Part 336: The Debriefing

Tony didn’t move as the doctor waved the pen light in his eye. He opened it slightly with his latex fingers and shined the light inward. The pupil was not dilating at all. “Sergeant, please look up.” The doctor ordered.

“I am.” Tony told him.

The eye was not moving. Dr. Lighter then got a piece of paper and wrote down the letters ABC on it. He then held up the note toward Tony’s eye. “Can you read that, sir?” he asked.

“Read what?” the blind man asked.

He pushed the note forward. “How about now?” he asked.

“I see a white blur.”

“How about now?” he pushed it forward.

Tony then reached up and took the piece of paper. He then placed it onto his actual face. “A . .b . .c. . “ he whispered.

“I’m so sorry, Sergeant Largo.” The doctor sighed, “I was unaware your eye damage was so severe.”

“Yeah, I know.” He crumbled up the paper and threw it away.

“Your eyes must have tried to compensate when they were damaged in the crash but were unable to.” The doctor began to unwrap a sterilized eye patch, “ Thos minor scars around your face. Glass?”

“Yeah, I was next to a window seat and the glass exploded in my face. One large shard chunk went deep into my right eye.”

“And the other had to compensate but the damaged was too severe. I understand fully now, Sergeant.” He said, placing the eye patch over him.

“So, even though I already knew this, hearing it from someone else makes it official, “ Tony sighed, “I am blind.”

“Yes, by all accounts, you are blind. I know will probably force the board of health to revoke your practicing license.”

“Trust me, Dr. Lighter. That is the lease of my worries.”

“Here you go, “ he said, putting on some glasses for him, “We don’t normally have blind men’s glasses but will some sunglasses do.”

“Of course.” Tony smiled, holding out his hand, “Thank you.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Just lead me back to my friends.”


Inside the mess hall, the boys were enjoying their food. Hurley almost felt sick as he was eating chicken fingers, hamburgers, fries, creamed corn, mashed potatoes and anything else he could get his hands on. Sawyer was enjoying the burgers especially. The honest truth was every body was eating the hamburgers cause they were sick of the fish. Even Jin who normally didn’t eat beef, was enjoying it. Alexander was loving the hamburgers but the creamed corn and the mashed potatoes was confusing him. He tapped McKay on the arm and pointed to toward his metal plate. “Is this to eat . . .or to . . .look upon?” he said, motioning at the strange food.

“Just eat it, boy.” The Australian laughed.

Then the ladies were led into the mess hall. The males got up and walked over to greet their companions. Jenny playfully messed up Sawyer’s hair as she past him. John embraced Mia, kissing her on the neck. She started to giggle when she realized he wasn’t stopping. Joscelyn came over and wrapped her arms around Hurley’s neck from behind, burying her face in his hair. The large man chuckled as he ate his fries but then he realized his companion wasn’t sitting down. “Uh . .Joe?” he laughed.

“Shut up,” she giggled, “Just let me smell your hair for a few more seconds.”

“You’d be surprised the little things you miss.” Sun agreed, kissing her husband.

Taylor walked over and sat down next to McKay, kissing his clean shaven head. Mandy sat down next to Alexander who was sipping on his Sprite like he couldn’t do it fast enough. “Don’t inhale it, Alexander.” She giggled.

“Don’t inhale.” He repeated her, putting it away.

Mandy then leaned over and smelled of his hair. It made him blush slightly. “I knew my lost boy would like shampoo.” She laughed.

“Alexander McKay.” He grinned.

“What?” she turned back to him.

“Alexander McKay.” He pointed toward himself.

Mandy looked across the table toward McKay. Taylor heard what they were saying and looked at her love with a mild form of shock. “You gave him your last name?” the blonde asked.

McKay just shrugged his shoulders. “Why? What did they ask you?” Mandy inquired.

“They were asking who he was and I didn’t have any idea what to do tell them. I don’t think the truth would have been good in this instance. So, I told them he was my nephew.”

“Honey, I am happy you did this but did you think about what your brother is going to say when we bring back his new son?” Taylor asked.

“I’ll deal with my brother. But you are right, it was a snap decision but too late to backup now.”

“Alexander McKay.” The lost boy repeated.

