同章对照

In the end, all of Ryan’s loops started the same way.

By ramming his car into Ghoul’s back.

“You know, you have become a fixture in my life,” Ryan said as he exited his Plymouth and walked into Renesco’s bar. By now, this place had become a second home to the courier. He had grown almost paternally fond of the wall he kept crashing into. “I’ve had more dates with you than with Jasmine.”

Ghoul wriggled on the ground, trying to rise up again using the bar counter. The barman Renesco hid behind it, unsure how to react to Ryan’s unforgettable entrance. The courier happily waltzed through debris, wind entering the establishment through the hole in the wall.

“I thought my life was a black comedy, maybe a tragicomedy, but now I realize… it was a vampire romance all along.” Ryan loomed over Ghoul, hands behind his back. The Psycho was halfway back on his feet, while the other patrons dared not interfere. “Do your bones shine in sunlight?”

“What the hell are you talki—” Ghoul screamed as Ryan introduced the undead's knee to his boot, the Psycho collapsing on the ground. “You bastard!”

“All of this to say that I’m not stalking you,” the courier said, as he kicked his beloved again. “I mean, look at me. I’m handsome. Only ugly people stalk, that’s well known. If I hurt you, it’s out of love.”

His love of hurting Ghoul.

Darkling had said that the Black Ultimate One would remove it from causality and all future resets, and Ryan had wondered if it also applied to its previous hosts. However, the bag of bones had returned without any memory of the previous loop.

Which meant that Big Fat Adam lived again, plotting mischief.

“I’m calling Security!” the barman Renesco complained behind the bar counter, while the wounded Ghoul tried to crawl away from Ryan. The undead looked at the courier as if he were insane, which wounded his soft, sensible heart.

Ryan didn’t react well to rejection.

“I know your secret weakness, Ghoul,” Ryan said, as he opened his car’s backdoor. “A kryptonite you cannot hope to defend yourself against.”

A dirty street dog leaped out of the Plymouth Fury, her sparkling eyes lacking anything resembling intelligence; she was the bastard daughter of a mastiff and a greyhound, and inherited the ugliest parts of both. Her tongue stuck out, fleas happily moving on from her blackening fur to greener pastures. This plebeian creature lacked Eugène-Henry’s aristocratic flair but had a certain rustic charm, though her terrible stench made the bar’s patrons recoil.

“Her name is Henriette. I found her eating trash on my way to the bar, and I bought her loyalty with a ham.” Ryan always kept food in his car for situations like this. “Now, as a cat person, this may seem like a betrayal. And it is!”

Ryan petted his hellhound behind the ears, and she loved it very much. All dogs wanted affection. “I have no shame, no hesitation, no principles!”

“What do you want?” Ghoul asked, looking at Henriette with dread. The she-dog had noticed him, her eyes rising up as she gazed at his barebone legs with hunger.

The Psycho knew what was coming.

“Only your pain,” Ryan replied, pointing a finger at his prey. “Go, girl!”

Henriette leaped on Ghoul, and he couldn’t crawl away fast enough.

The dog brought her new master a beautiful femur a few seconds later, and she was very proud of it too.

---

Ghoul was only the first person on Ryan’s Christmas list. After the tense ending of the previous loop, the courier needed a moment of respite and catharsis before getting down to business.

Ryan’s next naughty child lived not so far from Jamie’s own house. The courier knocked on the door of a single-story bungalow, so perfect in its mundanity. Only the condemned windows indicated something wrong with the tenant.

The door soon opened, revealing a lean, gaunt man with snow white skin and raven hair. This pallid scarecrow remained in the darkness, fearing the sunlight that would certainly burn his unholy soul. Garish, colorful paint figments covered his dirty clothes. The black circles around his bloodshot, green eyes told Ryan he had just woken up.

Damn, not only was this man a hitman, but he was also a vampire!

“Richard Pinkman?” Ryan asked. “Night Terror?”

“Uh… yes?” The vampire squinted suspiciously at the courier. “Do we know each other?”

“I have something for you, though it’s a bit late.” Ryan wanted to make this delivery in the last loop, but never found the opportunity to do so. “The night is dark and full of terrors, huh?”

The man frowned, realizing that his visitor knew of his power and its limitations. The vampire’s hand moved to his back, perhaps looking for a gun; as if he could hurt the pure of heart. “What kind of delivery?”

Ryan punched him in the face so hard, that the man stumbled backward. His back hit something with a loud clatter, though the courier couldn’t see due to the darkness inside the house.

“Don’t make me live through my childhood traumas again,” Ryan warned the vicious telepath. The fact these nightmares became real afterward had left the courier bitter. “You can’t fathom how much money I spent on therapists.”

Night Terror didn’t answer, knocked out cold.

Ryan took a moment to check off his Christmas list, finding the next name to be Karen Ricci, alias the Vamp. After the vampire, the witch. Unfortunately, it was getting late, and the courier might not survive his plan for her. Luigi came afterward, but Ryan was too tired for a late-afternoon hockey match.

“Maybe later.”

A princess waited for him.

---

Ryan reached the Deadland motel by nightfall, parking his car near the entrance. Henriette sat at his side, the bastard dog whining at her new master with shameful eyes. Though he favored cats and rabbits above all else, Ryan had learned how to handle dogs across loops. He knew that look.

“You want a litter box?”

Henriette yapped in response, her tongue sticking out of her mouth. She made a face only a dog lover could appreciate.

“Ghoul,” Ryan said, looking at the rearview mirror.

