Title: In the Name of Science
Rating: T

Summary: Charlie and Ana are taken by the Others while out searching for Henry's balloon. What they learn about the Others is unimaginable. Will Sayid and a rescue party return to save them before it's too late? Action/Adventure
Warnings: drug reference and angsty situations
Status of Fic: Completed
Author's Notes/Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Lost". They were created by JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof and they belong to them, Touchstone, and ABC.

Chapter One

Three hours. They had searched for three hours in the pouring rain and still they found nothing. They were wet, hungry and tired. Sayid was becoming impatient and enraged. He knew there would be no balloon. He knew before they ever started out. Sayid knew this because he was certain that the man in the hatch who called himself Henry Gale was lying. He was one of them. The Others. The ones responsible for Shannon's death.

Sayid turned to Ana, his face flushed with anger, "There's nothing here. We've search for three hours. We're going back."

Sayid turned and looked in the direction Charlie had gone. Time to call off the search. "Charlie!" he yelled.

He heard a voice answer back, "Over here! I found something."

Sayid and Ana ran in the direction of the voice and found Charlie, waving them over to what he had found—a mound of rocks topped by a cross made of sticks. It was a grave.

"Didn't that guy say he buried his wife?" asked Charlie.

Ana-Lucia knelt down to inspect the grave, the stopped when she noticed something different about where they stood.

"Why isn't it raining here?" she asked.

As if on cue Charlie, Ana and Sayid all looked up and were frozen by the sight of a large red balloon with a yellow smiley face draped over the top of the tree. Charlie and Ana looked at each other trying to decide what it all meant. Everything was just as Henry said it would be. It was just as he described it.

"So does this mean he's telling the truth?" wondered Charlie out loud.

"There's only one way to find out," answered Sayid, as he began clearing the rocks from the grave.

"What are you doing?" asked Charlie, "You think that's not his wife in there? How would he know all the rest of this if he's lying?"

Ana started helping Sayid clear rocks as she answered, "Just because he knows this is here doesn't mean it belongs to him. He might be responsible for the death of the person buried here." Ana looked at Charlie and added disdainfully, "Jeez, don't you at least watch crime shows?"

Charlie glared at Ana, "Sorry. Hard to find a television on a bloody island."

The three were then silent as they dug open the grave, uncertain of who or what they would find there. Sayid dug with an intensity that was focused, determined. Normally, defiling a gravesite would have been distasteful to him, but this situation was anything but normal. As Ana had pointed out earlier, they had to be sure. She had to be sure. Sayid understood that Ana refused to bear the burden of another innocent life lost. For her sake, he needed to find the evidence of Henry's guilt.

They found it. The three peered into the grave and found not the body of a woman, but of a man. Although the body was in the early stages of decay and they had to cover their faces from the stench, the man appeared to have been of African descent. Sayid dug into the man's pockets until he found a wallet containing identification. From the photo on the Minnesota driver's license Sayid could see that the man was in fact African-American. From the text he saw that his name was Henry Gale.

Sayid now had all the evidence he needed. "I knew it!" He yelled, to no one in particular, "I knew he was lying!"

He was so furious he turned and started back to camp on his own without even restoring the rocks to the grave.

"Sayid, wait!" called Ana as she and Charlie quickly attempted to rebury the body. As Charlie piled the rocks, he wondered who this Henry Gale was, and what had happened to him.

By the time they had finished, they had almost lost sight of Sayid and they ran to catch up. Charlie and Ana were almost to the edge of the clearing when they were both suddenly struck from behind, knocked unconscious by two men who began dragging them off in the opposite direction.

Sayid stopped and turned when he heard a noise behind him. Then he noticed the jungle had become strangely quiet.

"Charlie? Ana?" He called. When he received no answer he ran back. Across the open clearing he could see what looked like Ana and Charlie being dragged by two men.

