Story #4: Manhunt
Starsky's fingers were slightly curled around my hand. They began to twitch, and I watched as his eyes flickered.
"Hey, buddy," I softly spoke, clapping a hand to his shoulder. "You coming around?"
He looked up at me, and gave me a wan smile, jostling his head some. "Hey," he said, with a frown of disorientation, blinking and trying to put two and two together, and coming up with six.
"Can you sit up?" I asked, and not waiting for him to answer, I gently wiggled a hand under his shoulder blades and lifted. "Careful," I said, feeling his muscles tense.
He cast another glance around. A light mist of rain came from the sky and ran down his face, washing a trail of blood from a nice crescent shaped gash just above his right eyebrow. Starsky shivered like he was sitting upon an ice-covered lake. It was getting dark, and I had just noticed our butts were parked on a pile of wet leaves. "Can you stand?"
Starsky followed my commands like a well-trained police dog. That worried me. He put his hands to the ground and pushed as I helped him upward. He must have been feeling lightheaded as he kept a hold of my shirt for dear life. "Can you walk?" I knew I was pushing him hard, but we had to get moving.
He turned his head slowly toward me with a curious look on his face. "Hutch," he said, breathing rapidly now. "Can you tell me what the hell is going on first?"
"You don't re--"
He shook his head, cutting me off, cringing when he did so a little too fast.
"In a nutshell?" I asked.
We looked at each other. "Nutshell, clam shell, coconut shell. Hutch, just fill me in here, would ya?"Starsky quipped, still holding on to me, and getting agitated.
He got a bigger knock in the head than I thought. I took a breath and began. "We were driving up to Hawks Creek to do some camping and fishing. Halfway there we pulled off the road to help some motorists with a flat tire." Starsky seemed to be following me so far, but it still didn't seem to jog his memory. "Set up. Three guys. Two of them held me down while the other took pot luck shots at you. You faired pretty good till you forgot to duck, and--"
"Cut the build-up, Hutch." Starsky reached under his windbreaker, searching for the bulk of metal that I knew wasn't there. "What are we doing in the middle of nowhere?" Surprise evident on my partner's face now. "Without our guns?"
"Some sort of Mickey Mouse game they're playing. They took us off guard, Starsk. Used a crow bar on you, found out we were cops. Decided to have a little hunting party. Blindfolded us, shoved us in the trunk of their car, and scoured the country side till I couldn't tell up from down, then dumped us here." I gave the area an indignant wave. "Gave me one hour to get you up and going. Then--" I paused.
"Then?" he asked.
"Then the three of them are coming after us like a pack of blue tick hounds." Starsky eyed me strangely. "Us being the foxes." I clarified.
"What?" He looked a little green, like my words alone could induce vomiting. "Manhunt? Starsky tried to draw himself upward more and let loose my shirt. "What kind of twisted sense of humor?"
"They got guns, Starsk, ours included. Gave us nothing but an hour's head start. We're in the middle of nowhere. At their mercy?" I concluded my rundown with a nod.
"Clears up that mystery. How long before--?" Starsky looked to his wrist, and tried to lift his arm in an attempt to answer his own question by looking at his watch. But his arm hung limp at his side and at a peculiar angle. When he tried to straighten it, he gasped from the unexpected pain.
I brushed my fingertips over his brow. "Easy. Don't try to move it. I think it's broken." I bent my head down to look at his watch for him. "We got forty minutes left," I said, as I undid my belt and made a crude sling for his arm in an attempt to keep it immobile.
Starsky held his breath as I eased his arm up and into the sling. "So much--" His face crinkled in pain, and I slowed my movements trying to take it easy on him. "For our relaxing fishing trip in the mountains." He blew out a breath. "Their using an old combat trick, Hutch," he uttered, getting serious.
"Huh?" I questioned.
"Injure one of your enemies. Slows them all down." Starsky let out a long low breath." We better get a move on it."
"Yeah," I agreed. 'Okay, my friend?' I asked with my eyes. Starsky gave a quick nod. "Let's go, before we end up trophies above somebody's mantel," I said. Starsky grabbed a handful of my jacket and got a better foothold under himself, not needing anymore encouraging words then that.
