Baby Mav

Reinforcements

"Time is your greatest enemy," Maverick started the speech he wrote and practiced. "Phase one of the mission will be a low-level ingress attacking in two-plane teams. You'll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar-guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area. These SAMs, they're lethal. But they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below."

"That's because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them," Rooster scoffed.

"That's exactly what I'm gonna train you to do," Maverick said, glancing over his shoulder at him. "On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet maximum. You exceed this altitude, radar will spot you and you're dead. Your airspeed will be 660 knots minimum. Time to target: two and a half minutes. That's because fifth-generation fighters wait at an air base nearby. In a head-to-head with these planes in your F-18s, you're dead. That's why you need to get in, hit your target, and be gone before these planes even have a chance of catching you. This makes time your greatest adversary."

"And you're going to train us?" Hangman smirked. Maverick took his innocent smile and turned it into a dark smirk. One that Rooster knew a little too well. It usually meant Maverick had something up his sleeve.

"I'm not the only one training you."

"What?" Several of the trainees asked.

"I'm bringing in someone else who has amazing experience," Maverick chuckled. He glanced over at Hangman, a brief moment of nervousness. "If anyone can get you to fly this mission right, it's her."

Rooster's stomach sank. Everyone else was intrigued, but he knew who Maverick was talking about.

"And who is this new trainer?" Hangman taunted.

"She's the best," Maverick said, glancing at Rooster. "One of the first female pilots in the program. She was at the top of her class and was completely unbeatable. And, I should probably mention, she is the only survivor of the F-18-20 flight."

The tension in the room thickened. Of course, they knew what the F-18-20 flight was. Every pilot learned about that flight. They analyzed the flight plan and every second that happened after take off.

"I thought she retired," Bob said softly.

"She's been on medical leave," Maverick corrected.

"Medical leave?" Hangman scoffed. "For three years?"

"It's a long story that I don't feel like getting into right now," she said as she walked to the front.

Rooster felt like all the oxygen in the room was sucked out as he watched her walk toward Maverick. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she passed him. He tried not to but failed to not wish she would look at him.

"Sounds like you don't really want to be here," Payback chuckled.

She turned towards them, her eyes landing on Rooster. It was only for a few seconds, but it felt like years to him. To her, it was seconds.

"The only reason I'm back is because of you," she answered him.

"Us?" Hangman smirked.

"Don't take that as a compliment," she said with no emotion. "Take it as an embarrassment."

"Why?" Hangman scoffed.

"Because you need a girl who's been on medical leave for five years to come keep you from blowing your asses up."

"Allow me to introduce you to Maddlyn," Maverick chuckled.

"What was your callsign?" Phoenix asked.

Maddlyn and Maverick shared a look. She glanced at Rooster before turning her attention back to the other trainees.

"It's not important."

"Not important?" Hangman challenged. "Why? Is it girly?"

"It was given to me by misogynistic assholes like you," Maddlyn shot back.

"How bad was it?" Bob asked. He quickly shook his head and looked away from her.

"Baby Girl."

The mood instantly shifted. Even Hangman felt guilty. Maddlyn crossed her arms over her chest, smirking to herself when the entire room felt awkward. Her eyes landed on Maverick and that shifted her mood.

"But it doesn't matter anymore," she explained. "I changed it."

"To what?" Fanboy asked.

"That," Maddlyn chuckled, "you need to earn."

"Earn?" Payback laughed.

"Let me make something perfectly clear to all you little pilots," Maddlyn sighed, "I'm well aware of your stats. And guess what? Not impressed."

"Not impressed?" Hangman challenged.

"Nope."

"Nope?"

"Not even a little," Maddlyn confirmed. "Honestly, I'm surprised a few of you haven't killed yourselves already."

She was staring at Hangman the entire time. "And you know better?" Hangman scoffed. The mood shifted as Maddlyn glared.

"I lived it," she said in a serious tone. "I've flown with guys just like you, Hangman. And guess what? I'm here. They're not. It takes a special level of stupidity and ego to get yourself and your wingman killed."

"I haven't. . ."

"Not yet," she interrupted. The room was deadly silent. Rooster's heart sank as he listened to how serious Maddlyn was. She has never sounded like this. When she let them sit in silence long enough, she turned to Maverick with a smirk on her face. "Have they done it yet?"

"Nope," Maverick chuckled.

"Really? They haven't shot you down?" She looked at the trainees and chuckled.

"It's not that easy," Payback mumbled.

"He's had more training."

"Aww," Maddlyn cooed. "Using the age excuse. Pathetic. How many, Mav?"

"Two hundred."

"That's it?" She scoffed. "Double it."

The trainees were confused as she walked back past them and headed out to the planes.

"You coming, Maverick?" She called over her shoulder.

"Watch and learn, kids," Maverick smirked.