LOST Other 6 Season

by Vercetty

I started a project for an alternative season 6 of LOST, that is, how the action would develop after season 5. It's just that I have my own author's vision of the situation, my own version of building a complete picture from what is available.

4. Episode 6x03 Ab Aeterno

Previously on LOST:

5.15

- Who is he?

"The man you're asking about is Richard Alpert. He's kind of like... an adviser here. And he has been in this position for a long time, I would say, a very, very long time.

5.16

"I won't kill Jacob, Ben. You will do this.

5.17

- Where did you get it?

- He was in a coffin.

- I do not understand. If it's Locke... then who's there?

- Do as I say, Ben.

- Benjamin... you have a choice.

- What about me?

- What about you?

- They are coming.

- What? I can't hear.

- They are coming.

Storm

The sails trembled in the wind. Huge pieces of cloth dangled so violently that they gave the false impression that in a second they would break free of their mounts and fly into the open ocean to find their refuge in the water. The dark color of the sails gave the ship a stern, warlike appearance. There is a stereotype that black sails are exclusive to pirates. But this is just a stereotype. Or… this ship became the first exception to the general rules, which were now somewhat violated. And as it happens in history, there is a first time for everything.

People ran around the deck, each doing his assigned duties. Here is one sailor, for some reason without shoes on his feet, standing at the edge of the ship and training, tying the rope into an intricate knot. Most of the people on the ship were doing just that sort of thing. Imitation of activity. But a side effect of being in any closed group is willingly discussing everything that allows you to distract yourself. That is why the deck crew became interested in why such a hurricane arose. A few moments ago, the bright sun illuminated everything around. And then - in an instant ... Huge gray clouds began to dictate their will. The air became damp and stale. As if hell itself had risen on an elevator to reach the earth. Some sailors have already begun to descend into the hold, expecting to meet the onset of the hurricane in safety. Security, drawn in my own imagination. Like a person who, after something terrible, is in a state of shock and repeats that this should not be, and everything is not happening to him. Or even like a person in a falling plane, covering his eyes with his hands and praying to move in space and end up in his apartment.

Two short men stood at the edge of the ship. Stocky, bow-legged, they clung to the rails, keeping their balance on the ship rocking by the water. But one of them didn't seem to be doing well right now. He had difficulty keeping on his feet. At the slightest increase in pitching, his head, by inertia, fell to his chest, and he remained in such a state as a somnambulist, and after a couple of seconds he returned to fall into this state again. came out of this state on his own. It was clear to the naked eye that he was not feeling well. And "not very good" is an understatement. He clearly needed help. But he continued to stand on his already buckled legs, not showing that he was uneasy. But it turned out mediocre, and the partner drew attention to his bad condition.

- Willie, are you okay? asked the second sailor.

William turned to him. The pupils of the eyes were dilated, the proteins along and across were dotted with bursting blood vessels. His head twitched slightly from side to side, as if he obsessively shook it negatively. Teeth began to chatter in a stuttering rhythm.

- Howie, everything is in order, just seasick ... - William replied doomed.

Before he could finish the last words, he collapsed to the floor with a crash. His body shook in convulsions, a thin stream from his nose, and then blood flowed more and more intensively. Howard fell to his knees in front of his comrade.

- Hey, somebody! Here! The man is sick, he needs help! Howie yelled at the top of his voice.

From the other end of the ship, people began to run up. They crowded into a circle around the victim, but this was the end of their participation in what was happening. Being at sea, they were willingly glad of any spectacle, anything that would break the monotony of their routine, but no one interfered Well, people who sailed so far from civilization still managed to reproduce the effect of the crowd.

- Samantha, come back! Wait for me! – woke up, whispered William.

Eyewitnesses began to whisper. Because their partner was obviously delusional.

- What is he carrying? There are no women on ships," muttered one of the crew members.

- It's his dead sister, idiot! snarled Howard, wickedly wicked. - She died two years ago. - Why crowded? He needs air, get out! Howard took over.

People reluctantly began to disperse and form small companies, discussing what could happen to William. Another side effect of being away from civilization is that in the absence of all the variety of events, there is a desire to gossip. Then a man stepped out of the hold, who was noticeably different from the others. It was evident from him that he was the captain. As soon as he stepped onto the deck, the crowd of onlookers dispersed, the sailors immediately went about their business, denoting busyness with their whole appearance. And only Howard and a few men sat over the body of the fainted sailor, providing some kind of help. The captain slowly approached them.

- What about him? the captain asked with visible displeasure, not wanting to listen to lengthy explanations.

- He just fainted, sir. Carries some nonsense. Howard reported.

- Take it to the hold, where the slaves are. Let it lie down.

"But sir… He needs help…" Howie frowned.

- A worker, - the captain was stern, but only out of condescension to friendly feelings he launched into explanations. - I am Magnus Hanso, the captain of this ship, I decide what to do! Thank you for not having your friend thrown overboard, even though that would have been safer. Fulfill! he finished on a hard note.

Howard found no words to reply. He, along with his partner, took William and dragged him towards the entrance to the hold. The captain stood near the side and looked at the ocean. His eyes darted across the horizon, looking for a piece of land, but beyond that distant line, only the sky was visible.

In the back room, William came to his senses. He was no longer spouting the nonsense that he had relentlessly uttered on deck. The onlookers looked at him. He drank water from the offered flask, looked around dumbfounded and asked:

- Where I am?

- We're on a ship. Do not worry it's okay. Howard spoke softly.

- Like this? I'm not here. Where is Samantha? - the eyewitnesses were uneasy, since the voice of the sailor became somehow completely childish.

- Calm down.

From below came a voice:

- What? Who are you?! Where is she? - the sailor yelled, pushing away his friend, who only looked at him dumbfounded.

"Samantha died when you were children," Howard replied, then took a deep breath.

- Not! I have just been with her. Where am I and what am I doing here? It can't be! William began to twitch, causing his nose to bleed.

- Willie, this is reality. The rest is your fantasy.

- No no! I'm not here, but there! - continued to stand on his unfortunate.

But suddenly he stopped in mid-sentence. Nostrils flared, eyes were ready to fly out of their sockets from internal tension. He started shaking. The jet of blood increased and already flowed down the lip, then spreading over the chin. Finally, he limply limp, twitching convulsively for the last time.

"The mechanism is waiting for us…" William whispered with his eyes closed.

Those were his last words. He passed out. Howard fell to his knees in front of him, but even without being a medic, he was able to determine that his friend was dead, and broke into sobs. The guys standing next to each other quietly whispered, looking at him. Then one of them approached Edward, carefully placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Howie, we need to get rid of the body…"

- No, he deserves better! - This time, the inconsolable friend almost shouted.

- He is dead. He is no more. He is now only a body. And if someone sees a corpse on the deck, then panic will begin.

Howard found the strength and courage to obey. He looked at his friend for the last time, then put his hand on his forehead and closed his eyelids.

Farewell, Willie...

Then he got up and went to the exit, looking and not seeing. Behind him, the guys were already dragging some kind of dirty matting, intended for the deceased.

Edward came out of the hold, all sweaty. He wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He walked to the opposite edge of the deck and pulled a hand-rolled cigarette from his pocket. Looked at her. His fingers trembled, so Edward decided to throw what he had in his hands overboard, which he did with a furious splash. From the moral pain for what happened, he felt physical pain.

"Hey, don't be upset, everything will be fine," a young guy said familiarly to Howard. This usually happens when people, trying to feel stronger, try to comfort in this way, when in fact they really want to be comforted themselves. - Everything will work out.

- I'm worried about something else. He glanced back at the captain, looking at the horizon, trying to divert the subject from his deceased friend. "That's bloody suspicious, man.

- What do you mean? Interest appeared in the boy's eyes. He must have seen in Howard the kind of person he could talk to without risking rejection. That is why he did not lag behind.

I don't know, it's hard to explain. I do not presume to argue why we have so many Mauritanian slaves in the hold ...

"They are from Mozambique," interjected the interlocutor.

- It doesn't matter where they come from! - the sailor went on a cry. - And a pile of dynamite, - the more experienced sailor uttered his doubts to the younger one. "But why doesn't anyone even tell us where we are going?"

- What, even the captain?

Well, I guess he knows. But the rest - whoever you ask, everyone knows only the direction of movement. This is at best. But now we have seizures," he added angrily.

Not a good swim, Edward summed up.

"Maybe it's seasickness," the interlocutor suggested.

- Who? Willie? Howard chuckled contemptuously. - Yes, he is as healthy as a horse! And there are more sailors than you or me! And suddenly - this! There's something fishy here, buddy.

Turning sharply, Howard walked away, regretting that he had got involved in this conversation.

Meanwhile, a prominent man approached the captain, judging by the embroidered robe, he also did not look like a sailor or something like that. He stood next to the captain and started talking.

"Sir, the island is approaching us," the man said, looking out to sea.

- Do you think so, Ricardus? And to me, there's nothing but ocean for miles.

- Take my word for it - I spent so much time here that I learned to feel it. After a couple of minutes, look to the north and you will see something that you really like.

- Don't make me laugh, Ricardus. You look no older than me," the captain with the Scandinavian surname Hanso said with a grin.

Richard just smiled softly. The captain was funny.

- I'm sorry, sir. Okay, I'll go to the cabin. I'm waiting for you there.

Richard walked towards the door. The captain turned his head to the east. Of course, he expected to see land, but by no means this way. In front of his eyes, a fragment of a giant statue, a four-toed leg, stuck out of a patch of earth. It seemed that it was possible to even look at the rest of it without taking your eyes off - its very appearance fascinated. The ship's crew also began to notice this structure. The people on the deck gradually stopped fussing and began to look up, some, noticing their partners, also forgot about their business, and, under the influence of the herd instinct, began to contemplate.

The weather became more and more unforgiving. The clouds, which had grown even larger, closed mercilessly. Small waves pounced on the sides of the ship and bounced into the ocean. The element was preparing to say its weighty word.

Old friend

Frozen posture. Unaesthetically sagging jaw. And a focused look down at what lies near the feet. Richard Alpert continued to stare fixedly at Locke's body. He is already afraid, but he does not yet realize it, although numbness has already taken possession of his whole being. The ageless man was numb from a terrible guess.

