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Tom Ryder was pissed. Sorry, scratch that, he was infuriated. He couldn’t get this damn scene right and now everyone is talking about him like he isn’t there. This was stupid.
“Gail! I’m going on break!” He yells, already walking away from whatever the hell is happening now.
“Fine! But twenty minutes max!”
Tom finally gets a little privacy, which at this point is rare as hell, in his trailer. He pulled out his phone trying to at least get some entertainment out of his break, maybe Seavers texted him about leaving Grace alone..
Speaking of Grace.. seems like he called me.
“I knew he couldn’t stay away from this beautiful face-“ Tom stops abruptly as he notices a voicemail, which isn’t necessarily weird but Grace doesn’t normally leave voicemails..
He opens it and-
“No! NO! I don’t want to go! Don’t make me go, please! Carl! Please don’t make me go! Please!.. please.. Carl…”
.
What the fuck.
What the actual fuck?
Is this a joke? A prank? It has to be.
Colt. Colt! He should know.. where the fuck is he?!
Tom runs out of his trailer getting more worried by the second, he runs to where Colt should be, by Jody.
”Colt!” He pants pushing up to Seavers out of breath.
”What do you want..” Colt starts but obviously notices the look of panic on Tom’s face.
”What’s wrong? Is everything ok with Grace? Did he text you?” Colts priorities are definitely brother oriented, not that Tom could blame him after what he just heard.
Speaking of what he just heard… he shows the voicemail to Colt, whose face is growing darker by the second.
By the time the voicemail is finished Colt looks rightfully pissed.
”Stratt.”
…what?
”Who is Stratt?” Tom asks obviously trying to figure out whether to be concerned or confused.
”Eva Stratt. She fucking.. I don’t know, recruited Ryland for this super sciencey save the world shit a month ago. He was allowed to tell one person and obviously he told me but he said it was just supposed to be helping with research.”
Well that obviously changed. “What are we going to do? Can we do anything?! What is he being forced to do? It sounded like he got drugged!” Tom was now freaking out, he never admitted it but he really did like Grace, more than just a fling or a hook up.
Grace never made Tom feel dumb for getting stuff wrong but he also never babied him either. He was tough but also the most compassionate person Tom had ever met and ultimately Tom was falling pretty hard. When Grace ghosted him, which I guess it wasn’t ghosting considering he just couldn’t tell anyone where he was, Tom was genuinely devastated. He wondered what he did wrong for weeks, even begging Colt to talk to him which was a HUGE deal.
“I’m not sure.. I don’t know where he is all I know is that he’s being forced to do something now. And I- GOD I don’t know what to do.” Colt looks ready to either cry or punch something, pressing his palms into his eyes.
Ok think Tom.. what can I do.. what can I..
…
Tom you fucking genius.
”GAIL! I need major news outlets here. Now!” Tom yelled putting his plan into as much motion as he can.
Im fucking famous.
.
Gail had never heard Tom tell like that, nor look this upset so for the first time ever, she actually listened to something he said.
After the news outlets were gathered it had been about an hour and a half since Tom had a complete 180 attitude change.
Cameras were rolling and someone was going to understand that when you mess with someone he loved, you won’t get off scott free.
”My name is Tom Ryder, most of you might know me, I’m the actor on most of your screens but right now isn’t about me. It’s about a man being forced to do something he doesn’t want. Seven hours ago I got this voicemail.”
As Tom plays the voicemail, multiple people gasped in horror and shock. The voice on the phone sounds so broken.
“This! Is Ryland Grace. He’s 32 years old, my stunt double Colt Seavers twin brother, and the love of my life.” At this, multiple people’s eyes bugged out of their heads. Love of his life?! “He went a month ago to work with Eva Stratt on a mission to save the world, and told his brother adamantly that he was only doing research. Obviously this has now changed. I’m asking.. no begging anyone out there who is listening, please… please help my Grace.. any information you have can be given to me directly, Colt Seavers, or Jody Moreno. Thank you.”
Tom went back to his trailer in hopes he got something, anything, anyONE to listen to him this time. He can’t lose Grace, he just can’t. Not again.
.
By hour three, they had gotten at least 357 calls and emails about Grace. Some were helpful, “I’ve seen him around Kazakhstan, I knew him back in college but had no clue why he was here..” some were hopeful, “This is my daughters middle school science teacher, I don’t know the full story but please get her favorite teacher back..” some were downright disrespectful, “This is obviously a publicity stunt, so fucking dumb.”
