"The Gamblers: Ghost Town"

[Konrad Lee Duke]

Konrad nodded. So this hothead was his second cousin.

"Well i see you're takin' after him, he's just as hotheaded as you." He said looking Chet straight in the eye. "I ain't got no buisness with you so leave me be." He said and turned to go back to his horse.

(cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

The young cowboy grabbed the stranger by the back of his duster and yanked him back nearly pulling him down on the ground before letting go. "Get the hell outta this town or else I'll plant you in it forever." Chet snarled fiercely. He had six nasty's in the Saloon to deal with, he didnt need this rogue in off the streets threatening his business.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He stumbled back surprised at the sudden grab, almost falling. HE grabbed onto the younger man pulling him face to face.

"Don't pick a fight with someone unless you know who you're dealin' with boy." He growled. "And i suggest you leave me alone till i've done my business here."

(cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

Chet snarled and grabbed onto the strangers arm that was holding them face to face. "Im not a boy..." He shoved Konrad back outta his face roughly and back up.

The young Duke mismatched eyes narrowed and he glared as he brushed his dust back away from each hip. On each hip lay a tied down colt .45, both guns matching. "Dont make a threat you cant keep." His voice growled as he back up and took a strong stance ready to draw.

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He stumbled back a bit but quickly found his feet. He rolled his eyes at the young cowboy.

"Alright i change my mind. Ya more stubborn then ya father." He said and brushed himself off. He didn't reach for his gun thought not wanting to fight with the man. The Mustang padded uneasily knowing her master was in danger, it could easily get out of the knot that was holding it to the post.

(Cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

"You keep that mangy dawg outta this, I didnt choose my father, hes just the man that helped make me!" Chet snapped and snarled. "Now you get the hell outta here or I'll shoot you and your horse dead right here in this street!!"

(Cue Konrad. Ya yellow belly, short tailed scaredy cat )

[Konrad Lee Duke]

Konrad narrowed his eyes. If thats the way the cowboy wants to play then lets play, he thought to himself and reached into his long coat, waiting. The Mustang reared.

(Cue Chet. Well thats more i can say for you, i don't even wanna waste my words on someone as low as you... )

[Chet Duke]

The young Duke back straitened and he smirked ready for a blood thirsty gun battle. He narrowed his eyes keenly watching the other man waiting for him to make the slighted more. His own hand hovered over the butt of the gun on his right hip.

At the very last moment when it seemed that neither man was gonne draw Chet's hand blurred as he went for his gun. Dropping down to one knee to through the strangers aim off, he fired a single shot.

(Cue Konrad. Dead mean dont talk and they sure as hell dont walk.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

As soon as Chet reached for his gun, Konrad moved and drew his in one fluid motion and sent out a shot in return. Chet's shot almost hit it's mark, grazing the material of his shoulder. His, aimed for Chet's hand holding his gun.

(Cue Chet, speak fer yaself)

[Chet Duke]

Dropping down on one knee caused Konrads bullet to strike higher, grazing the flesh of Chets side. The young man didnt flinch as the bullet burned his side instead of his hand where he'd had been intended to take the hit.

He blinked raised to his feet in shock, he'd missed... his usuall deadly acurate aim for his enemies upper right shoulder had floudered. Chet swallowed his mouth going dry in shock.

"Damn you... " The young Duke glared and side stepped grabbing his horses reins and swinging up into his saddle in one fluent motion. The only evidence that he'd been hit was a few small drops of blood on the ground. "I'll get you... you'll see." Without another word her healed his horse into a loap and tore outta the main street.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

Konrad knew that a moving target was harder to hit. Maybe the younger was too used to his opponents standing still and therefore missing when Konrad moved.

He kept his attention on the younger man as he swung onto his horse in case he tried a cheep shot. He nodded respectively when the man threatened him knowing he made an enemy today. But that was a fact of life in this line of work. He walked over to his skittish Mustang and untied her. Wanting to get out of the street knowing those shots would attract attention, even those six in the bar which he was not in the mood to deal with at the moment. Jumping onto the horses back he pulled the horse away from the rail and made his way behind the buildings out of sight of the street and rode a few miles out of town to see what damage was done.

(cue Chet, what? cant think of any names to call me?)

[Chet Duke]

A long thin grin laced the lips of the face of the leader of the six roughians that had rode into town. He'd watched the entire confict from the doorway of the saloon. This was exactly what he needed to get this town under his thumb long enough to rob it blind and take it over.

He drifted back into the saloon and sat down at a table with his five comrades, that vile grin still on his lips. "Ive got a plan that'll leave this town in shambles and ours for the taken. Listen here." The leader, a redish brown haired fella with a heavy beer belly leaned forward and began drawing out a plan. When he was done, four of his five frineds got up from the table each grinning and nodding.

"You make sure you leave a calling card, we want the other to know who's giving and invite." The four nodded and laughed as they left the bar and mounted up, riding outta town in the same direction that Chet had tore outta only a half hour before.

(Cue Konrad. I've got plenty of bad names for a crocked legged mangy mutt like you.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He was intending on riding in the opposite direction as the young hothead but found he was headed the same way. After he'd arranged with the stable master to by another horse. While there he saw four of the six ruffians that were in the Boar's Nest charge out of town like hell was behind them, riding the same direction that Chet had ridden. Something in his gut told him to follow them.

(Cue Chet, Ya just too scared to say them here....chicken )

[Chet Duke]

The four riders split outta town quickly. Skillfully they followed the trail of Chets horse. The tall redish colored horse was an easy to track animal, he had unusually small hooves for these parts, being the only Thoroughbred in the area.

