Past The Point of No Return

Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Redeye, but if I did, I'd own Jackson. insert evil grin here Nor do I own the title either, Andrew Lloyd Webber does. I just thought it would be fitting to this genre.

AN: This story will be rated Mature. Because Jackson is not a nice man, and some of the situations in this fic won't be either.

Flashbacks

Dreams

Chapter One: Cursed

Bang!

Lisa wanted to scream, cry and so many other things. He was dead, it was over and yet somehow it all felt so anti-climatic, as if he wasn't dead. Long after her father had walked away to talk with the police, she had stayed there staring at the lifeless body before her.

She waited until the room was cleared and even though the coroner had pronounced him dead, Lisa didn't believe him, she had to know for herself. Each step brought her closer to the body of the man who had caused her so much terror, slowly she knelt down and drew the white sheet down from his face and gasped, he looked as if he was merely sleeping!

"Get a hold of yourself Lisa." She told herself as she reach for the side of his neck with a shaking hand and searched for a pulse.

"Leese"

Letting out a cry of surprise, Lisa jumped back but found herself stopped by his hand holding tightly to her wrist, "No… you're dead!" She tried desperately to pry his hand from her wrist, "Let me go! Let go!" This wasn't happening, it couldn't be happening.

"Leese."

She screamed as his head turned, those twin crystal clear eyes staring at her.

"Lisa!"

"What!" The young woman shot forward, her green eyes wide as she pushed back her hair and stared towards her opened bedroom door, a slender hand resting over her heart as she tried to calm her nerves, "Damnit Dad." She glared at her father, wondering what he was doing.

"You were screaming again." He said dejectedly, her tone and choice of words had hurt him, "I didn't mean to scare you hun."

The young woman sighed as she tossed her covers aside and sat on the edge of her bed, " I'm sorry… I didn't mean to yell at you or anything." Her Father was so sensitive sometimes and she was beginning to discover just why her Mother had divorced him.

"Was it him again?" Joe Reisert sat down next to his daughter, a concerned arm resting on her shoulders.

"Yes, the same dream." She sounded defeated as she admitted it.

"You know, there's a legend that says if you say the name of dead that haunts you that they will leave you in peace."

"I can't say his name… never again." She studied her Father in the light that filtered in from the hall, he looked so old, so haggard and tired. A part of Lisa feared the worst, that her Father wasn't going to last much longer, there was something in his eyes that he wasn't telling her.

Joe nodded and carefully hugged his daughter who of course shrunk away as he did. She had never been one for physical contact, and after her rape it was even worse. But then that bastard had defiled his Lisa in ways even he, her own Father could not understand, in ways she kept hidden and to herself that made her scream at night or call that name in fear, " It's almost time for you to get up anyways isn't it?" He asked looked towards her clock.

"Yeah." She felt bad for shying away from her Father's love, but she didn't mean too… it just seemed as if her body did so on it's own as though it was natural, " Dad… I think it's time."

" Time for?" He knew what was coming next, but as a Father he wasn't so sure it was a wise decision for his daughter to make.

" It's time for me to get a place of my own again." Biting her lower lip, Lisa pressed on despite the look on his face, " I need to start over, I need to get passed this and move on."

He understood, this was her way of dealing with things. She had done the same thing after he and her Mother had divorced, "I know. But not alone okay?" Standing, Joe moved for the door and then paused, " And somewhere close." He smiled sadly, " Anyhow, I'll get breakfast started."

Lisa took his suggestions in mind, they had their valid points, " Okay." Reaching over, Lisa turned her alarm clock off and headed for the bathroom as her Father made his way down the stairs.

He stared at the reflection in the mirror, at the scar in his neck which was mocking him and then he sent his fist into the glass watching as it shattered and fell into the sink along with drops of his blood, " That's better." He mused and watched with curious eyes as the cuts on his hand healed, "Hm. Look at the time." Turning from the now broken mirror, Jackson Rippner smirked as he adjusted his suit coat with a firm tug at the lapels and left the bathroom.

