Jackson sat up in his hospital bed, still reeling from the pain of the gunshots. His throat was bandaged up,and he had overheard a nurse saying that he had no severe damage to his vocal chords. Lucky. Luck was also in for Mr Rippner, as he had avoided all criminal charges. Apparently, there was a history of mental illness in Lisa's family, and the story was that the dad had gone crazy, torn up the house and blamed the innocent man who walked in, attempting to help. Jackson
"Good morning Mr Rippner" a nurse smiles with a beaming face, as she opened the curtains. The Miami heat was obvious and Jackson writhed. She opened the window and turned on the fans in the room. "The doctor said that you can leave today" she added, taking off the bandage on his neck. There was a tiny circular scar where Lisa had stabbed him with the pen.
After the doctor had run his final checks, Jackson got ready into a fresh suit and fixed his hair in the mirror. He looked a little worse for wear, but his ice blue eyes still shone like a crystal blue lake. Lisa was still alive, the Keefes were still alive, and Jackson hadn't finished his job. Sure, someone else could take out the Keefe family, but he needed to finish Lisa off.
Lux Atlantic. Not the poshest of hotels, but a great deal better than one of the dirty, backstreet motels Jackson had stayed in, on occasion. Lisa was now the manager there, and was commended for her efforts in homeland security. But after Jackson was ruled innocent, she still looked behind her shoulders frequently; still refused to fly alone. She had good reason to.
Despite the fact he was in a rush, as he walked past a hospital shop the crimson colour of blood caught his eye. It glistened from the shelf. He walked over to it: a red crimson tie seemed fitting. Anyway, he always had a flair for the dramatic and the colour seemed to suit this momentous occasion quite perfectly. He grabbed it and paid for the tie before fixing it as he walked out.
He tightened the knot with a smirk. This would be fun.
With a quiet sigh, he strolled into the hotel lobby. It was packed with guests, young and old alike. Lisa was stood behind the desk with a fitting smile as she worked on something. She looked up occasionally, glancing across the room. She never really looked at any guests in particular, just a quick look. Jackson made his way over to the desk and coughed to get her attention.
"I'm busy, I'll be with you in a minute" she replied, not looking up from the computer. Jackson folded his arms as Lisa onto use to work on her computer, clacking away at the keyboard. He continued to wait patiently and after five minutes, she looked up slowly, then stopped when her eyes met his. "Shit" she said, shocked.
Jackson grabbed Lisa's wrists and smiled at her. "Hello old friend" he smirked. He tilted his head and winked, "Remember me?" He added.
"Jackson" she blinked. "I thought you died!"
"Look. I need to talk to you, and I'd prefer it I you don't make a scene" he smiled sweetly, showing her the inside of his jacket which, to Jackson's nature, had a gun. Lisa could only watch in shock. She thought she had got rid of him from her life for good.
She looked around the busy lobby; she considered screaming for help, or running away. "You're not trying to kill my dad again are you?" She asked, worried. Jackson shook his head.
"Look, Leese, lets go and talk" he replied, nodding towards the lift. He released her wrists, but forced her to walk in front of him. She knew how this was supposed to go, so was smart enough not to draw attention. He wouldn't let her live with that mistake. Once inside, he swiftly pushed the button for the top floor. The elevator quickly began its ascent to the top floor and they stood in silence.
When it reached the top floor, Jackson looked at Lisa and narrowed his eyes. "I'd appreciate it if you disabled the elevator."
Lisa looked at him, not going to co-operate. "Oh. It's going to be like that is it?" He saw her nervous response and pointed the gun at her head. "Please disable the elevator" he smiled. She soon disabled it and they were stationary again.
He held his hand expectantly to Lisa. "Master key?" He asked. She sighed and handed him the key and he walked up to a room, unlocking the door. "After you" he held the door open for Lisa and she walked in. Jackson looked either way before placing a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door before shutting it.
He reached into the minibar and pulled out vodka and many fruit juices before looking back at Lisa. "Why the hell am I here, Jack?" She yelled.
"Oh you're so lucky you're in shock" he replied menacingly, throwing a bottle of water in her general direction, and she easily caught it. He looked at the vodka and poured himself a measure before knocking it back.
She took a long gulp of the water. "Tell me why I'm here ok"
"Don't you get it?" he asked, taking a swig from the bottle. "This is all your fault Leese!" He growled, smashing the bottle on the wall. "I didn't finish the job and now I'm on the run from some very dangerous criminals that all want me dead!"
"That's not really my fault is it!" she yelled a reply.
"Because of you, Keefe is still alive, and I hold you entirely responsible" he replied, trying to calm his anger. "Now I'm on the run, and guess what, you're coming with me!"
