Righteous - Bradley Bradshaw

~Talk to Me Dad

"Sir, daggers two and four are behind schedule." 

"Time to target, one minute 20." 

Oakley follows Bob and Phoenix who are following Maverick. She sighs as she hears that rooster didn't speed up. 

"Impact. Enemy runway is destroyed." 

"They know we're coming now." Oakley starts to feel somewhat relaxed, the pull of the plane soon had no effect on her as they navigated the course. 

"Bandits are switching course to defend the target."

"Rooster, where are you?" 

"Come on, Rooster. Bandits inbound."  Payback huffs.

"We got to make up time now. Let's turn and burn." 

"Heads up!"  Phoenix yells out as Oakley turns her plane right to the side as they fly under the bridge. "Skywalker, you with us?"  Maverick asks, after hearing Oakley yelp. 

"Yup, I'm still here." Oakley pants, shaking off the nerves. 

"Guys, we're falling behind. We really gotta move."  Fanboy shouts.

"If we don't increase our speed right now, those bandits are gonna be waiting for us when we reach the target." 

"Come on my love!" Oakley shouts out. Wait, did she just call Rooster, Bradley her love? 

All that is heard amongst the heavy breathing is a soft "talk to me dad."  And in that moment, Oakley knows why he stayed in his steady pace. He's terrified that he can't complete this mission, terrified that he can't fly like his dad did. 

"Come on, kid, you can do it! Don't think, just do." 

Maverick hit the nail on the head because all that is heard is a engine speeding up. 

"Jeez Rooster, not that fast!" 

"Yes!"

"All right, let's go!"  Rooster announces he's back in the game.

"All right, now hit your target and come home."  Cyclone's voice is heard throughout the planes.

"Are you ready to complete this mission Roost?" Oakley asks, as she follows suit. 

"I am ready to go home my love." Rooster smiles, letting Oakley know that he heard her.  

"Ok good!" 

"Thirty seconds to target. Bob, check your laser." Oakley checks hers as well since she's backup.

"Air-to-ground check complete. Laser code verified, 1688. Laser is a go!" 

"Laser is go on backup."

"Watch your heads."  Rooster calls out as they make it to the bridge. 

"Phoenix, Skywalker, stand by for pop-up strike." 

"Dagger three in position." 

"Dagger five in position."

"Popping in three, two, one." Pulling the control stick, which slammed it into her stomach, Oakley's convinced it will bruise, she follows them up a very very steep mountain. Inverting at the top, she slides out of her seat, lightly tapping the top of her helmet to the canopy. 

"Get me eyes on that target, Bob."

"Dagger three. Stand by, Mav." 

"Come on, Bob. Come on." 

"Stand by!" Bob sounds out.

"Stand by for back laser." Oakley triple checks her laser as they fly down to the target. 

"I've got it! Captured."  Bob exclaims, breathing a sign of relief. 

"Target acquired. Bombs away."  Maverick huffs out, he drops the bombs as everyone pulls up. 

"Did we ah get it?" Oakley puffs out as the pressure pulls her body to the back of the plane. 

"We've got impact! Check, direct hit! Direct Hit!"  Bob yells out. Oakley smiles as they approach the halfway point.

"That's miracle number one." 

"Dagger two status." Oakley manages to huff out. 

"Almost there, love. Almost there!" 

"Fanboy, where's my laser?" 

"Rooster, there's something wrong with this laser! Dead eye, dead eye, dead eye." If it was possible, it would be a miracle, because simultaneously, everyone's breath got caught in their throats. 

"Come on, guys, we're running out of time. Get it online!" Rooster shouts. 

"I'm trying!" 

"Nearly there! Nearly there!"

"Come on fanboy, get it online!" Oakley shouts. 

"There's no time. I'm dropping blind." 

"Bombs away! Bombs away!" 

The moments of silence as team one continued their climb and team two began theirs was excruciating, nobody knew if Rooster's educated guesswork would payoff. 

"Bull's-eye, bull's-eye, bull's-eye!" 

"We're not out of this yet. Here it comes." Oakley  pulls in a sharp breath as the corner of the mountain comes really close. 

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