Chapter 12: Meetings
Jack sat in the hatch with Michael, cleaning and dressing his wounds while Sayid asked him questions. Michael fidgeted while Jack tried to help him. He still couldn't believe what had happened, that he had lost a week of his life. A week he could have used looking for Walt.
"Hold still." said Jack.
"You don't remember anything?" said Sayid.
"No, as far as I'm concerned I've only been gone a few hours. You think I got caught up in one of their traps or something?" said Michael.
"Its possible." said Sayid.
"I can't believe I've been doing nothing for a week while Walt's been out there. God knows what they done to him." said Michael.
Jack and Sayid turn and looked at each. They didn't know if it would be wise to tell Michael that they had met the others and spoke with them about Walt. Michael noticed the sudden silence. He had a heart stopping moment when he thought the worst. Was Walt dead?
"What? What do you guys know?" said Michael.
Neither Jack nor Sayid answered but merely looked at Michael. They could see that he was desperate for answers, but didn't want to give him a reason to run off again.
"Tell Me!" shouted Michael.
"We followed you after you took off for Walt. We never found you…but we found the Others. The surrounded our camp." said Jack.
"Did they say anything about him?" asked Michael.
"Just that he was fine." said Jack.
"Well, why didn't you attack them? You must have had guns" said Michael.
By this time Michael was beginning to get more and more agitated. So much that Jack had to sit him back down to dress his wound. Jack managed to calm him down enough to explain.
"We couldn't, they had Kate. We had to give up are weapons and go back." said Jack.
When Jack told Michael he remembered how angry and scared for Kate he was that night.
Michael slowly started to lie back as the pain killers started to kick in. He was exhausted and although it was the last thing he wanted to do, he slept.
Jack and Sayid made their way into a different room in the hatch to talk while Michael rested. They were glad he decided to stay in the hatch that night.
"It won't be long before he tries to take off again." said Sayid.
"I know, but we have to do something before he does." said Jack.
"I think it says something for the Others that they let both Kate and Michael go. I'm just not sure what." said Sayid. "So, what is it you propose we do? I still don't believe war is the answer."
"Maybe not. But I think we have to have another talk with them." said Jack.
"What?" said Sayid. "How do you propose we do that?" said Sayid.
"Locke said it himself, we don't attack they don't attack, right? If we go out there unarmed they have no reason to attack us." said Jack.
"That's suicide" said Sayid. "What exactly are you going to say to them?"
"We cut a deal for Walt" said Jack.
Sayid looked a Jack and simply shook his head.
"What? So we just wait for Michael to run off and get himself killed this time. Look, if war isn't the answer then I haven't got a better plan, do you?" said Jack
Sayid looked at Jack for a moment. He was right, short of attacking them there was no other way.
"No." sighed Sayid.
"The worst that can happen is they say no." said Jack.
"Or kill us." said Sayid.
"I guess I'm just hoping they keep their word." said Jack.