[In the tattoo parlor where Michael's plan first took shape, Sid the tattoo artist finishes filling in three boldly lettered words on Michael's arm. They read ‘English, Fitz, Percy.']
[Cut through a patch on Michael's tattoo shaped as a window through a vent in Henry Pope's office. In the present Pope sits at his desk before two unexpected visitors, Agents Kellerman and Hale.]
Pope: I'm assuming this is about your transfer request for Michael Scofield?
Kellerman: More specifically why you denied it.
Pope: Look, Mr Kellerman, do I come into your house and tell you where to put your furniture?
Hale: We're just asking for professional courtesy.
Pope: What you're asking for is federal courtesy in a state penitentiary.
Kellerman: Well, most people in your position would be happy to have another body taken off their hands.
Pope: These men are my responsibility. From the minute they walk through those walls to the time that they've paid their debt to society I'm responsible for them. Which means that unless Mr Scofield has done something I don't know about, he is going to stay here at Fox River under my watch.
Kellerman: Mr Pope, in our line of work, we've discovered that just about everyone has done something someone doesn't know about.
[Kellerman slips Pope a file labeled 'Toledo - Pope, Henry.' ]
Pope: What's this?
Kellerman: For now, just a piece of history. Whether it becomes a current event, now, that's up to you.
Pope: My wife already knows about Toledo.
Kellerman: Does she really?
[Pope's face goes grim as he opens the file. Inside is a black and white photo of a young man laying on a blood soaked pavement. ]
Kellerman: You're a smart man, Warden, I'm sure if you look hard enough, you can find a reason why Michael Scofield's presence is no longer required at this particular correctional facility.
[Cut to the yard. Michael works on PI, hunched over a large tube of PVC piping.]
Michael: We need some more PVC here, Boss.
[CO Stolte looks over to the PI shed and nods his permission. Moments later Lincoln breaks a shovel. He turns to Stolte]
Lincoln: Boss?
Stolte: Sure thing Burrows. But hey, I want to check your trunk for splinters. I want every piece accounted for.
Lincoln: Sure.
[He walks toward the shed. Abruzzi walks out of the work shed]
Abruzzi: I got a ripped fertilizer bag inside. Hey you. [he points at Sucre.] You! Get in there and clean it up before this whole place starts smelling like San Juan.
[Sucre mutters angrily in Spanish as he walks toward the shed. Now gathered in the privacy of the shed the four men eye one another.]
Abruzzi: Hey, he's on his way, you mind telling us what this is all about?
[Sucre enters]
Michael: These are the guys we're breaking out with.
Abruzzi: I don't think so Fish. That was not our agreement. I'm not gonna work with this crazy rhino.
Lincoln: You keep pushing it John.
Abruzzi: Yeah, I keep pushing it, you know. Huh, what's your deal man?
[Lincoln gets in Abruzzi's face.]
Lincoln: Touch my brother again and I'll show you.
Abruzzi: Brother? Your brother?
[Abruzzi looks from Lincoln to Michael, realizing for the first time that the two are brothers.]
Michael: We've only got a few minutes. Are we going to spend them spitting on each other, or are we going to talk some business? Because the reason we're all here today is we have a decision to make.
Abruzzi: Yeah?
Michael: English, Fitz or Percy. If we're going to pull this off, we're going to need to take one of them out.
Abruzzi: And you want us to tell you which one?
Michael: I just want you to help me get to them. I'll take it from there.
Sucre: You're crazy. You know that?
Michael: All I need is five minutes.
Abruzzi: Oh, you won't even get five seconds.
Sucre: I thought you had everything worked out, Fish.
Michael: We're not breaking out of a Jamba Juice, gentlemen. It's going to take a little more than digging a few holes. There are eyes, ears, dots that couldn't be connected from the outside.
Lincoln: And English, Fitz and Percy?
Michael: One of those dots.
Abruzzi: And how exactly are you supposed to pull this off?
Michael: With a little help from my friends.
[Cut to cell block. As Michael and Sucre walk back to their cells, a CO escorts Michael in, but pulls Sucre to the side.]
Stolte: Sucre hold up, Scofield, you've got company.
[Michael enters to find Pope sitting and waiting.]
Pope: Why do I get the feeling that there's more to you than meets the eye, Scofield?
[Michael doesn't answer, his attention focused on beads of water that drip from the toilet right near Pope.]
