Searching the Clues
After learning that a guy named Ethan wasn't on the manifest therefore wasn't on the plane. Jack became frightened when he realized that Charlie and Claire were off on the trail to the beach where Hurley last saw Ethan. Against Kate and some of the other's wishes Jack headed off with Locke looking for the two. Before leaving Locke told more like ordered Hurley and Kate to head to the beach and find out if anyone had seen Ethan.
With the quiet between them Hurley could see the tense state Kate was in. Her hands were balled into fists and she stared forward never turning away.
"So have you seen this guy?' Hurley asked breaking the ice. Kate looked over at him.
"What?" She questioned him.
"Have you seen this Ethan dude?" Hurley asked again.
"Yeah. Earlier today. Heading for the caves." Kate answered looking back in front of her as they neared the clearing of the beach.
"Did he seem weird to you?" Hurley asked.
"Yeah. As a matter of fact he did. He got all jumpy when I asked if he was alone on the plane." Kate explained as they walked out onto the beach.
They both stood there looking at the many people. Where were they to begin?
"I'll get the people down farther on the beach past the wreckage. You ask the people closer. We'll meet back here." Kate ordered as she headed off. Hurley stood there for a second.
"Whatever you say.' Hurley breathed out as he headed after her.
Kate walked up to everyone that she saw asking if they had seen this Ethan guy or Charlie and Claire. Nobody had. Walking more down the beach she came across fewer people. Looking up she saw Sawyer heading back into his tent. She thought for a moment whether or not to ask him. Did he really care? Pushing her inhibitions out of her head she head to his tent.
Walking under the tarp he stood there with his back turned to Kate as he rummaged through his belongings.
"I need to ask you something." Kate got up the courage to ask. Sawyer nearly jumped up as he turned around to her.
"Ahh Freckles. What are you doing sneaking up on me?" Sawyer smiled as he turned around to greet her.
"Have you seen Charlie or Claire?" She came out blunt knowing he had no clue who Ethan was.
"Uhh. The pregnant girl and the drug head?" Sawyer asked. Kate rolled her eyes at the comment.
"Yes. Have you seen them?" Kate asked again.
"Nope." Sawyer said as he turned back around. Kate had gotten her answer and quickly headed out of the tent. Sawyer turned back around thinking to see Kate standing there, but she was gone.
Her and Hurley met up and headed back. With no luck in finding someone who knew where he was they headed back in sloth. Walking back into the camp they were empty handed. They were quickly met by Locke walking back into the camp. Hurley walked off to the others as Kate walked up to Locke.
"Where's Jack?' She questioned him.
"He went off." Locke answered as he went through his stuff gathering.
"You let him go alone?" Kate questioned with worry. Locke looked to her.
"Don't worry I'll catch up." Locked assured her as they headed towards the rest of the camp.
'What's the word from the beach?" Locke asked.
"Nothing. No one's seen him." She replied as she finally made up her mind.
"I'm coming with you." She stated looking him dead in the face.
"Figured you might.' He said as he handed her a knife.
Gathering all they needed they began to head off. Before they could make it out of the camp Boone and Shannon approached them. He pleaded to come with. Reluctantly Locke allowed. Of course Shannon had he input on the matter. She worried without modern technology they wouldn't be able to find them. Locked assured her and the others that though difficult they would find them. And with that they were off to catch up with Jack.
Wondering down the path to the beach. Locke led the two to where he last saw Jack. Coming to that point they stopped. Locke looked around on the trees and along the ground for signs of which direction he might have gone off in. Boone stood behind him sucking in any info he could. Kate wondered around the small space worried of Jack and the other's whereabouts. She worried about the stress he was under. Before he was on the brink of a melt down just with the thought of delivering the baby. Now two of them were missing and there was some stranger among them. She couldn't even comprehend the state he was in.
"He's not here." Kate winded as she walked up to Locke.
"I know." He replied as he got up and headed off with them both behind him. Kate quickly followed behind him.
"Where are you going'?" She asked.
"He went this way." Was his only reply as he point forward with his knife.
Within moments they were going in a circle. Close to where they had started they came up on Jack. He looked back to be greeted by a light hearted Locke.
