EPISODE 9 - The Shape of Things to Come
Written by Brian K. Vaughan & Drew Goddard
Directed by Jack Bender
________________
[Opening scene is of the ocean and waves crashing mildly on the beach. The camera pans over to a seated Kate. Jack is seen walking along the beach. He pauses while they share a smile and wave. He continues walking while carrying two water bottles in his left hand and feeling at his side with the right. Jack enters a tent and opens a suitcase filled with bottles of pills. He opens a bottle and shakes out a couple of pills into his hand. Kate enters the tent from behind, surprising him.]
KATE: You got a prescription for that?
JACK: Yeah... I wrote it myself.
[Jack sits down in the tent and Kate takes a seat beside him.]
KATE: You look terrible.
JACK: (smiling) Well, thanks.
[Jack pops the pills into his mouth and swallows them with a pull from a water bottle.]
KATE: What are those?
JACK: Antibiotics. I just got a... stomach bug.
KATE: You should eat some crackers. (pause for smiles and laughs) Crackers always make me feel better. (more flirtatious smiles and laughter)
[Jack takes another drink from the bottle.]
KATE: (her smile fades and she asks in a concerned tone) Why aren't they back from the boat yet, Jack?
JACK: Sayid said the engine was down. My guess is, they are trying to fix it, and... wondering why the hell they can't get in touch with us.
KATE: And you're not worried?
JACK: No. My gut says we're getting off this island.
KATE: (teasingly) I thought your gut was sick. (even more flirtatious smiles and laughter)
[Jack and Kate hear the sound of Vincent barking and Bernard yelling.]
BERNARD: Help!! I need some help!! Help!!
[Jack and Kate exit the tent to see what's going on.]
[Scene shifts to Bernard with Vincent on the beach by the water. Jack and Kate are running towards him.]
BERNARD: Help!! I need help!! I need some help down here!!
[Jack, Kate and others from the beach camp arrive at the water's edge. Bernard and Vincent are there with a dead body that has washed up in the surf.]
BERNARD: (speaking frantically, while reaching for the body) The dog was barking. I didn't see him... give me a hand.
JACK: Alright, I got him. Lift!
[Bernard, Jack, Jin and Juliet carry the body up the beach while Kate, Sun, Dan, Charlotte and a barking Vincent watch. The body is laid facedown, then turned over to reveal Doctor Ray from the freighter with a slit throat. Everyone looks around uncomfortably.]
JACK: (looking at Dan) Do you know who this is?
DANIEL: He was on our boat. (pause) He's the doctor.
[Scene changes to Hurley, Sawyer and Locke at the barracks. At first, only their faces are shown.]
HURLEY: We're all gonna die.
SAWYER: Calm down Chicken Little, the sky ain't falling just yet.
HURLEY: This is exactly what he wants, to fight amongst ourselves. You're making a big mistake, dude.
LOCKE: It's his to make Hugo. (looks at Sawyer) Let's get on with it.
SAWYER: Right. (pause) I'm attacking Siberia.
[Scene pans out to reveal the three of them sitting around a table playing Risk and Hurley holding Aaron. Sawyer and Hurley roll the dice and Sawyer wins the turn.]
SAWYER: Hahaha. Sorry.
HURLEY: I can't believe you're just giving him Australia. Australia is the key to the whole game.
SAWYER: (humorously) Says you. (rolls again)
[Scene changes to a wrist-bound, blindfolded Alex, being led through the jungle by Keamy and the other mercenaries.]
[Keamy's face is not shown in this scene, his voice is recognizable though.]
KEAMY: Stop here. On your knees.Get on your knees! (pushes Alex to her knees and removes her blindfold, leaving her wrists bound)
[Scene pans out for a moment to reveal they are at the sonic fence.]
KEAMY: Hey. Turn this thing off. (turns Alex's head to face the control panel)
ALEX: (on the verge of tears) Please. There's a baby with them, just promise me...
[Keamy put's a gun to her head.]
KEAMY: Turn, the fence, off.
[Alex enters 1623 into the control panel.]
ALEX: (trembling) Okay, it's off.
[Scene switches back to Hurley, Sawyer and Locke playing Risk. The phone rings and Locke gets up to answer it. Upon answering, he hears a voice repeating "Code 14-J".]
HURLEY: Who is it?
LOCKE: I think it's for Ben.
[Scene changes to Ben, alone in a room and playing the piano. Enter Locke and Sawyer. Ben stops playing and pleasantly looks up.]
LOCKE: (to Ben) What's "Code 14-J"?
BEN: (rigidly) Where did you hear that?!
