Author's Note: Well, I'm starting a new one. This is my first attempt at a 'what if' fic…so we'll see how it goes. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think!!!
Disclaimer: Just for the record, in case you didn't know, I don't own any of it! Sad for me…
Out of Control
By: Breezi
Prologue:
It was now or never. The flight attendant had distracted Jackson. She needed to act. Think, Lisa, think, her mind kept screaming at her. There! She spotted him. A kid was snoozing away on his trey table, his fingers loosely gripping a goofy looking pen. With enough force, she could use that pen. She reached for it. Her fingertips just grazed its surface when a strong hand clamped down on her wrist from behind her.
"Now, what were you gonna do with that, Leese?" he breathed into her ear.
Choking down her sobs, Lisa wrenched her hand away from him and returned to her seat, her hopes remaining behind with that pen. Jackson took his seat next to her, reaching behind him for his seatbelt.
"I need you to pull yourself together, Lisa. We seem to have attracted a little attention. Once they've made their rounds, we'll make the call." He said and straightened out his suit jacket with a tug.
Lisa didn't respond. She couldn't. What could she say? A voice came over the speaker asking everyone to return to their seats since the captain had turned on the seatbelt sign. Lisa frantically tried to put together a plan to get herself and her father out of this alive, but there was nothing.
It was another few moments before the flight attendant came around. She was an older woman with red hair; the same one who had called Jackson out for what she had thought that he and Lisa had been doing in the bathroom. She looked down at Jackson now with obvious disdain; like he was a rodent. He didn't appreciate it.
"Trash." She said. It wasn't a question. She was calling him trash. She wasn't even trying to hide it. A second later she held up the plastic trash bag she was carrying.
Her real meaning was not lost on Jackson as he seethed up at her. Bitch, he thought, but he bit the comment back before he could actually verbalize it. He grabbed his peanut wrapped and water bottle and handed them both over to her, plastering on a bright, if not a little smug, smile. She glared down at him for another second before continuing on her rounds. Jackson watched her walk on past, then turned back to the phone with determination.
Lisa heard him swipe her credit card through the phone and winced as the tension painfully seeped its way through her entire body. He dialed, made sure it was ringing, and then held the phone out to her. She didn't want to take it. She didn't want to even touch it. God, she did not want to do this.
"It's time." Jackson said, his voice tinged with a cold impatience.
With a trembling hand, Lisa took the phone from him and put it to her ear facing away from him. He remembered the first time she had called and quickly snatched it, putting it to the other ear, giving him a clear view of the screen.
"Ah-ah." He tsked as he did so, "Thank you."
Lisa listened to the ringing on the other end of the line, her stomach knotting up with each and every one. A click; and Cynthia's voice filled her ear.
"Lux Atlantic Resort, this is Cynthia." She chirped.
Lisa didn't speak. All she kept thinking about was how she didn't want to go through with this. But she couldn't see what other choice she had. It was this…or her own father would die.
"Hello?" Cynthia asked, confused by the silence.
"Cynthia," Lisa finally choked, "It's Lisa."
"Hey, you." Cynthia said, sounding almost relieved to hear her voice. If only she knew. "So, I guess you still need that favor."
"Yeah," Lisa said, licking her lips despite the fact that her mouth seemed to have gone completely dry. So, that was it. After a quickly manufactured lie about a busted water valve, she had Cynthia switching Keefe to the room that Jackson wanted him in. She had sent a momentary panic through him though when she hesitated before saying the room number. After she had said it, he had released a slow breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. Relief flooded through him and he visibly relaxed in his seat.
"4080. Okay, and you're sure his security people will..."
"Look, you're right. They're not gonna be happy so just…" Lisa paused, the full weight of what she was about to say pressed down on her like a garbage truck filled with bowling balls, "just tell them I authorized it."
Cynthia skittered off the phone, worried that she wouldn't have the room set up in time for Keefe's arrival. Like it actually mattered anymore. Lisa sat perfectly still for a very long moment, still holding the phone near her ear. So this is what it feels like to sell you soul, she thought bitterly to herself as she hung up the phone.
"Outstanding." Jackson said from beside her, relief evident in his voice, "Close."
Yeah, Lisa thought, but now it was her turn. She grabbed the phone once again and held it out to him, her eyes wide and sad. He looked down at the phone and then back up to her like he had no idea what she was doing.
"What?" he asked.
"You know what." Lisa stated slowly, enunciating every word, "My dad. Make the call. Your part of the deal."
