Part 3 – Chapter 44

Dobey, Rigger and a team of marksmen arrived shortly after 6:00pm. Before coming up to the bedroom, the Captain had the rifle toting cops position themselves in the tree line surrounding the lawn and the outdoor pool where they could clearly see the pool house, but weren't in Fisher's sight. The men, all selected for their skills with rifles dug in and prepared to wait. Fortunately, the night was clear and warm and pleasant enough that they could be relatively comfortable. They maintained radio silence.

Dobey and Rigger made their way into the clinic bearing a large bunch of flowers, just as if they were visiting the brunet cop as normal. Everything had to be done to keep up the appearance of normality, in case Fisher had gone up the mountain early and was keeping watch. The two men headed for the brunet's room where Starsky and Hutch were getting ready for the evening's performance. The captain hadn't seen his man for a few days and as he walked into the room, he had a pleasant surprise that Starsky was looking well, tanned and rested. The brunet turned as the door pushed open and smiled.

'Hey Cap'n… Rigger. Good to see ya.'

'Good to see you up an' about. How're ya doin'?' Dobey asked.

'I'm good. I'll be better after tonight' the brunet admitted.

Dobey sat down heavily in a chair while Rigger went to the window and parted the curtains slightly. He looked out, gauging distances and set up two pairs of binoculars on tripods, training them on the pool house. The Captain dabbed at his face with his large white hanky.

'Are you sure about this Starsky? I mean two days ago you were…'

'Mad as a hatter? Is that what you were gonna say? Not rowin' with both oars?' the brunet snorted. 'I'm fine. I've been over this with Blondie an' I know what I'm doin'. This is somethin' I have to do Cap'n. After everythin' that the bastard has done to me and to Hutch I just need to get it over with ok?'

'Well you're the only one who knows how ya feel. And as long as the Doc says it's ok. There's one thing I've been wantin' to ask though, and don't take this the wrong way, but knowin' how completely Fisher had you under his control, how do we know he won't just do it again? I mean, can you be sure you're fully recovered? Don't you think someone else should go down there?'

Starsky smiled grimly. 'The answer is I don't know. I know what to watch out for and I hope I can recognise the warnin' signs an' hopefully I won't have to be around him long enough for him to do anythin' else. I don't aim to be encouraging him to get into deep conversation.'

'And you're sure?' Dobey pressed.

'Wild horses wouldn't stop me doin' this. I just need to make sure he's behind bars.'

'Ok, well, so long as you're sure. I have marksmen in the woods round the pool house. Me an' Hutch'll be here watching through the binoculars and Rigger will be down at the opposite side of the pool, hidden and ready in case you get into trouble. The minute you feel things are out of control, shout an' Rigger can be there in seconds.'

The brunet nodded his understanding and for the next couple of hours, the four talked through the plans ensuring that everyone knew their roles and what to do if it looked like Fisher was once again asserting some sort of influence over Starsky. As the clock fingers worked their inevitable way up to 9:50pm the brunet got up, straightened his shirt and let out a deep, calming breath.

He smiled once. 'Ok this is it. See ya later' he said easily picking up four blank audio tapes from the table. Now the time was here and he was moving, he felt calmer and in control.

Knowing that now was not the time for a pep talk, the blond merely smiled encouragingly. 'See ya later partner' Hutch said and as the door to the bedroom closed. The blond flicked off the light and Dobey spoke into his walkie talkie. 'Superman's flyin', repeat, Superman is in the air.' There were some clicks on the line marking that each of the team members understood that Starsk was making his way down to the pool and Rigger's voice came on the line, soft and low. 'Lex Luther is waiting. I have him in my sights, over.'

From his viewpoint at the window, Hutch watched as Starsky walked down the sloping lawn and towards the pool. The brunet kept his pace slow and even and Hutch admired just how composed the brunet seemed to be. Starsky had always been excellent at undercover work, but this was in a class of its own and for a moment, the thought crossed Hutch's mind that maybe Starsky was still under Fisher's influence. He lost sight of his partner behind a stand of trees, and then he picked him up again as he walked onto the poolside and over to the large cabana. As he got to the doorway, the tall, lugubrious figure of Fisher appeared from the shadows.

Starsky hitched a breath to calm himself as he walked onto the brightly lit poolside. He tried to relax his body, matching his behaviour to that he'd seen in the video, but he couldn't help a small shiver as Fisher appeared in front of him, by the door to the pool house. The tall man looked around and then walked over to Starsky, a small smile on his face.

'David, I'm so happy that we get to meet again. I've missed you.'

The brunet's skin crawled but he kept his face a blank mask as he walked slowly and impassively over to meet his antagonist.

'Did you miss me too?' Fisher continued.

Playing his part to the hilt, Starsky kept his eyes lowered and his face blank. 'Yeah' he said softly.

'Have you spoken to anyone about me David? Have you shared our secret with anyone?'

'No. didn't speak to no one. You told me not to.'

'And you always obey me, don't you David?' Fisher looked carefully at the brunet and for a moment, Starsky raised his eyes, chancing a glance at the tall man.

'I try to' he deadpanned.

'Yes, you do, but you've let me down so many times before, haven't you. I need to be sure David. I need to make sure your friends don't know I'm here. You're not going to cheat on me now are you David? You're not wearing a wire are you?'

'No.'

'So you wouldn't mind proving that to me, would you?'

Starsky heart started to beat a little faster as Fisher came closer to him. The brunet fought to retain his façade. 'No…..don't mind' he mumbled.

'Take your shirt off for me. Let me see that you're not wearing a wire huh?'

