With his Plymouth Fury out of commission, Ryan had expected to be transported in a Cadillac. Instead, he had to settle for the same black minivan which the Meta-Gang used to attack the orphanage in the past.

These Psychos had no taste at all!

This is a disgrace, Ryan complained at the back, Eugne-Henry on his lap. Sarin was driving at the front, while Mosquito sat on the second row of seats. At least its a Chrysler!

Nobody can see us with the tinted windows, Sarin grunted at the front, as she drove through New Romes streets. They had left Rust Town soon after dusk, and Ryan had taken the opportunity to memorize the name of the border guards they bribed to get out. People raise the alarms when they see us out in the open.

Yeah, right, a black minivan doesnt scream suspicious at all.

Half of us are too big to fit in a normal car, Boss, Mosquito pointed out, having to lower his head to fit inside. We have to transport Frank by truck.

Ah, the logistics of superhumans. Ryan wondered how the Danish managed to deal with their giant serpent overlord Nidhogg. They probably had to redraw the maps after every transformation. Whats your second power, Mosquito? the president asked, as they traveled through the southern slums. Besides the whole bugman thing.

I took the Hercules knockoff, the super-strength one. Mosquito let out a sigh. Didnt work out well. I only get the superstrength after Im filled with blood, and I weaken every minute afterward.

You took a second Green? Ryan asked, squinting in skepticism. Why? You didnt want to go for the full rainbow?

Well, being a giant mosquito isnt very glamorous, ya know Boss? I figured if I drank an Elixir of the same color as the first one, it would wash away the first power and replace it. It made sense to me.

Youre a dumbass, Sarin said out loud what Ryan was thinking.

Mosquito bristled. Yeah, but at least Ive got a body.

Shut your mouth! Sarin stopped looking at the road to raise her hand at Mosquito, as if to blast him. Ill tear your wisecracking head off!

Hey, everyone calm down, theres a cat at the back! Ryan said to defuse the situation. Mosquito and Sarin exchanged fingered gestures, but the Metas new vice-president focused back on the road. Besides, you took two Elixirs too, Chernobyl. Its the pot calling the kettle black.

Thats fucking different, asshole, Sarin replied. I took my Elixirs soon after Last Easter, back when nobody knew taking more than one was a terrible idea. While that bug knew exactly what he was getting into.

Ryan blinked. Wait, youve been like this for fifteen years?

Fourteen. I swear, if you find a cure, first thing Ill do is to fuck someones brains out. Fourteen years of celibacy, man; fourteen years. I dont get how priests do it.

There was a sick joke to make here, but even Ryan had standards.

Mosquito had none though. Well, they learn how to handle kids.

Ignoring the bugman laughing at his own joke, Ryan meditated on this information. Sarins situation made him pause, but watching her join Adam in burning down New Rome lessened the sympathy he might have felt for her. As for Mosquito, he happily helped to abduct orphans to throw at the bunkers defenses.

Yeah, these two had made bad calls. But instead of turning their life around, they kept making worse ones. If anything, the only mutant the courier felt pity for was Frank the Mad, who clearly suffered from a mental illness and needed psychiatric treatment. Maybe it was Ryans experience with Bloodstream talking, but the time-traveler had a hard time seeing Psychos as anything but monsters.

Eventually, Sarin reached their destination, and parked the minivan in front of Deadland Motel.

Livia and her escort were waiting in the parking lot. Unlike last time, where she had shown up with only Cancel and Mortimer, the Augusti princess had brought reinforcements. Sparrow, Night Terror and Luigi the Hockey Victim.

Damn it, Ryan knew he had overlooked something!

Howdy, legitimate gentlemen, Ryan greeted the group, as he and his Psycho bodyguards emerged from their car. The president carried Eugne-Henry in his hands. We come in peace!

Hi, Im Cancel! Only Greta raised a hand and waved it at the group with a fake smile. Ryan wondered what it would take to break her cheerful demeanor. Nice to meet you!

The others werent so enthusiastic though. Mortimer hid a gun beneath his cloak, Sparrow shielded Augustus daughter with her body, Night Terror stood still in eerie silence, and Luigi courageously stayed at the back.

