Fire and Ice

Chapter 8

Logic dictates…

"How's Lana?" Connor looks up from the campfire in the caves. Kate sits down across from him, from the smell emanating from her tin cup, its coffee, freshly poured. Connor looks across at her through the flames. "She's ok, not very talkative. It's Understandable really." He shrugs his shoulders. "We've lost too many people in the past couple of days. Matt, Shannon, and now Jess. I'd give anything to rewind the past couple of days."

A sympathetic smile is shared from across the campfire. "How about years?" Connor nods.

A mars bar is dropped into Connor's lap, as Sayid walks by, and sits down next to Kate. Aside from the flickering of the camp fire, the only other sounds is of the rain, which is now torrential, the stream of water inside caves, and Eko's snoring. Locke and Jack are asleep, as is Lana, with Sun watching over her. Jess's body is in a corner of the cave. Weather permitting, her body will be burned, and a marker placed at the beach, along with the others.

"Two deaths, same symptoms. What's the connection?" Connor exclaims, unwrapping the chocolate bar. "My friend, we are all tried after a not very good day." Sayid gently retorts Connor, who starts devouring the chocolate. "I grant you, Matt and Jess have been exposed to much the same conditions as us all. Logic dictates, that they have both been exposed to something that we haven't – yet." Sayid says, deep in thought, sipping his coffee. Where the hell is Kate's coffee supply?

"You're starting to sound like Spock!" Kate jokes.

Connor laughed. "They don't get Star-trek in Iraq!"

Sayid grins. "Yes we did, though we all rooted for the klingons!"

Kate laughs. Connor groans in good jest. "We're doomed Cap'n, we've got a trekkie in our midst!" He jokes in a mock Scottish accent.

Lana is not in the mood for company. That is hardly surprising. Connor walks to where he is sleeping tonight, behind some rocks just at the cave's entrance. He then notices them. Dozens of them are filled, he recognises them as the mineral bottles used by oceanic, everybody drinks from them. He picks one up. The seals are broken, they're always broken, everybody uses them. Everybody marks their own. He smiles, this one is Jack's. He then sighs, people fill up, and leave their empties, and collect them.

Son of a bitch!

"Man – this place never surprises you." Drawled Sawyer. The survivors watch from a distance, as Jess's body burns in a swallow pit. Connor rolls his eyes in disgust.

"Horrible diseases, psychotic killers, man eating monsters, talking computers, and don't get me started on Ana-Lucia!" Sawyer rants. "Did somebody check the flight manifest for Alfred Hitchcock and Mulder and Scully?"

A couple of other survivors, look at Sawyer in distaste. Connor looks over at Lana, she's with Kate, Claire and Libby. Moral support. Sawyer looks in that direction too. "Must've been horrible to watch. Is that why Lana's with the shrink?"

Connor sighs. The conversation is getting wearing. The crowds are starting to disperse. "The only thing horrible, is that haircut." Connor softly says to Sawyer's face, before walking away.

Sawyer laughs. "You're just jealous."

Connor turns round. "Kate used to do mine with clippers." He says.

The earth is patted with a shovel. Locke watched Connor, before handing him a bottle of water. Connor removes the make-shift face-mask. The odour is still there, but it was less than before.

Connor looks round at the make-shift cemetery.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Locke smiles, sitting down on a rock, his voice concerned father like.

"If I know my diseases, what should have killed Matt and now Jess, should be striking us all down!"

"Jack's the doctor, what does he think."

"He doesn't want to know. Too much on his mind!" Locke frowns, as Connor hammers down a wooden cross. Like looking at scores to settle.

"No sign of Michael?"

Locke nods. "I doubt you could have made any difference out there." It's a smile, a gentle one. "We're now done three pistols and a rifle, Locke. Jack's ego sometimes get the better of him." Connor exclaims. Locke raises his hand. "What's your explanation."

"It's not airborne, there were no insect bites on Matt or Jess, it's not the food, and its definitely not the water."

"Sherlock Holmes, once said if you eliminate the obvious, and what is left, no matter how implausible, must be the answer. I know you Connor, I think you know the answer."

Connor looks at the bottle of water, opens it, and tips it over. The water all pours out. Locke looks at the puddle, then Connor.

"Somebody is poisoning the water when its in the bottle!"

"Who?"

Connor looks into the jungle. Locke looks along with him. "I wasn't here when Ethan was around, but the way he ghosted in past your makeshift defence and killed Scott, then more of less kicked the four of you in the ass. I'm certain; somebody wants us off this island."

"They've killed, and kidnapped our own. So why not try something more subtle, but more effective!"

In the fading light of the bunker, the atmosphere is not welcoming and warm. Locke stares at Jack, he knows where this is going.

"This is insane." Connor leans back in resignation, at Jack's outburst. "It's the only plausible explanation." Ana-Lucia shakes her head, from behind Jack. Connor catches sight of Locke, he's not happy at the way this is going.

"This is entirely plausible!" Locke argues.

"Okay what do you want." Ana-Lucia whispers. Connor and her lock eyes. "Four pistols, four volunteers, we stake out the caves with live bait."

Jack sighs, there are only four pistols left.

"Only for a couple of nights Jack, if it works, we'll stop this at the source. If it doesn't, you'll get to see me, one of your biggest rivals, fall flat on his ass."

Connor thinly smiles. You'll just love that.

Connor looks at the open haliburton with grim satisfaction. Locke handles the Glock, Connor takes the Sig-sauer. "I thought he'd never give in." Locke grins.

"It's simple really, you just have to appeal to him." Connor slots in a magazine. "Me, you. We need two others."

"Is this a private party." Connor smiles at the drawl, as Sawyer walks up. "Word is you're going on a little hunt!" He grins.

"More like a stakeout. You want in?" Connor grins in reply. Sawyer nods. "For some pay back!" He says seriously. Locke slowly and very reluctantly hands over the Beretta to Sawyer. "That's three."

A figure brushes between, Sawyer and Connor, and takes the Smith and Wesson. From the tied back long dark hair, its Kate. She looks at Connor. "Do you mind?"

"Go right ahead!"

It's starting to get dark; I really don't need this conversation. Charlie follows Connor to the edge of the camp.

"I'm not blaming you, she can be very slippery at times." Connor grin, doesn't calm Charlie's nerves. "She's usually got Vincent with" Connor spies Vincent asleep alongside Sayid. Oh Crap!

Connor turns round, then spies Eve walking towards them, with a makeshift bow and arrow. Unaware of the commotion she has caused she walks right on by them.

Connor checks his watch. Back before teatime, just as they agreed. An embarrassed Charlie turns away, murmuring something with the words, bloody, fool, and kid.

"If she wanders off again, and I'm not around, get Lana or Kate." Connor checks his watch, then slaps Charlie on the back.

"Good luck Connor!" Charlie whispers

To be continued…