A strange uneasiness loomed over the Boars Nest as a lady, who seemed somewhat chubby, but getting along with age walked in. Folks in Hazzard knew this woman to be Cousin Alice. She was trouble. Everybody stopped to look as she entered. The pool games stopped, the pin ball games stopped, and nobody moved a muscle. She was tough, and she was mean. Alice used to hang out with Swamp Molly who had been a friend of the late Jesse Duke.
The only person who didn’t halt was Riddick. He lounged in the darkest corner of the room. His eyes gleamed to match the cigarette he was smoking. He tapped away the ashes of the cigarette on the tray and continued his stair, like usual, he was the only one the Boars Nest allowed to go shirtless. Riddick hadn’t ever seen Cousin Alice; she looked like the usual Hazzard County pedestrian.
“C’mon Midge, I thought you said you were thirsty,” she called over her shoulder. A young woman, about 18 walked in. Her hair was short and brownish blond. Midge was Alice’s 5’7″ daughter who had the same talent as her mother – roughness. The young woman was also very tough and always wanted to find a good fight. She was glorious though. Riddick found this out when she walked in.
Still he didn’t budge, he looked at her but made no move to get out of his seat. He was lounging and it wasn’t often that anything made him get up, not even a pretty girl or a fight unless of course he was disturbed. Riddick knew she was younger than him and possibly less mature, depending on how serious a person figured. Continuing on with his cigg, drag after drag he just gazed from the dark corner.
Alice and Midge sat down at a small table and ordered two drinks. Riddick watched as a young man, who didn’t know who Alice or her notorious daughter was, let out a whistle and then a catcall. Midge, not amused got up and punched him in the face, flipping him over his chair. He was out cold.
Riddick took a drag on his cigarette and let out a whistle at the handy work he had seen, hoping that she would try the same on him. She had a nice rear end; it had turned towards him when she had hit the drunken fool.
“What are you whistling at?” she asked him walking up. She had picked up her drink on her way over and stood there sipping it while looking at him with a threatening gaze, though, it was an amused one. She found him to be handsome, and probably worthy of being an opponent.
“Good handy work . . . nice ass . . . for a yearling,” he said taking a drag on his cigg when he was done with his usual small speech. Riddick looked up at her, his eyes shimmered for a second as he changed angle in the dimmest of light.
“I’m not a kid,” she said, a southern draw strong in her voice, but her attitude didn’t waver. “I’ll choose not to say anything about your comment on my rear.” Midge said, her head high. “But I do thank yee for the compliments on how I fight. Though, by the looks of ya, you’d be as good as myself.”
Riddick took a drag on his cigg still in a lounging, slouch like position in the chair; he blew a smoke ring at her and gave a cruel grin. His comment about her handy work hadn’t really been a compliment more or less just a test of her, a test that all the women who stepped into the Nest faced at least once.
“Quiet type?” she asked not amused.
Riddick nodded blowing smoke at her again. He sat up in the chair a little more brushing his cigg on the tray again. When he moved his muscles naturally flexed to a mild capacity.
Her lips curled into a grin. “Good, because I do not care for men too much, although, I do make an exception every once and a while. I find that a guy can be too weighing down. More like a dead weight. I don’t need to have something like that to drag around,” she said laughing. It sounded cruel and menacing.
He put his cigg out and stood up towering over her, his arms down by his sides. His full size came together; he had looked rather small and compressed lounging in the wooden chair of the Boars Nest. Midge looked at him, for once in a long time she was surprised, everyone in the room scattered to the towards the walls.
She did nothing more than raised an eyebrow and said only “impressive,” to show this.
Alice sat at the table behind Midge, unamused by Riddicks size and not at all bullied. Riddick stepped past Midge, uninterested in the young women who he had rightfully assumed immature from his point of view. Anyone in his or her right mind would have and should have tried to hurt him out of defense of respect.
“Midge, I have a few errands to run. Would you mind giving me a ride somewhere?”
“No problem at all Mother,” she answered, and watched as Alice got up. The two women walked out of the Boars Nest at that.
Riddick walked over toward the Bar counter where Renee Appleby sat, having watched the exchange, and waved him over. He had by then put his goggles back on due to the brightness of the area.
“Thanks for not starting another fight,” she said. “By the looks of her, I would have had to help stitch you both up being’s I’m a nurse. Her name is Midge, and she is trouble. Her mother used to cause a lot of trouble, and was very strong, and from what I have heard and seen the few times I have seen Midge, she is as bad as her mom, who’s name is Alice.” Renee said informing him.
He nodded figuring on the most on his own. Riddick ordered a drink for himself and settled in the bar stool since he had been disturbed from his lounging. “Just another hot head.” He said lighting another cigg.
“Like yourself,” she pointed out, sipping her Sprite. “You two are a lot alike.”
Riddick turned his head and looked at her, slightly unpleased by her comment. The stair made her turn back to her own drink on the bar table.
“Sorry,” she said and smiled. “I hope that Cousin Alice isn’t having Midge drop her off at the Duke farm. She’s obsessed about Bo Duke. Midge likes Breyer unfortunately, and the last time that she came in contact with Hill, all heck broke loose.” The last time the two had been in contact with each other, Midge had walked away with a broken nose and a broken arm. Hilery had walked away with a busted rib or two. “And I mean all heck. This time ’round though it could be worse because Hil’s going out with Breyer . . . who is the one that Midge wants to get a hold of.”
