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Colt’s phone began to buzz on the side table next to him. He didn’t notice it for a few seconds, too deep in conversation with Courtland who was insisting that him going out to a bar nearby would put them both as severe risk even with Ryder no longer on their tails it still opened them up to attack. Colt pinned his ears back and growled in annoyance. God forbid a man want a quality beer every once in a while—
Then he noticed the flashing light and the incessant buzzing coming from his phone. The screen was illuminated by a picture of his brother Ryland getting splashed with a bucket of water, a look of horror and surprise flashing on the red fox’s face as he tried to run from the incoming wave being thrown at him from out of frame. Colt had decided to add the photo as a joke when he was adding Ryland to his new phone since it was the first photo in his camera roll.
Both Colt and Courtland stopped dead in their tracks as they glanced between the phone and each other, all previous hostility gone in an instant as Colt flew to grab his phone from the old and decrepit table that came with the hotel room. It wasn’t the call itself that caused them to panic, but rather the lack thereof.
Ryland had received a call a few months ago from an unknown number from someone who called themselves Eva Stratt. She had offered him a chance to come back to the lab after almost 3 years due to a certain *incident* that Ryland refused to elaborate on. Courtland had begged him to refuse, claiming it must be a trap! They shouldn’t just trust the first person who claimed to be a scientist even if it seemed genuine. They had come to an agreement that Grace would go will Eva, but Colt and Courtland would go as well to hopefully sniff out any foul play before any of them got hurt.
Ryland had been taken to a lab to do something science-y that Colt and Courtland had been firmly barred from watching, Despite their protests. They waited there for hours until Eva, a pale white and grey lynx in a sharp suit and a lab coat over it, told the brothers that Ryland was coming with them to a secret location, something about not needing outside interference and the fate of the world was at stake, Colt wasn’t buying it and damn near got himself arrested before Courtland had to drag him away. They had both sent text after text to Ryland afterwards but got radio silence in response. Courtland ranted about how he knew these people were no good and how if they’d listened to him this wouldn’t have happened. Colt was having none of it, and decided to try tracking Ryland’s phone which he’d done regularly when they were both getting stalked by Ryder and his goons for months. To his horror and confusion the signal was completely scrambled and refused to give him a consistent answer. It was at that moment he realized how bad things were.
That was eight months ago. Eight months of complete silence and he calls NOW?! Colt didn’t even take time to question it as he scrambled to put the phone on speaker mode and held it up between him and Courtland.
“Ry?! What’s going on??? Talk to me—“
The next few seconds all Colt could make out was the muffled sounds of what sounded like heaving sobs and sounds that all garbled together, all he could make out was “help me please!!!”
“I— slow down! I can’t hear you—“ Colt said, panic rising in his throat as he listened.
On the other end of the phone he could make out what sounded like Ryland taking a deep breath and letting out a shuddering exhale before he spoke again
“I’ve made a huge mistake, they’re gonna send me to space even though I’m not qualified— I don’t wanna die I don’t wanna go—“
Ryland devolved into muffled heaving sobs again as Colt tried to comfort him.
“Who’s doing what?! What happened???”
“They—they’re sending a ship to Tau ceti to try and find a solution to the Astrophage. They were gonna send three people but— but the people who were going to go died in a lab explosion, and I’m the only one left who’s qualified— I don’t want to go!!! I’m not qualified for this! I don’t want to die! Please don’t let them murder me please—“
Colt was completely silent for a few seconds, his breath coming in shallow huffs as his mind caught up with what was being said. Send him to space?! The man who was terrified of climbing a tree?! Nononono—
“What’s your location? We’re on our way!” Courtland spoke, which Colt silently appreciated. Ryland said a string of numbers that Colt didn’t understand, but Courtland nodded in understanding.
“That’s about two hours from here. Just stay put! We’re coming to get you!”
“O-okay okay please hurry!!!—“ the phone suddenly cut off with a click before either of them could say anything more.
*”this number either doesn’t exist or has been disconnected. Please try again later.”*
They cut his phone line. THEY CUT HIS PHONE LINE. Colt wasn’t even thinking as he ran to grab his jacket and keys off the hook by the hotel room door. He was about to rush out without a second thought before a blonde way grabbed his shoulder, Courtland turned Colt to look him in the face.
“Slow down! We can’t just rush in without a plan—“
“Screw that! Ry is in danger!!! I’m not losing him again— I’d never forgive myself!”
“So you plan to just rush into a guarded military base and what?! Just run in guns blazing and run off with him???”
“Mmm something like that yeah.”
“Oh my god… that’s a HORRIBLE IDEA.”
“You have any better ideas?!”
