The Perfect Run

“No.”

Watching the Dynamis CEO’s face on his computer screen, Ryan scratched his cat’s ears. This G2 conference call wasn’t going well. “I think I misheard, Mr. Manada.”

“I said no,” Hector replied, the two using a secure channel to communicate. “No more Knockoffs. My agreement was with your predecessors, and their demise changes everything.”

“Certainly we can continue where they left off.”

“Listen to me, you little shit,” the CEO said, his calmness all but gone. “I know you met with the Augusti and hashed out a peace agreement. Psyshock brainwashed people on my staff, inside my house. Your people didn’t deliver and backstabbed me. So why should I honor my side of the bargain?”

How did he know about the meeting with Livia? Ryan had done his best to cover it up. Either the CEO had an advanced surveillance system, or plants among the Augusti. Perhaps both.

As for his reaction… Ryan thought the Dynamis/Meta-Gang alliance had collapsed in the past because Psyshock’s death ruined the brain-copying project, but he was mistaken. In truth, the brainjacker had initiated a slow, insidious takeover of Dynamis, brainwashing staff members and executives one by one. Psypsy’s demise had exposed his treachery, and made Hector Manada aware of the Meta-Gang’s true, nefarious intentions.

If only he hadn’t been greedy enough to hire them in the first place...

“Then I guess I will reveal the recordings of your discussions with the previous administration,” Ryan said, upon realizing he couldn’t maintain the old juice connection. “Because they kept recordings.”

Hector squinted. “Are you blackmailing me, Mr. Romano?”

“I prefer the term plata o plomo, Mr. Escobar.” Ryan always thought the CEO looked like a Colombian cartel leader.

“Then you’re firing blanks. A scandal will cost me less to cover-up than another knockoff delivery.”

“Then perhaps your competition—”

“We both know Augustus will never forgive the attacks on his territory, even if you submit to him. Your group signed its death warrant the moment you shook the hornet nest.”

That was why he had hired the Meta-Gang in the first place. They were the only Genomes mad enough to take on the Augusti in spite of the deadly consequences, except the Carnival. Still, Ryan had one last card up his sleeve. “Then I should reveal what’s inside your knockoffs. I’m sure your people will love buying a Psycho-in-a-can.”

Ryan had to give it to the man, he had a good poker face. But the courier could see the tension at the edge of his gaze. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I know what you and your pet scalie keep in Lab Sixty-Six.”

“No, you don’t.”

Damn, he wasn’t biting. For all his faults, Hector Manada was cautious enough not to reveal truly incriminating information. Unlike Psyshock, he knew how to deal with bluffs. “Bloodstream.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Hector replied with a smug, punchable smile. “Do you have any proof?”

“I’ve analyzed the knockoffs,” Ryan lied. “I can publish the results.”

The CEO didn’t believe him, or at least not fully. But the courier could tell he had hit close to the mark. There was a link between the knockoffs and Bloodstream, as much as Ryan loathed to admit it.

“Many have tried to discredit our work, and yet we remain.” Hector Manada joined his hands. “Here’s my one and only offer, Mr. Romano. You keep the knockoffs, release my technicians, return my technology, and skip town within forty-eight hours without making waves. You will carry the secret of this agreement to your grave, and I will let you be. This experiment will have been a failed joint venture, but maybe we could make another deal in the future.”

Yeah, right. “And if I don’t file for bankruptcy?”

“Then I will answer with force,” Hector stated the obvious. “Enrique and Wyvern have been pestering me about sending Il Migliore to drive you out of Rust Town. My stamp of approval is the only thing standing between you, and annihilation.”

Gee, another big business threatening the government. It almost made Ryan want to become a socialist. “I’ll consider your offer.”

“Forty-eight hours, Mr. Romano. No more, no less.”

Ryan cut the communication, and Sarin entered the oval office soon afterward. “So?” she asked. “How did it go?”

“Everything is going according to plan,” Ryan said sinisterly, Eugène-Henry purring on his lap. Hector Manada had walked into a trap without even realizing it, and the courier had secured two days of non-interference. “Is everyone ready for the operation? We’re storming the mainframe or we’ll die trying.”

“Yeah, but there are new people at the Junkyard’s entrance. They fit the descriptions you gave us about that brainy guy and his robot daughter, so Gemini didn’t shoot them on sight.”

