Brian Coltrane

Don't be so quick to judge me, Garrett. This "Lord of the Outlaws" thang ain't a gig for the faint-hearted. Daney will be fine, unless Lukas has to spank her or somethin', which wouldn't phase her anyhow. *gestures Garrett towards the exit* And to answer your question, we're not goin' too far from town. I just got a couple more thangs to line up before ah confront Chet again. And then this thang will end....howevah he chooses it to end.

*catches the look between Daney and Garrett, doing quick math* Keep her on ice, but not heah. I don't want Garrett knowin' where to find her too easily. *gives a sidelong glance at Garrett* Just another piece of insurance. Ah'm sure Daney don't want nothin' to happen to you...and you wouldn't want anythang to happen to Daney.

That's it, slow n' easy. You start bleedin' again, you ain't goin' nowhere but back into Doc's hands. *sees Daney smirking out of corner of eye* Bo, Lukas...will one of you keep an eye on that she-rat? She used to be on mah side, but s' clear to me lately she's changed allegiences.

*dark eyes looking down at Garrett, showing no hostility...giving him a slight smile* That's the spirit. Awright. *reaches down to unbuckle the restraining medical straps* Move nice and easy when ya git up...no tricks, and no hurtin' yerself worse, either. *nods to Alex* Go 'round front and git Diablo fired up. You're gonna need to drive, way ah'm feelin'. I'll be out with Garrett in a minute.

*accepts Alex's help to get off the table, wincing while straightening up. Answers Doc* Ah'd prefer to be back heah under better circumstances, yeah. Meantime, though, do me a favor. Stay far away from Chet Duke, unless MaryAnne herself orders medical attention for 'em. Chet ain't to be trusted under any circumstances, and he don't care who, or what, he wrecks. *taking a few experimental steps, trying not to breathe too deeply. Looks at Garrett again, and slowly walks over to him. Places hands on the bed rail, leaning on it a bit, anything to keep own body weight from resting down on the ribcage* And you, Garrett....no, ah'm not gonna torture you. I ain't gonna kill ya. I won't even muss up your hair, if you cooperate. But I need you, as a hostage. You don't have to like it, but if you truly surrendered to me earlier in this thang....I expect you to have honor enuff conduct yerself as befittin' of a prisoner of war. If you can't do that, tell me now.

*with Alex's help, sits fully upright, swinging legs over the end of thre medical table, grimacing in pain. Still wearing one handcuff around one wrist, no longer restrained, but having the metal cuff as a souveiner. Braces self a minute as the room does a slow spin, the fading effect of the morphine and the pain making an unpleasant mix* *answers Doc, temper fading a little* Yeah, yeah, ah'll be careful. And I'll be careful with any passengers I take along. *looks from Alex, to Garrett*

( offstage reaction to this one: bahahahaha!! Yeah, git him Better Homes and Hillbillies...)

*while things were going on over at the Hazzard County Jail, things continued to go on at the Hazzard Medical Clinic....an answer delivered to Doc, as follows...* Doc, I nevah suggested askin' you to violate your medical oaths. Think ah made that clear. *own voice holding a hard edge* Nor, would ah seek to damage the place, or cause harm to a patient, who was, by all accounts, still in your care. *offended, bristling, the building anger of several days of conflict coming to a head...sitting up painfully, the drugs wearing off* We won't be tarryin' heah long. And anythang that does turn up missin' heah, you can either bill me for later, or file a p'lice report as you see fit. *looks to Alex* Git me a medical pliers, or a bone saw, or somethin'. S' time I got outta this cuff. *rattles the handcuff that's attatched to the rail of the medical table*

*unaffected by Garrett's gaze....knowing this captive Duke got in way over his head...almost feeling sorry for him...* *...but not quite.* Kheehahaha.

That's how ya do it, when somebody's got their head up their butt.

KHEE. *dark, edgy sound to the trademark Coltrane laugh* Yer half right, Garreett. You're bound....but you're not gonna git outta heah. *voice lowers* Ya see, you ain't been declared medically stable enuff to leave just yet. Ah'm willin' to bet you been neglectin' your health. You're probably way behind on all kindsa medical tests. *nasty grin* Plus, you gotta be mentally competent to be released to your own care....which means, a thorough mental e-valuation. In other words, Doc will halfta start with a rectal exam.

