PART X
Groaning softly, he opened his eyes, disoriented. The lights drifting in and out of his peripheral vision didn't make any sense and he leaned toward them, curious. He was gripped by the sensation of falling, of his weight moving without his consent, and screamed, squeezing his eyes closed for no reason he could comprehend. Something pressed on the front of his shoulders then and pain exploded behind his eyes, radiating from the general direction of the back of his skull although he couldn't fathom where that was.
"Hold on, Luke."
He couldn't understand the words either as a dull sense of pleasure drifted across his senses.
-
"Ethan!" Bo sighed in disgust, looking at his companions. "We're here. Where's he?"
"I don't know, Bo," Daisy lamented. She glanced around, concern drawing her features tight. They'd been waiting for the man to show up for the better part of a half hour and nerves were wearing thin.
"I'm 'ere." The response was a weary one and they looked toward the locked shed, seeing Ethan shimmy not so gracefully from the high window. Landing on his hands, he tucked into a roll and regained his feet.
"What in the world?" Jesse moved behind him, staring at his back not because it was bare, though it was, but because blood was running down a shoulder blade in thick streams.
"Career risk," he said, dismissing the worry. "It's just a long scrape any how. Yaw ready ta listen up?"
Flash barked, making Ethan laugh, and Rosco gently chastised her. "Get on with it," Jesse agreed.
"There's a lot a' formalities, so only two of us can check tha Sepulcretum, no more an' no less." The wound began to burn and he grimaced, rolling the one shoulder.
"Then what 'er tha rest of us s'posed ta do?" Daisy demanded.
"Yer wi' me. Yer tha only one that won't make Coombs suspicious if Luke ain't there. Piercey's gonna be elsewhere, an' if we can't find 'jer cousin, then I'm gonna need Bo an' Davenport ta take care a' him soon as we find out where 'e is. Jesse an' Sheriff 'er gonna be on tha look out fer Luke's buyer if necessary."
"Mah name ain't 'Sheriff', ya know," Rosco commented.
"Rosco, then?" The grin was answer enough, but the ensuing giggle was certainly endearing. "Aw'right then." Ethan nodded to the Duke girl. "Let's go."
-
"Ethan." Daisy casually placed her hand over his. They were thirty minutes gone from the house and on a rarely used back road. "How do you know so much 'bout this slave tradin' business?"
"I just do."
"Were you a slave once?"
He shot her a indescribable look. "What makes ya ask that?"
"This scar." She traced her fingertips over his palm as she turned his hand over, trying to act coy.
"Nah, I was never a slave."
She frowned a bit, hiding her disappointment. "So how'd 'ja get this?"
"What's yer name?"
"Daisy."
"Listen, Daisy, I know ya wanna make sure Luke's gonna be okay, but interrogatin' me ain't gonna help. All it's gonna do is get mah ire up."
"Sorry." She flopped back in her seat, sighing. "It's jus' so hard ta believe that people'd deal in other people 'round 'ere, an' someone like Luke gettin' tangled up in it no less."
"Slavery's aw'ways been around, but a professional system weren't established until a decade ago. Coombs 'as been around fer four years an' Piercey is an old hand, but new down 'ere. He ain't learnt aw tha rules, yet; he's havin' ta rely on Coombs. That makes 'im only a minor threat."
"Are you on our side? I mean, you know so much, it makes me wonder if ya might not double-cross us."
"No. By priority, mah intentions 'er ta avoid harm, get Luke back, an' keep mah secrets as they are. If tha last starts ta interfere too much, I'll push it aside. Good a'nough fer you?" He graced her with a brief smile, which she returned, much put at ease.
At length, he pulled into a driveway, a glimpse of the house just visible beyond the trees, and Ethan instructed that they should walk the last few dozen feet. Upon entering the single-story house, Daisy was taken aback. There was no furniture of any kind, nothing to say anyone had ever lived there, and Ethan moved unerringly to the master bedroom, opening the slatted door of a walk-in closet.
"Fer tha irony," he remarked, popping a clothes bar out of place and carefully setting it aside. Using one of the notches as a handle, he gave a slight tug and it swung opeon on well-oiled hinges, revealing a dark descent. "What 'cher step."
