************************************************************************

Dobey was in a state of mind that no man should ever be in. One of his best cops had gone so deep undercover he didn’t know where to find him and the other was sunning himself in Hawaii after winning the precinct lottery. Worse; he’d heard a rumor that someone was on to Hutch.
The ‘phone on his desk rang and he grabbed it angrily; ready to take out his ill-humor on whoever it was who had disturbed him.
“Captain? It’s me, Huggy. Hutch has been spotted; I’ll tell you more when you get here.”

************************************************************************************************

*******************************************************************************

“How did he seem when you saw him yesterday, Dave?”
“I dunno. I think my face triggered something. He remembered my name – at least he asked if it is David. He asked if his name is Kenny – I told him that only his mom is allowed to call him that. He remembered that I call him Blintz and he muttered something about a tomato.”
“A tomato?”
“Yeah – you know what he calls my car, don’t you Captain?”

They had arrived at Hutch’s room.
The doctor was just leaving.
“Good morning gentlemen.” He turned to Starsky. “I believe your visit had quite an effect. He’s already asked where ‘Dave’ is. He says that you make him think of tomatoes…” The doctor looked confused.
“Striped Tomato – that’s what he calls my car.”
The doctor did not look any the wiser.
“Starsky here drives a red car with a white stripe on it – Hutch calls it a Striped Tomato.”
“Shows he’s color-blind – it’s candy-apple red, not tomato!”
The doctor drew Starsky to one side. “I’d like to talk to you a little about your friend. We’ll let the Captain visit him while we talk.”
“Sure, doc.”

“To be perfectly honest, Sergeant…”
“Starsky or Dave, whichever.”
“Dave, as I was saying, I’m a little confused about your relationship with Detective Hutchinson. After your visit yesterday he was obviously distressed that he could not remember who you are, but at the same time he knows that you are someone very important to him. I have to ask….”
“Oh no; I love him dearly but believe me Doc, all the blondes, I date have a very different anatomy!”
The doctor looked embarrassed. Starsky let him off the hook. “Hey, lots of people think that about us – we don’t give a damn. We spend so much time together we know everything there is to know about each other. If seeing me has triggered his memory; well he’ll soon be getting back to normal won’t he?”
“I wish it were that simple.”
“Meaning?” Starsky looked at him closely.
“Your friend has been badly traumatized. We’ve run every analysis we can – there is no evidence of any drugs; he hasn’t been hypnotized…whatever they did to him was so awful that he shut down completely. It isn’t just a case of him losing his immediate memory – he has effectively lost all conception of his own identity. When he was found he was naked. Your friend, Mr. Brown, says that he was looking at his own body as if it was unfamiliar…to be perfectly honest, Dave, Mr. Brown had to guide him in the bathroom.”
Starsky didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The image of Hutch being ‘held out’ like a little kid at the potty tickled him; but the idea that his friend had been so psychologically destroyed distressed him more than he could say.
The doctor continued.
“We really do not know what therapeutic line to take here, Dave. For the moment the only treatment I can think of is that you spend as much time as you can with him. I asked you before not to prompt him; but after the effect of your visit last night I think maybe I should leave it to your discretion what you tell him; when and how.
If anyone is going to bring Mr. Hutchinson back to himself – I believe that it is you.”

“I’ll do my best. I have an interest here. I don’t want to sound selfish but I have no intention of breaking in another partner – training him in the ways of the real world was enough for me!”
“What do you mean ‘training him in the ways of the real world’?”
“He’s a nice middle class kid from the Mid-West doc. The worst thing that ever happened to him was if he broke his toy train. He went to college and dropped out – but kept clear of the draft. He joined the force because he ‘wanted to help people’. Me, I’m from the streets. My dad was a cop in New York. I saw him gunned down. I grew up in between the tracks, if you see what I mean. I got drafted and I nearly left a leg and an eye in ‘Nam – and I hated every damn minute of that fucking war. I became a cop for my dad; and because I understand where so many of the flakes and creeps we deal with come from. I had to teach Hutch that people really do live in cold water walk ups that stink of piss; and that it’s not always happy ever after like in one of those movies that Capra made with Jimmy Stewart.
Now I’m going to teach him who he is…all over again!”

