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?”

with a hockey mask and stick, from what

dangerous sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking at the sea. “I don’t recommend

Luigi returned home late for a party, you know, perfectly normal, he starts opening his 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 while, and

chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it a

Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe it was

witnesses,” Gruntie said. “At least from what

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

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

actually took Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than

hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at

don’t say,” Ryan

invited him home, they played poker, went to Vulcan’s factory,

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 way to the exact same things; they forgot him and

repetition would

was necessary suffering to reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally end.

snapped him back to

looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially when his power

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,

taken care of. Children

Thanks for the tip.

for such surprises,

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

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

he didn’t expect that answer.

Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious

Lanka stood still next

said. “But I don’t

...

power somehow mark him across

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

your new

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,”

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

Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out.

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

with mock reverence, alleviating the tension. “Ryan Romano.

forever,” she replied coldly. “I’ve got places to be right now, but I will call you

threatened him… No, wait, that wasn’t a

her order, he would die. The

were out of sight. Nobody dared to speak

Lanka said, letting out a breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what

do?!” Ryan replied, just as

Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister

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

here?” Lanka

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

poor Luigi,” Ki-jung said with a frown. “To attack him in front of his own house… if you can’t feel safe

“I mean, it was just a guy with a hockey cross. It if was a Meta, there should have

Jamie replied. “The Meta-Gang isn’t a big group. It would make sense for them to

targeting

in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission,

time he made progress,

along until Vulcan told him how to contact or reach Len. He didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than that. And if they tried to force him into one fetch

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

Comments ()

0/255