Hi All! Thanks for the sweet reviews and encouragement! You guys make me blush!
Extra Special Thanks to Police officers Sue Pirocanac and Meredyth Thompson for your time and information on the training of Police horses. It was invaluable and very helpful; I wish I could have used more of it in the story. Oh, and thanks for not laughing too hard when I told you what it was for.
As always, Thanks to Kelli C. (She finally admitted that "they are cute together"!) and Bill B. for the information on all things Arizona.
WARNING! R rating - This chapter contains violence and torture.
CG Ch #8
After unproductively staring at the wall for a while, Starsky got to his feet and washed himself in the small sink. It was nice to get the dried sweat off. He then pulled the mattress off Hutch's bunk and put it next to the wall that separated him from Hutch. He was exhausted from the day of being posted in the hot sun and from trying to get Hutch to talk to him. Any kind of response would be better then the nothing he was getting now.
Starsky sat down on the mattress and he listened intently. He could hear Hutch pacing in his cell. He thought he could detect a limp in his partner's stride. "Hutch, you should stay offa that leg, it'll never heal if ya keep walkin' on it" He listened again, the footsteps stopped near the cell bars, Hutch was close. He kept up his chatter. Hutch could easily hear him and that was something, anyway.
After a while, he finally ran out of words. He heard Hutch pace away again. He always felt better when Hutch sang. But Hutch wasn't even talking to him. What was going through that blond head of his? 'Probably thinking too much again' Hutch tended to do that. What was that song by Bill Withers? Oh, yeah "Lean on Me"
"Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow, but if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow... lean on me, when your not strong and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on..." Starsky softly sang the song all the way through, he kept waiting for Hutch to join in, but he didn't. Finally, exhausted by the long day and disappointments, he quit. Starsky slowly slid sideways until he lay on the mattress and fell asleep instantly.
Hutch listened to Starsky's soft snore. He had listened as Starsk sang, or what passed for singing. He would never break Starsky's heart by telling him his singing voice was like listening to cats being boiled alive. But what his friend lacked in talent, he made up for it in enthusiasm. He suppressed his chuckle.
Hutch slid down the wall. 'God, what a mess, how the hell am I going to keep up this façade?' He dropped his head into his hands. 'It's just for two days. I can do this' After a few moments, he ran his hands over his head. The hair was growing back giving his head a peach-fuzz feel. Pushing himself off the floor he walked to his new bunk and lay down and reluctantly drifted off to sleep.
Thursday
Randal arrived at Hutch's cell at 5 a.m. Hutch was already dressed and ready, had been for a few hours. He had managed to get some sleep, but it wasn't enough. Randal bade him to turn around and back up to the cell door with his hands behind his back. Hutch reluctantly did so. Randal cuffed him first and then opened the cell door. Hutch stepped out of his cell.
"Hey! Where're you takin' him?" Starsky got to his feet and stood at the bars of his cell.
Hutch turned his head away from Starsky and walked towards the exit.
Randal caressed Hutch's butt as he limped past and he grinned evilly back at the man he knew as Gary "I'm taking him to the liberry." Hutch flinched at the caress but kept going.
Starsky's arm shot pasted the bars and tried to grab Randal "You creepy little flake!"
Randal jumped back away from the bars "I wouldn't! Not unless you want your friend to have a really bad day" He smiled coldly at Gary and turned to trot after his prisoner "Wait up Honey Dip!"
Starsky gripped the bars tightly, his whole body shaking with impotent rage as he pressed his face hard against the bars and stared after his friend. "DAMMIT" He turned and started slamming his fists into the wall. The metallic bang of the exit door momentarily drowned out the sound of fists hitting concrete.
Joe entered the seclusion block a short time later "What the hell's all the racket?" He hollered over the din. He looked in on Gary, who appeared to be doing his best to smash through the wall with his bare hands. "Hey, save some of that energy for work detail" He stepped back away from the bars as Gary whirled around and glared at him. "Whoa! Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the cell today!"
Starsky swallowed hard and tried to get a grip on his rage. If he acted out any more then he already had; Hutch would be in even more trouble then he already was. Though it would be tough to top the hell Hutch was in now. He shuddered.
"Are you calm now?" Joe eyed the prisoner carefully. There was no way in hell he was gonna open the cell until this guy was back in control, especially after yesterday. Gary Harold had one hell of a punch.
