Appearances
By Tomy
 

        Michael had wondered around the park for hours.  The tip had given a time frame, four hours in the middle of the night in which he or she would turn up.
        "Are you sure this isn't a hoax?"  Kitt's voice came over the comlink.
        Raising his wrist to his face, "Are we ever sure?  But it's a gorgeous night."
        "And you're getting some exercise."
        "What, you getting sick if me sitting in you or something?"
        "Your mood doesn't turn as foul."
        "Oh, thanks."  Pausing he looked around once more the darkened gardens.  "Kitt, I'm gonna do one more round, then we'll call it a night.  Have you picked up anything?"
        "Actually, a car has parked on the far side of the playground from your location and I'm picking up one unarmed person."
        "Okay, I'm on it."
        "Be careful Michael."
        Striding past the swing set, Michael's instincts kicked in.  It wasn't a warning, in fact he couldn't determine what it was.
        //What is it?//
        //I don't know// he hadn't realized that he had sent the feeling down the link.
        //How far am I from him?//
        //Approximately 100 yards to your left//
        Traveling in the general direction his partner had suggested, Michael rounded a clump of trees and froze, face to face with the source.
        Sucking in a breath, he stood, dumbfounded.
        //Michael!?//  When no answer came, Kitt fired the engine, heading for his shocked driver.
        "How can this be?"  The smaller man standing in front of him smiled.  It was an open and affectionate smile, finding Michael's gaping expression humorous.  The smile brightened greatly as the black car swung around the corner, stopping with the prow touching the backs of Michael's legs.
        Touching his partner physically and mentally for support, his scanner tracking wildly as he, like his driver, stared at the man before them.
        "Hello Michael, Kitt.  It's been a long time.  I'm glad to see you two have developed the friendship I believed you should share.  Can we go somewhere to talk privately?"
        Michael nodded, motioning towards Kitt.  The man nodded, he had been hoping this would be the answer.
        "Your choice of location Michael. I trust your judgment."
        Michael found his voice a short while later.  After parking off a dirt trail in the nearby woods, he turned to the man beside him.  A million questions in his head, not all of them his.
        "I watched you die, how can...?"
        "I'll answer your questions soon enough.  But first, I've been watching the two of you on and off for years now.  I'm very proud of what you have accomplished."  He stopped, touching Kitt's dash gently.  "I was never truly introduced to you Kitt.  I see however that you have developed greatly since your birth."
        "Mr. Knight, like Michael, I'm very confused.  My records also indicate your....passing."
        Smiling, alternatively looking from the taller, younger man in the driver's seat to the voice modulator of the AI, Wilton drew a deep breath and began to explain his new life.  "It was a rouse."
        "What?"  Michael interrupted.
        "Hold your horses, I'll explain if you give me a chance.  I realized that I was the downfall of my dreams, for a lack of a better phraseology.  FLAG would never have a chance if I were to oversee it.  Therefore, once I knew things would proceed as per my wishes, I devised a plan where the world believed I was not a factor.  That included those closest to me.  I was far too great a target for industrial espionage, as Tanya kindly pointed out.  For you to succeed, I had to disappear.  Knight Industries was greatly in the public eye.  What you and Kitt do, had to be kept in the background."
        "I understand your reasoning, but Devon.."
        "I'm aware of the repercussions of my decision." He stopped him tersely.  "You all have emerged on higher ground.  Do you believe that you would have stayed on if I had remained?"
        "I can't answer that question.  On the other hand, it might have been easier knowing what I was getting myself into."
        "Tell me Michael, how was the implant activated?"
        If there were any doubts of the identity of this small silver haired man, this question had just abolished them.
        "How did you know?"
        "Two reasons.  I believed that it had been activated approximately two years ago.  Now I know, from seeing Kitt's arrival moments ago."  Seeing Michael's confusion. "You hadn't called him.  Yet he knew to come to you."
        Shaking his head, Michael leaned back in the seat.  He hadn't been aware how obvious the link was to anyone paying attention.
        "The link was activated just over two years ago.  During an attack that almost killed both of us.  It's been assumed that the ensuing stress is what caused the activation."
        "And what was it like?"  The animation in the old man's eyes made him appear to be years younger then his eighty some.
        "Terrifying to be honest." He exhaled as he spoke. Then faced the passenger.  Still a little unsure how much to reveal.  "We worked for months to understand what it was, how to communicate and how to block."
        "Block?  Why block one another?"
        "There are times in my life when I don't want a nosey partner looking over my shoulder."
        Laughing in realization of Michael's innuendo.  "Is it that clear?"
        "For the most part.  We've learned how to....step into one another's mind."
        "It is true then, that you may link so intensely that you are able to touch?"
        For the second time, the doubts were washed aside.  This man knew far too much. "Yes, it is possible.  Draining.  I lose contact with the outside world, as does Kitt, though not to the same extent."
        "So you have touched each other."
        "In the place between the link and the implant, yes."
        "And on a day to day basis?"
        "I feel his presence as a soft, warm pressure in the back of my mind.  Even when we are blocking."
        "This is a far cry from the angry young man who vehemently described his partner as an 'it'."
        Michael's eyebrows rose, somewhat unnerved that he had been watching him for so long. "It's actually a running joke these days."
        "I also see trust is not an issue."
        "No, it hasn't been for years.  I trust him with my life."
        "Ah, yes, but there is faith and then there is *trust*.  You must have known that the car was approaching you at great speed, yet you never turned your head.  Your eyes did not leave mine even as he came to rest against you."
        "I don't know if I can give you a satisfactory answer.  I know that he won't, that he can't hurt me."
        "You are completely secure in that knowledge?"
        "I'll prove it any way, any day.  We do regularly."
        "Your tone is proof enough.  The line of questioning was not meant as an affront.  I must know, do you regret leaving your life as Michael Long for this?"  His hand traveled palm up over the length of Kitt's dash.
        "No, I don't think I ever have.  This has felt right, from the beginning. Even when Kitt and I did nothing but argue, Bonnie accused me of abusing her baby and Devon was calling me a primitive."
        Laughter shook the car.  "He obviously no longer feels so."
        "No, not for a long time now."
        "May I ask why you are no longer stationed at the estate?"
        "Where do you get your information?" And how much did he know about them, and their friends?
        "Impressive isn't it.  Though I have not yet been able to locate your new... home." Both partners breathed a sigh of relief.
        "I'd like to keep it that way for now.  There are reasons for the new locale."
        "Please, help me understand why the Foundation is no longer comfortable for you both."
        Michael felt the warning tingle from Kitt.  This would have to be done with tact.
        //any suggestions?//
        //an employee tried to...// Michael sent a nod back, one that acknowledged Kitt's idea and the difficulty the AI still had expressing the events surrounding Jennifer's experiments.
        "I guess you could say a disgruntled employee tried to take Kitt's life."
        "How?"  Astonishment joined the simple question.
        "They convinced the Board to conduct some tests to make sure the shell was capable of withstanding extremes.  I was off on assignment, alone. They however did not remove Kitt from the car.  We almost lost him."
        "You were linked at the time?"
        "Yes." Michael still had a hard time keeping a cap on his rage.
        "My God.  Is this when the implant became common knowledge among FLAG's board of directors?"
        "Yes, I met with John Landes shortly after we moved Kitt to a safe location. He figured it out. I guess I slipped."
        "This is also when the car and the AI became yours?"
        Turning fierce blue eyes at his passenger, "No one owns Kitt."
        Laughing, Wilton raised a hand. "I meant no offence.  Though the reaction is more than I hoped for."
        "Let me turn the tables here, what where you hoping for when you paired us?"
        "I believe you are looking at my expectations.  Your partnership is legendary. I began hearing about a man and his car about a year after I..um..vanished."  There was a mischievous smile behind the words.  "That is when I doubled my efforts in finding what had become of you.  I was happily surprised with the results."
        "Does Devon know of your reappearance?"
        "No, and I wish no one else to know of this."
        "Then why contact us?"  Kitt asked.
        "I am hoping to...get to know the partnership I helped create."
        Tipping his head, accepting the reasoning for now.  "Fair enough.  How do you wish to stay in contact?" Michael's brain was still reeling.  Kitt's CPU was also going a mile a minute.  Michael had lightly blocked the link, but confusion and surprise was echoing back and forth.
        "I'll stay in touch, no need for you to worry there.  I'll contact you along the same paths as before."

*
 

        "Did your informant turn up?" Nick asked as Michael stepped out of his car.
        Shaking his head, he was not surprised to not only find Nick still awake, but well informed. "Yes, he did.  And prepare yourself for this one."
        Nick switched off his laptop, curiosity piqued. "Go ahead."
        "I was just contacted by Wilton Knight."
        Nick just looked at Michael for a second.  "Excuse me?"
        "You heard me."
        "That's not a possibility."
        "I didn't think so either, but Kitt scanned him. And get this, he knew about the activation of the implant."
        The rumble in Nick's head increased, making it difficult for him to concentrate on Michael's news. "Did he mention..." There was also fear echoing through the link.
        "No, I'm not sure if he knows about you and Karr."
        "I'd appreciate if it stayed that way." Remaining cold, Nick blocked all emotions this news rose in him.
        "I wasn't about to tell him."
        Nodding his appreciation, Nick turned back to his laptop. <Is there any way to trace him?>
        <I'm already looking into it.> Nick had suspected as much.
        Turning to Michael briefly, "by chance, did he say where he's been hiding?"
        "No, but I believe the tan he was sporting was Mediterranean."
        "Narrows the search." Was all the explanation Nick was willing to give.
        "Figured as much."
        "I'll let you know if I find something."
        Michael nodded, knowing that meant end of conversation.  Walking up the stairs, he went in search of food.
        <Could it be possible?>
        <It could be. Before we panic Partner, we should look into this.> Agreement touched his mind.
        Turning back to his laptop, he began his search, leaving Karr to follow his own path.
 
