Hazzard County Welcomes Jeff Gordon

[RogerDuke]

Boss "Didn't he just win that big race in Atlanta?"

Rosco "You got that right Boss...first place"

Boss responded sarcastically, still upset about the wrecked cars "Well I ain't never heard of no second place winner you turnup brain....how much you figure that first place win is worth?"

Rosco "Uh, a lot.....I wonder if they paid him in cash?"

Boss "Rosco, Lulu has pink flamingos in the yard smarter than her baby brother. Of course Jeff Gordon don't get paid in cash. NASCAR hasn't paid the winners in cash for years. But that don't matter none. He made more money in that race than you'll make in your whole life so you'd better git out there and git that leadfoot and milk him for some of that money or you're going to be out of a job faster than Jimmie Johnson finishes a lap at the Poconos!"

Rosco turned around and walked out. Just before the door slammed Boss could hear him say "I'm gone!"

[Garrett Duke]

*Reaching the other side, Luke ties the boat to a dock as Bo climbs out of the boat, onto the dock and helps Gordon out. Luke slowly follows them out of the boat.* "Well my life experiences just keeps growing ever since I entered this -" Gordon stops what he was about to say, not wanting to insult his rescuers, "your town." He goes silent as he follows his new friends off of the dock and onto the land that is wet and mushy under his feet. Looking around he asks, "Where to now? I don't see nothing but woods and weeds."

"That's the point. Old Man Finley don't like no visiters. His place is as hidden as any racing secret you got on the circuit. Just follow us and you'll be fine," Luke instructs before he turns and starts walking into the woods.

"If you say so," Gordon states, following them through the thick woods, "how a man like this Finley guy survive out in the middle of no where? I don't see someone this hidden getting out on the boat and into town too often."

"Dang right he don't. Folks have long forgotten about him. Either than or just assume he's already dead. But thanks to our Uncle Jesse, we know otherwise," Bo grins at Gordon as he stops to watch a deer eating in the distance before running to catch up, "Finley is one smart fella. He survives by hunting and using mother nature to the best of his knowledge. Plus, I'm sure a few jugs of homemade shine here and there helps him along the way."

"Home made shine? Wow," Gordon shakes his head, "that's where NASCAR was born from, but haven't heard of it for awhile."

"Well you don't live around these parts then," Bo grins at him, "now just a heads up, Finley won't be too happy to see us. He's as growly as an grizzley bear. Just as fierce too. He'll come out aiming a shot gun at us with full intentions of using it on us too."

Gordon stops to eye them suspiciously. "You mean you helped me escape your crooked law only to get shot? My lawyer could talk them out of them trump up charges," Gordon firmly states, "he won't be able to talk me back alive!"

Luke rolls his eyes and comes to a stop. "Look, Bo's right with the warning and the description of Finley, but he won't shoot at you or us," he states, "Finley owes Jesse a huge debt for what Jesse done for him eight years ago and we are going to cash in on it. Grumpy and dangerous or not, Finley will repay us by helping us out here. At least once."

Gordon solomnly nods before he continues to walk again, his mind falling on his kids, wondering what they are doing. What he would be doing right now if he hadn't taken his own ride home as he had.

[RogerDuke]

"ROSCO!" yelled Boss in his deep voice after the door slammed.

Rosco opened the door and looked at Boss confused "Uh, what is it Boss?"

"Do you have a plan to catch Mr Jeff Gordon?"

"Uh, sure Boss, you know me. Have you ever known a time when I didn't have a plan?"

Boss looked disgusted "Is it a plan that'll work or is it one of your usual plans?"

"Khee Khee! Oh, don't you worry. It'll work all right."

"It'd better or you'll be in the unemployment line."

Rosco shut the door and quietly muttered to himself "It's a good thing he didn't ask what my plan is because I don't have a clue. Khee Khee!"

He stepped outside and saw Enos sitting in his patrol car. "Move over boy. I'm driving. We're going to go catch Jeff Gordon and if hot pursuit's involved I'm going to need a real wheel man driving, namely me, Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane!"

[Garrett Duke]

Marshy water covers their feet as they continue to walk through the swamp land as the older Duke leads the way. Bo excitedly talks to Gordon in a hushed voice about cars and racing while Gordon nervously listens and does his best to keep up with the conversation.

"Enough Bo!" Luke abruptly snaps as he comes to a halt and Bo runs into the back of him before giving Luke an angry look for telling him to hush. "We're getting close and in order to get Finley to listen, we need to sneak up on him. He sees us comin' no tellin' what he'll do."

Bo rolls his eyes at his cousin and whispers to Gordon, "He's being over dramatic."

"Then I'll stay here with Gordon and you go try Finley to see what he does," Luke snaps and as Bo steps back, he states, "let's go. Quietly."

Bo slowly nods before he begins to follow Luke, still out of shape at being told what to do by Luke, but know better than to question Luke.

Gordon, glad for the silence, follows Bo while looking around while his mind quickly pictures all that his near future may hold for him. All because he wanted to go for a drive.

"Stop!" Luke hisses in a loud whisper, coming to a halt and Bo once again runs into him and Luke glares angrily back at him. "Stop," he hisses as he pulls a large tree branch out of the way and he inadvertantly gasps aloud as he sees Finly in front of an old small shack, bent over with a saw in hand, cutting a thick tree. An old shot gun rested upon another thick tree stump a foot away, just within reach. "He's there, saw in hand, his gun nearby," Luke states to the others, "you two stay here. I'll go talk to him."

Bo goes to protest only for Luke to slowly disappear before he could say anything.

[RogerDuke]

With Enos in the passenger seat Rosco was kicking up dust heading northeast on Old Hickory Stump Road.

Enos "So, what's yer plan Sheriff?"

Rosco "I ain't got no plan you dipstick!"

Enos "Uh, where we going then?"

Rosco "I just figured maybe we'd drive around and we just might git lucky and bump into something"

Seconds later Rosco went around a curve a little too wide and sideswiped a parked truck. The beat up old brown Ford F-150 had it's hood up with a skinny older man looking at the engine. Neither vehicle was hurt but Rosco was embarressed.

Enos "It looks like you bumped into something Sheriff"

Rosco "That's enough out of you, you looney tune. Now come help me out. I'm giving this feller a ticket fer illegal parking."

