We return to the action! I recently updated my profile page, and on it I have put three new challenges to all of you writers out there. One of them is a "Red Eye" challenge, so be sure to check it out! Enjoy this chapter, and please review! All of you Jackson/Lisa fans, I'm interested to know what you think of the new developments in this story. Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Sophisticated Wolves
Jackson, his men and his captives had no trouble getting into their hotel later that evening. They had a two-bedroom suite, and one room was reserved for Lisa, the children and Catherine, the other for the men.
Catherine left the hotel early the next morning and returned in the afternoon with several bags of supplies and a lovely gown thrown over her shoulder.
"Did you see anyone while you were out?" Jackson asked as soon as she closed the hotel door behind her.
"Yes. Maverick Adams' henchmen were out, as well as Tyler Perry."
"Any sign of Nicholas?"
"No," Catherine said, shaking her head.
"All right. Go get ready to go and give Lisa her stuff. I put your dress on your bed," Jackson said, leaving the sitting room area. "Leave your hair down tonight. It will have a better effect."
Catherine rolled her eyes and then went into her room where Lisa, Jamie, and Eric were waiting.
"Okay, Reisert," the gorgeous woman said, putting a bag on Lisa's bed and then draping the beautiful dress on top of it. "Time to get changed."
"Who picked out the dress?" Lisa asked, lifting the dress up to look at it better.
"I did. I didn't think you'd appreciate Jackson picking it out. I sure don't when he picks my clothes out. What do you think?" Catherine asked.
Lisa looked over the exquisite dress, her eyes shining with excitement. Her gown was made of white silk. It was long and plain, yet simply elegant.
"I don't understand," she said as she took the plastic slip off it. "Why did you get me such a beautiful dress if you want me dead?"
"I think," Catherine said with a smile, "that Rippner cares for you a little more than he lets on. He loves women with spirit, and you have enough spirit to drive him insane. I thought you might like to look pretty tonight. Now, I don't know how you wanted to do your hair, but I do have a bit of talent when it comes to styling."
"You are making this event sound like it's going to be wonderful instead of lethal," Lisa said, standing up and beginning to walk towards the bathroom.
"Oh, it's going to be dangerous," Catherine said, "but you may as well feel good on what could possibly be your last night of life."
"That's depressing," Jamie said from Catherine's side as Lisa stepped into the bathroom.
"It's true though. Now listen. You and Eric are going to have to stay here during the assembly tonight. Do not leave this building. As Jackson said earlier, the streets and buildings are going to be swarming with members of assassin and terrorist organizations. If any of them see you, you will be in far worse hands than you are now. Randy and Phillip are going to be staying with you. Behave for them, and they may just give you a good evening," Catherine said.
"I don't want to stay here. I want to warn Dad!" Eric exclaimed.
"I know what you want, but your life will be in danger if you try anything," Catherine scowled. "Do what I say, and you'll be all right."
In the bathroom, Lisa slipped her new dress on, relishing the feeling of the smooth silk against her skin. It must be admitted that, while she was afraid of being in the midst of hundreds of assassins, she did look forward to staying close to Jackson. He was weaving his spell around her again, and it was working.
Lisa found some makeup in the bathroom and quickly applied it. She then left the bathroom and stepped back into her room. She laughed when Eric's mouth dropped in awe. Jamie clapped her hands together and leaped up from her bed, laughing with delight.
"Look at you!" she exclaimed, dancing around Lisa. "You look like a princess!"
"Oh good. The dress fits nicely," Catherine commented. "Would you care to have your hair fashioned?"
"Can I have it put up somehow?" Lisa asked, blushing with pleasure.
"I think I can do that," Catherine nodded, circling her. She took notice of the way the sleeves draped just slightly off Lisa's slim shoulders and smiled slightly, pleased that she had done such an excellent job picking out a dress.
Catherine spent several minutes on Lisa's hair, brushing it and pinning it. When she was finished, she studied her work and then stood back with satisfaction.
"Very nice."
Lisa looked in a mirror and was filled with delight. Her hair was pinned up with some loose curls left down to frame her face. The pins were silver with small artificial diamonds on the tips, and they shone cheerfully in the dim lighting of the room.
"I am going to get dressed. I'll be back out soon," Catherine said, picking her dress up off her bed and then stepping into the bathroom.
"This is all so confusing," Jamie sighed as Lisa sat back on the bed. "First they want to kill you, now they give you an exquisite gown for a murderous evening."