How could he? How could he not know? He, the patron, mentor and adviser, who survived a lot on this island and was with the island in a variety of years! How did he manage not to guess who was in front of him, and not to notice the glaring changes in appearance, in habits, in all the charisma of the supposedly returned "John Locke"? After all, he knew perfectly well about his sworn enemy, but even the possibility of such a reincarnation did not occur to him. But the very possibility of such a resurrection took my breath away so much that I willingly believed in it, or rather, I wanted to please myself. Because he sympathized with John, respected him as a human being, which made it easy to believe in the incredible. This tireless man, a man of faith. Struggling, not giving up. And he proved it all his life! With what sympathy Richard looked at him, and how imperceptibly, gradually, he tried to help him! So I wanted to ask him, to find out what is the secret of this man's strength of mind. Many tried to confuse him, confuse him, but he found his way through all the thorns and doubts. Because he believed in his mission. And so it was, until this belief in destiny led him to death. Yes, John's blind faith in the island and willingness to follow instructions from anyone who seemed to be the spokesman of his will, in the end, made him a victim of manipulation by a skilled craftsman.

"You will have to die, John."

And I became a wonderful accomplice to your death ...

Perhaps John should have been buried. But the dead have their own, and the living have their own. In the meantime, things took a completely unsuitable turn. After all, the one who took the form of John was now there, in the shadow of the statue. He penetrated to Jacob, who first of all had to be protected. And for this it was necessary to take action.

Richard looked around. It was completely dark over the beach. The night was cold and inhospitable. Apparently, somewhere far away, not near the island, but on the distant approaches, the tide broke out in the sea, because the waves behaved very restlessly, they ran into the sandy shore like predators, now and then taking the sand with them. Their foaming mouths were ready to demolish everything in their path. The picture is as majestic as it is menacing. The wind drove heavy clouds across the sky, which hid the full moon, bright, illuminating, and with it a scattering of winking stars, but not for long - just for a couple of seconds, and then the illumination was restored again. And only a lifeless block looked into this starry sky, an elongated stone foot ...

The people on the beach looked completely intimidated. Some of his people had already managed to make fires and sit down to warm themselves, in places - in whole groups, however, not for a second letting go of their weapons. Korean Sun and pilot Lapidus also made a fire. Sun now looked like a defenseless animal, cowering in the cold and timidly looking around. When Frank, still dressed in a pilot's uniform, brought her a gray sweater he had obtained from nowhere and sat down beside her, she timidly thanked her newfound friend with a nod. And then, meticulously examining this piece of clothing, she pulled it on herself. A woman will always be a woman. She was relatively calm and did not need to be looked after.

But the third group behaved much more restlessly. They were people from among those who got to the island along with a Korean woman and a pilot - by means of an Ajira aircraft. A tall, dark-haired woman, but not touchingly defenseless like Sun, but attractive with her Amazonian beauty, was giving instructions to the men who surrounded her, all of a warlike appearance. One of them stood out in particular, with his monumental growth, mighty strength and an impudent kind smile on his bristly face, which arose only for a moment. While exchanging remarks with him, Ilana glanced at Richard several times, which did not escape his attention. And then realizing that the conversation remains noticed, she approached him:

"Richard," the bodyguard said. "Tell us what to do next," there was considerable concern in her voice.- All we can do is just wait.

Do you think we can't go in there? Ilana arched an eyebrow.

"No one will enter there without Jacob's permission," the ageless one was adamant, and looked around anxiously at the group of the rest of her people.

However, the conversation had already ceased to be private, and they were looked at with all eyes. Now, not only Jacob's bodyguards, but also the rest of those present pulled themselves together to sort things out.

"Richard, but that's why we came here." Because Jacob called us. We are the ones who guard it.

"Unfortunately, you're late, Commando," Richard objected with unaccustomed anger, coming close to Ilana and looking down at her. - And what can you do now?

- We'll intervene.

- If you say that John's body was on the plane, in a coffin, why don't you reveal his identity from the very beginning?

Those present were dumbfounded silent, continuing to listen.

- We decided to show it to you. We decided that it would be better. And that was my mistake. And I will do anything to make amends. We can't just sit here and do nothing. We will intervene whether you like it or not.

- Intervene? Richard was being sarcastic. "Well, I don't want to pretend that I know you well, but, apparently, you know as well as I do who snuck into the statue just now. You know?

She clearly wanted to say something sharp, but she, gathering her will into a fist, simply nodded silently, waiting for the continuation.

"Do you know that we are all powerless against him?"

"He can't hurt him, he can't!" Ilana hit her thigh with her fist and looked away, not listening to Richard. - Jacob will be fine.

- There is one problem. The thing is that the one who entered there is not alone there.

- Who else came with him?

- Richard! - thin hysterical voice was heard on the beach. Benjamin Linus, frail, disheveled, holding his right elbow with his left hand, literally jumped out of the place where the bodyguards had been planning to break in for the last twenty minutes - from a stone statue. An interesting detail was that the color scheme of his white shirt with purple stripes was diluted with another color. Fresh blood.

- Ben! - Richard, as if scalded, jumped up to the sufferer, and firmly grabbed his good hand, and then, despite the groans, began to interrogate. - What the hell is going on there? Whose blood is this?

"It's all right," Ben said through his strength. Then he looked up, and, despite Richard's clenched hand, took a breath, said more or less distinctly. - John wants to talk to you.

- Truth? - his old comrade now felt nothing for Ben but contempt. - John wants to talk to me? About what, Benjamin?

- He told me that it was very important and told me to call you. I'm just conveying his words, - Linus did not yet understand the tragedy of what was happening, continuing to lie out of habit, but, apparently, he somehow felt that his song had been sung.

- Is Jacob okay? - Ilana approached, moving away from the other bodyguards.

- And who will you be? Ben asked the question in his suave manner, continuing to nurse his aching arm.

"Just answer her," Richard told Ben to cool down so he wouldn't start to put on airs. Time was too precious.

"Yes, of course, Jacob is fine," Benjamin began to assure Ilana, and then grimaced again in pain.

The bodyguards still stood aside and waited for the order, but this could not go on for long.

- Are you going or not? John is waiting.

During Richard's tenure as an advisor, the rest of his tribe never saw Richard lose his temper. In his temper he could prove something to one of the obstinate leaders, but in public he certainly knew how to save face. He did not shout, did not raise his voice, did not even show any violent emotions, but in the light of recent events, when pathological things began to happen, which he managed to overlook and which were something on the surface! - the mask of cold-blooded aloofness betrayed him. Hearing this stupid speech, Richard was furious, pure and sincere. Grabbing Ben by the collar and ignoring the incoherent mutterings of "Richard, what are you doing, I don't understand!", dragged him across the beach, through all the people on the beach, to the body on the sand, saying:

- John wants to talk to me? I hope you talk to him first! - after which, finally, with a powerful push, he poked his nose into the truth.

The surprise on Ben's face as he recoiled was indescribable in words - such an effect was produced by looking at the body of John Locke.

Calm before the storm

Alpert was beside himself.

Jacob's nemesis had penetrated the base of that goddamned statue. He, Richard, will now have to lead the people, he will have to inspire all who believe in him. But it's good to inspire when you have confidence. Jacob had given him that optimism before. But today, Richard realized that now it was he who would have to commit a monstrous meanness - to lie to the people around him that he had a plan. Given the mission that lay before them all, only faith could be the anchor that keeps the ship from drifting into the maelstrom of despair.

You could comfort yourself as much as you like with the thought that the opponent only got inside, and say that nothing was lost. Although Richard already knew perfectly well that this was a failure. Inexplicably, irrationally - but he knew.

Richard closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The dark night was still in its own right, and the surf continued to roar. It was not an idle distraction from events, and not a cowardly distraction from reality. Oh no. Over the years of his abnormally long life, Richard has perfectly mastered the art of relaxing at the right moment, letting go completely - but only for a while! - and then be fully prepared to respond to the challenges of fate.

Breathe. Breathe. Clean and cold air, penetrating. And irreplaceable for him.

When Richard came out of his state of detachment, the sequence of actions became clear to him.

Jacob's bodyguards are here to protect him. And although there was no reason to share their ardor, but their good impulses were undeniable. Ilana was firmly convinced that Jacob, with all the desire, could not be killed by his sworn friend. But the catch was that the pseudo-Locke was not alone in entering the statue. He took Ben with him. And it was required to properly interrogate him about what had happened. And it was naive to believe that "men of power" would reject this idea. They didn't reject her.

The fittest of them all, Bram, shouted passionately to his men, "Burnett, Wolfe, Sallinger!", apparently calling them by their first names, and the four of them, moving away from Ilana, with a determined look and with weapons on their shoulders, headed towards Benjamin, who never left Locke's body. Genuine shock, which made me think about a lot of things, passed, but sticky fear returned! But more and more upcoming events did not give thought! The big man approached Linus, quite obviously trying to grab him, causing him, quite instinctively, to back away. In the old days, the advantage in size meant nothing - healthy men obeyed little Ben, and they could go to certain death at his one order. But is it the old days now? And who is he now? Four people grabbed him by each of the limbs, so that Ben had nothing to do but watch. It's not assassins who had to be tricked into dragging you when you pretended to surrender, right? Now everyone is looking at you, destroyed, and soon you will be the main enemy of the people. If you stay alive.

Ben could see, turning his head, Ilana and Richard nearby, but there was no one to count on. He seemed to understand where he was being dragged. The place he least wanted to go was the statue.

- Where you go? - Ilana tried to stop her best fighter by grabbing his hand, which made him stop with displeasure.

- Give him the heat!

- Are you sure?

- They did not come, Ilana, and will not come! "She's a Candidate." He nodded at Sun, who was huddled around the fire in Lapidus' company. "So do what Jacob has you trained for - protect her!"

And the group continued its movement, driven by the words of Bram. He was a strong and devoted warrior, and as such he was in demand. The strongman was not endowed with an outstanding intellect by birth, but strength, courage, devotion did not leave indifferent those who happened to work with him. And for a long time, this woman, Ilana, was such a boss for him.

