Enslaved

Chapter 1

Tossing and turning in amongst the blue sheets Detective David Starsky was unable to sleep peacefully yet again. The nightmares were getting worse and more intense as each sleepless night followed the previous. Oh how he longed for a good solid nights sleep but peaceful sleep was in the past since the day a month ago when he had been grabbed by followers of Simon Marcos who had tryed to use him as a barginning tool to win the release of their leader. That attempt had failed miserably on their part and now not only was Simon Marcus facing nine life sentences in prison but 5 of his followers where now up on charges for their part in kidnapping starsky from the court house that day.

Starsky awoke again for the 8th time that night unable to keep asleep for more than half an hour, each time drifting off to sleep seeing the same nightmares over and over again, being surrounded in the circle of Marcos worshippers chanting their leaders name and being bashed repeatedly until he lost consciousness.

That nightmare was not as bad as the one he was currently having seeing himself yet again in the derelict zoo trying desperately to find a way out only to be persued time after time by different members of the Marcos cult and now the most vivid nightmare was of gail giving him that water, that water, what the hell had been in that!

Ever since that day nightmares had followed, he had been unable to think clearly and day after day due to the lack of sleep he was getting more and more tired and irritable. Finally he decided to stay up instead of trying to sleep again, even though it was only 5am in the morning and he was not due in at the precinct until 8am perhaps the best thing to do would be to get some fresh air for a few hours before the LA smog hit and go for an early morning run. Perhaps a run would clear his head although the thought of jogging alone did not really appeal today.

Picking up the phone he rang Hutch's number and waited for only a few rings until a rather sleepy voice answered, "Hey Hutch, how about an early morning run before work?" Hutch was not really surprised at hearing his partners voice at this hour of the morning, he had been phoned during the recent weeks at rather unusual times by his partner unable to sleep needing someone to talk to and now the toll of interrupted sleep by phone calls was now starting to affect hutch.

"Starsk, do you know what time it is, its only 5am, can't you sleep again?" Hutch knew he should not have asked that last question. Starsky just sighed at the other end of the phone and before he could say anything in reply to Hutchs comment, Hutch advised him he would be ready for a run in 30 minutes. "Thanks Hutch, I'll see you on the beach then in 30 minutes" and with that Starsky hung up the phone and slowly made his way out of his apartment to his car.

Eyes were watching him leave as they had been watching him for the past month, every move he had made had been watched, his routine carefully studied. Starsky drove along the quiet streets towards Hutchs apartment at Venice Beach and almost fell asleep at the wheel as sleep tried to claim him again. He was grateful of the crisp sea air as he pulled up outside Hutchs and climbed out of the car awaiting his partner and best friend who was coming out the door to meet him.

"Starsk, you look terrible" remarked Hutch who was getting more and more concerned each day with his partners baggy eyed appearance and gaunt look in his face. "You sure you're up to running this morning"

"Yea, just tried, just can't sleep much these days" mumbled Starsky as he slowly slumped to the ground.

"Starsk" yelled Hutch as he ran round the car to his partners side, "Come on Buddy, we're going to get you to a doctor" , "Don't need no doctor, just sleep" mumbled Starsky as his partner dragged him to his feet, his body a dead weight and slowly Hutch managed to get starsky into the striped tomato and placed him in the back seat as the darkness of sleep claimed starsky.

Hutch was unaware of the eyes that were watching them from a short distance away and soon Starskys time would come when his nightmares would no longer be just nightmares but a time to confront his fears again.

As Hutch pulled away from the curb and headed towards the hospital the vehicle which had been parked a short distance back pulled out from the curb and followed them a few blocks before another vehicle took over the task of tracking Starskys car at a discreet distance.