Chapter 12: Getting There
"I wouldn't take another step if I were you." The chilly voice rang through the air and Jack looked up from the group. The two men that had been after Kate all day were standing right in front of them. Kate was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Kate?" Jack asked. Tom laughed.
"Oh she is still with us." Tom said.
"Yeah... we have her in hiding. You'll never find her." Jerry exclaimed. Tom gave him a slap on the back. Sawyer took a step forward.
"Don't you touch a ha-" A rock pelted out of nowhere and hit him in the head.
"OW!" Sawyer said as he grasped as his head.
"I told you not to take a step." Tom said. Jack looked out to the forest.
"How many more out there?" Jack asked. Before Tom was able to answer a man came out, and Alex. Jack's mouth swung open and Alex stared at him, waning him not to say a thing.
"Just us." The man said. Alex nodded. Jack knew she was telling the truth.
"What do you want?" Sayid asked. Tom looked up.
"And where are you from?" Tom asked. He took a step towards the group.
"Pardon?" Sayid asked. Tom laughed.
"Where are you from?" Tom asked again.
"Iraq." Sayid said. Tom nodded.
"Thought so." Tom said. Sayid eyed the man.
"Why do you ask?" Sayid asked. Jack elbowed Sayid in the side.
"On my call-" Jack whispered. Tom started talking.
"You know there is a lot we could do with you-" Tom said.
"Take your gun-"
"A great part of our, let's say, civilization"
"And shoot above them."
"Come with us." Tom ended. Sayid nodded and started to whisper to Sawyer. Tom and his two man friends started closer. Jack could see Sawyer reach to the gun he had hidden in his pants.
"NOW!" Jack yelled. Both Sawyer and Sayid pulled out their guns and aimed over their heads. They all shot causing the others to quickly duck to the ground. Jack saw a figure drop to the ground to his left in the trees.
"RUN!" Jack yelled. The three quickly turned and ran through the forest. He jumped and hurdled fallen tree logs as they made their way back through the forest. He looked to his right to see the figure was still running.
"What is that?" Jack yelled. Sayid looked at him. He shrugged and sped ahead of him. Jack decided to ignore it and keep running. They turned the bend and stopped running. He watched as Sawyer waved him over to a rock. Jack sprinted over and followed him down a path. They watched as the others sped by and out of sight. Jack collapsed on the ground and he watched as Sayid and Sawyer did the same thing. Jack quickly looked up back at the path that they had hidden down.
"I'll be right back." Jack said. "I thought I saw something." He started up the hill.
"Want us to come with?" Sawyer asked. Jack shook his head.
"Nah." Jack said. "Just stay here."
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"What do we do now?" Charlie asked. Eko was pacing around the small room. He looked up every so often and would stop. And then he would go back to pacing. This was his routine for the past hour.
"What do we do?" Charlie repeated. Eko stopped.
"We must wait." Eko said. Charlie let out his breath.
"Wait for what?" Charlie said. "Santa Claus?" He stood and bolted over to Eko.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING HERE?" Charlie asked. Eko stopped pacing again.
"We are waiting for a sign." Eko said. Charlie put his arms to his side as Eko paced again.
"A sign." Charlie stated. "Great." He sat. Eko walked over to the hall that lead to the room with the computer in it. Charlie watched as he disappeared around the corner. He waited for a few minutes but Eko never returned.
"Eko?" Charlie asked. He quickly stood and crept over to the hallway.
"Eko?" Charlie called. He turned the corner to see Eko standing by the wall with his ear to the wall that was blocking the entrance to the computer room.
"What in god's name are you doing now?" Charlie asked. Eko smiled.
"Come here." Eko said. Charlie came over. He stood waiting for Eko to continue.
"Ahuh. And what?" Charlie finally said. Eko pointed at the wall then at his ear.
"Listen." Eko said. He then pressed his ear to the wall. Charlie slowly but willingly put his own head against the wall. All he could hear was a whirring, buzzing sound.
"Ahuh." Charlie said. Eko smiled.
"What do you hear?" Eko asked. Charlie felt like he was in a job interview.
"What do I hear?" Charlie said.
"Yes." Eko said. Charlie lifted his head from the wall.
"Um... a whirring sound. Kind of a buzzing sound..." Charlie said. Eko nodded his head.
"Yes." Eko said. "And what kinds of things make those noises. Charlie placed his head on eh wall again.
"The buzzing sound... it's like a machine. And the whirring. Yeah... it's like a machine!" Charlie exclaimed. Eko nodded.
"Yes." Eko said. Charlie nodded then stopped.
"That means...?" Charlie prompted. Eko took a step away from the door and looked over at Charlie.
"Charlie, what is behind that door?" Eko asked.
"The computer." Charlie said. Then he got it.
"The computer... the button..." Charlie stopped. He then looked up at Eko.
"The alarm hasn't gone off!"
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Jack crept back down the path. He was intending to find out who that person was. He knew it wasn't the others. Alex had assured him that it was not them. Jack slowly turned the corner and stepped over a log.
"Jack!"
He
tripped over the log and landed face first in the mud.
"Oh! I'm sorry Jack." It was Kate. She was running towards him. Jack didn't care that his face was all muddy. He quickly used his shirt to wipe it off as he stood. Kate slowed as she was about 2 metres from him. She had a small, sad smile on her face.
"Kate." Jack said. Kate looked up into his eyes. Jack couldn't stay away from her any longer. He stepped forwards and swept her into a large hug. He could feel her wrapping her arms around his neck and her digging her head into his neck.
"I can't believe you are all right." Jack said. Kate looked up and he could see the tears that were welling in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Jack said as he released her. More tears fell from her eyes. Kate silently shook her head. She came forward and stopped right in front of Jack.
"I'm sorry." Kate said. She turned and walked back. Jack was stunned. He ran up and caught up to her grabbing her arm.
"Kate..." Jack said. She stopped and turned to him.
"What?" she asked. Jack couldn't say anything. He took a deep breath.
"It's okay." Jack said. He then took Kate into another big hug. He could feel her tense up a bit. He let go of her. She looked up into his eyes and smiled.
"I'm happy you are okay." She said. She nodded towards the path that leads to Sayid and Sawyer. "We should get back." Kate said. She then turned and walked back down the forest. Jack smiled and fell into step with her. He then looked ahead of him and felt Kate's hand brush up against his. He looked to his side and saw her face turn a little red. This time Jack moved his hand over and grabbed a hold of it. She did not hold onto him but she did not refuse him. As they made their way down the step path towards the others he felt Kate squeeze his hand. He looked over at her again.
"How are we going to get back?" Kate asked. Jack looked at Sayid and Sawyer as they came into view.
"I don't know." Jack said. He squeezed her hand as their two friends ran up in greeting. "But we will get there soon."
