The Perfect Run

“Sorry, I can’t do that.”

Ryan scratched Eugène-Henry’s back while watching Dr. Tyrano on his computer screen. The A-bomb laid on the desk, right next to the late Fat Adam’s gravity cannon. “You’re saying no to unlimited fundings, resources, and safety from the monster you keep bottled up in your lab when he inevitably breaks out? Because you know he will.”

“I don’t know how you managed to learn that much about my work,” Tyrano admitted, a little disturbed. “But I am contractually bound to Dynamis for the next two hundred years. I can’t even leave the building without a heavy escort.”

“Two hundred years?” Were there other time-travelers running around in Italy? “Is that even legal?”

“In New Rome, it is.”

Ryan massaged his temples, at his wit’s end. “Think, Tyrano, think! You’re using an unstable product to turn people you know into timebombs! What will you have after everyone has turned into a Bloodstream clone?”

Dr. Tyrano remained silent for a moment, but Ryan guessed his answer before he even spoke.

“Dinosaurs,” the scalie answered. “I’d still have dinosaurs.”

That made Ryan think more than it should.

Still, the fact Tyrano wouldn’t leave the Dynamis HQ nor agree to sabotage the Knockoff supply dashed a few of the courier’s hopes. Even if the Carnival developed a vaccine plague to cure New Rome’s population, they would have to assault Lab Sixty-Six again to finish off Bloodstream for good.

Still, Ryan didn’t give up on the saurian Genius.

“What if I told you we have access to a completely safe Knockoff variant, so strong it even works with robots?” The courier tempted him. “That we have not one, but two Genomes with multiple powers and no-side effects to study? That we possess a wealth of research and information on Elixirs… and a lab capable of creating life from scratch?”

Then he delivered the coup de grace.

“Inhuman life?”

Tyrano’s slitted eyes expanded like a frog’s, to Ryan’s shock. The courier wondered if it was what passed for arousal for humanoid dinosaurs. To hook him further, the courier forwarded the Genius a sample of his Elixir research, including a bio-scan of Mongrel.

“We’re working on a cure for the Psycho condition,” Ryan said. “Though you’re contractually obligated to work with Dynamis, certainly you can sacrifice some of your precious time for it. Who knows, maybe you could make a Green Knockoff capable of granting your dearest, cold-blooded wish.”

The Genius barely took a glance at the data before raising his white flag. “Where do I sign?”

“First…” Ryan scratched Eugène-Henry behind the ears. “You must give me access to that folder.”

“Oh, that one?” Dr. Tyrano seemed strangely embarrassed about it. “It’s something of a side-project, and early results weren’t promising. But it will change the world, you’ll see!”

“I’ll keep an open mind,” Ryan said, as he received an email called ‘Monster Girl Project.’ He opened the video file within.

The courier instantly regretted it, as an abomination came into view.

The screams and moans that came out of this… this thing startled Ryan so much, that he almost fell from his chair. His terrified cat leaped out of his lap to take over the nearby bed.

“Oh God… oh God…” Ryan covered his mouth, though he couldn’t tell if it was in horror or terrible awe at the man’s demented genius. There were things that could still surprise him after eight centuries of time-traveling. “Why?!”

“A creative spur!” Tyrano explained, as if it made up for this crime against nature. “I couldn’t do that to a reptile!”

“Why a mink?!” Ryan asked, closing the video feed when he couldn’t take the abomination’s screams anymore. “Is… is that thing still alive?”

“No, no, it died, unfortunately,” Tyrano reassured him. “But I have a spare.”

Ryan resisted the urge to throw up, and stopped the video call feed. He would have nightmares for years to come. Even the most depraved Sonic the Hedgehog fans didn’t go as far as Dr. Scalie did.

The courier took a moment to gather his breath, only to suddenly hold it. Two long ears rose from the side of the desk, a monster rising from the depths of Hell.

“No,” Ryan said with false panic.

The plushie looked at his maker, then at the A-bomb, and finally back at his maker. Meanwhile, Eugène-Henry ignored them all to vanish beneath the bedsheets, considering the matter beneath his kingly notice.

“No!” Ryan forbade the plushie.

And for the first time since this loop began, the furred fiend answered.

“I will always be your friend!”

This plushie hastily pushed the A-bomb’s button with a loud ‘click.’

Nothing happened.

The plushie hit it again, and again, and again in quick succession, growing more and more frustrated. Its eyes turned red as it glared angrily at Ryan.

“It’s a prop,” the courier replied with a grin. “I gave the real one to Vulcan.”