At first his legs wouldn't move, and I fought to stand him up. I held him in place, feeling him tremble. The light of day was fading fast; we had to get moving. "You up for this?" I asked him.
I watched Starsky scan the terrain. "Beats the alternative." He shrugged, looking at me.
"What's that?" I asked.
"I figure we wait around here long enough, you'll start rummaging around for food." He gave a quick glance to the ground. "Beetles. Caterpillars. Termites." Starsky shuddered, but I was certain it was out of pain not disgust.
"Don't forget the spiders," I feebly joked.
One thought filled my brain. We had to stay alert. Find the road and flag down some help. I looked over my left shoulder, then my right, making sure we weren't already being seen. "Ready, buddy?" I stepped away from him, seeing if my partner could stand on his own.
Starsky extended a foot and wiggled it, smiling at me in answer. We headed off. I let Starsky handle himself, but made sure to stay close, in case he took a nose dive. He didn't look too steady. I was determined to make the most of what little daylight we had left. So I moved us fast as I dared. I tried to keep us on hard ground, stepping on rocks and logs, so as not to leave a good trail. Starsky tried to do the same. My inner compass wasn't working, so I played on a hunch, heading us toward what I figured was west. We hadn't gone too far when the wind speed picked up. It rustled through the grass, and dust whirled around. Wind brings the weather. And I watched the white cauliflower clouds above us be pushed out of the way, then overtaken by larger gray ones, darkening the sky. I could smell wild flowers,and maybe a barnyard or pig sty. But who knew how far the wind had carried that scent. Sounds and scents can carry a long distance, especially just before an impending summer shower. Everything seemed very quiet. The calm before the storm. I could smell the approaching rain. The temperature fell, and a few drops hitting the dust created small puffs near our feet.
Starsky continued to walk silently beside me. We stepped over a hollow log, I reached a hand to him, quickly seeing him trip dizzily over it. I caught him by his arm, helping him over, as we continued to move through the brush. I was taking long strides, knowing Starsky was having a hard time keeping up.
"We gotta get to a phone," I said, keeping a light hand to his arm.
"Phone?" He jeered. "How 'bout a bus ticket home? Or maybe we could order up a chocolate sundae from the next soda shop we see." Starsky waved his good hand over the desolate wooded area in disgust.
"I want sprinkles on mine." I tried to make light of it all.
Starsky stepped away from my hold and paused to take a steadying breath. "I'll take it from here."
I resisted my instinct to coddle him and let go the hold I had on him. "We better keep going."
"Keep going where, Hutch? What's the plan here?"
"Starsky, this isn't exactly a tourist sight. We're stranded in the middle of nowhere and you need medical attention, not to mention we are being tracked down like a couple oversized jack rabbits "I think we should take to high ground. Find a vantage point. See if we can figure out where we are and get to the nearest town."
I tried to keep a confident look in my eye as I watched a little blood from the cut above his brow ooze down the side of his face. "Okay," Starsky whispered nervously. "But I ain't eating any bugs."
"Deal."
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We walked along the edge of a clearing trying to stay low for hours. The light rain still sprinkled down, and I worried the dampness could send my partner into shock. I kept close watch on him, being sure to stay only a step or two away. There weren't many trees around. Only grass and a few bushes. It wasn't enough cover to hide a field mouse, let alone two grown men. Night had fallen, and the way our luck had been running it didn't surprise me that the full moon kept creeping in and out of the rain clouds every now and again, throwing heavy shadows around us. It helped conceal our position, but it also worked against us as it concealed the position of those three psychopaths that I knew were hot on our tails. Glancing toward Starsky, I could see he was breathing erratically, struggling to keep up with me. His attention was completely focused on each step he took.
The very act of breathing seemed to be sapping him of his energy. But what choice did we have? The countryside had evolved. From flowering color and chirping birds to shadows and chirping crickets. We roamed through the large field, our awareness on high alert. Every swaying branch, every rolling leaf, and every fluttering wing was cause for alarm. Nothing was overlooked. For all we knew we were being watched right at that very moment, a rifle or our own weapons aimed at our hearts.
