Disclaimer: This story was written purely for entertainment and is not for profit. It is not meant to trespass in any way on the holders to the rights of Starsky and Hutch.
Warning: "Episodes" might be considered a dark tale and contains some graphic scenes and foul language that may be offensive to some readers. This story also revolves around a paranormal/metaphysical genre; if this is not your cup of tea, then please refrain from sipping. I would hate to spoil someone's fun.
--oo Episodes oo-
By: Shawne 'til dawn
. . . CHAPTER 7 . . .
Starsky dashed out into the cold night, his eyes adjusting to the darkness outside, silently wondering if Mari had another vision that had prompted her to run. His eyes darted about as he searched up and down the street, seeing only his bright red Torino parked in front of his house.
The curly haired detective made a quick decision and started sprinting in the direction he thought she would head in. It was dangerous for her to be out here alone, in the dark. If he were a girl, he reasoned, he would make it to the store a couple of blocks down. At least at the store, it would be relatively safe with enough light and people around.
He passed several homes, his mind focused on finding the young Asian woman who had once again eluded him, when suddenly; he felt himself being yanked into one of the many narrow, dark side roads that flanked the main street. He had the air knocked out of his lungs, as he was slammed hard against the brick wall that lined the deserted thoroughfare.
"Uungh!" he gasped, stars exploding in his head as it bashed against the cold bricks from the momentum of the pull. Something razor sharp slashed across his lower abdomen, easily slicing through his thin, light-blue pullover. Gasping, Starsky fell to one knee, his right hand over his lower mid-section, feeling the warmth of his blood as it dripped through his fingers.
Breathing hard, the brunet shook his head, to clear the cobwebs and disorientation away. It was dark and the pain in his lower mid-section made it difficult to think and focus. He automatically reached with his left hand for his gun, only to find it missing. He lifted his dazed blue eyes to his assailant, who stood in the narrow street, his black-gloved hand clutching the large, sharp blade. Starsky gasped softly, blinking to clear his vision, trying to make out the dark shape of the man who stood before him.
"You think you're something special . . . don't you pig?" the large man snarled, contempt clearly evident in his voice, "Did you have your way with her yet? Did you fuck her? She was mine you prick and now you've dirtied her!"
"You think . . . she would ever be yours . . . asshole?" Starsky gasped, his fingers growing slick as his blood continued to seep out, "She was . . . never yours," Starsky rasped, purposely trying to goad the perp into making a careless move. The way he was bleeding out, Starsky knew he had to move fast. "And yeah . . . just in case you're wonderin' . . . she was damn good!"
"Fuck you, bastard!" The killer snapped and charged the downed man, stopping himself in time from running into the wall, when the detective suddenly curled his body and rolled away at the last minute.
"Starsk? Starsky!" Hutch called as he jogged down the street . . . so far he had seen nothing . . . no sign of his partner anywhere. The blond felt worried, as the cold finger of fear raced up his spine, "Dammit Starsky . . . where are you?"
The large man looked over his shoulder, knowing the cop's partner was just around the corner. He quickly grabbed the wounded detective before he could get to his feet, knowing the curly haired man was still trying to get his bearings after rolling away the way he did. Hearing the brunet gasping painfully as he pinned him up against the brick wall, brought an evil grin the killer's hard, cruel mouth.
"You'll die," he hissed softly into the Starsky's ear, "Knowing you couldn't save her . . . that in the end, she'll still be mine!" With a vicious upward arc, he drove his blade into the detective's right side, just under his ribs, smiling with satisfaction when he heard the cop cry out in pain, his body tense and rigid against the wall. The shock and pain in the wide, blue eyes of the detective was forever ingrained upon the killer's mind.
"Starsky?" Hutch called out, racing down the street when he heard the soft cry of pain in the night.
The large man grinned evilly, his face shadowed by the dim streetlight; his features were indistinguishable as he watched the detective slowly slide down the wall, the knife embedded to the hilt in his side. At the sound of feet running towards them, the assailant took one last look at the bleeding brunet and sprinted off into the night.
"Starsky?" Hutch called out, slowing to walk, as he listened to the stillness of the night. He could have sworn he heard something around this area. The blond looked down the narrow, darkened side street, "Starsk?"
"H-Hutch . . . help." Starsky gasped softly, as red-hot pain brutally flared with each labored breath that he took. The brunet gasped, sinking slowly to the ground in a crumpled heap, by the time Hutch had found him.
"Starsk?" Hutch said, sliding to his knees next to his fallen partner, "Oh god buddy . . .
d-don't move." The sight of the blade's hilt protruding from his friend's side sickened the blonde.
Starsky gasped in pain, his vision beginning to blur, "Uungh . . . oh god Hutch," the brunet panted, his trembling right hand trying to pull the blade out, "H-hurts!"
