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Chapter six:

I sit in a room with a few other pilots waiting to take their hop, listening to the radio as Maverick and Hollywood are in the air.
"Gentlemen, this is hop 19, multiple aircraft, multiple bogeys. The training is half over, competition for the top gun trophy remains tight. First place Hawkeye, second place Iceman, third place Maverick just two points behind." Says Jester.
"There they are. Three miles, left, 10 o'clock." Says Hollywood.
"Okay I see'em." Maverick replies. "Two A-4s, left, 10 o'clock level, continue left turn."
"Good morning, gentlemen. The temperature's 110 degrees."
"Holy shit, it's Viper." I hear Maverick say in shock, as a smile spreads across my face.
"Viper's up here, great, oh shit." I hear Goose say in a sarcastic tone.
"Great. He is probably saying, Holy shit, it's Maverick and Goose." Mav says.
"Yeah, I'm sure he's saying that."
The fight begins with Maverick covering Hollywoods wing. Everything is going good until I hear Mav say,
"Goose find Viper, he's out there somewhere."
"Stay with Hollywood, Mav, we're covering his wing." I hear Goose tell his pilot.
"Goose, there's Viper, three o'clock low."
"Stay with Hollywood, Mav, we're his cover." Goose says again.
"Don't you leave me Maverick." Hollywood chimes in. 'Don't do it, don't do it, dad, don't do it." I think to myself
"Hollywood, your looking good. I'm going after Viper." Mav tells his wingman. 'Damn it Maverick.' I smack the table in front of me.
"God damn you Maverick." Says Hollywood.
"Mav, don't leave him." Goose protests.
"Goose, Hollywood's okay. I want Viper."
I sit there rubbing my temples as I listen to Mav try to get Viper, mad that he would leave his wingman. Jester ended up sneaking behind Maverick after getting Hollywood out.
"Bingo, Maverick's dead. You're outta there kid." Jester says.
"Shit."
"The defence department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid." Goose says.
"Let's go home, Viper has the lead." Viper calls out, ending the exercise.

I was mad. I found Mav a little later talking to Goose, I walked up to them and shoved Mav.
"What the-" I cut him off.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" I say angrily.
"Relax Hawk, it was just an exercise." He said, but I was still mad.
"And if it wasn't?" I say taking a breath. "If that were real?" I say a little quieter trying to keep my emotions under control.
"Hollywood, Wolfman, Goose...you. You would all be dead right now. Do you understand that?" I run my hand through my hair as Maverick just stays silent watching me.
"You never leave your wingman." I say firmly before walking away, still trying to contain the storm of emotions.
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The next day Goose and Mav invited me to hangout with them, Carol, Bradley and Charlie. I declined the offer, just wanting to be alone after what happened yesterday. Also I didn't wanna see my dad flirt with other women, but who would. I was also worried about tomorrows hop, knowing what's going to happen.
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I'm in the air along with Maverick and Ice, my stomachs is in knots, my palms are sweaty, the air in my lungs feels like it's weighing me down.
All I can think about is what happened, but I'm broke out of my thoughts by Goose's voice.
"Well, it's bottom of the ninth, the score is tied. It's time for the big one."
"You up for this one, Maverick?" Ice asks looking at Mav.
"Just a walk in the park, Kazansky." Mav says grinning at Ice.
"Contact. Multiple bogies, 165." Informs Slider. "Two miles. Looks like they're going away from us."
"I see'em, tallyho, right two o'clock. I'm in." Mav says.
"I'm in." Ice says, his plane cuts off Maverick's.
" that son of a bitch cut me off." I hear Mav mutter to himself. I don't really engage in the fight too much, instead just trailing Ice and Mav.
I position my plane beside Mavericks, ready to cut in between Ice and him, before he gets caught in the jet wash. I listen to the commas. just waiting.
"Come on, come on. Jesus Christ. Ice, take the shot." Mav says, irritated.
"Come on, Ice, get the hell outta there." Says Goose.
"I can't get the angle. I'm too close for missiles. Switching to guns." Says Ice, struggling to get target lock.
"Ice, fire or clear." Says Mav. "Look at this! Jesus Christ, I can take the shot right here!" I can hear him losing his patience.
"I need another 20 seconds then I've got it." Says Ice, still struggling.
"I'm moving in. I've got the shot." Mav says.
"Come on Mav let's get in there! Come on Mav!" Goose encourages his pilot.
"Maverick's getting impatient, Ice. Come on, take the shot." Says Ice's RIO.
"Ten more seconds, then I've got him." Ice replies.
"Come on, Ice, get the hell outta there! Let's do it Mav." Goose shouts through the comms. I sit up a little straighter, ready.
"Ice, come off high right. I'm in." Mav shouts.
"Five more seconds." Ice insists.
"Come off high right, Ice, I'm in."
"I'm off. Shit!" Ice shouts, frustrated as he pulls his plane high right so Mav can take over the chase.
As he does, I cut in, my plane taking the brunt of the jet wash, Mavericks jet is still affected.
"We're in his jet wash!" Goose shouts.
"Holy shit!" Mav yells, trying to regain control.
I can barely hear their voices over the comms. as lights flash and alarms ring in my own jet as it falls aimlessly towards the oceans calm surface. Strange, how you can be completely out of control about to collide with something so calm and quiet, almost peaceful.
"This is not good. Shit we got a flameout Mav." Goose shouts.
"Goose, I'm losing control. I'm losing control. I can't control it. It won't recover. Shit." Mav says in a panic. I've never heard him so panicked before, scared.
"This is not good, this is not good." Goose says.
"Mayday, mayday. Maverick and Hawk are in trouble." I hear Ice say, his voice harder to hear over the chaos. "Their in a flat spin, heading out to sea."
My mind can't focus on anything as I sit there, falling, my hand grabs a hold of the three sets of dog tags around my neck, my own, Mav's, and Ice's. I've been wearing them so long, sometimes I forget there even there.
"I'm pinned forward Goose, I can't reach the ejection handle!" Mavericks voice breaks me out of whatever trance I was in.
"Eject! Eject! Eject!" Maverick yells. I hit my own ejection handle. Everything goes black.