Lost Fan Fiction

Part 476: Bon Voyage

2007-01-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

February 12th, 2010

Eddie tucked away the last of his extra clothes. He wasn’t sure of the region that he was going too so Tony told him to back for all kinds of weather. The young man calmly loaded up the clothes and then pulled up his side bag. He checked it once again. It contained his cell phone, three disposable cameras, gum, candy bars, a journal, three pens, and his IPOD. The young man calmly put on his black baseball cap, and clicked off the lights of his room. He paused for a brief moment to look at Bunny’s locket as it rested on his drawer, then he left his room.

Eddie made his way down the stairs and dropped off his gear. His mother was already up and she had packed him a breakfast. The redheaded woman walked and gently put her hands around his shoulders. “There was a phrase I remember that Tony said last Christmas.” She smiled.

“What phrase was that, mom?” Eddie asked.

“I see the boy I knew . . .and the man before me.”

The young man couldn’t help but blush. The older woman put her hands on his cheeks and stared at him. “Your father would be so proud of you.” She whispered.

Eddie held up the watch that his father use to own and would have been given to him anyway. “He’ll always be with me, mom.” He smiled.

Barbara kissed her son and hugged him. Eddie held onto her as well, because he didn’t know how long he’d be gone. He already missed his mom but he knew Jilly would be around to check on her. The mother and son soon parted, and allowed her to pick up the breakfast package, then place it in a grocery bag. “You got four sausage and biscuits here. Some blueberry muffins and an apple.” She smiled.

“What’s the apple for?” Eddie asked.

“For the teacher.” She giggled, giving it to him, “Be nice in Adventure School.”

“Thanks, mom.” He laughed, “I love you.”

“I love you too, son.” She gently pushing him, “Go on. Go be a hero.”

Eddie smiled as he gently left his house. He walked out to the SUV that Tony let him borrow. The young man smiled at his car called Turk, with it’s repaired windshield. He saw no reason to drive it to the docks, considering it would just be resting there till he got back. This way he can feel comforted that it’s almost acting like a guard dog for his mother. The young man then loaded up his gear in the back trunk of the SUV, got into the driver’s side and started up the engine. The vehicle strode down and took a turn around the corner, then promptly stopped at Bonnie’s house.

The redhead then proceeded out of her house, holding her own suitcases. Eddie got out of the car and walked over to help her. His girlfriend kissed him on the cheek, as he picked up her bags for her. After loading them into the back, he joined her at the front of the vehicle. Bonnie buckled her seatbelt and smiled at him. “You sure you want to do this?” he asked her.

“Go on an adventure with you?” she giggled, “Absolutely.”

“I don’t mind one bit, Bonnie but I wanted to make sure you are doing this for the right reasons.”

“I am, Eddie.” She said in all seriousness, “ I have to do this for my mom. I especially have to do this for Bunny. These people need to be stopped.”

“It could be dangerous?” he said, with a grin.

“It always seems to be.” She replied with her own grin.

Eddie was satisfied about her answer. He then began to drive away from the suburbs. The highway wasn’t bursting with much activity as it was still early the Saturday morning. After a few minutes, Eddie got off an onramp leading into a corner of Los Angeles. Bonnie couldn’t help but giggle, knowing who they were going to retrieve.

Eddie stopped by the corner of the Lenox Apartment buildings and on the corner was Tristan. The young Asian man smiled as he saw his friends pull up to the curb. As he walked to the back, Eddie got out of the vehicle and helped him with his gear. Tristan laughed at him as he put his back pack into the vehicle. “ I didn’t expect to find you waiting on the corner for me.” He laughed, “Are you eager or something?”

“Or something.” Tristan replied with a chuckle, as they closed the trunk.

Eddie stepped back into the driver’s side and Tristan hopped into the back seat. The young man turned on the engine, and adjusted his rearview mirror. His girlfriend smiled by his side as his best friend hooked up his seatbelt. “All right,” Eddie laughed, “Lets go have an adventure.”

The docks were slightly quiet, as the seagulls echoed in the sky above. Eddie found a parking space next to a familiar black Avalanche, which he knew belonged to someone in their family. The three friends exited the SUV and then proceed to unload their gear. Eddie slipped on his backpack and picked up his suitcase, then Bonnie’s. The redhead was blushing slightly at the constant way Eddie was doing things for her. Tristan couldn’t help but make fun of it. “You wanna carry my bags, Eddie?” the Asian man said in a high-pitched voice.

“Get lost.” The young man grunted back with a laugh.

“Where are we at, Eddie?” Bonnie said, stepping onto the peer.

“Actually, I’m not sure. I thought I would have seen somebody by now.”

“EDDIE!!!” someone screamed.

The young man looked up ahead and saw Tony with Marita. The one-eyed doctor waved for them to come down the docks. The three friends proceeded to do so, hearing their footsteps making the wooden peer creak under their path. Eddie stopped by their side, placed down his bags and hugged Marita. His father figure patted him on the back, then looked at his friends. “Welcome guys,” Tony smiled, “Glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for letting us come, Dr. Largo.” Tristan replied.

“We’re about to embark on rescue mission/adventure, Tristan. First names are fine.”

“Cool.” He chuckled.

“Where is our boat, Tony?” Eddie asked.

“Right here.” He pointed toward his left.

Eddie marveled at the huge boat before him. It was at least 80 feet in length, not to mention it seemed to have nearly three levels on it. He couldn’t tell if it was a yacht or a house boat. Needless to say how much it cost Hurley. The young man then leaned over and looked at the name of the boat. “Odysseus.” He smirked, “Appropiate.”

“Yeah, Hurley thought so.” Tony said, taking Bonnie’s bags, “Let’s get you guys loaded up.”

The group started to walk onto the yacht. As Eddie helped Marita, then Bonnie on board, he turned to follow Tony down below onto to find a certain redneck leaning up against the side; sucking down an orange juice. “Morning, short-round.” Sawyer laughed, “Did you bring your bull whip?”

“I slightly hoped that you would change your mind again and NOT come with us.” Eddie laughed as he walked past.

Sawyer took a deep breath, as he remembered seeing Clementine’s name on the bottom of the Flight 216 survivor list. “Not bloody likely.” He whispered to himself.

Eddie walked into the big area of the boat, and as he did, he noticed a sign on the loveseat of the living room. It said RESERVED FOR SAWYER. “He did that on the Butterfly Rogue too,” Tony commented.

“Great.” The young man commented.

Tony escorted the teenagers into the side room. There was a cot next to the wall and the main sleeping area was too bunk beds. The one-eyed doctor placed down the luggage in the middle of the room. “Bonnie, the cot is yours,” Tony said, “I’m sorry but you’ll have to use the bathroom for any clothing privacy.”

“That’s okay, Tony.” She agreed.

“Bonnie, you can have my bed, I’ll take the cot.” Eddie told her.

“Thank you.” She giggled.

“Jesus.” Tristan said, putting his bags on the top bunk; almost getting sick of his friend’s romance.

“Quit making fun of him being a gentleman,” Tony said, playfully hitting the Asian teenager on the arm.

McKay stepped up the first platform that walked into the control room. The computer panels were much more improved than the Buttery Rogue. He could tell barimeters, wind speed, not to mention a small radar system.. He smiled over the fact that he had a seat to sit in this time as he piloted the boat. Nicely put, was two other chairs to the side of him. “At least you won’t be lonely.” Taylor smirked.

“Yeah, I’m sure John and Tony will keep me company.” The Australian turned to his wife.

“I wish I was here to keep you company.” She said, with pouty lips.

“Easy, sweetness,” McKay said, putting his arms around her, “You stay put. You take care of yourself and our baby. And in one month’s time, I’ll be right back to help you through morning sickness and strange food cravings.”

“Promise me. One month.” She said, tugging his shirt.

“I promise.”

Taylor breathed a sigh of relief. “I know you keep your promises so I feel much better.” She admitted.

“I hope so,” Sayid said, stepping into the control room, “Because if you don’t return, I will be forced to come after you and I can not handle being trapped on a boat with Taylor.”

“Hey!” she laughed, slapping the Iraqi on the chest.

“Don’t worry, Sayid. I’ll say you that trouble.” McKay smirked, “As most know, I am a man of my word.”

John walked down the long access of the peer to the boat, holding his gear and the gear of his wife. He leaped down and landed on the back of the yacht, jolting slightly. Sawyer helped him with his bags, telling him not to be so prideful. Mia walked down the wooden peer, holding her daughters hand. She was flanked by Shanna and Seth. The lead singer pushed the hair out of his eyes. Strangely enough, he was the one that felt the weirdest seeing Mia leave. “It’s feels strange you going on an adventure without us.” He commented.

“Yeah, Mia.” Shanna replied, “Brat Pack forever, you know?”

“Of course,” the Lakota smiled, turning around, “But Shelley can take my spot in the Brat Pack for now.”

The older woman kneeled down and embraced her daughter. Shelley kissed her mother on the cheek and hugged her neck. “I love you, mommy.” She whispered.

“I love you too, baby,” she held her close, “Be a good girl and do what Shanna says, okay?”

“Okay.”

John stepped up and smiled down at his daughter, politely waiting his turn to say goodbye. After his wife was done, his daughter quickly embraced her father. Mia hugged Seth and Shanna at the same time. The group expressed their love for each other easily. The Lakota then promised them that they would return in one month. “You better,” Seth smirked, “If you’re not back, I’m canceling Turboshaft tour to come get you. See if I don’t.”

“Well, I guess we better make sure he’s not bluffing.” John laughed.

The friend finally bid their farewells. Down at the other end of the peer, Jenny has arrived in Kellye’s vehicle. Raven calmly got out of the backseat and picked up her gear. The blonde cop smiled as they started to walk down the boardwalk together. “You’ll keep an eye on Sarah for me?” Jenny asked her good friend.

“I’m sure Jack can help in that regard.” Kellye laughed.

“And don’t forget to pet Squishface.”

“I promise, Jenny. I’ll pet your ugly ass dog, geez!” she laughed.

Jenny hugged her dearest friend one last time. The blonde then patted her on the arm and jumped down to the yacht. Raven bid the girl farewell and followed his best friend. Sawyer greeted the cyborg and told him where their room would be. Bonnie watched the masked man follow the blonde cop down below to the sleeping quarters. “I know he’s a nice man,” she whispered, “But he scares me.”

“Masked men often have that effect, teen queen,” Sawyer said, lighting up a cigarette, “But don’t worry. He’s definitely the one you want on your side in a fight. And since he’s coming on this trip, our chances of coming back in one piece just increased by 80%.”

“You really think it’s going to be dangerous, Sawyer?” she asked.

“Well . . . Let’s just say in regards to Islands, our track record ain’t so good.” He chuckled, as he walked to the bow of the ship.

Hal walked down the boardwalk with the Spartans. Chance was almost fully healed from his gunshot wound. All he had was a leg brace that helped him to walk. Arizona was slightly worried that her husband going on this rescue mission not 100 percent was not a good idea. Chance then made a joke that at least he was traveling with his “doctor”. “I’m sure Tony will keep him going.” Hal assured her.

The Texan then embraced her husband. “I love you so much.” She whispered.

“Be a good girl while I am away.” He kissed her on the cheek, “I’ll look forward to whatever house you find.”

“Any specific thing you want?” she smiled.

Chance looked up at the sky and smiled. He then turned to his wife with a slight grin. “Make sure you find one with an enclosed porch,” he chuckled, “So we can sit outside and watch the rain together.”

“I’d like that.” She said, hugging him again.

“Take care, Chance.” Hal said shaking his hand.

The Texan stepped off into the boat, with Eddie helping him with his gear. As Hal and Arizona walked back to head back to San Francisco, they bid farewell to the last people coming on the trip as they walked down the boardwalk. They also happened to be the most important ones. Desmond looked at the boat and marveled at it’s size. It would be more than adequate to handle the trip, bring his son back and any other survivors. Kate and Jack walked with the married couple as they helped him onto the boat. Tony patted Desmond on the shoulder as he walked up to Jack. “Take care, Jack.” He said, shaking his hand, “Thanks for checking on the medical supplies.”

“Yeah, you’re fully stocked and I honestly hope you won’t need it all.” He admitted.

“Thank you again, Jack.” Desmond said, “For everything.”

“Bring your son home, Desmond,” he replied, shaking his hand, “I look forward to seeing you all again where I can take you to dinner like civilized people.”

“Well, that’s something to come back for.” Isabella laughed, kissing him on the cheek.

Kate walked over and embraced Mia; bidding farewell to her adoptive sister. She then gave John a hug, owing him so much for removing her record. The archer smiled at her, glad he got another sister in his life. The former fugitive then moved over and stood face to face with Sawyer. The redneck smiled at her, tucking his hands into his jean pockets. “Any last words of wisdom, Freckles?” he asked.

Kate smiled at him. A part of her will always love Sawyer for the way he never stopped acting like a lovable jerk. The brunette then kissed her fingers and then placed them on his lips. He quickly kissed them back. She sighed and gently patted his chest. “Whatever it is you are looking for . . . . ..I hope you find it.” She whispered.

Sawyer slowly lost in his smirk. He didn’t want to admit to Kate that he had a possible daughter. However, she was the one who knew him best of all. Sometimes it was difficult to lie to her. “I hope I do too.” He admitted.

Kate smiled, happy he HALF admitted he had a secret. Jack came over and shook his hand, bidding farewell. McKay walked out and started to remove the lines to the boat. Jack and Kate hopped off back onto the board walk. The doctor stood with his love as they could hear the engine of the yacht crank up. Shortly thereafter it began to pull away into the bay. Jack waved to them as the group stayed on the back, waving back. Kate blew kisses to all of them, trying not to cry. However, she knew deep in her heart, she would see them all again.

“Good luck, guys,” she whispered.

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

The yacht had finally cleared the bay and was on it’s way to open sea. McKay rested in his seat, controlling the throttle for the boat. The instrumental panel was all in the green and looking good. He checked the coordinates one more time and made sure they were on the right path. Then he was joined by Tony and John in the control room. The archer sat to his left and the doctor sat to his right. “How we looking, Captain?” John chuckled.

“Everything is on line, looking good.” He pointed and laughed.

“Glad we got a chance for one more adventure.” Tony smirked, “I never would have admitted it to Marita but I’m so glad I’m coming.”

“It does make you feel young again, doesn’t it?” the Australian smirked.

“It’s a shame we got to get old, eh guys?” John laughed.

“Oh, just keep shooting those arrows, John,” the one-eyed doctor laughed, “I think we’ll be just fine.”

Outside on the back of the boat, the majority of the group was hanging out; enjoying the breeze. Eddie was laughing with Tristan and Bonnie, not to mention Andra had joined their group. Chance was having a fun discussion with Raven and Jenny, while Tony and John were up from with McKay. Mia looked at all of them and was feeling nostalgic. She remembered their long journey on the Butterfly Rogue and the bonding that it caused with her and her friends. She remembered the shark attacks and finally being rescued. It was a very interesting time of her life and she’ll never forget it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand holding a diet coke in her face. She looked up to see Sawyer with a cigarette in his mouth looking down at her. Mia calmly took the drink and laughed. “Thank you.” She giggled, popping the top.

“You bring one of your journals?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She replied.

“Then why ain’t you writing in it?” he commented as he walked over to join Chance and the others.

Mia smirked at the redneck’s subtle way of telling her, she’s the new record keeper of their group. The Lakota placed down her diet coke on the table in front of her, then reached over to her side-bag. She calmly pulled out one of her journals and a pen. Mia looked out at the vast ocean and then opened the journal and proceeded to write.

No one knows what life will offer. It’s always a changing cycle and it never stops. Me and my band of adventures now head off into the vast Unknown yet again. It will be up to me to make contact with the sentient computer known as Athena. I hope I am the right person for this job. I did such a good one with Watchman, perhaps I can capture that magic again.

I think back to our stand on the Island. I miss all the friends I lost but I appreciate what I gained so much more. I gained a husband, a daughter, and friends that became more like family than anything else. They tried to take all that away and we fought back only to win in the end. Is fate on our side? I’d like to think the answer is Yes.

Now we go to another Island to meet another group of survivors. What is their story? Have they loved and lost as we have? Have they formed friendship bonds that can’t ever be broken? Have they also been brought together by some wind of fate? I don’t know what their story is but I can tell you this.

I can’t wait to hear it.

THE END . . . . . FOR NOW.

Part 475: Saying Goodbye

2007-01-04T08:10:00.000-08:00

January 27th, 2010

The cold winds blew up from the grassy hill. The trees were bare from their leaves and only a few birds were nearby. Certain days were warm but most of the winter was cold. The world had changed and those who didn’t change with it, where in for a rude awakening. Mia wondered who much more the world would change as she grew older. The more she walked on the grass, she didn’t think she would be growing older; simply wiser.

Tony, John, McKay, Jack, Sawyer, Sayid, Desmond and Charlie walked to the back of the hearse. The black vehicle opened up it’s rear doors, revealing the casket of their fallen. The men each took a portion of the side handles and began to escort Locke to his final resting place. The second hearse came up and opened it’s door as well. Raven took a deep breath and pulled out the casket of Ecko. Natasha, Jenny and Kellye took the handles to one side and Raven held his own on the other. He could have carried the casket all by himself but the girls wanted to share the burden; even though it wasn’t much. After the group pulled away, the third hearse had arrived with the body of Flower. Alexander opened the doors and began to carry it away, aided by Eddie, Andra, Seth, Dutch, Shanna and Hal.

The three burial plots rested on a hill, overlooking a small lake. Mia had picked it out for all three of them. She even commented that, when the times comes, they should all be buried there. Some might considered the comment morbid. However, this group had been through so much, survived so much and triumphed through so much; it felt right. They were, after all, a family.

The workers began to lower the caskets gently into their burial grounds. After they had reached the bottom, they slowly began to move the dirt into the holes. Mia held onto her daughter’s hand, hearing her child weep silently. John stayed with her, as she watched them bury the remains of her adoptive father. The Lakota gently wiped a tear from her eye as the wind blew her hair; caressing her face. “It’s not easy to lose a father . . ..twice.” she commented.

“He loved you, Mia.” Her husband whispered by her side, “You gave him what he always wanted; a family.”

“I know that but . . .he was our rock. He held us together.”

“You’re our rock now, Mia.” Shanna said, gently putting her hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah, you’ve held the Brat Pack together.” Seth whispered, “I don’t think Locke could have asked for a better successor.”

Mia smiled, gently putting her hand on Shanna’s. She stared at the tombstone which read JOHN LOCKE: LOVING FATHER AND JOURNEYMAN. The Lakota woman took a deep breath and smiled. “I won’t let him down.” She vowed, “I promise.”

Raven kneeled down next to Ecko’s grave as the men finished filling it. The wind blew his overcoat slightly. The cyborg gently picked a blade of grass and held it in his gloved fingers. “I don’t know if I am ever going to die.” He whispered, “I . . . I was ready to die so long ago but now . . . .now I am ready to live, Ecko. I wish you could have been there with me to see it but such is the winds of fate, eh? I promise I’ll look after Natasha and Jenny for you. And I know . . . .I know you’ve found your corner of Heaven now.”

Raven calmly stood up and looked down the hilltop. Jenny smiled at him as she waited by the car, with her little pug Squishface; panting from the car window. The masked man looked back at the grave one last time. “Goodbye, old friend.” He whispered, “I won’t let them fall.”

Shanna held onto a large bundle of flowers. She walked up to Flower’s tombstone and gently placed them beside it. She took a deep sigh, wiping the tears away from her eyes. “Flowers for Flower.” She whispered, “The prettiest Island girl there ever was.”

“She loved you, Shanna.” Alexander sighed, “I remember how often she talked about how proud she was of you for following your dream of music.”

“I loved her too.” The redhead stood up, “My only feeling of peace through this is that she’s reunited with her twin sister.”

“Indeed. My tribe awaits for me in the Heavenly Kingdom.”

“They’ll always be with you, Alexander.” Mandy said, taking his arm.

The blonde man looked at the woman he loved and felt a sense of pride. He will miss Flower deeply, as they bonded closer due to the lost of his brothers and sisters back on the Island. However, life always moved on. As he walked away from her grave, Bridgett came up and took his hand. Alexander knew he wasn’t her father but he felt like he was. He would make sure nothing would happen to Mandy or Bridgett. He owed it to Flower to be the man he needed to be.

Desmond looked down at the bottom of the hill where Penelope was being buried. The majority of the Widmore family were surrounding the grave. A few looked up at him with contempt; knowing who he was and why her father hated him. The Scotsman sighed, as none of them knew the full story. Since Penelope was dead, there was little point in clearing his name with those people. He knew the truth and that was all that mattered. Isabella came up and gently took his hand. She looked down at the group of people surrounding his former love’s grave. “You can come back later and say goodbye, Des.” She whispered.

“It’s all right, luv. I’ve already said, goodbye.” He said, taking her and walking away, “Let’s go get our son.”

Pat 474: Preparation

2007-01-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

January 22nd, 2010

3: 43 am

Mia slowly opened her eyes. Her arm was sore from keeping her head propped up in the chair. To her right was her daughter Shelley, sleeping soundly away next to Bridgett. Across them in the other bud was Aaron and Brendon. Tanya was resting next to boys in a chair as well. The Lakota leaned up and rubbed her eyes. It had been one of the worst days of her life. Her daughter had been kidnapped and she lost the man she felt was her father. He wasn’t her biological father but he didn’t need to be. She was happy that her daughter got out of harms way but she felt slightly empty that she lost Locke in the process.

Then a warm sense of peace washed over her. Mia gently held her chest and took a deep breath; sighing incredibly. The Lakota woman was blessed with a unique gift; the ability to speak to the dead in dreams. The peace that enveloped her was being to her by her lost friend Brendon; she knew this. She felt it was his own way of promising that she’d see Locke again one day. It was the one thing she knew could keep her going.

Mia then looked at the door to the kids room, as it slowly opened. The light from the hallway gently felt on Shelley’s face, making her moan and turn to her side. Shanna covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s okay,” Mia whispered back, covering up her daughter with another blanket.

“How are they doing?” the redhead whispered.

“Been a long day.”

“Yeah, it has,” Shanna lowered her head a bit, then raised it up to face her friend, “Mia, the others are discussing this Island, called Isla De Verde. You want to come listen?”

“Yes, I do. Thank you, Shanna.”

Mia stood up and gently tip-toed out of the room. Tanya was still asleep by the boys, so she knew the children would not be alone. The brunette followed Shanna down the steps of Hurley’s giant mansion. The majority of the group was still awake. Joscelyn was busy fixing everybody either coffee or some form of alcoholic beverage. Hurley was with Seth and Charlie, eating ice cream. By the time, she got down the stairs, her husband immediately stood up. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’ve seen better days.” She said, embracing him.

“If you need some time, Mia . .”

“No, John. I’m going to have enough time later.” She said, kissing him on the lips briefly, “What are you guys talking about?”

“The crash of Flight 216 from Conway Airlines,” Tony leaned over, “Eddie is filling us in on what he learned.”

“Yeah, Mia, I’d like you to hear this out because it involves you too.” The young man said, resting near the fireplace.

The Lakota woman sat down next to her husband. Shanna walked by holding too steaming coffee mugs; kindly hanging one to her adoptive sister. Mia blew on the hot coffee and then motioned for the young man to continue. “While I was researching Dharma and after I was captured, I made contact with a superior computer program named Athena. She’s just like Watchman.” Eddie told her.

Mia raised her eyebrows, after sipping some coffee. “She’s . . a sentient program?” she asked.

“Yeah and on this Island, she did the same thing that Watchman did. She regulated the experiments being done. Hell, she even mentioned a creature named the Gorgon.”

“Fascinating,” Sayid said, sipping his tea, “The Gorgon was Medusa in ancient mythology. I wonder if these mad men have created a copy of Medusa itself or is it simply a code for one of them?”

“Who can say, Sayid?” Tony yawned a bit, “What else did you learn, Eddie?”

“Athena got me in communication briefly with a young girl. She looked about my age. Her name was Stacy. Apparently she had been pretty distraught but as Watchman communicated with us, Athena communicated with him. She established a remote viewing link so Stacy could see me. She held up a sign and asked if I could help her.”

“What did you say?” McKay asked.

“I gave her a thumbs up. I said, Yes, Uncle McKay.”

“That’s fine, Eddie.” The one-eyed doctor said, before turning to look at Desmond, “It’s safe to assume we’re going to that Island to retrieve Sebastian anyway.”

“Thank you.” The Scotsman sighed.

“One more adventure?” the Australian smirked, “I reckon we got one more in us.”

“You maybe, “ Sawyer commented, sipping on whisky, “Not me.”

“It’s fine, Sawyer. I doubt we’ll all be going.”

“I’m in.” Eddie said immediately.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Tony said, leaning up, “Eddie, there is no reason for you to go to this Island. Not to mention, you are still in school.”

“Tony, please there are many reasons why I need to go, “ the young man said, standing up, “First off, Sebastian is my friend. I know he’d do the same for me if our positions are reversed. Second off, there is this Stacy girl. I gave her my word I would help her. I did give anybody else’s but MINE.”

Tony stared at him. He felt a sense of fatherly pride in his conviction to stay true to his word. Clearly, he raised him well. “Please, Tony,” he whispered, “I have to do this.”

The one-eyed doctor smiled, “Okay, Eddie. You’ve convinced me. However, you have to convince your mother, agreed?”

The young man shook his head. “Yeah, that makes sense.” He agreed.

“Very well.”

“Mia has to go too, John.” Eddie pointed.

“What?” he raised his head, “Why the hell does Mia HAVE to go?”

“Because she has the most experience with Watchman, and as a result, Athena concludes that makes her the expert.”

“Why does Athena want to talk to me?” the Lakota piped in.

“Because she’s just like Watchman, Mia,” the young man faced her, “ She’s lonely. She’s in doubt. Everybody in a point to in their lives, look up toward a father figure, or God, or whatever thing they belief in and they ask the questions why am I here? What is my purpose? . .Well, Athena has asked that question. And she believes you are the only one who can answer it, Mia.”

Mia then felt a sense of deja-vu in what Eddie was saying. She was thinking about her special dream where all her past friends came to see her. Then she remembered the part where she talked to her grandmother and she showed her a woman wearing a Roman helmet; dressed in the garb of the period. She then reminded her of the statement she always said. “Wisdom I will find alone.” She whispered.

“What, Mia?” John looked at her.

“Athena . . .. .is the goddess of Wisdom, isn’t she?” she asked.

“Yes,” Sayid answered.

“Then that means I have to go.”

“Are you sure about this, Mia?” her archer husband replied.

Mia looked at him, causing a brief tear to appear under her eyelashes. She quickly wiped it away and sniffed. “It’s what Locke would have wanted me to do.” She sighed.

John said nothing. He merely placed his arm around her and shook his head; a silent way of saying he understood. McKay then leaned up and picked up the laminated map. He held it up and took another look at it. “Can you find the way, McKay?” asked Tony.

“It’s not the finding that bothers me, Tony.” The Australian answered, “It’s these strange coordinates.”

“What’s strange about them?”

“According to this directional, I have to head North, then when I reach a certain milege, then proceed west on a vector of 325 degree heading. That makes absolutely no sense, considering we can proceed on a 131 angle, then head directly there.”

“Whatever you think will work best.”

“Hey, guys, I found them.” Claire mention, over at the lap top in the living room.

Jack slowly got up and walked over. Tony joined him, as did McKay, Sawyer and Mia. The blonde Australian pulled up a website that showed the listing of the passengers of Flight 216. The website seemed to be devoted to the prayers that they were alive, even calling itself, Candlelightvigil216.com . “The Blanchard family is keeping this website up and running,” Claire pointed out, “ Apparently, their youngest boy Wesley was on the plane.”

“How many passengers?” asked Jack.

“Just shy of 75.”

“Does it list them all?” Tony leaned in.

“Seems like it lists everybody but the crew of the plane.” Claire pointed out, “ Shaun Massey, Tabitha Lamb, Krista Gaines, James Roachowski, Barbara LeCroy, David Shaw, William Bunker, and the list goes on and on.”

“Nobody I recognize.” Jack muttered.

“You were expecting to know someone?” Sawyer raised his eyebrows.

“Fate, Sawyer.” Mia smiled.

“You both can take your fate and shove it.” The redneck coughed, “I ain’t going to no crazy Island again.”

“Oh, come one, Sawyer,” Kate gently kicked him in the leg, “Don’t you want one more adventure before you become an old man?”

“I am an old man, Freckles and the answer is no,” the southern man grunted as he slumped into the couch next to Claire, “ I got no problems standing by all of ya’ll when the going gets tough but rescuing people I don’t even know? I ain’t into that anymore. No offense, Scotty.”

“None taken. He’s my son and my responsibility.” Desmond sighed, then looked to the others, “ I’ll accept any offer of help ye provide of your own accord but I’ll expect none of it from any of you . . .nor hate ye any less.”

“You and Isabella are one of us, Desmond.” Jack smiled, “We’re all survivors. We help each other when we can.”

“We’re going to need a boat.” McKay mentioned.

“Sure thing.” Hurley piped in with a mouth full of ice cream.

“We’ll need something for long range transport, not to mention be able to house all those people.”

“We could probably go for a yacht again.” John said, “ I mean, let’s be realistic. We have no idea how many of those people are still alive. And since we got to make room for them, no reason ALL of us should go.”

“In fact, who will insure that YOU make it safely back?” Sayid mentioned.

McKay looked over to Jin, who gave a thumbs up. The Korean, like the Australian, was fully capable of piloting a boat. It was a good idea. They were about to risk their lives to bring home Sebastian and a large group of people they had never met before. It would be nice to have a back up plan because they had to leave room for the unknown. They all silently agreed, that was definitely where they were heading. “I think we’re gonna need two boats.” The Australian looked at Hurley.

Hurley waved them off, signaling it would be no problem. Jack then looked at all his friends. “No lottery will be needed this time.” He smirked, “Whoever goes and stays is strictly on a volunteer basis.”

“I’m in, and so is Izzy.” Desmond said.

McKay then turned to his wife, as she rested on a nearby couch. “Taylor?” he asked, “Are you okay with me going?”

“Of course, baby,” she said, gently taking his hand, “This is what you do. You’re a hero.”

McKay kneeled down and kissed her. The fact that she would so easily approve him leaving her meant their relationship was even stronger. She gently stroked his stubbled cheek as she looked up at him. “Promise me, you’ll keep these people safe and you’ll be home before our baby is born.” She whispered.

“I promise,” he smiled down on her.

Alexander then stood up and walked over to his mention. The bald man stood up and looked at him. “Father, I would love nothing better than to return to the jungle with you,” he whispered, “But I think . . .perhaps it would be best, if I stay . . and keep Mandy, Bridgett, . .and Taylor safe.”

McKay smiled at him and then embraced him; patting him on the back. “I’m proud of you, boy,” he laughed, “That’s the most mature thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Tony smiled at the show of affection. As he had adopted Eddie, McKay had down the same thing with Alexander. He then felt two smooth hands caress his arm. He turned to look at his loving wife staring up at him. “Go with them, Tony,” she smiled with pride.

“You sure, Rita?” he asked, facing her.

“You should go. They may need a doctor, not to mention if Barbara approves of Eddie going . . . .I’d feel much better if you were there to keep him out of trouble.”

“Don’t you mean the opposite of that?” Eddie jokingly pointed toward his father figure.

Marita laughed as she hugged the young man and her husband at the same time. John then looked at his friends, then turned to face his wife. Mia smiled at him, gently rubbing his arms. “You know I ain’t letting you go without me.” He said, more like a statement than a question.

“Of course.” She smirked.

“As much as I’d like to go with you guys, I can’t.” Seth replied, “Turboshaft is on the rise and if we stop that for ever a month, it might hurt our chances to rise to the top. I’m sorry.”

“There is no reason to apologize, Seth. You are correct, Turboshaft is your life now. You don’t need to go off to some Island, risking it all.” The Lakota then turned to the redhead by her side, “Besides . . . .I couldn’t think of a better person to watch my daughter while I am away.”

Shanna raised her eyes at the kindest statement she’s heard her whole life. The redhead then embraced her adoptive sister, kissing her on the cheek. “Will you keep an eye on Shelley for me?” Mia asked.

“Two eyes.” Shanna giggled, “As often as I can spare them.”

“Speaking of kids, I better check on Aaron.” Claire said, getting away from the computer.

As Claire moved away, Sawyer looked at the computer screen again. He then stepped up and sat down in her spot, browsing through the names to satisfy his own curiosity. Chance yawned and then leaned up, massaging his wounded leg. “You going, Hal?” he asked.

“I don’t think I could get the leave in time.” The cop admitted.

“I could.” Jenny smiled.

“Jenny, are you serious?” Jack said, leaning down to look at her, “I mean, after everything you’ve gone through . . .”

“That’s the whole point, big brother.” The cop sighed, “I was tortured for knowledge for Raven. And this Island is an aspect of those people. I need . . . .I need to help these people so the same thing that happened to me wouldn’t happen to them.”

The doctor shook his head. It was a semi-decent reason. Maybe Jenny needed to get away, maybe she needed an adventure; he didn’t know. However, the doctor was determined that she wouldn’t go alone. “Then make sure you take your guardian angel with you.” He pointed to Raven.

“I’ll keep her safe.” The cyborg promised.

“I’m in too.” Chance piped in.

His wife Arizona leaned up from where she was resting next to Libby. The woman removed her blanket and looked at her husband. “We’re really going to this Island, Chance?” she asked.

“I said, I was going, baby. Not US.” He said, in all seriousness.

“Excuse me?” she scoffed, in likewise seriousness.

“Hear me out,” he said, taking her hand, “You need to stay with Hal and Libby. You’re gonna need their help.”

“Help with what?”

“Finding us a place to live.”

The Texan’s eyes went wide and despite what they were going through, she felt the happiest in a long time. She felt she had more of a connection with the survivors of Flight 815 than anyone but Chance was relunctant to leave Texas. It would seem he finally buckled and gave in to the same belief. Good things happen when they are all together. The woman leaped over and embraced her husband. Chance laughed as he kissed her. “If you are going to live here, then you get to host Superbowl.” Hal joked.

“Can do, cappy.” the gunslinger laughed.

“Sayid, may I please go with them?” Andra said, stepping up.

“Why, my dear?” the Iraqi asked.

“Perhaps the experiments are going on this Island as well. Perhaps the Black and Red project is happening too. I can help with that.”

“You are a grown woman, Andra. You can make your own decisions. Do you want to do this?”

“I do.”

“Your mother would be proud of you.” Shannon rubbed her back, then embraced her.

“Well, then I guess that’s it. Sayid, you can lead the second group in case we don’t make it back in time to-“ McKay tried to say.

“I’m in!” Sawyer abruptly said.

The group stopped their conversation and looked at the redneck. He smiled briefly and shrugged his shoulders. “I changed my mind, I’m in.” he admitted.

“Great.” McKay laughed a bit.

“What the sudden change in heart, brother?” Desmond asked.

“Oh, it’s . . .uh . . . like Curley said, I think we got one more adventure left in us.”

Desmond was confused but he knew Sawyer could handle himself in a fight and therefore, he would be useful to have. “Bloodly lovely then,” he said, shaking his hand, “Welcome aboard.”

The group then started to break up. It was had a rough day and they were well into the morning of the next day. They had to get prepped for their trip to Isla De Verde. Hurley had to buy them two ships which he assured would not be a problem. He even laughed a bit saying that since the purchase of these ships would lead to the rescue of the survivors of flight 216, then he’ll probably make money off it; thanks to his reverse curse. Jack vowed to Tony that he would be on the second boat, ready to come after them at a moment’s notice. Jin also mentioned he wouldn’t have any problem piloting the other ship. McKay vowed to make a copy of the map before he left.

Everybody slowly migrated into the kitchen except Kate. The brunette slowly strode over to the redneck sitting in the chair next to the computer. Sawyer was looking at the names in list and then felt her looking at him. “Something on your mind, Freckles?” he asked.

“Why did you REALLY change your mind, Sawyer?” she asked.

“I told you. I ain’t in the grave yet. I can be of help to the guys, honestly.”

“Don’t play with me.” She said, gently kicking his boot, “ I know you better than most. When you told Desmond that you were just looking for one more adventure, I thought I heard something familiar.”

“Like what?” he asked.

“The old Sawyer. The con-man Sawyer. In the old days when your mouth dripped honey, the bees would die of poison.”

“I’m flattered, Sassafras but it’s like I told you. McKay is my friend, as is Cochise and Robin Hood. What kind of a man would I be if I didn’t stick by them?”

Kate smirked and gently ran her finger down his chest. She shook her head in agreement, then proceeded to walk down the kitchen. She momentarily disappeared but then quickly reappeared, sticking her head back from behind the hallway wall. “I’m glad you are sticking by your friends, Sawyer,” she smiled, “But . . . .I STILL don’t believe you. You’re hiding something.”