With a dry mouth and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Starsky obediently pulled his shirt from his waistband and started to unbutton it. He pulled it open at the front to reveal a wire free chest and Fisher took a deep breath.

'Good boy David' he said softly and almost reverently. Fisher started to talk to Starsky as he walked around behind the brunet.

'Do you have my tapes?' he breathed into Starsky's ear.

'Tapes….yeah' the brunet tried to control the shake of anger and loathing in his voice. He took the four tapes from his pocket of his jeans and handed them over. Fisher pocketed them without checking and continued to circle his prey.

'Before you go David, there's something I've been longing to do. I want to touch you just once. I've heard you and I've fantasised about you and now I want to feel your warmth. I want to feel the heat radiating from that pretty body' Fisher continued. Gently and with great care, he pushed Starsky's shirt from his shoulders so that it fell into a puddle behind the brunet. Starsky fought to remain relaxed although every nerve in his body told him to rebel against the touch. Still, he remained quiet his eyes lidded and focused on the ground in front of him….waiting for the right time.

Fisher trailed his finger slowly down Starsky's chest toying with the wiry hairs. His finger circled the dark brown nipple and still Starsky remained quiet and impassive, employing every ounce of self control he had at his command. The fingers strayed further south, towards his belt.

Up in the bedroom in the clinic, Hutch and Dobey watched through the binoculars. When Fisher had pushed off his partner's shirt, the blond had stiffened and now, as he watched Edgar Fisher's fingers start on the buckle of Starsky's belt, he grabbed Dobey's walkie talkie.

'Move in, all units move in' he said into the device. Dobey grabbed it from the blond's hand and depressed the button. 'All units ignore that last. Stay put, I repeat, stay put.' Angrily he turned on the blond. 'You are not the officer in charge here. Rigger calls the shots. He knows his job and he has a better view down there. Cool it Hutchinson. Let this play out. If Starsky feels he's in trouble, he'll holler.'

But at that moment, Starsky took the law into his own hands. Up until then Starsky has been ok - in control. He felt as though he could deal with Fisher's closeness because this was a means to an end. As the tall man started to work at his belt, however, the visions of himself on the bed, his left hand working at the centre of his body overrode any remaining self control he'd had. As Fisher started to unzip his pants, Starsky's temper snapped and with a yell of rage, he grabbed a hold of Fishers hands, whipped the big man round and forced Edgar's hand up his back between his shoulder blades. Angrily, he slammed Fisher against the wall of the pool house and jerked his arm higher.

'Edgar Fisher, I'm arresting you for the…' Starsky got no further as with a titanic effort, Fisher pushed himself and his captor backwards. The move took the brunet completely by surprise and he cannoned back from the wall of the pool house, still holding on to Fisher's arm. Together both men teetered on the edge of the pool and inevitably, gravity took over and they fell backwards into the water.

Dobey grabbed his walkie talkie and was about to yell instructions into it, but was beaten to the post by Rigger, who's voice was quietly and authoritatively issuing instructions.

'Swat team move in, move in, Fisher's on the move. I'm goin' in.'

And when he said he was going in, Rigger meant it quite literally. He waited only long enough to hear the confirmations from the rest of his team before flinging his walkie talkie down onto the grass and running up to the pool to leap fully clothed into the water.

Up at the house, Hutch was already running from the room hotly pursued by Dobey, the blond having seen his partner plunge into the pool.

Starsky himself landed in the water underneath Fisher and for a split second both men were shocked and came up to the surface spluttering. Fisher was marginally quicker than Starsky, who was still recovering from the shock treatment that morning. Although not slow off the mark, the brunet's reactions were marginally slower than usual and Fisher was on him in an instant. Starsky felt hands round his throat and had only time for a swift breath of air before Fisher pushed his head under the water.

The sickening sound of bubbling water filled Starsky's ears as he clawed at the fingers round his throat. The pressure was incredible and he could hear also a buzzing in his ears. Eyes open, he could already see red speckles at the periphery of his vision marking that his body was low on oxygen. The brunet could feel his body weakening and although he fought on like a tiger, he felt his grip on life beginning to weaken.

Desperately and with a titanic effort, Starsky kicked his legs and brought both he and Fisher up to the surface where he managed to open his mouth a grab another mouthful of air. Fisher managed to pull himself up and put a hand on the cop's curly head, forcing the man below the surface again just as Rigger got his hands on Fisher's body. The thin man yelled in anger and frustration as Rigger pulled him away and cuffed him smartly on the jaw. The light went out behind the man's eyes and the cop pulled him away just as a blond whirlwind plunged into the pool and grabbed Starsky round the waist. With smooth easy strokes Hutch towed his partner to the side of the pool and smoothed the sodden curls back from the brunet's forehead.

Starsky gasped, trying hard to draw breath back into his body. Water streamed down his face and he tossed his head sending droplets left and right. Hutch kept a firm hold round his waist and grinned at him.

'You ok there partner, you look a little damp?'

Starsky snorted. 'What kept ya?' the brunet panted.

'You look like you had it covered. I was takin' an evening stroll. C'mon, let's get you back to the room and dried off.'

Starsky pushed himself away. 'Uh uh. I have one last thing to do' he grunted as he levered himself out of the water. He stood for a moment, shaking the water from his sneakers before padding wetly over to Rigger and the now handcuffed Fisher. The thin man looked up at him, his composure and calm smile finally gone, washed away with the chlorine from the pool. Starsky hunkered down in front of him and calmly started to recite the Miranda.

At the end of it, he stood and without a backwards look, he collected his partner and Starsky and Hutch made their weary way back to the clinic, a hot shower and a glass of brandy.