Disclaimer: I do not own Red Eye, or any characters originally involved. Any OCs are, of course, my own.


Chapter 6:

Sacrifice

"Kill Jackson Rippner."

"What?"

Gabriel sighed and leaned forward in his chair.

"You heard me, Lisa. I need you to do this for me."

"No." Lisa wrapped her robe around herself more tightly and rose up off of the bed. She inched her way over to the small kitchen area, feeling Gabriel's eyes on her the whole time. "No."

"After everything he's put you through? After what just happened?"

"I'm human. He's human. He may not have the same morals as I do, but I am not a murderer. That is precisely why I am not getting involved in this. You're insane. Get out."

Gabriel chuckled.

"Let me ask you a question. Do you believe in the death penalty?"

Lisa cringed. Her hesitation was all Gabriel needed.

"So why is this any different? You can assume what he's done."

"I'm not an executioner!" she shouted, easing back against a wall.

"Everyone likes to deny it, but it's inside of all of us, Lisa. Do you think that Jackson and I went through our childhoods just hoping that one day we could be a part of all this? While other kids dreamed of being astronauts and doctors, our type dreamed of becoming hit men and spies? Do you think nothing drove us to this lifestyle?"

"I won't do it," Lisa stated flatly.

She crossed her arms across her chest and prepared for the retaliation. She was so used to Jackson's temper that she expected Gabriel to pounce on her, threatening to skin her alive until she yielded. Instead, Gabriel simply sighed and sauntered over to her. Lisa shrunk back, coiling her muscles and readying herself to flee, but Gabriel simply ignored her and headed straight for the coffee pot. As he fiddled with it, Lisa watched him carefully.

"I'm no killer," she said softly. "Why me? Why is it always me?"

Gabriel put the pot on and turned around to face her, leaning on the counter for support.

"You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, I'm sorry to say. And quite frankly, I just need your help."

Something about the way he was pleading with her made Lisa's heart ache. This was all wrong. She was no killer. And yet, shouldn't she be jumping at the chance to make Jackson pay? Shouldn't he be excited to rid the world of his terror once and for all? She could only take a guess at how many lives he had ruined over the years. Still, he wasn't the only one. There would always be more like him. And Gabriel had a point: they hadn't always been this way. Somewhere down the road, these men, and women, had been jaded and had turned to this. They had been different, compassionate, people at one point in time. Lisa hoped she was right, anyway.

"He's just… he's…"

"Confused?" Gabriel asked, as if reading her mind. "He wasn't. Not until he met you, anyway."

Lisa shivered.

"Look. Let me explain and then once you have all the facts you can decide whether or not you're in. Alright?"

"Why?"

Gabriel chuckled.

"Jackson told me you love to ask questions. Why what?"

"Why should I even give you the time of day, Gabriel? You're no better than he is. At the end of the day, who knows how many families each of you has ruined? How many people you have killed? You may have better composure than Jackson, but you're still a killer. And what's one less killer in the world? There will just be the whole rest of your seedy organization out there to replace him."

"And that's what I want to tell you. Jackson has gone trigger happy. He's been trying so desperately to prove to our higher ups that he still has what it takes to continue with us that he has been stealing jobs from other people, including hit men. Do you remember the Frederick family that was on the news a few nights ago?"

Lisa tried to hold in the small cry that she wanted to release. She remembered that family very well. All murdered brutally in their home. The poor sixteen year old son was shot while he slept. The mother and father were tortured before they were eventually stabbed to death. Lisa turned her eyes down to the tiles.

"He did that, didn't he?"

"Stole the case from another of our associates and decided to handle it on his own in half the time of the original employee. It ended sloppily and it was completely unnecessary." Gabriel paused. "Well. Not completely. They were a well-known family to us."

"And I guess their son was necessary to kill, too?"

Gabriel shrugged.

"Jackson claimed he targeted him because he was a rapist."

Lisa turned her glare on Gabriel, feeling her heart sink once more.

"My point is, regardless of what you may think of our company, we actually do bring some order to the world. But when there isn't order within our business, well, everything turns to shit."

Lisa was once more reminded of Jackson. Lisa wondered how long Gabriel and Jackson had worked together and whether or not the mannerism had originated from Jackson or Gabriel.

