Comments about this story can be sent to: KKBELVIS@aol.com

Tiger's Lair

By

Karen B

   The tall, fair-haired man walked casually down the empty corridor. The colorful guitar that was embossed on the back of his light blue shirt rippled, as the corded muscles of his shoulders moved in time with his feet. Hutch entered the deserted squad room and headed over to the coffee maker. Grabbing a cup and peering inside to make sure it was clean he then poured himself a cup of old grinds. He placed the cup to his lips and swallowed. The cold, dark liquid washed down the back of his throat only relieving dryness. Hutch scrunched up his face at the bitter taste left in his mouth.

   He moved to his chair and sat with heaviness in it. He sipped more on the horrible brew staring at the clock. It was 6:00 a.m. He and Starsky had been on an all night stake out for the third night in a row. Nothing was turning up on the case. Things around the station had been very slow so they were helping out the Vice department trying to crack a prostitution ring and were not having any luck.

   Starsky blew in through the double doors and made his way to the coffeepot. He grabbed a ceramic cup and peered into it checking to see if it was clean. He began to pour the cold liquid tar when Hutch’s voice broke in. "I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Buddy."

   "Wouldn’t do what?" Starsky’s tired voice questioned as he continued to pour.

   "Coffee’s cold as ice and tastes like someone dumped an ashtray in there." Hutch lifted his cup up showing his partner he had already tested the waters. Starsky turned and looked at the cup in his partner's raised hand and proceeded to shove the cup back on the shelf abandoning his drink. He moved to his desk and slumped down hard onto the hard wooden chair.

   He no sooner had his tired behind on the seat when the bellowing words of their beloved Captain beckoned them away from the moments peace. "Starsky, Hutchinson you out there? I want you two in here now." The words boomed through the tightly closed door as if the large man stood screaming in their ears.

   Both detectives looked at one another and their eyes did a rolling dance in unison, as they lifted tired aching bodies up and headed into the gas chamber, uh, office.

   "Sit down you two." Dobey pointed to the two chairs in front of his desk. The boys complied. "I know things have been slow around here and that case you’ve been helping Vice with has nothing but dead ends. Maybe you two should take some time off while you can. You’re both looking…." The phone rang and the Captain held up a finger as he answered the call. He listened in silence and his face turned to stone. "Yes, I can send a couple men up there right now to help out. Right." Dobey hung up the phone.

   The Captain continued staring at his hand that still held the receiver. "What is it, Cap?" Starsky interrupted the man's thoughts.

   The Captain looked up at his men. "A six-year-old boy is lost up on the ridge at the State Park. Was camping with his parents and wandered off. Search party’s up there now trying to find him but they're short handed. Most their people are out with the flu." Silence in the room was eerie for a moment as the three men pictured the frightened little boy wandering around in the damp, cold woods. Dobey especially had a worried look; he knew what those parents were going through being a parent himself.

   "Say no more Cap’n." Hutch said, as with newfound energy he was up and headed for the door Starsky at his heels.

   "You two check in here later today and let me know what's going on and then I want you to take a few days off." The Captain watched the two as they closed the door behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~

   The Torino slid sideways to a halt and the two occupants hopped out of the car. An older, gray haired man, whose nametag read Moss Tyler, met them promptly. Badges flashed and introductions took place. The tall, thin man's long gray hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His soft, green eyes flashed in the bright sunlight. All three men shook hands when names were exchanged.

   The three headed over to the base station, which was little more than a tent with a coffee pot, CB radio, and maps spread out over a wobbly card table in the center. Tyler, as he preferred to be called, began pointing out sections of the reserve that were already being searched.

   He pointed to a section. "This is your area here. It's pretty rough territory and not well mapped, but its gotta be checked. We've gotta turn over every rock and there’s not much time if that boy is going to have a chance in hell of surviving." Starsky and Hutch looked up from the intricate map and peered into the salty green eyes.

   Tyler saw the questions in both pair of blue eyes and began to explain the insurmountable odds. "Hey, we've got problems. This isn’t just a case of a missing kid." He swallowed hard as he thought of his own ten-year-old son at home. "We've got bad weather coming and up here it can get rough. Also, last week we were notified of two escapees from the State pen, couple of real winners. "Might be holed up somewhere in these hills." He licked his dry lips turning back to the map. "Murder, robbery, grand theft, the whole nine yards. Not to mention the boy is deaf and can’t hear. He can read lips and sign some, his parents told us." Starsky and Hutch couldn’t believe their ears. What else could Tyler possibly add to the list of ill hope? "Oh yeah and cougars. Up here in these parts some ain’t afraid to go after two legged prey."

