Red Hearts and Crossed Strings
Chilly winds disturbed the once still curtains and sent a draft into the dark room. Lisbon shivered and tugged the blankets up over her neck. Her body trembled. Locking her feet together and pulling her knees to her chest she curled up into a ball. Seconds later, she shifted again.
The cycle went on for an hour before Lisbon threw off the covers and stomped across the room. It was useless to sleep. Lying in bed provided time to think, and time to think caused Lisbon’s body to shudder.
Padding down the stairs, Lisbon slipped into her kitchen. The warm brown walls made her tense shoulders fall. With a small smile, she opened a nearby cupboard and hooked her fingers around the handle of a brown mug. There wasn’t a need to rush. Not tonight. Not when every time she tried to rest she ended up tossing and turning. Sighing, the slouching woman looked at the clock. It read 2:30am. She watched with a frown as the long hand slowly ticked around the circle. After staring the clock down for a whole minute, Lisbon walked away with as much dignity she could muster and opened the fridge. Milk. She wanted milk.
Shuffling through the contents she took a mental note to sort through her food. Almost everything she pushed aside was passed it’s date. Lisbon quickly found and swiped the milk before she could think of anything else that needed to be done. Closing the fridge door, she poured her drink and tossed it in the microwave to let it heat up. If she was going to be up all night, why not be up with a warm mug of milk?
As the microwave buzzed, Lisbon let her head fall against her hands. Her palms started messaging her temples on autopilot as she went through her ever growing mental list. Sort through paperwork, sign paperwork, deal with stupid consultant, try to keep Grace from kissing Wayne in the office . . .
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Jerking her head to the alarm, Lisbon came back to the present situation. The microwave was yelling at her quite obnoxiously, and she silenced it by yanking the door open and taking her steaming milk out.
For the past week, all Lisbon could do at night was sip hot milk from a mug. It helped her sleep. And lately, Lisbon would do anything to get a moment of sleep.
Mommy, will you sing me a lullaby?
I sang to you last night Teresa.
I know, but I like it when you sing to me.
Alright. But tomorrow you must sleep by yourself.
Okay!
Lisbon brought the mug to her lips, and as the warm liquid slipped down her throat she sighed. It would be a long night. Just as it had been a long month. As a senior agent for the Serious Crimes unit at the California Bureau of Investigation she had responsibilities, and a team that put their lives on the line for her every day. She had no time to deal with her own personal issues. It would distract her, and that could put lots of people in danger.
Dad stop it! You’re hurting him! Stop!
Almost choking on her milk, Lisbon coughed. Heaving and beating her fist against her chest, she managed to spit the thick drink out before slumping onto a nearby chair. Clenching her dark brown hair in her fists, she leaned against the table and shuddered. This had to stop. It had to . . .
The minutes ticked by. Half an hour had already passed since she had gotten out of bed. Lisbon gripped the edge of the table and held back the frustrated tears that were threatening to cloud her eyes. Her body was drooping, her hair was a mess, and her stomach felt unsettled. Maybe, she could try to drag herself up to bed again? She was certainly tired enough. Although, exhaustion wasn’t the cause for her minor insomnia. The cause was something deeper. Sometimes she was even unsure of what it was herself.
VRRRRRMMMMMM . . .
Lisbon jumped. The sound of her vibrating cell broke the silence of the room. Snorting, she grabbed the device from the table and flipped the screen to see her annoying consultant Patrick Jane staring back at her. She considered not answering it at first. In the past he dragged her here and there because of a hunch, or a “theory”. Not that he was ever wrong. But she really didn’t want to deal with him right now. On the other hand, he had limits. Jane wouldn’t call at 3:00 am unless it was something dire. At least, he had better hope he wouldn’t.
“Hi Jane.” Lisbon tapped her fingers against the wooden tabletop as she waited for her colleague to respond. Seconds passed, and nothing. “Jane?” She repeated.
