同章对照

Livia had foreseen this moment, but never thought she would live to see it.

The Augusti villa's marble terrace was almost entirely silent, as Enrique Manada signed the fifty-page long treaty. Wyvern and Leo Hargraves sat on his side of the table, while Vulcan and Uncle Neptune assisted Livia. Len Sabino completed the council, looking quite graceful in a summer dress, while Luigi kindly served cocktails and coffee. Eugène-Henry, that spoiled cat, napped near the pool with his belly exposed.

To Livia’s eyes, the new chairman of Dynamis seemed to blur, as multiple possibilities aligned with his real self. Six phantom hands followed his motions. All of them used different signatures, but they signed anyway.

"It is done," Enrique said before closing the document, some other possibilities opening their mouths after the deed was done. "I thus officially announce the creation of the New European Republic."

Dynamis had officially ceased to exist, as did the Augusti's empire. A new structure would rise from their ashes, greater and better than the sum of its parts.

"The United States of Europe would have sounded better though," Leo Hargraves said. His presence still made Livia and her uncle uneasy, but he would soon serve as their go-between with the newborn Republics of Bavaria and Denmark in the north. Though the seer would never quite get along with her mother's murderer, reconciliation was the order of the day.

Gentle Len smiled sheepishly. "No, it wouldn’t have. Sounded good, I mean."

Livia hadn't seen a single possibility where she supported that alternate name.

"I already contacted the French, and they have shown interest in joining us," the seer explained. By which she meant that they would inevitably join the new union, though they would grumble about it first. The French always complained, no matter the timeline. "I believe we could unify all of Western Europe within the next two years."

"I never thought I would see that day," Uncle Neptune said, eyeing Hargraves and Manada warily. "Nor that we would end up sitting around the same table without a fight."

"Things change," Enrique replied, before joining his hands. "Though I do wonder why the architect behind this conference didn't show up."

Livia straightened up on her chair. "He left this morning, and he didn't tell me where."

"I... I couldn't find him either," Len admitted. "I thought he was with Fortuna and the others, but... no."

Livia didn't need a reminder. Fortuna and her boyfriend intended to escort Alchemo to Denmark, so he might cure Mathias' mother of her neural illness. She knew he would succeed, but her best friend would remain abroad for months.

Livia missed Fortuna's presence already. Felix and Narcinia intended to follow her too; the former as a prelude to joining the Carnival full-time, the latter as part of her quest to find out more about her birth parents.

"I still can't believe she chose to call herself Lucky Girl," Vulcan snickered. "That's the laziest superhero name I've heard yet, and that includes yours, Laura."

"You have a point," her former partner took the remark in stride. "Wyvern was a Dynamis brand. We should think of something else."

Vulcan squinted, as she grabbed a drink. "We?"

"I hoped we could form a duo again." Wyvern cleared her throat at Vulcan's hard gaze. "Or at least, give it a try."

Vulcan wordlessly sipped her drink with a sour face.

Wyvern awkwardly shifted on her seat, and Enrique spared her further discomfort. "I've agreed to your proposal about Rust Town's renovation, and to give Miss Sabino complete autonomy on that front," he informed Livia. "The Meta-Gang members who submitted to treatment will join the program, and your donation will cover seventy percent of the budget."

"It might have come from drug money, but these funds will serve a higher cause now," Livia replied with a nod. Finally, she could use her father's ill-gotten resources to do good.

Rust Town's denizens would only be the first to benefit from them. Livia intended to fully fund a Think Tank of Geniuses to help rejuvenate the Earth. The Architect would get to build her self-sustaining cities, Dr. Tyrano's knowledge would be directed towards developing better healthcare, and Vulcan would equip a peacekeeping force to neutralize the Genome warlords ravaging the countryside.

Maybe in time they would introduce Mechron's safe Elixir knockoffs and give everyone the chance to gain superpowers. But that would wait until after Europe had stabilized.

"Why me?" Len asked with a frown, her fingers fidgeting. "Why put me in charge?"

"Because you have lived among the locals and seen their struggles," Enrique replied. "You understand their needs better than I do from my ivory tower. We bear the responsibility for Rust Town's current state, so I don't expect that we will prove adequate at resolving its issues."

"And you have more than earned our trust, Len," Livia added with a bright smile, knowing it would reassure the Genius. After facing so many trials together, the seer almost considered the underwater Genius as a sister-in-law. "You have done more for this place and its orphans than anyone else. You should get recognition for your efforts."

"I..." Len cleared her throat, before offering a thankful nod. "I shall prove worthy of that trust. I swear. For the people of Rust Town."

The rest of the meeting was spent ironing out details about the new order of things, though Livia more or less zoned out. She had already predicted how things would unfold, and so spoke on autopilot. Still, she would rather take that boring, but constructive monotony over a bad surprise.

"Miss Augusti, a question before I leave," Leo Hargraves said, and Livia already predicted what he would say before he even opened his fiery mouth. "How is he doing?"

Livia didn't need to see the future to understand who he was referencing. "My father is..." She cleared her throat. "Alive."

"That's better than he deserves," Wyvern said harshly. "He should be imprisoned in a cell at the bottom of the sea, like his lieutenants."

"My brother is already in a cell," Uncle Neptune replied with a scowl. "One he will never escape."

Livia glanced at a window on the villa's second floor.

Her father was watching the scene through the glass, sitting in a wheelchair. Or at least his eyes gazed at the garden, while his mind wandered elsewhere.

Sometimes, he apologized to Livia, to her mother, to the world. Mostly, he remained silent, or sobbed. Though the body endured, the proud, powerful warlord whom Livia had known all her life had perished in France. Only his ghost remained, trapped in a broken, indestructible body.

