Bad Apples

[MaryAnne]

MaryAnne gulped, looking at the Doc. Even if Riddick died and Doc took full official responsibilty, MaryAnne was going to carry her own weight of responsibility. She nodded though and then looked to Riddick. She then turned her eyes to the heavens and gave a quick, silent prayer.

Respectfully, she then stepped back and exited the hospital room, leaving Riddick in Chance's capable hands.

MaryAnne paused for only a moment after the door closed and took a deep breath. She then headed down the hall, figuring to find a phone and call Rosco to let him know what was happening see what was going on with finding who had done this to Riddick.

(cue anyone!)

[pendragon1980]

The nurse entered the room, carrying the drugs, as MaryAnne left. Chance also dismissed her, not wanting any else innvolved in what she was about to do.

It was all or nothing, if this worked, Riddick would live and she would be in the clear. If the man died, a life would be lost and Chance guilty of murder, with a police woman standing right outside the door.

Taking a deep breath, Chance pushed those thoughts aside, and injected the seemingly harmless looking liquid into Riddick's IV line. She watched the Hemogensis serum meet the IV fluid and then flow into his body.

It was out of her hands now. Only time would tell.

(cue Riddick)

[Chet Duke]

As the good Doctor watched over Riddick patiently she waited, if something was going to happen she would be the first to know. Time passed over head slowly, as if every minute was a hour long. Eventually a half hour passed, it was then that the powerful Hemogensis began to take its effect upon Riddick’s muscular body.

Sweat began to bead on his forehead an run down his face, his bandaged chest an the sheets surrounding him an half covering him quickly became literally soaked in his sweat as his temperature raised to a dangerous height. The machine monitoring his heart rate began to beep faster an faster steadily increasing its rhythm. The sound of his breathing through the tube down his throat also began to quicken as he demanded more air at a higher rate of speed.

A moan escaped his throat an his head lolled from side to side an he began to tremble, his muscles twitching as he struggled to make his body move. Although his vital signs continued to rise threatening to go into a lethally dangerous height.

(Cue Chance)

[pendragon1980]

Chance could do nothing but monitor Riddick's reaction to the Hemogenesis drugs. His blood pressure, heartbeat , pulse, breathing...they are are spiking into the red and Chance couldn't do a thing to stop it. Another cocktail of drugs would only further Riddick's already straining system.

But she held her hand over the red Code button near his bed. If he arrested, they would have only minutes to restart his heart. But for what? For him only to die hours later of his wounds?

Minutes passsed. The EKG was going at a steady, rapid tempo, Riddick's heart was beating harder and faster than a marathon runner's would, the speed forcing with the generation of new blood.

But would it hold out?

[MaryAnne]

MaryAnne found the set of payphones just outside the main entrance to the hospital. She dialed the courthouse but after several unanswered rings she hung up the receiver. She then headed for the parking lot, figuring to try to raise Rosco on the CB.

Suddenly she heard the screeching of tires and the roar of an engine. She looked up and in the outside neon lights of the parking lot she saw a long black Chevy come to a tire yelping stop. She figured it was Brian, but was surprised to see the blue uniform shirt of Rosco as the Sheriff jumped out of the car.

"MaryAnne..." he said quickly as he came up to her. "We've got trouble. Fargo and Anderson grabbed Brian. I think they're going to try to get him to lead them to where Riddick is or use him for a swap."

"Aw terrific," MaryAnne muttered, shaking her head. "And with the way things are right now, we may end up not having anything for Brian to lead them to, or to swap."

Rosco paused. "Do they think Riddick'll make it?"

"Well...the surgeon that worked on him put his chances at about 25%. Chance is up there now trying--trying to increase those odds." MaryAnne looked at her cousin. "Rosco, whether or not Riddick lives or dies, we're going to have to move fast to figure away to get Brian away from them two dudes. Assuming they want him to lead them to Riddick, Brian can probably stall for a little while but I have a feeling that at some point they might determine Brian to be useless to them, and when they do...they'll dispatch him and find somebody else to take his place."

Rosco let out a heavy sigh and pushed his black Stetson back further on his head. "That could be anybody in the county..."

MaryAnne nodded grimly. "Also, if Riddick dies, I don't think Fargo and Anderson are the types to hang around and await judgement. Even if we provided proof of Riddick's death, they may decide they don't want any witnessess left behind."

Rosco sighed again. "You got anymore drops of sunshine you wanna lay on me?"

MaryAnne paused, thinking about it. She looked at Rosco again and shook her head. "No," she said a bit sarcastically,. "I don't."

