Now that Caroline Reynolds has stepped down as president, she can no longer sign a pardon, so the brothers must immediately disappear, forever. At the pier Sarah realizes she's being tailed and pretends on the phone already to be on board, so they sail without her while she is arrested. Lincoln stops Michael from returning for her. A week later, an FBI bigwig offers C-note a lesser sentence for testimony against Mahone, even freedom and witness protection for his family- bingo. Fernando grabs Bellick's gun while looking for T-bag, but Bellick shows a crucifix to prove he has Maricruz. The scumbag enjoys his fortune with a lady of the street playing his Susan-Q. The brothers arrive at Cristobal, Panama. Meanwhile Malone's team deduces Scofield's tattoos refer to Michael's mother Christina, presumably dead, and he presumes his computer contained much info on Panama for a reason. The man in power grills Kim on a small boat, and decides to change the strategy. Mahone sees through FBI-colleague Wheeler. C-note is reunited with his family and released. The brothers have a fight, torn by guilt for too many innocent people suffering through their well-meaning deeds, then board a yacht, named- Christina. Mahone tells Kim he's not happy with the results as he remains separated from his family, but is told he now needs help to escape, and therefore must go to Mexico- to help T-bag.

A test with a rat proves the tower snipers are very good, so Michael figures the only option to breaking Whistler out within 24 hours has to be at 3 PM, during the distraction of soccer game. Sucre accepts $5,000 from Lechero's cousin, Augusto, to smuggle a package into Sona. Linc is to arrange transport outside, but he and Sofia get turned away roughly by an army patrol two miles away. He tells her Sara has already been killed. He keeps it from Michael, as LJ is his ultimate priority. New prisoner Andrew Tyge is robbed to his boxers on arrival, and recognizes Whistler (who denies it), mentioning the McFadden, Nice in 1997. He is warned off by Mahone who has noticed Tyge snooping around Michael and Whistler. They plan an electric signal disturbance device to distract the guard tower. Before they can make a move, a reflection from the binoculars is spotted: the troops move in and find it in his cell. Michael admits it's his. When the commander is about to shoot him, Whistler claims it's his for bird-watching, and proves it showing the ornithology book (the one Linc couldn't hold on to).

Mahone is assured all he has to do is tell the truth, enjoying full immunity. Michael tells Whistler their row is part of a diversion, the escape is now or never, before the drug in the guard's coffee wears off. Just when the critical sun reflection blinds the other tower guard, they must wait and hide till Sammy has passed, but get through the cut bars. They climb down, but the glare disappears so they must climb back up as there is not enough time to escape. They get back in time and out to the courtyard, but Lechero refuses to allow them to cancel their duel to the death in the courtyard, which had been intended as a fake diversion. Sofia draws a gun on Lincoln to prevent him from turning Whistler over to killers. He retorts that's condemning an innocent L.J. to death. Guards wake the passed-out Captain Hurtado, see the climbing rope and storm into the prison. The Colonel shoots Papo, one of Lechero's crew, 'for not telling' and exposes his deal with Lechero, questioning if he's the right man for the job. Hearing the Sona siren, Linc flees by car and when Susan calls, he lies, telling her he has the 'escapees' in the trunk, but Pike, another company operative phones her: the roll-count was complete. Sucre stops her van by crashing into it, but even when Linc holds her at gun-point her accomplice won't trade L.J. He releases her and gets a short extension to find out what happened. Failing a hearing, Malone now believes Justice official Richard Sullins is setting him up to confess. Michael is dragged before Lechero, but not to be punished, he's ordered to take the fallen boss along when he and Whistler escape. Susan asks instructions from Whistler, he tells her - as Gretchen - to give the brothers four more days.