同章对照

Ryan had to give it to Hector Manada. In spite of being far richer than Augustus, he didn’t show it.

The CEO of Dynamis lived in a three-floor manor of yellow stones within walking distance of his company’s HQ, north of New Rome. The property was big, but nothing compared to Mount Augustus; the architectural style reminded Ryan of South America’s 19th century properties, though Hector had also gathered a sizable collection of mesoamerican artifacts in his garden. Statues of Aztec gods lined the path to the house, like a private guard. And of course, the property crawled with Private Security guards with top-of-the-line weaponry.

When Ryan arrived, Sunshine and Enrique’s helicopter had already landed in the garden. Security guards checked on the courier, but let him pass unmolested; apparently, the siblings had forewarned them.

Alphonse Manada had joined his brother, both backed by an elite security team. Leonard Hargraves had landed on the grass, though he somehow didn’t set it on fire even while in his sun form. Even Ryan had taken the time to change himself back to his old costume, Acid Rain having savaged the cashmere suit. One didn’t confront a final boss without looking nice.

But the scene quickly disappointed Ryan.

Hector Manada wasn’t raising a submachine gun to die in a blaze of glory, Scarface-style. He didn’t look worried about the urban warfare happening a few districts away from his house. In fact, he didn’t seem troubled at all.

For Hector Manada was gardening.

“I guess this is a family thing,” Ryan said snidely, as the corporate mastermind tended to an ugly rose bush. The floral arrangements were terrible, the work of an amateur.

“Sons.” A pudgy man with gray hair and a face resembling Pablo Escobar’s, Hector Manada had traded the business suit for casual white clothes and a straw hat. If Ryan hadn’t seen his face before, he might have mistaken him for a mere employee. “I didn’t expect you. Especially not in such…”

His eyes wandered to Leo Hargraves. “Shining company.”

“Surprised, Father?” Alphonse asked, his tone lacking any familial warmth whatsoever.

“Mr. Manada,” Leo said, always polite. “It has been a while.”

“Not long enough, I must say,” the CEO replied, before finally noticing Quicksave. “And who might you be?”

“Hi, I’m Quicksave,” Ryan presented himself. “I’m the guy who ruined all of your evil plans, but don’t tell anyone.”

“My evil plans?” the CEO answered with a forced smile. “I do not understand.”

“I think you do, Father,” Enrique said, as he straightened his tie. “We destroyed the Meta-Gang one hour ago.”

“An action which I did not authorize,” the CEO replied with a frown, before forgetting Ryan’s existence and glancing at Alphonse instead. “Nor do I remember recalling you to New Rome either.”

“You forfeited any authority over me when you betrayed us all, Father,” Alphonse replied. “You wanted to stay in power so much, you would rather clone yourself than let us inherit?”

“Clone myself?” Hector Manada feigned ignorance.

“We have Psyshock in custody, father,” Enrique said. “He admitted everything. From your secret deal with Adam the Ogre to your mind-transferring project.”

Ryan knew it was probably a bluff, considering the timeline of events, but it worked like a charm. “Is that so?” Hector asked, glancing at the soldiers following his sons. The courier could almost see the gears turning in the CEO’s head, as he weighed his options.

“We have recordings, captured technicians, proof of monetary transactions,” Enrique continued. “Did you know the Meta-Gang had unearthed a Mechron base beneath Rust Town?”

Though he quickly corrected his expression, the CEO’s brief look of genuine surprise told Ryan that no, he didn’t. As the courier guessed, the Meta-Gang had planned to betray him from the start; take Dynamis’ Elixirs, until they could overthrow the company with Mechron’s weaponry.

“So you were a traitor and a fool,” Alphonse Manada said, with a grunt of disgust. He had noticed the look of surprise too. “You despise us so much?”

“Can you blame me, Alphonse?” Hector replied with a sneer. “Sometimes I truly wonder if you came from my loins. You and Augustus would have turned Italy into a bloody battlefield if I hadn’t sent you away.”

“So instead you sent Psychos to wage war for you?” Enrique asked, shaking his head. “I still remember what you told me when I welcomed Felix Veran into our fold. ‘Don’t rock the boat.’”

“Augustus’ influence needs to be constrained, but we can’t afford a direct confrontation,” Hector snapped back. “We have no means of getting rid of him permanently.”

“We do,” Alphonse said with confidence. “The Gravity Gun.”

“Your obsession with miracle weapons will be your undoing,” Hector lambasted his son. “If yours fails, we will have an invincible madman with nothing left to lose on our hands.”

“Augustus will never be satisfied,” Leonard Hargraves interrupted the conversation. “He wants nothing less than total dominion over Europe.”

“His delusions of grandeur mean nothing,” Hector scoffed. “You don’t know him like I do, Hargraves.”

Sunshine scoffed. “I have been sparring with Augustus long before you came to Italy, Mr. Manada. I know him well.”

“No, Hargraves, because if you did, you would have grasped a simple truth. With all his power, Augustus could have established himself as a god-king, written laws, but what does he do? Peddle drugs, launder money, corrupt existing infrastructures. At the end of the day, Augustus is just a gangster with cancer, and that’s all he will ever be.” The CEO shook his head in frustration. “Don’t you see that to win, we only have to outlast him? Let nature do its work.”

“And let countless suffer in the meantime?” Sunshine replied. “Assuming the next Augusti generation isn’t made of the same cloth?”

“Well, to be honest—” Ryan raised his hand to speak on behalf of Livia.

“The adults are talking, Quicksave,” Alphonse interrupted him.

“Then why are you here?” Ryan replied with a mocking tone, being far, far older than the VP. The nuclear-powered cyborg glared at him, but the courier wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

“Enough,” Enrique said, a hint of frustration in his voice.

“And are you truly so different, Father?” Alphonse asked mockingly.

Hector’s expression turned into one of pure disgust. “You dare compare me to Augustus, my son? I am no saint, I confess, but I do not go around murdering people who never crossed me.”

“You raised us to believe Dynamis had a mission. To rebuild a better civilization, based on free-market, the rule of law, and individual freedom.” Alphonse’s voice turned bitter. “One that wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the pre-war nations. Yet all you have done is repeat the patterns of the past, and maintain a status quo unsuitable for mankind. One that benefits Augustus.”

Ryan realized he had met Fallout’s type elsewhere before. Disappointed idealists.

And as he listened to the man’s speech, he couldn’t help but be reminded of Livia’s own situation. Like her, the Manada were children disagreeing with their father’s rotten, rigid vision of the world. Unlike Livia though, who couldn’t escape Augustus’ grasp, the Manada siblings had decided to rebel.

Would it work though?

“That unsuitable status quo, as you call it, is the only one we have,” Hector replied angrily. “I’ve played with the cards dealt to me.”

“Whatever your reasons, you conspired with the Meta-Gang, provided them with company resources, and, willingly or not, nearly allowed Adam the Ogre to get his hands on Mechron technology,” Enrique pointed out. “We can’t let that slide, and neither will the Board.”

“I am the Board,” Hector replied with a frown.

Ryan couldn’t resist. “Not yet!”

