Truthful Lies
By
Hutch sat at his desk and sighed
as he looked at the postcard. He flipped it over and looked at the short
message scrawled on the back of it. The post card was sent from
“Hey, I got those reports you wanted”, Starsky told him as he set them down in front of Hutch.
“Thanks. I’ll get the prelim to you first thing in the morning.”
“It’s no hurry”, Starsky told him.
Starsky was turning to leave when he looked back at Hutch. He walked over and sat in the chair and gave his best friend a look.
“What’s wrong”, Starsky asked.
Hutch picked up the postcard and handed it to Starsky. Starsky looked at the picturesque view and then flipped it over. He gave a ‘hmph’ and tossed the card on Hutch’s desk.
“Maybe this time he’ll be home soon”, Starsky offered.
“I hope so”, Hutch told him. “I wish he’d quit.”
“I know, buddy, but you know he won’t do it. He’s probably been to a few places we don’t even know exist.”
“It’s been two years, Starsk. He’s been doing this for two years now and he won’t even consider doing anything else.”
“Hutch, Logan is a grown man and he’ll have to decide on his own. You know that.”
“I sure do”, Hutch said with a shake of his head. “He’s always done pretty much what he wished no matter what I thought. He made that extremely clear when he graduated high school and took off for the army.”
“There was nothing you could do about it, Hutch. It was out of your hands.”
“Starsky, I know I should feel that way, but I don’t. I’ve asked myself since that day if I could have done more. Logan hasn’t had an easy time of it”, Hutch said with a shake of his head.
“I think using what happened as an excuse is getting a bit old.”
“He was never the same after his mother and I divorced, Starsk. He blamed me for it.”
“Divorce is hard on kids, Hutch. You know that.”
“It didn’t help matters when she died”, Hutch said with a sigh. “Losing her was rougher than hell on him and then he gets put with someone he hates.”
“Logan doesn’t hate you, Hutch and you know it”, Starsky told him angrily. “He didn’t get over the divorce and he was sixteen when she died, Hutch. I know he had a tough time with it, but he shouldn’t put the blame on you.”
“I’m still blown away by it sometimes. He walked in the door a week after graduation and announces he’s joined the army. There was no discussion about it. He never even gave me a chance to talk to him about it.”
“Logan was looking for an excuse to leave, Hutch. Adulthood does funny things to people. They start realizing their parents know more than what they gave them credit for.”
“This coming from the confirmed bachelor”, Hutch asked with a sly smile.
“No, I just appreciate my parents more than what I did when I was a kid. When Ma’ died, I knew if I ever became a parent, I’d have to realize some things are just inevitable when it comes to kids.”
“Well, I guess you’re right on that one”, Hutch admitted. “I just wish he’d quit the CIA. I don’t get why he didn’t just stay in the army.”
“It’s all about adventure”, Starsky said with a smile. “He’ll get enough of it soon enough. You’ll see.”
“I just hope he doesn’t get himself killed in the meantime.”
“Logan seems to know what he’s doing. If he didn’t pick up anything else from you, he sure did learn how to take care of himself.”
“I wish I felt better about what he does.”
“When he does finally come home”, Starsky said. “Why not just have a long talk with him. Maybe it’s time you both cleared the air and settled your differences. As much as you hate it, you’ll have to accept what he does for a living and Logan will have to accept that things were never how he thought they were.”
“You’re right, Starsk. It can’t keep going on like this, but will he go along with it?”
“There’s only one way to find out”, Starsky said with a knowing look.
Damian looked over at Logan who was sorting through several postcards on the passenger’s side of the car. He shook his head when Logan pulled one out with a picture of Leningrad and held it up.
“I don’t get you, Logan”, Damien said. “You always pick one when you’re not even on the same continent.”
“It’s not like I can tell him everything I’m doing”, Logan replied. “Besides, it keeps him guessing.”
“You’re just being an asshole”, Damien said as he pulled his cigarettes out.
“I’m being a dick”, Logan said with a small smile. “He’s the asshole.”
“I’m not even going to comment on that”, Damien replied as he lit his cigarette.
Damien ran his hand through his black hair remembering he needed to get it cut. He looked over at Logan who was writing on the postcard. They both looked like hell. It’d been a few days since they’ve even seen the inside of their hotel. Damien remembered how much he hated South American. They were sitting in an old van watching the old warehouse where the sale was going down.
More like a trade, Damien thought with a sigh. Guns and drugs were being traded and they both had spent the better part of two months tracking the shipment of weapons which were now sitting in Bogotá. The mission parameters said not to care about the guns or wear they went. It was what they were being traded for they had to track.
It was the Agency’s hope that the drugs would go to the states, and the seller would make a rare appearance. The seller was a connection to even bigger fish. He watched as a dark SUV pulled up to the front of the warehouse and Damian tapped Logan on the shoulder.
Logan saw the men emerging from the SUV. He set the postcards down on the floorboard and pulled his gun out. His eyes never left the sight of the men walking into the warehouse as he locked and loaded it. Both Damian and Logan stepped out of the van at the same time. Damian kept his gun close and checked the small camera he was carrying.
They were silent as they quietly walked over to the warehouse. They used the backstairs and climbed to a window. Logan slid it open and Damian stepped through it. When both men were inside, Damian stuffed the camera in his pocket. He pulled his gun out as Logan eased the door open. They saw they were still safe from anyone discovering them and crouched down as they covertly moved through the door. Damian moved ahead and when he looked down at the main floor, he saw three men who were waiting. He motioned to Logan and both found an inconspicuous spot behind a large stack of boxes.
Logan and Damian looked at each other when they heard a door open. Damian was relieved when he saw the man they had been hoping to get a face of after all this time. Armando Marcus was as deadly as they come and he had made quite a name for himself. Logan and Damian knew enough about him that he was the key to open a door to one of the worst terrorist networks in the northern hemisphere.
Armando Marcus would trade his guns for the cocaine, move it to the states, sell it to a major supplier, take the cash and finance his own little army. It was said he had some of the best mercs in the business under him. Their services were up for sale to the highest bidder. It was Logan and Damian’s hope; they could stay on him long enough to get enough on his organization to shut it down. They knew they may have to go inside which is something neither wanted considering the tactics he used to weed those out those with a conscience.
They closely watched as Armando did his business. Damian took the pictures and listened to the conversation. The deal was done and the large quantities of cocaine were taken out of the warehouse. Logan tensed up just a bit when he heard the next destination of Armando. After the warehouse had emptied out, Logan sat back and leaned against the wall.
“What’s the matter with you”, Damian asked as he checked the camera.
“L.A.”, Logan said with a sigh.
“So”, Damian said looking up at him.
“Do I have to explain it to you?”
“You have enough as it is”, Damian replied with a smirk. “We’ll go, get set up, follow Armando and once he’s ready to blow town we’ll follow him.”
“That’s just like you, Damian. You always have a simplistic way of looking at life.”
“If I complicate it, then things just get fucked up.”
“You know as well as I do, if we set up at my place, my old man will smell it.”
“Probably”, Damian told him. “You just play the good son and I’ll do the dirty work.”
“No way, pal”, Logan told him. “If I have to put up with him, then you’re going to right along with me.”
“Yeah, right”, Damian said with a laugh.
“I’m serious.”
“Logan, you’re crazy. I can’t hang around your old man and that partner of his.”
“They don’t even know you.”
“They don’t remember me and I’d like to keep it that way”, Damian told him. “I would much prefer to be that dirty little kid you dragged around back in New York.”
“They won’t question it”, Logan told him.
“I would”, Damian said with a look. “I’m the best friend you never bothered telling anyone about. They see me and they’ll do a make on me so fast, they’ll have my number before we even have our first beer.”
“If you have any other suggestions, I’d love to hear them.”
“How long will it take us to get to L.A”, Damian asked.
“Two days”, Logan answered.
“Well, I’ve got that long to come up with a good story.”
“Come on”, Logan said standing up. “Let’s go. If we don’t report this to Nathan, he’ll have our asses.”
“Yours is more like it”, Damian said getting up. “I don’t see him forgetting your little stunt two weeks ago in Mexico City.”
“That was not my fault. How was I to know that girl was the daughter of a Colonel?”
“He had to ask for a favor to get you out of that jail”, Damian answered with a smile. “Nathan’s never liked asking for favors and you know it.”
“That’s because he likes me”, Logan said confidently.
“No, that’s because we’re his best guys”, Damien said as they headed for the stairs. “He couldn’t afford to let you sit in that Mexican jail for the next ten years.”
