Free Her Baby's Bodyguard by Ingrid Weaver

of information you come up with,” Jack muttered.
    “That’s how my sister got started with her basic parent training,” Duncan continued. “She had this baby doll she hauled around everywhere with her.”
    “I heard Jack didn’t really want to be a medic, Dunk. His first choice was being a nurse.”
    “That explains it. Hey, Jack. Was it a nurse doll you played with?”
    Jack heaved a sigh as the guys got going. He wouldn’t hear the end of it now. He needed a diversion. “Junior’s still playing with dolls, except they’re the blow-up kind. They’re the only dates he can get.”
    Duncan raised one eyebrow. “He does have a way with things that blow up.”
    “Something’s glinting. Off to the northeast.”
    At Tyler’s warning, Duncan sobered quickly. “Air or ground?”
    “Air. The sun’s behind it, so I can’t make it out yet.”
    “The chopper should be coming in from the west. That’s not one of ours.”
    Duncan tapped a few keys on his computer. “Base hasn’t picked up any alarms from the complex. No chatter about a missing scientist or talk about pursuit.”
    Jack firmed his grip on the baby. “Tell Lang to floor it.”
    “We don’t want to attract unnecessary attention if it’s just a routine flight.”
    “That Ryazan guy is supposed to be a genius. All those scientists are, including Eva.”
    “That’s right.”
    “So when he does find out that she’s gone, he’ll know she had help.”
    “He’s right, Duncan,” Tyler said. “Because of that patrol we ran into, Ryazan will know what we’re driving, too.”
    “And since he’s a genius,” Jack continued, “what do you want to bet that he’s smart enough to figure out we’re monitoring their communications?”
    It didn’t take them long to grasp the situation. “Aw, hell,” Duncan muttered. “They could have been maintaining radio silence like us.” He stretched his arm and rapped on the window to the cab, signaling Kurt to go faster.
    Jack slid his free arm around Eva and anchored her to his side as the truck picked up speed.
    Either the increased jouncing of the truck or the shift in position woke her. She lifted her head and twisted to look at him. Though her eyelids were heavy and puffy, her eyes sparked with anxiety, just like the last time she’d awakened.
    “It’s okay, ma’am,” Jack said. “We’re almost there.”
    She brought her hand to her chest. Panic flared on her face. “Katya!”
    “She’s fine. I’ve got her, remember?”
    She blinked and then thrust her hand into his coat. Her fingers brushed his as she groped for the baby. “She’s all right?”
    “Fine,” he repeated. “I think she’s waking up.”
    “Yes, she would be getting hungry soon.”
    He put his hand over hers. “Sorry, ma’am. This wouldn’t be the best time…”
    “I can see it now,” Tyler said. “It’s a chopper all right, but it’s too small to be ours.”
    Over the noise of the truck, Jack heard the throb of the helicopter’s engine. It wouldn’t need to follow the twists of the road, so there was little hope of outrunning it.
    “What’s happening?” Eva asked.
    “You might want to hang on to the strap again, ma’am.” He squeezed her fingers and withdrew their hands from his coat. It was a good thing she had insisted on having the baby restrained in the carrier. Neither of them would be able to hold on to her adequately. “I have a feeling things are going to get bumpy.”
    “They’re coming up fast,” Tyler warned.
    Eva fell against Jack’s shoulder as the truck took a bend on two wheels. The helicopter was close enough for Jack to see it through the gap in the canvas. It was skimming the ridge above the road, sun glinting from its bulbous windshield and royal blue fuselage.
    “Doesn’t look like army issue to me,” Duncan said. “Not unless the Russians are into painting their aircraft pretty colors.”
    “Oh, no,” Eva cried. “It must be Burian’s men. The complex’s helicopter is