LOCKE: The phone rang, I picked it up, a voice kept repeating Code 14-J.
[Ben opens his piano seat and removes a sawed off shotgun. Sawyer goes for his pistol and pauses in surprise when he realizes Ben is not pointing the shotgun at him, but handing it to him. He then takes the gun from Ben.]
BEN: (to Locke) We need to get to the other house. It's easier to fortify and we'll have better position on the treelines.
LOCKE: What are you talking about?
BEN: They're here.
[cut to intro]
[FLASHFORWARD]
[A shivering Ben "awakens" suddenly. He is lying on his back in a desert, wearing a DHARMA parka with the name Halliwax and the Orchid logo on it. He exhales a breath of cold air, rises to his knees and examines his surroundings.]
Sahara Desert in subtitle.
[Ben, kneeling and visibly shaken, vomits slightly. A close-up reveals a wounded upper arm, with snow around a cut on the parka. Ben hears a noise and stands as two armed horseman approach.]
BEN: (with one arm raised) Hello?
[The horsemen are speaking agitatedly to each other in a foreign language. One of them cocks his rifle and aims it at Ben.]
BEN: No no no, wait...
[More arguing between the horsemen. One is looking around at the ground and looks confused.]
BEN: Wait, I can explain. Do you speak English?
[The horsemen exchange glances. Ben tries to speaking to them in different languages but gets no response. One of the horsemen dismounts, approaches Ben and motions for him to remove the parka.]
BEN: Sure, sure.
[The horseman takes off the parka and pats down Ben until he feels something in Ben's pocket. He pats it with the barrel of his gun and motions for Ben to remove it from his pocket.]
BEN: Ah. Okay... okay, okay. (chuckles) Okay.
[Ben holds up the short black handle of his collapsible baton, innocently smiles to show them how harmless it is, before extending it and striking the horseman next to him across the face. Ben grabs his body, turns with him and uses him as a shield while gunning down the other horseman. Taking his rifle, Ben tosses him to the ground and holds him at gun point.]
HORSEMAN: Surrender! Surrender!
BEN: (sarcastically) Oh, so you do speak English?
[Ben knocks him out with a blow to the head from the butt of the rifle. After tying a strip of cloth around his wounded arm, Ben takes the rifle and mounts up.]
BEN: Yah! (rides off)
[ISLAND]
[Ben, Sawyer and Locke walk hurriedly through the barracks.]
SAWYER: (sarcastically) Lemme guess, 14-J ain't the code for the pizza boy.
BEN: It's an early warning system.
LOCKE: Warning for what?
BEN: Somebody tripped the panic switch at our security fence. That means one of my people's been captured.
[Upon reaching the house, Ben turns and faces Sawyer and Locke.]
BEN: How long did you guys debate amongst yourselves whether or not to ask me why the phone rang?
LOCKE: 5 minutes.
BEN: Well... so much for our head start.
[Ben turns to go inside.]
SAWYER: Hold up! If we're hunkered down, I gotta grab Frenchy and the kids.
BEN: Don't bother, they're safe. I sent Rousseau, Alex and Karl away yesterday.
SAWYER: When, where?
[Ben just gives Sawyer a look.]
SAWYER: Whatever. Claire's still sleeping, I'll grab her.
[Sawyer tosses the shotgun to Locke and pulls his pistol.]
BEN: There's no time!
SAWYER: (cocks his gun, looks at Ben) I'll make time. [turns and leaves]
[Locke goes to follow but Ben stops him.]
BEN: It's very important that you survive what's about to happen here, John, so I need you to stay close to me.
LOCKE: And why would I do that?
BEN: Because the people that are coming won't risk hurting me. You wanna live? I'm your best chance.
[Scene changes to a close-up of the dead doctor's face, then Jack covers it with a blanket. Squatting by the covered body, he speaks to the group at the beach.]
JACK: His throat was slit. (in the direction of Charlotte and Dan) Know anything about that?
DANIEL: No. Uh... he was fine when I last saw him.
JACK: Which was when?
DANIEL: When... (sigh) "when" is kind of a relative term.
[Jack gives a disbelieving look and stands.]
CHARLOTTE: We don't know anything about this.
JULIET: (to Dan) Any luck fixing the sat. phone?
DANIEL: Ah... yeah, sorry, no... the uh... the mic... is smashed up pretty good. Best case scenario we'd only be able to broadcast tone squelch. Beeps and boops.
BERNARD: Well yeah, but you could still use it as sort of a telegraph right?
DANIEL: If I had some... strips of ferrous metal. Uh... a 9-volt battery clip and some... wiring.
KATE: We got a bunch of stuff that we salvaged from the plane.