Pope: Anything you want to tell me? Some other reason you're in here, besides holding up a bank?
[Pope stands up.]
Pope: You're being transfered.
Michael: What?
Pope: We're moving you over to Statesville.
Michael: You can't do that!
Pope: Yes I can. I'm the boss here. This is my house.
[Michael looks concerned and slightly panicked.]
Michael: Three weeks.
Pope: What for?
Michael: Lincoln Burrows. He's being ex*cuted in three weeks.
Pope: Well I'm aware of that, what's that to you?
Michael: He's my brother. When I knew that I was being sent to prison, my attorney petitioned the DOC.
Pope: So you could be near him.
Michael: That's right. Don't take that away from me. Not until it's over.
Pope: I'm not the one behind the transfer. You're up against much bigger fish than me. I'll arrange for you to say goodbye. You ship out tomorrow.
[Theme]
[Cut to Pope's office. Alone in his office, Pope studies the folder that's labeled Toledo. He flips through the contents stopping at an article with a headline that reads 'Youth Found Dead.' Pope closes the file and reaches inside his desk drawer and pulls out a Bible.]
[Cut to Lincoln and Michael at the chapel.]
Michael: I'm going into the walls tonight, see if I can access the roof.
Lincoln: You going to tell me about the transfer?
Michael: I'm taking care of it.
Lincoln: You're taking care of it. Sounds to me like you're reaching.
Michael: Maybe, a little.
Lincoln: 'A little.' You know, I'd made my peace with what was coming, and then you show up and give me the one thing a man in my situation shouldn't have: Hope. And now that's going to be taken away.
Michael: Don't do this Linc.
Lincoln: I've got three weeks. What do you want me to do?
[FLASHBACK]
[Michael and Lincoln as kids standing by the river.]
Young Lincoln: Come on Michael, what do you want me to do?
Young Michael: Bring her back.
Young Lincoln: You know I can't do that, but look, there's some stuff that I can do. It's not gonna be the same, but we're gonna figure it out. And no matter what, it's still going to be me and you.
Young Michael: Okay, but what if something happens to you?
Young Lincoln: You just have a little faith.
[END FLASHBACK]
Michael: Just have a little faith.
[Cut to Veronica and Nick analyzing the video tape of the night of Terrance Steadman's m*rder.]
Nick: Alright, here's the deal. If we believe Lincoln, this tape is a lie. It has to be.
Veronica: But you saw it, it's all there.
Nick: Yeah, but what if what we're looking for is what's not there.
[Veronica looks confused.]
Nick: Okay. Steadman. You see? What's he looking at?
Veronica: A car, a pedestrian?
Nick: No no no, his eye-line is too high, right? It's like he's looking right into the camera. He might as well be saying cheese.
Veronica: Now he just sits there.
Nick: Like, ten, fifteen seconds as if he was maybe...
Veronica: Waiting for someone!
Nick: Right.
[They watch the footage of Lincoln 'pulling the trigger']
Nick: There. That's a nine millimeter. Shouldn't there be some sort of kick or something?
Veronica: Lincoln's pretty strong.
Nick: Yeah, but strong enough to bury a recoil? Now, you sh**t someone, supposedly for revenge, do you take the time to go back in and hit the glove box or do you just get the hell out of there?
Veronica: Feds said that he was trying to make it look like a robbery.
Nick: No.
[He rewinds the tape]
Nick: Look. Look at Lincoln's angle as he leaves the frame.
Veronica: Mhmm.
Nick: Walks away from the car.
[He waits for the man to come back into the sh*t.]
Nick: Now this guy, who conveniently hides his face from the camera, he comes back in. Why?
Veronica: To explain the bloody pants they'd already planted in his apartment, Nick this is great!
Nick: Yeah.
Veronica: Who should we go to?
Nick: Nobody. Yet. I mean, to the unbiased eye we're just backing a horse that d*ed in the gate. A lot of 'what if's' and conjecture. You know, we don't have anything. We need some evidence. Look, if Lincoln didn't fire this g*n, then someone with some serious skills went to work on this tape to prove that he did.
Veronica: Fine, but how do we prove that?
Nick: I know a guy.
Veronica: You know a guy.
Nick: Yeah, I know a guy.
