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.”

submarine?" Narcinia immediately asked, unable to resist the

submarine with Mechron’s

with her smoke, a frown forming on her face. “Well, that doesn’t

the feeling the situation is more complicated than it looks.” Vulcan sipped her beer while glancing

Ryan’s mind, but he was wary of involving her now. She was probably busy with all the orphans, no need to add more pressure

the modest loudspeaker into a weapon of mass

for his drink, Ryan cleared his

his voice reverberating through

type. They

they last?” Vulcan asked Lanka, more people started taking over the dance floor while the music switched to a

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

“I help Father

asked, immediately interested. “Are you

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

been my dream. If you need a drug

asked, finishing

trying every addictive substance on the planet except Elixirs, and when he ran out, he learned how to create his own

to abandon that childhood dream, Ryan.” Vulcan brazenly put an arm

replied while brazenly putting his hand around her waist. Lanka looked at him as if expecting the courier to lose that arm very

Vulcan replied, without pushing

work

eager to meet Ryan again. “Father Torque says the equipment needs an

know jack shit about tech,” Vulcan replied, her amusement turning into frustration. “Besides, you’ve got a freaking

he can’t be everywhere at once, and that

asked Vulcan, doing his best impersonation of a

Vulcan rolled her eyes, before glancing at

amazing, then I’m

boast to the test, shall

every dance under the sun,

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

unpleasant sensation of someone watching him from afar. A quick glance

started asking questions

mysterious woman’s attention though. It must have been his

“Fuck off!”

during the party by the shirt, and looked ready to murder him. The guest carried a broken inhaler in his hands, full

idiot had ignored Jamie’s rules and

She seemed paralyzed and unable to say anything; a former

liquid or gas form, and it was powerful enough to affect Genomes. It was also incredibly addictive, which Ryan could personally attest. He could never finish a run after trying it, and while he had only ever found one way to cure the addiction, it

mention the hidden, long-term

tall brawler built like a bear. While he hadn’t manifested any laser weapons from his hands, the scowl of black fury

Ryan had only ever seen him this angry when Luigi had exposed his infiltration in some

“But—”

before throwing the Genomes backward, his tone turning

other guests, and moved towards the door with a cowed face and his inhaler. “It’s okay?” Jamie immediately asked his girlfriend, his frightful face softening back into a

although she clearly didn’t

manner and then turned to Ryan when he and Vulcan approached the couple. “Sorry for the mess,”

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

then back at Ryan. “I think we will retire early. Can you and Lanka take care of the

“Sure,” the courier said.

do

will not start

noted but had more pressing matters on

upstairs, leaving the ground and main room to the guests. “I didn’t know Chitter was a recovering addict,” Vulcan noted, showing surprising insight. “I’m glad I never took

high on your own

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

duo before they could return to the dance floor. “Quicksave.” The bodyguard cleared

her tone

don’t know,” Sparrow replied. “But

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