Hi, this is where things start to get serious. I promise...

Fire and Ice

Chapter 10

Actions and Consequences

"Hey!" Connor looks up from another 1960's pulp fiction novel. He smiles, as Lana sits down next to him on the beach. She smiles back, and flicks back her hair. Everything's back to normal, as she hands over a water bottle. It's been three days now since the attempted poisoning. If anything in this place could be described as normal.

"I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass." She says softly. Connor replies with a peck on her cheek. "Don't worry, I don't think anybody will be poisoning the water again." Connor puts an arm around Lana's shoulders. "Right now lets just worry about living day to day, and getting off this island!"

Connor smiles, as Hurley walks on by, grinning at him.

"Why is Hurley grinning at you?" Lana giggles. Connor grins. "Because I'm with the prettiest girl on the island."

He stares into Lana's blue eyes. Their lips touch.

"Hey little one you take care!" An nineteen year old Lana giggles, as her older brother Andre playfully lifts her into the air. Andre jokes.

The soldiers on guard duty at the army base outside of Moscow, laugh as well. Andre is a popular young Lieutenant amongst the teenage army conscripts.

"Take this." Andre head is bent slightly forward, as Lana wraps a gold cross. "It is for luck." Andre gives her a kiss on the cheek then he hugs her. "I won't cry." She whispers. Andre is heading with his regiment to Chechnya, garrison duty. Dangerous very dangerous.

"Hey aren't I always!" Andre confidently boasts. As he holds her hands, Lana grip slowly loosens. Andre walks backwards. He blows her a kiss, and slowly the barrack gates close.

"Hey get a room!" Sawyer shouts, as he walks past them, no doubt on another foraging mission. Lana turns away blushing. Connor sighs and stares daggers at Sawyer. Who is chuckling to himself, looking for an excuse to verbally spar with anyone.

"Sorry." Lana smiles. "We're providing some gossip for people to talk about." Connor grins. "Everybody wins!"

"Hiya Mr Sawyer!" Eve walks past Sawyer, on the beach. Another pretend hunting trip.

"Well hello. What have you got there Eve?" Sawyer carefully eyes the bag she is carrying. "Some fruit, coconuts, some passion fruit, and berries!" She grins. "I climbed up some trees to get them!" Sawyer's eyes glow. As he crouches down to Eve's eye level. "Hmm interested in a trade?" Sawyer notices that her knees are covered in cuts and scrapes.

Eve adopts a very serious face. "What do you have?"

"One IPOD broken, for fruit." Kate folds her arms, chastising Sawyer who adds the fruit to his stash.

"The IPOD isn't broken, its batteries are just need replacing Freckles." Sawyer grins. "We're going into partnership!"

Kate shakes her head. Squirrels and nuts, is what Sawyer reminds her of. "Eve's probably climbing up very tall trees, she could fall and hurt herself!"

"We shook on an agreement!" Sawyer says exasperated. "Eve isn't stupid!" Sawyer smiles. "She sees me as a role model!"

Kate manages a grunt. "I hardly think!"

"Oh, and you are!" Kate sighs and walks away. "I think Connor would like to hear this." Sawyer laughs.

"Yeah – he busy whispering sweet nothings into Lana's ear the last time I saw him."

Kate's strides become faster and longer.

"I'm very sorry Lana!" The army Chaplin grasps Lana's hands across the table. In her hands cradle the gold cross given to Andre. A tear rolls down her cheek. "What happened?"

"He was on patrol near a village near Grozny." His tone is calm, but even he is upset. "His jeep hit a land mine, all were killed instantly!"

"His body. What about his body." Lana gasps. The chaplin shakes his head. "Lana." He whispers. "We could not find all their body parts." The Chaplin grimaces. That was not true, the Chechen separatists found them first.

"He was a good soldier, and a good officer." The Chaplin smiled. "He was as proud of you, as you are of him."

"We have traps, dotted about the perimeter." Locke marks on a rough sand map on the beach. Jack, Connor, Sayid, and Anna-Lucia watch keenly.

"Most of the jungle where we gather our fruit is in this area." Sayid points. "I recommend that we go in pairs to gather it in."

Connor sighs. "We scoped out alternative fresh water supplies yet?"

"The other fresh water supplies are in their territory." Jack whispers to Anna-Lucia. "We have the salt water filters in the bunker!"

"Designed for two people!" Connor interrupts. "With Michael still missing. There's no engineer to fix it!" Connor gets up. "I think the decision has already been made. You ask me, I think its crazy. They've come one way, they'll come another next time."

Moscow, three years earlier.

"Peace delegation." A Policeman mutters at the table, Lana is serving at. "Those Chechens want peace, they can kiss our asses!"

"Boris, you're getting on your soapbox again." His partner across the table smiles in jest, motioning Lana for more coffee.

"How's you're studies coming along Lana?" He politely asks, as Lana fills his mug.

