Max was trying not to speed, but it was hard. He was just too frantic to keep his peripheral on the speedometer. As it once again darted about 75 in a 35 zone, Lorelai put a restraining arm on his shoulder from the passenger seat.

"Sorry," he muttered absently. Joe, Cynthia, and good Jackson cursed simultaneously in the back.

"I'm starting to think that Lisa ran away from the crazy man driving," Joe whispered to Cynthia in the back. She covered her mouth as she giggled. "So as to avoid getting run over."
Jackson twisted irritably in his seat to face Joe. "That wasn't funny," he told him loudly. "Even if you were being serious."

Joe grew stoney-faced. "I know Lisa, sir, and I know she would want us to be joking and amiable at a time like this."

"Well, I know Lisa, too, and she wouldn't like you making cracks about her relationship with Max."

"Excuse me! I think I know my daughter a little better than you, Jackson. And in fact, I don't even see why you're here. You're probably affiliated with Rippner, I mean, you've got the same name and all-"

"Stop figh-" Lorelai began, but Cynthia's screechy voice cut her off.

"HOLD IT!" she screamed. Max swerved slightly as he jumped but regained control. Everyone in the small Jeep turned to look at her, with the exception of the driver, who still adjusted his mirror to see her face.

"You two are fighting about stupid things! We need to stay calm and open-minded if we want to find Lisa and arguing about whether good Jackson is bad or not isn't going to help anything. Now, Mr. Reisert, if its that big of a deal whether his name is the same as Rippner's or not, we'll change it. Meet Jack. He kills veggies for a living, not people."

There was a shocked silence for a moment as the tension melted, and then all five erupted in laughter. Joe patted Cynthia on the shoulder.

"Never would have expected that. But-uh-thanks," he admitted. She just smiled shyly, obviously not used to being the center of attention, more so not used to putting herself in that position.

They drove past a lake in the middle of nowhere during the early afternoon and Joe held up a hand to indicate Max should slow.

"Where are we?"

"About four hours from Hartford, in New Jersey. This is….Lake…Hopatcong. Huh. Never heard of it. Nice name," Lorelai squinted at the sign.

"Yeah, its what I'm going to name my first born," Cynthia sighed, running a hand through her frizzy hair.

"Okay," Joe unbuckled and Max stopped. "I need to use the bathroom…tree. Be right back. He hopped out and Lorelai turned.

"Anyone else?" Jack and Cynthia shook their heads.

They sat for a few moments in complete silence, Max laying his head on the back of his seat. Lorelai looked at him as his face turned several different colors. It contorted grotesquely as tears fell.

"I'm so stupid!" he grunted, hitting the steering wheel with his fist. It emitted a honk. He hit it again and again, and then slammed his head on it, sobbing into the leather. Lorelai rubbed his shoulder consolingly, but he jerked away.

"Max, this isn't your fault," she murmured. "Its none of our faults. Its Jackson's. And he'll get his, you know it. You'll get your revenge on him, we all will. He won't get away with this."

"I know," Max lifted his head. His face was blotchy. "But I'm just scared of what he'll do to Lisa before we can find them. She's vulnerable, you know that. She'll fight, but inevitably…."

"She'll never stop fighting, Max," Lorelai replied fiercely. "She's Lisa. If Jackson tries anything, its not going to be a walk in the park for him."

"I know," Max rubbed his face. Lorelai fell silent and finally gathered him in her arms in an embrace.

Jackson's phone rang as Lisa sat in her room and he quickly flipped it open.

"Rippner."

"This phone secure, Jackson?"

"Always. What's up, Mick?"

"Got some valuable info."
"On the Stars Hollow shitheads? You still tailing them?"

"Yup. Word to the watch, however, they're getting closer. In New Jersey already, by the lake where you supposedly dumped Lisa."

"And you are….?"
"About a mile into the woods from where they parked their car. I can see them, but very distantly through a speck in the trees. Anyway…"

"Yeah, sorry, go on."

"I got a pic that you can use as propaganda against this Medena character."

"Do tell."

"Of him and the bitch Gilmore."

"Ooh, I see. Transmit it."

Within seconds the photo popped up on Jackson's phone screen. Perfect.

"Great. Keep up the good work."

"Will do. Good luck training the whore."

Jackson tensed. "You ever say that again, Mick, and I'll snap your neck."

"Sorry, sir."

Luke made sure Jess's hands were securely fastened behind the chair and pulled up another folding chair in front of him, plopping down and waiting for his nephew to awake.

He was prepared to use whatever means necessary to get what he needed from Jess, whether those means be physical or mental.

His heart ached as he surveyed the young man in front of him. It hadn't been so long ago that Jess had sat in this very apartment, lived here, in fact. Jess Mariano was Luke's nephew, for crying out loud. How could he have turned out like this?

Luke knew by the nagging feeling in his chest that Liz would either have been killed off or bought off by Jackson's company by now, she knew too much. Or more likely, she was threatened and living in hiding, coward she was. Even for her own son's welfare she wouldn't come out. Luke knew that for a fact.

Jess awoke in front of him with a start, then tried to rub his hungover head but found his hands restrained. He groaned and finally squinted at his uncle.

"Umphmumphmoompungoomp," he muttered.

"Didn't catch that," Luke yelled. Jess winced, obviously in pain. Luke played that up.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Jess snarled, trying to rock himself out of the chair.

"Giving me information," Luke answered cheerfully.

"When pigs eat shit out of my mouth," Jess growled. "I don't know anything."

"Think you do," Luke persisted. "I'm not going to play games, Jess. Its like this: you tell me where Jackson took Lisa, what his plans are for her, and if you freaks had anything to do with the fire, or I send you back to jail. If you don't tell me within the first three tries, after every chance you'll meet my friend Dr. Fullblast Boombox. He'll be toying with your head today."

"I can't tell you," Jess whined. "Jackson will kill me. Literally!"

Luke twisted the volume knob up to its max, and loud metal music filled the room. Jess moaned in agony until Luke turned it off two minutes later.

"That hurts!" Jess squeezed his eyes shut.

"Tequila does have that effect on ones' senses," Luke snorted. "Tell me."

"I told you, I-"

Luke reached, but Jess's squeals stopped him.

"Wait! I'll-I'll tell you. He-he killed her and dumped her body in Lake Hopatcong."

Luke's stomach convulsed. "What?"

"He said-said-she knew too much and caused him too much trouble….so-so-he raped her and killed her."

Luke put a hand over his mouth to fight back vomit. Finally, when he'd eased it back again, he spoke, voice thick.

"Did-did you start-start………fire?"

Jess nodded hesitantly. "Yes. Jackson's orders."

Luke nodded numbly and pulled out his phone.