Once outside in their gear, Maverick wrote on a chalkboard the pairs explaining the process, " Alright so we will have three planes in the air at a time, one will be piloted by me with Rooster tagging along of course. Then the other two will be two of your classmates - and copilots if they have one- you get killed you land and Hondo counts your two hundred push-ups and of course vice versa. Once one group's round is done the next will take off as instructed by personnel in the tower. I will then communicate when the round begins. Everyone understands?" Seeing as he got no questions he continued, "Good. Here are the pairs, Group 1: H20 and Parrot, wingman Fox. Group 2: Mayday with wingmen Wildcard and Tango.Group 3: Falcon wingman Stealer. Group 4: Broadway with wingmen Malcom and Miles. Finally Group 5: Renegade with wingman Hawk. Alright Rooster and I will get up there and then the fun begins"
Jade and 'Hawk' - also known as Lieutenant Jared Jansen - were waiting inside listening to the radio waves, watching the plane lands, hearing the profanities roll, and watching as every single one of their peers did two hundred push-ups. Jade looked at Jared, "Well Hawk, looks like it's down to us. Let's get that son of a bitch. Thinks he's so great because he's an ace. He'll never see us coming Hawk. Listen, you be my eyes, let him chase me. I'll keep dodging, eventually, you appear to be cocky telling him to watch himself. Then he will go after you." The two were now walking to their jets, " I'll disappear, as long as Bradshaw doesn't get in the way. He shouldn't, I'm hoping he's still enough Pilot to loose his sight. I know how to rile them up, get them fighting. Then I'll deliver the final blow. Just keep him in one spot, and we'll knock his ego to Australia"
They were in their jets now, lining up for take-off. Hawk responded to Renegade's plan through the radio waves with a simple, "Damn Straight, Renegade, although I would have given you Savage as a call sign." Finally, they gave the okay, and the two were up in the air. Maverick was nowhere in sight but you could hear him on the radio.
Renegade looked at Hawk and nodded, She radioed into Mav. "Hey Mav, before we start Hawk and I was thinking."
Mav laughed, "Go on Renegade
"We got to listen and see everyone else fail. So we thought, double or nothing. Four hundred pushups. Since we got an advantage." Renegade smiled. Watching around her, and noticed Hawk watching for Maverick as well.
"That's a deal Renegade. Don't wine when you're doing them though." Rooster laughed.
"Don't laugh now Rooster, you're gonna have to carry the old man home after his push-ups." Hawk laughed.
"You guys asked for it. The fight is... on!" Maverick shouts.
"3:00 Renegade!" Hawk shouts. The three end up in a crazy dogfight. "Fuck Renegade they're focusing on you! Let me help and stop cutting me the fuck off!"
"Get lost Hawk, I can handle it myself!" Renegade sneers, seemingly letting her anger control her. Hawk slips away as Mav and Rooster talk over the radio.
"Maverick, I wonder what her problem is?" Rooster asked.
"Not clue, but she doesn't like me, for sure" Mav responded.
"And she seems pretty connected to Goose, you didn't kill her father too? Any other canopy incidents or just my father?" Rooster got defensive at the end, he knew that truly in a way Mav did kill her father. He was very protective over little Mitchell, always have been and always will be. Renegade was banking on this to get Hawk a clear route to disappear.
"Rooster this is not the time, shit Where's Hawk?!" Maverick suddenly noticed, " She keeps evading me!" He then screamed in frustration.
"Shit I lost him! He must have slipped away! Shit, shit." Rooster began frantically looking around, gasping for air as he fought against the g- forces pressing down on his lungs.
Hawk suddenly laughed into the radio, "I have great eyes Mav, think about my call sign man. Also better start dodging or you're gonna have to do pushups."
Maverick started dodging, but Renegade suddenly disappeared behind a mountain, "Alright Rooster I'm going after Hawk. Keep your eye on her, and let me know as soon as she exits the mountain from the other side."
Rooster did as instructed, and Maverick flew back now targeting Hawk. "Not so cocky now eh Hawk?" Mav laughed.
All Hawk said was "Shit, shit, shit" as he only barely dodged Maverick's targeting system. With Renegade though Rooster was shocked to see she hadn't emerged yet, he became worried, "Renegade, Renegade do you hear me?" Rooster began going into a serious tone of voice.
"What's wrong?" Maverick asked shadowing Rooster's tone but still focused on the hunt for Hawk.
