A/N: Cliffie warning and a few bad words. The end is nearing...

"Okay, read it back to me."

Gary cleared his throat and held up the paper. "If you want to see your friends and the girl alive, leave two cars and one hundred thousand dollars in front of the abandoned warehouse on 912 Temple Street at ten o'clock. Do not follow us or try to stop us or we will kill the hostages."

David nodded. "Good." He walked over to Gary and snatched away the note, looking it over himself. "They have the pictures, so they know we are serious about this. We'll pick up the cars and the money, then get back here to off the cops and the kid. We'll switch the cars out so they won't know what to be looking for. Mike, you'll be driving the truck. We'll all keep in contact by radio once we're on the road."

"You're sure this is gonna work?" Mike questioned from where he was leaning in a dark corner.

"It will work," David replied firmly. "If they think there's a chance of getting those cops back alive, they'll leave us alone. It's how cops are."

"We really have to kill the girl too?" Gary asked.

"Hey," David snapped, whirling to face the shorter goon. "She was all your twisted idea. I'm not hauling her all the way across the border just to satisfy some sick obsession of yours."

"He brought her here, he should be the one to kill her," Mike mumbled from the corner.

There was a moment of silence as David glared at Gary, who was starting to show fear. "We'll see about that," David said quietly, then turned and headed out of the room. "You two stay here. Now that the PD has had some time to sweat, I'm gonna place our 'order'." He paused, then pointed a finger. "Everyone better still be alive by the time I get back here."

Mike and Gary were left alone then, eyeing each other dangerously.

o0O0o

Hutch studied Starsky as the burnet dozed restlessly.

April was asleep between them, her knees drawn up and arms wrapped around herself as she pressed against Hutch's side. He had draped one arm over her head and pulled her closer, trying to keep her warm. It wasn't working too well. The sounds of even breathing filled the cage they occupied and Hutch began to wonder how long they had been in here.

Starsky had finally left his post at the fence and limped back to where Hutch was sitting, obviously upset about his car but more concerned for their safety. The torment that shone in Starsky's eyes was unsettling. He had never been one to leave his fate in the hands of others.

Hutch left Starsky alone for a few minutes, knowing the burnet would benefit from a little rest more than venting his anger. They sat in silence until those blue eyes closed and some of the pain left Starsky's face. Hutch felt content at that and settled a little more back against the wall.

Now though, Starsky was beginning to toss and turn, obviously causing himself pain as he aggravated his injuries.

"Hey," Hutch said softly, fighting an itch that grabbed his lungs. "Starsk."

Starsky's brow furrowed but he did not open his eyes.

Hutch sighed lightly, this time giving in to a cough. He swallowed the blood. "Starsky," he called a little louder, wishing he could simply reach over and give his partner a shake.

Starsky turned his head away before blinking his eyes open and falling still. He locked gazes with Hutch. Once recognition lit in his eyes, he spoke. "I was hoping this was just a dream."

Hutch smiled a little. "Not yet."

Every other close encounter had become nothing more than a dream; Hutch had to believe that this one would too.

Starsky looked beyond the fence. "They come back?"

"I think they left," Hutch replied. "I head a car start not too long ago." He caught Starsky's gaze. "Not yours."

Starsky nodded and looked at his rope-bound hands resting in his lap. "How ya holding up?" he asked as he looked back to Hutch.

"Been better," Hutch replied. Maybe it was an understatement, but it was still the truth. The pain in his lungs only became unbearable when he coughed, and his headache seemed to have receded for the moment. His leg ached only dully as long as he kept it still. Even the burn on his shoulder seemed to have faded. Perhaps time really could fix everything.

Hutch let his gaze travel over his partner's beaten body. "How's your foot?"

Starsky shrugged and bounced his leg a little. "I'm afraid to take my shoe off."

Hutch felt a stab of sympathy pain in his chest. "Probably better if you don't. Keep your weight off of it. You don't need to break any bones more than there already are."

"Look who's talking," Starsky mumbled.

"Since when have a couple broken ribs ever stopped me?"

"This time is bad and you know it," Starsky retorted. "What do that call that, a punctured lung? You need to be in a hospital. Instead, we're sitting here helpless with our hands tied. Literally."

