PHRONESIS | michael scofield

01.

01. ♞ DIE INSIDE

PHOEBE'S EYES SLOWLY FLUTTERED OPEN, her fear growing and welling up in her chest tightly as her clammy hands reached for the car door handle to exit the car and join Michael outside. Michael faced her when he heard the car door shut, examining her outfit— which made her look professional— and smiling reassuringly as they walked towards the bank in front of them, Michael holding an empty duffel bag in his hands.

"Are you ready for this?" Michael asked nervously yet confidently as he looked over at Phoebe. Phoebe sighed and shook her head.

"No." She spat. She then slipped a heavy black gun out of her waistband, stalking into the bank and aiming at the crowd in front of them, who were innocently waiting in line. "Everybody on the ground, now!" She roared, catching Michael by surprise at how natural it came to her. Gasps and shrieks collided at once as Phoebe scrunched her nose in what seemed to be anger as people, in fear of being shot, lowered to the ground and held tightly onto their loved ones, yet some people seemed not to care or were too afraid and stood frozen in their spots.

Due to the lack of people following Phoebe's instructions, Michael pulled out his own gun from his waistband and aimed at the ceiling before firing a shot, hundreds and hundreds of particles of dust falling onto his recently cleaned beige business suit. The brave (or fearful) ones who'd been previously standing were now cowering down to the floor in fear. Michael then turned to face a woman at the front desk, stalking towards her confidently with Phoebe hot on his trail.

       "All the money in here. Now." Michael instructed as he tossed the empty duffel bag onto the counter and aimed his gun at the woman. The woman nodded, quickly emptying all of the safes beside her and stuffing the duffel bag.

       "That's everything..." The woman said fearfully, holding her hands in the air. Phoebe then aimed at the woman and cocked her head.

       "I don't believe that is." Phoebe taunted. "You're telling me you don't have a vault? At a bank?" Phoebe teased with a chuckle. Michael nodded, shifting the gun around in his hand.

  "Open the vault. Now." Michael commanded. Michael's voice became deep and demanding as he aimed his weapon at the fearful woman behind the counter. The mysterious sound of his deep voice made Phoebe's insides twist in desire.

"We can't. The branch manager's not here." The woman shakily explained. Michael's head tilted side to side in faux irritation as he looked at the woman. Phoebe took the time to discretely look around the crowd as a few people snapped pictures of her and Michael and others spoke on the phone not very discretely.

"It's working." Phoebe informed. She was sure to be quiet as she whispered in Michael's ear. He nodded, keeping his eyes on the woman in front of him.

"Where is he?" Michael questioned in irritation, his eyes narrowed upon the woman as Phoebe aimed her gun at a man from the crowd who stood up, motioning for him to get back on the floor with a swift motion of her gun towards the floor.

"It's lunchtime, he's at White Castle." The woman explained. Michael's eyes widened slowly, his brows rose, his big blue eyes glaring at her. Phoebe rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, tucking her gun in between her arms.

"White Castle?" Michael repeated incredulously as the woman responded with a nod.

"It's a fast food restaurant... They serve those... little square burgers." The woman rambled nervously. Michael nodded.

"I know what it is." He seethed and lifted his gun again, shooting at the ceiling a second time. A few shrieks came from the crowd, to which Phoebe decided to react negatively.

"Next one to scream is in big trouble, so shut the hell up!" She snapped. The bank became dead silent and Michael looked over at Phoebe, smirking. "What?" She asked quietly. "I'm acting." She whispered in his ear. Michael shook his head and turned back to the woman, the smirk immediately turning into a blank expression.

"We're not playing games. Open it." Michael demanded once more as he aimed at the woman again, a smile appearing on his face.

"Sir, you have a half a million dollars cash in your bag." The woman said cautiously. "Don't you think it would be better—" Phoebe was quick to cut her off.

"Great! No one asked, now open the damn vault—" The three immediately became silent when the sounds of helicopters and sirens came from outside. Knowing this had been a success, Phoebe lowered her gun, putting it back into her waistband and looking over at Michael.

"Go." Michael said with a smirk as he looked at Phoebe. Phoebe mirrored his smirk.

"Good luck in Fox River, my friend. I'll see you soon." Phoebe cheered and sent Michael a quick peace sign before she removed her heels and ran out the back exit of the bank and into the car her and Michael had arrived in. Phoebe cautiously drove around the bank, and she smiled as she saw Michael being pushed into the back of a cop car. Now it was only a matter of time before everything came together; just as they'd planned.