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Chapter Twenty-Two: Exodus

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"Slow down!"

The whispers seemed to amplify immediately into murmurs of worry and Faith groaned as she slowly regained consciousness. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, sighing as she ran her fingers through her hair and glanced over at Kate as the woman finally sat up as well.

"What's going on?"

Faith shrugged and slowly pushed herself to her feet. "I was dreaming the French invaded."

"Danielle?"

She took a step forward. "And it looks like in a strange way I was right."

Danielle turned towards Sayid but her eyes barely acknowledged him as she looked over his shoulder to where Faith was standing. "It's time."

"Time for what?" Sayid frowned. "Danielle, what are you doing here?"

"The Others are coming."

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"What if she isn't telling the truth?"

Faith looked at Danielle from where she sat talking with Sayid and scratched at her forehead. "I don't know Jack. Sayid and I thought we heard voices in the forest then we find out Ethan isn't one of us after all. That made me believe what I heard was real. Now Danielle's here telling us black smoke appeared before the others came and took her baby sixteen years ago?" She looked between him and Locke. "It sounds crazy but then again I've seen crazier."

"Believe her or not, we still need to launch the boat as soon as we can." Jack turned to Michael. "How much longer do we have?"

"If we're gonna get her off the sand today, we're gonna need all the help we can get man. The rails need to be laid to get her in the water and I still need to finish the rudder."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do."

Faith watched Jack make his way up the beach and she turned to see Locke still standing there. "You think she's telling the truth don't you?"

He gazed at her for a minute and they looked at Danielle, somber looks on both their faces.

"Yeah." Faith nodded. "Me too."

&&&&&&&

Faith kept her mouth shut and watched Danielle continue to put her rifle back together. The Frenchwoman peered down the scope then made a sound in the back of her throat as she pulled the trigger and the rifle clicked.

"Why didn't they take you too?"

Danielle shook her head, her gaze lingering on her rifle. "They got what they came for; I was of no use or threat to them after that."

"You sure about that?" Faith tilted her head as she tapped the wooden stake in her hand on her jeans and rotated it from top to bottom. She repeated the action and continued to talk. "You have weapons, batteries, all sorts of supplies. Plus you've set up traps all over this island for them."

"And not once have I caught one of them." Danielle shifted her gaze to Faith's. "I have only seen glimpses of them, never their faces, not even the night they came for Alex."

"How many are there?"

"I don't know." She placed her rifle down across her lap. "How many they have is not what should concern you, your own numbers are the problem. I can hide in the jungle and I'm armed but your group, you have over forty. Where will you hide them all?" Danielle looked away and her gaze lingered on the mountains of the island. "You must make your choice now."

Faith turned her head in the direction Danielle was looking, her eyebrows furrowing as she spotted the long column of thick, black smoke rising from somewhere on the island.

"Run, hide, or die."

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"It's dangerous."

"And staying here isn't?"

Faith tore her gaze away from Sayid and Locke as they conversed and watched Jack talking to the other survivors. He began to make his way towards them when the high school teacher stopped him. With a sigh, Faith switched her attention back to Sayid.

"I'm going with Sayid on this one Locke." She nodded at him. "We don't know anything about the hatch. It could belong to the others or it could be filled with concrete! Hell, it could just be a huge, never ending black hole…" Faith frowned. "An endless black hole..."

"Faith?"

She looked back up to see both of them watching her and shook her herself from her daze. "I'm fine."

Locke continued to stare and she ignored him, clearing her throat just as Jack stepped up beside her.

"Danielle said we have to leave now if we want to get back before it turns dark. Sayid, I'm gonna need you to stay here with the others and make sure they get safely to the caves. I want this beach clear."

Sayid nodded in agreement. "I can do that Jack but are you sure going to the Black Rock is really the smartest idea?"

"It's the best shot we have." Jack grabbed his back straps and when no one else said anything, he nudged his head. "Let's go then."

