Feedback: Always shamefully solicited, but please remember, none of us are professionals so when critiquing, be lenient.
Disclaimer: I own no one, and nothing. The OC's are ours and the idea is loosely based on a movie called 'The hitcher', no infringement on the copyright is intended. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, namely, me!
Author's Note: This story is being written with the help of a couple of very important people to me. Thank you Eli for your contributions and encouragement, also written with the constant help of Brook, (she is, and always will be my sounding board.)
Warning: There is a violent scene towards the end, but nothing too graphic…Oh yeah, and more bad language…
Red
Chapter Four
Starsky pulled off to the side of the road and brought the car to a stop, throwing the car into park as he kept both hands on the wheel just as instructed. "Look, I'm not gonna hurt you…just take it easy, okay?" Starsky tried to soothe the young man.
"No, don't you tell me to look! Just do what I say okay? Just shut up an' do what I say…I didn't wanna hurt you ya' know…? I mean, I wasn't even gonna take you with me…I was gonna wait for someone else…you kinda talked me into it…" The frightened man rambled off quickly, bursting with nervous energy. "I really liked you…you remind me of someone…but then you had to go and insist that I go with ya'….Dammit!" He shouted, slowly loosing control of his own temper and emotions. "Why'd ya' go an do that? Now I have no choice…"
"Yes you do Kevin, you have a choice." Starsky's comment earned him a hit to the side of the head with the butt of Kevin's gun. The brunet felt the blinding pain to his temple as everything flashed bright briefly and then back to normal.
Starsky let his head fall forward resting on the steering wheel, closing his eyes trying to get his surroundings to stop spinning. A small trickle of blood ran down from a cut by his brow.
"I said shut up!" Kevin shouted again as his body shook uncontrollably waving the gun in the brunet's face.
The dark haired detective reached up to wipe the blood away from his face as Kevin grew increasingly agitated, smacking his hand away from his face.
"I said don't fucking move! Why don't you listen to me? Why doesn't anyone listen to me?" Kevin spewed as he came close to sobbing.
Starsky sat there, perfectly still and quiet, he knew that the boy beside him was unstable and unpredictable, the most dangerous type of criminal there was. Kevin sat there apparently thinking about the situation he had gotten himself into, and how to get out of it. He carefully placed the barrel of his gun firmly against Starsky's temple, right against his wound, applying firm pressure to it as he slowly reached over with the other hand.
"Now, I'm not gonna warn you again…move an' I blow your brains all over the window…" He said eerily calm as he reached inside Starsky's jacket and took his Berretta out of its holster.
Kevin examined the gun with appreciation as he turned it over in his free hand. "Nice piece." He noted before he tucked it in the back of his waistband. "Now what else ya' got on ya'?" He asked as Starsky sat there afraid to move or speak, in fear of setting him off.
Kevin's eyes narrowed as he stared at the detective, "I asked you a question…" He spat.
"Nuttin', I ain't holding nuttin' else." He answered as the blood from his temple dripped down his cheek and onto the seat beside him. He thought about how he hated to mess up his car, but the drop of blood was far better than the mess that would happen if this kid carried out his threat and pulled the trigger.
"And you think I should believe you pig?" Kevin seethed. "Get out…" He ordered as he waited for Starsky to pull the lever and swing his door open wide.
Climbing out of the car, with his hands up at about shoulder level, Starsky moved deliberate and slow, making sure the nervous kid saw that he was willing to cooperate and lessening his threat to the boy. Kevin crawled out of his side, making sure to keep his gun trained on the brunet.
"On the hood," he said with a flip of his weapon, "Assume the position." He smiled at himself, pleased with using the officers own words against him.
Starsky obediently obeyed the young man's instructions as he sighed heavily. "You know kid, it's not too late." He stated as Kevin grew more agitated once again.
"I thought I told you to shut the fuck up!" Kevin growled as he slowly moved around the car.
"I can tell you don't wanna do this." Starsky continued to try to convince the boy. "You know the punishment for kidnapping a police officer?" Starsky looked over his shoulder to eye the boy who was standing behind him.
"Hold still dammit!" Kevin spewed as his hand began to shake.
"Look Kevin, I know…" Starsky's words were cut off as he heard the loud explosive sound of a gun being fired. He felt instant pressure in his upper leg causing both knees to buckle and knocking him to the ground, he didn't immediately feel the burn, until after he turned to see the smoking gun in Kevin's hand. Like a child not realizing they were cut until they saw they blood.
His eyes opened wide as he felt the intense sting spreading over his upper right leg, both of his hands instinctively reaching for it. His hands were cold as the warm fluid spread over them, blanketing them in red.
