Someone pressed a pair of scissors into his hand, and guided his hand to the place where he should cut the cord. He did it. He did his job like a good soldier. The baby was crying.

It was wrapped in a blanket. Someone put the baby in his arms, just for a second. Luke was terrified, never more vulnerable. Then the boy was gone, and placed on Becca’s chest. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply, the baby on top of her. Luke fell in love with her all over again, but in a different way this time. He could not describe the feeling.

At some point, he was out in the hallway. His gloves were off. He had pulled his mask down. But he was still wearing the scrubs.

A nurse put a hand on his shoulder. “Good job, Mr. Stone.”

“Thanks. It was nothing.”

He stared out a large window at the hospital grounds. It was daytime, and for some reason that surprised him.

Strange thoughts went through his head, a mad jumble of disconnected thoughts. Sometimes, things didn’t seem to make any sense. He was a killer, he knew that. He had killed a lot of people, even in just the past few days. The world often seemed like a horrible place, and yet, he had just witnessed a miracle.

He thought of a short conversation he’d had with Don Morris, what, maybe an hour ago? Don had commended him on the mission, had wished him luck in the birthing room, and told him he was sure it was going to be easy.

“There’s nothing to it,” Don said. “I’ve done it three times.”

Then Don told him the mission had put the SRT on the map. He’d met with the President that morning. The President was thrilled. There were more missions right on tap. As soon as Luke and Ed were ready.

Luke didn’t know if he’d ever be ready again. The thought of going back out there… But he didn’t tell Don that.

Luke wanted more miracles, like the one he had just witnessed. That’s what he realized. He wanted this life, with this woman, and this little boy. Maybe there were more miracles out there to be discovered. And maybe there was something else he could do for a living.

He shook his head. It didn’t even matter. Becca’s family was wealthy. That was the true, unspoken thing. For some reason, they never talked about it. Luke probably didn’t need to work again. He probably didn’t need to risk his life, or kill anyone, ever again. Not for money, anyway.

But he never did it for money in the first place.

Why?

That was the question on his mind today.

No. Not why did he do it?