Chapter Text
“I can’t do this. You can’t make me. I can’t-“
Stratt looks up from the paperwork on her desk to see Ryland Grace pace in her office. While she can appreciate the need to be out in the ocean, she wishes the ship had a bigger office for her. Grace’s pacing takes up an inordinate amount of space.
“Dr. Grace-“ She attempts to interrupt.
“I can’t. I need- I can’t work on this without- I couldn’t forgive myself if-“ He plows on, running a hand through is already mussed hair.
“Dr. Grace.” She doesn’t need to be loud. The firmness is enough to bring his attention out of his thoughts.
“What?” His glasses are askew and Stratt ignores the urge to reach over and fix it. She hates imperfections but will tolerate it from this man since he will just readjust them again to be worse.
“What is it that you need? As long as it is within reason, we can get it for you.” At this point, if he said he needed to go to Disneyland, she’d let him. Especially for what she plans on doing to him.
His eyes twitch slightly and his mouth opens and closes for a moment before sound escapes.
“My brother. I need my brother here.”
It took some convincing for the international committees to allow a civilian with no real purpose on the ship. But Stratt argued that the primary scientist at the head of the research to save the world needed to be stable, so it was a concern for them. And if bringing his brother to keep him company while he continued to work to save the world kept him stable and working, it was a worthwhile investment.
So she and a few agents went to retrieve him. He didn’t believe her and thought it was an odd movie pitch. But a phone call from Dr. Grace was enough. She didn’t hear what was said but it made Colt Seavers go stone faced and focused.
“Take me to him. Now.” His voice lost the grandeur it held and he strode forward with no hesitation.
Leaving a few agents to pack his necessities, Stratt led him to the car that would take them to the airstrip. In a way he was very different than his twin. Where Dr. Grace is anxious and twitchy, Mr. Seavers is both erratic and focused. Stratt is preparing for a quiet drive when his voice cuts the silence.
“I was first. Born. Ry came after me 28 minutes later.”
It appears anxiety is actually a Grace family trait as Stratt notices the man before her start pulling at his fingers.
“The way our grandma told it, Ry was scared to come see the world. So I came and scoped it out for him.” He continues on without care for her. And Stratt isn’t sure what to say. so she stays quiet.
“We are all the other has now. And Ry hardly does anything without talking to me. He called me before publishing his dissertation. He called me before he accepted a teaching position at Grover Cleveland Middle. Hell, he called me before selling his car to help me pay for my bills after I broke my back. So that’s how I know, Ms. whatever your name is, that you forced him into working for you. Because he would’ve called. So you better hope he is ok with working for you because if he’s not happy, he will be gone faster than you can order a coffee.” Stratt was sure if she were a lesser woman she would be intimidated by the over protective man.
But Stratt isn’t a lesser woman. And he doesn’t scare her. “I can assure you we are heading to him now. He is eagerly awaiting your arrival on the air carrier.”
“RY!” Colt tumbled out of the jets cockpit and threw himself at his twin.
Ryland, used to this, was braced for impact. But he still was swayed from the sheer force of his twin slamming into him. His beanie would’ve flown right off if not for Colts hand holding his head close. Ryland let himself relax for a moment in the hug, gripping back just as tightly. They hold each other close for a moment more before stepping back half a step.
“Ry what is all of this? You workin for the government now? Since when?” Colt asked while looking his brother over.
“Uhh it’s, there’s a lot going on and I’m not sure what I can tell you-“
“Just grant him clearance.” Stratt cuts in as she moves past the two. “You can do that. As head scientist.”
“Oh.” Ryland worries his lip for a moment before nodding. “Ok. Colt I give you clearance to know everything pertaining to Project: Hail Mary.”
Ryland glances at Stratt as if to confirm he did it right. Stratt shrugs a bit before walking off completely. Colt raises an eyebrow at Ryland.
“…ok? What is Project Hail Mary?”
“OH MY GOD RY YOU’LL NEVER GUESS WHAT I DID?” Colt bursts through the door of Rylands little office he squirreled away.
“You were with the astronauts testing the EVA’s in the pool.” Ryland answers without looking up, signing off on a form submitted for equipment to go on the Hail Mary
“Wha- how did you know?” Colt ruffles his hair a bit before slouching against the wall.