        Twenty minutes later, curiosity killing him, Michael chanced approaching Nick.
        Looking up as the taller man wandered down the stairs, Nick heard  <wondered how long he would wait> grumbled into his mind.  Chuckling down the link, he faced Michael with a blank expression.
        "Well?"
        The smile touched Nick's face briefly before disappearing again. "I found what might be him.  I cross referenced his photo through passport data banks."
        "And?" Sometimes Nick still frustrated the hell out of him.  Kitt joined him in that opinion.
        Shifting the laptop over so Michael could see, "Switzerland."  On the screen was the picture of the man who had sat beside him earlier.
        "That's him."  Nick's capabilities still baffled Michael.
        "Makes sense.  Swiss accounts to hold his fortune.  It's a non militarized nation."
        Michael nodded. "So this is proof."
        Sighing unhappily, "I believe so.  Plus if Kitt's sure."
        "Now what?"
        Raising an eyebrow towards his friend, "that's your business."
        "You don't want to be involved."
        "No.  Though I'd like to be kept informed."
        "Alright."
        "Thanks."  Nick turned off the computer before he and his partner drove out.
 
 

*
 

        Three meetings with Wilton and Michael found himself just as comfortable with the old man as he had been years before.  Nick had not said another word, though he knew that Michael had met with the man a few times.  He could understand Nick's view point, and most likely Karr's as well. Wilton was the one who'd ordered his deactivation, which had reflected back in Nick.  That episode in their lives wouldn't be in the warm and fuzzy department.  Michael on the other hand had never experienced a bad moment with the man and was willing to help him.  Hell he wouldn't be alive if not for the man sitting beside him.  Neither would Kitt.

         Kitt was driving.  Wilton had never had the pleasure before.  As per typical reaction, his eyes had grown wide as Michael let go of the wheel, then relaxed as the car remained on a smooth track.  Kitt couldn't suppress the laughter that entered Michael's head.  Tipping the seat back Michael intended on catching a bit of sleep as they drove across country, delivering Wilton to his newly purchased home.  He had figured that Wilton would eventually want to reacquaint himself with his family and friends, but he hadn't expected it so soon.  Devon would be ecstatic, though probably and understandably upset.  Michael remembered clearly the emotional reaction to his friend's death.  Come to think of it, it was the only time Michael could remember Devon shedding tears.
        Looking over, their passenger sat looking out the window, almost like a school boy, too wired to sleep.  Smiling Michael closed his eyes, feeling Kitt come closer, curling around his driver, helping him relax.   Kitt, however, was not in the mood to let his partner sleep. He began to run a tendril gently over Michael's presence.
        Trying to ignore his body's reaction to Kitt's touch, Michael turned towards him.  //Kitt, this is not the time.//
        Mischievously, Kitt increased his sensual caresses, feeling Michael's arousal. Ignoring his objections, smiling more as Michael's body responded.
        "Kitt..." Michael half hissed, shifting a meaningful glance to the right.
        "Sorry."  Michael cracked an eye at the modulator, trying not to laugh.  Any other time he would have eagerly accepted Kitt's advances.  But he had no idea how his body reacted in the real world and he didn't want to find out tonight.
 
        The look that had passed from man to AI did not go unnoticed.  Wilton had heard about how close the partnership between these two had become.  Yet something bothered him about that brief glance.  It held more than affection, but he couldn't place the emotion.  Michael had drifted off, his breathing slow and steady, secure in Kitt's capabilities.  He watched the sleeping man for a moment.  Trying to put a finger on what he had just witnessed.
        "Kitt?"  He began in low enough of a voice as not to wake the other man.  "Have you attained emotions?"
        Confused, but not unwilling to divulge this information. "Yes, I have for quite some time."
        "Then to what extent are your emotions for your driver."
        "I'm extremely fond of him.  You must know how intimate the link is."
        "Explain it to me.  I have only the knowledge the designer provided me with."
        "You are asking a very personal question."
        "That, in a manner of speaking, is an answer.  That and your use of the word 'intimate'. Tell me, can you interpret his every need and desire?"
        Kitt felt the equivalent of a blush creep over his CPU. He also felt his distress wake Michael.
        //Please just listen and help me out//
        //This is beyond idle curiosity.  Answer as honestly as you feel comfortable.  He doesn't need to know *everything* Pal//
        //Agreed//
        The conversation between the two took only a fraction of the time it would have if they'd been speaking aloud.
        "I'm finding this line of questioning awkward. But, to answer your question, yes I can, unless there is a block in place.  We can selectively send or hold back thoughts and emotions."
        "So when Michael is with a woman.."
        "We both block.  I have no right into his private moments."
        //Yeah right...// Michael's ironic laughter released into the link.  His body appearing to sleep on.
        "I see.  How long did it take for you to translate what he was thinking?"
        "Quite awhile.  It was all very confusing and alien to begin with. In all honesty, I needed Michael, yet I was terrified of what was occurring.  Michael had been shot and I was receiving the pain. The pain and the fear from his side was overloading my capacities.  I had never experienced anything quite like that."
        "Why do you describe it as alien?"
        "Human emotions are radically different than what my neural nets experience."
        "Oh? How so?"
        "They are more intense.  For example, after Michael was released from the hospital, Bonnie was helping us understand what was happening between the neuro implant and my CPU.  We were in the garage when Michael bumped into a chair, hitting the wound.  I found myself reacting to the pain, causing the car to go through the garage wall."
        "Fascinating.  The link was never intended to be so personal.  I had believed that it would activate only if a code or word - like your name for instance - was used.  Otherwise it would remain dormant."
        //Really?  It sure doesn't work that way.  Not that I'm complaining//  Kitt's amused annoyance briefly touched Michael's mind.
        "If that had been the case, the initial activation would have been a great deal less..."
        //Painful?//
        "Painful." Kitt finished, using Michael's suggestion.
        "I find it interesting that you speak of the car as a different entity."
        "It has been pointed out to me recently that the car is not who I am, but where I reside."
        "But it is your body."
        "Yes, but it's been changed numerous times..."  He paused, unsure if he should continue.
        //Whatever you're comfortable with.  If it comes out later, so be it//
        Luckily Wilton did not catch onto the lack of closure in Kitt's last sentence. "I see.  How does Michael feel about this?"
        "He agrees."
        //Big time//
        "Have you ever thought of moving out of the car?"
        Michael winced at Kitt's shock. //He doesn't know.  It's a reasonable question. You've answered it before//
        "Yes I have. The draw backs, however, are too great. I would not be able to protect Michael to this capacity.  This is what I was created to do.  I enjoy my life.  I do not wish for it to change."
        "That's good to hear.  In fact I believe I needed to hear that."
        "Why?"
        "A deranged sense of wanting yours and Michael's approval."
        "You have it."  Wilton jolted at Michael's groggy voice. "There is no question about it.  I could never express the amount Kitt means to me.  Even before the link."  Warmth flooded him, causing deep inhalation and a smile on the young man's face.
        "What is he sending?"
        "A hug." Michael answered simply. Eyes still closed, he missed the open amazement on Wilton's face.
 
 

*

        Sitting in Wilton's newest acquisition, Nick waited.  His gaze went over
the book shelf, the rather old carpet, comparing it to the mansion he had first set foot in so many years ago.
A lifetime ago. Today, everything was different. He was
different. But he had to know.  The idea had been nagging at him since
Michael had dropped the bombshell.
Despite Karr's objections, Nick felt an underlying need to pursue this.
He didn't know why.
He had parked Karr around the corner earlier.  He knew Wilton had met
Michael and the two AI's had been in constant contact since.  Kitt had informed them that Wilton was on his way back.  That was when Nick left Karr.
 <I do not understand this>
 <I know and I'm sorry Partner.  This is something I have to do>
He couldn't give Karr a logical reason because there was none.
 <I still don't like it.  Knight is approaching>  Nick had to stop
himself from saying 'which one.'
 A few minutes later, he heard the lock on the massive front door click
over.
        Sitting in the dark living room, Nick waited for the old man to make his way over.  Lights slowly carving a path towards the silent intruder.
Nick was armed, as always, and he was prepared to use any weapon at is
disposal if this man turned out to be someone else.
        Walking into his simple living room, the man reached to flick on the crystal chandelier.  Sucking in his breath as the light illuminated his guest.
 "Nicholas.  What a wonderful surprise.  I had no expectations of seeing
you."
The smile surprised Nick.  It was genuine. He met the other man's eyes,
searching, needing to know.
 "I heard you were back in town," he said levelly.
 "And you had to investigate." Wilton smiled knowingly.
 "Something of the sort."  His face remained blank, unwilling to
believe.
 "You have not changed, my friend.  Suspicious as always.  You can drop
the facade.  I've known you for far too long for fabrications."
 That got him.  The mask dropped to reveal astonishment.  Karr even
paused in his growling. Nick cursed the older man for having this effect on him.
        "That's better.  Now what have you been occupying yourself with these days?"
        "Freelance work," he answered truthfully.
         Nodding, Wilton understood what Nick was getting at. "It seems to be fulfilling work for you." His gaze was starting to unnerve Nick. It was like getting dissected. "You have lost the coldness that hovered above you. I see a capable man."
        "Instead of?"  He wasn't sure if he wanted this answer.
        "A child running from one terrible situation to another."
        Nick just looked at him, emotions warring inside him. On top of that, Karr was an almost oppressive presence in his mind.  This had to be the real McCoy.  Only a select few knew of his past.   Wilton had always been able to read him like a book, and he obviously still could. Nick suspected that Knight had somehow gotten to his file before approaching him on that rainy October day. He had known too much, had shown too much compassion, had been too human in Nick's eyes. Knight had read the file and still hired him for Karr. It spoke volumes, though sometimes he wondered what the man had wanted to achieve. Combining two machines to form what?
        Wilton smiled. "Come now, I'm sure you do not wish to linger.  This must be one of the longest conversations we've had. I'm more used to talking to those brick walls you so easily constructed back then."
        Nick stood, unsure of himself. It was the first time in years he felt this insecurity. He had been doubtful the day he had decided to help Michael, reveal what he was and that Karr was alive. It had been a momentary hesitation. This was worse. Karr agreed with his opinion that this *was* Wilton Knight, but was urging him to leave as well. For Karr, the memories attached to his creator were by far worse.
 Without a word, he was stopped by the older man blocking his way.  Nick
didn't feel threatened, so he stood, eyeing the other man. Wilton Knight
was no opponent, at least physically. Concerning mental capacity and
sheer shrewd thinking, he was almost more dangerous than a gun pointed
at him.
 With a loving smile, Wilton pulled him into a hug.  Nick wasn't sure
what he was more shocked about, the fact that the man hugged him, or that he found himself returning the embrace.