Enos "But Sheriff he's broke down so it ain't hardly his fault. Besides that, you was going too fast around the curve and he has his four way flashers on."

Rosco "Just hush Enos! Hush"

Both lawmen got out of the car and approached the broke down truck.

Rosco "Oh good grief. What are you doing here? This old jalopy's broke down again? I'm going to have to ticket you."

The man responded.......

[Garrett Duke]

Luke gives Bo a stern eye before he slowly slips through the thick weeded and bushy area, inhaling heavily to calm his nerves and emotions. He loved Bo like a brother, but sometimes his eagerness mixed with his naiveity got on his nerves. As it is now. Bo was only trying to help, wanting to feel worthy of his family, to do his share. Luke knew this and he forces himself to remind himself of that and that he would have to find something for Bo to do to make himself feel useful. So he could justly claim that he came to his hero's rescue.

Walking out of the bushy area, Luke switches his line of thought towards what he is about to do and how he will make this work. After all, Finley won't be too eager to help them out whether Jesse had saved his hide or not.

Stepping onto the old moonshiner's land, the thin older man jerks up; grabbing his shot gun in a swift motion on his way standing up, and sharply points it at Luke. "What ya want you evil tresspasser?!" he hisses, his thin finger inches on the trigger.

"Finley, relax," Luke puts his hands up in surrender, "I'm Luke Duke. Jesse Duke's nephew. I'm here to cash in on a little debt you owe our Jesse."

Finley spits over the gun, eyeing Luke with hard eyes. "I was wonderin' when he'd come sayin' he'd come sayin' I'd owe him. It's been years since that happened and he said nothing of it since then. He claimed back then that I owed him nothin' for his kindness. Fact I was alive and free was payment enough. And now he's come to cash in on his so called kindness act. Shoulda known him to be nothing but a liar. Not only that, he's too chicken to come ask for it himself. He sends his dumb nephew over," he shakes his head in disgust, "I no longer have any respect for your supposed uncle."

"Now wait a cotton pickin' minute there Mr. Finley before you go and accuse our uncle of all them aweful and untruthful accusations you just placed upon our uncle! He didn't lie to you. He didn't send us. We are here, knowing what he did for you. Jesse doesn't even know we are here," Luke sighs, his hands still up in surrender, "I'd be glad to sit down and discuss all this with you, Mr. Finley," Luke goes silent as he hears something from behind him and prays that it's not Bo trying to do something bold and brave, "but right now, my cousin, my friend, and I are in a little bit of trouble with the law. We need a place to hide out for a day or two. Then we'll be out."

"So you want me to hide a bunch of fugitives on your uncle's supposedly clean name?" Finley hisses, shaking his head, his finger tight on the trigger, "I owe you nothing. Nor your cousin. Nor your friend. No way I'm holdin' a bunch of fugitives as yourself. You're likely to bring the law to my place and I don't want the law or no one at my place. When I mean no one, that includes you and your fugitive friends. Now git outta here before I blow your ugly head off them whimpy shoulders of your's!"

"Mr. Finely," Luke protests, a thick stick snapping sound penetrates the silence behind him, "we have to talk this out. The law won't think of coming out here. If they do, we'll leave and take them with us."

"Impossible to say that," Finley states before his thin chest heaves in and out in a loud sigh, a sigh of surrender, "but I reckon I hafta sympathize with your situation. I've been there a time or two myself," he looks around as if looking for the law before eyeing Luke, his finger on the trigger losens and the shot gun slowly lowers. "and your uncle did save my hide all them years ago. Damn it." He hiss in frustration and disgust at Luke and his call out for help. "Well OK -" he goes silent as another loud snapping sound sharply cuts through the silence, this one louder than the first and Finley has obviously heard it this time as his gun is quickly thrown up, aimed over Luke's shoulder and his finger tight against the trigger once again. "Who there?! You have a second to make yourself known before I begin shooting at anything in front of me...including Luke here!"

Luke gulps his anger premature soars within him in full knowledge of who is there in his attempt to attempt to help. Despite Luke's warning. And now he's about to either get themselves shot or Finley's acceptance to help them out to be turned around.

Despite knowing, Luke slowly glances around to see the bushes and weeds slowly moves and Bo cautiously steps with a sorry look spread across his face. "Don't shoot, Mr. Finley," Luke hisses turning around, "it's only my stupid cousin, Bo, who doesn't seem to like to listen very much."

Finley eyes Luke for a hard moment, stepping threatenly forward before the barrel of the gun is shoved into Bo's chest who has his own hands up in surrender. "Well if he's stupid and don't listen, then I spose you and Jesse won't miss him very much then, huh?" he questions, eyeing Bo with crazy green eyes.

"At the moment, I wouldn't object too much to you shooting him, but Jesse would for some odd reason be upset over losing him," Luke sighs impatiently, hoping Bo would get the hint of how upset he is over all of this, "and despite his several faults, he's still family."

"Well excuse me for trying to help, Luke! You expect me to stand back and do nothing while you go off to play hero as if you think I am too dumb and weak to be of any help! Well I ain't! And I ain't gonna sit back and be treated like that, either!" Bo snaps, his hurt feelings clear in his angered voice, "Well, I'm sorry, for not listening to your commands to stop as if I was nothing but a dog, but I can't just sit there and listen to him talk about Uncle Jesse like that! Jesse ain't no liar!"

Luke glances back, sighing heavily in recognition of the truth in what his cousin had just stated, yet not wanting to admit it in front of Finley or Gordon. Finley stares at Luke, as if waiting to hear his response before he presses the barrell harder into Bo's chest once more. "You said there was a friend, where is he?" he finally snaps, "I'm going to regret this, but we can't stand out in the open like this forever."

Luke fights back the strong urge to tell Finley they could stand out here forever and no one would hear or see them. "He's back there. Where he was to stay until I got it worked out. Bo, go get him," Luke states.

Bo eyes him, standing still for a long back before he turns his angry eyes on Finley who reluctantly drops the gun and Bo slowly walks back into the brush where he had came from only a minute or so ago.

