Hi! It has been a while, but here's chapter 5! Thanks for reading my story and the reviews...AND again a BIG hug to prov for her excellent beta work...never made it without you!!!

Chapter 5

After Starsky was brought back to the office, he low-voiced told the other hostages about the enforced telephone call and when he ended, the little room was filled with a tense silence, nobody said a word. He didn't need to tell them, that all their lives hung by a silken thread. Their only hope was that nobody outside lost his nerves and simply decided to attack the bank. No one would survive this action. Starsky desperately hoped that Dobey had deciphered his hidden tips and was glad that Cole apparently had not understood them.

He closed his eyes in tiredness and leaned back. His head throbbed in pain and when he closed his eyes everything started to spin round him.

His stomach started to growl; for more than twenty hours he had nothing to eat, except a candy bar. But his stomach probably would have to be patient a little bit; Cole was not likely to get them something to eat. But at one point the remaining hostages would also become hungry, and maybe then there was a good chance to ask for some food.
Starsky had left the more comfortable armchairs to the pregnant Gladys and Granny, the old lady, and crouched again on the floor with his back leaning against the sofa and his legs bent, his folded arms on his knees. Martin leaned against the wall and nervously played with his wedding ring, clearly showing frightened he was. Hutch was totally exhausted and was fast asleep, but it wasn't a restful sleep, it was filled with nightmares. Reeba who still held Hutch's head in her lap tried to soothe him and gently pushed his wet hair off his brow but the blond tossed his head from side to side and his breathing was sporadically interrupted by an intense coughing fit. He moved his lips and murmured inaudible words, until suddenly he opened his eyes wide and cried out loud.

"Starsky... NO!" Sweat pearls stood on his forehead, terror in his gaze. In a split second Starsky was with his completely distraught friend.
"Hey Hutch... I'm here... calm down!" He whispered reassuringly and grasped a hand, while he changed a disconcerted glance with Reeba. Hutch wildly looked around, his gaze was out of focus; he couldn't recognize the face that bent over him. But eventually he woke up from his nightmare. With a violent move he tried to sit up, but he cried out in pain and fell back again. His right hand reached for his aching chest and with a groan he closed his eyes.
"Hutch, you scared me, please, look at me...I'm here, HUTCH!" Starsky's voice became louder but his friend sunk completely into agony. He bent over in pain and groaned. Despairing Starsky gently tapped his cheeks. "Come on, partner, it's me! Don't you want to see my ugly face any more?" He tried to joke. Eventually Hutch opened his eyes and two sky-blue eyes full of fear and stared at him in confusion.
"S-Starrs-k?"
Hutch's voice was only a hoarse whisper; his hands fumbled for Starsky's face as if it was a ghost.

"Thank God!.... I…I thought…..you were…. dead!" He slowly shook his head, pure panic in his eyes. "But I saw you…the shot…all that blood…w-what about…your head? You're hurt…" With trembling fingers he touched Starsky's temple, feeling for the thick bandage.

'Yeah…always worried about other people, especially about your partner, even when you are hurt!'
"Of course I'm not dead, you big lummox. Head feels like a bass drum, but I'll survive. You know my head's made of steel! It's not so easy to get rid of me." Starsky suddenly understood that the last time Hutch had seen him in full consciousness, he lay on the ground probably with a bullet in his skull and bleeding. His own injury, the following shock and his constant changing of consciousness might be the reason for Hutch arriving at the conclusion that Starsky was dead.

Sighing Starsky shook his head. "You are such an idiot, what am I gonna do with you, mh? Doing that stunt you almost scared me to death! What will the other people here think about you? These pretty girls hearts had almost stopped of fear. Why have you done this nonsense? If you wanted to impress Reeba or Granny, then you turned out well!"
"Don't…be m-mad…with me. Wanted…. to p-protect…you. Not…again another…Gunther. Shouldn't be… shot a-again." Hutch said with a slurred voice and really managed a weak smile. "Hope, the girls…are not so…urious at…me l-like…you are!"
"Oh God… Hutch..." Starsky shook his head again in disbelief and stared at the ceiling.
Deep down in his heart he had always known that Hutch thought the attempt of Starsky's life down in the police garage was his fault. He thought he hadn't been fast enough, hadn't protected his best friend and partner and Starsky nearly had paid with his life for it.

The weeks and months after the attempt were hell on earth for both friends. For Starsky because he saw how Hutch almost collapsed because he felt guilty and for Hutch because he had to see how much pain Starsky was in. And it was useless, the endless quarrel talks and all of Starsky's tactics to persuade Hutch of the fact that he wasn't the one to blame for the attack; it had been an accident, it was just fate, no more and no less.
"You wouldn't react differently; you would also reproach yourself if it had happened to me, wouldn't you? Don't try and talk me out of it, everything is already bad enough!" Hutch had desperately shouted, tears in his eyes. Starsky couldn't give an answer to that question.

