The Perfect Run

Felix the Cat didn’t say a word on the way home. Not a single one.

Ryan drove the two of them back to the Optimates Tower in the early evening. Their group and Enrique had decided to leave the gathering separately, to avoid raising suspicion before tomorrow’s operation. Eventually, the courier parked his car in front of the tower’s gates, but Atom Cat made no move to exit it.

“Hey, kitten, I know it must feel terrible,” the courier said. “Believe me, I understand what you’re going through. So, uh, how about we go watch a Star Wars movie with Yuki and Timmy to cheer you up? Think of the memes!”

Felix briefly looked at Ryan, his gaze completely hollow, before he opened the car’s door. The young hero walked towards the Il Migliore tower in awkward silence, head down and hands in his pockets.

Yeah, he wasn’t feeling well and wanted some alone time.

Ryan couldn’t blame him. Learning that Lightning Butt had murdered his adoptive sister’s parents, before turning her into a drug wizard and spitting on her birth mother’s legacy must have been… harsh.

The courier wasn’t sure how to reach out to his friend. At least, not until he was ready to open up.

Ryan watched Felix disappear into the Optimates Tower, before driving away. He still had a few errands planned before tomorrow, including dealing with a constant annoyance. “Shortie?” the courier called out while putting on the Chronoradio. “Shortie?”

“I’m here, Riri,” she answered on the other end of the line.

“We’re getting rid of the Meta tomorrow,”Ryan said, as he drove south of the city. “Il Migliore and the Carnival agreed to attack them together.”

“Good.”

“But something bothers me. I have the feeling the Manada are after you specifically, and not because you want to overthrow the bourgeoisie.”

Len remained silent for a brief moment. “I… I did attack one of their facilities. Though they deserved it.”

“I can’t explain why, but I have the intuition it was about something else.” Alphonse was clearly pissed Enrique had released Len from custody, and Blackthorn still kept the Genius under close surveillance afterward. “They were also under the delusion I was your brother, and I think it factored in their decision to hire me.”

“You think…” Len cleared her throat on the other side of the line. “You think it has something to do with Dad?”

Ryan couldn’t confirm it, but his gut told him so. “Maybe. I get the feeling the company has skeletons in its closet.”

“Of course they do Riri, their wealth is built on blood and suffering,” Shortie replied with anger, before calming herself. “What about the brain-duplicating tech?”

“I have an idea about how we can get it,” Ryan said, his fingers tightening on the driving wheel. He had left the northern neighborhoods for the southern ones, closer to Augusti’s territory. “But it’s risky.”

Len marked a short pause, but seemed determined to help. “I’m listening.”

“We know from the recording that Hector Manada lent the technology to Psypsy for research purposes,” the courier reminded his best friend. “Which means it’s probably in the bunker.”

She quickly guessed his plan. “Which has access to the sea, and will be under siege tomorrow. The Meta will be distracted.”

Len could slip inside the bunker, grab the technology, and leave. Ryan had the intuition Hector’s sons would destroy it should they get their hands on it, if only to remove a threat to their inheritance. “But it will be very dangerous, Shortie.”

“I can... I can take care of myself. I will do it, Riri.” Another pause. “And… after it’s done… after it’s done, you should come.”

“Shortie, are you inviting me to your place?” Ryan teased her.

He could almost see her flustered on the other side of the line. “Y-yes, but not like that. I… I set up a room for you down there. You will be safer with us than at Dynamis. I just don’t trust them.”

Neither did Ryan, but for now, the road to the Perfect Run demanded he take the risk. “I appreciate the offer, Shortie,” he said from the bottom of his heart. “I can tell you’re better. You sound more… confident?”

“I’ve… I’ve been following the treatment,” she admitted. “Reduced the antidepressants. Pace them better. It’s… I don’t feel better, I don’t think so. But I feel less worse.”

“Good. It’s good.” Maybe… maybe he could find a way to help deal with her depression across the loops? If he could carry her consciousness across time, so would the treatment. Hopefully.

“I… I’ll be in touch.” And with these words, Len abruptly cut the communication.

Progress was slow, but it was still progress.