[Cut to Fox River cafeteria. Rumor of Michael's impending transfer is spreading. Abruzzi comes up to him as he exits the lunch line]
Abruzzi: Seems we need to have another pow-wow. There's been talk about you packing your bags.
Michael: Don't believe everything you hear. I'm not going anywhere.
Abruzzi: You know, I have a really hard time trusting you, Fish.
Michael: The important thing is that we stay on schedule.
Abruzzi: Yeah? English, Fitz or Percy?
Michael: English, Fitz, or Percy.
Abruzzi: You wanna know which one I think we should take out?
Michael: With all due respect, I don't need opinions, I need answers. Remember, the Warden leaves at five tonight, so by five after five, we're going to need that key.
Abruzzi: And how is this key going to give you the answers?
Michael: I'll worry about that. You worry about getting the key.
Abruzzi: [shoving Michael slightly] Hey. This key better be worth it. Understand?
[Michael walks away, to sit next to Westmoreland]
Westmoreland: Afternoon Mr Scofield.
Michael: I need to know if there's anyway to block a transfer order.
Westmoreland: [laughing a little] There's about fifty ways.
Michael: Alright, I'll take the quickest.
Westmoreland: You file a motion for what they call an interlocutory injunction.
Michael: How long does that take?
Westmoreland: How fast can you write? An man can claim just about anything violates his constitutional rights. There's environmental issues, allergies, religious requirements, take your pick.
Michael: What if they don't buy it?
Westmoreland: Don't matter. Court's required by law to hear your motion. Until they do, you can't be transferred. Hell, they've been trying to move my tired grey behind for ten years. God bless the American legal system!
Michael: Why do you want to stay in here so badly?
Westmoreland: There's someone here I can't bear to leave behind. I guess that means we've got something in common.
[Cut to outside the infirmary. Sara and Nurse Katie walk along a path.]
Sara: The state's requiring a physical for Lincoln Burrows.
Katie: You heard the news didn't you?
Sara: [Turning to the guard] Thanks. [She turns back to Katie] No, what?
Katie: They're brothers?
Sara: Who?
Katie: Burrows and Scofield.
Sara: [Pausing in surprise] Michael Scofield?
Katie: [Nodding] Heard it from one of the CO's over in Gen Pop. He didn't say anything to you about it?
Sara: No.
Katie: Well, must be hard to be here so close to your brother and not be able to do anything to help him.
[Sara looks thoughtful. Cut to Pope's office. Bellick walks in and hands Pope a hand written motion.]
Pope: What's this?
Bellick: A little bathroom reading.
Pope: Westmoreland again?
Bellick: [shaking his head a little and smiling] Scofield. He's blocking his transfer.
[Pope looks down at the motion. Cut to Michael and Sucre's cell.]
Michael: Even if the motion is denied, it'll take thirty days to process and that means...
[Sucre makes a disappearing symbol with his hands and laughs before bumping fists with Michael]
Michael: [Looking at his watch] Alright, I'm going in. I'm going to need your help.
Sucre: [Looking concerned.] You mean in, in? Now? I thought you were waiting till-
Michael: I need to make sure I know how I'm getting up there. So when the time comes-
Sucre: Yo, yo, yo. In case you hadn't noticed, the lights are all on. You've got a full studio audience Fish, how are you going to get around that?
Michael: Don't we have some laundry to do?
[Sucre stands over the sink and wrings out a shirt that he's washed. He hangs shirts on a makeshift laundry line that spans the width of the cell. The clothes, dangling off the line, obscure the back wall of the cell from any potential onlookers. Michael, safely concealed, disassembles the toilet.]
Sucre: Just to be clear, I ain't touching your drawers.
[Cut to the path leading to the yard. Abruzzi walks in a line of inmates to the yard. He turns and gives a signal nod to another inmate.]
Abruzzi: Him.
[The inmate moves over to a CO overseeing the lineup and punches him in the face. A pile of inmates and CO's flail about on the ground. Abruzzi stands by and sees the fallen inmate has snagged a pair of guard keys and is pressing the keys into a bar of soap. A g*nsh*t comes down from a guard in a tower and Abruzzi ducks to the ground. Nearby is the piece of soap, the imprint of a key is on one side.]
