General Lee's Revenge--Knightmares

Chapter Four: Lost Sheep

General and Thunder drove in silence, with the exception of the occasional cough from Thunder who was still choking on sawdust from carting logs to the lumber mill. After a few miles, they stopped, General groaning frustratedly. He revved his engine, spinning his tires in the dirt until they grabbed and he slammed his back fender against a tree, only succeeding in denting himself, though.

"Dammit!" he growled, revving his engine again.

It was getting late with still no sign of Bo and Luke. They'd checked down the cattle trail and through the clearing, and circled back on themselves twice or three times already.

"General," Thunder drawled, as if it were a warning.

The Charger didn't respond, seemingly not having heard him through his rage and frustration. General started pacing around the junction, throwing up dust with his tires and revving his engine.

"General!" Thunder rumbled loudly, the stock car turning to look at him.

"What?" he snapped.

"Go home, you ain't doin' 'em any good all tired and frustrated like ya are. I'll get Tank out here and him and I'll search the woods, we won't come back 'til we find somethin', alright?"

General shook himself. "Over my dead, rotten chassis! I'm stayin' out here--with you!"

Thunder returned the gesture. "General, we've been all over these acres, they ain't here. The only way they coulda gone was farther in, you understand? You'd get stuck out there, but me and Tank wouldn't, so please, go home. Get some rest, and try not to think about Christine too much, she's in good hands, Gen."

General scoffed. "Not think about Christine? Thunder, she's all I can think about! I mean, how would you feel if you lost someone you loved, not knowing whether they'll live or die?"

Thunder looked at him and it only took him a moment or two to realize, and General grew quiet.

"Oh, right, sorry..."

Thunder sighed and touched General with his door. "Please, General, go home, you need to rest. If I'm not back by mornin', meet me at Cooter's, alright?"

General backed away from Thunder's door, shaking himself again. "I can't--"

"I know it hurts General, but you gotta stay strong for her. Christine needs you to go home. Bo and Luke need you to go home."

General sank on his suspension, glancing at the road that led out of there and back north towards the farm. Thunder rolled up next to him, again, touching his door to his body.

"You need to go home, Gen. We'll find 'em, don't worry. You'll be the first to know," Thunder rumbled reassuringly.

General grew quiet and sighed, turning on his headlights and rolling forward. Before he got to the edge of the junction, he stopped, and Thunder heard him rev his engine.

"Don't let me lose Christine and the boys in the same week, Thunder," he grumbled.

Thunder nodded after him. "You won't sir, that's a promise."

After that, General was silent, and then, he was gone.

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The dark warehouse was quiet, all except for Abel's footsteps which faded in and out as he switched between pacing around and leaning against the wall. He'd been snacking from a bowl of apples, which he cut apart with his pocket knife, offering bits of apple to either Bo or Luke on occasion.