Invasion
                                                                                                    By
                                                                                                        Tooki



                                                                                            Chapter One

​​​​"Hutch?" said an alarmed voice.
"Yeah I heard it." Came the answer.
"What do you think it was?"
Hutch put his finger to his lips in the dark, "Ssssh." He got up and crept toward their bedroom door.
Susan glanced at the bedside clock; the numbers read 4:14 a.m. She padded softly to her husband's side.
"Mommy, Daddy," screamed a small voice from the other side of the door. There was a tiny cry then there was silence. Susan started to jerk open the door but Hutch stopped her pushing her back toward the bed.
"Stay there," he ordered then turned back to the door. "Damn," he swore under his breath wishing that they kept their guns in the bedroom instead of locked in the desk down stairs.
With sudden force the bedroom door was thrust open knocking Hutch off balance, he fell at Susan's feet. The detectives stared into the faces of two men with black ski masks pulled over their heads.
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Detective David Starsky bounded up the sidewalk to his partner's townhouse, a bag of donuts in one hand and coffee in the other. As he approached the front door he could see it was standing wide open. He thought it was odd but then looked around to see if Jesse might be riding her bike and forgot to shut the door. Something jumped up on his leg, the detective looked down to see the family's dog, Bear wagging it's tail furiously. Starsky frowned down at the dog, Hutch and Susan never allowed Bear to run the neighborhood. A tingle of fear ran up his spine as he stepped into the house. He sat the bag of donuts and coffee on the desk in the hall. As he started to close the front door he noticed that the doorframe was splintered and wood fragments lay around him on the floor. Bear pick up a piece of wood and trotted into the living room where he plopped down and began chewing on it.
"Susan! Hutch! Starsky yelled as he dashed toward the kitchen. He pushed open the door, nobody. He sprinted to the stairs and taking them two at a time made it to second level in moments. His partner's bedroom door was standing open, a chair was toppled over, and the sheets and spread were pulled off the bed laid in a heap on the floor. He ran down the hall calling their names.
There was a muffled sound from behind one of the closed doors. Starsky drew his gun, gently he turned the knob opening the door just enough to peek in. Mrs. Gray the couple's nanny was laying on the floor her hands and feet bound, tape across her mouth. After checking to make sure there was no one else in the room Starsky holstered his gun and bent to release the older woman.
"Thank God," she said tearfully as Starsky gently tugged the tape from her lips. "Where is Susan and Ken? Starsky shrugged his shoulders. "Jesse?"
"Jesse," Starsky gasped, he dashed out of the room and down the hall to Jesse's bedroom. He opened the door and peered in. A small ball was in the center of the bed Starsky sent over to the bed and carefully began pulling back the covers as he talked to Jesse.
Mrs. Gray had come into the room by this time. She was still a bit disoriented but was more worried about the child than herself. Starsky tugged the last bit to sheet away to reveal a large stuffed rabbit. The woman let out a small cry as Starsky picked up the stuffed animal.
"What the hell happened here last night," he demanded as he tossed the rabbit back on to the bed.
"Several men broke in," Mrs. Gray tried to explain as she pulled a hanky from her pocket to dab her eyes. "They must have taken them."
"Broke in?"
She nodded as tears streamed down her face; "there were at least three maybe four. Two of them came in here and tied me up but I could hear other voices down the hall."
"Sounds like the home invasion case we have been working on but they never took anyone before." Starsky said as he left Jesse's bedroom and went to his partner's room. Mrs. Gray followed closely behind the detective. He glanced around the room again just to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Then started down stairs. "Don't touch anything," He warned Mrs. Gray, she nodded as she continued to follow him.
Starsky inspected the down stairs; it seemed like the invaders had come in and gone right up stairs. He went to the kitchen to use the phone; Mrs. Gray sat at the kitchen table ringing her hands. "Why do you suppose they were taken?" she asked. Edna had been following the home invasion case from the newspaper and from over hearing her bosses talk. Just as Starsky had said no one had been taken in other cases, or killed or for that matter no one had even been hurt. The invaders came in tied up the homeowners then ransacked the house.
Starsky punched in the numbers to his captain's extension, after several rings the phone was picked up and Dobey barked, "Dobey here."
"Cap, it's Starsky…."
But before he could finish Dobey yelled, "You three are late, get in here now."
"Cap if you'll just…."
"I know explain," Dobey huffed. "You have a million reasons for always being late."
"They are missing," Starsky finally managed to squeeze in.
Dobey stopped a moment, "Who's missing?"
"Hutch, Susan and Jesse. Looks like our home invaders got them last night." Starsky told.
"What are you talking about? Five men were picked up last night as they were coming out of a home, seems like they didn't noticed the burglar alarm." Dobey informed his detective.
"What time?" Starsky asked.
"Around mid night I believe," Dobey said picking up the file lying in front of him. After scanning it for a second. "Yes 12:05 to be exact."
Starsky looked at Mrs. Gray, "What time did this happen?"
She thought for a moment then said, "around four a.m."
"Are you sure?" She nodded tears forming in her eyes as she remembered hearing Jesse calling for her parents. Then into the phone Starsky said, "There is no way it was the same guys, Hutch was hit at four."
"A copycat?" Dobey asked leaning forward with a worried look on his face.
"Or someone wanting it to look like a copycat, kind of funny they would break into a cop's house, take nothing just the home owners." Starsky said. "I don't like the way this smells Cap. I think I'm going to stop at Huggy's on the way in."
"Alright, I'll put an APB out on them and get the crime lab out there. I take it Mrs. Gray is alright?"
"Yeah, a little shaken but she's OK." The two men hung up and Starsky tuned to the older woman. "I want to go talk to Huggy." She nodded but a flash for fear crossed her face. "Why don't you come with me, I'll drop you off at the station. I'm sure Dobey is going to want to talk to you."
"Thank you Dave," She said gratfully not wanting to say in the house alone. "Just let me get dressed and put Bear in the back yard."
"I'll do that you get dressed." Starsky said going in search of the dog.
An hour later Starsky walked into the Pits. Only one patron sat at the bar drinking a beer, Laura was cleaning up a couple of tables and Huggy was no where to be seen. "Hey Laura, where's Hug I need to talk to him."
"Out back," she said pointing to the door that opened into the alley.
Starsky found Huggy stacking boxes next to the dumpster, "How's it going? He asked.
Huggy turned around startled, "Man you scared me to death but am I glad to see you."
"Why something wrong?"
"Where there is a rumor going around that a couple of cops are being snatched," Huggy answered still stacking boxes.
Starsky grabbed his arm and swung Huggy around to face him. "Who is snatching a couple of cops?"
"Well…" Huggy hedged. He had never held out on them before and Starsky was wondering why this time was different.
"Come on Hug, a couple of cops where taken, Hutch and Susan last night and Jesse." Starsky said tightening his grip on his friend. "So spill it I don’t have time for this shit."
Huggy looked up and down the alley way then motioned the detective to follow him inside. Even once they were in the privacy of Huggy's small up stairs apartment he still was quite nervous. "Listen what I'm going to tell you could get me killed. If it was anyone but your partners you couldn’t get me to give you this information."
"That big?" Starsky asked, Huggy was scaring him badly.
Huggy nodded gravely, "Yes, even our mob has gone underground."
"Who is it, who has that much power?"
"Frank Agiesti." Huggy almost whispered
Frank Agiesti was the head of the most powerful mob family in the US maybe even the world. Nobody messed with them and lived. Every one feared them from the lowly drunk in the gutter to the mayor of the city. Their family had run NYC for many many years passing the torch down the line.
Starsky looked stunned, "From NY?" Huggy nodded. "What would he be doing here?"
Huggy shook his head, "How easily you forget."
For a minute Starsky stood thinking then the light came on, his mouth dropped open, "You mean Maddie, he is here looking for Maddie?"
Huggy just shrugged his shoulders, "You tell me. Why would a crime boss personally come all the way to the West Coast? Vacation? I don't think so."
Madison Callaway* was suppose to go into the witness protection program but disappeared in the care of the detectives. Both Starsky and Hutch knew it had been Susan that had helped her fade from sight but never confronted her with it. They had even suspected that Huggy had something to do with it also.
Starsky wondered if Maddie had resurfaced somewhere and that the Agiesti family felt threatened, it had been almost a year since the young woman had dropped from sight. So why now? Why hadn't they coming looking much earlier? With out his partners to bounce ideas off the detective felt lost. "What did Maddie look like when she left here?"
"Why ask me?" Huggy said staring at the floor, he rarely lied to his friend.
"Oh come on Hug we know you and Susan helped Maddie disappear."
Huggy sighed, "She dyed her hair a reddish brown and got green contacts. But who knows what she looks like now." Maddie had been a long legged blond with blue eyes and a killer smile.
"How about a name?"
Again Huggy sighed. "Isabelle Styles."
"Isabel?" Starsky hiked up his eyebrows. Huggy gave him a crooked smile. "Life is weird isn't it?"
Huggy nodded in agreement and seemed relieved when Starsky said he needed to get down to the station and fill in Dobey. As much as he wanted to help his friends he was afraid to do so fearing that if anyone found out he was feeding information they would come for him. This group didn't just bust up your bar or legs they played for keeps.
Officer Libby Standford arrived at Captain Dobey's office at the same time Starsky did; she was carrying an armload of files that Dobey had requested. She smiled at Starsky as he opened the office door for her. Then her eyes filled with sadness, "I heard," was all she said. He nodded and followed her into the captain's office.
"Damn," Dobey bellowed, "Doesn't anyone ever knock?" There were several piles of folders stacked around the plump Captain.
"What are you doing?" Starsky asked when he saw Dobey's desk.
"Trying to see if there is somebody out there that would want Hutchinson and Carlston bad enough to break into their house in the middle of the night." Dobey stormed. "And where have you been all this time?"
"I told you I was going to Huggy's," Starsky said flipping open one of the files.
"For three hours?" Dobey slammed his hand down on the folder Starsky was looking at. Libby stood back watching the exchange between the two men, not sure what to do.
Starsky rolled his eyes, "you need to calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down damn it. Two of my officers are missing and a child that I…" Dobey trailed off. Starsky knew just how he felt; his feelings were raging also. He was usually the one to run off half cocked, but he always had his partners to calm him down and back him up. This time the case was his and his alone, there was no screwing up, no second chances. He had a feeling that this was for keeps and his partner's lives depended on him doing his job correctly.
"I am going to find them," Starsky said leaning over Dobey's desk and planting both of his hands in the center of the desk. He was so close to Dobey he could see the man sweating. "I already have a lead."
"Well why the hell didn’t you say so?" Dobey said but this time a bit quieter. "OK who?"
"Agiesti," Starsky said then backed off to watch Dobey's reaction.
"The New York Mob family? That Agiesti?" Dobey blanched. Starsky nodded. "Dear God, what would he want with Hutch and Carlston?"
"Huggy seems to think that it has something to do with Madison Callaway," Starsky said, "And I tend to agree with him. But I have know idea why."
"You are sure that Agiesti is here?" Dobey asked not willing to take a snitches word for it. He knew that was the last thing Huggy considered himself but that was what he was in Dobey's eyes.
"If Huggy says he is here then he is." Starsky stated, "but if you like check the airlines I'm sure his name will show up. When I got to the Pits this morning Huggy said that he heard Agiesti was after two cops. So who do you think he grabbed?"
"But Miss Callaway has been gone almost a year," Dobey said, he looked over at Libby who was rummaging through the files in her arms. She pulled one out from the middle of the pile and handed it to Dobey. "I think I need to have you sent up to work with me." He told her as looked at the name on the file, it was Madison Callaway. It was a case that had never been closed since she had disappeared. He remembered that there had been a lot of heat come down on him from up stairs. He knew that one of his officers probably Carlston or possibly all three of them had been in on it. He had also let the case go and took most of the heat himself instead of passing it on to his detectives. Dobey had admired what they had done for the young woman. But now it was coming back to haunt them.
"I have no idea what this is about," Starsky said. "The only thing I can think of is that maybe she has resurfaced."
"But why wouldn't they just go after her then?" Libby asked as she laid the rest of the files on Dobey's desk.
"I have no idea and I don't think Huggy is going to be of much help, he is terrified." Starsky said flopping down in a chair in front of his Captain's desk. "I barely got him to tell me as much as he did."
"OK so what's next?" Dobey asked much calmer now. "So do we wait until they contact us?"
"Who says they would contact us." Starsky frowned. "If they are after Maddie my guess is that they will just beat the answers out of them."
"And so who knows what?" Dobey ask, finally he would get the answers to his questions.
"Susan is the only one that knows the answers and Huggy. Hutch knows nothing except that Susan helped her. I found out the details from Huggy today. Maddie is now a red head with green eyes and Isabelle Styles for a name or that is who she was the last time Huggy and Susan saw her.
"Isabelle?" Dobey shook his head, "I wonder whose idea that name was?"
Starsky shrugged, "So do we try to find Mad…Isabelle or wait and see if I can locate my partners?"
Dobey sighed, "good question, any way we turn could be a mistake. What do you think our changes are of getting Jesse back?"
"I bet Susan is trying to get them to release Jesse if I know her." Both men nodded in agreement.


