A helicopter was waiting for them outside. Jackson helped Lisa up first and the pilot of the helicopter yelled something at the man who'd helped them. The captain quickly explained Lisa's predicament animatedly, and the pilot sighed impatiently as a blonde flight attendant joined the crowd.
Now, with Lisa, Jackson, the captain, the flight attendant, and the three additional pilots in the helicopter, the helicopter pilot was worried.
"I don't know if it can take the weight," he said warily.
"How much you guys weigh?"
"130," Lisa replied, adding on the pounds. She was, after all, pregnant.
"165," Jackson shouted above the chopper.
"120," the flight attendant said last.
"Fine," the pilot pulled on his headphones. "But if we start losing altitude, Rayford, you're going first."
The flight attendant sat on Rayford's lap due to space issues and then Jackson looked expectantly at Lisa.
"Oh, no," she shook her head.
"Leese, its that or you cling to the tail," Jackson shouted.
"Fine." She sat gingerly down and made a fist in case he dare touch her.
They started up in the air and Lisa felt sick.
"I'm Hattie Durham," the flight attendant extended a hand towards Lisa, the only other woman in the copter.
"Lisa Reisiert." She shook it.
"Where's this going, anyway?" Jackson asked the captain suddenly.
"Mount Prospect and the area around Chicago."
"So here's the deal, Leese," Jackson told her. "We'll find a hotel in Mount Prosp-"
"You expect to find a hotel in Proscpect?" the captain snorted. "No chance."
"Well, we need to, until we can get a ride into Florida, which won't be until planes are back in the air," Jackson replied irritably. The captain looked hesitant.
"Look, if its that important to you, you can..." he sighed, looking unsure. "You can just stay with me." Lisa startled. She knew that in the dawn of the crisis, all ethics and normality were being tossed out the window.
"No, we couldn't-" Lisa began politely, but Jackson interceded.
"That'd be great," he nodded. "Thanks."
"If you don't mind," Lisa added. The captain shrugged.
"I'm Rayford Steele," he extended a hand.
"Jackson Rippner," Jackson shook his hand over Lisa. "And Lisa Reisert, my girlfriend."
Jackson just smiled at Lisa while she glared daggers at him.
When they finally landed Rayford led Lisa and Jackson to his lovely suburban home, one which strongly reminded Lisa of her father's.
Rayford instantly dropped his bag and ran upstairs, yelling to Lisa and Jackson that they could use the phone.
"Jackson, I realize you don't want me to screw up the job, but please, please let me call my parents and Cynthia," Lisa begged. She needed to, needed to know that they were okay.
"Fine. But after I need to call my guys."
Lisa instantly snatched it up and began dialing the Lux's number. Business first.
"Lux Atlantic Resort, this is Matthew." He sounded choked.
"Matt, its Lisa," she quickly responded. "Is Cynthia there?"
"No," he replied, startled. "Leese, haven't you heard?"
"No," Lisa felt her stomach muscles tighten.
"Cynthia...she killed herself when she found out her family all had disappeared."
"No," Lisa drew her breath in, sinking to the couch. "No, no, Cynthia wouldn't-"
"She did," now Lisa detected a tear in the young receptionist's voice. "And..."
"What, Matt?" Lisa replied, trying to be polite, but coming out more frantic. "Tell me."
"Thorton Mack called." Lisa thought. Thorton Mack...her father's neighbor.
"Yeah?"
"Your house...your father's house...its gone."
"What?" Lisa felt dizzy.
"Burned. He thinks it was because...the stove was left on." With no one to operate it...
"And...and my dad?" she asked. Though she felt she knew the answer.
"I'm sorry, Lisa."
"Bye, Matt," she whispered, then clicked off the phone and sank to the floor on her knees, engulfed in sobs. Jackson took one look at her before falling to the floor next to her.
"Sh," he took her in his arms. She gratefully cried into his shoulder, though she wasn't sure why. She hated him, hated him with every fiber of her being, and yet...she knew. She knew her mother had disappeared, she knew her father had, and she knew Cynthia was dead. And she knew that Jackson Rippner, no matter how much they hated each other, was all she had left.