It's Just Our Fate

Jackson left to go meet up with Rudy so he could find out more information on his new assignment. As much as he didn’t want to leave Lily at home by herself, she insisted that he go so she could think things over.

Jackson walked up the pathway to his door and rang the bell. He let out a breath into the cold as he waited. Rudy opened the door smiling, “Reed, c’mon in.” Jackson nodded and walked inside as the warm home began to strip away the ice he felt on his face. Rudy followed him as they went into the living room sitting down across from one another.

Rudy picked up a manila folder and held it out for Jackson, “The target is an executive to a law firm in France. From what I’m seeing he’s been making some slip ups with this gang leader over there.” Jackson flipped through the folder, scanning over the papers, “How long will I need to be there?” Rudy sat back into the couch as he scratched his chin, “Four, maybe, five days tops.”

Jackson nodded as he tossed the folder onto the coffee table, rubbing the back of his neck, “Alright.” Rudy titled his head as he watched Jackson’s movements; he could tell something was off. “Kid, you okay?” Rudy asked. Jackson looked back up to him as he sighed, “Baxter called me out on my job - basically screamed at her that I’m a hit-man.” Rudy sat up quickly, “Wait, he knows?”

Jackson nodded as he stared at the coffee table, “He needs to be silenced, Rudy.” Jackson looked back up to him, his eyes turning cold. Rudy rubbed his face for a moment, “Jackson, you had the shot and you didn’t take it. Now this guy is calling you out and if he starts pulling hits on you, not only are you gonna get killed, but Lily could too.” Jackson shook his head angrily, “What do we do?”

Rudy flopped back on the couch as he looked up at the ceiling, “You’re not going to take this job, I’ll assign someone else to it.” Jackson sat up straight, “That’s your plan?” Rudy held up his hand as he thought, “I’ll assign a duo and have it done with quickly.” Jackson shook his head, his necklaces slightly banging into one another, “Where do I come in on this?”

Rudy pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it quickly, “You are going to complete the job.” Jackson watched as Rudy let out the charred smoke from his mouth, “I’ll give you a temp for the job so you can have some cover. I want it quick and clean, your specialty.” Jackson stood up, taking a breath in, “When?” Rudy took a drag from his cigarette as he looked up at Jackson, “I’ll call you. Now get out of here.”

-The Apartment-
Jackson came into the apartment letting the door slam behind him. Max jingled as he fought with his squeaky toy. Jackson tossed his keys on the counter as he passed and stood in the hall, “Babe?” He looked around for a moment, the TV was playing some Cameron Diaz film, there was coffee on the side table by the couch, and the phone was sitting in the seat. He stared over at the objects; the coffee was steaming so it had to of just been made but everything felt out of place. Jackson slowly pulled out his gun from behind his back and began walking down the hall. “Babe, you here?” he called out.

Something was not right at all. Everything was entirely too still. Jackson turned into the office with his gun facing out before him; Nothing. “Lily?” He called out. Jackson continued walking down the hall slowly pushing open Lily’s art room. He quickly looked in but saw nothing.

Just as he was turning he stopped in his tracks - someone was mumbling in the bedroom. Jackson gritted his teeth as he pointed the gun towards the door, “Baby...” He listened for a moment and heard nothing. Max sat at the end of the hall watching him, growling softly.

Jackson kicked opened the door as he quickly moved inside, the gun pointed directly at the intruder. The man was tall, wearing an expensive suit, and looked extremely distraught. Almost as if he hadn’t slept for days. The man had an arm around Lily’s throat, keeping her locked in front of him. “Put ya damn gun down.” he said.

Jackson kept his eyes locked on the man, a fire beginning to burn in his chest, “Not a chance.” The man cocked the gun and jammed it up against Lily’s temple, “Do it or you’ll see your ladies brains on the fucking wall.” Jackson stood his ground as he swiftly looked about the room; there was no one else there. It was just him and this guy.

