King of Crime ✔️

A Clash In The Skies

"Where's that man with the red beard, by the way? Wasn't he always with you?" I queried, after a long silence. The sun was burning into me, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Sigi? He's at the FBI. They're holding him."

"And he won't talk?" I stared up at him as he met my eyes, his handsome face making me heat up.

"He doesn't know."

"How long are you going to wait?" My question made him sigh and sit up fully. 

I followed the dark clouds patiently, slowly plucking the petals of the daisy I picked. I sure did hope Samuel was liking me back, but I didn't need a daisy to shatter my hopes if it ended at a not. I didn't concern myself with superstitions, but it would not make my day, for sure. 

Already accepting Johann wasn't going to give me an answer, I ripped all the petals off at once.

"When Sam finds you."

"What's that? That could take forever." I stared at him, surprised.

"I won't hand you over to an incompetent man," Johann grimaced. "so that would make for the perfect test." 

Outrage rushed through me."You're not my dad."

 I got up, meeting his gaze that was warning me to be careful with my words. I shied my eyes away with a helpless giggle. Coward. Just say you can't stand his behavior. His patronizing, meddlesome, blockheaded behavior. Say it.

His hand moved up to remove the daisy-petals from my dress, while a shadow slid over our sunlit place in the shape of a dark-grey cloud in the sky. Chills ran over my bare arms.

"Hey, I have an idea," Johann suddenly declared. 

He clasped his hands together as his usual self returned. Before I could ask him what, he jumped up, a mysterious smirk on his face, and skipped back. I stared after him as he threw open the door and disappeared into the cottage. 

Uh, what?

~

Johann came back with a gun. A simple handgun. He twirled it around his finger and send me a smile, helping me up with his other hand. His eyes were full of sparkles, probably totally forgotten what serious conversation we were having before he ran off.

"I'm going to teach you how to gun someone down," he answered my silent questions.

"I don't need to know that." I stared in awe at the weapon, kind of wanting to touch it. Samuel always carried one around, didn't he? I wondered how it felt to hold it and shoot. Not on someone, of course.

"I'm going to show you anyway." Johann racked the slide and the cartridge fell out. "This is a semi-automatic point-twenty-two. Very, very easy, light, just right for you." 

He handed me the gun and I took it hesitantly. Was I really going to go in on this?

"Don't I need safety glasses? Oh, and ear protection?" I queried, getting a sour look in response. Well, of course not. This was Johann. 

My fingers felt the cold steel. Would it ever have killed someone?

"Don't jerk it off, Sam."

"I'm not jerking it off, Johann," I sarcastically retorted. "Well then, show me." I felt kind of disturbed to have something like this in my hands, but I liked the rush, to be fair.

"Okay. I just unloaded it so it's harmless right now. If you want to check if it's loaded, remove the magazine and pull the slide back." He pointed with his pink at the slide. "If there's nothing in the firing chamber, you can't hurt a pig. Except for if you hit 'em with it, of course, you can do that." He handed me the cartridge. "Now, put it in and load it by pulling back the slide. Don't shoot yet, alright?"