The next 48 hours seemed like an eternity to Starsky as he had lost track of  time.  The only thing that told him he was alive was the constant pain he was  now in.  His entire body ached and his wounded side was throbbing, along with  chills followed by sweats, and the constant nightmare, sleeping ones and the  nightmare that his life had become in reality.  The restraints allowed  virtually no movement and he was so stiff.  Thoughts began to run together,  hallucinations had become frequent.  He could feel his heart racing and was  having trouble catching his breath.  He focused on Hutch and prayed for his  safety in his waking moments.  He had been broken, something he swore would  never happen to him.   He knew it was illegal to keep someone restrained for  this long, but who was he going to tell?  Who would help him?  Who would  care?  No one.  No one but Hutch, and for all he knew Atkinson may have  already killed him.  The cruel and evil guard told Starsky that his "lover"  had been taken care of and was put out of his misery days ago.  Starsky was  given sips of water at intervals and was given a bottle to use in place of  being permitted to go to a bathroom.  He only prayed that Hutch was safe,  that Atkinson was lying and that his partner would get out of Taio alive.  He  knew his own time was now limited.

 "Godfrey!"  Starsky turned his head slowly to see who was there, no longer  having the strength to lift if off of the bed he was strapped to.  "You're  going back to your cell…that is if you think you can make it."

The restraints were unlocked and Starsky had to be helped off of the bed that  had been his constant home for the last 72 hours.  He was determined to walk  back to his cell, trying to maintain any dignity he might possibly have left.  He was so weak and before he could steady himself, he fell to the floor, not realizing how numb his legs and arms had become from being totally immobilized for so long.   As shaky and weak as he was, he fought to stand.

Seeing his pathetic attempt, Williams helped him up to a standing position.   Starsky looked into Williams eyes, realizing this guard had made no attempt  to hurt him, and gave a sad smile, speaking was just too much effort anymore.  There was nothing left to say.

"Godfrey?  Seth?  Listen, I'm sorry for all you're going through, but there  isn't a thing I can do to help you.  I'm kinda new here, got a wife and four  kids at home.  I really need the job if you know what I mean.  There's not  much work in the area.  I know that doesn't mean anything to you, but if I  could help you I would.  You've been given a stiff sentence and punishments  for your crime are heavy."

"Save it will ya?"  Starsky's voice was but a whisper.  "Thanks for tryin' to  be nice.  Can you just take me back to my cell now?  If you want to help,  tell me what happened to my friend Alexan... you could cont..."

Starsky's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out cold.  Williams  broke his fall and made sure he was returned to his cell.

              -----

Starsky felt a gentle hand stroking at his forehead, and thought he heard  Hutch talking to him soothingly, albeit shakily.  (Hutch?  Is it really you?   Are you really here?  Am I really here or did I die?)

"Hutch."  Starsky struggled to speak to the golden voice he thought he was  hearing.

"Starsky?  Please wake up for me buddy."  Hutch was fighting tears as he saw  the poor condition his partner was in, knowing he didn't have the strength to  help him.

(Hutch?  Don't cry Hutch. I'm here. I'm here buddy. It's okay, don't cry.)

"Hutch?"  Starsky's eyes flickered open and to his delight, his partner was  there…for real.  "Oh God Hutch you're alive?  Thank God!  Atkinson told me you  were dead...he told me..."   Starsky broke down before he could finish.

"It's okay Starsk, I've got you now.  We're together again pal.  They told me  you were dead too.  I didn't want to go on living Starsk not without you.   C'mon buddy, we've got to pull ourselves together.  We've got work to do."

Hutch sat on Starsky's cot and took him into his arms, holding his trembling,  feverish best friend. He had so little strength but was determined to use  what he had to help Starsky.  He couldn't bring himself to tell Starsky that  no one would be coming to rescue them, that Dobey had been in a terrible car  accident and unresponsive.

"Hutch?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"Don't leave me okay?  Please stay with me...please..."

"Hey, just rest now, I'm not planning on going anywhere.  Try to sleep, I'll  be right here." Starsky hadn't realized that Hutch couldn't move anyway.   Hutch was still feverish and sore, his only relief was in the fact that he  was holding his best friend.   He didn't think they were going to get out of  this one.

Starsky drifted off in the comfort and safety of his partner's arms.  Hutch  pulled the blanket over Starsky and planned on holding him for as long as his  friend needed him…and for as long as he needed his friend.  Hutch knew his  partner was in trouble, he was not only abused, but was sick and in desperate  need of medical attention.  He would talk to Williams as soon as he had the  chance.  The  sight of the burns on Starsky's arms further enraged him.

(I love you Starsk...you just rest and please be okay.)

