killshot (bradley bradshaw)

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Jenna stomped back up the stairs, Hangman trailing closely behind. He, wisely, kept his mouth shut, as Jenna was not in the mood to hear the traitor say a thing. As she climbed, a few of the pilots from the mission descended past her, murmuring their condolences. Jenna nodded in thanks, not trusting her words. She hadn't even noticed that the other pilots had returned while she was below deck. 

Phoenix intercepted them at the top of the stairs, breathless.

"Jenna, I'm so sorry," Phoenix breathed, pulling her into a hug. Jenna's arms hung limply at her sides as she let her friend embrace her. After a few moments, Hangman cleared his throat, and Jenna turned around, noticing his eyes raking over Phoenix.

"Not now, Jake," Phoenix said, pulling out of the embrace. "I have to go report to command." 

She breezed past Hangman, but Jenna didn't miss the brief touch of their hands before Phoenix walked down the steps.

Jenna walked back onto the flight deck, blinking at the sun shining through the clouds. She scanned the horizon, desperate for any sign of an F-18 on the horizon. She numbly climbed back into the cockpit of her plane, moving her helmet off her seat, wanting to be in the place where she felt closest to her dad. She tipped her head back, letting the sunlight touch her face and she focused on breathing. 

Jenna didn't know how much time went by, but when she heard the stairway door slam open, she opened one eye to see who it was. Phoenix rushed through the door and started running towards Jenna's F-18, but Hangman intercepted her. 

They talked in hushed tones, Phoenix waving her arms. Hangman clearly said something Phoenix didn't like, and she shoved past him, sprinting over the distance to Jenna.

Jenna sat up straight in her cockpit as Phoenix scrambled up the ladder.

"Jenna!" Phoenix yelled over the roar of the wind. "Rooster just turned on his tracker. He's airborne!"

"What? How?" Jenna asked, as her stomach lurched upwards. 

"They think its Maverick. They've found something to fly in. Intelligence said there was nothing in the hangers after the bombing of the airstrip, but we must have missed a few F-14s!"

Jenna was speechless as she took all the information. She shook her head, clearing it, and immediately began flipping switches in the cockpit, turning on her plane.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Phoenix asked.

"Giving them air support obviously," Jenna replied. "They are still in enemy airspace and they'll need all the help they can get."

"Command has already assigned pilots to assist them," Phoenix responded, putting a hand on Jenna's shoulder. Jenna looked up to see a couple pilots she couldn't name coming out of the stairwell. 

"Fuck that," Jenna spat. "I'm going."

"I won't stop you," Phoenix said, "But I can't promise the same for Hangman."

Jenna scoffed and gave Phoenix's hand a tight squeeze. 

"Go get 'em," Phoenix yelled as she climbed back down the ladder. The top of Jenna's cockpit slid and locked into place, sealing her choice in. She readied her plane as fast s as she could. Looking over the flight deck, she saw Hangman in his cockpit, waving his arms at her and signaling to her to turn on her radio. She flipped it to a private channel, only between them. 

"Whatever you think you're going to do, Kill," Hangman said cautiously, his voice coming through. "You're not doing it-"

Jenna cut him off. "I'm not doing it?" She scoffed back at him. "Why? So you can go and get a shiny new promotion, Seresin? While my dad and Bradshaw are out there? Like hell I'm not doing it!"

"I wasn't finished," Hangman spoke again. "You're not doing it without me."

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Hi! Short Chapter! Apologies but I have been very busy! Most likely the chapters will be shorter so I can get them out with all the things I have to do! Hope you like!