DANIEL: Great.
KATE: I'll show you where it is.
[Exit Kate and Dan.]
JACK: Bernard, you got a second?
[Scene switches to the Ben's house. Ben and Locke are fortifying the entrances with furniture.]
LOCKE: These people who are coming, you're scared of 'em, aren't you?
BEN: That's right, John. I am.
[Hurley enters the room holding a crying Aaron.]
HURLEY: What's going on?
[Hurley moves to take a look out the window.]
LOCKE: Get away from the window, Hugo!
[Locke and Ben move a bookcase in front of the door.]
HURLEY: How's Sawyer gonna get back in?!
BEN: He's not.
[Scene switches to outside, where Sawyer is rounding a house. He sees a redshirt carrying firewood and runs up to him.]
SAWYER: Hey! You see if Claire left her house this morning?
REDSHIRT: What's going on? (nods towards Sawyer's pistol) Why do you have that?
SAWYER: Just get back inside and wait until... (interrupted by gunfire)
[The redshirt takes a shot to the chest, splattering blood on Sawyer's shirt, and goes down. Sawyer returns fire as bullets start flying out of the jungle. A female redshirt comes out from behind the house, Sawyer turns and yells.]
SAWYER: Get back inside!!
[She takes a bullet and hits the ground. Another redshirt runs out to check on her.]
SAWYER: Get inside!!
[The 3rd redshirt goes down as well.]
[Sawyer runs away from the house over to a picnic table, which he flips and hides behind while he returns fire.]
SAWYER: Claire!!
[Sawyer dodges automatic weapons fire while running towards Claire's house. One of the mercs fires a rocket, blowing up the house and knocking Sawyer to the ground. He climbs to his knees and looks at the house in ruins.]
SAWYER: Claire!!
[cut to commercial]
[FLASHFORWARD]
Tozeur, Tunisia in subtitle.
[Dusty and still wearing the tourniquet, Ben walks through an open lobby of a hotel. He approaches a desk and rings a bell for service. The attendant is identified by her nametag.]
NARJISS: Good afternoon, sir.
BEN: (looking down, flipping through his passport) Good afternoon. I'd like a room, please.
NARJISS: Of course, sir. (checking her register book) Is this your first time in Tunisia?
BEN: (looks up, pauses) No, but it's been a while.
NARJISS: Your name?
BEN: I'm actually a preferred guest. It should be under Dean Moriarty.
[Ben hands over his passport, she checks the book and looks up at him slightly shocked.]
NARJISS: Certainly, Mr. Moriarty.
[She gives Ben a room key.]
NARJISS: May I help you with anything else?
BEN: (curiously) Yes, um... today's date is... ?
NARJISS: October 24th, sir.
BEN: 2005?
NARJISS: Yes, sir. 2005.
BEN: (with a sheepish grin) Thank you.
[Ben turns to walk upstairs when something catches his attention. A television in the lobby is showing a news report with Sayid trying to get in a car and being hounded by a group of reporters.]
SAYID: I just want to bury my wife in peace.
[Ben watches as Sayid enters the car.]
[ISLAND]
[Scene opens with Hurley holding a crying Aaron. He gazes out the window at the ruins of the barracks. The view shifts to Locke and Ben still barricading the entrances.]
LOCKE: Right now, I need you to tell me what's going on.
BEN: I think the technical term is "shock and awe". They're trying to frighten me into surrendering.
LOCKE: Well, why did they stop shooting?
HURLEY: Was that Claire's house?!
[Ben continues moving furniture.]
HURLEY: Claire was there!
LOCKE: Hugo, get the baby away from the window. Put him in the back room.
[Locke closes the curtains, Hurley exits the room with Aaron.]
LOCKE: (speaking to Ben) You said... I need to survive this. (pauses while loading a gun) Why?!
BEN: Because there's only one person that can help us now and that's Jacob, and we have to go to him together.
LOCKE: What makes you think I can find him? I... I don't even know where the cabin is.
BEN: (removing and loading a rifle from the bookcase) I know, but Hurley does.
[Scene switches to Sawyer running to the remains of Claire's house.]
SAWYER: Claire?! (kicking through the wreckage) Claire! Claire!
[He notices her lying amongst rubble outside the framework of the house.]
SAWYER: Claire!
[Sawyer rushes to her side.]
SAWYER: (cradling her head) You okay?
CLAIRE: (disoriented) Charlie?
SAWYER: Okay.
CLAIRE: Where's Aaron? Where's Aaron?!
SAWYER: He's with us. It's okay. We're gonna move now. (picks Claire up in his arms) Let's go.