[Cut to Michael and Sucre's cell. Michael pulls the toilet away from the wall and climbs through into a narrow but extensive service corridor. Metal catwalks and pipes sprawl in all directions. Michael gets his bearings by locating several ducts around him and then lifts up his shirt and compares them to a section of tattoo on his right abdomen. He traces a path with his finger and starts the timer on his watch. He walks a few steps and then pushes his way up to the catwalk above him.
[Back at the cell, Sucre's starting to worry. He turns to the hole]
Sucre: Fish! I can't deal with this.
[Cut back to Michael. Michael walks along a catwalk. He walks a few steps and then pushes his way up to the catwalk above him, checking his tattoo occasionally. He keeps climbing until he sees the roof access. Suddenly the door at the end of the hallway opens and a matinence man enters only a few feet away from Michael.]
[Cut back to Sucre. Sucre checks the paths outside the cell for guards.]
Sucre: Fish... Come on...
[Cut back to Michael. The maintenance man stops to take a smoke break. Above him, spread out from wall to wall and clinging to the pipes is Michael, face down. ]
[Cut back to Sucre. He sticks his head in the hole near the toilet, hoping that Michael can hear him.]
Sucre: Yo Fish! Fish! You're taking too long, Bro!
[Cut back to Michael. His muscles tremble from the exertion of holding himself up. He sweats heavily, and a single drop makes its way down from his nose. The sweat drips from his nose and narrowly misses the man's boot. Having finished his cigarette, the maintenance man stubs it out on a pipe and turns and leaves.]
[Cut back to the cell. Michael puts the toilet back together.]
Sucre: This ain't gonna fly, man. The Ricans? We got genetically higher blood pressure, you know that? My cousin, he d*ed from too much stress.
Michael: Thought you said your cousin was moving in on your girl.
Sucre: That's my other cousin, but thanks for bringing that up, jackass.
Michael: Look, the good news is, I can get to the roof.
Sucre: So what happens now?
Michael: Now, it's all about timing.
[Cut to the outside of Abruzzi's cell. Abruzzi checks his watch. 3.50pm. His cellmate, Gus, expertly melts a plastic toothbrush with a book of matches guiding the liquid plastic into the key mould imprinted on the bar of soap.]
[Cut to a crowded office full of computer monitors and varying technology. Veronica and Nick consult with the video analyser, Chas Fank.]
Chas: This is a top dollar job. Do you know who did it?
Nick: No, do you?
Chas: People who do this kind of work are ghosts, man. The guy behind the guy behind the guy, you know what I mean?
Veronica: You see anything? Definitive cuts? Any place that proves the tape might have been doctored?
Chas: The thing's clean, no footprints. I mean, usually you peel the video back a couple of layers, anything bogus comes off. You know, now you see it, now you don't. But not this one. It's laced. Ingrained!
[Chas plays the tape again. Something catches his interest and he replays the audio track.]
Chas: Woah woah woah.
Nick: You see something?
Chas: No. The problem with your eyes, is that they play tricks on you. But your ears, ears don't lie. Look, here's the audio track from the tape.
[He focuses on the sound of the g*nsh*t. As soon as it's fired, the sound waves immediately die.]
Chas: Sound pretty true, right?
Nick: Yeah.
Chas: But noise is alive. See, it doesn't just die like that. Stripped down, those levels should be dancing, I mean a room that size would give you a blam, blam, blam, blam, you know? One off each wall, split second after the other. On yours, the reverb's bouncing at the same time.
Veronica: What does that mean?
Chas: The sound of the g*nsh*t. It wasn't recorded in that room.
[Veronica grows excited.]
Veronica: Would you testify to that?
Chas: Oh, uh, I don't know. I mean, the tape you gave me is a dupe you know. For all I know, you guys tampered with it. Look, if you want me to testify in court, I'm going to have to get my hands on the original.
[Cut to Pope's office. Michael huddles over the model of the Taj Mahal.]
Pope: How are those allergies?
Michael: Excuse me.
Pope: In your motion you sighted chronic um-
Michael: Sinusitis.
Pope: Mmm.
Michael: It's not an allergy actually. It's an uh, bacterial infection.
Pope: Hmm.
Michael: The moist air from the river along the east wall helps keeps me, you know [he sniffs] clear.
Pope: [smiling] I'm impressed. Not even a week in here and you're already working it like an old con.
Michael: Well, you've got one up on me Warden. You know why I needed to file those motions, but I have no idea why you needed to transfer me.