It wasn’t until the fourth hour something actually gave way. Jody got a call.
“Hello, this is Jody Moreno, are you calling with information about Ryland Grace?” Jody sounded tired but determined, Grace was essentially her brother-in-law and she actually liked him.
The voice was quiet as it spoke, “Yes I am, he’s currently in an induced coma, he’s being hidden in a room at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan..”
“I’m sorry who is this? How can we know this is real?” By this point Jody had put the phone on speaker, getting the attention of Colt and Tom who were focused with rapt attention.
”I- sigh this is going to sound terrible, IM Carl.”
The room froze.
Carl? The one Grace cried out for? THAT Carl?
Tom looked sceptic but asked the next question, “Why are you helping us? You were there when they drugged him weren’t you?”
“Yes, and I know what I did was wrong but I genuinely thought he didn’t have family or anyone left, that’s what Stratt said and by the way she said it she believed that too.” Carl at this point sounded exhausted.
”Then why won’t she let him go? I’m sure she’s seen the press release now, we know who she is, and now she knows he has family why can’t she let him go?” Colt adds getting more frustrated with each sentence.
“Listen, I know it sounds like she’s a bad person, but you don’t understand. Grace is the only one who knows anything else about astrophage besides our now 2 astronauts. He’s the only other one who can help save the world. Stratt believes he can do it. I do too, but not at the expense of his family.”
He’s right of course, Grace is the smartest person Tom knew, hell, the kindest person he knew. He would do this if he had no one left, but only if he had no one left.
But Tom refused to let Grace go, and he’s sure Colt feels the same.
“Thank you for the information..” Jody goes to end the call.
”Hurry, they’re going to leave in 24 hours.” Carl hangs up the phone, still in a whisper.
.
What can we do?
.
“I’m going.” Tom said, already calling someone to pack him a bag.
“Tom, I don’t like you, but I think that’s insane. Do you even have a plan? You can’t just go in there all willy nilly and hope for the best.” Colt says looking ten years older.
”I don’t have a plan, but if they can send Ryland with no training then they can send me too.” Tom knows this is insane, but hey, he never thinks anything through anyway.
”Tom that’s insane! You can’t go with him to space! What about your career?!” Gail finally chimes in after being quiet this whole time.
”I don’t CARE ABOUT MY CAREER GAIL! I care about Ryland! I care about my Grace.. who is about to be sent into space with people he doesn’t know.. I know I’m not smart. Shit I don’t even know half of the shit Grace doe, but I really love him. I love him so much that this hurts, and I can’t let him be sent to a place I’d never see him again I just can’t.”
.
Colt was honestly astonished. He’d never seen Ryder be this vulnerable, actually he’s never seen him be vulnerable at all. It’s honestly, and he can’t believe he’s about to say this about Tom Ryder of all people, sweet. Then again, Ryland always brought the best out of anyone, including him.
“Tom” Ryder turns to face him, sweating, and obviously scared but determined. “I want you to know if you go, you can’t come back. Do you understand that? I would go myself but I know if I went without Jody, Ryland would kill me and blame himself for allowing me to get caught up in “his own mess”. I want nothing more than to be there for him, and I can’t believe I’m doing this, but do you promise you won’t leave him alone?”
Colt had never been more serious in his life and if he didn’t have Jody, he would leave within a heart beat. It’s hard enough knowing that his fucking twin brother is being sent there, but he refuses to send Ryder with him unless he knows he’s serious.
“I promise. Colt, I love Ryland more than anything, and I can’t let him go alone. Please.”
.
“I can’t believe you let him go..”
“I know Jody, but what was I supposed to do? When he was talking about Ryland.. that’s how I look when I talk about you. I know he’ll take care of my brother, even if I still can’t believe Ryland chose Tom fucking Ryder.” Colt was still reeling from knowing his brother was going to be gone, but right now wasn’t the time to cry, he was going to make sure Ryder got there first before he could fall apart, because then he can fall apart knowing his brother won’t be alone.
”Your a softy… I’m sorry Colt” Jody says, knowing part of why he’s still here is because of her.
”Nothing to apologize for, Ryland would be proud.” Colt says pulling Jody closer, both waiting for any news of Ryder marking it to Ryland.
“He would be very proud.” Jody responded leaning closer as well.
If they were going to mourn, they were going to do it together, but not until the lovers made it to the stars.
.
Im coming my Grace….
Wait for me….