Lisa moaned quietly as the seat beneath her shook, and the whole car rattled as it hit bumps and gravel. Her focus hadn't adjusted by the time she opened her eyes, so she shut them tightly, feeling overly nauseous and achy. It wasn't until she tried to swallow that she realized there was a strip of cloth tied tightly across her parted lips. Then she remembered Jackson, and the need to scream raced through her. But the sound of voices, two men talking in heated whispers, stilled her weak form.
"And I told you not to question me!" she heard Jackson say.
"I was only warning you that there might be—"
"It's nothing I can't handle!" he spat back.
"Maybe your right, Ripner," the other man said after a moment. "But I would not be so confident after your last mission failed so miserably." Jackson growled in response.
"I am your superior for a reason, Lecton. Don't forget that," he warned the man with a glare. Then his glanced turned to the rear view mirror, and he grinned, turning his head around to see her even though he still held the steering wheel.
"Good morning, sunshine," he said, feigning pleasantries.
"Ro ra rell," she muttered through the cloth.
"What was that?" Jackson asked. "I can't understand you." She glared, grumbling something completely incoherent. "Lecton," He said, turning his attention to the man in the passengers seat, "Will you be kind to the lady and remove her tie?" The man did as told and leaned over his seat to untie her. Lisa complied with the procedure, but jerked back when he began fingering her hair.
"Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?" Jackson asked.
"Go to hell, you bastard!" she said angrily, trying to sit up even when her hands and feet were bound together.
"Still mad? Well, you shouldn't be, considering we haven't killed you."
"I'd rather be dead now."
"That can be arranged," he replied, keeping his eyes on the road. "I'm sure your feeling ill, but suck it up. We'll be at our destination shortly." Lisa didn't miss his smile as she watched his reactions in the mirror.
"Where are you taking me?"
Jackson made a tsk tsk clicking sound with his tongue, shaking his head slightly. "Curiosity killed the cat, Lisa." He paused. "And anyway, you won't know until we're there."
"So what's the drill this time?" she asked after a moment's silence. "Have you got my father stuffed in the truck, or are you going to bribe me with something more original?"
Jackson shifted uncomfortably.
"He's in the trunk?" she asked exasperatedly.
"Miss," said the older man, "if we had put your father in the trunk, he would have suffocated by now, which would make him completely useless to us."
"Here we are," Jackson said, interrupting the argument. He parked the car smoothly, and Lisa looked out, baffled at the neon, half-broken Motel 6 sign. Jackson turned back to her. "You want to know the drill, Lisa? Then look." He carelessly threw a picture from his seat into her eager hands. Lisa moaned at the image of her mother on her balcony, sinking back into the embrace of her new husband. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let either man see her cry.
"10200 Orchird drive, Lake City,South Carolina. That's the residence of your mother and her new husband, Michael Jacobson, isn't it?"
"Yes," was Lisa's soft reply.
"Good, because I've got another one of my men renting the house just across," Jackson said, "and he's watching their every move."
"What do you want me to do? Make another phone call?" Lisa asked irritably.
"Not at the moment. Right now I just want you to come quietly into room 3, where we'll be spending the night." With a smirk he got out of the car, shutting the door behind him, and opened Lisa's side. She was glaring fiercely at him.
"I can't untie you, obviously, can't drag you, either." He paused musingly. "I suppose I'll have to carry you. And don't make a fuss," he added seriously.
"I hate you," Lisa spat as they locked eyes, but he made no reply, only picked her up, cradling her rather awkwardly against his chest. She didn't lean her head against him, instead rebelliously turning her features to the oncoming door.
"Key?" Jackson asked his assistant, eyeing the incompetent man with annoyance. Lecton did a slow jog up to the door, opened it, and stood aside to let the couple in. Lisa bit her lip in worry at the sight of the single bed illuminated only by a dusty old lamp. It hadn't hit her until then that Jackson could and might rape her. She started to struggle, but he just held on tighter, growling at her defiance.
Jackson dropped her on the peach clothed bed, and then turned back to Lecton. "You'll take the car, in case she somehow escapes. Now leave us."
Trembling with fear and anger, Lisa attempted to sit up, and came face to face with Jackson's grin.
A/N: Cliffhanger! –gasp- What's going to happen? Well, I've give you a hint: no rape. Haha. Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews on the first chapter, you guys rock! I updated quicker than I thought I would, but I can't seem to stay away from this story, which in very unusual for me. Please review for this chapter, too, I love hearing your opinions!
BIG thanks to: Signs Fan, Robin, Chanel, TheShoelessOne, LolaQ, Bonnylass007, Bimefl, Isis, Romance-luver222, Seeiko, Jack E. Peace, Winged Seraph, and Amanda!
