1Lisa awoke three hours later with a massive headache. Jackson had pulled to a stop outside of a shabby-looking hotel and was opening her door. He tried to pick her up to carry her inside, but she shoved him hard in the chest.

"I can walk, you know," she hissed at him, standing up. Once on her feet, however, she realized that this fact was debatable as her head spun and her knees weakened. Jackson led the way to the building and up the stairs to room 4080.

"Ah, the irony," he grinned at her. She didn't look at him, just marched past him into the room. Lisa picked up one of the booklets and looked at it.

Pine Row, South Carolina.

That was near the south, she realized.

Jackson shut the door and locked it.

"Now, go wash up and then I'd advise you to get some sleep," he said, collapsing into the one rickety chair.

"One bed," she said simply.

"Either that or the floor," he told her. "It's me or the cockroaches."

Lisa didn't say anything, just pulled a pillow from the bed and laid down on the floor.

"I'll take the bugs," she said before setting down her head.

The next morning, Lisa's entire body was aching as Jackson pulled her roughly to her feet.

"Ready to find out why you're here?" he snarled, twisting her around to face him. "Ready to play the game?"

Lisa made a weak noise and tried to pull away but he just twisted her arm behind her back. Lisa cried out.

"See, I haven't kept any of my promises, not to you, or myself," his mouth was close to her face. "I promised you that you'd go to work with me, that never happened. I promised myself that I'd get revenge, and this is all tying in nicely to my little plan."

Lisa's tears fell in a torrent as she felt her arm would snap off. He finally released her and she stumbled away, hitting the wall.

They left the hotel with Lisa staring hopelessly out the car window. She knew she'd angered him, and it scared her that his personality could switch so quickly.

Jackson pulled up an hour later in front of a concrete building. He straightened his suit jacket and hair and helped Lisa out. She stared at him. Was he...nervous?

"Don't do anything cute, Leese," he took her purse and locked it in the car.

"You need a new line," she spat at him. He grabbed her arm and roughly guided her to the door, taking what looked like a credit card and swiping it through the slot. The door opened and Jackson pulled Lisa inside.

The entry hall was inornate except for several doors on either side. The white paint was chipped and peeling. A man came out of one and acknowledged Jackson.

"Rippner," before entering another one. There was no second glance at Lisa. Were hostages normal here? She wondered.

Jackson steered her up to a door and knocked loudly. A woman opened it and let them in. She nodded politely to Jackson but when her gaze fell on Lisa her eyes changed to an almost sympathetic look. Lisa had no time to ponder this, though, because in the next moment Jackson was dragging her through a door leading to another room. He knocked again and entered.

A man stood in the room, an older man, probably in his late fifties, with graying black hair. He wore a suit similar to Jackson's, but with a tie.

"Mr. Rippner," he acknowledged Jackson.

"Mr. Miller," Jackson nodded at him and Lisa pulled herself from his grasp. The man laughed as Jackson scowled at her.

"Miss Reisert, I assume," the man chuckled. Lisa figured Jackson hadn't filled his boss in on their chaste marriage. "You were right about her, Rippner."

Lisa looked around for a pen or something of the sort.

"So, Rippner," Mr. Miller reached to his desk for a file. "This is your next assignment. I assume you've told her?"

"Told me what?" Jackson looked at the floor. Lisa backed against the desk.

"You didn't tell her? Rippner, this is important, dammit, and your new partner can't be left in the dark!"

Lisa paused. Partner?

"No way in hell am I working here," she stuttered.

"You have to," they both sighed.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Because, all the people used in jobs were supposed to be eliminated," Jackson spat. "You're lucky you have good aim. So, you work for us, or you die."

Lisa tripped backwards a little bit and finally her hand found what it was looking for. She tucked the ballpoint pen into the side of her skirt.

She didn't say anything again until they were back in the car and Jackson started driving again.

"Where are we going now?" she muttered.

"Back to the Lux," he told her. "We're getting Keefe again, only this time you are going to help."

Lisa shook her head in disbelief. "No, no, no..."

"Yes, and it's only him this time, but if you try any heroics again they all go," he threatened.

