This chapter is quite short and I found it harder to write than the others. A special thanks to Kitty for the constant interest.
The following morning, Sawyer clambered out of his bed with a splitting headache. He usually tried not to drink too much but last night he had gotten carried away. Holding one hand to his forehead, he walked slowly into the living room. The moment he saw the phone left out on the glass table, his heart lurched and he vomited a little on the floor. He remembered the call. He knew that it had been a short conversation yet one that sent a chill down his spine each time he attempted to recall it.
Shit shit shit shit shit; he thought. What if someone really had taken Clementine? He approached the table and examined the phone. Since the previous night, he had eight missed calls, all from Cassidy.
His heart stopped beating not daring to disturb his dark mind above. Sawyer felt something at that moment that he had not felt so strongly since he had strangled Anthony Cooper in the Black Rock all those years ago- a hunger for revenge.
The sick son of a bitch that took his daughter would not survive Sawyer's anger.
He jumped at a sudden noise and movement in his hand. The phone was ringing and vibrating- it was Cassidy again. With his heart pulsing at it's usual pace once more, he answered.
Kate shivered as a light breeze from the open window brushed her naked back. She turned over to look at Claire but she had already gotten up. She pulled the duvet off her legs and stood up.
There was a tall mirror on the other side of the bed which she examined with interest.
Suddenly, Claire came into the bedroom wearing shorts and a tee-shirt.
"Good morning," she said.
"Good morning," Kate smiled back. She saw the other woman's eyes flicker momentarily down to glance at her lower half.
"I'll make breakfast if you want. I think we've got some eggs."
"Sure. I'll just take a shower first."
"Okay." Claire left the room again, leaving Kate in front of the mirror.
[Flashback]
It was an odd sight. Seven people were standing in a golf course with two jeeps and a dirty passenger plane behind them.
"Penny?" Kate had recognised her instantly. "What are you doing here?"
"I'll explain soon but right now all of you need to come with me," as she said this, a man from one of the cars stepped out wearing a black suit which was now getting wet because of the sprinklers.
"We'll have three in each shall we?" She asked him. He gave a nod and before any of the survivors could ask more questions they were being hurried into the cars.
Sawyer, Miles, Richard and the man in the suit in one, Kate, Claire, Frank and Penny in the other.
The two vehicles drove across the golf course, through some bushes onto a road.
"You know her?" asked Claire quietly. Kate nodded.
"She helped us out last time. She's Desmond's girlfriend."
"And when you say 'us'-"
"I mean the Oceanic 6, yeah. Don't worry, we can trust her."
"How the hell did you find us so fast anyway?" asked an agitated Frank.
"The plane was spotted over the ocean earlier and I was already around this part of the world looking for my husband again." Said Penny from the driver's seat. "Do you know if he's okay?"
"The last time I saw him he looked fine," said Kate.
"And when was that?"
"This morning."
"Where are you taking us?" asked Claire.
"I'm taking you to the airport. There's a flight to LA leaving in ten minutes and we're going to be on it."
"What about me?" asked Kate, "I broke my promise- I left California, I'll probably be arrested."
"No, you won't." Replied Penny.
[Present]
Kate pulled a cantaloupe melon off the supermarket shel
f and placed it in her shopping basket. She thought about her meeting with Sawyer the previous day.
"Kate?" She recognised the voice but was unsure who was speaking until she turned around and saw that it was Miles.
"Miles? Hi. How are you?"
"Great thanks. Uh, did you speak to James yesterday?"
"Yeah, did he tell you?"
"Actually I was the one who suggested that he go and see you."
"Oh, thanks. It was nice to see him."
"Really?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"Dunno, but he seemed a bit stressed out last night. I assumed it was something to do with-" before he could finish his cell phone rang. "Sorry," he said, answering it.
"Hey. Yeah I know I was- what? When was this? Ok, I'll be there as soon as possible. Oh and I ran into Kate at the store, should I bring her? Got it." He put the phone back in his pocket and turned to Kate who was very confused.
"What's the matter?" she asked, sensing the urgency.
"That was him."
"What did he say?"
"His daughter's been kidnapped."
"How could you have taken your eye off her." Growled Sawyer.
"I- I don't know," cried Cassidy. "We were just walking back home, she ran off. I searched for hours. She was gone. I didn't know what to do."
Sawyer shook his head. Why was this happening to him?