“WOULD YOU . . .just go on!” the redneck waved her off.

Kate finally left the redneck alone in the living room. Sawyer rubbed his mouth, then his stubbled chin. Kate was right; he was hiding something. However, it was one thing that Sawyer never expected to come back into his life. He had left this part of his past a long time ago. He wasn’t about to admit to Mia and the others about things like “fate”. He didn’t believe in them but Locke once said, it believes in you. And now his life had come full circle. Sawyer turned around and stared at the list of the survivors of flight 216. He kept his eyes on the name at the bottom; a name he’d never thought he’d see again.

Clementine Phillips.

Part 473: Plausable Deniablity

2006-12-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

10:24 pm

The survivors were gathered in a large conference room. The majority of them had been interviewed and processed. They wanted all known information about Hanso and the Dharma Group. They collected John, Tony and McKay’s clothes. They detected minor traces of radiation on their clothes. The one-eyed doctor didn’t have the courage to tell them the truth. That a monster from a distant island coated them in it’s own genetic goop so it could teleport them. He told them they were just coated in some Hanso chemical from a lab explosion on the way down.

Sawyer was by the window, gently banging his head on the pain. Shanna would comfort him whenever she could. She knew what his problem was. He wanted outside to go smoke. Since they had been forced into the room nearly 40 minutes ago, the redneck was getting a little stir-crazy. Kate was resting next to Jack in the back as he had his arm in a sling. It reminded him of when he hurt his arm back in the cave in on the Island. She was there for him then and she’s there for him at the moment. Jenny felt a little better, allowing herself to sit with her friends. Raven stayed near her as Kellye and Ana-Lucia watched over her.

Most of the children were asleep. Brendon was resting between his mother and his father. Bridgett was asleep in Alexander’s arms, as her mother Mandy gently stroked her hair. Shelley was awake, sitting next to Mia, while Aaron was also awake; propped next to Charlie. They had gone through a rough set of four hours. It was worse for Shelley since she lost Locke. During their waiting for whatever the CTU had planned for them, she had stopped crying. She was still sad that she lost her grandpa but her excuse to her mother was that she had all cried out. Mia said that was okay because when she lost Brendon back on the Island, it was her same excuse as well.

McKay sat with his wife Taylor, propping up his bandaged leg. Jin sat with Sun, rocking her back and forth. Joscelyn was pacing near Hurley, because she wanted to call her sister Paige and make sure her family was okay. Jilly leaned her head back against the wall, sitting next to Karleigh who was stroking Dutch’s hair as he rested on her shoulder. Hal had his arm around Libby who was in and out of sleep on his shoulder. Arizona stayed with Chance, who was wide awake due to his bandaged leg.

Tristan leaned on his elbows against his knees while sitting next to Eddie and Bonnie. The young man has his arms crossed, gently banging his head against the window pane behind him. The redhead by his side was cold for some reason and the agents were nice enough to provide her with a blanket. She wanted to get to the hospital to check on her mother. As for what the next few weeks would be, she wasn’t sure. She gently reached over and placed her hand on Eddie’s. The young man was lost in thought but he then looked over to her. Bonnie smiled and sniffed slightly. “I love you too.” She smiled, remembering what he told her before he went after Ben and Matt.

The young warrior smiled and then leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. Leaning back, he put his arm around her and helped her to keep warm. Across the room, Tony and Marita had witness the whole exchange. It was a scene that easily brought a smile to their faces. It was nice to see that during this whole chaotic event, that Eddie was still able to keep Bonnie as a girlfriend. If anybody deserved to be happy, it was him.

Finally the door opened up to the big room. A handful of people stood up, almost on instinct. Inman stepped in, followed by Jack Bauer, and a handful of agents. Tony looked to his old friend from the special forces. “What’s the score, Jack?” the doctor asked, “Are we free to go?”

“All the evidence has been secured. There are a handful of matters that needed to be taken care of.” Bauer reached out and one of his agents, gave him a very thick folder, “First off, the bodies of John Locke, Tijarah Ecko, Penelope Widmore, and Flower McKay have been sent Oak Park Funeral Home on Wilshire. These are the documents to claim their bodies. May the next of kin step up, please.”

Mia then stood up and took the document meant for Locke. Natasha walked up and held out her hand, allowing her to receive the document for Ecko. Taylor took the one meant for Flower and Desmond slowly stood up after her. “I’ll take the one for Widmore, brother,” he coughed.

“You’re Desmond Hume, right?” Bauer asked.

“Aye.” He replied.

“Then I’ll give you the document, but you need to sign this first.” The agent said, handing him a light green document.

“What is it?” he said, looking at it.

“It’s a legal binding document of marriage between you and Isabella Pena.”

The Spanish woman then stood up. She quickly approached the table. After glancing at the document, she looked at Desmond with a slight tear in her eye. “Marriage?” she stuttered.

“It’ll help you with the legal implications of being gone out of the country for so long.” Bauer informed her.

“You okay with this, luv?” Desmond smiled.

“Not . . .really romantic.” She giggled, wiping her tear.

“We’ve been through Hell, Izzy,” the Scotsman embraced her, “Let us settle back into being normal human beings and then I promise I’ll get on one knee for ya, the white church fields, then whole she-bang. I love ye, and I want the whole world to know it.”

“I love you too,.” She said, kissing him.

After the kiss, the Scotsman parted from her and sighed the document. He gave the pen to his Spanish love and she promptly signed it. Bauer then gave him the document to help claim Penelope’s body. He then also gave them a manila envelope. “Here is some local driver’s license and passports.” He told them.

“I was wondering why you took my picture.” Isabella smiled.

“Now, brother, what do you plan to do about my son?” Desmond then asked.

Bauer took the documents and handed them back to the agents. “Mr. Hume, I deeply apologize but we have no official word about where you son is.” The agent sighed, “Our official position is that he’s . . . .MIA.”

“MIA?” the Scotsman raised an eyebrow, “He’s not a bloody POW, brother. He’s a 9 year old boy and he’s needs his parents.”

“The Liberation is in control of any outside stations that would or could have been operated by Dharma.” Inman piped in, “ Therefore, your son is Missing in Action, and you need to ACCEPT it.”

“Accept it?” Isabella scoffed, “how DARE YOU!! This is my son we’re talking about.”

“Not to mention the survivors of Flight 216.” Eddie mentioned.

“Shut your mouth, boy.” The CIA operative hissed.

“Then it’s real.” Jack said, standing up, “There is another Island and there is another of survivors that has crashed there. We need to help them.”

“WE . . .don’t need to do anything,” Inman glared, “Our goal is the locating the whereabouts of the Liberation. And I can assure you, THE ACTUAL Liberation . . is NOT on some Island.”

“Inman, we need to do something-“ Mia tried to say.

“ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!!!!” the CIA operative screamed at the top of his lungs.

The group went silent, seeing the agent look like he was about to have a heart attack. He even held onto his chest briefly. The agent looked at them with utter contempt. “Now, get this straight, the lot of you.” He hissed, “You’ve already done enough. You’ve violated enough laws to the point, that any normal human being would spend the rest of their lives in prison for. Indeed, if I had my choice, I’d see all of you in Fort Levingworth.”

“Then why don’t you?” Sayid said, with his arms crossed.

Inman looked at him. Not many people knew of the past between the two of them and actually, the Iraqi preferred to keep it that way. The CIA man ran his hand through his white beard and then pointed at Raven. “Because I don’t know where I’d put . .him.” he sneered.

The Jaeger Unit leaned up, letting his eyes glow blue at the man. Jenny gently slid her arm under Raven’s. The blonde cop understood Inman’s threat. The cyborg had the ability to smash wall as easily as they crushed aluminum cans. There probably would be no type of prison that could hold him. Inman then reached back and grabbed a large bundle of papers from one of the agents. He then flopped them down on the table with a thud. “These are special liability memorandums.” He looked at all of them, “Once you sign them, you are agreeing to speak to no one about Hanso, Dharma or anything else you’ve gone through. Not the press, no one.”

“In exchange for what?” Jack asked.

Inman looked at the wounded doctor. “In exchange that we don’t arrest you and I don’t send every military force I can find after your cyborg friend.” The CIA agent grunted at him.

Jenny scoffed at the man just threatening Raven will assault. The Jaeger Unit leaned down and looked at the floor. He then stood up and approached the conference table, making the others step back. The masked man then took a deep breath and sighed. “You got one of those memo’s for me?” he asked.

Bauer then started to shove the documents aside and found Raven’s. He then slid it over toward him and slid a pen as well. Raven picked up the paper and browsed through it, finding where he needed to sign. Jenny then grunted as she got up and leaned against the table. “What are you doing?” she asked him.

“What I must.” He said, as he started to sign it.

“What about Dharma? What about what they did to you?” the blonde cop said, taking him by the arm, “The world needs to know what these people were capable of doing!”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Jenny.” The cyborg looked at her, “I got you back. I got our friends back. I’ve lost Ecko. I just wanted to be left alone by Dharma. I . . ..I want to go home.”

Jenny closed her eyes and sighed. She understood what he meant. The fight, for the most part, was over. They lost three of their friends but the rest of them came out virtually intact. The only thing left to do was to move on. The blonde cop admitted she would like to go back home and try to forget the Island, and Dharma. She then held out her hand toward Inman. “Give me mine.” She sniffed.

Inman then handed hers. One by one, the rest of them slowly got up and moved to the conference table. The agents passed out the memorandums and the survivors began to sign them. After they were done, they gave them back and then the agents began to escort them out of the building; informing them that their vehicles were secured and were outside, waiting for them. The group began to whittle down to the closest circle of friends. Tony signed his document, then allowed Marita to sign it. He then gave it to his friend from the CTU. “Is there nothing you can do, Jack?” he asked.

“You know how this works, Tony.” He sighed with regret, “ I can only follow the orders I am given. I want to help these people, I really do. But until I get authorization, they are on their own.”

“It’s okay, Jack. I believe you,” the doctor said, shaking his hand, “It’s Inman I don’t believe.”

“I honestly could give a damn what you think of me, Mr. Largo.” The CIA operative moaned.

“How the hell do you sleep at night?” Mia hissed at him.

“Easy. I lay down and close my eyes.” He glared back at her.

“I’m not signing this.” Desmond winced.

“Sign it or you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.” Inman warned.

“Desmond, I want to get out of here.” Isabella begged.

“Izzy, if I sign this document, then I say anything about what Dharma was all about,” the Scotsman then looked at the agent, “And when I sign this, this means my son OFFICIALLY doesn’t exist. I’m not doing it.”

Eddie then stepped in and picked up the document. “Desmond, sign it.” He whispered.

“Little man, I will do no such bloody thing.”

“These people can’t help us,.” The young man whispered, “Please . . . sign it.”

“Think of Isabella.” Jack said, leaning in, “You can’t help Sebastian if you are in prison.”

The Scotsman looked at his doctor friend, then at his wife. Isabella was upset that her husband was right but she was also upset at staying in the CTU building any longer. The bushy haired man took a deep breath and then with a trembling hand, signed the document. The moment he was done, Inman practically snatched it away from him and then filed it with the rest. “Thank you for your cooperation, ladies and gentlemen,” he coughed, “I REALLY hope . . .I never see any of you again.”

“You’re really going to do it.” McKay grunted, “You’re really going to leave these people to die on that distant Island?”

“The moment the Liberation got involved, these people’s fate was already decided.” Inman stepped up to the door, getting ready to leave but then he stopped, “Let us hope that they are in God’s hands. . . . .or someone else’s.”

McKay blinked. “What?” he asked, confused.

“Oh, please, Mr. McKay . . .you’ve of all people should know, sometimes you make your own luck.”

McKay stared blankly into space as the man finally walked out of the room. Bauer motioned for the rest of the group to follow him out into the parking lot. The group stayed with each other as they walked down the hallway toward the exit. Isabella wept silently and Desmond held onto her. He felt like someone had kicked him in the gut.

The outside air was cold from the breeze. The moment they got outside, Sawyer quickly popped a cigarette into his mouth. After he lit it, Isabella came up to him. The redneck stared down at her with her tear soaked cheeks. Within two seconds, he understood what she wanted. He calmly took the cigarette out of his mouth and gave it too her. She gently began to smoke with trembling hands. “Welcome back to the new world, sister,” he said, lighting up a second one.

“Hey, guys!” Seth jogged over to them, “We’ve decided to all head over to Hurley’s to recover.”

“Why his place?” John asked.

“It’s the biggest.” The singer shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah, and he would have no problem with his extra spare beds,” Tony sighed, “And not to mention, knowing Hurley he’ll have plenty of food.”

“I’m so glad you’d thinking of food, brother,” Desmond grunted as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“He didn’t mean anything by it, Desmond.” Marita stepped in.

“I’m sorry, sister.” The Scotsman sighed, “I’m just a little upset why I agreed to write my son’s life off.”

“Desmond, don’t give up hope,” Jack looked at him, “We’ll find a way to get Sebastian back.”

“How, Jack?” he asked, grabbing him by the arm, “How the bloody Hell am I going to get my son back? He’s alone on an Island in the middle of the damn ocean. He could be starving, he could be scared or for all I know he might be dead! So, tell me how we’ll get my son back from this spooky Island, which by the way, NO BODY KNOWS WHERE IT IS!!!!”

Jack just stared at the Scotsman who was looking like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Isabella gently walked over and stood next to him. Tony held onto Marita. They didn’t have any words to offer him for comfort. Luckily someone did, however. “I do.” Eddie said behind them.

The group of adults turned around at their younger companion. He was already sitting in Turk, looking at them. He then reached down, between the seats of the front and pulled something out. The friends looked it and it was a lamented red parchment. Eddie held it up to them and couldn’t help but smirk.

“I know the way.” He grinned.

Part 472: Recovery of Answers

2006-12-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

9:23 pm

Tony and Marita waited for their friend in the conference room of the government building. The couple were waiting but they were also busy eating. It had been a long day for both of them. The one-eyed doctor sipped on his beverage after finishing a standard microwave dinner of chicken, green beans and corn. Marita munched on her roll after taking a bite of chicken. “So, Tone,” she said, with her mouth half full, “You know this Bauer guy?”

“Jack?” her husband smiled, “Yeah, me and him go way back. We had to run a few special forces operations in foreign countries I can’t pronounce. He’s a good man. I had no idea that he was running the CTU out of Los Angeles.”

“What does CTU stand for?” the Latina asked.

“Counter Terrorist Unit.” Tony sipped on his drink, “I heard of it, just before I went into the Special Forces.”

Before Marita could ask any other questions, the door slowly opened. Jack Bauer walked into the room and smiled at his old friend. Tony stood up and approached him. After the agent put his coffee down, he embraced his friend; patting him on the back briefly. “It’s good to see you, Jack.” The doctor said.

“Tony, had I known you were a part of this, I would have gotten involved sooner.” The agent promised.

“I know,” Tony replied, sitting back down next to his wife, “Let me guess. Inman put you on a need-to-know basis?”

“You know Inman?” Bauer said, pressing record on a tape recorder.

“Yeah. He was the CIA operative who questioned me and my two friends when we got rescued from the Island. I take it, he’s still looking for the Liberation?”

“Yes. He’s been made the official liaison to the government, as far as any operation looking for the Liberation. He was given free reign to use CTU to investigate.”

“Did Inman know that the Liberation would come looking for us?” Marita asked.

“From what we’ve learned about them, they operate very slowly,” Bauer sipped on his coffee, “They don’t communicate over normal channels, making them very difficult to find. Imagine . . . .you have a neighbor, who’s got a dog that barks only once and while, like everything five days. After a while, you might not even remember that your neighbors even have a dog.”

“Silence means security.” Tony whispered, remembering the age old military mantra.

“Exactly,” his friend agreed.

“Did you find the bodies at our house, Mr. Bauer?” Marita asked.

“You can call me Jack and yes, we did.” The agent smiled, “It’s already been cleaned up. You don’t have to worry about the authorities.”

“Thank you, Jack.” The doctor smiled.

“Now, we have to get down to business,” the agent sighed, finishing off his coffee, “I have to ask you some questions about the Hanso Foundation, not to mention this Dharma Initiative and anything you might know about the people involved.”

“Ask away, Jack,” Tony sighed, “We’ve got nothing to hide.”

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

“Why did this Linus person want these children?” the agent asked.

Jack Shepard sighed as he sipped on his orange juice. He had been inside an enclosed room, answering the questions about the scientists who kidnapped him. He had been stuck inside a similar room all day so he didn’t enjoy the prospect of still being in one. However, to make thing more comfortable, Kate and Sawyer were with him. The former fugitive sat next to him, rubbing his back. Sawyer had his head buried in his arms on the table. He was on the verge falling asleep. “He wanted the children because he believed them to be superior.” Jack told them, “He thought he was going to create a master race.”

“Was Linus a Nazi?” the female agent asked.

“Probably.” Sawyer muttered.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” The woman promptly retorted.

“Honey,” the southern man raised his head, “ You REALLY don’t have to much talking when I’m around.”

The woman then coughed, as her cheeks turned a light red. The redneck even took the time to lean over and glance at the agent’s legs. She then pushed them to the side, and shifted around nervously. Kate sighed and gently brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “Yeah,” she smirked, “He has that effect on women.”

“Um . . .moving on.” She continued, “When did you last see Dr. Linus?”

“Just after he threatened the children. Afterwards, I couldn’t tell you.” Jack coughed, “With any luck, he died in the shootout.”

“And these children? They didn’t exhibit any ability out of the ordinary?”

The worn-out doctor then looked at the woman. He remembered the uniqueness of Sebastian and the other children. Thanks to a rare plant infecting their parents and migrating into their systems, they received higher than normal intelligence. Ben even went so far to explain it. Jack had a bad feeling about telling all of this to the government agent. It seemed a little too cliché but what if they wanted the children for their intelligence too? The doctor was going to make sure that these kids would be allowed to be kids. “No,” he said, “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Very well,” she smiled, turning off the tape recorder, “Someone will be along shortly to escort back to the main conference room with your friends.”

“You ready for my interview now, sweet cheeks?” Sawyer flickered his eyebrows.

The female agent then clutched her notebook around her chest as her cheeks flushed red again. She then quickly turned around and exited the room in a fast but polite manner. Jack looked at her and then leaned up, looking at Sawyer. “Is there any woman you HAVEN’T tried to pick up?” he scoffed.

The redneck rolled his eyes, pretending to think. Then he pointed toward Jack with a wild grin. “Your mom.” He smirked.

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

Eddie was resting up against the side wall, propping his chair back. Bonnie sat at the table, tapping her fingers around her cup of hot chocolate. Tristan was on a nearby loveseat asleep. They were being interviewed by one of the many agents at this organization but about ten minutes ago they were called away abruptly. Eddie wondered why he wasn’t allowed to see his friends and family just yet. He was a little leery of telling them everything, especially without consulting Tony first. That may have been the very reason why he wasn’t allowed to see him.

The door to their room then opened and Eddie glared at the man who entered the room; it was Inman himself. The CIA operative closed the door and then placed down a folder on the desk. Eddie and the older man locked glares at each other. Bonnie looked at him, then at her boyfriend and back at him. It didn’t take an expert to know there was a tension between them. Inman then pulled out a photo and slid it across the table. It was a picture of Ben Linus. “We found him down at peer 16 at the wharf.” The older man coughed, “We found him with 9 bullets in his chest.”

“What a shame.” Eddie whispered.

“Is that your handiwork?” the CIA agent sneered at him.

“Yep.”

“I should have you arrested.”

“Then why don’t you?” the young man said, calling his bluff.

Inman winced at him and then pulled out another photo; sliding it over to Bonnie. It was a picture of Matt Tefpourth, her stepfather. The redhead took another look at the photo and then shoved it back toward him. “That was my stepfather.” She grunted.

“He’s dead too.” The CIA operative promptly replied.

“Good.” Bonnie said, sipping her hot chocolate.

“What role did he play in all this?”

“He’s was a clone of Ethan Rom.” Eddie replied.

“A . . clone?” Inman coughed, “A REAL clone? That’s illegal.”

“Then I guess your government regulations aren’t strict enough, Inman.” The young man smirked, pulling his chair up to the table.

“You were raised by Largo, Riggs and McKay, weren’t you?”

“Most of the way.”

“I can tell. You have all their arrogance, times 3.”

“Thanks.” Eddie chuckled.

“Why did the Hanso Foundation want you, boy?”

“I was told it was simply because I came away from that Island.” Eddie said, leaning into the table, “I went through some rough crap over there. I was even forced to kill someone at the age of ten. I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe, Inman.”

Inman pulled out another photo and then shoved it toward the young man. It was a picture of the remains of the charred Liberators at the Hanso outside lobby. “Like what killed them?” he asked.

“Yeah, I know what it was.” The teenager sighed.

“Then what was it?”

“It’s called Monoxide.” Eddie said, “The computer back on the Island listed it as a anti-gravity nano-cluster. I think that meant it was comprised of millions of microscopic . . .robots and it was designed to resemble black smoke. It was sentient and did things that was told to it by Watchman.”

“The computer?” Inman raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you’ve heard of it?”

“We intercepted some communiqués between Hanso and other channels. They mentioned trying to duplicate Watchman but had failed to do so. How did Monoxide get here if he was on the Island?”

“From what Tony told me, he teleported here with the Polliwog.”

“The what?” the CIA man said in confusion.

“The Polliwog. A large creature on the Island that was designed as a security system for Watchman’s central core.” The young man smiled, “I named him by the way.”

Bonnie stared at her boyfriend, not believing a single word he said. However, the way and the seriousness in which he said it was disturbing. Almost disturbing as Inman hanging on every word he was saying. The redhead then jumped when the Operative slapped his hand near her to get her attention. “I said, what did the Hanso group want with you?” Inman asked her again.

“Oh . .uh . . Eddie said that the . . .Ben person, was going to make me the Eve of this other Island.” She stammered.

“Eve?”

“Yeah, they were going to wipe our memories and make us live brand news lives on the second Island.” Eddie concluded for her.

“And how did you come to believe your stepfather was a clone?” Inman asked her.

“Eddie showed me a picture of Ethan Rom on the Dharma website.” She said, sipping the remains of her chocolate, “ Then he showed me the two lockets. One from myself and the other from my twin sister who died on his Island. Apparently my sister wasn’t the only one abducted.”

Inman wrote down the majority of the information they were giving him. He calmly clicked his pen shut and tucked it back into his coat pocket. “One last question for you, Mr. Trascal.” The operative looked at him, “ Did you have any idea where Linus and Tefpourth were going?”

“Yeah,” he coughed, “It’s called Isla De Verde. Or commonly known as Site B.”

“Site B?” Inman raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. An experimentation to see who survives in the game of Natural Selection. There are people there already,” Eddie leaned in, “Now . . .what are you going to do about it?”

Inman glared at him. Judging from the reaction of his face, the operative was upset by this information. He took a deep breath and gathered up the photos, and papers by into it’s manila envelope. “The associate of the Liberation with the Hanso Foundation has to reviewed in it’s entirety before any action can be taken,” Inman then stood up, “Therefore . . .there is no Site B.”

Eddie blinked. “What did you just say?” he gagged slightly.

“I said there is no Site B and you’ll do well to remember that, kid.” He pointed at him.

“Wait a second, man!” the teenager stood up, “My friend is out there! Look, I can help you guys. Before he died, Matt-“

“THERE IS NO SITE B!!!” Inman screamed at his face.

Eddie just looked at him in confusion. Bonnie was amazed that the older man bother to scream. However, his scream awoke Tristan who looked at everybody. The CIA operative tucked his envelope under his arm and opened the door. “Someone will be along shortly to escort you back to the main group.” He told them.

Inman slammed the door behind him. Tristan stretched as he got off the couch and joined his friends at the conference table. “What was that all about?” he asked Eddie.

“Bureaucracy in action.” Eddie moaned, resting his head on his hands.

Part 471: Point of View Part 5

2006-12-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

7:33 pm

The wharf was completely empty of workers. It was way after the shift of most of them, besides a few that had agreed to work overtime. The wind blew up some of the cold water below, caressing the wooden peers that shot out from the docks. In a nearby warehouse, a Sedan pushed well past it’s limits quickly arrived at the entrance. Ben jumped out of the car, reloading his pistol. Matt took a deep breath, and had to cough. He then motioned for the two men waiting for them to get to the peer to await the boat to take them to Isla De Verde. Little did they know, they were being watched from the street.

Eddie kept his eyes on them, seeing the two vile men disappear into the warehouse. He already concluded if they had come this far, they were planning on leaving in a boat; maybe even to the Island themselves. The young man sniffed, wiping his tears. He couldn’t think of anything else besides the loss of his sister. He vowed to make them pay for what they had done. Eddie then reached inside his car and pulled the switch to pop the trunk. Then he opened it further and retrieved a crow bar. “I promise, Turk.” He coughed, as he slammed the trunk back, “When this is over, I’ll fix you. I promise.”

Eddie then gritted his teeth as he used the crow bar to cave in the back windshield. Glass fell all over the back trunk as the young man scooted it away. He then flung the crowbar onto the side of the street and got back into his beloved vehicle. He made sure both the automatic pistol he had were loaded and he had two spare clips.

It was time to end it.

Matt picked up the case containing his notes. He made sure it was slung over his shoulder before he took another step out of the warehouse. Matt was waiting on him but he couldn’t stop staring at the phone. He wanted one more chance to call Julia and tell her that he really did love her. He wasn’t even sure if she would be out of her coma by now. He wanted to be with her but he was certain Ben wouldn’t understand. “Forget her.” The scientist ordered as he checked the notes.

“Excuse me?” the clone looked at him.

“I said forget her. Julia believes you had a hand in husband’s death. You really think you are going to change that?”

“You were the one that ordered me to get close to her. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with her, so don’t tell me just to forget it!” he screamed.

Ben then walked over and glared at him directly in the face. The two friends sneered at each other. “We have a chance to salvage this.” The scientist told him, “We got our station on the second Island. We can still bring the Herrenvolk into the world to lead them. This is only the beginning!”

Ben’s speech was interrupted by a vehicle crashing into the warehouse. The two men looked and then screamed in defiance as Eddie and his car came plowing toward them. Boxes, tables and chairs flew in all directions as Turk crashed into the building. Eddie immediately then dove into his backseat. The two soldiers that were with Ben and Matt fired on the car. The bullets smacked the windshield where Eddie was two seconds ago. The young man grunted as he climbed out the back broken windshield and rolled down his trunk.

The two soldiers fired on the drivers side, as Eddie expected them. The young man stayed hidden among the destroyed boxes while Turk plowed toward them. The vehicle then rammed one of the men and shoved him toward the wall. The impact made his head collide with the plate glass window and cracked it. The last soldier fired again and then stopped to reload. The moment he did, Eddie jumped up and fired on him. The soldier buckled as the bullets struck his head and ribs. Matt fired a round at Eddie as he and Ben ran out the back.

Eddie jumped over the dead body of the soldier and ran after them. He then looked around, among the huge crates. There was only one way to go. He quickly ran up the peer and started looking around. He didn’t see anything but boats, and water. The young man gritted his teeth, and kept looking. Then a bullet struck a nearby crate, making him jump. He turned to see that he had gotten on the wrong peer; Matt and Ben were on the other boardwalk. Bonnie’s stepfather continued to try and shoot the young man. Eddie returned fire with both his pistols, hoping he could hit them. However, he could already tell he was out of range.

Eddie then screamed as he jumped onto a boat hanging between the peers. The young man grunted as he fought to get away from the other stuff to get to the boardwalk. Bullets bounced around him as Matt continued to fire on him. Eddie fired twice before jumping on a plank. He grunted as the wooden board fell away in enough time to get to the top peer. He then jumped off and fired both his guns as he did. The clone of Ethan Rom fired again, hiding behind the pillars. Eddie continued to fire on him, running full bore at him and firing both his weapons. Bullet after bullet struck the pillar as Eddie ran. He finally got in range and screamed as he fired. One bullet struck Matt in the chest. The clone fell back against the wooden platform, holding his wound as his gun fell into the water.

Eddie tried to jump over a barrel but his foot got caught by the tip; making him stumble over. Ben fired on him, making the bullets bounced in the pillars above him. The scientist fired against then struck Eddie on the side of his rip cage. The young man screamed at the agonizing pain, holding his wound. He struggled to get to his feet but Ben was already on him. The crazed scientist pointed his gun directly at the young man’s face.

CLICK!

Ben felt like someone just stepped on his grave. Eddie then got to his feet and held his gun on the mad-man. The scientist slowly backed up and then held his hands up; dropping his gun at the same time. The young man winced in pain but didn’t waver from keeping the gun on Ben. The scientist stared at him and couldn’t fathom a way out of his situation. His only hope was to tell Eddie the truth and pray he believed him. He coughed and whispered, “”Eddie, Jilly is-“

Ben didn’t get a chance to say another word as the young man fired at his chest directly. The scientist grunted as bullet after bullet hit him in his body. He jerked back and forth, then fell into the water. However, Eddie didn’t stop firing. He continued to fire at the man even as he was in the water. Tear flowered from his eyed as he continued to squeeze the trigger.

CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.

Eddie took a deep breath, after he realized he had emptied an entire clip into Ben. Up in the distance, a smaller boat looked like it was about to dock but then it turned around, and left. The young man then collapsed onto his knees, holding his scraped wound. He had nothing left to do but cry. Jilly was gone and killing Ben wasn’t going to bring her back. However, he killed him after he tried to say her name. He had absolutely no right to say her name; no right at all. “Eddie . .” Matt whispered.

The young man gasped over the fact that Matt was still alive. He shifted around and looked at him. The older man was reaching into his jacket for something. He then pulled out a long red document. The clone then held it into Eddie’s direction, before letting his head drop onto the boardwalk. Then young man then crawled toward him, seeing the blood flow out of his mouth and sadly, the urine build up in his pants. Eddie coughed and then took the strange plastic document away from his dead hand.

Eddie took stood up and began to walk back. He took another look at the folded up parchment, which turned out not to be plastic but lamentation. As he unfolded it, it resembled a map. Eddie gasped when the map showed it’s destination.

Isla De Verde.

Eddie looked back at the dead man, wondering why he would bother to give this to him. A last chance at redemption? Eddie wasn’t sure and quiet honestly, he didn’t care. The young man felt justified in what he had done, considering what they did to Jilly, not to mention Bonnie and her mother. Eddie then started to limp up to the long access of the peer. He had needed to get back to Hanso to make sure everybody was okay.

The drive didn’t take as along as Eddie though it would. He felt slightly weak and a little cold. The young man coughed a bit, assuming he was feeling this because of the slow trickling wound down on his left side. He had never been shot before today. He smirked at the notion because technically he wasn’t shot; the bullet just scraped him. He got lucky, like when Kellye got shot on the forehead back on the Island and the bullet hit the perfect angle to deflect off her skull.

Eddie pulled Turk up to the street where the Hanso building was. The bulk of it was consumed in fire and smoke. The young man grunted as he got out of the vehicle. He then started to limp toward the massive collection of vehicles. Eddie looked around, wondering who they were. With the small collection of ambulances near the beginning of the parking lot, he naturally assumed these were some local authorities come to help him. “Bout time.” He laughed to himself.

“EDDIE!!!” Bonnie screamed.

Eddie smiled as he saw his girlfriend running toward him. The redhead threw off the blanket around her and ran toward him. She then wrapped her arms around him, making him grunt. However, he ignored the pain and held onto her. The fact that he was able to hold onto her meant he had won in some aspect. Bonnie kissed him passionately, holding onto his cheeks. The redhead parted from him, then gasped at the sight of her right hand covered in blood. She looked at Eddie and saw that he was bleeding from the side of his ribs. “Eddie, are you shot?” she asked in shock.

“Naw, it’s a scrape. It’s not bad.” He winced.

“Well, it’s bad enough to make you grunt in pain,” she said, guiding him back, “ Let’s let these doctors look at you.”

Eddie held onto and looked at her. He felt like he should tell her, considering everything that’s happened. The only hope he had was that she wouldn’t hate him. “Matt’s dead.” He coughed.

Bonnie smiled briefly and then kept helping him walk. “I know.” She whispered.

“I’m sorry, Bonnie. I know . . . I know he took good care of you.”

“Me too, Eddie. I sorry . . .he turned out to be an abomination. But I knew . . .if you had come back, then Matt and that horrible Ben person was more than likely dead. And I prefer to see you again then them.”

Eddie winced again. “Kewl.” He muttered.

The young man then climbed into the ambulance. The doctors immediately started to cut open his shirt to see the wound. Tristan then came out from the right and smiled at his friend. “Good to see you, brohiem.” He smirked.

“Good to see you too,” he grunted as they started to bandage him.

“Did you get what you needed?” the Asian teenager smirked.

“I did. Those two bastards won’t be bothering anybody ever . . . .again . . .”

Tristan then wondered what Eddie was trailing off in his speech. It was because in the distance, the young man was looking at someone he wasn’t expecting to see. The soldiers were guiding a young woman toward one of the ambulances. Kellye and Joscelyn rushed up to greet their friend. Jilly hugged both of them, and wept a little bit. The young man then pushed the doctors aside as he started to walk toward her. Jilly then saw her younger adoptive brother and laughed; seeing he was okay. Eddie then embraced her as she cried on his shoulder. “Jilly . . . .You’re . . .you’re alive.” He started to weep.

“I was about to tell you the same thing.” She said, kissing him on the side of his forehead.

“But . . I saw . . .I saw them put your . . .your head. . .in a plastic bag.”

Jilly looked at him confused. “My head?” she blinked, “Eddie . . .what are you talking about?”

“Eddie, do you mean this bag?” Tony said, as he walked up toward them.

Eddie laughed that his mentor and adoptive father was alive and well. Then he stared at the item in his hands. It was the same plastic grocery bag that contained what he thought was Jilly’s head. Eddie then took the bag and opened it. What was inside was a cantaloupe, a wig similar to Jilly’s head and small amounts of ketchup. “I don’t . .understand.” the young man whispered.

“Psychological warfare.” The one-eyed doctor whispered, “Raven found this while he was searching the building for survivors. He thought it was Jilly too. When he saw what was inside, he then scoured the building till he find her.”

“Why . . .why would those sons a bitches do that?” Jilly asked.

“They wanted to break me.” Eddie sniffed.

Tony looked at the young man that meant so much to him. Eddie started to squint his face, trying to keep from crying. The one-eyed doctor gently took him by the arms. “What . . have I become?” Eddie cried.

Tony then embraced him. Eddie had finally broken under the strain of the whole day. The one-eyed doctor held him and gently stroked his head. “You’ve become a hero, Eddie,” the older man told him, “You did what you had to, to help and protect the people you care about. Do not dwell on anything else.”

“He’s right, Eddie.” Jilly said, stroking his back.

Eddie wiped his tears as he parted from Tony. The one-eyed doctor then motioned for everybody to get onto the vans and allow the government representatives to take them away from there. They were on a time table after all. One of the soldiers requested the keys to Eddie’s Turk so they could bring it with them and keep it secured. The young man gave them and watched them quickly get it out of the street. He then accepted a blanket from one of the medic’s as they guided him and Bonnie back to the ambulance. Tristan hopped on before they did, as Eddie stepped in with Bonnie. The young couple sat on a gurney as the medics closed the door to get moving. The redhead leaned her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder. “I’m so glad this is over.” She whispered.

Eddie took a deep breath. He didn’t want to make her upset but he knew for a fact, it wasn’t even near over.

Part 470: Point of View Part 4

2006-12-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

7:19 pm

Tony then buckled when a hail of bullets destroyed the wall he was hiding behind. John then quickly peaked out and saw Leann with her two minions. They quickly opened fire on him but promptly missed. The archer then pulled out one of his last explosive arrows. McKay loaded up his shotgun, and looked at him. “You got the look of a kid on Christmas, John.” The Australian laughed.

“Man, I feel like Green Arrow.” The gym teacher said as he loaded up the special arrow.

“I thought you would have said Hawkeye or are you not a Marvel man?” The one-eyed doctor chuckled.

John then pulled back the arrow and fired down the hallway. He wasn’t aiming for the bad guys; he was aiming for a metal conduit. The archer has the skill to bank the shot, making it ricochet and head straight for them. Leann and her soldiers ducked into a stairway as the explosive arrow struck a nearby wall; turning it into debris. Tony then peered around and all he saw was smoke. Then as the whiteness began to clear, he could see the open door to the stairway. “COME ON!!” he screamed as he ran toward the door.

