Thanks to the usual suspects, and to all of you who showed me their enthusiasm for this story.
Things are getting a bit more intense from now on, I hope you enjoy it.

Jill: your bush plant is in here somewhere…


Chapter 12

Hutch exited the Torino to join his partner. "Are you ready?" he asked, taking the Magnum out of its holster and checking the rounds.

Starsky nodded, doing the same routine with his Beretta. "I am now. We take the back."

They made their way around the house, staying close to the perimeter, avoiding the tall windows and glass doors. After a minute or so they arrived at a small grey black door, which Starsky recognized from Donalds' description as the service entrance.

The brunet picked the lock using his pocket-knife. Carefully he opened the door to step inside, followed by his partner. They were greeted by a long empty wide grey corridor, bathed in a cold white light originating from strip lights hanging from the ceiling. The lights had turned on the moment they had opened the door. As the door closed softly behind them, they moved deeper into the corridor.

Hutch hesitated.

Starsky seemed to notice the lack of movement behind him, stopped and turned around. "What's the matter?"

The blond just looked at him. Obviously worried Starsky took the few steps back needed to get in line with his partner. "Are you all right?"

"Starsky…" He didn't know what to say, just what he suddenly felt; an overwhelming surge of impending doom.

Perhaps it was the silence of the empty bleak corridor in front of him, or perhaps it was just his partner's overly concerned behaviour these last few days. The way Starsky had insisted that something was wrong, that something would go wrong if they were to go in. Almost as if the brunet'd had a premonition…

And all of a sudden Hutch knew…he wouldn't be coming out again.

"Promise me…" he started, trying to accept the inevitable. "…if something happens to me, you get yourself out of there."

Starsky looked around, purposefully trying to ignore the subject. "What are you talking about? I'd never leave you and you know it. Besides, nothing's gonna happen. As Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck said, 'the house's probably empty'."

The joke was completely lost on the blond who grabbed him by the arm. "Starsky, I mean it. Promise me."

"No."

The short stated answer was followed by an unnerving silence, telling Hutch at once his partner was serious this time.

Starsky's eyes softened, putting his hand on the blond's, still resting on his arm. "You're shaking?"

Hutch pulled back. "Yeah…" Realizing they weren't going to go anywhere before the brunet had his answers Hutch delved into his shirt pocket to give him the note.

Starsky eyed him suspiciously before he began reading it. "'Stop when delivered'." He quoted. He looked up, crumpling the piece of paper, angrily throwing it onto the floor. "You think they're waiting for you? Is that it?"

Hutch didn't trust his voice enough to speak and looked down.

"And if they are? What? You're gonna… cooperate?

No answer came. Frustrated Starsky marched ahead a few paces. "What about," he turned, "me and thee… Huh? Buddy? What happened to that?"

Hutch still couldn't answer.

"Hutch, what would have happened if I had given in to Prudolm's demands, huh?

Hutch's head snapped up. "You did give in to his demands."

Starsky marched up to him. "Yeah, and if I recall this correctly, you wouldn't leave me then, partner. And I sure as hell won't leave you now, so you can drop the plan."

"It's not something I've planned, Starsk." Hutch retorted angry. "Believe me. I've got no intention of giving them anything, not if I can help it."

Now obviously close to panic Starsky's voice raised a couple of octaves. "What makes you so sure they're waiting for you up there, huh?"

"I just…"

Hutch's sad look convinced the brunet more than anything.

"…know."

"Fine, I'll call this off."

"No!" If we pull out now, more kids will end up dead. I'm a cop, Starsk. I'm going in!"

This time a silent Starsky conveyed the message that he wasn't convinced in the slightest. He looked away in anger. "Hutch, I can't let you…"

"Look, I won't give myself up without a fight. You know that. I'm not a fool, but if we don't do this now, the killings will go on. We owe it to those kids Starsk, to Micki, to Helen. We can't let ourselves be intimidated by the Prudolms and the Forests, or any number of criminals walking the streets out to get us."

Starsky turned his head to face him again. Although fury mixed with worry was still evident in his eyes, his voice was soft when he spoke. "All right, but I'm not going to let you out of my sight, blondie."

Hutch gave him a grim smile.

"And quit with the doomsday talk. That can get ya killed." Starsky sighed, looking his partner straight in the eye. He reached for the radio. "This is Zebra Three, we're in position.

