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: This chapter deals slightly with a sexual assault…if you are sensitive to that subject, please don't read further. It is not graphic and isn't completed, but it is implied…

Red

Chapter Eleven

Once Helen and Kevin were out of sight, Hutch made a quick lunge for the exit. Captain Owen stood and stopped the tall blond with a firm hand on his chest. "You can't do this Hutchinson. You're gonna blow it, an' I can't let that happen!" Owens argued. "If you bust this up now, you could put her in even more danger, now I suggest that you just cool your jets and let us take it from here."

"Look Sir, if my partner is still alive, which I believe he is, and she goes forward with this, an' something happens to her, you're a goner, mark my words, 'cause it ain't gonna be me coming after you, you got that?" Hutch warned the man as he pushed by him. "Oh, and by the way," he turned back around to face the officer, "There is no chance in hell, that I am going to sit back and 'cool my jets'" He insisted as he moved past him towards the exit, "Someone has to watch her back!"

"Look, Hutchinson!" Captain Owen shouted, stopping Hutch in his tracks. "I get the feeling that there is no way I'm gonna talk you into taking a back seat in this case, so I think we need to work together, not against each other." Owen explained. "Instead of having several cars following the suspect's vehicle, how about you, me and two other officer follow. We will carry the receiver with us and keep the other officers apprised of the situation."

Hutch thought for about a half a second before nodding his head in agreement, "Let's move out."

With that the tall blond turned on his heels and headed out the door. He spotted Helen getting into the Red Thunderbird with the suspect and had to fight to control the urge to run after her.

As they made their way across the street and behind the building to a congregation of vehicles, Hutch looked to Owen for direction, "Who's car?" He asked.

The Captain looked at the choices he had and then back up at the visting detective. "I think we should take your car." He said as they headed towards the battered LTD, "There's no way in hell that guy is gonna mistake this piece of shit for a car belonging to one of Bay City's finest." He taunted as the two other officers chosen to join them snorted in laughter, all three of them earning an incredulous glare from Hutch.

They all climbed into their new undercover vehicle as Hutch prepared himself to follow the suspect's car.

XXXX

Helen sat in the passenger seat; she watched as Kevin closed her door and moved around to the driver's seat of the Thunderbird. She couldn't help but notice the small blood stains on the seat underneath her. She nervously looked around and saw Hutch coming out of the bar several yards away. She was snapped back into the here and now as Kevin shut the driver's door, grabbed her by the upper thigh, squeezing tightly. He smiled and released her as he started the car.

"Scoot on over sweetie, I'm cold and need some warmin' up…" He seethed as she reluctantly did as he asked, her stomach contents lurching upward in revolt.

His left hand was on the steering wheel while his right arm stretched out behind her, wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her even closer to him. Looking over his shoulder he pulled out of the parking lot and on to the road, heading into the mountains.

Hutch's car pulled out inconspicuously behind the Thunderbird as Hutch made sure to keep a safe distance. He had a lot of experience in tailing a suspect, and was thrilled that this time he wasn't in his partner's flamboyant Torino, that in itself, should make this a lot easier.

"Scoot on over sweetie, I'm cold and need some warmin' up…" Hutch heard Kevin say through the one way radio Captain Owen was holding in his hand. The blond felt the small knot in his stomach begin to swell, something was definitely wrong, he felt it in his gut and he learned a long time ago to trust that instinct. He knew that when he found Starsky he would have a lot of explaining to do. He would cross that bridge when he came to it, hoping more importantly that he would be given that opportunity sometime soon.

The palm of Kevin's hand rubbed and massaged Helen's shoulder and upper arm as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on edge. His arm altered its position so he had better access to her chest. She tried to keep from allowing her whole body to start shaking involuntarily. His groping hand made its way from her shoulder, to her neck, and then down to her chest. A sudden fear struck Helen as she reached for his hand nervously.

"Whatsa matter baby? I thought you were up for some fun tonight?" Kevin said, a little surprised by her sudden movement.

"Well I am," she smiled at him, "but not right here in the car…Where we heading anyways?"

"We can always start it here and end it at my place up in the woods…" Kevin hissed…"You're not a tease are you? Cause God knows, I hate teases…"

Hutch groaned as he heard the conversation that was going on in the car ahead of them. He knew that Helen was wearing a wire and if he kept groping her like this, there was a good chance that he was going to find it. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind, before he heard what he feared most…

"What the fuck is this? You're a fucking cop!" Kevin shouted as Hutch looked at Owen, his foot hitting the accelerator as his heart jumped into his throat.

"God Damn it! No!" The blond shouted at no one in particular.

