Two sides of the medal (M+F+/FF)

[dream713]

Author's note:
Some time ago, I got inspired and started writing this story. Then, for various reasons, I had to put it off and could only finish it a few months later. It's quite a long story, but I hope you enjoy it!
There are two endings: the "blue pill" and the "red pill", like in "The Matrix". Vote for the one you like best!

===

Joachim Lewis, an elderly and respectable businessman, sat sprawled out comfortably on the sofa, watching the young people dancing through the large, full-wall screen. He had once spent a lot of money and effort to camouflage and hang many cameras on the dance floor, which allowed him to watch the parties from any angle, for the multiple overlapping of the frame left almost no blind spots, and the good sensitivity of the cameras allowed to see every hairline, every pimple on anyone. All this technical brilliance paid off many times over.

Enjoying the view, or choosing new guests, was interrupted by Giuseppe Paladini, a renowned director who had come to see an old friend in search of inspiration and new actors. Giuseppe had been drinking cocktails all evening, bemoaning the strained times and waning interest in filmmaking. Joachim, well aware of the films Giuseppe was making, smiled silently.

“What grace! What a stunning mastery of his body!” Giuseppe suddenly exclaimed, pointing his finger at the screen.

Joachim looked at the girl Giuseppe was pointing at and could not help but agree that she was interesting. She was wearing a high collar turtleneck sweater that hugged her slender body and C-sized breasts. The skinny jeans accentuated her slender, straight legs and round ass. Her long, waist-length raven-black hair was pulled back into a braid, and a flirty smile flashed across her beautiful tanned face. Next to the gorgeous brunette danced a slightly shorter redhead. The redhead's clothes were more revealing, but that only spoiled the impression. She was too thin, even a little bony, and her hips were rather narrow. There were tattoos around her cleavage and on her back, which spoiled Joachim's impression even more. The redhead was not quite as graceful as her friend.

“There, there's the one I want!” Giuseppe jumped to his feet, pointing his finger at the brunette. “I want her to be the face of my new film!”

Joachim gave an indefinite sniffle, something about the girls made him uneasy. He watched the end of the dance and decided to follow the cameras to see which company the girls were heading to. It was obvious to him that they were together. He would be able to understand who they were and what they were like when he saw their company. Finally, the girls made their way towards the bar, where two young men were standing next to them. One of them was very tall, about six feet and six inches, with shoulder-length blond hair. He put his arm around the redhead's shoulders. The other guy was a little taller than the brunette girl, lean but muscular. Seeing them side by side, Joachim had no doubt that they were brother and sister. Apparently, the guy is into some kind of sport. While he was watching, the guy raised his head several times and looked around. Joachim realised that the boy knew about the cameras. Lewis even, despite Giuseppe's protests, took a still image of the guy looking into the very camera through which he was now being watched, and took a closer look. His gaze was calm, but the fact that he looked at the cameras several times in a fairly short space of time betrayed his impatience and some nervousness.

Joachim grinned. His intuition told him that he was facing a young and inexperienced fed. And where there is one, there are several. Not to be mistaken, Joachim decided to count the whole company as Federals. The group's handler is probably sitting in the car in the car park. There's a lot of cars, it's easy to get lost. Most likely a van or a jeep. In another situation, Joachim would certainly have invited them in and chatted with them in a more private setting. It would have been a matter of principle, but he did not want to set his friend up.

“I'm sorry, Giuseppe. They're feds.”

“How's that?! Her too?!” there was a look of confusion on the drunken man's face. “How could it be?!”

“All of them. I'm sorry, friend, but choose another muse.”

Giuseppe stared disappointedly at the dance floor, muttering some swear words under his breath. He even took the remote control from Joachim and gambled between the cameras while the owner of the mansion was enjoying his whisky. Suddenly the director froze, staring at the screen. Joachim looked curiously at the screen and smirked. He could guess from one tryst who had caught his mate's attention. Two blond twins. One of them was dressed in a dark green knee length dress. The girl had large round glasses on her face. Her long hair was in a ponytail and her makeup was discreet. You had to hand it to her - she could dance, though she lost out to the brunette federale. Her sister was dressed in a very short, tight red dress. Her loose hair was just below her shoulders. She was trying to draw attention to herself and tried to do various dance moves that she had picked up in her childhood dance classes. To her chagrin, her sister danced more naturally, though she tried to keep to the shadows. So both girls was quickly pushed away from the centre of the dance floor. When the music died down, the twins headed towards the bar. One of them seemed to be swearing at the other. No one accompanied them, which was fortunate.

“Them?”

“That's right! I have a script designed for beautiful twins!”

“That's good. Serpent!” shouted Lewis and a young man with dark hair walked into the room. “Giuseppe wants to make an offer to those two beauties over there. Invite them to join us, will you?”

Giuseppe started babbling something in his native language, which no one in the room knew, so no one paid any attention to him.

“Yes, boss” the Serpent nodded and left the room.

“All we have to do is wait. In the meantime, I propose a toast to the new actors,” Lewis raised his whisky glass.


***

The Mason sisters, Chloe and Veronica, were twins. Both girls were quite tall, both about five feet and seven inches tall. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, with plump lips and neat noses. They were very different in personality. While Chloe was a serious and strict girl who was graduating from college with a degree in international relations, Veronica had almost abandoned school for a career as a model. Their resemblance had a big impact on Veronica's reputation. When the college, someone planted the principal naked pictures of Veronica, taken by some cool photographer and published in little-known magazine, Chloe was almost expelled for defacing the reputation of the college. The girl was very worried, proving to everyone that she had a twin sister. Some guys, learning about the presence of a model sister, and in addition the twins, began to hit on her, but Chloe stayed away from such. They disgusted her.

Chloe did not want to go to “Joachim Lewis' Royal Party”. She was going to spend the evening reading a new detective novel, and then go to bed early to get sleep, but Veronica broke into her sister's room and practically dragged her to the dance. A longtime admirer of Veronica's named Sean drove them to the party. He had an old wreck that he was always fixing up, but he was the only free driver Veronica could find on Friday night.

