Fiction: A Mercenary Life - Part 4

[kethni]

Name: A Mercenary Life - Part 4

Pairing: Matt/Mohinder

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Some adult language, and some violence.

Word Count: 2938

Authors Note: Back to Part 3



The horses sway in the deepening twilight towards the welcoming light of the other camp. It’s a small camp, five small tents around one larger one. There are two twitchy looking guards circling around the campsite; one white, tall, and bald, and the other African-American, and shorter but with a boxer’s stance.

‘What do you want?’ grunts the taller man, putting his hand on his gun.

‘Don’t strain your brain cell,’ Mohinder sneers. ‘Your Professor Monroe invited us to join you.’

‘Relax Flint, the pretty boy is right,’ the other man says with a smile as he flexes his hands. ‘Go tell the professor.’ He focuses his attention on Matt. ‘I’m Knox.’

‘Parkman.’ He turns and indicates Eden. ‘That’s McCain.’

‘You ride with a little girl?’ Knox grins.

‘You think you can take her then feel free to try,’ Matt says mildly. ‘We could all do with a laugh.’

‘He’s kind of small,’ Eden says idly. ‘The other one might at least be something of a challenge.’

Matt gets off his horse and holds the reins easily in his hand. ‘Enough dick measuring, we’re all appropriately impressed with how manly you are. Now shift your ass and let us pass.’

‘You’ve decided to join us, how fabulous!’ Adam says, swaggering over to Matt. ‘You’re more than welcome to share my tent.’

‘Afraid of the dark are you?’ Mohinder asks, climbing down from his horse.

‘Witty as ever, Mohinder, shame that wit doesn’t translate into success isn’t it?’ Adam says smoothly. ‘Ooh, I see we have a lady present. I hope Mr Knox hasn’t been making a nuisance of himself. He doesn’t meet many members of the fairer sex.’

Eden rolls her eyes. ‘Can I look forward to being patronised by each and every member of your expedition, Professor Monroe?’

‘I’m sure we can arrange something more efficient for you,’ Adam says, rallying a smile. ‘Please let me show you around our humble camp.’



In addition to the two guards they have already met, they are introduced to another two guards, a Doctor Linderman, whom exchanges significant looks with Mohinder, and a petite young blonde who is dressed in an entirely impractical pair of sandals, a strappy top, and hotpants.

‘Our intern, Miss Bennet,’ Adam says, inviting Matt to share his despair in youth of today with an illicit eye-roll.

‘Oh my God, is that your intern?’ she demands, looking at Luke. ‘He looks like a failed biology experiment.’

‘If we were a modelling agency that might be pertinent,’ Mohinder says sharply. ‘However, and this may have escaped your notice Miss Bennet, we are an archaeological expedition and as such Mr Campbell’s primary quality of interest is his intellect. A property which clearly is more valuable in him than it is in you.’

Matt covers his laugh with a cough and Eden looks up at the sky.

‘Did you just… insult me?’ Claire asks incredulously.

‘Come along dear,’ Adam says, putting an arm around her shoulders. ‘Let’s find you something less taxing to do.’

‘I thought they didn’t have any women here?’ Eden asks as they start unpacking their gear.

‘No ladies,’ Luke says meaningfully.

‘Nicely bitchy, Campbell!’ Eden says encouragingly.

Luke shrugs and blushes a little. ‘Well, Professor Monroe started it. I just ran with it.’



As dusk sets in the members of both parties find themselves congregating around the wide campfire. Matt and Luke are cooking beans and slices of ham in tin pans over the fire while Claire is poking at some kind of stew in the big cauldron suspended over the fire.

‘This your first expedition?’ Matt asks her nicely. They’re standing close enough to talk quietly.

‘It’s my first time out of America,’ she says, scowling at the food. ‘I keep forgetting. Every morning I wake up and it’s a surprise.’

‘Not enjoying it?’

Claire blows out her cheeks. ‘I just want to get to the temple. I’m fed up of hacking through the jungle and getting bitten by insects. My ass is raw from the horse, my feet are fit to fall off, and I puked up about every meal I had on the boat.’

‘That’s a damn shame,’ Matt says, surreptitiously gesturing at Luke to shut up. ‘Still I guess it’ll be worthwhile when you get to your dig site.’