Riddick returned to his drink and finished it in two swallows. “Don’t like Midge” He said sitting there, ordering one more strong drink.
“Not a whole lot of folks do Riddick,” Renee answered. “Boys think she’s good looking’ until they see her hit someone.”
“People think I’m weird until I hit someone, then it ain’t so fun no more.” He answered taking the drink in swallows larger then any average man could do.
“Yeah, wait till you see Hil get mad though,” Renee laughed. Riddick had never truly seen the Davenport girl get angry.
Meanwhile, while Riddick and Renee were talking at the Boars Nest, Cousin Alice and her daughter were arriving at the Duke Farm. The second Bo seen her, he got a look of a person who seen a ghost.
“Uh, hi Cousin Alice.”
“Howdy Bo!” she said and walked up and gave him a bone crushing hug. Luke came out at that moment and told her to let Bo go. She did reluctantly, only because Luke had his bow in his hand from changing a broken string on it.
“Hey Dad have you seen my arrow with the orange fee…” Breyer was saying as he stepped out the door and was suddenly cut off and thrown against the wall and forced into a passionate kiss.
Breyer stood there struggling as Midge continued forcefully kissing him. He had always been taught not to hit a lady by his father, but there were exceptions, and there was no other way outta this. He brought his fist up and hit the woman in the gut with all his might. She stopped after he hit her a few more times because it was too much of a nuscence, but she returned the pain to him by stepping on his toes.
“Let go of me,” he said firmly, gritting his teeth.
“Nah.” she said and tried kissing him again, but with the little amount of mobility he had, he ducked and she kissed the wall.
Luke and Bo had to pull her off of him.
“Midge, we would like to kindly ask you to leave.” Luke said.
Breyer nodded in agreement while his father added, “Cousin Alice, you can leave too.”
“Get out of here your not welcomed!” Breyer said to them angrily while whipping lips on his shirtsleeve.
“Fine, but I’ll be seeing you later,” Midge smiled and winked. It was enough to make all of them sick, seein’ Alice and her daughter again.
Meanwhile Riddick was making his way back to town square to meet Cooter at the garage and help him with an engine, even though Hilery was gonna be there to help. He just wanted to lounge in the soft chair in the garage and snooze.
Just as he was getting to the other side of the square, Hilery walked out of the garage with a clipboard in hand. She lifted her hand and waved as she walked to the edge of the sidewalk to look both ways before crossing the street. Riddick didn’t wave back, but barely acknowledged her with a nod. Within a few more moments, she was over at the Hazzard Police Department looking for a payment for a bill. Before the big man could enter the Hazzard Garage though, an old rusty truck flew
by.
“Hey maw, wasn’t that that big fella from the bar?” Midge asked.
“Ya know, I think it was,” her mother said.
Riddick stood by the door momentarily then entered, greeting Cooter with a few short words of hello then plopping down into the comfy chair as it was referred to. He dozed almost immediately, falling asleep.
The rusty truck pulled up a few short seconds later, having gone around the block. Midge hopped out, just as Hilery was returning from running her errand.
“Well howdy Hilery,” Midge grinned wickedly.
“Midge, why don’t you and your mamma go back to the gator infested swamp y’all crawled outta.” she said and then opened the door to the garage to step inside, but the other woman reached out and grabbed her before she could. Alice sat watching comfortably in the truck. She silently prayed her daughter would kick Hilery’s butt for what had happened the last time.
“Did you say something to me Davenport?” the other young woman asked.
“Yeah, I said something! Now why don’t you let go of me?”
“Nah, I’m not letting go!” Midge said and slammed Hilery against the outer wall of the garage
waking Riddick up. He nearly fell out of the chair. “What the hell?” he said looking at Cooter.
“I said let go of me!” Hilery said as pain ran up and down her back and brought her fist up, giving Midge a hard blow in the stomach, then grabbed her arm and flipped her over so she landed on her back. “When I say let me go, I mean it,” Hil said, angrily. The fire was a blazed in her eyes.
Riddick swung the door open on the garage, hard, letting it hit the wall behind it and shaking half the old building. “What the hell is going on?” He growled his voice low and angry.
Hilery looked at him for a slight second, but it was enough time for Midge to knock Hil to the ground and pin her there, pounding her in the stomach and the chest. Hilery could feel the wind being knocked out of her as she brought her fist up and hit the other woman in the face, her jaw audibly being broken as she flew backward. Hilery used that to get up off the ground and get Midge off of her.
It didn’t take half a second for Riddick to stop the fight, he was furious from being woke up. “Chill….” He grabbed Midge by the back of the shirt and picked her up off the ground and Hilery by the front of the shirt and lifted her off the ground.
“Howdy again handsome,” Midge said grinning. “I thought that was you I seen coming into town.”
Hilery rolled her eyes, and even as Riddick held her off the ground, she reached out and cracked Midge one in the back of the head. It wasn’t that hard, but that was because it was with an open hand.
Riddick gave Hilery and rough shake and turned her towards him. He was glare and his teeth gritted. “Get out of here or regret it!” He said setting Midge down and giving her a rough push towards he mom’s car. Putting Hilery feet back on the ground he dragged her into the garage still enraged, both of them.
