Russian Roulette (6/16)
Previous Parts: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five
Part Six - Changes
Lisbon pinched the bridge of her nose in attempt to stave off the impending migraine. It had been one of those days: her coffee machine had broken, a criminal had slipped through her fingers, and she’d had an argument with Jack. Of course, some of the things that had gone wrong were minor issues, inconsequential and some less so. However, it didn’t stop them from adding up and making her already irritable mood even worse.
When she had gotten the phone call from the hospital, saying that Tommy had been admitted after an accident at work, she was barely surprised. Naturally, instinct kicked in and she had dropped everything in order to rush to his bedside. Just because he was grown and had a kid of his own, it didn’t mean he’d stopped needing her help. He was just the kind of person who seemed to require some level of hand-holding through life. Sometimes, her hovering annoyed him, but she couldn’t help it. Lisbon felt like she was obliged to help him. It had always been that way, ever since their mother’s death. Some instincts were just too hard to fight against.
When she arrived, she was relieved to see that he was conscious and in fairly high spirits, given his current predicament. According to his doctor, Tommy had only suffered from a broken leg and a mild concussion. He’d been lucky that it hadn’t been any more serious, considering what had happened to him. As she took to the chair beside his hospital bed, Lisbon let out a heavy sigh of relief.
“And you complain about how dangerous my job is,” she chastised lamely. “What the hell happened, Tommy?”
“Reese…” The whine in his voice was unmistakable but that didn’t stop Lisbon from narrowing her eyes at him. Regardless of how ‘lucky’ he’d been, it didn’t stop her from needing answers and fast. He was a parent now, he had responsibilities. Tommy couldn’t keep doing stupid things now that he had Annabeth to care for. She didn’t know how much longer she would be around in order to help him pick up the pieces. After all, her life had grown increasingly busy, especially now that Jackson was on the scene.
“Safety equipment failed,” he answered gruffly when he realized she wasn’t going to back down. “It wasn’t my fault, Reese.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really,” he snapped back. “It’s the fault of the company who supplied me.”
“Are you sure you weren’t just using it incorrectly?”
“Why do you always doubt me? Of course I was using it right. And do you know who recommended the bastards who did this to me?”
“Oh, do enlighten me,” she replied dryly, rolling her eyes as she did so.
“Jackson Roberts.”
Half of Lisbon was stunned, but the rest was furious. Not with Jackson, of course not, but with her brother. She sincerely doubted that Tommy had even been talking to him at all lately. The two had never gotten on, not even since they met for the first time three months ago. Lisbon had tried to help them get beyond their differences and she had known that Jackson had offered several olive branches in return, but Tommy just remained as stubborn as a mule.
“Please,” she scoffed, annoyed at his refusal to see any good in Jackson. “How the hell was he meant to know that they’d supply you with faulty goods?”
“I don’t know, but there’s something weird about him. I don’t trust him.”
“Tommy, you’ve had it in for him since you first met him. He’s a nice guy; why can’t you just get over it?”
“But-“
“Look,” she said and placed a hand over his. “I did background checks on him. You know I always do that, ever since…”
She stopped and trailed off slightly. Lisbon didn’t want to go back there. Her first boyfriend, the one before Greg, had turned out to be a nasty piece of work. He’d been older than her, suave, charming and allowed her to escape from the misery of her family. Unfortunately, he had also been looking to use her for the very reasons she had come to him. In what had been a whirlwind affair, the man had tried to steal her away from her family when they needed her most. When she had realized what was going on she was lucky. If she’d left it any longer, it would have been too late. Ultimately, it had been him who had confirmed her decision to become a cop.
And ultimately, he had been the reason she had never been that successful at dating.
Until now.
“Reese…”
“And he works with me, at the CBI. Do you honestly believe they would hire somebody that untrustworthy?”
Tommy glanced away, but Lisbon could read all that she needed to in his expression. Eventually, she gave up talking and instead stood to leave. He was going to be fine; she knew that Annabeth was being cared for by her maternal grandparents. There was nothing more she could do at this specific moment in time. And besides, this was an argument they could save for later. Right now, Tommy needed rest and relaxation. By fighting about her choice in life partner, he was doing neither.
“I’m going now. Call me if you need anything.”
“Yes, Reese.”
“Look after yourself.”
He nodded in response.
“And don’t get into too much trouble.”
“Yes, mom.”
She walked to the door and slowly went to push it open. Before she exited, she turned on her heels to face him once more.