“He just acts the hard ass”, Logan told him. “Down deep he’s a dick like me.”
Damian laughed as they headed back to the van.
Logan and Damian walked into Logan’s apartment and sat their bags down. Damian walked to the second bedroom and saw the boxes stacked around on the floor. He sighed and looked over at Logan who was searching the fridge. Damian walked into the kitchen as Logan pulled the trash can out and dumping old leftovers into it.
“Don’t tell me I have to sleep on the damn couch”, Damian told him.
“We’ll straighten it up and go hunt for a bed later today”, Logan said as he sniffed a plate of something unrecognizable.
“Yeah, and we’re getting something edible and some beer, too. God, you procrastinate”, Damian told him as he walked back into the living room.
“I do not”, Logan replied as he closed the fridge. “I just don’t clean my fridge before we go off on a mission.”
“We can’t even leave to go buy beer”, Damian said as he pulled out his cigarettes. “Nathan should be here any minute.”
“Relax”, Logan told him as he pulled a bottle down from the cabinet. “We’ll have a drink, talk to Nathan and then we’ll go do our shopping.”
Logan walked into the living room with a bottle of bourbon as Damian lit a cigarette. He poured them each a glass. They took their glasses in hand and stood up.
“May our dicks hold up as well as our careers have”, they said at the same time.
Logan and Damian drank the shots down quickly. Damian made a face and looked over at Logan who was enjoying the hot liquor.
“You need to quit buying this cheap shit”, Damian told him.
“Twenty four bucks a bottle isn’t cheap”, Logan shot at him.
“See what I mean”, Damian said after taking a drag.
The door opened and they turned to see Nathan walking in with his briefcase. He was a middle aged man with soft blue eyes. His reddish brown hair gave him a youthful look and both guys knew the ladies no matter what age just loved the guy. He had a laid back approach in all his dealings and no one dared disobey any of his orders.
“Hey, guys”, Nathan said with an easy smile.
“It’s about time”, Logan told him. “We were just about ready to get face first shit faced.”
“Tonight you can”, Nathan said as he sat down on the couch. “Your assignment’s been changed.”
“No way”, Damian said as he sat down in a chair. “We got a face on Armando and now we can track him a hell of a lot easier than we could before.”
“Not any more”, Nathan replied.
Nathan opened up his briefcase and pulled a file out of it. He tossed it down on the table.
“We think Armando is going to pull a major job here in L.A. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. You two are going rogue.”
“Shit”, Damian said as he eased back in the chair. “You want us to get inside.”
“He’s relocated most of his resources to his estate up in the hills”, Nathan explained. “If you two go in, you’ll find out who else he’s got working for him and you might be able to get a number on every contact he has. This is our chance to bring this guy down and his entire organization.”
“We can’t do it here”, Logan told him. “My old man will not tolerate me running an op right under his fucking nose.”
“You know this is classified”, Nathan answered. “It’ll add that much more believability. It won’t take much looking on his part to see that you and your father have never gotten along. Given how unorthodox the two of you are, it won’t take too much convincing, that you are selling your services to the highest bidder.”
“I don’t want to do this, Nathan”, Logan told him. “What about having Damian going in and I’ll be his back-up.”
“Everyone who keeps up to date in the business knows you two are joined at the hip. There’ll be too many questions if only one of you turns outlaw.”
“What’s the first step”, Damian asked.
“We cut you two off”, Nathan told him. “We’ve set up an account in the Cayman with almost a hundred grand in it. The word will be that you two skimmed from a major deal that you both did in Barcelona.”
“Great”, Logan said. “We had a major take on that op and it won’t be too hard to trace it.”
“I know”, Nathan told him.
“Any idea on the job Marcus is pulling”, Damian asked.
“It could be anything from a concert to a high school. We have no idea, but it does look like it’ll be in the next month. That should give you both enough time to set up your covers.”
“Are you our contact”, Logan asked with a sigh.
“Yes”, Nathan answered. “I’m setting up a little law practice in town.”
“Gee, Nathan”, Damian said with a smile. “I didn’t know you were a lawyer.”
“I played one for eight months six years ago in Sacramento. I’m still registered with the California Bar Association”, Nathan said with a sly look.
“Are you telling us we might need a lawyer”, Logan said with a look.
“Everyone needs a lawyer”, Nathan said standing up. “They just don’t know it.”
“Nathan”, Damian said.
“Yes”, Nathan asked.
“Put my New York file up for makes”, Damian told him.
“Are you sure”, Nathan asked him.
“I’m sure.”
Nathan gave him a nod and left the apartment. Logan walked over to the couch and sat down never letting his gaze leave Damian’s face.
“Why do you want your New York file faked”, Logan asked.
“I’m taking as much of the heat off of you as I can”, Damian told him. “If they find out about us, they’ll run a make on me. As far as your old man and that partner of his goes, I’ll be the bad influence which is leading you down the wrong path.”
“It’ll back fire”, Logan said with a shake of his head.
“I don’t give a shit what they think of me”, Damian told him. “We have to keep their noses off you as much as we can. If I get the wrong attention from them, it’ll help my cover.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing”, Logan told him.
Damian smiled a bit and finished his cigarette off.
The next morning Damian rolled over in the new bed they had gotten. He slowly pushed himself up and reached for his jeans he had left on the floor. After slipping them on and leaving the top button undone, he grabbed his cigarettes. Damian stood up and walked out of the bedroom.
He heard the shower running and he walked into the bathroom.
“Hey”, Logan called out from the shower.
“Yeah”, Damian said while he was doing his business.
“Coffee’s made and we’ve got to have a sit down about our next move.”
Damian didn’t answer him and he didn’t hear Logan calling his name when he walked out and closed the bathroom behind him. Damian lit a cigarette and walked into the kitchen. He turned around suddenly and saw Hutch standing in the living room. He could feel his chest tighten a little as Hutch looked back over at him.
“You must be Logan’s friend”, Hutch said.
“Yeah”, Logan answered. “You’re his father, aren’t you?”
Hutch nodded and Damian turned around. He grabbed the coffee and poured himself a cup.
“Coffee”, Damian asked.
“No thanks”, Hutch said. “Logan said he’d be a few minutes in the shower.”
“He usually takes long hot ones. Hopefully he doesn’t run the hot water down to nothing.”
“So you two work together”, Hutch asked.
Damian picked up his cup and walked into the living room. He sat down in a chair and reached for the ashtray.
“Sometimes”, Damian answered.
“Is that what you both are doing now?”
“I’m just crashing here for a while”, Damian carefully told him.
“Really”, Hutch said sitting down on the couch. “Does that mean Logan will be sticking around as well?”
“You’ll have to talk to him about that”, Damian told him.
“You’re being awfully evasive”, Hutch observed.
“I thought I was just staying out of his business”, Damian after taking a drag from his cigarette. “Logan’s never been one to allow for anyone to stick their nose in where it doesn’t belong.”
“Don’t I know it”, Hutch stated quietly.
“Hey, don’t bust his chops too much”, Damian told him. “With the line of work we’ve been in, we can’t allow any interference even if it’s family. It’s too dangerous.”
“You don’t have that problem”, Hutch asked.
Damian finished off his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray. He looked over at Hutch while he put it out. Damian stood up with the coffee cup in hand.
“No, I don’t”, Damian told him.
Hutch watched him leave the room and he found himself wondering about this guy. He had a dark and dangerous look about him. His eyes were indicative of someone with battle scars and the cobalt blues were hard and unforgiving. That much was apparent.
He looked up at Logan who emerged from the bathroom with jeans and a towel around his neck. Logan looked over at him.
“You want some coffee”, Logan asked.
“I told your friend no”, Hutch answered.
“You don’t like him”, Logan said with a bit of a smile.
“I couldn’t get past first base to even know if I do.”
“Well, Damian’s always been like that”, Logan told him as he poured himself some coffee. “He’s pretty standoffish until you get to know him.”
“From the looks of it, you both must be pretty good friends”, Hutch observed.
“I guess so”, Logan said before taking a drink. “I thought we should talk about something.”
“I was wondering why you called me over here so early in the morning”, Hutch stated.
Logan carried his coffee in the living room and both men sat down. Logan looked at his father trying to figure out the best way to go about it. He figured he just as might as well let it get out there.
“I quit my job”, Logan stated.
Hutch was floored by the statement and for a moment he didn’t say anything. He looked around at the sound of a door being closed and then he heard the shower running. He knew Damian was now in the shower.
“I never thought you would ever consider it”, Hutch told him. “Why?”
