She fumbled for her cell phone, but training took over as she relayed the need for help. Even as she gave the dispatcher instructions, she hurried towards Mark, but stopped several feet away as the need to vomit overwhelmed her. She bent and swallowed convulsively, fighting it down.
'Jessie, I need your help!'
Jim's sharp, commanding tone snapped her out of her immobility and she rushed to his side. He pointed at the base of the cross, and she saw what she could only describe as a giant Christmas tree stand. The vertical part of the cross stood inside the holder and long curved legs angled off and were bolted onto the floor. Whoever had done this had planned well in advance.
'We need to try and lift this up and lay it down!' Jim had his shoulder against the vertical part, his arms wrapped around it. Jessie shuddered as her gaze fell on Mark's feet on the small platform just above Jim's head. She didn't know where to grab, and finally snaked her arm behind Mark's knees, the other at the small of his back. His skin was cold and she recoiled for a split second, terrified that he was dead. Swallowing down bile, she regained her hold at his back.
They grunted and strained, but after the wood swayed precariously and threatened to topple, they stopped, afraid that the pole would crash down and crush the suspended man.
Jim swiped his arm across his brow. 'We need more people.'
Mark's head lolled and a groan slipped from his lips. Jessie could have cried in relief. He was alive! Her elation dimmed when she took a closer look. Barely alive, from the looks of it. Blood ran down his arms in a thick trail and the floor beneath each hand was marred with large puddles. Just beneath his ribs, another wound bled freely, soaking into his sweatpants. Despite the chill in the air, sweat dripped and his hair was wet with it. A coarse rope circled his neck, and Jessie could see ugly purple bruises spreading out from beneath it. She touched the part that dangled down, wishing there was some way she could take it off him.
'Jessica, why don't you go show the fire department where we are?'
Jim's voice held a note of sympathy and she knew that he was trying to spare her witnessing Mark like this. But, he was right, the crew might waste time looking for them, so she turned and raced out of the building. In the far distance she heard sirens and willed them to drive faster.
Lily was pacing the sidewalk, her back to Jessie. At the noise of the door hitting the wall, she spun. 'What?'
'We found him and he's alive. Whoever took him is gone, though.'
Lily's shoulders sagged as she sobbed, 'Thank God!'
She turned to enter the warehouse, but Jessie put out a restraining hand. 'Wait! He's not in the best shape and we can't get at him until the fire department arrives.'
Lily straightened and lifted her chin. 'I'm going in there. I saw the pictures too. If they were right, and I can see by your face that they are, then he's going to need all the friends around him that he can get.' With that, she shrugged off Jessie's hold.
'Okay, Lily. You're right, but at least hold on until the rescue squad gets here, then I'll go back in with you.'
Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Jessie cut her off. 'Look, I want to be there with him as much as you do, but there's nothing we can do until help arrives!'
They waited in silence, the sirens growing closer. Just before the rescue squad reached the building, Lily asked, her voice full of dread, 'Are you sure he was alive?'
Jessie hesitated before answering. 'Yeah, he was…but the bastards left him in bad shape.'
Mark sensed movement and strained to lift his head. What did they plan to do to him now? Thirst overwhelmed him and his tongue felt thick. He'd give anything for a drink of water. Maybe they would give him one. If nothing else, it would prolong the fun they were having. Mark's last memory had been of the cult milling beneath him. Chanting and drumbeats had echoed in the warehouse, but they had seemed distant and disorganized. Someone had wondered aloud about breaking Mark's legs but Snake Eyes had told them no, because things would go too fast then. Mark hadn't been sure what he meant, but was thankful that he didn't have that added misery.
He arched his back in a futile attempt to relieve the strained muscles and pressure on his hands, but that movement intensified the pain in his palms. Mark couldn't help uttering a deep moan. The smallest movements sent shards of agony through his hands and so he stilled, his breathing rapid and shallow. Blinking, he tried to focus on the blurry forms in front of him. The room was lighter and a slow glance to his left showed sunlight beginning to spill into the room. The pink and gold looked beautiful and he tried to block out everything except the sunrise. His last sunrise.
How long had he been here? It seemed like days had passed since he had gone to bed, and he wasn't sure what time they had come for him, but his impression in the van had been that it was around two or three a.m. Very few cars had been on the streets. He guessed it was now almost seven. There was a sudden lurch and the cross swayed. Mark groaned, dropping his head and closing his eyes. The pain in his hands became exquisite. He whole being; his awareness telescoped down to the his palms. Nothing else existed.
'Hurry! He's in here!' Jessie pointed the way for the paramedics as they exited their squad, then motioned for Lily to follow her. The paramedics rushed in ahead of them, loaded down with their supply boxes. The first one stopped abruptly.
'What the hell?' He turned to look at Jessie. 'What happened here?'
The second paramedic looked beyond his partner and his eyes widened. 'Jesus Christ!'
'No, he's Mark Taylor and he needs your help,' Jessie snapped and pushed the man firmly towards the cross. She turned and grasped Lily's elbow. 'It might be best if you stand over here, okay?' Lily began to protest, but Jessie put her hands on the other woman's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. 'We have to stay out of the way for now. It's going to get crazy in a minute, with a whole slew of people running around.'
'But I feel like I need to do something.' Lily shrugged Jessie's hands off and crossed her arms.
'I know. I do too, but we have to let the paramedics do their job, okay?'
Lily let out a deep breath and swiped at a tear at the corner of her eye. 'You're right. That's the most important thing. I'm fine.'
'Thank you.' Jessie turned to see more help pouring into the room. 'Come on.' She put her hand on Lily's back. 'Let's get a little closer.' They moved to where Jim stood, his arms crossed, his expression hard.
Jessie watched silently while the firemen rigged ropes and first lifted the cross out of its stand and eased it down onto the floor. Even though the men did their best to be gentle, the cross jolted slightly as it met the cement, eliciting a strangled moan from Mark. Her stomach twisted.
Jessie tried not to focus on him, and on the horror she felt every time her gaze was pulled to his limp figure, but found it impossible to look away. She had a constant taste of bitterness in the back of her throat and swallowed audibly.
'You okay, Jessica?' Jim searched her face, concern in his eyes.
Jessie nodded and cleared her throat. 'Yes. I just…this is…' She gave up, unable to form a coherent sentence about what she was feeling at that moment. Her revulsion at what was done to Mark almost overwhelmed her and her throat tightened. She crossed her arms. Lily rubbed her back, and Jessie felt grateful for her presence and silly for any jealousy she'd felt earlier. It was trivial now.
Jim looked at the flurry of activity and nodded. 'I know what you mean. I think this ranks up there as one of the sickest things I've ever seen.'
At that moment, something caused Mark to start thrashing his head, his back arching. His mouth opened and a hoarse series of protests mixed with moans poured out. Jessie hurried closer, feeling a need to do something. Jim and Lily only steps behind, but they had to stop short of reaching him as the paramedics surrounded him, and two more entered the warehouse, muttering curses and dragging a gurney behind them.
Lily's face was still wet with tears, but there was a desperate note of hope in her voice as she said, 'He's
