Adam walks around the room, studying everything like he’s searching for clues to his own life. I can’t even imagine what it must be like, standing in your future self’s house, trying to piece together what happened to yourself in that thirty-year gap.
Zoe sifts through the clothes. “They look the same as what we’re wearing. Bleh.”
“Aw man, no smartclothes?” Chris asks. “I wanted to check them out.”
“It makes sense,” Adam says, pausing to examine a large mirror with a silver frame hanging on one wall. “If we went back to the present with different clothes, Aether might suspect something.”
“I guess,” Chris mutters as he grabs the largest shirt from the pile. He leaves the room to change, followed by Adam and Trent.
Zoe studies herself in the mirror, smoothing her damp blue hair, and sighs. “I could really use a shower.”
I gesture to Future-Adam’s bathroom. “There’s a bathtub the size of a small pool in there—feel free.”
She lets out a small laugh. “Maybe I will. What do you think of this place?”
“It’s…impressive,” I say as I pick out my clothes. “Except for this room anyway.”
“This room’s a bit messy, but Adam’s still a catch.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “You think so?”
“Oh yeah. If I wasn’t already with someone, I would totally be into him.” She picks up her new clothes, hugging them to her chest. “I’m bisexual, in case that wasn’t obvious. And Adam’s hot, smart, funny…and in the future he’s a hero and superrich.” She gives me a faint smile. “But Adam only has eyes for you anyway.”
I don’t know what to say. Maybe it isn’t such a secret that he likes me. But that doesn’t mean either of us has to act on it. We barely know each other. And we have far more important things to focus on—like staying alive.
Changing in Future-Adam’s bedroom feels too personal, so we split up to find other rooms. It’s my first chance to be alone and I head into a bathroom off the front entry of the house, far from the others. The bathroom has a counter you can sit at with special lights and a mirror (for putting on makeup?), plus two ivory-colored chairs in the corner and a separate room for the toilet. I can’t imagine why anyone would need all this in their house. I half expect someone with a towel to pop out and ask for a tip.
I take a few minutes to change from my clothes into the dry ones Future-Adam left for us and clean myself up a bit. My hair is all stringy and has dried in a weird crunchy way, but without a brush, all I can do is run my fingers through it. I’m a mess, but at least I’m a dry mess now.
I sit at the counter on a fuzzy cushion with tassels and dig around in my backpack. The origami unicorn is a bit smashed from being stuffed inside, but the silver paper still glints in the light. I slowly unfold the paper, trying not to tear it as I unravel its intricate design. As it flattens out, I see numbers scrawled in black ink on the matte-white back: 73 21 12 37.
Huh? I read the line again, trying to make sense of the four numbers. I thought there’d be some secret message inside, some words of wisdom, something to explain what is happening to us—but all I get are numbers? What kind of sick joke is this? I know that Adam is a genius, but these numbers don’t mean anything to me.
I go over the message again. The numbers are mirrors, forming a palindrome. That must be a clue of some kind, but what? I rub my palms against my eyes. Think. Future-Adam wants me to understand whatever he’s trying to tell me. He wouldn’t make it too obscure or he’d know I would never figure it out.
I replay his words about the unicorn: Open it when you’re at my house, when you’re alone and somewhere safe. Somewhere safe—this could be a combination to a safe. But he didn’t tell me where the safe is, and I don’t have time to search this entire massive house.
No, Future-Adam would know that, so it can’t be too hard to find. There’s only one room that looks lived in, and that’s his bedroom. He left our clothes in there too. The safe must be in there.
The hallway outside the bathroom is empty. I walk through the silent, hollow house, my footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor. I don’t see any of the others, but they’re probably still getting cleaned up.