𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐎 | 𝘛𝘰𝘱 𝘎𝘶𝘯

005 | ᵗʰʳᵒʷⁱⁿᵍ ᶠⁱˢᵗˢ

CHAPTER FIVE

Throwing Fists

[₀₀₅]

song: Lover's Rock - 𝙏𝙑 𝙂𝙞𝙧𝙡

⟵⌖⟶

"Because love burns like a cigarette."

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, dropping her belongings in her office and ventured down to the allocated hangar for mechanical work. Her co-workers were already rushing around fixing pieces of planes and malfunctioning radars, so she turned on the radio.

Hondo walked up to the hangar after hearing about the mission Maverick had just finished explaining "It isn't pretty." Hondo stated as he approached a focused Colette. "What is the mission, or Rooster and Maverick's relationship?" Colette inquired, casting a brief glance at the man.

"Both." Hondo answered taking a seat close to the active radio resting on top a wooden bench. "I have read the brief. If I were them I would be shitting my pants." Colette stated moving to sit beside him placing her wrench down and wiping her hands on an old piece of cloth.

Both of them were well aware of the hazards of such a mission. Colette could feel the tension between the pilots even though she wasn't in the air. There were multiple problems that were still to be resolved.

⟵⌖⟶

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓 with the pilots failing to complete the assignment in time or without getting killed. Maverick had gone into interrogation mode on the aviators before him and their unsuccessful attempts, Colette and Hondo were making their way over to the briefing room.

"Why are you dead?" Maverick inquired, his gaze drawn to Phoenix, who sat beside Bob. "We went above the hard deck; SAMS took us out." Phoenix informs her captain earning an unsatisfied look from him.

"No. Why are they dead?" Maverick queried; his gaze drawn to a guilty-looking Coyote. "I didn't give her a heads up. It's my fault." Coyote elaborates. "Tell that to their parents at the funeral." Maverick responds by pointing to Bob and Phoenix. Colette's eyes widened. He was a harsh man.

"He's in full interrogation mode." Colette spoke quietly to the man besides her. A lopsided smile was provided by Hondo. He was equally concerned and astounded as the woman beside him. "What happened?" Maverick inquired; his gaze fixed on Hangman.

"I flew as fast as I could, kinda like my ass depended on it." Hangman responded. Colette averted her gaze from the arrogant pilot. That was not the Jake she remembered. "Yeah, and you put your team in danger, and now your wingman is dead." Rooster shot back.

"They couldn't keep up." Maverick ignored the matter and went on to his next victim, prompting Rooster to answer. Colette felt strangely out of place. She felt boxed in. Maverick's attention turned to Rooster. "Why are you dead? "Why is your team dead?" He confronted the man. "Sir, he was the only one who made it to the target." Phoenix chimed in.

"A minute late, you gave enemy aircraft time to intercept." Maverick retorted. "You don't know that." Rooster responded, his jaw tightening. Colette was concerned about how this confrontation would finish. "You're not flying fast enough." Hangman commented, turning to face Rooster.

"I made it to the target." Rooster says staring Maverick down. "And superior enemy aircraft intercepted you on your way out." Maverick exclaimed, the tension in the room was rising rapidly.