Starsky sucked in air deeply through his teeth as he closed his eyes and tried to ride the never ending wave of pain. "Son of a bitch." He growled as his hands tightened around his upper thigh, gritting his teeth together,
"I told you to shut up!" Kevin ranted as his eyes were darting around, frightened, scared, angry. A literal mixture of flooding emotions, his eyes switching to sorrow, "Now look what you made me go an' do…" He said with his head tilted to the side. "I didn't wanta do this, you made me ya' know?" He spewed, trying to ease his guilt. "It's not my fault."
Starsky continued to hold onto his upper leg as he writhed in pain against his front tire. He was afraid to speak, afraid to do anything that would make the unstable kid before him snap even farther.
"You're bleeding." Kevin stated eerily, like he had no idea why Starsky was spilling the red fluid down his leg. "I'm not ready to be alone yet…we need to stop the bleeding…" Kevin kept his distance as he watched Starsky struggle. "Use your belt." Kevin instructed and waited for Starsky to obey him. The detective was afraid to move, he sat there, propped up against his fender, holding his upper thigh, staring at his kidnapper. "Do it!" Kevin yelled abruptly, causing Starsky to jump in response.
The brunet struggled with blood covered hands to undo his belt buckle and pull it from his jeans, He grunted and groaned with every movement, looking down the road, praying that a car would come along and see the trouble he was in. Problem was, they were off the main road, and it appeared that they were on a road rarely traveled. He maneuvered his belt through the loops, as he puffed heavily, closing his eyes at times to avoid passing out.
Once he completely freed his belt he wrapped it around his right leg, his hands shaking as he cinched down the leather strap. He immediately noticed the slowing of the blood flow as he engaged the brass buckle as firmly as possible.
"Come on cop, hurry up, you better not be stalling." Kevin urged the brunet on, making it even more difficult for Starsky to concentrate. "Don't think I won't cut your throat right here."
Starsky looked up at the boy, realizing by that statement that there was a good chance this was the killer that he and Hutch were assigned to capture. Just this once, Starsky wished that he hadn't succeeded in finding him. He knew he was going to have to be careful with this one. He had killed before, and without a doubt, would kill again. He just wasn't sure, why he was still alive. His mind raced, trying to remember what he had read in the report that Dobey had given them, his mind was foggy, as he struggled to concentrate. His leg ached and stung at the same time, his jeans damp with blood as he squeezed his thigh, trying to ease the pulsing pain. He could feel every beat of his heart in his upper leg as it throbbed in unison.
"Get up!" Kevin commanded as Starsky looked at him bewildered, wondering how he was going to get up and drive in this condition. He wasn't even sure he would stay conscious. He blinked heavily as he stared at the young man holding the gun on him.
Kevin slowly stepped forward, leaning over, almost coming face to face, this time he whispered. "I said get up." He said calmly as he took his left foot and put it on Starsky right thigh, covering the wound with the dirty sole of his shoe and stepping down hard.
"Dear God…!" Starsky cursed as his body fell flat against the ground and he writhed underneath the weight of his captor's foot. "Don't…please…"
Smiling, Kevin retreated, moving backwards. "Next time I suggest you do what I sat, when I say…" He said as he flipped his gun slightly motioning for him to get up of the road. "Now get the fuck up!"
It was all he could do to pull himself up, into a sitting position and then use his right hand against the car to try and stand. His knees buckling a couple of times as he moaned and groaned, really fighting the urge to vomit and/or pass out right there in the road, but he knew that if he did, he would probably be dead with in minutes.
Kevin moved towards him, surprising Starsky by helping him to his feet and letting him rest with his back against the car, "Oh no you don't pig, you're not dyin' out on me yet, I still need your sorry ass." Kevin reached in and pulled the keys from the ignition and walked Starsky to the back of the Torino, popping the trunk in one fluid movement. Starsky swallowed hard, his eyes darting from the trunk and back at Kevin nervously as he realized what the psychotic young man had in mind. "Get in!" He ordered the brunet.
Starsky hesitated briefly as Kevin raised the weapon at him again and he rolled obediently into the trunk. The young man reached down and lifted both of Starsky's legs into the trunk, causing him to cry out in pain, earning him an irritated glare from his kidnapper. Kevin wasted no time reaching up and slamming the trunk closed, trapping the detective inside the pitch black tomb.
