Twenty-4

(annoying mind numbing digital synthesized clock sound)

"Dammit Zoey, hurry up! I need that damn code! If we don't stop this bomb the whole eastern seaboard is going to vanish."

"Quit yelling, Zack. I'm doing all that I can. Just hold your damn horses."

"I'm sorry, Zoey, it's just this job. I've only got twenty-4 hours to stop this all and every second counts."

"Save it, Zack!" Zoey scoffs.

(uncomfortable silence)

"I'm sending you the 24-digit code now, Zack. But remember, as soon as you gain access to the hyper-chamber you only have 24 seconds to disconnect the 24 lead wires before that room starts to fill with chlorine gas."

"Is there anything else, Zoey?"

(more uncomfortable silence)

"Zack, there's something I haven't told you."

"I know, Zoey. You hope that I'm going to be okay and that we all make it through this alive."

"No, Zack. That's not what I was going to say. I was going to say that once you go into that room, then you're on your own. I won't be able to help you any more. The com will go down and you'll be on your own. And one other thing, Zack. Each of those 24 wires have to be disconnected in an exact order or the bomb will bypass all the safeguards and go off anyway."

"Dammit Zoey, when were you going to tell me all this?"

"I'm telling you now, Zack. Oh just...just never mind."

(Com goes silent)

Zack Bower quickly punches in the 24-digit code and waits for the airlock to open. He is just starting to count one-Mississippi; two-Mississippi in his head when he hears a cacophony of gunfire in the room behind him. Wasting no time, he jumps into the hyper-chamber. He quickly reaches into his duffel bag and pulled out a small screwdriver to open up a small panel that houses the 24 lead wires and then realizes that he is running out of time. "There's No Time!" he screams. Tears roll off his cheeks as he tries desperately to disconnect all the wires. No longer able to concentrate, he starts randomly tearing wires out; hoping that nothing bad will happen. Suddenly there is a high-pitched noise and a brilliant white flash...

Zack wakes up to the sound of crashing water and pure blue skies. He is lying on his back and the sun is beating down on him. He is trying to figure out where he is when he hears a voice behind him.

"Dude, are you all right?" a very very large man asks.

Zack jumps up and does a somersault and takes the very, very large man down.

"Dude, what are you doing? Quit throwing sand in my face."

"Who are you?" Zack screams.

"I'm Zurley. Dude get off of me!"

"Where am I?" Zack asks.

"You're on the Island. And we're trying to get off."

Zack turns around to see who the voice is behind him. They all hold guns in their hands. "Who are you people?"

"I'm Zate," the woman says. "That's Zohn Lock and Zayid over there, and this is Zawyer, Zun and Zin. You've met Zurley. And that's Zack."

"My name's Zack, too. Look I don't who you people are, but I've got to get off this Island. I got to go Back!"

"All in good time, Zack. All in good time." A little man says.

"Who are you?" Bower asks.

"Well, my name is Zen, and I'm driving this car."


(annoying mind numbing digital synthesized clock sound)