Starsky controlled his breathing and looked at him. Joe was sporting a black eye from the punch he had given him. He weakly gestured at Joe's face "Sorry about that"
"Yeah sure, turn around, hands behind your back" He made a twirling motion with his index finger and when the prisoner complied, he added "back up to the bars" he clapped the handcuffs on once Gary obeyed.
"Where're we goin'? The library?" The second question had a slightly hopeful note to it.
"Library?" Joe laughed "We don't have a library" He grabbed his charge by the upper arm and yanked him out of the cell. He had been nice to this inmate and had even felt a little sorry for him, what did it get him? A punch in the face, but that wouldn't be happening again.
Starsky stomach suddenly felt like a large worm taken up residence there. It started to twist and turn. No library, they don't have a library... then where the hell did the little maggot take Hutch? He swallowed hard.
Joe took him directly outside without breakfast. Which was fine with Starsky, he didn't think he could choke anything down, let alone keep it there.
Joe un-cuffed him then handed him a hat and told him to rake the gravel in the compound. After handing him the rake, Joe shoved him from behind "Get to work!" He then went back inside the building.
Starsky looked around. There was a lot of gravel and a lot of compound. He gave a heavy sigh. He nodded to himself. He would look for a chance to search for Hutch. But since he was outside, he might as well look for ways to escape while he worked.
Damn 'em, they always seemed to be having him doing jobs that aggravated whatever injuries he had. His ribs were hurting from the beating he got yesterday. He gave another sigh and started to rake.
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Hutch was led down several corridors and hallways. He tried to memorize the route to the library. His right leg ached from being forced to stand on it all day yesterday and the swelling was back. He wondered if there might be a hairline fracture in his shin bone.
Randal was uncommonly quiet today. Hutch decided that he preferred it when Randal talked. Silence out of the little guard was just too creepy. He also figured that they weren't really going to a library. He didn't couldn't decide if he should ask where they were going or just wait until they got there.
This business about not talking to Starsky was a lot tougher then he had expected; Starsky had been ready to defend him again this morning. He had had to look away and move quickly to the door to keep from breaking down. Then Randal had called him 'Honey Dip' again. He barely suppressed the shudders that name gave him. He closed his eyes for a moment, maybe the 'library' was the twisted little guard's name for his private quarters...'Oh God, please get us out of here!'
They turned the next corner and Roy was standing there. "It's about time you got here" He glared at Randal "Took you long enough, what's the hold up?" He unlocked the door and motioned for Randal to enter. Randal muttered something in response to Roy's question.
Hutch took a step back away from the door and Roy.
Roy grabbed his arm and hissed in his face "it's either you or your friend"
Hutch froze. He was trying to pretend that Starsky wasn't his friend. But there was no way he was going to let this crazy son of a bitch bring Starsky here. Did this mean that Roy knew that he was pretending? He took a gamble and lied "He's not my friend"
Roy looked him in the eyes. Hutch returned the look, not breaking eye contact, not even blinking. He managed to keep his breathing even.
Roy held his gaze and tugged Hutch's arm "Well, you're here now; maybe I'll bring him to the library tomorrow"
Hutch returned the stare "Good. Better him then me" he shrugged as if it meant nothing to him.
Roy smiled and pulled Hutch down the aisle towards the room they called 'the library'.
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Starsky tried slipping off several times to search for his friend but every time he set the rake down, Joe would come outside and holler at him to get back to work. He was beyond frustrated. The tower guards must be radioing Joe and letting him know when he stopped working.
Honey Dip. Starsky growled at the memory of when Randal had called Hutch that and recalling what Hutch had said about Randal trying to kiss him... If that little creep had been just a few inches closer to the bars, he would have gotten his neck snapped this morning. When they got outta this mess...The little flake was gonna pay and pay hard and if there wasn't laws against everything the little creep did, Starsky decided that he'd make up a few.
What was happening to his poor friend today? He figured Hutch was downplaying the things that had been done to him on Monday and Tuesday. Starsky was nearly frantic with concern about Hutch's behavior. Why was he doing this? Scratch that. He knew why. The Blond Blintz was being noble and thought he was protecting Starsky from Roy and Randal. He was in his full-on 'White Knight' mode.
