Relentless - chapter two
Title: Relentless
Summary: They were supposed to be on the ship, escaping to Panama. But sometimes things don’t work according to plan. When their plan fails, Michael and Sara once again face a life on the run and struggle to maintain the belief that one day, this relentless battle will end.
Pairing: Michael/Sara
Spoilers: Seasons one and two
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Prison Break.
Relentless
Chapter Two - It begins again
(chapter one is here)
Michael watched Mahone get out of the car and walk towards him. He had not planned for this, but he was hoping an idea would come to him. His actions weren’t calculated, and that did concern him, but he had just known he could not let Sara get caught. He would rather let himself get caught than have eiher Sara or Lincoln come to harm because of him.
Michael observed that Mahone was alone, he could not see any backup. “Coming here alone, Alex?” Michael said when Mahone was close enough to hear him. “Risky.” Mahone tucked a hand inside his jacket and pulled out his gun, holding it low, pointed towards the ground. “You’re going to shoot me here? Anyone could see." He looked around at the street. A few pedestrians were visable, as well as cars driving by. “Not as careful as you were with Oscar Shales,” he continued.
“Shut up,” Mahone said, aggravated.
“Or you could arrest me. But then I’ll be in police custody, protected. Less chance for you to find an opportunity to kill me.”
“I’m the one with the gun, okay? So just quit talking,” Mahone demanded, taking a step closer to Michael, his gun raised a little.
Suddenly, there was a noise behind Mahone, the sound of a shoe against the solid ground. Michael looked past Mahone to where the sound came from and saw who had made it. Sara. She was standing at a distance, and Michael observed the shocked expression on her face. Mahone quickly spun around, following Michael’s gaze and similarly seeking the source of the sound.
Michael acted instinctively, and did the only thing he could think of that might get them out of this situation. Making use of Mahone’s momentary distraction by Sara’s sudden appearance, and his head being turned away, Michael lunged forward towards him. He grabbed Mahone’s arm which clutched the gun, and using both hands, twisted it roughly behind Mahone’s back. Mahone groaned in pain and unsuccessfully attempted to use his free arm to stop Michael’s actions. Michael kicked Mahone in the back of the knee - a move Lincoln had taught him when they were kids - causing Mahone’s legs to buckle slightly, as Michael managed to wrench the gun from Mahone’s hand, still twisted behind his back.
“Michael,” Sara said his name as she glanced over her shoulder at a middle aged man and woman who appeared to have stopped walking and were watching the scene from afar. The woman stood a step behind from the man and was firmly grasping his arm, as if holding him back.
Michael looked up and saw what Sara was seeing, a further indication that they needed to get away. Now.
Michael pointed the gun at Mahone as he walked backwards away from him. “Run, Sara. I’ll be right behind you,” he said to her while not tearing his eyes from Mahone.
“Running again is not going to help you, Michael,” Mahone said.
“It’s a better option that being killed, by you nonetheless,” Michael said as he continued to walk backwards away from Mahone, increasing the distance between them before turning and running, following Sara.
* * *
Michael and Sara came to an empty rundown warehouse and ran into it, stopping for a minute to catch their breath. Sara took the opportunity to ask a question that had occurred to her while they were running. “Where’s Lincoln?”
“On the ship.”
“We’ve gotta get there then,” she spoke quickly.
“It’s too late,” he stated simply. “The ship would have already left by now.” No blame in his voice, he spoke matter-of-factly.
“Are you sure?” she questioned, despite knowing that Michael would be right. He always was. “We could hurry, it’s not far and...” she rambled slightly, she couldn’t believe this was happening.
“No. It was set to leave uh…” he glanced at his watch ever so briefly. “Eight minutes ago.” Sara momentarily considered how he could read the time so exactly from such a fleeting look at his watch. But the thought quickly left her mind as slight panic ovetook her.
“What do we do?” she asked, eyes wide.
“We have to move,” he spoke breathlessly.
“Where?”
“I’m not sure,” Michael confessed. Sara couldn’t hide the concern on her face, she could not recall ever having heard Michael say that he didn’t know what their next movement would be. She was used to him knowing exactly what they would do, even in unplanned situations. But this time, in this very second, he didn’t know the answer. They were both silent for a moment, and from the concentrating look on his face, Sara could tell Michael was attempting to calmy think of a solution. Her panic lessened when he soon spoke.
“Where’s your car?” he asked.
“Right around the corner,” she instinctively gestured over her shoulder.
“Okay,” he walked over to a window and looked out, finding the street was deserted. He took a step closer to the door and looked behind him at Sara, stretching his arm towards her. “Come on.” She hurried towards him and took his hand. Just before they moved out the door, he spoke softly to her. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured him with a brief smile.
