Danger Zone: TOP GUN MAVERICK

2. Target Rich Enviroment

 "Attention on deck!" A voice called out.

The next morning found Neo and the other lieutenants standing at attention as Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone'' Simpson and Rear Admiral Solomon "Warlock" Bates arrived.

"I'm Admiral Bates, NAWDC Commander. Welcome to your special training detachment. You're all Top Gun graduates, the elite, best of the best," the man said.

That's right, Neo thought. He cast a glance around the room at his classmates. There were many faces, ones he didn't recognize, and the familiar mop of hair that was–

No. He couldn't look at him yet. Not now. He turned his attention back to the front.

"That was yesterday. You've all spent your careers flying close air support for troops on the ground with little to no air-to-air threat," Warlock announced as the lieutenants, including Neo, sat down.

"The enemy's new fifth generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box. This mission requires two F-18 Echo solo pilots and two Foxtrot dualseat teams. Half of you will make the cut, half will remain in reserve... One of you will be named mission leader." Warlock paused as he scanned the room, analyzing every pilot in attendance before continuing. Some were cocky, some were paying attention, and some didn't betray much emotion.

"Your instructor is a Top Gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master. His exploits are legendary and he is considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced."

Who's going to teach the best of the best? It couldn't be...

"I give you Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign Maverick." Warlock finished his speech and stepped away as Maverick arrived at the podium.

Neo noted the faces of his fellow lieutenants. Reuben, Javy, and Jake looked surprised as they realized that they had thrown their captain overboard the previous night at the Hard Deck. Well, not surprised so much as squirming with discomfort and shame.

"Good morning."

He just ejected at Mach 10! Mach freaking 10!

"The F-18 NATOPS. I expect you all know this book well," Maverick said. A chorus of "Damn straight"s and "Hell yeah"s filled the room. Neo, meanwhile, just humbly nodded. He knew his dad too well to bother with the comments.

The next second Maverick threw the NATOPS into the trash bin beside the podium.

"And we're off," Hondo muttered as Cyclone sighed.

"Today we'll take it easy on you. Today's exercise is dog fighting, no missiles, guns only," Maverick said. "Dismissed to the ready room. First pair, Fanboy and Payback with Rooster." Everyone headed off to the ready room.

Once there, those not called to fly dispersed around the room. Callie and Neil plunked down on the couch. Brigham and Logan quickly started up a game of foosball. Javy and Jake sat across from Callie and Neil. Natasha, Neo and Robert situated themselves at the bar near the radio.

"As briefed, today's exercise is dogfighting, no missiles, guns only." Maverick said over the radio as Robert, Natasha and Neo looked at each other.

"If I shoot either of you down, you both lose," Mav added, as Jake played with a model jet.

"This guy needs an ego check," he drawled.

"Says the one who actually needs an ego check," Neo countered icily. The rest chuckled at Neo's jab except Javy and Jake.

"Whoever gets shot down has to do two hundred pushups," Reuben said as Pete chuckled.

"That's a lot of pushups."

"They don't call it exercise for nothing, sir."

"Fight's on, gentlemen," Mav said.

Neo watched Natasha's movements out of curiosity. She was cool and collected. Not exactly arrogant. Merely curious rather.

"What are you looking at, Matrix?" Natasha asked suddenly. Neo blushed in embarrassment at being caught.

"Sorry, Natasha," he replied. He truly was sorry–his eyes had gotten away from him. Maverick came back over the comms."Go see Hondo about your pushups," he said as Mickey and Reuben came in from their flight. "Harvard, Yale and Fritz, you're up."

Neo watched as the rest of the aviators got knocked down a peg, in threes. Soon–too soon–everyone had been called and it was suddenly Neo's turn.

"Matrix, Omaha and Halo," Maverick's voice called through the radio. Neo tried to quell the butterflies in his stomach. It was just a training exercise, goddammit.

"Good luck, Matrix," Robert called, giving Neo a kind smile as the three pilots made their ways to their jets.

They were off.

Once in the air, Neo quickly looked out for Maverick. "Omaha, Halo, do you guys see him?" Neo asked.

"Nothing yet, Matrix," Halo said, just as Maverick flew between the two jets.

"Woah!" Neo shouted. Distantly, he registered that Neil had said the same thing, and quickly focused on keeping an eye on the other jet. After all, he was their wingman, and if there was one thing he'd learned from Maverick, it was that you never leave your wingman out to dry. Not even at the worst time.

It wasn't even two minutes in when Neo saw Maverick. "Tally Maverick on your six, Omaha!" Neo shouted. "Break right!"

Omaha broke right as Neo followed, trying to get Maverick. The next few seconds went by in a blur–a blur that ended in a resounding beeeeep!

That's tone, Neo thought.

"You're out, Matrix," Maverick said as Neo nodded.

"Copy, kill," Neo said as Maverick quickly got the kill on Omaha and Halo. Neo landed his jet and unclipped his harness. He plunked down on the ground and waited for Omaha and Halo to land to begin the push ups. It was a grueling fifteen minutes.

"Dammit, Payback, Fanboy. Why did you do this to us? This is just cruel," Neo mumbled to himself as his arms burned.

"Down. One eleven," Hondo called out.

The hot pavement of the tarmac burned his hands. Neo turned his head to the runway and saw Jake land. Not long after, Natasha and Robert touched down as well.. They, too, had been shot down. It seemed like everyone had.

"Let me guess, Hangman left you out to dry?" Neo asked Natasha as she was getting ready for her set.

"Left us as bait to get Maverick, but he got shot down too," Natasha replied, sinking down from her plank. Besides her, Jake and Robert did the same.

Neo slightly wished he was paired with Natasha and Robert. He wouldn't leave them out to dry, not like his idiot brother. But training was training, and he couldn't pick who he was teamed with. He knew he wasn't exactly team leader material. But he thought Jake wasn't either. It wasn't that he and Jake didn't get along, it was the fact that Jake would leave his wingman hanging that always pissed Neo off to no end. Something about Natasha's spark made Neo slightly interested in her. The same for Robert. The duo had only met the evening prior and Natasha and Robert worked in sync like he and Ducky had three years prior.

Once they finished their pushups, Neo, Neil, Callie, Robert, Jake and Natasha headed back to the ready room. The mood was slightly subdued–every aviator within had been bested by Maverick, and felt like jelly after the pushups.

Wait, not everybody. Neo quickly looked over to where Rooster sat, about to say something when the radio crackled to life.

"Rooster, Hangman, you're up," Maverick said. Neo looked over to his brothers, silently wishing them luck.