Her father would rather have died than live like this, weak and catatonic. And... she knew he would get his wish in less than two years. His daughter had seen it across multiple possibilities. Janus Augusti had triumphed over many powerful foes, but in the end, he couldn't outrun cancer.

In her sleep, Livia had dreamed that her father would set aside his criminal ways, seek repentance, and live the rest of his days in peace. It had been a sweet dream, and she had felt great sorrow upon waking up.

Reality wasn't the ideal ending she had dreamed of, but it was an outcome that she was happy with nonetheless. Ryan had kept his promise and spared her father. She couldn't blame her boyfriend for fulfilling her wish in an unexpected way.

Livia would care for her father for the little time he had left, and mourn for him afterward.

But she wouldn’t pity him.

"I see," Hargraves replied. He understood that Livia's father had paid for his crimes. "In that case, I will take my leave too."

"I believe it is the first time that your Carnival leaves a city with more members than it arrived with," Enrique noted.

The Living Sun nodded. "I will take that as a good sign, and I know our new recruits will prove themselves. Atom Cat will do very well, and the Panda has his heart in the right place."

"I'm still sad to see Felix go," Wyvern said. "He was a good element."

"He was," Livia agreed, though not without some regrets of her own. Though she had moved on from their relationship, she still considered Felix a close friend. Someone with his resolve would have helped make New Rome a better place, but Livia understood that her ex-boyfriend would only truly feel happy on the road, fighting the evils of the world. Felix was born to become a wandering knight, not a nation-builder.

Enrique's group soon left after a few handshakes, leaving Livia alone with Len and her bodyguards. "Fuck her," Vulcan said, once Wyvern was out of earshot. "Fuck her better-than-you attitude."

"You will get to pick the name," Livia pointed out.

"Fuck you too, Nostradamus," the weapon-builder replied. "It's only because you warned me of Daddy Dearest’s intentions that I haven't shot you yet."

"And because I'm a good boss too?" Livia asked mirthfully, having given Vulcan complete autonomy and a large budget to pursue her intellectual interests.

"Don't push it." Vulcan put her drink aside. "Would you even be okay with this?"

“We have become a single government,” Uncle Neptune said, while examining his copy of the European accords. “It doesn’t matter which ministry you choose.”

"We are all friends now," Livia pointed out with a smile.

"You disgust me," Vulcan replied before turning at Len. "Hey, Underdiver."

"Uh, yes?" Len asked with a frown.

"Let's go to my workshop afterward. I've got a great idea, but I'll need a smart assistant to improve it."

Livia gave it a fifty percent chance that Vulcan and Wyvern would end up forming another duo, and forty that they would create a new superhero organization. Beneath all the rage, bitterness, and her inferiority complex, a part of Vulcan had never truly given up on making the world a better place. Her pride would always come first, but now that Wyvern gave her the respect she felt that she deserved, the short-tempered Genius would mellow out in time.

Len's newfound idealism would have a good influence on her too, making Vulcan realize that even her weapon-making power could be used for constructive purposes.

Humans needed to be together to lift each other up.

“It’s really happening,” Uncle Neptune said, as he slouched on his chair. Though he looked very much like Livia’s father, the expression couldn’t be more different. Uncle Neptune was amiable and cautious, with the look of a loving grandfather; while Dad had been a grim and implacable patriarch. “I’ve prayed for this deal for years, and I still half expect it to blow up in our face.”

“It won’t,” Livia reassured him.

“I always told your father that we should go legit, even when we were a normal mob,” her uncle said. “That way of life, it only ever ends up with a coffin or a cell; no matter how powerful you are. Now my brother is dead inside, and my sister imprisoned. I feel like my dreams and nightmares came true all at once.”

Livia knew her uncle was sorely tempted to raise Len’s underwater prison from the depths and free her aunt. In a few possibilities, he almost did.

But he never went through with these plans.

“Auntie doesn’t want to talk to us,” Livia said with regrets. “Not since we refused to break her out.”

“Can’t blame her,” her uncle replied with a sigh. “But better jailed than dead. Do you think she will come around one day?”

“Maybe,” Livia admitted, though the possibilities she had seen were remote. Deep down, her aunt loved to kill. It would take her years of introspection before she could even begin to improve as a person. “But not before many, many years.”

Neptune sighed. “It all feels so bittersweet.”

“Why did you go along with these reforms?” Livia asked her uncle. She predicted a few answers, but she wanted to hear his thoughts from his own mouth. “You never agreed with Father, but you always went along with his wishes.”

“Because I loved him, and I thought I could curb his worst ideas,” Uncle Neptune replied with a shrug. “The family that puts the family first will always prevail over the family that puts the whims of its members first. I love Janus, and my sister too… but you’re our family’s future, Livia. I think the path you chose is the only one where you’ll live a long and happy life. Janus wouldn’t, couldn’t see it, but I do. We old people should make sure younger generations live a better life than our own, not repeat the same mistakes.”

Livia smiled, and bowed. “Thank you, Uncle. For supporting me in these difficult times.”

“It’s only been two weeks and a half since Janus fell, and it feels like years already,” her uncle said with a shrug. “There’s still a lot of things to do ahead of us. Enemies to fight, roads to build. But you can count on me.”

Livia kissed him on the cheek, her uncle smiling in response.

Before she left with Vulcan, Len wanted to ask the seer a question. "Livia..."

"You worry about Ryan," Livia guessed.

"I can't find him, and he doesn't answer on his phone. I'm... I'm worried."

