Phantom | Bradley Bradshaw

[3]

Don't go there

Phantom sat in the chair, "Did you get any sleep last night?" Phoenix asked. "Of course." Phantom lied but Rooster saw it. "I have known you since we were kids and I still know when you are lying." Rooster said to her. Phantom sighed, "I got a little, had things on my mind, but I am rested enough to fly." She assured them. They looked at her, "I had an energy drink then a nice scolding from my father for drinking the damn thing." She added and they giggled at her. Of course, Phantom went and saw her father that morning, they talked about things and he was thrilled that pilots wanted to hear about his adventures but Phantom had assured her father don't let the ego go to his head. They heard the door opened and everyone went silent.

Maverick made his way to front which everyone had their focus on him. He stood in front of a monitor that displayed a flight simulation. "Phase one of the mission will be a low-level attack. You'll be flying along the narrow canyon walls to the target. The surface-to-air missiles defend the skies above, not the canyon below." He explained.

"That's because no one is insane enough to fly below." Rooster commented. "That's exactly what I'm going to train you to do." Maverick responded. He described the low altitudes and high speeds the pilots would be flying for today's simulation. It was an improvement from the actual altitude and speed required for the mission, but it was still worrying. No pilot had ever flown a mission like this before, not even Maverick. "Time to target is two and a half minutes." "Holy shit." Phantom thought. "Fifth-generation fighter jets wait at a base nearby. You need to get in and you need to get out. This makes time your greatest adversary." Maverick explained.

...........

"Ah Damn it!" Phantom said as she was minute late to the target like Rooster was. "Phantom relax, we need more practice not everything is going to smoothly on the first time." Ruby tried to assure her. "But if it was real, you two would be dead, I would be too." Phantom said and it was complete silence on the way back to base.

..............

Looks like everyone didn't succeed in this phase of the training, Phantom was still on edge and Maverick took notice of it. Maverick kept prodding at the other pilots, Rooster looked at her. "Why are you dead, Phantom?" Maverick asked her. She was in a daze as the pilots looked at her. "Phantom?" Maverick asked her. "Maverick, she made it to the target sir." Falcon replied. "Just like Rooster." Ruby added. "Yes, but was a minute late." Maverick responded. Maverick knew he wasn't going to get Phantom to answer, so he moved on. Bob and Phoenix looked at her. "Hey, just calm down, everything is fine." Phoenix said to her. "Yeah." Bob replied. "Yeah, but my mistake would cost one of your guy's life, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to one of you." Phantom replied.

"What happened?" Maverick questioned Hangman. A smirk appeared on his face as Phantom rose her brow. "I flew as fast as I could. Kind of like my life depended on it." He replied. "Last I recall this isn't a race, your suppose to stay with Bob and Phoenix." Phantom replied. "You put them in danger and now your wingman is dead." Rooster criticized. "They couldn't keep up." Hangman replied. "Once again this isn't a race and your team counts on you, you know." Phantom spatted.