Eye of the Storm

-> deadline

At the beginning of class, Admiral Bates is there to great us, instead of the familiar face of my father.

We were getting on better terms, so it was weird to see someone else in his stead.

Admiral Bates clears his throat. "We've received more intel that the uranium enrichment plant set as your target, will be operational earlier than we thought. Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in almost 10 days time." He looks at the best of the best pilots that the navy has to offer, before adding, "Which is why, as a result, your mission has been moved up by one week."

One week.

He's sending us to our deaths.

I glance over to Rooster across the room, and he looks just as shocked as I do.

Bagman follows my line of sight to Rooster's and smirks. "Feather face on your nerves again?"

I ignore him, knowing that whatever I say will only add to the fire.

Besides, we have more pressing matters at hand.

Coyote speaks up, "Sir, no one here has successfully completed the low level course we've been assigned."

"Your orders are to move on." Admiral Bates says, "Captain."

My father assumes the head of the classroom.

"We have one week left to focus on Phase 2. It's the most difficult and crucial part of the mission." He gestures for the board behind him, as it shows what he's about to explain. "It's a pop up strike with a deep dive, requiring nothing less than two consecutive miracles."

"Two pairs of F-18s will fly in a column formation. Teamwork and precise coordination is essential to the mission success, and your survival."

Maverick continued, as an icon appeared on the screen.

The uranium plant.

"As you know, the plant rests between the mountains. On a final approach, you'll invert directly into a steep drive. This allows you to fly down the mountain at the lowest altitude and the only possible attack angle."

The screen zooms in on the target itself.

"Your target, is an impact point less than 3 meters wide. The two seat aircraft will lead, guiding the laser lock for the solo pilot. They will first breach the reactor by releasing the laser guided missile, on the exposed ventilation hatch, here. This creates an opening for the second pair, to aim, lock, and load, therefore delivering the kill shot to destroy the target. If either team misses the target... the mission in a failure."

"And after?" I question my father. There's gotta be a way out of this madness.

"That's coffin corner." He looks straight at me when he says this. "You'll pilot into a steep higher G climb to avoid hitting the mountain."

Hangman asks from beside me, "A steep climb at that speed, you're pulling at least 8 G's."

"9, minimum." Maverick corrects him.

"The stress limit of the F-18s airframe is 7.5." Rooster states.

"That's the accepted limit." My dad says with an all too well knowing smile. "To survive this mission, you'll pull beyond that. Even if it means bending your airframe, you'll be pulling so hard you'll weigh close to 2000 pounds. Your skull crushing your spine, your lungs imploding, like an elephant sitting on your chest. Fighting with everything you have to keep from blacking out."

Maverick turns our back towards us, looking up into the monitor.

"This is where you'll be most vulnerable." He looks back at me. "This is coffin corner."