"Where's a cop when you need one?" Starsky said smugly, breaking the tension. I gave a laughing snort. He was right. Never help around when you really need it. "Hutch, 'S not going to take a genius for those guys to find us." Starsky huffed, out of breath, looking over at me. He was exhausted but would never say it out loud. Following his train of thought, I nodded my agreement, then stopped. Starsky stopped right next to me, and I could tell by the look on his face he was grateful for that. He wasn't going to make it much further, and I still had no idea where the hell we were.
Because of a simple act of kindness. Of simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Starsky and I found ourselves without backup, without car or weapon, being hunted in what appeared to be unexplored landscape. He was right. It wouldn't take long for those geniuses to find us.
"What do you think we should do?" I asked, in my moment of weakness. Starsky regarded me like that was the world's most foolish question.
"Hutch." My name ran off his lips like water. "You're the nature lover. You figure it out." He stared at me disbelievingly.
"You're not making this easy, Starsky." I noted the light spray of rain that studded his face and wondered how much was water, how much was his perspiration.
"Which way?" he asked. I looked around. Fog had moved in to fill every hollow. More than anything I wished for the light of sunrise. The dark was destroying any sense of direction I may have had earlier. "Hutch? Which way? I could see my partner's eyes big as owls even in the dark.
I motioned toward my left as if I knew. "Come on."
The sound of the locust kept time with our footsteps as we went. Both Starsky and I could sense the tension and necessity of getting back to the road. The world became one color. Black. Black shadows of what I knew to be grass, brush, rock, and wild flowers randomly danced around us. Progress was slow with Starsky blundering to keep up. The distant sound of a jet plane flying high above was the only hint that we were still among civilized folks. I steamed ahead, feeling the need to push us harder. Starsky commented a few times about sunny skies and comic books. I really wasn't paying much attention to him till I heard him groan. I whirled around, taking three steps to his side.
"Hey." I got to him just in time as he pitched sideways.
"Every-everything's spinning," Starsky said, causing me to automatically nab his good arm and stretch it out over my shoulder.
"Hang on." He wobbled more and almost went down to the ground. I reached out my other hand and encircled it around his waist in a most gentle way, supporting more of his weight.
"Hey what'd ya know, a cop." Starsky laughed trying to hide a small whimper of pain, but he wasn't fooling me.
"Come on, buddy. Let's let you rest a minute. I narrowed my eyes, searching through the shadows. Under the halo of moonlight that decided to grace us once more, I discovered a patch of thick tangled briers surrounded by some large boulders. "Over here, just a little further, Starsk." I moved as fast as I dared , a sense of urgency in each step, as I felt Starsky sag harder against me.
"Hutch." I barely heard the whisper.
"Straight ahead of us, partner. Almost there." I could just make out a place where we could squeeze through, concealing ourselves behind the bushes.
I eased him down and leaned him up against the small hollow of a rotting tree trunk. I put a hand under his chin, gently cradling his head as I tilted it up so I could get a look at the gash. Even in the dim light I could see his pain etched in the furrow of his brow. "Don't need to stop on my account," he mumbled guilty.
"I need to rest, Starsk," I said, watching him force air in and out of his mouth.
"Can't keep up with me, huh?" A smile crept to his face.
I bent in low over him, like a sheltering tree. Using my shirt sleeve I dabbed away some of the fresh blood that had trickled down the side of his face. "You weight a ton, you know that?" I pinged.
He didn't pong back an answer as I thought he might. I stared into his face, holding the sleeve of my shirt against the gash. He seemed to be in a trance, and his color was off, like he was about to be sick. I was certain my partner had a concussion among other things. And here I was hauling him through the woods like he was little more than a gunnysack.
Starsky easily read the concern on my face and waved me off. "I'm fine. Leave it be."
I backed away, respecting his wishes. "Yeah, sure you are, Gordo." Then held up one stiff finger right in front of Starsky's face. "How many?