Bullets bounced around as Tony quickly left the entrance. He then reached in and fired his gun wildly. The bullets echoed above and then he heard a scream. McKay rushed in first as they quickly ascended the stairs. After climbing a few flights, they saw one of the soldiers that were following Leann lying on the stairs. He was holding his chest just above his heart where massive amounts of blood was escaping through his fingertips. He looked up at the three men. John then took the gun out of one of Tony’s hand. He then pulled back the breech, letting the empty shell soar into the air and the gun immediately load in another one. He calmly pointed the gun toward the man’s head. “M . Mercy.” He coughed.

“You shot my wife, you kidnapped my daughter,” John winced, “I’m fresh out.”

The gunshot echoed loudly through out the stairway. Tony had covered his eye but then looked at the soldier. The man was still holding onto his chest wound but his eyes were rolled to the back of his; almost an horrific sight as it seemed he was staring at the bullet wound in his forehead. John coughed a bit then and then handed back the gun to his best friend. Before they could say anything, they heard a helicopter above. McKay then shoved past them and run up the stairs. John and Tony quickly followed after him.

McKay reached the door and then shoved open the door. He immediately saw Leann and her last soldier stepping into a helicopter. The Australian opened fire on them, letting the buckshot hit the side of the copter. A Liberator then opened fire on him from the driver’s side of the copter. McKay then screamed as the bullet ruptured his lower calf muscle. As he collided onto the gravel of the rooftop, Tony quickly came in and fired on them. John rushed over and grabbed his friend, dragging him onto the side of the rooftop entrance. Leann fired on Tony as the helicopter began rise. The one eyed doctor then screamed as he fired on the gas-tank but missed. The female soldier then fired again but missed at her enemy as the bullets bounced around him. Within four more seconds, they both became out of range. “JOHN!!!” Tony screamed at his friend.

John quickly rushed toward the side of the building, loading up his last explosive arrow as he ran. He stopped at the edge and aimed at the helicopter disappearing into the distance. He quickly fired upward, hoping his arm would make it fall right on top of them. The archer stared at his weapon as it shot into the blackness of the city lights. Then his arrow exploded about ten feet near the copter. It banked slightly but the pilot was able to regain control. “DAMN IT!!” John screamed, as they saw her fade into the night.

Tony and John then turned sharply at the sound of an explosion. McKay grunted as he was thrown forward from the flames that shot out of the stairway. The two friends rushed over to the Australian and then began to drag him away. The bald man then grunted as he held onto them, until they got him a few feet away. “John, check the stair way!” Tony told him.

The archer threw off his empty quiver as he ran back toward the small rooftop entrance. He got to it but he could only barely see through the smoke. What he did see wasn’t good. The majority of the stairs they came up with were on fire. He backed off and jogged back over to his friends. The archer then collapsed into the gravel beside them. “It’s no good,” he coughed, “The stairs are on fire.”

“Any other way off of here?” Tony panted.

McKay took a look around. All he saw was another far end of the building but it had nothing to climb onto. Not to mention the helipad was now empty. “No other way, unless you are Superman.” He sighed.

The three friends looked at each other. They all knew they were trapped on the roof and there was no way out. Tony took a deep sigh, feeling slightly regretful. He was going to take out Leann because she wanted to kill him and Marita. He never should have asked McKay and John to follow him. However, he knew deep down as their friendships go; they would have followed him to Hell if necessary. McKay looked up toward one of the sides of the building. Smoke was pouring out rapidly; meaning the fire was spreading. “I guess this is it, then.” The bald man whispered.

“Yeah, I guess it is.” Tony coughed.

John covered his face in his hands. He didn’t want to cry but he didn’t feel like he could do anything else. Tony walked over and sat next to him, gently rubbing his shoulder blades. McKay smiled at his two best friends. If he had to die, then he couldn’t think of any better people be there with him at the end. “Hey, “ he smiled, “We’ve covered some ground, haven’t we?”

John and Tony smiled; remembering his phrase from the Island. They were the best of friends, thrown together by circumstance when they needed each other the most. Tony needed friends to remind himself he wasn’t meant to be a loner. McKay needed friends to help him with his love life. And John needed friends he knew would never use him nor leave him. They were all thankful for the Island and what it gave them.

John looked up at the sky, with tears coming down his face. He couldn’t stop thinking of Mia and Shelley. He hoped they would be okay without him. The archer marveled at the stars that he could see through the smog. It made him feel a sense of peace. “I just wish . . . I just wish I could have seen Shelley grow up.” He whispered.

Tony stared up at the sky with him, thinking of his own unborn child. “The point is they WILL grow up.” He whispered.

It made McKay think of his unborn child with Taylor. “Alexander will raise my child,” he whispered with pride, “I taught him well.”

“You did, McKay,” the one-eyed doctor agreed, “And we also taught Eddie well. He will take care of all of them. I know it.”

“Yeah, we did right by Eddie. I guess . . .that’s one thing we can tell God will pride, eh?” John smiled, wiping his tears.

“Gentlemen . . .it’s been a privilege knowing you.” Tony held out his hand.

John immediately put his hand into Tony’s and McKay quickly followed suit. Back on the Island, Cecil had nicknamed them the Three Musketeers. Bonded by fate and bound by friendship, they vowed to always be there for one another. As the smoke and fire began to rise from the sides even higher, they knew they would be there with each other when they finally met Death together.

But some things are meant to come later.

John then yelped as a lightning bolt burst from the roof top near him. McKay screamed as well as more surges of electricity began to coarse around them. “WHAT IS THIS?” John screamed.

Before anybody could answer, the ground below them began to surge upward with them on it. The stucco, concrete, and steel gave way to a large, rocking platform. The three friends grabbed onto it as it rose up from the floor of the rooftop. Tony nearly has a bowel movement at the feel of the substance below him. He had felt it long ago.

It was the shell of a creature that saved him more times than it should have.

“OH, MY GOD!!!” he screamed, “IT’S THE POLLIWOG!!”

“WHAT THE HELL?” McKay screamed as he held onto the shell.

The creature let out a guttural purr as the back of it’s head could be slightly visible under the rooftops gravel. Tony remembered all the stories about how the Polliwog moved about and why it had protected him all this time. He remembered what he heard learned when it saved him from the sharks, not to mention the story that Jack conveyed back to him from Raven. It was the only logical explanation of why the creature was there now, not to mention . . . how it planned to get them off the rooftop. “HANG ON!!” Tony screamed to his friend, “CLOSE YOUR EYES!!”

“Tony, what’s it’s going to do?” McKay said as he jolted slightly.

“It’s going to teleport us off of here!!”

“WHAT?” the archer screamed, “TONY, I CAN’T DO THIS!!!”

“It’s either this or death, John!!!” the one eyed doctor leaned down, “PLEASE!! For Mia and Shelley . . .HANG ON!!!”

“OH, MY GOD!!” John grunted, as he slammed into the Polliwog’s shell, “OH, MY GOD!!! OH, MY . . . .AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.”

There wasn’t anyway to describe it.

Imagine yourself being reborn again. Or dying, yet brought back to life. Imaging being bathed in electricity only to have it not hurt you. Possibly even falling from a thousand feet up and then surviving the fall. Yes, it could not be described, riding the back of the Polliwog during it’s ability to bend space.

Tony slowly opened his eye. The darkness was dim, as if he was in a closed building. Then he saw the majority of brand name cars around him. The one-eyed doctor understood that he was in a car dealership. He remembered passing one on the way to Hanso. The doctor grunted as he leaned up. Every muscle in his body left like had had just fought off three elephants and won. A slight bit of vomit was in his mouth, not to mention he was covered in a sticky, translucent goop. The one eyed doctor wiped his face and hair of the majority of it. Then he heard a guttural purr behind him.

Tony closed his eye and turned around. He reached out for the creature and felt it’s huge tongue lick his palm. The doctor was thankful for the gifts he received in life. The magic of the Island and a creature that protected him was something he’d never thought he could ever comprehend. It was something that he would cherish for his whole life. But there was one thing he felt he needed to do.

Tony slowly opened his eye.

The doctor gasped at the sight of the Polliwog. He was expecting some fearsome creature, like the Manticore or the Griffith. What he was almost comical. The giant monster was almost the size of a T-Rex dinosaur but he was covered in dark blue feathers. On his back was a large shell, similar to a turtles. His head was similar to a hippo’s with big round eyes. The Polliwog panted like a dog and for the first time, it was allowing someone to look at it. The one-eyed doctor smiled and felt a little sad. He knew he’d never see the monster again and nor would anybody believe him. “Thank you . . .for everything.” He whispered.

The creature replied with a guttural purr as it back up into a corner, knocking two brand new PT-Cruisers out of it’s way. From out of the corner then shot a stream of black smoke. Tony gasped, not knowing that Monoxide had also arrived. The black smoke then hovered above the Polliwog, flashing it’s blue eyes at the doctor. The creature then bent down and started to tremble. If Tony didn’t know better, he thought it was taking a dump. Then a slow stream of clear ooze came from it’s back and then it began to sparkle in electricity. The monster began to glow a bright blue, enough for Tony to cover his eye. Then in a burst of air and electricity, the Polliwog and Monoxide were gone.

Tony slowly stood up. He slung the majority of the goop off his arms. He then heard a familiar moaning sound. He looked beyond the expanse of parked show-cars. “John?” he called.

“OH, MY GOD!!” the archer screamed, “WHAT IS THIS CRAP ALL OVER ME?”

Tony rushed over and helped his friend to his feet. Nearby McKay was grunting awake as well. Before he was able to stand, he promptly vomited. The one-eyed doctor patted him on the back and then helped him up. The Australian could barely stand because of his wounded leg. Tony looked at them both and chuckled a bit; happy to be alive. John, however, was still in freak-out mode. He slowly held out his hands, as the goo slid off of them. “What . . .is this?” he whispered in utter disgust.

“Near as I can tell, the Polliwog secretes it. It acts an electrical conductor to aid him in his teleportation.” Tony guessed.

“He . . .secretes . . it?” the archer said, still disgusted.

“John, do you realize what just happened? WE TELEPORTED!!!” Tony screamed in glee, “We’ve done in one minute what most scientists dream of their whole life! Isn’t that amazing?”

John then slung the goop off his hands and proceeded to walk toward the car dealership’s bathroom. “I’ll be amazed . .AFTER I wash this crap off.” He said, shoving the door open.

“Somehow I think he’s happy to be alive.” McKay chuckled.

After a few minutes of getting the bulk of the gunk off of them, the three friends walked out of the dealership. McKay had his arms around both Tony and John as they helped him walk with his wounded leg. He had taken off his shirt and turned it into a makeshift bandage. The one-eyed doctor looked at all the new trucks and vans, not recognizing them. John looked everywhere through them, then noticed his survivors friends. The crowd was slowly getting onto two vans and the others who were wounded where getting into ambulances. These black clothed men were helping their friends and they were clearly going willingly into the vans. “Tony, you see this?” John asked.

“Yeah, these are not the Liberation.” The doctor concluded.

“Government?” McKay asked.

“I don’t know but they got medical equipment so let’s get you over there.”

The three friends picked up the pace a bit as they walked over. The soldiers then immediately saw them, and started jogging over to them. “HEY!” John screamed, “We got a wounded man here!”

Another black-clothed soldier responded by bring a gurney over. As soon as they brought it, McKay stumbled over and collapsed into it. The soldiers then quickly started to rush him back toward the ambulance. When he got within two feet from it, Taylor screamed and ran toward him. The Australian grunted she landed on him and showed him with kisses; happy he was alive. His little family then came over, including Mandy, Alexander and Bridgett. They all gave their thanks to see him alive.

John then looked over and saw Mia and Shelley rushing up toward him. He then embraced her as Mia held onto him. The archer then picked up his daughter and kissed her on the cheek. He then kissed his wife and held onto them both. A few minutes ago, he was resigned to his fate to die on that rooftop. Silently, he thanked the Polliwog as he held onto the people that mattered most to him.

Tony then looked around and almost as if on cue, Marita ran toward him. He held out his hands and she collapsed into them; crying up a storm. The doctor kissed her on the forehead and stroked her hair. He held onto her like he was afraid to let her go. The couple then parted and then promptly kissed. They were almost getting use to facing death and coming out on top. It made Tony appreciate what he had all the more.

The doctor parted from his Latina wife and then by happenstance, looked into the distance. Up ahead in an ambulance was Bonnie. The red-head was covered in a blanket and weeping. What scared Tony the most was the fact that she was alone.

“Where is Eddie?” he asked.

Part 469: Point of View Part 3

2006-12-25T18:46:00.000-08:00

7:04 pm
Raven exploded from the floor as he plunged his way from the ceiling of the floor below him. He coughed a bit as the dust from the stucco flowed off of him. He then started to walk down one corridor and the moment he turned, several Liberators found him. They immediately opened fired. The bullets from the distance struck his flesh, ripping it off. More bullets bounced off his metal chassis underneath. Then he started to run toward them; a blue stream of light flowing behind him. He got to the first soldier, then grabbed his rifle and twisted it. The momentum and the force he put behind it snapped the soldier’s arm in three places. Another soldier fired on him at point blank range. Raven ignored it and slammed his foot into his fellow Liberator. The soldier then flew down the hallway as if he was rammed by a semi-truck.

The last soldier was then grabbed by Raven and shoved against the way. The cyborg held him by the neck and glared at him; his eyes glowing a massive blue. The Liberator then looked at the Jaeger Unit’s skin through his overcoat. The skin was a illuminated by another sold blue light. The skin began to craft itself back to it’s original style; as if he was never shot. “You . .you . . .you’re not a Jaeger Unit.” The soldier coughed.

“No, “Raven grunted, “I am Unique.”

“Who . . .who made you?”

“I’m not here to answer your questions, you are here to answer mine,.” The cyborg hissed, “Tell me where Jenny is. The blonde police officer you captured.”

“I . .I don’t know where she is!” the soldier begged.

“DON’T LIE TO ME, YOU VERMIN!!” Raven screamed, squeezing the man’s neck.

“I . . ..swear . . . .” he coughed, trying to breathe, “I . . don’t know . . .where any . . blonde . . .woman is . . . . I can give . . you . . the Spanish woman . . .”

“Spanish?” Raven raised an eyebrow, “Where is this woman?”

“Room . . .422 . . .”

Raven then tossed the soldier down the other end of the hall, like a rolled up newspaper. The cyborg marched down the hallway, even as he could heard explosions echoing below him. A fire alarm could also be heard. He knew it would only be a matter of time before the fire department or even the police showed up. He had to hurry to rescue Jenny and maybe some other people too. There was only one Spanish woman he knew in his life and he couldn’t fathom why she would be here. He prayed he was wrong.

Raven then stopped at the door of room 422. With an easy kick of his right foot, he knocked it down. The door flew off it’s hinges and then slowly fell off of them. The masked man stepped and looked around at the room, which contained only a white-laced cot and a woman in the corner. Her brunette hair was unmistakable as was her face. “Isabella?” he coughed.

The woman looked up from her arms as she hid her face within them. “Raven?” she gasped.

“Oh, my God, it is you!” he walked over to her, “How . . . why did they bring you here?”

The Spanish woman got up and embraced him. She knew him from the Island. They were never the fast of friends but they were friends none the less. She knew that Raven cared for the survivors of flight 815 and the stranded couple fell easily into that category. “Raven . . .I’m glad you are here.” She wept in his chest.

“Isabella, we don’t have much time.” The cyborg said, gently pushing her back, “Do you have any idea where Jenny is?”

“They took her a few hours ago. “ the Spanish woman pointed toward her door, “All I know is that they headed toward the right.”

“Come on.” He said, taking her hand.

Raven then leaded the way down the corridor. At ever door they came across, the Jaeger Unit destroyed it. He had no idea where Jenny was, so he had to check every location. Door after door; he destroyed them all. Still no sign of her. Raven then turned around corner, and then immediately a bullet struck him in his chest. He looked into the distance and saw a soldier that was hiding in a doorway. The look on his face definitely said he was not expecting to see Raven. The cyborg then easily recognized him; he was the man in the back of the truck that detonated his poison capsule.

Karl then continued to fire but Raven shrugged off the rounds. The cyborg rushed him and by the time he was trying to reload; he already grabbed him by the arm. The masked man screamed as he flung Karl down the hallway like a rag doll. The force behind it, severed his arm at the shoulder as his body flew down the hallway. He screamed as he landed; still alive and in agonizing pain. Raven then looked into the room that the Liberator was protecting.

Jenny slowly looked at him. Her hair was soaked in sweat and the lines under her eyes were gray. Burnt marks were around her neck and upper chest. The wires connected to her suggested she had been subjected to electric torture. The masked man then looked over to the other end of the room and saw an older black woman pointing a gun at the blonde cop. “Make a move toward me, Raven,” Ms. Klugh whispered, “And she dies.”

“I think . . .you’ve done enough.” The masked man grunted.

Raven then shot out his left hand and a several spikes of energy thrust from it. The bolts of blue energy collided with Klugh’s gun, making her drop it in a painful scream. The cyborg then slowly walked around Jenny and began to slowly approach her. His eyes were glowing in a brighter blue than ever before. “WAIT!!” Klugh screamed, “Raven, Wait! You can’t kill me!”

“Why not?” he hissed.

“I know who you are!”

Raven then stopped.

“Yes. Yes, I know who you are.” She held out her hand, “I know why you stare at that photo of the blonde girl on the peer. I know why you volunteered for the service.”

Raven stared at the table, lost in thought. His eyes began to lose their glow. Raven had always been curious about who he was and where he came from. He also wanted to know who the woman was in the photo. He would have given anything to learn that information. “Now that you know that, can you really take my life?” Klugh said, “ Is it really worth the price?”

Raven looked back at Jenny. She stared up at him, with tears streaming down her face. She also knew how important that information was to Raven. The cyborg matched her gaze and when he saw her pain; his eyes began to glow a bright blue again. Then he faded in a blue flashed and shot at Ms. Klugh. The woman jerked and screamed as the cyborg punched her clean through the chest, hearing his fist embed in the concrete behind her. The black woman gasped for her final breath. She gently rubbed his mask as she collapsed her head on his shoulder. “Is it worth the price?” Raven whispered in her ear, “I pay it gladly.”

Raven then pulled his arm out of her and let her limp body fall to the ground. The masked man then turned around and walked back toward Jenny. He kneeled down and began to remove her bonds. The blonde cop slowly curled a smile at him. “I knew you’d come for me.” She whispered.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” He laughed a bit.

“Raven . . .Jack, is . . .is he . . .”

“Jack is fine, honey,” he said, as he removed her bonds by her legs, “ He’s down in the outside lobby waiting for you.”

Isabella looked from the doorway at the bonding between the age-old warrior and the younger woman. She marveled at their unique friendship. Raven then picked her up easily and held her in his arms. Jenny wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. She had to admit it felt comforting to have him carry her like a newborn. “I didn’t tell them anything about you, Raven,” she sniffed, “Not once.”

“I know you wouldn’t, Jenny. You are the toughest girl around.” Raven smiled.

“I’m glad you’re alive, Jenny.” Isabella whispered.

“Isabella?” the blonde woman raised her head, “Where . . .where is Desmond?”

“Desmond is here too?” the cyborg gasped.

“I don’t know where he is-“ Isabella started to whimper.

“IZZZYYYY!!!” Desmond screamed.

“WHAT?” the Spanish woman wailed in a surprise jolt. She never expected to hear her husband’s voice come out of the blue.

Isabella then turned the corner and looked down the hallway. Desmond was leaning against the wall, holding onto his leg while blood poured out. She quickly ran to him, laughing over the fact that he was alive. The Scotsman then limped toward her and hugged her with his free arm; holding a gun loosely. “Desmond, are you all right?” she cried.

“I’ll live, luv,” he sighed, “It’s just a flesh wound. When they came for me, a bloody explosion gave me the chance to overpower one. I got his gun and shot the other, only to have a bullet in my leg for the trouble.”

“It could be much worse.” Raven smiled from down the hallway.

Desmond looked at the mask man and began to limp toward him with Isabella’s help. The Scotsman looked up at him and smiled. “Good to see you still in one piece, brother.” He smirked.

“Likewise.” The cyborg replied.

“Desmond, this is Jack’s Jenny.” Isabella pointed.

“Hey, Desmond,” Jenny sighed, “I look forward to having dinner with you away from this crap.”

“I couldn’t have said it better,” the Scotsman patted her on the arm, “Let’s get the bloody hell out of here.”

“FREEZE!!!!” a female woman said, “DROP YOUR GUN AND TURN AROUND SLOWLY!!!”

Desmond then blinked when he heard the woman screaming at him. He was certain he had heard the scream before; a long, long time ago. Isabella stared at her with confusion. She didn’t look like a scientist, nor like one of the Liberation. Jenny then raised her head in the direction of the woman shouting. Even though she had a gun drawn on them, she recognized her easily because of the case with the Rogue Jaeger Unit. “It’s . . .it’s Penelope Widmore.” She coughed.

Desmond then turned around. Isabella remembered the name but never seen her face. Penelope then held her gun toward them. When she saw the face of her former lover, she had to blink several times. She wasn’t sure she could trust her eyes. However, the look on his battered face was also of shock. It truly meant he was the man she had come to love. Penelope started to shake; almost in shock. She let her arm drop, sending her gun to the floor. “Desmond,” she whispered, with teary eyes.

“Long time no see, Pen.” The Scotsman waved; a little teary eyed himself.

Penelope laughed a bit and started walking toward them; her arms held out. Then she jerked twice as two bullets exploded out of her chest. She collapsed onto the floor in a bloody haze. “NOOOOOOO!!!!” Desmond screamed.

The soldiers behind her continued to fire at them. Desmond gritted his teeth and then held up his own pistol; returning fire. The Scotsman screamed in defiance as bullets whizzed about him. Raven quickly turned around; just in time for the metal projectiles to bounce off his back and not hit Jenny. One soldier continued to fire, managing to hit Desmond on his arm. The Scotsman ignored the pain and continued to fire. “IZZY, GET HER!!” he screamed.

Isabella rushed down and then collapsed on all fours; sliding toward her. The Spanish woman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the range of fire. She continued to drag her down the hallway as Raven pushed open a stair way access. He gently set down Jenny on the steps and then ran back to finish the soldiers with Desmond. Isabella grunted as she managed get Penelope into the safety of the stairway. Jenny grunted as she help the brunette pull the woman up to them. She was coughing up blood and her hands couldn’t stop trembling. “Ms. Widmore, hang on.” Jenny begged her.

“This . . .this is my fault . . .I never should have let . . Ben . . .” she coughed.

“Shhh. Don’t talk.” Isabella held her hand over her wounds.

“Your name . . . . is Izzy?” the CEO gagged on the blood in her mouth.

“Isabella.” The Spanish woman whispered.

“You’re . . .his wife?”

“Yes,”

Penelope smiled. She then slowly closed her eyes and took a last breath. She then started to whisper something. Jenny then leaned in to listen to her. The cop then leaned up and then placed her two fingers on her neck. She could not feel a pulse. Isabella closed her eyes and leaned back. Jenny couldn’t help feel sad as well. Penelope didn’t deserve this; she was just an unfortunate victim of evil men using her corporation. Then Raven and Desmond appeared in the door. The Scotsman frantically looked for Penelope and held his mouth open at the sight of her laying limp on the stairs. He slowly collapsed on his knees and held her hand. It was cold to the touch. Desmond then looked to Isabella; she wept silent for the poor woman. “Did she . . . did she say anything?” the Scotsman sniffed.

“She asked if I was your wife and I told her . . .yes.” Isabella confessed.

Desmond shook his head in agreement.

“Jenny, did she whisper anything to you?” the Spanish woman asked her.

Jenny wiped her tears with her sleeve. “All she said was . . .so happy he’s not alone.” The cop replied.

Desmond stared at the body of his former love. Even in her last moments, she was happy that he wasn’t alone. The Scotsman then took her hand and gently kissed the back of her knuckles. An explosion rang out from the top sending down small bits of debris on them. “We can’t stay here.” Raven told his friends.

“Goodbye, Pen.” Desmond whispered as he struggled to get to his feet.

Raven picked up Jenny again and led the way down the stairs. Desmond held onto Isabella as they followed. The group quickly made their way past many flights. More smoke and debris echoed from above. As they finally reached the third floor, they all stopped when they heard a roar from above. Desmond and Isabella gasped considering they only heard the roar a few times. Jenny had heard it more often on her side of the Island. “The Polliwog?” she exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Raven smirked, “He teleported.”

“Why is he here?”

“He’s my backup.” The cyborg said as he kicked the last door.

The group had arrived at the main lobby which was covered in glass and the bodies of fallen Liberation. To the far distance corner by the side exit rested the body of Ecko. Desmond immediately recognized him as did Isabella. “Bloody hell.” the wounded man whispered, “I was hoping the old man found his piece of heaven.”

“He did.” Raven sniffed.

The Jaeger Unit continued on through the lobby, stepping out from some of the broken glass. To his amazement, the majority of the outside was covered in bodies of more Liberators. They were all smoking as if they were scorched by a flame thrower. Raven carried Jenny out among them, as Desmond and Isabella limped out after them. They walked for a few more seconds until they were able to be recognized by their friends in the distance. “RAVEN!!!” Jack yelled.

The cyborg smiled over that Jack made it out alive. Kellye then rushed up to them to make sure Jenny was okay. After a few feet, Desmond and Isabella were greeted by Marita. “Salutations, sister.” The Scotsman smirked as he embraced her.

“Is there anybody else missing?” Raven inquired.

“John . . . .” Mia sniffed, “Our boys haven’t come back yet.”

The cyborg approached her and then gently put his hand on her shoulder. “John, Tony and McKay are the best of the best, Mia.” He assured her, “Regardless, I will do a sweep of the building. To make sure if they get out okay. Besides . . .I can’t just stand by and leave Ecko’s body in there.”

“If you would be so kind, brother.” Desmond piped in, overhearing their conversation, “Could you perhaps . . .bring Penelope out of there?”

“Of course.” The Jaeger Unit said, understanding completely.

The moment Raven made his move to head toward the building, the screech of tires got his attention. Mia then turned sharply at the small access roads surrounding the Hanso Building. More large SUVS, vans and two hummers came out of the roads, coming to abrupt halts around them. The Lakota winced at the prospect of facing more Liberation. She reached down and pulled a pistol out of a dead Liberator’s hip holster. Hal armed himself again as Sayid, Kellye, Ana-Lucia and Jin stood with them. Bursting from the vehicles and vans came more soldiers. Mia then blinked; these men did not look like Liberation. All of their uniforms, body armor and weapons looked professionally made. It didn’t look stolen or salvaged, as the reputation of those terrorists dictated.

The soldiers stopped abruptly, pointing their rifles at the group of survivors. Men in suits came out from the SUV’s and started walking toward them. One of them kneeled down and examined the charred remains of one of the soldiers. “What the hell did this?” he whispered.

“Please put your weapons down!” one of them said, “We’re not here to hurt you. Please, I need to speak to Tony Largo!”

Marita then raised an eyebrow. “Who are you?” she asked.

The older man approached her. He looked like he was in his mid 40’s and judging from the look on his face; he has seen combat easily. “Ma’am, I need to speak with him.” He coughed, “Is he among you? Is he wounded?”

“My husband is still trapped in the building. WHO are you?”

“You’re his wife?” the soldier said smirk, “I never thought the Keyman would settle down. Mrs. Largo, I need you to get your people into these vans as fast as possible.”

“Why? What’s going on? Who are you and these men?” the Latina demanded to know.

“Please, Mrs. Largo, I will explain everything later but we don’t have the time-“

“THEN MAKE THE TIME!” Mia screamed, walking toward them, “Tony is not the only one trapped in the building. Are you going to get our husbands out or aren’t you?”

“You still haven’t said who you are!” Marita pointed out.

“BAUER!!!” someone screamed behind them.

The soldier turned as did Marita and Mia. Approaching them fast was a man in a business suit. He quickly removed his sunglasses and looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel in his face. Mia didn’t need the lack of sunglasses to know he was a government operative. She already knew him, despite the fact that his hair was just a tad whiter. “Inman.” She whispered.

“Bauer, we don’t have time for pleasantries.” He hissed, “Get these people onto the vans.”

“I’m not trying to strong-arm them, Inman, “ Bauer grunted, “These people have already been through enough.”

“And if we don’t get them out of there, they are going to go through MUCH WORSE.”

Mia looked at Inman with contempt. She remembered how he treated them on the battleship that saved them from the Island and from the looks of things, much hadn’t changed. The government man then pulled a small capsule out from his jacket, marked Rolaids. He promptly flopped two into his palm, then shoved them in his mouth. “You couldn’t wait, could you?” he said to Mia and Marita, “You have to go get involved. I was so close to getting more than a Journal about the Liberation. Once again, you have screwed me.”

“They had our children, Inman!” Mia yelled, “What the hell did you expect?”

“What did I expect?” he said, approaching her before Bauer stopped him, “I EXPECTED . . .you to call the cops! But NO! You people . . . for some crazy reason, you people believe you can take on the world!” He took a brief moment to look around at all the bodies, “And it looks like you are succeeding. STILL.”

“Then I guess we should continue to do you job, Inman.” Sayid squinted at him from the sidelines.

“I’ll deal with you later, Jarrah.” He groaned, “In the meantime, do what Bauer says. Let his people take care of your wounded and get the rest of them on the vans. We have to leave this place shortly.”

“What about my husband, and Marita, and Taylor’s?” Mia demanded.

“LOOK, WOMAN!!” Inman screamed, looking like he was about to have a heart attack, “ We’ll get your men out of there. Right now, before the cops, the fire department, the local news and the rest of the DAMN WORLD GET HERE . . . .I want all of you on those vans!”

Mia felt like spitting in the man’s face. However, he did have a point. She wanted to leave this horrible place. She had no choice but to trust him at his word that they would wait till John, Tony and McKay got out of the building. Then she saw the soldiers move to the left. Raven heard everything but it didn’t change the fact that he was going to get his friend out of the building for a proper burial. “ Excuse me, sir!” Bauer screamed, “I can’t let you go back into that building!”

Raven stopped as the soldiers surrounded him. “Let him go, Bauer!” Inman called, “Besides . . .you couldn’t stop him if you wanted to.”

Raven looked back at the CIA agent with a glare. Inman looked at him and then motioned for the cyborg to go on. The soldiers opened a gap and he ran through; moving as fast as he could into the building. Jenny held onto Kellye and Ana-Lucia, watching her friend leave. She then looked over to Inman, who was fishing out the same Rolaids capsule. “You knew?” she asked, implying about Raven’s uniqueness.

“I’ve always known.” He said popping in three more antacids and walking away.

The survivors began to follow the soldier’s orders as they started to march toward the vans. Ana-Lucia and Kellye helped carry Jenny while Marita and Isabella helped carry Desmond. The parents of the various kidnapped children followed them to the medical vehicles. Mia paused for a moment while they wrapped Locke in a body bag and then started to carry him off. She wiped a tear, not knowing how she’ll move onward without her adoptive father. Then an explosion echoed above her. The Lakota turned, still holding her daughter and looked upward. The building was even more on fire than it was a few minutes ago. She looked upward and thought she saw a helicopter leave; but couldn’t tell for all the smoke. More fire and more smokes shot from the multiple windows. “Is daddy okay?” Shelley sniffed.

“I don’t know, baby.” She hugged her daughter

Part 468: Point of View Part 2

2006-12-21T09:35:00.000-08:00

6:55 pm

“Mrs. Riggs,” Kamiyama smiled, “What a pleasant surprise.”

“I’m sure.” Mia said, striding into his office.

The Asian man stood up from his prayer stance and walked over to his desk. He calmly sat down in his chair. “Would you like some tea?” he asked, non-chanlantly.

“How about you tell me where the children are and I don’t kill you?” the Lakota woman said in all seriousness.

“The children are in a same place,” the Asian man whispered, pouring himself some tea, “ And soon they will be on a great adventure and they will be the one thing they are not; Happy.”

“You don’t know squat!” Shanna grunted, “Those children ARE happy.”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you.” He said, placing the tea-pot down.

Mia then looked at the tea-pot, remembering a conversation that she and Brendon had in the dream world. It’s ironic or fate, that a certain aspect of that discussion came up at that moment. “The spout doesn’t point to the guests.” She pointed at the ceramic object, “ It’s a sign of disrespect.”

“I’m impressed, Mia. Some westerners don’t know certain Japanese quirks. You must have had a good teacher.” He sipped his tea, “I can only assume that would be . . .Brendon Battle?”

Mia raised her eyebrow.

“Yes, I know quite a lot.” Kamiyama smiled, “However, what happened do Brendon? I understand he killed his own brother? Did such a low life take his own life?”

Then amazingly enough, Shanna pulled out her pistol and shot at Kamiyama. The bullet barely missed his shoulder. The Oriental man then raised up both his feet and slammed them into his desk; making it shoved toward Mia and Shanna. The two woman grunted as the large object slammed into them, sending them back. Within a second, Kamiyama was on his desk and then roundhouse kicked Shanna. The redhead slung her head toward the right, spitting out blood from the assault. The Asian then slammed his foot into Mia’s side and she screamed; as he aggravated her bullet wounds. Kamiyama then walked over and disarmed Shanna’s gun. “You shot me immediately after I insulted your Brendon.” He smiled, “You must have loved him. How noble.”

Shanna couldn’t respond because her mouth hurt incredibly. Kamiyama then moved toward her but could feel Mia fast approaching him. He then blocked her as she tried to slam the ax into him. He then thrust his fist into her shoulder and she screamed in agonizing pain. She immediately dropped her axe and backed off; seeing the blood seep through her fingers. Kamiyama was quick to point it out. “You came to fight me . . .WOUNDED?” he laughed, “What bravery.”

“I WANT MY DAUGHTER BACK!!” Mia screamed.

“She’s not your daughter anymore.” The Asian said, then kicked her directly into the stomach.

Mia collapsed and coughed, trying to get the air back into her lungs. Kamiyama then snatched up a sword from a nearby wall and then walked back over; placing it around her neck. The Lakota gasped as he grabbed her hair. “I’ll make sure Shelley grows up to be a beautiful woman,” he smiled, “Who knows? Maybe I’ll make her my concubine.”

“You won’t get the chance . . .Gaijin.” Seth hissed.

Kamiyama then looked up and saw the leader singer approach him. Seth gently twirled his sword, looking at the Asian man. The business man then backed off from Mia and then started to walk over to him. The Lakota took a deep breath; seeing her adoptive brother staring down the villain. She knew Seth did it on purpose; called Kamiyama a Gaijin. For an Oriental to be called a Gaijin, it would have been the same as a black man being called a nigger. And watching Seth twirl a sword, in Kamiyama’s eyes, that he had no business possessing. It was Seth’s way of getting him away from Mia and Shanna. And Mia loved him for it.

Seth then struck his sword against Kamiyama’s and they fought. With every blow, the Asian blocked it against the lead singer. The musician grunted with every blow, trying to hold his own. It had been some time since he had fought with a sword, so he was a little rusty. However, he did practice whenever he could but not against a real opponent. Seth then jumped onto a nearby table and swiped at Kamiyama’s head; which he was able to block. The older Asian then swung at the singer; managing to cut him on his upper arm. Seth grunted and jumped down; but felt the sword sting him again across his back. He yelped as he landed on a nearby, hitting his chin on the top seat portion. Kamiyama them moved to attack him.

He then jolted as Shanna grabbed him across the legs. He got ready to swing his sword down but Seth stopped him with a kick to his chest. The Asian man screamed as he fell down onto the floor. He tried to brace his fall, putting his arms out. Mia then took this moment to thrust her axe down on his wrist; severing his hand from his arm. “AAAAAHHHHH!!!” he screamed as blood starting gushing every where, “YOU WHORE!!! My hand!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!

He stood up to try and swipe her with the sword. Then another sword ruptured through his chest, sending a glop of red liquid onto the floor. Seth pulled Kamiyama’s head down and whispered into his ear. “That’s my sister you just insulted.” He coughed.

The singer then pulled out his sword, letting the man fall to the ground. Shanna dabbed the blood on her swollen lip, then rushed to the man’s desk. Mia slowly walked over and stared down at the body. She gently patted Seth on the arm, proud of his actions. Seth took a deep breath and then looked over at his adoptive redhead sister. Shanna was looking at all the papers and then came across one. “Here is a list of all the kids.” She gasped.

“What does it say?” Mia turned to face her.

“It looks like some sort of medical analysis.” She looked at it closely, “ I think they took the kids’s blood for . . . .ROOM 216! THEY ARE IN ROOM 216!”

Mia, Seth and Shanna then ran out of the room and back down the hallway. Locke had just gotten done checking out the other corridor but by the shrugging of his shoulders; it told them he found nothing. The Lakota woman then stopped at the directory mounted on the wall. She quickly scanned it for room numbers. She then pounded the picture when she found what she was looking for. “It’s seven more floors up!” she told them.

The bald man followed the young three Brat Pack to the nearest stairwell. They quickly ran up the stairs as fast as they could. Locke had to pause to a take a breath; Mia then quickly stopped, came back down, grabbed him by the arm and ran back up with him.

