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“You know, Ben, you could be a baker if you ever got sick of being a cult leader.”
Ben locked eyes with him from the other side of the table. Locke took another bite of the pie he implicitly forced the Other to prepare for him, as a ‘thank you’ for letting him live outside of the basement.
“I must apologize, John - for shooting you and leaving you in that mass grave. It wasn't pleasing for me either, trust me.”
“Yeah, sure. Don't act like you wouldn't do it again.”
“I have never had the desire to kill you. But yes, I would do it again.” He broke eye contact to drink some water. His tone was so casual that Locke almost laughed. “You're aware of the reason I did it, right, John?”
“Yes, because I ‘heard him’... that’s what you told me.”
“I admit that’s just partially true.”
“Then why the hell did you shoot me?” Locke demanded.
“Because you heard him,” he stopped to take another long sip of water, receiving a dirty look from the other man, “and yet you consider me a cult leader. You got your legs back and you called me ‘Wizard of Oz’. You were with me in that cabin, you saw what Jacob did… and you still don’t believe in him. You call yourself a believer, but John, you’re almost worse than Jack!” He finished the sentence chuckling, then drank some more.
“So what, you did it to punish me?!”
Ben stared, like he always did, with the empty, unreadable stare that crept Locke out and intrigued him at the same time, that both made him want to beat up the guy and see beneath his surface, learn how to read his mind, learn how to understand him.
“I did it to wake you up. To show you that you wouldn’t die because you had a destiny, a path to follow.” He finally put down the glass and slightly leaned over. “You’re special, John. The Island wasn’t done with you yet.”
“Is it now?” The other didn’t answer. “What are we doing? Waiting for those freighter people to get here?”
“I’m just your prisoner. You are the leader now. Choose what to do.”
Locke considered his options for a moment. Was Ben trying to manipulate him into doing something? Probably. Why would he try to restore his faith, otherwise? The same faith he destroyed, telling him not to push the button, telling him he was too limited to see. Still, what else was John supposed to do? With those people coming to kill them, there was no time for mind games; he needed to protect the Island at all costs. Plus, while he tried his best not to fall for Ben's lies, he couldn't help but hope that there was some truth in them, that the Other really considered him special. Letting him play him was the only way to find out.
“Alright, then. We'll have to visit Jacob.”