At the airport I didn't relax one bit, I paid the driver and then went inside. People were everywhere there were line-ups that snaked around the barriers and lines where you get your ticket. I sat down at one of the benches and looked at the amount of money I had left, I had about three thousand dollars left the most I had spent on was the passport and id. I cautiously got up and looked around there weren't as many security guards at the ticket counters as there were at the security check-in. I took in a breath and then walked up to one of the empty counters.
"One ticket to Chicago, Illinois please," I said quickly.
The counter woman typed into her computer and then asked for my passport and I handed it to her. She scanned it and I held in my breath.
"Is this your first time flying?" she asked.
"Yeah," I breathed.
She continued to type and then printed out my ticket. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she handed it to me.
"Have a good flight sir."
I nodded and then headed over to the security check-in, now came the hardest part. I moved slug-slow in the line and just kept to myself, when I came near to the passport scan I took out my passport and ticket. The man there scanned it and I tried hard not to look at the officer behind him. I was allowed through and I went to the security scan. Was I not on the no-fly list? Did Mahone be so confident that he didn't put my picture or anyone's for that matter on the no-fly list? Honestly I wasn't complaining and decided to go along with it. I passed through the security check-point with no problem and then sat down to tie my shoes. I looked up and my insides froze, my mugshot came up on the computer on the No-Fly list. I forgot about tying my shoe and ran for the gate.
I went to the food court and sat once I got my food. I looked over to see a man who was working on his laptop and I cleared my throat, it worked.
"Are you going to Kansas City, Kansas?" I asked innocently.
The man nodded, he now turned to me.
"I'm going to Chicago and I was wondering if you'd be able to switch tickets with me."
The man glared at me. "Why?"
I looked around and then sighed. "Look man, I'm just going to tell you straight my sis is in Kansas City and I just got a call from my brother that she is at the hospital."
The man's expression softened.
"I…I didn't know until about five minutes ago that she was there, I was heading home right when an email came up on my phone."
The man was clearly thinking and I leaned in.
"I'll give you the ticket and a thousand bucks if you switch with me." The man looked at me and I carefully took out exactly one thousand and showed it to him. In the end he agreed and we switched.
At the gate I was practically paranoid, I constantly looked to see where the officers were and looking to see if anyone was looking at me suspiciously. I got a few looks from parents who held their children close and a few passengers who just raised a brow and moved away. When my area was called up I immediately jumped up and was the first one there. My ticket was scanned and the woman hesitated.
"It says here that you're supposed to be on Flight 564 sir," the attendant said.
"Fuck," I cursed making it loud enough for everyone in the line to hear. "I clearly told the woman that I wanted this flight."
The attendant held her hands in defense. "Okay we can change it easily." She scanned the ticket and then quickly typed into the computer. "Okay you're all set sir." I was surprised that she didn't ask for my passport but I just kept walking and didn't stop until I was on the plane.
On the flight I didn't let go of the armrests for a second. I didn't even unbuckle when they allowed passengers to roam free. I was glad that no one in my row had to go to the restroom. I tried to think of a plan of how to get Tamara out but couldn't think of any. As I sat there I thought to myself, is this a trap? Did Mahone want me to come to Kansas City thus the reason why I got onto the flight? What if Tamara isn't even alive? I quickly cast away that thought and tried to think positive but it was hard.
When we touched ground I got off as quickly as I could, grabbed my bag from the carousal and then left. Outside I hailed a taxi and then climbed in.
"Downtown please."
On the ride down I tried to think of a way to get into the police station, what happened with David and Brooke was a miracle that almost ended up getting us killed if it weren't for Seth's driving. The taxi pulled over and I paid and got out. I went to the nearest cell phone store and bought a pre-paid phone. I was glad that Teddy had given me the cash that he did. As soon as I opened it, it rang. It might be Mahone, my subconscious told me. Fuck off.
"Hello?"
"Nice to talk to you again." It was Mahone. Told you my subconscious cheered, I just wanted it to shut up.
"Where is Tamara?"
"Oh, she had a transfer to…a remote place."
Fury built up in me and I resisted the urge to close the phone. I looked around me, it was too crowded. I moved over to a more secluded place and then started up the conversation again.
"Where the fuck is Tamara?" I hissed.
"There has been some complications," Mahone said calmly. "Apparently you do know something about Scofield's whereabouts."
I shook my head. "No I seriously don't know anything, why the hell do you keep asking me?"
"Because you're the only one I can talk too," Mahone teased, I could sense that he was enjoying this immensely. "Abruzzi is long gone, Haywire is dead too committed suicide by jumping off a radio tower interesting don't you think? C-note is possibly dead by now, Sucre went off the map, your cellmate is nowhere to be found and those two brothers have been a pain in the ass ever since they escaped. You're the only one I seem to count on."
When he mentioned Sucre going 'off the map' I remembered what Michael had shouted during the night of the escape.
"We'll figure this out when we get to Mexico!" It was clear as that was moments after Teddy made a desperate gambit to stay alive by cuffing himself to Michael.
"I know you know something," Mahone said darkly. "When we were...chatting back in Arizona I knew that you were hiding something."
"You know what? I've been meaning to ask you something ever since I escape from that hell hole you put me in."
"Hmm? And what is that?"
"How's your head?" I knew it wasn't the smartest move but I knew that it was enough to get him fumed so that he will go right to the point of this call. I knew it was more than just finding the brothers.
"I have a...proposal for you Buchanan," Mahone said once he got his temper back in check. "No wait – let's call it an ultimatum, are you listening?"
I wanted to shout no, I wanted to hang up on the bastard and run forever but I knew that I wouldn't last. I knew that I should have hung up on him the moment he called.