Daisy followed, the steep staircase almost at once taking a sharp turn toward the main part of the house. The switch at the end of the short hall flooded the next room with light and Ethan approached a grating about chest high. He popped it loose, reaching in, and then put it back. Daisy had no idea what he had done, but she heard some noises from off to her left.
"Not a word an' no heroics," he cautioned, stepping back. "What 'chu experience here gets left here."
"Why 'er you protectin' them?"
"Jus' nod an' agree."
A side door swung open, a man a few years younger than Ethan standing in the previously unnoticed opening, and they followed him into a large square room. Daisy gasped as she got a good look inside. There were four glass cells against each of the three walls facing them and in seven of them were people, one person per cell. Ranging in ages from twenty-something to mid-forties, there were men and women present, their only clothing being loose pants.
"Who're ya lookin' for?" the young man asked. He looked over Daisy, smiling, but immediately returned his attention to Ethan when he spoke.
"One a yesterdee's acquirements, brought in by Coombs."
"He's aw'ready been sold."
"I'm aware a' that. Is 'e still here?"
"Room four." The youth gestured to a door an' stepped away.
Ethan inclined his head, instructing Daisy to follow, and moved on. The next room was similar, with few occupants, and the third was full. Room four, like the others, was home to several sleeping individuals. The one closest to the door, however, was the only one of consequence. Bare from the waist up, the missing Duke lay on a cot in one of the cells, eyes fluttering with REM sleep.
"Luke!" Daisy surged forward, pressing against the glass.
"Can't get 'im that way." Ethan picked up the notepad lying in front of the cell, scanning the page. "He's asleep, unharmed. Let's find Coombs."
Reluctantly, Diasy backed away. "Bullet-proof glass?"
"A' course."
"Okay then."
They returned to the first room, notepad in hand, and Ethan didn't hesitate to approach the younger man. "Mark 'im off. Tha loss'll be paid." Ethan handed the paper to him.
"It's ten thousan'," the young man remarked.
"Mark 'im off."
The man obeyed and opened another door, holding it open a few inches as he waited.
"Daisy, follow him ta go get Luke. He'll help ya get 'im outside."
"What about you?"
"Be there in a minute."
Scowling, she complied, leaving the noncommittal, dark-haired man to his own devices. Ethan allowed the door to close behind him and approached the cot in the farthest corner, gaze on the sleeping man. When he tired of waiting, he slammed a knee into Coombs' side. Bellowing, Coombs tumbled from the cot, clutching his ribs.
"What'd ya wanna do that for?" he grumbled, getting to his feet.
"I jus' bought Luke. This is yer warnin' ta keep business outta Hazzard. Now, who bought 'im?"
"Oh, come on. Yer breakin' yer own codes here," Coombs snapped. "Why tha hell ya wanna 'stablish tha trade rules round 'ere and then go break 'em ?"
"You broke 'em first. That's a real cop you snatched," he responded matter-of-factly.
"I know." Coombs grinned cheerfully. "E was a cute one, weren't 'e? I knew he'd fetch a good price last night."
"He's a tease, agreed, but he's still a cop. You can't just snatch people from a small community like that. Davenport knows him an' knew he weren't a volunteer."
Coombs paled. "I left early ta check tha goods. What happened?"
"Nuthin'. I cleared tha bid."
"You did?"
"Davenport was worried 'bout 'im."
Coombs sighed, straddling the cot. "I'll pay tha loss, jus' clear this up for me."
"Yer damn skippy you'll pay tha loss, an' you'll stay away from Hazzard, too. Is there anythin' else I ought a' know bafore I go?"
"Uh, yeah." He dropped his gaze. "We gave 'im tha coitus incitamentum." (Latin - sex inducement)
Having turned to leave, Ethan faltered a step, eyes narrowing as he gave Coombs his attention a moment longer. "Why?"
"Well, 'e started ta wake up an' we ran out a' regular sedative." Coombs chuckled nervously.
Review Please! BTW, the muse is doing much better and is getting eager to inspire the "good stuff." Give me some ideas on your favorite pairings and I'll consider them. (more than one pairing and more than two person pairings are also accepted for consideration)