Hello friends! Your responses are giving me life. You honestly have no idea how happy they make me when I read them; they brighten my day! So thank you so incredibly much! I have this down to a system now and I should be able to update every other day... But we'll see if work holds me back or not haha. So thank you once more and I hope you enjoy this one!
Five
"Sara, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Sara's shaking as she tucks the cell phone back into her purse. It's happening all over again; she's going back on the run, as if she were a fugitive once more, only this time she's putting her children's lives at stake. Someone knew where they were living; someone had planned an attack. She's sure she has seen a ghost; the apparition of past horrors and memories she'd care not to relive. There's a call for another doctor over the loudspeaker before Sara realizes she's been silent for too long; her coworker Denise is staring at her as if she's afraid Sara will implode.
"Actually, I'm… I'm not feeling too great," Sara answers, already getting her things and walking out the door. "Tell Steve to cover my shift, okay? I've got to get home."
"Well I believe it. You're pale as a sheet," Denise responds, calling after her retreating form. "Feel better!"
Sara drives mindlessly through the city, runs a red light and curses like a trucker. She glances in the rearview mirror and realizes she hasn't managed to grab the bags they'd packed earlier that morning and, cursing her stupidity, she realizes they'll have to make due without them. She swings by Zoe's preschool, first, picking her up in the middle of snack time, much to the four-year-old's chagrin. Noah's first-grade class is at recess when she heads over to Brookside Elementary and she has to wait a full twenty minutes before they'll release him to her. Both kids are asking why they left school early and where they're headed, but Sara's not sure she has an answer for them, at least not yet.
She's glad she's just refilled the gas tank the day before, because Michael's crane spoke of an address in Raleigh, North Carolina and that's a long way's away from Syracuse, New York. She pulls into an adjacent apartment complex to their own and rings for LJ and Sofia, who are both, miraculously, at home. She tells them the logistics only- they have to leave right now- and ushers them into her car before tearing off down I-87 and getting on the thruway. They're driving a full half hour before any of them speaks. Sofia first breaks the silence, asking, "Sara? What happened?"
"I'm not even really sure," She answers truthfully. "What I do know is that someone in Miami had our address and Michael called and said we needed to get out."
"Do you think someone was coming after you?" Sofia asks worriedly and Sara shrugs.
"I wouldn't put it past The Company, to be honest," Sara replies. "I didn't even have a chance to grab our stuff. We don't have clothes, toothbrushes… anything."
"We'll figure something out," Sofia says confidently. "We're going to stop halfway, right? I don't think you want to drive ten hours in one day."
"Yeah. Yeah, we can stop."
"Okay. So we'll check into a hotel for the night and exploit the gift shop," Sofia concludes. "They'll have toiletries and things."
"Good idea."
"My Dad's okay, though, right?" LJ asks from the backseat. "Uncle Mike didn't say anything otherwise, did he?"
"Um, he didn't actually say, but I think everything's okay," Sara says, before offering him the cell phone. "You can call him, if you want."
LJ nods and takes the phone from her grasp. "Maybe later. I bet he's fine."
They drive on and on, but a few hours in and the kids are already claiming boredom. LJ does what he can to entertain them with countless road games, songs and stories, but they've just exited New York and are losing interest in the road trip. Noah pulls out his spelling workbook and completes five entire pages, Zoe extracts a coloring book but complains that the car is not the best place for creating a masterpiece and LJ is, unfortunately, a young adult literally stuck in the middle of the two. They're running out of things to do, so Sofia decides to teach them some Spanish to keep their minds off of the endlessly boring car ride.
"Si te sientes muy feliz, aplaude asi! Si te sientes muy feliz, aplaude asi!" Sofia recites and Noah and Zoe clap where necessary. "Si te sientes muy feliz, tu rostro no podra mentir! Si te sientes muy feliz, aplaude asi!"
With the final two claps, Zoe complains, "I'm hungry, Mommy!"
"Me too," Noah reiterates. "Can we go home for dinner now?"
"Guys, I told you, we're not going home, remember?" Sara explains. "We're going on a little trip. We'll eat as soon as we can, okay?"
"I don't like this trip," Noah decides, resting his chin in his palm and watching the miles fly by outside his window.