Starsky walked away, leaving the doctor stunned and somehow very impressed. He felt quite confident that his patient would be recovered sooner than he had originally thought.

*****************************************************************************

Starsky walked slowly back to Hutch’s room. He wanted to be sure about a few things in his mind before going in. He went over to the nurses’ station.
“Excuse me ma’am?”
“Yes? What can I do for you? Oh you’re the young man who is helping Ken to find himself; aren’t you?”
“You could put it like that. I was wondering whether there was a chess board I could borrow.”
“I’ll go and find one in the day room. Go on in and see your friend. Your boss just left – he seemed to be in a hurry.”
For once Starsky didn’t feel like finding out what Dobey was doing; he went into Hutch’s room.

Hutch was sitting up staring at a magazine; it was evident that he wasn’t really reading it. Starsky went over and picked the magazine off his knees.
“Since when were you interested in bonsai plants?”
“It was something to read. Don’t I like bonsai plants?”
“You have a lot of greenery in your apartment – so do I – but I’ve never seen a stunted tree. Of course your place is such a tip, I might have missed something….”
“A tip?”
“You are the untidiest person I ever met in my life; your car, your apartment even your desk – they all look like an earthquake just finished. In fact your car would probably benefit from an earthquake!”
“How?”
“Might get swallowed up and disappear.”
Hutch smiled. “Your car…you are very proud of your car…and I…I…”
“Well you can’t drive it properly for a start!”
“Tomato…your car is red!”
“You cheated; you were watching out of the window.”
Hutch looked hurt. “No, I …I….not the window…”
Starsky glanced out of the window – the room had a fine view of the kitchen trashcans and there was no way Hutch could have seen him arriving.

Another little bit of progress. I wonder if I can get more from him about the car.

“Ok, so you didn’t see me arrive. What else about my car. There’s something pretty special. It took you a while to understand.”
Hutch was concentrating hard. “White stripe.”
“Yes…and?”
“Red car with a white stripe.”
“Good; but so what? I mean why should that be so special. Lots of guys have special paint jobs on their cars?”
Hutch closed his eyes.
“I don’t know, Starsk.”
“Hey…what did you call me?”
“Starsk.”
“And I call you…” Hutch saw that same encouraging look in the blue eyes.
“H..H…Hutch; you call me Hutch! My name is Kenny Hutch!”
“Yeah, well; I won’t tell if you don’t.” Starsky giggled. “Try again.”
“Ken Hutch…Hutcher...Hutching…Hutchinson. Ken Hutchinson!”
Starsky held out his hand; “pleased to have you back Hutch!”

The nurse came in at that moment with the chess board; she put it on the night stand and smiled at the two men who were still holding hands.
Starsky grinned at her.
“Nurse Adams; I’d like you to meet a friend of mine…go on, you do the introductions.”
“My name is Ken Hutchinson and this is Dave Starsk. I know that he is a friend of mine; now all I have to do is find out why.”
“I’ll leave you two boys to get to know each other a little better.”
Starsky scuttled to open the door for her and gave her a little bow as she left.

“Wanna see if you can beat me at chess?”
“Do I play chess?”
“You bet. You taught me; and it was a big mistake…you’ve never managed to beat me yet!”
“There’s always a first time.”
Starsky set the pieces and held two pawns behind his back. Without prompting, Hutch chose the right hand – and drew the black pawn. Starsky spun the board to give himself the white hand and made his first move.
Hutch countered. Starsky moved again and Hutch promptly took his pawn.
Starsky smiled to himself. Do I let him win?
Half an hour later they were at the end-game; and Starsky was within a hair’s breadth of check mate. Hutch made a bad move and the game was wide open again.
Either his memory is coming back – and he still plays as badly – or he’s guessing.
Starsky moved his queen again and Hutch fell right into the trap.
“Sorry to do this to you…check and mate! Just the same as always.”
Hutch shook his head. “I guess I’ll always regret teaching you!”