"She hasn't emerged from either side Mav, what if she crashed?" Rooster implied."She's smarter than that. Are you sure you didn't miss her?!" Maverick yelled into the comm system.
"100% sure." Rooster confirmed.
"Renegade come in!" It was now Hawk yelling, and with the slight distraction, a little click was heard in the comm system.
"You're dead Hawk. Go do your push-ups." Maverick calls in victory.
"Maverick! You could have a missing pilot!" Rooster yelled.
"Is there smoke?" Maverick asked.
" I can't tell it's too dark at the top of the mountain." Rooster replied.
"Shit. Renegade come in! This is an order from your captain! Renegade, do you read?" Maverick called.
Suddenly there was a dark chuckle making its way through the comms, a chuckle that ended in extreme sarcasm, "Maverick I'm on your Radar."
"What the actual hell?! Where are you! There is only one dot on here and that's us." Rooster explained confused and slightly pissed off.
"Renegade this is not a playing matter where the hell are you?!" Maverick is furious.
"Put the pieces together Maverick! I AM ON YOUR RADAR! How could I possibly know that!? Also Rooster you have a scuff on the top of your helmet." That's when both pilots decided to look up, and there was Renegade inverted in her aircraft.
"I was here the whole time Captain. Didnt mean to scare yah. Thought you'd notice. How can a pilot not look up?" She laughs.
Then they fall into a downward spiral, a race to see who would end out on top. Maverick pulled out of the downward spiral first. Just nearly missed a hit on Renegade. Renegade pulls out of the spiral and essentially slams on the breaks bringing her to be directly behind Maverick, and a little ping into the comms.
"Sorry Mav, but I believe that's a kill. And four hundred pushups, each. See you on the ground boys." Renegade laughed taking off her mask, breathing only slightly easier, and signaling to the tower to land.
Once back on the ground Jade was surrounded by her cheering classmates, except for Hawk who was almost finished with his pushups. Emma almost tackled Jade to the ground because she was so excited for her. The funniest thing though was when Maverick and Rooster landed, the entire class ooohed at them like middle schools when one of their mates gets called up to the Principle's office. The two immediately went to do their push-ups. The others were going inside to get their gear off, due to the class now being over. When Jade walked past Mav and Rooster on her way inside, she squatted down in front of them helping to count.
Mav chuckled, "I can count Lieutenant"
"You said you could fly too" Jade provoked, smirking.
Mav looked at Jade, "I don't like that look Renegade"
Jade stood up laughing, "Sorry it's the only one I got"
Mav just ignored Jade and continued doing his push-ups. Bradley knew this was going to be a hard thing for Jade to do, she resented that man with all her being. Bradley only wished he could somehow get to two to get along. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure if Mav knew that Jade was his daughter. "I think that's Karma from when you were a young pilot Mav" Bradley laughed.
"Shut you trap Bradshaw." Maverick snapped. The two continued their push-ups.
Jade had just reached the door when she turned to Hondo, "Make sure they do 400 each Hondo! If they only do 200 each, call Penny at the Hard Deck cause they're buying for everyone!" With that, she exited into the locker rooms.
Once in the ladies' locker room, Emma steps out of the shower to get to her locker. Emma smiled though as she realized that Jade had entered, "Great work Jade! You're one hell of a pilot Renegade. You'll be the top of the class for sure."
Jade laughed at this, "I don't know Emma, that Norman kid was close to getting Mav as well"
"Close only counts in horseshoes and handgernades. You got him Jade!" Emma beamed.
"Glad you see it that way" Jade's voice fell a bit, as she paused before heading to the shower.
Emma noticed this, "I'm guessing you weren't expecting your dad to be here, let alone your instructor. Also don't worry I surveyed for you, seems no one knew who he was or that you're related."
Jade turned to look at Emma, "Well that's a relief thank you. And no I wasn't expecting him to be here. But if it was Iceman's wish, no way it can change." Jade sighed
"Does he know that you're his daughter?" Emma asked. Jade simply shook her head in response.
"Hey look up, keep your head up pilot! Let's not think on it too much. The guys are planning to head to the Hard Deck tonight, you wanna come? I mean it is kinda celebrating your victory, so maybe you should go" Emma went on keeping her bubbly personality.
"I'll be there Bubbles" Jade laughed.
"Bubbles?" Emma tilted her head questioning the nickname.
Jade laughed harder at this, "I would have given you the call sign bubbles." Jade disappeared to get a shower.