Little Bird

5

Bob's PoV

Once I find a seat near the pool table that is also near the outer less crowded parts I sit down and start in on my cup of peanuts. There are two guys also in the service Kakis by the dart board, but they haven't didn't notice me so I just Sat back and watched them interact. They seemed to know each other from something before.

After a few minutes the door opens and a group of around four files in. There are three in service kakis, but my eye is drawn to the women in everyday clothes. She has her hair down and looks like she is actively trying to smooth it down again. She also is laughing. She looks carefree. As the group makes their way over, I lower my head and begin to sweep peanut shells off my lap when all of the sudden everything gets quite.

I look up and fine that the group of four and the two from the dart board are all looking at me. I look up as one of them asks me a question.

"When did you get in?" He asks

"Oh. I've been here the whole time." I reply with a smile and a slight head nod.

"The man's a stealth Pilot." The blond guy says.

"Literally." his friend adds.

"Weapons systems officer, actually." I respond ignoring their sarcasm.

"With no sense of humor." The blond one says under his breath.

The blonde girl in regular clothes then sent her elbow into the blond guys ribs, causing him to let out a grunting sound,"Be nice Bagman." She hisses towards him. Then she turns my way and the air leaves my lungs. She has the most beautiful Hazel eyes, and the way she held herself with confidence against the Blond guy has me in awe of her.

"What do they call you?" It takes a second for me to remember that she asked me a question.

"Bob." I respond knowing what the next question is about to be.

"No your call sign." One of the guys behind the brunette says.

"Bob..." I state.

The brunette the turns towards me quickly after taking the pool stick from the blond one. "Bob Floyd. You're my new back seater? From Lemoore?"

"Looks like it . Yeah." I reply giving her a small smile.

She looks at me for a few seconds before walking closer to me, holding the pool stick out. "Nine ball Bob. Rack' em."

I decide that this is probably the best way for me to get to know the new pilot who I will need to trust with my life, so I take the pool stick and start to re-rack the balls for our new game.

As I finish setting up our new game, the two men that came in with the girls come and officially introduce themselves to me. Payback, the pilot, and Fanboy, His WSO. They apparently have been flying together for a few years. As I turn around I see the girls are getting their drinks from, who I have now learned is, Hangman. I decided to head back over to them to get the game started.

"Alright we are all set up, Who is breaking?" I ask the two extending the pool stick towards them.

"I'm going first." The blonde says walking towards the table to line up her shot.

I stand back and just watch the group. Hangman and his friend have moved off to the side a bit. Payback and Fanboy are standing next to Phoenix, my new pilot, giving her friend the space to take her shot. It seems like two separate groups are starting to form and I seem to have been claimed by the two girls with the game now starting.

The silence that had fallen over this small portion of the bar is broken when Phoenix yells to someone who seems to have just come in.

"Bradshaw! Is that you?" She starts to walk towards the front when a guy with light brown hair stops a few steps in front of her.