Beyond the Horizon | Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Part Fourteen - Broken Promises

"Dagger Spare to Tower, requesting permission to land," I announce as I line up my plane with the runway. My breathing is staggered. I can feel my blood pressure and the heavy drumming in my ears. Everything is loud.

"Dagger Spare, landing confirmed." As if like a second language, my body gets ahead of my brain and starts the landing preparation procedure. My tail hook gets caught by the cable, abrubtly slowing my jet's speed. I get towed away.

"Maverick is down wind. No front landing gear, no tail hook. Pull the cable and raise the barricade," I hear his voice over the coms. He claims he's preparing to land, but I can see him bank slightly, turning away from the direction of the run way. The jet shoots forward, leaving only a few meters between him and the tower. 

I step down from my ladder and watch Maverick fly around the carrier and back to the front to give a second run at landing. "Idiot," I can't help but laugh at his antics. He's how old now? Narrowly escaped death how many times? And yet, buzzing the tower will forever be on his agenda.

I hope he never changes.

Taking the landing seriously this time, Mav slowly descends. Suddenly, the plane begins to topple to the side, shaking slightly. I scurry back to my plane to catch the radio. He was fine a minute ago, but it appears they've lost an engine. The aircraft continues to descend unsteadily as they lower enough for the barricade net to catch them. They come in hard, crashing nose first into the runway. Their speed is lost as they're pulled sharply to a halt, the right engine still blazing with flames. 

The crashed aircraft is surrounded in just seconds, crew members eagerly trying to stop the fire in the engines. Once they've stepped away, the canopy raises and the two crazy-ass pilots stand up in their seats, pulling off their helmets. Everyone is cheering, laughing, clapping. Everything feels so surreal. I had been so preoccupied with the happenings around me that I never noticed when I had finally lost the anxiety that had been trailing me like a shadow. I stand there, watching the scene as a smile starts to creep up on me.

Phoenix comes barreling into me, smiling,  "I cannot believe you just pulled that off!" She hugs me so tight I can barely breath. "That's the last time I willingly help you put yourself in danger, you thrill seeker." She pulls away and I can see the unshed tears grouping in her eyes, the relief in her grin.

"What can I say?" I squeeze her arms reassuringly. "I'm just that good," we both break into laugher and throw ourselves forward into another comforting and proud hug.

Bob approaches behind her, careful to keep his distance, not wanting to impede on our moment. Once Phoenix pulls away, Bob comes in to take her place. "I'm honored to have flown with you on this mission. You're one hell of a pilot, Dice," he says with an illustrious smile. 

"It's only because I had an extremely talented backseater," I return the smile and wink at him. He laughs lightly before running off to join everyone else in the celebration around Maverick and Rooster.

"Those were some risky moves up there, Dice." Hangman approaches, Coyote a few strides behind. 

"Yeah, well," I shrug, not giving a direct answer. It's not really needed.

"Cool piloting shit nonetheless," Hangman smiles and claps a hand on my shoulder, squeezing ever so slightly. 

"Thank you, Hangman," I nod at him. Coyote comes around from behind, standing beside his friend. He sticks out his hand, offering me a polite handshake.

"I'm not impressed with you stealing my plane though," Hangman continues, looking at me sternly.

"Yeah, I'm not sorry about that. Consider it a compliment," I jab back with a smirk. He cracks a laugh.