ON THE DARK SIDE

There's a new cult in town that's even more sinister than Simon Marcus and they want Starsky.

WARNING: This is a extremely dark tale with some very graphic scenes of violence and sexual abuse including male rape. If this subject offends you, then PLEASE DO NOT READ! Also, some of the chapters in this story have some very strong warnings based on their content. Please be aware of these warnings! Read them carefully and take heed before deciding if you are comfortable with reading that particular chapter.

This story was written for everyone who reads my stories and reviews them. This is my gift to you for being so patient and understanding during the past few months when R/L issues severely limited my internet access.

Beta Read by Megan

CHAPTER 1

The body lay at the bottom of the ravine, displayed in a grotesque posture that made a mockery of sexual seduction. A gaping slash slit the victim's throat, almost severing the head. A similar slash down the mid-section exposed the intestines and other internal organs. Strange markings had been cut into the flesh of the victim's legs and arms, symbols that obviously meant something to the killer.

Detective David Starsky's gaze swept over the body with a trained eye. Nearby, a young rookie was bent over, losing his lunch into the bushes. This was obviously his first experience at a murder scene. Even a hardened veterans like Starsky and his partner, Detective Kenneth Hutchinson, were affected by the sight of the fragile victim, a young girl barely out of her teens. This was the fourth body that had been discovered in recent weeks under similar conditions. This murder, like the ones before it, had all the earmarks of a ritualistic sacrifice. It looked as if there was a new cult operating somewhere in Bay City.

"They didn't leave us much to go on." Starsky said dryly as he straightened up and looked at his partner and best friend.

"They never do." Hutch commented with a final glance at the unfortunate victim. He nodded at the coroner's crew to let them know that they were finished examining the crime scene. The other two men quickly moved in to put the body into a body bag for transport to the morgue.

"This whole thing smells like Marcus and his band of crazies," Starsky growled as they started walking up the hill to the road where Starsky had parked his car. Simon Marcus was the leader of a murderous cult that had terrorized the Bay City area for months until Starsky and Hutch finally busted him. In retaliation, his followers had kidnapped Starsky and held him prisoner for over twenty-four hours during which they had tortured him relentlessly, threatening to kill him if Marcus was not released. Hutch had found him and rescued him in the nick of time but the ordeal had left Starsky shaky and suffering from recurring nightmares for weeks afterwards. The recent string of murders had caused Starsky's memories of his ordeal to resurface. The similarities were just too coincidental to ignore.

"Marcus and most of those nuts are still behind bars." Hutch reminded him. "This looks more like a copycat."

"Terrific. That's just what we need." Starsky grumbled as he unlocked the door on the driver's side of his car, a Ford Gran Torino. The Torino was an eye-catching car. It's custom paint job was a candle apple red polished to a high gloss, with a foot wide white racing stripe running across the roof just in front of the rear window, down both sides and then forward, tapering to points at the front of the vehicle. The dark haired detective climbed under the wheel and leaned over to unlock the other door for his partner. Dirt and gravel sprayed from beneath the rear tires as Starsky pulled onto the pavement and sped away.

With over nine years experience as a police officer, the brunet didn't get easily rattled but this case had him badly shaken. The memories of his ordeal at the hands of Simon Marcus had left him traumatized and he didn't relish the thought of dealing with another cult that dabbled in murder. He knew first hand how dangerous and unpredictable cult members could be, especially if their leader was anything like Marcus. Marcus was a sadist who had preyed on the vulnerable minds of his followers, using brainwashing and drugs to keep them in line.

A comfortable silence fell between the two friends as Starsky drove back to police headquarters. Best friends since the Police Academy, the two men had been partners for over seven years. As undercover detectives, their beat was the inner city where they dealt with the worst dregs of society on a daily basis. They were known as hard-nosed detectives that you didn't want to cross. But, they also had the reputation of being fair and men that you could trust if you were in a bind.