As Nick dropped into the dark interior of the Stealth, Karr dropped
the block he'd slammed in place during the last moments in the house.
"You embraced the man?" He sounded shocked, intrigued and
slightly betrayed.
"I had reason to." Nick found himself bristling at Karr's tone, then
calmed his nerves. The whole encounter had set him on edge and he was
still reeling from the little exchange. Wilton Knight radiated an aura of knowledge and warmth, something he had been drawn to like a starving boy back then. He had been desperate for human contact and Wilton had been only too ready to give it to the young man. Was still willing to provide him with it.
"And what might that have been?" Karr asked acidly, jerking him out of
his thoughts.
 Turning to face Karr's presence straight on, willing him to understand
his reasoning. <"He gave me you.">
 
 

*
 

        Devon watched from his balcony window as Michael and Kitt drove in.  They had called ahead of time, mentioning having a guest who wished to meet with him.  Michael had said something of it being an old friend.  That had piqued his curiosity, but Michael refused to say more.  Devon wasn't sure if that intrigued him, or frightened him.  Glancing back out the window, he caught a brief glimpse of Michael's long coat in the breeze before it disappeared inside the building below him.
        The smile on Michael's face as he entered the office put Devon on guard.  The younger man had the smile of a Cheshire Cat spread over his features.  Still, Devon trusted him, even after all that had transpired among them.  He readily took the outstretched hand.
        "Devon." Even his greeting held the same mischievousness.
        "Michael, what is all this secrecy about?"  He was seeing the end of his rope.
        "I am." The familiar voice stopped Devon in his tracks.  For a moment he wondered if this was some sort of a cruel joke.  Yet, the man who stepped into his office had the same kindly expression he missed so desperately.
        "How?"  Was all he could find his voice for.
        "Hello old friend.  I know I have a great deal of explaining to do.  Once you are able to close your jaw."  Smiling brightly, the two men clasped hands.  Devon was at a loss.  Stepping back, Wilton looked over his once best friend.  "Time has been generous to you."
        "As it has been for you as well I see." His brain was coming to grips with the arrival of his once thought dead friend.
        "Come now, sit and we will discuss this."
        Seeing that the two men were settled, Michael made a quiet retreat. Devon knew how to get a hold of him when or if need be.  He'd just reunited two close friends and was feeling mighty proud of himself.
        //You're giving yourself airs//
        //You have been around Devon far too much//  Laughing out loud, he dropped into the seat of the black car.
        "Come on Kitt, I can hear them bantering from here."  It was true, their almost rowdy voices could be heard clearly.
        "I don't believe I've heard Devon laugh so much before."
        "I don't think he's had reason to before."
        "You do provide him with enough headaches."
        "Me!"  He squeaked. "Why do you always blame me??  You are usually just as guilty."
        "I am not.  It's your foolishness that get *us* into trouble."
        "I don't see you coming up with better ideas."
        "Michael, half the time I fail to see the reasoning behind much of what we do."
        Before Michael could get another word in edge wise, Devon and Wilton's amused faces appeared on the small screen.  "Yes, but you two provide wonderful entertainment for a couple of old men."  Michael's pouting face only added to the hilarity.
        "Kitt?"  He began slowly, "Did you know they were listening in?"
        "I claim the Fifth Amendment."  That did it, all three men collapsed in laughter.
 
 

*
 

        Driving into the warehouse, Kitt ground the car to a halt.  His terrified screech echoed the one in Michael's head.  On the ground just beyond the sitting area lay Bonnie's crumpled body.
        Michael was out of the car in an instant.  Fear gripping at him, he knelt beside her, slowly rolling her over.
        "She's alive." The two relieved words permitted him to begin breathing again.  Kitt had nosed the car up to them. "No serious injuries."
        Cradling her head in his hands, "Bonnie?  Come on Bon, wake up."  Her reaction caught him off guard. Screaming, thrashing she fought to break away from him. "Bon! Bon, it's Michael!"  He had hold of her arms, hoping to keep her from hurting either of them.
        Hearing his name, his voice filtering through her panic, her desperate bid for escape ended. "Michael?"  Her voice was weak.  Looking past the man holding her, she caught sight if the familiar sweeping red lights behind him.  Relief like she'd never known washed over her.  Looking back to Michael, she grabbed on to him.  Throwing her arms around him, tucking her face into the crook of his neck, realization of what had transpired hit her.
        Michael returned the clinging hug.  He had never seen her cry before, not like this.  Her body was trembling to the point of almost knocking him off balance.  She stiffened for an instant as he slid an arm under her knees, but relaxed again as he placed her in Kitt's passenger seat.  Sitting on the outside lip of the door, he let her hold on.
        Against his shoulder, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer, yet needing to know. "Did they...?"
        Michael swallowed hard, knowing what she was asking.
        "No." Kitt gently informed her.  "There is a great deal of bruising, but no signs of trauma to indicate..."  Kitt couldn't finish the sentence either.
        "What happened?"  Michael couldn't ask her to move, she was buried into him, shaking like a leaf.
        "I came in, hoping to catch you and Kitt.  I haven't had a chance to look over him for a few days.  I decided to wait.  Nick said you had gone out briefly before he and Karr left.  I was reading.  I never heard them.  They pulled me over the back of the couch.  They were grabbing at me, passing me from one to the other, hitting me.  I'm not sure how long before something hit my neck.  Then you where here."  She lifted her head from his shoulder, looking directly at him.  Her hand slid along his clenched jaw.
        Seeing her face for the first time a fierce protectiveness surrounded him.  He didn't think it was his alone.  She had been beaten badly, her face between his hands was battered back and blue.  Her lip was split, a small trail of blood trickling down her chin.  Her shirt was torn, being held together by two buttons near the bottom, revealed skin red and blotchy.  Her skirt torn all the way up her thigh, showing her bruising with clarity.
        Watching him look her over, she felt an urge she had never experienced before. She leaned towards him, silently begging him to respond. Her heart pounding as he accepted her demanding kiss.
        Tasting the blood on her lips, rage welled inside him.  How the hell had they got in?  Why would they have hurt her?
        //This is not how to deal with this situation.  If there is one woman you should be with, it's Bonnie, but not for this reason//  Kitt sat in the back of his mind, watching with the same protectiveness.
        //I know// But the kiss lingered. He couldn't bring himself to end it yet.  She had never kissed him like this, even in the throws of passion.
        Bonnie held on, remembering the passionate lovemaking she had shared with this man. She pressed into him, grasping for that memory, aching for him to touch her like that again.
        "Bon," He broke away breathing heavily.  Tears stained her cheeks.  Rubbing his thumb across her face, he brushed them away.
        She looked to Kitt briefly, then back to Michael, eyes wide as she realized.
        A sad smile touched his lips, "that's not it at all.  But this isn't going to help you.  Bon, believe me, if making love to you would erase this, I would in a second.  We both know that's not the case."
        //I wouldn't stand in your way//
        Michael turned affectionately to the pulsing white glow.  //I know Kitt//
        "Come on Babe, let's get you to a hospital, make sure you're okay."  Standing, her arms slipped off him and he felt the loss.
        //You're doing the right thing//
        //Then why don't I feel like it?// Snapped back before sending a brief apology.
        //Because we love her, and we don't want her to go through that kind of humiliation.// Kitt accepted where Michael's anger arose from.  He felt it as well.
        Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, he released it as he turned, looking for the entrance their guests used. "Kitt, can you scan the lower level."
        "What am I looking for?"
        "Anything to help us figure out who and why those guys broke in."
        "I'll need a moment before we leave to conduct a full scan."
        "Whatever it takes." Bonnie's voice was not back to normal yet.  There was a huskiness, a coldness to it.
        After dropping into the car, Michael reached over and took her hand.  It was cold and a little clammy.  She leaned over, into him to wait in his security.
 
        "Michael, the far door is open?"
        "The back door?" No one ever used that entranceway, it was usually inaccessible by shifting cobblestones.
        "The one and only."
        "Didn't it trigger an alarm?"
        "Obviously not."
        "Okay, I'm going to take a look."
        Bonnie curled into Kitt's seat as Michael walked beyond her sight.  She had always prided herself in being independent.  She was feeling very separated from that person at the moment.  She heard Kitt lock down.  That helped.
        "Kitt?"  Michael's voice came over the com line.
        "Yes Michael?"
        "Can you pickup any prints from this handle?"  Moving the comlink over both sides of the handle, then around the doorway.
        "Nothing Michael.  They probably had gloves on."
        "Any other ideas?"
        "Check the wiring around the door.  There should have been an alarm set off."
        "Looks like a laser was used here, the bolt is cut."
        "That would explain the alarm.  The alarm on that door is set to go off when the latches move."
        "Figures.  Wait a minute, that means whoever broke in..."
        "Knows the security set up."
        "I thought Nick was the only one who knew the details?"
        "I'm not sure if he had help installing this system."
        "Can you ask Karr?"
        "I'll get right on it.  I'm being blocked right now, they are...busy."
        A humorless chuckle floated around the warehouse. Dropping back into the car, he keyed the door and backed out. "Let me know as soon as you find out."
        "Will do."
 