Pope: Traffic control Scofield, that's all. Traffic control. Look, it's coming up on five o'clock. What do you say we call it a day?
Michael: [sighing] I don't think I can do that, Sir.
Pope: Why not?
Michael: If I let go of this support right now, the whole thing's coming down. See, the Taj was designed using axial force. A series of internal forces along the longitudinal axis.
Pope: Ah, how much longer?
Michael: Depends on how long it takes to dry. If you need me to leave, I can show your secretary how to hold it.
Pope: Alright, you can stay till it dries, there'll be a guard outside the door. Just check in with Becky when you're done and she'll have somebody escort you back to your cell.
Michael: Alright.
Pope: And uh, Scofield? I want to thank you for showing up today. I would have understood it if you didn't.
Michael: We had a deal.
Pope: Right. Still, thanks. My wife is going to love it.
Michael: You're welcome.
[After Pope leaves, Michael releases hold on the support structure. It doesn't collapse at all. Michael moves to the door where he listens to make sure the coast is clear. Pope is gone, but CO Paterson remains behind, flirting with Becky.]
Paterson: We just happen to be two people who happen to know each other, who happen to show up at the same movie theatre at what happens to be the same time!
[Becky laughs]
[Michael smiles then moves to the rear door of Pope's office. It's still locked. He looks at the clock. 4.55pm. Abruzzi walks down a corridor, pushing a janitorial trolley with mops and brooms hanging from the side.]
[Pope arrives home and walks into the kitchen to find Judy pouring some iced tea.]
Pope: You know from this angle, you look just as good as you did when we first met.
Judy: [turning] How about from this one?
Pope: Even better.
[They kiss and hug. Pope goes to grab a glass.]
Pope: Oh!
Judy: Uh uh! Those are for your guests!
Pope: Guests?
Judy: Your associates? They said you had a meeting. They're in the den.
[An apprehensive Pope walks into the den. Hale and Kellerman are waiting.]
Kellerman: Evening, Warden.
[They stand.]
[Cut to Pope's office. The clock on the wall reads five past five pm. Michael hears the sound of a key unlocking the rear door as Abruzzi turns a key in the lock. He quietly opens the door with a smile, removes the plastic key, and joins a line of inmates walking as they file through the hall outside Pope's door.]
[Cut to Pope's den, where he confronts Hale and Kellerman.]
Pope: There's nothing I can do. I'm legally obligated to file every properly drafted motion with the court so that a hearing can be scheduled.
Hale: And how long does that take?
Pope: A month, maybe two if there's a log jam. I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands.
Hale: Why do I get the feeling you're not all that disappointed.
Kellerman: May I ask you a question, Warden?
[Pope nods his approval]
Kellerman: More of an observation, really. I was looking at the morgue photos from that boy, back at Toledo, Will Clayton. And, my lord, if he wasn't the spitting image of his daddy. Apple fell real far from the tree with that one, didn't it? Fell off the tree, fell all over the pavement.
Pope: You son of a bitch.
Kellerman: Your wife gave you a pass on the affair. But, something tells me that's pretty much all the forgiveness she's got left in her bag.
Hale: Especially when it comes to an illegitimate child.
Kellerman: What happened with young Will, Warden?
Pope: [standing up angrily] Get out of my house.
Kellerman: Lose Scofield's paperwork.
[Judy walks into the room.]
Judy: You gentlemen staying for dinner?
Hale: Thanks, but I think we're on our way.
Kellerman: Judy, it was a real pleasure. Thank you. And that just may have been the best iced tea I've ever had. [He laughs] Warden! Better do everything you can to hold onto this one.
Pope: I will.
Kellerman: Good.
[Kellerman and Hale leave.]
Judy: Is everything alright?
Pope: Oh yeah. I just have a little unfinished work to take care of. I'll be right in.
Judy: [Nodding, slightly concerned.] Okay.
[Pope enters his personal study, and shreds Michael's motion to deny transfer.]
[Back at Fox River, in Lincoln's cell, a guard fastens Lincoln's shackles and gives Sara the all clear to enter.]
Sara: Evening, Lincoln.
Lincoln: Doctor.
Sara: I'm uh, supposed to give you a physical this evening. Let me apologize in advance for the heavy dose of irony you are about to participate in.
Lincoln: That's alright, just doing your job.