"Me either," Zoe agrees. "Where's Daddy?"
"Daddy's meeting us there, eventually," Sara sighs, sending a sideways glance at Sofia, who nods encouragingly.
"How long do you think this is going to take?" LJ asks and then clarifies, "And I'm not talking about the drive."
"Alex says maybe a week or two," Sara answers. "But honestly? I don't know. I mean, they don't even know who they're going after."
LJ sighs. "Terrific."
They drive about an hour and a half longer before Zoe bursts into tears and demands food, Noah irritably agreeing with her. They stop for a quick dinner at a Red Robin, which makes both kids happy since they get a balloon after finishing their meal. Deciding to stop for the night in Hagerstown, a town on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland, Sofia points out a seedy looking motel and as much as Sara would love to shelter her kids from having to stay at a place like this, they really don't have that much money with them. They spring for a suite- which has two queen beds and a pull out couch, so not much of a suite- and it only costs them forty-five dollars. Alarming. Sara buys toothbrushes and toothpaste all for three dollars- also alarming- and calls it a night.
LJ offers the bed to Sofia and gallantly takes the pull out couch. Somehow, he's asleep within minutes; it astounds them all. Sofia takes one queen bed and Sara and the kids take the other. She's still wearing her clothes from that day; she's dressed Noah in an extra shirt of LJ's and Zoe in a tank top of Sofia's and as ridiculous as it is, they both look pretty adorable swimming in clothes too big for them. Now, as LJ lightly snores a few feet away and Sofia tosses and turns in half-sleep, Sara reaches for the cell phone in her bag, careful not to disturb Noah, who's asleep against her right shoulder or Zoe, who's head is resting on Sara's stomach. A quick chat with Michael is something she really needs right now, because nothing around her is familiar and even though she's managed to somehow make the kids feel safe, she is the one in need of reassurance, now.
It calms her nerves, that's for sure, and it must be what eventually lulls her to sleep, because the next thing she knows, there's sunlight flowing in from behind the curtains and LJ's bringing everyone bagels and juice from the bakery across the street. The kids both ask if this is the day they're going to see Daddy and Sara doesn't have the heart to tell them she has no idea when they actually will. They're on the road before nine and hit Raleigh a little after two- one bathroom break and a stop for lunch held them back- driving immediately to the address Michael had laid out the day before. It doesn't make much sense; the address Michael's given is an academic library for North Carolina State University. They park the car and begin to walk towards the building, unsure of how this place is supposed to house and protect them.
"Is Uncle Mike trying to tell us something?" LJ asks. "I literally just graduated. I definitely don't need any more school."
Sofia glances at Sara and asks, "Any ideas? He's your husband."
"I know," Sara replies, holding onto both Noah and Zoe's hands as they walk deeper into the campus. "But sometimes he has codes even I can't crack."
All around them, campus activity rushes by them in a flurry; a group of sorority girls cheer and laugh and screech in a giant cluster of leggings and Uggs and North Face jackets. A student in a brightly colored t-shirt leads a tour group of prospective students and their parents into the library. Two students walk hand in hand towards an academic building, but both are gabbing away on their cell phones and not paying a bit of attention to the other. Sara once again glances at the address Michael's given her and wills herself to understand what he means. Come on, Michael, she thinks. Throw me a bone. Why would you possibly want us at a college campus?
She gets her answer. A few minutes later, a UPS trucks pulls into the cargo loading spot in the back of the library. The driver exits the vehicle, climbs into the back of the truck and unloads three heavy-looking boxes of what they're all assuming are new arrivals of books. He delivers the books to the woman at the back door of the library and then seems to spot Sara and the others. He walks forward casually, but still there's a growing feeling of unease in the pit of her stomach. She grips Noah and Zoe's hands even tighter, but ultimately relaxes the moment this person's come into view.
It's Benjamin Miles Franklin; he smiles into the sunlight and asks, "What's up, Doc? How're you doing?"
She's still pretty speechless, but she manages to release Zoe's hand long enough to shake his. "How…? What…?"
"I know. It's probably a bit of a shock," Benjamin grins, acknowledging the children beside her. "Hey kids, how are you? I'm Ben; I'm a friend of your Dad's. You ready to come back to my house? We just got a trampoline!"
