Chp 17
"You bastard," Jack said and lunged at his father as Kate and Sawyer starred on in silence.
"Jack no," Juliet cried trying to break them apart, "He's trying to help us."
"I thought you were dead, I thought I was too late," Jack screamed the emotion pouring out of him as the rain began to fall from the sky in sheets.
"I felt so guilty!"
"I know son, but it was the only way I knew, I tried to protect you," Christian pleaded, nursing the bleeding nose Jack had given him.
"You dragged me all the way to Australia just to get me on that damn plane."
Christian nodded, "I told Margo I could get you to Australia. I wanted her to let me go there so I can get to Claire. So I can get Claire far away from her clutches. I couldn't save both of my children and with Claire pregnant it was imperative I speak to her."
Jack bit his lower lip, "So you knew Claire was your daughter."
"Yes."
"And you never thought to tell me I had a sister?" Jack asked.
"Look Jack, she was a product of an affair. I wasn't in her life until Infinity began DNA testing. When I realized that she was pregnant and what your mother had planned, I went over there to see her, to convince her not to board flight 815 but her bloody aunt wouldn't let me in," Christian explained.
"So you just let us board a plane you knew was going to crash," Jack said with disgust.
"The plane didn't crash Jack," his father revealed.
"But I saw it, I saw it break apart in the sky," Juliet said but Christian shook his head.
"An illusion to fool Ben's people. The plane landed, you didn't realize it because we knocked you out, through the oxygen masks."
"But I was awake," Kate stated.
"No Kate, after the plane landed, we dragged you out and fed you false memories, to make it look more realistic," Christian told her.
"Illusions, false memories? What the hell for?" Sawyer asked.
"It's complicated."
"What about the bodies?" Jack interrupted.
"Bodies?" Christian asked.
"Of the people on the plane that didn't make it."
"We killed them," Christian said bluntly.
"Oh my god," Jack said turning his back on his father, running his hand over his head, trying to take this all in.
"Come on Jack, it's not the first time people have died in the name of progress."
Jack whipped back around, "You call what you did progress? What about the other survivors? The ones not on the list?"
"I don't know," Christian said.
"You expect us to believe you don't know?" Kate spat.
"I was only involved in Infinity's project and therefore only privy to their information. There's a lot going on here on this island. More experiments than just DNA mapping. Lots of organizations are involved."
"Someone has to be in charge of it all," Jack said.
"Well it isn't me son," Christian told him.
"Mom?"
Christian let out a laugh, "No, she doesn't wield that kind of power, thank god."
"Jacob?" Juliet offered.
Christian looked at her terrifyingly. "All I know is that several organizations have been brought here under the umbrella of the Hanso Foundation."
"And what is the Hanso," Sawyer began to question when a flutter of birds gave way to a sound of approaching footsteps.
"It's Margo, she's found us, we have to hurry," Christian said.
Sawyer grabbed Kate's hand and began to run behind Jack's father.
"Come on Jack," Juliet said but he hesitated, "You can trust him Jack, he's made mistakes but he loves you."
Jack looked into her loving blue eyes before grabbing hold of her hand.
They ran through the jungle blinded by the rain and night sky, their hunters in close pursuit. Finally Christian led them to a clearing before hitting the sandy beach.
"Well," Sawyer panted, "Where's the damn boat?"
"I don't know, it's supposed to be here," he said looking frantically around him at the ocean.
"Oh god, Margo's men must have found it," Christian said.
"Jack, the plane, it can't be too far," Kate said.
"What plane?" Juliet asked gripping her side, a painful cramp coursing through her. She tried to breathe through it, a silent prayer going through her head, "Please let the baby be alright."
"We flew here, we landed on the beach," Jack said.
"Where?" Christian asked with urgency.
"A few miles south of here, I think," Jack said.
"Well let's hope you're right because here they come," Christian said as a bandy of men came through the jungle.
The five of them ran as fast as they could, the sand sinking their legs in, making it a painful and heavy task. But the plane came into sight, and they pressed on.
"Christian Sheppard," a voice called out and they all slowed down to turn.
"You were always a ridiculous fool when it came to your son," Margo said taking a few steps closer to him.
"Let them go Margo," he said getting in front of Jack and Juliet.