"Our organization is very unhappy with Jackson. I am supposed to bring an end to all of this by the end of the trip. He can't go on just killing anyone he wants to. Believe me, Lisa. There has to be order. And if he isn't handled by the end of this little boat ride?" Gabriel stepped away from the counter and closer to Lisa, coming to hover over her. "Our company will cut him off."

"And?"

"And all of our protection will end. All of our safe houses, all the money, everything, will be gone. He will be alone in the world and the first people to come after him will be the Russians. He won't be able to escape them. And they will make Jackson suffer until the very end."

"Then you do it," she spat. "You kill him."

"My boss made me come on this trip. Alicia. She wants me to do it mercifully because we're friends. And that's precisely why I can't do it, Lisa. Jackson is a bastard, we both know it, but he's the closest thing to a friend I have, and I simply can't do it."

"Help him escape."

"Don't you think I've tried? Don't you think I've plotted out different escape routes?"

Lisa groaned. She wanted to vomit.

"Get him to help you. He wouldn't want to save his own life?"

"He will go for the company. It won't be a situation where he surrenders. Jackson will want to go out in a blaze of glory, taking as many people as possible down with him."

She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She placed her hand against her cheek, cupping it for comfort. What was she to do? Kill this man? Sure, he had threatened her, nearly killed her, nearly killed her father, and was a clearly mental person, but could she do it? Did he deserve it? This was no longer attacking him for self-defense. This was kicking a dog when he was down. This was putting him down. Maybe all he needed was help.

"I can't kill him."

"You can. Think of it as a mercy killing, Lisa. And once it's done, we'll clean it all up for you. No one will be the wiser. This sort of thing happens every day."

Now Lisa really did have to vomit. She whirled around and sprinted off for the bathroom. She barely made it to the small toilet before she emptied the meager contents of her stomach. Gabriel was there beside her seconds later, holding her hair. She couldn't believe that these two drastically different men could be friends. She couldn't believe they hadn't ripped each other to shreds before now.

She finished and rinsed her mouth at the sink while Gabriel stood out in the small hall. When she came back out, he handed her a small glass of water. Lisa drank it slowly, wanting so badly to be back home. Wanting life to be like something from the Twilight Zone where she could rewind time.

"How can you expect me to do this?"

"You can get close to him. He won't suspect anything from you."

Lisa laughed.

"The second I even enter the same room as him, he'll find a way to kill me."

"He wouldn't kill you. He's become attached. You could use it as your advantage."

"You could be lying. This could all be some elaborate trap."

"But it's not. You can do this. I can make this worth your while."

"I don't want your blood money. It's disgusting."

"So you'll do it?"

Lisa swore and looked down at her feet.

"I'm going to hell in a hand basket. I don't know the first thing about killing!"

"You sure came close the first time!"

"No. There's no way."

"Lisa. He always carries some form of weapon on him. It will be easy. Just make sure you're not in public."

Lisa laughed.

"No. I can't do this. And I certainly couldn't do this alone."

She faced him again, her green eyes pleading. She couldn't even believe that she had come this close to considering Gabriel's request. She was no killer. Regardless of Jackson's actions, Lisa couldn't be the one to kill him. She wouldn't ever be able to live with herself again.

"I can't be there. I just can't do it."

"Look. I know you said you're friends, so why can't you just drug him or something?"

"Lisa," he growled, stepping forward and finally showing his violent side. He gripped her by the shoulders, causing Lisa to immediately cry out in fear. "He's like a brother to me. Could you kill your brother?"

"I don't have a brother," Lisa spat. "Now let go of me."

Gabriel smirked and released her. Lisa rubbed the sore spots on her arms slowly, keeping her eyes trained on him.

"Your father then. Could you kill him?"

"Of course not."

"Then help me."

Something in Gabriel's voice made Lisa believe him, if even slightly.

"I can't do this, Lisa. I just can't. I'm not proud. I've been trained to rid myself of emotions. And I'm sure Jackson wouldn't do me the courtesy. But I'm weak here. I can't kill him."

This would end badly. Lisa just knew. But maybe, just maybe, she could find a way around this. Maybe Jackson could be reasoned with. Maybe he just needed someone to take his anger out on. Lisa could sacrifice herself to save others. Anything to stop the killing. But, who was she kidding? Jackson would always be a killer.

"What if I can convince him to stop killing?"

Gabriel laughed. His eyes squinted shut and he clutched his sides.

"I'm serious," Lisa forced out, an odd source of strength solidifying her words.

