UCAC Ch. 02

"You sure you wanna do that?" Tibbu asked.

"I bailed him out once due to Gyr's disregard and I'm not doing it again. By the time he realizes how fucking twisted Gyr is, he'll have a knife in his back." I said.

"Yeah, I can't ever come to forgive Gyr for what he did to Chance... Chance was a good man, arguably the best flyer amongst us...and now... gone! Don't curse Everette like that, Merlin. I don't wish that type of deceit upon him... upon no one." Tibbu, reflected shaking his head.

"You're right...but still though, I'm not helping him...not after what he said to me." I sighed.

"Wait, when?" Tibbu asked.

"I stopped him before he left for the hangar and told him to be weary of Gyr and he said Gyr warned him I'd say this to him. He then said something stupid and condescending along the lines of, I'm riding his shins and at that point I was like bitch fuck you...when Gyr kills your ass, I would tell you I told you so but you'll be dead so fuck you! So...I left it at that..." I sighed.

"Aw man, he's already in the boy's head. Denver, you can't let anything happen to him." Tibbu said. I looked over to Subbu. A silent plea was written all over his eyes.

"Ok, but if he doesn't get the bigger picture next time shit goes south for him, he's on his own." I said.

"What are you lot talking about?" Someone in the doorway said. I truned, seeing it was Cap.

"Nothing..." I sighed.

"Well, General Aquil is pleased with your flying and quick thinking out there to score the win. He thinks you should be Second Wing." The captain smiled.

"No..." I quickly refused. Captain was shocked.

"No?" He asked.

"See, I'm not trying to compete with Gyr... Not after...I just am not a good fit, sir." I sighed. He looked at me intently.

"Not after what?" He asked, arms folded.

"He killed Chance or his lack of action got Chance killed! I was there, I saw it with my own eyes and I refuse to be Gyr's next target." I sighed.

"You know you can't say that to the General, right? He's adamant about you being my Second Wing..." Captain sighed.

"So, he wants me signed up for suicide...I see..." I sighed, truly frustrated.

"No...Denver... If you don't want to be Second Wing, just tell me. You don't have to blame it on something else..." Captain said.

"I would happily be Second Wing but you think Gyr will take kindly to someone half his size pulling rank over him?" I asked.

"You're overreacting. I know it's a big responsibility and all..."

"Ok, I'll do it... When I die in battle, just know it was at the hands of Gyr... Tired of this fucking hellish life anyway. Maybe it is my time..." I sighed.

"DENVER!" The Captain snarled.

Tinnu and Subbu sat in utter shock.

"My office now..." He demanded. We walked back to his office, he slamming the door behind us. I didn't bother to sit because I knew I was going to get an earful. I just looked at the floor.

"This is a major step for you, for anyone! You'd be a fool not to take it." He said.

"Well, I'm a fool." I sighed.

"Did something happen?" Captain asked.

"Of course something happened! Raul and that Ghost person are now a thing and I just destroyed them both in the tournament. You know how devastating it was to win, to defeat the person who always felt defeated by you? You know how hard he came for me when the tournament started and to have it end with me on top? He...hates...me!" I said back.

"The general also was pleased by how eager you were to not only save your teammates from crashing into the sod, but the opposing team as well." Captain added.

"What? The sod is hard! Someone would have done the same for me if I got hit." I said.

"No they wouldn't!" Captain laughed before getting serious again, "You got the makings of a leader and one day you will be in my seat. I'm promising you that. Now, if you say you're not ready to lead, I believe you but General Aquil is...how you say...he doesn't take no for an answer."

"Well lets see how well I can spruce up this no!" I said.

"Eh, I wish you well boy. He's in his office..." Captain sighed.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified. General Aquil was seven foot, two inches of three hundred pounds of brick wall. He meant business and was accustomed to getting his way. I entered his office, standing at parade rest, not bothering to sit.

"Take a seat..." He smiled. I reluctantly did so, "So you participate in only one match, dominate and vanish?"

"I um, my mates were struggling a bit after having to take on the Roc Class and one of them simply didn't have anyone to cover him so I had to step up." I said.

"So you felt the need to step in at that time?"

"I mean I have faith in my boys, it's just they don't work together as a team unless someone hammers them. Marcell and Milan are the only two that work together proficiently... The rest of them, I can't speak for as well." I sighed.

"You seem to be a team player, taking care of your own as well as the ones who aren't. That is what we need here." He smiled.

"I don't think I'm cut out for taking on a leadership role." I said.

"Why not?" The General asked, not pleased with my response.

"Well," I said trying to think of something swiftly, "I just have issues... I don't want to be a leader when I'm struggling putting my past behind me."

"To me these are excuses. Everyone on your team looks up to you..." The General said.

"That's not true. Jarvis and I don't see eye to eye over any matter and he often is the root cause over all the poor teamwork that occurs on missions." I refuted.

"Jarvis...is a complicated fellow. It's why I want him to step down as Second Wing." The General said.

"It's not going to happen. He won't take this lightly. The scary part about Jarvis is that he won't utter a word. He'll put a smile on his face but in his mind, formulate ways to take you out. Today was a prime example of this when he let Everette get plucked out of the sky. He knew better than to stay in one spot... I just don't trust him..."

"So the reason you don't want to be Second Wing is because of Jarvis?" The General asked.

"Partly..."

"What else?"

"Every time I go out on a mission, I hope it completes me, hope it makes me feel like I'm alive... By the time the mission is over, I'm left with this hollow feeling like I have more questions than answers..." I sighed.

"That's not good, kid." The General said, sounding disappointed, "That's basically telling me you're out for the thrills and not for the success."

"I mean, I take care of mine... I'm first to take the plunge and the last one to leave. I do care about the success..." I said in my defense.

"Yeah but sounds like you don't care about you! That is both a good and bad trait... Are you out there to kill yourself?" He asked.

"At this point, I don't know. I'm just tired of the same old formula, with the same old results, with the same function. I want something that'll make me feel alive!" I said, unsure what part was honesty and what part was me trying to squirm out of this.

"That saddens me to hear this from someone so great on the battle field. I'll tell you what...I'm sending you west for six months...you want to feel alive, I got something for you. When you come back here, you'll wish you never left." The General said.

"Ok, sir." I shrugged, unsure how this was going to be challenging.

"But before that, your team will be heading to Spain... There's a mission that only your team can handle. However, considering the way the Venice mission went, I'm taking extra precautions and sending the Roc Class for added support if needed. Details will be given tomorrow. Also, don't tell anyone you're leaving. This is something between, you, me and your Captain." He said.

"Yes sir." I said. It made me realize that Captain was going to chew me a new one. My mouth got me into something I definitely couldn't squirm out of, now. I feared for the disappointment I would bring Captain Wallace...