I woke up to my alarm going off at 5:30am
I hop out of bed and get into my flight suit with my hair in a nice tight bun. I head over to the kitchen to see my mom already awake
"hey, what are you doing up? " I ask
"just some crazy thoughts going through my mind right now" she says with an unsure look
"oh. who was the guy who went over board last night?"
" that was an old friend of mine. Pete "maverick" Mitchell. he's a pilot for the navy. one of the best actually" she said with a slight smile
"oh ok, well I'm headed to the base and I'll see you tonight" I tell her
"ok honey have a good first day!" she said before I walked out
I knew my mom well enough to know that something was off. she was hiding something from me. and what that is I don't know
I get to the base and I sit next to Bradley.
"ATTENTION ON DECK!"
I hear hear admiral bates yell
we all stand up out of respect
"good morning. Welcome to your special training detachment. you may be seated."
following the admirals instructions, the pilots sit down.
"im admiral bates."
"You are all top gun graduates. The elite."
"The best of the best"
I saw a few pilot were smiling and getting their hopes up
"That was yesterday."
the pilots face's all went numb
"The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter have levelled the playing field. Details are few but we know that we no longer posses the technological advantage. success now more than ever."
"Half of you will make the cut. one of you will be name mission leader. the rest will attend to any reserve roles necessary"
"Your instructor is a top gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master."
"His exploits are legendary."
"And he's considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced."
"What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death"
"I give you captain Pete Mitchell."
"Call sign: "Maverick.""
I look back to see the man who went over board last night. The one my mom was talking too. I saw Hangman, Coyote, and Paybacks face's filled with embarrassment.
then I look over to Bradley and something isn't right. its almost as he looks pissed or something.
I snap back and realise maverick was talking
Good morning.
The f-18 natops.
It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft.
I'm assuming you know the book inside and out.
I hear the boys say I few things, then I see maverick throws the book into the bin next to the podium
So does your enemy.
But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits.
I intend to find them, test them, push beyond.
Today we'll start with what you only think you know.
You show me what you're made of.
I power up my engine and in the corner of my eye I see rooster and maverick practically yelling at each other
I noticed something was off
I was up first with fanboy and payback
Good morning, aviators. This is your captain speaking. Welcome to basic fighter maneuvers.
As briefed, today's exercise is dog fighting. Guns only, no missiles. We do not go below the hard deck of 5,000 feet.
Working as a team, you have to shoot me down, or else
Or else what, sir? I ask sarcastically
Or else I shoot back.
If I shoot either one of you down, you both lose. man says with a serious tone
What say we put some skin in the game? payback says with a grin
What do you have in mind? maverick asked
Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 push-ups. fanboy says with a cocky smile on his face
Guys. That's a lot of push-ups. maverick says
They don't call it an exercise for nothing, sir. I say laughing
You got yourself a deal, gentlemen.
excuse me? I snap back
and women. he says sounding nervous
Fight's on. Let's turn and burn.
Fanboy, you see him? I ask
Nothing on radar up ahead. fanboy says after checking his radar
he must be somewhere behind us. payback claims
all of a sudden mavericks plane flew right through the middle of ours.
Damn it! What the hell? payback and fanboy shout
shit! I yell in shock
Easy, Maverick. Let's try not to get fired on the first day.
Tally, tally, tally! Maverick's coming in! Break left! Fanboy yells
Breaking left. payback says back
Payback, where's your wing man? maverick asks
Blondie where you at? payback says over the coms
I'm coming. Hang in there. Hang in there. I tell payback
Hurry up, girl! Hurry up!
Payback, break right. I tell him
Breaking right. payback follows my instructions but now I got mav on my tail
Blondie just saved your life, fellas. But it's gonna cost her.
you're not getting me old man! I shout in frustration
Don't let him get to you, Maverick. he tells himself
Blondie, you're too low! Pull up! You're hitting the hard deck! fanboy yells
[Automated voice] Altitude. Altitude.
Oh, shit! I shout
before I knew it maverick had lock on me and I was doing pushups with hondo
I learn form my mistakes and improve my skill. I saw the way maverick flew, it was very similar to mine. reckless but sharp. Im going to use mavericks strengths against him.
I was up next with rooster and hangman. we were flying when hangman just had to get some fire started up
So, rooster, mind if I ask you a personal question? hangman ask
Would it matter if I did? Bradley said back
What's the story with you and Maverick? It seems like he's got you rattled. Hangman says
That's none of your business. Bradley says with a frustrating tone
enough boys! Now where the hell is he? I ask
Been here the whole time. I hear Maverick over the coms
Holy shit. me and hangman say In sync as mavericks plane was invert with roosters
You see me now? Come on, let's get it over with. mav said
Fight's on! Bradley yells
What is with these two? hangman asks me
I have no idea. I say with a confused look on my face
they both go in a spiral like motion straight down.
All right, you put us here. How you gonna get yourself out? maverick asks rooster
You can bail out anytime. rooster yells back at him
How low you want to go, rooster? maverick kept on pushing the argument further
I can go as low as you, sir! And that's saying something. rooster looks at him so furiously
What's past is past. For both of us. maverick told the pilot
You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you? rooster said back
Hard deck is 5,000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room. I say too the insane pilots
they kept on going in the spiral like motion until they hit 500ft. they both pulled up
Rooster take the shot! I yell at him
I can't its too low. he says back at me
Too late. You had your chance. maverick then tried to shoot him down and get a lock until I went down and shoot him first before he could shoot Bradley
Sir that's a kill. I tell our instructor
damn, you're pretty good aren't ya? he looks over at me with a smile considering I was the only one who shot him
Thank you sir! taking the complement. I look over at Bradley who looks super pissed at both me and maverick
after I get out of my F-18 I walk over to Bradley
Breaking the hard deck, insubordination. Are you trying to get kicked out? I start shouting at him
Don't worry about it. he says with no care in the world
Look, I'm going on this mission. But if you get kicked out, you leave us flying with Hangman.
Talk to me. What the hell was that? I look at him with anger
He pulled my papers. he said with a sigh
What? Who? I ask confused
Maverick. He pulled my application to the naval academy.
Set me back four years.
Why would he do that? I ask
he stays silent
well jeez Bradshaw. and I was starting to think we had a spark going last night. I walk away with sadness.
Bradley told me everything, now this comes along and he's not saying anything.
I went home to find myself home alone that day. mom left a note on the counter saying that she went sailing and Amelia is at a friends house. I then spent the night watching Gilmore girls having some pizza and popcorn. about 20 minutes into an episode I hear the doorbell ring. I open it to see rooster?