He was running.

Well, trying to run as best as he could despite a lame leg and swirling vision. Hutch was aware that he was dreaming by the lack of pain from his injuries. Despite that blessed reprieve, his worries went disquieted. A more imminent evil was upon them, spurring him on and driving him deeper into the warehouse.

Hutch ran blindly. Starsky was at his side, and between them, April was trying her best to keep up on sore and bloody feet. They were being chased. There were faces in the darkness behind them, looming like hungry wolves in the night. The faces belonged to their captors- Hutch was aware of them without having to actually see their faces.

He was cold but his lungs burned. The sounds of their own frantic footsteps echoed on the concrete around them. Hutch was using a large metal pipe for support, clinging to the horizontal structure as he limped along beside it. It must lead somewhere, and somewhere was better than here.

It was dark. They were nearly blind but still they fought to escape. He had made an unspoken promise to this little girl, and Hutch intended to keep it.

Then there was fire.

Burning orange flames licked their way up the walls, emitting a heat so strong it tightened your skin. Temporarily blinded by the burst of light, Hutch stumbled and felt Starsky's hand on him, pulling him upwards before Hutch hit the floor. The fire was spreading rapidly, too rapidly, and Hutch was aware once more that he was caught in a dream.

A nightmare.

It surrounded them, closing in and biting at their hands and legs. Still, Hutch felt no pain.

They reached the foot of a metal staircase and did not hesitate before struggling upwards. Each of April's hands were grasped tightly in one of Starsky and Hutchs' and they pulled her upwards as fast as they could climb. She made no complaint as they fought against their own handicaps and scrambled to raise above the flames.

At the top of the stairs, a door appeared before them at the end of the hall, a large dark looming rectangle that whispered promises of freedom. They were racing against an unknown deadline and had no time for second thoughts. The three of them raced for the door.

Starsky reached the door first and grabbed the handle, twisting as he threw his weight against it. They spilled onto a metal balcony and the cold night air stung their fire-warmed skin.

The only way down was by way of a rusty fire escape ladder.

Hutch looked at Starsky as he straightened. His chest was heaving in a way that should have been very painful, and he was grateful for the rapture. Blue eyes locked on blue.

Then something within the warehouse exploded and Hutch's vision ended as abruptly as it started.

o0O0o

"Hutch!"

A raised voice filtered through his fogged mind as Hutch jerked, emerging from his disturbing dream. He blinked open his eyes, searching his surroundings even as his vision only slowly came into focus. As usual, Starsky's worried features were the first thing he recognized.

"You okay?" Starsky asked, leaning closer in a way that might be have been considered invasive to someone else.

Hutch tried to gather his awareness. Looking down, he found his lap empty and cold. "Where's April?" he asked, looking up at Starsky once more.

"She's okay, she just sitting over there," Starsky replied with a jerk of his head.

Hutch followed the prompt and to his relief, met April's nervous, tight-lipped grin with one of his own. She was sitting across from them, knees folded up and tucked under her long nightshirt in an obvious attempt to retain body heat.

"Hey, look at me."

Hutch moved his eyes to refocus on Starsky.

"What happened, did you have another dream?"

Hutch nodded, feeling his throat grow tight with residual panic.

Starsky settled himself in between Hutch and April, then lowered his voice. "You stopped breathing."

"What?"

Starsky's gaze was probing now, taking on the concern of a medical professional, or best friend. "You scared me. I could hear you breathing- in and out, in and out- then… nothing. Wanna explain that one?"

Hutch's eyes burned and he remembered to blink. "Hey, I'm fine now, right? I'm alive and well."

"I don't know how 'well' you are…"

"Same to you."

A hint of a smile shone at the corner of Starsky's mouth and he turned away. "Don't do that again, okay?'

It was better if he didn't remind Starsky of the things that were beyond his power to control. "Okay." Hutch looked over Starsky's shoulder to April. "Is she okay?"

"As okay as any of us," Starsky sighed, dragging himself in a semi-circle to lean back against the wall. "We have to get out of here."

The way April was sitting alone bothered Hutch. As far as he was concerned, she had been rescued and would no longer have to be alone ever again. "Hey April, you wanna come over here and sit with us?"

April raised her head from her knees and sniffed.

Those large, wet eyes nearly broke Hutch's heart. He would never be able to have children, not if they could control him so completely with a single look. "Come here, we're not going to hurt you. Tell me about that puppy I saw at your house."

April blinked and seemed to sit a little straighter. "Scooby? You saw him?"

Hutch grinned to hide a muscle spasm in his chest. "I sure did. Cute little guy. What kind of dog is he?"

April was smiling now and she made her way over to the detectives. "He's a Chocolate Lab. He's mine," she added as she settled herself against Hutch's side. "I got to name him."

"That's a good name," Starsky spoke up from Hutch's other side. He was looking at Hutch with something akin to pride.