   Hutch chuffed some at the negative attitude before him.

   "Look, Hutchinson is it? I’m just spelling it out for ya, so you know what you’re in for. I want to find this boy as much as you, if not more, but it’s not looking good." He turned from the map and tossed Hutch a black backpack. "Some supplies for ya--rope, first aid kit, canteen--you get the picture. Ya might be up there a while. Keep in touch." He handed Starsky a pair of long-range walkie-talkies. "Go on git, what ya waitin' for? Night comes fast in these parts and it lessens his chances of survival." The two gave each other quick glances and headed up the incline toward the thick wilderness before them.

   "The man sure doesn't pull any punches does he? Gets right down to the raw facts." Starsky commented as they walked into the dense woods.

   "You know what its called don’t you, Starsk?" Hutch said as he placed a hand on his partner's back. "Murphy’s Law--anything that can go wrong does."

   "Well, Murphy’s working way too hard today, Buddy. So we better put some steam into it." Both men began a slow jog toward the top of the incline.

   Young Zachary Hoffman was born deaf but that never stopped him from being an exceptionally bright and perceptive child. He lay huddled against the ledge he had fallen upon. His yellow windbreaker ruffled in the wind. He didn’t dare try to move. When he tried earlier, a piece of the ledge beneath his tiny frame slipped away and fell to the forest floor below. Tears streamed down his face blotching his fair complexion. He closed his eyes picturing his mother's face before he fell asleep.

   Starsky and Hutch came through the forest to an open clearing. The ridge they stood upon was high and they could see the tops of the trees below. A large shadow was cast upon the green canopy below and Hutch looked up at the hawk that circled slowly round and round. He removed the backpack from his sweating shoulders and pulled out the canteen of water, handing it first to Starsky as soon as he untwisted the tightly bound cap.

   Starsky waved it away telling Hutch he didn’t require a drink just yet. Hutch raised one brow in his partner’s direction before he took a swig of the cool contents. They’d already spent over half the day searching. "Watch yourself partner." Hutch said as he wiped the moisture off his lips. "I can’t be carrying you down this mountain too."

   "I'm fine Blondie just save it. We don’t know how long we're going to be up here." Starsky wiped away the beads that formed on his forehead. They began their trek along the ridge when they heard a muffled cry. Starsky looked up pointing at the screaming hawk above. "Just a bird, Hutch."

   The partners walked only a few more feet when Hutch stopped again. He stood perfectly still and craned his neck, ears to the wind. "What?" Starsky asked with annoyance wanting to continue on and not waste time.

   "No, no, listen." Hutch said with equal annoyance. The hawk’s cry wailed again over the ridge and right after a small cry that sounded like a child’s was caught on the breath of the wind. "Hear that?" Hutch hoped his partner would confirm what he hoped he'd heard.

   Starsky stood at attention. "Yeah Buddy, I heard that. Wasn’t that chicken in the sky neither. Sounded like it came from over there." Starsky started trotting up to the edge of the cliff and peered down waving Hutch forward as he did. "Down there see that?" He pointed at a small, bright yellow object peeking out from under rocks and foliage. The cry was heard again. It was a child.

   Hutch tossed the backpack down onto the stone-covered ground and dropped to his knees peering over the edge. "That’s him, Starsk, we found him. Now we gotta get him out. He can’t hear us so it won’t be easy partner." Hutch unzipped the backpack and pulled out the long, thick rope and began to tie it round his waist. "I’m going down. You lower me, Buddy."

   Starsky wanted to question Hutch. Why was he the one to play hero, but there was no time to spare as he glanced toward the sky. A boiling cloud of charcoal gray swirled in the distance and grew with each passing second. Murphy just wouldn’t clock out today. Starsky wrapped the woven rope around his waist and held tight as he began to lower Hutch downward. The cliff angled down so it wasn’t a straight drop but the loose rocks didn’t make the decent an easy one for the blond cowboy.

