John’s Humvee sped down Pendleton’s residential area. Quaint, charming base housing stretched all the way down the avenue. The sight looked like something straight out of a nightmare, beautiful little homes coupled with a scene of death, violence, and horror in the rearview mirror. John’s watch read 23:50, it was getting late. John felt exhausted, helpless, and worried and knew his team probably felt the same. He knew they would need to find a place to camp out for the night and get some rest before they start to make stupid decisions. 

“Sykes, how are we on gas?” John asked.

Lance Corporal Sykes looked down at the Fuel meter and sighed. “It says we are on E. I guess in all the excitement I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Whatever.” John replied. “My house isn’t too far from here, take the next right and it’s the third house on the left.”

“Roger.”

The blood-stained Humvee pulled into the driveway at exactly midnight. The bright moonlight cast an ominous shadow on the Oak tree that firmly stood in John’s front yard. John got out of the truck and gently shut the door. He observed the full moon that hung over him and remembered how he used to hate horror movies. Never in a million years did he ever expect everything to go so terribly wrong. John unslung his M4 Carbine from around his shoulder and clutched it tight. He refused to let his emotions get the better of him now, he had to keep his sanity. He knew his son’s life depended on it.

The five Marines walked up the steps to the porch and walked through the front door, wiping their boots on the welcome mat before they went along. Gunny Shull shrugged, he figured there was nothing wrong in keeping up appearances. John walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He grabbed a case of Budweiser and set it on the kitchen table. The five men each opened up a bottle of beer and took several big gulps. As they drank their beers, they were silent for a moment or two. 
Finally, John spoke up. “Barns, how many rounds do you have left in the .50 cal?”
Barns put down his drink for a second. “I don’t know…a hundred maybe? I know I only have one pill-box left. So yeah, about a hundred.”

“Alright. Gunny and I will take the first shift. You three get some rest.” John said, motioning to Barns, Williams, and Sykes. “One of you can take the couch in the living room or there are two bedrooms upstairs. We have extra pillows and blankets in the closet.” 

[i]We?[/i] John caught himself. He was still getting used to Candice being gone and now with his son God knows where, he was a host to an empty home. "Gunny and I will be outside by the Humvee. Obviously if you wake up and hear gunshots you know where to find us.”
The three Marines chuckled, and continued to drink their beers. 

“Goodnight, gentlemen.” John said as he and Gunny Shull headed for the front door.