Maybe Hutch was right.
Maybe it's their Karma.
Somebody's watching over me.

Once again Starsky sighed deeply and this time he saw Reeba give him an inquiring look. He would explain it to her... sometime.
"Hutch, you're such a silly guy, do I have to constantly pay attention to you?" He seized his fingers over Hutch's right hand and surrounded them with his.
"Yeah, w-watching my back... -like always...Starsk!" Hutch's voice was fragile, but his eyes briefly lit up and he pressed Starsky's hand. "Now… how do we look?"
"Terrific! You have a bullet in your chest, remember? And three mad bank robbers threaten to blow us up if they don't get one million dollars plus a getaway car"
"Wow... one million bucks...o-only…small change in the safe…deposit, Gladys, or…couldn't you change...the n-notes?"
The cashier tried to laugh although she was still afraid. "Stop, Sergeant Hutchinson, you gave use the shock of our lives! You saved your partner's life and now you're injured. Please, don't do it again!"
Martin nearly hit the ceiling when he overheard them talking. He was ready to say something, but Starsky's warning look reduced him to silence.

"I'm sorry ... about that, but I must look…after this crazy partner of mine, it's my job!…What… what about your baby? Is everything…ok?" Hutch asked with an alarming voice and inquiringly looked at the pregnant belly of the young woman.
"Oh young man, pregnant women are not as breakable as eggs! Believe me! Gladys is doing fine!" Granny bent forward and gave Hutch a radiating smile. "You are the one we're worried about!"
"No… need...to worry! Hurts only… w-when I laugh…!" Hutch hissed in pain and gritted his teeth. He shifted around on the couch to make himself more comfortable.

Reeba noticed that Hutch was in obvious pain and tried to interrupt his conversation. "Stop, you've talked enough! You're exhausted, don't try to play the clown here and don't move!" She tried it again with her You-are-such-a silly-patient-tone.
"And if not, then you call the doctor?!" Hutch made a face, but his smile was full of excruciate pain, his sky-blue eyes locked in her almond-colored ones. "Oh... just shut up, you…" She blushed and looked away. "Oh, I'm s-sorry, just… fishing for… some sympathy!" Hutch grinned weakly, and then his gaze wandered round the room. "Very nice… here, isn't it?" Starsky followed the glances and shook his head. "Yes... no window, no fridge, a broken phone, working here must be a real punishment!"
"It's the manager's office! " Gladys giggled quietly.
"Oh yes, I understand!" Starsky had to laugh. "My home is my castle!"

Hutch smirked and tried to keep his eyes open, but his eyelids became heavier and heavier and he was so dreadfully tired; but he called himself to order.
'No, don't fall asleep again, Hutchinson, pull yourself together. Starsky can't go through this alone! You might be no big help, but Starsky needs you awake! '
"Hey, Starsk... what else do the guys want?"
"Exactly what I already have told you." Starsky looked away; how should he explain to his friend the fact that Hutch would be the first one who would be shot if the demands were not fulfilled. He tried to hold it back but he failed.
'How can I only explain this to him?!'
Hutch reached out with his hand to turn Starsky's chin towards him and sadly looked into his best friend's eyes. He knew his friend for too long and too well; he exactly knew when he was concealing important things from him.
He could see it in his eyes.

He could look into his friend's soul and read it like a book.

What he saw there stirred his heart. He couldn't tell what hurt him more, the gun shot wound in his chest or to see the desperation in Starsky's eyes. The childlike unconcern in his eyes had disappeared, now he only saw the growing pain and fear that ripped him nearly apart. He knew Starsky would rather die than sacrifice his best friend. Starsky couldn't tell him the truth about the discussion with Cole, because he just wanted to protect him.

'Oh god Stark, why are you doing this?'

Hutch grabbed Starsky's hand and squeezed it softly.
"Leave it alone, don't lie to me, Starsky you're not much... of a good liar! They know that we're policemen; they will shoot us, probably me first, right?"
Starsky felt as if his guts turned in a knot.
'He read my thoughts once again!'
Hutch looked firmly into those familiar blue eyes and tried to suppress his own fear.
"Hey...I know it's hard, but it's ok... partner, you can't do anything... about it. Better me… than you. I...will hardly… be able to… help … you. You m-must...save..." Once more his body was shaken up by violently coughing; again blood trickled down his chin. He curled up in a ball when his overexerted breathing muscles protested loudly and he was overwhelmed by some new waves of pain.