"If you'd hold still I might be able to tell you." He gave a sly smile, his eyes barely visible beneath his lashes.
"Beautiful." I looked around me, not knowing what the next move should be. It was dark and my partner was barely holding his own.
Raindrops looked like jewels under the hazy moonlight as I watched the tall stalks of grass sweep back and forth in the breeze. Starsky was responding to the wind, a shiver enveloping his whole body. I sat down close to him and pulled him toward me. I wished I had sleeping bags or something I could make him more comfortable with.
"Try to rest, partner."
Starsky nodded, bringing his head to my shoulder. "For a minute," he breathed, as I watched sleep fog across his face.
That was the last I heard from him for about thirty minutes. I sat there keeping guard and slapping at the buzz of insects that kept trying to drill their way into my ear, and thinking I probably couldn't even find this place on the map. I watched the night, completely ready to act. Once a large moth ghosted across my arm and I jumped. Starsky didn't even move. I listened hard, but all I heard were the abundant constant sounds of crickets' music.
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Suddenly the chirping music was broken into silence. I cocked my head to the wind. In the distance I could hear the sound of wet grass being smashed down under someone's shoes. The insects buzzing in my ear were replaced by the buzz of whispering voices. I uttered a curse under my breath, watching three silhouetted shadows huddling together only a few yards away. I assumed they were discussing their next play. I knew I didn’t have much time before they tracked us to this damn bush we hid in, but I had no desire to break cover and fight either. They had guns and Starsky was in no shape to take them on.
Starsky woke with a shiver and turned his head to regard me. His violet hard-eyed stare told me he heard them too.
My allergies took this exact moment to begin acting up. I tried hard to subdue an impeding sneeze that would threaten to give us away. I pinched my nose. "Shush, Hutch." Starsky spoke low. "You may as well wave a flag and scream, 'hey, look over here.'
"We're going to get out of this, partner, good guys always win." I whispered in his ear, my eyes tearing from holding back the sneeze.
"Only one problem with that theory, Hutch. This ain't the movies or--." Starsky suddenly reached out to me and clutched my arm, gasping and swallowing a moan. His pallor looked tinged with green, his eyes wide with pain, and I could see his pupils were dilated even in the dim light of night. "I'm fine," he immediately said, trying to cover up the obvious pain he was in. With effort he let loose of my arm and brought his hand to hold his side. "Jus' getting hard to breathe and talk at the same time."
"How's the arm?" I asked, looking to the men and seeing they had not moved from their huddled position.
"Same." His words were clipped."T-think you can add a broken rib to that list." Starsky said, with a wince.
"Aww, Buddy." I caught his hand and squeezed, not letting go.
"S' okay," he mumbled. "You know wha' they say, Hutch?" I raised my brows in asking. "Only gonna live, till you die." He smiled, but it was cut short by his exhaustion of this whole dirty deal.
"Not funny," I said, releasing his hand and raising my eyes to see what was going on with the timeout these guys were taking. "Look, I figure--"
I stopped talking. Both Starsky and I heard the approaching footsteps, before we saw the shadows on the move again. I knew they would find us. We weren't that hidden. I had to play decoy. Was the only thing I could come up with fast enough. No way Starsky would be able to outrun them in the shape he was in. I'd lead them away from my wounded partner, then circle back for him later. "Stay put till I get back." I started to raise up and move away, knowing he'd make an objection against my call to action.
Starsky nabbed my hand strongly, stopping me from moving. "We need to consult," he whispered.
"Starsk, consult this. I have the final word."
"No--what if you're caught?"
"Thanks for the vote of confidence there, pal." Starsky gave a strong-eyed glare. "Not a prayer." I clamped a soft hand to his shoulder. "Starsk," I said, seeing the marred scowl written on his face deepen. "A Sunday stroll in the park is your top speed right now, buddy." Sorrow in my voice. " So, I get to make the rules. I got you this far didn't I?"
"My point exactly," Starsky whispered, but I could hear the resignation in his voice.
"Trust in me," I said, harsher than I wanted to.
"I don't like the rules." I watched his Adam's apple bob in nervousness.