[RogerDuke]

The older skinny man pleaded his case to Rosco "Now I'm really sorry about this Sheriff but I can't hardly help it. I think she has the vapors. I replaced the fuel filter and tuned her up this morning. She was running fine until a mile ago. Besides, I had my four way flashers on so it really ain't my fault."

Enos "That's what I told you Sheriff. He has his four way flashers on just like the law says he's supposed to"

Rosco was irrated with his deputy "Hush you dipstick. Don't forget who yer superior commander is. Superior means your opinion is inferior so you should hush!"

Enos tightened his lips and looked down at the dirt road in submission.

Rosco stood there for a second thinking and then smiled "Well after giving it some thought I think I'm going to have to give you tickets for illegal parking, creating a traffic hazard, impeding traffic, having an unsafe vehicle and disorderly conduct. Khee Khee!"

The man responded with alarm in his voice "But Rosco! I ain't got the kind of money to pay all those fines. Business has been bad lately and I'm flat broke. In fact, I'm broker than broke."

Rosco displayed a clever smile "I tell you what then. Maybe....just maybe we can work something out"

[Garrett Duke]

Bo slowly walks back, grumbling to himself and feeling as small as he has ever felt. In Bo's eyes, Luke has always been his hero, the one that has always came to his rescue. Luke was smart, tough, and quick. Everything that Bo wasn't and no matter how hard Bo tried to help Luke, tried to prove himself to his older cousin, he always ended up failing in the end. If for once he could be the one to help get them out of trouble instead of the one getting themselves into trouble...

He shakes his head as he approaches Gordon who stands straight and alert, awaiting his orders. "Where's Luke?" he questions suspisiously as Bo approaches him.

"With Finley. We are suppose to join them. But I wouldn't say anything or do anything unless Finley or one of us says something to you. OK?" Bo questions and Gordon gives him a brief nod, "Finly is a grumpy ol' man that you need to know how to handle. Hopefully Luke knows how to handle him."

Gordon eyes Bo for a long moment, his eyes filled with worry and doubt. "OK Bo," he finally says, "I just want to get out of here and to my family."

Bo nods understandably. "Luke will figure a way out. He always does," Bo says with a sigh, disappointed in himself, "We don't want to keep 'em waiting too long. Follow me."

Gordon nods silently before he begins to follow Bo through the brush.

[RogerDuke]

The older man responded "I sure hope so sheriff. I'll do just about anything to get out of paying those fines. I just ain't got no money and I sure don't want to go to jail to pay my debt to society."

Then the old man mumbles "Even though I ain't done nothing wrong."

Rosco responded sharply "I heard that Amos Stigger. I'm the sheriff around these parts and if I say you've done something wrong then you've done something wrong. Khee Khee! Got that?!"

"Uh, yes sir sheriff sir. Now what is it that I can do fer ya?"

"Ya got any gas in your plane?"

"Yes sir, a full tank. Enough to last all day if I had to. Why? Ya know someone who needs their crops dusted?"

Rosco responded "No, I don't know nobody who needs their crops dusted. I need to commandeer that flying vehicle for official police business. Now let's get your piece of junk pick-up off the road and get me up in the air. Enos, you stay here and monitor the CB in the patrol car."

*One hour later. Amos Stigger and Rosco were airborn in the two-seater crop duster*

[Garrett Duke]

By the time that Gordon and Bo returned to the brush where Luke and Finley were standing, Luke's guilt was at full blast within him for how he had belittled Bo. Silently, in his mind, he can hear Jesse impatiently explaining to him that Bo was only trying to help, that he looks up to him, and wanted to do what Luke was doing, to impress Luke. As Jesse had often said to him in the past, while growing up. They they may be grown up, but deep down, Luke knew there was still truth in all that Jesse had said to him back then.

Luke jumps as Finley throws the gun up over his shoulder and Luke slowly turns around to find Bo and Gordon silently making their way to him. "Calm down, Finley. You sent Bo out to retrieve our friend. Here they are," Luke states, his hands up in surrender.

"I know that. I may be old, but I have a memory a mile long. Ask that uncle o' your's!" Finley snaps, "Who's the friend?"

Gordon, Bo, and Luke all eye each other with the question. "I'm Jeff Gordon, sir," Gordon speaks up for the first time, "I drive on the NASCAR circuit. I took a drive down these here parts only for your sheriff to run into my car and now is accusing me of all these made up charges. These two boys came to my rescue and now they're in trouble with him too."

Finley eyes them all suspiciously before lowering the gun and snorts. "No surprise there. The law in these parts is as crooked as they come. With that said, any friends of the Dukes are awright with me. Espeically if they're on the run from the law here," he gives them a crooked smile before turning around, "follow me. Must not stay out here too long. They'll see us."

Gordon nods as the Duke boys follow the old man into a small shack and Finley is quick to close the door behind him. "Thank-you sir for helping us out," Gordon states.

"Well as Luke reminded me, I have little to no choice. I owe their uncle a big one. So," he eyes Luke with harsh eyes, "here it is. How long you here for?"

Luke nods as he eyes Bo who stands quietly by the door, his back towards them while he eyes out through the thin curtians. "Til I can think of something to help Gordon out of his predictament that Rosco put him in," he cautiously states, "Bo move away from the window. We may be in the middle of no where, but I don't want to take any chances."

Bo eyes Luke momentarily before moving across the room, away from the window and farther away from Luke.

[RogerDuke]

As the crop duster was flying in a zig-zag pattern above Hazzard County Rosco yelled into the CB radio so he could be heard above the engine noise.

"Enos, what's yer 20 you dipstick?"

"Uh, right here at the crossroads of Turtle Creek Road and Highway 128, right where you told me to be sheriff."

"Khee Khee. That's great. You're right smack dab in the middle of the county. Now I got Wilbur Fudge, Zack Wheatly and Homer Sneed on standby in case we need 'em. As soon as I get a visual on those Duke boys and that desperate and dangerous fugitive Jeff Gordon, I'm gonna call you boys and have you cuff and stuff all three of 'em."

Enos was troubled. "Gosh sheriff I can't hardly believe Mr Gordon is dangerous. I see him on TV all the time being interviewed after a race and he sure enough seems like a pretty nice feller to me."