“Jack...” Lily whimpered as she sobbed. Jackson looked at her momentarily then back to the man, “What do you want?” The guy laughed slightly then composed himself, “You.” He fired at Jackson, hitting him in the shoulder. Jackson quickly turned out into the hall as he grabbed his shoulder.
Jackson waited a few moments as he heard footsteps moving, dragging Lily along with him, and turned into the doorway again. He held onto his shoulder but kept his gun out with his other hand shooting only once at the man in the head. Lily screamed as the blood splattered against her face and chest. She fell under the weight of the man, shaking as she went.

Jackson rushed over to her, putting his gun on the floor, and pulled her away from the man. “Are you okay?!” He asked looking at her. Lily looked over at the man then back to Jackson’s arm, “Oh my god, Jackson!” She sobbed hard as her hands hovered above his wound.

He shook his head hard, “I’m fine, I’m fine.” Lily looked back to the man on the ground and sobbed. Jackson pulled her to his chest trying to calm her down, “Shh, Shh…”
Jackson looked down at the guy and shook his head hard, “We need to go.”

-On the road-
The sun tried to peak through the sky as Jackson and Lily drove on the interstate. Lily was wrapped in Jackson’s coat, her knees to her chest, as she looked out the window. Max was lying in the seat behind them both moving every now and then to get comfortable.

Jackson glanced over at Lily, “Lily…Will you please talk to me?” Lily sat in silence as she watched the scenery changing swiftly around them. She pulled his jacket tighter over her body as to shield away everything that happened.

Jackson reached out and touched her back lightly, “Lily.” She turned around swiftly and slapped his arm, hitting the bandage that covered his wound, “Don’t touch me!” Jackson gritted his teeth as he felt the sharp pain from shoulder radiate and stared out at the road. He didn’t dare move his eyes from it but continued on, “You need to talk to me.”

Lily’s chest heaved hard as she stared at him, “Who the fuck are you?” He shut his eyes briefly and glanced back over to her, “You know me.” She shook her head violently, tears swelling in her eyes, “No, you’re not the man I fell in love with. Who are you?” Jackson swallowed hard and jerked the car out off the interstate and into a rest stop.

The place was deserted but there were still the sounds of cars whizzing by them and the sound of the wind pressing against the car. Jackson kept the engine running, allowing the heat to stay on, and then unbuckled his seat belt, turning to her, “It’s me. It’s Jackson. I’m still me.”

Lily shook her head again as tears fell on to her cheeks, “Everything my father said was true, wasn’t it? The guy in the house, you killed him, so it must be true. You didn’t even hesitate.” Jackson rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at her, “He was going to kill you if I didn’t get to him first.” Lily looked away from him, “Say it.”

Jackson let his head fall back against the window as he looked at her, “Say what?” Lily leapt from her seat and started banging her hands against him, “That you’re a fucking liar! You’re a murderer! You sick son of a bitch! My father was right!” Jackson grabbed her wrists and tried to hold her down, “I’m a liar!” he yelled at her, “I’m a killer! I kill people for a living! I kill them to protect you and every sorry fucker in this country! I’m a sack of shit, and you know what, Daddy was right! Why don’t you start asking Daddy why people like me are getting calls about him!”

He let her arms go a little too violently and let himself fall back into his seat, rubbing his face hard. Lily’s body shook but she sat up, forcing the words out of her mouth, “You were going to kill my father?” Jackson’s eyes strained as he stared at her, “I get orders and I complete them. So yeah, I had orders to kill him but I didn’t because then I saw you...” He rubbed his face again as he recalled the memory, “You looked so beautiful in that dress… And he called you up there, I just... I couldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to do that to you.”

Lily grabbed her head as if it were breaking into pieces, “You were going to kill him that night… Oh god...” She began to sob again as she held fistfuls of her hair in her hands. Jackson slowly reached out to her and pulled her in to his chest, “I know this is all so much and I can’t begin to explain but I can’t tell you anymore. I’ve already told you too much. If someone were to find out they would come after you…”

Lily pushed him away from herself, “Take me home – now.” Jackson eyed her for a moment as if she were crazy, “We can’t go home.” Lily gritted her teeth, glaring at him, “Take me home, not us.” Jackson eyed her trying desperately to conjure up words to somehow repair this situation. “I won’t take you home,” he said as he began to pull the car out, “but I will take you somewhere safe.”