"Stop!" yelled Sayid as he drew his gun. He was unsure of how Charlie had gotten hold of it, but he felt grateful at that moment that he had the foresight to bring a weapon. We should have all brought guns, thought Sayid, we were foolish not to. He didn't trust Henry. Why didn't he suspect a trap?

Sayid fired a warning shot, hoping to stop the abductors in their tracks. Instead, they answered with gunfire that seemed to come from all directions, surrounding him. Sayid couldn't tell how many there were as he dove for cover in the trees, but he knew he would be unable to make this rescue alone. Sayid turned and raced back to camp. He needed help if they were going to save Ana and Charlie. Henry, or whatever his name was, was about to become their bargaining chip.

Chapter Two

Ana woke to find herself in a small concrete cell. Her head hurt. She reached back and felt a swollen lump on the back of her head. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. There was Charlie, his actions upon waking seeming to mirror her own. They looked at each other.

Ana spoke, "Are you okay?" she asked Charlie.

Charlie looked at her suspiciously. As if you care, he thought. Instead he just said, "Yeah. What happened?"

"I don't know, but I think they took us." Ana replied, as she got up and began scanning the cell for weaknesses, any possible means of escape.

"What do you think they want?" asked Charlie.

Ana turned to Charlie and sighed, frustrated, "How should I know? Last I checked I was in here with you."

Charlie looked away, then muttered, "Well, it's your fault. I did have a gun, if you didn't make me give it up."

Ana replied, indignant, "Maybe if you had given it to me instead of your pal Sayid we'd still have it."

"What did you expect?" said Charlie, his voice rising, "Sayid's my friend and you killed Shannon!"

"Well why should I trust some junkie to carry a gun?" challenged Ana.

Charlie stared at her. He felt as if he'd been slapped. "Ex-junkie. I've been clean for almost two months. What would you know about it anyway?" he shouted.

Ana stared back, defiant. Finally her demeanor softened and she explained, "I was a cop in L.A. I spent some time on the drug squad. I saw what heroin did to people. I do understand."

Charlie relaxed his stance and looked down, "Yeah, well, for your information I do know how to use a gun. I killed one of them."

"When?" said Ana.

"About two weeks after we got here" said Charlie, "Claire and I were taken by this bloke called Ethan. He had mixed into our camp and pretended to be one of us. One morning I was alone with Claire and we thought she was going into labour. I found Ethan and told him to go get help. Instead he came back and took us."

"What happened?" asked Ana quietly, rapt with attention.

Charlie looked at Ana but his stare seemed distant, as of recalling, "They only wanted to use me as a diversion so they could get away with Claire. So they wrapped a vine around my neck and hung me from a tree." Charlie paused, taking in Ana's reaction. "Jack saved my life, but for a long time after I still felt dead. And I thought Claire was gone forever."

"You said you killed him" prompted Ana.

Charlie continued, "A little over a week later, Claire came back on her own. The next day Ethan showed up and wanted her back. He met me in the jungle, grabbed me by the neck and threatened to kill someone in our camp every day until we brought Claire to him. We found his first victim on the beach the next day. The animal had broken every bone in his body. There was a group that decided to use Claire as bait to draw him out and then capture him. But I had seen what he had done. I knew there was no way to contain him, that he would never tell us anything, and that as long as he was alive we were in danger." Charlie turned away and stared at the wall, his back to Ana. "Once the others had caught him I picked up Jack's gun from the ground and I shot him in the chest four times."

There was a long silence as a shocked Ana considered what she had just been told. It sounded strangely familiar, only worse. She went to Charlie, still facing the wall, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I killed one of them too," she said. "He said his name was Goodwin, but it turned out he was just like Ethan. He infiltrated our group, pretended to be one of us. When I eventually figured out he wasn't on the plane, I confronted him and he attacked me. I drove a spear through his chest like a vampire."

Charlie turned around to face Ana. His expression changed. He looked worried, frightened, "What are they going to do to us, Ana?"