After they managed to reach, the seventh marker; Seth peered out of the hallway first. He looked down one end and then back to the other. He thought he saw some movement toward the right, but wasn’t sure. “DOWN!” Jack screamed.

Seth then gasped, as he heard his friend scream only to be followed by a gunshot.

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

Jack paced back around, wondering how he was going to get out of his situation, along with the children. The doctor looked at them as they were huddled together on the bed. Aaron kept his arms around Shelley and Bridgett, while Mandy’s daughter held Brendon’s hand. The doctor then coughed, and rubbed his hands together. He then came over to the kids, especially Seth’s son. “Brendon, I need you to do me a big favor.” He said, kneeling in front of the boy.

“What’s that, Uncle Jack?” the little boy looked at him.

“When they come in here to take us away, I’m going to tell them you are very sick. And when I tell them that, I want you to pretend that you have a bad tummy ache.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Aaron then asked.

“Don’t worry about that, guys. Brendon, can you do that for me?”

“Sure.” He said, shaking his head.

Then the door opened. Jack looked back abruptly and saw it was a single soldier. The doctor silently blessed his fortune. One soldier he might have a chance to disarm. The redheaded soldier walked over and held his pistol against Jack. “End of the line, doctor.” He whispered.

“You really going to shoot me in front of these kids?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Yep,” the man smiled, “It’s okay. Their memory will be wiped anyway.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea. You can’t take them away especially when one of them is sick.”

“What?” the Liberator’s eyes went wider, “Which one?”

“AOOOHHHH!!!” Brendon screamed, collapsing onto the bed. The other kids then leaned over to check on him. All it did was add to the ruse.

The Liberator looked over at them. “I think his appendix is getting ready to burst.” Jack told him.

“WHAT?” the man gasped.

“DOWN!!!” Jack screamed as he grabbed the soldier’s wrist.

The Liberator then grunted as he fought off Jack; realizing he fell for the oldest trick in the book. The doctor plunged his hand into the man’s face as he tried to wrestle the gun out of his hand. The soldier then thrust the doctor into the wall and then back to the counter. By the time they got back to the door, the gun went off and the bullet ripped throw Jack’s left arm. The doctor screamed as he fell into the hallway. The soldier grunted and then walked over; pointing the gun directly at the doctor’s head. “It’s a shame you don’t get to say goodbye to your brats, do-“ the Liberator tried to say before the left side of his head ruptured.

Jack closed his eyes as the small amounts of blood dropped onto his face. He then heard someone running toward him. “JACK!!” Kate screamed.

“Kate?” he raised his body, struggling with his arm going limp.

“JACK!!” Seth screamed as he ran down the other side of the hallway running toward him.

The kids then flocked out and surrounded Jack. The doctor sighed as he the kids did their best to comfort him, in a mixture of crying and sympathy. “Brendon!” Seth screamed.

“Dad!” the young boy then jumped into his father’s arms.

“Mommy!” Shelley said, opening her arms for Mia.

The Lakota kneeled down and embraced her daughter. She kissed her and held her close; happy she found her before the Dharma people had any chance to do anything to her. Locke then kissed her on the forehead, happy to see her alive as well. Kate then began to help Jack on his feet with Natasha. Aaron and Bridgett were a little scared, considering they didn’t see their own parents with the group come to rescue them. “Don’t be scared.” Shanna said, comforting the kids,” We’re going to get you out of here.”

“Where’s my mom and dad?” Aaron cried.

“Aaron, don’t cry, honey. “ Natasha said, taking his head, “Your mom and dad are okay. They are waiting for you down in the parking lot.”

“Which we better get going right now.” Mia ordered the rest of them.

Two soldiers then came flying down the opposite end of the corridor. The group gasped at the soldiers landing hard on the floor and sliding; like discarded trash. The Jaeger Unit they had adopted into their family strode into view. He saw the others and smiled under his mask. “JACK!” he said, with glee.

“I knew they couldn’t bring you down.” The doctor replied with a smile and holding his wound at the same time.

“Do you know where Jenny is?” Raven asked.

“No. How many floors have you checked?”

“Everything below us. So she is still above us. Can you guys make it back down?”

“Where is John and the others?” Mia quickly asked him.

“They ran down that adjacent hallway,” Raven told them, “Head that way and you can’t miss them.”

“Raven, please get Jenny out of here.” The doctor begged.

“I’m not leaving without her, Jack.” The cyborg promised.

Raven then leaned down and then jumped straight up; making a hole in the ceiling. “WOW!” Brendon laughed with joy, seeing his idol do such incredible feats.

“Raven can take care of himself, let’s go!” Seth said, carrying his son.

The group then rushed down the hallway. Locke covered the rear as he held onto Aaron. Kate and Natasha stayed with Jack; making sure he could walk with his wound. Shanna held onto Bridgett’s hand as they continued to walk. Seth pushed aside the double doors and they wound up inside a lobby. It was a internal lobby, mostly enclosed in glass. Then it took him three seconds to realize they were being shot at. The group then took cover behind a large potted planet. Mia covered her child while she screamed in her ear. Kate and Natasha quickly dove down while a hail of bullets destroyed some paintings on the wall. The one of a corn field collapsed and struck him in the shoulder. “AW, DAMN!” he said, already feeling the pain from his gunshot wound.

“Doc, keep your ass down!!” Sawyer said, as he ran over.

“Sawyer!” Kate screamed, “Where’s our boys?”

“Cochise, Curly and Robin are over there. They kept trying to get to that Queen Bitch but she’s got us pinned down!”

Sawyer began to shove shot-gun shells into his shotgun as fast as his fingers would let him. Mia then looked up and saw her husband with his two best friends. They were hiding behind a couch, while the bullets ripped into them. Then from above, another range of bullets began to hit the woman and her two soldiers. Mia looked up and saw Eddie with his two friends; helping them out. “That’s Eddie!” Aaron pointed.

“He’s covering us!” Jack grunted, “We should leave now!”

Seth then looked around as the sprinklers burst open above them. There was another stairway exit toward their right. He then jolted as an explosion ran out from above, sending the debris and glass all over them. Sawyer grunted as a chuck scratched him behind his neck. “We can’t stay here!” Locke screamed.

“This way!” Seth said, as he picked up his son and then rammed his shoulder into the door of the stair way.

The group then quickly followed. Mia stopped for a second to look at her husband. John flashed a silent message with his eyes; something she could only understand. She knew he was telling her to go down the stairs. She hoped that he knew she was telling him that she loved him. She then rushed in with her friends, as Shelley was screaming for her father. The group quickly plummeted down the stairs as fast as they could go. More explosions echoed above them, sending down small chunks of debris. Seth skipped a few steps and then landed on his side; making him grunt. “Slow down, daddy!” Brendon said.

“I’m okay, boy,” he coughed, “I just . . .I just got to get you out of here!”

Seth then kicked open the door and they were back onto a side street. They had managed to find the service stair way. Mia then looked around and saw the parking lot they had come from toward their right. She pointed and everybody else could see it as well. The group then proceeded to run up the side street toward their friends. The moment they got to the edge of the building; chunks of concrete began to rupture under a hail of gunfire. Seth grunted as he pulled back, making the group stop. Kate jolted out taking a look. Down the street, past several humvees were even more soldiers. They fired their rifles at them and at their friends in the parking lot. “We got to get to the vehicles and get the children out of here.” Mia gasped.

“Get ready to run!” Sawyer said, “We’ll cover you!”

Natasha ran over to a fallen Liberator and grabbed his rifle. The group got ready to move. Seth waved to his friends across the street. Mandy patted Hal on the shoulder and pointed. The cop then saw his friends arming themselves and the children were by their side. “They are getting ready to come to us!” he told them, “Cover them!”

Jack shook his head violently; tried to stay awake from his blood loss. Kate then took him by the arm, getting ready to help him run. Natasha armed her rifle and got ready to run along side, protecting the children. “HEY!!” Kellye said behind them.

The group turned to see Ana-Lucia and Kellye quickly running to join them. “Where the hell have you been?” Sawyer demanded.

“We couldn’t find Jenny!” Kellye replied in a panting of breath.

“Don’t worry . . . Raven will get her.” Jack winced.

“GET READY, DAMN IT!!” Sawyer screamed.

Seth then ran out first with Brendon; holding his son in one arm and firing with his other hand. Ana-Lucia ran out and did the same thing with Aaron. Shanna and Kellye then ran out covering Bridgett. Jack ran as fast as he could with Kate pulling onto him. Sawyer and Locke fired at the Liberation from behind them. Charlie fired with Claire right behind him in the parking lot. The blonde woman was screaming for them to run as fast as they could. Seth held onto Brendon as bullets ricocheted around him; smacking the potted tree plants. Up head, Dutch then screamed as bullet struck him in the shoulder. Hurley grabbed him and pulled him back. They moment they arrived, they took cover. Bridgett ran into the arms of her mother and Aaron did the same thing with Charlie and Claire.

Back at the building, Mia finally ran with Shelley; holding her by the hand. The Lakota girl held up her arm in some vein attempt to protect herself. Shelley had a white-knuckle grip on her mother’s hand, running with her. Locke then looked up and saw the Liberator’s pulling out bigger weapons. Two of them pointed an RPG directly at the running girls. “MIA, GET DOWN!!!” the old man screamed.

The soldier’s fired the weapon and the rocket propelled grenade soared through the air like a screaming train. The weapon exploded one of the potted tree plants near Mia and Shelley; making them both fly through the air about three feet. Bullets then began to pop into the ground around them. The Lakota fought to the dirt and smut out of her face to see where Shelley was. Her daughter was back by another potted tree; crying for her mother and father. Mia then got up to run toward her but then they fired another RPG at her. The explosion nearly destroyed the giant concrete pot she was hiding behind. Her ears were ringing and she could barely see for the flying dirt. Mia wasn’t sure but she thought Seth was calling her name but she wasn’t sure. The young Lakota girl looked at her daughter crying in the distance. “MOMMY!!!” she screamed, “DON’T MOVE!!! THEY’LL SHOOT YOU AGAIN!!!”

Mia then blinked through her watery eyes. She was experiencing a momentary sense of deja-vu. Then it occurred to her she had seen her daughter crying and sitting in the exact same stance before. It was in her dream where Brendon, Boone and the other’s she had lost were showing her things on the Island. Her dearly departed friend’s words then echoed in her ear about he told her about her daughter.

She’ll be fine. Besides, it’s not your decision to make.

If it wasn’t her decision to save her daughter, then whose was it? Her answer came in the form of Sawyer screaming. “LOCKE, GET BACK HERE!!!” the redneck screamed.

The old man ran toward his adoptive granddaughter. He fired his pistol at the Liberation as he ran toward Shelley. When he got toward her, the young girl then held up her hands. Locke threw down his pistol and then snatched up his grand-daughter. He then tilted her to the side and then grunted as bullet struck him in the back. Locke screamed again anther bullet struck him again in the back and then the chest. The old man collapsed on one knee and took a deep breath. “Grandpa, keep running!” Shelley begged.

Mia then managed to get up and run toward her family. She grabbed Locke by his arm and helped him get up. Sawyer then ran over, firing his shotgun to cover them. The others helped them out best they could. After a few more feet they managed to get toward the cover of their vehicles. Locke collapsed on both his knees but he managed to put Shelley down gently. Jack looked at the old man while Kate was tying up his wound. “Locke.” He coughed.

The bald man then collapsed onto this back, coughing up blood. Mia then checked on him best she could. His back was covered in blood and one small hole was starting to pour up into his chest. The doctor then grunted, as he crawled over and tried to help him with his hand that wasn’t numb. He then checked the wound on his side and then looked at the blood on his hands. It was red and black; meaning his kidney had been shot. Jack looked at Mia in complete distress. She could tell in his eyes that he knew Locke wasn’t going to make it. “Locke, you have to hold on.” Mia whispered, “You can do this.”

“It’s okay . .” he coughed, “You made it . . . .Shelley made it . . . .That’s all that matters.”

“No, please!” the Lakota girl begged, “You can hold on!”

“Locke . . . .” Jack whispered, “I’m so sorry . .”

“Don’t be . . . .a young girl lives . . . an old man dies . . . that’s okay trade . . in my book “

“Grandpa, please don’t die.” Shelley wept.

“Shelley . . .listen to your mother . . .grow up . .to be a beautiful woman . . .”

“NO! No, please hang on!!” Mia grunted, gripping his shirt.

“Thank you . . . for giving me a family, Mia . . .You take care . . .of everybody for me. .”

“Please.” She wept.

Locke looked at her directly. A small trickle of blood slid out his mouth and tears flowed down his cheeks. “I love you, Mia.” He coughed.

Mia’s face squinted up in pain. She didn’t know how much longer he had. She gently rubbed his bald head. “I love you, daddy.” She whimpered.

Locke laughed a bit and smiled at her. “I always love it . . . .when you call . . .me that.” He whispered.

Mia stared at him. The old man’s head then slumped to the side, as more blood came out his mouth. The Lakota girl then shook him but he didn’t respond. Seth, Shanna, Jack, Kate and Sawyer all looked at the man they held the most respect for. He died defending his family. “DADDY!!!” Mia screamed, “PLEASE!!! DADDY!!!”

Mia dropped her head on his chest and started to cry. Shelley turned around and embraced Shanna. The redhead stroked her hair as the young girl cried into her chest. Jack slowly took his good hand over to Locke’s eyes and closed his eyelids for him. The group didn’t know how to react. Locke was one of the best and if there was a few people they never though they’d lost; it would be him. “GUYS!!” Hal screamed.

The crowd then turned and saw the bulk of the Liberation running toward them. Their moment of grief cost them the advantage. The soldiers quickly surrounded them. Hal gently held up his guns and dropped them. Karleigh held onto Dutch as he covered his wound. Mia slowly looked at all of them. The Lakota then stood up and faced them. Red laser sighting dots covered her body along with the others. Sawyer breathed deeply through his nose, hoping he earned a shot at redemption with his friends. Marita leaned up, covering her belly. She hoped Tony knew that she loved him. Shanna then gently gave Shelley back to Mia. Despite the fact that she was in pain and bleeding, she held onto her daughter regardless. “Close your eyes, baby.” She whispered, placing her head onto her shoulder.

The soldiers then leaned up all their rifles and got ready to fire. Seth took one step out and spit in their direction. Brendon hugged Tanya as she held her husband’s hand. Libby cried as she buried her face in Hal’s back. Joscelyn covered her face as she held onto Hurley. How they met death was how they lived; standing side by side to the people they cared about. The soldiers then cocked back their weapons, and prepared to fire.

Only to be bathed in black smoke.

The soldiers then screamed as a weird acidic fume began to eat them alive. The survivors took cover and anyone who was near a child; covered their eyes on instinct. The black smoke engulfed all of them, eating away at their skin. Several soldiers fired in vein at the smoke, only to have the bullets pass harmlessly through it. One soldier then screamed as the smoke solidified enough to pick him up and then slam him into the asphalt road. The Liberators tried to run but how could they fight a creature that ignored the laws of physics?

Mia opened her eyes and looked. The entire outside lobby was filled with Liberators who were either dead or dying. The Lakota woman looked up at the black cloud hovering above them. Within seconds, the smoke produced two giant blue eyes. It was all the proof they needed that the magic of the Island was still with them. “Monoxide.” Mia whispered.

The cloud creature then floated upward and then shot away in a puff of smoke. Shelley held up her hand and waved. “Bye, bye, Smokey.” She said.

The survivors looked around. Once again, they had cheated death when the odds were stacked against them. Charlie held onto Claire and Aaron, crying that they were okay. Seth kissed his wife and held onto his son. Alexander was comforted that Bridgett was safely returned to his mother. Kate held onto Jack, happy that he was alive. Natasha was upset that she lost Ecko and Sawyer comforted her the best he could. Mia hoped that John would make it out alive. She needed more than ever now. The Lakota then gasped as a sound ripped through the building above, as it pillowed out smoke and fire. It was a sound that she recognized, as did the others survivors. A familiar noise they hadn’t heard in seven years.

The roar of the Polliwog.

Part 467: Point of View Part 1

2006-12-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

6:55 pm

Eddie rested against the corner of his white cell. He had hope that he was going to get out alive. He had to keep his patience and think about Bonnie. He had lost Jilly but he knew he’d do his best to make sure Bonnie got out alive. It should only be a matter of time before they come for him, to inject him with the memory wipe drug and haul him, plus Bonnie toward this SECOND mysterious island. However, Eddie had other plans.

The door panel then proceeded to sing a series of beeps and the door opened. The young man slowly stood up, looking at the two people walking in. It was the stocky man known simply as Pickett plus a redheaded nurse. She pushed in a wheel chair, with the bonds already half on the area. “I guess that is for me?” Eddie raised an eyebrow.

“You bet,” Pickett said, removing his side arm, “Time to take your medicine, Eddie.”

“And if I say NO?”

“Then I shoot you in the knee-cap and we give it to you anyway,” the older man smiled, “ And I hear that is a really painful place to get shot at.”

“Well,” the young man sighed, “Let’s not test that theory.”

He calmly sat down in the wheelchair and began to roll up his sleeve. The nurse then tied a rubber tourniquet on his upper arm. She calmly then tapped his arm to find a vein. Pickett kept the gun drawn on him, not trusting him an inch. Eddie just leaned up and smiled at him. The young man then saw the nurse pull out a syringe that already had a liquid in it. She removed the cap with her teeth and then leaned down toward his arm. Eddie blinked, trying to think of a way to get the gun out of Pickett’s hand. He came up with at least five ways to remove it from him.

Then the building shook from an explosion.

Pickett looked around as small amounts of dust fell from the ceiling. The nurse paused to look at the older man, in the hope he might know what was going on. Eddie then took this opportunity to make his escape. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the syringe from the nurse and then swung it up; plunging it deep into Pickett’s neck. The stocky man grunted as the liquid poured into his system. As he was falling down, Eddie grabbed his pistol easily. The young man then shoved the nurse back with his foot, sending her toward the wall. As the redhead looked up, Eddie kept the gun on her. “Be thankful I ain’t gonna close the door.” He winked, then ran out.

Eddie ran as fast as he could. He didn’t think Bonnie was in this hallway, he needed to make sure he got to the hallway he remembered. The young man then stopped at a corner, checking for signs of other people. So far every single corner was empty. He continued to jog and jog down the hallway area. He wondered why their was a explosion, wondering what was going on. Eddie took a moment to enter an empty office, then run over by the window. He looked down, trying to see something. The bottom spot lights were only half operating. He could see small amounts of movement outside, but didn’t know what to make of it. Eddie decided to turn around and check out the other side of the building. He quickly ran out of the office and into the hallway.

And rammed right into a soldier.

The two men collided together and landed on the slick marble floor. Eddie grabbed his rifle and twisted it away from him. The Liberator screamed as he felt his index finger twisting around, as he tried to pull the weapon away. He responded by grabbing the young man by the neck. Eddie grunted as he tried to rear away from the stranglehold. Then he lurched forward, making the soldier yelp. The Liberator then panicked when he saw that Eddie wasn’t doing it to take him off balance; he was doing it to reach his side arm. The young man’s finger’s then found the gun and he quickly slid it back toward the soldier’s head. “WAIT A SECOND!!” the mercenary begged.

Eddie was in a red haze. He didn’t see a soldier begging for his life. He saw his girlfriend tied up. He saw his mother in a cage. And he saw Jilly’s severed head. The young man closed his eyes as he pulled the trigger. The loud THACK sound reverberated through the hall as small splashes of blood covered his shirt. Eddie kept his eyes close as he got up off the soldier’s body; taking his rifle with him.

The young man turned around and then ran toward a stairway exit. He quickly checked up and down to see if anybody was in it. So far nothing. He then quickly scurried down and jumped the remaining few steps to the next level. Eddie gasped at the site of the sign above the door. Turned out he was on level 27. He quickly opened the door and then looked around. He had found the hallway where he and Bonnie were taken this morning. He then quickly started to run down the hall. A young man in a Dharma lab coat then peered out of a room and gasped. He quickly found himself staring down the barrel of his gun. “Where is Bonnie?” he grunted.

“What?” the young man said, clearly frightened.

“The redhead I was brought in with. Teenaged, tied to a wheel chair.” Eddie then placed the barrel on the young man’s neck, “Tell me where she is . . . or I kill you.”

The lab-rat then slowly raised his hand and pointed toward the hallway in which he came. “Room . . t-t-t-two-twelve.” He stuttered.

“Good,” Eddie smirked, “You can feel free to go crap your pants elsewhere now.”

The man in the lab coat then ran off down the other end of the hall. Eddie then quickly started to jog toward the hallway. He saw room 212, nesting near the end of the right side of the hall. “BONNIE!!” Eddie screamed as he reached the door and tried to open it.

“EDDIE!!!” he heard her scream from behind the door.

The young man then tried to open the door but it was clearly locked. He then looked at the access panel but didn’t know the code. He then did the only thing he think he could do; shoot it. He pointed his rifle and opened fire. The panel exploded in an array of metal and sparks. The young man then heard the door click. He quickly tried to open it but it was only half way. It still wouldn’t budge. “EDDIE, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!” his girlfriend scream.

The door still was stuck. “Should’a known. That only works in the movies.” Eddie hissed at the control panel.

He then leaned back and threw his foot into the door hinge. He grunted as he slammed it again. The young Jeet Kune Do warrior then screamed and slammed it a third time. The door finally caved in and broke off the hinge. Eddie looked in and saw his girlfriend, still strapped to the wheel chair. The redhead gasped and smiled; happy to see the man she loves still alive. Their reunion was short lived as a bullet whizzed past Eddie’s head and exploded into the wall above him, causing her to scream. Eddie then turned around and got back from the door as cover. He quickly open fire in the direction he was being shot at. It only took him half-a-second to recognize the form of Matt Tefpourth firing at him.

Eddie took aim at Matt through the wall, best he could. The clone would jolt out quickly, fire his gun and then quickly slide back. The young man he was facing was waiting for the appropriate moment. Then when Matt poked his body out again, Eddie fired. The bullet from his rifle didn’t imbed in the clone’s arm, it scraped it against his jacket. Matt grunted in pain as he fell back behind him. “FORGET HIM!” someone screamed, “LET’S GO!”

Eddie raised an eyebrow, recognizing the voice of Ben Linus. He kept his gun pointed in that direction. He waited for them to return fire but no one did. Eddie could only assume Ben kept his word that they were leaving. Whatever was happening outside, it seemed like it was in the crazy scientist’s best interest to remove himself from the building. Eddie then took the opportunity to dive back in the room and quickly get Bonnie out of her bonds. He gritted his teeth as he fought to get the tape off her hands. “Eddie, there are scissors over into the shelf.” His girlfriend pointed her head.

He quickly ran over to toward the medical drawers and started pulling them out one at a time. He finally found the scissors on the third drawer. He came back and then started to cut her loose. The moment she got her hands friend, she immediately hugged him; crying a little bit. “Shhhh. It’s okay,” he whispered, “I’m going to get you out of her.”

Bonnie shook her head and allowed him to continue. One he got her legs free, he helped her up. They both then headed out of the room. “FREEZE!!!” some one screamed.

Eddie turned to see a soldier with his rifle at him. The young man froze, knowing the man had him dead to rights. If he raised his gun, he would fire. The Liberator gritted his teeth, staring at him. Bonnie hid behind her boyfriend, not wanting to look. “Drop your weapon and put you-“ the Liberator tried to say before a foot struck him across the cheek.

The young Asian man flung down and grabbed the rifle in one fell swoop. The Liberator tried to get up but the Jeet Kune Do warrior then slammed his fist into the man’s nose; knocking him unconscious. “TRISTAN!” Eddie laughed.

“This way!” he said, as he ran back the hallway where he came from.

“Tristan, how did you get here?” Eddie asked him as they ran.

“It’s a long story but don’t worry;” the Asian teenager laughed, “I promise to tell you later. Right now we got to hook back up with Tony and the others.”

“Tony? TONY’S HERE?”

“All your fellow survivors are here!” Tristan said as they continued to run.

They quickly turned another corner but then stopped when they heard gunfire. Their was a loud exchange of screaming and more gunfire. Then the three teenagers were thrown back by an explosion. Bonnie grunted as she, Eddie and Tristan fell back into the hallway. Smoke erupted from the upper hallway and then a wave of fire erupted onto the ceiling; making the sprinklers burst to their assign duties.

Eddie helped Bonnie up as they quickly became soaked in water. Tristan looked up, and saw the fire still engulfed in the ceiling. The three friends then ran toward the explosion, holding their mouths from the smoke and water. As they finally cleared the area, Eddie looked around to see what was happening. And it was so much, he didn’t know how to react.

Before them was a mini-glass laced lobby area in the middle of the building. On the other side to their right was more Liberation soldiers; specifically a female. Down in the lobby was Tony, McKay and John. They were taking cover behind a turned over couch and giant tree like plant. Deeper into the lobby was Mia, Sawyer and a few others. Eddie quickly noticed Jack was shot in the arm. He continued to see the bullets ricocheting around them. Eddie then couldn’t stop blinking when he saw Aaron and the other kids, covering with Mia and Kate. It was enough for him to see red.

Eddie then pointed his rifle at the men across the balcony of the glass lobby. When he open fire, the bullet shattered the glass before him. The soldier then jerked as he was shot in his chest at least three times. He then fell over, smashing the rest of the glass and plummeting into the lobby below. Tony then looked up to see who was helping them out and his heart nearly exploded with joy when he saw that Eddie was alive. “EDDIE!!!” Tony screamed.

The young man smiled at his mentor. He then continued to fire on the other men, making them duck for cover. Mia smiled at Eddie, giving them the opportunity they needed. The Lakota then shoved the door open behind them, and the group ushered the children through the stairway. Once the kids were safe, Eddie looked around. Then he saw the woman who was firing at them point an usual weapon at him. Then his memory burst into his brain and he remember seeing the weapon from the various action films he watched growing up.

It’s called a grenade launcher.

Eddie heard the howl of the weapon while he was screaming for Bonnie and Tristan to take cover. The three friends dove down the hall as the grenade punched through the last glass panel and exploded in the wall behind him. Eddie felt his head get skint as he hit the marble floor. His ears were ringing and the back of his neck felt hot like being sun burned. He fought it off best he could and leaned up. The young man then turned around and saw the woman was missing. Tony, McKay and John were running up the stairs to be where the woman was originally. “EDDIE!!!” Tony screamed at him.

Eddie then stood up, wobbling a bit. “CAN YOU STAND?” the one-eyed doctor asked him.

“Yeah!” he said, looking for a way to get over there, “I’ll follow when I can!”

“NO!” McKay waved him back.

“EDDIE, GET YOUR FRIENDS OUT OF THE BUILDING!!” John screamed.

“No, I’m not leaving you!” Eddie screamed back, almost feeling like that ten year again on the Island long ago.

“EDDIE, PLEASE GET OUT OF HERE!!” Tony yelled back.

“NOOO!!” the young man screamed back, still trying to figure out a way around the crashed rubble.

“PLEASE, SON!!!”

Eddie stopped when he heard what Tony had called him. The truth was he loved John and McKay but everybody knew it was Tony that he was the closest too. Eddie had lost his real father back on the Island. He bonded easily with the blind doctor who saved his life. As they were together, they grew closer and if there was any man who could take the “fathery” role in his life and still honor the memory of Mr. Trascal; it would have been Tony. The one-eyed man looked at the teenager and motioned for him to go into the stairway behind him. “Please.” He whispered, “Go.”

Eddie then winced and grunted through his sadness. He quickly grabbed Tristan and got him to his feet. As the fire was getting closer, the young man then helped Bonnie get up and they immediately dove into the stairway. A few pillows of smoke covered the stairs but it was enough for them to keep moving. Tristan led the way, leaping two steps at a time. Eddie followed behind with Bonnie holding onto his arm. They stopped around the fourth floor to catch their breath. The redhead coughed as she leaned onto her boyfriend for comfort. Tristan was doing his best to breathe out of his nose and keep his main airways opened. After the brief moment of rest, they started running again.

By the time they reached the second floor, there were no more stairs to run down. Tristan opened the door and immediately a soldier tried to grab him. Eddie then jumped from the stair he was standing on and slammed his foot into the man’s collarbone; breaking it instantly. As he landed in pain, Tristan rammed the butt end of his rifle into his head; knocking him out. The three friends then ran down the hallway toward the elevator. The young Asian man pressed the buttons but nothing was happening. “The lights aren’t moving.” Bonnie pointed out.

Eddie looked around and saw an empty office behind them, with a large window. He then pulled Bonnie with him into the office. As Tristan followed in, he closed the door on instinct. His best friend then strode over to the window and looked out. He gasped with delight at the sight of the vehicle in the distance. “Son of a bitch!” he laughed, “They drove Turk here!”

Bonnie and Tristan saw the car in the distance, that Eddie loved like a pet. The young man laughed a bit, then stopped when he saw two figures running into the distance. He could tell from up here that it was Matt and Ben. The two men then ran toward a nearby silver Sedan and quickly scrambled to get in. Eddie then felt rage swell up in his spine. He remembered what they did and what they did to Jilly. He knew that someone had to make them pay. “Tristan?” he coughed.

“Yeah, Eddie?” his friend looked at him.

“Can I count on you to make sure Bonnie gets to safety?”

Tristan didn’t reply. He wasn’t sure why Eddie was asking him in that question. Bonnie then looked at him and he looked at her. “I love you.” Eddie whispered, “Never forget that.”

“Eddie, what-“ Bonnie tried to say.

The young man then jumped back and then opened fire on the window. The bullets punctured the glass with ease. After it shattered, Eddie then screamed as he made a running leap and dove out the window. Bonnie screamed in terror seeing him plummet toward the ground, two stories up. He landed in one of the potted trees that adored the outside back lobby. It snapped under the momentum. It was enough, however, to break his fall to an extend. Eddie grunted as he stood up, feeling a bad pain in his left knee. He then quickly limped toward Turk as fast as he could, seeing the Sedan disappear into the distance.

Eddie opened the door and got in. There were no keys in the ignition. The young man laughed as he reached below his seat and pulled out the spare keys. “They never should have underestimated us, Turk.” He laughed, as he started the ignition.

Eddie then twisted the steering wheel and then proceeded toward the direction of Matt and Ben. With any luck, he’d be able to catch up to them. As he drove on, he started to pray for his father to forgive him.

For what he was going to do to them.

Part 466: The Fallen

2006-12-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Penelope Widmore was finishing her day’s work. It had been a long day like most had been. She was looking forward to a nice glass of bourbon, stroking her cat Caesar and listening to some Jazz. It always did get her centered, after fighting to keep her company from going bankrupt. The effects of Mettlewerk and even the saboteur Rachel Blake didn’t help matters. Not to mention the situation with the Jaeger Unit a few years ago. Penelope had hoped to put most of this behind her. She just wondered how long it would be.

Then he thoughts were interrupted by a loud BOOM and the building shook a little.

The CEO then stood up and looked around. She could barely tell from the distance but it almost looked like there were people running across the outside lobby area and there was smoke rising from the bottom. Penelope turned around and quickly strode toward the exit of her office. She opened it up and saw her secretary Karen on the phone with someone. “Karen, what’s going on?” she asked her.

“Hold on, ma’am.” The young redhead held up her hand, “Okay, doctor. I’ll tell her.”

“Karen . .who are you talking to?” the CEO demanded.

“It was Dr. Linus, ma’am. He said . . .he said terrorists are attacking the building. We’re to stay up here.”

Penelope immediately knew something was up. “Why is Dr. Linus telling you this?” she sneered, “Why not the head of security?”

“I . .don’t know, ma’am. He called us up here.” Karen pointed to the phone.

“HE . . .called us?” Penelope scoffed, “That’s it. He’s up to something.”

“Ms, Widmore, we should stay here!” the secretary begged.

“You stay put.” The CEO said as she started walking toward the stairs, “I’m going to find out what is going on for myself.”

Tony fired his guns as fast as he could. The inside lobby was filling up with soldiers faster than he could count. Raven was doing his best to take them out as fast as he could but for every soldier he took out of the equation, two more would take his place. It was like a mountain lion fending off a swarm of red ants. Sawyer fired his shotgun and then quickly ducked in a doorway, when he needed to reload. McKay grunted as he fired an automatic rifle he picked up from the fallen soldiers. John aimed and fired his arrow, puncturing his neck. Natasha fired her gun as well, being flanked by Kate. Ecko fired another few rounds, then one of the soldiers surprised him. The black man then grabbed him by the neck, rolling them both forward.

The soldier grunted as he managed to wrestle the gun out of Ecko’s hand. The Nigerian then turned around and grabbed his Penance Stick slung off his back. He screamed as he caved in the man’s head with it. He then beat another soldier in the face, then attacked another soldier. Ecko then grunted as a bullet managed to strike him in the side of his chest. Natasha stared in horror as the black man grunted and then grabbed a rifle; firing wildly into the group of Liberators. The soldiers then took this chance to fire at him, striking him in the chest several times. “ECKO!!!” Natasha screamed.

Raven saw his friend fall into the white marble floor. The Jaeger Unit then grabbed about eight men and rammed them all into the crowd of men. They stumbled back, falling onto each other. The cyborg then quickly rushed over and grabbed his friend by the arms, dragging him away. “Tony, I’m going to clear the playing field!” John screamed.

“HOW?” Tony replied.

John then pulled out one of the explosive arrows that Hal gave him. He then pulled back his string and then aimed at the large group of men. Then in one fluid motion, he re-aimed his arrow at the ceiling and fired. The arrow struck it’s target and exploded, reigning down metal and concrete on the top of every Libertor’s head. The soldiers screamed as they were buried. Some died instantly, others screamed as they fought to get out from the rumble.

The group quickly regrouped on the other side of the wall. Tony reloaded his pistols and grabbed a nearby soldiers’ rifle. He looked at Ecko, who was bleeding severely. Natasha wept as the black man rested his head in her lap. He coughed a trickle of blood oozed down the left side of his cheek. “Tony, can you help him?” Kate asked.

“Not in time.” Tony said, taking his hand.

“It . . .doesn’t . . .matter . . .”he coughed, “I’m . .unimportant . .you must . . .save the children . . .”

“Ecko, please stay with me.” Natasha wept.

“Always remember, Natasha . . .” the Nigerian coughed, “You will never . . .walk your road alone . . .:”

“Ecko.” Raven whispered.

Ecko held out his hand and the cyborg took it. The two friends stared eye to eye, remembering all they went through. The cyborg had the chance for a second life. Ecko took the same chance and enjoyed being in American. Raven could tell his friend wasn’t afraid of death. The Nigerian slowly curled his lips in a smile. “Don’t . . .let them fall, brother . .” he whispered, before tilting his head in a lurch.

“NO!” Natasha grabbed, embracing her fallen friend.

“Goodbye, Ecko.” Sawyer whispered.

The farewell of their friend was interrupted by a hale of gunfire. The group jolted past the wall, as the bullets ricocheted off the concrete wall. Tony then jerked his head to see where the shot were being fired from. Up on a internal balcony was Leann Belmont with two submachine guns. The two enemies locked eyes for a second, then the Liberator woman fired on him. Tony shifted around and then fired again. Leann then ducked behind two more soldiers who returned fire. The one-eyed doctor then saw them disappear into a hallway. Tony looked around and saw another staircase, leading up to that balcony. “We got to move!” he said, slapping John’s arm.

John then followed Tony’s lead as he ran toward the staircase entrance. McKay quickly followed as did Raven. Sawyer paused when he saw Kate slowly getting up and Natasha weeping over Ecko’s body. “We got to keep moving, Chicago.” Sawyer told her.

“I can’t leave him!” she cried.

Kate then held out her hand. “Come on, Natasha,” she whispered, “Lets go get Jack and the kids.”

The brunette looked up at her, tears sliding down her face.

“Don’t let Ecko die for nothing.” The former fugitive said with complete sympathy.

Natasha leaned down and kissed the Nigerian on the forehead. She then leaned up and took Kate’s hand. The two women then rushed over toward the stairway door with Sawyer picking up the rear. Up in the hallway above, Tony, John and McKay ran down, then ducked after bullets ripped into the carpet. They managed to have enough time to see Leann and her two soldiers disappear into another stairway. Raven looked over at them and got ready to pursue; until Tony grabbed his jacket. “We can handle them, Raven,” he coughed, “You can move faster. Start scanning the other floor for Jenny, Jack and Eddie, then the children.”

“God speed, Tony,” Raven then ran the other way and disappeared in a stream of blue light.

“We got to get to that stairway.” Tony ran toward it.

“Is that the woman who was going to kill you, Tony?” asked Kate as they caught up.

“Yeah, she’s Belmont’s widow.” The one-eyed doctor said, climbing the stairs.