Eventually, Ryan reached his destination, a classy, overwhelmingly fashionable bistro located near New Rome’s strip; from the outside, it looked like a carbon copy of the famous Parisian brasserie The Fouquet’s. A valet offered to park the car, but the courier would never let anyone drive it; his Plymouth Fury was too good for the plebe. It forced him to reach the restaurant’s entrance on foot, where his date awaited him.

“Finally!” Fortuna complained, hands on her waist. She wore the same lavish, scandalous golden dress that she did at Jamie’s party. “You were almost late!”

“But I wasn’t,” Ryan replied, taking the spoiled brat’s hand and kissing it like a true gentleman, much to her surprise. “I could never make a goddess wait.”

Since he needed a distraction and she kept pestering him, Ryan finally agreed to a date with the luckiest woman in the world; though it was only a smokescreen for his devious plan to kill her romantic interest in his person. His goal was to be as unbearably perfect and affectionate as possible, until it became suffocating.

But no plan survived contact with the enemy, and Fortuna had brought a third wheel.

“Ryan.” In contrast to her friend’s outrageous outfit, Livia Augusti wore a modest, sleeveless crimson dress and golden bracelets. While Fortuna breathed glamour, the mafia princess embodied refined nobility. “Good to see you again.”

“Oh, I didn’t expect you,” Ryan said, trying to hide his unease while he glanced at Fortuna. “I thought we were having a date?”

“We are, but you will also make it up to Livy for leaving us stranded the first time we met,” Fortuna replied with haughtiness. “You will spoil the both of us.”

“Of course, a divinity like you only deserves the best,” Ryan lied while offering his arms to both women, “and that’s me.”

Livia smiled in amusement as she took his arm, while Fortuna took a little more time to touch his sleeve. “Oh, it’s cashmere!”

“You like it?” Ryan asked, surprised. “It’s genuine cashmere wool.”

“There is no such a thing as budget cashmere,” Fortuna replied, as if he had said something stupid. “Either it’s perfect, or it isn’t.”

Damn, they actually had one thing in common, taste! Who would have thought?

The trio walked into the restaurant, guided by lackeys through wooden double doors. The deco was in the purest 18th century French style, with flattering candlelight illumination and exquisite decoration. It truly deserved its name of Le Parisien. Ryan had reserved an isolated table near the window, so Fortuna could look down on people outside. He knew she would appreciate the gesture.

He also noticed that each of the tables were separated from the others by walls, to maximize privacy. The guests could speak without worry of being spied on.

“I am glad you finally accepted your place in the universe,” Fortuna told Ryan, as a maître d'hôtel invited them to sit and distributed the menu cards. “You have a lot to make up for.”

“And I truly apologize for it,” Ryan lied through his teeth. “I saw you, Fortuna, but until you talked with your brother, I hadn’t seen you.”

He took Fortuna’s hand into his own by surprise, much to her shock.

“When I saw your passion at trying to reconnect with your brother, I… I was moved to tears.” Through skills honed through countless restarts, Ryan seemed about to cry for a moment. “Your heart of gold, it blinded me!”

“I’m glad you finally noticed,” she replied, utterly flustered. Meanwhile, Livia hid her face behind the menu card, clearly struggling not to laugh.

my atrocious behavior towards you?” Ryan asked with pleading eyes.

depends on this date,” Fortuna replied while regaining her composure. “If it goes well, I

waiter. “Darling, an Assiette de Fois Gras et de

“How do you know I love them?

a smile. “I just wondered what the perfect

it did!” Fortuna replied with charming modesty, while Livia could no longer resist and let out a laugh. “Livy,

the princess said with a smile before lowering the menu. “I find

too, Livy.” Fortuna put a hand around Livia’s own in a

the princess replied, though her smile turned sadder. “I need

is to cheer her up,” Fortuna all but

with a smile. “You’re quite

very close,” Livia explained. “We were

not

for you,” the courier said. “On

to prepare their orders. “I thought you

am well-off,”

date kept asking with a

various banks,” Livia said, causing Fortuna to gasp. “I’ve tracked down some of

pay off. He even found the

availability, with power blocks from post-war corporations like Dynamis to Augustus himself backing up its value. However, it only really applied to Italy. Some other post-war emerging nations used their own variant of the euro, but with a wildly different exchange rate; and a few warlords

I thought you were a toad, but you are actually a prince!”