He had bribed his favorite dwarf Genius with so much technology, that she didn’t even ask him to ruin Star Studios this time. Vulcan insisted that Ryan become her assistant instead, and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

help her, but only in short bursts. Though Ryan could now interact with Vulcan without feeling stabbed in the gut every time she opened her mouth, the shadow of his Jasmine remained ever-present. The courier also intended to use this loop to deal with the Bliss Factory and Narcinia, and so would rather stay a contractor working for multiple branches of the

so Ryan tossed it the gravity cannon. “Here, if you want to work your way up the suicide chain,” he said. “Aim for the heart though. There’s a chance you might live if

curiously, though the weapon was ten times larger than it was. “Please don’t kill anyone else!” Ryan pleaded as he left the fiend to its experiments, rising from his seat to move to

for him in the next corridor. He had managed to repair his glass mask, though Ryan wondered why he bothered to hide his

help sabotage the tomato juice factory,” Ryan replied with disappointment. “He fears his bosses’ wrath more

he might have changed that,

at the harbor helping Jamie protect drug supplies. Luigi hadn’t shown up this time, probably at Livia’s urging, but Jamie

over the bunker’s mainframe. With Dr. Stitch and Tyrano’s long-distance assistance, the courier would have the best medical team in the world to figure

would dedicate to

echelons,” Mathias said. “We planned to wait for Hector Manada to retire,

many times.” Ryan said with a shrug. “His children might be willing to switch

could unleash; and especially if his family lied to him. But Alphonse is another beast entirely. He won’t surrender Bloodstream, even for a better

Ryan asked with a frown. “He’s a red, a commie infiltrator. He wants

only controls the Knockoff supply, but with Tyrano’s cure, he can also remove powers at will. That’s

point, and had to admit that he might be right on the money. Atom Smasher planned to make everyone a Genome so people like Augustus couldn’t monopolize power, but he didn’t wish to coexist with other organizations. Neither did he hesitate to lie to his close allies, so that Dynamis could

true superpower. People would be

grant his organization,” Shroud said. “If he was truly the hero he believes himself to be, he wouldn’t have created

time,” Ryan said, remembering Bianca running off to sacrifice herself. “I will

the most dangerous Genomes operating in Italy, he comes a close third behind Augustus and

can, with

weapons spreading to the public is too great. Even distributing Mechron’s Knockoff formula doesn’t strike me as a good idea. It might weaken the position of Genome warlords, but our post-war society is too fragile to survive ten

will only

crossed his arms. “Do you truly

don’t, my

vigilante replied, before adding, “but if there is a chance it works… if there is even the slightest chance it works, I can’t stop you from trying.

perked up at Ryan’s words. “He can even cure mental illnesses, Alzheimer’s, and even a

though the vigilante turned his head sideways, thoughtful. “Why

into interdimensional squids, Ryan thought. “I dunno, improve

we used them to ravage the world.” Shroud shook his head. “When I hear all the positive things Geniuses can make, I can’t help but wonder why Mechron built weapons

Adam, but most people I’ve met only need the right circumstances to turn their lives around. Anyone can choose right over wrong. Even a

you know that she sculpts in her

her boyfriend her gallery yesterday night. “Pretty neat,

her own luck to do everything, but she hides artistic sensibilities that appeal to me as a game designer. I can’t quite explain it. And she won half a million euros in lottery winnings this morning, but instead of sitting on it, she wants to

was he speaking fondly of Fortuna? Yesterday’s battle had greatly helped to turn

“Loud, no respect for personal space, but surprisingly warm

much better person

head. “Will you be transparent with her on your next

well?” Mathias deadpanned with a joke of his own, before answering. “I think I will clear things up with her, but… not as long as

the killing,” Ryan said. “She wants to protect Livia first

voice turned from

I wanted to,” Ryan replied. He really

place is dangerous, Ryan. What if she changes her mind and informs

earned my trust and helped me when I needed it,” the courier replied. “I want to return

wreck up the world for her sake, if he didn’t. She didn’t deserve to have her sire’s crimes on her

my words, Ryan, you can’t save everyone.” Shroud marked a

yet, he

your rabbit foot of a girlfriend to access the mainframe,” Ryan said, changing the subject. “You can confirm what I said about the other Mechron

to inform Leo about you, you understand that?” Shroud asked. “Even if you turn back time again, I can’t keep that

my

the Carnival member replied with a chuckle. “Is there a way for you to carry others through time? I suppose it is only mental, since there aren’t twenty

to transfer information directly into your brain,

my brain, even if you earn my trust beforehand. I’m not sure I would even accept such a procedure at Leo’s urging, and I respect him more than

who understood the technology; and Sarin, who had nothing left to lose. Even Len had remained on the fence so far. “I’m trying to improve a system that could bypass that extra

hold all the cards, and all I can do is

you enough to share my greatest secret too, Safelite,” Ryan pointed out. “I

what adventures we went through for you to do

Meta-Gang together once, though Lightning Butt destroyed the city after you recruited Atom

Atom Kitten would clearly be much happier with the Carnival than with Dynamis. “A

much as

me and see for

under Len’s watch. Sarin was playing pool near a pile of books, including Discours de

fast that Ryan could barely see his

Sarin snickered. “Can

paper sharp enough to slice throats,” Shroud replied dryly. “She

you?” The Psycho taunted him, while

as Ryan did in the early days of his presidency. “If you sell us out as you did your previous employer, I will slay you

cure me, then you’ve got nothing to fear from me.” Sarin

though he had mastered the skill years ago. “I thought you were a martial arts Genius?” he asked his pandawan. “Or

shaking her head. “I ran tests. It… it took him minutes to pick up origami, and he…