Kristy_DUke

~BO DUKE~ "How you feelin' Bo?" Jesse finally asks to break the silence as he sits besides me upon the old torn cot, the young child, five or so old sits on Jesse's lap. I sigh warily at seeing another child sitting on my Uncle's lap, someone that isn't even related and I fight the urge to yell at him to get off his lap. Tensily I shrug my aching shoulders at him as I sit up to force the room to swirl quickly around me in fast circles in a state of dizziness. Pain flashes through my back, chest and my broken arm as well as through my legs. My whole body aches in great pain I have never known before from the beating I had endured before I blacked out from thier harsh beating with fists and boards; of which I just awaken from. My lungs still flame with harsh pain as I fight for air as I fight to clear my blurred vision. "Tell me how you feel," Uncle Jesse says in a half order and I sigh tiredly as I look up at him to find a fresh cut upon his right cheek with dried speckles of blood in his beard. A dark bruise starting to shape around it. "It's not like you could do anything to help," I snap at him in my own anger towards Drake and his men. Who could ever hit or say anything harsh to Uncle Jesse? If only Luke was here, he'd stop him...but what if he's dead? Fresh tears sting my eyes as I think of Luke lying in my arms, blood squirting out in a flood from where he had been shot; his clear intelligently blue eyes filled with pain and fear that I have never seen in them. "I wish I could," he sighs as he throws a caring arm around me and I tense up in pain as I force myself to glance down at my broken arm, the cast holding a thick tear through it. "Let me have a look-see," he finally says and I turn my back against him for him to raise my torn weak blue t-shirt. After a short second of silence I hear him grunt in anger at seeing my back where he had beat me at for a while. "We'll get out here, Bo, then you get some real care." "I don't care," I grunt knowing he was trying to comfort me. "You don't care?" he asks, his eyes mixed with anger and pain. "Not if Luke's dead," I say half way to myself and am shocked to hear myself say it out loud. "You don't know that...he's tough," he says with a half smile. Once again I shrug my aching shoulders as I fight back the tears that threaten to come. "It's OK to cry," Bryceton finally speaks up for the first time since the day I came here, "he makes me cry too...you hurt." I look at him for a long moment, his light greenish brown eyes looks at me with care and the innocence of a child. Silence begins to grow between us as the hard metal chair squeaks as Drake's gaurd moves in his chair as he watches us. Slowly I bring my pained legs in and hug them close to my bruised chest to hide my face into my knees as tears break loose. Emotions of anger, fear, and pain swirls quickly through me to force my heart to swell up with my tears. I gasp in surprise as the large door is aburptly thrown open and I quickly look up with tears running off my cold face to find Drake himself rushing in towards me. I cry out in pain and fear as he grabs me harshly by the back of my neck to force me on my feet and as I am dragged out the door I vaguely hear Uncle Jesse yell something at him. "I shoulda killed you both the day we got you, none of this would have happened!" Drake yells under his breath as several of his men loads large guns in the living room slash kitchen area of the cabin, "Thanks to you we'll have to FBI agents and the whole works...if you only have kept your large mouth shut, we'd all be happy!" I bite my lip in my attempt to cry out in pain as his tight grip tightens to make breathing an even harder task. "We're loaded boss, what now?" asks Brenden as he approaches with Raze, the two guys I first encountered. "Tell the others to surround the place, no one leaves this place alive," Drake threatens, "then you two come join the fun with me on the porch." "Yes sir," they say heading off in different directions to do as they are told to do. Drake cusses violently under his breath as he throws open the front door and the bright haze of dreary gray sky hurts my blurred eyes from being locked in the dark room for so long. After a long moment they slowly adjust and I fight off tears as I force myself to look around as I hear a familiar voice calls out in fear, "Bo!" My heart races in half excitement, relief, pain, and fear at the sight of Luke standing alive with Cooter along with three large men who holds guns out at us. "Yeah...I'm glad you recognize him now Luke," Drake calls out to them as he draws his black hand gun and I yell out in pain as he slams the butt of the gun upon my right cheek before shoving it into my temple, "because if y'all don't drop your guns, I'll pull the trigger and we all know that wouldn't be a pretty sight. Drop your guns!" I watch as Luke orders them to do as they are told frantically as the other two joins us on the porch. "What you want Drake?" Luke calls out. "There ain't nothin' for you to do now that I could possibly want...I got y'all surrounded...and none of you are getting out of here alive," he smiles evilly at us, "and then, we'll have the town all to ourselves." "Drake!" calls the one man I recognize from the hospital, Frank Mills, "Can't we talk this over? Release the kid why don't you...Bo didn't do nothing to you!" Drake laughs evilly before whispering something to Brendon's ear and he disappears into the cabin. "You want the kid don't you?" he laughs once again as Brendon returns with Bryceton and everyone yells out with surprise and anger. "Bryce, you go join those men." Bryceton looks up at me for guidance with his soft green eyes that shows anger, fear, and pain. "Go, they'll help you," I answer trying to be strong for him. "They can try, but they will fail," Drake says as we watch Bryceton walk to Frank and Cooter. Frank talks to Cooter who slowly picks up the kid and points to me as Cooter attempts to walk, "He moves anywhere and y'all are dead." Cooter stands instantly still with the kid.

Originality and Creativity is NOT a stupid thing and I don't believe I heard anyone call or say it is stupid. I have worked hard and fought hard to keep my originality, but it has now seemed to slip...what was once was original in my eyes don't seem so original...my ideas don't seem as original as they once were or where they started out to be. Which could be a part of my problem, I don't know; but I do know I will continue to work on it and use the ideas I have set out with. I understand where both of you are coming at and support you both, you both are great friends of mine and I want to thank you for all that you have done for me, for listening and trying to help on my writing. I think the only person that can help me with my writing now, is me. Thank-you for your support, thank-you everyone for your support in my writing. People has a right to be protective of thier characters and who they are...I know I am. I would be the first to stick of for Kristy and Garrett, to thier personalities, looks, occupations , to names. But there is soo many occupations that one can pick, if one person picks out of her head that she wants to be a secetary for Hogg without even thinking of Kristy or what not...that really isn't copying if she can prove and writes it differently. Hair and eye color are limited yes and there is many names out there...but if you have a character and a certian name fits perfectly, then why shouldn't you use it? I mean yeah, if it was like Kristy or Garrett who is a majoy role in my novels, that is one thing to be upset about, but if the name happens to be a minimal character's name and the person's character don't appear to look like or have the same trait as the minimal character...it dont' nessesarily count as copying I wouldn't think. I doubt that I am making any sense here, but I am typing as I think of it of how I feel about it. I don't think it is fit to argue over names to a character that is placed like once or twice in a fic when someone picks it out of her head for her character (unless the name is creative or made up). Now if someone picked out a minimal character out of one person's fic and built her character to have the same eye color, personality, hair color and looks, yeah that is something to be upset about and what not, but if someone just has the name with a diff. profile, then that is different I would think. Yes there are several job occupations out there, but in a small town there aren't always that many job occupations -everyone has thier likes and dislikes and perhaps two people like the same kind of work, why can't they both use that occupation for thier character if it is different? I don't know, just something to think about I guess. I don't know exactly what started this or what not, but as I said I see where you both are coming from. All that is my view point of it all. ~a minimal character's name or occupation isn't worth loosing friends or fighting over. I live in a small town and I can tell you there is several names that is repeated, even in the day care I work at there is a few kids' names that is repeated, one name is used on THREE kids. So what is the big deal? If someone used the main character like Kristy, Daney, or Essy; yeah that would be something to stick up for, but a minimal character that only shows up a couple of times? And Daney, I don't think anyone wants you to leave or wants to use your character. Daney is as part of you as you are of you! I don't think that is what Essy is talking about...using your character or anyone elses character- what I understand is that she wants to create her own character with it's own personality and what not, but not to fight over a name or an occupation, when she picked it out for her character. I don't know, but that is what I got and I may not be making any sense here...