As for Livia...

So, youre the new leader of the Meta-Gang? Though she seemed confident and in control, Ryan noticed the slight unease at the edge of Livias gaze. While she could read notes left by her previous self, the presence of Psychos didnt help make her feel safe. Quicksave, is it?

President, Ryan replied, carrying his cat in his hands. Mr. President.

Who elected you? Mortimer asked, curious.

You dont want to know, Mosquito replied while shuddering. They had... persuasive arguments.

Six against three, Sarin taunted the Augusti. You really fear us that much?

Considering youve been attacking our businesses lately, we expected a trap, Sparrow replied, before checking an earplug hidden beneath her hair. Miss Livia, it seems they indeed came alone.

I know the previous administration and yours didnt get along well, but its all in the past now, Ryan said. We want peace between our two nations. We even brought a gift to show our goodwill.

A gift? Gretas smile turned genuine, having been informed ahead of time. I love gifts. What kind of gift?

The old administration, of course! Ryan said before snapping his fingers. Mosquito opened the black minivans chest, grabbed the content, and tossed it at Livias feet. Packaged just for you.

Psyshock wriggled on the ground, blissfully out of commission.

The Augusti princess looked down at the brainjackers limp body with contempt. Sparrow and Mortimer studied the Psycho with curiosity, while Gretas gleeful joy turned to disappointment.

Aw, hes drugged out? Cancel complained, as she noticed the liquid dripping from Psyshocks mouth. I prefer it when they understand whats coming. It doesnt feel right otherwise.

We fished this squid yesterday, Ryan said. Youll need to negate his power first to make his death stick though.

Wait, she can negate powers? Sarin asked, immediately interested.

Yes, I am doing it right now, Greta said with pride, which Ryan confirmed after a failed attempt at activating his time-stop.

Then why am I still made of gas? Sarin complained, before raising her hand to the skies. Huh, I cant generate shockwaves anymore.

I dont know why, but some powers trump mine, Cancel said with disappointment. Like the Boss. He cant shoot lightning in my presence, but hes still invulnerable.

And be thankful for it, Sparrow said ominously. He would have killed you otherwise.

So this confirmed Ryans theory. Cancel didnt nullify powers; she disrupted the Elixirs connection to their color dimension, preventing access to this bottomless power source, but couldnt affect physical mutations.

However, she managed to negate Mongrels pyrokinesis in a previous loop, which he got from a knockoff that didnt draw upon the Red Dimension for fuel. Ryan tried to reconcile these two contradictions, until he realized the missing link: Mongrels original White Elixir. Since it was the one keeping his multiple powers in balance, by disrupting it, Cancel probably caused his other abilities to go haywire.

As for Augustus, it could only mean his invulnerability was a physical mutation. Combined with the other information Ryan had gathered, then Mob Zeus body probably mimicked the properties of a specific metal. A superior variant of Franks power.

Probably an Orange.

A damn strong Orange, but it didnt explain how Lightning Butt could move in the stopped time, or why most powers failed to affect him unless

Unless the metal itself had unique, anomalous properties.

It was just a theory and he would need to test its limits, but Ryan felt he was onto something. More worrying, since Ryans power relied on his connection to the Purple World, it meant Cancels power would probably kill permanently. His other self would remain trapped in the purple world, unaware his future incarnation had perished.

Anyway, can we wait until the squid wakes up? I want to see the light go ou Mortimer drew a silenced pistol before Greta could finish her sentence, and shot Psypsy twice in the head. Morty, you hyena! Find your own kills!

What? he asked, smoke coming out of his weapon. Its teamwork. You soften the prey, I finish it off. Fifty-fifty."

But you always get the good part!

Ryan would lie if the sight of Psyshocks corpse bleeding out on a parking lot didnt fill him with joy. VP, please call our staff to check if Psypsys victims recovered, the POTUS asked Sarin, before turning at Livia. So? Do we sign a peace treaty, shake hands...

Let us discuss that inside a private space, she replied. Luigi will be present as well.

Youre really sure about that? Ryan asked, disliking the mans presence. He might go mad from the revelation.

