━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎━︎𝑹𝑬𝑩𝑬𝑪𝑪𝑨 𝑴𝑰𝑻𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑳✈︎
"Good morning." My mom calls as she walks past the bathroom. She seems happy, too happy. It was the next morning and after the events of last night I have a lot of questions. "When did you get in last night?"
"You didn't hear me come in?" I use my teeth to split apart the bobby-pin in my hand.
"I heard Amelia but I must have fallen asleep before you got home." She stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
"Maybe." I shrug.
"So what happened last night? You didn't come in the bar after your dogfight." She quirks a brow at me. This should be interesting.
"I was on the beach with Rooster." I slide my bobby-pin into my bun.
A smirk appears on her face. "Ooo. Rooster?"
I nod. "That's his name, don't wear it out."
"How is Bradley doing?" She asks.
"He seems to be doing good. We had fun last night." I smile to myself.
"Well I'm glad. What did you guys do? Was it a date?" She's so nosey.
"We went for a swim, laid in the sand, came back here and showered, and then sat on the roof drinking daiquiris." I glance back at her.
Her happy look slowly turns into a worried one. "Oh."
"It was nice until a motorcycle started roaring and you brought Dad home!" I turn and snap my straightener at her.
"You heard?" She whispers.
My eyes widen. "Heard? I saw everything!"
"Everything?!" She exclaims.
"Yes! He walked you inside then you two hung out all night." I exclaim.
Her expression softens, although she still looks rather startled. "Hung out... Yes." She mumbles as she walks down the hall.
Then realization hits me. "Ew! Oh my go-! Mom!"
***
"Your target is the uranium enrichment plant..."
I could barely pay attention. My head was spinning.
Mom and Dad are back together. Like together, together. Not that that's a bad thing. I just never thought that it would happen. Especially right now with everything going on. Ever since I was younger they would see each other, flirt, and then go on with their lives. Now this could be a permanent thing.
And I don't know for sure how I feel about that.
"We will start working sooner than expected." Now they've got my attention. "The raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in 10 days." My stomach churns. "As a result, your mission has been pushed forward a week. To avoid contaminating the target valley with radiation."
"Sir, no one here has successfully completed the low-altitude course." I pipe in.
"Yet you have been ordered to advance." Warlock says. I slouch in my seat. This is exactly what I needed right now.
Dad steps up. "We have one week to focus on Phase 3. The most dangerous part of the mission. Two pairs of F-18s will advance to the target, maintaining their attack pattern. In order for the mission to succeed and for you to survive, it is very important that these planes work in coordination and as a team." He moves over and shows up the screen. "As you know, the facility is between two mountains. In the last step, you will go straight into a hard dive. Your target is in an area of less than 3 meters. The first two aircraft will paint the target with a laser sight. The first pair will drop a laser-guided bomb and hit the reactor. This will leave an open space for the second couple. The second team will deliver the killing blow. And it will destroy the target. If either team misses the target... Mission fails. You will have to make a hard ascent to avoid hitting the mountain. You'd eat at least 8 Gs on that steep ascent at that speed. 9. Minimum." As I look around the room every ones eyes are widened.
"The fuselage of the F-18s is designed for 7.5 G."
"That's the accepted limit." Dad continues. "You will endure more to survive this mission. Even if it means twisting your torso. Your heartbeat will accelerate and you will feel pressure close to 4 tons. Your skull will crush your spine. Your lungs will explode as if an elephant is sitting on your chest. You will fight with all your might just not to faint." He points back at the screen. "And right here you will be the most vulnerable. This is the coffin corner. Assuming you avoid hitting this mountain you will go straight into enemy radar and you will
lose your privacy. Within seconds, enemy
missiles will be fired at you. You've all had
a malfunction in the air before but this will bring you to the point of destroying both you and your plane."
"Sir, can this task be accomplished?" I ask. I don't think I've ever been the serious in my entire life.
"The answer to this question depends on the pilot in the box." He looks back to the rest of the pilots. "Phoenix, Bob, and Coyote. You're up."
***
"Talk to me, Bob."
"I don't know what's scarier, being on this side of the radio or being on theirs." I whisper to Rooster.
He leans over. "Right now neither side is scary. It's doesn't get scary until the day of the mission."
"Shoot it's Maverick!" Bob's voice booms through the speakers. "What is he doing here?"
"I am an enemy plane coming to intercept you. Blue Team, what will you do?" Maverick asks.
"We continue. We're close." Phoenix says. She seems confident.
"I say they don't make it." Hangman says from the other side of the room.
"Have a little faith, will ya?" I scoff.
"Fine. I have faith that they will not make it in time." He winks.
"You're very optimistic." I spit sarcastically.
"Where's my laser, Bob?"
"Look they're working with Maverick for crying out loud. Something is bound to backfire." He has an evil glint in his eye.
"Just shut up." Rooster shakes his head.
"Does not lock, does not lock!" Bob panics. "It doesn't work. Sorry, I can't lock it! I'm shooting blind!"
"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot that you're sensitive when it comes to Maverick." Hangman let's his toothpick hang loosely from his mouth. "The both of you that is."
"Blue Team, you failed." Dad sighs.
"It's sad that your life sucks so much that you have to meddle in ours just to entertain yourself." I glance down, Bradley's knuckles are white as snow.
"Coyote, balance your wings!" Shoot. He must be out of it. "Coyote, answer!"
"He's sick, he's unconscious." Phoenix yells.
My head starts to spin. There's too much happening right now.
"What can I say? I saw trouble in paradise and I just had to get my hands in there." Jake winks to me.
God. Please don't let him spill my secret. Cause if he does... let's just say I'm going to hell.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Bradley has a confused look painted on his face.
"I'm okay! I'm okay." I release the breath I didn't realize I was holding when Coyote's voice booms through the speaker.
"Hey Cherry Bomb, what was your home life like?" My eyes dart back to Jake.
"Enough!" I yell making the room go dead quiet. "Just stop it already!"
"Bird strike! Bird strike!" Mav yells over comms.
"Cool it C-Bomb! Don't make a boom boom." He holds his hands up in defense. I bite my bottom lip. My gaze falls on Bradley, he seems to be studying me. Normally I'd be flattered but not right now. Not when Jake won't shut up about my big white lie.
Suddenly everything fades away when I hear. "Phoenix, right engine on fire!"