同章对照

Felix the Cat didn’t say a word on the way home. Not a single one.

Ryan drove the two of them back to the Optimates Tower in the early evening. Their group and Enrique had decided to leave the gathering separately, to avoid raising suspicion before tomorrow’s operation. Eventually, the courier parked his car in front of the tower’s gates, but Atom Cat made no move to exit it.

“Hey, kitten, I know it must feel terrible,” the courier said. “Believe me, I understand what you’re going through. So, uh, how about we go watch a Star Wars movie with Yuki and Timmy to cheer you up? Think of the memes!”

Felix briefly looked at Ryan, his gaze completely hollow, before he opened the car’s door. The young hero walked towards the Il Migliore tower in awkward silence, head down and hands in his pockets.

Yeah, he wasn’t feeling well and wanted some alone time.

Ryan couldn’t blame him. Learning that Lightning Butt had murdered his adoptive sister’s parents, before turning her into a drug wizard and spitting on her birth mother’s legacy must have been… harsh.

The courier wasn’t sure how to reach out to his friend. At least, not until he was ready to open up.

Ryan watched Felix disappear into the Optimates Tower, before driving away. He still had a few errands planned before tomorrow, including dealing with a constant annoyance. “Shortie?” the courier called out while putting on the Chronoradio. “Shortie?”

“I’m here, Riri,” she answered on the other end of the line.

“We’re getting rid of the Meta tomorrow,” Ryan said, as he drove south of the city. “Il Migliore and the Carnival agreed to attack them together.”

“Good.”

“But something bothers me. I have the feeling the Manada are after you specifically, and not because you want to overthrow the bourgeoisie.”

Len remained silent for a brief moment. “I… I did attack one of their facilities. Though they deserved it.”

“I can’t explain why, but I have the intuition it was about something else.” Alphonse was clearly pissed Enrique had released Len from custody, and Blackthorn still kept the Genius under close surveillance afterward. “They were also under the delusion I was your brother, and I think it factored in their decision to hire me.”

“You think…” Len cleared her throat on the other side of the line. “You think it has something to do with Dad?”

Ryan couldn’t confirm it, but his gut told him so. “Maybe. I get the feeling the company has skeletons in its closet.”

“Of course they do Riri, their wealth is built on blood and suffering,” Shortie replied with anger, before calming herself. “What about the brain-duplicating tech?”

“I have an idea about how we can get it,” Ryan said, his fingers tightening on the driving wheel. He had left the northern neighborhoods for the southern ones, closer to Augusti’s territory. “But it’s risky.”

Len marked a short pause, but seemed determined to help. “I’m listening.”

“We know from the recording that Hector Manada lent the technology to Psypsy for research purposes,” the courier reminded his best friend. “Which means it’s probably in the bunker.”

She quickly guessed his plan. “Which has access to the sea, and will be under siege tomorrow. The Meta will be distracted.”

Len could slip inside the bunker, grab the technology, and leave. Ryan had the intuition Hector’s sons would destroy it should they get their hands on it, if only to remove a threat to their inheritance. “But it will be very dangerous, Shortie.”

“I can... I can take care of myself. I will do it, Riri.” Another pause. “And… after it’s done… after it’s done, you should come.”

“Shortie, are you inviting me to your place?” Ryan teased her.

He could almost see her flustered on the other side of the line. “Y-yes, but not like that. I… I set up a room for you down there. You will be safer with us than at Dynamis. I just don’t trust them.”

Neither did Ryan, but for now, the road to the Perfect Run demanded he take the risk. “I appreciate the offer, Shortie,” he said from the bottom of his heart. “I can tell you’re better. You sound more… confident?”

“I’ve… I’ve been following the treatment,” she admitted. “Reduced the antidepressants. Pace them better. It’s… I don’t feel better, I don’t think so. But I feel less worse.”

“Good. It’s good.” Maybe… maybe he could find a way to help deal with her depression across the loops? If he could carry her consciousness across time, so would the treatment. Hopefully.

“I… I’ll be in touch.” And with these words, Len abruptly cut the communication.

Progress was slow, but it was still progress.

Eventually, Ryan reached his destination, a classy, overwhelmingly fashionable bistro located near New Rome’s strip; from the outside, it looked like a carbon copy of the famous Parisian brasserie The Fouquet’s. A valet offered to park the car, but the courier would never let anyone drive it; his Plymouth Fury was too good for the plebe. It forced him to reach the restaurant’s entrance on foot, where his date awaited him.

“Finally!” Fortuna complained, hands on her waist. She wore the same lavish, scandalous golden dress that she did at Jamie’s party. “You were almost late!”

“But I wasn’t,” Ryan replied, taking the spoiled brat’s hand and kissing it like a true gentleman, much to her surprise. “I could never make a goddess wait.”

Since he needed a distraction and she kept pestering him, Ryan finally agreed to a date with the luckiest woman in the world; though it was only a smokescreen for his devious plan to kill her romantic interest in his person. His goal was to be as unbearably perfect and affectionate as possible, until it became suffocating.

But no plan survived contact with the enemy, and Fortuna had brought a third wheel.

“Ryan.” In contrast to her friend’s outrageous outfit, Livia Augusti wore a modest, sleeveless crimson dress and golden bracelets. While Fortuna breathed glamour, the mafia princess embodied refined nobility. “Good to see you again.”

“Oh, I didn’t expect you,” Ryan said, trying to hide his unease while he glanced at Fortuna. “I thought we were having a date?”

“We are, but you will also make it up to Livy for leaving us stranded the first time we met,” Fortuna replied with haughtiness. “You will spoil the both of us.”

“Of course, a divinity like you only deserves the best,” Ryan lied while offering his arms to both women, “and that’s me.”

Livia smiled in amusement as she took his arm, while Fortuna took a little more time to touch his sleeve. “Oh, it’s cashmere!”

“You like it?” Ryan asked, surprised. “It’s genuine cashmere wool.”

“There is no such thing as budget cashmere,” Fortuna replied, as if he had said something stupid. “Either it’s perfect, or it isn’t.”

Damn, they actually had one thing in common, taste! Who would have thought?

The trio walked into the restaurant, guided by lackeys through wooden double doors. The deco was in the purest 18th century French style, with flattering candlelight illumination and exquisite decoration. It truly deserved its name of Le Parisien. Ryan had reserved an isolated table near the window, so Fortuna could look down on people outside. He knew she would appreciate the gesture.

He also noticed that each of the tables were separated from the others by walls, to maximize privacy. The guests could speak without worry of being spied on.

“I am glad you finally accepted your place in the universe,” Fortuna told Ryan, as a maître d'hôtel invited them to sit and distributed the menu cards. “You have a lot to make up for.”