[Scene switches to Hurley in the bedroom with a crying Aaron. He empties a laundry basket, puts a pillow in it and uses it as a crib for Aaron. From outside, he hears Sawyer hollering.]
SAWYER: Open the front door!!
[Hurley looks out the window and sees Sawyer running towards the house carrying Claire. He runs to the front of the house and begins attempting to move the furniture blocking the door, until Ben cocks and aims his gun at him.]
BEN: Hugo, you don't want to do that.
[Sawyer reaches the house and begins kicking on the door.]
SAWYER: Open the damn door!
[Hurley eyes Ben while Sawyer kicks at the door and continues yelling.]
SAWYER: Open the door! Open! The damn! Door!
[Hurley picks up a piece of furniture and smashes out the window. Sawyer runs over and hands Claire through the window to Hurley as Locke helps.]
SAWYER: Careful!
[Sawyer comes in through the window right behind them.]
LOCKE: Is she alright?
SAWYER: She got her bell rung, but she's gonna be all right.
[Locke grabs the shotgun and closes the curtains behind them.]
SAWYER: (to Ben) They just started shootin'. Why?
[Locke runs across the room.]
SAWYER: Why slaughter people without even telling us what they want?
BEN: Those people were murdered to make you angry, James. So you'd be more likely to come storming in here and throw me to the wolves.
SAWYER: What's wrong with that?! (grabs Ben by the collar) Sounds like a great plan to me! (to Locke) What do you say, on three?
[The doorbell rings. Sawyer, Ben and Locke all take position aiming at the door.]
BEN: I wouldn't if I were you.
SAWYER: (to Ben) Shut up!
[Sawyer takes aim and looks out the window. After sharing a glance with Locke, they remove the furniture from blocking the door, and Sawyer opens it. Miles is standing there. Sawyer grabs him and pulls him inside. Everyone aims their guns at Miles.]
LOCKE: Miles?
[Miles looks around at all the guns pointed at him.]
SAWYER: Who the hell let you out?
MILES: (holding up a walkie-talkie) The people who gave me this. (pause) They wanna talk.
[cut to commercial]
[FLASHFORWARD]
[Scene opens in a crowded, middle-eastern venue, with American soldiers patrolling the streets. A group of locals are carrying a casket during a funeral procession. They are chanting and one of them is carrying a framed picture of Nadia. An SUV pulls to a stop close-by.]
Tikrit, Iraq in subtitles.
[Ben is shown stepping out of the SUV. He enters an adjacent building, makes his way upstairs and out onto a balcony. From his elevated viewpoint, he surveys the area and spies a man across the street. The man is leaning against a post, drinking from a small coffee cup. Ben removes a camera from his bag and begins taking pictures of the unknown man as the funeral procession begins to pass by. He zooms in his camera on the casket and Sayid is there, helping carry it. As Ben adjusts in his focus, Sayid turns and looks up, noticing someone with a camera. Ben immediately hides behind the railing. After a moment of pause, Ben bags his camera, runs downstairs and out of the building toward his vehicle. Before he can get there, Sayid comes running in from the side and tackles him to the ground.]
SAYID: You vultures!! You follow me to Tikrit?! You spy on me?!
[Sayid raises his fist to strike and freezes momentarily in shock when he sees Ben's face. With both hands, he grabs Ben by the collar and pulls him close.]
SAYID: What are you doing here?
BEN: I'm here to find the man who murdered your wife.
[Sayid pulls Ben to his feet and pushes him aside into a secluded corner with rubble strewn about.]
SAYID: How did you get here?
BEN: I came across the Syrian border. It's really not as difficult as you might...
SAYID: (interrupting) How did you get off the island?
BEN: Your friend Desmond had a boat. Remember? The Elizabeth. I followed a heading to Fiji. Then I chartered a plane.
SAYID: Why now?
BEN: You remember the name Charles Widmore, don't you? (pause) The man who tried to convince the world that your plane was on the bottom of the ocean?
SAYID: (pleadingly) What does it have to do with me? ...with Nadia?
BEN: There was a man at her procession... goes by the name of Ishmael Bakir. He's one of Widmore's men.
[Ben removes a picture of Bakir from his pocket, the same man he was photographing in the street only moments earlier, and shows it to Sayid.]
BEN: Bakir was last seen five days ago... in Los Angeles... caught by a traffic camera, speeding away from the corner of La Brea and Santa Monica.
SAYID: That's three blocks from where Nadia was killed.
[Ben nods, emotion runs rampant across Sayid's face.]
SAYID: (agonizingly) Why would these people want to murder her?
BEN: I don't know. But they did.