They were stationed at the Metropolitan Division of the Bay City Police Department. It was an older building located in downtown Bay City. Starsky pulled into his customary parking spot directly in front of the main entrance. The two men climbed out of the Torino and walked up the front steps into the building. They were greeted casually by several uniformed officers as they crossed to the elevator and stepped inside. Hutch pressed the button for the third floor where the detective squad room was located.

The robbery/homicide division of the BCPD consisted of six teams of detectives who all worked undercover. By reputation alone, Starsky and Hutch were considered the best team on the squad and were often given the more high profile cases to work on. Over the years, their diligence and hard work had paid off, but they had paid the price with blood, sweat and tears, as well as more than a few personal sacrifices of their own. Both single by choice, they had seen more than one relationship end because of the long, unpredictable hours they put in and the danger they faced every day. Starsky's own fiancée had been murdered by a man seeking revenge against the curly haired detective.

As they entered the squad room, a large square room with several long tables arranged in a row, they were greeted warmly by the other men working on their own cases. Some were talking on the phones, while others were reviewing files or writing out their daily reports. Hutch paused to pour himself a cup of coffee from the pot sitting against one wall of the squad room. As if alerted to their presence in the squad room by a sixth sense, the voice of their Captain, Harold Dobey, bellowed from his office. "Starsky! Hutchinson! Get in here!"

They exchanged an amused glance as they walked into Captain Dobey's office. Starsky hooked the door with his left foot and pulled it closed, much to his Captain's chagrin.

"Starsky!" the big black man growled "How many times have I told you not to shut the door like that?"

"Sorry, Cap." Starsky said good naturedly, as Hutch sat down in one of the two wooden chairs facing Dobey's desk. Starsky casually perched on the arm of the chair beside his friend and looked at Dobey expectantly. He reached out and accepted the cup that Hutch handed to him and took a sip before handing it back to his partner. Dobey ignored the gesture. He was accustomed to the partners habit of sharing the same seat in this manner or even the same cup of coffee, a mute testament to the unique closeness that the two friends shared. It was a closeness that was sometimes misread by their peers leading to whispered rumors that they were more than just friends.

"What's up, Captain?" Hutch inquired.

"The Commissioner is breathing down my neck about these murders. Any new leads?" Dobey demanded, glaring at his favored team of detectives.

"Not yet. But, we're working on it." Starsky told him grimly, his mouth drawn into a hard, thin line.

"They definitely appear to be cult related." Hutch interjected smoothly. "So far they've all been young females between the ages of twelve and nineteen. The latest victim appears to be in her late teens to early twenties."

"And they've all been butchered in pretty much the same way." Starsky added. "And they all had the same symbols carved on their bodies."

"So they are all definitely cult related." Dobey surmised

"It looks that way." Hutch told him with a nod of his head. "We've identified a group that's been operating downtown in the past few weeks that may be part of the cult. We've trying to find a way to get close to them and see what we can find out."

"Well, try harder." Dobey ordered gruffly. "I want this case cleared up fast before any more bodies turn up. The press is having a field day comparing this bunch to Simon Marcus."

"One of us could always pretend to be interested in joining up." Starsky suggested casually. Dobey and Hutch both shot the brunet a speculative look. Dobey appeared to be considering the idea while Hutch's expression clearly showed his disapproval at the notion.

"Do you think you could pull it off?" Dobey asked thoughtfully. His question was obviously directed at the brunet and not the disgruntled blond.

"Sure." Starsky said confidently, deliberately ignoring the warning glare his partner was sending him. "Piece of cake."

"We need to talk about this first, partner." Hutch said firmly, putting a particular emphasis on the word partner. Without any further conversation, he shoved himself to his feet and strode out of the room, clearly stating his objections to the proposed plan.

"Well, catch up with him!" Dobey ordered Starsky. "And decide how you're going to handle this! I don't want you going in there half cocked and unprepared!"

"Yes, sir." Starsky said, bouncing to his feet and trailing after his retreating partner.