Rosco was expectedly irritated. "Enos, you've been smelling too many exhaust fumes. I'm telling you he's dangerous and he's a menace to society. Now if he tried to kill a lawman imagine what he'd do to a civilian. Now you just hush and keep the line of communications open. Now Hush. Don't even respond. Just hush!"

"Okay sheriff. I promise I won't respond. I'm hushing."

"Enos you just responded you idiot. Now don't do it again."

"Okay sheriff I won't. "

"ENOS!!!"

"Woops sorry sheriff. I'm hushing now. I promise."

[Garrett Duke]

Finley suspiciously eyes his unwanted visitors and thinks about all that had been said. He'd love to pull one over on Rosco after what Rosco and Boss had done to him, but he also loves his solitude and if he harbors fugitives from Rosco, his solitude would not only be interupted by his new visitors, but perhaps the law itself.

"What 'm I to do while you hidin' out here?" he barks.

"Do whatever you want to do. Show us a room and we'll stay in it 'til we leave," Luke speaks up, "we just need a place where Rosco won't look. And I'm willin' he's forgotten about you. Most folk in Hazzard has. Only reason I thought of you was because Jesse was going over some old stories the other day and mentioned the one with you."

"Well I'd rather to stay forgotten about," Finley harshly responds, looking out his window before walking away, "but I owe Jesse so this once I will help hide you. Go in that room o'r there. You've got a day to figure out what to do and get off my land or else I start shootin'. One by one. Understand?"

"A day. We got it," Luke nods as he slowly gets up and walks over to the entrance that Finley had pointed to. "Thanks for giving us a room. We won't make any noise."

Finley snorts. "Except when the law comes with their fancy and loud sirens you mean?" he rolls his eyes as he walks the other way.

Bo watches him before he follows Gordon into the room that doubly lined with jugs of homemade moonshine. "Well that's all fine and dandy. We's on probation for this stuff and he sticks us in a room of it. Now when Rosco finds us we'll not only be arrested for hording a fugitive, aiding and abbetting, resisting arrest, and now we'll get charged for breaking probation. We're now looking up to thirty years in the pen," Bo gripes as Luke slowly sits down on the bare floor on the opposite side of the room, "we'll all be old men before we get another breath of fresh air. Hope you're enjoying it, Lukas."

"Well Bo, now aren't you a big ball of sunshine today?" Luke snaps, "We've been in tighter positions than this and we made it out of it. Just as we will now."

"You're on probation?" Gordon asks, speaking for the first time.

Luke eyes Bo and gives him a silent sarcastic thank you. "Yeah we got caught running our uncle's shine. Our lawyer was able to talk us out of jail with a few years of probation time for it if our uncle vouched to never make or run shine again. Which he did. Leaving Bo and I on probation. We get caught with a gun or near shine, we're looking for some heavy prison time," Luke responds inhaling heavily, taking in the jugs of shine. "But ol' Rosco won't find us in here as long as we stay inside. Though I'm willin' to bet he won't find us if we were outside either, but would rather stay inside where we won't be seen."

"Well tell us Lukas, if we are to stay inside, then how we suppose to use the restroom? You know as well as I do that Finley don't have indoor plumbing," Bo responds.

"We'll have to make a run for it. As I said, I bet Rosco has forgotten about this ol' place a long time ago," Luke calmly states, "now we got better things to worry about than our probation. Such as how we are to clear Gordon's name here. After all, no one else saw it. It's only Rosco's word against Gordon's."

"C'mon Luke what's gotten into you? You hit your head and now suffering from amnesia?" Bo sarcastically snaps at Luke, still standing, "You know as well as I do that Rosco's word ain't worth nothing! He lies so much he probably can't remember how to tell the truth."

Luke rolls his eyes in his last attempt to stay calm with his cousin. "I know that and you know that. But if this comes to court, Boss Hogg will be the judge and he'll take Rosco's word over anyone else's. You know that as well," he snaps, "Why won't you have a seat, Bo? Standing there snapping at me won't get nothing solved."

"I'm not snapping at you. I'm telling you how it is," Bo snaps at him, feeling impatient and upset at Luke and how he's been treating him, "don't know what we'll solve by hiding out with a room full of shine. Since when have we run and hid? What Jesse say? Dukes don't run and they don't hide. Well what you call this, Luke?"

"You rather us stay in town and let Rosco arrest the three of us? Cause as of right now, I don't have a better plan than to hide out," Luke states, motioning Gordon to sit down and he slowly does, feeling lost amongst the argument, "we'll stay here until I can think of a way to get us all out of this."

"You think of something? As if Gordon and I couldn't think of a way out? Is that it, Luke?" Bo rolls his eyes, feeling sensitive about anything Luke has to say, "After all, I'm just stupid and don't listen. Ain't that right?"

Luke looks away, knowing he deserved that one. "Look Bo, I'm sorry. OK? I had things under control and then you try sneaking up and get caught. You put me on the spot in order to save your sorry behind from getting shot by Finley. I said the first thing that came to mind," Luke states before realizing how bad that sounds, "never mind Bo. I just said it in order to get him to relax and not shoot you."

"So you think I'm stupid huh -" Bo starts to say, his temper flaring.

"Wait a moment here boys," Gordon calmly interupts him, "I don't think sitting in this here room yelling and arguing with one another is going to help anything. In fact, it's bound to make it worse. At least it seems to on track.

"I apologize for getting you in this spot. I should never have allowed you to step in as you both did. It was very generous of you, but it's got you in trouble as well. I should have just allowed your hick sheriff to arrest me and call my lawyer and work it out the legal way. Now it's too late for that," Jeff pauses, looking at the boys, "Now when you two first walked up to me I could tell that you were good friends. You know the friends that are there for one another. Friends that are there to save your back when need be. Friends to talk with and laugh with." He pauses again as he notices the tension amongst the two slowly begin to evaporate at his truth, "And now look at you. Damn, I hate being the cause to ruin such a great friendship. Especially you two being kin and all.

"It may be too late, but perhaps it would be best if I make my way outta here and back to the mainland and give myself up," Jeff exhales loudly, thinking of how the media will play all this once they get word about it.

"On my dead body you will!" Bo quickly yells in disgust, "No damn way would I allow that to happen! Rosco has falsely accused and charged you and I ain't about to see you get arrested on such false charges just so he can have some publicity stunt of his own."

