"Your gift, Daniel, is your mind.
A mind that is meant for science and mathematics.
And it's my job to keep you on your path."
-Eloise Hawking

Daniel marches out of camp and into the jungle, coerced at gunpoint by the angry teenager behind him. He looks over his shoulder to peak back, his glance met with a death stare and a command to keep moving. The aim of her rifle is like a bayonet into his back. She'd pull the trigger without hesitation. She's only waiting for the opportunity; one word; one suspicious move. She's a fighter still in training; a young believer in the Island's sacred cause. The rest of her people are even more ruthless. They slaughtered an entire battalion of Army soldiers. One by one, pretending to be of them, living amongst the soldiers in their own tents and military garb, until overtaking them all. Infiltration is what the Hostiles do best.

Daniel stays calm and thinks over his position. He loosens his tie and unbuttons the top of his collar. No matter what the situation is, he's uncomfortable lying. He told Richard Alpert they're not soldiers, only innocent scientists working for the U.S. military. Fortunately it's a lie sprinkled with bits of truth. Daniel qualifies as a scientist and so does Charlotte the anthropologist. Miles, the mind reading ghost whisperer, is a meta-physicist of sorts. It's certainly a stretch, but all three may pass if further questions get asked. Most importantly, their story only needs to hold until the sky lights up again and moves them on to their next adventure.

He marches on while looking up to the blue open sky, hoping soon for the bright light and signature high pitch jingle. He forgets to look down as the terrain changes to rockier ground; he stumbles for a moment, dropping his physics journal as he catches himself.

"Perfect," she says, sliding the rifle sling to her shoulder. "The scientist whom we've entrusted to dismember a bomb is a fumbling cluts."

She kneels and skims the pages of the journal. "What is this?" she demands. "Instructions to take apart a bomb or detonate one?"

"Please." Daniel nervously extends his hand, hoping for its safe return. The equations and instructions are far too valuable to be in the hands of someone who could easily rip it to shreds. "It was a gift from my Mother."

"In that case," she replies in a sarcastic voice, raising a single eyebrow. "I suppose if your dear mother were here now, she would advise you to do exactly as you promised; disarm the bomb."

"Of course she would," Daniel replies bowing his head, graciously receiving his journal back.

If only she were here Daniel ponders to himself. It was only hours ago, his timeline of course, when he asked Desmond Hume to deliver to her an urgent message. It was a bold and desperate move. After several minutes of banging the hatch, Desmond swings the door open madder than hell, sweating profusely in a bright yellow hazmat suit, more trigger happy than the gun toting girl he's with now. Daniel was so nervous he didn't have the time to say his mother's name. Hopefully, Desmond will put the pieces together as to who she is, and she'll begin the complex process of time travel rescue.

In the meantime, they're all stuck in 1954. Perhaps if time flashes to a more convenient time, Daniel will be able to personally deliver his urgent message to Eloise all by himself. He's quite aware she spent lots of time on the Island in the years before he was born. In the late 1960's she was appointed leader to a group of scientists living on the Island. Late 1950's she visited the Island over summers at her Michigan University's gifted "science" camp. It's even remotely possible that the current year 1954 she could be here now, although she would be quite young.

Daniel glances again to the gunman; she's more relaxed with her finger off the trigger, aiming the rifle at his side. A sudden familiarity about her sends a chill up his spine. He glances every so often, observing her as subtle as possible. Each glance confirms his suspicion. Deep blue eyes. Height 5 foot 3 or 4. Short elflike ears. A sharp dip below her lips, creating a shadow across her chin. Hair as golden as in her early photographs. Her posture; perfect as a soldier.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" she asks, tightening her grip on the rifle.

Daniel looks forward, acting oblivious. "No, no..I'm not..I'm only…"

"You are."

Daniel knows he's busted. He takes a deep breath before gesturing his hands in a surrender. "You know, you're right. I'm sorry." He pauses, taking another breath, doing everything he can not to reveal his conclusion about her. "It's just that, you look so much like….somebody I used to know."

She squints both eyes, staring suspiciously. "Someone other than the girl you just professed your love for? My, aren't you the Romeo."

"Far from it, believe me," he replies, walking ahead of her again. It's ironic really; the same woman who did everything she could to keep him from romantic relationships is accusing him now as a player.

She raises her rifle to her shoulder and aims squarely at his head. "I don't believe you by the way."

Daniel freezes after hearing the rifle cock behind him.

"You may have Richard fooled, but you really can't expect me to believe that you, a British woman, and a Chinese man are all members of the United States military. Who are you and what are you doing on our Island?"

He remains cool as he considers his next move. His story is quickly unravelling due to the teen's insight, although it's safely contained away from everyone else back at camp. Although she detects he's hiding something, their situation really hasn't changed; she's brought him out to the bomb, and he's the only person on the Island with the knowledge to disarm it.

"Do you want to know who I am?" He lifts his chin high and struts toward her, ignoring her empty threats. "I am your best chance at disarming that bomb."

She takes a couple steps back, still aiming in his direction. There's not a question she can ask to test his scientific credentials. She realizes that no matter who Daniel says he is, most likely they share a common goal of survival.

"Alright," she says, pointing her gun down into the valley. A massive bomb sways in the breeze, suspended by rope inside a wooden tower. "Disarm it."

To be continued! More action and dialogue to come! I'm sure many of you remember this unforgettable scene...there's plenty of gaps to be filled in before time flashes once again! -bobt