同章对照

“This is the Berlin Wall,” Ryan said, as he stood between his troops and a blast door, “the last frontier between western civilization, and complete annihilation.”

He glanced at his minions, all ready to die for their country, and because they had little choice. Sarin kept her arms crossed, carrying herself with dignity in this dark hour. Darkling lurked in a corner, still sore about its nickname. Alchemo grunted, eager to see the mission done. The rest of the cannon fodder, Gemini, the Reptilian, and Ink Machine waited anxiously; knowing that as red shirts, their odds of survival were slim.

The Land, Mosquito, and a few others remained above ground to protect the Junkyard. Rakshasa had the critical task of appeasing their ever-numerous rabbit overlords, before their numbers reached critical mass; a doomed task, unfortunately. As for Incognito, Ryan had sent him to Dynamis, to lay the groundwork for the run’s final operation.

The last member of the crack team soon showed up, holding a black briefcase. “It’s here, Mr. President,” Frank declared, as he presented the holy item to his dark master. “The Nuclear Football. It came with the mail.”

Ryan held his breath, as he touched the soft leather with anticipation. He had been careful to order it through a complex route, so the sender wouldn’t learn her client’s identity, but his efforts had paid off. At long last, the courier’s diabolical plan had reached fruition.

“What’s that, Boss?” Sarin asked, a bit confused. “A secret weapon?”

“The only one that matters.”

Ryan stopped time, and when it resumed, his clothes had fallen on the floor except for the boxers. His display of manliness was welcomed with surprise and shock. “Oh my…” Ink Machine said, a bit surprised.

“Not again, you exhibitionist!” Alchemo complained. “If you lead us to battle naked, I’m taking the door!”

“Eh,” Sarin said, as she glanced at Ryan’s boxers. “I’ve seen bigger weapons of mass destruction.”

The president ignored the masses, as he slowly opened the briefcase and gazed upon the dark power within.

Wardrobe’s presidential costume.

Unlike his previous clothes, it was pure black and red; this time, there would be no more playing around. This suit was unlike anything Ryan’s foes had faced before: unrelenting, merciless, uncompromising.

Ryan slowly and silently put it on before his troops, to establish his stylish dominance over them.

The dark pants first, because it was cold in the bunker. They fit his body curves perfectly, and oozed villainous sex appeal.

Then he put on the black leather boots, to stomp protesters’ faces. With skull-themed socks.

A cashmere red shirt and black suit, Karl Lagerfeld style. Because when you embraced the dark side, you dressed German.

A strong and powerful necktie, to represent his authoritarian, unflinching leadership.

Velvet gloves, to choke his minions when they talked back.

A black jacket, that would flow with the wind when he looked threatening atop rooftops.

A red and silver mask covered most of his head, except for the eyes, so that his evil gaze may terrify children.

And finally, a savage bowler hat, to show he meant business.

No light. No hope. Only one word.

“Perfect,” Ryan said, deepening his voice to sound more intimidating.

His men remained too intimidated to say anything, except for the idiot of the group. “I don’t find it anything special,” the Reptilian said. “And I think it’s a bit too edg—”

In response, Ryan choked him with one hand.

It had taken him years to master this move, but the sudden lack of air and blood brought the Reptilian to his knees. The mook attempted to grab the president’s arm with his hands, but the lawful authority only strengthened his grip around his victim’s throat.

“I find your lack of taste disturbing,” Ryan said, his tone promising only death.

“I’m… I’m sorry…” the Reptilian managed to sputter, his reptilian face turning purple.

“I’m sorry who, handbag?”

“I’m sorry… Mr. President…”

Ryan released the protester, and let him gasp for breath. He glanced at the other Psychos, who all straightened up. Frank carefully grabbed the president’s old clothes and put them in the briefcase.

“Alright then, mooks, listen up,” Ryan addressed his troops, as he put his trusty coil gun around his belt, and the Fisty Brothers on top of his velvet gloves. “Our goal is to reach the base’s mainframe thanks to a shortcut, and allow our brain-dead friend to hook up with it.”

“I’m not—”

“Are you questioning my authority?” Ryan asked Alchemo. “Because I respect freedom of speech.”

The Genius glanced at the Reptilian, who had barely recovered from the choking. “Two years,” Alchemo said, “and it’s still the same nonsense.”

“I love democracy.” Ryan promptly continued with his explanations. “Your job is to make sure he reaches his destination. Frank and Darkling will force a path forward, and we’ll follow suit.”

The steel giant immediately made a salute, having put the briefcase aside. “Yes, Mr. President.”

No answer from his back-up though.

“Darkling? Darkling?” Ryan glanced at his favorite ball of black goo. “Darkling, are you giving me the silent treatment?”

“... my name not Darkling...” the slime answered unconvincingly, its countless eyes looking away.

“Then what is it?” the president asked smugly.

“... not Darkling.”

Alright, Not-Darkling it was.

“Now, before we go in, I would deliver a speech, but let’s be honest, a Psycho’s life is nasty, brutish, and short.” Ryan put his hands on his waist, Darth Vader style. “Our fists and guns will do the talking instead.”

Though Ryan would be lying if he didn’t feel a little anxious about this operation. Many of the circumstances that made it possible wouldn’t repeat, from Psyshock going to the past, Sarin acting as a guard, or Darkling using Ghoul as a vessel at the right time. Nor could the courier expect the plushie to play along and stick to a script.

For the first time since Ryan had started looping, this run would be a one-shot. Unrepeatable.

While he had memorized the shortcut itinerary suggested by Nora, Ryan expected to face heavy resistance. Big Fat Adam had lost most of his men reaching the mainframe, after all, which meant that the things on the other side could kill Genomes. One laser to the head, a single fluke, and this run would end abruptly.

But Ryan hadn’t gotten this far without taking risks, and Len needed it.

“Now,” the president stepped aside and raised his coil gun, “Sarin, be a dear and use your vibrator.”

“One day, I’ll show you a vibrator...” His second-in-command raised her hands, and blasted the steel door away with a mighty shockwave.

She was immediately welcomed with a hail of laser fire.

