Two Birds On a Wire

Chapter 3

As the dark haired yawned, walking into the mess hall, a figure clapped him on the back. It didn't scare him, but it sure woke him up.

"We have our first flight today!" Goose cheered with a smile.

Maverick nodded in a response.

"I expected a little more than a nod from you," He chuckled, walking through the line. "Considering your love for flying." He clarifies.

Maverick shrugged his shoulders. "I'm still tired." He replied simply. Technically, it wasn't a lie. He was pretty tired. But the whole truth was he wasn't too keen of the tall man. But even though he doesn't want Goose to be his new RIO, he wasn't just outrightly going to tell him to bug off.

Plus, he couldn't.

"How are you so energetic?"

Goose shrugged. "I'm used to getting up early." He says. He soon raises a brow. "You should be too."

Maverick shrugged again. "I don't know." He says.

After their walkthrough of the line, they find their seats in the middle of the room. Maverick, of course, wanted nothing to do with Goose. He didn't want to share a table with him, especially because he'd probably start talking. But everywhere else was full.

So, with a sigh and low grumble, he sat next to him.

Much to Maverick's surprise, Goose didn't say anything the entire time during breakfast. He wondered if he could read him, knowing he wasn't wanting to talk. Maybe it was because of what he told him last night, or because he told him he was still tired. It wasn't until the two were done and walking down the hall when he started talking.

"I heard what you said."

Maverick furrowed his brows. "What?"

"When we were in the mess hall, in line. I heard what you told the guy."

"What did I tell him?"

Goose chuckled. "You really thought they'd slip you a beer? Especially in the morning?"

Maverick cracked a small smile. "I was kidding." He said. Goose nodded. "When I first ever went to the mess hall, my old RIO started talking about alcohol and the guy serving breakfast heard us. He told us there wasn't any chance we'd be getting liquor on this carrier."

Goose chuckled again. "Well that must've been an interesting morning."

"Oh, it was. Now the guy won't let us live it down." He laughs.

Goose grins. The rest of the walk to the room was quiet.

"Your objective today is to do some scouting around. There seems to be a bogey around this area and we need him away from us. You won't have any wingmen in the air, but they'll be ready to launch if something goes wrong or you need backup. You are not to fire until fired upon, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

With that, they left the room and headed for the locker rooms.

The two got changed into their flight suits and made their way outside onto the deck, heading for their jet. They climbed in after giving a salute and handshake to the aircrewman waiting. The canopy soon closed over the top of them, sealing them into the cockpit.

Giving and receiving all the signals and clears for final, official take off, they departed from the aircraft carrier. They climbed high and far in a matter of seconds. The carrier was soon only a blur behind the two men.

Meeting their objective in the sky, thousands of feet in the air, Goose started looking on the radar for the visitor.

"See anything?" Maverick asks.