"I need to get a few things." Faith reached for her own bag. "Go ahead and I'll catch up."

"You sure?"

She slung her arms through the straps and nodded. "Yep. I'll catch up, don't worry about me."

"Can't help it." Jack flashed a sheepish grin at her.

Faith smiled back. "I know."

She was halfway down the beach when she heard someone calling her name and Faith turned to see Walt running full speed in her direction. She paused, hands on her hips, as he came to a stop, breathing hard. "Shouldn't you be on the raft by now?"

"I wanted to… uh," He glanced over his shoulder at where his father stood, instructing Jin as they both worked on the raft. "I wanted to…" Walt moved forward, wrapping his arms around her waist and Faith froze.

Faith lifted her hands slowly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and for a minute, she closed her eyes. "It's not goodbye Walt. I'll see you again."

Walt pulled away. "You promise?"

"I pinky swear it."

"Do you want this back?"

She glanced down at his right hand to see the stake she had given him and chuckled, shaking her head. "Nah, you keep it Walt, it was for you."

He grinned stepping forward to hug her one more time and then was gone, running back as fast as he could to the raft and to his freedom.

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The bamboo tree fell on the ground with a dull thud and Faith waited until Sawyer had flung down the ax before clearing her throat to get his attention. He wiped at his forehead with his arm and bent down to grab his shirt.

"Been going through my tent again I see."

Faith chuckled as she raised the crossbow to rest it up against her shoulder. "I only took what was mine this time I promise."

Sawyer nodded and slid his arms through the shirtsleeves, pausing to button up the front. "I hear you're heading out with the troops to get the boom sticks."

"Yep." She watched as he grabbed a roll of wire, unraveling some to fit the length of the tree. "Someone's gotta watch after them."

"I guess they're lucky they got you and Dr. Giggles then huh?"

Faith stepped forward, lowering the crossbow back to her side and she dug into her front pocket, watching his face as she pulled a folded sheet of paper out between her index and middle finger. "I believe this is yours."

The look on Sawyer's face turned from relaxed amusement to a dark angry expression and his lips flattened together as he stepped forward to take the paper from her.

She pulled her hand back at the last second. "You're not anything like the person you want people to believe you are," She tilted the paper back towards him slowly, "are you, James Ford?"

Sawyer snatched the note out of her hand. "I find you going through my things again, and you and I are gonna dance sweetheart."

"I'm not a big fan of the two-step." Faith smiled as she turned away to head through the trees. "If I don't see you again before you launch, good luck."

"Why'd you stick up for Kate?"

Faith paused. "Because in the end, it'll work to my advantage."

"Pretending to be a convict and sticking up for a woman that tried to get me kicked off the raft is a funny way of trying to get the advantage."

"We all do what we have to in order to survive; that stunt on the beach you pulled showed me that." She shrugged. "Not too long ago Sawyer you said you were in the wild… I figure it's about time I started acting that way too." Faith turned her back to him again. "Guess you're a lot smarter than I thought."

Sawyer watched her disappear in silence and the muscle in his jaw jumped as his hand clenched around the note, his fingers clinging to the one thing he'd never truly give in to throwing away.

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"Aren't we missing somebody?"

Hurley yelped as Faith popped up behind the group and he placed his hand against his rapidly beating heart. "Dude, you gotta stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"That!" He continued trailing after the rest of the group, Danielle leading as Faith fell in step beside him. "At least snap a twig or something."

"Sorry."

Hurley rubbed at his chest. "Don't worry about it." He dropped his hand. "Arzt was with us but he got spooked when Danielle told him a guy from her team lost an arm out here. I'm betting it was his whole arm too, not just a piece."

She chuckled and looking up, blinked as rain started to pour down on them and water splashed across her face. "Why am I not surprised? Clear skies, that's all I'm asking for."

"Clear skies?" Hurley chuckled, "Dude, are you kidding me? We're on our way to get dynamite from a place called the Black Rock in another place called the Dark Territory and you're asking for clear skies?"

