CHAPTER 9

Cassie felt the drug take affect slowly and her mind drifted off into yet another state of semi-conscious oblivion. She began to regret her choice but knew that it was already too late to second-guess herself.  She fought hard to stay focused, but soon grew so tired that she just couldn’t stay awake any longer. With no food in her stomach…the drug took hold of her even
more so than the night before. The room was dark and quiet…and her head was spinning further and further into a deep dark pit.

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Starsky allowed Hutch to examine his wounds and bandage them back up at his place. Although he was in a tremendous amount of pain…he wouldn’t permit himself to rest for long. He had to find her no matter the cost. If anything happened to her…he would blame himself. He felt he hadn’t handled the situation as well as he could have and he now felt responsible for her kidnapping. There had to have been something he could have done to prevent it. They had taken her right from under his nose. How could he have let it happen?

“You need to get some rest…I’ll go out to find her…you just stay put.” Hutch told him as he put the final touches on his fresh bandages. If he could get him to agree…he would call Huggy to watch over him tonight.

“Help me to the door…I’m going with you.” Starsky protested as he tried to pull himself back to his feet.

“Starsky…please…I’m worried about you.” Hutch pleaded with him as he grabbed him by the shoulder. “You need to be in the hospital.”

“Help me up Hutch…I have to find her tonight.” Starsky argued with him as he pushed himself forward.

Hutch grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to a standing position…but his legs gave way as the pain in his side caused him to stagger. Hutch gripped him tightly as he fell into his arms. “Look at yourself…you can’t even walk.” Hutch told him firmly.
“C’mon…I’m taking you back.”

“No Hutch…You don’t understand. He’s gonna kill her…I can’t let that  happen.” Starsky begged as he pulled himself to his feet and took his weight off his partner’s arms.

“What good are you gonna be to anyone out there? What do you want to do…kill yourself?” He said firmly.

“But I…” He couldn’t finish his sentence…a sharp sensation of pain gripped his side relentlessly as he grabbed hold of his mid-section. “AAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhh……..”

“I’ll find her…I swear…If I have to tear this town apart…I’ll find her for you.” Hutch told him as he gripped the collar of his shirt tightly. "I’m taking you back…and then I’m going out there…and I’m gonna bring her home…I promise you.”

“Hutch…” (He paused for a moment…) Don’t come back without her…I love her…she means everything to me.” Starsky confessed as he swallowed hard between his words and allowed two small tears to trickle down his face.

“Hey…” Hutch said in a soft voice as he moved his hand to rest on Starsky’s cheek. “Don’t you think I already know that?”

They looked at each other for a moment longer and then in the same instant…they reached out to embrace. Hutch held him tightly in his arms as he gave into his feelings. The tears came from a mixture of emotion…the pain in his side…the helplessness…the worry for her safety…and the guilt. All at once they surfaced…and all Hutch could do was be there for him.

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The door to the basement opened slowly and Cassie could hear voices…so many different voices. They seemed to be coming from everywhere…all around her. The party had started. Laughter and perverse conversation rang in her ears…all the things they were going to do to her.

“How ya doin’ Baby?”

“She’s out of it…looks like she took you’re advice.”

“We’re gonna make a woman outta you.”

Tony’s voice…it was distinctive…but the others were strangers.

“You ready for me?” Tony asked as he bent close to her ear.

“No…No…” She shook her head and protested but it was all she could do.

“I’m gonna do you first…then Mike…and then Johnny…and then David…”

“Davey…” She said in a whisper. “Where’s Davey?”

“Wish I was you’re cop friend?” Tony asked as he grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Davey…” She looked up at Tony…but in her mind she saw someone else. Someone >she needed.

Tony decided to play along. He knew how out of it she was. He had given her more of the drug than he had given Wayne the night before and he knew it would cause her to hallucinate.

“Yes…it’s me…it’s Davey.” He told her not really knowing who Davey was but suspecting it was the cop she lived with…the one he had killed. Wayne had filled him in. He wasn’t her father but she cared for him a great deal…it must be him.

“Davey…help me…make it stop.” She pleaded with him as she stared into his eyes. He smiled down at her and she threw her arms around him. “Hold me.”

Laughter erupted from the room…growing more and more intense as it echoed through her mind. She clung to him tightly and tried desperately to drown it out…but she couldn’t.

“I’m gonna show you what it’s like…Baby. Don’t be afraid.” He said in her ear as he ran his hand down her body and touched her where she had never been touched before.

“No…don’t…I don’t want to.” She pleaded as she pulled away from him and grabbed his arm to stop his probing fingers.

“Yes you do…you want it…you want me to give it to you…don’t lie.” He told her as he continued.

She saw his face…it was him…but why? Why was he doing this to her? Had she been bad? Did she ask for this? Was she being punished? Her thoughts were mixed and clouded as he fondled her and the others watched. Did she deserve it? She felt dirty…maybe she did deserve it…she had had those kind of thoughts about him. Maybe he was punishing her…for falling in love with him.

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Hutch took Starsky back to the hospital and checked him in. The Doctor scolded him for leaving and told Hutch how serious his condition was. Starsky had lied to Hutch when he said all he needed was antibiotics and painkillers. His kidney was damaged and he had lost some function in it. If he didn’t rest and take intravenous IV’s of antibiotics that the Doctor had
prescribed…he could loose it.
 
Hutch was a little mad at him…but he understood. She meant that much to him… to the point that he would put his own life in jeopardy for her. If he were going to recover…he would need to know that she was safe.

After they had Starsky settled and after he dished out a healthy lecture to his partner. Hutch posted a guard at his door and decided to head down to the third floor to visit the boy. If he had regained consciousness he would be able to tell him  something.

As he reached the room he noticed that the door was standing open. He knocked lightly and entered…only to find a nurse making the empty bed and the machines standing dormant beside it.

“Where’s the boy?” Hutch asked curiously. “Did you move him?”

“I’m sorry…were you a relative?” The nurse asked him.

“No…I’m a police officer…where is he?” Hutch persisted.

“He passed away about an hour ago…I’m so sorry.” She told him as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Hutch hung his head and let out a single word. “Damn…” He said in a whisper.

“The boys parents are downstairs if you want to talk to them.”

“Did he regain consciousness at all?” Hutch asked as he raised his head to look at her.

“No…I’m afraid not.” She said softly. “His heart arrested and there was nothing we could do.”

“Thank you.” Hutch told her as he took her hand and squeezed it gently. Then he gave her a weak smile and walked away.

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Hutch’s mind began to wander as he pushed the button in the elevator for the first floor…Tony had crossed the line from delinquent to Felon in only a matter of a few short years. Everything up until that point had been minor…but when he pulled the trigger on his partner…and the boy who now lay downstairs on a coroner’s slab…he crossed over. His father couldn’t
get him out of this one no matter how much influence he had in this town. He was going down…and the charge was now Murder one.

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chapter 10
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