"Well ain't fair for -"

"Bo's right. We can't let you turn yourself in. You said it yourself. It's too late. Even if it wasn't too late, we wouldn't let you. No way we'd let the law win on such false charges," Luke pauses before he glances over at Bo who has his back turned towards him, "and Gordon's right. Us arguing and fighting won't help anything but to make things worse. I am sorry Bo for what I said. For how I acted. You're not stupid, just seeing you walk up like that unnerved and upsetted me. Hogg nor Rosco is worth getting upset at each other over. Friends?"

Bo lets out a deep breath he had been holding as his thoughts and emotions rushes violently within him. He slowly turns around with a relaxed grin on his face in attempt to hide his emotions. "When weren't we?" he questions as they shake hands and Luke pulls him in for a hug. As Luke let's go, he asks, "Well Lukas. You're the one with all the brains. You tell us what we do to help clear our names...this time?"

[RogerDuke]

As the day progressed Rosco had just about given up but instructed Amos to make a pass near the shores of Hazzard Swamp on the way home.

Upon spotting part of the orange hood through the branches Rosco couldn't believe his luck. "Khee Khee, I love it, I love it!" He keyed up his CB microphone. "Enos, are you still at Turtle Creek Road and Highway 128?'

Enos "Uh, do I still have to hush?"

Rosco "Not if you want to keep your job."

Enos "Then I'm still here sheriff!"

Rosco "What's your 20 Zack?"

Zack "I'm on County 27 near Possum Pass."

Rosco "How 'bout you Wilbur?"

Wilbur "I'm sitting here in the pick-up with Homer Sneed just off Jimson Lane near the old grits mill."

Rosco "Did you boys bring your shotguns Wilbur?"

Wilbur "Uh, yes sir but that Jeff Gordon seems like a purrty nice feller. Yer not gonna make me shoot him are ya Rosco?"

Rosco "He ain't no nice feller Wilbur. He tried to murder an officer of the law and he needs to be in jail...but I don't want ya shooting him. The guns are so he knows you're serious. Now I want all three of you hired guns to start toward the south end of Hazzard Swamp and wait for me there. Enos, run over to Amos's airstrip and pick me up."

[Garrett Duke]

Gordon relaxed a bit after the boys seemed to calm down and get along with one another, but was still worried and nervous about what his future may hold. And all of this for a little joy ride to celebrate his win...perhaps his last win.

"Well boys," he breaks his silence as he eyes Luke and Bo for a long moment before continuing, "I really hate that I put you into all of this. I mean, I was just going for a joy ride and ended up here and -"

"Stop apologizing for something you didn't do," Bo states harshly shaking his head, "you didn't do this. Rosco did. First of all, Rosco ain't about to take credit for running into you as he did. So he has to find someone to blame. Meaning you. Second of all, once he saw and noticed who you are him and ol' Boss started thinking in dollar signs and all the attention that you may bring them. It's not you, Jeff. It's them."

"For once, Bo's right," Luke states with a grin on his face, elbowing Bo in the ribs, "you didn't do it. They did. They are trying to get to you. Use you. Just as they do to anyone who they think will bring them money. We ain't about to sit back and let them do it. To you. Or to anyone."

Gordon shakes his head not knowing what to make out of it. "And yet, they're still in office?" he finally questions.

"Yup," Luke states confidently, "we can at least fight an enemy we know." He gives Gordon a wink. "Plus no one wants to see ol' Boss Hogg angry. You run against him, you're gonna make him angry. And ol' Rosco being the best sheriff that money could buy, keeps him where he's at too. Tell you one thing," Luke pauses and glances at Bo, "it keeps things interesting around here."

"I'd rather have it quiet and boring," Gordon states as a thought hits him hard to send chills racing up and down his back, "I just thought of something. When they find us, they'll probably come loaded with guns and ready to shoot. How good of aim they got?"

Luke gives a sarcastic laugh. "They couldn't hit you if you were standing still. Unless they got some help. Rosco has been known to blackmail people into aiding his cause," he goes silent in thought.

"What you thinkin' about, Lukas?" Bo speaks up, alert by the look on Luke's face.

"I just thought of something myself," Luke once again goes silent, leaving Gordon and Bo to wonder what idea he was starting to think of.

[RogerDuke]

After locating the General Lee, Rosco rummaged through the Charger looking for clues as Enos and the other three men looked on.

Enos "Uh whatcha lookin' for sheriff?"

Rosco "Anything I can find you dipstick. Maybe they left some kind of clue or something saying where they were going."

Homer "Excuse me Rosco but I believe you need a search warrent to do that."

Rosco ignored him.

Wilbur "Uh I hate to ask again but are you sure I'm not going to have to shoot Mr Gordon? Boss Hogg is only paying me 20 bucks today. Hurting someone ain't worth that."

Rosco "You fellers hush! I'm an experienced officer of the law and I need quiet to properly search a vehicle. Now hush. I ain't gonna say it again."

The four men looked at each other. Zack Wheatly waved his fist at Rosco behind his back.

Rosco "Homer, while I'm finishing this up I need you to pop the hood and take out the distributer cap and spark plug wires in case they show up while we're searching for them. Then throw them in the quicksand."

Homer complied.

[Garrett Duke]

Luke abruptly stands up to attract everyone's worried attention onto him and Luke is quick to turn his back to them as he makes his way to the boarded window. Peering in between the thin cracks his thoughts accelerate his worry deep within him. He had thought his plan to come here was bullet proof...

"What is it, Luke?" Bo asks behind him, eyeing Gordon and then Luke, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know yet," Luke halfway lies to his cousin, not wanting to place un needed worry on him or on Gordon, "just thinkin'."

"Don't lie to me, Luke. Something is obviously wrong or bothering you...whether or not it is just a thought," Bo calls him on his lie, "now what is it?"

Luke shakes his head, knowing his younger cousin won't let it go. Turning around he states, "What if Rosco does get help? There's several farmers in town he could blackmail as we were talkin' about that do know how to work and fire guns. Heck, if he gets help from other people, he may not be limited to just his dang car either."

"You mean like a boat or something?" Bo questions shaking his cousin away, "You worry too much. No on in town would give Rosco a second thought. After what he's done to them, why would they want to help him for?"