"Good. Now, got any ideas of how we're gonna git Brian back?"

MaryAnne looked at her cousin, grimly. "Very carefully..."

[Riddick]

Riddick weak struggle went on, his heart raced and raced never leveling off an staying at one height. He trembled and shook in an unconscious destress, his body battling to replenish its blood supply.

The drug held stready, forcing his body to make blood at an unnaturally fast rate of speed. But the stress it was causing on his already mangeled body could soon to prove too much for him as his vitials raised yet higher in the already dangerous heights.

Time passed by slowly, but surely, more then an hour at that. An finally it came a point where Riddick's heart rate and other vitals leveled off an very very slowly began to drop. But his brow lay wrinkled in pain, an although his color looked better an his blood pressure as far higher then it had been sinc ehis arrival he showed sheer signs of being exshausted.

His sheets an the thin blanket covering him lay so soaked in his sweat that it dripped onto the floor. The temperature stayed dangerously high, his face reddening healthly with the heat, atleast now there was blood to turn his color.

[DaneyDuke]

(Thank you Kitt Kat for your unique assistance.)

Dixie sped toward the location that Rosco had advised, the radio playing a required KHOGG advertisement. There was dynamite, Jesse’s pellet shotgun over the kitchen archway, bows and arrows. Plus all the goodies in and around the barn that made chores easier. So if the two criminals did change their mind and follow the white CJ – 7, Daisy and herself might be able to handle the situation.

“I wonder what's going on?†Daisy questioned. "Rosco sounded real serious 'bout them fellas."

"They looked like bad news to me. That's why I called the Sheriff." Daney paused. "Seemed to me like those two were hiding something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Remember that CB call Brian made earlier? It was weird....like there was an emergency but he didn't want to say what it was over the air."

"There's a connection, isn't there," Daisy said worriedly.

"Has to be," Daney nodded. "Rosco told us to go to the farm, though. That's what we're going to do."

Daisy eyed her cousin suspiciously. "You didn't promise Rosco anything about staying there, did you."

"Nope."

As they neared the farm, the Jeep radio started playing "Devil Went Down to Georgia." Daney hummed along.

(cue Brian/Fargo/Anderson or MaryAnne/Rosco!)

[Riddick]

(sorry technical problem)

[Riddick]

Fargo and Anderson drove on, there destination a condemned warehouse on the Hazzard County/ Atlanta line by a huge creek. There car pulled into the long drive over grown by what seemed the closest thing to a jungle that Hazzard could have. The vehicle drove through the high grass around to the back of the building and came to a stop.

Anderson drew his gun and came around to the drivers side to aid Fargo in the handling of there captive. Fargo pushed the drivers seat forward so that Brian could get out of the back seat of the car.

“Alright you, get out of the car an start walking towards that door.†Fargo said with a cruel grin on his face as he pointed at a door on the side of the building. “Any funny business and I’ll shoot your ass in the back of the head faster then you can say your own name.â€

Anderson went to the door and unlocked it, opening it up so that they could waltz right into the room, lit only by a large lamp sitting in a corner on a small table.

(Cue Brian. )

[Brian Coltrane]

Having no real choice, Brian complied. He paused once inside of the warehouse, looking around curiously. "Interestin' digs. Y'all hold yer rummage sales heah?"

Pointedly, he kept his attitude aloof, even though his heart had kicked up a gear. There was only so long a bluff could be held....and his cards were about to be called.

(cue anybody!)

[DaneyDuke]

“Don’t be a- †Anderson’s remark was cut short. He glanced to Fargo. “You want me to make the call?†He inquired before his partner spoke.

“Now how you gonna do that without a telephone?†Fargo demanded. His neck and stomach ached from the shiv wounds. But he wasn’t about to let his hostage or partner take notice of it.

“I think you can handle,†Anderson looked at Brian. “him.â€

“Get going,†Fargo walked toward the door and opened it. “And get right back here.†He said as Anderson passed him and strolled out. Before closing the door, he heard the Z 28’s engine spring to life.

Anderson carefully maneuvered the late sixty model Chevy from around the building. The dark blue vehicle sped onto the dirt road. The driver with only one thought on his mind.

Inside the warehouse, it was just Brian and Fargo.

At the Duke farm, Daney had switched vehicles. Heading toward town, she picked Hunter's cb mic. "MaryAnne, are you out there on the Hazzardnet? Please come back..."

(MaryAnne)

[pendragon1980]

(Sorry for the delay)

Back in the hospital room, Chance slowly released the breath she had been holding and dropped her hand from the code button. She watched Riddick's vitals drop and then hold steady, hardly believing the wounded man had survived such a radical procedure.