Then Tony was escorted into the room. Marita immediately got up and ran toward him. He opened his arms, smiling; as he was able to hear the sound of her running toward him. The two lovers embraced, as she held onto him. John smiled, knowing full well why they were embracing so. It was like him and Mia. They had been with each other for so long during this three month exile, they couldn’t bare to be away from each other for very long. Marita led him back toward the table and helped him to sit down. “How is Seth, Tony?” Shanna asked.

“They got him all set up,” he said, eating the burgers, “They cleaned his wound properly and got him on an antibiotic drip. We’ll check on him in the morning.”

“What about Kellye?” asked Jenny.

“Turns out she had a bone spur in her neck. They are removing it and she’ll be fine.”

“Kate?” Sawyer finally asked.

“She’s good too.” Tony drank his beverage.


The group spent the next hour, laughing and talking with the sailors around the mess hall. Gossip and word had gotten out among the men about who the people actually are. They were bringing them MP3 plays and other treats that they had forgotten. Even some of the officials were giving them USS Montana caps. Sawyer was laughing and cutting up with a few when they were giving him some cigarettes. Ana-Lucia was flirting with two in Spanish. McKay enjoyed his coffee that he was drinking. Hurley and Joscelyn were also laughing, enjoying the ice cream the sailors gave them. Alexander had stuffed himself with all the wonderful food and thus, was leaning onto the table; moaning. Mandy just smiled, gently rubbing his back.

Then Lt. Monday came into the room. One of the sailors then quickly stood upright. “TEN HUT, OFFICER ON DECK!!!” he screamed to his men.

“As you were.” Monday told them.

The lieutenant walked over to Tony. The blind man could tell what was coming. “You ready for that debriefing now?” he asked.

“Yes, we are, Sergeant. I’ll let you in.”

“Tell me, Lt. Monday, you think, this debriefing might call for a set of eyes?”

“Possibly.” The lieutenant said, seeing his point.

“Marita, you stay with them.” Tony told her, “John, you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, no problem, man,” he said, putting down his beverage.

“I’ll go too.” McKay said, standing up.

“Sergeant, I don’t think we’re going to need two men along with your statement.”

“Oh, come on, Monday,” Tony smirked, “it’s probably always best to get a different point of view in a stressful situation.”

“Very well, you want to follow me, please.”

“Monday, I have one more request,” the blind man said, “You got computers on this boat? With hookups to the internet?”

“Yes, we do.” The soldier admitted.

“Can some of my people use them during our debriefing?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Mia?” Tony moved toward his friends. The young Lakota girl got up and ran toward him, taking his hand. “Go with those men toward the computer room. Get on the internet and find any and all information pertaining to Flight 815. Shanna, go with her.”

The two girls ran off with the sailors leading them to where they were. Tony kissed Marita on the cheek, then began to walk with Lt. Monday toward wherever this debriefing room was. John and McKay walked side by side behind their friend. The others watched their friends leave, wondering why story they were going to tell the officials of this vessel.


After they walked down a hallway, Lt. Monday then opened a door to a large room with a two way mirror. John took Tony by the arm and led him to a chair by the side of the table. McKay sat down after his friends did. Another officer walked into the room, holding a table recorder. He was flanked by a man in a business suit. He had white hair and a white beard, casually smoking a cigarette. “Gentlemen, my name is Commander Moses Drake, I am the second officer aboard this vessel.” He introduced himself.

“Commander.” Tony shook his hand, then John and McKay.

“Now, this debriefing is to make sure we clarify on what truly happened on that Island you said you came from.”

“Understood.” The blind doctor agreed.

“Now you claim you were apart of Oceanic Flight 815 and you landed on the Island that is 40 miles due south of us, is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Then by any chance do you know why it’s about a thousand miles off course from the projected area of the crash?”

“Does anybody remember what Jack told us what the pilot said?” Tony looked to John.

“I think he said, “The archer scratched his head, “ That the pilot said about six hours out of Australia, we lost radio contact.”

“Yeah, no radio contact means they wouldn’t find us.” McKay pointed out.

“Then he turned around and tried to get us to Fiji to land. But by the time we hit our . .turbulence, we were, like you said, a thousand miles off course.”

“What is the status of the pilot?” the commander asked.

“He succumbed to his injuries.” Tony immediately said.

“What about this Jack person?” asked the second individual, “ Where is he?”

“He’s still on the Island, with the other survivors.”

“Others?” Drake blinked, “How many other civilians?”

“Another twenty three. We were 56 in total.”