   As Hutch neared the small boy he could see the top of his brown hair shaking. The sobs he heard wailed like the screaming hawk. He tried in vain to get the boy's attention. He didn’t want to startle the child but it was to no avail. The moment Hutch got close enough; he snatched the boy's arm more roughly than he really wanted to. He didn’t want to chance the deaf youngster startling so much and falling further down if he didn’t have a good hold on the boy. As he knew and was prepared for, the boy jerked away in reflex squawking like a frightened animal. His struggles ended quickly when he peered into the soft crinkled blue eyes and the sweet bright smile of his rescuer. Zachary, better known as Zac, deaf from birth, was an expert at reading the emotions on people’s faces. His body relaxed and he clung to the large, blond man weeping into his now dusty guitar-print shirt. Hutch wrapped his arm around him pulling the boy tightly to him and hauling him up upon him piggyback style. The boy was young but he knew to hold tight and he buried his face into Hutch’s neck, his wet nose using Hutch as a tissue. Hutch didn’t mind as he patted the boy’s hand and looked up the cliff toward the over hang. "Starsky!" He yelled and his word echoed back at him from behind. He tugged at the rope and felt the slack taken up and began to hoist them upward.

   Hutch used his feet and walked the loose-slated stone slipping some as it crumbled against his weight. The boy hung tight not moving his face from the neck of the large man. Hutch used both hands to pull and walk at the same time hoping Starsky could handle the weight as gravity worked against them.

   Starsky stood his ground on top the ridge his feet slipped toward the edge through the dirt but he forced them to the ground with the strength of his legs. He felt every muscle in his arms tearing and threatening to snap like tooth picks against the weight at the end of his line. The rope slid a bit between his unprotected hands but he quickly regained his control and continued pulling. The package at the other end of the rope felt the give in the line and slipped a few inches downward. Feeling the line tighten again Hutch yelled up. "Starsky, you got it?"

   "I got ya partner, I got ya, keep coming." Starsky slowly let his breath out and sucked in another quick breath of energy; his hands were raw and bleeding but he didn’t even take notice as he continued his work.

