Author's Note: This came to me as I was watching the movie that I talk about in the fic. It really is a good movie—if you like classic movies. As I watched it I realized that the monster in the movie had a lot of similarities to the monster in Lost. You don't have to have seen the movie, but it helps. This is nowhere near as epic as my last Lost fic, it's just a little something while I work on some other projects, so don't set your sights too high about the quality of this work.
Like Jack, I was caught off-guard by the little olive branch Sawyer offered right before they all followed Michael into the jungle. It's interesting that both seasons would end with Jack and Sawyer trying to broker a truce between themselves. It'll be really interesting to see what Sawyer will do in the third season since he found out that Jack knew Michael was compromised and kept that a secret.
This is a one shot set late in the night that the group is on the trek to get Walt back, before Jack reveals Michael's plans to everyone, so only Jack knows Michael is a turncoat. It's sort of a stab at how the semi-truce that Jack and Sawyer struck up affected the trek. As always, reviews are appreciated but not required.
"The beast in me,
Is caged by frail and fragile bars.
Restless by day,
And by night rants and rages at the stars.
God help the beast in me."
'The Beast In Me,' Johnny Cash
Id
"What's up, Doc?" Jack heard the southern voice half-whisper in a bad Bugs Bunny impression. He looked up from the embers of the tiny fire to see Sawyer materialize from the jungle.
"Can't sleep," Jack replied, keeping his voice low. "Where're you coming from?"
"Nature called," Sawyer said as he sat down with a grunt. "I swear to God if I eat another mango I'm gonna start pissin' orange." His knees creaked a little as he tried to get comfortable. Jack chuckled a little at Sawyer's comment but didn't say anything. After a minute of silence between the two Sawyer spoke up again. "Waiting for the Sandman?"
"No, never was a big Metallica fan." Jack answered as he continued to stare into the fire.
Sawyer grinned at that. "Nah—figured you wouldn't be. Guess I'm not much of one either, they're so damn loud they hurt my head." Jack took a deep breath and rolled his head to ease a crick in his neck. He groaned as the pain momentarily rose before dropping off again. "You okay there?" Sawyer looked at him. "You sound like someone's got you on the rack."
"Listen to you—your knees crackled like Rice Krispies when you sat down." Jack pointed out.
"Bad knees will do that." Sawyer told him, and then adopted that slightly derisive tone of his. "So what's really on your mind fearless leader? Worried about our little war party gettin' ambushed tonight?"
"Not especially," Jack replied. He sighed quietly. "Last time we were in the jungle like this was when we were trying to get the dynamite to blow open John's hatch."
"Was that ever a can of worms." Sawyer commented.
"Yeah," Jack said. "Hurley was actually trying to get us to not open the hatch but John blew it up anyway."
"Yeah, sounds like Locke. Bet he said something about destiny while he was at it." Sawyer said contemptuously as he picked up a thin stick and began poking at the coals. "We could have used some dynamite for this expedition if it wasn't so unstable."
"Yeah, that stuff blew up if you sneezed at it." Jack said. "But the thing was, on our way back to camp, we were attacked by that security system."
"Really?" Sawyer looked up a moment before concentrating again on the dying fire again.
"I've been worried that it'll come back. I can't figure out what triggers it to come looking for us, you know? There's no real pattern I can discern."
"I've wondered about that too. But you know; we ain't set it off in a while so I figure we should just keep doing what we're doing. Try not to rock the boat." Sawyer tossed the stick onto the embers and asked, "What do you think it is? All I've ever seen is a puff of smoke and then all hell breaks loose. Even then, it's not like I catch a good look. It's more like a scance out of the corner of my eye."
"A scance?" Jack questioned.
"You know; a quick glance."
"Ah…"
"So what's that college educated brain of yours come up with?" Sawyer jeered.
"Not much." Jack sounded a little frustrated. "I keep coming back to it being something psychological. Like an Id."
"As in the Wizard of?" Sawyer asked with a little laugh.
"No, not that damn cartoon." Jack dismissed Sawyer's joke. "There was an old movie I saw a long time ago. An old science fiction movie that came out in the fifties."
"Jesus, Doc. Don't tell me you're a sci-fi nerd. I'll have to beat the crap outa you." Sawyer threatened.
"I'm not." Jack spat back. "But this movie had a monster that seems pretty close to our monster. What was it called…" Jack racked his brain a moment. "Forbidden Planet, I think. Yeah the movie was called Forbidden Planet. The monster was this thing called an Id—"
"Relax, Doc, I know what you're talking about." Sawyer cut him off. "I've seen that movie before."
