Just two or three more chapters, and then this story is done. Thanks to all the usual suspects.

Enjoy.

Chapter 17

"Th… thirsty."

In the light of the lonely candle Stef had found, his partner's pale features resembled those of the dead. Both the cot, which Starsky currently occupied, and the cupboard looked totally out of place in this less than homely environment. Hutch shuddered, trying not to let the dark shadows of this underground chamber they'd managed to reach right before the methane ignited and the church exploded, get to him. Instead he focussed on getting some fluids into the man. Kneeling down at his partner's side he gently put the goblet-like object to his pale lips. "Here, drink this," he said, while putting a hand underneath his head to lift it.

Starsky took a sip and, obviously expecting it to be water, immediately spat it out again. "What… is that?" He coughed.

"Wine… It was the only thing we could find." Hutch nodded at the cupboard.

"You… sure… it's not… something else…"

"It's not blood, I checked… Now drink it."

Obediently Starsky drank a considerable amount of the stuff. Putting the empty goblet away Hutch asked softly, "Feel better?"

"Room…stopped…spinning." Turning his head to eye his surroundings, Starsky squinted, and then frowned. The wine must have helped, because the brunet's eyes seemed to clear. "Hush… looks an … awful… lot… like… a… catacomb… in here." Hutch removed his hand, but Starsky kept his head up, giving him a reprimanding look, "I'm not… dead… yet, ya know."

Stef's soft whisper coming from a dark corner broke through the still, dust filled air and echoed off the walls, "It's a burial chamber; there are a couple of them underneath this church. I'm guessing our man of the cloth slept here."

The brunet laid his head back down again, "T'riffic… "

Hutch smiled. Brushing the dust from his pants, he stood up; studying the catacomb a bit closer. It didn't contain much, the cot and cupboard, and a stone tomb at the back, obviously containing someone important, flanked by two knight-like statues on either side. On the top of the steps behind him, the doorway to the church was blocked with stone and rubble. The only way out was a way the young thief was about to show them.

"Cosy little sleeping area," Hutch observed.

"Yeah," Stef said, his voice coming from behind the statue on the right. A scraping noise; the knight pivoted on its pedestal to reveal a trapdoor underneath. The thief's voice turned urgent, "We can't stay here… come on."

Hutch felt a little hesitation at going down into the tunnels again after what had happened last time. "Starsk, think you can try and sit up a bit, huh?"

His partner moved without a word. Hutch bent down, letting Starsky throw one arm over his shoulder. Pulling the brunet up, the blond securely held on to him. "Here we go again," Hutch muttered, leading his partner to the trapdoor. He peered down.

Holding the candle, Stef was standing a couple of steps down the concrete stairs disappearing deep beneath him. "You think you can manage it?"

Hutch knew what he meant. The stairs were small, very small, and barely wide enough to fit one man. "Yeah," he answered, readjusting Starsky's weight. Turning a little, so his partner was behind him, instead of next to him, he carefully took the first few steps down the narrow stairway. The stench reaching up towards them intensified with every step. Hutch coughed again, clenching his teeth against the pain his bruised ribs caused him as he strained them to try and keep his partner upright.

To his surprise the weight on his shoulder suddenly lessened. Meeting his partner's eyes, Starsky nodded grimly, "Wine helped…" he muttered, standing more or less on his own two feet but still holding on to the blond for support. He nodded again when Hutch, who knew full well that Starsky was trying to relieve his partner's pain by lessening the burden, didn't move.

Okay, but don't be a hero Starsk, I'm here when you need me…. Hutch broke eye contact, and proceeded to make his way down. Starsky still leaned on his shoulder, but to keep from falling also used the wall for support. Hutch guessed they'd made it about thirty steps down when the concrete walls on either side changed to rock. The walls were wet; drops of filthy liquid slid off of them, accumulating into little streams of sewer waste, cascading down the stairs, making every step a slippery experience.

When they finally did reach the bottom, after twenty more steps or so, the blond nearly tripped as he plunged into ankle-deep water that had flooded the lower passageway. The upside was that the tunnel had widened significantly and, despite the stench, Hutch found he was able to breathe easier.