Starsky's thoughts were rudely interrupted by Joe's hollering "I said RAKE the gravel! Not dig a hole in the gravel with the rake!"
Starsky looked down at the shallow hole he had inadvertently dug "Shit!" He set about filling in the hole.
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Earlier that day
Roy pulled Hutch into a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning room, HVAC, for short. Roy dragged him by the elbow along the narrow, ductwork filled aisle; Hutch had to duck down to avoid cracking his head on the various vents, ducts and pipes. Randal hardly ever had to duck.
After a bit, Roy stopped and pulled a screw driver he had hidden in between two of the pipes and stuck it into a crack in the concrete wall and pried open a door. The 'concrete' portion of the wall was really insulation that was painted to look like concrete. There was a door behind that which Roy unlocked and opened.
Roy pushed Hutch into the tiny room. There was a single bare light bulb on the ceiling and two chairs. The room was stuffy and there was a constant hum of the HVAC machinery. On the right hand wall were various items hanging neatly on hooks. The left hand wall had several sturdy eyebolts screwed into in at different heights.
Eyes widening, jaw gapping, Hutch stepped backwards, aghast. It was a miniature torture chamber. He stepped back again only to be shoved forward by Randal "C'mon Honey Dip! Get in there!"
Roy and Randal wrestled a fiercely struggling Hutch into the sturdier of the two chairs which was bolted to the floor. They strapped him in with wide leather cuffs and cinched them snuggly around his wrists and ankles, securing him to the chair.
When they finished, Roy and Randal stood back and looked at their handy work. "Comfy?" Roy inquired.
"Oh yeah, I could just fall right asleep it's sooo cozy" Hutch spat back sarcastically.
"Randal, out" Roy hooked his thumb towards the door.
"But I wanna see-"
Roy turned his head and glared at him "You can come back later" it was almost a whisper.
Randal gulped audibly and then shot out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"What are you going to do to me?"
"Well detective Hutchinson" Roy brought out a metal box that was roughly the size of a men's shoe box and showed it to Hutch "I thought that I would hook you up to this" Holding the box up for Hutch to see, Roy continued "This is a electric cattle fencer. Farmers use them to keep cows behind a thin piece of wire. The cow touches the fence – zap – they get a shock. I touched this once. Knocked me to the floor, it's not strong enough to kill you, unless you have a heart condition... anyway, it will really get your attention" He smiled and set the fencer next to Hutch.
"Why're you doing this?"
"Because I can and because I don't like you or your partner. I also have a keen interest in the Stockholm Syndrome. Do you know what that is?" Roy continued without waiting for Hutch's response "it's a survival tactic that victims use to get through hostage and kidnap situations. That means I will traumatize you through whatever way I choose that will threaten your psychological and physical survival" Roy smiled smugly as he circled Hutch "I control the pain, food, water and your very life. I can kill you at time"
Roy leaned down and put his hands on Hutch's knees and looked him in the eyes "And if I don't kill you, you may find, in an amazingly short time, days or even hours, you will bond with me. You will see me as your protector, your benefactor; you will begin to look to me to meet all your physical and emotional needs"
"Never! That'll never happen Roy" Hutch snapped as he tugged hard on his bonds in a futile attempt to free himself.
"Ah, but, its already happening, I started last Sunday and every day I added just a little more control over you and detective Starsky's life's. I already know that by threatening one of you, I can control the other. Enough of this, time to get to business" Roy pulled out some wires and a phone and started hooking them together.
"One question"
"What's that?" Roy continued with his task.
"Why call this room the 'library'?"
"A library is where you go to learn things you can't learn in school" Roy smiled at his own wit "besides, Randal wanted to call it the 'screaming room' I just think the 'library' sounds more approachable, friendly. Also, if anyone over hears us... who gets excited over a library?"
"Have you done this to anyone else?"
"That's two questions, but I'm in a talkative mood. Yes, several people, you got to meet three of them on Monday"
"Third question, what's with the phone and fencer?" Hutch was beginning to sweat and not just because the room was warm. Roy was no amateur at torture, that was a certainty.
"Glad you asked!"
