Christina has gone through relationship after relationship. Her most recent one ended just as bad as the others. Luckily, she was leaving to join the Navy. Ready to put all of it behind her.
Years later, she's the best of the best. They call her 'A...
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"Tex, I need you to listen to me." I said, my voice serious and stern. He is my RIO, he's supposed to listen to me and he does. But I needed his full attention. "I'm going to need you to trust me. Because we will be playing offensively which means we will need to outsmart him. Somethings I do might seem crazy or might just not make sense. But i'm going to need you to trust me." Texas nodded. "I always trust you." "Good. Lets do this." We get situated in my jet. I put on my helmet. It's light purple with the face of an owl over my call sign in Greek lettering. Three V shaped lines go from the back of the helmet and stop at the front. On each side is a silhouette of Athena's head with her helmet on and a circle of branches around her. Once we are ready, we take off. The anxious feeling in my stomach disappearing the moment I'm in the air. And the adrenaline replaces it. I'm back where I belong. "Ready when you are Athena." Maverick says through the coms. I smirked and tilted my head. "This is where the fun begins." I clip my mask to my helmet. "He isn't on my radar." Texas says. "Let's find him them." My eyes scanned the skies for the hornet. It would be best if I could get the jump on him. Or maybe he was getting the jump on me. He did take off before I did. For all I know he was trailing me and Tex just couldn't see him. But I'm proven wrong when my eyes land on a figure in the sky. I smirk and stay quiet. I'm assuming Tex sees him as well and takes my lead of staying silent. Flying forward, I plan to pull the same stunt he did with Payback and Rooster. "Athena?" Maverick asked. I suppose not having a RIO has its drawbacks. I'm able to sneak up on him. Banking upward and making the Hornet turn on it's side as I fly past him. "Holy shit-" Now I finally break the silence and laugh. "Fights on Mav." I announced. The stakes aren't as high as a usual dog fight, no one should get hurt. But to me, I needed to prove myself to this team and maybe even to my dad. As I started to chase him, I realized that not only did Ice teach me maneuvers but so did Mav. He showed me clips and explain to me different maneuvers. Meaning I can read his actions based off of what he showed me. I managed to stay on his tail. He tried a few ways to slip from me but I saw them coming from a mile away. My thumb would hover over the button to activate the guns but he would slip from my radar just as I was about to get a lock on him. I needed a strategy. It's not as easy as staying behind him until I get a lock on him. As much as his maneuvers would work, what would Ice do? How would he take down Mav back in top gun when they hated each other and crushing on each other? I don't have time to think about it before Mav starts to bank upward. I do as well. Lining up perfectly before suddenly, he hits the breaks. Shit, he pulled a Maverick. That's what we call it at least. I go right below him. Giving him the advantage as he is now able to get behind me. But maybe this won't be as difficult to get out of as I think. It might be as simple as an inside loop. One of the most basic moves they teach us. Most of us never use it. We stick to the more complicated maneuvers for dog fights. I wait for the perfect moment, when he's directly behind me to slowly pull up on the stick. Starting to climb upward. As my jet rolls onto it's back, and I can see Maverick pass below me, I close the throttle and keep pulling the stick back. Once I'm out of the loop, I maintain my speed and instantly get a lock on Maverick as he was level in front of me. The beeping signified I had won. "Maverick's dead!" I celebrated. Speaking for the first time since I called the start of the fight. I hear whoops from Texas as well. Now relived that neither of us have to do push ups. It feels good, I have to admit. Being the only one to shoot down Maverick. Especially after being told that being the best of the best is in the past. I let it get to my head a little. "So how'd you do it?" Maverick's voice reached me and I realize, he pulled up next to me. I looked over at him, chuckling as I take off my mask. "Beat your ass, when no one else could?" I asked. I hear him laugh. "I'm inside your brain, dad. I'm your clone. You taught me how to be a pilot before I could walk. I could tell what you were doing before you did it." I smirked. I could see him shake his head. Making me chuckle. "And ya know, I'm a Kazansky. We have a record of beating Mitchells." We flew to the base side by side. Making it closer to one of the towers. "Tower, this is viper requesting a flyby." I say. "Negative Viper, pattern is full." A voice replied. I smirk and looked to Mav. "What do ya say? For old times sake?" I asked. He instantly knew what I was asking. And Tex didn't object either. Maverick putting on his mask told me that he was down. I take the lead. Not slowing down as we get closer to it. As we reach the tower, I rotate to the left so the top of my