“My goodness.” The commander said as he jotted down a few notes.

“So, you have no idea that you were on the private yacht of Armand Osolo?” the second individual said.

“No, we didn’t.”

“And that blood stain we found in the cabin area, you didn’t put it there?”

“No, we found it like that.”

“And this boat was just, what, adrift? And it stumbled onto your Island? Why didn’t you use it three months ago?”

“Because we only found it two weeks ago.”

“You’ve been out there on the ocean for two weeks? No food, no water.”

“I didn’t say we weren’t without food or water.” Tony barked.

“What about fuel? There is no way in hell that boat would have had enough fuel to get 40 miles from that Island.” The man said.

“There were extra tanks on board. I used them.” McKay said.

“You the pilot?” the man pointed to him.

“Yeah, I piloted boats back in Australia.”

The man then walked forward and got right in McKay’s face. “WHERE IS OSOLO??” he screamed.

McKay then grabbed him by his jaw and shoved him back. Commander Drake stood up and got by the man. Tony grabbed McKay, holding him back. “What is this crap, Commander?” the blind doctor asked, “Is this a debriefing or an interrogation?”

“No, this is a debriefing.” Drake said, as the man straightened his tie.

“Then who the hell is he?”

“Mr. Inman is here as an observer.”

“Observer?” Tony paused, not satisfied with that answer, “McKay, what does Inman look like?”

“He looks like a stiff wall street broker.” The Australian sneered.

“He’s a suit?”

“Yeah.”

Tony then turned toward Commander Drake. “ Then he’s not one of yours.” He pointed out, knowing full well a sailor would not wear a business suit.

“Like I said, he’s an observer.” The commander said.

“Who are you with, Inman?” the blind doctor looked to him, “CIA? NSA? MI6?”

Inman walked over back toward the table, giving McKay a mean glare. “You’re going to tell me where Osolo is, one way or another.” He threatened.

Before McKay could react, the door then opened to the room. Lt. Monday walked into the room, followed by an older man in a sailors relaxed outfit. Commander Drake then stood up. “Sir, I am sorry,” he coughed, “I was unaware you were going to be bothered with this debriefing.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault, XO,” he smiled, “But when I heard who you were talking too, I had to come down here and make sure you didn’t accuse that man of being a terrorist.”

Tony coughed when he was subjected to the blast from the past. He immediately recognized the voice of the man that came into the room. “Captain Wilcox?” he gasped.

“It’s Admiral now, Tony.” He said, laughing.

Tony then walked over past John and McKay, then saluted the man before him. The admiral then took his hand and shook it. “Lt. Monday filled me in,” he said with a sigh, “ I am sorry you lost your sigh, Tony.”

“Me too, sir.” The blind doctor shook his hand.

“Admiral, you know this man?” Commander Drake asked.

“Of course I know this man, XO,” he retorted, “He’s one of the finest officers my son ever served with in the Gulf War. If it wasn’t for him, my son would be dead.”

“How is Jed, sir?” Tony smiled.

“He’s fine, he’s fine.” Wilcox smiled with pride, “He was honorable discharged from the service. He got a Purple Heart, married the love of his life and gave me two wonderful grandchildren.”

“You must be proud, sir.”

“I am and it wouldn’t have ever happened if not for you.”

The admiral then turned around to face the second officer of the USS Montana. “This will be a debriefing,” he said with a stare, “ Not an interrogation.”

“Yes, sir,” Drake said with a stance.

“Admiral, with all due respect, these men know something about that boat.” Inman retorted.

“Admiral, who is this man?” Tony asked,” And why is he here?”

“Joe Inman works for the CIA. He is providing on-sight intel into a terrorist group we are tracking.”

“Which one?”

“That’s classified, Sergeant. “ Wilcox sighed, “All I can tell you is that they are suspected to have operated out of this area.”

John then blinked when he heard what the admiral was saying. He immediately thought of only one terrorist group that he’d seen in the last three months. “You guys talking about the Liberation?” he asked.

Inman looked like he was about to have a bowel movement in his pants. He immediately ran over and shut off the tape recorder. He then quickly motioned for all the officials out of the room. They quickly shut the door, leaving Tony, McKay and John alone in the room. The Australian just smirked as he sat down. “Good job, John, “ he laughed, “ I thought it was getting crowded in here.”

“Yeah, that went well, didn’t it?” the archer chuckled.

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