Hey, all. I apologize it's taken me so long to update this story. I've just been really busy with graduation stuff and have unfortunately not had the chance to do my favorite thing of all! Thankfully a temporary bout of insomnia allowed me to sit down and write this chapter. As always, I hope you all enjoy and review. Thanks for reading and for being patient with me.
Joe Reisert was at the supermarket, debating between a frozen TV dinner and a frozen box of pizza. He decided to go with the TV dinner. Next, he got some eggs and with a sigh of relief, completed his job. He made his way over the checkout counter cheerfully, thankful to be down with the daunting task of grocery shopping. Joe was particuarly pleased it hadn't taken him that long today. He was supposed to be meeting Lisa later for some drinks. He hadn't seen her recently, and of course, he had begun to worry.
Joe wondered sometimes if Lisa was right- if he did in fact worry too much about her. But then, Joe shook his head and told himself that she was his only daughter. He had never been that knowledgable about her whereabouts and the going-ons of her life before. And look what happened. Joe shuddered to think of that boiling hot day in the parking lot of the local mall where Lisa was violated in the worst possible way. He began getting angry at the thought that the asshole got away unpunished. The unnamed creep had almost destroyed his daughter's life and would forever haunt her, and those that loved her, for the rest of their lives.
"Sir, cash or credit?" the pubescent clerk asked, bored out of his mind with his less than stimulating job and impatient with the old man lost in his thoughts.
Joe was still thinking about Lisa as he made his way to the car. He glanced at his watch. 7:42. Just enough time to eat and take a quick shower before running over to Lisa's. She had called him that morning, telling him there was something urgent they needed to discuss. It had been on his mind all day.
Joe stopped before taking his key out, suddenly aware someone was behind him. A blow to his back sent his bag of groceries flying, the eggs popping out of the container and smashing all over the pavement. Joe's last thought was of Lisa waiting for him before the darkness. And then there was nothing.
"He was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago, Jack!" Lisa exclaimed, pacing in her condo. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide open with fright.
"I understand that, Lisa. Perhaps you should call him again?"
Jackson was trying to be as patient as he possibly could under the circumstances but Lisa was really beginning to get on his nerves. The girl couldn't relax for a second. She would have never lasted in his world.
"Jackson, I have this horrible feeling like something has happened to him. You don't think… They couldn't have hurt him, could they? Can't you just call someone and find out? Can't you ju-"
"I've already told you ten times I can't contact anyone. Now try your father again and if he doesn't come in the next twenty minutes, we'll have to leave without him."
"Jackson, I won't leave without him. No way," Lisa said, sobbing.
Jackson sat on her couch in silence for a few minutes, smirking a little and never once taking his eyes off her face.
Then all of a sudden he was on her, his hands around her throat. She was coughing and struggling for air, but Jackson's tight grip made sure that she'd get none. Her face was turning red and she had resulted to flailing her arms around in hopes of somehow inflicting pain on Jack. Her pitiful attempts for survival amused him. He pushed himself a little on her, making her squirm in displeasure.
Then, as quick as he had pounced, he stood up and adjusted his tie. Smirking, he made his way across the room and fixed himself another drink.
"Lisa, you do not seem to be comprehending what I'm saying to you. Therefore, I have to force you to listen. This is our lives we're talking about here. Not just mine, but yours, too. Now, I could leave you here to die and go on with my own life. However, it will severely piss me off to know that after sticking my neck out for you for months, after jeopardizing the future of my career, after putting my own precious life second to your despicable one, you fucking pussied out and stayed behind for daddy. Your daddy, I assure you, is most likely fine. And if he is not, I am sure he is happy that it is him in danger's way and not you. Finally, before you get us all killed, please reconsider and stop being such a woman. Have a drink, sit down, and please for your sake, calm down. Thank you."
Lisa was still on the floor, rubbing her neck and gasping for air. Stunned into silence, and acutely aware there would be more to come if she continued talking, she sat up on the chair and glared at Jackson.