jet was facing the tower. I even sped up a little to add the extra kick as we pass by the tower. Buzzing the tower for the first time since Top Gun. I cheer after we did. "I missed that." Texas laughs behind me. Because of the deal, both me and dad had to land. If he had won, he wouldn't have to land but he is a man of his word. I climbed down from the cockpit and I see Rooster coming out of the building. I rushed to him, taking off my helmet and shaking my head to let my hair loose. We high five before bringing our hands down and making contact again but downward. "I kicked his ass!" I laughed. "Hell yeah you did!" He was just as excited as I was. I suppose the whole group wanted to witness this because everyone emerged. Phoenix rushed and celebrated with us. But someone else gets my attention. It's Ice. Did he come to check in with the mission? I didn't care, I rushed to him. A huge smile on my face, like I was a kid again. "I beat him dad! The first time we ever flew together, I beat him!" I said excitedly. Like I was when I would show Ice a good grade I got. When I was younger, the most important thing to me was making my dads proud. They always would say 'we will always be proud of you, no matter what.' "And I am so proud of you, darling!" He cups my face and I can't help but smile more. Even though they told me that they always would be, it's still nice to hear it. His hands lowered down and he glanced from Mav, who had just landed, to me. "I hear from the others that there was a wager. He has to do 400 push ups?" I had almost forgot. "Oh yeah." I chuckled and turned. Walking past the group, they follow me as I meet up with dad on the tarmac. I don't even say anything. Just lifting my free hand up and pointing my pointer finger downward. Telling him to drop and give me 400. Thankfully, he doesn't protest or complain. He takes off his flight suit so he's in a black shirt and pants. Hondo doesn't even have to count as the whole team starts to. He just watched with a smile as dad does his push ups. I take a quick video. To document this special occasion. Others did too. Taking selfies and videos. Rooster did also. Taking a video of maverick before panning to me. I throw up a hang ten with my thumb and pinky. Once the celebrations died down, the others going inside, I follow suit. Letting Hondo finish the counting around 100. Once I'm out of my flight suit, I situate myself in the lounge. Wearing my green jumpsuit on my lower half, the sleeves tied around my waist. A black tank top underneath showing my tattoos on my arms. A picture of Athena on my left bicep, a branch with leaves around my left wrist, a skeleton hand holding a small bunch of flowers on my right bicep, and thin lightning going from my shoulder to my forearm. I have others. I get tattoos whenever I'm on dry land. Maybe I'll get another one after the mission. I take sips of my ice water. Trying to cool off after getting out of my cockpit. As a California girl, I'm used to the heat but it's so much worse when you're in a tin can in the atmosphere. You learn to adapt to it. Eventually it's not a top priority when you're getting fired at. "You gave Mav the ego check." Hangman states, sitting on the chair that was nearby the couch I was sitting in. I look over at him. "I figured since you couldn't, I had to get off my ass and do it myself." He chuckled. "So how did you do it?" "Well I can't tell you if I want to be team leader, now can I?" I asked. I get up from the couch. Taking another sip of my water. But Hangman follows me. "Me and Rooster are up next. Give us some advice on how to take him down." He said. I turn around. All eyes are on me. Even Rooster and Phoenix had a look on their face asking if I could share as well. At this point, I might as well. I sigh softly. "For this mission, you won't be up against Maverick, we'll be up against someone who we have know idea what they're capable of. That's how its like for every mission. We only know what skills we have. It's not about what they can do, it's how you react." I set down my water bottle and sit on the back of the couch with my boots on the cushions. I put up my hands. Both flat, one in front of the other. "Maverick hit the breaks and as a result, his hornet banked upward." I did the motions with my hands. "Making me fly under him so he could get on my tail. In the end all I had to do, was an inside loop. The most basic maneuver that they teach us. Your first instinct is to try and loose him by doing something complicated. You overthink it. When in reality, sometimes the answer to a problem is a simple solution." I put my hands on my lap. There was a moment of silence as my words sink in. My eyes glace from Hangman to the rest of the pilots. My eyes landing on Rooster nearby. "You're a better teacher than Maverick." He said with a smile. "Don't let him hear you say that." A voice gets everyone's attention from the doorway. We turn to see Admiral Bates. "Rooster, Hangman, you both are up. Better suit up." The two get up and I smile at Rooster. Wishing him luck with a nod. He nods back and the two leave. Texas sits with me. I pick up my water again. Taking a sip. Maybe becoming a leader of this mission won't be as hard as I think.