Ryan hastily froze time, grabbed Sarin, and pushed her out of the way before a stray ray could hit her. On the other side of the broken door, the courier glimpsed a squadron of cyclopean androids, each firing rays from their single eye. They had assembled in tight, defensive positions along a large steel hallway.

“Texas smash!” Frank immediately shouted as time resumed, before bull-rushing the robot squadron. The giant crushed anything in his path, his body absorbing the machines’ metal parts on contact.

Darkling immediately slithered after him, and the group followed. Ryan and Alchemo remained at their formation’s center, with the Psychos forming an escort around the two of them.

All hell broke loose.

Ryan barely took a step before he had to dodge a bullet, as the walls opened to reveal twin miniguns on each side. A volley hit Ink Machine by surprise, but her liquid body caused the projectiles to pass through her harmlessly.

Before they could hit the rest of the group, Ryan froze time and shot both weapons with his coil gun. Thankfully, the projectiles were powerful enough to perforate the turrets, blowing large holes inside them.

His minions, thankfully, didn’t stay idle. Sarin assisted Frank by blasting away robots with shockwaves, with the Reptilian tackling any tin can approaching her too closely. Ink Machine leaped around the room and used her liquid form to seep inside a robot and take it over, using it as a metal shield to protect Alchemo.

The strangest member of the Meta-Gang, Gemini, also pulled her weight. While appearing like an ethereal woman of shining light at first glance, Ryan had realized the truth upon closer examination: her tentacled shadow was the real her, and the shining woman a mere illusion. And that shadow could kill. When it hit the robots’ shadows, their bodies suffered the same damage.

However, the corridor’s lights suddenly increased in luminosity. Two robots moved their pitch-black shadows in such a way, that they seemed to grab Gemini’s.

They figured it out, Ryan thought, astonished, as the robots’ shadows restrained Gemini’s own. It had only taken the machines a few minutes to guess the nature of her power and figure out a counter. They had also realized that Frank could absorb metal on touch, and switched from trying to dogpile him to laser volleys.

These things could learn. Worst of all, the way they moved, avoiding friendly fire, and coordinating almost perfectly… they weren’t individual units, but a hivemind’s pieces.

And within minutes, that same intelligence had identified Alchemo as a key target; perhaps because Ryan and the others focused on protecting the Genius.

“Darkling, shield the medic!” Ryan shouted while pointing at Alchemo, the shoggoth immediately switching from attacking robots to protecting the Genius. The ooze swirled around Alchemo like a barrier without touching him, stopping any laser from coming his way.

Instantly afterward though, the machines switched targets. This time, they focused on Ryan. Five robots unleashed a volley of lasers in his direction, and a sixth attempted to tackle him.

“What, you couldn’t identify me as the leader until I opened my mouth?” Ryan taunted them while he activated his power. He leaped out of the lasers’ way in the frozen time, before smashing the sixth robot’s chest in with Fisty. “Haven’t you looked at my costume?”

A laser made a hole in his bowler hat the moment time resumed, infuriating him. Ryan angrily retaliated by shooting down the machines holding Gemini with his coil gun, freeing the Psycho. Her shadow quickly tore the remaining robots apart.

Having slaughtered the opposition, Frank resumed his rampage and smashed through the next door. The new room beyond the hallway took the shape of a large dome, with the ceiling layered with holographic projections representing the solar system. Ryan noticed a red point in orbit around the Earth, far beyond the Moon.

However, he didn’t have time to look at the beautiful spectacle, as small holes opened all over the dome. Eye-shaped drones flew through, and opened fire at the group with submachine guns. Darkling immediately reshaped itself into a slimy barrier, shielding the entire group from the initial volley.

The holograms above their heads brightened, the illusory sun turning supernova and unleashing a blinding light. Blast doors on the walls opened and more cyclopean androids walked through, an unrelenting tide of steel.

While Darkling formed a wall to protect Alchemo, Frank rampaged through the ground-bound machines, his metal body shrugging off lasers easily enough. Unfortunately, his lack of range prevented him from hitting the floating eyes, leaving the task to Sarin and Ryan.

The courier eventually resorted to stopping time, both to push his second-in-command out of a bullet’s path and to hit the damn flyers.

Unfortunately, the rest of the group didn’t fare any better. Cyclopean robots were trying the same ‘shadow grab’ tactic their predecessors used on Gemini, except this time with greater numbers. Eight robots grabbed the Psycho’s shadow from all sides, and then started dismembering her. Gemini’s light body flickered out and collapsed in a bright flash.

Five other cyclopean machines had cornered Ink Machine, and incinerated her with sustained laser beams. The liquid Psycho dissipated into colored steam, her body unable to stand the heat.

Even the Reptilian had only avoided death so far by staying near Darkling.

“That spot!” Ryan pointed at his left once he had a brief respite, near a junction between the dome’s wall and the floor. “The structural weakness should be here, Chernobyl!”

“Stop calling me that!” Sarin complained, but obeyed all the same. Her gauntlets vibrated, and she started targeting the spot with shockwaves. Cracks slowly began to appear on the floor, the metal foundations floundering under the strain.

Of course, the machines instantly attempted to stop Sarin, but Darkling formed a defensive wall around her, Alchemo, Ryan, and the Reptilian. Only Frank was left out, but he clearly didn’t need help. Eventually, Hazmat Girl blew a wide hole in the floor.

The path to the mainframe.

Ryan, now in full general mode, barked orders. “Reptilian, with us!” he ordered, while Sarin leaped into the hole. “Frank, Darkling, cover our rear!”

“I am not equipped for clim—” Alchemo started complaining, only for the Reptilian and Ryan to grab him like a potato sack before jumping into the void. Frank and Darkling moved to cover the hole behind them, snatching any eye-drone attempting to follow through. The two titans remained there, brave Spartiates holding off the whole Persian army.

The courier and his allies landed in a strange, ghastly gallery of vats and glass containers. Each of them contained half-formed humanoid bodies, some with their organs floating in colored liquid; while they had human features, the creatures’ limbs were unnaturally long, and part of their faces had been replaced with machinery.

A Genome research lab.

Pipes on the walls filled the vats with what Ryan guessed to be Elixirs. The Reptilian, in particular, could barely restrain himself from drinking their contents.

“Where are we going next?” Sarin asked, pointing at two blast doors. “Left or right?”