Alchemo had already reached New Rome? He must have dropped everything and left right after Ryan gave him the call. “Bring them to the hangar, Miss Vice-President.”

“Gotta ask, you’re sure of what you’re doing, right?” Hazmat Girl asked, a little worried. “I mean, even with our losses in manpower, we’ll run out of juice soon. You really don’t want to see the others when they’re missing their shot.”

Having lived with Bloodstream for years, Ryan had a pretty good idea how it would turn out.

the hangar, only to meet with a rabbit plushie in a corridor. The terrible creatures

the possessed toy asked,

president, but

outside!” the plushie insisted, one of its paws

the promise of future destruction pacifying the beast

1986 Fleetwood Bounder right next to the unused Mechron mech. Alchemo and the Doll stepped out of

have precious equipment in the back!” Alchemo was still the same brass and steel cyborg with a brain-in-a-jar for a head and syringes for fingers. It took Ryan all his willpower to keep a straight face at the betrayer, as he grunted at

Doll, had changed a little. She was still a lovely redhead dressed like the stereotypical country-girl, but she had covered her arms with synthetic skin, making her truly lifelike. If

she glared at Ryan the second

greeted the leader of the free world with a military salute. “Your guests have

work, Agent Frank,” Ryan congratulated him, while the Doll moved in his direction. “Hey, Tea,

face with enough force to make

a step forward. “Wait, wait, it’s okay!” Ryan calmed his bodyguards with a raised hand. “She’s my ex! She can do

fine country girl

glared at Ryan. “No word for two years, and

he massaged his cheek. He could have dodged with a time-stop, but a part of him thought he deserved it.

deserved,” Alchemo

for leaving us. You always were a free-spirit, and that’s what I loved about you.” Tea crossed her

asking how their robot cow was doing, only to receive a confused answer. As it turned out, he had referenced events erased in a

much he had erased

Tea had dreamed of, like visiting France, but she only remembered a fraction of their shared experiences. From her

him had hurt, Ryan simply couldn’t stand carrying the burden of a shared past

That the little time they remembered spending with the courier had mattered. And

not knowing what

a grudge. “But you have a great many things to explain. What are you doing with

tincan pretending to be human,” Sarin snarled, the Doll

are a member of the Meta-Gang,” Alchemo said with disdain. “Frankly, the only reason we’re even here is because I owe this

fearful for his well-being. “They… they aren’t forcing you to work with

snorted. “You got it the other

“We arrested our alien overlords

control of this great nation,” Ryan said. “Now I’m trying to find a cure for the Psycho condition…

immediately looked concerned, Ryan’s words only aroused Alchemo’s scientific

old time’s sake.” Tea put her hands on her waist. “But there’s still one

at the minivan.

utterly serious, “yes

and carefully opened

of his workshop, from wetware computers, multicolored jars of questionable content, miniature brain-scanners… and a toaster.

to the edge of the car, facing the

toaster’s vocalizer mimicked Schwarzenegger’s

Toasty.” Ryan could feel the others’ stares peering on his back. This was awkward.

there was no hint of reproach in the toaster’s voice. “Two

a toaster probably reduces your opportunities,” the

let out a click sound. “Damn, I missed you, man. I love life on the farm, but you added

and Ryan, completely at a loss of words. “What, you thought the plushie was my first

the bottom of the barrel when he made me,” Toasty said as he drove out of the car and

intelligent toaster.” Sarin glanced down at Ryan’s

judged right now,” Toasty

wanted to settle in France,” Ryan explained, “my greatest anxiety was to wake up

on her gas mask without a word. “You know what, I don’t care

snapped, having held a grudge for years. “That dumbass equipped my gynoid construct

cleanup routine,” the Doll replied, not at

robot?” Sarin asked Ryan, finally

Ryan discovered he was mostly attracted to human-shaped women. The courier wouldn’t say no to a new experience, like

a Mechron base, huh?” Alchemo changed the subject, instantly recognizing the bunker for what it was.

when our country does it,” Frank replied. “It’s an armed

my personality matrix into it?

you need my unlimited genius?” Alchemo asked Ryan, while the toaster happily rolled around the mech. “For

“As I said, a friend

their demeanor changing from angry to

transferred to the infirmary, changing the place from Psyshock’s brainwashing assembly line into a true medical block. His

other patient in the room was insufferably