"It is confusing," Lisa nodded. "But I'm going to try and enjoy my evening."
"You won't have to try too hard," Eric said.
There was a knock on the bedroom door, and then Jackson stepped inside. He was dressed in a tuxedo and moved as though his shoulders had never been damaged. There was a red rose in his lapel, and he handed a rose to Lisa.
"I already have the reputation of having the most beautiful assistant, but I wouldn't mind having the most beautiful captive either," he said as Lisa took the rose.
"Is that a compliment?" Lisa asked, standing up.
"Perhaps. Is Catherine getting ready to go?"
"Yes," Jamie nodded.
"Listen up, you two," Jackson said, sitting down on the edge of Catherine's bed and looking at the children. "You will stay in this hotel room tonight. If I come back and find that you got out and had to be hunted down, you will be punished severely. If you get out, there are agents ten times more deadly than I am just looking for an opportunity to get Keefe's children. They will treat you ruthlessly, without a trace of mercy. Do not leave this hotel room."
"We already got our instructions from Catherine," Eric sighed.
"Good. She chose a good dress for you, Leese," Jackson said, standing up again and circling Lisa. "I'm going to have to fight everyone off of two women tonight instead of just one."
"Why are you being so nice to her all of a sudden?" Jamie asked, an eyebrow arched.
"Considering my money is what went into buying this dress, Lisa had better look good," Jackson said. "She got you shoes too, didn't she?"
Lisa nodded and pulled out a pair of white high heels from the bag on her bed.
"Oh! It looks like she got something else!" she exclaimed, pulling out a small jewelry box.
She opened it, Jamie and Eric looking over her shoulder, and then gasped. Inside the velvet box was a set of diamond earrings and a gold chain necklace with a single diamond charm to match.
"Jamie, help me get this on please?" Lisa asked excitedly, taking the necklace out of its case.
"I'll do it," Jackson said, taking the necklace from her.
Lisa watched, uncertainly, as Jackson put the chain around her neck and then clasped it in place. His cool fingers touched her skin, and she shuddered and turned to face him.
"How does it look?" she asked quietly.
"Beautiful," Jackson said, his eyes burning into hers for several seconds before he turned away.
The bathroom door opened, and Catherine stepped out.
Not a single word was spoken as she stepped into the room, for her audience was awestruck. Jackson had chosen a dark green gown for her. It was sleeveless, but knowing that Catherine preferred to be more modest than that, he had gotten her a dark green silk jacket to match. The dress showed off her beautiful form. The color, as well as a little bit of black eyeliner, made Catherine's eyes look greener than they ever had before. Her dark hair was down and curly, gracefully draping down to the middle of her back and resting gently against her shoulders. She wore an emerald earring and necklace set, and looked absolutely dazzling.
"Why on earth," Lisa spoke aloud, "did you become an assassin and not a model?"
"I have to admit," Catherine said, sitting down on her bed and pulling on a pair of black boots. "You did a good job this time, Jackson."
"Why are you wearing boots with a gown like that?" Eric asked.
"I have to be ready for anything," Catherine answered. "Have a knife on you that I can use, Jackson?"
Jackson nodded and pulled a knife out from under his tuxedo jacket. He handed it to her, and she slipped it easily into an awaiting sheath in her boot.
"Time to go," Jackson said, moving towards the door to the adjoining sitting area. "Kids, say good-bye to Lisa. You might not be seeing her again."
Both children ran to Lisa and embraced her tightly.
"Be careful, Miss Lisa!" Jamie said, squeezing her as tightly as she could.
"If anybody tries to hurt you, you tell me when you get back," Eric demanded. "I'll show them a thing or two."
"Stay in the hotel room," Lisa smiled, stepping away from them. "Randy and Phillip will take care of you. I don't think they'll hurt you if you listen to them."
"They better not," Eric scowled, folding his arms over his chest.
Lisa and Catherine followed Jackson out of the room, Lisa looking back at the children one last time before she left. She didn't like leaving them alone with two criminals, but she didn't have a choice in the matter, and Phillip and Randy didn't strike her as being extremely dangerous. They could be lethal if they needed to be, but they almost seemed to have a liking for the children, and she knew they wouldn't hurt them unless necessary.
Harvard stepped alongside Jackson as they left the room and quietly went over some last arrangements with him.
"Catherine," Lisa asked as they walked out into the night air and walked over to an awaiting black car. "Will there really be people trying to kill me?"
