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Chapter 2 - Alone, Together

Lisa Reisert tossed her shoes off in exhaustion as she walked through the front door of her Miami condo. She headed straight for the living room and collapsed into a heap on her favorite armchair. It had been another long and strenuous day at the hotel and she was ready to pass out. All day of kissing up to snotty customers and slapping a big, fake smile on her face really wore her out. Just as she closed her eyes, her dog, Max, galloped into the room and jumped on top of her. Laughing, she tried to shove him off.

"Max, quit it!" Her protests didn't stop the friendly husky from licking it's master's face and running to the backdoor eagerly to be let out. Heaving a sigh, Lisa got to her feet and grabbed the dog's leash off the hook. She didn't have a fence in the backyard and usually had to walk her dog every time he needed to go out. It was a hassle, especially given the days she came home so tired, but it was well worth it to her. Max was her sole company these days and a trusted friend since childhood.

He was one of the few things in her life that she could count on...

Sliding back the glass pane, she let Max pull her unwillingly out the door and across the lawn. As he sniffed every inch of grass that came his way, Lisa followed behind, shivering slightly from the cold gust of wind that brushed against her face. She began nervously glancing around the yard, her eyes scanning every nook and cranny for anything or anyone that may be lurking there. She found herself constantly on the alert these days, always having to look over her shoulder wherever she went. Sighing sadly, she gingerly placed a hand to her chest. She hadn't been the same since...

Two years, she told herself. It's been two years. Why can't you just move on...

Suddenly she felt a jerk on her arm as Max's leash fell from her grasp and he stormed off.

"Max!" she yelled, following his resounding barks and running in barefeet across the grassy lawn, past the side of the house and towards the sidewalk. "Maximus, you get back here right now!"

Lisa stopped short as she caught sight of Max. In the shadows of the dimly lit street, she could make out the figure of a man standing in the middle of the road. Max, who had jumped on the man, leapt down and stood before his feet, teeth bared and growling. Lisa hesitantly made her way across the street and grabbed the leash now laying on the concrete. Pulling her dog back with brute force, she stood up and faced the man, but his features were barely visible in the dark light.

"I am so sorry," she said, casting the growling dog a quick glare, "He's usually so obedient, I don't know what's gotten into him."

"No worries," the man said, looking down and brushing off his suit, "He didn't do any harm."

"I'm really sorry," she said again, pulling her dog away quickly, "C'mon Max, you know better than that."

The man watched her drag the barking husky across the lawn, silently chastising it along the way. He watched her flip her head back in his direction, her brow wrinkled in confusion before turning back and hurriedly continuing on her way. When she was out of sight, he opened the door to his black Lexus and pulled away quickly.

He had gotten way too close this time.

Breathing heavily, he reached into his brief case and pulled out the familiar file of Lisa Reisert. He knew the profile backward and forward, his notes were meticulous in the 5 weeks he'd been tracking her, and his collection of photographs had multiplied. He'd captured every possible angle of this woman, knew her habits, knew her work schedule, hell he even knew her bedtime ritual and the frequent nightmares that woke her in the middle of the night and kept her awake until the silent buzz from the light of the television lulled her to sleep and she got up to begin another day.

He began to eat, sleep, and breathe this woman, his life revolved solely around her just as her life revolved around her job. To anyone else in the business, he seemed to be doing exactly what he should be: getting to know his target, being as prepared as he could be. But secretly, he found himself completely enthralled by her, obsessively piecing through each puzzle of her life in hand written notes. He began spying on her even when he didn't need to. With each passing day of watching her from afar, he had to stop himself from attempting to get close to her, even though by now he felt he knew her better than she knew herself. She was a loner, just like him. And he became captivated by her unexplained sadness... He often wondered why she was so alone, and thought that if she had someone to talk to, someone just like her, she could open up.

Open up to him...

His obsession with her was slowly making him crazy. He'd never been this way on any job before, after all, he knew how to maintain his composure and be professional, but this woman had him for a loop. He'd seen her kindness, and he'd seen her fear. The look on her face when she left the hotel and hurriedly jumped into her car to the safety of her own home. He'd seen the way she avoided calls from friends and even family...he'd seen her turn down any man who dared ask her for a drink. Her neighbors barely knew she existed, and the ones who did, didn't care.

He was the only one who did care.

Soon he feared that his carelessness would become obvious to everyone around him, but Sonny didn't suspect a thing. He would show him his notes and Sonny would only smile, pat him on the back and tell him how he wished all of his employees were as devoted to the job as he was, and how he'd miss him once it was all over.

Once it was over...

He often thought that when he was out of the business, he'd actually be able to talk to this woman, ask her out for a cup of coffee or something, and he knew she'd go, because she would see something in him that made her realize they were one and the same. It was a nice pipedream, but that's all it could ever be, and he knew it. After it was all over, he'd never see her again. And that was the way it had to be. Besides, she would hate him once this was over...

Still, the thought kept coming back to him and he'd been sneaking in subtle ways of getting close to her: hovering around the lobby of the Lux Atlantic to catch a better glimpse of her, lurking in the bushes around her father's home when she came to visit; he even went so far as to wear a disguise in the elevator and stand next to her the entire way, never speaking a word. This time, however, he'd gone too far. Coming in direct contact with the target was not smart, and not professional. He knew this. But even as his attempts at getting closer became increasingly threatening to the job at hand, he knew that nothing could come of any of it and this only caused him further grief and anger.

Enough of this, he thought, shutting the file closed and stuffing it back into his brief case with a violent thrust of his hand. This is the last time. This is the last time you jeopardize the job because of your own sick fantasies. You're a professional. Obsessing about Lisa Reisert does not serve you.

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Jackson slammed his foot on the gas and headed for home. This would also be the last time he had to remind himself how important it was not to screw up. No mistakes could be made, no excuses tolerated. This final job was crucial, for Sonny, and for himself.

After all, Jackson Rippner hadn't failed a case yet. And he sure as hell wouldn't fail this one.
But then, Jackson Rippner wasn't even his real name...

Chapter 3 coming soon! Please review!