The Altruistic Pilot: A Jake Seresin TopGun fan fiction

Chapter 5

It's been a few days since Jake and I had last talked. Nat has been busy working long hours for this mission, and I assume that means Jake has too. I've not had any more surprise visits from him at work or texts late at night. I'm grateful for it though. It's easier to keep my mind made up when I don't have to interact with him in anyway.

    I've yet to find out anything more about this mission they are being trained for either. Though I can't say I'm surprised at that. I know that secrets such as this are kept classified, but when every one of my friends is involved, it's normal for me to be curious. I haven't even had a chance to gage how they are feeling about it all. Mickey and Reuben haven't been by the house in a while. Nat comes home most days and is either asleep or studying something, so I don't bother her. Jake obviously hasn't said a word to me either, but I understand why. I'm starting to grow uneasy about the whole thing.

     My uncle had invited me over to his house for breakfast one morning, and I took the opportunity to question him. Uncle John has worked on the Navy base for years. I'm not exactly sure what his position is, but I know he's worked his way up steadily over the years. So when we are sitting at his kitchen table eating some of his "famous" scrambled eggs and bacon, I decided to ask him.

     "Hey, so do you have any idea what this special assignment is that Nat and the boys have been working on?"

     He pauses his eating to stop and stare at me.

     Uncle John was handsome in a way. He reminded me a lot of my father which was unnerving at times. However his younger features and slightly longer hair made up for it. While my dad had a closely shaved head my whole life, John's was more grown out, allowing for enough dark hair to swoop back across the top of his head. His grey hairs had started showing a long time ago and somehow only made his hair look better in my opinion. It wouldn't be long though until his whole head was grey. I wouldn't even know if my father had any grey hair at all. He sets his fork down and runs his fingers through it now.

     "If I did, you know I couldn't say anything."

     "I know, I know. But can you just tell me if I have to worry about them at all? I haven't talked to any of them in days which is weird. They said the training is only three weeks long and they just started the second week. I'm just getting worried that something big is happening that they don't want me worried about." My anxiety causes me to babble out a string of sentences quickly. Truth be told, I've been feeling uneasy ever since I realized that I haven't heard from any of them in a few days.

     "I'm sure they are fine Blake, but you know how the military works. Civilians aren't allowed to be clued in on any sort of operations happening within it." He grabs his fork again to resume eating, attempting to stop the conversation before it can continue.

     "Can you just tell me if I should be worried about them?"

     He says nothing, but lifts his eyes to meet mine for a moment. There is a sort of knowing sadness there, as if he already knows something is going to upset me. That's all the confirmation I need.

 
     Something big is happening to them. Something important that puts them all at risk. I want to pray that none of them are chosen for the mission, but I know that's a long shot. They are all brilliant pilots and with there only being ten recalled, as far as I know, the odds aren't exactly in their favor.

     I've lost all my appetite now. My stomach suddenly churning. Nausea rises up in me and I excuse myself to go outside.

 
     John was a typical bachelor with more money then he knew what to do with. He lived in a nice beach house right along the beach. All I had to do was cross the bridge over the sand dunes and walk the short distance to the water. I sink to the sand, forcing my lungs to pull in more and more air. The panic attack threatens to show itself, but for some reason, it disappears as quickly as it showed up.