Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the Red Eye movie.
Feedback: Please, yes, I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this chapter since it deviates a bit from the movie.
Lisa and Jackson are alone for the first time…
Revised 01-01-07
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Chapter 7 Thanks For the Quickie
Lisa suffered from an acute need to vomit and needed desperately to be alone and get some time to breathe and think. She was saved when the 'fasten seat belt'-sign was turned off. Clearing her throat, she tried to look calm as she turned towards Jackson.
"I have to go to the restroom." She looked innocently at him, trying to pretend the last conversation hadn't happened.
Jackson simply stared at her and grabbed his empty water bottle, shaking it in front of her. "Best I can do."
Lisa swallowed hard, the bile rising in her throat.
I MUST go!
"OK, you know what? You got me. I'm gonna make that call, when I can make the call. But right now you gotta let me go." She swallowed again, nervously. "I need to go, Jackson."
He regarded her suspiciously for a second, then he seemed to make up his mind.
"OK. I trust you." He unbuckled and stood.
"And I need my purse…"
He raised one eyebrow. "Ha, but not THAT much."
Shit!
Lisa swallowed hard and squeezed herself between the seat and Jackson. The intimacy of his body against hers sparked both her anger and something entirely else, more of a tingling sensation deep inside that she didn't want to acknowledge.
Walking on shaky legs down the corridor to the rear toilet, she overheard normal conversations from the people she passed. No-one was talking about killing anybody else. That was just happening to her. Nearly vomiting on the carpet, she slammed into the toilet door and realised it was locked. Dizzy, she leaned against the other wall for support. As she stood there, she felt a prickle in her neck and turned around.
He's still watching me!
She turned quickly but could still feel his eyes on her back. She willed him to go away, to sit down, but he kept his eyes intently on her, even from a distance. It was almost a physical sensation, like a soft blow at the nape of her neck. Glancing back at him, she clenched her teeth and turned away again.
"Excuse me, are you in line?" a young voice asked from behind her. Turning, she saw a little girl who had silently shown up behind her. Lisa couldn't help but seeing Jackson in the corner of her eye, looming like a threatening shadow over her whole existence.
She focused back on the kid. "Yeah. You wanna go?"
"No, you were here first." The young girl shook her head.
The toilet became vacant and Lisa threw herself inside, nearly not letting the exiting man out. He gave her a strange look, but she didn't care. Slamming the door closed and locked behind her, she fell to the floor, sobbing openly for the first time since all of this began.
As a new wave of nausea overwhelmed her, she leaned over the toilet and dry retched. "Oh, God!" Sweaty and pale, she leaned back and willed herself to get a grip. This was not her. This wasn't going to do her any good.
Dad's in danger. Keefe's in danger. I'm trapped with a psychopath who wants my help to assassinate Keefe! Think of something!
"OK, get up," she whispered to herself. "Get UP!"
Lisa pulled herself up and started to wash her face in the basin. As she began washing her hands, lathering them thoroughly, she looked down at the rich lather on her fingers and then up at the mirror.
Message! Someone - the next visitor - will see!
With trembling hands, she quickly wrote a message in soap in huge letters on the mirror.
18 F HAS BOMB.
Not true, but definitely enough for someone to take action.
Should read '18 F IS bomb'…
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Jackson was beginning to worry. This was NOT going according to his plan any more. Her energetic, stubborn defence of herself, and her loved ones, was slowly getting to him. She still hadn't crumbled like expected, she had instead suddenly vaporised, disappeared into the restroom, clearly disturbed after their last conversation, and so was he; bothered….
You should be! He wasn't even sure whether he meant her or himself any more.
And she WAS trouble, he'd been right. She'd been trouble all from start. Even during his surveillance he hadn't been able to fathom her behaviour, something that rarely happened. People were generally very alike, easy to read. She wasn't.
Why? Why, Leese?
He stared at the dead phone and sighed – deeply. If he didn't get this done by five thirty, the Keefes wouldn't be in suite 4080 when the missile hit and all the preps would be wasted.
His thoughts turned back to Lisa. She had seemed like such a lonely young lady. She was always radiant at work, putting up a façade of normality in the brief meetings with hotel guests, staff and, as he had noted with interest, even towards friends as well as family. He doubted anyone really knew her. Perhaps I'm the one who knows her best at this point? He had sat for endless hours outside her hotel, and little beach house, had been following her into bars and gyms. To begin with it had been nothing but a boring job, and in the end he had relished their silent connection, almost regretting even in advance what he'd soon put her through.
She had reacted strongly when he'd asked what had turned her into a loner. Then she'd rushed out of his sight.
And you let her!