**************************************************************************

Dobey had hurried back to his office following a report that Carrera and his men were on the move.
Hutch had been undercover to infiltrate a big racket involving fake art treasures; Carrera and his band hoped to rip the Getty Center off for a few million by claiming to have a genuine bust of Cleopatra. Hutch had managed to get that much information back before he disappeared and the people at Malibu had been asked to let the police know if any such artifact was offered to them. They had signaled contact that morning.

Dobey sat in his office and tried to decide whether Starsky was more valuable at Hutch’s side or out in the field helping to bring Carrera in.
The phone on his desk started to ring and he picked it up absent-mindedly.
“Cap’n?”
“Starsky; how’s he doing?”
“He knows his name and mine…he remembers that my car is red and white – but he still doesn’t know why that might be unusual...and he still can’t beat me at chess! He’s pretty tired now. I was wondering if I should come by headquarters before I go home.”
Dobey hesitated. “Yes; come on in; I need you on the case.”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

Starsky put the ‘phone down just as Hutch emerged from the bathroom.
“A relief, huh?”
“Are you always that crude?”
“Nope; sometimes I can be much worse!”
“That’s what I was afraid of. What about me?”
“You can hold your own in the wrong kind of company too. In fact you made a pretty good stripper at New Year.”
“I did?”
“Tomorrow I’ll bring you the photos. Your tired; get some rest and I’ll come by tomorrow to keep up the brainstorming. I gotta do some work right now – pick up a few loose ends that you left behind. See ya!”
“Starsky. Be careful of those guys……..”
Starsky turned back. “Wait a minute. I never told you that it is Starsky not Starsk. And who are you talking about?”
“I don’t know. I just know that somehow you are going to get involved with whoever did this to me…and I remember pain, Dave, I remember a lot of pain.”
Starsky sat on the bed.
“I’ll get them to give you something to help you sleep, OK? Don’t try to remember anything about them if I’m not here. Don’t get upset.”

Starsky turned down the corridor to the doctor’s office and knocked on the door.
“Yes?”
He went in. “Sorry to disturb you but I think you need to know what’s been happening today. He remembers my name and he’s got his own right too. He can describe my car – but he still doesn’t know what we do for a living; so it just seems like a weird paint job to him at the moment. We played chess – he lost as usual and he fell into all the traps I set him; just like always. But doc; when I said I had to go and tie up some loose ends he’d left behind…he told me to be careful and he remembers pain. He’s pretty uptight about it –I said I’d ask if you could give him something to help him sleep. I don’t want Hutch to remember what they did to him if I’m not there to support him.”
“You did the right thing. I’ll prescribe a sedative and I’ll have a nurse sit with him until you come again.”
“It might not be tomorrow; I have to work. Seems we might be close to getting them.”
“Do your job, Dave, and I’ll do mine. Between us we’ll get Hutch back together again.”

******************************************************************

“This is Zebra 3 requesting a patch through to Captain Dobey.” The radio hissed and crackled then he heard three beeps.
“Zebra 3; go ahead for Captain Dobey”
“Captain? I was a little longer leaving the hospital than I figured; Hutch remembered something and I had to speak to the doctor about it. I’ll tell you about it when I get in; I’m on my way.”
“That’s fine, Starsky. See you in about twenty minutes.”
“Yeah.”

He started the engine and glanced in the rear view before pulling away from the curb. Something attracted his attention. He’d left a reel of modeling thread and the latest modeling magazine on the back seat….the thread was gone.
It probably rolled off the seat when I braked. No, it couldn’t have done; I made sure that the magazine was blocking it!

He drove on, but the missing thread bugged him.

When he arrived at the precinct he slid the Torino into the garage and checked under the seats – the thread was not in the car.

He went up to Dobey’s office.

