Two helicopter pilots flying a C-17?

“Do they always do that?” Lara asked.

“What?” O’Hara responded.

“Wild Bill and Mayday,” Lara pointed at the pair in the cockpit of the transport aircraft, “Do they always fight over who is the pilot and who is the copilot?”

“Frankly this is the first time they worked together,” O’Hara said, “Mayday is a Marine butter bar who flies for the ‘****’ team. Wild Bill is one of our regular pilots. Technically Mayday out ranks Bill since he is a flight warrant, and she is a full officer. But Wild Bill is the senior pilot getting his wings years before Mayday and more hours behind the stick.”

“Very well Corporal O’Hara,” Lara said.

“Scarlet,” the red head next to Lara countered, “Please call me Scarlet.”

“Scarlet?” Lara smirked, “Like ‘Gone with the wind’?”

“Yeah,” Scarlet sighed, “But it is what I am called on the teams since we don’t normally use real names.”

“Are those two arguing again?” a voice came over the intercom from someone in back.

“Yes Mutt,” Scarlet sighed, “Again…”

“Why the hell couldn’t we have Ace or Slipstream flying? Them fighting over the controls is making Junkyard sick,” Mutt growled over the intercom.

*

Outside a seedy casino in a bad area of the former Soviet Union

The three ran for what cover they could find, the engine block of a Lada sedan.

“I thought you said you didn’t need to count cards Ace,” Slipstream shouted.

“I don’t and I wasn’t,” Ace said as he pulled out the S&W Shield pistol.

“They don’t seem to believe you!” Dogfight shouted as he pulled out his Walther pocket pistol.

“Talk about sore losers,” Ace said, “Hay, where is Ghostrider?”

“Last I saw him, he was slinking off to the bar to get a drink,” Slipstream snapped.

*

“It must be nice to only have to fly people around and not have to go undercover,” Scarlet muttered to herself, “We just have to deal with it Mutt. Count Down and Payload should be back from orbit later tonight.”

“Raider, Scarlet,” Tripwire spoke into the intercom from in back, “We have a privacy tarp set up here for you to change into ops gear, we will be starting up as soon as this big bird lands.”

“Thank Tripwire,” Scarlet smiled and took off her head seat, “I can’t wait to get out of my dress uniform.”

“I can’t wait to get into my gear,” Lara said taking off her headset, “Who is raider?”

“I think that is what Eagle told the rest of them to call you,” Scarlet chuckled.

“Eagle? Do you mean Chuckie?” Lara said with a grin forming on her face as she tried to sound cross, “He is being rather cheeky and a very naughty boy, I will have to give a few good swats on the bottom!”