Chapter 3

There was dead silence and all eyes were on Michael. A few tense seconds passed and finally Michael's shoulders sagged.

"Jesse," he said, "You're right there is more to this than meets the eye, but I'm just not sure if I'm ready to talk about it yet." Jesse smiled and placed a hand on Michael's shoulder.

"You just let us know when you're ready." He said quietly

"Thanks," said Michael.

Balladeer: Don't that make you wish that there were more people in this world like Jesse Duke

He squared his shoulders and rubbed his hands together, "the important thing is to work on getting Bo and Luke out of this mess that Boss Hogg put them in!"

Balladeer: Now while the Dukes and Michael were trying to figure out how to get out of this mess. Ole J.D. Hogg was about to get an unusual visitor.

A tall white haired man in a white Stetson and a grey business suit walked into the courthouse. He crossed the room inside the door and headed straight for Boss Hogg's office. Boss was in the middle of counting his loot and Roscoe was standing there waiting to get his fifty percent of fifty percent of fifty percent when there was a knock at the door. Quickly he hid his ill gotten booty in the drawer of his desk.

"Come in," he said the grey haired gentleman came walking and took off his hat.

"Mr. Hogg," he said with a British accent, "I'm Devin Miles of the Foundation for Law and Government."

"Well, Well, Well, and Well," said Boss Hogg, "What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

"My associates and I are on the trail of a new black Trans-am," Replied Devin, "and the last we heard from the car and its driver was when they were near this county."

"I see," said Boss Hogg

"Uh, Boss," said Roscoe, "you don't think that that was the black trans-am that got away from me this morning." Devin gave a start.

"You've seen the car," he said, "please it is a very sophisticated project and if it gets into the wrong hands I shudder to think of the damage that could be caused!"

"Well," said Boss, "we know that your car has been used to obstruct justice and his currently aiding and abetting to wanted criminals, The Duke boys.

Balladeer: now doesn't that just frost your cookies. In the meantime the Dukes had invited Michael back to there farm for supper and more talk on how to get out of the jam ole boss had put them in.

Night settled over the duke farm and the stars began to come out. It was about midnight when the screen door of the farmhouse opened quietly and a tall shadow walked toward the black trans-am that was sitting out front.

Kitt's scanner came on.

"Michael," he said

"SHH," hissed Michael, "Hold your voice down!" Kitt opened his driver's side door and Michael climbed in and sat down.

"Michael what are you doing up this time of night?" asked Kitt, "You should be asleep."

"I can't sleep," said Michael, " they put in the same room that they used to put me in with the same quilt for cover it just brought back to many memories, most of them good. This has been almost like the summers that I used to spend here. Except that this time they don't know who I am and I have you to help me outwit Roscoe and Enos."

"Michael," said Kitt with a knowing tone in his voice, "The memories aren't the thing that is bothering you, it's your agony over whether or not to tell them who you are."

"I guess I'm just afraid of how they'll react," said Michael, "I'm they might get angry with me for letting them think that I was dead for so long. Or they might not even believe me when I tell them."

"Well Michael," said Kitt, "If these people are truly you friends they will understand why you did what you did."

"Thanks Pal," said Michael, "I needed to talk about that." Michael climbed out of the car and disappeared into the house. And hour passed,

Balladeer: well while all this had been a going on Boss Hogg and figured that the Dukes being the neighborly people that they were would have invited the man in the trans-am to stay with them for the night. So he told Roscoe to sneak out to the Duke Farm and "Repossess" the black Trans-am and bring it back to the impound lot and after get himself a reward for returning it. Ain't that just like ole boss? With him all roads lead to his money belt.

It was pre-dawn and Kitt was sitting there in surveillance in front of the farm house next to the General Lee when his motion detector picked up something. At first he figured that it was just another jack rabbit but then he saw Sheriff Roscoe creeping toward him.

"That's not a jack rabbit," Kitt muttered to himself, "that's a jackass." Roscoe crept up to the car.

"Cuk Coo," he giggled, "This is easier than falling off a log," then he reached up from his crouched position and tried to open Kitt's door. Nothing happened, the door wouldn't budge. Roscoe Jerked and Yanked on the door finally he just punched the door in frustration.

"Oh so you want to butt heads," whispered Kitt under his breath so roscoe couldn't hear him, "well here comes the headache." Kitt's driver's side door shot open and hit roscoe square in the forehead knocking him flat on his back before snapping shut again.

"Woojit, oh I'm serious this time," said Roscoe, shaking his finger at the car, "Will see how cocky you are with your dealing with a Crowbar in the skillful hands of Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane as soon as I go back and get one."

"This guy is pathetic." Muttered Kitt, "I better put him out of action for a while." With that Kitt started his engine and took off after Roscoe who was back at his patrol and heading into town to get the crowbar that he had forgotten to bring with him In the first place." He saw Kitt coming after him and gunned the engine Kitt veered on to a side road.

"Ha," said Roscoe, "that'll teach him to mess with me," no sooner were these words out of Roscoe's than Kitt pulled out in front of him.

"WoooJEEEE," screeched Roscoe as he tried to stop but it was too late he launched off of the corner of Kitt and went sailing over the bushes right into the lake.

Meanwhile Michael was just sitting down at the kitchen table to enjoy one of the duke family's famous country breakfasts when Luke came running in.

"Uh Michael," said Luke, "I don't exactly know how to tell you this but you car is gone!"

"What," said Michael without thinking he held up his com-link, "Kitt where are you,"

In answer to his question Kitt pulled up outside.

"Holy Mackerel," Exclaimed Bo who had looked out the window, "there ain't nobody driving that car!"

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