"GOD… Starsky. It hurts …so m-much! I can't… do it… any more...Please stay with… me" Once more a tortured cough shook his body and he began to feel dizzy. He tried to breathe and fought not to slip back into unconsciousness. He felt as if somebody had poured hot oil into his wound and so he pressed a hand over his violent aching chest and squeezed his eyes closed to endure the pain.
Starsky thought his heart would shatter into thousand pieces when he saw how much pain Hutch was in. He gently wiped the blood off the blond's chin and gathered the violently trembling body into his arms. Soothingly he rubbed Hutch's back in circles and tried to give him as much comfort as possible.
"Hutch, sssht, stop this, please! No one is going to die. Captain Dobey is out there with a SWAT-Team, he will never give up until these guys are behind bars!" He took Hutch's pale, tormented face in his hands. "Hutch, we get through this, together. You're not alone here and don't you dare and cop out of doing it. Hey, look at me…. I won't allow it, you understand? We'll get out of this mess, all of us. And afterwards we both have to talk, Hutchinson, understood? You hear me?" Starsky gripped Hutch's shoulders, his eyes burning with pure fear; his voice died down in a hoarse whisper, a thick lump in his throat stopped him from talking again.

Starsky's desperate outburst eventually made Hutch catch his breath and a small sparkle of hope flashed in his eyes.
"Hey...c-calm down...There's no reason… to shout at me, I'm not deaf! Think...you talked me over…don't think …you can do this alone. It would kill Dobey… if he has to… look ...for a new partner… for you…. You're unbearable, partner... … probably you'll have to put up me... even a little bit longer. By no means, I never ever…will leave this nice young lady… to you!" He winked to Reeba.
"Now, partner...what's your plan?"

"That's my boy!" Starsky sighted with relief and suppressed a quiet sob. Hutch was with him again, far away from being really on his feed, but his keen mind working again.

"Plan? Well, I thought you were the brain in our duo, so what do you think?"
"Think… we are in a tight spot… aren't we?" Hutch knitted his eyebrows. "Dobey will kill us, at best… we again get a two-week traffic service… at a zebra crossing!"
"I think, he'll be glad if we get out of this mess in one piece and besides, who would get on his nerves like we do?"
Only with effort Hutch suppressed a laugh; his broken ribs wouldn't forgive him this mistake.
"Okay, guys, enough with this chit chat. My patient needs rest." With her finger Reeba pointed at Starsky. "If you think we need a plan, then find one, but quiet! And you Ken, try to find some rest. No reason to rack your brain over it."
"Yes, doctor!" both detectives sighed in unisonous.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A thunderstorm was on its way; the hostages could hear the thunder and the rain beating against the walls. The minutes crept by. One and a half hours had passed; the wall clock pointed 10.20p.m. Through the closed door the hostages could hear whispered voices, then the piercing ring of a phone. Starsky, who sat on the floor dozing for a while, started and was wide awake within a second. The door was torn open and Rick appeared in the door frame, the gun aimed again at Starsky.
"You, get up."
Starsky slowly nodded, he was glad that Hutch was losing the fight of staying awake and had fallen asleep again and wasn't able to see what was happening. The remaining hostages tensely held their breath, nobody said a word when Starsky slowly raised his hands and folded it behind his head. Silently he changed glances with Reeba and then both men left the office.

They entered the counter area and again the phone rang. Starsky had a nasty feeling in his stomach; everything was going too fast, no more negotiations tactics, no exchange of hostages. But he had no other choice, he had to wait.
It seemed as if Cole was waiting for Starsky and pointed with his head in the direction of the phone. "Big daddy is waiting for you, now it's your turn!" He passed the receiver to Starsky.
"This is Detective Starsky."
"Starsky, this is Dobey, we have a problem."
'Ah, my instinct had not let me down!'
"What is it?" Starsky tried to be as calm as possible, although he already knew, what his Captain was trying to tell him.
"I have spoken with the Commissioner... he doesn't agree with the ransom demand and the getaway car."
A break, Starsky could clearly hear how Dobey was struggling for words.
"First he wants to be sure that all hostages are still alive, and then he wants them all released. In exchange a getaway car will be provided. There will be no ransom payment."

