BRADLEY wasn't one to get nervous. On the contrary, he was always calm and easygoing, focused and centered on the missions he was sent to successfully complete. But if there was anything, or rather anyone, that could drive him mad, it was Swan, Hangman, and Maverick.

Each for a unique but distinct reason. Maverick for what he had done years ago, Hangman for the unbearable way he acted all the time, full of arrogance and narcissism. He wouldn't even risk commenting on Swan.

Having Maverick as his "teacher" was excruciating. At all costs to ignore his presence, to make all his comments about what had happened in the past be in the past, but then why did it seem like Pete didn't even care about his father's death anymore? It was excruciating to see the former wingman act so naturally, as if nothing had happened.

"Very well, Lieutenants." Maverick's own voice boomed over the radio. "Now it's three against one."

"Captain, don't you think you're showing off too much already?" Hangman asked, sarcasm in his voice.

"Oh, I'm not your target anymore," he replied, leaving them confused. "Hangman, Rooster, we're going to hunt Swan."

"What?" exclaimed a female voice. "Motherfucker!"

The F-18s had been in the air for some time. Maverick was close to them now, but Swan was nowhere to be found. Rooster chuckled. That would be interesting. Suddenly, Swan's plane cut between them, the wake of the engine destabilizing them for a while. Rooster grabbed the controls, regaining his balance.

"Hey, Swan!" Hangman called. "After I take you down, you don't have to pay for the push-ups. You will do something else."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, the three of them on her tail.

"You're going out with me," he decreed. Had he forgotten that the radios were linked even at the base? "And maybe finish what we started that night on the beach."

Rooster's face twisted into a grimace. The thought of Hangman and Swan together made him sick and uneasy.Was she stupid enough to be with someone like Seresin?

"What are you talking about?" he exclaimed over the communicator.

"You pay me!" Hangman was hissed at by Swan.

Swan's plane flew into them, sending them right over her. Rooster had forgotten what dogfighting was like for her. But that kind of movement wasn't hers—of course it wasn't.

"What the fuck!!" swore Hangman with the unexpected maneuver.

"I thought you didn't remember that," Maverick said, laughing.

"I haven't forgotten anything you taught me."

A lump formed in Rooster's throat. He hated it. Anger and hate bubbled in his blood. Why was Swan so relaxed with Maverick around? How could she be capable of that? Worst! Why did they act like they were family?

Hadn't Maverick already done enough? Did he still need to continue to destroy her life after so many years? His breathing seemed to be slowing, as if air couldn't get to his lungs. Rooster wondered what had happened in the years he'd been away... He didn't understand. The real question was whether he wanted to understand.

Hate was the emotion that kept him on that path all those years. There was no forgiveness for what Maverick had done, and he wouldn't even give her the benefit of the doubt. The answer was there: he didn't want to understand, he just wanted revenge for everything.

Hangman was flying away from him, already slowing down. When was he caught? Rooster had barely paid any attention to the fight between them, only realizing what she had achieved when she heard the annoying alarm and voice over the radio:

"Rooster, down."

◈

ONE THING WAS CERTAIN: No one expected Swan to take down Maverick. However, on that basis, madness was possible.

"For you there on the floor," she called over the radio. "Maverick was shot down."

Hangman swore as he saw Swan rise and disappear into the clouds.

Even though he was irritated, Rooster managed a small laugh, pleased with the professional Swan had become. Inwardly, he screamed with happiness that someone had managed to take down the old Maverick—a well-deserved defeat.

He and Hangman approached the F-18s, ready to return to base, just waiting for Swan's ship to descend. They were already getting impatient with the seconds that passed and she didn't show up. Needless to say, they were surprised by the maneuvers Swan could pull off, but Hangman was terrified when she almost glued her wings to his.

"Oh, Swan, he got scared," Rooster hissed, trying to sound relaxed.

"Hey, Rooster," Hangman called over the radio, probably just trying to keep his brave face. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Does it make a difference if I don't?" He snapped, rolling his eyes.

"What's the deal between you and Maverick? It looks like he left you a little shaken."

"None of your business," he warned, quickly changing the subject. "Where has he gone?"

"I'm right here."

Maverick's plane towered over Rooster's, causing Maverick to land upside down on top of him. On the other hand, Hangman gasped, astonished to see him do the same maneuver Swan had done. Rooster looked up, his eyes glued to Maverick's.

"Are you seeing me now?" he asked. "That's it. Let's get this over with."

Sparks of fury shot from Rooster's eyes. Adrenaline coursed through his body. He didn't fight the worst emotions that invaded his system. Breathing quickly, heart rate rising steadily.

"The fight has begun!"

"What's up with these two?" exclaimed Hangman, realizing he'd been left out of the fray.

Rooster's and Maverick's planes descended simultaneously, circling each other. The altitude was dropping; their bodies were feeling the effects of it on them. Rooster's breath hitched as he tried to keep control of the plane and himself.

"You started it," Maverick warned. "How are you going to get out of this?"

"You can get out whenever you want," Rooster pleaded, eyes narrowed in pure rage.

"Will you hold that low, Rooster?" he asked, sounding really worried.

"As low as you are," he snapped. "In all senses!"

At that speed, if not for the control they were trying to exert against the laws of physics, their planes were practically in free fall. Maverick recognized the anger in Rooster's voice, becoming even more worried about what emotion would make the pilot do without thinking.

"What happened is in the past" he claimed. "For us both."

"You really want to believe that, don't you?"

"The hard deck is five thousand feet," Hangman said over the radio. "You have nowhere to go."

