Soaring | Bradley Bradshaw

9

Don't be Afraid

Tails stood next to Crow, they took a breathe. Time had ran out and they had to make sure everything they trained for was good enough. Captain Mitchell stood in front of the naval aviators, he was about to make his selection. Crow grabbed onto Tails's hand. "Don't die on me Tails." Crow muttered. "How do you know I am going to get picked?" Tails questioned her. "I just know." Crow replied. Tails looked ahead as Maverick was about to speak.

"It's been an honor flying with you. Each of you represents the best of the best. Which this mission only few can go, this was a difficult choice to make but this decision was solely based off of who would not only be able to handle the mission but to get the mission done." Maverick explained. Tails took a breathe. 

"Choose your two foxtrot teams." The Admiral starts, nobody moving a muscle.  "Payback and Fanboy, Phoenix and Bob." Maverick starts. Phoenix and Bob looked at each other in response. Payback and Fanboy continued to look forward. "And your two wingmen." Maverick looked at Rooster then at Tails which Tails started getting nervous but Crow and Dawn grabbed onto her hand for support. 

"Rooster and Tails." Maverick replied. "The rest of you will stand by on the carrier for any reserve role that's required. Dismissed." Admiral said. Coyote looked at Tails. "Give em' hell up there Tails." Coyote said to her. "You know it." Tails said as they fist bumped.Crow and Dawn looked at Tails. "Look at my bestie off to destroy things." Crow said. "You seriously just didn't quote Mulan." Dawn said. Crow rolled her eyes. "Serious like coyote said, Give em' hell." Crow said. Tails hugged the both of them. 

......

Serenity was getting ready and she saw Bradley. She walked over to him, "Well I guess I have not only you to worry about but I have to worry about getting back to you." Tails said she held back her tears which caused Bradley to pull her into a hug. "Serenity, Don't be afraid... we got this." He said to her as they pulled away. She smiled at him as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Everything alright here?" Maverick said as he walked up to them. Tails shook her head, "Yeah... just the nerves that's all." Tails replied. "You got this... both of you... Go make River and Dodger proud." Maverick told her with a slight smile. She felt the tears coming back when he mentioned her parents. She simply nodded. She blew a kiss to Rooster, he smiled and she walked to her plane.

.....

"Dagger 1, Up and Ready." Maverick announced.

"Dagger Spare, standing by." Hangman added.

"Dagger 5, up and ready." Tails called out.

"Dagger 4, up and ready." 

"Dagger 3, up and ready." 

"Dagger 2, up and ready." Rooster declared.

"Dagger Alternate, standing by." Crow finished. Crow looked over at Hangman then ahead as she watched them take off. "You guys got this." Crow muttered.

................

Tails was trailing behind Maverick with Phoenix and Bob behind her. Rooster, Payback and Fanboy wasn't too far behind them, that was their set order, not letting things change. Tails took a breathe. "Please mom and dad, give us sign that we are going to make it." Tails muttered loud enough for both Maverick and Rooster to hear. "Don't worry kid." Maverick muttered

"Alright here we go, remember stay low and don't alert these missiles but be quick and on time. Tails are you ready?" Maverick asked. "Ready, locked and loaded, Rooster?" Tails answer. "Ready." Rooster said but not sounding very confident which worried the woman.

Back at base. Crow was on edge and Hangman noticed. "Hey Avery, they are going to be fine." He tells her. She looked over at him, "I know Jake, but it's still worrying." She replied to him. Dawn watched on screen. then she noticed the enemy plane popped up which really set her on edge. "Sir, we're picking up two bandits thirty miles out." A woman explained as the two bandit planes almost perfectly aligned with Tails and Maverick's planes with the direction they were headed. "Shit." Dawn muttered. "They'll make it." Cyclone replied.

Nerves was getting the best of Rooster as he never caught up with everyone and shot him, Payback and Fanboy very behind schedule. "Rooster, we're one minute behind schedule, we gotta haul ass!" Payback yells into the radio but it doesn't get him to snap out of it. Rooster stays at a steady speed concerning everyone up front. "Come on Rooster." Maverick tries but there isn't no response. By that time, Maverick, Phoenix, Bob and Tails were coming up on target.

"Target acquired!" Phoenix yells. "I'm locked in!" Tails replies getting ready. "Firing in 3, 2 ,1!"  With that, Tails accurately drops her bomb into the small opening, sending it into pieces. "Oh my goodness." Tails muttered loudly. "Great work Tails, Rooster?" Maverick said still not getting a response from him. Tails heard him mentioning his dad which caused her heart to drop.

"Rooster, Darling I love you.... but YOU NEED TO MOVE YOUR ASS!" Tails exclaimed loudly which caused him to snapped out of it and move it up quickly. "Rooster, Status?" Maverick asked. "Almost there Mav, almost there. Fanboy where's my laser?" Rooster replied. Fanboy then began to panic. "Rooster there's something wrong with this laser. Deadeye, Deadeye!" Fanboy yelled out. 

"Shit." Tails muttered while trying to stay clam.

The three of them flew up and over the mountain. "There's no time, I'm dropping." Rooster stated. Tails knew something had to be done but she had faith in Rooster. Fanboy and Payback protested but Rooster stated. "There's no time, bombs away." which he hit the target perfectly.

Rooster, Payback and Fanboy made their climb successfully and caught up with everyone else. but still didn't doesn't mean they were out of the woods just yet. Tails took a moment but that shortly ended when she looked over spotted a black plane tailing her which alarmed her. "Guys! We got bandits on our asses!" She yells out getting everyone's attention.

"Get ready!" Maverick yelled, noticing another one that trailed him, after a moment, the bandits cut in between the two of them, scaring everyone. "Shit, shit, shit! I don't fucking think so!" Tails yells as she saw one of the bandits trying to cut Rooster off. As they try to fire at him, she pulls upwards, right above the plane, shooting their upcoming missile to bits, the bandit tries the same maneuver with her but misses as she breaks right quickly and the missile hits the mountain.

Tails panics as the bandit that Maverick was trying to shake notices her. They switch their agenda and things take a turn, when one of them managed to hit her plane. She was going down. "Shit!" Phoenix yelled. Rooster panics but trying to go after her, The bandits began to trail him but he didn't care as Maverick, Phoenix and Payback did their best to fend them off.

........

"ROOSTER!!!" Tails screamed out before it went silent which sent Crow in a panic. "TAILS!" She screamed. 

"Tails! Shit!" Rooster yelled out. Phoenix had managed to shoot one of the bandits off but one was still trailing Maverick. Phoenix heart had shattered. "I didn't see a parachute!" Payback yells as his voice cracked. "I'm going after her!" Rooster ordered but only to be stopped. "Dagger you are not to engage. repeat you are not to engage." Cyclone ordered. Tears slipped down Dawn's face as Coyote tries to calm her down.

Hangman sat in the cockpit like he had just seen a ghost. Tails's scream had frighten everyone. "Permission For Crow and I to assist?" He asked. "Negative, we'll send a search and rescue." Cyclone replied. Crow sobbed more which caused Hangman to jump out of his plane and go over to Crow's. She looked at him and pulled him into a hug. "She can't be gone, just feel so hopeless that I can't go out and find her." Crow said. "I know but Tails is a badass, she's gotta be fine." Hangman said comforting Crow. Then they heard Maverick's  plane went down.

............

Author's Note

Ahh! 2k reads, thank you all so much, I am so happy you all are enjoying this book.