Righteous - Bradley Bradshaw

~Dead?

mentions of suicide.

march 17, 2013

14 days have passed since Lt. St. James disappeared in her F18. 14 days since Chief St. James retired from the Dallas fire department. 14 days since her wingman Lt. Seresin has flown. 

In the grand scheme of things, 14 days isn't a long time. But, grief can do so much harm in 14 days. Which is why, Ryan St. James' funeral is in two days. 

But it can also mean the difference between life and death. Which is why Lt. St. James wingmen are called into Admiral Writ's office at 9:01am. 

"Satellite pulled these images last night a couple hundred miles from where Lt. St. James went uh down." turning the computer screen to face the students, "her F18. It washed up here."

"Sir, are you saying that you believe Oakley to be a-alive?" Lt. Machado questions. 

"It's a possibility. Which is why I called you both in."

"Your orders Sir?"

"You two are to leave at first light, fly to the last known position of her F18, and do recon. Under no circumstances, and I mean no circumstances do you land. You hear me boys? Recon." 

"Sir, yes sir!" 

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By the time the sun rises, the young pilots are already in their respective planes. 

"Coyote, what do you say we find her?" 

"Let's go, man." 

When the pilots reach the site, the first thing they see is the downed F18 of their friend. Jake's heart breaking is louder than the engine of his beloved plane. 

"What the?" Javy says over the comms. 

"Come on, let's fly around." The small island has a small landing strip which Jake can see a few planes parked on the taxiway. 

"We are behind lines right?" Jake's slience sends chills down Javy's spine. 

"Come on, one more round." Turning his aircraft to the side he follows Hangman around. 

"Wait what is that?" As Jake whipped his head around his helmet smacks into the side of the canopy, "what is what?" As they make the approach to the F18 again, they see a figure running to the plane. 

"Is that a flight suit?" 

"Oak! Come on the landing strip isn't far." Jake picks up his speed, making the approach to the landing strip. Javy matches his speed and watches as Oakley sees them and starts running with them. 

"Jake, we are single flyers, we don't have room." Javy admits. 

"We will make room." Jake touches down as a figure comes through the trees. Sparing no time to lower his ladder, Jake leaps out of the cockpit and starts running. 

"Oakley!" Stopping short, she just stares at him. 

"No way. Jake!" Running into his arms, a sense of relief runs through her. 

"Are you okay?" He holds her face, inspecting her. 

"I'm better now that I see you."

"Jake! We uh gotta go!" Javy yells from his plane. 

"Right, let's get out of here." 

"Um jake, you need a two seater for this to work." 

"Nope, come on." She follows him up the ladder to see Jake pointing to the back with all the switches. 

"Come on tiny, you fit." Glaring at him, she climbs into the back and manages to fold her legs in such a way, surprisingly she fits. 

"Ready?" 

"Jake! Planes are turning on!" Javy shouts through the comms. 

"Yup, let's go." When they get into the air, they turn off their radars and go straight through the clouds. 

"Skywalker! How are you still alive?" 

"Coyote, I don't even know." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Roosevelt, this is Hangman and Coyote requesting permission to land." 

"Affirmative, you are cleared to land." 

"Are you ready to be home?" 

"I need a shower."

"Yeah, I don't know why I offered you to fly with me. You stink."

"You be glad I can't hit you."

Laughing, Jake positions his aircraft to come in for a landing. Coyote comes in after him. 

"Come on, let's get you to medic." 

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea." Wincing as the canopy opens, dizziness clouds her vision. Lowering the ladder, Jake climbs enough out when Admiral Writ comes over to his plane.

"How did recon go, lieutenant?"

"Sir, we got her."

"Come on." He extends his hands out and pulls her out.

"Lieutenant St. James!" Guiding her down the ladder, Jake notices a blood stain on her leg.

"Javy! Get a stretcher!" He yells out. 

"Hey what happened?"

"Oh that, the locals shot me yesterday."

"YOU HAVE BEEN BLEEDING OUT SINCE YESTERDAY?" Jake panics. He got his answer as her eyes roll back and she drops.

"JAVY!" He yells, dropping to her.

"Here, get her on." Loading her on the stretcher, they run past the confused and angry Admiral to the medic bay. 

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