Into the Bombardment

Flight of the Fighting Falcon

It was a bright sunny day in the Northern Cape region of South Africa at the Firestorm Mercenaries' base. There wasn't a cloud in sight, while the barometer was hitting ninety-seven degrees Fahrenheit.

Sitting at the end of the runway was an F-16 "Fighting Falcon." Behind the controls was Firestorm Mercenary Tyson Morgan II, going to intercept a HAL Tejas Mk. II being flown by Prashant Kapoor, an arch rival of Tyson. Thirty-Four minutes ago, Pershant was picked up on radar

The F-16 "Fighting Falcon" is a legend of Western Aviation, serving twenty-six countries around the world. It is armed with eight missile hardpoints for either an air-to-air layout, or an air-to-ground layout. The plane's digital fly-by-wire flight controls promised unparalleled maneuverability, as well as the ability to get the job done easily.

Tyson was set to put a twenty millimeter into Prashant's body without remorse. Currently, Tyson's F-16 was armed with four AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, and four AIM-9 "Sidewinder" short-range air-to-air missiles, and a full magazine in his M61 "Vulcan" cannon.

As Tyson did his pre-takeoff checklist, an A-10 "Thunderbolt II" passed over Tyson's F-16, followed by a Hawker Hunter; and then Samantha Silacci's Eurofighter Typhoon

Deciding the coast is clear, Tyson tuned into air traffic control, contacting tower to request clearance to take off, popping his knuckles, hoping he can kill the Kapoor before he is killed.

Upon getting clearance to takeoff, Tyson lowered the Falcon's flaps and then disabled the parking brake; applying throttle to the Pratt and Whitney turbofan.

The plane moved forward quickly, as Tyson applied more and more throttle. When the airspeed indicator touched 183 miles per hour; Tyson was already at the middle of the runway; the plane's nose wheel was in the air. He pulled back on the joystick, and applied the elevators, lifting off the ground, and raising both the flaps and the landing gear, and initiated a climb to about twenty-seven thousand feet. He could feel his heart raising, regretting drinking the NOS that he drank before getting into the plane. He felt jittery and skittish.

Upon checking his AN/APG-68 Pulse Doppler radar, nothing appeared, until he checked it after traveling for ten more miles; to where Pershant appeared on his radar.

Tyson activated his sniper advanced targeting pod, pointing the laser towards the green dot, and entered the coordinates, and launched an advanced medium range air-to-air missile. After launching the missile; he turned the missile's camera on, and watched the AIM-120 tear through the sky. Before the missile's camera went static, it looked as if it were exploding next to the Tejas, signifying Tyson got a hit.

Tyson suddenly felt a surge of joy go through his body; knowing Pershant isn't a talented pilot like he once claimed, as he launched a sidewinder while dodging a Derby air-to-air missile fired by Pershant, to which Tyson returned with an AIM-120 while dodging an Astra air-to-air missile.

The two then crossed paths, flying past each other in a head-on engagement, Pershant fired a burst of his GSh-2-23, while Tyson fired his Vulcan cannon, both getting inaccurate shots, and missing.

Tyson pulled a Split-S maneuver, firing his Vulcan cannon, scoring a hit on the rudder, and the left flap, ripping the flap off of the Tejas, to which the Tejas made a tight turn to the left, while Tyson corkscrewed to keep up with the Tejas. He then fired his Vulcan cannon into the rudder to jam it and then fired another burst to kill the right aileron.

The Tejas then applied elevators, to which Tyson fired another Sidewinder, and another burst of his Vulcan into the cockpit of the Tejas, getting a perfect shot into Prashant's head with the twenty-millimeter round, he then looped and rolled to the left, leveling out, and watching the Tejas climb, and stall, falling towards the ground.

As Tyson flew away, he sighed, as he headed back to base. The ride was silent, and the plane silently flew through the sky at low throttle. Like any other time he had killed the HVTs within the six superhuman families, he felt a little bit emotionless, seeing the only way to kill a superhuman was by putting a big bullet into their upper torso or into their head.

Upon entering the base's airspace, Tyson did his pre-landing check, as he lined the plane up with the runway on final approach, contacting air traffic control, requesting clearance to land.

When air traffic control granted Tyson clearance to land, he reduced the throttle some more, lowered the landing gear and flaps and raised the plane's nose wheel, and entered the glide path As Tyson touched down on the piano keys, hearing skid marks.

He then applied the brakes, and the air brake to slow the Fighting Falcon down, and turning the nose wheel to the left, he then taxied to his hangar, parking the Falcon next to his F-4 "Phantom" and his F-15 "Strike Eagle" while activating the parking brake, and killing the power going to the single Pratt and Whitney turbofan.

He then climbed from the cockpit, and jumped off of the wings, hanging his flight suit up, as well as his helmet, revealing his blond hair and his gray eyes. His pupils were dilated, and his skin was pale.

He then headed to the rec center, to where he met with Samantha. Upon arriving at the rec center, Tyson sat down at the bar, and ordered a drink, he wanted to get drunk after killing somebody.

He drank down a few shots, feeling a false sense of warmth. He could already feel buzzed and felt relaxed and happy.

As he drank some more, he was getting more and more drunk, his speech was slurred, and he smelt like alcohol. He then checked his messages, to see messages from his girlfriend, Tracey.

Smiling, he indulged in a conversation with his girlfriend, feeling the lust he once felt for her when they broke up in high school almost twelve years ago.