Promise Me // Bradley Bradshaw x OC

Five.

*** Bradley's POV ***

"Your greatest enemy, or your most powerful weapon, on this mission is going to be something you'd never think of: time," Maverick spoke after Admiral Bates told us to be seated. "This mission is based on time, and let me explain why."

He turned to face the screen which had a countdown clock of 2 minutes and 30 seconds on it, and a simulation of a very curvy canyon, but then it pulled up a picture of what looked like an animated radiation plant.

"This is your target. It's an unsanctioned uranium plant that was built in violation of a NATO treaty, and I'm going to train you how to fly to take it out. It becomes operational in about three weeks, so we've got a lot of work to do."

I sat up straight in my seat as I watched the picture of the plant disappear and the simulation of the canyon come back. I looked around the room as the others were shifting in their seats, too. I'd never flown anything like this, and I wasn't sure anyone else had, either, not even Hangman.

"The plant sits at the end of this canyon in an underground bunker. These," He said as he brought up another animated picture. "Are called SAMs, also known as surface to air missiles. Our advantage is that they're designed to protect the skies above, not the surface below."

"That's because the enemy knows nobody's insane enough to fly below them, especially in a canyon like that," I said, still in shock.

Maverick turned back to look at me, and I could feel myself getting angry again. "That's exactly what I'm gonna train you to do."

Hangman looked back at me with a smirk, and I looked away from the both of them before I could say something stupid. I glanced at Phoenix who looked at me. She looked worried, which made me worried.

"The valley at the end of the canyon that holds the plant is no more than three meters wide, and in order to effectively take out the plant, we're going to need two foxtrot teams and two precision bombs," Maverick explained as he played the simulation. "The turns in this canyon are sharp, and with each one, you'll get heavier and it'll feel like your lungs are imploding, which will impair your judgment and reaction time. Once you make it through the canyon, you'll then pop up and immediately go into a steep dive into the valley to maintain the lowest altitude without setting off the SAMs.

As Maverick spoke, the others shifted uncomfortably in their seats as did I. I'd been on other missions before, but nothing like this. This was on a whole new level.

"The first team will deliver a bomb into the exposed ventilation hatch of the uranium plant to create an opening for the second team, that's miracle number one. Miracle number two is the kill shot, which is delivered by the second team. The kill shot will be the one that destroys the plant, but if either team misses, the mission is a failure," Maverick said as he took turns making eye contact around the room. "Once you drop the bombs, you'll climb straight up the mountain and weigh close to 2,000 pounds while fighting with all your strength not to black out. And while losing all of your air speed, you'll climb straight into enemy territory, setting off the SAMs and heading straight into a dog fight."

"A climb like that is pulling at least eight G's," Hangman said as the others looked at him.

"Nine, minimum," Maverick responded simply like we all have been doing this every day. "In order to survive this mission, you will pull beyond that."

"The F18's accepted limit is 7.5," I said as Maverick made eye contact with me again. "The frame is going to bend."

"Seven point five is the accepted limit," He, again, said calmly. "Again, in order to survive and come home safe, you'll pull beyond that. So today, in your navigation system, we've preloaded a course that is similar to the one you'll be flying on the day of the mission, and we'll take it easy on you for training. Max ceiling is 300 feet, and minimum airspeed is 500 knots. Good luck."