"Everyone Is In Or No One Is"
Fernando Sucre has become Michael Scofield's best friend since he has been incarcerated at Fox River, but if there is one thing he knows about Sucre it is this; Sucre does not think before he speaks. Now because of this many inmates know about Michael's escape plan and he has to break them all out or they will not let him, or his brother, Lincoln escape, costing them both Lincoln's life. Michael was really nice, but not so nice that he would risk the escape by taking too many people along, unfortunately he could not cut anyone and he had to make sure all of them made it over that wall and safely away from Fox River. He had to, because anyone who knew anything about it had a very good chance of telling the authorities what they knew if caught, and the more the authorities knew the less time he and Lincoln had to disappear. Michael knew what each man was capable of and what their motivations were for breaking out and as much as he could not live with himself, as much as he could not look himself in the mirror anymore, as much as he knew these men belonged behind bars, he believes the ends justify the means.
Gus Fiorello and John Abruzzi, two of the men in on the escape, are talking and Gus says, "Why don't you go talk to him and see what is going on with our escape", putting emphasis on "our." Abruzzi could not believe Gus would be so bold and snapped back with, "Because that's what I have you for." He shoves Gus forward and watches as he goes and sits with Michael, who was staring at some unknown inmate across the yard.. Gus says, "We know you already have a way out of your cell, so you better tell us what the next part of your plan is, fish, unless you want a visit to the SHU and a fulfilled death sentence." "Alright, alright, you see that inmate there, he took something very crucial to the escape and I need it back."
"Him? Oh you don't know what kind of trouble this is, fish, if we go after him we have another race riot on our hands." "Well then, it seems you have a decision to make, either you attack him and get back that card that we need and start a race riot, or rot in prison." "Oh boy," Fiorello thought to himself as he went back over to Abruzzi and told him the newest developments. Michael waited until Fiorello and Abruzzi were not looking at him before going back to work on the real next stop of the plan, staying in the infirmary, but now that he has at lot more bodies going through that window he also needs to come up with a way to buy them more time.
He saw the man Sucre had told him about earlier, not the one he told Fiorello about that one serves a different purpose in Michael's plan, he went up and was about to introduce himself when the man said, "Unless you are going to tell me my part in the escape, roll out snowflake." Michael was stunned for a second, a second he did not have, as the guard called the end of yard time before he could tell him what he needed. Back in cell, he is pacing back and forth tossing the Allen-Schweitzer screw back and forth in his hands, and Sucre, who Michael tells very vague parts of his plan to, is curious. Michael heard Sucre sigh and looked up at him, he knew this was not going to be good. His mind was going a mile a minute for something to keep Sucre at bay, "Fiorello and Abruzzi are working on it," he said.
"Fiorello?" asked a confused Sucre, as Michael had not yet told him who was actually in on the escape at this point. Sucre was nervous now, "Michael I swear to God, if I don't make it over that wall because you cannot control this thing," Sucre kissed his hand and motioned at Michael after he said that. Lincoln did not have much time left and Michael still had so much to work out, this had become a lot more complicated than he imagined. Veronica Donovan, who knew Michael was planning to break Lincoln out, went to talk to Leticia Barris who had called her earlier that day, regarding one, Crab Simmons. At this point Veronica felt that that course of action was very drastic, but Michael thought otherwise and felt he was thinking more rationally than anyone else with this plan.
The list of people on the outside who knew about Michael's plan was getting just as back as those on the inside. With new inmates being pumped into Gen. Pop like air in a balloon, Michael knew he had to get out as fast as possible before it became his job to break out every man in Fox River, which just would not be possible. Not one man who was in on the escape could tell what anything Michael told them to do would do for them in the long run. Unfortunately for all involved, Michael had something else happen that he did not intend, with all the time he was going to spend up there he should have seen this coming, but it was not until they talked about flowers that he realized his love for her.
Every time he walked over to her he wished they could be together, but he was a convicted felon and she was a respected doctor. He sat down and rolled up his sleeve, and then when she put the needle in his arm, the thing that he did anticipate happened and she said, "That's strange your body is reacting to the insulin like…", "Like what?", "Like you are not a diabetic." "Are you sure that's what you were diagnosed with," "Ever since I was a kid," "Well, I think we should run some tests the next time you are in here to be sure." It was then he realized that he had to bury those feelings for her because he had some problems, some very real problems, that need to be attended to before all of this. After this Michael had a scheduled visit with Veronica and, for some reason, she felt it was a smart decision to bring L.J. with her.
"Michael, L.J. knows, go ahead, L.J., tell him what you told me about all this." "I think…it is awesome, I mean I would never have done it, but you seem so confident." "What, L.J., that is not what you told me!" "Well, I had to tell you what you wanted to hear, otherwise, you would not have brought me down here and I would not have been able to give him my support." "Listen, both of you, forget about this, as of right now everything is crumbling and I could be getting into a lot of trouble in here in the next few days, so pretend you never heard anything about this."
Veronica's eyes narrowed, "How do we know this is not one of your tricks?" "You don't, you'll just have to trust me," came the reply. "Veronica listen to me, I need you to forget about what is going on here, for everyone's sake, you need to focus on things out there and get to the bottom of this." Veronica felt like the time in prison has caused Michael to lose it, but she just nodded her head and left with L.J. Meanwhile, at the cell of the newest recruit in the escape, Sucre was patching things up where Michael had failed.