He loved to work under her direction. She wasn't pathologically cruel or forced him to do nefarious things. And at the same time, nothing allowed her qualifications to be questioned, but she always behaved respectfully and spoke on an equal footing. For such a commander, Bram was ready to move mountains, to carry out any orders, no matter what.

By his nature, he was not cruel, but rather peaceful, and by this he reminded himself of the country from which he was born - Switzerland. His life path probably promised to be a typical life path of a person living in a prosperous Europe, but whispering blood and playing hormones did their job - Bram became a professional military man who managed to participate as a mercenary in several wars on various sides. He liked the excitement, the spirit of war, but he didn't really think about the consequences, because when death hovers near you, you don't want to think about the consequences, but you want to live every moment as brightly, as richly as possible.

But you have to pay for everything in life, and now the retribution overtook him - Bram. The shooting of civilians during one of the missions in Africa - that's what he was charged with. And only in solitary confinement, in anticipation of his fate, did he really experience burning remorse for his deeds. The public prosecutor sought a life sentence for the accused, and Bram had already resigned himself to his fate until he was introduced to his new defense attorney. Woman. Tall and dark-haired, named Ilana. She promised to achieve a complete justification, did the impossible by doing this (Bram did not remember the details), but in a moment of the hardest desperation demanded to comply with the condition - to join her. It has been ten years since Bram joined her, and he has never regretted it.

The promised redemption was given to Jacob's former assassin-turned-bodyguard by doing many things for a good cause. And now the paramount task was to protect the one who gave him everything from danger.

Coming close to the foot, the armed men unanimously threw Ben to the ground and removed the weapons from their shoulders. Ben turned somersaults around his axis and immediately cringed, holding his right hand. But he did not have a chance to lie down for a long time. At gunpoint, Bram forced him to his feet.

- Got up!

Ben didn't know what to do. There was only hope. What if the entrance to the statue is already closed? God, Ben didn't even know which rocks to click on to get in there. So, this situation should not have been brought up to. Groaning, he got up.

- Come in! - said the big man and pulled the shutter. His face was angry. The faces of the others were equally menacing.

- Why? Ben asked slowly. - The door is heavy, maybe I won't be able to...

- Do it! Bram interrupted, and it became clear that further arguments would only make matters worse.

Very slowly, reluctantly, Ben began to approach the cursed leg. Closer and closer. Wow, I still found the strength to mentally mock Ben, - for the second time today they look at me menacingly, they want to beat me, but they don't beat me. And what happens when the resource of luck runs out? All the space in front of his eyes was now occupied only by a gray square. Here it is. It looks like the entrance is still open. There was no guarantee that Jacob's men wouldn't shoot him right at the entrance. Something completely unimaginable lay ahead. Because Benjamin began to guess who or what manipulated him into killing Jacob. Gathering his courage, he prepared to enter.

- Don't come in, idiot! - breathed the voice of Richard, it seemed, very, very close.

But he didn't have to go in. A tall silhouette in green, with a backpack on his back, went outside on his own. The villain in the image of John Locke completely paralyzed those around him. Without even looking at Ben, without noticing Frank, who muttered to the dumbfounded Sun: "It's crazy, I see this, and I can't believe it!", ignoring the cocked barrels and shouting: "Stop", he walked close to Richard, who was already approaching the place major events. Ben prudently stepped aside, and implacable opponents began to talk to each other.

- And I think whose voice sounds here - "Locke" tried to portray a smile, but his face betrayed his true emotions. Light eyebrows on a tanned face looked like bright gray arrows. Glancing at the body on the sand, he already realized that he was exposed, and continued to mock. - Hi, Richard. What is it, you brought me a hint?

- The enemy must be known by sight.

The impostor, imperiously surveying the shocked crowd, began to revel, to stretch his triumph:

- Decided to make my business so difficult for me, right?

"I'm glad if being around the body of the person you're taking on definitely makes you feel uncomfortable."

-Well, Richard, - False Locke put forward one hand, gesticulating with it, - it used to be so wonderful to act, in the good old days - you find the corpse of an American surgeon, or a Nigerian priest - you find out everything you need - and you destroy it, without problems becoming what you need. And now - yes, thanks to some efforts, - a menacing look at Ilana, - I really am locked in this body, - this monologue of his resembled the delirium of a madman, but no one even thought to take it lightly - everyone listened as if spellbound! - Except... I used to face annoying opposition from my friend Jacob all the time. And now," he shook his finger at the crowd, "I don't have that problem. - His narrowed face became very formidable, and nothing in it any longer resembled his protégé, who had long gone to the world of the dead.

"John Locke is dead," Richard said contemptuously. And who you are and what you want, I know very well.

- Well, this is just wonderful, - Locke said with satisfaction, again, for the third time, changing his face - now it has become menacingly calm. - If you knew how tiring it was to encrypt.

The last words sounded extremely menacing, and there was a ringing silence in the air. The storm was coming.

Went to the seas

Fermentation continued on the deck of the Black Rock. The deckmen continued their contemplation of this mysterious statue. Richard, after spending some time in the cabin, realized that the captain would not deign to listen to him, and went to the people outside, on deck. The ageless slowly moved through the back rooms and along the way noted for himself what he saw inside people, and this is fear, and greed, and distrust. Alpert perfectly understood their psychology, although he could not fully classify himself as one of them. Richard realized that they didn't have as much of an edge as he did to make him feel so confident, but they had a harder time than he did.

Why? Because no one present had his experience. The more you know, the more you know that you don't know anything. But it can also be called raising the bar for demanding on oneself. Every time it seems to you that you are fed up, that you know everything... And every time life gives you new knowledge, pushing such self-confidence to the periphery. And at the same time, every time, confidence in one's omniscience is undeniable. It's like running on a closed curve, only the curve's route changes every time you go through the whole turn to the end. And it is you who change it with your actions.

His protracted life becomes even longer from the tendency to reflect on every occasion that will be able to attract enlightened attention. Richard was about to go outside, but as he thought about it, he noticed that something had caught his attention. But then I found the reason for the stop. It was a man, a sailor. Standing away from his superiors, away from the rest of the team, he stood near the exit and smiled. He had a broom in his hand - a wooden stick with rods somehow tied up, sticking out in all directions, and the sailor stepped lightly and enthusiastically, moving it along the dirty floor and smiling. There was something alluring about that smile, a sincere smile that can only come out in a state of complete hopelessness. Richard smiled ruefully to himself and headed outside.

Stepping out into the fresh air, Richard found that everyone on the ship was undistractedly looking at the statue. That is, on what was left of her - a giant foot. Richard didn't want to think about the day when only a pitiful part of her was left. The contemplatives stood motionless, as if paying tribute to her; in silent reverence. Richard did not imitate, because he kind of envied them. Sometimes he wanted to feel the novelty, to return those feelings from watching a long-familiar. Sometimes for a second it even seemed to him that he was able to feel it ... And he knew that this sight had become familiar to him for too long, but he was ready to be content even with this surrogate. And now... But then he straightened himself up, knowing that destructive thoughts should not be allowed to reach him. It would be too irresponsible to ignore the case. Alpert smiled derisively to himself.

He went up to the captain, who also came out on deck. The same, in turn, did not honor Ricardus with attention.

"Mr. Hanso, I would like you to order everyone to the hold," Richard's cold and peremptory tone, in his mind, should have worked.

Who is "everyone"? - Hanso was not going to obey, but built his own hierarchy.

- To the whole team.

- Yes, what can happen there, now - the coastal zone, - the captain replied coolly.

- You are very mistaken. - Alpert was convinced that his persuasions did not work. He sighed heavily.

Mortals... They believe that they are doing an important thing, that their creative aspirations mean something. Someone is ambitious and wants to leave a mark on history, while someone is content with a cute modest role. Some of them consider themselves unhappy, not knowing about those who live and do not see the light in the window. Everyone is unhappy in relation to someone else, and in relation to someone else he has an enviable share. And after all, this is the same movement - along an unprecedented closed curve, which everyone has their own; and it is not noticeable to anyone, and it cannot be noticeable. Due to route change.

Those people on the ship... they were seduced by the fame of the discoverers. And that's great. When a person has a goal. Because the absence of a goal turns a person's activity into nothing, into dust, while the presence of a goal inspires. But maybe they think that there, where they arrive, a rainbow meeting awaits them? Richard again indulged in reflection, imperceptibly for himself, first thinking about facial expressions, then philosophizing in general, and finally indulging in pragmatic considerations about what awaits these people. When you live for a long time, you begin to think broadly, comprehensively. A good situation analysis involves looking at the situation from all angles.

- Prepare to land! Hanso shouted.

Richard closed his eyes for a moment. Why are human beings so arranged that they are more likely to endanger each other than to listen to someone who knows more about this place than all of them?

- Captain, you will kill people, just go inside, immediately! - Richard's voice carried far, although his owner did not like to scream.

- But ... - apparently Hanso was surprised by the tone of his opponent. – But as soon as we find ourselves on the shore, we must control this process. We must swim to the island!

- The island will come to you. Everyone back to their cabins! Richard was now shouting to everyone on deck, ready to use force if necessary.

People were confused at first. They didn't know who to listen to. On the one hand, their captain, and on the other, this prominent man, Ricardus. And they, service people, such a situation could not seriously confuse ... When you are put in a situation of an unpleasant choice, you have to make it. But most people would prefer to forever avoid this situation, and so exist all their lives, avoiding such a choice. It was not so easy to disobey his immediate superiors - because here he is, the captain, who was and will be, and here he is, Ricardus, who is only a guide. But then one sailor made up his mind, and he proceeded in the direction of the cabins, and slowly, reluctantly, others joined him. Another manifestation of the herd instinct.

Everyone reached the entrance quite quickly, but they were in no hurry to go in, because it immediately began to rain, and the deck was slippery - everyone was afraid of slipping and shaking their heads. Falling in this situation was tantamount to death - after all, if you screw up... no one will care about you. Everyone will think only of themselves, and even their own bloody footprints will not stop anyone, spreading around what until recently was you.

