Come Home || Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

6.

"Dagger Two is hit," Comms calls. "Dagger Two is hit."

"No, no, no..." My lip shakes and my heart drops into my feet. What are they supposed to do now? Who's gonna go back for them?

"I know, Mustang, I know you want to, but we can't," Fanboy says, reaching forward and squeezing my shoulder.

"I'm gonna get you home safe, Fanboy. Don't worry," I reply shakily. I have a responsibility up here, I can't let everybody down.

"Dagger Two, come in. Dagger Two, do you copy?" Comms tries over and over to regain contact with Rooster, but nothing ever comes.

"Dagger, return to carrier. Acknowledge."

"Dagger Three, acknowledged," Phoenix replies. I lean back against my seat, clenching my jaw.

"Dagger Four, acknowledged." We push forward, flying as low as possible to avoid more SAMs and any bandits. Finally, the edge of the ocean appears over the terrain and I sigh. If everything goes according to plan from here on out, we should be home free. If I can get back on the carrier and get Fanboy on the ground, maybe they'll let me back out to help Rooster and Maverick. They can't both die, I won't let it happen.

The carrier sits with an empty runway, prepped for landing. Phoenix heads down first, lining up along the runway and lowering her jet down as the rear landing gear catches it's hook and screeches to a halt. I fly around the carrier to give the landing crew enough time to taxi her off the runway.

"Ready for feet on the ground, Fanboy?" I ask, pulling into landing position.

"You have no idea, Mustang."

"Dagger Four, prepped for landing." I say.

"Green light, Dagger Four. Bring her down." I push us down, jolting as the landing gear hits the strip and sliding forward into my seatbelts as the hook grabs ahold of us, pulling us to a halt. They taxi us out of the runway and I flip the canopy open, letting Fanboy climb out before me.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant." I give the landing crew my best smile as I take my helmet off, but my heart isn't in it. My legs shake as I walk, but the sound of an engine stops me.

"Is that Hangman?" I ask, watching his plane taxi onto the runway.

"They're sending him out as reinforcement. Rooster's ESAT came back online."

"W-what? He's okay?"

"And in the air. But they've got two bandits trailing them."

"Send me back up. I can help, three jets are better than two if it turns into a dogfight, I-"

"Comms to Landing, Dagger Four is requesting permission to fly out as additional air cover." He nods, holding his hand to his ear as he receives a response. "No can do, I'm afraid. Orders from the Admiral, you're grounded for the rest of this mission. I'm sorry." I nod, clenching my jaw as I make my way into the ship. If I can just talk to Simpson, convince him that I can help, maybe he'll send me back out.

The door to Comms slides open and I let my eyes adjust to the darkness.

"Lieutenant, you should-"

"Admiral." He turns toward me and I can tell he's already not pleased with me barging in. "Send me out. I can help too. Jake might be able to hold his own but two-to-two is a-"

"Lt. Mitchell, stand down. You are not going back out there. It's too much of a risk already, we can't have the enemy getting word back and sending any of their own reinforcements. It is not a suggestion, it is an order."