Hi All!

So sorry this chapter was a little late.

As always, massive hugs and many thanks to the Usual Suspects… Ladies, I couldn't do this without you. I truly mean that. E-Pony, I thank you as well. I value your input.

Chapter 17

Elk Meadow

Starsky whipped about and looked up at the speaker, momentarily stunned speechless by his sudden appearance. The man appeared to be in his mid forties, by the looks of him. It was rather hard to tell as his face had smears of soot all over it. The man's yellow shirt was also soot-stained as were his green pants. The hard hat he wore had seen better days as well. The man removed his Pulaski from his shoulder and leaned on the top of the handle, the head of the tool rested on the ground. He crossed his arms and then simply returned Starsky's stare.

So much was happening; Starsky was having a hard time taking it all in. He looked at Hutch for a moment, noticing anew just how exhausted and ill his friend looked. Hutch was right, it was all his fault. He took a shaky breath and slowly released it. He had to figure a way to get them both out of this mess.

"Who are you?" it came out sounding snappish; it was just that the man had startled him with his abrupt appearance. He fixed his gaze on the man.

"Wag"

"Wag? That's it?" Starsky scrutinized the man for a long moment. That was a hell of a name. He barely managed to keep himself from rolling his eyes. But he didn't need to make the man angry with him. He needed the man's help, unless the guy was somehow linked with Colby. He decided to play it safe and be cautious.

The man spoke again, "Don't you two know nothin'?"

Starsky was taken aback and puzzled by the question "Just what're we supposed ta know?" Starsky kept his eyes on the man, but out of the corner of his eye he could see Hutch cradling his injured arm to his chest. Starsky shifted position and moved in front of his friend, unsure of the visitor's intent. All of his senses were on high alert; he was in full 'protect your partner mode'. "You some kinda fireman?"

"Smoke jumper" was the terse reply.

"What's that?" The brunet cocked his head to one side, still mentally back peddling a bit. It seemed forever since he had seen anyone but Hutch and Colby, and now this firefighter shows up out of nowhere.

"Smoke jumpers are firefighters who jump out of airplanes to fight fires in hard-to-reach areas of wilderness" The man shifted from foot to foot "You're wastin' time askin' me dumb questions. You two need to get out of here. Now" a cloud of smoke briefly hid Wag.

When the smoke cleared, Starsky asked "Where're we suppose ta go?" he looked at the fire below them. It didn't look too bad. He could even see breaks in the fire line. Hell, the fire wasn't even very high, just a few inches. "Down hill?" They could make it. He could see a ribbon of water far below.

Wag shook his head and hefted his Pulaski "God no, go up hill. Now" he turned and started up the hill himself.

Starsky looked at the retreating figure and then at Hutch. The blond was weaving slightly where he sat. The brunet looked up the incline. No way was he gonna be able to get Hutch up that, not in the condition he was in. Then he remembered Colby. Dammit! The smoke jumper didn't know about the murder. He was about the go after Wag, when the man returned, coming out of the ever-thickening smoke. Starsky blinked at how quickly the man had moved over the rough terrain.

"You deaf? Go up hill... NOW!" The man pointed up the slope as he again leaned on the handle of the firefighting tool.

"It'll be easier to go down hill, my friend is hurt, and there is a killer up there shooting and throwing grenades at us." Starsky snapped at the smoke jumper, quickly tiring of the terse man. "You need to get down before he shoots ya… please." He had to change his tone. It wasn't Wag's fault that he didn't know that there was a killer on the loose and besides; he would need the man's help to get Hutch down the mountain. The blond was pale despite the heat.

The older man scanned the incline, apparently looking for Colby. "He'd better leave too, if'n he don't wanna die. He'd also be wise to loose his gun and grenades. If he gets caught in a run, the intense heat could cause those things will blow up and cause the bullets to go off inside his gun. Totally destroying what little the fire may leave behind." Wag spoke loudly enough to be heard at a distance. He turned back around and faced Starsky.

