After the Mercenaries killed Ben's daughter, he walked into his wardrobe and then into a hidden cave like entrance. When he returned his face was dusty/dirty and there was a flashforward taking him to the desert or back to the time with Sayid. W

What do you all make of this hidden cave like room. Is it a time portal? Or was that two seperate scenes in different times? Originally I thought he went into that cave to summons the smoke monster to kill the mercenaries. Oddly enough it killed most or all but the one who shot Ben's daughter? Or is that room some sort of way to port off and on the island?