Hutch dozed off with Starsky in his arms.  Thanking God for sparing his  partner's life.  Praying he could get him help before it was too late.

CHAPTER     10

"Isn't that sweet!  The fags are lying in each others arms again!'  Hutch  woke up with a start at the cruel, taunting voice.  "This isn't a hotel boys!  You've gotta work for your keep around here!"  Atkinson reached down and grabbed Starsky, who'd      been slower in waking up than Hutch.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!  He can't work!"  Hutch struggled to get up but was easily  pushed down again.   Starsky had no fight in him as he was dragged from his  cell.  He turned his head and looked blearily at Hutch.  He felt this would  be the last time he'd see his partner.  The pain in his gaze was too much for  Hutch and as Atkinson hauled Starsky out of the cell, he jumped up, with  strength he didn't know he had left.  He started to struggle with the guards,  begging them to leave them alone.

"SHUT UP!" Atkinson turned around very quickly and threw Hutch against the  wall.  He hit his head and slid down to the ground.  Starsky moved to go  towards him but was prevented from doing so by Atkinson grabbing him and  pulling him up close.

"SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!" He was silenced as he heard Williams running up  and taking in the scene.  Williams leant down to Hutch and looking at the  injury, made a sudden decision. Starsky shuddered when he saw the blood that  was only too clear on the blond head.

"This man's gotta go to hospital NOW!"  Starsky was dragged away by Atkinson,  nearly sobbing with frustration.

"You're gonna pay for that!   I've lost pretty boy 'cause of you!  I think  it's time you and me get better acquainted!  You're gonna scrub the floors  curly and then tonight, you're gonna entertain me!  Should've done your  friend before, but you were always in the way!"  Atkinson left him  temporarily but Starsky felt no relief, especially as he was dragged into the  kitchen by two of the other guards and instructed to scrub the floors.

One of the guards deliberately spilt water on the floor and gave Starsky the  scrubbing brush.

"Oops, I spilt somethin'.  Clean it up!" As Starsky hesitated, he got a kick  to the side. He started to black out with the pain but his head was lifted up  and water was thrown over him.  He picked the brush up and started to scrub,  very weakly.  Terrified for Hutch but glad that he would be out of this  hellhole.  He could barely move by the time he'd finished.  It had taken  twice as long for everytime he thought he'd finished, more water was spilt.   They even ducked his head into the bucket of dirty water, to the point he  nearly blacked out.  He was past despair and the guards were enjoying his  humiliation and pain.  By the time he had finished the floor, he was very  weak and sick and barely made it back to his cell.  He wasn't strong enough  to eat and that night lay down on his bunk, without eating.  The blood on the  wall hadn't been scrubbed off and he was beside himself with worry about  Hutch.  Finally exhaustion won and he drifted off into an uneasy sleep, not  hearing the cell door opening.  He only woke up as he felt hands pulling him  up into standing position. He tried to struggle but  it was useless and his  wrists were tied, as a rag was pushed into his mouth.

"Told ya that I didn't appreciate losing pretty boy.  You're gonna have to  do!" Starsky looked with hatred into the eyes of his tormentor.  At least  Hutch had been spared this.  He wasn't prepared for the hard push backwards  and he fell down, landing against the bed.  Before he could react, the  warden, Mr. Bell, with two other guards, called to Atkinson from outside the  cell.  Bell eyed the situation calmly.

"Atkinson!  What the hell are you doing?"

"He tried to attack me sir!  I was just getting him under control."

Bell motioned Atkinson out into the hall where he could have a private word  with him.  The other guards just looked at Starsky, not daring to touch him.

"Is he the one?"

"Yeah, been causing a lot of trouble.  Nearly killed his cellmate.  Alexander  had to be taken to the hospital because of him. Might even be dead by now!   Um, I..." Atkinson was stammering, thinking he'd been caught but he was in for  a surprise.  Bell didn't seem unduly concerned for the prisoner's condition.   He was also aware that Bell didn't normally walk around the prison and  wondered what  was going on.

"Well, make sure he knows who's boss around here.  Put the volt stun belt on  him, that way you'll have better control over his actions.  If he gets out of  hand, I want him in my office.  Got it Atkinson?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Bell.  I think I can handle him from here sir."

"Then get to it.  I don't want anymore outbursts!"

