He creeps quietly through the dark summer night, beneath the trees that move softly in the Gulf breeze. From shadow to shadow he moves, ever closer to his goal. He knows the grounds well; he has sat in the nearby woods many times, studying, studying. Tonight is the night, and his moves are confident. He has carefully prepared for everything that he must do tonight. Over the last few weeks he has carefully made friends with the family dogs, while the family was away at work and school. Now they do not even bark as he walks past the pen where they are kept at night. From his belt hang tools that he has brought along for specific tasks: bolt cutters, metal shears, and a small metal bottle, filled with ether. Each object is wrapped with felt tape so as to make no noise. In his pocket there is a thick cloth. Now he pauses next to the back porch. He has chosen this house and this family after months of careful observation. He is methodical. Different situations call for different approaches.
