Flash-forward

Sayid, looking very groomed and conservative, is playing golf alone on a beautiful course in the Seychelles. A European man on a golf cart drives up and starts offering Sayid tips on which iron to use, which turns into a friendly bet on who can drive the ball closest to the flag with their iron.

While they play, the man asks Sayid what he does for a living, and Sayid says he does nothing because he received a large settlement. He tells the man he was one of the Oceanic Six. The gentleman starts to look uncomfortable. The man wins the bet but tells Sayid he doesn't have to pay. Sayid says, "I insist, Mr. Avellino," and shoots him in the chest.

Some time later, Sayid is in a crowded cafe in Berlin, Germany. He finds an empty seat at a table where a woman is sitting. They introduce themselves; her name is Elsa. They talk about their work; Sayid says he is a corporate headhunter, and Elsa says she is a personal shopper for an economist, who is coming to Berlin only for a few days. She shows him her ancient pager and says she's at the economist's beck and call if and when the pager goes off. She looks at Sayid and says he looks familiar - does she know him? Sayid says he'll answer that if he can take her out to dinner. She agrees and tells him which restaurant and when.

After Sayid leaves the bar, he calls someone on a cell phone. He tells them he "made contact," then hangs up the phone and throws it away.

Later, Sayid and Elsa are in a hotel room, getting ready to go to the opera. He is wearing a tux and she an evening gown, and it is their fifth date. Elsa wants to leave her boss' pager at home since it is so bulky, but Sayid insists on carrying it for her. He remarks how old-fashioned the pager is and Elsa says that her boss is old fashioned. She asks Sayid about his boss but he is evasive, and she remarks how she barely knows him. She asks why he's still in Berlin when he was supposed to only be in town for one week. He tells her that the job he's working on is turning out harder to accomplish than he thought. Elsa coyly says that she was hoping that he was staying because of her.

Later still, Sayid and Elsa are in post-coital bliss in the bed. She tells him that she knows nothing about him but she's falling in love with him, and he softens and kisses her tenderly. He concedes and asks Elsa what she wants to know. Suddenly, her pager finally beeps, and she jumps out of bed to get ready to see her boss. His message says he's at the Hotel Adler.

Sayid suddenly insists that Elsa leave Berlin. He says that people are going to start asking questions about her employer and it's best if she's gone. She catches on and asks Sayid who he is, if he met her at the cafe on purpose, and if he's planning on killing her boss. Sayid says that her boss' name is on a list that he was provided by his employer, and that he is NOT an economist.

Suddenly, Elsa grabs a gun and shoots Sayid in the shoulder! While he writhes in pain on the floor, she makes a call and speaks in German. She says that the page was supposed to come at 10:30, and tells the person on the floor that she shot Sayid but didn't kill him, but there's no use keeping him alive if he's not going to provide a name. She says she'll bring Sayid to the "safe house" and then hangs up.

But Sayid grabs a gun and shoots her in the chest. As she collapses and dies, Sayid cries and then touches a silver bracelet she's wearing.

Later still, Sayid is walking through what looks like a darkened animal testing lab, or a veterinary office. At any rate, there are dogs in cages. He walks into an exam room and speaks to someone that we can only hear but not see (note: did anyone NOT recognize the voice as soon as he spoke? Easy peasy). The mystery person, who we find out is Sayid's mysterious employer, starts treating Sayid's wound and asks what Elsa's objective was. Sayid tells him that Elsa wanted to find out who he, his employer, was. The camera cuts to... BEN!! Dun dun dun! Ben says he's got another name for Sayid's list. Sayid is reluctant and Ben asks him if he remembers what happened the last time he followed his heart. Then he reminds Sayid that what he's doing is "protecting [his] friends."

Sayid explains that "they" know he's coming now, and Ben replies, "Good."

On the Island

Sayid is examining Naomi's dead body, and sees that she's wearing a silver bracelet. Engraved on it are the words, "N, I'll always be with you - RG." He asks Miles why they came and they say they were paid a lot of money to get Ben. Frank says that they burned a lot of fuel and he can only take three people up in the copter. Sayid makes a deal - he says that if he can bring Charlotte back from Locke's group, he will get a spot on the copter and get taken to the ship. Frank says it's a deal.

Jack finds the photo of Desmond and Penny in Naomi's bag but Frank, Miles, and Daniel don't know anything about it. He asks Juliet to go to the beach and bring Desmond back and she says she'll be back in a few hours. Sayid tells Jack that he'll make Locke release Charlotte without any bloodshed, and that Jack can't come because he doesn't trust him to not hurt Locke. Miles says he's coming along with Sayid and Sayid agrees, but won't give Miles a gun.