“And I truly apologize for it,” Ryan lied through his teeth. “I saw you, Fortuna, but until you talked with your brother, I hadn’t seen you.”

He took Fortuna’s hand into his own by surprise, much to her shock.

“When I saw your passion at trying to reconnect with your brother, I… I was moved to tears.” Through skills honed through countless restarts, Ryan seemed about to cry for a moment. “Your heart of gold, it blinded me!”

“I’m glad you finally noticed,” she replied, utterly flustered. Meanwhile, Livia hid her face behind the menu card, clearly struggling not to laugh.

“Can you forgive me for my atrocious behavior towards you?” Ryan asked with pleading eyes. “Because I can never forgive myself.”

“That depends on this date,” Fortuna replied while regaining her composure. “If it goes well, I will consider it!”

“I understand,” Ryan said, before calling the closest waiter. “Darling, an Assiette de Fois Gras et de Saumon Frais for my beloved.”

Fortuna gasped. “How do you know I love them? Did you ask Felix?”

Yes, he did, but a true gentleman always lied with a smile. “I just wondered what the perfect woman would want, and it clicked.”

“Of course it did!” Fortuna replied with charming modesty, while Livia could no longer resist and let out a laugh. “Livy, what was that for?”

“Sorry,” the princess said with a smile before lowering the menu. “I find you adorable.”

“You are adorable too, Livy.” Fortuna put a hand around Livia’s own in a sisterly way. “I’m glad you agreed to come. You needed it.”

“Thanks,” the princess replied, though her smile turned sadder. “I need a distraction, with all that’s happening lately.”

“Ryan, your mission for the night is to cheer her up,” Fortuna all but ordered the courier.

“I will do my best,” Ryan replied with a smile. “You’re quite close I see.”

“Our parents were very close,” Livia explained. “We were all but raised together.”

“You could say our fathers were partners-in-crime!” Fortuna chuckled at her own joke, but not as loud as Ryan. He immediately felt dirty; it was terrible, even by his standards.

“I have a delightful menu planned for you,” the courier said. “On one side, you have French cuisine, and on the other, everything else.”

“I can only applaud your taste, but I’m surprised you invited us here,” Fortuna said while waiters left to prepare their orders. “I thought you were poor, and the menus here at Le Parisien climb into the thousands of Euros.”

“I am well-off,” Ryan replied.

“How well-off?” his date kept asking with a suspicious frown.

“Millions of euros stashed in various banks,” Livia said, causing Fortuna to gasp. “I’ve tracked down some of his bank accounts at major corporations. I was actually surprised.”

Well, one of the benefits of time-travel was that Ryan knew which ventures would pay off. He even found the long lost Templars’ Treasure, though it took him years and many adventures.

Everyone in Italy used the euro because of its availability, with power blocks from post-war corporations like Dynamis to Augustus himself backing up its value. However, it only really applied to Italy. Some other post-war emerging nations used their own variant of the euro, but with a wildly different exchange rate; and a few warlords had started minting their own coins. Dynamis also spoke of eventually introducing their own coin to replace the euro in the next five years, though Ryan wasn’t sure if they would follow through.

“My, I thought you were a toad, but you are actually a prince!” Fortuna complimented Ryan.

“Only your kiss can reveal my true form,” the courier replied with honeyed words. When in doubt, he would flatter her shamelessly! “If you wish for a coach, you only have to ask.”

“Thank you, but I already have a yacht.”

Ryan realized that this was a silent invitation from Fortuna to ask about her life, and he did.

“My, you must be extremely talented to purchase something like that at your age,” the courier stated, though she probably won it from the lottery or something. “If I were to guess, you have the soul of an artist and the skill of an entrepreneur.”

Much to his surprise, Fortuna seemed quite embarrassed, adjusting her hair with her hand. “I actually sculpt in my spare time.”

“You do?” Ryan asked, genuinely surprised.

“I’m studying applied arts at Juventas University.” That post-war, corporate-sponsored university? Ryan heard of it, though as far as he knew only corporate managers and affiliates could pay the exorbitant tuition fees. “Here is some of my work.”

Fortuna searched in her dress and brought out a gold-plated cell phone, before showing Ryan pictures of her creations. For a second, the courier expected modern, incomprehensible sculptures, but instead her work took inspiration from Renaissance artists. She had crafted multiple lifelike sculptures of angels and mythological figures, with a statue of Livia as the goddess Athena being her masterpiece.

“It’s amazing,” Ryan said, and for once he was entirely genuine.

“It truly is,” Livia said with a nod.

“You like them?” Fortuna fished for compliments, her confidence replaced with anxiousness. Much to Ryan’s surprise, she was quite sensitive about this subject. Enough to make that unbearable narcissist nervous.

“You are really talented,” the courier continued, reassuring her. “I’ve seen a lot of self-proclaimed artists, but you have real talent.”

“Thanks,” the blonde said with an embarrassed smile, a hand in her hair. “I’m considering making it a career.”

“But I thought you already had a job for the Augusti?” Ryan asked with a frown.

“Oh, it’s only temporary,” Fortuna said quickly. “I fill in because my brother can no longer protect Livy, as he should.”

“And I thank you for the attention,” Livia replied, genuinely touched.

“Because you deserve it,” Fortuna replied with kindness. Ryan realized that while her narcissism made her frustrating, she was also completely honest and kind in her own way. “I know your role is… stressful. You need all the help you can get.”

Livia looked down on her plate as the waiter brought them the starters, without saying anything. Fortuna looked at her friend with concern, and Ryan realized that the two were a lot closer than he thought. He had never seen the Lucky Girl behave like that with anyone else.

Come to think of it, Fortuna had dared walk into a Dynamis facility to try and convince her brother to return, but Ryan wondered if it was entirely on behalf of her family. Maybe she actually did it for Livia’s sake?

Huh, the brat wasn’t entirely self-centered. She rose up in his esteem.

“I’m surprised you don’t advertise your sculptures,” Ryan changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood. “I mean, this is the first time I’ve heard about them.”

“Oh, I didn’t tell many people, not even my brother. I know they will be popular.” Though she tried to sound confident, Ryan could tell she wasn’t from the slight hesitation in her voice. “But I don’t want my work to be public yet.”

“Why so?” Ryan asked, but much to his surprise, Fortuna hesitated to say it out loud.

“Her mother can reshape faces thanks to her power,” Livia explained. “Hence the name Venus.”

“I don’t want my work to be compared to her,” Fortuna finally admitted. “I mean, even my face is one of her masterpieces! Felix’s too!”

That explained a few things. Ryan immediately zeroed in on the problem. “You don’t want the only thing that’s really yours to be ‘commodified’ by your family?” he guessed, as they started enjoying the starters. “Otherwise they will say like mother, like daughter?”

