Lisa awoke, feeling lightheaded and dizzy in the backseat. Mel's head on her lap formed a circular pattern of drool and Lisa sighed lightly and brushed it off, for a moment disoriented and confused about where she was. Then she remembered the last few hours of events.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty finally awakes," Jackson smirked in the front seat. "Nice nap?"

"I don't know, how's your neck doing?" she shot at him, the only thing she could think to say.

"Dandy," he grinned cheekily at her. She rolled her eyes in disgust and looked out her window. The sun was just beginning to come up and they appeared to be driving through some sort of boggy, almost jungle-like area. Usually, Lisa would love these sort of roadtrips but the current circumstances it was a little hard to feel the childlike giddyness she usually did.

"So tell me something, Jack," she tilted her head as he glanced back at her. "How long is this going to take, because really, I need to be getting back to work."

"No, you don't," he argued. "You're on vacation."

The call on Lisa's bluff made her stagger. "Spying on me again? Little obsessive, don't you think?"

He shrugged. "Part of the job."

"Thought you knew everything about me from before, why'd you need to do it again?" she argued.

"Listen, Leese," he snapped. "You're on vacation, and I know it, so quit whining and just pretend you're taking a lovely little cross-country roadtrip, hm?"

"Normal people don't take roadtrips with their kidnappers," she pointed out. Mel stirred a bit on her chest.

"Well, pretend I'm not your kidnapper," he bargained. "I'm your charming yet sensible Mexican boyfriend Pedro."

Lisa rolled her eyes again. "Because that's so much better. And no."

"Okay," he said simply.

"So, where exactly are we going?" she asked him.

"Can't tell you exactly where," he said, clicking on the radio. "But I can tell you that it's in New York."

"Why don't we just take a plane?" she questioned. She had a feeling she'd like it better that way. The less time she had to spend with Jackson, the better. Now she was stuck in a car with him for at least two days.

"Well, actually, we're getting on a train around noon today," he informed her. She rolled her eyes.

"May I ask why?"

"It's one of those faster ones, so we'll get there a day sooner," he grinned. "For now, just sit back and relax."

"You try to fucking relax when you're being held hostage," she snapped.

"Come on, Leese," he sympathized. "All you have to do is get Keefe to back down from politics this time. No assassinations. You do what you're told and no one gets hurt."

"How do I know you're not going to kill him afterwards?" she tried to keep her voice low so as not to startle Mel.

Jackson paused. Lisa read the look in the way his back stiffened.

"You fucking asshole!" she screamed. "How can you- I mean, you try to fucking tell me that no one will get hurt just so I'll do your fucking dirtywork and then you pull this!" Lisa felt Mel make a quiet noise on her lap.

"Lisa, calm down," he said quickly. "I knew that if I told you we were going to kill him, then you wouldn't do it."

"What was the fucking point in having him decline anyway?" she said angrily. "If you were going to kill him."

"Think about it, Leese, you're smarter than that," he snapped. "If he's not Secretary of Homeland Security anymore, then he won't have a team of bodyguards trailing him everywhere and it'll be easier for my guys to get in and take him out."

Lisa shook her head, tears sliding down her face. "How could you? I mean...you told me...you told me that you never lied."

"I didn't lie, Leese," he sighed. "I left out information."

"Same thing," she whispered. Mel finally woke up and looked up at Lisa. Lisa looked down at Mel. She was so young...and no matter what Lisa did she was going to be fatherless. It wasn't fair for someone of that innocent to be placed in this situation.

"You're a monster," she whispered to Jackson. He sighed and she could see this stung him none.

"I've been called worse."

The hours dragged on until finally they pulled up to a gas station in Georgia. Lisa bit her lip. There was no plausible way out of this without hurting Mel or Tanya or herself. Then she was struck with an idea.

Jackson pulled the keys from the ignition and unbuckled. "I'm going to get some food. If you need to use the bathroom, go now."

"Thanks for being so concerned, Jack," Lisa said, her voice dripping with sarcastic sweetness. "But I don't."

