Run.

And keep running.

I could feel a warm liquid squish in my shoe but I didn't even stop to bend down. My head began to feel light and my legs were starting to hurt. I whipped around to see lights dance through the trees and I ducked in time as one came in my direction. As I got up the ground fell underneath my foot and I tumbled down a sloped hill. Head over heels I fell and I could feel branches and stone cut into me. I crashed onto the ground with a thump, leaves and twigs crinkled and broke against my body. I felt blood fill my mouth and when I tried to get up I immediately fell back down as my head spun. I'm not sure how long I laid there on the ground but I couldn't move at all even if I tried. Am I dead? That's a rhetorical question, my subconscious said bluntly. I moved my leg slowly and started to gain some feeling back. I blinked once slowly and attempted to get up, which failed – again. It hurts, I thought as I could feel the sticks that were still embedded into my flesh. I allowed my whole body to just relax, I closed my eyes and didn't care if I got caught or not but I didn't hear anyone coming after me so I took that as a good sign. I opened my eyes again and looked around. Trees, trees, more trees and darkness. I looked up to see a billion stars blink at me and a waning moon that was partially covered by clouds that thinly spread across the sky. Sweat mixed with blood and trailed down my bare arms. I could feel the metal still enclosed around my wrist and I wanted it off. I raised my arm in pain to see no angry red light blinking at me, nothing. The chip was successfully destroyed thanks to the locksmith, however the bracelet was still on. I finally got the courage to get to my feet and start walking again though after the sixth step I fell down face first. I groaned and sat up, I looked at the outline of my shoes and then proceeded to take them off. Ah! I mentally screamed. The laces were easy to take off, the part of actually taking off the whole shoe from the foot? Not the best idea. Blood came forth from the shoe and dripped onto the leafy ground or trailed down my arm. My feet felt like they had swelled three times their size and I could feel the blisters slowly open as I attempted to stretch my feet. The air was cool giving brief relief to the pain until I decided to get up and start walking again.

I had no idea where I was or how I even got here. I remember lights, shouts, what sounded like the voice of God and running as fast as I could. As I walked one of my shoes fell out of my hand and I bent down to pick it up. I walked for about five more minutes before the same thing happened again.

"You fucker!" I cursed staring hatefully at my shoe. I wanted to leave it there, to forget about the stupid thing and keep walking. But would I be leaving a trail for the police to follow? I picked up the sneaker and then threw it as far as I could. I heard it hit the ground with a faint thud and then continued on.

I had honestly lost track of time a long time ago and I've been out in the woods all by myself for most of that time. The darkness was sort of comforting as I suspected that no one would be out here, that I was all alone. So you would take my reaction of a house light coming on above my head all of a sudden completely reasonable. I thought it was one of those police helicopter spotlights but when I realized that it was a house light I relaxed somewhat and tried to tame my heartbeat. I knew that the light had to be automatic and I continued to walk around the house. This is odd, I thought.

"Who are you?"

I literally jumped and turned to see a little girl around the age of six standing on the porch in her stripped pajamas with a stuffed animal hugged close to her chest. Her hair was pulled back into an angled ponytail and I realized that she had done it herself. Her green eyes held tight to my dark ones and the expression of curiosity was clear on her face.

"Who are you?" she asked again, she had a strong American accent.

I couldn't utter a sound much less than speak a full word. I looked at the curious-goer and then asked, "Where am I?"

"Panama," she replied.

"No…which part?"

The little girl shrugged and then said, "Do you want something to eat?"

Before I could speak she ran into her house. Why I stayed? I have no idea the girl didn't know which part of Panama she was in possibly it was when she said eat then my brain already decided that we were going to stay put. She came back out with a box of granola bars, ice-cream and what looked like beer. She then raced back inside and returned with a juice box for herself.

"Daddy always says that men drink beer," the girl said opening up her juice box. I cautiously took one from the case and cracked in open. I took a sip. It was slightly warm but still nice. The girl handed me a granola bar and then took one for herself.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Aileen."

"Where are your parents?"

"Upstairs sleeping."

I looked up at the towering house and started to get worried. Aileen on the other hand wasn't worried about anything as she devoured her granola bar and took a drink of her juice.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

"I can't sleep," Aileen said opening up the ice-cream. She handed me a spoon and I was still bewildered at what this child was doing. Did she not know that she was face-to-face with a criminal? I took a bit of the ice-cream and then ate it, feeling the coolness and the sugar melt in my mouth brought back memories and I ate some more.

"So what are you doing all the way out here?" Aileen asked.

"Running," I answered.

"This is an odd place to run."

I nodded and then she looked down at my feet.

"Your feet are bleeding," she said uneasily. I looked down at my feet and saw how messy they were. Blood was still trickling from openings. "I have bandages."