Gradually everyone descended into the hold, and Richard, who was the last to enter, looked around the deck to clear his conscience - and closed the front door. It was gratifying to realize that such a negative outcome did not happen, everyone climbed in, and no one lay lifeless.

But it was naive (and he knew), after you gave such advice, to hope to enter unnoticed. Alpert immediately found the captain's and everyone else's intense attention.

- Ricardus, why are you doing this? – the captain was concerned about the behavior of their guide. "Someone must be on deck!"

No.

- What the hell is "no"? - Hanso broke out, but restrained himself in time, not wanting to aggravate the situation. - Our swallow will have to be moored!

Richard chuckled inwardly again. Again he felt the practical confirmation that he had the knowledge and they did not.

- Mr. Hanso, we don't have to swim to the island. He will find us.

Those present were silent, but a murmur began to go through their ranks.

The violence of the elements was in full swing. Mighty waves shook the skeleton of the ship more and more, lifting it up and releasing it. The waves attacked again and again, bouncing off the sides to form the same droplets for a new attack. A perpetual motion machine... Lightning cut through the sky in a clear curved line.

Panic broke out in the back rooms. The cabins were not designed for so many people. Stress, closed space, acute lack of oxygen did their job. People were jostling in the crowd, looking for a free place where they could take a deep breath. But, as you know, a warm place is never empty. That is why the search for a place could be safely called a test of survival. People have already lost their human form. Someone tried, as soon as he got into a good place, to immediately take a deep breath in order to be immediately swept away. Several people could no longer breathe and began to fall to the floor, while the rest were still struggling.

Next to Richard was a large barrel in which bread was stored. But it wasn't the content that mattered. The important thing was that there was a smaller keg nearby - just right for climbing with it, that the keg was strong enough to climb on it, and big enough to look more solid when standing on it. In two leaps, Alpert was on the rise. The crowd, noticing this, immediately began to stare at him, forgetting about each other.

"Listen to me very carefully," Richard said in a low voice, while gesturing with his hand, standing on his ridiculous pedestal, but this could not shake his inner confidence, so that even the sailors instinctively fell silent, wanting to hear him. He would not have achieved such an effect by shouting. When they calmed down, he continued his speech. "I assure you that we will reach the island in perfect health."

- How is that? If we are in the hold, and the ship will need to be moored! - I heard a voice from the crowd. -Richard knew perfectly well that this question would be asked, and he already had an answer prepared.

- You'll see, - peacefully gesticulating, he answered. "That's all I can say." He carefully climbed off the barrel and sat down on the floor nearby, his hands clasped in front of him.

Magnus walked over to him.

- Ricardus, what was that now? Hanso asked in surprise.

"I only said what they wanted to hear, captain, and nothing more. It was necessary, otherwise your team members would now bite each other, - Richard answered with conviction, as if repeating a memorized answer. It's not that he thought over the answer, it's just that the answer was built by itself.

- And what do we do now?

Again, Richard did not hesitate:

- Do as I said. Just wait.

The captain was clearly unimpressed by this answer. He expected to hear something more solid. He also didn't like Alpert's condescension. He would never have confessed to himself, but Ricardus somehow influenced him. His gaze was taming, forcing you to obey, creating the feeling that his owner saw right through you.

"You know, Ricardus, I need answers," Magnus finally decided to announce. His face expressed frank disbelief.

"You're the captain, sir," Richard answered in his tone.

Where did you lure me? Where are we sailing? Who is this person you told me about? Listen to you - so there is a feeling that the second coming of Christ has already come!

- I can answer or not answer. But my word will be all you have.

"And yet…" Magnus didn't have time to finish, as out of the corner of his eye he noticed some sort of swarming in the crowd of the carriage. She and Richard turned toward the room where the boxes of dynamite were kept. The door was open, and in the aisle stood a young fellow, the same interlocutor of sailor Howard. Only this time he looked completely inadequate. His face shrank, twisted, in one hand he had a stick of dynamite, in the other - a small homemade torch. At a frantic speed, he ran. The youth's hands shook, his eyes darted nervously from side to side. The sailor standing next to him tried to approach, but the guy took a quick step to the side and brought the torch close to the wick. Everyone froze.

This place is death! We are destined to die here! the youth shouted. Richard noticed that he was crying. - We need to go back! - and at these words, he tilted his eyes down and slowly began to bring the torch to the dynamite.

The room was deafened by the sound of a gunshot. The torch fell to the floor with a soft, slightly squelching sound. The boy, groaning, tried to look at the hole in his chest, but he couldn't do it. The dynamite thumped strongly, but did not detonate, also flew to the floor. The boy slowly, as if reluctantly, fell to his knees. A bullet hole appeared in his chest, from which an unappetizing smoked smoke began to appear, and then blood gushed from there. Barely audible, the unlucky arsonist managed to say:

- The mechanism is waiting for us ... - and fell head first, dead.

The gray-bearded Hanso blew on the barrel of his pistol and clipped it back into his holster.

"Lock up the dynamite and throw the puppy overboard," he said curtly and dryly. - And anyone who does something like that! - he raised his voice, looking into the face of each of the members of his team - he will go there too. Forever! - and went out on deck.

People began to disperse, only two carefully carried the dynamite into the hold, where it belonged, and the other two went to the body in order to throw it into the sea.

The captain approached Alpert, who looked just as calm, as if the previous horrific scene had never happened.

"Ricardus," Hanso, who suddenly appeared, asked him, "you kept saying that you know what will happen next. That we will all see. And how can I now believe your words? Alpert remained silent. Tell me, did you know about this too?

- How could I know?

- Well, Mr. Know-It-All doesn't know everything. Now you will not turn away from the answer, - Hanso grinned. - So it's true? I mean, all those tales about a great man...

- Sir, it's true. This is the most outstanding person I have ever known in my entire life.

- Again you are talking about your whole life ...

- I answered your question. And in proof of my words, I will repeat again - "you will see soon."

The captain realized that Richard had politely declined his question without answering it. Dissatisfied, he walked away.

Suddenly, the body of the ship shook. Hanso looked frightened at the deck under his feet, as if expecting that something terrible would appear from below, like a shark, or maybe even worse ... But he did not see a tremor in his legs. The concussion, this time on a larger scale, occurred a second time. Several barrels of rum tipped over and rolled across the deck, which tilted accordingly, and the vessels rolled diagonally downwards, sweeping away those hesitant, terrified-looking poor fellows who were not lucky enough to dodge lest they be crushed. It was impossible to do anything, even jump - the barrels rolled too fast and in a continuous stream. After a terrible roar, the ship shook again.

The bacchanalia began. The people on deck, just about to dump the body, froze. Then, after another shaking, they, along with the body of the dead man, collapsed, losing their balance. They got up, trying to grab at least something, but they were prevented by unimaginable pitching. A crate of weapons rushed down an oblique path towards them, knocking one of them down, pressing him to the edge, soft-boiled. The second tried, holding on to the handrail, to jump up in order to remove his legs from the deck. It didn't help - he threw his hind limbs into the air, but the merciless colossus overtook him too, crashing into the side and completely breaking his hands, after which the poor fellow screamed heart-rendingly, and, unable to resist, flew overboard for a sweet soul.

Meanwhile, those who remained in the hold continued to wait. Everyone's nerves were on edge, no one wanted to go out, but it was scary to stay.

- What's happening? the captain screamed helplessly. - Ricardus!

"What's happening is what's supposed to happen," Magnus flinched at the sound of Richard's voice from behind him.

The captain was about to ask another angry question, but then he had to stop. Because then there was a bright flash, blinding everyone on the ship to hell. And when its effect began to weaken, it was all over. The ship no longer shook. Richard was the first to come to his senses and reached for the exit.

- Ricardus, where are you? That means everything is safe, right? the old captain asked him, trying not to look pathetic.

- We're there, sir. Richard said and opened the door. Clean cold air filled the room. Everyone present felt it.

Bloody harvest

Confusion seized the crowd. The reason for this was a certain sequence of events that occurred within just a few minutes. It would seem that only yesterday they talked with a bald guy named John Locke, who, moreover, was presented to them as a leader. Now it turns out that it was not John Locke at all, but the real John Locke is dead, as evidenced by the dragged body.

Further, the second non-Jon comes out of the statue and easily talks with Richard, they are clearly familiar with him.

And after all, this is clearly not a secret twin brother, as in Indian cinema - this is indeed Jacob's sinister enemy, which is clear from his rantings.

Both the dead Locke and his doppelganger, who looked like a 100% copy of him, are together on the beach, and this combination is frightening, paralyzing, beyond the norm.

But this was not the last thing to be surprised.

Finally, the bodyguards came to their senses, and, not wanting to listen to another word, firmly set out to punish the villain.

-Kill him! - Bram's voice rang out, and a whole cannonade of shots turned out to be directed towards the double. Those present fell to the ground, covering their heads with their hands. For a second it seemed that the shots had reached the target, because the standing silhouette disappeared.

But the fact is that the enemy has disappeared without a trace!

- Where is he? - everyone was surprised. Bram walked over to where he was standing and saw only a dozen or two metal objects. Bent bullets.

A heart-rending buzz, reminiscent of the howl of a mysterious, inhuman being, came out of nowhere, and suddenly, in front of everyone, the body of the real Locke began to flow, like wax over a flame - the human shell turned into a foggy substance for about a minute, until, finally, it became entirely in one continuous cloud of fog. And now there was no trace of the body, and the black smoke, having noticeably increased in size, moved from its place and began to move along the beach, hovering from one of those present to another. Flashes could be seen inside it, and a mechanical clicking rattle could be heard from it. Finally, he chose a target and quickly rushed towards the bodyguards. Two of them were not taken aback and continued to try to get the smoke with the help of shots, and it looked like a doomed business, because the bullets obviously could not harm him. He grabbed the shooters, sticking out two smoky "hands" from the cloud, lifted them into the air and juicily pushed each other, after which he dropped them to the ground. He didn't need to add more.