"It's alright," Livia reassured her. Though her knight spent his nights with her, he usually wandered off in the morning to run errands. Or side-quests as he called them.

This time though, she had a pretty good intuition of where he had gone. "I think I know where he is."

---

It was May 31st, and the sun set on New Rome.

Sitting at the edge of the promontory, Ryan thoughtfully gazed at the horizon. His legs dangled in the void, while his loyal Plymouth Fury waited behind him with his mask and hat on the hood. The wind brushed against his cashmere suit and his naked face, and his eyes wandered from one district to the next.

Though it had changed, the city looked the same at first glance. All dazzling neon lights and towering skyscrapers, the glorious promise of a new future for mankind. He had spent the whole day marveling at its beauty, watching people living out their lives to the tune of his Chronoradio.

For a full day in a long, long time, Ryan had stopped to enjoy the moment and think. To ponder what he should do next.

He heard a car stop behind him, and peeked over his shoulder. Livia stepped out of a Mercedes, wearing the same red dress as on their first date. The sunlight reflected on her platinum silver hair, and illuminated the smile on her face.

"How did you know I would be here?" Ryan asked his girlfriend with a knowing grin. "I thought you couldn't see me, Miss Augusti?"

"I can't see you, Mr. Romano," she replied with a playful tone, "but I still know how you think."

"I stopped at this promontory when I first came to New Rome, many loops ago," Ryan explained, as she walked to his side. "I heard it was the best view of the city."

"You were lied to," she replied. "Our house has the best sight."

Our house, Ryan thought. Two simple words, and yet they meant so much.

"I thought I would come back to this place after I completed my Perfect Run,” Ryan admitted. “I imagined that I would take one good look at the city, go back to my car, and then drive into the sunset towards new adventures. Maybe with Len in the backseat."

She joined her hands together with a hint of anxiety. "Will you leave?"

"No," Ryan replied, to her relief. "I was only ever comfortable on the road, mostly because that's all I ever knew… but that wasn’t what I wanted.”

“You came for Len. For a friend.”

“I would have been happy if I could at least have one friend who could remember me. I spent centuries on a comedy roadshow, trying to fill the void with entertainment. Trying to stave off the loneliness. And now…”

“Now you’re no longer alone,” Livia said, as she knelt at his side. “And you shall never be again.”

“No. And though the universe is vast and full of wonders… What I want above everything is to spend time with those I love. I see that now.” He chuckled. “I guess I'm old enough to settle down."

She giggled like a young maiden. "You sound like my uncle, Ryan."

"I'm eight hundred and sixty years older than you, young woman. I'm a cradle robber."

"Will Grandpa Romano let me climb on his lap then?" She asked him with a coy look.

"Sure, Papa Beaver will tell you a tale." Livia climbed on Ryan's lap, and he put his arms around her. "You've gotten a little heavier."

Livia looked cute when offended. "Are you calling me fat?"

"It's fine, you started a little too skinny," Ryan replied before kissing her on the neck. "But you should stop overeating."

"I will," she said while resting her head against his shoulder. "The stressful days are over now that we've hammered out a constitution. Things will slowly settle into a new, peaceful status quo."

"How peaceful?" Though Ryan enjoyed the current peace, he wouldn't mind a little action in the future.

"As quiet as a republic of Genomes can be... at least for the next few years." She rolled her shoulders. "Afterward, who knows? I foresee dangerous threats, but whether or not these distant possibilities will materialize or not, we won't face them alone."

"About that, I want to talk about the 'we' part." Ryan looked into his girlfriend's eyes. He had thoughtfully considered something, and he wanted to broach the subject with her. "Livia?"

"Yes, Ryan?" she asked, a little anxious.

"Will you marry me?"

She responded with a giggle, her face turning as red as a Communist flag. "Ryan, you already proposed to me."

"Yes, but I'm serious this time." She was the one Ryan wanted to share the rest of his life with. He could feel it, deep within his bones.

"I... let's settle on a two year betrothal, alright?" she said with a sheepish smile, as her face regained its original pale complexion. "I love you, Ryan, but I think we're skipping a few intermediary steps. We just moved in together, for God's sake."

Well, Ryan guessed it meant he had the time to prepare for the perfect honeymoon. "And if we stay together for over two years? Because we will, and you know it."

Her face beamed like the sun. "Then I will gladly become Mrs. Romano."

That was what Ryan had hoped to hear. He kissed his girlfriend on the cheek, making her blush. "Hypothetically, how do you feel about having kids?” he asked her. “After we marry, of course."

"I thought you were afraid a child would inherit your powers?"

"I was. But I talked to my Elixir, and it will make sure it won't happen. Though our offspring will probably be even more overpowered than your dad."

"Mmm..." Livia thought about the proposal. "I would love to have children one day, yes."

"And if they're half of me, you won't see them. Or maybe they'll blur your sight?"

"Whether I can predict their actions or not, I would love them all the same." Livia looked at the twilight sun. "Though I draw a blank about what we should call them. Maybe Iris, if we have a girl?"

Ryan suddenly felt a surge of divine inspiration course through his mind. "If it's a boy, how about we call him Eugèn—"

"We are not calling our hypothetical future son after your spoiled cat, Ryan Romano!" Livia exploded in laughter. "You're such a gallant fool."

"And you love me for it."

"I do," she replied softly, before closing her eyes and moving her face closer to his. "I love you, Ryan."

As their lips met in a tender, gentle kiss, Ryan froze time and counted to ten. He wanted to immortalize this moment in his own way.

The world turned violet, the shadow of an eldritch pyramid manifesting over New Rome. The purple reflection of a man running towards the future flickered into sight, joining with Ryan to fuse past and present into a new history.

