Casanova In Training by Aliyah Burke

group headed back for their base.
    “Sounds like she’s truly as good as she claims,” Lizard said, talking to him and only him, as opposed to everyone over the radio.
    “Guess so,” he replied, not taking his eyes from the fury of Mother Nature. The gale-force winds shook the bomber. He gritted his teeth as he tightened his hands on the yoke and snapped his mask back on. “Gonna be a bumpy ride home.” A chill ran up his spine and he shuddered at the unpleasant sensation.
    He sent the rest of his group down, glancing at the radar as well as the other instruments on the panel. A brilliant flash allowed him to see a plane drop beside him into the tumultuous clouds. Another swift glance to his screen confirmed his belief of who it was. Jaydee.
    The moment the clouds swallowed her up, he angled his own jet and followed. There was no chatter across the radio as they headed home, everyone focused on returning safe. The thunder up here was louder than anyone could imagine. Lightning jagged its way through the sky and it took his skill to avoid each strike.
    “Shit!” Keel’s voice crackled across the radio. “We’ve been hit. We’ve been hit.”
    Gio’s heart thundered in his chest as he searched for their position. They were still there, but much lower, and they were falling fast.
    “Electrical is gone.” Keel’s voice was broken up over the link. “We’re losing power and oil pressure. Flames on the left wing. Flames on the left wing.”
    Goose bumps exploded across his arms as he immediately went into a dive, needing to get visual contact. Beside him, working in perfect tandem—like usual—Lizard called off the closing distance. The eerie orange glow shone through the dark clouds like a beacon. Out of instinct, he slowed even as Lizard warned him.
    There. The B-2 hurtled towards earth, spinning like a top, flames whipping around reminiscent of a fiery cyclone. His heart stopped. As did his ability to breathe. For a moment, all he could see was the jet slamming into the ground. Losing her like he did Mike.
    “Shit!” Lizard muttered beside him.
    Puck communicated back with the base. There was no other to do it, aside from one of those flying. Since this had been a stormy night run there was no AWACS—Airborne Warning And Control System—up there with them. And he’d be damned if he wasted time filling others in as to what was going on when he had to focus on her and seeing if there was anything he could do to assist.
    It was like watching a train wreck unfold before his eyes, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. “Eject! Dusti and Keel, damn it! Eject!” he hollered, unsure if they could hear him.
    The ground rushed towards them at an alarming speed. He watched, praying to see the top pop off, and them shoot out. Then he would look for two good chutes. It didn’t happen. The spinning stopped but the jet was still on a direct course for impact with the ground.
    “Help…up…hold…” The intermittent radio spat out parts of the conversation on the tumbling bomber.
    Gio could make out that the voice belonged to Jaydee. He shot towards the deck, aware it was dangerous, but uncaring. All the while, they were telling them to pull up and eject. When he thought there was no other option but a crash, the nose of the B-2 lifted, led the jet away from the ground, and back up into the safety of the air. He’d bet anything there was dust blowing up from the near-miss and force of air delivered from the plane.
    “Fuck me,” Lizard breathed out. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone pull out of a spin like that before.”
    He had no words, he just elevated his own jet up in the air after them. In truth, he wasn’t sure he could say anything, his jaw was clenched and he shook, literally shook. His ears were full of chatter from the other jets and base. He tried to contact Jaydee to no avail. So he manoeuvred two others in front of her to lead them back to base, and he and the fourth