~LUKE DUKE~ Slowly I throw the old muscle car into park within three large bushes that rest several feet from the green swamp. My stomach seems to do a long series of flips within me at the retched smell of the swamp floats in through the open windows. For a long moment Cooter and I sit silently in our seats as thoughts of my cousin play clearly in my head, of creating the General Lee together, to working on our car together, to all the races we have entered and raced within the General. Tears swell in my eyes at the thought of my cousin as the thought of loosing him tears through my memories to pierce my heart. "You ready?" I jump in surprise as Frank Mills shows up at my window with a few of his men. "Yes sir," I sigh pulling myself out through the door and am soon followed by Cooter who glares questionably at me, "What we do now?" "We split up into teams and search," Frank orders, "and whenever anyone finds something, we call on our walkee talkies. Understand? Anything and everything gets reported." "Yes sir," says his men who are bustled around us and I look around the large group of men to count at least fifteen men if not more. "Good," Frank sighs looking around, "I will go with Luke and Cooter...Agent Jonathen Loaks, Agent Keifer Klerks, and Agent Donnell Zarlen, I want you three to come with us. The rest of you group I want you to group in with three men to group to go seperate ways." "Yes sir," they say once again and I sigh as I see a tall thin man with his light brownish blond hair cut in a crew cut and hard green eyes walk up to us with a man a couple inches shorter and more muscular with a darker shade of brown that is neatly cut walks up to us, his dark blue eyes are cold and fierce. Glancing around I watch the men gather in groups as a broad shoulder tall and muscular African American reaches us, his whispy black hair cut short and in a crew cut and his dark brownish black eyes are just as hard and cold as the other two. "Agent Keifer Klerks," says the musuclar man with the thinly cut light brown hair and hard piercing blue eyes, "this is my partner Agent Jonathen Loaks," he says pointing to the taller of the three before pointing to the broad and muscular agent, "and this is Agent Donnell Zarlen." After shaking hands Frank says, "OK we all set...don't do nothing heroic, stupid, or foolish! Call if anything comes up." Slowly we all head into different directions of the swamp land, the swampy mud splashes disgustingly over our boots. A few moments pass of silence as my thoughts run wildly of all that they could be doing to Bo right now and as each horrible thought races through my head, my heart tightens worse in grief and in anger towards the men that has him. Anger soars with my grief, anger that I have never known before, anger so deep that it makes me anxious to find them, to attack them, to make them pay for even touching my cousin. "Stop," Frank mumbles in a harsh whisper that seems to echo through the silence that has grown between us. Stopping I force myself to glance up from glaring at the mudd to find an old dirty cabin with a large relaxing front porch that holds a scarred swing bench on it. My heart races within me as I spot a dirty cabin with a large wooden porch with a scarred swing bench only a few feet ahead of us. Besides me I hear Keifer shift his weight as two tall men walk out of the flimsy door and walk to the wooden railing where the two men pull cigerrettes from thier pockets and begin to light them. "Raze," the tall dark brown haired man says rubbing his dark goatee, though he holds the height he seems too thin to possess any threat; though doubt that is the case. "What is it, Bren?" the taller one of the two who holds tattoos up and down his bare arms snaps back at him as he lets out a cloud of thick smoke. Raze is tall and muscular with an old crew cut of blondish brown hair and a thin beard and mustache. "When will this all end? I mean the killing, the beatings?" Bren finally says looking off into the distance, "I don't mind beatin' the blond, he's fun to torture...but the old man? That's like beatin' my old man! The blond kid, yeah that's fun...but I can't do the old man. Drake said only a couple of months ...three at the most; it's been over a year now and now he's got the blond. Where does it end? I tol' Tisha I'd be home by now..." "Relax Bren, you are way too tense," Raze smiles evilly flicking some ashes off his cigerrette, "you need to relax and have some fun...go beat Bo good, torture him some, have some fun for yourself. Drake knows what he's doin'...he's takin' this whole town just like takin' candy froma baby. Before we know it we'll have this town all to ourselves, the people too scared to stand up to us and we can get away with everything!" "You're right," the younger one, Bren finally says, "I just got to worryin' last night about the FBI and all, I ain't gonna go down for Drake; he wouldn't go down for us and you know that Raze...everything is all about himself." "We're not going down, no one is," Raze says, "Drake says a day or so for the old man to really die and then a week tops for Bo before we slowly torture him to death...placing his body right at the Duke farm...make sure everyone sees his blody body; then it all begins to unravel." We watch for a moment as they go silent and Frank steps back and sends a call to the rest to where the hide out is. "Damn it," Frank mumbles under his breath as he steps up next to me, stepping on a large twig that makes a large snap, echoing off the swamp walls. "What was that?" Bren asks throwing his cigerrette out glaring around. "Damn it!" Raze says throwing his out, pointing right us...we've been seen! "Drake, get everyone out here! They found us!"

((((((((((ALL))))))))))))))))

No such thing as being too kind or too nice. It is great to know such great people as y'all and knowing that I have friends like you all. Thanks for everything...for listening and for the help. You all are great.

You are so welcome. I am really glad to know you and everyone on here, just like a big family khee. Y'all are great too!

YOu got that right Essy! There is a lot of great people on this board and I am glad to know all the people I know on hnet! Thanks for your friendship and all that you have done for me! Thanks all...and thank-you Essy, Daney, Val, Scoot, and Riddick for encouraging me to write no matter what. 8) Your support matters to me!...A whole lot. Thanks all! Your support matters the world to me...especiall in times as this. I am sorry for all the complaining that I had done! Thanks for everything! Y'all are the greatest!