Atkinson was given free reign over Starsky's life, or death, and it was the  beginning of a new form of hell for him.   Atkinson returned to the cell and  grinned.  He was going to have fun with this prisoner.  Before he could get  started again, he was interrupted by the sound of fighting coming from  another cell.  Godfrey would wait, Atkinson chuckled at the thought, knowing  now that the warden wasn't going to stop him from doing what he wanted. What  he didn't know, was that the           warden knew who Seth Godfrey was.  Nathan Bell,  the warden's brother had filled him in on all the details of the "Dynamic  Duo" from LA.  Nathan was the maintenance man who had been outside Dobey's  office when the captain filled his two detectives in on their next  assignment.  When he heard they were going undercover to Taio, he called his  brother immediately.   Starsky and Hutch hadn't recognised him when they ran  into him in the hallway of the precinct, as he had disguised himself.  He'd  been waiting for an opportune time to extract revenge and the opportunity had  finally presented itself.   Nathan had served two years in another prison,  one not much better than Taio, because of the infamous team. Jeffrey Bell,  the warden at Taio was just as eager for revenge against the team who put his  brother behind bars. Together, the brothers planned to make Starsky and  Hutch  suffer and pay for what they had done before killing them both.

CHAPTER 11

Starsky was jolted awake a couple hours later as he was pulled up by one of Atkinson's cohorts. He was too tired to resist as another guard placed the volt stun belt around his waist, securing it tightly.  It was locked in place so that Starsky couldn't remove it himself.

"How you doin' lover boy?  That was a good night for us, but I guess Atkinson proved too much for you to handle" the guard chuckled at the blank look Starsky gave him.   Starsky was so sick and sore, he had no memory of being raped.   He started to dry heave at the thought - his life had become such hell, he didn't know.  He looked at the belt being applied, fighting hysteria.

"What are you doing to me?  Please don't put that on me.  I can't hurt anyone, please."  Starsky knew exactly what the belt meant and the harm it could do.  He also knew that Atkinson would not hesitate in using it to control him.  He didn't think he would be able to tolerate the pain the belt would cause if it were activated.  He felt sick and was shaking uncontrollably.  He must have been raped, although he couldn't remember and he was about to be further degraded.  He started to fall back onto the cot, but was roughly pulled up again by the two guards as Atkinson entered the cell.

"Good, you've got him ready!  Mornin' lover!" Atkinson stroked Starsky's face.  "I enjoyed last night and look forward to tonight"  Starsky just stared dully at him.  "But for the time being, you've got work to do.  Get up!"

Starsky tried with all he had in him to obey his orders, as Atkinson held the remote control to the belt in his hand.

"Listen, I I need help, pl please. "

"I said GET UP! I'll help your sorry ass!"  Atkinson turned on the remote and gave Starsky a mild jolt to remind him who was in charge.  Starsky cried out, before turning and vomiting onto the floor of his cell.

"Get him started here, he can clean up his own mess first.  Then I want him in the workshop, he can start on the floors there after he is finished here.  Johnson, get him his bucket and brush."

Starsky was losing ground fast.  The wound in his side had become infected and the pain was unbearable, his fever was climbing.  He was terrified about what had happened, and out of his mind with worry about Hutch.  He broke down, hardly able to believe the turn his life had taken.  He prayed for Hutch to live and began to pray for his own death.  He felt there was no hope of getting out of the prison alive and wanted it all to end.

"C'mon crybaby!  Start cleaning up your mess."  The bucket was shoved at him and the brush thrown onto the floor in front of him.  "Get moving Godfrey!  I  only gave you a mild shock before.  The voltage on this thing can be turned up to 50,000 volts.  I don't think you want me to do that, now do you?  Not that I won't. You'll get what you have coming.  Now start scrubbing!  Or you'll end up dead like your pretty boy cell mate."

Starsky's last remaining hope faded away.   He was beyond despair as the words flooded through him.  Dead, Hutch was dead.  He then realized that Hutch had beaten this bastard.  The grief that threatened to overwhelm him subsided slightly at the thought, for Starsky knew that he'd be joining Hutch.  He wasn't going to have to face a life without his partner.  He just          couldn't, there was no life without Hutch.

"He may be dead, but at least you didn't get him, you sick bastard."  Starsky spat at Atkinson.

Atkinson was furious, he didn't like being defied and he grabbed Starsky's hair,  pulling his head back.

"But I got you, and I'm gonna have you for as long as I want!  It's your fault that I lost him but you can make it up to me."  He punched Starsky in the face so that he fell backwards.

"Get cleaning!  You and me are gonna have a long night tonight!"

Starksy feebly took the brush and began to clean the floor of his cell.  When he was finished there, he was taken to the workshop to continue with his chore.  He was sick to his heart, but glad that Hutch had been spared this torture.  His cleaning chores took twice as long again, for everytime he'd clean an area, Atkinson or one of his partners would spill more water and
make him begin again.  Starsky was finding it hard to breath and felt his heart racing.  He couldn't remember a time when he had more pain.  Each time he fell onto the floor, he was kicked and pulled up roughly by the guards, to begin scrubbing again.

