Knight Rider 2020, Part Seven: Devastating Loss

Koda silently snuck into Michael’s warehouse, for he had heard a gunshot and suspicion of foul play had been aroused. As he had feared, Michael was on the ground, his murderer nowhere to be found. Without warning, Kitt came from behind him.1

“I didn’t do it, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Koda said, his voice shaky.2

“Of course,” Kitt replied, his inflection just as nervous. “But the question is, you didn’t do what?”3

“I heard a gunshot and came as quickly as I could. His attacker is not present. I’m so sorry, Kitt.”4

Kitt approached his driver. “Michael…”5

Michael realized his car was next to him. “Hey, Kitt.”6

“You’re…you’re hurt, Michael.”7

“I know, pal.”8

“Don’t die, Michael. Please.”9

Kitt normally would have known it wouldn’t help to ask, but now it seemed that it could somehow make his driver hang on long enough to get medical attention.10

“Everybody dies, Kitt. There are no exceptions.”11

Koda wished Kitt would ask Michael who his assassin was, but he knew it was much more important to say goodbye.12

“You’re all I have, though!” Kitt stammered.13

Please God, Kitt prayed, though religion was something he had never understood. Don’t take him.14

“I love you, Kitt. But it’s time for me to say goodbye.”15

“Farewell…Michael. I’ll never forget you. No one will.”16

With the last of his strength, Michael reached up to touch the ruby-red scanner. Without a word more, he passed away right in front of Kitt.17

When the emergency crews came to carry the body away, Kitt was too confused to fight them over it. Only when the truck was driving away did he realize what had happened. Karr, who had made a deal with his caretaker to be let out for ten minutes, drove up beside him and gently nudged his fender.18

“I remember how it felt when Ken was killed,” he whispered to his brother. It had been a while ago, but he still remembered helplessly watching his driver as he was murdered right before his scanner. “It’s out of our control, Kitt. Please understand that.”19

“I’ll find his attacker. I’ll avenge.”20

“No, Kitt, it’s not –“21

Kitt had already pulled away and was on his way out the Foundation gates.22

The black Knight 5000 looked at its reflection in the canal. He wasn’t complete without Michael. Ever since his activation, Michael had been there for him. He meant so much to Kitt. He was so much to Kitt. A partner, a driver, and a companion – three key elements Kitt needed to keep himself in line. Without those, he could end up like Karr from 1983…or worse. Karr had been able to adapt to living on his own – finding an empty garage to sleep in when it rained, using his FLAG license to get gratis fuel – but would Kitt be able to make it on his own after being cared for all his life? Karr had been forced into living independently when his driver was killed and he incorrectly stereotyped all humans to be selfish and apathetic, so he had decided to detach himself from them. Then again, he had dominant self-preservation programming.23

Was it possible for Kitt to do that with his recessing self-preservation?24

He was completely dependent upon humans for care and support. There was no way he could go without a partner to keep him alive. Sure, Shawn was his driver, but he didn’t think of her as his partner. But he had to remain sentient. He had an inward feeling that he would find another driver. He had to hang on.25

As Kitt was about to enter the Foundation gates, a line of at least six patrol cars sped out. He quickly picked up Shawn and followed them to their destination.26

“This is the Knight 5000, please respond.”27

“Kitt, this is Unit 12, we need you second in line.”28

Kitt passed five patrol cars and slid in behind the leader. “What is the situation?”29

“This is your Chief, the situation is a 12-47.”30

“This is the second stolen patrol car we’ve had this month. Can’t we hook them up with better security systems?”31

“This one wouldn’t let us.”32

“They stole Karr? Move aside.”33

Kitt sped up to match pace with the lead car. It didn’t look quite like the others, since it was the Chief’s old Aston Martin police vehicle. “This is all too coincidental,” he said, swinging around a corner and scaring the daylights out of Shawn with the G’s they were picking up. “First someone murders my driver, now my brother is being taken…soon enough they’ll – Sorry, Shawn – soon enough they’ll be after someone else.”34

“Seems to me like they’re going after the important ones,” the Chief replied. “Shawn, are you okay? You’re getting higher resistance in the K5K than I am in this old thing.”35

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Shawn replied, tightening the racing harness and sinking back into the seat. “I’m just not used to a seatbelt after the Passive Laser Restraints.”36

While the Chief and Shawn discussed how the car was handling, they didn’t even notice that Kitt had fallen silent. He tuned out their conversation and focused on the task at hand. First priority was always (always!) to keep the humans safe. That meant he had to take power away from his scans to better his driving abilities. He knew how to stay just below the automobile’s fine line of control, to push the limits but not break them. He ran another quick scan for the Superleggera’s VIN number. “Shawn?”37

Shawn pulled herself from the police CB. “What’s up?”38

“Karr is dead ahead.”39

Sure enough, as they went down a slight decline, they barely caught a glimpse of the graphite car’s taillights. The windshield showed the Lamborghini speeding down the street and Kitt sped up to about 150, followed by the Aston Martin and the two highway patrol cars. “Chief, this is between Karr, his driver, and me,” Kitt said, swerving around a van. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”40

The Chief was about to refute, but instead he just took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. But are you sure the 5000 can fight?”41

“No,” came the quick, flat reply.42

“Maddock has to fix these self-scan problems,” Shawn groaned. “What’s your plan of action, my friend?”43

Kitt cleared the windshield to reveal the streets of Seattle going by at nearly 220 mph. The car bounced as it hit an incline, but continued to accelerate.44

“Kitt, what goes up does come down, you know,” Shawn said, hoping she hadn’t guessed Kitt’s plan correctly. “Stop!”45

“This is the only way we’ll get him back.”46

“Don’t do this, Kitt!”47

“You’re just going to have to trust me, Michael.”48

Shawn opened her mouth to correct him, but he needed total concentration. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake because of multitasking. Shawn pulled her eyes from the road, but couldn’t keep them away from the speedometer. As the bar rose to 305, the engine silenced its throaty roar and she dared to look up again. When she did, she grasped the wheel with both hands and took a deep breath. They were literally flying, as the incline had ended too sharply for the car to keep traction. She didn’t expect the thud of an imperfect landing when it came. “Kitt!”49

“Shawn, I would never let you get hurt. You know that. Now please spare me some trust.”50