Roy brought out a blindfold and slipped it over Hutch's eyes and he tightened it. He then gagged him and placed a collar around Hutch's neck and cinched it snuggly. "Nice, now, the collar has a band of metal that is touching your skin. It's attached to the fencer, which is attached to the telephone. Here's where it gets a little tricky, whenever the main phone number for the prison is dialed, the circuit will be completed and you will get a shock for every ring of the phone, if no one calls, no shocks. But, this is Thursday, so, I am reasonably sure we'll get a call or two. If you're lucky, we won't get enough calls to kill you"
He stepped back to admire his handy work "Now I control your sight, your ability to talk, move and your pain" Roy burst out laughing "Oh, this is going to be sooo fun! I wish I could watch! Well, I gotta get to work" Still chuckling, he patted Hutch on the head and enjoyed watching the violent flinch his victim gave in reaction to the touch. Stifling his chuckles, he locked the door.
Hutch remembered the time that he had accidentally touched a fencer at his grandfather's farm, so he already had an idea of the voltage and how it would feel when the first shock came. He knew that he wouldn't just feel it on his neck; the electric shock would course through his whole body at the same time causing all the muscles to contract a bit.
A single shock would be very uncomfortable, the voltage wasn't terribly high. But, as the shocks multiplied over the course of the day, it would become unbearable. There was nothing he could do but wait in dread for the first call of the day and the sweat trickled down his spine.
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The day drew to a close with no answers and no Hutch. Starsky's uneasy and worry grew as the day wore on and he was denied the freedom to hunt for his friend.
Starsky had been returned to his cell after supper, which he forced himself to eat so he could keep his strength up; he had a feeling that he would need it. As he was put in his cell he had gotten a quick look into Hutch's cell. He wasn't back yet. Starsky almost yelled to Joe and asked where 'Sam' was, but cut himself off as that might get Hutch into still more trouble with the gruesome twosome, Roy and Randal. He punched the wall once more and paced the tiny cell.
He stopped and looked at the upper bunk, Hutch's bunk. He had put the mattress back on the bunk before being lead off to work this morning. He paced again, stopped near the bars and listened intently for the sound of anyone approaching. Nothing.
He pulled down the blanket that Hutch had used and carefully folded it and gently smoothed out the wrinkles. He sat cross legged on the lower bunk and despite the warmth in the room, hugged the blanket to him and waited for Hutch to be returned to his cell.
He didn't know how long he stayed that way until he heard the door to the seclusion block open. He quickly went to the bars to see who was coming in and he clutched the bars when he saw Roy and Randal lug a semiconscious Hutch into the area.
"What happened to him?!" Starsky watched anxiously as Hutch was drug past his cell.
They deposited Hutch in his new cell bunk and locked the door.
As they turned to leave, Roy replied "He had a busy day, he had to take a lot of phone calls" He smirked and elbowed Randal, who guffawed.
"Roy, may I speak to you... alone" Starsky glared pointedly at Randal.
Roy hooked his thumb towards the door. Randal opened his mouth; Roy stopped him with a more emphatic jerk of his thumb towards the door. Randal blew a kiss to the man he knew as Gary and headed out the door.
Starsky rattled the bars of his cell while he glowered at Randal.
Randal scurried out the door.
"What do you want?" Roy sneered.
"I want to take his place tomorrow" He looked Roy directly in the eyes, willing him to let him take Hutch's place.
"Are you sure about that?" Roy arched an eyebrow at him, quizzically.
"Yes" Starsky figured he knew what Hutch was up to, he further figured that it wouldn't work.
"I want you to listen to something and then I'll ask you again" Roy pulled out a portable tape recorder and pushed 'play'
"It's either you or your friend"
"He's not my friend"
"Well, you're here now; maybe I'll bring him to the library tomorrow"
"Good. Better him than me"
"Do you still want to go tomorrow?" Roy raised an eyebrow.
"Yes" Starsky knew that Hutch was under duress and was trying to protect him. Well, he had to protect his partner too. Hutch had suffered enough already. He was not buying the load of shit Roy was trying to sell him.
That wasn't the answer Roy was expecting. "Too bad, he goes with me tomorrow" He turned and left the room. What a fool. So loyal to someone who had betrayed him, or was he being fooled by Hutchinson? He did turn on his partner awfully quick. Too quickly, perhaps?
Maybe, others had turned against each other more quickly, but these two and their 'weirdness' that thing that they had, that they did. They were different, somehow; he was finding it to be an unexpected thrill to hurt both of them, even though he was only physically hurting one of them. He wondered how longer it would be until 'it' was gone.