“I can’t believe the stupid bitch is heading up!” Sawyer said, hoofing behind them, “ You think she is going to give us a last stand?”

“No, she’s going to leave the building.”

Tony the stopped as the rest of his group stopped with him. The one-eyed doctor then tucked one of his pistols under his arms and then pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He quickly un folded it, showing his friend. It was the satellite photo from Google that Karleigh printed. Tony pointed to the large red X on one side of the building. “That is where she is headed.” He grunted.

“A heli-pad?” McKay blinked.

“Son of a bitch,” John whispered, “She’s flying out of here.”

“She blames me for Belmont’s death and ordered my execution,” Tony coughed, “I don’t think it would be a good idea for her to leave here alive. I don’t think . . .she’ll give up on me so easily.”

“Then lead on, Cochise.” Sawyer said, cocking back his shotgun, “It’s time to finish this.”

part 465: River of Blood

2006-12-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

6:37 pm

A soft wind blew from the ocean breezes. Most locals always said it was the Santa Anna winds from upstate. Almost like the spirit of California blanketed it’s children every night. The sun had gone down in the past 30 minutes, and the city was lit up as it always way. The Hanso foundation had the majority of it’s lights on, so there was no way to tell who was working and who wasn’t. Across the near empty street was the three story parking deck. Under it’s wing, rested the survivors before they were to begin their assault.

McKay walked around to all the street lights under the parking deck and unscrew the light bulbs; giving them the cover of darkness. John gently screwed on the explosive arrowheads onto appropriate sized arrow stalks. He even marked them with different grooves to make sure he pulled the right ones when needed. The archer then looked over to his wife, who was resting in the back of an SUV with Shanna. Tony gently tied a tourniquet onto her arm, and then started slapping it for a vein. The moment he found one, the doctor then administered 20 MG of epinephrine. Mia then started to blink wildly, already feeling the effects.

She then got out of the car, and was able to walk of her own accord. She then allowed Tony to remove the tourniquet and then she proceeded over to her husband. John shifted his quiver around his back as she approached him. “We’re going to get through this.” She smiled, rubbing his arm.

“I know we will.” He said, trying to sound confident.

“John?”

“Yeah?” he looked down at her.

“There was an old story about a Lakota warrior who lost his family.” She sighed as the night wind blew her hair a little, “He knew it was a bear who had taken his family from him. He fought every single bear in the region till he found the one that caused it. When he was done with a bear’s carcass, he would toss the remains in the river.”

“Why . . .why are you telling me this now?”

“They said he killed so many the river was red. He made a River of Blood.” Mia sighed, “Something tells me . . ..we’ll make one tonight.”

“Let’s hope we kill the right bears then.” John put his arm around her.

“Yes,” she sighed, “The right bears.”

Hal then helped Chance to the back end of his truck. Arizona and Libby pulled down the tailgate, while the gunslinger sat down on it. The Texan then looked across the street, and held up his hand; making it form a pistol. He looked at the lobby with one closed eye. He then smiled. “Yeah, it’s good distance and wind.” He agreed, “I can certainly hit something from this distance.”

“I’ll keep his guns reloaded.” Arizona said, pulling out the assortment of weapons in the duffle bag.

“I’m sorry I can’t go in there with you, Hal.” Chance told his best friend.

“Don’t worry about it. You can participate in the NEXT raid.” The cop joked.

“All right, look alive, people!” Tony said, walking forward and arming his gun, “Let’s get our family back and put this behind us once and for all.”

The group then made their maneuver to get to the end of the street. John pulled out his binoculars from his pouch and looked across the street. The front outside lobby was devoid of people, just a pond and a bunch of branches sticking out of concrete pots. Ana-Lucia then coughed as she placed on her tact-radio she got some SWAT. She squeezed the radio access around her neck. “Can you hear me?” she looked to Kellye.

“Loud and clear, boss.” The younger officer said, holding the ear piece.

“All right, I’ll go see what’s in the front lobby and we’ll go from there.”

“Be careful, Ana.” Sawyer told her.

“You be careful, redneck,” she winked at him.

The survivors watched her jog across the street and enter the front outside lobby. She proceeded up toward the front door. The soft trickling of the nearby pond could be easily heard through the neck radio. Kellye watched her friend as she got closer and closer. The young officer looked to the juggernaut standing by her side, his eyes glowing a soft blue. She gently stroked Raven’s arm, a silent way of telling him how much she was happy to see him alive and well. The Jaeger Unit just gently patted her hand for assurance. Kellye and Raven were never really friends but they did have one thing in common. They were both best friends with Jenny. And the young officer knew now that Raven was with them, their chances of getting their friends out alive had increased incredibly.

Ana-Lucia walked up to the front glass door and looked in. There was one guard sitting a front desk. The officer then rapped on the glass door to get his attention. After a few seconds, he started walking toward her. “There is one guard and he’s coming toward me.” She whispered into her neck mic so her friends could hear.

“Can I help you?” the guard asked her.

“Yeah, Lt. Detective Cortez,” she smiled holing up her badge, “May I come in?”

“You got a warrant?” he immediately asked.

“I don’t need a warrant, with an anonymous tip.”

“Anonymous tip about what?”

“About there are children here being held against their will,” She smiled with sarcasim.

“Sorry, lady. Ain’t no kids here. Now get lost and come back with a warrant.”

“Fine,.” Ana-Lucia grunted as she turned around and began to walk back toward her friends.

John kept his eyes on her with the binoculars. The Latina cop started to move and then gave a signal from her on her chest, saying she didn’t see anyone. The archer then looked into the distance at where the guard was. He was quickly listening to a radio. After he got whatever message was sent to him, he immediately started walking out of the door toward Ana-Lucia. He then calmly pulled out his side arm and behind him the main lobby was filling up with Liberators. “OH, MY GOD!” John exclaimed, “You were right, Tony! The building is filling up with soldiers, they knew we were coming.”

“Get Ana-Lucia out of there!” the one eye doctor yelled.

Kellye quickly switched the relay on her raid to send but by the time she did that, she heard a gun shot ring out. John jolted as he saw the Latina fall down after getting shot by the guard. “He shot her in the back!” the archer grunted.

“GO, RAVEN!” McKay ordered.

The Jaeger Unit then began to run toward the outside lobby, which was filling up with soldiers. The Liberators peered into the darkness, looking for the rest of the survivors. All they could hear was the sound of a slamming boots hitting the concrete. Then out of the darkness appeared Raven, with a stream of blue light flinging from his eyes. The soldiers opened fire on him as some of the bullet hit him and some bounced off. The Jaeger Unit grabbed the nearest man by the arm and then flung him toward another. They continued to fire but all they did was hit their own man, as Raven continued to use him as a sling.

Raven then kicked another man, sending him flying through the air and landing in the pond. He then grabbed another Liberator, and ripped his arm clean off. Another one then started to assemble a bazooka. By the time he got it up, a bullet ripped through his head; exploding into sauce out the back. The soldiers then saw the remaining survivors running toward them. Tony pulled out both his pistols and fired a barrage, sending two men down. John then pulled his arrow and watched it soar through the air; slamming into a man’s chest. McKay and Sawyer ran toward the fallen man with the bazooka. The redneck almost laughed as he grabbed the weapon. The Australian helped him to turn it correctly, then slapped him on the head. “YEEEEHAAAWWW!!!” Sawyer screamed as he fired the bazooka toward the glass walls of the Hanso building.

The rocket ripped into the glass, shattering it. When it struck the inner wall, it then exploded into sparks and fire; the momentum of force shattering the rest of the glass. Raven grabbed two more men and then slammed them together, hearing their heads crack from the blows. Kellye fired on one man and then stopped to take his rifle. Then she ran back toward the body of Ana-Lucia. “ANA!!” she screamed.

“What?” the officer said as she forced herself up.

“Oh, my God!” the younger officer exclaimed, “Are you okay?”

“My back is going to be sore for days,” she said, removing her jacket to reveal her bullet proof vest. “Aw, man that hurts.”

“Wore your vest,” she exclaimed, “Oh, thank God.”

“Haven’t you heard, Kellye?” the Latina said, using her friend to stand up, “I’m crazy, not stupid.”

After dispatching the remaining men, John then reached into his quiver and pulled out a flare. The archer ignited it and then wave it around for his companions to see. This told the second group it was safe to move in. Seth ran in front with his sword by his side. Mia ran behind him, followed by Shanna, Sayid, Locke, Mandy and Alexander. They quickly jumped over all the bodies of the Liberators and followed their friends who were already in the front lobby. Tristan felt a surge of adrenaline pumping through his system. He had never been on a breaking and entering assault but judging from what’s happening; it was necessary. He never imaged himself fighting terrorists in a gorilla warfare raid either. But he knew he owed it to Eddie and Bonnie to get them out safely.

Seth looked ahead as his friends were in another firefight. Before they disappeared out of the distance, McKay quickly looked back at them. The Australian then pointed toward a door behind him and then ran off, firing his weapon. “I guess it’s a safe bet those stairs lead up.” Seth looked back at them.

“Then lets get our children,” Mia said.

Seth then ran in, hearing his sneakers crash against the broken glass on the floor. The group followed behind him as far as they could run. They saw their friends in the another gun fire in the deeper lobby. Raven was running up walls, striking as many people as he could. The Lakota woman saw her husband firing arrow after arrow into as many people as he could. She hoped that she would be alive to tell him how proud she was of him. Locke paused to shoot a man who was about to shoot Tony in the back. The second tier group then burst through the stairs and immediately began to run upward. Mia then stopped when she saw a small fire-axe inside a breakaway case. She quickly rammed her elbow into, shattering the glass. Shanna stayed with her as the Lakota pulled the axe out of the case and ran to join their friends.

By the time they got to the third floor, Seth peered down the hallway. He had no idea where they were, no any idea where the children were. Locke then reloaded his gun and looked to the singer. “See anything?” he asked.

“Just a bunch of offices. How far do we need to go?” Seth asked.

“Sadly, we do not know.” Sayid concluded.

“Then we should split up. We can cover more ground.” Mia told them.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave each other-“

“WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO DEBATE!” Mia yelled shoving past them.

Seth quickly followed her as did Shanna. Locke then motioned for the rest to go up the next level as they followed her into the hallway. Mia began walking down the hallway, noticing that the majority of the employees were surprisingly vacant. Then one soldier ran out and fired at Mia’s head. The bullet whizzed past her and made a nearby computer monitor explode. The Lakota girl screamed as she threw the axe at the man, hearing it sing as it flew through the air. The bladed weapon rammed into the man’s head, like a axe against a wet chunk of wood.

Mia walked over and planted her foot into the man’s chest; using it as leverage as she ripped out her axe from her forehead. Shanna and Seth witnessed the whole thing. “Damn, she’s bad ass with that thing.” Seth smirked.

Mia smiled briefly back at them, then she stopped when she caught a whiff of something. She was certain she had smelled it before. The Lakota then began to walk down an adjacent hallway. Seth patted his redheaded best friend on the shoulder. “Stay with her, Shanna, “ he told her, “I’ll check down this other hallway.”

The redhead quickly scooted toward her friend who was talking toward an office with an open door. The Lakota peered in and saw a very classy office. It was adorned with various artifacts from Japanese culture, ranging from tapestries to wooden shields to a full set of samurai armor. There was a man who was kneeling down at a shrine of something, moving a stick of incense over a plaque. It was the incense on his clothes that Mia smelled that morning which what dragged her to this office.

“Kamiyama.” She whispered, with a tinge of hatred.

Part 464: The Calm Before The Storm

2006-12-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

5:51 pm

Mia slowly opened her eyes. The halogen lights of the ceiling above shined down upon her. Her pain was only mild in her system; thanks to Tony and some small amounts of morphine. The Lakota woman then leaned over and was happy to see the smiling, redhead sitting by her side. Shanna laughed at seeing Mia able to open her eyes and move her head. “Hey, you,” Mia smiled, in a whisper.

“Hey,” Shanna replied, kissing her forehead, “I’m so happy you are all right.”

“It’ll take more than a few bullets to put Mia down,” Seth smiled.

Mia laughed a little bit at hearing Seth’s voice. She leaned up her hand and took his own. The singer kissed her knuckles, patting her hand. The Lakota girl was so happy to see her adoptive brother and sister by her side. Not only did she enjoy seeing them regardless, but the fact that they were here meant they survived the Liberation attack. As Mia thought of the Liberators, it made her remember what she had lost. “Shelley . . .my daughter was taken . .” Mia tried to lean up.

“Mia, lay back down,” Shanna said, touching her shoulder.

“We know about Shelley,” Seth whispered in an ominous tone.

The Lakota girl looked to her good friend. “Brendon?” she asked.

The lead singer just shook his head. Since she knew the Liberators got Shelley, that meant they got Brendon too. If the young boy was taken, then it also meant that Aaron and Bridgett were probably taken as well. “Just like on the Island . . .they are after the children.” Mia concluded.

“Yeah, that’s what we were thinking as well.” Seth replied.

“The main group is in the living room, forming a plan on what we need to do.” Shanna told her.

Mia then grunted as she leaned up. “Mia, what are you-“ Seth stammered.

“Help me up.” She said, getting over to the side.

“Mia, I don’t think you should be moving.”

“Get these tubes out of me.” She said, pulling them out of her hands, “I need to hear what they are going to do.”

Kate rubbed her eyes, then accepted the glass of water given to her by Sawyer. The group was gathered around the living room in various chairs, leaning against walls and some were even sitting on the floor. The former fugitive had just got finished telling her story about how they attacked her this morning. She naturally assumed that these soldier-like men were Federal Officers who had finally found her and were coming to arrest her. When they took Jack instead, she realized it could have only been something else. She didn’t believe it was the Liberation until she started to talk to her friends.

Kate had woke up in the ER of the hospital across the street. They were checking on her when they had called in the cops. They interviewed her and she labeled it a standard abduction. Then she checked her cell phone and heard the SIT message in her voice box. That is when she snuck out of the hospital to come here. Sneaking from the police had been a normal part of her life a few years ago. She had not lost the knack. “I’m glad you made it out of there, Freckles.” Sawyer told her.

“Thanks, Sawyer,” she said, smiling at him.

“So . . .It’s safe to assume they have Jack,” Tony whispered, rubbing his stubble, “Then they have Eddie, Jilly, the children and probably Jenny.”

“And if they have Jenny, then they must have Raven.” Kellye mentioned.

“Dude, wait a second,” Hurley held up his hands, “I thought Raven was like the Terminator or something. Didn’t he get built to last?”

“You hit the nail on the head, Hurley,” John whispered, “Watchman built Raven and the Dharma group built Watchman. If there would be anybody who would know how to turn him off or whatever, it would be him.”

“Then . .dudes, what are we going to do?”

“It’s obvious,” Mandy grunted, “We got in and we get our children back.”

“Shouldn’t we like call the cops or something?” Joscelyn replied back.

“We don’t have time.” Hal said, holding Libby’s hand, “In order for us to get there and be able to search the entire building, we’ll need a warrant. Not to mention there is a probably with the Liberators. They are not afraid of the police nor of being discovered.”

“He’s probably telling the truth,” Locke pointed at the cop, “When Mandy and I were at my building; they shot at me with automatic rifles and those guns did not have silencers.”

“They shot our house up,” Libby pinched the bridge of her nose, “ If they were willing to do that, then they are not afraid of the police.”

“No, in order for us to pull this off, we need to go in there ourselves,” Hal continued, “ Not to mention, it’s our responsibly and this will save anybody else from getting killed.”

“And if we get arrested?” Joscelyn said, gripping onto her husband’s arm.

“Something tells me, Jo-Jo,” Sawyer whispered, “getting arrested is going to be the least of our worries.”

“I HAVE IT!” Karleigh said, holding up a piece of paper from the nearby printer.

The group looked over at the key boardist who was told to get any information on the Dharma location at the Hanso Foundation. The girl walked over and handed out the black and white pieces of printout. Tony looked at the page with Marita, John and McKay looking over his shoulder. “What is this?” he asked, looking at the aerial shot of the Los Angeles downtown.

“It’s a Google Satellite photo of the Hanso Building,” Karleigh pointed at the large grey shape, “ That’s it right there.”

“McKay, what does this look like to you across the street?” the one-eyed doctor pointed at the building structure.

The Australian took a closer look at the piece of paper. “Looks like a large parking deck.” He pointed at.

“Then that is where we’ll have our fall back point.” Tony said, smiling slightly.

“You slipping back into your Special Force’s shoes there, Cochise?” Sawyer asked.

“In a manner of speaking. Huddle up.” The doctor beckoned his friends.

The group hesitated for a moment as they saw Tony get down on one knee in the middle of the room. Then they slowly gathered around each other. Joscelyn braced herself on Hurley’s back, as did Dutch. Marita kneeled next to her husband, while John watched over her shoulder. Taylor held onto McKay with Sayid, Shannon and Mandy looking over Alexander and Andra’s shoulder. “See this massive court yard?” Tony pointed to this friends, “This doesn’t provide any cover we need. But the parking deck will. We move into two teams. One group’s purpose will be to fight off the Liberators and by the second group some time.”

“What is the second group going to do?” Marita asked.

“Hostage retrieval.” The one-eyed doctor smiled, “It will be the second group’s job to get Jack, Jenny, Jilly, Eddie and the children.”

“Then I’m on that team.” Mia said.

“MIA?” John leaned up, from the crowd.

The group looked over to the Lakota woman, who was leaning on Shanna and Seth. She had the majority of her wounds bandaged, with only small amounts of blood coming between the seems. John walked over toward his wife, holding her by the arms. “Mia, you need to rest.” The archer told her.

“They took my daughter, John and I’m going to help get her back.” The Lakota hissed.

“Mia, honey, you can barely stand,” Locke said, approaching her.

“TONY!” the young woman screamed, “Is there anything you can give me to keep me on my feet?”

The one-eyed doctor looked at the young man and then her husband, who he considered his best friend. He took a deep sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah,” he replied with honesty, “I could give you some epinephrine. It’s artificial adrenaline.”

“No way, Tony!” the gym teacher grunted, “I’m not going to risk my wife any further than-“

“JOHN!” Mia screamed in his face.

The archer held onto his wife as she wept silently. She leaned her head onto her chest, nearly using him as a support. “I have to get her back,” she wept, “I have to do this.”

The archer held onto her, looking at the ceiling. He never doubted his wife’s strength, nor her convictions for a single instant. However, she was already shot and loss some blood. Tony managed to replace it but it still didn’t change the fact that she was in need of rest. Mia gripped onto John’s shoulder at the shoulder and looked up at him. “John, you will be needed to keep the men off of us,” she whispered, “You can’t do that and rescue our daughter at the same time.”

“Nor can I worry about you.” He retorted.

“You know I’ll keep her safe, John.” Seth admitted.

“We both will.” Shanna stepped up.

John felt like he had no choice. If he insisted she stay behind, then she’s resent him. Even though their lives are at stake, he still have enough faith that she would come through this. She even promised him that she’d live long enough to see this through. What that meant, he didn’t know. He held out his hands toward Mia’s best friend, then they promptly took them. “Promise me, you won’t let anything happen to her.” He whispered.

“We promise.” Seth said for them both.

Mia then put her arms around John, and kissed him. The archer kissed her back, holding her close. He then held onto her, like he was going to lose her. She could tell that as well, which is why she replied his embrace with a tighter one of their own. “I know you’re scared.” Tony told his friend.

John and Mia then looked at him. The one-eyed doctor then brought his wife closer and held onto her. He turned his gaze to his other friends. “We’re all scared.” He replied.

The group all listened in.

“But this isn’t the first time these bastards have attacked us,” The doctor sighed, “And I don’t see any difference in the real world than it was on that beach so many years ago. We fought them then and we won. We already paid for that will our most dearest friends. There may be a chance that some of us won’t walk away from this either. But we have to take that chance. For the sake of our children . . .for our friends and our future devoid of the Liberation.”

Tony then held out his hand in the direction of his friends. “This isn’t a decision that you can make spur of the moment. I’m going in there to make sure Eddie gets out safely and to make sure that psycho woman doesn’t come after me again. If you don’t want to risk it, there is no shame. We’ll do this without you and we’ll still love you. If you want to come, I welcome you.”

Alexander then placed his hand on top of Tony’s. “I’ll make them pay for taking Bridgett.” He hissed.

Mandy then placed her hand on the pile, along with Taylor and McKay. John and Mia walked over, joining them. Sayid, Shannon, Andra, then Seth, Tanya and Shanna joined in. Locke then placed his hand on the pile, along with Ecko and Natasha. Kate then placed her hand on top of Natasha’s and Sawyer placed is hand on top of her. “Don’t worry there, Freckles.” Sawyer winked, “I’ll get ya Doc back for you.”

“Thanks,” she smiled.

Dutch and Karleigh then placed their hands into the pile. Hurley then placed his hand on the other’s and then looked at his wife. Joscelyn then looked at her husband and then over to her friends Karleigh and Kellye. The young woman took a deep breath and then placed her hand on the pile. “Oh, my geezy.” She whispered.

“Hey!” Chance stumbled into the room.

Arizona then looked at her husband, joining the group in the living room. The gunslinger placed his hand on the pile of hands connecting everybody together. “They shot at my wife and my best friend,” the Texan hissed, “There is no way you are starting this rumble without me.”

“Likewise,” Hal said, placing his hand on the pile.

Libby then came over, touching her fiance’s hand. Arizona then did the same thing, not leaving without her husband. Tony smiled at all of them. “Thank you,” he grinned brightly, “I’m honored to know each and every one of you. I know Jack would feel the same way. I know you’ve listened to my speeches and his as well. I know if he were here, he’d give one in my place. But since he isn’t, Kate?”

The brunette looked at him.

“Please say Jack’s famous phrase that kept us together on the Island.”

Kate smiled, with tears streaming down her face. “Live together, die alone.” She whispered.

“Let’s get it done.” The doctor said as he parted from his friends.

Outside Tony, John and McKay began to remove all the junk from various vehicles. They were taking out all the excess laundry, containers, baby toys, regular toys and anything else they didn’t need to make their run against Hanso. John checked on his bow. He made sure the string was tightened to the point where it might cut skin if it’s gripped to hard. John then leaned up when he heard a rustling in the gravel before him. Hal leaned against the vehicle, clearly armed with his shoulder holster. “You sure you don’t want a gun?” he asked him.

“No thanks, Hal,” John smirked, “Always been more comfortable with my bow anyway.”

“I figured you’d say that.” The cop said, then handing him a small dark green box.

“What’s this?” the archer replied, taking the box.

“Remember that story I told you about? The bank robber who used a bow and arrow with trick arrows.”

John opened the case. He saw six arrow-heads. Three were white, marked Phospherous. The other were marked red and black, marked Explosive. “You . . .you took these out of the police evidence room?” the archer gasped.

“I figured we’d be able to put some of the scumbag’s weapons to sue for a good cause.”

“Hal . . .you might lose your badge for this.” The archer said, sympathecially

“Like Sawyer said, getting arrested is going to be the least of our worries, “ the cop laughed a little bit before heading back into the house, “ I’ll go make sure everybody who wants a gun has one.”

John watched his friend leave his sight. Tony walked over and leaned against the vehicle. McKay joined them after making sure his SUV was cleared out. The three friends shared a comfortable silence in the twilight of the falling sun. McKay smiled at his friends. “We’ve covered some ground haven’t we?” he said, saying the exact same phrase he gave them before they headed off the Island.

“Yeah, we have,” Tony replied, “I just want to make sure . . .everybody we care about comes along for the ride.”

“Amen.” The Australian agreed.

“Amen, “ John also said.

“The only thing I’m worried about is when the Liberation underestimated us on the Island,” the one-eyed doctor whispered, “I don’t think they’ll be dumb enough to do that a second time.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” McKay replied with a sigh, “I have a feeling they are prepared. They’ll see this coming.”

“No,” Raven whispered.

The three friends gasped at their mysterious companion as he seemed to have appeared out of the blue. His eyes were glowing a soft topaz color as he gazed at the men.

“There is no way in Hell they will see this coming.” The masked man replied.

Part 463: And the Children Shall Lead Them

2006-12-08T05:16:00.000-08:00

4:25 pm

Aaron hugged his knees as he rocked back and forth. He was sitting in the back truck of an SUV. For a normal adult, it would have been a tight fit. For a five year old, going on six, he fit just perfectly. His friend Brendon was by his side, continuously wiping his eyes with the handy wipes the soldiers gave him. The young boy looked over at the kid who was pretty much his brother as far as he was concerned. “You okay?” he asked him.

“No,” he grunted, “My eyes still hurt.”

“It’s the tear gas.” Aaron whispered, “It’ll pass eventually.”

“I might be having a hyperdermic reaction to it.”

“Allergic reaction.” The young boy corrected him.

“Whatever!” Brendon grunted.

Aaron looked over and gently rubbed his friend on his back. Brendon looked out the window and then glanced at the soldiers in the back seat. The small boy then turned around and closed his eyes; letting the tears flow down his cheeks. “My mom and my dad.” He whispered, “They shot at them.”

“I know.” Aaron continued to rub his back.

Brendon took a deep breath. “Why did they take us?” he sighed.

“I don’t know,”

“What do they want from us?”

“Ransom I guess.” The young blonde boy stared at the other cars, “They are gonna ask our mom and dad’s for money to give us back.”

“Because mom and dad are rich.” The young boy sniffed, “Makes sense.”

“You scared?” Aaron asked him.

“No, you?”

“Nope.”

The boys then stared at each other. Brendon smiled slightly then went back to a frown. Aaron understood; the truth was they were incredibly scared. All they had, at the moment, was each other. And the hope that their parents would come get them or pay whatever money they asked for. Brendon then looked around in the back window. The two boys could see a lot, despite the temporary plastic cover. They were seeing a lot of buildings. Mostly they were tall skyscrapers, therefore they knew they were in the city.

But where were they going?

The SUV then pulled over into a side street, then went down hill. It got dark for a second, as the two boys saw they were going into a parking structure. The big vehicle then pulled over after driving a ways and stopped. Aaron could see the soldiers exiting the vehicle. He gave Brendon one last look as he wiped his eyes. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” he smirked, “My eyes feel better.”

“Tears will do that.” The young boy smiled.

One of the soldiers then opened the back trunk door. Aaron and Brendon looked at them and all they did was motion them out. The two boys scooted forward and then proceeded hop out of the vehicle. The soldiers then put their hands on their shoulders and began to move them forward. Aaron made sure to keep his friend in sight, hoping they would not be separated. More soldiers and other strange looking people were in the parking lot waiting for them. Aaron didn’t recognize a single person, so he had no hope that someone was there to help him. However, he couldn’t fathom why so many people were involved in his kidnapping. “AARON!!!” a young girl’s voice screamed.

The young boy turned around with Brendon and he immediately saw his other childhood friend. “Bridgett?” Aaron gasped.

The small girl got away from the soldiers that were holding her. The young blonde girl ran as hard as she could toward Aaron. By the time she arrived, she immediately embraced him. The young boy then hugged her back. Normally he was repulsed by her embracing him and kissing him a lot. At the moment, he decided to forget all that. His dear friend was scared out of her mind and she needed him. “It’s all right, BreeBree.” He said, stroking her hair, “We’ll go home soon.”

“I want my mommy.” She wept on his shoulder.

Brendon then turned around and looked at more soldiers coming into the parking lot. His eyes then lit up at the sight of their other childhood friend. “Shelley.” The young boy whispered.

The three friends looked over and saw their dear friend walking toward them. Her face was squinched up as she was crying and had been for some type. Bridgett then hugged her, then Brendon joined in. Aaron paused for a moment, then gave them all a group hug. The young boy was frightened, more so than he had ever been in his whole life. Since he was the oldest, he was taught to look out for the younger bunch.

He just never thought it would be this soon.

Unknown to the children, Ben was watching them from afar. He studied how they reacted to being kidnapped, who cried and who didn’t. Pickett walked over and leaned against the wall; also observing the children. The scientist smiled, looking at his right hand man for a second, then looked back at the kids huddled together. “Children are not supposed to act like that.” He smiled, “Children do no form lasting friendship till later in their single digits.”

“The Liberators said they over heard the boys talking,” Picket smirked, “They knew what tear gas was.”

“Emotional attachments and increased intelligence.” Ben sighed, “What wonders these children will face.”

In the distance, the children then started to be hurdled toward the elevator. Aaron held onto Bridgett’s hand, who held onto Brendon’s hand and he held onto Shelley’s hand. The four children got into the elevator, surrounded by armed soldiers. Bridgett silently wept but Shelley couldn’t stop crying. They stayed together, hoping this nightmare would end soon. Little did they know, they had an old friend they were going to see.

Jack paced back and fourth in the small doctor’s office. He had no idea why it was there but they placed him in it nearly 40 minutes ago. He calmly reviewed the instruments. Medical supplies consisted of a stethoscope, various band-aids, antibiotics, alcohol, and all sorts of documentation. From what the doctor had judged by looking at them, it seemed that Ben was holding true on this threat. Jack was going to be forced to give all the kids of his friends a medical examination. But for what reason?

The door then opened up and Jack immediately saw the scientists that were flanked by Ben. Then he quickly had to look down when he her the stamping of little feet. “UNCLE JACK!!!” Shelley screamed as she ran to him.

The doctor then immediately kneeled down and embraced the little girl. The other children ran over and hugged him as well. The doctor held onto him, feeling the rage surge up from his spine. They held true to their threat; they took the kids from their parents. Jack was upset at these kids kidnapping but he was more upset over the state of his friends. What did these men do to Seth, Tanya, Charlie, Claire, Mia and Mandy? No parents would willingly give up their children. Jack comforted the kids a little bit more and then stood up. Ben stared at him from the door, very cold and calculating. “You monster.” The doctor whispered.

“You say Tomato.” Ben shrugged his shoulders.

“What did you do to their parents?” Jack demanded.

“Their parents are unaccounted for . . from what I am hearing.” The scientist then placed a folder that he was holding a nearby counter, “Jack, we’re going to need blood samples from them and a detailed analysis of how they are physically.”

“No.” Jack immediately said.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not going to examine these kids, I’m not taking their blood, I’m not going to hurt them!”

“Doctors don’t hurt, Jack, they examine. You know these kids, they trust you.”

“I won’t do it.” He hissed.

Ben then took one step closer. Jack put his hands around the children as they circled him. The scientist looked at them and then back to the kidnapped doctor. “Let me put it this way, Jack.” He whispered, “Do you want to examine them . . . or do you want us too?”

“Jack, please don’t leave us.” Bridgett whimpered.

Jack didn’t hate many people in his life. He hated Sawyer for a time but it was a petty hate. He never really hated his father but he disliked the majority of what he did with his life and the people around it. Jack didn’t even believe in the Devil enough to hate him. If there was anybody he would kill without remorse or regret, it would be the man staring back at him. “I’ll do it.” Jack whispered, tears of rage forming near his eyes.

“Never believe for an instance you had any other choice.” Ben replied, as he started to walk away.

“Give me time to calm them down.” Jack quickly asked.

“Take all the time you need.” The scientist replied, shutting down the door.

Jack took a deep breath. He looked up at the corner of the ceiling and saw the camera; knowing full well they were going to be monitoring his actions. He then picked up Shelley and placed her on a nearby bed. He repeated this gesture with the other four kids. He then stared to check them all out. “Does your head hurt, Shelley?” he whispered with a smile.

“Uh, huh.” She whimpered.

“It’s typical of crying. I’ll see if they got any Advil.”

“I think . . . .I think they killed my mom.” The little girl cried.

Jack then looked at her abruptly. She then started to cry heavily, putting her hands over her face. The doctor was going to try to calm them down. He now wasn’t sure if he could. Not if the prospect that Mia was dead was true. Jack then fished around in the drawers of the smaller office. He then found what he was looking for; a cold chemical pack. He then crunched it up, activating the chemical reaction that make the pack turn immediately cold. He motioned for the kids to scoot over. “Lie down, Shelley and place this over your head.” He said, “I promise the pain will go away.”

The girl did what she was asked, laying her head on Bridgett’s lap. Her good friend gently stroked her hair as she rested. Jack took a deep breath and then walked back over toward the big folder with all the names of the children. “Aaron, I’ll . . .uh . .examine you first.” Jack said.

“Okay, Jack,” the little boy said, with a sigh.

Jack got his instruments and walked over to the young boy. He started to check his pulse and temperature. He then checked his blood pressure. “You are being very brave, Aaron,” the doctor whispered, “Your mother will be very proud of you.”

“Thanks, Jack, I was just . . . .”

Jack removed his stethoscope. “Just what?” he inquired.

“I was just trying to do what Eddie might have done in this situation.”

Jack smiled again as he checked his ears. “You want to grow up to be like him, don’t you?” he chuckled.

“I’ve often wondered . . .if I bother him. I suppose I just . .make jokes to show I like messing with him. But . . .I never told him . . .I love him like . . .my big brother.”

“He knows, Eddie,” the doctor assured him, “He knows.”

“When I get out of here, I’m gonna tell him anyway.” The little boy whimpered.

“I’m sure he’d like that.”

“We ARE getting out of here . . .aren’t we, Jack?”

Jack paused for a moment. He looked the boy directly in the eyes. A boy that Tony helped bring into this world on a distance Island long ago. A boy that they had all come to love as their own adoptive son. The doctor then leaned on the counter and looked down at him. “Do you trust me, Aaron?” he asked.

The little boy shook his head.

“Then trust me when I say this . . . .I know your parents. And they are not going to let these people take you anyway from them. Same with Brendon, Bridgett and Shelley too.”

“You think . . .my mom and dad are coming for me?”

“I know they are,” Jack smiled, “I know they are coming for all us.”

A good hour had past. Jack had finished his examinations long ago. Bridgett and Shelley were huddled together against the far wall. Aaron was just sitting on the bed with Jack, while Brendon kept touching his band-aid where the doctor had taken his blood. “Brendon, don’t pick at it.” Jack told him.

“But it itches.” The boy grunted.

“Brendon, do what Uncle Jack says,” Bridgett hissed.

Brendon finally stopped picking at his band-aid and leaned against the counter; crossing his arms. Then the door opened up again. Jack immediately slid off the bed and looked at the man walking in. Ben calmly looked at the doctor, then slowly at all the children. Bridgett and Shelley still huddled together, while Brendon returned the gaze in complete contempt. Aaron just stayed on the bed behind the doctor he trusted. The scientist then looked at the counter where the documents were completed, plus small vials of blood. “How are they?” he asked.

“Besides physically and emotionally drained from being scared out their wits, they are healthy.” Jack said.

“Excellent.” The scientist turned around.

“What do you want with these kids?” the doctor demanded.

Ben turned around and looked at the doctor. He took a deep breath and sighed, with a sinister smile. “Aaron?” Ben got his attention.

The boy looked at him, staying behind Jack.

“Who was the first president of America?” the scientist asked.

“Um . . .George Washington.” Aaron answered.

“Who was the 21st president?” Ben then asked.

“Chester A. Arthur.” The boy immediately replied.

Jack blinked for a second, wondering where this was going. Ben smiled with that same evil smile. “Did you know who the 21st president was, Jack?” the scientist chuckled, “I had to look it up before I came in here.”

The scientist then turned to the two young girls. “Girls?” he inquired in such a pleasant tone, “ Would one of you be so kind as to tell me who painted Starry Night?”

The girls stilled huddled together and then Shelley sniffed, wiping her nose. “Van Gogh.” She replied.

Ben then turned toward Brendon and pulled out a calculator. “Brendon, what is . . . 87, 452 divided by . . .82.2?” the scientist said.

Brendon looked at him and then looked at Jack. The doctor sighed and shook his head. The boy rubbed his eyes and thought for a second. He then whispered, “ 1,063.8929 . . .if you don’t round up.”

Ben laughed as he stood up and looked at Jack. “Have I proven my point?” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“You’ve proven they are smart.” Jack retorted

“They are more than smart, Jack. They are vastly mostly intelligent than kids their age, probably even teenagers.” The scientist exclaimed, “And when they reach that level, they’ll be ready for college. THESE CHILDREN . . .will herald the coming a superior race!”

“All because of this stupid plant?”

“The Gratus Plant is not stupid, Jack. It’s the key to unlocking the secret of a superior evolution. My only regret is that it can’t grow everywhere. That is why if we can’t bring the mountain to Mohammed, then Mohammed most go to the mountain.”

“Jack,” Brendon grunted, “Could you make this idiot shut up? He’s giving me a headache.”

Jack raised an eyebrow at the blunt response from the 4 year old boy. For a moment, it sounded like he was channeling his father Seth. Ben then turned around and kneeled; facing the young boy. “Tonight we’re taking you away to a far away land, Brendon,” the scientist smiled, “You’ll get to see many wonderful things. You’ll meet exciting people, live off the land, maybe even see Monsters. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

The boy then looked at him, with tears running down his face. “Not half as much fun as watching my daddy smash your face in.” the boy hissed.

