"Enough is enough." He said angrily. "We’re getting out of here. We can get to Frank before the tape does and explain everything."

"Do you think he’ll believe us?" Callie asked, wiping away a few leftover tears.

"Of course he will!" Joe yelled. "Once we explain." He added quietly.

‘What if we can’t get away? What if he sees it before we can explain?’ Joe wondered, anxiously. He couldn’t bear the thought of causing his brother that kind of pain even inadvertently.

"Do you really think we can escape?" Callie asked hopefully.

"It’s just Nash and Jenkins. We can take them." Joe said with determination.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Joe replied, his blue eyes scanning the room intently. He smiled grimly when his eyes landed on something lying in a corner on the opposite side of the room. Thankfully, the two criminals didn’t clear their make shift prison of possible weapons as well as they thought they did.

Callie watched as Joe strode across the room, bent down and retrieved whatever it was that had caught his eye. He returned to Callie’s side with a broken piece of 2 x 4.

"Here." Joe handed the piece of wood to Callie. "Lean against the sink and hold it behind your back."

Taking the wood, Callie did as Joe asked.

"Perfect." He smiled. "Can’t even see it."

"So what’s your plan?" Callie asked him.

"The next time they come down here, you hit one of them over the head with that. I’ll take the other one. I’m tired of these two and their endless mind games. I want out of here today." Joe said, forcefully.

"Ok, partner." Callie said, finally cracking a smile.

Joe and Callie didn’t have to wait long before they heard the door at the top of the stairs open and the now familiar footsteps. Seconds later Nash and Jenkins appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

Nash looked at Joe and then tapped the butt of the gun protruding from the waistband of his jeans.

"You. Over here." He said, beckoning Joe to move away from Callie. Joe glared at him and slowly moved away from Callie as Jenkins moved towards her. Biting back a smile, Joe wondered what Nash would think if he knew he was now playing into their hands.

Jenkins approached Callie, smiling lasciviously. Just as he got close enough to reach for her, Callie pulled the broken piece of wood from behind her back and swung with all her might. Jenkins cried out in pain as the wood connected with his head and he collapsed to the floor.

Nash grabbed for his gun but Joe was on him before he had a good grip on it. The gun fell from his hand and skittered across the floor.

Having the element of surprise on his side, Joe was able to hit Nash with a flurry of punches to the midsection and face before Nash even realized what was happening. Just as Joe drew back for the knock out punch, he heard thundering footsteps on the wooden stairs. Too late, Joe realized he had miscalculated. Nash and Jenkins weren’t alone!

"Joe! Look out!" Callie screamed, as one of the new arrivals grabbed her before she could strike out again.

Joe didn’t have enough time to react as his arm right was grabbed from behind. It was twisted violently and yanked behind his back. Joe felt a searing pain in his shoulder. His left arm was also grabbed and pulled behind him.

Nash, now somewhat recovered charged Joe, hatred written all over his face. He drew back and punched Joe in the stomach, full force. Joe gasped, doubling over in pain. Nash quickly followed with a series of uppercuts to Joe’s midsection, leaving him in agony, gasping for breath. He wound up for a final punch to the face, snapping Joe’s head back.

Joe could hear Callie crying out, begging Nash to stop. He was pulled upright and tensed, expecting another blow to the stomach. Instead, Nash delivered a solid kick to his ribs. As he involuntarily cried out in pain, the arms released him and Joe fell heavily to the floor. In a daze, he was not fully aware of his surroundings, yet not quite unconscious.

Enveloped in a painful fog, Joe heard Callie screaming. As yet unable to move, he wasn’t sure if she was screaming at what had been done to him, or if Nash and his men had now turned their attention to her.

‘Don’t…pass…out…’ He told himself.

With all the strength he could summon, Joe pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. He stopped, waiting for the pain to subside so he could move again.

"NO!" Callie cried out in terror.

Joe looked up just in time to see Nash’s heavy boot coming straight at his head. With a final explosion of pain, Joe collapsed into darkness.

Callie watched in horror as Joe fell to the floor unconscious. She saw a small trickle of blood begin to seep out from somewhere beneath his head. She was suddenly aware of the deathly silence in the room, the only sound coming from Nash who was breathing heavily from the fight.

Nash winced, placing a hand on his sore midsection and stared at Joe’s unconscious form sprawled on the hard cement floor. Running his tongue along his lips and around his mouth, he tasted blood.

Callie’s heart stopped as she saw the pure hatred in his eyes. She gasped as Nash kicked Joe viciously in the side. Her vision blurred with tears as Nash kicked Joe repeatedly, anger obviously getting the better of him. Suddenly Nash turned and walked quickly towards Callie. She tried to keep the fear from showing on her face when he stopped in front of her. To her amazement and relief, he kneeled on the floor next to Jenkins who had started to stir.

"Hey, wake up." He said, shaking his partner's shoulders. "Come on. Get up."

Jenkins moaned and pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"Wha’ happn’d?" he asked groggily.

Nash grabbed him under the arms and hauled him to his feet, steadying him.

"Our guests thought they could make the great escape." Nash replied, composed once again. "Something tells me it was all his idea." He continued, glaring at Joe.

Jenkins now took notice of Joe lying on the floor bruised, bleeding and unmoving.

Leveling his gaze on Callie, Nash said. "He’s about to pay dearly for that."

Callie gasped, realizing Nash wasn’t through with Joe yet.

"We didn’t escape. You’ve already beaten him unconscious. Please, leave him alone." She begged, her eyes filling with tears again.

"What? You don’t want to see him hurt anymore?"

"No." she whispered.

"You think he’s paid enough already?"

"Yes."

Nash leaned past Callie and spat a mouthful of blood into the sink.

"Well I don’t." he replied evenly. Turning, he headed for the stairs. "Bring them up." He called back over his shoulder. "Both of them."