“The bureaucratic bullshit never ends in the agency”, Logan answered. “It just got old.”
“Logan, I thought you liked your job.”
“For someone who I’d would’ve thought would be doing back flips over my quitting my job, you don’t sound very happy.”
“I’ll admit I’ve hated you working for those people, but this just came out of left field”, Hutch said.
“Sure, I liked it”, Logan said with a shrug of his shoulders. “The crap outweighed the bullshit, so I quit.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know, yet. I figure I’ll take a bit of time off before I start looking for a regular job.”
“I’m sure you won’t have a problem finding another job”, Hutch told him.
“Just to let you know right now”, Logan said with a level look. “You can get the visions of badges and handcuffs out of your head right now.”
“You’ve made it clear how you feel about the police force”, Hutch said with a dark look.
“You’ve always chomped at the bit for me to be a cop like you. I guess you could say I was for a while and now I’m not”, Logan told him.
“There’s no comparison”, Hutch told him.
“Why’s that”, Logan asked. “Because you could never stomach our tactics or how we got the job done? That’s rich coming from someone who works for one of the most controversial police departments in the country.”
“I’m not getting into this with you, Logan”, Hutch said with a tired look. “I’m glad you’re home for a while. Maybe we can start patching up some things between us. I think its past time, don’t you?”
“Maybe”, Logan said with a sigh.
They sat for a minute and looked over at the opening of the bathroom door. Hutch watched as Damian emerged with his jacket in hand. He carefully observed him as he walked out of the apartment. Hutch took notice of the holster in the back of his jeans as he slipped his jacket on. After the door closed behind him, Hutch turned back and looked at Logan.
“What about your friend”, Hutch asked. “Did he quit, too?”
“Yep”, Logan said. “I said he could crash here for a while.”
“He’s an agent like you.”
“Damian was”, Logan answered. “In fact we were on the same mission when we both decided to hang it up.”
“He doesn’t look he’s ready to hang it up from that holster’s he got strapped on.”
“Well, old habits die hard”, Logan said standing up.
Hutch stood up as well and stuck his hands in his pockets.
“Listen, Starsky and I are headed to Huggy’s tonight after work. Why don’t you and Damian hook up with us? If we can’t get along about work, we could probably get along over a couple of beers.”
“I can’t make any promises”, Logan told him.
“That’s fine”, Hutch said. “I’d better go. Starsky’s waiting in the car.”
Logan didn’t say anything as he watched his father leave. He sat down in the chair and sighed heavily. This was not going to be easy. No matter their differences, he never out and out lied to his father before.
Starsky leaned against the car with a newspaper looking through it. He looked up at the opening of the door and watched the young man leave. He had a way about him which brought him to his attention. Starsky caught the slight bulge in his back and he knew what it was. He thought about shaking the guy down, but thought better of it. Starsky watched him as he headed to a sports car and got inside. He folded up his paper as Hutch walked over to him.
“Get a load of that guy”, Starsky said pointing to Damian who was getting into the car.
“Oh, that’s Damian”, Hutch said. “He’s a friend of Logan’s.”
“Hutch’s he’s packin’.”
Hutch watched as Damian sped away in the black sports car.
“Come on, Starsk”, Hutch said. “I’ll tell you everything on the way to work.”
Starsky turned around and headed around to the other side of the car.
Damian walked into the apartment and found Logan on the internet. He grabbed a chair and pulled it close. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply.
“You found something”, Logan asked.
“Yep”, Damian said blowing smoke out of his mouth.
He picked the newspaper up and opened it. Logan took it and scanned through the article.
“Tell me you’re kidding”, Logan said with a look.
“It’ll get the attention we want and Nathan would approve.”
“I know he would”, Logan told him. “But this won’t be an easy job to pull especially with everyone watching it.”
“Logan, you usually have more faith in me”, Damian said with an easy smile.
Logan looked over at Damian and the casual smile he had on his face looked more devious than mischievous. He knew women loved that dangerous look of his.
“Okay, so how do we swipe this computer chip?”
“It’s not just any chip”, Damian told him. “This bad boy will download GPS info 50% faster than the norm. We put it out there and I’ll guarantee Marcus would be hard pressed to ignore us.”
“Answer the question, Damian.”
Damian sighed and took a long drag from his cigarette.
“We’ll swipe it before the debut”, Damian said casually. “I did some checking and it’ll be unprotected for 25 minutes two hours before it’s presented.”
“Everybody and their brother will know it’s been swiped once they try to install it”, Logan told him.
“It’s the only time we’ll have a shot, Logan. This op will do what we want it to do. We’ve got two days to prep.”
“So you got the run down on the security.”
“Six alternating teams until its debut. That day it’ll be cut down to four. During the change of guard, the presenters will be plugging their newest product. I found a 25 minute window and the security at the convention center will be nothing but minimum wage cops. Those assholes will not risk their lives for a computer chip which means absolutely nothing to them.”
“You’d better be sure about that”, Logan said with a look.
“Logan”, Damian said. “The presenters are not the inventors for one thing. For another, the presenters are the CEO and the chairman of the board. They are under investigation for fraud and stock manipulation. Last year they gave themselves each a 25 million dollar bonus. These assholes are hated by everyone because they have money and they made it off of a poor sop’s hard work. Nobody will feel sorry for them because they lost a chip which does nothing but track faster than the current ones. Trust me.”
“We’ll do it”, Logan told him.
“So, do we have advertising space”, Damian asked.
“Yep”, Logan told him. “I’ve already transferred half funds from that Cayman account and I’ll imagine we’ll get noticed before too long. We knew we’d have to pull a job to get Marcus’ attention. If Nathan does a good job spreading the word, Marcus will be here five minutes after we steal this chip.”
“So how did the visit with your old man go”, Damian asked playing with his cigarette.
“Almost typical. I floored him when I told him I quit my job.”
“Did he offer you a job”, Damian asked with a smile.
“He looked like he was ready to throw a badge at me and not because he wants me to take it.”
“Jesus, Logan”, Damian said. “You’ve got to quit running down the LAPD. It may not look like it to most, but we are on the same side.”
“Not in his eyes. He looks at the agency like his old man would look at a trailer park.”
“He’s not a bad guy from the looks of it.”
“You can find out exactly what he’s like tonight if you want.”
“Why?”
“He asked if you and I would hook up with him and Starsky for a beer.”
“I don’t think so”, Damian said with a shake of his head.
“Why not?”
“I have to explain”, Damian said with raised eyebrows.
“They don’t even know who the hell you even are, so lighten up. We’ll knock a couple of beers and if it bugs you, we’ll clear out.”
“I guess I can play the black sheep and let them think I’m leading you down a path of destruction. You know we’ve got to have our covers in place tonight.”
“Yeah”, Logan said with a sigh.
Damian finished his cigarette and put it out.
“You really hate this, don’t you?”
“I hate playing the old man like this, but it’s got to be done.”
“Listen, Logan. Just act like he’s not your old man. When you’ve got to play the job; pretend like he’s just a cop out to take you down.”
“This coming from Damian ‘I don’t need anybody’ Steele.”
“It’s easier than you think. You just have to get the mentality in your head.”
“I know my old man and I haven’t gotten along for a while, but I don’t like running an op this damn big under his nose. He’s dealt with the agency before and so has Starsky. They even smell what we’re doing and we’ll be cooling our heels in one of their tanks.”
“Just relax”, Damian told him. “I’ll take all the heat on this and you can just be my friend like always. Sometimes it’s easier to sidestep the truth rather than just outright lie.”
“You try it tonight and if you can pull it off with those two, I’ll make a go of it.”
“You buy tonight”, Damian said with a look.
“If they see me buying…”, Logan saw the look and he laughed. “It’s your funeral, bro.”
Damian gave Logan a pat on the shoulder and stood up. He was counting on being the worst thing since head lice just to take the heat off of Logan.
Starsky sat in the booth nursing his beer. He looked over at Hutch who had a distracted look on his face.
“Hey”, Starsky said. “You should be glad he quit. It means he won’t be off gallivanting the globe and getting killed in some foreign country I can’t even pronounce.”
“It just doesn’t make sense”, Hutch told him. “Logan always touted the company line to me if I even so much as looked down at the agency. Him quitting his job is the last thing I expected. I wonder if his friend had something to do with it.”
“It could also be that they had a rotten mission, Hutch. I’ve seen jobs out on the street that’s made good cops quit. We did it once.”
“That was different, Starsk. I’m just not liking the feeling I’m getting.”
