Magic Trick

I flick through the holographic screen, hunting for a new video to watch. Finding no new videos, I swipe the screen away, activating my music playlist instead. I lean back, laying my head on the hard yet cushioned ejection seat. I look through my canopy, taking in the blue skies with the flush snow of the Antarctic.

Spirit: "Mission targets acquired. Range: 100 km. ID: Two F22 stealth fighters."

I sit up in my seat, looking through my HUD display perched in front of me.

Jax: "Righto. Can you tap into their comms, Spirit?"

With a timid beep as an answer, two voices fill the cockpit.

Bandit 2: "Hey Lan, have you watched that new movie we received at base?"

Bandit 1: "Leopard 2, I've already told you, behind enemy lines, call me by my callsign."

Their call signs are Leopards? Not a bad callsign at all Lan.

Bandit 2: "Oh come on Lan, who would be all the way down here in the Antarctic?

I'm the one who'd be all the way down here in the Antarctic.

Bandit 2: "Live a little, sticking strictly to code is exhausting."

Bandit 1: "You never know who could be listening in. I won't ask again."

Bandit 2: "Fine, LeEpArD oNe."

Bandit 1: *Sigh* "How did a childish brat like you make it into the elite fighter squadrons?"

Chuckling to their little squabble, I place my hands on my throttle and joystick, fluttering them around. In response, Spirit waves high and low. Satisfied with the control's responsiveness, I read over my dashboard. Engine temp: normal. Altitude: 35,000 ft. Speed: 1500 MPH, just over Mach 2. Cloak: Active. All systems and controls are in order. Time to get to work.

Jax: "Stage 3."

The duel engines behind me roar to life as the third stage propels me past Mach 3. I watch the two contrails from below as I rapidly close on the oblivious jets. I align my crosshair with the belly of the trailing aircraft. Tapping my trigger as a scarlet rope of high caliber tracer fire rips the F22 apart. The once-proud F22 spirals to the ground, mimicking a star-streaking comet as it erupts on the pale snow below.

Bandit 1: "WHAT THE HELL!? Alex respond!.. Damn it Alex, respond!"

The remaining F22, janks hard, attempting to evade its unknown threat. I climb higher into the sky, looking back as the F22 spins and dives hundreds of feet below, searching for me. He takes sharp, shallow breaths as he maneuvers in the vast air around him.

Jax: "Release Cloak."

The cockpit fills with a gentle hum as Spirits airframe flows into view. I loop back over, diving behind the panicked F22. I fall directly behind the F22 as he finally notices my presence. He bobs and weaves, climbs and dives, attempting to do anything to shake me from his six, all ending in complete failure.

Jax: "Stop flailing around, if I was here to shoot you down as well, I could of years ago."

Bandit 1: "THE HELL!? How did you crack our comms?"

Jax: "I just used a little bit of my special black magic! I suggest you offset to 35."

Ignoring my request, he continues his pitiful attempts to evade me. I unleash lines of cannon fire around his plane, narrowly missing his wings and tail.

Jax: "Those were warnings, you won't receive another."

Understanding his chances, he ceases his attempts to get away, slowly falling onto the heading I provided. He bobs up and down, ensuring I won't have a clean shot on him. Accepting his caution, I slide into formation with the wary F22, remaining a mild distance from my prey. Seeing me fall into formation, the F22's bobbing subsides.

Bandit 1: "What's your goal? Why did you spare me, but had executed Alex!?"

Jax: "No comment. Sorry chief, cant tell you."

He tames his rising anger, venting his frustrations into two timid words.

Bandit 1: "I see..."

In his silence, faint beeps and boops crackle through the radio. His heading remains true and he's not attempting to escape or evade. So I won't pester the mouse backed into a corner...

Several hours later we arrive at what seemed to be a deserted runway...

Jax: "We'll be landing here. If you try anything funny, you'll be putting on a very good impersonation of your buddy Alex."

Bandit 1: "Understood..."

As instructed he began to slow as we approach the runway, but not nearly enough. He's going way too fast, does he not know how to land? Suddenly, His nose shoots high into the sky as he performs a cobra maneuver. I shoot past him, climbing into a wide loop as his nose begins to fall back to the horizon.

Jax: "I didn't know the F22 could pull cobra's at this speed."

As if to boast about his checkmate in a chess match, he scoffs out.

Bandit 1: "Standard ones don't."

His nose begins to climb into the air, following me through my loop. How can he follow this loop after a cobra!? Oh well... I guess ill entertain his smug remark. I can't help but let a small smirking grin creep onto my expression.

Jax: "I guess ill show you another magic trick. One just for you chief! Activate Cloak."

As another hum fills the cockpit, Spirits airframe fades from view as the F22 climbs higher into the sky.

Bandit 1: "How the hell!? Where'd he go!?"

I pull back on the stick hard, completing the loop instantly. I aline my crosshair with the vulnerable top side of the F22. With an almost melodic hum sounding once more, Spirit fades back into view by my command. I watch the pilot's head dance around the sky as he searches for the phantom jet.

Jax: "Look up."

I watch as his eyes meet mine through my crosshair.

Bandit 1: "FUC-"

With a click of my trigger, another crimson cord of cannon fire shreds the jet in two. The pieces split off in opposite directions as the pilot ejects from the doomed jet. The fragmented pieces flutter to the airfield below, crunching into scrap metal on the icy ground. Oops... The mission said as little damage as possible... Well, that can be repaired... Probably... I'll take that as a successful mission. The ground crew can deal with the pilot.

Jax: "Match comms, CO. Mission successful, RTB."

CO: "Affirmative. Good work. A guest is waiting for your return at base."

Jax: "A guest? I'll be on my way, Release comms. Activate Cloak, Stage 2."

As Spirit fades from view, and my raging engines calm slightly, I swipe past my saved videos once more.

Heading? Base Yurei.