Jack laughed loudly at that, and looked around to make sure the others hadn't woken up. When he spoke again his voice was low, "That's hilarious. Where did you see it?"
"Oh, you know," Sawyer evaded the question. "It was on TV one night and I couldn't find a ballgame. What about you?"
"Same thing," Jack answered. "Saw it on TV when I was a kid. Watched it again in my psych class."
"Must've been one crazy teacher." Sawyer commented.
"He was definitely not someone I would want to share my problems with." Jack answered. "But the more I think about that movie, the more I see a connection to here."
"It's definitely possible—seems like anything is on this crap-hole island." Sawyer remarked.
"Well, I mean think about it. The Id was this formless beast that could materialize just about anywhere and was impossible to destroy."
"Yeah, and whatever's on this island is practically invincible, just like the Id. But in the movie didn't the Id go away when it attacked the spaceship and the crew blasted it with all their weapons?"
"Yeah, it did in the movie." Jack answered. "But I think the reason the Id disappeared that first time was because someone interrupted the mad scientist."
"Well, what would happen if we chucked dynamite at our boogie-monster?" Sawyer asked.
"It just disappears, but we can't kill it." Jack answered. Sawyer looked up at this information and Jack explained. "It had taken Locke and was dragging him down a hole, so we threw a stick of dynamite into the hole and whatever it was just…let go…disappeared into a cloud of smoke and was gone. But we didn't kill it."
"Locke's lucky to be here. Wonder what would've happened if he didn't come back and force everyone to push that damn button."
"He wanted us to let him go so that whatever it was could drag him away."
"Stupid coot." Sawyer said and looked back into the fire. "His obsession with destiny is going to kill him before we get off this island." He let out a long sigh. "So we can't kill this thing, and we don't know what sets it off, and we don't even know what the hell it is. Things ain't looking too good."
"That about sums it all up." Jack ran the knuckles of his right hand over his head and then sat up a little. "You remember how they stopped the Id for good?"
"I thought they never really did." Sawyer replied. "I just remember the scientist's cute daughter and the robot that could make fifty gallons of fine whiskey."
"Yeah…" Jack agreed. "God, what I wouldn't do for a robot like that in this hell hole."
"You and me both, brother." Sawyer echoed. He was quiet a moment before speaking again, "How did they stop the Id? Didn't it have something to do with the scientist? Almost like the Id was controlled by his fears, right?"
"Yeah, it was controlled by the scientist's unconscious, his fears and desires. It was all very Freudian—or was it Jung? I really don't remember now. But it was one of those psychiatrists." Jack said. "I wonder if there's a synchronicity between the Id and our security system." He added.
"A what?" Sawyer asked.
"Synchronicity. It's like…a meaningful coincidence. Which I guess would call into question whether or not there really is such a thing as coincidence. Maybe it's all happening for a reason, or everything we've ever done really is connected." Jack let out a frustrated sigh, "God, where the hell is Locke when you need him?" He laughed a little. "I feel like we're on the edge of realizing some vital truth if we could just figure out the clues. I should have paid more attention in psych class."
"Maybe you weren't supposed to pay attention in class." Sawyer said. "If everything is connected, maybe the fact that you skipped out on psych 101 has something to do with what's happening on this island."
Jack stared at him a moment. "You could be right. I don't know anymore. The more we figure out the less it all makes sense."
"How very cliché, Doc." Sawyer scoffed.
"Yeah, but it does fit the situation."
Sawyer seemed to consider this a moment before he spoke again. "So I guess the question is: if this thing is controlled by someone, then who is the one in control?"
"Damn good question." Jack answered. "Is it even one person?"
"Could be the whole thing is coordinated by the Dharma Initiative." Sawyer thought aloud. "Come to think of it, the 'Dharma Initiative' is a pretty interesting name. Since dharma is so important to Buddhists and Hindus. And the number one-oh-eight is also pretty important to Hindus. I'm sure if we sat here long enough we could come up with quite a list of 'coincidences' and how they're all related."
Jack looked up at him, a little surprised. "How do you know all that about dharma?"
"You didn't know that?" Sawyer shot back.
"No, I did. I just…didn't expect you to."
"Like I said, just 'cause I didn't make it through high school doesn't mean I'm an idiot." Sawyer said with a sly smile.
"Yeah, but that still doesn't seem like something you would need to know."
