Danger Zone - Top Gun: Maverick

17. Survival

"Jesus Christ, Rooster! She thinks I died and you decided to make her think you died too?"

"It was a rushed decision! Plus I would've regretted going back to the ship if I had listened to Simpson. Especially if you did die."

"Awe, you would miss me too much, wouldn't you?" Mav teases.

"I just didn't want Nova to lose you, okay. Not having a dad kinda sucks."

"Trust me I know." Maverick says. His dad is dead too, but what Bradley said did make him feel a little guilty, the sorta feeling he gets anytime Goose is mentioned. "You look just like him, you know."

"I get that a lot. First time I saw Nova she looked at me like she saw a ghost. I realized after that maybe she thought she did."

"She's sure seen a lot of pictures of him. Makes sense." Mav nods. "And you have that stupid fucking mustache." He adds.

"Nova likes the mustache." Rooster teases.

"Alright. Shut up. This is the runway right over there."

"The one we destroyed?" He points out.

"Shut up. If Simpson was right, they've got some spare aircraft in those two buildings. That's our goal." Maverick explains.

"You've got to be shitting me. An f-14?"

"I shot down three MiG's in one of those. Plus there's really no other option."

"Mav...that old ass plane probably can't even fly, and even if it can, how are we gonna take off without a runway?"

"You got a better idea, Bradshaw? Don't think so. Come on, follow me." Maverick starts walking out of the woods and through the snowy ground.

"Lord help me." Rooster mumbles as he follows Maverick through the storm of soldiers running and people yelling. "Mav, there's guys everywhere."

"Yeah yeah. Let's start running."
When they reach the small garage, Maverick starts pushing buttons and turning knobs to get the plane working.

"Once I give you the signal for air, you're gonna flip the switch until the needle gets to 120. When the engine starts, you've got to pull out the pins and disconnect everything. You understand?"

"Yeah." Rooster answers, not really understanding.

"Once I'm up, stow the ladder." Maverick yells running to the plane after it starts.

Rooster follows behind, stowing away the ladder and following the rest of Maverick's instructions, running under the plane and climbing up the wing to get inside. When he gets in his seat, he realizes how far aircraft has come in the last 30 years.

"Oh my God. This thing is so old."

"Alright." Maverick starts moving out of the garage. "Canopy?"

"Clear!" The canopy lowers.

"Both runways are cratered. How we gonna get this museum piece in the air?" Rooster asks.

Maverick doesn't answer. He just puts hit wings out.

"Why are the wings coming out, Mav?" Rooster asks frantically.

Maverick doesn't answer. He just turns the gas on.

"Mav, this is a taxiway. Not a runway. This is a very short taxiway!"

Maverick doesn't answer. He just speeds up.

"Holy shit!"

Mav pulls the plane up, just barely hitting the bottom on the building he flew over. The whole plane shakes with a loud thud coming from the bottom. There goes their landing gear, but at least they made it off the ground. Rooster then turns on his ESAT signal hoping he can let the crew know he's alive.