The Perfect Run

“When is the sound coming?” Lanka asked Ryan for the third time, an elbow on the loudspeaker.

“When you find me another brain,” Ryan replied, tinkering with the device. A few people had already taken over the dance floor, but the house’s equipment couldn’t support a true rave party. Seriously, Ki-jung needed to stop buying Dynamis home products. They were barely a cut above pre-Wars Chinese imports.

Actually, did buying the enemy's products count as collaboration?

“Stop distracting him,” Narcinia told Lanka, defending Ryan with such zeal that he considered making her his sidekick. The Green Genome was busy cultivating strange, phosphorescent mushrooms on the ground. She had promised it would help with the rave, and the courier let her run wild with her imagination.

Quicksave glanced at Mathias, who was talking with Fortuna and other members of the Killer Seven. Half an hour had passed since their conversation, and the house was now filled to the brim with guests.

“So, you’re adopted?” Ryan bluntly asked Narcinia. “Did you ever learn who your birth parents were?”

“Ryan!” Lanka snapped at him.

“They were raiders,” Narcinia replied, almost casually. “Father Torque said they were killers and rapists, and that Augustus punished them because it was divine justice.”

Ryan could have sworn the TV’s screen threatened to crack for a brief second. He glanced up at Mathias, whose smile contrasted with the icy look in his eyes.

“Sorry,” Lanka said, glaring at the courier. Thankfully, the power outburst had been subtle enough for her to miss it. “Blabbermouth has no tact at all.”

“It’s okay!” Narcinia replied with a cute smile. “My real family is the one that raised me. My mom and dad are awesome, and my siblings even more so.”

“I was adopted too, but it sucked,” Ryan said with a shrug. “Well, half of it.”

“Really?” Narcinia’s head perked up in interest, while Lanka listened in silence.

“My parents died when bandits wiped out our community to steal our supplies,” Ryan said. It had been so long ago, it had lost almost all emotional effect. “I was… eleven I think? Maybe twelve. And I turned out great!”

“Ryan.” Lanka’s voice had lost all playfulness. “Did these bandits...”

Ryan glanced at the snake tattoo on her arm, that of her former gang. “You weren’t among them and they’re all dead,” the courier replied with a shrug. “I’m over it.”

Lanka fell silent with a thoughtful look on her face, while Narcinia looked between them in confusion. Thankfully, a newcomer interrupted them before the mood turned even more awkward.

Ryan almost didn’t recognize Vulcan at first sight, because the Genius had cleaned herself up; she had traded her usual clothes for a black halter-top and pants, and let her hair fall down on her shoulders. While she was no head-turning beauty, the Augusti Capo looked great.

He really had a thing for Geniuses shorter than him.

“Ceres, Sphere.” Vulcan smirked upon seeing the courier. “Ryan.”

“Hey, my favorite arms dealer,” Ryan rejoiced, raising a screwdriver. “Your arrival is just perfect.”

“Always,” she replied, a hand on her waist. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Do you have anything to boost the sound?” Ryan asked. “I’m trying to jury-rig the loudspeakers, but I need more juice.”

“Now you’re talking my language,” Vulcan said, searching inside her pocket and tossing him some kind of mouse-sized battery. “It’s a mini-generator.”

“Why do you carry that in your pocket?” Lanka asked, an eyebrow raised.

“‘Cause my phone has less autonomy than a sloth,” the Genius replied with a shrug, before grabbing a beer can from Lanka’s personal reserve. “It’s been an exhausting day.”

“Did you kill the Meta?” Narcinia asked before Ryan could.

“Almost, but Dynamis got to them first. Fucking kill stealers.”

“What, they tried to buy them off?” Lanka snickered.

“With bullets and lasers,” Vulcan replied. “They sent three armored squadrons, plus heavy hitters like Devilry and that bitch Wyvern. Those vultures fell on the Meta and opened fire on sight.”

Oh, was there gas in their alliance? “Well, I guess it was time to clean up loose ends,” Ryan said.