                                                                                 Chapter Two
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The same two men that grabbed them from their home shoved the two detectives' blind folded, gagged and bound into a dim room. Before the men left one reached down with a knife and cut the ropes binding Hutch's hands behind his back. The door slammed quickly as Hutch now freed reach up and snatched the blindfold from his eyes. Carefully he peeled the tape from his lips untied the ropes on his feet and moved toward his wife who was lying on her side next to the wall.
"You alright?" Hutch questioned as he touched her arm. Susan jumped started at the sound of his voice she nodded. First thing he removed the tape from her mouth then blindfold and next began to work on the ropes that held her.
As soon as her mouth was free she gasped, "Where is Jesse? And did they take Mrs. Gray too?"
They were both fairly sure Jesse their 8-year-old daughter had been taken along with them but they weren't so sure about their nanny.
"I don't know," Hutch said as he worked on freeing her legs once he had untied her wrists. "I don't know."
As soon as Susan was freed they both stood and looked around the room they were being held captive in. It was a small airless room with a gray carpeted floor, no window, no furniture and no way out except how they came in. Both detectives were sure it was heavily guarded.
"Now what?" she asked.
"I guess we wait until we find out what these people want." Hutch said.
The words had only been out of his mouth seconds when the door opened and Jesse appeared. She ran to her parents then looked back at the man who had been trying to give the child ice cream. Frank Agiesti stood in the doorway, he was an attractive man in his mid 40's, and at six five he was several inches taller than Hutch. The man had on tan slacks, a pale blue button down shirt, which was open at the collar. His hair black just graying at the temples, he was clean-shaven and had a pleasant smile on his face.
Susan clutched her daughter to her, "You OK honey?"
"She is just fine," the man answer. "We were having a grand time weren't we Jesse?"
Jesse just looked up at her mother with huge scared eyes and whispered, "I'm OK."
"If you touched her I swear…" Hutch began.
The man held up his hand, "I'm not in the business of hurting children. If I had realized that there was someone else there to take care of the child she would have been left."
"You are so generous," Susan said venom dripping from her voice.
Frank Agiesti paid no notice to the tone of the detectives' voice. "I can understand how up set you must be. But I assure you that no harm has come to your daughter or will. If you will tell me where you would like her to be placed I will release her."
"How about the Bay City Police Department?" Hutch answered.
"Very cleaver Detective Hutchinson but I think not. How about some place else?" He said. "How about the zoo?"
Jesse shook her head, "I want to stay here with you."
Hutch knelt down next her, "Honey you have got to go, Starsky to get you. We'll be alright, I promise." Hutch then looked up at the man.
"Sure they will be find just as long as they corporate," he smiled at Jesse. Then he said to her, "Where is your favorite place in the zoo?"
"The bird aviary I guess," Jesse said sullenly knowing that her parents were going to make her go. She was a big girl now and could take care of herself but they just didn't see it that way.
"Very good I'll arrange it right away." He turned to go, "oh by the way I forgot to introduce myself, names Frank Agiesti." With that he turned, went out of the room and locked the door securely behind him leaving the detectives to gape after him.
"The mob boss from New York?" Susan exclaimed after the door was closed.
"How many other Frank Agiesti's do you know?" Hutch asked. Susan shrugged then picked Jesse up in her arms hugging her tightly.
"You are sure you're alright?" Susan asked her daughter again. Jesse nodded; she was still wearing her Winnie the Pooh nightie. Susan was in her nightshirt and they had allowed Hutch to slip on a tee shirt over his pajama bottoms.
"Mommy I want to stay here with you and Daddy," Jesse squirmed to get down. "I can corporate too."
"We know you can Jess but we have a very important job for you to do." Hutch sat on the floor pulling Jesse into his lap. "You need to take in what you can about this place. Hopefully they won't blindfold you again. Get a good look at all the men here. Then when you see Starsky you tell him all that you can, that way he can come and find us. Can you do that?"
The little girl looked at her father wide eyed, "Wow you are giving me a big important job," she beamed.
"Can you do it?" Jesse nodded at Hutch. Susan looked at her husband and daughter then joined them on the floor. She laid her head on Hutch's shoulder as she took Jesse's hand, praying that his man would be true to his word and let their daughter go.
Two hours passed before the door to the small room opened again, Frank Agiesti stepped in. "The arrangements have been made. I assumed when you said Starsky would get your daughter you were speaking of David Starsky, your partner?"
Susan nodded numbly, this man knew everything about their lives, and she suddenly wondered why he didn't know they had a nanny. But that was probably just part of the game, he would be assured their cooperation with Jesse there. Agiesti held out his hand to Jesse she looked back at her parents who gave her their best smiles. Then Jesse walked with her head held high in front of the man ignoring the hand offered to her. He followed her out the door, which he then closed and locked once again.
As Jesse left the building she took everything in that she could. One of the men was going to blindfold her but Agiesti stopped him. Agiesti himself got in the back seat of a black sedan with Jesse and the driver sped them off in the direction of the zoo. As they pulled up to the entrance of the zoo he asked the driver to hand him the phone. Then he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket with a number printed on it and dialed. After several rings the phone was picked up, "Can I please speak to Detective Starsky?"
Starsky was in Dobey's office when the call came in. Dobey answered the ringing phone then handed it to Starsky. The detective mouthed "who is it?" Dobey just shrugged and dangled the receiver in front of him.
"Starsky here," he said in the phone. He had been sitting with his feet propped up on the chair next to him but they hit the floor as he listened to the caller. "Who is this?"
"Do you want the child?" Said a voice.
"Jesse?"
"Yes Jesse, she is here with me now," the voice replied.
"What about my partners?" Starsky asked trying to keep his cool.
"I'm not offering up your partners. If you want Jesse get to the birdhouse at the zoo. I'm sure you wouldn't want this pretty little thing being there alone very long." Frank Agiesti hung up the phone.
Starsky looked at the dead receiver he held in his hand. "Jesse is at the zoo." Starsky told Dobey. "Who ever grabbed them is letting her go."
Dobey picked up the phone, "I'll send back up with you."
"No," Starsky said getting up and slipping on his leather jacket. "I'm going in by myself."
"It could be a trap," Dobey said. "They could be after you too."
"That's just the chance I'll have to take."
The detective arrived at the zoo in record time, pull his car to the entrance flashed his badge and dashed into the park. From his numerous trips to the zoo with Jesse he knew right were the birdhouse was. He race there and yanked open the door several people in the building turned to stare, then clutched their children to them. He looked at every child there finally he spied Jesse standing at the other end of the birdhouse watching a toucan. "Jesse!" he called to her.
The little girl turned around, her eyes filled with tears when she saw Starsky. They ran toward each other meeting in the middle, Starsky swept her up in his arms holding her tightly. Jesse clung to him and began sobbing; he brushed her long hair from her eyes. "He has Mommy and Daddy," she whispered.
"Who honey, who has them?"
"Frank A-A-giesti," she stammered.
Starsky closed his eyes, now he knew for sure that it was the mob boss who had his partners. "Can you tell me anything else? Like where they are, what the men looked like that took them, anything that could help me find them?"
Jesse nodded, and began telling him everything that she could remember. The four men that took them in the night, the building they were held captive in. But she wisely told Starsky that they would probably move her parents since they hadn't blindfolded her as she was taken out. He marveled at how much she remembered. "Can you still find them Uncle Starry?" she asked as her bottom lip quivered.
"You bet I can," he assured her sounding more confidant than he felt. He was hoping that since they had contacted him once they would again. "Let's get you home, so you can put some clothes on. Then you can come down to the station and see if Jerry can get a drawing of them men from you."
Jesse gave Starsky a tentative smile as he set her on her feet. They left the birdhouse hand in hand; neither of them saw Frank Agiesti standing in the shadows outside the building. He wanted to make sure that the little girl got to the detective safely. Once they had left, Agiesti along with his bodyguard who was close by also left the zoo. It was time to get his information out of the pair of detectives.
Hutch and Susan were sitting on the floor of the small room when Agiesti entered. Both jumped to their feet when he stepped into the room. First he assured them that their daughter was safe, picked up by their partner. "Now that that is out of the way let's get down to business," he said gazing at them. "You have something that is mine and I want it back."
The two detectives looked at each other confused. "We have no idea what you are talking about."
"Madison Callaway, I want her back," he informed them his face hardening. "I know you know who I am talking about. Weren't you engaged to her at one time Detective Hutchinson?"
"What do you want Maddie for?" Hutch asked with out answering the man's question.
"She is or I should say was my mistress until she disappeared," he watched their faces for the reaction he was hoping he would get.
The two detectives didn't disappoint him. "She was your what?" Susan exclaimed. Hutch just stood there speechless. "She witnessed your hit man killing a man, then he killed her friend."
"That is neither here nor there," the mob boss said. "Maddie and I have been together for the last seven years. The friend that was killed was my wife."
"Your wife?" Susan was now hopelessly confused now. "Your wife was the woman killed?"
Agiesti sighed, "There was no hit on a man the hit was for my wife. The two men running down the street was staged, the gunshot in the alley killed no one.
"So what you are telling me is that Maddie was in on your wife's death?" Hutch approached the man. "Maddie helped set her up? Is that what you are trying to tell me?"
"Yes that is what I am saying. I'm not sure if my wife ever knew about Maddie and I. But instincts tell me she probably did but never once did she ever say one word to me about it. Instead they became good friends. You know that old adage keep your friends close and your enemy's closer." He leaned against the wall crossing his legs at the ankles and lit a cigarette. "So now that you know my story why don't you tell me where she is before this has to get ugly."
"And you expect me to believe that you are just going to let us walk away now knowing what we know?" Susan spit out. "Besides how do we know you are even telling us the truth, if she was your mistress why didn't she follow the plan. My guess is that she would fall from site and then come to back to you?"
"Smart lady," he grinned at her. "I knew that they would try to put her in the witness protection program. It didn't bother me I could have found her easily. But now that she has gone out on her own, it's much harder especially with out a name and that is what you two are here for."
Susan came to only inches of the man, "FUCK OFF," She yelled, "I'm not telling you one damn thing and Hutch doesn't know."
Hutch cringed at her words fearing that the mobster would hit her or worse. But Agiesti just laughed at the female detective then looked at Hutch, "You have a little fire ball on your hands don't you?"
"Go to Hell," she growled. Hutch came forward and caught Susan by the arm pulling her away from the man. She tried to jerk free but he held her arm tightly. "Let go of me."
The mobster chuckled again and shook his head then the smile faded from his face. His voice turned deadly as he said, "You had better get that bitch to talk or I'll kill both of you and then go after your partner and daughter." With those words Frank Agiesti stalked out of the room slamming the door leaving the two officers to stare after him.



