CHAPTER 5

Morning came and Cassie awoke to the sound of birds chirping just outside the only window she could see in the confined area she found herself in.  She climbed on top of a small table to peer outside. The window had steel bars at ground level and there was a vacant lot next door. She could see some of the street but there were no street signs close enough to read and as
far as she could tell there was no one close by to hear her if she called out. She didn’t recognize the area. One thing she did know was that she was in a bad part of town. There was garbage lying around on the ground and the air had a smell to it that made her want to gag.  She was obviously being held in someone’s basement. She jumped down from the table onto the dirt floor and moved carefully over to the door. There she remained quiet for a couple of seconds…listening for any sound of life in the house. Still naked and cold, She was afraid…but she knew that crying wouldn’t do her any good. She had to find a way out before they came back.

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Hutch sat in the waiting area of the hospital sipping a cup of coffee. He had been there for hours and Dobey had sat up with him for most of the night. When the doctor walked out at around 5:00 AM to tell them that Starsky would be all right; Dobey let out a sigh of relief and said his good-byes to Hutch. ‘Go on home and get some sleep…you can see him in a few hours.’ Dobey had told him with a comforting hand resting on his shoulder, >But Hutch didn’t want to leave…he had to be there when Starsky woke up so he could get the whole story.

They had court scheduled at Nine o’clock…but Dobey had been on the phone the night before with the DA, convincing him to request a postponement. With Starsky in the hospital and Cassie being held by his gang…Hutch knew Tony would be there…expecting  Hutch to testify without his partner…expecting him to lie to protect Cassie. He wasn’t about to give him the
satisfaction. A postponement to gather more evidence against the defendant…The DA would present it to the Judge in the morning although Dobey had told him the truth. The Courts would buy it for now and it should give them a few days to find her.

Hutch had been by himself now for a couple hours waiting for the nurse to allow him to see his partner. He had made it very clear that as soon as he was settled in a room to let him know. He planned to be by his partner’s side when he regained consciousness.  The cup of coffee he held in his right hand began to tip slightly as he drifted off to sleep in the hard plastic chair. As he fell deeper and deeper into his dream the grip he had on the small Styrofoam cup grew weaker and weaker. When the cup fell and coffee spilled over his groin…it brought him to full consciousness instantly.

“Damn…” Hutch said as he stood up and examined the damaged area. Then he walked briskly to the nearby restroom and pushed the door open. There was no way to conceal the stain…at least not with anything he had handy. He hated when things like this happened to him. He was self-conscious enough without looking to the world like he’d peed his pants. After a few attempts to make himself more presentable…he finally gave up. He would just have to deal with it until he could get home to change.

As he walked out of the bathroom he almost bumped into the nurse…the one he had been waiting for.

“Oh…there you are!” She said as he startled her. “Your partner has been moved to a room on the Fourth Floor…room 412. You can go on up but he probably won’t be awake for awhile yet. Oh…and by the way…the young boy you were asking about…he’s alive but it’s still touch and go. The Doctor says he has a real good chance considering his age and his physical condition. He said the kid was lucky you were there. The boys parents are upstairs…they asked me to thank you.”

“I’m glad he’s gonna make it…has he regained consciousness?  He questioned her …the kid could probably tell him where they had taken her.

“No I’m afraid not…Do you need to talk to him?” She asked curiously.

“He might be able to tell us something…do me a favor…let me know when he comes around…a young girls life is at stake.”

“I’ll instruct the other nurses in case I’m not here.” She told him >assuredly.

“Thank you very much.” He said as he flashed one of his gorgeous smiles at her.

“Just being a good citizen.” She replied as she stared back into his eyes. God he was cute.

“Well…I guess I better get going.” He said in a soft voice as he continued to smile at her.

“Sure…” She ended as he turned to make his way to the elevator…then she made one final comment just before the doors closed. “You know a little club soda will get that right out.”

He was feeling pretty good up until that point…he figured he had caught her attention enough with his good looks and charm that she wouldn’t notice it.

Starsky’s room was at the end of the hallway and the furthest one from the nurse’s station…Hutch made the mental note as he made his way to his partner’s room. He’s a cop who was just shot in his own home by a gang of hoodlums…you’d think they wouldn’t stick him in the furthest corner they could find to put him in. what if they try to get to him in the hospital?

Hutch wasn’t happy as he entered the room and pulled a chair close to his sleeping partner. Starsky had a small tube coming from the end of his nose but otherwise he looked pretty good. The monitors and the IV were no big deal and to be expected. Hutch was glad to see the color in his cheeks and the peaceful look on his face as he slept.

He climbed into the chair and rested his feet on the edge of Starsky’s bed to make himself comfortable when he heard him begin to stir.

Starsky moaned deeply and with a significant amount of pain evident in his voice as Hutch stood up and grabbed his left hand…and held it tightly in his as he reached up and began to push the sweat soaked hair from his partners forehead.

“Hey Partner…How you feeling.” Hutch asked as he watched Starsky’s eyes adjusting to the light in the room.

“Like I’ve been sawed in half…” He said with a pained expression on his face…then suddenly his eyes widened and he looked intensely into his partner’s face. “Cassie…Hutch you gotta’ get me outta’ here.” He told him ignoring his pain for the moment.

“You’re not about to go anywhere…I’ll take care of it.” Hutch assured him.