“Lisbon, I need you to get dressed. I’ll pick you up in a few minutes.” Jane said after a few long seconds.
The tapping stopped. Lisbon scrunched her brow. “What are you playing at?”
“I’ll explain later.” He said.
“No, I want you to explain now please.” On the other end of the line there was a sigh. Lisbon waited patiently and leaned back in her chair. They were stuck at another pause, so she pushed him a little closer to the edge. “ I’m not going if you don’t tell me what the hell is going on. It’s three in the morning and you woke me up out of nowhere!”
“I didn’t wake you up. If I had woken you up you wouldn’t have waited to answer your phone. You would have picked it up right away instead of contemplating if I was worth answering.”
“Right now, I’m thinking it was a mistake. Now tell me what’s going on or I’m hanging up.”
Small scuffing noises sounded through the phone. Jane was pacing. “I know where Red John is . . .” He whispered.
Everything around Lisbon was meaningless after those words slipped from his lips. Red John is a vile and dangerous man. five years ago, Jane’s wife and daughter were murdered by Red John. Even now, the man’s disturbed signature is stained onto Jane’s wall. A red smile, painted with the victims blood.
“Red John has hid himself away at an abandoned warehouse. It’s just on the outskirts of Sacramento. We can make it there by 7:00am if we leave in the next hour.”
“Hold on. How did you find out where he is?” Lisbon wasn’t entirely convinced by Jane’s story. She still remembered the day he left a living horse in her office as a birthday present.
“I’ve compiled lists Lisbon. Lots of lists. Let’s just say I narrowed it down after remembering everyone significant I have ever met.” Jane’s voice was beginning to sound impatient. The quiet pacing noise had picked up to a faster scratching sound.
“Alright, alright. I can be ready, just give me five minutes. I’ll call the team, an-”
“No!” Lisbon’s shoulders seized at Jane’s sudden outburst. “You can’t call the team. I didn’t even want to call you . . . Red John is mine.”
“Well if you didn’t want to call me, then why did you?” Lisbon grunted. Her free hand found it’s way to her hip and her brows furrowed. On the other side of the conversation there was a chuckle. Lisbon quickly let her hand slip back down in embarrassment. It was like he had a sixth sense. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding a third eye in the perfect mess of blond curls atop his head.
“I called you, my dear Lisbon, because we are partners. And because if I didn’t you would surely throw me out a window the next time you saw me . . . Or punch me in the nose again. You are an abusive boss, you know that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“So will you come with me?” His voice was quiet and dangerous. The sensation it created was befitting of a slowly approaching fog. Hazy and mysterious, with no way of knowing what lay ahead without diving in head first.
“I don’t think you’ve given me an option.” Lisbon stood up and headed for her room. “I’ll be ready when you get here, just wait outside. My house is a mess right now.” She kicked a crumpled shirt that was lying limply in the middle of the stairs. Though her house wasn’t necessarily a disaster, she didn’t like the idea of Jane, the not so natural disaster, coming inside. The man was capable of much more than his cocky smile let on.
“Alright, I’ll be there soon.”
Jane closed the cell phone and looked at the red blood stain on the wall of his daughter’s room. The stain stared back at him with unblinking eyes and a taunting smile. Resting a hand on his head, he turned away to face the other direction. Why did I call Lisbon? The thought passed through his head for the umpteenth time. Even as he was talking to the woman, he kept regretting it. But at the same time, he felt something else. I feel relieved that she’s coming with me . . . But why?
He stayed there for a few more minutes, thinking. He was going against everything he knew. Red John, had always been his. Sure, the CBI helped him find the murderer, but after that Red John would be his to deal with. Now he was bringing Lisbon with him to sneak up on Red John, and kill him. Only Lisbon wouldn’t see it that way. Lisbon was a woman of justice and law. Since the two of them met, she had always been the same. She gave everyone, or at least almost everyone, a fair trial. She stood up for what she felt was right. And if you ever questioned one of her team members, you wouldn’t sleep well that night.
