Cole rode into Fix it Jay Junior on the trolley, one hand clasped around his medal. It was awfully quiet. All the lights were out at the Niceland Apartments, but for a single light way up in the penthouse. Cole squinted up at it, then walked into the lobby to take the elevator.
When he got to the penthouse, the door hung slightly open. Cole pushed it the rest of the way and stepped inside. The place looked like it had been looted.
"Hello?" Cole called, glancing around. "Anybody home? Jay? Mary? Brad?"
"Well, you actually went and did it," a squeaky, familiar voice mused behind him.
Cole spun around. There, by the bar, stood Gene, pouring himself one last drink.
"Gene! Good to see you. Where is everybody?" Cole asked.
"They're gone," Gene said simply. "After Jay went to find you and then didn't come back, everyone panicked and abandoned ship."
"But, but I'm here now. I'm back. And I've got a medal, see?" Cole stammered, tugging on the medal hanging from his neck.
Gene shook his head and motioned toward the balcony. "It's too late, Cole. Wu's pulling our plug in the morning."
Cole went over and looked out. He saw an Out-of-Order sign taped to the console.
"But, never let it be said I'm not a man of my word," Gene sighed dramatically. He pulled something out his pocket and tossed at Cole. "The place is yours. Enjoy."
Cole caught the thing and looked at it. It was a key ring, with the keys to the penthouse.
He looked up to see Gene lugging his suitcase toward the door.
"Gene, wait. Listen, this isn't even close to what I wanted," Cole said pleadingly.
Gene stopped, but didn't turn back. "So what DID you want?"
"I don't know," Cole murmured, defeated. "I just... I was just tired of living alone in the garbage."
"Well, now you can live alone in the penthouse," Gene mocked. With that, he walked out, the door swinging forlornly behind him.
Cole stood there, alone. He walked out to the balcony and took off the Medal of Heroes, looking at it. He shook his head, disgusted at it and at himself, then threw it. The medal flew into the air and smacked right into the game screen. The hit on the screen caused one corner of the tape on the Out-of-Order sign to release. The sign went crooked.
Shaking his head, Cole sighed. He looked out the game screen and saw the Sugar Rush console across the way. It reminded him of the homemade medal Zane gave him, which was still around his neck. He took it off and turned it to the side that read 'You're my Hero'. He hugged it to his chest mournfully and looked back out at the Sugar Rush game.
He frowned. Something seemed off, something about the console. There on the side were illustrations of all the characters, Taffyta, Candlehead, Jubileena, Rancis, even Zane.
That made Cole think and think hard. Before he even had an idea fully formulated, he ran off.