"Did you find anything?" Kate asked coming up behind him. He looked back and really wasn't surprised by seeing her coming along. He knew she wouldn't sit and wait around.
"No.' he answered meekly answered turning to Locke.
"You should go back. To the caves." Locke suggested. Jack seemed uninterested in his idea.
"Sayid's leg." Locke tried to persuade him. "I dressed Sayid's leg." Jack said. Locke still seemed uneasy.
"Look you found me out here we can find Charlie and Claire. Now do we have a trail or not?' Jack asked showing there was no way he was going back without finding the two.
Locke reminded Jack that he was the only doctor and that they couldn't go on without a doctor. Jack passed up the chance to go back. Then Locke remembered days ago when he haunted with Ethan. He began blaming himself for not seeing it. The others assured him it wasn't his fault. As they wasted time blaming one thing or another Jack made it know that they didn't have much time and needed to head off.
Back at the caves Michael had gathered a group to head north in search for Charlie and Claire. He left Walt with Hurley. Everyone else was wondering who this Ethan was, where Claire and Charlie were, and if they would come back alive.
The search group had wondered farther north with the lead of Locke. With him heading the way Jack and Kate walked behind. Attention on the trail, but questioning on each other.
"Have you clamed down a little?" Kate asked. Jack looked up from the ground.
"Far from it Kate.' Jack barked. Kate dare not say another word to him. Looking up they both saw Locke and Boone standing near a tree. Locke was wrapping a red tie around the tree.
"Anything?' Jack asked.
"Not yet.' Locke answered turning to Jack. "If you can't pick up the trail." Jack began.
"I'll pick it up again." Locke cut him off.
Locke turned and rested up against the tree behind him. The other tree looked at him oddly. Jack most of all.
"We should rest. Get our clarity back." Lock suggested.
"Your resting?' Jack asked. Locke gaze at him with a narrow eye. "It's got to be at least 4:00." Jack began.
"4:25. And yes I'm resting." Locke said as he looked to his watch. Jack let it rest as Boone and Locke settled in.
"Can I talk to you?" Kate's voice asked form behind him.
Jack turned and followed her off to a secluded area.
"Would it kill you to give the guy alitttle space?' Kate asked.
"It might." Jack replied with a hint of attitude. Kate looked at him as he looked back at the two by the tree.
"Stop that.' Kate demanded. "What?' Jack questioned looking back to her.
"That." She demanded again. Jack looked away.
Once again Kate knew something was the matter.
"What's going on?' She asked him. He turned back to her.
"I didn't believe her. Claire.' He began.
"I gave her a sedative.' He began to explain.
"Jack." Kat nearly whispered trying to get him to stop blaming himself. "She told me someone was after her and that she was being attacked. I didn't believe her." He said as tears formed in his eyes. Kate stood there telling her everything she needed to know why he was acting this way.
"She seemed so out of it that I thought her pregnancy was upping her stress." He explained. "I didn't believe her." He whispered. Kate walked up to him wanting to comfort him. "
Jack!" They heard Locke suddenly yell. Pulling them both out of their daze they ran to where they had left him.
Stopping and crouching down next to Locke, Jack tried to figure out what was wrong. Locke handed him a small object. Looking at it in his hand it was the piece of tape Charlie had taped around his finger. Kate looked at it in his hand over his shoulder.
"He's leaving us a trail." Locke announced as he got up. Boone looked back at the other seeming to ask if they were coming as he followed behind the mighty hunter. Quickly Jack stood up and headed after them with Kate not far behind.
Not far ahead, maybe a half a mile or so they were stopped yet again by another one of Charlie's finger bands. Picking it off a branch any doubt of not having a trail was gone amongst the group. Hurriedly Locke headed off in the direction of the trail only to be stopped by the mist of another trail. The question wasn't if there was a trail anymore. It was now which trail to follow? Jack insisted on the trail that Charlie seemed to be leaving for them. Locke on the other hand insisted to head off on the new trail.
Kate quickly butted in.
"It could be a dummy trail." She said to Jack's choice. They all looked back at her.
"He could be doubling back. Covering up his tracks." Kate suggested. Surprising all of them with her sudden intelligence Jack decided that they split up. Locke became doubtful, but Jack pointed out that there seemed to be two trackers referring to Kate.
