Jackson took a cab back to the motel he was staying in. It was starting to rain outside. Making today all damp and aweful feeling out. He noticed next to his place was Cleo's car. He sighed, but thanked the driver and began walking up to his door and went inside without having to unlock the door. He tossed his keys down with a sigh asking "Alright.. How did you get into my room?" Cleo smiled from the couch answering "Quite easily actually." Jackson walked over to the fridge and grabbed a drink. Cleo raised a brow and asked "Sure you should have a drink at this hour? It's barely mid day." she pointed out.
Jackson glared and slammed the fridge. "You know," he started, popping open the bottle. "I could just take out my hearing aid and not listen to a word you say?" he asked. Cleo snickered replying "You could.. But then you wouldn't hear the good news I have for you." Jackson chugged his drink to the point he choked up a bit then set it on the counter. He grabbed a few different pill bottles and started getting a few out from different bottles. "Shouldn't drink and do drugs.." Cleo snarled softly. Jackson glanced at her but ignored her and took his medications. "Doctors orders." he growled. Cleo stared at him a moment. Letting him breathe a moment.
"So what good news you have?" he asked rudely. Cleo cocked her head a bit asking "Aren't you going to ask how I am? I'm sure you've seen Lightning?" Jackson leaned on the counter and sighed answering "Yea, I did. You had the shit beat out of him. Why?" he asked. Cleo smiled. "For you." she answered. That confused Jackson. "What?" "For you my poor baby." She teased and stood up. "You remember when you so rudely accused me of your accident?" she asked. He didn't answer, but ofcorse Jackson knew when and what she was talking about. Cleo walked up as she continued "Well.. You were right.. It was NO accident.." Jackson's brows lowered. "You did this to me." he growled in a low whisper. "You did this to all of those racers!?" he shouted angrily!
Cleo stood in front of him. "WHY!?" Jackson yelled into her face! Cleo wiped spit off her cheek before answering "Well...If you would SHUT UP!" she snapped! "I will gladly explain the truth!" Jackson was gonna hit her. He was going to hit a woman! "Lightning did it." Jackson wasn't buying that. "Why do you think he pitted right before your accident? Why do you think he is helping you? He feels bad." Jackson wasn't buying it. "He cut communication with you and your crew cheif." "Not possible. Communication was cut through the helmet. Through some sort of signal." Jackson corrected. Cleo giggled. "Yeah?..Duh. Who do you think had access to that helmet before the weekend?" "My helmet was in my trailer." he answered. "No one could have gotten it out." "Except for a co sponsor that Lightning had access to." Cleo reminded. Jackson thought a moment. Cleo was making him second guess everything.
The trailor was at the school. Cal. Lightning had gotten Cal back and they were partners. "No..No, McQueen is helping me. He is helping me be able to drive again. He wouldn't have caused it. He wouldn't hurt those racers.. He had no reason." Jackson argued. Cleo shrugged explaining, twisting "Granted, I'm sure he didn't mean to cause all the carnage.. But you crashing? Maybe you're right and he didn't. Unless he was still angry abouta certain video getting out? A video that inevitably destroyed his marriage." Jackson stared. He kind of forgot he did that. He did do that and surely Lightning was pissed about it. Wow. Cleo was so happy as she was getting into Jackson's mind here. "Now.. Aren't you suppose to be keeping Lightning busy?" she asked.
Jackson stared but he was angry and snapped "You are not my boss.. And I don't believe any of that. McQueen warned me.. He said you want to control me." Cleo's eyes widened. "He says you want me in a weaker state of mind. Let me make this clear for you.. I am NO ONES. No one controls me. And unlike McQueen? I have absolutely NOTHING you can take from me. Nothing." he growled. Cleo stood her ground listening. Jackson was in her face and continued "So before you leave this building, you need to understand that if, and I mean IF.. You cross me, try to hurt me, push me? It will not end well for you. Because just like McQueen?.. You have A LOT to lose Miss De Frank." Cleo was furious with Jackson's dumb threat.