On the way, Chloe did not make a sound, and her sister's chatter gave her a headache. At the party, she decided that since she had the chance to be here, she would at least dance. She could and loved to dance, but life rarely gave her such an opportunity. The occasional student party did not count. Usually dancing there was a competition to see who would get drunk first and topple over a table with drinks, or fall asleep under the same table. Chloe was determined to dance, but she didn't plan to make any new acquaintances, though she expected to be hit on. She had even prepared a dozen responses to the most insolent advances.

The grounds of the Gull's Nest hotel were crowded. There was no parking space, and cars were parked along the road all the way to the motorway. There seemed to be a lot more people than usual for the Spring Midnight party.

The girls, accompanied by Sean, passed rather quickly through the guard post, vigilantly ensuring that no one carried weapons or their booze. The mansion of the owner of the manor stood out in particular on the grounds of the Nest. A three-storey building with balconies and a turret in the centre. On the roof the garland glowed green. Chloe turned her attention to a group of girls in colorful, but identical open leotards. They were standing in a bunch, but they were not having fun like everyone else around them, but rather tense. It looked like they were on duty. Either escorts or observers, or, more likely, both.

After drinking a cocktail with her sister, which had been given to the girls free of charge for promotional purposes, Chloe and Veronica took to the dance floor. They quickly realised that they would not be able to attract attention. In the spotlight was a tall, long-haired brunette in tight but tight clothes. Chloe immediately realized that the girl could dance, and very well. Envy stirred, but Chloe abruptly turned away from the girl and walked away to the edge of the dance floor. Veronica rushed to the very centre, but she was quickly pushed aside. Soon she was next to Chloe.

“What does she allow herself? I'm the one who should be the centre of attention!” resented Veronica as she and her sister moved away to one of the tables. Chloe remained silent so as not to inflame the situation.

As it turned out, they managed to attract attention. They realised this when a handsome young man in a tight suit approached them, and Chloe tensed up. They had not seen him on the dance floor. He looked more like a security guard, only of higher rank. The young man introduced himself as Raul, took the girls aside and invited them to talk to Joachim Lewis and director Giuseppe Paladini. When Veronica heard about the director, she was ready to go straight to him. She was already ready to turn from models to actresses, but Chloe stopped her sister, looking at Raul incredulously.

“So you're saying that your boss has turned his attention to us?” asked Chloe.

“Not the boss. Giuseppe. Wants to meet you!” Raul smiled.

“And what happens if we say no?”

“Chloe! What are you doing?!” hissed Veronica.

“Veronica! Do you even know who this Paladini is?”

“He's a director!”

“And what does he direct? Have you ever seen any of his films?”

“I have!” shouted Veronica angrily.

“And what kind of film is that?” smirked Chloe, and Veronica glared angrily at her sister. “Pornography of some kind?”

“Tell Mr Paladini I'm coming,” Veronica turned to Raul.

“Mr. Paladini wanted you to come along,” Raul repeated ingratiatingly.

Chloe saw from the corner of her eye the expression on her sister's face. Veronica conveyed the message, “If you try to refuse, I'll kill you!”

“Can we take anyone else?” surrendered Chloe.

“If you're so distrustful of my boss, then yes, you can. Yes, it would be better if it were young men rather than girls,” Raul was unfazed and calm.

“Why is that? Does your boss prefer boys?”

“Why? Does your boss prefer boys?”

“No. Giuseppe has long wanted to make a film starring twin girls. Can you imagine what would happen if you brought in a friend and she didn't get the part? Men are easier to negotiate with, and extras can always come in handy. If not in this film, then in the next one.”

“Is it all right that we're not actresses? I'm so shy on stage.”

“You're asking me?” wondered Raul. “I know no more than you do. I have been sent to give you an invitation. If you have any questions it is for Mr. Paladini.“

“Then we shall ask.”

“By the way, Miss, you dance beautifully,” Raul looked at Chloe. “Did you study at the dance studio?”

“Yes, in high school. And don't flatter me, you have more experienced dancers here,” Chloe nodded at the tanned brunette at the bar. Raul looked at her and seemed to recognize her, but he didn't show it.

“The boss said to invite you, I invite you. If he had said to invite her, I would have invited her. Simple as that.”

“And you're the silent servant?”

“Sort of. So what should I tell the boss?” Raul smiled.

“Tell him we're coming!” Veronica didn't let Chloe answer. The girl in red grabbed her sister by the elbow and pulled her aside. Raul, meanwhile, walked leisurely towards the mansion.

"Do what you want, but we're going. I can't pass up my chance because my sister is paranoid."

“What if he's filming pornography?”

“I don't care, okay? Besides, a lot of porn actresses end up being real actresses.”

“Not many. You want the stats?”

“Calm down, nerd. Let's go to Mr. Paladini's and we'll figure it out there!”

“Sean needs to be warned so he knows where to find us.”

“Fuck him. We have to catch up with Raul!” Veronica dragged her sister towards the mansion. Raul walked past the company at the bar and looked at the beautiful dancer and the guy who looked like her with a chuckle. The raven-haired guy put his hand on his belt where his holster should have been and twitched slightly when his hand slapped his side. Raul grinned contentedly and moved on. Veronica and Chloe caught up with him almost outside the mansion. As they approached Raul, Veronica did not let go of her sister's hand to keep her from running away.

“You've both made up your mind after all?”

"Yes!" exclaimed Veronica.

"No!" responded Chloe.

“Well, listen to Giuseppe, maybe you'll think of something. Don't worry, you're not in any danger!”


***

When Giuseppe saw the girls enter the living room, he jumped up, ran up to them and fluttered about with compliments. He kept switching to his native language, so that only Chloe could understand him more or less completely. Paladini was a stubby middle-aged man with incipient baldness and irrepressible energy. He looked more like a mad scientist from the movies. When the director paused in his description of the girls' beauty, Chloe, with a sly smile, spoke in the same language as Giuseppe:

“Hello, Signor Paladini! Thank you for the invitation, but I dare say I'm not particularly interested in a career as an actress, unlike my sister!”

“Oh, my dear! You know my favourite language!” replied a delighted Giuseppe. “There isn't even anyone to talk to in this bloody town! I hope you'll join me for dinner tonight? Yes, let me introduce you to my old friend, Mr Joachim Lewis!”

