Starsky was crouching low, trying to figure a way in. He saw Hutch. He was tied to a chair and Forest's goons were pumping filth into his arm. Starsky had to get to Hutch and he had to get to him now!
He sprang up, but immediately he was floored. He heard laughter, mocking laughter. It filled his ears. He snapped his head round, eyes darting, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.
"Who's there? Who's there? Where are you? What do you want?! He shouted, frantically, but the only reply he heard was more laughter. He was cold and damp. His head hurt. His body hurt. He was an old man crouched on a cold, wet floor.
He just managed to breath "Hutch" just as the world went black again.
"Hutch" it was the merest of whispers but Hutch knew he heard it. He bowed low over the black man's face. "Huggy?" he queried. He heard it again. "Hutch" A sigh of relief, it seemed his friend was coming back to him, then immediate dread because Hutch knew he would have to tell him about Corey.
"Huggy. Hey it's good to hear your voice again man. I missed you."
Huggy managed a small nod of acknowledgment and then grimaced and moaned. He was in a lot of pain and even the effort of nodding was just too much.
"ssshhhh" soothed Hutch, "I'll get the doctor."
Starsky's teeth were chattering, his body was shaking. Whether it was the wet, the cold or something more he didn't know. He tried to clear his head. He had seen Hutch, tied to a chair, hadn't he? His thoughts were jumbled. He and Hutch were friends, had been since the academy. They were young, no that isn't right, they are old. Two old men with a life time of hurt and experience behind them. But where was Hutch?
"Hutch" Starsky said a loud, as if saying it made his friend more real to him. "Hutch" he said again and began to repeat it, like a mantra, the only the thing he knew he could believe in, something that would stop his mind from losing it's grip on reality altogether. "Hutch, Hutch, Hutch, Hutch" and eventually he broke down into sobs, but still he continued "Hutch, Hutch, Hutch" he sobbed his friend's name, hoping that he would hear him in return but all he heard was silence, and he was alone in the cold, wet room.
"Huggy, you'll be getting out of here soon." Hutch said. Huggy had continued to make good progress. The doctors had informed his wife and daughter that there was no more they could do for him. Huggy had no memory from before he was attacked. He didn't remember Corey, Alisha, his wife, or Amber, his daughter. He didn't remember Hutch, or Dobey but more worryingly for Hutch he didn't remember Starsky either, or what could have happened to him. Physically Huggy had made excellent progress. There was no lasting damage apart from total amnesia for everything before he entered the hospital. The doctors had said his memory might improve somewhat, return totally, or not return at all. IN the meantime Huggy's family and Hutch were to gently re-introduce him to things that should be familiar. The Pits. His home. His family. Old memories and most of all Starsky. Hutch needed to find Starsky and he was afraid he was running out of time.