The lonely skull on the backseat looked back at the courier with fear. For a moment, Ryan almost felt pity for the murderous bag of bones. But then, he remembered his previous loop, and how Ghoul had encouraged his boss to turn the time-traveler into a Psycho.

Ryan removed his mask and hat, his terrible smile causing the undead to whine in stark, raving terror.

“Open your mouth.”

Bone Daddy’s screams of despair were music to Ryan’s ears, though they ended too soon. The Psycho had lost his courage with his spine.

Ryan left Henriette to her new chew toy, and walked towards the motel. He noticed light coming from Livia’s room, but no Killer Seven member was guarding the door. Odd.

Still, Ryan whistled as he opened the suite’s door, finding his former first lady waiting for him. The table was set, with delightful cookies and steaming coffee waiting for consumption.

Livia stood on the other side, her back turned against Ryan. She wore an elegant blue leather coat and long velvet gloves, a true femme fatale straight out of a detective noir movie. Her platinum hair flowed down like a silver waterfall.

“Hello, princess,” Ryan said as he closed the door behind him. “How was your first time-travel trip?”

Livia turned around, her blue eyes observing him with cold amusement. Her face reminded Ryan of her aunt Pluto's lovely deadliness. “Pretty good,” she said, her tone dangerous. “Though it will be the last.”

Ryan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I am so sorry Ryan, but now that I remember everything, you have outlived your usefulness. I have all the intel I need to take over this city, and the only obstacle remaining…” She marked a short pause. “Is you.”

…

Shit.

Shit!

“I thought we were friends!” Ryan complained, his hand moving to his coat to draw a knife.

“And you believed me?” The courier froze, as Livia’s hands moved to her chair. Somehow, her every movement seemed effortlessly threatening. “Cancel is waiting outside, and her power is already at work. It’s over.”

Oh gods, this was Alchemo’s betrayal all over again! Ryan reflexively activated his power, and the world turned purple as he prepared to strike Livia.

Wait, how could his time-stop still work if Cancel was around the door?

Ryan looked at the frozen Livia, and noticed the smile she desperately tried to suppress.

No way.

She wouldn’t dare. She wouldn’t dare.

Ryan quickly opened the door when time resumed, and found no killer outside.

She dared.

“You… you evil mastermind!” Ryan said while closing the gate behind him, the hidden knife back inside his trenchcoat. “You pranked me!”

Livia responded with a warm, delightful laughter. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, a sheepish grin on her face. “I know this is silly, but I always wanted to make a speech like this. I knew nobody else would take it seriously.”

Her last loop as Ryan’s sidekick had corrupted Livia.

He had created a monster.

“I apologize if I scared you. I didn’t know how you would react, which is why I did it.” Livia shyly joined her hands. “Can you forgive me, Ryan?”

“I could never blame someone with such an impeccable fashion sense,” Ryan said, sitting around the table. “But don’t try it again, princess, I could have killed you. I’m really sensitive about these things.”

Her joy instantly turned to horror. “Truly?” Livia asked while she sat as well. “What happened?”

“A few people went mad after I informed them of the truth,” Ryan admitted, warming his hands by touching his coffee cup. “Some tried to restrain me so I wouldn’t reload. Others went farther.”

“I…” And now Livia regretted her joke. Her hands moved to touch his own, and they felt warmer than the cup. “I’m sorry, Ryan. I didn’t wish to open up old wounds.”

“Nah, it’s alright. If anything, you’re helping them to heal.” At long last, Ryan had an ally that would help up across future loops. With Livia’s help, he could make his allies remember him. His friendships would survive the test of time. “I already retaliated anyway.”

“What do you mean?” Livia frowned, as she suddenly realized the cookies had vanished. “Did you eat them in the frozen time?”

Ryan smiled.

“That was childish,” Livia said as she returned the smile, her hands moving back to her own coffee cup. “So, Ryan. How do we win?”

We. The word warmed Ryan’s heart like a campfire on a cold night.

Ryan shared with Livia the previous loop’s end. How he and Len confirmed that Dynamis kept a mutated Bloodstream prisoner inside their lab fortress, and how Len’s presence allowed it to escape. He told her of his allies’ last stand against Alphonse Manada, how Bloodstream destroyed New Rome, and how Augustus chose to attack Leo Hargraves rather than stop fighting.

The courier didn’t mention how he managed to hurt Lightning Butt though. His daughter might not react well, and Ryan himself didn’t fully understand what happened. He needed more time to figure that part out.

The more Livia listened, the deeper the frown on her face. “This is horrifying,” she said, sipping her coffee thoughtfully. “Seeing your stepfather in such a state…”

“I hate him.” Seeing Bloodstream devour his own daughter only reinforced Ryan’s poor opinion of him. “Death will be a mercy.”

“Can we even kill him? If he makes up Dynamis’ Knockoff Elixirs, then a part of him will remain within countless Genomes.”

“I have the formula for Dr. Tyrano’s vaccine. Unless Bloodstream’s core is in contact with Len’s blood, he won’t develop an immunity to it.” The monster didn’t do so either when Shortie’s fluids touched a Knockoff Elixir, perhaps because her father had very little control over his fragments while neutered by Dynamis.

“But it works through injections,” Livia pointed out. “Even with the best vaccination campaign, many will refuse to give up their powers. Especially since most paid a small fortune for them.”

“Yeah, and people smoke while thinking they’ll win the coin toss.” Ryan let out a shrug. “I have an idea in mind, but I want your opinion first. How much time do we have?”

