The Recruiter
Title: The Recruiter
Fandom: Lost
Characters: Richard. Mentions of Locke.
rating: PG-13
Spoilers: All the way up through S4.
Summary: Richard's thoughts as he attempts to recruit Locke, from the moment of his birth to the day when Ben moves the island and Locke becomes leader.
For wandaxmaximoff, who wanted a Richard fic!
Richard watches as the nurse takes baby John out of the incubator for the first time. The nurse tells the family that he’s a miracle baby, being the youngest premature baby ever to survive at that hospital. Richard smiles to himself as she says this. That nurse has no idea of just how special John Locke really is.
The grandmother talks about arranging for the adoption of the child, in a cold, disinterested manner. Richard wonders if she would still talk about it that way if she knew the whole truth about her new grandson. But before he has time to react, the nurse gestures in Richard’s direction and asks if he’s the baby’s father.
Mrs Locke’s eyes pass over him with no recognition as she says she doesn’t know who he is. Richard smiles to himself as he walks away. It’s not the right time yet. But soon there will come a time when that newborn baby will know exactly who he is.
Richard sees Locke again when the boy is five years old. Maybe now the time is right for him to join his people. He spins the foster mother some line about a special school that might be interested in John, which she accepts without question. This woman is clearly about as interested in John as his biological family were. He doesn’t anticipate them putting up much of a fight.
The sight of the drawing that so closely resembles the island’s security system gives him some hope, that Locke has some knowledge of his destiny. Maybe this is the right time, maybe he’s ready now. But he has to be sure first.
To test whether John is ready, he hands him a choice of objects, telling him that one of them is his already. Some of them, like the comic book, are simply inserted at random. But some, like the compass and the knife, might prove more of a temptation to him. What he really wants the boy to choose is the vial of sand, taken from the island’s beaches. It is John Locke’s destiny to be the leader of the inhabitants of the island. If he takes the sand, it will prove that he is ready to embrace his future.
When John takes the knife, Richard’s disappointed. He’d really thought that he would be ready. He attempts to persuade him to change his mind, but John remains determined that the knife, and not the sand from the island, belongs to him. Richard sighs as he leaves the house. It’s not the right time yet. Another few years, and hopefully he’ll be ready.
Richard tries a different approach the next time. He contacts John Locke’s high school, tells them some story about a science camp his company would like Locke to attend, spins some story about how one of their representatives had seen John’s display at a science fair and think he would be an ideal candidate for their research into chemistry and new technologies. The guy he speaks to, some guy called Gellert, is very enthusiastic about the idea, says that it sounds like something that could be the making of the kid, to allow him to discover his full potential.
However, when the call comes to say that John Locke has declined the opportunity, Richard has to admit he’s not really surprised. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised. Maybe it would be better to approach him again when he’s an adult. With any luck, then he will finally be ready.
The first time they meet again after that, Locke doesn’t recognise Richard. Which is fair enough, it had been a long time since they last met. Locke would probably be expecting the man he met before to appear much older, if he remembered him at all. Richard doesn’t enlighten him, doesn’t want to overwhelm him at this point.
His people had all become very excited when they had learned that a man who had previously been a paraplegic was now able to walk again after crashing on the island. Richard, however, was not surprised. He’d been expecting something like this. If there was anything that could prove that Locke was now ready to accept his destiny, this would be it.
The only thing potentially standing in the way was Benjamin Linus, the existing leader who Richard had long ago acknowledged to have been a bad choice on his part, but had been powerless to do anything about until a worthy successor could be in place. Ben’s aware of how special Locke is, but doesn’t want his people to believe that too. Richard knows that Ben will do anything to retain his position as leader, to keep the focus on fertility problems. But Richard also knows that there are more important things out there, and that Locke is the person to bring the focus back to them.
Locke doesn’t understand it at first when Richard presents him with Sawyer’s file. Why would Sawyer have any interest in killing Cooper? But Richard just tells him to keep reading. Soon, he’ll have the answers he needs. And the way forward will be clear.
Jacob’s orders have been communicated; the island has been moved. Ben is gone, and can never return to the island.
Richard smiles as Locke makes his way over to where the Others are now based.
“Hello, John,” he says. “Welcome home.”
