After Dr. Settles' revelation, he and Dr. Kilmer continued with their petty argument. Luke didn't have much interest in listening after that as he began to get sleepy and suddenly felt as he was living in a bubble of some sort. Everyone's speech was slurred and everything seemed as though he were watching it through a dirty window.

Moments later, everything went into slow motion. He vaguely understood Dr. Appleby saying something about prepping him for surgery right away. Soon some nurses came in to help the doctors load him onto a gurney. It seems Uncle Jesse kissed him on the forehead while Daisy hugged him. And as he watched the lights on the ceiling speed by, Bo and Cooter appeared out of nowhere. Bo looked at him with a lot of concern and asked what was happening, only to be given more or less the response of 'later' as he was shoved aside.

As doors banged and people above him exchanged quick conversation, he soon felt himself being placed on another bed. This time, bright circle shaped lights shown down on him from just a few inches above. He felt helpless to do anything as a masked man he didn't recognize placed a clear mask with a tube attached over his nose and mouth. And that was the last thing he remembered before his world went dark.

XXXXXXXXXXX

As Dr. Appleby went to perform the surgery on Luke, Major Edwards made it his personal business to escort Dr. Settles from the premises. On top of that, Boss Hogg had called Enos at the same time and insisted he come back to work to take care of what only he would consider important police business. Kissing Daisy, he rushed out the door and stopped only long enough to give Bo a slight condolence and a good wish before continuing on.

"Uncle Jesse!" Bo exclaimed, dashing into the room after failing to receive an answer from Enos. "Uncle Jesse, I just saw Luke in the hall being rushed to the operating room. What's going on?"

"Try to calm down, Bo." Jesse replied, patting his youngest on the shoulder. "They're just inserting ports. Luke will be out in no time."

As Bo's breathing calmed from his short run, his brows creased in frustration. Glancing at Cooter, who had come in behind him, he turned back to Jesse and asked. "Ports?"

"Yes, a temporary and a permanent port, so he can receive his dialysis treatments."

Bo took only a moment to absorb the information before opening his mouth in shock. "Dialysis? Why would Luke need dialysis?"

"His kidneys are gone, Bo." Daisy whispered softly, realizing perhaps for the first time that Bo hadn't been there while the doctors had rattled off their information.

"Gone?" Bo asked. "You mean Luke has kidney failure?"

He didn't need an answer, the solemn look on Jesse and Daisy's faces were enough. He went backwards a couple of steps and slumped into a chair, glad it was there.

"For how long?" He asked after a few moments.

"Mr. Duke, I'm afraid Luke's condition is permanent." Dr. Kilmer explained. "He had an acute kidney disease which was complicated by the introduction of the antidote he tested for you."

As Bo absorbed the new information, something else came to mind. "Doc, if Luke got sick because of that antidote does that mean that I……"

"No, Mr. Duke." Dr. Kilmer replied. "If the antidote were to have affected you we would have already seen the signs."

The revelation that he wouldn't be getting sick did little to comfort him. "So what's next for Luke? What's life gonna be like for him?"

"He'll have to take dialysis treatments at least twice a week, but, with the love of his family and careful monitoring of his health,he should be able to live a normal life with the exception of a few activities."

Bo shook his head. "Ain't nothin' normal about bein' hooked up to a machine. Uncle Jesse, I just can't see Luke ever bein' happy again under these circumstances."

"Now yer soundin' jist like him." Jesse announced.

"Well there's somethin' else ya gotta be able to do, Doc. There's just gotta!" Bo announced.

"There is something else, Bo!" Daisy announced. "There was a fella just in here, Dr. Settles, and he suggested….."

"Out of the question, Miss!" Dr. Kilmer argued. "Myron Settles is a quack who I'm frankly surprised is still being allowed to research, let alone practice. Everything he told you today was based on theories and hopes for his own situation. Now as much as I'd like to offer you the picture of a gleaming, blemish free future for your cousin, based on documented research I'm afraid that's just not possible. And until your family accepts that as fact, there's no hope for Luke to accept it. He will be much better off to live with his circumstances rather than constantly thinking that they could somehow change."

With that, Dr. Kilmer looked at his watch. "I'm due back at the Veteran's Hospital in a couple of hours. Mr. Duke, of course, is in good hands. We will be back up here to check on him in a couple of days. Again, I'm sorry to dash your hopes."

After Dr. Kilmer exited the room, Bo turned to Daisy. "Daisy, if this Dr. Settles suggested anything for Luke, I wanna hear about it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that night, there was a scuffle in a dimly lit hall of the Marine Corps Brig at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"Let go of me, Gene!" Myron Settles demanded as the Army Major walked him briskly down the hall. Struggling to get away the whole time, the doctor was finally thrust into a cell before the major quickly locked it behind him.

