-1Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to "Red Eye"

Chapter Three: Violence

Lisa shook her head in disbelief.

"No…no…you're.."

"Dead? Hospitalized?" He shook his head while staring directly into her eyes.

"So sorry to disappoint …But be honest for once…you missed me didn't you?" He spoke collectively as a familiar dangerous grin spread across his face.

Lisa was speechless. She looked around the hall; searching, pleading to see if anyone was around.

No one. She was going to have to make a run for it.

Jackson glared at her condescendingly. "Something's different about you Lise." He looked her up and down.

Lisa cringed as she lifted her right foot and slowly backed it up.

"Is it…your clothes?" Jackson asked incredulously. He shook his head. "Or…maybe it's your makeup…?" He gently stroked her cheek. She flinched.

Jackson pursed his lips. "You know what…I think, it's the hair!" Jackson threw his arms up in accomplishment.

"That's it…Someone decided to skip town and create a whole new look for herself." He spoke huskily as he ran his fingers through her golden locks.

"Pretty!" He whispered as he moved in closer to her.

She tried to jump back and run away.

"Uh uh, …not this time Lise!" He grabbed her arm. "You and I need to talk!" His frozen eyes poured into hers.

Lisa struggled to release her arm from his grasp. She kicked his shin and started to run off. He stumbled but swiftly pulled her down to the floor with him.

Lisa gasped as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Get up." He demanded as he pulled her to her feet and slammed her against the wall. He reveled in his success.

"You know, I'm usually not such a violent person. Maybe it's just something about you. Lets examine that shall we? When would you say I have used violence ?"

Lisa said nothing.

"It's you threaten me Lise. Let me break this down more simply for you; do as I say and don't get hurt, understand?" He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him.

Lisa scowled and tried to get free from his grasp.

Jackson frowned. "Fine, let's make it like old times then!" He released his grip on her arm and placed his hands tightly around her neck.

Lisa darted her eyes away from his, as if trying to escape them. Trying to hold back her tears.

Oh God! How could I let this happen? What am I gonna do? Lisa's mind wandered and searched for an answer. Wait! The knife!

"Jackson, please…" She mustered up the courage to look at him as she lowered her arms, hoping to distract him as she unzipped her purse.

He winced slightly. "Please?!!!…Aw Lise, you're beggingI'm touched. Really I am." He studied her eyes carefully as his mouth inched in close to hers.

Lisa slowly slid the small knife out of her purse and slid it in the side of her skirt.

"Please what?" He sighed heavily.

Lisa shivered.

"Please…Jackson…just let me go…I promise, I'll do whatever you want."

"Really?" He whispered enticingly in her ear.

He looked down at her fumbling with her purse. He released his grip and yanked it from her hands. Lisa fell to the floor, grasping her neck.

"Still up to your old tricks, aren't you Lisa?" He straitened his collar and opened the door to her hotel room.

"Come on." He stared down at her.

Lisa still laid on the floor, wincing in pain.

"Get up Lisa!" he warned her looking around hoping they hadn't caused and attention.

Lisa slid to sit up and rest against the wall.

"How'd you get into my room? Did you hurt the people that work here?"

"You mean your new friends?" He asked cutely, as if talking to an infant.

"Naw." he shook his head as he grabbed her arm and dragged her into the room and locked the door behind.

"Sit down." He demanded as he pointed towards the chair. Lisa sat reluctantly, but also gratefully for the rest. She could feel more tears swelling up in her eyes.

"Jackson…Did you hurt the people who work here…?"

Jackson clenched his jaw in annoyance.

"I just told you Lise, I'm a professional. I don't use violence unless my well being is threatened…" He spoke swiftly as he pulled a pair of handcuffs out of a drawer.

Lisa's eyes widened.

"As I said, you're the only one who seems to be threatening me." He spoke ardently as he walked towards her.

"Don't fight me!" He demanded as he handcuffed her left arm.

A defeated tear fell from her face. "What are you doing?"

" I made the mistake of trusting you before. Don't be surprised I'm not making the same mistake again!" He then grabbed her right hand and cuffed it.

Lisa shook her head.

I can't believe this is happening. How did he find me?

When he finished cuffing her hands he went to sit down on the edge of her bed, facing her.

Lisa looked to the ground.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried as tears escaped her eyes and fell to the ground.

"I already told you, we need to talk."

"About what?" Lisa looked up to him and tried to regain her composure.

I won't let him upset me. Not this time.

Jackson froze for a second. Surprised she had gotten so calm so quickly. It annoyed him.

"That detective you talked to…what did you tell him?" He locked his eyes on her, studying her body language.