“Neither.” Ryan instead glanced at a key point in the gallery’s right steel wall, right behind a green vat. If they collapsed it, they would gain direct access to the mainframe’s room.

Sarin moved in front of a steel panel, and released colored gas from her fingers. The wall rusted at an accelerated rate while Ryan raised his eyes at the hole above his head. Thankfully, Darkling had wisely sealed the hole with its body, preventing drones from slipping through.

“Mr. President!” The Reptilian shouted, his hands on the ground. Apparently, his enhanced senses allowed him to notice slight vibrations. “I sense something coming from the left. A robot, bigger than the rest.”

Oh well, it couldn’t be a dungeon raid without a boss at the end. “Braindead, behind me,” Ryan said, pushing the Genius closer to Sarin. “Reptilian, hold the line. It’s time to die for your country!”

“I would rather avoid that, Mr. President,” the reptile complained.

Ryan raised his hand to mimic a choking motion, and the mook rediscovered his patriotism.

The left blast door opened a few seconds later, and a three meters-tall machine walked through. The creature looked like a vat on six steely spider legs, with two mechanical hands at the front. Crimson liquid swirled inside the vat, as an energy bolt raced through the substance; Ryan could see a tiny crimson spot at the center, a speck-sized portal leading to a realm of overwhelming power.

The Reptilian immediately rushed at the robot, but never reached his target. The machine pointed a hand at the Psycho, and a crimson glow lifted him above the ground.

That machine was a telekinetic Genome. A true telekinetic, capable of applying force to anything with Red Flux energy without restriction.

The machine sent the Reptilian flying at the ceiling with such force, it flattened the Psycho. The scene reminded Ryan of a mosquito being crushed by a flyswatter, the mangled body falling on the ground when the killerbot stopped applying force.

And now, the thing had turned its attention towards Ryan, raising a steel hand in his direction.

The courier froze time the moment he sensed pressure in the air, immediately moving away from his current position and firing a shot. The coil gun’s projectile bounced off the strange glass protecting the red substance, much to the time-traveler's annoyance.

“Tell me, robot, can you touch yourself with that power?” Ryan taunted the machine, which answered by trying to slam him against a wall. Only the courier’s use of time-stop and enhanced timing allowed him to avoid the Reptilian’s fate. “I hope those hands aren’t just for show!”

The machine answered by telekinetically ripping out steel panels from the walls, and throwing them at Ryan.

It was no fun to banter with a mindless machine. The courier might as well be speaking to a wall, so he focused on avoiding the projectiles and closing the gap.

Stopping time at the right moment, Ryan punched the machine’s left arm at the joints, snapping it in half with Fisty. He hoped it would disrupt its telekinesis; the courier couldn’t afford smashing the glass container in close combat, or he might risk being drenched in Elixir. The arm fell off when time resumed, but the robot instantly retaliated by trying to impale the courier with its spider legs.

Thankfully, Wardrobe’s costume had been fashioned for war, and didn’t rupture from the courier’s acrobatics.

Thanks to Ryan’s diversion, Sarin had melted a tunnel and escaped inside with Alchemo. The courier tried to follow, but the machine attempted to grind him into paste with its remaining arm. Though the time-traveler managed to activate his time-stop and move away each time the creature started applying force around him, the robot blocked the tunnel’s entrance.

Thankfully, Darkling chose that moment to slither through the ceiling’s hole, and fell directly on top of the robot.

The eldritch horror swallowed the machine with its black ooze, its mere proximity negating the machine’s telekinesis like Alphonse Manada’s radiation. The shoggoth dissolved the Red Elixir inside the vat, absorbing the liquid and the portal into itself.

“Bon appétit, my dark friend!” Ryan said as he fled into the tunnel, leaving his pet shoggoth to its meal.

A minute later, the courier made his way into the bunker’s command room, crimson lights and screens flickering above his head. A red forcefield shielded the central, biomechanical brain, which Alchemo desperately attempted to bypass. Sarin, meanwhile, struggled to hit the turrets with shockwaves.

“I’ll take care of the turrets, help our brainy friend,” Ryan told Sarin, as he reloaded his coil gun and opened fire at a turret. A projectile went through the machine and caused it to explode.

Activating his power, Ryan reached a gatling turret and leaped at it. Then, he started riding it like a bull, forcefully aiming it at the other weapons in the room. A hail of bullets flew across the room once time resumed, but the distraction allowed Sarin to regroup with Alchemo.

While Ryan provided suppressing fire, the Chernobyl cosplayer released her gas at the metal pedestal holding the giant brain; part of it rusted, and caused the forcefield to short-out. Alchemo immediately used the opportunity to climb on the biomechanical construct.

Much like Psyshock in the previous loop, the Genius intertwined with the giant brain, nailing it with his syringe-fingers and connecting to the alien machinery. Blue lightning raced through Alchemo’s exposed brain, his nervous system directly interfacing with the base’s own.

And then, the turrets abruptly stopped firing a single shot. The one that Ryan had seized deactivated, much to his disappointment. He had loved the brief rodeo.

“Is it over?” Sarin asked, glancing at the turrets as if expecting them to open fire again.

Alchemo’s answer was lukewarm. “I’m changing the admin privileges and ID credentials, so it registers us as ‘staff.’”

“Well, I can’t hear tremors or gunfire,” Ryan said, “so I would call this operation a success.”

They might have lost a few redshirts, but the information gathered on the defenses would serve him well.

As if to answer the courier’s thoughts, the screens around the mainframe showed videos of the bunker’s rooms, from the recreational area to the holographic observatory. Frank had piled up a hill of robots at the center, which somewhat obscured the camera’s vision of the room. Other screens showed underground labs, a futuristic armory, and a miniature particle collider.

“It’s incredible…” Alchemo sounded giddier than Ryan had ever heard him. “All the wealth of information within this thing. All the secrets it uncovered… I can’t access all the files yet, but I can already see what they contain.”

“Is there one on Psychos?” Sarin asked, hopeful.

“Yes, and that’s not all. How Mechron enhanced other Genomes’ powers, how Elixirs work... It’s all there. All the research, all the secrets.”

Alchemo looked at Ryan with what could pass for a triumphant pose. “We’re going to change the world, meatbag!”