Chloe looked at the elderly gentleman, and she did not like him immediately. He looked like a kindly grandfather, full-grown, full of gray hair. But there was an arctic coldness in his steel-grey eyes. He looked at the girls evaluatingly, as if he imagined how much each of them could be worth individually and together. Chloe made a note to stay away from Joachim. He reeked of menace.

“Then let me introduce you to my little sister Veronica. She used to be a model, but now she wants to be an actress.“

“That's great! Come on, Veronica to the table! And what's your name, charming creature?”

At first Chloe wanted to introduce herself by an assumed name, but decided not to risk it. The deception could reveal itself at any moment, especially with Veronica, who would certainly reveal the secret out of spite.

“Chloe.”

“Very flattered, sweet Chloe,” Giuseppe kissed the back of the girl's hand and escorted her to the table, sitting next to him.

Joachim took hold of a small intercom.

“Serpent, bring us a bottle of Kaurian!”

“Oh, Kaurian! You don't see that very often nowadays,” Giuseppe laughed. “The customs fees must be insane, eh?”

“Yes, the Order has been tightening the screws too much in the last few years,” Joachim shook his head grudgingly. “Mark my words, soon it will be more profitable to act through the Committee, and that is a real disaster. Alas, even now one can see the signs of the coming crisis.”

Chloe listened very attentively. The information was very entertaining, especially for her studies, but as much as she wanted to take part in the discussion and find out details, she preferred to look like a "silly blonde". Veronica hardly understood a word of Lewis's speech. The situation was saved by the mysterious Serpent, who brought a bottle of wine. The sisters were not at all surprised to see Raul.

“Boss, Kaurian, ten years old.”

“Oh, it's perfect! Put it on the table. Anything else?”

Raul wanted to say something else, but he glanced at the girls and shook his head.

“That’s all, boss.”

“Good,” Joachim nodded and Raul left the living room. The owner of the mansion poured wine into glasses and raised his own. “I propose a toast to acquaintance.”

They clinked their glasses and drank. Chloe was not a wine connoisseur, but Giuseppe at length praised the rich bouquet, the luxurious Caurian vineyards and the perfect ageing.

“It seems, my friend, that we have bored the young ladies with our chatter,” Joachim grinned as he looked at Veronica's face.

“Indeed, we have become inappropriately relaxed. How was the Royal Party, girls?”

“It's great! This is the most fun I've ever seen in my life! And once again, such a rare opportunity to meet you!” Veronica excitedly lied.

“And what do you say, Chloe?”

“It's very good. I rarely get to dance, I'm more of a bookworm.”

“Oh, don't be so modest, you dance beautifully,” Giuseppe smiled at her. Veronica glanced unhappily at her sister, to whom the director was paying an inordinate amount of attention. Much more than her.

“As it turned out, not enough. I saw a girl in the middle of the dance floor...”

“You mean the tall brunette? Forget about her! That's my employee, who is paid to draw attention to herself and rock the party,” Joachim lied, and Chloe did not believe him at all, but nodded in agreement.

“Would you like to be in a film?”

“I'm not an actress, I get lost on stage. But Veronica would really like to work with you.”

“You see, my dear Chloe, I have a script by a talented young man that I would like to bring to life on the screen,” Giuseppe began to speak animatedly. “It's about a young lady in whom two opposites are struggling. Intelligence and natural passion.”

The director squeezed his eyes shut in pleasure. Chloe mentally shuddered, her suspicion that she was invited to star in pornography only increased.

“She can't choose her own path. Sometimes her intellect takes over, she goes to the library, and when her passion takes over, she goes dancing until dawn. Because of this duality, she gets into trouble. Where it is necessary to show softness, she acts tough, and where on the contrary, to insist on her own, she runs away to the dreams. Then she goes to a psychologist who talks to both sides of her personality and reconciles them. Then she becomes a whole person and succeeds. A young man she liked pays attention to her and asks her out on a date. At work, she gets a promotion...”

“And who will play the girl? Veronica?” Chloe asked hopefully.

Giuseppe laughed quite a bit.

“Oh, that's the fun part. The girl will be played by both of you. One of you will play her passionate side and the other will play her intellectual side.”

“And who will play who?” Veronica asked. “Me as the passion and Chloe as the mind?”

“I think it would be more interesting if it was the other way around.”

“Why?” the sisters asked at the same time.

“Because it's fun!”

“Why us, and not, say, professional actresses?” Chloe asked.

“It's simple,” Giuseppe sighed. “I have small budgets. We do most of the sets ourselves, and usually take actors from various theatrical courses. Or, alternatively, people who are not at all familiar with cinema and stand out from the gray masses. Like you, for example.”

“So what makes us stand out?”

“First and foremost, you are a twins. Many great illusionists like to work with them. You are very beautiful girls and you are a pleasure to look at.”

“Beautiful people aren't necessarily talented,” Chloe grinned. “I can't call myself talented. I couldn't even lie as a child, my parents always knew when I was trying to hide something or deceive them.”

“And you're certainly right. Tell me, you are a future lawyer, aren't you?” Joachim asked.

“No. I'm studying 'international relations',” Chloe confessed.

“So you are a future diplomat. And there, I'll tell you honestly, you regularly have to pretend to be something you're not. Believe me, I have often had to deal with foreigners.”

“Think of it as a good experience for loosening up.”

“Sounds like you're asking us to do porn.”

Giuseppe and Joachim laughed out loud. They did not seem to give any importance to the ambiguity and reticence of some of the phrases they uttered.

“I'm sorry if we have misled you. You can sleep easy, it's not pornography.”

“It's an independent film. Maybe with a slight element of eroticism. You know, swimming costumes, shower scenes from the back. What am I saying, you can always see my films! I'll tell you where you can see them. I don't like filming in any other style. I'll even ask my friends to give you access to the best quality. Plus, if you tell me your email, I can send you a working version of the script. Why a working version? Because you'll have to discuss the script with the actors anyway, it's my style of shooting. I encourage impromptu. There will also be a stage instructor on site especially for you. Perhaps you've even heard her name - Henrietta Irrale?” Giuseppe grinned.