Starsky glared impotently at the closing exit door and envisioned all sorts of nasty things he would like to do to Roy.
When the door banged shut behind him, Starsky called to his friend "Hey Hutch, buddy? Can ya hear me?" He listened intently for movement for a long time. He then took Hutch's mattress off the bunk and moved it back to the floor, next to the wall that separated them and lay down. Hutch must be unconscious. Starsky would wait until Hutch woke up and have a little heart to heart with him.
He didn't have to wait too long for he soon heard a moan.
Hutch moaned, all his muscles hurt, the electrical shocks he had received over the course of the day had caused them to clench repeatedly. He was also dehydrated from being left without water for twelve hours in that hot chamber of horrors. Neither guard had come until they let him out. He cringed at the thought of how grateful he had been to get out of that chair. Grateful to Roy and Randal for freeing him and suddenly he felt quite nauseous. Roy had said he would bond with him, could that be what he had meant?
He heard Starsky call to him. He wasn't entirely sure if he was just wishing Starsky were calling or if he really was calling. His head pounded and his mouth was a desert, his eyes full of grit. Things were getting confused in his head. He wasn't talking to Starsky any more... Was he angry at him? No, that didn't seem right. Oh, yes, protecting him by not speaking to him. That seemed right, odd, but right. If he could just sleep on it, maybe it would make more sense in the morning.
"Hutch! C'mon partner, answer me! C'mon ya big lug..." Starsky paused, listened and barely caught a thin whisper.
"Go 'way, tired" Hutch muttered.
"HUUUTCH!" Starsky bellowed, attempting to rouse his friend. If he could just get him to come to the bars... "Hutch, please, get up, come to the front of the cell, Hutch?" If he could touch him... things would improve.
"Tired" The reply was as dry and brittle as last falls leaves.
Starsky dropped his head "Just sleep then, I'll wait" What else could he do? He heaved a frustrated sigh and lay down to wait for his friend to recover somewhat. Just a few more hours and it would be Friday.
One more day
Friday
Starsky started himself awake. What a nightmare. He had dreamed of having to watch Hutch be tortured. He rubbed his sleep laden eyes. He had not meant to fall asleep but he had none the less. He called softly "Hutch?" He listened closely and after a moment was relieved to hear the slap of bare feet hitting the concrete floor. "Blintz?"
Hutch awoke to the sound of his name being called. He shook his head to clear it and instantly regretted it, his head began to ache fiercely and he felt dizzy. He sat up and felt even worse, but thirst forced him to continue. He could barely make out the little sink just a feet away in the dim light and briefly wondered if he could make it.
He pulled his long legs off the bed and forced himself to his feet. He turned the water on and cupped his hand under the flow and began to drink. After a bit he made himself stop, knowing that to continue may cause him to vomit. He felt a little better. He would have another drink in a little while. He knew he had to re-hydrate himself. He also knew he should have some salt; his electrolytes were depleted after the past few days of dealing with the dry desert heat and all the sweating he was doing.
"Hutch? Hey ya big lug, how're ya doin'?" Starsky was relieved to hear his friend moving about. He dug out an apple he had saved from supper and stood up and reached around the bars "How 'bout some breakfast?"
Hutch looked over his shoulder at the proffered food; he hadn't realized how hungry he was until he saw the apple. He limped over and took it from Starsky, taking care not to touch his friend's fingers. He was afraid if he touched them, he would break down. He had to be strong, just for one more day. The hand stayed for awhile before it was slowly withdrawn.
"I know what you're up to Hutch, it ain't gonna work. Roy is just messin' with ya. You're just makin' it harder on yourself, on me. Dammit Hutch! We have ta stick together, it's the only way we're gonna get outta here" Starsky clenched his teeth in aggravation and ran a hand over his head. His hair was making a comeback that was something, anyway. "I'm a big boy Hutch; I don't need ya to protect me. I –I don't want to see you hurt either, ya know?" He paced worriedly.
Hutch slowly munched on the apple as he listened to Starsky. He was making sense. Hutch mentally chuckled at that for a moment before the chuckle wanted to turn into a sob. He bit his lip to stop the sob from escaping. Just one more day, twelve hours or so of shit to put up with, a few more hours of sitting in their cells before they were rescued, 'okay, maybe Saturday or Sunday, maximum...' Dobey wouldn't know where to look for them. He would only know that they were missing. 'Okay, maybe as long as Monday...'