“I ran simulations while listening to your tale,” Livia said, joining her fingers. “Now that I know what is inside Lab Sixty-Six, my visions are more accurate. The odds of this pandemic are low, but increase dramatically if Alphonse Manada takes over Dynamis. And he will, given time; it might take a year or ten, but the odds increase with time. It can happen even under Hector Manada’s chairmanship.”

The incompetent chairman didn’t worry the courier much. By now, he had realized that Atom Smasher was the real threat among his family. The strongest, the most determined.

Bloodstream would need to go whatever happened, but Livia’s prophecy reassured Ryan somewhat. “Out of all the disasters we must solve, this one is a long-term problem,” the courier said. “The two other calamities won't wait years.”

Livia scowled. “When will the Meta-Gang use Mechron’s satellite weapon?”

“Somewhere between May 12th and 18th.” Big Fat Adam used the weapon on the last date, but Ryan had seen him and Psypsy take over the bunker as early as May 12th. The malevolent sociopath had almost pulled the trigger when the Manada invaded his HQ in the Dynamis loop. “And if nothing is done, Leo Hargraves and the Carnival will arrive in New Rome within three weeks.”

“And my father will wage war on them,” Livia said sorrowfully. “Destroying New Rome.”

“I’m sorry,” Ryan apologized. “Your father is not a nice man.”

“I know,” she said, looking away. “Do you have a paper sheet?”

A few seconds later, Livia scribbled a makeshift calendar on a paper sheet, planning the month of May. She added crosses on the 12th, 18th, and 28th—the rough date of Hargraves’ planned arrival, though Ryan never carried a loop this far.

“We must deal with Adam the Ogre first,” Livia stated the obvious as she examined the calendar. “We have four days to prepare an attack.”

“It will have to be done today in the final loop. The fatass is throwing people at the bunker’s defenses as we speak.” The memory of Hannifat Lecter threatening to eat a hostage still haunted the courier. “The longer we wait, the higher the kill count.”

“So this loop is not the final one even in the best case scenario?” Livia asked with a frown. “You want to assault the bunker the moment the next loop begins?”

“After I take out the trash first.” Much like during his suicide run, Ryan would demolish Ghoul, and then attack the bunker afterward. “If Adam and Psyshock can be neutralized, then I can subsume their minions. If we have a cure for the Psycho condition, it'll be even easier.”

“I can help with the assault, but I’m afraid my father will catch wind of the bunker if I call upon more help,” Livia said. “Fortuna would hold her tongue though. Would the three of us be enough to defeat the Meta-Gang?”

“I’m not sure.” Lucky Girl might make up for Darkling’s absence or the plushie’s inactivity, or maybe not. Shortie would probably help even without her memories, and perhaps Shroud too. “I need to perfect the memory transfer. The more people fighting with us the better.”

“Especially since we need you to manually transfer memories. If you perish early, then this complicates the next loop.” Livia crossed her arms. “Can you recreate the mind-transfer machine on your own?”

Ryan shook his head. Even with his considerable financial resources, the Genius device needed pieces difficult to make without a support network. “I will need more technological resources. Either the bunker, Vulcan, or Dynamis.”

“I can introduce you to Vulcan,” Livia argued. “I will not ask for the machine’s blueprints, if you are worried about that.”

“Will you do a new villain speech if I give it away?” Ryan teased her.

“I doubt it will surprise you again,” she mused, though her smile quickly faltered. “What about Mathias?”

“I can convince the Carnival to halt its assault on your family if I swear to play double agent, destroy the Bliss Factory, and sabotage your mob’s operations.“

Livia frowned in skepticism. “Will Ischia Island’s destruction prevent Hargraves from showing up?”

“I’m not sure. The Carnival wants to end your family’s criminal activities, and honestly, I can’t blame them for it.” If only a battle between the two organizations didn’t threaten to tear the city apart... “And then there’s Narcinia. Your father abducted her and murdered her parents.”

Livia looked at her coffee cup, losing herself in the steaming blackness. She had confirmed this story in the previous loop, and it shook her to the core. Perhaps she thought that while her father was ruthless, he only went after people who threatened him first. Only now did she see Lightning Butt’s true, hateful self.

“I still can’t forgive Hargraves for killing my mother,” Livia said. “What happened to Narcinia’s parents didn't make this a justified retaliation. However… I agree that Narcinia suffered a terrible injustice, and it is my duty to correct it.”

“The Carnival is pretty reasonable,” Ryan argued, having dealt with them extensively. “If they understand that you will inherit your father’s empire to better dismantle it, maybe they won’t poke the hornet’s nest. Returning Narcinia to them would show your goodwill.”

“Let me think about this,” Livia said. “I need more time to process simulations. A wrong move here could make my father overreact.”

What an understatement. She might as well have said the Titanic had a small ice problem.

“And finally, we must destroy what remains of your stepfather,” Livia changed the subject. “What was your idea?”

“A Carnival member, Dr. Stitch, is a Genius specialized in viruses and illnesses,” Ryan said. “Since he already studied Bloodstream, I believe he could create something from the vaccine.”

Livia’s head perked up in interest. “A Knockoff vaccine plague?”

“Something like that. I can also contact Tyrano, see if he can help as well. If the sample in Len’s body is neutralized, then Bloodstream cannot escape.” Ryan finished his coffee. “As you see, princess, all the pieces are there. We just need to find the right way to assemble them. The sequence that will save everyone.”