"Does the girl need to?" he asked.

"So what, I'm psychic now?" she rolled her eyes and looked to Mel. "Do you need to go to the bathroom honey?"

Mel nodded shyly and Lisa took her hand.

Jackson opened the door like a gentleman and held out his hand to Lisa. She just made a noise of disgust and walked past him. Jackson shot a helpless glance to the people pumping their gas.

"Women," he sighed.

"Yes, we're wonderful, hm?" Lisa responded, lifting Mel up to carry her.

Jackson took her arm in a feigned gesture of masculine manners but she slammed her foot down hard on his. He groaned and she shot him a simper.

"So sorry," she apologized. "We women can't control our actions."

They entered the convenience center and Lisa led Mel to the restroom.

"Honey, I'll just be around the corner, okay?" Mel nodded and Lisa left the bathroom, carefully shutting the door behind her. She jumped as she saw Jackson right outside the door. He opened his mouth to speak.

"No, Jack, don't worry, they were out of soap," she spat. He grinned cockily at her.

"Glad to hear it," he chided. "Get something to eat."

"Not hungry," she said bitterly.

"Could be a while until we eat again," he reminded her.

"The child is in the bathroom right now, Jack, I don't need to be reminded," she rolled her eyes. He laughed and she glared at him.

"Aren't you witty," he acknowledged her.

"Complimenting me just makes me hate you more," she informed him. He just laughed that low, cold laugh again.

Finally Mel trudged out of the room and Lisa took her hand again. She seemed to draw a strange sense of comfort from the helpless little girl.

"Mel, sweetie, are you hungry?" the little girl shoved her thumb into her mouth again and nodded.

Lisa helped her choose some snacks and then they were back on the road..

Mel sat quietly next to Lisa eating her food for close to an hour until Jackson sighed and pulled to the side of the road.

"What now?" Lisa complained. Jackson unbuckled.

"I want you sitting up front," he ordered. "I need entertainment."

"Oh, and what am I to you, television?" she spat.

"Nope, just someone for me to engage in witty wordplay in," he smiled.

"Well, I'm glad I can be an outlet for your ingenuity," she snapped. "I'm sitting with Mel."

"And I have the only chance for your cousin to live," he reminded her. She glared at him, furious at being the little pawn in his game. She unbuckled and stepped out of the car, slamming her door loudly behind her. She opened the passenger's side door and sat down, once again slamming the door angrily. She saw Jackson cringe.

"Honestly, Jack, right now I don't give a flying fuck about your paint job," she told him, buckling up. He laughed lightly and began driving again.

An hour later they arrived at a huge train station in Savannah. Lisa didn't speak a word just to spite Jackson as she helped Mel out. They walked silently into the train station and Lisa caught Jackson shooting sidelong glances at her. Finally she grew fed up.

"What?" she snapped.

"I was just thinking..." he began, but shook his head and stopped. Lisa rolled her eyes as they boarded the train. She shrugged it off as they sat down.

"Now, Leese, don't-"

"Get cute, I know the drill," she finished, annoyed. Jackson sat on the outside, making Lisa and Mel push past him to sit by the window. Mel sat down in the first seat she came to as most small children do, and Lisa was relieved to see that she could sit next to the window instead of Jackson. He noticed this too and was somewhat annoyed. Lisa shot him a contented smirk and plopped down next to Mel.

The train slowly began to move and Lisa leaned her head back. This wasn't as scary as planes, but scary nonetheless, the whole concept of not being able to stop if something went wrong. It kind of reminded her of her life.

"What are you thinking about?" Jackson asked after a few moments. Lisa glared at him.

"None of your fucking business," she spat, then felt guilty for swearing so vigorously in front of Mel.

"Ooh, thinking about me, are we?" he taunted her. She shot him another death stare.

"About what a moron you are," she retorted. He laughed, a sound that made Lisa feel oddly uncomfortable.

"Leese, when is the ice going to thaw?" he questioned. She turned to look at him.

"Maybe you can read my mind now," she said quietly.

"Never?"

"Hit the nail right on the head."