“Alphonse and I have enough shares to force a vote, and you know the Board and other corporations will vote for your retirement,” Enrique said. “We have too much proof, and they can’t be seen cooperating with Psychos. Our image and reputation is our armor, but they are also our weaknesses.”

“And most importantly, we have the army,” Alphonse stated the obvious. “Do not think you can prevent what’s coming.”

Hector’s scowl deepened. “You would harm me, my son? Your own father?”

“After what you did? What you planned to do?” Alphonse asked, lowering his head to lock eyes with his father. “Yes, I would.”

Hector held the glare for a moment, before looking at his other child. “Et tu, Enrique? You know what your brother will do if he inherits my post?”

“Yes,” Enrique replied, “but dabbling with Psychos won’t be one of them.”

“Well said, Brother,” Alphonse added. “Enrique will be my vice-president, and we will clean up your mess. We will reforge Dynamis into what it should have been. A beacon that will rebuild civilization, one without Psychos, and certainly without Augustus. You may have failed the dream, Father, but we won’t.”

“Come with us, Mr. Manada.” Sunshine briefly ramped up the heat around him. “I promise you will not be harmed, and be entitled to a fair hearing.”

“Take the graceful way out, Father,” Enrique pleaded, before glancing at Alphonse. “Or else… it will have to be the other way.”

For a long, agonizing moment, Dynamis’ CEO said nothing. He slowly glanced at his sons, then at Leonard, and finally to the Private Security members backing them up. Whether out of fear of Alphonse Manada, disgust, or opportunism, none of them moved to shield their employer.

It seemed that in Dynamis, power shifted swiftly.

Eventually, although Ryan had prepared himself for a fight, Hector Manada offered his hands in surrender. “You doom us all, fools.”

“It is a new dawn for Dynamis, Father,” Alphonse Manada declared. He sounded quite pleased with himself. “One long overdue.”

“After me, the flood,” Hector Manada prophesied with quiet dignity, as soldiers grabbed him by the arms.

When Ryan glanced at the towering Alphonse, who watched his father being carried away, the time-traveler realized he might have put someone far more dangerous in charge of Dynamis. “That’s it?” the courier asked Enrique. “After everything he did, you just talk it out?”

“You expected a hail of gunfire perhaps?” Il Migliore’s manager replied dryly. “Unlike Augustus, we do not shoot all of our problems. My father is many things, but a fanatic isn’t one of them. He would rather go into forced retirement than die for nothing.”

“So… what, you’re going to imprison him on a private island, Napoleon-style?”

“Pretty much. If all goes as expected, his assets will be confiscated, he will be surrounded by Alphonse’s people, and he will be kept away from any form of power whatsoever.” Enrique looked at Ryan with disapproval. “This is what we adults call diplomacy, Romano. It is boring, but it usually spares us a great deal of bloodshed.”

It… it was good. Ryan had expected the change of power to end in violence, because that was all he ever knew.

“If only more villains were reasonable,” Leo Hargraves lamented. “So, it’s over. Now, we must decide what to do with the bunker.”

“Not yet, Hargraves,” Alphonse said. “There will be a transition of power, and I wish you to assist us with it. I will pay you for your service.”

“We do not work for money, Fallout.”

“You misunderstand me,” the cyborg replied with a hint of amusement. “Our goals are the same. We both want Augustus dragged off from his throne. Now that my father has been dealt with, it is time we focus on the true enemy.”

The Living Sun crossed his arms, the opportunity too great to pass up. “I’m listening.”

“Not here.” Alphonse glared at Ryan next. “And I have had enough of your blatant disrespect, Quicksave. You did your job, but that’s it. Fuck off.”

“Love you too, Nagasaki,” Ryan replied and prepared to leave, having done what he had set out to do. Besides, staying in Alphonse Manada’s company for too long would probably give him cancer.

“Ryan.” Unlike Fallout, Sunshine bowed respectfully to the time-traveler. “There is something I must ask of you—”

“Sorry, Sunshine, I won’t join your circus,” Ryan cut him off. “Too much bad blood.”

“I expected as much,” Leo said with a sigh. “Still, on behalf of the Carnival, no, all of New Rome… thank you. Most people won’t know it, but your actions saved countless lives. History books may not mention you, but we will not forget.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Ryan replied with a shrug. “But… thanks.”

That shiny paladin was too noble to dislike.

While Ryan would have left the Manada property by himself, Enrique personally decided to escort him to his car. “This isn’t the end, is it?” the courier asked Blackthorn. It didn’t feel like an ending at all. “It’s just the beginning.”

“Don Hector wasn’t wrong. This is the calm before the storm, Romano. My brother is in charge, and he is not as… subtle as our father. If Augustus didn’t know we cooperated with Hargraves already, he will learn it soon. And even if it suffered heavy damage, that base below Rust Town contains a treasure trove of technology, and we must decide what to do with it.”

“I guess overthrowing your father was the easy part,” Ryan mused, his mood turning from curious to slightly depressed. “I don’t know how to feel about it.”

“I’ve seen your reaction to my brother’s speech,” Enrique said. “You seemed… troubled.”

Sharp. “When I tried to overthrow my ‘fatherly figure’s’ hold on me, it ended with his death,” Ryan replied, his thoughts turning to Len and Bloodstream. “And even dead, his influence still holds a friend back. So when I looked at you two… I can’t help but wonder what could have been.”

Enrique said nothing, and for that, the courier was thankful. However, when Ryan put a hand on his Plymouth Fury’s door though, Blackthorn moved right in front of him. “You are not leaving yet,” the new Dynamis VP declared. “I told you we would have a talk, Romano. We’re having it now.”

“What is there to say? Though if it’s for gardening lessons, I guess you could make an appointment.”

“We have plenty of things to discuss,” Enrique said while crossing his arms. “I know your sister was in the bunker during the attack. One of the Meta-Gang’s members was found trapped in a bubble, and Psyshock’s living quarters were ransacked. And most curious of all, our men couldn't find the brain-scanning technology our father lent him.”

“I guess you should hire better people to do your ground work, Mr. Nepotism.”

“I wondered what your stakes were in this, but now I understand,” Enrique said, ignoring the jab. “You were after this tech from the start. This entire exercise was a distraction.”

“Not really.” Ryan’s thoughts turned to Jasmine. “If I told you the Meta-Gang caused the permanent death of someone I cared for, would you believe it?”

“Permanent death?” Enrique noticed the odd wording, but Ryan didn’t enlighten him. “People also saw you at a dinner with Livia Augusti and Fortuna Veran, and you apparently brought the latter home. Witnesses said the scene looked… intimate.”

“I’m putting an end to the rumors right here,” Ryan said, immediately sensing the danger. “Fortuna Veran isn’t my girlfriend. I have standards.”

“I doubt that,” Enrique replied dryly. “The Panda also told me a person matching the Augusti assassin Mortimer’s description came to your rescue against Acid Rain. You must understand that I am… suspicious about your true allegiances.”

The courier shrugged. “I’ve got no allegiances to any faction. I’m a wild card.”

“Then you don’t believe in anything? I thought you were a better man than that.”

“Aw, did you care?”

Much to Ryan’s surprise, it seemed like Blackthorn did. “For all your faults, Romano, you are a competent Genome with great potential. I would not have given you the time of a day if I didn’t believe it. You are a powerful fighter, a skilled tactician, and incredibly resourceful. I shudder to think what you could achieve, if you could look beyond childish self-gratification.”

