The steel tape snapped back and Marcus relayed the measurements to Jake as he reached backwards and placed it on the counter behind him.  At the unexpected spark of Kristie’s voice, Marcus spun his gaze about and fixed against her sudden appearance.  Marcus experienced a impulsive flush as she spoke, her apology quite unexpected and for a moment he felt uncomfortable that he might have acted like such an ass as to have these concerns playing on her mind.<br/><br/>“Oh hell; look …Kristie; there are times I can be a complete jerk.  Nice to know someone is going to put me in my place if I do something stupid.” He still laboured with the concerns that had surfaced from watching her orchestrate herself with some degree of pain and; although he felt awkward a little and unsure and as she backed away to return to the table, he called after her; “Just look after yourself …you know?” he smiled, it was a perfectly innocent statement to make, after all, they numbered four and outside the door which Jake and Dinah were working towards barricading, they numbered thousands …in fact, so many that their true number was likely now incalculable.<br/><br/>Marcus caught the slim look in Dinah’s face as she spotted his card resting against the till, and he smiled softly to himself.  Sure …the world had gone to hell; but all in all, the day was turning out better than he had dared to expect when he took the whirlybird to the air earlier that day.<br/><br/>He returned his focus back to the door; a thoughtful look taken to his eyes as his glance flitted from Jake to Dinah and back; “Right guys …lets make ourselves a fortress.”