Mayhem || B. Bradshaw

Chapter 2

     "WHAT DO THEY CALL YOU?" PHOENIX ASKED Floyd out of curiosity, letting the edge of the cue stick rest against the floor.

     "Bob," Floyd answered, with a slight grimace.

     "No," Payback corrected, "your callsign."

     "Uh..." Bob's voice lingered, before he answered, "Bob."

     "Bob Floyd?" Phoenix asked as realization seemed to dawn on her. "You're my new backseater? From Lemoore?"

     "Looks like it, yeah," Bob answered with a sheepish nod. Lizbeth couldn't help but feel charmed by the man, and a good feeling about him settled in her gut.

     He was too adorable, maybe in his late twenties, but she was sure that his skills were not something to underestimate. There was a reason he was called back as well.

     "Nine ball, Bob," Phoenix implied with a glint in her eyes, and handed him the pool stick. "Rack 'em." It was in that moment Lizbeth knew that Phoenix had taken a liking to Bob as well. Her friend had a funny way of giving others her approval.

     "Ok," Bob chuckled, and the pilots continued their play. Lizbeth looked around the bar to see Hangman asking for drinks, and this time around she got a better look at the Top Gun-graduate that had been conversing with Penny earlier.

     Weirdly enough, the pilot seemed to look at her back with a strange expression, which made her frown.

     It's probably nothing.

     Lizbeth gave him a weak smile, and instead leaned against the pillar Bob had been occupying until then, watching the pool game unfold.

     Bob had surprisingly good aim, and sent ball after ball down in the holes. Lizbeth was definitely snatching him to her team the next time she played.

     Her team always won the pool games, it was her policy. Mayhem had never been one to lose and Lizbeth intended to keep it that way.

     Though, after a minute, something seemed to stop Phoenix in her game, eyes trained on the entrance to the pub. Lizbeth was tempted to follow her friend's gaze until Natasha called "Bradshaw! Is that you?"

     Lizbeth froze against the pillar. Bradshaw.

     She could feel herself paling, and her heartbeat increased as footsteps approached where the pilots were hanging. Her mouth dried, and feelings she hadn't had the need to encounter in a long time began to bubble up inside her.

     He couldn't be here. It would mess up everything.

     Lizbeth stared straight ahead, refusing to make herself seen.

     A lump grew in her throat, but she ignored it to the best of her ability, focusing on taking long and controlled breaths.

     "This is how I find out you're stateside?" Phoenix asked playfully as Bradley approached, unaware of Lizbeth's slightly panicked state just a few feet away.

     "Yeah, I just thought I'd surprise you." The sound of his voice was enough for Lizbeth to once again feel the need to sit down, and her heart skipped a beat as he came into her view.

     He was wearing a loose Hawaiian shirt over a white t-shirt which he was hanging his sunglasses onto, hiding his tanned and well-muscular body underneath. His sandy-brown hair seemed newly cut, styled in the beachy way she had always known him with.

     And his mustache.

     Lizbeth let out a shaky breath. Though, she knew she had to collect herself, and took a deep breath.

     Bradley's been called back too. Just great.

     She pushed her feelings to the back of her mind, and tried her best to ignore them. She had to tolerate being in the same atmosphere as him if she was going to survive this mission.

     Then suddenly, Natasha did the first sensible thing for the day as she hit Bradley in the stomach with her cue stick, and sent a wink to her friend by the pillar. That brought a smile to Lizbeth's face.

     "Guess I surprised you back," Phoenix commented, with a slightly hostile glance thrown his way as he held himself to the stomach.

     "It's good to see you," Bradley said with a smile, though his voice was strained. Lizbeth chuckled inaudibly.

     "Good to see you too," Phoenix said with a smile, and Bradley patted her on the arm before he began to make his way further into the bar.

     Though, he didn't come further than a few feet before his eyes caught Lizbeth's.