San Francisco Azalea and Michael watched people rush by them, looking for loved ones, others trying to catch their flights. "I keep forgetting how much a phone call costs these days," Azalea commented, watching as a woman counted change from her purse. "Well, it's 2024. America ain't no superpower, Azalea," Michael answered. "Come on, let's contact Ryan so he won't stress if we got to San Fran in one piece." Azalea took out the envelop and opened it, making sure not to let the two-thousand-dollar check expose to other people. Having so much money would mean Azalea and Michael were dead. Handing the number to Michael, he slipped a few coins into the phone and punched in the number. "Hello, Ryan? We made it to San Fran. We're still in one piece. Now how are we gonna survive in San Fran?" Michael asked. "I have a friend, her name's Linda Loesson," Ryan answered. "I already told her you guys are staying at her house." "Okay. What's her addy?" Michael asked. "2424 Lombard Street. It's a big Victorian style house. You shouldn't miss it," Ryan said. "Thanks." Michael muttered, hanging up. He turned to Azalea, who was looking at people board their flights. "Azalea, Ryan said we're meeting with a woman named Linda Loesson. She's a pal of his." "Sure." Azalea hailed a taxi and tossed the suitcases in the trunk of the taxi. "Take us to 2424 Lombard Street, if you don't mind." ********** Lombard Street "This house feels like deja vu," Azalea said. "No kidding." Michael stared at the house. A woman stepped out of the house and walked over to the two. "You must be Azalea and Michael. I'm Linda. Ryan told me to let you guys in for the night." the woman said. "Yeah. What's with the ramp?" Michael asked. "It's for my daughter. She was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident 5 years ago. Come on, the sun's starting to set." Linda turned around and walked back into the house, Azalea and Michael following her. Once inside, Linda took the two upstairs to a room with two bare mattresses. "You can put whatever you want in on the empty shelf," she said, pointing it out on the wall. "I'm sorry we don't have separate rooms for you." "No, it's alright, Ms. Loesson," Michael said, throwing his suitcase on one of the mattresses. "Call me Linda," Linda said. Then she left. A young girl in a wheelchair saw Michael and Azalea come in. "Azalea? Michael?" she asked, wheeling herself into the bedroom. "You must be Linda's daughter," Azalea replied. "Name's Isabel. How old are you guys?" "I'm 17, Azalea's 15 and a half," Michael answered. "I'm nine. How come you're here?" "We fled from our boarding school." Azalea felt that using the term boarding school was much safer than asylum. "Our teachers were pretty bad." "Dinner!" Linda's voice shouted. "Well, I guess I'll be heading toward the elevator." Isabel started wheeling away. "What elevator?" Michael asked. "It's at the far end. You can come with me if you want. I can't use the stairs because of my wheelchair," Isabel explained. "Mom had to get it installed when we got into a car wreck five years ago. It was pretty expensive too." After the elevator they went to the kitchen, which was cramped with several people Azalea and Michael didn't recognize, aside from Linda. "I know, it's pretty cramped but we're allow to eat anywhere we want." Isabel explained. "Come on, I wanna see what's on TV." She grabbed a plate and wheeled herself to the living room, where the TV was on and more people were eating. Azalea was about to grab a plate when she noticed a large photograph near the entrance to the living room. Getting a closer look, she saw four people and two babies. On a corner someone had written, "Zack, Irene, Ivy, and Thomas at Disneyland. The babies are Azalea and Michael. December 25, 2008." "Aren't you hungry?" Michael asked, chowing down some spaghetti. "Mike, take a look at the photograph. Do you notice anything funny?" Azalea asked back. "Hmmm..." Michael looked at the picture. "Other than the babies who have our names, nothing else." "But Mike, look at the four people." Azalea took out her locket and opened it, comparing the pictures inside to the photograph. Looking back and and forth, something struck her. "Are you looking at the photograph? You're blocking me," Isabel called out. Azalea and Michael looked behind them and saw an impatient-looking Isabel. "Sorry. We'll get out of your way," Michael muttered. "No, actually, it was because you guys were staring at that picture for some time now," Isabel said. "You know who these people are?" Azalea asked. "Mom has a photo album. But she doesn't tell me much about them. Same with Dad." Isabel answered. "Can we see the album?" Michael asked. "I don't see why not." Isabel wheeled herself to a bookcase and took out an old, burgundy-colored album. Settling it in her lap, she gently opened the cover of the album, with various photos. "I bet they're friends of Mom. Maybe that's why she won't tell me more about them." "'Zack and Ivy with Detective of the Year 2005 award.'" Azalea read the caption. "Maybe that's a reason why your mom isn't telling you." "'Zack and Ivy with baby Amy,'" Michael read another