THE RECKONING '.'.'. bradley "rooster" bradshaw

4

"Time is your greatest enemy," Maverick stated standing on his podium pulling up the screen next to him. "Phase one of the mission will be a low altitude attack with two teams and a backup following the last team." The screen popped up with the simulation, a plane flying through a canyon, staying close to the ground. "You will need to stay below the cover of the canyon, the radar is connected to missiles about it, the SAMs are lethal." The screen switches again, this time showing the SAMs sitting about the canyon. "The Missles are made to watch the skies above, not the canyon below."

"That's because no one was stupid enough to try and fly below them." I hear Rooster comment from behind me.

I see Mav smirk, "That's what I'm gonna teach you exactly to do." I see Jake lean forward in his seat next to me, everyone interested in what dad had to say. "Today your altitude is 100 feet, maximum, if you exceed this the missiles will detect you, and you're dead. Airspeed will be 660 knots, time to target is two minutes, thirty seconds.

I glance at Nat who looks shocked, I can tell she does not think this is even possible. Then I turn to Hangman who was smirking at me with a toothpick in his mouth, I crack him a smile.

"If you fly any slower the enemy's fifth-generation fighters can intercept you, and shoot you down. So you need to get in and get out."

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"We need to increase the speed Rooster, we will not make it on time if we go like this," I say into my mask taking another sharp turn.

"No, we can do this safely at this speed, maintain it." I roll my eyes knowing that this isn't gonna work.

"No, it wouldn't" I whisper under my breath following him.

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"Why are they dead?" Mav says standing in front of the TV.

"We flew too high, SAMs took us out," Phoenix said, shifting in her seat uncomfortably.

Mav turns to Coyote, "No why are they dead." Coyote grimaces.

"I slowed down, didn't warn my team that I was going to." I see him shrink under dad's sight.

"Why didn't you communicate to the team?" Mav continued to push.

"I-I was focused on-"

"What excuse will the family take at the funeral?" Maverick cuts him off.

Coyote freezes before answering, "none sir."

Maverick turns back to Nat. "Why did you not anticipate the turns, you were briefed on the terrain." Nat started to stutter something out before being cut off again. "Don't tell me, tell his family," Mav says pointing at Bob. I see Nat turn to him before he just gives her a small shake of his head.

"What happened?" Maverick says turning to Hangman next to me. Jake gives one of his smirks before answering, "I flew as fast as I could, kinda like my life depended on it." I roll my eyes before I comment,

"And you put your team in danger and your wingman is dead." Looking at him but he just keeps looking forward, smirking again,

"They couldn't keep up," I swear one-day imma smack that smirk right off his face.

Then I see Maverick turn to Rooster and me. "What happened, why are you dead."

I hear nat cut in defending us, "Sir they were the only ones to make it to the target." I smile at her but I know that my dad will not take that.

"Over a minute late, which gave enemy aircraft enough time to intercept, and shoot you down."

"Then it's a dogfight." I hear Rooster comment, I turn around to look at him.

"Against fifth-generation fighters roost," I say getting irritated.

Rooster just looks past me back to dad, "It's not the plane it's the pilot."

"EXACTLY" My dad yells over everyone. "You put Invert in a vulnerable position, and I can tell you I won't take excuses at her funeral." I look up at him sadness coating his eyes, I also see regret.

"There is more than one way to fly this mission." Rooster comments. I hear Hangman let out a breathy laugh, looking at Bradley. Oh god.

"You really don't get it, do you." Hangman looks at Bradley I can see that Jake is mad at Bradley. "On this mission, a man flys like Maverick here or they don't come back." He then looks at me and Phoenix, "No offense intended."

"Yet you always manage," Bob says defending us, I give him a smile.

Hangman starts back again looking at Bradley, who looks back at him. "We are going into combat son, on a level no man has seen, not even him." Hangman looks to Maverick then back to Rooster. "Now is not the time to be thinking about the past." I look over to Hangman at this statement, shaking my head.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean." I hear Bradley pipe up, I know what he is going to say, but how did he find out?

"Well I can't be the only one here that knows that Maverick here, flew with your dad, and that maverick was flying when he di-" I see Bradley get up and run at Jake, trying to throw a punch.

"Stop it!" I shout as Payback and Fanboy get Bradley off of Jake. I look at him with worry and anger in my eyes.

"Ana, why do you keep defending him? When he did what he did?" I stiffen at his words.

"Don't," I say to him sternly my face growing cold.

He looks at me in anger. "No, go on tell all of them, all the people who don't know. Tell them how he accused you of something in front of everyone on your fucking birthday and then ghosted you for eight years. Tell them how you were heartbroken for over a year, and couldn't even get in a plane, or even think about flying. And when your uncle got cancer he didn't care, he let you suffer for eight years, even after he said that he lo-"

"FUCKING ASSHOLE" I feel my fist collide with his nose, tears filling my eyes. Hear people shouting some are my own as I'm dragged away from him tears running down my cheeks.

"Class dismissed!"

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"Are you gonna tell me what happened today?" Penny slides me another vodka shot. I look up at her letting the tears fill my eyes. I close my eyes throw my head back and take a shot.

"I got mad. I trusted Hangman when I shouldn't. History loves to repeat itself." I feel Penny grab my hand, looking up at her she smiles.

"I was there when Bradley left you Ana, I saw you reeling. You are a fighter, always have been, but I saw the moments when you almost stopped fighting. I see you trying not to let things get to you, but Ana you can't even look at that boy anymore. You are so much better than that. You always have things to say, so say them." I let the words sink in.

"Last time I was vulnerable around Rooster I got hurt," I pull my hand away from Penny's, stand up and grab my jacket. "I'll be damned before it happens again."

I start to walk out of the bar before I hear her shouting after me, "You never know how things happen, but things are gonna end up better than you have ever dreamed of," I hear footsteps walking toward me, "But you need to learn to love people again."

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A/N

So we got a little incite on to why Ana and Bradley don't get along, but there is so much more to find out. ;)