•clueless•

•22•

Rooster

"Marking." I called, marking my time as we sped through the air. My nerves felt like a bowling ball in the pit of my stomach, but I had to push through. There were three things going through my mind as we sped towards the chemical plant. The mission in general, my dad, and Rae. From what I could tell, this was a similar mission to my dad's last mission.

As we sped through the air, my ball only grew larger in my stomach. I couldn't die and leave Rae behind. She was all I had left, other than my crew mates. I could potentially be flying through the air to my death.

"Rooster, we're falling behind." I hear Fanboy call. Shaking my head, all that was playing in my head was Rae's voice urging me along with my dad.

"Talk to me, dad." I groaned, growing angry at myself. Why couldn't I just focus on this mission? "Dagger three is falling back." I hear over the intercom from headquarters. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.

"Talk to me dad." I whispered to myself, I focused my eyes on steering through the canyon. "You got this Rooster." Maverick's voice stands out over everyone's. Faintly, it sounded like how I remembered my father sounded.

Come on baby, you can do this. Don't think.

Rae's voice rings through my head as my eyes screw shut for just a second. Taking a deep breath, I fling the tiller forward to increase speed.

"Woah!" Fanboy calls behind me, catching up I presume. My mind goes completely blank as we approach the plant. Maverick and Phoenix had cleared  the plant's vent first, now it was up to us to drop.

"Fanboy where's my laser?" I shout, realizing it hasn't targeted yet as we soared over the mountain. "There's something wrong with the laser! It won't focus." He calls back. A short groan leaves my lips as we approach the plant. We were losing time.

"I'm shooting blind!" I call, approaching the vent. "Don't!" Fanboy calls, but it was too late. We were out of time. Pressing the trigger, I dropped the bombs before pulling up.

"It's a hit!" Maverick shouts over the radio. As I pull up, I begin to lose consciousness.

You gotta stay awake, B. You got this, you're almost out of there.

My eyes pull themselves open as I push over the mountain. The missiles set their targets on us, immediately tailing us. Our radio goes haywire as we all speak over it. Pressing the triggers, I got rid of the missiles set on me.

All I had to do now was to get out of here in one piece and get back to my girl.

After several more rounds of taking down missiles, I realize I'm out of flares as another set sets on me. "I'm out! I'm out!" I shout, fear settling in my entire body.

All of a sudden, Maverick flips backwards, landing behind me and taking out the missiles. "Thanks-." I start, but a loud explosion behind me gains my attention.

"Dagger one is hit!" Phoenix shouts. My entire body goes cold. "Maverick, report back." Headquarters speaks up. As the three of us speed away, free of missiles now.

No response from Maverick.

"We have to go back." I look back, seeing smoke in the mountains. "Do not turn back. Head back to the carrier." Warlock speaks over the radio from HQ.