Five Years Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye. I sure wish I did.

Chapter Six

With a scream, Lisa tossed the vase at his face. She grabbed ahold of the front door, trying to shove it closed, but she was too slow. Jackson edged in with his foot.

Lisa lashed out at him, kicking his shin. He didn't stop as he wrapped an arm around her throat. Pain had no effect on him this time.

They fell to the floor with a crash, her lithe frame wriggling.

He pinned her to the floor, wrists held tightly in one hand and her mouth covered with the other. He straddled her hips, bringing their bodies into close contact.

"Stop screaming. I'm not here to kill you," he soothed, his voice as silky-smooth as she remembered. Apparently the damage she caused had been repaired over time.

She yelled against his hand, tossing her head in defiance.

"Okay, fine. Then you'll just have to listen."

He didn't move from her. She wished he would. After all these years, after all the nightmares and dreams, here he was again.

"Now, then…let's get down to business. I don't need anything from you this time, so don't fret. Your father's perfectly fine. But you… I've been watching you, Lisa. Your life is in danger."

She rolled her eyes. Tell me something I DON'T know…

He shifted a bit. "I know you won't believe me, but I have to tell you some bad news. Greene isn't who he appears to be. He is using you, Leese. He doesn't love you."

The hatred in her eyes burned him.

"He's working for my old bosses. He's crooked. He's also in debt, Leese. And your life is the collateral. Do you understand me? If you don't leave, you're going to die."

He loosened his hand over her mouth.

"Liar… you're just—"

He clamped her mouth shut again. "I'm trying to help you, Leese. If you're too stupid to listen to me, fine."

His hand left her mouth and reached for the gun. She started to insult him, but Jackson didn't care as he leveled the gun at her.

The appearance of the weapon caused her to freeze, her mouth open in mid-sentence. Lisa Reisert was speechless for once in her life.

"Are you going to listen to me now?"

She nodded, afraid to speak. He's here to kill me, isn't he? Why didn't I tell Tony where I was going?

Lisa always knew there was a chance Jackson would return for her. She'd been expecting it since she learned he survived—only to escape custody.

"Did you… was it you…?" she asked.

He cocked his head at her. "Do what, Leese?"

"Did you shoot at me?"

"No."

"And my car?"

"Not me, Leese. You see, if I wanted you dead, I would walk up to you either at work or while you were sleeping, and I'd slit your throat. I wouldn't try to blow up your car or shoot you from across the road. That's not my style," he insisted.

The scary part of this conversation was that she believed him. A part of her knew he was telling the truth.

"Tony wouldn't—"

"He's not who you think he is. Yes, he's FBI. Yes, he's done good things. I'm sure you've even got good memories of him. But he's using you. Don't you see? He doesn't give a damn about you. You're a piece of property, Leese. You're just a trophy to him."

"That's not true! You're just jealous—"

"Jealous of what? Huh?" he insisted, moving closer. "Jealous that he steals drugs? Steals money? He lets people like me walk away for the right amount of cash. Did you know that?"

"Please, Jack… stop… just stop lying…"

"I never lie, Leese. I thought you knew that by now."

"You're hurting me."

His blue eyes flicked down, staring at her wrists. They were turning red from his grasp. Surprisingly, he let go.

Lisa pulled away, rubbing her wrists as he sat across from her with the gun still in his hand. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just… I want to protect you."

She glanced at the door, wondering if she could make it. Yes, he had a gun, but would he actually pull the trigger? Did she want to risk it?

She couldn't help it. Curiosity took hold. She could always run later if she had to.

"Why? Why me? Why now?" she demanded.

"Why not?" her captor asked with a Cheshire grin.

"Because… because you're a killer! You already tried to kill me once. Why should I trust you?"

He sighed. "If you must know, I was hired to investigate your boyfriend's sticky fingers. My employers aren't happy. So I start doing research. He's got a big gambling problem. He's lost almost a million. These guys… they want their money, Leese."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

"If he doesn't pay up, there are orders to kill you. As a message for him." His blue eyes closed, his face drawn tight. "Those orders… they aren't pretty. I would never draw out your death like they will."

"What are you suggesting? Are you offering to kill me?"

Jackson shook his head. "No, I'm offering to save you. Come with me, Lisa."

"I can't. I'm going to get married—"

"To a man who doesn't love you."

"You're wrong about Tony. He loves me. He really loves me," she insisted.

He crossed the living room and picked up a picture frame. "First off, his name isn't even Anthony Greene. He's only rich because he steals from criminals. He deals the very same drugs that he seizes. He pockets money recovered from raids."

"He wouldn't do that."

"Do you even know anything about him? I didn't think you were the type to marry a stranger."

"He's not a stranger! I know him. You're the one who's confused. Tony would never do what you're talking about. He's nothing like you!"

"What will it take for me to prove this to you?"

"Nothing. I know Tony. I trust him."

"No, Leese, you don't. If you trusted him, you'd have run."

"I do trust him. I don't trust you."

He rolled his blue eyes. "If you want to date a crook, you could do a lot better than Greene. Like me, for example."

"He's not a criminal!"

Jackson shifted closer to her. "Fine. Think what you want. Whether you like it or not, you're coming with me."

"No!"

He pulled her to her feet, the gun in one hand and her right wrist in the other. "Leese, you don't want daddy to be all alone, do you? Think about him… learning that his lovely daughter was murdered, dismembered, and…" He leaned in closer, his lips brushing her ear. "Raped…"

She shivered in his grasp. "No… no…"

"Last chance. Are you going to come with me? Or do I have to steal you?"

Lisa looked right into his face. "I'll never go anywhere with you."

"Suit yourself then," he muttered.

Before she could react, the handgun slammed into the side of her head. Pain exploded in her temple. She could feel herself falling toward the ground. As she slipped out of consciousness, she could feel hands stroking her head and holding her limp body.

"Sssh, Leese… rest now…"

Author's Notes:

I made a trailer of sorts for this story. The link is on my profile page. I'll probably make another teaser for either this story or the sequel to Newfound Clarity. Anyways, I'll try and get going on a new chapter once I make it through mid-terms.

You guys rock! Keep the reviews coming!