Chapter 13

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After P.I., we went back to our cells and since it wasn't tier time yet, I just sat in my cell, drawing on the wall beside my bed. I thought about the plan and how we were going to escape. I didn't really know all of the details, but based on the mini map Michael drew me, I had an idea of how we were going to get out of there. I memorized the map in case it got lost and then I started thinking of Lincoln. So far, our time together has been short and sweet, barely talking about our past. Maybe we would get to that when we were out of here and actually had time.

My thoughts floated to LJ, my son. He was sixteen years old and I tried my hardest to raise him the best I could without his father in his life. Like I told Lincoln, I never spoke badly about him, even though he left us to fend for ourselves. I told LJ that his dad went away to protect us from people who wanted to hurt us and he thought of his dad as some hero.

"Open on 40!" Those words jolted me out of my daydreaming and I rushed to my cell door. That was Michael and Sucre's cell that was being called to be opened and a bad feeling came over me. Bellick marched past the cells until he came to the one next to mine.

"Michael Scofield. Time for your transfer." He sneered. Michael appeared in my line of vision and he looked confused.

"I sent in an injunction. I'm not supposed to be moved until-"

"I don't give a rat's ass about whatever piece of paper you sent to Pope." Bellick got in his face. "You're moving out. Now!" Michael disappeared and then came back out with his stuff. Michael mouthed 'do it' as he walked past my cell and fear struck me. I couldn't do this without him.

"Psst, Burrows." Sucre's voice traveled and I looked at him and I could see that he could tell I was scared to do what Michael wanted me to do. It was like arranging my own death and funeral. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. All you gotta do is find what Michael needs and get outta there. No biggie."

"Yeah, no biggie." I repeated, not at all confident. An hour later, the guards called for tier time and all of the cells were opened. I quickly walked next door and Sucre hung up the white sheet so that no one would disturb us.

"Here is an extra watch for you to keep track of time. You have about thirty minutes before you have to be back up here in time to get in your cell and make it for the count. If not, you're screwed." Sucre explained as I put the watch on. "You good?" He asked and I nodded.

"As good as I'll ever be." I muttered, dragging the sink away from the wall. My heart was pounding and I squatted down, staring into the hole. The hole that would lead us to our freedom.

"¡Ándale!" Sucre hissed and I slipped into the hole. Once I was in there, I watched as Sucre closed the hole, sealing me inside the pipes. Air hissed all around me and I looked at my watch. 6:30p.m. I had until 7:00 to complete this entire thing. I brought out the map Michael drew up for me and started to walk. Water dropped on me and I wiped my face, trying to do this as quickly as possible.

"Why in the world did it have to be me?" I asked out loud. I followed one of the pipes until I got to a dead end. I frowned and looked at the map again. "What the hell?" I muttered, flipping it. I smacked my forehead when I realized I was walking in the wrong direction this entire time. I jogged back to where I took the wrong turn and got back on the right track. I looked at my watch and it read 6:45.

I crawled through another hole and ended up in a hollow area that looked newer than the rest of the pipes. I looked up and saw a cemented ceiling, but it looked older than the walls. This was probably not the place. I was about to turn around and leave when I heard talking.

"Yeah, we won't be able to use this anymore since the cons are fixing it up. Our break room will probably be next to the kitchen until it's done." I covered my mouth, almost squealing with excitement. the break room was the perfect place to go through and we already had access to it since we were fixing it up. I turned around and started to head back to the cell, but I heard footsteps coming from the direction I needed to go in.

A guard appeared and I started to panic. "Think, think." I whispered. I looked up and grabbed the pipes, hauling myself up and stretching my legs over them. I put my arms through the pipes on either side of me and my face faced the floor beneath me. I held my breath and I could feel myself heating up from being so close to the heater, but I didn't dare to move or else I would be caught. The guard stopped underneath me and looked around, seeming to hear something.

The vents stopped humming and all I could hear was a drip from somewhere in the pipes. I looked at my watch and my heart dropped. It was 6:55 and it would take me about ten minutes to get back to Sucre's cell. "C'mon, c'mon. Move." I whispered, needing the guard to move now. My arms and legs were cramping up and they were going to give out any second.

"Hey, Chad. We need you in medical." A voice said from the guard's comms.

"On my way." He replied and walked off, disappearing around a corner. When I was sure he was gone, I dropped to the floor, and took off running, not bothering to rest. If I didn't make it on time, I was screwed. My chest burned and when I made it to the sink, I banged on it three times. It moved almost immediately and I was pulled through.

"You're too late." I stayed on the floor, trying to catch my breath. Michael's face came into view and I frowned.

"I thought you were being transferred." I gasped out, holding on to the side of the bed.

"Pope stopped it. How in the world are you going to get out of here?" Sucre asked, panic in his voice. I looked at the cell door and saw that it was closed. That wasn't good. A thought came to mind and I waited until I could easily speak before voicing it.

"I have an idea." I started. Michael and Sucre's eyes focused on me. "I'll wait here out of sight behind the bed until count. When they realize I'm not in my cell, they will think I ran. All of the guards will be alerted and distracted for a second. Since the cells will be open, I'll just sneak back into my cell and slide into bed and act like I was sleeping the entire time." Sucre looked up and then at me.

"Sounds good enough. As long as I don't get in trouble, I'm down. Mike?" Michael seemed to be processing this entire thing and finally he nodded.

"Sounds like a plan." He said. "Count should be happening in three, two, one."

"Alright, jailbait! Time to make sure you're all here! Up and at em!" A loud buzzing sound filled the prison as the cell doors were being opened. Michael and Sucre walked out of their cells, and Sucre glanced back before facing forward again.

"Jason and Thier. Check. Moore and Cooper. Check. Burrows." I held my breath as my name was called. "Burrows!" Michael leaned forward, looking at god knows what.

"Burrows is gone! We have a runner!" I heard Bellick shout. An alarm sounded and I got to my feet, waiting for Michael's signal. He placed his fingers behind his back, signaling me to get out his cell. I scrambled out of his cell, pausing for a second when I saw a guard just one cell over.

"Mel, go!" Sucre hissed and I stumbled into my cell and climbed to the top bunk, sliding under the blankets until my head couldn't be seen. My heart was pounding furiously and it seemed as if the guards could hear it. I remembered that I had my shoes on, so I kicked them off my feet and heard a thud as they landed.

"What's the problem?" I heard Pope's voice coming closer to my cell.

"Burrows is gone. She isn't in her cell and-" Bellick stopped talking and I held my breath as I heard his footsteps enter my cell. "What in tarnation...Burrows!" He yelled and I groaned, pretending to just be waking up. I stretched and yawned, blinking a bunch of times to put it in full affect.

"What's going on?" I asked, feigning a groggy voice. Pope looked at Bellick as I climbed down my bunk.

"She looks like she's in her cell to me. Next time you come and get me, make sure there's actually a prisoner on the run." Pope snapped at Bellick before walking off. Bellick grabbed my shirt and yanked me toward him.

"I don't know how you did it, girly, but I will find out. Mark my words." He growled and I just smiled. He shoved me back and I smoothed down my crinkled shirt before coming out to line up with the others outside my cell. I looked over at Michael and Sucre and they nodded at me. Mission accomplished.

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