Hutch grabbed his partner's seeking hand, restraining it from doing more damage, "I know babe, but I can't let you pull it out . . . not yet, y-you'll bleed to death." Hutch quickly looked his partner over, noticing the pool of blood on the waistband of his jeans. "Shit . . ." he whispered softly, the concern and worry he felt for his friend was etched upon his face. "I-I gotta see where he hurt you Starsk," Hutch said soothingly, easing his friend onto his back so that he could unsnap the top button of his tight jeans, wincing as he heard his partner's sharp intake of breath.
Starsky groaned softly, tensing in pain, as Hutch carefully pulled the bloody bottom of his shirt from the waistband of his jeans. "Oh god," Hutch whispered softly, hearing the sirens approaching in the distance, he looked over the six-inch gash that ran along the lower abdomen of his partner.
"Here . . . use this, we've got to stop the bleeding . . ." a small voice whispered above him. Hutch looked up to see Mari holding a towel that she began to shred into strips.
"I took this from his bathroom when I left," she whispered, her almond shaped eyes locked on the dark haired detective, "It reminded me of home . . ."
"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to stay at the store?" Hutch snapped angrily, taking his worry and frustration out on the small woman who ignored his outburst, as she knelt next to the wounded man.
She wiped the perspiration from Starsky's clammy face with the edge of the soft towel strip and gently pressed another wider piece along the slashed area of the detective's abdomen.
Starsky jolted in pain at the slight pressure to the wound, gasping, eyes tightly scrunched. He groaned softly, turning his head away from her as he gritted his teeth to hold back any more unwanted sounds, as he silently surfed through the stabbing waves of pain that bombarded his rigid body.
Mari bit her lip, silent tears streamed down her face. She looked up at the blond, "Listen to me Hutch," she whispered, "You can't take David to the hospital . . . he'll be there . . . he's waiting to finish what he started."
"I won't let him!" Hutch snarled, pressing his large hands over her smaller one to help staunch the flow of his partner's life-blood that continued to spill out onto the dark narrow road.
"Uungh" the brunet groaned as he tried to twist his body away from the invasive pain that stabbed into his mid-section, his long, dark lashes lifted slightly to reveal a sliver of dark blue.
"Hey buddy . . . take it easy, no, no . . don't move . . . I'm right here . . . we're right here
. . . Mari is too." Hutch said softly, using the gentle voice he reserved for his partner and best friend, the soothing tone, seeming to calm the wounded man who relaxed slightly against the hard, paved road, his eyes drifting to the girl at Hutch's side.
"H-hey . . ." the brunet gasped, attempting to grin as he saw the worry that marred the pretty features of the young Asian girl. "W-where'dya go . . . huh?" he murmured, his speech becoming slurred as his long lashes lowered once more to fan out across his pale, damp skin.
Hutch could hear the doors slamming as the police cars lined the narrow road.
"Please Hutch, hear me . . . you must take him somewhere else . . . the killer is evil and so very clever, he's been able to elude the police for over a year now . . . he will succeed in killing David if you do not heed my words," Mari whispered, nervously eyeing the policemen who made their way towards them. She could feel her whole body trembling in her desperation to make the blond detective understand, but no one had ever bothered to listen to her before . . . why should this time be any different?
Hutch looked at Mari, his pale blue eyes seemed to shimmer like ice in the dark, as they crouched over Starsky. "My partner needs medical attention." Hutch whispered, barely controlling the rage that wanted to flare up.
"Then get him help." Mari snapped, keeping her voice low, "Take him somewhere safe and bring a doctor over there," She looked down at Starsky, her small hand cupping the side of his face, her dark brown eyes softening as she gazed at the wounded cop, then she turned to glare at the blond, whispering desperately, "I feel the special bond you have with this man . . . I know you love him . . . and if this is so, then you must listen to me . . . save him . . . please Hutch!" she begged, seeing once again in her mind's eye those dark, blue eyes filled with pain and horror. "Please!" she urged.
"Detective, the ambulance is on its way," a uniformed officer said, crouching low beside the blond cop, his eyes taking in the damage to the downed detective.
"Thanks for calling it in," Hutch said gratefully, eyeing the name tag of the officer's uniform, "Roberts."
"Don't thank me . . . some anonymous woman called it in as we were heading up here."
Hutch turned to look at Mari who continued to gaze down at the wounded brunet.
"Roberts," Hutch said abruptly, making up his mind, "I need you to take my place here and apply direct pressure on Detective's Starsky's abdomen. He's bleeding out. Try not to jar him . . . he's also got a knife in his side. I need to use your radio to call Captain Dobey immediately," Hutch said, carefully standing as Roberts replaced him. Mari also stood, her eyes never leaving the blond detective's face, a hesitant, tiny smile touched her lips, as hope filled her eyes, making them appear almost luminescent under the dim glow of the streetlights.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The safe house was set up like a makeshift hospital by the time the ambulance pulled into its driveway. Starsky was taken into the nearest room that resembled an emergency triage unit. Dobey met them at the doors. "How is he?" the large, black man asked.
