Daring

The mechanic swore as he lifted the cover to the jeep, smoke plumed from the expired machine. "Damn it, we're going to be stuck here for a bit." He said over the sounds of the metal cooling.

Daring looked at him with mild annoyance. "Just how long are we talking?"

"Three maybe four days, the engine overheated and I'm going to have to run back to the shop for some of the parts. I'll take a bike back but that's a day and a half of walking plus repair time."

Daring sighed. "Well get a move on then, we'll meet up at the designated area, but the time it takes us to get there will be deducted from your final pay."

"I know, I know, I'll be back as soon as I can, what are you lot going to do in the meantime?"

"We're going to head forward on hoof, we'll meet up at the scheduled place in five days time. Understood?"

The old stallion nodded, "You lot sure are determined, they must be paying ya a fortune to do.... whatever it is you do."

Cutter smiled "We have a contract, and besides we've been in sticker situations than this."

Mantra laughed "What my friend says is true, we have plenty of experience doing what we do."

The elder stallion eyed them suspiciously. "And what is that exactly?"

Daring smiled at this, "Us? We're adventurers."

The elder stallion laughed, "You lot are crazy, you know that. All of you, the whole lot, insane."

Slight wiggled her hips and winked, "And we make it look good." And with that they all turned around and headed into the jungle. Cutter stood in front carrying the weapons satchel and wielding a machete cutting down the dense brush in front of them, behind him Daring used a compass and map to guide them while Mantra and Slight kept watch for anything that might cause them harm. Eventually the sun began to set and they decided to set up camp.

Late that night they all gathered around the campfire and ate the first of many packaged meals. "Celestia these things taste like ass." Slight said poking at her beans. "This is the one thing I hate about missions out in places like this, the food."

Mantra nodded his head, "Though I wouldn't have put it in such crude terminology, I have to agree, the food is lacking."

Cutter scowled, "You lot are so picky, have you ever gone so long without food you could count your own ribs?!? No?! Than just shut up and eat!" he snapped. Everypony quickly quieted down a growing feeling of unrest settling over the group.

" I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean.." Slight said.

Cutter exhaled, "No, I'm sorry, just hit a nerve. You're right the food is terrible, but it's better than the alternative." He smiled, "Tell ya what when we get back dinners on me, anywhere you guys want."

Slight smiled, "Oh you're going to regret that." she said

Everypony laughed "I'll bet I will." Cutter said. The tension vanished and they all enjoyed a few more laughs before they put out the fire and went to bed. No sooner than their heads hit the pillows did they fall into deep slumber.

A sharp cry pierced the air rousing Daring quickly from her sleep. Instinctively she drew the pistol next to her sleeping bag and flipped the safety off. Jumping from the tent she found Cutter atop a Blue stallion pinning him to the ground an assult rifle lying next to them. The blue pony was an earth pony with a dark brown mane, he was wearing a black uniform similar to military but with twin hydra heads intertwining on the shoulder.

"Cutter, whats going on?" Darring asked keeping her gun aimed at the head of the unknown pony.

"Found this guy sneaking around camp. Tried to pull that gun on me but I managed to pin him." Cutter said. As he spoke the unknown pony wiggled his jaw as though he were chewing than suddenly bit down hard. The pony began writhing and foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling back into his head before finally collapsing into the dirt his eyes distant blood trickling from his mouth.

"What the fuck?" Daring swore as she watched the pony twitch a few final times.

Mantra emerged from the tent he shared with Slight his gun drawn as well. He looked down at the pony than back to Cutter. "What happened?"

Cutter swore, "Fucking cyanide capsule. Who the fuck even uses those anymore?" He released the now limp pony from the arm bar and stood up. "What in the hell is going on here?"

Mantra shook his head, "I don't know what would make somepony end their own lives, but whatever it is I don't think it's something we need to be poking our noses into. Daring, It's your call. How do we proceed?"

Daring flicked the Safety on her gun as Slight came out of the tent, took one look at the sight and ran to the edge of the space they cleared and threw up. Daring looked away and took a breath. "We don't have a choice here, we either keep going, or we go back and give that rat bastard reason to end our contract." she said falling back to four hooves. Cutter and Mantra nodded, Slight walked back a distant look on her face.

Mantra stabilized her, "You ok?" he said patting her on the back.

She smiled weakly at him. "Yeah, probably just some bad beans or something. I'll be fine." And with that they returned to sleep but with one of them on watch, Cutter insisted he go first saying he was still to pumped to go back to sleep. Mantra handled the second watch and Daring the third. Slight was ordered to rest after her incident and with a little resistance she agreed. And so went the first night went.

Morning crawled it's way along, somehow finding itself on Daring's shift. She managed to gather enough wood to start a fire and cook up some coffee, soon everypony was up and about. As she drank her coffee she watched Cutter playing with his butterfly knife. "Want some?" she teased.

A disgusted face passed across his scarred features. "Oh hell no." Daring laughed as she remembered his first time trying coffee, he had readily taken a bid slug, then immediately turned green and ran for the bathroom. For weeks after he held his nose every time they walked by the coffee shop on the way to the museum. They all ate a quick breakfast that consisted of protein bars and some water. They quickly packed up camp and made their way forward.  Eventually they reached an outcropping of rock that prevented them from going any further.

Daring scratched her head, "That's odd, this is the exact spot that the museum gave me. Alright ponies spread out and look for some sort of."

"Opening?" Slight said brushing aside some vines and revealing a carved passage that ran deep into the rock face

Daring blinked several times before facehoofing, "Every freaking time, this is going just like Nikeragua."

Slight smiled. "Except this time it's vines instead of a waterfall." she said as she slipped inside. Mumbling under her breath Daring entered followed by Mantra, and Cutter. Slight took lead being the best spotter and lightest on their hooves, as she was the most likely to spot any traps. Suddenly she stopped and swore "Shit."

Everypony stopped in their tracks. "What is it?" Daring asked in a somber tone.

"Take a look." Slight said. Walking up to Slight, Daring shone her flashlight ahead. In front of her was a disaster, The entire ruin was in, well, ruins. Everything was defaced with graffiti, trash littered the floor and any sign of what had originally had been was covered by cheep spray paint and gum.

"Celestia damn it, it's been looted guys. There's nothing here."

"Fuck." Cutter swore and Mantra stomped his hoof in frustration.

Daring spoke again, "The museum is gonna be pissed, well we'd best get back to the road. Our ride is five days off and I don't want to be in this gods forsaken jungle any longer than we have to so lets get a move on it's a long walk back to the city from here."

"Wait! Everypony quiet!" Cutter said ducking behind the curtain of weeds in front of the entrance. Daring crawled her way up to where he was at an peeked out, outside were several trucks moving along each emblazoned with the same symbol as the pony in the forest. "Will they never leave me alone." Cutter said under his breath.

"What?" Daring whispered back to him.

Cutter looked at her than quickly back to the trucks "I said will they ever leave us alone. We need to get out of here soon."

"I agree" Daring replied. And so they waited, after a few minutes the trucks moved along, however the group waited a few more minutes just to make sure that they were gone. Than they made their way back outside and began backtracking their way through the jungle.