𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐘, BRADLEY BRADSHAW

iv. 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒

"Whatever. Just flirt with him a little bit. You can't let my otp die."

"Goodnight Natasha, I'm gonna go find a roommate who doesn't like to meddle in my love life." I say opening the door.

"Try Bradshaw!"

-¯'★'¯-

"TIME IS YOUR GREATEST ENEMY," Maverick announces at the start of 'class'. Behind him on the board is a map of our mission. "Phase one of the mission will be a low level attacking of two plane teams. You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar guided surface area missiles defend the canyon, these SAMS are lethal. But they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below."

"That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them." Rooster interrupts.

"That's exactly what we are going to do." Maverick says with the most serious expression while I think he really is as crazy as my dad bought him up to be. "On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet, maximum. You exceed this altitude, radar will spot you and you're dead. Your air speed will be 660 knots, minimum. Time to target, 2 and a half minutes. That's because 5th generation fighters wait at an air base nearby. In a head to head with these planes in your F-18's, you're dead. That's why you need to get in, hit your target, and get out before the planes even have a chance of catching you. This makes time your greatest adversary"

"So today we're gonna take it easy on you. Max ceiling, 300 feet. Time to target, 3 minutes."

Easy? Yeah right.

"Good luck.'

-¯'★'¯-

I FAILED. Again. Goddamnit. I was on a team with Phoenix and Bob and everything was just fine. We were 2 seconds behind so I tried to increase my speed, and unlike Rooster would have, I announced it to Phoenix, but for some reason it malfunctioned. Because I hadn't sped up, Phoenix had to pull up and break the 300 ft ceiling.

"Why are they dead?" Maverick asks me.

"We broke the 300 ft ceiling and a SAM took us out." Phoenix explained.

"No, why are they dead?" He continues looking at me.

"I told them I was speeding up but my aircraft malfunctioned."

"Why didn't you anticipate the turn? You were briefed on this terrain." He asks Phoenix but before she could answer he nods toward Bob. "Don't tell me, tell it to his family.'

We all look down at our laps. Next was Hangman, Payback, and Fanboy. According to a replay of their run, Payback pulled up while Hangman left him in the dust. Classic Hangman.

"What happened?"

"Well I flew as fast as I could, kind of like my ass depended on it." Hangman smirked, sucking up to Maverick.

"And, you put your team in danger and your wingman's dead." Rooster added. I looked over my shoulder at him.

"They couldn't keep up."

Next was Rooster's group. They were the only ones to make it out alive, although twenty seconds behind and probably dead in the end.

"Why are you dead?" Maverick questions. "Your team leader up there, why are you, why is your team dead?"

"Sir, He's the only one who made it to the target." I defended Rooster.

"Yeah and a minute late, he gave enemy aircraft time to shoot him down, so now he's dead."