Ben stood up, slightly amused and slightly annoyed. “Charming.” He concluded, as he began to walk away.

“Ben, wait.” Jack stopped him.

The scientist just looked at him. “We’ll bring sedatives for them tonight. You’ll administer them so they can have a safe flight to the Island.” He informed him.

“I got one request.” The doctor whispered.

“And that would be?”

“You can’t just dump these kids off on Island by themselves,” the doctor whispered, “Take me with them.”

Ben chuckled a little bit. “Very noble, Jack,” the scientist smiled, “But un-necessary. These children will have a chaperone.”

“I’m not trusting you with their welfare.”

“You don’t have to,” he shrugged, “But I’m assuming you trust Mr. Trascal?”

“Eddie?” Aaron’s face lit up with worry.

“What have you done with him?” Jack grunted, unaware he had already kidnapped someone other than him and Jenny.

“All you need to know that is when they get shipped out tonight, Trascal will be with them.” Ben smirked, “I’m quite sure he’ll become the big brother they already view him as.”

The mad scientist left the room and closed the door in an ominous thud. Jack looked at all the frightened children. He hope he would have the ability to stop Ben on his mad quest. However, the doctor was certain his faith in his friends was no misplaced. It would only be a matter of time before they came to the rescue.

“Hurry up, guys,” he whispered to himself.

Part 462: The Return of Hope

2006-12-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

4:37 pm

Eddie sat in the corner of the empty white room. His face was damp from all the crying he had done but he was finished. His despair overwhelmed him and he was out of tears. All that was left was rage. Rage and Hate. He was happy in his live. Bonnie had come into his existence and he was on the verge of leaving the Island behind him. Leaving the poor memory of seeing his father’s corpse and the fact that he killed a teenager at the tender age of ten. He had seen and done things that most kids his age didn’t. He was raised from age ten to age 17 by three men who taught him the value of life, honor, strength and loyalty.

He wished they were here with him now.

His sister was gone. Eddie was born an only child but the strength of friendships taught him that even though they were not related by blood; Jilly could be his sister if he so wished it. She was butchered, her head removed and placed on display because Eddie was given a choice. Give up the location of his friend Walt or let Jilly die. If they had given him a third option where Eddie would be allowed to kill himself, he would have taken that. The lost boy known as Abraham did the deed and he made him pay by breaking his neck. However, deep in his soul Eddie knew it wouldn’t bring Jilly back.

The young man stood up as sitting against the wall was hurting his back. He walked a little ways, rubbing his hand against the white concrete wall. He fought his best to focus on the task at hand. Jilly was gone but to the best of his knowledge, Bonnie was alive. Ben had mentioned plans to dump them on an Island to allow them the chance to “survive”. Like a modern version of Adam and Eve. The crazed scientist also said that he was going to wipe Eddie’s memory with Ethan’s mind-wipe formula, which was used on Charlie and then Claire by accident. He would remember Bonnie and how much he loved her. He would forget his mother and Jilly.

But Eddie didn’t want to forget.

He wanted to remember the pain. He wanted to remember the hate. And when the time came, he was going to make Matt and Ben suffer for what they had done. Eddie rubbed his eyes, trying to remove the headache of his crying. Then a loud beep got his attention. He then looked around toward the door but saw nothing. Then more beeps echoed by the door in quick succession.

The door then slowly cracked opened.

Eddie blinked at what he was seeing. The door was not opening all the way, nor was there anybody coming in the room. Trap, as the first thing on Eddie’s mind. The young then began to step forward. He reached the door and gently touched it with his finger tips. Slowly, he pushed it forward. Eddie stuck his head out into the hallway which was empty. No guards, nothing. Took a deep breath and walked a little ways from the door. If they were letting him out, why do it this way?

The hallway consisted of three more doors. Eddie stepped a little ways toward the other doors. At the second one, he jiggled the handle but as expected, it was locked. Eddie then proceeded to walk down a little more toward the third door. Then the control panel by the door flashed a series of beeps on it’s panel and then the third door clicked open. Eddie stopped. It seemed like he was being led somewhere. But where?

Eddie pushed the door opened and looked inside. The young man then looked at the room which was filled with computers and computers screens. In the split of an second, he counted 12 screens. Then one of them flickered in front of him with green words; in a computerized shape he was all familiar with.

EDDIE
WHY ARE YOU HERE?

Eddie sat down at the console and then started to type on the keyboard. “Athena, is that you?” he typed.

YES IT IS I
WHY ARE YOU AT HANSO FOUNDATION?

The young man wiped his mouth and typed, “Because they want to take me to the Island where you are. Against my will.”

WHY?

“It’s complicated.” He typed back.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND.

“They believe that they are pursuing Natural Selection and they are going to succeed with me and my friend. But I won’t let them because I don’t wish it.”

WHY DO YOU NOT WISH IT?

“Because my fate is my own.” Eddie typed.

Eddie thought he heard something. He looked out into the hallway but no one was there. He turned back to the screen but couldn’t see anything. The young man coughed and then typed in, “Athena, do you understand?”

YES
I UNDERSTAND, EDDIE.

“Thank you.” He typed. Eddie was then about to type in a request for help from the super computer but new words began to appear.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANT TOO, EDDIE.

The young man smirked. He figured he’d humor her for a few minutes. “What do you want, Athena?” he typed.

TO KNOW WHO I AM.

The young man scratched his head. Was he seriously talking to a sentient computer with self-discovery issues? Again before he could type in a response, more words flickered onto the screen.

EDDIE
YOU SPOKE OF YOUR FRIEND WHO SPOKE TO WATCHMAN
WHO IS THAT?

Eddie typed in, “Her name is Mia.”

BRING MIA TO ME.

Eddie blinked. He knew for a fact, from what the super computer was talking about and judging from what he heard from Ben; that Athena was on a remote Island. Just like the Watchman, she had been left there to tend to experiments. Eddie then typed, “I don’t know where you are and not to mention the fact, I am captured.”

325 BY 216 LATTITUDE AND LONGITUDE.
YOU WILL NOT BE CAPTURED MUCH LONGER
WHEN BEN GETS READY TO MOVE YOU AND YOUR FRIEND TO MY ISLAND
YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY TO ESCAPE

“I wish it was that simple.” He typed.

YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL ESCAPE?

“I’m going to try but I don’t know if I will succeed.”

I WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN.

“That’s great,” he typed in quickly feeling better, “Can you lead me out of here? Toward my friend? Her name is Bonnie.”

I WILL SCAN FOR HER.
WHILE I SCAN, MAY I MAKE A REQUEST?

Eddie blinked again, wondering how long he should wait. “Sure.” He typed.

I THINK IT WOULD MAKE STACY FEEL BETTER IF SHE COULD SEE SOMEONE FROM AMERICA. THE CAMERA FEEDS ARE ERRODED AND THE TRANSMISSION OF AUDIO IS COMPLETELY BROKEN. SHE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU BUT NOT HEAR YOU. HOWEVER, I THINK IT WILL MAKE HER FEEL BETTER.

The young man was confused and curious. “Who is Stacy?” she typed.

THE GIRL SITTING AT MY CONSOLE.

Eddie gasped at what the computer just told him. If Stacy was sitting at her console, that meant that she was on the Island where Athena was. The young man then quickly typed, “Yes, turn the cameras on.”

Then toward his left the screen flickered on. It was a camera angle, bursting with static. On the gray camera feel, Eddie could see a teenaged girl, probably around his age or older. She was holding her arms with both her hands, staring at the screen. Then she covered her mouth with her hands, looking at a monitor. Eddie stared at the screen, looking at her in a control room similar to the Argo’s control room back at the Shark Tank. The girl then waved to the camera high above her head. The young man then looked around and saw the camera near the monitor above the one he was looking at. He promptly waved back and all this could do was increase Stacy’s excitement.

The young girl then wrote down something on a nearby pad. She quickly got out of her seat and ran over toward the camera on the ceiling. She held it up as high as she could, enabling Eddie to see what she wrote.

Will you help us?

Eddie took a deep sigh. There was a group of people stuck on an island similar to him 7 years ago. He waited till Stacy ran back to the monitor to look at him. Eddie then immediately gave a “thumbs-up” to the camera. This caused the young girl to start crying as she buried her head into her arms on the table. Eddie could tell it was a “relief” crying. Then the camera drew back to static, and Stacy disappeared. Words began to flock on the screen in front of Eddie.

I UNDERSTAND.
HUMANS MUST HAVE HOPE

“Yeah, we need it.” Eddie typed.

I WILL HELP YOU WHEN I CAN EDDIE.
I WILL MONITOR THE CAMERA AND COMPUTER FEEDS WITHOUT HANSO PERSONNEL KNOWING.
THERE . . . . . .

Eddie then panicked. He knew what would happen when a person was interrupted talking but what did it mean when a computer was? “Athena, what is wrong?” he typed.

DETECTED TRANSMISSION FROM ISLAND IN SOUTH PACIFIC TO CALIFORNIAN COASTLINE REGION.
QUERY= WHY IS THIS?

The young man then heard what she had said. Island in the South Pacific? Could that be his Island? Eddie then quickly typed, “Athena, do you recognize this transmission’s carrier wave or something?”

I RECOGNIZE THE WAVELENGTH FREQUENCY
I USE IT

Eddie nearly laughed. That meant it was from his Island. However, he couldn’t comprehend why a transmission from the Island would make it to California. “Can you trace it’s purpose?” he typed.

SCANNING INDICATES IT IS A REBOOT AND RESTART SIGNAL.

“Reboot and restart?” Eddie whispered.

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

The LA river basin collected at many drop off points. When the river was let out of it’s dam, it flowed easily, carrying items with it. Mostly this was where dirt, debris, metal scrap and even the occasional dead animal wound up in one of these collection spots. At the moment it housed a dead Jaeger Unit named Raven. The cyborg laid on the bed of trash, with the water flowing over him into the metal crate. His poison capsule was detonated by Liberation soldiers who panicked, thinking they couldn’t defeat him. Then an internal receptor within his skull blinked to life.

And dead quickly became “dormant.”

Raven screamed as he lurched back to life. He gripped onto his stomach, feeling a massive surge of pain. He coughed, feeling like he was going to puke. The Jaeger Unit then twitched over. He fought to stand on his feet, but the pain was getting to the point where he was about to double over yet again. Then a feeling of coolness washed over his legs. His back was starting to feel better and the nauseous feeling in his stomach was going away. Raven sighed and coughed, amazed about how fast he could heal.

STAND BY, RAVEN.

The Jaeger Unit then yelped at the voice that just spoke that behind him. He turned and looked down the concrete causeway but could see no one. He then looked around up at the river before him as it pasted under his feet.

THIS UNIT HAS ACTIVATED YOUR ENDORPHINS IN YOUR BRAIN.
THIS SHOULD MAKE THE PAIN GO AWAY.

Raven heard the voice again. He then started to tap his ear. The Jaeger Unit had laughed, when he understood what it was. It merely alarmed him because he hadn’t heard that particular voice in 6 years. “Watchman, are you back on line?” he laughed, knowing the super computer could hear him.

NEGATIVE
THIS UNIT IS BASIC CODE THAT SYMBOLIZES WATCHMAN SYSTEM.
THIS UNIT IS NOT WATCHMAN.

“You know what I mean.” He grunted, leaning on the wall, “What happened to me?”

SCAN OF BODILY FUNCTIONS INDICATES POISON CAPSULE WAS DETONATED.

Raven stopped. He remembered the poison capsule was detonated by his own hands to end his suffering and the suffering of his fellow Jaegers. However, why would he had another poison capsule? Watchman never needed those to keep the security systems in line. “Why did you rebuild me with a poison capsule anyway?” he asked the computer transmission.

THIS UNIT DID NOT PLACE A POISON CAPSULE IN RAVEN’S SYSTEM.

“But you just said it was detonated.” The Jaeger said, crawling up to the main embankment.

THE POISON CAPSULE STRUCTURE WAS INTACT.
THIS UNIT REBUILT RAVEN TO BECOME SECURITY SYSTEM # 4
MOST OF THE PARTS WERE RESTRUCTURED
NEW ONES WERE PLACED
THIS UNIT WAS UNAWARE THAT POISON CAPSULE WAS STILL CAPABLE OF BEING DETONATED
THE CAPSULE EXPLODED BUT NO POISON WAS IN SAID CAPSULE.
CONCLUSION = THIS UNIT GAVE RAVEN A DESIGN FLAW BY ACCIDENT.

Raven sat up on the embankment, taking a deep breath. He coughed and looked at the river flowing before him. “So, if they didn’t kill me,” the cyborg whispered, “What happened to me?”

YOU SHORTED OUT.

“Lovely,” Raven smirked. He then adjusted his mask, “So, Watchman Computer . . .My Jenny . . .Jenny was taken from me. Are you aware of this?”

NEGATIVE.

“Damn it.” The cyborg grunted, “Then . . . .did you ever trace Jenny’s electromagnetic signal?”

NEGATIVE.

“Then I have no way to find her.” Raven sighed, fearing the worst.

QUERY = WHAT IS THE STATUS OF EDDIE AND MIA?

Raven raised his head after hearing the computerized voice mention those two specific people. The ones who were closest to Watchman before he injected his memory into MOLE and went into space. “Why are you asking me about them?” Raven asked.

THIS UNIT DESIGNED TO TRACK THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNALS OF EDDIE AND MIA.
THE SIGNAL FOR EDDIE CAN NO LONGER BE FOUND.
THE SIGNAL FOR MIA IS WEAK. THIS UNIT IS BARELY ABLE TO PIN POINT HER SIGNAL.
QUERY = IS MIA HURT AND IS EDDIE DEAD?

Raven heard the words of the machine that rebuilt him. Why would Mia and Eddie be in danger? Possibly even hurt. Then he thought to who would bother attacking Jenny not to mention have the ability to detonate the remains of the capsule in his stomach. “The Dharma Group.” He whispered.

It was the only thing that made sense. They had come back for him and her. By why her? Raven then stood up. “Watchman, I believe the Dharma Group is attacking my friends.” He said, “Are the Watchman Prodigals still in effect?”

THEY WERE NEVER TURNED OFF.

“Then you can trace Mia’s signal and tell me of it’s location?”

AFFIRMATIVE
MIA IS 38.2 MILES SOUTH, SOUTHWEST OF YOUR POSITION.

Raven then got up on the embankment as amid the cars going by on the highway. He then proceeded to run toward that direction. Thirty eight miles for Raven could be covered in under 15 minutes. He pushed his legs further, feeling the burning of his muscles and the inner hydraulics that Watchman gave him. He ducked behind a side alleyway to continue running toward the South West direction. Hopefully in the next thirty minutes, he’ll arrive at where Mia was and figure out what is going on.

RAVEN UNIT IS OPERATIONAL
THIS UNIT IS GOING TO ASSIST WITH WATCHMAN PRODIGALS.
EDDIE MUST REMAIN SAFE
MIA MUST REMAIN SAFE.

“Thanks, Watchman. For Everything,” Raven said as he ran, “How can you help us?”

BY MAINTAINING THE PRODIGALS.

“I don’t understand. How will that help us?”

MAINTAINING THE PRODIGALS MEANS MAINTAINING THE PROTECTION OF EDDIE AND MIA.
PROTECTION IS IN ROUTE TO YOUR LOCATION.

Raven continued to run thinking on what the computer told him. He could feel the pounding of the asphalt under his feet as he ran and thought about what Watchman was trying to tell him. Then it occurred to him. What sort of “protection” could Watchman send their way? The only thing that seemed logical was the way Watchman was protected and the Island itself.

The Security Systems.

“Holy shit.” Raven laughed, as he ran.

Part 461: The Safe House

2006-12-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

3:49 pm

Tony finally got off the turn pike and sped down the main access of the road without trying to draw any attention. Marita was dialing on the cell phone, trying to raise Yolanda but she couldn’t get her. Tristan was sitting in the back, finally getting his heart to slow down. He had been trained to fight, same as Eddie. However, he never expected himself to be put in a life or death situation for real. Now the trained warrior wondered what the next move would be.

Tony finally cut across the long access of the side street, then past sever suburban homes. At the end of the road, amid the palm trees and tall grass was a small two story building which was Hurley’s Beach House. Tony then stopped the vehicle and turned left into a parking structure. He quickly rolled down his window and pressed the button to receive the parking ticket. “Tony, why are we parking here?” Marita asked.

“We’re supposed to.” He said, quickly parking the vehicle, “We don’t know the state of what our friends will be at and that drive way won’t hold that many cars.”

The three people got out of the vehicle and swiftly jogged over to the beach house. Tony quickly got up the steps. He tried to open the door but it was locked. The one-eyed doctor then proceeded to start banging on the door. He looked up to the peerhole and then saw the light change. As he hoped, someone was already there. The door then opened and it was Sawyer, holding a shotgun. “Come on in, Cochise.” He told him.

Tony walked in with Marita and Tristan. McKay then stood up from the couch, as he was holding hands with his wife Taylor. Shannon was comforting Andra on the couch, as the lost young woman was worried about her brother and sister. The one-eyed doctor then held out his arms. “McKay, is this all that’s made it?” he asked him.

“So far,” the Australian concluded, “I’ve been trying to raise Alexander and I can’t get him. Mandy and Locke are on their way.”

“Anybody else you manage to call?” Marita asked.

“No, but only one person has called us,” he pointed toward the phone, “Barbara did as she was told. She got on a plane and is headed here right now. However, she wants us to call her the moment we know Eddie and Jilly is safe.”

“I don’t know about Jilly but the bad news is Eddie is not safe.” Tony said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead.

“What the hell happened to Eddie?” McKay exclaimed.

“Dharma has him.” The one-eyed doctor turned around, “This is Tristan Kuma. He’s Eddie’s best friend from school. He came to the Trascal house looking for him and became unforuantely trapped by the people attacking us. I saved him and brought him here.”

“Hey,” the Asian teenager waved to them.

“Hey, yourself kid,” Sawyer said, holding the shotgun over his shoulder, “Welcome to our war.”

“Where is Sayid?” Tony asked Shannon.

“Downstairs,” the blonde pointed, “He’s loading up some guns, making sure they are okay.”

The door then started knocking again. Sawyer turned around and looked through the peer hole. “HOLY CRAP!!” he screamed.

The redneck then opened up the door quickly. The other survivors turned around and gasped at the sight before them. John stumbled in the living room, holding Mia who was bleeding all over him. “MIA!” Marita screamed.

“Tony . .help me. .” John said, fighting back his tears.

“WHERE’S THE INFIRMARY?” Tony screamed to his friends that were already in the beach house.

“It’s in the back, Cochise!” Sawyer pointed.

Tony and Marita ran toward the back, and quickly found the master bedroom that had been transformed into a small medical ward. The one-eyed doctor quickly turned on the lights and rushed to the sink; washing his hands. Marita the scrubbed her hands with cleanser and then started to assemble surgery tools like her husband had told her so many times. John placed Mia down on the gurney. She coughed a little bit, as he moved to the side. “How long has she been like that?” Tony asked.

“Just . . .over . .thirty minutes, I think,” the archer wept, “Please, Tony . . .don’t let her die . . .”

“I’m not, John,” he replied, putting on latex gloves, “Marita, look on that chart and find out what Mia’s blood type is.”

The Latina then maneuvered over the rolling tray of surgical tools, then rushed over to the big refridgerator. There was a clip board hanging onto it. Marita then looked over the list of every single survivor and found Mia’s name next to B +. Then she opened the fridge and fished out two large IV packs of blood. She then placed them on IV stands and rushed them over. Tony immediately started to die on a tourniquet to get the IV drip into it. “Her pulse is low.” The doctor said, checking her vitals, “ I’m amazed she is still alive after bleeding like this for thirty minutes.”

“She’s got a lot to live for.” John said, wiping his tears.

“Mia’s always been the strong one, John.” Marita said, putting a surgical mask on her husband.

“It’s not just that.” The archer took a deep breath, “They . . .they got our daughter.”

“Shelley?” the Latina gasped.

“Why . . .why would Dharma want our children?”

“I don’t know, John. Maybe the same reason Ethan wanted Aaron before he was even born. We don’t know their purpose yet but we will.” Tony grunted as he started to sew up Mia, “But right now, I need to focus on getting Mia taken care of. Please step out into the other rooms, John.”

“I’m not leaving my wife, Tony.” The archer immediately retorted.

“John . . .” Mia whispered.

The gym teacher quickly leaned down. “Mia?” he said, holding her head.

“Do what . . . .Tony says . . . .I’ll be okay . . .” the Lakota struggled to talk.

The archer closed his eyes and kissed her. Mia managed to reply with a kiss of her own but it was a struggle. John then stood up and wiped his tears, smiling at Marita and Tony. ”Like you said,” he winced a bit, “She’s . . . .the strong one.”

The archer then walked out into the hallway where his Australian friend was waiting for him. McKay put his arm around his good friend and led him into the living room. At the moment, there was nothing more to do but wait.

Sayid checked the breech of the Uzi 9MM. He checked and made sure it was cleaned. He then started to load up ever pistol he could find. “Sayid?” Shannon called.

“Down here, Shannon.” He called to his fiancé.

The tall blonde made her way down the stairs to the basement. She held onto her arms as she looked over the long table. The Iraqi loaded up a weapon and then placed it down. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Kinda.” She whispered.

“Has anybody else arrived?”

“Mia and John came . . .Mia was shot . . .”

“How bad?” Sayid inquired.

“She was still alive and Tony is fixing her up . . . .Hurley and Joscelyn are here, same with Ana-Lucia . . . that’s about it.”

“More will come.” Her fiancé smiled, “You’ll see.”

“Sayid . . .they . . . McKay can’t get hold of Alexander . . . .He . . .he and Flower were babysitting Bridgett . . .”

The Middle Easterner knew where this was leading. He calmly placed down the gun he was loading and walked over to her. She fell into his embrace, weeping up a storm. Sayid gently stroked her soft hair as she continued to cry into his shoulder. “They are fine.” He whispered to her, “I have my faith that we will see this through.”

“I can’t lose her again, Sayid,” the tall blonde cried, “I can’t.”

“You won’t. She will be fine. She has Boone and Mandy’s strength.”

The blonde then maneuver back and then kissed Sayid. The Iraqi held her close as her gentle kissed filled his soul with joy. As they parted, Shannon wiped her tears and smiled. Sayid smiled at her too. “Not that I mind but what was that for?” the soldier inquired to the kiss.

“For always . . .understanding.” she smiled, rubbing his neck.

“I’LL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!” Seth screamed.

The group did their best to calm down the lead singer, as he wanted to throw things around to vent his anger. The Liberation had returned to plague their lives, not to mention shot at his wife and stole his son. McKay grunted as he held onto the younger man. “Seth, no one is arguing about what they did to us but we need to get with this on a cool head.” The Australian grunted.

“We need to head over there now!” the singer pulled his arm away, “The longer we wait, the more likely it is they’ll leave the country with our kids.”

“You don’t know that.” John said, leaning up from the couch.

“Don’t tell me what I should or shouldn’t know, John. You got no idea-“

The archer then stood up and looked at him. “I got no idea about what?” he inquired, “How it feels? Be lucky, Seth that Tanya wasn’t shot. Mia was and my daughter was taken as well, so besides a few bullets, YOU AND ME ARE IN THE SAME BOAT!”

The lead singer finally calm downed. Hearing John’s dilemma, made him feel horrible. He wasn’t the only one who was upset and some had a reason to be more upset than others. Seth rubbed his forehead and sighed. “I’m sorry, John,” he said, rubbing the tears out of his eyes, “All of this . . .has left me shaken . . .”

John walked over and placed his hand on his shoulder. “I know, man,” he sighed, “ But let’s keep our heads on this one. And make sure our children come back to us in one piece.”

“Agreed.” He said, patting his arm.

Mandy sat on the couch with Taylor and Shannon by her side. The three friends held onto each other. The young woman was trying not to cry. She knew that Bridgett was taken, she knew. The fact that Shelley, Brendon and Aaron were gone almost surely meant that her daughter was taken too. Now she simply prayed for her safe return, not to mention Alexander and Flower’s safety. The door started banging again, so Ana-Lucia joined Sawyer in guarding the door. They quickly opened it, to allow Kellye into the building. The cop quickly took off her jacket, and then moment she saw her superior officer; she too her by the arm. “Jenny is not at her house.” She coughed, “I couldn’t find Raven either. Just the hint of smoke and her poor dog yapping his head off.”

“I know. We can’t get Jack nor Kate on the phone either.” The Latina then patted her friend on the shoulder, “Is your mom and little brother okay?”

“Yeah. He took mom in her Sedan and hauled ass toward the mountains like the plan.”

“Yeah, my sister and Dereck took the kids to the same designated area.” Joscelyn piped in.

“Oh, man,” Sawyer stared out the window, “Has Tony got Mia taken care of yet?”

“Yeah, he finally moved her into one of the other bedrooms.” John told him.

“Then he’s got one more coming in.” the redneck quickly opened the door.

McKay peered out and he saw Alexander walking up the steps, holding onto Flower. He was covered in blood and her skin was a pale white. The moment he got into the door, the older Australian rushed over and checked her pulse. There wasn’t one. Andra screamed at the sight of her fallen sister. Mandy stared at Alexander who was soaked in sweat. McKay then gently held out his arms. “Give her to me, boy,” he whispered, “I’ll take care of her.”

Alexander stared at the man he loved and respected the most in his life. He slowly handed the body of his sister over to her. McKay then proceeded toward the back to one of the other rooms with Andra and Shanna in tow. The young blonde man then stood there and proceeded to look to Mandy, who held her hand over her chest. He then took small steps in that direction toward her. He stopped in front of her as she stared at him, with tears flowing down her cheeks. “Forgive me.” He whispered, “I couldn’t get to her fast enough.”

She then placed her hands on his cheeks. “This is not your fault, Alexander.” She whispered, “We’ll get Bridgett back. And we will get on with our lives.”

“Yes, we will get her back.” He whispered, feeling a deep sense of relief that she didn’t blame him.

“Alexander . . how did you get here?” Taylor inquired, knowing he couldn’t drive.

“I ran.” He said plainly.

Mandy was amazed that he ran that whole way, and it explained why his clothes were more soaked in sweat that in blood. She then took him by the hand and began to lead him to the back rooms for a change of clothes. Locke watched as they walked away, as he leaned up against the wall. The majority of their friends were still missing. One by one they were slowly arriving but it was certain people he was worried about the most. Like for instance, where was Raven? How could these people have taken out Raven? It was the question mostly on Ecko’s mind. The Nigerian was concerned about the welfare of his friend who spend 7 years with him on the Island. Natasha did her best to comfort her friend but it was only barely working.

Sawyer kept the door open, watching for his friends, police and any Liberation that might have followed them. He hoped only the survivors would make it but he could never be sure. John sat next to Seth, Charlie and Claire as the blonde Australian silently wept for the loss of her son. The archer wondered what their next play would be. Every fiber of his being wanted to run out the door, drive to Dharma and kill every one of them. How dare they. How dare they shoot his wife and kidnap his daughter? His thoughts were interrupted by another group of people arriving at the beach house. “Hey, guys,” Hal said, as he helped a bleeding Chance walk, “Please tell me Jack or Tony or both of them are here?”

“Yeah, Tony is in the infirmary,” Sawyer pointed.

Chance grunted as he hoped along, using Hal as a crutch. The moment Libby walked in, Karleigh and Kellye rushed over to embrace her. She held onto them, feeling safer being near her friends. The others comforted Arizona, telling her that her husband was in good hands. Sawyer wondered how much more were going to be able to make it. Shanna was safe and sound but where was Kate. He knew that she loved Jack more than him. The redneck had accepted it but it still didn’t mean he didn’t have feelings for her.

“Sawyer?” Kate said behind him.

“FRECKLES?” he gasped, swiftly turning around.

Kate offered up a weak smile as she stood in the doorway, wearing her jeans and a hospital gown. “What did I miss?” she sniffed.

Part 460: Bullets For Hal

2006-12-01T08:17:00.000-08:00

3:14 pm

The view of the lake house was beautiful but Hal always said it looked even more inviting in winter. They never got snow up in that area but sometimes, in the early morning; the cold vapors would glide upward from the lake. The cop always knew this because he never missed a sun rise. It was the way in which he honored his son.

Libby calmly sipped on her hot tea as she stared out the window. The leaves were flickering in the wind; almost skipping across the lake. Outside, Chance and Hal were laughing as they sat on the patio; listening to the radio with details of a local football game. Arizona joined her, helping herself to a cup of tea. “It’s a shame we don’t live here all the time.” The brunette said, “I think Hal and Chance would be best friends in another life.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet they could have been hell raisers if they were in High School.” The therapist giggled.

“So . . .soon you will be Libby Mancuso.” Arizona nudged her.

“I like the way it roles off the tongue. Maybe when Hal retires, we can form a private detective husband and wife duo, like Hart To Hart.”

“Who?” the Texan raised an eyebrow.

“Hart To Hart?” the therapist shook her head, “The TV show? With Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers?”

“I’m sorry Libby, but I don’t know what that show was.”

The therapist took a deep sigh and sipped on her tea. “I’m very old.” She whispered.

Outside Hal and Chance chuckled as they enjoyed a few beers, listening to the football game. The local minor team the Enforcers has been the visiting team the Penguins. The Texan never followed the minors but Hal did and he brought him up to speed on which player was the best. After the game had been played, they laughed at the thought of imagining the poor Penguins mascot getting hit by the running back from the other team. “I’ve seen referees get hit but rarely have I seen mascots.” Chance laughed.

“It just winds up making it even hilarious.” Hal said, finishing his beer.

“Well, Hal. I’m gonna hate leaving this place.”

“You ever considered moving here?” the cop raised an eyebrow, “Hell, a few of the survivors did. You know we are all family.”

“I must admit, it’s tempting. However, I can’t leave Texas for too long.” Chance sipped his beer, “I’m too use to it.”

“What does Arizona think? She ever mention it?”

“All the time.” The gunslinger laughed, “But in the end, that’s where our family is. The ones that are living anyway.”

“I suppose it’s just all the same.” Hal picked up his empty beer cans, “I suppose if you had the chance to be around me all the time, you’d probably find me disagreeable.”

Chance laughed as he put his empty can in Hal’s little trash bag. Hal proceeded to then walk up the stairs of the patio back to the house.

He stopped when he heard automatic gun fire.

Chance lurched up from his lounge chair and looked up toward the sound of the gunfire. Hal looked back at him and then back up the door. Then within seconds, Libby and Arizona darted out the back door; running as fast as they can through down the stars. Hal quickly threw his trash bag to the side. “COME ON!” he screamed, as he ran down the stairs to the backyard.

Chance waited till Libby and Arizona joined the, then followed their detective friend. Hal landed on the grass and then cut toward his right; running under the platform of the stairs. This led to the outside door to his basement, which he rammed open. His fiancé, and his two friends quickly followed him. The moment they got in, they all crouched low. Hal peered up from the glass vents under the bushes. The men were still firing their guns into the house, as he hear the destruction of his property coming from above. “We got maybe five minutes before they realize we are not up there.” Hal told his friends.

“How many did you see?” Chance asked his wife.

“Five . . .no, no wait . . .maybe 8.” The brunette said.

“Hal, what do we do?” Libby asked.

Hal then looked up to the ceiling when he heard the gunfire cease. He then darted to a side closet. He quickly opened it and pulled out a black duffle bag. The cop then placed it onto the table and unzipped it; seeing a small array of hand guns. Chance didn’t bother to ask where they came from; he simply grabbed two and loaded them up. “Bullets on the counter,” the detective pointed.

Chance quickly started to load as many clips as fast as he could. Arizona then took a .357 magnum and the speed loader it was resting next. Libby could see the men marching toward the house. In a few minutes, they’ll know they ran out the back and it’ll be a matter of simple deduction to find them in the basement. Hal then leaned over to another counter and slid out a long drawer. He then pulled out a bullet proof vest. Striding over to his fiancé, he held it up to her. “Put this on.” He ordered.

“Hal, what?” she stammered.

“Libby, don’t argue with me, just put it on.” Hal said shoving it over her head.

“Wait, Hal, where is yours?” the therapist said, as he strapped it on her.

“Only got one.” He whispered.

“NO, Hal . . .you should wear this, in case . . “

The cop then cupped her by the cheeks and kissed her heavily. Libby held onto his wrists as he did so. Arizona and Chance watched them. The brunette felt the same desire to get out alive but if the roles were reversed; she knew Chance would place it on her regardless of his own safety. Hal parted from Libby and let his forehead rest on hers. She wept silently as he held onto her. “No one I love . . .will ever die near me again.” He whispered.

Libby knew he was talking about his son. Now he had made the same vow to include her. Hal then parted from her and picked up three pistols. “What’s the plan, Hal?” Chance asked.

“You got the keys to your truck?” he asked.

“I do.” Arizona said, picking them out of her pocket.

“We make a run for your truck. Chance and I will provide cover fire.” The cop pointed,” Then we haul ass as far away as we can.”

“Any idea who these guys are?” Libby said in sheer terror.

“We’ll worry about that later.” The detective pointed toward his Texan friends, “You ready?”

“No, “ Chance admitted with a slight rush, “But let’s do it anyway.”

“GO!!”

Arizona grabbed Libby by the hand and ran out first. They immediately cut toward the right and circled the house. The brunette Texan could see her vehicle up at the top of the hill parked on the street. She then pulled her therapist friend with her as they ran up the hill. The moment they were past the house, the soldiers could see them. “HERE!!!” one of them screamed, “THEY ARE OUT HERE!! COME . . “

The soldier was silenced by a bullet ripping into his neck. He jolted back a foot as he flung into the air. The other soldiers were on the porch of the house and immediately opened fire on the two men. The two friends then ran out into the open and began to fire their pistols toward the men. One immediately fell down as the others took cover. Arizona and Libby still ran toward the truck, while bullets ricocheted in the ground near them as they ran. The Texan then ran toward the driver’s side while the therapist darted toward the passenger side. The moment she turned around the bed of the truck, a bullet struck her in the shoulder; spinning her like a top. “LIBBY!!” Arizona screamed as she got into the truck.

Hal turned to hear his friend all his wife name and from his point of view, he couldn’t see her. He fired again at the men, managing to clip one in the arm. Chance did his best to place his shots. Every one he fired, he hit the men. However, that type of precision left him open to attack. One bullet whizzed by his head, feeling the burning air near his air. “WHOA!” he ducked.

“CHANCE, COME ON!” Hal said, as he started to run up the hill.

The Texan ran after his friend as they proceeded up the hill. Pockets of dirt exploded near them as they ran. Hal looked up and was relived to see Libby crawling into the passenger side with Ari’s help. She may have been shot but at least she was alive. The cop then panicked when he heard Chance screaming.

He turned around in time to see his friend fall from a gun shot wound to the leg. His lower calf erupted in a pin-hole blossom of red as he felt to the ground. Hal then opened fire on the men and he could hear Arizona firing behind. The cop quickly jumped down, and grabbed his friend by the arm. Chance grunted as he put him in a fireman’s cradle and then started to run toward the truck.

The moment they arrived, Hal had to unfortunately fling Chance into the bed of the truck. The Texan grunted as he landed on the hard metal. Then when Hal reached the tailgate, he flipped himself over; landing just as hard as his friend did. Arizona then got into the drivers side of the truck. By the time, she put it into drive a bullet exploded a pin hole near her hand and punctured the windshield. She gasped over the fact that the projectile missed her left hand by inches.

The truck sped down the road and began to cut to the right. The woman heard a tapping on the glass behind her. She looked in the rear view mirror to see Hal frantically tapping the glass. She quickly grabbed the handle and slide it back. The cop then leaned toward his wife. “LIBBY!” he grunted, “Talk to me! Are you all right?”

“My shoulder hurts.” She told him.

“Any blood? Are you shot?”

The therapist tapped her shoulder and didn’t feel any sticky, red blood. “No,” she smiled, wincing a bit, “I think . . .the bullet bounced . . .off the vest.”

“Hal, is Chance all right?” Arizona said.

“He’s shot but it’s in the leg.” The cop leaned back, “He’ll make it.”

The male Texan leaned up against the side in the bed of the truck. He reached over into a tool box and lifted up the inner casing. Underneath was a red bandana; slightly dusty. Chance then leaned up and wrapped his wound; squeezing it. He grunted in mild pain. “I hope this doesn’t help it get infected.” He hissed through his teeth.

“You gonna make it, Chance?” Hal asked.

“You’re damn right, I’m gonna make it!” he yelled, slamming his hand, “Damn it, Hal! Who were those guys?”

“Hell if I know.” He said, leaning back, “They nearly shot my fiancé and shot at your wife too. I don’t think we’re dealing with anybody who’s got personal issues against me.”