"That makes two of us, partner." My voice softer. What if they all didn't follow. I'd be leaving Starsky alone to fend for himself. But it was a chance I had to take.
We shared one last look, silence between us. Our hunting party was nearly on top of us. I lurched to my feet and ran out from cover, knowing I'd be seen right away.
The rain still fell in a light mist, and I could feel the mud beneath my shoes sucking me down, slowing my every stride. A few bullets splattering into the mud was all it took to make me move faster. I heard all three men behind me, thankful for that. I scanned the area in front of me as I ran, not seeing any cover. I kicked up rocks, broke branches, and matted down the tall grass as I went. Leaving a perfect trail for them to follow.
The woods around me were lit by the flashing of rifle fire, like bolts of lightning they whizzed by. I slipped, going down to my belly, grassy chunks of dirt going up my nose and into my eyes. I lay there a moment,catching my breath. Then I heard a clap of thunder and felt my hair stand on end and my skin tingle, realizing the flashes were now coming from the sky. The misty rain had turned into a summer storm. I looked up just in time to see one of the hunters a few steps behind me, taking aim. I was an easy score, and I prepared for the burning metal I knew would be sinking into my body. Suddenly a white blue spark arched between him and me, and the guy was flung through the air. I watched him land in a heap several yards away. The faint smell of burning flesh and a swirling blush of fog rising up from his tangled body let me know right away he was dead. What were the odds of that?
I was shaken. I could still feel the jagged bolt tingle, running through me. "Too close," I mumbled to myself. But I knew it was my one shot. The two other guys had raced toward their buddy. I waited a minute till I was certain they were busy with their fallen comrade in arms. The commotion seemed to die down. I could feel my pulse pounding in my neck. I belly crawled a few more yards away over clumps of wet grass and rocky knolls. Then I was up off the ground, wobbling on my feet. I stabilized myself, then began to circle back to where I'd left Starsky. As I ran I could feel my hair standing on end. More flashes of lightning whizzed about like the sky was on a warpath. I stalked in and out of shadows somewhat disoriented, trying to disguise my tracks, and stepping into every mud puddle I could find. Knew they wouldn't take long to be back on my trail. I finally came back to the crop of bushes I'd left my partner hidden in. My fingers felt numb as I stretched and moved branches making my way back into the thicket.
I rested on one knee, hovering over Starsky. He was sitting up, still slouched against that log, his chin on his chest. "Starsky!" His eyelids fluttered open, coming around fast when he heard my voice.
"'Bout time."
"Better late then never," I told him.
"Sorry," he slurred in apology. I'm sure he meant he was sorry for dozing off.
"You're going to have to move, buddy."
I really felt sorry for him, but there was no time to spare him the pain I knew he'd feel. In a stern manner I started to pull him upward. He groaned. His broken arm had slipped out of my belt, and dangled limply. No time to adjust it. 'Sorry, partner.' I lifted his good arm up around my neck, and slipped an arm around his waist, hoisting him up and against me. "We gotta move!" The fast movements left Starsky shaking, and his knees bent, dipping him toward the ground. I held firmer. "Easy. I don't think you want to sit down right now. Stay standing, Starsk, please." The touch of the rain seemed to bring him around even more, and his body stiffened as he moved to keep up with me. "That's it." I eyed him closely as I maneuvered him out of the thicket. "You're a mess, pal." I chuckled softly.
"Yeah you are," he volleyed back, his eyes sliding to their corners to look at me.
"You're quite observant, pal." I was grateful he was with me enough to notice.
"Yeah, I know," Starsky snuffed. "What's the plan?" His voice quivered with bravado, holding a hand to the obvious stitch of pain in his side.
"Gotta find the road," I said, shrugging him closer to me, moving fast.
The trail was dark and dismally still. I knew this wasn't going to be easy. But it was all I had to offer. "How you gonna do that?" Starsky asked, his tone that of a lost boy.
"Just gotta keep looking, partner, that's all." I tried to make it sound easier than I knew it would be. Those guys dumped us off in the middle of nowhere and who knows how far they took us before they did.