"There's got to be a way out," Hutch sighed. "What about next time they come back?"

"What, make a run for it?"

"We don't have many choices."

"What about April?"

Hutch's gaze dropped to study the top of her head. "We'll take her with us."

Starsky huffed and rolled his eyes. "They have guns."

"We'll be quick."

"And go where?"

Hutch looked through the chain link. "There's a way out. There's stairs."

"You saw this in your dream?" Starsky asked. "You're sure?"

Hutch could see the vision in his head. "I'm sure. I've been right about everything else, haven't I?"

And it hit him then, that the man holding them captive had killed Starsky in Hutch's first dream. Suddenly escape just got a lot harder. The element of surprise and brute force, for what little they had, would not be enough. David would come after them and attempt to kill Starsky.

Hutch would have to be ready.

"Okay, so we wait," Starsky said, pulling Hutch from his thoughts. He settled back against the wall and relaxed a little.

Hutch looked at the spider carcass in front of the toe of his shoe and took a tentative sigh.

"We wait."

o0O0o

Hours had passed since Hutch's eyes slid shut and the warm embrace of sleep claimed him. His rest went undisturbed without any frightening visions or pain. It was just calm, black silence and his body wanted to climb back into it.

"Hutch," Starsky urged, and Hutch finally pulled open his eyes.

Something was rumbling. April moved against him and Hutch lifted his arm over her head, freeing her. He looked at Starsky. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, but it sounds like company." Starsky struggled to his feet, his eyes glistening in the dim light.

"What are they gonna do to us?" April asked timidly.

"Not a thing," Hutch replied calmly as he thought about standing up too.

The rumbling stopped and car doors slammed. Then the distinctive sounds of celebration could be heard.

Uh oh.

Whatever was good for their captors certainly meant trouble for Starsky and Hutch.

"Can you hear them?" Hutch asked as Starsky hobbled to the fence.

Starsky stood frozen with his head cocked, obviously listening intently. "Money," he murmured. "They got money."

"Ransom," Hutch said to himself. Then he looked up. "They're gonna move out soon." He struggled to get his feet underneath himself as April got up also. "We have to get ready."

Starsky returned and pulled Hutch to his feet. "April, we need you to hide for a while, okay?"

Hutch nodded. There weren't many places the girl could hide within their confines, but it would buy them time. "You have to hide until we tell you it's safe, okay?" he asked, feeling multiple bones crack and pop now that he was moving. Their chances of escape would increase if they didn't have to worry about a little girl in the midst of a firefight. He and Starsky could always find her later.

April nodded with wide eyes. "Will you be okay?"

"We'll be fine. Whatever happens, stay hidden. Don't worry about us."

She looked terrified but April retreated into the tiny corner they had found her in.

"Good girl," Hutch smiled as she disappeared. Why was his throat tightening?

Starsky placed an arm on his shoulder and gently spun him away. "They're coming."

Each ceiling light consisted of one light bulb. There were three lonely light bulbs in the space between Starsky and Hutch's cage and the corner where David and his friends appeared. Suddenly the warehouse seemed a lot larger and the bad guys a lot more menacing. Hungry shadows lay in wait behind the stacks of wooden crates. A chill cut through the air.

David walked with confidence, his red hair aglow from the light he was under. Mike was on his right and Gary on his left. Did that make Mike the right-hand man?

David was carrying a gun.

Starsky and Hutch held their ground as the three criminals strode closer. Hutch's mind was in overdrive trying to spot any weaknesses in the men's postures.

"Wake up boys, the time has come!" David shouted.

They remained silent as David and Mike came to a stop on the other side of the chin link. Gary stepped forward, key in hand, and reached for the lock.

"What, lost your tongue?" David teased, looking between Starsky and Hutch when neither made a sound.

"You won't get away with this," Starsky tried once more. Persistence always had been one of Starsky's strong suits.

"Says the man with his hands tied and a gun pointed at his head," purred David, smiling.

With a sharp click the lock was pulled open and Gary began removing it from the gate's latch. "Where's the girl?" he asked, looking around the enclosure before settling his gaze on the detectives.