Sara: Yeah well, letting the state know that you're healthy enough to execute was not why I went to medical school. So I apologize.
Lincoln: That's okay.
[She checks his blood pressure and stands up.]
Sara: Alright. I'm uh, going to need a family medical history from you. Any ailments or conditions that are hereditary. Start with your mom.
Lincoln: Uh, cancer. Liver.
Sara: Okay, father?
Lincoln: Um, split when I was young.
Sara: Siblings. [Lincoln shakes his head, denying that he has any.] Anyone besides Michael?
[Lincoln looks up in surprise.]
Sara: Fox River's a small town, Lincoln. People around here don't have a whole lot to do besides time and talk. [There's a pause] You close?
Lincoln: We were.
Sara: How about now?
Lincoln: [lost in the memory of the two by the lake doesn't hear her] Huh?
Sara: How about now?
Lincoln: He's been abandoned his whole life. Dad, Mom, she d*ed young, and now me.
Sara: Do you think that's why he's here? Because your death would feel like it's happening again?
[Lincoln looks at her, confused at why she's so interested. The sh*t changes to Pope's study and a close up of a picture of a young boy as Lincoln speaks. ]
Lincoln: [voice over?] I abandoned him a long time ago. That's why he's here.
[Pans up to Pope's face. He flips through pictures of Will in the Toledo file. First his elementary pictures and then the police photos of his body sprawled on the pavement. Pope's eyes well up with tears.]
[Cut to cell block. Michael walks to his cell and checks his watch. 5.44pm. He enters his cell and the doors close behind him.]
Michael: It's time.
Sucre: Time? Oh God, here we go again. Count's in fifteen minutes. What are you doing?
Michael: Trust me, the less you know, the better.
Sucre: The less I know? Man, you've got me in the dark!
Michael: That's exactly where you want to be.
[Cut to Pope in the prison chapel. He's praying. The reverend, Ben, enters.]
Ben: Don't normally find you here at this hour.
[Pope looks up.]
Ben: Are you seeking his forgiveness or advice?
Pope: [laughing slightly] I really don't know anymore, Ben. All I know is my son Will was my responsibility, and if I'd stayed in his life I could have saved his life.
Ben: His death was an accident, Henry.
Pope: [nodding] He was a criminal, and an addict, but he was only eighteen years old.
Ben: His mother made it clear that you couldn't be in his life if you weren't going to be in hers. When you chose to stay with Judy, you understood that.
Pope: I not only understood it, I was grateful for it. I told myself that I was respecting her wishes. I cursed her under my breath while every day I thanked God for allowing me to wash my hands of her, of Toledo. All of it, I... So I ran home, to Judy, and buried the secret. But I never got a chance to... to bury... my son. [His voice chokes with tears. He leans closer to Ben] What kind of a person does that, Ben? Sacrifices somebody else's life just to make their own life easier?
[Cut to an office, Veronica and Nick stand at the front desk of a records office, facing a clerk.]
Clerk: You can argue with me all night, believe me, I haven't got anything better to do. But it won't change the fact that I can't just hand out original copies of evidence!
[Nick pulls out a folder]
Nick: If you could just take a look...
Clerk: I don't care if your FOIL was signed by the attorney general, I can't give it to you!
Veronica: What if we brought somebody here to watch it? Your supervisor could monitor them the entire time. He'd strip down, swear on a stack of Bibles, whatever it takes.
Clerk: Wait, what did you say the docket number was?
Veronica: It's uh, 296 SPE.
[The clerk sighs]
Nick: What's wrong?
Clerk: Come with me.
[They follow her to a small back room. The shelves and floor of the archive room are littered with soaked files, destroyed boxes and ruined papers.]
Clerk: Last night a pipe burst upstairs. Flooded the place. Files from over a hundred cases, pretty much lost all of them. Including yours.
Veronica: Just this room?
Clerk: [shrugging] Some kind of freak accident.
[Veronica looks skeptically at Nick and then at a clock. Nearly 6.00]
[Cut back to Fox River. Sucre checks his watch and the doors slide open for count. Michael is not in the cell.]
Guard: Count them!
[He works his way along the cells.]
Bellick: Callahan, Knight. Malinowski, Pohlen.
[Cut to the service space. Michael makes his way up toward the roof. He moves quickly up the side of the roof and slips, landing on a vent and barely avoiding a roaming search light. He checks his watch. 6pm. Count has started.]