"Terrific plan, Hutch." Sarcasm. Just what I needed right now.
"Least we're down to only two now. One of them mother nature took out."
"You care to spell that out for me?" Starsky asked.
"Lightning. He was struck by lightning."
For the next hour there was a profound quiet between us. Starsky's full attention seemed focused on keeping up with me. We were both exhausted, but I kept going, driven by the urge to get my partner to safety. The storm had stopped and we were back to only a mist of rain. I could tell Starsky was cold, but he would never say. I tried to press him closer to me, warming him. He was weakening, and I regretfully continued to tug him forward.
Suddenly Starsky gasped, his hand clutching desperately at my side as he stumbled full tilt almost out of my hold.
"C'mere. C'mere, buddy." I held him up, kept us moving. No choice. I knew we were still being tracked.
"Am--" Starsky faltered. "Am I still walking?" His voice was barely audible
"Yeah, Starsk. You're still walking." I laughed uneasily.
"That a fact?" I took it my partner didn't believe me. Gasp. "S' getting hard to breathe."
Beads of water dripped down over the cut above his eye, making it appear that he was sweating blood. "Hold on now, partner." I urged him onward. "Hard to breathe because you have broken ribs."
"Don't remind me."
"What do you think, buddy?" I asked. "What you want to wager the road is just past those trees up ahead?" Change of subject. I played my hunch, hoping my inner compass was on the mark.
"How would I know. Hutch, I could kill you for making me go on another one of your nature trips."
"You threatening an officer of the law, partner?"
"No. I'm threatening you. I oughta place you under arrest." Starsky said, near collapse.
I snorted. "Gonna have me brought up on what charges, Stars?"
"Putting a fly in my soup? Forgetting to leave a trail of bread crumbs? Fracturing the fairytale? Failure to put the cap back on the toothpaste. I'll think of something," he said.
"Very funny, Starsky." At least the distraction kept him walking.
We'd cleared a grove of birch trees, both our eyes going wide when we saw a large river spewing brown goo and sediment from its rocky bed. We couldn't turn around, and I was certain there was no way Starsky would make it across that thing. So much for hunches and inner compasses.
"Think we might be in the clear." I lied, as much to myself as to Starsky.
"Wha' you call that?" Starsky pointed a shaky finger toward the water.
"Just an old river, Starsk." I tried to sound matter-of -fact. He looked at me like I had lost my mind.
"Wha' happen to the new river?" Starsky joked, but it fell flat.
I rolled my eyes, then looked to the swirling water for a moment while I considered crossing it. Maybe I had lost my mind. Suddenly a shot rang out in the distance behind us, and Starsky flinched.
"Wha' you call that, Nature Lover?" I stopped and we stood real still a moment.
Another shot rang out closer this time. "Do you really want to know, Starsk?" He knew damn well what 'that' was. It was the baying of the hounds hot on our scent.
"Now that you mention it, Hutch. Forget I asked."
We moved along the reeds near the water, fast, the river widening as we went. I could hear the difficult whooshes of air coming from Starsky. He wasn't going to make it much further. "Got any ideas?" I asked, glancing at him.
Starsky stopped and pulled away from me. He moved two sidesteps to lean against a nearby tree, breathing hard and fast. "Here is--." He took a breath. "The--" His head thumped back against the tree. "Deal. You're gonna hide up in this tree." Starsky pointed to a large branch hanging above us. " I'm gonna stand right, here. Out in the open. Going fishing after all." He shuffled closer to the trunk. "Then you jump one," he panted. " I'll take the other."
"You're Crazy! For God's sake, Starsky, you've got a broken arm and--"
"Hutch! You know I'm right. We can't outrun them." He puffed, near out of air. "Gotta take a stand. Only chance-- take them out. 'Sides." Starsky looked to the raging river, gathering air. "It's either them or let Mother Nature have her way with us."
"Starsk, I love a man who looks on the bright side of things." I snorted.