“Let’s see how it goes tonight”, Starsky said after taking a drink of his beer.
“If they show up”, Hutch said as he picked his up. “They may decide they don’t want to hang around a couple of chumps like us.”
“Don’t call it too quick”, Starsky said with a nod.
Hutch turned his head and watched as Logan walked in with Damian. They spent a few minutes talking with Huggy and made their way over.
“Hey, Starsky”, Logan said. “You look good.”
“It’s nice to see no holes in you”, Starsky said with a smile.
“This is Damian Steele”, Logan said. “He’s my cohort in crime. Damian, that’s my dad’s best friend and partner, David Starsky.”
Damian and Starsky exchanged handshakes. Hutch moved to sit next to Starsky and Logan and Damian scooted in across from them. The waitress came over to take their orders.
“A beer”, Logan said.
“A beer and a shot of jack”, Damian told the girl.
After she left, no one spoke for a moment.
“The place hasn’t changed too much”, Logan observed. “Huggy sure has kept it up pretty well.”
“He goes with what works”, Starsky told him. “So I hear the CIA is minus two agents. Where do ex-spooks go get a job?”
“There’s always a demand for guys like us”, Damian replied. “It’s just a matter of picking and choosing.”
“So what are you two going to pick and choose”, Hutch asked.
“We just quit our jobs”, Logan said as he watched the girl come back with the beer and the shot. He dug the cash out of his pocket and paid for the drinks. “We’re gonna kick back for a bit before we start pounding the pavement.”
Damian downed the shot and took a long drink of his beer.
“I’m going to win some money so you won’t have to get me drunk tonight”, Damian told Logan as he stood up.
Starsky watched as Damian crossed the length of the bar and headed for the pool tables where some guys were shooting. He looked back over at Logan.
“So what’s the story with your friend”, Starsky asked.
“We’ve done some work together and I told him he could crash at my place for a while until we figure out who wants to hire us”, Logan told him. “Damian’s not a bad guy once you get to know him.”
Starsky and Hutch observed Damian as he offered a cigarette to one of the players. He took one for himself and lit it. They could see he had found his mark when he set his beer down and grabbed a pool stick.
“The last postcard I got from
you was from
“I have to own up about those”, Logan told his father. “Every post card you got from me, I wasn’t even on that continent. I had it ran through Langley before you got it.”
“So where were you if not in
“I can’t tell you. But I can tell you I was on the other side of the world”, Logan said with small grin.
“Thanks a lot”, Hutch told him with a soft shake of his head. “I can look at them and know you weren’t there.”
“Well, I was there, just not when you thought I was”, Logan smiled.
“So how are you going to support yourself and your little addition while you both are unemployed”, Starsky asked.
“I do have some money saved”, Logan answered. “If I didn’t inherit anything else from the old guy the one thing I did get was my penchant for saving money.”
“It’s nice to know you did get something from me”, Hutch said after taking a drink of his beer.
“God”, Starsky said as he took a drink from his beer. “Two anal retentive penny pinchers.”
“Thanks, Starsky”, Logan said with a smile.
Hutch brought his glass up and Logan tapped it in toast. Starsky had a call on his cell phone and walked back to take the call. He was gone a few minutes and when he returned, Hutch and Logan were at the pool tables. Damian was paying for another beer. He sat down across from him and finished his glass off. Damian lit a cigarette and eased back against the booth with a leg propped up.
“You’re not going to clean those guys out”, Starsky asked in reference to the players still left at a separate table.
“I did a crappy job scamming them”, Damian admitted. “They had me scoped before I did them. I did win some cash.”
“It’s nice to know those skills do come in handy at times. Too bad they didn’t pay off.”
“I could wait a couple of hours and see who shows”, Damian said taking a drag.
“Huggy doesn’t go for hustlers in his place”, Starsky told him. “That’s one guy you can never hustle.”
“I’m always up for a challenge”, Damian replied.
“I’d like to see it, but there’s one thing you have to remember”, Starsky told him lightly.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t go for anyone hustling my friends.”
Damian laughed a little and took a drink of his beer.
“Are you sending me a message”, Damian asked with a side look.
“Do I have to”, Starsky questioned in reply.
“I don’t know”, Damian answered. “Are you as big a cop as Logan’s old man?”
“You don’t like cops”, Starsky asked.
“I admire the boys in blue. I just don’t like it when they’re the ones doing the hustling.”
“I can see we’re not going to get very far like this”, Starsky observed.
“Not with me”, Damian said with a hard look. “There’s one thing you might as well know right now. Logan is a friend and he thinks of me the same way. If you think you’re going to pull some scam that I’m no good for him, you can take your little speech to someone else who gives a damn.”
“Well, since you fired the first volley, I’ll retaliate”, Starsky said evenly. “Hutch has been my best friend since before you were born. I consider Logan almost like a son and if I think you’re hustling him to keep you up, you’ll know about it and your life will not be recognizable when I finish. I won’t have anyone taking advantage of people I care about.”
“It’s nice to see Logan’s opinion counts for something around here”, Damian replied snidely.
Damian downed his beer and finished off his cigarette. He scooted out of the booth and stood up to put his jacket on.
“I know you’re packing”, Starsky told him. “You got a permit for that thing?”
“Why”, Damian asked. “Are you going to run me in? Tell Logan I headed out and I’ll see him later.”
Starsky watched him leave and he knew this guy was bad news. He saw nothing but trouble when he looked at Damian Steele.
Starsky found Hutch in the hallway in front of the squad room and he pulled him aside.
“I gotta know something”, Starsky asked.
“What is it, Starsk?”
“How much do you know about Logan’s buddy, Damian?”
“Logan’s never even talked about him before. Why?”
“Hutch, maybe we should run a make on the guy.”
“Starsky, if Logan even gets wind of it, I won’t even get a step up to bat with him.”
“I don’t trust the guy and I’d hate to see him get Logan into something.”
“Starsky, they’re both former CIA agents. I’d say they have been and we just don’t know about it.”
“If he as so much breathes wrong, I’ll run the make, Hutch.”
“Fine”, Hutch agreed. “If you find anything I should know about, let me know. Otherwise just keep it to yourself.”
Starsky agreed and made a point of keeping an eye out on Logan and Damian both.
Logan and Damian prepped for the secondary operation for the next few days. It wasn’t nearly as difficult as they had initially thought. It was just a matter of an adequate distraction enough for one of them to switch the chip with another identical one. Logan offered to do the switch, but Damian had pointed out, he would blend into the crowd much easier.
Logan’s dark blonde hair gave him a more natural appearance even when it had a wild look. His sharp blue eyes seemed to penetrate everything around him. Logan had to agree with Damian.
While Logan was getting the chip switched, Damian would provide a distraction which would give legitimize him in the eyes of the right people. If successful, they would definitely get the attention they wanted.
On the day of the operation, Logan was stationed in the back of the center where the chip sat quietly in a small case. He stuck his hand in his jacket pocket and found the duplicate chip. Logan looked at his watch and he knew in less than a minute, he would make his move.
Damian wandered through the crowds at the expo and made his way to the main door where the chip was being guarded. He saw the two guards standing out front and he knew two more were waiting inside. Damian knew he had to make his move so Logan could get in and out without being seen. The thing he hated having to play the fall guy on this, but everything was set to go. Damian looked down at his watch and sighed.
He took a drag from his cigarette and walked to a nearby ashtray. Damian put it out and walked over to the door where the guards stood. He started to walk through and was stopped with a hand to his chest. Damian looked down at the hand and up at the guard who stood a good three inches taller than him. Damian smiled a bit and grabbed the guard’s hand and twisted it behind his back. When the other guy came at him, Damian held him back with a kick to the chest. The ruckus being made was enough to pull the other two guards inside away and Logan made his move.
He cut the alarm and slipped in through the window. Logan was easily inside the room and he quickly switched the chips. He slipped back out and disappeared in the crowds.
Damian on the other hand was in trouble given the amount of guards which had overwhelmed him. The plan was for him to subdue the guards enough and give them the slip, but he hadn’t counted on the boys in blue to show. He struggled with the handcuffs on his wrists and was dragged off. He knew Logan would be wondering where he was and hopefully it wouldn’t take long for him to find out he hadn’t made it back to the apartment.
Damian sat in the interrogation room smoking a cigarette. He looked over at the mirror and wondered if Starsky and Hutch were both behind it. He got his phone call made and he knew it wouldn’t take long for Nathan to come down and get him out. He knew his boss wouldn’t be too pleased to pull a favor to get him out of this jam.
