Chapter 2: The Explanation
"I'm sorry, what?! I didn't even know the General had a son!" Michael exclaimed as he slowly made his way back to his bed to sit down. He wasn't feeling that great, and his legs felt far too weak. How long had he been asleep? And more importantly, how long had the new Company had him in their clutches?
"No one, outside of my mother and my sister Lisa, did. Growing up, I took my mother's maiden name and became Jeremy Stevens," Jeremy explained as he walked toward where Michael was sitting. "I was only four when my parents got divorced, and while my sister Lisa went to live with my father, I went to live with my mother. However my mother died months after my eighteenth birthday, and my father convinced me to join him, and be his right hand man in the matters of Company business. I have observed his every move for the past several years."
"But how is that even possible? No one has ever even heard of you?"
"Well you see Mr. Scofield," Jeremy began, "I have been kind of a behind the scenes man. I am and have been for the past 15 or so years my father's 'backup plan'. He knew he wasn't bullet proof, and would one day no longer be a part of the Company. It was always a part of the plan that I would become the head of the Company when my father was no longer in the picture. Not only have I been watching you, your family, I have also worked side by side with Christina, may she rest in peace. I admired her work greatly. Now I'm sure you're wondering how I managed to obtain the power, connections, and plans necessary to recreate an organization as powerful as the Company, and the truth is that the Company never ended. Yes we lost Scylla, and yes my father is on death row, but we had far more plans beyond Scylla, and far more connections than my father. Under my leadership, the Company has regained almost all of its influence in just these past seven months."
Seven months, Michael thought. How could I possibly have been in a coma for seven months?! Sara must be due any day now. Rather than voicing his thoughts to Jeremy, Michael instead asked, "How did I get here? And why have I been in a coma for so long?"
"Well you see Michael, can I call you Michael?" Jeremy started, "When our inside contacts received you from the lovely Miami-Dade Penitentiary for Women, you were in pretty bad shape; and by 'pretty bad shape' I mean you were dead and your heart had to be shocked back to life with a crash cart. Alas the Company doctors were able to revive you, and ran some run-of-the-mill scans to see how much damage the electric shock you suffered from did. It was during these scans that they discovered your tumor had once again returned. You were rushed into surgery, where the doctors successfully removed your tumor. However the surgeries and near death-experiences really took a toll on your body, thus you fell into a seven month coma."
For the first time since he woke, something made sense. He realized that the headaches that he had become so accustomed to for the past year of his life, were gone, and for that he was grateful. "Why did you try so hard to bring me back? I mean from the sound of it, it sounds like you may have been better off to just leave me to die."
"Your mind is so valuable to us. It is a vital instrument for the Company to have in order to rebuild itself. Your mother helped build the Company and its operations. It is largely because of her that the Company became the success that it was. And from what I've been told you are as brilliant, if not more, than she was. We need you to help us rebuild the Company. So what do you say? Partners?"
As much as Michael wanted to scream "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND?" he restrained himself. He knew he had to be smart in this situation because due to his lack of weapons as well as weak physical state, he knew there was no way he could win this fight. If he wanted the chance of ever seeing his family again, he'd have to be smart. "What if I say no?" Michael tested.
"Ah I was afraid you wouldn't see the benefits of creating a new and improved Company. So I've decided to create a little bit of inspiration."
Suddenly, Jeremy turned on the screen in the front of the room. Michael's eyes went wide as he was horrified by the picture in front of him. It was a split screen showing live surveillance of not only Sara, but Lincoln and LJ as well.
"I have men close by at all times. If you make one wrong move, Sara might accidently end up in a multi-car accident, or Lincoln may get into a bar fight with a man who may or may not be armed. It's these kinds of things I am prepared to do to keep you properly, how should I put this…motivated. So what do you say," Jeremy repeated for the second time that day, "partners?"