"There will be assassins trying to kill all of us," Catherine said, sliding into the back of the car and then watching as Jackson slid in next to her. "Again, stay with Jackson and you'll be all right."
"Even with wounded shoulders?" Lisa asked, sliding in next to Jackson and then scooting over as Harvard closed her door.
"I'm not entirely dilapidated," Jackson scowled and then put his arm around Catherine. "Let's make this a good show," he told her. "We've done this act before."
"I know," Catherine nodded. "I'm entirely engrossed with you and you think I'm the most stunning woman you've ever seen. That whole performance is supposed to get Nicholas' attention."
"Right," Jackson nodded. "He'll be swarmed with women, but I want you to be the one he sees and pursues."
"And then you want me to get as much information out of him as I can. When were you and he going to get together and discuss Smithson?"
"I'm not sure yet," Jackson said. "We're going to have to take one minute at a time."
The Venice La' Grande was, quite possibly, the most luxurious building Lisa had ever been in. As soon as she stepped inside the rich hotel with Jackson, Catherine, and Harvard, they were led into an exquisite ballroom on the second floor. The color theme for the immense room was gold and red. Crystal chandeliers adorned the ceiling, and rich red carpet graced the floor.
The room was full of people from different countries and nationalities, all of them dressed in their extreme best. The women wore long, flowing gowns, and every man was dressed in a tuxedo.
"Surely these can't all be assassins," Lisa spoke.
"They are," Catherine said, wrapping her arms around one of Jackson's arms and resting her head on his shoulder. "Watch your step, Lisa. As soon as they recognize you, there could be trouble."
Jackson's group received many dark looks of recognition as they made their way through the room to a table.
"Harvard," Jackson instructed once they arrived at a table decorated with roses and candles. "You and Lisa sit here for a few minutes. Catherine and I are going to go dance and see whom exactly we're dealing with tonight. We'll be back soon. If you have trouble, let me know."
He took Catherine's hands in his and then pulled her gracefully to the dance floor. They began to move in and out of the other dancers, cheek to cheek, warily keeping an eye out on their fellow assassins. They whispered back and forth, commenting on familiar faces, how successful the assassins had been, etc…
They certainly made a charming couple. They were perfectly matched in every way.
"Look," Catherine whispered, putting one of her hands behind Jackson's neck and holding him closer. "I'm going to turn, and then you'll see Nicholas. You were right. He is mobbed by women."
She spun gracefully, and Jackson caught sight of Nicholas standing amongst a large group of females. The man had his blonde hair cut short, and he was wearing glasses, making him look a bit older than he actually was. He was watching Catherine, Jackson noticed with satisfaction. It would only be a few more minutes before he gained courage enough to speak to her.
"Seniorita Catherine!" A voice called, and Jackson turned his head to see where the call had come from.
"Senior Marcelo!" Catherine exclaimed and then pulled away from Jackson.
A tall man, tan and with gray streaks in his dark hair, stepped out of a group of men, a large smile on his face.
"Seniorita Catherine! How good to see you!" he cried out in broken English, taking Catherine's hands in his own. He kissed her on both cheeks and then smiled joyfully at Jackson. "A dance with her, Senior?" he asked.
"Depends on what you want to pay," Jackson said.
"Five hundred, good?"
"I'll take that," Jackson nodded.
The older Spanish man took out some money and handed it to Jackson. He then took Catherine's hand in his and brought her onto the center of the dance floor.
Jackson smiled as he returned to the table where Lisa and Harvard sat.
"That wasn't Nicholas," Lisa said, watching as Catherine and Senior Marcelo weaved through the dancers.
"No. That man is Senior Marcelo, the only person in this whole room who isn't an assassin or affiliated with any assassination organizations," Jackson said.
"Then why is he here?"
"He is here," Harvard grinned from over his wine glass, "because he takes every opportunity he can to dance with Catherine."
"He hired Catherine and me to protect him a few years ago," Jackson said. "He has been a multi-millionaire since birth, so he must always have bodyguards. He was receiving threats from an anonymous source, so he had Catherine and I come live with him in his gorgeous mansion for awhile, prepared to kill whoever was threatening him. During that time, he was completely entranced by Catherine, for she is the only one who can dance his native Spanish dances with him and not stumble. He absolutely adores her, and she adores him. Were he but twenty years younger, they'd make a good married couple. He did propose to her once."
"Catherine can do Spanish dancing?" Lisa asked.