Before Ana could respond, the door to the cell flung open. A man in a white lab coat appeared flanked by two large men. The man in the coat stood in the doorway as the two men approached Charlie. Charlie backed up instinctively, but he knew there was nowhere to run. They each grabbed an arm and Charlie began to struggle.

"You're first Mr. Pace" said the man in the lab coat.

"What are you doing?" said Ana, "Where are you taking him?"

"You'll find out soon enough" said the man calmly, almost bored as if this were all in a day's work.

The men disappeared with Charlie leaving Ana alone to fear the worst.

Chapter Three

Sayid arrived back at the hatch. He was out of breath from having run nearly the entire distance. He didn't know what the Others had planned for Ana and Charlie but Sayid had the feeling that they would have to move quickly if they ever wanted to see them again.

He entered the hatch and was confused by what he saw. Locke stood propped against the wall, with an apparent leg injury. Jack was holding Henry. It seemed Sayid had interrupted some confrontation. He was certain the information he had would finally put everyone's doubts to rest. He approached the group.

Jack turned and was relieved to see Sayid had returned. "Sayid, you're back" Jack said.

"Yes" said Sayid, "But we ran into something unexpected. Charlie and Ana-Lucia have been taken by the Others" Sayid turned to Henry, "but then you knew that would happen, didn't you?"

Henry looked confused, "Why would I know that? Didn't you find my balloon?"

"We found a balloon," said Sayid, "and we found a grave. But still I did not believe you. So we dug it up, and we found that there was not a woman inside but a man." Sayid took a card from his pocket and showed it to Henry, Jack and Locke. "Buried in that grave is the real Henry Gale."

Jack and Locke turned to look at Henry, who now bore an expression of panic.

"You don't understand" said Henry, "This thing is bigger than all of us."

"What I understand" said Sayid, "Is that you are going to lead us to where they were taken and if they do not release them we will kill you."

Henry shook his head, "That's not going to work. You don't understand who you're dealing with. These people. They won't care about getting me back. They only care about one thing."

"What's that?" asked Locke, intrigued.

Henry looked at Locke, "The Project. To serve the Project at all costs. All in the name of science."

Jack shook his head, "Well I don't care about The Project. All I want are my people back." Jack turned to Sayid, "We need to go to Sawyer and get more guns" reluctantly he added, "and we can use more help."

Jack looked at Locke, considering his primary responsibility as camp doctor. On the other hand, he decided, Charlie and Ana might need him too. Finally, he said to Locke, "I'll send Sun back here to take care of your leg and to help with the button."

Locke understood, "I'll be alright. Go."

With a gun to his back, Henry was led out of the hatch by Sayid and Jack. Next stop, Sawyer.

Chapter Four

The two men brought Charlie to what appeared to be some kind of laboratory. In the room were two exam tables flanked by monitoring equipment. Charlie tried to fight but the men put him on one of the tables and tied his wrists and ankles down tightly with wide Velcro straps. Across his forehead they fastened another restraint and then they backed away. The man in the lab coat approached and began attaching electrodes with wires to Charlie's head. The wires fed to one of the machines next to the table. As the man then attached more electrodes to Charlie's chest he began to speak.

"My name is Dr. Engels" said the man, "I work for the Dharma Initiative's behavioural science unit of The Project. You are about to make an extraordinary contribution to science."

Charlie stared, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Engels continued, "In light of the sacrifice you are making I can tell you. The Dharma Initiative began as a group of scientists brought together on this island to compile research in their various fields in service of something known as The Project. Eventually, difference of opinion over the use of human subjects in testing caused a split in the group. Many quit The Project. Some stayed and continued to protest, hoping to sway the others with their talk of 'ethical responsibilities'. I and the people you call the Others represent the group that believe in a greater good and the importance of the ultimate success of The Project for the benefit of all mankind."

Charlie was in shock. This mad scientist had almost made his work seem like a noble pursuit. "What do you want with us?" asked Charlie.

