Chapter Thirteen: "That's freedom…"
Night. Shot of the search party: Sayid leading Ana, Sawyer, Jack and Kate. They are walking up a unstable hill when suddenly it starts to rain. Sayid hurries to the top of the hill and turns back to the others.
Sayid: Hurry. The rain will destabilize your footing.
He offers a hand to Ana and helps her up the hill. One by one they all make it to the top.
Sayid: We need to make camp.
Kate: It's pouring.
Sayid: We need to conserve our energy. Look. (He points a short way down the other side of the hill. That canopy will keep us relatively dry.
Sawyer (scoffs): Relatively. My ass.
Sayid: We can pick up again in the morning.
Kate: What if they come for us during the night?
Jack: So we post sentries.
Ana: I'll take first shift.
Sayid: Then let's move.
They all head down to their temporary camp.
Shot of Andie in her room on her bed. She leans back against the wall. Lightning cracks through the outside her window. The storm triggers another memory.
MEMORY.
Andie sitting at a table with Walt, Zach and Emma inside what looks like a game room. They are playing cards. Outside the weather is wild. They're all laughing and having fun. Flash shots of each of their faces and their inner elbows which are covered with band-aids.
END OF MEMORY.
Shot of Andie leaning against the wall.
Juliet (o.s.): It wasn't all bad, was it Andie? When you were with us before?
Juliet enters the room carrying a tray of food. Andie doesn't turn around to her.
Andie: Where are the kids?
Juliet: They're fine, Andie. They're safe.
Andie (turning to look at her): No ones safe with you people.
Juliet (ignores the comment): You should get some rest.
Andie: You said we were leaving today.
Juliet: Well, it's dangerous travelling in the rain. We'll have to leave tomorrow. First thing.
Andie: Fantastic.
Juliet leaves the tray of food on the table.
Juliet: Eat. Then sleep. Trust me; you'll need it.
Andie: Lady, there is nothing in this world that would make me trust you.
Juliet (pause): I'm sorry you feel that way.
Shot of Ana leaning against a tree on sentry duty. Jack, Sayid and Kate are asleep. Sawyer comes over to Ana.
Sawyer: Times up. My shift.
Ana: Yeah, well, I'm not tired.
Sawyer sits down near her.
Sawyer: Makes two of us.
After a moment of silence, Ana speaks.
Ana: I wanna talk to you about something.
Sawyer: What's that?
Ana: When you and I go in there tomorrow--to Their camp--I need to know you won't hesitate. These people are sick, twisted freaks who will stop at nothing to get what they want. They won't show us any mercy. And we won't show any to them.
Sawyer: Listen, Miss Daisy, lets get one thing straight here. We ain't going in there to kill a buncha weirdo's. We're goin' in there to get Andie back.
Ana: You telling me that's where you'll leave it? We get her back, and you'll just walk away? I don't think so. Know why? Because you're like me. We don't let people get away with things like this. We don't show mercy.
Sawyer: Is that so?
Ana: Tell me I'm wrong.
Sawyer doesn't reply.
Flash to black.
Shot of the sun rising. The search party is already up and packed. They are heading down the mountain. Sayid in the lead again. Suddenly he hears something and motions quickly for everyone behind him to get down. They all do and are well-hidden by the bushes. In the distance in a less concealed area, two men walk into view. They are obviously two of The Others, dressed in the shabby clothing and such. Jack moves closer to Sayid.
Jack: That's them.
Sayid: Two of them, yes.
They watch them for a few moments longer then the men wander off quickly.
Jack: We follow?
Sayid (nods): We follow.
They all start moving again as the rain starts to fall, but only softly this time.
Shot of Sayid concealing himself behind a tree. He pears around the side to see the two men still walking in the other direction. Sayid motions for Ana and Sawyer. They come to his side.
Sayid: You wanted to go in first, is that still so?
Ana: Yes.
Sawyer: Yeah.
Sayid: Now is your chance. Kate, Jack and I will follow approximately half a mile behind you. The rain should not only conceal your tracks but cover any noise you may make. If they lead you to their camp, hang back and survey it at first. Don't just run in shooting blindly. If they see us, they'll know we're after Andie so she'll be the first thing they protect. Stay invisible, am I clear?
Sawyer: Yeah.
Ana: Abso-freakin-loutely.
Sawyer and Ana take off after the two Others.
Shot of the two Others running down a hill. They arrive at their village of townhouses. People milling around are in regular clothing, not the dirty clothes that the two men are wearing. A few people are packing things away in large backpacks. The two shabbily dressed men go into a particular home. Ana and Sawyer hang back at the top of the hill as the way down isn't concealed by trees and bushes.
