JAMorrison

*the lieutenant pauses for a moment, realizing there was truly no longer any animosity or hostility between him and Brian. They indeed, were even. Jack still had wounds to heal but at that moment he felt more of a sense of peace than he had felt for a long time. Perhaps coming to Hazzard hadn't been a mistake afterall...* *he nods now to Brian* "Sure. I think we could both use a good drink after what we just been through."

*Jack looks up from the gun being held out to him to meet Brian’s gaze. A stunned moment passes and then the lieutenant gives a sad smile* “After the introduction and impression I left back in town?†*shakes head* “I dunno…†*accepts the gun and tucks it back into holster under suit jacket* “After all this, I might be better off just going back…home to Atlanta…†*there was something in the way the word home was spoken that made it seem uninviting. Jack walked over to his Caprice and placed the shotgun back in the trunk, closing the trunk lid.* *Then he pauses, looking off to the distance at the trees, listening to the far off calls of crows and blue jays. He had no right, he felt, to come crashing into someone else’s world after his own was torn apart. He should just go back to Atlanta, pick up the pieces and carry on. But Atlanta was so hard to bear now. He needed time. Time to heal…* *He looks over at Brian* “Unfortunately, I’m stuck in Hazzard for a bit anyway, since you blew out my radiator…â€

*meets the dark eyes and nods* "We're even... though, may you never, ever feel the way I felt that day in Atlanta. May nothing ever happen to your kin, Brian, that it sends you to the edge and when you find yourself looking over it and you think you're about to go, don't think to take anybody with you - like I nearly did." *turns and steps away to pick up the empty shot gun, the lieutenant's movements slow and haggard. With the shot gun lazily held in hand, goes looking for 9mm pistol that had been chucked earlier, using the shot gun barrell to poke through shrubs and tall grass.*

"Yeah, I guess it was. Of course, when I got here the place was already up for grabs, I kinda got caught up in all the hubbub." *points to the ticket the Coltrane is still holding* "In a way, that ticket is a peace offering, if you can believe it. I expected you to react badly but I was confident it wouldn't be the worst. Although a little bit ago, as I stood there staring down that shotgun barrell, I had some doubts. But in the end, you held true to what I already knew. You're not a killer, Brian."

*Jack had started to turn away and then turned back to Brian.* "I was looking for... a place. To be." *the lieutenant shifted his weight, feeling awkward, and heard the faint crumple of paper from the inside pocket of his suit jacket* "Oh, and this..." *he reached in and retreived the parking ticket. He held it up* "I didn't issue this, but it's a parking ticket with your name on it dated 4 years ago. This was my official reason for being here...Justice demanding her payment... "

*The report of the shotgun caused Jack to flinch and he literally buckled, nearly falling to his knees before he realized the gun had been turned away from him. He caught himself, and his heart, and looked at Brian as the young man spoke, holding his breath until the shotgun was finally tossed away – despite knowing on some level that the damn thing was empty* *the silence of the forest hung in the air. It took a moment for Jack to find his voice* “No, I didn’t have second thoughts. I didn’t come for a different ending...†*he paused* “I came… looking for something else.†*Jack took a shaky step forward* “Something I had no right to look for to begin with but I came anyway. “ *he paused, now a few feet from Brian. There was more to say but no words to articulate any of it. Jack’s “reason†for coming to Hazzard – an overlooked, or perhaps trumped up, parking ticket with Brian’s name on it from Atlanta was forgotten in the lieutenant’s pocket. None of it mattered. Jack hadn't issued it and was going to tear it up anyway. It seemed the best thing to do now, was to leave Hazzard as soon and as quietly as possible.* *the whole thing had been so ill timed and such a disaster, he couldn't believe he had even come to Hazzard to begin with. Figuring he had finally lost his mind, he simply shook his head* “I’m sorry, Brian… For coming here. For all of it.â€

*Jack’s arms felt heavy but he kept them up, his gaze never wavering from Brian. No, he wouldn’t plead for his life. But if the opportunity to speak would buy him a few extra precious minutes of life, he would take it* “I was wrong,†*he said finally* “I was trying to make something right at the time, something that had been ripped away from me. You were the only one in easy reach to …†*Blame? Jack let his words hang and shook his head* “But I was wrong.†*Jack paused to draw a deep breath* “And…coming here was wrong too. I didn’t come here for this. There’s a legitimate reason I’m here, yes, but…I don’t know that it’s worth getting shot over. “ *pauses only a moment before continuing* “You have some very protective and loyal friends and kin, Brian. I guess I wanted to see it for myself. I was curious. You don’t want to hear an apology, I’m sure, and I’m not the kind to plead for my life. So…†*Jack eyed the shotgun and then met Brian’s gaze again.* *It was up to Brian…*

*The lieutenant was already filled with dread. This had all gone so wrong, so fast. Jack hadn't come to Hazzard to have things end like this. He hadn't even come with any intention of harming Brian, or even arresting him. With a heavy sigh, he reached back in to his shoulder holster and removed his gun. He held it by the barrell in his left hand and held the weapon up and out to his side, in clear view of Brian back at the road. The gun was then tossed away.* *Then, carefully, Jack turned away from the tree and finally revealed himself to Brian. The hands were raised up slowly, the suit jacket hung open. Jack was a clear target and he knew it. He saw Brian and the shot gun aimed steady at him. His heart drummed in his ears and he drew in a gulp of air, taking that first fearful step forward.*

*Jack flinched as the tree took the bullet. He stood up straight, back flat against the tree and suddenly decided against revealing himself to fire a shot back. As he had waited for the shot to come, he realized that one barrell could be fired at a time. Jack ran the risk of being cut down by the second barrell the moment he revealed himself from behind the tree* *So he was stuck. His options ranged from dumb to worse. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed with defeat, Jack slid the safety back on his 9mm and slipped it back into his shoulder holster. He leaned his head back against the tree.* "BRIAN! YOU WIN! I GIVE UP!"