The altitude alert sounded inside Rooster's ship, the numbers dropping faster and faster as they neared the ground. Anxiety made her stomach churn. He had control of the plane. He might be able to get out of it. Why didn't Maverick just give up and let him win?

"Your strategy will send us to the ground," Maverick said, almost too calmly. "What's your move?"

917 feet. They were already too low. Climb. Climb. He screamed the alarm. They would collide in seconds. Maverick gave up, throwing the plane horizontally before colliding. Rooster did the same, pulling him out of the danger zone. He was after Maverick. He could catch him.

"You can do it," he said over the radio. "Do not think, just do it."

"Go on, Rooster," Hangman yelled. "You took it. Nose down and fire away."

"It's too low!" he warned, trying to skirt the mountains where Maverick swerved.

"Too late! You had your chance!"

Before he could do anything, Maverick was behind him, his sights fixed on Rooster's F-18. He felt defeat possess him, fire coursing through his veins in the worst rush of adrenaline he'd ever felt in his entire life.

"It was a kill," Maverick declared, taking a deep breath.

"Old Rooster, as usual," hissed Hangman further away.

◈

ROOSTER was furious with Maverick, with Swan, with Hangman, and with himself. He knew his hot temper would one day be his undoing. And today, he had felt firsthand what she was like.

Doing the push-ups wasn't the worst part. The worst thing was being side by side with those people he didn't feel he could stand anymore. He had already finished the exercises. Hondo had said he was fine, but he didn't hear him. He continued to flex his arms until they gave way and he threw himself on the cold floor of the hangar.

In the distance, Damiana watched him breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his forehead. She shook her head, thinking about how he was harming himself by letting his emotions get the better of his reason.

But there was no one better to judge him. She was letting her past stab at her, letting her most repressed emotions cloud her train of thought about flying. Her cell phone glared once more in her hand. The screen lit up and the message was there — I want to talk to you. When she didn't respond, another message arrived — Come home.

She took cool steps toward Rooster, stopping in front of him. He was sitting on the floor, legs bent with his arms resting on his knees. He looked crestfallen and exhausted. Something in Damiana didn't like seeing him like that. Maybe that's why she approached him.

"He looked troubled up there," she commented.

"You heard it all over the radio," he replied sarcastically and annoyed.

Dami crossed his arms, sighing.

"What's the matter with you and Maverick?" She asked, slightly curious. "He seems to care about your well-being, but you, on the other hand, seem to want him dead."

"Dying is too strong," he corrected her. "He invalidated my Naval Academy papers. It delayed me by four years."

"Why would he do that?" she questioned, not understanding.

Rooster's dark eyes met hers. There was something about them that caught her attention, as if they were inviting, asking for her hand so they could go on an adventure together. It was almost uncomfortable to imagine that sort of thing.

"Listen, Rooster, he may have slowed you down, but you got to Top Gun. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of the best pilots," she said, taking him by surprise. "But what you did up there was insubordination."

"Insubordination is giving up your responsibilities, which you've done your whole life, Damiana," he exclaimed, hatred boiling in her voice.

Dami took a step back, fright quickly sweeping through her body. Rooster didn't seem to be someone violent, only when he was arguing with Maverick. So the sight of him, his spiteful words directed at her, carried more weight.

"You don't know anything about me," she replied, her voice as cold as ice.

"Everyone knows what you did. At the first opportunity, Admiral Kazansky gets sick, and you throw everything back," he shouted, rising from the floor and imposing himself on her. "You had Iceman to teach you everything, while I had no one."

"Iceman took me in because my parents died," she hissed, her voice emotionless.

Rooster swallowed hard. A conscious part of him knew he shouldn't be taking her frustration out on her, that it was wrong, and that Damiana wasn't to blame for his never-ending well of hurt. The other part of him saw that as the outlet he needed, and unfortunately, that was the part he had decided to listen to.

"Your parents made history and you should honor their name," he exclaimed wildly. "But look at you here, back in the damn Top Gun because the Iceman wanted to. If it were up to you, everyone knows you'd never come back. Everyone knows you're just a weak, fearful child who shouldn't be here. Where have you been hiding all these years? Running from your responsibilities?

Rooster's words hit her like a bullet lodged in her chest. That could be the anger talking, but he could be cruel and mean like that. She lowered her gaze, but she would never cry in front of him, knowing that would only give him more reason to humiliate her.

"All of them, Hangman, Swan, Phoenix, Maverick himself, may not have the heart to tell you this, but they know you're nothing but a spoiled little girl who got more than she deserved," he continued, the words more acidic than poison. "You are nothing but a disappointment to Admiral Kazansky, Damiana. You should never have flown again."

Of all the possible reactions, hers caught him off guard. The adrenaline in Rooster called for a good fight, and he thought maybe she could be the one to end that never-ending feeling of energy. She could have sworn at him, hit him, anything... but Damiana's dead gaze would haunt him forever.

"You're right, Lieutenant," she said, turning to head back inside the base. "I should never have come back."

Perhaps he had just come to understand the reputation she carried—that of an ice princess, whose arrogance and coldness brought the worst of enemies to their knees. It wasn't just anger he saw in her, but a lot of sadness and agony, as if she was suffering. Little did Rooster know that she bled every day.

━━━━━━

9.03.22

N O T E S

What did you think of today's chapter? It was longer than all the last ones. By the way, what do you think of the new cover? I really liked the last one, but I already wanted to innovate it, so I had the idea and created this new one.

❆  ✈  ❆

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