Well, I wanted this chapter to be on the 4th, but we all see how that worked out… But here it is, I rewrote this one a few times because I liked things to be in other chapters. So far I think chapter nine will be epic. If I don't change it that is…..Anyways, here is THIS chapter; enjoy it! Also if something doesn't make sense, tell me and I'll fix it ASAP.

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The unusual peace in the Pit was far too welcome. Everything checked out gold, as if all the terrorists took a day off. In the Rec. Room; Ripcord and Duke face off on a video game, Lady T and Heavy Duty quietly argued over everything that came up in the gun catalog, Scarlett once again was on her treadmill, Nightshade and Storm Shadow were missing and Tap finally was joining them as she sat in the corner with her laptop, doing work.

Meanwhile in the training room, Rebel was balancing herself as she did a hand-stand on the pull-up bars. Slowly, she removed her left hand from the bar and raised it so it was straight out. She then bent her elbow on the remain arm as she did her famous 'One-armed-upside down-push-ups-while-on-a-bar'. She kept doing this until her arm began to lose feeling. Placing her left hand back down, lowering her legs so they were as well on the bar; she called out to anyone behind her to gain way. After a few moments, she pushed herself off the bar with a back flip and landed gracefully.

She was sweating lightly, but kept cool by her usual work out wear of basketball shorts and a sports bra that showed off her Ouroboros tattoo. She pulled her out of the bun it was placed in prior to being upside down. She shook it like she were a dog, making the un-tame hair go even wilder. Rebel combed her finger through it as she sat down and crossed her legs. The top layer was now level with her jaw as the lower layer that was usually put in a braid was now to her butt. She contemplated cutting it as she pulled it into her view; her father never liked it when she cut it. She made a promise to him once she would never ever cut it as long as she lived.

Rebel smiled at the childish promise, as the smile of her father crept into her mind. Why was she thinking of her father so much lately? It was probably that Snake Eyes guy she had been hanging around. He and her father were much alike; except for the fact that Snake Eyes pretty much had no face, never talked and dressed in all black. It was probably the vibes he gave off; strong, mysterious, aware. Her father was an easy going, fun loving guy; but he could fold a frying pan with his hands. He often did so for attention at the numerous parties he held. He also enjoyed it when people would try to wrap their hands around his biceps because they often failed. He was a very powerful man when push came to shove, and passed many if not all his traits to Rebel.

Her thoughts went back to Snake Eyes, who was no doubt strong. He could fight, he was respected, and at least to her his company was enjoyable. Maybe the reason he was 'attractive' to her was the old memories of her father he brought back. The only bad thing is Rebel could tell by Lady T's body language she had other plans for the two other than being friends. Heck, judging by the way Snake Eyes was now acting he might have the same plans.

'Well, actually that doesn't really sound that- what the hell am I thinking?' Rebel scoffed at herself as she began braiding her hair. 'It's thoughts like that don't win wars…agh! There I go again! Trying to be some else's perfect. The Brotherhood doesn't own you anymore Jasminer, you can think for yourself now. Shut up, I'm still figuring this out! They wrote their rules in my bones practically. And there I go arguing with myself. Goin' crazy over here.' She thought as she finished braiding her hair and stood. No sooner had her foot taken the first step, flashing alarms sounded.

"I hate this jet. I hate this jet. I hate this jet. I really forking hate this jet." Rebel repeated over and over just low enough so that the flight helmet mouth piece could not pick it up as she shifted her hands on the awkward yoke.

"Hey, I was enjoying a nice quite day and now I'm doing this. Stop hating my plane!" Ripcord came in over the radio. Okay maybe it wasn't low enough..

She tried her best to keep her eyes open in the skies for aerial attacks as the rest of the team checked out the report that could turn into a lead; but the nose of the jet kept getting in her way. The whole craft was awkward to her in every way. She was missing the Red-Left already.

The Egyptian sand below made things easier to see through her yellow goggles. The sky and the desert were wide and consuming; anything and everything else stood out drastically. Rebel listened intently to the silence for any sound or signal from her team as she stiffly turned the jet to circle back around when, a strange black dot greeted her in the West sky.

'24.0(24,000 feet). No commercial aircraft would be flying this low. There's no landing strip around here either.' Rebel sorted out the possibilities as she positioned the identification radar on it. It made a fee clicks and chirps before stating that there were no I.D signals pinging from the craft. The approaching craft was close enough by now she focused her artillery scope on it and zoomed in. It looked like a normal Mig-29; no standing out markings or attachments. She simply lowered her altitude and shifted her craft far to the East as to avoid the jet's wake and hopefully its pilot's vision.

