Eye of the Storm

-> the mission

There's more than a subtle difference in getting up this morning.

It was weird not being next to Rooster after last night.

But we knew better than to stay up late the night before the biggest mission of our lives.

And even if this day starts like all the other ones, it won't end the same.

Wake up.

Eat.

Get dressed.

Drive.

I make it to the locker room, earlier than everybody else.

I slip into my green flight jumpsuit, and pull it up over my shoulders. I zip it all the way up, and then get my boots on.

I sigh, "Hey Phoenix," when I hear familiar footsteps enter.

"Hurricane? Is something wrong? What did Rooster do last night? Did he mess up again? I swear I'm going to murder that man—"

"No, no, nothing like that, Nat." I assure her, "It's just I'm worried about today. I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Don't be. We'll be fine." She rolls her eyes at my worrisome nature.

"Okay, I'll see you in the classroom."

"Okay!" I hear her yelling, getting on her flight suit too.

I step out into the hallway, aiming for the room we've been coached in every single day.

I hear boots pounding on the floor behind me, "Rachel! Wait a moment."

"Yes, sir?" I asked Maverick.

"Before they go in there and announce my team, I just wanted to warn you, that you're staying behind."

I knew it.

"So first you pull Bradley's papers from the Academy, and now you're not letting me go on the mission?" I begin to seethe, I worked my butt off to get to where I am.

I wish I wasn't right all of the time. Maybe I have jinxed myself last night.

"You're not ready." My dad says simply.

"How so? I'm a better flyer than most of these pilots put together." Maybe I felt a fraction of the anger Rooster did when his papers got pulled.

"I know that, but you have no regard for your own life when you're flying." Maverick sighs, and continues, "The mission is for everyone to come out alive, and you'd sacrifice yourself in a heart beat for any of your pilots."

"Except Bagman." I say sourly.

"Bagman?"

I correct, "Hangman."

Maverick let's out a chuckle, and rolls his eyes, "You'd do it even for Hangman."

I raise my hands in defeat, "You're right." I brush him off, and start walking ahead, but at the last moment I decide to turn around. With a sharp sigh, I say, "Dad... bring him back for me."

I know he's going to bring Rooster instead.

"I will." He answers resoundingly.

I was right.