He heard Helen pleading with the deranged man, "No, Kevin listen…you gotta listen to me…we can help…"

Hutch heard a sickening thud and then silence, with the exception of some heavy breathing. Helen had stopped speaking in mid sentence as Hutch feared for her life. Why had she quit speaking…so abruptly…?

"Oh God…" Hutch gasped as he tightened his grip on the wheel of his car. "I never should have let her do this…" He spat as he hit the steering wheel with the palm of his hand, feeling the instant bruising.

XXXX

Kevin held a handful of Helen's blond tresses in his fist as her head had been rammed into the dash board, instantly knocking her unconscious. He pulled her still form back into the seat as he saw the blood trickling down the center of her forehead.

Red blood…He thought as he felt his excitement grow, he loved the color red, it had so many emotions…pain, anger, love, passion…No other color expressed so much, and one emotion inevitably led to the others…all from the color RED…If you just think about it, what other color in the spectrum had as many personalities as this one? Black would always be black, dark, solemn, lonely. White was always white, free of emotion, crisp, clean, bright. But Red…now there was a color that could fool and confuse even the smartest of men. If you were angry, you 'saw red'…if you were in love, red represented that love. Red was the color worn by Noblemen throughout time, it was a color of power and respect; Red was also the color of Satan himself.

XXXX

Hutch waited as he saw the tail lights of the Thunderbird disappear into the distance. The engine of that car was no match for Hutch's LTD. He knew that if it came down to a chase, his best bet was for the Thunderbird to crash.

The blond heard Kevin beginning to speak as he could tell from the rustling noises that the wires Helen had been wearing were being manipulated.

"I know you cops are following me, but if you want her to stay alive, then I suggest you back the fuck off…" He said quietly and eerily calmly.

Hutch took his foot off the accelerator slightly. Even if he had attempted to chase them down, the other car was much faster and he stood no chance against it. The knot in his stomach growing tighter and tighter until he felt like it controlled him.

"He's gettin' away…" Hutch mumbled as he stared straight ahead.

"Let 'em go for now…" Owen said, earning him an angry stare from Hutch.

XXXX

Starsky had managed to twist himself onto his side as he tried to get more comfortable. He had briefly fallen asleep, or passed out, he wasn't exactly sure, nor did he care, he just welcomed the relief. The noise outside the cavern woke him up, his heart jumping as he heard the rumbling of the Thunderbird as it rolled back up. His body tensed up in instinct as his muscle screamed at him for even the slightest actions.

He fought against his pain as he struggled to get his knees back underneath him, he wanted be able to face his kidnapper and not look defeated as he laid on his side. The defiant brunet managed to move himself into the upright position shortly before he saw the shadows dancing around the entrance of the cave, the only light provided by the nearly full moon outside.

His eyes opened wide as he realized that Kevin wasn't alone, he was struggling with something or someone. He felt the adrenaline surge through his veins as his heart rate increased, he thought about Kristie and prayed that he didn't find the poor girl. He realized that sub consciously he was holding his breath as he heard the footsteps getting closer and closer.

Kevin entered the cave, his back towards Starsky who could tell that he was carrying someone.

"I brought you some company…figure you cops could die together…" Kevin spat as he literally dropped the figure to the floor with a violent thud, Starsky hearing a bone, probably an arm, snapping from the impact.

Starsky blinked heavily as he tried desperately to clear the sweat that was dripping from his forehead into his eyes, attempting to clear his vision and get a good look at the poor soul lying in a heap on the sandy ground. He could tell from the petite form that the person was a female, and Kevin had said a fellow officer. He wondered how Kevin was able to over power a trained police officer, female or not. How did this man fool her into trusting him like Starsky had done? It was those damn deadly innocent looks, the boy next door quality that Kevin definitely possessed.

Kevin moved towards the fire ring, repositioning the partially burnt pieces of wood, and moving outside to collect more. Starsky watched as the motionless woman's figure as she lay face down in the dirt, something about her silhouette seemed vaguely familiar. The cave was still fairly dark with only minimal rays of light entering the opening. Kevin rushed back in with an armful of wood in one hand and some lighter fluid in the other. Throwing the wood into the fire pit, he frantically doused the pile with the igniting liquid as he reached deep into his pocket and withdrew a book of matches.

The woman moved, moaning softly, Starsky worrying about her condition.

Kevin tossed several lit matches into the ring as the fire roared to life at his command.

The female victim cried out as she regained consciousness, Starsky wanted to help her, to comfort her. He knew she must be in pain, and he knew that this man probably wasn't finished tormenting his newest prey. She slowly rolled to her side, cursing as her right arm grabbed for her left, pulling it closer to her body. As her face became visible to the brunet detective, his heart stopped…

"Helen………!" He shouted out as Kevin's head snapped up in attention.

"You know this bitch?" He said just before roaring into a fit of laughter as Starsky's face had lost all color that was left in ti.

