The Perfect Run

Chapter 21

All was well so far on the Augusti Path.

Ryan had met Zanbato as expected, beat up Sarin at the harbor, and now repeated the exact same conversation which would lead him to crash at Jamie’s house. All was well and good, to the sound of crashing waves against the piers...

“I have to be sure about something,” Luigi asked the courier. “Are you a snitch or a double agent?”

“Well, I’m not really on anyone’s side,” Ryan replied, but then his mouth acted on its own, “But I’m a Carnival infiltrator, yes.”

… or not.

Everyone present turned to look at him, a tense silence settling in. The grunts raised their weapons, while Zanbato’s face turned from shocked, to disappointed, and finally, to furious.

“Uh oh.”

Okay, two lessons learned.

One, Ryan hated truth-tellers. Hated them, with a passion.

Two, Zanbato could make sashimi out of people with his laser sword. Ryan wouldn’t look at sushi the same way ever again.

But this time… this time, it would be different. The courier had rehearsed the perfect misleading answers. Luigi's power compelled Ryan to say the truth, but only according to the teller’s exact words.

“I have to be sure about something,” Luigi asked him again. “Are you a snitch or a double agent?”

“I can’t snitch on a group I haven’t officially joined yet, and I am not a double agent.” Technically, he was a triple one.

“Are you a mole?”

“Of course I’m not a mole, I’m human.”

There! Saved! He did it, he did it!

“Okay, I should work on my wording,” Luigi sighed but didn’t give up. “Are you, or do you intend, to relay information about us to another organization?”

“Well, yes, I intend to. Hell, I already did!”

Goddammit!

Okay.

Okay, third time's the charm.

Through timing and intelligence, Ryan had skillfully navigated through the chain of causality to avoid the fated question. He had put on the charm, befriended everyone, distracted the grunts with funny anecdotes. Now, the courier and Zanbato prepared to return to the Plymouth Fury, and go eat some delicious pizzas.

“Hey, Quicksave,” Luigi asked, as they took a few steps towards the car. “Before you go, there are a few questions I must ask every new recruit.”

“Luigi, seriously, please, don’t do it,” Ryan replied, his eyes pleading. “For your sake, don’t say this. It won’t end well, I swear it won’t—”

“Sorry, protocol. Are you a snitch?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Yes, I am! Is that what you want me to say, Luigi? Is that what you want me to say?”

Quicksave breathed deeply, fighting off his rising frustration.

“Luigi,” Ryan pointed a finger at the truth-teller, as everyone raised their weapons at the courier's face. “We’re going to have a problem, you and I.”

“Where’s Luigi?” Zanbato asked Grunt 1 when the truth-teller failed to show up at the harbor, leaving only the henchmen to deal with the operation. “Wasn’t he supposed to take care of the shipment?”

“Sorry, he was attacked yesterday night,” Gruntie said, carrying Luigi’s cell phone. Apparently, he would have to fill in for the Made Man. “He’s at the hospital right now, and he’ll be out of commission for a while.”

“What?” The news shocked Jamie, who clearly hadn’t been informed. “By whom?”

a hockey mask and stick,

a very dangerous sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at the sea.

home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows, breaks his jaw with a hockey stick, beats him up for a

Jamie almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

Grunt 1

to witnesses,” Gruntie

homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was

arms. “But then how did

hockey equipment than Luigi’s address.

should crash at my place for

don’t say,” Ryan

Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went

sense of timing guide him forward. The auto-pilot wasn’t really a sub-power, simply a state his conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same events over and over again. It was no different than daydreaming while repeating a mind-numbing

after a while, always reacting the same

would drive

perfect ending and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn right

beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting

back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially

factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s orphanage, intact,

taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises, good or

with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon meeting him, and

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

didn’t expect that answer.

of it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious to confused. “Who are

it?” her bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan.

Pluto said. “But

...

her power somehow mark

the

your

space, putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked

if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain

infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your powers interfere with each

his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is

asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your real

I’m Ryan!” he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension.

but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid,

that wasn’t a threat.

Ryan didn’t follow her order, he would

bodyguard in complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke the ice. “So,

breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck did

didn’t I do?!” Ryan replied, just

is serious, Quicksave,” Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and

suggest you follow her lead without question,” Ki-jung said, her face

she even here?”

the clean-up since she’s been itching to test her new weapons in the field, and Pluto loaned her the Killer Seven hit squad. I say it’s

with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own house… if you can’t feel

Meta who did that though?” Lanka asked, skeptical. “I mean, it was just a guy with a hockey cross. It if was a Meta, there

junkie they paid off,” Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would make sense for them to outsource their

the sequence of events. It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one

Pluto’s newfound interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and

he made progress, a new

to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than that. And if they

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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