Ryan wasn’t certain if it was meant as a compliment or criticism. Probably both. “I could return the sentiment,” he said. “I expected you to be a lot more cutthroat, but… you seem rather honorable and well-meaning below the surface. You could do a lot more for the world outside of Dynamis.”

“You are wrong,” Enrique replied. “By themselves, humans can only do so much. We conquered the planet by sacrificing our individuality for collective strength. Though I do not share his methods, I agree with my brother’s mission statement. Dynamis may not always change the world for the better, but it can.”

“After seeing Rust Town, I somewhat doubt it,” Ryan replied, before smiling behind his mask. “But I’m an optimist. People can change.”

Even if there would be unintended consequences, the Meta-Gang’s defeat had put the time-traveler in a cheerful mood. After all the darkness of the previous failed run, this loop had proved he could turn things around.

“I do not trust you, Romano. You are unpredictable, loyal to none, and probably the most dangerous individual I have met short of Augustus.”

“Thank you, Greenhand.”

Enrique put his hands in his pants’ pockets, the perfect picture of corporate confidence. “However, you probably prevented a disaster and saved Dynamis, in a roundabout way. So… while I hate to use the term, I will look the other way this once. You are no longer welcome in Il Migliore though; I cannot look past your ties to the Augusti. At least Felix burned that bridge.”

“It’s fine, I took the job to do one thing, and it is finished.” Ryan pointed a finger at the manager. “I’m keeping all my merchandise rights though. Don’t you dare sell Quicksave miniatures.”

“I will do my best to forget you even exist.”

“I return the feeling. I’m still going to visit my team in the hospital though. Spoiler warning, if you try to stop me, you will fail.”

“Here’s what will happen, Romano. I will allow you to say your goodbyes to your teammates unmolested, and I will wire you a generous compensation for your service.” Blackthorn locked eyes with Ryan through their respective masks. “But afterward, you and your sister will leave.”

“Leave for where?”

“Anywhere, far, far away from New Rome,” Enrique said. “He will be too busy with the transition in the next few days to do so, but once his position is secure, my brother will hunt you two down. I know him. Your allegiances are too dubious, your ties to the Augusti too suspicious, and your sister too important.”

Ryan understood the Manada might want him gone now he had outlived his usefulness, but Shortie? Why were they so interested in her? “What is it you’re not telling me, Black Gardener?”

Enrique remained silent for a few seconds, his body so still the courier thought he might have turned into a statue. “I let Len Sabino go once,” he finally admitted. “But I cannot protect her forever. Alphonse knows her base’s location, and he can access it if he so chooses. Take everything you can carry with you, and go.”

Ryan’s tone turned dangerous. “Is that a threat, Greenhand? Because as the Meta-Gang can attest, I’m very effective at killing weeds. Your brother won’t be the first nuclear device I made go kaboom.”

“No, Romano, it is not a threat. It is a warning. Strange as it may sound to you, I harbor no ill-will towards you or your family.” Blackthorn raised his sleeve to look at the time on his watch. “I must go now. Though I have the feeling we will meet again.”

And Ryan felt it would be under circumstances far less friendly.

---

Ryan was halfway to the harbor, when he received a call on his cellphone.

“Livia?” he asked upon answering.

“Ryan,” she answered on the other end of the line, a hint of worry breaking through her composure. “How is Felix?”

“Alive, but wounded,” the courier answered. Livia sighed with relief on the other end of the line. “He will recover, but they don’t allow visits yet. I’ve tried.”

“It’s… it’s fine, I’m glad he is alive at all. I did not inform his sisters yet. I…” Livia gulped, “I dreaded a different answer.”

“I wouldn’t have let him die,” Ryan replied. Or rather, he would have reloaded afterward. “Thanks for sending Mr. Passe-Muraille. He didn’t help much, but it’s the thought that counts. I guess you listened to me.”

“About how we weren’t enemies?” Livia briefly paused before continuing. “I hope I won’t regret trusting you. You do work with my family’s nemesis.”

“Well, if it can reassure you, I’ve just been fired.”

She immediately seized the opportunity. “Perhaps you would consider employment with us then? The Killer Seven are missing a Violet member.”

“Sorry princess, I’ll stay a free-spirit for a while,” Ryan answered, as he reached the harbor. “I’m not sure if my presence is needed anymore. I get the feeling Dynamis will hit your drug factory even without my influence.”

“My father’s reaction will be different if Dynamis does it, rather than an unknown party. But we can discuss that when the situation becomes clearer. When do you think Felix can receive visits?”

“I’ll be honest. I don’t know, and I’m not sure you will even be able to visit Atom Kitten at all.”

Her tone harshened. “You think Dynamis will prevent us access?”

“No, I think Felix won’t want to see you or his family.” No answer. “Hey, you can always try. If I’m right, I can carry a message if you want.”

The mafia princess had fallen completely silent. Though he had only said the truth, Ryan regretted his bluntness. For a second, he had forgotten how emotionally fragile the woman truly was, beneath her icy facade. “Livia?”

“Have you ever loved someone?” She asked out of the blue. “Not a fling, but true love? To the point that even though you know it’s over, you still cling to any hope you can turn things around?”

“I’m really not the best counsel on the matter,” Ryan said sadly, as he noticed Len’s bathysphere near the old piers. “I came to New Rome chasing after a ghost.”

“So you do understand,” she said with a sad chuckle, before gathering her breath. “You lived for centuries. Don’t you have wisdom to offer?”

“Things can change,” the courier admitted, before considering it thoughtfully. “But sometimes, it’s better to learn to let go. You’ll hurt yourself otherwise. Some wounds never heal, and you have to live with them.”

Livia seemed to see the wisdom in his words, but she didn’t appreciate it. “Thanks for your answers, Ryan.”

“You’re welcome,” the time-traveler replied, before falling silent. His thoughts turned to the meeting with Dynamis.

“Ryan?”

“The Manadas overthrew their father,” Ryan said out of nowhere. “They… talked it out and forced him into retirement. Now they intend to reform Dynamis into something better than before.”

He didn’t even need to elaborate. Livia could probably see the parallels with her own situation, with a major difference. “My father won’t surrender with dignity, Ryan.”

No, probably not. Her regretful tone was heart-wrenching.

“I will get my cat back,” Ryan said, changing the subject. “The furry kind.”

“I think I can arrange that,” she replied with a chuckle, though it was mirthless. “Goodbye Ryan.”

“Goodbye princess,” he said before hanging up on her and parking his car.

Enrique and Alphonse had managed to free themselves from their father’s hold. So why was it that Ryan couldn’t help Len and Livia do the same? Bloodstream was long dead, and Augustus, for all his overwhelming power, couldn’t overcome a mere tumor.

“No,” the courier muttered to himself. “I can’t let them win.”

He couldn’t let things end this way. Not again.

Never again.

He banished these thoughts and stepped out of his car. Len waited for him on the waterfront in full armor, two bathyspheres floating in the sea nearby; she carried a device in her hands. A gray metal helmet with pylons protruding from the front, and with a plug at the back. Dynamis hadn’t printed its logo on it, probably to avoid being tied to the Meta-Gang should the device be found.