“Look, I don’t need you to go around playing big brother or hero. I can hold my own during a fight.” Hilery snarled at him.
“Okay, what happened?” Cooter asked looking at the expression on Hilery’s face, then the one on Riddick’s.
“She woke me up! Her and that @#$%^! ” Riddick snarled in a big voice glaring at Hilery then looking to Cooter.
“Hold on, Hilery and who?” Cooter asked puzzled. Hilery on the other hand just simply stood there stubbornly, still angry that Riddick had jumped in like he had.
“Dunno her name.” Riddick turned away from Cooter, the women had a touch to her and there was no secret she had caught his eye. But women were problems and no matter what he stood beside himself and left them to their stubborn ways.
“It was Midge,” was all Hilery said before walking away to go up to the small apartment above.
“Oh boy. She and Midge are natural born enemies.” Cooter said. “Thanks, although, I think Hilery won’t be happy with you for a while. They hate each other and love beating the snot outta one another. Last time they were together-”
“Cooter, I told him about it when that monster showed up at the Boars Nest.” Renee Appleby said, walking in.
“Hey Renee.”
Before Cooter could turn back to Riddick after greeting Renee, he was silently sleeping once again in the comfy chair in the garage. It was impressing how Riddick could actually fit his big frame in such a small chair compared to him.
“Midge and Alice had shown up at the Boars Nest earlier. While Alice sat in a chair relaxing, Midge knocked someone out.” she explained. “I figured I would come by to warn Hilery, but by the sounds of it, I’m a little late.”
He wasn’t snoring but you couldn’t miss him sleeping there in the chair. Renee looked at him and shook her head after her statement. How peaceful and gentle he looked lying there, like he was just a big Saintburnard. But Renee knew all too well that he wasnt at all like that.
“Shame I ain’t got a camera.” Renee chuckled and smiled.
“Be glad you ain’t. He’d probably destroy it for taking his picture,” Cooter warned her sternly getting back to work.
Renee looked at Cooter seriously. “So what did I miss?” She asked him as he went back to work.
“Midge stopped by, Hilery and her beat each other up, Riddick is angry because he had to break it up.” he answered as he looked over an engine.
“Oh, I did miss a scene and a half? Darn.” She said sitting on a stool since the chair was occupied.
“Yup. It can be interesting how those two go at it, though, sometimes I worry.” Cooter answered. “I personally didn’t see it. You’d have to ask Hilery because Riddick only seen the end,
though, I am trying to break her of her fighting habit so could you do me a favor and try not to praise her for it?”
Renee looked at him a little bewildered then nodded her head. “Ain’t you headin’ out soon?” She asked glancing at Riddick, how could someone so… destructive sleep so…beautifully peaceful she asked herself.
“Nah, not unless I have a tow job. I really want to try to finish this up tonight,” he added. “I am supposed to have it ready for someone tomorrow. Out of Towner.”
“Oh alright. ” She paused wondering about Hilery and Midge. “Has he made a habit of this?” she asked laughing a little with a notion towards Riddick.
“Yeah, he has unfortunately.” Cooter responded. “I don’t mind. Nobody’s been trying to rip the garage off by picking the vehicles up at night or when I’m not around or when Hilery’s not around.” The person Cooter had been referring to be none other than Rosco P. Coltrane.
Renee gave him I know what you’re talking about look and nodded. “Well I’m gonna go Cooter, have a good night. Keep and eye on both Hilery and Riddick, who knows what trouble both of them could get into. Then again stopping them ain’t easy.” She said got up from her stool and couldn’t help but rub Riddick’s shoulder on the way out. “See ya big guy.”
Cooter just shook his head and waved as Riddick stirred a little before settling back into his peaceful sleep. She was right. Riddick and Hilery did usually find one way or another to land themselves into trouble. About an hour later, he decided to go ahead home, knowing his big friend in the chair would keep everything safe for the night.
“All done?” Riddick asked suddenly from the chair as Cooter was on his way out the door. Still lounging there his eyes shut tight and appearing to still be asleep.
The Davenport jumped a little and turned. “Yeah. Keep things safe. Bye,” he said and walked out. Riddick almost always did that, so he should have been used to it, but wasn’t. He climbed into his pickup and left for home a few moments later.
Like what Renee had said, Cooter’s reply went in one ear and out the other as he dozed back to sleep listening to the pick up pull away.
Later on, sometime around midnight, the rusty old pickup truck returned to town, a lone woman driving it. Noisily it pulled up to the Hazzard Garage, and the figure climbed out. It was Midge, and she had a terrible smile on her face. The woman quietly popped the lock on the door of the garage and stepped inside.
As peaceful of a sleep that he was in, Riddick’s ears were still on guard and he herd the truck pull up but shrugged it off figuring it was the neighbor’s truck. He went back to sleep silently in the pitch black of the night in the garage.
Midge hadn’t been expecting to see Riddick in the chair when she entered the area he was in, but nonetheless, he looked handsome and attractive to her. She might have been a mean, unkind hearted woman, and very obnoxious at that, she couldn’t help but to grab a blanket that Cooter had usually left out for the big guy and wrapped it around him sweetly. Her real priority though was to find Hilery.