“Yes…” Fortuna trailed off. “Yes, that’s exactly that. And that’s the only thing where my power cannot help me. So it is all mine.”

“You don’t love your parents?”

“I love them,” Fortuna said, though her smile turned a bit hesitant. “I love them, and they love me too.”

“A bit too much?” Ryan guessed the problem.

“Yes, they’re smothering!” Her tone switched from vulnerable to angry. “‘Fortuna, you should work harder to take over our branch of the family!’ ‘Fortuna, you need to prove yourself to become the new Diana!’ ‘Look at your sister, she is already an Olympian!’ And it is never enough!”

Livia gave Fortuna a glance of sympathy, and Ryan understood why they were so close. They were both the prisoners of their parents’ expectations.

“Mom wants me to take over her business, but I said no,” Fortuna told her date. “She still thinks I will change my mind.”

“Why don’t you try to present your sculptures anonymously?” Ryan suggested. “I mean, all good artists have a sexy secret alter ego.”

“Oh, maybe, I am certain people will love them…” Lucky Girl didn’t sound so confident when she couldn’t rely on her power.

“Do you have hobbies, Ryan?” Livia asked, trying to steer the conversation somewhere else.

“I mostly adopt lost cats,” the courier joked. And blow stuff up too, but it might kill the mood.

“That reminds me, we’ve found your cat,” Livia declared. “He was snooping around Vulcan’s apartment.”

“Eugène-Henry?” Ryan straightened in his chair.

“Wait, the cat we chased when we first met belongs to you?” Fortuna asked, astonished. “It has to be fate.”

“Vulcan wasn’t happy to have an uninvited guest, but the cat won her over,” Livia said with an amused smirk. “As if he knew her well.”

Ryan could read between the lines.

Before the silence could get any more awkward, Fortuna received a phone call and loudly sighed. “Trouble?” Livia asked, though she didn’t sound worried at all.

“It’s Mom,” Fortuna complained, as the phone kept ringing. She put a hand on Ryan’s arm. “I’m sorry, I have to answer. Can you take care of Livy in my absence?”

“For you?” Ryan smiled. “Anything.”

“You’re adorable,” Fortuna replied, before rising from her chair and leaving for an isolated private booth. Leaving Ryan and Livia alone.

As Augustus’ daughter had planned.

“You wanted us to talk again,” the courier guessed.

“Yes,” the princess replied with a strained smile. “You dated her in the previous loop, didn’t you? Vulcan. That’s why your teleporting cat hangs out with her.”

No point in denying it. “Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you try again?” the princess asked with a frown. “To date her. This time, she dislikes you.”

“Jasmine, my Jasmine, made me promise not to replace her,” Ryan said, his eyes glancing at his champagne glass. “I don’t want to see it that way, but… the person I dated is gone. The current Vulcan is a stranger with her face, and none of the memories.”

Livia’s eyes softened. “I… see. That’s what you said before, about people forgetting you never getting any easier?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I try not to get too attached to anyone, but I forgot myself last time.”

“Then what about Fortuna? What is she for you?” There was a hint of reproach in her tone.

An ungodly annoyance. “It’s all part of my diabolical plan to make her give up on my person.”

Livia raised an eyebrow in skepticism. “By being the perfect gentleman?”

Well yes! The more Ryan gave Fortuna the cold shoulder, the more she harassed him! Ergo, the opposite should make her stop! “I don’t expect you to understand my brilliant logic.”

“Do not break her heart, Ryan,” Livia warned him, her voice no longer friendly. “Fortuna is my best friend, and while she looks otherwise at first glance, she is a sensible soul inside.”

Ryan was a bit skeptical, but she knew her friend better than he did. “I admit I like her more now that she showed a little kindness.”

“She is under a lot of pressure, more than you know,” Livia said. “The main reason why she joined the Killer Seven is to protect me. So I do not feel alone. I owe her for this. Even if you think there will be no consequences for hurting her feelings due to your power, I guarantee you that I will not forget it.”

Ryan joined his fingers, his face serious. “Why are you here, princess? The real reason.”

She crossed her arms, her gaze turning to steel. “The Carnival, Ryan,” Livia said, her tone venomous. “It’s about the Carnival.”

Here they were. The real reason for her presence. “I suppose this is why you wanted us to meet in a public place, with your unbelievably lucky friend nearby? You thought I would have you assassinated if we met in private?”

“I keep seeing the Carnival in New Rome lately, fighting the Meta-Gang,” Livia said. “It’s them, right? The people who asked you to blow up the Bliss factory. You brought them to the city. I can’t see your actions, but they still make ripples.”

“Yes, it’s the Carnival,” Ryan admitted. No point in hiding it anymore.

“I warned you, I told you I would let you be as long as you didn’t target my family,” Livia reminded him. “And I have. But you are willing to collaborate with the people who murdered my mother.”

“It was an accident, from what I heard.”

“Who told you that, Hargraves?” She grew angrier by the second. “Do you trust him?”

More than your father, princess.

During their first loop together, Felix had told the courier that Augustus once confronted an early incarnation of the Carnival during his rise to power. Shroud, on Ryan’s behalf, had expanded on the story after the meeting with Dynamis. Leo Hargraves had returned to the Costa family’s farm for Narcinia’s birthday, as he had promised, only to find the place in ruins. The Carnival swiftly attacked Augustus, only to be pushed back after suffering terrible losses.

And Augustus’ wife Juno had been caught in the crossfire.

“I cooperate with the Carnival and Dynamis to get rid of the Meta, that is all,” Ryan said. “If anything, I convinced them not to target your family to focus on the fatter problem.”

“I get killed in alternate universes where I snoop around Adam the Ogre’s operations,” Livia admitted. “They’re planning something big, aren’t they? Something so terrible they’re willing to risk angering my father to keep it quiet.”

“Yeah. But if all goes well tomorrow, they won’t be able to pull it off.” Her comment made Ryan wonder if Adam’s decision to fire the Bahamut had truly been as impulsive as he pretended. “Afterward, I will get rid of the Bliss Factory and hopefully you will never hear from me again.”

“You brought the Carnival here, Ryan,” Livia argued. “Everything they do from now on is on your head.”

“They would have come anyway, I just pointed them in the right direction. Namely, Hannifat Lecter’s.” Ryan looked at her in the eyes. “I stand by what I said, princess. Don’t harm my friends, and your people will make it out alive.”

“In this loop, or in the next?” she asked the hard question.

“I can’t say yet,” Ryan admitted. “I will do my best, but I can’t guarantee anything for this one. But I am a man of my word.”

The princess frowned at him, skeptical. “Didn’t you go farther into the future?”

