The elevator ride seemed to take forever. Michael tapped impatiently and cast frequent glances over at Reggie, who leaned nonchalantly against the side of the elevator, sucking on the gap between his teeth. When they finally came to a halt, Michael stepped forward eagerly, willing the doors to open faster. He stepped out into lush green landscape. The humidity was higher up here and sweat immediately began to bead on his forehead. He looked around. Off to his right the greenery stretched out, turning into thick trees at the foot of a mountain range in the distance. A thin layer of mist hung around the treetops. To the left was the cliff edge that he knew would overlook the bay they had just come from. The ocean was flat and empty and sparkled in the morning sun.

The sound of a gun being cocked close by made him jump and he whirled around. A man in combats was holding a machine gun pointed vaguely in their direction and Michael raised his hands instantly.

'Easy, soldier' Reggie said, stepping out of the elevator behind Michael.

'Reggie' the soldier was grudging, as though he had been hoping for trouble.

'Just visitin' the site' Reggie said.

The soldier nodded and disengaged the weapon somewhat reluctantly.

Michael glanced over at Reggie, who gestured to go ahead. Michael dropped his hands, glared at the soldier and stepped forward. He could see the site. There were two towers under construction, both surrounded by scaffolding. Reggie had been telling the truth – construction was well under way. He frowned. What did they need him for? He could see people working at the site, some of them on the supporting struts and scaffolding. He found himself eager to get over there and meet them. Medical staff and Lisa aside, the only person he'd had normal contact with in the last two weeks was Reggie.

As they got closer, though, his hopes of normal conversation and finding allies died as he noticed the security patrol around the site. There were more soldiers wearing combats and carrying semi-automatic weapons, and those working on site had combats and vests on too. One of the security patrol turned as they approached. A cigarette dangled from his mouth and he slung his gun over his shoulder and watched them closely.

'Afternoon, Cooper' Reggie said, coolly. 'This is Michael. Michael, Greg Cooper. He's in charge of security.'

Michael nodded but did not extend his hand. Neither did Cooper.

'Schofield, huh?' Cooper said, drawing himself up to full height. 'Hear you're pretty hot shit at breaking out of prisons.'

Michael looked at him but said nothing.

'Let's get one thing straight' Cooper said, stepping forward so that he was square with Michael. 'I don't work for the government, and I don't work for Corrections. I don't believe in rehabilitation, benefit of the doubt or giving people second chances. I believe in playing by the rules and shoot first, ask questions later.' He leaned in a little closer to Michael. 'You understand?' he sneered.

'Got it' Michael said, levelly, meeting his gaze and stifling the urge to comment further.

'We're going to go and look at the site' Reggie interjected.

The two men continued staring at each other for a few seconds before Cooper stepped back to allow them to pass. His eyes remain fixed on Michael as the two of them continued towards the scaffolding.

'So he's the asshole, huh?' Michael muttered as they walked through the long grass.

Reggie cast a glance over his shoulder before responding.

'Mm-hmm' he murmured, softly. 'Fortunately, we don't see a lot of him'

Michael turned, walking backwards for a few steps as he looked at Cooper. He was still watching them. Michael shook his head and turned back around. He was sick of having jerks like Cooper in his life.

He followed Reggie to the first set of scaffolding.

Reggie stopped just short of the scaffolding and looked up, surveying the whole site.

Michael stopped next to him and took it all in too. The main supports were already built and he could see where the mirrors would go.

'I don't understand' Michael said, softly, a frown on his face.

Reggie looked at him quizzically.

'It's almost done' Michael gestured to the building in front of them. 'What do you need me for?'

Reggie stared at him as though this question had never occurred to him. Then he shrugged, turned and ducked under the scaffolding. Michael stared after him for a moment, then followed.

Lisa

Lisa sat in her office, door closed, phone switched off and blinds drawn. All around her was calm and quiet, but inside was a storm of doubt, insecurity and fear. She sat very still, her hands folded in her lap and closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing and quell the rising panic.

A knock at the door made her jump.

Goddamm it! The sign said clearly 'Do not disturb'!

'What?!' she snapped.

Robbie, her PA poked his head around the door nervously.

'They're waiting for you, Mrs Tabak' he said.

'Fine, I'll be there in a minute', she barked, and he disappeared meekly.

She stood, smoothing the wrinkles in her business suit with clammy hands. She could put it off no longer. She raised her chin and strode purposefully out of her office, down the hall and to the office that her father had once spent most of his waking hours in. As she opened the door, the familiar smell of his cologne and cigars wafted over her, and the familiar sense of intimidation and apprehension that she had experienced since being a little girl returned. She had to stop herself from turning and running out.

Robbie appeared at her side.

'Would you like a coffee?' he asked.

She shook her head.

'No, thank you.'

She came to the door to the board room and paused.