CHAPTER SEVEN Sweat races down my clammy face as I sit silently at my desk looking down at the local newspaper today. Not sweat of heat, but of nerves of what is to come, of the near future. I sigh wearily at the sight of the FBI on the front cover as I read thoroughly over it before I place it back on my desk in disgust. Like publicitiy will help matters, but make them worse and with Hogg's appointment with Drake in mere minutes, I might as well as be signing my will. "Sheriff," my loyal deputy rings out from his desk to make me jump a foot in my chair. "Ding dang it Enos!" I yell out trying to cover up my embarrassment of my surprise, "Don't you ever warn people before doing stuff?" "Sorry sir," Enos sighs, "I was just wonderin' if you are OK? I mean you have been out more th an in lately and now you look way out of it...almost as if you are very scared of something. Perhaps I could help you?" "There is nothing that can help me now...might as well as count me as dead," I sigh throwing the paper at him that admits I have been working with the FBI, " a whole fleet of army couldn't save the mess I got myself into. . .I just, well I just had to do the right thing." "I knew you were a good guy Sheriff," the humble deputy says smiling up at me before fear streaks his face as he suddenly realizes what this means. "Yeah perhaps a little too late though. Drake is on his way here and Hogg ain't lettin' me go no wheres," I sigh thinking of ways to escape, "Drake ain't gonna forgive me, but make me pay one way or the other. Just like he did Jesse." "Jesse?" his voice squeaks. "Yeah Jesse Duke. A week before his death he had called me, saying how he saw Drake himself kill a man in cold flesh; one of his own men...then beat a child afterwards," I pause as guilt rushes through me, "he called and told me the truth, I knew it was the truth, and I did nothing. You know why I did nothing? Because I was chicken! Too loyal to Hogg and chicken of his partner. And because I was chicken Jesse was killed and perhaps now Bo...though killing Jesse was killing apart of Bo. He hasn't even started to recover and it's been a year...he may never recover but live in mourning and sorrow if he makes it through this. Just because of me!" "Yeah, but what counts sheriff, is that you are now doing the right thing," he sighs stepping up to me to hand me the paper. "Well it won't matter much now," I grunt, "Drake don't want no witnesses and that is why all this has gone on...hey one good thing may come about this." He looks at me questionably before saying, "What's that?" "Hazzard may actually be appointed with a loyal and trust worthy sheriff....you," I say. "Me?" he squeaks, "No not me, I could never be sheriff of this town or any town. Think positive Sheriff, Frank and his men are searching and working hard to get this man." "Not fast enough," I sigh and with that the front door to the sheriff station is thrown open and Drake in tight dark blue jeans, black leather cowboy boots, a tight blue flannel shirt and a white cowboy hat walks in. His jet black hair hangs slightly noticeably under his hat, chills of fear races up and down my back as he glares at me with his dark evil eyes. "Rosco!" he snaps signalling me to follow. I sigh silently as I get praying to myself that this will go by quickly and painless. Slowly I follow him into Hogg's smokey office where we both take a seat across from Hogg's desk where he sits behind. "Look Drake," Hogg starts off, "we all know why you are here," Hogg glares angrily at me with his dark brown eyes, "but I had nothing to do with this dimwitted sheriff of my talking to the FBI. Really I didn't, you have to believe -" "I don't have to believe anything!" he snaps at us and we both jump at his harsh tone of voice, "We had an agreement Hogg...no officials no FBI and no cops other than your hick sheriff! ANd now...now the FBI is searching everywhere. For what? For me. Why? Because dumbo over there ratted us out!" "Well if you hadn't killed Jesse Duke they wouldn't be here now would they?" I ask scarcastically no longer able to stop myself, "Nor if you hadn't kidnapped Bo Duke they wouldnt' have to be here! Let him go Drake...alive and well. I will tell them to go, but not until then!" "That'll never happen!" he yells jumping to his feet. I gasp as he clenches tightly onto my uniform shirt and I yell out in pain as he thrashes me into the wall, "he knows way too much to be sent free and now so do you. I trusted you and now...well you both are gonna say good-bye!" "No wait!" Hogg yells jumping to his feet, "I had no plan in this or with the FBI...it was him!" Hogg goes silent for a moment in thought, "You killed Jesse didn't you? Rosco was right?" "Of course I did," he smiles, "Nice and easy...soon it'll be Bo! I'll make sure to send pictures along this time." "You jackass! I tol' you no one gets hurt or killed for that matter!" Hogg yells momentarily forgetting who Drake is for Drake to pull out a large black hand held gun to aim it at him and then at me. "Wait, can't we work on something? Don't kill me...or Rosco! He may be dimwitted at times, but he's the best I got!" "Too late for that Hogg, you both double crossed me and thanks to you him the FBI are all over the place, looking for me!" he yells back handing me across the face with the butt of the gun before shoving it harshly against the side of my head and I wince in pain and fear, "Say good bye to your buddy Rosco here, Hogg!" Drake laughs as my heart races wildly within me at the thought of the next second may hold. "Drake, please don't do this," Hogg pleas him, "I'll pay you, you name the price...just don't kill me or him." "Why do that?" Drake laughs, "When I can kill you both and then take the money....well I'll have to finish the deputy out there as well, but it all works out. Y'all are dead and I get the money. Say good bye Rosco!" I fight back tears of pain and great fear as I shove my eyes tightly close as if it would protect me from anything. Gulping I slightly feel his finger move upon the trigger just as I hear the door besides me being thrown open. Forcing my eyes open I sigh in relief to see Luke Duke and Cooter standing there with Frank Mills and a couple of his men. I fight to squirm as his finger inches closer to squeezing it before Luke tackles him roughly to the ground for the bullet to fly off the roof, throwing plaster around the floor. For a while, I numbly watch Luke beat Drake continuesly, showing the anger that he has trapped within for several months due to the loss of his uncle and now perhaps Bo. "Where's Bo?" Luke finally asks letting go of him while holding him on hte floor with his weight. "Dead...you'll never find him," he laughs as blood spills out of his mouth, "you shoulda been there Luke, you would have loved to see how we slowly tortured him to death...beat him to death really, with all sorty of things. Shoulda seen all the blood he lost and the pain in his eyes as he yelled his last yell and breathed his last breathe. We should have video taped it so you could have seen it over and over, as much as you wish." With that Luke angrily punches him over and over with great force as tears roll freely down his cheeks while Cooter stands above watching with Frank and his two men. "OK Luke," Frank finally says bending down to grab Drake, "That's enough, we got him." With that Cooter forces Luke off of Drake while Frank forces Drake to his feet. I gasp out in surprise as Drake elbows Frank in the chest before punching him to the ground and sending a couple of kicks to the two men. "Rosco! Get him!" Hogg yells, his eyes still full of rage toward either me or Drake. Fear continues to grab a hold of me as I begin to go after him only for him to grab his gun and aim it at me. "I wouldn't think of doing anything, sheriff," he grins before running out of the room where he shoves Enos down on his way to the door. "Dan and Eric, I want you to chase him as far as you can get," Frank orders, "I will ride with Luke and Cooter. Rosco, you stay in town and keep us posted." "On what?" I ask as the two of his men disappear. "On anything that goes down, " Frank says in a rush, "If we find his hide out and need you, we will call you." "Ten four," I say reluctantly as Luke pats me on the back before they leave as well to leave me a lone with Hogg. "I should have listened," Hogg finally says to break the silence, "I shoulda knew it was him...who else woulda done that? I kept telling myself perhaps it was one of his men that did it, against his orders. I fooled myself into believing Drake and for what? Money and greed. Now Hazzard is in danger, Jesse dead and perhaps Bo. Oh Rosco, what have I done?" "You played with fire and you got burned," I respond, "everyone got burned. Next time you will learn...if there is a next time." He glares at me before sitting back down in his swivel chair while grabbing a cigar to light. "Everyone burned due to me? I can't believe he is capable of...yes I can believe he is capable, I just didn't want to believe he was. I mean, he had good money and good business -" "Greedy and illegal business may I add," he glares at me angrily. "Did I ask for your opinion? If you hadn't gone to the FBI behind my back, we wouldn't -" "You wouldn't go in with me and you know it Hogg," I respond, "so don't be giving me that it is my fault for the article! I had to do the right thing and the right thing for the county was to go for help before any more harm was done!" "I just didn't want to believe who he was...how wrong could I be?" he asks himself out loud, "Damn it."

