Okay. I feel like such an idiot. I kept getting comments from people saying they were confused, and I was wondering why, and then I realized I posted my FUCKING ENGLISH HOMEWORK INSTEAD OF CHAPTER TWO. Well. Hm. So now I have to retype the whole damn thing because I deleted it. Charming. Well, cheers, here it is.

"Julia's Ka-Bar doesn't ring a bell?" the man asked again. Lisa's head whipped aro und so fast her curls smacked her in the face.

Charles Keefe, ring a bell?

"What the hell are you doing here?" she whispered fiercely.

"My business is all about you," he grinned. Lisa looked at his face, his eyes. His voice was almost the same, despite a light rasp, as was his face. Why hadn't she recognized him?

"Quit with the fucking flashbacks, Jack," she spat and turned to leave but Jackson placed a strong hand on her wrist.

"Okay, see, if you want this girl-" he nodded to the child next to him, "to live, I'd sit back down and don't say anything to your cousin."

Lisa dizzily fell back into her seat, shaking.

"What do you want now?" she whispered, trying to control the trembling of her voice. "For me to make a fucking phone call?" she edged her purse closer to her with her feet. Pen, she thought.

"Actually, no," he whispered back. "For now, what you're going to do is watch the rest of the film as you were before, and when its done you'll leave the theatre with your cousin. You'll say that you're meeting someone here in ten minutes and she should go home, and then I'll come back and we'll take it from there."

Lisa breathed a deep breath to calm herself. "What after that?"

"You'll see," he smiled his cocky grin at her and settled back into his chair. Lisa then noticed the little girl next to him. She looked maybe nine or ten, and was shaking from head to toe, petrified. Lisa wondered why she hadn't noticed before.

Lisa tried to enjoy the rest of the movie, knowing that it very well could be her last.

Finally the credits began to roll and Lisa rose on weak legs to follow her cousin out. As she turned she felt Jackson's grip on her shoulder. It sent shivers in catalysts up her back. She felt his warm breath in her ear.

"I'll be watching you," he whispered. She wrenched her arm away and turned to follow Tanya.

The bright lights of the lobby stung Lisa's eyes and the clock read close to midnight.

"So, I have to meet someone, so...I'll see you later," Lisa croaked.

"Who are you meeting?" Tanya asked, pulling out her compact mirror and studying her reflection.

"My...um, Cynthia," Lisa stuttered. Tanya liked Cynthia. Perhaps she would stay...

"Can I stay with you?" Tanya requested. "I haven't seen her in forever."

"Sure," Lisa smiled. Now what?

Lisa and Tanya sat down and Lisa tried to conceal her fear. She chatted along with Tanya at a table in the food court for about half an hour. Then she looked past Tanya's shoulder and saw Jackson, his body hidden in the shadows. He shot her an annoyed glance and tapped his watch, and then opened up his jacket a little bit to reveal a knife, making sure only she saw. She gasped despite her best efforts and Tanya stared at her.

"Tanya, um...Listen, I don't think Cynthia's coming, I'll wait a bit more but you should go home," she spit out.

"No, I can wait with you," Tanya replied cheerfully.

"Tanya, go home," Lisa ordered, her tone so forceful that Tanya finally sighed and rose.

"I'll call you later," she mumbled in a hurt voice as she left the mall.

A few seconds later, Jackson strode up.

"It's about time," he snapped. "You're lucky I planned for one of your little acts."

Lisa glared at him.

"Come on, the car's outside," he ordered, seizing her arm along with the little girl's. Lisa wrenched away.

"No way in hell am I going anywhere with you," she spat.

"You don't have a choice in the matter," he pulled her arm harder this time and pushed her by his side so as not to attract the attention of passerby.

The cool Miami air bit Lisa's cheeks as Jackson pulled them to a Ford Escort and shoved them in. Lisa in front, the girl in back.

"Bit girly car, don't you think, Jack?" Lisa smiled sweetly at him, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She wanted more than anything to annoy him. He glared at her as he began to drive. Lisa heard the tiny girl whimper in the back.

"Listen, asshole, I realize why I'm here, revenge," she began. "But you could at least let her go. This is between us."

"I don't want revenge," he sighed and paused. "Actually, I do, but that's not why you're here."

"Oh, really?" she laughed a harsh, cold laugh. "Then why?"

