Special Forces 01 Read Online Free PDF Page B

might want to own them as pets.”
    Rys chuckled at that confession. Gremlin had been completely confused as to the reasons for owning domesticated animals as pets back on Fourth. I will soon, perhaps this weekend. And I’m bringing my laptop with me so you can undo all of those crazy sound effects of yours. I hope you can work and do pushups at the same time.
    “What sound effects?”
    That had been entirely too innocent. Don’t play dumb with me, Gremlin. I know better, this has your smell all over it.
    “Aw, now, Captain, it was Jason that did that. Not me.”
    I know full well that you helped Erksome; it was probably your idea! He’s not computer savvy enough to even dream this up, much less to pull it off.
    There was a knock at the door. Rys frowned, eyeing it. Someone’s at my door. Talk to you later, all right?
    “Sure thing. Night, Captain.”
    Night. Cutting the connection he called out, “Come in!”
    Bloch opened the door and stuck his head in. “Need any help?” His eyes went to the bags—still zipped—on the bed and he frowned. “You haven’t even started to unpack yet.”
    “I was checking up on everyone first,” Rys confessed.
    Bloch relaxed visibly. “I see. And they’re doing fine, aren’t they?”
    “Sounds like it,” Rys agreed easily. “I didn’t expect differently. But some habits are hard to break: I always see to them before I worry about myself.”
    “That’s one habit you don’t need to ever break, Arystair. Now, let’s get you properly settled in and squared away.”
     

Chapter Three
     
    Rys got up at five the next morning, as usual, and took a few minutes to do his stretching routine to limber his body and prepare for his run. He’d slept better last night than he had in months. The fact that this bed was so comfortable probably didn’t hurt his chances for putting together a string of restful nights in the future. When he opened his eyes, it had been his first inclination to stay stationary longer. His strict military training had helped him sidestep that trap.
    If I let myself stay in here longer, even once, I’ll never be able to get up on time ever again. He pulled on the Army issued loose shirt, sweat pants, and jogging shoes before quietly exiting the house. No one was up yet, but Rys had frankly suspected that would be the case. Civilians slept in longer than military people, and physical conditioning didn’t appear to be as high on their list of priorities. He relied on his physical strength and endurance to do his job, and to hold up his end of belonging to a team. Every one of them depended on each other for their safety and survival. To neglect his body would be the same as neglecting to keep one of his weapons in optimal condition. You never knew when you would be called upon in an emergency, and he was determined that this current situation would not lull him into a false sense of security.
    Rys had consulted his laptop last night for a current map of the area, and planned out a route for his daily run. He made notes for several alternative routes so that his run wouldn’t get boring, or too predictable. There could be danger in a set routine that an enemy could exploit to their advantage. There was a small library approximately five miles away that served as a good halfway point. Just running there and back would be ten miles, the distance of his normal workout.
    After a few more stretches for good measure, Rys set out for the library at a graduated jog. When satisfied that his body was warm enough, he slowly transitioned up into a full run. It felt exhilarating to have the wind on his face and experience the smooth pull and release of his muscles. He could let his legs carry him forward on their own, while he savored the feeling of freedom and wellbeing that was always his companion in the early morning hours. This was his time of day, a time when he prepared himself for whatever would come his way.
    He was enjoying it so much that he decided to go a