Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Just as Hughie Hogg stepped towards the handle, the crowd heard an engine approaching. It swelled to a roar as Xavier yanked the left brake handle. He raced up the ramp Cooter had put on the back of his truck right before entering town. The motorcycle's front wheel smashed the plank holding the ropes causing Bo, Luke, Brooke and Alicia to fall to the ground. Xavier braked and turned on his motorcycle, fire in his eyes.

Hughie's men were gaping at him in astonishment, then were tackled to the ground by the crowd, while the rest charged the platform. Hughie, smiling demonically, jumped off the platform into his Beetle and zoomed off.

Xavier raced to the platform with Daisy by his side and hugged Alicia tightly. Cooter borrowed Cletus's keys and undid everyone's handcuffs then hugged Brooke just as tightly. "I was so worried about you." He whispered into her ear.

"Hey, I'm fine. I'm more worried about Alicia. She's far too young to experience trauma like this. Post-traumatic stress at her age…Hughie is beyond forgiveness. Every time he shows up he comes millimeters from ruining someone's life, he might have ruined Alicia's." Brooke looked at Alicia, who was sobbing into her parents arms. "You should help get her home. I'm going to help Cletus with Hughie's men. I'll be there in a few minutes."

They got Alicia home just as Jesse showed up. Xavier and Daisy where still comforting Alicia, so Cooter explained to Jesse what had happened. "I hope Boss Hogg does somethin' about this. He did start this mess after all." Jesse said angrily.

In Boss Hogg's office, Cletus and Brooke were standing before Boss Hogg. "You had better have a darn good reason why you let Hughie go after you had him safely in prison Hogg. I almost lost my life today as did two of my friends and a four-year-old. In fact, unless you have a good reason, I might just arrest you. Start talking Hogg." Brooke said in a deadly quiet voice.

"Brooklyn, I did nothing wrong. Hughie was goin' straight back to prison after he did me a favor that's all."

"Oh really? And what sort of a favor is that?"

"He…He…He has to…to get…" the rest came out to low for anyone to here.

"Get what? Hogg give me a straight answer or I will throw you in prison myself."

"Now Deputy, I'm sheriff here." Cletus said. "If anyone-" He broke off at the furious glare that Brooklyn gave him.

"All right fine Brooklyn. I told him to get Xavier out of town. There happy?" Boss Hogg said.

Brooklyn looked like she was going to explode. "You are an idiot Hogg." she said in an even deadlier voice. She spun and marched out.

Boss Hogg gave a sigh of relief then jumped as Rosco walked in. "Somehow, I told you so, doesn't quite cut it Boss." Rosco said.

"Cletus give your badge and gun to Rosco. I'm reinstating him as sheriff."

"No, Boss. I won't, not unless you let me get Hughie and give me a raise."

"A what!" Boss Hogg yelled then looked at Cletus. "Fine. I'll give you 1 percent of 1 percent raise."

"10 of 10."

"2.5 of 2.5."

"5 of 5."

Boss Hogg thought for a moment then said "Deal. Now Rosco, go out there and capture Hughie Hogg. Don't lower yourself to his level though, capture him alive." Rosco took back his gun and badge and stalked out. Boss let out a sigh of relief then said. "Cletus go assist Rosco." As Cletus left Boss looked at the wreckage of the hangman's platform and said, "Hughie what were you thinking?"

Back at Xavier's house, Brooke was telling Jesse, Cooter, Bo, Luke and Xavier. About her meeting with Boss Hogg. Daisy was upstairs still trying to comfort Alicia. "After that I left." She finished.

Xavier was shaking in fury. "Boss Hogg had better be glad I have a more pressing problem then him."

"Speaking of which, I'd better have a talk with Alicia." Brooke said. "I think I cam help her." She walked upstairs.

After she had, Xavier said. "Ok then, I have two more pressing problems."

"What are you talkin' about Xavier?" Bo asked, confused.

"Hughie. Nobody tries to kill my daughter and gets away with it."

"Just a minute. What do you plan to do about it?" Jesse asked.

"I'm going to hunt him down and kill him." Xavier said.

Is Xavier losin' it to? What's goin' on?

"Now Xavier, listen here. Duke's do not do that sort of thing. Catch him if you want, but do not kill him. And don't forget you have a daughter who is terrified out of her mind upstairs while you want to embark on a vendetta here."

"Don't you dare accuse me of forgetting about Alicia!" Xavier yelled sounding like he was closing in on madness to. "I'm doing this for her! She almost died and the guilty party will pay the price."

Jesse was starting to get angry now also. "Xavier, if you were under my roof you would get your hide tanned for saying that. You are not to decide the price he pays for this."

"Well I'm not under your roof! I'm leaving now!" he marched out.

Daisy ran down stairs. "What's goin' on?" she asked.

"Xavier's goin' to kill Hughie." Luke said, sounding a little scared.

"He's what!" She ran outside. "Xavier! Wait! Please, let's talk about this!" She cried desperately.

"I'll be back, Daisy."

"You're playin' into his hands!" Bo said also coming outside. "You heard what Brooke said. This is exactly what he wants."

"If he's mad enough to kill a four year old, he'll kill you Xavier. I don't want to lose you, not for somethin' like this. Please, husband, I beg you." Daisy said, sounding on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry Daisy." Xavier got on his motorcycle and roared off.

"We've got to stop him!" Bo yelled.

"Cooter, do you know where the General is?" Luke asked.

"No."

"Come on Bo, we'll take the Dixie." They jumped in and roared off.

Daisy sank to the ground sobbing. "Come on Daisy let's get inside. Cooter you'd better get Brooke to come down stairs when she's done with Alicia. She has another patient."

Hughie's lost it and Xavier's lost it. I'm not sure who's worse. Don' go nowhere, folks.