                                                                                       Chapter Three


"Damn it you have to keep your cool," Hutch glared at Susan. She leaned limply against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor.
"At least Jesse is safe," she said without looking up.
"For now," Hutch said then warned, "You keep it up you are going to get us killed."
"I am not going to let that two bit hood intimidate me." She growled trying to sound tough but her insides were shaking. They were trapped and Frank Agiesti could kill them before Starsky could find them. "What is going on with Maddie how could she dupe us all like that. What kind of person is she anyway?"
Hutch shook his head, "I don’t know but she must have been trying to get away why else would she have deviated from the plan?"
"I don’t know but she sure put us in one hell of a place." Susan snapped. "What the hell did you see in her anyway."
Hutch winced at her harsh words, then shrugged, "She was exciting, different from than anyone I had met before. When she left without a word I…."
"I'm sorry," Susan softly. She knew how much Maddie had hurt him, how much she had hurt him when she herself had left.
Suddenly the door banged open two men entered, "On your feet," one of the men commanded. The other carried rope and blindfolds, he yanked the female detective to her feet when she didn't move.
Hutch just turned allowing them to tie his hands. "Where are you taking us?" Neither man answered, once their job was finished they left the two detectives standing in the middle of the room hands tied behind their backs and blindfolded. Several minutes later they were back each carrying hypodermic needle. They plunged them in to the arms of the detectives before they could even protest.
Starsky opened his captain's office door, Mrs. Gray was there sitting on the couch as Dobey talked on the phone. Jesse ran jumping in to her nanny's lap burying her face on the woman's shoulder. Mrs. Gray looked up at Starsky who nodded letting her know that Jesse was unhurt.
Dobey finished on the phone hung it up then looked at Starsky, "Well?" Starsky shrugged. "Nothing? You didn't see anyone, no one made any contact with you?"
Starsky shook his head, "Jess was standing by herself in the birdhouse, I got her and left."
"You take these two to one of the safe houses until this thing is over," Dobey instructed. Starsky nodded in agreement, he didn’t want to be worrying about them all the time.
After having Jesse describe the men to the police artiest he drove them to one of the houses the police had set up to protect witness. Then he went to the townhouse packed a couple of suitcases of clothes for Jesse and Mrs. Gray, hunted down Bear for Jesse had proclaimed that without her dog she was not staying in that house one moment. Once he had taken care of all that the detective went back to the station, even though it was late Dobey was still behind his desk when Starsky walked in.
Dobey looked up at his detective and this time didn't even reprimand him for not knocking before he entered. "Well?"
"Mrs. Gray and Jesse are safe, I'm on my way to talk to Huggy again. Maybe he has heard something that is if he will tell me. He is terrified of this man."
Dobey looked at his watch, it was almost 1 am, and "Starsky why don't you wait until morning, go home get some shut eye."
"Cap I have to find my partners," Starsky said as calmly as he could. He began pacing the floor running over the information that Jesse had given him.
"Starsky," Dobey said, but the detective was so deep in thought he didn’t hear his captain. Finally Dobey boomed, "STARSKY!"
"Yeah cap, " he said looking up.
"Go home, that is an order!" Dobey said then more gently, "you have got to get some rest." Grudgingly the officer agreed but assured his Captain that he would be back in a few hours.