“Can we?” Livia asked with a frown. “Save everyone?”

“Yes.” Everyone who deserved to be saved, at least. “It’s not my first rodeo.”

Livia looked into his eyes, her face undecipherable. “How many resets did it take you to reach this moment?”

Ryan shrugged. “Dozens.”

“And you are not yet done.” Livia shook her head, her gaze full of compassion. “I was sincere when I told you we should find a way to ease your burden. I won’t have you martyr yourself on a cross for our sake.”

“Who else will?” Ryan asked back. “Someone has to do it. Millions of lives are at stake.”

“But the process doesn’t have to be painful, or lonely,” Livia argued. “I’m sure we can find a way to make your resets painless. I doubt I am the only one who cares for your well-being.”

The time-traveler looked away. Shortie cared too, but she was family. Even Alchemo had tried to set his foot down, to earn Ryan’s forgiveness.

“I made promises,” the courier said, thinking back of Jasmine, Bianca, and so many others. “Fulfilling them is all that matters.”

“Not if it means you sacrifice your own happiness for others.” Livia smiled. “A perfect ending for everyone includes you too, Ryan.”

If only she knew. Ryan’s mind wandered back to his first Perfect Run in Monaco, where he saved Simon and so many more from that hellish prison. Though he gave a happy ending to everyone else, the adventure left the courier with a bittersweet taste. He alone had remembered the moment they all shared together. His Perfect Runs afterward had left him with the same feeling.

But this time would be different. He hoped things would change this time around.

He wanted them to.

“I will try,” Ryan said. “Any suggestion on how to proceed?”

Livia answered with a nod. “Join my father’s organization, and tell the Carnival that you will act as their mole to buy time. I can introduce you to Vulcan so you may recreate your brain-transfer machine, and I will see how to deal with Narcinia. It will be easier to plan the raid on the Meta-Gang if we cooperate closely. Do you think you could turn some of the Psychos against Adam before we attack the bunker? What about Sarin?”

Ryan shook his head. “Sarin only attacks the harbor if Ghoul can back her up and Psyshock isn't neutralized, but I need to offer the bag of bones to appease the Carnival and that telepath has to go. I have no other means of contacting her for certain.”

“I am not certain that trusting the Carnival is the right step,” Livia admitted, slightly worried. “But I trust you, Ryan. If you feel this is the right way...”

“It’s the best option we have right now,” Ryan said, rising from his seat. “I need to meet with Len now.”

Both to arrange the memory transfer, and prepare for Psyshock’s inevitable raid on the orphanage.

“I have her brainmap, and others. We can arrange the transfer as soon as you have the machine operational.” Livia’s fingers fidgeted nervously. “You will stay at Jamie Cutter’s house this time around?”

“It’s probable,” Ryan replied. “That or Len’s place.”

“Maybe I will pay you a visit then,” the mafia princess said with a friendly grin. “It doesn’t feel right you’re always the one coming to visit me.”

Ryan chuckled. “You will need a diving suit if I’m moving in with Shortie.”

“I would prefer a drier place,” Livia mused. “See you soon, Ryan.”

“See you soon, Princess,” he said, as he closed the door behind him. Now… now he needed to convince an old friend to have her brain rewritten. A tall order.

The courier returned to his car, finding Henriette playfully licking a dejected skull. The light had left out Ghoul’s eyes, alongside all his hopes.

“Shortie,” Ryan said, as he put on the Chronoradio. “Shortie, I know you can hear me.”

The Chronoradio played a song from a time that never was.

“We need to talk,” the courier continued, letting out a sigh. “Your father is alive. Dynamis holds him prisoner in one of their labs.”

Her response came out of the radio seconds afterward.

“Meet me at the orphanage.”

Ryan had heard these words before, but never with that tone. Anger, and determination.

Dynamis would never know what hit them.

到头来，瑞恩的每一轮循环都以同样的方式开场。

开车撞上食尸鬼的后背。

“你知道吗，你已经成了我生活里雷打不动的一部分。”瑞恩走下普利茅斯，迈进雷内斯科的酒吧。如今，这地方简直成了快递员的第二个家。对于那堵被他反复撞穿的墙，他甚至生出了近乎父亲般的慈爱。“我跟你约会的次数，比跟贾丝敏都多。”

食尸鬼在地上扭动，试图撑着吧台重新站起来。酒保雷内斯科躲在台子后面，不知道该如何应付瑞恩这令人难忘的登场。快递员轻快地踩着华尔兹舞步穿过碎砖瓦砾，风从墙上的破洞灌进酒吧。

“我本来以为，自己的人生是部黑色喜剧，或者悲喜剧，可现在我才明白……原来从头到尾都是一部吸血鬼爱情片。”瑞恩双手背在身后，居高临下地俯视食尸鬼。这个疯魔刚爬起一半，其他客人都不敢插手。“你的骨头在阳光底下会闪闪发亮吗？”

“你他妈在说什——”瑞恩让自己的靴子跟这亡灵的膝盖亲密接触了一下，食尸鬼惨叫着瘫倒在地。“你这个混蛋！”

“说这么多，就是想告诉你，我可不是在跟踪骚扰你。”快递员说着，又踢了心上人一脚。“我是说，看看我。我多帅。只有丑八怪才会跟踪骚扰，这可是常识。如果我伤害你，那也是出于爱。”

