Desperate Arrangement: Bouncing Back, Book IV

15

"Is everything okay?" Julian asked as his mother hurried out of the back room. Nearly an hour had passed since he was asked to drag Lukas to the kitchen. His mere presence had created an uneasy atmosphere for his parents, making their anxiety about the young man affect their work.

Shaking her head, Mrs. Schneider turned on the sink and washed her hands, her expression tense. "She's still fighting, but her journey is not over. Julian, can you go to the clinic? Your father needs additional aides to counter the sickness and make Johanna more comfortable."

Lukas rose to his feet, determination etched on his face. "I'll go with him, Mrs. Schneider. Just in case Johan’s decided to send any cronies after Julian. I know he's in the lockup, but that's never stopped anyone before. Especially since he’s got friends in low places."

"Well, I can't argue that. I'll go make up the list for you," the nurse smiled before leaving the room again.

Kristoph turned his slate-grey eyes to his nephew, his gaze sharp and assessing. "You've not only gotten smarter book and tech-wise, but you've become stronger physically, mentally, and street-wise. What has your father been teaching you?"

"How to take names and dig graves. You should visit sometime," Lukas replied as he shrugged on his duster jacket. "You know you're always welcome."

Nodding, Kristoph smirked. "I'm too busy with the Federal Police Force to take an actual vacation, Lukas."

"Here’s everything we need," Mrs. Schneider said as she handed over the handwritten list, her tone brisk yet warm. Laughing, the two younger men left the house, their spirits momentarily lifted by the camaraderie. Once they were gone, she looked over to Kristoph with a smile. "He's everything you and your mother said he would be, Inspektor."

"He’s a good boy, Samara," Kristoph said gently, his voice softening. "How is Johanna really doing?"

Her face fell, a shadow of worry crossing her features. "As I said, she's fighting hard, and we're hopeful that she's going to wake up, but I'm still worried. He had her in the damn wood shed, Kris. The wood shed! She could have died had Lukas not noted her absence."

"He sees the small details that others miss, Sam," Kristoph replied, his eyes reflecting a mix of pride and concern.

Her husband called out to her from the back room, and she hurried away to the bedside of the sick girl, her footsteps quick and purposeful.

Marie yawned as she made her way over to the sink, her movements slow with fatigue. Glancing around at the suddenly quiet room, she frowned. "Are Luke and Jules gone somewhere?"

"Doctor Schneider needed them to run to the clinic. Mama, you need to get some sleep," Kristoph replied, his tone laced with gentle insistence.

"I'll sleep when my grandson is safely back under my roof," Marie barked out, her voice firm as she turned and headed back to the room.

Shaking his head, Kristoph knew she was going to say something like that. Taking another drink of his water, he sighed. Lukas was much stronger than the last time they met, and the amount of muscle he'd obtained looked impressive on him. The boy had grown into a well-educated, well-rounded young man, and Kristoph preened with pride. The transformation was a testament to Lukas’s resilience and the values instilled in him by his family.

******

Ducking, Julian dove to the ground as Lukas punched another of their attackers in the abdomen, bringing the man to his knees. The man gasped in pain, clutching his stomach as he collapsed.

Reeling backwards as his attacker landed a hit, Julian cursed for forgetting his gun at Elder Roberts' house. "Lukas, your nine!" he shouted, his voice strained with urgency.

Had he gone alone, he would not have made it to the clinic on his own. He would have been killed in the ambush that was waiting for them.

Finally, the last man fell to the cold dirt as Julian kicked him into a post. Breathing heavily, the two young men struggled to regain their bearings. The night air was filled with the sounds of their labored breaths and the distant rustling of leaves.

As he fought to clear his vision, Lukas held out his hand to him. "Here, let me help you up," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos.

"You could have let them kill me," Julian said breathlessly, his eyes wide with a mix of relief and exhaustion.

Lukas shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I could have walked away, but then I would have had to face your parents and my family. So I did what I should have, and helped you fight them off."

