Chapter 12

The dark blue car pulled up outside the all night pharmacy on the other side of town, well away from Madame Lilly's domain. The tears had long since stopped and now Hutch felt nothing. The shock had left him numb, a walking, talking automaton and as he pushed open the door into the neon lit cool of the store, he looked around him and nodded. This would do. This was fine. At this time of night the store was deserted and he walked over to the counter, well aware that he looked pale and his eyes were swollen and red rimmed, but healthy people didn't frequent pharmacies at night anyways. A pretty young assistant appeared from out back and smiled up at him. Usually at this time, she spent her time measuring out doses of Methadone for the local junkies. To have a handsome, albeit slightly dishevelled blond in her store made up for missing out on a night out with her friends. She smiled at Hutch.

'Can I help?'

'Yeah. I'm Detective Sergeant Hutchinson of the Metropolitan police. Do you have a phone out back I could use?' he asked

She looked him up and down. He was handsome alright, and reasonably well dressed, but he had an air of someone lost and the description of "cop" just didn't sit well with him.

'Do you have some form of ID. A badge maybe?' she asked him doubtfully.

'No, I don't have my badge with me. I've been….' He realised it was pointless trying to explain. 'Look do me a favour huh? Call this number and ask to be put through to a Captain Dobey. D.O.B.E.Y' he spelled it out for her. 'Tell him Hutch wants to speak to him. He'll verify who I am'.

The girl looked disbelieving, but she took the number and disappeared into the back room. From there, Hutch could hear her punching numbers into the phone and then a hushed one sided conversation. Finally after what felt like hours, she poked her head around the door and beckoned him to come in. He smiled encouragingly and did as he was asked and she handed the phone to him.

'Sorry. Can't be too careful' she said apologetically.

'No problem. Could um….could I take this alone?' he asked.

'Oh….sure. I'll be right outside' she said, pulled the door closed and left. The blond heaved a deep breath and picked up the phone.

'Cap'n, it's….'

'He's ok Hutch' Dobey cut in immediately. The TV announcement had been necessary to protect the injured brunet, but the big black man knew that if Hutch was to see it, it would destroy the flaxen haired cop and he desperately wanted to let Hutch know that Starsky was going to make it. Somehow, despite the blond being deep undercover, he'd been expecting the call.

The world dropped out from under Hutch's feet. 'What?'

'Starsky's ok, He's gonna make it'.

'But he…..I shot him. He was so badly beaten and then I shot him. And the TV...You're not….' Hutch's mind couldn't take in the information, his whole being having been braced for telling Dobey that it was all his fault and that he'd murdered his own partner in cold blood.

'He's had surgery. He's not out of the woods completely, but he's ok for the moment. What d'ya mean you shot him?' Dobey's voice was soft and gentle but at the same time probing.

'I….his cover was blown and Lilly told us to take him out. One of her goons saw him talking with Jiminez at the station. They beat him an' then we were supposed to finish him. They're worse than evil Cap'n. If I hadn't have…..they would'a killed him for sure. I thought I'd killed him' the blond finished in a small voice.

'No son, you didn't kill him. I think you probably saved his life' Dobey said, hearing the sound of defeat in his officer's voice. 'Hutch, are you ok?'

The blond snorted softly. 'Great! I shot my partner. I heard on the news he was dead an' now you tell me ya think he's gonna make it. How'm I supposed to feel? I want to see him'.

'You can't. We need you to stay put'.

'No, you don't understand. I need to see him Cap'n. I have to see him'. There was an urgency in the voice that pulled at Dobey's heart, but he swallowed the feelings down.

'We need you to stay put Hutchinson. Not much longer. We think it's nearly time for the big one. Starsky managed to say something to O'Rourke about the heist going down soon. We need you there'.

'I can't. I can't do this any more. It's too much. You're asking too much Captain'.

'Hutch, I know how you must be feeling right now, but…'

'No you don't! No-one can know how I'm feelin'. I've just been forced to shoot my best friend. Have you ever done that? No! So don't tell me you know how I'm feelin' the blond yelled down the phone. 'Don't give me that bullshit about how you know how much I'm hurtin'. Some things are just too much an' this is one of 'em'.

'Hutch! Listen to me. I know it's been real tough on you. We all know that. But if you cut and run now, all this will have been in vain. D'ya think Starsky would want you to do that? Do you want to face him when he wakes up and we tell him he got shot for nothin'? Coz I sure wouldn't'.

'He wouldn't want me to…..'

'He wouldn't want you to stop now. Just a few more days, that's all we're asking. Maybe till the weekend. It's gotta go down some time this week'.

'I just want to see him Cap' Hutch said in a small defeated voice.

'They're keeping him unconscious so that he'll heal. He wouldn't know you're there' Dobey explained gently. He heard a deep sigh from the other end of the phone.

'Fine. But Cap'n promise me one thing'.

'Anythin'.

'Be with him when he wakes up'.

'Sure. Now go, and Hutch?'

'Yeah?'

'Be careful huh?'