Gabriel sobered slowly.

"Lisa, there's no other option."

"Answer my question, Gabriel."

"If he could stop killing out of hand, I could make a case to our superiors. I could possibly convince them that he's no longer a threat to our stability and that he simply had a breakdown. It's hardly a chance, Lisa. Don't count on it."

"Well, if there's a chance I don't have to kill him, I'll take it."

She walked over to the small dresser and began pulling out clothes as if nothing had happened to interrupt her changing after her shower.

"And just what do you plan on doing?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I'm going to need as much time as possible."

Gabriel cocked his head at her and smiled. She was feisty. He could absolutely tell why Jackson felt attracted to her. She posed a threat and she was something to be conquered. Lisa was the one woman who had refused to yield to him and it had driven Jackson to the brink of insanity. It had thrown him overboard.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Here's my cell phone number," he commented, pulling a small business card out of his pants pocket and placing it down on the counter of the kitchen. "I'll be around. I just don't want to be there when it happens."

"You won't," Lisa murmured.

She watched as Gabriel left her alone. What was she going to do? Lisa had absolutely no plan. But the finality of everything was setting in. The odds certainly were not in the favor of convincing Jackson to stop killing. Lisa didn't care what Gabriel said; Jackson had been born a killer. She felt it in her bones. She only hoped that everything worked out. And going to the authorities would only make everything worse. More questioning. Possible retaliation. Lisa cursed her sense of morality. Her sense of hope. Her sense of love and compassion. She wished she could be heartless like Jackson. Wouldn't life just be so much easier?

But, then Lisa was reminded of her time after the rape. She had nearly gone catatonic. Did she want to go back to that emotionless state? She had felt so hopeless and lost. But then, maybe that was how Jackson felt. She had defeated him. He said he always finished his jobs. Maybe she managed to flip his world upside down on him. Lisa could fix this. Somehow, she had to fix this. Not for Jackson. Not for Gabriel. Not for anyone else who even knew Jackson Rippner. No; Lisa Reisert had to do this all for herself. Lisa had to prove to herself that people could be brought back from the brink. She didn't have to kill Jackson Rippner. She could save him.


Lisa decided she would go about her business. This was a vacation after all. She might as well enjoy it in the short amount of time she might get before the proverbial shit hit the fan, right? She dressed herself for a day out by the pool; a conservative, one-piece, green bathing suit, sunglasses, towel, and a good book. She had been running into Jackson since the very first night on the cruise. After the events of this morning, why would today be any different? She would lay herself out like a piece of bait and wait for him to show up. He wouldn't kill her in public. At least, Lisa hoped and prayed he wouldn't. Lisa wasn't sure what she would say to him, but she figured talking to him might at least be a start. Maybe she could discover something; some way around all of this. Still, Lisa was sure to bring along her own bottle of water. She was not up for being drugged again. If she was going to be of any use to either of these troublesome men, she had to be on her guard. Lisa couldn't be knocked out during round one.

So, Lisa resigned herself to a long wait by the poolside. She would glance at her watch occasionally, keeping track of the slowly passing hours. She finished her book and took one last look at her watch. She had been sitting out by the pool for three hours now with no sign of Jackson. Maybe he was waiting until she returned to her room again to make his move.

Lisa sighed and stood up from her plastic beach chair. She stretched a bit and removed her towel before she made her way over to the pool. She dipped her foot in and bit her lip. It was amazingly warm. This was why she was here. Lisa could forget all about her troubles. She could forget about these past weeks and this past day. She could forget about the task she might have to carry out.

She jumped into the water without hesitation and let herself be swallowed by its warmth. She paddled lightly beneath the surface, relishing the comfort enveloping her. Just as her lungs began to ache, pleading for air, she kicked and brought herself up to the surface, gasping for air. She wiped her eyes and began floating on her back, letting the sun warm her exposed half while the water warmed her bottom half.

"You're brave coming out here like I won't hurt you," a deep voice cooed from behind her.

Lisa quickly flipped up and came face to face with Jackson. How or when he had entered the water, she wasn't sure. Lisa wondered how she hadn't noticed him. Jackson simply stared at her, paddling in the water before her.

"We're in public. You're not that stupid, Jack."

He grabbed her arm and tugged her forward. A small girl sitting on the edge of the pool watched them curiously.