Starsky nodded in silence and glanced over to Cole. He had been listening to everything over the speaker, now he had his chin in his hand and was doing some hard thinking.
"Dave?"
"Yes, I'm still here."
"Believe me that I have tried everything I can but the Commissioner wouldn't change his mind."
"Oh yes...I know exactly what he said. You're not allowed to negotiate with kidnappers."
Because Dobey said nothing, Starsky knew that he was right. He could clearly visualize the conversation in all details. A frantic Dobey would move heaven and hell into movement to argue with the Commissioner to accept the demands of the kidnappers. But now he had fought a losing battle.
"I understand you Cap." Starsky said in a calm voice, prepared for the worst as he again glanced over to Cole.
Suddenly Cole stood up with a jerk and tore the receiver out of Starsky's hand. "You pushed it too far," he roared, the eyes wild with rage and ready for everything. "Now I'll show you how I do things!" He banged the receiver on the phone, pure hatred in his eyes.
"Rick, Sam, get me that damned cop. Now!"

Starsky thought that his heart was going to stop right away. Unbelievingly he watched both kidnappers rushed to the office with aimed guns. He heard loud shouts and Reeba, who yelled out furiously: "Take your damned hands off him, you..." The words ended in a loud blow and Reeba fell silent. A scuffle and more brief blows followed.

Then he heard a bloodcurdling shout.
Starsky's blood froze in his veins, in a second he was on his feet but this time Cole was faster and pressed the muzzle of the gun to the brunet's forehead.
"Don't move. Not even twinkle your eyes. One single step and I will blow up everything up here!" Cole's voice was as cold as steel. Starsky froze in horror and helplessly he now had to watch how both kidnappers dragged his friend through to the counter area.

Hutch wasn't able to walk, the two kidnappers had gripped Hutch under his armpits and now they were dragging him brutally through the room. His chest wound caused him indescribable pain; in torture he bite down his lips so hard, they started to bleed. Sweat ran down his snow white face, mixed up with the rising tears and burnt in his eyes like acid. Feebly his head fell back and his eyes found Starsky's terror-stricken eyes.
"Hutch..."
A toneless scream escaped out of Starsky's throat, he couldn't move a muscle. Hutch was near the edge of losing consciousness; now the constant knocking in his injured chest had become a permanent intolerable pain. He could feel that once again the wound had started to bleed. Blood ran down his hip and soaked his pant leg.

Hutch's sky-blue eyes met with Starsky's deep dark blue ones.
'Don't be afraid buddy. Watch your back. I love you.'
Hutch didn't let his friend out of sight. Even when both gangsters dragged him to the door he turned his head with a strong-man act in Starsky's direction. Cole followed his both chums, a malicious grin in his face.
"Now watch and see what great damage your Commissioner has done!"
Starsky felt as if he was falling. He had to stand by and watch helplessly as his best friend was on his way to his execution and far all his efforts he could do nothing, really nothing about it. Even if he did try everything to save his partner's life somehow, Hutch would be dead. Desperately he stumbled a few steps forward, but before he could reach the door Cole roared out a short order and Sam released Hutch out of his grip and ran over to Starsky.

He pulled Starsky hard, put his right arm around Starsky's neck and almost squeezed off his windpipe. Starsky desperately tried to defend himself, but the more he fought the more the violent grip around his neck tightened Struggling for air, a weapon aimed at his head, he was forced to watch this nightmarish drama without being able to go into action.
'I love you too, Hutch.'

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dobey was upset. He knew that the Commissioner wouldn't accept the demands of the kidnappers. But up to the end he had a secret hope that he could change his chief's opinion, or at least he had tried to find out another solution.
He had tried, but unfortunately, without success.
Now together with nearly one dozen other policemen and SWAT members he stared at the foyer of the bank, that was still dark. It was pouring with rain; flashes of lightning illuminated the sky and made a weird light. Suddenly something was going on in the bank. With his binoculars Dobey could see several people, two who were dragging a limp body to the door and in the background two others, obviously fighting with each other.

"Light... switch on the floodlights. NOW!" Dobey grunted. At once two strong headlights turned on full beam. He heard some shouts of suppressed pain and also some muffled groans; very suddenly he saw a blond mop of hair flashing in the light.
Dobey trembled; the unmoving form which was being dragged out of the door was... Hutch.
"Heavenly God..." a shocked voice whispered behind him. In the bright light Dobey could clearly see the chest injury on Hutch's left side. His left hand tried to stop the steady bleeding, blood oozed through his fingers. Hutch was in obvious pain and trying to stay awake. Suddenly both kidnappers stopped and one of them brutally jerked Hutch's head back.

"Now have a good look detective, because what you see now will be the last." Cole whispered in Hutch's ear and sneered, and then he turned to his 'audience'.
"Now take a good look... This is what happens if you don't follow my orders. Here, this is my answer to your negligence!"
In horror Dobey and all the others saw how Cole directed the weapon at Hutch's head and slowly pulled the trigger.

TBC