~LUKE DUKE~ My mind races from thought to thought as I stare silently out of The General's clean windshield in a half trance. I gasp in pain as I turn to look out through the passenger side window to find Cooter slowly tredging along from his old shack like garage. "You know I am beginning to regret doing that favor for you," he comments as he forces himself through the passenger's open window. "What? You too is willing to sit by and wait for Bo's dead body to show up somewhere?" I ask harshly feeling the pain tremble down my body, "Well, I for one refuse to sit and do nothing while they torture him! You are either with me or not with me...you better make up your mind now Cooter, for I ain't turning back! And for your information, if you hadn't helped me escape out of the damn hospital, I would have found my own way out!" Besides me, I hear him take a long sigh to calm himself down before saying, "I know you would have, that is why I did help you before you tried doing something stupid to get out of there. You aren't doing Bo no good if you wind up dead...or hurt for that matter!" for a moment he goes silent as he glances out his window at the hills that lies off in the distance, looking as if it were lost in the light white fluffy clouds. "What's your plan, Luke? Of finding Bo? Or of rescuing him for that matter?! The feds are being this caustious for a reason and that reason being is that Drake is DANGEROUS!" "Another reason to move in and save my cousin," I snap as horrid pictures float in my mind of all that he could be doing to him to force my anger to escalate within me, "and as of now, I don't know what to do or where to start; but I will think of something if it is the last thing I do." "It could be the last thing you...we do," Cooter comments sourly besides me, "YOu know if Hogg would just go to being honest and stop trusting people he don't know to do his evil works, we would never be faced with situations like this!" "Well that just wouldn't be Hogg if he didn't do such things, " I comment abuot the local commissioner, "Where all has the feds been looking for clues?" "Uh around here is all I know, they got men in surrounding counties as well, but by the look of things he's still in Hazzard," Cooter responds, "so it is pretty much limited, but a matter of finding it." "They looked throughout Hazzard already and no clue of finding them? Where was his last hide out?" I ask seriously. "Uh that old shack farm house and barn that use to belong to Felix Ferrera and to his wife Lucy before Lucy died and thier kids placed Felix in the nursing home in town," Cooter informs me, "On Cottonmill Road." "Well that is the first place we'll check," I smile at him. "Frank and his boys already check, they found nothin'," Cooter chimes in as the chilly spring air brushes against my skin to send chills racing up and down my body. "Frank and his boys are city boys, there just might be more than what meets the eye," I wink at him, "besides it is just a place to start at." We ride to the old Ferrera place in silence as my mind races from thought to though in hope that we find Bo alive. My chest swells within me at the thought of loosing him to the same men that killed our uncle and I sigh thinking of a future without him, once more. "Here we are," Cooter breaks the silence as I parck the General on the road ahead of thier dirt drive way. "Yep...keep an eye out for anything," I say as we both climb out of the car's open windows. "Yes sir Mr. Luke," Cooter laughs jokingly as we walk through the muddy grass that leads up to the wooden farm house that was once painted white. I sigh remembering how it was before I left for war, how peaceful it seemed here on thier farm and so friendly. "Knock it off, let's go," I scorn him as we walk up to the old wooden porch together before he walks in, leaving me outside. Silently I glance around before noticing thick tire tracks in the dirt drive way, slowly I walk painfully to the two large tracks. "Cooter!" I finally yell out to send him running out, "Look at these tracks." "Yeah so...they probably already checked them out," Cooter states, "prolly some four by four truck." "That too," I smile cleverly, "but look closer to the mud to the substance on the first layer of the tracks." For a while we both feel the mud silently before Cooter gasps in shock. "That's right...swamp mud," I state, "I bet the feds didn't take that in when checking it out. Which means, thier hide out, their new one, is in or near the swamp!" "Holy cow!" Cooter gasps, "How the -" "I don't know, but that is our next stop...or our next place to look at least," I sigh standing up. "Not without calling the FBI, Luke," Cooter says standing up besides me, "This gang, Drake they are serious. I don't care how much you will do to save your cousin, you won't do it by getting yourself killed and that is exactly what will happen if you go into this alone with nothing to protect yourselves. Or ourselves with." "Relax Cooter, I got dynomite bow and arrows in the trunk," I sigh walking back to the car, "but I will call the FBI and Frank...we may need some help. I ain't dumb ya know." "I know," he sighs, "but I also know that you are willing to do about anything to save Bo."

Garrett smiles friendly at the the young woman before noticing the anger shooting from LB's light brown eyes and t he spacey look in Kristy's soft greenish brown eyes. "What's going on here?" Garrett asks sarcasticly glaring at Cooter who remains silent, "Y'all get in a fight or something? Over what?" "No we didn't get into a fight Garrett, but I bet you would like that," Kristy snaps glaring up at him. Stepping back Garrett says, "Well, in fact, I wouldn't like it." "That's how come you always nit picking at everything we do together...you don't like him. . .or perhaps that we are together and that you are single!" Kristy glares at him taking a deep breath. "Relax hon," LB sighs stepping forward to rub her back, "we'll get this taken care of." "What taken care of?" Garrett asks grabbing a bottle of beer from the refridgarator. "She overheard some punks in Hogg's office saying something that she wasn't suppose to hear," LB says with his voice coated thickly with anger, "chased her out til my cousin helped her out...guess she is worth somethin' after all." "Hey!" Hil yells from her seat, "They's big guys too, with guns and anger and hatred coating thier dark eyes." "Hogg has now sooped to a new level!" Garrett says, anger filling his smokey grayish blue eyes.

Thank-you Essy, and everyone for the kind words that you have written on this board. You all are very special people and I am very lucky and grateful to know you all. You all have been there when I need you the most...You all have made my time in Hazzard very worthwhile...somewhere I enjoy to be. Y'all are very amazing people with such talent...I love to read you all's work of fiction, to see the world that you see and create for the Dukes that we all love and cherish so much. I am sorry to any of you if a fic has gone by that I didn't email to comment about...I try... I really do, but sometimes I get busy and forget to do so. You all have a great amount of talent and I thank everyone of you for sharing it with everyone...I have also have enjoyed getting to know the characters you have created...each one took a lot of creativity and hard work to put together; though most of all I have enjoyed getting to know you all as I have. You all are really special and great friends and I thank-you all for all that you have done for me...thank-you for listening to me talk about anything or nothing at all (sometimes un Duke related!) and for being there!...I owe you all a big time for putting up with me the past ten months or so when things have been tough on me...online and off line. For putting up with my complaining and my frusteration with my writing...eh I should say with my fight to write against this writer's block. Perhaps one day I will be able to write again...preferably sometime soon. Thanks for being who you all...you are very special and very kind and make Hazzard the way it is.

Good thinkin' Essy.

Great Idea Essy I have the same birthday as George Clooney...a great guy to share the special day with! Our birthday is May 6...but of course, George is a few years older than I

**Closes eyes to try to picture Brian Coltrane driving the sheriff's car to chase the Duke boys only to abruptly open them in disbelief at picturing such a night marish picture as to seeing Brian in the sheriff's car!** Khee khee...just jokin', though it would be interesting to watch! Khee. As I said before my answers and results were predictably stuck with my ideal car being the General Lee! I'd love to drive that car...now all I got to do is convince the boys to let me drive it and we'd all be happy.

Khee khee...my ideal car is The General Lee!

You are welcome.

That was great Essy...very touching and so true. It shows the talent you hold. Never give up. Thank-you! You are a great friend too!