Benjamin Miles Franklin, more commonly known in Fox River as "C-Note," tried to read the expression on Sucre's face, but to no avail. "Michael says you want to know what your part in the escape is, well here it is, he needs you to get him some PUGNAc." "PUG-what?" "I know, I said the same thing, he said it supposed to block some punk kid or something." "Man, how do you expect me to get you something when I do not even know what it is." "Michael must have some faith in you, he needs it by morning." "I need to be able to trust him, he can take his faith someplace else."
The guard escorting Scofield back to his cell was Brad Bellick, Bellick did not like Soofield's look the second he walked into Fox River, he watched everything he did like a hawk. "You hittin' that Scofield?" "What's it to you?" "Just a little conversation is all." Veronica watched as Scofield was led away and she was afraid for him, his answers always gave her more questions.
At this point Veronica was asked if she would attend a meeting with the Warden, she hesitantly agreed. Veronica told L.J. to wait just outside the door, believing she would only be a few moments. But, after seeing people he knows and cares about being sent to prison with no information whatsoever he was not about to just sit back, so he looked around before leaning his ear against the door. Lincoln Burrows, L.J.'s father and currently in the SHU, had no idea that his son was so close, in fact he was replaying their last meal together over and over in his mind. It was long before any of this, Lincoln had gotten himself into some bad things and he was in an argument with Crab Simmons just as Lisa Rix was dropping L.J. off for the weekend.
At this point things went from bad to worse for Michael, no sooner had Bellick left him alone in his cell then T-Bag, another inmate who weaseled his way onto the escape and opted to bring every member of his crew along with him, came into view. "Just who was that fine little lady you saw in visitation, huh Pretty?" Michael just glared at him without saying a word, T-Bag just chuckles, winks, and walks away. Sucre hopped down from his bunk, "Why are you letting him take so many people out?" "The less you know the better, now I need your help, you being the religious one I need you to pray for us all, because with the guest list really piling up we may need it."
Meanwhile, Pope is telling Veronica that her hair looks nice today. "Look, Henry, I can call you Henry can't I," Pope nods, "I really am in hurry so if you could be so kind as to tell me what this is all about so I can be on my way." "Well…please have a seat, coffee?" "No, thank you." The guard who escorted Veronica was just standing there looking rather uncomfortable at the Pope's shameless display was dismissed as soon as Pope realized he was still there, but the guard stood right outside the door, causing L.J. to have to miss out on more information.
"I noticed you were visiting Scofield today, but when you first started coming to Fox River you would always visit Mr. Burrows, is that correct?" "Yes, but I do not see why that is any of your concern." "No, no, you are absolutely right, I bring it up because in all my years in the correctional system, Mr. Burrows' case is by far the most controversial I have come across. Now, I do not know if you favor one of these men over the other, but I do know that you have stopped seeing Mr. Burrows and have visited Mr. Scofield at least three times in the past two weeks. It is my job to know everything about these men's lives and as such I know all about you, I know that you are constantly working on the Scofield case, but not the Burrows case, when the latter has been sentenced to death and the former a mere five years. I do not know what goes on in the mind of young ladies such as yourself, but I find your actions to be vastly inconsistent." The Warden gave a heavy sigh and waited for Veronica's response.
"…I think he did it," came Veronica's meek reply to everything Pope just said. Pope looked taken aback at this, obviously not the answer he was expecting. Veronica fumbled with her hands for a few minutes, on the verge of tears she says, "Will that be all?" The Warden just waves her off, his mind clearly elsewhere. L.J. sees a disheveled Veronica exit the Pope's office, he goes to ask her what happen, but she just shakes her head.
Once again L.J. knew something important had happened and once again he was being denied so much as a hint of what was going on with the people around him. Veronica dropped L.J. off at home, went home herself, and was just looking forward to being with Sebastian. She lay down in bed and turns to face Sebastian, he gives her a look that shows he knows what's going through her mind. "I know I shouldn't be thinking about it, but he was a big part of my life for such a long time." "You don't have to justify yourself to me, just as long as you are still prepared for our big day." But, that was just it Veronica could feel something in her stomach that she was not only not ready for that day, but for what she knows she has to do tomorrow.
Michael is looking down off the second floor, just outside of cell forty and it seems that every where he looks another man he is responsible for breaking it is staring back at him. Everyone of their faces seems to say "What is going on with the plan, man?" The Pope still reeling from the information he had received from Lincoln Burrows' girlfriend, that she had no faith in him, that very same faith that Henry himself had betrayed of his own wife. He knows he will have to relive the events of Toledo in that recurring nightmare tonight. Sucre and Manche approach Michael, "We have not exactly done the math on this one, but before you even think about escaping, Fish, you should probably take care of all the grudges you have going over that wall with us." "We don't have time to worry about petty things like that, besides all of them want out here, if they can't behave until the time is right, it's their freedom they are giving up, not mine, not ours."
{Please tell me what you think, should I make more chapters, if so what would you like to see in the next chapter, all comments are welcome.}