The door opened and Starsky and Hutch walked inside. Starsky tossed the file in front of Damian and he almost smiled. He knew what they had found and he knew it would be more than adequate to keep the heat off of Logan.
“I was looking for an excuse to run a make on you”, Starsky said. “I just had no idea you would give it to me.”
“I try to help when I can”, Damian said as he played with his cigarette.
“You did more than that”, Hutch said. “You’ve given your self a motive. The computer chip that was due to debut turned out to be a fake. So where is the real one?”
“Computer chip”, Damian asked. “I just wanted to check out the area and those minimum wage jerks jumped me.”
“Is that the story you’re going to feed the judge”, Starsky asked.
“If I make it in front of one I will”, Damian said blowing smoke out of his mouth.
Starsky flipped the file open and looked down at it.
“You’ve got quite a record”, Starsky observed. “GTA, hot checks, a couple of assault and batteries and fraud. Did you actually try to pass off a cubic zirconium as a real diamond?”
“Can I help it that the guy thought it was real”, Damian told him.
“From the looks of it”, Hutch said. “You swiped the chip and you’re planning on selling it to the highest bidder. An ex-CIA agent such as yourself would have the connections to do it.”
“Well, you know what they say about appearances”, Damian said with a sly smile.
Starsky leaned down close to Damian and gave him a hard look.
“If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then it is usually is a duck, Damian. We’ve been around the block a few times and punks like you are a dime a dozen. You’re story’s been told, so at the very least you can do is not insult our intelligence and come up with something better.”
“I take it since the two investigating officers aren’t here giving me their little take on this theft, you two took it personally since Logan’s a friend of mine.”
“Damian”, Hutch said. “If you should happen to walk, I think it would be in your best interest for you to take a hike. I’ll be more than happy to pay for a trip back to New York.”
“You mean in Logan’s best interest”, Damian shot at him. “Sorry, pal. If Logan thinks I need to head back home, I’ll take you up on your offer. Otherwise, I’m not going anywhere.”
“We’ll see about that”, Starsky said.
Damian chuckled a little and took a long drag from his cigarette before putting it out.
“You guys think you know Logan, but you don’t”, Damian said with a shake of his head. “You think you’ve got my number, but you don’t. Logan’s pretty much done what he’s wanted for a hell of a long time. What makes you think this time will be any different? I get ran in here and shook down. Big fuckin’ deal!”
Starsky gave Damian a hard look and he jerked him from the chair and slammed him against the wall.
“You think you’re the shit, don’t you”, Starsky breathed angrily. “You come waltzing into my city and think you have the run of it. You may walk with whatever connections you’ve got, but you had better not even take a breath I don’t like because I will run your ass down.”
“Oh, you’d like that”, Damian told him angrily. “You’re just another two bit cop with a power wedgy up his ass and you’re looking for an excuse to use it.”
Starsky kept a tight grip on Damian’s shirt and both men stared evenly at each other for a moment. The knock at the door brought Starsky down a notch and he released Damian. Hutch crossed the room and opened it. Nathan walked inside with a briefcase.
“My client’s been released”, Nathan exclaimed. “Given his record of service to this country no charges have been filed.”
“That’s just great”, Starsky said as he left the room.
“We’ll keep our eye on you”, Hutch told Damian.
Damian watched as Hutch left and he walked over to the table.
“Well, it looks as if you accomplished what you wanted”, Nathan said with a sigh. “You ready to get out of here?”
“Yeah”, Damian said quietly.
Damian walked into the apartment followed by Nathan. He tossed his jacket down on the couch and headed for the kitchen. Logan sat on the couch and watched as Damian pulled a beer from the fridge.
“It went that great”, Logan asked.
“I could deal with that old man of yours”, Damian told him. “But not Starsky. He’s an asshole and I’ve had enough of him.”
“You knew it was a possibility”, Nathan told him.
“Yeah, I knew it was a chance while we swapped the chips. The guy hates my guts.”
“Damian”, Logan said. “You wanted to take the heat off of me which you did quite well.”
“Just don’t ask me to have anything else to do with him”, Damian said after taking a drink from his beer.
“Well, it’s done”, Nathan said. “Now we wait for Marcus to make his move. Get the word out about the chip and watch where you spread the news. We want his interest.”
Nathan turned to leave and stopped.
“Oh, and start spending some money, guys”, Nathan told them. “You have to at least live like you need more money.”
After he left, Damian walked over to the living room and sat down. He lit a cigarette and sighed heavily as he blew the smoke out.
“It’s not that easy, is it”, Logan asked him.
“He makes it easy”, Damian replied. “Jesus, I never knew he could be such a dick.”
“Given everything that’s involved, we could probably talk Nathan into another approach for this mission”, Logan offered.
“It’s too late, Logan. Besides, it’s probably for the best Starsky despises me.”
“I know”, Logan said with a sigh. “It doesn’t make it any easier though.”
“I can live with it”, Damian said with a dark look. “Don’t be surprised if you get a visit from your old man before the day is out.”
“He’ll try to tell me how bad of an influence you are on me”, Logan said with a small grin.
“If he only knew how much trouble you’ve gotten me in over the years”, Damian told him wryly.
“The only reason is because I have to try to get women. They just naturally flock to you. They love the dangerous types.”
“Bullshit”, Damian blurted out. “It was because you were trying to outdo the other guys. They treated you like a goddamn kid and you hated it. Remember the tattoo parlor?”
“I will never get that drunk again”, Logan said with a laugh.
“Famous last words”, Damian mumbled as he put his cigarette out.
Damian tipped the beer and let it slide down his throat. He stopped when he heard the knock at the door. Logan stood up and walked over to answer it. He wasn’t surprised to see Hutch at the door.
“I knew it wouldn’t take long for you to get here”, Logan told him.
“Can we talk, Logan”, Hutch asked.
“Are you sure that’s what it’s going to be?”
“I’m not here to get into it with you”, Hutch told him.
Logan held the door open and Hutch walked inside. He looked over at Damian who was finishing off his beer. Damian stood up and walked into the kitchen. After throwing the bottle in the trash he walked back and picked up his jacket.
“You don’t have to leave”, Logan said.
“Yeah, I do”, Damian said as he headed to the door. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“Beer”, Logan asked Hutch after Damian had left.
“No”, Hutch said. “I’m driving.”
Logan walked into the kitchen and pulled one out of the fridge. He opened it and walked into the living room.
“So are you here to tell me how rotten of a guy Damian is and that he’s not a very good friend?”
“Why don’t you tell me about him, Logan”, Hutch asked as he sat down. “Maybe it’ll make it easier to understand him.”
Logan studied Hutch for a minute and than sat down in a chair across from him.
“He’s saved my life more times than I can count”, Logan admitted. “I’ve saved his on several occasions.”
“He’s more than just a friend, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, he is.”
“So what’s the story on today”, Hutch asked.
“I haven’t asked him. If he wants to tell me about it, he can.”
“You don’t think he owes you an explanation”, Hutch asked.
“Nope”, Logan said. “Damian’s not a guy you push around or back into a corner. He’ll come out with guns drawn every time.”
“So how did the two of you meet”, Hutch asked him.
Logan was very quiet as he took a drink of his beer. He leaned back in his chair debating on how to answer the next question. He decided not to.
“Why don’t you just get down to it”, Logan told him. “You don’t like him and Starsky probably doesn’t either. You’re here to tell me that he’s no good and I’d be better off cutting him loose.”
“He’s got a record”, Hutch told him. “After what happened today, we had to run him. How did he get in the CIA with that record?”
“He’s good at what he does”, Logan explained. “If I had any doubts about him, we wouldn’t have teamed up for all the missions we’ve done together.”
“I didn’t realize you’ve worked together that much”, Hutch replied. “I thought most agents worked alone.”
“Well, we work well together.”
“Logan”, Hutch said leaning forward. “The chip that was due to debut at that expo today was stolen. Damian was arrested for causing a hell of a ruckus. With him being an ex-CIA agent he looks like he’s involved with it. From the looks of it, he’s putting his services and this chip on the market.”
“If he was involved, it’s his business”, Logan told his father. “I’m not his parent and he is an adult.”
“I don’t want to see you get into any trouble because of his activities.”
“I don’t see why it should bother you one way or another”, Logan shot at him. “It’s not like you gave a damn before.”
Logan stood up out of the chair and finished his beer off.
“That’s not fair”, Hutch said as he stood up. “You know that’s not true.”