The dangerous auburn haired man quickly jumped behind the wheel of the Torino, starting the engine and revving it up just to feel the powerful engine rumble beneath him. Dropping it into gear, he hit the gas, he let the tires spin out as the struggled for traction against the road. Finally catching, the car lurched forward as it headed down the dark desolate road ahead, searching for a destination that still had yet to be determined.
Starsky road out every bump and turn from the dark trunk, it was nearly impossible for him to move much, he felt like the small space was getting smaller and smaller by the minute as he tried to take a deep breath, calming himself. For the most part it was nearly impossible to tell which way they were headed and when they turned, in which direction it was made. The detective did his best to keep as many mental notes as possible, approximate length of traveling time between turns and stops, noises that managed to find their way into his little space.
He was relieved that he didn't have his hands restrained allowing him a minimal amount of movement, his leg throbbed in pain as the sweat poured off his forehead. His whole body shivered and ached, along with the wound to his leg, he felt as though he was getting sick, his chest felt heavy when he tried to inhale too deeply. He thought back to the reason he left town, alone…Helen…He sighed as he allowed himself to be drawn into a deep warm slumber, giving his body it's first freedom from pain and fear.
XXXX
Hutch heard the phone ringing in his dream as he felt the stewardess being pulled farther and farther away from him as he held out both arms trying to prevent her inevitable departure. His eyes opened wide as reality came crashing down around him, snapping back into the here and now as the phone obnoxiously rang again.
He reached over on his nightstand and grabbed his phone from the cradle, haphazardly placing it against his ear.
"Hello?" He groaned.
"Hutch, its Dobey…." The voice resonated from the other end.
"What is it?" Hutch knew that this had to be important, because his Captain wouldn't call in the middle of the night for nothing.
"He's struck again, the Hitchhiker Murderer, they found the car on the side of the road, two bodies in the truck, looks like a husband and wife." Dobey gave his oral report. "I want you and your partner in early tomorrow, we got a lot of work to do on this one, you hear me?"
"Yes Sir. Uh, Cap, Where did these murders take place?" He asked, hoping he wouldn't hear they words Bay City.
"About two hours north of here, a small town…you just see to it that you and Starsky are here early!" He commanded and hung up.
Hutch sat there briefly, absorbing what his Captain had just told him, he looked at the clock…2:30 am…he picked up the phone and called Starsky's place, he should be getting home soon.
No answer…
He called the station and requested a patch through to his parnter's car radio, he needed top make sure that his partner was still going to be home in time to report to work in the morning. He didn't think that Dobey would accept the same excuse twice…
XXXX
Kevin drove along the winding road as the headlights from oncoming cars occasionally glared against the Torino's windshield. At one point he veered slightly off the narrow road hitting a large pothole on the right side of the street causing the car to dip sharply, the metal of the front bumper scraping against the asphalt. The back tire followed suit and he thought about how that must have tossed his passenger in the trunk, around harshly.
The brunet's slumber in the trunk was rudely interrupted. Starsky couldn't brace himself for any turns or potholes as he was jostled around in his dark confines. The sweat poured from his brow as his body shivered uncontrollably, every bone throbbing and muscle cramping, partly from his position and partly from what he was sure was going to be a pretty bad case of the flu. His right upper leg throbbed and stung from the bullet wound as his jeans were sticky and damp from the blood that had been absorbed into them. His head pounded in tempo with his beating heart, which at this point was beating far too fast for his liking as he tried to breathe slowly, practicing some of the meditation techniques that Hutch had tried to teach him. He was nauseated by exhaust fumes and was on the verge of vomiting all over himself as he fought to remain in control of all of his bodily functions.
Kevin reached down and turned back on the police band radio just in time to hear his captive being paged. From where Starsky was he could here bits and pieces of the radio transmission, but unfortunately not much thanks to the monstrous engine he had placed in his favorite red machine.
Kevin's eyes darted between the road and the radio as he listend to the words, it appeared that he halfway expected for the dispatcher herself to crawl from the mic and into the seat next to him as his nervousness increased causing him to become increasingly agitated.
'Zebra Three, this is dispatch…do you copy…'
Kevin tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
'Come in Zebra Three…'
A few beads of perspiration began to form on his upper lip as his eye movement increased and he moved his sight from the road ahead, the radio, his rearview mirror and the backseat. He felt like he was being followed, like they were on his trail. Aware that he had the brunt in the trunk, and worst of all they knew he was still alive. He thought about pulling over and just finishing him off, slicing his throat and leaving him there to die, like the rest of them, but the truth was he liked this guy, and had been alone for so long that he really wanted the company, at least for a little while longer.
'Starsky this is dispatch, Hutch is requesting a patch through to you, please respond.'