“It’s underwhelming,” Ryan said as he rejoined his friend. “I expected something more complex.”

“It’s only a small part,” Len replied with a genuine smile. The mere sight caused Ryan to forget all his worries for a brief instant. “I moved the rest to your place.”

Your place.

Such simple words, and yet so powerful. “So, you were serious?” Ryan asked. “You’re okay with me moving to your undersea paradise?”

“Yes I am,” she said with a nod, her smile faltering. “It’s over, right? You don’t… you don’t owe Dynamis anything anymore.”

“No, and I’ve been fired anyway.” Ryan would miss the condo, and he would steal a cashmere suit as a parting gift. “I’m officially homeless again.”

Len considered her words for a second, but they came swiftly and firmly. “No, Riri. No, you are not homeless.”

Ryan’s heart skipped a beat for a moment, and he had to look away at the sea to hide his unease. It… felt great, to know Len wanted him back into her life. Even if their teenage relationship had long perished, she had Ryan’s back, and he had hers.

And with that tech, maybe his old lonely days would finally come to an end. “You think it can work?” Ryan asked for confirmation, praying not to be disappointed again.

“We will need time, but… maybe,” Len said with a smile, perhaps the first time she had shown some optimism in a long, long time. “We… we will need to extract the chronoradio from your car though. I have, uh, a bigger submarine. To bring it under the sea.”

An undersea garage. Marvelous.

“Frankly, if this loop doesn’t end with my Plymouth Fury getting an underwater mode, I will be sorely disappointed,” Ryan mused, before a darker thought crossed his mind. “But we might have to move to another location. Dynamis won’t leave your base alone for long.”

“They’re not going to let us be?” Her sweet face turned into an angry scowl. “I should have known. They’ll never be satisfied.”

“I don’t get why they’re so interested in you though,” the courier admitted. “Yeah, you attacked a factory, but that’s peanuts compared to the Augusti and the Meta-Gang.”

“And in the end, it didn’t cost them anything.” Len sighed, as if reliving her failed youthful rebellion. “I don’t know, Riri… I think what they can’t control, they destroy.”

No. Ryan sensed something bigger was at work, and it bothered him. “What did they do when they captured you the first time? What questions did they ask?”

“I don’t… I don’t remember much,” she admitted. “The first thing they did was to force me through a DNA test and take a blood sample. Afterward… nothing noteworthy. A sales pitch.”

“A blood sample, you said?” Why a blood sample of all things?

And then it clicked.

Memories flooded Ryan’s brain, and he suddenly saw them under a new light.

“Lab Sixty-Six."

“Enrique was supposed to oversee the whole Elixir operation instead of Il Migliore. He visited the lab for two hours, and he immediately asked for a transfer afterward.”

“If you ask me, there’s something really shifty about the knockoffs; even Augustus’ scientists never found a way to copy them.”

“Dynamis keeps the Underdiver under close surveillance.”

“You let her go?”

“It was our early days all over again.”

“I couldn’t make Elixirs. What I did was synthesize a specific resource that mimicked the properties of a true Elixir.”

“Such a shame, I would have loved to compare samples from various Genome relatives.”

“Various Genome relatives.”

“Genome relatives.”

Relatives.

“Len?” Ryan asked, a terrible doubt creeping in his mind. “When did Dynamis start producing their knockoff Elixirs? Do you know the exact date?”

“Uh… I’m not sure, I think… I think they had a few in development, but they only started flooding the market three years ago or so…”

Shortie shut her mouth, and Ryan instantly regretted asking that question. She was smart. She had figured it out too.

“It’s impossible,” the courier said immediately. “It can’t be that.”

“But it would fit!” Len protested, genuine emotion breaking through her monotone voice. “It would explain it all. It—”

“Len, your father is dead.” The Genius flinched, as Ryan’s tone turned deadly serious. “Sunshine burnt him to ashes. I saw it with my own two eyes. He’s gone.”

“But if one of his clones…” Len locked eyes with her old friend. “You know it’s possible, Riri. You just don’t want it to be.”

No, he didn’t. Ryan wanted to think that nightmare was over. That Bloodstream was dead and buried, and could no longer harm either of his children, adopted or otherwise.

But Len had never truly woken up.

“Riri, I… I’ve trusted you, even after everything we… I’ve… I’ve killed for you, Riri. I trusted your words, I gave you a second chance. I… I’m willing to start fresh.” She gathered her breath, struggling to find her words. “I just… I just want to get closure, Riri. I want to know. If it’s… if we’re wrong, we can move on. But we need this. We need to check.”

“But if our hunch is right?” Ryan asked. “What will you do? What will we do?”

Len bit her lower lips, and looked at her feet without a word.

“I just…” Ryan gathered his breath, as he thought about his next words. “I just want you to be free, Len. I want you to be free of him. To exorcise his ghost, so he no longer haunts you. You...”

He paused. “Say it,” Len said, without looking up.

“You remind me of a songbird in a cage, Len,” Ryan admitted. “You could be smiling and shine like the sun. You could fly away. The cage is open. But you’re afraid he will close the door as you try to escape. No one will take away your freedom… but you’re still afraid.”

Len looked back at her friend once more. “Ryan,” she said with an iron gaze. Not Riri. “It’s exactly why I won’t budge on this. I need to know. I… I need to know. To get closure.”

Ryan wanted to argue further, but he could see in her gaze it was pointless. She wouldn’t change her mind.

And the worst part? While he hated to admit it… he needed to be sure too.

“Lab Sixty-Six,” the courier muttered to himself.

瑞恩不得不承认，埃克托·马纳达这点值得佩服。明明比奥古斯都富有得多，却一点也不张扬。

迪纳米斯的首席执行官住在新罗马以北一座黄色石材砌成的三层宅邸里，步行就能到公司总部。宅院很大，却远不能和奥古斯都山相比；建筑风格让瑞恩想起南美洲十九世纪的庄园，不过埃克托还在花园里收藏了相当多的中美洲文物。通往宅邸的小径两旁立着一排排阿兹特克神像，宛如一支私人卫队。当然，院子里还到处都是配备顶尖武器的私人安保队守卫。

瑞恩抵达时，恩里克的直升机和阳光都已经降落在花园里。守卫查验过送货员的身份，便放他通行，没有为难他；显然，兄弟俩提前打过招呼。

阿尔方斯·马纳达已经和弟弟会合，身后是一队精锐安保人员。伦纳德·哈格雷夫斯落在草坪上，虽说仍是太阳形态，却不知用了什么办法，没有点着草。就连瑞恩都抽空换回了自己的老行头，毕竟那套羊绒西装已经被酸雨糟蹋得不成样子。去见最终头目，总得打扮得体面些。

然而，眼前的场面很快让瑞恩失望了。

埃克托·马纳达并没有端起冲锋枪，打算像《疤面煞星》里那样轰轰烈烈地战死。对于离家几个城区外正在发生的战事，他也毫无忧色。事实上，他看上去根本没有任何烦恼。

因为埃克托·马纳达正在打理花园。

“看来这是家族爱好。”瑞恩挖苦道。那位企业阴谋家正伺弄着一丛丑陋的玫瑰。花卉布局惨不忍睹，一看就是外行的手笔。

“儿子们。”埃克托·马纳达身材矮胖，头发灰白，长相酷似巴勃罗·埃斯科瓦尔。他脱下了商务西装，换上一身白色便服，戴着草帽。要不是瑞恩以前见过他的脸，没准会把他当成一个普通雇员。“没想到你们会来。尤其没想到，还带了这么……”

