I was having a little trouble with this part, I mean Lisa won't really be able to get home in time will she? I also wasn't sure how to add in the elements of fear, saving someone you love, all that jazz. But then I managed to do it, so here it is. Enjoy!
"Give me my pen back!"
"Make me."
The brothers glared at each other as the elder one Brian snatched his pen back. He knew he shouldn't have fallen asleep while waiting for their new flight the next morning but had thought perhaps Pat would leave his things alone.
"Don't have to be so protective of your stupid pen." His younger brother retorted leaning back in his seat. Sullen faced he watched his elder sibling put his headphones back on and begin to absentmindedly draw.
A sudden slamming noise and Brian looked up as Pat and his luggage was tipped over by a blanched looking women. "Hey!" He exclaimed pulling his headphones off as he stopped down to pick the cases up.
The woman was looking back over her shoulder, "I'm sorry, here," She frantically tried to pick up the baggage but was seemly too distracted to do it properly. Clambering back up she wobbled away dragging a suitcase behind her and looking around in every which direction.
Brian exchanged looks with Pat, "There goes your girlfriend." Brian sighed as he half heartedly punched Pat in the arm before putting his head phones back on again.
With every step Lisa took she felt certain she would feel Jackson breathing down her neck, his blue eyes burning with rage, her father's death well under way. Yet she had to take this chance, if she could just reach someone in time she could get Jackson arrested and she could save her father, as well as never switch Keefe's room. She just had to find someone, someone who could put a stop to this.
It had never occurred to Lisa to think too much about the security and politics before this. Security in airports and the hotel had been integrated into her life after 9/11, but it hadn't really affected her. Now that Keefe's life was danger and she need help Lisa was frustrated to see no security guards in sight.
She hadn't even really managed to get anywhere; she was still near most of the passengers of flight 1019. And who was she to put those innocent bystanders' lives in danger? Yet would they even care for her plight? In the world Lisa lived in did people stop to listen to the screams of others, even when they were in broad day light and think that perhaps they ought to help? For all that Lisa kept telling herself it difficult to still feel charity and compassion for those around her.
Lisa stood still, her legs cramping, her breath constricted. Lisa composed herself, she had to, and with a determined stride she moved again as hope leapt in her heart. A security officer was stranding mere feet away; a shining beacon of hope.
Opening her mouth, struggling to articulate what was happening to her the officer spoke to someone directly over Lisa's shoulder, " May I help you?"
The charismatic voice that replied ran Lisa's blood to the temperature of a morgue, "I was wondering if our luggage would be secure until out new flight."
"It shouldn't be a problem sir," The officer said turning his attention to Lisa, "Is that all?"
Lisa, shoulders sagging and stomach in knots shook her head. As the man moved away Jackson put his hand on Lisa's shoulder, "I didn't want things to get complicated."
Refusing to look at him Lisa felt tears well up in her eyes again while the familiar lump burned in her throat.
"I don't think you appreciate the gravity of what's going on." Jackson said, using his hand on her shoulder to escort Lisa to the side of a wall, out of earshot of anyone. Speaking lightly Jackson stood directly in front of Lisa," You are in a compromising position. I have my associate ready to kill your father if you don't cooperate, furthermore our flight was cancelled. You won't be able to reach either your father or your hotel in time to put a stop to what we're about set in motion."
Lisa stood nothing; looking past Jackson she saw only a blur. It mortified her that she'd seen any attraction in him before. She'd flirted with him, openly embarrassed herself in front of him. Now Jackson was trying to arrange a murder through her.
"Is my father still alive?"
Jackson swallowed, not looking convinced he'd gotten his point across, "Yes, but he won't be for long unless you make that call."
Not knowing to be relieved or not Lisa looked directly at him trying to decipher his expression. She had feared punishment for running away, the instant death of Joe, yet Jackson had done nothing. Lisa wasn't sure what to expect from him and she had no way of reading him.
She decided to push boundaries, "I want to call him."
Jackson's expression didn't change though his mouth twitched," No."
Fearing this meant that her father was in fact dead Lisa pleaded, "Please,"
The distinctive sound of Lisa's cell came from Jackson's pocket startled both of them. Exchanging looks Jackson pulled out Lisa's cell phone and attempted to turn it off. Lisa snatched it from him. It was her father calling her.
"Dad, is that you?"
"Your mom just called me. You didn't tell her your flight was cancelled?"
Lisa paused trying to discern if her father had yet realized that he was in fact in danger. It seemed he wasn't, if anything he sounded slightly annoyed with Lisa, "You can't go and worry your mother like that, she's going to think something's wrong. If I didn't believe you I'd have thought you were in trouble after your last call cut off."
Ah the irony of it all, Lisa had finally convinced her father she was all right and suddenly everything was not all right. Jackson crossed his arms and watched Lisa ever so wary. Lisa bit her lip, "I'll call her now dad."
"No Leese, don't bother. It's all right now. Frankly I can't wait till your back and all the confusion can end." He hung up.
Lisa held her phone up to her ear then slowly lowered it and clutched it in her hand; Jackson pulled out his own cell and held it out. "We switch, we make the call and everything can finally be finished." Sniffling Lisa looked at him, at the phone he was offering her and finally her luggage.
It happened in a flash. Grabbing Jackson's cell phone Lisa threw her suitcase at Jackson and turned on her heel. She ran, looking over her shoulder every few seconds. Lisa's panic made her careless and she chose to run into a darkened part of the airport rather then the area where the other passengers of cancelled flights were grouped.
Stumbling Lisa fell sprawled on the ground, her right ankle in pain from the unexpected fall; she stood again testing her weight on it. It was still okay, gathering speed Lisa hurried through looking for where other people were.
It was late at night, few red eye flights flew these days and parts of the airport were darkened to save power. No one was in the area, just small closed up bars, advertisements and rows upon rows of chairs. Lisa turned heading back to the gate she'd originally been in.
In the entry way out of the hall Lisa spotted Jackson standing there. He was waiting for her to run again.
Rebecca was feeling disappointed. She had really been looking to spending the rest of the summer with her father in Miami. Now that the flight was cancelled she was going to have to wait for her mother to come pick her up. She would have a new flight later.
But still, it was disappointing. Kicking her pink duffle bag listlessly Rebecca looked up a dark haired man and curly haired woman entered from the darkened part of the airport. She didn't like to think what they'd been doing in there. Folding her arms she watched as they took seats a little ways away from the other disgruntled passengers who were busy either going home and arranging new flights home.
The man leaned in on the woman, thinking he was going to kiss her Rebecca looked away. Her curiosity got the better of her. Swinging her head around so quickly her blond braids swung with her Rebecca watched in time as the man head butted the woman. Startled Rebecca jumped up watching as he carefully lowered her onto the seats so she was laying down waist up.
She should tell someone, that wasn't normal. "Excuse me," Rebecca said to the woman sitting next her. The bleach blond looked up as she shuffled through her new flight information.
"That man," Rebecca pointed to the dark-haired man, "I think he did something to that woman."
The blond sniffed and turned her head in time to see the man smooth back the woman's hair, "She's sleeping."
Rebecca did her best not to sigh as the woman returned her attention else, "But-"
"Rebecca!"
"Mom," Rebecca stood quickly as her mother hurried in smiling sadly, "That man-"
"I'm sorry your flight didn't work out, we'll send you out tomorrow." Her mother began hurriedly as she picked up Rebecca's duffle.
"That man over there, he hurt that woman," The little girl said, desperate to get someone to understand. To her shock her mother smiled, "You must be tired, come on lets get you home."
Reluctantly Rebecca allowed herself to be led out of the airport, but she knew what she saw.