CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE - A Real Bond

When we left our heroes, Mike was roped and hung and beaten to a pulp, Eddie was overcome by poisonous fire ants and a local cop who decided to join in on their investigation, Billy Gervis, was stabbed in the arm while struggling with their nemesis, Herman, who runs a cannibalistic bed-n-breakfast with his mother. The two were apprehended, Mike and Billy will soon be treated for their wounds and be back on their feet in no time, but Eddie's life is still in grave danger.

MIKE - I got the crap beaten outta me and was treated for bruises, and Boy-Cop Billy was treated for that slash on his arm. I knew we'd both be okay - I'd been through worse and Billy was shot on duty - the day he lost his partner. But what about Eddie? He fell unconscious back at that dump after being wasted by those god-damned ants. Both of those boys suffered horrible torture - Billy had to watch video of his partner dying, and Eddie was eaten alive. At this point, I was mad enough to breathe fire - I wanted blood for what those animals did to them - two sweet boys who never did a thing to anyone. This was beyond your usual cops-n-robbers stuff.

"Detective?"

"Wha- oh, hey, there."

It was one of the doctors working on Eddie.

"How's he gonna be? Is he gonna be okay?"

"That's exactly what we're working on now. Your friend was bleeding internally after all those bites, so we're stitching all that up. We did stabilize his vital signs so far, so there's no real reason for concern. You got him here in good time and all there's left to do is wait."

"Thank you"

Wait - oh, is that all? God these places make me nuts.

In another room, Billy's arm was getting stitched up and a bandage was placed on the wound. He was advised to take it easy and come back in about a week to check the wound to see if it was healing. With his good arm, he shook the doctor's hand and was checking out. While there, he asked an attending nurse how Mike and Eddie were doing. Although they all came in at the same time, from the same scene of the crime, the by-the-book Ratched refused to disclose any information as Billy was neither significant other nor family.

"I'm a police officer and I was working this investigation with the other two gentlemen, and..."

"I understand, but this is hospital policy. If there's any problem, you can take it up with my superiors."

He sneered slightly and growled, "I'm gonna take up a lot more than that." He walked away frustrated, but just as he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of Mike down the hall, in the waiting area. He turned back to the very uncooperative desk nurse and sneered, "the heck with you - I'll ask him myself."

At this point, Mike walked over to a window, folded his arms and just stared straight out - anything to ease his mind, but it wasn't working very well. Billy approached him from behind, calling out to him. No response. Mike had been so distracted by his own anguish over Eddie he saw and heard nothing, but he felt a hand on his shoulder. His first reaction was to jump and get into a defensive stance, but then he realized it was Billy, and there was nothing to defend himself against here.

"Oh, sorry, kid, I guess it's just a reflex."

Billy smiled and said, "nah, don't worry about it".

"They took care of you back there?"

"Yeah, sure did - I gotta come back in a week to look at the stitches - all 78 of them."

"Holy crap - that's a pretty deep cut."

"Yeah, nearly severed a nerve, but they caught it - it should be all right..." Then he feels a sharp stinging sensation and holds his arm, grimacing -

"...but how're you holding up?"

MIKE - I always play the tough guy - comes with the territory - never let 'em see ya sweat. Villains - citizens - they can't see ya weak. Only Eddie knows my pain, my struggles, my weaknesses - it's nothing for this kid to find out. So I thought. I was ready to put on the old hard-nosed bit, but the sight of this baby-blue-eyed angel got to me. This wasn't just any average-Joe on the street - this boy saved our lives - we might've gotten out of our traps, maybe we wouldn't - who knows - but this kid deserves the truth - my eyes darted back and forth on his.

"I'm not. Those ants almost ate him alive. This is the worst thing he's ever been through. Billy, I don't wanna lose him."

Billy smiled and said, "That's not gonna happen. The docs are doing everything they can. I think you can use some company."

"Truth is - yeah, I'd really like that."

Mike and Billy sit on the waiting room bench, Billy still clutching his arm wound. Mike chuckles to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, this whole thing - it all started with a guy whose wife thought he took a powder on her. We usually get him with some other dame and have to hear about how she's gonna take the poor bastard to the cleaners while we're waiting on our cash. But this - I never thought it could turn into this."

