H_NGM_N

Chapter 2

As Maverick took the podium, Elise's eyes were trained on Hangman. She watched as his face tried to stay perfectly calm, but it was obvious he was ticked off in one way or another. Elise tried not to smile too widely as she finally set her attention on Maverick.

"You all know this book, you've memorized it, yes?"

The words of confirmation erupted through the room. Hangman's eyes set on Elise as he said, "yes sir." His voice small yet full of intention, meaning.

It made Elise shift her stance and jump slightly when Maverick then threw the book in the trash--Hangman chuckled at that.

"Forget it. You've memorized it, so have your enemies. Take this book with a grain of salt and throw the rest out the window." Maverick's smile was cheeky and it made Elise give a small chuckle.

"What, Loitte?" Hangman's voice was loud and clear in her head.

"First of all, it's Legs. You call everyone else by their call names, you'll do it for me as well. And second...well, you'll find out soon enough." She smiled to Hangman and made sure to smile to everyone else as well, not wanting anyone to get any ideas--as if they hadn't already seen them kissing the day before.

But that memory was gone from her mind. It would not hinder her job whatsoever. And, well, she didn't want it to hinder his either.

"Let's get you out in the air, shall we?" Maverick asked, thankfully changing the subject.

Everyone was up and getting ready faster than you could blink. Gear was on and the first fliers, Payback and Fanboy, and Rooster, were out and ready to dogfight with the one and only Maverick.

Elise could hear the taunting over the intercom that bled into their systems. Payback was offering a reward to the winner. To watch the losers do 200 pushups. Well, if Elise knew anything about Maverick, it was that he'd never back down from a challenge like that.

So, she was quite pleased when she saw three lovely trainees doing their pushups, Hondo counting to 200 with pride. Elise gladly joined him while also having her earpiece in so she could hear everything the men--and women--in the air were saying. As of right then, it was Phoenix and Bob, and Hangman up in the sky with Maverick.

Their words were getting lost while Elise talked to Coyote who was massaging his arms. "How ya feeling there, Coyote?"

Coyote almost groaned but he kept it in. "Like shit when I didn't think I was gonna have to do them."

"Come on, you're a fighter pilot, you should be able to do them."

He gave her a look that sent a shiver down her spine. "Legs, I can do seven hundred pushups if someone asked, but having to do them when I was supposed to win, that's another story."

"Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that, bud." She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before walking away. 

Through her head piece, she could hear the pilots. "Jesus, his nose is already coming around!" Loud and clear from Bob and she listened to the rest as it unfolded. Was Elise surprised when Hangman left his post? She didn't want to say yes, but he was Hangman for a reason. 

"Phoenix, I can't see him! How close am I?" Hangman's voice rang through her ears.

Phoenix's was next. "I'm dead, dickhead."

That made her laugh.

She walked up to Hondo, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Hondo, mind if I count the next group?"

He gave her a knowing look. "How about you take Hangman, I'll take the other two."

Elise gave him a small smile and a nod and waited for the three to come down, which they did quickly. She watched as Hangman went down to start his pushups, but Hondo stopped him. Elise couldn't hear them, but she watched as Hondo pointed toward her and Hangman looked quite unpleased. 

He walked over with a clenched jaw and his fists balled up. She couldn't help it as her small smirk turned into a large grin, her eyebrows raising.

"Seresin, the man who thought he could beat Maverick. What an amazing day for you, hmm? Oh wait...let's see. You're here to do push-ups and he's where? In the sky?"

"Save it, I get it." He said, looking already exhausted.

"What? Too tired to taunt?"

Hangman got started on his pushups as Elise started to count in her head, giving him updates every ten.

"I would've had him if Phoenix had just--"

"Thirty."

"Told me where he was."

"I don't think you should be talking--forty--you'll only lose your energy." 

Hangman actually stayed quiet. 

"Fifty. Besides, if you leave your wingman, they'll die and so will you. Do you want that?" 

Silence. 

"Seventy."

It wasn't until one hundred ninety that Hangman finally spoke up again, stopping Elise's constant teasing and taunting. 

"I'd love to see you try that."

She bent down, the fabric of her navy green pants making a soft sound as she did. "You do realize I'm here for a reason, right? You do realize I'm your teacher  for a reason right?"

"Am I done yet?"

"A few more for good measure."

Hangman got up and brushed himself off, locking eyes with her. His eyes had a look that wasn't anger but it wasn't happiness. It was something in the middle.

It was a challenge.