Sara spent the rest of the day sitting in a recliner watching the news. She would perk up at parts about Fox River, or her and her father, or the escapees. She saw that Abruzzi and Tweener had been killed during capture. She could have predicted Abruzzi would go down fighting, but Tweener shocked her. He was just a kid and the story said he was handcuffed at the time. Something there was not right. She'd seen him a few times. Basically, to tend to wounds he got from fights, or defending himself she should say. A fight was when two people were fighting. He was the one getting hit and not hitting back.
When LJ told her dinner was ready, she did go to the dining room and took a seat, but found herself playing with the chicken and rice more than eating it. She forced down a few bites, seeing as it'd been almost 48 hours since her last meal that hadn't been thrown up. The food was definitely good and she knew she had to eat to stay healthy. It seemed no one wanted to talk that evening, because even though Jane, Aldo, V, and LJ were also at the table no one said much of anything, except LJ who asked for seconds.
Sara felt she should be renamed the 'clock-watcher', because she kept looking at it. Shouldn't they be back by now? Michael said a few hours. Didn't that mean 3 or 4 or was Michael time different from regular time? She wondered if they had met up with Sucre yet or if they had gotten to the plane yet. She wondered if they had any complications or holdups. She assumed that if they had been spotted it would be on the news, so she could only assume they were still okay. She figured she could always call Michaels cell to make sure they were all right and after dinner that's just what she did.
Michael and Lincoln had just seen Sucre off in the plane when his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Are you two okay?" he heard Sara's frantic voice.
"We're fine. Matter of fact we are on our way back now. We should be there in about 2 hours", Michael had to smile at the concern Sara showed for them.
"Okay. I'll be waiting for you. Be careful", Sara stated.
"We will. See you soon". Michael hit the end button on his cell to see Link glancing at him from the drivers seat. They had taken the same SUV that brought Sara, V, and LJ to the safe house.
"Sara", Michael told his brother, putting the phone down. Like he even had to say anything. Link assumed it was Sara to begin with.
"So you think she's got it?" Link asked and Michael knew immediately he was referring to the info the guy who killed her father said she had and his father also thought she had it as well.
"I don't know. She didn't say anything to me about having it".
"Did you ask?"
"No, she's way too fragile at the moment. If she has something, she'll tell me".
"Yeah, you're probably rii…"
"LINK LOOK OUT" Michael screamed as a car crashed into the side of their vehicle.
The SUV stood up to the crash rather well. There was a huge dent in the side but other than that it was okay. Michael saw the other car in flames and pulled himself from their current vehicle to check on the other driver.
There was so much smoke and it was dark outside. Michael didn't see the driver behind the wheel until he got next to the car and was face to face with a nine millimeter.
"Get back there", Mahone ordered and followed Michael away from his burning vehicle.
"Burrows, Get out here now!" he yelled to Lincoln. Michael sunk to his knees in despair. All they had gone through; just to have it all end like this. He couldn't believe this was happening. He saw Link out of the corner of his eye, standing next to him holding his arm. He heard Lincoln tell Mahone that he could have him, just let Michael go.
"I don't want either of you. I just want my life back", he yelled shooting spit from his mouth as he talked.
"Turn around", he ordered.
"If you're going to kill us, you'll have to do it looking us in the face", Michael said as bravely as he could muster.
"You think I won't?" Alex asked him, not knowing why he was making small talk, when all he needed to do was pull the trigger.
And then they all knew he wouldn't as lights and sirens surrounded them.
"United States Border Patrol. Put your weapon down", they heard come over a bullhorn.
"I'm a federal agent. These are my prisoners", Mahone yelled back.
"Until we verify, put the gun down".
"Better luck next time, Alex", Michael couldn't help but goad the guy.
Back at Aldos…
Sara was sitting on the couch, her shoeless feet tucked under her, leaning against the arm dozing when Mr. Burrows covered her with a blanket. She was grateful, as she just couldn't seem to get warm. She thought perhaps it was because Michael wasn't there. She already had a hooded sweatshirt with a pocket that went from one side to the other, like a pouch. She currently had her hands through the fabric tunnel; grasping the computer piece her father had given her. Once Michael left she was certainly going to make sure she held onto it. She wasn't taking any chances since this could save his life.
Her eyes opened and she looked around noticing V and LJ must have gone to bed.
"Thank you", she said shyly and watched as Aldo sat at the other end of the couch.
"How are you?" he asked her.
"I've been better", Sara chuckled not sure she really wanted to be having a chat with the man responsible in the largest way for everything that's happened.
"I'm sure" he affirmed her feelings. "I'm very sorry about your father".
"Thank you", Sara replied not really wanting to get into it again, seeing as how every time she did, she either cried or puked.
"Were you close to him?" Apparently Aldo wanted to have a chat.
"Not really".
"I was never close with my boys either, but I never stopped loving them or wanting to be with them".
"So why didn't you?" Sara wanted to know.
