The Perfect Run

It had been two loops since Ryan last met Vulcan in the flesh. The sight of her
mech descending from above filled him with nostalgia, and longing.
Ryan stood in front of the bunker’s entrance, as Vulcan landed her vehicle atop a
pile of trash. She climbed out of her metal suit, stood atop it like a pintsized
conqueror, and smirked. “I love what you've done with the place,” she told Ryan,
after giving a cursory glance at the Junkyard.
Mechron’s mech guarded the entrance while surrounded by burning helicopters;
all of them bearing Dynamis’ logo. And yet, Ryan didn’t pay much attention to
them. He only had eyes for this fierce woman, who once saved him from Hannifat
Lecter at this very spot. His heart had beat for her then, and it still did so today.
“What's wrong?" Vulcan asked, amused. “Have you fallen for me at first sight?”
“Even if I disappear...” she had said, all but pleading. “Promise you won't forget
me.”
It hurt just like the first day.
“Something like that,” the courier lied, before making a mock reverence to hide
his saddened gaze. “Welcome to my humble abode, Miss Sharif. You didn’t have
any problem bypassing the blockade?”
“I designed Dynamis’ anti-aerial weapons.” Vulcan shrugged, as she climbed
down from her mech to join him. “They're far too slow for me. So are your
defenses, for that matter.”
“Try me!” Vulcan's head snapped at Mechron’s scorpion mech, as a cheerful
voice came out of it. “Fastest toaster in the west!"
Vulcan studied the mech with renewed interest. “I thought Mechron made sure
his slave Als couldn't talk back?”
“We uploaded a new personality matrix worthy of this mighty machine,” Ryan
explained, tapping one of the mech’s legs. “One perfect for the job.”
“I'm a toaster, I burn stuff,” the mech replied. “I'm pretty one-dimensional in what I
want.”
It was the best kind of minion. The one that loved its dirty work.
With the Land dealing with any intruders on the ground with quakes, and Toasty
bombarding any flyer, the Private Security's haphazardous attempts at raiding
Rust Town had failed miserably. Eventually, they simply decided to besiege the
district. A ring of tanks and soldiers prevented anyone from moving in or out, and
warships blockaded the harbor; in theory, nothing short of a teleporter would
allow the Meta-Gang to escape.
A pity Dynamis didn’t know about the bunker’s underwater access. Ryan had
carefully edited it out of the plans he sent to Nora, in case she connected the
dots. Dynamis would devote all its resources to besieging Rust Town, leaving
their HQ vulnerable to a sneak attack.
The fear of Ryan's A-bombs would keep the megacorporation from attempting
anything drastic, but only for a short while. Eventually, they would figure out a
way to neutralize his weaponry, but by then it would be too late.
“Still, I'm surprised you showed up,” Ryan admitted, as he invited Vulcan inside
the bunker. “Associating with us won't be good for your reputation.”
“A deal is a deal,” the Genius replied with a smirk. “And a man humiliating that
bitch Wyvern in front of the entire city is a man after my own heart.”
“If 1 don’t make it, go to Laura. Because she’s so fucking perfect!”
And it took New Rome's destruction for them to bury the hatchet.
“Perhaps I can make the deal even sweeter?” Ryan raised his hat, and drew an
A-bomb from it.
Vulcan raised an eyebrow at the courier, but accepted the gift gracefully. The
happy face she made whenever he offered her this bomb delighted Ryan. “Are
you trying to bribe me?”
“Yes,” the president replied, knowing she would love it. “Is it working?”
“I dunno,” she answered with a laugh, playing with the beautiful metal ball. “Mine
are bigger than yours.”
“You haven't seen my full arsenal,” Ryan replied, unable to resist. “I polish it
every day.”
Vulcan smirked coyly. “I only believe what I see.”
Damn it.
Ryan could tell that if he put on the charm, Vulcan would fall for him again. They
shared a natural, playful chemistry, the same love of big bombs and innuendos.
Holding her in his arms and kissing her would feel like going home to his wife,
after a long trip. It would feel just right.
“Don't replace me with another Jasmine.”
And yet, Ryan had made a promise to Jasmine, his Jasmine, and would abide by
her wish. Even if no one would hold the courier responsible if he broke his
promise... he respected his old girlfriend enough not to betray her last request.