[Cut back to cell block where Bellick is still listing off names.]
Bellick: Chance, Graziano. [The inmates step out of their cells and he checks them off on his list.] Scofield, Sucre. [Reluctantly, Sucre steps out. Bellick looks around at the cell then repeats himself] Scofield. [He pulls out a nightstick] Get the hell out here!
[He pokes around the empty cell and hits Michael's bunk with his stick. He then steps out to face Sucre. Sucre looks at him anxiously and Bellick pulls out a whistle.]
Bellick: We got a runner! [he blasts the whistle]
[Cut back to Michael on the roof. Alarms sound and floodlights lining the yard come to life. Michael looks up in surprise. The lights fill the chapel and Pope looks up. They also reach Lincoln's cell and he tries to look out his window. Dogs and guards fill the yard below Michael. Back at the cell block, guards swarm the cell block announcing a lock down. Bellick closes his nightstick by Sucre's face.]
Bellick: Alright, for the last time Piñata, where the hell's Scofield? He's gone, you're gone, you hear me?
[CO Paterson comes over the radio]
Paterson: Call it off Captain, I got Scofield right here.
Bellick: Where?
Paterson: In the Warden's office.
Bellick: You looking at him?
[Cuts to the Secretary's office where Paterson gives Becky a smile.]
Bellick: Stop trying to nail the secretary and check the damn office.
[Becky looks embarrassed but smiles a little. Paterson checks the office and finds the room empty]
Paterson: [radioing back] Captain? He's gone.
[Bellick gives Sucre a look and Sucre gives him an equally confused look in return.]
[Cut to Michael on the roof of the prison watching the action unfold. Police squad cars race towards the prison. He checks his watch. A line of cars race down English Street. He turns to look at Percy Avenue to see another line of cars coming. When he turns to Fitz Street, he sees that it's empty, and he smiles.]
[Cut to Pope's office. Pope rushes back to his office.]
Pope: [talking to Bellick] A man can't just vanish, deputy.
Bellick: I know sir.
Pope: [turning to Becky] He never checked out with you?
Becky: No,
Pope: And the rear door?
Paterson: Still locked sir, I checked.
Pope: How the hell did he- [he swings his office door open. Michael's head appears from behind the model of the Taj Mahal]
Michael: What's going on?
Bellick: [Rushing toward him and throwing him against the wall with his hand around his throat] You're in the Warden's office after hours. I could k*ll you. And the paperwork wouldn't need much more than a date. Tell me, what were you doing in here? [Michael makes choking noises.]
Pope: Alright deputy, that's enough.
[Bellick moves away, Michael looks angrily at the CO.]
Michael: The work wasn't dry, you said to stay until it was.
Pope: You were in here the whole time?
Michael: Yes sir.
Becky: It's true, I never saw him leave.
Paterson: I must not have seen him behind the table.
Bellick: Warden, with all due respect, this is ridiculous. This prisoner was out of his cell. He missed the count.
Pope: I understand deputy. The thing is, Mr Scofield is not our problem any more. It seems there was an error in his paperwork. He's going to be transfered after all.
Michael: That's not possible.
Pope: Escort the prisoner back to his cell.
[Bellick forces Michael's arms behind his back.]
Michael: Warden, all I need is three weeks. [He pulls against Paterson and Bellick at his sides] Get off me!
Paterson: Come on, now.
Michael: Henry, please, I just need a little time. Just give me the time.
[Michael is dragged out of the office.]
[Cut to Nick and Veronica walking to Veronica's apartment.]
Nick: Any chance you want to write this off as a coincidence? [Veronica just looks at him in response] Me neither.
Veronica: How could they have known we were coming for the tape? Three hours ago we didn't even know.
Nick: Well, we're pissing someone off.
Veronica: You say that like it's a good thing.
Nick: People start breaking the law you know you're getting warm.
Veronica: We still have our copy of the tape, so maybe-
[They reach Veronica's apartment and see the door's open. Nick enters slowly.]
Veronica: Nick?
Nick: Stay here. [he holds up his hand. Despite his warning, Veronica follows and has a look around.]
Nick: Whoever it was is gone. Does it look like they got anything?
Veronica: No. [She puts her briefcase down and looks around her.] Everything's exactly the way I left it... [She trails off, noticing something. A cupboard is open in the kitchen. She runs toward it.]