---

The new brain-copying machine looked exactly like the old one.

Ryan held his breath as he stood right next to a sleeping Len, a helmet covering her face and rewriting her memories. The infirmary’s lights blinded him, and he could barely hear himself over his accelerating heartbeat. He had trouble breathing, even without his presidential mask.

“It’s okay, Ryan,” Tea tried to reassure him. “I’ve monitored her lifesigns. The treatment is working.”

“Will Ma wake up after this?” little Sarah asked Alchemo, as he oversaw the memory transfer. Her plushie companion kept glaring at the Genius with crimson eyes, probably remembering their previous interactions. “At long last?”

“Yes, she should,” Alchemo replied with flat affect, before removing Len’s helmet. “The transfer is done, and I repaired the damage caused by the machine’s overuse. She should recover consciousness soon.”

“It’s…” Ryan sighed, as it killed him to say it. “Thanks.”

“I owed you a favor, did I not?” the Genius grunted. “If anything, I should thank you. Accessing Mechron’s database will supplement my own rese—”

“Dad,” the Doll interrupted her maker, glancing at Sarah and Ryan in short order. “Now is not the time.”

“Ugh, I will never understand why a human brain puts so much importance in base feelings.”

“You made a daughter, didn’t you?” Ryan replied, not in the mood for jokes. “You cared too.”

Alchemo stood still as if he had been slapped, before turning towards the door. “Whatever. Doll, come with me. The real work begins now.”

“Take care, Ryan,” the Doll told the courier, before smiling at Sarah. “You’re coming with us too.”

“What?” the little girl protested. “I’m staying.”

“I understand it’s important to you, but…” Tea glanced at Ryan. “I think he needs a moment alone with her. He’s been waiting a very long time.”

That was one way to put it.

Ryan sighed when Sarah squinted at him. “Look, your mama and I… we were close.”

Little Sarah crossed her arms in suspicion. “How close?”

“Enough that I thought we might end up making a brat like you one day,” Ryan replied bluntly, the young orphan reddening. “There, I destroyed your childhood. Now get away before I do the same with your adulthood.”

“Ew, disgusting!” Sarah covered her mouth. “Did you…”

“Yes, we did!” Ryan looked into her sweet, innocent eyes. “And we were sixteen.”

Sensing his partner’s distress, the plushie grabbed Sarah’s robe. “Let’s play outside!”

“I… I need fresh air…” Sarah said, finally letting Tea and her furred partner push her out of the room.

At long last, Ryan was alone with Len.

As he watched her chest rise up with her breathing, Ryan was brought back to his childhood, when he waited for Len to wake up so they could play outside. He had been in the same position years ago, looking over her like a big brother.

‘She still loves you.’

Psyshock’s words echoed in the courier’s mind, as Len began to stir. Her eyelids threatened to open, and the time-traveler felt the tension building up in his fingers.

“Shortie?” Ryan asked, holding her hand. It was so warm to the touch, so fragile. “Sleeping beauty? I’m not the prince you asked for, but it’s time to wake up.”

Her bright blue eyes opened, and Len looked up at his face.

For a second, Ryan worried he might see Psyshock’s cold, sociopathic gaze, but thankfully not. It wasn’t a look of fear, or confusion, or surprise. It was the elusive look he had waited centuries for, but never achieved.

A flash of recognition.

“Riri…” Len’s bright smile melted Ryan’s heart. “I… I remember.”

Such short words, and yet so meaningful.

“Riri, it worked!” Len rejoiced. “The transfer worked!”

Ryan felt something warm fall down his cheeks. His breath shortened, as he felt a tight pressure build up around his chest.

“Uh… uh...”

“Riri?” Len’s expression turned from joy to concern. “Riri, you’re… you’re crying?”

Ryan collapsed to his knees and exploded into tears.

He couldn’t say a word, let alone move, as the crushing weight of time was suddenly lifted off his shoulders. The centuries of loneliness washed over him like a torrent. The accumulated pain he had buried away, fled, denied, and carried came roaring back to the surface.

His brain burned like a blazing fire, and his heart tightened inside his chest. It was a moment of pure joy, but he felt so heavy, so weak, so feeble. He felt like a wandering knight whose bright, shining armor had fallen off his body, revealing the raw sadness underneath.

Ryan couldn’t even raise his head at the lone witness of his breakdown. He didn’t have the strength. He didn’t have the strength left. He spent it all in Monaco, in France and Spain, and everywhere else. He exhausted it fighting Adam, fighting Psyshock, fighting the Augusti and Dynamis and his countless foes across centuries. He had wasted it all running forward, back to the past, always searching for the perfect ending.

He felt her arms move around his neck, and she filled this dark, cold world with warmth.

“It’s okay, Ryan.” Len hugged Ryan tightly, like she often did during their childhood. His head rested against her shoulder, while she kept whispering words into his ear. “I’m… I’m here, Ryan. You’re not alone. You’re not alone.”

No.

Not anymore.

“这就是柏林墙，”瑞恩站在他的部队与一道防爆门之间，说道，“西方文明与彻底毁灭之间的最后一道防线。”

他扫视着手下的喽啰。他们都做好了为国捐躯的准备，反正也没多少选择。沙林抱着双臂，在这黑暗的时刻仍保持着尊严。暗灵潜伏在角落里，还在为自己的绰号生闷气。阿尔凯莫哼哼唧唧，急着把任务了结。其余炮灰——双子、蜥蜴人和墨水机器——则焦虑地等候着；他们知道，身为红衫炮灰，活下来的机会十分渺茫。

大地、蚊子和另外几人留在地面，保卫废料场。罗刹肩负着一项关键任务：赶在兔子主子的数量达到临界值之前，安抚这群日益壮大的统治者。遗憾的是，这任务注定失败。至于无名氏，瑞恩已经派他去了迪纳米斯，为这一轮的最终行动打下基础。

这支精锐小队的最后一名成员很快现身，手里提着一个黑色公文包。“东西到了，总统先生。”弗兰克宣布，将那件圣物呈给自己的黑暗主人，“核足球。刚寄到的。”

