Flashbacks

Sayid is recruited as an informant for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and the CIA, which has asked him to infiltrate a terrorist cell in which his old friend Essam is a member. Explaining that they know where Nadia is, he agrees. When Sayid discovers Essam is involved in a plot in Sydney, he informs the agents, telling them that Essam is in over his head, and that he can bring him in. The agents tell him to convince Essam to do it so that he will lead them to the explosives, and threaten Nadia's livelihood when Sayid attempts to refuse. On the day of the attack, Sayid reveals he is an informant, and a distraught Essam kills himself. After Essam's death, the agents tells Sayid where Nadia is, and hands him a plane ticket. Sayid inquires about Essam's body, and is told that because no one will claim it, the body will be burned. Sayid insists on claiming the body himself, as Essam was a Muslim man (and Muslims believe in burial, not cremation). Upon being told that his flight is in two hours so he cannot claim the body, Sayid tells them to change his flight.

On the Island

At the caves, Sayid observes a mourning Shannon Rutherford (Maggie Grace), before asking if he can do anything for her. At the same time, Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) tracks down an exhausted and obstinate Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox). Jack blames John Locke (Terry O'Quinn) for Boone Carlyle's (Ian Somerhalder) death, but Kate pleads with Jack to return. At the beach, the survivors bury Boone. During the funeral, Locke arrives and attempts to explain what happened, but Jack ignores him and flies into a rage.

Afterward, Jack explains to Sayid, Sun-Hwa Kwon (Yunjin Kim), and Kate that Locke is lying, but they insist that Jack must rest. Locke asks Shannon's forgiveness, to no avail; Shannon instead goes to Sayid and asks if he could do something about Locke for her (implying that she wants him to kill Locke).

Meanwhile, Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) tells Claire Littleton (Emilie de Ravin) that she needs to rest, and though reluctant at first she lets him take care of her baby. Charlie has a tough time getting the baby to stop crying, even having Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia) to sing the song "I Feel Good" to no avail, but finally manages to do so after seeing the baby's reaction to Sawyer's voice.

Kate attempts to take care of Jack, who stubbornly insists he needs to deal with Locke. Realizing he'd probably try this, Kate drugs his juice and he falls asleep, leaving Sayid free to deal with Locke. Sayid arrives at the caves and begins questioning Locke, asking Locke to show him the Beechcraft. As they walk to it, Sayid interrogates Locke, who realizes just what Sayid is doing. Upon arriving at the plane, their cat-and-mouse game escalates. Sayid tells Locke he knows Locke has a gun, and Locke hands it over. He then reveals that it was he who hit Sayid over the head when he was trying to triangulate the distress signal. This enrages Sayid, who pulls the gun on Locke and questions him about the hatch. Locke lies, saying Boone was talking about the plane's hatches.

Sayid returns to the beach and explains to Shannon that he believes Locke did not mean to harm Boone. This prompts an angry Shannon to take matters into her own hands. Shannon steals the guncase key from a sleeping Jack, and confronts Locke in the jungle. Kate, Jack, and Sayid arrive during the confrontation, but Shannon refuses to back down. Left with no choice, Sayid tackles Shannon just as she fires the gun, the bullet grazing Locke's head.

That night, Sayid visits Locke, who thanks him for saving his life. Sayid replies that he only did it because he believes Locke to be their best chance for survival. He then tells Locke to take him to the hatch.