1.18 - Numbers

Hurley sets off into the jungle in search of the French woman, with whom he may have a surprising connection, forcing Jack, Sayid and Charlie to follow in hopes of finding him.

4 - 8 - 15 - 16 - 23 - 42

You awake?
I was just wondering that myself. --- Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, Sayid

You know very well I don't like surprises.
Oh, you're going to like this one, Ma. I mean, after everything you've been through. Like Grandpa and, at the funeral, Father Aguilar getting struck by lightning. Man, that was a freak storm. And, Diego moving back home after Lisa left him for that... waitress. --- Carmen Reyes, Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

I can make it. I'm spry. --- Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

She says "Hi". --- Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

Michael, Jin and Hurley are working on the raft; Hurley having some trouble determining what Jin is asking of him because of the language barrier. Jack arrives and observes that the raft is coming along well. Michael says that it is under 24 hour guard to prevent another fire.

Michael then says that he is worried that a ship may not see the raft. He says that they need something they can use to send a distress signal with. Jack says that Sayid may be able to rig up a distress beacon of some kind but that they have no way of powering it. Hurley observes that Sayid told them that the French woman had batteries in her hideout.

Later, Jack and Hurley are talking to Sayid, who is refusing to try to get back in touch with Danielle. He claims that he was unconscious when he was taken to her camp and disoriented afterwards and is not sure he could find it again. Hurley asks if he means "can't" or "won't".

Sayid starts to get angry at Hurley but Jack interrupts, saying that Sayid once thought the maps he took showed her hideout. Sayid says that he was wrong and that he now thinks the maps, numbers and equations are nothing but the ravings of a disturbed mind. He grabs a handful of papers and, shoving some at Hurley, shows a map to Jack. Sayid says that if the map show's Danielle's location, then she would be at the area marked on the map. He also says the area marked is labeled "Territorie Fonce". He says that Shannon translated this as "Dark Territory".

Jack asks if this means that Sayid won't help. Sayid says he will try to build a distress beacon but says that Jack needs to find another way to power it. He suggests checking the cockpit and Jack says he won't go back to the cockpit.

While they have been talking, Hurley has been looking through the papers Sayid gave him. He starts staring at one piece of paper on which the numbers "4 8 15 16 23 42" have been written over and over.

Flashback: Hurley, eating and watching television, is at home. His mother, Carmen Reyes, exits the kitchen and, after commenting on his TV viewing, tells him to watch what he is eating since he is starting to gain weight again. Hurley responds that if she wants him to live at home then she needs to respect his privacy. She leaves, saying that he shouldn't be inside watching TV on a Saturday night, he should be out on a date.

Hurley has been flipping channels and he stops on one where they are running a lottery drawing. They have just announced the last number. Hurley pulls out a lottery ticket and compares it to the numbers on the screen. They are the same: 4 8 15 16 23 and 42. As the lottery official announces that it is a near-record jackpot since there has been no winner for sixteen weeks, Hurley falls over in a faint.

Sayid wakes up in surprise to find Hurley in his tent. Sayid asks Hurley what he is doing there and Hurley says he couldn't sleep and started wondering about the papers Sayid had taken from Danielle. He shows the sheet of paper with the numbers on it to Sayid and asks if he and Shannon had figured out what they meant. Sayid, annoyed and half-asleep, says that he thought they were coordinates of some kind.

Hurley then starts asking how Sayid found Danielle and asks about the cable Sayid followed inland from the beach. Sayid pointed out that the cable led him into a trap but Hurley theorizes that Danielle's hideout would be nearby.

Sayid, still annoyed, asks why Hurley is suddenly so interested. Hurley says there is no reason then, apologizing if it was a bad time, leaves. Sayid sleepily watches him go. When he is out of sight, Hurley pulls the map and the sheet of paper with the numbers from under his shirt.