"A giant Uzi would be nice too but I was trying to be realistic."

He started to grin when a loud staccato sound echoed suddenly through the trees. Each single person stopped and turned towards them, Faith locking eyes with Jack.

"Dude, that's so not good."

Kate looked around as the sounds increased. "It's getting closer."

Faith slid the crossbow off her arm, steadying it in her hands, and she directed it to the foliage beside them as it began to shake.

"Run!" Arzt suddenly burst through the bushes, gasping for breath as he pushed between them. "Run for your lives!"

Faith didn't move but the others quickly followed and she kept the crossbow steady, eyes scanning the jungle around her as the sound of a something roaring broke through the sudden silence. The ground shook, as whatever it was stomped and shrieked, something massive hitting the ground.

"Dude, we got to book."

Faith shook her head. "No. Don't move." She noticed Locke from the corner of her eye. "Hear it?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's going the other direction."

Faith relaxed as the sounds slowly began to fade and she lowered the crossbow.

"What was that?" Hurley's eyes were wide as he gazed around. "And where'd it go?"

"I don't know." She slung the crossbow strap back over her arm. "But right now, I don't intend to find out, we gotta keep moving."

"Shouldn't we find the others?"

"Be my guest Hurley, but I wouldn't suggest it." Faith nudged her head towards Locke. "Lead the way; I'll bring up the rear."

He nodded and in a straight line, they began to move forward again.

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Long green vines had overtaken the Black Rock. Faith tilted her head to read the back of the ship and she grunted in the back of her throat before turning towards Danielle who lingered near the edge of the forest.

"Why didn't you just tell us the Black Rock was a boat?"

"That wasn't important."

Faith shrugged and looked back at the ship again. "Guess not," She mumbled, "I was so expecting a huge rock, a huge black one. But I guess this will do."

"I must go." Danielle glanced around. "You asked me to take you to the Black Rock for dynamite and I have done this. You no longer need me."

"Wait!"

Faith looked over at Jack who had spoken at the same time then focused again on Danielle. "I need to talk to you."

Jack looked at the Frenchwoman as well. "How will we get back?"

"I'll lead you." Locke spoke up. He ignored the look Jack gave him and continued to survey the ship.

The doctor muttered something but when he turned back to Danielle, she was gone and Faith was just then disappearing into the trees as well.

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"That thing from earlier, what was it?" Faith picked up the pace to catch up with Danielle.

The Frenchwoman didn't answer but kept going, her footsteps picking up speed as she surveyed the jungle.

"Stop and face me before I get cranky and make you stop."

Danielle came to a standstill and slowly turned, gun tucked under her arm as her brown eyes met Faith's. "It protects the island."

"What does it look like and how do I kill it?"

Danielle shook her head. "It's something the others created, a security system."

She was getting nowhere fast. "Why did the Others wait this long to come for us?"

"They want the boy, just like they wanted Alex." Danielle turned away, "I don't know how they pick but they do. They come in the middle of the night and take you."

"Can I fight them?"

Danielle looked back at Faith from over her shoulder. "Of course. They're only human."

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"What, am I boring you?"

"Why yes, you are." Faith shoved back the tree branch from her face and came towards Hurley and Arzt from where they sat on the ground facing the ship. "Oh wait, you weren't talking to me were you?" She plopped down beside Hurley but not before seeing Arzt's look of annoyance. "What'd I miss?"

"They went in the spooky ship for the dynamite." Hurley pointed towards the Black Rock.

"They're probably in there tinkering around with everything." Arzt muttered. "Wouldn't surprise me with you cliques and your need to do everything first."

Hurley rolled his eyes at Faith, mouthing the words help me silently, and she covered her mouth with a hand in order to stop from laughing out loud.

"We may not get boar or take polls but there are other survivors on this island then your little group you know."