“I’ve lived lifetimes, but mostly in short bursts. Never more than months between two save points.” Ryan looked away. “With one exception, but I don’t want to talk about it. It was so bad, I decided not to do a long loop ever again afterward.”

“So you don’t know how it will end?” Livia shook her head. “That’s the only guarantee I have? Your word things will be alright eventually?”

“You would prefer information?”

“That would be a start,” she admitted.

“I know your father has a brain tumor.” The Augusti princess flinched at his blunt admission, her face turning into a blank mask. “The Manada told me.”

She raised a wall of silence between them.

“Fine, don’t talk about it if you don’t want to. Your silence is an answer in itself. I thought Elixirs cured you of these things, but I assume it’s because he took two of them? Or perhaps he already had it before gaining powers, and now the tumor is as invulnerable as he is?”

No answer, though the tension kept rising.

“You know, Narcinia’s father, her real father, could have cut it out?” Ryan asked. “The Carnival told me Lightning Butt killed him because he could cut anything with a knife. Even an invincible man.”

“Ryan.” Her gaze had turned hollow. “Don’t say any more words.”

“What I mean to say is... I think I understand why you’re not trying to confront your father right now.” A brain tumor could worsen his mood, and an invincible lightning god on a rampage would be a disaster. “I lived through something similar.”

“You don’t know anything,” she replied harshly.

“My adoptive father Bloodstream was a ticking bomb.” Ryan scowled, as he remembered some of the worst moments of his childhood. “He was an Elixir addict, and Len… his daughter, she drank one. Near the end, we were on the run, and I had to be the one searching for supplies because he brought too much attention. Every time I left him alone with Len… I thought I might return to find her dead.”

Livia tensed, but didn’t say anything.

“Look, what I mean to say is… I’m not your enemy, Livia,” Ryan said, as Fortuna returned from her call, oblivious to the situation. “I just don’t know how to prove it to you.”

“Prove what?” Fortuna asked, before noticing Livia’s unease. “Livy? Livy, are you alright?”

“I…” Livia regained her composure and forced herself to smile. “It’s okay, Fortuna.”

“You’re not okay, Livy,“ Lucky Girl said with concern. “I can see it on your face.”

“No, it’s alright,” the princess lied. “I’m just tired… I will call Sparrow to bring me home.”

“You’re sure?” Fortuna asked with a frown.

“Yes, it’s… it’s better that way.” Livia kissed her lucky friend on the cheek, before giving the courier a formal nod. “Thanks, Ryan. I appreciated our talk.”

“It’s alright,” he said, trying to find the right words. “You’re not alone. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t.” Ryan would have done anything to know what Livia thought, behind that blank face. “I swear.”

She left the restaurant five minutes afterward, leaving the two ‘lovebirds’ alone.

---

The date was quite alright afterward, though much less amusing than before. Ever the gentleman, Ryan paid for everything and drove Fortuna home.

“Is this your place?” he asked, stopping his Plymouth Fury before a huge, high-end condo complex.

“Yes, it’s one of my apartments.” Fortuna joined her hands together, with no trace of her exuberant pride. “I apologize for what happened with Livy. She’s not having a good time.”

Gee, really?

“It’s all Felix’s fault!” Fortuna complained loudly. “He broke her heart, and left her alone to… to play lap dog for a gardener!”

Yeah. Livia’s position clearly isolated her, and she had few friends to whom she could confess her true feelings.

“I am really thankful for your attempt to cheer her up. She truly needed it.“ Fortuna’s face turned thoughtful. “Ryan?”

“Yes?” the courier answered, knowing what would follow.

“I really hesitated,” she said. Somehow, her tone reminded Ryan’s of an executioner’s. “I really hesitated for a moment. But...”

Yes, yes, yes, Ryan thought. Say it won’t work between us, and we’re better as friends!

“But I have decided to forgive you,” Fortuna said with a merciful expression. “I will forgive you for your boorish behavior.”

A short silence followed.

“Oh my, thank you,” Ryan said, outwardly happy and inwardly disappointed. Had his plan worked too well? “I couldn’t have lived without your forgiveness.”

“I know, but you have it. I even enjoyed myself.” Fortuna smiled and joined her hands, without saying anything else. He had the feeling she wanted to ask him something, but wasn’t sure how to say it.

“Well, I guess I will walk you to the door and then leave,” Ryan said, moving to open the car’s door.

It remained locked.

Ryan frowned as he checked on the other doors. None of them opened. The Plymouth Fury also refused to start, even if five different backup systems should prevent that kind of problem.

“So that’s how it is,” Ryan muttered to himself.

“Is there a problem?” Fortuna asked with a smug smile.

“Do you have ten minutes to quickly show me your sculpture collection?” Ryan asked with a charming smile. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“Oh no you do not,” she reassured him, the very picture of false modesty. “You do not bother me at all.”

This time, the car door opened normally.

Damn it, her power was busted!

回家的路上，菲利克斯猫一言不发。一个字都没说。

傍晚时分，瑞恩开车带菲利克斯返回贵族派大厦。他们和恩里克商定，双方分开离开会面地点，以免在明天的行动之前引起怀疑。最后，快递员把车停在大厦门前，原子猫却丝毫没有下车的意思。

“嘿，小猫咪，我知道这滋味肯定不好受，”快递员说，“相信我，我明白你现在的感受。所以，呃，要不我们叫上由纪和蒂米，去看部《星球大战》，换换心情？想想那些梗！”

菲利克斯短暂地看了瑞恩一眼，目光一片空洞，随后打开了车门。年轻的英雄低着头，双手插兜，在尴尬的沉默中走向至优者的大厦。

好吧，他心情很糟，只想一个人静静。

瑞恩没法怪他。得知闪电屁股杀了自己养妹的亲生父母，随后把她变成制毒巫师，还践踏了她生母留下的传承，这打击一定……很沉重。

快递员不知道该怎么帮这位朋友。至少，在他愿意敞开心扉之前，瑞恩无从下手。

瑞恩目送菲利克斯消失在贵族派大厦里，随后开车离去。明天到来之前，他还有几件事要办，其中一件就是处理某个纠缠不休的麻烦。“小矮个？”快递员打开时空收音机，呼唤道，“小矮个？”

“我在，瑞瑞。”她在通讯另一头回答。

“我们明天就去铲除超能帮，” 瑞恩一边说，一边往城南开去，“至优者和嘉年华同意联手进攻。”

“很好。”

“不过有件事让我不太放心。我觉得马纳达家的人是在专门针对你，而且不是因为你想推翻资产阶级。”

蕾恩沉默了片刻。“我……我确实袭击过他们的一处设施。不过那是他们活该。”