他的目光转向利奥·哈格雷夫斯。“光彩照人的同伴。”

“很意外，父亲？”阿尔方斯问道，语气里听不出一丝亲情的温度。

“马纳达先生。”利奥一如既往地彬彬有礼，“好久不见。”

“要我说，还不够久。”首席执行官回道，随后才终于注意到快存。“这位又是谁？”

“你好，我是快存。”瑞恩自我介绍道，“就是我破坏了你所有邪恶计划，不过别告诉别人。”

“我的邪恶计划？”首席执行官勉强挤出一丝笑容，“我不明白。”

“我想你明白，父亲。”恩里克说着，理了理领带。“一小时前，我们摧毁了超能帮。”

“这项行动未经我批准。”首席执行官皱眉道，随后便忘了瑞恩的存在，转而望向阿尔方斯。“我也不记得召你回过新罗马。”

“你背叛我们所有人的那一刻，就失去了对我发号施令的权力，父亲。”阿尔方斯答道，“你就那么想大权独揽，宁愿克隆自己，也不肯让我们继承？”

“克隆自己？”埃克托·马纳达佯装不知。

“心震已经被我们关押了，父亲。”恩里克说，“他全招了。从你和食人魔亚当的秘密交易，到你的意识转移计划。”

考虑到事情发生的时间，瑞恩知道这多半是在诈他，不过效果好得出奇。“是吗？”埃克托问道，瞥了一眼跟在儿子们身后的士兵。送货员几乎能看见这位首席执行官脑袋里的齿轮正在转动，权衡各种选择。

“我们有录音、俘获的技术人员，还有资金往来的证据。”恩里克继续说道，“你知道超能帮在锈镇下面挖出了一座梅克隆基地吗？”

虽然首席执行官很快就调整好了表情，但那一瞬间真切的惊讶已经告诉瑞恩：不，他不知道。正如送货员所料，超能帮从一开始就打算背叛他；先拿着迪纳米斯的灵药，等能动用梅克隆的武器了，再推翻这家公司。

“所以，你不但是叛徒，还是个蠢货。”阿尔方斯·马纳达厌恶地哼了一声。他也注意到了那惊讶的神色。“你就这么看不起我们？”

“这能怪我吗，阿尔方斯？”埃克托冷笑着反问，“有时候，我真怀疑你是不是我的种。要不是我把你派走，你和奥古斯都早就把意大利变成血流成河的战场了。”

“所以你就改派疯魔替你开战？”恩里克摇着头问道，“我还记得，当初我接纳菲利克斯·韦兰加入我们时，你是怎么说的。‘别惹事。’”

“奥古斯都的势力必须受到遏制，但我们承担不起正面冲突的代价。”埃克托厉声回道，“我们没有办法彻底除掉他。”

“有。”阿尔方斯自信地说，“重力枪。”

“你对奇迹武器的痴迷迟早会毁了你。”埃克托痛斥儿子，“要是你的武器失效了，我们就得面对一个无敌、又再无顾忌的疯子。”

“奥古斯都永远不会满足。”伦纳德·哈格雷夫斯插话道，“他要的是对整个欧洲的绝对统治，少一点都不行。”

“他的狂妄妄想毫无意义。”埃克托嗤之以鼻，“哈格雷夫斯，你可没我那么了解他。”

阳光也冷笑了一声。“马纳达先生，早在你来意大利之前，我就已经在跟奥古斯都交手了。我很了解他。”

“不，哈格雷夫斯，你不了解。否则你就会明白一个简单的道理。凭奥古斯都的力量，他本可以自立为神王，制定法律，可他在做什么？贩毒、洗钱、腐蚀现有的体制。说到底，奥古斯都不过是个得了癌症的黑帮分子，而且这辈子也就这样了。”首席执行官烦躁地摇了摇头。“难道你们还不明白？想赢，我们只需要比他活得久。让自然规律去办就行了。”

“这期间，就放任无数人受苦？”阳光反问，“还得假定奥古斯蒂的下一代不会跟他是一路货色？”

“这个，说实话——”瑞恩举起手，想替莉维娅说句话。

“大人在说话，快存。”阿尔方斯打断了他。

“那你在这儿干什么？”瑞恩嘲弄地反问。他可比这位副总裁老得多，多得多。核动力改造人怒视着他，送货员却丝毫不怵。

“够了。”恩里克说道，语气里透出一丝烦躁。

“那你又真有多大不同呢，父亲？”阿尔方斯讥讽地问道。

埃克托脸上只剩下纯粹的厌恶。“你竟敢拿我和奥古斯都相提并论，我的儿子？我承认，我不是什么圣人，但我不会到处杀害从未招惹过我的人。”

“我们从小就被你教导，迪纳米斯有一个使命：以自由市场、法治和个人自由为基础，重建一个更好的文明。”阿尔方斯的声音变得苦涩。“一个不会重蹈战前国家覆辙的文明。可你所做的一切，不过是把过去再重复一遍，维持一种不适合人类的现状。一种对奥古斯都有利的现状。”

瑞恩意识到，他以前在别处见过辐尘这类人。理想破灭的理想主义者。

听着这番话，他不由得想起了莉维娅的处境。马纳达兄弟和她一样，都不认同父亲那腐朽僵化的世界观。但莉维娅逃不出奥古斯都的掌控，而马纳达兄弟决定反抗。

可这能成功吗？

“你所谓的那种不合适的现状，已经是我们仅有的选择了。”埃克托怒道，“我只能拿手里分到的牌来打。”

“不管你有什么理由，你都勾结了超能帮，向他们提供公司资源，而且无论是不是出于本意，都差一点让食人魔亚当拿到了梅克隆的科技。”恩里克指出，“这件事我们不能放过，董事会也不会。”

“我就是董事会。”埃克托皱眉答道。

瑞恩实在没忍住。“你还不是！”

“阿尔方斯和我手里的股份足以强制发起表决。你也知道，董事会和其他公司都会投票让你退休。”恩里克说，“我们的证据太多，他们不能让外界看到自己与疯魔合作。形象和声誉是我们的铠甲，也是我们的软肋。”

“最重要的是，军队在我们手里。”阿尔方斯说出了显而易见的事实，“别以为你能阻止接下来要发生的事。”

埃克托的脸色更加阴沉。“你要伤害我，我的儿子？伤害你的亲生父亲？”

“你做过那些事，还打算做那些事，现在来问这个？”阿尔方斯低下头，与父亲直视，“没错，我会。”

埃克托和他对视片刻，随后看向另一个儿子。“连你也这样，恩里克？你知道你哥哥接替我的职位后，会做什么吗？”

“知道。”恩里克回答，“但他不会跟疯魔搅在一起。”

