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.

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

the suicide

the cannon 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

repair his glass mask, though Ryan wondered why he bothered to hide his

juice factory,” Ryan replied with disappointment. “He

he might have changed that, but Ryan would have his plate full

at Livia’s urging, but Jamie

by the next day and help take over the bunker’s mainframe. With Dr. Stitch

night, he would dedicate

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

might be willing to switch to a safer, better product

provide 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

Ryan asked with a frown. “He’s a red, a commie infiltrator. He wants to turn everyone into

vigilante remained skeptical. “Think about it. Fallout not only controls the Knockoff supply, but with Tyrano’s cure, he can also remove powers at will. That’s not

he might be right on the money. Atom Smasher planned to make everyone a Genome so people like Augustus couldn’t monopolize power, but

a true superpower. People would be kept in line by the fear of losing their Knockoff Genome abilities, and the Manada

he wouldn’t have created something so dangerous in the first place. In the end,

remembering Bianca running off to sacrifice herself. “I will stop

doubtful. “Among the most dangerous Genomes operating

with

place will have to go, Ryan,” Shroud insisted. “Maybe there is something here that could defeat Fallout, or even Augustus, true. But the risk of dangerous weapons spreading to the public is too great. Even distributing Mechron’s

replied. “But I will only destroy this place after

arms. “Do you truly believe

my transparent

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

Shroud’s head perked up at Ryan’s

head sideways,

into interdimensional squids, Ryan thought.

positive things Geniuses can make, I can’t help but wonder why Mechron built

be rotten apples like Late 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 spoiled, self-obsessed brat

that she sculpts

shown her boyfriend her gallery yesterday night.

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 euros in

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

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

much better person

his head. “Will you be

to make your own go well?” Mathias deadpanned with a joke of his own, before answering. “I think

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

why you’re dating her?” Shroud’s voice turned from amused to serious. “To

wanted to,” Ryan replied. He really had a thing for Blue Genomes shorter

Ryan. What if she changes

my trust and helped me when I needed

up the world for her sake, if he didn’t. She didn’t deserve

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

yet, he

girlfriend to access the mainframe,” Ryan said, changing the subject. “You can confirm what I said about the other Mechron bases then,

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

my cute,

for them,” the Carnival member replied with a chuckle. “Is there a way for you to carry

into your brain, though your

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

and Sarin, who had nothing left to lose. Even Len had

admitted. “You hold all the cards, and all I can

secret too, Safelite,” Ryan pointed out. “I can count on one

wonder what adventures we went through for you to do

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

Carnival than with Dynamis. “A shame. I was interested in Felix Veran. He has a great deal of potential as a hero, and a courageous

much as

me and see

the bunker’s atrium, where they found the transformed folding paper sheets under Len’s watch. Sarin was playing pool near a pile of books, including Discours de la méthode:Pour bien conduire

a mantis so fast that Ryan could barely see his paws move. The construct joined four others, representing a monkey, a tiger, a crane, and a snake.

Sarin snickered. “Can

herself into paper sharp enough to slice throats,”

taunted him, while focusing on

Sarin, the vigilante mistrusted her as much as Ryan did in the early days of his presidency. “If you sell us out as you did your previous employer, I

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

focus on his bear disciple. Even Ryan couldn’t fold paper that fast, even though he had mastered the skill years ago. “I thought

Len said while shaking her head. “I ran tests. It… it took him minutes to