Chapter 24

Sayid was making his way along the beach to the jungle when Jack encountered him. "I need to speak with you," the doctor insisted, and the Iraqi stopped and waited. Jack let out a trembling sigh. He wasn't looking forward to sharing this news with Sayid, with whom he had already had so many tactical disagreements. It was awkward standing there, so Jack suggested they continue walking as they spoke. "Henry Gale has escaped," he said at last.

Sayid stopped still and glanced at the doctor. "Escaped?" he asked. "How? I left Ana in the hatch with--"

"Ana Lucia is dead. So is Libby. Ana must have gone in to interrogate him. Gale grabbed her gun, shot her and then Libby, and then he shot Michael in the arm."

"Michael?"

"Yeah. Kate and I found Michael when we went to the line."

Sayid shook his head as if clearing it. "And when were you and Kate planning to tell the rest of the camp that he had returned?"

"Look, Sayid, you know how things happen here…"

The Iraqi sighed. "Yes. Yes I do," and then he began walking faster toward the jungle.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked as he hastened to keep up.

"To the hatch to speak to Michael…to find out what happened."

Jack nodded, behind him, turned, and headed back down the beach.

"And where are you going?" Sayid called after him.

"To get the guns. They've been buried in Sawyer's shelter all along. Michael says the Others are not heavily armed, that there are fewer of them than us, and that they have Walt. We're going after them."

Sayid's eyes widened at this bit of information, and he felt a momentary stab of self-reproach for not having guessed the location. He did not bother to ask how Jack had discovered the firearms, however. "Get the guns, but do not make any decisions until I return from the hatch," insisted Sayid. "We need to have another council meeting."

Jack began walking back in the Iraqi's direction. "What is there to discuss, Sayid? We know what they've done. We know they have the kids."

"Michael disappears for days and returns without warning. When he returns, Gale escapes, and two people die. Gale manages to deliver fatal shots to Libby and Ana, but not to Michael. Did you consider that Michael might have been compromised? Did you consider that he might not be revealing the full truth?"

"Why would he lie to us?"

"He is a father. At the moment, he has only one priority."

"What are you suggesting?" Jack asked, a defensive tone creeping into his voice. The truth was that Jack had his own questions about Michael's story. Michael description of the clothing of the Others matched Kate's description of the costumes she found in the hatch. Why would the Others be wearing their costumes when there was no one around to terrify? Did they wear them all the time? Did they know Michael would be watching them? The whole situation was baffling, but Michael himself Jack did not doubt. Michael was one of them.

"I am suggesting that I talk with Michael now and that we hold another council meeting this evening. In a few days, we take action, if action is to be taken."

"A few days!" exclaimed Jack.

"Would you have these people attack the Others without any training whatsoever?" Sayid waved his hand in frustrated dismissal. "We will discuss it tonight. Just move the guns so Sawyer does not."

Jack put a hand on either hip and nodded his head in exasperation. "So you trust me to do that, do you?"

Sayid only looked at him wearily before continuing to the hatch.

Hurley was the first person Sayid observed upon entering the hatch. The young man was sitting on the couch, leaning forward with his arms against his knees, and starring vacantly at the table. Sayid sat across from him. "I am sorry," he said simply.

Hurley looked up at him, the tears held back in his eyes, his mouth a near taunt line. Sayid would almost have thought the man was angry, if he had ever seen Hurley angry. "Why did you have to suggest a picnic?" Hurley asked bitterly.

Sayid appeared baffled. "What…I do not understand…"

"If you hadn't suggested a picnic, I wouldn't have forgotten the blankets, and she wouldn't have gone back…she wouldn't have…" Hurley stood up abruptly and began to approach Sayid, who likewise rose quickly to prepare himself for whatever was coming.

"Hurley…" Sayid said cautiously.

The man was too much of a teddy bear to be intimidating, but his bulk was significant and almost menacing as he approached Sayid and shoved him angrily. Sayid fell back a step and nearly tripped down into the chair again, but he steadied himself. Hurley came at him again, both palms splayed flat for another shove. Again Sayid bore the brunt of the push without staggering over, but he did not respond. He held his hands up and out at his sides, as though to indicate that he had no intention of fighting back, and this time Hurley punched him across the face; it was a much harder hit than the Iraqi had expected. Yes, the man was big, but somehow Sayid had envisioned Hurley as being too timid to throw a painful punch. Sayid rubbed his jaw, and, when the pain began to subside a little, he asked, "Does this help you?"

Hurley looked horrified at what he had done, and he stumbled backwards into a sitting position on the couch. He buried his face in his hands and murmured, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault. It was all my fault. It was all my fault. I forgot the blankets. How could I forget the blankets!"

"The fault belongs only to Gale," Sayid said softly, although he wasn't entirely sure that Gale had acted alone. "Where is Michael?"

Hurley took one hand from his face and pointed left. Sayid followed and found the man starring at the blank computer screen. Michael jumped when he felt Sayid's presence, and he turned quickly. "Hey, man," he said, and Sayid could hear the nervous strain in the father's voice.

"I need to speak with you," replied Sayid, as he pulled up a chair to sit beside him.

Michael lowered his eyes, and Sayid lowered his head to capture them. "We are all glad you made it back alive," he said.

"Yeah, yeah," said Michael, relaxing a little, and raising his eyes to meet Sayid's. But soon enough he was looking away again.

"So what happened to Ana and Libby? And what happened to you?"

Now Michael looked Sayid directly in the eyes as he rehearsed the same story he had told Jack and Kate.