"Oh, excellently," Harvard said. "As soon as any Spanish music starts playing, everyone will get off the dance floor so they can watch Senior Marcelo and Catherine."
"It's the only time everyone will come off the dance floor," Jackson nodded, and then reached over and took a glass of wine off of a tray. "Just watch."
Lisa did watch as Senior Marcelo danced with Catherine over to the musicians who stood on a small platform at the head of the room. He spoke with the conductor quickly and then led Catherine back onto the dance floor after the conductor nodded.
Just as Jackson and Harvard had said, as soon as the first guitar note sounded across the room, men and women began to move in masses off the dance floor, leaving only Senior Marcelo and Catherine standing in the middle.
Catherine had a gorgeous smile on her face as she and Senior Marcelo posed, waiting for the right notes in the music to begin dancing.
The first few guitar strums passed, and then the music erupted into a burst of different strings and piano. Catherine and Senior Marcelo began to dance, slowly at first in time with the music. They made quick, jerky moves, giving their dancing a sophisticated, elegant touch.
The music became faster, and so did the dancers. Lisa had never seen a better Spanish dance performance. Catherine kept her feet moving in perfect timing with the music, spinning in and out of Senior Marcelo's arms. The older gentleman looked to be extremely enthralled with his young partner, and he moved elegantly with her, grinning as she spun in his arms, fell back against him, and then pulled away again and twirled.
The entire assembly was entranced as they watched the spectacular display of footwork and power, and all of them applauded when the music stopped, and Catherine and Senior Marcelo finished the song off with a beautiful pose.
"Looks like Marcelo did all my work for me," Jackson commented, smiling as he watched Nicholas, who had previously been standing in a corner of the room, step away from his group of women and move stealthily towards Catherine.
Nicholas tapped Catherine's shoulder, and she smiled at Senior Marcelo and then let Nicholas take her hands and lead her into a slow waltz.
"Lisa," Jackson said, standing up, "seeing as the food is not yet prepared, I need to get a bit more dancing done. Come up."
Lisa stood up and then walked onto the dance floor with him. She put her hands on his shoulders and then let him move her into the dance.
"That man to the right of Marcelo is Raphael Montague," Jackson said quietly as he spun Lisa. "He is wanted in fifteen different countries for counterfeit identity and the assassination of three police officers. The couple we just passed, the blonde woman and her tall male escort, was Alice Anderson and Stalk Peters. She has no qualms whatsoever about murdering anyone, and he is a much-wanted criminal and bounty hunter. He goes out of his way to cause more pain and grief than other assassins do. He is wanted in twenty different countries for assault and the deaths of five women."
Lisa shuddered, and Jackson pulled her close to him.
"All three of those people just mentioned have been watching you ever since you got in this room," he said, moving his face close to hers. "You've been getting evil looks from several others as well."
Lisa didn't speak as she and Jackson continued dancing. She didn't say a word whenever he stopped and spoke to anyone, and she trembled every time they talked about their past assignments and their successes.
Fifteen minutes after Lisa and Jackson started dancing, a female, wearing a tight black dress and her hair high up in a ponytail, started gagging. Lisa and Jackson moved past her just as she fell onto the floor and started writhing.
"Jackson!" Lisa exclaimed. "Jackson! She needs help!"
"There's nothing to be done for her," Jackson said, shaking his head. "She was poisoned."
"Who is she? Why was she killed?" Lisa gasped, looking up into his cold eyes.
"That was Christine French. There were many rumors about her being a member of the FBI. I guess somebody wanted to make sure she wasn't."
"Why did you bring me in here?" Lisa gasped, clutching his shirt and pushing herself closer to him. "Everyone wants me dead, and everyone in here would know how to do it!"
"If you hadn't failed my trust in times past, you wouldn't be here now," Jackson said, grimacing as his jacket rubbed against his shoulders. "Interesting that you draw closer to me when you're afraid instead of pulling away."
"Catherine told me you would keep me safe," Lisa whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "You kept me safe from Arin the other night, and I think you'll keep me safe now."
"Don't trust me," Jackson scowled.
"You wouldn't kill me in the middle of such a large assembly, would you?" Lisa asked, shutting her eyes as she and Jackson moved past Christine's corpse. "You have more discretion than that."
"You behave as though you know me so well. Leese, you don't know a thing about me," Jackson said, eyes widening as she buried her face in his shirt.
