I was working last night in a small cardboard box plant in a small industrial complex in a less than upscale part of town. It was after normal business hours and all of the workers had gone home except for the guy who drew the short straw and had to stay behind with me until I got a printing press up and running. After I finished, I let myself out the back door where my car was parked, while the other guy went out the front and locked up. I barged through the door with both arms full of expensive test equipment and tools, and the door closed and locked behind me. I had just made it to the bottom of the 6' flight of stairs to the parking lot, when 5 muscle-bound, intimidating dudes came sprinting out of the shadows at the other end of the parking lot straight toward me. I just stood there, knowing that I couldn't get back inside, and I couldn't get to my car and get my gun before they got to me. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no chance of putting up a fight. I was ready to just hand over all my stuff and/or take a beating. They got 10 ft away from me, and then all scrambled 180 degrees and fled back into the shadows. I just stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds trying to figure out what the heck just happened. I looked behind me to see if Iron Man or the Hulk was there; nothing. After they had disappeared into the shadows again, I heard one of them call out "2 more to go!" Then I saw the cone. 10 ft away, where they had reversed course. They were running wind sprints. As I drove away, I saw the glowing sign of the gym. Odd place for a gym, in an industrial complex.