Starsky looked away from Wag and watched the fire for a few moments before making eye contact with the smoke jumper. "Look, my friend here is hurt. That fire doesn't look too bad. I can see water down below, too. It'll be easier to head that way."

"You think so? Look again"

Starsky looked down the hill at the fire. A sudden gust of wind picked up some embers and flung them playfully in the air. The sparks descended in a swirling pattern. Seconds later, that same gust rolled up the hill and into the brunet. It was hot. More swirls rose as another gust hit the hill; it threw the embers up higher before allowing them to land in the brushes and trees. What had seemed like a quiet fire below them was becoming a little more worrisome.

"Starsk? What's happenin'?" Hutch tugged at his partner's sleeve to gain his attention.

"Only fires and bears run faster up hill." Wag looked the brunet hard in the eyes as he said those words. "Going down hill into that," he pointed down hill "is certain death."

Starsky stiffened at those words, a little unsure of himself. He could feel the trick coin in his pocket. A bad choice that had ended with Hutch hurt, blinded and now caught in a forest fire. A wrong decision at this point could prove fatal. Should he trust this stranger?

Hutch nudged Starsky and gave a slight nod.

Starsky nodded in agreement, if Hutch believed Wag's word, that was good enough for him. Up hill it was.

Starsky put his hand over his friend's fingers giving them a quick pat of reassurance "We're goin' up hill buddy. C'mon, I'll help ya up" he then grabbed Hutch under his good arm and pulled him to his unsteady feet. The blond wobbled a bit. Starsky kept a sharp eye out for Colby, fearing at any second the shooting would begin anew.

Hutch balanced himself using Woody and began to climb the hill.

Starsky placed himself at the blond's elbow and continually scanned the area for Colby. He never felt more vulnerable. He noticed that Wag as gone again, hidden by the thickening smoke. Another heated gust of wind hit him from behind and an ember landed on him. He brushed it off. Then another landed in the grass in front of him.

Starsky turned to look back down the hill and where before there had been openings and breaks in the fire line, there were no openings now. The flames had closed ranks and rose from mere inches in height, were now a few feet in height and growing. He swallowed dryly. Wag was right. Down hill would have been a very bad choice.

A blast of wind hit the brunet hard from behind, nearly throwing him off of his feet. Hutch slipped and went to one knee. Starsky clutched at his partner's elbow and pulled him to his feet once more. He tossed the fire a quick glance, then returned his gaze to the hill before him and started climbing. They had a long way to go.

XXXX

Colby adjusted his binoculars, taking in the yellow shirt, green pants and hardhat of the new comer. He knew from the man's apparel and age that he was most likely a smoke jumper. They were used for initial attacks on relatively new, small fires that were in difficult terrain.

He had found all that information out a few years ago when the mob had had him track down a squealer that the government had relocated to the forest service for the witness protection program.

He watched the trio and checked for signs of other jumpers. He didn't see any and moved closer to the pair. The fire below them was increasing in its intensity. He would wait and see if there were more jumpers around and then decide what his next move should be.

As he watched, Starsky and Hutch began to climb in his direction. He scrambled backwards a bit. He didn't want them to see him just yet. He would have to take out the jumper first, he decided but lost sight of the man in the thickening smoke. He cursed and brought out the binoculars again, trying to locate his target.

XXXX

Unbeknownst to Starsky, Hutch or Colby, far below them on the mountain were crags, spurs, gulches, gullies and a winding river. The wind was being funneled through a series of ever tightening gullies. The wind was being channeled, like water in a garden hose. Pressure was building up in the narrowing areas of the gullies, rather like a kink in the hose. The pressure build up was the venturi effect and it was taking hold of the fire and turning it into something very deadly. The trio was directly under one such gully and the wind was being pushed through it.

At last, the once little fire had what it wanted.

It had plenty of fuel.

It had plenty of heat.

And now it had wind.

