Double-Cross

3

I sat on the ground trying to process what had just happened, when a paramedic came over to me. He was average height with red hair and brown eyes.
"The pilot said you helped land the plane, but wouldn't give me your name. How the hell did you manage to keep the chaos and madness down to a minimum?" He asked helping me to my feet.
"I stayed calm," I said simply. "When you stay calm and project and air of calmness you can keep people calm much easier."
"Who are you?"
"I'm just a kid who didn't want to die," I said. "Now why don't you go help some people instead of investigating me." I walked away from him.
Shortly after that busses came, to take the uninjured passengers to a hotel, until they could find transportation to our final destinations.
Once in my room I called my parents.
"Colton! Have you made it to L.A.?" My mother asked.
"No ma'am, I was in a plane crash. I'm fine, I promise. I only faced minor injuries." I said.
"Holy Shit Colton! Why didn't you call earlier?" "I couldn't. I'm sorry, I just got to the hotel they're holding us at."
"I'm glad you're ok, son."
"I have to go, they are calling us to the lobby. Bye."
I hung up on my mother and turned on the tv.
Where the hell am I? We could be anywhere in America right now.......
The news was on every channel, so I kept flipping channels, until I stumbled across an interview with the pilot.
"If it weren't for the heroics of a young man, who chooses to remain unnamed, I would not be standing here right now. My co-pilot, Oliver Potter, fell ill during the flight, and fell unconscious. The auto pilot function, broke, when his unconscious head fell onto the button, which lead to multiple system failures. The flight attendants called over the intercom for anyone who had experience flying a plane, and this very special young man came forward, with no fear. Once we were landed, he risked his own life, to save those trapped on the plane.  I would like to give him the greatest of thanks possible, by granting his wish of remaining anonymous. Thank you," he said, then walked off camera. I smiled, only the people on that plane would know my face, and only that pilot would know my name.
I stood there for a moment, just enjoying the fact that I was alive, when there was a knock on my door.
I opened it.
"Colton," it was the captain.
"Oh captain, how can I help you?" I asked.
"Please call me Will, William Eric Taylor."
"Will, please come in."
He came in and sat down on one of the beds.
"Colton I didn't get a chance to properly thank you today." He turned to the tv. "I see you watched my interview."
"Yes I did."
"What I said wasn't entirely true, Oliver wasn't ill, he was drunk as hell. I've never seen a man more drunk than he was."
"Why was he on the plane in the first place then?"
"He was fine when he got on. He had his water bottle on him as always, but he wasn't drinking water, he had hard liquor in there. I don't know how the hell he got so drunk. He must've refilled it when I wasn't looking, or when he went to the restroom."
"Did the plane go down the way you said?"
"Yes, everything else was true. I didn't want to ruin Oliver's good name. He's a great pilot, and he's been going through a lot recently. I told him not to fly today, but he wouldn't listen. I even had my backup co-pilot on call."
"Why wasn't your backup co-pilot on the plane?"
"He didn't think he needed to be. Neither of us did. We wouldn't have had these problems if he had been. You'd be at your final destination right now, not stuck in a hotel room in Nebraska."
"It's fine Will, I don't really want to be in L.A. any way."
"Colton, I'd love to stay, but I'm headed back to the airport in an hour, my wife is nine months pregnant, and could be having our first son any day now. I've already spoken to her don't worry. She told me that we should name our son after you. If it weren't for you my son wouldn't have a father."
"Will, I'm honored, but don't name your kid after me, I'm sure there's a more meaningful family name."
"No, there isn't. I'm Irish and all my family has crazy Irish names, so I think Colton is perfect, besides the wife gets what she wants, especially when she's nine months pregnant."
"Haha, ok. Please get home safely."
I shook his hand and he headed out the door.
I never heard from him again.
That night I slept better than I ever had, I didn't worry about anything, I didn't dream, I just slept.
The next day was hectic, I was given the option of flying to L.A. or driving to L.A.. I decided to fly because it would be quicker and less painful, besides legally I couldn't even rent a car.
This plane ride was much less eventful, I slept most of it too.
When I landed in L.A. I headed straight for the hotel my parents booked for me and checked in. My father postponed the start of my trading until Monday, because he knew about the crash and wanted to give me time to "recuperate." I was totally fine by the time I arrived in L.A., I wasn't going to tell my parents that though. It gave me four days to just enjoy L.A. and decide what the hell I was going to do.
The first thing I did was call Henry Kenton, the agent, I swore I wasn't going to call.
"Kenton," he said when he answered.
"Agent Kenton, this is Colton Beckett. I've made my decision." I said.