Locke agreed and took Boone with him down his chosen trail. Jack took Kate down his.
Walking through the jungle near a mile behind the search group, Sawyer was heading back towards the beach. He traveled along quietly with his backpack swung over his back. No thoughts on his mind at the moment. But that quickly changed as he remembered that morning and the somewhat rude encounter he had had with Kate. It was silly to dwell upon seeing all their encounters are somewhat rude on his part and sometimes her. Abruptly his mind went blank as he saw Walt walk along side him. He looked down to him.
"Hey kid aren't you supposed to be back at the caves with your pa?' Sawyer asked.
Walt looked up to Sawyer kinda offended.
"He's not back at the caves." Walt announced.
"Then where is he?" Sawyer asked feeling that he may be responsible for this kid if he just ran off.
"He went out to search for Claire and Charlie. They got taken by Ethan." Walt explained. Sawyer looked down seeing his boot untied.
"Who got taken by what?' Sawyer asked squatting down to tie his shoe. "Charlie and Claire. They think Ethan took them." Walt re-explained.
"Ethan?" Sawyer questioned. "Yeah." Walt nodded his head.
"Took 'em why? And who the hell is Ethan?" Sawyer questioned again.
'I don't know." Walt shrugged. "He wasn't on the list. The manifest." Walt explained. Sawyer laughed looking up at the boy.
"Ever think he lied about his name?' Sawyer asked. "That's stupid to lie about your name." Walt breathed. Sawyer tried hard to not to take offence to the comment seeing that this kid had no idea about him.
Sawyer stood up and started walking again.
"Alrighty tattoo. Where do you think Ethan came from?' Sawyer asked with a smirk on his face wondering what this child would come up with. Walt looked around seeming to try and think of and answer. "Maybe he was here on the island before us." Walt suggested.
"Got yourself one hell of an imagination there kid." Sawyer laughed. Walt seemed no more moved away from the idea.
"So the natives placed a ringer in the camp to kidnap a pregnant girl and a reject form Vh1 has-beens?" Sawyer asked. Quickly he shook the thought form his head. There was no way the idea was right.
"And why am I getting the evening news from a six year old?" Sawyer asked turning around heading off again.
"I'm ten." Walt yelled. "Whatever." Sawyer said back. "If you don't believe me ask Sayid." Walt said as he turned and began for the caves. Sawyer stopped and turned around.
"Sayid's back?" He asked suddenly interested in the conversation. Walt shook his head. "He said were not alone." Walt said and then turned and he was gone.
Leaving a stunned Sawyer. He couldn't believe his little friend was back form his mystical journey. Maybe he should pay him a little visit Sawyer thought. Standing there weighing the options he decided for it and headed after Walt to the caves.
With Locke and Boone off on their own little way Jack and Kate were losing steam on theirs. Kate looked and examined every tree and along the ground. Kate staggered behind him stopping when he stopped and trying to lend her sudden tracking skills to the efforts. For the most they were only finding footprints left lightly in the dirt.
They were now following a somewhat dead trail. Kate was gonna try and plead with him that hope was lost, but she knew Jack. He would either not answer her or make some comment that he wouldn't give up and then keep going. So she remained quiet.
Before long Jack was far ahead of her. Rushing along the ghost trail. Kate pleaded with him to slow down for she wasn't as good at the tracking as Locke. Jack turned back to her.
"Where'd you pick up the tracking skills Kate?" He questioned. Getting ready to tell him he butted in.
"Was it before or after you were on the run?" He remarked. This caught her off guard. She knew he was stressed out, but there was no reason to blame her.
"I'm trying to help Jack." She defended.
"A little honesty. Give me something real." Jack seemed to beg. Kate took a deep breath trying not to go off at him.
She began to explain about her dad and how they would spend hours in the forest, tracking deer. Explaining that's where she had picked up her skills.
"Being in the woods it was like his religion." She explained. She slowly walked past Jack.
"That was real." She shot as she glared at him. He seemed to back down looking away. "Is there anything you want to share Jack?' She asked behind her as she walked off leaving him standing there. Pondering something.