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?”

hockey mask and stick,

dangerous sport, hockey,” Ryan said absentmindedly, looking

door and then BAM! Some Friday the 13th crazy jumps out

Jamie almost chortled. “Why Luigi? Was it

even take his money,” Grunt 1 replied. “Maybe it was a hate

attacker looked really, uh, passionate according to witnesses,”

Grunt 2 pointed out, “Maybe it was a jealous boyfriend?

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

Ryan more time to find the hockey equipment than Luigi’s

at a hotel right?” Jamie asked Ryan. “I think you should crash at my place for the

don’t say,”

as predicted. Jamie invited him home, they played poker, went to

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 repeating

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 over again.

repetition would

to reach the perfect ending and soon, it would finally end. Everything would turn right when Ryan

cellphone beeping snapped him back to reality, interrupting

Extensive looping and repetition often eroded the Genome's perception of reality, especially

phone, while Lanka had already left for Vulcan’s factory, the laying defeated on the ground. The message involved

Psyshock taken care of. Children

Thanks for the tip.

such surprises, good

events to repeat until he met Vulcan. The Augusti’s underboss froze the exact same way upon meeting him, and said the exact

“You,” Pluto asked Quicksave.

answered, preparing to repeat

“Have we met before?”

as he didn’t expect

it, we already met,” Pluto replied, her tone turning

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

“But I don’t

...

Did her power somehow mark him

the conversation, carefully backing

is your new

prepared to joke when 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,” Zanbato answered Pluto’s

soul. The courier couldn’t explain why, but he felt a growing pressure around him.

alteration or infohazard,” Pluto’s female bodyguard pointed out. “Maybe your

looked away innocently, while Zanbato came to his defense. “Quicksave may be odd,

name, Quicksave?” she asked Ryan, completely dismissing Zanbato’s

the tension. “Ryan Romano. I’m immortal,

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

didn’t follow her order,

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

breath of relief. “Blabbermouth, what the fuck

Ryan replied, just as confused. “Or would you prefer

“That woman is Pluto, Augustus’ sister

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

is she 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

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

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

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

his promise and stopped targeting the Augusti with assassinations. With no

interest in him would play out though. It could threaten his entire infiltration mission, and he had to figure

made progress, a new problem

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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