Chapter 13
The entire gang returned to the hotel. It was only a few hours since the White House raid, or as Desmond would've put it, "Operation of Innocence." As they all went into their rooms, Elise was the only one who didn't go into her room. She stayed out in the hallway, pacing up and down the hallway. She then sat against one of the walls and put her head in her arms. She was wondering about what type of operation her father had to go on. Did it have anything to do with the case? And if it was, was it going to help them?
Her thoughts were interrupted when someone came out into the hall. Her head popped up, and she saw Lincoln smiling down at her.
"Hey, Elise."
"Hey."
Lincoln sat down next to her. He could tell that something was on her mind.
"Are you OK?"
"To tell the truth…no. My mind is so jumbled right now. With your case, my father returning from the dead, knowing that everyone is safe… just everything that is anything that has happened in the last few days is all on my mind. I hope to God that with all the work we all put in, that in three days… they'll find you innocent."
"Well, I believe they will. They'll have to."
"Why?" She looked at him, confusingly.
"Well, that operation your father had to go on… it wasn't for the Special O.P.S.," he looked at Elise, whose eyes widened, "No, it was for the case. He went to look for Terrence Steadman."
"I knew he would do it." Elise was smiling, but then, a thought crossed her mind. ""How did he come into contact with Veronica and Nick?"
"He saw her on the T.V. and remembered who she was. Then, when she was talking about me, he remembered me, and Michael, and remembered that his only daughter was friends with a man that was going to be executed, for a crime he didn't commit. After that, he called Veronica up, telling her that he was Elise's father, and that he could help in getting Terrence Steadman."
"He did all of that? Wow…" Elise looked forward, thinking of her father. "Did he say how long he was going to be?"
"He said that if all goes to plan, he should be back by the time the case starts."
"Until then, I'll have to try and get sufficient evidence to rule in your favor. I'll have to check out that video again. Olivia said that when she got a close-up on you, she said that you didn't shoot the guy, that you were just standing there, looking at the body."
"I was. I didn't shoot the gun at all. I was looking at the body inside, and saw that it looked like a mannequin."
Elise looked at Lincoln, and then looked away. A smile crept onto her face. She and Lincoln then walked back into their respected rooms. Elise didn't, but got to work on Lorena's desktop. She took the DVD and diary that Olivia had, and went to work.
She opened up the diary that was given to Olivia. Inside, there were your normal forms of writing, but Elise went right in the middle, and took out a piece of paper, and opened it. It was a letter from Terrence Steadman to his sister, the day after his murder. Elise looked around the room to make sure that no one was looking.
She had been playing dumb this entire time. She already knew about Terrence Steadman being alive, and about the conspiracy before-hand. She was Caroline Reynolds's most trusted agent, that was until Terrence Steadman's alleged murder. That is when she lost Reynolds's trust and started to work against her. That is what landed her in prison in the first place: not obeying orders. But, upon hearing that Lincoln was in Fox River, Elise hacked into Chicago State's computer system, and transferred herself to Fox River. It was the perfect plan for revenge. It was also a secret she had never told, and never was.
Elise read the letter, and enter some key factors into the computer. These factors included what time he arrived at his destination, where he was going to be, and who he had with him. This was very sufficient evidendence for Lincoln's case. Elise just prayed that none of them would find out about her knowing about the conspiracy this entire, and that her name was not on that list. After that thought, she went to Veronica and Nick's bedroom, and asked Veronica for the list on the names. Once she had the list, she went back to her room, and read the names:
Caroline Reynolds
James Reynolds
Paul Kellerman
Terrence Steadman
George Patterson
Fredrick McDermott
Elisabeth Webster
Her heart dropped when she saw her name on the list. Then, she thought of idea. She took the list, and ran down to the lobby. She went to girl in the front desk.
"Do ou have a printer?"
"Uhhhh… yes."
"May I use your computer for about 5 minutes? It's very important."
The girl nodded, and Elise jumped over the window, and right into the seat. She then went to a program where she could recreate the list in the exact format, with exception of her name. Then, she printed it out, thanked the girl, and went right back to her room. But, what she found made her heart drop even more.
Everyone was in her room, waiting for her. Lincoln had the diary in his head, and glaring at her. Even Michael was looking at her in a loathing fashion.
"Can you tell us what this is, Elise?" Lincoln asked, holding out the diary.
"I can explain, Lincoln… It's only a diary."
"A diary! You knew about the conspiracy, didn't you?" Lincoln aksed, angry.
Elise nodded.
"How could you do that, Elise?" Veronica asked. "We all thought you were on our team."
"What do you think I've been doing? I've been trying get Lincoln out of Death Row just as much as you have been. Yes, I admit it. I was in on the conspiracy, but I was against it. Reynolds kept on pushing me to be even more in it, and the more I resisted, the more trouble I was getting into. I was sent to Chicago State the day after Terrence Steadman was murdered, but before I went, Reynolds gave me this diary," she took the diary out of Lincoln's hand, "but what she didn't know was that she had left a very important piece of information in the diary."
She took out Terrence Steadman's letter and read it aloud.
Dear Caroline,
I guess we really fooled them. I have just arrived in Little Rock, Colorado, in the Georgian Hotel, on Raven Street. I arrived in Colorado at about 8:00 A.M. and arrived at the hotel at 12:00. I'll under the name of "Derrick Fremot," since that is the name you chose. I hope no one finds this letter. It wouldn't be a great thing, since we all really want Lincoln Burrows dead. See you later.
Terrence Steadman
After reading the letter, Elise looked up to see their faces.
"You are going to testify them, aren't you?" Nick asked.
"Of course. I am letting my friend be executed for killing a man, who is, by this letter, as happy as can be in Little Rock."
"We have to call your father, Elise. We have to tell the exact location of Terrence."
"I'm on it." Elise took out her cell phone, and could the Special O.P.S. headquarters.
"David? Hello. This is Colonel Elise Webster. Radio in Lieutenant-General Desmond Webster."
"What does he need to be told?"
"Tell him about a location of a certain someone."
"That would against protocol, Elise. We cannot hand out locations if he isn't on a mission."
"Just do it, because he is on a mission. He's looking for Terrence Steadman."
"Terrence Steadman? I thought he was dead?"
"Well, judging by the letter that he sent to his sister, he is living well in Little Rock. So, radio my father, and tell him that Terrence Steadman is in the Georgian Hotel, on Raven Street in Little Rock. He';; be under the alias of Derrick Fremont."
"Ok, Elise. You got it."
"Thanks." She hung up the phone. She then looked at the group, and concentrated on Lincoln, who was still a bit angry.
"You have every right to be angry, but just remember…I'm on your side, now."
Lincoln nodded, and hugged Elise. She hugged him back tightly, and knew that, no matter what would happen, she and the rest of them were going to seek justice, and no one was going to stop them.