[Sayid crumples the photo with a cold look on his face. Ben looks on, knowingly.]
[ISLAND]
[Ben's house]
LOCKE: (holding Miles at gunpoint while Sawyer pats him down) How many of 'em are there?
MILES: Maybe six. I'm not sure.
SAWYER: The hell you mean, you ain't sure? You came over on the same boat with 'em, didn't ya?
MILES: They told me they were just security.
LOCKE: Security for what?
MILES: (indicating Ben) For him. Once they got him, to escort him back to the mainland.
BEN: (sarcastically) Well, Miles, sounds like you're not gonna collect your $3.2 million dollars.
MILES: Just take it! (the walkie-talkie)
BEN: Why would I talk to them?
MILES: Because they have a hostage.
BEN: Well then they've badly miscalculated. 'Cause every single one of my people is prepared to die in service to this island.
MILES: It's your daughter!
[Ben goes rigid. After a moment of staring at Miles, he takes the walkie-talkie.]
BEN: Hello.
KEAMY: (via walkie) Am I speaking to Benjamin Linus?
BEN: That's right.
KEAMY: My name is Martin Keamy. I'm an employee of Charles Widmore.
SAWYER: (to Locke) Who's Charles Widmore?
LOCKE: Later.
KEAMY: I'd like you to go look out your east window, so we can talk about this face to face.
[Ben goes to the window, moves aside part of the curtains and looks out.]
KEAMY: To the left. (curt wave with one hand) You see me?
[Keamy is standing in the yard with the wreckage of Claire's house in the backdrop.]
BEN: Yeah, I see you.
KEAMY: All right, Mr. Linus, these are my terms: You're gonna step out the front door, put your hands above your head, and you're gonna walk straight to me. Once I have you in my custody, then I promise you that no one else in that house will be harmed.
BEN: You and I both know that once you have me, there's nothing to stop you from killing everybody else on this island.
KEAMY: (smiling) What kinda guy do you think I am?
BEN: Martin Christopher Keamy: former first sergeant, United States Marine Corps. Served with distinction from 1996 to 2001, but since then, you've worked with a number of mercenary organizations, specifically in Uganda. (pause So I know exactly what kind of man you are, Mr. Keamy, and we can dispense with the formalities.
KEAMY: Okay, Ben. You got it. (whistles sharply)
[One of the mercs brings the wristbound Alex out of the jungle over to Keamy.]
KEAMY: (cocks his gun) Get down.
[After pushing Alex to her knees, he aims his gun at the back of her head.]
KEAMY: (To Ben) Get your ass out here right now... or I'm gonna kill your daughter.
[momentary silence while Ben contemplates]
BEN: I'd like to present a counterproposal.
KEAMY: I'm listening.
BEN: You and your friends... turn around. Walk back to your helicopter. You fly away and forget you ever heard of this island.
KEAMY: (to Alex, but he speaks into the walkie so Ben can hear too) Tell your daddy good-bye.
[Alex is handed the walkie.]
ALEX: Dad?! They're serious. They killed Karl... (sobs) and my mother.
BEN: Alex, I have this under control. Everything's gonna be okay.
ALEX: Please, daddy! Just please, please...
[Keamy takes the walkie back.]
KEAMY: You have ten seconds, Ben.
BEN: Okay, listen.
KEAMY: Nine.
BEN: She's not my daughter.
KEAMY: Eight.
BEN: I stole her as a baby from an insane woman. (pause) She's a pawn, nothing more. (pause) She means nothing to me.
[Alex, hearing this, closes her eyes and hangs her head, weeping.]
BEN: I'm not coming out of this house. So if you want to kill her, go ahead and do it...
[A gunshot interrupts Ben, and Alex's body is seen crumpling to the ground. Keamy gazes at the house with a blank, emotionless stare, then turns and calmly walks away. Ben's face is a portrait of horror, as he watches helplessly, unable to save his daughter.]
[cut to commercial]
[Ben's house]
[As Ben continues staring agonizingly through the window at the tragedy outside, Sawyer takes a quick look out the window to survey the scene.]
SAWYER: I don't see 'em. They just left her body there and disappeared into the jungle.
[As Sawyer and Locke converse, the camera slowly closes in on Ben's face.]
LOCKE: They won't be gone for long. It's gonna be dark in about 20 minutes, and then they're gonna come for him.
SAWYER: Then let's just hand him over.
LOCKE: I don't think these people have any intentions of lettin' us walk out of here alive, James, no matter what we do.
SAWYER: Well, I ain't got no intention of dyin'.
BEN: (numbly) He changed the rules.