"Yes I do," she whispered. "I know that you are brilliant and that you have some feelings for me, else you would have stopped threatening me long ago and would have killed me."
"My feelings for you are on a professional level only," Jackson said uncomfortably, looking around him to see that several people were gazing at him with interest. "I might still need you to show to Smithson."
"You won't kill me after that," Lisa said quietly.
"What?"
"You wouldn't kill me. You can threaten all you like, but you won't do it. I know somewhere, hidden away where none can see, you have a heart."
She looked up at him and smiled slightly as she moved her hand to just beneath his left collarbone.
"It's right here," she said softly, gazing at her hand on his chest and then looking up timidly into his eyes. "Beating just as steadfastly as mine is. It isn't frozen, Rippner, and it isn't hard as rock."
He flinched. Jackson Rippner, immoveable, ever cool, always calm, flinched.
Jackson cleared his throat and removed her hand from his body. He wrapped an arm around her and then spoke, something very much like a quiver in his voice.
"I will do with you what I will when all of this is finished."
"Rippner!"
Jackson turned his head to see Nicholas and Catherine moving towards him.
"Rippner, we need to talk," Nicholas said, coming to a stop and stepping away from Catherine. "I heard word from Smithson, and your beautiful sidekick informed me that you may have something to bargain with."
"True. Catherine, bring Lisa back to Harvard. I'll be back soon," Jackson said, and Catherine immediately took Lisa's arm and brought her to where Harvard was standing.
Lisa watched Jackson leave with Nicholas, a strange, warm feeling flowing through her body. Had she actually just touched a nerve? Had she really succeeded in shaking him a bit?
Food was brought out, and Lisa began to eat. She was terrified of being poisoned, but before she even touched her food, Harvard picked up her plate and inspected each and every article. He informed her that it was safe to eat, and so, hungry and nervous, Lisa did so.
Catherine was asked to dance again right after the meal was finished, and the beautiful woman joyfully left to dance with Senior Marcelo again. Lisa was left with Harvard, whom she held light conversation with.
Half an hour passed, and still Jackson and Nicholas had not returned.
"Harvard," Lisa said quietly, "I need to use the restroom."
"Now Miss Reisert," Harvard tsked. "Rippner told me all about that trick."
"But I really need to go," Lisa said gently. "There's nowhere for me to run from inside the ladies' room."
Harvard sighed and then stood up.
"Very well. I will escort you there."
Lisa let out a long sigh of relief when she got into the bathroom. She had been nervous all evening, and had been anxious to see Jackson again. It bothered her that he hadn't returned in over half an hour. He could be dead, or perhaps Nicholas was convincing him to kill her.
Lisa left her stall a minute later and stepped over to the sink. She washed her hands, looking at her reflection in the mirror as she did so, and was about to straighten her hair when she heard the bathroom door open.
There was a large sitting area in the bathroom, large enough to hold several women, and into this room stepped Alice Anderson.
Lisa shivered and contemplated running into one of the stalls and hiding, but that would be rather the undignified thing to do, wouldn't it? Besides, the woman was just coming in to use the facilities, and Lisa would not let herself look like a coward no matter what the circumstance was.
Alice stepped past Lisa without saying a word. Lisa watched her from the mirror, and a cold sweat broke on her forehead as she saw something glimmer in Alice's hand. Not giving herself time to figure out what the glittering object was, Lisa turned away from the sink and began to walk towards the exit of the bathroom.
She didn't get two feet before Alice spun around and grabbed her by her arm. She pulled Lisa against her body. Lisa opened her mouth to scream, but the assassin woman threw her hand over Lisa's mouth and raised her knife to Lisa's throat.
"You were a fool to come here," Alice whispered into Lisa's ear. "And now you'll die, Reisert."
Lisa's eyes widened, and she slammed her elbows back into the assassin's stomach and then dropped to the floor as Alice released her. She clambered to her feet, moving towards the exit and shouting.
The door opened, and Lisa's hopes were heightened. Perhaps Jackson had become suspicious and was coming in to check on her.
To Lisa's utmost terror, it wasn't Jackson that entered the room, but Stalk.
Lisa screamed as he grabbed her by her wrists and slammed her against one of the walls. She squirmed in panic as he held her roughly, one hand on her mouth and the other holding her neck.
"It would be a pity just to kill you," Stalk said, an evil smile on his face.
Lisa kicked and thrashed, doing her best to escape and not succeeding. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered a certain parking lot, years ago, and a man, Stalk's size and weight, chasing after her.