Sawyer: Sonuvabitch. They got their own little world over here.
Ana: Why would they want us to think they were hillbillies?
Sawyer: So we'd come in unprepared.
They watch for a few moments longer.
Sawyer: What do you thinks going on?
Ana: Looks like they're going somewhere.
Sawyer: Then they'd be taking Andie with them.
They look at each other at the realization.
Shot of Andie in her room. She is lying on her bed with her hands cuffed in front of her. She's also blindfolded and she has a bruise on her inner elbow. Juliet enters the room. She walks over to Andie, removes the blindfold and shakes Andie's head a little to rouse her. Andie opens her eyes.
Juliet: Time to wake up, Andie.
Andie (very groggy): What happened?
Juliet: You got some rest; like I asked you to.
Juliet uncuffs her. Andie sits up and touches her inner elbow on the new bruise.
Andie: What did you inject me with? How did you--
Andie's eyes fall on the now empty tray of food that Juliet had brought her the night before.
Andie (realizing): You drugged me.
Juliet gets up off the bed.
Juliet: You had to get some sleep. (Beat) It's time to leave, Andie.
The two men who Ana & Sawyer were following come into view and enter the cage. Andie gets to her feet and holds up her head as they chain her hands together.
Shot of Sawyer and Ana watching the camp. Camera scans back to reveal Sayid, Jack and Kate a fair way behind them, also watching the camp. The rain is still falling faintly. Out of one of the homes, Juliet walks into view. She is leading a tired looking Andie along. Sawyer tightens his grip on his gun and lunges forward. Ana turns and pulls him back down.
Ana (harsh whisper): NO!
Sawyer: What're you doin'?! She's right there, we have to get her!
Ana: They outnumber us! They'll kill us before we even get near Andie.
Sayid appears beside them.
Sayid: Sawyer, stay put.
Sawyer: I ain't following you anymore.
He goes to stand but Sayid holds his shoulder down.
Sayid: You reveal yourself now and we have no chance at getting Andie back safely.
Sawyer: If we don't move they're taking her outta here. We'll lose her.
Ana: Look, they're all leaving.
Sayid and Sawyer follow her gaze. Andie, being held by the Pickett as Juliet goes and talks to Tom and Ben. Sayid looks to Sawyer and sees the look in his eyes.
Sayid: Just wait.
Sawyer watches for a few moments, his eyes blazing with concern.
Sawyer: I ain't waitin' any longer.
Sawyer gets to his feet; gun raised and takes off for the camp.
Ana: Sawyer!
But he doesn't stop. He keeps going. He moves fast and comes up behind one of the others lagging behind. He grabs the guy by the neck. He screams, causing the others to turn and look around. Sawyer holds the gun to his prisoner's neck. Andie looks completely shocked to see him. Juliet goes over to her. Ben moves towards Sawyer.
Ben: Don't do this, James.
Sawyer: Shut it and let her go. Or say goodbye to your man, here.
Shot of Ana and Sayid still hidden up on the hill.
Sayid: That son of a bitch. That useless redneck son of a bitch!
Ana: Calm it down.
Sayid: What should we do?
Ana: Sweep move. You go left, I'll go right. Tell Jack and Kate to sweep around behind. We'll come at them from all angles.
Sayid: You seem sure that will work.
Ana: It has to. (She looks him in the eye.) Or we're all dead.
Shot back to Ben edging towards Sawyer and his hostage.
Sawyer: Seriously fella, you don't wanna be walkin' one more step.
Ben: You don't want to do this.
Sawyer: Let Andie go.
Ben: I'm afraid we can't do that.
Sawyer: Then your man dies.
Sawyer digs the gun into the guys' throat. He yelps.
Ben: No, don't!
Sawyer: Let Andie go.
Ben: This won't end well for either of you. (He turns around) Tell him, Andie.
Juliet brings Andie slightly more forward.
Ben: Tell your hero, here, to leave.
Andie looks helplessly at Sawyer.
Andie: Go...Sawyer, you have to go.
Sawyer: I ain't leavin' without you.
Andie: I'll be alright.
Sawyer: I ain't going nowhere.
Ben looks between the two of them.
Ben: I'm sorry this had to happen, James.
Two gunshots suddenly go off. Two Others near Andie go down. One grabbing his left calf and one grabbing his shoulder. Ben turns to his left to see Ana storming out of the jungle, gun raised.
Ben: We knew you wouldn't come alone.
Two of the men in the group around Andie both pull out shotguns. One aims his at Ana and is immediately shot in the back. A woman kneels to tend to his wound. Camera reveals Sayid coming out of the jungle to the right. Sawyer hits his hostage in the head with the end of his gun and knocks him out, and then he aims his gun at Juliet.