The fire inhaled the breath of wind and exploded upward.

XXXX

A building roar of sound and a blast of heat from behind them made the pair turn to face the source. Starsky's eyes widened at the enormous change that had taken place in the fire. What had been small and innocent looking was entirely something new and horribly dangerous.

The small pockets of fire that had been burning down the hillside were now connected and had grown to several feet in height, and were getting larger by the second.

Though they didn't know it, they were witnessing a blowup. Hutch could feel the near hurricane wind buffeting him. The heat of the flames intensified and he felt his bare skin taking the brunt of the heat, his clothing deflected some of the radiant heat.

Flames and smoke shot high into the air. The duo didn't need to know the exact nature of the beast to know it was dangerous. Hutch didn't need his sight to feel the intensity and the waves of sound and heat that assaulted him.

They turned as one and ran.

XXXX

Colby looked at the pair through his binoculars. They weren't going to make it. Flames dogged his former friends' steps; he could feel the heat from them all the way to his currant position. He put the binoculars away. He knew when it was time to cut his losses and that time was right now. How unsatisfying that the flames would likely get them. Aside from the one jumper, he hadn't seen anyone else. He shrugged to himself, most likely any other jumpers were either dead, soon would be or currently running for their lives.

He glance at the struggling detectives, those two had the damnedest luck. If they stuck together, and they always did, there might be a slim chance they could get out of this. He looked at the ridge behind him. It had possibilities. If they made it to the top, he'd be waiting for them.

XXXX

The fire seemed to be toying with them. Starsky had to keep changing their course to avoid the flames.

Hutch had listened in on the conversation that Starsky had with Wag, but trusted Starsky to handle the situation. He was worried that his friend would see how sick he really was. He didn't want his partner to worry. He kept a light contact with the brunet, since he couldn't see what was happening; he could at least feel for any changes in tension in Starsky's body.

The blond was pushed and nudged in the direction of now burned-out meadow where his plane had landed, as they both had figured that there was nothing to burn there as the fire had already reduced much of the area to ashes. But heat and flames cut them off. Straight up was the only way now.

Hutch could hear Starsky's grunts of exertion, they mixed with his own. But the roar of the fire was growing and he could feel pulses of heat flashing over him. The blond sagged and stumbled to a halt. His legs and side muscles burned with pain from his forced run. He knew he couldn't go any further.

He leaned weakly against his best friend, it was time "Leave me… you can go faster by yourself" His mouth was dry and sticky with dehydration and stark fear. "I'm not gonna make it Starsk. You have to leave me."

"NO! We go together… leave no man behind, especially your friends" Starsky hollered back at him. Tension, fear and exhaustion were evident in his voice.

"STARSKY! Listen to me!" Hutch yelled out with all his might to be heard over the ever-increasing roar of sound. God help them if Starsky had another flashback now. He reached out to shake Starsky's shoulders, facing him. He wished more than ever to be able to see his best friend's eyes, desperately needing that connection one last time. "If you don't leave me now, there isn't gonna be any chance for either of us."

"You know somethin' Hutch, you're right. See ya." Starsky let go of him and backed away.

Hutch felt the blood drain from his face at those words. He hadn't expected it to be that easy. He quickly realized the truth and was about to call his partner a liar when he heard Starsky scoff.

"Oh right, like that's really gonna happen, Hutch. I got you into this mess, I'm gonna get you out" The brunet grabbed his friend's arm.

Hutch could almost see Starsky roll his eyes as he said those words, but then the sarcastic humor changed into an utter seriousness tone.

"We're partners. You're my pal Hutch; I ain't leavin' ya, not now, not ever. Enough of this soapy talk. We gotta get outta here."

Hutch tilted his head and listened. He could hear the grass rustling close to him and a little further away, he could detect the sound of tree limbs creaking and dried leaves whipping in the wind. In his minds eye, he painted a picture the grassy area stretched before him, lined by trees and bushes that had been dried by the drought conditions the area had been experiencing. A whole lot of things to burn and they were right in the middle of it. The blond swallowed dryly, he didn't have enough saliva. He had to try one more time to convince his partner to leave him.