"Give me the information on your 'best friend' Teddy and in return I will give you your girlfriend back. No wait, let's up it shall we. I want you to kill Theodore Bagwell and in return I will give you your freedom as well as your girlfriend."
My body went went stiff like a board. My brain went numb and I wanted to shout and scream at the top of my lungs at him, I wanted to call him every name in the book and shout insults but I couldn't all I could do was just stand there frozen.
"Kill Theodore," Mahone repeated. "And I will give you your freedom and Tamara."
"You killed my brother," I hissed at him.
"He brought it upon himself, he didn't want to co-operate and he knew the consequences."
"Where are the others?" I demanded.
"You're not in a position to make any demands."
"How long have you and Brett worked together?"
There was a pause. "I figured that you'd find out sooner or later. Why don't you ask him?" Then Mahone cut the connection and I just stood there frozen, listening to the rhythmic beating of the dial tone.
Why don't you ask him? Mahone's voice echoed in my head as I shuffled down the street trying to think of what he meant by that. Another part of my mind nagged me at the ultimatum that Mahone gave me. He wants you to kill Teddy, my mind told me, shut up I shouted back.
"I'm not crazy," I whispered to myself.
When I turned the corner I froze and immediately my expression of shock was replaced with absolute fury. There before me stood Brett and I remembered what Mahone told me, why don't you ask him? Before he could react I was already halfway towards him. I tackled him to the ground and some stitches pulled in my chest but ignored my pain and stared back at the Brit, this asshole was going to get a serious beat down.
"I'm sorry," Brett said quickly holding his hands up in defense. I tried to punch him but he blocked it easily, I kicked him in the privates and he cringed.
"Why the fuck did you sell me out you fucking son of a bitch?" I shouted and punched him in the gut.
"Mahone had something on me," Brett struggled to say, I seriously wanted to kill this kid.
"I don't want you fucking excuses!" We continued to brawl until he kicked me where one of the larger wounds were and I gasped for breath. He pushed me off and I swiped at him but he dodged it easily.
"You bastard," I gasped trying to get to my feet but blood was already seeping through my shirt and a dot of blood hit the pavement. Immediately I thought of Kayla and how I just left her there to die like that, I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream everything inside me was ready to explode. I wanted to strangle the life out of Brett but I was running out of energy.
"I'm sorry," Brett whispered, his voice was shaking. "I'm so sorry mate."
I gritted my teeth as I finally managed to get up.
"You bitch," I whispered back now gaining back some oxygen. I wanted to sit down and let everything out, but I wasn't going to loose it in front of this guy.
"He was going to deport me," Brett explained in deep breaths. "He was going to send me back, I can't go back...I can't go back."
"Why not?" I asked pulling myself up against the wall of a building.
"I'm already in trouble back in England don't you understand? If I go back then I go to prison for three life sentences, you more than anyone should know that! Mahone caught be when Seth and I were out, he said that he would change my papers to make it look like I was an illegal immigrant. That on top of my twelve months for breaking into the government files to make sure that I was clear, he was going to expose all of that he was going to force me back."
"Then go back," I shouted at him. "You don't belong here anyway. Because of you Tamara is captured by that...that bastard! This is all your fault!"
Brett was shocked but then he grew angry. "Who's fucking idea was it to escape eh? I didn't force you, Seth told me about your little talks with each other, he kept telling me that you were having second doubts but you still went anyway."
I didn't listen to him, the reason was – he was right. I turned away not looking at him, not allowing him to see the guilt in my eyes that gave me away.
"So don't you dare blame this on me."
I turned back to Brett to see that he too was now seated, he was leaned up against the building and he hugged his knees. Immediately I felt a pang of shame tug at my chest.
"I didn't want to get involved," Brett whispered, his voice was so low that I had to lean over in his direction to hear what he was saying. "Mahone had contacted me about a few weeks ago telling me that he discovered my records and started to question me. He threatened to deport me if I didn't help him. When Seth told of his plan to help save you, I joined in as a small pay back for the blackmail but..."
"You couldn't exactly take full betrayal," I finished.
Brett nodded. An eerie silence lingered between us, tension was still there so was anger and a mixture of guilt and absolute fury.
"So you left your phone in the bathroom on purpose didn't you?" I asked I was starting to get angry again.
Brett nodded. "I knew that you would open it, I had taken the Passcode off it before I left."
"And Mahone did message you through my brother's phone that Chris was dead." It wasn't a question. Tears silently streamed down Brett's face as he nodded.
"You called up Tamara and pretended to be me didn't you?"
"It was the only way that she would call back, Mahone gave me her phone number." I was then hit by a flurry of deva-ju remembering that's exactly what Teddy made Seth do. He had found her phone number on the back of the picture that I had of her and Teddy forced Seth to call her in order to see what she looks like knowing that I wouldn't call her no matter what threat he said.
"Son of a bitch," I cursed but I wasn't meaning Brett. I already had taken my furry out on him even if it wasn't long, I still had some left but I would have to take care of that later.
"Where is he?" I demanded getting up and stalking towards the tortured boy.
"Wha...who?" Brett asked backing away from me.
"Mahone, where is he?"
Brett looked like he was trying to conjure up a lie but in the end he abandoned it.
"He knew you would ask that," Brett whispered.
"Tell me."
"He's going down to Panama, he received an anonymous call that someone saw the brothers down there, Michael and Lincoln."
"You have a vehicle with you yes?"
Brett nodded but then shook his head once he realized where I was going with this. "You can't be crazy enough to drive down to Panama!"
My subconscious was back to nag me but I ignored it completely, I wasn't sure where Tamara was or if she was even still alive. But I knew that psychopaths loved to play games and they would hide whatever they had in the plainest of sights. I had an idea where Tamara was.
"We're going to be taking a little detour."