In Jack's past life, "True Lies" was released a long time ago, so long ago that he was still a preteen when he saw it on videotape.
Of his few memories, the only ones left were "Arnold" jumping off a building on horseback, the subsequent beating he got after tricking his wife into a striptease, and the nuclear bomb explosion.
And while the dance scene wasn't deleted from the tape, the whole family watched it together.
Even though his parents were understanding enough not to cover his eyes, to be honest, little Jack, whose hair hadn't even started growing yet, didn't really feel anything at all. It wasn't nearly as memorable as the drawing scene in "Titanic" that would come a few years later.
While he did have some concerns about nuclear bombs, there were plenty of more famous agents in the US, including counterterrorism experts, who could easily have been a criminal case specialist. His
female boss had suspended him for two weeks, and with the two weeks still underway, he just wanted to keep lying down and playing dirty.
It was rare for him to come to Washington, D.C., not for business. He also wanted to visit the Lincoln Memorial, see the large pond in the plaza, and explore the various museums. He
had the impression that the nuclear bomb exploded on a small island far from the coast, clearly unrelated to Washington, D.C. No matter how far-fetched the plot was, it couldn't possibly lead to this place.
The next morning, the two women left first, and Jack, after finishing his room service breakfast, leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through the news on
his phone. The previous night's events had made the news: police had found two bodies in the restroom of a shopping mall next to the hotel. Both were of Middle Eastern appearance. The reporter connected the incident with "Arnold" chasing a motorcycle on horseback, suspecting a hitman had been killed while trying to silence them.
After reading the news, Jack got up, went downstairs, and drove around aimlessly.
After visiting the usual sights, he entered the National Gallery of Art, which housed a Madonna by Raphael, a self-portrait by Van Gogh, and Monet's Water Lilies.
Someone finally remembered that he was a writer and needed some artistic training. He couldn't quite grasp abstract art, but he could still discern some of the qualities of non-abstract art.
So Jack focused his browsing on the West Wing, which houses a collection of classical European and American art from the 13th to early 20th centuries. Less than half an hour into his visit, he unexpectedly ran into someone he knew.
"Jack, is that you? Oh my God!" a suppressed exclamation echoed behind him. Jack turned around just as he was hit by a ball. He
caught the girl lunging at him and spun a little to dissipate the impact. Jack searched his brain for several seconds before matching the vibrant girl before him with a certain image in his memory.
"Jessie?"
The girl had changed significantly in the years since they last met, not only in her figure but also in her complexion, which had gone from tan to a creamy white.
"Uh, I remember you going to college in New Mexico?" Jack realized his mistake the moment he said it. Judging by the time, the girl should have graduated.
"I graduated last year and am currently pursuing a master's degree in psychology at Georgetown University." As if noticing the strange looks from the people around them, Jessie giggled and ran out of the National Gallery of Art, pulling Jack along.
"My family originally lived in Washington, D.C., and I chose New Mexico Highlands University because I had a quarrel with my father."
The two found a cafe. The girl, who had unexpectedly reunited with Jack, seemed a little too excited and chattered about her experiences in the past few years.
The experience of encountering the cannibal in New Mexico had obviously made the girl mature a lot. After graduation, she chose to return to her parents and continue to study for a master's degree at the university near her home.
This time, Jack finally learned the girl's full name, Jessie Tasker. Her father was a sales engineer for a software company, and her mother was an ordinary clerk.
Jack also picked out some parts of his experience in the past few years to tell the girl that he had successfully become an FBI agent and had done well in the past few years, which was considered a successful promotion and salary increase.
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Upon hearing that he'd actually received the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom, Jessie's face lit up with worry.
She was no longer the freshman who'd run off to the wilderness with a few idiot classmates. She naturally understood the value of such a medal, and she also understood the risks Jack, an FBI agent, would take to earn it.
Knowing that Jack was on vacation and had no plans to leave Washington, D.C. anytime soon, Jessie volunteered to be his guide, taking him through various art galleries and museums.
The New Mexico cannibal incident was Jack's first exposure to the truly dangerous side of the world, and he had a good impression of Jessie's bravery.
They spent the entire afternoon at the National Museum of Natural History. Compared to the New York Museum of Natural History, which boasted a massive dinosaur skeleton upon its entrance, the museum's landmark was a fully furred African elephant in the first-floor lobby.
It was said to be the largest African elephant ever found, and the museum had meticulously recreated the original African savannah it once inhabited.
However, the museum's most prized possession is a large stone familiar to Jack: the blue diamond "Hope"—the prototype for the "Heart of the Ocean" in "Titanic.
" Tanzanite was used in the film's imitations, and Jack, after returning from his trip to Africa, has acquired several tanzanites himself. Now, nearly every woman in his life owns a piece of jewelry made of this beautiful blue gemstone.
By the time they finished their museum tour, it was already evening. After dinner at a long-established French restaurant in Georgetown, Jack returned to the hotel with Jess, whose eyes had become strained. It
wasn't until 8:30 the next morning that the girl, in a panic, woke up, saying she had classes that morning and her professor was incredibly strict.
Amused, Jack drove Jess back home to get her books. He truly felt a change in her. They had talked a lot yesterday, and it seemed she was truly striving to become an FBI agent.
She took Jack's advice to heart: stay away from drugs, maintain a clean record, and study hard.
"So, you've deposited all that gold I gave you in a bank safe, haven't spent a cent, and now you live with your parents?" Jack wondered if this girl was being too obedient.
"I don't want to be like my dad, a salesman all his life, always acting all cocky and proud."
Jessie, who had been staring out the car, suddenly motioned for Jack to pull over. "I'm here. Give me ten minutes, I'll be right out."
It was a typical, middle-class, wooden single-family house. A vintage GMC Canyon pickup truck was parked in the driveway.
But the portly, middle-aged man leaning against the car, seemingly waiting for someone, looked increasingly familiar to Jack. Jessie greeted him loudly as she entered, "Good morning, Uncle Gibson."
As if noticing the parked Audi R8, "Uncle Gibson" cast a quizzical look at Jack, then paused, clearly recognizing him.
Jack also recognized this person, the CIA agent who claimed to be "Arnold's" partner the night before.
In "True Lies," the governor's daughter was only 14, but the actress was the same person.
I've adjusted the timeline a bit here, so it makes sense that the daughter is a few years older, right?
(End of this chapter)