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?”

mask and stick, from what I

Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at the

his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th

Jamie almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was

even take his money,” Grunt 1 replied.

uh, passionate according to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from what

sleeps around a lot, a real homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend? It had to happen

could be the Meta.” Zanbato crossed his arms. “But then how did they learn where

more time to find the hockey equipment than Luigi’s address. Nobody played

you’re staying at a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my

say,” Ryan

as predicted. Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and Ryan saved the

his 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

causality. With a few exceptions, he constantly lived through an endless theater rehearsal. People held no mystery to him after a while, always reacting the same way to the exact same things; they forgot him and relearned the same information, over, and over again. They became machines, and Ryan

would

it would finally end. Everything would turn right when Ryan

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping

defeated on

Psyshock taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises, good

repeat until he met

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

to repeat

“Have we met before?”

he didn’t

it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning

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

“But

...

Did her power somehow mark him across

something wrong, boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully backing Ryan up

your

prepared to joke when Jamie invaded his personal space, putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but said out loud. “Quicksave,” Zanbato

his soul. The courier couldn’t explain

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

looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made

your name, Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your

he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal,

got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play

No, wait, that wasn’t a threat.

didn’t follow her order, he

were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at

of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the

didn’t I do?!” Ryan replied, just as confused. “Or would

Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is not a good

her face

is she even here?” Lanka asked her

command of 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 finally time

“To attack him in front of his own house… if

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

unpowered junkie they paid off,” Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would

appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to divert their

in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could identify him even after

he made

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

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

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