Free Falling

Chapter 14: Fighting for Home

"Mav, tally two. Five o' clock low." Maverick's gaze shifted downward, noticing two fifth generation fighters slowly coming up from below them. He quickly shifted his gaze over to FreeFall. 

From her canopy, FreeFall caught Maverick's gaze as he turned his head over to his right then back to her. Leaning up slightly to catch his meaning, Annabelle spotted the source of Maverick's concern. Of course, when they needed everything to go smoothly here, luck would kick them all to the curb. FreeFall watched as Maverick and Rooster moved to put on their masks and lower their visors. Annabelle did the same, trying not to seem too obvious to the bandit planes that she was entirely following Maverick's lead. The last thing they needed was for the bandits to realize that the two F-14s had zero communication between them. Annabelle watched carefully as Maverick tried to gesture to the enemy planes that his comms were down, hoping to trick them into believing they were all on the same team. It did not work.

"Oh shit. His wingman is moving into a weapon's envelope." Annabelle found her nerves increasing as she watched the bandits maneuver into fighting positions. There was no possible way this was going to end well. Without being able to communicate properly with Maverick, there was no way of anticipating the other's move. Not only could they get taken down by the enemy, but they could end up taking each other down too. Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, Maverick accelerated forward, seemingly leaving Annabelle all on her own. But as just one of the enemy fighters trailed after Maverick, FreeFall realized what Mav was doing; he was splitting them up. This she could handle. 

"Alright dad. Let's do this." FreeFall pushed her joystick forward, sending her in a downward spiral towards the canyon. The one pro to an F-14 versus a fifth-generation plane? Targeting systems can't get messed up with an analog plane. Annabelle found the guns far easier to avoid than missiles as she bobbed and weaved along the canyon walls. Seeing that they'd be running out of room up ahead, Annabelle took the risk and leveled out just in front of the enemy aircraft. She remembered watching as Maverick pulled entirely up and over Rooster's plane at one point in training. It was one of the coolest moves she'd seen in a while. So, what better time to try it out then in a rundown F-14 while being chased by a fifth-generation fighter jet? FreeFall popped up hard and decelerated slightly to turn the body of her plane entirely up and over the enemy aircraft. Before her opponent even had a chance to fully turn around, they crashed into the mountain side, the plane going up in flame and smoke. 

Annabelle would have taken more time to celebrate, but she quickly remembered that Mav and Rooster were out there somewhere too. She popped up high to rest above the canyon, hoping they hadn't drifted off too far to avoid their enemy's aircraft. Panic coursed through her entire being before she finally saw Maverick's rust bucket level out above the canyon a couple miles ahead. As she flew in their direction, Annabelle suddenly heard something that was music to her ears. Static. Static meant radio. 

"Mav, I got the radio on!" 

"Outstanding. FreeFall, can you hear us?" Annabelle smiled wide as she pulled up next to Maverick's plane. 

"Loud and clear, Mav. It's good to hear your voice." 

"Rooster, get us in touch with the boat let them know we are on our way."

"I'm on it." Annie chuckled as Maverick changed course towards the carrier's location. She was about to follow and do the same, before her plane suddenly lit up with warning lights, indicating another plane was present somewhere close by. Maverick noticed FreeFall falling behind, almost completely halted in the sky.

"FreeFall, talk to me. What's going on?" 

"How much ammo do you have left?" 

"None. We're out. Why?" Annabelle motioned her head forward, drawing attention to the enemy aircraft headed straight for her nose.