Chapter Text
Life was pretty good for Colt.
Even after everything that happened, (the incident, the framed murder, the fake suicide), Colt found his happiness in life. That happiness was with the girl he's been wanting for years, right beside him — Jody.
It had been just a few rough weeks after Metalstorm released. The movie was a big hit, with it even finding it's way into the top 10 movies for 3 weeks straight.
Colt was getting ready to leave for a little vacation with Jody, somewhere far; on the shores a beach, hopefully in Hawaii — when he recieved a message from Ryland.
"Ry?" He suddenly froze, like, a complete halt. He had almost forgotten the suitcase that he was packing a week advanced to the trip.
Ryland almost never started conversations first. It wasn't much of a bad thing, really, it just meat they both had more time to focus on their jobs. And Colt was used to having to be the one approaching first. But something here felt.. off.
He took his phone, sitting down on the bed beside his suitcase as he unlocked it. Checking his notifications, it was almost as if Ry never sent him anything at all. But, he still had to check his chats, of course.
"COLT"
"COLTON"
"HELP ME"
"A SCIENCE SPECIALIST AND A CREW MEMBER OF THE HAIL MARY DIED IN AN EXPLOSION."
"THEYRE TRYING TO PUT ME IN THE HAIL MARY INSTEAD."
"COLT PLEASE GO ONLINE"
"COLTO"
... Oh.
Oh no.
.... Where's Jody.
"Colt? What's going on? Why do you need my car?—"
"I just need it right now, okay?! Mine's still busted and in the repairs!"
"Yeah, I know you do, but what do you need it for?!"
"That's not important right now!"
Colt couldn't help it. I mean, could you blame him? His twin brother was out there somewhere, being forced onto a tin can that would be shot into space, and he was still in Australia.
He's always had a habit of shutting everyone down when he's stressed or overwhelmed, but that wasn't really the concern. Well, not completely. Jody learned how to handle him over time.
"Babe — just tell me what's going on. Why do you need a car? Where are you going in such a panicked rush?"
Jody tried to negotiate, but Colt only half-listened. He searched drawers and tables for a pair of car keys, but he couldn't find any.
Finally, he turned to look at Jody. He sees the faint silhouette of something in her pocket, specifically with a few rigged egdes, specifically shaped like..
Colt started walking forward, but Jody cut him off with a hug. She felt him tense, then relax a little, but never fully. She pulled back slightly.
"Colt, baby, what's going on? Why are you in such a rush? What's going on?"I
Her fingers slipped throigh his thick, dark and dirty blonde curls, trying to soothe him. But he just couldn't settle down.
"R-Ryland, t-they— they're– t–the Hail Mary—"
"Ryland? What about Ryland?"
"They're sending him off to space!"
Colt finally managed to stammer out with a huff, leaving Jody in shock, and him in even more shock now that he's fully acknowledged the situation.
"W-Well, where is he?!"
"I don't know! He doesn't have his tracker on, he hasn't told me even hints of where he was, he's just — he's been out of contact for months since that project he worked on, and he randomly comes back!"
"Well, any ideas on where to start?"
"I don't know— I-I'm not too good with this science stuff—"
Suddenly, the channel on the TV shifted. Changed. Announcement incoming.