“…”
“…”
“We’re doing this my way COME ON—“
He didn’t even wait for Courtland to respond as he ran for the motorcycle he’d “borrowed” off of Ryder when he got arrested. Courtland had reprimanded him for it, but it’s not like Ryder was using it anyways. Colt didn’t even bother with the padding as him and Courtland threw on their helmets and were off down the highway by the hotel.
—
They’d been driving for almost three hours, traffic frustratingly slow, but when he wasn’t behind idiots who didn’t seem to understand the concept of the execration pedal he was flying down the highway and breaking at least a few dozen traffic laws, but he didn’t care. They could make out the rough shape of what looked to be a rocket and a military base surrounding it, they figured that was the place.
The road up to the base was concerningly quiet. Nobody tried to stop them as they drove through the deep spruce forest before coming to a clearing where they could see the whole base… it was HUGE! It looked to be the size of a small city from where they were standing. Colt skidded the motorcycle to a halt and popping up his visor.
“Well… what do we do now?” Colt asked
Behind him Courtland pulled of his helmet and shook out his hair and ears as he looked at the base.
“I don’t know… we could try sneaking in, I can steal a badge from one of the guards and work my way in—“
He didn’t have time to finish his sentence before a terrified scream paralyzed him. Not just the scream, but he recognized the source immediately—
“RYLAND!” Colt and Courtland threw screamed in unison
On the other side of the fence they could make out a group running towards them, several of them in black coats and carrying guns, and in the center was Ryland in an oversized yellow raincoat and a beanie. He let out several panicked yelps as he ran.
“PLEASE!!! I DON’T WANT TO GO!!! PLEASE DON’T MURDER ME!!!” He begged as he ran before suddenly being tackled to the ground a few dozen yards from the gate. Colt didn’t even hesitate as he flipped down his visor again.
“Okay fuck subtly. I’M COMING RY!!!” He screamed as he revved up the motorcycle and drove towards the gate, popping up on his back wheel as he did so. Next to the gate was what looked to be an armored vehicle. Colt revved up the motorcycle and jumped it onto the hood of the car and used it as a ramp to jump over the fence. As he flew midair he let go of the motorcycle and let it sail past him as he prepared himself for a painful landing. As he fell into the grass with a painful *crack* he heard the motorcycle explode somewhere beyond him. He had to pause for a few seconds as the sharp pain worked its way through his body. He could faintly make out the sound of Courtland jumping down beside him as Colt pulled himself to his feet. Ears pinned back as he let out a snarl.
“HEY! GET OFF OF HIM!!!” Colt screamed as he ran forwards and pulled his paw back and threw himself at the first guard he could see and tackled him to the ground. Courtland followed suit and began knocking down guards faster than they could fight back. They managed to form a defensive circle around Ryland whose fur was matted and covered in water from the scuffle. Colt leaned down and pet his head gently.
“It’s okay, you’re gonna be okay—“
“If you could be so kind.” A familiar voice growled, and Colt looked back with a snarl as a familiar White and Grey lynx walked towards them, arms crossed behind her back as he tail swished back and forth in obvious frustration and annoyance.
“Give me back my scientist, and nothing harm will come to any of you.”
“Hmp, you think you can threaten us?! You have no leverage!” Colt growled while using his body as a shield to hide Ryland.
“Oh really? Look up.”
Against his better judgment Colt and Courtland decided to look up and froze. The air around them was swarming with drones pointing their lasers directly at them. They had no cover, if the drones shot at them they would be dead.
“Now—“ Eva hissed again “let’s try this again. Give me back my scientist or I will give the order, and all three of you won’t be going home.”
“You can’t do this! He’s not an astronaut! He gets sick if an elevator is too high!” Colt begged
“I don’t need an astronaut, I need someone who is an expert in Astrophage and your brother happens to be the leading expert in the entire world, and he’s already been injected with a drug that will cause him to forget all of this, so saving him will do nothing.”
“You’re SICK.” Colt hissed, snout curled back in a snarl.
“I’m doing what is required to save humanity. If he doesn’t go, our entire planet will die. You don’t want to be the cause of a global extinction do you?”
Colt and Courtland paused for several seconds to look at each other before looking back at Eva.
“Fine, I’ll give him to you, but we’re coming too. I’m not leaving him behind.”
Courtland let out a surprised huff but didn’t say anything, instead choosing to rub his paw over the messy fur on Grace’s head.
“Hmp… that can be arranged.” Eva nodded, giving another flick of her tail.
“Guards, sedate them.” She ordered
“Wait what—“ both siblings said in unison, but before they could finish their sentence a sharp pain shot into his neck, and within seconds his legs started to shake before giving out on him entirely. He heard Courtland let out a panicked yelp before he dropped to the ground as well.
“Thank you for your participation, you will be remembered as heroes.” Eva smiled.
Colt tried to reach out a paw to grab at her, but his entire body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as his vision began to dim before he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore and the world went black.
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