‘Yeah,’ she says, poking at the pan. ‘Supposed to be a huge deal when we find it. Professor Monroe says it’s one of a kind.’

‘Claire, dear, I hope you aren’t boring Mr Parkman,’ Adam says, stalking over to them. He gives her a bright and brittle smile. ‘No giving away our secrets I trust.’

‘I’m not stupid!’ she huffs.

‘Claire and Luke were just sharing horror stories of internship,’ Matt says smoothly.

‘Oh I’m sure that your little pet there can’t have anything to complain about.’ Adam pushes Claire aside and leans in close to Matt. ‘Not on your account anyway. Mohinder can be a little…’

‘Testy?’ Matt suggests.

‘Testy will do,’ Adam allows. ‘I’d have accepted irritable, grouchy, or short-tempered. Let’s not forget a complete lack of engagement with the outside world and a distinctly… unrealistically stolid approach to complex issues.’

‘So… you’re saying that he sticks to his guns ethically? That is a major character flaw.’

Adam laughs lightly. ‘There are times when a more… flexible approach is more appropriate.’

‘I bet you’re real flexible,’ Matt says.

‘I have my moments. As and when it’s…’

‘Appropriate?’

Adam smiles and inclines his head. ‘Indeed, and besides don’t you find anything else rather old fashioned?’

Matt notices Mohinder has appeared on the other side of the fire and is glaring at them both. ‘Yeah, actually, but there’s something kinda reassuring about that. At least I always know where I stand.’

‘If the best you can expect is the least you can hope for then it’s time for a change,’ Adam says airily.

Luke yelps suddenly, startling both of them.

‘What’s wrong?’ Matt says, hand automatically sliding to the pistol in its holster.

‘Burned my hand,’ Luke says sheepishly. ‘The handle got hot!’



‘… then of course there were the ruins in Tripoli,’ Adam says.

They’re all sitting now around the smouldering fire. The meal has been eaten and they’re warming themselves around the fire, sharing drinks and stories.

‘The ruins that Professor Andersson discovered, you mean,’ Mohinder says sharply. ‘He got there first.’

‘Petty details,’ Adam says, waving a hand. ‘He didn’t register the discovery and…’

‘Didn’t he die on that trip?’ Luke asks.

‘Yes, yes he did.’

Adam rolls his eyes. ‘Darling, Mohinder, nobody cares about boring Andersson. The most interesting thing he ever did in life was die. I’m telling my story about Tripoli.’

‘Yes, dear Adam,’ Mohinder says poisonously, ‘and the most interesting part will be when you stop,.’

Eden clears her throat. ‘This is my first archaeological expedition. For some reason I thought local tribes would be the major danger, not other expeditions.’

‘No danger here, little girl,’ Knox says, grinning widely. ‘None you wouldn’t learn to like anyways.’

‘Are you right or left handed Mr Knox?’ Eden asks politely.

‘Right, why…’

Matt winces a fraction of a second before Eden’s foot lashes out and the sole of her heavy boot smashes into Knox’s left wrist. Knox screams, drops his bottle, and nurses his hand.

‘You broke my damned wrist you psychotic bitch!’

Eden smiles serenely. ‘It’s only dislocated Mr Knox. I’m sure your Mr Flint will be able to help you set it right again.’

‘Go,’ Adam orders, glaring at the angry man, ‘and consider yourself to have learnt a valuable lesson about calling grown women “little girl”, go on!’

‘That was awesome,’ Luke murmurs.

‘It’s my job,’ Eden says primly.

‘Defending himself and us is supposed to be his job,’ Adam complains. ‘A fat lot of good he is at it apparently.’

‘Good help is so hard to find,’ Mohinder says.

Adam licks his lips as he glances at Matt. ‘You seemed to have managed it. Where did you find this strapping specimen?’

Matt laughs and takes a gulp of his water. ‘The Doc here didn’t hire me.’

‘My backers found him,’ Mohinder says, waving a hand. ‘Arthur Petrelli arranged it all.’ He turns his attention to Matt. ‘How did he come to hire you for this?’

Matt leans back and shrugs. ‘He hired me a while back as a bodyguard for his younger son. There’d been threats. Since then he’s hired me from time to time for particular jobs that need doing.’

‘How mysterious!’ Adam says, waggling his eyebrows. ‘Have you ever killed anyone?’