"As I said, he'd blackmail 'em," Luke is quick to respond.

"Even so," Gordon slowly mentions, looking at his clock and up at the boys, "you said no one would even think of this place. Of him. So why worry?"

Luke nods slowly. "Probably right on that one. I just don't want to over look anything," he slowly states, "better be prepared."

"What you thinkin' 'bout Luke?" Bo questions, not liking being left in the dark in any of Luke's plans.

Luke winks at him. "You'll see," with that he moves to the closed door and slowly opens it and steps out and closed the door behind him before walking through the shadow filled shack.

[RogerDuke]

After being unable to find any clues in the General Lee that would help him locate the boys and Jeff Gordon, Rosco was frustrated.

He walked away from the orange car grumbling when Zack Wheatly interrupted his tantrum. "What's wrong Rosco?"

Rosco snapped "Nothing! Now just leave me alone. All three of you dipsticks leave me alone. Can't you see I need time to think? Now hush!"

Rosco walked over to a fallen tree overlooking the huge swamp and sat on it.

Enos spoke to the other two men. "We'd better leave him alone. I've seen him this way before. He's in deep thought. Whenever Sheriff Rosco's in deep thought it gives him a headache since he's not used to thinking too deeply. Whenever he gets a headache he gets pretty grumpy. Let's just give him some space. Hey! I have an idea.

Enos removed three fishing poles from the patrol car's trunk and the three men threw lines in the water while Rosco sat on the fallen tree.

[Garrett Duke]

Luke pats Gordon on the back of the shoulder with a smile of confidence spread across his face before his hands are shoved into his back pockets. "Y'all stay here. I'll inform you when I get back," Luke states, eyeing Bo sternly who exhales heavily before nodding. "Very good. Thanks Bo...you both will have your roles in my plan. I just need to get the plan started, first."

Bo nods before looking away in attempt to hide his displeasure and sits back down, impatient with how things are going so far.

"We'll get you outta this mess, Jeff. Watch and see," Luke states to fill the empty void before turning around walking out of the room.

Walking out of the whisky filled room, Luke is facing the wrong end of the gun, with Finley standing firmly on the other end. "I thought you all were to stay in the room until you got out of this problem of your's. Seeing how it's only you, I assume y'all ain't on your way out of my kingdom," Finley snaps at Luke as Luke puts his hands up in surrender, "you better make this good or else your friends in there will be cleaning up your mess."

"Hold on a sec there Finley," Luke states with a small nervous smile, "we're not done in there. Not until we get Gordon in the clear. We was just thinking of a plan on tricking Rosco and Boss and well, I got to thinking."

"You did, huh?" Finley questions still holding the gun aimed at Luke.

"Yes sir, I did. Got to thinking of you and Jesse. Of your beef with Rosco and Boss and well," Luke pauses and shrugs, wishing Finley would put the gun down, "thought you and your boys may want to have a part in taking Rosco and Boss down for what they're corruptness that they imply on you, on Gordon...on all of Hazzard."

"You thought, huh? You must be the one who does all the thinking in your group, huh?" Finley throws back at him, his gun still aimed at Luke, though not as firm, "Well you thought wrong. I don't want nothing to do with Rosco. Or Boss. Or Hazzard. I am fine here in my own kingdom. Alone."

Luke grimaces and shakes his head in a dramatic fashion. "Well I apologize Finely. I took you all wrong," Luke forces a grin as he turns around and as he takes a step back towards the room he just left, he hears Finely drop the gun.

"Wait a minute, Duke. You took me wrong?" Finley bites onto Luke's hook he had thrown at Finely, "How so?"

Walking back to Finley, Luke states, "Well I took you as a man of justice. A man who would seek vengence when wronged by someone. And me and you both know Rosco and Boss both wronged you years ago. That's why you hide away from all the world to see. They hurt you once, you don't want to get hurt again," Luke pauses, watching Finley carefully, "don't you think it's about time your story gets heard once and for all? Don't you think it's about time Rosco and Boss pay for what they did to you?"

Finley violently shakes his head at Luke. "I'm fine here. My boys are fine here," he vehemently states despite the anger in his eyes softening a bit, "things are best left in the past."

"Yeah, so they can wrong other people? Like they wronged you?" Luke pause for a long moment, "Because right now, they have wronged Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon is a famous NASCAR driver who was driving home from the race in Atlanta...home to see his family. He has a wife and two small kids that are now at his house, waiting for him to return. And yet, he's stuck in your back room there. You want to know why?"

Finley eyes him questionably. All of him wanting to angrily kick Luke and his friends out of his house, off his property. While all of him wants to ask why. Wants to help Luke and his friend out.

"Why?" Finley questions despite his inner self yelling at him to get Luke away.

"Because Sheriff Rosco Coltrane ran into him. Not only did Rosco ran into his car and did great damage to it, he is now accusing Gordon of running into him. Pressing charges against him for supposedly running into him. So me and Bo jumped in and pretty much forced Gordon to run from the law. Now we are wanted by the law as well," Luke sighs heavily, surprised and relieved to get this far with Finley, "Gordon has a wife and kids waiting for him to come home. He won't be going home if Rosco gets his hands on him. Not only that, he has a publicized race this Sunday that he won't be able to attend if he is arrested and doesnt' get out of this mess."

"Sounds like Rosco and Boss are trying to use this man Gordon's job and celebrity status to their benefit," Finley snorts, "bet Hogg has a plan in that fat head of his to use Gordon to his advantage to get his hands on Gordon's money or to earn money due to Gordon being in Hazzard."

Luke nods. "Exactly," he states, relieved.

Finley nods, now relaxed with Luke standing in front of him and regrettably in his mind, willing to help them out in his case. "I really despise you for putting me in this position, Luke. You know damn well how I feel about people. About Hazzard. I allowed Bo and you to use my room to hide out in in my attempt to pay my debt to your uncle. You're now taking this too far. In fact, I may accuse you rightfully of you trying to use me and my past for your own damn benefit," Finley pauses harshly and premature frustration fills Luke in thought of his plan being forced to a short halt, "but despite how I feel and my reputation, I do have a heart and perhaps you are right about me," he goes silent once more as he eyes the closed door over Luke's shoulders before eyeing Luke, "So Luke. What's this plan of your's?"

