In Due Time (1/1)
Title: In Due Time (1/1)
Fandom: Prison Break
Genre: AU/ Angst
Pairing: Michael
Rating: PG-13 for a bit of salty langauge
Length: 2,245
Summary: This little story explains what I believe happened to Michael after his scene in the Miami Dade prison basement. He's cheated death many times before, and this will be no different.
What the hell was that?
Jesus Christ... what was that?!
This way. Come on ov-
Shit, what did he do? What the hell did he do?
Tancredi is still missing. FIND HER!
What about Scofield?
What about him? He's barely breathing. Find Tancredi!
And if we don't? Don't we want Scofield alive?
Goddamnit! Just find her. And somebody get the medics down here for Scofield. NOW!
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Turning his head slowly away from the window, Michael flinches at the pain his movements cause. Where is that light coming from?
"Can you.... can you shut off that light? Please." Michael asks, his voice sounding raspy and weak to his own ears.
When he doesn't hear a response, Michael gently opens his eyes, flinching against the bright sunlight that streams in through a large picture window. Taking in his surroundings, he realizes that he is in a hospital or private medical facility. Squinting, Michael gazes out the picture window. Beyond the glare of the sun, he sees endless miles of water. Water that could belong to any one of thousands of beaches.
Behind him he hears a slight click, and his body is instantly alert. Shifting, he attempts to sit up but feels his wrists pull instantly down again.
"Shackles. I'm sure you understand."
Michael examines the face of the man that has just spoken, waiting for recognition to hit. If my head didn't feel like this I might place him. Instinctively Michael reaches to rub his temples, and finds that his wrists are pulled down again.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be sharper once the morphine wears off. You'll be engineering your way out of those cuffs in no time." The man chuckles at his own joke, clearly enjoying having the upper hand.
"Who..." Michael takes a deep breath, trying to clear his head. "Who are you?"
"I, Mr. Scofield, am Special Agent Jeremy Fields. I work for a highly specialized unit of the United States Government and right now, my priority is to keep you alive and chained to that bed." Agent Fields voice is suddenly quite serious.
Michael shifts his head away from the changing sun's rays, and the other man notices. "Is that bothering you?"
"Yes. Could you pull the blinds?"
"That depends. Could you tell me where Sara Tancredi is?"
In that moment, Michael realizes that Sara was- is- free. He had believed they would pull it off. He had to. He had not expected to ever know for certain.
His sigh of relief filling the silence, Michael settles down into the bed, feeling as though a one ton weight has been removed from his shoulders. He will take whatever punishment he must, any pain necessary. No torture could be as great as what he felt with Sara behind bars.
Pursing his lips, Agent Fields leans closer to Michael and brings his voice to just above a whisper. "You know, you almost died in that basement. Was she really worth your life?"
Michael turns to Agent Fields and looks him squarely in the eyes. "I planned to die in that basement, and would gladly do it again to keep my wife and child safe."
Agent Fields takes a step back without removing his eyes from Michaels. Michael never lowers his gaze. The standoff lasts one moment, and then two, without either man flinching. A sharp knock at the door breaks the tension.
Without a word the other man leaves the room, and Michael is left pondering what little he has learned. Sara's free, and he's still alive, although perhaps not for long. He wonders if Agent Fields is aware of his medical condition, and how this factors into his treatment over the remaining weeks he has left.
When the agent returns, he is not alone. "Michael, I'd like you to meet Dr. William Hadley. He has been treating you during your time here."
As Agent Fields introduces the doctor, Michael studies both men. They had obviously been discussing him before entering the room, and Michael detects a noticable shift in the agent's demeanor. He wonders exactly what he has not yet been told. Saying nothing, he waits for the doctor to speak to him.
"Hello Michael. I was glad to hear you were awake." Sizing him up, the doctor pauses momentarily on Michael's shackled wrists. "Would you like a drink of water son? It might help that raspy throat." The doctor takes a glass from next to the small sink in Michael's room and fills it from the tap.
"Thank you." Michael sips the water that the man holds for him, and finds that his head is clearing. "How long have I been here?"
"Twelve days." Waiting for Michael to absorb this information, the doctor glances toward Agent Fields. Michael sees an unspoken question pass between the men.
Doctor Hadley clears his throat, and chooses his words carefully. "Michael, your body has been through an extremely traumatic injury. Quite honestly, I'm surprised you survived at all. The U.S. government has the top medical professionals in the world at it's disposal, and the U.S. government wanted you alive. After a short stay in a Miami facility to stabilize you, you were flown here for more... intricate procedures." The man pauses, and Agent Fields takes the opportunity to interject.
"What Dr. Hadley is saying, Michael, is we know about the tumor and why you made the decision you did. And that tumor is gone. Ten days ago Doctor Hadley performed surgery that likely saved your life".
Michael looks from one man to the other, not sure what to believe. He was told that the liklihood of surgery removing the tumor was very small. However, what advantage would these men gain by lying to him?
Sensing Michael's disbelief, the physician reaches for Michael's shoulder. Tapping him lightly, he smiles and says "What Agent Fields has said is true. There is a very good chance that you will live a long life. We will monitor you of course, but I feel that we got to you just in time. It seems you have ducked death twice in the past two weeks."
Michael absorbs this information, and doesn't remind the men of how many more times than that he's actually cheated death.
