15

'This had better be a good show Matwick. There's a lot riding on this one. Are you sure they'll co-operate? There's a big audience out there tonight' Padaleki paced his office nervously, the usual cigar smoke trailing him as he wore a grove into the close carpet of the wood panelled room. Usually calm, cool and collected, his mind went back over the $2million promise made by Rushton earlier the previous evening and he salivated at the idea of the huge injection cash into his organisation.

Matwick looked equally nervous and wrung his hands together as he followed his rich boss with his eyes, his glasses gleaming dimly in the mood lit room. 'I've made sure of it Sir. I've taken the precaution of giving them both massive doses. They won't have any option but to fight with the amount of drug in their system. They'll be on overload'.

'Can you be sure of the effectiveness? They were very close, I'm lead to believe'

The grey haired doctor swallowed once. 'Of course. I've given them 110 percent dosages – they just won't be able to resist'.

'Won't be able to resist huh? Well done Matwick. You may have just earned yourself a bonus!'

Both men grinned wickedly. 'Lets get this show on the road then' Padaleki strode purposefully towards the door.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The four male detectives had entered the club singly, paying their $50 cover charge at the door and taking up positions around the perimeter of the fighting arena. They'd driven to the club in unmarked cars, dressed as ordinary men out for a good night out, maybe with the prospect of picking up a little of the local talent along the way. Now there were BCPD detectives north, south, east and west of the arena, all sitting casually back in their red velvet seats and looking around – just four men wanting a good night out.

Traff and Carole Marsh arrived five minutes later in his long, low, sleek dark blue sports car and playing his part of the rich gentleman to the hilt, the soldier trotted around to the passenger side of the car and opened it to help the woman out. Her long legs snaked out of the vehicle and she walked slinkily on her stiletto heels towards the open door of the club, linking arms with Traff and leaning into his solid body, the picture of a woman in love.

Around the corner, Dobey pulled up in his ordinary unmarked car. From his position he could see the detective and the soldier entering the club and he ran his hand through his short hair, trying to drive away the feeling of impending doom.

He reached for the transmitter on the seat next to him and depressed the switch on the side of the small black box.

'Dobey to Chang. Click if you hear me'. He waited and heard a metallic click of confirmation. He repeated the process for all his operatives until he was sure they were ready and in contact, feeling better now that he was actually on the move and doing something to retrieve his men.

He let out a calming breath. The stage was set and all that was required now was the entrance of the main players in the drama.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The guards were having difficulty keeping their charges under control. Green had never felt such power flowing through him before. He felt elated, scared, strong and anxious all at the same time. His mouth was dry as a bone and his heart hammered in his chest as though it was trying to force its way out. Cold sweat had broken out over his body and in the dim light of the corridor it gleamed in a slick patina against his lightly tanned skin. His lips were slightly parted and there was a rapt look on his face as though he was listening to an inner voice. He wanted to be in that arena. No. He needed to be there. He needed to rid himself of these feelings of anger and fright that pervaded his being. He wanted to run, to fight. Anything so that he could stop feeling this way. It both empowered him and scared him that he had these feeling deep within him.

He looked sideways again at the man who was destined to be his opponent in the arena.

Blue too was struggling to get away from his guards and he saw the big man next to him glancing his way.

'What's with you Blondie?' he spat out. 'Like what ya see, do ya?'

'Just imagining slamming you against the wall and burying my fist into that pretty face' Green grunted back.

Blue tried to pry his arm away from the guards. 'Never happen, you son of a bitch! You'll never get within striking distance' he snorted derisively.

'Yeah? Try saying that with a mouthful of fist!'

Blue's face creased into a smirk. 'You kiss your Mother with a mouth like that?. Terrific!' he turned to his guard. 'Just get me in there NOW. I need to tear that sucker limb from limb'

But Green had stopped struggling for a moment. What had the curly haired man said? Terrific? Why did that word hold such a meaning or him? It forced a memory to the surface, but it was dim and hazy, crowded out by the fire in his veins. A memory of a time long gone. A memory of a friend…..no….more than that! He shook his head to try to clear it, but at that moment the doors into the arena opened and the guards pushed the two men forward.

The noise was staggering after the quiet of the back rooms and both men's senses were assaulted by the clamber of voices, the bright spotlights focussing n their entrance and the smoky atmosphere. They stood for a moment, acclimatising to their surroundings as the announcer did his part, telling the audience that these newcomers were well matched and neither had ever lost a fight.