Luke grins with relief. "How 'bout you step into my new office and I'll fill you in with Bo and Jeff?" Luke asks and they slowly begin their way to the back room.

[RogerDuke]

Enos's bobber went under the water and he let out a squeel. "This sure feels like a big one Zack. I bet it's that large mouth bass that busted my line last week." Enos held on to his pole tightly as he started to reel the fish in.

Rosco sat on the nearby fallen tree and jumped up exitedly then screamed. "I GOT IT! KHEE KHEE!!"

His commotion caused Enos to lose his balance and fall in the water. Zack quickly grabbed the fishing pole before it got pulled away but then the fish got unhooked so the pole was no longer being pulled in. Wilbur quickly helped Enos out of the water as Rosco briskly walked over to the men.

"Khee Khee! I got a plan boys. Put those fishing poles away. We got work to do......and Enos, git yourself dried off. You're a mess!"

[Garrett Duke]

Bo slightly jumps and looks up as the door opens and Luke walks in, slowly followed by Finley. "Luke," he jumps to his feet and glances over at Gordon who remains standing uneasy in the corner. "What's going on?"

"Our friend Finley has agreed to assist in helping us out," Luke grins as heh pats Finley on the back who shrinks back, "You OK with that, Jeff?"

Gordon slowly glances around and shrugs. "Anything to get me home and onto my next race," he slowly states, "well anything legal."

Luke nods and turns to Finley and motions everyone to have a seat and they slowly sit down next to one another in order to talk quietly amongst each other. "I was thinking. . ." Luke begins to share his idea.

[RogerDuke]

BAM!

The only door to the shack falls to the floor after Zack busts it down.

Rosco, Enos, Zack, Homer and Wilbur have the element of surprise on their side as the others looked stunned.

Before they even knew what happened Rosco had Jeff Gordon in handcuffs while a reluctant Enos helped and the other three pointed shotguns at the others.

"Khee Khee! Ya didn't think I was smart enough to find you boys did ya?

Now, I ain't gonna worry about you dang blasted Dukes for now. I'll deal with you boys later. For now I'm placing you under arrest Jeff Gordon for the attempted murder of an officer of the law.

Now let's git out of here boys."

If a flash, Rosco and Enos loaded Jeff in their boat and Zack, Homer and Wilbur followed in a second boat, shotguns pointed behind them while the shocked Duke boys looked on helplessly.

[Garrett Duke]

Bo and Luke Duke sat in the woods with Finley sitting behind them, silently watching as Rosco giddily shoves his new captive into the boat. "Well look at that, Lukas," Bo is quick to state as Rosco's laughter is carried and bounced off the hills, "ol' Rosco fell for it hook line and sinker! Way -"

"Shut-up, Bo!" Luke quickly snaps, shooting looks of anger at him while Finley slaps Bo across the head to tell him the samething.

Bo eyes them both angrily for a long moment, irritated at how he has been treated. Turning back around, he watches as Rosco snaps at one of his men who slowly unties the boat and another man shoves the boat away from the land.

**********************

Meanwhile, in the boat the captive eyes the swamp water around him and the large men that surround him. Anger and irritation fills him at being wrongly accused. "What is your damn problem, sheriff?! You run into me and then have the nerve to accuse me for it! You know who I am, sheriff? I'm Jeff Gordon. I have access to the best lawyers there ever was. You go ahead with this frame up of your's, I'll use my phone call to give them all a call. You'll be finding yourself being sued for all your money. For all your partner's money! You don't mess with me!" he pauses as he glances around the swamp island they had just left. Looking back at the sheriff he continues with his rant, "You listening, Sheriff? Or you as deaf as you are dumb? If you were smart you'd face the truth that you messed up and ran into me and let me go."

[RogerDuke]

Rosco was so excited he was acting like a little boy on Christmas.

"Khee Khee! I done told you that you had the right to remain silent.....and remaining silent is exactly what you should be doing young man. If you keep talking like that I'm going to have to add a few charges to your already long list. I mean, if this ain't disorderly conduct, I don't know what is.

As far as the charge of attempted murder of a police officer you ain't got a chance. You see....jurors is made up of local folks and all the folks around here will believe me over a stranger in town."

Wilbur interrupted. "Now that ain't exactly true."

Rosco blasted back. "Now you hush Wilbur or I'll be arresting you for disorderly conduct too!"

Angry and wanting to defend his friend, Homer chimed in. "Wilbur's right Rosco. Nobody in Hazzard County trusts you."

Homer then turned to Jeff. "But the problem Mr. Gordon, is that Boss Hogg holds the mortgages of all the potential jurors and they'll always side with Boss and Rosco at risk of losing their farms."

Jeff looked at Rosco who had a grin on his face. "Khee Khee. I love it. I love it."

An hour later Enos and the three others guarded Jeff Gordon as Rosco approached Boss's office at the Boar's Nest.

[Garrett Duke]

After watching the law and their hired help make their way out of sight, Bo and Luke slowly return to the cabin with Finley once more. As the door closes, Bo eyes Luke with uncertainty in his eyes. "I really hope this plan of your's works, Lukas. I mean," he sighs heavily as he begins to pace the floor, "NASCAR wouldn't be the same without Gordon in it. In fact, I don't think it'd hardly be worth watching if he weren't in it and knowing we were responsible for it."

Luke gives Bo an irritated look before finding himself at the window and stares out at the marshly land that lies outside of it. "Relax Bo. Gordon will be better locked up and us clearing his name than him keep running as we had him doing. No way he'd be racing with a price hangin' over his head," Luke says gruffly and then turns to face Finley, "thanks for your help, Finley. We'll be heading back to town and we'll meet up with your boys at the farm. Sure Jesse's wonderin' where the heck we are by now."

Bo sarcastically laughs. "Yeah. By now he's probably got a price over our heads," he moves towards the door, glad to be on the way out of Finley's shack and off the tiny island implanted within the swamp.

Finley eyes the boys at the door and for the first time in a long time allows his hard front to fade. "Well," he slowly drawly, "always glad to help put Rosco and ol' Boss in their place. That Gordon guy you had in here seemed like a likable and good person. I hope you get him to his next race."