Nick: What, what??
[Veronica doesn't answer and pulls linen out of the cupboard.]
Nick: What?
Veronica: The tape. It's gone!
Nick: Are you sure?
Veronica: How could they know?
Nick: Let's think this through.
Veronica: How could they know exactly where to look?
Nick: Wait, does anyone else have a key to this place?
Veronica: No.
Nick: You sure this is where you put it?
Veronica: You were here, remember? I was talking to you, I walked toward the cabinet, and I... said... [she trails off.]
Nick: What? Veronica? Are you okay? Veronica?
[She looks down, hurt.]
[Cut to Fox River. Next day. The cell doors open for the inmates to leave for breakfast. Bellick swaggers up to Michael and Sucre's cell.]
Bellick: Breakfast gentlemen, let's move it! Sucre, let's go. Scofield, wait here. I'm sure your ride will be along any minute now.
[Michael doesn't reply, looking, defeated, at the wall. Sucre hops off his bunk.]
Sucre: This can't be it. It can't end like this.
Bellick: Let's move it! [He walks past]
Michael: Fitz.
Sucre: What?
Michael: We were going to take Fitz out. It was as clear as day.
Sucre: And the cops? How long did it take for them to respond? You got all the timing down? [Michael just looks at him] Think we would have made it? [Again, Michael doesn't respond. Bellick walks up again.]
Bellick: Sucre, now.
[Sucre leaves the cell followed closely by Bellick.]
[Michael grabs the allen screw. Music begins: Orange Sky by Alexi Murdoch. He stands up and slips it under Sucre's pillow and places an origami swan on top of the pillow. He leans against the wall]
[Some time later, Bellick walks him along the tier to the outside. Heavily shackled, Michael walks down an outside corridor. Sara watches from the infirmary as he passes. They then take a long walk past the yard, as Westmoreland approaches, holding Marilyn. Abruzzi approaches the fence.]
Abruzzi: Hey fish face! Where ya going?
[Michael doesn't answer, but keeps walking, escorted by Bellick. Sucre hangs off the fence watching, as Abruzzi walks past to his cellmate, Gus.]
Abruzzi: Call my wife. Tell her to get the kids and get the hell out of the country.
[Michael continues down the path, and stops as he sees Lincoln. The two exchange a look, and Lincoln stands for his brother. Bellick forces him on but Michael looks back.]
Michael: I'm sorry.
[Pope watches from his office and sits back in his chair as Michael shuffles out of the prison and out of his life. Bellick hands Michael over to another CO who will escort Michael to the bus. They approach the gates.]
Bellick: Don't forget to buckle up. [He hands Michael and a his files to the CO. Pope appears by the port.]
Pope: What's this prisoner doing out of his cell?
CO: He's being transferred.
Pope: No, no, no, there must be some kind of a mistake. This man filed a motion yesterday. He has a medical condition that precludes transfer. Sinusitis right?
Michael: [confused] Sinusitis.
Pope: Take the prisoner back to his cell. But yank his rec time. He missed count last night. [He gives Michael a slightly stern look before they both turn to look beyond the gates. Hale and Kellerman wait in their car. Michael leaves, and Pope gives the agents a standoffish look.]
[Cut to Pope's house. He drives up the driveway to find Judy waiting for him on the porch. He walks up to her.]
Judy: Hey! You're home early, everything okay?
Pope: Yeah! Yeah it is, uh, there's just, um. [He sits down next to her] Judy, there's someone I need to tell you about.
[Kellerman makes an unpleasant call to the Garlic Cutter at a lakeside home.]
Garlic Cutter: Yes?
Kellerman: The transfer did not go through.
Garlic Cutter: That's... disappointing.
Kellerman: We can re-file, but the warden-
Garlic Cutter: It is a waste of time. I think it's time we stopped b*ating about the bush, gentlemen, and go after the damn bush!
[The camera cuts to the chapel, where Lincoln sits in a pew looking worried]
Kellerman: [Still talking to the Garlic Cutter] Burrows. What do you want done?
[Michael appears behind him and puts his hand on his brother's shoulder. Lincoln relaxes.]
Garlic Cutter: Take the only thing Burrows has left: Time. After all, the chair isn't the only way to take a man's life in prison
END OF EPISODE