A/N – Hey! I always thank the readers for their reviews, and I do sincerely appreciate them. I know that they take time and thought.. Last chapter in particular, I got some really great ones, and I was the one left entertained.
In response to TS Blue, I agree, I wouldn't recommend this method for a get away with your girlfriend:) Travel agents are a much more proven and safer method!
Another one was so funny, that it led to some back and forth joking, which has led to a possible one shot, so you just never know about these thing. Anyway, I do appreciate them, and I thank the readers for the comments and help. This story really is yours.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
BALANCING THE BOOKS
CHAPTER 13
RUN!
Much to their surprise, Bo and Jackie weren't taken very far. They were placed in a hotel on the outskirts of Atlanta, and two new agents were assigned to task of guarding them. Matthews and Connors were still the primary agents on the case, but their services were needed in the field. Trying to explain Bo's presence had been entertaining, at best. The agents coming on board wanted to know why their orders were to protect one person, and suddenly, they had two. Jackie was fully aware of how much paperwork was involved, and it gave her a small sense of satisfaction. It may not have been much, but they'd completely turned her life upside down; the least she could do was to return the favor by complicating theirs, too.
Thankfully, the hotel room that they'd been given wasn't a room at all; it was a suite. Otherwise, it would have been crowded with four people tripping over each other twenty four hours a day. Their accommodations were luxurious, located in a five star hotel, and did not fit the image of what Jackie Johnson had always heard described as a safe house. With two separate areas, the sitting room portion of the suite was the smaller of the two areas, and the room where the agents resided. They weren't being generous; it was the part of the suite where the main entrance was located. Anyone trying to get to Special Agent Johnson would have to come through that portal, and they'd have to go through the assigned agents in order to accomplish their mission. Jackie and Bo were assured that would never happen. Taking shifts, one was always awake and on guard.
The alcove where Jackie and Bo were staying housed a large, king sized bed. There was also a sofa, two chairs, desk, large TV, and a stereo system. To keep them further entertained, Jackie and Bo were able to ask for virtually anything they wanted. Once a day, a delivery was made of necessary and requested supplies. Under any other circumstances, it would have been a romantic and fun way to spend a few days. There was a door that closed between the two rooms, and while Bo and Jackie tried to be friendly to the agents entrusted with their lives, most of the time they preferred their privacy. Despite closing the door, it was hard to forget that there were two men with guns sitting in the very next room.
Obviously, the couple were not allowed to leave their room; it would have defeated the purpose of keeping them out of sight. Though Bo wasn't in danger, once he come along, they couldn't take the chance of him being followed should he be allowed to leave.
Being restricted to the comfortable but limited space, Jackie was beginning to feel like a prisoner. Time was starting to drag on, and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. In addition to their supplies, they also received daily updates, and ten days after arriving, it didn't sound like they were any closer to solving the case than they had been on day one.
Special Agent Johnson was sitting on the couch, and Bo was lying on it with his head resting on her lap. She had a book open, but had been on the same page for over an hour. Absently running her fingers through the golden hair that she had grown to love, Jackie looked down at Bo. His eyes were looking at the television, but he didn't really seem to be watching what was on. In addition to becoming restless, the guilt that Jackie felt was also growing with each passing day. Though Bo never complained, she couldn't believe that she had allowed him to get himself involved in her predicament.
"I'm sorry, Bo," she whispered.
Shifting his head, Bo looked up at her, wondering what it was she was sorry for.
"I'm sure that they could find someway to get you home."
Seeing that she was truly upset, Bo's expression turned serious. "I don't want to go home," he stated. "Well, I do, but not until this is resolved, and I know that you're not in danger."
"Oh Bo! I can't believe I let you talk me into letting you come along. What kind of a life is this? I know you miss your family and friends, and I'll bet you even miss doing your chores," she said in a pained voice.
Swinging his legs around, Bo sat up so that he was facing her. "I do miss my family, but as far as the chores go, I don't miss them, yet," he joked, hoping that he could get her to smile, maybe even laugh. He couldn't stand to see her so troubled, especially since he knew that the source of her anguish was him. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Jackie's eyes filled with tears. As the first one trickled down her cheek, she turned away, embarrassed to be crying in front of Bo. "Oh honey, don't cry." Bo begged, pulling her close, now running his fingers through her hair. "I came because I wanted to. This is going to work out, you'll see, and then we're going to go home, but your safety is what's important right now."
Continuing to caress her, Bo was trying to think of anything he could to stop her from crying, but it wasn't working. It seemed that the more he said, the harder she wept. "Jackie, this ain't as bad as you're making it out to be. The room's nice, we get to eat whatever we want, there's a TV with more channels than I could ever dream of watching, a stereo for any kind of music that you'd want, I've caught up on my reading," Bo said, pointing to the pile of car magazines that he'd asked for, "I've gotten to play cards and chess with you, even though you do keep beating me. What more could I ask for?"
