ENSLAVED

Chapter 7

Doctor Lancaster had left the hospital in the early morning he had given Hutch the last sedative. Simon’s dream had not been carried out this time. So many people had died while Simon and his followers where trying to convert them. Doctor Lancaster had even seen his only family torn apart by the cult and now he had decided enough was enough, time to put a stop to Simon and his followers. Instead of giving Hutch an overdose as Simon had wished, he had instead given Hutch a very mild sedative in the early morning, hoping that Hutch would be awake in time to tell the authorities what had happened and put a stop to Simon’s dream of escape. Now back at the farm Doctor Lancaster was packing his belongings preparing to leave before the cult members returned.

Hutch had been stirring in his semi-conscious state since Starsky had left. During the past hour he was tossing and turning, Dobey was at his bedside waiting for Hutch to wake up in the hope of hearing who had been responsible for his disappearance. Hutch was tossing about now, the iv had almost been pulled from his arm a number of times and Dobey had managed to hold Hutch’s arm down in time to stop that happening. "No, get away from me, hey what are you doing" Hutch was mumbling in his sleep more clearly now. Everytime he felt Dobey’s hand on his arm he had visions of being pinned to the bed back at the farm and the iv being inserted. "Get away from me, leave me alone"

"Hutch, son, its Dobey here, wake up" Dobey spoke quietly to his battered friend. So many bruises covered Hutch it was hard to tell where one started and one ended. Slowly Hutch opened his eyes and tried to focus, the room was spinning slightly and he was aching all over.

"Starsk, what are they doing, don't hit me again, leave me alone" Hutch still had not focused enough to realise yet he was safe and not still at the farm in the hands of the cult.

"Calm down Hutch, you're in the hospital, come on look at me" and with that Dobey turned Hutch’s head towards him. "Its Dobey, you're safe, you're in the hospital" Hutch looked at his captain and sighed with relief that he was not just dreaming this. The memories of the past few days came flooding back to Hutch like a tidal wave.

"Starsk, you've got to stop Starsky, he's one of them" yelled Hutch. Hutch tried his best to move out of his bed but Dobey was too quick and managed to get the side railings up to keep him there.

"Hutch what are you saying"? Dobey started to look worried "Are you telling me that one of my men is a follower of Marcus" Dobey was finding that thought very hard to believe, but then again, thinking of the events of the past 24 hours, what if it was true what Hutch was saying, what if Starsky had joined the cult. The thought was too terrible to dwell on.

"Captain, I'm telling you they did something to Starsky. He was chanting with them, he even joined them in on the beatings I was given. Captain he stood back and watched them pin me down and didn't do anything to stop the iv."

"Hutch, there is something you should know then." Dobey looked at Hutch and knew what the reaction would most likely be. "Starsky left here over two hours ago and was joining in on the prison escort to move Marcus to a more secure jail up state" Hutch sat upright and pulled the iv from his arm. "Hey what do you think you're doing" questioned Dobey realising he was not going to be able to really stop a determined Hutch.

"Captain, if Starsky is involved in that escort then there is a high chance Marcus could escape. When I was being drugged the cult where trying to convert me too. Joseph spoke to me and said it was Simon’s wishes for night time - referring to Starsky - to help him escape and the cult where trying to convert me as well. Captain if we don't stop that escort from leaving then Simon is as good as free". Dobey looked at this watch he knew the prison escort had left over an hour ago. He grabbed the phone and rang headquarters and asked to be put through to Starsky.

"I'm sorry Captain, but Zebra Three’s radio went dead almost an hour ago, we got some quick message saying something about being under attack but we got no response. We dispatched units to their route and we are beginning a search now"

"A search" snapped Dobey "What the hell has happened"

"Sir, it appears there was some sort of ambush, we have three dead prison officers, two police officers enroute to hospital with concussion and Detective Starsky is missing. Simon Marcus has escaped"

"Missing" asked Dobey, how could he be missing when the others were either dead or at least enroute to hospital. Perhaps Hutch was right, perhaps Starsky is one of Simon’s followers.

"Yes Captain missing. We don't know which route they have taken but we do know we have an officer down, his gun was found beside his car and there was blood nearby"

"Keep me informed" sighed Dobey and he hung up the phone.

"What is it Captain?" Hutch knew by the look on Dobey’s face something bad had happened. "What search, whose missing" although Hutch felt like he already knew the answer

"There seems to be some sort of an ambush", Dobey explained the details to Hutch about the prison guards and the police officers "Starsky is missing, it seems something has happened to him. The police found his gun next to his car and blood nearby. They are looking for him now along with Simon Marcus"