Chapter 2: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Slowly, cautiously, they stepped out into the hallway, Zack taking the lead and Cody following just behind. The hallway, almost looked normal, as if there had never been a fire in it. But, this didn't alleviate the twins concerns any. They knew what they saw, and the fact that it could just disappear harmlessly meant something strange was going on.
Cody tried studying everything, seeing if he could find a clue, or something, from the red stripes spread out along the grey carpet to the textured ceilings, to the boring off white walls, he knew there had to be something. But he just couldn't figure out what. It looked somewhat like his dorm at Yale, so he would have expected to see more people, but the place was empty. He theorized that perhaps they had left during the fire, but that made too much sense.
"Hold on Zack," he said once they rounded the corner, officially creped out at their loneliness. Cody knocked on one of the identical wooden doors, seeing if anyone could still be in there.
No response.
Zack then tried opening the door, but found it locked. "Something a little more forceful?" he asked as he backed up several steps.
Normally Cody would consider breaking into someone else's room a violation of his morals, but considering he had no idea where he was, answers would be worth disregarding his consciousness. "On three," Zack said and his brother nodded.
"One…two…three." The two of them rushed at the wooden door, aiming their shoulders for the greatest impact.
Their bodies crashed into it, and it attempted to reflect them, but they could feel the door caving under their weight, so they planted their feet firmly, not willing to let their momentum fade.
And then they heard it.
The wood cracking, and before they knew it, the door was shattered, and the two of them were lying on the floor, pieces of wood scattered about.
They got up, but were shocked to find the room completely empty.
"Remind me never to do that again," Cody said noticing how much his arm hurt after falling out of the bed and now throwing himself at a door.
"Well, I guess that didn't answer any questions," Zack said looking through the room, seeing if there was anything noteworthy beyond the white walls and grey carpet. A window sill caught his eye. "Cody, come check this out."
Cody followed his brother to the window as Zack throw open the drapes, only to discover a brick wall just outside, blocking their view of anything. "Another dead end."
"Maybe not Codes. There's some light coming through the window, so that means that we can get an idea of what time of day it is."
Light filtered in through the window, though not much do to the building in front of it. "So it's sometime during the day." Cody sat on the floor and paused to think. Though, any rules of logic he'd normally apply were most likely invalid. It was obvious someone, or something put he and Zack here. Someone obviously with a lot of power because of how their memories seemed to be messed with and quite a bit of money to use such a large building. They obviously knew the twins well enough to make a room look so much like theirs. And they did something to Zack so he had some knowledge of this, which logically seemed connected to that star. But, he wouldn't be surprised if those two weren't related. Perhaps if he could figure out who was responsible for this, that would give them an idea of what happened.
Then it hit him.
A long shot maybe, but perhaps it was something.
"Zack, do you remember the Gemini Project?"
"The what?"
"You remember, over spring break last year, that crazy scientist."
Zack looked at his brother, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Last year he had gone with his dad to California. He'd never heard of the Gemini Project before. Zack knelt down beside his brother. "Cody, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."
"How is that possible?"
"Well, what was it, maybe you can refresh my memory."
"Out last spring break on Seven Seas High-"
"Seven what?"
"You don't remember the ship either?"
"I guess not."
Cody sighed. He wasn't sure how it was possible, Zack had somehow forgotten about going to school on the cruise ship. He'd have to explain it to him, try to job is memory.
But before he got a chance to try, a voice echoed through the room.
"A path one way
His twin the other.
Apart though they never knew
United they must see it through."
A/N: I'm having fun with this one…