Meanwhile, Sawyer asks Ben the name of his plant on the boat and Locke says that Ben won't tell because his secret is the only thing keeping him alive. Sawyer suggests torturing Ben, starting with his feet and Locke says no, then they'd have to carry him. Suddenly, Locke comes across the ring of gunpowder that he'd last seen surrounding Jacob's cabin - but the cabin is gone. Hurley suggests that maybe the cabin is somewhere else. Ben taunts Locke and says that he's only there to find out what to do next. Locke says never mind, they'll just head to the barracks.

Hurley suggests that they let Charlotte go, to make a compromise to Team Jack. Locke says no, she is valuable as a hostage.

Back at the copter, Kate teases Jack about how it sucks being told not to come along. Jack jokes that he'll just do what Kate does - wait 20 minutes and then go along anyway. He suggests that Kate go along with Sayid and Miles, because he doesn't trust Locke. Kate asks why she should have faith that Locke won't do something to her, and Jack says it's because Sawyer won't let him. Kate, Sayid, and Miles head off. Frank asks Jack where Sayid is from, and Jack says Iraq. Frank asks if he was a diplomat and Jack tells Frank Sayid was a torturer.

Meanwhile, Sayid asks Miles if he even cares about Naomi or Charlotte and it's obvious that he doesn't - he cares about Ben. Miles asks why the group split up and Sayid says it's because some of them think they're going to be rescued and the others think they're going to be killed. Miles asks Sayid which side he's on, but Sayid hasn't decided yet.

Back at the copter, Daniel sets up some scientific equipment. Jack asks Frank Daniel's story and Frank doesn't know. He says, "Half of what he says goes over my head and the other half goes way, way over." Daniel tells Frank he wants to call Regina to do an experiment and Frank says it's okay, but to hang up if Minkowski comes on. Daniel calls Regina who says she's locked into his signal and fires something. She counts down to when it should arrive at Daniel but when she gets to zero, Daniel, looking at the sky, says he "doesn't have it." And he says it's weird.

Sayid, Kate, and Miles arrive at the barracks. They go into a house and hear muffled shouting and banging. They find Hurley bound and gagged in a closet. He says that they left him there and went on. He says he didn't know where they were going but they said they were going to stop at Ben's house first. Miles calles Hurley "Tubby" and Hurley says, "Great, another Sawyer."

Back at the copter, Jack asks Frank if the Red Sox really won, and Frank says they did. They hear a beep and suddenly, Daniel's rocket lands at their feet. Daniel checks his watch against the watch on the rocket and they are off by 31 minutes. He says this is "not good." Juliet returns with Desmond, and Desmond is super-excited to see the chopper.

The gang arrives at Ben's house and Kate searches the bedroom while Sayid searches the living room. Sayid finds a secret passageway and goes inside to find a room full of clothes, foreign money, and fake passports with Ben's photo. Kate turns in the bedroom and sees Sawyer. He shushes her but she yells "Sayid!" Sayid comes out of the secret room to see Locke holding a gun on him, while Rousseau has Miles at gunpoint. Hurley appears and apologizes for lying to Sayid. Oh, Hurley.

Rousseau apologizes and they put Sayid in the game room, where Kate had been imprisoned before and where Ben is now. Ben tells Sayid he lost a dollar on a bet with Locke, because he didn't think Sayid would fall for Hurley as bait.

Meanwhile, Kate asks Sawyer why he went with Locke instead of Jack, and Sawyer says he doesn't want to leave the island, because there's nothing for him at home. But he'd be happy to stay on the island where there is everything - food, electricity, shelter, etc. He asks Kate why she wants to leave when all she'll be facing is a jail sentence. She asks him how long he wants to play house and he suggests that she stay with him and find out.

In the game room, Locke brings some iced tea to Sayid, figuring he might be thirsty. Ben says he's thirsty but Locke ignores him. Ha! Sayid asks where Kate and Miles are. Kate is with Sawyer and Miles is "somewhere else." Sayid tells Locke that if he brings Charlotte back, he can get access to the freighter and figure out their motives. Locke doesn't want to give her up so Sayid suggests a trade.

Back at the copter, Des asks Frank about the photo of him and Penny. Frank says that he doesn't know anything - Naomi was "senior management" and didn't tell the rest of them anything. Des doesn't believe him and demands to be taken to the ship. Frank agrees.

Sayid returns with Charlotte. He says that Kate decided to stay and that he traded Miles for Charlotte. Frank is annoyed that Sayid tricked him but says that Miles was a pain in his ass, so it's okay. Charlotte and Daniel decide to stay on the island for now to investigate, so Frank, Desmond, and Sayid get ready to get into the helicopter to fly off. There is room for one more but Jack will stay for now.

Daniel pulls Frank aside and tells him, no matter what, to follow the bearing they came in on. No matter what. Frank agrees. Before they leave, Sayid says he'd like to bring Naomi's body back to the ship, and they load her up.

Frank, Des, and Sayid get into the copter, Frank starts her up, and they take off, flying over the amazing scenery of the island.