Waiting until the jet was completely over and away from her, she once again raised her altitude and resumed her post course. Her mind drifted back to the odd aircraft just as rapid alert signals set off and two fast chasing jets appeared on the radar.

"Okay baby, I read your manual." Rebel spoke as she slid her hand across her lower jaw; attaching her oxygen mask. She pulled the yoke apart, firing buttons revealed on the top as she placed her thumbs on each. She could steer and fire at the same time now, the Red-Left might find itself with new gear soon.

She slammed the yokes sideways as the jet followed the motion; facing its attackers as she forced it up a notch. She peeked through her scope and frowned slightly at her findings; nice, big Cobra insignias on both. Either jet posed no warhead threat, but all the same; she must prepare for a dogfight.

"Ground patrol, this is Rebel. Got two Cobra jets headed my way, if they're in the sky they're on the ground. Keep your heads up, I'm engaging in battle. See you at the Pit or on the other side. Either way, Rebel four-ten." She announced nonchalantly before twisting the microphone out of her face.

She smiled as a wave of fear swept over her. The same feeling she had in Afghanistan, in West Point, in Rucker, in…silence. Heart beats slower. Breathing gets shallower. Pupils dilate, skin goes cold, blood stops in its veins. The buttons are pressed, the sights lock, the triggers are pulled. Bullets embed into steel as they pop wires.

Rebel delighted in the feel of the adrenaline as it slowed her world. Her mind wasn't scared, but her body was erupting with fear as she let out a war cry instead of a scream. The bullets plunged into the opposing fighters as they returned the fire. She was taking on four more fire than the other jets; but that didn't bother her one bit.

The twin Cobra jets closed closer together as Rebel's plane picked up speed. She slammed her body left as the jet tipped sideways. Her eyes grew in excitement as the tip wing of the right jet passed over the cockpit.

"Woo son that was close!" She laughed as she leveled the craft out. She checked to make sure the jets were following, they were. And they were following snuggly. Rebel by this time was laughing a drunk at a bad joke. Her body shivered against her emotions as if it knew what she was about to do. Well, of course it did….

She accelerated the speed before pulling backwards with all her strength. The nose rose with such force, Rebel was actually pushed down before being the weight settled on her chest, smothering her in the seat. The jet's engine stalled as she kept pulling back, making the jet back flip. It all happened in a second, but it seemed longer as Rebel settled the jet behind the Cobras.

"In the words of a noob; DIE DIE DIE!" She laughed death gripping the triggers. The bullets slammed into the engines of the Cobras. The right one gave and spun to the left, crashing into it. But Rebel was going 2,000 MPH straight into them!

"Oh shit!" She shouted slamming her fist on the eject button. The fell away as she was launched into the air as her jet slammed into the falling inferno as well.

"Meh, I hated anyways." She said calmly as gravity caught up and she started to fall. This posed another problem; she couldn't pull her chute and yet she was about to fall into the burning mass she was trying to get away from. "Mother Fu-! Son of a-! Damn cats in hell!" She shouted at this recognition. Only one thing to do….

Rebel pulled the knife from her boot and began cutting the straps halfway through. Her suit was built so it had that wing that free fallers used; that is what she was going to have to use. As she got closer the now separated burning crafts.

'That's odd. For Cobra these are low as hell tech.' Rebel though as she was just now getting a closer look before slicing her straps all the way through. She was able now to twist her body out of the way at least; not by much but anything helps. She pulled the wings out, even if this counted as far too early. She wasn't thinking clearly; she was high off of adrenalin.

Just as she thought she was in a safe zone, one of the jets exploded. The force knocked her about in the air, but no pain came. She sigh in relief, she wasn't hit by debris.

The lower her altitude, the dizzier and slower she got.

"Eheheuehe….I dun't think I can got arunline poison from eight feet?" She mumbled out as she tried to focus. She kept blacking out as she fell, this hadn't happened to her on her other flight aborts, why now?

She came to just in time to see the desert sand collide with her goggles. She heard the sounds of her colliding with the hard packed sands, as well as a snap. If it wasn't her neck, she was fine with whatever just broke.

Rebel woke again, her first instinct was to try and stand; she fumbled around her arms as she struggled to place. When she applied pressure it slipped and she quit there.

'I'm not giving up, I'm not surrendering….I'm just negotiating with death…' She thought before she slipped into unconsciousness once more.

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I wrote this, uploaded and updated this at 3 am. So tired. Hehehe…I tried to make a cliffhanger….hehe…*passes out*