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

it the gravity cannon. “Here, if you want to work your way up the suicide chain,” he said. “Aim for the heart though.

“Please don’t kill anyone else!” Ryan pleaded as

in the next corridor. He had managed to repair his glass mask, though Ryan wondered why

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

the courier was on a Meta run, he might have changed that, but Ryan would have his plate full

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

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

would dedicate

to clean up Dynamis’ upper echelons,” Mathias said. “We planned to wait for

Manada fall many times.” Ryan said with a shrug. “His children might be willing to switch to a safer, better product than one

data to show the destruction Bloodstream could unleash; and especially if his family lied

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

about it. Fallout not only controls the Knockoff supply, but with Tyrano’s cure, he can also remove powers at will. That’s not the case with Mechron’s variants,

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

a true superpower. People would be kept in line by the fear of losing their

cares less about his Knockoffs’ potential side-effects than the societal control they grant his organization,” Shroud said. “If he was truly the hero he believes himself to be, he wouldn’t have created something so

remembering Bianca running

operating in Italy, he comes a close

can, with this base’s

could defeat Fallout, or even Augustus, true. But the risk of dangerous weapons spreading to the public is too great. Even distributing Mechron’s Knockoff formula doesn’t strike me as a good

a convert,” Ryan replied. “But I will only destroy

arms. “Do you truly believe Psychos can be

my

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

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

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

squids, Ryan thought.

think so too, and yet 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

I’ve met only need the right circumstances to turn their lives

“Do you know that she sculpts

her boyfriend her gallery yesterday night. “Pretty neat,

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 lottery winnings this morning, but instead of sitting on it,

battle had greatly helped to turn his opinion of her

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

a much better person

head. “Will you be transparent with her

own, before answering. “I think

her group, she isn’t in it for the killing,” Ryan said. “She wants to protect Livia

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

He really had a thing for

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

me when I needed it,” the courier replied. “I

if he didn’t. She didn’t deserve to have her sire’s crimes

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

yet, he had to

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

asked. “Even if you turn back time

my

a way for you to carry others through time? I

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

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

would go through with the memory transfer unconditionally were Alchemo, 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

all the cards, and all I can do

pointed out. “I can count on one

wonder what adventures we went through for you to

together once, though Lightning Butt

be much happier with the Carnival than

as

me and see

led Ryan into 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

the shape of a mantis so fast that Ryan could barely see his paws move. The construct joined four others, representing a

superpower,” Sarin snickered. “Can you unlock

sharp enough to slice

you?” The Psycho taunted him, while focusing

as much as Ryan did in the early days of his

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

courier ignored them to focus on his bear disciple. Even Ryan couldn’t fold paper that fast, even though he had mastered the skill years

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