General Lee's Revenge--Karma

Chapter Five: "I Just Want to Talk"

A/N: (It's finally here, y'all. I did take a little break from it but I was able to get back on track and bring us into the final stretch of Karma. Here is chapter five, enjoy.)

It was roughly a twenty-mile drive back to the farm, one that normally would take a little over thirty minutes. However, the only time that General ever followed was the one he beat. He reached highway speeds on those backcountry roads, Thunder and Diablo struggling to keep up around bends and curves. Thunder had grown accustomed to General's speed and tricky maneuvers when he was racing off somewhere in a bundle of emotions, but God-forbid he was scared. If General was scared he'd drive like a maniac, and that he was doing.

The Charger veered off the road to take a shortcut and Thunder followed, unaware of where he was going but trying to stay up to speed. Diablo lagged behind, ultimately missing the turn-off and having to backtrack to find where they'd gone. Once he finally found them again, General had jumped the river and ended up back across the county line, headed towards the farm. Thunder, however, hadn't made it across. He was stuck on the rocks on the other side of the bank with a flat tire. Diablo skidded to a stop and sat there a moment, watching his friend sit there, half-submerged in river water.

Thunder noticed him sitting there and honked his horn at the Ranchero. "Go on ahead and catch up to General, I'll call Cooter to get me outta here, don't worry!" the pickup called.

Diablo glanced up the road anxiously to watch General growing farther and farther away, then back to where Thunder was sitting. He didn't want to leave him, but decided on it and revved his engine, going back for a running start to clear the river and catch up to General.

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The General Lee and the Dukes slid up to the farmhouse in record time, the three cousins quickly climbing out, however, stopping in their tracks. It was quiet, and if anyone knew the Dukes, around them, it was never quiet.

Hearing this, Luke felt his way around the car to the front where the other two cousins were, ready to charge inside. "Somethin' ain't right," he said.

"It's too quiet," Bo added.

Daisy shook her head. "Boss Hogg and Rosco ain't never quiet."

That said, the three of them quickly ran inside just as Diablo was pulling up past Hughie's car, completely winded. Both Defects were dirty and spotted with mud. General watched the door intently, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Meanwhile, Diablo shook himself, trying to free the twigs stuck in his grill and the vegetation wedged underneath his hood.

General looked around anxiously, trying to see who he all had for backup, however, only to find that Diablo was the only one there. Suddenly getting a feeling of dread, the Charger revved his engine.

"Diablo," General rumbled nervously.

Diablo stopped what he was doing and looked over at him. "What?"

"Where's Thunder?"

Diablo paused for a moment, almost having forgotten about the truck. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, he got a flat and said he was gonna call a Cooter to pick him up."

"Where?"

Diablo shifted on his suspension. "Back at the river."

That was a while ago, and even if Cooter had gotten to him by now, Thunder wouldn't be fast enough to get back to the farm in time. Finally, General sighed and turned to Diablo again.

"Diablo," he said.

The Ranchero lifted himself on his suspension. "Si?"

"I'm countin' on you."