Yes he had failed, but not completely either. Somehow the reason for the attempted assassination had been dealt with and Keefe was no longer on the list. Lucky ass. He thought smugly as he entered the very plush office of his employers, "Someone broke a mirror in the bathroom. Might want to call maintenance about that." He said pausing briefly at the desk before entering the door just to the right and making himself comfortable in a chair, "You wanted to see me Sir."

The man in the shadows watched his top agent, a man who vented the cold color of his eyes well, but something was different now in those eyes, " I see you gained a few lasting memories from your failure."

He showed no expression, he really didn't like the set up his boss had going, but that was the fun in it not knowing who exactly you were working for, "Yes, it was a rather difficult endeavor." He remarked without care, "Now Sir, not to be rude but unless there is a point forth coming as to why my presence was desired, I'll be excusing myself to go and do something that is not a waste of my time." He knew he was pushing the code, but he didn't care, he never really had. In fact he took delight in seeing just how far he could push this Sir, just how close he could actually come to losing his so called privileges.

The shadowed man laughed, the sound was cold and held no feeling, " You amuse me Rippner." The figure stood and the attitude of the room changed drastically, " Which is why I haven't killed you." He grinned, knowing that even though the smartass couldn't see it, he knew it was there, "Yet." He moved, throwing a folder into Jackson's lap, "Go ahead, take a look."

Curiously Jackson opened the folder and thumbed through it's contents as a brow slowly arched, "This is my file isn't it." He asked, his teeth gritting in frustration.

"It is indeed." Sir smiled, "You have two hundred and ninety-nine successful missions. An impressive number, you know this company inside and out. You know it's darkest secrets and it's underbelly like the back of your hand--"

"What are you getting at?" Jackson's words had a definite bite to them.

"It would prove wise not to interrupt me again Ripper." He chuckled, "Oops. Did I let that slip? I'm so sorry." His voice was all too smug, "Now, to answer your question… you've had so much success and then all of the sudden… you snap, you screw up and get yourself killed." Jackson tensed, he knew that now his Boss was standing behind him, " Here's what I think Jackie boy… you went soft."

"Bullshit." His eyes lifted, one move and it would be done.

"Watch your mouth."

Suddenly Jackson found himself on the floor nursing a split lip, "I didn't go soft you son of a---" His throat felt closed up, his hand scrambled to feel what was blocking his passage way, and felt strong hands around his neck.

"I won't tell you again." The voice said, the anger of it seeping into Jackson's ear, "You disappoint me. When I brought you back I thought I had the perfect killer at my disposal." The pressure around Jackson's neck tightened, "But then she happened didn't she? A pretty face who happened to be as messed up as you in some ways." For a moment the pressure lessened, "And you could have had her, oh yes. After it was all said and done she would have been broken enough to believe anything you told her. But no, you let her slip through your fingers because suddenly you decided to have emotions." Laughter echoed through the room, " It was really cute and endearing what you did."

"With all do respect Sir," Jackson smirked, " I don't find your sarcasm the least bit amusing." As soon as he said the words, he found himself on the floor.

"You want to push me. You want to see how far you can go before the end?" Slowly the man stepped from the shadows to reveal himself to his employee, "Welcome to the end Jack."

"I'm frightened." Jackson remarked sardonically, "And as for your theatrics Sir, they were a little over done." Slowly he stood and straightened his clothing, " After all if I'm as good as you say, " He smirked, " Which of course I am, then I already know what you look like outside of your façade. Hell, Sir I know more then you'd care for me too."

" You don't think I know you are a man of clever tricks and games?" The man chuckled, " In so many ways you are naïve Jackie Boy. After all you're the cause of one of the most famous crime sprees in history. True they've tried to solve the mystery, but they can't." And then Jackson saw the one thing he hadn't expected, "All thanks to me and how do you repay me for my little service?"

"Service? You gave me no choice." He was growing angry now, his cool demeanor cracking by the second, "They were going to get me you know. But you erased the clues and helped me disappear, but of course with a price. And you thought you were so badly cursed." His eyes fell onto the gun again as he shook his head, "You know that won't work you dumb son of a bitch. You made me too strong for that to work." Pulling his suit coat open, Jackson held his arms out, "So go ahead, shoot me. I dare you."

"If you insist."

End of Chapter One