"He paused. "I was going to wait, but...we have another job, Leese, and I need you for it."

"Make another phone call?" she said bitterly.

"Nope," he shook his head. "This little girl is Keefe's daughter. She was born the year after you nearly killed me. Now, the deal is, Keefe declines from politics or she dies."

"Why do you need me?" she questioned.

"Taking care of her," he shrugged. "And bargaining with your little friend Charles."

"Moved past assassinations, Jack?" she snapped. "Well, I"m not doing it."

Jackson clicked his tongue playfully. "Knew you'd say that."

"Well, aren't you smart," Lisa rolled her eyes. "So who's being threatened now Jack?" He jerked his head to the back.

"Her."

"She's the hostage," Lisa explained as if to a toddler. "You can't kill the hostage or you don't have any ransom, dumbass."

"No, but I can make her life a living hell," he grinned at her. "Oh, and um, forgot to mention, but your little cousin, too, what's her name, Tia?"

"Tanya," Lisa corrected him, growing nervous. She felt like kicking herself. She hadn't done anything after he'd been out, hadn't taken any precau-

It was then that she remembered the pen in her purse that she was still holding. She secretively dropped the purse down to her side and unbeknownst to Jackson retracted its cap and quickly jerked it up to his neck.

Reflexes like a cat, he snatched it away and snapped it in two with his hand. He jerked the car to a stop and unbuckled, slamming Lisa's head against the seat. She saw stars but remained conscious.

"Nice try, Leese," he rolled his eyes. "But after your little act I invested in thicker clothing." He gestured to the turtleneck and corduroys he was wearing under his jacket. If it weren't for the circumstances, Lisa would have laughed at his poor clothing choices. She kicked at him to let her go and she heard the little girl cry out in the back.

"So now, try this again, shall we?" he said in a singsong voice. "You pull another stunt like that, and the girl will not be happy and you, my dear, will be in severe pain. You will be extremely lucky if I keep your cousin alive, got it?"

Despite the strong hands gripping her, Lisa managed to nod. He yanked away his hand. She gasped for air but finally spoke.

"I'm sitting in the back."

"What?" Jackson began buckling up again.

"I'm sitting. In the back. With the girl," Lisa repeated loudly and slowly. "Get over it."

"No, you're not," he answered, checking his reflection in the mirror. "Easier to keep an eye on you up here."

"Oh, come on, what am I going to do, kick your seat?" she said sarcastically. He looked at her long and hard and then unbuckled.

"Fine."

Jackson came around to Lisa's door and pulled her out by her elbow, shoving her roughly in the backseat. She scowled at him but buckled herself up next to the little girl.

As soon as they were back on the road, Lisa spoke to the little girl.

"Hi, honey, I'm Lisa, what's your name?" she asked sweetly. The girl stared up at her, petrified, her straight blonde hair tumbling into her face before she finally spoke.

"Melanie," she answered in a quiet, sweet voice.

"That's a pretty name. Can I call you Mel?" Lisa asked. The girl nodded, shoving her thumbs into her mouth. "How old are you, Mel?" Melanie held up three dirty fingers. Lisa felt her heart twinge. Three years old, and a hostage. Her poor family. It was then that Lisa noticed a dark bruise spreading up her face.

"Don't worry, Mel," Lisa assured her. The girl stared up, her big blue eyes wide. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

The little girl nodded and tears slid down her face. She eventually leaned into Lisa and fell asleep on her lap. Lisa fought back tears of her own and finally spoke again.

"How long, Jackson?" she said in a tired, fed-up tone. "How long have you had her?"

"Two days," he cleared his throat.

"Why her?" Lisa asked, her voice wavering. "She's just a baby."

"You're so naive, Leese. Little kids don't try to escape, like you," his voice held a tone that Lisa was an idiot.

"But..."

"Don't even start in on the sentimental shit, Leese. We already know that you're the heroine and I'm the villain of this story, now get over it. Life isn't always black and white, and sometimes sacrifices must be made," he said seriously.

"Even if they're at the expense of others?" she spat.

He paused. "Yes," he nodded. Lisa's anger boiled inside of her, and a few minutes later she slammed her foot into the back of his seat. He flinched and glared at her through the mirror.

Hahaha, she thought triumphantly, and leaned back her head to sleep.