If only he had completed the brain-transfer machine before... before that cursed
loop.
“Make sure this disaster never happens again, okay? Kill that fatass.”
At least he followed through with that promise.
Ryan led his ex-girlfriend down into the corridors overseeing the bunker's
hangars. Vulcan stopped at the repaired glass windows, observing the submarine
and the tech gathered here. “A full Mechron base, right below our feet,” she
whistled, as Ryan gave her a tour of the facility. “You really hit the jackpot.”
“We even have a matter replicator,” Ryan pitched her the benefits of her new
workplace. “You just put in the design and the necessary material, and bam!
Instant weapon!”
“And what weapon do you want from me exactly?” she asked, putting a hand on
her waist. “Because I doubt you contacted me to build a teddy bear.”
“You underestimate their power. They lure you into a false sense of security, and
then they hug you into submission.”
“Is that your plan to take over the city? Trade the nuclear bombs for teddy
bears?”
Ryan had to keep her away while she worked, or he wouldn't resist. The more
Vulcan spoke, the more her wit pulled him in. “Well, if you want to know, we've
figured out how Mechron enhanced his henchmen'’s powers.”
Alchemo had finally overcome most of the mainframe’s remaining firewalls, giving
the group access to Mechron’s key files. This immediately caught Vulcan's full
interest. “Go on,” she asked.
“I'll share the data, but long story short, Mechron found ways to streamline the
Flux energy a Genome radiates with biomechanical implants. The underlying
theory is the same as with your power armors.”
Much like Dynamis’, Mechron’s Knockoffs were synthetic lifeforms mimicking the
properties of genuine Elixirs. Though they weren't sentient unlike Darkling or
genuine Elixirs, they could modify genes based on data gathered from true
Genomes.
However, the mad Genius had gone a step farther than the Manadas. Though
they lacked an innate connection to the color dimensions, his Knockoffs could
create microscopic portals to them with sufficient mechanical support. By
channeling the Flux energy it generated and using data gathered from an existing
Genome, Mechron’s machines could crudely imitate the template’s power.
The telekinetic mech Ryan fought in the bunker was only one example. By the
end of his life, Mechron had started experimenting with biomechanical warbeasts
capable of great destruction. His artificial Elixirs needed a lot more technical
support to function than the originals... but they worked.
Ryan shuddered at what Mechron could have achieved, had the madman lived a
few more years. If he had perfected his Elixirs and outfitted his robots with
superpowers, he would have become unstoppable.
Still, these Knockoffs were pale imitations of true Elixirs, and far less efficient. So
Mechrons’ Als had gone further, which led to Darkling.
“You want me to create a suit of power armor,” Vulcan guessed, grinning with
excitement. “Something that can supercharge your power.”
“Yes, with a cashmere poncho over it.” By combining data from both sources and
the bunker’s advanced technology, Ryan knew his favored spitfire could create a
magnum opus. The design would also incorporate Len’s signal tech, hopefully
allowing the courier to send multiple people back in time.
However, he would need Len’s help for it, and his best friend still refused to leave
her room.
“Up for it?” Ryan asked, once they reached the recreation area. Sarin, Acid Rain,
Mosquito, and a few others had gathered in front of a TV post put on the bar
counter, watching the news.
“Like the day I was born.”
“Do or don't. There is no try.”
Those had been Jasmine’s last words, and they summed her up perfectly. She
always gave it her all.
“Hey, Boss!” Sarin called him. “They're going to talk about us!”
“Finally!” Ryan rejoiced, as he and Vulcan approached the TV screen. Obviously,
Hector Manada denied everything and tried a silent campaign, enforcing a
newsban to cover up Ryan's revelations. But the damage had been done, and
people talked.
It seemed that Dynamis had finally decided to address the elephant in the room
through a press conference. Il Migliore’s full line-up had gathered at the
Optimates Tower's entrance, accompanied by Enrique “Blackthorn* Manada and
PR specialists. Of course, Wardrobe always dressed chic, a pillar of culture
among fashion disasters. Felix's claw marks had healed, but he didn’t bother to
hide his frustration. As for Wyvern, her face was utterly blank and lifeless.
