Lie
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!
Summary: He says he never lies, but he did once. He lied to protect her.
Jackson Rippner made a policy when he first started working in the assassination business to never lie unless he absolutely had to. He prided himself on his honesty in a dishonest world and business. Lies made the world go around, but he wanted no part in that.
But now, lying was his only option.
Lisa Reisert, the broken woman seated beside him on the plane needed to hear a lie. She needed something to believe in. He had to stop as much of her suffering as possible.
"Once we're at the gate, I'll follow you into the terminal, we'll hit Starbucks, grab a couple of lattes – kill ten, fifteen minutes – till I get the call that Keefe's been taken out. And then, I walk out of your life. Aw. Once I'm out of your line of sight, I'll call off Mr. Killer from outside dad's and then you're free. Free to yell, and scream, call your dad, tell him to run to the neighbors. Sound good?" Jackson told her, lying for the first time in many years.
"Whatever you say," she replied, refusing to look him in the eye.
"What, no questions?" He was surprised. That was all that she had done all night long.
She turned to face him now. "What good have they done me so far?"
"Best question you've asked all night." He was not lying anymore – it really was the best question to fall from her lips yet.
He told himself that he was lying to protect her. She had been through so much just that night with him, that he almost felt like he owed her this small hope.
Lisa Reisert was never going to be free. His boss had already told him that she was to be killed as soon as the job was confirmed. She was a loose end that would need tying up – literally. She knew far too much about him and his work to remain alive. She could shift the blame to him, which was not to be allowed.
Her death would be ruled a suicide – a tragic end from an unstable woman. No one would wonder why she had taken her life after they learned that she had ordered the death of an entire family in her hotel.
Those stress management courses will have done you no good…
Jackson took a deep breath as the plane continued its descent to Miami International Airport, where his hostage would leave with him. There would be no stopping at Starbucks. She would get in her car, with him alongside her, and they would drive to her apartment. Once there, Jackson would restrain her and arrange her death.
He had done it countless times before, but now he was having second thoughts. Does she really need this? Would anyone believe her?
But it was for her own good, just like his bold-faced lie was. Dying now, in as painless of a method that Jackson could conduct, would save her from suffering further along. She would get no rest following the Keefe assassination if she were alive.
I'm doing her a favor – right?
But nothing good ever came from lies.
Author's Notes:
This just randomly popped into my head a few days ago. I thought I'd post it.