Act II, Scene I
Later that evening. Night has fallen on the survivors for the second time. Unlike the night before, when confusion reigned, now they are united under one terrible purpose; their faces lit and their bodies warm from one source of light and heat. The fuselage is ablaze, and with it, a considerable number of friends and family of those gathered there. We pan across the faces of the bereft, the grieving, and past the cold and calculating expression of the Marshall.
With JD and Dr. Cox, Carla and Turk are watching the fire. Turk is standing over and behind Carla, his arms wrapped around her protectively. She is grateful for it.
CARLA: Someone should say something…
TURK: I love you.
She smiles back at him and squeezes his arm.
CARLA: That wasn't what I meant…but I love you, too.
They look over at the survivors who are watching loved ones go up in flames. They have, almost unconsciously, formed their own little band a little apart from the remainder. Some are crying, some silent. All are transfixed.
DR. COX: We can't say anything.
CARLA: Why?
DR. COX: Because we didn't lose anyone.
They absorb the truth of this.
JD: Yeah, we did.
TURK: (patting his shoulder) Dude, I bet he's doin' fine. You wait and see. He'll probably come outta that forest during the night and set your pants on fire while you sleep.
JD: (with a wistful smile) You're not just sayin that?
CARLA: Or drug you, dress you up like an S&M model and post pictures of you in callboxes all over the state with your home number.
JD: (nostalgically)Like last May…good times.
DR. COX: (as he proceeds through the following, everyone looks more and more uneasy)Torture you slowly and brutally, cranking up the pain until you're screaming, begging, crying out for mercy and only then…only then will death be delivered, piece by oh-so satisfying piece.
JD: That…uh, that doesn't sound like something the Janitor would do.
DR. COX: Who?
TURK: (ignoring JD's worried expression) Where's The Todd?
A loud slap rings out across the beach, coming from their right. Dr. Cox jerks a thumb in that direction without even turning his head.
DR. COX: Incoming.
Todd wanders over to the group, rubbing his cheek thoughtfully.
CARLA: What happened?
Charlie jogs over to them and pushes Todd in the chest.
CHARLIE: What the hell d'you think you're doing?!
Turk grabs Charlie and separates he and Todd, much to JD's chagrin, as he'd made a lunge for him himself.
TURK: Cool it on down there, big guy.
CHARLIE: Where did you find this guy? He just asked a 9 months pregnant girl if she'd ever seen the brown elephant!
CARLA: The what?
Todd pulls out his pants pockets so they hang down like ears.
TODD: And now for the trunk-
TURK: Todd! No!
Claire waddles up to them, a little unsteadily. Charlie is on her like a flash. She looks as him slightly quizzically.
CHARLIE: Apologise to her, right now!
CLAIRE: Charlie, it's fine…it's the first time I've laughed since we got here.
DR. COX: Yeah. Whoppee-doo's all round, but can we try to keep the giggles to a minimum considering the people watching their flambéed loved ones are about fifteen feet away?
The group falls silent.
JD: (voice-over) For someone who made a career obsessing over saving as many as he could, watching all those people he couldn't save go up in flames was pretty much torture for Dr. Cox.
We move closer to Cox as JD's voice-over continues and we see that he's right; Cox's face is haunted.
JD: (voice-over) ...but what made it worse was that this had been his idea.
We move across to Jack and the Lost regulars, likewise watching the pyre. Jack's expression echoes Dr. Cox's. They share a glance at each other before Cox takes off his stethoscope and throws it to the sand, stalking off alone.
Jack moves to follow him, but a hand on his chest stops him.
SAYID: Jack. We need to talk.
JACK: (with a resigned expression at Dr. Cox's retreating back) Sure, Sayid. More good news?
SAYID: Not exactly.
JACK: You amaze me.
SAYID: In the chaos of our escape from...whatever it was that attacked and killed the pilot, we have I fear forgotten the purpose of our mission in the first place.
JACK: The transceiver? You got it?
SAYID: The pilot had it in his hands when he was pulled from the cockpit. (off Jack's expression) Wait, Jack - nothing we've seen so far suggests this creature has any sort of intelligence or motive. It may not have known what a transceiver was. The device is probably still out there.
JACK: We need to get it as soon as-
SAYID: I will go, tomorrow. I will not refuse company, but I must go. I can find it. I am sure of that.