   Hutch’s massive hand finally appeared grasping the edge of the ridge and hauling himself up onto safe ground. Starsky let go of the rope, falling to the ground and grabbed at the blond's shirt pulling him and the boy the rest of the way up.

~~~~~~~~~~

   Zac read the lips of the gentle, blond man who continued his patching job. "It’s okay, pal, we're taking you back to your parents now." Zac smiled up at the light-haired, blue-eyed caregiver. He had little more than a few cuts and bruises to show for his tumble down the cliff.

   Starsky knelt down with a smile and handed the boy his badge. "You're an honorary police officer today, Zac. You hold onto this for me, okay partner?" Zac’s face lit the darkening sky as he admired the shiny gold shield he held in his tiny hands. "Almost done there, partner? We better get goin'. Don’t think we're gonna make it back down this mountain before that storm hits."

   Hutch nodded as he placed the last bandage on a large scrape on Zac’s knee. Starsky snatched up the backpack and supplies while Hutch eased the boy onto his back once more. The sky rumbled and the ground shook beneath their feet as they headed at a fast pace back toward the home base. Starsky had tried to radio several times to the station below. The crackle of static continued as he shook the hell out of the useless hand-held radio. Starsky broke into a wide grin as he caught the bright child’s eyes watching his frustration. Hutch gave a concerned glance at Starsky. "Guess we're on our own for now, huh Buddy?" At that moment, a sudden chill swept over them. There was a flash of lightning quickly followed by sheets of water pounding down on them. They moved as quickly as they could, searching for some shelter from the storm's fury.

   "Hutch, over here." Starsky yelled over his shoulder as he had trotted ahead trying to scout some place they could hole up till the sheets of ice water stopped pelting down. He had found a small cavern against a mound of rocks. Water logged and sore the three hikers crawled into the cave escaping Mother Nature for the time being.

   The cavern was actually quite large in size. Strange formations hung from the ceiling and also appeared to grow up from the floor like stone carvings of trees. Hutch lowered Zac down and quickly pulled a dry blanket from his pack wrapping the boy in it with care. Zac lay down, falling asleep before his head touched the damped ground.

   Turning to his partner Hutch snared Starsky’s hands and pulled him down to the damp earth. "Starsk let me take a look at this." Starsky tried to argue with the nursemaid before him but it was really no use. When Hutch was in his protective mode there was no turning him off. Starsky silently berated himself for not hiding his hands better from his partner; he didn’t want to be fussed over. He just wanted to get the boy back to his parents unharmed and quickly. They still had no idea he had been found and was alive.

   "Starsk, when did you plan on telling me you were hurt?" Hutch scolded as he wiped away at the raw, bloody hands of his partner. The rope had cut between his fingers and sliced his palms up nicely when he was yanking Hutch and the boy up from the cliff.

   Starsky gave a yelp as Hutch cleaned the cuts with peroxide before wrapping them in gauze. Hutch gave a quick glance up at his friend whose eyes had shut momentarily against the burning sensation.

   "Easy-does-it partner." He whispered, as the last of the gauze was wrapped around sensitive hands.

   Hutch, done with his medicine man routine began to look around their temporarily home. He dug a flashlight out of the pack, silently thanking Moss Tyler for being so prepared.

   "Murphy just won’t give us a break, huh Hutch?" Starsky chuckled and followed the round spot of light that Hutch flashed around the cave. "Just won’t let that law be broken now will he?" The spotlight came to rest at the back of the cavern.

   "Uh Starsk?" Hutch drawled out long and slow.

   "Yeah I see it. We're not alone." Both men began to rise to go check out the sleeping rolls, packs and clothing hung at the back of the cave.

   "Too late fellows. Don’t budge." Came the deep rolling voice behind them.

   Starsky and Hutch swung around reaching for their weapons but not making it.

   "Uh, uh, uh," The large man shook his finger back and forth in the tick-tock fashion of a clock. Both men looked down the barrels of two very large rifles held by two very large men, or were they mountains?

   Hutch took a quick glance at the boy, who still slept peacefully.

   "Let me guess Grizzly Adams, no, Davy Crockett, what do you think Hutch?" Starsky always the comedian.

   Hutch always willing to play along. "Tarzan and Jane, I think, Buddy."

   "Very funny, couple a real clowns. Now get rid of the lead now, two fingers only." The two detectives hesitated and glanced toward each other. The silent message sent--better comply. They both eased their guns out and tossed them toward the men who, for now, held all the cards. "By the way, name's Murphy just for the record books. And this here feller his name's Law." The baldheaded mountain of a man laughed at his own joke slapping the back of his longhaired, bearded counter part.

   Hutch looked over at Starsky raising his brows. "Now he’s a comedian." And he jerked his thumb in the direction of the man. Starsky and Hutch both looked again at each other. The, oops we made a mistake, look flashing across their captured faces. As they realized they had been under observation unknowingly for some time.

   Both men moved to retrieve the guns and supplies of their prisoners.

~~~~~~~~~~

   Starsky and Hutch sat, backs to one another, bound together by twine. Both were silent, as they chastised themselves for walking directly into the tiger's lair. The other two men sat at the entrance of the cave waiting out the rain that still poured down in torrents.

   Hutch watched the two tigers that guarded the cave's only entrance and exit, to his knowledge, when he felt his partner strain and his hands quivering. He whispered low "Gordo, hey, don’t you go ruin my repair job."

   "Got any better ideas, Blondie? Come on think, I can get this if we work together." Both men slowly and painstakingly worked at the rope that bound them. Careful not to give Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb any hint of movement. "Almost got it, Hutch."

   Zac stirred under the blanket that had hidden him from Murphy and Law, as they falsely claimed to be. "Hey, what have we got here? We got ourselves a polecat." The large bald man knelt down to the boy. Zac looked at his rescuers and then at the bald man before him. The smile that appeared on his cue ball face caused the boy to scramble backward against the stone wall. Even through the man smiled Zac could see the meanness arc across the convict's face. Zac clutched at his honorary badge in fear. "What you got there, Boy? Give it here. You deaf, Boy? I said give it here." The man reached for the leather the boy held tightly to.

   Hutch’s protective nature kicked in and he lashed out at Murphy. "Get away from him now." Hutch’s limitations at not being able to move to the child’s side enraged him that much more. "I said, get the hell away from him. The bald man ignored his captive. Hutch decided to take a different approach. He wanted the guy away from Zac, whose fear shone from his eyes. "Hey you, curly, hey butt head."

   "Hutch, I wouldn’t do that if I were you." Starsky whispered.

   "Hey, who polishes that thing for you?"

