A/N: Wow I am officially the worst. I am so sorry I haven't update in forever! It took me so long to write this chapter because it is a super big turning point AND because I wanted it to be perfect. But that is no excuse. I'll try to get another update out within the week to make up for it.
A/N 2: I went ahead and continued on from where we left off, without going to Sara, Lincoln, and little Mike. We'll be back to them next chapter :). Anyway here is chapter 14. Hope y'all enjoy it!
Ch. 14: Now What?
Michael and Mahone blankly stared back at the only person now standing in the way of their freedom. Before their very eyes stood the same man who had held them captive for all these months; the same man that had kept Michael from his son and wife; the General had won too many battles in the past few months, but today Michael and Mahone were going to win the war. They were going to get out of that hell-hole today, or they were going to die trying.
"Well? I'm waiting," the General smirked, almost amused by the whole situation.
Mahone looked over to Michael and for the first time since he had known Michael, Mahone was genuinely afraid that he did not have a plan. How could he? No one expected this to happen. The general never comes by the lab. The only person who is ever anywhere near the lab is the scrawny lab tech. What were the chances that the General just happened to be passing by the lab on the day of their planned escape?
Michael stared back at the General blankly. He was not afraid. Sure, he had a plan. It wasn't a very good plan, but it was a plan. All he could think of to do in a Hail Mary effort was to fight. The General didn't look that intimidating. Together, Michael believed that he and Mahone could incapacitate the General for long enough to escape. He looked to Mahone and instantly Mahone seemed to figure out what Michael was thinking. Mahone discretely nodded at Michael, a gesture that seemed to go unnoticed by the General.
"Well," Mahone began, "I was headed back to my room when I found Scofield here wandering through the halls. Luckily I caught him before he could do any damage to our company plans. He outsmarted me though, and tried to escape my clutches. I chased him all the way down here. He started rambling on and on about this door and how well designed and engineered it was. And that's about when you showed up."
The General stared blankly at Michael and Mahone and processed what Mahone had just told him.
"Well Scofield, do you have anything to say for yourself?" the General inquired.
"There is no explanation that you would understand for my actions, therefore I'm not even going to bother wasting my breath with an explanation I know you will ignore. Now, if it's all right with you gentlemen, I would like to return to my room now," Michael finished. He turned to Mahone and gave him the slightest of nods that would have gone undetected by any passerby. But for Mahone, it was just enough for him to pick up on and that's when it began.
Before the General could respond, Mahone had put him in a chokehold and was standing behind him. Michael reached into the General's pocket and grabbed the gun that he knew he would have. He pointed it at the General's chest.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out right now," Michael threatened. "After everything you and your father have put me and my family through, give me one good reason why I shouldn't end your life right here, right now."
"Now now Mr. Scofield. Let's not do anything too rash. I'm sure we can talk this over like the mature adults that we are," the General tried to reason.
Unbeknownst to Michael and Mahone, the General had more control over the situation than they had thought. Before they knew it, the General kneed Mahone in the groin and knocked the gun from Michael's hand. Mahone doubled over in pain as Michael tried to recover the gun before the General could get a hold of it. However, Michael was unsuccessful and the General soon gained control of the situation. He backed up Michael and Mahone until their backs were against the wall and their hands were held up in a surrendered position.
Well now Michael was truly out of ideas. He knew he couldn't wrestle the General for the gun without the high chance that he or Mahone could be caught in the crossfire. Mahone, however, seemed to believe differently. He made a move toward the gun before kthe General stopped him.
"Ah ah ah. Just what do you think you're doing Mr. Mahone?" questioned the General. "Now," he continued, "how is it that you worded it? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your brains out?"
Stall. That's the only solution Michael could think of. Maybe if he could distract the General for long enough, he or Mahone could come up with a plan to outsmart the General and regain control of the situation.
"You're bluffing," Mahone stated boldly.
"I beg your pardon?" responded the General appalled by Mahone's gutsy response.
"You heard me. You won't kill us – you can't. You need us. Without us, who's gonna help you rebuild your precious Company. Our minds can't be replaced and you know it. So tell me what you're actually gonna do to us?"
"You see, Mr. Mahone, that is where you are wrong," the General began. "Sure I cannot replace the magnificent mind of Mr. Scofield, but you on the other hand are…easily disposed of."
Michael's mind was scrambling. He knew what Mahone was doing. He knew that Mahone had expected him to have a plan, just like he always did, but this time was different. This time Michael's only plan was to stall; a plan that was quickly going to hell as a result of Mahone's overconfidence in Michael's capabilities. He was provoking the General in hopes of distracting him so that Michael could do whatever he needed to in order to regain control of the situation.
Michael was out of ideas and panicking when he saw the General point his gun at Mahone's chest. It was in this moment that Mahone too realized that Michael did not have a plan.
It was then that Mahone's mind began to scramble. How could Michael Scofield be without a plan? How could this be happening? How were they going to get out of this one? Was this really the end of the road for him? Sure, Michael and his brain were safe, but Mahone? That was another story. Mahone knew he didn't have anything to offer to convince the General to spare him. And Mahone wasn't afraid. If this was how it ended, he would be fine with it. Mahone knew that if he died in this moment, his life would have had some meaning.
And then it happened. Out of nowhere, the stranger who had been lurking in the shadows appeared. Except it wasn't a stranger at all. It was a face that Michael, Mahone, and even the General were all too familiar with.
At first Michael was afraid of the face that stood before him. He didn't know what to think. Was she here to help them or to hurt them? Before their very eyes stood none other than Gretchen Morgan.
Just as the General was about to turn around to see what (or rather who) had captured the attention of Mahone and Michael, Gretchen struck him on the head with the butt of her gun.
"Well hello gentlemen," she greeted. "Fancy seeing you here."
"What are you even doing here? You're supposed to be in prison," Michael questioned.
"Now, now, there will be time for all of those explanations later. Right now, we've got to escape. We only have so long before the General wakes up and sends the entire Company on a manhunt for us. Don't worry about your families. I have taken care of all of the guards that have been keeping tabs on them. But right now, I want to get out of here just as badly as you do, so I can see my daughter. Now c'mon let's move."
Without another word Michael and Mahone used the gum to open the lab and find their path to freedom. Once inside the lab, they found the vent that lead to the outside world, just as they planned to do, and climbed through the vent.
When they finally reached the outside world, Michael felt overwhelmed with emotion. They had done it. They escaped. He couldn't believe it.
Mahone's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Hey, remember when you said we would get a front row seat to watching the Company burn?" Mahone asked rhetorically. "When are you gonna get on that one."
"I thought you'd never ask," Michael answered triumphantly. He then pulled a remote from his pocket and pressed the single red button in the middle.
"Run!" Michael yelled. And that's when they began to run. They ran and they didn't look back until they heard the sound of a distant explosion. In the distance, Michael, Mahone, and Gretchen saw a distant glow.
"What is that?" Mahone asked.
"That," Michael panted out, "is the end of the Company."
A/N: So there you have it. As always reviews are welcomed and loved! I'll try to get out the nect chapter soon! XOXO