Safety Net 》Reuban Finch

Chapter 10

The next day of training was still quiet. The aviators knew what the mission was. They knew how dangerous their job could be. But the Admiral's funeral, even if he died from cancer, was still a bit of a wake-up call.

It's only made worse when Cyclone starts talking, standing at the front of the room.

"Captain Mitchell is no longer your instructor. And as of today, there are new mission parameters," Cyclone informs them. 

The mission clock on the monitor resets from 2:30 minutes to 4:00.

"Time to target is now 4 minutes. You'll be entering the valley level at reduced speed. Not to exceed 429 knots."

Everyone looks at each other with worried and concerned faces, Hangman especially looks concerned. This was not what they had been training. And it was going to get someone killed.

"Sir, won't we be giving their planes time to intercept," Bob asks the first one to snap out of his astonishment.

"Well, lieutenant, you have a fighting chance against enemy aircraft. What are the odds of surviving a head-on collision with a mountain?" Cyclone answers him.

"You'll be attacking the target from a higher altitude, and the cyclone continues, level with the north wall. It will be harder to keep your laser on target, but you will avoid the high-G climb out." Even Warlock is looking wary, observing the looks of the aviators around him.

"We'll be sitting ducks for those enemy missiles," Fanboy whispers to Payback.

Neither were particularly happy about these changes. They both had people to come home to, and it seemed as if Cyclone was limiting that possibility.

But suddenly, the screen starts to move, and a beeping comes online. A small dot is being tracked.

"Who the hell is that," Cyclone questions as an F-18 appears on screen.

"Maverick to range control, entering point alpha, confirm green range." Maverick's voice comes over the speakers.

"Maverick, range control, uh green range is confirmed, but I don't see an event scheduled for you, sir," range controls answers back.

Everyone in the mission room looks excited to see Maverick let go of all restrictions.

"Well, I'm going anyway," Maverick says back. 

"Nice," Phoenix whispers. 

"Setting time to target, 2 minutes 15 seconds," Maverick says. 

"Two fifteen, that's impossible," Payback says. No shot he actually made that. They weren't even under two thirty yet, as that had been the next goal.

Hangman looks at the screen with a slight smirk, anticipating finally seeing Maverick show his full range.

"Time set for you," control informs him.

"Never say no," Maverick says, locking it to start.

Everyone is watching the screen, hardly breathing as they watch Maverick fly the course, navigating tight turns faster than they've ever seen.

The time is 1:30, and he's already halfway there, as everyone watches in anticipation
39 seconds on the clock as he approaches the target point.

"Popping, 3,2,1," Maverick counts down as he prepares to enter the inverted climb.

"Bombs away," as he launches the first missiles.

The missile hits with 0.16 seconds left on the clock as maverick hits 9.5Gs.