Dangerous ground. He felt like Lisa was somewhat out of his control right now and he needed to get it back. What triggered that reaction, the one where you bolted away from me? It made him curious. Also, she had a lot more guts than most women – or men – would've had in this situation. How come? Where did you get that from?
What happened to you, Leese? He realised he wanted to know the answer to that far more than this job demanded.
A beep was heard, bringing him out of his thoughts, and the most beautiful sight Jackson had seen for a while suddenly appeared in front of him. The phone was back on line.
Thank. You.
Lisa… what the fuck are you doing back there?
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Rinsing her hands and wiping them off, she realised too much time had passed and that she needed to get back quickly before Jackson started wondering. Opening the door, feeling quite proud of herself, she gasped with shock.
Jackson!
He smirked. "I was wondering…" Then his gaze shifted to the left of her. The hair on the back of Lisa's neck stood straight up in fright. It took him a full second to take in what he read at the mirror, then everything happened at once. Jackson lunged into the restroom, pushing a struggling Lisa in front of him, locking the door behind him.
The back of Lisa's head hit the wall and she saw stars. She flailed wildly to get him off of her, scared to death of what he might do to her after her attempt to send yet another message.
Jackson covered her mouth with his hand, holding it tight while Lisa twisted and produced muffled sounds underneath. His other hand held a firm grip around her neck. It hurt everywhere as he forced her to be still.
"Don't fight me," he said in a low, almost soothing, voice. "You're all worked up from being so creative. Breathe." He glanced once more at the message in the mirror, and Lisa followed his gaze, cringing as she looked at how it read through his eyes.
A faint sound was heard from just outside the rest room door.
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The girl!
Jackson went still and glanced at the door. For some reason, Lisa also went completely still in his hands. Voices were heard, and as they drifted off in the distance, Jackson angrily slammed Lisa into the wall opposite the basin. He gripped viciously around her cheeks; squeezing them tightly in his hand.
"Please, just stop whoever's at my dad's house!" she pleaded. Hopelessly. Jackson was seriously pissed off. At that moment he wanted to strangle her to death, taken aback by exactly how strongly he reacted to her traitorous behaviour. She still had a phone call to make, though. He exhaled.
You'll live – a little longer…
"I already have, by TWICE intercepting these little communiqués." He leaned even closer, wanting to explain this to her once and for all. "You know, if they'd fallen into the hands of a by-the-book stewardess, she'd have gone straight to the cockpit and we'd landed somewhere else." His eyes narrowed menacingly. "If that happens, Leese, our guy in the BMW's gonna know about it. So do Dad a favour – and Stop. Gambling. With. His. LIFE!" Jackson snarled the last part mere inches away from her face.
Get this now, Leese. Stop trying. Please.
Their noses were practically touching and his body was pressed up against hers to intimidate her all he could. At the same time, it was not an entirely bad feeling – her softness squeezed into his hard body, her scent enveloping him… All those hours, all those weeks, always on a distance…
So this is what you feel like?
Keep your fucking focus, Jack!
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Lisa was terrified.
Jackson mastered both her body and soul completely, and he was way too close for comfort. She felt his chest heave into hers with every angry word he spoke. Looking into his eyes, his clear blue eyes, right now blazing with anger, they mixed with the memory of the eyes she had found so beautiful back at the airport, the eyes that had looked friendly and filled with humour and warmth. A dull ache spread in her chest. It didn't feel as terrifying as it should to have him this close.
With her heart beating quickly, Lisa took a chance.
"You don't have to do this," she breathed softly. She looked at his lips and then back into his eyes once more. "Any of this."
Please, Jackson.
Jackson regarded her and some of the anger in his gaze seemed to dissolve.
He leaned a fraction of an inch closer and Lisa inhaled sharply as his lips brushed against her cheek. The stubble at his cheek rasped against hers, and it wasn't entirely unpleasant. When her mouth flew open with surprise, Jackson moved in and claimed it.
Lisa stiffened and her heart pounded as he pressed his warm lips against hers; they felt just as soft as they looked. She didn't move at first, too terrified to push him away. Then, in spite of what she knew about him, her body responded with a tickle in her chest and she felt short of breath, suddenly wanting more of this closeness.
Lisa's feelings of failure had been devastating since he'd revealed the reason why he'd approached her. She accused herself of the terrible misjudgement of his character more than she accused him.
And still, here they were; pulled towards each other.
Her lips twitched against his.
It could be interpreted as if she kissed him back.
Moaning into his mouth, she tried to move away and yet she let him in. Jackson's tongue gained entrance and touched the tip of hers. They tasted each other, a little hesitant at first, and then with increasing passion.
Jackson let his hand slide down her chin, along her throat, where he held it almost possessively, like he would choke the life out of her if she turned from him now. Lisa felt it warm and strong against her skin, her pulse beating quickly against his palm. Deepening the kiss further, his other hand slowly slid down her upper arm, past her elbow where it left and moved to her waist, with his thumb caressing the bare skin in the gap where her pullover had ridden up.