Engels continued, "The passengers of flight 815 were brought to this island to be our test subjects. We have been collecting personal information on every survivor since your arrival here over two months ago. Until now, we have been monitoring your people and collecting data from a distance, studying how each responded to certain implanted memories, dreams and visions by a process known as remote viewing. Now, we require studies on the physiological effects of implanted stimuli. We will inject you with a large dose of adrenaline and hyperactivate the memory center of the brain in order to monitor the reaction on vital functions and brainwave patterns."

Charlie couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was almost too much to process. He began to wonder if there were still Project members around who might stop this. "What happened to the scientists who stayed with the Project but continued to protest?" he asked.

Engels smiled and spoke as if he were explaining something to a small child, "They became our first test subjects, of course" he answered, "and they died."

"Why did you take me first?" asked Charlie, hoping to delay as long as he could.

Dr. Engels replied, "Ah yes. Well, as I said we have been watching you. We know what you have experienced on the island. Your memories should be of an appropriate level of intensity to collect the data we need. Of course," Engels continued as he turned and walked towards a table of instruments nearby, "that also means it will be more dangerous. But all in the name of science."

As he finished speaking Engels turned and Charlie saw that he was holding a large hypodermic needle. Charlie felt raw fear and once again he tried to stall, "Wait! No, don't do this…"

But Engels continued, "I'm sorry we are unable to administer any type of sedative. It would interfere with the results of the test" and Engels injected Charlie in the chest with the adrenaline. Charlie felt a searing hot pain, then he heard the machines around him begin to beep.

Almost immediately, Charlie began to see images in his mind that felt so real he almost believed he was back in his camp. More vivid than any dream, Charlie found himself standing in a familiar part of the jungle. Suddenly he heard a noise from the bushes and a wild boar came running out towards him. Charlie recalled this as the day he went out in the jungle looking for Locke to get his drug stash back. Just as he had done then he turned and ran from the boar, heart racing. Only this time it felt different from how he remembered it. Instead of escaping the boar as it was caught in one of Locke's traps the boar caught him, knocking him to the ground and goring into his side with its powerful tusks. As he lay on the table Charlie instinctively tried to grab for his side but found he was unable to move his arms. Instead he just cried out in pain.

The image of the boar melted away and was replaced by another familiar memory—his first night of heroin withdrawal. Thinking back to that time, Charlie only remembered feeling violently ill. This time the feeling of sickness was coupled with an intense craving for his drug that was stronger than any he had ever felt. Charlie pulled against the restraints as he began to sweat and shake. He didn't understand what was happening to him. It's just a dream, he tried to tell himself, but why did it feel so bloody real? He wanted his heroin back, anything to make the pain go away.

More memories followed in succession, the bee stings, Danielle's rock trap, the gunpowder treatment to his head wound, the fear of Aaron in danger, Locke's punches. Each memory felt slightly altered, the pain and emotions ten times more intense than he remembered. He felt as if all his senses were heightened. Charlie screamed and screamed.

Chapter Five

Ana paced back and forth in the cell like a caged animal, wondering what they were doing to Charlie, worried that she would be next. She hoped that Sayid had made it back to camp and was possibly on his way back by now with a rescue party. Would they arrive in time?

The door to the cell opened as before and Ana spun around, expecting to see the man in the lab coat and his two goons. Instead, to her surprise she found herself face to face with Goodwin. From down the hall she could hear Charlie screaming in what sounded like excruciating pain.

Ana shook her head in confusion, "No. Not you. You're supposed to be dead."

"I am, Ana" said Goodwin, displaying the charming smile that Ana remembered before she figured out who he was. "Don't you remember? You killed me. I've just come back to return the favour. Don't you understand that we're all acting for the greater good here? You had no right to do what you did."

As Goodwin spoke he came at Ana and grabbed her, pinning her arms behind her as she struggled. "I've got her!" Goodwin called out to the open door.