“说不上为什么，但直觉告诉我，这事另有原因。”恩里克放走了被拘押的蕾恩，阿尔方斯显然对此极为恼火，而黑棘在放人之后，仍旧严密监视着这位天才。“他们还误以为我是你的亲兄弟。我觉得，这也是他们决定雇用我的原因之一。”

“你觉得……”蕾恩在通讯另一头清了清嗓子。“你觉得这和爸爸有关？”

瑞恩无法肯定，但他的直觉正是如此。“也许。我觉得这家公司藏着些见不得人的秘密。”

“那当然了，瑞瑞，他们的财富就是用鲜血和苦难堆起来的。”小矮个愤愤地回答，随即让自己平静下来。“复制大脑的技术呢？”

“怎么拿到它，我倒有个主意。”瑞恩握着方向盘的手指收紧了。他已经离开北部街区，进入南部，离奥古斯蒂的地盘更近了。“不过有风险。”

蕾恩稍稍停顿了一下，但似乎已经下定决心要帮忙。“我听着。”

“从录音里我们知道，埃克托·马纳达把这项技术借给了心心做研究，”快递员提醒自己最好的朋友，“也就是说，它很可能就在地堡里。”

她立刻猜到了他的计划。“那里有通往海里的出口，而且明天就会被围攻。超能帮会顾不上别的。”

蕾恩可以潜入地堡，拿走技术，然后离开。瑞恩有种直觉：要是这项技术落到埃克托的儿子们手里，他们一定会把它毁掉，哪怕只是为了消除一个威胁他们继承权的隐患。“但这会非常危险，小矮个。”

“我能……我能照顾好自己。我会去的，瑞瑞。”又是一阵停顿。“还有……等事情办完……办完以后，你应该过来。”

“小矮个，你这是邀请我去你家？”瑞恩打趣道。

他几乎能看见通讯另一头的她那副慌乱的样子。“是、是的，但不是那个意思。我……我在下面给你收拾了一个房间。和我们待在一起，比待在迪纳米斯安全。我就是不信任他们。”

瑞恩也不信任，但眼下，要走向完美通关，他就必须冒这个险。“谢谢你这份心意，小矮个，”他由衷地说，“我听得出来，你的状态好些了。听起来更……自信了？”

“我……我一直在按治疗方案来。”她承认道。“减少了抗抑郁药的用量。也把服药间隔调整得更合理了。就是……我没觉得自己好些了，应该没有。但感觉没那么糟了。”

“很好。这很好。”也许……也许他能找到办法，让她的抑郁症治疗跨越循环继续下去？如果他能带着她的意识穿越时间，治疗效果应该也能一并带过去。但愿如此。

“我……我会再联系你的。”说完这句话，蕾恩突然切断了通讯。

进展虽慢，但终归是进展。

最后，瑞恩抵达了目的地：一家位于新罗马娱乐大道附近、格调高雅且时髦得过分的小餐馆。从外面看，它简直是巴黎著名的富凯餐厅的翻版。泊车员提出替他停车，但快递员绝不会让任何人碰自己的方向盘；他的普利茅斯“狂怒”可不是给凡夫俗子开的。这样一来，他只好停好车，步行去餐厅门口，约会对象正在那里等着。

“你可算来了！”福尔图娜双手叉腰，抱怨道。她穿着在杰米派对上穿过的那件金色礼服，奢华又大胆暴露。“你差点就迟到了！”

“但我没有。”瑞恩说着，牵起这位娇纵大小姐的手，像个真正的绅士一样吻了吻，让她大吃一惊。“我怎么舍得让女神等我。”

他需要找点事分散注意力，她又一直纠缠不休，于是瑞恩终于同意和全世界最幸运的女人约会。不过，这只是他那阴险计划的烟幕：他要彻底扼杀她对自己的爱慕。他的目标，就是尽可能表现得完美体贴，完美到叫人受不了，体贴到让人窒息。

可没有哪个计划能在接敌之后原封不动，福尔图娜还带了个电灯泡。

“瑞恩。”与朋友那身张扬的装束截然不同，莉维娅·奥古斯蒂穿着一件端庄的深红色无袖连衣裙，戴着金手镯。如果说福尔图娜浑身散发着艳丽的魅力，那么这位黑手党公主体现的就是优雅的贵气。“很高兴又见到你。”

“哦，没想到你也会来。”瑞恩努力掩饰不安，瞥向福尔图娜。“我以为这是我们两个人的约会？”

“是约会没错，不过第一次见面时，你把我们丢在那里不管，这笔账你也得补偿莉薇。”福尔图娜高傲地回答，“我们两个，你都得好好宠着。”

“当然，只有最好的才配得上你这样的女神，”瑞恩撒着谎，向两位女士各伸出一条胳膊，“也就是我。”

莉维娅忍俊不禁地笑着，挽住了他的胳膊。福尔图娜则慢了一点，还摸了摸他的袖子。“哦，是开司米！”

“喜欢吗？”瑞恩有些意外，“货真价实的山羊绒。”

“开司米没有廉价货这种说法，”福尔图娜回答，仿佛他说了句蠢话，“要么完美无瑕，要么就不配叫开司米。”

见鬼，他们居然真有一个共同点——品位！谁能想到呢？

三人在侍从引领下，穿过木制双开门，走进餐厅。店内是最纯正的十八世纪法国风格，烛光映得人分外好看，装饰也精美绝伦。它确实无愧于巴黎人这个名字。瑞恩订了一张靠窗的独立餐桌，好让福尔图娜俯视外面的路人。他知道她一定会喜欢这份安排。

他还注意到，每张餐桌之间都有墙壁隔开，尽可能保障私密性。客人可以放心交谈，不必担心被人窥探。

“你终于接受了自己在宇宙中的位置，我很高兴。”一名领班请他们入座，递上菜单时，福尔图娜对瑞恩说道，“你欠下的账可不少。”

“对此，我真诚地向你道歉。”瑞恩满嘴谎话，“福尔图娜，我以前看见过你，可直到你和弟弟谈话时，我才真正看见了你。”

他冷不防握住了福尔图娜的手，令她大为吃惊。

“看到你那么热切地想和弟弟重归于好，我……我感动得热泪盈眶。”凭着无数次重来磨炼出的演技，瑞恩有一瞬间仿佛真要哭出来了。“你那颗金子般的心，耀眼得让我无法直视！”

“很高兴你终于发现了。”她回答，彻底乱了方寸。与此同时，莉维娅把脸藏在菜单后面，显然正拼命憋笑。

“你能原谅我之前对你做出的那些恶劣行径吗？”瑞恩满眼恳求地问，“因为我永远无法原谅自己。”

“那就得看这次约会了。”福尔图娜恢复了镇定，“如果一切顺利，我会考虑的！”