~FRANK MILLS~ Silently, I stare out of the small window that lies in the back wall of the wooden cottage type building my men and I have been occupying for the past few weeks. My mind runs numbly from thought to thought of what had brought us here and all that we have ran into, all that we have learned up to this point. I stare off into the thick dense forest that lines up a few feet behind the building as small flakes of snow slowly make thier way to the frozen ground. My mind concentrates stubbornly upon the young Duke boy and upon Drake who we had been looking for, for so long now. Anger and fear rush through me at the horrorfying thoughts that invade my imagination of all that Drake could be doing to the young Duke boy; anger and fear that I had never allowed myself to feel in any other case, for either victim or the enemy. Why now? What makes Bo any more different than the other victims I have come along in the past, that I had been assigned to thier case? Abruptly I am jolted from my thoughts, from my grave anger and fear by the annoying ring of my cell phone. Quickly, I pick it up and answer it on the third ring. "Sergeant Mills," I say coldly into the phone. "He's gone," I recognize the heavy male's voice as being the guard I assigned to the older cousin, Luke's room. "He's gone?" I half snarl into the phone feeling my emotions ring through me, "How can he be gone? How could they get to him with you there gaurding the door?! Look -" "Settle down sergeant," the man half way laughs on the other line. "Settle down? How do you expect me to settle down when we have a dangerous murderer on our hands killing off innocent civilians!" I yell into the cell phone. "They didn't get him sergeant, what I mean is Drake nor his men grabbed or killed Luke; at least not right now that is," he sighs on the other end, "that mechanic in town, the family friend, uh can't remember his name at the moment-" "Cooter?" I question. "Yeah that's him," he answers and I imagine a large smirk on his face, "anyways he came in, well he was here with you. But he came out and talked to me, a real nice guy. You know?" "Sure why not," I answer impatiently, "just get to the point officer!" "Yes sir...well anyways, he offered to buy my lunch, and well, I was hungry," he answers, "I tried to tell him no, but couldn't. So I followed him to the cafe and he bought my lunch for me. When I brough my lunch and drink up to the room, Luke was gone. He left a note saying he can't lie in the hospital while his cousin is in danger." "Damn it!" I yell, "You were suppose to keep heads on him! You know what will happen if he finds Drake before us...if he goes snooping around!" "Well he says, that we can either work with him or he will search by himself," the young officer says, clearly shook by my yelling, "Look sergeant, I already searched the grounds and had people looking too. He's gone and so is the Cooter guy." "Damn it!" I yell again looking out into the woods to find a squirrel running from one tree to another, "Darryl, I want you here now! I told you to guard his room and you failed at doing so! This is a dangerous case and only the best is allowed on it...and the best don't follow thier stomaches, but by orders!" "Look sergeant-" "Get here NOW!" I yell hanging up to find everyone looking at me in disbelief before going back to what they are doing. "He's gone?" asks Sergeant Treyton Beiker who works partially with me and partially on his own, "Luke slipped out?" "Yeah," I sigh wearily, "Darryl allowed Cooter to talk him away from the room so the Duke could walk right out of the hospital without anyone stopping him. You believe that? Now Luke is on his own mission to help save his cousin...says we can either work with him or he will work on his own." "Well with that option open," Treyton sighs running his muscular hand through his light brown hair, "I say we work with him, we can use all the help we can use." "Yeah I know," I sigh watching the squirrel run up the tree, "but we can't endanger him either, which would be doing if we worked with him." "He'd be endanger working by himself, moreso if you ask me. At least if he works with us, then we can look out for him as well," Treyton shrugs looking at me in concern, "besides we can use his talent, the boy is an retired Marine man with war experience...had word with his higher up officer and he had only the best to say about him. The guy has talent and we can use his talent and his smarts...one of the toughest and smartest his captain had seen and worked for. Got wounded and returned home after seven and a half years of service." I nod in agreement, knowing he is right. "Well I guess that is what we have to do, work with Luke," I sigh thinking of what this will lead to, "Drake needs to be stopped, and now!" "I know that Frank, we all know that," Treyton falls silent for a long moment and I glance over at him to find him watching me, "I can't believe what I am witnessing here, Frank. You actually have feelings for the family of this case, for the victims. You of all people never allowed anyone or anything of a case get to you, get personal or close to you. And now...why?" I look at him, not knowing if I should try to cover it up or to tell the truth. "I don't know, Trey," I sigh tiredly, "I really don't know why...I fear loosing the young Duke boy, angry at Drake for kidnapping and hurting him. I don't know what it is with this case...perhaps I am getting old and mushy." "You?" he grins, "You old and mushy? Never. We all have our casese we fall close to and let our emotions take over, this is just your case." "Well I don't like it none," I answer. "None of us do, for falling close to the victims only bring pain and heart ache, but it happens no matter how hard you fight it," Trey answers seriously, "I had my own cases I fell close to and the emotions just took over me, several cases." He goes silently in thought for a long moment, "And Frank, we'll get Drake and stop him and his men if it is the last thing we do. We all are in this with you Frank, it's not just you who want to yank the Duke boy out of this alive and we will try our damnest to do so."

Luke Duke The room grows silent as Frank Mills slowly closes the door behind him as he exits my room with a couple of his men. My mind races of all that Frank had to tell us to create anger and fear boiling within me. Slowly I glance over at Cooter who stands at the right side of my bed to find him glaring down at the linoleum flooring with anger flooding his dark brown eyes. "Cooter, I need you to do me a favor," I finally speak up and he glares at me, "a huge favor." "What's that?" he questions, his voice thick with fear. "I need you to help me escape out of this place," I answer. "Oh no, I can't do that," he says in a dreadful voice, "I can't do that Luke, no matter how much I want to help you. That gaurd out there, I can't get past him and he sure won't let you walk out of here. I'm sorry." "Just distract the guy and I do the rest myself," I answer grabbing some of my own stubborness. "I'm sorry, Luke," Cooter says looking around as if he may grab some answers out of the air. "Yeah I bet you are!" I yell feeling my temper fling as my mind races in thoughts of Bo, "If you won't help me, Cooter, I will find my own way out of here! I will be damned if I lie here and allow them to put my cousin in risk as thier plan will! I don't care, what it takes, I will get out of here to save my cousin, my best friend! And if. . .if it's too late, well somebody better be there to stop me from doing something I may later regret!" "Luke-" Cooter starts to say. "Look, I know Drake's dangerous and so is his men...the dang FBI keep rubbing it in our faces, that is even better reason to help Bo. I ain't about to lie here and do nothing to help my cousin...no, I will get out of here and I will search for my cousin, even if it is by myself," I continue to allow my temper to have a hold of me, "The FBI can either help me and we can work together, or I will work by myself; but I can't and I refuse to lie here thinking of what they are doing to my cousin while feeling guilt, fear, and anger. I will save him if it is the last thing I do, Cooter, with your help or without your help. What about it?" "I'm in," he sighs uncomfortably, "but I am uncomfortable with going against the FBI and what they say, especially since we know they are dangerous." "Well what is the FBI doing that is so great?" I ask impatiently, "Look, I know they are doing what they think is the best plan, but there has to be something else that we can do and we will do it." Silently he nods as he looks at the machine then back to me. "What do you want me to do?" Cooter asks. "I want you to go out there and distract him, take him down stairs or something to give me time to change and slip out of here," I sigh, "I am none to happy about this myself, but it is something we got to do...look, I'll leave a note telling him what we are doing. That'll get Frank unhappy, but oh well." "I'll try," Cooter sighs heading to the door. For a long moment I lie staring at the cieling listening to Cooter talk to the FBI agent that sits outside my door, praying that I will find a way out of here. Listening to them talk back and forth I grab a pen and paper that lies on the night stand and quickly write something down. Slowly I let a long breath out as I hear the agent's chair squeak as he gets up and begins to follow Cooter down the hall. Quickly I yank the tube out of my nose and the IVs out of my arms feeling my breathing grow shallow without the tube. I sigh impatiently as I climb out of bed and rush to the closet to get some clothes Cooter had brought me and quickly put them on. After a moment, I find myself dressed and standing nervously by the closed door before I force myself out into the brightly lit hall. Quickly I rush over to the silver doored elevators and push the down button. Waiting for the doors to open I nervously look down the halls until it opens and I walk into the large elevators to be swallowed by the thick doors slamming shut. Riding down, my mind quickly races in thoughts of our next move, on what to do to save my cousin before they kill him.

