𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗚𝗨𝗡:𝗥𝗘𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗬𝗘𝗟𝗟

𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 --✈︎

Dani got off her bike. She saw Bradley get of his blue Bronco. She smiled.
"Howdy!" Bradley smiled. Dani walked up to him. She messed with his caller.
"Aww look at you sweetie." She said in an over exaggerated mom voice. Bradley laughed. They walked over to the hanger where the class was held.
They sat down.

Maverick talked.
"Time is your greatest enemy. Phase one of the mission will be a low-level ingress attacking in two-plane teams." Maverick said looking at Dani and Bradley. "You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar-guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area. These sams, they're lethal. But they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below. That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them." Maverick said smirking. "That's exactly what I'm gonna train you to do. On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet maximum. You exceed this altitude...Radar will spot you and you're dead." The visual on the screen showed a plane lifting in the air maxing the altitude, it exploded. Some people jumped, though Dani and Bradley didn't. Maverick frowned a little.
"Your airspeed will be 660 knots minimum. Time to target: Two and a half minutes. That's because fifth-generation fighters wait at an air base nearby. In a head-to-head with these planes in your f-18s, you're dead. That's why you need to get in, hit your target and be gone before these planes even have a chance of catching you." Maverick said. "This makes time your greatest adversary." Dani's brows furrowed.
"You'll fly a route in your nav system that simulates the canyon. The faster you navigate this canyon, the harder it'll be to stay under the radar of these enemy sams. The tighter the turns, the more intensely the force of gravity on your body multiplies... Compressing your lungs...  Forcing the blood from your brain...  Impairing your judgment and reaction time." Maverick listed off the effects of doing this.
"So for today's lesson, we're gonna take it easy on you. Good luck."

First up was Phoenix, B.O.B., and Coyote.
"Why are they dead?" Maverick asked Coyote.
"We broke the 300-foot ceiling, and a Sam took us out." Coyote answered.
"No. Why are they dead?" He asked again looking around the room.
He slowed down and didn't give her a warning." Dani said. Maverick looked at her.
"It was my fault." Coyote said. He looked back to Coyote.
"Was there a reason you didn't communicate with your team?"
"I was focusing on..." Coyote was cut off by Maverick.
"One that their family will accept at the funeral." Maverick informed.
"None, sir." Coyote put his head down. Maverick turned to Phoenix and B.O.B..
"Why didn't you anticipate the turn?" Maverick asked. "You were briefed on the terrain." Phoenix went to speak. "Don't tell me. Tell it to his family." Maverick said pointing to Coyote.

Next was Hangman, Payback, and Fanboy.
"What happened?" Maverick asked.
"I flew as fast as I could." Hangman said, turning a little to Rooster. "Kind of like my ass depended on it."
"And you put your team in danger, and your wing man's dead." Rooster said. Making Dani smirk.
"They couldn't keep up." Hangman said.

Next was Rebel and Wolverine.
"Why are you dead?" He asked. Dani sighed.
"I was late, Sir." Dani answered. Rooster looked at her then back to Maverick.
"She was late ten seconds." Bradley said.
"Ten seconds could mean life or death!" Maverick said.

Lastly was Rooster, And Yale.
"Why are you dead?" Maverick asked "You're team leader up there.Why are you, why is your team dead?" Maverick asked again.
"Sir, him and Rebel were the only ones who made it to the target."Phoenix said.
"Him a minute late." Maverick looked at Bradley. "And her 10 seconds. They gave the enemy aircraft time to shoot them down. He is dead.
"You don't know that." Bradley said quietly. Dani looked at him.
"You're not flying fast enough. You don't have a second to waste." Maverick went on.
"We made it to the target." Bradley said.
"And superior enemy aircraft intercepted you on your way out." Maverick didn't know where this was going.
"Then it's a dogfight." Dani and Bradley said at the same time.
"Against fifth-generation fighters." Maverick said.
"Yeah. We'd still have a chance." Bradley said. Maverick could believe how much they sounded like him and Goose.
"In an F-18?" Maverick asked. Everyone was quiet.
"It's not the plane, sir, it's the pilot." Dani practically yelled. Maverick couldn't believe his own words comping out his daughter's mouth.
"Exactly!" Mac yelled. Dani and Bradley fell back into their seats, like two scared children.

"You really don't get it." Hangman said. Dani looked at him. Bradley rolled his eyes. "On this mission, a man flies like Maverick here, or a man does not come back." Dani's eyes widened. Bradley bit his lip.
"No offense intended."
"Yet somehow you always manage." B.O.B. said.
"Look, I don't mean to criticize. You're conservative, that's all."
"Lieutenant." Maverick said.
"We're going into combat, son, on a level no living pilot's ever seen. Not even him." Hang man said referring to Maverick. That's no time to be thinking about the past." Hangman finished.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dani said.
"Rebel. Rooster." Maverick said.
"I can't be the only one that knows that Maverick flew with his old man." Hangman went on.
"That's enough." Maverick said. Dani was almost out of her seat ready to pounce on Hangman.
"Or that Maverick was flying when his old man..." Dani was about to stand up but Bradley pushed her down, getting up to go after Hangman.
"Lieutenant, that's enough!" Maverick yelled. Rooster was being held back by Dani, Phoenix and others.
"That's enough." Maverick said.
"You son of a bitch!" Bradley yelled.
"Hey, come on! Rooster!" Dani yelled
"I'm cool, I'm cool. Hey, hey." Hangman said smiling.
"That's enough."Maverick yelled. Bradley tried pulling away to get to hangman. Dani kept her hands on his shoulder and chest.
"Breath Rooster." She whispered looking up at him. She looked at Hangman.
"He's not cut out for this mission." Hangman said. A fire lit in Dani's.
"Oh that's something!, coming from you!" Dani yelled being held back by Phoenix.
"That's enough!" Maverick yelled.
"You know it. You know I'm right." Hangman said before walking away.
"You're all dismissed." Maverick said.

Dani and Bradley were by his Bronco.
"Rooster!" Dani called to him. He kept walking.
"Bradley!" Her voice cracked. He stopped. She placed a hand on his back. He shook a little holding in tears. "Don't listen to him. Your.... your dad, was the best RIO out there. I wish I could have met him." Dani let a tear slip. Bradley looked back at her. He saw she was crying, not to pity him, but in understanding.
"He'd like you." Bradley said in a shaky voice. "I think he'd like you a lot." Bradley nodded. Dani smiled, she hugged him. He hugged back slowly.
"Don't ever listen to that Jackass again. You are the best pilot out there." She pulled away to look at him.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you got picked for this mission. Bradley placed a hand on her cheek and kissed her. It was quick, Dani stood in shock. Bradley let go of her.
"Brad?" She whispered. He looked at her before getting in his truck. Dani walked to her bike smiling.