"You've got no right to put me in here! I've done nothing, absolutely nothing, illegal in the eyes of common law or the military!"

"Well that's one of the perks of my job, Myron." Gene Edwards replied as he twirled the key ring around his finger. "I can lock you up just because you seem suspicious...and you do."

"What do you have against me helping that kid?" Dr. Settles asked through clinched teeth.

Gene Edwards laughed. "And when did you start helping anyone other than yourself?" He asked. "You're to stay away from the Duke family. I'll let you cool your heels here a couple days while you think about that. And if you go near them after you're out, you'll be cooling them heels a lot longer next time."

With that, he turned and walked away. When he reached the end of the hall, he was surprised by the sudden appearance of Bo Duke.

"Bo!" The Major exclaimed. "How did you get here?"

"I went to the Veteran's Hospital, to see Dr. Settles." Bo explained. "When I found out he was brought here, I contacted a pilot friend to fly me over."

Major Edwards shook his head. "Bo, your purpose is more than obvious considering the pangs you took to get here. But consider this, Dr. Kilmer has proven himself to be one of the finest military M.D.'s we have over the past twenty years. He takes his job and his research very seriously. And if he's told you that Luke's only real hope is dialysis, then you'll be much better off simply accepting the fact."

"Then you're telling me I can't see Dr. Settles?" Bo asked.

The Major simply looked at him a few moments before giving a slight shake of his head. "End of the hall, then to the left."

As Bo began to walk, he grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "I'm only allowing this because I'm taking your effort to get here into account. You get ten minutes tops, then I want you on your way back home. And believe me when I say this: Dr. Settles is nothing but trouble."

Bo simply looked at the Major's hand which rested on his shoulder. When the Major removed it, he continued down the hall until he reached the cell.

"Dr. Settles?"

"What?" Dr. Settles replied with an edge to his voice.

"Dr. Settles, my name is Bo. I'd like to talk to you about something."

Dr. Settles finally looked up for the first time. "You're Luke Duke's cousin, aren't you? The boy who we had over at the Veteran's Hospital a few weeks ago."

"My cousin Daisy says you suggested a kidney transplant for Luke, 'nd seemed to think I would be a good candidate for that."

"And since you came all this way to see me, I assume it's because the illustrious Dr. Kilmer also told you that the transplant would be a complete failure, am I correct?"

"That's what he led us to believe. But you think differently about that?"

"I do, Bo." Dr. Settles replied. "They haven't researched like I have. Every since the day my Rebekka fell ill, I've explored every avenue to find a cure for her. And her cure, I'm certain, is the same cure that would benefit your cousin. The transplant of a drug exposed kidney. If I'm correct, Mr. Duke, then that means your cousin can have that carefree life once more that he's enjoyed all these years."

"And if you're wrong?" Bo asked.

"Then your cousin will be no worse off than he is now."

Bo shook his head. "Dr. Settles, that sounds wonderful, but do you think the military would agree to fund the surgeries? I mean, they've agreed ta fund the medical care but if they don't go along with it………."

"That's not an issue." Dr. Settles replied in a loud whisper. "I'll perform the surgeries for free."

"Free?" Bo asked. "At the Veteran's Hospital?"

"No." Dr. Settles replied. "They won't support the transplant, which means they won't authorize use of the facility. We'll have to find another hospital."

Bo shook his head. "But another hospital will cost money, and we…."

"Don't worry, Bo. If you and your cousin want this transplant to take place, I'll cover all the expenses."

Bo was amazed. "Dr. Settles, I'm grateful for your offer but why are you doing this? You don't even know us."

"Because my Rebekka's life is at stake!" Dr. Settles explained. "If I perform this transplant and it is successful, then I can go about saving my daughter. I will then know that I can inject myself with that antibiotic, wait a couple of weeks, then donate one of my kidneys to her. She's unbelievably weak right now, and I can't put her through a surgery that I'm not positive will be successful."

He swallowed as he looked at Bo and whispered. "This surgery means every bit as much to me as it does to you. Just say you'll do it, and I'll make it happen."

"Let go of him!" Major Edwards exclaimed, rushing up behind Bo and prying Dr. Settles' hands from the top of his yellow shirt. The conversation had been so intense that neither had realized that he had grabbed Bo.

"You alright?" Major Edwards asked Bo.

"Um, yeah I'm fine." Bo replied, clearing his throat.

"Well, you're time's up." He announced, steering Bo toward the hall.

"See ya later, Bo?" Dr. Settles asked.

Bo turned to look at him one last time. Seeing the questioning look on his face, he looked back at Major Edwards, who was focused on the door ahead. With his witness otherwise occupied, he turned back to Dr. Settles and nodded his head, giving him a definite yes.

Now folks, you don't git much higher than doctors and military men, and as they say, when you're choppin' high cotton, that's the time to watch for snakes.