"He has a knife wound to his side, the blade is still in there. He's also got a nasty laceration to his lower abdomen . . . he's lost a lot of blood Cap." Hutch said worriedly.
"And the girl?" Dobey queried.
"She disappeared again . . . like a ghost. I walked over to use Robert's radio to call you. She was right behind me Captain . . . no one saw her leave from that narrow road. There was no way she could have gotten by without anyone seeing her, but she's gone." Hutch said softly.
"Detective Hutchinson?" a nurse called out as she hurried over to the blond, "Your partner needs you. Under the unusual circumstance that we find ourselves in, Doctor Bernstein has given his permission to allow you inside, in hopes that you can help with your partner. He's refusing anesthetics and he's in considerable pain.
"Go," Dobey ordered, "Before your stubborn-assed partner does more damage to himself! We'll talk later."
"Yeah," Hutch anxiously agreed, as he hurried after the nurse. The tall blond was allowed into the triage room where his struggling partner was laid out on a roll away gurney.
"Hey buddy . . . take it easy . . . it's okay . . ." Hutch said softly, grabbing onto his partner's trembling left hand, as he wearily lifted it, "What's this I hear about you giving these doctors a bad time huh? You need to let them fix you up buddy."
"H-Hutch . . . M-Mari . . ." the weary brunet gasped, his pale countenance gleamed with perspiration, his eyelids lowered at half-mast, dark blue peeping out from under heavy, dark lashes.
"She's fine buddy," Hutch lied, feeling sick and guilty at how easily that lie came out, but Mari was the last thing that his partner should be worrying about. The blond saw his friend open his blue eyes wider and he knew that Starsky saw right through his fib.
"Ya gotta . . . f-find her Hutch," the brunet gasped, as he reached out and grabbed his partner's jacket, partially lifting himself from the gurney in his desperation for Hutch to understand. Starsky cried out softly, feeling the knife slide deeper into his side with the sudden movement. "Uungh," the brunet gasped softly, clutching the handle that was buried to the hilt, as Hutch gently pushed him back down.
"Take it easy Starsk, d-don't move," Hutch soothed softly, sickened by his partner's rigid, straining body; seeing the knife sticking out obscenely from his friend's body made the sensitive blond want to throw-up. Hutch gently stroked the sweat-plastered curls back from his gasping partner's face, "Easy, easy, just lie still buddy . . ."
"He's . . . g-gonna rape and kill her . . . f-find her . . .Hutch." Starsky gasped, his bloody fingers still hooked in Hutch's jacket, as Dr. Bernstein made his way over to the gurney, "She's all . . . alone . . . out there," the brunet gasped, his face lined in pain, his rigid body straining with the effort if took to speak
"Shh, okay, okay buddy," Hutch whispered, "I will, but first you gotta promise to lie still and do whatever the doc says okay?"
Hutch forced a smile to his lips, his sky-blue eyes softening as he saw his partner's lips tweak at the corners, "H-hey ... that's b-bribery . . ." Starsky whispered softly, a lopsided grin appearing briefly, before his face once again contorted in pain.
'Was it only yesterday that his partner had said the same thing when he was offered a bag of doughnuts? It seemed so long ago,' the blond absently thought, the crease in his brow deepened with concern, as Starsky stiffened and gasped once again with the pain that lanced throughout his body.
"Easy buddy," Hutch said, gently restraining the hand that once again reached for the blade's hilt. Hutch watched as the doctor injected something into the IV line that ran into his crook of his partner's elbow. Starsky slowly closed his eyes; dark lashes hiding the familiar blue that Hutch longed to see once again.
"We're starting the anesthetics now, we need to take the blade out." Dr. Bernstein said.
"Yeah," Hutch said, looking down once more into his partner's face, listening to the brunet's soft gasps of pain, wanting to stay, but knowing the doctor was asking him politely to leave.
"Detective?" The doctor said once more, impatience making his tone sharper than before.
"Yeah. Okay." Hutch replied quickly, irritably, as he took one last look at his partner, hearing his rapid, shallow breathing. As he turned to leave, the blond felt a weak tug on the sleeve of his jacket. Hutch looked back to see his partner's eyes wearily open once more; his long dark lashes were spiked with perspiration.
"F-find her Hutch." Starsky whispered.
"I will buddy . . . and you better hang on and get through this, you hear me?" Hutch said firmly, placing his other large hand over his partner's that still hung onto his sleeve. The tall blond squeezed the brunet's clammy hand affectionately.
"L-loud . . . n'clear," came the soft, sarcastic reply. Hutch smiled, gently placing his partner's hand back down onto his chest, squeezing it briefly once more, before he reluctantly turned to walk out.
To be continued . . .