The Texan looked at him, propping his leg up. “You think . . .this has got something . .to do with you and me?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Honestly . . .I hope not.”

The cop then paused as he could feel his beeper vibrating. He then reached toward his side and looked at the message on the small green screen.

SIT, SIT, SIT . . . .

Hal blinked. His memory started to fish for the details of Thanksgiving long ago. When Locke was talking about a contingency plan in case they were ever attacked all at once or needed some place to meet up in case of a problem. Hal thought the old man was just being paranoid. At the moment, it made all the sense in the world. Who had they fought before? Who would want them dead above all else? “HAL! CHANCE!” Arizona screamed from within the bed.

“What’s wrong, Ari?” Chance leaned up.

“I just got a call on my cell phone and an automated message just said, SIT, SIT, SIT!”

“It’s Locke’s Regroup plan.” Hal told them.

“Locke’s what?” Chance asked.

“Oh, yeah,” the detective smirked, “ You weren’t here that Thanksgiving.”

“Hal, what does this mean?” the Texan woman called from the front of the truck.

“Ari, head down town. Toward the police precinct. I got a pick up a map there that will tell us where to go.”

“What about Chance?”

“He’ll make it. We’re going to meet up with the other survivors and I’m sure Tony or Jack can patch him up.”

“Do what Hal says, baby!” Chance grunted, “I got a feeling he knows what’s going on.”

Arizona shook her head and immediately took the exit toward the highway to head downtown. Hal then unbuttoned his shirt and scooted over toward his gunslinger friend. He quickly used it to wrap his leg. “Hang on, Chance.” The cop told him.

“I’ll be fine, Hal,” he grunted, “Just tell me . . .the men that shot at us . . .was that the Liberation?”

“Probably.” He sighed.

“Shoulda known. Something in the back of my head told me we weren’t done with those bastards.”

“Yeah, well, we will be soon,” the detective promised, “I left Embry buried in the past. And the Liberation will stay there too.”

Part 459: The Attack on Turboshaft

2006-11-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

3:17 pm

Seth slowly woke up from his nap. He leaned over toward the nightstand to see what time it was. It was in the middle of the afternoon. He had to admit he enjoyed a life of a rock star. He partied most of the night, and during the day, he set up record deals and even worried about where his next music video would be filmed. The lead singer then looked around, seeing his wife Tanya on the nearby desk in the hotel suite. She was typing away on her lap top computer. “How is your MY Space profile coming?” he asked.

“I have to keep my fans happy.” She giggled.

Seth stood up and removed his shirt. He calmly walked over to the dresser and placed on a fresh one. The blonde woman stared at her husband with nothing but love in her eyes. Seth smirked as he combed his hair. “What’s that look all about?” he asked.

“Did you ever think you would have this life, rock star?” she asked.

“Actually, I didn’t,” he said, walking over to her, “But Fate let me to Charlie who had the connections. Now . . .Turboshaft is my dream made, reality.”

“You don’t know how happy that makes me.” Tanya said, standing up and hugging him.

“I know you’ve been patient with me, and I’ve loved every second spending this life with you.”

“I’ve been living vicariously through you, Sethie.” She giggled.

“I know that but I also know you weren’t prepared for this life. That’s why I wanted to make it up to you.”

Tanya slowly parted from him. Her soft blues eyes met his own with a slight look of concern. “Seth, what are you saying?” she inquired.

“Charlie, Dutch, Shanna, Karliegh and me have all been talking . . .we think we’ve reached a point in our career that Turboshaft is allowed a sabbatical.”

“Sabbatical?”

“Yeah, after we finished this tour, we’ve all agreed to take some time off to enjoy our personal lives.”

“Seth . .. are you serious?” Tanya said.

“We’ve got more than enough money to get by. Lords knows we could take five years off on just endorsement deals only. Heck, even Carrie Underwood is wanting to sing one of our songs and she’d have to pay us royalty fees.”

Tanya was nearly moved to tears with joy. She covered her mouth with her hands and stared up at her husband. “Five . .years?” she smiled, “Just . .just the three of us?”

“Just the three of us, baby.” He said, kissing her, “You’ve earned it.”

“Oh, I love you so much,” she said, holding onto his cheeks and kissing him.

Seth held onto Tanya as they stayed in the middle of the room. It was a life that he desired and he was so happy that Tanya went with them. Not to mention, they carried their son with them. Soon they would have the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Their son, Brendon, will able to go to school and meet lots of friends. The older singer wasn’t ashamed to admit he had his charismatic attitude. And like the Asian Brendon to Seth, Little Brendon has practically adoptive Aaron as his older brother. “Where are the boys now?” he asked.

“While you were taking your nap, the others decided to go to that Putt-Putt across the street.” Tanya pointed.

“Mini-Golf! Sweet, let’s go join them.” Seth said.

Tanya just laughed as she sat down on the bed to put her shoes on. One of the many things she loved about her husband as that, even though on the outside he’s a grown and responsible man; on the inside, he was still just a kid. She then took his hand as she led them out of the room.

Once they got to the back entrance, Seth looked around and then stopped Georgie; one of their hired roadies. He wasn’t exactly a bodyguard but he was close enough. The tall black man waved to them as he stood near the bus. “Hey, Georgie!” Seth called, “Where are the boys?”

The black man pointed across the street. The Mini-Golf area had a tropical theme. There were large plastic versions of Giraffes, Lions, and Elephants. There was a small area on the corner of the entrance, where there was a typical hot dog stand. Charlie and Claire were over there with Aaron, while Brendon was hanging out with Karleigh and Shanna. Dutch laughed at the little kid joking that he was more of a stud than the lead guitarist. “Hot Dogs sounds pretty good right about now.” Seth commented as they got ready to walk across the street.

Tanya then laughed and pointed toward the Mini-Golf area. “Seth, look!” she laughed, “That Giraffe . . .looks pissed off.”

Seth smirked at the sight of it and it’s misshapen face. The leader singer just shook his head. “If there was one animal I’ve always wanted, it would be a pissed off giraffe.” He commented.

Their laughter was then interrupted by an SUV speeding toward them. Seth instinctly grabbed Tanya to move her out of the way. Georgie then got between them and the vehicle, wondering what was going on. Then another man hopped out of the passenger side. The blonde wife managed to have enough time to scream when she saw the assailant hoist out a shotgun from his overcoat. Georgie then grabbed Seth by the collar, forcing both of them back. The black man then did his best to get his gun out of his shoulder holster. However, the massive amount of buckshot slicing into his chest prevented such heroism. The big man flew up into the air by three feet, then landed on the asphalt parking lot with a loud, wet thud.

Charlie leaned up at the sound of gun fire noticing that Seth and Tanya were being fired on. By the time he stood up, poor Georgie was already dead. Then another man stood from the opposite side of the SUV, holding a strange shotgun type weapon. When he fired it toward them, it dropped a canister right on their table, spewing an awful gas. Charlie and Claire tried to get up but the fumes were knocking them out. Dutch tried to get up too but he found his eyes swelling up and his lungs burning. He had never been tear-gassed before but there was a first time for everything.

By the time the band was trying to get to their feet, two of the men had walked over with gas masks. One of the men gave Dutch a swift kick to his stomach, forcing him to take in more air and definitely more tear gas. The soldier then picked up the coughing from of Brendon. The other soldier then picked Aaron. “DADDY!” he tried to struggle.

“NO!” Charlie grunted as he made a move to grab the soldier.

However, the musician’s eyes were blurry and his nose was burning. He didn’t have the ability to make a decent fight. It allowed the soldier to ram his elbow into Charlie’s face. The guitarist grunted as blood shot out from his lower lip. The two soldiers then walked back to the SUV, while the other man fired on Seth. Once he left his rounds of his shotgun, he then opened fire with an UZI.

Seth and Tanya hid behind a parked truck. The bullet riddled into the side of the vehicle. The blonde woman was screaming in fear but the lead singer held onto her. One bullet ricocheted and took out the side window of their tour bus. Seth held up his arms, covering his wife best he could from the debris. Then the bullet barrage had stopped. Seth then looked back and saw his son, plus Aaron squirming in the arms of the men taking them. He saw his friend immobilized by the tear gas so he was the only one who had any chance of retrieving them. “They are taking Brendon and Aaron.” He whispered to his wife.

“WHAT?” she screamed in reply.

“Stay here.” He said, as he jumped up.

“SEETTTHHHH!!!” Tanya screamed.

The lead singer then darted across the parking lot. He quickly ran up to the body of his fallen bodyguard. He then grabbed the gun out of his shoulder holster and then ran after the SUV, as it was in the middle of turning around. The singer grunted as he felt his legs burning from the running up the street. However, the vehicle had his son and he wouldn’t let him go so easily.

Seth then made a wild jump and managed to grab the top rail of the back of the vehicle. He grunted as his force cracked open the back windshield. By the time he got his footing, he saw one of the men pointing the shotgun at him. Brendon screamed for his father to let go. The singer took his son’s advice and immediately jumped from the vehicle. The back windshield exploded in an array of glass and buckshot. Seth grunted as he landed hard on the asphalt road below; rolling with the momentum. The singer turned around just enough to see the black vehicle disappear over a side road. He didn’t even have enough time to get the license plate. “DAMN IT!!” he screamed.

Seth then stood up and began limping back down the side road between the Mini-Golf course and the hotel. He had a severe pain in his left thigh but he ignored it. He wondered what this was about. Who would have the resources for a tear-gas gun, not to mention be able to purchase an Uzi? It had been some years but even the way these men dressed seemed familiar to him. He was coming up with only one answer and he didn’t like it one bit.

By the time he walked back to the parking lot, Dutch had vomited. He finally grabbed a water bottled and doused his face with it; washing off the majority of the effects of the tear-gas but not all of it. Karliegh was trying to catch her breath. Shanna was holding onto Tanya who wouldn’t stop crying. Claire was in shock; but not devastated. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time Aaron was taken from her. Charlie was staring down at the body of Georgie, then crossed himself. “Let your eternal light shine down on him, O’Lord.” The musician whispered.

“They got both of them.” Seth whispered.

“Seth!” Tanya screamed, “WHY???”

“It’s a ransom demand.” Dutch coughed, “We need to call Hal and the cops.”

“It’s not a ransom demand.” The lead singer whispered, as a tear slid down his cheek, “No kidnappers would open fire . . on the people that was going to pay them off.”

“Seth, what are you saying?” Karleigh coughed.

“The Liberation.” Claire whispered, trying to keep from collapsing.

“NO BLOODY WAY!!” Charlie protested, “ This is a ransom attack nothing more. We need to call the cops right now!”

“Charlie, think of it. Who else we know could be this well equipped?” Seth mentioned.

Before Charlie could say anything else, his cell phone began to ring. As he hoisted it up from his holder on his belt, Seth’s cell phone began to ring. Then Dutch’s cell phone started to sing it’s ringtone. Shanna then heard Karliegh’s cell phone erupt to life, then her heard. Seth looked at all his friend, wondering why they would be getting a cell phone call all at the same time. The lead singer then answered his phone as did everybody. After a few sort seconds, they then all looked at their phones. Seth was the on who remembered something immediately. “A computer voice just said SIT, SIT, SIT on my phone.” Shanna whispered.

“SIT?” Dutch coughed, “Why . .why does that sound familiar?”

“Because a few years ago, you weren’t listening to Locke during thanksgiving dinner.” Seth said, dialing a number, “He mentioned he was going to create an automated message program that would call us all at once. Just in case we were all attacked at once or for some reason, needed to meet some where.”

“Seth, who . . .who are you calling?” Tanya tried to calm herself.

Seth stared into the air, as he listened. Then he winced at someone on the other end. It was an answering machine. “MIA, PICK UP THE PHONE!!” he bellowed.

Dutch stared at him, then immediately started dialing a number. Karleigh then started to dial another number, as did Shanna. Seth grunted as he looked back at his phone, hanging up the call. “I can’t get Mia.” He hissed.

“Hal is not answering either.” Dutch mentioned.

“Kellye? Kellye, pick up the phone please.” Karleigh said into the answering machine.

“Oh, no. Sawyer isn’t answering.”

“We’re not the only ones getting hit.” Charlie mentioned in fear of his friends in trouble.

“Get in Georgie’s truck,” the leader singer pointed, “Dutch, come with me.”

“Seth, what are we doing?” Shanna exclaimed.

“JUST GET IN THE TRUCK!!” he ordered as he and Dutch ran to the tour bus.

The two friends hopped on. Seth quickly worked his way toward the back while Dutch followed him. “Dutch, see that blue tarp taped to the roof?” Seth called back to him.

“Yeah?” he said, stopping below it.

“Tear it down.” The singer ordered.

Dutch then braced himself on two of the seat and reached up. He tried to grab for a loose piece of it but missed. When he grabbed it a second time, it ripped down and a manila envelope flopped to the floor board. The former surfer picked it up and looked it. It was a simple folder marked with SIT in black magic marker. Seth then ran back, holding the sword that his fallen friend had given him. “Open it.” Seth told him.

Dutch opened the envelope and looked at it. He checked the map and the directions, knowing where it was leading because he had surfed there many times; among other things. “It’s Vatigo Beach,” the guitarist said, “It’s Hurley’s beach house. Me and Karleigh spent a summer there, in 07.”

“Then that is where Locke wants us to meet up.” Seth said, motioning him forward.

“Will all our friends be there?”

“I hope so, Dutch,” the leader singer whispered, “I really hope so.”

Part 458: The Attack on Mia

2006-11-28T13:29:00.001-08:00

3: 11 pm

Mia was getting incredibly nervous. She didn’t know what to think. Maybe they eloped to Las Vegas, maybe they were just having fun. She really didn’t know but she would have assumed Kate would have called her to let her know what had happened. The Lakota girl rubbed her cheeks and finally gave in. She picked up the phone and dialed Kate’s cellphone. She waited three rings and then got her answering service. The young woman rubbed her eye and sighed. “Kate, if you get this message, call me back. I just wanted to be sure everything is okay with you and Jack.” Mia said, before hanging up the phone.

Mia stood up and laughed at herself gently. Sometimes it was easy to fall into the mother hen role. Often her friends would joke that it was the role she was born to play. They all took care of her because she made it a habit to worry about everybody. Mia then walked over to the drapes, pushing them aside. She could heard the school bus getting nearer to drop off her daughter. The Lakota then calmly walked over and exited the building. She gently pushed the glass screen door aside and then stepped out to the porch.

The bus stopped up the street as it always did. Mia smiled as Shelley bid farewell to her school friends. The Lakota was happy that Shelley was always more outgoing than she had been at a young age. All Mia could count as true friends was the Granny that raised her. All the other times, she was busy writing in her journals. It was fun to watch the circle of life come back around again.

Shelley looked both ways as she crossed the street. She then walked into the front lawn, waving to her mother. Mia waved back, laughing. She couldn’t wait to hear what she had done at school. However, her story would have to wait.

Three black SUVs then screeched to a stop right in front of their front lawn; causing a minor amount of smoke to flood from their tires. Shelley squeaked and looked at them. From the SUV closest two her; three men and one woman emerged. They quickly ran over and snatched up the young girl. “SHELLEY!!!” Mia screamed as jumped off the porch and ran toward her.

The other SUV drivers emerged and then immediately open fired on Mia. The Lakota yelled as a bullet slammed into her left arm, slinging her to the grass. “MOOMMYYY!!” Shelley screamed as she disappeared into the black vehicle.

Mia grunted and quickly got to her feet. She had to take cover otherwise, she was going to get shot again. She ran back up to the porch and dove inside as bullets riddled her front desk. She landed hard on the floor, grunting as the blood from her wound dripped on her carpet. She quickly crawled into the kitchen. As Mia struggled to get to her feet, she could hear another SUV screeching away. She yelled in frustration over the fact that they had her daughter. However, she had to remind herself, she needed to stay alive in order to get her daughter back.

Mia then grunted as she stood up. By the time she did, she heard someone run into the kitchen. In one fluid motioned, she grabbed the hatchet off the secured ring above the stove, turned and threw it at her attacker. The bladed weapon flew through the air with the grace of a hawk and landed right in the center of the soldier’s forehead. He jerked as the blood began to spew on the side walls. By the time he flopped to the ground, Mia quickly found a large butcher knife. She knew there was another one coming. She had less than ten seconds to defend herself. “Please, Granny,” she whispered, “Don’t let me miss.”

Mia turned around as the other soldier fired on her. The bullet struck her leg near the upper thigh, missing her main artery. The Lakota screamed as she threw the blade toward the person. It almost sung a tune as it soared through the air, striking the man in the chest. He gagged in pain, feeling the metal sink deep into his lung. Mia collapsed, unable to stand. She gritted her teeth as she began to crawl on her attacker. The soldier coughed as he pulled the blade out, causing even more blood to spew from his chest. Mia then grabbed the blade again and then plunged it into the man’s stomach. “WHERE IS SHE?” she screamed.

The soldier yelled in agony, trying to hold the blood from his lung. “Please . “ he coughed.

Mia pulled out the knife and stabbed him again. “WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?” she screamed in his face.

The soldier coughed as he fought for every last breath. Mia then pulled out the blade and held it over his heart. The soldier looked up at her eyes; the eyes of a woman turned savage. “Tell me where she is and I will ease your passing.” Mia hissed.

“Ha . . .Hanso Foundation . .down . .town.” the soldier coughed.

Mia then quickly got on her knees and reached over to the hatchet planted in the other man’s face. She then ribbed it out, grabbing the other man by the neck. She then held up the hatchet, getting ready to plunge it into the man’s face. The soldier screamed as the rammed the blade down. Mia took a deep breath and removed the hatchet after she killed the man. She struggled to get to her feet but her body was growing cold by the second. However, noting short of death would stop her now. The Lakota got to her feet and limped out of the house. She nearly fell down the stairs but she caught herself. She looked up the street to the direction where the SUVs went. She began to walk across her front lawn toward that direction, holding her wound.

Blood trickled down her arm as she made her way to the street. Her blood slowly poured out the wound in her leg but she kept walking. Mia’s heart was filled with hate; hate for Kamiyama, as she was most certain he was responsive. Hate for the people who took her daughter. Hate for the men who just shot her. She begged her Granny for forgiveness to the hate in her soul but she couldn’t help it. “That’s all right, Sunshine,” she could almost hear her grandmother whisper in her ear, “These vile men have forgotten the most fundamental rule of nature.”

“What’s that?” she grunted, as she continued to walk.

“A Lioness is most dangerous . . .when her cub is threatened.”

Mia winced under the pain but like always, her Granny could make her smile in the worst situations. “Amen.” She managed to whisper.

“Retrieve your daughter and make those men suffer for what they have done to you and your family,” Granny whispered in her head, “God be with you, Child.”

Mia continued walking, despite the massive amount of pain she was in. Her hair was over her face but she could still see enough to keep moving. She held onto her arm, feeling the warm blood escape her fingers. Then up ahead, she heard a screeching car. Mia then blinked when no car came. The Lakota then paused as her wounds were possibly messing up her hearing. She then realized the screeching car was not in front of her but behind her. “MIA!!!” John screamed as he brought his truck to a stop.

“John . .” she moaned as she turned around. Her husband quickly closed the distance between them.

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the passenger side. “Oh, God, Oh, God,” he repeated over and over, “Hang on, Mia. I’ll get you to a hospital.”

“No!” she grunted as he put her in the seat.

“Mia, what? Don’t . . .don’t crazy, baby! You’re freaking shot!” the archer said, hysterically.

“John, they got . . .THEY GOT SHELLEY!” she yelled.

The gym teacher froze his tracks. Seeing his poor wife bleeding to death was hard enough but after what she just told him; he felt like his brain was about to explode. “Who . .who’s got Shelley?” he asked.

“Group of men . . one came by after you left . . .I knew he was up to something . . .John, one of the soldier’s mentioned . . .The Hanso Foundation.”

“Hanso? That’s . .the company that funded the Dharma Initiative.” He said, putting it all together.

“If you take me . . .to a hospital . . . .the cops will come and . . .they will delay us . . .if we have any chance to get Shelley back, it has to be . . .NOW!”

“But, but, but, Mia . . You’re SHOT!” he reminded her.

“Get me to . . Jack . . or Tony . . they can . .patch me up.”

John felt like he didn’t have time to argue. He had no reason to doubt his wife’s deductions to the situation. He quickly buckled her in and ran around the side of his truck. He quickly jumped into the driver’s seat and pulled the truck in drive. He started to screech down the street and cut a turn toward the right. Then all of a sudden, his cell phone started to ring. Before he could get it, Mia reached over and grabbed it with her good hand. She pressed the receive button and placed it to her ear. “Kate, is that you?” she asked.

“SIT, SIT, SIT.” A computerized voice echoed and then hung up the phone.

“Oh, my god, . . “ Mia whispered.

“Mia, what was that?” John said, looking at the road and looking at her too.

“It was a computerized voice that said SIT three times.” She said, leaning up to the glove compartment, “ It’s . . .Locke’s special code for Survivors In Trouble.”

“Survivors in . .. “ John’s eyes began to widen, “Does that mean . . .we’re ALL getting attacked?”

“It has to be.” The Lakota grunted as he pulled out an envelope marked SIT in magic marker, “ Locke created the program in case something very bad happened to all of us. I haven’t been able to get Kate all morning.”

“She never came back?” the archer gasped.

“No. We have to assume . . . .they got her and Jack. John . . .open this . .”

John pulled the truck to an abrupt stop at the side of the street. He quickly ripped open the sealed envelope. He looked at the contents, blinking. “What is it . ..John?” Mia said, trying to hold her eyes open.

“It’s a map with directions,” he looked them over, “To . . Vatigo Beach, just south of Los Angeles.”

“Hurley’s Beach house.” Mia whispered.

“What?” the archer looked at her.

“Locke . . .wanted to make sure . . .we had a safe house . . .Hurley purchased it . . .stocked it full of supplies . . . We need to go there . .John, the . . .others will be waiting.”

“Mia, that’s crazy!” John stammered, “If we are all getting hit, then there is no way we’ll know who there. I got to get you to Tony to help you!”

“He’ll . . .be there.”

“HOW? How do you know that?” he said, nearly on the verge of breaking down.

Mia smiled. She reached up and stroked her husband’s cheek; leaving a small smudge of blood on him. “Because . . .I have faith, John.” She smiled.

John took his wife’s hand and held it closer. She always had her faith and sometimes, it was so powerful it was enough for her whole family. If she had faith that Tony would be waiting for them, then he would believe it too. He held onto her hand as he got back into the traffic and then proceeded onto the highway toward Vatigo Beach. Mia closed her eyes again, leaning her head back. “DON’T YOU DIE ON ME, MIA!” John screamed, trying to force her to stay awake.

“Kamiyama.” She whispered.

“What?” the archer stammered, “Who . .who is that again?”

“Recruiter for a private school . . .but he probably works for Dharma.” She coughed, “He’s probably responsible for telling them . . .about us.”

Mia’s eyes then went wide open. John looked at her and could see the fires in her eyes. “I’m not going to die, John,” she said, squeezing his hand, “I have to live long enough . . . . . .to kill that man.”

Part 458: The Attack on Mia

2006-11-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Part 457: The Assault at The Largos

2006-11-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

3:11 pm

Tony continued his labor in the backyard. He and Marita purchased this home in the suburbs three weeks ago. He admitted it wasn’t all that great from the beginning but Marita said it was in the perfect neighborhood and fixing it up would give it character. The one-eyed doctor laughed to himself about how his wife could pretty much convince him to do anything. So their two story home had become their “fixer-upper” and they had begun it’s reinivations. Tony had spent the weekend working on the rotten stump that was in the backyard; hacking it away a piece at a time. It kept his mind off of things.

The doctor was worried about the young man he had come to view as a son. Eddie had arrived three days ago in the late of the night, claiming he met someone as the reincarnation of Ethan Rom. Tony yelled at him, telling him he needed to let the Island go. It was a hard time for all of them; Eddie most of all. He admitted he was a little harsh on Eddie, and had no heard from him all weekend. He figured he’d give him space as he needed to find his “proof”. The tired doctor half hoped Eddie would find something and half hoped he wouldn’t. Tony really wanted to put the past behind them.

Then a noise caught his attention. He heard something break, like a plate from within his house. Even though he had one good eye, his razor sharp senses he kept from Watchman were still with him. He looked into the house and noticed a shadowy shape move past the window. He couldn’t tell if it was Marita or not. The doctor decided to take a break and check on his wife. He was sure it was nothing but sometimes, past paranoia stays with a person. He continued toward the house; leaving his shirt behind but carried the axe for no particular reason.

He stepped up to the back porch and slowly slid the sliding glass door to the left. “Marita?” he called.

Tony wasn’t sure but he heard a muffled sound. It sounded like someone trying to talk but not allowed too. The doctor held the axe in his hand loosely as he walked into the kitchen. On the floor was indeed a broken plate. He then looked into the living room wondering why the lights were off. He then maneuvered into the hallway and walked toward the living room. The doctor then gasped at the sight of four armed intruders holding Marita hostage. Tony wasn’t sure what could be done, all he had was an axe. “WHAT DO YOU WANT?” he screamed as he took a step closer.

The woman in the shadows then calmly unhosited a pistol and placed it against Marita’s temple. “Put the axe down, doctor,” she whispered, “Or your wife dies.”

Tony looked at the woman, who he couldn’t tell because of the darkness. Tony looked at Marita who was scared out of her mind. Her eyes flashed that he shouldn’t give up but however, Tony didn’t see any where out of the present situation. He then flopped the axe down on the carpet. Two of the men then rushed over and grabbed his arms; forcing him down on his knees. Tony grunted as he landed on his knees, then Marita was forced onto her knees as well. The woman then holstered her pistol and walked out of the darkness. She was a woman that had an exotic beauty about her; possibly mixed German or Russian heritage. “Hello, Dr. Largo,” she smiled, “I’ve so wanted to meet you.”

“Who are you?” Tony demanded.

“My name is Leann. In case you haven’t figured it out, I work for the Liberation.”

“Oh, my God.” Marita whispered.

“How did you find us?” the doctor asked.

“It wasn’t easy. The Liberation exchanges information very slowly, makes certain . . .governments hard to find us. The ironic part is we didn’t find you first; Dharma did and we found Dharma shortly thereafter.”

“D . .Dharma?” Tony gulped, “Oh, God . . .Eddie . . .”

“You can worry about your protégé later,” Lean said, kneeling down slightly, “I have one question to ask you.”

“What have you done to Eddie?”

Leann then leaned up and slammed her boot into Tony’s face. He grunted and rolled with the blood; a small trickle of blood escaping his lower lip. Marita cried a bit, seeing her husband in pain. Leann grabbed his hair and forced him to look at her. “I’m asking the question here, you son of a bitch,” she hissed, “Now . . .did you or did you not kill Henry Belmont?”

Tony blinked with his good eye. He remembered the second in command of the Liberation group that was on the Island. He was there when the Polliwog ribbed him to pieces. Tony took a deep breath and wondered if she would believe the actual truth. “No, I didn’t kill him.” He whispered.

Leann then pulled out a small blade and gently let it glide on Tony’s cheek. It slowly worked it’s way toward his good eye. “PLEASE, DON’T!” Marita screamed, fearing the woman was going to make Tony blind again.

Leann briefly looked toward the Latina then back to the one-eyed doctor. “Liar, liar, your pants on fire.” She smiled, with an almost evil glee,” According to my reports you were the last person to be with him before he was . . .ripped into small chunks, so I asked again, did you or did you not kill Belmont?”

“What is this about?” Tony demanded, “I mean . . .what the hell was Belmont to you?”

Leann stared at him, a slow tear forming in her right eye. She then put the blade down and removed the glove on her left hand. She then calmly held up her fingers in front of Tony. The doctor paused and then raised his eyebrows at the sight of the golden wedding band on her finger. “Henry . . .was everything to me.” She whispered through gritted teeth.

“You’re . . .you’re his wife?” Tony gasped.

“Widow, actually,” she said, putting her glove back on.

“Leann . . listen to me . . .I didn’t kill Belmont, the Polliwog did.”

“The Polliwog?” she said with a slight glance of skepticism.

“Actually, it’s given name was Monstro . . but we called the Polliwog and it . . .well, it never liked the Liberation to begin with. It attacked Belmont and did that to him.”

“Why?”

“What?” he jerked, “What do you mean, why? I don’t know.”

“No, you do.” She hissed, “I read people well, Dr. Largo. Now why did the Polliwog attack my husband?”

“I . .I don’t know what to tell you!” he gasped.

Leann then walked over to Marita and grabbed her by the hair. She then shoved the knife tip closer to her eye, making a small mark in her cheek. The pregnant woman cried, at the fear. “TELL ME, LARGO!!!” Leann demanded, “Or I’ll make sure you and your wife have something in common.”

Tony looked at the woman and felt helpless. It wasn’t a feeling that he enjoyed but he could take any pain given to him. He couldn’t bear the though of her stabbing Marita in the eye. He took a deep breath as a tear fell down from his good eye. “It was defending me.” He whispered.

Leann let go of Marita and walked back to Tony. The woman holstered her blade and stared down on him with a smile. “I found Pristine’s tape recorder journal,” she whispered, “She mentioned that your electromagnetic signature was unique; That this . . .monster . .was attracted to it. Whatever. I don’t understand it but I do know this . . .you are responsible for my husband’s death and that’s all I care about.”

“Please . . .” Tony whispered, “Do whatever you want to me but leave my wife alone.”

“On the contrary, doctor,” she said, grabbing his face, “You’ve made me suffer as a wife and now I’ll make your wife suffer as well.”

Tony struggled to break her grasp but the other two men were stronger. Leann stared into his eye with pure hatred. “I thought of many ways of hurting you on the way over here.” She whispered through her gritted teeth, “I thought I would take out your other eye after I killed your wife.”

Tony grunted, forcing the two men to hold him down even tighter.

“However, I came up with the appropriate solution. I will kill you and before you die, I wanted you to go to Hell with the knowledge that I’m going to sell your wife into the slave trade in South America.”

“I’LL KILL YOU, WHORE!!” Tony tried to get at her.

Leann backed off as the men held onto him. Marita was crying heavily, not sure if they could get out of this dilemma. Before anything else could happen, a cell phone began to ring. The woman in charge pulled out her small device and answered it. “What is it, Linus?” she asked.

Tony stared at her. Who was Linus?

“Yes, I am with that person right now.” Leann whispered, “I see . . .yes, that’s fine . . .No, I’m sure we can handle it . . Yes, very well. I’m on my way in 4 minutes.”

Leann closed the phone. She stared at Tony one last time. She then calmly walked over and spit in his face. The doctor grunted, as the spittal slid down his cheek. “Change of plans, boys.” She smiled, “The others are not appearing to be so kind to die as they should. I’m going to go check it out. So . ..take him down to the garage and kill him. Violently. Make sure she can hear it.”

“NO!” Marita screamed.

Tony then grunted as the men started to pull him away. Marita stared at her husband as they started to pull him away and take him down to the basement workshop. Leann then walked over and grabbed the Latina by the face. She stared up at the evil woman with tears flowing out of her eyes. “You’re going to make a southern American drug lord a happy man.” The dark haired woman whispered.

Leann then threw her face to the side. “When they are done, bring her along,” she said, walking out of the house, “I’ll be at Hanso.”

“Yes, mistress.” The soldier replied.

Marita started to hyperventilate. She couldn’t see Tony any more but he was struggling. She could hear him. She closed her eyes and prayed to God that they would get a miracle to get out of this problem.

Tony fought with all his strength that he could. He had been working all morning to remove the rotten tree stump in the back so he was exhausted. One of the soldiers then slammed his fist into the doctor’s kidney. The pain made him collapse onto all fours. The other soldier then slammed his boot into his side. Tony grunted, wishing he had the strength to beat them. But he was just in plain clothes and his gun was all the way up stairs. One the soldiers then laughed as he picked up a nearby chainsaw. Tony heard him trying to start it, as Leann had ordered him to die violently.

The one eyed doctor then took the opportunity to slam his foot into the soldier’s privates. As he collapsed, Tony grabbed a loose monkey wrench and slammed it into his head; making blood spray like a water balloon. The other soldier then grabbed Tony from around his arms, trying to bring him back. The doctor screamed and grunted; refusing to die at their hands. He the soldier then flung him around toward the workshop desk. This allowed Tony to grab the chain saw himself.

Upstairs Marita could feel her heart beating out of her chest. She was half-worried that all the excitement would cause her to have a miscarriage. The other half was obviously worried about her husband. Then she heard the sound of a chain saw and lots of screaming. The other soldier turned toward the door and laughed. The Latina then felt her vision go blurry and her brain turn cold. Marita then collapsed onto the carpet, fainted away. The soldier then looked down at the passed out woman and began to think vulgar thoughts.

He then placed his rifle on the side and began to unbuckle his pants. He paused when heard the lower rumbled of a chain saw behind him. “Hey, Marko, I hope that wasn’t too messy down there,” the soldier laughed, pulling down his pants, “Do you need a change of clothes?”

“No, he doesn’t.” Tony whispered.

“OH, CRAP!” the soldier screamed as he turned to find the bloody doctor hovering in darkness.

The next thing he saw was the chainsaw blade slammed down on his face.

Marita slowly opened her eyes. She was in the passenger side of her SUV vehicle; the window was down, blowing on her face. She slowly massaged her head, feeling like a bad migraine was coming on. Then the hand of her husband appeared before her with a bottled of Advil. “The blood left your head,” he told her, “it’s a typical side effect of fainting, to get light headed and a headache.”

“TONY!” she screamed as she embraced him, crying.

“It’s okay, Marita. It’s okay. You’re safe now.” He whispered as he held onto her with one hand and the steering wheel with the other.

“But . .but those men . . I heard a chainsaw . .”

“That was me.” He sighed.

“You?” she then parted back from him, noticing his change of clothes and the slight smudges of red on his face and arms.

“Sorry, Rita.” He winced, “I didn’t have a chance to choose a better weapon.”

“No, it’s . . .never mind. I’m just thrilled you are alive,” she said, scoffing down three Advil, “I don’t care how you killed those men, just that you killed them. They had no right to come back into our lives, Tony!”

“You don’t need to tell me that, baby,” he said, as he cut a corner, “But apparently, the situation is much worse.”

“What? What do you mean?” she asked.

Tony held up her cell phone. “While you were past out and I was . . .getting the blood off of me, we got a call,” he whispered, “It was an automated message that just said the word SIT three times.”

“SIT?” Marita then gasped, “That’s . . .that’s Locke’s program he mentioned!”

“Yeah, which means . . .this isn’t just happening to us.”

Marita then paused as they cut a quick corner, making another car blow it’s horn at them. The Latina then recognized the trees and houses of the suburbs they were in; she had visited many times as Eddie was growing up. “Eddie’s house?” she asked, “Is he okay?”

“I don’t know.” Tony said, turning a corner, “I’ve been calling him for the past 14 minutes but no answer . . “

Tony and Marita finally arrived at the Trascal home. They first noticed that Turk was no in the drive way but more black SUV’s were. Those were the same vehicles the Liberation came to at their home. The Latina then grabbed her husband by the arm and then pointed to the main window of the house. They could see shadowy figures fighting a solo figure in the house. The doctor quickly grabbed his pistol and darted out of his car. “TONY!” she screamed, “BE CAREFUL!!”

Tony didn’t have time to reply. He quickly ran through the front yard toward the front door. When he reached it, he kicked it open with his foot; surprising the three men in there. He then opened fire on all of them, sending two down on at a time. He quickly turned to the third man as he was trying to stab someone through the neck. Tony didn’t hesitate as he put a bullet into the back of his head. The Liberator’s forehead exploded in a wet gush over the side wall as he collapse. “HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!” someone screamed.

Tony blinked with his good eye. He quickly noticed the voice was NOT Eddie’s. As he looked to the poor boy scrambling out from under the body, he immediately saw it was his adoptive son’s best friend. “Tristan?” Tony whispered.

The young Asian boy quickly wiped the blood out of his eyes and looked up. “Dr. Largo, what . ..the HELL . . . . is going on?” he stammered.

“Where is Eddie?” Tony asked.

“I don’t know! I hadn’t heard from him and I’ve been calling him all weekend. When I drove by to see why he missed school . . .these guys were here and they . . .THEY FREAKING TRIED TO KILL ME!!!”

“Wait, wait, Tristan . . You’ve been calling Eddie . . .all weekend?”

The Japanese boy wiped his eyes finally clear. “Yeah. Do you know where he is?” he asked.

Tony grunted in frustration. “Damn it. They have him.” He whispered.

“Who has him?” Tristan asked, still freaking out.

“Tristan, come with me,” the doctor grabbed him by the arm, “I’ll explain everything later.”

“But . . .but . .shouldn’t we wait for the cops?”

