Callie had seen the extent of Joe’s external injuries. Based on their severity she knew he had to be bleeding internally. Recalling what Joe had said about barely being able to move his legs, she knew he must have extensive internal injuries as well. Callie shivered as the image of the pick up truck dragging Joe down the rocky, rutted dirt road flashed across her mind. Nash’s voice echoed in her ears.

Callie looked at her engagement ring glistening under the running water. She tried to memorize everything about it. She was certain if Joe died, Frank would have nothing more to do with her. He would never even consider marrying the woman who had cost him his little brother.

Wringing the excess water from the rag, Callie turned and walked back to Joe, kneeling on the floor next to him. She wiped his face hoping the cool, wet rag would make Joe a little more comfortable. He had developed a high fever rather quickly, which increased Callie’s concern over the extent of his internal injuries and the possibility of infection.

As she was debating whether or not to remove his shirt, which was now stuck to his body courtesy of the fever, she heard the door at the top of the basement stairs open. Immediately she began to pray that Nash wasn’t returning to finish Joe off once and for all.

Listening to the sound of the footsteps, Callie realized this wasn’t Nash or Jenkins. The footsteps were tentative, hesitant; almost as if the person didn’t want to be heard at all. Concentrating, Callie was sure there were two people descending the stairs. She knew there was no place to hide and even if there were, she wasn’t about to leave Joe lying on the floor in the middle of the room like a sitting duck. And so she remained by Joe’s side, watching and waiting for these new players to show themselves.

*****

Frank put one hand on the rail, as a guide, while he used the other to clutch Vanessa’s hand tightly, holding it in such a way that she was forced to walk down the steps directly behind him. Frank had no idea what, if anything, would be awaiting them at the bottom of the steps but he knew he had to protect Vanessa at all costs. In his heart he knew that was exactly what Joe had done for Callie.

Slowly, they walked down the steps as quietly as possible. As the floor came into view, Frank glanced around, but saw nothing. Continuing down the steps he suddenly stopped short, forcing Vanessa to grab him for balance. Squinting he looked closely. He could see a pair of legs, with blue and white running shoes on the feet. The legs weren’t moving at all. Why would someone be sleeping on the basement floor? And why did those running shoes look so familiar…

‘Joe!’ Instantly Frank ran down the remaining steps dragging Vanessa behind him. He came to a sudden halt at the bottom. Joe was lying on the floor, bruised and battered, with Callie kneeling beside him looking as if she had just seen a ghost.

Callie watched, unable to believe her eyes as Frank and Vanessa came barreling down the stairs only to come to a complete and sudden stop at the bottom. She blinked once, twice hoping she wasn’t hallucinating. When Frank and Vanessa were still there, staring at her, she jumped up and ran to them.

"Frank!" she cried out, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank God, you found us!"

Frank grabbed Callie around the waist, pulling her into him so hard he lifted her right off the floor. He was so relieved to find her alive and unhurt, he didn’t even try to control the tears. They held each other tightly, afraid to let go, both afraid it was a dream and if they let go even for a second they would wake up alone again.

"Callie. Oh God, Callie! I was so scared…terrified." Frank choked out burying his face in her neck. "I thought I lost you." Frank’s relief was short lived when the momentary silence was broken by Vanessa’s piercing scream and heartbreaking sobs.

"Joe!" She cried out. "Joe, please! Talk to me!"

‘Joe!’ Frank couldn’t believe it. How could he have forgotten about Joe?

"Joe, open your eyes. Please!" Vanessa pleaded. She turned a tear-streaked face towards Callie. "What happened?!"

Frank released Callie and finally took a good look at his brother. His legs became weak as he felt the color drain from his face.

"No." He whispered, rushing to Joe’s side and kneeling beside Vanessa. "Joe?" He said tentatively, reaching out towards his brother with a shaking hand. Frank stopped and began to tremble as he realized he had no idea where to touch Joe.

Every visible part of Joe’s body seemed to be swollen or have some kind of bruise or open wound on it. He glanced down and saw that Vanessa was clutching Joe’s hand with one of hers and reaching out to him with the other. Like Frank, her hand had stopped in mid-air. She had wanted to touch Joe’s face, kiss him, reassure him but she was afraid to get any closer; afraid her touch would only result in pain.

