Do My Part
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!
Chapter Eight
Keep on coming, keeping on coming… atta girl!
Lisa Reisert was making her way down the cramped aisle of the crowded plane towards row 18, where he had reserved a seat beside him for her.
"Oh…" she said, surprised to find him sitting in front of her.
"Oh…" he echoed, faking shock.
"Hi. Again." Lisa made a face.
You missed me just as much as I missed you and you know it. Don't play hard to get with me, Leese.
"Wow, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you to sit back here."
"Oh, I never fly first class. It's not worth the money."
"I feel the same way," he said with a smile.
"Well, is that seat 18-G?" she asked, point to the empty seat on his right.
"Um, I think so. Why? You aren't sitting here, are you?"
She stuck her ticket at him. "Well, you tell me."
"Unbelievable." Not… "Need some help?"
Before Lisa could protest, Jackson was out of his seat and carefully lifting her suitcase into the overhead compartment. She watched him, a stunned expression upon her face.
"You really didn't need to do that," she said afterwards as she slid into her seat.
"Nonsense. It was the least I could do," he responded with a quick smile. See, I'm a gentleman, Leese. I would never hurt you, unless you forced my hand.
Lisa cracked her head against the low cleaning of the plane and cried out in pain.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concern flooding his voice. Shit, she can't be hurt already!
"Yeah, I think so."
"You'd better sit down," he suggested, helping her sit down in her seat carefully. "Are you sure that you're okay."
"I'm fine," she croaked, almost daring him to ask her if she were okay one more time.
"Okay," he consented and sat down beside her. "What are the odds?"
"Crazy, isn't it?"
Nope, it's just that fate had a helping hand. Well, more like a helping person, but I'll spare you the details, Lisa. You're all that matters.
"Wait a minute… you're not stalking me, are you?" Jackson questioned her, shooting her a worried glance.
Lisa froze and shook her head. "Nooo." That's because I'm stalking you.
After a tense moment, they both laughed. Their special moment was spoiled by the incessant ringing of his cell phone once more.
"Well, someone must really like you," Lisa teased him. "Girlfriend?"
"No, boss," he said, rolling his eyes before answering the phone and speaking hushed, clipped tones. She turned away politely, trying to give him some space. This is all about you, sweetheart, all about you. You are the reason for the phone calls.
His boss reiterated the now-familiar warning as well as the zero hour — 5am. Jackson was pissed, but he tried to hide it. He could not have a blow-up in front of his Lisa. He had a job to do with her, before he kept his prize. She might fight him at first, but she would eventually come around to his way of thinking.
The plane began its ascent, shaking the entire time and causing Lisa to tightly grip the armrest. He struck up a polite, semi-meaningless conversation with her, focusing on her family without her realizing it. He was making her comfortable before he hit her with the news. Once they were safely in the air, he would tell her to make the call.
"Thanks," she said once the plane was settled and he shot a smile over at her.
"Oh, no problem. It's part of the job."
"Are you a shrink?" she wanted to know.
"Um, nope."
"Then what are you?"
"A manager," Jackson answered simply, cracking a know-it-all smile at her. She frowned in response.
"You'd better not say of a hotel—"
"Oh no. I'm an independent contractor."
"Of?"
"Oh, just government overthrows, flashy, high-profile assassination -- you know — the usual." He shrugged his shoulders easily, pretending that making a living from arranging other people's deaths was absolutely normal.
"You're a spy, aren't you?"
"Nope, not a spy. Not that I could tell you if I was."
Lisa thought hard for a moment. Come on, Leese, I've already told you… "Hit man."
"I'm a lousy shot. I doubt I could hit you from right here." Which is of course a lie, but why would I use a gun on you when all I have to do is snap your thin, little neck? Like a chicken, Lisa…
"The Mafia?"
"Organized crime doesn't pay shit."
"Okay then…" Lisa was creeped out.
Come on, sweetheart, this really isn't that hard.
"Are you planning on doing something to the plane?" she whispered in the direction of his ear.
He turned back, his lips less than an inch away from her ear and whispered, "I'm not suicidal."
"That's good to know," she smiled, relief flooded her face and movements.
"Normally, what I do is my own business, but right now, my business is all about you."
"Excuse me? About me?" The startled look was back. Jeesh, Leese, I didn't know you had such a good impression of a deer caught in the headlights. It's rather amusing…
"That's what I said."
"Why?" Lisa was shifting about her seat nervously.
"You remember Charles Keefe? Well, you can thank him for this."
"I don't understand."
"Listen up, Leese. I just need you to make a phone call to your hotel. All I'm asking is that you change his room number. Tell them that there's a plumbing problem — whatever works. Just get his room changed and I won't have to kill your father."
"What?" Lisa was shaking now, her jaw dropped in horror.
"You heard me. Make the call."
"Don't believe me? Take a look at this." Jackson pulled the monogrammed wallet from his pocket and handed it to Lisa. "Is this daddy's wallet?"
"How, how…"
"My friend got it for me. Open it."
Lisa's shaking fingers opened the leather wallet. Inside, all of her father's belongings were replaced with his own. The only clue that it had belonged to anyone else was the old photographs of herself.
"I thought they were a nice touch," he smirked, looking at the photographs as well. "You were how old?"
Lisa snapped the wallet shut in his face, disturbed. "What do you want from me?" Lisa, I've told you this how many times now? Stop playing games. The question isn't gonna magically change.
"Make the call and your father will live."
"If I don't?" Lisa was trying to sound brave, but the hint of tears was spoiling the game.
"You'll bury him in a closed casket. If you even make it off this plane."
"How do I know what you say is true?"
"Lisa, why would I lie? Do you want me to call one of my friends up and have him hurt your dad? Would that prove it to you?" Jackson was inches away from her face, staring her down.
"Don't-don't hurt him." Can we get this fucking show on the road already?
"I won't, but you have to make the call or else he's fair game. You call, I call — it's that simple." He inched closer. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Leese." Or I'll kill him just for the heck of it.
"Let me talk to him. Please…" she was begging him, her voice pitiful. "Then I'll do it."
"Lisa, you are the demand-ee, not the demand-er. So, no."
She threw herself back in her seat. He could see the pent-up tears beginning to leak.
"Lisa, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I will. Can you please make this call? No one has to get hurt." Except for Keefe—he has to die. Everyone else is optional.
"I can't—I can't—"
"Can't what?"
"Change it. I'm not authorized—" You're really getting on my last nerve, Lisa.
"Yes, you are. Don't lie to me, Lisa. I know that the hotel will listen to you and they will change the room. Stop stalling before someone gets hurt."
"They won't—"
Jackson had had it. He was on top of Lisa within seconds, hands at her throat. "Now, listen up, Leese. Give me one good reason not to snap your neck right now and send you off to see grandma. Why shouldn't I end your life in a quick instant. It will be mostly painless. Huh?"
Her green eyes were wide in fright. "I'll call."
"Good girl, Lisa. Now, relax and dial."
He moved back to his seat and handed her the phone. She eyed him warily but as he requested. It went off without a hitch. The job was done and Lisa was his.
Now, was it really that hard, Lisa? Was it worth all that stalling? It got you nowhere…
Author's Notes:
Okay, not the best chapter, but I'm exhausted and I realized that I need to double-up on the chapters to finish by Saturday. So the rest of the plane flight and Lisa's courageous fight will be in the next chapter. The phone call bit was longer than I had planned on. There might have to be an epilogue. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!