Jackson shook his head, took the phone, and hung it back up; and Lisa felt as though he had just slapped her. "I still need you." He said.
"You promised." She pleaded, doing her best not to cry in front of him again.
"And I'll keep that promise." Jackson said, "As soon as we're on the ground, I'll get confirmation that Keefe's been handled."
"And while you wait for confirmation, what if your guy decides to kill my dad because you didn't make the call?" she said, her voice full of venom and controlled anger. She had just helped him kill a perfectly decent man! She had created a widow and two kids who wouldn't understand why their daddy would never be coming home! Damn him and what he needed, she wanted her payment! She wanted assurance that her dad would be okay!
"He doesn't make a move unless I say so. He's a good dog. He responds only to his master's voice." He said.
Lisa's entire body trembled with her anger. Was that supposed to be a comfort to her? That was his idea of placation! If she had managed to swipe that kid's pen, she would have shoved it right down his arrogant ass throat!
"It'll all be over soon," Jackson went on, "The Keefe's will be history, your dad will be safe, we'll both go back…"
"What?" she interrupted as something that he had just said resonated in her head, "What did you say?"
"What?" Jackson asked.
"His family's with him?"
Fuck! Jackson thought. He could have hit himself for that slip up. She wasn't supposed to know about that part? He had planned on sparing her that at least. Why the hell couldn't he have been born a liar?
"You're gonna kill his family, too?" Lisa asked.
Jackson couldn't take her looking at him like that. He looked away, staring instead at the back of the seat in front of him. "Somebody wants to send a big brash message, that's their business." He said with a swallow, trying to force his distaste for his employer's actions back down his throat, "I do my part, move on."
Jackson was a practical type of guy; a professional. Everything he did had its purpose, its reason, its logical outcome. Like a chess player, every move he made was in anticipation of another step; a bigger step; checkmate. The end justified the means. Everything he did had a reason. He couldn't find the benefit of killing two kids who hadn't done a damn thing wrong in the world, but that sadly wasn't his call to make. However, he could not let Lisa see how much it really bothered him. It was a sign of weakness and that was something he couldn't afford to show to her at this point. She had already proven that she was stronger than he had originally taken her for.
Oh God, Lisa thought, what have I done? She hadn't widowed or orphaned anybody! She had wiped out an entire family! There was no stopping the tears this time. Suddenly, her soul didn't seem worth it.
They spent most of the rest of the flight in silence. The sun had started to rise and Jackson as the plane prepared for landing, Jackson muttered off something about Starbucks and killing time. Lisa wasn't really paying attention. Nothing mattered anymore. He could kill her as soon as they got off of the plane for all that she cared.
"Whatever you say." She responded.
"What? No questions?" he asked.
Lisa turned to face him, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "Does it really matter at this point?"
He felt something in his stomach for her at that moment that he didn't really recognize. He didn't care for the feeling, so he pushed it aside and ignored it. She wasn't fighting him anymore. That was the important thing. So, why was it bothering him so much? Did he want her to fight him? Ever since he had revealed the truth to her, she had been fighting him tooth and nail; giving him ultimatums, trying to sneak messages, he could only imagine what it was that she had had planned for that pen. She was certainly keeping him on his toes. He hadn't had that in a long time.
Everyone broke into applause when the plane hit the ground with a slight jolt. Everyone except for Lisa, who was thinking about the fact that she had just signed a family's death warrant along with a deal with the devil, and Jackson, who was watching Lisa despite the fact that he knew he shouldn't be. The plane came to a stop and the seatbelt sign went off, drawing Jackson's gaze. He unhooked his seatbelt, but paused when he noticed out of the corner of his eye, that Lisa had yet to move. He put a hand to her shoulder and she instantly recoiled from the touch, turning her face to glare up at him.
"Let's go, Lisa." Jackson said, setting his jaw sternly.
Jackson stood up in the aisle and stepped back slightly, letting Lisa out in front of him. He got her bags down from the overhead for her; ever the perfect fucking gentleman. They moved slowly with the mass of people, Jackson remaining as closely tucked in to her back as he could. As soon as their feet hit the unloading ramp, Lisa cringed. Jackson's hand had found its way to the small of her back and he guided her along. But, after everything that had gone on between them that night, it seemed to be the least intimate way he could have chosen to touch her.
True to his word, Jackson steered her toward Starbucks where they stood in the line in silence. Lisa stared straight ahead of her at nothing. She felt hollow, numb, completely void of any and all feeling. She barely even batted an eye when she heard Jackson order himself a grande latte and a grande mocha for her. He had been watching her for eight weeks; of course he knew her favorite coffee. Before she knew it, they were seated across from each other at a small round table. Jackson's cell phone sat on the table in front of him. Lisa stared at it as though it were a nuclear bomb. She hadn't touched her mocha.