“We will be taught by Henrietta Irrale herself?! How?! It's impossible to sign up for her classes, I've tried!” exclaimed Veronica, who had been forgotten.

“I was friends with her husband, Kevin Irrale, when he was alive. They and I worked together quite often. So, dear Veronica, if you both agree, you will definitely work with Henrietta.”

“Chloe, if you don't agree to work, I will definitely kill you,” Veronica whispered in her sister's ear. “I've tried so many times to sign up for Henrietta's courses, so this particular chance I don't want to miss!”

“All right, I promise to think about it. But, Mr Paladini, I'd like to start by familiarising myself with your work and with the script and the contract my sister and I are about to sign.”

“Of course, dear Chloe, what can we talk about! I'll send you the draft contract, the script and the details of the online cinema where you can watch my pictures. I sincerely hope that you will consider my proposal thoughtfully. Can you write me your email addresses? And here's my business card,” Giuseppe held out his business card.


***

The letter from Giuseppe arrived in Chloe's e-mail a couple of days after the party. The girl was just going through another legal act when her laptop beeped and an unread e-mail notification appeared in the corner of the screen. She did not rush off and read the letter, but finished her legal homework first. She had no sooner finished her essay when she received an incoming call on her mobile phone. Judging by the ringtone, it was Veronica. It sounded like her sister was in a hurry to share the news. Chloe answered the call.

“Did you get a letter?” Veronica asked, instead of greeting sister.

“Yes, but I'm a little busy at the moment.”

“Damn! I have a rehearsal before the yesterday show, too. Shall we watch it together tonight?”

“Okay. Then I'll also do a history essay.”

Although she was curious, she only looked the message to see that there were two files attached to the letter - a draft contract and a script - and the body of the letter had the username and password of some unknown online cinema. After that, she went back to her homework and by the time Veronica returned, she was sitting and reading a book.

Veronica, who had returned from the rehearsal, flew into the room without knocking, as usual. Chloe took her eyes off the book and looked at her sister. She looked very excited.

“Come on, start it up!”

“Where do we start? With the contract?”

“Are you completely stupid?” Veronica stared at her sister in bewilderment. “Let's start with the script.”

“That's where you're wrong. First we need to watch the films. Then the script will be easier for us to understand At the very least, in what we should expect from the director and what he will expect from us”.

Veronica nodded. She and Chloe made popcorn in the microwave, brewed themselves some tea, and spread out on the big sofa in Veronica's room. After a little fiddling with the TV connection, Chloe connected to the online cinema with the password she had been given. There were very few films directed by Giuseppe, only three. Far more often his name flashed in the credits with the caption "artist" or the laconic "consultant". That said, these were fairly well-known films, most of which had been nominated for various filmmaker awards. The sisters looked at each other in surprise. In each other's eyes they read the same phrase " That's it, a lucky party to go to".

Giuseppe Paladini's first film was called "A Former Vow" and it was in the drama and history genre. There were few reviews, but there were a couple of enthusiastic comments. The second film, in the "drama" and "detective" genre was called "The Servants's Sister". It was rated a little better than "A Former Vow", but it was still a long way from the third film, called "The Colour of Hope". “The Colour” had very high marks from the critics and the audience.

“I've heard of that movie”, Veronica said fascinated. “Connie recommended it to me, she said it was beautiful and sad.”

“Let's save it for last, then. Let's watch it in order”, Chloe suggested.

“I agree!” Veronica said and the sisters clinked their tea mugs and turned on 'The Former Vow'. The story was about Warouth, a knight from an impoverished noble family who was forced to wander through different countries in search of the meaning of his life.

- Hey, isn't that the actor... on the vampire castle show? The Duke, the ultimate vampire.

- I think his name is Joseph Stirling.

- That's right! He was in that comedy about three friends who went up north and got into a lot of trouble. Where else did they accidentally burn the train!

When the beautiful princess appeared in the frame, the sisters immediately recognised her as the very famous actress Annabelle Johnson, star of numerous blockbuster films. She was still very young, in her early twenties, in The Former Promise. In the story, Aisha, a princess of one of the kingdoms escaped from the palace during a rebellion and was forced to hide in a small village through which a knight was passing. The girl was caught by the locals and, having bound her hands and feet, was about to be handed over to the rebels.

Chloe looked at Aisha, petite and beautiful in her captivity. The girl's hands were tied behind her back in an intricate knot, which was shown in close-up. Her elbows were pinned to her torso in a few deliberately sloppy twists that stood out against the princess' dark robes. The girl's legs, in dainty boots, were tied from ankles to knees in an intricate ligature. It all looked unrealistic, but very beautiful.

Aisha rode in the cart with her head held high and looking at her surroundings with defiance. This was how Warouth met her. He freed the princess, and together they set off on their adventures. During their adventures, the brave knight taught the princess various tricks. He tied her up several times to teach her how to free herself from the ropes. In the end, they returned to Aisha's home kingdom and, with the help of the remaining loyal men, overthrew the usurper. Warouth was about to leave, but Aisha stopped him and kissed him on the lips. That was the end of the film, but one could tell that all was well with the main characters.

The second film, “Servant's Sister”, was a detective story. The main character Nikki, played by the famous actress Georgina Cole, takes a job at a detective agency that was started by Michael, her older brother, a former policeman who was discharged from the service because of an injury. The girl receives visitors at the reception desk, communicating with them. Many cases are solved as a result of these conversations in the waiting room. The protagonist gradually delves into the difficult work of a detective and when her brother goes missing, she begins to conduct her own investigation. She is helped in this by her best friend James, as well as Michael's fiancée, journalist, played by the famous actress Melissa Parker. She wasn't that popular back then. Again, Nikki and Sandra got into peril from time to time during the investigations. Several times during the film they were tied up, once even in their underwear, in a hotel room when they went to some small town. The girls sat on the bed with their hands tied behind their backs. Ropes wrapped around the girls' bodies, emphasising their breasts and slim waists. The ankles of the girls were tied to the legs of the bed, reducing the girls' freedom. In addition, one long rope held the girls tightly together. Gags made of a thin strip of cloth prevented them from spitting out the rags that were in each captive's mouth. It would have been very difficult for the girls to free themselves, but fortunately a maid came and freed them.

