Page 54 of Ace

She checked the screen. “Just hold tight, Spike. He’s at your 3.”

“Got him. Going left.”

“Spike, see if you can outfly the Ace without any help from Blaze.”

She grinned.

“Who’s Blaze?” Spike’s voice made her laugh.

“Don’t worry about it, Spike, just keep listening to the only pilot who has ever taken down Ace.” Gianna almost laughed while she said it.

“That so deserves another challenge.” Dex would want to try again, but she was not giving him a chance to take down her awesome spot as winner.

“Only if you want to get whooped again.”

Gianna felt eyes on her, and she remembered she was sitting in the control tower, but she ignored them and studied the screens. Two other pilots were chasing down someone, and they were doing well. She pointed. “Is that Ivy?”

“Yes. They’re after her. She lets them feel like they can almost do it, and then she totally outflies them.”

“Excellent. Every pilot needs to be outflown sometimes.”

Then one of the planes spun out of control. It only lasted for a few seconds, but the pilot inside was screaming and calling for help. Gianna held her breath. Losing control of one of these planes going at that speed was a serious risk. And for about fifteen seconds, no one knew for sure if they were going to lose the pilots or the plane. He got the plane under control, but he refused to answer anyone, refused to fly back in, and refused to even turn the plane around. The copilot shouted to him, “Rocky! Dude! Snap out of it.”

Omar got on the radio and tried to talk him through. And then for a minute everyone was quiet. The other pilots had turned back. And Rocky and his copilot just kept flying out there.

Gianna got back on. “Hey, Rocky, this is Blaze. I’m gonna talk you through this. I’m gonna talk in your ear the whole way back. You’re not alone, you just ride with me until you’re back here at the hangar, okay? I’m gonna need you to turn and come toward us.”

For a minute, Rocky didn’t do anything.

“Let me tell you about a time I was up there. I was flying. And Dex was with me. He was such a hotshot back then.”

Omar snorted behind her.

“You like that Omar? Yeah, Dex was a hotshot. He thought he was always gonna win. And he almost always did. But one time, I knew it was gonna be me. I knew I was going to be the one to lock in our instructor and bring him down. So I took risks. I messed up pretty bad. And I put our plane into a tailspin like no one had ever seen before. I was heading for the mountains that we were flying right by. You with me, Rocky?”

She waited. She thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then she heard a quiet, “Yah.”

“Great. Keep coming. You heading my way?”

“He’s changed direction. He’s coming home.”

She silently cheered. “So I got out of that tailspin. The plane straightened out. But I was petrified. My commander put me right back out in a plane after that, and again and again, until I didn’t shake anymore. But you and I know, Rocky. We have a respect for the machine that not one of these other punks can understand.”

He grunted.

“And that respect is gonna take you places, Rocky, that not one of these other pilots can go.” She watched the monitor. He was on his way. “You with me?”

“Yeah, I’m with you.”

She breathed out. “Great.”

“Tell me about the time you beat Ace.”

She laughed. “Oh, I love this story.”

“Don’t get her started, man. It only makes her head grow.”

“Let the lady talk. She and I have a respect that you don’t understand.”

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