Oh please! Her mind screamed. Don't hurt me again!
"I'd just as soon kill her," Alice scowled, coming to a stand behind Stalk. "We don't want to take any chances."
"Very well," Stalk nodded and then pulled Lisa towards him. "I think first we'll leave this building, so Rippner doesn't get suspicious."
"I think Jackson's not the only one with suspicions," An authoritative voice spoke from the doorway, and Lisa started crying when she recognized Catherine's voice.
"Let her go, Stalk, or you'll regret it," Catherine demanded, striding elegantly into the room.
"I think not. She's…" Stalk started, but his sentence ended with a loud howl.
Catherine wasn't one to give her enemies much of a chance, and with all the grace and charm of a queen, she had reached her hand into her boot, pulled out her knife, and thrown it at Stalk.
He dropped Lisa and turned his head to see the knife imbedded in the back of his right shoulder. Alice, seeing that her comrade was wounded, screamed in rage and attacked Lisa, bringing her knee plunging into Lisa's stomach.
Lisa could hardly see as Catherine ran to Alice and grabbed the woman by her hair. Catherine slammed Alice back against the wall with amazing force and then brought her fist up against the other woman's jaw.
Stalk pulled the knife out of his shoulder and then charged Catherine, who was working feverishly to knock Alice into unconsciousness.
"Catherine!" Lisa screamed as Stalk leaped at the beautiful woman.
Catherine spun around, bringing her arm up to shield herself as Stalk brought his fist down towards her skull. She grabbed hold of his wrist and twisted it sharply, trying to break it.
"Lisa!" Catherine gasped as Stalk raised his leg and kicked her in the shins, making her fall to the floor. "Get out and get Rippner!"
Lisa gasped and struggled to her feet. Halfway to the door, she was met by Alice, who flung her fist at Lisa's face and caught her squarely in the jaw. Lisa fell back against the wall, but kicked up as Alice nearly jumped on top of her, catching the villain in the chest. She then jumped to her feet and pulled Alice off the ground.
Alice screamed in rage as Lisa brought her head to bear against one of the counters, and then Alice fell to the ground, unconscious and with a heavily bleeding cut on her forehead. Lisa turned to see Catherine struggling with Stalk. She couldn't help but admire Catherine as she blocked blow after blow. Stalk was smart, however, and he was also enraged, and within seconds, he had grabbed Catherine and spun her around. He then pulled her back against him and put the knife she had thrown at him to her throat.
"Lisa!" Catherine screamed, grabbing his wrists with her hands. "Go get Rippner!"
"You'll be dead by the time he gets here," Stalk snarled, and then slid his knife across Catherine's neck.
"Catherine!" Lisa screamed and then lunged at Stalk. "Catherine, no!"
"You missed," Catherine gasped, falling to the floor. "You didn't cut…deep…enough."
"I'll remedy that," Stalk growled, slamming his fist into Lisa's stomach and sending her reeling across the room.
He dropped down next to Catherine and forced her head back.
"Don't kill her!" Lisa screamed. "Jackson! Jackson! Help!"
"Tell you what," Stalk said, bringing his face close to Catherine's. "You are too beautiful to just kill off. Maybe I'll be merciful and keep you alive with me for awhile."
"Just kill me," Catherine hissed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't want any of your mercy, Stalk."
"It's not about what you want. Oh, and I do want to make certain you won't go anywhere," Stalk smiled and then brought his knife into Catherine's shoulder.
She screamed, a blood-curdling, hair-raising scream as the knife when through her flesh. Lisa let out a scream as well and then ran to Stalk.
"Get off her!" she screamed, grabbing his shoulders and trying to pull him away from Catherine. "Get off her! Get off her!"
Stalk growled in return and then turned and grabbed hold of Lisa's wrists.
Catherine's eyes were closed, and she was gasping and crying. Lisa had never seen her this way, and she never hoped to again. Blood was pouring from Catherine's shoulder and was streaming steadily from her neck.
"Don't touch me!" Catherine sobbed as Stalk turned to her again, lowering his face towards hers. "Don't touch me!"
A gun fired, making Lisa scream and jump away from Stalk. She watched, in complete horror; as Stalk fell onto Catherine, limp. She then turned her eyes to the doorway to see Nicholas and Jackson rushing into the room.
Lisa wailed and ran to Jackson, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shirt.