Sawyer: Give her to me.
Juliet: No.
Sawyer: You wanna live? Give her to me!
Juliet hesitates. Then out of the back ground, Kate and Jack walk in with their guns held up. Juliet and the remaining, unhurt others look around at the five people surrounding them with armed weapons, obviously not afraid to shoot.
Juliet pushes Andie in Sawyer's direction. He holds her under one arm while keep his gun up with the other.
Ben: You've all made a terrible mistake.
Jack: Get the hell out of here.
Juliet turns to him.
Juliet: You've attacked us, shot three of our people!
Ana: Sawyer, take Andie back to the beach.
Sawyer: I ain't finished here.
Ana: Yes you are! Get out of here, now.
Sawyer glares at her before dejectedly slipping his gun into his waistband. He leads Andie away. Ben watches them leave. Then turns to the others.
Ben: What are you going to do now? You got what you came for.
Jack: You took another one of us. First Claire. Then Walt.
Ana: And Cindy and the kids.
Jack: Andie's the last straw. (Beat) You attack us.
Kate: You kill us.
Ben (defiantly): We do what we have to. (Pause) We can't all be heroes, Jack.
Ana: How do you want this to end?
Ben: Juliet, take the wounded men inside.
Juliet motions to Tom and some of the others to help her with the wounded.
Sayid: We didn't say you could leave.
Ben: But you'll let us. I believe you shot these men to get Andie back. You protected her. If you shoot us now, after we returned her...then you truly are murderers.
Ben stays behind as Juliet and her people traipse off slowly passed Jack and Kate with their wounded friends.
Ben: We all know this isn't the last we'll be seeing of each other. You've created a war on and island built for something so much greater. And when the time comes, you'll pay for your sins, too.
He leaves. Jack, Kate, Sayid and Ana all gather and watch him follow his people.
Shot of Andie and Sawyer. He's using a rock to break apart the cuffs on her hands. Eventually he cuts through and releases her.
Andie: Thank you.
Sawyer: No problem.
She rubs her wrists. Then she looks up at him.
Andie: Why did you come after me?
Sawyer: Couldn't let you die, Angel.
Andie: I'm very glad that you couldn't.
She smiles at him. He smiles back.
Sawyer: Look, I-
Another gunshot sound sears through the jungle. Sawyer jumps and grabs for his gun. Andie jumps and clutches her stomach. Sawyer whips out his gun and walks forward a little, checking around.
Sawyer: Do you think that was us or them?
Andie doesn't reply.
Sawyer: Andie?
He turns to her. Her hands are still clutching her stomach. She lifts them away and Sawyer sees blood pooling at her middle, soaking through her clothes. Blood drips off the ends of her fingers. Her hands are shaking as more blood seeps out of her bullet wound.
Sawyer: Andie!
She falls. Sawyer drops his gun and manages to grab her before she hits the ground. He falls with her to the ground and moves her so she's laying over his legs. He's cradling her with one hand. He lifts up her shirt and sees how bad the injury really is.
Sawyer: Oh, god.
He pushes on it. Andie groans in pain. He looks into her eyes. She's looking in his. She starts to shake.
Sawyer: Andie, no, no, no…
Andie: Sawyer…
Sawyer: No. (He looks out into the jungle) Jack! JACK!
He sees a man standing about half a mile away from him. It's Ben. He's lowering a shotgun looking blank-faced in their direction. Then he turns and leaves. Sawyer looks back to Andie who is still convulsing.
Sawyer: You're gonna be alright
Andie can barely move but she manages to lift one of her shaking arms up and touches the side of Sawyer's face.
Andie: I'm sorry.
He grabs her hand off his face.
Sawyer: NO! Don't do this, Andie. You can't die. You can't do this.
Andie starts to cry.
Andie: I don't want to die...
Sawyer: Just hang on, Andie, no. Jack!
Andie: Please...Sawyer...please...
Her movements slow down.
Sawyer: Andie, you stay with me, ya hear? JACK! (Sawyer touches the side of Andie's face.) You can't do this...you can't leave me...
Andie: Sawyer...please...I want to stay...
Sawyer: Then fight, Andie. Fight! Please just hang on a little longer.
Andie: Sawyer…please...I don't wanna die…please
Her eyes lock into his as she stops moving. Sawyer watches her.
Sawyer: Andie? Andie, no, no, NO!
He tries to shake her awake.
Sawyer: Andie? No…no. Dammit Andie.
He pulls her in close to him and holds her. He starts to gasp trying to hold back tears.
Camera pulls away from the two of them. No music. No words. Just the image of Sawyer's sadness.
Flash to black.
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