As Ana stood facing the doorway, hearing the screams that never seemed to stop, she was confronted with the most unbelievable sight of all. There in the doorway stood Jason, the man who had shot her so long ago in Los Angeles, nearly killing her and causing her to lose the baby she was carrying. Ana couldn't believe her eyes, but she knew her fear was real and intense.

Then she noticed Jason had a gun in his hand. As Goodwin held her in place, Jason raised his gun "You killed me too Ana, you shouldn't have done that."

Ana heard a gunshot and she screamed. She felt a jolt to her body and she opened her eyes. She found herself strapped to a table in some kind of science lab. She turned her eyes to the side and saw Charlie. She was in the same room as he was, and those screams she thought she heard from down the hall were really coming from right next to her. She noticed him sweating, struggling and in pain.

Charlie was experiencing the one memory he feared most of all—Ethan.

Charlie felt the vines cutting into his skin as Ethan left him dangling from the tree. Once again he felt the burning pain around his neck and the sensation of his airway being restricted. It was like a nightmare that he couldn't wake up from because it felt so real. Charlie felt himself struggling to breath and he began to choke.

Ana recognized what was happening immediately. He's reliving the hanging, she thought. She noticed the monitors attached to Charlie's head and chest begin to chime rapidly.

"Stop!" Ana yelled across the room to Engels, who stood calmly nearby making notations onto a clipboard "Stop what you're doing! You're killing him!"

"I'm sorry Ms. Cortez" replied Engels, "but I can't do that. We are collecting valuable information. The experiment must continue."

Ana turned her gaze back to Charlie and saw that he had begun to convulse.

Chapter Six

Sayid, Jack and Sawyer arrived with Henry at the gravesite. From here they would need Henry's assistance. Sayid turned to the frightened man, "What happened to the man that is buried here, the real Henry Gale?"

Henry looked at the mound of rocks at his feet, "He survived the balloon crash. Then he became a test subject. It was the tests he didn't survive."

Jack look panicked at this information. Was this what they were doing to Ana and Charlie? With a renewed sense of urgency, Jack turned to Henry, "You know where they taken. Lead the way, now."

Henry shook his head as he tried to explain, "I'm not a bad person. What we are doing is for science, for humanity. They're trying to save a dying world"

Sawyer raised his gun and pointed it at Henry, "Look, Igor. Either you start walking now or the next sacrifice for humanity will be you."

Henry turned and led them to a site a short distance from the grave and balloon site. The entrance was a hatch door similar to the others on the island. They opened the doors and went in and immediately heard the sounds of Ana shouting from behind a closed door on the right. Keeping Henry in the back at Sayid's gunpoint, Jack and Sawyer opened the door and entered the room, guns raised.

Sawyer scanned the room quickly and noticed Ana, who appeared unharmed. Then he saw Charlie struggling to breath on the table next to her. With no time to consider his options, Sawyer pointed his gun at the machines next to Charlie and shot at the terminals. Charlie collapsed and was immediately still, apparently lifeless. Sawyer put his gun on Engels and shouted, "Don't you move, Dr. Jekyll!"

Jack raced over to Charlie to check for life signs. Jack found his breathing shallow and his pulse racing, but he was alive. He unfastened the restraints and disconnected the electrodes. Sayid held Henry with a gun to his head. Sawyer kept his gun trained on Engels as he backed up slowly to where Ana was tied down. He unfastened her restraints, "You okay, Lulu?" he asked Ana.

"Yeah" said Ana, glancing with concern at Charlie who remained unconscious.

Sayid spoke to Engels, "We are going to take our people back and you will not interfere or we will kill this man."

Engels appeared unfazed, staring at the intruders with a blank expression, almost not comprehending the interruption to his work.

Ana spoke, "These people care more about their research than their people. Maybe you need to threaten to destroy the research."

"No!" cried Engels, "It is crucial that The Project be allowed to continue. Take your people, but know this: you are all laboratory animals. You will continue to be monitored and the experiments will continue for as long as necessary."

Ana asked Engels, "Where are the children?"

Engels responded, "The children are fine, but you won't find them here."

