[Chapter 1] Starting Somewhere

[Mr. Blackbird Lore]

"Sampson," she corrected quietly off comms. She would correct him in person later. Silently, she shifted upward. It was a gentle adjustment, likely unnoticed by their foes as the lead drew their attention. All in all, this was a suicide mission if one just ran the numbers. Five on three? Even with superior training and equipment, those were significant odds in a dogfight. Cecil had seen awful results with better odds.

In the moment, though, it merely emphasized the team's need for Sampson's absolute focus. Perfection. She had flown perfectly before, and she could do it again. They made the smart call: only one diverted to take advantage of August's risky maneuver. The other two made to confront Sampson, forcing her to take the fight or turn her back on them to fly wingman for her squad leader. This was going to be ugly.