Jane and Lisbon were partners and, in Jane’s head, very close friends. Though they were very different, they always found a strange way to connect each other. But there was one subject they tended to fight over. Lisbon believed that she could convince him to let Red John go to court, and then be sentenced to whatever punishment the law decided he deserved. That entire prospect made Jane laugh. He would be the one to kill Red John, and not even Lisbon could change his mind. But that brought on another inner quarrel. If, no, when he killed Red John, would he loose Lisbon too?
Getting to his feet, he went to his closet and took out one of his many three piece suits. Lisbon would be waiting for him if he kept going at the pace he was. And he planned to make it be the other way around.
Lisbon finished rinsing her hair and went to turn off the shower. But she hesitated. Warm water dribbled across her back, and the sensation was almost like a massage. She didn’t want to leave yet. Taking a step back from the handle, she let the water fall across her arms and head for a few more moments. It was her therapy, and she definitely needed it.
Her legs felt weak, and her eyes were heavy. Taking a breath, she readied herself for the day ahead. So far, it felt normal. She felt a strange sensations of peace and tranquility. It wasn’t what she had expected. She was about to walk straight into Red John’s territory, and she felt fine. But she knew why. And it was a common reason that she used for almost everything she felt happy about. It was a distraction.
Lisbon shivered as the water suddenly grew cold. Her mind was flooding around her. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around herself protectively. The fears from her childhood always seemed to sneak up on her at the worst times. She could never sleep, and she could never be truly at peace while alone. She wasn’t allowed to be at peace. Not when she held so many failures on her shoulders.
Her father’s face flashed in her mind, and in a moment of panic Lisbon threw her hand forward and hit the shower handle. In mere seconds the room temperature droplets turned into a heavier stream of scolding needles. With a scream, Lisbon leapt out of the tub and turned off the water.
Lisbon quickly grabbed a large towel from her rack and wrapped it around her seething body. She bit her lip as the throbbing burns began to sting. She could feel her eyes beginning to water but blinked the tears away and escaped to her room where she had taken out her clothes. She’d picked out some usual work appropriate clothing, a white blouse and a black jacket, along with some black denim pants. She was about to let her towel drop to the floor when she heard the sound of her door opening from downstairs. Then a voice called, “Lisbon!” And she swore.
She tried to gather her thoughts, but they shattered for the second time in a matter of seconds when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. A second later, the door to her room opened and she was facing her consultant with just a towel on. She considered herself lucky that it reached down to her knees.
Lisbon’s face flushed bright red. Without thinking she grabbed the nearest thing, a bible, and thrust it at Jane. Jane yelped and ducked before the bible could slam into his face. Without another word he fled the room and kicked the door shut behind him. Lisbon stayed staring for a moment before she quickly got dressed and grabbed her bag. She made sure her gun was tightly tucked into her belt before retreating down the stairs to where Jane was sitting on the couch. His face was still flushed.
“I told you not to come in.” Lisbon grunted. She wrapped her arms over her chest and glared at the man. Jane looked up with puppy dog eyes and pouted. “Why did you even think it was okay to barge into my room?”
Jane smiled before standing up. Now he was looking down at her. She was a good head shorter than him, though he knew she could easily take him down in a second. “I wanted to be rebellious and enter the scary Teresa Lisbon’s natural habitat.”
Lisbon growled and kicked Jane is the knee before heading out the door and closing it hard behind her. Jane bit his lip as he realized he might have crossed the line, but quickly followed after her. Rule one about Lisbon was that you never left her waiting when she was cranky.
Outside, the air was cold. Lisbon wrapped her arm’s around herself wishing she had brought a warmer jacket. Jane came out from behind her and she saw he was doing the same. “It’s cold tonight. He said, his voice tense and shaky.
“Cold for California at least.” Lisbon looked at her watch and sighed. It was 3:30am. “You said we would be there around seven right?
