[@Starlance]

The last one hundred and twenty kilometers to Tangayi on the Big NB, is known for three things. The hacked back foliage along it's edges, the spectacular view of the central plains beyond that and, well the endless traffic. It's almost like driving the Queen Elizabeth Two highway in Alberta, or watching the German Autobahn sometimes. Almost endless traffic. And having a big fat Soviet era cargo truck groan to a halt on the near un-laned highway, well. The other traffic has to dodge. The driver of the ZIL grumbles, flashlight held between his teeth, and shoving the jack up under the truck. The flashlight shaking as he grumbles something in a harsh bastardized form of what sounds like a mix of English, and German. The man mutters something that sounds like, "They have to give me the bad one. Always me. Always Gunter..." He starts to lever the truck up with a grunt. Ignoring other vehicles blazing around them. An egyptian cargo truck there, a surplus soviet era 4x4 next, an honest to god year 2000 Bugatti, with shouting Matanban teens at the wheel. Children of one of the mining chiefs perhaps.

As he works the man suddenly stops and looks up, and right at Yekaterina approaching him. He takes the light out of his mouth and shines it at her feet then calls out in that broken language of his, "Hey! Why out of truck?" Another ZIL growls past them. The driver groans and tries to get back to work.

In the distance a series of pops and cracks. And roaring engines. The driver looks up again then ducks under the car as several jeeps and SUVs approach at even higher speeds then some of the other vehicles approach. Riding in passenger seats, standing in the back of truck beds, proudly shouting and roaring to the sky, surplus AKs, FALs, and G3s popping rounds into the air. Less like they are trying to cause trouble as to just get attention. As the six vehicles race by one of them heaves back then throws something at the stopped truck, something about the size of a grenade pinging off the side of the truck and rolls to a stop right at the feet of the driver under the truck...

And nothing. The item sits there. The driver after awhile crawling out from under the truck to look at it, "Not bomb?" He picks it up, and manages to unravel a flyer from around a rock.

The Flyer reads, "SAMC invites you all to a get together and BBQ at their offices on the Eastern side of Tangayi, come and enjoy the hospitality of the SAMC board of directors." In very small print it also reads, "Recruiters will be on site." The driver hands the flyer to Yekaterina, "Maybe good?"

[@FourtyTwo]

It's dark under the canopy. Blacker then pitch even. Someday in the future only one thing would be darker and that'd be Vantablack. But now right now this is dark. Without a light it's hard to tell which way the pair are going. Easy to get turned around in the jungle. But luckily, just barely they can make out the slowly rising dawn sun. Atleast they know which way is East. And the capitol can't be that far.

It's some time later though that they luck out? Maybe? Well some kind of luck. As between one hack of the machete and the next suddenly a drop off. Holy fuck it's a logging road! And as if on cue and early early EARLY morning truck is rollign towards them, lights blazing, with a surprised honk the large loggingrig rolls to a stop. The dark skinned man who gets out isn't African, he's French. He starts shouting at them in French, "What the fuck are you two doing here? Do you have any idea how dangerous the jungle can be?" He climbs down out of his truck and crosses over to the pair, "What the hell? You mercs? Who are you working for? SAMC? COGS?" Upon saying COGS the man spits to the side disrespectfully. He sniffs then, "Ah, come on. I'll give you a ride to the camp. Maybe one of the foremen can get you to the capitol, he can take you to the offices. Get you settled. Hear there's a big get together going on over there." He gestures for them to join him in the cab of his truck.

---------------------

Elsewhere the train shifted again and this time Hayden sighs and gives up on trying to sleep any longer. His eyes opening and he can see the slow dawn rising.

And suddenly the train begins to slow. It's clear. The serengeti about the train line coming to a stop as the train grinds to a halt. And several trucks starts to drive along side train. Some with Red Cross logos on them some with COGS though they stay on the left, while on the right are a bunch of SAMC trucks. Hayden hums and casually as he can reaches up for his bag, grabbing the battered Hi Power out and carefully hiding it before any of the real aid workers see it. He hides it in his jacket. As he sees SAMC and COGS men board the train.

There's a tense quiet moment as groups of them meet between cars. Then the COGS go to the high class cars while the SAMC proceed into the third class cars. One of them crying out, "Everyone here. If you are Matanban, stay seated. If you are not. Stand up!" And about two thirds of the first car, and many more in the other two third class cars also stand. Hayden among them. The Canadian keeps his hand ready to grab his gun as the SAMC militia work their way through the standing crowd. One of them speaking from the front, "People of foreign lands. You come to Matanbai. Home of Proud people. Here you are the strangers not us! Remember that SAMC, watches over the ones who are strong and kind. Though COGS say otherwise. SAMC is wise. Matanban people may go in peace when the train stops. But you Red Cross and you foriegn people will come with us, in busses. To the SAMC offices."

Hayden's eyes narrow. And watches as the SAMC and COGS begin to exit the train, leaving one man in every car to watch over the people. Hayden hums, sitting down again as the train starts to move. And all he can think is, "Damn...this is not good..."