"I'm not afraid to die.. And I'm certainly not afraid of you and FUCK! If I have to go down for your shit!? You will go down with me if I have to drag you through hell. So do not.. Tell me.. What I am suppose to do." he growled into her face. Cleo shook her head and smiled slowly wider. It was a bit creepy and weird. Jackson wasn't expecting that. Then she began giggling. Her giggling turned into a laugh, but not just a laugh. No, a full on, barely breathing laugh! It was really weird. "Oh Jackson..!" she calmed down. "I really wish you hadn't have said that.." she exclaimed. Jackson wasn't sure what she meant by that as she walled toward the door. "Don't worry.." She walked away and opened the door. Two men. "They are only here to help me escort you.." She explained. Jackson wasn't going to fight them. "Where?" he asked firm. Cleo smiled and left. Not answering.
The two men walled up and grabbed each an arm od Jackson. "Hey! No touching! I can walk myself Kujo!" he snapped at one. The man punched Jackson in the face. Hard enough it dazed him and they walked him to the car, almost dragging. Jackson sat in the back, one guy on each side but began asking "Where are we going Cleo?" No answer. "Cleo! I won't play your game. I am not falling for your stupid shit! I'm not stupid like McQueen." Nothing. "Cleo! Are you even listening?" He asked. she turned saying "You do have something you are afraid to lose.. You'll see.." She stared. Jackson was confused. He had nothing. Cleo smiled and spoke to one the guys ordering "Keep him quiet won't you?" The man reared back, Jackson's eyes widened. "No! Wait!" THUD ...
Lightning stormed into Cleo's office. Door slamming open! Cleo looked up from her desk. "Oh.. Hello." she greeted. Lightning was angry. "I figured it out. Now I understand why you need Jackson so much and won't throw him under the bus like you have the others." Lightning came and sat down. Cleo smiled replying "Good. I'm so very glad you figured it out. Took you long enough really." Lightning shookhis head and continued "What I don't understand is why you are doing all this? I get that you hate me but using so many people just for that is ridiculously not needed." "I beg to differ. I love power Lightning. I love power more than I hate you. Don't worry.. I have no use for you anymore. Sense you so obviously won't do anything I tell you." Lightning was a little afraid hearing that. "What do you want? What will it take for this to end for good?" he asked.
Cleo sighed answering "Nothing you can give me. Honestly I want you to lose everything you made me loose." "I made you lose nothing." Lightning corrected. Cleo snickered. "Not the way I see it. You took down each of my allies.. One by one. It took me a while but I found out it was you. So that's what I'm doing now. Starting with Jackson." Lightning snickered now with a smile. "That's where you will fail immediately. Jackson won't play your games." he replied. Cleo smiled back explaining "He will. He will because I'm going to give him what you could never give him. Now, it'll cost me just about everything I have left money wise.. But Jackson won't mind lending me more money shortly."
"Jackson won't when he finds out you caused his accident." Lightning added. Cleo nodded but explained that to "He will. He will because he knows I had nothing to do with that. He knows the people who had access to that trailer prior to the race. And it wasn't me." Lightning glared. "Besides.. Jackson is a little... Held up right now. Don't think he'll make it to his next.. Training." she was almost seductive in the way she said that. It was very suspicious. Lightning was mad and now a little concerned for Jackson as he asked "What have you done with Storm, Cleo?" Cleo bit her lower lip and tried to contain her smile. "It's not what I've done with him. But what I'm having done... Good luck finding him.." she teased.
