Hotel Business
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!
Chapter Five
"Lisa, is that you?" Joe asked, appearing in the hallway.
"Dad!" she cried joyfully, hugging him. Jackson stayed back, respectfully giving father and daughter some space.
"Honey, are you okay? What just happened?" Joe wanted to know, glancing at his daughter up and down.
"I think she just saved your life," Jackson offered, letting himself be known and taking some of the pressure of explaining off Lisa.
"Lisa? Who is this?"
"Jackson Rippner—he saved me and you and Keefe. I would be dead now without him," Lisa told him, smiling over at Jackson as she spoke.
"Dead? What?" Joe seemed confused and worried.
Oh no, please don't freak out…that would not be good. Jackson willed Joe to remain relaxed.
"There was a man on the plane… He wanted me to make a phone call and switch Keefe's hotel room or else he would kill me and you. I had no other choice daddy." Lisa was starting to get weepy and quickly hugged her father again.
"Mr. Rippner, what ever can I do to thank you?"
"Saving your lives was thanks enough," Jackson said, waving the entire mess off. It was not as if he had done much. All he did was rebuild Lisa's confidence and provide a means of exit from the confines of the plane.
"Thank you—Lisa you're bleeding."
"It's just a scratch," she insisted, lightly touching the small cut on her forehead. "It doesn't hurt or anything."
"Let me get a first aid kit," Jackson offered. "Where is one?"
"In the bathroom down the hall," Joe told him, not bothering to take his worried eyes off Lisa as he examined the cut.
Jackson nodded automatically and hurried off to fetch the kit. He found it tucked under the sink and grabbed the metal box. As he went to step out of the small first floor bathroom, he just barely missed getting his face bashed in by a crowbar. The metal bar instead crashed into the door frame, giving Jackson a chance to spring into action and tackle the rasping stranger.
He's come back for Lisa. He's come to kill us! Jackson's mind was panicking. I can't let him hurt her!
"Jackson!" Lisa's voice cried out and her heels clicked on the wooden floor.
"No, Lisa, get back!" Jackson warned.
She moved to help him, but Joe was faster. The older man swooped in to wrench the crowbar away, but he was accidentally knocked in the head. Joe fell to the floor while Jackson wrestled with the assassin.
No, we've come so far. This can't be the end!
"Dad," she breathed, bending down to check on her father. His head was bleeding slightly, but he was still very clearly alive. She heard Jackson groan and scuffling sounds.
"Lisa, get out of here!" Jackson was yelling at her.
No, I can't leave him or dad. I have to help. My stick…where is it!
Lisa madly dashed up the stairs to her old bedroom. She dipped under the bed, but it was spotless, unlike it had been when she had lived there. She stuck her hand in the back of the closet, which was the only other place she had ever stored…jackpot!
Clutched in her hand was a fiberglass field hockey stick—her weapon of choice.
She rushed down the steps, taking them two at a time in an effort to return to Jackson's side.
"Heads up!" she cried, warning Jackson as she brought the stick down on the assassin's back. He swiveled to face her, yanking the crowbar from Jackson's grasp. He swung the bar at her and she screamed, then deflected it with the field hockey stick.
Lisa! Watch out!
He could not sit there idly and let Lisa fight this man. She would lose. There must be something I can do to help her!
A glint of metal caught his eye. Is that a gun?
Sure enough, sitting not too far from the dead hit man was a gun. Jackson reached over and grabbed it. Then he jumped up and to Lisa's side. With one arm around Lisa's waist, Jackson fired a single shot at the assassin.
Lisa jumped at the sound of the gun firing, but lowered her stick when she saw that the bullet had entered the assassin's stomach.
Take that, you sick bastard!
Jackson went to fire another shot, but the chamber clicked empty. It was out of ammunition. He picked up the dropped crowbar and swung it at the assassin's kneecaps, to prevent him from leaving. The assassin yelped.
"Jackson…" Lisa's voice trembled.
"Go call the cops, Leese, I'll make sure that he doesn't get away."
The assassin laughed wryly. "Like you can stop me."
"I already have."
Lisa's heels clicked away, signaling to Jackson that she had left the room. He sighed and raised the heavy metal again.
"You should have known this was what would happen you messed with her. You should have known that you would die," Jackson told the man, disgusted at this slime ball had picked on Lisa and tormented her.
"There was no reason to think that."
"Well, now you know." He dug the crowbar in the man's shoulder, pinning him to the floor as he writhed in agony.
I'm been watching way too many movies and playing way too many violent games… Jackson sighed, shaking his head.
Sirens filled the air and he walked away, searching for Lisa.
After giving statements to the police, Lisa and Jackson were once again on the round. They had been treated for their minor injuries, while Joe stayed behind to deal with the police and the damage left behind by the hit man and assassin.
Lisa had borrowed the keys to her father's car and Jackson was driving. Lisa was far too shaken up to get behind the wheel, which was partly why he had offered to drive her to the hotel. Another part was that he was unwilling to leave her side now. After all, he had most likely just killed a man for hurting her.
"Pull up here," Lisa said, jumping out as the car slowed.
She was already dashing inside the Lux Atlantic Resort. Jackson shook his head and smiled as he parked and then followed. She manages to pull herself together rather well…
"Cynthia!" she cried joyfully, hugging a redhead tightly.
Jackson stood off to the side, until Lisa's hand found his and pulled him to her side. She was smiling at him.
"Who's this?" Cynthia asked mischievously, her brown eyes darting between them.
"This is Jackson," Lisa introduced him. "He saved my life, as well as Keefe's."
"Oh…" She shot Lisa a knowing smile. Lisa rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Lisa," Charles Keefe appeared out of nowhere. "How can I ever thank you for saving my family?"
"Don't thank me, thank Jackson. He helped me escape and warn Cynthia," Lisa told him and Jackson pulled her close in response.
"I guess thanks are in order for all three of you then," he smiled. "I thank you all for my family's lives."
"All in a day's work—speaking of which, I'm late," Jackson said, glancing at his watch and Lisa groaned. "Sorry."
"Allow me to give you a ride and explain to your boss," Keefe offered.
"That'd be great, Mr. Keefe."
"Will I see you again?" Lisa asked him as he let her go.
"I'll stop by and see you after work, okay? We'll grab some coffee. How's that sound?"
"Perfect," Lisa smiled and Jackson gave her a quick kiss.
"'til later."
"Yeah," Lisa sighed happily as Jackson strode away with Keefe and his bodyguards.
"Tell me all about him," Cynthia demanded, grabbing Lisa's arm and dragging her off.
"Well, it all started at the airport…"
Maybe one day, fate will bring us together for something less hectic. Maybe we'll end up together. Who knows?
Author's Notes:
It's a very open-ended ending. In my head they met for coffee as planned and start to date as a regular couple would, but from there, who knows. I'm leaving it open to interpretation. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I couldn't have done it without everyone's support.