General Lee's Revenge--The Ballad of Bo Duke

Chapter Four: Animal

(A/N: Hehehehegeheageheheahaeehe I GOT MY OUTLINE DONE Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS)

His head felt fuzzy as he slowly opened his eyes. There was an ache in his chest and in his head, he felt sick. He was forcing his eyes open, alert for imminent danger. The light was dim, albeit brighter than the tree grove. It was cold, the air was still. A basement perhaps?

There was a creak above him, the boards shifting ever so slightly. There were more creaks, stairs, heavy footsteps, uneven with a third beat. Finally, he came into view.

"Ah, you're awake," said the man.

He was tall, having to duck his head under the low ceiling. He walked with a limp, leaning his weight onto a cane. His pants were brown corduroy, too short for him, hanging an inch or two above the tops of his shoes, revealing his tan socks. His jacket was purple velvet, his shirt orange, and he wore a green tie.

Perhaps he was colorblind? Either way, he reminded Bo of a cheap knock-off of Batman's Joker.

His eyes were sharp and his nose was big and hooked. His hair was curly and a fade between ginger and salt and pepper, piled on top of his head.

He was smiling down at him, crouching in front of him, letting his cane rest on the floor.

"I take it you're the man they call Allen Ridgefield," Bo said, lifting his face.

"I take it Luke told you about me then. I suppose I should thank him. I'd hope you got my message this morning."

"Evan was a good man. He didn't deserve that and you know it."

The man's smile faded. "A piece of meat, that's what he was. Just like you're going to be."

Bo shook his head, still keeping his face high, refusing to hang his head in defeat. "I've been tortured before, you don't scare me. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm already dead."

He was slapped and the man drew closer, moving behind him. "If I wanted any lip from you, I'd open my fly," he growled, a hand creeping up Bo's neck.

Bo twisted his arm, wrist bound to the armrest of the chair he was in. The ropes pulled taut and he found that his struggle was futile.

"Oh," the man purred. "You want to hit me, don't you?"

Bo didn't reply and kept staring straight ahead. He could feel the man's breath on his ear, warm and damp. Allen's hands were big, and on him, the one still on his throat, fingertips pressing into his jaw.

"Where am I?" Bo finally asked, trying to pretend as though he wasn't bothered.

Allen chuckled, and he seemed to be a bit intoxicated as he did. "My, that's a good question. 'Where am I?' he asks." Bo could sense him grow closer. "The house of the rising sun."

Not the answer he was looking for, but it was something. A metaphor perhaps? Allen seemed to be the type.

It was then that that hooked nose of his dipped into blonde curls, taking in their scent. He laughed again, his voice big. "We're going to get along just fine, I think."

And Bo hoped, for his sake, that he did not survive this.

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The morning after Luke's return to the Duke farm, he found that he was the first to rise, as he'd hoped. Quietly, he left a note for Jesse, called Clayton from wherever he had been, which this morning happened to be his usual ceiling dwelling, and the two of them took off with General Lee into town.

Cooter's Garage, which had been opened just for them, served as their command center of sorts. And the mechanic had been there, working out the dents in Jesse's truck. Luke and Clayton met him, General smoking out of his car form.