 

*

 
        Two hours in a hospital waiting room was not conducive to a cheery mood.  Neither was the coffee he was drinking.
        //She's going to be alright//
        //Physically yes, but what about emotionally?  Come on Pal, we are used to this kind of shit.  She's not//
        //She has been attacked before//
        //Not to this extent.  Have you ever seen her react like this?//
        //No, I admit that//
        //She's going to need a great deal of TLC from us//
        //Michael, would you have...?// The question was never finished, but the thought was strong enough to pass across the link for a fleeting second before Kitt slammed down on it.
        //I don't think so.  I may love her, but after us, I'm not sure I could be with anyone else//  Kitt's relief made him smile.
 
        "Mr Knight?"  A small blond in jeans and a white sweater stepped into the room.  Standing, Michael made his way around the chairs towards her.
        "How is she?" His concern impressed the young woman.  His protectiveness was obvious.
        Smiling reassuringly, she guided him to Bonnie's room.  "She suffered only mild trauma.  Mostly bruising.  Nothing's broken.  Split lip and a mild concussion I think are the worst physical injuries."
        "And mentally?"
        The nurse, whose name tag he finally noticed said Beth, gave a half shrug. "You know her, you tell me.  The more honest you are, the better we can help her."
        //Tell her// the worried voice in the back of his mind encouraged.
        "I've never seen her so shaken up.  We work for a foundation that deals with legal matters.  She has been threatened before, even kidnapped, but never has she come away from a situation this distraught."
        "Okay, will you or someone else be with her for the next twenty four to forty eight hours?"
        "It can be arranged, why?"
        "She has a slight concussion for one, and for two, either the effects subside, or the nightmares and other side effects emerge."
        "Okay.  If they do, then what?"
        "Call me.  I'll give her a name of a specialist who deals with rape victims."
        "Even though she wasn't..."
        "The effects are still the same."  Interrupting, Beth held up a hand.  This man in front of her was handsome, just not the brightest bulb in the pack.  "In a matter of speaking, she has still been violated."
        "Can I see her?"
        "May I ask you something personal Mr. Knight?"
        "Shoot."
        "Are you involved with Bonnie?"
        He hadn't expected this question. "We were, though not romantically any more."
        "Okay, do you know if she's involved with anyone at the moment?"
        "Why aren't you asking her these questions?"
        "I did, she refused to answer."
        "Then maybe I should respect her wishes."
        "The only reason I ask, is because she should not jump back into a romantic relationship immediately.  She must deal with this first."
        Michael's expression calmed, he understood now.  "I got ya.  No, I don't think she's involved with anyone at the moment."
        "Good.  I trust you will take care of her?"
        The fierce protectiveness radiated from him again.  Even Beth realized this was a man who did not take his responsibilities lightly.
        Leaning over, she pushed the door open a crack.  Bonnie was standing, dressed once again, staring out the window. Stepping back, she allowed him entry.
        Seeing Bonnie, staring into space, fiddling with her collar tore at him.
        //You won't help her by feeling sorry for her//
        Pausing in his tracks, he mentally faced his partner with eyebrows raised. //You should talk//  He was met by a pathetic imitation of a smile.
        "Bon?"  It was more a notice of his arrival than a greeting.
        "Um?" She didn't turn from the window.
        Placing his hands on her shoulder, noticing her stiffen at his touch, she hadn't done that in quite awhile.  "Let's get you home." Turning her, he noticed what she'd been looking at.  Kitt stood in the second row of cars, fully visible from her stand point.
        "That scanner does something to you doesn't it?"
        She blinked up at him.  His expression was sympathetic, but knowing. "It always has.  Ever since he found it.  He's the one who decided on how it would move."
        "Really?  I didn't know that.  I guess he's been out to hypnotize us the whole while."
        She fired him an evil glare, reminiscent of the looks she used to give him shortly after they met. Then she realized what he was doing and smiled easily at him.  "You do enjoy pissing me off don't you?"
        "My aim in life, you should know that by now."
        "You two are worse than a couple of school kids bickering."  Kitt announced over the comlink.
        "Thank you." Michael and Bonnie replied together.  With her arm linked through Michael's and his old leather jacket on over her torn clothes, they walked out.
 
 

*
 
        For the first time in a long time, she was unsure of how to broach a subject with him.  Staring out the passenger side window, she was terrified of being left alone.  Her apartment was no where near as secure as the warehouse.  Yet they'd gained access to it.  How could she ask him, without him getting the wrong idea?  She wouldn't come between the two, that was not her intention.  But...
        "Bonnie, whatever it is, you can say it."  Her head snapped around, eyes wide.
        "How did you know?"
        Smirking slightly, he faced her for a second. "Two reasons.  One, you're mighty quiet.  I usually have to gag one of you two to get a moment's peace in here, and two, you haven't stopped fidgeting since you sat down."
        "That obvious am I?"
        "Bon, I've known you for a long time.  We've been as close as two people can.  I believe I can read you." His tone was knowing, gentle. This had to be something big for her to be afraid of him.
        "Okay, I don't want either of you to take this the wrong way."  Then paused as he turned a slight nod towards her, his eyes meeting hers.  "I don't want to go home."
        "I thought not.  Do you want to stay at the warehouse?"
        In the quietest, most unsure voice he'd ever heard from her, she answered, dropping her eyes to the gear shift.  "With you."
        Michael smiled, relieved. "Not a problem.  I'm supposed to keep an eye on you anyways."
        Blinking at him, she knew he understood.  She didn't want to 'sleep' with him.  She just needed him near.  Only he and Kitt could give her the security she craved.
        "Do you still keep a stash of clothing at the warehouse?"
        "Yes, I do."
        "Good, then we don't need to make any stops." His smile was relaxed and easy, but inside he was a mess.
        //This is not going to be an easy night//
        //Why?// The question came across slowly, unsurely
        //Because I have to keep an eye on her and make sure no one breaks in//
        //I'll keep an eye out for intruders.  There is something else bothering you// Michael should have known the white lie wouldn't hold water.
        //Kitt....I haven't...// How the hell did he explain this one?  Kitt was his lover now, and he didn't want anything to jeopardize that.
        //You have before.  She needs us.  Not your hormones//
        //Why thank you for your understanding//  Anger rising with the sarcastic remark. His mind knowing no other solution to his dilemma
        Kitt rolled his eyes. //You know I'm right.  It would do no good.  Probably backfire on you anyway// Kitt's white glow pulsed rapidly in his rising emotions.
        //Look Beauty, I'm yours, you know that.  But...// This *was* backfiring on him.  The last thing he wanted was to hurt Kitt.
        //But what?  I'm not understanding the problem here//
        //I couldn't stop the kiss the last time, what if she...we...you know//
        //You don't trust yourself// For Michael to openly admit his fears was a boost in Kitt's ego.
        //I guess not//
        //I'll look after your virtue// This time the smile translated as easily as the words.
        //Thanks// He responded dryly as they pulled into the building.

        It was late, Kitt activated a few lights leading upstairs.  Scanning the entire building, nothing showed amiss.
        "It's all clear."  He informed his passengers before disengaging the locks.
        "Are you hungry?"  Michael asked a very nervous Bonnie as they passed the kitchen.  She quickly shook her head, heading straight to her old room.  While she changed into an old pair of leggings and a tee shirt.
         Michael quickly took a shower, Kitt keeping him informed of Bonnie's whereabouts all the while.
        Stepping into Michael's room, the nervousness hit her twice as badly.  She had no reason to be here.  The painkillers had worn off and she was feeling every bump, bruise and cut.  Her thighs hurt the worst, more so than her head.  If there was one thing she desperately wanted to know, it was why they had stopped.  She was unconscious, they easily could have had their way with her.  But they left her instead.  Or maybe they tried, but an unresponsive victim was not in their jolly books.  She had heard of men who only take pleasure in a screaming, fighting victim.  Or maybe they just wanted to frighten her.  Well they succeeded in that department.  Above all she *despised* the needy side of herself.  She hated relying on Michael, being afraid of being away from him.  Sure Kitt was downstairs keeping watch, but that only eased her jitters.  Michael dissolved them.
        The other problem; she wanted him.  In the few months they had been apart, she could think of little else at night but him. What the hell was she doing here?  Could she possibly keep control of herself?
        Michael walked out of his bathroom to find Bonnie pacing the bedroom. It was comparable to a caged animal.  Just as skittish.  "Bon?" He tried to keep his voice low, not wanting to scare her.  Still, she whirled around, eyes dilated with fear.  Just as quickly, she settled.
        Heart pounding in her chest, she stared at the man in front of her.  Hair still damp, wearing only a pair of black jogging pants.  Closing her eyes, she calmed herself, in every way.
        Sitting on the bed, he pulled the covers back for her.  Without a word, she crawled in beside him.  After waiting for him to adjust to a comfortable position, she curled into him.  Her head on his shoulder, her arm across his midriff.  This felt right, it always had. But she knew she was not the only one cuddled into him.  Kitt must be close as well.  Looking up, she caught his eye.
        "What?" he whispered.
        "Is Kitt..?"
        "No.  He's busy keeping watch.  Nick isn't expected back for a few days yet.  Off on one of his business trips."
        Mirroring his smile, she settled back into him.  He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close, feeling the tense muscles relax as sleep took her.
 