Lisa swallowed. "Why, you don't already know? Thought you were a "professional" Jack." She made sure to add his abbreviated name.

His icy eyes glared at her. "Don't play games Lise, tell me what you told him."

Lisa sighed. Might as well tell him.

"Not much really." She spoke shakily. "He asked if I had met you before the flight, I said no but I told him you'd watched me for eight weeks before hand…because you told me that you did."

"And…"

"And that's it really."

"Did he ask you anything else?"

Lisa shook her head, then her eyes lit up as if she remembered something important.

Jackson was intrigued. "What?"

"It was strange, when I told him you'd followed me for eight weeks he asked me if you told me why you did."

"Why I followed you?"

Lisa nodded. "Yeah. He wanted to know for some reason, but he quickly figured it out and said "of course.""

"Why would he ask that?" Jackson asked both Lisa and himself as he began pacing.

" I don't know." Lisa shook her head. In disbelief of her cooperation and her relaxed state she now felt.

Jackson quickly stopped in front of her.

"And he didn't say anything else?"

Lisa shook her head.

"Not really. He just said that they'd be in touch with me in the next week or so."

Jackson's eyes widened as he headed towards the door and mumbled profanities.

"Damn it!" He spoke in a heightened tone as he locked the chain on the hotel door.

"What, what is it?"

Jackson began gathering his belongings and put them into their designated places on his person.

Lisa was worried by his rushed momentum.

She raised her voice in paranoia.

"Jackson what is it?!"

"Shh!" He demanded as he ran to the door and looked out the peephole.

"Lisa…" He spoke hurriedly as he looked at his watch.

Lisa stared at him intently.

"The detective you talked to is not an F.B.I agent. He's a part of my agency…"

Lisa's mouth gaped open in disbelief.

"No! He showed me his badge…he…"

Jackson interrupted her.

"Listen to me Lise…right now, you have two choices. One, you can trust me. I'll un-cuff you and we'll get out of here. Two, you can stay here, wait for someone to burst through that door and put a 9mm through your head. Remember Lise, unlike you, I never lie. When I came to your dad's house that day, I put my neck on the line. And if they find me here with you, and find out I haven't finished the job, they'll kill me too." He halted motion and looked towards her to affirm her attention.

"But make no mistake Lise…they'll kill you irregardless"

Lisa gulped. Trying to get rid of the lump in her throat.

"So I can either die now, or die later?" The tears were falling freely from her face now. There was no controlling them. She closed her eyes.

Jackson stared at her. For what seemed an eternity, there was silence.

"I'm not gonna kill you Lise…" Jackson spoke both quickly and quietly, hinting he was slightly hurt.

Lisa's heart seemed to skip a beat.

What did he say?

She slowly looked up into his eyes, which seemed to be pleading with her.

"Alright." She whispered as she held out her hands.

Jackson was taken aback. She's trusting me?

"That a girl!" He grinned, trying to erase his moment of vulnerability as he took her handcuffs off and stepped back. He half expected her to run off or make an attempt for the door. Instead, she stood up slowly beside him.

"What do we do?" She turned and looked towards him.

"We go on vacation." He grinned, staring back into her eyes. He lingered for just a second then swiftly but gently grabbed her hand. Lisa trembled. Jackson took notice.

"Easy Lise. Remember…trust." He reassured her sympathetically and pulled her towards the door.

Lisa nodded and turned away so he wouldn't notice her blushing.

Oh God! What are you doing!? She thought. …not a month ago he was trying to kill me! He can't be mad that I don't trust him!!!

Jackson nonchalantly felt her soft hand with his. It was shaky and cold to the touch. He didn't blame her. He didn't entirely trust her either…

"Alright Lisa, just act calm. No need to cause any attention…Ready?"

Lisa bit her lip as a tear fell down her face. "Okay, I'm ready." She spoke softly wiping the tear away with her free hand.

He opened the door and started out the hall.

Lisa quickly looked back.

"Wait my purse…"

"Leave it!" He demanded as he pulled her out the door and shut it behind him.

Jackson walked quickly while tightly grasping Lisa's hand. He looked at the stairs then quickly changed his mind when he saw a shadow out the corner of his eye.

Lisa noticed a tall man in a dark suit following about one hundred feet behind them.

"Jackson…" Lisa whispered as she clenched his arm with her free hand.

This exhilarated Jackson. In a way it strengthened his composure.

"We'll take the elevator…" he spoke in a hushed tone stopping right in front of it as he pressed the button and the door opened.

"Get in Lise." He demanded and pushed her in and quickly followed suit.

They could hear the tall man's foot steps accelerating and pounding on the thin carpeting of the hallway.