Dobey was waiting for Starsky and as always when he had nothing to do, he was eating. Starsky eyed the burger and double helping of fries in the desk and made a grab for the second bag of fries. For once Dobey didn’t complain. “Help yourself, Dave I guess you didn’t eat at the hospital.”
“Are you kidding? Hutch managed to eat a yoghurt and a banana. I ate an apple and his cheese! Not enough to keep a healthy young cop on his feet! And I have a feeling that I’m up for the night shift, right?”
“No; tomorrow morning. Carrera has made an offer to the Getty. I want you there to close the transaction.”
“Carrera knows me Captain. I can’t be out in the open.”
“I know that! Stay out of sight and come in when they hand over the statue. The Getty people are going to stall handing over the money and that will be your chance. I don’t know how you’re going to do it – but that’s why you are one of the best men on the force; you always find a way.”
“It would be easier if I had the other “best man” with me…”
“Starsky.”
“Yeah Captain?”
“I know that if Carrera hurt Hutch you’re going to want to get even…but remember the best revenge will be to put him away for as long as possible.”
“Captain, until Hutch can tell me what they did to him, Carrera is safe.”
“Get out there and arrest the bastard.”
“Language, Captain!”
Dobey laughed. “I’ve heard far worse come out of your mouth young man.”
Starsky was still laughing as he walked down the hallway.

*****************************************************************

Despite the sedative, Hutch was having a bad night. The nurse soothed his brow and tried to calm him; but his sobs were so strong he woke up. She rang for another nurse to relieve her and went to call the doctor. He prescribed a second milder dose of the same sedative and she went back to give Hutch his shot.
He didn’t protest as she slid the needle into his vein and soon he was asleep.
They spent the rest of the night peacefully; at least that was how it seemed to the nurse.

“Hold him down”
“How does that feel? Want your mommy yet?”
He felt a burning sensation in his groin and a jolt of pain shot through his body.
“What’s your name?”
“Hutchinson.”
“Do it again”
Another jolt wrenched his body apart. He felt as if with each wave of pain he was losing another part of himself.
“What’s your name”
“Name…my name…uh…uh….”
More pain and another part of his identity flew away.
“What do you do for a living?”
“…living….”
“I think he’s almost lost it, boss.”
“Once more. We have to be sure. He’s seen too much!”
“Why not just waste him?”
“Wasting a cop is federal…it’s a capital offence; if he doesn’t know who he is they can’t prove that we did anything to him! Get it? Now give him one more, to be sure.”
Again he felt the pain flow through his body…at least he thought it was his body; he didn’t know any more.

He was cold and in some kind of room with no windows.

Someone opened a door and he took his chance…..he ran for his life – whatever his life was.

_________________________________________________________________

The Getty Collection was in perfect replica of a Tuscan villa set in a beautiful park in Malibu. Starsky had once visited the collection and had spent a half hour watching an Etruscan vase rotate on its stand as he studied every detail of its shape and the images on it. He remembered that only pre-booked visitors had the right to drive up to the parking lot, so he had called ahead by radio and managed to secure a place.
“You’re lucky sir; we had a cancellation otherwise you would have had to wait until next week.”
Starsky also knew that it was possible to arrive by special bus without a booking.
He drove up to the parking lot and slipped the Torino into the last available space.
He made his way to his Etruscan vase and waited patiently.
The radio in his pocket crackled and he turned the volume right down in case anybody noticed it. He set to studying the vase again and was fascinated to see details that he had not noticed the last time.

Next vacation I get I’m going to come here every day!

The radio spluttered and Starsky went out onto the terrace. He slipped behind a column and listened.
“Carrera just arrived.”
“Where is he?”
“Going to the admin block. Its…”
“Yeah; I know where it is. I’m on my way.”
He checked around him and slipped down the steps and into the garden. He skirted the pool and slipped out of the garden through a door in the wall that had been carefully disguised by a fresco: it was painted to look like a part of the fresco.
He made his way to the back of the villa and the administration entrance. He froze.
Carrera was talking to another man…and Starsky recognized Denis Nielsen. Nielsen was the coldest psychopath that Starsky had ever come across. They had crossed swords once before – at high school; Starsky had come out on top; but only just.
He pulled back behind a bush as Nielsen walked away form Carrera.
Starsky held his breath as Nielsen turned to face his hiding place.
Shame to take a man when he’s so vulnerable but here goes!
Starsky waited until Nielsen was in full flow before pushing his pistol through the branches of the bush. Nielsen registered shock as the cold steel made intimate contact.
“Finish what you’re doing; zip it up and then put both hands in the air; unless you want to lose it.”
Nielsen did as he was told. Grinning Starsky stood up from his hiding place and flipped out the cuffs. “Hands behind your back Denny; I’ve waited a long time to get even with you. Something tells me that you are going to tell me what happened to my partner. But later, Denny; later. Right now I’m going to have to leave you here for one of my colleagues to collect you.“ Starsky fixed the cuffs around a pipe on the wall and radioed for a uniformed officer to come and take Nielsen away.
He walked over to the door that he’d seen Carrera enter and opened it quietly.