        Michael woke suddenly to her thrashing.  She was dreaming, her eyes squinted shut against whatever demon she was fighting.
        "Bon, come on Baby, wake up."  He gently shook her shoulders.
        His hands on her had the opposite reaction.  She screamed, lashing out at him.  Tears streamed down her face.
        Part of him wanted to let go, the other knew that he had to wake her before she hurt herself. Grabbing her hands and pinning them beside her head, he shook her. "Come on Babe, wake up, you're gonna hurt yourself."  'And me,' passed through his head.  "Bon, wake up!"  He was getting desperate as she flailed against him.
        Suddenly her eyes opened, glazed at first, then slowly focused on the man above her.
        "Michael?"  She choked out.
        "Yeah Baby, you're okay." Releasing her, he sat up, watching her carefully.
        Straightening her shirt, she sat up.  Unable to pin down the emotion running through her.  Her heart was still racing, she could feel the adrenaline in her veins. The urge to run was still at the forefront of her mind.  The dream had been so realistic.  But this time, they didn't knock her out, they didn't leave her.  She turned to Michael.  His worried expression deserved an answer.
        "Nightmare?"  He began for her.
        Shaking her head, she searched for he words to explain what she had just experienced.  "Worse than a nightmare.  They didn't leave this time.  They kept at me.  They had me down and...." Her head dropped into her hands.  "My God it was so real." The tears began again, accompanied by the terror.  Before she could prevent it, she found herself in his arms.  Bonnie would never remember if she had turned to him, or if he had initiated the embrace.  But the moment his heartbeat was in her ear, she began losing control.  The endless tears continued, rolling onto him as he sat holding her, rocking her slightly.  She once had a nightmare while they were together.  He had kissed her tears away and made love to her, erasing the lingering anxiety.
        Looking up at him, she wanted that again.  The security, the intimacy he provided her with.
        Michael found himself drowning in the pain in her eyes.  Even earlier today, she had not given him such a hungry look.  His body took over, he bent to capture her lips with his.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this was not the way to proceed.  As she shifted against him, her breasts pressing into him as they lay back onto the bed, all thoughts of right and wrong fled his brain.
        The kiss deepened, her hands roaming over his body, his beginning to reciprocate.
        Kitt remained silent for a time.  How could he deny her of this?  She obviously needed Michael.  But Michael was now his.  The computer side insisted he leave them to their own devices.  The human, emotional side of him could not stand by and watch his lover with a woman.  Finally rational thinking won, this was not what Bonnie needed.  Though she may think so, the doctor had strictly said no sexual relations.  It was the best, least guilt inspiring reason to stop them.
        //Michael?  Michael you must stop.  The doctor informed you of this eventuality//
        His body was lost to her.  His brain however, registered Kitt's warning.  Slowly, he detangled himself from the woman beneath him.  Her moan of disappointment bringing him back to her.  Kitt's gentle energy surge reminded him rather sharply of what he was doing.
        "Bon, we can't do this."  His breathing was ragged, his body hard.  Giving himself a mental shake, he lifted off her.
        Her eyes opened, trying to catch his again. She wasn't thinking straight, there was a part of her that knew this. The part that knew Michael was right.  Her body ached, having felt him so close again, knowing the effect she still had on him.
        Michael was sitting with his legs over the edge of the bed, head in his hands, desperate to regain some semblance control over his own body.  He had not meant for this to happen.  Bonnie was in too delicate of a state for this.  He was responsible for his actions.
        //You are not//
        //How the hell can you say that?  This would have been the worst betrayal, to both of you//
        //I don't see it as that//
        //That's cause you zapped me//
        //I told you I'd guard your virtue//
        //Funny.  Thanks, though, I wasn't thinking//
        //Sure you were, just with the wrong head//
        //KITT!!!!// Kitt's laughter met his open mouthed reaction.  In reality, he sat motionless, unaware of Bonnie's worried gaze.
        "Michael?"  He turned to face her.  She was on her knees behind him.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen."
        "I know.  They warned me of that possibility.  Maybe if I'd said something, we could have avoided this."
        Shaking her head, she let him into her thoughts. "I woke up, thinking about how we handled my last nightmare."  It took Michael a few seconds before he clued into what she was talking about.
        "We made love."  Her head lifted briefly, to meet his understanding. "I don't hold this against you."
        "But does Kitt?"
        If his warm smile didn't answer her question, "of course not Bonnie."  Kitt's affectionate tone would have.
        Lying back, Michael pulled Bonnie into his arms.  "But.." she protested.
        "You have nothing to worry about.  Kitt has made it very clear to me what happens when I wander astray."
        "Oh?" She had to hear this.
        "I simply sent an electrical current along the link."  Innocent as always.  Michael cringed at the memory.  That was certainly one way to deflate him.  Bonnie on the other hand looked shocked for the briefest moment, before collapsing in hysterics against Michael's chest.
        "This is not fair." He muttered to no one in particular.
 
 

*
 

        Nick and Karr arrived back on schedule, fully informed of the goings on around the warehouse.
        Michael led Nick to the back, pointing out the door that had allowed their entry. Kitt passed on his information to Karr, hoping they might recognize a pattern Michael and Kitt knew nothing about.
        "I have something."  Karr's voice drifted across the ground floor.  Nick didn't acknowledge him, continuing instead to rewire the door.  "The outfits Dr Barstow described fit the description of the ones used by the Anti-Technology terrorist group."
        "The who?" Michael had never heard of such a thing.
        "A group of wackos who think that technological advancement will be the downfall of mankind."  Nick turned unimpressed blue eyes at Michael.  "We've run across them once or twice before.  They proclaim to want the destruction of all things mechanical."
        "So Bonnie was just an unfortunate victim?"  He kept his voice down.  She had finally fallen asleep upstairs.
        "No, it doesn't fit their MO."  Nick frowned, trying to find a connection. "They don't usually attack innocents, especially women.  The ones they go after are the heads of major corporations."
        "Heads up Bill Gates."  Michael said it with a smile that quickly faded with Nick's next statement.
        "Been there, done that.  Guess who picked up the pieces."  Nick's lips turned up into what might be described as a satisfied smile as Michael's jaw dropped.
        "Is there anyone you haven't worked with?"
        Shrugging, soldering a couple of wires, "directly yes, indirectly, not many.  Why? You jealous?"
        Michael glared at the man on his knees. "You do this just to bug me, don't you?"  Nick tossed a brilliant smile behind him.
 
 

*
 

        They drove up to the pier in silent mode.  It was dark and only Kitt's scanner reflected off the dock.
        "Okay, I'm going to stop here."
        "That leaves a great deal of ground for you to cover unprotected."
        "I know, but any closer and we may give ourselves away."  After killing the engine, he sat forward, looking around the dark loading bay.  Lighting was meager to non existent.  The poles weren't very tall and half the lights a top of them were not working.  Michael could see the slowly lapping water running beneath the far end of the dock.  Many large boxes and crates blocked his view.  There seemed to be a singular large boat beyond the loading area. "You picking up anything?"
        Kitt ran another full scan of the area before speaking.  "Nothing Michael."
        "Can you think of any way for us to get closer to that boat?"
        "Unless I can shape shift, I don't believe so." Firing a smirk at the modulator, he grabbed his equipment from the back seat. Sitting, back, putting on his gloves, he sighed.
        "You don't like this."  It wasn't a question and it didn't take the link for Kitt to realize his partner's trepidation.
        "This set up gives the bad guys too many advantages.  The entire dock could be laden with traps."
        "But I've scanned.."
        "I know Pal,"  He interrupted gently.  "But these are the same people who knew how to break into the warehouse.  Who says they don't have information on us as well."
        "I see your point." How was he to protect Michael if they knew how to counteract his functions?  He doubled his scans.
        "Okay, keep me posted."  Stepping out of the car, closing the door as quietly as possible, Michael began the long trek towards the boat.        The message, through Wilton's channels, said that if he wanted answers, he had to meet them on the boat.  Included was the name of the marina and a slip number.  Right from the get go, it didn't ring true to Michael.  Nobody gave up that easy. It was a trap, he was sure of it.  But Bonnie was still suffering nightmares, waking up every night beside him screaming.  Michael had to get some answers.  If there was even a shred of a chance this might pan out, he had to go in.
        Ducking behind a pile of boxes, he silently jumped up onto the dock.  Kitt had been a worried tingle in his head, but agreed with his reasoning. As strange as that may be.  Placing a hand on the top corner of a crate, he peered around it.  He was uncomfortable, he had to stay slouched to avoid being seen over the wooden boxes.  Looking through the darkness, the boat was only a few hundred yards away, but there was no cover from here on in.
        //Are you sure there are no unfriendlies around?//
        //I'm picking up a skeleton crew on the farthest boat across the bay, but they appear to be asleep and you are beyond their sight.//
        //Okay, here goes.//
 
        Kitt watched his partner.  He'd monitored his advance closely.  Then the worst became reality. Detecting the detonating signal, he called out.
        //Mich...!//
        The rest was lost in the deafening roar.  The crate Michael had been standing behind exploded.  The dark form of his partner flew towards him, landing on his hood before sliding bonelessly to the ground.
        Scanning his driver and the area, as he called for backup.
 
 

*
 

        "No!"  Kitt fired over to block Nick's entry to the hospital.
        "You know it must be done."  The younger AI was getting on his nerves.
        "I can handle it Nick.  I have to this point." Anger and fear ruled his actions as he drove back and forth in front of the entranceway.
        "What about when he wakes up and panics?  What then?" Nick was trying to keep his temper.  Kitt had never openly disobeyed him.
        "Then I'll help him, as Karr did for you." Kitt rationalized.
        Nick fired a dirty look at the motionless blackness behind him.  <You talk too much.>  "Kitt, let me by." He made another attempt to step around the Trans Am to no avail.
        "I said no, Nick."  His voice low, running out of patience himself.  "I will not permit you to place the cuff on him."  Then more like a needy child. "I need him, and he's going to need me.  He has no idea what has occurred."
        Sighing with resignation, he touched Kitt's roof. "One condition."
        "What's that?"
        "You'll let either myself or Karr know if he floods you.  At which point the cuff goes on.  Without argument." A stern glare accompanied his speech.
        "Agreed."  Kitt's relief was palpitate.
        Grumbling to himself, Nick jumped back into the Stealth, peeling out of the hospital parking lot.
        Kitt was left with a brief image of Karr laughing.  Turning his attention back to his link, he found his partner beginning to stir.
 