LOCKE: What? Who? (crosses the room towards Ben) What rules?
[Ben rises and begins slowly walking the other way across the room. Locke and Sawyer both look outside.]
SAWYER: (grabbing Locke by the arm) You know I'm right. Our best chance here is to toss him out and fend for ourselves.
[While Sawyer is speaking, Ben pauses, then walks briskly over to the bookcase. When he slides it aside, the entrance to his secret room is revealed.]
SAWYER: (chasing after Ben) Hey! Where you goin'?
[Ben enters the room and a security door slides down from the ceiling just as Sawyer is getting there.]
SAWYER: (banging on the door) Open this damn door! Open up!
[Inside the room, Ben goes to the coat rack and slides everything to either side. Ben slides a section of the wall to the side and behind that is an ancient rock door with many runes and markings covering it. The door is heavy, but as Ben leans into it with his weight, it slowly opens, allowing him entrance.]
[FLASHFORWARD]
[Scene opens with Ben sipping tea at a Tikrit cafe. Bakir is sitting close by with his own drink reading a newspaper as Ben eyes him through a large mirror behind the counter. Suddenly, Bakir gets up and leaves. Ben hastily follows him out into the crowded streets. As Ben tries to keep track of him, Bakir turns and notices he is being followed. Ben rounds a corner into an empty alleyway and Bakir puts a gun to his back.]
BAKIR: (forcefully) Walk.
[Bakir moves Ben forward with one hand while holding the gun on him with the other. He turns Ben to face him and pushes his back against a wall. They come face to face for the first time as Bakir continues to hold him at gunpoint.]
BAKIR: Who are you and why are you following me?
BEN: My name is Benjamin Linus.
[Recognition crosses Bakir's face and his gun lowers slightly.]
BEN: And I need you to take a message to Mr. Widmore for me.
BAKIR: And what message is that?
[A sound-suppressed shot is heard and Bakir goes down. The camera shifts to the side to show Sayid standing there holding a gun with a silencer. After a shared glance between the two living men, Sayid walks towards the body on the ground and empties the chamber into the corpse. When the bullets are gone he continues pulling the trigger.]
BEN: That should do it.
[Sayid continues staring at Bakir while Ben turns to walk away.]
SAYID: Wait.
[Ben stops and faces Sayid.]
SAYID: Where do you think you're going?
BEN: We're finished here, Sayid. Turn around, walk away. Mourn your loss. Get on with your life.
[Ben moves to leave.]
SAYID: I have no life. They took it from me.
[Ben stops and faces Sayid again.]
BEN: Go home, Sayid. Once you let your grief become anger, it will never go away. (pause) I speak from experience. (pause) This is my war. It's not yours.
[As Ben turns to leave once more, Sayid grabs him by the arm and pulls him close.]
SAYID: (softly) I spent the last eight years of my life searching for the woman I love. (pause) I finally found her and I married her. (pause) ...and I buried her yesterday. So don't tell me this is not my war. (pause) Benjamin, who's next?
BEN: (eyeing Sayid) I'll be in touch.
[Ben takes his leave, but as he does, shades of a manipulative smile can be seen on his face.]
[ISLAND]
[Ben's house, dark outside now.]
SAWYER: (still banging on the security door) Open the damn door! (to the room) Son of a bitch just left us! (to the door again) Open the damn door!
[Hurley and Claire with Aaron enter the room.]
CLAIRE: What's going on?
LOCKE: Claire?
SAWYER: You all right, sweetheart?
CLAIRE: Yeah, a bit wobbly, but uh... I'll live.
MILES: (sarcastically) Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that.
[Suddenly, the security door opens and a now filthy Ben exits the secret room. He maneuvers between Sawyer and the wall, going past him and out in the main room.]
BEN: (politely) Excuse me, James.
SAWYER: (incredulously) Excuse you?
[Ben makes his way across the room and grabs the walkie off the couch.]
SAWYER: What were you doing in there?
[Ben puts the walkie in his pocket and addresses the group.]
BEN: Okay, listen to me very carefully. I need all of you to do exactly as I say. In a minute, we have to run from this house as fast as we can. At that moment, when I give the order, I want you to head straight for the tree line.
HURLEY: You mean towards the guys with guns?
BEN: No... we want to be as far away from them as possible.
[The house begins to shake violently. Everyone looks around nervously. Glasses and plates shatter. Ben rushes to the window and peers outside. The view is of the lawn and the treeline in the background. Suddenly, Smokey comes roaring over the tops of the trees and speeds down across the yard. Electric sparks can be seen in the smoke. After Smokey passes by, Ben yells.]
BEN: Okay, outside! Outside, now!