She backed away quietly, if as afraid of disturbing the tenuous hold Riddick had suddenly been given to life. The only thing she could do now to let his body recover from the duel trauma of the wound and of the life-saving act that could have just as easily ended his life.

Closing the door behind her, Chance faced the deputy and now the sheriff standing in the hall.

"He's stablizing. I do believe if he doesn't take any more sudden turns for the worse, he's gonna pull through."

(Cue MaryAnne)

[DaneyDuke]

(Sorry for the delay)

Back in the hospital room, Chance slowly released the breath she had been holding and dropped her hand from the code button. She watched Riddick's vitals drop and then hold steady, hardly believing the wounded man had survived such a radical procedure.

She backed away quietly, if as afraid of disturbing the tenuous hold Riddick had suddenly been given to life. The only thing she could do now to let his body recover from the duel trauma of the wound and of the life-saving act that could have just as easily ended his life.

Closing the door behind her, Chance faced the deputy and now the sheriff standing in the hall.

"He's stablizing. I do believe if he doesn't take any more sudden turns for the worse, he's gonna pull through."

(Cue MaryAnne)

(Pendragon, I should have cued you as well.)

[MaryAnne]

Rosco and MaryAnne glanced at each other and both let out a collective sigh of relief.

"That is good news, good news..." Rosco said softly.

MaryAnne looked at Doc. "Thank the Lord," she said. She smiled in appreciation of Chance's efforts and in relief, knowing there was a lot of responsibilty in what the doctor had undertaken. "Thank you, Doc."

MaryAnne then looked at Rosco. "You and I still have work to do." She turned back to Chance. "Rosco and I are going to head back to town and try to find whoever it was that did this to Riddick. Will you keep us apprised of his condition on the CB?"

(Cue Doc)

[pendragon1980]

"Ten-four." At the Coltranes' surprised look, Chance gave a slight grin. "Hazzard's starting to rub off on me. I'll keep you notified if anything changes." She looked from one grim expression to another and took a wild guess to the cause. "Something happeaned to Brian as well, didn't it?" She didn't ask for elboration, she was half scared to.

(Cue MaryAnne)

[MaryAnne]

MaryAnne hesitated and then took a deep breath. "Yeah. He'll be awright. He's a bad guy afterall..." MaryAnne seemed to be saying it to reassure herself too. She quickly changed the subject.

"Thanks for everything, Doc. We'll all keep in touch." MaryAnne nodded to Rosco and the two law officers disappeared down the hall.

They were quiet as they exited the hospital and walked to the emergency parking area where Rosco had left Diablo. A voice squawked over the airwaves but MaryAnne and Rosco didn't make it out until they reached the car and the caller repeated herself.

"MaryAnne, are you out there on the Hazzardnet? Please come back..."

Rosco looked into the window of the Chevy, glaring. "I told her to go home," he said, recognizing Daney's voice.

MaryAnne leaned in and grabbed up the mike. "This is MaryAnne. Go ahead."

(Cue Daney)

[DaneyDuke]

“Hey Deputy,†Daney replied soberly. “I’m pullin’ along side that store with gas pumps on the building’s left side, roadside pay phone across from entrance, exit door.†The establishment was open almost twenty four hours. Hunter maneuvered around to the right side of the building, facing the road. “Can you please tell Rosco that the vehicle was a dark blue Z 28,†She paused. Hazel eyes observed a vehicle turning onto the driveway, inching toward the telephone booth. “Similar to the one that’s here now…â€

(cue MaryAnne)

[MaryAnne]

Rosco let out a tense breath . "I told her to go home...."

"Did you tell her to stay there?"

Rosco blinked and stared at MaryAnne. "Oh don't tell me I had to be that technical! What the hell difference is that going to make now? She'll end up gettin' herself killed!"

MaryAnne waved a hand in the air at Rosco. She held up the CB mike. "Acknowledged." She tossed the mike into the Chevy and looked at Rosco. "Let's go check it out...."

Rosco walked around the backside of the Diablo, muttering, and got in the passenger seat. MaryAnne settled in the driver seat and brought the Chevy rumbling to life. A moment later the Impala pulled from the parking area, the spanse of red taillights blazing a trail behind it.

(cue anyone!)

[DaneyDuke]

Daney watched a lanky frame emerge from the car that pulled to a stop next to the telephone booth by the pole. There was enough light to see the thirty something’s brown shoulder length, straight hair touching the navy blue sports jacket that covered his upper torso.

