Author's Note: Of course I don't own anything having to do with Red Eye or the characters… This is all just for funsies :P

Chapter Eleven

Make You Feel My Love

"I'll let Jacky give you some knife training, though I'm sure you're ready to pull your hair out after being in a car with him for hours on end."

Lisa considered it. It actually hadn't been so bad being with him after their little breakthrough. Then again, the way Jackson fled the scene might mean otherwise for him. She shrugged.

"It's not so bad. I can handle him."

Jasmine laughed and patted Lisa gently on the back as she opened a small black door. Aside from the Beatles music, everything was silent. Lisa wondered where that "army" was hiding.

"So I heard. I'm sure this'll be quick. Then I'll have pop show you to your room and you can have a shower before dinner."

Jasmine flicked a switch on the side of the wall to reveal a large shooting range.

"Where is everybody?"

Jasmine cocked her head as she ushered Lisa over to a stall.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, realization dawning on her features, "You mean the other operatives." She waved her hand about as if she were dismissing the subject, but continued. "They're all around here somewhere. I told them to steer clear of the range because I was going to show you a few tricks."

"How come you're so nice to me? And Jackson? Aren't you guys supposed to be after us?"

Jasmine shrugged.

"I have a feeling that things aren't as they seem. You, for example. Jackson as another. You and Jackson for a third."

Lisa felt a blush beginning to find her cheeks.

"There is no-"

"Shh. It's fine. I'm just speaking. There's no need to justify yourself to me, Lisa. Cole would beat me to death if I killed his little brother, anyway," she said with a laugh as if it was a joke. "But enough about all that. Let's get this shooting done so you can go relax."

Relaxing would be great. A shower would be exquisite. Sleep without worrying would be perfection. Lisa was so busy imagining her moments of peace that she hadn't even realized that Jasmine had placed a gun in her hands. She looked down at it, momentarily lost. Jasmine smirked down at her.

"Girl you've got it bad. Focus."

Jasmine told Lisa how to hold the gun, how to grip it, and how to breathe. In the end, Lisa wasn't such a bad shot. It's not like Lisa ever practiced, but once she was calm, she could shoot decently. She could shoot well enough that Jasmine believed her to be able to defend herself if something went wrong.

"Now. You can shoot while calm, but think you can keep that skill while you're all scatterbrained?"

Jasmine flung her hands wildly in the air and Lisa repressed the urge to laugh.

"I think so. Besides, I won't need it, right?"

Jasmine shrugged and began packing up the gun.

"You never know, sweetie. Just remember to breathe and take it slow. Don't let them intimidate you. Those guys working for Keefe, and Keefe himself, are all pansies. And Keefe has gotten so used to his little guards prancing around for him that he probably wouldn't know what to do if he actually had to do the dirty work for himself."

She clicked a case shut and then was beside Lisa in an instant. She was scanning Lisa for any misunderstanding and then she grinned. With women like her in the world, Lisa was surprised that there were any men left for people like her.

Jasmine walked Lisa over to the desk where Pop still sat, the clicking of her heals muted by the still deafening music. Pop's head bobbed up and down lightly to the beat. Jasmine leaned casually over the front of the desk, waiting for the man to notice her. Eventually he did and turned the music down low. Jasmine smiled sweetly and the gestured over to Lisa.

"Could you do me a favor, Pop, and show Ms. Reisert to the room she'll be staying in tonight? I've got some things to discuss with Jacky."

The man nodded and rose, heading off down another hallway. Lisa hesitated until Jasmine waved her off and then she had to jog to catch up to the man.

"I'll come get you for dinner in an hour, alright?" Jasmine called.

Lisa simply waved as she tried to keep up with Pop. It was amazing. She wondered if he could speak because he hadn't said a single word. He turned through one last hallway off to the left and there were several pale blue doors. Her door was in the middle. Number 10a. When Pop produced a key and opened the door for her, it reminded Lisa of a luxury hotel room, not unlike the ones she worked with back at the Lux.

"Thank you, Pop…" she said as she turned back around.

He bowed quickly and scurried off. Lisa poked her head out into the hallway and watched him leave. Amazing, she thought. She ducked back into her room and shut the door behind her. The privacy and silence consumed her. Everything was so quiet.

The room itself was beach-themed. Shades of blue, white, and sandy brown were scattered about the room, as were seashell decorations. Across the large bed was a bag and a note card was attached to it. Elegant handwriting in deep purple ink filled the bottom half of the small card.