The third shooter did not run far, but instead reached into his inner pocket, taking out some kind of pouch, or pouch. Frozen in place, he opened the pouch, and gray ash began to pour out of it. Having only managed to "draw" an imperfect semicircle around him, he was captured and subjected to a similar fate - the smoke crushed him on the ground, lifting him up and dropping him from a great height. Then there was the healthiest of the attackers. Slowly, without fussing, he managed to draw a narrow circle around him from exactly the same ashes and stood there in complete safety. The smoke was rushing towards him, but felt an obstacle.

Bram looked at the enemy, squinting, but he was not destined to be protected for long. The monster picked up a huge boulder from the ground, and deliberately slowly raised it into the air, showing that it was aiming for a throw. Ilana, who was standing and with a face distorted with rage, desperately continued to try to get him with shots, seeing this, dropped her weapon and rushed at Bram's feet, masterfully knocking down a hefty man from his feet. And not in vain, she arrived in time in time - another moment, and a weighty stone would have rattled his head.

But falling to the ground, he fell out of his protective circle! He tried to crawl there, but then the monster did not miss his own - he grabbed the desperately resisting Bram and began to throw him in different directions, hitting the ground.

- Let's run! Richard gave the order in time.

It was a situation where you didn't have to repeat yourself twice. The crowd immediately obeyed him and ran towards the jungle. The bacchanalia began. Song, who was afraid of not being able to make it in time, suddenly burst forward in the running crowd, and the next moment, without having time to be amazed at herself, she regretted it, as she managed to stumble out of the blue. And if it weren't for Frank, who instantly grabbed her by the arm and didn't put her on her feet, her life would be guaranteed to be cut short under the feet of the crowd. The pilot rubbed the Korean woman's face with the sleeve of his uniform.

Sun, how are you? In order?

- Oh, I'm sorry, what? - Oriental woman looked dumbfounded. Yes, okay!

- Great, dear, because we have to run! - Lapidus wanted to jerk her hand, but his ward let out a cry full of suffering. People around them were running into the jungle, and he should have immediately rushed there, but he was not brought up enough to leave a woman in trouble.

- Frank, I... I can't. I injured my leg, - from severe pain in the shin, the whole body was reduced.

- Damn it, lean on me! Hurry up!

So, half-running, half-drag, leaning on Frank's shoulder, she left the beach, making her way not far into the jungle. Frank spotted a huge boulder in the jungle, behind which both of them decided to rest for a while, giving Sun a rest. Through the gaps between the trees, it became partially visible what was happening on the beach, where at that moment a real harvest of bodies was taking place. The smoke tossed people to the right and left. Some of the former "others" died immediately, some only waited for their turn in terrible agony, some got up and, staggering, tried to retreat as far as possible into the jungle, some lost consciousness, so that they would never go into it again. come. One young guy, with stubble on his face and with a ponytail of long black hair, in a state of real hysteria, dived into the water, trying to swim out. It did not help. Having managed to swim close, without even reaching the deep bottom, the swimmer was overtaken by his dead fellow tribesman, who dived right on his head. No one else swam.

Benjamin Linus, moving quickly from place to place, hastily tried to find a way out of this difficult situation. Sitting and waiting, hoping that this undead will leave him alive for "past merits", was stupid. We needed to get out of this mess alive. At first, he rushed into the jungle, but as soon as he rushed to run, one of the victims of the haze performance fell right under his feet. Now he carefully moved along the stone foot, waiting for the moment when the monster was far away, but it seemed that he could not get out. This made Ben paralyzed in fear, he froze in place, and his hands seemed to be shaking.

- Let's go! - Ilana, with a distorted face, angrily pulled his hand, and several times recently, Ben, who had escaped death, meekly ran after her. - You tell me what happened there! -. Although the female constitution did not prescribe a long run, it was she who dragged the exhausted Linus behind her. That is how, to the accompaniment of people being torn alive, they left this beach, which turned from heaven to hell in five minutes. To the place where the rule is the embodiment of evil. And now it was required to get out as quickly as possible, and the warrior knew where.

Finding that those who needed to be destroyed first of all had fled, the monster became even more angry and began to crack down on people with even more fury. Here stood on all fours and crawled Bram, from which the smoke was distracted, and who managed to wake up after several terrible throws. He grabbed his powerful body and performed the following manipulation with him: lifting it into the air, he tore it into two parts! A terrible crack was heard even through the noise on the beach. The lower part, where the legs are, was simply thrown, and the upper part was thrown away into the thicket.

Right on the big boulder that Sun and Lapidus were hiding behind. In a confident voice, giving his companion his hand and helping her up, he declared:

- Gather your strength. Now let's run!

And they rushed into the jungle with all possible haste. The air began to exude very bad smells. Every now and then the partners stumbled upon mutilated bodies. But in such a situation, there was absolutely no time for mercy and no time for trying to find out if at least one of the unfortunate people he met, abandoned here, was alive.

Frank helped the Asian woman walk. Her gray sweater was almost completely unstained, while his shirt was covered in mud, and on one sleeve there was also a lot of blood. He, too, must have hurt himself in this mess. But her clothes were not damaged. How do women manage to keep such an eye on their clothes, Frank thought, walking through the forest and looking for a potential threat between the trees. Or maybe the fact is that the gray spots are not so noticeable? At least something remained intact, even though this sweater, Frank let out a nervous laugh, carefully, but at a pace helping Sun to step over another snag. In response to her question, what happened to his hand, he just brushed it off and ordered to move. But she already knew perfectly well that to stop in such a situation was like death.

So they managed to cover a distance of about half a mile, after which they stopped for five minutes to rest.

- How are you? - Lapidus arched his eyebrows, leaning his hand on a tree and nursing his injured hand.

- I'm fine. And you? - Korean woman kept her injured leg on weight. She only listened to this self-confident man and focused on saving her life, otherwise, she felt, she would have lost her mind long ago.

Frank, seeing this, decided to entertain her with a conversation while the break time lasted. He didn't know how much time had passed.

- Do you know that I almost ended up on your plane?

- What? Sun thought she misheard. The Korean woman was not yet sure that her interlocutor was not talking, but the best remedy for madness is to help someone herself, and now her insecurity is gone. Bravo, great job, old Frank.

- Yes, it could happen that I would become a pilot of your plane. Given that I was working for Oceanic Airlines at the exact time your plane hit the island three years ago. Yes, the world is small.

- And ... Sun asked a question carefully, - and why weren't you flying this flight?

- I overslept, - Frank, smiling, looked up, forcing the Korean woman to smile, after which he continued. If I knew how this would change my life...

"But how it has changed," the Korean woman said judiciously, "you ended up on the island anyway.

Yes, it does seem to be true. Frank smiled sourly. - What? Let's go to?

- Frank, thanks for helping me, if it wasn't for you, I...

"Let's save the nice thanks for later," the pilot interrupted the long-awaited flow of gratitude. - Now we have to run away. I ... - suddenly, not far from them, the bushes began to rustle very vividly. Frank leaned over, fingertips blindly on the ground, finally finding a stone. The rustle was getting closer. Desperately hoping that it was just a boar or some kind of bird, he clenched his weapon so that his knuckles turned white, preparing to make the last tense movement in his life, when he suddenly saw a long female curl. It was Ilana.

- Wow, I'm glad I found you. You can throw your pebble, Frank.

- So who is in the shadow of that statue? Frank asked with some mockery. He no longer knew what to expect after the performances from the haze.

- Ille qui nos omnes servabit. The one who will protect us. I'm real, you can trust me. And I have a better weapon, - the woman with the speed of light took out a shining silver pistol from somewhere, and then put it back in her pocket. Embarrassed, Frank threw the rock down. We struggled out.

- It's very good that you found us, - sympathized with Sun Yilana, who suddenly lost all her friends who were really close to her.

Yes, I'm glad we found you.

- We? Sun asked.

Suddenly, the bushes rustled once more, and out of them Linus fell out of breath. Pale and trembling, he put his hands on his knees and leaned over, breathing ugly through his mouth.

- You? the Korean asked irritably.

- Linus will be useful to us. He will tell us what happened under the statue. But it will be later, in the Temple. And now we have to go.

- Where to go? Lapidus stared at Ilana incredulously. - What is the Temple?

- If we want to hide, we need to go where everyone else is. It's just safe there. We all need to be there now. And especially to you, - Ilana pointed her finger at Sun, who was not in a position to give meaning to any words.

"Okay," Frank chuckled. - To the Temple, so to the Temple. Do we have a choice?

Seeing that there were no objections, Ilana led a motley group. They were all crushed. Benjamin knew that for him the troubles were far from over, but only just begun, Frank was completely exhausted, like a squeezed sponge, and Sun was completely crushed by what was happening, and the fact that her husband was now more distant from her than ever. And it turns out that of all of them, only Ilana had any hope. Only she believed that all was not yet lost.

Breathe of the abyss

Dark, gloomy night. In the light of the few stars, the silhouette of the ship could be seen. The island was covered with a dark sky like a blanket.

Richard stepped out onto the deck of the ship, but there was no more water around. He no longer touched the openwork surface of the water, cutting it at a speed that was prohibitive for that time. Now he was standing in the middle of the jungle. Yes, no matter how paradoxical it may sound, but the ship can stick around in the middle of the island. The ship "Black Rock" looked like it was rooted in the island landscape.

Magnus followed Richard onto the deck, and only then the rest began to come out in a file. Genuine surprise reigned on their faces. Although this reaction was fully justified. The ship was not on the shore, but deep in the jungle, where the shore did not smell. The members of the crew of the Black Rock did not even know what was more surprised - that the ship ended up on the shore like this, or that the day, albeit overcast, gave way to a dark night. When people don't know what's going on, they act like timid sheep and tend to cling to someone who knows at least a little what to do. And in such an unpredictable situation, that person was none other than he - Richard.

- Ricardus ... - the captain said. How the hell is that possible? - many times faced with troubles in his life, after such a hit on the island of Hanso, he experienced genuine fear.

- I told you - the island found us.

But we want to understand how this is possible.

- But you appreciated my words a little higher, - Alpert realized that he had completely intimidated the sailors. Moving towards the exit first, he said:

- Follow me, please.