Jackson hastily pressed the down button as he tapped his foot, he carefully peeked his head out of the elevator.

Lisa stood frozen beside him. Before she could speak she was knocked back by the weight of Jackson as she heard a bullet ricochet off the metal on the elevator door.

"Jackson!" Lisa yelled.

"Stay back Lisa! He demanded as he pushed her body directly behind him.

"Come on come on, shut!" He pleaded with the elevator.

The door began to shut as the tall man was within inches of it.

"Miss Reisert," The man stopped the elevator with his foot. " F.B.I. I'm here to save you, it's alright…come with me."

Lisa recognized the man as the detective that had questioned her. She did not move.

Jackson held and arm out as a barrier between her and the "detective."

"Let her be Carver." Jackson spoke with his usual collected tone.

The man ignored Jackson and still held his gun firm towards him.

" My name is Matt Wilkes…Mr. "Rippner" or whoever you are, just hand the girl over to me and everything will go smoothly."

Jackson remained calm and clasped Lisa's hand and guided her further back into the elevator.

"Trust me Lise…remember?" Jackson stated slowly with his eyes still locked on the man with the gun.

"Miss Reisert, whatever this man told you…he's lying." The man spoke assuredly.

Lisa balance felt shaky. I have to do something. She thought as she looked around the elevator and shifted her legs. When she did, she felt cold metal brush against her thigh.

The knife!

Lisa slowly released her hand with Jackson's and slid up very close behind him where they were almost touching.

"Agent Wilkes..?" Lisa stammered.

She quickly slid the knife out of her skirt and into Jackson's hand. Jackson noticed this and slightly grinned.

"What is it Miss Reisert?"

"Jackson never lies."

Before the man could say anything else, Jackson leapt towards the man and quickly knocked the gun out of his hand and attempted to stab him with the knife.

"Damn it Rippner!" The man yelled, trying to predict his assailant's blows.

Lisa watched in fear as she struggled to hold the heavy elevator door open.

The man pleaded when Jackson. "Come on Rippner…you're trying to save the bitch!?"

Jackson's eyes blazed with anger. Carver saw it as an opportunity to go for the gun. He furiously grabbed it and shot Jackson in the arm.

"Jackson!" Lisa yelled, running out of the elevator but tripped on the way out.

"Lisa…" he pleaded. "Get back in the elevator damn it!" He spoke shakily as he fought Carver for the gun and quickly threw it aside. But Carver got the knife.

Lisa put her hand on her forehead, trying to retain her clarity. She looked to her side and noticed the gun. She quickly took hold of it and aimed towards the tall man who now had the knife at Jackson's throat. Both men panted heavily.

Jackson stared at the man, but called out for Lisa whom he could not see.

"Lisa…Go!"

The man glared down at Jackson forcing more pressure on his neck.

"Say goodbye Rippner!"

Lisa noticed blood trickle down Jackson's throat. She aimed towards the man, whom didn't seem to notice her presence.

This is it! She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. A loud bang resonated out through the hallway. Lisa flew backwards to the floor from whiplash from the gun. She laid back in disbelief.

She listened for movement, she heard nothing. Her vision quickly became blurry. Just before it gave way, She saw a shadow standing above her.

"Jackson…" She trembled as he knelt down beside her.

"You okay?" He asked soothingly as he stroked the stray strands of hair out of her face.

She dropped the gun she had clasped so tightly to. She sat up slowly and stared at the sight in shock.

"Oh my God." She fell limp into Jackson's arms as she and saw the tall man in a pool of blood. This time Lisa could not hold back. She began to sob as she fell deeper and deeper into him.

"Shh. Come on Lise…You don't need to see this." Jackson ran slid his fingers through her head as he cradled her with his other arm, which by now was bleeding heavily.

"I killed him!" She spoke wearily, fading away to unconsciousness.

"Stay with me Lise!" He pleaded as he gently padded her cheek. "We've got to get out of here. He spoke decidedly while grabbing the gun and the knife and pocketing both

He gently tilted her chin up so she'd look at him.

"Did you pay for the hotel with cash?"

Lisa held her mouth open. Trying to remember… all she could do was nod.

Jackson smiled. "Good." Lets go downstairs and I'll tell them I'm taking you to the hospital…that should get us out of here."

Lisa met his eyes. "What about you…your neck…"She looked down at her shirt which was now soaked in blood. "Your arm."

"I'll be fine Lise…just a scratch…better than being stabbed with a pen." he stated calmly, touched by her concern.

They both shared weak smiles.

Jackson stroked her hair adoringly. "Come on, lets get out of here."