对伤害食尸鬼这件事的热爱。

暗灵说过，黑色终极者会将它从因果关系和此后的一切重置中剔除。瑞恩曾好奇，这是否也会波及它先前的宿主。不过，这副骨头架子还是回来了，对上一轮循环毫无记忆。

也就是说，大胖亚当也活过来了，正在酝酿坏事。

“我要叫安保了！”酒保雷内斯科在吧台后面嚷道，受伤的食尸鬼则试图爬离瑞恩。那亡灵看快递员的眼神，活像在看一个疯子，深深刺痛了他柔软而敏感的心。

瑞恩向来受不了拒绝。

“我知道你藏着什么弱点，食尸鬼。”瑞恩打开汽车后门。“一种让你毫无招架之力的氪石。”

一条脏兮兮的流浪狗跳出了普利茅斯“狂怒”。她两眼放光，却看不出半点聪明劲儿；她是獒犬与灵缇的杂种女儿，双方最丑的部位全继承了下来。她吐着舌头，跳蚤正欢快地从她发黑的皮毛上迁往新的沃土。这平民出身的生物没有欧仁-亨利的贵族气派，倒也有几分乡野魅力——虽然她身上的恶臭让酒吧里的客人连连后退。

“她叫亨丽埃特。我来酒吧的路上发现她在吃垃圾，就用一只火腿买下了她的忠诚。”瑞恩总会在车里备些吃的，以防遇上这种情况。“身为爱猫人士，这么做可能有背叛之嫌。没错，就是背叛！”

瑞恩挠了挠自家地狱犬的耳后，她喜欢得不得了。所有的狗都渴望关爱。“我没有羞耻心，不会犹豫，也毫无原则！”

“你想干什么？”食尸鬼惊恐地望着亨丽埃特。母狗已经注意到了他，目光上移，饥渴地盯着他那两条光溜溜的骨腿。

这个疯魔知道，接下来会发生什么。

“只想让你痛苦。”瑞恩指向猎物。“去吧，姑娘！”

亨丽埃特朝食尸鬼扑了过去，而他爬得不够快。

几秒钟后，狗给新主人叼来了一根漂亮的股骨，对自己的表现十分骄傲。

---

食尸鬼只是瑞恩圣诞名单上的第一位。上一轮循环的结尾实在太紧张，快递员需要稍稍喘口气，发泄一下，再着手办正事。

名单上的下一个淘气孩子，就住在离杰米家不远的地方。快递员敲响了一栋单层平房的门。这屋子平凡得无可挑剔，只有封死的窗户暗示着，住在这里的人有点问题。

门很快开了，露出一个身形瘦削、面容憔悴的男人，皮肤雪白，头发乌黑。这只惨白的稻草人始终缩在暗处，畏惧着阳光——阳光一定会灼伤他那亵渎神圣的灵魂。他肮脏的衣服上沾满了花花绿绿、俗艳刺眼的颜料斑。他那双布满血丝的绿眼睛周围挂着黑眼圈，瑞恩一看就知道，这人刚睡醒。

该死，这人不仅是个杀手，居然还是只吸血鬼！

“理查德·平克曼？”瑞恩问，“夜魇？”

“呃……是我？”吸血鬼怀疑地眯起眼睛，打量快递员。“我们认识吗？”

“有样东西要送给你，虽然来得晚了点。”瑞恩上一轮就想送这趟货，可惜一直没找到机会。“长夜漫漫，处处险恶，是吧？”

男人皱起眉，意识到访客知道自己的能力，也知道它的局限。吸血鬼的手摸向背后，或许是在找枪——好像他能伤得了心地纯洁的人似的。“什么东西？”

瑞恩一拳砸在他脸上，力道之大，打得他踉跄后退。他的后背撞上了什么东西，发出好大一声响，只是屋里太黑，快递员看不清。

“别再让我重温童年创伤。”瑞恩警告这个恶毒的心灵感应者。那些噩梦后来竟然成了真，让快递员一直耿耿于怀。“你根本想象不到，我花在心理治疗师身上的钱有多少。”

夜魇没回答。他已经彻底昏了过去。

瑞恩花了点工夫，在圣诞名单上又勾掉一项，发现下一个名字是凯伦·里奇，别名妖姬。吸血鬼之后，轮到女巫。不巧，时间已经不早了，而快递员未必能从自己为她安排的计划中活下来。再往后是路易吉，不过瑞恩太累了，打不动一场傍晚的冰球赛。

“还是以后再说吧。”

有位公主在等他。

---

入夜时分，瑞恩抵达死地汽车旅馆，把车停在入口附近。亨丽埃特坐在他身旁，这条杂种狗眼含羞愧，冲着新主人呜呜叫。虽然瑞恩最喜欢的还是猫和兔子，但经历过这么多轮循环，他也学会了怎么照顾狗。他认得这个眼神。

“你想要个猫砂盆？”

亨丽埃特汪汪叫了两声作为回答，舌头伸在嘴外。她摆出了一副只有爱狗人士才会欣赏的表情。

“食尸鬼。”瑞恩看向后视镜。

后座上那颗孤零零的头骨恐惧地回望着快递员。有那么一瞬间，瑞恩几乎对这副杀人如麻的骨头架子生出了怜悯。可紧接着，他就想起了上一轮，想起食尸鬼是如何怂恿自己的老大，把这位时间旅行者变成疯魔的。

瑞恩摘下面具和帽子，露出一个可怕的笑容，吓得这亡灵魂不附体，呜咽不止。

“张嘴。”