The suit jacket complimented the dark blue jeans that clung to his long legs. The attire made it so she couldn't see any tattoos, scars etc. A pair of hiking boots stirred dust around, rocks scattered with each step around the vehicle. He turned enough she could see his face was unmarked and clean shaven.

(Anderson’s author)

Then he turned away again to face the phone booth as his right hand wandered to the front pocket of his jeans and his left hand picked up the reciver. He rested the phone on his shoulder bending his head to that side to hold it while he placed the change in the squarish looking phone.

He dialed, punching in the numbers in flutration and fatigue. The last couple of days had been a trip to hell and back an the next few weren't looking anymore promising then the previous. Andreson listened an waited alittle less then patiently.

(cue Brian)

[Brian Coltrane]

Meanwhile, inside an old, one-story warehouse somewhere remote, Brian had time to ponder his immediate and unhappy future. Upon Anderson's departure, Fargo had ordered Brian to take a seat at the dust-covered table and to keep his arms above it.

Fargo took a seat at the same table, pulling his chair back far enough as to avoid any move the hick was dumb enough to try.

Brian had no such plans. Fargo's gun was consistently aimed at his head. The bounty hunter said nothing, asked nothing....but the gun barrel itself, staring at Brian with one hollow, deadly eye, spoke volumes.

The lamp burned overhead, it's light the only illumination in the old warehouse. The rest of the place was dark, damp and cold. Without having his jacket, Brian was feeling the temperature and becoming chilled. It didn't help that Fargo was watching him like a rattlesnake, daring him to move.

Fargo was taking his time to begin the inevitable interrogation. He wanted the smart-mouthed hick good and scared, ready to speak first, ready to spill everything.

Brian did speak first. "Yer buddy picked a helluva time to go call his mother."

(cue anybody!)

[pendragon1980]

Back at the hospital, things were relatively calm. Until the nurse came hurrying out of Riddick's room and up to Chance, who had been looking over his charts.

"Your patient from Hazzard is asking for you, doctor."

Chance raised her eyebrow at that. "Already?" Closing the charts, the young doctor entered the dark hospital room.

Riddick blinked his eyes slowly and moved alittle, his mind not quite registering everything yet. He knew where he was an that he had survived the bullet in his back and his other injuries, but how had he gotten here.

He looked up as Doc. Walker came into the room, an he figited on the bed alittle and then winced an groaned.

"Doc...."

"Easy there, Riddick. You have to rest." Chance checked his IV and bandages. The monitors indicated he had stabalized, although still very weak. It would probably take weeks for him to be at full strength again. "The nurse says you were asking for me?"

He groaned again alittle blinking his white eyes, they were watery and blurry.

"Wheres....Brain?" Riddick asked an looked around alittle wincing as he moved. "How did I...." He paused and breathed a few moments his chest rising and falling. "How did I....get here?"

Chance explained as well as she could. "MaryAnne and Rosco brought you in. I...I don't know where Brian is, but I think he's in trouble. His cousins were worried about him."

His eyes widened in fear as he stared at her. "The guys...who attacked me...took him?" Riddick looked at her worriedly, if Brian was with Fargo and Anderson, then he was in grave danger. He shut his eyes for a few moments swallowing and fighting back sleep that threatened to take over him.

He looked back at Doc. with a serious expression. "How bad....am I Doc?"

The young doctor swallowed, now realizing why the Coltranes had been so concerned. She also pondered how much to tell Riddick. But he derserved toknow the truth. "You were dying, Riddick. I used a highly experimental drug to bring you back. You're stable, for now...but you are still too weak to get out of bed." She leaned closer, curious and anxious. "Who attacked Brian? Riddick, do you know where they might have taken him?"

The exconvict's brow wrinkled in worry, he knew who had taken Brian and where they had taken him. An worst of all he knew what they would do to him, if they did not get Riddick or his body. His eyes led onto the information that he knew as he stared at the Doc, his friend.

"Yes....." His voice came out near a whisper. "I know who took him.....and I know why. They took.....down to the docks." Fatigue was taking over an he began to drift into sleep, battling it he dozed for a few moments then came back to the world. There could be hundreds of 'docks' between here and Atlanta.

"Which docks?" Chance voice was gentle, but insistant.

"The docks....down by....." He began to doze again leaving his sentence unfinished and his brow wrinkled in pain from his back, a dull ach plagued him.

"Riddick..." Chance touched his shoulder. The life here hanging on by a thread may be the key to also saving another. "Which docks, then you may sleep."

Again he opened his eyes and looked at her. "The docks....down by....the big creek..." he paused. "On....farmer road....past....the swamp."