His partner didn't see Hutch closing his eyes behind him in resignation. He proceeded to unlock the safety of his Magnum. Starsky was right. This kind of thinking could get him killed. Or worse, get his partner killed. Better to keep focussed in the next couple of minutes.

Through years of experience he managed to lock away the dread as the cop took over.

Starsky spoke four more words into the radio. "We're going in."


Chapter 13

The long grey corridor exited upon a massive kitchen. Pots and pans which had once been shining brightly with the spark of freshly cleaned kitchen utensils, now hung unused from the ceiling. Their copper and metallic colours dull with a years worth of dust. Behind him, Starsky heard his partner coughing as the man accidentally brushed passed one of the pans, creating a dust cloud that viciously settled down on the blond.

The brunet turned to shoot his partner a shushing look.

"It looks like Donalds is right," Hutch whispered. "This place hasn't been used in ages."

"Uhuh," Starsky agreed, while walking up to the big doors separating the kitchen from the dining room, purposefully keeping his partner behind him. Hutch sure had picked a fine time to show him that note. They both knew they had no choice but to ignore it right now and go through with the plan. But when we get back Hutchinson, you and I will need to have a long talk.

None surprisingly the dining room was also empty. The soft red carpet dampened his footsteps as he motioned for Hutch to follow him through sheet covered chairs and tables, over to the other side of the room where they reached a couple of ceiling-high, oak wood doors. He eyed the blond, telling him he was ready to face whatever was behind it.

Hutch pushed the doors open, revealing the grant entrance hall. Right across from them the front oak wood doors stood wide open. A white woollen carpeted staircase leisurely wound its way upstairs. There wasn't a living soul in sight.

"Where the hell are Donalds and Michaels?" Starsky whispered, stepping onto the white tiled marble floor. "We should have met them by now."

"Maybe they went upstairs." Hutch guessed.

Starsky decided to check the stairs first, before searching the rest of the ground floor. He walked over, carefully looking up. He knew Hutch wanted to make sure the only other adjoining room, which apparently led deeper into the house, was empty. Sure enough he sensed his partner walking over to it.

But the moment Hutch did that, the massive, oak wood front doors behind them drew to a close. Starsky standing with one foot on the stairs, his head still craned upwards, snapped around upon the sound vibrating through the entire building. Two guys build like sumo wrestlers were standing guard in front of it, aiming their semi automatics.

Diving behind a pillar, Starsky was just in time to see his partner diving into the room he'd been heading for, before all hell broke loose around them. The bullets of the automatics shattered tables, vases and pictures alike. Between the flying projectiles the brunet managed to take aim and return the fire.

The Sumos took cover behind another pillar, focussing their attention on the room Hutch had dived into. The moment Starsky saw him peeking around the corner, they started shooting again, forcing his partner to pull back. Strangely enough they left Starsky alone.

Suddenly he heard his partner's gun go off a couple of times. Damn, he thought. Someone must be pinning him down from the other side of that room.

A shadow above him alerted him just in time to look up and see Donalds standing at the top of the stairs, firing at the doorpost behind which Hutch had taken position. Surprise, surprise, He thought bitter, firing two shots in Donalds' direction, forcing the Agent to stop shooting and take cover. I bet the one pinning Hutch down is Michaels.

Donalds came out of hiding and started aiming for the doorpost again.

Why the hell is he ignoring me?

Starsky figured out what was happening the moment he tried to get to Hutch. They were trying to separate them. They were all slowly drawing into Hutch's location. He heard his partner fire round after round. He counted them, two, three, four... The sound of the Magnum made his heart clench in fear every time he heard it. Starsky was still being ignored, except for the Sumos, who were obviously meant to keep him in his place.

He suddenly realized that if he didn't help Hutch soon he would be too late.

Determined to get at his partner's side Starsky let his police instinct take over. He fired a couple of shots at the Sumos as he dove from behind the pillar to an elaborate large marble flower pot which housed a palm from floor to ceiling. Heaving, he heard Hutch's fire stop and Starsky knew his partner had momentarily run out of bullets.

Making a split second decision he yelled to get everybody's attention, rolled, came up, shot a round, rolled and ran, managing to get into the room Hutch had taken cover in. The room was big, its floor was covered with an elaborate plush yellow carpet, a few small mahogany tables told him this was just another hall way. He looked at his partner standing just behind the door.

