Fallen #26
"Officials from Fox River State Penetentary have just confirmed that six inmates have escaped from the level one prison in Joliet between 11p.m. last night and 12a.m. this morning. It appears that these men did not act alone. A Corrections Officer was assaulted and held at gun point around the time of the escape as he was doing his nightly rounds. The man was handcuffed to the fence that surrounds the prison yard, gagged, and with a hooded sweatshirt placed on the man backwards, preventing him from seeing. The guard has said that his attackers were two African American males, both appearing to be in their early to mid twenties, as well as a Caucasian female. A police sketch artist is completing composites of both men; their female accomplice was wearing a sky mask at the time of the attack." The anchor woman's voice echoed off of the basements concrete walls as six mug shots appeared on screen.
Veronica sat on her knees only inches away from the television screen, a hand clasped over her mouth. L.J. sat on the couch shocked, as he tried to hide the excitement that he had knowing that his father would not be executed while Nick pretended to be surprised.
"You didn't!" Veronica said giving me a disapproving look as she stood and made her way toward me. I said nothing as the three of them looked at me. It was already done, so there was no point in denying that I had played a part in the first ever escape from Fox River. "Cali!" she yelled. "How could you do this? Do you have any idea what…?" There was no way I was going to let her finish that sentence. "What would you have rather happened, Veronica! Lincoln die for a crime he didn't commit while you tried to do the "right thing"; or would you rather know that he is alive because I did the "wrong" one?" I exclaimed angrily she just looked at me. For the first time in our lives she was wrong and I was right! "You lied to me, Cali! You said you didn't know what Michael was planning! Something this big you should have told me!" She exclaimed. "So you could do what? Talk Scofield out of it? Tell Pope about it? Take a look around you, Veronica. No on is playing fair anymore. You saw that first hand tonight. If you plan on making it through this thing alive you had better get used to the idea that you are going to have to play dirty. And I can assure you of one thing, had I not been there tonight, we would be planning to bury two brothers instead of planning no funeral at all!" I exclaimed. Veronica sat down, placing her head in her hands. "What do we do now? All of our work has been for nothing!" She said "Our work hasn't been for nothing! I told you before that this thing doesn't end with stopping an execution. There is so much work that still needs to be done. We have got to blow this thing wide open!" Nick said. "He's right, V. We can't give up now! What about Leticia Barris? What about my Mom? If we give up they died for nothing." That was by far the most insightful thing I had ever heard come out of L.J.s mouth. It made me realize how fast he had been forced to grow up, in such a short amount of time. "They're going to be looking for you Cali. You were the last person to speak with Lincoln in prison aside from Nick and I. They are going to be looking for Lyndi Deacon." Veronica said. "It's handled. You and Nick need to worry about getting this thing uncovered. Getting it out to the public. I want you guys to go to a motel somewhere, rent a couple of rooms under false names." I said. "Where are you going? Where are Lincoln and Michael?" Veronica asked. "They're safe. I'm going to be with them, L.J. is coming with me." I explained. "Is that safe?" Veronica inquired. "It's as safe as here. Plus, he's still considered a fugitive, if they find him with you, well; I don't need to explain what will happen… So grab your things, we're out of her within the hour!" I said. There was a pause while everyone took it all in, before we all made a mad dash to collect our belongings.
Meanwhile… With the inmates
"You best have a big dog house there, Pretty. Looks like you and Sink are gonna be sharing it for awhile!" T-Bag said with a snicker. "What are you talking about?" a grumpy Lincoln asked. "Come on, now. Surely, you ain't that thick. Little miss Cali certainly ain't tryin to hide her dislike for your baby brother; and something tells me that she ain't gonna be too forgiving after she risked life and limb to save your ass and you show your thanks by telling her that she's weak." T-Bag explained. "You don't know what you're talking about!" Lincoln said angrily. "She doesn't dislike me!" Michael said defensively. C-Note laughed "I hate to say it Fish, but I agree with Cletus. Whatever you did to piss her off, you pissed her off good. As for Linc, what you said to her man that hurt her bad." "So you're psychic now? You could read her thoughts?" Lincoln said. "You don't have to be psychic to know that that hurt her, papi. All you had to do was look into her eyes." Sucre explained. Michael and Lincoln exchanged glances, both knowing that what their fellow ex-cons had said was right. Michael sighed and placed his head in his hands. Lincoln sat in silence, the words he said to Cali repeating in his head. He knew how much his words had hurt her, Sucre was right; you could see it in her eyes. "How could I be so stupid?" He asked himself silently. For the first time in years he had been able to show his anger without the fear of repercussions as he stood up angrily knocking his chair over in his fury, as he made his way upstairs slamming the bedroom door.