Mike's soft chuckle then turned into a moan as he put his head in his hands again, "oh, God"

Billy reached over with his good arm and put his hand on Mike's shoulder. Mike continued to lament, "why couldn't I get to Eddie sooner?"

"Please don't say that. It's nobody's fault, except for the bad guys. You were tied up and almost beaten unconscious. That psycho was about to grind you up - we found Eddie alive - we got him here in time."

"You certainly did"

Mike and Billy look up and see one of the surgeons working on Eddie.

"Is he...?"

The surgeon nodded and smiled, "his vitals are stabilized, he's becoming stronger, more coherent, we moved him out of ICU and into a regular room. We'll need to keep him here for a couple of days for observation, but he's going to be good as new."

Mike and Billy shake hands with the surgeon and thank him. "Can we see him?"

"Shortly - he's being transferred right now."

The surgeon walks away and Mike says, "boy, he's not gonna like this too much - he hates hospitals."

"Don't we all."

The two look at each other and chuckle, then Mike's demeanor grew serious. "Billy, I gotta talk to ya. Something you said earlier really cut me to the quick."

The boy-cop was shocked. His eyes opened wide. "I said something to offend you?"

"Yeah - ya did - bad cop - when me-n-Eddie got over here to check out this missing guy, you were talkin' about your partner - you call yourself a bad cop just 'cuz you survived a shoot-out. You pulverized that punk that popped your partner - then today, when you were off the clock, you risked your life checkin' out the goings-on at that inn. You were shot, stabbed, tortured, you rescued me, you helped take down that cannibal ring, you helped me get to Eddie, and now he's gonna be okay - you sat with me here. Now if that makes you a bad cop, I'd sure as hell would love to see a good one...and I do, right in front of me. With all you did today, I know this town's gonna be as safe as a baby in his mother's arms with you around. Never call yourself bad again."

Billy's face fell as he thought of his partner, Herbie, and he resumed holding his wounded arm. "I just miss him. All throughout this, it felt like I was partnered up again. I loved being at your side - it was enough just to meet you guys, but then, when I actually fought crime with you....you of all people - you have no idea what an honor it was. I'd go through it all over again in a minute for you."

"And you were a good guy to have my back, too, and I'd scoop ya up like that if I didn't have Eddie - and I know there's a cop out there who doesn't have what I got - he hasn't found you yet. This is the best kinda life for a boy to live, but it's nothin' without someone at your side, sharin' the sufferin' as well as the success. Partner up again, kid. There's a real bond there - a real bond."

MIKE - Billy was sad that he'd have to give me back to Eddie, but that only made room for someone else to come along - and he did. I stayed in town while Eddie recuperated and we came back a few weeks later to see Billy receive a commendation from his department on the help he gave us at the bed-n-breakfast. Another officer recently transferred over from another town. His partner had just quit the force. Wouldn't ya know it - the guy's name was Mike, too. Now they ride together - in and out of the sunset. Just like me-n-Eddie.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT - BILLY THE BOY (COP) WONDER

After enduring several beatings while tied up for hours in the tenderizing room, Mike began to quickly weaken. He was sure he was breathing his last. He thought to himself, "God, I always knew this day was gonna come, but I didn't think it'd be like this. Thank God we saved that other guy - at least we..." he grimaced when suffering a sudden pang, "...did our...job". His head fell forward. Was he dead? Was he unconscious? Was he just resting his eyes?

Eddie felt he was beginning to lose the struggle, too. There were now open welts all over his body from being bitten by fire ants. The bites didn't even hurt anymore, as Eddie was beginning to lose all feeling. He also didn't think he would go out in such a grisly manner. He always imagined himself being gunned down in battle - at least he was fighting - now, he was captured, sedated, tied down, and eaten by poisonous insects. "If this is the way I'm supposed to go out, then, all right", he thought. "I had a good life - I did good", his eyes getting heavier, til he finally passed out.

Meanwhile, Boy Cop couldn't be more agitated. He'd been pulling against the ropes whoch had bound him from the ceiling. He, too, had begun to lose all hope, then, suddenly, he heard a pop from over his head. It was a few strands of rope fiber, breaking off. "Wow - it's getting loose - it's starting to fray - all RIGHT!" He yanked more ferociously as the video was playing non-stop.

