𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 | A Top Gun Fanfiction

Prologue

"Closing in on his left..."

"Get 'im Stirrups," my wingman encourages me.

I smile through the glass dome trapping me inside the sweltering cockpit. "Yessir."

With that, I suddenly hit the breaks, jerking backwards. Behind me, my RIO and best friend of all time swears like a sailor. I can't help but laugh. Vixen never swears. Only when we're up in the air, warding off bogies does her tongue let loose. It's funny enough to keep me relaxed in the tension of the airborne battle. The bogie slides forward, right in front of me. My fingers find the trigger, locking in on the back of the enemy plane. If this weren't a training round, I'd have blown them to smithereens. But, this is practice. Inside that plane are fellow team mates, Jupiter and Cliff, two guys I wouldn't mind blowing up if I'm ever given the chance. They're jerks. They tease Vixen for being a redhead, but mostly for being a girl. Sadly, they're too sneaky to get caught in the act, and my commander hesitates to give them the boot even after my many complaints. He doesn't agree with their behavior, but they are good fliers and he needs all the guys he can get.

I don't blame him.

At least I blew them outta this match, I think, savoring the sweet success in triumph.

"Good job, Stirrups!" Vixen breathes. "Wasn't ready for that breaking."

"C'mon Vix, I've done it so many times!"

"Never when I'm ready!"

"Stirrups, Vixen?"

I crane my neck around to see my wingmen but wherever they are, it's in a blind spot. "Yeah?" I reply through the mic.

There's nothing but silence, some heavy breathing, and then-

"OH N-"

"What was that?" Vixen inquires.

A tight nauseous feeling cramps in my stomach. The heat in the cockpit turns up another degree, blistering my skin and making a fresh wave of sweat pour down the front of my face and under my flight jacket. I lick my lips and find them parched. I reach a trembling hand up to my helmet, adjusting my mic to be closer to my mouth. Stay calm, I tell myself. "Guys? Shark, Twister? Come in."

The silence is sickening.

Maybe their coms went down at the same time as the opposing team 'took them out?'

That'd be strange...

I decide try again. "Shark-"

Something outside of our plane groans. Out of the corner of my eye I see a flash of light and just a second too late hear Vixen's deafening scream.

"REMI!"

My body gets slammed to the right, painfully cracking against the controls and glass dome. I feel pain burst along my shoulder, racing up my neck into the back of my head. My teeth sink dangerously deep into my tongue, biting down as my eyes squint. The bright light flickers and grows. It's red and yellow and as soon as I can't see anything but white, I hear a loud explosion. The white goes out. My body seems to be falling. I can't hear my own breath. My whole body aches and burns and I'm dropping dropping dropping until the searing white fades to black and I think no more...