I was ready to accept when I realized that it possibly wasn't a good idea so I declined. Aileen suggested that I should at least have some shoes and that her brother was about my size. I was ready to stop her but already she had bound to the door, thrown it open and ran inside with the same ecstatic speed. When she came back she had a pair of what looked like freshly new black shoes in her hands. I looked at my feet to see that the swelling was down, it was just the blood. Aileen was also kind enough to have a pair of thin socks that was stuffed in each individual shoe.

"Are you going to leave me?" Aileen asked her voice was sad.

I nodded.

"Is there a reason?"

"Yeah."

Without warning she jumped back up and ran into the house. This time I went after her.

Inside the house it was cool, doors were open and I could hear Aileen's feet pad along the stone floor. As I contemplated as to which room she would be in, the girl burst from the farthest room. In her hand was a back pack and she ran to and fro through doors. Finally I stopped her.

"Aileen," I said firmly. "What are you doing?"

"You don't have anything," she said plainly, "mommy said that we should help those who don't have anything."

Well isn't she giving? My subconscious pondered. I cursed silently and then carefully took the bag from her. Inside was a pair of clothes, water bottles and some food. I looked at her to see that she wanted me to have it. I carefully zipped the bag up and slung it over my shoulder and the girl gave me a small smile. I walked back to the front door and she followed.

"So you have to leave now?" she asked sadly.

I nodded if I stayed around any longer I could endanger the girl and that was the last thing I wanted. Aileen didn't like it but she nodded. I waved good-bye and headed off into the darkness.

The food had made me tired and I found a secluded place to sleep. I used the bag as a pillow and immediately drifted off as soon as I closed my eyes.

She was standing on the porch, her hair blew lightly in the wind and she looked pained. I wanted to reach out and comfort her but I couldn't all I could do was observe. Liam came up from behind her.

"Are you alright Tamara?" he asked.

She didn't answer only remained looking at the traffic that passed the house. Liam leaned up against the side banister and said, "I know how you must feel, I mean god knows what Mahone said to him."

Tamara still didn't reply.

"I don't blame y-."

"Well you should!" Tamara hissed, her voice was hollow and strained. "It's my fault."

"Can you call him?"

Tamara turned to Liam and glared daggers at him.

I woke with a start. Holy shit! And she's alive! My subconscious rejoiced. But how? Mahone's a liar. She died, he said so. You'd believe that nutcase? I blinked in the harsh light and then looked around. No one. I was curious of the time and got to my feet when a crack of a gun forced me back down. I was wide awake now, my eyes darted to and fro looking for the shooter. Was it a sniper? No, their bullets are quieter. I got up and headed in the direction where the shot came from. I pushed back some branches and froze. Before me was Mahone, his gun now whipped over to me but I wasn't paying attention to him. No my attention was on Sara Tencredi who too held a handgun but it was pointed to the ground. Beside her was Michael who was surprised to see me again.

"You went off the radar for a while didn't you?" Mahone snarled. "Well now that I've found you, you are going to die right here. You've been a pain in the ass ever since you escaped." He cocked him gun and was ready to shoot when Sara took another wild shot at him. Mahone whipped at her and shot at Michael who jumped out of the way in time and then turned his attention towards me and shot. I jumped and landed somewhere in the brush and scrambled to safety while bullets dotted the ground around me. I could hear Michael attack Mahone directly and I took a peak over the tangled branches to see both brawl for the handgun that was just a few centimetres away from both. I tore through the brush and went for the gun. Mahone delivered a painful kick to Michael's mouth and went for the gun too. I was close but he was closer. Before I could even bend over, Mahone grabbed the gun, rammed it in my shoulder and then pressed hard on the trigger.

Time froze. Someone screamed off to my right, I could hear footsteps echo in my ears but I couldn't see who they belonged too as my vision blurred. Pain racked my body and I tried to get up but couldn't as I felt a huge weight hold me down. I could feel familiar warmth spread around my shoulder and soak into my shirt. I looked to see a blurred figure looming over me, I couldn't make it out but I was sure that it was Mahone gazing down at me with his menacing eyes. The pain grew excruciating. I wanted to tell him off, I wanted him to leave me alone but I knew that that was never going to happen he was too close and he wasn't going to give up an opportunity like this to kill me. Something was pressed against my chest and I closed my eyes not wanting to look at it. At that moment though I didn't care if Mahone was going to shoot me or not I just wanted everything to be over and done with. Die, my subconscious hissed. I'm trying.

Suddenly something grabbed me, then all of a sudden hands grabbed at my limbs and picked me up. I screamed in pain and couldn't help but thrash around trying to free myself from the increasing pain. I mustered up the courage to open my eyes and saw five guns, all muzzles trained directly at my head.

And in that moment I realized that this was no joke. This was a living nightmare.

A/N: This is the end of Fractured Illusion. Thanks to all who reviewed, faved, or alerted much appreciated. I'm thinking of continuing with Season 3, so let me know if it's worth a shot. Thanks, Spitfire47