The last remnants of the Black Particles inside the Violet Genome vanished to make the save possible without destroying the space-time continuum. They escaped his body to ascend towards the heavens above... and as they did, visions filled the courier's mind. Wordless pictures as vivid as a lucid dream, fragments of time itself. They flashed one after another in quick succession, all of them showing people the courier had crossed paths with.

He marveled as Len oversaw the cleaning up of Rust Town's atmosphere. The Meta-Gang’s cured members helped clean up the roads, all of them wearing vests with the words 'community service' written on their back. Jerome looked happy with the mundane menial work, while Helen, Vladimir, and Bianca simply accepted it as temporary penance for old crimes. The likes of Mosquito, the Reptilian, and Rakshasa’s gremlins raised new houses without enthusiasm, but had no say in the matter. Rust Town's orphans played with Henriette in a new, green park built over the Junkyard's crater.

He felt satisfaction, as the Olympians and their kind wasted away in an underwater prison far away from civilization. Venus raged in the cell she shared with her husband, while Mars looked through his oceanic window with remorseful acceptance. Pluto read a book with a scowl on her face, while Mortimer, Night Terror, Sparrow and Cancel played a board game in their shared prison. In his own cell, Hector Manada wrote letters asking his son to appeal the courts’ decisions. None would be opened.

He watched Enrique Manada oversee a new team of superheroes, one dedicated to the public good. Wyvern smiled at him while offering a military salute, while Wardrobe gave Jamie, Lanka, and Ki-Jung their new dazzling uniforms. Soldiers stood at their side, making a vow to serve the Republic and its people instead of the almighty Dollar. Vulcan overshadowed them all, wearing a new red power armor worthy of a hero of legends.

He gazed at Alphonse Manada floating aimlessly in the void of space, looking at the Earth with heavy regrets. Maybe one day he would return to it a changed man. He also caught a brief vision of Ghoul’s space cell, and the screaming immortal prisoner within it.

He cheered as he saw Felix, Fortuna, and Shroud fight a vicious Genome warlord as a team... no, a family. Sunshine and the Carnival took care of the mooks, though none kicked more ass than the Panda among them. After they had won, Mr. Wave patted the manbear in the back before offering him a black and white cashmere suit.

He observed Alchemo tend to mentally ill patients in a Danish hospital, with the Doll dressed as a nurse. A blonde woman which Ryan recognized as Mathias' mother exchanged words with a sentient toaster, while a mad priest received medical treatment. One day he would find his sanity back... and perhaps the road to redemption too.

He cheered as Simon, Martine, and Monaco's survivors planted the French flag over the rusted ruins of the Eiffel Tower. Far away, a sphere of reinforced glass isolated a cursed city like a giant snow globe, preventing it from ensnaring anyone ever again.

He watched Narcinia plant a garden in a greenhouse, one that would one day feed millions of people across Europe. His vision expanded to reveal a new shining city over the ruins of Sarajevo, its construction overseen by the Architect herself. Mighty humanoid dinosaur workers carried the building material.

He glanced at a strange rabbit running in a purple world, and a blob of darkness floating amidst the void. Both waiting for him beyond the veil of time, until the end of all things.

“THIS IS THE FUTURE YOU FOUGHT FOR.” The Ultimate One’s voice echoed across time and space, as it vanished from Ryan’s sight. “IT MAY COME TO PASS, OR IT MAY NOT. IT IS ALL UP TO YOU.”

Maybe the deity meant these visions to serve as a warning not to slack off, or as an encouragement to carry on. But whatever the case, Ryan loved what he saw.

His save complete, time resumed at once, yet the kiss continued. Livia's lips tasted of strawberry, of love and passion.

They tasted of home.

And like all good things in this world, the kiss ended way too soon. The couple exchanged one shy glance, and then watched the sun vanish behind the horizon.

Ryan Romano had completed his Perfect Run.

And he was happy at last.

THE END

莉维娅曾预见过这一刻，却从没想过自己能活着亲眼见到。

奥古斯蒂别墅的大理石露台上几乎鸦雀无声，恩里克·马纳达正在一份长达五十页的条约上签字。双足飞龙和利奥·哈格雷夫斯坐在他那一侧，伏尔甘与尼普顿叔叔则在莉维娅身边协助她。蕾恩·萨比诺也在座，凑齐了这场议事会的成员；一身夏日连衣裙让她显得颇为优雅。路易吉殷勤地奉上鸡尾酒和咖啡。欧仁-亨利那只被宠坏的猫正躺在泳池边，肚皮朝天，睡得香甜。

在莉维娅眼中，迪纳米斯新任董事长的身影有些模糊，多种可能性与现实中的他重叠在一起。六只虚幻的手随着他一同动作。每只手签下的字迹都不一样，但无一例外，都签了字。

“完成了。”恩里克说完，合上了文件；在另外几种可能性里，他合上文件后才开口。“在此，我正式宣布新欧洲共和国成立。”

迪纳米斯正式不复存在，奥古斯蒂的帝国也一样。一个新的体制将从二者的灰烬中崛起，比它们简单相加更加庞大，也更加美好。

“不过，欧洲合众国听起来会更好些。”利奥·哈格雷夫斯说。他的存在依然让莉维娅和叔叔感到不自在，但他很快就会成为他们与北方新生的巴伐利亚共和国、丹麦共和国之间的联络人。虽然这位预见者永远不可能与杀母仇人真正融洽相处，但眼下最重要的是和解。

温柔的蕾恩有些腼腆地笑了笑。“不，不会的。我是说，不会更好听。”