"Starsk, I-I'm serious. You can make it… alone… now get outta here" Hutch pulled away and leaned heavily on his walking stick. "Get outta here!" He shouted.

Long seconds passed. He realized Starsky was still there.

"Go… just go" He forced himself to stand tall and faced the direction of his friend. "One of us should make it. You can do it, if you leave me behind." He then looked away and kept his head turned. He pulled in his emotions, reeling them in like a fish on a line. He kept withdrawing without moving. It was imperative if he was to convince Starsky of his point.

"I know we can make it. And we will… somehow." Starsky's tone was adamant.

Hutch dropped his head; his little guilt trip had failed, tying Starsky to him with strings of obligation. Starsky wouldn't leave him. He had failed. And his failure was going to cost them both their lives.

XXXX

Starsky scanned the area, looking for some place safe to go. He then remembered the smoke jumper and whipped around looking for him. The smoke and flames were closing in on them. The man must have taken off to save himself. Starsky couldn't blame him.

Just when he was certain that Wag had deserted them, he was headed back to their side, running up to them out of the thick smoke.

"Here, take this!" Wag shouted over the noise as he handed a small metallic object to Starsky.

"What's this?" The brunet glanced worriedly at the flames below them. Primal fear gnawed at him, deep and ingrained, making him want to keep moving up and away from the fire. Now.

"It's a 'shake 'n bake'" At the detectives' uncomprehending look, Wag elaborated, "A fire shelter, it's like a tent. Two can fit in it" He quickly explained how to use it, open the package, shake it out, head uphill, feet to the fire and hang on.

Starsky looked at the small package dumbly. That little thing could keep them alive in a fire? No way. He quickly pocketed it to humor the man and pulled Hutch's arm, drawing him away from the smoke jumper and further up the hill.

"You'll never make it!" Wag shouted at them to be heard over the increasingly loud roar of the fire. He snatched Woody out of Hutch's hands.

"HEY!" Hutch made a grab for his stick, but since he couldn't see, missed.

Starsky glared at the man for a second, then determined this was no time to argue with the jumper. They had to leave now. But something made him look at Wag once more.

The smoke jumper had taken Woody and was franticly tying something to one end of it. The thing looked like a traffic flare. The man then quickly lit the object then handed it back to Starsky.

Starsky stared at the flare tied to the stick then he looked back at the man. Wag must have lost his mind. They already had more fire then they needed… and the lunatic hands him a torch. He shook his head and took a nervous step away from Wag.

"I've tied a fusee to the stick and lit it; swing it around on the grass before you! You need to light a back fire to clear a safe place to deploy the shelter." Wag stepped towards the detective.

"Do it Starsk!" the blond shouted in his friend's ear to be heard over the sound of the fire. It was nearly deafening, like several jet planes taking off at the same time. The very air vibrated with the sound.

Starsky did as directed and lit the grass before them. The wind pushed the flames away from them and up the hill. It was amazing how quickly the grass burned. Then he tossed Woody away and grabbed the fire shelter out of his pocket, shaking it out as soon as it was clear.

He gathered Hutch to him and positioned him on the ground. Just before he lay down on his friend, he remembered Wag and looked for him. The man was gone. Flames and wind roared at them and there was no more time to spare. He whispered a quick prayer for Wag and pulled the tent over the top of them, covering them both.

TBC

Notes:

Fusee – A flare used to start fires. They burn at roughly 1,700 degrees F.

A Run (of fire) – A very fast and very intense advance of fire.

Fire shelter/ fire tent ('shake 'n bake') – An aluminum tent like shelter that is used by firefighters as a last resort.

Safety zone/ good black – An area cleared of flammables and is used by firefighters as a barrier or escape route.