Jane nodded and the two of them walked down the steps and stopped at Jane’s car. His hands dug into his pockets as he searched for his keys before he pulled them out and unlocked the door. Lisbon would usually have taken the driver’s seat, except she didn’t know where they were going, and she didn’t trust Jane’s car. It was an old blue citroen DS. She wondered where he had gotten the french car, but she was scared he might say he stole it. She wouldn’t put it past him. he wasn’t exactly a man that cared about the law.
When the engine started, both of them looked at each other. Jane suddenly looked pale, and Lisbon was shivering, but not from the cold. They were going to find Red John. They were going to catch the serial killer that had ruined Jane’s life. But they were also going to a dangerous location with no back up and no one knowing they were gone.
“It’s going to be okay.” Jane said.
Lisbon looked back to the road as the car started moving. “I know.” She answered with a hint of embarrassment. After that, there was complete silence as Jane focused on the road and Lisbon focused on nothing in particular except the anxiety dwelling in her stomach.
“”What are you thinking?” Jane asked
Exhaling, Lisbon shook her head. “I’m thinking that this was a stupid idea . . . I’m supposed to go into work this morning.” pointing an accusing hand at Jane she added, “And now I’m on a wild goose chase with you. Hightower is going to kill me!”
Jane rolled his eyes. “The boss can’t fire you. You’re irreplaceable. I’ve already made it clear I won’t let anyone else ‘handle’ me.” His face contorted into a wicked grin.
Lisbon let out a small grunt and closed her eyes as she laid back against the seat. “Yeah, I’m doing such a good job at controlling you.” Her words were soaked with sarcasm, but Jane filtered it out and accepted it as a gritty compliment.
The road was barely lit apart from the sun just rising in the distance. They were in the outskirts of Sacramento, and Jane’s palms were sticky with perspiration. Red John was close and all he could think about was what would happen if he killed him. Sometimes he was so sure it was what he wanted, and other times he just didn’t know. He could lose everything all over again. His friends, his not so much of a career, and Lisbon. He could lose his partner. Looking over for a moment, he glanced at her. She hadn’t said anything for a long while, and he soon figured out why. She had fallen asleep.
Jane let his attention rest on Lisbon for a few extra moments. He noticed the cross necklace she always wore tucked into her shirt, and how her dark brown hair draped lazily over her shoulders. He had noticed, right from the start of the phone conversation, that she was tired. In fact, he noticed every day. She would come into work with a coffee in hand and go straight to her office. Then, she would shut herself in there for hours at a time. Unless she was giving orders or out on the field, she was in her office. One day, he swore she would drive herself crazy. So he had made it his job to keep her busy, and he had to say, he did a great job.
Checking the surroundings, he realized they were almost there. In the distance, black against the bright orange sun, Jane could make out a lonely warehouse. It was steadily creeping up on them. Reaching out with his hand he gently rustled his sleeping partner. She groaned in annoyance before opening her eyes. “Morning.” Jane said cheerily.
Lisbon growled before straightening her back and peeking out the window. Sunlight shimmered against the glass from a far off horizon, and He slowed the car down as they came up to a dirt driveway. In front of them was an intimidating warehouse.
Moss climbed up the edges of the abandoned wooden walls, and the coming sunrise flooded over the barren lot. All around was dirt and stone. The smell of dust shrouded the area and could make a frog’s croak dryer than a desert. Stones dotted the dirt wasteland, and Lisbon had to wonder if they were really just in the outskirts of Sacramento, or if Jane had somehow driven them into a wasteland.
Jane was the first to get out of the car, but Lisbon quickly followed after, only stopping to draw her gun from the belt around her waist. As they neared the entrance to the rotting structure, Jane fell in behind her. Raising her gun, Lisbon led Jane into the darkness, and whatever fate awaited them inside.
It smelled of decay. The stale scent of moss hung in the air, mixed with the unmistakable tang of blood. Jane had covered his nose with his arm, but with her hands on her gun, Lisbon was left with dealing with the disturbing smells.