瑞恩满怀期待地抚摸着柔软的皮革，屏住了呼吸。他小心翼翼地通过一条复杂的渠道订购了它，免得寄件人发现客户的身份。如今，他的努力终于有了回报。快递员的邪恶计划总算开花结果了。

“那是什么，老大？”沙林有点摸不着头脑，“秘密武器？”

“唯一重要的武器。”

瑞恩暂停了时间。时间恢复时，除了平角内裤，他的衣服全都落在了地上。这番男子气概的展示迎来了满场错愕。“哎呀……”墨水机器有些吃惊地说道。

“又来，你这个暴露狂！”阿尔凯莫抱怨道，“你要是打算光着身子带我们上战场，我就走人！”

“嘁。”沙林瞥了一眼瑞恩的内裤，“我见过更大的大规模杀伤性武器。”

总统无视了人民群众，缓缓打开公文包，凝视着里面的黑暗力量。

衣橱制作的总统装束。

与他以前的衣服不同，这套衣服只有纯粹的黑与红。这一次，他不会再闹着玩了。瑞恩的敌人从未面对过这样的战衣：绝不退让，绝不留情，绝不妥协。

瑞恩当着部下的面，缓慢而无声地穿上了它，以此确立自己在时尚领域的绝对统治地位。

先穿黑色长裤，因为地堡里很冷。裤子完美贴合他的身体曲线，散发着反派特有的性感。

然后是黑色皮靴，用来踩抗议者的脸。配骷髅图案的袜子。

红色羊绒衬衫搭配黑色西装，卡尔·拉格斐风格。既然投身黑暗面，就得穿得很德国。

一条刚劲有力的领带，象征他专制而不屈的领导风范。

天鹅绒手套，用来在喽啰顶嘴时掐住他们的脖子。

黑色外套，让他站在屋顶威慑众生时，衣摆能随风飘扬。

红银两色的面具罩住头部大半，只露出眼睛，好让他邪恶的目光吓坏小孩。

最后，是一顶凶悍的圆顶礼帽，表明他这次要动真格了。

没有光明。没有希望。只有一个词。

“完美。”瑞恩压低嗓音，让自己听起来更具威慑力。

手下们都被震慑得说不出话来，除了队伍里的那个白痴。“我没觉得有什么特别的。”蜥蜴人说道，“而且我觉得有点太刻意装——”

瑞恩用一只手掐住他的脖子，作为回应。

他花了好几年才练成这一招。空气和血液供应骤然受阻，蜥蜴人当场跪倒。那喽啰试图伸手抓住总统的胳膊，合法当局却只是加重了扼住受害者咽喉的力道。

“你缺乏品位，这令我不安。”瑞恩说道，语气里只有死亡的承诺。

“对……对不起……”蜥蜴人勉强挤出这几个字，爬行动物般的脸已经憋得发紫。

“对不起谁啊，皮包？”

“对不起……总统先生……”

瑞恩放开了抗议者，任由他大口喘气。他瞥向其余疯魔，所有人立刻站直了身子。弗兰克小心地收起总统的旧衣服，放进公文包。

“好了，喽啰们，听着。”瑞恩向部队训话，同时将可靠的线圈枪挂上腰带，把拳头兄弟套在天鹅绒手套外面，“我们的目标是抄近路抵达基地的主机，让这位脑残朋友接上去。”

“我才不是——”

“你在质疑我的权威吗？”瑞恩问阿尔凯莫，“我可是尊重言论自由的。”

天才看了一眼刚从窒息中缓过劲来的蜥蜴人。“两年了，”阿尔凯莫说道，“还是这副胡闹德行。”

“我热爱民主。”瑞恩立刻继续讲解，“你们的任务就是确保他抵达目的地。弗兰克和暗灵负责强行开路，我们跟上。”

钢铁巨人已将公文包放在一旁，当即敬了个礼。“遵命，总统先生。”

他的搭档却没有回应。

“暗灵？暗灵？”瑞恩看向自己最心爱的那团黑色黏液，“暗灵，你在跟我闹冷战吗？”

“……我名字不叫暗灵……”黏液怪回答得毫无底气，无数只眼睛全看向了别处。

“那叫什么？”总统得意地问道。

“……不叫暗灵。”

好吧，那就叫“不叫暗灵”。

“现在，进去之前，我本来该发表一番演说。不过说实话，疯魔的一生肮脏、野蛮又短暂。”瑞恩像达斯·维德那样双手叉腰，“还是让拳头和枪代我们发言吧。”

不过，要说瑞恩对这次行动一点也不紧张，那是撒谎。许多促成这次行动的条件都不会重现：心震回到过去，沙林担任守卫，或是暗灵恰好在那个时机借食尸鬼的身体现身。快递员也不能指望毛绒玩偶乖乖配合，照着剧本走。

自开始循环以来，瑞恩第一次遇到了只能尝试一次的局面。这一轮，无法重现。

虽然已经记熟了诺拉建议的捷径路线，瑞恩仍预计会遭遇激烈抵抗。毕竟，大胖亚当在抵达主机的过程中损失了大半手下，这意味着门后那些东西有能力杀死基因者。一道击中头部的激光，一次偶然的意外，就足以让这一轮戛然而止。

但瑞恩能走到今天，靠的可不是从不冒险。而且，蕾恩需要他这么做。

“现在，”总统让到一旁，举起线圈枪，“沙林，行行好，用一下你的振动棒。”

“早晚有一天，我会让你见识见识振动棒……”他的副手抬起双手，一记强劲的冲击波将钢门轰飞。

迎接她的是一阵激光暴雨。

瑞恩急忙暂停时间，一把抓住沙林，在一道流弹般的光束击中她之前将她推开。破门另一侧，快递员看见一队独眼人形机器人，各自正从独眼中射出光束。它们沿着宽阔的钢铁走廊，摆出了严密的防御阵形。

