Ghosts From the Past

Chapter Ten

Four days had passed since the first time Starsky had been injected with Nicholson's drug. However, Starsky wasn't aware of the time. He had been cooped up inside of the dark cellar ever since he was dumped there after being burned over and over with the hot fire poker. Since then, he had been given three injections of mefloquine, each time being worse than the last.

The symptoms were growing worse. He still felt intense pain throughout his body as well as nausea, but on top of that, his head was pounding from a terrible headache, his fever was slowly rising, he had chills, he felt fatigued, but he could not sleep, and worst of all he was beginning to have nightmares and hallucinations; bad memories of his years in the army and in Vietnam, as well as the horrible things he and Hutch had seen since he became a cop.

However, what scared Starsky the most above all of this is that he wished Arvin Nicholson would kill him, just as his torturer had said he would feel. Thoughts of suicide kept entering into his mind, but Starsky refused to give in to the temptation and he certainly wouldn't beg Arvin to kill him, no matter what. He couldn't. It had been a while since his last injection and despite everything he was feeling, he somehow felt fairly lucid, at least at for the time being. A few minutes later, one of Nicholson's men opened the cellar doors and walked in carrying some food on a tray and some water. As the man turned his back on him in order to put the tray down, Starsky suddenly jumped him, grabbed the fork from off of the tray, and put it up against the man's neck.

"I may not be one hundred percent right now, but I am well enough to shove this fork into your neck if you do not help me to get out of here," Starsky stated angrily. "I remember who you are from a case my partner and I worked on years ago, Lupo, which means I know that you're too much of a coward to fight me as long as I've got the upper hand. Where are Arvin and the others?"

"They're not here," Lupo answered. "Nicholson had some things to do in town. I'm not sure what or where."

Starsky struggled as he asked, "Is there still a car here that you can drive?"

When the thug didn't answer, Starsky pushed the fork harder against his neck and as he did he finally nodded his head and asked, "Are you going to ask me to drive you out of here?"

"That's right, but first, you're going to bring me to my gun," Starsky replied. "Then, you're going to drive me to a place called The Pitts. Do you understand?"

"And if I refuse?" Lupo asked.

Starsky responded, "Do not mess with me! I am on the edge and feeling very explosive right now. I told you what would happen if you do not do as I say. Do you understand me?"

The man nodded again and began to slowly walk to the cellar doors. Once they made it out, Starsky cringed and had to turn his head away from the light of the sun thanks to being kept in the dark for however long he had been there. He still managed to keep his hold on the man as he led the way to the small house next to the barn.

Starsky dropped the fork once he got his gun back and kept it trained on Lupo as they walked to the same white van that they had used to kidnap him. Starsky uncomfortably climbed into the passenger's seat, as the thug climbed into the driver's seat and began to drive. Starsky felt terrible, but he fought off the urge to quit as they made their way to the bar where Starsky prayed that Huggy would be at once they arrived.

Meanwhile…

The Pitts was beginning to get busy as the day was beginning to fade and the evening was growing closer. Anita was taking orders from the patrons throughout the bar, while Huggy worked behind the bar. Normally, both of them were quite colorful and lively, but since Starsky had been missing, neither one of them felt like being themselves.

As Anita walked over to wait on one of the regular patrons there, he said, "What's wrong with you lately, Anita Honey? I miss that smile of yours."

Anita replied, "The only thing you miss is me putting up with your vile behavior once you become the drunk that you are. Just watch it, Pal!"

"You heard the lady, Mister," Huggy said as he came over. "I suggest you leave, unless you want your latest libation all over your fancy threads here."

"I got it," the man answered. "I'm leaving. I suggest you find a way to lighten up again, or I'll never be coming back here."

Huggy watched him storm off as he responded, "Good riddance!"

Anita spoke up again saying, "Thanks, Hug. I'm gonna take a smoke break. I'll be right back."

Huggy nodded and watched her walk away. After she stepped out, she took out a cigarette and lit it, but after smoking it for a minute, she pulled it away from her mouth and stared at it. She was never much of a smoker, but it helped her a little when she was stressed and just as she was about to put it out, she suddenly heard a noise coming from down the alley. Someone or something had crashed into the garbage bags that had piled up around the dumpster.

Anita slowly approached in order to check it out and as soon as she saw who it was, she threw down the cigarette and rushed over to help him as she cried out, "Starsky! Oh, God, what happened to you?"

"I need you get Hug…gy for me," Starsky struggled as he answered. "Hurry."

"I'm going," she replied as she quickly stood and ran inside.

Less than a minute later, she came back over to him, followed by Huggy, who said, "Starsky! We've been searching for you everywhere, man! You look awful! We need to get you to the hos…"

Starsky cut him off as he interrupted, "No! Just help me up to one of your rooms. Doctors can't help…can't help me. Call Hutch."

"Why can't we take you to the hospital?" Anita asked. "You're hurt, badly."

"Let's just do as he says," Huggy responded sadly as he and Anita struggled to help him inside and up the stairs that led to the same room where Starsky had once kept vigil over his partner a few years ago.

"No lights," Starsky said once they gently lay him down on the bed. "They make…worse. Don't tell…except Hutch. They'll be looking…for me."

Starsky stopped trying to talk as he struggled with the pain that was now too painful to ignore. Huggy walked over to the closet and pulled out a few blankets to cover him with after he ordered Anita to run downstairs to heat up some water and bring up some fresh towels. Then, he walked over to the phone and dialed the number to Hutch's apartment, knowing that he was probably there trying to catch up on some much needed sleep that he had forced himself to go without for far too long, out of worry over Starsky.

When Hutch picked up on the other end, Huggy could hear the weariness in his voice as he sadly said, "Hutch, it's Huggy Bear. You're gonna want to get over here right away. It's Starsky."