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.

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

want to work your way up the suicide

don’t kill anyone else!” Ryan pleaded as he left

the next corridor. He had managed to repair his glass mask, though

factory,” Ryan replied with disappointment. “He fears his

that, but Ryan would have his plate

passed since the bunker raid, though Ryan spent last night at the harbor helping Jamie protect drug supplies. Luigi hadn’t shown up this time, probably at Livia’s urging, but Jamie still invited Ryan to stay at his house all the same. That guy was so nice, he made

bunker, settling things here. He had contacted Alchemo, who should make his way to New Rome by the next day and help take 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

he would

we will need to clean up Dynamis’ upper echelons,” Mathias said. “We planned to wait for Hector Manada to retire, but we can hasten his departure all the

might be willing to switch to a safer, better product than one capable of

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

red, a commie infiltrator. He wants to turn everyone

only controls the Knockoff supply, but with Tyrano’s cure, he can also remove powers at will. That’s not

people like Augustus couldn’t monopolize power, but he didn’t wish

and take them away, then it could become a true superpower. People would be kept in line by the fear of losing their Knockoff Genome abilities,

grant his organization,” Shroud said. “If he was truly the hero he believes himself to be, he wouldn’t have created something so dangerous in the first place. In the end, Alphonse Manada only believes in his vision. He won’t deviate from his chosen path unless

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

operating in Italy, he comes a close

can, with this

dangerous 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

Ryan replied. “But I will only destroy

his arms. “Do you truly

don’t, my

is a chance it works… if there is even the slightest chance it works, I can’t stop you from trying. It

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

the vigilante turned his head sideways, thoughtful. “Why do you think the Alchemist distributed these Elixirs in the first

interdimensional squids, Ryan thought. “I

I hear all the positive things

people I’ve met only need the right circumstances to turn

know that she sculpts in her spare

must have shown her boyfriend her gallery

at it,” Mathias continued, his tone warm. “I thought she relied on 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

of Fortuna? Yesterday’s battle had greatly helped to turn his

Ryan summed it up. “Loud, no respect for personal space, but surprisingly warm and

much better person than

his head. “Will you be transparent with

own go well?” Mathias deadpanned with a joke of his own, before answering. “I think I will clear things up

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

why you’re dating her?” Shroud’s voice turned from amused to

I wanted to,” Ryan replied. He really had a

to this place is dangerous, Ryan. What

and helped me when I needed it,” the courier

he didn’t. She

words, Ryan, you can’t save everyone.” Shroud marked a short pause. “Especially from

he

Alchemo comes here, we’ll use your rabbit foot of a girlfriend to access the mainframe,” Ryan said, changing the subject. “You can confirm what I said about

Shroud asked. “Even if you turn back time again, I can’t keep

for my cute, beautiful

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 of

have a procedure to transfer information directly into your brain, though your past self

I am too paranoid to let anyone alter my brain, even if you earn my trust beforehand. I’m not sure I would even accept such a procedure

much. The only people he imagined would go through with the memory transfer unconditionally were Alchemo, who understood the technology; and Sarin, who had nothing left to lose.

the cards, and all

pointed out. “I can count on one

we went through for you to do

though Lightning Butt destroyed the city after you recruited

be much happier with the Carnival than with Dynamis. “A shame. I was interested in Felix Veran. He has a great deal of potential as

as the

“Come with me

was playing pool near a

sheet in the shape of a mantis so fast that Ryan could barely see his

“Can you

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

Psycho taunted him,

vigilante mistrusted her as much as Ryan did in the early days of

cure me, then you’ve got nothing to fear from me.” Sarin hit an 8-ball with

couldn’t fold paper that fast, even though he had mastered the skill years ago. “I thought you were a martial arts Genius?” he asked his pandawan. “Or does

that’s not it,” Len said while shaking her head. “I ran tests. It… it took him minutes to pick up origami, and