Author's note: Hello everyone, I'm back! Thanks for your patience ... and to make up for it, here's Chapter 34. But first and foremost I would like to thank all of you reviewers, especially the anonymous ones whom I can't thank personally. The amount and quality of feedback on the last few chapters has - honestly - left me floored. You people are awesome!

Chapter 34

The surface was gone from her sight. No sound except for the rush of cold, cold water parting to ease her descent. So ready to surrender to the darkness that embraced her like a lover long lost, long forgotten. Why had she ever struggled towards the light? It brought nothing but hurt. She could almost taste it, taste the longing for oblivion on the tip of her tongue. Voices? Who dared to call her back? With the voices came afterthought and with it came shards of memories. They forced away the blissful numbness she had clung to like a baby on her journey down.

"Lisa!"

The sheen of a knife. She convulsed, fighting to stay in the safe, black depths of her own private ocean, away from the agony, away from the fear.

"Wake up, Lisa!"

What was wrong with this picture? A prickling sensation in the palm of her hand, faint smears of red underneath her fingernails. The knife … it wasn't aimed at her. It was … it was in front of her, grasped firmly by her own fingers, moved by her own muscles. Blue eyes transfixed on her in disbelief.

"You gotta wake up!"

Like a firework, her past exploded in bright colors, illuminating the night sky of her mind. A shower of sparks, each their own story. Jackson … Laritt … Cherry … the garage … the cocktail recipe. There was still hope left.

"I swear, honey, I'm gonna punch you any minute now! WAKE UP!"

"HmmrrhmmI'mup."

"Thank God." Cherry sounded incredibly relieved. "I was starting to get worried. By all means, that sedative really shouldn't have had such a profound effect on you." She paused. "It was almost as if you tried to stay unconscious."

Lisa moaned as a sharp, piercing pain threatened to split her skull. "I did, initially. Thanks for getting me out."

"You're welcome." Cheeriness faded into worry. "I'm afraid you woke up to a very unpleasant reality."

Only one possible answer at this point. "Forbish, right?"

"Smart girl." Cherry's tone gave her away - they were in deep trouble.

Lisa struggled up and winced at the tight cuffs cutting into her wrists which had been bound together behind her back. Blinking her eyes rapidly to bring the world into focus, she took a good look around. What she saw elicited only weariness, not desperation: yet another basement room without windows. At least she wasn't alone this time; next to her was Cherry, fiddling with her own restraints.

"My … my father? And my friends?" Lisa's voice almost faltered.

"They're safe."

She shivered, suddenly aware how cold it was. "Why … how …"

Cherry scooted over until they were sitting side by side, shoulders touching. "Jackson and Laritt never got along. When the Keefe operation blew up and Jackson disappeared from the face of the earth, I suspected Laritt. I decided to go back to my roots and to work as an associate for him. Collect evidence, et cetera, et cetera." Cherry laughed softly, the sound quickly swallowed up by the oppressive nature of their gloomy prison. "Imagine my surprise when Jackson resurfaced and I learned the truth. We immediately saw the potential and agreed to carry on."

"When Laritt ordered my family to be killed, you -"

"I called Jackson for instructions. He wanted your family alive, so alive they stayed, no matter the consequences." She shrugged. "Good for your family, bad for us."

"What do you mean?"

"He risked complications … complications that ultimately led to this."

"So why did he do it?" Bitterness crept in. "What is it about me?"

"Hell if I know." Cherry smacked her lips. "However, I did notice that Jackson has never seemed so … alive before. You see, we have an understanding; he's got my back and I got his, but …" She leaned her head back and sighed, staring at the ceiling. "I have a hard time putting it into words. Jackson is smart, he's rational, precise and he's cold as a fish, right?"

"Are you honestly waiting for my acknowledgment?"

"Well meow, girl. Anyway, I always assumed that was his real nature and his charms a mere front, a means to an end. Something he uses to ensnare or reward people with. The mark is shy? Give Lisa a smile. The associate is trustworthy? Give Cherry a smile. What's behind it, though? Nothing that ever would smile so easily."

