1If at first you don't succeed...
Disclaimer: I don't own Red Eye or anything affiliated with Red Eye.
A/N: Hi everyone, thank you so much for all of your reviews! I decided that I should probably get another chapter up before college classes start again. sigh : ( I get to take math 1050 this semester, so much fun huh. Anywho here's the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy: ) Lena
Escape
"Welcome back to the world of the living." Greeted Jackson.
"I'd rather be in the world of the dead then sitting in this car with you." She retorted with venom evident in her voice.
"Ouch Lise, that hurts." He said placing a hand over his heart.
Ha! Like he even has a heart. Lisa suddenly became aware of a sharp pain shooting up her left arm. Glancing over she peered through the darkness and was able to identify the reason. He had handcuffed her to the headrest! That jerk, first he drugs me then handcuffs me to a freaking headrest! Lisa began pulling her arm this way and that way to see how much leeway the handcuff would give her.
Upon hearing the clanking of metal Jackson tore his gaze from the road and peered through the darkness at Lisa. Even though it was dark she could swear she saw a large Cheshire grin spreadi across his face.
"Comfortable?" He asked innocently.
"No." She said while scowling.
"Good." He said happily and turned his attention back to the road.
They seemed to be on a pretty abandoned road with the occasional streetlight casting light into the otherwise dark car. While passing under one such streetlight Lisa took the short opportunity to look over at her captor.
He didn't look much different then he had before. He was sporting his usual black suit with a dark green shirt underneath, and his hair pushed behind his ears in its usual fashion. Even though she hated him with every fiber of her being she had to admit that he was extremely attractive. Even with the bruises that graced his face, courtesy of Lisa.
Taking his eyes off the road Jackson glanced over at Lisa only to find her starring back at him. Lisa quickly turned her gaze back to the road so that she was starring out of the front window. Her face began burning and knew that she was blushing profusely.
"See something you like Lise?" He asked teasingly and placed a hand on her knee.
Furiously she shoved his hand off her knee and was rewarded with a chuckle from Jackson.
She didn't know what scarred her more, when he was angry, or when he was flirting.
Taking a few calming breaths and urging the blush on her face to go away she decided to ask the million dollar question.
"Why are you doing this?" She whispered.
Turning to face her Jackson gave her his famous smirk and tilted his head to the side.
"Well, you know what they say, if at first you don't succeed try try again."
Lisa gaped at him in horror. Oh no. Not again.
"Your going to kill Keefe and his family." She stated horrified.
"Bingo. I always knew you were a smart girl Lise."
The familiar anxiety that had accompanied her on that dreadful plane flight now rejoined her. Why me, why can't he just leave me alone?
"And what if I won't help you?" She asked defiantly.
"Oh I think you will." He replied confidently.
"And why would I do that?" She questioned.
"Because if you don't then those close to you will suffer." He stated mater of factly. Lisa's anger flared. How dare he come back into my life and threaten my father, again. She hated him! She hated him with every fiber of her being.
"Wait, don't tell me." she said sarcastically. "You have another one of your little guard dogs sitting outside of my dad's house while listening to smooth jazz and sharpening his knife. That's real original Jack."
Through the darkness she could see Jackson's face contort into rage as he quickly veered off to the side of the road and threw the car in park. Lisa tried to shrink back from him, but the handcuff wouldn't give her any leeway! Jackson grabbed her chin roughly and pulled her towards him until she was only inches from his face.
The darkness sent harsh shadows across his face, but his eyes sliced through the darkness. She could see the wild glint of uncontrolled rage swarming in his icy blue eyes. She trembled slightly as a horrific thought crept into her mind. She was alone in the dark with a very pissed of Jackson Rippner.
Her heart began thumping wildly in her chest as fear overwhelmed her.
" I wouldn't get so mouthy if I were you." He growled through clenched teeth. Lisa's nose started tingling and her eyes began burning. I won't let him see me cry, I won't let him see me cry. She chanted over and over in her mind while staring into his cruel eyes.
"Do you remember when I told you that if someone wanted to send a big brash message they would kill the whole family?" He asked cruelly.
Lisa didn't answer. Jackson's eyes blazed with anger at her act of defiance. Tightening his grip on her chin he shock her violently and yanked her closer. Lisa let out a small whimper, partly because of fear, and because the handcuff was now digging fiercely into her wrist.
"Do you?" He demanded.
"Yes." She whispered. Satisfied with her answer he continued.
"Regardless of how this operation turns out a big brash message will be sent. Either to Keef and his family, or to you and yours. My associates are keeping a very close eye on your mother, father, and Cynthia."
Lisa stared at him with horror as tears started coursing down her checks. She couldn't hold his gaze any more. She averted her eyes as sobs began wracking through her body. Why was this happening? Why couldn't she just live a normal life! What am I going to do? The darkness suddenly seemed more oppressive then it had before. It was closing in on her pushing her down into the depths of despair.