   The large bald mountain moved away from the frightened boy and headed over to Hutch. He gave him a quick swift kick in the ribs with his size thirteen and a half boot. The shot sent Hutch over sideways hitting his head against a rock taking Starsky with him. Starsky sat them both back upright "You okay, Hutch? Told ya not to do that. Told ya to leave old cue ball here alone." The man decisively punched Hutch in the temple where blood trickled.

   Hutch coughed and spat out some blood at the same time. Starsky, now enraged at the mountain of a man for attacking his partner, began his teasing. "Hey Jane, sweetheart, what do ya use to polish that thing with, turtle wax?" Murphy again nailed Hutch with his boot. Hutch coughed and grunted in pain. Starsky was surprised the attacker was picking on Hutch and not him.

   "Keep your mouth shut both of ya, or pretty boy will get it again." The bald man’s anger roared through the cave. "I’m getting' bored here anyways. How bout you, Law? The bald man snickered again at the use of the fake name. " What do ya say we untie old blue eyes here and have a little fun?" The man began to work at the ropes being sure to keep Starsky in check while he freed only Hutch.

   Starsky felt the heat of anger flash across his face his partner was about to become one of those punching bags he’d so many times witnessed Hutch using at Frankie's Gym. The inner urge to break free and go throttle those two morons inspired Starsky and he began working at his bindings to set himself free.

   Zac, by this time, had flattened himself to the stone wall of the cave. He was wet, cold, and frightened. Murphy and Law began toying with Hutch, pushing him back and forth between them like he was a ping-pong ball. Starsky looked over in Zac’s direction and mouthed clearly to him. 'Come on over by me pal.' The boy read the lips with ease and inched his way carefully toward Starsky.

   Hutch felt dizzy and his head pounded from the earlier smack he had taken against the rock, as he was shoved back and forth between the two not-so-bright fugitives. Starsky motioned to the youngster with his bound hands lifting them toward him. Zac knew what was asked of him and his tiny fingers began to work at the knot that held Starsky’s fury in check as he watched his partner flinging back and forth. Murphy began to throw punches with his massive fists at Hutch’s already injured head. Hutch was quick and managed to dodge several before the oversized hand made contact and sent him flying across the cave. He tumbled to the ground, landing in a heap.

   Zac had the final knot undone and Starsky bolted from the damp floor to his feet fast as lightening.

   "Well, lookie here, we got us another toy to play with. Good thing too, the other one’s broken." Both large men encircled Starsky who wasn’t sure how he was going to handle taking down two mountains by himself. Just before the first punch was swung, a fearsome growl froze all three men in their tracks.

   They looked to the far corner of the cave to see two sets of gleaming yellow eyes peering out at them from the darkness of the alcove. Two cougars had returned to their den to find it occupied by strange beings and they were not happy. They both leapt out of the alcove and padded toward the intruders. Zac had moved up against the wall again and pulled the blanket up over his head, shivering with cold and fright. Hutch still lay unconscious on the wet cave floor.

   The sleek, tan bodies padded toward the three men, and pivoted about snarling and showing pearl white fangs and sinister yellow dagger eyes. Both long tails waved about menacingly with their anger at having their lair disturbed. "Tigers." Law screamed and backed up toward the cave entrance.

