Wild Heart - Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell

4. Maverick the Mechanic

"Damn it." 

Her bike had started making strange noises on her way home from tutoring, and she knew - thanks to her father - to always stop and check things if a bike started to make odd sounds. Safety first, like with her helmet.

So she pulled off to the side of the road and inspected closely, unfortunately not coming to any concrete conclusions. 

"You okay over here?"

A voice over another rumbling. She looked up to see none other than Captain Mitchell - Pete, she reminded herself, Pete - riding up on his own bike. 

"Oh hey."

"Hey." He stopped and got off his bike.  He was wearing his leather jacket and jeans, and his aviator sunglasses, which all seemed to be his classic wardrobe for any occasion. "I could recognize that beauty from a mile away." There was a moment's silence following his words.  "This beauty." He patted her bike for emphasis.

"Oh, oh right. This beauty." She also patted it awkwardly. 

"Yeah, this beauty." He patted it again before his hand fell awkwardly to his side. 

"I don't know what's going on," she launched in, eager to get rid of the sudden awkward air.  "But it's making strange sounds it wasn't making before. And it feels like it's rumbling more, I don't know. I know a few things, but I didn't get the chance to get all of dad's mechanic knowledge before he died."

"Well, I'm  no mechanic, but I'll have a look if you like."

"Sure, thanks. Appreciate it." She would certainly value a second opinion. 

He walked around the whole of the bike, now inspecting it closely himself. Then he crouched down, removing his glasses to have a closer look. 

"See, it's making this weird noise-" She started it up again so he could hear.

"Huh, that is strange-" She turned it off and he resumed his inspection. "Mind if I-" He pointed to it.

"Yeah, go ahead," she waved him on.

He stepped over and straddled her bike, starting it up again. "Huh, I'm not sure what it is - I'd need the help of some tools to be sure. If you want, that is. I'm happy to take a better look at it from home."

"I appreciate it - saves me the money of having it towed and operated on."

"Sure thing. I think it's best you don't ride it though." He took his phone from his pocket and dialed. Moments later he was making a call.  "Hondo, it's me. I'm sending you my location - bring the truck."

About fifteen minutes later, a pickup truck pulled off to the side of the road beside them. A man leaned out the driver's window.  "As you requested, Captain."

"Thanks. This is Finley, Bradley's friend. Finley, this is Hondo. He's assisting with the training detachment."

"Cool. nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Hondo stepped out of the truck and they shook hands. "So what've we got here?"

"A bike that's not cooperating very well," Pete explained. "Help me get her up there-"

The two men lifted her bike into the back of the truck. "Okay, you ride with Hondo and I'll follow."

"Okay." Seemed like he had a plan. 

"Where we going, Mav?"

"My place."

"So how'd you two meet?" Hondo asked Finley as they drove. "Not through Bradley, I assume."

"No, you're right. I'd heard a lot about him through Bradley, but we met through Penny at the Hard Deck. I'm tutoring her daughter."

"Ah, Penny Benjamin."

"Yeah, it sounds like they have some history."

"You could say that. Things didn't end very well by the sounds of it. But I'm glad they've reconnected."

"Yeah, they seem to be getting along." She looked in the side mirror at Pete on his bike following behind him. His hair was rippling in the wind, making his already short hair seem even shorter. "How long have you known him?"

"Twenty-plus years."

"Wow."

"Yeah, he's a good guy, Wild, but good. He's someone you can count on to go above and beyond."

She  nodded, absorbing his words. Then she realized she was still watching Pete's reflection in the mirror behind them, and turned to look at the passing scenery instead.

They didn't arrive at a house like she was expecting, but a hangar. And when the big door opened, she was met by an impressive sight. 

"Wow - to be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever seen a plane this up close," she breathed, walking around his propeller plane that took up most of the hangar.

"Really? I guess I take it for granted," Pete said, also gazing up at it.  "This is my baby. Right, Sweetheart?" He patted the plane's side.

"Uh - a little help here!" Hondo was struggling to get her bike out of the truck.

Pete rushed to help him and they brought the bike over.  "Okay, you make yourself comfortable and I'll get to work." He gazed around at the cluttered space.  "Oh - I didn't clean that up-" He bustled around to clear a used plate and cutlery and some magazines from a small table. 

"Do you live here?" she asked. 

"Yeah. There's more rooms in the back." He nodded further back. 

"Cool."

"Yeah, hence the mess."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. You should see my place." She winced. 

He cleared some space towards the back of the hangar and they set her bike up there. Then he hauled out a tool kit and set down to work. He removed his jacket, leaving him in a t-shirt, and crouched down to get started.

While he worked, Finely was super curious to explore a little bit. The hangar was full of stuff, and along the walls there were several photos and old posters. 

One photo was of grainy quality and was thirty-plus years old, judging by who stood by Pete in the photo: a blond man with a moustache, unmistakably Brad's dad. She smiled at the two young men, especially at how skinny and boyish Pete looked. He was around her age in that photo, she realized, over thirty years ago. 

The photos, she quickly realized, were a timeline. The first was a black and white photo of a little boy - who resembled the man working on her bike - sitting on an older man's shoulders, Pete and his father, she presumed. There weren't any more from his childhood, but a few of him and Mr. Bradshaw, as well as one of young Bradley and his parents. Then there was one of Pete with a tall blond man she didn't recognize, both in flight suits. Then, much to her joy, there were also photos of Bradley growing up: school photos, graduation, his official pilot portrait. Much to her joy and confusion...

Pete had all these photos as though it were proudly showcasing his own child's life. Did Bradley know about this? Clearly the Captain felt very different about Bradley than Brad did about him. It pulled at her heartstrings - there was obviously so much love here, like a father for his son, but, she knew, and all too well, that that love clearly wasn't reciprocated. 

Now she was more curious than ever. 

(Yay, was so excited for this chapter! ;) Thanks for all the comments and love for this story!

Thank you  so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))