Hutch nibbled his way around the core of the apple, getting as much of the fruit as he could, while still mired deep in thought. 'My plan is working. They are focused on me; I just have to keep them focused for just a little bit more, just a little longer, sorry Starsk'
He threw the remaining core in the toilet and flushed it. 'Starsky is so bullheaded, stubborn, they might kill him, just gotta pretend for just a little longer'
Any additional thoughts were cut off as the door opened and Roy and Randal arrived.
"Morning!" Roy was in great spirits.
Hutch went to the door of his cell and turned around, putting his hands behind his back. He just wanted to get the day over with.
"GOOD Boy! You are off to a great start Sam!" Roy gushed and turned to look at Starsky "You could learn a thing or two from your friend here" He ushered Hutch out of his cell.
Starsky glared mutinously at Roy.
"Ah, ah, ah!" Roy waggled his finger back and forth in time with each 'ah' sound.
Starsky whirled away from the bars, trying to get a grip on his emotions. Losing his temper now would only hurt Hutch.
"Turn around Gary; I want you to see something" Roy stepped back from Hutch "Hit it Randal"
Randal pulled out a portable tape player and pushed 'play' and the sound of a telephone ringing issued forth. Hutch immediately dropped to the ground with a harsh grunt.
"HU- SAM!" Starsky hit the cell bars hard and kneeled, reaching a hand out through them to grab Hutch's arm as he lay there shaking "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Starsky glared up at Roy.
"Ever hear of a guy called Pavlov? He's the guy with the dogs that he taught to drool at the sound of a bell. Well, I taught your friend that the sound of a phone ringing means he gets a shock" Roy burst out laughing "So now, even though he's not hooked up, his brain thinks that he is" Roy was gasping with laughter, he reached down and pulled Hutch to his feet.
"I'll go, Roy, take me instead! PLEASE!" Starsky was shaking with fear for his friend and with rage at Roy.
"Well isn't that just soooo sweet? Too bad Sam is all ready started on his 'training' don't you worry though, you're next" Roy grinned.
Hutch looked back at Starsky, making eye contact for first time since Wednesday. He shook his head slightly 'S'okay, thanks buddy'
Starsky clung to the bars like a drowning man to a life preserver, his eyes locked with Hutch's. 'No, it's not okay!' Nothing would be okay again until they got out of this hell hole.
Roy felt it. DAMN THEM. He hauled Hutch by the arm to escape the weirdness these two had together "RANDAL!" He bellowed at his henchman as he hustled out of the seclusion block.
The metal door banged shut as Randal left the area.
Starsky barely made it to the toilet before vomiting. "Oh God, Hutch" He slid to the floor, with his back to the wall, drew his knees up and buried his head in his arms and sobbed.
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Hutch was once more put in the chair in the 'library', secured and again left alone to wait for the pain to start. He had put up a much bigger struggle today. A fruitless endeavor but it had felt good to try.
It was an interminable cycle of waiting in fear for the phone to ring and the shocks to begin. Trapped alone in darkness, unable to even scream, his life once more shrank down to the waiting for the sound of the telephone to ring.
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Joe came for Starsky shortly after Roy and Randal had left. He watched mutely as the inmate he knew as Gary dry heaved into the toilet. Though he was still miffed that Gary had punched him, Gary looked quite pitiful now.
"I don't suppose you want to go to breakfast-" The sound of more heaving interrupted him "I'll take that as a no" When Gary finished praying to the porcelain God, Joe escorted him to the compound yard and had him raking the rest of the gravel.
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At some point, Hutch thought it must be afternoon, Randal re-entered the room. Hutch's thirst had been growing exponentially and his headache hammered in time with his heart beat.
Randal removed the blindfold and gag and gave him some water, which Hutch gratefully gulped down. "Thanks, Randal" He gasped between gulps. He hated to thank him but damn, that water tasted so good.
Randal smiled at the man he knew as Sam and moved closer to look into the inmate's eyes "You are so handsome"
Hutch froze, not that he could move much, bound as he was. Cold fear replaced the stifling heat of the tiny room. He was helpless. There was nothing he could do to stop Randal. Nothing at all.