Ms. Reisert,

I thought that you would enjoy this lovely party dress. If you don't want to wear it to dinner tonight, that's perfectly acceptable. More options are in the closet to your right. But, as today is Friday, note that we usually have a semi-formal banquet with the other operatives. The dress would be perfect for the occasion. I've also taken the liberty of placing a few cosmetics on the counter in the bathroom… makeup, etc. Even a little something for those bruises, should you wish to cover them up.

See you at dinner, sweetie,

Jasmine Rippner

Lisa let her fingers wander up to her face where, sure enough, bruises were still tender. She hadn't even considered them as she hadn't even looked in a mirror in a long while. She wondered what the people at the gas stations had thought. Lisa laid the card down next to the garment bag and slowly unzipped it, unfolding the sides to reveal the most gorgeous dress she had ever seen.

She left the dress lying on the bed and took a long shower. Jasmine had placed everything that she would ever need, and some she never would, in the bathroom. As Lisa stood in her towel putting the cover up over her bruises, her eyes wandered down to that fateful scar. She leaned back and inspected herself. She had always felt the extreme need to cover it up. Covering it up somehow hid her shame and hid the past. If no one saw it, no one would ask about it. She weighed her options. Put some of the makeup on her scar, still hiding herself as she had been these past few years, or wear the dress and not care. Maybe her scar wasn't as big of a deal as she made it out to be.

Lisa did her hair, keeping her eyes above the collar bone. If she could just ignore the scar until she left, she'd have no choice but to leave it out in the open. Finally she wandered back into the bedroom and pulled on the dress. It was gorgeous. She eyed herself in the mirror and never even noticed her scar. The dress was strapless and a deep navy shade. It had slight ruffles at the top of the bust and black lace overlay with small jewels encrusted in it. She was amazed at how Jasmine knew her taste perfectly. She even found a matching pair of blue stilettos near the door in a box.

Lisa was just finishing putting on a faint layer of navy eye shadow when there was a knock on the door. She put down the makeup, checked herself once more, before grinning and making her way to the door. She swung it open and she nearly gasped at the beautiful woman before her.

Jasmine had her long curls free from the ponytail and they flowed freely down her back. She was in a longer black dress with spaghetti straps and golden jewels making a flower design on her side. She looked sophisticated and deadly at the same time.

"Well look who took the advice and wore the dress," she mused, her thin eyebrows rising to inspect her handy work.

"It's gorgeous, Jasmine. Thank you."

"No problem. I couldn't have you showing up to dinner looking like Jacky half beat you to death, now could I?"

Lisa blushed slightly.

"Thank you for the makeup, too."

Jasmine nodded with a gorgeous smile and Lisa shut the door behind her. Jasmine never once looked at or mentioned the scar at peeked out slightly over the top of Lisa's dress during their entire walk to the elevator. It turned out that it was so quiet because there were many floors for everyone to spread out on.

Butterflies filled Lisa's stomach as the elevator sunk deeper into the ground. The doors dinged and when they opened, soft Jazz filled her ears. Jasmine smirked as she steered Lisa from the elevator.

"What? You're surprised it's not the Beatles?"

"Actually, yes."

Jasmine laughed and was about to speak when an older man in a gray suit approached. He was holding a small glass filled with amber liquid and smiling comfortably.

"New recruit, Jazz?"

"No, Barry. This is Lisa."

His eyes grew wide as he took in the lovely woman before him.

"It is certainly a pleasure, Miss Lisa. And might I add how beautiful you're looking tonight," he said, holding his hand out.

Lisa placed hers in his and he kissed it gently. Jasmine rolled her eyes and then shooed him away.

"You're too old for her, Barry. Leave the spring chickens for the spring chickens."

He laughed and shrugged it off before he turned and wandered back to his table.

"Dinner should be served any minute now. Until then, we mingle."

"You mingle. I'll just stay here, thanks."

Jasmine looked sorry for Lisa.

"You can always come with me or sit at the table."

She pointed over to a smaller four-seating table near the back of the room, closest to the stage.

"May I have a drink?"

"My dear, you can have whatever you'd like. The bar's that way."

Jasmine nodded and then patted Lisa on the back with a kind smile. Lisa inched her way towards the bar. People were eyeing her carefully. They could sense that she didn't belong or maybe that she did, but that she was new. Maybe they all knew who she was and what she had done. Maybe they knew her father.

