IT'S OVER
GILMER COUNTY, BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS
Two gunshots filled the mountain air, stopping Bo, Luke and Daisy in their run to the cabin. They looked at each other, sharing their fear, and they finally dashed into the cabin, where they held their breath at the sight of the two men lying on the floor, the gun between them.
Daisy knelt by Enos' side, her heart beating furiously in her chest and a deep cold rising from her feet to her head, "Enos! Oh My! Enos!" Her eyes lingered on his motionless body, from his head to his right leg and to the bloody stain widening on his thigh.
Bo and Luke reached Nick Russell and stopped him while he tried to reach his gun.
"Stop it, Nick! It's over! You are over!" Bo grabbed Nick's shirt and moved him away from the gun, pushing him on a chair, "Don't move!" He turned to Luke, "Luke! Take the rope inside The General!"
Nick rested his right hand on his left arm, trying to stop the bleeding, "I am injured."
Bo frowned and pointed his forefinger at Nick, "Don't try to move me to pity, Nick. You deserve much more than that scratch on your arm."
Luke came back, the rope in his hands; he walked to Nick and tied him to the chair.
"Bo! Luke! Forget of Nick and help Enos. He is bleeding a lot!"
Luke turned round, staring at Daisy, her eyes open wide in fear, and at Enos lying motionless on the floor, a pool of blood widening under his right leg. He took a deep breath, he showed his usual self-control (hiding his gentle trembling) and he acted as Bo and Daisy were waiting for. He glanced at Bo, his voice calm and low, "Bo, Gus' farm is nearby. Go and call for help. Call the Sheriff and an ambulance." He stared at Bo running out the cabin and then turned to Daisy, "Daisy, have you some bandages, or a medicine chest?"
Daisy nodded, pointing at the near door, in her eyes her total trust in Luke, "In the bathroom." She looked at Luke walking to the bathroom and then at Enos, gently caressing his forehead and brushing aside a lock of hair, "Don't worry, sugar. Bo and Luke are goin' to help you." His skin was cold and wet. Not good.
Enos opened his eyes, "Nick. He is injured. We were fighting for the gun and we both got injured. Take care of him too."
"ENOS! Nick tried to kill you! TWICE! He burnt our barn and killed our animals. How can you ask me to help him? NO WAY! I don't care if he survives or dies!" In her voice surprise and rage.
Enos had a deep breath, "Daisy, please. Don't talk this way. Uncle Jesse wouldn't be happy if he heard you, now. I am a police officer, not an avenger. I have to arrest Nick for his crimes, not to kill him."
Coming out the bathroom, Luke walked to Enos and Daisy and knelt by Enos' side, "Enos is right, Daisy. Remember uncle Jesse's words. We don't live in this World in order to hate or judge people; we have to help our foes, if they need our help. You are angry to Nick; me too, but it doesn't mean I am goin' to let him die. Now, while I help Enos, go to Nick and dress his wound with these bandages." He passed Daisy some white bandages, "Please."
Daisy grabbed the bandages, stood up and reached Nick. Indifferent to Nick's moans, she quickly dressed the wound on his right arm, just a superficial wound, "Stop moaning. It's just a scratch!"
Enos' moaning fused with Nick's one, and Daisy totally forgot of Nick; she turned round and she reached Luke, "Luke! You are hurting Enos!"
Luke glanced at Daisy and kept on wrapping the white bandages around Enos' thigh, "I am not hurting him, but trying to stop the bleeding." He stared at the white bandages turning red and shook his head, "It isn't enough. The bullet probably cut a big blood vessel." He took his belt off and tied it around Enos' thigh.
Enos' back arched and a throaty moan erupted from his half-closed lips.
"LUKE!" Daisy's hands instinctively reached the belt clutched around Enos' thigh, trying to loosen it.
Luke's hands grabbed Daisy's wrists and gently stopped her, "Daisy. It's the only way to stop the bleeding. Trust me. I know what I am doin'. I learnt it in Vietnam."
Daisy closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Luke's chest, nodding, "I don't want to see Enos suffering."
Luke rested his hand on Daisy's nape, "Neither I. But it's the only way to stop the bleeding." He had a deep sigh and stared at Enos, "Hey buddy. I won't let you die, don't worry."
Despite the pain in his leg, Enos managed to smile, "I know. Thanks Luke. I really appreciate what you're doin' for me."
Bo dashed inside the cabin, his breathe heavy after a long run, "Gilmer County's Sheriff is coming, and an ambulance too. Fortunately, the town, and so the Police Department, isn't far, but I think it won't be easy for the ambulance."
Daisy turned to Bo, "Why?"
Bo scratched his head in frustration, "The deputy told me that there is only one road to the town, but that road is still blocked because of a car wreck," he glanced at Luke, "the wreck we saw coming here. Until the road is blocked, the ambulance can't arrive here. It's the only road in order to reach and leave Gilmer County."
Daisy glanced at Enos' leg, the bleeding slowed down but not blocked, yet, "BUT… we have to take Enos to the Hospital as soon as possible!" She looked at Enos, his eyes closed and his breath regular but heavy. Not good.
Luke looked at Bo, "We can't wait for the ambulance here. For starters, we are goin' to put Nick into the hands of the Sheriff. Then, since the ambulance can't arrive here because of the car wreck, we'll bring Enos to the ambulance and paramedics." He smiled, "We passed the block on our way here, and we're goin' to pass the block again on our way back."