"Please, what did I ever do to you?  What did Hu.. Alexander ever do to you?"   Memories of Hutch were flooding through Starsky's mind and he wasn't able to stop his sobbing.  He was near hysterics and at times he would call for Hutch, thinking he was in the workshop with him.  He even thought he saw him one time.  The infection was getting worse, it had reached his bloodstream and his immune system was shot.  He had no strength and his body was no longer able to fight the raging infection.  Unknown to Starsky, he was going into septic shock, a condition caused by infection that had a 60% mortality
rate.  He was dying.

Atkinson had no mercy on his prisoner, enjoying his pain and humiliation. Starsky was no longer was able to even hold himself up on his hands and knees as he was losing control of his muscles.  The infection had reached his central nervous system.  He now lay in a heap on the workshop floor.  The last thing he heard was the cruel laughter of the guards and Atkinson as he       started to convulse, losing consciousness once more.

Time had lost all meaning for Starsky, and he no longer fought to stay alive. It no longer mattered to him for he believed that Hutch was dead.  He was truly grateful that Hutch had been spared this nightmare, for that is what his life had become - an endless round of torture and degradation.  He was taunted with being Atkinson's lover, both by the guards and the other           prisoners but he had no memory.  His entire body ached and he was so sore and weak, it made little difference to him now.  Each time the belt was activated, it seemed to take away more of his rapidly waning strength.  Atkinson hadn't visited him in his cell during the night again, seemingly just enjoying this new torment.  Atkinson kept promising that he was going to pay him another visit but it didn't happen and Starsky was kept guessing as to what his captors had in mind for him.  He was growing weaker each day, not being able to keep food or water down.   Williams was watching the obvious deterioration with concern, still not able to help him.   He realized that Godfrey believed his friend was dead, but couldn't even bring himself to tell           him the truth.

After about a week of wearing the belt, Starsky knew that his time was nearly over.  His body was weak and he had no strength left to fight.  Every zap of the stun belt took something more from him and he found himself just wanting it to be finished.  That night he had visitors to his cell.

CHAPTER 12

Well, well, here's Atkinson's new toy.  Think it's about time we have a go with  him?  The noise of laughter filled the room.  Starsky was hauled up,  unable to fight or even recognize his new tormentors.  As his clothes were  ripped off him, all he could do was pray that this would be it and he'd be  released from the hell that his life had become.

What's going on here? Atkinson came into the cell. Atkinson, you've been playing with him for weeks!  It's about time we get a  shot. Go for it!  There's not much fight left in him though!  He isn't going to  last through you lot! The sound of laughter again as Starsky listened to  them drawing straws for who got him first.  He didn’t care, he just wanted  everything, including his life to be over.   In his mind he saw
Hutch  standing in front of him, smiling at him encouragingly and telling him to let  it go.  He’d soon
be safe again.  The thought of Hutch watching him being  abused did what the tormentors had failed to
do, and that was bring fresh  tears to his eyes.  No Hutch, please go, don't stay here.  He found a sob  rising in him as his head was grabbed and a cloth stuffed in his mouth.

This'll get him going!  He couldn't see what was happening but felt the  cigarette being applied to his lower back.  He winced and groaned, but this  seemed to infuriate his attacker.  You're not fighting?  Starsky was  rolled on to his back.  His bleary eyes realised there were about four men  there, plus Atkinson who was watching and enjoying the pain.  Atkinson slowly  and carefully lit a cigarette and moved in close to Starsky's face.  The  others followed suit and soon he was choking at the smoke that was so close  to his face.  They avoided burning him but were enjoying themselves, so much  so they removed the cloth,
wanting to hear him beg.

Let's take him to the kitchen.  We'll get his attention there. Let's go!   Starsky was lifted up and carried by two of them to the kitchen.  The  activity was observed, but no-one dared stop them.  Some cheered.

Come and watch if you want!  When we've finished, you can all have a go!

In their excitement, the dropped, smoldering cigarette had not been noticed.

Starsky was dumped on the table and tried to prepare himself for the worst.   He prayed for release that didn't come, until the smoke alarms sounded.   Panic spread quickly and his tormentors left him lying bound and naked on the  table.   He didn't care, he'd been spared one ordeal but maybe this was it.   He made no attempt to move, even as the sound of running feet invaded his  pain filled thoughts. It was getting harder to breath, almost impossible.    He just lay there, waiting to die.

Hutch, I'm gonna be with you real soon.  Starsky relaxed at the thought.   Hutch would protect him.

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