Tom followed the the group into the safehouse after the young woman was greeted with terror in the parking area. [i]‘That poor young woman must have shit her britches at that introduction.’[/i] he thought to himself. He held a gauze to his left cheek covering the bleeding wound. He took a seat waiting quietly for his turn to be treated by Jason. He held the gauze over his face in order to put direct pressure on the wound, stopping the bleeding. He saw the new girl walking around, wondered who she was, but she didn’t talk to him so he wouldn’t find out tonight. He still didn’t know who the guy they picked up in the SUV was. Apparently, introductions would happen in time.

Eventually, Jason got to his face. He applied a few steri strips and then covered with a clean bandage. Tom figured he would have a scar when this healed. [i]Scarface[/i]. Once the bandage was in place, he retired to his room. He took a quick shower and went to sleep thinking about the creature in the woods. He really didn’t know what he had gotten himself into but wouldn’t miss this for the world. He hoped Justin was OK. He would talk to him later.

At zero five thirty the next morning, he was awake before the rest of the house and went for his morning run. His limbs were a bit stiff from the sprint through the woods the night before. The morning run would help to work the kinks out. Exercise is the best remedy to help stretch out the muscles, making him limber today and not walking around all stiff and lame. Most people who do not appreciate the benefit of exercise would prefer to use the [i]I’m all stiff and lame[/i] excuse than head outside to exercise. He preferred padwork but didn’t have anyone to spar with. He hoped Justin would, but he didn’t seem available either. He recalled some martial arts training when he was a teen. It was at that time in his life when he learned to train daily. It really helped to prevent that stiff achy feeling the next day.

After quietly exiting the building so as to not wake anyone, he ran his standard seven miles. He loved the country, the woods and especially the smell. It was nothing like home in Eastern Massachusetts—no traffic, sirens or rumbling trains. The country was very peaceful, serene. Being alone with his thoughts helped him to reflect on the important things in his life. He thought about Jillian, his parents, the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. He wondered what one-two-five marines were doing without him down near Charleston. He knew once this was over, here in bumfuck, West Virginia he would need to return to his Marine Reserve unit in the woods. He actually looked forward to it. He would have to return the parachute to VMM-744 when he got back. At least he had time to repack it. Finally, his thoughts returned to his wife and their unborn child. He thought about the dream the night before, how is sister told him she was going to have a nephew. He would remember that when they had the ultrasound. He wanted to know the gender now. Sure, it was fifty-fifty, but it would be a bit freaky if his dead sister told him in a dream he was going to have a boy and indeed the baby was a boy.

When his run was over, he returned to the second floor of the safe house to shower and get dressed for the day. Even at this hour most folks were still asleep. He looked at the new guy asleep on the couch as he crept through the living room. He didn’t want to disturb him. He grabbed a cigar and headed out onto the porch for a smoke and to appreciate the morning air.