General Lee's Revenge--A Dark and Stormy Night

Chapter Eleven: Promises, Promises

(A/N: I've dedicated almost five years of my life to this series I can't believe I'm gonna make myself do it all again for the rewrite... wtf is wrong with me?)

(ANYWAY, hope you enjoy this chapter. You get some angst. And you get some angst! And YOU get some angst!)

(Serious: trigger warning for violence and descriptions of wounds.)

Cars roared past them on the Interstate, nothing but streaks of light in the darkness. There were no lamps this far out, and they only had an idea of where they were as General—who was now unconscious—had been doing most of the navigating through another sleepless night.

Despite both Luke and Cooter's efforts to start the car's engine, the orange Charger had yet to stir or show any signs of life. Finally, they'd popped the hood, allowing Cooter to root around inside while Luke and Daisy watched.

Clayton was still in the back of the car. Luke had guessed that he had swung by a liquor store on his way back from the police station because he returned with a full bottle of scotch which he then proceeded to nurse until passing out from exhaustion and drunkenness.

As Cooter rooted around underneath General's hood, checking plugs and fuses, filters and fuel lines, anything that could have been troubling a vehicle of such high performance, however, found nothing. General just wasn't there.

Finally, with a sigh, the wily mechanic straightened and scratched his head underneath his ball cap. He shook his head as he closed the car's hood.

"I dunno what it is but it ain't mechanical," Cooter said, turning to Luke.

Luke's arms folded and he shook his head. "I figured as much. What d'you think's wrong with him this time?"

"Don't know, all I can tell you is that the problem ain't physical."

"So what now, we just wait? We gotta get home."

Cooter shrugged. "Unless you wanna hitchhike all the way back to Hazzard, I'm open to suggestions."

Daisy rubbed her arms as a chilly wind blew. "He's gotta come around sometime, best we can do now is just be there for him, right?"

Cooter nodded.

Luke grumbled though his voice remained gentle. "Who knows how long that's gonna take."

All three of them were quiet as the orange stock car suddenly animated, engine starting up and lights flickering to life. The Charger shook himself and groaned, giving his engine a rev.

Cooter smirked and elbowed Luke. "You were sayin'?"

Luke ignored him, turning to face the General Lee, arms unfolding as he seemed to relax, however, the orneriness had yet to leave him. "Hey, what's goin' on? What happened back there?"

General shook himself again, slowly coming to and regaining his memories. Suddenly, he lurched forward. "Hazzard! We gotta get back to Hazzard, now!"

"Well yeah, General, we were on our way to Hazzard before you up and died on us," Cooter explained.

General's engine revved. "No! N-no, faster! Bo, he... he's in trouble!"

Not sparing a moment, the three of them exchanged glances and quickly scrambled back into the car, the General Lee taking off into the night not a moment after.

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Before Thunder knew it, the men were quickly being dispersed and the ground was rushing up to meet him. For a moment, he thought that by some miracle the machine had released him, as if it had grown merciful. However, at the sound of a familiar horn to the tune of Yankee Doodle, he knew that it had been no miracle or accident.