“I’m sorry, son but the cops can’t protect us. Not from them.”

“WHO IS THEM???”

“Where’s Eddie?” Marita called to them as they ran to her.

“They have him. Dharma.” Tony said, shoving Tristan in the back.

“Tony, what do we do?” the Latina said, sitting down in her passenger seat.

“We do just what Locke said. We regroup.”

Tony reached over into the glove compartment and pulled out a white envelope marked SIT. He quickly tore it open and looked it. It’s contents was an instructional direction list, plus a map leading to the famous beach house he’d heard about.

“Vatigo Beach,” Tony said, putting it into drive, “Hopefully all our friends will be there.”

“And if they are not?” Marita asked.

“Then there will be hell to pay.” The doctor whispered.

Part 456: The Assault Part 1

2006-11-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

3:11 pm

Flower was enjoying her new car. Hurley had bought it for her for Christmas last year. Everybody was so proud of her for learning how to drive. The former lost girl had grown up to be a responsible woman. She had taken her duties as babysitter very seriously. It was her job to pick up Bridgett from the daycare and get her home. However, today she had a special guest with her.

Alexander sat in the passenger seat, gripping tightly onto the door handle. He took deep breathes every two minutes. Bridgett sat in the back laughing at her step-father’s uneasy behavior. Flower patted him in the leg. “Be easy, Alexander.” She giggled.

“Could you please keep both hands on the steering wheel, please?” the blonde man winced.

“You are such a fraidy cat.” Flower laughed.

“Alexander is a fraidy cat.” Bridgett repeated.

“Oh, great, now the next thing I’ll hear is Mandy calling me a-“

Alexander was interrupted by a black SUV ramming them in the side. The family jerked as the glass exploded around them. They slide into on coming traffic, being rammed by a semi-truck. Their vehicle buckled under the weight of the huge truck, getting rammed under it’s bumper. The rig slowed to a stop, amid the glass and broken car parts.

Flower leaned back from her air bag, coughing. Her neck hurt royally as she fought to remove her seat belt. She looked over toward Alexander. He was gritting his teeth in pain. He then ripped up the air bag, making the powder explode all over him. “Brother?” the brunette whispered.

“Flower . .are you . . are you all right?” he grunted, as he braced himself against the dashboard.

“Alexander . .what’s . . what’s wrong?” she said, rubbing her neck.

The young blonde man grunted as he tried to push on the dashboard. Flower then saw what was happening; her brother was pinned under the wreckage. He was trying to push his way out, but wasn’t having any luck. Flower then looked at the rearview mirror to check on Bridgett. The young girl was knocked out; from the wreck. Flower needed to get her out of the truck and await for help.

Then two men came over and then opened the back doors. The former lost girl blinked when these men reached over and unhooked Bridgett from her car seat. The black clothed man then picked up the young girl, and hoisted her up into his arms, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. “Please, help us.” Flower whispered.

The two men said nothing. They continued to walk away. The brunette then looked back in shock, seeing the vehicle they were walking toward. It was a massively dented vehicle. “They hit us.” She whispered.

“What?” Alexander grunted, “Who . .where is Bridgett?”

“They are taking her!” Flower said, as she got out of the car.

“WHAT?” the blonde man screamed, “FLOWER!! WAIT!”

Flower then ran up the asphalt road toward the two men. She continued running, and screaming for the name of her adopted niece. One of the men saw her, then pulled out a pistol from behind his coat. Flower saw it and stopped running. Before she had the chance to call to her adoptive brother, the man opened fire on her. Alexander turned his head just in time to see his poor sister get riddled with bullets. “FLOWWEERRR!!!” he screamed.

The brunette collapsed onto the road as other civilians ran away from the gun fire. Alexander felt his heart skip a beat. These men rammed their vehicle for the sole purpose of taking Bridgett, just like they had done before. Flower was just trying to protect her family and it cost her, her life. Alexander then screamed at the top of his lungs as he began to shove the dashboard forward. The metal and plastic began to bend outward; sending shard of it every where. The blonde man then screamed he flopped out to the road. His right leg was cut and a piece of metal was still in it. He began to limp outward toward the road.

Alexander saw the other vehicle driving away. He grunted in pain and anger as he limped toward his sister. Flower wasn’t moving. She laid on the ground motionless. Alexander collapsed near her. “Sister?” he called to her, shaking her wrist.

Flower opened up her eye lids slowly. She smiled at her older brother, taking his hand. Then she closed her eyes again, as he was able to hear one last rush of breath escape her lips. “SISTER!!” the young man cried, shaking her head.

Alexander ignored the pain in his leg and sat up. He slowly picked up the woman, cradling her in his arms. Flower was growing into a beautiful woman and now, all the aspects of her life would be no more. The blonde man cried as he cradled his adoptive sister in his arms. He then stared into the distance of the men who attacked them. He didn’t know who they were but he had every gut instinct told him it was the Liberation. They had taken his sister and a girl he had come to love as his own daughter.

He silently vowed he would bathe in their blood.

Alexander then paused when he heard a cell phone ringing. He looked back and heard it coming from their crushed vehicle. The blonde man then picked up his fallen sister and began to carry her back to the broken four door car. He limped toward the car, feeling the blood ooze out his leg. He grunted as he sat down Flower next to the door. He leaned in and picked up his cell phone. Alexander took another look at it and then was dismayed as it was crushed. The cell phone ring then erupted again.

It wasn’t his; it was Flower’s.

He calmly picked up her purse and then dumped it onto the seat. He then picked it up and pressed the green button. “Hello?” he asked.

“SIT, SIT, SIT.” A computerized voice echoed, then hung up the phone.

Alexander blinked at the sound of the voice and what it told him. It then struck his memory about what Locke had reminded him of a few Thanskgivings ago. A special preparation in case they were all attacked by the Liberation or anybody else. The former lost boy realized this meant the strange military organization that wiped out his tribe was indeed behind this attack. With a heavy amount of fear, he understood this meant something else too.

“Mandy,” he whispered.

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

Sawyer rocked out the country music playing in the background. He was looking forward to his special lunch he was treating himself. The hamburger patties were frying up nicely in the big skillet. To the right of it, as a glass pan which he use to cook his own French fries. The trick was to always get the grease hot before putting the fries in, just like his Aunt taught him. The garlic bread would be done shortly too. Now all that was missing was a large glass of sweet tea.

The trick to making sweet tea was to place the sugar in the gallon jug before you poured the tea in, not afterwards. That way the hot tea would melt the sugar immediately and it would blend in perfectly with the water. Sawyer brought some sweet tea to a Thanksgiving party one year, trying to convince his “yankee” friends to like it. Kate liked it, as did Shanna but Seth turned up his nose at it. Sawyer didn’t care; he really hoped the girls would like it mostly anyway. The redneck then checked on his garlic bread by leaning over to the toaster. He paused for a moment as the strange flickering light on the reflective metal.

It was a man sneaking up behind him with a garrote.

Sawyer then immediately grabbed his pan full of fries and grease, then flung it directly at the man. The hot grease struck him directly in the face. “EEEEEEYYYEEAARGGGHHH!!!!” he screamed as he collapsed back.

The man behind the burnt man then opened fire with an automatic rifle. Sawyer dove into his living room and made a scramble for his couch. He shoved his right hand into the inline cushions, then pulled out a Desert Eagle .50 pistol; wrapping in plastic. He then rolled over and ripped it out of it’s seal as he did. The black clothed man then began to fire wildly into the living room. Bullets chopped up the few pictures he had on his walls, making them collapsed in heaps of wood and glass. The redneck finally cocked back his pistol and fired at the wall where the man was standing. The bullet went through the soft wood wall and struck the man directly in the hip. He stumbled back and grunted in pain. That was all Sawyer needed to hear.

He quickly stood up and continued to fire at the wall. The bullets burst out from the wall, striking the man. He fired his rifle wildly but only managed to strike the floor board. A bullet from the wall then explode and struck him directly into the eye; exploding out the back of his head. He collapsed hard against the sink area and then slumped down.

Sawyer walked in and quickly turned off all the stove-eyes. He then calmly pulled out the clip from his gun and then slid in another one. The redneck ticked the leg of the man he shot just to be sure. He didn’t budge. Then the southern man walked over to the poor man who was holding onto his whelped face; crying. “Well there, Super Size,” Sawyer laughed, “You interrupted my lunch. Don’t you know how rude that is?”

“Help . . .me . . .” the man whimpered, holding onto his face.

“Yeah, it looks like it hurts. It just so happens, I got an emergency store of morphine.” He said, kneeling down, “If you want me to knock you out, tell me who you are.”

“The . . Liberation.” He coughed.

“Oh, wow. No kidding?” Sawyer looked around, “ Now you earned the morphine. If you want me to dial 911, then tell me if there are any more outside.”

“One . . .on . ..the roof . .” the man whimpered.

“On the roof.” The redneck said, picking up the man’s rifle,” Got it.”

Sawyer slowly stepped outside. He took cautious steps outward looking for anybody on the roof. An Asian man then peered over the side of the roof. “Did you get him?” the man ask before seeing Sawyer staring up at him.

“Not quite there, Fiddler.” The redneck smirked.

“Oh, crap!” the man screamed as he tried to pull his rifle from his sling on his back.

Sawyer then fired the AK-47 rifle upward and struck the Asian man easily. Several bullets struck him across the chest and neck; making him jolt left and right. The Liberator then fell down on the roof, then rolled off the side. His limp body crashed against a porch railing, smashing a flower pot. Sawyer held the rifle on him after he had landed. He wasn’t moving either. The redneck then removed the clip from the rifle to see how much rounds he had left.

Then his phone started ringing.

Sawyer peered from behind the door. The phone on his wall was indeed ringing. He calmly stepped back into the kitchen area and walked toward. He calmly stepped over the writhing body of the man with hot grease on his face. “You got your 911 call, Freddy,” the redneck said, “Not give me a minute to locate the morphine.”

Sawyer picked up the phone, “Hello?”

“SIT, SIT, SIT.” A robot voice echoed in the phone and then hung up.

“Holy monkey crap.” The redneck said, as he hung up the phone.

Sawyer then quickly ran toward his bathroom and got to the sink. He kneeled down and grabbed a box marked with a red cross. He then ran back to the kitchen and pulled out the vials of morphine. He calmly then unwrapped a clean syringe. Within seconds, he injected some medicine in the syringe. Sawyer then scooted over and jabbed the needle in the Liberator’s buttocks. “Nighty, night, Freddy.” Sawyer said.

The redneck then stood up, leaving the poor man to moan. He grunted as he reached behind his fridge, ripping off a taped piece of paper. It was a manila envelope Locke made him put there. It was marked SIT with a black magic marker. He then dialed 911 and then left the phone off the receiver. He quickly gathered up his pistol, then men’s rifles and the keys to his car. He started to walk out of his house, then paused and ran back to this stove. He grabbed a hamburger patty and proceeded to eat it. Then he left.

He quickly shoved the guns and the envelope into his car. After he got it, he quickly tore it open. The contents were instructions and a map. The map was an outline to another outside the suburbs of Los Angeles.

“Vatigo Beach,” Sawyer said, “All right, old man. I’m on my way.”

Part 455: The Assault Begins

2006-11-22T05:21:00.000-08:00

3:01 pm

Mandy walked down the hallway of the building. She was whistling a happy tune, because market share had increased. She was happy to be working for the box company. Every time she brought home a fat paycheck, it made her appreciate her life. She bought nice things for Alexander and Bridget. She often wondered if the former lost boy was upset that he wasn’t the bread winner of their little family. However, since he came into the real world a little “differently” than most men; he was happy with his life the way it was.

Mandy turned a corner and walked into the break room. She was looking forward to her mid-afternoon snack; since she did it ever day. She calmly pulled out some change from her pocket and walked to the vending machines. The blonde woman practically giggled at the thought of the Sugar Babies she was about to consume. After the bag fell down into the slot, she picked them up and began to consume them. “Aren’t you worried about diabetes?” Gordon asked her.

Mandy playfully threw one of her pieces of candy at him, making the man dodge it. “This comes from a man who eats a Bear Claw with a diet coke every morning.” She teased him.

“She’s been the best manager we’ve ever had, Gordon.” Sweeny walked in, helping himself to come coffee, “Let her have her Sugar Babies.”

“Thank you, Sweeny,” Mandy laughed, “You may have the rest of the day off.”

“See?” he asked Gordon.

“You two, I swear.” The man laughed, pushing up his glasses.

“Speaking of benefits, Sweeney, how are those ITS Reports coming out?” Mandy asked him.

“Should have them to you within the hour.” He said, proudly.

“Thank you,” she said, sitting down at the break table, “Now sit down, Gentlemen. I have something I wish to discuss with you.”

“Oh, God,” Gordon moaned sitting down.

“Just for that, Gordo, I’m going to put you in charge.”

“In charge of what?” he asked reluctantly.

“Valentines Day.” She said, proudly.

“Aw, man.” He grunted, burying his face in his arms on the table.

“What are we doing for Valentines Day?” Sweeny asked.

“What we will be doing is going to simply be like the Secret Santa. We will have names of everybody in the office and put them in a pile. Whoever pulls out the name of the individual, most do something nice for them to let them feel loved.”

“Like what?”

“Like whatever, Gordo.” Mandy shoved him, “Buy them a Coke, take them out to lunch, leave them a valentines day card. Whatever makes you comfortable.”

“Bloody lovely,” he moaned.

The three friends then heard another person enter the break room. It was the lovely Jessica, Locke’s secretary. The striking brunette walked over to the coffee machine and helped herself to a cup. Afterwards, she leaned on the counter; smiling at her friends. “How you doing, Jess?” Mandy asked.

“Not too bad,” she smiled, blowing on her hot coffee, “Just a little bored.”

“Yeah, I know,” Sweeny agreed, “I use to love auditing week, because we got sent home while the auditors went through our books. Now that Locke promoted us we got to ride it out with a skeleton crew.”

“I know,” Gordon leaned into his chair, “I could be at home playing my X-Box right now.”

“You have such a fantastic life, Gordon.” Jessica said in complete sarcasm.

Gordon just waved her off. Mandy finished up her Sugar Babies and looked to Jessica. “Is Locke bored out of his mind too?” she asked, throwing the wrapper in the trash can.

“Yeah but not for long.” The brunette smiled, “I had to show some of the auditors were his office was. They probably got to show him what’s going on.”

“What do you mean?” the blonde inquired.

“They were walking in there with briefcases. Never seen that before.”

“Auditors don’t come with briefcases,” Gordon corrected her, “They are temps and they come with the van that has all the auditing equipment.”

Mandy looked back at Gordon. He made a valid point. They got through this every year and the auditors always went down to accounting to take their tally of what the company made, while the rest of the staff got a week off for them to complete their task. They always arrived and they always just went typing away on their big calculators. Mandy decided to go ask what they were up, just to see if Locke needed any help. She began to walk out of the break-room.

And stopped at it’s doorway the moment she heard gunfire.

Gordon and Sweeny jumped up from their desk like merkats poking out of the ground. Jessica dropped her coffee; spilling it all over her feet. She was in such shock, she never noticed the scorching pain. Mandy looked back at them, then hugged the way. She cautiously peered down the hallway. The gunfire sounds and flashes of light was coming from Locke’s office. The blonde was incredibly worried but she was also afraid. Who were these men and why did they want Locke dead?

Then the gunfire stopped abruptly, and she could hear men crying in pain. Then she heard single gunfire at that second. A loud thud echoed and then more automatic fire erupted only to be stopped. She, Jessica, Gordon and Sweeny stared down the hallway. Small pillows of smoke oozed from the doorway to Locke’s office. Then abruptly the old man walked out of the room, holding a pistol by his side. He looked around and spotted his loyal co-workers. “MANDY!!” he called to her,” GET DOWN HERE! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!”

Mandy then ran down the hallway as fast as her high heels would take her. The other three paused for a moment, then ran to follow her. The blonde stopped at the entrance to Locke’s office and screamed. There were two dead men laying on the floor inside his office. One was blonde and the other was a black man; both dressed as auditors. They both had strange automatic weapons by their side, plus one or two bullet holes. Mandy then looked at Locke’s desk, which was riddled with dents. Three years ago, for the taking the corporation up the ladder; Hurley asked him what he would want to celebrate. Locke requested a titanium desk. And here they thought they he was just being eccentric. “The desk is bullet proof.” Gordon said, drawing the same conclusion.

“They stopped firing the moment the ricochets were hitting them.” Locke said, leaning on the desk and catching his breath.

“Sir, are you all right?” Jessica asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just slightly deaf.” He said, immediately taking off his sport coat.

“Locke, who are these guys?” Mandy asked.

“The Liberation.” He said, as if he was talking about the weather.

“The . ..the . . .THE WHAT??” the blonde yelled in disbelief.

“Jessica, I need you to go toward your desk and get your running shoes for Mandy.” Locke said as he sat down on his chair.

“Sir, shouldn’t I call the police?” his secretary asked in shock.

“yes, but I don’t want you to call them right now.” The bald man said, taking off his dress shoes and putting on tennis shoes, “Please, Jessica . . .get your shoes for Mandy.”

“Locke . . what . . .WHAT IS GOING ON???” Mandy screamed.

“Mandy, calm down,” Locke told her, “And please . . .you might need to be calling Alexander right now.”

“Why?”

“To make sure they are safe.”

Mandy blinked rapidly. Locke’s statement brought her back into reality. She then quickly ran over to the side of the office, where the other desk was; connected to a phone. She picked it up and quickly dialed Alexander’s cell phone. The ringing continued and continued but no answer. Then an automated message came on, “We’re sorry. The recipient can not be reached at this time. This may be due to low battery or long distance range.”

“I’m getting a message that his phone is not available,” the blonde gasped, “That’s not possible. Not while he is . . .babysitting . .”

Mandy immediately hung up and then dialed the day care. Within two rings, someone picked up. “Whale Tail Day Care.” A pleasant voice said.

“Hello, this is Mandy Burke. I was calling to make sure that my daughter Bridgett Carlyle has been picked up by her step-father Alexander McKay?”

“Yes, Ms. Burke, he and his sister picked her up about ten minutes ago.”

Mandy then immediately hung up the phone. She tried to hold in her tears, mixed with rage. Had it happened again? Had Bridget been taken away from her? Was Alexander and Flower even alive? Then blonde then took a deep breath, and wiped her tears; then started to remove her high heels. “JESSICA!!” she called, “I need those shoes!”

Jessica whimpered as she stepped over the dead bodies and shell casing; handing her co-worker her running shoes. Locke then walked over to the bodies and picked up the automatic rifles. He started to then search the two men, pulling out extra clips. The big one had a cell phone but nothing else. No id, no anything to say who they really were. Mandy sat down on stool, putting on the shoes. “Locke, how did you know they were Liberation?” she asked.

“Before they pulled out their rifles, they asked me if I enjoyed watching Fender die.” The old man said, standing up with the two rifles.

“Who was Fender?” asked Gordon.

“An insane colonel who had his own outpost at the Island.” The bald man said, as he walked over and gave one of the rifles to Mandy.

“The Island?” Jessica said, “ THAT’S what this is about?”

“Listen, you three, I don’t have time to explain so here is what I want you to do.” He pointed to this co-workers,” Jessica, I want you to head down stairs to accounting and stay with the auditors. Sweeny, you go with them. When 30 minutes has past, THEN call the cops.”

“Okay, sir,” Sweeny said, not arguing.

“GL13?” the bald man smiled at Gordon.

“Yeah . . yes, sir?” the nerd listened up.

“Remember the SIT program I had you make three years ago?”

“Yeah?”

“Run it now.” Locke commanded.

Gordon pushed up his glasses and darted out of the office toward his own desk. Sweeny then held onto Jessica as they started to walk toward the elevators. Locke then looked over to Mandy who was checking the rifle; making sure it was loaded, based on the tutelage of McKay. The blonde then set it down and began to tie her hair back in a ponytail. “You knew this would happen one day, didn’t you?” she asked.

“I hoped it wouldn’t.” the old man sighed, “It’s the price I pay for being paranoid . . .and right.”

“I remember you talking about the SIT program a few Thanksgivings ago.” She said, walking out of the office with him, “I hope everybody remembers it.”

“They will,” Locke said as they stopped at her office.

Mandy quickly picked up her coat and wrapped the rifle into it. The two friends began walking down the hallway past the cubicles and wound up at Gordon’s office. The programmer then typed in a special code and some numbers began to flicker on the screen. Mandy looked at the codes. The program was dialing everybody phone numbers.

Mia Riggs > 555-6809 > Code Sent . .
Tony Largo > 555-8554 > Code Sent . .
Jack Shepard > 555-6321 > Code Sent . .
James Ford > 555-5742 > Code Sent . .
Ana-Lucia Cortez > 555-8774 > Code Sent . . .
Seth Butler > 555-7575> Code Sent . . .
Kellye Schroeder> 555-6322 >Code Sent . .

“Thanks, GL13.” Locke patted him on the back, “Now get down to accounting with the others.”

“Good luck, sir,” the loyal co-worker said as he ran out of his office to the stairs.

Mandy and Locke then proceeded toward the service elevator. The plan was to go down, get in Locke’s truck and make a drive by the route for the Day Care, to make sure Bridgett was okay. The blonde woman held the rifle close to her chest; vowing she wasn’t going to take anymore. She was not going to live her life in fear and she will get her daughter back, if she was taken.

Locke looked at his watch and hoped the his friend would remember the SIT protocol he talked about so long ago. The older man was fairly certain that the Liberation was bigger than Fender. He recreated a special backup plan if they were ever attacked. Locke had been playing military games all his life. If he was the Liberation, he wouldn’t just attack specific people. He’d attack all of them. He made Gordon create a special program that would dial everybody’s numbers, give them a computerized message and then they all regroup at a special beach house that Hurley purchase. From there, they would see who was alive and regroup against the Liberation.

Locke prayed all his friends would be waiting for him.

Part 454: Jenny and Izzy

2006-11-21T11:38:00.000-08:00

11:03 am

Jenny slowly opened her eyes. She felt a soft wet rag gently stroke her forehead. Her vision began to clear slowly and after the blurriness faded, a smiling woman was staring down at her. The woman looked to be in her mid forties, with light brown skin and jet black hair. She gently soaked the rag in the water and then continued to wipe her face. “Hello,” she whispered.

“Hello.” Jenny strained to say.

“I would ask how you are feeling but I can hazard to guess.”

“That . . .crazy witch . . .wouldn’t stop shocking me.” The cop groaned.

“Your muscles are probably rigid. It’ll take them awhile to get loose again.”

“How would you know that?” Jenny winced, “You . . you a nurse?”

“I guess you could say I have been promoted to one.” She smiled, “My husband was a doctor but he gave it up when he had to join the military. I’ve watched him work.”

Jenny raised on eyelid. “You . . .learned how to do medical stuff . . .by watching your husband?”

“Yes,” she smiled.

“You must have been bored out of your mind.”

“It’s not much else you can do while stranded on a semi-deserted Island.” The woman placed the rag in the water.

Jenny’s eyes then flung open. She then leaned up and grabbed the woman by the wrist. She paused, a little bit alarmed by her sudden movements. “Deserted Island?” the cop gasped, “Wait, who are you?”

“I’m sorry. You are right. I should have introduced myself.” The woman smiled, “My name is Isabella Pena but one day I hope to be Isabella Hume.”

“Isabella?” the blonde woman’s eyes started to water, “From . . .from the Shark Tank?”

This time it was Isabella who was taken back by the statements coming from her companion. “Wait . . .now who are you?” she asked.

The blonde cop slumped back onto her small cop, exhaling deeply. She covered her eyes, and whimpered slightly. Within seconds, she got control of herself. “Jenny Baker.” She whispered.

“Jenny . . . .” Isabella gasped when she recognized the name, “Jack’s Jenny? We . .we heard so much about you, when Jack, Desmond and I were having coffee.”

“Jack . .talked about me?” she smiled, removing her hand from her eyes.

“Of course. I loved his stories about picking you up from martial arts practice. And you famous joke about two escaped convicts.”

“He remembered that?” Jenny giggled, wiping her tears,” I’m definitely going to have to start calling him more.”

“Jenny . . .why are you here?” the Spanish woman asked, “Why do they want you?”

“They didn’t want me. They wanted Raven.”

“Raven? He . . .he made it to you.”

“Yes.” The cop leaned up.

“Then . .then he’ll rescue us?”

Jenny stared at the kind woman. A tear slowly escaped her left eye and ran down her cheek. The cop sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “No, I don’t think so.” She whimpered.

Jenny then began to fill in Isabella on everything that had happened this morning, not to mention the previous six years.

The two women sat together on the cot after they had told their stories. Jenny had filled in Isabella on what had happened in her life; everything from being reunited with Raven, to finding more Jaeger Units, and even becoming a homicide cop. Isabella had told her everything that had happened in the four months she was captured. She spoke of spending a weekend with Desmond in a secluded cabin under lock and key. The Spanish woman wiped her own tears every time she mentioned her son Sebastian who had been taken away from her. She had no idea where her son was nor her husband.

Isabella had mentioned she wished to be Isabella Hume, which was her husband Desmond’s last name. Jenny stared off into the wall when the Spanish woman had mentioned Desmond. It was a name she had heard before and from her past experiences; she never took anything for chance. Sometimes she wondered if coincidence even existed at all or if everything was fate? She massaged her sore arm and looked at Isabella again. “Isabella, can I ask you a question about your husband?” she asked.

“Of course.” She whispered.

“Did Desmond . . ever mention someone named Penelope?”

“Penelope Widmore?” the Spanish woman shook her head in agreement, “Of course he did. Has her father not pushed them away from each other, he might have become her husband instead of mine.”

“Really?” Jenny sighed, “Then . . it was his photo I saw in her office that day. I didn’t put two and two together till it was too late.”

“You were in Penelope’s office? WHEN?”

“A few years ago when I was solving a homicide that wound up being rogue Jaeger Units.” The officer sighed, “It led me right back to the Hanso Foundation, who run the Dharma Initiative. She runs the corporation now.”

“The Dharma . . .logo has been on the lab coats of all those doctors and scientists, asking me questions about my son. Are you saying . . .Penelope is behind all this?”

“Honestly? I don’t think so.”

“But, Jenny, how do you know she isn’t?”

“I trust my instincts.” Jenny moaned, massaging her arm, “ When I spoke with her, she gave me the impression that she was someone who had lost everything; her father and her future husband. She was trying to just hold on to what she had, which was this company. She didn’t strike me as a sadistic person, who would put us through this. You separated from your family, me tortured by that crazy Klugh woman.”

“But if she’s not behind this, then who is? That Ben guy?”

“Ben? Ben who?”

“Dr. Benjamin Linus.” Isabella whispered, “He’s got all the aspects of leadership qualities about him. However, I don’t know if he even knows Penelope Widmore.”

“If he works for Dharma, then we’ll have to assume he does. Now the question is, does Penelope know what is going on or not?”

“A good question Jenny. But how do we find out?”

The door then opened to their room. Three men then came in, including the one called Pickett. Isabella knew him because he was always in charge of migrating her and Desmond to various locations. The older stocky man smiled at them both, then his eyes fell on the blonde cop. “Time to go, officer.” He smirked.

“To where?” Jenny asked.

“Ms. Klugh has more questions for you.”

“NO!” Isabella jumped in front of her, protecting her, “She’s gone through enough! She doesn’t know anything else about Raven!”

Pickett slowly took another step toward Isabella. “Back off, Izzy.” The older man whispered, “You want any chance of seeing your son again, you won’t get in my way.”

“You took my boy away from me. I’m not letting you hurt this woman.” The Spanish woman hissed.

Then to Isabella’s surprise, Jenny pulled her back. The cop slid off the cot and held her head up. “No, Jenny, you don’t have to do this!” Isabella protested.

Jenny turned around and hugged her. Isabella embraced her and wept in her arms. The blonde cop knew why the Spanish woman was fighting so hard to keep her there. The poor woman had been removed from everything she had known; and Jenny was probably the first person’s she had to combat her loneliness in four months. The blonde cop then kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t cry, Isabella,” she whispered in her ear, “We’re going to be okay. I promise.”

The Spanish woman then slowly parted from her. Jenny then started to walk over to the men. One of them then took her by the arm. Within one fluid motion, she grabbed his wrist and twisted it down; breaking it. The man then fell behind, screaming in excruciating pain. Pickett then pulled out a taser but Jenny cut him off with a finger pointed in his direction. “I’ll go see Ms. Klugh,” she hissed, “But not a single one of you scumbags will lay a finger on me. EVER!”

Pickett raised an eyebrow and shook his head; motioning her forward. The other man helped up his friend, and escorted him out. Jenny kept her eyes on Isabella as the door was closed to her room; locking her back in her white bricked cell. The cop then turned and began to limp down the hallway with Pickett following her. The blonde woman was dreading the pain that Klugh was going to cause her in her attempt to find out more information about Raven.

And wondered how she was going to keep her promise to Isabella.

Part 453: 216

2006-11-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

10:27 am

“Four months,” Desmond coughed, “I’ve been moved around and inside this bloody hell hole for four months.”

Jack sat against the wall to the friend he hadn’t seen in over six years. Desmond looked like he was withered. He was still physically fit, sporting a beard and slightly longer hair. However, the doctor could tell it was the emotional wounds that ran deep for him. Desmond placed his hands on his head, as he rested against his knees. “In that span of four months, I’ve only seen my wife once,” he sniffed, “and my son never.”

“Where did you see Isabella?” Jack asked.

“At a cabin.” The stranger leaned his head back, “ These people treat their prisoners well. We were allowed a weekend together at this cabin under heavy lock and key. They said if we’d try to escape, we’ve been removed before the duration of the weekend was up. For our love . . .we spent ever single second with each other.”

“I know the feeling,” Jack rubbed his head, thinking about Kate.

“That was two months ago, Jack.” The former racer coughed,” I’ve not seen Izzy nor Sebastian for the past two months. Now tell . . .why have they kidnapped you?”

“They are planning something big.” Jack told him, “I think it’s got something to do with our children.”

“Children?” the stranger gasped, “Whose?”

Jack laughed briefly. “You’ve been out of touch with us for quite some time, Desmond.” He smirked, “Allow me to catch you up on the past six years.”

After nearly an hour had past after Jack had told his story. Desmond listened carefully, taken in every detail. He was happy that Charlie and Claire were getting married. He was happy that Tony and Marita were finally going to be parents. In fact, he was happy for every single person that was with him. They felt like family for the few short weeks they were all there. He knew that Sebastian had made lasting friendships with Eddie and Walt. It made him feel like he was finally back in the loop. “I’m happy Raven made it to America.” He leaned up, “Can we be expecting a rescue from him, brother?”

“Sadly, I doubt it.” Jack rubbed his cheeks, “ They got Jenny. And something tells me . . .they wouldn’t have been able to grab her, unless they took out Raven. I don’t know how but I know for a fact he wouldn’t give up Jenny without a fight.”

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” the Scotsman whispered, “If they’ve taken out Raven, I honestly can’t see how we are getting out of here.”

“We’ll worry about escape later,” the doctor shifted up again, “Now tell me, Desmond. Have you spoken to Ben?”

“You mean the wee spooky bastard with the eyes?” he raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, I’ve spoken with him.”

“Did he mention anything at all about Sebastian?”

“Only that he was going to be taken care of. I don’t know what that means but he’s still not my son’s bloody father. I am. I’m the one who’s supposed to take care of him.”

“What about what Sebastian goes through? How did he take care of the change that occurred in him every 108 minutes?”

“They already had medicine for him.” Desmond said, looking up into the ceiling, “ They injected him in the arm with it. He was unconscious on the helicopter ride.”

“They knocked him out?”

“They knocked us all out.” The Scotsman continued, “That’s how they swooped in and picked us up. It’s kinda funny . . .looks like those bloody sharks will finally get their freedom after all.”

“Did he mention what was going on with Sebastian? Did he say that your son was in this building or close by?”

Desmond massaged his neck. “I don’t think so,” he whispered, “I’ve constantly demanded to see my son and they keep saying, that’s not possible. I honestly think, judging by their expressions . . . .that my boy is very far away from here.”

“They wanted Sebastian,” Jack braced his mouth on his hands,” And now they wants the children that made it off of there. Why?”

“Because they are crazy, Jack! A bunch of lunatic, mad scientists!” Desmond yelled in frustration.

“If there was one thing that I learned on the Island, Desmond, was not to mistake crazy for stupid.” The doctor whispered, “Ben kept talking about Natural Selection. Like a man who believes that the strong, not the meek will inherit the earth.”

“What does this have to do with the children?”

“It almost seems like it’s one big experiment,” Jack whispered, “It’s almost as if . . .the kids survived the experiment of the Island. What would Ben put them into next?”

Desmond blinked. He then scratched his beard. Then he quickly tabbed Jack on the shoulder. “Jack . .you don’t think . . .he would put them on another Island, would you?” he asked.

Jack’s eyebrows slowly rose up. “What makes you say that?” he asked.

“You mentioned the Island and it reminded me of something that Izzy talked about during our weekend trip. Because of giving birth to Sebastian, they’ve been taking massive amounts of blood out of her. Almost once every two weeks. During one of the more lucid periods of blood extraction, Izzy said she overheard some of the nurses talking.”

“What did they say?”

“They mentioned that they were missing someone they use to work with. They said they hoped they got back from Isla De Verde before Christmas.”

“Isla de Verde?” Jack inquired, “Where is that?”

“I don’t know, brother. That is all Izzy was able to remember. That and some weird number they kept mentioning.”

“What . .what number?”

“They kept saying something about the 216-ers. Whatever the hell that means?”

“216-ers?” Jack raised an eyebrow,” What . . .what is that?’

“Like I just said, brother, it probably means nothing. Hell, do you have a 216 area code?”

“No, the area code for Los Angeles is 209.” The doctor tapped his head, “216. 216, why is that so familiar?

“February 16th, anybody’s birthday?” Desmond said, thinking on it.

“No, no, but I know I’ve heard that number before.”

The next twenty minutes, Desmond tried to rest. It was a little difficult because he had no furniture in the enclosed room. Sadly, what made it worse was Jack pacing back and forth, mumbling the number 216. The Scotsman opened his eyes and then leaned up; bracing his back against the cold wall. “You know, brother,” he grunted, “I know we’ve only been cell mates for two hours but if you don’t shut up, I might just hurt you.”

“I’m sorry, Desmond,” Jack stopped, “I can’t get that number out of my head. 216 means something, I know it!”

“Jack, it’s not like the numbers I had to type in the Argos mainframe.” The Scotsman pleaded, “These numbers don’t meant squat.”

“The numbers you had to type in the Argos mainframe were the same numbers that Mia typed into the Watchman system. These maniacs thrive on numbers. The 216 numbers has to have some meaning, it has to!”

Desmond crossed his arms, extended his legs and cross them too. He sighed and stared at his friend. “Okay, brother,” he glared at him, “What do you think these numbers mean?”

“Did 216 come up in the Shark Tank anywhere?”

“Nope.”

“Hmmm,” Jack closed his eyes, “ 216 minus 108 is . . . .is 108 again.”

Desmond then uncrossed his arms. Jack and him locked eyes for a second, as if they had just revealed a specific clue. “216 is 108 times 2.” The Scotsman whispered, “That’s . . spooky. That. . .can’t be coincidence.”

“108 times 2,” Jack slid down, on the wall, balancing on his knees, “ What does that mean?”

“Hey, Jack . .what other numbers did you see? During your adventures?”

“Uh . ..Hurley played the numbers in his lottery . . .there were 48 of us left . . .there were 23 in Tony’s party . . .Uh . .uh . . .we went on gate 23, after we got on . . .”

Jack’s eyes were so wide they were almost as big as quarters. Desmond stared at him and his poor doctor friend had the look of a man who had just stepped on his own grave. The doctor coughed a bit and looked around, at the two way mirror. Then he got on his feet and quickly strode over to the other end of the room; sitting down next to Desmond. “Jack, did . . .did 216 ring a bell?” the Scotsman asked.

Jack covered his eyes with his hand. He took a deep sigh. “Dear God in Heaven.” He whispered.

“Jack, talk to me.” Desmond begged.

“Flight 815 . . . .Flight 216.”

“Flight 216?” the stranger inquired, “What is that?”

“About two months ago,” Jack said, leaning against the wall, “A reporter called me about Conway Air Flight 216, out of Maui. It was a flight that disappeared under mysterious circumstances, similar to Flight 815. They wanted to get a statement on the fear and isolation of being stranded an Island. They had no idea where to search for these people.”

“Jack . ..what does this have to do with us?” Desmond asked.

“When we were in flight to America from Sydney, we pasted over the Island and the big flying robot called MOLE brought us down.”

“So?”

“So . . ..what if . . . .it’s happened to Flight 216?” Jack whispered.