𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍: "𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒"- (ᴛᴏᴘ ɢᴜɴ - ᴍᴀᴠᴇʀɪᴄᴋ'ꜱ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ)

Chapter Two

Walking back into the Hark Deck bar, I had a major wash of nostalgia come over me. During my time as a student at Top Gun, I used to come here practically every weekend with Phoenix and Hangman. After all, drinking your heartache away was the only way I could get over Bradley's sudden departure from my life.

I stroll over to the bar and I immediately recognize my favorite bartender.

"Ava?!" She exclaims.

"Penny! Ah, it's so good to see you again." I say, wrapping her into a tight hug when she walks out from behind the bar.

"It's good to see you again too, dear! How is everything going at the new base?" She asks as she begins to prepare my favorite drink, an Old Fashioned on the rocks.

"Well, it was going alright before I got called back here. No funny business was allowed, so I just had to blend in with the crowd. No more flybys, unfortunately." I say, settling down on a barstool.

She grins at the mention of a tower flyby which was a common Mitchell family move. There wasn't a better way to celebrate a good flight run than to buzz a tower.

"So, what'd you get called back here for, then? I can't imagine they want such a recent graduate to become an instructor." She says, bringing my drink over to me.

I thank her and then say,

"Well, unfortunately, I still have little information on what I'm doing. I just found out about all this yesterday afternoon so I'm still reeling a bit."

She nods.

"Understandable. Hey, if you ever need any help or someone to help take your mind off some things while you're here, feel free to stop by here or the house anytime. You're always welcome, Avester." She says, grinning as she mentions my dad's old nickname for me.

"Thanks a million, Penny." I say, grinning back at her. She then goes off to help another patron as I swing my barstool around to survey the crowd.

Taking a small sip of my drink, I hop off the stool once I notice Hangman and Payback playing a game of darts. Hangman manages to hit three bullseyes, even when Payback covered his hand on the last one. It was a pretty famous party trick of his.

"I see..this mission must not be as special if they invited someone like you here." I say, walking up to the boys and leaning up against a wall.

"Hey! I'm literally the best of the best. You better watch it, Hades." Jake says, grinning like the cheshire cat as he walks over to me and engulfs me in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you." I say, my voice low.

"Likewise, Mitchell." He breaks away from the hug. "What have you been up to?" He shifts away from the dart area and over to an open pool table with Payback and I following closely.

"Oh, same old song and dance. New base does call for a new reputation, though. They have a strict 'no funny business' rule." I say.

"Ugh, that is just the worst!" Jake sighs, still grinning wildly.

"I know right?!" I exclaim, turning to survey the crowd once again. Right as I do this, I notice a few familiar faces walking right towards us.

"Nat!" I practically scream, running up to my best friend.

"Oh my gosh, Hades?!" She exclaims, running at me.

I launch myself into her arms and she wraps me in a tight embrace. At this point, I am grinning so hard that my cheeks could fall off.

"How are you?!" I ask her, as we eventually let go of one another.

"Oh, I'm just fine. How are you? I hear you just got settled in at a new base before all this Top Gun shit happened." She says, grabbing the pool cue from Hangman and taking a shot with it.