“The kid…is he alive?”

“Yes…but I can’t talk to him yet.” Hutch answered.

“He’ll rape her…I know he will…and then he’ll kill her…Hutch you don’t know him like I do. He’ll do it!” Starsky told him with fear in his voice. Hutch knew his partner was right.

“You have to tell me what you know…everything…what happened last night?” Hutch questioned him knowing he wouldn’t be able to rest until he got it out in the open.

“Stacey brought Cas home early…Somebody put something in her drink at the party and she was really out of it…at first I thought it was just alcohol…ya know…but she wasn’t drunk…she was high.”

“Slow down…I don’t understand…I thought she went out with that Wayne kid.” Hutch reminded him.

“Yeah…he was workin’ for Tony…he’s the one who drugged her. He tried to take her with him but Stacey stopped him. She figured he was up to something.”  Starsky tried to continue but the pain was increasing with his attempt and he had to lay his head back and rest for a moment.

“Ok…so how’d you end up with a bullet in your gut and why’d they shoot the kid?” Hutch asked as Starsky caught his breath.

“Tony said Wayne was supposed to bring her to him…so he could keep us from putting him away…Tony and another kid I don’t know…and Zack…the kid he shot.  Zack got scared when Tony shot me…so he just blew him away…it was cold
>Hutch…like it didn’t bother him…He didn’t even flinch. You shoulda’ seen it…if he can do that…to a friend…he’ll …have no …problem…hurting her.” Starsky was growing weak…his words had become harder and harder to get out and Hutch knew he needed to rest.

“Ok…Shhhhh…no more for now.” Hutch said as he pulled the pillow more comfortably under Starsky’s head and helped him get settled. “You’re too weak to do anything about it right now…I have to make an appearance in court and I want to see the look on Tony’s face when the DA asks for the postponement.”

“Postpone…” Starsky let the word trail off.

“Yeah…Dobey arranged it to buy us a little time.” Hutch said in a comforting voice.

“Hutch…pick me up…this afternoon…Promise me.” Starsky said sternly.

“I said you’re not going anywhere…not for a few days anyway.” Hutch told him.

“If you .won’t….I’ll….catch a cab.” Starsky managed before he drifted off.

Hutch pulled the covers over his sleeping partner with a worried expression on his face. Starsky was stubborn and he knew that he probably would do exactly what he had threatened to do…so he might as well give in. At least that way he could keep an eye on him.

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Hutch went on home and took a hot shower and a quick shave before putting on his dress pants a nice shirt and jacket and fumbling with one of his ties. He usually hated court dates but this one would be interesting. The look on Tony’s face when he realized that he wasn’t going to get his way would be worth the aggrevation. How could a kid his age harbor so much hatred
for the world? Hutch had to wonder.  After court he would try to follow him…see if maybe he could find out where he was holding her. Tony would probably be expecting it so he would have to be careful.

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Cassie tried the door at the top of the small stairway slowly and discovered to her surprise that it was unlocked. She pushed it open slowly and stepped into the small kitchen. It seemed deserted and the house was quiet. In the laundry room she found a towel and quickly wrapped it around herself to cover her exposed body before proceeding to check out the rest of the house.

Carefully she crept into the living room and found the front door…still no sign of anyone…so she ran quickly over to it to make her escape. (This was too easy…why didn’t they have anyone here to guard me?) She thought as she pulled the door open.

Just then she heard a small sound from behind her…the click of a gun being cocked. She knew it all too well…so she stopped to glance behind her.

There on the stairway that lead to the second floor stood a young girl blonde and pretty…not much older than she  was…holding onto a large gun…almost as big as the one that Hutch carried.

“I guess you’re the guard dog.” Cassie said as she glared at her.

“Yeah…I’m a real Bitch!” She told her with an unfriendly gaze. “So you’re the little virgin…or should I say…ex-virgin.”

Cassie was stunned…could it have happened and she didn’t remember? Was she playing with her head?

“I think I’d know if I was or not…” Cassie said sternly.

“Oh…honey…I don’t even remember my first time…that’s the way Tony likes it…you were so stoned last night…I doubt you remember much at all.” She told her as she still held the gun in a threatening angle. “I’m Tony’s girl  now.”

“So you don’t mind if he …I mean…it doesn’t bother you if he…” She couldn’t say the words…they were so unfamiliar to her.

“If he fucks you…why…you’re nothing to him. They’re having a party tonight…and guess what? You’re the guest of honor.” She said in a cold voice and then she laughed at her.

Cassie was in shock…had it happened…if not…will it happen tonight?…with Tony?…with God knows how many others?

In an attempt to hide her fear Cassie posed a question to her.

“Do you know what happened last night?” Cassie asked as the girl came down the stairs and motioned for her to step into the living room by jerking the gun in that direction.

“I was upstairs…I don’t get involved with his little party’s.” she told her.

“I mean…at my house…I heard shots…I remember that much…did he tell you what happened?” Cassie asked almost as if she was pleading now, begging to know what she could about Dave.

“Oh yeah…Tony said he wasted a cop.” She told her. “Why…you a pig lover?”

“NOOOOoooooo……” Cassie cried out “Oh my God …Nooooo…” And then she burst into uncontrollable tears…As the young girl watched in amazement.

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  chapter 6
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