Song- She's Electric / Oasis
I don't want to die a painless death, where no one remembers who I was. Sure, the thought of death scares me but I don't want to die without a few scars because it's nothing more than having a perfectly built up body. It's like seeing a clean white car that belongs in a showroom somewhere in the world, someone out there might like it. While I can't help but think, 'God, what a waste.'.
My sister however, believes just the opposite of what I do. Classic Natasha. Being the younger one never really helped. Everyone always favored her. So when she became a Fighter Pilot, I followed right in her tracks 3 years later hoping to gain something from my parents. Now here I am, back in the Hard Deck bar where I spent so much of my 20s, drinking with my friends and befriending Penny the bar keep.
"Do you know anyone else on the mission?" Natasha turned to me as we walked towards the pool table where a few others in uniform stood. "I think there's this guy I was deployed with in the Arabian Gulf."
Although most of the memories I have from my 20s are in this bar, it's been 12 years and the last place I'd want to be on a windy Tuesday night. "Well, if it ain't Alora and Phoenix." A voice called out from behind us. "You still got your head up in the clouds?" The one and only, Hangman
"Haha. Very funny Bagman." I turned to look at him. A smirk plastered wide across his face just like the last time I saw him. Nat was having a reunion with her Top Gun class when I first met him. Hangman stayed for an extra week which he made up some elaborate excuse for but it was obviously because he had a thing for her. The week he stayed over just happened to be the same one I was staying at hers after my release from the Hospital. "Hey Vanessa, Could you get a round for us? It's my turn anyways so just tell Penny to put it on my tab." he patted me on the shoulder before starting up a conversation with Nat.
'He really wouldn't change for the world,' I hopped onto a stool at the bar, watching Penny as she spoke to a strangely familiar older man who wore a highly decorated bomber jacket. She turned around smiling, ringing the 'bell of doom' as once called it. Doom for that persons credit card at least.
A loud roar came from the bar causing the man to be even more confused than before. "Disrespect a Lady, the Navy or put your Cell Phone on my bar and you buy a round." I laughed and pointed at the sign next to Penny.
"For everyone?" the man sighs and looks at me. "I'm afraid rules are rules pal." I laugh before turning back to Penny. "I'll take 6 on the oldtimer here. Was going to be Hangman paying but seems not."
"Vanessa? Oh my God! I noticed them over there but I didn't know you were here!" She smiled and began pouring the beers for us. "Nat is here as well, we've all been called back for- well, we don't know what for yet." I laughed. "Make sure to tell m-"
"Classified information, I would never." I winked, turning to see Hangman destroying Natasha in an intense game of pool.
"Bagman! Come help me carry these!" I spoke just loud enough for him to hear over the growing noise inside. He placed his que down and scoffed before making his way over. "Thank you for not destroying my bank account any further, and good luck to yours." Hagman smiled sarcastically at the man from earlier before we walked off to the infamous spot all pilots claimed when they came to the hard deck.
"Now you're looking at the only Naval Aviator on active duty with 9 confirmed air-to-air kills." Natasha boasted, pointing at me as I placed a few beers down onto a table. "Damn Alora, and I thought I was good with my 1 kill." Hangman picked up his que once more and potted another ball. "He was in a museum piece from the Korean war Hangman, You were bound to win" A man also in uniform spoke up.
"Cold war." Another chimed in, "Different century." I laughed, "Who are your friends here Phoenix?" Hangman took a sip of his beer, eyeing the two men standing behind her. "Payback." "Fanboy." They answered coldly. Fuck, and I thought Hangman was scary when I first met him. "Hey Coyote." Natasha smiled, "Hey."
"Who's he?" Payback tilted his head towards a few seats just out of my view. Coyote furrowed his eyebrows, turning his head to where Payback had nodded. "Wh- When did you get in?" Coyote questioned the person who was sat there. "Oh- I- Uh- I've been here the whole time." They replied, kicking a foot out from under their chair. "The man's a stealth Pilot." Hangman joked,
"Weapons System Officer, actually." I got up from the stool, walking over to see who it was. "With no sense of humor." Hangman handed his que to Phoenix and walked away. "What do they call you?" She asked, "Bob?" I turned to look at who was in the seat. "Alora?" He looked back at me with a sly smile.
"Oh my god! I haven't seen you since.. Well since we came back from that mission!" I laughed, Sitting down next to him. "Alright Bob, What's your callsign?" Payback smirked, "Well uh.. Bob." He pursed his lips and nodded awkwardly.