骷髅老爹绝望的惨叫，在瑞恩听来犹如天籁，可惜结束得太快。这疯魔丢了脊梁骨，也跟着丢了胆气。

瑞恩让亨丽埃特继续玩她的新磨牙玩具，自己走向旅馆。他注意到莉维娅的房间亮着灯，门外却没有杀手七人组的人把守。奇怪。

不过，瑞恩还是吹着口哨推开了套房的门，发现他的前第一夫人正在等他。桌上已经摆好了诱人的饼干和热气腾腾的咖啡，只等人享用。

莉维娅站在桌子另一侧，背对着瑞恩。她穿着一件优雅的蓝色皮大衣，戴着长款天鹅绒手套，俨然是一位从黑色侦探电影中走出来的蛇蝎美人。她的白金色长发如银色瀑布般垂落。

“你好啊，公主。”瑞恩随手关上身后的门。“第一次时间旅行感觉怎么样？”

莉维娅转过身，蓝眼睛里带着冷冷的笑意，打量着他。她的神情让瑞恩想起她姑姑普鲁托那种美丽而致命的气质。“相当不错。”她说，语气危险，“不过，这也会是最后一次。”

瑞恩皱起眉。“什么意思？”

“真对不起，瑞恩。不过，既然现在我什么都记得，你就没有利用价值了。接管这座城市所需的情报，我已经全部掌握，剩下的唯一障碍……”她稍稍停顿了一下，“就是你。”

……

妈的。

妈的！

“我还以为我们是朋友！”瑞恩抗议着，手伸进大衣，准备拔刀。

“你还真信了？”莉维娅的双手移向椅子，快递员顿时僵住。不知怎么，她的一举一动都自然而然地透着威胁。“消除者就在外面等着，她的能力已经生效了。结束了。”

天哪，阿尔凯莫的背叛又重演了！瑞恩本能地发动能力，世界变成紫色，他准备向莉维娅出手。

等等，要是消除者就在门边，他怎么还能暂停时间？

瑞恩看着定格的莉维娅，发现了她正拼命憋住的笑意。

不可能。

她不敢的。她绝对不敢。

时间一恢复，瑞恩立刻打开房门，外面根本没有杀手。

她还真敢。

“你……你这个邪恶的幕后黑手！”瑞恩说着，关上身后的门，把暗藏的刀收回风衣里。“你居然耍我！”

莉维娅报以一串温暖悦耳的笑声。“对不起。”她带着不好意思的笑容道歉，“我知道这很傻，可我一直想发表一次这样的宣言。我知道换了别人，都不会当真。”

上一轮给瑞恩当搭档，把莉维娅带坏了。

他亲手造出了一个怪物。

“要是吓到你了，我向你道歉。我不知道你会有什么反应，所以才想试试。”莉维娅腼腆地把双手合在一起。“能原谅我吗，瑞恩？”

“对一个时尚品位如此无可挑剔的人，我怎么也责怪不起来。”瑞恩在桌边坐下。“不过别再来一次了，公主。我刚才真有可能杀了你。这种事，我真的很敏感。”

她的喜悦瞬间变成了惊恐。“真的？”莉维娅也坐了下来，“发生过什么？”

“有些人听我说了真相之后，就疯了。”瑞恩承认，双手贴在咖啡杯上取暖。“有的想把我控制起来，不让我读档。还有的做得更过分。”

“我……”这下，莉维娅后悔开这个玩笑了。她伸手覆住他的手，她的手比杯子更温暖。“对不起，瑞恩。我不想揭开你的旧伤。”

“没事，真的。真要说的话，你倒是在帮它们愈合。”终于，瑞恩有了一个能在未来的循环中继续帮助他的盟友。有莉维娅帮忙，他就能让盟友们记住自己。他的友谊将经得起时间的考验。“反正我已经报复过了。”

“什么意思？”莉维娅皱了皱眉，忽然发现饼干全没了。“你趁时间暂停，把它们吃了？”

瑞恩笑了。

“真幼稚。”莉维娅也笑了，双手收回，握住自己的咖啡杯。“那么，瑞恩，我们要怎么赢？”

我们。这个词犹如寒夜中的篝火，温暖了瑞恩的心。

瑞恩向莉维娅讲述了上一轮的结局。他和蕾恩如何证实，迪纳米斯在那座堡垒般的实验室里囚禁着变异后的血流，又是如何因为蕾恩的到来，让它得以逃脱。他说起了盟友们对抗阿尔方斯·马纳达的最后一战，说起血流如何毁灭新罗马，以及奥古斯都如何不肯休战，反而选择向利奥·哈格雷夫斯发动攻击。

不过，快递员没有提自己是怎么伤到闪电屁股的。他的女儿未必接受得了，而且瑞恩自己也没完全弄明白当时发生了什么。他还需要更多时间，来搞清楚这一点。

莉维娅越听，眉头皱得越深。“太可怕了。”她若有所思地啜着咖啡，“亲眼看见你的继父变成那副模样……”

“我恨他。”亲眼看见血流吞噬自己的女儿，只让瑞恩对他的印象更糟。“死对他来说，倒是一种仁慈。”

“我们真能杀死他吗？如果迪纳米斯的仿制灵药就是用他做的，那无数基因者体内都会残留他的一部分。”

“我拿到了提拉诺博士的疫苗配方。只要血流的核心不接触蕾恩的血，他就不会产生免疫力。”小矮个的体液接触到仿制灵药时，这怪物也没产生免疫力。或许是因为被迪纳米斯以化学手段阉割后，她父亲对自身碎片的控制十分有限。

