Dagger Squad

Chapter 9

"How the hell did he pull that off?!"

"Pff, it's an easy move."

"Shut up, Fritz!"

"Phoenix, he's on your six!"

He listened to the comms through the radio, tapping his fingers on the table it sat on.

"Chicken, chillax." Hangman called from the other side of the room, looking up from his hands.

"Leave me be."

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I'm just trying to listen to what's happening so I stay in the lead, but your won't shut up." He said, bite in his tone.

"Jeez, Rooster. Didn't think you had it in you to be such an egotistical jerk."

"You're one to talk." He murmured, turning back around to look at the radio.

"Phoenix will be fine. You know that. I know that. Everyone knows it. What the hell is getting you so worked up?" He asked, then picked up his head, pointing a finger, "And don't tell me 'nothing' or that I 'won't shut up.'" He put his head back down, but left his finger jabbed.

"It's none of your business, that's what."

He waved his hand, putting it back on the couch. "Whatever."

Hangman leaned back against the cushions, looking down at the ground. He stared at it for a while, listening to the radio. Phoenix had gotten the bogey off her tail, but another was incoming. Today's hop had three enemies. Two were already out and in the air before them, but the last one would be a surprise. Phoenix was met with the surprise just after she finished with the other two. Her wingman wasn't helped her at all. Hangman heard Rooster scoff when Fritz left her for the other bogey, and he spoke up.

"What?"

"Fritz is just like you."

"What?"

"He left Phoenix, just like you do. You do it to all of us." He said. "You two aren't trading notes, are you?"

"What the hell is wrong with you today?"

"Nothing. I'm just saying. You leave us in the air, he leaves her in the air... It's a pattern. It's the same thing."

"No it's not!" He yelled, sitting up abruptly.

Rooster held his gaze. The expressions were backwards. Normally, Hangman would have the relaxed, careless one, while Rooster wears the red-in-the-face fuming. But today it's switched. It almost doesn't look right.

Bradshaw turned away with a scoff, planting his eyes back in the radio.

After a few minutes, Hangman looked up to Rooster. "You're just mad because we keep messing with her."

"So what if I am?"

"She can handle herself."

"Yeah, if anyone knows that it's me." He scoffed.

"You sure as hell don't show it. You keep protecting her. From everyone. Guy, me, Fritz. Even the ones who don't say anything to her."

Rooster sighed, locking his jaw.

"Phoenix, you need to bank!"

"No, in two seconds he'll be on your tail!"

"That doesn't matter! You're going to make it an even bigger problem if you don't bank!"

Her sigh crackles through the comms, the huff of exasperation slipping through. Rooster leans back in the chair, resting his hand on his knees. Hangman notices how they seem to shake and wobble, even when they're flat against the flight suit.