"Come on, you son-of-a...." he growled as he yanked non-stop "Just keep going!" He yanked away until one of his arms finally came loose. He gave one more good yank, then his left arm was free! Then he reached over and untied his other hand, then hit the ground running. He considered the open window - his first thought was to come to the aid of his newly-found friends.

He leaped out of the window to his torture chamber and headed straight to where Mike was being held. He knew exactly where it was before he was captured. He looked inside and saw Herman undo Mike's bonds, take him by his arms and drag him over to the shredder. Without any regard to his own life, Boy Cop leaped inside and confronted Herman.

"Unhand my friend you contemptible cretin!"

Startled, Herman dropped the barely conscious Mike to the floor and was set for battle with Boy Cop.

"Hey! Baby-Cop! How the hell did you get loose?"

Slowly walking toward Herman, he snarled, "that's none of your business. I may have prevented you from pulverizing Mike, but you still face a boatload of charges - the least of which is what you've done to the three of us so far."

Herman took a threatening stance. "I gotta warn you, Baby-Cop - you better not take another step - or else."

"You're bluffing and not very well. You know I gotcha."

"Nope - looks like I got you."

With a sleight of hand, Herman brandishes an open switchblade. His opponent stops dead in his tracks, arms somewhat upraised. Is he surrendering? Hardly. He's very carefully anticipating Herman's every move, plotting his defense strategy.

"I might not need the shredder for you - this'll do just fine - you'll be dismembered within seconds."

"Holy ginsu"

Seeing the knife in Herman's right hand, the cop thrusts his left hand over and grabs hold of Herman's right wrist and aims it upward. As the two struggle, the cop pushes Herman backward, extends his leg behind him, tripping his adversary knocking him to the ground. The cop continues to pound Herman's hand against the ground, hoping to jar the knife loose and possibly get it away from him. Instead, Herman regains his sea-legs and pushes the cop back, but the cop isn't letting go of his wrist. The cop punches Herman in the chest with a right hook and sends a left jab right to his jaw, but with a sleight of hand, Herman strikes and cuts the boy cop right across his left bi-cep, just underneath his tee-shirt sleeve. He screams in pain as he grabs his left arm and staggers backward upon impact. Herman then grabs the cop by his throat and forces him over to the shredder - holding the cop down with one hand and switching the dreaded saw on with the other. The cop is hopeless to break loose from Herman's grip and starts shouting, "no - no". Herman pushes the cop's head closer to the shredder blades and it looks as if the boy's life is finished when, suddenly, Herman is sent flying across the room.

The cop looks up and nearly cheers as he discovers Mike has regained his strength and is about to subdue their opponent. He grabs one of Herman's hands and shouts out, "hurry! Grab his other hand - let's get this bastard up against the wall!"

"RIGHT!" he exclaims as they pin Herman to the same spot from which Mike was hanging helplessly. His hands are tied, and the cop spots the taser Herman was armed with, grabs it and aims at him, but not before some interrogation.

"Where are you holding Detective Robinson and what are you doing with him?"

Seeing no way out, Herman relents and tells them the room number of Eddie's torture chamber. Then the cop zaps Herman with the taser. Mike looks on and grins with admiration.

"Gosh, Detective. Thank my lucky stars you came around. I don't know what I would've done."

Mike smiles and puts his hand on the cop's shoulder. "I thank my lucky stars, too, kid. Worst case scenario, you would've given your life for your fellow law enforcement officer - and that's the noblest thing any man can do - but ya came through with flying colors. We saved each other's lives. Nice going, son. Nice going."

The cop beams from ear to ear, yet a look of sadness comes over the cop's now-downcast eyes.

"What's the matter kid?"

The cop doesn't say anything and it occurs to Mike that he's thinking of his late partner.

"Thinking about your guy, huh?"

The cop grits his teeth and nods. Mike puts his arm around the wounded officer, holding his bleeding arm.

"That dirtbag over there - had me tied up and forced me to watch a video he made of my partner's killing. He said if I had better aim, then he'd still be alive."

Mike gritted his teeth and snarled, "cretinous crumb"

"Don't you pay any attention to any kind of crap this guy dishes out to ya. Rememember, your guy was still alive when you popped that perp - and popped him good. You couldn't do anything about your guy's bleeding to death, but ya stopped this dirtbag from killing anyone else, including you. You saved my life and I'll always remember that - and now you're gonna help me save my guy's life, too."