I hear peoples dirty laundry every day, Luigi replied with a snort. Nothing you say will surprise me.

Oh well, he asked for it.

Livia led the two men upstairs, to the same cozy suite where she welcomed Ryan in the previous loop. She invited them to sit around the table, with the cookies and coffee cups already set. A drink? she offered Ryan.

No thank you, Ryan replied, letting Eugne-Henry leap onto the bed nearby. His host couldnt suppress a raised eyebrow. Is this really necessary? You should have all the information available.

I wish to hear it from you, Livia said, glancing at Luigi. And have my intel confirmed.

Dont try to lie, the truth-teller warned Ryan. You cant.

Do you want the short version or the long one? the time-traveler asked, as he sensed Luigis power take over.

You could give a summary, Livia proposed.

Alright.

Time to rant!

I am a time-traveler, and Ive been at it for centuries. Ive lived a full life in Monaco, which I dont recommend, and Ive tried pretty much everything you can think of. Including beating you up, Luigi. Livia, you can make notes that carry through my time jumps, so everything you wrote down is true; this is the third loop where we meet and I really hated how you took away my control over all factors, but like cancer, Ive learned to live with it. Also, you really remind me of a friend who suffered from a toxic family environment, so I want to help. I beat the shit out of the Meta-Gang last loop before they could kill everyone with an orbital laser, but your daddy waged war on the Carnival and Dynamis and the city burned again.

I saved your ex-boyfriend from your aunt for you, but she ended up killing Fortuna instead, and your Lightning Dad smashed a Living Sun into New Rome and I had to reload. But Psypsy managed to follow, which didnt end well for him; I helped feed Big Fat Adam to a black alien whom I called Darkling, because it eats hope and happiness. Then I gave the Meta-Gang the democratic choice of voting for me or dying, I became President, and I love democracy so much Im never relinquishing power until my death. The whole timeline is ruined so I decided to try new stuff like finding a cure for the Psycho condition, and also, you have the brain patterns of a friend trapped in your head, which I really want back, please. I havent doctored your notes or anything, and I have no intention of causing you trouble until you go after me first.

Except for you Luigi. I hate you, I hate you so much. The first time I beat you was one of my eternal life's best memories, and I love doing it. I love it so much Ill keep doing it in every loop until the last one. Also, nothing you will do during this loop really matters since Ill reload eventually, so your life is meaningless. You dont matter.

Ryan joined his hands. I think thats all.

By the time he had finished, Livias fingers fidgeted around her coffee cup, and her gaze lost itself in the pitch darkness of her beverage. Luigis stare had turned distant, as he underwent an existential crisis.

Eventually, Livia glanced at her truth-teller. Luigi.

Y-yes, maam?

I overworked you, and you need a vacation, Livia said with a calm, friendly tone. To make up for it, I will make a generous deposit on your account. I think twenty million euros should be a good compensation. You leave New Rome right now.

Luigis eyes widened in shock. Like, what, now now?

Now, Livia said, her tone less friendly than before. You leave and you dont look back.

Where am I supposed to go? the truth-teller protested.

Not here, Livia said with a smile that wasnt a smile. Obviously, you wont say a word of this to anyone else, even my father. If you do, I will know, and your free-time will be cut short. Do you understand?

Luigi was an ass, but he could see the blood on the wall.

Also, if you dont leave the city by next sunrise, I will beat you up with a hockey stick, Ryan blurted out while still under the powers effect. Oh wait, no, Im president now. I can order drone strikes.

Luigi wisely rose from his chair and left the room. Ryan briefly froze time to look out the window; the truth-teller was running down the motels stairs as fast as he could, much to his fellow Augustis surprise.

Convinced, princess? Ryan said as time unfroze, sitting back in his chair.

I admit this is a lot to process, even with prior warning. Livia glanced at Eugne-Henry, who had claimed the bedsheet as his own. Why can I see him this time? My notes said I couldnt before. Is this a different cat?

No, but he lost his power, Ryan replied with a shrug. Youre sure Luigi wont talk?

