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"Mmm... No idea why the reports would suggest that," the Joker said after much feigned thought; in reality, he knew EXACTLY why she'd react like that. Then, he added, "Unless you count police incompetence, because that sounds like a winner." He took a deep breath, shrugged and continued. "And i can't really talk about how we met, either. It was when I met Janet, and I've never told anyone about THAT night. Hehehehehehe..."

Dundee looked over at Misty. "I know it's hard to believe. Trust me, I STILL can't believe it." he said . . . he had to take a vow of pacifism, but silently, deep in the confines of his mind, if he was a caretaker of those kids and that dude was threatening the family he had? It was that papa wolf instinct . . . gone totally berserk!

Meanwhile, C.J. looked up at the ceiling of the cell. "Arell . . . thanks for hittin' me." he said. Arell, who looked at him with a brow raised.

"Kinda weird thing t' be thankin' me for, but you got it, che'. I jes' hope fer your sake we can turn it around . . . " Arell drawled, but all of a sudden, he had an idea!

"Ceej, remember dat band we had back when we was at Ft. Beauregard?" he asked, C.J. looking up at him.

"Yeah . . . the Knuckledraggers. I remember . . . we opened for Hank III the year before the universes collided." C.J. mentioned. It was a fun night. In a nice switch, this time C.J. played rhythm and Arell played lead . . . normally it was the other way around for the two.

"Man, dat was a good show . . . y'know, maybe we ain't cut out fer bein' vigilantes, che'. Let's get de ban' back t'gether." Arell mentioned off the top of his head. "'Sides, guitar strings are cheaper t' by'n shotgun shells." he mentioned. C.J.'s eyes lit up.

"I like that idea. ******** this vigilante stuff. All it's done is cause us trouble!" C.J. said. Arell nodded with a laugh.

"Nah, che'. Us bein' US gets us in trouble. At least wit' music we don't have t' worry 'bout all dem hoops we had t' jump." Arell mentioned. All they needed now was to get their guitars back!

Dundee shook his head. "Well, the Savage incident is why he's in here . . . but he wasn't at the circus then. None of us were." he mentioned . . . she had opened up some old wounds in him.

"We made it to the next town on time. However, we got laid off after the circus changed hands. It's now part of a holding firm in New York. I had already become a lantern, but the guys were on their own. They kept trying the Bounty Hunter thing until the incidents. C.J. never was quite himself." Dundee explained . . . then realized what he was saying was also hurting her. Dammit, this job gets difficult sometimes! he thought.

"The good news is he's okay. A little worse for wear, but I think he needs someone to be the rock for him, like he was with you. I promise to look after him and help him out." Dundee said, taking off the mouse ears.

Meanwhile, Arell and C.J. were already well under discussion about the band. Perhaps this was the outlet the guys needed . . .

Dundee saw her kick the desk and went to hug her. "I know it's hard to take in." he said. The wave of pain had sort of got to the point where even the Blue Lantern was feeling it.

He looked up when Dr. Mattis entered. "The after-effects of one damn-nasty breakup, doctor." he said. He wasn't sure how to word it further. "I really, REALLY hope we can settle this better." he said . . .

Meanwhile, the other two were well into their work when Arell had an idea. "Hey, let's get de guards' attention, see if we can work out how t' get our guitars in here, huh?" Arell asked as C.J. nodded.

"Yeah!" C.J. replied and hopped down from the bed, over to the door. He whistled loudly. "HEY! One of you guards mind comin' over here a minute?"

Dundee listened to the argument, his arm around Misty, trying to console her.

"I dunno about that. He wasn't self-centered about that . . . that's unlike hi- waitaminute, that would explain the picture of that shiny looking ring that was in his dresser drawwwwww and I should NOT have said that, DAMMIT! C.J.'s gonna be SOOOooo pissed that I said that!" Dundee said, facepalming himself! Well, hopefully she wouldn't catch that slip of the tongue about the engagement ring C.J. was planning to buy her. Arell and Dundee were both rooting for him. They offered to lend him the last fifty bucks to buy it, but C.J. insisted that he save up for it. He wanted to show Misty he wasn't a lazy person and remained committed to duty, loading, unloading, road maintenance, and two times even driving the train on an overnight run and scooping elephant poo. All for that ring! Of course, since they got fired, their check had gotten lost . . . . or was it?

Meanwhile, C.J. smiled at the guard. "Say, bud. What would it take to get a couple guitars in here, man?" he asked as Arell smiled.

"Would do well fer our morale. Get us t' be upstandin' membahs a' society." Arell suggested.

Arell and C.J. looked at The Goddess with a smirk.

"We can keep it to a half hour a day. Besides, we just need enough time to get our chops back. We played just about everything but Techno, Pop and Death Metal" C.J. said.