“I have the Cleopatra bust for you.”
Carrera was talking to the museum’s curator.
“I need to examine it properly before I pay you. There are so many fakes around at the moment.”
Carrera hesitated then followed the other man into another room.
Starsky kept his gun high and released the trigger. He splayed his fingers away from the butt and went silently to the door. He watched as the curator placed the bust in what looked like an X-ray machine. Carrera looked nervous. The curator smiled.
“Everything seems to be in order. Please wait here and I’ll get your fee.”
The curator came out of the door and froze when he saw Starsky. The cop put a finger to his lip and flipped out his badge. The curator nodded and fled to safety.
Starsky went into the room.
“Carrera; you’re under arrest!”
Before Carrera could react Starsky had him pinned to the floor; “stay still and you won’t get hurt.” Starsky realized that he had already used his cuffs on Nielsen. He undid the buckle of his belt and slipped it out of the loops on his jeans. He used the belt to tied Carrera’s hands behind his back.
“Get up! Come on…out of here…”

**************************************************************

He was lying in bed staring at the ceiling as usual.
Inside his head he was trying to focus on himself but every time he got close the memory of pain flooded his body. He pushed back the blanket and started to fumble with his pajama pants – the pain came from somewhere in his groin. He was trying to examine himself when the doctor came in.
“What are you doing, Ken?”
“Pain…pain here….” He pointed to his balls. The doctor leaned forward to examine him and drew in his breath. “My god, I’d never thought to examine you physically for that…” The marks of the electrodes were still visible…he replaced the pajama pants and turned to his patient.
“You were tortured…electrodes on the most sensitive part of your body. No wonder you lost your mind. I’m going to give you another sedative right now and you’ll get some rest.”
He lay back and tried to remember but soon he was drifting on a cloud of drug-induced sleep.
When Dave comes, he’ll help me remember. He’s my friend; I know that much, whoever he is.

The door opened and the dark curly haired man that he had learned to call ‘Dave’ or ‘Starsk’ came in. He was smiling and his held a Tupperware box in his hand.
“I figured you needed a little something to cheer you up.”
He put the box on the bed-table.
“Go on, open it.” He looked encouraging.
Hutch opened the box and looked inside.
“Do I like this?”
“Do you like it? That is Edith Dobey’s best carrot cake with orange frosting. You don’t just like it man; you are capable of eating the whole thing without the rest of us getting as much as a lick of the frosting.” As he spoke, Dave drew his thumb over the frosting, then licked it. “The rest is yours, buddy; enjoy yourself.”

He took a slice of the cake and tasted it. Something in the back of his mind was triggered by the flavor. “Edith Dobey. She’s the fat man’s wife.”
Starsky chuckled; “that’s right. Now; do you have any idea who the fat man is?”
“I think you work for him.” Starsky nodded and signaled “and” with his eyes.
“We both work for him; but I don’t know what it is we do…”
“It’ll come to you…you’ll see. Now you had another visitor didn’t you? Who was that?”
“I don’t know. I remember he helped me after I escaped…he knew me…he took me to a bar. Do we work in a bar?”
“Nope; but go there a lot to help us on our work.”
“The thin man has a funny name….Bunny…Huppy…Huggy?”
“Huggy Bear. He’s one of your best friends too.”

The nurse came in and beckoned to Starsky.
“I’m sorry but Captain Dobey has called and he needs you to contact him urgently.” She whispered. He went back to Hutch’s side.
“Gotta go; I still have to work while you are getting back together again. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Starsky; be careful. Don’t let them hurt you like they hurt me.”
“I won’t, don’t worry. I always could look after myself better than you can.”
Not always…no …I had to save him once…but from what? Why?