When the soft blanket touched his skin Riddick’s white eyes squinted open secretly as Midge walked on past him. Silently moving through the dark he followed her. Purposely he kicked something and she turned quickly to find that animal like eyes looked down on her. Fearless as Midge was it occurred to her suddenly that this man was even bigger in the dark, his hot breath touched her face in rapid rasps.
“Hello again big fella.” she said, not letting her thoughts show. “I figured you were cold,” she added.
His eyes stayed set staring strait at her trying to forcefully intimidate her. Riddick didn’t flinch didn’t move the slightest of muscle or say a single word.
“I like a scary guy,” she said, knowing what he was trying to do. “That girl I was fightin’ earlier sure does hit hard, see what she did to me?” She gestured to her stitched jaw. “Had to have screws put in so they wouldn’t wire it.” The whole point was, Midge was trying to continue adding onto Riddick’s view of her, trying to make him think she was even tougher than what he had seen earlier.
But it slowly didn’t seem to work, he stood in front of her solider as a statue. A statue with warm body heat and sweat dripping from the hot GA night. He blinked and continued to stair wordless, so wordless it was irritating.
“Well, if you’re not gonna talk, then you could kindly excuse me because I have business to attend to,” Midge told him and moved for the staircase to the above apartment.
Riddick stepped into her path stopping her. “Leave.” He growled in a low gravely voice that made the night shiver.
“Oh, so you do remember how to talk,” she said. He really didn’t intimidate her. “You look like you’re thirsty. Would you like a drink?” Midge questioned him. She had a canteen hanging at her side.
“Outside we’ll have a drink.” He said stepping towards her and forcing her towards the door.
“Alright,” she said grinning and led him out. “A nice, tasty, cool drink for the big man. I do have a question for you though. What is your name, I don’t believe I caught it.”
He looked at her holding the drink in his hand that she had poured him, she sat on the bench outside of the garage and he leaned against the wall. “Riddick.” He said taking a taste of the drink, and peering away knowing it wasn’t his real name.
“Sounds interesting.” She said and watched him.
The taste of the drink was familiar, but he couldn’t pin point it, it just wouldn’t click in his head. Then it came to him when his legs began to feel heavy and his muscles flimsy. Riddick through the cup to the ground and made a dash for the garage only making it through the door way before going to his knees then lying down. He was out cold, but he had knocked something down as he came though the door alerting Hilery.
She awoke with a start and sat straight up in her bed, just long enough to clear her eyes of their bleariness. Quickly she got up and out of bed and ran to her door. She opened it a little bit and was greeted by Midge, and a gun. “Get dressed, on the double,” she said. Hilery did as she said and changed into her daytime clothes.
“What do you want?” she asked in return.
“That is for me to know. Ap, ap ap, no pocket knife, it stays.” Hilery nodded and swallowed. “C’mon now, move it!” she said and gestured for Hilery to move ahead of her. She didn’t get too far though before Midge knocked her upside the head with the heal of her hand. She too was out now. Midge carried her prisoner down the steps and sat her down while she moved Riddick back to his chair, but, cautiously, made sure it had seemed like he hadn’t awaken. She cleaned up what he had caused to fall, and then threw Hilery into the back of the pickup, and made sure she was securely tied before driving off. There was nothing else in the back of the truck besides the nylon ropes, and the young Davenport woman.
Riddick was sprawled out in the chair still when Cooter arrived in the morning, it was unusual and out of place. He was always long gone before Cooter got in for work but here he was still sleeping. Cooter looked at him when he came in, he noticed right away how tight Riddick stomach muscles were, even tighter then usual. The big guy had a terrible and painful stomach ach.
The older Davenport cousin walked over to him and gave him a little bit of a shake. “Hey Riddick, are ya awake?”
He put his hand over his bare stomach, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Grumbling he didn’t wake up at Cooter’s attempts.
Cooter did the only other thing he could think of. He picked the phone up and dialed the number to the Appleby place, hoping to get a hold of Renee.
“Hello Doc. Appleby’s office how may I help you?” Renee answered the phone.
“Renee, I need ya to get over here, ASAP. Somethin’s wrong with Riddick. I can’t get him to wake up. All he’s doing is grumbling and holding his stomach.”
“Okay, I’ll be right over.”
By the time Renee arrived Riddick had rolled over on his side so that his face was buried into the soft worn fabric of the old chair and his back faced Cooter and Renee. “Did he say anything to you?” She asked Cooter. Riddick had broken a bad sweat about ten minutes ago.
“Nothing.” he told her. “Should I go wake Hilery up? Today’s the day she usually sleeps in because it’s her day off.”
“No I don’t think she would appreciate that.” Renee said giving Riddick a shake and trying to wake him up, but it was no good. He groaned at her deeply like he was mad or in pain. “You said you though his stomach hurt?” Renee asked as she cautiously tried to put her hand on Riddick stomach with much trouble due to the fact that he was curled up so close to the chair.
“Yeah. It does look it. He’s been holding it since I got here. If you ask me, that’s unusual.” Riddick could take pain like no other person he knew, so it had to be serious. “He also looked really tense when he was laying on his back.”
Renee placed her hand on his stomach and got a quick shocking reaction, he arm was thrown away forcefully by Riddick who yelped in pain.