"Miss? What can I get you?"

Lisa didn't realize she had been standing at the bar already, her hands gripping the deep glazed oak.

"I'm sorry… a seabreeze, please?"

The man smirked and quickly fixed her the seabreeze.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

Maybe now she could relax. For someone who worked in the hospitality industry, she didn't really enjoy parties like this. She'd get eaten alive.

"I'll have a Jack and Coke," a raspy voice said.

Lisa turned, still sucking on her seabreeze. Jackson hadn't noticed her, or if he had, he hid it well. The bartender handed him the drink and as Jackson picked it up, he turned in Lisa's direction. He froze. Jackson looked like a deer in the headlights for about two seconds and then he regained his cool composure. Lisa nearly spit out her drink when she took in his outfit. He, too, was wearing navy blue. It fit perfectly against his eyes.

"How'd the shooting go?"

"Fine," Lisa squeaked.

She cleared her throat and swallowed more of her seabreeze. He was deadly handsome. She turned back towards the bartender, eyeing the different bottles behind the counter. Jackson sipped casually on his Jack and Coke and eyed Lisa. She was beautiful. The dress suited her personality, even. Her dress made her seem elegant and made her legs seem-

"Jacky," Jasmine interrupted.

"Hm?"

He turned lazily to face her, taking another sip of his drink. She always knew the precise moment to cut in, didn't she?

"Ogling a young woman is not the way to get her to like you."

"But I-"

"Oh shush, Jacky. I've just been told they're serving dinner after this next song. Why don't you ask Lisa to dance? You do still know how to dance, don't you?"

Lisa wanted to hide. "Make You Feel My Love" covered by Adele began playing. She heard him clear his throat and set his drink down on the counter. Jasmine's heels clicked away towards where she had come from.

"We don't have to dance if you don't want to," Jackson stated flatly.

"Well, we don't have to if you don't want to."

"I don't care either way."

"Same here."

"Well then… Jasmine's watching. Maybe we should."

The two of them turned to where Jasmine stood, talking to three women of various ages. She smiled and nodded once at them, encouraging them to go. A few people were already dancing out on the floor. Jackson put out his hand with a sigh and Lisa took it, rolling her eyes at him.

"It's not that bad. Just don't step on my feet."

"Me? You don't step on my feet."

They made their way to an open spot towards the middle of the dance floor and Jackson pulled Lisa close. His left hand snaked down to the base of her back while his right hand gently held her left one. Her other hand was placed lightly on his upper arm.

"I see your bruises are gone."

"Makeup is a beautiful thing."

"Yes it is."

Lisa's eyebrows bunched at his comment.

"I didn't mean it like that, Leese. Calm down," he said, dipping her and bringing her back up, slightly closer to him. "I mean, it adds to your natural beauty."

"Are you calling me beautiful, Jackson Rippner?"

"Don't let it go to your head," he groaned as he turned away.

Lisa could see him smirking as he did so. And was that… was that blush coloring his high cheekbones? The slightest shade of pink? And then suddenly it was gone and his crystal eyes were gazing at her again.

"You're staring at me," he murmured.

"You're the one staring," she fired back with a smile.

"If I'm staring it's because there's nothing else here worth looking at."

Lisa cocked her head at him. Was it the music? The drinks? Lisa could swear that he had just complimented her… no. Better than complimenting, he had told her she was the most beautiful thing in the room. And now he was inching closer. She was going to panic if he kept on. What was happening? Since when did this heartless man have such a soft side?

He was a mere inch from her face, still staring at her wide, green, eyes when the music came to a soft end and a man's voice came on over the microphone announcing for people to return to their seats. Dinner was being served.

Jackson stepped a large step back and bowed to Lisa. She simply stared after him as he left her there on the dance floor. What had just happened? Would he have kissed her if the song lasted a moment longer? Was he testing her? Was he drunk? Lisa wanted her seabreeze. She wanted to chug it down and blur her mind. The night had only just begun and already the room was spinning. Lisa wished the dizziness was from the alcohol and her heart sunk when she realized it wasn't.

A/N: I have some pics for you guys to see and the link to the Adele Song, but it won't let me post them here, so if you want to see what they look like and listen to the song, just send me a message and I'll send them to you. They're gorgeous and the song gets you in the "mood" ;)

Also- A major shout out to my "Momma" Cheyenne. She helped me pick out the dresses :D She's lovely.