************************************************************************

Starsky was driving with one hand on the wheel holding the radio handset in the other. He had to thumb-spin the wheel to avoid a truck and he swore under his breath.
“Nielsen got away.” Dobey’s voice continued. “When the uniformed cop got to where you’d left him, he’d managed to slip the cuffs from the pipe.”
“They were Hutch’s old cuffs – I told him the lock was loose…”
“Never mind that. Nielsen is after you. Carrera has told us everything we need to know. It seems that he had someone in Hawaii who lost you; Nielsen was supposed to deal with you, but we got to them first. From what Carrera says Nielsen in following something personal as far as you are concerned.”
“Yeah…goes back to High School, Captain. I made a fool of him on the football field, and I bloodied his nose in front of all his gang. He’s a psychopath and guys like that always hold a grudge.”
“Watch out for yourself; Starsky. Carrera told me what Nielsen did to Hutch.”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here; I don’t want you to cause a traffic accident.”
“That bad, huh?”
He drove on in silence. Nielsen had tried to get to him at school because he was jealous of Starsky’s athletic success – and because Starsky had protected a girl from him. He’d started out with a campaign of intimidation. Stealing stuff from Starsky’s locker, and putting it someplace else… Starsky looked in the rear view and checked out the back seat. The thread was there but the magazine was missing.
Playing his old games.

Starsky parked in front of the entrance in his favorite spot; he looked around and pretended to lock the car; then he skipped up into the building. He stopped at the desk and said something to the duty officer, who nodded and beckoned another cop over. The three of them had a short discussion and as Starsky went up to Dobey’s office; the younger cop went down to position himself to watch the Torino.

“Hi Captain. Should I sit down?”
“Yes”
“So what did they do to him?”
“Electrodes. They…uh…uh…Uh…they put them on his…”
Starsky winced and crossed his legs. “I think I can guess.”
“The doctor says that they never thought of examining him there. He has small marks on each testicle…” Dobey’s voice faded as he said the last couple of syllables.
Starsky looked sick.
“I’ll get Nielsen and when I do….”
“Starsky!”
“Don’t worry Captain; I won’t hurt him – well not much anyway.”
He got up and went to the door; as he opened it he turned and looked at Dobey across his shoulder. “I think I know exactly what Nielsen is waiting for…and I’m going to be there first.”

He went back down to the desk – the duty officer had nothing to report. Starsky went down the steps; scanning the street as he did. Either the young cop was very good at hiding; or he’d gone.

He opened the Torino door and gasped. Neatly folded on the passenger seat lay Hutch’s jacket and his badge.
Starsky smiled and started the engine. He sped off down Main and headed for Venice; Nielsen had made his move and Starsky knew all the plays off by heart.

He drove around the block twice before parking in front of Venice Place. He’d already spotted a car that looked unfamiliar and he wanted to be sure. No doubt in his mind; the car did not belong here – Starsky and Hutch knew all of their neighbors’ cars by heart; it was a precaution they both considered necessary.
He parked behind Nielsen’s car and went up to Hutch’s apartment. The door was ajar and he checked his gun in its the holster. He walked in.
Nielsen was sitting on the couch.
“You took your time.”
“I had a couple of things to do first.”
“I’ll bet you did…been to see your buddy?”
Starsky sat down on the low table and leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees. He looked Nielsen in the eye and said deliberately, weighting each word carefully. “No, I haven’t been to see him today; but Carrera has told the Captain everything. You haven’t changed, have you Denny? Still the mean little boy who has to use violence to cover up the fact that he’s a coward. Once a bully…Denny…always a bully.”
Nielsen looked away.
“What’s the matter, Denny? Can’t you look me in the eye? Oh, no, I remember now, you never could. You were always the bully until you came up against someone tougher…it must have been hell for you when I transferred into the school. Remember how I wouldn’t let you win?”
Nielsen raised a fist.
“I’m too close, Denny. I could block you before you had a chance. But go ahead; if you want to hit me…try it.”
Nielsen stood up. He walked away from the couch and into the middle of the room.
“You want to take me on again Starsky? I’m faster than the last time…what about you?”
“I can hold my own.” Starsky stood up and faced his adversary.
Nielsen reached into his jacket and before he could bring his gun into position he found himself staring down the barrel of the Beretta.
“Good; but not good enough! Drop it before I forget that I’m a good cop and shoot your hand off.”
Nielsen kept the gun aimed at Starsky.
“Or maybe I should take revenge for Hutch; what do you think, Denny?” He lowered his aim and smiled coldly – as Hutch would say; from the teeth out.
Nielsen hesitated then dropped the gun.
“Now lie down; face down on the floor, Denny.”
Nielsen obeyed.
“I picked up new cuffs when I checked in today…you won’t slip these.” Starsky deliberately wrenched Nielsen’s arms behind his back with more force than was needed; the man on the floor gasped in pain.
“Oh, sorry Denny; did I hurt you?”
“nnng”
Starsky heaved him up by the wrists; causing more pain in Nielsen’s shoulders. He shoved his captive forward without giving him a chance to get his balance; and pushed him out of the door to the head of the stairs.
“Now you wait while I just lock Hutch’s door for him.” He pushed Nielsen gently towards the wall; but the other man was still off balance and he stumbled and rolled down the stairs.
“Wait for me at the bottom, Denny!”