‘Eden’s in charge of brutal murders,’ Matt says, sipping his beer.

‘I like to try different kinds of technique,’ she says serenely. She leans forward. ‘Currently I’m favouring disembowelling.’

‘Okay, euw,’ Claire complains. ‘Why do you have to be so… mean?’

‘Because I’m a woman and I work with the kind of men who think women only exist to warm beds and serve meals.’

‘Girl nobody is making you be here,’ Knox says nastily.

Matt gulps down a mouthful of beer. ‘What’s the matter, Knox, you upset that you resemble that remark?’

Adam claps his hand on Knox’s forearm. ‘Let’s play nicely now children.’

‘Maybe we should be calling it a night,’ Matt says, standing up. ‘We’ve got an early start.’

Mohinder rockets to his feet. ‘Yes, we have a long way to go.’

Adam smiles at him sweetly. ‘Yes, curious we both happen to be in the same part of the country. Where is that you’re going exactly?’

Luke opens his mouth and Matt slaps his hand over it.

‘We’re looking for ruins of a palace,’ Mohinder says stiffly. ‘In the West.’

Adam purses his lips. ‘A palace. How interesting. I hadn't heard of any there.’

‘And might we enquire the purpose of your expedition?’ Mohinder asks.

Adam smiles brightly. ‘We’re going to the East to explore a settlement that’s been found.’



‘They’re looking for the temple,’ Mohinder hisses as they head for their tents.

‘Yup.’

‘Claire told us at dinner,’ Luke pipes up.

Mohinder glares at him and then at Matt. ‘You knew? Why didn’t you say?’

‘We didn’t get the chance,’ Matt says. ‘Too many less than friendlies around.’

Mohinder chews his thumb. ‘What did you tell her?’

‘Nothing,’ Matt says with a shrug. ‘But your buddy the professor isn’t an idiot. He knows why we’re here.’

Mohinder glances around suspiciously. ‘We’ll have to slow them down so we can get a head start.’

‘What do you want me to do, steal the keys to the horses?’ Matt asks.

Mohinder opens the flap of his tent. ‘Don’t pretend you’ve never pulled any kind of dirty tricks,’ he sneers, and then ducks into the tent.

‘He’s got quite the sense of timing,’ Eden observes.

‘It’s his sense of self-preservation that I’m unsure of,’ Matt replies. ‘Oh, goodnight, Luke.’

Luke shyly waves goodnight and climbs into his own tent.

‘Do we need a brief and private confab about what we’re going to do?’ Eden asks.

Matt nods and walks over to her tent. ‘If anyone asks we’ll just say we were having sex.’

‘Dream on.’

Matt grins to himself as she slips into the tent.



Matt wakes up in silent moonlight and stretches out under the covers. He checks his watch, squinting at the numbers glowing in the dark, and then silently climbs out of his sleeping bag.

Outside, the temperature has dropped to near freezing. Matt shivers in the crisp air but continues around to the other expedition’s tents. Eden is already outside Knox’s tent, removing strategic pegs and retying lines. She gestures over at Adam’s tent and waggles her eyebrows.



‘Professor, wake up,’ Matt urges. ‘Come on, before your buddy Monroe wakes up.’

Mohinder’s eyes snap open. ‘Now?’

‘Now.’

‘Could you… could you go outside for a moment?’ Mohinder asks.

Matt sits back on his heels. ‘Whatever the problem is, we don’t time. We need to get packed up right now and get going.’

‘I need to get ready!’ Mohinder protests.

‘You can get washed and spruced up later. Get your ass out of bed!’

‘My ass is undressed right now!’

Matt purses his lips. ‘You’re in the middle of a jungle and you’re sleeping in the buff? What’s wrong with you?’

‘I can’t sleep in clothes.’

Matt turns his back. ‘Hurry up. It’s going to take two of us to pack up the tent with a quickness.’

‘I hate Adam,’ Mohinder mutters. ‘I hate him so much.’

Matt glances back over his shoulder and watches Mohinder’s slim body disappearing inside the khaki pants and shirt. ‘Love lost?’

‘None,’ Mohinder snorts. ‘He’s a liar, a thief, and a cheat. He’s also in it for the money and the glory. He has no genuine interest in knowledge for its own sake.’

‘You’re kind of an idealist, huh?’