in doubt, he would flatter her shamelessly! “If you wish for a coach, you only

I already have

a silent invitation from

courier stated, though she probably won it from the lottery or something. “If I

seemed quite embarrassed, adjusting her hair with her hand. “I actually

do?” Ryan asked,

arts at Juventas University.” That post-war, corporate-sponsored university? Ryan heard of it, though as far as he knew only corporate managers and affiliates could pay

brought out a gold-plated cell phone, before showing Ryan pictures of her creations. For a second, the courier expected modern, incomprehensible sculptures, but instead her work took inspiration from Renaissance artists. She had crafted multiple lifelike sculptures of angels and mythological figures, with a statue of Livia as the

for once he was entirely

truly is,” Livia said with

with anxiousness. Much to Ryan’s surprise, she was quite sensitive about this subject. Enough to make that

are really talented,” the courier continued, reassuring her. “I’ve seen a

said with an embarrassed smile, a hand in her hair. “I’m considering making it a

already had a job for the Augusti?”

said quickly. “I fill in because my brother can no longer protect

you for the attention,” Livia replied,

replied with kindness. Ryan realized that while her narcissism made her frustrating, she was also completely honest and kind in her own way. “I know your

plate as the waiter brought them the starters, without saying anything. Fortuna looked at her friend with concern, and Ryan realized that the two were a lot closer than he thought. He had never seen the

Fortuna had dared walk into a Dynamis facility to try and convince her brother to return, but Ryan

self-centered. She rose up in

surprised you don’t advertise your sculptures,” Ryan changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood. “I mean, this is the first time I’ve heard

tried to sound confident, Ryan

his surprise, Fortuna hesitated to say it

mother can reshape faces thanks to her power,” Livia explained. “Hence

want my work to be compared to her,” Fortuna finally admitted.

“You don’t want the only thing that’s really yours to be ‘commodified’ by your family?” he guessed, as

exactly that. And that’s the only thing where my power cannot help me. So it is all

love

love them,” Fortuna said, though her smile turned a bit hesitant. “I love them,

bit too much?” Ryan guessed the

smothering!” Her tone switched from vulnerable to angry. “‘Fortuna, you should work harder to take over our branch of the family!’ ‘Fortuna, you need to prove yourself to become the new Diana!’ ‘Look at your sister, she is already an Olympian!’ And it is

of sympathy, and Ryan understood why they were so close. They were both the prisoners of their

to take over her business, but I said no,” Fortuna told her date. “She still

sculptures anonymously?” Ryan suggested. “I mean, all good

Girl didn’t sound

Livia asked,

joked. And blow stuff up too,

Livia

Ryan straightened in

first met belongs to you?” Fortuna asked, astonished. “It has to be

wasn’t happy to have an uninvited guest, but the cat won her over,” Livia said with

read between

a phone call

Ryan’s arm. “I’m sorry, I have to answer. Can you take care of Livy

Ryan

rising from her chair and leaving for an isolated private booth. Leaving Ryan and Livia

daughter

talk again,”

strained smile. “You dated her in the previous loop, didn’t you?

in

the princess asked with a

Jasmine, made me promise not to replace her,” Ryan said, his eyes glancing at his champagne glass. “I don’t want to see it that way, but… the person I dated is gone. The current Vulcan is a stranger with her face, and none of the

said before,

too attached to anyone, but I forgot myself

you?” There was a hint of

diabolical plan to make her give up

in skepticism. “By being the

shoulder, the more she harassed him! Ergo, the opposite should

him, her voice no longer friendly. “Fortuna is my best friend, and while she looks otherwise at first glance, she

she knew her friend better than he did. “I admit

Killer Seven is to protect me. So I do not feel alone. I owe her for this. Even if you think there will be no consequences for hurting her

fingers, his face serious. “Why are you here, princess? The real

turning to steel. “The Carnival, Ryan,” Livia said,

reason for her presence. “I suppose this is why you wanted us to meet in a public place, with your unbelievably lucky friend nearby? You thought

asked you to blow up

admitted. No point in

be as long as you didn’t target my family,” Livia reminded him. “And I have. But you are willing to

was an accident, from what I

Hargraves?” She grew angrier by the second. “Do