“Giuseppe seems to like bondage”, Veronica said thoughtfully, while Chloe stared at the bound heroines in fascination. “Remember when we used to play detective games as kids?”

“Of course I remember”, Chloe nodded, not taking her eyes off the screen.

At the end of the film, the heroines find a missing detective who turns out to have infiltrated some religious sect. Because of their interference, he was discovered, but they all managed to escape.

The third film was about a young boy who was orphaned early. He was left with only a younger brother. As time went on, the boy grew up and met a charming girl. They started dating, but the younger brother got jealous of his brother and hired some criminals to kidnap the girl. She was kept in some abandoned factory for almost the whole movie and her boyfriend was looking for her. The younger brother was helping the older brother, while simultaneously working the girl to get her out of town, but the girl loved her boyfriend too much. At some point, the brother did come to the factory and saw everything. The younger brother fatally wounded the older one in a fight and while the latter was bleeding, the younger one ran away. Chloe and Veronica sobbed over the last shots of the film, as the beautiful captive watches her rescuer's agony and is unable to help him.

“Giuseppe is a genius”, Veronica said, wiping away her tears.

“That's right. Let's read our script!”

They leaned enthusiastically over the script. The script, it turned out, even came with some sketches and diagrams of how they planned to tie them up, separately and together. The sisters looked at each other. Chloe was breathing deeply, somehow to calm her racing heartbeat.

“What's wrong, sis?”

“I'm fine”, Chloe smiled weakly. “I’m fine”.

A few days later, the girls contacted the director by video link. Giuseppe was in some library, sitting in front of a shelf of folios.

“Chloe and Veronica! Hello, my darlings! How are you?”

“We're fine, thank you”, smiled Veronica.

“Have you decided to give up filming?”

“We agree, both of us”, Chloe entered the conversation. “Only I have a little problem. What about my studies?”

“Is that a problem? Filming won't start until summer anyway. In the meantime, if you sign the contract, you'll be training. Acting with Henriette, sports training and fitness. Just in time for the summer, funding will be available and the sets will be ready. We'll start shooting then”, Giuseppe was glowing with contentment.

“Also, we have some questions about the contract”, Veronica interjected.

“Come and see me tomorrow and we'll talk about it. And think about the script! May be you have any ideas?”


***

Quite a lot of time was spent on the preparatory phase. Financial matters, sets, acting. Henrietta Irrale turned out to be a jolly old lady who gave the theory in a concise but no less clear way. Even Chloe got involved, not to mention Veronica, who tried very hard to earn praise from Henrietta. The girls got to know their partners on the set, particularly actor Howard Curtis, who played the role of the psychologist James, and Michael Thomas, who played the role of Kevin, the boyfriend of the main character Samantha.

Giuseppe did not skimp on the delicate subject of tying up. He invited a special instructor, who took quite a long time to explain how to work properly with ropes, but the most important thing was safety techniques. The instructor was hiding his face under a mask, but his professionalism was not diminished. After explaining the theory, he had the girls do special exercises. They spent at least an hour a day tied up and did the specified exercises.

One day, Giuseppe gathered all the actors involved in the film and suggested a trip to the mansion where the shooting would take place. They boarded the bus and drove to the suburbs.

“The renovation will be over in two weeks and we can start working”, Giuseppe told the bus. “My friend owns properties all along the coast and offered me this villa to shoot in.”

Chloe and Veronica looked at each other. The sisters immediately realized who this mysterious friend was. Half an hour later, the bus pulled up in front of a nice two-storey mansion, painted white on the outside. On the grounds, over the fence, a gazebo was visible, as well as a swimming pool.

“Welcome!” Giuseppe smiled. “Follow me!”

He opened the beautiful cast-iron gate and was the first to cross the threshold. He walked along the path paved with granite tiles along the neatly trimmed bushes to the front door and used the key to open the door. He took a step to the side, letting the actors inside.

Veronica was the first to enter, quickly crossed the hallway and found herself in the living room. A wooden border along the walls, pink wallpaper, a luxurious sofa, and a large television on the nightstand.

“Unfortunately, you can't see the sea from this house”, sighed Giuseppe. “So the beach scenes will be filmed elsewhere”.


***

The light from the window shone through the thin curtains and softly illuminated the small corner room with dark pink wallpaper on the walls. One of the rays illuminated the wide bed, falling on the face of a beautiful blond girl who was sleeping peacefully. When the beam of light fell on her face, the girl grudgingly grimaced and opened her blue eyes, looking up, then sat up on the bed and wiped her eyes with her fists like a child, yawning sweetly. Her long, waist-length blond hair was disheveled. She lowered her feet to the floor and spent a long time groping around for her left slipper, which was deep under the bed. The girl, leaving both slippers behind, walked barefoot. One of the doors led to a small washroom with a shower and toilet. The blonde went to the mirror and scrutinised her reflection before going into the shower, dropping her pyjamas on the way.

She came out of the bathroom some time later, already combed and invigorated. She bent down and retrieved her slipper, which had flown out from under the bed, before heading for the wardrobe engraved with a medieval castle. Opening it, she looked thoughtfully at the clothes hanging there for a while before choosing a rather austere-looking pantsuit and hiding in the restroom to change. The blonde came out of the washroom already changed inwardly and outwardly. A confident gait, her hair in a bun on her head, modest makeup. The girl left the room through a second door and found herself in a small hallway, where a piece of paper with a note was lying on a small coffee table:

Sammy, I didn't want to wake you up, you were sleeping so sweetly. I'm away on a business trip for a week, so you're on your own. Love you, Daddy.

Samantha smiled warmly and went downstairs to the kitchen. She took a large apple out of the fridge and took a bite of it. She turned around to see her exact replica, dressed in a chic evening gown, with her hair braided into a bouffant hairdo. The flamboyant makeup accentuated the girl's blue eyes and her spectacular beauty.

“Hello, Samantha”, the girl in the evening gown grinned.

“Hello to you, too, Sammy”, the suited girl said.

“I don't understand what you're doing here. Don't you remember what Dad said? You're on your own for the week”.

“I'm sorry, Sammy, but I have work to do”.