"What girl?" Hutch asked, his eyes never leaving David.

"Don't give me that," Gary sneered, pulling open the gate. "You were in here cuddling with her," he continued, making 'cuddle' sound like a curse word. "Where'd she go?"

Gary started towards the oil drums and Hutch tensed by accident. His eyes flew towards David and the redhead's green eyes widened in realization.

Damn.

"Gary," David called, halting the other man's movements. "Get them out here first. You can look for the girl later."

What?

Hutch faltered. David was helping them? Why?

Gary groaned in frustration but obeyed. He approached Starsky and Hutch with the slightest hint of uncertainty. "Make one wrong move and David will put a bullet through your skull so fast you won't know what happened."

David watched Gary's hesitant movements and rolled his eyes. "Get in there and help him," he said to Mike.

Mike let out an indignant noise before moving inside and grabbing Hutch by the elbow. "Let's go," he said gruffly, pushing the detective as if to make a point to Gary.

Hutch's heart sped up and adrenaline silently filled his veins. Blue locked on blue as he caught Starsky's gaze.

Now!

Hutch ducked his head and rounded his shoulder as he tore out of Mike's grasp and plowed into David.

"April run now!"

Both Hutch and David fell to the concrete and the gun skittered away into the consuming shadows. Pain exploded in his side but when Hutch righted himself and saw April dart away in a blur of brown and pink, a surge of strength and pride hummed within him. He lunged for the still-scrambling David and fell to his knees on top of the redhead, straddling him before raising both hands in a fist and landing a hard blow to the side of David's face.

He watched triumphantly as David's head bounced off the concrete floor. His satisfaction was short lived, however, before a blow caught him on the ear, sending Hutch to the floor on his side with a deafening ringing in his head. Mike was on top of him then, pulling back his arm and striking before Hutch could even flinch.

Hot pain blossomed on his cheekbone, effectively paralyzing him for a second. Above him, Mike pulled back a second time and Hutch pressed back against the floor.

A gunshot rang through the air, echoing off the walls and floor. Everything fell silent.

"Knock it off!" David yelled, his gun still pointed at the ceiling as he stepped forward, shaking his head.

Mike got to his feet. Hutch felt a large hand wrap around his forearm before his blurry world flip-flopped and suddenly he was on unsteady feet. Some distance away, Gary stepped away from Starsky, who was backed against the chain link.

"Very clever, detectives," David said sarcastically, reaching up and touching the shining drop of blood that escaped the cut on his face. "I underestimated you. A mistake I will not repeat."

Hutch's chest heaved in agony as the world slid into focus. Blood warmed him from the inside out as it pooled in his injured lung.

As if he didn't feel like crap before…

"Let's go," David ordered, motioning to Gary and Mike before leading the way back towards the front of the warehouse.

Starsky and Hutch were shoved and herded along behind, often stumbling and catching themselves awkwardly with bound hands. Hutch took satisfaction that April was not here and safe somewhere in the shadows. Whatever happened, he would cling to the hope that she had found a way out.

"Over there," David said over his shoulder, sniffing as he pointed to a wall, continuing to blot at his cut.

Hutch was shoved against the wall, hitting it a split second before Starsky did. He spun to face their captors as quickly as he could, which was still horribly slow. He nearly collapsed against the wall behind him.

Suddenly all three men had guns. Gary was standing before Starsky, and Mike before Hutch, each man aiming straight for their hearts.

"No," David growled, nudging Mike away. "I get this one."

Mike lowered his weapon as David raised his gun- Hutch's gun- and aimed at the blond. "Well boys, time to say goodbye. Can't say it's been pleasant."

Hutch felt his heart grow heavy. This wasn't suppose to be how it happened. What about the dream? What about running, the pipe, the stairs…

"Any last words?" David grinned.

Hutch swallowed hard. He turned his head fractionally, getting Starsky in his peripheral vision as the burnet did the same. He turned a little more and their eyes locked.

So this was it. Their lives for the life of a nine-year old girl.

At least they were going together. They were there for each other in the end, fulfilling a promise they had each made some time ago.

Hutch offered the smallest of smiles to his brother.

It was returned easily.

o0O0o