   "Fool, they're cougars. Stay put, you're makin' 'em angry." Murphy ordered. Rain still sheeted down pelting the ground outside and thunder clapped echoing through the cavern.

~~~~~~~~~~

   Both cats crouched low with ears tight to their heads. Starsky eased away slowly coming to stand in front of his fallen partner. Using his mortal body as a shield of protection, he took a quick glance to the blanket that quivered against the rock wall.

   The two cats were balanced and quick, both lunged forward at the two convicts as the men stumbled backward searching for weapons that had been left unattended during the game of ping-pong. Sharp claws raked and swatted at moving legs. Starsky stood fast watching and waiting to make some sort of move. He wanted to tend to his partner but he had to get them out of the cave and away from the blood scene that was about to be splattered all over the walls.

   Murphy dove to the stone floor and rolled toward his armor and fumbled to get hold of the weapon. One cat hooked the leg of Law and pulled him down to the cave floor. The wild furry pinned him, it's yellow eyes boring into him like lamplights. Law now knew how a mouse felt pinned beneath the paws of a cat. He cringed and screamed as the animal ripped large bloody lines in his body.

   Starsky inched closer to Hutch trying to get his attention with the tip of his blue sneaker. Hutch was unresponsive. Fear lodged in Starsky’s throat as he watched the life ebb away from the mountain of a man that lay helpless beneath the wild cat. Everything happened in a flood of motion as Murphy got a hand on his rifle and began to raise it fumbling at its trigger. A quick calculated move on the part of the second large cat knocked him down piercing his throat with wet, warm prongs. Blood spurt out like a fountain as the cat punctured his jugular vein.

   And the cheese stood alone. Starsky watched the two beasts gorge and looked at the now silent men whose eyes shone with fear even in death; their blood, spreading like eagles wings across the stone floor. Zac peeked out from under his protective blanket and looked to Starsky for instruction. Starsky slowly waved the boy to come to him. He mouthed the word slowly with great emphasis.

   Zac still wrapped in his blanket moved slowly toward the curly haired man still clutching his honorary policeman’s badge. He reached Starsky and leaned against his leg, his head barely coming up to Starsky’s hips. Starsky placed a loving arm around the brave and extremely bright six-year-old. He then slowly bent down to Hutch nudging him gently and whispering low, all the while watching the feast before him. "Hutch, come on partner wakey, wakey, Buddy. Hutch?" Starsky took a chance to glance away from the cats and peer down at his friend who stirred slightly. "Come on there, partner, time to go home." He gingerly eased Hutch up.

   Startled Hutch’s mouth flew open about to yell not knowing whose hands were on him. Starsky, faster than his Torino, clamped his hand down over his partner's mouth muffling the cry to only a breath. "Sh, sh, sh, partner. Hey, it’s me." Starsky brought his face down right next Hutch’s. "See Blondie, s’okay just me, it’s just me. Quiet, got it partner, sh." Starsky's words were barely audible to Hutch whose head felt like a piñata. Starsky’s glance went back up to the frenzied feast before him. He took a firm grasp under his friend's arms and eased him up, letting Hutch’s full weight lean against him. Zac held on to Starsky’s shirt with one hand and his blanket with the other as they worked their way around the large cats and out the cave entrance. Snatching up their guns and packs as he left, Starsky realized that Murphy and Law, who started off being their foes, had unwillingly become their saviors. The big cats appeared to be too preoccupied with the meal of the day to notice the sneaky escape of what probably would have become dessert.

   When he was satisfied they were far enough away from the cave of horror, Starsky lowered Hutch to the ground under the protection of a large, old oak. Rain that sheeted down upon them earlier had stopped but they were sopping wet and chilled to the bone. Hutch quaked under the gentle healing hands of his partner as Starsky wiped the blood from the side of his face. He found a large gash that would require stitches. Starsky applied a dressing and peered under Hutch’s shirt to where the large foot had kicked him in the ribs. He touched the area softly but abruptly pulled away at the moan that escaped his partner’s lips.

   Hutch’s head jerked backward trying to escape the pressure Starsky placed on the wound trying to adhere the gauze. "Sh, sh, sorry partner. All done now." Finally Hutch was able to open his baby blues and a smile spread across his cracked, bruised lips. The ringing bells in his ears continued and were accompanied by bongos, and possibly a bass drum, he couldn’t be sure. His vision blurred and focused so much he began to feel sick and leaned over gagging. Starsky held him up off the forest floor till he appeared to regain composure and he gently eased him back against the trunk of the tree.

   "Starsky, you okay?" Hutch rattled out between a few coughs. "Zac?" More coughing.

   "We're a lot better off than you, Blintz. Now just take it slow. We're gonna have to make our own way down this hill. Think you can make it, partner?" Starsky held Hutch upright against the tree as he almost slid back down to the ground.

   "Not sure Starsk. My head feels like an orchestra pit. Can’t see too good." Hutch squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again still trying to clear them of the flashing, hot, white stars that blinked in time to the sorry excuse for a rock band between his ears.

   "Come on, Buddy, I’ll help ya. Lean on me. We gotta get Zac home and you to a doctor. I think ya might have a concussion from that crack you got on your head." Starsky supported Hutch on his wobbly feet and held him close to him. Zac held on to Starsky’s shirt as they began their way down the ridge. "Don’t worry." Starsky whispered into his best friend’s ear. "I’ll be right beside you just like always." Hutch let his beaten body sink more into the warmth of his friend's side. Starsky held the extra weight with kid gloves easing Hutch over branches and other obstacles.

