Only Rivals?

2.

The plane landed an hour ago at the airport of San Diego, now we are waiting for the bus that passes through the base.

<Is this it?> I watch the vehicle stop in front of us

<In theory yes ... Excuse me? Does this bus also pass by the parts of the Miramar Base?>

The driver observes us scanning us from head to toe <Yes>

<Oh, ok thanks> Noah smiles and waves me up

After about twenty minutes our ride stops

<This is your stop> yells the driver

<Well> I take my bag and go down with a smile on my face, but it vanishes as soon as I look around <What the fuck->

<Wait but the base is not here> Noah turns to look at the confused driver

<I did not say that I was passing by, but only in the surroundings. If you continue following this road you will arrive in about thirty minutes> and having said that quickly closes the doors and leaves again leaving us there, alone in the middle of nowhere on a fucking straight road under the scorching sun of 2 pm.

<FANTASTIC!> I exclaim with a somewhat irritated note, dropping my bag to the floor nonchalantly

<Well, thirty minutes isn't too long>

I turn to look at my friend with a serious expression <Shut up>

<Come on, look on the bright side, it could have been much worse->

<Don't - Say - ANYTHING> I grab my luggage, load it on my shoulders and start walking

<Frist, you don't talk to me like that, okay!? Or next time I'll leave you without a navigator and we all know that with orientation of yours, nothing good can happend>

I avoid answering for two reasons: one, I don't want to argue about it, I'm already pissed off enough, two, she's right, my orientation sucks.

I am literally dying of heat, these thirty minutes never seem to end and the road continues to go towards total nothingness, there are only dry shrubs.

<Noah, remind me that the next time a driver treats us this way I have to knock him out>

<I do not agree at all on violence, but in this case, there is>

I snort <Damn him and his goddamn rusty bus. See I told you it was better if we wore uniforms, at least people would treat us with more respect since we are the ones who defend the nation by risking our fucking asses in the sky!>

I hear the dwarf behind me laughing

<AND DON'T LAUGH!>

<Sorry but you kill me when you get mad> she exclaims

I sigh and look back to the horizon in front of me, I begin to glimpse something, I squeeze my eyes and try to sharpen my sight <Do you see it too or do I suffer from hallucinations from the heat?>

<No, you don't suffer from hallucinations because I see it too>

<Do you say it's the base?>

Suddenly a crazy roar gets closer and closer, I could recognize this sound everywhere and in that same instant an F-18 whizzes past our heads.

I smile <I would say it is definitely the base> I start walking again increasing the pace

As soon as we arrive in front of the gates, someone asks us for identification. Noah and I turn to look at the mysterious voice coming from a boy in uniform watching us

<You must identify yourself to enter here> asks

<See I told you we had to wear uniforms> I sigh and take my document out of my pocket and hand it to him

<Listen, I didn't want to fly three hours in official uniform> she snorts handing the document to the boy too

After a quick check she gives us back the documents <Well you can pass>

I smile <Thanks> within passing the big iron bar <I don't believe we're finally here> I look around and I think I have starlet eyes

<It's practically a dream come true; do you remember the first years of academy? We always talked about ending up in the Top Gun and now here we are> concludes Noah.

<You are supposed to be two of the pilots who have been sent here for the mission>

We whirl around and see a fairly tall man approaching us, he exudes a certain authority I think he is someone from the upper floors

<Yes, it's us sir> Noah replies

<Nice to meet you, I'm Rear Admiral Solomon Bates, but you call me Warlock> he smiles and holds out his hand

I am the first to grab it <Rear Admiral> I nod my head <I am Alice Bennett, callsign Slayer>

<And I'm Noah Olsen, The Nurse>

<Slayer and Nurse, I've read your files> he says curiously <You come from the Colorado base>

<Yes sir>

<I've read everything about you, your CV says a lot. I know your strengths and weaknesses> he stops to look at me and I feel a little concerned

<Warlock>

Another man approaches us

<Hondo> the rear admiral calls him back <Let me introduce you to two of the newly chosen pilots, Slayer and Nurse from Colorado, this is Hondo member of the navy crew>

<It's a pleasure sir> I smile as I hold out my hand

He gladly holds her <My pleasure>

<Well, I'm sure Hondo is more than willing to take you to your dorms>

<Sure> smiles <Follow me> he says turning and walking away

We salute the rear admiral and follow the great big man with a nice look

<Ah wait, I almost forgot>

We freeze in our footsteps and turn around to observe the rear admiral in confusion

<Welcome to the Top Gun> smiles

We smile back and then Noah and I exchange a knowing look

<Thanks Sir> let's say in sync and then start walking again

<We have been here for two minutes and we have already met the rear admiral, but I must say that he makes me anxious to know that he already remembers everything about us after reading our file> whispers Noah

<It makes me anxious to know that he knows every note written in that damn file> I sigh massaging my head, let's hope so, I wouldn't want to be kicked out after having traveled all this way to get here.

<Hey, that's fine, Commander Hill would never have sent you to Top Gun if he didn't think you were up to it and we both know he was the one who wrote those notes in your file. So now he thinks about the future, not the past>

I smile looking at her, he is right. If Hill hadn't thought me capable enough, he would never have sent me down here.

<The dorms are located in this part of the building, just continue down the corridor first door on the right> Hondo explains with a smile

<Received>

<Well, the lessons will be tomorrow at 7 am sharp. See you girls> and with a wave of greeting he goes away

<Okay, he said down the hall to the right right?>

<After the hall and first door on the right> Noah corrects me

<Oh well the same thing> I snort

Not the same thing...