莉维娅所见的可能性里，没有一种是蕾恩赞成那个备选名字的。

“我已经联系过法国人，他们表示有兴趣加入我们。”预见者解释道。这话的意思是，他们注定会加入这个新联盟，只不过得先抱怨一番。无论在哪条时间线上，法国人都总要抱怨。“我相信，我们能在未来两年内统一整个西欧。”

“我从没想过自己能看到这一天。”尼普顿叔叔警惕地打量着哈格雷夫斯和马纳达。“也没想过有一天，我们能围坐在同一张桌子旁，不动手打起来。”

“世事总在变化。”恩里克说着，双手交握。“不过我确实有些好奇，促成这次会议的人怎么没露面。”

莉维娅在椅子上坐直了身子。“他今天早上就出门了，没告诉我去哪儿。”

“我……我也找不到他。”蕾恩承认道。“我以为他和福尔图娜他们在一起，可是……没有。”

莉维娅不需要人提醒。福尔图娜和男友打算护送阿尔凯莫前往丹麦，好让他治疗马蒂亚斯母亲的神经疾病。她知道他会成功，但她最好的朋友也会因此在国外待上好几个月。

莉维娅已经开始想念有福尔图娜陪在身边的日子了。菲利克斯和纳尔西妮娅也打算同行；前者以此作为正式加入嘉年华的开端，后者则想借此继续探寻亲生父母的事。

“我还是不敢相信，她居然决定叫自己幸运女孩。”伏尔甘嗤笑道。“这是我听过最偷懒的超级英雄名号，算上你的也是，劳拉。”

“你说得有道理。”她从前的搭档坦然接受了这番挖苦。“双足飞龙是迪纳米斯的品牌。我们该想个别的了。”

伏尔甘拿起一杯饮料，眯起了眼。“我们？”

“我希望我们能再次搭档。”迎着伏尔甘冷硬的目光，双足飞龙清了清嗓子。“至少，试一试。”

伏尔甘沉着脸，默不作声地喝了一口。

双足飞龙尴尬地在座位上挪了挪，恩里克开口解了她的围。“关于锈镇改造的提案，我已经同意了，也同意让萨比诺小姐全权负责这项工作。”他告诉莉维娅。“接受了治疗的超能帮成员会加入这项计划，你的捐款将承担百分之七十的预算。”

“这笔钱也许来自毒品，但现在，它会用在更有意义的事业上。”莉维娅点头答道。她终于能拿父亲不义得来的财富做些好事了。

锈镇居民只是第一批受益者。莉维娅打算全额资助一个由天才组成的智囊团，帮助地球恢复生机。建筑师将得以建造她那些自给自足的城市，提拉诺博士的学识将用于改进医疗，而伏尔甘则会为一支维和部队提供装备，消灭那些在乡野肆虐的基因者军阀。

也许有朝一日，他们会推广梅克隆那些安全的仿制灵药，让每个人都有机会获得超能力。不过，那得等欧洲局势稳定下来再说。

“为什么是我？”蕾恩皱眉问道，手指不安地动来动去。“为什么让我负责？”

“因为你和当地人一起生活过，亲眼见过他们的艰难处境。”恩里克答道。“你比待在象牙塔里的我更了解他们的需求。锈镇沦落到今天这一步，我们负有责任，所以我不指望我们能妥善解决这里的问题。”

“而且，你早就赢得了我们的信任，蕾恩。”莉维娅露出明朗的笑容，补充道，她知道这样能让这位天才安心。共同经历了这么多考验后，预见者几乎已经把这位水下天才当成了自己未来的小姑子。“你为这个地方、为这里的孤儿做的事，比任何人都多。你的付出理应得到认可。”

“我……”蕾恩清了清嗓子，感激地点头。“我一定不会辜负这份信任。我发誓。为了锈镇的人们。”

接下来的会议都用来敲定新秩序的各种细节，不过莉维娅多少有些走神。她早已预见了事态将如何展开，所以发言也近乎出于惯性。即便如此，她也宁愿要这种无聊却有所建树的单调，而不是糟糕的意外。

“奥古斯蒂小姐，走之前我想问个问题。”利奥·哈格雷夫斯开口道。早在他张开那张燃烧的嘴之前，莉维娅就已经预见了他要说什么。“他怎么样了？”

莉维娅不必预见未来，也知道他指的是谁。“我父亲……”她清了清嗓子。“还活着。”

“这已经太便宜他了。”双足飞龙冷冷地说。“他就该和那些手下一样，关在海底的牢房里。”

“我兄弟已经在牢里了。”尼普顿叔叔沉着脸答道。“一间他永远逃不出去的牢房。”

莉维娅望向别墅二楼的一扇窗。

父亲坐在轮椅上，正隔着玻璃望着这里。至少，他的目光朝着花园，思绪却不知飘到了何处。

有时，他会向莉维娅道歉，向她的母亲道歉，向全世界道歉。更多时候，他只是沉默，或是抽泣。躯体虽然还在，可那个莉维娅从小就认识的、骄傲而强大的军阀，已经死在了法国。留下的只有他的幽魂，被困在一具残破却无法摧毁的身体里。

父亲宁可死，也不愿像这样虚弱而木然地活着。而且……她知道，不出两年，他就会如愿。他的女儿已经在多种可能性中看到了这一点。雅努斯·奥古斯蒂曾战胜过许多强敌，到头来，却躲不过癌症。

