Chapter 1

Hutch felt the prick of the needle as he reached to grab it from the Professor's hand, feeling the cold trickle as a small but potent dose of the potentially deadly liquid was deposited into a vein. Recoiling immediately as he finally gained control and possession of the syringe and its toxic contents, he felt the burning and sting of the hollow steel's point of entry, as painful as a wasp sting but as though he was being stung repeatedly over and over again, and tried to shake it off, squeezing the injured limb between his armpit and torso in a moment of instinct, before cupping it in his other hand in order to take a closer look at the tiny wound.

The old man smiled triumphantly before grasping Hutch by the collar of his shirt with surprising strength for a man of such frail appearance, and dragging him within a few inches distance of his wrinkled face.

"Sweet dreams pig." He muttered, out of earshot of his daughter. "To you and your partner." Before breaking down in a fit of fake tears.

Cheryl was by Hutch's side in an instant however, doing her best to scoop his wounded hand into her own warm palms in order to take a closer look at the swollen pink and purple welt which was now beginning to form on the back of his hand below his knuckle.

"Hutch!" She exclaimed, a note of quiet panic creeping into her tone at this. "Are you alright?" She asked. "Did it prick you?"

"It's nothing Cheryl." Hutch did his best to reassure her however. "It's just a scratch."

Time was of the essence bow for Starsky, who only had hours left to live if he didn't get the antidote to the toxin soon, and although Hutch knew that the dosage of the drug he'd received wasn't enough to put him in any immediate danger it was still enough to make him very ill very quickly.

"Even so Hutch," Cheryl pressed with concern, "if any of the substance has entered your bloodstream you're going to need emergency medical treatment… perhaps I should call…"

"No…" Hutch cut in venomously with this however cutting her words mid sentence and disrupting the flow of what she'd been about to say, "not a word of this to anyone Cheryl, do you understand? Not a word…"

She nodded.

"I've got the serum now… with any luck the doctor's should be able to find the chemical combination in time to save Starsky."

"But Hutch…" Cheryl protested the blonde haired detective's decision, although he simply fixed her with an icy stare, the clear cool blue of his eyes only made his glance appear unusually cold and signified to her that that was the end of the conversation.

"I'd estimate that I've got at least forty-eight hours before the effects of the toxin become fatal, that's more than enough time for the doctor's to find out what's wrong with Starsky and cure him, you just take care of your father." He insisted as he rushed to the front door of the old Professor's apartment, the burning sting to the back of his hand had subsided somewhat now, to be replaced by a dull ache and localised numbness, and he suddenly realised that the clock was still ticking for his best friend and partner.

"Hutch… just promise me you will be careful." Cheryl called after him, as she bent down beside her still sobbing father, wrapping her slender arms around his torso in a reassuring gesture of comfort. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid, as soon as Starsky receives the antidote you make sure you get a shot to."

He looked at her and smiled. "I will." He promised, as he stepped out into the vast University campus, before closing the front door behind him.

He sighed to himself as he felt the cool evening breeze against his face, caressing his hot cheeks and whipping up tufts of his thick blonde hair, reminding him of what it felt like to be alive. Starsky wasn't dead yet, and neither was he… they both still had some fight in them yet, and now, if Starsky didn't make it Hutch wouldn't have to wait very long until he too suffered the same fate, for there was no life for Hutch without Starsky.

"Besides… Starsky would never forgive me." He muttered to himself as he made his way over to where he'd parked the Ford Gran Torino, Starsky's beloved and treasured car.