FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙁𝙊𝙐𝙍

Lilah had listened patiently while Maverick explained the exercise. 6 teams, two against one, except for Lilah's own team. In her case, three on one. Payback, Rooster, and herself.

"Let's get this show on the road." Lilah said through the comm as she sat waiting in her jet. She was getting antsy.

She heard a Bradley snort.

"Sit tight, you're not even going up first." Payback responded with a chuckle. "You've got two jets going in front of you."

"Why can't I go up first?" she whined.

"Because," she heard the whoosh of Payback's plane taking off. A second later, she saw it in the sky. "You're an idiot who would do some stupid shit while waiting for Maverick to set up the exercise."

She watched Bradley's plane take off. It made her nervous, them being up their together. They'd never flown together.

"I'm flipping you off." she told him.

"Love you too, baby." and then he was gone off of her channel.

The marshallers signaled her to move into position.

"Confirming takeoff." she said.

"Takeoff confirmed." Warlock's voice came through.

She gave the good to go signal and then she was off. She felt the sinking sensation, the adrenaline pumping through her veins as the jet moved faster and faster. She pulled back, sending the jet soaring up. She was whooping.

Then she was in the air. She pulled up next Bradley and Payback, both who were sitting patiently. She waved to both, before searching the air for Maverick. She switched channels a few times to make sure she wasn't missing anything, but there was nothing.

Where the hell was Maverick?

They all must've sat for another five minutes before Maverick finally come over the comm.

"Good morning, aviators." Maverick was happy. Too Happy. "This is your captain speaking. Welcome to basic fighting maneuver's. As you were all debriefed, today's exercise is dogfight. No missiles. Guns only. And no going below the hard deck of 5,000 feet." Lilah was positive that Maverick was talking to her. "Work as a team to shoot me down, or else."

"Or else what, sir?" Fanboy asked through the comms.

"Or I shoot back."

Lilah rolled her as at the grin she was sure was plastered on Maverick's face. Sick asshole, embarrassing the pilot's on their first day.

"If I shoot any one of you, you all loose."

"How 'bout we put some skin on the game?" Payback countered.

Lilah almost opened her mouth to warn him that making a bet with Maverick was the worst thing that he could've ever done, but where would the fun in that be?

"What do you have in mind?"

"Whoever gets shot down first has to do two hundred push ups."

Lilah groaned aloud. Maverick was going to enjoy this.

"That's a lot of push ups."

"They don't call it an exercise for nothing, sir." Fanboy replied, too cocky for his own good.

"You've got yourself a deal. Now, let's turn and burn!"

Maverick's jet soared between Rooster and Payback's, catching them both completely off guard. Both jets spun, coming dangerously close to Lilah's. They shot different directions, trying to follow Maverick.