Episode Report Card Sobell: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT …And Now Miguel
By Sobell | Season 3 | Episode 2 | Aired on 09.23.2007
Inside the prison, Bellick gets rebuffed from a begging attempt and decides to displace the bullying by raising Michael's stress level. He asks why Michael's so interested in Whistler, and Michael whispers, "No reason." Bellick bellows, "Why are you whispering, college boy?" Bellick has the opposite of what you'd call "survival instincts," doesn't he? Michael whirls around and points that out, asking, "I'm sorry, do you have any other friends in here besides me?" Bellick whines that friends don't let friends run around crash-dieting in the near-nude. Michael snaps that he'll help Bellick when he feels like getting to it. Unfortunately, the hunger seems to have sharpened Bellick's thinking, and he realizes that if Michael wants information about the guy in the gutters, other people probably do too.
Back in the courtyard, Splenda is explaining to Mahone that "[the] mayor get a message to Lechero: he say if Whistler guy gets killed here in Sona, whoever kills him gets to go to court, gets to see a judge, the judge is friendly with mayor." Mahone's all, "Kill someone and go free, you say? Eh…I've killed people for worse reasons." During this exchange, Splenda has sussed out that Mahone's not as much of a friend to Michael as he said he was. Mahone heads off, and Splenda gets a very thoughtful look.
Outside, it's the real thing, baby. Sucre has come to visit Bellick, and he looks shocked at what has become of the big bully. Bellick begs Sucre to get him out of the prison, but Sucre only wants to know where Maricruz is. Bellick says, "Maricruz, she's good. She's okay, but I'm not telling you anything until you get me out of here." Sucre refutes the idea of quid pro quo at the end of a gun barrel. Bellick shakily protests, "You shoot me, you'll end up inside this hellhole." Is it wrong that I'm kind of rooting for that? It's a Michael/Sucre reunion -- how fun would that be? Sucre tells Bellick he really doesn't care, as with Maricruz out of his life, he has nothing to lose. Bellick realizes he has nothing left to bargain with, and frantically bleats, "I never had her! At that house in Mexico, I chased your aunt and Maricruz off. I told 'em I'd lock 'em up for accessory if they didn't hightail it. I swear to God! …I ripped [Maricruz's crucifix] off her before she ran. There was no phone in that dump, so I knew you wouldn't be able to call from the road to make sure I wasn't lying. I conned you!"
Sucre is giddy with the news. He wants to know where Maricruz might be, and Bellick's all, "She's picking grapes! I have no idea! Now just lower the barrel, put the gun down." Because he is not the spiteful, petty type who might wing Bellick in the shoulder as payback, Sucre does. Bellick begs Sucre to call his mom and help him out, but Sucre's got a grape-picking lady to fetch. He sprints off without a backward glance. Karma, yo.
Down in Sona's sewers, Mahone is busy looking for Whistler. It does not take long for him to track the man down by his cough.