“我明白。”瑞恩说着，叫来最近的一名侍者。“亲爱的，给我的心上人来一份鹅肝鲜三文鱼拼盘。”

福尔图娜惊讶地吸了口气。“你怎么知道我喜欢吃这些？你问过菲利克斯？”

没错，他问过，但真正的绅士总会面带微笑地撒谎。“我只是想了想，完美的女人会想要什么，答案就自己冒出来了。”

“那当然！”福尔图娜回答，真是谦逊得可爱。莉维娅却终于忍不住，笑出了声。“莉薇，你笑什么？”

“抱歉。”公主笑着放下菜单，“我觉得你太可爱了。”

“你也很可爱，莉薇。”福尔图娜像姐妹一样握住莉维娅的手，“你肯来，我很高兴。你需要出来散散心。”

“谢谢。”公主回答，笑容却多了几分伤感，“最近发生了这么多事，我是需要找点别的事想想。”

“瑞恩，你今晚的任务，就是让她开心起来。”福尔图娜几乎是在命令快递员。

“我会尽力。”瑞恩微笑着回答，“看得出来，你们很亲近。”

“我们的父母关系很好。”莉维娅解释道，“我们几乎是一起长大的。”

“可以说，我们的父亲是同伙！”福尔图娜被自己的笑话逗乐了，却笑得没有瑞恩响亮。他立刻觉得自己很龌龊；就连按他的标准，这笑话都烂得不行。

“我为你们安排了一份绝妙的菜单。”快递员说，“美食分两边：一边是法国菜，另一边是其余的一切。”

“你的品位无可挑剔，不过你会请我们来这里，倒让我很意外。”侍者离开去安排上菜时，福尔图娜说道，“我还以为你很穷呢，巴黎人的套餐价格可是高达几千欧元。”

“我手头很宽裕。”瑞恩回答。

“有多宽裕？”他的约会对象狐疑地皱着眉，追问道。

“在好几家银行里存着数百万欧元。”莉维娅说道，福尔图娜倒吸了一口气。“我查到了他在几家大公司的银行账户。说实话，我也很意外。”

嗯，时间旅行的一大好处，就是瑞恩知道哪些投资能赚钱。他甚至找到了失落已久的圣殿骑士宝藏，虽然那花了他好几年，还经历了许多场冒险。

在意大利，人人都用欧元，因为它流通广泛，而且从迪纳米斯这样的战后大企业，到奥古斯都本人，各方势力都在为它的价值背书。不过，这基本只限于意大利。其他一些战后新兴国家使用各自版本的欧元，汇率却天差地别；还有少数军阀已经开始铸造自己的钱币。迪纳米斯也曾表示，打算在未来五年内推出自己的货币，取代欧元，但瑞恩不确定他们会不会真这么做。

“哎呀，我还以为你是只癞蛤蟆，没想到你竟然是个王子！”福尔图娜称赞道。

“只有你的吻，才能让我显露真身。”快递员甜言蜜语地回答。拿不准该怎么办的时候，就厚着脸皮恭维她！“你若想要一辆马车，只管开口。”

“谢谢，不过我已经有一艘游艇了。”

瑞恩意识到，福尔图娜这是在暗示他问问她的生活，于是他照办了。

“哎呀，你这个年纪就能买下那样的东西，一定才华横溢。”快递员说道，虽然那游艇多半也是她抽奖之类赢来的。“要我猜的话，你既有艺术家的灵魂，又有企业家的本事。”

让他意外的是，福尔图娜似乎很不好意思，抬手理了理头发。“其实，我空闲时会做雕塑。”

“真的？”瑞恩这回是真吃了一惊。

“我在尤文塔斯大学学应用艺术。”就是那所战后由企业资助的大学？瑞恩听说过，不过据他所知，只有企业管理层及其关系户才付得起那里的天价学费。“这是我的一些作品。”

福尔图娜从礼服里摸出一部镀金手机，给瑞恩看她作品的照片。有那么一瞬间，快递员以为会看到晦涩难懂的现代雕塑，结果她的作品却取法于文艺复兴时期的艺术家。她创作了多尊栩栩如生的天使与神话人物雕像，其中最出色的，是一尊以莉维娅为原型的雅典娜女神像。

“太棒了。”瑞恩说道，这回他难得句句真心。

“确实如此。”莉维娅点头赞同。

“你喜欢吗？”福尔图娜讨着夸奖，原本的自信却变成了忐忑。出乎瑞恩的意料，她在这件事上相当敏感，敏感到足以让这个自恋得令人受不了的女人紧张起来。

“你真的很有天分。”快递员继续说道，让她安心，“我见过很多自封的艺术家，可你是真有才华。”

“谢谢。”金发姑娘不好意思地笑了，一只手拨弄着头发。“我在考虑把它当成职业。”

“可我以为你已经在替奥古斯蒂工作了？”瑞恩皱眉问道。

“哦，那只是暂时的。”福尔图娜赶忙说道，“我弟弟没法再尽他应尽的责任、保护莉薇了，所以我来顶替他。”

“谢谢你这么关心我。”莉维娅回答，确实被打动了。

“因为你值得。”福尔图娜温柔地说。瑞恩意识到，她的自恋虽然令人头疼，但她也完全坦诚，而且有着自己的善良。“我知道你的职责……压力很大。有人能帮你，总是好的。”

侍者端来前菜时，莉维娅垂眼看着自己的餐盘，一言不发。福尔图娜担忧地望着朋友，瑞恩这才发现，两人的关系比他想象中亲密得多。他从没见幸运女孩这样对待过其他人。

说起来，福尔图娜敢闯进迪纳米斯的地盘，试图说服弟弟回家，可瑞恩不禁怀疑，她真的全是为了家人吗？也许，她其实是为了莉维娅？

嗯，这个娇气包倒也不完全以自我为中心。他对她高看了一分。

“你居然不宣传自己的雕塑，真让我意外。”瑞恩换了个话题，想缓和气氛，“我是说，我还是第一次听说这件事。”

“哦，我没跟多少人说过，连我弟弟都不知道。我知道它们一定会受欢迎。”她努力表现得很自信，可瑞恩仍从她语气中那一丝迟疑听出，她其实没底。“不过，我还不想公开自己的作品。”

“为什么？”瑞恩问道。让他意外的是，福尔图娜犹豫着，不肯说出口。

“她母亲的能力可以重塑人的面容。”莉维娅解释道，“所以才叫维纳斯。”

“我不想让人拿我的作品和她比较。”福尔图娜终于承认，“我是说，就连我的脸都是她的杰作之一！菲利克斯的也是！”

这倒解释了不少事。瑞恩立刻抓住了问题所在。“你不希望唯一真正属于自己的东西，也被家族拿去‘商品化’？”他们开始享用前菜时，他猜测道，“不然，别人就会说有其母必有其女？”