“Cooter, go get a bucket of cold water please, we’re going to have to take him to the hospital.” Renee said and shooed him off. The Davenport walked over to the table in the garage to get a pail when he noticed his toolbox that sat atop it was open, and the bucket was right side up. He usually had the box closed and bucket upside down. He could tell someone had broken in. Riddick never touched his tools.
“Someone’s been here.” Cooter said aloud so that Renee could hear him as he brought her the bucket. Renee was more cautious of Riddick, he was in pain and there was no telling what he would do. “Think you could drag him to your truck thenI’ll wake Hilery after he’s settled in?” Renee asked after Cooter had filled the pail full of water and brought it to her.
“That’s a good idea. I want to be sure she’s safe. I was thinking’ Riddick had just eaten something bad or something before I seen my tool box open and all.” Cooter told her, as he picked Riddick up and carried him to the bed of the pickup.
Renee put some of the cold water on Riddick’s stomach as he lie in the bed of the truck. He suddenly sat up a quarter of the way as the water hit his stomach and shouted out in pain. Blinking his eyes he laid back clanging his head on the bed of the truck he put his arms tight around his stomach and breathed in hard. “Hurry, get Hilery up.” Cooter said taking Renee’s place in the bed of the truck.
“Riddick, Relax, I’ll be right back.” Renee said and ran into the building and up the steps. She returned a few moments later with a shocked look on her face. “Cooter, Hilery’s gone! Something’s wrong too, her pocketknife is still here on her dresser. She keeps it on her belt as a fashion statement and for protection, just like the Dukes do … those who carry them anyway.”
“Gone!” Cooter was shocked. “What now?” Cooter asked bewildered as he looked at Renee then down at Riddick. He could see the young mans stomach muscles contract in pain and show swelling.
“Get in and drive. Call Rosco on the way.” Renee said.
“Alright. I know somethin’s wrong. If she goes out early on her day off, she leaves a note and or calls me. This is her usual sleep in day.” Cooter said and then hopped down into his truck. As soon as Renee was in the bed of it with Riddick, he floored the accelerator.
Half way to the hospital Riddick had a painful attack and Renee did all she could not to be harmed by him. When they did manage to arrive at the hospital a doctor demanded that Riddick be rolled on his back for an injection into his back muscles to relieve the pain before moving him; it turned out to be a chore and a half.
“Renee, I want some blood work done on him.” One of the doctors said to her. They did the blood work while they gave him the injection. They wanted to be sure it wasn’t a bacteria in his blood doing it, although, Cooter and her figured it might be something else, like an injury, even though there was no signs of a brawl.
Half the time they left him lying in the bed of the truck until his fever began to rise, then they took him into the office. The Doc that worked with Renee began to check Riddick’s vital signs including his pupils.
About an hour later, the test came back, which had been fairly quick. The reason they had left him in the truck bed was because he had been wild and unable to be sedated. Renee had also cautioned them about doing that because of the break in the night before. Just as they wheeled him in, Rosco showed up, the Duke family with him, having heard the call on the CB. The only reason they had been able to move Riddick after his fever went up a little was it worked like a sedative, making it harder for him to struggle.
The test showed that he had been badly poisoned, and in less then 2 hours he lay on an office bed relaxed and in very little pain. But still an IV went into his arm and he slept like he hadn’t in days. Renee decided it was ok to wake him up so they could find out what happened to Hilery
Rosco went in with her when they went to wake him. Gently, Renee ran her hand against his cheek, trying to stir him. “Hey big guy, wakey wakey.” she said.
He groaned real lightly and blinked his eyes, the light was dim in the room and he opened his eyes that proved sleepiness. “Renee?” He said in a voice she hadn’t ever herd before, it was soft and very horse where the chemicals had burned his throat.
“Riddick, what happened last night? Cooter found something out of place this morning and Hilery wasn’t there.” she said and took his hand as Rosco watched.
Meanwhile, in an old shed on the edge of the swamp, owned by Alice and Midge, Hilery was just waking up to find herself in a chair, tied down. Midge watched, grinning.
“Come on girl, wake up.” Midge said roughly. Hilery opened her eyes and looked around, stunned to find herself there.
“What’s going on? Where am I Midge!?” Hilery yelled the second her senses were together.
“You’re with us in our cabin.” Midge said grinning as she got to her feet.
“What do you mean I’m with “US?” Hilery asked wearily, trying to catch a glimpse out the window but Midge moved into her way, knowing full well what she as trying to do.
Midge drew back her hand and smacked Hilery hard a crossed the face. “Stupid you know very well who us is!”
The young Davenport woman tasted blood in her mouth and knew that it had been cut in it from the blow. “Yeah, I do!” Hilery yelled, struggling against the nylon ropes that held her tightly as Alice walked in.
“Hey Midge, I heard something interesting today. Come to find out that little chick right there is going out with your man!”
It was sudden that Midge lost her temper she punched Hilery in the face and stomach, twice before Alice could stop her and hold her back.
“Now Midge, there are other ways my child. Hurting her won’t get your mans love. Though, I don’t mind if you do some slow torcher to her for what happened last time. Just make it slow and painful. If you’re gonna hit her, hit her with something other than your fists.” Alice suggested. She had become dangerous over the years, and crazy.
Meanwhile, Riddick was sitting up in the hospital bed begging to get out. “I want outta here.” He yelled at one of the doctors and a nurse. He attempted to get up from the bed furiously and was threatened with a needle with a sedative in it.