Jackie looked up at him like he'd lost his mind.
"Oh, well there is one other thing, but shoot, I've got that, too. You," Bo told her, leaning forward and kissing her. When he pulled back, he concluded his pep talk. "I like falling asleep next to you every night, and I like walking up to you every morning. I love ya, Jackie," he told her, as he kissed her once more. In fact, Bo Duke liked the routine so much, that he planned on talking to her about it in greater detail, once their current problem had been solved.
"Oh Bo! I love you, too," she said, her guilt only more compounded by the fact that she was glad he was there.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Two nights later, Jackie and Bo were roused by a harsh knocking on the door separating the two rooms.
"Special Agent Johnson! Mr. Duke! You need to get up!" an urgent voice called, matching the urgent pounding.
"Huh?" Bo muttered.
Jackie and Bo sat up, still half asleep, but trying to get their bearings.
"Special Agent Johnson, Mr. Duke, you need to get up! The front desk just received a bomb threat," the voice yelled louder.
"Okay! We're coming!" Jackie called in a pitch that said they'd heard and understood.
Bo was on his feet first, dressing in record time. He had to help Jackie to do the same since her movements were still slower due to the injuries she'd sustained only weeks ago. When she had things under control, Bo hurried around the room, quickly grabbing things he considered important, though Jackie didn't understand what he was doing.
Opening the door between the rooms, they were led into the hallway. The agents shuffled them to the staircase rather than the elevator where a large crowd of guests were waiting. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, as some of the other visitors in the hotel had the same idea. The elevators were already backed up, and the thought of being stuck in one in the event that something happened wasn't where many people wanted to be, anyway. However, when they reached the main floor, the agents steered them in the direction of the kitchen rather than the main entrance.
"Why we going this way?" Jackie asked.
"We're taking you out the back. There's a car waiting," one of the men replied.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to go out through the front and blend in with the crowd?" Jackie asked, looking at Bo. "In case this is nothing more than a coincidence?"
"These are our orders, Special Agent Johnson," one of the agents replied without stopping or changing directions.
Thinking it seemed strange, but having neither the time nor fortitude to argue, Bo and Jackie did as they were instructed. Stepping through the rear door, they hadn't been out in the fresh air more than a few seconds when shots started ringing out from several directions. Bo pushed Jackie behind a dumpster, covering her with his own body. Raising his head slightly, he could see a car a few feet away. It was still running and the driver's side door was open. Whoever had been behind the wheel had abandoned it, he assumed, when the gunfire erupted. Continuing to look around, in the chaos and darkness it was impossible to tell which shadows were the good guys and which were the bad ones, and Bo didn't want to wait around long enough for introductions. He wished that he had more faith in the agents who were assigned to protect them, but he just didn't, and he didn't even know where they were. He and Jackie were hiding behind an oversized garbage can, and the two agents had vanished into thin air. While he assumed that they were responsible for some of the shots still being fired, that wasn't doing them much good at the moment. Despite the FBI's best efforts, they had just been ambushed. They'd failed to protect them prior to the set-up, and they weren't doing anything for them during it. Bo feared that if they waited and the criminals won, there wouldn't be anything that they could do.
"Let me up, Bo," Jackie instructed.
Bo looked down at the woman he was lying on top of. Easing up slightly while still trying to protect her, Bo let her get up. "Jackie, we need to get to that car," he said, pointing to where it sat still idling.
Looking around, it didn't take long for her to come to the same conclusion. Looking back at Bo, she nodded, while moving around slightly. "You go first, I'll cover you," she told him.
Realizing why she had been squirming and wanting up, Bo saw the gun in her hand. He knew that she had one, and she'd indicated she knew how to use it, but this was a side to her he hadn't really thought about. An incoming bullet reminded him that he didn't have time to think about it then, either. What he did know was that he wasn't going to allow them to be separated. He feared that if he did, he'd regret it. "No! We go, together."
As an agent, Jackie Johnson knew that it wasn't wise to do as Bo was suggesting. Technically, he was a civilian, and it was her job to protect him, not the other way around. Another round of fire alerted her to the fact that she didn't have time to explain it to him. Opening her mouth as she looked into his eyes, she stopped. It wasn't until that moment that she fully realized something; she trusted him more than she would have trusted a fellow agent. Truth be told, she didn't want to be separated any more than he did. Throwing rules and procedures out the windows, she conveyed her faith by simply nodding.
"Ok, on three. You ready?" Bo asked.
Again, she nodded.
"One, two, three. Go!" Bo screamed.
