Tomorrow Comes a Day Too Soon

by Maryilee

Special thanks to my beta readers, Monstermoof4me, Boscogirl and Amita4ever. It's great to have several different people to bounce ideas off of because you all have different areas of experience.

The characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them from CBS/Tristar pictures.

---

"A twenty-seven year old woman's body was found tied to a pole in an abandoned warehouse off West Ohio late last night. An anonymous tip led to the discovery. Police say the murder looked to be part of some type of ritual killing and may have involved a fringe sect that was suspected in several animal sacrifices found in the last few months. Police chief William O' Malley stated that the department was following all leads and investigating several known religious sects. The woman's name is being witheld pending notification of next of kin. Further details were unavailable at this time."

Gary Hobson closed the paper and leaned across the desk. "A...a ritual murder, Marissa! How can I stop something like this?" He lowered his head, elbows propped on the desk and ran his hands through his hair. "I don't have enough details! What the hell does it want me to do?" In frustration, heslapped a hand down on the Sun-Times then leaned back.

"I don't know. Maybe you can call Brigatti? She might know something about this sect." Marissa's brow furrowed in concern. "At the very least, she might know which warehouses on West Ohio are abandoned and give you a location to start from."

Gary sighed. "Yeah, maybe. Thanks." He didn't really want to drag Brigatti or anyone else into it, but it didn't seem like he had much choice. If he was going to stop this, he needed some help.

Marissa reached and found his hand, squeezing it lightly. "Promise me, whatever you do, you'll be careful, Gary."

"I don't know that there is anything I can do, but yeah, of course I'll be careful."

---

"Come on, Brigatti, just hear me out," Gary pleaded, his eyes skimming the article, ever hopeful that some new clue would turn up. He held the phone with his shoulder as he flipped through the section. Over the years he had found that often one article related to another. Nothing caught his eye this time. Of course he wouldn't get that lucky.

"Listen, Hobson. I could get into a lot of trouble for leaking information to you. This is an ongoing investigation and the sick, twisted individuals behind the torture and killing of these animals aren't people who you want to get to know, understand? So, I really shouldn't tell you any of this, plus I'm up to my eyeballs in paperwork on another case."

"I..I know you're busy and I wouldn't ask ya if it weren't important."

The fiery detective chewed off his ear for another three minutes before grudgingly giving him the info that he sought. He jotted down the details about several empty warehouses that Brigatti knew off the top of her head. Some she just knew by location and surrounding structures, but she had a couple of exact addresses too. Her knowledge of the religious sect was a bit more sketchy. In addition to animal cruelty, they were suspected of smuggling drugs and running a couple of prostituition rings. Brigatti also warned him about jeopardizing the investigation. "If you let one word of this slip, I'll crucify you! Got it, Hobson?"

Gary gulped. "Yeah, I got it. Thanks. I owe you one."

"You're damn right you do. More than one."

Gary smiled for the first time that day. "Have a good day, Brigatti."

He heard a grunt in return before the line went dead.

---

The first warehouse Gary checked was dark and locked up tight. It didn't look like anything could happen there anyway. At least, not in the time frame Gary had figured out. It was already eight-twenty and if a ritual was planned, it would have to get going pretty soon if the body was still going to be found tonight. If only he had a name! Sighing, Gary pulled out his flashlight and checked the paper. He still had hopes that maybe, somehow, things had changed. Unfortunately, it hadn't.

The night was dark with heavy clouds scuttling across the sky accompanyied by a cold, damp breeze. Gary hunched into his jacket and shoved his hands into the pockets as he hurried to the next address on his list. Approaching the the building, he heard sounds coming from within. Muffled voices, laughter and a popping sound floated through a broken window. He peeked between the shards of glass and spotted a small group gathered around a burning trashcan while passing a bottle around. Gary turned back and leaned against the wall, willing his racing heart to slow to a normal tempo. He hadn't even known how keyed up he was until that moment. Obviously, this wasn't the right warehouse either. It appeared to just be a few homeless guys seeking shelter from the weather. He pushed away from the wall and headed back towards the street and his last address. His foot kicked a bottle, sending it clattering across the pavement, the sound loud in the darkness.

"Hey! Who's out there?" The voice was deep and rough.

Gary looked behind him and saw a shadow moving towards him. He spun to flee when his right foot hit a patch of something slippery and went out from beneath him forcing his knee to crack against the pavement. Gary fell onto his side, teeth clenched in pain as he rolled to a sitting position. Breathing deeply, he pulled his knee into his chest, rocking back and forth while the pain slowly abated.

"You all right, man?"