"It was too dangerous. Lincoln was around 8 at the time and Michael wasn't even born yet, when I got called into my supervisor's office and was told to watch as they put a bullet into three kids and a wife of one of my colleagues. They left the man alive though. They said it was because he had "talked" about company business. I knew then I had to get out of that company and I knew that my family would not be safe if I tried to do so."
Sara listened to Michaels father confess his past.
"I couldn't let anything happen to them, so I packed up, picked a fight with my wife and left. The farther away they were from me the better. I thought I could bring down the company and then go back and make up for everything, but I had no idea how big this thing really was. I was in hiding and the years continued to fly past. Soon I heard that my wife died and suddenly my two kids were in the system. That's when Lincoln started getting into a lot of trouble. I knew most of what went on in their lives, but I could never make my presence known. I tried one time to come for them. By the time I got to Michael, he had been in foster care for a few months. His current foster father beat him and locked him in a dark room for days at a time."
Sara was crying hearing of Michael's childhood.
"I'd gotten so good at killing people to save myself it didn't even bother me to take out this drunken man who kept my son for the monthly check. I found Michael in the closet scared as a little kid could be and I asked him to come with me. I told him he was now safe, but he saw his foster father on the ground dead and he ran from me. I wanted to find him, but I had already been out in the open for too long and I just couldn't go after him. It would be too much of a risk. So I went back into hiding and they continued to grow up. Lincoln did everything to give Michael a good life. He sold drugs for money and used all of it to care for Michael. He got an apartment, bought food, made sure Michael went to school and got good grades, and then it came time for college. Michael was so smart, but the money wasn't there. Lincoln offered to borrow the money, but Michael refused. Link had already done too much for him. He wasn't about to let Link borrow that kind of money from the kind of people he would have to use, so Lincoln borrowed it anyway and told Michael it was his half of the inheritance of their mother. So Michael used that money and went to college."
"Lincoln continued on the destructive path and finally was framed for murder. He was more believable as a criminal than Michael was. They sentenced Link to death and that's when Michael found out that Link had borrowed the money for his college and the only reason he was in the garage that night was to pay off the debt and that's when Michael thought up this whole scheme to save his brother. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when I heard that they were successful at breaking out."
"Michael is very smart", Sara added.
"Too smart", Aldo said with a grin that Sara matched.
"That's probably true", Sara chuckled with the older man. She was half tempted to give him the computer chip. Put it in someone else's hands and let them be responsible for it. But then she realized that she didn't know anything about Michael's father and she wasn't going to trust his life to anyone that she herself didn't trust.
It was at that moment that Jane came running into the room.
"Aldo they've been caught", she exclaimed.
Sara's heart dropped to her stomach and she turned up the T.V. to see that yes, indeed Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows were in custody of the US Border Patrol and were being shipped back to Fox River the next day. Some camera crew was filming live as the brothers were ushered into the jail. She could see they were both hurt. Cuts and bruises mainly. She couldn't help but wonder what happened. She had just spoken to Michael, saying he was on his way home and now he wouldn't be back for a long time if ever.
"Oh my God", Sara said covering her mouth with one hand in shock.
"Jane, pack some bags and then get the car. I'll meet you up there in just a bit", he ordered.
"Where are you going?" Sara asked, not wanting to be here alone. Of course V and LJ were here but they weren't trained in any of this. What if something happened to the elder Burrows? What would they do?
"I'm going to get them back," he told her.
"You can't just leave us here by ourselves", Sara protested.
"You are perfectly safe here Sara. No one can get in but myself, Jane, Michael and Lincoln."
He could see that didn't help alleviate any of Sara's fears so he gave her a small handgun out of his desk and instructed her how to use it.
She looked wide-eyed at the gun and shook her head.
"I can't use this. I can't take someone's life", she cried.
"Sara if it's between you and them, then you better shoot, because they won't hesitate", he told her in the sternest voice she had ever heard.
Sara didn't want it at all. She couldn't ever take a life. She saved lives. She set it down like it was a bomb on the coffee table and watched as Mr. Burrows and Jane left the house and she was alone in the living room. She was half tempted to wake Veronica for company, but was sure all that would do was make two of them worry instead of just Sara. At least she could allow Veronica some good sleep until morning when she would have to explain why they were alone.
She went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee since she was sure she'd be up the whole night. All night long various news stations ran the story. The brother's capture was the biggest news in the country since the breakout and everyone wanted to capitalize on it. Her father's death wasn't even as publicized as this. She learned that first thing in the morning, Michael and Lincoln would be transferred via van back to Fox River and a helicopter was going to videotape the whole thing live.
Sara watched the same scene at least 50 times of Michael and Link being taken into custody. She shrugged. At least she got to see him this way. After the 30th time of watching it, something caught her eye and made her laugh. She saw Michael ever so sneaky looking at the building and she could just feel the wheels in his brain turning, formulating a plan to get out of this facility. If anyone could do it, Michael could, but she didn't hope for it, considering all the guards would be on super alert.
It was barely 7 am per the clock in the bottom corner of the news channel when Sara heard V wake up and come to the living room.
"They aren't back yet?" she asked confused as Sara poured another cup of coffee. She had drunk so much coffee; she moved the machine into the living room to be closer to it.
