Always Look Forward
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!
Chapter One
It had been a peaceful five years since anyone had tried to kill the Rippners. Life was easier on them both even though they both knew very well that Jackson wished someone would try, just so that he could kill them. Jack had stayed away for those five years and they were grateful for it. Their children had not a clue as to what their parents' past was like and Lisa intended to keep it that way until they were much older.
"Mommy!" cried Henrietta in joy as Lisa entered the front door after work.
"Hey sweetie," Lisa said with a smile, as she bent down to hug her daughter. "Where's daddy and JR?"
"I don't know," shrugged the five-year-old, her blue eyes sparkling. Both the twins ended up with blue eye and Jackson's dark hair, though Henrietta had more curl. Both their children looked an awful lot like Jackson—which pleased them both.
"Jackson?" called Lisa, pulling Henrietta close to her. "JR?"
An explosion sounded outside the clean home. Henrietta screamed in fear.
"It's okay, just stay close to mommy," whispered Lisa, as she stood up and slipped a gun from one of her many hiding places. "Everything's going to be fine."
Lisa clicked the safety catch off on the gun and began to examine the house. She took extra care to keep Henrietta by her side as she searched for JR and Jackson. In the midst of her search, a hand clamped over her mouth as she cautiously passed an open closet door in the bedroom that she shared with Jackson. She froze and heard a familiar voice whisper, "Don't do it, Leese."
"Jackson?" she whispered in relief.
"It's me. Come on," he pulled her and Henrietta inside the closet. "Don't worry, Leese, JR's here as well."
"Thank god."
"I'm not stupid."
"What's going on then? I thought we were finished with this! What is happening?" demanded Lisa, hands upon her hips, still clutching the gun.
"I don't know, but you three are getting out of here," Jackson whispered in Lisa's ear. "We're no longer safe."
"Mommy? Daddy? What's going on? Are we playing hide-and-seek?" questioned JR; a miniature Jackson in looks and often times actions.
"Yeah," said Jackson with a smile as he turned to face the twins. "We're playing hide-and-seek. Now daddy's it, so go hide with mommy."
The twins gave little fake shrieks of terror and grabbed Lisa's hands. "No peeking," she told Jackson, playing along with the game he had created. If the children believed it was a game, they were less likely to be frightened.
"1…2…3…" Jackson began counting after covering his eyes.
"Come on!" Lisa urged the twins, holding fast to their hands as she led the way to one of the many escape routes in the house. This one led straight outside, where they could either dash across the street to Joe Reisert's house, or take one of the two BMWs parked outside.
"Are we going to go hide at grandpa's?" questioned Henrietta.
"Um, sure. Let's go hide at grandpa's house," Lisa said, hurrying them across the street as she heard yet another explosion.
She did not bother to look and see where it was. All that mattered was getting her children to some type of safety. She had not seen any danger when she was at the house, but Jackson knew something was wrong. He had been alerted by something. But why now? Why after five years of nothing?
Who was after them? What were their intentions?
"Lisa? Henrietta? JR? What?" questioned Joe in surprise when JR and Henrietta rang the doorbell, Lisa standing behind them and looking around.
"We're playing hide-and-seek with daddy!" cried JR joyfully.
"Well then you better hide," Joe warned them with a smile. He could tell by the concerned look on Lisa's face that there was something going on.
The twins scampered off, heading for their favorite hiding spots. Joe ushered Lisa inside and carefully closed the door behind her.
"Is he back?" Joe asked Lisa. He knew that she understood what he was asking about.
"No, at least I don't think so."
"What's going on then?"
"I don't know, dad," said Lisa with a loud sigh. "I come home from work and JR and Jackson are hiding. 'Etta's waiting for me and I nearly kill Jackson when he grabs me from behind. Luckily, he warned me ahead of time that it was him."
"Do they have a clue?"
"None. And it needs to stay that way."
A third explosion sounded; the loudest of them all and Joe's house seemed to shudder at it. Lisa peered out the window, looking at her house, or what remained of it.
"Jackson!" she cried in horror.
Joe frowned and then looked out the window as well. The Rippners' house was totally destroyed. Something had set off one of Jackson's protection systems and blown the house to bits. Someone had been there and someone had possibly killed Jackson.
Lisa flew out the front door and raced across the street. She passed both cars in the driveway and began to pick her way through the rubble.
"Jackson! Jackson! Where are you? Are you hurt? Jackson!" Lisa called as she blindly searched the scattered remains. Not only was their home gone, but so was the fragile protection that they had placed upon their lives. Nothing would ever be the same again. Everything was going to change now.
Author's Notes:
A semi-short chapter, but longer than the prologue! The next chapter should be up soon! Enjoy!