Chapter 2: The Challenge
She left the two Joes at the hangar. She didn't have much to pack in her room. She told them that she would be back in the hour. She walked into her dorm and went to the closet. She opened the closet and grabbed the huge duffle bag out of it. She tossed it on the bed and started to empty her dresser and closet. She had every bit of her clothes packed up in a half an hour. She grabbed her iPod and the family pictures and shoved them into the bag. She looked around to see if she forgot anything. She saw the phone on the wall. She rushed over to it and called her dad. The phone rang a couple of times before she got her answer.
"Riley residence."
"Dad?"
"Cassie, is that my baby girl?" her father asked. "How's my favorite girl?"
"Good daddy. I was calling to let you know that the transfer came in. I'm going to Wadsworth. I'm only a couple of hours away instead of a day away."
"That's great, Cassie! Do you know when you'll get some time off and visit?"
"I'm not sure daddy." Sidewinder replied. "I'm just starting a new outfit. I don't even know any one of the troops. I've only met my C.O. and one of the other pilots. It'll be a couple of weeks before I'll know anyone."
"I see." said her father. "What did you think of the other pilot?"
"Daaad." Sidewinder said, rolling her eyes. "I just met him. He's kinda good looking, but I can't guarantee anything. He's a little off."
"Most of those flyboys have to be a little off." Her father chuckled. "Of course that would make you a little off as well."
"Not funny dad, not funny at all." Sidewinder laughed. "I have to go, but I'll call you in a week or so. Give my love to Jennifer for me."
"Jenny sends her love. You know that you can call her mom, right?"
"Dad, I know. It just feels odd, I guess." There was a knock at Sidewinder's door. "Daddy I really need to go. I'll call you later. I love you."
"I love you too, baby girl. Take care and be on your best behavior."
"I always am, daddy."
"You have too much of your mother in you." Her father chuckled. "Talk to you soon."
"Bye, daddy." Sidewinder hung up the phone. She went to the door and opened it. Ace was standing in the doorway. "You listening in on my private phone call?"
"I never eavesdrop." Ace smiled. "I just know when to get the right information."
"Hm, okay Nosey Joe. I'm just getting my gear. I'll be ready to go in a minute." Sidewinder grabbed the duffle off of the bed. "Ace, huh? Are you good at what you do zoomie?"
"I'm not too bad at what I do." Ace smiled slyly. "Actually, I'm real good at cards. I hold a game every Saturday night in the rec-room. You'll get your chance in a week."
Sidewinder looked at him. "You're serious? But gambling is…"
Ace laughed. "We're a little lax on regulations. Gambling is one of the little things the brass look away from. Hell, the General joins in sometimes."
The two of them walked out of the room and she closed the door. "Is there anything that I need to know that is lax on the base?"
"There are a few things that I should fill you in on." Ace said. "Because we're an elite team, gambling is okay. Some fraternization is allowed, but I need to warn you about who's who. I'll bring it to your attention when we run into it. Drinking is allowed to a certain extent."
"Anyone I need to watch out for?" Sidewinder asked.
"The major two are Clutch and Shipwreck." Ace chuckled. "Shipwreck is harmless, but he's a notorious prankster. He's in trouble at least one a week. Clutch on the other hand will hit on you constantly. You're a woman; he'll find you out by week's end. He doesn't give up to easily, but he's a good guy down deep."
"I've got it, I think." Sidewinder nodded. "And what about you, Ace? Are you as good as I hear?"
"That depends on whom you hear it from." Ace smiled again, holding the front door open for her. She walked past him with a smile and nod. "As a card player and friend, yes I am. As a pilot, I'm one of the best." Sidewinder stopped dead in her tracks. Ace stopped right next to her. "Was it something I said?"
"You claim to be the best pilot on the team? Is that a fact?" Sidewinder was smiling at him coyly. "I'm going to offer you a challenge and you better accept. You can call it whatever you want, but I'll bet you twenty that I can get lock on you in your old Striker than you can get a lock in my new one."
"I'll accept if I follow you up. I've heard that they've got a few more horses than mine."
Sidewinder turned to face him. She stuck out her hand. "It's a deal. So where's your plane parked flyboy?"
"On the airstrip. Duke rode with me." Ace shook her hand. "We'll have to get suited up. What about yours? Wasn't that it in the hangar?"
"Are you kidding? That one is the one I get to monkey with and see how it works. Mine is probably in the same hangar that you parked yours in. You'll see her soon enough." Sidewinder laughed. The two of them headed to the hangar and saw Duke waiting in his flight-suit. Ace went into the locker room to get changed. Sidewinder went over to talk to Duke.
"Hey top, I wanted to apologize about earlier. I'm used to guys coming in and giving me grief about being a pilot and a mechanic."
"Forget it, Riley." Duke smiled. "Keep in mind that that comment was your one "Get out of jail" card. You don't get one for at least six months."
"Wow, a C.O. with a sense of humor. That's got to be a first." Sidewinder smiled back.
"Watch it, Riley. Consider this me being nice. As long as you play nice with others or don't really screw up, we probably won't see each other."