Sara looked up at her new friend.
"They've been caught haven't they?" Veronica asked, but knew the answer.
"Yeah, but guess what? We get to watch the transfer back to Fox River LIIIIVE at 8".
Veronica heard her drag out the Live as though she was repeating one of the anchor people and in spite of it all had to laugh.
"Want some coffee?" Sara offered.
"Sure".
Veronica got a mug and poured herself a cup, and then took a seat opposite Sara on the couch.
"Where are Aldo and Jane?"
"They went to try to break Michael and Lincoln out. I guess they think they can get them in transit. I don't know how they will since the whole country is watching like its the Macy's Day Parade or something."
"Well let's hope for the best" Veronica added awaiting the broadcast.
LJ came out of the bedroom in a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt and caught up with what was happening. He grabbed a coke and bag of Doritos and sat in the recliner to watch the show.
"They'll get away. They have too", LJ stated to no one in particular.
When the trio saw the mass of cars pulling out, and then the van and another mass of vehicles, their hope dropped even further. Under her breathe but loud enough to be heard Sara started singing.
"Nah nah nah nah…nah nah nah nah…hey hey hey …goodbye".
Veronica and LJ laughed at Sara's coping mechanism. They wanted to be mad and upset, but just had none left.
A few hours later and the trio was stilled glued to the TV watching the parade of cars drive along the highway. The cars entered a tunnel, and then didn't come back out when they were supposed too.
"What's going on V?" LJ asked standing up and moving closer to the TV, perhaps thinking if he looked closer the van would suddenly appear.
"I don't know", Veronica replied, leaning forward herself.
"Well they gotta come out right…what's that saying? What goes in must come out".
Veronica, never taking her eyes off the TV said, "I believe it's what goes up must come down".
The traffic helicopter who was narrating the whole broadcast was also wondering what was happening.
It appears there is an abandoned tractor-trailer jackknifed in the road, blocking the exit. Yes, the police scanner, reports indeed there is a problem. The cops are trying to get the vehicle moved out of the way so they can get by. You have to wonder if this is coincidence or something larger.
The TV was showing various angles of the tunnel and still nothing was coming out or going in.
Oh wow, we are hearing reports that the convicts have escaped custody again.
LJ jumped up screaming a proud, "YES!"
Veronica had her hands covering her mouth in anticipation to see if they would get away.
Sara, sat up and was bouncing her feet on the floor. "C'mon c'mon", she was muttering under her breathe.
"It's being said that the convicts have managed to get into an auxiliary door and lock it behind them. The cops can't get in. This is unbelievable! The question now is what's behind that door? Are they just sitting in there or is there an exit?"
"Let there be an exit, please let there be an exit", LJ was saying with his hands in a prayer sitting on his knees.
Oh my! We just heard that behind the door is a mass of tunnels leading to over 200 exits! Sorry folks but this can't possibly be coincidence. I've never seen anything like this in all my time as a reporter!
"That's cause you don't know my family" LJ yelled happily at the TV.
Sara and Veronica were laughing and hugging. They were positive that the boys got away. With so many exits there is no way they could get caught.
"How far away is that place from here?" Sara asked, wanting to know how long until they got back. She just knew they would head right back here.
"About an hour", Veronica answered her. "But they are on foot, so I don't know how long it will take or how they will get here".
Sara put her hands in her pocket checking again that the computer chip was safe and it was. She was smiling and waiting for Michael to call. She knew he would as soon as he was able. She couldn't wait to see him walk through that door. She already had a plan of running and jumping into his arms.
With Lincoln and Michael…
The boys were running through the tunnels as fast as they could. They knew it was way too easy. Someone or something was waiting for them. It had to be. A few more turns and they found themselves in a large room with many different ways to go. Michael had to stop to breathe and try to figure out where he was.
"Which way?" Lincoln was yelling to him breathlessly.
Michael was leaning down with his hands on his knees, sweat pooling off his body. "I don't know".
It was then that a man with jeans and a shirt ran into the room pointing a gun at them. They turned to run the other way, when Alex was suddenly there also pointing a gun on them. This was it. Their time had come. Michael was sure of it. He looked between the two men and there were just no more options. All of a sudden a shot rang out and instinctively Michael looked to himself…no blood. He looked to Lincoln…also no blood. Michael finally looked to Alex and saw the man was pale and holding his left shoulder, and watched as he fell to his knees and then down.
"C'mon" the unknown man yelled at the two and considering their options they followed. They got to the safety of the mans car and began driving before Michael asked, "Who are you?"
"I can help you, but we have to get to a safe place first".
"We have a safe place, but I need some answers first", Michael rebutted.
"Who I am is not important. It's how I can help you that is".
"Stop talking in damn riddles man", Lincoln yelled from the back seat looking around to make sure they were not being followed.
"How can you help us?" Michael asked ignoring his brother.
"I know where Terrance Steadman is. I can take you to him, but we have to find the key first".
"What key?" Michael asked.
"Sara Tancredi…she's the key".