The drive back to Miami took a day, and Lisa didn't speak to Jackson the whole time. They finally pulled up in front of the Lux.

"No, we don't have a good a plan this time," he told her quietly. "So what we're going to do is get you to take him outside to talk to him, since he thinks you're an absolute angel, and then I'll take care of the rest. Security shouldn't be a problem since he's retired, get it?"

Lisa nodded. "I have just one question, though."

He sighed. "What?" Lisa swiftly pulled the pen from where she'd stored it and jammed it in his throat before he could speak.

"How do you plan on doing that with a hole in your trachea?" she asked before running away.

Lisa was glad that the hotel was so close to her home, less than a mile. She ran until she reached her doorstep and quickly locked the front door behind her. She yelled to her dad.

"Dad!" she cried as he raced in, surprised and relieved. "We need to go, come on!"

Joe's eyes held a questioning look but he nodded and Lisa grabbed the twins. Before they could reach the garage door, Lisa realized she'd forgotten the keys and raced back into the kitchen to grab them.

"Shit," she cursed as she entered the kitchen.

"Don't you ever die?" she cried at Jackson as she chucked a plate as hard as she could at him. He dodged it easily and she continued running into the garage.

Joe and the twins were backed against the car by one of Jackson's associates, who inevitably had been parked down the street. She recognized him as Dougan.

"Leave...them alone," she panted desperately. "I'll-I'll go, just please don't hurt them."

Jackson knocked her to the floor and then pulled her up by her hair to face him. Lisa screamed and the twins buried their faces in Joe's chest. Jackson withdrew his knife.

"Now, Leese," he breathed into her ear. "I'd hate to hurt you in front of the kids, but you haven't been behaving..." Lisa noticed the rasp in his voice and looked at his neck where he'd pulled his collar up to cover the new wound.

The knife grazed Lisa's neck and pressed down hard on her old scar. She cried out as it opened up again.

"Now, let's try this again," he told her, beginning to drag her towards the door. It was only then that Lisa noticed Jacob was missing. Joe looked at her in panic and attempted to pull away from the assassin but he knocked his head against the car and passed out.

"Going to behave now, Lisa?" Jackson let his grip slide to her hair and he dragged her, Lisa feeling like her scalp was being ripped off. Before she could scream, Jacob kicked Jackson squarely in the back and cried, "Leave Mommy alone!" Jackson fell and dropped Lisa in shock and she scrambled away, grabbing the bat they stored in the garage. She slammed it against the assassin's head and he fell in shock to the floor next to her father. Athena ran to Jacob.

Lisa swung the bat at Jackson but missed. He lunged out to grab Jacob, angry, but his hand found Athena instead. She screamed as Jackson pressed the knife to her tiny throat. Lisa gasped.

"Give it up, Leese," he sneered. "You can't win."

Lisa stumbled to the assassin's body and grabbed the gun. She pointed it directly at Jackson.

"L-let her go," she stuttered. "Now."

"You won't kill me," he laughed. "You don't have the gump-"

Lisa shot and the bullet flew to his leg. He winced and Athena scrambled away, but Lisa didn't drop the gun. She heard the sirens far away.

"What do you think of human capabilities now?" she asked. He stared at her, and she stared back. His eyes held something like remorse. Her memories played in her head like an old movie.

It's all yours.

She gulped.

You're beautiful...

Just wanted you to know, I love you...

Lisa let the tears slide down her face. Jackson breathed in a shallow breath. Then her face hardened.

You can't win...

Your dad dies...

You know what I think?

Never lied to you, Leese..

Male driven logic...

Lisa looked at Athena and Jacob. Their eyes threatened tears as they clung together.

One shot and he's gone forever, she told herself.

I got it...

We'll talk again...

I can't have you...

They rock...

One shot, Lisa thought.

Nice try.

One simple phone call...

That's what I told them...before I killed them.

Lisa closed her eyes to avoid seeing those crystalline pools...

Jack the Ripper.

And shot. It was finally over. She collapsed to the ground as Jackson drew his last ragged breath.

"Still...love you," he said as he finally closed his eyes.

It was over, she told herself. Her kids ran to her. Jack's dead, and you...you are free.

The End