Sawyer handed his gun to Ana to keep on Engels and approached the table where Charlie lay. He lifted him up and carried him out across his shoulders with Jack following behind. Ana lowered her gun and followed the group. Sayid remained in the lab with Henry and Engels. Before he left he demanded, "I want you to tell me how you communicate with the outside, with people off the island. Where is your communications equipment?"

Engels smiled, "There is no outside. The world as you knew it no longer exists. You will never leave this island."

Sayid left Henry behind and exited the hatch.

Chapter Seven

Ana ran up alongside Jack as the group headed back to the beach. She glanced at Charlie being carried by Sawyer.

"Jack will he be alright?" asked Ana.

"I won't know until we get him back to camp" said Jack, "It might help if you could tell me what they did to you."

Ana told Jack about the experiments. When she finished, Jack shook his head, "What he went through with Ethan was unbelievable. I was there, Ana. He was dead. I couldn't imagine what it would do to him if he had to experience that again."

Ana was silent, hesitant. Then she spoke, "Jack, I didn't know. He only just told me about Ethan after they captured us."

Jack responded, reassuring, "We've all been through a lot on this island, Ana. I guess you just can't judge someone until you know their story."

"Yeah, I know that now" said Ana.

Ana walked alongside Sawyer for the remainder of the trek while Sayid approached Jack, telling him what the man in the laboratory had said.

"Do you think it's true? What he said about there being no outside world?" asked Jack. "I think it's crazy. It doesn't make sense."

Sayid nodded in agreement, "It is just the type of thing to say to a prisoner if you don't want him to have any hope, take away his motive to escape. They must have communications equipment somewhere. They are obviously receiving supplies."

Some time later they arrived back at the beach. Sawyer put Charlie down in the infirmary tent and Jack checked his pulse again. Ana was watching, expectantly, as Jack spoke, "His pulse and his breathing are back to normal" said Jack, "he should be coming around soon."

"I'll stay with him" said Ana.

Jack looked at Ana-Lucia, trying to read her expression, understand her sudden concern, "Yeah, okay" he finally said, "Just come get me if you need me."

Ana nodded and sat down next to Charlie in the tent. After about a half hour Charlie started to rouse. He opened his eyes, but appeared disoriented.

"Here" said Ana, handing him a small bottle of water, "take this".

Charlie took the bottle and drank half of it down. "How did I get here?" he asked.

"We were rescued" said Ana.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

Ana smiled, touched by his new sense of concern for her. She nodded, "Yeah. How are you?"

"I feel like I ran a bloody marathon" said Charlie, trying to sit up. He touched his head, wincing, "my head feels like it came in last."

They sat side by side for a few moments in silence. Then Ana spoke, "I misjudged you. All of you, really. Libby, Eko, Bernard and me, I really thought we'd been through the worst of it. When we got here and saw the supplies you had, the hatch, the frigging golf course, I thought you guys had it so easy, that you couldn't have gone through half of what we did" she looked at Charlie who was listening closely, "I was wrong."

Charlie nodded but didn't respond at first. Something else was on his mind. "Do you think" Charlie said, "there's a chance that none of this is real, the island, the things that have happened to us here? That guy, Engels, talked about implanting memories. I mean if they can do that, implant memories, cause hallucinations, dreams, then how do we know what to trust?"

Ana considered Charlie's words and responded, "I guess we'll have to trust each other."

Charlie looked at Ana, trying to determine if he could trust her. As if reading his mind, Ana confessed, "I was shot in the line of duty once, because I hesitated. That day in the jungle, we heard whispers, one of our people had just been taken and I was scared. I saw movement in the bushes, someone coming at us and I didn't hesitate."

Charlie listened and nodded, "I know it was an accident. I didn't mean it when I called you a murderer" He looked out onto the blue ocean that lay before them, "Let's hope this place doesn't make corpses of us all."

Ana put an arm around Charlie, as he lay his head on her shoulder and they watched the sunset.