Kevin immediately knew that the officer's car was going to stick out like a sore thumb, and if they weren't being able to contact him by radio, then it was only a matter of time that they would put out an APB on the detective and the car…He needed to find a new car to continue of his journey, a new set of wheels, a new red muscle type car. The brand wasn't important, even really what shape it was in, but it had to be red. Those were the only driver's that deserved what he had in store for them; they were ruthless, cocky bullies that needed to be erased and taught a lesson. He knew that he couldn't afford any screw ups and he was sure that he was smarter than all of them, the one in the trunk included.
He continued to listen to the police radio as he scanned the area for another vehicle. There was only one requirement that he felt needed to be fulfilled, he needed a red car, some type of red car…the need inside him grew as did his excitement. He could smell the fear, the death that was coming nearer. He could hardly control himself as he thought about the upcoming killing. His body yearned for it, literally ached for the impending hunt.
He drove for at least an hour before he finally saw it, behind the Texaco gas station on the right hand side of the street. A candy apple red thunderbird, parked around back by the bathrooms. One man behind the wheel looked like he was sleeping. There was no one in sight, he didn't see any customers around front, he couldn't even see the station attendant. He maneuvered the Torino around the back of the building, killing the engine and rolling to a silent stop.
XXXX
From the trunk, Starsky heard the engine die, and the car slowly come to a stop. He heard the driver side door open but never close.
XXXX
Kevin walked up to the other car as he quietly crept. Step by step, he inched closer and closer. In his right hand he held a large knife with a blade that measured at least six inches long. The man behind the wheel moved restlessly as Kevin realized he wasn't asleep, he was waiting, but for what? It was early in the morning; there was hardly any traffic at all.
The red headed man reached in the window and grabbed the waiting driver by the hair, jerking his head back exposing his tan neck, the veins bulging in fear and anticipation. He smiled broadly as he calmly placed the knife to his throat.
XXXX
Starsky heard a muffled cry and then a few loud thuds, indicating someone struggling. There was the brief honk of a horn and then silence…eerie silence…almost ghostly silent…
Footsteps approached the detective that was being held in the dark confines of his own trunk. He heard the keys being placed in the keyhole as the trunks latches popped and the lid began to rise.
Before the trunk lid wasn't open very far, Starsky felt the hard cold steel of a gun barrel being pressed against the top of his head. He froze as the trunk was opened the rest of the way.
"Move before I tell ya' an' you leave your brains in the trunk, you got that?" Kevin said with a certain air of serenity in his voice that caused a chill to run up the brunet's spine.
Starsky stayed very still as he waited for further instructions. The trunk was propped open as Kevin continued to give him directions.
"Get out slowly…I want your hands on the top of your head."
The detective moaned and groaned heavily as his body ached. He sucked in all the air he could into his lungs as he rolled out of the trunk and placed both feet on the ground. He lifted his right leg quickly as the pain shot through it. He placed both hands on top of his head, wanting so badly to reach down and sooth his upper leg. Kevin moved around the brunet as Starsky felt the cold chill of his own handcuffs as the first one was placed around his left wrist.
"Look, you really need to let me go, I can help you." Starsky finally spoke and was greeted with a knee to his leg, right in the vicinity of his gunshot wound.
He hopped back on one leg as he struggled to regain his balance and keep from falling to the ground.
"Dammit!" He cursed and then bit his lip to keep from spewing more profanities.
Kevin shoved Starsky over the fender of the Torino as he pulled back his right hand and completed cuffing the officer. Starsky's hands were now restrained and his leg was injured, he felt as hopeless as he could possibly be as his mind wandered to his partner. He was supposed to pick him up in the morning. Surely, Hutch would come looking for him when he didn't show…just a few more hours…Starsky thought.
Kevin grabbed Starsky roughly by the elbow as he jerked him towards the other car. Starsky was behind the red Thunderbird as he looked up to see the men's bathroom door opened slightly. He saw the wide eyes of a young man, a teenager, peering through a small slit in the door. The boy was looking towards the car and then back at Starsky, their eyes locking for a brief moment, but a moment that spoke a lifetime of horrors. The detective watched the boys gaze move to the driver's side as his followed.
"Jesus Christ." Starsky gasped as he saw what the boy was staring at, a man's body hanging out from the drivers side door, his eyes open in vacant stare, his throat sliced as the blood slowly dripped from his neck to the growing puddle on the ground, his body still slightly twitching in his final spasms of life.
"Get in." Kevin ordered as he shoved Starsky towards the passenger side door that was propped open.
To Be Continued…