What do I have in mind? *answering the curiosity of those who listen* Why, s' just that Garrett's gonna run off and hurt himself, any minute. He's got a bullet hole hardly patched up, but that won't stop 'em. And seein' as how I don't want him to keel over, lest ah git set up for a homicide rap.... ...ah'm thinkin' it's best he stays heah, stays put, safe n' sound. *looks to Lukas and Alex, pointedly* Whether he wants to be heah or not.

*glances from Doc, to Garrett...really scheming now* Ah'm thinkin' on that, Doc....but I wouldn't wantcha to violate your medical oath or anythang.

Easy now, Doc...*smiles* I ain't goin' nowhere, while MaryAnne still has mah wrist handcuffed to the table heah. *pulls it up with a rattle* Maybe we can make the most of that situation later, if you're careful with me. *flirting shamelessly, but then clears throat, remembering presence of others* And Lukas, don't worry. S' true I shot a horse out from under Chet once, but he damn well had it comin' at the time. It ain't mah normal way, though, and it's not really what I got in my mind right now. *looks to Daniel* S' been said that there's no horse theif like an Injun horse thief. I'd like to count coup on Chet, and I can't think of a better way to start, than by horse-nappin'. Think you could do me a little favor there, Daniel, and round up that erstwhile e-quine?

His horse, yeah. *nods sharply, grinning* And since Garrett don't wanna play hostage, I think we have ourselves another chess piece to play. *looks over to Bo, who is listening unobtrusively* You were there when she brought Chet in. That horse of his, anywhere around?

*looks at Daniel with a grim smile* Your words are music to mah ears. But I can't have you gettin' into that kinda trouble, Daniel. But you bein' heah does give me a helluva idea. *looks from Daniel, to Alex, the Coltrane gears in head starting to grind* What's the one thang Chet might value even more than Garrett, heah?

But Chet's yer brother. We may think of 'em as an inbred horse's posterior, but he's still your kin. Ain't like a Duke to let another Duke hang by himself.

I suppose that makes me the permanent jackass? You got a way with words, buddy. But anyhow, I don't think s' gonna be that easy. *glances at Garrett* And we'd better know who stands where...before we plan anythang.

*reacts again* Holy @#$%.

*reacts to this before Garrett does, surprised by the news* Wha--?!

You always were good with legal fine points, Alex....

Oh, now, waaait a minute heah. *giving Garrett a dark-eyed glare* You came up to mah car, and said you surrendered. Only you didn't wanna honor that once I was takin' you captive. Well, what the hell does "surrender" mean in your book? Did you mean, surrender, but still not go along with anythang I say or do? *half-turns in order to face Garrett better, the morphine allowing unpained mobility* When I think about it, you got your share o' blame in this thang too. And some bad guy you are, gettin' all technical about kidnappin'. Ah was a fool to think you could handle it.

Considerin' the fact Chet had a gun pointed at me earlier - not that you heah me whinin' about it - ah'd say all's fair. B'sides, I just wanted you as a chess piece. I figured if Chet was watchin' , he'd come outta hidin'. If he wasn't around, I'd pass word along to him later that I had you hostage...and then make arrangements for Chet to take your place. *sighs in irritation, at this part of the plan going so wrong* But no, you hadda speechify yerself all indignant. I had a gun on ya, and you were worried about the Geneva Conventions. If I was half the jerk I was made out to be, I woulda just shot ya to hush the noise. Instead, the fifth horseman of the hillbilly apocalypse, yer brother Chet, gallops in and nearly kills us both. *glances at Alex* And that's after bonkin' Alex in the head, as a warm-up. Chet's ran up a helluva tab with me, and someday soon ah'm gonna collect on it.

*answers Garrett* Glad to heah you feel that way. Ah'm hard to git rid of, though Chet almost succeeded this time. *pauses* The fact you were in harm's way didn't even slow him down...

Mm. Yeah, the pain's gone... except for Garrett, but there's no pill for that. *Abruptly turns head to speak to Garrett directly* Ah'm glad you're gonna make it, tho'. You'd be no fun at all, dead. *shrugs* Not that yer a barrel o' laughs alive, but ....ah think you know what I mean... *tries this awkward olive branch, to see what it gets*