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, from

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

opening his home’s door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out of the shadows, breaks his jaw

almost chortled. “Why Luigi?

maniac didn’t even take his money,” Grunt 1

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

pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous

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

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

should crash at my place for the night,

say,” Ryan

they played poker, went to Vulcan’s

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

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

would

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

beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

consciousness. Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially when his power noticed an alteration in his personal

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, and a

care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

for such

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.

Ryan answered, preparing to repeat the same

“Have we met before?”

he didn’t expect that

of it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her

is it?” her bodyguard asked Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’ mere

Pluto said. “But

...

shit! Did her power somehow mark

wrong, boss?” Jamie joined the conversation, carefully

is your new recruit,

putting a hand on his shoulder. You speak to her when talked to, he all but

into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain

would have noticed a memory alteration or infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard

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

Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely

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

now, but I will call you back soon to clear

threatened him… No, wait, that wasn’t a threat. That was a

her order,

and his group watched the underboss leave with her bodyguard in complete silence until they were out of sight. Nobody dared

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

Ryan replied, just

Jamie said. “That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is

said, her face full of concern, “She can kill with

is she even here?” Lanka asked her

crossed. “Vulcan will take command of the clean-up since she’s been itching to

a frown. “To attack him in front of his

that though?” Lanka asked, skeptical. “I mean, it was just a

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

sequence of events. It appeared Shroud had followed through with his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with

entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could identify him even after

he made progress, a new

didn’t have to stay with the Augusti longer than that. And if they tried to force him into one fetch quest after

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

Comments ()

0/255