Compromise-Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw-

Chapter Twenty-Three

I watched as the SAM turned towards me. My panel beeped and warned me that there was a missile lock on me. I then watched as a large missile fired from the SAM, straight at me. I turned my jet to the right, as two more missiles came from the same spot. My panel beeped loudly, letting me know the proximity of the missiles. The more rapidly it beeped, the closer they were. I looped to the left, then turned up and shot my flares. My jet shook as two loud explosions sounded from behind me. I still had a missile on me.

"Stitch? What's your status?" Rooster asked with an edge to his voice. He clearly either heard or seen the explosion.

"Still alive." I answered. The SAM pointed towards me again as I dipped low, towards it. Inching closer, I pulled up at the last second, the missile that had been following me, exploding it. A much larger more metallic explosion happened, jerking my jet to the right. It didn't matter though, I had to keep going forward.

"We're ten seconds behind Rooster." I heard Bob say. I watched another SAM point at me.

"Copy, increasing speed." Rooster replied. The SAM shot at me, it's missile coming straight towards me. I open fired on the SAM, shooting at it, until it exploded, before turning out of the missiles way. I barely missed it. My panel stopped warning me for only a second, before starting all over again. It meant the missile had turned around to follow me.

"We have visual on bogies." Maverick told me. "Two inbound." I didn't reply, as I started maneuvering to keep out of the missiles way. I needed to keep as many flares as possible.

I flew into range for the next SAM. It aimed, then shot. Another missile came towards me. I watched and waited, taking the risk of flying straight. The missile behind me was quickly catching up. When the one in front of me was close enough, I turned up, feeling the G's pushing me back. A large explosion happened where I had just been though, as the two missiles hit each other. I levelled out again, though didn't have time to relish in my victory, as another missile was already flying towards me.

"25 seconds off." Fanboy said.

"Copy." Hangman muttered.

"Status Stitch." Rooster commended. I spun my jet down, ducking below the missile coming towards me.

"Still here." I answered. I knew he wasn't actually asking about what was happening, he only asked me for a status when an explosion happened.

"Stitch you have two bogies incoming." Maverick said through the comms. I didn't have time to look around for them.

"Where?" I asked simply, turning up suddenly, the missile shooting passed me into the trees below, blowing.

"Your twelve." He answered. I rose back to the 500 feet altitude.

"Okay. Do you know what type of jets?" I asked. The comms were silent for a second and I knew it wasn't good.

"Gen 5." Maverick finally answered.

"Mav let us go help her." Rooster said.

"Negative, you need to continue with your task." Maverick said, shooting rooster down quickly.

"I'll be fine Rooster. Just focus on your mission so we can get out of here." I said, looping up and spinning off to the right, distancing myself from the missile. I then sung back the way I had come and went towards the SAM. It aimed at me again, as I approached. Don't shoot. Don't shoot. I got close and turned up, just as it was launching another missile. The missile following me collided with it, and they blew. A Smokey and fiery cloud enveloped me. I continued up, the G's once again pushing me down, before I reached clear sky.

That was close.

I exhaled, turning back the direction I was supposed to be going. That's when I seen the Gen 5 jets. They were barreling towards me at speeds faster then I could fly. The SAM's they passed stayed neutral to them, not even flinching. I continued straight towards them though, not hiding myself. I needed to somehow keep up with the others. I pushed my jet forward, flying faster. I did a small spiral spin, then opened fired on the gen 5's. They split, diving opposite directions, letting me fly between them.