Another shot rang out. They were nearly on top of us now. I bent down, picking up a rock and handing it to him, then snatched a large stick for myself. I knew we were about to do something really stupid. I straightened, and gave him a small smile. Starsky gave me a crooked grin in return, then started to attract attention to himself by kicking at a few pebbles. He didn't hide or try to be quiet. He stood his ground, remaining out in the open, drawing our trackers toward us. I heard them shouting 'this way' and the footsteps came closer. I feared for him. Starsky knew that. He looked up, gave me smile. "Jail bait," he cracked. "Go," Starsky said, jerking his thumb upward.
"I'll be seeing you," I said, not sure he'd be able to hold his own against anything other than a slight breeze. Then I reached up, seized a low lying branch, shimmied up, and waited. My gaze darted nervously about when I heard them nearly on top my partner. I was scared for him. These guys were sickos. They didn't really care about money; they just were out here having a good time. There's a difference between the hardened criminal and the ones who just do it for the hell of it. For the thrill of the hunt. I felt like something sharp cut into my gut, but it was too late to back out now.
Before I could even get the drop on them I heard a 'thwack.'
Then I heard Starsky's breath being sucked away. I could just make out the shadow of his body falling to settle belly down in the dirt.
A pressure cooker blew inside me. I jumped from the tree, landing right in front of the guy with the rifle I swung hard and heard a sickening crunch as my stick came across his right temple. He went down, out for the count.
Next thing I knew I was staring into the barrel of what I was certain to be my gun. We stood facing each other and for a moment I offered no resistance. Starsky, hadn't moved and a brief flirtation with fear weakened my knees. Looking at the hunter, I could see a wild look in his eyes and he challenged me to do something about it by jabbing me in the gut with his weapon.
"I gottcha now!" he shouted victoriously. "You cops aren't so tough without your guns and badges, are you?" He laughed, enjoying the hell out of himself.
"Don't bet on it." I did another stupid thing and took a step toward him, the muzzle of my magnum digging into my gut. The guy seemed to get a little rattled. Then I noticed Starsky's fingers clawing at the dirt till he reached the rock that had slipped from his hand. He wrapped his fingers around it. "Money." I stalled. "I have money." Out of my peripheral vision I watched Starsky stand off balance. I made sure not to show any facial expression, keeping my eyes on the sucker before me as I dug in my front jeans pocket to produce some cash.
The off kilter hunter just laughed. "I'll take your money, and his--" He shoved his chin in Starsky's direction. "Off your cold dead bodies.
"Go to hell," I spat.
I watched as he began to pull back on the trigger just as Starsky slammed the rock against the side of his head. The force sent both my partner and the huntsman to the ground. My gun skittered out of his hold, and I nabbed it and aimed it at him, but he, too, was out for the count, and so was my partner.
I wanted to tend to Starsky but knew I had to get these two under wraps first. I patted them down, removing their weapons and taking back Starsky's gun. Then I found some rope in one of their backpacks and with great effort, I had hauled them one by one against a tree and bound their hands behind it. "Sit tight," I said, kicking rocks at them, then turned to look after Starsky.
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Kneeling down, I lifted Starsky's head up off the ground. "Here we go, here we go, buddy." His eyes opened with a start.
Before I could get another word out, Starsky clenched a fist and threw a halfhearted punch my way. "Wha'?" his voice brittle and pain filled.
"It's okay. Okay," I said. Starsky's fist absently fell away, slapping weakly to the ground, and he seemed to focus in on me, his body relaxing when he realized it was me. "Here." I eased him up and moved him against a near by tree stump. "Lay back."
His body was tight with pain, and I let my fingers brush along his rib cage feeling for the fracture I knew was there. "We still alive?" Starsky questioned me groggily.
"So far." I continued my examination. I didn’t like how heavy his breathing had gotten.
"Damn it, easy, Hutch." His body suddenly jerked away from me, like my fingers were a steel rod jamming into him.
"Hold still," I said, and he settled.
"You trying to kill me?" Starsky mused under his breath, but I heard.
"Pretty nice night." A grizzled voice startled us both.
Looking up I saw a shadow of a man, and I raised my gun to aim it at him. "Don't move," I said, with an edge of panic. I was caught off guard. In this business that's all it takes to cross that fine line between the living and the dead.
