Peppermint Stone {Peppermint Book 2}

-23-

Nagato's Secret Base

Hinata

I gaped at Naruto. My ears twitching because I clearly have not heard him right.

Neither has Nagato.

"Excuse me?" The former captain raised an eyebrow.

Naruto said once again, sternly, "You come with us then Hinata and Sakura will deliver the baby."

"You're being naive, Captain," Nagato smirked. "You don't have any weapons. And this us my turf."

As if on cue, Naruto whipped out a gun from his boot holding the boss on gunpoint. Nagato didn't even flinch.

"I knew Justin should never be the one to check enemies for weapons," The boss shook his head.

The deafening shriek suddenly made Nagato lose his cool. His purple eyes glanced at the couple nervously.

"Naruto-kun," I grabbed his shirt. "If we wait any longer, both the mother's and the baby's life will be in danger."

But he ignored me completely, "So what's it gonna be Nagato? Your life or your friend's and the baby's?"

"I -"

Konan shouted again.

Yahiko snapped at his boss, "Nagato!"

The boss shut his eyes then opened them again, "How heartless can you be, Captain Kyuubi?"

Then finally he raised his hands in surrender.

"Hinata, Sakura get to work," Naruto replied, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. "Now."

I'm furious with Naruto. I just can't believe he'd do this to a young couple, even if they are under Nagato's control. A life and a child is in danger.

Yet Naruto bargained it like it was money.

"Hinata," Sakura tugged on my arm. "Let's go."

I peeled my eyes off of Naruto who dropped the gun soundlessly.

Nagato suddenly snicker from the opposite end of the room, "I may be some cold-hearted criminal but at least I'm not a monster."

------------------

A smaller room - Nagato's Hideout

The baby was perfectly healthy.

After two hours of making sure Konan was alright and strong enough to push the child out on her own, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy with a loud cry. Yahiko the entire time stayed by her side and watched the beautiful process of birth.

Sakura took the boy off with a smile to wash him up and make sure that he was strong enough while I remain behind to clean up.

I didn't expect to have a conversation with the parents while I was packing up but Konan finally said, "I've had enough."

"Dr. Hinata?" Yahiko called for my attention, his black eyes filled with something unexplainable. "Can you please help us?"

"Help you with what?"

"We didn't choose this life," Yahiko said softly. "It's true that Nagato is a close friend if ours but what he does..."

Konan tried sitting up. I had to help her lean against Yahiko otherwise she'd collapse.

"Our baby," Konan said, weakly. "Needs to grow up with both their parents. What Nagato does can take any of our lives at any given second. I don't want that for Hajime."