~BO DUKE~ Slowly I awaken to my whole body throbbing in intense pain to find myself lying in a tight ball upon the old torn cot that lies in the right corner of the cold dirty room. Tears still sting my eyes as I stare at the dirty wall only a few inches ahead of me while Jesse silently talks to the little boy and the chair the gaurd sits on squeaks with his movement. My mind wanders thought to thought of the past year or so to force fear swarming through my body. I sob back more tears as I think of the cruel beating I had recieved before I had blacked out from Drake, a beating I had recieved after refusing to go with him. If only I had cooperated... "Bo," Jesse sighs walking up to me, "how you feel?" "Leave me alone," I sigh wishing I could disappear as my mind switches from the beating I had recieved from a bat to Luke getting shot. If I hadn't ran from him after that fight we had, I wouldn't have seen what I saw and Luke wouldn't have gotten shot. What if he is seriously hurt? What if he is dead? Daisy could be attending a funeral right now or soon if they killed him...killed him to get to me. If only... Jesse sighs loudly behind me as the child climbs onto my bed and I feel both pairs of eyes upon me.

Kristy smiles seeing the tall lanky and thin Davenports standing in front of the closed doors. His crazy brown eyes are enlargen in bewilderment at the sight of young woman that she just meant. "LB," Kristy smiles walking up to him and he hugs her tightly, kissing her thick strawberry blond hair, "your home early today." "Yeah figured why not," he grins, "what she doing here...uh I mean Hilery." "She drove me home," Kristy says growing silent for a long moment at knowing LB's over protectiveness for her, "Uh, LB, I over heard something at work today that I wasn't meant to hear, and well I got chased out by Hogg's new thieves. Hilery is the one that saved me. Silver Bullet is still parked at work." "That . . .that over grown marshmellow!" LB yells, his temper flairing in his eyes. "Calm down, LB. I am fine," Kristy sighs knowing this would be his reaction, "I really am, just settle down. I just need for someone to retrieve my truck for me." "Yeah, but think of what could have-" "But didn't happen," Kristy gently reminds him leading him into the living room, "What are you hungry for?"

~ROSCO COLTRANE~ I sigh tiredly as I stare silently down at a couple of reports that lies ahead of me upon my old scarred and scratched desk. My mind wanders through the past year and all that it has brought upon Hazzard due to Hogg's dirty greed for money. I pray silently that Drake will be caught soon and to be put away in order to keep harm from Hazzard, any more than what he has already committed. If only I had the courage to stop him when he had entered Hazzard, Jesse wouldn't be dead right now and Bo as hurt as he is. If only I had stopped Hogg in his deals with him, it all wouldn't have gotten this far. But of course, like normal, I was too chicken to stop Drake from doing anything and instead just listened to his plans and gullably tried to believe him when he promised no one would get hurt or worse. I glare up from my paper work as the office door is thrown open and I sigh in relief at seeing Frank Mills standing there with another man of his. Frank's thick creamy blue eyes stares coldly at me for a long moment as his thick muscular arms lies crossed over his thick chest. "Oh Frank," I sigh hoping that he brings good news, "I thought we would meet somewhere to talk, anywhere but here! If Hogg-" "I don't need your grief sheriff!" he snaps at me before glaring at the other man that stands a couple of inches taller than him with a dark brown complexion and intense dark brown eyes. "No one saw us and even if they did, I am beyond the point of caring! We need to talk, now you decide where!" I look at him in confusement before I find the courage to speak, "Uh we could go across the street to that garage, ol' Coot has an office up there that is barely in use." "Well, let's go," Frank says and I stiffly stand up as Hogg steps out of his office. "Where you going Rosco?" Hogg orders tiredly. "Out for patrol," I answer wearily before I walk out and closing the door behind me. Following the two FBI agents down the long brightly lit hall my mind races in anxiety as I wonder what all this could be about. Walking out into the cold winter day I glare around before following them across the vacant stree to Cooter's garage where I find him working silently upon a farmer's old truck. "Hey Cooter," I greet him. "Oh hi Rosco," he smile stiffly at me as he takes in Frank and his man seriously before looking at me, "What can I do for y'all?" "We need to a quiet place to talk, could we by chance use that office there?" I ask pointing to the windowless and closed in office that lies up the wooden stairs, "Is it empty?" For a long moment he glares at the three of us with questioning eye before he puts down his tool. "Look these boys the FBI that's been asking around 'bout Bo and Luke?" "Yeah so what's yer point Cooter?!" I snap at him. "Look them Dukes are like family to me and if this deals with them, I want to be in it! You can use my empty office, but I want to come along if you use it," Cooter inquires, "I may not be no FBI agent or officer of the law, but I want to help put them jackasses where they belong!" I look at Frank who glares angrily at Cooter who stands unbudgingly against the old Ford truck. Slowly Frank nods at him and we all follow Cooter up the old wobbly stiars to where he opens the old office to find it to be occupied by an old wooden desk to our right with an old wooden chair, an holey green couch lies against the right wall while in the left corner stands a small refridgarator by a small wobbly table that holds cups and a coffee machine. Quickly, Frank takes the chair behind the desk while the officer sits down upon the couch and I hesitantly sit next to him while Cooter choses to stand. "What's this about, Frank?" I order after a moment of silence. "Well to our new comer," Frank answers testily, "I am Sergeant FBI agent Frank Mills who is in charge of this opperation, this is one of my men, FBI agent Jackson Jebel; one of my best...though we only have the best down here in Hazzard at the momen." "Very comforting," I answer sarcasticly, "especially when we have a killer running freely around my country. Now what is this urgent meeting about, Mills?" "Settle down Coltrane, your snapping attitude won't help matters any," he resorts glaring at me with his cold and hard eyes as he rolls up the sleeves half way to his elbows to his sky blue whool sweater, "Bo was to be released from the hospital yesterday, right?" "And he didn't?" Cooter cuts in worriedly. "Yes he was released, but upon exitting the hospital Luke was shot in the chest in order for the gun men to get to Bo," Frank says matter of factly, "Bo ran and hid, but they seemed to find Bo in the caves where there was signs of a struggle before the bad guys won enough to kidnap Bo." "Kidnapped?" I chirp in, "That don't make no sense what so ever after trying to kill him only weeks ago." "Nothing with Drake makes sense to anyone but him I guess," Frank sighs rubbing his eyes, "we are desperately trying to find thier hideout before it is too late seeing how the destination of thier hideout you gave us before now lies vacant." "Damn," I say silently. "How's Luke?" Cooter speaks up from his post. "They think he will be fine, just missed his heart and his surgery to get the bullet out went well," Frank answers, "When we find his hideout, we will have to move in quickly in order to get Drake out and arrested before he is able to hurt anyone else." "But won't he spook? Perhaps killing Bo?" I ask frantically.' "That is always a risk, but he could be dead now, there is no telling," Frank answers, "Do you know anywhere else he could be?" I shrug hopelessly as I am filled with fear for the Duke Boys as I silently think of how Bo must be feeling. "I don't know," I sigh. "That is what I figured," Frank responds looking around the room, "I have men looking and searching Hazzard as we speak and once we find it, we are moving in. I'm sorry." I gulp in fear before my anger kicks in, anger towards myself for not stopping Hogg from working with such an violent person to anger toward Hogg for bringing him into Hazzard to work with him. "Damn it!" Cooter yells glaring at Frank, "You ain't the best of nothing! How can you call yourselves the best if that is the best you can do?! Bo is like a brother to me and you are just gonna let him be shot to shreds just to get your men? As if the Dukes haven't been through enough as it is, just let the youngest get shot to death without a second thought!" "Look we are trying our best, Cooter," Frank sighs, " We will try not to risk him, but there is always a risk unless we can make him escape before hand. Which is most likely won't happen." "Trying your best? Not when it will get Bo shot to death, you know what that will do to Luke?" Cooter yells, "Probably not and most likely don't care about that either!" Frank sighs at seeing the mechanic's anger flare in his brown eyes before glaring around the room. "Look, it won't help to get upset at us, especially not now Cooter! We don't even know where they're hiding and by the time we do, he may already be dead," Frank answers cooly, "Drake won't stop at anything which means he'll kill anyone at anytime for anything or nothing at all. He needs to be stopped." "Yeah, but Bo don't need to go down with him!" Cooter yells. "He may already be dead!" Frank yells in his face, "Look, we'll let you know Cooter, but you are not to move in this matter any...this takes a professional touch or else you may be his next victim." "If you say so," Cooter shrugs angrily moving the door. "Where you going?" Frank snaps at him. "To see Luke, is that illegal?" Cooter snaps sarcastically before slamming the door shut behind him.

