Skylar's Wish • Rooster

Chapter 3: Introduction

...

Phoenix and I walk out of the locker room onto the airstrip with our matching army green flight suits on and helmets in hand. Sweat is starting to form on my forehead and lower back already.

I walk over to my plane and start the flying check-list. I walk around my plane to make sure everything is in order and ready to fly. I finish at the nose of the plane. I run my hand over Lt. Savannah 'Skylar' Kazansky written in thick black letters. To my left, I hear a man yelling. I stop and look over. I watched as Rooster turned towards Maverick with a deep frown plastered on his face. Maverick starts to talk to Rooster. The conversation doesn't last long, but it looks tense. Rooster turns and quickly walks away and over to his plane. I look at Maverick and find that he is already looking at me. I shake my head before walking over to Rooster.

"Hey," He ignores me and continues to walk around, completing his plane check-list. "Rooster, look at me." I start to raise my voice. He doesn't stop. "Bradley!" I finally yelled. He finally stops and turns to me. "Look, I just wanted to say good luck. And I know you and Maverick have history. And how much you hate him, but don't kill him or yourself up there," I tell him. He sighs and nods. I place my hand on his shoulder and give it a friendly squeeze before walking over to the break room, to wait my turn.

Sitting in the air-conditioned break room. We listen to Maverick explain what today's exercise is over the radio. "Good morning, Aviators. This is your Captain is speaking." I can picture the giant smile that's on his face. "Welcome to basic flight maneuvers. As reported, our exercise today is dogfighting. Guns only. No missiles. We will not go below the 5,000 feet limit. You have to work as a team and shoot me or else..." Payback cuts into Maverick's pause, "Or what, sir?"
"Or I will shoot back. If I shoot one of you, you both lose." Sitting next to me, Hangman rolls his eyes. "This guy needs an ego check,"
"So do you," I hear Phoenix chuckle behind me. "Maverick, how about we put a little skin in the game?" Payback asks.
"What's on your mind?"
"Whoever gets hit first should do 200 push-ups," Payback suggests. "That's a lot of push-ups."
"They don't call it exercise for nothing, sir," Fanboy comments. "Agreed then, gentlemen. Let's turn and burn." "Fanboy, you see him?" Payback asks. "Nothing on radar," Fanboy pauses. "He must be behind us." Suddenly, there is a lot of commotion, and I amuse Maverick came up behind him.

Not much longer after the fight had started, it ended. I look out the window and see them landing. I watch Rooster fall to the ground and start his push-ups. My attention is turned away from him when I hear the break room door open, in walks Payback and Fanboy. Our eyes lock, I smile as they walk over. "No push-ups?" Payback shakes his head, "Not this time." They walk over to the window. "That should be us done there," Fanboy says while watching Rooster. "But it's not, and now you know a little something about Rooster."
"Yeah, what's that?" Payback asks. "He'll do anything for his wingman, even if it gets him killed." I towards the  break room door as it opens again. This time, Maverick walks in and yells out the next team; Phoenix and Bob and Hangman. I send a sorry look to Phoenix as she walks out the door, and I make my way over the radio. The sound of their planes take off gets louder as the break room door opens. Rooster walks in, the arms of his flight suit wrap around his waist and sweat drips down his forehead. "Hey! How was your workout?" I ask. I hear him mumble 'shut up' as he grabs water.

"Say, Phoenix, how about we tell everyone that Bob stands for something. Other than Robert," Hangman says.

I roll my eyes. "Uhh.." "Don't listen to him, Bob," I mumble. "Don't take the bait, Bob. Wanna know why we call him Hangman?" Phoenix asks. "Oh wait, I got it baby on board." Hangman's laugh was cut short. I chuckle, knowing it's Maverick. "Greetings Aviators, the fight has begun."
"Alright Phoenix, let's take this guy out."

Rooster walks over to the radio, "Watch your back, Phoenix."
"She'll be fine, Rooster. She's a great pilot."
"It's not Maverick, I'm worried about." He says. We hear Hangman tell Phoenix to break right, and I assume Phoenix does when Bob asks her where he's going. "You're talking about Hangman." Hangman left his wingman.