Noah looks a bit skeptical and Zoe moves to hide behind her mother. Sara says, "Sorry, they inherited their paranoia from us."
"It's okay. They'll come around," He shrugs. "So as you could probably guess, I'm going to be your armed protection for a while. Why don't you follow me back to my place? Kacee and Dede are away for a few days visiting family up north, so it'll be just us."
They begin to trek back to the car with Sara asking, "How did you get involved? I mean, I'm sure this is hardly what you'd like to be doing right now."
"Nah, it's not so bad. Michael busted me out of prison; I owe him my life," Benjamin explains. "I'll do anything I can to try and repay him."
Sara nods her understanding and assumes her position behind the wheel again, following that big, brown UPS truck down the street and towards a residential area. On the way, she explains Benjamin's role in the past a bit further to LJ and Sofia, who are still fairly confused and apprehensive of trusting him. But Ben's a good guy; Sara's always known that. Like Lincoln, he'd just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. They pull into his driveway a few moments later, with Benjamin showing the kids into the backyard and Noah and Zoe immediately making a beeline for the trampoline, dragging their cousin with them. Sara and Sofia hang back a bit, the former still incredibly inquisitive.
"Why wouldn't Michael just give us your address?" Sara inquires. "Why go through the trouble of sending us to a college campus?"
"It's Michael," Sofia reasons. "Why does he do any of the things he does?"
Benjamin chuckles. "He probably just wanted to cover his bases. You know, just in case that slip of paper ended up in the wrong hands."
"I guess so," Sara's still uneasy and Benjamin can sense this.
"Hey, don't worry. Like I said before, I'm armed," Benjamin explains and Sara nods trustingly. He shoots her a smile. "You're safe here. I promise."
"Absolutely not."
"Linc, come on, you gotta take one for the team."
"I'm always taking one for the team. Why don't you go in there, huh? You go talk to the bitch."
Michael rolls his eyes as Alex and Lincoln continue their argument. They're parked outside of Miami-Dade Penitentiary, now, and have been for the past half hour. Now that Michael and Lincoln are assured their respective families are safe, they're able to focus on task at hand. The current task happens to be interrogating Gretchen and though they're sure of what they're going to ask her, they can't seem to agree on the person to do the asking. Alex had suggest Lincoln a few moments earlier, something the man in question vehemently disagreed with. However, the more Alex tries to sell the idea, the better it's starting to sound to Michael and the rest of the group.
"I would go talk to her, but she doesn't like me," Alex explicates. "She doesn't like Sucre, either. She doesn't know Kellerman and Michael hates her, so it has to be you, Linc."
"Linc, she has a crush on you," Sucre points out. "She might be glad to see you, for all I know. She'll be willing to tell you more, I think."
Lincoln shoots his brother a disbelieving glance. "You gotta talk them out of this."
But Michael shakes his head, saying, "No, they're right. It has to be you, Linc."
Lincoln groans and exits the car, grumbling, "You will all pay for this, swear to God."
He's through security in a matter of minutes, the COs laughing and poking fun at him for returning to a prison ("Couldn't stay away for too long, eh Burrows?"). He ignores them and requests a visit with Gretchen Morgan, which they treat suspiciously, since she doesn't usually get visitors, but they allow him a private visitation room, anyway. He doesn't sit in the hard plastic chair; instead he paces across the concrete floor, hands in his pockets, trying to come up with the right wording for what he has to ask. A moment passes and then the door swings open again, with Gretchen Morgan being led in, handcuffed and surprisingly happy to see him. As the CO lowers her into the opposing chair, she glances at Lincoln with a sultry, almost expectant look. It gives him the chills, and not in a good way.
"I was wondering when you would come to see me," Gretchen grins. "It only took you long enough."
"I'm not here to catch up," Lincoln tells her, leaning against the opposite wall. "We need to talk."
"Yeah?" She asks with a nod of her head, sitting back against her chair. "What if I got nothing to say?"
"Trust me, you will," Lincoln insists. "You know Nathaniel Edison?"
"I know he's a Scylla cardholder," Gretchen says. "Well, he was, anyway. You know him?"