Flashback: There is a press conference in front of the Reyes home where a crowd of reporters are talking to the lucky lottery winner. Hurley says he plans to spend a lot of the money on his family since he recently put them through a lot. He then starts introducing his family; his mother Carmen, his brother Diego and sister-in-law Lisa (Diego jumps in front of the camera shouting "We're rich") and his grandfather Tito. He says that his grandfather has worked three jobs for over fifty years and his only vacation was when he had a pacemaker implanted four years ago. Hurley continues talking about his plans, taking the family on a cruise and buying a house for his mother, but Tito clutches at his left arm then collapses to the ground. Hurley turns in concern as the reporters turn to the fallen Tito.

Hurley is in the caves and filling up a water bottle. Charlie comes up and calls out to him, causing Hurley to jump guiltily. Hurley quickly denies doing anything.

Charlie asks where Hurley is going and Hurley says he isn't going anywhere. He then looks at the water bottle and says he is planning to go for a walk to scope out a new fishing area. Charlie seems to like the idea and, saying that he could use some fresh air himself, offers to come along. Hurley quickly cuts him off, saying that he needs some time alone.

Hurley picks up his pack and it falls open, revealing four more water bottles inside. Charlie looks at it suspiciously. Hurley grabs the pack and, explaining that he gets dehydrated easily, quickly leaves.

At the beach, Locke approaches Claire and asks if she can help him with a project. Claire points out that she is almost nine months pregnant and can barely move. Locke asks if she can hold a saw and move her arm back and forth. With a laugh, Claire admits that she can. Locke tells her that she is perfect for what he has in mind and helps her to her feet. As they leave, Claire asks what the project is.

Elsewhere, Sayid approaches Jack and angrily demands to know where the map is, saying that he told Jack that the map wouldn't do him any good. Jack, confused, tells Sayid that he doesn't know what he is talking about. Sayid, still angry, tells Jack that what makes it worse is that Jack got Hurley to do his dirty work for him. Jack, still confused, asks what Sayid is saying about Hurley.

Sayid tells how Hurley came to his tent the night before and was asking about Danielle and the numbers. Jack continues to look blankly at Sayid, who finally realizes that Jack really doesn't know what he is talking about.

Jack calls out to Charlie, who is nearby, and asks if he has seen Hurley. Charlie says that he has and adds that Hurley was "acting quite the loon". Sayid realizes that Hurley has left to find Danielle.

Later, Jack, Charlie and Sayid are preparing to leave. Shannon asks Sayid how long they will be gone and Sayid says he hopes they will be back by sundown. He touches her cheek and they leave.

Elsewhere, Hurley walks along the beach.

Flashback: Hurley and his mother are driving down the road in a new Hummer. His mother is saying that she doesn't like surprises and Hurley tells her that she will like this one. He says that she deserves something good after all that she has been through. He mentions his grandfather's death then the fact that the priest was hit by lightning at the funeral. He also says that Diego has moved back home since Lisa left him. For a waitress.

Hurley thinks a moment then says that he thinks the money he won is cursed. His mother hits him, saying that they don't believe in curses. Hurley drops the subject as they are getting close to their destination. Over her protests, he makes his mother put on a blindfold.

The Hummer pulls up in front of a large, new house. Hurley hops out and runs around the Hummer to open her door. He tells her to remove the blindfold so that she can see her new house.

Hurley's mother gets out of the car and trips on the curb, falling to the ground. She yells that she has broken her ankle. Hurley, meanwhile, smells smoke. Looking up, he sees a fire burning in one of the upper windows on the house. He quickly grabs his cell phone to call 911, his mother yelling for him to tell them about her broken ankle.

Before Hurley can even dial the phone, two police cars race up. The police get out and, guns drawn, tell him to get down. Hurley tries to tell them about the house but he is shoved to the hood of the Hummer and placed under arrest. As the house burns behind them, Hurley turns to his mother, still sitting on the curb, and asks if she still doesn't believe in curses.

Walking along the beach, Hurley finds the cable. He yells a few times for the "French chick" then, taking the cable in his hand, starts following it inland.

Hurley is meeting with his accountant. The accountant tells him that his investment in orange futures paid off when hurricanes hit Florida, that a sneaker factory he owned in Canada (that Hurley didn't realize that he owned) was destroyed in a fire (killing eight people) but that the factory was over-insured and so realized a profit and that he is now the owner of a box company.