        Michael shifted, highly uncomfortable. He found he couldn't move, something was holding him down.  He then tried to open his eyes, that didn't work either.  Feeling his heart begin to race, he began struggling.  Struggling weakly against the terrible nightmare, having no knowledge of where he was, who might have trapped him and left him helpless.  Suddenly, a white glow appeared beside him.
        //It's okay, you're alright//  Turning to the warm presence, he grabbed on.  His body in reality still not responding.
        Michael's terror subsided slightly as Kitt explained the situation.  //You're in the hospital// With gentle understanding, Kitt calmed his driver, following all the questions that had raced through his mind a moment ago. //Your eyes are bandaged and they had to restrain you, your body began convulsing//
        //What happened?// Michael's brain began functioning well enough to form words.
        //What do you remember?//
        //Jumping onto the dock, reaching for the crate....then, then// panic threatened again in the blank space in his head.
        Curling around Michael, he covered the amber presence, happy to have him back and talking to him.  That translated to Michael, causing the worry to return.
        //The crate exploded.  I detected the signal an instant before the fireball hit you.  It threw you onto my hood//  Michael jolted, remembering just how far back he'd parked.
     //You have second degree burns over fifty percent of your body, they bandaged your eyes as a precaution//
        //Then why...why am I not feeling any pain?// He did feel the drugs in his system, but usually, he still felt a lingering discomfort.
        Kitt smiled brilliantly. //There are advantages to knowing how to work the link// Confusion met him.  A little mischievously, Kitt continued. //In learning how to make love to you, I figured out how to make you feel pleasure.  With a little work, I figured how to switch off the pain signal as well// He finished with a devilish shrug.
        //Kitt...// He was impressed and astonished.  //You're wonderful//
        //Thank you// It was as if his eyebrows furrowed. //There is one draw back//
        //Shoulda known.  What might that be?//
        //We have to remain linked deeply for it to work//
        //Did Nick..?// Nick would have insisted on the cuff, but obviously it wasn't on his wrist.
        //He tried// The answer was slightly frightened, but there was an innocence as well.
        //You didn't let him?// Amusement followed the question.
        //Michael I couldn't be without you....especially now//
        //S'okay.  I'm very glad you're here. How long can you maintain this?//
        //I'll make sure I'm here whenever you're awake// Kitt tutted at him.
        //I'm not that greedy, you know that.  I'm worried about your power supply//
        //Karr is boosting me//
        //Does Nick know?//
        //We weren't planning on telling him// Kitt blinked with that childlike innocence again, caressing his partner all the while.
        //I love you so very much Kitt// He was feeling exhaustion dragging at him again.  Linking this deep would deplete him faster than actual consciousness.
        //I love you too.  Sleep, I'll be here waiting when you wake next//
 
 

*

        Twenty four hours later, with Nick standing guard, Michael's bandages were removed.  In actuality, Nick had barley left the hospital.  Someone was after Michael.  In their business, that was a simple fact of reality. But this was different.  Nick's gut feeling told him there was something more.  Karr had found no trace of the crate.  That was not horribly unusual, but the entire area being cleaned up was.  The explosion Kitt described would have left scorch marks on the dock, there was nothing.  Even analyzing samples from the area had turned up nothing.
        Turning his attention back to his friend, he cringed slightly at the blistered face.  Kitt was with Michael, making this as painless as possible, but not to the point of masking any signs of trouble.
        "Wait until I give you the okay before attempting to open your eyes."  The doctor instructed, cutting at a new section of bandage over Michael's forehead.  Nick saw the tension in the other man's face.  If the worst occurred, Nick would begin looking into possibilities of restoring his sight.  He wouldn't let Michael give up, not yet.
        "Alright.  You may open your eyes now, slowly, give your eyes a chance to adjust to the light. Any stress may be harmful."
        Michael waited until he no longer felt the need to squint before attempting to pry his eyelids apart.  It was a slow and painful process.
        His eyes were open, he knew that, but other than slight light perception, there was nothing.
        "Well?" The doctor asked, most likely knowing what the answer would be.  Nick already knew.  Kitt had picked up on Michael's fear, transmitting it unconsciously.
        "I see light, that's it."  There was hidden terror in the statement.
        //But I can see//
        //What?//
        //I can see through your eyes//
        "Nick?"  He wasn't sure if the man was in the room or not.
        Taking the two steps to the bedside, he leaned on the edge slightly, giving Michael an idea of where he was.  "Yeah."
        "Kitt says he can see."
        "Using your eyes?" Nick had known the extent of the link, he hadn't thought Kitt knew.
        Michael just nodded, the pain drifting away as Kitt backed out.
        "I beg your pardon?"  The doctor was beginning to think both men belonged in an institution.
        "Look Doc, it's complicated, but if his eyes are functioning, what could be causing the blindness?"
        "That's simple, swelling from the concussion pressing on the nerves blocking the reception from his brain."
        Michael fought to keep the fear from overwhelming him. //What if I'm blind?//
        //You're not//
        //You sound confident of that// Michael didn't.
        //I tested your eyes, they are functioning properly.  I'm sure that I could find the reasoning if I looked//
        //Then do it. Please//
        //I'll cause you immense pain//
        //Can you block it?//
        //Not while exploring.  It would be too much to keep up.  Trust me. You *will* see again//
        //I do trust you, you know that.  I'm just...//
        //Scared?  So am I//
 
 

*

        Another twenty four hours passed before Nick lead Michael from the hospital.  The blindness had not left him.  The longer it remained, the more frightened Michael became.  What use was he if he couldn't see?  There was someone out there who wanted him dead and he was in no condition to protect himself.
        Nick had hold of his elbow, guiding him around corners and keeping him away from objects strewn around the hallway.  Michael's body was rigid.  Nick could understand that.  He had lost his vision for a short period, a few minutes while coming around before.  He knew the terror.  Michael had not said a word to him about it.  Smirking to himself, he realized that would be his reaction as well. Close up. Don't need any ones help. He can handle it.  For the first time Nick began to understand Michael's frustration during the beginning of their friendship.
        Michael's head felt like it was about to explode.  Kitt was helping him, using his eyes to guide him.  He put up with the pain, anything to have Kitt this close.  Sure, MacKenzie was leading him, but there was something about having Kitt near.
        //Two steps forward, then stop.  You're at the elevator//  Michael followed Kitt's directions to the letter.  Nick had assumed that Kitt was with Michael, when Michael stopped before Nick did, he was sure.  Smiling to himself he wondered if he would fare as well under the circumstances.
        <Shall we not find out>
        <I wouldn't want to be in his shoes at the moment.  How's Kitt?>
        <Handing it.  He is distressed, but confident>
        <Good.  That will translate to Michael>
        A slight affirmative rumble was his answer as the doors opened and the two men stepped into the elevator car.
 
 

*
 
        Bonnie gasped when Michael stepped out of the car.  His face was covered in blisters, the skin raw.  Gingerly, he slid onto Kitt's hood, lying back comfortably.  He didn't want to risk going up the stairs without assistance.  Breaking his neck was not an appealing thought.
        "Michael?"  Her voice startled him.
        //Sorry, should have mentioned she was here//
        //S'okay.  Anyone else around?//
        //No.  I'll let you know when Karr is approaching//
        //Thanks Pal//
 
        "Are you okay?"  She knew it was a stupid question.  She couldn't think of any other way to break the ice around him.
        "I guess, all things considered."
        "Look, I'm not sure what to say here.  What have the doctors said about your eyes?"
        "They aren't sure.  Kitt on the other hand says they work fine."
        "What?"  Her confused tone brought a smile to his face.  He could see the expression that went with *that* tone.  Kitt chuckled at the image sent, letting Michael know he was right on the money.
        "Kitt used the link to see with my eyes.  He said they work fine."
        "Is there anything else that link can do?"
        "He can turn off pain as well."  Silence.  His smile brightened a little more.  He didn't have to see her to know her jaw was on the floor.
        "I've learned just how far the link reaches."  Kitt began, trying to find a way to explain how he came about his findings without revealing other aspects of their relationship.  "You might say we've been playing around with a few concepts.  I've found not only how to shock Michael, but how to fool his mind into believing that his body is not in pain."
        "That's amazing.  Think of the good this can bring about."
        "There is a downside to this Bonnie?"
        "Oh?"  Even Kitt's tone said it wasn't a good one.
        "It only works if we are linked deeply."
        "Still, that's a wonderful discovery.  Do Nick and Karr know about this?"
        "They know it's possible."  Michael answered sitting up. "I don't think they have ever allowed themselves to link that deeply.  It's too personal for them."
        "I can see that being a problem for those two."
        Michael just snorted.  "Bon, can I ask a favor?"
        "Sure what?"
        "Would you mind whipping up something to eat?  I'm starved.  It's not like hospital food can sustain one for long."
        "No problem, though you'll owe me one later."
        "I appreciate it."
        "Are you staying with Kitt?"
        Michael nodded.  Placing a hand on his arm, she gave a quick squeeze before jogging up the stairs.
 
