Part 445: Talking with Ben

Eddie stared across the table at the man known simply as Benjamin Linus. He only met him a few minutes ago and he already hated him. He had the upper hand. Jilly was captured, not to mention Bonnie definitely was. Eddie had no way to contact Tony and didn’t know how long it would be before he planned to come looking for him. It’s not like they talked on the phone every day and now that he was in this situation; if he made it out, Eddie would resolve that problem. He twisted his head, popping his neck. “What do you want to know?” he asked.

“Tell me what you know about Watchman.” Ben asked him.

“Nothing to tell really,” the young man winced, “Watchman was a program that was designed to regulate experimentation on a distance Island, somewhere near Fiji . .and Hell, probably. Over a time, he gained sentience and he grew lonely.”

“Is that why he made contact with you?”

“Yes. He needed someone to talk to.”

“Fascinating.” Ben smiled, “What else did he do?”

“Let me see that Jilly’s okay and I’ll tell you.” The young man said, trying to counter conversation.

“Tell me now and I’ll consider it.” Ben quickly responded.

“I don’t think we know each other well enough for you to test me.” Eddie hissed.

“Likewise, Eddie,” the man stared back with his cold eyes, “Now tell me . . .what did Watchman do after he made contact with you?”

Eddie stared at the man. He imagined himself busting out of his bindings, reaching across the table and snapping his neck. He wanted to know that Jilly was okay; likewise with Bonnie. However, he didn’t think this man could be easily swayed, so he had no choice but to continue. “He helped us to defeat the Liberation.” He told him, “ He took control of the security systems and used them to slaughter the bulk of the soldiers there.”

“Then what?” Ben inquired.

“He injected his main core memory into the MOLE unit and shot himself into outer space.”

There was a momentary pause. Ben blinked a little bit. “And?” he asked.

“And what?” Eddie grunted, “That’s it.”

Ben leaned back into his chair. He stared at Eddie who stared back. It was a mixture of hatred and anger; which the strange scientist could easily tell. “You have an excellent poker face, Eddie,” he smiled, “I can tell if that last statement was a lie . . .or you’re just simply withholding information.”

“Maybe you’re not asking the right questions.” Eddie smiled.

“Yes, perhaps not,” he asked, “How long did you talk with Watchman?”

“All the time,” the young man winced his eyes, “He was communicating in my head but I didn’t know it at the time. I thought he was my imaginary friend, Mr. Kangaroo.”

“Mr. Kangaroo?” Ben chuckled, “Marvelous. How did you know it wasn’t your imagination?”

“I saw him leave.” The young man said, “In the MOLE unit.”

“Are you in communication with him now?”

“Don’t be stupid, Ben,” Eddie smirked, “If I could talk to Watchman, I would have already told him to come and bust me out. MOLE unit can fly, plus burrow. I doubt it would be much effort for him to destroy this building.”

“What makes you think we are in any building you are familiar with?” Ben smirked.

“Even though you are stupid, I am not.” Eddie hissed, “You got the Dharma logo on your lab coat, therefore we can only be in one spot to have such an idea; The Hanso Foundation, downtown Los Angeles.”

Ben laughed. He then rubbed his cheek and smirked. “Indeed, you are not as stupid as I was led to believe.”

“So when do I see Jilly?” Eddie inquired.

“We’re not done talking.” Ben said, standing up, “I’ll get you a diet coke and some advil for your pain. Be back shortly.”

Eddie watched Ben leave the room, leaving him alone in strange interrogation area. The young man tried to relax but the pain was getting to be too much for him. He wanted at least four advil and hoped Ben would deliver. Once he had a clear head, he would be able to think of a plan to escape. He had no idea how he could do it but he had to think of something.

There was no clock in the interrogation room so Eddie didn’t know how much time had past. It felt like just a few minutes but it could have been longer. The door then finally opened and Eddie looked instinctly out toward it. Ben walked in with a very small papercup and a can of Diet Coke. He paused for a moment at the door and behind him was Jilly. She was being held by two tough looking women. Her head was swaying back and forth, plus her hair was drooping in her eyes. “She had to be drugged.” Ben said, matter-of-factly, “ She was growing very hysterical about being kidnapped.”

“Gee, I can’t imagine why.” Eddie said sarcastically.

“Is this acceptable, Eddie?” Ben asked.

“For now,” the young man winced.

“You may take her back now.” The scientist told the women.

“It’s going to be all right, Jilly!” Eddie called to her.

As Ben closed the door, Jilly briefly leaned up her head and looked at Eddie before the door was closed. The scientist paused for a moment had what he just witnessed. It almost seemed as if the woman heard what Eddie said. How could that possible, when she was deaf? Eddie stared at him, seeing that he witnessed what happened between him and his adoptive sister. The young man didn’t want Ben thinking too much. “May I have my Advil, please?” he asked.

“Yes,” Ben turned around, “Yes, of course.”

Ben placed the diet coke and the advil in front of him. It was three pills, instead of four. The man then walked over to the right hand of the young man and began to cut his bonds with a knife. After it was freed, Eddie grunted and massaged his hand muscles best he could. He then took the paper cup of pills, and let them slide into his mouth. Then he popped open the diet coke and drank some to wash his pills down. He coughed briefly and twirled his wrist to massage it. “Ready to talk, Eddie?” he asked.

“Hit me, Dr. Deep Freeze,” the young man grunted.

Ben laughed briefly; rubbing his upper lip. “Can you tell me how you learned to stop the Fleshmonger?” he asked.

Eddie raised up his head. He remembered the hideous beast that tried to kill him and Sebastian. Jack managed to slam a back pack with water into it’s face. It was a fail safe mechanism, which the Red and Black Factions were supposed to figure out to stop him. It was a monster test, nothing more. “I saw a video and figured it out.” Eddie told him.

“How could you have figured it out?” Ben raised an eyebrow, “The tape was degrading.”

“I’m just that smart, Ben.”

Ben smiled at him. “No,” he whispered, “You weren’t. But someone else was.”

Eddie then blinked after what the man just said sunk into him. The young man the shifted over, looking at him again. “How the hell would you know the tape was degraded, Ben?” he demanded.

Ben just shrugged his shoulders. He then stood up. “On that note, I figured it’s time for you and me to take a break,” he said, “As I bring in an old friend of yours.”

“Old friend?” Eddie raised an eyebrow.

Ben tapped on the mirrored glass behind him. He then proceeded toward the door, opened it and left. Within second, a new person came in. He was a young man, visually stocky and probably Eddie’s age. He closed the door with a thud. The young man came Eddie a look that he was openly resentful about something. He walked over toward the chair and flipped it around; promptly taking his seat. “Hello again, Eddie.” He told him.

“Do I know you?” Eddie asked.

“I’d like to think you would.” The young man grunted, “Considering you got the better of me in that garage six years ago.”

Eddie stared at him, squinting his eyes. His hair, his eyes and the muscular build reminded him of one person he did fight in a garage; a long time ago, when Bunny was trying to help him escape.

“Abraham?” Eddie blinked.