"A box company?" repeats Hurley.
"Yes." says the accountant. "They make boxes."

Hurley comments about bad luck. The accountant scoffs, saying that Hurley isn't the first lottery winner to think that the money brought him bad luck. The accountant says he doesn't believe in luck, just numbers. He then asks Hurley where the numbers came from.

Hurley suddenly gets an idea and exclaims that it isn't the money that is cursed, it is the numbers. The accountant scoffs at this idea too. Suddenly, someone falls past the window. The accountant turns to the window then, surprised, turns back to Hurley.

At the beach, Michael and Jin are working on the raft. Walt is nearby, as is Sawyer. Sawyer is reading a book (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle) and apparently being annoyed by the pounding. After arguing a bit with Michael and Walt over if he should be helping or just guarding the raft, Sawyer gets up in annoyance and leaves. Michael starts to follow but a bundle of bamboo falls apart and Michael and Jin suddenly start arguing.

A short distance away, Kate and Sun are watching. Sun wonders if Jin will ever speak to her again. Kate says that Jin just needs time but Sun says that she humiliated him. Sun asks if Jin is leaving with the others on the raft. Kate says she doesn't know.

Elsewhere, Hurley is still following the cable. He finds the carcass of a boar suspended from a trap overhead; flies buzzing around it. He continues onwards and steps on something metal. He looks down and is about to continue when, suddenly, Sayid appears and tells him to stop.

Charlie, Jack and Sayid arrive. Sayid tells Hurley that he is standing on a pressure plate and, if he moves, he will release the trap; a large spiked ball of bamboo. Sayid tells Charlie to go find something to put on the plate.

Charlie, Jack and Sayid are talking among themselves and not paying attention to Hurley, who is asking if he can drop the cable. Getting no answer, he finally does. Everyone winces but nothing happens.

Hurley then says that he thinks he can dodge the trap. The others yell for him not to try it but he leaps to one side and the spiked ball swings harmlessly by him. Jack stops the swinging ball while Hurley stands up and asks what the others are doing there.

Jack asks why Hurley is out there and Hurley says he is trying to get a battery. Jack asks if there is anything else going on and Hurley denies that there is. Hurley asks if the others are coming along. They all apparently agree and Sayid, sounding somewhat annoyed, says he will lead the way.

Flashback: Hurley is at the reception desk of what seems to be a psychiatric hospital. He is wanting to see a patient named Leonard but the receptionist says she can't look up a patient without knowing his last name. Hurley annoys her by demanding that he get to see "Lenny" and annoys her more when he yells at a worker who is attempting to use a rickety ladder to change a light bulb to stop what he is doing.

A conflict is avoided when Dr. Curtis appears and recognizes Hurley. He asks what brought Hurley back and Hurley says he wants to talk to Lenny. Dr. Curtis is surprised, saying that he never knew Hurley and Lenny spent time together but Hurley says that they did. Dr. Curtis leads Hurley to a large room with a number of patients and directs him to a table where Lenny is methodically placing markers into a Connect Four game.

Dr. Curtis leaves and Hurley, after a brief greeting, asks Lenny where the numbers came from. Lenny remains focused on the Connect Four game but starts repeating "4 8 15 16 23 42" over and over again.

Hurley repeats his question and says that he needs to know since bad things seem to have started happening since he won the lottery with the numbers. This gets Lenny's attention and he suddenly asks Hurley if he really used the numbers to play the lottery. Hurley admits that he did.

Lenny becomes extremely agitated and starts yelling that Hurley shouldn't have used the numbers and that he "opened the box" and that it "won't stop". Several orderlies rush in, grab Lenny and start to drag him off. Lenny continues to yell that Hurley needs to get away from the numbers.

Hurley yells, asking where the numbers came from. Lenny says that he and someone named Sam Toomey heard them when they were working in the town of Kalgoorlie. Hurley asks where Kalgoorlie is and Lenny just has time to yell "Australia" before he is pulled from the room.

In the jungle, the cable the group has been following disappears into the ground. Sayid is wondering what to do when Charlie calls them from a short distance away. The others follow Charlie and find a flimsy rope bridge crossing a chasm.