XXXX

Hutch had pulled to the side of the road, his fear and anger rising quickly to an uncontrollable level.

"They stopped moving." One of the officers in the back seat stated causing Hutch to look back.

"We got 'em." Owen remarked as he smiled and took out a black box with a red beeping light.

"What the hell did you do?" Hutch asked hopefully.

"We put a locating device on his car." Owen explained as hope crept its way back into Hutch's soul. "Head north." He instructed pointing ahead of them, as the blond dropped the car into drive and peeled onto the road, tires spinning and screeching, leaving a plume of smoke in its path.

XXXX

Starsky felt like he had been punched in the stomach, he was gasping to catch his breath, the fear in his eyes making them wide and wild as his gaze shifted nervously between Kevin and Helen.

"Oh dear God, no…Helen…talk to me honey…" Starsky pled as he pulled against his restraints again.

"This is my lucky day…" Kevin interrupted as he stood in front of Starsky, looking down at him.

"Dave?" Helens voice was shaky and weak.

"I'm here honey, I'm here…" He tried his best to comfort her from across the cave. He looked up at Kevin, tears filling his eyes. "D…don't do this, please don't hurt her…I…I need her." He looked back down at Helen, "It's okay baby, I'm here…you're gonna be okay…"

"You really believe what this idiot tells you Helen? You really think this is gonna be okay." Kevin turned and walked towards her.

"No…no…no…" Starsky chanted, feeling reality slipping from his grasp. The woman he loved was about to die, and he was about to watch… "No…" He said again. "Honey, its okay, honey you hear me?" His voice rising slightly as his anger and frustration of being so helpless began to take its toll. "Helen, you hear me? You hear me? I love you honey…I'm here…" He watched Kevin kneel next to her as the red haired boy looked over his shoulder at Starsky, smiling broadly. "Don't do this…for the love of God…don't do this…please…I swear, I'll get you outta here, just don't fucking touch her." He began sobbing, as he felt his emotions taking control of him, his body shook.

"You love her?" Kevin asked, surprised that he should be so lucky as to get, not only a woman that the brunet knew, but one that he loved. This game was far more satisfying then he thought it was going to be. "You love her?" He looked back at her, his hand gently brushing against her cheek, almost tenderly, "I can see why David…she's one fine piece of ass," he stated, calm and envious, almost complimentary.

"Don't touch her, I swear, I'll kill you…don't fucking touch her you bastard!" Starsky shouted at the top of his lungs, his face deep red in anger and rage. The veins in his neck bulging as he fought harder and harder against the restraints that bound him.

Kevin brought his hand up high over his head, snapping it backwards, striking her harshly across the right cheek. Helen didn't scream out, she didn't want to scare Starsky. She wanted to yell, and scream, but she stayed quiet for him.

"Helen!" Starsky spouted.

"It's ok Dave, its okay…please…don't watch this Dave…please…I love you too." She said as her voice cracked.

Kevin reached down with both hands and ripped open her shirt, just like he had done to Kristie. It excited the man to realize that he was going to destroy this couple, both mentally and then physically. He would take Helen while the man she loved watched on; helpless to stop…He was once again holding their fate in his hands. Their destiny was up to him, his excitement grew.

Kevin threw his body on top of hers as she couldn't help but scream in agony as he landed on her arm. Kevin groaned and moaned as her pain added to his pleasure.

"Helen! No…dammit no…you motherfucker, get off her…son of a bitch…I am going to kill you…Helen… Baby…please its okay…." His stomach lurched as the contents rose, burning the back of his throat as he swallowed them back into place.

"Dave…I'm sorry…" She tried to fight with everything she had, but her arm injury, coupled with the blow she had taken to her head, left made her attempts futile. She writhed and pushed and kicked as best she could, but Kevin's larger body had her pinned to the ground.

"Don't be sorry honey, please, don't be sorry." Starsky pled as Kevin looked sideways at him.

"Don't worry David, she's gonna love this." Kevin said as he returned his attention to the blond beneath him, his mouth claiming hers as he muffled screams tried desperately to break free.

Kevin screamed out as he drew back, his hand dabbing his lip, pulling it back and looking at the red fluid that was present. She had bit him.

Starsky felt a sense of pride swelling inside him at the spunk that woman had, she wasn't going to go down without a fight, and he loved that, reminded him of himself. His eyes opened wide as he looked on…

"Noooooo!" He shouted out as he pulled against his restraints trying his hardest to break free.

Kevin raised his closed fist, his lips pursed together in rage as he let his arm fly forward, connecting with Helen's cheek, her head snapping to the side as her eyes rolling to the back of her head and then slowly closing. Starsky was grateful that she lost consciousness; he didn't even want to be awake for what was yet to come.

To Be Continued…