Somewhat reassured by the fact that the storm was over, the members of the crew of the Black Rock looked at each other and resignedly followed him. Some of them still kept their disgruntled faces, suspecting that not all of them made it to the island (if it can be called "made it") in good health. But no one began to oppose the collectivist will. People trust someone who radiates confidence by leading. So now Richard was such a guide to the masses. He confidently walked to show the way, not even being wary of any trick from the sailors located behind, walking in a crowd. Another plus in the treasury of knowledge, skills and abilities that immortality grants.

With a very quick step, Alpert climbed out and then looked around. It took him no more than a few seconds to orientate himself, realizing which part of the island he was in, and having understood, then he nodded approvingly to himself. It was necessary to quickly go into the jungle in order to quickly find their own, and then let them decide what to do with the newcomers. And in all it was better to do without the above.

- Ricardus, where are you? Hanso yelled as he slowly walked out.

Richard, leading the crowd, turned around in annoyance. Unfortunately, the damned captain was in his right - his crew now in full force went after the new bosses, leaving him, Magnus Hanso, on the periphery. It was not possible to advance far into the jungle, so the discussion had to be continued.

- Well, now, captain, confess - you have achieved what you wanted.

- Sorry?

- You wanted to reach a new, previously undiscovered land. And now you have reached it. All of you, - he spread his arms wide, marking the space that was occupied by about forty members of the ship's crew, - are now pioneers for yourself. This knowledge will always be with you.

- What do you mean?

"You have your job, and I have mine." Unable to do it anymore, lie to these people he had gotten used to, Alpert silently turned around and headed for the jungle. He had learned over the years not to get attached. This topic was studied too well ... For some reason, today it was especially unpleasant for him to carry out his mission. This time, he firmly decided that he would simply leave, observing silence, and come what may. So he advanced into the jungle, while the others only looked at him in a state of confusion.

Hanso wanted to rush after him, to find out what was happening here, and what kind of riddles his companion was talking about all the time. But his encroachment was stopped by silhouettes emerging, as if from a dark abyss, from the depths of the island. The ragamuffins with bows and torches came out of the dark abyss in great numbers. Magnus felt it beneath his dignity to turn around, because he guessed that behind him, too, a whole group of savages were waiting for him with open arms. They were staring at the ship in the middle of the jungle, and at the people from it, which was understandable. But the warlike appearance made it clear what to expect from them.

Baring his teeth, the captain drew a pistol from his pocket. Life presented him with a variety of situations, so he learned to draw his weapon at the speed of light, which he did in an instant. But the weapon was not destined to fire. The arrow hit its owner right in the heart. The first seconds after the hit, Alvar could not understand what had happened. He looked in surprise at the tip protruding from his chest, as if unable to understand how it was. Boundless surprise, even greater than at the sight of a four-fingered statue. He tried to take out a long arrow, but at the first touch, the pain pierced his entire body. His legs buckled automatically, and the captain fell to his knees. The initial sensations of pain were gone, leaving only desolation. Such a state when you understand that the end is near, but you don't want to believe in it. Alvar tried to remove the arrow from his chest again, but his attempt was the last. He jerked sharply at the wooden tip, but instead of the desired relief, he felt only burning pain. The last pain of his life.

Then arrows flew from everywhere, people from the ship met them with their bodies and fell lifeless to the ground. They did not even have time to figure out what was happening, as burning arrowheads dug into their skin. Sailor Howard tried to run back into the hold. He put his foot on the first step, but on the second he had already collapsed. The reason for this was a fiery arrow that hit him in the ankle. Blood rushed in a thick stream onto the step, spreading down, dissolving the colors of the earth. Suddenly a fire began to burn through him. He desperately tried to cover the burning wound, throwing earth at it, but it was too far to reach the earth with his hand - it was impossible to reach. But Howard was lucky. He didn't have to burn alive. The next flying arrow pierced his heart.

Even less than a minute passed, and the entire space around the ship was covered with a fiery dotted line. There were no survivors.

Richard did not want to look back, only rare cries of the dying poor fellows reached him.

He brought these people to certain death only because he was told so. With his own hands he laid their sacrifice on the altar of the idea he served. I believe in these ideals. He convinced himself that there was something important for which these people gave their lives today. But today's incident with these people... But their merciless death... And although he did not dare not to believe - he could not force himself not to doubt. And he had only one question in his head - why?

An inconspicuous stooped little man approached him, who, like everyone else, apparently had a lot of blood on his hands today, and who, judging by the absence of a torch, knew how to see excellently in the dark. Moving slowly but steadily, the tribesman overtook Richard, and, without looking up, said:

- He is waiting, - and in the same way, with an unnatural gait, he left.

Alpert realized who they were talking about. On the whole island there was one man whom he obeyed, whose orders he passed on, and who ordered him. Trying to disobey or delay an unpleasant moment would be childish. Richard lit the torch and walked without further ado towards the beach. You couldn't fight the inevitable.

On Dark Territory

Richard walked quickly through the jungle, working his way through the thick undergrowth. His body searched for a passage on its own, on autopilot choosing the best place for the next step, bypassing impassable areas and listening to the forest. Yes, now Richard was fully reflected, painful reflections were given painful stabs of self-accusation.

How now to be in the light of what happened? In light of Jacob being dead and they didn't show up. What's up with them? Are you alive? Richard was seized with panic fear, because he had seen their disappearance with his own eyes near the clearing where the Swan station was being built. If they did not die, then maybe they could move? And where to? And why does nothing around betray their presence? So, what was destined to happen again?

And now it turns out that he, Richard, will have to lead all these people. He physically felt the burden of responsibility resting on his shoulders. What should they do now? And how to stop their enemy? If he did what he had planned before they arrived, everything that he and Jacob had worked so hard for, day and night, would become meaningless, turn into ashes.

And now it was necessary to go to the Temple. And even if this decision was not a magical panacea, it was possible to hide there, because the Temple was protected. Others may feel safe.

Behind him came the sound of people approaching. The gun remained stuck in his bosom, because he was not afraid of people, and it would be even more useless to act against the Monster by shooting into clouds of smoke.

Luckily it wasn't a monster. A motley crowd of fugitives. Ilana let Sun and Frank, who were dirty and shabby, sticking around, and Ben in front of her, and approached Richard, also not at all glossy. It looked like the team of these four people got it great.

- Where are the others? - Richard asked this question with a cold, impenetrable expression on his face, perfectly hiding the lump in his heart that came at this question.

- No one else survived.

- How are you? - Richard asked the duty question, although he already saw that the fugitives were generally in order. - Behind me.

Are we still going to the Temple? Frank asked. Catching Ilana's gaze, he chuckled ironically: - Just in case.

"Yes, Frank," Richard replied curtly. - To the Temple. The group followed him

He answered deliberately coldly, because he really sympathized with these people. If only they knew by what absurd accident their destinies were connected with this place! After all, all of them could have a completely different future. If not for that ill-fated day. The day everything changed.

The good news was that everyone that Richard needed in the first place survived. But Benjamin was alarming, and Richard felt responsible for him too. It was he who took young Ben to the "others", nurtured him. And always favored him. And now Ben was at the very center of manipulation. As for Jacob's opponent, Richard was clear. More precisely - it is clear that nothing is clear. But why did he insist on taking Ben with him on his tragic trip to the statue? Why did Ben, by his own admission, do exactly what was required for the triumph of evil - he killed Locke? So the smoke has curled up around Ben. Before coming to the camp, I could spend a lot of time with him. Or did it start much earlier?

There was a lot to find out, but Richard realized that he had lost control of the situation a long time ago, and the feeling of guilt began to take possession of him again. No one could tell for sure from his face. Because over the years of his absurdly long life, he learned to fence himself off from the people around him. It was more convenient that way. When you don't get attached to anyone, you don't lose anything. Attachments are ruined. But it doesn't scare anyone. Most people just can't help it. But someone is born to be alone. And this is about him. He was strong - until recently. But faith, which was harder than stone, cracked. Invulnerability was over.

Not having time to finish this thought, Richard stopped. He saw something in front of him. A black rag was tied on a dry stick sticking out of the ground. It was a label. Alpert knew exactly where they were. But the mark was only half the trouble.

Ilana also looked worried, as she too seemed to be well aware of the situation. They looked at each other quickly, but that was not all, because now both Richard and Ilana, and the rest of those present - Sun, Frank, Ben - heard another whisper. One voice whispered, seemingly very close, and it seemed to be something incoherent and intermittent, but Richard shuddered at this whisper. Because he knew better than anyone else what that whisper meant. What does this indicate.

Richard Alpert has always been distinguished by the fact that he was able to face trouble, as opposed to timidity. To make the right decision, one must not be shy, but firmly know what will happen. The fact that right now there was no terrible threat meant nothing. We had to act now. It was enough to feel the strange, as if frozen air, and to see a school of birds that for some reason flew behind them. Indecisiveness was dangerous, and only he could get everyone out here, so he had to take responsibility.

- Listen very carefully. We've been in the Dark Territory for a long time now. Therefore, now, at my command ... - he continued to listen to the frightening whisper, which seems to sound nearby, but its source is incomprehensible, - we run!

As soon as he shouted out the last words, a heart-rending internal growl rang out. The monster has reached its potential victims. It would be naive to think that everything will be easy.

- Out! Get out there! Richard was pointing east. Then he looked back and added: - Ilana! Help Sun! - and started to run with all possible speed.

Sun, who was standing behind and leaning on Lapidus, shook her head in shock. She looked back as if she still hoped their guide was just a mistake and nothing would happen. Alas, it was the same timidity that denied what was happening. The long-haired Ilana, who was in front, picked up the Korean woman from the side of her sore leg, grabbed her clothes, and began to guide her with a half-run, half-drag.

- You will tell me "thank you" - she said, calmly looking into his eyes. After that, Sun willy-nilly was forced to accelerate. Soon she stopped noticing the pain, although at first she really did not want to run.

As for Benjamin, there was no need to beg him - he ran and ran, trying to follow Richard, as fast as he could. The monster was chasing them, sweeping away small vegetation in its path, and growling more and more terrible. Breathing soon began to churn, so that from the lack of air caused by the need to run, Ben's face soon began to writhe in various grimaces.