At the bottom of the stairs, Starsky heaved Nielsen to his feet and manhandled him out to the Torino. He pushed the passenger seat forward and shoved his captive into the back seat.
He slid in behind the wheel and looked up at his passenger’s reflection in the rear view.
“Sorry, regulations require that an unaccompanied officer puts his arrestee into the back of the car. The back of this thing is not very comfortable. If you had lunch make sure you keep it! Oh yes. You have the right to remain silent…. “
The rest of the ‘Miranda’ was drowned out as the Torino’s engine roared into life and Starsky left a thin layer of rubber on the concrete.

Back at the precinct; Starsky handed Nielsen over to the booking officers and went up to see Dobey.

“I brought him in, Captain. He may have a couple of bruises and if his lawyer asks, he was attempting to resist arrest.”
“Did he?”
“He thought about it and I…uh…dissuaded him. Do you need me now?”
“No. Go and see Hutch. The doctor called – there’s something wrong.”
Starsky had already left the room before Dobey finished his sentence.

**********************************************************

“He’s been like that for about an hour.” The nurse whispered.
Starsky stared at Hutch who was curled up on the bed clutching his genitals and weeping silently. Now and then a moan broke through the tears.
He went over to the bed and sat on the edge. He reached out and touched Hutch gently on the arm. Hutch flinched and rolled over; still curled over his groin.
“Hutch. Hey, it’s me, Dave. I’m here to help you.”
“No…please…not again…..no….”
Starsky signaled to the nurse to leave them alone.

He lay on the bed beside Hutch and curled his own strong body around his friend. He put his arms around Hutch and pulled him close so that the blond was snuggled up to him.
“Come on …remember how? No, I guess you don’t. We’ve been here before Hutch. I got you out of cold turkey the last time. You could do it then and you can do it now. OK. Come on? Lean into me and tell me all about it.”

Hutch pushed himself closer to Starsky’s body and sobbed.
“They hurt me….they hurt me here…” He pointed to his genitals again.
“I know. I know what they did to you, and you’re safe. I’m here now and no-one’s going to hurt you. You don’t need to worry; the people who did this to you are behind bars and they are going to stay there for a very long time.”
“I remember, Starsk. I re…re…remember.”
“Take your time.”
Starsky stroked Hutch’s sweaty golden head and held him while the blond sobbed away his pain and humiliation.

When the doctor came in a little later Hutch was sitting up with his head on Starsky’s shoulder. He was speaking in a low voice; hardly more than a whisper. Starsky looked up and put his finger to his lips. The doctor settled in a chair in the corner of the room and watched.