“What work?! Wake up! The project isn't due for a month. A couple of days off isn't gonna do anything!”

“No. They can't do it without me. Sammy, I'll talk to you another time”, Samantha threw an uneaten apple in the trash, threw her jacket on, and left the house.

“CUT!” came the director's voice. “Chloe, Veronica, you girls are great!”

“Thank you, boss”, Veronica jokingly saluted.


***

Samantha opened the door and stepped inside, before she leaned tiredly against the wall and slumped to the floor, helplessly hugging her knees. The girl's eyes were fixed on the only point. Sammy walked out of the living room with a grin on her lips.

“Poor, poor Samantha. How beautiful he is and how stupid he is for not noticing you, so beautiful and smart”, Sammy said in a sarcastic voice. She leaned her shoulder against the doorway and stared at Samantha.

“Shut up.”

“No, you listen to me. I'm the strongest part of you. I know how to attract Kevin.”

“Get off.”

“No.”

“Go away. I don't want to see you.”

“Oh, dear Samantha. Look at me. I'm your better half. Take off your masks and be yourself! That's what you want!”

“NO!” Samantha screamed, jumping to her feet. She dashed upstairs to her room, but Sammy, wiggling her hips, followed.

Samantha snapped the lock and pressed her back against the door. Only now did she notice that she wasn't alone in the room. Sammie was lying on the bed. Her evening gown was replaced by a tight sportswear outfit. She propped her head up, stretching her slender, long legs. Her hair, which had previously been arranged in a beautifully bouffant hairdo, was now loose and lying on the bed in disarray.

“Running away from yourself? It's no use”, Sammy shook her head sadly. “When are you going to realize that we're one?”

“Go away, Sammy. Please leave me alone!”

“Samantha, you're too dumb. We need to fix this.”

Sammy slid off the bed with feline grace. A grin appeared on her face. Samantha tried to open the door and escape, but Sammy grabbed her from behind, clamping her mouth shut. Sammy pulled Samantha away and pushed her onto the bed. Samantha turned to Sammy, who had a roll of rope in her hands. Samantha tried to jump up, but Sammy was more agile. She flipped Samantha onto her stomach with a jerk, then jumped on top of her and began tying her hands together. Samantha screamed and tried to break free, but Sammy held her tight. Once her hands were tied, Sammy began to tie Samantha's legs. The girl screamed and tried to fight back, but Sammy only smirked. She tied Samantha's mouth with a silk handkerchief and then proceeded to tie the girl's slender body. After a while, Samantha was sitting on the bed, with bound hand and foot, with her mouth gagged and moaning loudly through the gag.

“I'm sorry, I don't understand your stupid language. I think we should unwind, so I'm going to a party. And you can stay here and pretend to be a good girl.”

Sammy leaned over and kissed Samantha on the cheek.

“Good night, Samantha!”

As Sammy left the house, Giuseppe shouted into a megaphone:

“Cut! Now, without wasting any time, let's shoot the next scene. When Sammy comes home and goes to bed. Where's the makeup guy? We have to wet Chloe's hair!”


***

Sammy, in a tight sportswear, entered the house when it was already night outside. Her hair was wet with sweat and pool water. The girl herself was staggering slightly from the amount she'd been drinking, but humming a cheerful tune to herself. Dancing, she entered the room, where the tied up Samantha was sitting on the bed and grinned.

“How are you doing here?”

Samantha moaned indignantly through her gag, but Sammy only ran her hand over her cheek.

“I'm sorry, Samantha, but I'm going to work for you tomorrow. Gotta put all those idiots in their place, don't you think?”

Samantha stared at Sammy in protest and anger, but Samantha smiled.

“Get some rest, you'll be in for another shock tomorrow.”

Sammy sprawled out on the bed and covered herself with the blanket. Samantha stared at the sleeping girl and suddenly pulled her free hands from behind her back. She removed her own gag and untied her own legs, then silently climbed off the bed and looked at the sleeping Sammy. There was an anticipation of sweet revenge on the girl's face. She acted very carefully so as not to disturb the sleeping Sammy prematurely. Samantha slowly pulled the blanket off, tossing it aside so that it was out of the way. Sammy lay on her back, arms and legs spread apart. Samantha looked over Sammy and smiled. She moved silently around the room and tied four ropes with tightening loops to the corners of the bed. She put the loops on Sammy's arms and legs and gently pulled the rope to the foot of the bed. Sammy woke up and, realizing what was happening, tried to jerk, but with that tug, the loops tightened, tying the spread eagle girl firmly to the bed.

“Samantha, you dumb! I'll get you for this! Untie me now!” Sammy screamed, but Samantha stuffed some kind of rag into the girl's mouth and tied a long strip of cloth around it. Taking a step back, she admired the captive Sammy.

“I gave you a chance to back off, but you wouldn't”, Samantha sighed. “I'm sorry, but I can't let you screw this up at work. Good night, Sammy.”

Samantha left the room and locked the door.


***

For the next few days, the film crew filmed scenes at different locations. Mostly in an office rented for a few days, where furniture and equipment were set up and Chloe and Veronica took turns playing their roles. Periodically, they tied up each other, but the scenes were small and of little interest. In the plot, for example, Sammy tied Samantha's hands with stationery tape and shoved her into a storeroom, before heading to the principal to report back on the work she had done. Or alternatively, Samantha kept Sammy from flirting with Kevin instead of work by simply tying her hands to a chair. Chloe got caught up in the filming process and even almost forgot about her law homework. She enjoyed playing the role of Sammy, very brave and confident. Something of the role she was even beginning to apply to her normal life. She was beginning to understand Giuseppe's genius and was grateful to the director.

Occasionally, some strangers would appear on the set and have a long chat with Giuseppe about something. After these meetings, Giuseppe tried to feign enthusiasm, but Chloe sensed that the man was thinking about something completely different. After one of these meetings, when some unremarkable man came to Giuseppe, Chloe came to share her idea for the next scene and saw the director, looking thoughtfully out the window, drinking cognac from a small flask, that is, breaking his own rule: no alcohol on the set.

“Ah, Chloe”, smiled Giuseppe. “Alas, I've just received some very bad news.”

