In Search Of The Neon City

16 - Jonna

~ Jonna ~

"You know why he's testing you, don't you?"

"Because he's a brat who thinks he knows best" he muttered angrily and frantically screwed the bolt to replace the tire.
Sweat ran down both of our backs and the mood was not the best for either of us.
Hannes had just stormed off after another quarrel, but no one blamed him.  We knew he was worried and Carl should have handled him better.

I sighed at his stubbornness and sank into the sand next to him.
"Do you remember when you found them?"

"Stupid question" he answered briefly and I had to bite my lip not to make the mood even worse.

"I was not part of your gang back then , but Lo has told me a lot" I continued calmly.

"Where are you going with this?"  he muttered and threw the wrench in the sand, apparently his patience had evaporated as fast as the water in the radiator.

"Do you know why they walked alone, without parents?"

"They are not the only ones who've lost someone."

"Do you know what happened?"  I insisted.

"I never asked."

I nodded a few times, our pasts was a pretty sensitive topic and nothing we talked    about.  It was better to look ahead, but I felt this was something Carl should know.
"Their father must have been quite violent."

Carl sighed and rubbed his forehead "what has that got to do with me?"

I reached for the wrench and continued to tighten the rest of the bolts while feeling his penetrating gaze. "Lo trusts you, you know that. He listens most to Hannes of course, but he looks up to you" I took a break and glanced at him "Hannes, on the other hand, is tougher, I think he tests you to see if you  will keep your word. "

"My word?"

"That you will care for them."

Carl sighed and leaned the back of his head against the car door "Haven't I? How many years has passed since then, he was a kid and now he's an adult Jo."

"But who wouldn't have trust issues after such a thing?"

He raised his hand and wiped some dirt off my cheek with his thumb "what should I do then?"

"Try to understand him?"  I replied with a smile and leaned forward to press my lips against his in a teasingly quick kiss.

He raised an eyebrow and I saw a hesitant smile creeping up into the corner of his mouth. "Does that mean you forgave me?"

"Soon" I replied with a shrug that made him moan loudly.

"How long are you going to torment me ...?"

"Until you get what you deserve" I replied and got up from the sand, the tire was in place and it was time to move.

"Hannes!"  he roared out over the dunes and I realised, annoyed that he had not listened to a single word I said.

But after a few minutes, the younger man came walking towards us with his feet trailing behind him and radiated a worse mood than before "What?"

"It's time to move."

He nodded a few times, without looking at us, and jumped into the back seat.
Carl looked after him and sighed before going after him and sticking in his head through the window.
He lowered his voice but the silence of the desert made me hear him clearly anyway.

"Why did you deflate the tire?"

Hannes looked down and leaned his forehead against the headrest in front of him, but clearly showed that he did not intend to answer.

Carl grunted and leaned his forearms against the car door "we need to work together, for Lo's sake."

"It's fixed, right?"

Carl clenched his his jaw and shook his head jerkily "either you tell the truth or I'll drive you home to the girls, they may need a babysitter."

"Sure, do it", he challenged, but his calmness only ignited Carl's frustration.

"What the hell, Hannes! Do you want Lo home or not ?! What the fuck are you playing at?"

I stayed outside the car and decided not to get in. However, I agreed with Carl, there was something about Hanne's behavior that wasn't making sense.

"Of course I want to" he mumbled at last and corrected the thick goggles that sat pressing to his forehead.

Carl licked his lips and stood silent and studied him for a while before he opened his mouth again, I noticed that he weighed the words carefully.
"Is there anything you forgot to tell me?"

Hannes rubbed his face and sighed deeply, he hesitated and I knew immediately that Carl was on the right track.

"Hannes?"

With closed eyes and a defeated face, he finally whispered "he asked me to do it."

"Who?"

"Lo, of course."

"What did he ask you? And how?"

"He asked for more time."

Carl took a step back but still leaned his palms against the window frame "what is he up to, Hannes, help me understand."

For the first time in the whole day, Hanne raised his eyes and made eye contact with him, he screwed up but looked almost relieved.

"I'm gonna tell you everything, but then I want us to make a plan together, okay?"  I realised in amazement how his voice trembled, as if he was close to breaking "We won't do this your way this time, because, then I think we'll lose him forever."

The older man nodded and opened the back seat door and sat down beside him. "I'm listening."

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