Replaced

Chapter 14

Logan's POV

...

"What are we going to do?" Roman asks me the second we step outside of my house, after I made up some excuse about going to catch up with 'Virgil'. We'd sent Patton to Virgil's house ahead of us to meet with Roman's clone, considering the three of us couldn't all walk out together. Patton and I cannot be seen at the same time.

Straightening my hair, we walk. The situation got out of control quickly. I hadn't thought much of deactivating my clone beforehand, expecting the thing that was left in my place to only be a scientific experiment. I hadn't considered that it would seem so much like its own person.

I hadn't expected my parents to like it more than me.

I sigh. "I don't know."

Roman stares at me, eyebrows high. "This is a first."

We continue to walk in silence to Virgil's house. I know that sending Patton ahead of us wasn't the best idea; he'd have plenty of time to talk with Virgil and see what he knew. We could be trapped, considering they could band against us and rebel against whatever we were planning to do next.

But we certainly couldn't leave Patton alone at my house. I didn't trust him enough to be left alone with my parents knowing what he knew, and I also didn't think he would come if he had a choice.

"Roman, what have we gotten ourselves into?"

He kicks a rock as he passes it, not leaving it behind. "How far would you like me to go back?"

"These clones," I specify, not really answering his question. "You were right. Something about it... just felt real. It felt like a real person; emotionally and physically."

Roman didn't seem to know what to ask first. "Emotionally? Physically?"

"I didn't feel him up," I deny his unsaid accusation. "If that's what you are wondering."

He holds his hands up sarcastically in defense, losing his rock behind him, not that he seemed to notice.

"He felt tangible; warm, even. And emotionally...?" I continue. "I... don't know really what to say. He felt like a real person. With his own train of thoughts, and his own opinions."

We arrived at the house but obviously couldn't go in through the front door. Roman led us to the back of his house without stopping, until he paused before opening his window. "Isn't this exactly what I told you before?"

I glower at him. "I get it."

He doesn't say 'I told you so', but I know he was thinking it. Turning, he opens the unlocked window and we crawl inside, seeing that Virgil and Patton were standing across from each other, both too awkward in each other's presence to sit down.

Virgil fidgets when he sees us. I can't tell if he's more freaked out by seeing his look-a-like or by seeing Patton and I in the same room.

For a few moments, we all just stare. I try to read the facial expressions on everyone's faces, but I haven't known them all that long. All I can read is general concern and confusion.

"So," Patton is the first to start, holding up a hand to Roman. "I take it, you're the original Virgil, then?"

Roman returns his smile although slightly uncomfortable looking at me, but not me. It must be weird to see someone he knows so well acting completely differently, I'd imagine. They clasp hands and give one gentle shake. "Roman."

Patton nods slowly. I can see a question brewing in his face, but he's interrupted. Virgil steps forward towards me, unsure if he was safe enough to speak. "And you're Patton?"

"Logan." I nod.

Virgil raises an eyebrow as he looks me over. "Well this explains everything I remember about you, compared to him." He jerks a thumb over to Patton, accusingly, but I can tell Patton doesn't seem to mind. It's like a big mystery is being solved in front of him, and he's loving it.

"So, why do you have different names?" He talks quickly, thoughts seeming to spew out before he has a chance to think them through. "Did you change our names and wipe everyone's memories so that they thought that they were always our names? Why did you even leave in the first place?"

I hold up a hand. "Okay."

"We're the ones with the different names," Roman explains. "So, no memory-wiping was involved."

"Okay, then why did you leave?" It's Virgil this time, curiosity taking the best of him. His timid nature is completely unlike Roman's brashness, I'm taken aback every time he speaks. The one thing that is still similar is their inability to remain still.

Roman is always restless, never wanting to just relax. Virgil seems to be anxious and unable to relax whether he wanted to or not. Their tapping fingers against their legs proved to me that there was at least something similar between them.

I look at Patton, and still, see nothing of me in him. It.

"We didn't choose to," Roman starts. He opens his mouth to continue, so I elbow him in the side. "Owe!"

His glare cuts into me, silently trying to ask me why I did that. I try to explain it with a single glance, and he must have understood because when he turned back to our clones, all he said was "it's complicated."

This doesn't seem to satisfy them, I can tell. They know there is a reason, but they also know there's a reason why we won't tell them, and they seem too afraid to ask. The silence of the room seemed endless although my thoughts swirled around me.

I think. I am an overthinker. This is usually a good thing, as I consider all possibilities of everything. It can be a bad thing when it becomes too much. I doubt myself because sometimes the facts aren't all there. I can't always solve everything with just knowledge. There's so much I don't understand.

For one thing, what is that look Patton is giving me?

My thoughts seem to turn on mute when I notice Patton's glance. He doesn't shy away when he realizes I've caught him, but instead continues to just stare sadly at me. His eyes say a question that I can't interpret.

He crosses his one arm across himself, rubbing nervously at his other arm. I realize that he likely still fears being deactivated. I wonder if Virgil fears it as well, or if Roman was right when he said he didn't care.

And when did I start referring to 'it' as 'he'?

"Guys..." Roman sighs out. He moves his lips, silently talking as he tries to still figure out what he wants to say. We wait, but nothing ever comes out.

"Virgil, are you sneaking out again?" The door behind us all opens as if in slow-motion, but yet none of us have a chance to hide. All four of us turn in horror, unable to move or speak as we're caught, all together.

Roman's parents already look disappointed when they come in the room, having expected their son to not be there when he should be. They didn't expect to find two of their son.

We stare at them, waiting for their reaction. I wasn't sure what I expect. A scream maybe. Both their heads turn side to side as they look at the four of us. They're both frowning as if they're caught up in some joke. They look angry. Particularly at the two Virgils.

I move away from them slowly, knowing that although I had my own explanation to give, it wasn't as prominent to them.

Virgil's dad pushes past his wife, parking himself in front of his two sons. He doesn't seem to really be shocked that he has two sons for the confusing reason, but only seems to think he has double the trouble to dish out to them.

He flicks his head to us and gives a quick nod of his head to the door, gesturing for us to leave. "Get out."

I nod respectfully, as this was his house, and turn to leave, glad he wasn't calling the cops on us. It seems I didn't move fast enough, because Patton grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room. He didn't let go until after we were halfway to my house.