Lapidus was a fairly physically developed person - after all, a pilot, but his age, his age, let him down! Gray hair and running don't go well together. Seeing that Sun with a bad leg was sort of taken care of, he reasonably did not look around and set about saving himself, maintaining a decent speed for a very long time, but - he did not see his feet, and cursing, he stumbled over a snag, and, out of inertia, clasped his hands , flew forward.

Got up. He suddenly felt dizzy and almost fell over again. And then he discovered that during the time he was lying around, two women overtook him and came out on third place in this nightmarish race. So, it was necessary to add speed. Gritting his teeth obsessively, he ran head first, not forgetting to look under his feet.

Richard looked around and found no one. The reason for his such a large margin was by no means cowardice, but reasonableness. He would not go too far, he was ready to swear that in such a situation he would run last, keeping an eye on those who were not lucky enough to be his comrades in misfortune and get into trouble, but he rightly judged that behind him was something like Ilana, And she is by no means a random person. Maybe she can take care of the others. And he just needed to run in front and show the way to salvation.

- Stay east! Speed up! Soon there will be a line! We'll be safe behind her! - he shouted furiously one phrase after another, still not seeing anyone, more and more feeling the growing anxiety. But despite this, he again rushed to run forward, out of the aforementioned reasonableness. Also, due to reasonableness, he calmly shouted out his intentions to the whole forest, not being afraid to betray them to the enemy. Hiding from the smoke in the jungle? Still, it didn't bode well. And if they cross the line, then they will indeed be safe there.

Meanwhile, Frank, who was running last, heard Richard's words perfectly, but more distinctly than the rest he heard the fighting power of the haze - what a terrible sound he made, and how easily he crossed the jungle. The pilot tried to run without deviating from the direction. He did not want to go astray and lose his own. Therefore, when he saw a thin stream of smoke ten meters behind him, creeping along the ground, he ran even harder. It was hard to breathe, so he tried not to think about it, but just ran mechanically. Pilot on autopilot.

Incredible suffering was reflected on the face of Sun, who was already being dragged behind her, almost on herself, by Ilana. Even the warrior woman was breathing heavily, but the Asian woman's breathing was more like a wheeze. Taking pity on her, the bodyguard gave her a few seconds. Breathe, stand, leaning on a healthy leg. She knew very well that during such a stressful run you should not give yourself a break, because it would be hellishly difficult to tune back, but, damn it, what guarantees that the body would not decide to turn off from running with a sore ankle? She wouldn't carry it in her arms. Having gathered, they started further, to new flour.

And Frank desperately, trying not to look back, tried to move away from the undead chasing him. Running was getting more and more difficult, he began to act in jumps. And at first it began to seem to him that he was succeeding in breaking away, since there were no new streams. So it seemed for the time being. And nothing foreshadowed the threat. Until a smoke ring wrapped around his waist. Lapidus convulsively tried to dodge, began to twitch his limbs, but the smoke had already set to work, grabbing the pilot into the air.

Richard stopped, narrowed his eyes, and then closed his eyes in relief. He found what he was looking for. A strip of white ash, part of a wide circle protecting the Temple. Without giving himself time to rest, he nevertheless ran back. On the way I met Benjamin, who did not run at all, but stood with his hands on his knees and breathing like a dog through his mouth.

"When you catch your breath," he advised the unfortunate man, pointing with his finger, "run," after which he cleared his throat, throwing off the hoarseness in his voice. - There ... the line.

Without waiting for an answer, he moved on. Having run quite a bit, he saw Ilana and her ward, whose face no longer expressed suffering, but detachment.

- How? Is she whole? shouted Richard. - She is alright? he shouted louder.

- Yes Yes! - answered the warrior, recoiling - apparently, he shouted louder than required.

"Then let me," he gently pushed Ilana aside, grabbed Sun under her knees, picked her up in her arms and carried her half-run to hell. - Take care of Frank! he said at last.

And Frank, meanwhile, was not at all well. However, can it be good when you are dragged from side to side and knocked on hard surfaces by something unimaginable? It's time to read a prayer and say goodbye to this world. You no longer feel the body, you are in flight. As the soul is supposed to fly away. The smoke once again dragged him, and he saw that he would not leave alone after all. In the clearing were Richard, grimacing pitifully, and the unfortunate Asian Sun in the latter's arms, and bug-eyed Ben, and Ilana, who twitched in his direction, but immediately realized that it was useless. Like the others, she was in shock, but there was nothing she could do. What was to be done? Go out and shout: "take me, leave him"? Then they would have received only one more victim. And she had to protect the Candidate first of all. The line was reached, but, alas, not everyone was destined to reach it...

Smoke once again dragged the victim along the ground, quite consciously. After all, everything was well thought out! After the main villain was eliminated, nothing seemed to stop him! And they are missing. Almost all. Except Sung-Wo Kwon. She was the only exception. Only her presence now brought down his plans. And you can't make sense of it. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you try. But what was the intention!

Yes, once managed to bring Ben into the statue, knowing full well that he could not kill Jacob. Was it by design? No, because he knew very well that this method would not work. But the situation in which Ben and Jacob had a conversation, during which Ben began to sort things out and show personal grievances - was it a plan? Not! Everything just arose. He did not make sense of the situation in which Jacob was killed. That's the difference. Bringing someone in knowing it won't work out is not the same as killing. And so everything took place on its own, and after so many years a loophole was found.

Well, now, when even all of his surviving candidates were removed and were out of their time, it was possible to make a decisive move, finally celebrating the victory? You can, if not for finding one of those that was protected.

And what a wonderful plan again, how it all came together. He did not contribute to her death in any way, he sincerely wanted to punish these people, these traitors who had changed their destiny, including to please themselves, their beloved! While looking for them in the jungle, he sincerely dealt with them, not remembering the candidate. What happened next? Yes, she fell! And none of his intent - it would be trampled by people, "others", each of whom would save himself or his fellow tribesmen. And the bodyguards, one of whom was far away, and the rest were killed by him again for other reasons, could not help Song.

But the damn pilot ruined his whole plan! There was a man who didn't care. The only survivor of the Candidate, whom he could not destroy directly, was now safe and sheltered in the Temple. What was it like to complete the main goal and linger on the secondary one? Once, being trapped, aware of his own helplessness, he destroyed these people immediately, until he came up with more pragmatic approaches. Did the same now. He dealt with his victim, gradually staining the pilot's white uniform more and more with red, and then, in an act of retribution, placed the pilot on a high tree - just like the first one. Perfectly distinguishing all those who were beyond the line of ashes, inaccessible to him, he got away. There was nothing else to do.

Although the smoke monster had indeed gone, although it was not a trap, it would never have been possible for Richard and the others to get out to bury a comrade - being at a great height greatly prevented this. The island has received its sacrifice. But it remained to be hoped that the silent contemplation of the dying man, who, after all, did not die alone, turned into compensation.

The shape of things to come

Well, now, when even all of his surviving candidates were removed and were out of their time, it was possible to make a decisive move, finally celebrating the victory? You can, if not for finding one of those that was protected.

And what a wonderful plan again, how it all came together. He did not contribute to her death in any way, he sincerely wanted to punish these people, these traitors who had changed their destiny, including to please themselves, their beloved! While looking for them in the jungle, he sincerely dealt with them, not remembering the candidate. What happened next? Yes, she fell! And none of his intent - it would be trampled by people, "others", each of whom would save himself or his fellow tribesmen. And the bodyguards, one of whom was far away, and the rest were killed by him again for other reasons, could not help Song.

But the damn pilot ruined his whole plan! There was a man who didn't care. The only survivor of the Candidate, whom he could not destroy directly, was now safe and sheltered in the Temple. What was it like to complete the main goal and linger on the secondary one? Once, being trapped, aware of his own helplessness, he destroyed these people immediately, until he came up with more pragmatic approaches. Did the same now. He dealt with his victim, gradually staining the pilot's white uniform more and more with red, and then, in an act of retribution, placed the pilot on a high tree - just like the first one. Perfectly distinguishing all those who were beyond the line of ashes, inaccessible to him, he got away. There was nothing else to do.

Although the smoke monster had indeed gone, although it was not a trap, it would never have been possible for Richard and the others to get out to bury a comrade - being at a great height greatly prevented this. The island has received its sacrifice. But it remained to be hoped that the silent contemplation of the dying man, who, after all, did not die alone, turned into compensation.

Jacob nodded and went on to elaborate explanations.

- Once upon a time, Richard, when the Earth was still completely different, many people lived on it. The most different, with the most diverse customs. And the peoples on this Earth had their own religions. All of them were united by the idea of the afterlife, of heaven or hell. But there were Scandinavians who understood the afterlife differently. Like something else. Neither heaven nor hell. In it, in the afterlife, they believed, there is no monotonous, until the end of time, staying on a cloud in paradise or boiling in boiling tar in hell. But there is an afterlife called Valhalla. Where every morning begins with the fact that brave warriors fight, and every evening they feast surrounded by beautiful Valkyries. And then this day repeats again, and again, every day. Why did I tell all this, Richard ... This island ... this is our innermost secret, our homeland. Our Valhalla...

Jacob smiled.

- Now imagine a huge mechanism that is designed to continue to make this blessed day continue. You can live your whole life and not even think about it. But this is his, mechanism, purpose - just to be. And he, only he, is responsible for the safety ... - he spread his arms wide, trying to find a definition, - everything. And those people, those recruits that the island called - they really had nothing to do with it. Didn't fight to protect him. Came here against their will. And yet they did a great job of keeping him safe. They never knew that this sacrifice paid off. The spilled blood had a price. The end justified the means.

- But how this sacrifice will help the safety of ... everything?

- Already helped. The mechanism will continue to work, Ricardus.

Richard was stunned, he got the explanation he wanted, but he just couldn't figure out what the connection was.

Apparently I can't understand...

- But nothing prevents you from doing what is required.

- Do I understand correctly that everything will go smoothly? Or, as you know, it never works out quite like that? - from excitement, Richard expressed himself not quite dexterously, but was understood.

Yes, there are some issues...

Are you talking about who I'm thinking about?

- Yes, about him. He can interfere with us. But he is overconfident. Too prone to repeat his mistakes, and this is his weakness. Jacob thought about it and nodded to himself. - Possibly the only one.

