Always Look Forward

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!

Chapter Seven

Lisa beat her head against the steering wheel in frustration. She had made a deal with the same people that she knew had a contract hit out on her life, her children's lives, and Jackson's life. One mistake and they were all dead.

The phone rang again and she allowed her pent-up tears to fall as she answered it.

"Hello?" she cried.

"Mrs. Rippner, listen closely to what I am about to say," Johnson spoke calmly and coolly into the phone. "Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"Good," Johnson remarked, before giving her directions to the safe house that was his base of operations at the moment. The safe house where he was keeping her children.

Lisa followed all of his directions and was relieved when she pulled up in front of a house strikingly similar to her own—prior to the explosion—and was greeted by a suited man on a cellular phone. The man was familiar to her, yet she could not remember when she had met him and what his name was.

"This way, Mrs. Rippner," urged the man, the same man she had spoken to on the phone. If only she could remember who he was and when she had met him before.

Lisa followed him into the house, through the codes and security checks, and into a dark hallway. She was puzzled, but dared not ask any questions or get her hopes up. She memorized every detail about the house, praying that she would be able to find her way out with her children. If she ever got to see her children.

The hallway ended at a door, which the man opened and led Lisa into an office. His office, she assumed.

"Sit," he said, gesturing towards an empty chair.

Lisa sat down and glanced around. She had been in the same setting as this with that man before. Jackson had been with her. Jackson had led her past the security and after killing Rita, introduced her to that man. He was Johnson, Jackson's old boss from when Jackson worked for the company.

"Why am I here?" Lisa questioned, her voice trembling—not from fear, because she already knew this man—to add to her act.

"Mrs. Rippner, I need to discuss Jackson with you. I need to know as much about him and 'Jack' as you are willing to tell me. If you help me understand the extent of his illness, I can allow you to visit your children before we trap Jackson."

Lisa nodded. This was going to be easier than she thought. She would get her information and leave with her children. She would hide with her children until she figured out how to deal with Jackson. No one would ever find them.

"When did you first realize that it was 'Jack' who hated you, not Jackson?"

"Not long after he saved me from Roberts and I realized that we loved each other. I knew that Jackson was a good person then… After Roberts brainwashed him, I knew for sure that it was not Jackson," Lisa guessed, unsure when she had really known. It had always been a feeling that it was not Jackson who hurt her, but until recently, she had not known that he was mentally ill.

"Okay," muttered Johnson, jotting down some notes. "What normally happens when Jack is present? What happens to Jackson?"

Lisa knew all the signs of Jack taking over by now. She always kept a close eye on Jackson because he usually did not know what was happening.

"Jackson becomes cold. I can always see the change in his eyes. They become icy, cold… He is no longer gentle and kind. He slams me around and strangles me. His voice is sometimes different—it has an edge to it that is not like Jackson. I just can feel that it is not Jackson. I know when it's Jackson and when it's Jack…" Lisa told him.

"Good."

"What's wrong with Jackson? What's the extent of his illness?" blurted Lisa out, close to tears. "What's wrong with him? Did I do something to him?"

"Mrs. Rippner," Johnson said softly to the upset woman. "It was not anything you did. It was Jackson—he created 'Jack' to cope with the murder of his parents—who did it."

"Should I have taken him to see someone? Was there something I should have done to help him?" Lisa cried, letting tears flow.

"You are doing the best thing for Jackson by helping us. Coming to us was what you needed to do. We can help Jackson if you help us."

"What else do you need to know?" Lisa questioned, even though she had gotten what she needed. Johnson had told her that it was Jackson who was responsible for Jack. If she could find a way for him to destroy Jack, then they would be safe.

"Does Jackson know when he's hurt you?"

"No, not always. Sometimes he's aware of it, but usually not until after the fact."

Johnson took down some more notes. "Has he ever hurt your children?"

"Never. They're Jackson's babies. He loves them too much to let Jack hurt them. The only person Jack ever hurts anymore is me. Jackson tries to stop him, but Jack hates me too much. Jack has no reason to hate Henrietta and JR."

She would kill Jackson before Jack hurt their kids.

"How often have you hurt Jackson back to stop him from killing you?" Johnson asked next.

"I always fight back," Lisa replied stiffly.

"No, that it would never happen again," Lisa swore before jabbing the monster pen sharply into Jackson's throat.

"Does Jackson get mad when you hurt him back?"

"No, it stops Jack and Jackson is always in control again afterwards. I always tell him what happened and he understands."

"Has Jackson ever considered leaving you to learn how to control 'Jack'?"

"No, Jackson has never thought about it. I left him once—before the twins were born—to give him time to control Jack, but never again would either of us do it," Lisa sighed, recalling the pain. "It hurts too much."

Johnson seemed pleased by her answer. "That's enough for now, Mrs. Rippner. Would you like to see your children?"

Lisa's face brightened at the idea of seeing Henrietta and JR again. Johnson smiled and picked up the phone, dialed a number, and muttered something before hanging up.

"Follow me," ordered Johnson and Lisa's heart began to ache and her apprehension began to rise. This was it. Soon, she would have to escape with her children and try to save Jackson from himself as well. She should have been rescuing Henrietta and JR with Jackson's help, not on her own. This was not how it was supposed to be…

Jackson was awoken from a coma-like sleep by the sound of a ringing phone. Groggily, he sat up and answered the cell phone that was lying on the table. He had never seen it before in his life, but then the company had been in his house.

"Yeah?" he yawned.

"Oh good, you answered the phone. Good dog, Rippner," came an unfamiliar voice on the line. Jackson bristled at being called a 'dog'. Only Lisa was allowed to have that conversation with him.

"What the fuck do you want?" he snapped, feeling Jack beginning to stir; wanting to manipulate this other person.

"Language, Rippner. Now listen carefully to me."

"Give me one good reason."

"How about three?" questioned the man. "How about your wife and your two children? Does that work for you?"

"What have you done with my family?" growled Jackson, fully awake now and pissed.

"Nothing as of yet. But if you ever want to see them alive again, then you'll turn yourself in. Give up now and they might still have a chance."

"Where do you want me to go?" Jackson asked. He would do what this man said to get back to them. Then he would formulate a plan to save them. He would gladly give his life to save theirs and to get them to safety.

Author's Notes:

Lisa and Jackson are being drawn into Johnson's carefully laid trap without knowing it. Johnson has the information that he needs to ensure Lisa's demise and Lisa is weaponless and focused on saving her family. Jackson will be armed and Johnson is looking forward to the fatal confrontation that will (he hopes) leave Lisa dead as well as the twins and destroy Jackson. Everyone's got their own plan, which will either help or hurt the other's plans. Enjoy! Next chapter coming soon! Sorry that this one sucked.