Ghostwalker 09 - Ruthless Game

gently he lifted the boy from the warmer and brought him in close to his chest, upright, supporting the little head.
    Sebastian was so smal he felt incredibly light in his hands, and Kane was stil a little worried that he might accidental y hurt the child by holding him too tight. Each time he took the boy into his arms, he felt that curious melting of his heart. Newborn babies had their own weapons, that sweet helpless need and the soft, newborn skin. He cuddled Sebastian close and walked back and forth until the boy settled.
    “I’m a little anxious, my man, and I need you to calm down right now. Your mother is out there exposed to the enemy, and we need to have her back on this.”
    His son abruptly stopped fussing, his eyes snapping open. They stared at each other. For one strange moment, Kane felt as if he were looking into the eyes of an adult, intel igent and aware. Kane smiled down at him. “We’re not going to let anything happen to her, are we?” He talked to the boy as he moved quickly back to the living room. He shifted the baby to his shoulder, using one hand to anchor him and caught up his rifle with the other.
    “Don’t worry, Sebastian. No one is going to take your mother from us. She’s a fighter al the way, and could probably handle this on her own, but we’re just going to make sure.”
    Rose would probably give him a lecture about taking a baby into a combat situation, but that was too damned bad. The boy was born into their world, and he would have to grow up knowing every single moment of his life he would have to be vigilant.
    “I’l teach you, son, everything you’l need to know to keep yourself alive and free of our enemies. And how to keep your mom safe.” He nuzzled the boy’s head. “We’l never tel her that part; it wil be our secret.”
    He shoved the rifle up into the niche of the ledge. It was designed with maximum ability to see outside, yet the wal s were reinforced to withstand any incoming bul ets. “I’m going to put you down for just a moment while I climb up there. It’s a tight fit for us, but we don’t mind smal spaces, not when it comes to safety.”
    He kept up a running commentary, explaining everything he was doing, convinced it was his voice and not the subject matter that kept his son so alert and enthral ed with what they were doing. He put the boy onto the ledge, tucking his body close to the wal so there was no danger of him fal ing. It took a moment to slide in and get into a position on his bel y where he had ful view of the surrounding terrain. Only then did he position the baby close to his chest, dragging the bul etproof bumpers that had been instal ed for extra protection around the boy.
    “See, we’re good. I need to get you little earmuffs in case we have to fire this thing. That wil be my next invention. And we’re very grateful the wal s are sound-proofed, so no one hears when you cry, my man. We can’t have them knowing you were born yet.” He went on to explain the mechanics of a rifle and scope and how his son likely had excel ent night vision, which would help considerably in night combat situations. And did he see that scumbag Carlson inching his way closer to Mommy? Kane stopped talking abruptly. Tel ing an infant about putting a bul et in the bastard’s head was probably one of those things Rose would deem inappropriate. He looked down at the boy, who stared back at him with wide, intel igent eyes.
    “Um, maybe we’l wait until you’re a bit older before we discuss shooting bad people and when it’s okay and when it’s not.” He stroked the pad of his finger along his son’s soft palm in a loving caress. The boy closed his fist around the finger and held on. Kane found himself smiling as he put his eye to the scope and centered on Carlson as the man inched his way closer to Rose.
    Rose sat in her chair, feet sprawled out in front of her, looking up at the stars scattered across the night sky. She didn’t appear to notice the close proximity of the enemy as he moved within twenty feet of her. Kane studied her. She rubbed her apparently pregnant bel y with one hand. The other was at her side, out of sight.
    “Sebastian, your mother is one cool customer.” There was pride in his voice. He couldn’t help it. She looked so smal and fragile, with her porcelain skin and her wide, almond eyes, dark as melting chocolate. She looked helpless. “She’s about as helpless as I am, boy. Don’t you ever forget that or