*Meanwhile, back a ways down the road from the cabin but still within sight of it, Jack Morrison sat in his Caprice and watched as Julie was carried inside. Jack, as luck would have it, had arrived in Hazzard and was driving by the Boar's Nest when he saw the black Mustang.....and the familar black Chevy Impala parked in the lot. But then he had noticed that Julie was being forced into another car, a Mercedes. He had turned his car around and then followed the Mercedes, staying back a good distance so as not to be seen.* *It had worked and he followed the car all the way to this cabin. Unfortunately, Jack didn't know the terrain in Hazzard very well so he wasn't sure where exactly he was. But whatever was going on, there was no way he could stop it by himself.* *He reached for his CB radio and changed it to the police channel.* "Calling the Hazzard County Sheriff. Sheriff Coltrane, are you out there?" (Cue anyone...)

*Jack flinched and pressed the front of his body against the tree, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he had to get out of there, he had to get back some kind of advantage if he expected to ever make it home again. He reached in for his 9mm from the shoulder holster and then turned his body carefully so that his back now pressed against the tree trunk. Brian was using the shotgun, which meant he had to reload after discharging the two shells. Jack had heard the pump action of the gun soon enough after the shots were fired and knew Brian had reloaded rather quickly. Still...he had to reload, which gave Jack only a few precious seconds to take advantage of.* *Jack held the 9mm in front of him and breathed slowly, trying to slow his racing heart. He waited several long moments, sensing that the powerful shotgun was aimed directly at the tree he was hidden behind, before turning his head to the left and leaning out ever so slightly to peer jsut a hair around the tree trunk...*

*Jack cursed his luck - and apparent lack of smarts - as he watched from behind a tree in the woods as Brian rummaged through the Caprice. Now, Brian had not just one gun...he had two. And he was probably just itching to use the shot gun.* *Jack still had his 9mm, and two extra clips in his pocket, but he swore under his breath. The odds were now very much against him. Jack considered his limited options: Stay in the woods and wait for Brian to come looking for him, or keep walking and find a way out on the otherside, find another road and take his chances there. Brian didn't seem to be in any hurry to come looking for him, so Jack figured he was waiting. And given the hour of the day, he figured he was waiting for nightfall.* *The sun was creeping low toward the western horizon. There was only a few precious hours until dusk. Jack turned around, keeping his back to the tree trunk that he was hidden behind and he surveyed the wooded area he was in.* *The Georgia pines were thin where he was at, but thickened further back. There was no telling how far back the woods ran, it could have been anywhere from a mile to ten miles. He wondered if it was possible for him to make a bad decision twice.* *There was, of course, one more option. A crazy option. Insane. Practically suicide. Jack couldn't believe he was even briefly considering it since Brian had a fully loaded shotgun in his hands. They were the only two on the road and in the area. There were no witnesses. Jack could be gunned down and it would be over.* *Or would it? The only thing that gave him any consulation was if something did happen to him, Atlanta police would come looking for him and for answers. And Brian's cousins would have a very difficult decision to make as to what they told.* *Afterall, Jack had only come to Hazzard to pick up justice's overdue payment...* *On the other hand, Jack wasn't looking to get himself killed easily. So the last option was discarded.* *He glanced over his shoulder, peering around the tree trunk back at Brian, still standing by his Impala. Jack then faced the woods again and took a deep breath. He then launched himself away from the tree and went straight, keeping the tree he had left between himself and Brian's line of sight. Coltrane would catch a glimpse of him, he was sure, especially as he zig zagged around a smaller tree to duck behind a larger one for cover.* *Reaching just such a tree, Jack paused, hidden and peered around back toward the road*

*Jack had yet to even get out of his car and to do so at that moment seemed foolhearted. He had seen the black Impala turn around down the road, idle still for a few moments and then start to roll in his direction.* *He had few options for this turn of events. The Caprice had redlined and wasn't about to move any further. It didn't look like Brian was aiming the Impala directly at the Caprice but that didn't mean he couldn't swerve over at the last minute and slam into the car head on. Jack could scoot over and bail out the passenger door but then he could end up being chased on foot by the phantom black Chevy, if the Caprice ended up not being hit* *Other possibilities entered Jack's mind. Grim possibilities. Brian had a gun and could be on the way back to use it again...to put a stop to Jack once and for all.* *That did it. Total survival instincts took over and Jack decided staying in the car had worse odds than fleeing. He scooted across the seat of the Caprice and popped open the passenger door, bailing from the car. He ran like hell toward a small patch of woods just beyond the road*

*Jack flinched at the sound of gunfire and for a split second thought Brian might have been trying to shoot the driver of the Caprice and not the Caprice itself. But then it soon became evident that the Caprice took a direct hit in the radiator as white steam billowed out from the front of the car.* *Wounded, the Caprice quit its persuit and pulled over to the side of the road. The dust from the chase hung in the air, along with the sound of the Impala's fading exhaust note as the big black car got away...*

"Somehow I find that hard to believe. Brian Coltrane doesn't let cops bring him in for anything..."