A/N Blood, sweat and tears... That's what took this chapter from me. Well, and I guess I was kinda crushed when I saw the Dukes of Hazzard movie... Yuck! They turned poor Bo an' Luke into swearing Hilbillies with ADHD. I never got to the end of that movie, horrible! And Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke? Hmmm, not my first choice.
Anyways, as usual, schoolwork comes first, and writing stories only happens in the weekends for now. Ah well, I'll get there, I ain't sure when, but I'll get to the ending, I promise!
Ow, and I've also been working on other stories, Bulletproof Dukes is in the making, I've got two chapters written up already and will probably be posting it in a week or so. It 'll be a story filled with action and excitement, yeehaw!

So, I'll stop yacking for now, and let y'all go on to the story. Enjoy!

11

After talking to Boss and Roscoe, Luke had found out Bob Macky was a hired thug who had done some not so clean jobs for Boss Hogg. That is, until he decided to steal from the little fat man. And Luke knew that people who stole from Boss, where out of his good grace. If he had any grace that is…

Luckily, Boss felt so bad about what happened, he had told Luke everything he knew. Like the fact that Macky was passing through Hazzard, on his way to Atlanta, and that he had stayed at the abandoned house on Jessup Road.

Taking his chances, Luke had let Boss know just what he thought of him, endangering his cousins like he did, before he left for Macky's hide out place. He had no illusions about what he would find. If Macky had any brains, he had left already. But Luke hoped he had left some clues to where he had left for.

Revving up the General Lee, Luke turned the corner at Jessup Road, driving up the small dirt road that lead to the old rundown house where so many of his memories were buried. After the death of the last resident, twenty years ago, the house had served as some sort of play house for the kids from Hazzard. Luke's mouth formed a tiny smile as he thought about the time him and Bo had dared each other to go in there to see who could stay in the longest. They had been so scared, but together, they had spent the entire night in the spooky old house. Trying to scare one another by making sounds or knocking on doors, they had had so much fun. And when morning came and they had both been awakened by the low growl coming from deep inside the house, they had taken each others hand and ran like crazy, leaving the house only to run straight home.

At that time, Luke hadn't known that spooky house had once been his home. The place where he had spent the first years of his life. The place where his momma kissed another man, where his father drove himself into an early grave. It was the place where he had found his momma, cold and blue, the place where it all ended and when his new life began. The irony of how Luke had to come here to find Macky wasn't lost on him and he slightly shook his head.

Climbing out of the General, Luke braced himself for what he would find at the creaky house. He hadn't been there for years, but somehow, this time, the house lost its spooky appearance. The only thing emanating from the house was a deep wave of sadness.

With a slight tingle in his spine, Luke stepped onto the porch leading to the entrance of the rundown house. The old wooden door creaked loudly as Luke gently opened it.

He stepped inside, taking in his surroundings, suddenly remembering how the furniture had loomed over him when he was so little.

And because of that short distraction, he didn't see the meaty fist flying through the air until it was too late…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Bob Macky had heard the fiery engine enter the driveway, so he'd had time to hide himself. In the meantime, he scolded himself for coming back to this place. He had left when the dumb-ass sheriff and his deputy had come to bring him in, but decided to come back for his money. He had hid it in the basement of the old abandoned house, but hadn't had time to take it with him when the Hazzard law came to look for him.

Once he saw who came out of the orange stock car, a grin marred his roughened face. He recognized the man as family of one of the people who had been in the small bar he had blown up yesterday.

Revenge… Macky was a man who knew what that was and what it felt like. And he definitely recognized the look of revenge glowing in the dark-haired man's eyes as he stepped onto the porch.

Hiding behind the big oak door, he prepared himself for this fight. Bob Macky wasn't a man to walk away from one, and this one was gonna be good…

As the door opened, the person stood there for a moment, giving Macky the chance to size him up. Raising his fist he turned slightly before letting it land in the man's side…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A grunt of pain could be heard as Luke bent over trying to catch his breath. He didn't get any time for that though, cause the same fist grabbed his collar and pulled him up, so he could see the man's eyes gleaming in the shadows.

"Macky…" Luke managed to spit out as the man threw him across the room, causing him to crash into the wooden table standing there as if it where waiting for Luke.

Getting up on one knee, Luke saw how the man was eyeing him up like al lion circling his prey. But Luke knew, he was no gazelle. And that was where that Macky fella was making a mistake. Like many people, he underestimated Luke, only seeing his short but sturdy frame.

Wiping the blood spilling from a small cut on his brow, Luke stood up slowly, eyeing the man in the same way.