"A sentimental fool," she said before firing a single shot into her husband's chest.
"Dad!" Jack cried as Christian fell to his knees before collapsing onto the beach. The blood began to stain his white dress shirt, fanning out so the stain looked like a butterfly's wings. Christian gasped for breath as he clutched his chest.
"Leave him Jack," Margo demanded, "Leave him and the girl."
Jack stood up, his eyes stinging with tears as he realized Juliet was standing in shock and unprotected.
"Don't you dare," he yelled but Margo was already pointing the gun at his wife, ready to fire when a shot rang out, hitting his mother. Jack looked to see Sawyer had fired the gun.
"Sawyer?" Jack said in shock.
Sawyer had ran in front of both Jack and Juliet and taken the shot, risking his own life in the process. It was his first truly selfless act and he dropped the gun, overwhelmed by what had just occurred. Kate ran up to Margo, her fingers searching for a pulse.
"I think she's," Kate began when Margo wrapped her fingers around Kate's wrist.
She was remarkably strong for someone who had just been shot.
"Let her go mother," Jack warned picking up Sawyer's gun from the sand and pointing it at her.
Margo let out a cackle of a laugh, "What are you going to do son?"
"What a leader does, mom," Jack said choking on his tears, "And slay the monster."
With that he fired one last shot, ending Margo Sheppard's life. Kate starred at Jack whose emotions were taking over. He was crumbling, his shoulders shaking with what he just did.
"Jack," Kate said softly, taking the gun from his trembling hand.
"Jack!" Juliet screamed too focused on her father in law to absorb that Jack just killed his own mother, "Your father is still alive, if we get him on the plane quick enough."
Jack walked out of Kate's embrace shaking himself back to reality and ran to his father.
"Dad," he said, "It's going to be okay."
"No," Christian gasped, "It's too late for me."
"No," Jack said, "I'm going to fix you."
"Let go son," Christian urged but Jack ignored him.
"Sawyer, help me get him onto the plane."
Sawyer ran and grabbed Christian's legs while Kate made sure none of Margo's men dared to interfere. With their leader dead they seemed lost, content to disappear back into the shadows. Jack and Sawyer put Christian in the back of the plane, Juliet keeping pressure on the wound.
"Don't stop," Jack told her, "Don't let go."
"I won't," she said as they all climbed in and Jack started the plane.
Juliet and Sawyer kept pressure on the wound but it was clear Christian was losing a lot of blood, and fast. He kept trying to speak, to tell Jack something but Jack wouldn't listen.
"Keep quiet Dad, you need to save your strength," he'd tell him.
Sawyer looked up from where his blood soaked hands covered the gun shot. Juliet met his gaze and they both knew. They exchange a silent and sad look of acceptance. Kate radioed the Fiji airport to let them know they were near and they had an injured passenger.
The ambulance and a team of paramedics met them on the tarmac. Jack jumped out of the cockpit and ran to his father's side as the emergency crew lifted him onto a gurney. Christian stopped them from going any further.
"Put me down," he said and although weak his voice was still authoritave, "I have something to say to my son."
"Dad, we're wasting time," Jack cried.
"Time," Christian sighed, "I thought there would be so much time to make it right by my children. I tried to keep you and your sister safe, I failed."
Jack shook his head, the tears spilling down his cheeks and onto his t-shirt.
"I'm fine, Dad, and so is Claire," he choked out.
"I'm sorry son, for everything, forgive me," Christian pleaded.
"You're going to be okay Dad, I'm going to make you okay," Jack tried to convince Christian and himself.
Jack's father reached for his first born's hand; Jack grasped it, holding tightly, and not letting go.
"Jack," Christian said, his voice getting fainter, "You must not try to be so pure, fly so high. You're perfect just the way you are you need to let go son."
Jack let out a whimper as Sawyer, Kate and Juliet looked helplessly on. They knew there was nothing left for Jack to do but say goodbye.
"I love you Jack, and I'm so proud."
"I love you too Dad," Jack sobbed.
"Jack," Christian said his eyes suddenly focused and sharp, "Listen to him."
"To who Dad?" Jack asked confused.
"You must not trust Jacob, listen to him."
With his son's hand still grasping his, and with that final ominous warning, Christian Sheppard took his last breath.