“I don’t know it”, Logan said angrily. “All I saw was that your goddamn job and your partner took priority over me and Mom.”
“It was never that way”, Hutch shot at Logan.
Logan walked into the kitchen and set his beer down.
“Really”, Logan said. “Do you think I never heard the arguments between you and Mom? She wanted you off the street, but you wouldn’t do it. You made it very clear where we ranked on your list.”
“Our marriage fell apart for more reasons than me not wanting to get off the street”, Hutch told him. “There was a hell of a lot more going on than what you realize.”
“Too bad nobody ever bothered telling me”, Logan shot off. “Maybe if you had even considered getting off the street none of this would have happened!”
“So you’re just going to keep laying all this at my feet”, Hutch stated quietly. “Do you honestly believe I wanted any of this to happen?”
“No”, Logan said. “I just think you preferred to keep living your life the way you lived it before you got married and had a kid.”
“Logan, neither of us can change the past”, Hutch told him honestly. “If I could go back…”
“Don’t even do that with me”, Logan said with a shake of his head. “You wouldn’t change a goddamn thing and you know it.”
“Maybe not”, Hutch said with a sigh. “But we can start here and now to make things right with us.”
“How”, Logan said. “You came here to run down a friend of mine. You want me to shake him loose because you think you know what’s best for me. Well, dad, you haven’t known what was best for me in a hell of a long time. Don’t expect me to take what you have to say with a grain of salt.”
Hutch could see that it was a mistake to even come here to talk to him about Damian. It never failed the past would come back to haunt the both of them and drive a wedge in their relationship.
Hutch carried his beer over to Starsky where he sat waiting for him. He sat down across from him and took a long drink.
“It must’ve have been rather typical from the looks of it”, Starsky commented.
“This one was a little more personal than most”, Hutch replied. “Logan will always blame me for the divorce and his mother’s death.”
“Hutch, maybe you should tell him the truth.”
“I wish I could, Starsk.”
“You should have told him a long time ago.”
“There was never a good time to tell him the truth. He was 13 when we divorced and it wasn’t exactly something you tell a young boy. Telling him after she died was certainly not an option either. Running his mother down while she was in the grave wouldn’t have helped our relationship. At this point, it would just look like I’m placing the blame all on her and I won’t do it, Starsk.”
“Playing the martyr to protect his dead mother isn’t the way to go either, Hutch. You’ve been doing it for too long.”
“Probably”, Hutch agreed. “But at this point, I’m not convinced telling him the truth is the way to go, Starsky.”
“How much of an influence do you think Damian has over him”, Starsky asked.
“I’m not sure”, Hutch answered. “Logan thinks the world of the guy and they’ve worked together quite a bit.”
“That’s odd”, Starsky said. “Most spooks work alone.”
“He didn’t go into it too much.”
“I’m wondering if there’s more to the two of them than what either of them is saying.”
“I don’t know”, Hutch said with a heavy sigh. “I just have a really bad feeling about this.”
Before Starsky could reply, Huggy came over and sat across from both guys.
“Would either of you be interested in some rather juicy info that came across my desk just a bit ago?”
“Sure, Huggy”, Starsky said with a small smile.
“It sees as there is rumors of a couple of spooks which have put their services on the auction block”, Huggy replied.
“Huggy, you need to check your sources. That would be Logan and his friend Damain”, Hutch replied.
“My source is good. They also said they are dangling a computer chip out for interested takers to prove their intentions.”
Hutch looked over at Starsky and both remained silent.
“I’m sorry, Hutch”, Huggy said. “I know Logan is your kid. I thought you should know.”
“Give us a sec, Huggy”, Starsky said. After he left, Starsky leaned in closer. “He could be wrong, Hutch.”
“You know he’s not, Starsk”, Hutch told him. “We have to follow up on this and you know it.”
“I know. I just wish there it was someone else.”
“It’s not and now we have to put the both of them under surveillance.”
“They’ll spot anyone we put on this”, Starsky told him quietly.
“I agree. We’ll take turns and keep it to ourselves. This will stay with us and the commissioner.”
Starsky sighed and leaned back in the seat.
“Maybe if we talk to Logan and tell him that his name is being attached to Damian and his activities”, Starsky offered.
“I already tried that, Starsk. As far as Logan is concerned, Damian is his friend and his business is his own. He won’t even discuss it.”
“God”, Starsky said after taking a drink of his beer. “This is going to get messy.”
Hutch couldn’t argue. He never thought he’d see his son in anything close to something like this.
Starsky had gotten an impound car which was unknown to Logan and as he watched them leave the apartment, he knew he would have to move carefully. He knew they would spot him if he didn’t watch himself. Logan and Damian got in the black sports car and started down the street. Starsky started the car and eased out not far from him. They would be fairly easy to track; it was just a matter of making sure they weren’t followed.
After almost half an hour of driving, Logan and Damian stopped out at an outdoor café. Starsky pulled far enough away to not be seen, but he had a nice angle. He watched as Damian stepped from the car with a cigarette in his mouth and Logan walked around to the sidewalk. From the looks of it, they were waiting for someone.
Damian motioned to Logan and both men sat down at a table. After a few minutes a dark sedan pulled up behind the sports car. Starsky observed as three men stepped from the vehicle. When they were seated across from Logan and Damian, he pulled out his camera and took some pictures.
Damian took a long drag from his cigarette and eased back in his chair. He looked up as Armando Marcus sat down across from him. His two companions each pulled chairs from other tables.
“I see you have company”, Armando said with a cold smile.
“We’ll take care of him after we do business”, Logan stated.
“Why not before”, Armando asked.
“We want him to think he’s doing his job”, Damian said. “He won’t know until we’ve been and gone that he was had.”
“The two of you have quite the reputations”, Armando said as he pulled a skinny cigar from his pocket.
“We do like to make an impression”, Logan said.
“It goes like this”, Damian said. “We’re done with the agency. Too much bullshit and not enough dough. We’re looking to upgrade our lifestyle.”
“The chip may very well be on the right track. Your names have been connected which makes you both too hot.”
“And here we thought we were just popular”, Logan said with a smile.
“I guess finding another buyer won’t be too difficult. I know a guy who would love to get the GPS 911 faster than anyone else on the planet”, Damian told his friend.
“Do not mistake my interest for eagerness, my friends”, Armando told him. “A man in my position must tread carefully.”
“Why don’t you tread a little faster”, Damian said. “If you don’t want to buy, say the word and we’ll take our business elsewhere.”
“Where”, Armando said with a laugh. “I found out two days ago you were released by the agency for an undisclosed amount of cash on a mission in Barcelona. No one will deal with either of you. You have shown no loyalty. Greed is what guides you.”
“True”, Logan said with a look. “But those that pay us the best get our loyalty. Damian and I are a package deal. We’re not just looking for a few bucks here and there.”
“We want long term financial security and federal jobs just don’t pay worth a shit”, Damian told him.
“I see”, Armando said after allowing the smoke from his cigar to escape. “The chip was to gain my attention and to provide you with some cash. You’re looking for more.”
“We’ve heard you’re putting together a team for a job here in L.A.”, Logan said. “We’re hoping to offer our services and if you can offer us something long term it can be mutually beneficial.”
“Logan and I’ve been around long enough to know you can’t guarantee our skins, but the right amount of cash can give us enough incentive to risk them.”
“It is something to consider”, Armando told them. “I will however offer you 50k for the chip.”
“That’s bullshit”, Logan said standing up. He looked down at Damian who was leaning back in his chair and lighting his cigarette. “Let’s go, Damian.”
“I’m waiting”, Damian said casually. “He’s going to offer us something more.”
“I am in need of a few more men for this job”, Armando told them. “Come to my home tonight and we’ll discuss it at length. I’m having some guests and should you pass their scrutiny, I will consider your application. Bring the chip and you will be paid.”
One of Armando’s companions slid a business card over to Logan. Armando and his men quietly left. After they were gone, Logan sat back down and picked up the card.
“Well, we’re in the house”, Logan said with a sigh.
“Getting an invitation don’t mean shit unless we’re asked to move in”, Damian said with a look.
“Come on”, Logan said standing back up. “Let’s get this over with.”
Damian pushed himself back in the chair and stood up. He followed Logan out to the street and they headed straight for Starsky’s car. Starsky sighed heavily as Logan got in on the passenger side and Damian slid in the backseat.
“Following us, Uncle Starsky”, Logan asked.
“Since when do you call me uncle”, Starsky asked.
“Because I’m hoping you’re tailing us because you care and not because it’s your job”, Logan replied as he picked up the camera.
