I listen to Cypher as he speaks to me, I start to apologize for what my country did but figure that he wouldn’t buy it, hell I don’t buy it.<br/><br/>I check my radar and see the flight group on the edge of it and arm my Sidewinders, as I do I feel a pain in my gut and force it down. Yes this pilot shot down my friend but I had to hide my feelings about the government from everyone back home….even what was left of my family.<br/><br/>’So what kind of friendship was it?’ I think to myself as I bank to put a little more distance between myself and Cypher and keep coming up blank for an answer, or worse it feels like the last few years of my life was a lie.<br/><br/>I follow Cypher as he maneuvers us out of the sun and as I start to pull the trigger I freeze listening to the wail of the missile lock. The seconds stretch out endlessly as I think of this and I realize that for the first time in my life I truly feel free and in control…doing something because it feels right not to please someone around me.<br/><br/>I fire on the bomber then quickly change targets to the nearest MIG as I pop my brakes and fire on him and as I line up on the next MIG I hear the missile warning chime, I firewall the throttle and roll in to a dive to my right pulling high Gs and I see the other bomber tumbling without all of its wings. I pull up more straining against the force of the Gs and see that my bomber is missing its tail and that the MIG was a solid hit.<br/><br/>I relax a bit and form up beside Cypher taking stock of my weapons. As Cypher said I died back there and as best as I can see I am a new man for it.