Author's Notes: Thank you for your reviews. Deathwing8 claimed she'd go mad if I didn't update, so this chapter is for her, because as a desperate fan myself, I have empathy for people waiting for red-eye fics they like to be updated. Um, I can only hope it was worth the wait.

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Chapter 3

Lisa brushed her hair in the mirror, and then carefully put away her toiletries in the left drawer of the vanity in the room Keefe's men had provided for her. She was as ready she'd ever be to get started on this 'mission', for lack of a better term.

It still made the breath in her lungs freeze, every time she thought about what she had agreed to do. Masquerade with a strange man- even if he was a trained agent- as husband and wife, live in a strange house, and try to find out who this pair of sleeper agents were.

She shook her head. It was impossible. She hadn't even recognized the danger in Jackson Rippner until his tone had gone from pleasant to threatening. Even then, he'd pretty much had to spell it out for her, as her frightened brain stopped thinking, and could only react.

She shuddered. Jackson Rippner. It had been three weeks since the red eye, and still she was haunted by memories of him. She stared at herself in the mirror. Still, these were tempered by the victory of having defeated him. Seeing his resignation as he lay panting on her father's floor, blood seeping from him. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked out.

Keefe's men were waiting for her, tall and forbidding, and completely silent. Lisa flashed a brief smile at them, but they kept their stern mien. Lisa thought she should feel safe, and protected with them.

Yet the thought of living in a house with someone like this made her feel abruptly uncomfortable. They were all as stiff as boards.

They rounded a corner, and found themselves in front of a door. One of the menmoved forward to open it, and Lisa found herself being ushered inside with a polite nod.

Charles Keefe came forward to greet her, and Lisa glanced around as he led her to one of the chairs around a small polished round conference table. A tall, clear glass of water stood at her place, on a cork coaster.

"I'm just here for a few more minutes, really," Keefe said as he seated himself. "Johnson will be the one briefing you and…your partner."

"About that, Mr. Keefe," Lisa gave him a quizzical smile. "Who is my partner? Is it one of the men outside?"

Keefe began to laugh. "Oh, those guys. Heavens, no, Lisa. They'd be spotted within a hundred yards by any civilian, let alone a trained agent. No…" He sat forward, elbows on the table, and steepled his fingers. "I had to find someone who is trained to interact with civilians and strangers without anyone having the slightest suspicion of who they are."

"In this day and age, it's getting harder to find good people, smart people to train for this kind of job. Luckily, I've just signed up an agent who is skilled in precisely what I'm looking for."

He smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Do you believe in second chances, Lisa?"

"Uh…" Lisa shook her head. "Excuse me?" She was starting to get a vague feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. "What do you mean?"

There was a knock on the door, and Keefe lost his smile. "Come in," he barked.

The door began to open, and Lisa stared, frozen, as the shadow of the door extended over the beige carpet, allowing her the glimpse of a shoe, the length of a dark trouser leg moving into her line of vision…Her gaze rose, higher, higher past the blazer and sweater, and she found herself pinned against her chair by cold blue eyes.

She couldn't breathe. Jackson Rippner closed the door behind him, smiling broadly. He looked eerily the same. The same soft brown hair, the suit blazer over a shirt, the feeling that the man within was constantly evaluating his surroundings.

"Hello, Lisa," he said warmly. He didn't give her time to react, instead turning to Charles Keefe. His tone was slightly more chilly as he nodded a greeting. "Charles."

Lisa's head swivelled as she watched Charles Keefe rise and shake hands with the man who had attempted to engineer his death. What on earth was going on?

She finally found her voice, as she struggled to her feet. "Mr. Keefe, this is…!"

"Jackson Rippner, I know, Lisa." Keefe strode over to Lisa, soothing her with his voice, holding her back from a full frontal attack on Jackson. Or perhaps running away out of that room as quickly as possible. Her fight-or-flight response was in full swing, and her body hadn't picked a choice yet.

"Listen, listen to me." Keefe forced Lisa's gaze to him by sheer force of personality. But she knew the real danger in the room. Her every atom could sense it. She peered around him at Jackson, who winked at her.

"Lisa, Jackson Rippner is currently on my staff."

Her head snapped back in shock. "What?"

"Rippner is on MY payroll right now. He's agreed to work for the U.S government. Now sit down." The last was said as a command.

Lisa sat slowly, unable to digest this. "How could that happen?"

"It's complicated, but not least of all, we offer Mr. Rippner a certain protection from his former employers." Keefe sat back and studied them- Lisa perched on her chair, Rippner still standing, surveying the two of them with amusement.

Lisa felt like her head was spinning. "Is our government so weak that it would try to use our enemies to gain strength?"

Keefe frowned, displeased.

Jackson came forward to stand in front of Lisa. He bent and crouched in front of her, bringing him closer to her level. "I'm not an enemy of the United Stated, Leese," he said. "I just work for whoever pays me the most, and Charles here has made me a pretty cushy offer."

And part of that was the chance to work with you, he didn't tell her. But oh, how his blood sang to see her again. The wide brown eyes, the beauty marks on her face, the lovely thick curls. And that indomitable spirit. It felt like Round Two in the boxing ring. And oh, yes, he was ready!

She still wouldn't talk to him. Instead, she turned to Keefe and whispered, "Are you seriously hiring a man who tried to kill your family?"

Keefe smiled bitterly. "Do you know how many people have tried, Lisa? Our security is better than you think. The fact that he came so close says something for his skills."

"Don't you have other people with those skills?" Lisa asked.

Keefe chuckled lightly. "Lisa, despite what you may read in the comics these days, I do not have Captain America on my payroll."

Lisa flushed and shot to her feet. "Actually, I read the newspapers, and according to them, you've got a lot of manpower. I doubt you even need me."

She stepped around the kneeling Jackson and made for the door. Jackson scowled at Keefe.

Keefe sighed and caught Lisa's arm before she could open the door. "I'm sorry, Lisa. I didn't mean to be condescending. I do have men and women who are brave and intelligent. But it's never enough. I'm sorry. This whole incident has shaken me more than I realize. Of course there's nothing I'd rather do than toss Jackson Rippnerin jail for 15 years..." He ignored Jackson rolling his eyes. "...but needs must when the devil drives. And we have a very urgent need here."

Lisa thought back to their conversation in the safe-house. They were on a deadline. And Charles Keefe's admittance of weakness, oddly enough, reassured her. He didn't like what he was doing, But he was going to do it. Well, then, so would she.

She turned around and glared straight at Jackson. "All right. All right, Jack. But try anything with me, and I will shove anything I can find in you without a second thought."

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Please review. This was the set up, and in the next chapter, our duo will be on the job, so things will pick up there.