V i p e r || J. Seresin

Free Falling

I'm seated in the main room with the remaining pilots listening in on the conversation between Rooster and Hangman as they're still in the air with my father. I sit crossed legged holding my right arm right next to the speaker.

"So Rooster, mind if I ask you a personal question?"

I furrow my brows in confusion trying to decipher what possible thing Hangman would have to ask. Better yet, did he just ask if he could ask a personal question? Very unlike Hangman if you ask me.

"Would it matter if I did?"

Yeah that sounds like something he would ask in return. Hangman is always up to something and it's normally always to get into business.

Take me for instance, he won't leave my name alone not to mention he loves thinking he has authority over women, over me.

"So what's the story with you and Maverick? It seems he got you a little rattled."

I shake my head shutting my eyes in the process. I slam my hand on the table loud enough to draw attention to myself, unintentionally of course. Phoenix eyes me wearily but I shrug at the look she gives me. Hangman is pushing himself into territories he shouldn't be. Sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. And definitely pissing off people he shouldn't be.

"It's none of your business. Now where the hell is he?"

"Been here the whole time."

"Holy shit-"

"You see me now?" I bite my lip knowing what he did to get that kind of reaction from 'Mr. Perfect.' I concentrate on the discussion happening on the other side of the line. "Come on, let's get it over with."

"Fights on."

"What is with these two?"

Phoenix comes closer to my side wide eyed. "What the hell is going on?"

I sigh in annoyance, "free falling."

"What's with those two?"

"Personal shit that isn't anybody's business but their own."

Her brows knit together as she glares at me. I get her a pointed look and she steps back. "It's their business yet you know what it's about?"

"Alright you put us here, how're you going to get yourself out?"

"You can bail out any time."

"How low do you want to go, Rooster?"

"I can go as low as you, sir, and that's saying something."

Once again I shake my head. My body shakes in anger. My dad. Rooster. Hangman. Even Phoenix. This entire situation is bullshit and it needs to end but God knows after the loss of Goose and the incident years ago Rooster became just as stubborn and headstrong like my father. They'll never be able to let go.

"What's past is past, for both of us."

"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?"

"Hard dech is five thousand feet, Mav, you are running out of room."

"Your strategy is about to run us into the ground. Now you've got it, don't think, just do."

Rooster has the hold on Maverick yet I feel like he's holding back. He's too clouded by his anger that he's distracted enough to not get on top of him.

"Come on Rooster, you got him, drop down and take the shot."

Hangman just confirmed my thoughts.

"It's too low!"

"Too late you had your chance." Being Maverick, he flipped over the top of him, landing behind him. "That's a kill." And now he's dead.

I take my leave stepping out of the room and head down to the deck waiting for their planes to land back on the base. Without looking I know my face is flushed and my forehead scrunched. I hold my tongue and continue bobbing my head side to side barely keeping myself together. A metallic flavor lingers in the back of my throat signaling I've bitten my tongue too hard.

I spot my father on the landing deck walking up to the building away from Rooster and Hangman. I take a moment to pull my father aside into an empty office, locking the door behind us. I poke his chest with my finger aggressively getting in his face.

"What the hell was that for?"

"What was that?" My blood boils just as he talks, "what the hell was that out there!"

He sets his helmet down on a nearby table. "The kid needed to release his anger somehow."

"That is not the way, dad! Both of you could have died. And his anger wasn't going to be released in a snap of a finger by free falling out of the sky! If anything it angered him more and in the end allowed him to get distracted so he couldn't take you."

"He could have taken me regardless."

"Not with his mindset, Maverick!" He winces at the name of his call sign. I've never called him Maverick aside from in the public eye. I've also never been this mad at someone before. I take a breather, letting my body calm down. I let out a deep sigh, "if you want to get through to him you have to think about him, not you. You're treating him as if he is a younger you, or Goose, but he's not. He's his own person. You want to talk to him? Do it in a way that won't potentially kill you both in the end."

"Dev-"

"Don't Devyn me," I lift a finger taking a step back, "if our relationship was like yours and Rooster's would you have done that to me?" His mouth gaps but then slowly closes back up. I see the sincerity in his eyes as he stares down at me from his position. He swallows harshly, most likely thinking about it. "That's what I thought." I walk around him towards the door unlocking it. I open it, revealing Phoenix and Rooster on the other side of the hall. I turn back to my father. "The Admiral is going to want to talk to you after that stunt you just pulled."

I head out just about to walk out the main doors when my dad calls out, "where are you going?"

Eyes dart between the two of us including Phoenix and Rooster as I don't turn back and keep walking, "to the damn bar!" I shove the doors open and take off in a sprint for my beauty.