"What do you do then?" Faith leaned past Hurley to stare at the teacher. "I mean, other than sit there and bitch?"

"Now, you wait one minute Miss Thing…" He frowned as he noticed the object in her hand. "What in the world are you doing with that?"

Faith frowned and looked down at the stake in her hand as she tapped it repeatedly against her leg. "What? This?"

"It's a stake. What are you doing with a stake? You could seriously–" Whatever he was going to say to her was lost as Jack and Locke came out of the ship followed by Kate, a box of explosives being carried between them. "What the hell are you doing?"

He leapt up from his seat and rushed over, leaving Faith and Hurley to stare after him in amusement.

"He's seriously wound tight, yo."

"Dude, you're not kidding."

She chuckled as Arzt made everyone back away from the box. He bent down and slowly removed the cover.

"So what's his deal?"

"Eh, the guy's paranoid, thinks everyone's out to get him, all three of his ex-wives included."

"Imagine that."

Hurley glanced over, eyes watching her hand. "So, what do you have a stake for?"

"I stake things."

"Like what, vampires?" He chuckled at his joke but stopped immediately when he noticed her serious expression, the stake not moving anymore. "Hey, what you do in your spare time is your own business."

Faith smirked and turned her attention back to Arzt as he motioned with a hand at Kate and after a moment, she slipped off her outer shirt and threw it at him. "First time I saw this guy I thought there was something off about him. Just didn't realize it was him that off." She cocked her head to the left at the same time as Hurley, watching Arzt wrap a stick of dynamite with Kate's shirt. "I'll bet you five bucks he-"

The dynamite exploded and the force was so strong that it sent the group reeling backwards to the ground. Every single one of them stared in shock at where Arzt had been standing, pieces of dirt, leaves and what was undoubtedly Arzt pelting the ground around them.

"Dude."

Faith cleared her throat. "For those of us that saw that coming, raise your hands." She continued to stare as unconsciously she raised her hand. Faith immediately noticed the silence and looked up to see everyone staring at her. "What? I know I did."

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She had been standing in one place, staring off into the jungle before any of them noticed. The line halted, Jack in the very front and Locke coming up from behind her.

"Faith? Are you okay?"

She ignored Locke, stepping closer to the bushes, and tilted her head, eyes narrowing at the sight of something dark floating just beyond in the trees. "You might want to put down your bag now Locke."

"Why?" He inched closer to her, voice lowering. "What is it?"

"A security system that eats people." Faith took a step back and as if triggering something, the tree directly in front of them exploded from the ground, knocking them backwards as dirt and limbs flew into the air. She covered her face, coughing, and managed to stumble back to her feet, bending to help Locke up as well. "Run!"

Jack, Kate, and Hurley didn't hesitate, all three taking off at the same time, and Faith pulled Locke roughly by the hand.

"Let's go."

The creature roared in the background but Locke shook his head, taking a step towards it instead of away. He slipped his hand from Faith as he lowered his bag to the ground.

"Locke, what the hell are you doing, let's go!"

"No! It won't…"

Suddenly something grabbed him by the ankle and Locke fell to the ground with a loud grunt.

"Locke!"

He scrambled with his hands but it was useless, whatever was attached to him yanking him hard through the bushes, and Faith sprinted after him as it began to drag Locke through the forest. It took all she had to keep up with him, legs pumping in adrenaline as she listened to the creature roar, a blur of something moving quickly ahead of them on the path.

The ground beneath them began to shift and Faith ducked under a tree branch as she continued to follow. Something moved from the corner of her eye and she watched as Jack came out of nowhere, jumping to latch on to Locke. It didn't slow Locke down however and Faith watched in amazement as it began to drag both men towards a huge hole in the ground.

Whatever it was sucked Locke halfway into the ground, and the sudden move forced Jack to sit up with his legs braced on the sides of the hole, his arms clutching Locke.

"Faith! My bag! Get a stick of dynamite!"

"No!" Locke yelled, "Just let go, I'll be okay!"