Huggy Bear lay behind what was left of his bar in a pool of his own blood and shattered glass, he groaned softly and tried to get up. He had no idea how long he had been laying there. The last thing that he remembered was just as he was closing up four huge men pushed their way into the bar. One of the men bodily picked up the bartender carried him back into the bar and sat him on the counter. As he held Huggy there the other three began smashing up the bar, tossing liquor bottles to the floor, sweeping rows of glass from the shelves. Huggy didn't make a move to even stop them, he knew who they were and who had sent them. He was just hoping that he still had his life when they were done with him. Once they were finished behind the bar the men proceed to smash the chairs, tables and cut up the booths, finally when they were done with that they moved in on Huggy.
The man that had been holding him flicked out a switch blade knife and held it against Huggy's throat. "Now it's your turn unless you tell us what we want to know."
"And what is it you want to know?" Huggy asked. The man punched him in the mouth, Huggy felt blood seep from his lip.
"You know why we are here, now you give us Madison Calaway's new name and her description and you might get out of this alive." The man growled at him.
Huggy looked at him tight lipped and stayed that way as the four men beat him almost beyond recognition. "Who the hell are you protecting? That little tramp?" one of the men yelled in his face.
Suddenly one of the men stopped the others, "I know who he's protecting. That little slut of a police officer we have. Well I tell you what if that is the game you want to play fine. If you don't tell us what we want she is as good as dead. That is after we have had our way with her." he winked at Huggy. Then added, "if you know what I mean."
"You leave her alone," Huggy croaked through split bleeding lips.
The man laughed, "The only one that can save her is you Mr. Bear because if we don’t get the information now, I'm leaving here and taking care of that bitch."
That was the last thing Huggy remember and now he lay on the floor broken and bleeding hoping that somebody would find him soon. He wondered if he had given up the Maddie, he tried to think hard if he had but it only made his head hurt. And breathing was almost unbearable, he knew that several if not all his ribs were broken. Huggy felt around on the floor hoping that maybe the phone was close by if they hadn't pulled it from the wall. His hand touch a sticky pool on the floor he rubbed his fingers in it then looked at his hand, it was covered in blood. He wondered how bad he was bleeding but from pool on the floor he assumed it must be a lot. Where was he bleeding? He tried to move more but the pain was so much it took his breath.
Starsky after a night of pacing his apartment finally showered and went to the Pits. The front door was standing open but there were no lights on in side. Only the light from outside showed the devastation inside the bar. Starsky drew his gun as he entered, there was some movement from the direction of the bar, and the detective pointed his gun at the movement.
"Hold it right there," he yelled. As he got closer he could tell it was old Tommy sitting at the bar. He had managed to find one of the only bar stools in the place that hadn't been smashed to pieces and had sat down at the bar amongst all the glass.
Tommy was a former police officer, which was the only reason Huggy put up with the man. He allowed him to run a bar tab that had never been paid except by some of the other officers that came into the bar. As much as any one could figure Tommy was close to eighty years old, not too many people remembered when he was an officer. But the story was told that on the day before he was to retire his partner was shot and died in his arms.
"Where's Huggy?" the old man slurred. Starsky just stared at him the place was in a shambles. "Some party uh?"
Starsky holstered his gun and started around the bar to turn on the lights when his foot struck something on the floor. He bent down to see what it was and realized that Huggy was lying at his feet. Starsky dropped to his knees not caring the floor was covered with glass. "Huggy," he said softly then called to Tommy, "call 911 we need help." When he got no response he looked up to see Tommy passed out with his head lying on the bar. Starsky looked around for the phone but know finding it dashed out side to his car and made the call.
As the detective returned to his friend, Huggy groaned and moved. "Starsk is that you?" he barely whispered there were gurgling sounds as he talked
"Shhhh don't talk," Starsky soothed, "help is on the way." He wanted to comfort the man but wasn't sure where to touch him. He didn’t think he had ever seen somebody beaten this badly and still be alive.
"I…might...have…told…them." Huggy mumbled.
"Was it Agiesti's men?" Starsky asked. Huggy nodded slowly then tried to cough, blood flew everywhere. Starsky leaned over is friend and to his horror discovered that Huggy's throat has been partially slit. Damn where was that live squad? Huggy was trying to talk again. "Come on Huggy try to relax, help will be here any minute."
"…told them…hurt…Susan…if I…I…didn't...had to…to tell." Huggy was loosing consciousness again.
"Huggy it's OK," Starsky said hoping he could hang on until the paramedics arrived. Finally after what seemed like hours, the ambulance arrived two paramedics rushed in pulling a gurney. And to Starsky's surprise Dobey followed them in.
Starsky left Huggy only after one of the paramedics asked him to move. The detective went to his captain. "Huggy is real bad off, those bastards slit his throat."
"Shit," Dobey said as he looked around the bar. "They really did a number didn't they? Agiesti?"
Starsky nodded, the paramedics were wheeling Huggy by the two officers, "How is he?"
One of the men shook his head, "He's pretty bad, I'm surprised he's even still alive."
The detective nodded and watched as they loaded Huggy into the ambulance. Turning his attention back to his captain he said. "I think Huggy told them about Maddie. He was the only other person that knew anything other than Susan. I think they were telling him they would kill her if he didn't talk."
"I think we had better find Carlston and Hutchinson fast. If they have the information that they want, those two are of no use. I don't think they will deliver them to our doorstep, well at least not alive."
Starsky agreed but was torn between going to the hospital to check on Huggy and finding his partners. Making up his mind he said, "I'm going to check and see if Libby as anything yet from the leads that Jesse gave us."
Sensing Starsky's dilemma, Dobey offered, "I'll go check on Huggy and let you know how he's doing."
"Thanks Cap."
Libby Standford had been working all night on the computer trying to get a match to the descriptions and the location that Jesse had given them. She was tired, her hair was coming out of the bun she had on her head and her eyes were blood shot from staring at the screen all night. Starsky leaned over the desk starling her from her work. "Geez Stark," Libby said. "You scared me to death."
"Any luck?" he asked grimly. She nodded and handed him a print out containing the names and photos of Agiesti's men and a photo of Agiesti himself. After studying the photos and reading the information he told Libby about Huggy.
Tears filled the female officers eyes as she listened to him. "Oh my God, is he going to be alright?"
Starsky shrugged, "You should call the hospital and see if you can get some information. But we need to find Susan and Hutch now. Any thing on where they are being held?"
"Well I have a couple of matches, they are all down by the docks." Libby said handing him a second print out. "You check these out and I'll keep digging."
Starsky went to the two places that were listed on the paper, the first one was so run down that it couldn't have been the place but the second address held hope out to the detective. Starsky circled the building looking for another way in besides the front door but there was none, in fact there wasn't even a window in the place only a front door that had no glass in it. He knew that he should call for back up, he was going into the situation blind but at this point he didn't really care.
The detective walked up to the front door gun drawn and held behind his back. He knocked softly on the door. When there was no answer he pounded louder, still nothing. He pressed his ear to the wood no sound came from the inside. After two kicks Starsky knocked down the door, he did a forward roll into the building landing on his feet, gun pointed in front of him. It was immediately clear that the building was empty. There were only three rooms, which Starsky checked quickly; all were totally empty not so much as a chair. There was only a desk sitting by the front door and what was sitting on the desk made Starsky's heart stop. It was a chocolate color stuffed bear, that Starsky had given Jesse several years ago. He picked up the bear and stared at it for a moment then tucked it under his arm as he went out side.
​

                                                                                         Chapter 4

When Susan woke up she wasn't sure if it was dark or she still had on the blindfold but as her eyes became accustom to the darkness she could see she was in a room. She was startled by the gentle rolling motion of the room until she realized that she was on some sort of boat. The detective managed to get her self-upright, she couldn’t tell if Hutch was in the room with her.
"Hutch?" she called softly. "Are you here?" But her ears were met only with silence, suddenly she was blinded with light as a door opened and the lights were flicked on.
"Awww so you are awake, good." Frank Agiesti stood in the doorway grinning at her. "How about a little talk, uh?"
"Where is Hutch?" she demanded.
"He is here he is safe for now, I'm sorry I can't say that much for your friend uh…..Huggy Bear?" he smirked.
"What did you do to Huggy?" Susan said in horror. "He didn't have anything to do with this."
"Of course he did, he helped you help her." Agiesti grinned at her evilly. "And you will be happy to know that his last thoughts were of you." When Susan looked confused he elaborated. "He told us what my men wanted to know only after they said they were going to kill you if he didn't."
A tear slid down her face as she thought of Huggy, he had helped them so many times and paid the price for it too. This time he had paid the ultimate price, his life. "Why did you have to kill him," she said through her tears.