Behind him Starsky groaned. Sensing the pain his partner was in, Hutch whipped around to get a hold of him as his friend's legs and arms twitched with sudden cramps. "I got you… try to relax." Hutch lent him his support, relieving the strain on Starsky's limbs as once again the brunet's strength seemed to drain away as quickly as it had come.

"'S okay… I'm okay." Starsky muttered, "Less go…"

Hutch obeyed. But the ankle deep water was cold, and underneath his hands, although his skin felt hot to the touch, Starsky started to shiver. Hot…but not sweating… That's not good. Hang on buddy… Hang on. As he followed Stef's candlelight, every splashing step echoed loudly in the tunnel around him. When the young thief disappeared around corners of the winding passageway Hutch had to feel his way ahead, stumbling forwards through the dark spaces where the light ceased to reach.

"Hush?"

"Yeah," Hutch answered, heaving slightly from his partner's weight.

"Whass that we're… stepping…on? Floor's… soft."

Hutch couldn't help but release a snort, "Trust me, partner…" he breathed, nearly choking on the stench and feeling light-headed from the methane floating around, "you don't want to know."

After five minutes stumbling through ice-cold sewer water and excrement, the floor began to dry. Thank God. Hutch thought relieved, I wouldn't have lasted another mile in this stuff.

Stef had stopped at a three way crossing. Entering the small circle of light surrounding the boy, Hutch asked, "Which way?" Anxiously he peered into the tunnel, branching away from them.

"This is where we split up."

"What!" Hutch snapped; turning on Stef so fast Starsky nearly lost his footing.

In the fiery yellow glow, the boy's brown eyes seemed to change to a warmer colour as they reflected his obvious dilemma. "I need to find Marcel," he stated softly.

The slither of coldness in his voice didn't go unnoticed. Briefly he thought back at his own words. "Get Marcel!" Hutch had shouted nearly reaching the safety of the door leading down to the catacombs.

Stef's answer had been quick, "I already checked! He's gone! Must have taken the opportunity to escape."

In the here and now Hutch frowned, "What's so damn important about Marcel? I want to find him as much as you do, but if I don't get my partner out right now, he's not going to make it!"

Stef's stance straightened at the angry tone. "He's going after Fifth Avenue, Detective. And for your information I owe Avenue far more than just my life. I don't like it either but I have to try and stop him. And if I don't leave now, it'll be too late."

Hutch could see reason in those words, but the state his partner was in and the fear of loosing him clouded his judgement. "Stef, I don't know one tunnel from another! How 'm I going to find my way out?"

"Just keep following the tunnels to the left hand side until you come to another three-way crossing." Stef explained, pointing to one of the tunnels. "Then take the tunnel right; It'll lead straight up and out." Stef handed over the candle.

There was something in his voice that told Hutch the boy wasn't being entirely honest with him. He was holding back. Hutch clapped his hand around the small wrist just as Stef released the candleholder. "You're not planning something stupid, are you?"

Stef looked him straight in the eye, "He killed Will." He said coldly. The revelation made Hutch release his hold. "And now he's going to kill Fifth. I can't let that happen."

Hutch spoke up his voice equally low. "Killing him is not the answer, Stef."

The young thief turned his head away, avoiding the blond's stare. "Maybe… Maybe not. Look, you just get your friend out, okay? Don't worry about me… I know what I'm doing."

"Who's worrying?" Starsky slurred.

"Stef!" Hutch yelled, powerless to stop him, his voice a mixture of fear and frustration as the boy turned and ran down the adjoining passageway.

"Can't… change… what he is… Hutch," Starsky murmured.

"He's not a murderer, Starsk… Not yet."

"I know…" Starsky's voice had fallen to a whisper again.

Hutch sighed; at least Stef hadn't left him lost this time. "Okay… come on; the quicker we get you out of here, the better."

"Has it been taken care off?" Marcel asked the deceptively small man standing in front of him.

"Yes," the answer came in a weasel-like voice. "We destroyed all their means off escape. The only tunnels still standing are the ones leading straight here." The smile turned evil, "Straight to their doom."