Renee walked in a little while after he settled down, her face not at all pleased. “Riddick, I need to talk to you.” she said, her face impassive. “When Midge broke into the garage … did she give you anything?”
Riddick gave a down cast look and nodded his head. “Yeah…” He turned over on his side; he had made a mistake, a stupid mistake.
“It had a very strong sedative in it. You’re very lucky. It wasn’t a sedative made for people. It was for animals,” she said and sat down next to him on the hospital bed. “The good news is it’s finally
wearing off.”
Rolling over he looked at her. “I want out of here.” he said in a deep unhappy voice. “She’s gone, Renee.”
“I know Hilery’s missing Riddick. You told us that Midge took her,” she said trying to comfort him. “Doc says about another hour beings the drug is gonna completely wear off and you’re no longer in pain. Just try to relax. I’m pulling all the strings I can. Hilery’s my best friend.”
He nodded and stretched out, trying to make his muscles relax. Renee couldn’t help but stair at him and remember how strong he was; his tattoos stretched with his body then went back into place.
“I know time isn’t on our side … and I wish it was. If I know Hilery, she will probably be able to buy herself time,” she said and put her hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I’ll find her,” he said looking her in the eye with his serious and frightening look. There she could see his anger and rage, and a terrible mind.
She nodded, knowing full well he was being honest. Too well she knew what he was capable of, and she had witnessed his temper more than once when someone crossed him. He just hadn’t killed anyone since before he went to jail. Quietly she got up and left the room. Cooter was out searching for his cousin, and was just arriving to see how the big guy was. He hadn’t turned anything up, but he hadn’t looked too far from the hospital. The most likely place he figured they’d be though was Alice’s shack.
Riddick was rolled over on his side so that his back faced the door when Cooter came in, a half hour had gone by and it was time that Riddick got set to leave the hospital.
“Renee pulled it off,” Cooter said leaning against the doorframe. “Get ready, I’ll need your help being’s I know you won’t want to be left out of this, and I know not to go against you.”
Riddick rolled over and hurried to his feet, he hurried to fast and staggered almost falling. He slipped on his boots and buckled them, he didn’t have a shirt with him so all he had to do was pull the IVs out of his arm which he did on his own even though the nurse was angry at him for it.
That nurse being Renee. “You really should let me do it, the patient ain’t supposed to,” she told him sternly. She had come in almost right behind Cooter, who had gone back to the waiting room to wait. Renee had merely gone in, trying to catch him before he got outta bed, to get the IV’s out but she was too late.
He hurried out the door with Renee nagging at his arm with band-aids. “Let go.” The lights hit his face and he backed away searching his pockets for his goggles, he had left them at the garage he would have to go blindly.
She shook her head and put the Band-Aids on his arm while he was temporarily paralyzed, unable to tell where he was going. “I could have told you didn’t have them,” she mumbled. “I can usually tell if they’re in your pocket or not when you’re walking around, not wearing them. “C’mon, I’ll lead you out. Then Cooter can help you find your goggles, and I’m taggin’ along.” she told him, taking his other arms and leading him slowly out to the waiting room.
He walked behind her, worried he was gonna stumble on something, they stopped at the garage and found his goggles. “Where we going?” He asked looking at Cooter and Renee through his goggles as they got back into the truck.
“I have a feeling, Alice and Midge weren’t ever too bright. I say we look at their shack on the edge of the swamp. We’re supposed to meet the Duke’s on their property, then all set off over there.”
Riddick nodded his head and got into the truck, they went on to the Duke farm in silence. When they got there, all the Dukes were waiting for them, all a little unsure about the situation. It wasn’t often they had Riddick along for the ride.
“Ok, here’s the deal, Riddick, you can go after Midge and pin her, Bo and I will get Alice, and Cooter, you and Renee can go get Hilery out if she’s there. Sound good?” Luke asked them. They were getting ready to set off.
A cruel grin came across Riddick’s face and he nodded a little more willingly and pleased than usual. Luke looked at him suddenly knowing he had made a mistake but he couldn’t undo it.
“Luke, if what Cooter said is true, you know he’s got something against that girl.” Bo said to his cousin, having also seen the cruel smile.
“Breyer…” Riddick’s voice was low and full of deep thought. “She jealous.” He said looking up at the Dukes. He always felt like he was trespassing when in there presents.
“Yeah, that’s why I’m going to be helping you with Midge,” the young man grinned ruefully. “Exactly the reason Luke didn’t mention what I was going to be doing.” Renee had told him at the hospital on the phone, just before she had talked to the doctors.
He turned his head fast and looked at the young Duke, he didn’t like it. “Doesn’t sound like you need me.” Riddick said and he turned and left the Duke farm walking away into the woods in the direction away from the swamp, he was headed back to town.
Breyer shook his head. “I know darned well I won’t be able to handle Midge alone,” he said to his father. Bo just turned and gave him a hug. He knew how embarrassing it was to go up against a woman who could kick his tail end.
Renee shook her head as she watched Riddick walk away; she knew deep in her mind that Breyer wouldnt be alone on the job. Riddick had his way of saying he wanted to do things alone but knew he wasn’t well enough to. The Dukes, Renee and Cooter set off for the swamp.