“德州粉碎击！”时间刚一恢复，弗兰克便放声大吼，蛮牛般冲向机器人队伍。巨人碾碎了沿途的一切，机器的金属部件只要碰到他的身体，就会被吸收进去。

暗灵立刻滑行着跟上，其余人也紧随其后。瑞恩和阿尔凯莫待在队形中央，疯魔们围成护卫圈，将两人护在里面。

混战瞬间爆发。

瑞恩才迈出一步，就不得不闪身躲避子弹。两侧墙壁打开，各自露出双联装转管机枪。一轮齐射打了墨水机器一个措手不及，但子弹直接穿过她的液态身体，没能造成任何伤害。

还没等火力扫到其余人，瑞恩便暂停时间，用线圈枪分别射向两组武器。幸好，弹丸的威力足以贯穿炮塔，在内部轰出大洞。

谢天谢地，他的手下也没闲着。沙林用冲击波轰飞机器人，协助弗兰克作战；凡是靠她太近的铁皮罐头，都被蜥蜴人扑倒。墨水机器在房间里跳来跃去，凭借液态身体渗入一台机器人体内，将其控制，充当保护阿尔凯莫的金属盾牌。

超能帮最古怪的成员双子也出了力。乍看之下，她像个光芒闪耀的缥缈女子，但仔细观察后，瑞恩已经看穿了真相：她那长着触手的影子才是真身，发光的女人不过是幻象。而那道影子能够杀戮。影子击中机器人的影子，机器人本体也会遭受同样的伤害。

然而，走廊里的灯光突然变亮了。两台机器人调整位置，漆黑的影子随之移动，仿佛抓住了双子的影子。

它们看穿了。瑞恩震惊地想，机器人的影子已经钳制住了双子的真身。这些机器只用了几分钟，就猜出了她能力的本质，还想出了对策。它们也已发现弗兰克可以通过接触吸收金属，于是不再一拥而上，改用激光齐射。

这些东西会学习。更糟的是，它们的行动方式——避开友军火力，配合得近乎完美——说明它们不是独立的个体，而是一个蜂巢意识的组成部分。

短短几分钟内，同一个智能便将阿尔凯莫锁定为关键目标；或许是因为瑞恩等人一直着重保护这位天才。

“暗灵，保护医护兵！”瑞恩指着阿尔凯莫喊道。修格斯立刻放弃攻击机器人，转而保护天才。黏液在阿尔凯莫周围盘旋，构成一道屏障，却没有碰到他，挡住了所有射向他的激光。

但紧接着，机器便切换了目标。这一次，它们盯上了瑞恩。五台机器人向他齐射激光，第六台则试图将他扑倒。

“怎么，非得等我开口，你们才认得出我是领袖？”瑞恩一边嘲讽，一边发动能力。他在凝固的时间里跃出激光的路径，再用拳拳将第六台机器人的胸膛砸瘪，“你们没看见我这身行头吗？”

时间恢复的瞬间，一道激光在他的圆顶礼帽上烧出了一个洞，把他气坏了。瑞恩愤怒地还击，用线圈枪射倒了钳制双子的机器，解放了这名疯魔。她的影子迅速将余下的机器人撕成碎片。

屠光敌人后，弗兰克继续横冲直撞，撞穿了下一扇门。走廊尽头的新房间是一座巨大的穹顶大厅，顶部层叠铺满了展现太阳系的全息投影。瑞恩注意到一个红点，正在远超月球轨道的地方绕地球运行。

然而，他没工夫欣赏这幅美景。穹顶各处打开了一个个小孔，眼球形的无人机从中飞出，用冲锋枪朝众人开火。暗灵立即变形为一道黏液屏障，替整支队伍挡住了第一轮齐射。

头顶的全息影像愈发明亮，虚幻的太阳化作超新星，迸发出刺眼的光芒。墙上的防爆门打开，更多独眼人形机器人从门后走出，汇成势不可挡的钢铁洪流。

暗灵化为墙壁保护阿尔凯莫，弗兰克则在地面的机器群中大肆冲杀，激光打在他的金属身体上，几乎不痛不痒。可惜他的攻击距离有限，够不着那些漂浮的眼球，只能把它们交给沙林和瑞恩。

快递员最终还是得暂停时间，既要把副手推出子弹的路径，又要打中那些该死的飞行单位。

不幸的是，其余人的处境也好不到哪儿去。独眼机器人正在尝试先前同类对付双子时用过的“抓影子”战术，只是这次数量更多。八台机器人从四面八方抓住疯魔的影子，随后开始肢解她。双子发光的身体明灭几下，在一道亮光中溃散熄灭。

另外五台独眼机器将墨水机器逼入死角，用持续照射的激光焚烧她。液态疯魔的身体承受不住高温，消散成了有色蒸汽。

就连蜥蜴人，也是一直躲在暗灵附近，才侥幸活到现在。

“那里！”刚得到片刻喘息，瑞恩便指向左侧，那是穹顶墙壁与地面的接合处附近，“结构薄弱点应该就在这里，切尔诺贝利！”

“别再这么叫我！”沙林抱怨归抱怨，还是照做了。她的护手振动起来，开始对准那一点释放冲击波。地面渐渐出现裂纹，金属地基在冲击下逐渐不支。

当然，机器立刻试图阻止沙林，但暗灵在她、阿尔凯莫、瑞恩和蜥蜴人周围筑起了一道防护墙。只有弗兰克被留在外面，不过他显然不需要帮助。终于，防化服姑娘在地板上轰出了一个大洞。

通往主机的路打开了。

瑞恩已经完全进入将军状态，厉声发号施令。“蜥蜴人，跟我们走！”他下令时，沙林已经跳进洞里，“弗兰克，暗灵，掩护后方！”

“我可没装攀爬用的设——”阿尔凯莫刚开始抱怨，就被蜥蜴人和瑞恩像拎一袋土豆那样抓起来，一跃而下。弗兰克和暗灵守在他们身后的洞口，抓住每一架试图追下去的眼球无人机。两尊巨怪留在那里，仿佛英勇的斯巴达人，抵挡着整支波斯大军。

快递员和同伴落入了一条诡异阴森的长廊，里面陈列着一排排培养罐和玻璃容器。每个容器都装着发育了一半的人形躯体，有些内脏还漂在有色液体里。虽然有着人类的特征，这些生物的四肢却长得不自然，脸部也有一部分被机械取代。

一间基因者研究实验室。

墙上的管道不断向培养罐里注入液体，瑞恩猜那是灵药。尤其是蜥蜴人，几乎克制不住把里面的东西喝下去的冲动。

“接下来去哪儿？”沙林指着两扇防爆门问道，“左边还是右边？”