“说得好，弟弟。”阿尔方斯接过话头，“恩里克会担任我的副总裁，我们会收拾你留下的烂摊子。我们会把迪纳米斯重塑成它本来就该有的样子。一座引领文明重建的灯塔，一个没有疯魔，更不会有奥古斯都的文明。你或许辜负了这个梦想，父亲，但我们不会。”

“跟我们走吧，马纳达先生。”阳光短暂地提高了周身的温度，“我保证你不会受到伤害，也会得到公正的听证机会。”

“体面地退场吧，父亲。”恩里克恳求道，随后瞥向阿尔方斯，“否则……我们就只能用另一种方式了。”

漫长而煎熬的片刻里，迪纳米斯的首席执行官一言不发。他缓缓扫视两个儿子，再看向伦纳德，最后望向支持他们的私人安保队成员。不管是因为惧怕阿尔方斯·马纳达、心生厌恶，还是见风使舵，没有一个人上前保护自己的雇主。

看来在迪纳米斯，权力更迭得很快。

最终，尽管瑞恩已经做好了战斗准备，埃克托·马纳达还是伸出了双手，束手就擒。“蠢货，你们会毁了我们所有人。”

“迪纳米斯迎来了新的黎明，父亲。”阿尔方斯·马纳达宣告道，听起来颇为自得。“早就该到来的黎明。”

士兵们抓住埃克托·马纳达的双臂时，他以沉静而不失尊严的口吻预言道：“在我之后，洪水滔天。”

阿尔方斯高大的身躯立在原地，看着父亲被押走。瑞恩瞥向他，意识到自己或许把一个危险得多的人推上了迪纳米斯的掌权者之位。“这就完了？”送货员问恩里克，“他做了那么多事，你们说几句话就解决了？”

“不然呢，你以为会枪林弹雨？”至优者的经理冷冷答道，“我们和奥古斯都不一样，不是遇到什么问题都要开枪。我父亲有很多种面目，但唯独不是狂热分子。他宁愿被迫退休，也不愿白白送死。”

“所以……怎么着，你们打算像对拿破仑那样，把他关到私人岛屿上？”

“差不多。如果一切按预期进行，他的资产会被没收，身边会全是阿尔方斯的人，再也接触不到任何形式的权力。”恩里克不赞同地看着瑞恩，“我们成年人管这叫外交，罗马诺。是很无聊，但通常能省去大量流血。”

这……这是好事。瑞恩本以为权力交接会以暴力收场，因为他过去所知的一切都是如此。

“要是更多恶人也能讲点道理就好了。”利奥·哈格雷夫斯感慨道，“那么，结束了。现在该决定怎么处理那座地堡了。”

“还没有，哈格雷夫斯。”阿尔方斯说，“接下来要进行权力交接，我希望你能协助我们。我会为你的服务支付报酬。”

“我们不是为钱做事，辐尘。”

“你误会我的意思了。”改造人带着一丝笑意答道，“我们的目标一致。我们都想把奥古斯都从王座上拖下来。现在我父亲的事已经解决，该把精力放到真正的敌人身上了。”

活体太阳抱起双臂。这机会太好，不容错过。“我听着。”

“不在这里谈。”阿尔方斯接着瞪向瑞恩，“还有，我受够你这种肆无忌惮的无礼了，快存。你干完了自己的活，仅此而已。滚蛋。”

“我也爱你，长崎。”瑞恩回道，准备离开。该办的事已经办完了。再说，跟阿尔方斯·马纳达待得太久，没准会得癌症。

“瑞恩。”与辐尘不同，阳光恭敬地向时间旅行者躬身致意。“我有件事想请你——”

“抱歉，阳光，我不会加入你的马戏团。”瑞恩打断了他，“积怨太深。”

“我也料到了。”利奥叹息道，“但我还是要代表嘉年华，不，代表整个新罗马……谢谢你。大多数人不会知道，但你的所作所为拯救了无数生命。史书或许不会提到你，但我们不会忘记。”

“别许下做不到的承诺。”瑞恩耸耸肩，“不过……谢谢。”

这位闪闪发光的圣骑士太高尚了，实在让人讨厌不起来。

瑞恩本来可以自己离开马纳达家的宅院，恩里克却决定亲自送他到车边。“这不是结束，对吧？”送货员问黑棘。感觉完全不像一个结局。“这才只是开始。”

“埃克托阁下没说错。这是暴风雨前的平静，罗马诺。现在是我哥哥掌权，而他不像父亲那么……懂得迂回。奥古斯都要是还不知道我们跟哈格雷夫斯合作了，也很快就会知道。而且，锈镇下面那座基地虽然严重受损，仍然是一座科技宝库，我们必须决定怎么处理它。”

“看来，推翻你父亲反倒是简单的部分。”瑞恩若有所思地说，心情从好奇变得有些低落。“我都不知道该作何感想。”

“我看到你听我哥哥说话时的反应了。”恩里克说，“你似乎……心事重重。”

真敏锐。“当初我试图摆脱那位‘父亲般的人物’对我的控制，最后以他的死亡收场。”瑞恩回答，想起了蕾恩和血流。“可即使死了，他的影响依然束缚着我的一个朋友。所以看着你们两个……我忍不住会想，当初会不会还有别的可能。”

恩里克什么也没说，送货员很感激他这一点。然而，当瑞恩把手搭上普利茅斯“狂怒”的车门时，黑棘却径直挡到了他面前。“你还不能走。”迪纳米斯的新任副总裁宣布，“我说过，我们得谈谈，罗马诺。现在就谈。”

“有什么好谈的？不过你要是想上园艺课，倒是可以预约一下。”

“我们有很多事要谈。”恩里克抱起双臂，“我知道进攻时你妹妹就在地堡里。超能帮有个成员被发现困在一颗气泡中，心震的住处也被翻了个遍。最蹊跷的是，我父亲借给他的脑部扫描设备，我们的人怎么也找不到。”

“那我建议你雇些更能干的人来跑腿，裙带关系先生。”

“我一直在想，你参与这件事图的究竟是什么，现在我明白了。”恩里克无视了这句嘲讽，“你从一开始就是冲着这项技术来的。整场行动都只是为了转移注意力。”

“不全是。”瑞恩想起了贾丝敏。“如果我告诉你，超能帮害死了一个我在乎的人，而且是永久的死亡，你信吗？”

“永久的死亡？”恩里克注意到了这古怪的措辞，但瑞恩没有解释。“还有人看见你和莉维娅·奥古斯蒂、福尔图娜·韦兰一起吃晚饭，而且你似乎还送后者回了家。目击者说，当时看起来……很亲密。”

“我现在就把这谣言掐死在这里。”瑞恩立刻嗅到了危险。“福尔图娜·韦兰不是我女朋友。我也是有标准的。”

“这点我很怀疑。”恩里克冷冷地回道，“熊猫还告诉我，你与酸雨交战时，一个外貌符合奥古斯蒂刺客莫蒂默描述的人出手救了你。你得理解，我对你真正效忠于谁……有所怀疑。”

送货员耸耸肩。“我不效忠任何阵营。我是个变数。”

“这么说，你什么都不信奉？我本以为你不至于如此。”

“哎呀，你原来还挺在意我？”

