The Perfect Run

Monaco’s shores came into sight on the third day of travel.

Sitting on a deckchair atop the submarine’s tower, Ryan observed the scenery with a phone in hand. The forbidden land hadn’t changed in the years since the courier last visited it. The city was all pristine and colorful, a nice cover for the horrors inside. Even after facing more than a dozen apocalypses, superpowered tyrants, and other horrors, this place still unsettled Ryan on a bone-deep level.

Thankfully though, it seemed Simon had followed through with his promise. Fences and spiked ditches walled up the city, preventing anyone from moving in from the land. A fireball patrolled the coast kilometers away from their location, looking for the submarine.

“We’re almost to France, darling,” Ryan spoke on the phone, scratching Eugène-Henry’s back as the feline rested on his lap. The Plushie played dead next to the courier’s deckchair, the switch on its back turned off. “Do you want me to conquer it for you while I’m at it?”

“I would rather that we do it together,” Livia replied on the other end of the line. It had been three days since the chase in New Rome, and she hadn’t managed to contact Ryan since then. The courier had felt immense relief at hearing her voice again. “But you can send me pictures of your trip.”

“I can take a suggestive pose next to the Eiffel Tower, to start with.”

Ryan’s phone bleeped, as Livia sent him a rather… scandalous photo of herself. “My Felix is clearly too young to see this,” the courier said. “That’s eighteen plus material here.”

“It’s something to look forward to when we meet again.” His girlfriend used a burner phone to contact him, ironically purchased from Dynamis. Thankfully, their mobile system covered most of southern Europe. Livia had taken great pains so that nobody could track down the communication. “Thanks, Ryan.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve saved more stray cats than men at this point.” His girlfriend chuckled. Though she had moved on from Felix, Ryan could tell she still cared for him almost like a brother. “But from what you say, you won’t join us in Antarctica.”

“No, I won’t,” she replied with a sigh. “Dad had me grounded after my current boyfriend fled the city with my ex.”

“Now, you’re making us sound like Thelma and Louise.”

Ryan could almost see Livia squinting on the other end of the line. “Did you and Felix… you know, in a past loop…”

“No, but I wouldn’t have minded.” A short silence followed. “Are you imagining us—”

“No,” she lied before changing the subject. “I’m… I miss you, Ryan. Things will be stressful in the following days, and I would rather have you by my side.”

“I will return,” Ryan reassured her. “You’re my First Lady, I’m sticking to you through thick and thin.”

“I know you will,” she replied warmly. “But things don’t look good on my end. The firefight with Dynamis put everyone on edge. Mars and Venus won’t accuse me openly of treachery, but they strongly suspect it. My father blames them for failing to catch Felix, and even if he remains cautious, Hector Manada is considering calling back his son Alphonse from Sicily. From Dynamis’ point of view, our family is on the verge of a civil war and with the loss of the Bliss Factory, this could be a golden opportunity to decisively end us. Tensions are at an all-time high.”

“Enough for the two organizations to go to war?”

“I will try to prevent a confrontation.” The keyword being try. “But you should send me the updated mind scans as soon as you can.”

He would. The duo had wisely made a brainmap of Livia before the Augusti dinner, so something could be salvaged in case the loop went wrong. “What about Lucky Girl and her younger sister?” Ryan asked.

Livia let out a sigh. “Dad has Fortuna and Narcinia under close surveillance, but they will get off lightly. They… they are shaken, obviously.”

No kidding. Felix himself had spent the whole trip brooding in his cabin, still trying to process the fact that his own parents had tried to murder him. “That was your plan?” Ryan asked. “That they see their own parents try to murder Felix, and that we carry this awful memory through time?”

“I cannot make plans around you, Ryan, which is part of your charm.” Livia chuckled to herself, but there was no joy in it, only sadness. “I can make previsions and try to adapt to your actions. I wanted to save Felix’s life first and foremost. Everything else...”

Livia took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s… it’s hard, Ryan. Children don’t often see their parents’ dark side. Or rather, we don’t want to see them, until we have no choice. It took me time to understand what my father was. Narcinia and Fortuna… they needed to see it too. For us to achieve a perfect ending.”

“Yeah, I think so too.” Ryan chuckled. “I suppose Shroudy can expect a surprise wedding when he meets his lucky charm again?“

Livia chuckled on the other end of the line. “After he helped save her brother, it’s almost a certainty.”

The courier wondered how Mathias would feel about this, but something else occupied his mind. “What about Jamie? Ki-jung?”

Livia’s heavy silence was an answer in itself.

Ryan’s hand tensed on Eugène-Henry’s back, as the awful truth dawned on him. “They’re dead.”

“When you escaped on the open sea, my aunt…” Livia’s voice broke. “Zanbato and Chitter tried to flee the city alongside Sphere, but my aunt already had them marked. Since you and Felix had escaped into the open sea beyond her power’s reach, she went after them instead. They… they tried to fight back, but…”

But it wasn’t enough. Not against Pluto. Unless one was a Yellow Genome or wielded an ability that violated causality like Ryan’s, her power killed with certainty.