“可它必须通过注射生效。”莉维娅指出，“哪怕疫苗接种计划再完善，也会有很多人不肯放弃能力。尤其是他们大多都为此花了一大笔钱。”

“是啊，人们抽烟的时候，也总觉得自己能赌赢那一半的几率。”瑞恩耸耸肩。“我有个想法，不过先听听你的意见。我们还有多少时间？”

“听你讲的时候，我已经做了些推演。”莉维娅十指相合。“现在知道六十六号实验室里有什么，我看到的未来也更准确了。这场大流行发生的概率很低，但如果阿尔方斯·马纳达接管迪纳米斯，概率就会急剧上升。而只要给他时间，他就一定会接管；可能需要一年，也可能十年，但概率会随着时间推移不断增加。即使埃克托·马纳达还在当董事长，灾难也有可能发生。”

那个无能的董事长并不怎么让快递员担心。到现在，他已经明白，这一家真正的威胁是原子粉碎者。最强，也最坚定。

无论如何，血流都必须除掉，但莉维娅的预言还是让瑞恩稍稍放了心。“在我们必须解决的所有灾难中，这一项算是长期问题。”快递员说，“另外两场灾难可不会等上几年。”

莉维娅沉下脸。“超能帮什么时候会动用梅克隆的卫星武器？”

“五月十二号到十八号之间的某一天。”大胖亚当是在十八号使用那件武器的，但瑞恩见过他和心心早在十二号就拿下了地堡。在为迪纳米斯办事的那一轮，马纳达家的人攻入他的总部时，那个恶毒的反社会疯子就差点扣下扳机。“而且，要是什么也不做，利奥·哈格雷夫斯和嘉年华会在三周内抵达新罗马。”

“我父亲会向他们开战。”莉维娅悲伤地说，“毁掉新罗马。”

“对不起。”瑞恩道歉，“你父亲不是个好人。”

“我知道。”她移开目光，“你有纸吗？”

几秒钟后，莉维娅就在一张纸上草草画出日历，安排五月的计划。她在十二号、十八号和二十八号上打了叉——最后那个日期，是哈格雷夫斯预定到达的大致时间，不过瑞恩还从没把一轮循环进行到那么久。

“我们得先对付食人魔亚当。”莉维娅审视着日历，说出了显而易见的结论。“我们有四天时间准备进攻。”

“到了最后一轮，就必须在今天解决。咱们说话的工夫，那死胖子还在拿人往地堡的防御火力上填呢。”汉尼胖·莱克特威胁要吃掉人质的记忆，至今仍萦绕着快递员。“拖得越久，死的人就越多。”

“也就是说，哪怕一切顺利，这一轮也不会是最后一轮？”莉维娅皱起眉，“你想在下一轮开始的那一刻，就突袭地堡？”

“得先倒完垃圾。”跟那次自杀式循环一样，瑞恩会先拆了食尸鬼，然后再去攻打地堡。“只要能解决亚当和心震，我就能把他们的手下收编。如果我们有办法治好疯魔，就更容易了。”

“突袭的时候，我可以帮忙。但要是再找人帮忙，恐怕我父亲会听到地堡的风声。”莉维娅说，“不过福尔图娜会守口如瓶。就我们三个，够打败超能帮吗？”

“不确定。”幸运女孩也许能弥补暗灵缺席、毛绒玩具无法行动的损失，也许不行。小矮个即使没有记忆，大概也会帮忙，裹尸布或许也一样。“我得完善记忆传输。跟我们并肩作战的人越多越好。”

“尤其是我们还得靠你手动传输记忆。你要是早早就死了，下一轮的事情就会复杂起来。”莉维娅抱起双臂。“你能独自重造一台意识传输机器吗？”

瑞恩摇了摇头。即使以他的财力，那台天才装置所需的某些部件，没有配套的支援也很难制造。“我需要更多科技资源。地堡、伏尔甘、迪纳米斯，至少得有一个。”

“我可以介绍你认识伏尔甘。”莉维娅说，“如果你是在担心这个，我不会索要那台机器的设计图。”

“我要是交出来了，你会再发表一遍反派宣言吗？”瑞恩打趣道。

“我想，很难再让你吃惊了。”她若有所思地说，可笑容很快就淡了下去。“马蒂亚斯那边呢？”

“只要我保证充当双面间谍，摧毁极乐工厂，破坏你们黑帮的活动，就能说服嘉年华暂缓攻击你家。”

莉维娅怀疑地皱起眉。“毁掉伊斯基亚岛，就能阻止哈格雷夫斯过来？”

“我不确定。嘉年华想终结你家的犯罪活动，说实话，我没法怪他们。”要是两大组织开战不会把整座城市撕碎就好了……“而且，还有纳尔西妮娅。你父亲绑架了她，还杀了她父母。”

莉维娅低头看着咖啡杯，目光沉入热气氤氲的黑色液体中。上一轮，她已经证实了这件事，内心受到了极大的震动。也许她原本以为，父亲虽然冷酷无情，但只会对付那些先威胁他的人。直到现在，她才看清闪电屁股真正可憎的面目。

“我仍然无法原谅哈格雷夫斯杀害我母亲。”莉维娅说，“纳尔西妮娅父母的遭遇，并不能让这种报复变得正当。不过……我同意，纳尔西妮娅遭受了极其不公的对待，我有责任纠正它。”

