Lincoln was pacing, his shoulders hunched, his face a changing palette of frustration and concern. Michael’s heavily hooded eyes follow him around the room, his head resting tentatively against the wall; his hands as ever tucked inside his pockets. He turned his face to the window as a movement outside the house catches his eyes. His hands leap out of his pocket and part the horizontal blinds with a quick twist. Seconds later, three short raps on the door stop Lincoln in his tracks.
Michael nods, “He’s back” then he sighs and for a moment closes his eyes and with his head still resting on the cool shadowed wall he raises his face to the ceiling gulping slightly. He moves away from the wall, gently stepping into the centre of the room, his hands now free, but they feel awkward and he plunges them back into his pockets as his brother moves to the door.
Lincoln darts a snatched look at LJ asleep on the sofa before carefully unhooking the latch and opening the door. A short grey haired man enters clutching a file of papers, he checks around the room and then moves hesitantly forward away from the door.
Lincoln closes and locks the door, and rushes towards him barely containing his patience
“Well ? you were gonna call, what happened to the call?
“Lincoln, Michael,” he nods in both their directions and then takes in LG still asleep on the sofa. He places a large file of papers on the table pushing aside some empty takeaway containers.
“We have an offer, several offers in fact and they’re pretty remarkable as far as I’m concerned.” He pauses waiting for a reaction from the brothers; the lawyer gets nothing just guarded stares
“Gentleman I’ve spent years fighting the inadequacies of our legal system and yet I’ve never seen a pack of card collapse so easily. I sense the heavy hand of the new resident of the Oval office at work here, he and his people are getting down deep and dirty with the federal lawyers. There was hardly a door that wasn’t already opened up, incredible,,,” his voice trailed off as he smiled to himself.
“What then?…Just tell us,” Lincolns impatience already breaking through the thin veneer of his control.
Turning to face the elder brother the lawyer continued
“They’ve agreed a full exoneration and compensation for wrongful imprisonment on the murder charges for you Lincoln“ and pausing slightly his smiling face betraying his next words “and they will look the other way on the break out and all the minor misdemeanours committed in the last few weeks to stay free. As from now you’re a free and then adding mischievously “ and rather wealthy man Mr Burrows.”
Lincoln shuddered with relief, and almost fell onto the table his arms gripping the sides, bracing himself, his eyes tightly shut. Michael moved quickly across the room and placed his hands carefully on his brother’s shoulders, smiling and breathing deeply, they reach for each other and hug silently, completing it with playful slaps on each others back. Lincoln’s eyes fall on the still sleeping boy on the sofa and immediately turns back to the lawyer.
“And LJ? “
“Again all charges dropped, some compensation but they argue he’s spent just a few weeks in custody and had never started serving his sentence. He’s also a free man as from now.”
There was something in the choice of words that made Michael turn and face him straightening slowly. His hands move back to his pockets his smile fading into a deep stare, then slowly all emotion washes off his face.
The lawyer had noticed this and his voice deepens and slows, and there is a look of growing resignation on his face as he continues.
“All charges connected with the VP and company conspiracy will disappear, it sits well with the sense of ‘fairness’ the new administration want to promote. He smiles as if the explanation was enough, then hesitantly he continues
“However ..”
At this Michael sighs deeply and stares down at his feet. Almost as if he can peer beyond the leather and see the maimed foot, the strange space where two of his toes should be. He notes how he can still surprise himself at the oddness of his own body. He starts to smile knowing what he’s about to hear, knowing this was always going to happen throughout those months of planning and the weeks of implementing inside the walls of Fox River.
The lawyer faltered seeing Michael’s face but Lincoln was now right in his face and was uttering the question that Michael already knew the answer to.
“And Michael? What are they gonna give him?”
“I’m sorry his case is different” looking away from the angry stare of Lincoln
“Whadya mean different? He saved me, he saved them for christsakes, they would have killed an innocent man!“ He was shouting now, barely concealed rage set across his face
The lawyer had been expecting this, and his reply was studied,
“Its different because Michael committed a real crime, fired a real gun in a real bank with real people lying terrified on the floor around him. His motives for that , we all know now were of the highest, but they do not make his crime less real. It’s a matter of justice”
“Justice!” snorted Lincoln, his face now just inches away from the lawyers calm demeanour
“Justice” repeated the lawyer and stepped back.
Lincoln looked over at his brother who was standing eerily quiet, but he caught the brief look of hopelessness deep inside those eyes. Michaels lips were pursed his breathing was rapid and shallow as he seemed to be fighting an internal panic.
“OK OK so maybe not exoneration but a reprieve, time off his sentence? Something…. they gotta give him, … us something! The guys a hero! “
Michael had turned away from the two men, his hands clutched each other behind his head, his elbows squeezing, his eyes closed, he sighed again. Nodding his head slowly from side to side he wondered why he’s disappointed, had he really thought there would be any other end to this? He knew the outcome was always going to be the same, he was going back, there was no such thing as a happy ending.
The lawyers tone had become more businesslike .
“Lincoln, its not just a matter of overlooking the Armed robbery, Michael could also be facing charges for several related crimes inside Fox River including breaking out 6 other criminals when he freed you. I’ve seen a list of potential charges and just for starters they have…, he paused and moved to the table and opened the papers scanning down a short list on the top paper.