“I had managed to get into Carrera’s inner circle. He wanted me to take the bust to the Getty. We were discussing it, having a drink and everything was going fine…then she came in.
“Who?”
“Jeannie! I thought she had left LA for good; but I guess she couldn’t keep away from powerful dangerous men.”
Starsky nodded. Jeannie had been the reason that Hutch got strung out the last time.
“She didn’t say anything right away…but I knew by the way she looked at me….I guess she told Carrera later.” He sniffed and took a sip of the water that Starsky handed him.
“They took me down to the cellar and stripped me. They left me there a couple of days. I thought they were going to string me out again, Starsk…I thought Jeannie would have told them about that one. Then the other guy arrived…”
“Denny Nielsen.”
“You know him?”
“Later. You tell me your story first, OK?”
Hutch sipped some more water and took up his story. “He had a car battery and leads. He put them…he…he….” Hutch broke down and Starsky took him in his arms and held him close. “Get it out buddy. I know what they did to you but you have to say it yourself. It’s the only way to confront it.”
Hutch sat up again and wiped his eyes; he took a deep breath and went on.
“He put the ends of the leads on my balls and then he flipped a switch.”
The silence weighed heavily in the room. The doctor sat up in his chair and watched Hutch carefully. Starsky focuses his eyes on his partners and lifted him psychologically.
“The pain…I never felt pain like it. I lost it Starsk. I pissed myself. Nielsen – is that what you said his name is?...Nielsen laughed. He did it again…and again. Each time I felt a little bit of me disappear. It was like I was losing sight of myself in slow stages. I tired to think of you and to focus on everything good that I knew in the world…but the pain blanked it all out. They left me there for a while and then he came back and started again. In the end I couldn’t think of anything anymore…the pain made everything blank.”
“How did you get away?”
“I don’t know…I …I knew I had to get away from that pain….”
“You do know, Hutch. It’s there, in the back of your mind and you have to get it out.”
“Someone opened a door…left it open…I ran and kept going…but it hurt when I moved and I was naked. I went into an alley and…and…it was Angie who found me. Angie, he works for Huggy, doesn’t he?”

Starsky put his arm around Hutch’s shoulders. “Yes, he works for Huggy.”
He turned to the doctor. “I think that’s enough for today’s session; don’t you?”
The doctor smiled and nodded. “You’d make a good therapist.”
“I prefer the job I have, thanks. Oh by the way, Hutch; can you remember what it is I do for a living?”
“Of course; same thing I do…you’re a cop.”
“Yeah…fun, isn’t it?”
Starsky stood up; “I’m going to let you get some rest now – and I need a leak and I’m hungry. I’ll be back later to make sure you’re having sweet dreams.”
He walked to the door.
“Starsk…I remember what it is about your car…we are undercover cops, right…and that thing is about as discreet as an elephant in a china store!””
“My my; you are making progress! When you can remember why I drive it, I’ll know you are better.” He flipped a mock salute and left the room.

The doctor went over to Hutch and checked his pulse. “You are still a little distressed, Ken. I’m going to give you another sedative. One other thing…what did Starsky mean by that last remark?”
“It’s simple. When we started undercover he bought that crazy car. I said it was a dumb car for undercover work. He said that nobody would expect a cop to drive a car like that which makes it the perfect cover. And you know what, doc? He’s absolutely right!”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
“I don’t want him to get a big head!”

***********************************************************************

Two weeks later, Hutch was considered ready to leave the hospital.
Huggy arrived in the room and ushered Hutch into a wheelchair, ignoring the cop’s protests that he could walk out of the place without any help.
“It’s hospital regulations, Hutch. If you fall you could sue…so until you are officially off the premises…” He pushed the chair out into the hallway.
“I thought Starsky was coming to get me.”
“He’s outside.”

Huggy pushed the wheelchair through the sliding doors and onto the ramp in front of the hospital entrance. Starsky appeared wearing a chauffeur’s uniform – with comic effect added by his wild hair and the blue sneakers.
He bowed and took Hutch by the arm. Huggy took the other arm and they led him round the corner….Hutch burst out laughing. Parked by the curb was a double-length stretch limo built from a 1960s Chevy complete with big chrome wings and pointed front bumper projectors. The thing was painted bright yellow at one end and green at the other, the stretch addition was blue.
“It was the best Merle could do at short notice.” Starsky was struggling to keep a straight face. “In fact it might be a good idea if you sit up front with me. Hug, you can ride in the back.”
Hutch climbed into the car and Starsky turned the key. The engine hummed and he put it into Drive. There was a horrible sound of tearing metal as the front end of the car detached itself from the inset and the rear…
Starsky and Hutch fell against one another, helpless with laughter.

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