Michael walked out the door with Sara following closely behind him. They stayed close to the side of the building as they moved around it, Sara keeping her eyes focused on Michael’s back, looking down to avoid showing her face to anyone who happened to walk by. She only looked up when she felt Michael stop moving and realised they were at the passenger side of the car. She dug into her purse, strung over her shoulder, and pulled out the car keys, unlocking the door and then passing them to Michael. He took the keys and quickly opened the door and gently urged her in, before hurrying - yet remaining unwaveringly cool - around to the driver’s side of the car and getting in behind the wheel. He buckled his seatbelt and briefly drummed his fingers on the steering wheel before starting the car and beginning to drive down the Chicago street. Sara wanted to ask where they were going, but didn’t want to pressure Michael into coming up with answers for her, especially if he didn’t have them. But after a brief moment, as if sensing Sara’s worry and confusion, Michael spoke.
“We need to get out of Chicago tonight. Mahone knows we’re here.”
“Won’t he know we’ll be trying to get away then?” Sara questioned, and Michael recongised that she was becoming familiar with being on the run. The thought didn’t bring him any comfort. She should forever remain a stranger to such a life.
“Yes, but we don’t have much of a choice,” Michael said.
“What about Panama? Aren’t we going to try and get there?” Sara questioned. She could not imagine that Michael wouldn’t want to meet up with Lincoln. Never in her life had she witnessed such a close bond between brothers, or perhaps anyone, as the bond between Michael and Lincoln.
“Not yet,” Michael said, a typical hint of mystery in his voice.
“But what about Lincoln?”
“He’s safe,” Michael said with a hint of relief. “But we’ve got Mahone and his agents on our tail and if we try and join him, we’ll lead them right to him.”
There was silence for a moment. Michael’s words, although Sara knew it was not his intention, reminded her of the guilt she had been feeling ever since Michael had come back for her - and nearly been caught. She wanted, needed, to apologise. “Michael, I’m sorry. I should have known I would be followed. If you hadn’t had to worry about me you wouldn’t have missed the ship.”
“No, Sara. This is not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”
Sara nodded, a lock of hair falling in her face. She still felt guilty, but there was no point arguing about whether the guilt was justified or not, especially when she knew Michael would never say anything to make her think it was.
“I would never leave you to get caught.” Michael said easily. It was not false words for comfort, it was simply the truth. Sara smiled fleetingly, but Michael saw it.
AN - I hope you liked it, please review!
Summary: They were supposed to be on the ship, escaping to Panama. But sometimes things don’t work according to plan. When their plan fails, Michael and Sara once again face a life on the run and struggle to maintain the belief that one day, this relentless battle will end.
Pairing: Michael/Sara
Spoilers: Seasons one and two
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Prison Break.
Relentless
Chapter Two - It begins again
(chapter one is here)
Michael watched Mahone get out of the car and walk towards him. He had not planned for this, but he was hoping an idea would come to him. His actions weren’t calculated, and that did concern him, but he had just known he could not let Sara get caught. He would rather let himself get caught than have eiher Sara or Lincoln come to harm because of him.
Michael observed that Mahone was alone, he could not see any backup. “Coming here alone, Alex?” Michael said when Mahone was close enough to hear him. “Risky.” Mahone tucked a hand inside his jacket and pulled out his gun, holding it low, pointed towards the ground. “You’re going to shoot me here? Anyone could see." He looked around at the street. A few pedestrians were visable, as well as cars driving by. “Not as careful as you were with Oscar Shales,” he continued.
“Shut up,” Mahone said, aggravated.
“Or you could arrest me. But then I’ll be in police custody, protected. Less chance for you to find an opportunity to kill me.”
“I’m the one with the gun, okay? So just quit talking,” Mahone demanded, taking a step closer to Michael, his gun raised a little.
Suddenly, there was a noise behind Mahone, the sound of a shoe against the solid ground. Michael looked past Mahone to where the sound came from and saw who had made it. Sara. She was standing at a distance, and Michael observed the shocked expression on her face. Mahone quickly spun around, following Michael’s gaze and similarly seeking the source of the sound.
Michael acted instinctively, and did the only thing he could think of that might get them out of this situation. Making use of Mahone’s momentary distraction by Sara’s sudden appearance, and his head being turned away, Michael lunged forward towards him. He grabbed Mahone’s arm which clutched the gun, and using both hands, twisted it roughly behind Mahone’s back. Mahone groaned in pain and unsuccessfully attempted to use his free arm to stop Michael’s actions. Michael kicked Mahone in the back of the knee - a move Lincoln had taught him when they were kids - causing Mahone’s legs to buckle slightly, as Michael managed to wrench the gun from Mahone’s hand, still twisted behind his back.