"So what do you think of my yacht?" he asked with out answering her question. Susan looked at him numbly. "I just bought it yesterday. I think I might just move here, I think California suits me. I was hating those cold New Year winters." He had turned from a killer to a host as if they were on a pleasure cruise. "Can I get you something to eat, I know it's been hours you must be hungry." She just shook head no. "Oh come now dear you have to eat, I'll have somebody bring something to you."
"What is this the last supper?" she snapped.
"You don’t have to be so dramatic," he said as he left closing the door.
Hutch was alive but not being treat as nicely has his wife. Still bound he was now gagged but the blindfold had been removed. He was tied in the engine room beneath the yacht. His only hope was that Susan was all right. Hutch wondered where they were being taken, his guest was out to sea to be dumped in the ocean. The likely hood of their bodies ever being found was slim to none and it was clean and easy. Nobody came to check on him even to offer him a drink of water which he would have gladly killed for.
Finally he fell asleep but was awakened an hour later by the sound of a motor boat coming close to the yacht. It idled for a while then sped off. Hutch wondered if somebody had come aboard or had been taken off. Now he was even more worried about Susan, what it had been her they had taken away. Suddenly the engine kicked in on the yacht and it began moving they had just been floating since the first time Hutch woke up from the drug that was injected into his arm. He figured Agiesti was taking them further out to sea to dump them. He struggled against the ropes binding his wrist, not sure what he would do if he was able to free himself. But he wanted to find Susan and assure himself that she was OK.
Susan was dosing when the door to the state room open and another woman was pushed into the room with her. Hands and feet bound she fell to the floor with a groan, she lay still for a long time until Susan wondering if she was conscious spoke to her.
"You OK?"
"Yeah, I guess," said a familiar voice.
Susan recognized it instantly, "Maddie?"
"He found me," she emitted a bitter laugh.
"I have some questions for you my friend" Susan said watching her as she attempted to sit up. Maddie's hair was still dyed the same dark color but gone were the contacts and her blue eyes looked out of a battered face. Both of her eyes were black and blue, her lip was split and she had a cut on her cheek. Susan gasped when she saw her face. "Did Agiesti to this to you?"
"Ha are you kidding, Frank doesn't get his hands dirty," She huffed. "He has his thugs do it for him."
"I trusted you," Susan stated plainly looking directly into Maddie's eyes.
Maddie hung her head, "I guess he told you."
"And delighted in it too not even to mention that you made us look like fools," Susan pointed out. "How could you, I thought you said she was your friend."
"It just happened," Maddie shrugged.
"How can you be so nonchalant about helping somebody make a hit." Susan steamed.
Maddie's eyes opened wide with surprise, "What? What are you talking about?"
"The hit on Agiesti 's wife,"
"I had nothing to do with that," Maddie looked at her stunned. "She was my friend."
"That's not what Agiesti told Hutch and I, " Susan relayed everything that he had told her.
Maddie sat with her mouth hanging open, "That lying slug. I would have never gone along with hurting Marie. She was my friend."
"And your boyfriends wife."
Maddie sighed, "I met Frank when I first came to New York I was young and he was handsome and rich and knew how to treat you like a lady. By the time I found out he was involved with the mod and married to boot I was deeply in love with him. And of course he promised to divorce his wife and marry me, same old story. This went on for years and years. I meet Marie quite by accident one day at an art gallery, one of the many things we have in common. We ended up looking at the paintings together then went to lunch. That evening she invited me to have dinner with her and her family. I think Frank about dropped his teeth when we sat down to the dinner table. They have three beautiful children too. I was shocked to say the least when I found out who my new friend was married to."
"Did she know who you were?" Susan asked.
"I wondered that my self for a long time until one day Marie told me that it was no accident we met at the gallery. She had been planning on having it out with me then and there. But instead we struck up a friendship, I know it sounds very odd. I think she was lonely, with her husband being the head of the mob the other wives didn’t associate with her and she had no out side friends. So I guess I was perfect for her. And I think she also liked knowing just whom her husband was sleeping with too. I wasn't the first nor do I believe I was the last, I'm sure he had some little bimbo stuck some place."
"What happened, seemed trouble free for him," Susan said fascinated with her story.
"I really don't know to tell you the truth. I didn't know that what I thought was a hit was faked until after it was all over. Frank got to me before I left New York, told me what to do. He wanted me in the witness protection program knowing that it would be easy to find me. He has people in the police department there." Tears streamed down Maddie's face as she remembered holding Marie in my arms as she died. "I knew then, I realized that he had his own wife killed that I could and probably would be next when he tired of me."
"I think I know what happened," Susan said remembering something she had read in Marie's autopsy report. She hadn't said anything at the time to Maddie or to her partners for that matter it hadn't seemed that important. "Marie was pregnant."
"WHAT!!!" Maddie exclaimed.
"Just about a month."
"Oh my God, how could he do that?" she cried. "I knew they were kind of fighting about something but neither of them told me what it was. I figured it was one of those husband wife things."
"Maybe he wanted her to get rid of the baby and she wouldn't do it." The detective suggested.
"That probably was it, she adored her children and I do know she wanted more." Maddie hung her head, "how could I have ever loved somebody so heartless. I didn't want anything more to do with him once I found out he had Marie kill, so I pretended to go along with his plan until I got away from there. That was when I decided to run, I'm so sorry I got you involved in all this."
"What's done is done, I just wish you had trusted me with the truth. All this could have been avoided." Susan said.
Suddenly it dawned on Maddie that Agiesti had kidnapped Susan, "Frank grabbed you didn't he?"
"Well I'm sure not on a cruise with a mob boss the department would frown on that I think." Susan gave her a small smiled. She then told Maddie how they came to be there.
"Where is Hutch?" Maddie asked. Susan shrugged not even sure he was on the yacht. "But Jesse is OK?"
Susan nodded, "I believe him when he says he turned her over to Starsk. But Huggy didn't fair so well."
"What? Huggy is he here too?" she asked
Susan shook her head as tears spilled down her cheeks. "He had Huggy killed after he got information out of him about you."
Maddie dropped her head in her hands. "Oh my God, poor Huggy. He was so nice. This is all my fault. I should have never come to Hutch in the first place." Then she looked at Susan, "I have to confess when I came I didn’t know Hutch was married, I was planning to…uh."
"Get him back?" Susan smiled at her.
Maddie nodded miserably, "And I did kind of try, but Hutch put me in my place real quick like."
The door to the room opened and a man dressed in white appeared carrying a tray full of food which he sat on a small table in the room. After he had left Agiesti entered, "Ladies, playing catch-up?"
"Oh shut up Frank," Maddie spit at him.
He laughed and cut the ropes binding the two women. The moment that Maddie was free she slapped Frank Agiesti as hard as she could across the face. A flash of anger crossed his face for a second then he rubbed his face where her handprint was slowly reddening. Agiesti threw back his head and laughed, "When did you grow balls Miss Maddie?"
"Oh fuck you Frank, I’m not in love with you anymore." Maddie brought her arm back to slap him again but this time he was ready for her. He grabbed her wrist and began to twist until she cried out.
"Let her go," Susan warned. "You are going to break her arm."
"That was my intention, nobody touches Frank Agiesti," he said viciously.
"For Christ sakes Frank," Maddie squealed. He finally released her pushing her toward the bed. "I'm here now let them go, I'll do what ever you want."
"You had your chance you bitch and you crossed me, NOBODY CROSSES ME, NOBODY!!" he yelled.
"Yeah yeah we get the point nobody crosses you nobody touches you, am I suppose to be impressed?" Susan shouted at him.
Maddie giggle from the bed, "What a fuck you are, who the hell kills their pregnant wife?"
Agiesti was reaching for Susan, he had his fill of her, she was his now. But Maddie's words stopped him in his tracks. "What?" he asked gaping at her.
"Oh come on, you want me to believe that you didn't know she was four weeks pregnant?" Maddie said getting up from the bed.
"No..no I didn't know that," Agiesti's face paled and he sat down in a chair near the door.
"Then what had the two of you been fighting about?" she asked.
"You," he said looking at her. "I told her that I wanted a divorce so that we could get married. She told me no that she liked things the way they were and even offered to move you into the house. But I told her I wanted to have kids with you and that it wouldn't look right."
"What a hoot you cared about how things looked? Give me a break." She scoffed.
"I love you," he said softly.
"Well you have one hell of a way of showing it. Kidnapping my friends, killing Huggy, your wife, leaving your children motherless. Oh yeah that's the man I want to marry, have you lost your fucking mind Frank, shit," Maddie ranted on. "And what will you do to me, to our children when you get tired of my face and want to move on. Bring a mistress into our house, I'm not as understanding as Marie was. You had the best wife and you killed her. She loved you with all her heart you asshole. Why I have no idea the way you treated her."
"Are you done?" he asked standing.
"Done? Done? Hell no I’m not done, I'm just getting started." She yelled.
Agiesti turned to leave the room, "Eat."


