Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! This is not the last chapter, but we are getting close. I hope you guys like this chapter! Reviews are welcome.

DoH DoH DoH

Bo slammed a hand down next to the tape player on Cooter's desk. "I knew that Boss Hogg had something to do with this!"

Enos shook his head. "I'm sorry, Bo. I don't know what to do!" He seemed close to tears.

Bo clenched his fist to hit the table again and Cooter put a hand on his shoulder. "Bo, calm down. We need to think about this carefully. Where could Boss hide Luke?"

Bo took a deep breath. "Why don't we ask him?" He nodded to the long white car being parked erratically across the street. Boss was running as fast as he could-which was not very fast-up the steps on the Sheriff's office. The three men hurried over to see what was going on.

Boss Hogg was running out. "Enos! There you are! Where is Rosco?"

Bo grabbed Boss by his collar and dragged him inside the building. "He's out by old Thatchby Road, right where you told him to be." Bo's voice was dangerous.

"Bo, let me explain!" Boss Hogg held up his hands, eyes wide.

"Let him go, Bo. We need to know what he knows." Cooter said as Bo doubled a fist. Bo complied, but barely.

Boss took a deep breath. "I'm on the right side of the law, for once!"

"Oh, really? We heard you say something about shipments and Sissy, which can only mean Sissy Hatchmoor." Cooter said holding out an arm to hold Bo back.

"Right, but see…" Boss looked like he had sucked lemons. "The F.B.I. contacted me before Sissy called me, asking me to cooperate with them, should she call."

Bo, Enos and Cooter exchanged skeptical looks. "Are you for real?" Enos asked cautiously.

"Yes, I am. By my mammy's grave, I am serious. They said they would…look the other way on a few…checkered things in my past if I helped them. They want Sissy, not me. If she sent a shipment through Hazzard and they could capture it, they would have enough evidence to put her away for good. That is good for business for me. I had to keep up the illusion that I was really working with Hatchmoor, even to Rosco."

Bo folded his arms. "That's all well and good, but what does that have to do with Luke?"

Boss shook his head. "That was mistake, Bo. I wanted you boys to keep your noses out of this so you wouldn't go messin' it up…but things just went to pieces."

"What do you mean?" Bo said sharply.

"I just contacted Simmel-the man I hired to hold onto Luke, and turns out he hired a really dangerous man to watch over Luke. He lost contact with him a few hours ago, and he is gettin' worried." Boss even looked concerned.

Bo pulled the newspaper out of his pocket. "This man?" He pointed to the picture. Boss looked at it. "That's the right name, yeah."

Bo slammed Boss against the wall. "I don't believe you, Hogg."

"You should believe him." A voice said behind the group. They whirled in surprise. A tall man in a sharp looking suit held up a badge. "Agent Thomas, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Hogg is working for us."

Folks, I never thought I would see the day Boss Hogg worked on the right side of the law. Even if it is just to get rid of his crooked competition.

Boss Hogg quickly explained what he had just told Bo to the FBI agent, and Thomas rubbed his head. "Our men are in position on Thatchby road, and your…sheriff has been brought up to speed. I think our main priority now is to find this missing man. You really messed up, Hogg. You better hope this operation works out, or you are going down instead of Hatchmoor."

"And you better hope we find Luke okay." Bo said angrily.

Agent Thomas glanced at Bo, smiling slightly. "This Luke is someone special to you?"

Bo nodded. "My cousin."

Agent Thomas looked thoughtful. "I know this Preston fellow. He is fine for a while, and then he just..." The agent snapped his fingers. "We need to find your cousin fast. Now, I know that Preston likes to hide under ground or in caves."

Bo explained that he had seen the man in the old Indian Caves. Agent Thomas nodded slowly. "If you saw him, he moved. He doesn't stay once he has been made. Is there anywhere else he could be hiding? And he would want to be away from everyone, out of sight. "

"Well, there are old mine shafts, shine stills…" Bo mused anxiously.

"What about the old Morlen house?" Cooter said suddenly. "It is away from town a piece, and has a huge old cellar he could be hiding Luke. With that thick stone, no one would hear if he was calling for help."

"That sounds like Preston's style." Agent Thomas said.

"Well, then we need to get over there right away! Luke could be hurt!" Boss said. "I'll call Rosco and get him out there. Come on, Enos! Move!"

Bo, Cooter and the Agent moved just as quickly behind them.

"I'll get Uncle Jesse and Daisy to meet us out there." Bo shouted to Cooter as he slid into the General Lee's driver seat. "Let's hurry!"

While the Dukes and company rush to the rescue, let's see what has been happening since we last left Luke.

Luke eyed the cages and felt himself slide back a little. He wasn't exactly scared of snakes, but he did not like them on the best of days. And this was definitely not a good day.

Preston casually began to play with the latch on the cages. "I'll make you a deal, Lukey."

Luke ground his teeth. "I'm listening."

"I'll let you off the chain. If you can escape my pets here and make it to that door, I will let you go." He motioned toward the door on the top of the stairs. "If you can't…well…my pets like to play." Preston shrugged. Luke eyed a large rattlesnake coiling and swallowed.

"And if I don't take the deal?" Luke said cautiously.

"Then I leave you on the chain and let my pets go anyway." Preston said easily.

"I guess I'll take the deal." Luke said with a humorless laugh. Preston nodded.

"Smart move." Preston started flipping open the latches. "It will take them a little bit to come out." He said, almost apologetically. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He tossed it to Luke, who caught it easily. "Unlock yourself and get ready." Preston climbed the stairs and sat on top, pulling a gun out of his pocket and resting it on his leg. "No funny business. You don't come up the stairs until all the snakes are dead."

Luke quickly unlatched the shackle and stood, watching and the snakes slowly began to slither out. He felt his heart sink even lower as he counted the snakes. There were about ten, from what Luke could count. There were all different kinds, most Luke did not recognize but knew instinctively they were poisonous. He saw that Preston had put a hunting knife on the table by his cot and grabbed it gratefully. The huge rattler coiled and began buzzing, while a small black one darted right toward him. Luke grabbed it by the back of the neck as it lunged and twisted sharply. The snake dropped, dead, from his hands as two smaller snakes started toward him. They had small fangs that did not cut through his boots as they bit. He stomped hard and crushed them fairly easily. He started feeling more optimistic. One lunged and he stabbed down sharply. Four down, six to go.

Preston spoke from the steps. "Impressive. That one was a fast one."

Luke didn't give him any attention as he snapped another snake's neck. He was halfway there, but he had also back up into a corner by accident. The remaining five were larger, and he recognized them as various rattlesnakes. Luke grit his teeth and kicked one sharply as it came too close. It fell on two others, and as he suspected, they began fighting each other. There were only two left, but they were big and coiled, ready to strike. Luke debated his options and made no sudden moves as he stared at the closest one. He saw the instant the snake's eyes changed and threw his arm up as it lunged. He felt sharp fangs pierce through his sleeve.

The Duke luck had just run out.