The mud stank, and sloshed with their walking. They had parked on the very outer most edge of the swamp. The smells of the mold and the mildew that grew there strong in their noses. Decomposing plants, as well as rotting wood was a strong scent as they walked the ten minutes to the shack, then hid behind a bush to prepare for the ambush.
Breyer was alone, he was a little scared and worried. Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him into a patch of water. The person had large muddy hands, one hand covered Breyers mouth, the other pulled him back behind some cattails into a foot of water and some mud. “Shhhh!!!” Riddick said releasing Breyer and looking at him intently through his goggles, Riddick had scared him to death.
“Don’t do that!” he hissed in return. “I thought you were going back to town.” he added, and then thought for a split second. “Soon as Dad gives the signal, we’re going in to get Hilery.”
Riddick shrugged and grinned evilly at Breyer nodding his head silently. They both stood in the mud waiting for Bo Duke to give the signal. For the first time, Breyer was happy to have the ex-con going in with him.
Meanwhile, inside, unknowing of what was about to happen, Midge was untying Hilery so she could retie her because her ropes were getting loose, only problem was, Midge wasn’t holding her gun, and neither was her mother, who was cooking, and Hilery was awake completely … although, in pain from being beaten. Midge figured that the girl wouldn’t be able to move too much as she did what she felt needed to be done. She hadn’t expected the fist that came out of almost nowhere and hit her in the jaw, where it had previously been broken. Midge howled in pain, getting her Mother’s attention, who ran for the gun, which was unfortunately still in the truck. An all out battle pursued. Midge hit Hilery in the nose; Hilery hit Midge in the stomach. The mechanic received a blow to the chest, a very hard one, hearing her ribs cracks. The swamp girl wound up being thrown into the wall so hard her wrist broke. Again and again they threw punches at each other. Hilery sent Midge flying into the chair, and Midge return the favor with a chair over the head.
Meanwhile, Bo and Luke had given the signal, and had quickly subdued Alice with their bows pointed at her. Riddick, Cooter, Renee, and Breyer were all heading to the house. They got in just in time to see Hilery hit Midge with a piece of pottery, knocking her out, then collapse to the floor herself, in dreadful pain.
Riddick held Alice by the front of her shirt on the porch alone while the rest went inside. It would be wise not to put Alice and Midge together at the moment. No more trouble than they already had was needed.
The sight of both women being unconscious on the floor greeted everyone. Hilery had passed out due to pain, Midge had been knocked out. They stopped and looked at the destruction of the room for a second before going over to make sure Hilery was going to be okay. Breyer knelt down and sat put her in his lap. She awoke a little bit, but wasn’t completely there, the pain being torturous. Bo and Luke took the liberty of checking on Midge even though they didn’t much like her. Cooter sat down next to Breyer.
Standing patiently Riddick knew Alice was looking at him, he could feel her female eyes gazing over him. But her opinion didn’t come, was she afraid of him he wondered not looking at her but holding her there silently, so silently it irritated Alice that he didn’t speak to her.
“Ya know, if you let me go, perhaps you and I might just become friends. My daughter likes you and all too, so I’m willing to make the exception. All you gotta do is let me go,” she grinned.
He didn’t turn his head to look at her, and he didn’t answer or make any move to. Riddick knew how it annoyed people when they were simply ignored, especially women. It really got to women when they were completely ignored, physically and verbally.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way ya know.” she stated bluntly.
Riddick stared out acrossed the swamp and to the trees, listening to he plead. He relied on his ears when he could and couldn’t rely on his eyes. His senses were 5 times stronger then the average human but hers were still human. Annoying her further he didn’t answer and stood patient yet.
“I meant what I said,” she told him. Still he ignored her and received a punch to the face, which he hadn’t expected. It happened just as Breyer was carrying Hilery out. Bo and Luke were with him, as well as Cooter. Of course, the late party was just showing up too.
His patience had been pushed; Riddick picked Alice up by her throat and pulled his goggles off looking her in the eye. “Don’t test me!” He growled out meanly in a dangerous tone of voice. A voice that the Dukes hadn’t heard since the first few weeks Riddick had come to Hazzard.
“Riddick, calm down, she isn’t worth it. She can rot in jail,” Luke said trying to calm him down, as Bo took Rosco in to where Midge was out like a light.
Rosco stuttered that she needed to go to a hospital before being arrested. There was no question, the sheriff was right. Riddick didn’t loosen his hold on Alice’s throat; she had pushed the wrong button.
“Riddick, you don’t want to go back to jail,” Luke tried reasoning with him. Alice didn’t say anything. She just tried to loosen his grip on her windpipe.
He dropped her letting her land on her butt with a good smack on the wooden porch. Riddick put his goggles back on looking down at her, daring her to try something again as she breathed in fresh air.
Rosco moved in though before anything else could be attempted against the big man, and slapped the cuffs on her, and read her rights. Then loaded her into the police car. Breyer had already called an ambulance after sitting Hilery down for a second. He had used the CB in the cruiser. Rosco wasn’t about to leave the scene before it arrived, but he was chuckling a gloating about catching Cousin Alice. “Knee. I knew I’d get you one of these days, and your daughter too!” he said, and then went serious. “I can’t believe that you kidnapped Hilery though, tsk tsk. I can’t believe another fight like that happened between them either. I thought last time had been enough.”
