Title: The Cage
Chapter 2 – Released from Hell

"He can't hear you Agent Simmons," Petrou replied calmly as Simmons turned back to look at him with a sharply narrowed gaze. "He's got only one thing on his mind…"

Simmons didn't need Petrou to finish that sentence as he already knew why he was there – to be Marks next victim; to stop Marks or die trying.

"To kill you," Petrou's lips twisted upward in the dark as he emerged from the shadows once more and locked his gaze with Simmons. "Or you kill him first….the choice…is yours."

Time seemed to slow until it stood still as the Simmons and Collin Marks stared at each other – but with vastly different things on their minds – both wanted to live but only one wanted both of them to live.

"I'm not going to kill you!" Simmons insisted as words finally came back to him and he was able to hear his own voice above his rapidly beating heart. But silence engulfed him as soon as Petrou whispered…'to the death' …and the cage door at the other end of their confined prison was opened.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Collin Marks shouted as he charged toward Simmons with both fists balled.

"I'm not your…enemy!" Simmons grunted as Marks frame slammed into his and both of them tumbled backward into the side of the metal wall.

'Daddy!...'

As much as Simmons told himself there was no way he was going to kill the man he was now trying to fight off, as soon as he heard his children's voices in his head he knew there was no way he was going to leave them fatherless.

So with the images of his children fixed in his mind's eye, Simmons balled his fists and started to really fight back. He knew if he wanted to kill Marks, he could but his intent was to try to stall for as much time as possible in the hopes that Jack and the team would find him before something horrible happened – another grisly death.

"Help is on the…way…" Simmons huffed as he brought his leg up and kicked at Marks, sending him back a few meters to try to catch his breath.

"He can't here you!" Petrou stated with glee.

"You've been held captive and brainwashed!" Simmons tried once more as Marks charged toward him.

Simmons pivoted on his right side of his frame, brought his arms up and blocked another blow to his slightly throbbing mid-section. His countered with a stiff blow to Marks mid-section and then another quick successive blow to the bottom of his jaw which snapped his head back.

Simmons turned and tried to rush toward the end of the cage where Petrou waited but just as he neared he was reminded of the surge of electricity and pulled himself back in time. However, Marks didn't care about that and lunged at Simmons. This time their two frames collided and for a few seconds connected with the supercharged frame that left a painful tattoo on each bare shoulder.

Each man let out a painful yelp as they pulled back in haste, Petrou's twisted laughter filling the stuffy space.

"He's using us!" Simmons tried once more as his aching frame made an attempt to pull away from Marks fists. But the detachment was unsuccessful as Marks fingers grasped Simmons damp tank top and yanked him backward. Simmons dug his booted heels into the ground and tried to resist as Marks landed a stiff blow to his back.

'Daddy…will you read to us?'

His lungs let out a labored breath but upon hearing his children's voice in his brain once more, his frame that had started to falter was suddenly filled with a fresh surge of adrenaline and he fought right back. His bare chest unwillingly accepted another blow as Marks quickly followed that up with a blow to his jaw that caused his lip to bite the bottom lip and spray his opponent with fresh blood.

"I'm not…your enemy!"

"FINISH HIM MARKS!"

"ENOUGH!" Simmons shot back at Petrou with an angry hiss as he sidestepped another blow and then countered with a blow to Marks back.

Marks twisted around with a menacing snarl, both fists raised and adrenaline pumping so fast through his system that his ears only picked up the sound of his rapidly beating heart. Simmons words of reason were lost on the other captive who had been fed the same lie day after day after endless day – kill or be killed.

"The IRT is on the way! We know you were kidnapped and held prisoner here!" Simmons tried once more as Marks charged into him once more.

Simmons lips uttered an angry gasp as his back slammed into the metal wall behind him and his arms slightly faltered, which allowed Marks to deliver another painful blow to Simmons throbbing chest. His arms instinctively started to cradle his stomach to prevent further harm to his vital organs.

But Marks didn't care and started to pummel Simmons taught forearms for a few seconds. "You die now!" Marks hissed as his dark eyes narrowed and his fury intensified.

Simmons breathing started to feel painful in his throbbing chest and his brain could only pause in between pictures of his beautiful family long enough to pray that Jack and the team would arrive at any second.