"Starsky…" Hutch whispered, having reloaded the Magnum. "I've only got a few rounds left."

Starsky nodded grimly as he changed the clip on the Berretta, fishing a spare out of his jacket and locking it in place. "Where's Michaels?"

"Making sure we don't try anything in that direction." Hutch said eying the door opposite of where they both had entered. "And I don't think he's the only one back there."

Starsky wondered for a moment what kept these guys from moving in, unless they wanted them alive… and in one piece. It wasn't much of an advantage, but it could give them, give Hutch, a fighting chance. "Run for the front door, I'll cover you."

Hutch looked at him. "I'm not gonna leave you here."

"They're after you, blue eyes."

"Forget it."

"They're under orders not to hit you, and they're ignoring me. I'll try and keep Michaels and Donalds here off our backs and you do the same with the Sumos over there. We'll both be out of this place in no time."

Although he let Hutch take a moment to gauge their chances, Starsky knew they really didn't have any choice. They could try and work their way past Michaels or go back through the diner, only to run into God knew how many others. Whoever had set this up had covered all their escape routes. Of that he was sure. Their only real option was the front door. "All right," Hutch said. "On three."

Starsky studied his friend. There was something in his eyes he hadn't seen often. Fear. It wasn't like Hutch, not like him at all.

"Ready?" the blond asked, unlocking the safety of his Magnum once again.

"Ready," Starsky answered.

On his partner's silent mouthed 'three', they burst into the entrance hall. Starsky slammed the door closed behind him with his foot, effectively shutting out Michaels. Donalds tried to keep his eyes on Hutch but failed when Starsky's fire nicked the gun out of his hand.

The brunet noticed with satisfaction that he had been right, neither of the Sumos tried to actually hit them. They just tried to keep them pinned. Nevertheless, one of them was closing in on his position alarmingly fast.

Hutch managed to disable the Sumo still standing closest to the door with a calculated shot in the leg. He took another dive, brought up his gun coming out of the head roll, and stopped.

Starsky, too busy at his own end was momentarily distracted as he saw his partner frozen in the middle of the entrance hall, aiming at an unseen foe hidden from the brunet's view by a wide, white pillar. "Hutch!" He yelled. "What are you doing!"

His partner slowly raised the gun out of firing range.

Without the blond's back up fire Starsky knew they were fighting a loosing battle. He suddenly found Donalds walking over to Hutch, who quickly took aim at the man.

"You don't want us to kill him, now do you Hutchinson?" A new voice spoke up.

This one sounded achingly familiar. It wasn't Ben Forest. But he sounded enough like him to send shivers up the brunet's spine. Refraining from shooting, Starsky never lost his aim as he came up from his covered position and slowly walked over to his partner. He tried to keep his eye on the still standing Sumo, on Donalds, and on Michaels who had reappeared when the fire had stopped, now all closing in on his partner.

He took a second to look at the door. There stood the curly headed boy, guarding it with the innocent look of a child; an elderly man was loosely holding onto the boy's arm.

Reaching his partner Starsky felt him tremble, felt Hutch's gun tremble. "Hutch," he hissed, recognizing the man as Karl Forest.

"I can't do it, Starsk," Hutch spoke hoarsely. "I can't let them kill that boy…"

He nodded slightly. They were both fighters, both too much a cop to quit and give up when a situation looked hopeless. He knew Hutch would go on, would want to go on… until death. But… the boy…

Starsky looked over to the doors again. They were effectively surrounded, but it didn't diminish the effect of support he threw into his voice as he said, "Whatever you do… it's up to you."

Hutch looked back at him, giving him an almost imperceptible nod, and closed his eyes. He turned his head to look at Karl, and slowly lowered his gun. "All right," he said to the man. "All right…"

Starsky put his hand on Hutch's arm as he grimly let the Beretta being taken out of his hands.


The boy recognized the blond man. Looking at him he felt strange, knowing that what was happening was wrong. He saw both of them lowering their guns, and his lower lip started to tremble. That man had been nice to him. It had been a long time since anyone had been nice to him.

Within seconds the two were taken outside, and hauled up inside a truck.

It was wrong… It was very wrong…


Tbc