one. "I wonder who's Amy." "Amy's my older sister. She's away in college right now." Isabel explained. Linda noticed the three looking over the photo album. "Keenan, don't you recognize anything?" she asked. "No, what is it?" Keenan asked back. "It's those two newcomers...do you think they're Zack and Ivy's kids?" "Maybe. But it's not possible. The babies could never have survived the massacre, honey." "Something tells me they are the kids, love..." ********** Night Linda crept into Michael and Azalea's room, silently. Kneeling down to Azalea, she saw the girl's medium-length blond hair, small stature...the moonlight caught something glittering around Azalea's neck, catching Linda's eye as well. Fingering the chain, Linda found the clasp and gently took the necklace off, hoping it wouldn't wake Azalea. But Azalea just simply stirred, and continued to sleep. Linda turned the locket over and saw two hearts and a few branches on the cover. 'It's Ivy's locket,' Linda realized. Opening the locket, she saw a redhaired lady and brunette man smiling back at her. 'Ivy and Thomas...' Quickly she slipped the locket back around Azalea's neck, and went to Michael's bed. A small photograph stuck out from Michael's pillow. Linda gently pulled it out and looked at it. 'Zack and Irene--where did he get this?' she thought. Putting the photo back under the pillow, Linda quickly and noiselessly made a beeline back to Keenan and her bedroom. ********** May 15, 2024 San Francisco Linda sat in her kitchen, sipping coffee. "Hi sis." Ruth sat across from her. "You're up early today." "There's something about those two kids," Linda answered. "That blond girl and redhead boy? What about them?" Ruth asked. "Last night I went to their room. The redhead has a picture of Zack and Irene while the girl has Ivy's locket." Ruth looked at Linda. "You snooped in their room?" "Ruth, those two look so much like Zack and Ivy. It's as if our cousins reincarnated into their only children." "What are we going to do about it?" "Tell them the truth. Ruth, don't you understand? Ryan told me these two kids were orphans, after being freed from the horrible Asylum they were in. Not since the terrorists killed most of our family and wiped out Acme 15 years ago, Zack and Ivy included. I'm surprised Mike and Azalea somehow survived." ********** Azalea, Michael, and Linda were all alone. Everyone else had gone out. "Azalea, Michael...there's, um...something I have to tell you guys," Linda said. "What is it? Is Lydexter onto us?" Azalea asked. "No, it's not that. It's because...um...youtwoarerelatedtoeachother," Linda answered in a rush. Michael blinked. "Say that again." "You and Azalea are related to each other." "Is this a joke?" Azalea demanded. "No. You see that photo?" Linda pointed to the Disneyland picture. "That's us when we were babies?" Michael asked. "Yes. Zack and Irene were your parents. Ivy was your dad's sister." "We were related to each other all this time...but why were we separated into different orphanages?" Azalea asked. "Story goes that two of Zack and Ivy's friends from Acme found you two alive and took care of you until they themselves died of unknown reasons. Because no one was willing to adopt the two of you together, Michael was sent to an all-boys orphanage in Oakland. You were taken to an all-girls orphanage in Alaska. It's unconfirmed, and those who know the true story are sworn not to tell it to anyone," Linda said. "What happened to Mom and Dad?" Michael asked. "They died in a family reunion 15 years ago with Ivy and Thomas." "Where did Mom and Uncle Zack work?" Azalea asked. "They worked at the then-famous Acme Detective Agency. They spent their whole lives trying to catch Carmen Sandiego, who was the world's famous thief back then. But since the terrorists and Wall Street crash, Carmen's gone into hiding. Every other detective who worked at Acme are either dead, disappeared, or sent into exile." "Is there a map from the 2000s? I want to know more about the upheaval." Michael said. ********** Acme (Or what's left of it) "'Detective of the Year 1985: Carmen Sandiego.' I keep forgetting Carmen was once a famous detective." Michael said. "'Detective of the Year 1994: Jasmine...' I can't read what's the last name for this detective," Azalea noted. "'Detectives of the Decade 2000: Zack and Ivy.' I wonder how come their last names were never mentioned on this one," Michael said. "'Detectives of the Year 2005: Zack and Ivy Darren.' I'll hafta agree with you on the Decade award, Mike," Azalea answered. "I can't believe all this rubble was once the greatest law enforcement agency in the world in Dad's past," Michael murmured, kicking some pieces of debris. "Hey, what's this?" Michael picked up a CD that was buried in the rubble before he had kicked it. "Strange..." Azalea took out her laptop and settled it on a sturdy block of concrete. Inserting the CD in, she typed something...and a pink floating screen suddenly appeared in front of the two. "What in the world?" Michael asked. "I'M FREE!!!!" a disembodied head shouted. Then he looked around him. "WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ACME?!"