Lana smiles. "I graduate next week, so I'm now job hunting!"

"Good luck. Your brother was a good man, why we're talking to those sons of whores I don't know!"

Lana laughs. "Please guys its Friday night, it's the weekend you're off duty!" She slaps the other Police man across the back.

"Not for me." Boris grumbles. "Some of them are staying at the Zenith Hotel, couple of rooms. Guard duty." He sips his coffee. "The boys at the station don't like it one bit."

A wall in Lana's apartment is filled with newspaper cuttings and pictures. She stares at them. Then she looks across Moscow from her window. The Moscow-Zenith Hotel can be seen. It is Saturday morning. She turns and looks at the mounted picture of her brother. In her hands, is an eight shot pistol. On the dressing table, is her last will and testament. She slips the pistol into her pocket. Her decision is made.

Lana watches, a few hundred metres away is Kate walking towards Connor. Something is up. She crouches down and claps Vincent, watching the discussion. They talk for a short while; Kate's body language is defiant, and tense. Connor folds his arms. Not a good sign. He turns to walk away, he stops, and then points a finger at Kate, then in the direction of Sawyer's hut. He storms off in that direction. Lana gets up. She sees Kate shaking her head, then following Connor.

"I'm not having this!" Lana whispers.

"Look Driveshaft, we're playing a gig tonight in Moscow, our agent booked us in here!" A bemused Lana, walks past a dishevelled bunch of men, some Western Rock band, at reception. Some ugly little dwarf of a man is speaking very slowly in English. Lana sighs with contempt.

Fourth floor is where the delegation is staying, they have a couple of rooms.

A fist slams directly into a stunned Sawyer's face. Connor stands over him, face blazing. Other survivors are running over in the fight's direction.

"I guess that's some form of greeting!" Sawyer smirks before swiping at air, Connor kicks him in the gut.

Sawyer doubles over in agony. Connor crouches down.

"Tomorrow pick your own fruit, getting a little girl to do it for you with everything else that's happening on the island, is really low!" Connor gets up, and walks away a few steps, not before Sawyer, gets up and running tackles him into the sand. Kate shouts at them both to stop.

The lift door opens. Lana walks out, into the corridor. She sees one of the Chechen delegation talking on his mobile, business suited, and bearded. She slowly walks towards him. He hears her footsteps, turns towards her, looks, then turns away. Lana draws the pistol, raises it, and fires three shots into the man's back, from almost point-blank range.

Connor, and Sawyer glare at each other. Separated from each other by Sayid, and Jin. Jack and Locke stand between the pair. Anna-Lucia and Lana stand with Connor, who barely has a scratch on him. Sawyer on the other hand, the second time in as many days has had his ass kicked. Kate by now is walking away from this confrontation. Lana watches her with contempt.

A man in a dressing gown, runs out of his room, in horror he watches Lana advancing towards him. Lana recognises him, as the leader of the delegation. Before he can run away, Lana fires again, four shots into the man's chest. He falls to the ground. He is still alive, when Lana stands over him.

"This is for my brother." She whispers. Lana raises the pistol, in line with the man's face, and fires. Lana turns and runs.

"Care to explain what that was about." Jack shouts at Sawyer, then Connor. Who stare daggers at each other.

"Hey, if Eve wants to collect fruit for me that's her look-out!" Sawyer snarls. Connor edges forward sharply. Stopped by Sayid, and Locke. Connor backs off.

"You got Eve to go into the jungle to collect fruit for you!" Ana-Lucia says shaking her head. Jin looks at Sawyer in disgust, before walking away.

"Hey Eve shook on a deal. She knows where to go!" Sawyer looks round in resignation, at the six faces staring back at him. "It's not like she's in any danger!"

"Sawyer, from now on, you either get your own fruit, or you don't!" Jack says. He turns to Connor. "You, stay away." He points at Sawyer. "From Sawyer"

"Where is Eve anyway?" Connor groans, as he removes his shirt. Lana watches him. "I don't know." Lana looks at his bruised chest. "Christ-she's still out there!"

Connor struggles to get up, before he collapses onto the ground. "You're in no fit state to look for her, I'll go." Lana helps him into a comfortable position. "Thanks."

In the distance the thunder of an imminent storm echoes.

"A bit late to have a conscience now!" Charlie watches Sawyer, get up. "Yeah well, VH1 reject, sometimes the most difficult thing is to break the promise you made!"

He hobbles up. "To a child."

Sawyer snarls in pain. A rib or two must be bruised. "Besides, I've got my own fruit to get now." In the distance, thunder rumbles. Sawyer curses he knows he's going to get soaked.

"Come to gloat!" Sawyer watches Kate. A polite smile is all he gets as she walks past him. "I'm going out to find Eve." He smiles, it is completely false. "I could do with the help."

"You're on your own." She replies. "Try not to get lost."

To be continued…