ENSLAVED

Chapter 9

The ambulance had stopped at a safe distance outside the farm property, they had been ordered not to come onto the property until the rest of the buildings were checked for explosives. Carefully the buildings were searched one at a time. As the house was searched the police finally discovered Starsky in one of the back rooms. The bleeding had stopped but his breathing was almost non existant and the iv was almost empty.

"Captain, we've found him" yelled one of the officers. Dobey quickly radioed for the ambulance to come down as far as the old farm house and then entered the house. It seemed like an eternity for him from the time he saw Starsky lying there until the paramedics arrived. They quickly began working on him trying desperately to assist his breathing. Hutch had been told by the paramedics to wait in the ambulance for them. He was so sore from moving around that he did not argue and was trying as best he could not to move any more than he had to. He did not have long to wait, only a few minutes until the paramedics rushed back out with their patient. Hutch could not believe what he saw in front of him. There was his partner and best friend fighting for every breath.

"Starsk, hold on, please hold on" Hutch quietly spoke to his partner as the ambulance doors were shut and quickly pulled away from the farm in their mercy dash to the hospital. The speed in which they were travelling was creating a very uncomfortable ride for everyone, but they knew that every second was counting. There was nothing more the

paramedics could do for Starsky, he needed surgery urgently to remove the bullet and repair the damaged lung. Hutch had almost wished he had not insisted on the ride out to the farm, the trip was very fast and he was feeling quite ill by the time the ambulance came to a screeching halt outside the emergency department. Quickly Starsky was moved into the operating room.

Hours ticked by. Hutch patiently waited for news of his partner. He was slowly finding a comfortable position to lay in so his body did not ache too much. Finally Dobey came back to his room.

"What is happening? Is he out of surgery" question Hutch

"Yes they have moved him to intensive care, but its going to be touch and go for the next few hours" Dobey was completely drained of all his energy.

"Captain, please take me down there, I need to be with Starsk" Hutch was starting to slowly climb out of his bed his body still aching all over and he gradually eased himself into the wheelchair. Dobey took him to intensive care and there Hutch stayed for hours sitting at his partner’s bedside watching as every drop of the iv dripped into his partners body and watched as his chest slowly inflated and then deflated with the assistance of the respirator.

Hutch had drifted off to sleep during the evening and had slept through the night awakening with a rather stiff neck as his head had slumped sideways during his sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at his partner, still no change, Starsk was still unconscious and the iv was still dripping away, the respirator still breathing for him.

"Starsk, can you hear me. If you can hear me please wake up, please" pleaded Hutch the tears starting to well. Hours ticked by and the morning turned into the afternoon. Hutch refused to leave his partner’s bedside. Memories came flooding back to him of all they had been through, they still had so much ahead of them he couldn't face the thought of not having his partner with him.

Later that afternoon Hutch noticed his partners nose starting to twitch, the eyelids slowly opening. "Starsk, come on, that’s it wake up, come on, open those eyes" Hutch watched on patiently waiting for Starsky to fully regain consciousness.