Fandom: Lost
Characters: Richard. Mentions of Locke.
rating: PG-13
Spoilers: All the way up through S4.
Summary: Richard's thoughts as he attempts to recruit Locke, from the moment of his birth to the day when Ben moves the island and Locke becomes leader.
For wandaxmaximoff, who wanted a Richard fic!
Richard watches as the nurse takes baby John out of the incubator for the first time. The nurse tells the family that he’s a miracle baby, being the youngest premature baby ever to survive at that hospital. Richard smiles to himself as she says this. That nurse has no idea of just how special John Locke really is.
The grandmother talks about arranging for the adoption of the child, in a cold, disinterested manner. Richard wonders if she would still talk about it that way if she knew the whole truth about her new grandson. But before he has time to react, the nurse gestures in Richard’s direction and asks if he’s the baby’s father.
Mrs Locke’s eyes pass over him with no recognition as she says she doesn’t know who he is. Richard smiles to himself as he walks away. It’s not the right time yet. But soon there will come a time when that newborn baby will know exactly who he is.
Richard sees Locke again when the boy is five years old. Maybe now the time is right for him to join his people. He spins the foster mother some line about a special school that might be interested in John, which she accepts without question. This woman is clearly about as interested in John as his biological family were. He doesn’t anticipate them putting up much of a fight.
The sight of the drawing that so closely resembles the island’s security system gives him some hope, that Locke has some knowledge of his destiny. Maybe this is the right time, maybe he’s ready now. But he has to be sure first.
To test whether John is ready, he hands him a choice of objects, telling him that one of them is his already. Some of them, like the comic book, are simply inserted at random. But some, like the compass and the knife, might prove more of a temptation to him. What he really wants the boy to choose is the vial of sand, taken from the island’s beaches. It is John Locke’s destiny to be the leader of the inhabitants of the island. If he takes the sand, it will prove that he is ready to embrace his future.
When John takes the knife, Richard’s disappointed. He’d really thought that he would be ready. He attempts to persuade him to change his mind, but John remains determined that the knife, and not the sand from the island, belongs to him. Richard sighs as he leaves the house. It’s not the right time yet. Another few years, and hopefully he’ll be ready.
Richard tries a different approach the next time. He contacts John Locke’s high school, tells them some story about a science camp his company would like Locke to attend, spins some story about how one of their representatives had seen John’s display at a science fair and think he would be an ideal candidate for their research into chemistry and new technologies. The guy he speaks to, some guy called Gellert, is very enthusiastic about the idea, says that it sounds like something that could be the making of the kid, to allow him to discover his full potential.
However, when the call comes to say that John Locke has declined the opportunity, Richard has to admit he’s not really surprised. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised. Maybe it would be better to approach him again when he’s an adult. With any luck, then he will finally be ready.
The first time they meet again after that, Locke doesn’t recognise Richard. Which is fair enough, it had been a long time since they last met. Locke would probably be expecting the man he met before to appear much older, if he remembered him at all. Richard doesn’t enlighten him, doesn’t want to overwhelm him at this point.
His people had all become very excited when they had learned that a man who had previously been a paraplegic was now able to walk again after crashing on the island. Richard, however, was not surprised. He’d been expecting something like this. If there was anything that could prove that Locke was now ready to accept his destiny, this would be it.
The only thing potentially standing in the way was Benjamin Linus, the existing leader who Richard had long ago acknowledged to have been a bad choice on his part, but had been powerless to do anything about until a worthy successor could be in place. Ben’s aware of how special Locke is, but doesn’t want his people to believe that too. Richard knows that Ben will do anything to retain his position as leader, to keep the focus on fertility problems. But Richard also knows that there are more important things out there, and that Locke is the person to bring the focus back to them.
Locke doesn’t understand it at first when Richard presents him with Sawyer’s file. Why would Sawyer have any interest in killing Cooper? But Richard just tells him to keep reading. Soon, he’ll have the answers he needs. And the way forward will be clear.
Jacob’s orders have been communicated; the island has been moved. Ben is gone, and can never return to the island.
Richard smiles as Locke makes his way over to where the Others are now based.
“Hello, John,” he says. “Welcome home.”