Before Starsky could grab it, Logan tossed it in the back where Damian caught it.
“You both are being connected to the chip and your services are for sale”, Starsky said. “Hutch and I figured it’d be better if it was us that tailed you and not one of the regular guys in case we were wrong.”
“That means both”, Damian said as he opened up the camera.
Starsky heard him taking the film out of the camera. He watched as the strip of film was dangled in front of him and the camera was handed back to Logan.
“No matter what we’re doing”, Logan told him. “It’s not your business and most especially not my father’s.”
“Are you two running an op”, Starsky asked.
“We don’t work for the agency any more”, Damian told him. “If we were, Logan would probably allay your fears. Me, I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks.”
“If you or my old man follow us again, we’ll lose you just as easily as we found you”, Logan told him. “We let you follow us just make sure you and my old man understand that you two are to stay out of our business.”
Logan started to leave and Starsky grabbed him by the arm.
“Logan”, Starsky said quietly. “You’re wrong about your father.”
“No, I’m not”, Logan said just as quietly. Logan opened up the car door and stepped out of it. Damian leaned forward and got in Starsky’s ear.
“Nice camera”, Damian told him. “I used to have one like that about four years ago, but I gave it up. Digital cameras are much better and more reliable than those old things.”
Damian gave Starsky a pat on the shoulder and got out of the back seat. Starsky watched them leave. This was going to be much harder than he thought.
That night Logan was driving and Damian sat in the passenger seat with his sunglasses on. He looked over at Logan who had been quiet during the trip.
“You know”, Damian said as he lit a cigarette. “You could’ve heard Starsky out about your old man.”
“I can’t believe I’m hearing that from you”, Logan replied.
“Listen, Logan”, Damian said. “I don’t have the choices you do. Maybe you should work shit out with your old man.”
“There’s nothing to work out and you know it. Jesus, Damian, you know how I feel about it.”
“I’d just hate to see you have any regrets.”
“Trust me”, Logan said. “I don’t. Sometimes I think you’re the lucky one. You never had an old man.”
“Not by choice and you know it. I guess it’s true what they say”, Damian said after taking a drag.
“What’s that?”
“The grass is always greener”, Damian replied.
“Didn’t you say Starsky was an asshole?”
“Sure I did and he still is. It doesn’t mean that he was wrong.”
“My old man and Starsky ran those streets for years, Damian. They lived their own lives and lived in their own goddamn world that no one could touch including me and my mother. Maybe if they had done it differently things wouldn’t be like they are now.”
“Maybe”, Damian agreed. “It doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way.”
“I take it from this conversation that you want me to think about it”, Logan said with a look.
“Do I really have to say it”, Damian said with a sly look.
Logan chuckled as he pulled into the drive of the estate.
Hutch looked over at Starsky who had the transmitter locator in his hand. He had his own laptop open and his eyes widened a bit as the address he had put in came up with a name.
“Armando Marcus”, Hutch said.
“You’re kidding”, Starsky said as he looked over. “Assholes like Marcus keep a little army in their back pocket in case of needed assassinations and government toppling.”
“It looks like Logan and Damian is having a meeting with him”, Hutch said. “Starsky, I don’t think they’ve been let go from the agency. I think this is an op to get in good with Marcus.”
“It could also be that they are offering their services in exchange for this chip Damian swiped”, Starsky told him. “Hutch, I know you don’t want to think the worst, but it’s entirely possible.”
“It’s too early to think the worst”, Hutch told him.
“Damian’s broke and he was in the vicinity of a computer chip getting ripped off. He’s living with Logan and from the looks of it he’s in no hurry to go anywhere. He’s got a heavy duty record. I would bet he’s using his friendship with Logan to get a high paying gig like working for Armando Marcus.”
“Damn”, Hutch said. “We can’t even go near the guy right now. If we even so much as even give a suspicion of any type of investigation into his activities, then Logan will be all over me. If they’re in to get the goods on Armando, it could be dangerous for the both of them.”
“We need to talk to Huggy”, Starsky said. “He’ll know what else this guy has his hands into.”
Hutch put the laptop away and started the car.
Damian leaned back against the bar with a beer in hand. He puffed on his cigarette and kept his eyes peeled. He barely glanced at the woman next to him who was making attempts to get him with her. They had been here for almost two hours and it didn’t take long for him to figure out why Marcus had wanted them here. Marcus was not interested in them as a team. He wanted Logan and Damian knew why. Logan was legendary in his computer skills and hacking ability. The deal had been made quick enough and it didn’t take long for them to be separated.
He saw as Armando talked with Logan and introduced him to various members of the team. Normally Damian would never let anything get to him like this was, but he felt uneasy knowing that Marcus was planning a major job. They needed his connections and they needed to shut him down. Damian had little to offer to Marcus. He already had those guys who had skills fairly comparable to his own. Damian knew he could take them if push came to shove, but he knew if he moved to aggressively, it would complicate matters. Those mercs would not allow anyone to push them out and they would kill him without a thought. Damian realized his only option was to play backup for Logan. It wouldn’t be easy. These assholes knew all the agency tricks.
That night after they got back to the apartment, they called Nathan over. The three of them sat around each drinking a beer.
“Okay, so that gives us one guy in and the other as a backup”, Nathan stated. “We can still proceed as planned.”
“I don’t like it”, Damian said. “These guys are smart and they’ll know everything we’ve got up our sleeve. Logan has no idea even what this job is.”
“Marcus is keeping it quiet”, Logan admitted. “He hasn’t even told the rest of his team about it. It’s big whatever it is.”
“Do you have a time frame”, Nathan asked.
“My guess we’ll know in a few days and then we’ll start training for a couple of weeks”, Logan told them.
“Maybe it’s enough to get his contacts and shut down the network”, Damian replied.
“Security is tight”, Logan said with a sigh. “He barely trusts his own mercs as it is. I can’t believe he actually hired me tonight.”
“You’re the best in the business when it comes to computers, Logan”, Damian said.
“He knows who my old man is and he knows about the problems we’ve had. I’m going to have to push it with him should he get too close.”
“I know it’s not what you want”, Nathan said. “If Armando smells anything it’ll compromise you and this mission.”
“What’s bad is them thinking I’m the bad guy here”, Damian told him. “If I sit back and let him go it alone, I’ll be the one dealing with both Starsky and Hutch.”
“We’ll have to be creative in the backups”, Nathan said. “Make sure Armando knows you two are like brothers. That won’t be too hard of a job. I’ll call Langley and see what the boys in the lab have come up with in the way of bugging equipment.”
“Might have them check in with our guy over at MIT”, Logan told him. “It has to be completely undetectable and portable.”
“When do you go back in”, Nathan asked Logan.
“Tomorrow afternoon. He wants
me to do a run with his team into
“If I don’t have anything by then, I should have something by the time you get back”, Nathan said as he stood up. “Damian, I’m putting you on backgrounds until we can figure out a better way of tracking Logan while he’s under. Start on those tonight. I expect some faces by the time I come back.”
After he left, Damian and Logan sat back on the couch not speaking for a moment.
“You know what this will look like don’t you”, Logan said with a wry grin.
“Yep”, Damian answered. “You’ll be walking in a lion’s den and like the great friend I am, I’m letting you.”
“And you’ll be living here sponging off me while I put my neck on the line.”
“There is one good thing about this”, Damian said as he reached for his beer.
“You found one?”
“Starsky and Hutch will hate my guts like no other”, Damian said with a grin.
Logan chuckled as Damian took a drink from his beer.
“I’ve never seen anyone go to the lengths you have to make sure they hate you”, Logan replied.
“It’s for the best”, Damian said with a sigh.
The door opened and both turned around and saw Nathan. He walked over not speaking and stood over Damian. He dropped something in his lap and when Damian looked at it he looked up at Nathan.
“I trust you’ll handle this”, Nathan said.
“I’ll think of something”, Damian said with a sigh.
After he left, Damian held up the transmitter which had been attached to the sports car.
“I should’ve known they wouldn’t have let this go”, Logan said with a shake of his head. “They know where we were tonight.”
“I can run interference for you”, Damian offered.
“You can try, but I doubt it’ll do much good. You have no idea how tenacious they can be”, Logan told him.
“So they’ll try and get the goods on Marcus. If they do it before we can get our mission done we’re screwed”, Damian said as he tossed the transmitter down.
“I know what they’d do”, Logan said. “They’d go see Huggy.”
“We could do a little misinformation”, Damian said.
“I knew I kept you around for a reason”, Logan said as he reached for the phone.