Jamie and Ki-jung had betrayed the Augusti. Though he would bring them back with the next loop, the news filled Ryan with sadness. These two knew their lives were forfeit the moment they helped Felix, but they still put friendship and conscience over their organization.

tell Felix,” Livia pleaded.

Ryan

she replied, “but not now.

do about her? She has almost as much blood on her hands as

Elixirs give people their dearest wish, and Pluto’s got the power to control death. That spoke volume about her

his girlfriend replied. “My aunt is my father’s sister, and she will always push for violent solutions. I don’t

his time in New Rome. “Should we expect another battle? Because

asked, though she didn’t sound surprised. “I guess it makes sense. Uncle Silvio wants to go legit and isn’t looking to cause trouble. Dad sent him to destroy Len’s underwater facility, but

had said she would, she had the habitats disconnect and follow the submarine like a school of fish. She kept them buried deep below the waves though, to prevent the Psychos imprisoned within

a fit about the lack of cure, but seeing Mosquito turned back into a human had given her something stronger than doubt: hope. She finally saw that

they found in Antarctica would help her recover her memories. He missed his

my help or Vulcan’s, and he doesn’t trust either of us anymore. Not fully.” Livia sighed. “I

a shocking move?” Ryan asked, worried for

waited a few seconds before answering. “Yes,

the slight inflection in her tone. “Are you jealous, Miss Augusti?” he

get me wrong, I know you will not cheat on me or anything, but… you and

something always remains.” For better or worse. “You have the same

so.” A short pause followed, as Livia tried to find her words. “Don’t get killed in Antarctica, Ryan. I can’t see what awaits you there, and that makes

smile. “I won’t let you

want to,” she replied, which warmed his heart. “When you come back from your trip, I will tell you something. Something really important that

“Can’t you tell

coyly. “I

call me again?” Because like all good things, that moment would end

long while,”

sure everything will

Livia’s voice turned warm and loving. “Come back soon, Ryan. I want you at my

him all the more determined to go back to her. “Me too, Livia,” he said.

you soon, my prince

ended, leaving Ryan alone with his thoughts, a cat, and an invisible peep. “You are courting death, Translucent,” the courier said, as the submarine finally found a stone beach close to the

old habits die hard,” Shroud replied before dropping his invisibility. “Still, if you don’t want

clowns in the corners.” The submarine’s cabins were comfortable, but

you don't get excellent phone reception in a cabin twenty leagues under the sea.” Shroud crossed

up at the vigilante with astonished eyes. “Impostor! Impostor!” He pointed an accusing finger at

prove me wrong, I change my mind,” he replied with a shrug. “She is not

changed your mind about another girl too?” Ryan asked

at the fireball above Monaco. “Fortuna is a better person than I thought,” he admitted. Watching her stand up to Mars to save her brother seemed to have the same effect on Mathias as it did on Ryan. “Even if I do not keep my memories,

That was the plan.

had taught Ryan something very important; namely, that Lightning Butt would jump at any excuse to have Felix executed. For the courier to minimize casualties, he needed to take down the superpowered mob boss’

his Perfect Run would be

caught the locals’ attention. A military jeep drove on

built like Mr. Universe. While forced to use scavenged American football pads in Monaco, the soldier had upgraded his equipment to a pre-Last Easter military suit, including a reinforced vest, night goggles, a helmet, and a host of pistols, grenades, and other weapons. He still

said while stepping down from his car. “Nom de Dieu,

to conquer France!” Ryan replied as he rose from his seat, carrying Eugène-Henry in

decade of practice on clowns had made the old man a terrifying shot.

messing with any France here, P’tit Rital. You’re messing

I have French ancestry too,” Shroud said with a joking

twice the battles than it had lost. The courier leapt from the submarine’s

replied, before lowering his weapon. Instead of slaying Ryan where he stood, he kindly patted him on the back. “Good to see you again, friend. Time

Yet Monaco had a special place in his heart. For all its horrors, the place and the people the courier met within made him the man he was

is this, some kind of windshield ad?” Simon asked, as Shroud landed on the

the man underneath. “Never

fellow Frenchman?” Simon’s voice softened up, clearly happy to meet with a lost countryman. “You’re welcome to settle here, if you wish. We need people to man my fence and keep people out. Got some help from a fiery Genome, but he

the fence outside Monaco, and at the fiery figure overseeing the area from above. He wouldn’t risk anything as long as he didn’t touch the ground, but... “Any

to climb up the fence.” Simon snickered. “Nobody succeeded on my watch, but I’m tempted to let them. I mean, if they still insist on going to that cursed place after all the warnings, then it’s just

of the submarine behind

with the coast.” Simon glanced at Ryan. “Martine is in the running for

job,” Ryan said. That woman, though lacking powers, had managed to keep the Suitestown community functioning while they were