Songbird & Rooster

EIGHT

Everyone stood in formation on the carrier. Hangman, Coyote, Rooster, and Omaha all stood in the front row. The second row consisted of the other 4 pilots and their respective WSOs. Phoenix and Bob behind Hangman, Yale and Harvard behind Coyote, Payback and Fanboy behind Rooster, and Fritz and Halo behind Omaha. Maverick, Delilah, and the Admirals all stand before them."It's been an honor flying with you. Each one of you represents the best of the best. This is a very specific mission. These choices are a reflection of that and nothing else." Maverick says. After Maverick's stunt during Delilah's meeting with Cyclone, Maverick was chosen as team leader which made Delilah feel better about this mission."Songbird." Cyclone gestures for Delilah to take the forefront. Taking a deep breath she steps up from behind Maverick."You all are fantastic pilots, I'm lucky that I got to call many of you my students. This was a tough decision.""The two foxtrot teams?""Payback and Fanboy," Delilah announces. "Phoenix and Bob." Her eyes lock on her best friend's both sharing a nod of trust."And Maverick's wingman?," The room was silent. Delilah makes eye contact with each solo pilot. Hangman, Coyote, Omaha, and finally Rooster whose face is stone cold, prepared to be passed over for this mission."Rooster." She replies, not at her full volume, but not too quietly that she can't be heard."Hangman and Songbird will be stationed on standby. The rest of you are to remain on reserve until called. Dismissed." Cyclone looks to her knowingly as she nods in return. Everyone leaves the room but Delilah and Rooster, who hung back to have a private moment."You okay?" "No. God, I haven't been okay for almost a month now." Delilah sighs, leaning in to hug Bradley."Hey, I'm coming home to you. I promise." Bradley kisses the top of her head. "I will always come home to you." Delilah just nods, not trusting herself to say a word. Bradley takes her hand and leads her to the locker rooms, splitting long enough to get the rest of their gear on before meeting back at the hallway. "Ready?" Bradley asks."Ready."Delilah walks Bradley over to his jet, their hands latched together tightly, not wanting to let go. Everyone notices them as they walk but the two couldn't care. "Alright, Princess." Bradley says, stopping in front of the jet's ladder. "I will see you when I get back.""Okay." Delilah musters a small smile as Bradley kisses her. "I love you.""I love you too." Bradley steps back and climbs up into the cockpit. Delilah smiles as she staggers back before turning and walking to her own jet parked next to Hangman's. Crews scramble across the deck prepping the jets for take off. "Dagger one, up and ready," Maverick said through the comm."Dagger spare, up and ready," Hangman chimed."Dagger four, up and ready," Payback and Fanboy call."Dagger three, up and ready," Phoenix and Bob call in unison."Dagger two, up and ready," Rooster says after taking a deep breath.One by one Delilah watches her friends take off, her boyfriend being the last. She sighs as they call their marks, knowing it was time for her to go. The crews start running up and prep her for take off."Songbird, what the hell is going on?" Hangman questions into the comms. Delilah's eyes meet Jake's but doesn't say a word as she switches her comms to a new channel."Songbird to command, do you read me?" Delilah says looking over to see Hangman still staring at her practically screaming at her."We read you loud and clear, Songbird. Prep for take off." Delilah taxis onto the runway halting when the crew below give her the signal. She runs through the pre-flight checklist and then closes her eyes, counting her breaths to calm her anxiety, and leaning back in her seat as she reaches into her pocket. She pulls out 3 photos, one was her and Bradley at senior prom, the second was Carole and Goose holding 3 year old Bradley and Delilah. The last was her, Pete, and Ice at her Top Gun graduation. She smiles, pinning them to the empty space on her dash. The last she pulls out is Ice's dog tags. "One last run Uncle Ice, let's make it a good one." She mutters, sliding the tags back into her pocket as she gets the all clear from the ground team. "Cyclone to Songbird.""Go ahead, Cyclone." She