                                                                                             ​Chapter 5
​

Hutch struggled against the ropes binding his wrist, they were beginning to bleed. He had to get out, that was the only chance they had. Starsky might find the building they had been in but there was no way he would ever suspect they were in a boat in the ocean. He wondered how far they out to sea and if they would be able to swim to shore if they could jump ship. There was a sound at the door, Hutch slumped against the hull of the boat and closed his eyes. One of Agiesti's men entered the room, he looked down at Hutch then kicked his foot. Hutch lay there limply almost holding his breath. Satisfied that the officer was still out the man left closing the door.
Hutch's eyes popped open the moment the door shut. He pulled even harder at the ropes finally the blood soaked ropes began to give. Hutch slipped one hand out, quickly he untied the ropes that bound his feet. He started to stand but his legs gave out on him and his head swam, he figured it was from whatever kind of drug they had been given. He looked around the small room quickly for some kind of weapon. He finally found a rather large wrench lying on a shelf; he tucked it in the back of his pants then slowly turned the doorknob ready for anyone who might be out side. But the corridor was empty and there were stairs leading up top. Softly Hutch climbed the stairs one at time until he reached the top, he peered around but still nobody was in sight. He stood at the top of the stairs for a moment wondering where they might be holding Susan. He started down a narrow hallway where he saw several doors. Hutch heard voices coming his way and ducked into one of the rooms.
"Oh my god," Said a voice behind him, he turned to see Susan coming toward him. He threw his arms around her, holding her tightly.
"You are bleeding," she said noticing his wrists.
"I'm ok, " he assured her. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, "I'm fine."
"I didn't fair as well," Maddie said she was sitting in a chair, he hadn't seen her when he came in.
He winced as he looked at Maddie's face. "Maddie?" He asked the dark hair and beaten face through him off.
"He found me, I should have know he would." She said getting up. "I'm sorry I got you, your family and friends involved in all this. I am so sorry about Huggy."
Hutch raised his eyebrows as Susan shook her head at Maddie. Maddie covered her mouth when she realized that Hutch didn't know yet. "What about Huggy?"
Susan ignored the question, "Let me have a look at your wrists."
"My wrists are fine. What about Huggy?" Hutch questioned pulling his arm from her grasp.
"Agiesti had him killed," she said so softly that Hutch could scarcely hear her.
He looked at her a moment trying to absorb what his wife had just told him. "Huggy is dead?"
She nodded tears coming to her eyes again. "Yes."
Hutch whirled around pulling the wrench from his jeans and started for the door. "I'm going to kill that bastard."
Maddie grabbed his arm, "NO! Hutch you have to get Susan off this boat, you have to escape. I'll take care of Frank."
Both detectives looked at the woman before them. "Maddie you can escape too," Susan said grabbing her hand.
Maddie shook her head, "It's too late for me. He will follow me no matter where I go. This all got started because of me and I'm going to end it even if I die trying."
Hutch put his arms around Maddie giving her a quick hug, "I can't let you do that."
"Sure you can," she said smiling at him. "I'm sure there is a dingy around or something you can escape in."
"Let's get out of here," Susan suggested. She grabbed Maddie's hand pulling her along.
Hutch led the way out on to the deck of the yacht. There was still no one in sight as they made their way toward the back of the boat looking for a dingy or rubber raft. He looked out across the water to see if there was any sign of land. Only water met his eyes, he sighed wondering which way they would row. It had been along time since he was a Sea Scout.
The two woman let out a warning cry a second too late as one of Agiesti's men clubbed Hutch in the back of the head with the butt of a gun and tossed him over board. Susan screamed and ran to the side of the yacht and threw her leg over the edge. The man caught her just as she started to jump in to the water below and hauled her back aboard.
"Let me go," Susan screamed tears streaming down her face. "He's going to drown."
"Calm down Detective," Agiesti said coming up behind them. "You will be joining him shortly."
"Frank, you bastard," Maddie ran at her former lover her fist raised. Agiesti grabbed one arm and twisted it behind her until she cried out in pain.
"GO SIT!" he ordered giving her a shove toward a deck chair. Maddie slammed into the cabin wall, a lifesaver hung just above her head. In one graceful movement Maddie snagged the white ring and tossed it over board hoping that if Hutch broke the surface he would see it.
Agiesti backhanded her across the month causing her lip that was already split to begin to bleed again. Susan struggled to free herself from the man holding her but to no avail. "Please just let me go," She sobbed as she sank to the deck floor. "Just let me die." Her will to live had finally left her. She knew that Jesse had people whom loved and cared for the little. Without Hutch, she didn't want to be on the earth, everything begin to fade in front of her.
When Hutch opened his eyes it was dark and cold, he realized just before he took a breath that he was under water. His head hurt him so bad it was almost unbearable but he began fighting his way to the surface of the water.
When Starsky entered Dobey's office he was surprised to see Jesse was there sitting with Mrs. Gray. Her eyes lit up when she saw what Starsky carried under his arm. "Coco," she said softly taking the bear he held out to her.
Dobey looked at Starsky questioningly. "I found where they were being held, there wasn't much left. A desk and Jesse's bear."
"Any sign of where they might have been taken?" Dobey asked hopefully. The detective shook his head. "I think it's time to get this out on the air waves maybe somebody has seen something. It's our only hope."
Both Starsky and Dobey cast a look at Jesse who was clutching her bear, huge tears had welled up in her eyes. "I didn't help." She said softly.
Starsky went to her and pulled his Goddaughter into his arms. "Oh yes you did. I found where they took you. It's not your fault that they moved your parents. We are going to find them you hear me. And by the way what are you doing back here young lady? I thought I left you and Mrs. Gray at a safe house."
Jesse gave him a brief grin, "I made the nice police man bring us back. I wanted to be close to Mommy and Daddy."
Starsky had no argument for that he just nodded. Then he turned back to Dobey, "How is Huggy?"
"I just got off the phone with the hospital," the captain said rubbing his large hands over his face. "They said he is stable but still in serious condition." He then picked up the phone, "I'm going to make that call to the press you want to handle it?"
Starsky nodded slowly, he hated the press they all did but this time they needed them. "I think you need to go back to the safe house Jesse."
The little girl shook her head and said sharply, "NO!"
Starsky didn't want her around when the pressed arrived her picture didn't need to be splashed all over the front of the newspaper. "Then you have to stay right here and I don't want you talking to anyone, you got that?"
"I got it." She said just glad that he was going to allow her to stay. "Uncle Starry?"
"Yeah sweetie," he answered as he was about ready to leave the office.
"Who will take care of me?"
"What do you mean?" but Starsky knew exactly what she meant.
"You know if…if Mommy and Daddy…." She trailed off.
He came back in and knelt next her. "We are going to find them."
"But what if you don't," she persisted. "Can I stay with you?"
He pulled her into his arms again. "Oh Jesse you know I'll be there for you," Starsky said as his voice broke. "I will find them."
With that he left the room with out looking back, he didn't want the child to see the tears standing in his eyes. He went out to their desks and picked up a framed photo of Susan and Hutch standing together. Starsky ran a hand over the picture then slipped the photo from the frame, tucked it into his breast pocket and went to meet the press.
Susan woke up for a second time in the stateroom, she looked around to see if Maddie was in the room with her, but she was alone. She figured she must have fainted after they…god tossed Hutch over board. In her daze she had almost forgotten. Tears welled up in her eyes again, Hutch was surely dead, he had been clearly unconscious when he was thrown over the side. The detective wondered where Maddie could be and why Agiesti hadn't just killed her.
Maddie was up on deck pleading with Agiesti to let Susan go and to turn around to find the detective tossed overboard. But he refused to listen to her anymore and threaten to beat her senseless if she didn't shut her hole as he put it.
Finally Maddie said, "At least let me check on her."
"Fine!" Agiesti stormed hoping to shut her up.
Maddie took the key he dangled in front of her and she ran to check on her friend. The last friend she had was now dead. Because of her looks Maddie had very few friends, people just assumed she was unapproachable. When she had first meet Ken Hutchinson she had be delighted that he talked to her and then finally asked her out on a date. She had been working at a small restaurant not far from the Police Academy, just waiting for her big break in modeling. Hutch and his friend who turned out to be Starsky ate there often after classes. The more they came the more Hutch talked to the pretty young blonde until finally he had asked her out. After that first date they spend most of their free time together, if she couldn't meet him because of work then he would sit in the back of the restaurant nursing a cup of coffee some times alone some times with Starsky.
Finally he asked Madison to marry him and she gladly excepted thinking she would never get her modeling career off the ground. They planned on waiting for him to graduate the academy then they would find a place to live and get married. Hutch was head over heals in love with the beautiful blonde who only had eyes for him. Starsky was afraid they were rushing things but kept his thoughts to himself not wanting to put his friend ship with Hutch on the line.
Two weeks before they were due to graduate Maddie disappeared leaving only a note saying that she couldn’t go through with it. Hutch didn't know how truly unhappy Maddie was not being able to follow her dream of becoming a model. She never knew that he almost didn't finish the academy or that he had spent night and day looking for her. It was only with Starsky's pushing that Hutch came back to the real world.
Maddie stood out side the stateroom wondering what she would say to the woman in side. All Susan had done was try to be her friend, and now one of her close friends was dead and most probably her husband. Maddie slipped the key in the lock and turned it slowly, she found Susan sitting on the bed weeping almost uncontrollably. "Susan?" she said sitting softly on the edge of the bed. "I am so sorry. Seems like I keep saying that. My whole damn life is sorry."
The detective looked at her with swollen eyes, "It's not your fault Maddie."
"Yes it is. All of this is my fault, if I had just left Frank when I found out who he was or that he was married or never come here to Hutch you all would be just fine."
After taking a deep breath Susan said, "What's done is done you can't take it back."
When Hutch broke the water he was almost out of breath, if he would have had to gone one more foot he would never had made it. Gasping for breath Hutch scanned the water hoping for a glimpse of land or even the yacht. But only water met his eyes, suddenly something floating in the water caught his eye. Slowly he made is way toward the object, it was a lifesaver. Quickly he slipped it over his head and relaxed allowing the ring to keep him afloat so that he could rest. Hutch figured it was only a matter of time before one of the sea creatures came to feast on him or he just died from exposure. He knew that Starsky was desperately looking for them. At least Jesse was safe, or he hoped she was, then his thoughts turned to his wife he wonder if she were still alive or had been tossed overboard also. Slowly the cold water and lack of sleep began to take it toll and Hutch drifted off as he bobbed in the water hoping someone would come along.
It was the sound of a plane engine that woke the waterlogged detective from a troubled sleep. Hutch looked into the sky several white fluffy clouds floated in the vast blue. He finally focused on a tiny black dot in the sky, as the dot got bigger he realized it was a small Cessna aircraft and that it was going to fly right over him. Hutch wished he had something to burn, a mirror that he could catch the sunlight with anything but he had to settle waving his arms in the air like a mad man and just hope they were looking at the water.
Slowly the plane flew over the top of him and started disappearing but then it made a wide circle in the sky and begin to descend closer to the water, it flew over the detective once more then made another circle flying even closer. Hutch franticly waved his arms and yelled as loud as he could. Finally the plane dipped its wings, Hutch then knew that they had spotted him, help was on its way. He just hoped it wasn't too late to save Susan and Maddie aboard the yacht with Agiesti.
Susan stood up slowly and looked at Maddie, "I'm getting out of here if I have to jump. I won't give Frank Agiesti the pleasure of killing me."
"Let's do it," Maddie said, suddenly wanting to beat him herself. She wasn't going to let Frank ruin her life any further. "Maybe there is another lifesaver on the other side of the yacht."
"It's worth a look," Susan agreed.
They made their way out on deck they could hear the crew along with Agiesti laughing and talking as they looked over the edge of the boat in the rear. One of the men had a fishing pole in his hand as was preparing to cast off. There were many beer cans scattered around and each man had another in hand. It was clear they were all on their way to getting drunk.
"You sneak around the other side and see if there is something we can use to float on," Maddie whispered to Susan.
"Where are you going?" the detective asked.
But Maddie just put her finger to her lips and pushed Susan in the other direction. Maddie made her way to the cabin hoping that there would be one in there the steering was. She didn't know anything about boats but there was no motor sound so she figured they must just be floating. She peeked in to the cabin it was empty her guess correct nobody was there, Maddie looked around for the short wave radio. She found it easily but knowing how to work it was something else. She played with the knobs twisting them this way and that suddenly the radio jumped to life.
Maddie figured out that she had to hold down the button on the mic to talk and release it to listen. She depressed the button and said, "Mayday, Mayday officer needs assistance." She thought saying that she might get a quicker response. But nothing, she kept trying different channels hoping to raise somebody anybody. "Mayday, Mayday officer needs assistance."
Maddie was about to give up when a voice responded to her. "This is the coastguard."
"Thank god, " Maddie breathed. "A police officer is being held against her will on a yacht. Another officer was thrown over board."
"Do you know your location?" came the voice.
"No, I have no idea. I can't see any land though if that helps." She knew it didn't they could be anywhere, it was a big ocean.
"We will send out search planes, do you know the owner of the yacht?" she was asked.
"Frank Agiesti," Maddie responded finally a question she knew the answer too. "Could you also notify a Detective Starsky? He's with the Bay City Police Department. The missing officers are his partners."
"Will do, we will get help to you as soon as possible."
Maddie slumped against the wheel in relief. Finally help would come they could get off this damn boat. She didn't hear Agiesti come in behind her only felt the sharp pain in the back of her heard before she blacked out falling to the floor. Agiesti stood there holding a wooden fishing rod that he had used as a weapon, he brought it down on top of the radio smashing it to bits. He then looked around for the detective figuring she had to be around some place.
He yelled to his crew, "Find Carlston and bring her to me."