Arell shrugged after C.J. responded to the woman. "Mostly 'cause we doan' know how t' play dem." the big Cajun said.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Dundee listened intently. So THAT'S why those goons were following us! Dundee thought. He thought that they were Razolli's men after C.J. and Arell (boy, did THEY make some enemies) . . . and Razolli's gang had as much brains as that Coyote from TV. Sure they got close once or twice prior to the incident, but Arell and Dun' seemed to outsmart 'em when C.J. was busy working, except for that one time . . .



"Ceej, doan' tell me you gon' work again t'day. You jes' scrubbed de animal cars spotless, got de electrical work double-checked an' just changed de diapers on de kids! Why doan' you take a day off an' come fishin'?" Arell asked as C.J. smiled, leaning on a passenger car.

"Aww, man. I'd love to. But I gotta save up for that ring. I'm ready to get engaged with her. Now I gotta run up to the Piggly Wiggly in town and get some food, diapers an' a bottle of red wine for Misty and I. It's our date night tonight." he said with a smile, his face warmed up in just talking about it.

"I don't know HOW you haven't fallen over yet." Dundee said as C.J. laughed.

"Lots of coffee. Now I gotta go. Be back in a jiffy, okay?" C.J. asked and ran up past the depot and into town, leaving Dun' and Arell.

"Say, C.J.'s birthday is comin' up, Dun'. I'mma go talk t' Jack 'bout goin' in fer dat fishin' pole he tol' me about yesterday. You see dem goons dat was ********' aroun' in Tuscon?" Arell asked as Dun' looked around. So far, they had been gone for the past week. Not since they changed the locks on their railroad car.

"No sir. Haven't seen 'em. I'm gonna talk to the clowns and see what's up." Dundee said and took off before his ring flashed. s**t! Dun' thought and activated it. Turns out, he was needed in another planet to help a Green Lantern patrol that got ambushed by Sinestro's troops! Flying off, he was unaware that the goons WERE in, coming around from the other side of the train they were on, while a couple carpenters were coming down to the supply freight car for some boards.

. . . . . . . .

it wasn't too long before C.J. came back, humming a tune. "I got corn, I got chicken and tomaaaaa-toes, an' a li'l red wine that's gonna go down fine . . ." he scatted as he went up the ladder to the rear vestibule and opened the door inside with a call of "I'm back, everyone!" C.J. said and put the groceries down on the table . . . it was eerily quiet.

"Misty? Jack? Amanda?" he asked, looking around. He looked in the closet for the kids, thinking they were playing hide-and-go-seek . . . nothing.

"Misty? Where are you?" he asked . . . popping into the room made for them . . . not there.

He looked in the kids' playroom, thinking they didn't hear him come in . . . nope.

Oh god, this did NOT look good. He bolted out of the car just as Arell came back, whistling a tune . . . and almost bumped into a highballing C.J. in the process.

"Woah, hol' it, che'! Where ya goin' now?" Arell asked as C.J. looked up, frightened.

"Have you seen Misty and the kids? I just checked everywhere. They're gone!" C.J. said before radioing in the two-way to ask if any of the crewmen had seen her or the kids, thinking they went to see Delores, Leona or even Big Boy Bruno, who was shaving all but his handlebar mustache. His assurance turned to sheer dread when all areas came back negative.

"Not a sign, Ceej. Get aboard and we'll keep an eye on her when we get into Fort Worth, okay?" the Trainmaster said in the radio. They had to load up and go . . . apparently they were almost running behind again. In the confusion, they got aboard and had to go to Fort Worth in a hurry, Arell left to console C.J. in the process. However, their day was just about to get all kinds of bad.



Dundee held Misty, not sure what to say.

DOCTOR GRAY

"We haven't asked her about you personally." the doctor began. "And anything we have been able to divulge has been... sporadic." she said, then glanced down at her notes again. "She's said nothing about you, or anyone else. The only person she's really mentioned, has been Rosie and Julie. And that... has usually been when she had a panic attack or a moment to reflect."

Then she glanced up at Joker thoughtfully. "Her behavior, when she's not trying to escape, suggests she's undergone some form of drastic emotional stress or head trauma. Things she doesn't remember about her life... memories that seem to be out of place or only partial... She has no physical scars to suggest such trauma... but I suppose damage doesn't have to be caused physically to result in repressed memories."

Doctor Gray thought for a moment. "I suppose it could be arranged. I'll have to put it by your current doctor, of course. It's an utter headache if you step on another doctor's toes." she said, then paused for a moment in thought. "And from the way you reacted to seeing her as we passed by... I'm sure if we let you talk to her... the results would either be interesting or damaging to Janet's recovery. Still..." she mused. "...I doubt we're going to get any clear answers from either of you on our own."