Slowly he moved one hand and took hers in it an gave it a faint squeeze, as big and dangerous and mean as he could be he was still a man. An he seeked comfort in squeezing the docks hand, his grip faint and loose as he began to doze.

"I....hurt...." He shut hsi eyes wrinkling his brow.

Chance nodded, but didnt understand his comment about pain. There was enough morphine running through his system by now to knock out a bull elephant. So she could only offer advince. "Sleep, Riddick and thank you."

He gave her hand a faint squeeze and sank into the bed some with a small sigh as he dozed back into sleep. It felt so good to sleep, but he didn't want to be left alone, if he had been awake he would have edmited the fear he felt.

The young doctor waited for Riddick to fall asleep completely before leaving the room. She stopped at the nurse's station to leave instructions to checks his vitals and IV every four hours. She had a phone call to make...sort of.

She didn't want her newfound information made public, so Chance practically ran to the parking garage when her motorcycle sat. She had Cooter install a small CB on it shortly after arriving in Hazzard, seeing it was as nessacary as cell phones anywhere else.

Half straddling the bike, she picked up the mike and turned to the channel the sheriff's office and the medical clinic shared.

"MaryAnne, Rosco, Come in...This is Doc, I have some information you may find in handy."

(cue anyone)

(MaryAnne, you noticing a common theme in our posts lately? LOL)

[MaryAnne]

(Funny how we got this top secret thang goin' on. Khee!)

Diablo's highbeams cut a swath through the dark night as the Chevy rumbled over a dirt road heading toward the all night general store that Daney had reported seeing the Z-28 at.

Rosco and MaryAnne glanced at each other, hearing Doc's voice come through the radio. MaryAnne nodded to her cousin and he picked up the mike to answer.

"This is Rosco, go ahead Doc."

(cue anyone!)

[pendragon1980]

"I think I may know where Brian is. I believe they took him to a dock area past the swamp. On Farmer road. Does anything of this sound familiar to you?"

Chance, being new to Hazzard, didn't know the layout of the land. But MaryAnne and Rosco being old natives may find the landmarks helpful. For Brian's sake she hoped she was right.

Her thoughts were interruppted by her pager going off. Glancing down at it, Chance's heart jumped.

It was a code and it had Riddick's room number attached to it.

She dropped the mic so far and took off running that the mic slipped from the holder and ended up swinging from the CB, with the sound of MaryAnne's voice still echoing thoogh the empty parking garage.

(cue anyone)

[MaryAnne]

"The landing dock of the swamp out on Farmer Road?" MaryAnne said. She gestured to the CB mike Rosco was holding. "Chance, you sure that's what Riddick said, the land dock to the swamp out on Farmer Road?"

Silence responded on the radio.

"Chance?"

Rosco looked at the radio. "Maybe we're out of range?"

MaryAnne shook her head and put the mike down. "I don't think so." She continued driving, measuring the options.

"How would Riddick know where Brian was taken?" Rosco wondered. "He was already half dead when we found 'em. Brian was grabbed after you took Riddick to the hospital."

MaryAnne shrugged. "I dunno, but we already established that Riddick knows the dudes that went after 'em. And right now that Camaro is sitting at Jenovese's Store. If anything that Camaro will lead us the Brian the same as turning around right now and driving out to Farmer Road. We're almost there anyway, let's see what happens..."

Rosco gulped quietly. For some reason he wasn't sure he wanted to see what was going to happen...

(cue anyone!)

[Riddick]

Alarms sounded left and right, beeping and beeping as the gauges on the monitors once again raised to lethal heights. Riddick had broken out in a bad sweat once again, his temperature beyond the dangerous limit and he trembled in what seemed like a futile battle.

His heart rate had once again sky rocketed, his blood pressure plunged and his pulse through the roof. He lay unconscious now, his mind had fallen back into the dark pit beyond the peaceful sleep that he had been in only a few short minutes ago. The machine helping him breath began to work faster and faster, feeding him more and more air as he gasped for it.

The nurses stood by, there was nothing they could do until Dr. Walker returned and gave them instructions. Each nurse knew that it there patients vitals continued to raise at this pace that he would soon go into arrest and more then likely never come out of it. He was hurt badly, they all knew that his chances of survival was near to nothing, more now then before, now that he had taken this sudden change for the very worst.

There was no doubt in any of there minds that he had put up one heck of a battle, but there was little chance with his body mangled as badly as it was. All the odds that could be against Riddick, now were and suddenly it all seemed a futile struggle to live for him.

(Cue Chance Walker, hope that was alright Doc.)