Safety Net 》Reuban Finch

Chapter 8

As it turns out, a beach day was exactly what was needed. The detachment was working like a well-oiled machine now.

A few more runs had been attempted, all ultimately failing. But they were getting closer and closer to the time goal.

Soon enough, the final run of the day was up. Little did anyone know, this run would end in disaster.

"Talk to me, Bob," Phoenix calls back to her WSO.

"We're 12 seconds late on Target. we gotta move, we gotta move!" he replies.

"Copy, try and stay with me," Coyote says over the radio.

"Uh, wait, who's that?" Bob asks after seeing a boogie appear on his radar.

"Blue team, you've been spotted," Maverick says over the radio.

Coyote curses. "Shit, it's Maverick.”

"What the hell is he doing here?" Phoenix questions.

"I'm a bandit on course to intercept, blue team. What are you gonna do?" Maverick asks.

"He's 12 miles left, 10 o’clock and closing," Bob informs the others.

"Your call, what do you want to do?" Coyote asks Phoenix, as she was team leader for this particular run.

"Continue, we're close," she says. "Stay on target."

"He's swinging around to the north," Bob says.

"Stay ready for the pop-up," Coyote advises.

"Be ready with my laser, Bob!" Phoenix tells him.

"Copy, I'm on it," he responds.

"Blue team, bandit is still closing," Maverick informs them.

"Popping up," Coyote says as he pops his plane up.

"Talk to me Bob, where's the bandit?" Coyote asks.

"He's 5 miles out. He's coming fast," Bob responded.

"Targets in sight," Phoenix confirms.

"Where's my laser, Bob?!" Coyote asks.

"Dead eye, dead eye! It's no good, sorry I can't get a lock." Bob calls out.

"We're out of time, I'm dropping blind," Coyote says. He sends the missile. "Damn it! Miss!"

They start the steep climb out of the canyon, but Coyote goes into GLOC.

"That's tone," Maverick says as he locks onto Bob and Phoenix. 

"Shit, we're dead," Phoenix says.

"Blue team, that's a fail," Maverick informs them. "Level out Coyote " Coyote doesn't respond.

"Coyote, talk to me," Maverick tries again. "Coyote, come in! Coyote level wings."

Still nothing.

"Oh my god, he's in GLOC," Maverick realizes. "Coyote, Coyote!"

"He's gonna burn in!" Phoenix worries.

"I'm going after him," Maverick says, punching his speed. "Come on, give me tone, give me tone, give me tone."

He gets a lock on Coyote, using the sound to wake him out of GLOC. "Snap out of it, Coyote, come on, come on. Break right, break right!!!"

Coyote wakes up just in time to steer away from the mountain.

"There we go, kid, you ok?" Maverick asks him.

"Yeah, I'm ok," he replies. "I’m good."

"Good, good. That's enough for today," Maverick releases a breath.