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Murmurs rang out through the trainees as our excitement grew. We knew exactly what was about to happen today. The Blue Angels were scheduled for a show here this weekend, and we were about to get a VIP seat for their practice. It was clear we were all pumped to watch instead of do for a change.
As we waited silently for Levy to address us, Solo bumped shoulders with me.
“Think I’d look good in that getup?” he said quietly enough that no one else would hear. When I looked in his direction, he waggled his eyebrows at me.
Ignoring his teasing, I returned my attention to Levy, who pivoted on his heel and walked up the center of the two lines.
“I don’t know about you, but one of the most inspiring things to me as a young man and eventually as an experienced pilot was to watch these incredible pilots standing before you soar through the sky at rip-roaring speed and execute some of the most eye-popping moves I have ever seen in my life.”
All of us agreed, and Levy continued down the line, a tight smile on his lips.
“Not only are they some of the best fighter pilots the Navy has turned out through the years, they also go on to be some of the best showmen and women in the world.”
He wasn’t lying. If you asked anyone if they’d ever seen a flyover by the Blue Angels, the response was always the same—It was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. They inspired a sense of awe, patriotism, and wonder that not much else could do, and no matter how many times you saw them, the feeling never changed.
“You are the best of the best when it comes to combat flying. You are quick, focused, and methodical. We train you to take to the sky, hunt down a target, and neutralize the threat. Today, I want you to remember why you became a pilot. Remember the joy of taking to the sky and relax a little. You’ve been here for weeks with one goal and focus. Take the time now to really think about why you’re here, because after this comes real life, and what you’re signing up for is not a show.”
As Levy passed by, he locked eyes with me, and something in his stare made my hands twist behind my back. What did that look mean? Surely he wasn’t questioning my desire to be here. After that one freak-out I’d had my first day back, things had pretty much gone back to normal—if you didn’t count the occasional nightmare.
But that wasn’t all that unusual after what I’d been through, right?
Solo shuffled in close to me again as Levy walked by. “What was that look about?”
Great, so it hadn’t just been in my head. “I don’t know.”
Solo’s eyes narrowed, and I could tell he knew I was lying, but I wasn’t about to get into it here.
“Okay, guys,” Levy said when he again reached the head of the group. “If you’ll all go take a seat outside, we’ll let these guys get up in the air and do what they do best.” He turned to the Angels. “Be safe up there, and show us what you got.”
8 Solo
IT’D BEEN YEARS since I’d seen the Blue Angels flying overhead in perfect formation, their maneuvers so tight it looked like you couldn’t fit a penny between them. They were even closer than they looked. I’d heard at one point they were something like eighteen inches from each other, which blew my mind, considering the point of combat was to get the hell away from the other jets. Or, you know, blow them the fuck out of the sky.
The six jets broke apart suddenly, two going left, three going right, while the number one shot straight up and began a series of solo maneuvers that I wasn’t sure were choreographed. Did they all have a chance to show off with whatever they wanted when the spotlight was theirs? Or were even their individual moments planned in advance by someone else? The latter didn’t excite me much, but if each pilot got to make up their own shit? Badass. I made a mental note to ask them later.
The remaining jets roared toward each other below the number one, and from our vantage point, they looked like they were headed for a collision.
“Oh, shit, I can’t watch,” Gucci said, and I found myself holding my breath as the jets passed each other in such close proximity that I couldn’t see the sky between them.
Panther whistled from where he sat on the ground beside me, his long legs pulled in and his arms resting on top of them. His eyes were wide with interest, and I found my lips curving as I watched him. He looked so innocent right then, like a mesmerized kid who was seeing planes for the first time.