Kristy smiled appreciatively at the driver before returning her glare out her side window to watch a black sports car on thier heels. Wearily she sighs as she thinks of all that she had heard while returning for her keys. Hogg has always been rotten with greed, but this has gone too far, robbing the bank to point the finger at her brother and cousin. It won't be the first time, but these guys he is now working for is known gun men who rob banks across Georgia, and whom is not afraid to use thier guns. She sighs in worry at the thought of anyone getting hurt due to Hogg's greed, especially her younger brother and cousin. "Thanks," Kristy says again, "they probably would have caught me by now in my ol' truck." "Hey it's no problem," the young lady smiled back at her, "I enjoy some car chases once in a while. That Hogg can sure get annoying, can't he?" "Tell me about it," Kristy answers as Hilery peals herself out from under the cement road and onto a dusty dirt country road. Silence returns into the front seat of the car before Kristy looks forward to see a wide creek come into view as Hilery takes her car off the road. "What are you doing?" she asks nervously thinking of her brother and cousin's favorite tricks. "Gonna jump it," the young lady smiles wildly at Kristy who frowns worriedly at hte thought of having to jump another creek with someone she just meant, "hey relax, it was that brother and that cousin of yours that taught me how to do it. It'll be fine. This way we are sure to loose them." "Yeah, hopefully," Kristy mutters as she holds onto the dashboard tightly as the car is thrown air born for a long moment. Kristy sighs thankfully as the car lands harshly on the ohter side of the creek. "See? That wasn't bad," Hil laughs as Hil and Kristy simutanously glares back into their rear view mirror to find the men slamming on their breaks only to fall nose first into the creek. Hilery busts out laughing besides Kristy as two grown men climb out of their sports car and hope on top of thier car to avoid the cold water.

**CHAPTER SIX** I awaken to pain swarming throughout my stiff and aching body as I hear the gaurd's sharp and threatening voice ring out besides me. I sigh tiredly as my mind races through me of the long amount of time I have been locked within these horrid walls. Anger flows through me like a raging river as I think of my boys back now, I was certian that they'd have at least attempted to come to my rescue. Way over a year now and no sign of them or no hearing of them trying to break in to save me. What could be taking them so long? Do they no longer care for thier Uncle? Mind them, the uncle that had taken care of them since they were babies. What could be taking them so long? Perhaps they all have enjoyed their freedom over the farm they chose to forget me. "Damn you," I mutter toward myself in anger at myself for allowing myself to fall into paranoia over my nephews and neices in knowledge they would never do t hat to me, they do care for me. But where are they? Why aren't they trying to save me? Did they kill them throughout the year? No, please no, not them. Silently I stare at the old dusty wooden wall as I pray for my family that lies in the freedom of these ugly walls that I stare at day in and day out. Suddenly a loud cry rings out on the opposite side of the room followed by harsh wheezing. "Hey...give...me that!" opposes the wheezy breathing person across the room. But who? My thoughts rush to my youngest nephew who suffers greatly from asthma. "That's mi. . .mine!" "Not any more it isn't!" I hear the gaurd laughs before a loud slap echos off the thin walls. Slowly and stiffly I force myself to sit up upon the thin and torn cot that I had fallen asleep upon a while ago. Silently I take in Bryceton who remains wobbly in the corner instead of by my side as he normally sits. I sigh as I think of the harsh life he has been given, only knowing pain and hatred the five years of his life. I gasp in surprise as I see my youngest blond haired nephew sitting on the wall across from the bed, his head staring silently at the ground. My heart aches at seeing the thick cast upon his hand up to under his elbow, his face bruised and cut up. My imagination plays wildly within me at all that he could have wen through as I watch his chest heaving in and out in his struggle for air and I notice that the gaurd has pocketed his inhaler. Softly I take a deep breath as I slowly climb off the bed and walk over to where he sits and kneel silently besides him. "Bo," I whisper my surprise and I feel Bryceton's soft green eyes in wonderment upon us. Slowly, Bo forces his head up to look at me and I notice the tears that streak down his bruised face. His baby blue eyes brighten up in joy at seeing me, through his joy and excitement at seeing me, I see the great pain and fear that he is filled with. "Uncle Jesse!" he exclaims jumping up to hug me and I hear him gasp in pain. Slowly he lets go before sitting back down upon the dusty dirt floor. "I'm sorry." "For what?" I ask as I ache to know what they did to him. He shrugs as he lets the silence build between us. "For not knowing," he finally responds. "Not knowing what?" I finally ask as I realize he wasn't going to go on, "Please tell me, explain to me." He looks at me with uncertianity in his eyes before glaring angrily at the gaurd before looking back at me. "For not knowing you was...well here," he shrugs, "we thought. . .we thought you were dead. I mean I went home to check on you when you didn't answer Daisy's calls, well cause, Luke tol' me to. And you was, " he pauses as tears build up to roll down his cheeks, "well someone dressed to be you, was shot dead in the living room. There was a funeral and all for you." "It's OK," I sigh comforting him as I draw him in a hug as he dries his face of his cheeks of his tears. Slowly I let go of him to take him in for a long moment, "It's not your fault, nor Luke's. No need for an apology Bo." "Maybe," Bo shrugs as he looks over at Bryceton. "Hey Bryce," I call out motioning him over and he slowly gets up to walk over to us, "this is one that I tol' you about, my nephew Bo. Bo this is Bryceton." With that the small and frail boy throws his arms around Bo silently and Bo glances questionably at me before huggin him back. Slowly the boy lets go to sit next to Bo, glaring oddly around. "Bryceton is an autistic five year old boy," I finally inform Bo, "sweetest thing, too bad he has to be here, to live with this!" Bo nods in understandment as his unknown story seems to play invisable to me in his head. I sigh wishing I could read his thoughts as more tears run down his face as his body visibly shake either out of pain or fear. "He cryin'?" Bryce says slowly and I am surprised to hear him talk, knowing how long it had taken him to get use to me to even say a word. Bo glares at him as Bryce trails Bo's tears with his index finger before he gently pushes Bryce's thin arm away. "Yeah he's crying a bit," I answer as I put Bryce in my lap before Bo wipes them away himself, "You wanna talk about it? About what all happened?" He looks at me then accusingly at the gaurd that sits there smiling evilly at Bo and my anger grows within me. "They shot Luke to get to me," Bo finally speaks up, "after I was released from the hospital, they shot him," he pauses again, "and Luke made me run and hide from them...guess not fast enough; again." His fear and worry runs into me as I stare at his trembling body as he stares at the floor, his flashbacks seem to be flooding his eyes. "Look, Luke's tough," I try to comfort him with failure,"he'll make it out of it before you know it, just have confidences in him." "Yeah maybe," he sighs silently as he visibly fights to stay awake as Bryceton slowly gets up from my lap. Toghether we watch as he goes to a small chest and takes out a large light brown teddy bear that is visibly soft and fluffy. "You can hug this, Bo," Bryceton smiles at him, "he helps me when I'm sad, doesn't it work, Uncle Jesse?" Bo glares up at me at Bryceton calling me his uncle before taking the bear for a short moment before giving it back. "No thanks, you have it," Bo responds as silence returns to the room.