Lisa nodded, furiously ignoring the microscopic part of her that dared to disagree. There's more. Always has been. Shove it, Danielle Steel. "And now?

"I'm not so sure anymore." Cherry's eyes settled on Lisa's face, scanning it for a moment before she went on. "Whenever you're concerned, Lisa, there's emotion."

"He gets angry a lot, yeah. He's impatient with me. He derives pleasure from aggravating me."

"Oh, I'm not claiming that Jackson has turned into a purring kittycat." Once more, the mama duck shone through, motherly pride beaming brightly. Only that she and her little duckling were the same age and that aforementioned little duckling was a terrorist. God, this was a crazy world. "But there is emotion and it's real. Our kind of people would consider this the beginning of his end. Businesswise, they are right, of course. Personally," Cherry paused, apparently still uncertain of her own views on the matter, "I might perhaps call it a start." She grinned. "Don't tell him I said that."

"My lips are sealed." Lisa's fake smile wavered badly.

"Hey." Cherry nudged her with her shoulder. "I can't speak for him, but here's my theory … you irritate the shit out of him. Why? Because you remind him of possibilities. It interrupts his holy life style."

A faint noise from outside made them jump, Lisa's heart immediately in her throat. When nothing happened, they both relaxed visibly.

Cherry exhaled slowly. "Forbish definitely considers you Jackson's weak spot."

"Do you think he has Jackson?"

"No, if Forbish had Jackson, we would be dead."

"Are we hostages?"

"Forbish would never try to blackmail the government directly, he's too discreet. And why should he?"

"Not the government, what about Jackson?"

"Blackmail Jackson with us?"

Lisa didn't care at all for the disillusion in Cherry's tone. "Well, yes. Wouldn't he at least attempt to help us?"

"Oh no, that's not the way this business works, honey. We're on our own."

This was dangerous territory and Lisa approached it carefully. "I somehow doubt this is news to you, but … technically, Jackson's not exactly in the business anymore."

"I'm well aware of that." Cherry couldn't have been more indifferent if she tried.

It surprised Lisa. "You're okay with it?"

"Sweetie, I don't care where his funds come from. Money is money and his money has always been good to me."

"But you don't believe that he might come and … get us out?"

"Forbish seems to believe it, which is keeping us alive. I for one won't be complaining about that."

"What could he demand from Jackson?"

"Intel. With what Jackson has gathered so far and with all of Laritt's files in his possession, he could wreak havoc on various organizations."

That was good, wasn't it? "So in theory, he has enough to buy us free?"

"No," Cherry chortled, "in reality, he has enough to buy himself free of whatever deal he cut with Keefe. Those are some mean odds against us."

Lisa stretched her legs, disheartened. "Apparently, I'm not enough of a weak spot."

"Don't be disappointed, you're in good company."

"That's not funny." Yet despite herself, Lisa had to giggle. Gathering the necessary resolve while at the same time annoyed at herself that she actually had to do so, she added grimly, "And for the record, I'm not disappointed."

"Really? Even if you're honest to yourself for just a teensy moment?"

"Now don't you start with that." As far as hypnotic stares went, only Jackson's were more intense. Lisa ground her teeth, so sick of always playing the open book. "Fine," she spat, "I am, okay? Whenever it looks as if I'm about thisclose to figuring it all out, Jackson turns around and does something that completely shakes me up." How easy it was to let the anger take over. "He's impossible! It's driving me crazy not knowing where it all comes from. He's so different from, uh, from everything! And what's more, I … I want to understand. You see, there's this stupid little voice in my head that keeps on yapping, hey, maybe it's worth it. Maybe it's worth something. Shit!" Lisa struggled violently against her restraints. "SHIT!"

Cherry waited until the worst of the storm had blown over before she spoke. "I bet he'd say the exact same thing about you." She cleared her throat. "Scary feeling, huh?"

They didn't talk any more for a long time after that.