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" said Cassidy. Sawyer stood up from the chair he had been sitting on. They were in the police station just outside of his office.
"I'm gonna find her." He informed the aggrieved mother.
Suddenly the door burst open and Kate and Miles entered.
"Oh my God are you okay?" she asked anxiously, hugging him. She hugged Cassidy too then continued, "We're going to find her. Don't worry. I don't know how yet but we will."
"Thanks." Said Sawyer. "But I don't need your help. I'm going to find Clementine on my own."
"No. Jim, that's not gonna happen." Said Miles.
"And why the fuck not?"
"Because you're emotionally attached. They'll never let you anywhere near this case."
"That's ridiculous. They can't stop me. I have a right. A father's right."
Kate was reminded of Michael Dawson and remembered how far a father would go to get back their child. She shuddered at the thought.
"If you get involved," continued Miles, "It could jeopardise the entire operation,"
"What's that supposed to mean?" spat Sawyer, having taken offense at this last comment.
The door opened again and two people came in so fast that no-one could fully register who they were straight away.
Hurley headed straight for Sawyer and gave him one of his classic over-sized hugs.
"I came as soon as I heard, man." He broke the hug and Sawyer looked bewildered.
"Hugo? What the hell are you doing here?"
"Looks like we have some catching up to do." Said Ben from the doorway.
Sawyer, Kate, Miles, Hurley, Ben and Cassidy sat or stood in various places around Sawyer's office, which was now very cramped. They had decided to move in there as not to run the risk of being overheard by anyone.
"How did you get off the island?" asked Kate at Hurley and Ben.
"Well it turns out there's loads of ways. First, we went to Guam by-"
"Hugo. That information is private. Forgive me Kate, it's nothing personal. All we can tell you is that us two are taking care of the island now."
"Who cares about some island?" asked Cassidy. "Clementine's in danger."
"She's right. The island doesn't have anything to do with this. We shouldn't have come at all really, we were just passing by."
"What so now you're just gonna leave without helping?" asked Miles.
"I thought I told you- I don't need helping." Sawyer reminded him.
"Dude, chill." Said Hurley. "We're in town for another couple of days so if you need anything just come and see us."
"Where are you staying?" Asked Kate. Ben scribbled the name of a hotel and room numbers on a piece of paper and gave it to her.
"Obviously, we're not detectives… but we can always offer alternative ways of doing things. After all, I'm quite well connected." He and Hurley moved towards the door.
"Oh and," said Ben, remembering something, "good luck." With one last wave from Hurley, they had left.
"So what are we gonna do?" asked Miles, addressing everyone in the room for an answer.
"I say that if we can't join the official investigation, we start our own." Said Sawyer.
"Well I guess that suggestion could work-" Miles began.
"It wasn't a suggestion. I'm doing it whatever happens. The phone call I got last night, we can trace it right?"
"Yeah, but the only way we can get the equipment is by saying it's for another case."
"Fine. We'll say it's for the murder case."
"We?" asked Miles. "I thought you didn't want any help."
"Well I've obviously had a change of heart. We should get started. Meet me at my apartment in one hour with the right equipment."
"I'll come too." Said Kate.
"No." replied Sawyer. "You're not getting dragged into this."
"Why? You think I'll get in the way?"
"I never said that Freckles." He looked into her eyes and thought about that evening at LAX three years earlier. He moved his eyes away and looked at the floor instead. "I'll let you know if we find anything."
Kate looked at Cassidy in disbelief but the other woman shrugged. There was nothing either of them could do.
There was a knock on the door and Sawyer answered. Miles was there with the police tracing equipment and a laptop.
"Come in." Said Sawyer and Miles entered the apartment. He noticed the scent of alcohol in the air which he guessed from Sawyer's signs of a hangover, was left from the night before.
"Here it is." Said Sawyer, gesturing to the old telephone. Miles kneeled by the table and plugged some wires into the phone, connected it to a small box and that to the laptop. He brought up the kidnappers call from the call log and selected an option on the laptop. It took a couple of minutes loading before an address came up on the screen.
42 Veil Avenue
"I guess I know where we're going." Said Miles.
"I guess we do." Replied Sawyer. "This sick bastard doesn't stand a chance."
There you have it, chapter 4. The next chapter should move the story forward a bit more. Feedback is highly appreciated and you don't need a account to leave a review. Thanks!