Bellwether

7.

"Good morning Aviators. This is your Captain speaking. Welcome to basic flight maneuvers. As briefed today's lesson is on dog fighting. Guns only, no missiles. You cannot break the hard deck of 5000 feet. You need to work as a team and take me down or else."

***

Listening to the whole thing Kelsi mutters to Phoenix. "That's not ominous at all."

Phoenix nods and goes back to listening to the radio.

***

Paybacks slightly cocky voice chimes in, "If you don't mind me asking, or else what sir?"

"Or else I shoot back. If I shoot any of you down your out of the fight."

"How about we put some skin in the game sir."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I someone gets shot down by you they have to do 200 push-ups"

"That's a lot of push-ups"

"Well it's not called a workout for nothing sir." Coyote chuckles.

"You've got yourself a deal, let's turn and burn." Maverick answers.

***

"Damn those guys," Kelsi says.

"C'mon Smokin are you saying you can't do 200 push-ups?" Hangman taunted.

"I'm not saying I can't. I'm staying I don't want to. There's a big difference Bagboy."

Phoenix snorts at the nickname and he rolls his eyes and goes back to listening to the radio. Usually you can clearly hear what people are saying when listening through the radio, but nothing Rooster, Fanboy, or Coyote were saying made sense. Well, it didn't make sense for two minutes until she heard the booming voice of Maverick say, "That's a kill you're down Rooster." followed by Rooster yelling "SHIT!!"

Kelsi looks at Phoenix and Bob. "I'm starting to think this is gonna be a little more challenging than I thought." Bob sighs and stands up. "Come on Phoenix, Hangman and Smokin It's our turn up there."

***

The four pilots walked out onto the tarmac and see Fanboy, Coyote, and Rooster doing their push-ups. Fanboy was clearly regretting his bet.

Kelsi sighs and gets into her plane starting the engine and slowly taxiing (IDK) it to the runway. "This is Smokin requesting access for take-off."

Then came a voice. "Access granted you are free to go"

Kelsi then throttles up and lifts off the tarmac. She smiles softly at the feeling of being in the air.

Once everyone was in the air they all flew in a line.

Hangman is the first to speak, "So, Bob. What kind of a callsign is that? Does it stand for something?"

"Ignore him, Bob."

"OH wait I got it I got it, Baby On Board." Hangman then starts laughing hysterically.

Ignoring Hangman, Kelsi calls out to Bob, "Bob do you see him on radar?"

"Negative he's nowhere to be seen"

"Shit guess we have to go find the man" Kelsi sighs.

"No need he's right here."

Maverick flies overtop of them upside down so he can see them in the cockpit.

"What the hell!?" Kelsi quickly speeds up staying with Phoenix. Hangman clearly had other plans and he immediately goes after Maverick.