As the doors had opened, the five detectives and Traff had sat forward in their seats, expectantly, looking just like big gamblers appraising the fighters. All five men's eyes flew wide open as they saw their two normally quiet comrades in this alien environment and as the rest watched, Chang got up and made his way into the bathrooms. Checking no-one was around, he spoke into the microphone hidden under his lapel.

'Cap, this is Chang. Mary's story checked out. They're here and they're about to fight – each other. We need to get 'em out now. How long before the back up gets here?'

'It'll take about five minutes to get everyone into position and into the club. I'll call 'em now'.

The mic. went dead and Chang made his way quickly back into the arena room. The two fighters were circling each other warily, prowling around the perimeter of the sandy floor like graceful predators; two tigers fighting for their lives. Their eyes were glowering, fixed on the other man, as if a mere look would win them the battle and as Chang watched, Hutch made his move and came at Starsky with a blood curdling roar.

Blue was ready for the attack and despite the residual pain in his ribs, he sidestepped the charging blond and watched with satisfaction as the big tanned body catapulted into the wooden sides of the fighting pit, making them shake. The blow sent the wind from the blonde's body and he shook himself. As Green tried to regain his momentum, Blue kicked out at green's legs, aiming for a crippling blow to the knee. Green saw the kick coming and danced sideways, but was a fraction too slow. The hard kick landed on his right outer thigh and he grunted in pain, feeling the numbness creep down to his foot. Just what he needed – a dead leg!

Blue was off balance by the preparation and delivery of the kick and tried to right himself as Green launched himself bodily through the air towards the slightly smaller man.

Blue's heart was hammering now, the beats resounding through his body. His mouth was dry and the blood sounded loud in his ears, thundering through his veins as he tried to avoid the glistening blond torpedo .

Both men landed on the ground, scrabbling for the upper hand and finally Green managed to straddle Blue's struggling body. He too was feeling the full effects of the drug now and the sound of the crowd cheering them on was dimmed by the roar of the blood cascading trough his ears. He felt a tightening in his chest, but the blood lust was upon him full force and ice blue eyes started down at the olive toned man beneath him.

With a grunt of exertion, he drove his fist into Blue's face, delighting in the feel of the bristles brushing his knuckles. Blue's head snapped sideways and he let out a gasp of pain as Green followed up the blow with another to the opposite side of the face, the punches leaving bloody and bruised welts on either cheek. Blue's left eye was beginning to swell closed and he struggled harder to wriggle from beneath the big blond body. With a grunt, he levered himself off the ground, unseating the body anchoring him to the floor and quick as a flash had rolled Green onto his belly, sitting on the rounded buttocks and he pulled the head back by a handful of golden hair. He pushed the head forward, smacking it into the sandy ground and Green's teeth rattled in his head as stars sparkled around the periphery of his vision.

Both men were matched for strength and endurance, but Blue has been subject to the cruel regime of drugs and fights for longer than Green and he was tiring now. As he reached again to grasp a handful of hair, Green rolled sideways and knocked the brunette's body away, locking a powerful forearm around Blue's throat. He started to squeeze and Blue felt the breath whistling through his rapidly collapsing airways. He strove to breathe, using his elbows to try to drive them backwards into his attacker's body, but Green was strong and was working on his advantage. Blues vision was greying now and he desperately tried to worm his way from the strong hold, but his lungs were screaming for breath and the fight was gone from his body.

Green felt his captive's body sag against him and held on a moment longer, in case Blue was faking it. When there were no more struggles, he reluctantly let go of the tanned muscled body and it collapsed sideways, bonelessly and lifelessly to the ground, a blue tinge around the lips and eyes. As Green started to stand he felt an enormous weight building in his chest.

Green clutched his arms around himself, squeezing his eyes shut as the crushing weight turned into a pain which radiated from his left chest up his neck, into his jaw and down his left arm. Sweat bloomed afresh across his body as he groaned at the excruciating pains wrapped him in a red cocoon. His whole world was a bloom of red and he looked around one last time at the crowd, who had gone from a shouting roaring mass to being as quiet as mice as they watched the death of one man and the imminent demise of the other. His eyes turned pleadingly to them for help, before he too collapsed sideways onto the sandy floor and the world winked out.