JACK: (nods) No arguments here. But...why are you telling me all this, Sayid?
SAYID: (after a pause)Jack, I am not stupid. Our plane has crashed. I am an Iraqi. The finger of suspicion has already been pointed.
JACK: (dismissively) Kelso and Sawyer?
SAYID: For now. But if we are not rescued, soon...things may escalate. And let us not forget there is already one gun on this island. There may be more. I have options, Jack, if things go badly for me. I can look after myself. But I would much rather prove myself to be a useful member of this little community of ours.
Hurley, who has been eavesdropping with his usual subtlety, chooses this moment to step forward and join in the conversation.
HURLEY: Dude, you get that transceiver and get us rescued, and I will personally get you elected as President and Pope within a year. I swear. (a thought strikes him) Or, um, give you like, 20 million dollars when we get rescued.
SAYID: (smiling) Neither will be necessary.
JACK: You haven't answered my question, Sayid. Why tell me all this?
SAYID: Jack. I have served my country. I recognise leadership qualities when I see them. And you'll forgive me (he casts a look at the Marshall) if I express concern over the alternatives.
HURLEY: What will we do if he wins this election thing?
SAYID: (darkly) I have options.
On cue, the Marshall walks over to them. Jack straightens and smiles in a friendly way. His two companions make little such effort.
MARSHALL: Everyone's gathered. Seems like now is as good a time as any to do this.
JACK: You want to hold the election now?
MARSHALL: Is there a problem?
HURLEY: Not apart from the smouldering pile of bodies a hundred feet away, no. Dude, are you crazy? There are people there watching their families and friends go up in smoke.
SAYID: Hurley is right. Tonight should be about their grief. To hijack that would be-
MARSHALL: Hijack? Ouch. Unfortunate word use there.
SAYID: (stepping forward) What are you implying?
MARSHALL: Did I hit a nerve?
JACK: Enough!
We see the heads of the other survivors turn in their direction as Jack speaks.
JACK: This arguing has to stop! And I don't care if I win this damned election or not or whether I'm in a position to...to order anything, but I'm talking as a member of this group and I'm telling you all that if we don't start pulling in the same direction and thinking, seriously thinking about what we're facing here then we're watching those people burn in there for nothing! Because we'll be joining them!
His words echo in the darkness. The fire-lit faces of the assembled stare back at him, some grief-stricken, some fearful, all taking in what he's just said. One of them lets himself the luxury of a small smile. It's Dr. Cox.
DR. COX: Let's say we hold that election right now. Show of hands for our friend the Marshall?
Everyone watches everyone else. No hands are raised. We should note that Kelso is not present amongst everyone, which no-one seems to have noticed.
The Marshall's face darkens in anger.
MARSHALL: You-
DR. COX: And for Jack?
A forest of hands raise into the air. A small cheer goes up from the crowd. Hurley raises Jack's hand aloft. Jack rolls his eyes at the gesture, but makes no move to pull his arm free either.
We cut to Shannon and Boone.
SHANNON: Hey. Aren't they forgetting you're running too?
She glances across at him, and sees he has his arm raised. She rolls her eyes.
SHANNON: You actually voted for the guy you're running against?
BOONE: If he's the man for the job, then he deserves it. It's called humility, Shannon. Try it sometime.
SHANNON: Bite me.
Jack proffers his hand to the Marshall.
JACK: Look...this got out of hand, but no-one here is saying you don't have skills to bring to the group.
The Marshall comes closer until the two men are practically nose-to-nose. We see Dr. Cox, Sayid and Turk hover meaningfully in the background.
MARSHALL: You think you've got what it takes? You who purposefully want to ignore the fact that a convicted felon is on the loose out there, in the middle of the night, with my weapon unaccounted for and fifty defenceless people here? You haven't got a clue, Jack.
JACK: I guess we'll see.
MARSHALL: There is no we. Stay on the beach. Play your little diorama with your public. I'm going to finish what I started back in the States.
He walks off. They watch as he grabs a few provisions and is gone into the forest in a matter of moments.
CHARLIE: I never thought I'd actually find myself wishing for the noise of trees being trampled.
JACK: Sayid...I think I just signed up for your transceiver hunt.
SAYID: Might we also be looking for something else?
JD: Or someone.
JACK: Yeah. (looking into the forest, clearly thinking of Kate) Yeah. We might.