Riddick sat down on the steps, covered in mud from the swamp. He looked at Hilery, she had bumps and bruises and was bleeding but she was tough. She would be ok.
Painfully she looked at him in the sitting position she was in and grinned, having woken up. “And no one believes that I can light into someone or take a beatin’,” she laughed. It hurt somethin’ awful though so she had to stop after 2 or 3 chuckles. Talking also hurt, as did breathing. Everything hurt and throbbed.
He didn’t nod but bowed his head low, he should have stopped Midge the night before.
“I’m fine,” she lied, then spit some blood out of her mouth that had accumulated, then wiped her bleeding lip and nose with her shirt sleeve, having nothing else to do so with. Just as she finished doing so though, sirens were heard. The ambulance was almost there.
The ambulance picked both beaten and bloodied girls up. Midge was still out like a light. Hilery was able to sit down in the ambulance on a seat. About 30 minutes later they arrived at the hospitol. Within an hour of arrival, Rosco arrived and received word to be passed to Alice ’bout Midge’s condition-concussion, re-broken jaw, broken wrist, broken arm, and broken ribs. She was also in a coma, and had had some internal bleeding from the fight. Cooter though, had to wait a little longer on Hilery. Finally Renee came back out to talk to the town mechanic.
“Renee, is she okay?” he asked almost immediately.
“Yeah, she’ll be fine. She has a concussion, a few broken ribs, and had a little bruising internally, and almost needed some stitches in her mouth which would have been gross, thank God she didn’t need them, but other than that, she’ll be fine, and might be able to be released tomorrow but should take it easy. She’s in a lot of pain though. It doesn’t surprise me. She’s covered in bruises.” She told him, and then gave him a hug, which he returned. “She’s doped up on pain killers right now though, so she isn’t feeling too much and was getting tired when I left the room.”
“Thanks Renee.” Cooter smiled.
The following day, Hilery was released, but was put on bed rest. Cooter had left the Hazzard Garage in Bo and Luke Duke’s care while he took some time off to take care of her. Breyer had decided to give the older mechanic a hand too. Renee was by often too, claiming she was obligated, being a nurse and all, but everyone knew her real reason for dropping by was that Hilery was her friend.
About 3 days after Hilery had been discharged, while Breyer chopped some firewood for Cooter, and the mechanic fixed some soup for Hilery, the girls were sitting on the porch, talking. Renee was on the steps, and Hil was laying down on the swing. Hilery had objected to her cousin cooking her soup for lunch, wanting a sandwich, afraid he’d burn something, but he had won the battle and was cooking.
“Hello,” a mans voice said from the side of the porch, making both girls jump and look quickly. Riddick was standing there with his baldhead and black goggles gleaming in the sun. He wore an extremely tight black tank top, and black jeans.
“Hi Riddick,” Renee said in greeting.
“Howdy buds,” Hilery said cheerfully and waved, then winced. She might have been recovering, but she was still in a lot of pain due to the numerous bruises she had and the cracked ribs. The simple movement had hurt though. “I’m okay, just hurts a little to move.”
“Yeah, you’re tougher than I thought you were. You’re really tough for a girl.”
“I’m tough in general,” she said, and tried not to laugh at her own comment due to her ribs.
“Frankly, I’d hate to be in Alice’s and Midge’s shoes right now. Midge just woke up today to be honest, and she’s so sore, she cannot move at all. She can’t anyway because she’s cuffed to the bed. Both mother and daughter are going to go to jail according to what I heard from Rosco.” Renee smiled.
“I think the B**** can just suffer. Both of them.”
“Riddick, I prefer not to wish pain and agony on my enemies. I’d rather they learned, but this might be the only way they do learn. I fight when I have to, or when I’m very angry and loose control, but never for fun.” Hilery told them. Riddick knew she had directed that one to him because he did fight for fun sometimes, not because he was angry. He did it to show off.
Renee knew her friend was telling the truth, and nodded. “I’m glad she’s gone myself, though I agree with Hilery. I think she had a crush on you, Riddick, though, not as strong as a one she had on Breyer … but she won’t be bothering him for a very long time. I’m sure that if she had decided she couldn’t have had him, she’d have gone after you.” Hilery flinched at the mention of Midge liking Breyer. Riddick on the other hand tensed up and shot Renee a dirty look, which only made her laugh. “I’m sorry, but I was just telling the truth.”
“Once you get bitten by a woman, you’re twice as shy,” he mumbled, his voice nothing more than a deep rumble in this throat, barely audible as he remembered his last relationship, and how his girlfriend had cheated on him. Renee looked a little down caste by his statement. “Besides, she was just plain annoying.” he added. Renee and Hilery both knew that if Midge had gone after Riddick as a boyfriend, she would have wound up in ICU longer, or 6 feet under.
That night, Bo and Luke came over for dinner, and to check up on Hilery. Riddick, Breyer, and Renee had all stayed too. The young nurse had forced herself into the kitchen so she could cook. To be honest, Cooter’s cooking just wasn’t preferred too much, which had been why he had always been over the Duke farm to eat. After grace had been said, which Riddick had tolerated, they all dug in and talked about everything except what had happened. They talked about the weather and the crops, and cars and trucks as they ate, and until it was time for the Duke’s and Renee to go home, and for Riddick to go back to the garage to keep and eye on things.
The End