“Adam didn’t look surprised. He sacrificed a few men, but he managed to escape on a goddamn submarine.”

to resist the lure

with Mechron’s emblem

the playful mood. Lanka toyed with her smoke, a frown forming on her

Vulcan sipped her beer while glancing at Ryan. “I

calling Len had crossed Ryan’s mind, but he was wary of involving her now.

turning the modest loudspeaker into a weapon of mass destruction. As if to answer his success, Narcinia’s mushrooms unleashed a faint colored mist onto the dance

his

the courier shouted while raising his glass, his voice reverberating through the loudspeaker. “With great power, comes ZERO

Lanka created multiple colored spheres above the dance floor, one for each Elixir type. They floated near the ceiling and

long do they last?” Vulcan asked Lanka, more people started taking over the dance floor while the music

an hour if nobody touches them,” Lanka said, before turning to Narcinia. “Nice

the teenager replied. “I help Father Torque open the

Ryan asked, immediately

faltered a bit. “Sorry Ryan, I’m not supposed to say

saying, I’ve always wanted to sell drugs for a living,” Ryan declared, pumping his fist. “Building a South American cartel has always been my dream. If you need a drug wizard, I know all the good recipes. Meth, cocaine, heroin, opium, doesn’t

asked, finishing her sixth cancer stick.

on the planet except Elixirs, and when he ran out, he learned how to create his own supply. His drug cartel phase had been quite enjoyable

Ryan.” Vulcan brazenly put an arm

her waist. Lanka looked

as you are,” Vulcan replied, without pushing his hand away. “So it’s 'til

about work or something else?” Lanka

Narcinia said, clearly eager to meet Ryan again. “Father Torque says the equipment needs an

tech,” Vulcan replied, her amusement turning into frustration. “Besides, you’ve got a freaking ghost guarding

can’t be everywhere at once, and that he may ascend to

please?” Ryan asked Vulcan, doing his best impersonation

rolled her eyes, before glancing at

amazing, then I’m

boast to

It quickly became apparent that Vulcan didn’t have much experience, but Ryan had mastered every dance under the sun, so he guided them

you aren’t good at?” Vulcan asked Ryan. He could feel her sweat on his fingers, her

response, and Ryan may have smiled, if not for the unpleasant sensation of someone watching him

from the bar, her gaze first one of surprise, then confusion. She started asking questions to Sparrow nearby, and while Ryan could read

did capture the mysterious woman’s attention though. It

“Fuck off!”

Vulcan interrupted their wild dancing when they heard Jamie’s voice cut through the noise. The swordsman had grabbed a fire-manipulator whom Ryan had sighted earlier during the party by the shirt, and looked

had ignored Jamie’s rules and brought Bliss to the party. And

paralyzed

personally attest. He could never finish a run after trying it, and while he had only ever found one way to cure

the hidden,

While he hadn’t manifested any laser weapons from his

Ryan had only ever seen him this angry when Luigi had exposed

“But—”

Jamie snarled before throwing the Genomes backward, his tone turning venomous.

looked around, surrounded by glares from other guests, and moved towards the door with a cowed face and his inhaler. “It’s

Ki-jung said, although she clearly didn’t mean it.

hands around her waist in a protective manner and then turned to Ryan when he and Vulcan approached the couple.

your rules,” Vulcan replied, glancing at the house’s entrance. “I’ll discipline

“I think we will retire early. Can

“Sure,” the courier said.

I trust you not to do anything stupid?” Jamie

start any fires under

pressing matters on his mind. “Don’t burn

his back with the other. Jamie and Ki-jung moved upstairs, leaving the ground and

high on your own supply,”

surprised face. “I watch movies too. Maybe I’ll show you a few,

return to the dance floor. “Quicksave.” The bodyguard cleared her throat.

Vulcan asked, her tone shifting

“But

clearly wasn’t happy about it, she didn’t seem willing to deny the request either. That Livia clearly had sway in the organization,