Ryan glanced at the news ticker, each information worse than the last.
“Unexplained explosions continue, children still missing after daycare attack; the
Private Security refused to comme—'
The plushies kept causing more incidents across town. Tensions were at an all-
time high, Dynamis was stretched thin, and people demanded answers.
Vulcan snickered, as Blackthorn invited Wyvern to take place on a stage and
face an army of journalists. “More dog than dragon.”
“She isn’t corrupt,” Ryan said, “just naive.”
Vulcan frowned at him in response. “Who told you that crap?”
Jasmine.
Which only highlighted how much she had changed as a person by the end.
Jasmine had been willing to give up her grudge, but Vulcan wouldn't move on by
herself. Not without help.
Ryan listened silently as Wyvern addressed the crowd and all of New Rome. She
of course condemned the Meta-Gang's “terrorist threat’, promised retribution she
couldn't deliver, said everything was under control, blahblahblah...
“Many of you have wondered if the images shown on this so-called Mr.
President's video were genuine,” Wyvern said, her expression stoic and
professional. “Or if his accusations about the dangers of Knockoff Elixirs were
founded.”
The courier braced himself for impact.
“They are.”
The audience exploded into gasps, shock spread across the Il Migliore team, and
the PR assistants looked at Wyvern as if she had lost her mind. Clearly, her
outburst was entirely unscripted. Even Vulcan opened her mouth in surprise,
astonished that her former ally would dare defy her employers.
Enrique Manada remained as still as a statue, and made no move to interrupt the
superhero’s revelations. Perhaps he had wanted to say such things for a long
time, but never had the courage to.
Felix’s reaction wasn't so restrained though. The young kitten simply walked
away from the press conference, and from Dynamis.
“I have checked,” Wyvern continued, her face twisting in anger and bitterness. “I
cannot stay silent about this, nor remain with an organization capable of
something so terrible. As such... I am permanently stepping down from my
position as Il Migliore’s leader, though I will continue to cooperate with them
against the Met—"
The declaration was met with an explosion of questions from the reporters, and a
wide grin from Vulcan.
More modest, Ryan simply joined his hands.
“All according to keikaku.”
After Alchemo fully took over the bunker, he had set the robots to maintenance
duties and tasked them to repair the place. The Genome research lab where
Ryan had fought Mechron’s spider mech was no different. Though the machines
hadn't yet filled the ceiling hole created by Darkling, they cleaned up the floor and
repaired broken vats.
When he entered the room, Ryan found Livia sitting on the same kind of robotic
chair which Adam used to restrain him. The Augusti princess had removed her
helmet, and grinded her teeth together as a mechanical arm gathered a few
drops of blood from her left arm. Braindead had connected to a large computer
system linked to the chair, observing the data on a screen.
“You're alright, princess?” Ryan asked Livia, worried for her well-being. He could
tell from experience that Alchemo had no problem roughing up his patients.
“I hope I will not regret it,” Livia said, covering her naked arm with her sleeve
once the machine was done. “This information could cause great harm in the
wrong hands.”
Ryan could see her point. Augustus had become the warlord of Italy by virtue of
having two powerful abilities with no side-effects. A cure for the Psycho syndrome
would potentially allow anyone to do the same, causing an arms’ race. “Even you
must be curious about your special status,” the courier pointed out.
“A bit,” she admitted with a smile. “My father said we had been chosen by fate,
but... I've always been skeptical.”
“Well, well, well,” Alchemo said, as results appeared on the screen. “How
interesting.”
“Done bloodsucking young women?” Ryan asked, as he offered Livia his arm.
The precog responded with a charmed smile, as she accepted his help with
aristocratic grace. She didn't let it go even once she had risen up from her seat.
“People will talk.”
“As if I cared what the meat said! Now stop barking, and look. We will make
history today.”
The courier and Livia obliged, looking at the screen. A woman's bio-scan
appeared, representing the skeleton and major organs; spots of orange and
violet colors flared all over the body, like oil and water pushing against one
another.
“This shows Helen's results?” Ryan asked, Acid Rain having served as the first
test subject.