It was almost too dark to see, and other than the faint sunlight that dappled the room through crakes int he wooden walls, there was no light. “Jane?” Lisbon whispered sharply. The man jumped slightly before sending her a glare. “Do you have the flashlight?”
Jane’s blue eyes lightened from their short tempered anger as he dug into his pocket and handed her a small black flashlight. Lisbon fiddled with it as her fingers found the switch. A stream of light shot out of the flashlight and the twosome continued through the dank house.
“What are you going to do if we find Red John?” Lisbon whispered.
It took Jane a few moments before he answered, “I’m going to kill him. I’m going to cut him up into little pieces, and watch him squirm.”
Lisbon turned around immediately. Her green eyes were piercing and she grabbed his arm with a tight fist. Even though Jane had to look down to meet her in the eye, it didn’t make her any less menacing. “I won’t let you do that. You do that and you’re throwing everything away. You’ll go to jail Jane! Do you really want that?” She was struggling to keep her voice down. Her jaw was clenched tightly as she waited for her partner to answer her, to tell her he wouldn’t do something stupid like he always did.
But he didn’t.
Jane rested a hand on Lisbon’s forehead, Pushing her bangs to the side with his thumb. Lisbon watched him, slightly confused. His hand slipped down to her shoulder, and before she knew what was happening, he had turned her to face the other way. With a small tap on her back, he made her continue walking forward.
“I won’t let you throw your life away.” she whispered.
Lisbon had always been there for him. Jane didn’t even know why. He had done nothing for her, aside from save her life a few times. But really, she had gotten into danger because of him. She was always going headfirst into danger, she was always in the front-lines. How did I get so lucky, to end up working with her?
Lisbon dealt with lots of personal troubles. Jane could tell that much. Yet, she never talked about her problems. She never complained or tried to make others pity her. He liked that about her. He wasn’t in love with her, he could never love someone again. Not after his wife and daughter died. But he did feel devotion and-
“Watch it!”
Lost in thought, Jane hadn’t noticed Lisbon had stopped walking. Ahead of them was a closed door with dried blood on the rusted gold knob. The knob looked like it was about to fall out, only hanging on my a loose piece of metal. Putting a finger to her lips, Lisbon signaled Jane for silence. Slipping close to the door, she rested her ear against it.
There wasn’t any noise on the other side of the door. But it was the only room they hadn’t gone through yet. Red John had to be in there. Sucking a breath and raising her gun, Lisbon kicked the door. It swung open with a loud cracked and she and Jane rushed into the room.
“Put your hands on your head and get on your knees!”
A man stood in the center of the small room, unmoving. Lisbon stepped closer. The man did not move. “I said, put your hands on your head!” She said again, her voice shaking with a creeping sense of unease.
Nothing moved for minutes. And Lisbon’s arms began to hurt from keeping her gun raised for so long. Impatience nipped at her and soon she was stomping over to the man with Jane at her heels. “Are deaf?” She reached out and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him close. “I said-” She stopped. The man had no light in his eyes. She quickly let go and stumbled backwards. He was dead.
“There’s a string holding him up.” Jane said. He pulled at a thin string that held the man up so that it looked like he was standing.
“Nothing can get past you, can it Jane?”
Jane raised his head, and Lisbon whipped around. The third voice came from the open doorway. A man waltzed in confidently. He was about the height of Jane, and his brown hair was messily brushed atop his head. In his hand, he held a gun.
“Very clever,” Jane said. “You killed an innocent man and left him here as a decoy. Then, when you lured us in, you could have the element of surprise.”
The man shrugged. “Honestly, I didn't know if it would work. I thought for sure you would catch on much sooner.” The man grinned as he shut the door and locked it. “But I guess I didn’t have to worry.”
Jane took a step forward, but Lisbon stopped him with her arm. “Jane, I’m not letting you near that man. You’re unarmed, and unpredictable.”
Crooked laughter erupted from the man and Jane and Lisbon both flinched at the harshness of it. “Oh look, Patrick Jane, the man of wonders, has a babysitter!”