“Damaging state property
Theft
Aiding and abetting the escape of state prisoners
Assault
And it finishes with murder 1 on two counts.”
“Murder? “ Lincoln half gasped this out and Michael spun round his eyes staring incomprehensively
The lawyer continued to read the paper, unaware of the mounting incomprehension on both the brothers faces.
“Maytag – a fellow prisoner, and Robert Tyler … ….a Correctional officer. Papers have been filed by the DA in Chicago to say Michael’s the prime suspect in both those murders.”
Michael slumped into the chair next to the table, his face in his hands, this wasn’t sounding good. He shook his head, this couldn’t be happening.
Lincoln however was smiling and shaking his head and in an almost relieved voice replied
“Jesus they’re clutching at straws, neither of those were down to Michael and they know it. They’re not real. “ They even charged someone else for Bob, why the changes now? WHY?”
Michael couldn’t stop the images racing into his head, Maytag, so much blood, his need for that stupid bolt, would it have happened if he hadn’t needed that bolt…then Bob, the shock at finding him tied to his bunk when he returned to the cell, again so much blood and then not protecting him properly, he should have taken him to safety like he did the doc, he started the riot, he was to blame wasn’t he? He closed his eyes slowly shaking his head. Yes he was responsible and it was only right he paid the price.
The lawyer lowered his head and again scanned the paper, they have a signed statements from several inmates saying they witnessed Michael stab Maytag during a disturbance on the wing and later attack and kill Bob during the riot, they’re working now on collecting more statements, on building a case. I guess the Warden wants to clear up these murders for his own reputation, even if the escape itself will always be on his record.
Lincoln stormed over to the paper, checking the names and laughed,
“These are all the Ayrian guys, they started the problems, T bag’s cronies.
They’re just trying to get even for T Bag not making it through the escape, Jesus, T bag shanked the CO himself.”
The lawyer was still studying the paperwork,
“You may be right Mr Burrows, we may be able to fight these and win some of them. However they will want some blood, they need to show the public that no matter what, crime doesn’t pay and their pound of flesh is going to come from Michael, I’m afraid. All we’re into now is damage limitation, we’ll plea bargain, and hope they drop the more serious charges and see what we come out with.”
He hesitated as he watched Michael lean forward in the chair, his hands clasped together his thumb slowly rubbing against the part of the tattoo visible below his cuff.
Then his voice brightened slightly
“ The good news is this case is about as high profile as it can get, so we have the best law firms in the State desperate to get in on this. Michael won’t want for legal help far beyond anything I can contribute.”
“Hey we’re grateful you’re helping” Lincoln mumbled
The older man smiled.” Veronica was one of my staff, I helped train her, she shouldn’t have died, but that was probably the one death too many in all of this, all I had to do was present the information she and Nick and found, everything unravelled from her work. That’s why you’re now free and they’re talking with us rather than trying to gun you both down.”
The silence that followed showed they were all thinking of Veronica and the other victims in this mess.
“And the bad news?”…again Michael had not been slow in picking up the intonation in his voice.
The lawyer turned to face the younger brother, his voice slow and deliberate
“No negotiations until you’re in custody.”
Lincoln had moved over to his brother, his hand now laying gently on his shoulder then gripping the back of his neck, the lawyer was startled by this show of tenderness from a man who had been portrayed as a very dangerous man to America over these last few weeks.
Michael half smiled as he listened to his fate….
“And they want a very public display of the arrest, He hesitated now and he knew the words that followed would seem harsh and cruel, he just hoped they realised they weren’t his, he was just the messenger.
“ they need you in chains, shackled for everyone to see , they need their news stories, their sound bytes and internet images. They made that clear, ..very clear to me. “
“No, I will not let that happen!” growled Lincoln, turning to face his brother
“We can fight this, Michael can stay hidden, Mexico, Panama “
Kneeling down by him he grasped Michaels face in his hands imploring him to look at him as he continued. “I can get you there, the money, you can disappear, open that damn Dive shop” his voice dropping with the desperation .
Michael ignored Lincolns desperately voiced plans and turning back to the lawyer asked in a low soft voice
“When and how?”
The lawyer seemed relieved that Michael was remaining unemotional, he watched as Lincoln, his head lowered into his hands went silent.
“They made it crystal clear, you hand yourself in immediately and publicly, if you cooperate they will take this into account when your sentence is re-negotiated. “the lawyer continued
Lincoln groaned
“No bro, I can’t let you do this”
Michael stood up and breathed deeply he tuned to his brother
“Lincoln, you’re safe now and LJ finally gets another chance at having a Dad,” he glanced over to the crumpled body on the sofa,, His voice dropped and they almost missed what he said next.
Closing his eyes, he raised his face to the ceiling “I can’t keep on running, I just want to climb back into my old life, my old skin”, he smiled as he thought of the tattoo forever obliterating his old skin. Then lowering his gaze he fixed on his brother “that can’t happen until this is truly finished. “
“No…”Lincoln almost cried out this last word and in a huge outburst of pent up anger swept the legal papers off the table and onto the floor.
Then a quieter “no…”full of sadness and guilt ….
tbc
Author's Chapter Notes:
This is the first fic I've ever posted.
Not sure but I think I have to state quite clearly that PB and all the characters do not belong to me, or ever will ...sigh
Not sure but I think I have to state quite clearly that PB and all the characters do not belong to me, or ever will ...sigh