Bo nodded, "I hope the Sheriff and his deputies – "
"What's happening?" A middle-aged man in green uniform entered the cabin; behind him, two younger men.
Bo sighed in relief and looked at the men. He started to explain them everything, his forefinger and eyes moving from Nick Russell to Enos and from Enos to Nick Russell. He finally looked at Luke and Daisy, "And we have to bring our friend to the Hospital. If the road is still blocked, we can't wait for the ambulance here."
Gilmer County's Sheriff nodded. He turned to his deputies, "Bring that man to the Police Department and call Doc Donald; his wound doesn't look so bad, and Doc is going to take care of him while he stays in jail, waiting for State Police." He looked at his deputies freeing Nick Russell from the rope, cuffing him and bringing him away. He finally focused his attention on Enos and the Dukes, "OK. I am goin' to help you to bring your friend to your car," he shook his head and sighed, "an orange Dodge Charger. I guess your car is the flying car at the car wreck's place. Some people warned me about it by C.B., but I thought they were drunk."
Bo smiled amused, "Yeah. It's our car, sir." He turned serious and walked to Enos with the Sheriff, "Thanks for your help."
The Sheriff nodded, "The road is still blocked, unfortunately. We are waiting for the tow truck. I am going to warn my deputy, there, of your arrival, and he is goin' to warn the ambulance. If the ambulance can't reach your friend, your friend is going to reach the ambulance."
Daisy parted from Enos and looked at the men gently taking Enos in their arms and bringing him outside the cabin. She walked behind them, her eyes on Enos, no more moans from him. Not good, he was drifting into a deeper and deeper unconsciousness.
Enos finally on the back seat of the General, Daisy came into the car, hugging him and waiting for Bo and Luke.
HAZZARD
Cletus, Cooter, uncle Jesse, Josephine and Ellen: everybody's eyes on Rosco.
Rosco put the receiver down and looked at his audience, "It's Gilmer County's Sheriff. Nick Russell has been arrested after trying to kill Enos. Both Mr Russell and Enos are injured; Mr Russell is fine but Enos is in bad shape. Unfortunately, the road to Gilmer County is blocked because of a car wreck, so the ambulance can't reach Enos; now, Bo, Luke and Daisy are bringing Enos to the ambulance, trying to pass the block."
Josephine collapsed on a chair and covered her face with her hands, sobbing: she cried both for Enos and Nick. And for herself.
Ellen gently rested her hand on Josephine's shoulder.
Cletus and Cooter put their hat off and looked at the floor.
Uncle Jesse had a big sigh and shook his head.
Rosco walked from his desk to the window, "I hope your niece and nephews are goin' to save Enos, Jesse. Or I'll consider you all responsible of everything." In his voice a mix of pain and rage, "I don't want to cry over Enos' death, twice," he turned round and pointed his forefinger at uncle Jesse, "I don't want to cry over Enos' death. You can't break my heart twice, Jesse!"
Cooter stared at Rosco and had a step to him, "Rosco! Jesse isn't responsible of it. How can you talk to him this way? He is worrying of Enos like you, probably more than you, and – "
"Cooter!" Uncle Jesse's authoritative voice stopped Cooter. He stared at Rosco, his voice now calm, "You are right, Rosco. I hurt you with the fake funeral, and I am sorry. Now, please, pray for Enos; this is the only thing we can do. I trust Bo, Luke and Daisy, and I am sure they are goin' to save Enos, but actually I can just pray for them." He walked to the door, "And reach them to the Atlanta Medical Center. Come on."
ON THE WAY FROM GILMER COUNTY TO ATLANTA
"YEEHAH!" The General Lee jumped over the wrecked cars and the tow truck blocking the road, people's eyes open wide as they stared at it.
After the jump, the car kept on its run.
Luke turned his head to Daisy, "How's Enos?"
Daisy shook her head, "I don't know. It seems the bleeding is over, but he's sleeping deeply. I don't know if it's good or bad."
"The ambulance!" Bo stopped the car in front of the ambulance coming from the opposite direction, blocking the road and so the ambulance.
Luke came out the car and reached the ambulance, talking to the man driving it, and Bo reached him.
From the back seat, Daisy looked at his cousins and at the paramedics approaching The General. She let the men taking Enos in their arms and lying him on the stretcher. She came out the car and walked closer Luke, she grabbed his shirt and she looked at the paramedics working around Enos.
"Good job. A tourniquet." One of the paramedics glanced at Luke's belt on Enos' thigh and then at Luke, "You have stopped the bleeding, saving his life. His vital signs are good, though he has lost a lot of blood."
Bo stared at the paramedic, his voice full of worrisome and fear, "Is he goin' to survive?"
The paramedic smiled, "He isn't going to die for this. Don't worry. He'll need some time to recover, but he'll recover."
Enos slowly opened his eyes and looked at Bo, smiling, his voice low but clear, "Of course I won't die for this, Bo. I faced something worse."
Bo laughed and patted Enos' shoulder, "Well said, buddy."
Daisy buried her face against Luke's chest, bursting out crying in relief, while the paramedics pushed the stretcher inside the ambulance.