Grabbing her hand, they ran as fast as they could, staying as low as possible. Reaching the car at the same time posed its own problem. Jackie had to get in first so Bo could get behind the wheel; that meant she couldn't cover him and rendered her gun virtually useless. For that split second, Bo would be a sitting duck. Practically diving into the car, Bo was behind the wheel with his foot slamming on the gas before anyone got a clear or lucky shot at either of them. The car sped out of the alley and onto the streets of Atlanta. Shots were following them, but on foot the shooters didn't stand a chance against the driving skills of Bo Duke.
"You okay?" Bo asked, keeping his foot on the gas and his eye to the rear view mirror.
"Yeah, you?" Jackie inquired. Her words were choppy since she was unable to catch her breath. She hadn't realized that her hand had instinctively flew to her chest as if that action alone could quench the fire raging in it. Having suffered a punctured lung only weeks before, her body wasn't quite up to that much strenuous activity, yet.
Since she didn't realize that she had even done it, she couldn't realize that out of the corner of his eye, Bo had witnessed it. Between that and her painful breaths, the blonde was quite concerned.
"Are you sure you're ok? Should I be heading to a hospital?"
"No," Jackie replied, trying to assure him that she was fine. "It'll be ok. I just wasn't prepared for that," she explained, trying to smile at him.
Glancing from the road, to the rear view mirror, to her, Bo let the subject drop. If she wasn't better in a few minutes, he wouldn't ask her if she needed to go to the hospital, he would just take her. However, arguing about it would have only aggravated the situation, so Bo changed the subject. "Well, that's it. From now on Special Agent, you're getting special protection." Jackie looked at him, the confusion on her face easy to see. "Duke style," he added, then grinned.
"Bo no! We can't go back to the farm, you'd all be in danger," Jackie exclaimed in a high pitched voice.
"Don't worry, we're not," Bo assured her, as he turned off the main highway. Despite telling her that they weren't going back to the farm, Bo was on the road leading back to Hazzard. She was confused, but she trusted that he knew what he was doing. Bo loved his family, and she doubted that he'd do anything that would put them in harm's way.
As Bo continued driving, Jackie dozed slightly. Her chest still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it had been earlier. Not completely asleep, she knew that they'd been driving for about an hour. Jackie saw Bo was pulling into a forested area. Though close to Hazzard, she could see that they weren't going to the farm or to town. She had no idea where she was being taken. Bo pulled the car close to an area thick with over brush, and brought it to a stop.
"Sweetheart, I've got to hide this vehicle so they can't find it. You need to get out."
"Why?" she asked, having become slightly disoriented during the drive.
"Because I'm going to push this car right into that bushes, and it would be a lot harder for you to get out once it's all covered up," Bo explained.
Jackie did as he asked, wondering what they were going to do without a vehicle, but too tired to ask. She watched Bo move to the back bumper, and start to push. Offering to help, Bo scolded her, saying that she was going to hurt herself. He assured her that he could get it, and in a few minutes, the car was no longer visible.
"Sweetheart, it's a long walk up," Bo informed her, pointing off to the distance. In the darkness, though, it was impossible to see where he was pointing to or just how high it was. "This is the closest I could get with the car, and still be able to hide it. I'm sorry. You want me to carry you?"
That last question brought her out of her daze. "No!" she exclaimed. Jackie Johnson was an agent of the United States government, and quite capable of taking care of herself, or so she always thought. "I'm fine," she added.
"Okay," Bo agreed, already recognizing the way she would resist if she thought that he was hovering or not treating her as an equal. He agreed, knowing that he could always scoop her up if the hike proved too much. "Let's just take it slow then."
Grabbing her hand, they slowly started climbing to some location that Bo knew about but she did not.
"Where we going?" she asked.
"Someplace safe," he told her.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
The dawn's morning rays were already beginning to peek over the horizon by the time they got to their desired altitude. They'd moved slowly and rested several times, which had slowed them down, but Bo reminded himself that they weren't exactly going to be late. About all they had right that minute was time. There had been a few times when Bo tried to gather Jackie in his arms, believing that she looked about ready to collapse, but she refused to allow him to carry her. He knew she was in pain and tired, but with the spirit and stubborness of a true Duke, or Special Agent, she kept going. He admired her tenacity, strength, and courage. Kissing her forehead, he promised that they were almost there.
Looking down as the morning sun rose, only then did she realize just exactly how high they had ascended. They were now on a flat stretch of rock. It was unlike most of the terrain that they'd maneuvered, virtually free of plant growth, and she couldn't help but wonder just where they were. Suddenly, they were standing in front of an entrance.
"We're home," Bo proudly announced.
Leading her inside, even surrounded in complete darkness, the blonde seemed to know where he was going. Jackie went where he told her, stopping when he said. "Stand right here for a minute," he told her. Sensing her fear and reluctance to let go of his hand, Bo squeezed hers. "I'll be right back, I promise. I'm not going leave you here all alone in the dark."