Marcel nodded and looked up at the massive cave surrounding the twenty-five men bound to take over The Guild. "This cave will make a nice little trap. We can hide up there. They'll never know what hit them."

Dismayed, Hutch eyed the destruction in front of him. Releasing the hold he had on his partner, he sank down on one of the large boulders strewn all over the place. He shook his head… Stef's instructions were accurate to the letter, and after fifteen minutes they'd reached the three-way crossing… Or what was left of it.

From the three tunnels, only two were remaining. One was the one they came in from, the other was the tunnel located all the way to the left. The other one was destroyed, no doubt by Marcel's handy work.

"It'll be all right." Starsky spoke softly; leaning against the wall just beneath the one torch that had managed to stay burning. Hutch had put the candle down and looked up at the flushed face staring down at him. "We'll just take the left one… it's bound to lead somewhere," He said; his mouth dry, and sounding thick with saliva.

I guess the wine wasn't enough, Hutch thought desperately. He's badly dehydrated... Damn that priest! "Starsky," Hutch struggled to try and keep the defeat out of his voice. "It's a maze down here. That tunnel might go anywhere or nowhere at all. It can take ages before we find an exit." And you don't have that long, buddy.

The corner of the brunet's mouth twitched in an acknowledging motion. Hutch didn't miss the dizzy spells that made his partner's voice waver, "You got… a better… idea?"

"No." No, I don't. They locked eyes for a few seconds. Dizzy… warm skin, thick voice... he needs fluids, salts, liquids... Standing up,Hutch reached for his partner's wrist. Starsky let him, obviously feeling too weak to resist. Another symptom Hutch didn't like. He felt for his pulse. It was faint. Low blood pressure; it means he's close to shock. God…what the hell do I do? I can't leave him here, but walking will kill him even faster. "How are you feeling?"

Starsky shrugged, "I've been better…" he whispered.

"Headache?"

The brunet nodded an affirmative. "No choice… Hutch. We hafta… go in." Worriedly Hutch stared at him. Starsky's face softened. "Hey…I'll manage."

Looking away, Hutch shook his head. Starsky was right. His best option was to go for it. Leaving him was out of the question, so he decided he just had to support him as best he could and hope they'd find an exit, or at the very least some clear water, soon. He sighed, "Okay, you're up for another walk?"

Not answering the question, his partner stumbled over to him to grab his shoulder. Hutch took a deep breath as he made his way towards the left-hand tunnel. Darkness beckoned them; shadows and ghosts. Not wanting to give his anxiety any more foods for thought, Hutch tightly wrapped a hand around his partner's back and took the rest of the steps that led them inside. Within seconds, the darkness had swallowed both of them up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Fifth demanded, grabbing Stef by one arm, while trying to keep a crate from falling of the cart with the other. Two men quickly took over as Fifth pulled the unfortunate boy aside.

Surprised at finding Fifth cleaning up a storage cave instead off fighting Marcel's men, Stef ignored the question, asking one of his own instead. "What happened to the war?"

"It's over." Fifth released his grip. "As soon as our adversaries got word that their fearless leader had managed to blow himself and the church sky-high, they fled."

How Fifth always managed to get news this fresh, never failed to amaze Stef. Guess that's why he's the main man around here, he figured.

"We're leaving," Avenue continued. "Relocating; Marcel's men managed to destroy most of the tunnels, leaving only one escape-way intact. They probably meant to trap us near the west-side exit. However, since they have lost their little coup, I-"

"He's not dead," Stef interrupted.

The tall man in front of him fell abruptly silent and looked at him in disbelief.

"He's not dead, Fifth!" he repeated urgently when there was no reaction. "There's a good chance he is waiting at that exit for you and… oh no." His face fell.

"What?"

"Starsky and Hutch," he whispered, staring down in shock. "I sent them up through the tunnels, but if you're right, and there's only the West exit left…"

"They'll end up walking straight into Marcel's hands," Fifth finished for him.

"We're never gonna get there in time," Stef spoke, looking up in grief, "Are we?"

Fifth shook his head, "No… sorry."

tbc