Atom

worried you would go off-the-leash, and we would have to teach you a lesson.” Ryan’s

so arrogantly sure of yourself that your opponent

second-in-command looked at Ryan dead in the eyes, the tension palpable. Their respective groups prepared themselves for a fight, for now was the moment of truth. The

Psyshock caved

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