The blond put the telephone down and rested his head against the wall, suddenly feeling weary beyond words. If he'd had the opportunity he felt like he could sleep for a week knowing now that Starsky was alive and stood a pretty good chance of making it. But those few hours, when he'd thought he'd killed his best friend were the worst of his life and he couldn't forget them readily. He pushed himself off from the wall and smiled at the assistant as he walked out from behind the counter.

'Thanks honey' he said as he made his way out of the store and back to his car.

The drive back to Le Quatre Seasons seemed to take no time at all. Hutch thought he should have felt some sort of relief now that he knew Starsky's fate, but instead there was just a gnawing emptiness and a rage that simmered below the surface. It was the rage that was keeping him going; keeping him functioning. And it was the rage that was stowed deep down inside, ready for when the time came to take down Lilly and her goons once and for all.

Hutch walked back into the restaurant with the intention of going straight to his room and to sleep. But as he pushed open the door he heard noises coming from Bo's room and as he tried to get to his own, Bo's door opened and the big black guy beckoned him in.

'Nah, I'm tired guys. Gimme a break huh?' he mumbled wearily.

'Hey, ya gotta come celebrate Cal. We got ourselves some beers an' some pizza. Hutch's mind lurched back to all he times he'd shared beer and pizza with his partner and a small feeling of yearning started to grow in his chest.

'Fine, what's the occasion?' he asked as he walked into the large bedroom.

'Well you should know. You're the hero of the hour. We're celebratin' wastin' the pig! C'mon Cal. Tell us how he squealed when he went down; when ya shot him. He did real good guys. Cold an' calculatin' That's our Cal. The pig didn't stand a chance. Just knelt there all meek an' mild while Cal here aimed for his heart'.

'Shudup Bo' Hutch said, low and intense.

'Aww, don't get all shy on us! You're a fuckin' hero man'.

'I said just shudup an' leave it huh?' Hutch's hands were balled into fists as he tried to keep his temper under control.

'But ya did so good. Never even looked back. Now that's the mark of a true hard man' Bo said proudly. 'He's…..'

The black man never got to finish his sentence. All the pent up emotion of the last hours, the sight of Starsky bleeding from his own bullet and the final revelation that the brunet had survived was too much for the blond to contain. With a yell, he launched himself at Bo as Mel and Ramp stood back, arms folded and ready for some home grown entertainment.

Hutch caught Bo unawares and sent him bodily to the ground, fists flailing as the black man tried to cover his head with his hands. Recovering quickly, Bo slithered out from underneath Hutch's big golden body and from his sheath at the back of his waistband, pulled his knife. The wicked seven inch blade shone dully in the lamplight of the room and Hutch watched it warily, hunched low and ready to be on the defensive. Belatedly he realised how stupid his move had been and cast a swift glance at Mel. The ginger haired guy was watching, tongue hanging out as he enjoyed the fun, but as his bunk room buddy looked at him, he nodded and produced his own knife, which he reversed and flipped across the room to Hutch. The blond caught it by the deer horn handle and held it up, blade laying along his forearm.

Hutch wasn't particularly used to fighting with a knife. His Colt Python had usually settled any arguments for him and now he circled Bo cautiously, waiting for the big guy to make the first move. When it came it was swift and unexpected and the blond was barely able to jerk back in time form the flashing blade. Bo lunged at Hutch again and the flaxen haired cop made a grab for Bo's knife hand so that they were both holding each other's wrists. The fight was one of strength and while Hutch was no weakling, Bo hadn't spent the day mourning the perceived loss of a friend. The black man was ultimately quicker and stronger and with horror, Hutch let go the knife hand and Bo brought it down with a lightening blow, laying the cop's arm bare to the bone just above his elbow.

A roar went up from the other two men as Hutch crouched, his right hand cradling his injured arm as blood began to seep through his fingers. Above him, Bo stood, knife ready, panting and fighting the blood lust that had overtaken him. Had it not been for Lilly hearing the shouts from the room, and walking in at that precise moment, Starsky might not have been the only one fighting for his life in a hospital bed.

The petite woman pushed the door open and yelled at Bo to drop the knife just as he was about to bring it down for another telling blow. The black man stopped instantly, a look of anger in his eyes. He backed off from the kneeling blond, panting with exertion as Lilly rushed over to Hutch and knelt by his side.

'Cal? Are you ok? Let me see that' she said softly, trying to pull Hutch's hand from the gaping wound on his arm. She looked up at Bo.

'Get doc Wilding now, and after that, get out of my sight. GO' she snapped as the three others exited the room swiftly. Almost tenderly, she put a hand under the blond's chin and lifted his head so that she could see into his eyes.

'Why did they do this Cal?' she asked.

'Dunno'.

'You should know better than to try to take on Bo. He loves his knife' she chuckled as she tried to explore the wound.

'Yeah. Just leave it. M'fine' Hutch started to say

'You don't look fine. You look like shit, and that needs stitching for sure. Cal?...Cal?' Lilly put her hand under Hutch's head as the blond slipped sideways with a low groan and fell to the floor. The emotions, the pains and the anger of the last day had taken a final toll on the cop and his body had finally decided that enough was enough. With a small sigh, Hutch collapsed sideways and was unconscious before he hit the floor.