Gary looked up to find one of the men from the warehouse leaning over him. The man's hair was matted and greasy, possibly gray, and his clothes could probably walk away on their own, but the weathered face wore a look of concern. Gary relaxed slightly. Wincing, he nodded. "Yeah. I just slipped." Gingerly, he stretched his leg out, deciding that it was in working order and he had probably just skinned his knee.

"Whatchya doin' out here?" The man held out a hand and hauled Gary to his feet.

"Thanks. I was just...just looking for my cat. A little orange tabby. Have you seen him?"

The man looked Gary up and down. "Listen buddy, I don't really care why you're here, but this ain't a very good place for a guy like you to be wanderin' around."

Gary stiffened, not sure if he'd been insulted or not. "A guy like me?"

The man laughed, his teeth flashing in the faint light. "Yeah. You look like a doctor or lawyer or somethin'. And some folks in this part of town don't like your kind."

"I...I'm not a doctor or a lawy...look, I run a bar down in River North. McGinty's. Come by sometime and I'll give you a drink on the house."

"And your cat wandered all the way out here?" He raised an eyebrow as he took a swig from his bottle then offered it to Gary.

"Uh, no, but thanks for the offer."

Shrugging, the guy took another pull.

Gary shuffled his feet and began backing slowly away. Time was wasting. "Well, someone called and said they thought they saw him out here today." Gary didn't buy his own story and from the look on the other man's face, he didn't either.

"Do what you want, but while you're looking for your cat, steer clear of that warehouse across the street. There's some strange shit going on in there."

Gary stopped and whipped his head around. He strained to see the warehouse the man spoke of. "Strange..sh..stuff?"

"Yeah, the last few nights, we've heard chanting, screams and some creepy yowling." The man shot Gary a added, "I sure hope that group didn't get ahold of your pet."

"Me neither." His mind raced. That was the warehouse. "Thanks, I'll keep your advice in mind."

The man cleared his thoat and spat before answering, "You do that."

---

Swallowing hard, Gary crept around the corner of the building and found an entrance. The door hung askew and creaked in the wind. He hesitated before entering. Maybe he should just go and call the police. But he shook off that plan. So far, he had nothing to tell them and with his lack of credibility with the Chicago PD, he doubted they would jump into action on his say so alone. He worried he might already be too late. It wouldn't surprise him if it turned out that he was the one who phoned in the anonymous tip. Gary shook his head, trying to dispell the negative thought. Somehow, he would find a way to save the woman.

Stepping over the threshold, Gary found himself in what he thought might be an office. It was pitch black, but he sensed walls instead of a large cavernous space like a warehouse. He shuffled his feet carefully, his hands held out before him as he tried to navigate in the darkness. His eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light, and he picked out dark shapes that might be desks and chairs. He stilled when he suddenly heard voices chanting. A chill swept over Gary. Something about the cadence of the chant sent a shiver of fear to his very core. Every cell in his brain screamed at him to turn and flee as fast as he could and he began to heed their order but brought up short when he heard a faint whimper of fear.

Gary couldn't leave. Not without at least trying to help. His breathing quickened and his heart seemed to be beating loud enough for anyone nearby to hear, but he advanced toward the chanting. He found a hallway leading out of the office and followed it around to the right. From the slight echo of his steps on the concrete floor, he figured he was in the warehouse now and out of any offices. In the far corner, a curious glowing emanated. Gary couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Stealthily, he moved towards the light. It wasn't until he bumped into something that he realized that a makeshift wall covered in a dark, rough cloth was in front of him . Beneath the cloth, he could feel a wooden framework. Pallets maybe? The wall was only about seven feet tall. One hand skimming the cloth, Gary followed the wall until he came to an opening.

Gary almost puked at the scene that met his eyes. About a dozen people surrounded a naked woman who cowered on the floor. They circled her, slowly, chanting something he couldn't decipher. Maybe it was a different language but he couldn't be sure. Every few seconds, a man holding a long pole, like a staff, would poke her roughly and Gary could see numerous bruises on her back and arms. The poor woman's eyes were huge and her bound hands lifted to try to fend off the staff, a gag choking off terrified sobs.

The only illumination came from flashlights held by three of the people and they all wore dark robes of some sort so Gary had a hard time determining features on the anyone except the victim. He thought he definitely heard at least a couple of feminine voices in the group. In the dim light, he could see a post rigged with ropes. He didn't want to think what they planned to do with that, but according to the article, at some point, the woman would be lashed to it.

His mouth felt dry as a desert and his mind raced trying to determine a plan of action. If he hurried, he could get help. That seemed like the wisest choice. He certainly couldn't take on a dozen people by himself. The thought of leaving the woman alone and helpless tore at his conscience, but what choice did he have? Gary backed away from the opening and turned to go and ran straight into someone. A very large someone who shoved Gary away.