Ryland looked up at him from over his glasses, eyebrow quirking up. “Colt, I know about everything pertaining the Hail Mary. So I was informed of the EVA testing today. And I was informed of your eagerness to participate.”
While Colt loved his brother and being here for him was his top priority, he was bored as hell. And Ryland knew this. He gave blanket permission that Colt could participate with testing as long as it was safe enough. Ryland didn’t realize the power he had until that request was made and followed unilaterally.
Colt groaned. “Why do you have to know everything. Can’t I have one secret?”
“No. Because you are physically incapable of it. Especially on this ship.” Ryland replied dryly.
“…Can I tell you how it was?”
“Yes, please tell me.”
Colt launched into an explanation about how he was testing for dexterity and what it was like to be in a space suit. He was too caught up in his explanations that he didn’t notice Rylands soft smile as he listened to his brother talk.
The explosion rocketed over the field knocking Ryland and Stratt completely onto their backs. Ryland’s eyes struggled to focus for a moment but one thought was clear in his mind as he stood and began running to the epicenter of the decimated building.
Where is Colt?
His stiff fingers fumbled for his walkie at his hip. He ignored the sounds of other people on the line, Stratt most notably barking orders, and flicked the knob to a channel he and Colt claimed a few months ago.
“-AND! RYLAND CAN YOU HEAR ME?!” Colt’s screaming through the walkie broke the ringing in Rylands ears.
“I’m here, I’m ok. Where are you?”
“I’m at the edge of the base. I went with a team into the city for supplies. We just made it inside the gate when the fucking bomb went off. What’s going on?” Colts staticky voice calms the worst of Rylands nerves.
“I don’t know. Stratt and I were out by the satellite dishes. We’re running up now. I thought you were helping in the lab today?” Ryland tries not to sound too out of breath. It’s been a while since his track and field days.
“I was. But I was informed that there was a supply run and that you were low on snacks so I offered to help.” In the background the sound of a jeep revving and wind tells Ryland that Colt is moving.
“Never in my life have I been this glad that you like shopping. I’ll meet up with you later, I gotta go and figure out what went wrong.” Ryland pants out.
“Got it. Thumbs up.”
“Thumbs up.” Ryland confirms before switching his walkie back to the shared channel.
Colt paced outside of the office building. Ryland had a meeting and he said he’d meet up with Colt after for a late lunch. Take off was in three days and the stress was getting to everytime. Not Colt. After takeoff, he was going back to his life. Not there was much to go back to. Jody had exited stage left a few years ago. She’d been vague as to why but Colt knew it was because he wasn’t a stunt guy anymore. And while he still ran his company of stunt guys, he had lost the grandeur that made Jody fall for him.
But Colt had been toying with the thought of moving to San Francisco to be with Ryland. He can run his company anywhere. He’d need to go to different sets but that’d only be for a few weeks at a time, at the absolute max, before he could come back. He was gonna bring it up with Ryland today. Being this close together made him wonder how he ever lived without his twin at arms reach.
Colt was working himself up to telling Ryland about his moving plans when a commotion startled him out of his thoughts. A blur of yellow took off toward the fence line. Without thinking much on it, Colt sprinted off after the man and the rest of the agents chasing him.
Damn, this dude is fast. Colt was no slouch and he was having a time trying to catch up to the group. He watches as the man in yellow is tackled and starts screaming. The screaming sounds familiar and Colt gets a sinking feeling.
“COLT! NO I CANT DO IT! COLT!” Ryland is sobbing, face pushed into the grass.
And Colt freezes, as his little brother, who’s terrified of needles, gets injected with who knows what as he cries for him.
As his brother stops struggling Colt feels a well of anger overtake him. He surges forward to shove the men off his brother. He is quickly grabbed and restrained with cuffs. Colt struggles with tears brimming as a truck pulls up and they start loading Ryland into the back. He’s pushed forward and forced to sit next to Rylands hip.
“What are you doing to him?” He asks as they secure and oxygen mask to his face.
No one answers him so he’s left to stew in his thoughts. His gaze locks on Ryland and he prays to a god he’s not sure he believes in that Ryland is ok. Before he fully knows it, they’re back at the heart of the base and he sees Stratt. He opens his mouth to say something. Maybe to beg her to tell him what’s going on. Or to ask what’s wrong with Ryland. But she speaks first.
“Sedate him too. They’re both going.” Colt has half a second to feel betrayed before a needle is jabbed into his neck.