Jackson watched Lisa. She didn't notice; too absorbed in her own thoughts. She was an amazing creature, Lisa Reisert. Strong and vulnerable and good. When he had taken this assignment and started watching her, he had found himself wondering about her. He wanted to find out what made her tick. What had made such a beautiful, sharp, witty young woman spend her nights alone with her television? It had something to do with that scar, he was sure of that now. But what? He studied her lovely face. What happened to you, Lisa Reisert? He didn't ask the question out loud?
His cell phone rang, knocking them both out of their heads and back into the real world. He watched as Lisa's body visibly tensed as he picked his phone up from the table.
"Hello?" Jackson answered.
Lisa's throat tightened up with that horrible clenching pain that immediately preceded tears. Her gaze flickered to the TV that hung above the row of people waiting for their coffee. A breaking news headline flashed across the screen, followed by an image of the Lux Atlantic as an explosion burst from the side. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth as fresh tears spilled from her eyes.
Jackson hung up the phone without saying goodbye and turned to Lisa. She was staring at something and crying. He looked in the direction of her gaze, saw the news report and turned back to her. Her world was about to spiral into chaos. There was nothing her could do to stop that now, but there was a part in the back of his mind that prayed that she was tough enough to handle what was about to come her way. He scooted his chair a little closer to her and put his hand on her arm. She recoiled violently from his touch, which was to be expected, and her eyes focused sharply in on him.
"Lisa," he said, leaning in close to her, "I'm going to leave, now. It's almost over. In ten minutes, dad will be perfectly safe. You did good, Leese."
You did good? Lisa thought with vehemence. Had he honestly just said that to her? She had just made the phone call that had sealed the fate of an entire family! She had done anything but good! She should have fought harder! She had wanted to fight harder! But, if she had…her dad would…
Jackson stood from his chair and ran his hands over the front of his jacket, preparing to walk away from her forever. But, as she sat there with silent tears streaming down her face, he had to offer her some semblance of comfort. He knelt beside her, resting his hand on the back of her chair.
"Lisa," he breathed, "I just want you to know…his kids weren't with him."
Her face jerked suddenly in his direction, her chin quivering, lips trembling, eyes holding only the smallest shred of hope.
"They went to visit their grandmother for the week." He told her what his phone conversation had confirmed. The Keefe children were not with their parents.
Lisa's face contorted, twisted into a picture of mental pain and anguish and sadness. She didn't know how she had held it in for this long, but at his words, something inside of her snapped. Sobs came ripping from her throat and she buried her face in the palms of her hands. Jackson stroked a hand over her hair as he rose to his feet. He watched her crying for a long second, then, for no reason at all, bent at the waist and placed a tender kiss on her temple. Then, he turned on his heel and walked away from her. To an outsider, they looked like a couple who had just split up. He was just some jerk who had broken his girlfriend's heart. He was pretty sure that he had even heard a young woman mutter something about him being an asshole under her breath as he had walked past her.
He paid the accusing stares from the people at the coffee bar no mind. He strolled out of the airport, a picture of confidence and class. As soon as he was no longer connected to a crying woman, he noticed how almost every woman he passed turned her head in attempt to get a better look at him. He flashed a few flirty smiles along with a wink or two, but right now he was all about business. As soon as he passed through the doors and into the muggy heat that was Miami, he whipped out his cell phone and pushed number five on his speed dial.
"Job's done. Clear out." He said. His words were curt and short and they served their purpose. His man would load into his beamer and vanish into the day like he had never been there at all. Joe Reisert was no longer in any sort of danger from him. Lisa was officially free. He had never disobeyed orders before.
Back inside the airport, Jackson had been gone for a full five minutes. Lisa pushed away from the table, standing so fast that her chair toppled over backwards. She looked around the busy airport, her eyes wide and frightened, and then, with no control over her body whatsoever, a scream curdled up out of her from somewhere that she hadn't even known existed. She screamed and screamed and screamed. She screamed for forever; dropping to her knees and tugging her hands through her hair. People rushed to her from all sides, but the only sounds she could make, were screams.
Author's Note: I know, I know, but I really couldn't bring myself to kill the kids. It felt wrong! That's it for the prologue. Again, this is my first 'what if' and I'm not sure how it's going to turn out so any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!