Lightning was furious. But now he did need to find Jackson. What was Cleo going to do with or to him!? "You better not hurt him." "Or what?" Cleo asked. Lightning remained silent. "Exactly! Or nothing! Who else are your allies Daddy?.. Because they're next." She giggled. She was insane. Her insanity is what made her feared at this point. Sally. "I won't let you hurt Sally." He snarled fearlessly! Cleo snickered "I know. I know and I do admire that.. That protectiveness.. It's sexy.. But.. What about Bobby?" That grabbed his attention. "Or Cal?.. Um what's that old guy?.. Mater?.. Ramone?.. Um... Add Sally.. Can? Can you protect them all at once Daddy?" she asked. Lightning became a little scared really. No, he couldn't protect them all! "One by one, they will gave the same fate as my allies.." Cleo then leaned over the desk, closer to Lightning. "I suggest you find out who my next target is quickly.." she whispered.
Cleo sat back down continuing "Bobby is lookin pretty good right now.. But so is Cal and... his pretty little wife." Lightning's brows lowered. He didn't have any time to playm He quickly got up and headed out. "That's right Daddy! One by one!" Cleo shouted as Lightning left. He needed to check on each and every person now. And quite possibly.. Re think this idea...
Jackson woke up a bit dazed at first. He blinked a few times and realized he was laying down flat and looking up at a bright lit light ficture. A lamp? He tried to rub his head, his eyes but his wrists were restrained. He began to panic. Jackson looked down. His ankles and legs were restrained to! His wrists and elbows! "Oh fuck.. Oh fuck no!" he shouted and began trying to get free! He screamed! "Cleo!" he shouted! "Cleo let me go! You made your fuckin point! I won't play a part in your horror movie drama! Let me go and I'll keep McQueen busy!" Nothing but the echo of his voice. Jackson was afraid. He calmed down as he couldn't get free and seemed to be alone for now and began lookig around.
Where was he? A basement of some kind? Where? In town? Out of town? Why were there medical looking instruments on tables and cloths. He began panicking again and tried getting free as he shouted again "Cleo! Cleo let me go! You are dead! You're a dead bitch when I get out of this! Cleo! CLEO!" "Cleo isn't here." Some British dude. Jackson looked to the sides. He didn't see anyone? "Who?.. Whose there!?" he yelled helpless! "I'm doctor Phoenix Buster. Most call me by my sir name, Buster." He introduced as he came to the side. And truthfully, he looked completely normal. "Wh-Wh-What is going on?.. let me go. Get me out of these!" Jackson panicked. The man turned away and to a table. It was scary because Jackson couldn't see what this Buster man was doing.
"Wait?.. You said Doctor?.. Wh-What is going on?.. Why am I here? Is this Cleo? CLEO!" "She's not here!.. She has payed me to exercise my ongoing experiment." He was mixing something. Jackson watched helplessly. "E-E-Experiment?.." The young man asked in a stutter. "Yes." Answered Buster. "It should work.. But I warn you.. There is a chance it won't. I was working with the embassy on a new sorce of spyware and way to control our enemies. But the world deemed me mad! Said I was playing god." He snickered. "How ridiculous is that? Playing god. So I said to them, No, I am just securing our countries future and safety but.. They didn't see it my way. I was given a choice. Prison.. Or to discontinue my work. Well. Cleo read my article and seemed to be fascinated with it. She offered me a subject.. A bit unwilling you are, but you'll thank me in the end. If it works."
Buster explained as he finished the mix. Jackson began panicking again and tried freeing himself but it wasn't going to happen! "Hey!.. You want money? I have money! Cars! Nice cars! Barely driven and worth a lot!" Jackson tried. The man took another strap out and began placing it iver Jackson's fore head. "Wait!.. Stop!.." Now Jackson couldn't move his head! "Fuck!.. Cleo you win! You win! Now let me go!" Jackson yelled. Buster hit the table shouting "For the third time! Cleo is not here!" Buster sighed. "Good thing to. She couldn't stomach this." The man grabbed the cup of liquid and began coming toward Jackson's face. Jackson tried getting free in pure panic! "No!.. Stay away from me!. No!" Buster looked down at Jackson's panic ridden face. "Ssshhh.. Don't worry.. It'll only take about eight minutes once the burning stops."...