Randal stroked Sam's head "Your hair is growing back. It's so soft and golden, I was right to call you Honey Dip, I can't wait until it gets longer" He brushed the short strands with his hands.
Hutch jerked his head away from Randal's nauseating caress and tried desperately not to vomit.
Randal straddled Hutch's legs and sat down on his lap "How 'bout a kiss, Honey Dip? Please?"
Hutch dropped his head to his chest and thought 'Oh God, please, I could really use some help now' He felt Randal shift his weight forward. Hutch quivered with disgust. Randal's face was just above his head now.
"So spirited, like a wild horse-"
Randal was cut off by the ringing of the phone, the electric current ran through both of them, the contracting muscles in Hutch's neck violently slammed his head into Randal's nose. Hutch heard cartilage snap.
Randal flopped off Hutch's lap "By dose! You b'oke by dose!" Feeling something warm on his hand, Randal looked down and saw blood. His eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.
"Thank you God. That was very nice, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you send someone to free me?" Hutch looked about expectantly "I'll wait"
After a minute, Randal sat up woozily "Wha 'appened?" He started to bring his hand to face and saw the blood on it and promptly fainted again.
Hutch burst out laughing.
Roy entered just then "what's so funny?" He looked down at Randal, who was just coming around again. "What the hell's going on here? RANDAL! What happened to your face?"
Randal rolled over and began spitting out the blood that had run down his throat.
Hutch could only laugh, the stress of the past week overwhelming him.
"Shut the fuck up, laughing boy" Roy grabbed Hutch's shock collar and pulled it tight.
Hutch laughed harder.
"Gone insane? Huh? A little harsh treatment and you-" Roy was cut off as the phone rang. The muscles in Roy's fingers contracted tightly around the collar due to the voltage and he was shocked as well. As soon as the shock ended, he was then able to let go of Hutch. "SON OF A BITCH!"
Hutch looked at Roy's crotch and watched as a wet patch grew, between gasps of laughter, he said "Two day of this shit and I never peed my pants" Another fit of laughter hit him. He just couldn't help himself. The turn of events was just too funny. Served them right, the sick, twisted bastards deserved a little of their own medicine.
Roy was humiliated. He had forgotten to turn the power off his little toy. It was all Hutchinson's fault. He pulled his nightstick out and stopped the laughter.
Hutch's world went black.
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That evening, Starsky was back at his cell, pacing and waiting anxiously for Hutch to be returned. He waited. And waited.
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Friday night, New York City
Hanna Starsky looked at the phone. It was nine o'clock. Davy had said he would call at nine. But did he mean nine Mountain Time? Or nine East Coast Time? It would make more sense for him to call nine my time rather than- Hanna cut off her babbling thoughts. She didn't know why she was so anxious about his call this Friday. He always called. Unless he was hospitalized or that cute partner of his, Kenneth Hutchinson was sick or injured. Kenneth would have called her if something was wrong with her boy. She went back to her dusting.
The evening wore on and Johnny Carson came on. Still no call, the dusting was done; vacuuming would have to wait until morning. She didn't want to disturb the neighbors with the noise. She would give her boy a piece of her mind when he called.
"Oh, to hell with THIS!" She snapped and picked up the phone and dialed the number for the hotel where Davy and Kenneth were staying. The phone rang and rang. She was eventually transferred back to the desk at the hotel. She asked for hotel security and her call was directed there. She then explained her problem, forcefully. She could almost see them roll their eyes, an overprotective mother wanting someone to check on her adult son in Sin City. She didn't care. She had a feeling something was wrong. They said that they would call back with in a half a hour. She hung up and waited.
Forty-six minutes later they called back. It was as she feared. Something was wrong. A check with the maids had determined that no one had been in the room since last Saturday night. No towels were used; no soap and the same clothes were hanging on the clothes rack. Nothing had been moved in six days.
Icy dread slid the course of her spine. Her son and his partner were missing and had apparently gone missing last Saturday night. She asked to be transferred to the Las Vegas police department. She filed a missing persons report over the phone.
She then found Captain Dobey's home phone and called it. She rapidly explained the problem and Dobey reacted as she hoped he would, with great concern. He informed her he would call her back with any developments. She sat down to impatiently wait.
And wait.
TBC