“对……”福尔图娜的声音低了下去。“对，就是这样。而且，这是唯一一件我的能力帮不上忙的事。所以，它完全属于我。”

“你不爱你的父母？”

“我爱他们。”福尔图娜说，笑容却有了些迟疑。“我爱他们，他们也爱我。”

“有点爱过头了？”瑞恩猜到了症结。

“对，他们简直让人喘不过气！”她的语气从脆弱转为愤怒。“‘福尔图娜，你应该再努力一点，将来好接管我们这一支家族！’‘福尔图娜，你得证明自己，才能成为新的狄安娜！’‘看看你妹妹，她已经是奥林匹斯众神的一员了！’可我做什么都不够！”

莉维娅同情地看了福尔图娜一眼，瑞恩明白了她们为什么这么亲密。她们都被父母的期望囚禁着。

“妈妈想让我接手她的生意，但我拒绝了。”福尔图娜对约会对象说道，“她还以为我会改变主意。”

“为什么不试着匿名展出你的雕塑？”瑞恩提议，“我是说，好的艺术家都有一个性感的秘密身份。”

“哦，也许吧，我相信大家一定会喜欢……”没了能力可以依靠，幸运女孩说话也没那么自信了。

“瑞恩，你有什么爱好吗？”莉维娅问道，试图把话题引向别处。

“我主要是收养走丢的猫。”快递员开玩笑道。还有炸东西，不过说这个可能会煞风景。

“这倒提醒我了，我们找到你的猫了。”莉维娅说道，“它之前一直在伏尔甘的公寓附近转悠。”

“欧仁-亨利？”瑞恩在椅子上坐直了身子。

“等等，我们第一次见面时追的那只猫，是你的？”福尔图娜惊讶地问，“这一定是命中注定。”

“伏尔甘起初不太欢迎这位不速之客，但那只猫最后还是赢得了她的欢心。”莉维娅露出一抹饶有兴味的笑容，“就好像它对她很熟悉似的。”

瑞恩听懂了她的言外之意。

沉默还没来得及变得更尴尬，福尔图娜就接到了一通电话，重重叹了口气。“有麻烦？”莉维娅问，听起来却一点也不担心。

“是我妈。”福尔图娜抱怨道，手机铃声还在响。她把一只手放在瑞恩的胳膊上。“抱歉，我得接。能在我不在的时候照顾一下莉薇吗？”

“为了你？”瑞恩微笑道，“赴汤蹈火也在所不辞。”

“你真可爱。”福尔图娜回答，随后起身，去了一间僻静的私人包厢。只留下瑞恩和莉维娅独处。

正合奥古斯都女儿的计划。

“你想和我再谈一次。”快递员猜道。

“是的。”公主笑得有些勉强。“上一轮，你和她交往过，对不对？伏尔甘。所以你那只会瞬移的猫才总是去找她。”

没必要否认。“没错。”

“那你为什么没再试一次？”公主皱眉问，“再和她交往一次。这一回，她可不喜欢你。”

“贾丝敏，我的贾丝敏，让我答应她，不找别人来取代她。”瑞恩的目光落在自己的香槟杯上。“我不愿意这样想，可是……和我交往的那个人已经不在了。现在的伏尔甘是个陌生人，有着她的脸，却没有那些记忆。”

莉维娅的眼神柔和下来。“我……明白了。所以你之前才说，别人忘了你，这种事永远都不会变得更好受？”

“是的。”他承认，“我尽量不对任何人投入太多感情，但上次我忘了分寸。”

“那福尔图娜呢？她对你来说算什么？”她的语气中带着一丝责备。

一个烦死人不偿命的麻烦。“这全是我邪恶计划的一部分，目的是让她对我死心。”

莉维娅怀疑地挑起一边眉毛。“办法就是当个完美绅士？”

可不就是嘛！瑞恩越对福尔图娜冷淡，她就越纠缠他！由此可见，反其道而行之，就能让她罢休！“我不指望你能理解我高明的逻辑。”

“别伤她的心，瑞恩。”莉维娅警告道，声音里已没有了友善。“福尔图娜是我最好的朋友。虽然第一眼看上去不像，但她的内心很敏感。”

瑞恩对此有点怀疑，不过莉维娅总比他更了解自己的朋友。“我承认，她流露出一点善意之后，我现在确实更喜欢她了。”

“她承受着很大的压力，比你知道的还要大。”莉维娅说，“她加入杀手七人组，主要就是为了保护我，让我不觉得孤单。这份情，我欠她的。就算你觉得有自己的能力兜底，伤害她的感情也不用承担后果，我也向你保证，我绝不会忘记。”

瑞恩十指交叠，神色严肃。“公主，你为什么来这里？说真正的原因。”

她交叉双臂，目光变得冷硬。“嘉年华，瑞恩。”莉维娅的语气满是怨毒。“是为了嘉年华。”

终于来了。她到这里的真正原因。“所以，你才想让我们在公共场合见面，还把你这位幸运得不可思议的朋友带在身边？你以为，如果私下见面，我会派人暗杀你？”

“最近，我总能看见嘉年华在新罗马和超能帮交战。”莉维娅说道，“是他们，对不对？让你炸掉极乐工厂的人。是你把他们带到这座城市来的。我看不到你的行动，可它们依然会激起涟漪。”

“没错，是嘉年华。”瑞恩承认。再隐瞒也没有意义了。

“我警告过你。我告诉过你，只要你不对付我的家人，我就不会干涉你。”莉维娅提醒他，“而我做到了。可你却愿意和杀害我母亲的人合作。”

“据我所知，那是个意外。”

“谁告诉你的，哈格雷夫斯？”她的怒气越来越盛。“你相信他？”

总比相信你父亲强，公主。

在两人相识的第一轮里，菲利克斯曾告诉快递员，奥古斯都崛起时，一度与早期的嘉年华交过手。与迪纳米斯的会面结束后，裹尸布应瑞恩的请求，补全了这段往事。利奥·哈格雷夫斯曾依照约定，回到科斯塔家的农场给纳尔西妮娅过生日，却发现那里已成了一片废墟。嘉年华很快便向奥古斯都发起攻击，却在遭受惨重损失后被击退。

而奥古斯都的妻子朱诺，也被卷入了双方的交火。

“我和嘉年华、迪纳米斯合作，是为了铲除超能帮，仅此而已。”瑞恩说，“真要说起来，还是我劝他们先别对付你们家，集中精力解决那个更肥大的麻烦。”

“在那些我去调查食人魔亚当行动的平行宇宙里，我被杀了。”莉维娅承认，“他们在策划什么大事，对吧？某件可怕到让他们宁愿冒着激怒我父亲的风险，也要保密的事。”