“Oh my God, has something happened?” - Chloe pressed her hands to her chest.

“Not yet,” sighed the director. “As it turns out, things don't always work out the way we'd like them to. Keep your clear head.”

“If I can help you in any way, speak up.”

“And what can you help me with, girl? Alas, these are my problems and I have to deal with them.”

They did not return to the subject, but the man's visits continued. After them, Giuseppe stayed out of the office for a long time, but then he returned and began to drive the actors around the set with double energy. The filming was coming to a climax, the scene at the psychologist's. For the sake of plausibility, a real psychologist was hired to advise on how real psychoanalysis sessions take place.

The scene at the psychologist's office was supposed to be filmed in the real psychologist's office, but it could not be arranged, so the scene was filmed in the same office where everything else was filmed. The scene was supposed to be filmed in the real office, but it was not agreed, so the scene was filmed in the same office where everything else was filmed. For the sake of believability, a real psychologist was hired to advise on how real psychoanalysis sessions take place.


***

Psychologist James, a handsome young man with light brown hair and green eyes, sat in an armchair, putting his foot down and looking at Samantha who had entered the room. The girl crouched modestly on the edge of the sofa and Sammy appeared in the doorway, leaning grinning against the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest.

James held up a black folder with a pen and listened as Samantha complained about Sammy, occasionally asking for details. Finally, Samantha finished her story and hung her head, waiting for James' verdict. James, on the other hand, smiled meaningfully and looked at Sammy.

“So, Sammy, is it your turn to tell me what's wrong with Samantha?” he asked.

“Do you see her?” Samantha wondered.

“I see both of you. That's the nature of my profession. So, Sammy. Tell your story!”

“She's a pain in the ass! Always pissing me off with her constant rebukes!” Sammy snapped back

“What about you?! You're always trying to run away from your responsibilities!”

James sat and listened intently to Samantha and Sammy's argument until he finally clapped his hands together.

“You seem to be forgetting one important thing,” James smiled.

“What's that?”

“You're both sides of the same medal. And it's vital that you learn to work together. Luckily, I know what to do!”

“What is it?”

“To begin with...” The psychologist snapped his fingers and both girls were left in the underwear. Samantha's lingerie was black, and Sammy's was lacey and white.

“What are you doing?!” Sammy was indignant, but James ignored her. He made the girls sit back-to-back on the couch and put their hands back together so that Sammy's hands were in front of Samantha and Samantha's hands were in front of Sammy, and then he rather deftly tied their wrists together with hemp rope. After that, he began tying the girls' breasts and waists together, forcing them firmly against each other. The legs crossed in a Turkish style he also tied tightly. Both Sammy and Samantha were so loudly indignant that the finishing touches were gags made of rags, with which the girls' mouths were firmly stuffed and tied with long strips of cloth cutting into the corners of their mouths. James took a few steps back, admiring his handiwork.

“And now, girls, you have a long night ahead of you to negotiate with each other. Good luck!”

And the psychologist left the office, leaving the girls alone. Both girls began to struggle, but it was useless until they began to help each other. When they finally got free, there was only one girl left in the psychologist's office. She looked like Sammy, but dressed in strict clothes like Samantha. She walked over to the mirror, from which Samantha, dressed in Sammy's clothes, looked at her and they winked at each other in sync.

“Cut!”


Blue Pill

It was not a hit and was not released in cinemas, but Giuseppe Paladini was not a major director. His niche was in auteur cinema, of which there were not many connoisseurs. Nevertheless, “Two Sides of the Medal” took its rightful place in his filmography and even earned several nominations and won a couple of small film festivals. Chloe and Veronica did not wake up the next day as stars, and gradually Chloe returned to her studies and, having successfully completed college, went into law practice. She honestly admitted to some of her friends that she and her sister starred at Paladini's, but it was quickly forgotten about. Veronica, on the other hand, managed to get a small role in a rather famous sitcom where she played a character very similar to Samantha. As it turned out, the showrunners of the sitcom were big fans of Paladini's work. They also invited Chloe, but she decided to turn it down as it was exam time. After the sitcom, Veronica was noticed and even invited to star in a spy action movie as a secret agent, after which she became famous. Almost everyone knew the name Veronica Mason, but not everyone knew that she had a twin sister, and certainly not everyone had heard of the film “Two Sides”, which turned out to be forgotten, as did its director. Veronica tried to find Giuseppe and thank him, but her attempts were unsuccessful. Traces of Giuseppe disappeared shortly after “Two Sides” was nominated for the Best Director award. This greatly saddened Veronica, who considered him her teacher and was grateful to him for all that she had achieved. Chloe tried to help her sister find him, but even her connections didn't help. Giuseppe disappeared into thin air.



Red pill

Raul appeared on the platform and time seemed to stand still around him. Behind him were two guys. One was stout, with a short cut of blond hair, and the other was a lean, slouching brunette with a kind of hunted look. Nevertheless, they obeyed Raul implicitly.

“Oh, no!” Giuseppe exclaimed “I told Joachim! I'll have it all sorted out by Friday!”

“Excuse me, Mr. Paladini. Mr. Lewis said it was completely unacceptable. You dared to ignore his last few letters and calls, so he lost his patience”, Raoul spread his hands guiltily, demonstrating his innocence. “So my boss has asked me to give you a little indoctrination so that you can make the right decision.”

“What are you going to do?” Giuseppe turned pale. Everyone on the floor was still frozen, waiting to see what Raul would say. Somehow no one expected anything good from him. Chloe was about to sneak into the dressing room, where she had a pepper spray in her purse.

“Oh, you're not in any personal danger, Mr. Paladini”, Raul smiled. “Boss just said to invite your charming actresses over. Greg, Max.”