answers, running a final check on her gauges."Are you sure you can handle this?""No sir, but when has that ever stopped me." Delilah laughs, wiping her sweaty palms on her legs before slipping her gloves on. She gives the crew a thumbs up and launches into the air. "Switching to the main comms channel, shutting off the tracker. Over and out.""Copy that Songbird, it's been an honor." Cyclone calls out just before she switches back immediately hearing the shouting."What the hell do you mean she took off?" Bradley shouts."I don't know what to tell you man! Once all of you were off she started to taxi and now she's trailing behind y'all." Hangman shouts back. "Songbird do you copy?" Maverick calls out. "I repeat, Songbird, do you copy?"Delilah sighs, keeping out of radar."We're two minutes to target," Bob calls."Dagger, Comanche. We're picking up two bandits,""Fuck." Delilah mutters under her breath."Dagger five you are clear to confront.""Copy, dagger five entering radar and confronting." Delilah calls into comms."Songbird! What the hell are you doing?" Bradley calls when he hears her voice."Sorry Rooster. But I'm guaranteeing you go home.""What? Delilah stop!" Bradley shouts."Songbird no!" Maverick calls."I'm sorry." Delilah sighs before taking off towards the bandits.Maverick, Phoenix, and Bob perform the inverted dive down into the mountain range preparing to fire the missile. Bradley had fallen behind upon finding out about Delilah. "Talk to me dad." He mutters. Delilah eyes water. "Come on Roos, don't think." Delilah says softly, knowing Bradley heard her. She can tell he sped up, hearing Payback's shouts. She smiles as Bob announces their hit. A few seconds later she hears Rooster's call, "Bullseye, bullseye, bullseye." She smiles at his cheer before it drops, spotting the bandits before her. She levels out with them as they start prepping to fire on her. "Alright boys, let's see what you got." She slows her jet as they fly by. She levels out her jet and fires a missile at one causing it to blow. "Bogey one is down." She reports. She switches the guns and manages to get a hit on the second one. She chases it down but suddenly he pulls the maneuver she had pulled on him and it lands a couple of hits on her. "Shit, I'm hit." She swerves her jet attempting to shake his target off her. Suddenly the jet explodes behind her and she looks around before a familiar red helmet appears."You didn't think I was gonna let you risk your life for us did you, Songbird?""I remember you promising no heroics, Rooster." Delilah sighs, turning back to the front of her cockpit."I remember you promising the same thing. Guess we both can't help it." Rooster laughs. "Let's go home." Bradley leads the way as Delilah follows behind suddenly shouting when she sees a SAM go off."Smoke in the air! Deploying flares." Delilah hits the red button on the wall beside her knocking out the missiles that flew up behind her. Once Delilah thinks she's in the clear, she is quickly proven wrong when she feels her jet jolt and begin the plummet to the ground."Dagger five is down, I repeat, Dagger five is down!" Bradley shouts. "Eject Songbird, eject!"Delilah reaches for the eject handle but screams in pain as she does so. "Fuck!' Delilah shouts, looking down to see a piece of the interior wall panel bent over her left leg."Delilah! Eject!" Rooster shouts again."I can't," Delilah sighs. "I love you, Bradley. So so so mu-" The comms cut out as Bradley sees Delilah's jet crash. "Fuck!" Bradley turns his jet around to search for her."Dagger two return to carrier.""Rooster, come on, search and rescue will come get her." Maverick orders."No! I won't leave her!""Rooster! You can't help her if you're dead. Let's go!" Payback shouts, still ahead with Phoenix and Bob."Smoke in the air!" Bradley calls out. "Shit! I'm out of flares!" Bradley shouts, mashing the flares button."Dagger one is hit!" Phoenix calls out, Bradley whips his head around to see Pete's parachute, nothing catching his eye. "I repeat, dagger one is hit! Maverick is down!""Fuck!" Bradley mutters. "We have to go back for them!""They're gone, Rooster." Phoenix calls back, the sadness in her voice obvious."I won't leave them." Rooster says turning around, ignoring the commands from base.