​​

                                                                                         Chapter 6
​

Starsky had just finished talking to the press when the call came. Libby hustled him out of one of the conference rooms telling him he had a call at the front desk. Starsky dashed toward the phone that was held out to him by the desk sergeant. He announced himself in to the receiver then listened intently as the party on the other end spoke.
The detective mouthed the words, "Call Dobey," to Libby as he continued to listen. "I'm coming can you hold a boat for me?"
Libby on a second phone raised her eyebrows at Starsky's words. The Captain picked up his extension immediately barking out his name as usual. The female officer wasn't really sure what to tell the captain since she didn't know what was going on. So she just suggested that he come down to the front desk as quickly as possible.
Starsky was finishing up on the phone just as the elevator doors slid open and Dobey's plump form appeared. "What's going on?" Dobey demanded.
"That was the coast guard Cap." Starsky said as he handed the phone back to the desk sergeant, "Thanks Hal, " then to Dobey he explained as he grabbed his arm dragging him out the front door of the station. "The Coast Guard said that they got a mayday call about fifteen minutes ago from an unidentified woman saying she was on a yacht. That there was a police officer being held against her will and one thrown over board then she asked them to call me."
"Sounds like Hutch and Susan, I wonder who this third woman is?" Dobey asked as they stopped in front of Starsky's red car. He looked the car up and down, "I'm not riding in this side show."
"Get in Cap they are holding a boat for us," Starsky said as he open the passenger side and made a grand sweep of his hand. Dobey grumbled but got in. "I'm betting that the woman was Maddie."
"You are probably right. Do they know who owns the yacht or where it is?" Dobey asked.
"One guess at who owns it and they have no idea where the yacht is," Starsky said frowning, "or where Hutch was tossed overboard."
As they headed toward the marina the radio went off again, Starsky grabbed for it, "Zebra Three here."
"Hey Starsk it's Libby," said a familiar voice for the radio. "The Coast Guard just called back, they said that a small plane reported a man floating on a life preserver about ten miles west of Santa Barbara Island. They are heading that way in choppers and as soon as you get there the boat will take off."
"We should be there in about five," Starsky said as he hung up the mic. He looked over at his captain and grinned.
He detective was right on the money and pulled into the marina in exactly five minutes. The Coast Guard ship was not hard to miss. As Starsky came aboard a man dressed in a Coast Guard uniform greeted him. "You must be Detective Starsky."
Starsky nodded. "And this is my Captain, Harold Dobey."
"Good to meet you both, I'm Ryan Douglas captain of this ship." The man said extending his hand first to Starsky then to Dobey. "Let's get underway."
Hutch had now lost all the feeling in his legs, the salt water was stinging his cuts and his head pounded so badly that he could hardly think straight. But he knew that help was on the way now and he had to just hang on. That was when he felt something bump his left leg at first he thought it was just because he was so cold but then it came again. Fear surged through him what if it was one of those man-eating sharks like in Jaws. He knew the worse thing to do was panic, but he could feel it building in his chest. Hutch had to force himself not to thrash around he held his breath waiting for the bite. What a way to go, he thought to himself, he had survived being toss unconscious off the yacht only to be eaten with help on its way.
Something tugged on his foot, he remember on some show that you could punch a shark in the nose and it would go away. He laughed bitterly he wasn't about to go one on one with a shark or anything that was big enough to be trying to untie his shoe. Hutch thought he would go mad if this "thing" touched him again. But in the distance he heard the sound of a motor and then the clap of a helicopter. A small Coast Guard chopper had been out after the plane had left. He guessed that the pilot had notified them. Maybe they could catch up with the yacht to rescue Susan and Maddie before it was too late.
He waited for the Coast Guard and to be eaten just before they got there. But what ever had been bumping him had seemed to vanish but he still didn't move for fear it was laying in wait. Finally he saw the huge white ship approaching him, with in minutes it was pulling along side of him and two men dressed in wet suits were jumping in and pulling him out of the water. More men were on deck with blankets that were being wrapped around him. His legs wouldn't hold him but he was being supported as they worked to warm him up.
Then Hutch caught sight of his very anxious partner and Dobey. He looked around hoping to see Susan maybe they had found her first but she wasn't there. "Starsk," he managed to get out.
"I'm right here buddy," Starsky said stepping closer. "You OK?"
"Yeah I think so just cold," Hutch chatter through his teeth. "Susan?" Starsky just shook his head.
"Here drink this, it will warm you up," One of the men said handing Hutch a black cup of coffee once they had him sitting down.
Starsky was taking inventory of his friend, Hutch's wrists were raw he had some cuts and bruises and what looked like a nasty bump on his head. Then he noticed that his left shoe was missing. "Hey you lost your shoe."
Hutch looked down at his feet, "I'm glad that's all I'm missing" Starsky was about to ask him what he meant when Captain Douglas approached them.
"How are you doing Detective?" Douglas asked.
"Much better now." Hutch answered as the bone-numbing chill began leaving his body. The sun was slowly sinking but was still warm.
Captain Douglas glanced at the setting sun, "As you can see we will be losing day light very soon, it will make finding your partner that much more difficult. The choppers will have to go back in and it's impossible to see far in the dark. Even if the yacht had lights on it will be hard."
Hutch nodded, he tried to think how long he had been in the water, a couple of hours at least maybe more. They could be anywhere including back on dry land.
"Captain," one of the crew came toward them with a white sheet of paper in his had. "There is a storm brewing out there." He pointed to where the sun was going to set.
"Great, just great," Douglas sighed.
"What does that mean," Hutch asked.
"It means we are in for one hell of a night." The Captain relayed. Then turned to his crew, "Prepare to batten down the hatches, ready for this storm. We can't leave them out there."
Starsky breathed a sigh of relief fearful that they might turn back.
Susan had seen Agiesti coming but had no time to warn Maddie. She had looked for another life preserver but there was none. They would just have to jump and hope for that maybe Agiesti wouldn’t use them for target practice. But when she had started to look for Maddie that was when she saw Agiesti striding toward the wheelhouse with the fishing pole in his hand. It suddenly dawned on her what Maddie was trying to do.
If Maddie just raised somebody on the radio before he caught her there was hope. Susan crept around until she could look through one of the small windows. Agiesti was standing over Maddie's lifeless body getting ready to hit her again. "NO!" Susan cried out before she even thought.
His men were on her before she could turn around. "We got her Mr. Agiesti," one of them called.
"Come get this bitch too," he said tossing the wooden pole to the floor next to Maddie. But as he started to leave Maddie grabbed the pole and swung it catching the mob boss just behind the knees he went down hard.
Maddie was on her feet and had the end of the rod stuck just under his shoulder blade. Agiesti's men gathered at the door still holding the struggling detective. "Turn her lose," she ordered. When they didn't comply she jammed the rod into his back. "Now or I'll run your boss through and don't think for a minute that I won't do it."
"Let her go," Agiesti grunted.
Susan twisted free and gave Maddie a lopsided smile. "Ok now give the detective your weapons." She ordered. None of the men moved, Maddie poked Agiesti hard enough this time she drew blood.
He squeeled, "Damn it DO IT!"
"Are right gentlemen and I use that term loosely, drop you guns on the deck," Susan said as she frisk the man closest to her. She found a knife striped to his ankle. "Knives too boys."
After searching all of the men Susan tossed all the guns over board except for the one she tucked in her waistband. Then she knelt down next to the mob boss and relieved him of his gun also. "You bitch." He breathed under his breath.
"Now just which one of us are you calling a bitch?" Susan grinned at him. "I guess it would be both of us uh? Ahhh…the great New York mob boss taken down by two woman.
Her struggled to get up but Maddie poked the rod deeper in his back. "You going to make me keep going until I hit that stone you call a heart?"
"Fuc…." He began.
"Watch your mouth," Susan snapped there are ladies aboard. Then she searched for some rope, she quickly tied up all the men then trusted up Agiesti tying his feet together then his hands drawing them up together so that he couldn't move. "Think you can use that radio again and raise the Coast Guard?"
"Sure thing," Maddie said going to the radio. "Shit."
"What is it?" Susan asked coming to her side.
"This piece of trash smashed the radio." Maddie said kicking at him. "Are you nuts?"
"Bitch," he bit back.
"Listen, you want me to tape that mouth of yours shut?" Susan asked. "Because it would be my pleasure. Or maybe we will just dump your sorry ass overboard like you did my partner."
For the first time, fear crossed Agiesti's face and he shook his head. "Do you know how to drive this thing?" Maddie asked the detective. "Heck this is the first time I have ever been on any kind of a boat, well except maybe one at an amusement park.
Susan shook her head. "But you did reach the Coast Guard right?"
"Yeah they said they were sending out a search party."
"Then we just sit tight until they get here." Susan said. Neither of the women saw the dark black clouds boiling just above the horizon.
​

                                                                                        Chapter 7

Starsky, Hutch and Captain Dobey were moved below as the crew ran around on deck preparing for the storm. Usually the cruiser would go back to port with such an intense storm coming but with the lives of two women hanging in the balance the Captain pushed forward. He barked orders to his men and radioed back to his base to inform them what was going on.
The choppers were still searching but the light was fading fast and the wind was picking up. Just as one of the pilots started to turn back he spotted something bobbing in the water, as he went down for a closer look he realized it was a yacht. He didn't know if it was the one they were looking for or not. The pilot buzzed closer, he saw two women scramble out on to the deck and began waving their arms franticly in the air.
He pulled out a bullhorn depressing the button he said into it. "I see you help is on the way. There is a big storm building that you need to prepare for. The coast guard might not reach you in time."
The pilot had no idea how relieved then scared he had made those to woman. As he flew away, he radioed into the cruiser. "Chopper two to Cruiser three come in,"
"Cruiser three here Harry, you find something," asked the radio operator.
"Yeah, I found the yacht. It's about 30 miles on out." Harry said. "Looks like the women are fine they were on deck. I told them you were on the way but to get ready for the storm."
"You see anyone else?"
"Nope just them," he answered. "Why don't you try and raise them on the radio they might need some instructions for the storm."
"Will do now you get out of there Harry, that storm is really blowing in fast. See you back at base."
The operator tried several times to contact the yacht but was able. He went to find the Captain to relay the information he had gotten from the chopper pilot.
"So it looks they are alright?" Hutch said giving a sigh of relief.
"For now," Douglas answered. "This is a bad storm coming in. Do either of the woman know how to sail?" Hutch shook his head. "They could capsize or get swamped, storms like this are very dangerous even for an experienced sailor.
"I wonder what happened to Agiesti and all his thugs," Starsky mused.
Hutch shrugged, "He had five men on board with him."
"You don’t think…" Starsky paused shaking the thought from his head.
"That Maddie and Susan took care of them?" Hutch finished his partners thought.
"You think?"
Hutch grinned, "I wouldn't put anything past those two, they sure fooled us before."