~~~~~~~~~~

   The three finally emerged from the dense woods. Soaked to the skin, covered in mud and bruised from head to toe they trudged with leaden feet toward the tent. Starsky still holding a fuzzy and dazed Hutch close to his side and Zac still hanging on to the dark haired man's shirttail.

   "We made it partner." Starsky’s breathy words lofted through Hutch’s brain as all three fell to the ground in a tangled exhausted heap.

   Dobey, who had not heard from his detectives, was a flaming ball of fire as he paced back and forth in front of the CB radio inside the base station. Moss Tyler helped the Captain wear a path in the dirt floor. All the other rescue teams had checked in without a sight of the lost child. And now two First Class Detectives; amateurs sent to help by the Bay City police, were added to the list.

   It had been a hell of a thunderstorm and the rain had flooded creeks and rivers. Zac's parents waited in the nearby ambulance praying, against the odds, that their son would be found.

   Dobey peered outside the tent as something caught his eye in the distance. He rubbed at his head. "When I get my hands on those two there will be hell to pay." His look softened as he hoped he would have that chance; they’d been missing all night. Dobey looked again at the lump that lay at the edge of the woods. He thought it was a large tree trunk or boulder until he saw it move. He watched as a curly haired man lifted a small boy into his arms and hauled up a blond haired man who seemed to have difficulty standing. "Starsky, Hutchinson." He bellowed in anger as he headed toward his disobedient boys.

   Tyler heard the roar and, in a flash, was on his hand-held radio calling in help and notifying the ambulance they’d all been found.

   Starsky saw the cavalry coming at a full out run. Hutch stumbled and groaned, so Starsky let him slide down to the wet ground. "Stay right there a sec partner, 'kay?" Hutch gave the slightest nod. He wished for his head to pop off, as the miserable heavy metal rock band wouldn’t stop.

   Starsky bent down to Zac. "Time to go home partner." He ruffled the boy's wet hair. Picking up the child's hand, he shook it in the same manner a man would shake another man’s hand. Starsky was proud of the little boy. He had been brave and pulled more weight than a lot of full-grown men Starsky had known in his time.

   Zac’s bright eyes beamed with pride as he handed back the honorary badge he still clutched in his hand. "You keep it, Buddy." Starsky mouthed clearly. He would just say he lost it and get a replacement. He wanted the young boy to have it. Zac’s angelic smile lit his face as he signed 'thank you' to both detectives.

   "You're welcome," both Starsky and Hutch mouthed the words, not letting vocal cords work.

   Before Zac knew what had happened he was swooped up into his parent's arms and the three curled together in a monumental hug.

   Starsky knelt in front of Hutch. "How ya doin', partner? Ready to get back to work?" Hutch rocked and Starsky caught hold of him before he could splash face first into the mud he sat in.

   Dobey and Tyler were there now hovering over the two mud encrusted heroes. "What the hell happened to you two? I told you to check in with me. Can’t you two do anything right?" Dobey again softened his voice when he saw the wear and tear his men had obviously been through. Starsky’s hair was a matted, muddy mess along with his face, and his hands were wrapped in dirty, muddy gauze spotted in blood. Hutch looked much worse, his eyes glassy and head lolling toward Starsky in pain.

   "Tyler, better get some of your team up that hill. About three miles back there’s a cave with a very big mess in it." Starsky looked at Hutch not wanting to go in to detail; right now his partner needed him. "I’ll explain it all later.

   "Where have you two been?" Dobey tried to keep his frustration in check; worry mixed with anger echoed in his words.

   "It’s a long story Cap. But I think we need to change Murphy’s Law. Right partner?" Starsky held Hutch close both smiling at one another.

   Starsky let Hutch lean on him "You're okay, partner, gonna be fine." They rose up out of the bog and began to hobble toward the Tomato. Hutch would need to get his head checked out, stitches for sure. "Come on, partner, I got ya. Let’s get out of here." Weariness set in now as the last 24 hours sent the already tired duo over the edge.

   Dobey bellowed again after them. "Starsky! Who the hell is this Murphy?" Starsky ignored his Captain, Hutch came first, he would explain later.

   Dobey watched the two officers, always amazed at their closeness and care of one another, as Starsky eased Hutch into the Torino. He praised his god in silence that his two sons {as he often thought of them} were safely home.

THE END