令瑞恩意外的是，黑棘似乎真的在意。“尽管毛病不少，罗马诺，你仍然是个能力出众、潜力巨大的基因者。如果我不这么认为，根本不会搭理你。你战斗力强，精于战术，足智多谋。如果你能不再只顾着满足自己那些幼稚的欲望，我都不敢想象你能成就什么。”

瑞恩不确定这算夸奖还是批评。大概两者都有。“同样的话，我也可以送给你。”他说，“我原以为你会狠辣得多，可是……你表面之下，似乎还挺正派，也怀着善意。离开迪纳米斯，你能为这个世界做更多事。”

“你错了。”恩里克回答，“单凭个人，人类能做到的事终究有限。我们牺牲个体性，换取集体的力量，才征服了这颗星球。虽然我不认同哥哥的手段，但我认同他的使命宣言。迪纳米斯或许并非总能让世界变得更好，但它有这个能力。”

“看过锈镇之后，我对此多少有点怀疑。”瑞恩回道，随后在面具后笑了笑。“不过我是个乐观主义者。人是会变的。”

即便会带来意料之外的后果，超能帮的覆灭仍然让时间旅行者心情愉快。经历了上一轮失败循环的种种黑暗，这一轮证明了他有能力扭转局面。

“我不信任你，罗马诺。你无法预测，不忠于任何人，而且恐怕是除了奥古斯都之外，我见过的最危险的人物。”

“谢谢，绿手。”

恩里克将双手插进裤兜，活脱脱一副自信从容的企业高管模样。“不过，你或许确实阻止了一场灾难，还绕着弯子救了迪纳米斯。所以……虽然我不喜欢这个说法，这一次我会睁一只眼闭一只眼。但至优者不再欢迎你；你跟奥古斯蒂的关系，我不能视而不见。至少菲利克斯已经跟他们一刀两断了。”

“没关系，我接这份工作只为办一件事，现在已经办完了。”瑞恩伸出一根手指，指向这位经理。“不过，我所有周边商品的权利都得保留。你敢卖快存手办试试。”

“我会尽力忘记这世上还有你这么个人。”

“彼此彼此。不过，我还是会去医院探望队友。提前剧透一下：你要是想拦我，是拦不住的。”

“接下来这样办，罗马诺。我会让你不受干扰地向队友道别，也会汇给你一笔丰厚的报酬，酬谢你的效劳。”黑棘隔着两人各自的面具，与瑞恩对视。“但之后，你和你妹妹必须离开。”

“离开，去哪儿？”

“哪里都行，离新罗马越远越好。”恩里克说，“接下来几天，我哥哥会忙于权力交接，无暇顾及。但一旦坐稳了位置，他就会追捕你们两个。我了解他。你的立场太模糊，跟奥古斯蒂的关系太可疑，而你妹妹又太重要。”

瑞恩能理解，如今自己已经没了利用价值，马纳达兄弟或许会想赶他走。可小矮个呢？他们为什么对她这么感兴趣？“你还有什么没告诉我，黑园丁？”

恩里克沉默了几秒，身体一动不动，送货员还以为他变成了一尊雕像。“我放走过蕾恩·萨比诺一次。”他终于承认，“但我不能永远保护她。阿尔方斯知道她基地的位置，只要他想，就进得去。带上所有能带走的东西，走吧。”

瑞恩的语气危险起来。“这是威胁吗，绿手？超能帮可以作证，我除草的效率可是很高的。你哥哥不会是我引爆的第一枚核装置。”

“不，罗马诺，这不是威胁，而是警告。你或许觉得奇怪，但我对你和你的家人并无恶意。”黑棘抬起袖口，看了眼腕表上的时间。“我得走了。不过我有种感觉，我们还会再见。”

而瑞恩觉得，那时的场面会远不如现在友好。

---

去港口的路走到一半，瑞恩的手机响了。

“莉维娅？”他接起电话，问道。

“瑞恩。”她在电话那头应道，一丝忧虑透过了那份镇定。“菲利克斯怎么样？”

“活着，但受了伤。”送货员答道。电话那头，莉维娅如释重负地叹了口气。“他会康复的，但现在还不准探视。我试过了。”

“没……没关系，他能活着，我就很高兴了。我还没通知他的姐妹。我……”莉维娅咽了口唾沫，“我一直害怕会听到另一个答案。”

“我不会让他死的。”瑞恩答道。确切地说，真死了他就会读档。“谢谢你派来穿墙先生。他没帮上多大忙，不过心意最重要。看来你听进我的话了。”

“你说我们不是敌人的那番话？”莉维娅稍稍停顿，才接着说下去。“希望我不会后悔信任你。毕竟你确实在和我家族的死敌共事。”

“好吧，如果这样能让你安心点，我刚被开除了。”

她立刻抓住了机会。“那你或许可以考虑来为我们工作？杀手七人组还缺一位紫系成员。”

“抱歉，公主，我还想再自由自在一阵子。”瑞恩抵达港口时答道，“我都不确定还有没有我出场的必要。我有种感觉，就算没有我推波助澜，迪纳米斯也会对你家的制毒厂动手。”

“迪纳米斯出手，和不明身份的一方出手，我父亲的反应会不一样。不过等局势明朗后，我们再谈这个。你觉得菲利克斯什么时候能接受探视？”

“实话实说，我不知道。而且我也不确定你们到底能不能见到原子小猫。”

她的语气冷硬起来。“你觉得迪纳米斯会阻止我们探望？”

“不，我觉得菲利克斯不会想见你，也不会想见他的家人。”没有回应。“嘿，你总可以试试。如果真让我说中了，你愿意的话，我可以帮忙捎个口信。”

黑帮公主彻底沉默了。虽说只是讲了实话，瑞恩却后悔自己太过直白。刚才那一瞬间，他忘了在冰冷的外表之下，这个女人的感情其实有多脆弱。“莉维娅？”

“你爱过什么人吗？”她突然问道。“不是一时欢愉，而是真正的爱情？爱到明知已经结束，还是紧抓着每一丝挽回的希望不放？”

“这种事，我实在不是最适合给建议的人。”瑞恩伤感地说。他看见了旧码头旁蕾恩的深潜球。“我来新罗马，就是在追逐一个幻影。”

“所以，你是懂的。”她苦笑一声，随后平复了一下呼吸。“你活了几百年，就没有什么人生智慧能教给我吗？”

“事情是会变的。”送货员承认，又仔细想了想。“但有时候，还是学会放手比较好。不然你会伤到自己。有些伤永远都不会好，你只能带着它们活下去。”

莉维娅似乎明白他的话有道理，却并不喜欢这个答案。“谢谢你的回答，瑞恩。”

“不客气。”时间旅行者答道，随后陷入沉默。他想起了刚才和迪纳米斯众人的会面。

“瑞恩？”

“马纳达兄弟推翻了他们的父亲。”瑞恩冷不丁地说道，“他们……通过谈判，让他被迫退休了。现在他们打算改革迪纳米斯，让它变得比以前更好。”

他甚至不必详说。莉维娅大概已经看出了这和自己处境的相似之处，只是存在一个关键区别。“我父亲不会体面地投降，瑞恩。”

不会，大概真的不会。她满是遗憾的语气令人心痛。

“我要把我的猫接回来。”瑞恩换了个话题，“毛茸茸的那只。”

