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.

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

up the suicide chain,” he

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

waited for him in the next corridor. He had managed to repair

sabotage the tomato juice factory,” Ryan replied with

have changed that, but Ryan would have his plate

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

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

he would dedicate to

Mathias said. “We planned to wait for Hector

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

data to show the destruction Bloodstream could unleash; and especially if his family lied to him. But Alphonse is another beast entirely. He

frown. “He’s a red, a commie infiltrator. He wants to turn

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

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 develop a monopoly on

give superpowers 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

hero he believes himself to be, he wouldn’t have created

said, remembering Bianca running

“Among the most dangerous Genomes operating in Italy, he comes a

can, with

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

replied. “But I will only

his arms. “Do you truly

my transparent

replied, before adding, “but if there is a chance it works… if there is even the slightest chance

your mom, one of the Genomes I called is specialized in brains.” Shroud’s head perked up at Ryan’s words. “He can even cure mental

see Looking Glass’ face behind his mask, though the vigilante turned his head sideways, thoughtful. “Why

Ryan

ravage the world.” Shroud shook his head. “When I hear all the positive things Geniuses can make, I can’t help

only need the right circumstances to turn their lives around. Anyone can choose right over wrong.

that she

have shown her boyfriend her gallery yesterday

do everything, but she hides artistic sensibilities that appeal to me as a game designer. I

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

up. “Loud, no

a much better person than

“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 she’s working as a hitman

killing,” Ryan said. “She wants to

turned from

asked her out because I wanted to,” Ryan replied. He really

is dangerous, Ryan. What if

needed it,” the courier replied. “I

her sake, if he didn’t. She didn’t

you can’t save everyone.”

he

to access the mainframe,” Ryan said, changing the subject. “You can confirm what I

asked. “Even if you turn back time again, I

for my cute,

with a chuckle. “Is there a way for you to carry others through time? I suppose it is

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

if you earn my trust beforehand. I’m not sure I would

the technology; and Sarin, who had nothing left to lose. Even Len had remained on the fence so far. “I’m trying to improve

the cards, and all I can

Ryan pointed out.

adventures we went

though Lightning Butt

though he didn’t like it. Neither did Ryan, since Atom Kitten would clearly be much happier with the Carnival than with Dynamis. “A shame. I was interested in Felix Veran. He has a great deal of potential

much as the

scoffed. “Come with me

paper sheets under Len’s watch. Sarin was playing pool near a pile

could barely see his paws move. The construct joined four others, representing a monkey, a tiger,

“Can you unlock Rubik

turn herself into paper sharp enough to slice throats,” Shroud replied dryly. “She could even slice through

taunted

he tolerated Sarin, the vigilante mistrusted her as much as Ryan did in the early days

to fear from me.” Sarin

that fast, even though he had mastered the skill years

while shaking her head. “I ran tests. It… it took him minutes to pick up origami, and he… he learned French five pages into