[Sawyer, Miles and Hurley remove the furniture blocking the door and they all rush outside the house. The glow from lightning flashes can be seen upon their faces and automatic gunfire can be heard. Mercs' voices can be heard yelling "Fall back!! Come on!! Let's go!!" Smokey roars loudly as the group looks on at the chaos in the jungle.]
LOCKE: (to Ben) What did you do?!
[Ben watches on in silence as Smokey tears down trees. Screaming from the mercs continues.]
HURLEY: Did you just... call that thing?
[A merc is seen running out of the jungle being followed closely by Smokey. Sawyer takes aim, but lowers his gun and watches the scene unfold. The merc stops, spins, kneels and fires into the dark gray smoke to no effect. He turns to run again and gets slammed to ground by Smokey. He screams as he is dragged back into the jungle. Miles looks on in horror. Hurley runs first, followed closely by Miles. From the jungle, Keamy's voice can be heard yelling "Fall back!!"]
SAWYER: (to Claire) Go! Go, go!
[Claire runs after Miles and Hurley with Sawyer in close pursuit. Ben and Locke look at each other.]
BEN: Head for the trees. I'll catch up with you. (begins walking in the other direction)
LOCKE: Hey, where are you going?
BEN: (stops to face Locke, mournfully speaks) I have to say goodbye to my daughter, John.
[Ben holds his hand out and Locke gives him a rifle. When Locke runs off after the rest of the group, Ben slowly walks over and kneels next to Alex's lifeless body. Quietly weeping, he turns her face up and closes her eyes. Ben gently leans down and kisses her forehead, then remains kneeling as the agony of losing a daughter mutilates his face.]
[cut to commercial]
[At the beach camp.]
[Dan is tapping on the modified sat. phone as the group sits around the table it's on, watching in anticipation. Tiki torches light the area.]
DANIEL: Can't believe it. Might actually have a signal.
JACK: What are you sending?
DANIEL: (while tapping the message) "What... happened... to... the... doctor?"
[Beeps and boops start coming through the speaker. Dan listens intently as the view shifts around the table from Kate, to Charlotte, to Juliet, to Bernard, to Jack, then back to Dan.]
DANIEL: Okay. They didn't exactly say what happened to the doctor, but... your friends are fine, and the helicopter's coming back in... in the morning.
JACK: Well...
BERNARD: He's lying. What the message said was, "What are you talking about? The doctor is fine."
[Uncomfortably, Dan looks about.]
DANIEL: (to Bernard) You know Morse code.
JACK: What does that mean, "The doctor is fine?"
DANIEL: I don't know.
JACK: Why are you lying? Why did you say... that the helicopters are coming back?
[Jack grabs Dan by his collar and pulls him close.]
KATE: Jack!
JACK: Were you ever... gonna take us off this island?
DANIEL: (pause) No. (pause) No, no...
[Jack looks at Dan with pain in his face, then doubles over, holding his gut.]
KATE: Jack?
[Kate reaches for Jack but he slaps her hand away with a grunting "no". He gathers himself and stumbles away in pain.]
[Scene switches to Locke, Hurley, Sawyer, Claire, Aaron and Miles in the dark jungle. Locke lights two torches.]
SAWYER: (to Miles) I think your chopper buddies ran that way, if you wanna catch up.
[Sawyer takes a torch from Locke.]
MILES: Yeah, I think I'll stay with you guys for... for now.
[Sawyer hands the torch to Miles. Footsteps are heard in the jungle. Locke and Sawyer cock their weapons while taking aim towards the sound. Ben is seen emerging out of the night. Locke first, then Sawyer more slowly, lower their guns. Ben walks up to them in silence and stops.]
LOCKE: Sorry about your daughter.
BEN: Thank you, John.
LOCKE: That being said, you lied to me. You told me you didn't know what the smoke monster was.
BEN: You can ask Jacob all about it when we go to the cabin.
SAWYER: Hang on. "Jacob"...? (to Locke) Who the hell's Jacob?
BEN: He's the man that's gonna tell us what to do next, James.
[Ben and Locke exchange glances.]
SAWYER: You know what? I'm done with all this. I never should have followed you wackos in the first place. I'm goin' back to the beach, and Claire and the kid are comin' with me. (to Claire and a crying Aaron) You good with that?
CLAIRE: Yeah, I'm good with that.
MILES: I'm coming with you.
SAWYER: Let's go. You, too, Hurley.
[As the five of them turn to leave, Ben and Locke exchange another glance, then Locke takes aim at Sawyer's back. Sawyer, hearing the gun being cocked, stops abruptly with a look of disbelief on his face that Locke is actually pointing a gun at him.]