"That's the plan," Bo states, anxious to get out of there, "Thanks for your help." With that, Bo opens the door and walks back out into the humid swamp with Luke close behind him who stops to say bye with Finley before running to catch up with Bo.

"Relax Bo. Things will work out," he states as they walk to where they had stored their boat, "we'll get to the farm. Explain it all to Jesse and Daisy before going into the next phase of our plan. Remember what you said? They fell for it hook line and sinker, why all the sudden doubt?"

Reaching the small boat, Bo climbs inand impatiently waits as Luke follows him in and unties the boat before shoving them into the swamp. Shrugging, Bo states, "Well they got Gordon. What we got? Nothing. Only a plan that may work. May not work either. And then what?" he sarcastically questions, "An innocent person sits in jail on account of a faulty plan."

"Nonsense. It's gotta work," Luke states despite his own worry. Gordon was glad to to accompany Bo and Luke in the plan. Anything he could do to help, he would do. But by trusting them, had he placed himself in jail for the next few years? For something everyone knew he didn't do. . .

[Garrett Duke]

Jeff Gordon sits on the old torn cot that lies behind the bars as his emotions swarms deeply within him. If only he had gone home with the crew, he'd be home with his wife and kids right now. Would be packing up soon to go to the next track to get in testing and qualifying. Yet he didn't. He had won, felt excited over his win and wanted time to himself. Time to celebrate his win in his own quiet way so he went on his own quiet drive that had eventually led to a town he had never heard of before. Now a town he will never forget. Hazzard. A town filled with corrupt law that has now placed charges on him that he never thought would be associated with his name. The name he had worked hard to keep clean as to be respected for who he is.

Hanging his head, his imagination draws up all that the press will have to say about him once they hear about this. What his fans will think. But most of all, what his family will think of him. The sheriff ran into him. Clear and simple. Yet, since it was the sheriff, the sheriff has now used his power and authority to turn the tables around on Gordon. Blaming Gordon of the accident plus others.

Luckily the two locals had came across the accident and had done their part to try to help Gordon out. Only to put the name fugitive behind Gordon's once clean name. Though Gordon had went along with it. Wanting their help. Wanting to get away. Until the reality came forth and hit him hard. There was no way of escaping the charges the sheriff had put on him. Not unless he turned himself in and fought the charges the legal way.

Which means he will miss races. Miss his family. Meaning the whole world is about to learn what he supposedly did.

A new voice enters the mix from the sheriff's station that lies above the cells where Gordon sits which brings his attention towards the stairs where foot steps begin to echo off the cheap wood. A moment later a pair of old scuffed leather black boots become visible to Gordon and then faded jean legs as the man walks farther down the stairs. Watching the upcoming visitor, Gordon watches an olderly man in faded jean overalls walks down the stairs. A thick gray beard covers his face while a well worn red hunting cap is placed upon the mans white hair.

As the man steps onto the floor and over to the bars that seperates Gordon from freedom, the man offers Gordon a kind and friendly smile. A smile that shows Gordon his compassion and sympathy. A smile that seemed to spread into the man's wise blue eyes that looks at Gordon with a keen understanding. "Well I never thought the day would come when I'd be looking at the man himself. You know my youngest nephew, Bo," he states the blond haired man's name that he had met earlier today, "really looks up to you. Respects you. Watches every dang race you're in. I'm willin' to bet he's one of your biggest fans...though I am willing to bet you hear that a lot. Also willing to bet, where you are sitting, that you don't care one way or another about that at the moment.

"I'm Jesse Duke. Bo and Luke's uncle," the older man pauses as he pulls a stool over, "when they gave me a call a few minutes ago, I was thinkin' it was them that was in trouble. With this crooked law we have, they spend a lot of time where you are sitting at. Am not saying they're perfect. They've messed up plenty in their time. And will continue to do so. But they're good boys. Most the time they're here on some trumped up charge of Hogg's or Coltrane's." Jesse goes silent another moment, eyeing Gordon for a moment. "Glad for once it is not them. But hate it for you as well. Thanks to Bo, we all know you have a family to be with. Have testing and all that other racing stuff you've got to do as well. I can't promise anything, but am here to tell you that I am here to help. We all are here to help and we will do our all to get you out of this junk hole here."

Gordon nods quietly to make sure the older Duke is done with his speech. "Thanks Mr. Duke. I appreciate that." he finally states, his mind goes back to meeting the two boys and how quick they were to help him out. Of the younger Duke's excitement. "I appreciate all the help your boys have done for me as of now."

"Ah well they know the system here. As do I. And sadly it is crooked. Hogg is as crooked as they come...and greedy. I am willing to bet that he is up there coming up with a plan to use you to get some money. Use your name to draw people and their money. That's how he works," Jesse states matter-of-factly, "but that is where we come into play. He does his job and we do ours trying to stop him. Which is why they try to frame my boys...to get them out of the way. It hasn't worked yet."

"Damn that's horrible. They get away with it?" Gordon states exasperated at the situation.

"So far, yeah. But at least it is someone we know and know what to expect from. So it could be worse," Jesse shrugs as if it is the only life he knows, which it is, "Anyway, my boys are out there trying to find a way to clear your name while I will help you in here. Am sure you have your own fancy legal lawyer who may be on the way. I don't know if you got him comin' or not, but thought I would at least try to help you until he gets here. Am no lawyer. Just a farmer who has past experience and know how the Hazzard law works around here."

Gordon nods and offers a nervous smile. "Thank-you Mr. Duke. I haven't gotten to call him or anyone yet. They took my phone. I shoulda called him in the car, but was too shook up to call anyone, I guess." Gordon says as he glances around him once more halfway expecting to wake up from this nightmare.

Jesse offers him a thin smile, wishing he could do more than he is right now. "You can thank me when this is all said and done. As of now, we still need to work on Luke's plan and get you out of here," Jesse finally states, "meanwhile, I heard the boys' side of the story of what had happened. Probably what you told them what had happened, but if you don't mind, would you explain all that had happened? That way if they missed something or got something wrong, we all can be on the same page."

Gordon slowly nods before he hesitantly begins to explain to Jesse what had happened. Starting from his his win at Atlanta and what had brought him to Hazzard and to the sheriff running into him and all that had led him to the jail, where he sits right now.