“Tommy?”
“Yeah.”
“I love you.”
xxx
Red John found himself pacing around the lounge, waiting for Lisbon to return. He’d known where she was going, that much was obvious. After all, it had been his plan that had sent her running for the hospital in a mad rush. It had taken him three months to get his petty revenge, but these things needed planning and now he was feeling… better. He felt less murderous, less angry and more at peace with himself than he had done so for a long while. Part of him didn’t like leaving his lessons for people for so long, but this one had required specific care and attention. In a way, it was a shame that Lisbon would probably never know the real reason why Tommy had had his accident.
But it didn’t matter, not really. The man was obnoxious and irritating. He deserved to suffer a little bit, regardless of whether or not it was at his sister’s expense. There was something about Thomas Lisbon that sent Red John’s nerves on edge. The way he looked at him, it was almost as if he could see through the façade and work out his true meanings. Not many people could do that.
In fact, the only other living person who had been capable of doing so was currently locked away in a mental institution.
The door finally clicked open and Red John swiftly closed the manila file he’d been looking at. It may have looked like a work file, but that had just been a cover. He knew that it was the safest way to keep it out of (Lisbon’s) prying eyes. She understood about confidentiality and that was why she never pried into cases that weren’t her own. As he placed it back in his bag, he put on his game face, the one that was warm and welcoming. Red John may have known what had happened to Lisbon’s brother, but Jackson Roberts most certainly did not.
“Hey, you,” he said warmly, invitingly. “You’re late.”
“Didn’t you get my message?” she asked, with a frown.
He shook his head, lying. Lisbon rolled her eyes and flopped onto his couch, clearly in an irritable mood. Briefly, he heard her whisper ‘typical’ underneath her breath. Red John disappeared out of the lounge and into the kitchen. Quickly, he returned with a coffee and she smiled appreciatively. His lips curled up in response, matching her expression. Hours ago, he’d known that this would be something she needed when she got to his place, before even she had realized it herself. And that was the beauty in this trick; he was always running two steps ahead of her.
“It’s been one of those days,” she eventually explained.
“What happened?”
She explained and he only half-listened. He knew most of the story at any rate. Instead, as he prepared their dinner, Red John nodded in all the right places, added his own insight into her day here and there and she seemed appeased. It wasn’t often that Teresa Lisbon needed to let go and just talk like this, but when she did, he acted as if he had the patience of a saint. He’d known from the offset that Lisbon wasn’t much of a talker, that she didn’t feel the need to share her life story with anyone and everyone. She kept her cards close to her chest; it was only when she truly felt comfortable with somebody else that she opened up. This outburst, he considered, was testament to just how close she was getting to him and just how much she trusted him.
At this point, he normally considered his victims to be ‘nearly ready’. However, with Lisbon, he felt the desperate urge to get deeper still. She wasn’t worth wasting on a normal murder, not like the others. He’d always known that there was something special about her. The closer she got to him, the more trusting she became, the more he felt vindicated by his decision.
They ate in silence, with just some radio station playing jazz music filling in as background noise. She looked tired, but that was hardly surprising. Instead, Red John considered the words she had said prior to their evening meal. Her work issues, they were just something that occasionally happened in the line of duty and they both knew it. After she’d said it had broken, Red John had already promised to replace her coffee machine as soon as feasibly possible. They weren’t the main issues that had caught his attention. He’d been right about Tommy acting suspiciously around him. Lisbon was annoyed that her brother was still refusing to see any positives in him.
He wasn’t exactly about to say that Tommy had a good reason not to trust him.
A smile played on his lips as his future plans flashed before his eyes. Lisbon’s death at his hands wouldn’t just be a betrayal of trust between the two of them. It would also be damaging for Tommy, who had never liked Lisbon’s career, who had never liked him. Things couldn’t have played out much better than this.
After they’d put aside all the washing up, Red John whisked Lisbon into a warm embrace. Slowly, carefully, he placed a kiss on her cheek. His hands skimmed across the collarbone and onto the warm, inviting flesh of her neck. As he closed his eyes, images of the pearls of blood erupting from that alabaster skin filled the forefront of his imagination. Eventually, he moved to nibbling her ear lobe and she sighed in response. Red John could tell that this affection was something she’d needed after ‘one of those days’ as she’d phrased it so eloquently.
Before he could stop himself, he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. And then, though it seemed like he had no control over his tongue, the words fell out.