"You remember Thailand?" Sawyer asked and Jack nodded. "Well, Phuket is not the only city in that country. Plus there are still quite a few Hindus in Thailand, and they have a nice habit of giving shelter to poor lost souls."
"Is that why you were in Thailand?" Jack asked. "Hiding out until things cooled down?"
"Isn't that why you were in Thailand?" Sawyer replied.
"I was there on an internship." Jack answered.
"Yeah," Sawyer looked him in the eye. "But why'd you pick Thailand? It's about as far away from America as you can get and still be connected with the modern world."
Jack didn't say anything for a moment and the two both felt they were dangerously close to revealing parts of their lives they didn't want to relive. Jack sighed loudly and returned to the original subject. "So, if this Id is controlled by a person or the head of the Dharma Initiative, we'll have to figure out who it is."
"And then kill him." Sawyer added.
"And then kill him." Jack agreed. "It's the only way to stop the monster."
They were quiet again for a minute before Sawyer spoke up, "So, What's Freckles think of all this?"
"What?" Jack sounded a little surprised.
"Aw, don't play dumb, Doc." Sawyer smiled knowingly. "You two made up on that little hike and are talking again. Surely you've told her what you think about the security system."
Jack smiled a little. "I tried. She actually didn't know what I was talking about."
"How's that?" Sawyer asked.
"When I tried to explain it all she pretended to know what I was talking about—I guess to humor me—but I could tell that she didn't understand a word. That movie was made a long, long time ago. She's too young to have seen it." Jack said.
"How old is she?" Sawyer asked.
"Never asked her exact age," Jack said. "But she's in her mid twenties."
"And how old are you?"
"Thirties." Jack answered. Sawyer raised an eyebrow and Jack amended his response, "Mid thirties. Why, how about you?"
"Same as you." Sawyer avoided a direct answer.
Jack yawned and then twisted his back, feeling it pop and crack as he relieved the cramping in his muscles.
"You're going to ruin your back, Doc."
"I'm not going to ruin my back, Sawyer." Jack said knowingly.
"How do you know?" Sawyer challenged.
"'Cause I'm a doctor." Jack said as if it were the most obvious reason in the world.
"How come you're always so damn arrogant?" Sawyer spat.
"How come you're always so damn belligerent?" Jack shot back.
The two glared at each other a moment, sizing each other up and near the edge of violence, before Sawyer smiled his con man grin, "Fair enough," he said and then changed the subject. "God, listen to us: bad backs and bad knees and scared of the dark. We sound like a couple of decrepit old men who've seen a sci-fi movie and have overactive imaginations."
Jack shook his head once, "If only."
Sawyer didn't say anything; instead he focused on the dark red coals.
"Listen," Jack started. "I don't know how it's going to go down when we catch up to these people, but we're going to have to work together—all of us—if we want to make it through."
"Live together, die alone." Sawyer quietly offered.
"Yeah. Live together, die alone." Jack agreed.
"So the end product is really gonna hit the fan soon." Sawyer thought aloud.
"I think so." Jack answered.
Sawyer looked up and was silent a moment. "Why are you telling me this?" He echoed Jack's words from the Hatch.
Jack gave an ironic smile, "What—you can have a midnight confession with an almost-friend but I can't?"
Sawyer half-nodded and asked, "Have you been up since we all turned in?"
"Pretty much."
"I'll take watch for a while; you try and get some shut eye." Sawyer said.
"I'm fine—it's not like I'll get any sleep anyways."
"Then just rest. Besides, I overheard Sayid say once that a guy can only be on watch for a few hours before he's too tired to do any good," Sawyer said. "Now go on." Jack didn't move and Sawyer spoke again, "Look, I'll let you take the watch in a couple hours if it makes you feel any better."
Jack stood slowly and crept to his pack, which was situated behind a log and near Kate. He pulled out the small blanket that he carried and laid it out as a ground cloth. He laid down on his side and put his back against the log, seeking what little cover and solidarity it provided. He surveyed the small group as he tried to find a comfortable position to lie in for the next few hours. Sawyer stared into the fire, and the others slept quietly. He closed his eyes and tried to figure out how they were all going to get through this ordeal.
Finisimo
If it seems strained that's because I purposely tried to make things a little choppy since the two can barely tolerate each other. As an interesting side note, the movie 'Forbidden Planet' does actually have a lot of similarities to certain aspects of 'Lost.' And the Id really is a psychological theory. Freud was very involved in trying to explain it. The Id is the most primitive part of a person's personality.