~BO DUKE~ I slowly awaken to my head harshly throbbing in unbearable pain to find myself tightly tied to an old rusty metal chair by a large thick metal chain. Pain rushes through me with fear as the room spins quickly around me as I am over whelmed by the smell of a fresh fire near by with burnt wood. Slowly, the thick fog that had invaded my eyes clears to find myself sitting in an old dusty and dirty cabin, in the far corner from the door. Through the open and dirty windows, I notice a few snow flakes melting from the darkening gray sky above. "You've awaken, I see," a gruff voice rings out and I look ahead to find a tall man wearing tight dark blue jeans, a blue flannel shirt under a dark blue denim coat, and a dirty white cowboy hat. His dark almost black brown eyes glares at me as if he is staring through me as I notice the black hair under his hat. "I'm Drake, but you can call me Master!" Suddenly he pauses to laugh with hysteria, "So you the Duke boy that has been giving me so much trouble? Well, you'll be sorry that you messed with ol' Drake Shelbon, cause you will finally know what ol' Drake is all about!" He laughs once again as he back hands me across the face and I yell out in pain as a couple more men walk in carrying more wood. "Brrr," one man blows out, "it sure is cold out there, can't wait for all this snow to stop fallin'." "Oh our fiesty little prisoner has now awaken," the other smiles and I recognize them as being the me that had attacked me in the cave, "What your plans for him, Drake?" "Yeah, why not just kill him and get him over with?" the other man chimes in. Quickly he glares around at them to silence them up and they both move toward the lively fire place that lies on the opposite wall of me. "I'll tell you why I don't go up and kill him, I have plans for him, that's why!" he yells once again back handing me across the face, "he seems fun to torture that's why, I torture him, I torture his whole family by just one person! This oughta be fun...huh Bo? Besides, this'll give my boy Bryceton someone to play with." "I thought you gave him the old man to satisfy him with," Bren says after stacking his pile. "Now he will have someone with his IQ to watch over him, that damn boy can't be related to me!" Drake says and for a long moment more anger flairs in his dark brown eyes, "I'd rather die painfully than to have a son like him, there is no way I am related to a retard!" With that he begins hitting me continuesly to my chest, stomach and face with anger and pain before the man they call Raze pulls him off. "Drake, it is over and done with," he sighs, "this stuff happens everyday." "Not to my Lana! He killed her!" he yells brushing the man's thick muscular hand off of him, "That retard killed her!" "She gave birth, it's a risk," Bren cuts in. "I don't care! I am without Lana and stuck with . . .with that retard!" Drake yells hitting me harshly, "And you will watch him while you suffer greatly for my loss! Have fun, Bo!" I look silently at him as he back hands me with his thick hand before wiping his dark eyes that seemed to have cried no tears before. "What about the old man?" Bren speaks up as they both crowd over me, "You can't put them together, I mean -" "Shut up Bren! I can do as I wish and they both will have to be in that room together, that way they can watch eachother suffer!" with that Drake yells out with laughter before hitting me once again, "I want you to untie him and throw him in there...and don't FORGET to lock the door tightly. Raze, you will gaurd the room inside, until it is Bren's turn." "Yes sir," they say together. "Get to it...I'll be taking my nap," Drake says walking to the old cot that lies a few feet away and Raze unlocks the lock to the thick chain and I fight to get up only to be thrown to the ground by a harsh blow to the back of my neck by Bren. "Let's go!" Raze yells as they jerk me to my feet to once again send pain racing up and down my body. My body trembles in great fear and harsh pain as they force me to the door that had sat a few feet a head of my chair I had been chained to. My heart races quickly as I watch Bren fumble with the two locks before he pockets the key chain and opens the door. My heart stops quickly as I see a tall figure upon the small bed wearing faded blue jean overalls and a tan undershirt lying asleep on the bed with graying thin hair, with a beard and a mustach. Next to the old and torn cot a heavy and tall man sat upon an old metal chair with his arms folded glares up at us with his black eyes that matches his complexion. "Ah you got his boy," he smiles. "Yeah and I get to take over for you," Raze cuts in and the large man slowly stands up as both Raze and Bren throws me harshly upon the dirty wooden floor and I grunt in great pain as I yank my broken casted arm out from under me. Breathing once again comes difficult for me as my lungs explode in pain as I force myself to sit up to find a scrawny thin kid in raggy type clothes sits in the far corner hugging his thin knees. The kid looks to be around five or six with shaggy light brown hair and light green eyes that is casted toward the floor. Quickly I glare up at Raze as the door is thrown shut and the locks are quickly put into place as Raze sits down in his chair with his gun in plain sight of reach. Slowly I force myself to look up at the bed and my heart stops achingly at the sight of my uncle lying there. "But. . .but he's-" "You wrong again! Ha," Raze laughs, "that wasn't your uncle on the ground, but one of our men dressed to be your uncle, while we kidnapped the old man to keep watch over Drake's boy there, Bryceton." The boy looks up at Raze with hurtful eyes at the sound of his name before resting his head back down on his sharp knees. My heart races now within me as I force myself to look at my uncle to find his right eye bruised with a cut on his right temple and anger flairs within me at the thought of them injuring my uncle.