‘If believing in doing a thing properly and to best of one’s ability makes me an idealist,’ Mohinder huffs.

‘I respect that,’ Matt says mildly.

Mohinder pauses, looking down at his hands as he’s doing up the buttons. ‘Not something I hear very often.’

Matt licks his lips. ‘We really ought to be going.’



Luke’s teeth chatter as he grabs up his belongings.

‘Why’re we getting up when it’s still dark?’

‘Because this has turned into a race,’ Eden says in her calm, quiet voice. ‘We need to get to the site before they do. Now try to be quiet. We don’t want to wake them up.’

Matt carries the bags and packs over to the horses and begins loading them up. Almost immediately one of the saddles slides vertiginously to the side.

‘Should it do that?’ Mohinder asks.

Matt runs his hands over the straps. ‘It’s been tampered with.’ He moves to the other horses and checks them. ‘They’ve all been cut. Get on one of these and you’ll be falling right off.’

‘What do we do?’

Matt grins in the early dawn light. ‘We take their saddles. But quickly.’

‘We might be going a bit far.’

‘What do you think would’ve happened if you’d been going at speed when the strap snapped and the saddle came off?’ Matt asks.

Mohinder looks at the horses milling around, huge hooves churning up clods of earth. ‘That’s certainly a fair point.’

There’s a muffled scream for behind them.

‘Time to hit the accelerator,’ Matt says.

‘What was that?’

‘Someone realising we set up their tents to collapse and trap them as soon as they tried to leave,’ Eden says as she swiftly changes over saddles. ‘Matt, we’re not going to have enough time to change them all.’

‘Gear loaded?’

‘Yeah it’s just saddles; we’ve got two changed already.’

Matt nods and climbs up onto one of the safely saddled horses. ‘Have to do. Double up and the backrider will have to lead a second horse.’

‘Is this safe?’ Mohinder wails.

‘You can get up here behind me or you can stay and explain it to them,’ Matt says holding out a hand.

‘You’d leave me here?’

‘No of course not. Quit being a drama queen and get up here.’

Mohinder swings up onto the horse and takes a hold of the reins of the other horse. ‘I'm not some damsel in distress you know.'

'I say anything to indicate you were?'

'You seem to spend a lot of time swooping in and grabbing me,' Mohinder grumbles as he Matt sets the horse off at a trot.

'You seem to spend a lot of time needing to be rescued.'

'Not on your account I'm sure,' Mohinder huffs.

There's a loud crash behind them and a yell of rage.

'Whoops,' Matt says cheerfully.

Mohinder glances back, and in the dwindling distance sees Adam's tent rocking as he tries to fight his way out.



The horse trot briskly through the undergrowth, disturbing birds, animals, and insects. Mohinder finds himself staring at the back of Matt's neck, almost mesmerised by the tiny lines crisscrossing his skin.

'You okay back there?'

'If this happens again I want to ride with Luke.'

'Yeah? Well I'm sure he'd be thrilled but we couldn't really have you both on a horse together. Would making protecting you even more difficult.'

Mohinder scowls at the several inches of skin that are all he can see of Matt besides clothing and hair. 'Heaven forbid that my perfectly reasonable requirements make your job more difficult.'

'No need to take on, Professor,' Matt says easily. 'We all gotta job to do.'

'And your job includes flirting with other archaeologists does it?'

Matt laughs, a deep belly laugh that Mohinder can feel.

'My job includes gathering data on any threats against you. If that means making myself friendly to people then I guess I just gotta bite the bullet and do it.'

'Making yourself friendly. Was that what you've been doing with me?'

'Course not, I wouldn't dream of trying to be friendly with you. I know better than that.'

Feeling distinctly aggrieved, Mohinder says no more.



They're nearing their planned excavation site when Mohinder hears a strange, distant susurration.

'Do you think they've caught up with us?' he whispers.

Matt glances back. 'if they have, I think we'd hear more hoofbeats.'

'What do think it is?'

'Trouble. It mostly is. Hey, Eden! Can you see anything.'

It is Luke who answers.

'There's some smoke. Looks like a huge fire or something. We can see people dancing.'

'This part of the jungle is supposed to be uninhabited,' Mohinder says. 'Who could that be.'

And then, without any warning, the air fills with war cries and a weighted net knocks both Matt and Mohinder off the horse.
 
On to part 5