"Are you crazy?"

"Don't answer that." Faith grunted. She maneuvered herself beside Jack, stretching out her hands. "Give me your hands."

"Faith!" Jack grunted, "What are you doing? Get dynamite! I can't hold on much longer."

She ignored him completely. "John, give me your damn hands!"

He grunted but nodded just as Kate rushed up behind them and Faith steadied her feet as she slid her hands over Jack's arms to lock on Locke's hands. She kept her eyes on the hole, the creature roaring underneath them, and gritting her teeth, Faith began to step backwards, her shoes sliding against the uneven dirt of the ground.

Jack fell to the side, watching as inch-by-inch Locke reappeared from the hole until everything but his feet was completely visible.

"Dynamite!" Faith hissed. "Now!"

Jack rolled towards his bag, unzipping it quickly, and without a sound he tossed a stick into the hole. It exploded, the creature roaring once more loudly as dirt and black smoke flew up.

Faith stumbled back, jerking Locke with her, and the two collapsed on the path panting from exhaustion. She closed her eyes as Locke breathed heavily beside her and she could hear the lingering sounds of wings fluttering in the distance.

"What exactly just happened?"

Faith sat up and glanced towards Jack, half-expecting him to be focused on the hole but he wasn't. He was staring directly at her.

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Faith continued to walk at a brisk pace as they continued towards the hatch but she knew without looking that Jack was still staring at her, his brain working double time in order to come up with some explanation to what he had seen. She kept her gaze forward, listening as he and Locke continued their current conversation.

"I can't explain what happened." Locke started again, "But what I can tell you is that I believe the island brought us here for a reason. We're all part of something bigger than us Jack and you know why I believe that? Because I'm a man of faith and I'm telling you, it is destiny."

"Did you talk to Boone about destiny John?"

Faith stiffened and Hurley and Kate ahead of them remained completely unaware of the direction the conversation had taken.

"Boone was a sacrifice that the island demanded."

Faith whirled immediately on her heel to face them, Jackal sliding free of the sheath and she grabbed Locke's shirt with a snarl, shoving him back until he collided firmly with a near by tree. She positioned the knife flat against his cheek, ignoring Jack completely as he ordered her to stop.

"I don't want to hear you talk about Boone that way ever again. Do you understand me?"

His eyes watched her and Faith tightened her grip on his shirt, jerking him forward before slamming him against the tree again. She loosened her grip as she heard the satisfying thud of his head hitting the tree. "Answer me."

"Yes." Locke nodded his head slowly. "I understand."

"You better pray that you do."

"Faith..." Kate reached out to place her hand on her arm. "That's enough. Please."

Without another word, Faith let him go, turning as she slid her knife back in the sheath and stalked away.

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"Everybody ready?"

Faith waited for Hurley to take cover when suddenly he dropped the flashlight onto the ground. "Hurley, you need to-"

"Faith!" Hurley's eyes were wide. "No, no, this can't be happening!"

"Hurley!"

"The numbers are bad!" Flashlight forgotten, he became like a man possessed, and panicking, he turned towards Locke but it was too late. "No! We can't do this!"

"Hurley, don't!"

Hurley lifted his foot to stomp out the charge when Jack tackled him from the side.

Faith ducked for cover at the exact moment smoke and dust exploded into the air. She coughed, waving through the debris as it fell and Faith jumped onto the hatch, her eyes glued to the door.

It was completely bent on both sides, and she watched in silence as Jack and Locke reached down to push the cover completely to the side. She took a step forward as they leaned over the hole, exchanging long looks before gazing back down.

Faith reached the edge and stared at the square passageway. A metal ladder was positioned on one side, several of the rungs broken and missing. The passageway was dark and from where she stood, it seemed to stretch into a vast nothingness, the darkness swallowing the bottom completely from sight.

Jump little rabbit! Into the hole! Go all the way down. You may just like what shall be found.

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