This chapter is shorter than planned but is because I am rewriting the next few parts.

Chapter Three

Hutch

As I entered Marcus' cell, I was determined to keep my cool, although the triumphant smirk almost undid me. Starsky's life depended on how I handled myself and I was determined not to blow it. However, I didn't want any witnesses so I barked out an order to the guard.

"Alone!"

I glared at the insane cult leader but he was clearly relaxed and enjoying my distress. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to throttle him to wipe that smirk off his face. I approached him slowly, ignoring him when he started to chant "Si-mon, Sim-on" but I was starting to lose my cool. He started to giggle but I held on to my temper as I sat down, keeping my glare on him.

"I dreamed your death, Hutchinson! So, you will die. I dreamed Starsky's death and he is already dying! I dream my dreams awake so they always come true. Always true..." His voice was in a low sing-song chant. This wasn't going to be easy. I leaned right forward so that I was in his face, ignoring his chanting.

"Where's Starsky?" I kept my voice low and intense. "The freaks and hopheads in your family are too strung out to plan any of this, so I know you laid it all out for them. I'll ask you once more--where is Starsky?" I carefully enunciated each word, trying to get through his psychotic brain. Another smirk showed he was enjoying himself but still I kept cool. As much as I wanted to throttle him, it wouldn't help my partner.

"Shhh! I'm meditating." That was enough for me and I leapt forward, grabbing him and throwing him against the wall, keeping him pinned.

"Maybe you can con your people and the press into buying you as some kind of mysterious superman of evil, but not me! I know you, Simon Marcus, alias Sal Martin, alias Sid the Shiv, alias a dozen more phony I.D.'s, and I know your real name – punk! Two-bit, dirt-bag, pervert punk!" I was growing angrier by the second and the thought of what Starsky was enduring was increasing my anger. I tried to forget the images of the bodies we'd found, the bodies left in the wake of Marcus and his nuts. The thought that my partner would go through such torture was enough to send me crazy with anger. I pulled him off the wall, only to throw him against the other wall, pinning his arm behind his back and trying to inflict some pain.

"Where are you spaced-out bums holding my partner? Talk!" I was determined to make him talk.

"You... won't hurt me... you're the white knight..." I released him reluctantly. No I couldn't hurt him, not yet, not while Starsky's life hung in the balance. He had that right unfortunately.

"I had another dream, Hutchinson... I dreamed you went looking for Starsky and you began at the end. Isn't that strange?"

"Shove the double talk! Where's Starsky?" I found myself growing desperate. Talking to this nut was like banging your head against a wall and just as productive.

"He lives until I am sentenced, but you will have to hurry. Start where it stopped, begin your search at the ending... Simon never lies..." He started chanting again and all I could do was watch in horror.

"I'll be back, Marcus, and if I don't have any luck, I promise I'll make you talk!" I kept my voice low and threatening. Unfortunately Marcus just laughed his evil laugh as he responded.

"Nothing can make me speak! Your friend will die!"

I turned and left in disgust, not trusting myself to stay there any longer. I had got precisely nowhere and my partner's life remained in the balance. I had to decide on what the next action could be. "Starsk, hold on, I'll find you!" I spoke softly, hoping Starsky would understand that I would do everything possible to find him.

Starsky

As I opened my eyes reluctantly I found myself coughing and spluttering into a dirt floor. I wasn't sure where I hurt most but my body felt like it was on fire with pain. The memory of the flurries of punches and kicks came back with a vengeance and I groaned as I tried to wriggle my wrists and ankles. Fortunately the blindfold had come off at some point but I could tell I was still very securely bound, and still in a great deal of trouble. Trying to focus my eyes to work out where I was, all I could see was that I was in a small dark area, and lying with my face down on a dirt floor.

"Hu…tch" I found myself choking out. You've got to find me, babe. Now would be a real good time….not sure how many rounds I can go with these damn freaks. An involuntary shudder swept through me as I recalled the evil atmosphere that the monotonous chanting had created. Who knew chanting could be so eerie. But I'd never been so scared in all my life and even the physical attack paled when I recalled the terror which had the chanting had caused. I was no coward, it took a lot to scare me. But this mob of lunatics had managed to spook me. I had no doubt at all that my partner would be tearing places apart looking for me, and maybe even Marcus himself, but would it be in time. Would I end up like one of the mutilated bodies we'd found earlier. Mutilated to the point that it had sickened two street-smart and tough cops. I forced myself to move so I was lying on my side, trying to ignore the pain. I knew I had to try to escape. As I methodically started to wriggle my wrists, ignoring the chaffing pain of the ropes as they cut into me, I made myself think about Hutch and how lucky I was to have such a partner and friend. He's seen me through more crap than I care to remember and he's been the one constant in my life. As I worked away at the ropes, I tried to start thinking like a cop. It had been a high risk abduction so why had they taken me? What could they hope to achieve? If they'd wanted revenge they could have just killed me or Hutch…I stopped thinking about that terrifying thought. Focus, Starsky, focus on getting out of here. My head hurt, my body hurt but I knew my only chance for survival was escape.

As I kept working away at the ropes, I found myself thinking about Hutch and how he'd be climbing the walls in an attempt to find me. It brought me some comfort as I lay there.

The sound of voices caused me to pause for a moment….

"Simon, Simon…."My heart felt like it would explode as the voices and footsteps approached. What now?