“Indeed,” Alchemo confirmed. “Each of her Elixirs rewrote around fifty percent of
her DNA, and they conflict. Sometimes the Orange Elixir affects fifty-one percent
of her body, sometimes forty-nine... The exact percentages vary each day,
creating mutations, tumors, and other health problems.”
The Genius uploaded a second picture, which Ryan assumed represented Livia's
bio-signs. The Augusti princess was almost entirely blue in color, with a slight
spot of violet near the ears and brain. Unlike the previous scan, the colored areas
didn’t move at all.
“Now, our friend here is very different,” the Genius continued his explanation.
“Most of her genetic code has been affected by the Blue Elixir, to the point she
might appear as a mono-color Genome at first glance.”
“I took the Blue Elixir first,” Livia said.
Alchemo nodded, before pointing a syringe-finger at the purple spot. “However,
around two point five percent of her DNA has been rewritten by the second,
Violet Elixir. Both substances are remarkably stable, and do not overwrite each
other's information.”
So Tyrano's theory was correct, at least partly. Livia's powers coexisted without
conflicting or fusing. “The million dollar question being why this happened,” Ryan
said. “And why only two point five percent?”
“Don't you see the obvious?” Alchemo asked with smug confidence, happy to see
the solution which had evaded the courier for centuries.
“No, but I'm sure you will enlighten me, oh great keeper of knowledge.”
Braindead didn't even answer the taunt, too high on his superior position as a
teacher. “The original Elixirs were meant to bond with humans. With Homo
Sapiens. So far, all attempts to have Elixirs bond to animals have failed; even
with chimpanzees, who share almost ninety-nine percent of our genome.”
“Even Mechron only succeeded by creating a workaround,” Ryan muttered.
“Using technology to mimic a true Genome’s powers.”
“But what if... what if they had been on the right track?” Braindead mused. “Just
not close enough?”
Ryan thought furiously about what he meant for a second, before the solution
became obvious to him. “The Neanderthals?"
“Neanderthals?” Livia asked in confusion.
“The current Homo Sapiens species interbred with Neanderthals before their
extinction, with the Eurasian population inheriting around two percent of their
genes from them,” Ryan explained. “Neanderthals were our closest relatives.”
Livia's eyes widened in genuine surprise. “Enough to confuse the Elixirs?"
“I believe so,” Alchemo nodded. “My theory is that your Elixirs mistakenly believe
that they bonded to two different individuals, instead of one. This caused them
to... share your body, for a lack of better term.”
The Augusti princess frowned in skepticism, immediately seeing the problem.
“But if your theory is correct, then people with two powers should be far more
common. As you said, this affects the entire Eurasian population. Millions of
people.”
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I SE
You probably need a very specific
ratio or combination of Neanderthal
mie yy
genes to fool the Elixirs, Alcherng
defended his theorystolgh he
bd WN @ )
Ss edess certain and couldn't
. Ser 5
convince Livia. “Or it could be caused
by a syndrome like chimerism, where
one organism has cells from more
than one genotype. Only a few
”
hundred cases were ever recorded.
The content is on Novelxo.org!
Read the latest chapter there!
“If it is so rare, why do my father and I share it? Is it inheritable?” Livia asked,
causing the Genius to fall silent as he tried to find an answer. “Probably not, from
your reaction.”
Ryan considered the matter, trying to find a logical explanation and assemble all
pieces of the puzzle. His thoughts turned to Darkling, and his discussions with
that sentient Elixir.
“They were taught,” Ryan muttered.
“I'm sorry?” Livia asked.
“Someone told me Elixirs were taught to bond with humans, probably by the
Alchemist.” If Darkling's tale was true, then it had been pulled from its home
dimension by Mechron’s Al, but refused to behave afterward. “Which implied the
bonding process isn't natural for them.”
“Them?” His first lady looked more confused by the second. “I'm... I'm sorry, do
you mean Elixirs are intelligent?”
“Yes, but not like us.” Even Darkling, who understood humans enough to talk to
them, found their reality maddening. “They are alien lifeforms that don’t even use
DNA; foreigners who have been given a crash course on our language. They
know the words, but not the music.”
“So...” Livia frowned. “What you mean to say, is that Elixirs have only a
superficial understanding of... us? About how we are made?”
