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↳𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 'caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new'
━━ 𓄼 𓄹 ━━
MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION San Diego, California
ON THE SCREEN, there was a gray topography map with a large timer in bold lettering. 3:00.
They were all seated in navy blue upholstered chairs that looked like they were ripped right from the body of a commercial airline. Things hadn't changed since the first time they gathered like this; doubles together, singles interspersed. Still just a group of pilots, and certainly not a team.
"Time is your greatest enemy," Maverick said, stepping out in front of them. "Phase one of the mission will be a low level ingress attacking in two plane teams. You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target.
He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world, but as the electric blue line of the route wormed its way through the canyon, Cam's lips parted in shock. The cliff sides stood out at such harsh angles, it would be a miracle if anyone could make it through.
"Radar-guided surface to air missiles defend the area. These SAMs, they're lethal."
"No shit," Coyote coughed under his breath.
"--however, they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below."
Bradley decided to be the first person to interrupt Maverick's briefing. "That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them."
Maverick whipped around with unmistakable disbelief on his face. Fritz let out a wheeze of laughter at the exchange before Cam quieted him with an elbow to the gut.
"That's exactly what I'm gonna train you to do," Maverick said evenly. Every time he looked at Bradley, Cam knew there was a split second where he saw Goose.
Discreetly, Cam turned her head to glance at Bradley. He was sitting in the row across from them, and at Mav's response, he gave a slight shake of his head and looked out the window. The silhouette of his face had barely changed, still the same chiseled lines that she still had memorized. Cam continued to stare until he turned back around. She whipped her head forward again.