莉维娅曾在睡梦中梦见父亲放下罪恶的生活，寻求悔改，平静地度过余生。那是一个甜美的梦，醒来时，她悲伤得难以自已。

现实并非她梦寐以求的理想结局，却仍是一个令她欣慰的结果。瑞恩守住了承诺，饶了父亲一命。男友只是以一种出乎意料的方式实现了她的心愿，她不能因此责怪他。

在父亲所剩不多的日子里，莉维娅会照顾他，也会在他死后为他哀悼。

但她不会怜悯他。

“我明白了。”哈格雷夫斯答道。他明白，莉维娅的父亲已经为自己的罪行付出了代价。“既然如此，我也该告辞了。”

“我想，这还是你们嘉年华第一次离开一座城市时，人数比来的时候多。”恩里克说道。

活体太阳点了点头。“我会把这当作好兆头，我也知道，新成员们一定会证明自己。原子猫会表现得很好，熊猫也有一颗正直的心。”

“看着菲利克斯离开，我还是很遗憾。”双足飞龙说。“他是个好队员。”

“是啊。”莉维娅赞同，心里也不无惋惜。虽然她早已放下了那段感情，却仍然把菲利克斯视作亲密的朋友。像他这样意志坚定的人，本能为新罗马的建设出一份力，但莉维娅明白，前男友只有走在路上、与世间的邪恶战斗，才会真正快乐。菲利克斯天生就该做一名游侠骑士，而不是国家的建设者。

一番握手道别后，恩里克一行人很快离开，只剩下莉维娅、蕾恩和她的保镖们。“去她妈的。”等双足飞龙走远，听不见了，伏尔甘开口骂道。“去她妈的那副高人一等的样子。”

“名字会由你来取。”莉维娅提醒她。

“你也去死，诺斯特拉达姆士。”武器制造者回敬道。“要不是你提前告诉我，你那位亲爱的老爸打的什么主意，我早就一枪崩了你。”

“难道不是也因为我是个好老板？”莉维娅笑吟吟地问。她给了伏尔甘充分的自主权和大笔预算，让她随心所欲地钻研自己感兴趣的东西。

“别得寸进尺。”伏尔甘放下饮料。“你真的不介意这件事？”

“我们已经是同一个政府了。”尼普顿叔叔一边查看自己那份欧洲协定，一边说道。“你选哪个部门都没关系。”

“我们现在都是朋友。”莉维娅微笑着提醒她。

“真让人恶心。”伏尔甘说完，转向蕾恩。“喂，深潜者。”

“呃，怎么了？”蕾恩微微蹙眉。

“待会儿去我的工坊。我有个绝妙的点子，不过需要一个聪明的助手来完善它。”

在莉维娅看来，伏尔甘与双足飞龙有百分之五十的可能会重新搭档，百分之四十的可能会创建一个新的超级英雄组织。尽管满腹愤怒、怨怼与自卑，伏尔甘内心深处却始终有一部分不曾真正放弃让世界变得更好。她永远会把自尊放在第一位，但如今双足飞龙给了她自认应得的尊重，这位暴脾气的天才迟早会温和下来。

蕾恩新近重拾的理想也会给她带来好的影响，让伏尔甘明白，就连她制造武器的能力，也能用于建设，而非破坏。

人们需要彼此相伴，才能相互扶持着走得更高。

“居然真的成了。”尼普顿叔叔往椅背上一靠。他虽然长得很像莉维娅的父亲，神情却截然不同。尼普顿叔叔随和而谨慎，看上去像位慈爱的祖父；爸爸则是个阴沉、冷酷的家长。“我盼这份协议盼了好多年，可到现在，还是总觉得它会突然砸在我们自己头上。”

“不会的。”莉维娅安慰他。

“我一直跟你父亲说，我们该做合法生意了，从我们还是普通黑帮的时候就这么说。”叔叔说道。“无论你多强大，那种活法，最后都只会落得一口棺材，或者一间牢房。现在我兄弟的心已经死了，我姊妹又身陷囹圄。感觉我的美梦和噩梦一下子全成了真。”

莉维娅知道，叔叔很想把蕾恩的水下监狱从深海里提上来，放出她姑姑。在少数几种可能性中，他险些就付诸行动了。

但他始终没有真的实施这些计划。

“姑姑不愿意跟我们说话。”莉维娅遗憾地说。“从我们拒绝帮她越狱之后，就一直这样。”

“不能怪她。”叔叔叹了口气。“不过，坐牢总比死了好。你觉得她哪天能想通吗？”

“也许吧。”莉维娅坦言，尽管她看到的那些可能性十分渺茫。骨子里，姑姑喜欢杀人。她得自省很多年，才有可能开始学着做个更好的人。“不过，得等很多、很多年以后。”

尼普顿叹了口气。“真是苦乐交杂啊。”

“你为什么愿意支持这些改革？”莉维娅问叔叔。她预见了几种回答，却仍想亲耳听他说出心里的想法。“你从不赞同父亲，却总是顺着他的意思。”

“因为我爱他，也以为自己能压住他那些最糟糕的念头。”尼普顿叔叔耸了耸肩。“把整个家族放在首位的家族，总能胜过那些把个别成员的任性妄为放在首位的家族。我爱雅努斯，也爱我的姊妹……但你才是我们家的未来，莉维娅。我想，你选的这条路，是唯一能让你长久、幸福地活下去的路。雅努斯不愿、也无法看清这一点，但我看得见。我们这些老家伙该确保后辈过得比自己更好，而不是让他们重蹈覆辙。”

莉维娅微笑着欠身。“谢谢你，叔叔。谢谢你在这么艰难的时候支持我。”

“雅努斯倒下才两周半，感觉却已经过了好几年。”叔叔耸肩道。“前面还有很多事等着我们做。有敌人要对付，有道路要修建。不过，你可以指望我。”