"Joe." Vanessa repeated. "Please, Baby, please open your eyes and talk to me." Getting no response, she dropped her head and cried.

Frank’s shock quickly turned to rage. He felt Callie’s hand on his shoulder and turned to her.

"What the hell did they do to him?" He said trying not to let his anger take complete control.

"They….they beat him up." Callie replied vaguely. How could she look Frank in the eye and tell him Joe had been dragged behind a truck solely to amuse their captors?

"He didn’t end up like this from a simple beating, Callie. Now what, exactly, did they do to him?" Frank said heatedly.

Just as Callie was about to reply, Vanessa looked up. Callie was struck by the fear and anguish in her eyes. How could she say this? How could Vanessa hear it and not break down completely? Callie looked from Frank to Vanessa and back again, hoping he would understand she didn’t want to explain the graphic details in front of Vanessa.

Vanessa saw the exchange and spoke directly to her friend. "I want to know, Callie. I want to know what they did to him. If the situation were reversed, would you let me get away with something like that?"

"No." Callie said quietly. She took a deep breath and told them everything, in detail, starting with the ambush in the woods to her very brief conversation with Joe when he had regained consciousness for that short period of time.

By the time she finished, Vanessa was clinging to Frank, sobbing uncontrollably. Frank was staring at his brother, open-mouthed, shocked into silence. She knew they were stunned by what she had just revealed, as she was right after it had happened. She reminded herself she’d had several hours to digest the horrible events and accept them. Callie wanted to give Frank and Vanessa that same time to come to terms with it all, but she had seen Joe’s injuries up close and she was afraid he didn’t have that much time left. Callie waited…and waited…and finally touched Frank’s shoulder.

"We need to get him out of here, Frank. We need to get him to a hospital…tonight."

Frank turned to her, unable to verbalize what he was feeling. The anger, the rage, the fury but most of all the fear. Fear that snapped him back to reality. Callie was right. They had to get Joe out of there and to a hospital immediately.

Unwrapping Vanessa’s arms from around him, Frank started to reach for Joe, when Callie grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" she cried out, stopping him.

"Wait?" Frank yelled, confused. "Wait for what? We need to go…NOW!"

Wordlessly, Callie reached down and lifted Joe’s shirt, revealing the gruesome injury she had discovered earlier. Frank stared in horror for a moment, then squeezed his eyes shut, ordering his queasy stomach not to rebel. Vanessa wasn’t so lucky and ran to the sink, becoming violently ill.

"There's more." Callie said quietly waiting for Frank to look at her. "When he came to he said…he said…" Callie stopped as the panic came rushing back.

"What?" Frank cried, seeing how upset Callie had gotten. "What did he say?!"

"He was having a lot of trouble moving his legs." She replied, her heart breaking at the look of horror on Frank's face. Silently, she got up and walked to the sink, trying to calm Vanessa.

Frank had intended to simply sling Joe over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry and get him out of there as fast as possible. He realized now that was impossible; he could end up aggravating whatever injuries Joe already had.

Looking around the room, he saw nothing that could help him. He glanced at Vanessa, now sobbing on Callie’s shoulder. He didn’t want to ask her, but he had no choice. They had to be very careful moving Joe and Callie, petite as she was, wouldn’t be much help. With a look at his brother, Frank got up and walked to Callie and Vanessa. He put a hand on Vanessa’s shoulder, hating himself for having to do this.

"Van." He said quietly. "I need your help."

Slowing her sobs to a few quiet whimpers, Vanessa turned and looked at Frank questioningly.

"I need you to help me carry Joe out of here."

Staring at Joe, Vanessa thought of the countless times he had helped her, starting with the day they met in the parking lot of Bayport High School. Quieting the tears, she straightened her shoulders.

"Let’s go." She said with determination, relieved to be able to do something to help Joe.

As the three returned to Joe’s side, they heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Callie recognized the footsteps immediately. Nash and Jenkins had returned…