Chapter 5

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Mike felt the air leave his lungs. He watched as Ben walked away, as Walt turned and tried to get back to him.

"Dad! Dad, help me!"

"Walt! Leave him alone! Walt!"

He watched as the man dragged Walt away, still shouting for his dad. Mike rattled the bars of the cage in rage. He wanted his son, to know he was ok. To protect him. As Walt faded from view through the door to the building, Mike stared after him for what felt like a long time. Then he turned and slid his back down the bars, closing his eyes. He could hear Jack and Sayid talking in whispers across from him. He opened his eyes, seeing the two men crouched down in front of Sawyer, who was sitting on a knee-high bench. His eyes were closed and his body had flopped slightly to the left, his chin on his shoulder, his breathing shallow and fast. Knowing the best way to help Walt was to figure out a way to leave, Mike crawled over in between Jack and Sayid.

"Are you ok?" it was Jack, as soon as Mike was next to him, "Where'd they take him?"

"Inside, I don't know where. Man, we need to get out of here. I've got a feeling we ain't seen nothing yet. We need a way out, I need to get Walt."

"We're working on it." Jack's response was a whisper, something Sayid continued to do.

"I surveyed the area when we entered, there are cameras, here and the surrounding trees. We do not know if they have audio, until we do, we must watch what we say. Until we know what we're dealing with, we must sit tight. We must stick together and plan what we are doing next. Getting out is one thing, but getting to Walt, that will be another."

Mike had nothing to say. He just wanted his son. Now. But Sayid was right. They couldn't do anything right now. Thinking this he looked at Sawyer. "How is he?"

"He's fine," they thought Sawyer was out of it, but his reply showed he had been keeping up with what was happening. He kept his eyes closed and his voice was soft and quiet. His skin had a greyish look to it.

"You're not fine. The voltage in that taser, it's amazing you're still alive. To fire it at that strength... it was insane. This Ben – whoever he is – he's dangerous. He fired with no warning, no reason. Sayid's right, we will get Walt, but we must stick together."

"Get the kid and get out." Sawyer still didn't open his eyes, but he sounded determined.

"No. Not yet. We have to make sure we have a plan. Besides, you can hardly keep your eyes open, let alone carrying out a great escape."

"Then go without me." This made the three other men look at him, skeptically.

"We have told you no."

"Hell no."

"Sawyer, that guy almost killed you. Less than half an hour ago. Just because he could. We need to stick together," Jack shook his head, raising his hand to Sawyer's neck. As his fingers made contact, Sawyer flinched as though he had been punched, eyes springing open. Jack quickly pulled back, "I was just trying to check your pulse..."

"Well, do it then." The gruffness in his voice had returned, obviously trying to play off his reaction. He kept his eyes open as Jack felt his neck.

"It's fast. Too fast. We need to keep an eye on it. How does your chest feel?"

"Like it's about to explode."

"That's the electricity. It should go back to normal by the morning."

The others noticed his use of 'should' but no one mentioned it. Instead they sat in silence. It was Sawyer who spoke.

"Do you think the others at the camp will have noticed we're gone yet?"

"Yes. We have been gone over an hour," Sayid didn't look at Mike as he responded, "We should get some rest, we do not know what will happen tomorrow."

But Mike knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He stood up as Jack helped Sawyer lie on his right, the latter slightly protesting. Sayid walked to the far corner, sitting down and closing his eyes straight away. Mike watched as Jack checked Sawyer's pulse again, then walking over to sit facing him. Mike and Jack were sitting side by side. They watched as Sawyer's breathing slowed slightly.

"Will he be ok?" Mike looked at Sawyer as he spoke.

"Truthfully? I don't know. That taser... when I first touched him at the beach, after that amount of time the electricity should have stopped coursing through his body. But the shock I got... what he must have felt when he was hit, the pain he would've been in, is still in... it's amazing his heart didn't just stop. If we weren't here, he would be in intensive care by now. We need to keep an eye on him. It's tomorrow I'm worried about."

"Why?"

"That Ben, he seems to have singled him out. And you heard him, he's already taking about us leaving him behind. I know you need to get Walt, and we're going to help you. But we can't leave him. Not here. Not with these people. We don't know what they are capable of, don't know what they'll do to him, what they'll put him through if we leave. What they would do to him, before killing him. I would never forgive myself."