Ch. 11: The Plan
"Would you just shut up for two seconds?" Alex questioned. "That story was our cover. I'm here to get you out of here."
Michael blankly stared at Mahone. He didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what to think. He had dreamed for months now of escaping this place and returning to his family, but he had no way of doing so. Now, someone was here, offering to help him find his way out and suddenly Michael wasn't so sure of his decision anymore. He was terrified. For the first time in awhile, Michael was truly terrified.
"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me? You said so yourself that I ruined your life and your chances with the bureau, so why are you helping me?" Michael finally voiced after what seemed like hours of silence.
"Listen Michael, I only said those things so the 'General' would believe me. In order for this to work, he has to believe that I truly despise you. But in reality, I'm working with the bureau. Yes, they were angry when I helped you and Sara escape, but Felicia was able to plead my case to a higher power claiming that I helped you out of loyalty, an important trait for an FBI agent to have. When the General approached me in that bar, and told me he was planning on rebuilding the Company with your help, I knew I had to get you out of here. I knew there was no way in hell you'd be willingly working with these people, and sure enough here you are being held against your will. I'm helping you Michael because we're friends. You once risked everything for me and my family, so I will do everything in my power to get you out of here and back home to Sara and little Mike."
At the mention of his son's name, Michael's head snapped up.
"You've met him?"
"Yes. And Michael, he's beautiful. He's everything good about you and Sara. And god, he's so smart. He's only nine months old, but he is brilliant. He gets that from you. You deserve to know your son. I will do absolutely everything in my power to bring you back to him." Mahone finished.
Michael sat and thought about his choices. He knew there was no choice to be made, but he also knew that he would be putting his family's life in danger once again by escaping. He knew he would have to end the Company once and for all if he ever even hoped of living a normal life again.
"Okay," Michael concluded. "What's the plan?"
Mahone broke into a smile and said, "I thought you'd never ask. The trouble is that we have to escape in the middle of the day, as that's the only time we'll be allowed to be together. Now, the General does trust me more than you, but is still giving me limited privileges. I am not allowed out of my room after 11 PM, and I don't have access to any of the hidden labs or rooms without the approval of someone with greater authority. So that's what makes this a little tricky. Any ideas?"
"You wouldn't happen to have the blueprints for this place lying around somewhere would you?" Michael joked.
Mahone laughed in response. "No Scofield. I can't say that I do."
"I figured as much. I've been here for a year now, and I've picked up on a few things: a few kinks in the system in you will. For instance, all locked doors to the secret labs and exits require a keycard and fingerprint access. The keycard will be easy. All we'll have to do is demobilize a guard and we have our key card. The trick will be getting the fingerprint." Michael finished.
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Mahone questioned.
"Can you get ahold of some bubble gum and some tape?"
"Probably. But I don't see how—"
"You underestimate my planning, Mahone. It's rather insulting. We, and by we I mean you because I'm not allowed out of my room without an army of guards, will have to wait and watch for a guard to access a room. After said guard accesses said room you will put the tape on the access point and use it to lift the guard's print. Then you will immediately come back here where I will be waiting so we can recreate the print for use with salt and bubble gum." Michael finished proudly.
"Not sure I'm following, but alright go on." Mahone sighed.
"Once we have a guard's prints, and please pick a deceivable or wimpy guard, we will dismantle him the day of our escape, steal his card, and use his thumbprint to have access to all of the secret labs."
"Okay, but you've still failed to answer probably the most important question there is. How do you expect us to get past the two guards outside your room?"
"Always underestimating me, aren't you Mahone? We aren't going out through those doors. We're getting out through that." Michael finished as he pointed to the air vent located right above where he and Mahone were standing.
"We can never just have a normal, walking escape plan, can we?" Mahone asked incredulously.
Michael laughed in response and Mahone soon joined in. It was amazing how far they had come in just over a year. They had gone from chasing each other cross country, to working together to escape from the most powerful organization in the world. Oh how times had changed.
When their laughter died down Michael sobered and said, "I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you for what you're doing for me. You're giving me a chance to know my son, to love Sara, to have a family. There is no amount of gratitude to encompass how grateful I am. I have no idea how I'm going to make this one up to you."
Mahone walked over to where Michael was standing and clasped his hand to Michael's shoulder. "You already have. You have done so much for my family and me: helping me escape from Sona, finding Wyatt so I could give that son of a bitch what he deserved, helping me keep Pam alive with that crazy ass plan to save Linc AND Sara. So consider us even," Mahone finished as he held out a hand to Michael.
Michael chuckled and met Mahone's handshake, "Alright. Partners then. Oh did I forget to mention my favorite part of this little plan?"
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Let's just say we're going to get a front row seat while we watch the Company burn."
So there you have it- a little inside scoop to Michael and Alex's plan. Sorry if the update time was too long, but things have been pretty hectic lately. Who knows, maybe if the reviews start coming in I'll even have a second chapter out by the end of the week! We shall see. Thanks for reading. R&R. XOXO