“Move in with me.”
To Part Seven
Part Six - Changes
Lisbon pinched the bridge of her nose in attempt to stave off the impending migraine. It had been one of those days: her coffee machine had broken, a criminal had slipped through her fingers, and she’d had an argument with Jack. Of course, some of the things that had gone wrong were minor issues, inconsequential and some less so. However, it didn’t stop them from adding up and making her already irritable mood even worse.
When she had gotten the phone call from the hospital, saying that Tommy had been admitted after an accident at work, she was barely surprised. Naturally, instinct kicked in and she had dropped everything in order to rush to his bedside. Just because he was grown and had a kid of his own, it didn’t mean he’d stopped needing her help. He was just the kind of person who seemed to require some level of hand-holding through life. Sometimes, her hovering annoyed him, but she couldn’t help it. Lisbon felt like she was obliged to help him. It had always been that way, ever since their mother’s death. Some instincts were just too hard to fight against.
When she arrived, she was relieved to see that he was conscious and in fairly high spirits, given his current predicament. According to his doctor, Tommy had only suffered from a broken leg and a mild concussion. He’d been lucky that it hadn’t been any more serious, considering what had happened to him. As she took to the chair beside his hospital bed, Lisbon let out a heavy sigh of relief.
“And you complain about how dangerous my job is,” she chastised lamely. “What the hell happened, Tommy?”
“Reese…” The whine in his voice was unmistakable but that didn’t stop Lisbon from narrowing her eyes at him. Regardless of how ‘lucky’ he’d been, it didn’t stop her from needing answers and fast. He was a parent now, he had responsibilities. Tommy couldn’t keep doing stupid things now that he had Annabeth to care for. She didn’t know how much longer she would be around in order to help him pick up the pieces. After all, her life had grown increasingly busy, especially now that Jackson was on the scene.
“Safety equipment failed,” he answered gruffly when he realized she wasn’t going to back down. “It wasn’t my fault, Reese.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really,” he snapped back. “It’s the fault of the company who supplied me.”
“Are you sure you weren’t just using it incorrectly?”
“Why do you always doubt me? Of course I was using it right. And do you know who recommended the bastards who did this to me?”
“Oh, do enlighten me,” she replied dryly, rolling her eyes as she did so.
“Jackson Roberts.”
Half of Lisbon was stunned, but the rest was furious. Not with Jackson, of course not, but with her brother. She sincerely doubted that Tommy had even been talking to him at all lately. The two had never gotten on, not even since they met for the first time three months ago. Lisbon had tried to help them get beyond their differences and she had known that Jackson had offered several olive branches in return, but Tommy just remained as stubborn as a mule.
“Please,” she scoffed, annoyed at his refusal to see any good in Jackson. “How the hell was he meant to know that they’d supply you with faulty goods?”
“I don’t know, but there’s something weird about him. I don’t trust him.”
“Tommy, you’ve had it in for him since you first met him. He’s a nice guy; why can’t you just get over it?”
“But-“
“Look,” she said and placed a hand over his. “I did background checks on him. You know I always do that, ever since…”
She stopped and trailed off slightly. Lisbon didn’t want to go back there. Her first boyfriend, the one before Greg, had turned out to be a nasty piece of work. He’d been older than her, suave, charming and allowed her to escape from the misery of her family. Unfortunately, he had also been looking to use her for the very reasons she had come to him. In what had been a whirlwind affair, the man had tried to steal her away from her family when they needed her most. When she had realized what was going on she was lucky. If she’d left it any longer, it would have been too late. Ultimately, it had been him who had confirmed her decision to become a cop.
And ultimately, he had been the reason she had never been that successful at dating.
Until now.
“Reese…”
“And he works with me, at the CBI. Do you honestly believe they would hire somebody that untrustworthy?”
Tommy glanced away, but Lisbon could read all that she needed to in his expression. Eventually, she gave up talking and instead stood to leave. He was going to be fine; she knew that Annabeth was being cared for by her maternal grandparents. There was nothing more she could do at this specific moment in time. And besides, this was an argument they could save for later. Right now, Tommy needed rest and relaxation. By fighting about her choice in life partner, he was doing neither.
“I’m going now. Call me if you need anything.”
“Yes, Reese.”
“Look after yourself.”
He nodded in response.
“And don’t get into too much trouble.”
“Yes, mom.”
She walked to the door and slowly went to push it open. Before she exited, she turned on her heels to face him once more.