He will be too busy processing what he heard to do anything about it, Livia replied before wincing. Sending him away now is the best choice. My power gave him one chance out of three of killing himself if I didnt.

Ryan couldnt tell he was surprised. In his experience, it was usually the most common response to people learning the truth, closely followed by attempting to capture the time-traveler himself. So, you believe me?

Well, your tale does match whats in my records, but there are a few things I wish to discuss. Livia peered into Ryans eyes. Since youve taken over the Meta-Gang by force, it means you control the bunker during this iteration?

So she knew. Of course she did. Her father probably had moles in Dynamis, and Livia probably recorded its existence in her notes for future loops. Yes.

What will you do with it?

Well, for now, Ill learn everything I can about its content, and then I will destroy it in the final loop, Ryan explained. Its an apple of discord. Every time its unearthed, it spells disaster for this city.

She frowned. Youre sure whats inside cant be used for good in the right hands?

There are no right hands, Ryan quoted Leo Hargraves, and he was tempted to agree. True, some of the technology inside can benefit humanity, and it will once Ive filtered it out. But you must understand a big orbital laser will never be used for positive ends.

No, probably not, Livia admitted. You want to cure Psychos?

I thought you could help me with that, actually.

You want to figure out why my father and I can use two powers with no side-effects, she guessed, crossing her arms. Dynamis already made a similar offer, but I refused to assist. They would use this knowledge to make an army.

And I will use it to cure people.

She looked away. Ill Ill consider it. Just give me some time to process everything, Ryan. It would be so much easier if I could remember directly, instead of catching up with written notes.

Maybe you could, Ryan said. But Psyshock sabotaged the tech needed. Im trying to figure out how to solve that during this loop.

Is that why you need Len Sabinos mental map? she asked, and the time-traveler nodded in response. Alright. I will need time to type down all the data, but I could forward it tomorrow at the earliest.

Wait, youre giving it to me? Ryan asked, surprised. Just like that?

Livia blinked in confusion. Yes, why? That wasnt our deal?

Yes, but I expected another fetch quest or a blackmail attempt.

I am not an ingrate, Ryan. The Augusti princess sounded a little offended by his skepticism. Though I do not remember it, from what I read, you did me a great favor. I trust my previous selfs judgment.

That that was extraordinarily noble of her. Someone else would have tried to use that leverage to exact concessions. Im deeply in your debt.

No, Ryan, she answered with a smile. Im the one with a debt, and Im clearing it off the books.

The time-traveler looked away. You know, Ive been doing this alone for so long after what happened with Psyshock, you cant imagine how good it feels to have someone helping me out with no strings attached.

Youre not alone, Livia said, Thats what you told my other self. It impacted her enough to write it down, and I believe she had come to trust you a great deal. Even though it will take time for me to catch up, I hope we can continue on this path.

Yes. Ryan too. So what next, princess? You will join me in trying to explore the bunker?

Livia shook her head sadly. I think my father will get suspicious if I do. He already wanted to eliminate you before I convinced him a conflict would only benefit Dynamis, and even then my family will want to retake Rust Town. I can give you a week or two, but afterward, you will need to leave or hide beneath the earth.

Yeah, I expected as much, Ryan said, finally deciding to sip a coffee cup. To be honest, I dont expect this loop to last that long. Too many things went off-script.

Livias smile faltered. There will be no long-term consequences? You will reload, no matter what?

Yes. If you want to try something you never dared to before, now is the time. Livia didnt answer, focusing on her cup. Its about Atom Kitten, isnt it?

I I thought I should use the opportunity to try and make up with him. See if The princess struggled to find the right words. See if Im wrong.

Livia and her ex-boyfriend had a final talk, right before the end. Ryan didnt know exactly what they told each other, but he strongly suspected it.

Felix had told her the truth. About why he left, and wouldnt return. That he never loved Livia at all; not the way she did. Her old self had written it down, and sent a bottle to the sea to reach her next incarnation.

And now, Livia was in denial over the bitter truth. She needed to prove this information wrong, to see if she could change the ending.

Ryan knew, because he had been there first. He wanted to talk her out of it, because she would only hurt herself, but he respected her wish. The princess needed to learn the same lesson he did.

