"Very well, Lieutenants. Now it will be three against one" Maverick said making Swan bite the inside of her cheek. She felt he was planning something.

"Captain, don't you think you're showing off too much?" Hangman asked with pure sarcasm.

"Ah, I'm not your target anymore" he denied making them confused "Hangman, Rooster, we're going to hunt Swan"

"What?!" Swan exclaimed. "Motherfucker"

She was the first to take to the air. Coming down from the clouds, she saw the three of them flying close to each other.

Pushing the throttle angrily, Swan's F-18 picked up speed quickly cutting through their midst. Her engine wake leaving the others off balance for a moment. Recovering, soon they were after her.

"Hey Swan" Hangman called "After I shoot you down, you don't have to do push-ups. You'll do something else"

"What will I have to do?" She asked getting ready for what she planned to do.

"You're going out with me. And maybe finish what we started that night on the beach"

Shocked that Hangman had the audacity to tell the others about it, Swan gasped, eyes wide.

"What are you talking about?" Rooster's irritated voice made her shrug her shoulders.

"You pay me." She hissed irritably.

Pulling the Joystick back and pushing the accelerator, she lifted the nose and the plane went up causing the three of them to pass under her.

"What the fuck...." Hangman swore at the unexpected maneuver.

"I thought you didn't remember that," Maverick said, laughing.  It had been a while since he'd shown her how to do it.

"I haven't forgotten anything you taught me"

Now behind them, her first target was Hangman. Unable to dodge in time, he heard the annoying sound of the alarm.

"Hangman down" She announced going after the next one.  Rooster.

To her surprise, he didn't make much of an effort to get away from her. Which was not like him. There was something wrong with him.

"Rooster, down" She said, already aware of Maverick behind her, Swan accelerated planning her next move.

"Should have shot me down first"

"Decided to save the best for last"

"I taught you everything I know. I doubt you can surprise me"

"That's it, captain. You didn't teach me everything I know.  And you can be dangerous, but not as dangerous as I am"

Swan slowed down drastically scaring Maverick. Not wanting a collision, he turned his plane on its side as they passed each other. A little closer and their glasses would have hit. Not missing the opportunity, Swan accelerated again following him.

"Last words, sir?" She asked already feeling the victory coming.

"You're crazy, Swan"

"Sometimes you have to do crazy things to achieve your goal. Mine was to catch you" Smiling, she pressed the button when her crosshairs turned red "And I did it. People on the ground, Maverick is down"

"Hell yeah" Hangman screamed watching Swan rise and disappear into the clouds.

Rooster even annoyed, also laughed happy and proud that someone finally made it.

Ready to head back to base, the two approached their planes to the clouds expecting to see a jet descend from them.

"Are you going to play hide and seek now Swan?" Hangman ran his eyes looking for any sign of her "Where are you?"

"I'm already on your side, clown" Not finding anything on his left side, he turned his face to the opposite direction and widened his eyes seeing Swan upside down on top of Rooster. The tails fitted in the middle of the other allowing a dangerous approach.

"My God. Guys on the radio, if you could see this"

"Is that what you used to do?" Rooster asked. Full confidence that she knew what she was doing.

"One of them" She laughed nostalgically "Now you go down slowly"

With a safe enough distance to move, Swan spun around in their midst.

"Don't move, Hangman" bringing their wings together, Swan seemed to want to glue the two together as close as she got. Afraid, he pulled away abruptly.

"What's your problem, woman?"

"Hey Swan, he got scared" Rooster hissed. His attempt to hide his irritation didn't work for her. Confirming her suspicions.

"Hey Rooster" Hangman called. His way of talking warns that nothing good is coming "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Does it matter if I say no?" replied

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

Swan rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath. As she imagined, it wouldn't be long before someone asked.

"It's none of your business" he said wanting to end this topic "Where is he?"

"I'm right here" Not a second after answering, Maverick got out from under them, flying upside down on top of Rooster.  A little further away than Swan was minutes ago.

"What is that?" Hangman said after letting out an exclamation of surprise "What's with you guys with upside down?"

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

"The fight started" Still in the same position, they started to spin towards the ground.

"What's up with these two?"

Swan didn't respond. She took off her mask, taking a deep breath, tears threatening to flow. Maverick knew Rooster was easily out of control, and yet he decided to provoke.

Accelerating her F-18, she decided to head back to base before them. Hangman was surprised. She always went to stop Rooster fights. Now was she leaving?

"What's with those three?" Hangman rephrased the question to himself.

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Before everyone finished the push-ups, Maverick was called by Admiral Simpson who was frowning more than usual.

Swan, who was next to Hondu, said that Hangman and Rooster could stop too.

Hangman stood up and nodded to her. He wanted to talk to her. Asking him to wait for her inside the building, she went to Rooster who was still doing the push-ups.

"Brad? you can stop” she said with a half smile, crouching in front of him.

Seeming to wake up from a trance, he looked at her and snorted as he sat down on the floor.

"Should have ignored him" Swan said thinking that was the only reason he was angry

"You are unbelievable, you know that Nicky?"

"What?" she asked confused

"What do you mean what?"

"I don't understand you"

"You should be on my side."

"I am on your side"

"you sure? Because that's not what that shit up there looked like" He snapped getting angrier "You kept acting like he didn't do what he did. I have to explain so you understand what you're doing."

"Are you really going to be upset about this? We were just talking about flying"

"No. It wasn't just about flying." Looking at the door of the building, he saw Hangman leaning against it watching the two "Why don't you go talk to Seresin? He's waiting for you.  He must be wanting to finish what you started on the beach"

He turned away, making it clear that he didn't want to talk to her anymore.

Hangman frowned as Swan approached him with a few tears in her eyes.

"What happed?" asked worried

She ignored walking past him. He ran after her pulling her arm.

"Hey. What did he do?"

"It's not just him. Is you too." she hissed trying to clear her eyes "You had to open that huge mouth of yours and talk about that night. You have no idea what situation you put me with Brad."

"I thought they were just friends. Why do you care what he thinks of you being with someone?"

"The problem is not me being with someone, Jake."

"Oh. I already know. The problem is me. Isn't?"

She did not answer. She just let the tears flow. A hot, sweaty body hugged her tight. One of Hangman's hands went to her hair, releasing it from the ponytail, giving her a calming caress. He liked it loose.

"I like you, Jake. But you have no idea what a mess my life is now" she said, her voice muffled by his chest.

"I'm here for you. OK?"

She took a few seconds before nodding. When she did, she felt a kiss on her head. This was the Jake she missed.

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Happily, we managed to post today.  Hope you like it♡

Until next week.  09.10.22
Don't forget to vote and comment ♡.
(Updates on Saturdays)