More Protective Colby

Newfound Strength

TW: Attempted sexual assault

Every year Sam, Colby and their Kansas friends Nate Hardy and Alex Lorei do a boys trip together. After Kauai in 2019 didn't go exactly as planned, they were determined to make this one the best yet. And the perfect place to do that? Vegas! They wanted to have the time of their lives and in Vegas, the party never stops!

It was late, very late, when Colby decided to take a walk and get some air. He left the hotel room and began walking down the street.

"Colby, wait up!" said Sam.

Colby stopped to wait up for his best friend. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm not letting you go walking alone at 4am dumbass," laughed Sam.

"I can handle myself," said Colby.

"You can't be too careful," said Sam.

The boys weren't too far from the hotel; they hadn't been walking long when they felt like they were being watched. Colby risked a glance behind them, and noticed what looked like two men in masks quickly walking towards them. It's possible they were like them, just out walking, masks weren't alarming in this day and age. Colby kept a close eye on the men, and noticed they took all the same turns and paths as him and Sam, and they seemed to speed up with every turn.

"Dude, I think we're being followed," Colby whispered to Sam.

Sam stole a glance behind them and saw the two men presumably following them. Sam and Colby decided to speed up. When they did, the men started jogging towards them, they turned a corner quickly and came to a dead end. Perfect! Way to pay attention to which way they were going. Luckily, they could see their massive hotel in the distance. They looked behind them and saw that the two men had disappeared.

"Think we lost them," said Sam.

"You boys lost?" asked a man.

Sam and Colby whipped around and came face to face with one of the men who was following them, they recognized the mask.

"Uh no," said Colby calmly. "We're alright thank you."

"Are you sure?" said the other man, who came up behind them. "It's very easy to get lost in these parts, especially at night."

"Yea, we're fine," said Sam. "We'll just be on our way."

"Not so fast!" said the man in front of them, brandishing a knife.

"Whoa, whoa," said Colby, raising his hands defensively. Sam did the same.

"Wallets now!" said the man. Sam and Colby looked behind them, the other man was also brandishing a knife.

"We don't have our wallets," replied Sam. "We left them at our hotel."

"That's a load of crap," said the other man.

"You don't mind if we check then, do you?" said the first man.

Sam eyed Colby, and watched as the man behind them came up in front of Colby, putting his blade to Colby's neck.

"Don't move," he said threateningly.

The first man walked up to Sam, and put his knife in his pocket, preparing to frisk Sam.

"Don't touch him!" said Colby.

"Shut up!" said the man, pushing the blade harder against Colby's neck.

Sam was frozen as the first man patted him down, finding nothing but his cellphone in his pocket, which the man pocketed. When the man was done frisking Sam, he looked at him with an evil grin. He took out his knife and slid it down Sam's face.

"Hey Gus," said the man in front of Sam. "This one is kinda pretty." He smirked evilly. "I think we should have some fun."

"Leave him alone!!!" shouted Colby, attempting to make a move. The other man, Gus, grabbed Colby and restrained him.

"Shut him up!" said the first man.

"Get your hands off of h-" shouted Colby as Gus clamped his big hand over Colby's mouth.

The first man pushed Sam up against the wall, pinning his arms above him and covering his mouth, preventing him from screaming. Colby shouted against the other man's hand, but all that came out were muffled screams.

"Now listen here," said the man pinning Sam. "I'm gonna remove my hand from your mouth. You say or try anything, and Gus over there, is gonna paint the streets with your friend's blood."

The man took his hand away from Sam's mouth. Sam remained quiet, turning his head away from the man and shutting his eyes tightly, his arms still pinned above him.

"It's okay pretty boy," said the man, caressing Sam's cheek with his free hand. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm gonna make you feel really good."

Sam flinched under his touch. The man's hand hovered over the hem of Sam's jeans, soon popping open his button and pulling down his zipper.

"I said GET! YOUR HANDS! OFF OF HIM!!" screamed Colby, charging towards the man holding Sam. Sam noticed the other man knocked out cold on the ground.

Colby didn't know if it was the adrenaline, the fear, whatever, but Colby had this man on the ground in two seconds flat, even though he was twice Colby's size.

Colby repeatedly punched the man in the face. His fist came down hard, and then he stood up as he heard Sam call his name. Colby quickly rushed to Sam's side. He grabbed Sam's shoulders, and looked him right in the eyes.

"Sam, are you okay?" asked Colby. "Did he?"

"No, he didn't," said Sam. "I'm fine, just really shaken up."

Colby quickly reached into the first man's pocket, returning Sam's phone. He then took out his own and called the police. The two men were bandaged and taken into custody. Colby's bruised hand was bandaged from the punches.

The officers took a statement from each of the boys. Nate and Alex had also come to meet them. They felt their odds were better with four. When they reached the hotel, Colby turned to Sam, who was still very much in shock.

"If you hadn't been there," said Sam.

"You mean if I hadn't decided to go for a walk," said Colby.

"That's not what I mean," said Sam. "I meant, thank you."

Colby sent him a gentle smile and a nod. "You sure you're gonna be okay?" he asked.

"I'm sure I will be, eventually," said Sam. "By the way, how the hell did you even take them down?" asked Sam. "You were like a superhuman."

"I can't really explain it," said Colby. "I don't know if it was adrenaline or what. But when he grabbed you and shoved you up against that wall, it was like something inside me snapped. Like a newfound strength."

Sam smiled. He understood what Colby meant. He had found himself in the same situation a couple times. You'd be surprised what strength you find inside yourself, especially when it comes to someone you care about.