Chapter Three--Anger

Jesse Duke rushed over to the box and peered in as Bo started trying to lift his cousin out. He tugged at Luke's arms, realizing that his older cousin was somehow taped to the box. "Dang it!" He yelled, slapping the edge of the box angrily.

Jesse shot him a sharp galnce but said nothing knowing that Bo was upset about the missing girls and now someone had hurt Luke. He wanted to find the men that did this to Luke and took Daisy and Maria but his first concern was his nephew, who Bo was still struggling to get out of the box.

He finally tired of watching Bo struggle and went to the kitchen, getting a knife from the drawer and went back into the living room and started to help bo free Luke by cutting the tape. They both managed to lift Luke out and placed him on the couch.

Bo looked up at his Uncle from his spot on the floor where he knelt next to Luke. "You think we oughta take em to the hospital, Uncle Jesse?" He asked, his handsome face lined with worry for his cousin and for the two missing girls.

Jesse opened his mouth to answer when they heard a groan and they turned to see Luke's eyes starting to flutter and then open. "How'd I get here?" He mumbled as he slowly sat up and then leaned back against the cushions of the couch. Bo and Jesse exchanged glances and Jesse shook his head.

Suddenly Luke jumped to his feet and started for the door. "The Coffin Works. I thought I heard Maria scream and then right after that someone hit me." He said, opening the door and going into the darkness followed quickly by Bo and Uncle Jesse.

"Luke, where are you going?" Bo cried. "I'm gonna go back and get the girls." Luke said. Jesse cut in before Bo could say anything. "Luke we don't even know for sure that they have the girls. Was the General there?" He asked gently. Luke shook his head. "But that don't mean that them fella's didn't hide em." He said, starting to climb in Dixie but stopped when Bo held up the keys.

"You ain't goin' nowhere cousin till you let us get you checked out." He said. Luke's face reddened in anger and he launched himself out of the jeep and at his younger cousin just as sirens cut through the air and they turned to see Rosco and Enos approaching in their patrol cars.

"Now what do they want this time of night?" Jesse said continuing to stand between Bo and Luke. They stood and watched as Rosco and Enos stopped and got out, walking over to them. "You boys are under arrest." Rosco said with a smug grin.

Bo stepped forward. "What trumped up charges you got on us now?" He asked. Rosco grinned. "You fella's done stole all them presents for the Boars Nest Christmas party." He said. Bo's eyes widened as he looked at Jesse, but before either of them could say anything Luke dropped to the ground. "Luke!" Bo cried, dropping down next to his cousin. "We better take em to the hospital." Jesse said. Enos helped Bo get Luke to his feet and into Dixie. "I'll follow y'all to the hospital." The deptuty said. Bo nodded as he climbed in the driver's seat and Uncle Jesse got in the backseat.

Rosco started to protest but a look from Uncle Jesse stopped him cold. "Where's the General Lee?" he asked finally realizing the orange stock car was missing. "You tell us!" Bo muttered as he started the jeep. "Hey! Where's Daisy an' Maria?" Enos asked. Bo sighed. "We don't know! They ain't come home yet!" He said, and put Dixie in gear, speeding out of the yard, followed by Enos.

Balladeer: Now Boss didn't let ole Rosco know about the fact that he'd had Daisy and maria kidnapped cause he knew Rosco wouldn't agree with it at all.

Maria groaned and moved her head slowly and then opened her eyes, blinking painfully as everything came into focus. "Daisy!" She moaned, remembering her friend. she slowly struggled to sit up, forgetting that her hands were still tied behind her back, until a sharp pain shot up both arms, suddenly reminding her. She'd also laid in a horrible position after she'd fallen. She'd been on her side, her head pillowed by a rock, her arms twisted behind her. Her head throbbed painfully as she slowly struggled to her feet.

She turned and came face to face with Roy. She screamed and turned to run but he grabbed her arm and yanked her back around to face him. "You sure are a feisty gal!" He said, with a sneering grin. Maria cocked her head and smiled, her eyes cold as ice. "You don't know the half of it!" She snapped. Roy jerked her forward bringing his face inches from hers. "Don't challenge me sweetheart." He said. Maria glared. "You messed with the wrong family this time, Mister!" She said as he shoved her back towards the building where Billy was keeping an eye on Daisy.

Daisy was worried about Maria until she heard Roy come back in and looked up to see him pulling a tall struggling blond through the door. "Maria!" she cried, noticing how disheveled, dirty and tired she was. Roy shoved Maria over to where Daisy was and then turned to Billy. "I say we kill her! One of these times she's gonna escape and we're gonna be in deep with Boss Hogg!" He said softly. Billy shook his head. We'd be in even more trouble if we killed her! You know how Boss is about killing anyone." zHe reminded him.

Roy could see the girl's cold stares from across the room."Them gals are gonna be the death of me yet!" He muttered angrily, walking out of the room.

When Bo and Jesse got Luke to the hospital they managed to get him checked out right away. "Your nephew is lucky Mr. Duke! All he got is a concussion! The doctor told them. Bo and Jesse sighed in relief. Enos smiled weakly, though by now he was worried about Daisy and Maria. He'd learned from Bo that the girls had taken the General to work but had never come home and now besides being worried about Luke's injury they had two missing girls to worry about too.

"I'm gonna go out an look for Daisy an' Maria with Enos! Y'all can take the jeep back to the farm!" Bo said. Jesse nodded but Luke started to argue until Rosco came through the doors. "You fella's are under arrest! Now Enos do your duty!" He said.

Ballader: Someone oughta remind ole Rosco these are Dukes and ain't no Duke lied yet.

Bo exchanged glances with Uncle Jesse. If they were in jail there'd be no way of finding and rescuing the girls. "Go ahead boys, I'll be there shortly. "I'm telling you Rosco you need to look for Daisy and Maria! They're missing! Bo yelled angrily. "Oh! tiddly, tuddly!" Rosco replied as he handcuffed Bo's wrists and led the boys out to the patrol car.

As Jesse thought more about it he wondered if maybe the girls had seen whoever it was that had stole the presents and had been kidnapped and were now being held somewhere. "Please be all right gals! We're gonna need ya! he said softly, not realizing that at that very moment Maria was busy plotting another escape since Roy had gone to see Boss and had left Billy alone with their prisoners.

Billy sat in a chair near the girls though he tried not to look at the pretty blond cause everytime he looked her direction he found a pair of blue eyes staring back at him coldly, making him shiver.

Maria twisted around and moved her hands until she could open the pouch that was fastened to her belt, containing the knife that Bo had given her for her last birthday and pulled it out, flipping it open and placing the blade against the ropes and cutting through them. She slid around and cut Daisy free and then slowly got to her feet, sneaking towards the door, followed by Daisy. The door opened quietly and the girls slipped outside running for the hidden General Lee.

Maria jumped through the window and started the engine with her spare set of keys that she kept in a special spot in the car. Billy ran out of the building as the orange stock car swept out of the woods and raced down the road, back to the farm.

Balladeer: Them gals are free. But Boss has Bo and Luke in jail. I have a feeling we're gonna see some good ole shucking and jiving before this is all done and over...Don't you?