"Pulled the old bait and switch with his card a few years back," Lincoln states proudly. "But that's not important right now. Your buddy's trying to re-launch The Company and finish what Krantz didn't."
"Yeah," Gretchen smirks. "So? What's that got to do with me? Edison can do whatever the hell he wants. I'm rotting in prison."
"We're going to stop them," Lincoln demands. "And you're going to help us."
"You getting me out of here?"
"Not exactly. You're going to tell us what you know."
"Oh I am?" She asks sardonically. "And what makes you think that I'd tell you anything?"
"Because you've got a kid out there somewhere," Lincoln counters. "If you're thinking they're not going to use her as leverage, think again."
Gretchen frowns but motions toward the chair in front of her. "Why don't you sit down and stay a while? You and I can maybe work something out."
He does as she's asked, but insists, "There's no 'maybe.' You're going to tell me what you know, or I'll use your kid as leverage."
Gretchen smirks. "Please. You'd never hurt a kid; you've got your own. How is LJ, by the way?"
"Fine, no thanks to you."
They stare at each other in a hardened silence for a few minutes before Gretchen breaks and rolls her eyes. "Why don't you tell me your misguided plan and I'll see if there's anything I know."
"I shouldn't have to tell you anything," Lincoln sighs and Gretchen scoffs.
"Hey, quid pro quo, Lincoln. If I have to talk, so do you."
He frowns. "We're going to stop Edison, simple as that. We need to find out who he's recruited. We need names."
"That's anything but simple," Gretchen replies. "What makes you think I know who's working for him?"
"Because you're part of The Company," Lincoln states in an obvious manner. "Aren't you guys all connected, somehow?"
"I'm not Company, anymore," Gretchen deadpans. "The General doesn't exactly take imprisonment lightly."
"You're saying you don't have a list of names?"
"I'm saying good luck," Gretchen concludes. "The moment General Krantz found out you guys were stealing Scylla, he destroyed any records that would have had operatives' names in them."
"And you can't think of any off the top of your head?"
"I didn't know any of them to begin with," Gretchen answers smoothly. "The only people who knew each and every Company agent were the cardholders. Krantz never trusted me enough to give me one."
"And with good reason," Lincoln stands in frustration. "Thanks for nothing."
He storms angrily toward the door just as Gretchen calls out, "Wait, Lincoln."
He turns in the doorway. "What?"
"I'm a good girl, you know." She smiles suggestively. "I get conjugals. Just in case you want a return visit."
Lincoln stares at her as if she's sprouted an extra limb. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."
Her laughter fills the room he's just exited and he storms past the CO waiting for the visit to cease. He stomps angrily through security once more and through the parking lot towards their rented SUV. Everyone is eagerly awaiting his arrival, anxious for news and eager to learn the names of agents he was supposed to obtain. However, the look on his face, the angry way he slams the car door behind him and the furiously heavy breathing suggests otherwise. There's an air of tension throughout the car; Michael and Alex share a look, Kellerman checks his phone in irritation and Sucre glances between all the members in the car before asking the simple question.
"What happened, bro?"
"What do you think? I got nothing," Lincoln growls. "The bitch doesn't know anything."
"What did she say?" Michael asks and Lincoln sighs.
"She said Krantz destroyed all the evidence of who was involved in The Company," Lincoln dictates. "She has no idea who was or still is involved."
"She doesn't have any names?" Alex asks desperately. "Not even one?"
"Nothing," Lincoln confirms. "She doesn't know anything."
"Well what good is she, then?" Sucre throws up his hands in frustration.
Kellerman, without glancing up from his PDA, says, "I'm so glad we wasted half a day visiting her, then, since she was oh so helpful."
"Shut up, Paul."
"Stay out of it."
"Well does she know anyone that does have any names?" Alex then implores. "Linc, we don't have anything to go on."
"You think I don't know that?" Lincoln asks sarcastically. "I'm telling you- she doesn't know anybody. She told me the only people who had a list of names were the Scylla cardholders. That's all she knows."
"Well that's useless. How are we supposed to figure this out now?" Sucre asks. "All the Scylla cardholders are dead."
"No," The wheels are turning in Michael's head and they all take notice. He's been strangely quiet since this conversation started, but at Sucre's statement, he speaks up. "No. Not all of them."