“是啊。不过，要是明天一切顺利，他们就没机会得逞了。”她这番话让瑞恩不禁怀疑，亚当下令让巴哈姆特开火，真的像他表现出来的那样，是一时冲动吗？“之后，我会毁掉极乐工厂。但愿从此以后，你再也听不到我的消息。”

“是你把嘉年华带来的，瑞恩。”莉维娅反驳，“从现在起，他们做的每一件事，都得算在你头上。”

“他们本来就会来，我只是给他们指了个正确的方向。也就是汉尼胖·莱克特那个方向。”瑞恩直视着她的眼睛。“我说过的话依然算数，公主。别伤害我的朋友，你的人就能活下来。”

“这一轮，还是下一轮？”她问出了那个棘手的问题。

“现在还说不准。”瑞恩承认，“我会尽力，但这一轮，我不能保证什么。不过，我是个守信用的人。”

公主皱眉看着他，满眼怀疑。“你没去过更远的未来？”

“我活了不知多少辈子，但大多是一小段、一小段地过。两个存档点之间，最长也就几个月。”瑞恩移开目光。“有一次例外，不过我不想谈。那次太糟了，之后我就决定再也不进行那么长的循环。”

“所以，你也不知道这件事会怎么收场？”莉维娅摇了摇头。“我就只能得到这么一点保证？听你承诺，一切最终都会好起来？”

“你更想要情报？”

“至少可以从这开始。”她承认。

“我知道你父亲得了脑瘤。”他直截了当的话让奥古斯蒂家的公主一颤，脸上随即罩上了一副毫无表情的面具。“马纳达家的人告诉我的。”

她在两人之间筑起了一堵沉默的墙。

“好吧，不想谈就不谈。你的沉默本身就是答案。我以为灵药能治好这种病，不过，我猜是因为他喝了两瓶？或者，他在获得能力之前就已经有了脑瘤，现在连肿瘤也和他本人一样刀枪不入了？”

没有回答，气氛却越来越紧绷。

“你知道吗，纳尔西妮娅的父亲——她的亲生父亲，本来可以把它切掉。”瑞恩说，“嘉年华告诉我，闪电屁股杀了他，是因为他只用一把刀就能切开任何东西。就连刀枪不入的人也不例外。”

“瑞恩。”她的目光已变得空洞。“一个字也别再说了。”

“我的意思是……我想，我明白你现在为什么不试着反抗你父亲了。”脑瘤可能让他的脾气恶化，而一个无敌的雷神发起狂来，那就是灾难。“我经历过类似的事。”

“你什么都不知道。”她生硬地回答。

“我的养父血流，就是一颗定时炸弹。”童年那些最糟糕的片段浮上心头，瑞恩沉下了脸。“他对灵药成了瘾，而蕾恩……他的女儿，喝过一瓶。到最后那段日子，我们一直在逃亡。只能由我出去找物资，因为他太惹眼了。每次把他和蕾恩单独留在一起……我都觉得，等我回去，她可能已经死了。”

莉维娅绷紧了身体，却没有说话。

“听着，我想说的是……我不是你的敌人，莉维娅。”瑞恩说道。此时福尔图娜打完电话回来，对刚才发生的一切毫不知情。“我只是不知道该怎么向你证明。”

“证明什么？”福尔图娜问，随即注意到了莉维娅的异样。“莉薇？莉薇，你还好吗？”

“我……”莉维娅稳住心神，强迫自己露出微笑。“没事，福尔图娜。”

“你明明有事，莉薇。”幸运女孩担忧地说，“我从你脸上都看得出来。”

“不，真的没事。”公主撒了谎。“我只是累了……我会叫麻雀来接我回家。”

“你确定？”福尔图娜皱眉问。

“嗯，这样……这样更好。”莉维娅亲了亲幸运好友的脸颊，随后礼貌地朝快递员点了点头。“谢谢，瑞恩。谢谢你和我谈这些。”

“没事。”他努力寻找合适的措辞。“你不是一个人。别忘了这一点。”

“我不会忘的。”瑞恩愿意付出任何代价，只求知道莉维娅那张毫无表情的脸背后，到底在想些什么。“我发誓。”

五分钟后，她离开了餐厅，留下两只“爱情鸟”独处。

---

之后的约会还算不错，只是远不如先前有趣。瑞恩一如既往地保持绅士风度，付清所有账单，开车送福尔图娜回家。

“你住这里？”他把普利茅斯“狂怒”停在一片规模庞大的高档公寓楼前，问道。

“是的，这是我的一套公寓。”福尔图娜双手交握，不见了先前那股张扬的傲气。“莉薇的事，我很抱歉。她最近过得不太好。”

哎呀，真的吗？

“全怪菲利克斯！”福尔图娜大声抱怨，“他伤透了她的心，把她一个人丢下，跑去……跑去给一个园丁当哈巴狗！”

是啊。莉维娅所处的位置显然让她孤立无援，身边没几个能倾诉真心的朋友。

“你愿意试着逗她开心，我真的很感激。她实在需要有人帮她打起精神。”福尔图娜的神情变得若有所思。“瑞恩？”

“嗯？”快递员应道，已经知道她接下来要说什么。

“我真的犹豫过。”她说。不知为何，这语气让瑞恩想起了刽子手。“有那么一会儿，我真的犹豫了。不过……”

对，对，对，瑞恩心想。快说我们俩不合适，还是做朋友更好！

“不过，我决定原谅你。”福尔图娜一脸宽宏大量。“你那些粗鲁的行为，我就不计较了。”

随后是一阵短暂的沉默。

“哎呀，谢谢你。”瑞恩嘴上高兴，心里却很失望。难道他的计划奏效过头了？“没有你的原谅，我可真活不下去。”

“我知道。不过，你已经得到原谅了。而且，我今晚还挺开心的。”福尔图娜微笑着，双手交握，没再说话。他觉得，她似乎想提个要求，却不知道该怎么开口。

“那么，我送你到门口就走吧。”瑞恩说着，伸手去开车门。

车门依然锁着。

瑞恩皱起眉，检查了其他车门。没有一扇能打开。普利茅斯“狂怒”也不肯发动，明明五套不同的备用系统应该足以杜绝这种故障。

“原来是这么回事。”瑞恩自言自语道。

“出什么问题了吗？”福尔图娜带着得意的笑容问道。

“你能抽出十分钟，带我简单参观一下你的雕塑收藏吗？”瑞恩露出迷人的笑容，“我不想打扰你。”

“哦，当然不会。”她让他放心，摆出一副十足的假谦逊模样。“一点也不打扰。”

这一次，车门正常打开了。

妈的，她的能力也太犯规了！