 
        The food had helped somewhat.  He still felt very weak.
        //It's just your body trying to heal//  Kitt explained, holding his partner not only with the link, but safely inside the car as well.
        //I know, I just despise feeling this useless//
        //I thought you'd enjoy a forced vacation?//
        //Oh, you are funny//
        //I thought so//
        Michael laughed.  Kitt was trying so hard to keep his spirits up. Guiding him and protecting him, occasionally giving him sharp reprimands when Michael fell into self doubt or self loathing.
        Bonnie had long gone to bed, checking in on him before hand.  Nick and Karr had come and gone a few times, never actually saying what they were up to.  That was normal.  Michael decided that the only way he was going to get any rest was to stay with Kitt.  He was surprisingly comfortable. Then again, he usually was while sleeping in the car.
        "Kitt?"
        "Yes Michael?"
        "I didn't think it was possible, but I think I love you more."
        Warmth flowed across the link, taking Michael's breath away.  The reaction to his words was more than worthwhile.  Burying himself in Kitt, he felt himself drift off.
        Kitt had been blocking his intentions.  He wanted Michael deeply asleep before he began his mission for the night.  Michael would see in the morning.  Probably have one hell of a headache, but his vision would return.  Michael had briefly fallen asleep in the afternoon.  Kitt had used that time to go exploring.  The doctors had been right.  The blow had caused swelling behind his eyes.  All Kitt had to do was convince his body to drain that. Increase blood flow to help it heal and voila, vision restored.  As long as Michael remained asleep he could do this.  Kitt wasn't sure if he could handle the pain if Michael woke up.  Drawing his sleeping friend to the level he needed was easy.  Michael trusted him implicitly and followed even in sleep.  Kitt had woken him a few times in the past in past by drawing Michael deep then starting to send across his arousal.  Michael would wake more than eager for Kitt's advances.
 

        Michael woke slowly, the blinding headache almost making him retch.  A touch of fear washed over him.  Was this something to do with his concussion?
        //I'm here and no it doesn't.  Open you eyes slowly when you're able//
        //Why?//
        //You'll see//  There was a note in his statement, like he knew he'd just created a great pun.
        Taking a deep breath, then regretting it slightly, he opened his eyes.  The world began to take shape around him.  Kitt had darkened the windows, knowing his partner all to well.  But he could see.  "What have you been up to?"  Speaking was much easier on his pounding head.
        "I found the problem."
        "Which was?"  Michael was awestruck.
        "I found swelling behind your eyes. I took care of it.  It was easy, but time consuming.  I'm sorry about the headache."
        "Kitt....." He couldn't find the words to express himself, yet he didn't want to drop the block Kitt had raised to protect himself.  "This is.."
        "You're welcome.  This was as much for me as for you.  I had to know if I could do it."
        "You never cease to amaze me." A stunning smile did manage to cross the link.
        "Sleep the headache off."
        "I think I may do that."
 
 

*
 

 
        Jennifer stood gaping.  Her body quivering with disbelief.
        "Dad?"  It couldn't be.
        "Hello Jennifer.  It's been quite some time since we last spoke."  He stepped up to his daughter.  He had never been one for embracing, but he had felt the need often of late.  She accepted his affection easily.
        Holding her arms, he smiled at the tears slowly falling over her cheeks.  "How?"
        "I had to disappear for the sake of everything I've worked for.  To make sure you were taken care of."
        "I don't understand?"
        "You will, in time."
        It was not a satisfactory answer, but there were too many questions to be asked.  "Where have you been?" She finally settled on.
        "Safe, overseas.  Watching you from afar. You are much like your mother.  Headstrong, smart, business like.  You've grown up.  Taken charge of your life I'm glad to see." Looking around the house he had once called home, when he was still married, before the family fell apart.
        "When did you come back?" She still had a rough time believing the man standing in front of her was her father.
        "A few weeks ago. I had some business to attend to before making my...reappearance known." The offhanded tone didn't go over well.
        "What could be more important than family?" Slightly angered, she walked around him, scrutinizing the old man.
        "This concerned family of a sort." He allowed her to look him over, feeling that he had nothing to hide now.
        Baffled, upset and not really thinking, "who did you see?"
        Figuring it couldn't harm anything. "Michael and Kitt."
        Her jaw dropped, anger darkening her eyes. "Those two perverts?"
        "I beg your pardon?"  He had not foreseen this reaction.
        "That machine and his lover?" She spat.
        "I do not understand what you're saying my dear." His brow furrowed, he had been under the impression that Jennifer and Michael had a mutual respect.
        "Oh, they didn't tell you?" An evil grin spread over her tear stained face.   This would change his mind about them being considered 'family'. "They are lovers."
        "Who?"
        "Michael and Kitt.  Who else.  I caught them kissing while the AI was in an android body."
        Wilton gawked at his daughter for a moment before a slow smile spread across his lips.  "How wonderful.  So that is what he meant by the car was where he resides."
        "What! How can you say that??  That's what MacKenzie said too.  Speaking of him and his killer car." Her mouth was beginning to run away with her.
        Again Wilton was caught off guard. Seeing his reaction, she forged on. "Oh, they neglected to inform you of this as well?  Nick has reunited with our other AI."
        Thinking for a minute, he had secretly watched MacKenzie walk back to his car.  Something about that car had struck him at the time, but he chalked it up to emotions arising from seeing the young man. Now he knew.  "But of course.  The black car.  Karr.  This is glorious."
        "It is not!  That car tried to kill me."
        "Yes, yes, we've known that from the beginning."  He dismissed her statement.  Then turned back to face her suspiciously, an idea forming in his head. "I have spoken to Nicholas. He is vastly different from the child I met years before.  What might have you done for them to consider you a threat?"
        "I don't....how could you say that to me?"
        "Because I programmed the AI.  By chance do you know if they linked?"
        The brunette nodded dumbly. "Excellent."
        "They are the ones hiding Michael and Kitt."
        "That explains why I cannot locate them.  MacKenzie would have them well guarded."  Nodding, he began pacing over the blue Oriental rug.  "Do you know which employee attacked Kitt?"
        "Is that what they told you?" Her voice dropped an octave as she refused to meet his eyes.
        "Yes, that a 'disgruntled employee tried to take Kitt's life' by conducting testing on extreme conditions."
        How could she work her way around this?  There had to be an explanation that would divert the blame.
        Staring at his daughter's discomfort, it dawned on him.  "You called for the experiments."  Blinking twice, she said nothing. "Why?"
        "I read of your talks with the military, they wanted more information on what the shell could handle before making an offer on the car."
        "That was never my intention.  I turned them down for a reason.  The molecular bonded shell is not for military use.  Never would I have agreed to that."
        "But you were not here." She answered hotly.
        "This is my dream, my creation, how could you, of all people undermine it?" The old man began to step around his daughter, never had he expected such betrayal from her.
        "The stupid car is just a bunch of metal and wires.  Why can't anyone else see that?" He gaped at her for a moment, realizing he'd miscalculated her understanding of precious life.
        "Have you considered that you are the one who is blinded?"  Sighing with great disappointment, he walked to the far side of the room.  "Yes, you are much like your mother.  Greedy. And unable to see the higher purpose."
        "Excuse me?  You are the one who left *me*."
        Shaking his head, he had never realized how shallow his own flesh and blood could be. "My decision had nothing to do with you.  You had established yourself, you no longer required my input."
        "That doesn't mean that I didn't want it." Tears were running freely down her face. How could her own father have lied to her on such a grand scale?  "You care more for that stupid pile of chips then you do for me."
        "Only because that so called pile of chips has more humanity than you are capable of." Before she could get another word in, he strode out of her house, leaving her to brood.
 

        Wilton drove to his home.  Surprisingly he was not focusing on his recent visit with his daughter, instead his mind was whirling with the news of Michael and Kitt's relationship.  He now understood the look that he had witnessed during the drive to California.  He wanted desperately to know about Kitt's duration in an android body.  He also wanted to confirm what Jennifer had said.  Not only about Kitt, but about Karr as well.  If it were true, how close did the link bring Nick and Karr?  If the link had mellowed Nick, had it done the same for Karr?  He wanted to know the AI, the one he had helped develop.  Kitt had been Bonnie's before Knight Industries brought them both into the Knight 2000 project.  Karr....Karr had been his creation.
        Easing into the chair in front of his computer, he logged on and emailed Kitt.  He wanted to see them as soon as possible.  Before he lost his nerve to confront them about their affair.
 
 

