Part 188: Exodus part 6

Sayid ran with Charlie. McKay brought up behind them, follow by Shanna and Seth. By the time they got back to Claire, Rousseau was not there. But Claire and Sun was, and the young Australian woman was bleeding from her head. She was trying severely. “WHERE’S MY BABY??” she screamed.

McKay looked around, the little tyke was no where. Charlie ran over to the carriage and saw that he was missing. “Oh, My god,” the short musician whispered.

“Is he all right?” Claire said, frantic.

“Rousseau, was she alone?” asked Sayid.

“I don’t know.” The woman cried.

“Claire, which way did she go?”

“I don’t know!” she cried, “SHE TOOK MY BABY!”

Before Sayid could ask another question, Charlie punched him. McKay blinked, seeing what the short musician did. He pointed to Sayid. “THIS IS YOUR FAULT!” he screamed, “You brought her into the camp. If you had just given me a gun-“

“Charlie, don’t do this!” Shanna yelled.

He tried to hit the Middle Easterner again, but Sayid blocked it by grabbing him by the throat. “Do not hit me again.” He sneered, “You want to waste time assigning blame? There's plenty to go around! She has a head start. If we leave now we can catch her.”

“How are you going to do that?” asked McKay.

“Because I know where she's going.” He said.

“Then let’s bloody get after her!”

“McKay, I need you to lead the group to the caves.” The Iraqi asked him.

“Can you track her? You are SURE you know where she is going?” the Australian asked.

“Yes,” he said with a positive voice.

“Seth, Shanna, you two back them up!” their older friend ordered.

“HEY, GUYS!!” Seth said.

The group turned to face him. The young bookstore worker slowly turned around and show them the small blue back pack that they all knew belonged to Jenny. “It would seem our resident Karate Master is already hauling ass toward Rousseau.” He said with a slight smile.

-------------------------------------------------------,

Tony stood next to Marita who gripped his arm. John waited next to Mia and Hurley. There was a much heated debate about who should carry the dynamite, considering how unstable it was. It got so bad to the point where Kate wanted to carry them but Jack refused. Locke settled it by drawing straws. In the end it was Kate and Locke who got the option to carry them. Mia worried about the safety of her older companion. John was slightly ashamed but he was glad he and his friends were not chosen to carry the dynamite. “We ready?” asked Tony.

“Yes,” Jack said, slowly placing the pack on Kate.

“Then lead the way, Locke,” the blind man replied.

“The sun sets in 90 minutes, give or take. If we want to get back to the hatch we're going to have to hustle.” The old man mentioned.

“Okay, this is how we do this. I'll lead ,” Jack said, Kate, you're right behind me, then Hurley, then John, then Mia, Tony and Marita, Locke, you bring up the rear. If you start to see me heading the wrong way. .”

“We should stagger our formation,” Tony said,” Keep a safe distance from each other.”

“All right, we stagger,” Jack agreed, “If anyone hears anything or sees anything. . .”

“Like the security system that eats people?” Hurley said.

“It’s the Polliwog,” Mia told him.

“Right, . . .Polliwog . . .my bad,” the large man sighed.

“Regardless of it’s damn name!” the doctor made them focus,” you take your packs off, you put them down and you run. You got it?”

“Got it,” Kate responded.

“Yes, sir,” replied Locke.

“Okay, let's do this.” Jack said, leading the way.

-----------------------------------,

Sayid ran as hard as he could, to the point where his knees were hurting. He was being followed by three people way younger than him. He almost laughed at the irony of running in combat but instead of seasoned soldiers; he was being followed by a band. “ARE YOU BLOODY JOKING?” Charlie screamed, “Why would she go for the black smoke? Isn't that where the others are supposed to be?”

“The others are precisely why she would go there!” Sayid huffed,” Rousseau told us she saw black smoke the day her own child was taken 16 years ago!”

The Iraqi then stopped by a tree, diving on his knees. He quickly grabbed a silver case underneath a fallen tree and shifted it over. Then he pulled out a key to unlock it. Shanna blinked seeing the pile of guns in the box. “They took something from her, and now she believes she has something that they want.” Sayid said.

“She’s making a trade?” Charlie said in disbelief.

“Oh, man, that is sick.” Seth rubbed his forehead.