莉维娅在他脸颊上亲了一下，叔叔也回以微笑。

跟伏尔甘离开之前，蕾恩还想问预见者一个问题。“莉维娅……”

“你在担心瑞恩。”莉维娅猜道。

“我找不到他，他也不接电话。我……我很担心。”

“没事的。”莉维娅安慰她。她的骑士虽然每晚都陪着她，可通常一到早上就会出门去办各种事。或者说，用他自己的话讲，做支线任务。

不过这一次，她直觉自己大概知道他去了哪里。“我想，我知道他在哪儿。”

---

五月三十一日，新罗马的夕阳正缓缓西沉。

瑞恩坐在岬角边缘，若有所思地望着地平线。他双腿悬空，忠实的普利茅斯“狂怒”停在身后，面具和帽子搁在引擎盖上。风拂过他的羊绒西装和没有面具遮挡的脸庞，他的目光从一个城区游移到下一个。

这座城市虽然已经改变，乍看之下却仍是旧时模样。满眼璀璨的霓虹与高耸的摩天大楼，辉煌地昭示着人类崭新未来的希望。他花了一整天欣赏它的美，伴着时空收音机里的乐曲，看人们过着各自的生活。

很久很久以来，瑞恩头一回停下脚步，用整整一天享受当下，静心思考。想一想接下来该做什么。

听见身后有车停下，他回头望了一眼。莉维娅从一辆奔驰里走出来，穿着他们第一次约会时的那条红裙子。阳光映在她铂银色的头发上，也照亮了她脸上的笑容。

“你怎么知道我在这里？”瑞恩望着女友，露出心照不宣的笑容。“奥古斯蒂小姐，你不是看不见我吗？”

“我是看不见你，罗马诺先生。”她俏皮地答道。“不过，我还是知道你会怎么想。”

“很多轮循环以前，我刚到新罗马的时候，曾在这处岬角停过车。”她走到身旁时，瑞恩解释道。“听说这里看城市的景色最好。”

“你被骗了。”她回答。“我们家看到的景色才最好。”

我们的家。瑞恩心想。简简单单四个字，意义却如此深重。

“我以前想，等完成了完美通关，就再来这里一趟。”瑞恩坦言。“我想象自己最后好好看一眼这座城市，再回到车上，迎着夕阳驶向新的冒险。也许蕾恩就坐在后座。”

她双手交握，流露出一丝不安。“你会走吗？”

“不会。”瑞恩的回答让她松了口气。“我一直只有在路上才觉得自在，主要是因为除此之外，我什么也不熟悉……但那不是我想要的。”

“你是为了蕾恩来的。为了一个朋友。”

“只要能有一个记得我的朋友，我就满足了。我把几百年的漂泊活成了一场喜剧巡演，试着用娱乐填补空虚。试着抵挡孤独。可现在……”

“现在你不再孤单了。”莉维娅说着，在他身旁跪坐下来。“以后也永远不会了。”

“是啊。宇宙虽然广阔，充满奇迹……可我最想要的，还是和所爱的人共度时光。现在我明白了。”他轻笑一声。“我想，我也到了该安定下来的年纪了。”

她像个少女般咯咯笑起来。“瑞恩，你说话的口气真像我叔叔。”

“年轻姑娘，我比你大八百六十岁。我这是老牛吃嫩草。”

“那罗马诺爷爷愿不愿意让我坐到他腿上呢？”她故作羞怯地望着他。

“当然，河狸老爹给你讲个故事。”莉维娅爬上瑞恩的腿，他伸出双臂搂住她。“你重了一点。”

莉维娅生气时的模样很可爱。“你在说我胖？”

“没事，你原本就太瘦了一点。”瑞恩说着，在她颈间吻了一下。“不过，你该戒掉暴饮暴食了。”

“我会的。”她把头靠在他肩上。“宪法已经敲定，紧绷着神经的日子也结束了。一切都会慢慢安定下来，进入新的和平状态。”

“有多和平？”瑞恩虽然享受眼下的安宁，也不介意以后偶尔活动一下筋骨。

“一个基因者共和国能有多太平，就有多太平……至少未来几年是这样。”她转了转肩膀。“再往后，谁知道呢？我预见了一些危险的威胁，但无论那些遥远的可能性会不会成为现实，我们都不会独自面对。”

“说到这个，我想谈谈‘我们’这部分。”瑞恩望进女友的眼睛。有件事他已经认真考虑过了，现在想跟她谈一谈。“莉维娅？”

“怎么了，瑞恩？”她有些不安地问。

“你愿意嫁给我吗？”

她咯咯笑了起来，脸红得像一面共产主义红旗。“瑞恩，你已经向我求过婚了。”

“是啊，但这次我是认真的。”她就是瑞恩想与之共度余生的人。他从骨子里确信这一点。

“我……我们先订婚两年，好不好？”她有些腼腆地笑了笑，脸色也恢复了原本的苍白。“我爱你，瑞恩，但我觉得我们跳过了几个中间步骤。天哪，我们才刚搬到一起住。”

好吧，瑞恩想，这意味着他有时间筹备一次完美的蜜月。“那要是我们在一起超过了两年呢？因为我们一定会的，你也知道。”

她的笑容像太阳一样灿烂。“那我会很高兴成为罗马诺太太。”

这正是瑞恩盼望听到的回答。他吻了一下女友的脸颊，让她又红了脸。“假设一下，你对要孩子这件事怎么看？”他问。“当然，是结婚以后。”

“你不是怕孩子继承你的能力吗？”

“以前是。不过我跟我的灵药谈过，它会确保那种事不会发生。虽然我们的后代大概还是会比你爸更超模。”