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« p . ur .
I can't prove it, but it's a plausible
3 » :
explanation,” Ryan said. He would
need to confirm it with Darkling.
According to his pet shoggoth, Elixirs
were meant to kag m
3 =A 2
ifefprmstothedlt ate Ones,
eventually allowing them to ascend.
ery 5
But as the courier's own experience
: : I
showed, the communication wasn't
perfect. The difference in mindset
« . .
was too large. “Due to something in
your genetic code, whether
Neanderthal DNA, a unique quirk, or
something else, your Elixirs believed
they bonded to two different people
y » §
sharing a body.” The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
“But it's a fragile equilibrium,” she guessed. “If I take one more, the original Elixirs
realize their mistake and start conflicting.”
“And Mongrel's power grants him a limited control over how Elixirs behave,” Ryan
added, glancing at Alchemo. “If we can reproduce his ability and combine it with
gene therapy..."
Visit Novelxo.org to read full content.
«
We could create a serum that would
force the original two Elixirs to
realign, and mimic the conditions
that led to our test s0ject’s unique
SBulbrohy; Alchemo replied with a
nod. Livia frowned at the test subject
y : Pp “
part, but didn't comment. “Or
alternatively, remove the extra Elixir
and turn the target into a normal,
” .
monocolor genome.” The content is
on Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
“But to create something this complex...” Livia reread her biosigns, before turning
at Alchemo. “How long would it take you to create such a cure?”
Braindead let out what could pass for a sigh. “It may take months for Mechron’s
Al to mimic Mongrel's power, let alone design a cure from it. These machines are
powerful, but the subject is eminently complex. My own Genius specialty does
not overlap with this case study either.”
“We'll need Dr. Tyrano,” Ryan muttered to himself. As the only Genius specialized
in gene therapy, he could probably design a cure for Psychos if presented with
the necessary data and resources.
Livia bristled, while Alchemo snickered in disdain. “Dynamis’ dinosaur maker?”
the Genius asked. “Do you think he will help?”
“Not unless I convince him that my evil plan involves turning everyone into
dinosaurs.”
“Just kidnap him then. You already escalated to terrorism, what's one more
crime?”
“He rarely leaves Dynamis’ HQ, and never without a heavy escort,” Livia said.
“And if anything happens to him, Dynamis goes all in. He's the cornerstone of
their entire Knockoff operation, so they will try to get him back at all costs.”
“And if he dies?” Ryan asked with a frown. “Why didn’t your father try to have him
assassinated?”
“Because then Fallout gets involved,” Livia replied ominously. The way she said
it, she had foreseen it. “I think you can imagine how it will end.”
Yes, he could.
Would he react the same if he lost the other pillar of Knockoff production? Ryan
intended to attack Lab Sixty-Six as soon as Vulcan finished her armor, and after
opening Darkling's portal home. He couldn't afford to wait too long for someone
like Fallout or Hargraves to force a way inside the bunker.
“Would Dr. Tyrano help make a cure at all?” Livia asked. “He turned a Psycho
into a drink. This does not speak well of his moral fiber.”
Ryan still remembered how that scalie had tried to gut the open to see how his
ability worked. Without anesthesia. “He cares only about his research, and
dinosaurs,” the courier said. “Not for lab safety.”
Unfortunately, Ryan doubted he could convince Dr. Tyrano to cooperate during
this loop. He needed more information on the man. Yet, they would need
Mongrel, Livia, the bunker, and additional data to create the cure. The courier
only obtained access to these resources due to very specific circumstances
impossible to replicate in the next.
“Livia, darling, do you have anything planned for tonight?”
She slowly nodded, albeit reluctantly. “My father asked for a meeting, probably
about how to deal with you. I will have to return to him soon.”
Ryan could read between the lines. They needed to have a talk with Len, and
prepare for the future. They needed to discuss how to end this doomed loop, and
how to proceed afterward.
The Augusti princess turned towards the room's door. “You can come in,” she
said. “This does not have to end in violence.”
The metal door opened, and someone stopped listening through it.
“Better luck next time, eh?” Sarin pointed her gauntlet at Ryan, her fingers
vibrating with power. “Not gonna work for me.”