“嘉年华还是很讲道理的。”跟他们打过无数交道的瑞恩说道，“如果他们明白，你继承父亲的帝国，是为了更好地拆掉它，也许就不会来捅这个马蜂窝。把纳尔西妮娅送回他们身边，可以表明你的善意。”

“让我想想。”莉维娅说，“我需要更多时间做推演。这件事走错一步，就可能让我父亲反应过激。”

这可真是轻描淡写。她还不如说，泰坦尼克号只是碰上了一点冰块问题。

“最后，我们必须消灭你继父残存的部分。”莉维娅换了话题。“你的想法是什么？”

“嘉年华有个成员，斯蒂奇博士，是专攻病毒和疾病的天才。”瑞恩说，“他已经研究过血流，我相信他能在这份疫苗的基础上开发点东西。”

莉维娅兴致盎然地抬起头。“一种能像瘟疫一样传播的仿制灵药疫苗？”

“差不多。我也可以联系提拉诺，看看他能不能帮上忙。只要把蕾恩体内的样本清除，血流就逃不出来。”瑞恩喝完咖啡。“你看，公主，拼图都在这儿了。我们只需要找到正确的拼法。找到那个能救下所有人的步骤顺序。”

“我们做得到吗？”莉维娅皱着眉问，“救下所有人？”

“做得到。”至少，所有值得救的人。“我又不是头一回干这事。”

莉维娅望进他的眼睛，脸上的神情难以解读。“为了走到这一刻，你重置了多少次？”

瑞恩耸耸肩。“几十次。”

“而你还没有结束。”莉维娅摇摇头，目光中满是怜惜。“我说我们应该想办法减轻你的负担，那是真心话。我不能让你为了我们，把自己钉上十字架殉难。”

“不然谁来做？”瑞恩反问，“总得有人去做。这可是几百万条人命。”

“可这个过程，不一定非得那么痛苦、那么孤独。”莉维娅说，“我相信，我们能找到一种不用让你受苦的重置办法。关心你过得好不好的人，应该不止我一个。”

时间旅行者移开了目光。小矮个也关心他，但她是家人。就连阿尔凯莫都曾试着强硬表态，想赢得瑞恩的原谅。

“我做过承诺。”快递员说，想起了贾丝敏、比安卡，还有许许多多的人。“兑现承诺才是最重要的。”

“可如果代价是为了别人牺牲你自己的幸福，那就不行。”莉维娅微笑着说，“所有人的完美结局，也包括你在内，瑞恩。”

她要是知道就好了。瑞恩的思绪飘回了摩纳哥，回到他的第一次完美通关。他从那座地狱般的监狱里救出了西蒙，还有许多人。虽然他让其他人都得到了幸福的结局，这段冒险留给快递员的滋味却是苦乐参半。只有他一个人记得，大家曾经共同度过的那些时刻。此后的每一次完美通关，带给他的都是同样的感受。

但这一次会不一样。他希望，这一次能有所改变。

他想要这样的改变。

“我会试试。”瑞恩说，“接下来该怎么做，有什么建议吗？”

莉维娅点点头。“加入我父亲的组织，告诉嘉年华，你愿意做他们的内应，争取些时间。我可以介绍你认识伏尔甘，让你重造那台大脑传输机器；纳尔西妮娅的事，我来想办法。我们密切合作，策划突袭超能帮也会更容易些。进攻地堡之前，你觉得有办法策反几个疯魔，让他们倒戈对付亚当吗？沙林怎么样？”

瑞恩摇摇头。“只有食尸鬼能支援她，而且心震还没被解决，沙林才会袭击港口。可我要把那副骨头架子交出去，安抚嘉年华，那个心灵感应者也必须除掉。除此之外，我没有别的办法能确保联系上她。”

“信任嘉年华是不是正确的一步，我并不确定。”莉维娅坦言，带着些许忧虑，“但我信任你，瑞恩。如果你觉得这条路是对的……”

“这是我们眼下最好的选择。”瑞恩说着，从椅子上站起身。“我现在得去见蕾恩了。”

既要安排记忆传输，也要为心震那场不可避免的孤儿院突袭做好准备。

“我这里有她的脑图谱，还有其他人的。只要你的机器能运转起来，我们就能安排传输。”莉维娅紧张地摆弄着手指。“这一轮，你会住在杰米·卡特家吗？”

“大概吧。”瑞恩回答，“要么那里，要么蕾恩家。”

“那也许我会去看看你。”黑手党公主友善地一笑。“总是让你来看我，似乎不太合适。”

瑞恩轻笑。“我要是搬去跟小矮个住，你就得准备一套潜水服了。”

“我还是更喜欢干燥一点的地方。”莉维娅若有所思地说，“回头见，瑞恩。”

“回头见，公主。”他说着，关上身后的门。现在……现在他得去说服一位老朋友，让他重写她的大脑。可真是个难题。

快递员回到车里，发现亨丽埃特正在玩闹似的舔一颗垂头丧气的头骨。食尸鬼眼里的光没了，连同他的所有希望一起。

“小矮个。”瑞恩打开时空收音机，“小矮个，我知道你听得见。”

时空收音机播放着一首歌，来自一段从未存在过的时光。

“我们得谈谈。”快递员叹了口气，继续说道，“你父亲还活着。迪纳米斯把他关在他们的一间实验室里。”

几秒钟后，收音机里传来了她的回答。

“来孤儿院见我。”

这些话，瑞恩以前就听过，却从未听过这样的语气。愤怒，坚定。

迪纳米斯绝不会知道，自己究竟招来了什么。