Widmore/Locke getting to the island...

[wiired]

I am assuming it has only been ~8 days since Ajira left L.A. How did Widmore get to the Island do quickly?
For that matter, why didn't he just bring the Oceanic 6 with him on the Sub, instead of having them fly Ajira?
As an aside, why did they bring Dead Locke back to the Island anyway?

[spinaltumor]

They needed a dead body to recreate the events or whatever.

Not sure about Widmore, though.