Still, she was unwilling to let go of his hand, and he didn't want to upset her. Knowing that if she gave him a couple of minutes everything would be fine, he posed a question to her. "Trust me?"
Those words got through to her. Able to see nothing with her eyes, all Jackie could do for sight was to rely on images in her memory. Remembering waking up in the Duke household to find Bo caring for her that very first day, she recalled how even before she knew him, she trusted him. Thinking about flying through the air in the General Lee with Bo behind the wheel, she had trusted him then. Hours earlier, he had asked her the same question as bullets hailed all around them, and she had given him that trust. She hadn't been able to completely define all of her feelings for one Bo Duke, but trust had never been an issue; even in her line of work, when she shouldn't have given it so easily.
Squeezing his hand back, Jackie let go. Her body began to tremble, and she cursed her own weakness. The events which had forced them into this place, the physical trauma, and lack of sleep were to blame, but she couldn't help feeling like a small child afraid of the dark. She could hear Bo and knew that he hadn't gone far, and that made her feel better. Then she heard him strike a match and got a glimpse of him in the growing glow. He brought the flame to a kerosene lamp, and suddenly the entire area was bathed in soft, golden hue. Seeing him surrounded in that glow made her own heart swell with more love than she thought was possible. Special Agent Jackie Johnson had laid out a neat and well organized plan for her life, and put forth a lot of effort getting the training and education to accomplish that plan. In return, she had always felt that she had been rewarded with a lot of things that she loved. Bo Duke was providing her an unscheduled and still, somewhat understood, crash course in both love and life.
"Where are we?" she asked, shaking her head to clear it, trying to focus on the current situation.
"The old Indian caves outside of Hazzard." Seeing the strange look on her face, Bo attributed it to the surroundings and events of the past few hours. Quickly trying to alleviate her fears, he added, "don't worry. Most people don't even know that these things are still here."
Jackie looked around the room and couldn't believe what she saw. Sitting next to the wall were a pile of items that looked like supplies. Bo was already unrolling what appeared to be a sleeping bag, and she saw boxes that had canned goods stacked inside as well as bottled water. "How'd all this stuff get here? I don't understand," she mumbled, this time referring to the well stocked cave instead of her jumbled thoughts.
Bo noticed the slurred words, and looked closer. Taking a several hour hiking trip straight uphill hadn't been what Doc Appleby had ordered for a victim recuperating from a gunshot wound. Yet, she'd made it, but its toll and the exhaustion were starting to affect her, especially now that they'd been standing still. He finished laying out the bedroll, reaching Jackie just as she started to sway.
"Hey! C'mon. You've had a busy morning," he whispered, pulling her close before leading her to the freshly made bed.
"So have you," she replied in a barely audible voice.
"Yeah, but I didn't get shot a few weeks ago, either. You sure you're ok?"
"Ok," she replied, unable to form a sentence.
Bo lowered her into the sleeping bag. Amazingly, it felt soft despite being on a hard rock floor. "Soft," she slurred, while Bo zipped up the sides to make sure that she was warm.
He smiled. "That's cause there's an air mattress underneath it."
She nodded, then thought about what he'd said. Fighting to remain alert for a few minutes longer, Jackie had a few questions she had to ask "Air mattress? Bo, where did all this stuff come from?"
"Luke brought it up here."
"Why? When? Does he spend a lot of time here?"
"Well, we used to when we were kids," Bo started, but knew that's not really what she meant. "It was kind of like our own hideout. Most kids have tree houses, we had our very own cave. Anyway, the morning that those two agents came to the house and took us away, well, when Luke was helping me pack, we were really coming up with Plan B. Neither one of us trusted the FBI that much, especially since they admitted to having a leak, so he said he'd supply the cave as soon as we left, and if we found ourselves in trouble, this is where we should go. See those bows and arrows?" he asked, and she looked past him to where he was pointing. "Well, they're loaded with dynamite and one is going to explode in mid air in a little bit, and that'll tell Luke that we're here."
"Wow!" Jackie proclaimed, overwhelmed by the planning and foresight that they boys had shown. "I'm impressed!"
"Really?" Bo asked, sounding surprised, then turning to delight as his eyes lit up and his face began to beam. Having insecurities that Jackie wasn't aware of, she didn't know that she'd just paid him the highest compliment that she ever could have.
"Most definitely," she assured him. "I've worked with veteran agents that couldn't have done half as well," she stuttered, finding herself losing the fight to remain conscious now that her immediate questions had been answered.
Bo saw the struggle, and smiled lovingly at her. "You get some sleep. I've some things to do around here, okay?" he suggested, bending down and kissing her forehead.
"Okay," she agreed, not having any choice. "Bo?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. I really…….love….you."
"I really love you, too," Bo whispered, running his hand through her long blonde strands of hair.