Lisa jumped as she felt Jackson's light touch. He was brushing away her tears with his thumb. Dumbstruck all she was able to do was stare up at him with confusion written on her face.
"Suck it up Lise, we've got a long road ahead of us."
And with that he released her as suddenly as he had grabbed her and pulled back onto the road.
Lisa turned to look out at the dark trees passing by, and to keep Jackson from seeing her cry.
She knew she couldn't let either brash message be sent. She would never let any harm come to her family, but at the same time she couldn't live with herself if she were responsible for the Keefe's death. Relax Lisa, just relax, you've beaten him once before, and you can do it again, you just have to stay calm.
Lisa started breathing deeply. Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, just like she had learned in the stress management courses that she had taken. Glancing down at her lap she slowly unclenched her hands. She hadn't even noticed that she had clenched them in the first place.
Looking over at the dashboard she realized that not too much time had passed.. It was only 12:15 a.m. It seemed like ages ago since she had fought Jackson in her apartment. She was still terribly sore and her head was throbbing like mad.
Sneaking a look over at Jackson her spirits were lifted slightly. He was in just as bad of a condition as she was. One of the streetlights showed that he had two bruises on his face. One where she had head butted him and another where she had kicked him. Jim and Greg would be so proud of her. Then a thought struck her. Greg! He would know that she was missing. He and Jim would come looking for her.
Suddenly the darkness didn't seem so oppressive as that ray of light enveloped her. She wasn't alone, Greg would be calling her soon, and when she didn't answer he would know that something was wrong. Lisa jumped slightly as Jackson's deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm going to need you to make a phone call Lise." He said. "I need you to call Greg and convince him that you left of your own accord and not to worry."
With that sentence her hopes crashed around her and the darkness and anxiety once again consumed her.
"Well, he won't believe me." She stammered.
"You better make him believe you." He threatened.
As if on cue Lisa's cell phone went off. He must have gabbed my purse. Her heart tightened with anxiety and helplessness as Jackson rummaged through the backseat with one hand while driving with the other. He let out a curse as Lisa's purse fell off the backseat and some of the contents tumbled to the floor. Lisa gave a slight start as something hit her foot. Peering down into the darkness she was able to make out the faint shape of her peeper spray.
"Here." Jackson said and handed her the ringing cell phone.
Grudgingly Lisa accepted the cell phone and took several quick breaths to try and push down the nausea. Flipping open the cell phone she slowly brought it up to her ear.
"Hello." She said softly
"Lisa, it's Greg. Are you alright? I went to your apartment and you didn't answer." He said with concern evident in his voice.
No of course I'm not alright, help me! Lisa silently pleaded. She could easily yell into the phone that she had been kidnaped. In fact she was on the verge of doing so when as if reading her mind Jackson reached out and grabbed her arm in a warning gesture.
"Lisa? Lisa are you there?" Greg asked.
Jackson's blue eyes bore into hers as his grip tightened.
"Yeah, I'm here. I'm fine Greg." She managed to chock out in a semi normal voice. "Listen, I've left. I'm tired of staying in hiding and letting that jackass ruin my life. I still have sometime off of work and I've always wanted to go on a road trip, and well here's my chance. And I'll always be on the go so it will be hard for anyone to track me."
Jackson's grip loosened slightly on her arm.
"Lisa, this is stupid, come back right..." Greg began angrily.
"Greg." Lisa interrupted. "You can't talk me out of this. It's something that I have to do. Thank you so much for all you've done for me, and please thank Jim for me also. Goodbye."
And with that she flipped the phone shut just as Greg began to protest again.
Jackson released her arm and gently took the cell phone from Lisa's trembling hand and placed it in his coat pocket. She was alone, she was completely alone.
"Good job Lise." Jackson congratulated. "Very believable, although I think calling me names was a bit over the top." He scolded.
"Really?" Lisa questioned anger in her voice. "Because I think it was right on."
Through the darkness she could just see Jackson's grip on the steering wheel tighten as he made his comeback.
"Having deja vu yet? I mean the phone call, pathetic crying, being tossed around a bit, and being knocked out." He continued ruthlessly while turning to face her. "And the fact that you are completely trapped and at my mercy."
Anger flashed within her. His mercy! She was at noone's mercy. She would show him. An idea struck her then. It was a bit of a stretch, but she could pull it off.
Groaning slightly Lisa clutched her stomach with her uncuffed hand and doubled over as much as she could until the handcuff was pulled taunt.
"Pull over Jackson, I'm going to be sick." She mumbled.
"Nice try Lise." He replied without breaking.
