FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙔-𝙁𝙄𝙑𝙀

Her voice was hoarse as it came out, "Comanche, Dagger One. Standby check in."

The lady in the Comanche's voice crackled to life, "Comanche 11, set. Picture clean. Recommend Dagger continue."

"Copy. Daggers descending below radar." On the command, the other three pilot's sailed downwards into the clouds to follow Lilah.

Even though she couldn't see them, she could hear them breathing. She smiled slightly at the constant reassurance that they were alive.

"Daggers now below radar. Switching to E-2 picture."

The water was closely approaching. Their power from their engines distrubed the calm waves.

"Here we go. Enemy territory up ahead. " Lilah announced. "Feet dry in 60 seconds. Comanche, Dagger One. Picture."

"Comanche. Picture clean. Decision is yours."

Lilah's breath caught in her throat. It was starting to become pain, the intakes and outtakes of air. "Copy." She glanced back at Bradley. He was to her right, and she could see the red of his helmet. She hoped he could see the blues of hers. "Dagger attack."

"Tomahawks airborne." mission control said.

"No turning back now." Lilah heard Warlock say. She swore that she heard Maverick's sharp intake of breath.

Overheard, the missiles sailed past them.

To their target.

To their death.

"Daggers, assuming attack position." Lilah ordered, and Bradley's aircraft disappeared from her vision as they got into a straight line. Natasha was right on her tail. "Daggers set. Proceeding to target. Two minutes and 30 seconds in three, two, one, mark."

Lilah clocked the timer for hers.

"Two mark." Natasha's soft voice came through.

"Three mark." Bradley muttered.

And finally, "Four mark."

"Let's rock their shit." Lilah exhaled, before she was shooting through the canyon. No one responded as they followed.

It wasn't like when they were in the simulation.

The turns were tighter, the walls closer, it was real. One wrong move, and she would be crashing into the wall. Her breath was no longer coming out in its normal puffs, but in strained, painful huffs. It was as if someone was squeezing her lungs and wouldn't let go.

They soared over a river, and in different circumstances, Lilah wouldn't have minded the view. But this was real.

It was life or death.

She accelerated and her engine shrieked. Nat understood, and sped up with her. Bradley was falling behind.

"First SAM site overhead."

The missiles were pointed at the sky.

A kill machine.

"Looks like we're clear on the radar, Hurricane." Phoenix gasped out and Lilah had never been happier to hear more than just breathing.

"Let's not take it for granted," Lilah said, feeling uneasy.

"More SAMS!" Fanboy shouted. "Three o'clock high!"

"We got two minutes to target!" Bob ground out.

LIlah breath started to speed up as she did. Phoenix didn't shout to slow down, she kept up, increasing her speed.