Runs in the Family

Bradly. (16)

I sit down next to Hangman, 
"It'll be okay Hawke, they know what they are doing." 
"I know," I lick my lips and nervously fidget with my fingers.

The ones flying were approaching target one. Uncle Mav was racing through the check points and Rooster started falling behind. 
"What's going on?" I ask nervously.
"We have lost engagement with rig 2." Hondo says.
"What is he doing?" Hangman whispers to himself.
"Come on kid, don't think Just do." Maverick says on the coms.

After what feels like an eternity I hear Bradly take a deep breath, "Let's do this," and he excelerates.
"Jesus Rooster not that fast!" Mustang calls from behind him. 
They are catching up fast and Hondo takes a deep breath of relief. 

Bob comes on the coms and confirms location and strike position, they are close on the first target. Bradly quickly passes under a bridge and I hear Mustang yelp.
"You with me?" Bradly asks.
"Right behind ya!"

Maverick, Bob and Phenix pull up and over the mountain, I can hear them breathing heavily through the coms and they level out, 
"Rig 3 prepared for target." Bob calls.
"Come on Bob, come on." Mav whispers.
"Stand by!" Bob yells, "I've got it!"
"Target confirmed bombs away," Mav says dropping the missile out of his plane.

Both planes pull up and I hear them breathing hard and grunting, this is one of the most gruling parts of the mission, change in air pressures.
I can't hear the explosion but I do hear Bob yell, "We have impact!"

"YES!" Hondo yells and claps his hands together, Hangman and I sit back in our chairs for a brief moment of relief. 
"Miracle one." Cyclone adds.
"Rig two, status?" Mav asks.
"Almost there Mav!" Brad calls back.

"Laser!" Brad calls.
"I've lost it!" Mustang calls, among something else that I can't quite make out over the coms in control.
"Come on we are running out of time!" Bradly calls.

"I've got this, I've got it." Mustang calls.
"Too late, bombs away." Brad calls.
"Oh my god." I whisper.

Hangman gently takes my hand and squeezes it, I look at him. 
"He's got it." 
I swallow hard and nod. 

Brad pulls up and at calls back on the com: "Bullseye, bullseye, bullseye!"
Cheers erupt from control but I stay silent, they have to dog fight for their lives now. 

"Here it comes!" Mav warms.

There is a mix of Bob, Brad, Nat and Mustangs voices on the coms, yelling about defending, incomings and warnings. My eyes shift from control to control since they are everywhere all over the screen. 

"Oh my god." Brad says breathlessly, he had just capped over the mountain and had missiles on him.

I squeeze Hangmans hand.

There is more chaos and yelling until my whole world goes quiet, 
"Shit I'm out." Bradly calls.
"No." Hangman says.

"I can't shake them they're on me, they're on me."
From the screen you can see that Mav comes to Brads plane and then goes down.

"Mav! Mav! NO!" Bradly calls, no response. 

"Oh my god," a tear slides down my cheek. Hangman looks sick.
"Rig 1 is hit, I repeat rig 1 is hit," Nats voice fills the quiet in the room.
"No." I whisper.

"Does anyone see him? Anyone? Rig one come in, Rig one!" Bradly calls.
"I didn't see a parachute." Mustang calls.
"We have to circle back." Brad says.
"No, Rooster do not!" Hangman says to the room. 

"One minute till intercept." board control says.
"Get them back to base." Cyclone says.
"All daggers back to base." board control says to the pilots.
"What about Maverick?" Bradly asks.
"There's nothing he can do for Maverick not in an F/18." 
"Let me go, I will go and fly." Hangman says, "I can be air-cover." 

Cyclone shakes his head. 

Both me and Hangman were ready to go we just had to get in our planes, but Cyclone obviously thinks Mav is a lost cause.

"Search and rescue?" 
"Not with bandits in the air."
"Mav is still out there."
"No. I am not losing anyone else today."
Cyclone and Hondo argue while I wipe tears from my face, Hangman looks mad, he wants to help but they won't let him. 

"Get them home now." Cyclone instructs.
"Daggers, you are not to engage." Board control tells them. 

"Rooster those bandits are closing we can't go back." Phenix says.
Bob sighs, "Rooster, he's gone."

I hold my breath and Rooster shifts his planes gear, "I'm going for him." 

"No!" I scream. 
Hangman pulls me to him by the hand he was holding and hugged me.
Rooster flies in the direction Mav went down and he shoots down a chopper. Nothing on the coms. Everyone else came back to base.

"Rig two is hit."
I push away from Hangman and look at the screen, it hasn't hit me yet.

"Dagger two come in, Dagger two can you copy."
"No," I barely whisper.
"Dagger two come in!"
"Bradly?" I ask.
"Dagger 2?" 
"Brad?" I ask a little louder.
"Nothing sir." 
"Rooster!?" I scream.

Hangman pulls me into him again and I sob into his flight suit. 
"No, no, no, no." I sob.
I hear Hangman sniffle and the control room is silent.

That was it, everyone, except for Bob and Nat. Dad, mom, Iceman, Mav, Bradly, everyone in my family was gone. I was alone. I couldn't handle another funeral, another set of cards and casseroles. I couldn't do it. 

I am reminded of the time I got lost in the mall as a kid. It was Christmas time and it was packed. I had gotten separated from Mom and Brad in one of the hallways. I wandered alone for what felt like hours, in and out of stores, calling their names. No one came and helped me, no one noticed a little girl wandering alone calling her mom and brother. Eventually I settled in a corner and started crying. I was alone. Then a hand touched my shoulder and I opened my eyes. There was my big brother, he looked worried, but as soon as I saw him I just lached onto him like a baby monkey. 
"I thought I had lost you forever." I sobbed.
"Nah, you're stuck with me kid." he said messing my hair up.

"I think this is yours." Hangman says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

He gently lets go of me and pushes me over, I hit Bob's chest and he wraps his arms around me.
I begin to sob harder. 

"Bob, get her out of here, I don't want her to hear this." Cyclone says, but I don't really register what he says.

Bob walks me out into one of the classrooms and Nat stays in control. 

Heyyyyy :)
Sorry life has been nuts! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, hopefully the new one will be out sooner than this one lol.
Stay healthy, lots of love <3 :)