Chapter 2

The train pulled up to the station, and Phineas looked at the map that he had returned to examining. "Is this one ours?"

"We're looking for Stop 25," replied his father as they all looked out the glass to the cement walls that were labeled with pained numbers.

"No, looks like five more before we get there." Phineas then put the map away as the doors unlatched to let all waiting passengers into the cars. Phineas perked up as he recognized his brother among them.

"Hey, Ferb! You made it back!" he greeted happily as he slid over to make room beside him. "You must've had to run pretty fast to get here before us, huh?"

But Ferb went over to take a seat by the window, replying only with a short, "Yeah."

"Here," Phineas said as he grabbed Ferb's bag and tossed it at him. "I kept it safe for you."

Ferb jumped as it hit him, before grabbing it up off the floor and setting it next to him. Phineas waited for a second, anticipating to hear a thanks. It did not come, however, and Ferb just kept looking at the glass window with interest nowhere in particular. Phineas just passed it over and continued his previous conversation with his parents.

The train arrived at their designated stop in no time, and their mom led them off the platform. The hotel was a short one-block walk from the underground station, and they had entered the lobby doors within a few minutes.

"Okay, lets all get our room packed. We have to be checked out by 3pm," their dad instructed as the family arrived at the locked room door. All five of them entered and began gathering their things.

"Phineas, I want you to pack my bag for me," Ferb stated after fiddling around with various articles strewn around the room.

Phineas had already placed most of his clothes into his suitcase. "Oh, okay. You're not gonna do it yourself?"

Ferb didn't answer at first, and when he did, he did so indirectly. "You've already packed yours."

"Yeah, I did. What are you going to do?" he asked with honest interest.

"I just want you to pack it for me."

Walking around to Ferb's side of the bed, Phineas started to grab his pieces of clothing. "Well, sure, I guess I can. Everything's pretty much here already."

Ferb just sat on the couch and watched Phineas, Candace, and his parents finish up. When all the roller bags and backpacks had been lined up neatly by the door, their dad divvied up carrying assignments, and the group of five made their way back down towards the lobby.

"And you all have your room keys?" asked the hotel clerk after looking up their room records.

Everyone shuffled up to the desk and set their copies onto the countertop, until four keys were lined up. Then they all turned to look at Ferb. He stared back for a second before he realized what they were waiting for. He began to check all his pockets, announcing, "I don't have mine."

"Really?" his father asked. "That's not like you to misplace things."

"So I lost it," Ferb groaned in annoyance at him. "I can't keep track of everything."

"That happens all the time," the clerk assured. He then handed back a credit card along with a little piece of white paper. "Here's your transaction receipt, so you're all checked out and ready to go. The airport shuttle leaves in about an hour."

"HELLOOOO?" Ferb called at the top of his lungs as he banged the base of his palm at the door. The total darkness of the janitor's closet gave no help to his attempts, as not a single ray of light escaped beneath the crack of the floor. Ferb didn't even know if there was anyone walking by on the other side.

He was not keeping track of how long it had been, but judging by the hunger he felt in his stomach and the rawness of his hands, it had to have been at least six hours since he had been shoved inside.

"Can anyone hear me?" Ferb yelled with another hit at the door.

"…Hello?" came a confused female voice from the outside. "Is… is somebody stuck in there?"

"Yes!" Ferb said with desperation. "Do you have a key?"

"No…" she replied. From her voice Ferb guessed that she was merely a passing-by tourist. "Hold on, I'll go get somebody!"

Ferb leaned back and sat on an upturned bucket, finally able to let out a breath. A couple of minutes later, he heard a click of a key jingling.

Squinting at the bright light, Ferb placed a hand over his eyes as the door slowly swung open.

"Woah, there really is a guy in here," said the janitor in confusion as he peered past the door hinge. Ferb stood up, blinking, and stepped out.

The janitor was closely examining Ferb's scruffed up hair and tired-out appearance. "...How long have you been in there?"

Ferb brushed his fingers through his hair. "Uhh, more than a few hours."

The tourist who had found him was also standing beside the janitor. She looked with perplexed interest into the dark closet. "And... how exactly did you get stuck?"

"Well... I was actually... shoved in there..." Ferb began to scratch the back of his head, still trying to process the events that led up to his captivity. "By, uhh... by... somebody."

Ferb then looked around the busy platform as he read all the signs. At this, the woman beside him asked, "Can we help you find something?"

"Actually yeah, I'm looking for the Penna Hotel." Ferb stopped his searching and addressed his two rescuers. "Do you know where that is?"

"Oh yeah," the janitor said, pointing towards the tracks. "You just take the yellow line north till Stop 25. Head up top and you can't miss it."

"Thanks a lot!" Ferb replied as he started to run off.

"Now don't go falling into any more closets, then!" the janitor called out at him with a shrug.

Though it was in the middle of rush hour, Ferb was able to meander his way onto the train in decent time. Squeezed into the cab, when Stop 25 finally did come Ferb had to shoulder past the rest of the passengers to reach the door. Sure enough, as soon as Ferb emerged from the underground subway's exit stairs, he immediately recognized his hotel sitting on the corner of the block.

He entered through the sliding glass doors, and headed over to the elevators. There, he took out his room key and swiped it in the little slot to authorize use. Little red lights blipped before him. Ferb swiped it again, this time a little harder. It flashed up red lights. After trying it a third and fourth time, Ferb gave up and headed over to the check-in desk.

"My card's not working in the elevator," he said as he placed it on the counter.

The clerk just stared at him for a few seconds. He then took the card and placed into his drawer, with an oddly purposeful comment. "So looks like you found it."

Ferb just kept leaning on the edge of the counter. "What? No I never lost it, it's been in my pocket all day. I normally don't lose things."

The clerk seemed to ignore him and just kept working on his computer for a moment. Ferb waited patiently before eventually prompting him. "So can you re-load it so that I can go up to my room?"

"Did you forget something?" the clerk said, looking up from the screen with an impatient stare.

"I'm just looking for my family."

Returning to the computer, the clerk kept typing without interest. "Well I can't re-load it now, check-out time was four hours ago. They wouldn't be up there."

"You mean… they left without me?" Ferb leaned further over the desk, almost as if he was trying to see the computer screen to check for himself.

Pulling his hand around the edge of the screen, the clerk turned it away in annoyance. "No, you were with them."

"I was?" Ferb replied with slight disorientation. "Are you sure?"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" the clerk huffed rudely. "I think I would remember you."

"Oh…" Ferb backed a little off the counter as he questioned him. "…do you know where they went?"

"They took the airport shuttle at about 3:30."

Ferb lowered his eyes with a daze. "The… airport shuttle?"

"Yep. You know: The shuttle that goes to the airport," said the clerk, growing more intolerant by the minute. "Do I have to explain everything to you?"

"No, um," Ferb said as he peered over the counter again. "Can I use your phone?"

"Hotel guests only."

Gaining irritation himself, Ferb replied, "I AM a hotel guest."

"I just told you that you checked out four hours ago." He pointed at the seats in the lobby. "Now stop holding up the line, there are customers waiting."