But can you control it?

- Yes, I think so.

- So we will do what is required outside the island, and he will not be able to interfere with us.

Jacob smiled.

We shouldn't be overconfident. But if you stay true to me, Richard, there's no substitute for that. Keep doing what you are doing and this will be an extremely important step towards victory. To our victory.

- Of course I will.

Realizing that the conversation was over, Richard did not drag out the protracted conversation and turned to the exit. On the way he looked up - strangely, but the sky did not brighten up, its color, visible through the open space in the ceiling, was exactly the same. And the conversation seemed to go on for so long. However, why be surprised. This place is capable of producing various miracles, this island defies convention and makes you get used to pretentiousness. This island is their innermost secret, their homeland, their Valhalla...

"And Richard…" Alpert heard as he was leaving, and he half turned around. Jacob stood and smiled.

- I assure you. One day. When the time comes. You will understand.

Welcome to the Temple

The group of two men and two women advanced towards the Temple at uneven speed. Richard pointed the way; Sun, who nevertheless with dignity refused to be carried in the arms of a strange man, walked leaning on Ilana. The same, in turn, managed to keep an eye on Benjamin walking in the middle of the procession, who was convinced that the old friend of the smoke was still not going to rescue him. They moved as fast as they could, until a certain point, until Richard stopped, motioning for the others to follow suit.

"Now we'll enter the Temple," he said, which was odd given the absence of anything resembling a building nearby. - Just be glad you're safe. Here you will be taken care of, - with these words, he went to some kind of slope, which, it turned out, was covered with some kind of huge black cape made of thick fabric! Alpert began silently pushing it away like a curtain - one part to the left, the other to the right ... The rest watched in silence. Having finally finished fiddling with the camouflage cloth, he stepped aside.

Ilana, Ben and Sun saw a door tilted towards the ground.

- Well, let's go. We will be safe there, - and without waiting for a reaction, he added: - Help me open the doors.

- Is that all you can say? - the voice belonged to an Asian woman, not at all in a hurry to help.

- That's all I want to say - Richard was embarrassed to argue, but he could not resist.

"First, you will answer my questions," her voice was defiant, she didn't recognize herself right at that moment.

"Soon," Ilana gently tugged at her. She was grateful to Richard and was opposed to being attacked by those he saved and tried to restrain her, but Sun broke free from her care. The Korean woman came close to Alpert, angrily pointing her finger at his chest. "Maybe I don't mind that we should walk back and forth around the island and run away from the black smoke that is tearing people up!" One of which saved me! And before that, this black smoke pretended to be John Locke, who, it turns out, was killed by our Ben! - Yes, he pretended that he couldn't tell! - the Korean woman pointed her finger at the latter, who cringed from this remark. - Ilana wanted to say - and was speechless.

The Korean meanwhile continued. - And then there was the best part. This "John" - she showed quotes with her fingers - promised me that he could connect me with my husband, - her voice trembled, - until it turned into that same smoke! And then our great adviser said that he saw my husband with my friends in the seventy-seventh year, and saw how they died - she was very worried, which is why she even confused the chronology of events. - Said the one from whom we, along with these very friends, defended themselves! Why should I trust you? And why are you both, - she moved the pointing finger from Ilana to Richard, - now you say that we are safe in this Temple? she was breathing heavily. - I repeat the question - why? - she uttered the whole tirade with restraint, breaking into a cry only at the last word.

Richard listened to the above, keeping his cool. Yes, he knew that he himself became a co-author of many mistakes, and he was damn sorry for all the dead. But he did not like these words at all, because he himself had had a bad day, the likes of which had not been in his protracted life for a long time. But he had feelings. which he carefully guarded. This should have been remembered.

- I saw your friends in 1977, near the Lebed station. And I saw them disappear." Richard looked down at her. - And what should I have thought? Maybe if they were able to travel to the past, they could also travel to the future? And for what? He raised his voice as he stepped closer. I... live so much. I lost fifty people, everyone who was dear to me. Fathers and mothers, wives, children - his eyes looked like black holes, which nevertheless began to moisten; Sun saw this because she kept her eyes fixed on him. Richard clenched his fist. - There will be no future. None. Who will know nothing... And you accuse me, you say that I will harm? This despite the fact that the last two hours I've been saving your life!

Sun already regretted hurling such accusations at the person who had actually helped them out, but the grief clouded her eyes too much.

"I didn't mean to..." she began.

- Everything is fine ... - Richard assured her, already repenting that he got involved in an argument and gave up slack in front of the others. Ilana, on the other hand, was amazed that this impenetrable person was also able to feel.

- Let's go, - Richard interrupted the awkward pause and went to the entrance to the Temple. Ilana came over. Pulling themselves together, they lifted the door leaves and opened the passage.

- Richard, I'm sorry I got excited. Thank you... for saving our lives," Sun said because she sincerely thought so, and she already regretted what she said.

- C'mon. Few I have saved. But thanks anyway. A kind word and a cat is pleased.

Ilana, as well as she could, smiled happily at Richard.

- Lead.

Alpert didn't hesitate. Entering inside, he immediately grabbed a torch hanging on the wall, lit it and distributed exactly the same to his companions. And they proceeded inside. All that was visible from the outside was only a dark corridor, the walls of which were painted with endless writing - Egyptian hieroglyphs. From the impenetrable darkness, an inconspicuous little man got out to meet the newcomers, who, apparently, was one of the Others. He bowed to Richard, and after a formal bow in return began to point the way. Accompanying those walking along the dark corridor, he suddenly stopped. After that, still paying no attention to any of the others present, he bowed to Richard, waited for a mutual bow and darted into the darkness like a nimble shadow.

After the stress she had endured, Sun was again attacked by talkativeness. Now she became curious about this Temple.

- What is this place? Who do you worship?

Given the presence of hieroglyphs that were carved on the walls, Song's question was reasonable. By and large, apart from these walls with inscriptions on them, there was nothing around, except for the underground catacombs leading in different directions, and now that man from the dungeon suddenly stopped, leading them to no idea where. However, for Richard, this place was by no means unfamiliar, much less a dead end. Acting mechanically, he jabbed his finger at one of the hieroglyphs on the wall, for which he did not even need a torch, thereby opening the entrance. A whole piece of a massive wall made a slow half-turn around its axis, and the dark corridor was illuminated by light spilling from the opening opening.

"Welcome to the old Temple," Richard said, not without irony, inviting the others to pass.

Those who entered began to inspect the place where they had entered. Ilana looked around, amazed because she had never been here. Ben just silently looked down, hiding his thoughts. And Sun experienced just a real culture shock from what she saw. In front of them stretched a huge room, lit by super-powerful lamps. The hall was filled with computers and other intricate technology. Also in the room was a couch, on which lay a young guy, next to whom there were also a lot of devices, some of them also beeped, all showed some numbers. In a normal world, only dying patients lie in this way, surrounded by sensors. But what was to be expected here? Sun felt like she was in some sort of sci-fi movie created by the fantasy of science fiction. Even forgetting for a while about her grief, she greedily examined everything around.

While the Korean woman was looking around, another Asian man joined the group. Ben swallowed at his appearance, but he didn't seem surprised.

"Hello, Richard," he shook hands with Alpert, and then walked past Ilana and a nervous Ben to Sun, who had already stopped looking at the Temple and turned back to what was happening. - Let's get to know each other. I am Pierre. Pierre Cheng, - he held out his hand for a handshake and her.

Sun shook her new friend's right hand in confusion, noting in passing that his left hand was somehow unnatural, but that was the least of her worries right now. - It's good to have you here.

"You…?" Sun murmured. Are you the same person in the Dharma video?

- That's right, Mrs. Kwon.

- How do you know about me?

- I know your name because I have studied the history of this island and analyzed it for more than one year. And last but not least, because I knew your husband.

Sun grabbed Pierre's hand and almost started to get in his face.

- Did you know Jin? Did you know my husband?

"I said I know," Cheng corrected. Because I'm sure he's alive. And now I'm trying to figure out where he is.

Sun cried and hugged Professor Chang. She received news that she never dreamed of receiving. Her husband was alive, and she had not yet completely lost the opportunity to see him. She instantly forgot about both mental pain and physical pain. She found hope.

- Thank you, I'm so grateful. Don't you know you just brought me back to life - taking advantage of what

Dr. Cheng gently pulled the woman away from him.

- But Mr. Cheng, where can they be, where can all of us and my husband be? Richard said they were in seventy-seven and then disappeared!

- No, Sun, they haven't disappeared. They have moved, - Pierre pushed Sun away from him. - They disappeared after the Incident. And something went wrong. I'm the person who's doing this - trying to figure out where they are.

- But it's still great. A shy smile appeared on Sun's face. "I'm sure we can find them…?" she said half-questioningly, waiting in her heart for confirmation.

But Pierre did not confirm her timid hopes. He just smiled sadly. Yes, and the expression on Richard's face expressed pessimism.

- Mrs. Kwon, you don't understand. Everything is very bad. They didn't show up on time. If they do not appear in our time in the next 108 hours, then ... then God help us all.

Sun, who was still in shock for today, did not know how to react to this news - to be happy or upset. Her husband was alive, but after some one hundred and eight hours ... why again a hundred and eight? ... she could lose him forever! And, worse than that, the whole world was under threat? What an absurdity... But something stopped her from rejecting it. Cheng's words, reinforced by what she saw, inspired her confidence. The Korean looked at Richard's calm face. However, after a short exchange of views at the Temple, it became clear to her that behind the stone face he hides the element that lurked in his soul.

Ben looked down in fear, trying to be as invisible as possible, looked at Richard with hidden fear, knowing that now it was time for some terrible timer to tick, and for him above all.

- Do you know what to do next, Richard? Ilana asked him.

There was a feeling of annoyance at this perfectly reasonable question, so that Richard could have been furious, but there was no reason to raise his hands in the air. I had to keep fighting. Looking around at the people around him, so different, but who found refuge here today, Richard Alpert replied:

- Yes, I know what to do next, - he once again looked into everyone's eyes. - So, let's begin.

LOST