Lisbon narrowed her eyes, but refused to fall for the taunt. Jane on the other hand, began to squirm. He grabbed her shoulders, and she instantly threw herself away as his fingers dug into her burned skin. Biting her lip, she wiped her watering eyes.
Jane stumbled backwards and looked at Lisbon in surprise. But before either of them could recover from their shock, the stranger charged at them. Lisbon gasped in surprise as she felt the man’s weight slam into her back. In an instant she was curled up on the ground. A foot landed hard on her back, pushing her hard against the grime covered wood. Her back was burning and pulsing, like she was being soaked in the rivers of Hell.
“Well Jane, it looks like I won. Face it. I’ve always been one step ahead of you. Everyone told you, even your own partner.”
As Red John gloated over his “victory” Lisbon carefully collected her gun from where it had slid to the ground and pointed it at Red John. Her arms kept shaking as she tried to aim for his leg, but before she could shoot him, the weapon was knocked from her unsteady grasp.
Red John grabbed her by the back of her shirt and stole her handcuffs. He swiftly latched them to her wrists and left her on the ground.
Jane couldn’t do anything but stare. The man he wanted to kill so much was right in his reach, yet he could do nothing. He was a consultant, he didn’t have a gun. And Red John did. He had a knife, but there was no way he could get close enough to use it effectively.
Red John pulled out a gun and pointed it at Lisbon. Fear pulsed throughout Jane’s entire body and he could feel sweat forming on his forehead. Lisbon looked scared as well, but she held a defiant scowl. Red John simply laughed, “I’m just kidding, I don’t want to shoot her. I have something more interesting planned.” Red John locked eyes with Jane before moving away from Lisbon. “Go sit beside her.”
Jane narrowed his eyes and slowly walked over and sat beside Lisbon, staying on his toes. Silently, he helped her up and let her lean back against him. She wasn’t in pain anymore, she had stopped clenching her jaw, but he wanted her close. He wanted to make sure nothing happened to her. Because it would be his fault again. That was something Jane just couldn’t deal with.
“You two have been partners for years now. I’ve seen how you two have grown closer and closer. Your partnership is stronger than most.” Red John started. He was glaring at them as if he was planning on painting a picture, taking in every little detail. “You’re great friends aren’t you? You care about each other. Patrick, what would you do if you lost that friendship? You wouldn't have anything.”
Lisbon struggled with the handcuffs in an attempt to get her hands out of them. But as expected, it was no use. She glared at Red John and waited for him to keep talking, but he just stared. He had the eyes of an eagle. She could feels his eyes piercing into her and picking through every little detail.
“I’ve come up with one final test for you Patrick. I’m going to break you. I’ll snap you like a twig, and I won’t even have to touch you.”
Jane held Lisbon closer, ignoring her mutter of protest. Red John walked past them towards a closet. He pulled out a rusted mirror the size of an average door. “I’ve decided the funnest way to do this, is to send you two away.” The mirror was now just in front of Jane and Lisbon. They stared at their reflections. There wasn’t any distance between their bodies. And they were both shaking with fear.
Red John pulled out a small remote from his pocket and glided his thumb over the single button in the middle. Then, he pressed it.
High pitched ringing echoed throughout the room. It vibrated through Lisbon’s body and she tensed as everything around her turned into a mess of disorienting sounds. The mirror started shaking, rocking back and forth on it’s legs. The glass cracked, then shattered, revealing some sort of black hole.Lisbon felt her body being dragged towards the broken mirror, and she desperately struggled with her handcuffs.
“JANE!”
Jane grabbed her, but it didn’t help. He too was being dragged into the mirror. The steady drawing winds whipped up into what felt like a storm trying to consume them. Jane could feel Lisbon’s body being picked up off the ground, but it was only mere seconds before his was too. Before they could so much as scream, they were devoured by the mysterious mirror. The last thing Jane saw was the darkness consuming them.