“Don't try to apply reason to her actions.” The Iraqi said,” She's a mother who lost her child, just like Claire.”

Sayid then handed Charlie a gun. The moment he took it, the Middle Easterner held onto it, not letting him have it yet. “This isn't about revenge. Don't make it personal.” He warned.

“I won’t.” Charlie took the gun.

Sayid then handed one to Seth. The young bookstore worker held up his hands in protest. “No thanks, man. “ he whispered, “Something tells me I ain’t gonna need it.”

“Me neither,” Shanna agreed.

“Very well, “ Sayid locked the case, “Perhaps only two guns will be needed to overpower her until we know the baby is safe.”

“I’m coming with you,” Claire said within earshot.

They all abruptly stood up. Claire was stomping after them with Sun in tow; begging her to stay at the caves. Sayid put the gun in his pack and stood up. “That is not a good idea, Claire.” He said.

“This is MY baby, okay!” she wept,” I let her take him.”

“Claire, this is not your fault!” Seth told her.
“Claire, you need to go back,” Charlie urged her.

The moment he grabbed her, she starting to hit him in the chest. “HEY, HEY!!” he tried to hold her.

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!!” she screamed.

Seth then grabbed her too, trying to get a hold of situation. “CLAIRE!” he begged, “PLEASE CALM DOWN!!”

“It’s my baby and I am coming with you and YOU CAN’T STOP ME!!” she said, grabbing both of them.

“It’s all right, Claire,” the short musician said, hoping for her to calm down.

The woman continued to struggle but then stopped. She was emotionally spent. Seth felt like crying with her, but one of them had to remain strong. He gently stroked her hair. Claire had a steel grip on both their shirts. She struggled for a few seconds, then finally relaxed, crying into Charlie’s chest. He leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “It’s going to be all right, Claire,” he whispered, “I promised.”

Claire raised up and looked at him, then to Seth and then to Shanna. She sniffed and looked at them all. “You get him back, guys,” she whimpered,” you . . .you bring Aaron back.”

Seth’s eyes lit up. “Aaron?” he said.

“Aaron,” Charlie stared at her.

“Please, get him back, Charlie.”

“I will, Claire. I promise.”


Another twenty minutes and the quad were running through the bushes and leaves. Sayid let the way with Seth behind him. Charlie struggled, feeling his lungs practically on fire. Shanna kept up the rear for a second until her musician started to fall behind slightly.

Sayid leaped out of the jungle and landed on the rock face near the shoreline. Seth did the same thing, and when Shanna jumped, she stumbled and fell. Charlie leaped down and helped her up. “You okay?” he asked.

“Ow, “ she grunted, “I skint my knee.”

“We're losing the light!” Sayid screamed, “Try to keep up!”

“WE’RE COMING!” Seth screamed as he grabbed on arm of Shanna’s and Charlie grabbed the other.


Another thirty minutes and they hadn’t stopped for even the briefest of seconds. Seth felt like his heart was going to explode. Shanna was certain their wasn’t a shred of air left in her lungs. Charlie the worst of all; already a triangle of sweat forming down his shirt. The much fit Sayid had a good ten feet head start of them. “SAYID!!!” Charlie called to him.

Sayid paused and looked at them. He forgot he was running with young people; not soldiers. They definitely were not use to running at full speed over miles. He then jogged to his left and pointed. “Over here!” he called to them.

“Sayid, where are you going?” Charlie called.

“We’ll rest over here.” He told him.

“REST?” the short musician yelped, “She’s out there right now-“

“Charlie, listen to him,” Seth stumbled forward and fell on all fours,” we can’t . .get Aaron back . . .if we run . .ourselves to death.”

“He’s right, in another mile you will collapse,” the Iraqi pointed, “We will rest here.”

They jogged a few more feet and they had wound up at the Nigerian Beechcraft crash. Sayid stopped and pulled out a water bottle from his pack, gulping it down. He quickly threw it to Charlie. Seth collapsed on a log, breathing severely. Sweat trickled down his forehead, onto the ground in almost a steady stream. His musician friend sipped on the water and asked, “Is this where Boone fell?”

“The plane was up there.” Sayid pointed.

“Where did it come from?”

“Nigeria.” Seth panted, “If you can believe that.. .”

“Anyone on board?”

“Two men, dressed as Priests.” The Iraqi said.

