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

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

you know, perfectly normal, he starts opening his home’s door and then

chortled. “Why Luigi?

his money,” Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe it was

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

Luigi sleeps around a lot, a real homewrecker,” Grunt 2 pointed out,

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

hockey equipment than Luigi’s

right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the night, just in case. The city

say,” Ryan

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

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 again.

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

would drive anyone

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

beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting the flow

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

defeated on the ground. The message involved a photo of Rust Town’s orphanage, intact, and a text

care of. Children are

Thanks for the tip.

lived for such

bodyguard talking with Zanbato, Ryan expected events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

surprised Ryan, as he didn’t expect that answer. “Possibly, I’m

Pluto replied, her tone turning

Pluto, while Lanka stood still next to Ryan. The underboss’ mere attention terrified

said. “But I don’t

...

Did her power somehow

the conversation, carefully backing Ryan up with

is your

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

to peer into his soul. The courier couldn’t explain

female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe

seem convinced, 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

asked Ryan,

with mock reverence, alleviating the

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 you

that wasn’t

follow her order, he

out of sight. Nobody dared to speak up at first, so Ryan broke the ice. “So, who’s up for Chinese?” he

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

just as confused. “Or would

Pluto, Augustus’ sister and underboss. Her interest is

said, her face

she even here?” Lanka asked her

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 the

attack him in front of his own house…

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

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

of events. It appeared Shroud 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

wasn’t sure how Pluto’s newfound interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure out how she could

time he made progress, a new

play 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

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