"Right.. Okay." Payback and Fanboy quickly went to join the others who I had yet to be introduced to. Phoenix and Hangman continued the silly game of pool they had going and Coyote was nowhere to be seen.
"How have you been Bob?" I smiled, trying to make conversation with him. "Well, I've been okay. I guess. What about you?" He picked up a small bowl of peanuts from the seat beside him and began snacking on them.
"Well I've had the odd job here and there but life's been good." Dusk was just dawning upon us when a blue Ford Bronco pulled into the parking lot of the bar. The evening rush had just begun and people after people piled inside. A man walked over to us, clearly catching the eye of Hangman who had just bought another beer.
"Bradshaw. As I live and breathe." I glanced up, looking at the man who had just arrived. He wore a pair of worn out jeans and a white vest covered by a Hawaiian shirt, a pair of aviators hanging loosely from the edge of it. The muscles in his back flexed at the sound of Hangman's voice.
"Bob, could you just go and get us a few shots? Here, take my card." I pulled my card out of my pocket and handed it to him. Bob walked with the bar without question, trying to persuade Penny to give us something stronger than a few beers.
"Hangman. You look... Good." He moved his head to the side, almost as if he was trying to get a better look at Hangman who had just potted another ball. "Well, I am good, Rooster." He must be on the mission as well if people are calling him by what seems to be a callsign.
"I'm very good. In fact I'm too good to be true." Bob came back cardeling 6 shots in his hands, " I asked for 8 but Penny said a hard day of work awaits us tomorrow." he smiled, Lining up the shots on the circular table in front of us. "Well Bob, Thank you and see you tomorrow." I said looking down at the small glasses of liquor placed in front of me. "So does anyone know what this special detachment is ab-"
"No! NO! ALORA! WE HAVE TO BE AT THE BASE AT 6am TOMORROW!" Bob shouted once he realized I had taken most of the shots he had bought. Bob smacked the last glass out of my hand, spewing alcohol all over the floor and directing all the attention to us. "What the hell Bob!" I shouted back, grabbing a napkin from the table and drying my hand.
"For God's sake Alora, do you really have to cause a scene on our first day here?." Phoenix sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. That's when I first saw him. His light brown eyes that had a subtle hint of green at the edges, the washed out dirty blonde hair and scar on his chin. I don't believe in love at first sight but I swear, it was like life briefly paused when our eyes met. "You certainly live up to your reputation." He stared at me, a small smirk on his face.
"What the fuck have you guys said about me?" I folded my arms across my chest, flicking my eyes between the pilots surrounding me. "Bagman, I know you have something to do with this." I furrowed my eyebrows, looking over at Hangman who was trying to muffle his laughs behind his hand.
"It was mostly him I heard from." Rooster laughed, turning to look at Hangman as well. "Sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Rooster." He held his hand out towards me. "Bradshaw right? You have quite the reputation too, you know?" I stood up and shook his hand. Everyone was now immersed in their own separate conversations with only the occasional glance over at us. "I have a reputation?" He smiled, tilting his head to the side before furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"I'm only messing with you. I heard Bagman call you Bradshaw. I'm Alora." I smiled, looking down at Bob who was still sat eating the peanuts from before.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try and persuade Penny to give me a few more shots." I looked at Rooster and smiled before turning back to Bob and flipping him off. The man from before was still sat there, taking small sips from his beer. "Penny my dear, 2 more shots please. Bob forgot to get one for Coyote, and Rooster just arrived." I smiled, holding out my card, "I know your schemes well enough Vanessa." she chuckled, polishing yet another glass. "One final one, alright?"
She poured out another shot before placing it in front of me and taking my card. "Here is to another shitfilled day tomorrow." I raised the small glass to the man, drinking it as if it was water. That was when the music cut off. "Heyy!" Someone in the bar shouted in annoyance, the others groaning at the silence.
"Bradshaws playing piano, you've got to see this!" Nat tapped my shoulder, before walking off with Bob. "Thank you Penny." I grabbed my card, almost tripping over something as I tried to walk away. Penny chatted quietly to the man, both of them watching me lean against the piano where Bradley had begun singing and playing 'Great balls of fire.'
Soon enough the majority of the bar had joined in. Singing or Dancing as the bell rung for the final time that night.
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