SAWYER: Have you lost your mind?
LOCKE: Hugo stays with us.
[Sawyer spins and draws his piece lightning fast. Now the two are at a standoff.]
SAWYER: Not a chance.
HURLEY: Wait. Leave me out of this.
LOCKE: I'm sorry, Hugo. We need you to find the cabin.
SAWYER: He ain't goin' anywhere with you, you crazy son of a bitch.
HURLEY: Stop! Put the guns down. I'll go with Locke.
SAWYER: Hugo.
HURLEY: It's okay, Sawyer. (to Locke) Please, put your gun down?
[Locke complies.]
HURLEY: (to Sawyer) You too.
SAWYER: You don't have to do this.
HURLEY: You guys go back to the beach. I'll catch up sooner or later.
[After staring down Locke for a moment, he lowers his weapon and steps closer.]
SAWYER: You harm so much as one hair on his curly head... I'll kill you.
LOCKE: Fair enough.
[Aaron can be heard crying in the background. Sawyer gives a stern look to Ben before leaving.]
SAWYER: (to Claire and Miles as they slip away into the jungle) Let's go. Go. Move.
[Locke picks up his backpack and looks to Ben.]
LOCKE: Which way?
[Ben nods and takes the torch from Locke.]
BEN: Follow me.
[FLASHFORWARD]
[Scene opens with a taxi pulling to a stop in a dark street. Ben exits the back door and pays the driver.]
BEN: Thank you.
London, England in subtitle.
[Ben enters a building and the scene shifts inside to the lobby. Ben attempts to walk past a doorman towards the stairs but is stopped and questioned by him.]
DOORMAN: Good evening, sir. May I help you?
BEN: (pleasantly) Oh, yes. I'm here to see Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick in 4E.
DOORMAN: (surprised) At this hour, sir?
BEN: (shrugs innocently) They're expecting me. Feel free to call up. (smiles)
[Ben is shown holding his retracted baton behind his back, prepared for use if necessary.]
DOORMAN: (considers, then says courteously) No need, sir. Good night, sir.
[The baton is shown again, but was not needed and Ben puts it away. He leaves the lobby and steps onto an elevator. Ben removes his gloves and retrieves a thieves tool from his pocket. He inserts it into a lock on the control panel and after careful jiggling, the lock turns. A "P" button lights up next to a Penthouse Suite label. After he returns the key to his pocket, the door opens and Ben steps out.]
[Scene shifts to a darkened bedroom. Ben slowly enters the room and looks around. A man is shown lying in bed but shadows cover his face.]
BEN: Wake up, Charles.
[The man sits up in bed and turns on the bedside lamp. He is revealed to be Charles Widmore.]
CHARLES: I wondered when you were going to show up. [pauses while appraising Ben] I see you've been getting more sun.
BEN: Iraq is lovely this time of year. (pause) When did you start sleeping with a bottle of scotch by the bed?
CHARLES: When the nightmares started.
[Charles removes his legs from under the sheets and turns to a sitting position on the side of the bed. He pours himself a glass of scotch. Ben stares on.]
CHARLES: Have you come here to kill me, Benjamin? (sips the scotch)
BEN: We both know I can't do that.
CHARLES: (sets the glass down) Then why are you here?
BEN: (taking a few steps closer) I'm here, Charles, because you murdered my daughter.
CHARLES: Don't stand there, looking at me with those horrible eyes of yours... and lay the blame for the death of that poor girl on me, when we both know very well I didn't murder her at all, Benjamin. (pause) You did.
BEN: No, that's not true.
CHARLES: (leans forward in bed) Yes, Benjamin, it is. You creep into my bedroom in the dead of night, like a rat... and have the audacity to pretend that you're the victim? I know who you are, boy. What you are. I know that everything you have you took from me. (pause) So... Once again I ask you: Why are you here?
BEN: I'm here, Charles, to tell you that I'm going to kill your daughter. (pause) Penelope, is it? And once she's gone... once she's dead... then you'll understand how I feel. (pause) And you'll wish you hadn't changed the rules.
[Charles leans back in his bed.]
CHARLES: You'll never find her.
[Ben raises an eyebrow to say "oh really?", then turns to leave, but stops when Charles continues speaking.]
CHARLES: That island's mine, Benjamin. It always was. It will be again.
[Ben looks back at Charles.]
BEN: But you'll never find it.
CHARLES: (leaning forward again) Then I suppose the hunt is on for both of us.
BEN: I suppose it is. (pause) Sleep tight, Charles.
[Ben exits the bedroom and closes the door behind him.]
LOST
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