I swallowed my fear when I heard the flick of a lighter. A very large orange flame coming from a silver matted Zippo revealed a wide eyed old man in denim overalls, a worn patrolman's cap, and shiny boots. "It's windproof." He smiled at the jet torch. The man's hair was thick and white as snow, his face rough and deeply wrinkled. The timid smile he wore settled my nerves a little. What really had my eye, however, was the old colt .45 he held low at his hip and aimed right at me. "You two don't win many friends, do ya?" He eyed the men I had roped to the tree.
I stood up very slowly, my gun still aimed at him. "Put that thing away, boy, or I'll take cap a knee." He jostled his gun. I lowered my weapon, hoping what this guy saw didn't color his judgment the wrong way.
"Check those two over there." I held one hand up in surrender and pointed a finger. They have our id's. We're cops. They--"
"I reckon you should stay put." The old man spoke without a hint of worry in his voice. He shuffled over to the tree, all the while holding his gun in one hand and his hinged flip top lighter in the other using it as a flashlight. He searched one of the men producing my ID."Sergeant Hutchinson." He narrowed his eyes looking back at me, I nodded. "Wondered what all the ruckus was about," he said, his wild brown eyes settling as he lowered his gun and holstered it. Then he strolled back over to me reaching out a hand. I clasped it; for an old guy he had a tight grip. "I'm Butane Bob, the sheriff of Brook County. Retired," he added. "Lucky for you boys I was up here night fishing." He dug his ID out of his shirt pocket flashing it my way. "Those two have been tearing up the highway for months. Stealin', rapin', pillagin', trackin' folks down like they had targets on their backs. 'Bout time the front office sent someone with balls enough to take their return fire and walk through the lions den. Law's been trailin' them there varmints for months. Never come to pass that a couple big city slicker cops would cool things off round here." He flipped his lighter shut. "Local police found a couple young kids buried among some pines a month ago. Bullets in them." He paused a mmoment. "Y'all up here for--"
Starsky let out a slow airless moan, and I found myself back at his side, not listening to a word the old man was babbling about anymore. I heard the flick of the lighter again, so I could see Starsky's head. It was still bloody and I could feel a large goose egg at the back of it now. His heavy breathing had slowed to a weak whisper. "Easy, Starsk." I looked up to Bob. "My partner." I informed. "I gotta get him some help." I knew Starsky would hardly have the strength to walk. We'd have to wait for help to move to us.
"Road's not far from here," he said, putting a large cigar in his mouth, easing it into the flame, and sucking on its end till a ring of smoke rose in the air. "I'll call for backup. Will get you boys home," he mumbled in a calm southern voice, as he turned on his heels and headed up river. "Sit tight. Won't take long."
I squinted in the direction Butane Bob had gone. I had no intentions on going that direction. "Damn," I muttered to myself.
"Huh?" Starsky stirred.
"How y' feelin'?" I asked, my eyes traveling from Bob's retreating form to settle on Starsky's face.
"Pretty crumby." Starsky chattered between his teeth.
"We got some help, buddy." I told him, taking a hand and squeezing it.
"Good thing," Starsky mumbled.
"Why's that?" I watched him with concern.
"For starters your sonar's off. You'd have had us wandering this labyrinth of ponds and mud puddles for days. Or that river would have had its way with us."
Starsky gulped down a deep sigh. I tenderly brushed a single drop of blood off the side of his temple with my thumb. He looked uncomfortable so I lifted him up into my lap with as much gentleness as I could. "So when you think you might be ready to try fishing again, huh, Starsk?"
"You don't love me very much, do you Hutch?" Starsky muttered, nuzzling closer to me, his eyes slipping under his lashes.
I took a deep breath, held him tight, letting a smile creep up from my gut to my face. "How could I not, pal? Hey, stay awake."
Even in the dark I watched one crystal blue eye of my partner's fix on me. In that eye I could see the connection we shared shining back at me with all the strength he could muster. He didn't have to say the words. I read them loud and clear.
'Love you too, Hutch.'
The end