"So you's the fella that blew up the Boars Nest," he said, trying to keep the all encompassing hate out of his voice and out of his heart. If he wanted to bring this man in, he had to stay in control.

The short barking laugh the tall and beefy man spit out sounded dark and mean, and his eyes took on a cheery look.

"That little shack? Well, if it was owned by the short fat man, I guess I did. What's that up to you?"

Holding in a growl, Luke ignored the man's coldness, as his jaw tightened.

"My cousins where in that little shack, and you knew that."

The man's fists clenched and unclenched, giving Luke the impression he was about to jump him. But he didn't, he just talked.

"And what if I did? Couple of hillbillies more or less, what's the difference? They die yet?"

And that was the final straw. Luke saw red after those words, and as he balled his fists, he jumped the guy so fast, he didn't even see it.

His first punch made contact with Macky's jaw hard, and the thug was shaking his head to see clear. Luke's second punch met the man's stomach, causing him to bend over.

Gasping for breath himself, Luke paused for one second. Yet it was one second too long. Macky stood up, like nothing had happened, and swung a meaty fist into Luke's side. And from then on, Luke couldn't count the blows which kept raining on him. At one point he thought he heard something snap, and the burning pain in his chest proved it right. Keeping one arm protectively over his probably broken rib, he continued to shield himself for Macky's punches, once in a while punching back and hitting his target.

But finally with one final punch, Macky hit Luke's already bruised and broken rib, causing Luke to tumble backwards, hitting his head on the mantelpiece, causing him to see stars…

While Luke lay there, dazed and unable to do or see anything, Macky reached for a poker, which had been hanging on the wall next to the fireplace.

Lifting the poker over his head, he was about to deliver the final blow, to a dazed Luke, who was trying his best to keep conscious.

And as if someone was watching over him, Luke's head cleared enough for him to see the poker coming down on him, making him roll away from the impact. And the impact was heavy, wood splintered behind him, and he knew he was lucky that poker didn't hit him…

Getting up on unsteady feet, he saw a bit of admiration in the other man's eyes.

"You keep getting up Duke, when ya gonna stay down huh?" Macky growled, swinging the poker through the air, making a swooshing sound which hurt Luke's ringing ears.

"I keep getting up Macky, until you are down…" Luke coughed, not sounding as strong as he wanted too.

But he had a trump card, one that Macky didn't know of. Turning around, he made it too the other room as fast as he could. He heard Macky's footsteps behind him, heavy, but dragging. He was tired…

Closing the door behind him, he shoved the old wooden crate in front of it. Frantically he searched the old room for the thing he knew had to be there.

There was no time to think about the memories this room held for him. No time to think about the times he played with his cars in here, no time to think about the nights his momma sang him to sleep and no time to think about the hole he had accidentally put in the wall with his baseball bat.

Chrystal blue eyes scanned the room hurriedly, before they landed on the item he was searching for.
The old bow stood there, as if nothing had happened, as if no time had passed. Reaching for it, Luke felt it glide into his hands, and even though it was a small bow, sharp little arrows belonged with it. And they were…. Oh no, in the wooden crate which was standing in front of the door.

The crate was shaking dangerously as Macky put his weight behind his pushes from the other side of the door.

Luke rushed over to the crate, praying the arrows he wasn't allowed to play with as a child, were still there.

He almost gave a whoop of joy as his hand bumped into something sharp. The whoop turned into a cry as the door suddenly slammed open, shoving the crate and Luke to the side.

A wild-eyed Macky stepped into the room, scanning it for Luke, who luckily was kneeled next to the crate. Slowly he pulled the three arrows out of the crate, knowing Macky would turn around any second now, and as fast as he could, he put the arrow on the bow, aiming it at the thug just as he turned around.

So there they stood, Macky with the poker in his hand, eyes blazing, ready to strike, and Luke with his unwavering look, pointing his arrow straight at the man in front of him. It was a battle of wills, and no man was about to lay down his weapon.

Sweat formed on Luke's face, as his pained ribs protested against his crouched position and his head felt like it was three times as big.

The same beads of sweat covered Macky's face, as the tall man wasn't used to this kind of activity.

No one moved, and no sound was heard, that is, until the sound of a siren cut through the mist of silence.

Two pair of eyes widened, and two movements were made in the tiny room. Macky's hand shot out thrusting the poker towards the tired man in front of him, just as Luke released the arrow from his bow, aiming for the target in front of hìm.

And as Enos pulled into the driveway of Luke's old home, bloodcurdling screams could be heard coming from the abandoned house…

Y'all saw what happened there? I didn't, I got my eyes closed, an' I ain't watching till I know everyone is awright… Don't go to the fridge now, cause things are heatin up in there!