"Uh!' The shove sent Gary staggering backwards into the wall and he reached out to catch himself. His hand tangled in the fabric and he bit back a cry of pain when something, probably a nail sliced his palm.

"Enjoying the show?" The man advanced and grabbed Gary by the shoulder of his jacket and yanked him towards the opening; sending him stumbling into the midst of the ceremony.

Gary regained his balance quickly and thinking fast, rushed to the woman before anyone could stop him. He had a certain element of surprise and hoped that by doing the unexpected, he might get them both out of this yet. He pulled her to her feet and tried to ignore the flare of hope in her eyes. Escape was far from a sure thing and already cries of protest sounded from the gathering behind him. A soft whoosh gave him a scant half-second warning but probably saved his life as he ducked, hunching over the victim. The pole used earlier to jab at the woman, cracked across his head with a glancing blow. Gary staggered as stars burst in his vision. Shaking his head to clear it, he then spun, catching the return swing of the pole and yanked it out of the wielder's hands. The suddeness of his movements caught the group by surprise and even Gary was stunned at his actions. Adreneline and the instinct for survival sometimes worked wonders.

One of the men charged him, but was held at bay by a sharp jab to the chest. "Get back!" Gary crouched, brandishing the staff. His hand slipped slightly, the blood from his palm turning the pole slick. He tightened his grip. "What the hell are you guys doing in here? Are you people insane?"

"It's none of your business." The answer came from the behemoth who had grabbed Gary a few moments ago. The man stepped towards the pair and Gary saw his eyes clearly for the first time and he had to hold back a shudder. No human warmth or compassion showed in their depths. All he could see was a flat, cold blackness. Snake eyes...it was the closest comparison Gary could think of.

"It's my business when you try to kill someone!" Gary swung menacingly and the leader stopped. Over his shoulder, he called to the woman, "Stay close!" Her hands clung to the back of his jacket. "I'm sorry to spoil your little party here, but we're gonna be going now." Still swinging at anyone who moved, Gary edged around the group to the opening. He didn't know why they didn't jump him en masse, but he wasn't about to question their motives. Once they were out of the makeshift room, it was harder going in the dark. Gary tried to watch for pursuers while also attempting to guide the woman back towards the front entrance. They shuffled and stumbled their way out of the building and Gary pulled the woman over towards a nearby dumpster.

He tried to control his shaking hands as he fumbled with the rope around her wrists and finally remembered the little pocketknife he always carried. Digging it out of his pocket, he sliced through the binding and looked over his shoulder when he heard shouting coming from the building. When he turned back, the woman was in the process of removing the gag. "Okay, let's go!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as he raced for the street and relative safety. It wasn't until the woman stumbled and Gary turned to see if she was okay that he realized she was still naked and trying to run barefoot over the pavement.

Gary shrugged out of his jacket. "Here!" He helped her into it, then scooped her up in a cradle hold. "Hang on tight."

---

He trudged what seemed like miles, but was probably less than a half-dozen blocks, looking over his shoulder every time he heard a noise. Nobody followed, which was a relief, but Gary realized he was still in a bad neighborhood and there was no where he could call for help. He sagged against an iron gate protecting the front of a pawn shop and hiked the girl up higher. His arms ached, and she was now dead weight, having passed out at some point. A shiver shook his body, the cold, damp air chilling him now that he was no longer moving. Looking around, he got his bearings and was pretty sure that County hospital was only a block or so away. With a grunt, he pushed away from the wall. The girl was slight, but by the time Gary reached the hospital, his arms were shaking with the effort of carrying her.

"I...I need some help...please?" Gary gasped out his plea as he staggered through the automatic doors. "She was attacked... they had a ...a pole. Kept jabbing her."

"Grab a cart!" Two nurses rushed up and relieved Gary of his burden and eased her onto the gurney. He stumbled at the sudden removal of weight and caught himself on a wall, his breathing ragged. Hands on his knees, he bent over in an attempt to catch his breath.

"Sir?"

A hand gripped Gary's bicep and he looked up to find a woman in blue scubs regarding him with concern.

"Why don't you come with me and we can get you taken care of too." She tugged gently on his arm.

Straightening, Gary shook his head, trying not to wince. "Oh no, I'm okay...just out of breath. I must have carried her a half-mile. I'll be fine once I rest for a minute."

"But your head is bleeding. And you're dripping blood on the floor." Her voice held a note of amusement and she raised one eyebrow at him.

Gary glanced down and saw several bright red drops dotting the white tile. "Sorry about that. I cut my hand, but I just need a Band-Aid."

"Yeah, well, let's take a look and let the doctor decide, okay? I have an open room right down here."