“Who are you calling”, Damian asked.
“I remember this guy from when I was a kid who knew everything. I would bet he’s still for sale.”
“He’s alive?”
“Hobo’s too damn greedy to die”, Logan said with a smile. “I’ll go hook up with him tonight and make sure he spreads the word that Armando Marcus has other more important things to do.”
“It’s a safe bet he’s made news already if he’s getting ready to sell the coke”, Damian stated. “We’ve got to keep the damn cops from busting it should the word get out.”
“You’ll go with me”, Logan told him. “We’ll put Hobo on the payroll and he’ll stay tight with us.”
“He’d better not be for sale to the highest bidder, Logan. He even breathes a word about us, and we’re more than screwed.”
“We’ve got plenty of reasons sitting in a nice little bank account to keep him loyal.”
“I’ll carry another one in my back pocket”, Damian said with a look.
Logan smiled as he dialed the number and in a matter of minutes they were out the door to meet with their new employee.
The next afternoon Starsky and Hutch sat across from Huggy who was shaking his head.
“I had a pretty firm word on Marcus, but it’s blown to hell. I’m hearin’ he’s takin’ his snow north. I didn’t understand it at first so I checked my source. It’s comin’ out of Hobo which that guy would sell out his own momma to the highest bidder if she was still livin’.”
“You think someone’s paying that bum off to throw us off the scent”, Starsky asked.
“It looks that way, but Hobo ain’t talkin’. If he’s paid enough, he won’t which tells me he’s makin’ a pretty penny for thowin’ out the false bones. There’s no way to tell who is behind the money. It could be Marcus, but I don’t see him getting his hands dirty to deal with someone like Hobo.”
“It’s not hard to find out how Marcus finances himself”, Hutch said with a shake of his head. “It’s just a matter of catching him at it.”
“I’ve got some other info which was hard to come by and neither of you will like it one bit”, Huggy told them.
“What is it”, Starsky asked.
“Hutch”, Huggy said seriously. “Logan didn’t quit the CIA. He and his buddy were canned.”
“What”, Hutch said with surprise.
“It seems they were caught skimming quite a bit of cash from some deal that went down overseas. I don’t know much more than that.”
“There’s no way”, Hutch said. “Logan doesn’t need the money.”
“He even said so the other night”, Starsky admitted.
“It could be they are hoping to improve their lifestyle even more.”
“No Huggy”, Hutch said firmly. “Maybe Damian, but not Logan. He would never do anything like it.”
“Not unless Damian talked him into it or did it behind his back. Logan would cover for him”, Starsky said seriously.
“Come on”, Hutch told Starsky. “Let’s get over there and talk to them.”
Damian sat at the computer running through the faces from the party and he sighed. Most of them were just for show, but there were some key players the agency had their eye on. He went through the short list time and time again hoping for something to give him an idea on what Marcus was planning.
He heard the knock at his door and shut off the computer. Damian answered it and he stood there for a moment before opening the door for them. He closed it and stood in the middle of the room.
“Where’s Logan”, Hutch asked.
“He had some stuff to take care of”, Damian answered. “He’ll be back late tonight.”
“Just to take care of some stuff”, Starsky asked.
“Well, you know how it is”, Damian said as he walked over to the couch. “Some stuff takes longer than others.”
“This stuff wouldn’t have anything to do with Armando Marcus”, Hutch asked.
“Oh, that reminds me”, Damian said with a snap of his fingers. Damian kneeled down and pulled the transmitter out from underneath the couch. He tossed it to Starsky who caught it in his hands. “I’ll admit we were sloppy about not checking behind ourselves, but if you both decide to track us again, we’ve fixed that little problem.”
Starsky looked down at the transmitter in his hand and smiled a little.
“You both might as well give it up”, Damian told them. “The cop tricks are no match for us.”
“How long ago did you two get fired”, Starsky asked.
Damian looked at him for a moment and smiled. He picked up a cigarette and lit it.
“Just before we got here”, Damian answered.
“I guess ripping off the agency doesn’t pay as well as you think”, Hutch said with a side look.
“Hey, man”, Damian said. “Last I heard Barcelona was out of your jurisdiction.”
“You know, Starsk”, Hutch said. “I would bet we’d get more answers out of Logan.”
“Well, you can wait for him”, Damian said as he took a drag. “He didn’t take his cell phone.”
“That’s a first”, Starsky said.
“So if my son needs to get a hold of anyone, he can’t”, Hutch asked.
“If he needs to bad enough I’m sure he can”, Damian offered. “He’s a big boy.”
“I’m getting a little tired of playing this bullshit game”, Starsky told Hutch. “Maybe a more thorough shakedown is in order.”
“You two just won’t be happy until you know everywhere Logan goes and what he does. No wonder he stayed away”, Damian said with a smirk.
Hutch reached over and yanked Damian to his feet.
“If I find out you’re the reason behind any of this, Damian, there will be no place for you to hide.”
“You don’t have shit”, Damian told Hutch. “You’re just grinding at the bit because Logan won’t let you run his life.”
Hutch pushed him away and Starsky walked over to him.
“Tell me something, Damian”, Starsky asked. “Why does Logan keep you around? You’ve managed to make everyone who cares about him hate you pretty thoroughly, you’ve been arrested once in the short time you’ve been here and Logan’s even providing for you.”
Damian looked at him evenly and didn’t speak. Starsky took a step closer to Damian.
“Do you have something on him? It would explain everything to date”, Starsky told him. “Maybe Logan’s not really your friend and you’ve got something big enough for him to play the part as good as he has.”
“We’re finished”, Damian stated giving Starsky a cold look.
“Come on, Starsky”, Hutch said. “We’ll find out what’s going on without his help.”
After they left, Damian stood not moving for a moment. He walked over to the window and watched them leaving. As soon as the car was out of sight, he walked over and put his holster on the back of his jeans. He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door.
Hutch sat behind the driver’s side of the car and watched as Damian walked outside of the apartment building. He got in his car and sped away. Hutch waited a moment before following him.
“You rattled him”, Hutch stated.
“Maybe it’s enough for a mistake”, Starsky observed.
They were more careful about following Damian and all appearances were they were rather successful. Damian stopped the car in front of a small nondescript office building. He got out of the car and Starsky and Hutch waited unseen.
Nathan watched as Damian slumped down in a chair across from him.
“From the look of it, I’d say you’re having a tough time with Logan’s father”, Nathan guessed.
“I guess that’s why you are our supervisor”, Damian told him. “Starsky and Hutch just paid me a visit and they are getting entirely too close, Nathan.”
“It looks like it’s more than that. You look pissed.”
“Goddamn them”, Damian whispered angrily. “They actually think I’m blackmailing my best friend!”
“You wanted them to despise you, Damian. You accomplished your objective.”
“Logan was right, Nathan. It’s backfiring on me and I can’t afford them to look too deeply into me.”
“I’ll take care of it. They won’t know a thing about your background.”
“I don’t give a damn what they think of me”, Damian said. “I just hate the fact that I could be causing more problems for Logan and his old man. I kinda like the guy.”
“But not Starsky”, Nathan observed.
“He’s a dick”, Damian said. “He’s loyal, but still a dick.”
“Well, I could see if I have a diversion for them in my hat”, Nathan offered.
“I’m not sure if it would take. Hutch is determined to find out what’s going on with us and we can’t afford him to take too much of an interest in what we’re doing. I’ll throw them off.”
“Is this something which will require my legal services”, Nathan said with a smile. “I doubt I can pull any more favors to keep you out of jail.”
“No. I’ve got to stay close to Logan as much as possible.”
“When Logan gets back, have him talk to his father”, Nathan told him.
“Not on this one, Nathan. He’ll just go off on him and it’ll make things worse on their relationship.”
“Damian”, Nathan said softy. “I know this isn’t easy for you.”
“It’s just the way it’s got to be and we knew that from the beginning. I’d better go”, Damian said standing up.
“I’ll walk you out.”
They left and walked outside and stood near the black sports car. Starsky and Hutch observed Damian talking with his lawyer. They watched as Nathan spoke with him and put an affectionate hand on his shoulder. He walked back inside and Damian drove away unaware of the eyes that watched the exchange.
“Well, that’s odd”, Starsky said.
“Not unless he’s suing us for harassment”, Hutch replied.
“Hutch, this building stood empty for over two months. Up until a week ago nobody was using this office space.”
“Too much of a coincidence. Let’s run a make on Damian’s lawyer”, Hutch said as he started the car.
continued in part II