Shadows in the Jungle Options

[Cthulhudreams]

The camera starts zoomed right out, encompassing the entire earth. At this distance the toxic blights, war zones and human created pustules of plasticrete are invisible. Selecting South America it swoops in, flashing over the dense, concealing canopy of jungle that covers almost all of Amazonia, zooming towards the festering pile of humanity that is Metropaul, the most dangerous and most densely populated Z-zone in the world. At 5am there is already a major skub vs anti skub riot and one district is on fire.

In the wan light of the false dawn six metas in combat armour, clutching a variety of assault rifles and machine guns rapidly board a chopper, its engine idling. A ghostly spirit hanging behind the chopper, preparing to blow it on its way

"The job's simple, find this tribe. ID the Shaman. Grab her. Give her the box. Bring her back to the metropaul. The chopper will probably be inspected for contraband when it comes back, so we'll land you a few klicks out and you'll have to infiltrate the city. Don't worry, the local administration is run by dragons, who don't know shit about perimeter security – the place leaks like a sieve. "

The view cuts to a briefing room, 6 soldiers in BDUs slumped around a table listening to a grizzled master Sergeant briefing them about some extra curricular activity. Their AR overlays are all Combat Inc branded.

"The complicated factor is that the tribe is semi nomadic and out in the jungle somewhere. We got a confirmed fix of their current semi permanent village and their typical roaming zone from a government
database, some inspectors and anthropologists out there a few months ago. They don't know shit about matrix security either. But that trail is a bit cold, you'll need to search. Remember to keep low, below radar."

The camera cuts back to the jungle, a mottled green chopper zooms low over the treetops of Amazonia's dense rainforest, moving slowly so the men sitting on the door sills can sweep their scopes over the lush jungle with their feet virtually brushing the canopy, yet whipping past a puzzled baboon observing at an extremely high velocity. The Combat Inc logo is visible on the tail, green paint hastily slapped over some still partly visible Ares co-branding. The soldiers are grinning and joking, looking for any signs of human life in the jungle while trading barbs over comms.

This place really is a shit hole Ruggeri. I hear they have snakes down there with venom that will kill you before you can take three steps

"You better fucking believe it man. Some of the spiders make webs to trap the souls of men. Scary shit

In the briefing room "The jungle itself is arguably the third most dangerous awakened zone on the plant. The natives have an unusually high number of shamans, and the local wild life is extremely lethal,
encompassing swarms of vicious flesh eating awakened piranhas, to the most dangerous spiders and scorpions outside the Australian outback. Ruggeri?"

A huge troll sitting up the back has his hand in the air

"What's the most dangerous?"

"If you just consider natural threats, it's the Australian outback. If you factor in the swarms of locals, aztechnology grunts, mutants, awakened mutants, pools of neurotoxins, intelligent land mines and chemical weapons that are all trying to kill you, the Yucatan is the worst place I've ever been."

I've got them

The camera cuts back to the chopper as sweeps over a clearing, several of the native inhabitants staring up at the rare sight of a helicopter, normally banned from flying this far in. Some of them start to grab primitive weaponry, but the helicopter whips past and is soon out of sight, the pilot chattering of the radio

Looks like that's it. Nice spot. Nearest LZ is about three klicks out. I'll stay in the air to provide fire support is required.

I could totally bag one of big cats from up here

One of the troopers lines up a Jaguar in the jungle below through the scope of his high powered rifle

Hey, Ruggeri, check out this shit. The kitty is wearing, like, a collar

Yeah right, its a fucking Jaguar, what the hell is it doing with a collar? Been talking to much kamikaze again?

Nah, I've been macking with ya mum, but look, I'm telling ya man, its...

Can it you two, and stop fucking pointing your rifle at things Patton, remember, keep frosty. ETA 30 seconds to LZ

The camera cuts back to the briefing room "Remember, don't shoot anyone unless you absolutely have to, just keep frosty if the natives get stroppy. Most of these guys won't have seen a gun before unless
they are on a black market trade route. Also, we need the target" AR photos of the mark, a young elven girl, are brought to the forefront of everyone's vision overlays "alive. Remember, instructions
are to give her the box at the first opportunity."

Hovering over a clearing the helicopter drops its zip lines, and the troops rappel down in near silence. Chalk away.

After a brief check of their weapons, chem seals, and matrix satcomm unlink the mercenaries fan out with practised precision, and slip into the dim half light under the jungle canopy, the helicopter swooping back towards the village, zooming the slight elven girl from the very brief photo cut before.