A/N: Well the mob has spoken, thanks for all the reviews! So you wanted a little Jate? Maybe I can arrange something.

Chapter 2

Charlie led the group out of camp to the hatch. He had packed along a flashlight and a rope. Bernard, Steve, and Claire followed, brushing past the green foliage. They all followed the path blazed by Locke, Jack, and Boone.

Halfway there, a downpour of rain started and the group took shelter under an outcrop of rocks. Claire passed around a bottle of water to everyone and then sat down next to Charlie. She noticed that he still hadn't quite recovered from the explosion. He had a hard time hearing and had to constantly ask people to repeat what they were saying louder. Claire knew that Charlie didn't want to return to the hatch, but he couldn't leave them down there either.

"How are you doing Charlie?" Claire asked.

"Soggy." He replied.

Claire smiled. Charlie was always joking around even at the most unconventional times.

"So the hatch, is there anything left?" Claire asked, hoping to get more information.

"I don't know. I ran out of there and then fell onto the ground. I never turned around. I'm a bloody coward. I should have gone down there right away."

"No you're not a coward, Charlie." Claire said taking his hand, "It's much safer this way, with more people."

"Yeah, but they could be dead by now." Charlie couldn't help but continue, "It's just that I can't lead. Not like how Jack does. I freeze up and don't think." He admitted.

"You have other good qualities, your funny, sweet, and a musician." Claire told him.

Charlie smiled, "Yeah, I guess your right."

Just as the rain stopped Steve got up. He shrieked and dropped his backpack. On it, a large green snake crawled.

"Jesus! That thing scared me." Steve said.

Claire approached the snake. She slowly grabbed the backpack and slipped it out from underneath the reptile. The snake quickly slithered into the bushes.

"What are you? A snake charmer?" Bernard asked.

"Oh no," Claire explained embarrassed, "It's really not poisonous. My ex-boyfriend used to have one in his apartment as a pet."

Steve looked embarrassed to be so startled from such a harmless snake and took the backpack from Claire. They continued on to the hatch after that episode and finally reached it.

Charlie went first and as he brushed past the bushes he gasped.

It was an uncomfortable night. Sleeping with their hands tied behind their backs was extremely painful. Jack had no idea how he even got to sleep.

The Others had awakened them at the crack of dawn when the sun still hadn't risen past the tree line. Jack's back ached as they were forced up by the solemn Others dressed in drab cloths.

He caught Kate's glance right before the sacks were put over their heads again.

"Morning doc." Sawyer spoke through the bag on his head.

"Sawyer," Jack replied.

"So I guess they'll be taking us to do them tests." Sawyer made conversation.

"That's what they told us." Jack spoke.

Sawyer lowered his voice, "Spotted bozo hatch guy's boat by the rocks."

"What?" Jack asked confused and then realized he was talking about Desmond's boat. That meant Sayid had to be close by.

"Keep a low profile." Kate warned them as the Others stopped them.

The three were lead into a dark hallway that was much cooler than outside. Their footsteps echoed around the concrete chamber. They were stopped again and the burlap sacks were yanked off their heads.

It took Jack a couple of seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dim lights. They were in a hexagonal room with a few metal chairs and a table. The electric lights hummed monotonously.

"Jack, Kate, James, please have a seat." Henry announced smugly. Jack noticed that he still hadn't changed out of the dirty cloths that he had on when he escaped.

"Make me Pedro," Sawyer growled.

Henry smiled, "I had a feeling you may be less than willing to cooperate." He took out a needle filled with a clear solution, "This is sodium pentathol, or an agent that acts like a truth serum."

Jack then realized that these people were not hillbillies. They had supplies and technology way beyond their reach. Sodium pentathol was extremely hard to acquire. Where the hell could they have gotten it?

"Why have you taken us?" Jack accused.

"Now if you answer my questions, I may be in a good enough mood to answer yours."

"Stop playing with us Henry!" Jack shouted, "You really think you can do whatever you want with us? That you're so superior? Why go after us like this, and hunt us?" Jack asked angrily. He hated how this creep felt he owned them. It seemed like he thought all this was perfectly logical and moral.

"Inject them," Henry ordered calmly. A few men gripped their arms and injected the sodium pentathol.

The truth serum acted fast, entering Jack's blood stream and getting pumped throughout his body and entering his brain. In a matter of minutes the lights started spinning. He looked at Kate and Sawyer, equally dazed. This was not good.

Sayid was lying on his stomach in the dirt, peering out through some bushes. Late in the evening the day before, life had returned to the camp from the hot daytime. The Others had arrived, and with them were three hostages, Jack, Kate, and Sawyer.

Under the cover of darkness, Sayid had carefully taken note on all the guards watching his friends. When did they eat, when did they change guards, what were their habits? Now all the old training he had learned as a soldier was really coming in useful. The more you know of your enemy, the better you can perceive their attacks, Sayid thought.

Jin and Sun had stayed in the boat while he staked out the camp. Sayid knew that Jin felt unsafe sleeping on land so they both remained in the boat, keeping it out of harm's way.

Sayid noticed that Henry, the man in the hatch, appeared to be the leader. This was strange because Henry had said that if he ever came back to his people, they would kill him. Everyone else seemed to never get in his way or question his authority. They would do anything for him.

The next day at dawn, the survivors were woken up and forced to put bags over their heads. Then they left camp and were taken to another hatch set into a rock wall. Sayid was careful as he made his way toward the hatch. There were two guards posted outside of it.

Sayid was surprised when he saw that the two guards were sharing one gun between them. He picked up his soviet and crawled closer. It wouldn't be hard to take them out. He could even sneak up and knock them out, which would be a smarter choice considering the gun would make too much noise.

Just before he was going to attack, Sayid noticed a small dark alcove in the side of the hatch.

"Cameras," He whispered to himself. They must be wired to a control room inside. This technology was highly advanced. He had only seen this type of surveillance in the highest security bases in Iraq.

Knowing that he would need more men to break in, Sayid reluctantly headed back to the boat where he communicated through Sun to Jin about his plans.

"I would need two men for this. One to take out the camera and another to knock out the guards." Sayid spoke which was then translated.

"Will you join me?" Sayid asked.

Jin and Sun conversed and then Sun spoke, "He says if that's what needs to be done. Jin will come. I'll watch the boat." Sun told Sayid.

"Very well, we leave in the morning."

A/N: Thanks again, I'll probably be able to update everyday. I have a couple chapters written in advance. Animals are friends not furs! If u guys are confused or anything, just ask.

TheEvilTrafficeCone Out!