"Good girl," he said to her, smirking. "Now as I was saying, if your dad does not come or call in the next twenty, we're leaving without him. Is that understood?"
Lisa limply nodded, aware now there was no other option.
"Good," Jackson replied, satisfied she was complying.
However, he remembered she had seemingly complied well on the plane, and look how that played out. He would keep a close watch over her, but something told him this time she'd go along with him. What other choice did she have, really?
"Jackson," Lisa said, practically whispering because of her sore throat, "Where will we go?"
Jackson sighed. "I haven't figured that out yet. I made a contact right before I fled to this guy Tim that I used to work with. He lives in Georgia. It's not definite, though. I'm not so positive I can trust him. We'd stay with him for a while until I could figure out our next move."
Despite her increasing worry over not hearing from her father, and the fact that Jackson had just brutally assaulted her, Lisa found comfort in the fact that Jackson was at least incorporating her in his plan for escape. She had thought he'd ditch her once they were out of Florida.
"I'm scared, Jack," she said, struggling not to cry.
Jackson sighed and rubbed his eyes. He finally looked at her and met her eyes. He nodded for a few minutes and for a moment, they bonded in their fear, or at least in their inability to know what came next.
That uncertainty did not last long. A loud banging on the front door sent Jackson's glass of vodka flying. Jackson knew any second machine guns could tear through the condo, definitely killing both instantly. It was not Joe Reisert- he would not have knocked so violently… so threateningly.
Another loud bang had Lisa in Jackson's arms. She looked at him and with her eyes she seemed to ask the question "Is this it? Is it over?"
Jackson refused to go out the back door like a coward. Leaving the sobbing and protesting Lisa on the couch, Jack made his way to the front door. He braced himself for whatever was on the other side.
Just as he reached the door, Jackson had a moment's trepeditation. He glanced back at the pathetic sight of Lisa, who was now crumpled up on the sofa calling his name. He shook his head and wondered to himself how he ever got in this mess. He blamed his attraction for Lisa. He always knew girls were trouble and he knew, from experience, to keep away. But with Lisa, it was different. It had to be. No other woman had successfully defeated him before. No woman had gotten away from him. And certainly no woman had ever even caused Jackson to consider risking his life for her.
After letting out a deep breath, Jackson eased his way closer to the door to look through the peephole.
Jackson's wide eye was greeted with nothingness. No one was standing on the other side. Whoever had knocked so viciously just a moment before had left. Or was waiting for Jackson to open it. Knowing he'd have to get out of the condo sometime, Jackson figured he might as well open the door now. Taking another deep breath, Jackson slowly pulled the door open. Then he whipped his head out and moved it from the left to right. No suspicious character in sight.
Jackson couldn't believe it. Who had been knocking like that? Relieved that death was no longer staring them in the face, at least for now, Jackson glanced back at Lisa and smiled.
Lisa made her way over to him slowly, afraid of someone popping out.
"Uh, Jack," she said, with her attention fixed on something in the hall. "Look, someone left us a box."
Jackson looked down surprisingly and opened it cautiously, in fear it was a bomb.
When Jackson saw it was a collection of harmless scraps of paper, he brought it inside.
"What is it?" Lisa asked suspiciously.
Jackson shrugged and began investigating the contents. His stomach slowly started to turn as he saw the subject of the photos- torture. Warped torture. This poor guy was getting some treatment. Jackson took it as a message, a threat, a warning… a promise.
Lisa began looking at the photos, too. She began exclaiming "Oh, my God" and making noises of digust.
"This poor guy," she said, tossing the photos back down on the table.
Then, Lisa noticed something she hadn't before. Something about the photos was familiar to her. One picture of the man badly beaten sitting upright in a chair caught her attention. Slowly, she picked the picture up and began to inspect it.
Jackson eyed her curiously and looked down at the photo.
"What?" he asked her, "Do you know him?"
Lisa almost threw up right then and there.
With a shudder, Lisa was barely audible when he said, "Yeah. Yeah, that's… that's my dad."