"Do you think any of these spring-break college kids give two shits, Leese? Hm? Do you think I couldn't make it out to be like you accidentally drowned? Hit your head and went under? Hell. I might even perform CPR. Come out the hero who was just a few seconds too late."

Lisa tried to yank her arm free, but Jackson only tightened his grip. Being this close to him made Lisa's stomach churn. She was reminded all too clearly of the few times they were this close. It never ended well. But, this time, Lisa believed she had the upper hand.

"Again, you're not that stupid."

Jackson smirked.

"I'll just come pay you a visit tonight," he murmured.

If it had been any other statement, Lisa might have thought it to be some secret exchanged between lovers. The mere idea sent a shiver up her spine. This time, when Lisa tried to tug her arm free, Jackson obliged, but he continued to paddle towards her, never letting her get farther than a foot from him.

"You don't have to do this, you know."

Jackson chuckled, sinking deeper in the water so that only his eyes were above the water. He reminded Lisa of some extreme water predator; an alligator or crocodile. Some sort of snake. He sprung up and Lisa jumped back, scraping her skin against the side of the pool. He had been herding her. Now he closed the space between them and Jackson stood a mere few inches away. His hair hung down into his eyes, making him look childish.

"Oh, but I do, Leese. This will make everything right. I'm sorry. I truly am."

"If you're sorry, then don't do it. Nothing has happened yet. We can get past it."

Jackson laughed.

"Always the heroine, huh, Leese?" He raised a finger and pressed it to his temple. "Are you going to psycho analyze me? Tell me all about how my daddy issues drove me to this?"

"That'd be a start," she spat. "You just think you're so tough. Can't you see I'm not afraid of you?"

Jackson clutched the side of the pool on either side of Lisa's shoulders and pressed his lips to her ear. She had nowhere to run to.

"That's not how it seemed earlier, Lisa. That's not how it seems now. Or are you going to try to convince me you're shivering because you're cold?"

He eased back just enough for them to be able to make eye contact. Lisa was craning her neck back to give herself some room, but Jackson would have none of it. He was all about dominance and control.

"I don't know what Gabriel told you," he whispered, a threatening tone cutting through, "But you should run. Because the next time you're alone will be when I come. The next time you won't have him there to intervene. The next time I-"

"The next time I'll be waiting."

With that, Lisa swallowed her fear and shoved Jackson away from her. She heard him growl behind her, but she kept swimming. She couldn't look back. She knew it was taking all of his personal strength to not go ahead and slit her throat right here and now. When she climbed out of the pool and rushed over to her bag, Jackson followed her. He loomed over her, dripping wet, and watched as she gathered her things.

"Care to join me?" she asked.

Something in Jackson's face, for just a moment, softened. Lisa felt an odd wave of embarrassment wash over her. She wasn't sure why she had asked him that in such a way. Clearly she had confused him just as well. He still seemed enraged. He was still standing over her, still as a stone, glaring at her. But, for just a moment, she could have sworn she saw something in his face. Something like surprise. Something like… want.

"You're going to keep pushing me, Lisa, until I snap. Who knows? Maybe I'll torture you for a while."

Lisa stopped packing and straightened herself so that she was standing near his level.

"I think you're all talk."

"Was my knife on your throat earlier confusing?"

"We'll see," she countered, returning to her bag.

She wrapped her towel around her waist while Jackson was still standing next to her, huffing. His nostrils were flaring with barely contained rage. She could be so cocky in public, Jackson mused, but he would knock her down several pegs later in her room. He would make her pay. She couldn't just do this to him.

"I'll see you later," she called out to him as she turned to walk away.

"You most certainly will," he called after her.

Jackson watched her walk away, opening and closing his fists. She caused such turmoil within him. He had never felt so much rage towards a woman before in his life. He turned his neck to the side and cracked it, feeling a slight relief wash over him. Alicia always did say he held tension in his shoulders and neck.

Yes. Lisa would certainly see him later. Maybe he would just surprise her by joining her for dinner tonight. She would fear him. Jackson would make Lisa yield to him, or he would tear her apart trying.


A/N: Thank you so much to those of you who responded to my Author's Note wishing me luck on exams and such. It meant a lot to me to know that you weren't going to just abandon Overboard simply because I haven't updated!
On that note... I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. The next chapter will *hopefully* have some action. Again, bear with me here as I only have time here and there to work on it until I finish my exams.
Let me know what you all think!
Thanks, loves!