Dawn of the Cyclone

CHPT • VI •

Dayton spent that afternoon having fun with the paperwork. And she waited for Maverick to land so they could talk. He had to explain to her the state of the training. A knock on the door catches her attention.

- Come in. - she called.

- Miss Shell, you asked about me. - said Maverick.

- I did, captain. Sit down.

-What is it about? The training is going at a good pace.- he began to explain.

- Maverick, you don't have a trained team. You have a group of individuals. And Rooster is still involved.

- I can train them, but they are not ready.

-Ice is worried. The mission must be accomplished.- Dayton said and got up from the table. She walked nervously around the office with her hands behind her back.

-Believe me that I will try everything to succeed. I'll talk to Ice.

Dayton nodded and Maverick explained the details of today's training. They both headed to the classroom where the pilots were waiting for them.

- Coyotes, why are they dead? - said Dayton immediately after entering the classroom. Coyote was amazed.

- Why are they dead? - she repeated the question.

- I didn't communicate. I didn't...

- Don't explain to me. Save the explanation for the parents at the funeral of your colleagues. - Dayton interrupted him.
Coyote just looked at the floor without saying a word.

- Phoenix, why are you dead?

-I...

-Also save the explanation for his family.- Dayton interrupted her and pointed to Bob next to her.

-Hangman, HP...why is your team dead?

- They couldn't follow us. Even HP couldn't follow me as my wingman.-Hangman says in a cocky tone.

-Dude, the mission is not to know who is faster.- said Rooster.

-Lieutenant Bradshaw, your callsign is Hangman?- Dayton asked him with her hands on her back.

- No, ma'am. It's a Rooster, ma'am.

-When I say your callsign, you get the word. Until then, you will remain silent. Clear?

-Clear, ma'am.

- Hangman, your answer is?

- I flew as if my life depended on it. - Hangman answered with a cheeky smile. As angry as Dayton was, she was drawn to the mystique of Hangman's green eyes and the brilliance of his smile. She approached him step by step and rested her palms on the arms of his seat. She leaned forward enough that they were eye to eye.

- I don't need fast pilots. The world is full of such. I need a calm pilot who is there in mind and body while protecting himself, his team and his country. Also, Seresin, people like you...I see too often how they don't return home or are not in one piece.- she whispered to him loud enough for everyone to hear her. She was so close to him that she could see the skin on his neck crawling.

His eyes were colored with shock and some kind of hurt. He didn't expect this kind of response from Dayton.

-Captain, you can claim your birdies.- Dayton said mockingly, looking Payback and Harvard in the eyes.

She left the classroom and headed to the office. On the way, she met Cyclone, whom she didn't even notice. She was furious because this had never happened to her before. In front of her was a bunch of stupid pilots for whom it is more important to show the size of their egos. Dayton tries to calm down by coming up with a plan for their training. They had less than 3 weeks until the start of the mission. Ice had his hopes in her. This time, she decided on a drastic move. She had been here for years and even lived inside the base. She had a key in her desk drawer that she hadn't touched in years. She grabbed it and headed towards one of the hangars. When Dayton finally got inside, she saw an F-18 Hornet jet under a protective cover that was covered in dust. The jet was looked after by an older technician who adored her and her father. She took off her jet cover and tears ran down her cheeks as she touched the "CDR Gabriel 'Shark' Shell" sign below the cockpit. Her father was also a pilot who first flew for the US Army as a helicopter pilot and later transferred to the NAVY. He was killed in a mission in the Middle East along with the entire squadron. Dayton stayed at the base for several months after his funeral and was raised by her father's comrades and new pilots who loved her. Among those pilots were Hollywood, Merlin and Iceman who became a young commander. Dayton recalled how he was always accompanied by his goofy wingman Slider. She heard footsteps behind her and turned around. She saw Rooster with a surprised look.