Sidewinder nodded. "I'll go check my plane and get ready." She stopped in her thought. "Hey top, I'm warning you now that I bet Ace twenty bucks that I could get lock on him first. It might get a bit hairy up there. I'm hoping that you're not the airsick type."
Duke smiled to her. "Thanks for the warning. I guess that Ace's reputation follows him everywhere. All I ask is that you don't do anything too drastic. Ace has his reputation and to let you know, he's nine-zero in pilots."
Sidewinder nodded and walked away. She got herself and the Striker prepped. Everything was in working condition. She climbed into the cockpit and did her final checklist. She placed her helmet on and heard the Ace and Duke talking on the comms system. Then the radio operator chimed in.
"Striker A-one-four, you're clear for take-off on runway one. Striker R-zero-zero will take off on runway two. Good luck, Captain Riley."
"Thanks, tower." Sidewinder replied. She placed her mask on and lowered her visor. She tried her radio. "Ace, Duke; do you guys read me?"
A bit of static then both of their voices came over the speaker. "Read you loud and clear."
"Good, I'll go first as we bet. You've got ten minutes to catch me. If you don't have a lock, it's my turn. Sound fair?"
"Roger dodger, Sidewinder." Ace laughed. Sidewinder shook her head and rolled her eyes. She started down the runway; one hand on the stick and the other on the throttle. She took off like a shot and Ace followed her into the wild blue yonder. She had a bit of a head start on him, but she would give him a chance. She let him get right behind her. She bobbed and weaved out of range for him to try to catch her.
"Ace she's playing with you." Came Duke's voice over his comm-link.
"I know she is. I'm doing this to see what she can do." Ace replied. "I'll try for lock in a minute. She's better than I assumed."
Sidewinder knew that he was toying with her and she was toying with him. They just reached the nine minute mark. They were killing time. She looked at her watch and noticed that she had ten seconds. She heard the familiar warning of being tailed and waited long enough. She banked the jet a hard right. Ace followed her into the same bank. He wasn't going to give in this early. Sidewinder made a few hard turns and he followed after her. She heard his voice over the radio.
"I've got you just about locked. You better be ready to pay up."
"Not yet flyboy. I never concede this early." Sidewinder laughed. "Try and keep up." She floored the throttle and hit the afterburners. She shot off at Mach two and Ace hit the afterburners, following right after her. Sidewinder knew that her jet was faster on the turns and that was her advantage. She maneuvered the jet into a half barrel roll and flew right at Ace and Duke.
"She's playing chicken with us? Is she crazy?" Duke yelled.
"Yeah, let's see what she can do." Ace said gravely. The two jets flew at each other like javelins. Ace stressed on this. She was a wild one, but did she have the guts? They flew closer together and Ace had to back down. He flew in an upward direction trying to get out of the way. He lost sight of her after that moment. Ace looked around and didn't see her.
"Damn, I lost her. How did that happen?"
"That little stunt is what did it. That scared the hell out of me." Duke replied.
"That's because you didn't look hard enough. Look to your right, guy." Ace looked over to his right and saw her. She waved to them and she cut her engines. She ended up right behind Ace and got lock on the old Striker. He had to concede, for she was being reckless.
"Alright I'll concede for now. You've got some talent there, Sidewinder. Go ahead and follow me to your new home."
"Sounds good, Ace. Lead the way." Sidewinder said and cut out her radio. Ace's jet was quiet for a few moments. It was Duke that spoke first.
"My god, she's dangerous. Why did you concede? You could have taken her, Brad."
Ace sighed. "That was the main reason. I know now why Hawk wanted her. She's good."
"Are you kidding?" Duke exclaimed. "She could have killed us. How in the world do you figure that she's worth having on the team?"
"Duke, you have to look at it from a pilot's point of view." Ace said. "She flew over Badhakistan and was successful with all of missions. She's never lost. In dogfights, she's had over thirty confirmed kills in her total air history."
"How do you know this?"
"You're not the only that read her file, Duke." Ace laughed. "Franklin, Bill, Greg and Victor all read the file. We wanted to see what we're up against. She's better than the file said. She could really do some damage against Cobra."
"That's if she doesn't get any of us killed." Duke replied. Ace nodded in agreement. They flew into Fort Wadsworth air space. They heard a scratch coming in from base. It was Dial-Tone.
"Welcome home guys. I see that you have the new recruit. Captain Riley, the name's Jack, but on the team, I'm known as Dial-Tone. Follow Ace in and we'll go from there. Welcome aboard!"
Sidewinder smiled. "Thanks Dial-Tone. By the way, you can call me Sidewinder. It's a real pleasure."
"Anytime. Hope to talk to you soon." Dial-Tone clicked off and Sidewinder followed Ace into the hangar area. She stopped her jet and turned her off. She removed her helmet and respirator. She grabbed her gear from the co-pilot spot and opened the cockpit. She placed one foot on the edge of the cockpit and kept the other on her seat. She reached into her flight-suit and took out her pack of cigarettes. She lit one up and inhaled. She took a good strong breath and took it all in. She had her new home and these new brothers and sisters were sounding like they would be a good family to her.