“Priests?” Charlie said in confusion.

“Yeah, drug runners in disguise, just like the Autobots,” Seth said, picking up a Virgin Mary statue and tossing it to Charlie, “The plane was loaded with heroin.”

“Okay, now we should go.” Sayid said, picking up his pack.

Sayid then started to run into the jungle. Shanna was the firs to follow him. Seth then motioned for Charlie to follow. The short musician didn’t follow immediately.

He stood there, staring at the statue.



The group ran for another twenty minutes. Sayid was finally starting to feel the pain of the constant running. He was slightly worried the wound in his leg would re-open. Seth grunted, feeling like he had just injected acid in his lungs. Shanna had to tie her hair back cause it kept getting in her face. Charlie ran as hard as he could to follow. The young musician was able to catch up but then stopped when he saw Sayid had stopped.

The trio came to an abrupt end as they stopped running. All three then looked at the Iraqi who was just staring up. Then they turned their heads skyward toward the direction in which they were looking at.

Only to find a familiar teenager hanging from a tree.

Jenny swayed in the wind, with one leg snagged on a noose in the tree. Seth almost laughed; he had never seen her more pissed in her life. Her face was red from the blood rushing to her, which didn’t help matters. “Could you please cut me down?” she said through clenched teeth, “I got someone I need to kill.”

Sayid then ran to the rope and proceeded to cut it down. Seth and Shanna got under the teenager to ease her down. It wasn’t too hard to see she was mad beyond belief. “Stupid bitch!” she grunted, “I had her. I freaking HAD HER!!”

“Which way did she go?” asked Sayid.

“She went that way . .GET THIS FREAKING ROPE OFF OF ME!!” Jenny said, fighting to untie the rope.

While Seth, Shanna and Sayid helped her, Charlie jogged into the direction where she said Rouseau went to. As he walked few feet, he gasped. There was a blanket shaped baby in front him. “HEY, GUYS!!” he screamed, “I THINK SHE MAY HAVE DUMPED AARON!!”

“Who is Aaron?” Jenny asked.
“The baby,” Shanna helped her up.

“Since WHEN?” the teenager demanded.

Sayid jogged toward him. Charlie immediately picked up the baby. “CHARLIE, WAIT!!” he yelled.

The short musician unwrapped the blanket and it was a large log. Then a net full of rocks erupted above him and smashed into his head. The group quickly ran to him. Jenny threw the rocks off of him and they held him up. “Let me see, Charlie,” the Iraqi said.

Seth winced at the sight of his friend. There was a severe gash just above his left eye. It was already pouring blood into his eye, making him blind. “It’s bleeding,” he grunted.

“We need to put pressure on it,” said Sayid.

“Okay, OW!” Jenny took a towel and placed it on his head.

“Hold it down, Charlie,” the Middle Easterner demanded.

“Ow, that damn animal . . “ the musician grunted.

“It’s not stopping,” Seth pointed out.

“Charlie, you have to go back.”

“HELL NO!!” he screamed, “You have to fix this!!”

“I am not a doctor.” Sayid pointed out.

“You're a soldier. What do people do when you get wounded? I'm not going back without that baby, Sayid!”

Sayid paused for a second then reached for his pack. “Don’t move, “ he said, then looked to the others, “You . .you HOLD him.”

Seth then grabbed Charlie’s arm and Shanna grabbed the other. Jenny placed her hands down on both of his knees. Sayid then pulled out a bullet from the clip and broke it open with a knife. He then proceeded to dump the gun powder into Charlie wound, making him flinch. “What is that?” he asked, because the blood was flooding his eye.

“Oh, man, Sayid,” Seth raised an eyebrow.

“This will not be pleasant,” he said, pulling out a box of matches.

“What is he doing?” asked the musician.

“Nothing, man . .he’s . .uh . .he’s. . .he’s making cotton candy.” Seth fluttered.

Jenny looked at him like he was crazy. Charlie knew full well, that that was not what Sayid was going to do. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Just try to remember one thing, Charlie,” Seth held his arm tightly.

“What’s that?”

“Chicks dig scars.”

Sayid lit the match then shoved it into the gunpowder. It immediately erupted in a burst of flame, caulderizing the wound. The three friends held down the musician as he screamed in agonizing pain.