The electrifying touches of his hands on the naked skin at her waist were too intrusive and made Lisa suddenly come to her senses and freeze. Don't TOUCH me!
Gasping, she twisted her head and broke the kiss.
Jackson panted as he looked down at her. His hands were still on her throat and waist, the touch burning into her. His eyes appeared anything but cold at that first second, as he sucked on his lower lip, as if tasting what was left of her on him. Lisa breathed heavily and looked at him with a terrified expression. Jackson's gaze slid from her eyes, past her face and over her lips, and then something caught his attention further down. Pulling her blouse a little to the side with his thumb, he revealed an ugly scar below her right clavicle.
Oh, no. Not that! Ugly memories that she had tried to suppress for so long re-surfaced, fighting for her attention. Man. Knife. Hurt. Shame.
Lisa saw a look of compassion fill his eyes.
"Someone do that to you?" he asked softly.
Like he cares.
Remembering who he was and what they were really doing together on this plane, Lisa suddenly regretted responding to him; regretted that she had given in to her feelings, even for one moment.
No, don't you change. Stay ruthless. She didn't know how to fight him if he turned out to be something more than just a killer. Didn't know how to feed the loathing she needed. If he turned out to be … human…
She shook her head. "No," she whispered.
Jackson's eyes hardened slightly. "Is that what it is?"
Lisa trembled with exhaustion; a hundred emotions surged through her, haunting terrifying flashes from the assault two years ago. She didn't want this man's compassion. She wanted to hate him, wanted to push him away as far as she could.
You're no different from any other man.
Her whole body shook as she once more mouthed, "No."
Jackson stared at her as his eyes went colder until they looked like frozen lakes, chilling her to the bones.
"You know what I think?" he sneered. Then he violently grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the opposite wall, following close behind, pressing against her as he squeezed his hands around her neck. "You know what I think?"
Lisa was unable to think anything, she could barely breathe, and that quickly became her main priority. Clutching at his hands, she tried to loosen his grip to get some air. I'mgonnadieohmygodI'mgonnadie!!!
"I think you're not such an honest person! Because I've followed you for eight WEEKS now, and I never ONCE saw you order anything but a FUCKING Sea Breeze!" If Lisa had been in a state to listen, she would have wondered about the touch of hurt in his voice, behind the obvious anger.
Yelping and gasping, Lisa wheezed, "I can't breathe…"
He shook her for good measure, and then he yanked his hand away, sending her into the wall.
Pulling his fingers through his hair, he had a brief look of despair on his face. Angrily tearing some paper towels from the holder, he poured water on them and began with hasty, irritated movements to wipe off her message from the mirror.
"I've never lied to you, Leese. Know why? ´Cause it doesn't serve me."
Lisa gulped for air, barely able to listen to what he was saying. She was petrified, realizing she somehow had gotten away easy. Her mouth was completely void of saliva and her throat ached.
Jackson went on, relentlessly. "We're both professional. We have the will and means to follow through. ´Cause when we don't, our customers aren't happy. And when they're not, we suffer and our lives go to shit." While wiping the mirror, he kept ranting in a low, raspy, still clearly affected voice.
She jerked when he gently gripped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. To Lisa's surprise he appeared more collected than he'd sounded a moment ago. She shrank back into the corner as she was once more mere inches from his face.
"- and that's not going to happen. Is it?"
They regarded each other for a few moments, both of them still panting from the fighting as well as the kissing.
"No," Lisa whispered, fearfully, finally aware of his strength and that he was actually capable of hurting her.
"Good," Jackson answered. "Because I'm gonna tell you the phones are working again." He leaned even closer. "Are you sure we got a deal this time?"
Lisa's heart sank. I don't want to do this! She should be happy; it meant her father was going to be safe. But what about Keefe?!
Finally, she mouthed, "Yes." She avoided his gaze, he had beaten her; there was nothing more she could think of that would save everyone.
"Peachy." Jackson smirked and straightened, giving her some breathing space. "Well -" He corrected his shirt, stuffing it back inside the lining of his pants where it had slipped, and pulled his fingers through his hair once more. "- thanks for the quickie."
Lisa froze. What an insult. They both knew they HAD shared a moment of… something, but he didn't have to rub it in like that.
Jackson suddenly gripped her chin again, looking her over like an animal at an auction, probably to see if she had bruises. Satisfied with what he saw, he patted her cheek and opened the door. "Come on." He still had a smug look on his face that annoyed her.
Lisa was stunned – and pissed off. A moment ago she had considered herself defeated, but now she wanted to fight again.
I'm not letting a man abuse me again.
Never again!
