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?”

psychopath with a hockey mask and stick, from what

absentmindedly, looking at the sea. “I

and then BAM!

almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

take his money,” Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe

attacker looked really, uh, passionate according to witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from

lot, a real homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend?

his arms. “But

the hockey equipment than Luigi’s

Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the night,

say,” Ryan

they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory, and Ryan saved the

auto-pilot, as he let 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 events over and over

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

would drive

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

cellphone beeping snapped him back to

he snapped back to consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often

checked his phone, while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s orphanage, intact,

Psyshock taken care of.

Thanks for the tip.

for such

repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

preparing to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

didn’t expect that

Pluto replied, her tone turning

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

Pluto said. “But I

...

power

the conversation, carefully backing

is your new

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

with an intense stare, as if trying to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure around him. The air thickened,

female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your

set on Ryan. The courier whistled and looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,”

Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s words. “Your

I’m Ryan!” he replied with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal, but don’t

forever,” she replied coldly. “I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you back soon to clear this up. Play stupid, play smart, run, or say no, and

No, wait, that wasn’t a threat.

didn’t follow her order, he would

of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first,

Lanka said, letting out a breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck did you

just as confused. “Or

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

suggest you follow her lead without question,” Ki-jung said, her face full of concern, “She

she even here?” Lanka asked

hit the Meta-Gang hard,” Jamie replied, his arms crossed. “Vulcan will take 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

frown. “To attack him in front

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

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

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

could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she

time he made progress,

only had to play along until Vulcan told him how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the

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