“都不是。”瑞恩转而望向长廊右侧钢墙上的一处关键位置，就在一个绿色培养罐后面。只要打塌那里，他们就能直接进入主机室。

沙林走到一块钢板前，从指间释放出有色气体。墙壁飞快锈蚀，瑞恩则抬头看向上方的洞口。幸好，暗灵明智地用身体封住了洞，没让无人机钻进来。

“总统先生！”蜥蜴人双手按在地上，喊道。他强化后的感官似乎能察觉到细微的震动，“我感觉到左边有东西过来了。一台机器人，比其他的都大。”

好吧，下副本怎么能少得了关底首领。“脑残，站到我身后。”瑞恩说着，将天才往沙林那边推了推，“蜥蜴人，守住阵线。为国捐躯的时候到了！”

“我还是想免了，总统先生。”爬虫抱怨道。

瑞恩抬手做了个扼喉的动作，喽啰便重新找回了爱国热情。

几秒后，左侧防爆门打开，一台三米高的机器走了进来。这东西像一口装在六条钢铁蜘蛛腿上的培养罐，前方还有两只机械手。罐内的深红液体翻涌盘旋，一道能量束在其中疾驰。瑞恩能看见中央有一个极小的红点，那是一扇微尘大小的传送门，通往一个蕴含无穷力量的领域。

蜥蜴人立刻冲向机器人，却没能碰到目标。机器将一只手指向这名疯魔，一片深红的光芒随即将他托离地面。

那台机器是个拥有念动力的基因者。真正的念动力者，能以红色通量能量对任何东西施力，不受限制。

机器将蜥蜴人轰向天花板，力道之大，直接把这名疯魔拍扁了。这一幕让瑞恩想起被苍蝇拍拍死的蚊子。杀人机器不再施力后，那具血肉模糊的身体便掉在了地上。

现在，那东西把注意力转向了瑞恩，朝他举起一只钢铁手掌。

察觉到空气中传来压力的瞬间，快递员便暂停时间，立刻离开原位，开了一枪。线圈枪的弹丸撞上保护红色物质的古怪玻璃，被弹了开来，令时间旅行者大为恼火。

“告诉我，机器人，你能用这能力摸自己吗？”瑞恩向机器挑衅，机器则试图把他砸到墙上作为回答。快递员全靠暂停时间和强化后的时机把握能力，才没有落得与蜥蜴人同样的下场，“但愿你那两只手不只是摆设！”

机器用念动力从墙上扯下钢板，朝瑞恩砸去，作为回应。

跟一台没脑子的机器斗嘴，实在没意思。快递员还不如去对墙说话，于是他集中精力，一边躲避投掷物，一边拉近距离。

瑞恩抓准时机暂停时间，一拳击中机器左臂的关节，用拳拳将其打成两截。他希望这样能干扰它的念动力；快递员可不敢在近身战中砸碎玻璃容器，否则就可能被灵药淋个透。时间恢复后，断臂掉落，机器人却立即反击，挥动蜘蛛腿，试图将快递员刺穿。

幸好，衣橱这身装束是为战争量身打造的，没有被快递员一连串杂技般的动作撑破。

多亏瑞恩牵制，沙林已经熔出一条通道，带着阿尔凯莫逃了进去。快递员想要跟上，机器却用剩下的那条手臂试图将他碾成肉泥。每当那东西开始在他周围施力，时间旅行者都能及时暂停时间，挪开位置，但机器人挡住了通道入口。

幸好，暗灵偏偏在这时从天花板的洞口滑下，正砸在机器人头上。

那诡异的怪物用黑色黏液吞没了机器，仅仅靠近，就像阿尔方斯·马纳达的辐射一样抹消了机器的念动力。修格斯溶解了罐内的红色灵药，将液体与传送门一并吸入体内。

“祝你好胃口，我的黑暗朋友！”瑞恩说着逃进通道，把修格斯宠物留在那里享用大餐。

一分钟后，快递员进入地堡的指挥室，头顶的深红灯光与屏幕闪烁不定。一道红色力场护住了中央的生物机械大脑，阿尔凯莫正拼命尝试突破它。另一边，沙林艰难地用冲击波攻击炮塔。

“炮塔交给我，去帮咱们那位有头脑的朋友。”瑞恩对沙林说道，一边给线圈枪重新装弹，朝一座炮塔开火。弹丸贯穿机器，将它轰得炸开。

瑞恩发动能力，来到一座加特林炮塔前，纵身跃了上去。他像骑公牛一样骑着它，强行将枪口转向房间里的其他武器。时间恢复后，弹雨横扫全室，这番牵制也让沙林得以与阿尔凯莫会合。

瑞恩提供压制火力的同时，切尔诺贝利扮演者朝承托巨型大脑的金属基座释放了气体。基座的一部分锈蚀，导致力场短路失效。阿尔凯莫立即抓住机会，爬上了生物机械造物。

如同上一轮的心震，这位天才与巨脑缠合在一起，将注射器手指钉入其中，接入那异样的机械。蓝色电光掠过阿尔凯莫裸露的大脑，他的神经系统直接与基地自身的系统建立了连接。

随后，所有炮塔忽然齐齐哑火。瑞恩夺下的那一座也停止了运转，让他很是失望。他还挺喜欢这场短暂的骑牛表演。

“结束了？”沙林问道，瞥着那些炮塔，仿佛它们随时还会再次开火。

阿尔凯莫的回答不冷不热。“我在修改管理员权限和身份凭证，让它把我们登记为‘员工’。”

“反正我听不到震响和枪声了，”瑞恩说道，“所以我认为这次行动成功了。”

他们或许损失了几个红衫炮灰，但收集到的防御情报会派上大用场。

仿佛在回应快递员的想法，主机周围的屏幕显示出地堡各个房间的影像，从休闲区到全息观测室，一应俱全。弗兰克把机器人堆成了一座小山，就堆在大厅中央，多少挡住了摄像头的视野。其他屏幕则展示了地下实验室、一座充满未来感的军械库，以及一台微型粒子对撞机。

“难以置信……”瑞恩从没听过阿尔凯莫这么兴奋，“这东西里储存的信息何其丰富。它揭开的所有秘密……我还无法访问全部文件，但已经能看出里面都是什么了。”