The others are wondering what to do when Hurley simply walks out onto the bridge. The others watch breathlessly as he slowly makes his way across but he reaches the far side without difficulty. He yells that it is safe and calls the others.

Charlie steps onto the bridge and starts making his own slow way across. He is almost to the far side when the rope breaks and the bridge collapses. Charlie is fortunately able to jump to safety.

Jack yells for Hurley and Charlie to stay put while he and Sayid try to find a way to reach them. Hurley yells that there is a path on the far side and he plans to follow it. Charlie yells at Hurley, saying he should listen to Jack and asking if he is crazy. Hurley gives Charlie a dirty look.

Flashback: Hurley has arrived in Kalgoorlie, Australia and has found Sam Toomey's home. He tells the woman who answers the door that he wants to talk to Sam. The woman says that she is Martha Toomey, Sam's wife, and that she wishes she could talk to him too; he is dead.

Later, Hurley is inside and telling Martha that he is a fried of Leonard Simms. Martha says that Sam and Leonard worked together for the US Navy, monitoring radio transmissions over the Pacific. Hurley says that he is interested in something they heard and Martha asks if he means the numbers. Hurley says he does.

Martha says that sixteen years ago, Sam and Leonard heard the numbers being broadcast from somewhere. A short time later, she and Sam were at a fair. Someone there was running a scam where someone could try to guess the number of beans in a jar "as big as a pony". Sam used the numbers as his guess and got the exact answer. So, they won the money. Then, on the way home from the fair, a truck blew a tire and collided with them head-on. Sam was unhurt but Martha lost her leg.

After that, Sam became convinced that the numbers were cursed. He started keeping a record of everything bad that happened around him, things like fires, floods and deaths, and eventually moved out to the middle of nowhere in an attempt to get away from them. Hurley asks if he ever escaped the numbers and Martha says he did, by putting a shotgun in his mouth and pulling the trigger. He killed himself four years ago.

Martha asks why Hurley is asking about the numbers and Hurley admits that he used the numbers to win the lottery and now bad things are happening to him. This actually makes Martha angry and she asks him if he believes in the curse too. Hurley admits that he does.

"You make your own luck, Mr. Reyes." she tells him forcefully. "Don't blame it on the damn numbers. You're looking for an excuse that doesn't exist."

Back on the island, Claire is helping Locke build an object. She asks if it is some type of trap but he doesn't answer.

Claire thanks Locke for giving her something to do. She says that she is tired of trying to remember what happened to her. Locke asks if she can remember anything and she tells him she only remembers bits and pieces. Locke says that he may be able to help, since he is good at putting bits and pieces together.

Meanwhile, Jack and Sayid are still trying to find a way to reach Charlie and Hurley. Sayid slows and says the area looks familiar; that they may be close to Danielle's hideout. Jack keeps walking and steps into a tripwire. There is an explosion and both are thrown to the ground.

Later, the two are looking around the remains of the hideout. Jack says that there was nothing there before the explosion. Sayid theorizes that Danielle knew he would someday return with others and so moved somewhere else, leaving a booby-trap behind. The two continue to look through the debris.

Elsewhere, Charlie and Hurley are trying to follow the sound of the explosion. Charlie suddenly asks Hurley why he is out in the jungle and tells him that he doesn't belive that it has anything to do with a battery. Hurley evades the question a bit but finally says he will tell him. He starts but, just as he does, we hear a gunshot and a bullet hits the trees behind them.

"Is someone shooting at us?" asks Hurley, surprisingly calm.

Another shot is heard and Charlie and Hurley both take off running, in different directions. Hurley trips and falls. He starts to stand up, only to find Danielle Rousseau pointing a rifle at him.

Hurley recognizes Danielle as being "the French chick" while Danielle realizes that Hurley is another of the survivors from the plane crash. Hurley starts to pull something from his pocket, prompting Danielle to raise her rifle again, but Hurley assures her it is just some of her notes. He shows her the paper with the numbers on it and asks what they mean. Danielle says she doesn't know.