"Gosh! Detective Robinson! We gotta go get him."

"It's Eddie! Let's GO!"

The terrific twosome sprint down the hall to Eddie's torture chamber, and on the way, Mike asks, "you know our names pretty good - what's yours?"

"Officer William Gervis - it's Billy to you guys."

Meanwhile as Eddie is wracked in agony, slowly being devoured by the killer fire ants, Herman's mother walks in to check on his "progress".

"Detective, please forgive me - I never wanted any part of this."

Struggling to find his next breath, Eddie plaintively gazes upon the old woman and begs, "then...why...are you...doing this?"

"I love my son - and I'll do anything for him."

"Including murdering me?"

Mother just looked away and said nothing.

"You...don't have an answer for me...do you?"

Then the door flies open with such force, it nearly comes off the hinges, much as Mike and Billy are about to.

"You get the hell away from my boy!"

The dreamy duo are stunned to see what's happening to their crimefighting comrade. Mike notices a glass-boxed fire extinguisher and breaks it open, as Billy reaches inside Eddie's tool belt and produces a wire cutter, which, of course, enables the fire ants to start nibbling at his hands and arms, too. Mike sprays the two of them, eradicating their enemies. Billy pounces on Mother and holds her hands behind her back.

"You got cuffs?"

"Always!", says Mike, as he throws Billy his pair. Eddie is cut loose, the ants are dead and Mike looks about the room in order to secure it, as Billy calls the police to collect the crooks, as well as placing a call for an ambulance for our wounded warriors. Mike's whole being is overtaken with fury as he spots a video camera on top of the door, taping the attempt on Eddie's life. He yanks the cord out from the socket, causing some sparks to fly, and he opens his coat to shield Billy and Eddie from the flickering fireworks, and takes the hit while protecting them. He then turns and moves slowly to Mother and snarls, "you goddamned motherfucking BITCH!".

He raises his hand to her and is about to strike when Eddie interjects, "Mike - she's...a lady."

"No - she isn't!" as he backhands her across the room. He lunges for her throat as he shouts, "tell me why you did this! What the hell was the point in all of this? WHAT? WHAT?"

Billy goes over to Eddie's bedside to see about him. Eddie had regained some strength to sit up on his bed. "Can you stand up, ya think?"

"I'm gonna try." He reaches out for Billy's hand and Billy helps him up to his feet, but Eddie had weakened so badly, he nearly collapses on the floor, but Billy catches him in time.

"Don't think you better try that just yet."

Eddie sees the bleeding cut on Billy's arm - "what happened to you?"

"Sonny Boy cut me - but it's nothing that can't be fixed. I'm really worried about you - you've got to get help right away - I called for an ambulance."

Eddie takes a deep breath and nods and says, "thank you. I'm glad you guys...got here in time. Mike always..."

Eddie's eyes close as his head goes back, but he still manages to say "...does..."

Billy sees Eddie fading out and screams to Mike, "MIKE! GET OVER HERE! IT'S EDDIE!"

Mike loosens the grip on Mother's throat as he rushes to his boy's side, "what ABOUT him?!?"

"He's fading fast." Billy feels Eddie's wrist and sticks two fingers under Eddie's neck.

"Good - he still has a pulse, but I can't say for how long."

Billy hears the distant sirens and rushes outside to meet the police and paramedics as Mike goes over to Eddie, picking him up and hugging him, sobbing, "no - please God, not Eddie! PLEASE!"

UNBELIEVABLE - IS MIKE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PAIN AS BILLY - HELPLESSLY WATCHING AS HIS BELOVED CRIMEFIGHTING CRONY SLOWLY SLIPS AWAY? WILL MIKE PICK UP THE PIECES AND TAKE BILLY ON AS HIS NEW SIDEKICK? WHY NOT? HE SURE DOES LOOK HOT IN THOSE TIGHT TEES, HAS A "HOLY" VOCABULARY AND CAN TAKE A HIT AS WELL AS HIS PREDECESSOR!

HOLY DICK SARGENT!

BUT WAIT - THE BODY'S NOT EVEN COLD - WHAT THE HELL AM I TALKING ABOUT? SHAME ON YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER AND SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!