*
 

        Michael sat in Kitt waiting.  Staring through the windshield he felt the dread rise again.  Wilton called for an immediate meet.  This was not his normal routine.  Nor was it normal for him to email Kitt directly.
        "Do we have any idea what he wants Michael?"
        "Nope."
        "I see you are happy about this."  The dripping sarcasm was not lost on the man inside the car.
        "I'd find that funny if I wasn't so worried."
        "Why worry?"
        Michael blinked. "I guess I forgot to tell you."
        "Tell me what?"
        "It's come over the grapevine that Wilton met with his daughter."  Something close to fear trickled into Michael's mind.  It wasn't a clear emotion.
        "I wonder what she said to him."
        "I can't see her saying much.  She wouldn't want to look bad in Daddy's eyes."
        "True."  But the feeling down the link didn't agree with the tone in Kitt's voice.  There was an underlying, not fear exactly, but definite anxiety that Kitt couldn't block.
        Michael closed his eyes, reaching to comfort his friend. The knock on the window startled him.  Opening the door, he climbed out, settling against the hood.
        Wilton felt a little unsure of how to go about this.  In his mind was a thousand questions, none of which had any tact. Taking a deep breath, he jumped in with both feet.  "I'll assume you've heard that I've spoken to Jennifer?"
        Michael just nodded.  Kitt felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for the bomb to drop.
        "She told me that Kitt had been in an android body for a time?"
        This wasn't so bad.  "It was after another attack on Kitt.  The car was damaged and so was the CPU."
        "How did he manage to survive with a damaged CPU?"  Genuine concern radiated from him.  Kitt smiled in Michael's mind.
        "He jumped across the link."
        "Into your mind?" Gaping was an almost hilarious expression on the old man's face.
        Nodding, Michael continued with a smile.  "Nick knew of someone who had built an android and needed a lodger.  She knew a small amount about neural nets, but not enough to create her own AI.  With Bonnie's help, they transferred him into the droid, where he stayed for a few days while the CPU was rebuilt."
        "How did you cope Kitt?"
        "It wasn't easy at first.  Not all the routines were in order.  I had to work with the woman.  She and I reconfigured the subroutines and I learned to walk, to touch." A familiar tingle reached Michael at Kitt's memory.
        "Did you enjoy it?"
        "It was....nice for the duration.  But I would not want to stay as such."
        "Why, may I ask?"
        "Because it is not who I am.  I cannot protect Michael as a human, and we had lost the link."
        "Fascinating.  Do you know why?"
        "The hardware wasn't there." Michael shrugged simply.  "The link exists in Kitt's CPU.  I could still feel him, though very slightly."
        "She mentioned a few other things as well."
        //He Knows!// Kitt's panic just about dropped Michael to his knees.
        "Are you alright?" Wilton grabbed Michael's arm, steadying him.
        "Kitt..." The older man watched in awe.  He had never seen the link work to this extent before.  The effects were astounding to witness.  Michael regained his balance, choosing to sit on the hood from here on out.  This was going to get messy.  The warmth of Kitt's skin under him was a great comfort.
        "Was that a result of the link?"  Michael nodded, still unsure of himself.  Kitt was continuing to flood him with self doubt.  Flashing images of Wilton's negative reactions to their new found love.
        //I will *never* be ashamed of what we share.  If he knows, then so be it.  If he disapproves, we can disappear and he won't be able to find us//  That calmed his partner slightly.
        "Does that happen often?"
        "Not so much anymore.  We tend to have better control."  He fired a dirty look at the windscreen.
        "I'm going to assume by that reaction that Kitt knows of my next question."
        Michael had slipped in his 'poker face.'  If Wilton didn't know, he didn't want to act suspicious.  "Ask away."
        "I don't believe there is an easy way to ask this."  Choosing his words, Wilton hoped Michael would make this easier on him.  Obviously neither man nor AI was willing to help him in this regard. "Aright then, Jennifer informed me that she had witnessed you and the android...locked in a heated embrace?"  Wilton refused to back down on this.  He had to know.  Could it be possible to fall in love with a machine?
        "Yes, she did."  The answer was simple, monotone.
        "That's fantastic."  Michael just about fell off the car as Kitt jolted in surprise.
        "Pardon?"  He was completely off guard. Sure Wilton had to be open minded, but could he accept?
        "Is it like a human love affair?"  A million more questions came to mind.
        Smiling shyly, Michael answered as many of the questions fired at him as possible. "It's better."  Kitt's love and relief held him as he spoke truthfully about them for the first time.
        "How so?  In what way?  Pardon my curiosity."
        "It's alright.  The link is what makes it different, better.  I know exactly what he's feeling.  There is no question about his motives.  When we link on that level, there are no blocks."  Michael's smile had increased.  They hadn't realized how much Wilton Knight's acceptance meant to them.
        "Are you able to...."
        Michael laughed, the man was still a conservative at heart.  "Yes we can."
        "Both?"
        "Simultaneously."  Kitt was giggling like a schoolboy taking to his father about sex for the first time.  Michael was having a difficult time ignoring him. Especially as the man in front of him stood with a wonderfully excited expression that brightened with every answer.  Occasionally changing to amazement, then back to wonder.  He didn't ask for any more intimate details, thankfully.  Kitt probably wouldn't have lasted.  He was still snorting, unable to cope with the line of questioning.
        "Alright," The look on Michael's face was eating at Wilton's curiosity.  Kitt had not said a word, but Michael's eyes changed periodically.  The spark growing brighter.  "Dare I ask what Kitt thinks of my questions?"
        The snorting returned to a full bore chitter, almost drowning Michael's thoughts.  Desperately trying to block his partner, he aimed to answer the question. "Have you ever explained the 'birds and the bees' to a youngster?"
        "Yes."  It wasn't quite what he wanted to know.
        "Then you know.  I can barely think through his laughter." Michael's shoulders were shaking, he wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer.
        "You are in love with him?"  The serious nature stopped the laughter.
        "Yes I am.  More than I imagined I could be with anyone."
        "And Kitt you feel the same?"
        "Yes I do.  It surprised me at the start.  Yet I can't think of any way I'd prefer it to be."
        "Good, I'm glad to hear.  I had my doubts about your friendship in the beginning.  I'm very happy to hear of this turn of events.  Does it hinder your working relationship?"
        "I don't believe so.  We still argue, just like any other couple."  'Couple'. The word echoed in Michael's head.  He liked it.  To refer to himself and Kitt as such conjured warm feelings inside him.
         "Does anyone else know of this?"
         "There are a few, only those who work closely with us."
        "Nick and Karr?"  He had subtly slipped in the names, but Kitt registered the use of his brother's name with shock.
        "How the...?"  Michael didn't need to finish the statement.  It was obvious.  Jennifer had told him about their friend's linked partnership.
        "Tell me Michael, was it Nick who asked you to not disclose this information?"
        "Do you really need to ask?"
        "I had thought as much.  Then again, after his visit to my home, I had believed I'd made headway in regards to my relationship with him."
        "Nothing with Nick is simple, you must know that."
        Another affectionate smile. "It has always been so."
 
 

*
 

        <Nick> Nick raised his eyebrows as he looked up from his computer.  Karr's tone was not one he was used to.  Standing, he made his way to the Stealth parked below. Michael and Kitt were out, meeting with Wilton Knight, not due back for quite some time.
        Settling into the seat, he waited.
        "I have been researching Wilton Knight's activities."
        "And?"
        "And I have uncovered a trail that points to our visitors the other night."
        "What would they be doing in Switzerland?  No...wait, going after our newly resurrected friend."
        "I believe so.  The company owned by Knight has been experiencing problems - arson, unexplained deaths and I believe Knight has been receiving threats."
        "Here as well?"
        "Not sure, but they do appear to be continuing."
        "So that's why he came back." Nick sighed.  The small part of him that had wanted to believe in the old man was crushed.  The larger side of him knew there was a covert reason.  Now they knew.  "Michael's going to be pissed."  Karr snorted.  "Anything else?"
        "I'm touched that you think my capabilities are unlimited.  I have yet to locate or uncover with certainty the identity of his assassins."
        Stepping out and patting the roof, "I'll be sure to remember that. Keep at it, I'll see what I can dig up regarding the terrorist group.  I'm pretty sure they are the ones refusing to play nicely around here."
 
 

*
 

        "Why the hell didn't you say something before?"  Michael was beyond mad, enraged was more like it.  Ever since Nick had cornered him the night before, Michael's anger had been growing.  He felt betrayed. He and Kitt had just confided in the old man, why couldn't he have returned the favor?  Wilton stood before him, behind the grounds of the Foundation's estate, not willing to face Michael directly.
        "Jesus, they attacked me, almost raped Bonnie and *now* you tell me why you came running back.  Great, just great.  You could have saved us all a lot of heartache by letting me know in the first place."
        The young man had a right to be upset.  Wilton knew.  Bonnie meant a great deal to him as well.  "You must believe, I would not have returned if I thought there was any danger."
        "You think these types of people just disappear because you change countries?  Well, have I got news for you.  If they want to, they will hunt you to the ends of the earth and take everyone around you down in the process."
        "This is not my expertise, it's yours."
        "That's why you should have said something."  The calmer and deeper the voice became, the more threatened Wilton felt.  He had known of Michael's capacity for anger.  He had bet on it years ago.  He however hadn't bet on Michael's temper ever being aimed at him.
        "Fine, tell me everything you know."
        Resigning himself to his fate, Wilton perched on Kitt's hood.  "A few years ago, I began receiving threats.  I've received a good many in my lifetime, so I chose to ignore them.  These, I was to find out later, were real." Michael had stopped his pacing as stood, facing the older man, trying to keep an open mind.  "A few of my personal guards began disappearing, only to turn up a month or so later..disposed of in one fashion or another.  None had been killed in a pleasant manner.  I guess when that didn't satisfy them, my companies began to experience failures, to explosions."
        "What types of businesses?"
        "Like here, research in technology, medicines."
        "So why attack you?"
        "I'm not sure."
        "Why don't I believe you?  If you had thought it was that simple, you wouldn't have fled.  Alright, any idea as to who they are?"
        "Technology terrorists."
        "In English?"  Some things never changed.
        "A group of people who believe that technology is he downfall of society."
        Michael froze. "Wait a minute.  The Anti-technology terrorists?"
        "I believe so, why?"
        "Because we think they are the ones behind Bonnie's and my attack."
        "You know of them?"
        "Nick has had a few run ins with them in the past.  He recognized the description of their insignia Bonnie gave.  You are in a great deal deeper than you think."
        "I'm open for suggestions."  The watery blue eyes seemed to wither before Michael.
        "Go to Devon.  Tell him what we know and let him protect you."
        "And what are you going to do?"
        "Talk to Nick."
 
 

*
 

        "Michael."  Kitt's call confirmed what Michael already knew.  They had a tail.
        "Can you give me a scan?"
        "I can pick out the driver's outfit in the lead car."
        "And..?"
        "And it's the terrorists."
        "Great.  Let's lose em."  Flooring the accelerator he searched for an off ramp.  If they wanted to cause trouble, Michael didn't want any innocent bystanders getting in the way by accident.
        Three roads later, the tail was still following, and growing.  Two in front and four behind.  The matte black cars boxed them in, changing their course.  Giving them no option but to remain inside the speeding escort.
 
        Suddenly the vehicles around them came to a grinding halt.
        "This does not look good."  Michael hit the brakes to find himself and Ki