“Tommy?”
“Yeah.”
“I love you.”
xxx
Red John found himself pacing around the lounge, waiting for Lisbon to return. He’d known where she was going, that much was obvious. After all, it had been his plan that had sent her running for the hospital in a mad rush. It had taken him three months to get his petty revenge, but these things needed planning and now he was feeling… better. He felt less murderous, less angry and more at peace with himself than he had done so for a long while. Part of him didn’t like leaving his lessons for people for so long, but this one had required specific care and attention. In a way, it was a shame that Lisbon would probably never know the real reason why Tommy had had his accident.
But it didn’t matter, not really. The man was obnoxious and irritating. He deserved to suffer a little bit, regardless of whether or not it was at his sister’s expense. There was something about Thomas Lisbon that sent Red John’s nerves on edge. The way he looked at him, it was almost as if he could see through the façade and work out his true meanings. Not many people could do that.
In fact, the only other living person who had been capable of doing so was currently locked away in a mental institution.
The door finally clicked open and Red John swiftly closed the manila file he’d been looking at. It may have looked like a work file, but that had just been a cover. He knew that it was the safest way to keep it out of (Lisbon’s) prying eyes. She understood about confidentiality and that was why she never pried into cases that weren’t her own. As he placed it back in his bag, he put on his game face, the one that was warm and welcoming. Red John may have known what had happened to Lisbon’s brother, but Jackson Roberts most certainly did not.
“Hey, you,” he said warmly, invitingly. “You’re late.”
“Didn’t you get my message?” she asked, with a frown.
He shook his head, lying. Lisbon rolled her eyes and flopped onto his couch, clearly in an irritable mood. Briefly, he heard her whisper ‘typical’ underneath her breath. Red John disappeared out of the lounge and into the kitchen. Quickly, he returned with a coffee and she smiled appreciatively. His lips curled up in response, matching her expression. Hours ago, he’d known that this would be something she needed when she got to his place, before even she had realized it herself. And that was the beauty in this trick; he was always running two steps ahead of her.
“It’s been one of those days,” she eventually explained.
“What happened?”
She explained and he only half-listened. He knew most of the story at any rate. Instead, as he prepared their dinner, Red John nodded in all the right places, added his own insight into her day here and there and she seemed appeased. It wasn’t often that Teresa Lisbon needed to let go and just talk like this, but when she did, he acted as if he had the patience of a saint. He’d known from the offset that Lisbon wasn’t much of a talker, that she didn’t feel the need to share her life story with anyone and everyone. She kept her cards close to her chest; it was only when she truly felt comfortable with somebody else that she opened up. This outburst, he considered, was testament to just how close she was getting to him and just how much she trusted him.
At this point, he normally considered his victims to be ‘nearly ready’. However, with Lisbon, he felt the desperate urge to get deeper still. She wasn’t worth wasting on a normal murder, not like the others. He’d always known that there was something special about her. The closer she got to him, the more trusting she became, the more he felt vindicated by his decision.
They ate in silence, with just some radio station playing jazz music filling in as background noise. She looked tired, but that was hardly surprising. Instead, Red John considered the words she had said prior to their evening meal. Her work issues, they were just something that occasionally happened in the line of duty and they both knew it. After she’d said it had broken, Red John had already promised to replace her coffee machine as soon as feasibly possible. They weren’t the main issues that had caught his attention. He’d been right about Tommy acting suspiciously around him. Lisbon was annoyed that her brother was still refusing to see any positives in him.
He wasn’t exactly about to say that Tommy had a good reason not to trust him.
A smile played on his lips as his future plans flashed before his eyes. Lisbon’s death at his hands wouldn’t just be a betrayal of trust between the two of them. It would also be damaging for Tommy, who had never liked Lisbon’s career, who had never liked him. Things couldn’t have played out much better than this.
After they’d put aside all the washing up, Red John whisked Lisbon into a warm embrace. Slowly, carefully, he placed a kiss on her cheek. His hands skimmed across the collarbone and onto the warm, inviting flesh of her neck. As he closed his eyes, images of the pearls of blood erupting from that alabaster skin filled the forefront of his imagination. Eventually, he moved to nibbling her ear lobe and she sighed in response. Red John could tell that this affection was something she’d needed after ‘one of those days’ as she’d phrased it so eloquently.
Before he could stop himself, he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. And then, though it seemed like he had no control over his tongue, the words fell out.
“Move in with me.”
To Part Seven