LISA
I leave the main building on the base and I hope that I do not run into my dad. I get out of the building as quickly as I can and then I realize that I am free until tomorrow morning. This is the perfect time for me to get my gym session in. I like to keep in shape. I never know what can be expected of me in the Navy.
Ever since I was enrolled in the Navy I started looking after myself and I guess I never stopped. I know that the training is brutal and I just kind of adapt to the severe training. But somehow I have come to love it. I go back to my room and get into my gym clothes.
The sun is almost setting and I know that soon the base will get quiet again. I love this time of day just as the sun changes the color of the world. I get in the gym and I see how perfectly they build it with windows all around it. I love to run and so I find a treadmill that is situated at the window.
I love running while looking outside. I put in my earphones and put on my favorite music. This is the time that I can just find some sort of peace. This is the time that I forget where I am and what I am doing here.
Tomorrow I will be meeting the man, maybe not in person, but definitely over the radio, that I am supposed to declare mentally unstable. I still like to find some time to talk to my dad regarding the file that he send me on the infamous Captain Brian Smith.
Because I do not have a picture of him. I start to wonder how he looks like. I hope he looks untasteful to the eye because I would hate to declare somebody mentally unstable if they are hot. Suddenly my thoughts go back to the soldier that I saw in the mess hall.
I never learned what his name is. I would hate to declare someone like him mentally unstable. I recall in my mind's eye the perfect body that was displayed before my eyes. Those muscles were flawless on the art that was laid out before me.
Even his legs had muscles that were too big for the pants that he wore. I shake my head as I realized that I am not supposed to think about him because apparently, he is a player. It is sad that I can not think about him or even take him for a test drive.
Then I realize that I am again, comforting thoughts about another man while I am already taken.
"Shit!"
How could I forget to send Steve a text message telling him that I have safely arrived? I have not even looked at my phone yet. I quickly get off the treadmill and take out my phone. I see that I have almost ten messages and all of them are from Steve. He must be worried sick.
I quickly dial his number and then I say to him.
"I am so sorry. I am so so sorry"
I hearing a laugh but it is not a laugh of joy but rather a laugh of relief.
"It is okay. I am just glad that you are safe"
I start to explain how busy I was and how I was immediately busy with the tasks at hand. Of course, as always he is understanding and supportive. I do not deserve this man. I apologize profusely and then I end the call.
I do not know what I am going to do but I should really start paying attention to Steve. He loves me and I know that I love him too. He has been so understanding in this entire thing. I do not want to mess things up with him.
Then I finish on my treadmill and make my way back to my room. I take a cold shower and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I pay my dream world a visit.
BRIAN
I wake up again with a knock on my door but this time I feel so much better as I got myself a good night's sleep. I am excited to stand up because today is going to be the day that I get to ride that powerful machine again. I also know that they are going to try and trick us as far as we go as they want us to break the rules but I have been through this training before.
I know by now that I should stick to the rules no matter what they throw at me. I get dressed as quickly as I can because this is one of the classes that I do not want to be late for. While I stand in the shower my thoughts suddenly go to that beautiful woman that I saw in the mess hall.
I know that I probably should not think about her or even try to pursue her but she was a beauty unlike any other I have seen before. I guess she was just a consultant of some sort or she can be a friend and she has already gone home yesterday. Then I realize if she is not someone that is in the Navy then I should try and find her friend and get her name.
Then there is nothing that holds me back. I get dressed and look at my watch, I better start running otherwise I will be late. Halfway to the hangar, I run into Jim. I give him a slap on the back as I run past him and then I say.
"You got to keep up, boy! Today is a great day"
I just see him smile and then he starts to run. He runs past me while sprinting and then he shouts.
"I see the time off made you slow!"
I run faster and just as we get to the hangar we both stop at the same time. I still got it and I am happy to be here today. There are chairs put out in the hangar for us and I know that they going to discuss our mission. Luckily, today we have a different instructor than yesterday and maybe I can start with a clean slate.
LISA
I am on my way to tower B as I was instructed. I would lie if I said that I am not nervous because I really feel like it is my first time in the Navy. There is nothing that I should be nervous about because I have done this job for almost three years. I think I am more nervous because of the reason that my dad wanted me to be here in the first place.
I wonder if he thinks that I have magical powers and I can just know that somebody is mentally unstable by talking to them. I made sure that I know every rule in the book and if a pilot would break the rules, I can easily submit it as evidence of being unstable. I just need enough evidence of breaking rules and not following orders.
I am ready to meet my pilot but I am also very curious to find out why this guy got under my dad's skin. I walk with Stacy and luckily she is assigned to the same tower as I am. I am met by my superior and they show me the desk I will be working at. I quickly go through all the operating machines in front of me just to refresh my memory.
"Okay, boys and girls we are going to do a test run before the pilots get in the air. Each one of you will have a recorded pilot of situations that happened in the field and I want to see how you would react when they instruct you to do something or the other way around. The simulation will start as soon as you put your headphones on. Now get to it"
Now I am even more nervous than what I was. I guess they want to see if you are capable of keeping your cool under stressful circumstances. I put on my earphones and start to look at the radar in front of me. I start off by calling my pilot by the given call sign.
"Bravo Charlie Delta 07, this is Tower come in"
I hear the scratch of the radio as the recorded pilot speaks back to me.
"Tower. This is Bravo Charlie Delta 07. Roger"
I make sure that I follow the script that they put out for me and then I continue to say.
"We need you to patrol section-"
But then suddenly I hear the recorded pilot interrupt me.
"Tower we are under fire. Do you copy?! Over!"
It almost sounds like a pilot under stress and I can hear the distress in his voice. My heart goes out to him immediately but I know it is not happening now. It is strange how mature I have become ever since I was an air controller the first time.
I can control my emotions much better now than what I did a few years ago. Before me, the script tells me exactly what to do in what situation and suddenly I feel the head of the department standing behind me. I know that he wants to make sure if I react in the right way.
I take a deep breath and calmly say to my pilot.
"Please confirm your location. Over"
I wait patiently for the pilot to answer me but nothing happens. I then repeat the order and wait. Still, I get no response. I look over to my radar and start to focus on where I can calculate the last time I spoke to the pilot. I get the location and then I say to the recorded pilot.
"DC07, confirm location of section 12. Over?"
I wait patiently and then I hear a faint voice on the other side.
"Roger...tower...ejecting over enemy territory"
I can not stop myself from imagining how the real pilot must have felt from this recording but I know that my supervisor is watching me closely to see how I will react emotionally. So, I turn around to my supervisor and say.
"Sir, Delta Charlie 07 has he ejected over section 12. Should I contact the head office?"
He put his hand on my shoulder and say.
"Well done, soldier. You passed the test. You may prepare to speak to your assigned pilot. Carry on"