"Impressed Agent Simmons," Petrou smiled as he remained in the shadows on the other side of the cage. "You've lasted longer than the others."

"You'll be arrested…for murder!" Simmons huffed as his steps started to slow. A fine film of sweat covered his naked upper frame dotted with bits of dust and dirt from when his frame connected with the sides or the floor of the stuffy container.

"They'll only find…your body."

"Marks! Collin Marks!" Simmons shouted with a ragged gasp as Marks paused for a few seconds before he just uttered a low growl and charged once more.

Simmons brought his slightly scuffed fists up and protected his stomach from another round of painful blows before he was able to bring his leg up and use his knee to connect with Marks groin and send him backward.

"Come on Marks! FINISH HIM!" Petrou shouted as Simmons planted another blow on Marks bloodied jaw that forced him to falter.

"Marks! Collin Marks! Listen to…me. You…are not…a murderer!"

"Finish this bastard!" Petrou shouted at Marks once more as Simmons breathing started to falter.

"No! I'm here…to help you!" Simmons tried once more. "You don't…have to do this!"

"Kill him! Kill him or you'll be killed!" Petrou yelled at Marks as Simmons shook his head to try to counter Petrou's words.

"No…" Simmons panted. "Help…is on the way!"

But as his heart rate started to climb so did his panic which forced Marks to continue to attack Simmons frame in any way he could.

Come on Jack…hurry up… Simmons mind chanted as his tender side sustained another angry blow. However, his prayer was about to be answered. A few seconds later a small buzz was heard over the angry din that alerted Petrou to the fact Simmons words were correct – help had arrived.

He could only curse as he pulled his gun and then looked at Simmons with a narrowed gaze. "You're dead! DEAD!" He shouted as he opened the back door of the trailer and disappeared into the cool night air, locking the door behind him.

"HEY!" Simmons shouted as he watched Petrou make his escape, leaving him and Marks trapped inside. "Marks! Collin Marks! He's played us. He just left us here to kill each other off! You don't…have to do this!"

The words didn't register on Marks brain as he had been mentally conditioned to kill or be killed.

"Help is here!" Simmons tried once more as he heard shouting outside and knew that help had finally arrived!

"Simmons!"

"Jack!" Simmons shouted back as his friend and supervisor appeared in view. "The fencing…it's electrified!"

"Copy!" Jack replied back as he frantically looked around for the switch to turn off the power and get his man and friend out of the death cage. "Hold on!"

"Hurry!" Simmons panted as he tried to fend off another round of painful blows. "Marks! Collin Marks! Help…is here!"

It seemed like another painful eternity before Jack had the gate open and rushed into the cage to try to pull Marks off Simmons. When they were finally detached, Simmons stepped back and tried to catch his breath.

"It's over…it's over," Jack told Collin Marks who when he had finally stopped fighting looked at Jack Garrett and broke down crying. "We'll get you help now. You're safe…it's over."

Simmons leaned against the side of the stuffy trailer and watched as Claire and Mae entered with panicked expressions and neared him to offer some muchly needed help.

"Here," Jack offered his jacket to help give some heat to Simmons naked upper half that had started to lose its adrenaline and was now starting to shiver.

"Right…on time," Simmons stated with a weak smile as Jack helped him stand up and then slowly limp out of the musty smelling prison – Marks already on his way to medical treatment and then into some psychological care. "Feel for him…he really believed what Petrou said."

"Petrou will never hurt another person ever again," Jack assured him as they stepped outside into the cool night air.

"Good. What a nightmare."

"Come on," Jack stated softly as his hand supported Simmons frame as they slowly headed for their waiting SUV. "Let's go home."

"Best news of the day," Simmons smiled as he couldn't wait to get back to the plane, get some medical treatment and then go home and hug his family – never wanting to let them go.

THE END!

A/N 1: Hey everyone…sorry I lost inspiration for this but after hearing that Daniel Henney was just added to the original Criminal minds next season I was a bit inspired to come back and finish this piece instead of just removing it. So hope this was an okay ending and not to disappointing and thanks again for reading.

A/N 2: This will be my last piece in this fandom.