Curious [open]

[Alex Rousseau]

Alex jumped out of the outrigger, landing in the water which was just about knee deep. She brought the outrigger to shore, dragging it up the beach and into the shade so it wasn't left on the beach. It had taken her about an hour to get out of the community without being seen by anyone else, and then to take the outrigger to the smaller island. No one knew she was here, yet. There was more activity happening at the Hydra station lately but Alex had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that they had Karl working here and she wanted to see him. She also had heard a few things about some new projects they were starting at the Hydra and was curious to see what was going on.

Shifting the weight of her shoulder bag on her shoulder, Alex set off through the jungle. She was very familiar of this smaller island as she was around the community. She didn't really plan this little trip out well; she wanted to see and talk to Karl but she knew he would be hard at work and if Ben had specifically said she wasn't supposed to be on the island, she wouldn't be allowed hanging around. She wasn't really sure on what they were doing; she had heard some plans for some type of runway but she didn't think they had started it yet.

A few minutes later Alex paused, looking around her surroundings to be sure of where she was. Recognizing her surroundings, she turned right and went through a slight clearing before entering the cool shade of the trees. She continued her way, hearing some voices in the distance where the station was located. She continued more cautiously, wondering if it would be possible to see and talk to Karl without being seen by anyone else. It wouldn't really be possible if he was inside any of the stations and working.

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia left the station and made her way quickly and quietly back into the jungle. She had to go the way she came, they were being extremely careful, some of the survivors of the recent plane crash had become quite hostile, and though fairly predictable as people, the violence they carried with them was not. Claudia's head and stomach were full as she walked back to the boat. She had enjoyed the solitary ride here, and she would enjoy it the second time just as much, in the last few days she had settled back into a contented silence. Her mind was making lists as she tucked the progress reports from the hydra into her bag and continued through the dense trees.

She stopped in a small clearing, not so much to catch her breath, but to catch her mind that was quickly running away from her. The last few days had changed her and not so, and it was odd. She had thought the doors Ben had unlocked for her would change everything, or kill her, and the reality was it hadn't done either. Life went on in much the same way, Claudia still had many questions, Ben was still the most amazing person Claudia had ever known, and the island was still her home, she supposed these things would never change for her, they were her constants.

She sighed as she readied to start on her way again, but just to her left s twig snapped. Claudia spun on her heels and faced a big tree. It was a tree she had used to mark her way and Claudia could feel something or someone behind it so she froze. Claudia was an excellent tracker, it was true but she could claim no glory of skill, she more often than not just felt their heat, a heat that she almost craved, her core always seemingly so cold. In an instant she was steeping quickly and lightly to the tree, it was definitely a person, one not much larger than her, and a female, Claudia guessed by the breath sounds. Claudia tackled the girl gingerly, not wishing to hurt herself or the intruder. As the girls came to rest in the dirt Claudia couldn't help but laugh at herself. " Sorry Alex......I didn't know it was you, why are you hiding," Claudia asked still laughing slightly and offering Alex a hand up from the ground.

[Alex Rousseau]

Alex had paused, reaching for her bag to grab her water bottle. It wasn't a long hike through the jungle the way she had come, but she didn't want to feel dehydrated. Just as she reached for her bottle she saw some movement in the corner of her eye. Not even realizing what was happening or what she was doing she grasped her slingshot in her shoulder bag but there was no way she would have the time to bring it out.

Alex cried out in surprise as a young woman suddenly tackled her to the ground. She rolled over, prepared to try to defend herself in any way she could. When she heard the woman laughing she sat up, realizing what was going on. She recognized the woman as Claudia, someone who has been around for awhile but also someone who Alex doesn't usually talk to. Alex was slightly relieved that it was Claudia and not anyone else, but she was still feeling rather annoyed that she had been tackled.

"What was that for?" Alex said with an edge to her voice as she climbed to her feet, shoving her water bottle and slingshot back in her shoulder bag since some of it's contents had fallen out of her bag in the fall. She didn't see any reason to be tackled, unless Claudia thought she was someone she wasn't. Still, wasn't that what the stun darts were for? However, Alex would rather be tackled then shot at with a stun dart.

[Claudia O'keefe]

Claudia brushed herself off and awkwardly brushed some of the dirt from Alex's bag. The girl's tone was less than friendly, and Claudia felt the sting, but she continued smiling none-the-less. Alex had avoided her question, but it didn't really need to be answered anyway, Claudia already knew. There was only one reason Alex would be skulking around the station, Karl was inside, and Alex was not allowed to be. Ben had Claudia keeping close tabs on the pair, so close in fact that Claudia and Ben had been watching Karl through a newly rigged lamp, and though she found Karl inept and frivolous, she understood Alex was blind to the boy's faults, or at the very least was willing to endure them in exchange for his company, and that Claudia understood very well.

"Well Alex, that was because I assumed you were one of them waiting in ambush or something more dastardly than just you trying to get closer to Karl." Claudia smiled letting Alex know that she meant no harm, well there would be some harm she supposed, since Claudia was on her way back to the girl's father, and it was never a good thing to be on Benjamin Linus' bad side. That thought turned Claudia's smile into a more difficult expression, though Claudia was loyal to Ben, she supposed she could keep this to herself, and she softened a bit.

She tugged her furry grey hat down tight over her ears back in its rightful place and looked at the soft red-brown earth beneath the two girls. " Kar'ls alright you know, I just saw him. He's working on something with Tom." Claudia tilted her head back, still averting her eyes from Alex's but now letting the thick beams of warm golden sun that peeked through the trees in the clearing hit her upturned cheeks. " The 815 survivors are dangerous Alex, I don't think you should be out here alone, besides, it's a full moon tonight." Claudia winked as she finally gazed back at Alex. The full moon tended to ruffle the feathers of most on the island and off, she didn't want Alex to get hurt or find trouble, so she would keep the incident to herself...if Alex made it home before dark.

[Alex Rousseau]

Alex frowned at Claudia's words, although she couldn't help but feel slightly surprised. As everyone else, she would've assumed Claudia would attempt to order her back to the Barracks. She heard Claudia's warning about the survivors of Oceanic 815, but she wasn't very concerned about it. At least not now. If any of the Oceanic survivors have made their way to this side of the island and were somehow able to access the Hydra island, Alex assumed Ben and the others would be doing something about it. It was very unlikely for Alex to run into any of them that night, unless she somehow got lost when she was heading back to the Barracks and landed the boat outside of the fence. It was very unlikely, since she has made this trip many times before and if things went well for her, she wouldn't be alone.

"So? It's not like they're on this island," Alex spoke up, knowing she could have worded it a bit better but she couldn't help herself. She wanted to find Karl and was tired of being held up by everyone, presumably by her father's words. She wasn't really sure of Claudia's intentions. Was she going to force Alex back to the boat and make her come back to the Barracks? Or was she simply warning her? She was now beginning to wonder why Claudia was out there. Were they finished working with Tom and would be heading back to the Barracks? Alex had started to lose track of the time while she made her way to this island, but she hadn't thought they would stop working now. Maybe it was later than she thought.