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,

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

then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows, breaks his jaw

“Why Luigi? Was it a

money,” Grunt

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

sleeps around a lot, a real homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous

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

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

at a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the night, just in case. The city isn’t safe

don’t say,” Ryan

Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went

conscious mind entered when he couldn’t be bothered to live through the same

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 the only human

repetition would drive anyone

suffering to reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

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

while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the

Psyshock taken care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

for such surprises, good

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 the exact same

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

surprised Ryan, as he didn’t expect

Pluto replied, her tone turning from curious to confused.

while Lanka stood still next to Ryan.

said. “But

...

shit! Did her power somehow mark

joined the conversation, carefully backing Ryan up with

is your

personal space, putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but said out loud. “Quicksave,” Zanbato answered Pluto’s question in the

Ryan 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, something weighing on his

female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe

her eyes set on Ryan. The courier whistled and looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd, but he is reliable,” the Made Man said. “He helped us fight off Sarin

asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s

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

lives 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

No, wait, that

follow her order, he would die. The

of sight. Nobody

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

Ryan replied, just as

woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is

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

even here?” Lanka asked her

go to 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 squad. I say it’s finally time we clean up

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

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

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

had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no one to divert their attention, the criminal syndicate had decided to focus entirely on wiping

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

every time he made

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

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

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