ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES 

2021

27-year old Martin Brody sat at his desk in his home office, green eyes staring at the blank Word document that sat open on his laptop screen with only three words: NOTES FOR ASSIGNMENT. He had been staring at it for minutes now, though it felt like an hour to him. Writing for the first line of the text below the three words meant that he'd be committed to doing the assignment, one that didn't interest him in the slightest. Still, he took it, and he needed to suck it up and get on with it.

He sighed, tapping his chin with a finger, eyes slowly drifting off the screen, to the side, and looked at a framed photograph that hung on the wall. It was one of him with a younger woman, dark brown hair in a ponytail, the bluest eyes, and wearing an orange sundress that had gone down to her knees. Next to him and the woman was a man who looked remarkably like Martin, with the exception of stormy blue eyes. Both he and the man had black hair, but his was grown out, reaching his shoulders. The man's were cropped short, and he wore military fatigues.

Martin almost jumped when his cell phone let out the opening notes to Clair De Lune. He quickly swiped it up and didn't even register the name that flashed on the screen before hitting the green answer button and bringing the phone up to his ear.

"Hello, freelance reporter Martin Brody speaking. How may I help you?"

"Brody," a familiar, muffled voice came through the speaker. "This is Jackson Charles with United World News."

"Mister Charles, what can I do for you?"

"I have a job for you if you want it. It's an interview."

Martin glanced at his laptop screen, chewing his bottom lip for a moment."Who would I be interviewing?"

"It's a scientist in your city. Name's Doctor Timothy Nesbit. He's at the Scientific building next to the Penn State Altoona Campus."

"Nesbit? Now, where have I heard that name before..."

"He authored some papers; one from four years ago, the other earlier this year. The first one was the connection between the Marshall Island nuclear testing and the creature from the 1954 Tokyo Attacks. The second is about the possibility of another creature of the same species living in modern times."

Martin almost felt a shiver going up his spine. He knew what the other was talking about; he had seen the pictures of the devastation, of the beast that caused it.

"You mean Godzilla, sir?" Martin asked, but left no room for the other to tell him what he already knew, and continued. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you want me to interview this professor?"

"It's going to be an exclusive. I was thinking of releasing it on the seventieth anniversary of the attacks, but I realised that would be in poor taste. So, I figured three years prior would be as good a time as any."

"I see... well, thank you for this opportunity, sir. When's the interview scheduled for?"

"Tomorrow at six. It's his off day, but he'll be in his office, waiting."

"Got it, thanks again." Martin pulled his phone away, hung up, and set it down. He looked at his laptop screen for a moment before exiting the Word Document. He hated bumping a new assignment above a current one, but he'd make an exception this time. It can wait.

Three knocks echoed from the front door, making him frown and stand up. He made his way out of his office, down the hall, and stood in front of the front door. He turned the knob and swung it open, revealing the man from the photograph, with a muscular build, a pair of dog tags hanging from his neck, and a bag over his shoulder. The man was grinning at him as soon as he caught sight of him.

"Hey, Marty, miss me?"

"James!" Martin pulled his twin into a hug, the other returning the embrace with his free hand. "What're you doing here? I thought you weren't scheduled for leave until the end of the month."

"I managed to get out early."

"Youre luckly I don't have any jobs lined up today."

"Yeah, does this mean we can hang out?" James pulled away from the other and stepped inside, setting his bag on the floor.

"I suppose." Martin said jokingly.

"Hm... wanna go to the bar?"

"James... It's not even six yet."

"So?" James pouted. "I miss my favourite drinking buddy!"

Martin simply rolled his eyes but still smiled at his brother's antics, which he had missed. He reached over and grabbed his light jacket and shrugged it on.

The bar was a local one called the Carved Horeshoe, as the neon sign read above the doors. It had its grand opening back in 2012 by a married couple who wanted to give some of the locals job experience that they needed. Hell, Martin had worked for them when he had turned 21 as a busboy while trying to get his freelancing career off the ground. It was something he had remained grateful for and always visited once a week if he was able.

***

It was a quaint little building, with wooden outer walls, a metal roof, black-trimmed windows, and wooden double doors. Inside held a homey vibe, soft, orange lights hanging from above, and the glow was bright, but it wasn't overpowering. High on the walls were pictures of the business throughout the years, and some antique photos of some of the city's history. It was a busy day, as indicated by the vehicles that were parked outside and the patrons who milled about within the building.

The twins were sitting in the booth near the bar counter, two bottles in front of them. Around the two, smoke curled in the air, reaching up towards the lights and ceilings. The establishment had prohibited smoking, and the smokers were taking advantage of it.

James lifted his beer and took a sip. "Ah, how I miss the taste of Altoona-made beer."

"Didn't you always say that it tasted like shit? And I have shitty taste in beer?" Martin asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That was before I left. I tasted beer that tasted shittier than this. Thus, it caused me to appreciate it more." James took a big swig the empethise his point. "Anyway, how have you been without your favourite twin around?"

"You're my only twin, idiot." Martin rolled his eyes, deadpanning. "It's just been the usual around here."

"Come on, there's gotta be something new."

"Dude, it's Altoona, hardly anything new or exciting happens here."

James shrugged after a moment. "We can dream, can't we?"

"We aren't kids anymore," Martin snorted, taking a swig of his own bottle. "We gotta be realistic."