“有关于疯魔的吗？”沙林满怀希望地问。

“有，而且不止这些。梅克隆是如何强化其他基因者能力的，灵药的运作原理……全在这里。所有研究，所有秘密。”

阿尔凯莫看向瑞恩，摆出了一个勉强能算是得意扬扬的姿势。“我们要改变世界了，肉包！”

---

新的大脑复制机器，看起来和旧的一模一样。

瑞恩屏着呼吸，站在熟睡的蕾恩身旁。一顶头盔罩着她的脸，正在改写她的记忆。医务室的灯光晃得他眼花，越来越急的心跳几乎盖过了他自己的声音。即便没有戴总统面具，他也觉得呼吸困难。

“没事的，瑞恩。”蒂娅试着安抚他，“我一直在监测她的生命体征。治疗在起效。”

“做完这个，妈妈就会醒吗？”小莎拉问正在监督记忆转移的阿尔凯莫。她的毛绒同伴一直用猩红的眼睛瞪着天才，多半还记得他们以前打过的交道，“终于可以醒了吗？”

“是的，应该会。”阿尔凯莫语调平板地回答，随后摘下蕾恩的头盔，“转移完成了，我也修复了过度使用机器造成的损伤。她应该很快就会恢复意识。”

“这……”瑞恩叹了口气，这句话他说得万分艰难，“谢谢。”

“我欠你一个人情，不是吗？”天才哼了一声，“真要说起来，该是我谢你。能访问梅克隆的数据库，可以补充我自己的研——”

“爸。”人偶打断自己的制造者，先后看了一眼莎拉和瑞恩，“现在不是说这个的时候。”

“唉，我永远也搞不懂，人类大脑为什么这么看重低等情感。”

“你造了个女儿，不是吗？”瑞恩没心情开玩笑，“你也不是没在乎过。”

阿尔凯莫像挨了一巴掌似的僵在原地，随后转向门口。“随你怎么说。人偶，跟我来。真正的工作现在才开始。”

“照顾好自己，瑞恩。”人偶对快递员说完，又朝莎拉笑了笑，“你也跟我们来。”

“什么？”小女孩抗议道，“我要留在这里。”

“我知道这对你很重要，可是……”蒂娅看向瑞恩，“我想，他需要和她单独待一会儿。他已经等了很久很久。”

这么说倒也没错。

莎拉眯起眼睛看着他，瑞恩叹了口气。“听着，你妈妈和我……我们以前很亲近。”

小莎拉怀疑地抱起双臂。“有多亲近？”

“亲近到我以为，总有一天我们会造出个像你这样的小鬼。”瑞恩直截了当地回答，小孤儿顿时涨红了脸，“好了，你的童年已经被我毁了。现在赶紧走，不然我连你的成年生活也一块儿毁了。”

“呕，好恶心！”莎拉捂住嘴，“你们有没有……”

“没错，有过！”瑞恩直视着她那双天真无邪的眼睛，“而且当时我们才十六岁。”

察觉到伙伴的苦恼，毛绒玩偶拉住莎拉的袍子。“我们去外面玩吧！”

“我……我得呼吸点新鲜空气……”莎拉说，终于任由蒂娅和毛茸茸的伙伴把自己推出房间。

总算，瑞恩能和蕾恩独处了。

看着她的胸口随呼吸起伏，瑞恩仿佛回到了童年。那时，他也会等蕾恩睡醒，好一起去外面玩。多年前，他就是这样待在她身边，像个哥哥一样守着她。

“她还爱着你。”

心震的话在快递员脑海中回响，蕾恩开始有了动静。她的眼睛将睁未睁，时间旅行者感到自己的手指一点点绷紧。

“小矮个？”瑞恩握着她的手，轻声问道。她的手摸起来那么温暖，又那么脆弱。“睡美人？我不是你想要的王子，不过该醒了。”

明亮的蓝眼睛睁开了，蕾恩抬眼看向他的脸。

有那么一秒，瑞恩担心自己会看见心震那种冷酷、毫无人性的目光。幸好没有。那目光里没有恐惧，没有困惑，也没有惊讶。那是他等了几个世纪，却始终没能等来的神情。

是认出他的那一瞬光亮。

“瑞瑞……”蕾恩灿烂的笑容融化了瑞恩的心，“我……我记得。”

短短几个字，却意味着那么多。

“瑞瑞，成功了！”蕾恩欣喜地说，“转移成功了！”

瑞恩感觉到温热的东西滑下脸颊。他的呼吸变得急促，胸口像被什么越箍越紧。

“呃……呃……”

“瑞瑞？”蕾恩脸上的喜悦变成了担忧，“瑞瑞，你……你哭了？”

瑞恩双膝一软，跪倒在地，放声痛哭。

时间那压得他喘不过气的重负骤然从肩头卸下。他一句话也说不出，更别说动弹。几个世纪的孤独如洪流般将他淹没。那些积攒的痛苦，那些被他掩埋、逃避、否认，却始终背负着的痛苦，咆哮着重新涌上心头。

他的脑海如烈火灼烧，心脏在胸腔里收紧。这本是一个只有喜悦的时刻，他却觉得那么沉重，那么虚弱，那么无力。他仿佛一个流浪骑士，明亮耀眼的盔甲从身上脱落，露出底下毫无遮掩的悲伤。

瑞恩甚至无法抬头看向那个唯一见证他崩溃的人。他没有力气。他已经一点力气也没有了。他把力气全都花在了摩纳哥，花在了法国、西班牙，以及其他每一个地方。与亚当战斗，与心震战斗，与奥古斯蒂、迪纳米斯，还有跨越几个世纪的无数敌人战斗，他早已耗尽了一切。他拼命向前奔跑，又回到过去，永远在寻找那个完美结局，就这样把所有力气挥霍一空。

他感觉到她的双臂环上了自己的脖颈。她为这个黑暗、冰冷的世界注满了温暖。

“没事了，瑞恩。”蕾恩紧紧抱住他，就像小时候常做的那样。他的头靠在她的肩上，她不断在他耳边低语，“我……我在这里，瑞恩。你不是一个人。你不是一个人。”

不。

再也不是了。