"I'm serious Jackson." She said and uncurled her right arm from her stomach and slowly reached down and grabbed the pepper spray. Jackson of course didn't notice, one because it was dark, and two her body blocked his view of her hand. "Unless you want me to get sick all over your
nice new car then you will pull over now!"
And surprisingly he did. Men and their cars she thought rolling her eyes. Jackson parked the car off the side of the road, and while he was heading towards the
passenger door Lisa placed the small pepper spray container in her back pocket.
Throwing the door open Jackson looked down at Lisa while grasping around in his pocket until finding the small handcuff key. Lisa's heart speed up. She had to get away. If he caught her before she was able to make the call then she didn't know what would happen.
Jackson leaned over her while he began unlocking the handcuff. Lisa prayed that the erratic beating of her heart wouldn't giver her away. His face was mere centimeters from hers as he struggled to get the handcuff off. Each time he exhaled his warm breath would brush against her face, and she could once again smell the faint scent of his cologne.
Click! The handcuff had finally come undone. Heart still thumping wildly she waited for Jackson to move so that she could get out, but he didn't. He just stood there leaning over her and starring at her.
She wanted to shove him away or turn her gaze to a different direction, but she couldn't. She was like a deer caught in headlights. Her breath caught in her throat as he gently tangled his fingers in her hair and leaned his forehead against hers. What's he doing? What's going on.
"I'm warning you," he said in a low-dangerous voice. "Not to try anything cute."
"I won't." She lied.
Apparently Jackson believed the lie because he suddenly pulled back out of the car, grabbed her by the elbow, and pulled her out as well. Now's my chance.
"Well Lise," Jackson began. Reaching into her back pocket Lisa curled her hand around the pepper spray. "You better..."
And then she struck. Jackson let out a scream of pain as the pepper spray hit him directly in the eyes. Lisa lunged forward grabbing her cell phone and his out of his coat pocket, pushed him over, and then ran like hell.
Jackson had pulled over next to a deserted meadow, which Lisa was currently tearing through. She had to call Jim and tell him to get her parents and Cynthia out of there. She now knew that Jackson would eventually catch her, but as long as her family and the Keef's were safe, that was all that mattered.
She could hear the terrifying sound of him crashing through the tall grass behind her. Her heart thudded madly in her chest and her breath was coming in short gasps. He was closing in on her in the darkness, like a lion about to pounce on a poor innocent gazelle.
She had to get a hold of Jim! Lisa flipped her phone open and began punching in Jim's number while trying to run . She didn't see the branch.
The next thing she knew she was tumbling towards the ground. The pepper spray rolled off into the distance, and the two cell phones took flight and landed a few yards ahead of her.
Lisa picked herself up as fear clutched her heart and the hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle. He's close. Lisa started towards the cell phones. The next thing she knew she was pushed from behind and landed face first on the damp ground. Rolling to the side to avoid his grasp she attempted to get up again but a swift kick in the stomach sent her crashing back down.
Bending down Jackson flipped Lisa onto her back and straddled her, knees digging into her already sore hips. With one hand he grabbed both of hers and pinned them over her head. Something was pushing hard into her left hip, and it wasn't Jackson's knee. It was the pen! How could she have forgotten. If only she could reach it.
Lisa began struggling, twisting this way and that. Her struggles only resulted in Jackson digging his knees in deeper and holding on tighter to her wrists. He appeared to have also noticed that his knee was also digging into something other then Lisa's hip bone. With his free hand he slid his hand in her pocket and retrieved the pen.
Oh no. Jackson glared daggers at her through his red puffy eyes while speaking through clenched teeth.
"A pen. How quaint, but Lisa, that's not very original." He seethed, throwing her own words back at her.
Anger once again flared in her. Anger at him tossing her words back at her, anger at him taking away her every form of escape, and anger at him for ruining her life.
"Well it worked last time didn't it." She spat.
She was rewarded with a slap across the face, reminding her who was in control.
"You really like gambling with your families life don't you!" He yelled. "It just takes one phone call. Do you want me to call my associate outside of your mother's house?"
Lisa didn't answer as tears began streaming down her face.
"Do you?" He insisted.
"No." She sobbed.
And as fast as he had pinned her to the ground he jumped up and yanked her up with him. Once on solid ground he pulled her extremely close.
"Then never EVER try something like that again."He growled in her ear, "because next time I won't hesitate to make a call, then you'll have one less person to buy a Christmas present for."
Before Lisa could respond Jackson's head suddenly came crashing into hers.
And Lisa was once again enveloped in darkness
A/N: Well there you have it, hope you liked it! I'm so excited, Red Eye come out in two days. Yyyyyyyeeeeeaaaaa! If there are any typos I apologize. I wasn't able to have my friend proof read the story so yeah. Anyways once again I hope ya'all liked it. : )