Chet rode back to his camp and began unsaddling his horse. A frown pulled at his lips, he'd never missed a well aimed shot like he had at the stranger today. The young Duke cursed himself, there was something about that man that just kicked him every time he looked him in the eyes.

After nearly a half hour of good tracking and a well timed and carefull approach the four riders charged in on the unsuspecting young Duke. Chet had just sat down to wash the gash on his side where the bullet had grazed him when they tore into his camp.

Chet bolted up making a head long run for his horse and vaulting onto the tall steeds back. He kicked his heals into the horses sides and he galloped for the trees. One of the four riders swung a rifle up outta the boot of his saddle and pointed his sights on Chets back. With a single shot he took the young man down, the bullet tearing him off his galloping horses bare back.

It took Chet only a few moments to roll over and get to his knees. He drew his right gun and fired at the on coming riders taking one down. The others were on him in seconds, two pouncing on him like cats. A calvery saber slashed across his back and he shreeked in agony. In a few short minutes three of the four riders rode away leaving there own dead comrad laying in the dirt. The young Duke lay nearby, beatin and bleeding perfusely from his wounds but alive.

(Cue Konrad. )

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He didn't realise he fell behind as his mind wandered thinking about the young stranger. He seemed familiar somehow, but different. Hearing the shots from afar he hurried the Mustang towards them.

He saw the scene at the camp and counted two bodies. He recognised one and jumped off the back of his horse and hurried over to the young cowboy.

"Hey." He called and gave a soft slap on the man's cheek to get his attention when he realised with relief that the cowboy was still alive.

(cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

At first Chet was almost relieved to open his eyes and see someone was there to help him. Then he recognized the stranger and his hope of survival exstinguished. Why would the stranger help him if all he wanted was to take over what he'd claimed for himself as an outlaw in Hazzard. His face lay covered in a smear of blood from a suveer wound cut down his face. Blood stained the dirt from the gun shot wound in his back and other wounds he'd sustained.

He breathed hard to fight the pain in his body. "What do you want?" Chet asked the stranger in a hoarse painful ton. His mismatched eyes reflected a saddened defeat coming strate from his soul. "Its yours now... take it..." The young Duke laid his head down on the ground. The dirt caked on his cheek and jaw, he was not ready to die, but he'd put up a hell of fight and believed it was now over.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He smiled when the young one opened his eyes. He was a bit taken aback by the words he spoke, but Konrad should of expected it.

"Well you're mine, and it wasn't me that attacked you. Plus it ain't fair to attack a man when he's down so i'm all for fairness so i'm gonna take you to a doctor and get ya better so i can be the one ta take ya down." He replied and lifted the wounded man into a sitting position.

"And what is mine? Somethin' that i never wanted in the first place?....man you're hurt good." He said confused and observed the wound in the man's back.

(Cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

Chet breathed fast and short breathes in agony. He blinke dhis eyes slowly and then closed them. Could he believe the stranger and what he said? He didnt know but he was took weak to fight.

"Hurts..."

Consciousness began to slip through his grasps and he slummped in Konrads arms, his head hanging back. The blood leaked from his body like a stream staining the older mans hands. Chet horse stood near by ears perked an inner instinct drove him to trust Konrad rather then attack him in defense of his master.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He laid Chet down when he passed out and got up and walked to the camp and serched though his things still he spotted a spare shirt and tore it up. Walked back over to the young one he patched him up enough for the ride back to down. He wiped his hands o blood as best he could and went up to the red horse.

"Well ya gonna help me ain't ya?" He asked the animal.

(Cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

The big red horse nickered and came forward nosing his masters still form on the ground. He sniffed all over the younger man smelling the blood on him, he stretches his neck out and nudged Konrad prepared to help.

The sun was setting and the dark fingers of evening were coming on. If Konrad was lucky he'd make it back to town by dark.

(Cue Konrad)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

"Alright then." He said agreeing and took the reins and gently pulled down to get the horse to kneel so he could lift Chet onto it's back easier then the animal standing and him wrestling with the dead weight of younger man. Going over to Chet when the horse was down he picked him up with a grunt of effort and slumped him over the back of the horse and secured him tightly. Getting up on his own horse with the red's reins in his hand he made his way back to town quickly but carefully.

(cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

Darkness was just shadowing the town as Konrad and Chet rode into the main st. People on the board was paused to look at the man slumped on the big red horse. Some of them grinned in a pleased manner, Chet had been a thorn in there side for a long time. Now to see him slumped over his horse bandages soaking blood and his face smeared thickly with it made them mutter a good ridence.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He ignored the mutterings and the looks and rode to the doctors office and knocked on the door when he got off his own horse and then went to untie Chet from the red horse. As soon as the young one was taken care of he'd go search out that painted lady at the Boar's Nest for some whiskey, entertanment, and rest.

(cue Chet)

[Chet Duke]

A fat bellied doctor came to the door and put his specticals to his eyes as Konrad pulled Chet off his horse. "I will not treat that man, hes a gonner anyhow." He slammed the door into his doctors office.

The painted lady watched from the balcony of the upstairs of the saloon. She whistled down to Konrad. "Hey! Bring him up the back... I'll help him." The women kept her voice low only loud enough for Konrad to hear her. It was the same women that had entertained Konrad the night before and kept him company in the early morning. She knew Chet well, she'd entertained the young cowboy more than a few times in the recent past.

(Cue Konrad.)

[Konrad Lee Duke]

He sighed when he heard the doctor, "People are too damn picky these days..." He muttered and looked up when he heard the whistle and nodded. leaving Chet on the horse he walked it around the back of the saloon and waited for the lady to appear.

(cue Chet)