Giuseppe tried to block the way, Chloe rushed into the dressing room, and Veronica froze in the middle of the hall. However, the one whom Raul called Greg lightly punched Giuseppe in the solar plexus and while the director was trying to regain his breath, the slouching guy jumped up to Veronica. The girl, regaining her wits, tried to run away, but a well-timed footstep and she fell to the floor, bumping her elbow painfully. That was the least of the problems, because Veronica's arms were quickly bound by a cable tie. Greg had already stormed into the dressing room and the sounds of a struggle could be heard from there. Chloe proved to be far more daring and defiant, so as soon as Greg burst inside, the girl poured half a can on him. She rushed outside, shoving the guy standing on the threshold. Jumping out into the corridor, the girl looked around and ran to the bathroom, where there was a window. Once outside, she hid in the bushes to see her sister Raul being pushed into the van. Tears of anger spurted from the girl's eyes. There was a noise from behind and, looking back, Chloe noticed Greg jumping out the same window. His eyes were red and watery, he was very angry. Constantly wiping his eyes with a wet handkerchief, he looked around. Several times he dabbed a glance at the bushes where Chloe was hiding. And at that moment her phone rang, which she had forgotten to turn off. The girl went cold. Greg pulled a gun from his waistband.

“Come here”, he said. “Otherwise it will be worse for your sister.”

Chloe, hesitating, came out of the bushes.

“Lie on the ground, face down. Put your hands behind your back.”

The girl, with a sigh, obeyed. Her arms were bound with ties, and Greg tugged on them rather roughly, forcing the girl up. Chloe cried out in pain and Greg pushed her towards the van.

In the van, both girls were seated against the far wall, Raul tied their feet as well, and then Max took the wheel, with Raul and Greg as passengers in the cab, and off they went.

“Where do you think they're taking us?” Veronica asked, trembling with fear.

“I don't know”, Chloe herself was dying of fear. A few minutes ago she was on a movie set, and now she was going with dangerous people to some place... Although she guessed where exactly. “Probably the villa of Joachim Lewis.”

“Really? But he's a respectable businessman.”

“I don't know. Maybe they're just trying to scare us. Or maybe... I don't know! Honestly, I don't know!”

The girls were silent, looking at each other. Chloe tried to rub the screed against something, but as luck would have it, there were no sharp edges on the floor of the van. There was a hook of some sort under the ceiling, but it was impossible to reach. It was a long ride, so by the time they got out of the van it was already dark outside. The girls had their feet free and were pushed somewhere deep into the grounds. The place was unfamiliar, a mansion of some sort. There were two chairs in the basement and the girls were seated on them. The girls' hands, having previously cut the ties, were placed behind the backs of the chairs and tied firmly. They then tied their waists to the backs of the chairs to reduce the degrees of freedom. The legs of the girls were tied to the legs of the chairs. Rags were stuffed into the mouths of both of them and ducttape was tied around their heads. After that, the lights were turned off and the girls were left alone.


Three days later

There were seven people seated at an elongated conference table. At the head of the table sat, dressed in full uniform, Major Bernardo Oscuro, a tall man with brown hair, very bright blue eyes and a neat spangled face. He was reading the document he held in his hands, he was frowning and a wrinkle appeared on his forehead. Seated at the table with him were his children, the twins Armando and Emeline, tall, slender, with raven-crowned hair and brown eyes. They looked nothing like their father, which made angry but foolish tongues suspect that their late mother, Catalina, had been unfaithful to her husband. Across the table from the Oscuro twins sat Benjamin, a tall, blue-eyed blond with shoulder-length hair, and next to him sat a thin, red-haired and green-eyed girl whose body was covered with numerous tattoos, whose name was Iris. Beside them at the table sat a medium height guy with blond hair and gray eyes, whose name was Kyle and a chubby blonde with a short haircut, Hilde.

Having finished reading, Bernardo looked around the table at the young people and said:

“Have you seen this before?” the soft voice of Major Bernardo Oscuro could not deceive anyone. Armando and Emeline were well aware that their father was annoyed. Even Benjamin Euler, who, contrary to his usual custom, did not comment, looking somewhere on the opposite wall where the clock hung.

“Not yet.” Benjamin shook his head.

“Then you can see it”, Bernardo held out a piece of paper to Benjamin. He read it carefully, along with Iris, who was peering over his shoulder. The sheet reached Armando last. It turned out to be an orientation file for two missing twin girls. “Why all of you don't say something?”

“I think we saw them the other night at the Spring Midnight Party”, Iris rubbed her left temple nervously. “The longhaired one was hanging around Em and me, but she was quickly pushed aside by the crowd.”

“I don't get it, we had it all figured out. Em and Irie had to get attention!” Kyle remarked.

“So we didn't do the math. You messed up somewhere. So instead of catching Joachim red-handed, we have to look for the two girls and pray we find them alive, not like the last time”, Bernardo said angrily.

Everyone at the table grimaced. No one wanted to remember their past case, which had ended in tragedy.

“Maybe it wasn't Lewis after all. Had it been at least six months since the party?” Iris asked.

“It's unlikely”, Hilde shook his head. “It's his style.”

“Do you think we've got it wrong?” Armando asked grimly.

“I am sure you have. Has anyone you know seen you?”

“I don't think so...” Armando hesitated.

“Have you seen anyone you know, Em?”

Armando turned pale and glanced at Emeline.

“Serpent!” twins exclaimed together.

“Who is Serpent?” Hilde asked.

“His name is Raul, he used to be an archaeologist”, Armando explained.

“There is your answer”, Bernardo looked angrily at his children. “If you'd bothered to tell me about this unimportant factor, perhaps we could have arrested Lewis by now. Now to the point. The Mason sisters were reported missing this morning. It's been three days since they went missing. Reported missing by one Howard Curtis and Michael Thomas, both actors. They met the Mason sisters on the set of a film with a certain director, Giuseppe Paladini. So... Kyle and Hilda go to talk to this director and try to find out everything they can about him and his activities apart from directing. Benjamin, Iris, take care of the sisters' friends. Armando and Emelin, you're looking for your buddy Raul. Now get to work. Hand over all information at once, as well as your destinations. Get to work, everyone!”

[Caesar73]

Excellent story! I like the idea with the to different Endings

[dream713]

Excellent story! I like the idea with the to different Endings

I'm glad to hear that!

[GreyLord]

Chloe and Veronica are fascinating characters. I would have liked to see Chloe's interest in tugs explored in more depth although that would have expanded your story even further.

[dream713]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I thought about going into more detail, but decided the story was long enough as it is. I had to skip some scenes.