"You don't know?" Hurley says, stunned. He then gets angry. "OK, that thing in the woods? Maybe

it's a monster, maybe it's a pissed-off giraffe; I don't know. The fact that no one is even looking for us? Yeah, that's weird, but I just go along with it 'cause I'm along for the ride. Good ol' fun-time Hurley. Well, guess what? Now, I want some freakin' answers!"

As he speaks, Hurley gets angrier and angrier and louder and louder. Danielle takes a step back, then lowers the rifle. She tells Hurley that, sixteen years ago, her expedition heard the numbers being broadcast and changed their course towards the source of the transmission. They ran aground on the island. Even then they kept searching for the transmission's source and eventually found a broadcast tower, near the Black Rock. After the rest of her expedition were lost, she returned to the tower and changed the broadcast to the distress call that the other survivors later heard.

Hurley asks if she ever learned how the numbers got their power. Danielle asks what he means. He tells her that the numbers are cursed and that they bring bad luck.

Danielle thinks about this for a moment then says that the numbers brought her expedition to the island and therefore resulted in the loss of everything she cared for. She then says that the numbers also apparently brought Hurley to the island as well. She concludes that perhaps Hurley is right; the numbers do bring bad luck.

Hurley, stunned to finally find someone who agrees with him, starts to profusely thank Danielle. He grabs her in a hug, to her stunned surprise, and breaks down into tears, continuing to thank her over and over.

Elsewhere, Jack and Sayid have finished looking through the wreckage. Jack is upset that they will be returning empty-handed but Sayid has found the torn photo of Nadia.

Both are surprised when Charlie stumbles out of the brush. Charlie tells the two of them about how he and Hurley were shot at and says he doesn't know what happened to Hurley. Jack and Sayid are arguing over who will go looking for him when, to their surprise, Hurley calmly steps out of the jungle. Hurley hands a battery to Jack then turns to Sayid.

"She says 'Hi'.", he says.

Hurley walks off. Jack, smiling and shaking his head, follows. A stunned Charlie and Sayid follow.

That night, at the beach, Michael and Jin are carrying supplies to the raft. They stop as the expedition arrives. Sayid hands the battery to a surprised Michael then he and the others continue on their way without a word.

Elsewhere, Locke and Claire are still working. Locke asks what Claire is planning on naming the baby and Claire says that she hadn't thought of one yet. After a pause, she admits that she was planning on giving the baby up for adoption. Locke says that must have been a hard decision for her. She nods agreement.

Suddenly, Claire announces that it is her birthday. Locke is surprised and asks why she hadn't told anyone. Claire points out that she is "single, pregnant and lost on an island in the middle of nowhere" and that it probably doesn't matter much that it is her birthday. Locke shrugs and agrees, then says that at least her's and the baby's birthdays will be close together and says that means good luck. Claire asks Locke if he believes in luck and Locke says he believes in a lot of things.

Locke announces that he has finished the project. Claire asks what it is and Locke turns it over, rocking it on the table. Claire, surprised, realizes that it is a cradle.

"Happy birthday, Claire." says Locke. Claire thanks him and smiles.

Later, at the caves, Hurley is drying his shirt over the fire. Charlie approaches and, after joking about Hurley eating his shirt, asks what Hurley was about to say when they started getting shot at and why he went into the jungle in the first place.

Hurley evades a bit before saying that he thinks the plane crash was his fault. He starts to explain about bad luck following him around but Charlie gets angry and asks Hurley why he thinks he is the only one with problems. He tells Hurley that he was a junkie; so bad off that he couldn't even complete the plane flight without a fix.

Hurley stares silently. Charlie watches him for a moment then says that he just told Hurley a secret from his life and that, normally, Hurley would tell one of his. Hurley thinks a moment.

"Back home," he finally says, "I'm worth 153 million dollars."

Charlie gets angry, accusing Hurley of making a joke. Hurley tries to say something but Charlie cuts him off, saying that he bared his soul to Hurley and all he gets in return is jokes. Charlie stalks off, leaving Hurley along by the fire.

Deep in the jungle, we see the hatch found by Boone and Locke, still sealed but now partially excavated. The camera zooms in to show something engraved below the hatch; a series of numbers.

4 8 15 16 23 42