“这个我想可以安排。”她轻笑着回答，笑声却毫无欢意。“再见，瑞恩。”

“再见，公主。”他说完挂了电话，将车停好。

恩里克和阿尔方斯已经成功摆脱了父亲的控制。那么，为什么瑞恩就不能帮蕾恩和莉维娅做到同样的事？血流早就死了，而奥古斯都纵有压倒性的力量，也战胜不了区区一个肿瘤。

“不。”送货员喃喃自语，“我不能让他们赢。”

他不能让事情就这样结束。不能再来一次。

绝不能再来一次。

他驱散这些念头，下了车。蕾恩穿着全套装甲在水边等他，附近的海面上漂着两个深潜球；她手里拿着一台装置。那是一顶灰色金属头盔，前部伸出几根柱状物，后面有个插头。迪纳米斯没在上面印标志，大概是不想在设备被发现时，让人把公司与超能帮联系起来。

“有点令人失望啊。”瑞恩走到朋友身边，说道，“我还以为会复杂些。”

“这只是一小部分。”蕾恩露出真诚的微笑。光是看见这个笑容，瑞恩就暂时忘记了一切烦恼。“其余的我已经搬到你的住处了。”

你的住处。

如此简单的几个字，却有这么大的力量。“所以，你是认真的？”瑞恩问，“你真的愿意让我搬进你的海底乐园？”

“嗯，我愿意。”她点点头，笑容却淡了下去。“都结束了，对吧？你不……你已经不欠迪纳米斯什么了。”

“不欠了，反正我也被开除了。”瑞恩会想念那套公寓的，而且他打算偷一套羊绒西装，当作临别礼物。“我现在正式再次成为无家可归的人了。”

蕾恩斟酌了一瞬措辞，可说出口时却又快又坚定。“不，瑞瑞。不，你不是无家可归。”

瑞恩的心跳漏了一拍，只好转头望向大海，掩饰自己的无措。知道蕾恩愿意让他重新回到自己的生活里，这感觉……真好。即使少年时代的恋情早已消逝，她依然会支持瑞恩，他也会支持她。

而有了这项技术，那些孤独的日子也许终于要结束了。“你觉得能行吗？”瑞恩想要一个肯定的答复，祈祷着别再失望。

“我们需要时间，不过……也许能。”蕾恩笑着说。这也许是很久很久以来，她第一次表现出几分乐观。“不过，我们……我们得把时空收音机从你车里拆出来。我有，呃，一艘更大的潜艇。可以把车运到海底。”

海底车库。妙极了。

“说真的，这一轮循环结束前，要是我的普利茅斯‘狂怒’还没装上水下模式，我会非常失望的。”瑞恩念叨着，随后一个阴暗的念头掠过脑海。“不过我们可能得搬个地方。迪纳米斯不会让你的基地安稳太久。”

“他们还不肯放过我们？”她甜美的脸庞因愤怒而紧绷。“我早该知道的。他们永远不会满足。”

“可我就是不明白，他们为什么对你这么感兴趣。”送货员坦言，“没错，你袭击过一座工厂，可跟奥古斯蒂和超能帮干的事一比，那根本不值一提。”

“到头来，他们还什么损失都没有。”蕾恩叹了口气，仿佛又回到了那场失败的年少反抗中。“我不知道，瑞瑞……我想，凡是控制不了的，他们就要毁掉。”

不。瑞恩感觉背后还有更大的隐情，这让他很不安。“他们第一次抓到你时，做了什么？问了些什么问题？”

“我不……我记不太清了。”她承认，“他们做的第一件事，就是强迫我接受DNA检测，还抽了一份血样。之后……就没什么值得一提的了。劝我加入他们那一套。”

“你说，血样？”为什么偏偏要血样？

随后，一切串了起来。

记忆涌入瑞恩的脑海，他突然从中看到了全新的意义。

“六十六号实验室。”

“恩里克原本应该负责整个灵药业务，而不是至优者。他去实验室待了两个小时，出来立刻就申请调职了。”

“要我说，那些仿制品肯定有什么见不得人的猫腻；连奥古斯都手下的科学家都没能找到复制灵药的方法。”

“迪纳米斯一直在严密监视深潜者。”

“你放走了她？”

“简直就是我们早期那些事的重演。”

“我造不出灵药。我所做的是合成一种特定的资源，模拟真正灵药的性质。”

“真遗憾，我很想比较一下不同基因者亲属的样本。”

“不同基因者亲属。”

“基因者亲属。”

亲属。

“蕾恩？”一个可怕的疑念爬上瑞恩心头。“迪纳米斯是什么时候开始生产仿制灵药的？你知道确切日期吗？”

“呃……我不确定，我想……我想他们以前就有几种在研发了，但真正大批投放市场，是三年前左右……”

小矮个突然闭上了嘴，瑞恩立刻后悔问出这个问题。她很聪明。她也想明白了。

“不可能。”送货员立刻说道，“不可能是那样。”

“可这样就说得通了！”蕾恩反驳，真切的情绪冲破了她平板的语调。“所有事都能解释了。这——”

“蕾恩，你父亲已经死了。”瑞恩的语气变得无比严肃，让这位天才瑟缩了一下。“阳光把他烧成了灰。我亲眼看见的。他已经不在了。”

“可如果他的某个克隆体……”蕾恩直视着老朋友的眼睛。“你知道这是有可能的，瑞瑞。你只是不愿意它是真的。”

没错，他不愿意。瑞恩想相信那场噩梦已经结束，相信血流早已死透，再也无法伤害他的两个孩子，无论是收养的还是亲生的。

可蕾恩从未真正醒来。

“瑞瑞，我……我相信了你，哪怕我们经历了那些……我……我为你杀过人，瑞瑞。我相信你说的话，给了你第二次机会。我……我愿意重新开始。”她缓了口气，艰难地组织语言。“我只是……我只是想做个了结，瑞瑞。我想知道。如果……如果我们猜错了，就可以往前走。可我们需要一个答案。我们必须去确认。”

“可要是我们猜对了呢？”瑞恩问，“你会怎么做？我们又该怎么做？”

蕾恩咬住下唇，低头看着自己的双脚，一言不发。

“我只是……”瑞恩深吸一口气，斟酌着接下来要说的话。“我只是希望你能自由，蕾恩。我希望你能摆脱他。驱走他的幽灵，让他再也不能纠缠你。你……”

他停了下来。“说吧。”蕾恩没有抬头。

“你让我想起笼子里的鸣禽，蕾恩。”瑞恩坦言，“你本可以笑着，像太阳一样闪耀。你本可以飞走。笼门已经开了。可你害怕，怕你试着逃出去时，他会把门关上。已经没有人会夺走你的自由……可你还是害怕。”

蕾恩再次望向朋友。“瑞恩。”她的目光坚如钢铁。不是瑞瑞。“正因为这样，这件事我才不会让步。我必须知道。我……我必须知道。才能做个了结。”

瑞恩还想争辩，可从她的目光里，他看得出那毫无意义。她不会改变主意。

而最糟糕的是什么？尽管不愿承认……他也需要确认。

“六十六号实验室。”送货员喃喃自语。