More and more uncomfortable, Livia hastily changed the subject. Theres something else you should know, Ryan. A few of our members perished in mysterious circumstances lately. Assassinations, bombs

Shroud.

As Ryan worried, without the handsome courier to talk him out of it, he had already started his assassination spree. The president had tried to visit Mr. See-Through at the harbor on his way to the meeting, but the hideout almost blew up in his face instead.

Shroud had seen Ryan with the Meta-Gang, and assumed he turned Psycho.

Which meant the Carnival might start targeting Ryan during this loop, as if he didnt have enough on his plate already. At least the fact the Meta-Gang didnt send anyone to the harbor prevented a massacre there, as seen by Luigis continued existence. Are Jamie Cutter, Lanka, and Ki-jung still alive?

They are, Livia confirmed before frowning. You think they will be targeted next?

Yes. Shroudy Repairs bombed their apartment once, he would do it again. Ill find a way to avoid a war in New Rome. Im sure theres a combination of events that can prevent an open conflict. A path to the perfect ending. I just need to figure it out.

We, Livia corrected him. We need to figure it out.

Ryan examined her closely. Princess, your father

Ryan, stop, she cut him off.

Your father put a hit on Felix and sent his armies to burn New Rome to the ground, Ryan said. True, Alphonse Walking Cancer Manada shares half the responsibility, but Lightning Butt is clearly part of the big picture problem.

I I read my other selfs report on the war. But since she hadnt experienced these events, it hadnt had the effect Ryan would have had hoped. I I understand who my father is, Ryan. I do. Im not blind. But hes still my father. I dont want him dead. I want him to retire and away from power, so he cant harm anyone else.

And let him get away with all his crimes? Also, retire? To quote Enrique, men like Augustus didnt go into quiet retirement.

Like you want Hargraves to get away with my mothers death, Livia replied, her tone harshening. Ryan, you spoke of a perfect ending. What is it to you?

An ending where all the people I like get to live happily ever after, Ryan said. That was horribly clich, but that was the truth. An ending where as many innocents as possible survive.

I want to save as many lives as possible and make my loved ones happy too, she said with a sigh. Were both making concessions here. Im Im willing to set aside my own grudges, if you set aside yours. If youre right, and there is a path to a good ending, then then we can find something that satisfies us both. If we cooperate, then we will find it eventually.

And if they couldnt find a common ground, then nobody would get their happy ending.

Ryan exited the suite a few minutes afterward with Eugne-Henry in tow, quite happy with the meeting. He wouldnt have to worry about the Augusti this time around, and he had secured Lens uncorrupted brain-map.

Now, he only needed the technology to make the transfer work.

So? Sarin asked, as Ryan returned to the minivan while stepping over Psyshocks corpse. Do we pack our things and run, or

We signed a peace treaty, but we will keep an American presence in Rust Town for a while. Maybe well retire them next year. Of course, nobody would believe it, but it was the thought that counted. What about Psypsys thralls?

The ones in our custody returned to their senses, right when Psyshock bit the dust, Sarin said. They completely forgot their time under his control, but they can think for themselves now.

Ryan nodded, knowing it was only a matter of time before Dynamis reacted to this change. However, someone else was always on his mind. And Len? Is she alright?

Chernobyls short hesitation told him something had gone wrong.

They shes awake, but doesnt respond, Sarin admitted. She sounded strangely apologetic for once. Like a vegetable. I think Psyshock scrambled her brain real bad on his way out.

That bastard he had tried to make sure Len wouldnt recover, even if he was somehow beaten. He couldnt just die with dignity, he had to twist the knife.

If Shortie had brain damage, then Ryan had no choice but to rely on Alchemo. He didnt like it at all, but he was running out of options. Almost.

What do we do next, Boss? Mosquito asked, arms crossed.

I received a thirty-five pages report from an underground base specialist. Yukis girlfriend had been nothing if not thorough. Time to commit robocide.

Even without Psyshock, Big Fat Adam had managed to gain partial control of the bunker.

Ryan bet he could do better.