[lost-lover]

CHAPTER 8: A TRAITOR UNMASKED

Locke stared up at the sillouhette of the man on the boat thinking he was once again experiencing a vision - courtesy of the island. It had to be a vision because there was no chance on Earth that this man could be stood on that boat. He was dead, and even if he was alive Locke was certain he would not be so calm, so friendly, to the people from the freighter. Regardless of their differences of opinion on occasion Locke was sure they'd have have agreed on this matter. These people were the enemy. Yet Locke could see him. As clear as day he stood there, despite the darkness of the hour, having a friendly chat with these two men who had spoke so casually of shooting Kate just minutes beforehand.
Even as this thought crossed his mind Locke realised what was happening. This was no vision. The boat people could see him too, were speaking to him! Looking at the Danielle and Sawyer he saw Danielle's face a mask of confusion, Sawyer's an odd mixture of anger, confusion, maybe even relief. He knew Sawyer too had often fought with the man, but in an odd way had also been his friend. Yet Locke could understand his wanting this to be real, the man to be alive. If he was alive though, which it seemed he was, why was he acting as though these strangers were his new best friends? In fact, now Locke thought of it, the man called Bill had called him their "new friend". After spending months as the only one not confused on the isalnd, Locke was now experiencing the feeling of total confusion that had become almost natural to most of the other survivours. He hated it.
"Are you seeing this too?" Whispered Locke, still half-hoping it was a vision.
"You mean the bastad on the boat who we all got so worked up over? Yeah, I see him Boss." Growled Sawyer, his trademark drawl disappearing as his voice grew voice taut with a mix of emotions. Locke's heart sank as his final hope of understanding the situation drowned faster than Charlie in the Looking Glass.
"How is it possible?" Whispered Danielle. "He is dead."
"Well, clearly he isn't." Said Locke.
"This sorta shakes things up abit, don't it?" Said Sawyer, the drawl starting to return, the confusion still evident in his eyes.
"Evidently." Nodded Locke.
"You still wanna attack their camp while he's in there or d'you wanna go back to Othersville and explain to everyone that he's alive and kicking down here, throwing a damn tea party with these folk." Raged Sawyer, his emotions finally overcoming him.
"Keep your voice down, they'll hear you." Whispered Danielle.
"You really think I care about that right now?" Asked Sawyer.
"Whether you care or not I am not going to risk being caught by these people and never seeing my daughter again because you can not keep a lid on your emotions!" Hissed Danielle.
Locke held up a hand to stop the furious answer he was certain Sawyer would give any second. He needn't have worried, something else had grabbed the Southerner's attention. People were coming towards them, and they had no where to run.
"You boys should stop being so antsy, we ain't gonna hurt you." Said a woman's voice from very close by.
"Speak for yourself Mel, they didn't shoot at you." Growled a man's voice, followed by murmurs of agreement.
The girl laughed. "Stop being a baby and hurry up, George. I want to see if they recognise our new pal."
In the darkness of the trees Locke saw Sawyer scowl. Then he froze, for a voice spoke they both knew.
"Where are you taking us?" They heard Desmond say.
"Don't worry cutie, I'll protect you." Laughed the girls' voice. "We're almost there now."
Locke took a careful step back into further cover of the trees. As Sawyer and Danielle copied him a branch cracked loudly underfoot. The voices aruptly stopped.
"You hear that?" Said the girl.
"Yeah." Said a man's voice, alarmingly close. "Tony, stay with Mel and guard there two. Ricky, Jo, come with me."
Locke and Sawyer both pulled out their handguns and Danielle readied the shotgun.
A few seconds later two men and a woman in their early thirtiescame through the trees directly in front of them, guns at the ready. As one the six guns were pointed directly into the face of another. The nearest one of the three freighter people, a tall man with short brown hair of around 30, chuckled at the sight of them. "Well this is gonna make things a hell of a lot easier. You folks are gonna lower your guns and come with us."
"The hell we are, Chucky." Said Sawyer.
The man laughed again. "The name's George, hillbilly. Relax, if we wanted you dead you'd be dead already, we'd have shot on sight."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Muttered Locke, raising his gun to point directly at the big man's heart.
The shorter man sighed. "I didn't want to have to do this." He said. "Mel, Tony. Bring them out."
A man and a woman in their late twenties both approached through the trees to their right, pushing Desmond and Jin, both of whom had guns pointed at the back of their heads. The men was surveying the scene anxiously, the girl with amusement.
"Gentlemen, lady." Said the girl with a smirk. "Lower your weapons and come with us."
"Or regardless of our peaceful intentions, your two buddies here will end up with bullets in their heads." Said the man called George.
"Straight and to the point, as always, George." Smirked the girl called Mel.
Sawyer sighed and lowered his gun. Locke and Danielle followed suit.
"No brother, don't go with them." Said Desmond.
"Hush sweetie." Said Mel. Desmond glared at her.
Sawyer stood up and stepped towards the man called George. "Jo, take this one." Said George to the other woman.
"Gladly." Said the woman called Jo, winking to Mel. George rolled his eyes.
"Ricky take the bald man." Ricky focussed his gun on Locke. "I'll take the lady." He put out an arm to restrain Danielle.
"If your hand touches me, I'll make sure it never touches anything ever again." Said Danielle, glaring at George.
The two woman from the boat laughed. "Why did I choose to let you two come with us?" Muttered George. He sighed and montioned for the group to move out.
As they moved thorugh the trees back towards the freighter, Locke wondered how Jin and Desmond would react to the sudden reappearence of the man they beleived to be dead. Shortly the small group made it through the trees and in the approaching darkness Locke saw the freighter straight ahead of them. The man called Bill who he, Sawyer and Danielle had been spying on earlier saw them arrived and gave a delighted laugh. Somehow it made Locke uneasy.
"Well, well, well. You did find some of them, nice job George." He said.
"Why does George get all the credit?" Asked the girl called Mel.
"He's heading this expedition, in case you've forgotten Melanie." Smirked Bill.
"Let's get them inside, maybe they'll know our another friends." Said George.
Freinds? Thought Locke. Who else did they have in there? Looking at Sawyer and Danielle he saw they were thinking along the same lines.
"Another friends?" Asked Desmond.
"Don't worry sugar, you'll see soon enough." Said Mel, stroking his hair as they entered the freighter. Desmond yanked his head away and she laughed.
"Put them in here for now." Said Bill.
As they entered the small room Locke saw once again the man he'd thought was a vision. Jugding from the looks of stunned disbeleif on his companions faces he decided the man was very much real. Very much alive. He took a step towards them, the frighter people watching with interest as shock registered his face to match Locke's own.
Jin stepped forward caustiously, as if he, like Locke, was unsure if this was real. He then spoke for the first time since being captured.
"Jack?"