Missing
Scene - The Trap
by
Lin
P.
*****************************************************
Starsky hobbled
his way over closer to Hutch and fell gently against the wall. He held his
wounded leg out in front of him, puffing for air andwincing at the pain
shooting up and down his limb.
"Glad to
see my plan worked." He said all in one breath.
"What do
you mean your plan?" Hutch asked a little incredulously as he finished
handcuffing the unconscious man on the ground in front of them.
"Well, if
that's the way you feel about it....gimme back my watch."
"Alright." Hutch stood and went to the kitchen. As he was
looking around Starsky awkwardly followed and leaned heavily against the
counter, feeling even more spent.
"Here." Hutch was at his side again, holding the destroyed
watch up. Starsky's face dropped. He slowly took the mangled piece from Hutch's
hand and stared at it as Hutch made his way out of the house. Knowing it was fruitless,
Starsky raised the watch up to his ear hoping for a sound, any sound.
Outside in the
car Hutch was putting the radio mike back on its stand. He hoped he'd explained
the directions out to the abandoned place well enough. Even if it did sound a
little confusing at least Joey would be able to lead help back the right way.
As he was
walking back towards the house he chuckled to himself, remembering the
expression on his partner's face as he'd taken the watch. Starsky and his
watches. Back in the house all the humor left him when he saw his partner
sitting on the floor, slumped against the counter and looking decidedly worse.
Hutch quickly
crouched down beside him. Starsky's face was chalk-white, his mouth open a
little as he took short, weak breaths.
There was fresh warm blood, lots of it, running down the side of his
leg. Hutch cursed to himself. All the moving around in the last ten minutes had
obviously aggravated and worsened the gunshot wound.
"Hey,
Starsk."
"...uh?" Starsky's cloudy eyes were fixated on some spot in
front of him.
"There's an
ambulance on the way. But I've got to tourniquet your leg again, buddy."
Starsky didn't
reply and Hutch jumped up and started pulling open kitchen drawers. Most of
them were empty but he finally found a long, wooden spoon. Returning to
Starsky's side he eased the spoon under the blood-soaked bandage then peered
into the ashen face.
"I'm going
to tighten it....ready?"
"Yeah," Starsky mumbled, "..do it."
Hutch twisted the spoon slowly, feeling wretched about the pain he knew it would cause. On the second turn a long groan escaped Starsky's lips. He reached a shaking hand towards the tourniquet then dropped it away.
"Sorry,
Starsk." Hutch glanced quickly at him.
On the third
turn Hutch stopped. As gently as he could he wiped away the blood and stared at
the small hole in the flesh.
"Okay," he said with some relief, "it's stopped."
Starsky's face
was covered in sweat now and when Hutch put the back of hand on his cheek the
skin was clammy to his touch.
"Won't be
long. Hang in there.....want to lay down?"
Starsky just
shook his head. Hutch looked away in frustration. He knew it would be a little
while yet before any help arrived. If he didn't have to keep an eye on these
three men he could get Starsky to the car and to a hospital sooner. But he
didn't dare risk leaving them here alone and chance their escape. Not after
what they'd just attempted. Besides, he didn't think moving Starsky any more
was a good idea.
Looking back, he
saw Starsky's eyelids were heavier now, half closed. Hutch touched his
arm. "Starsky."
"..uhmm?"
"How you
feeling, buddy?"
The dark eyes
rolled up to his. Well, Hutch thought to himself, that answers your stupid
question. Try again.
"Ever think
sometimes we should just look into selling insurance or something?" Hutch
asked with a half-smile.
Starsky licked
his lips. "Oh yeeeaah..." he drolled out, "....'specially days
like this....when I'm bleedin' all over the place."
Hutch grinned but it was short-lived as
Starsky let out a moan and clutched for his leg. Hutch grabbed his hand.
"Careful,
Starsk. If you hit this spoon it's going to hurt a lot more."
"..uhhhh..Hutch...."
"Want me to
loosen it a little? See if that helps?"
With a strained
face Starsky nodded once and Hutch let the spoon out a half turn, making sure
blood didn't start oozing out again.
"Better?"
A burst of air
escaped Stasky's lungs. "Yeah....kinda."
"Okay, I'll
leave it here long as it doesn't start bleeding."
Starsky
swallowed and looked away for a moment; then, "Hey."
"Yeah?"
"I'll hold
this. You go look and see if there's any pieces around."
Hutch's forehead
wrinkled. "What are you talking about?"
"My
watch....see if there's somethin' on the floor."
"Oh,
Starsk...."
"Might be
able to fix it."
Hutch suddenly
felt two inches tall. "Starsky, I used it to catch this last jerk
offguard. It got....shot."
"Shot?"
"Yeah,
right through. You saw it. Sorry, but it's done."
"Oh."
Starsky said quietly.
Hutch scanned
the floor around them. "What did you do with it?"
"In my
pocket." Starsky replied drowsily.
Hutch put a hand
on the shirt pocket and, sure enough, felt the remains of the watch. He sighed
and shook his head. Then, careful not to jar the tourniquet, he moved his legs
around to the front of him until he was sitting more comfortably.
"How much
longer?" Starsky mumbled.
"Shouldn't
be too long, buddy." Hutch said softly.
Starsky nodded,
looking more drained by the minute.
"Sorry
about the watch, Starsk."
"Yeah,
well....it was a brave soldier, huh?....should get a medal or somethin'."
Hutch laughed
under his breath then studied his friend's face; the awful pallor of the skin,
the droopy eyes. He reached up and squeezed Starsky's arm. Starsky looked at
him and returned his smile with a tiny grin of his own. Then it fell away and
the dark eyes closed.
"Still
here, Starsk?" Hutch asked after a quiet moment.
"Still
here." Came the faint reply.
Sitting there on
the floor, silently watching him, Hutch decided that as soon as he could he'd
go back to the jewelry store and find the same watch for his partner. The
corners of his mouth curled upwards just a little as he wondered how long it
would take Starsky to find the inscription he'd put on the back. For Courage, Always.
The End