The word storm struck fear into both Maddie and Susan for the first time they looked skyward to see the thickening black clouds almost on top of them. They had been so busy making sure their captives couldn't get loose that hey hadn't noticed the approaching storm.
The now strong wind whipped their hair around their faces. "Crap, this is just great," Maddie sighed. "I don't suppose you know how to steer one of these things?"
Susan shook her head, "I guess I missed boat day at the academy." She said trying to make light of their situation.
"If we could just get it started maybe we could head toward the Coast Guard." The former blonde suggested.
"And which way is that?" Susan asked, "I'm so turned around I have no idea which way to go."
"I guess our best bet is just to sit tight and hope for the best." Maddie said as she looked around the yacht. "I'm sure there are some things we should be doing."
"Yeah like letting me go," Agiesti said from the wheelhouse. They had lined him along with his men up in there.
"In your dreams big boy," Maddie snarled. "I would rather go down that turn you or you thugs loose. So shut your trap."
"You just might get your wish," he growled back. "Sounds like a bad one coming. We all could drown."
"Then I suggest you tell us what to do then." Susan snapped at the man.
Giving up Frank Agiesti proceed to tell them how to ready the yacht for the on coming storm. They finished just moments before the first drops hit the deck. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled deeply coming ever closer to the small vessel. The wind had pick up so much that it was impossible to stand on the deck any longer. Susan and Maddie donned life jackets that Agiesti had told them to find and then slipped them over each man's head. As the storm worsen the mob boss pleaded to be cut loose but the women would not relent. There was nothing that he could do anyway at this point. Agiesti's men sat wide eyed and frighten only one knew anything of the yacht the rest had never been out on the ocean before.
The seawater began lapping over the sides of the yacht, "Did you turn on the pump below?" Maddie and Susan looked at each other then shook their heads. "It has to be turned on or the yacht will take on too much water and sink."
"I'll go," Susan said as she took the gun from her waistband and handed it to Maddie. "If they so much as twitch a toe shoot to kill."
Maddie grinned at her. "Don't worry."
Susan made her way to the engine room where Hutch had been tied up; the water was already ankle deep there. She quickly found the pump and got it started after only two tries. The sea roll tipping the yacht throwing her against the bulkhead painfully. It was almost impossible but finally Susan made it back to where she left Maddie who was almost green.
"You OK?" The detective asked when she saw her face.
"Sea sick," Maddie answered hoping she would not throw up. The rolling sea was not only taking its toll on Maddie but a few of the men as well. Agiesti was struggling against the ropes but he was to well tied to free himself.
"Oh my God," Susan breathed, a huge wall of water was rushing toward them. "Get inside," she yelled as she shoved Maddie in and slammed the door just as the wave hit the yacht.
The Coast Guard cruiser was fairing much better, as it was bigger than the small yacht. But the storm was battering tossing them around like a toy boat. Douglas was fearfully that the yacht had sunk but he didn't say as much to the police officers. They keep trying to raise the smaller vessel with out any success. The Captain sent one of his men to check out the weather to see how much longer the storm might last then went to check on Detectives.
Hutch sat quietly still sipping on coffee, while Starsky was looking as green as Maddie had. Dobey wondered how he had gotten himself on to this boat. When the Captain of the ship came in the room all looked up at him. "We still can't raise the yacht, but that doesn't mean anything. We weren't able to get them before the storm hit either. The radio might be out or broken."
"I would vote for broken if they got caught using it," Hutch said looking worriedly out one of the portholes into the darkness. A flash of lightening lit up the rain pounding the side of the cruiser.
One of the crew ran into the room holding a slightly wet print out. "Good news Captain, looks like another twenty minutes and the storm will blow its self out."
"Good man," he said then looked at his watch. It was four a.m. the storm had been raging for hours. "It will be getting light in another ninety minutes. Then we can get the choppers back out and hopefully locate them quickly. I better get back up top."
"Man what a mess," Hutch said feeling helpless, he hated that feeling. On the streets he could be doing something, looking for a lead, hitting up a snitch but here all he could do was sit and wait. A snitch, it make him think of Huggy not that Huggy was really a snitch all though he helped them out with leads. "I hate what happened to Huggy."
"Yeah, they really did a number on him." Starsky said shaking away the thoughts of finding Huggy lying in the pool of blood. "It's going to take some doing to fix the place up this time." It wasn't the first time Huggy's place had been tore up because of them.
"What?" Hutch asked. He couldn’t believe that Starsky was worrying about The Pits at a time like this. "Who cares about the Pits now?"
"Well I'm sure Huggy will," Starsky said looking at his partner strangely. "I think he's going to make it."
"Make it? You mean he's still alive?" Hutch caught his breath. " Agiesti told Susan he was dead."
"Well that was their intention, they slit his throat and left him for dead." Starsky answered. "I found him, he's in the hospital in critical condition but he was stable."
"Man," Hutch said shaking his head. "I can't wait to get my hands on Agiesti."

When Maddie awoke she found herself clinging to a piece of what looked like the deck of the yacht. The rest of the boat was laying in pieces in the now gently rolling water. The sky was a deep blue the kind you get the day after a major storm. Maddie looked around franticly for her friend but saw no one else in the water with her.
"Susan," she called out in a fearful voice. Getting no answer she yelled loudly.
"Yeah over here," came a voice from behind her, then she heard splashing and saw a piece of decking similar to hers gliding toward her.
Susan kicked her legs until she was side by side with Maddie. "Man I thought I was out here by myself," Maddie breathed.
Susan laughed, "nope I’m here or I think I am. I don't think I have ever been this water logged in all my life."
"Any sign of Agiesti?" Maddie asked.
"No or his men either."
"I hope the coast guard finds us fast," Maddie said. "Before the fish do."
"You just had to say that didn't you." Susan said rolling her eyes.
Suddenly the sound of chopper blades met their ears. Two choppers appeared heading toward them; they started waving and screaming even though they knew where the helicopters were headed.

"We have spotted two survivors," radioed one of the pilots' back to the cruiser. Everyone was gathered into the radio room.
"Can they tell who?" Hutch asked desperately.
Captain Douglas asked the pilot the detective's question. Moments later the answer that the officers wanted to hear came back. "Looks like two woman."
"Thank God," Starsky breathed.
"Any more survivors? The captain asked.
"Not that we can see. The yacht is in pieces."
"How far out are we?"
"Ahhh looks like about 10 miles tops, you should be seeing the wreckage before you get to them."
The crew started readying for the rescue, gathering blankets and making coffee. Starsky and Hutch stood out on the bridge watching the water for signs of the broken yacht. Finally pieces of wood started appearing in the water. Then two forms floating on wood came into view.
"There they are!" Hutch called pointed toward them.
With in minutes the crew was pulling the two women from the cold water. "Get the blankets," called one of the men.
Hutch pulled Susan into his arms not caring that she was soaking wet. "Oh my God you are alive," she sobbed hugging him tightly. "I-I-I thought…"
"I'm fine," Hutch assured her then looking over at Maddie. "You OK Maddie."
She nodded watching the couple longingly. Starsky noticed the look on her face and pulled her into his arms. "You are safe now." He said softly into her wet hair. Maddie buried her face into his shoulder clinging to him. Her legs buckled from under her, Starsky scooped her up into his arms carrying her below.
"Huggy is alive," Hutch said whispered to Susan.
Susan's eyes lit up, "He is? Really?"
"Yep," And he explained to her as much as he knew.
Dobey stood back watching his officer's glad that the ordeal was over. After a half an hour of searching the Coast Guard gave up and went back to port. The two women and Hutch were taken to the hospital to be checked out.
After getting a clean bill of health they trooped up to check on Huggy. The nurses would only allow two of them at a time into the room. Susan and Maddie entered the room quietly and went to the man's bedside. His face was swollen and bruised there was a white bandage wrapped around his neck.
Susan reached out and gently touched his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly, he blinked a few times trying to bring the people into focus. A smile spread across his face all though he grimaced slightly at the effort of smiling.
"Good to see ya," he said in a hoarse whisper.
"Been a rough couple of days uh?" Susan said. "I'm really sorry they went after you."
Huggy moved his head just slightly brushing off the apology. "What about Agiesti?"
"Dead," Maddie said. "Guess the fish are having a feast that is if they could eat the tough bastard."
Susan giggled, "Well let you get some rest now."
​
                             
                              ​  ******************************************************************************

​​
The Pits was decorated with streamers and balloons, all the furnishings were brand new, the shelves fully stocked with liquor and the mirror behind the bar had been replace. Susan and Hutch guided a blindfolded Huggy Bear into his newly fix bar. Everyone was there including Captain Dobey and a blond Madison Callaway with Starsky at her side. The first thing she had done was get her natural hair color back.
"What is this, what's going on here," Huggy sputtered. He still sported the white bandage around his neck all though much smaller, all the cuts and bruises had healed and faded. His ribs still hurt some and he still talked a bit gravelly but his throat was healing nicely. The doctors said his voice would return to normal as he fully healed.
Susan gently untied the cloth from Huggy's eyes revealing the bar and all his friends. Huggy was stunned at what he saw. "I hope you like it," she said. "We tried to replace everything the way it was."
"I don't know what to say," he stammered tears filling his eyes.
A big cheer went up from the crowd and Starsky held out a white apron for him to wear. "You get to pour the first beer in your new place, " the detective announced. Everyone parted so that Huggy could make his way behind the bar.
Huggy stuck the glass that had been left on the bar for him under the beer tap and pulled the handle. Another cheer went up from everybody as he held the first glass high over his head. Bringing it down he handed it to Maddie.
She shook her head, "I can't except that, I'm the one that got everyone into this mess."
"And I heard it was you who got the drop on Agiesti too," he said. "So you take this."
Maddie smiled and excepted the beer took a sip and passed it to Susan, "To my partner!" she exclaimed. "And my friend, I couldn't have gotten through this with out you."
Susan took the glass then hugged Maddie tightly. This all was a bit sad for Maddie was leaving in the morning for New York. She had a few loose ends to tie up with the NYPD and some personal things to take care of. But she had promised to come back soon to visit.
"OK quiet everybody," Huggy held up his hand. "Now I want to know who is responsible for the new candy machine in the back?"
Starsky had slunk behind several people trying to make his way to the front door. "I think we have our culprit right here." Hutch said grabbing Starsky by the collar and dragging him back to the center of the room.
"OK OK I admit it," Starsky said. "Hey the other one was smashed to pieces. So shoot me."
THE END