“Michael,” Sara said his name as she glanced over her shoulder at a middle aged man and woman who appeared to have stopped walking and were watching the scene from afar. The woman stood a step behind from the man and was firmly grasping his arm, as if holding him back.
Michael looked up and saw what Sara was seeing, a further indication that they needed to get away. Now.
Michael pointed the gun at Mahone as he walked backwards away from him. “Run, Sara. I’ll be right behind you,” he said to her while not tearing his eyes from Mahone.
“Running again is not going to help you, Michael,” Mahone said.
“It’s a better option that being killed, by you nonetheless,” Michael said as he continued to walk backwards away from Mahone, increasing the distance between them before turning and running, following Sara.
* * *
Michael and Sara came to an empty rundown warehouse and ran into it, stopping for a minute to catch their breath. Sara took the opportunity to ask a question that had occurred to her while they were running. “Where’s Lincoln?”
“On the ship.”
“We’ve gotta get there then,” she spoke quickly.
“It’s too late,” he stated simply. “The ship would have already left by now.” No blame in his voice, he spoke matter-of-factly.
“Are you sure?” she questioned, despite knowing that Michael would be right. He always was. “We could hurry, it’s not far and...” she rambled slightly, she couldn’t believe this was happening.
“No. It was set to leave uh…” he glanced at his watch ever so briefly. “Eight minutes ago.” Sara momentarily considered how he could read the time so exactly from such a fleeting look at his watch. But the thought quickly left her mind as slight panic ovetook her.
“What do we do?” she asked, eyes wide.
“We have to move,” he spoke breathlessly.
“Where?”
“I’m not sure,” Michael confessed. Sara couldn’t hide the concern on her face, she could not recall ever having heard Michael say that he didn’t know what their next movement would be. She was used to him knowing exactly what they would do, even in unplanned situations. But this time, in this very second, he didn’t know the answer. They were both silent for a moment, and from the concentrating look on his face, Sara could tell Michael was attempting to calmy think of a solution. Her panic lessened when he soon spoke.
“Where’s your car?” he asked.
“Right around the corner,” she instinctively gestured over her shoulder.
“Okay,” he walked over to a window and looked out, finding the street was deserted. He took a step closer to the door and looked behind him at Sara, stretching his arm towards her. “Come on.” She hurried towards him and took his hand. Just before they moved out the door, he spoke softly to her. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured him with a brief smile.
Michael walked out the door with Sara following closely behind him. They stayed close to the side of the building as they moved around it, Sara keeping her eyes focused on Michael’s back, looking down to avoid showing her face to anyone who happened to walk by. She only looked up when she felt Michael stop moving and realised they were at the passenger side of the car. She dug into her purse, strung over her shoulder, and pulled out the car keys, unlocking the door and then passing them to Michael. He took the keys and quickly opened the door and gently urged her in, before hurrying - yet remaining unwaveringly cool - around to the driver’s side of the car and getting in behind the wheel. He buckled his seatbelt and briefly drummed his fingers on the steering wheel before starting the car and beginning to drive down the Chicago street. Sara wanted to ask where they were going, but didn’t want to pressure Michael into coming up with answers for her, especially if he didn’t have them. But after a brief moment, as if sensing Sara’s worry and confusion, Michael spoke.
“We need to get out of Chicago tonight. Mahone knows we’re here.”
“Won’t he know we’ll be trying to get away then?” Sara questioned, and Michael recongised that she was becoming familiar with being on the run. The thought didn’t bring him any comfort. She should forever remain a stranger to such a life.
“Yes, but we don’t have much of a choice,” Michael said.
“What about Panama? Aren’t we going to try and get there?” Sara questioned. She could not imagine that Michael wouldn’t want to meet up with Lincoln. Never in her life had she witnessed such a close bond between brothers, or perhaps anyone, as the bond between Michael and Lincoln.
“Not yet,” Michael said, a typical hint of mystery in his voice.
“But what about Lincoln?”
“He’s safe,” Michael said with a hint of relief. “But we’ve got Mahone and his agents on our tail and if we try and join him, we’ll lead them right to him.”
There was silence for a moment. Michael’s words, although Sara knew it was not his intention, reminded her of the guilt she had been feeling ever since Michael had come back for her - and nearly been caught. She wanted, needed, to apologise. “Michael, I’m sorry. I should have known I would be followed. If you hadn’t had to worry about me you wouldn’t have missed the ship.”
“No, Sara. This is not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”
Sara nodded, a lock of hair falling in her face. She still felt guilty, but there was no point arguing about whether the guilt was justified or not, especially when she knew Michael would never say anything to make her think it was.
“I would never leave you to get caught.” Michael said easily. It was not false words for comfort, it was simply the truth. Sara smiled fleetingly, but Michael saw it.
AN - I hope you liked it, please review!