"What took you so long? She's going to die, Jackson! She's going to die!"
"It's possible," Nicholas said, dropping down next to Catherine and putting his gun back in its holster. "Catherine! Catherine, are you still conscious?"
"Just kill me!" Catherine wailed, opening her eyes and gazing into his.
"Marcelo!" Nicholas shouted towards the doorway. "Marcelo, bring some bandages in here quickly! Rippner," he ordered, looking up at Jackson. "I need you to knock her out."
"Knock her out?" Jackson asked, stepping to Nicholas' side.
"Yes. It would be the most merciful thing you can do right now. She's going to have to be stitched up. Her neck needs to be cleaned and wrapped. I don't know that we have anything to wrap it with."
"Here," Jackson said, kneeling down next to him and pulling his tie off his neck. "This is long enough to wrap several times."
"She still needs to be knocked out. If you don't do it, I will," Nicholas said, looking up at him.
"Don't…hurt…me…" Catherine sobbed, grabbing Nicholas' arm. "Please…don't…hurt…me."
"This is for your own good," Jackson said, pulling his arm back and then hitting her hard in the head.
The next few minutes were long and miserable for Lisa. She paced back and forth, terrified and shaking. Catherine was an assassin, yes, but she had tried to save Lisa, and in doing so, she had risked her own life. Now she was helpless and unconscious, bleeding profusely, and she would very likely die.
Lisa didn't watch as Catherine's wounds were cleaned, and she couldn't look as Nicholas stitched Catherine's shoulder shut.
Marcelo was very gentle and kind, and he did his best to soothe Lisa, but he didn't speak much English, and so she couldn't understand most of what he was saying. Jackson and Nicholas both remained bent over Catherine's still form, working quickly to close her wound and stop her neck from bleeding.
Less than twenty minutes later, Catherine's eyelids began to flutter, and Jackson and Nicholas sat back.
"Do I need to hit her again?" Jackson asked, looking at Nicholas' stitching job.
"No. We're finished," Nicholas said. "You might want to comfort her, though. She's going to be in a lot of pain when she snaps out of it."
Catherine's eyes opened, and she bit her lip viciously to stop herself from screaming.
"Catherine," Jackson said gently, taking one of her hands in his. "You are all right. You're going to make it."
"Where's Lisa?" Catherine choked.
"Right here!" Lisa shouted and then fell down at Catherine's side. "You're alive!"
"I hope so," Catherine smiled weakly. "What happened?"
"Nicholas and Jackson came at just the right time. Nicholas shot Stalk, and then you went unconscious."
"I went unconscious, or Rippner made me unconscious?" Catherine frowned, moving slightly to try and sit up.
"Take it easy," Nicholas said, putting his hand behind her back and helping her sit up. "You are going to be in a lot of pain for the next several weeks."
"Rippner, am I wearing your tie?" Catherine asked, feeling the silk material around her neck.
"Yes. It stopped your bleeding," Jackson nodded.
"Can we leave now, or do you have more business to attend to?" Catherine grimaced as she grabbed Jackson's shoulder and staggered to her feet.
"Easy, Seniorita," Marcelo said, taking her hands in his and helping her up. "Easy now."
"We can go," Jackson said, and then stood up. "Here," he added, taking his jacket off and handing it to Catherine. "We had to destroy your jacket."
"Thank you," Catherine said weakly, and then nearly collapsed.
"She needs water. Harvard, run and get her some water," Nicholas ordered, putting his hands on Catherine's sides to support her.
Jackson helped Catherine get the jacket on and then slipped his arm around her waist. He watched Harvard put a glass of water to Catherine's lips and then waited as Catherine drank the whole glass full of water.
"Lisa," he said, looking over at Lisa, who was still shaking. "Time to go."
"She may need some help. Let me help," Marcelo said, and then took Lisa's arm and wrapped it through his.
No one seemed to notice as Jackson and his group left the hotel.
Once in the car, Catherine nearly fell asleep against Jackson. Lisa sat up straight, eyes wide and still trembling. She had nearly been killed, Catherine had taken all the blows for her, and now she was headed back towards the hotel. For the children's sake, she needed to be calm and composed.
"Jackson," Lisa whispered. "How close did Catherine come to dying?"
"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" Jackson asked.
"No," Lisa answered.
"Good, because I don't really want to answer you. Catherine saved your life. That's all that matters," Jackson said, gently pushing a damp strand of brown hair off of Catherine's forehead.