Realizing then that his long life will likely be spent behind bars, he asks the only question he can consider at the moment. "Where exactly will I be held?" Already Michael is wondering how Sara and Lincoln will find out about his survival, and when and how he can see them again.
Agent Fields nods slightly at Doctor Hadley. Responding to the nod, Doctor Hadley takes a step away from Michael's bed. "I'll be back to check on you in awhile. If you need anything just call out. I believe you are being monitored, and I'll be nearbye." After checking the various machines by Michael's bed, the physician leaves the room.
As the door to his room clicks closed, Agent Fields pulls a small folding chair away from the wall and positions it by Michael's bed. He takes a seat and leans toward the bed.
"Michael, we didn't expect you to tell us where Ms. Tancredi is." He delivers this matter of factly, without a hint of anger. Michael says nothing, waiting for the other man to make his point.
"Truth be told, the United States government has never met anyone like you. You have executed not one, but two escapes from maximum security prisons. While some in the government are in awe of you, others, quite frankly, would have liked nothing more than to watch you die on that cold prison floor."
"And where do you fall?" Michael asks, wondering where this man fits in.
"I am a man that is doing my job. At the moment, my job is to inform you of the circumstances surrounding your survival."
"And what circumstances would those be?" Michael senses that he is about to understand why his life was saved.
"As of twelve days ago you ceased to exist. The government could not risk another high profile prison break, and therefore they covered up the situation you caused, and publically dropped the charges against your wife. However, between us, she would be very stupid to ever risk setting foot on American soil again. Your brother, wife, and child are welcome to stay free provided they do not attempt a return to the United States."
Starting to understand what Agent Fields is saying, Michael wonders if Sara and Lincoln realize that they are truly free, more free than he had even hoped they would be. Shifting uncomfortably in the bed, he finds that he can't hide the slow grin spreading across his face.
"Before you congratulate yourself, you have to realize that you have exchanged your freedom for theirs. And the United States government plans to have you repay your debt Michael."
"So what happens? I return to a maximum security prison and live out my days in isolation? Or in gen pop?" Michael asks this out of simple curiousity, but then realizes that the answer to his question will tell him where he will likely be when his child is born. His child will arrive, free and loved, and grow up believing that Michael is dead.
"Actually, no. You will stay here." As the agent says this, his gaze flicks away from Michael and toward the window on the opposite side of the room. Michael follows his vision, and is again drawn to the water below.
"Where is here, exactly?"
"We're on an island Michael. A small Pacific island owned by the United States Government. We run military exercises here and headquarter some of our most elite agents. There are no civilians and, trust me, you will not escape."
"So no trial. I don't exist." Michael finally understands the depth of the deception that the government has perpetuated toward the American people.
"You do not exist. You never broke Sara out of the Miami Dade prison, and we have no idea where you are. Your family believes you are dead, and that we covered it up. And Sara and Lincoln can continue to believe you are dead for the rest of your very long life..... unless you decide to help us."
Michael's head lifts sharply as he hears the end of Agent Fields statement. Is he being offered a deal? And can he really trust any deal he makes with the government? His eyes narrow as he hears the rest of what Agent Fields has to say.
"Michael, as many people that there are in our government who would like to watch you suffer and die and prison, there are more that believe you have information that could be useful to us. We would like to put your knowledge to use in engineering an extremely high security prison for United States detainees. This prison will not be public knowledge Michael, and the entire project is top secret. Your involvement is desired, but the existance of this prison will never be acknowledged by the United States government. Do you understand what I am saying?" Agent Fields settles back in his chair, waiting to hear Michael's reaction.
"And if I don't help?"
"You will enjoy the priviledge of being the first prisoner housed in this facility when it is finished."
"And if I do?"
Agent Fields smiles for the first time. "Then, Michael, when this project is finished and your role is complete, the United States government is willing to deliver you to your family. We will track them down and, quite literally, deliver you to their front door."
Michael sucks in a quick breath. Is he really being offered the opportunity to see his family again? To become a free man once again?
"What guarentee do I have that the government will uphold it's end of the bargain?" Michael is in no place to negotiate, but he knows better than to trust what any government official is telling him.
Agent Fields responds as if he knew this question was coming. "If you are asking for something in writing Michael, that isn't going to happen. However, I can tell you that this offer is legitimate. We would like your help, and in return, we will take you to your family and only ask that you never return to the United States. You will not be able to ever come back, but, in some way, you will be free."
Michael studies Agent Fields face, almost unwilling to believe what he is being told. He analyzes his features, looking for signs of deception. He sees none. And in that moment he realizes that Agent Fields is telling the truth.
"When?" Michael barely gets out the word, his voice choking with emotion. "When can I go back?"
"We estimate the project to take three years Michael, but you know how it goes with these things. Three years could easily mean five. And we want the best of your ability and knowledge in those years Michael. In exchange for that, you will be given back your life."
Letting out a long breath, Michael thinks ahead five years in the future. He pictures his child, not yet in kindergarten. Michael could still be there to watch his or her first day of school. He pictures Sara, youthful and tanned and happy and free, and realizes that he could have so many more years left with her, if only he sacrafices just a few short years on this island. And he pictures Lincoln, and the dive shop that they could still own.
Only 5 years, and Michael can earn his life back. He can earn forgiveness. And then, he too can be free.
Clearing his throat, Michael blinks back the emotions he is feeling. Looking at the other man, he smiles slightly. "Let's not waste any time Agent Fields. When can I get to work?"