Chapter 7: Tailgating

Authors Note: I made a wee mistake. I said there were five headed out to the mine-Luke, Bo, Enos, and Roscoe. Notice that's only four. Yeah, I never could count.

By this time Bo had a serious headache. He kept rubbing at his eyes and forehead, causing Luke to once again grow concerned.

"You okay?" he asked. Bo sighed.

"I got a headache somethin' fierce."

"When this is all over we're goin' to the hospital whether ya like or not," Luke said authoritavely. Bo didn't bother to protest.

The boys pulled in front of the mine, followed closely by Roscoe and then Enos. Simultaneously, the Milton's pickup was pulling out.

"They must've found out there wasn't any gold," Luke said.

"Let's follow 'em," Bo urged, and they began the chase. Luke sped out and began tailgating the pickup. Roscoe and Enos turned on their lights and sirens.

"Who's behind us?" Hank, who was driving the Milton vehicle, shouted. Joe, who was riding shotgun, looked out the side mirror.

"It's them Duke boys. They got the law with 'em!"

"I knew all this would backfire!" Wes whined from the backseat.

"Shut up! We ain't givin' up yet! Get rid of 'em, Joe!" Hank yelled. Joe pulled out his gun and aimed it at the General Lee.

"Get down!" Luke shouted as well-aimed bullets shattered the windshield. Somehow he managed to keep the car on the road.

"They broke our dang windshield!" Bo observed, brushing glass off his clothes. "You alright?"

"I'll be better when we get these guys," said Luke, tailgating the pickup once more.

"They're still on us!" Joe yelled, trying unsuccessfully to reload his gun with all the bumps and swerves the car was making.

"I'll take care of that," said Hank, as he slammed on the brakes. The car lurched to a halt as the General Lee swerved off the road.

"Hang on!" Luke cried as they nearly missed colliding with a tree. He managed to swerve back up on the road and started tailgating again. "I'm gonna give 'em a taste of their own medicine." He viciously rammed the Milton truck from behind, the force of it causing Hank to lose control and careen into a ditch, where all three brothers began struggling to exit the vehicle and flee.

Luke stopped the General and jumped out, running down to tackle Joe. Wes, however, began a limping run down the road. Luckily Roscoe and Enos pulled up and managed to detain him. They both watched as the Dukes battled the Miltons in the ditch.

Luke had just finished knocking out Joe when he heard Bo call for him. On any other day Bo could've held his own in fight with big ol' Hank, but because of the head injury he was losing bad. Hank was on top of him, and just about to sock him good when Luke jumped him. He took him down easy, threw a few punches, and then stood as Hank fell back unconscious in the dirt. Then he turned his attention to Bo, who sat on the ground rubbing his face.

"You okay?" he asked, kneeling next to his cousin.

"Well, you know how you was sayin' I should get checked out by a doctor? Well, I think I'm gonna take ya up on that," Bo admitted. Luke just smiled and helped his younger cousin to his feet. Roscoe and Enos came over and managed, albeit fumbling, to 'cuff and stuff' the Miltons. Luke drove Bo to Doc Appleby's.

Balladeer: Well, see? It all worked out. The Milton boys were arrested and charged with carryin' weapons without permits, since the Dukes decided not to press charges and since Boss wanted to cover up the fact that he gave the Miltons an illegal excavation permit. But he made sure that they were banned from Hazzard County, him bein' happy to have at least swindled the $1,500 out of 'em.

Bo was treated for a mild concussion and released from the hospital later that day. Within 24 hours, him and Luke were back on the road again; headin' up to the swimmin' hole in Fulton's Glen, where they was originally headed in the first place.

"This time, cuz," Bo said, fiddling with his fishing pole in the passenger seat. "If ya see anything outta the ordinary…don't stop." Luke just laughed, happy to be once again flying free in the General Lee.

Balladeer: Which goes to show you how easy it is to get distracted here in Hazzard County. Y'all come back now, ya hear?

THE END

Author's Note: Well, I hope that ending was satisfactory. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and faithfully read the story despite the gaps b/n updates. You all keep me writing. I have like, four or five other stories some finished, some not, laying around in various journals. I mean to post them; it's just a matter of when I can get on the computer. I even have a half-written Christmas one, which will probably be the next one I post.