'Robbie?' she said, turning round.

'Yes, Mrs Tabak?'

'Get some interior designers in this office this afternoon. I want everything stripped out and replaced.' She paused, looking at her father's antique mahogany desk and his liquor cabinet. He'd cared more about his bottles of scotch than he had about his family. 'And I mean everything'

'Yes, Mrs Tabak' he pulled out his tablet and frowned at the diary. 'You're not free to meet with them until next week though.'

'You do it' she said, running a hand over her hair and down over her blouse once more.

Robbie looked startled.

'Don't you want to decide on colours, and furniture?'

'No' she said, turning to the door and taking a breath. 'Just get it done.'

She grasped the door handle and opened the door. The hubbub on the other side quietened as she strode in and took her place at the head of the boardroom table. They were all here. All her father's friends…. and enemies.

'Gentlemen' she said, ignoring the constriction in her throat. 'Welcome. I'm glad to see so many of you here.'

'Lisa, we all need to know just what the hell is going on.' Bruce was the first to get up and say something. She had known he would be.

There was a collective murmur of agreement around the table.

'What is happening with your father?'

Lisa held her hand up to stop the barrage of questions and she sat down.

'Genlemen' she began. 'I know that you are all used to working with my father, and that many of you have worked with him for many years. However, you all know that recently, his judgement has not been the best, and that his behaviour has become increasingly risky.'

There were nods of reluctant agreement and Lisa felt encouraged.

'As you know, he was arrested in Miami a couple of weeks ago, when he allowed his obsession with Michael Scofield and Scylla to get out of hand. '

'We've heard that the government has got its hands on Scylla.' It was Bruce again. 'Is that true?'

Lisa looked around. This was the moment of truth, and she had no idea how they would react when she told them this. It was a gamble. A few of them had sat forward, eagerly awaiting her response. She nodded once.

'Yes, Scofield handed over Scylla.'

There was uproar around the table.

She raised a hand to get silence.

'Wait' she said. 'All is not lost.'

'Lisa, your father is in jail and we have lost all of the research we have been conducting and investing in for the last ten years. I'd say that's the very definition of lost.'

'No' she said. 'As you know, Scylla was a very primitive design. We still have all of the original research. Development will continue.'

'That's ridiculous' Alistair exploded and stood up to leave.

'Christina Scofield is dead' Bruce said. 'Who would you have work on such a project?'

'Well, some of her original research team is still in place on Madagascar' Lisa began. 'And we have recruited a new research Chemist to work on the Silicon project.'

There was grumbling around the table and Bruce got up too. Two or three of them shook their heads and began packing away their papers.

'And I have Michael Scofield' she announced.

Alistair turned back from the door.

'Michael Scofield is dead' he said slowly.

'No, he isn't.' Lisa said, her calm voice betraying the torrent of nerves inside. 'He's alive. Everyone thinks he died in the prison - his brother, the authorities, everyone. But we got him out' She looked around the room, gratified by the puzzled and impressed look on faces around her.

'Even if that were true, he won't work for us' Bruce said again.

'Wrong again, Bruce' she said, smiling. 'He is already on Madagascar. He will work for us. He already is.'

She picked up the remote and switched on the projector. The projector hummed into life and the screen behind her glowed, dimly at first, but increasing in brightness so that everyone could make out the photo of Michael and Reggie, standing in front of the partly constructed tower. Behind them, lush green foliage dominated the landscape. A second photo showed the two men holding down architectural drawings as they pored over hem. Lisa clicked the button to show a third photo, a profile shot. Michael, frowning, his brows knitted together as he determinedly studied something unseen by the camera. She silently thanked the cameraman for this shot, there couldn't have been a more perfect photo. The fact that this had been taken in the warehouse before his mother was shot was a minor detail that nobody needed to know.

The noise around the table had a much more positive feel to it now. Lisa turned the projector off and turned to face the board, her confidence growing. She caught Bruce's eye, and he bowed his head in acknowledgement, reluctant admiration on his face.

'Gentlemen' Bruce said loudly, clearing his throat. Everyone fell silent. 'I move that, in the absence of her father, Lisa Tabak fill the position of Chair of this board, pending his acquittal and return.'

There was a murmur around the table and Lisa held her breath.

'All those in favour'

Lisa had to stop herself from closing her eyes. She forced herself to look around the table, praying her face was a picture of confidence and self-assurance.

All but two of the men around the table raised their hands. Lisa made a mental note of the two non-assenters. She would deal with them later.

'How did you get Scofield?' Bruce asked.

'Everybody wants something Bruce' Lisa said. 'I just had to find what it was that he wanted. The rest was easy.'

'So, he's really working for us now?'

'Yes, Bruce' Lisa began collecting her papers and turned to switch off the projector so she wouldn't have to meet Bruce's eye. 'He really is working for us now.'