"You're a good friend, Luke. Thank you," Julian said, his gratitude evident in his tone.

Lukas made his way over to the first aid kit, moving with purpose as soon as they entered the clinic. He glanced at Julian's bleeding cheek, concern etched on his face. "You need to get fixed up. Thank God the team back home was taught first aid. I know enough to know that a cleaning and some bandages will be good enough for the wounds we got."

Julian chuckled, a hint of relief in his voice. "Well, you certainly sound like you know your stuff. I got the liquid acetaminophen my father wanted. Can you get the heating pads?"

Lukas furrowed his brows, curious. "What does he need them for, and where are they?"

Directing Lukas to the cabinet where the heating pads were stored, Julian said, "I think he's trying to force the fever out of her. If it gets too high, it could cause a bad infection or brain damage. Heating up her feet and lower back might help her... Wait, what day is it?"

"The twenty-second, why?" Lukas responded, puzzled.

Julian paled, realization dawning on him. "She's due for her menses. That's why mom put heating pads on the list. It's to help relieve the pain and discomfort while she heals from the fever."

Blinking, Lukas raised a brow, a humored smirk crossing his features. "Should it bother me that you know when her period is?"

"Not at all," Julian replied honestly. "She always comes to the clinic during this time to rest and get help with them."

Lukas grinned, appreciating the practicality. "She's in luck, then. The Donna of the mafia I'm with is a doctor, too. If they get too bad, I have help on hand for her."

"I'm glad for that. As I said before, Johanna is nothing more than a sister to me. I've never had an interest in her other than conversing now and again when we run into each other. That you chose her over Emilia is a huge relief, Luke. She deserves all the nice things in life for what she's suffered."

As his eyes slid closed, Lukas nodded, understanding the depth of Julian's explanation. The tiny spark of jealousy he felt at first was now just a distant memory. It made sense that the girl back at his grandmother's house frequented the little clinic.

She was friends with Julian, but it didn't go beyond that. He was in no position to behave like his brother, either.

He smiled, knowing that any kind of feelings between him and Johanna would have to come later. He was willing to build up to that and let her acclimate to him and their new life. He would have to offer her freedom, but he was puzzled by what she could possibly want after living such a secluded life. "Jules, what does she like to do? I mean, I have female friends that like shopping, and others that don't, so what's her go-to?"

Turning with the now full medical bag, Julian frowned deeply. "Anna likes to explore. She loves to learn, read, and sing, too."

"Anna?" Lukas echoed, tilting his head to the side.

"Sorry," Julian felt his face heat up, "She's named after her father, but she's nothing like him, so many of the folks around here started calling her Anna.”

“You’re well-versed, Jules,” Lukas laughed. “I like it.”

Following the blond man out the front door, Lukas glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as they trekked back to the house. Halfway back, he grabbed Julian’s arm to indicate the blue and white lights flashing up ahead. As they got closer, it became clear that the police had been called to the place where they were jumped. The place where they left the men moaning and groaning on the cold ground.

An officer stopped them, "Mr. Schneider? These men say you and that man you’re with attacked them."

"They’re friends of Johan Meyer, who was arrested earlier in the evening on charges of child abuse against his younger daughter,” Julian stated calmly, his voice steady.

Looking at the other man, the officers waited. A slow smirk crossed Lukas's face. "Are they dead? No, they're not, and they are damn lucky, too."

The lead officer’s words caught in his throat as Julian opened his coat to reveal the badge pinned to the inside lapel. His name and rank were clearly visible, making the officers pale. “My apologies, Junior Inspektor Schneider. Please, continue on your way.”

“Your efforts are appreciated, good men. Further investigation can be handled by my direct superior, Senior Inspektor Roberts.” Julian replied, his perfected calm authority silencing any further argument. The chill of the night air seeped into their bodies as they waited on the open road for the officers to make up their minds.

Taking a step back, the officers started rounding up the men on the ground rather than arresting the two standing. The night air was filled with the sounds of their labored breaths and the distant rustling of leaves, a testament to the urgency and gravity of the situation.