“嗯……”莉维娅想了想这个提议。“是的，我希望有一天能有自己的孩子。”

“孩子有一半来自我，你就看不见他们。或者，他们会让你的预见变模糊？”

“无论能不能预见他们的行动，我都会一样爱他们。”莉维娅望着暮色中的太阳。“不过，我实在想不出该给他们起什么名字。如果是女孩，也许叫伊里斯？”

瑞恩脑中突然涌起一股神赐般的灵感。“要是男孩，不如我们叫他欧仁——”

“瑞恩·罗马诺，我们可不能让那个假想中的未来儿子，跟你那只宠坏了的猫叫同一个名字！”莉维娅大笑出声。“你真是个风度翩翩的傻瓜。”

“而你就爱我这一点。”

“是啊。”她轻声答道，闭上眼睛，把脸凑近他。“我爱你，瑞恩。”

双唇相触，温柔缱绻。瑞恩暂停了时间，数到十。他想用自己的方式，让这一刻成为永恒。

世界化作紫色，一座诡异金字塔的暗影浮现在新罗马上空。一个奔向未来的男人的紫色倒影闪现出来，与瑞恩重合，将过去与现在融成一段新的历史。

紫系基因者体内最后残留的黑色粒子消失了，让这次存档得以完成，而不至于摧毁时空连续体。它们脱离他的身体，升向高天……与此同时，一幕幕景象涌入快递员脑海。那些无声的画面如清醒梦般鲜明，是时间本身的碎片。它们接连飞快闪过，呈现的全是快递员一路上遇见的人。

他惊叹地看着蕾恩监督锈镇的空气净化工程。超能帮中那些得到治愈的成员帮忙清理道路，人人都穿着背后写有“社区服务”的背心。杰罗姆做着这份平凡的杂活，看上去很快乐；海伦、弗拉基米尔和比安卡则只是接受了这项临时劳役，以此为旧日的罪行赎罪。蚊子、蜥蜴人和罗刹手下的小魔怪之流没精打采地建着新房，却没有讨价还价的余地。锈镇的孤儿们和亨丽埃特一起玩耍，所在的绿色新公园就建在废料场的巨坑之上。

看着奥林匹斯众神和他们的同类在远离文明的水下监狱里日渐衰颓，他心满意足。维纳斯在与丈夫共用的牢房里大发雷霆，玛尔斯则透过窗户望着海洋，怀着悔意接受了这一切。普鲁托阴沉着脸看书，莫蒂默、夜魇、麻雀和消除者则在狱中一起玩桌游。埃克托·马纳达则在自己的牢房中写信，请儿子对法庭判决提起上诉。那些信一封也不会被拆开。

他看见恩里克·马纳达领导着一支新的超级英雄团队，一支致力于公共利益的队伍。双足飞龙微笑着向他敬了个军礼，衣橱则把崭新耀眼的制服交给杰米、兰卡和基贞。士兵们站在他们身旁，宣誓效忠共和国和人民，而不是万能的美元。伏尔甘穿着一套全新的红色动力装甲，风头盖过了所有人；那套装甲，足以配得上传奇中的英雄。

他望见阿尔方斯·马纳达漫无目的地漂浮在太空的虚无中，满怀悔恨地凝望地球。也许有一天，他会改过自新，回到那里。他还短暂地瞥见了食尸鬼的太空牢房，以及里面那个尖叫不休的不死囚徒。

看见菲利克斯、福尔图娜与裹尸布作为一支队伍……不，是一家人，并肩对抗一个凶残的基因者军阀，他不禁为他们喝彩。阳光和嘉年华对付着那些喽啰，其中谁也没有熊猫打得狠。胜利之后，波动先生拍了拍这位熊人的后背，送给他一套黑白相间的羊绒西装。

他看见阿尔凯莫在丹麦的一家医院里照料精神疾病患者，人偶穿着护士服。一名金发女人正和一台有自我意识的烤面包机交谈，瑞恩认出她是马蒂亚斯的母亲；另一边，一个疯癫的神父正在接受治疗。有一天，他会恢复神志……也许还会找到通往救赎的路。

他欢呼着，看见西蒙、玛蒂娜和摩纳哥的幸存者们，把法国国旗插上锈迹斑斑的埃菲尔铁塔废墟。远方，一颗加固玻璃球像巨大的雪景球一样，将一座被诅咒的城市隔绝起来，让它再也不能将任何人困入其中。

他看见纳尔西妮娅在温室的园圃里栽种，终有一天，这片园圃将养活遍及欧洲的数百万人。他的视野扩展开来，萨拉热窝的废墟上显现出一座崭新而明亮的城市，由建筑师亲自督建。强壮的人形恐龙工人搬运着建筑材料。

他瞥见一只奇怪的兔子在紫色世界中奔跑，还有一团黑暗漂浮在虚空之中。它们都在时间的帷幕之外等着他，直到万物的尽头。

“这就是你为之奋斗的未来。”终极者的声音回荡于时空之间，它的身影则从瑞恩眼前消失。“它可能实现，也可能不会。一切都取决于你。”

也许这位神明想用这些景象警告他不可懈怠，也许是想鼓励他继续前行。但无论如何，瑞恩喜欢自己看到的一切。

存档完成，时间立刻恢复流动，吻却仍在继续。莉维娅的唇间有草莓的滋味，有爱与热情。

那是家的滋味。

如同这世间一切美好的事物，这个吻也结束得太早。恋人交换了一个羞涩的眼神，然后一同看着太阳消失在地平线后。

瑞恩·罗马诺完成了他的完美通关。

他终于幸福了。

全书完