Hutch looked back to April. "So you like Scooby, huh?" he asked, taking note once more of her nightshirt.

"He's my favorite hero," April beamed. "He's silly."

Hutch couldn't resist. "My partner's a little silly too. Should I start calling him Scooby?"

Starsky snorted as April giggled.

Hutch sighed. They needed to know what they were up against, but talking about April's captors was sure to be distressing for her. He looked down and studied the fraying rope that bound his wrists together as he thought of how to approach the subject. "April…" he began, tearing his gaze from the bloodied rope. "Do you know why the bad guys took you?"

Instantly, she grew tense. "No."

"Have they hurt you?"

"They tied me up. The bad guy with red hair won't let the other bad guys hurt me. He says I'm insurance." The last word was enunciated slowly, as if April didn't quite understand.

So one prayer had been answered today. Hutch let himself relax a little and he felt Starsky do the same.

"April, I need you to think real hard. Have you seen a way out of here?"

Hutch could see the tears forming in April's eyes as she grew confused and frustrated. "No, I don't think… I can't remember."

Time to switch gears. "I haven't even introduced us, have I?" he grinned, raising his voice to drown out her worry.

"You're police men," she stated with a sniff.

"That's right. I'm Hutch and the unusually quiet guy beside me is Starsky."

"You're going to save me?"

"Yes."

"But the bad guys hurt you. And you're tied up."

Hutch had to admit, those details were bound to slow them up. He hated to think what shade of violet his bruises would be now, or to what degree his bones had been damaged. One lung still stubbornly refused to cooperate and allow him enough oxygen.

He looked to Starsky and despite the burnet's attempts to hide them, saw the lines of pain and fatigue running deep in his face. They both needed medical attention, but they would have to fight to get it.

"Don't worry about us," Hutch replied. "We'll get you out of-"

A low rumbling echoed through the warehouse and silenced their conversation.

"Is that thunder?" April asked, following the detective's gazes beyond their chain link enclosure.

"That's my car!" Starsky exclaimed, pushing himself to his feet and hobbling to the fence as quickly as he could. "What are they doing with my car?"

"Relax Starsk, it's probably not even-"

The distinct sound of a motor revving thundered through the building.

Starsky tensed even more and his bound hands grasped the chain link. "That is the sound of a 1975 red and white striped Ford Gran Torino! Hutch, what are they doing with my car?"

"Would you get over here and calm down? There's nothing we can do about it."

The engine died and silence filled the room. Starsky remained at the fence with his back towards Hutch and April. The sound of a car door shutting echoed sharply, then the muted voices of two men could be heard.

"This just got personal," Starsky growled so softly Hutch wasn't positive anything had been said.

The conversation grew louder and soon footsteps could be heard. April burrowed into Hutch's side and he lifted an arm to rest protectively around her bony shoulders. Starsky released the fence and took a step back.

"That's some sweet ride you got there," Gary commented casually as he strode up to the prisoners. "460 CID Engine with 4-barrel carburetor, special paint, California emissions, XPL type automatic transition, anti-theft package…"

"Don't touch my car."

"No sooner than I would destroy a work of fine art." Gary's gaze shifted to Hutch and April, then back to Starsky. "You found the girl, I see. Congratulations, detectives."

"You have us, let her go."

Hutch couldn't see Starsky's face, be he was aware of the expression that was on it.

"Not a chance." Gary snapped.

"Why not?"

Gary's grin broadened. "She might come in handy."

"You're disgusting," Starsky retorted, his voice like ice.

"Oh, I'm disgusting am I?"

Hutch looked to Mike, who was holding back and seemingly unimpressed by his partner's taunting.

Gary stepped forward. "What are you gonna do about it, cop?"

Hutch knew that Starsky was glowering now. "Let me outta here and I'll show ya."

Hutch sighed inwardly. 'Way to go, partner. Challenge a dim-witted muscle man while you're tied up and injured.'

If this is what Brooklyn did to people, Hutch never wanted to go there.

Next, Gary pulled a gun from behind him and aimed it at Starsky in a one-armed, locked-elbow stance. "How bout you stay in there and I show you anyway?"

"Hey," Mike snapped, stepping forward and into action. "Put that away. You heard David."

Gary jerked away from Mike with an annoyed look on his face. "Relax, I'm just playing." He turned a feral grin on Starsky, lowering the weapon. "That's the easy way out anyway."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Mike said firmly, grabbing Gary by the elbow before the other man yanked it free. "We got more important things to do."

Mike kept walking as Gary stopped and turned back to the captives. "Don't worry curly, I'll be back for you and Mr. Mom over there."

Starsky had no choice but to remain where he was and try to look menacing. Perhaps it worked, because Gary turned and fled to catch up with his partner. After a moment, Starsky turned around and faced Hutch.

"He better not touch my car."

o0O0o