Foreword: Ok, the story is a cross between the world of Knight Rider (including, but set between the movie back in February and the series in September), and the Fast and the Furious, but is slightly AU to both. It's also a revamp of the original story, taking out the stuff that with hindsight, I don't like, and hopefully with addition of new things. I'm also going to be trying to stay in keeping with the original Knight Rider, but set in the world of the new one. For fans of the new, that means no KR'08 style transformations. The car should always be the car, and not able to transform into a truck or a submarine. Like before, it likely starts a little slow I'm afraid, but hopefully, you'll appreciate it later. I'm also going to say thank you to Tempest Races for allowing me the use of her characters, and the back-story she developed in "She's Bonnie" and "Adrenaline" and I recommend you go read her work, because it's brilliant. I also say want to thank you to her for the character and vehicle she designed for me to use in this fic. Thank you, and I hope that you all enjoy the new version (and if this goes well, the planned sequel that explores KARR's resurrection between the original series and the new one).
Knights on the Blacktop
Prologue:
Several months after Charles Graiman's initial attempt to resurrect the Foundation is halted by the NSA's intervention, Michael Knight returns to Knight Industries at Charles' request to temper the NSA's influence and help with a new project.
Following the success of Mike Traceur's first assignments, the Government has requested a second team be activated as soon as possible. Knowing it would take over a year of development to produce another car, Graiman and Knight take their only other option.
Before the original Foundation shut down there had been a project to upgrade the original Kitt. A new body was constructed on the chassis of a WS-7 Trans-am, although it was never fully completed. Michael recruits Bonnie Barstow to help restore the 'new' car to functionality. To get the second team operational quickly, the CPU from the original prototype vehicle, KARR, which had been destroyed several years previously, is brought out of storage.
Graiman managed to successfully reprogram Karr, fixing the error in his original programming, without destroying the personality entirely, instead of developing a new AI and with Barstow's assistance installed the AI in the 'new' car.
By this time, Michael has found a young street racer in Miami, a young man who shares his surname; Knight. Although this new Knight has a troubled background, Michael sees potential in him, and recruits him to the new team. Ian Knight is initially partnered with Mike and the Knight Industries Three Thousand for training purposes. When his training is complete, Ian Knight is partnered with the operational and tested Karr, and begins to work assignments, in tandem with Mike Traceur and the Knight 3000. He is simply known as Knight to all but KITT and SSC personnel.
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Chapter 1: A Shadowy Flight Into A Dangerous World…The World, Of The Knight Rider
Light glinted through cracks in the paint obscuring the warehouse windows. Inside, a balding man and two assistants were working at a workbench, trying to prepare the next shipment. "C'mon, hurry it up already, I want this shipment out of here by dawn. It's almost five now."
A deep bass purring noise came from outside the building, and gradually getting louder, drew their attention. As they looked in the direction of the noise, the double doors that formed the entrance splintered, giving way and shattering in all directions as a black and silver Trans-am with twin gold lights rippling back and forth under the "Ram Air" hood hurtled into the warehouse. The car's tires squealed as its back end span, smashing the table to pieces and dispersing white powder into a cloud of dust before it covered the floor.
As the 3 criminals got to their feet, a young man with short dark brown hair and dark brown eyes leaned out and trained a semi automatic weapon at them. "Alright, hold it."
The balding man looked positively ill. "Four million dollars worth of prime coke, shot to hell. And we haven't even cut it yet!"
The car's driver grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he shrugged. "Think of it as the tax laws. You can depreciate it over the next five years while you're in jail," he said, his accent vaguely English. He motioned toward the door with his gun. "Let's move outside shall we, get some fresh air while we wait."
Reluctantly, the drug dealers moved outside, the car gliding along side, its driver still leaning out the window with neither hand on the controls as the distant sirens grew louder.
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The driver of the large tractor trailer was oblivious to the three Honda Civics approaching rapidly from the rear of his truck. Oblivious that is, until the first of the three vehicles pulled in front of him, the other two drawing level with the sides of the cab and holding position. Owing to the green glow emanating from beneath the cars, the driver knew what was going on. A couple of years earlier, a series of hijackings had taken place. They had then suddenly stopped, with no arrests being made. Recently, the heists had started again, using the same method.
His suspicions were confirmed when the sunroof of the lead car opened and a figure emerged with a harpoon gun, lining it up with the passenger side window. As he looked to his left and right, there were figures emerging from the sun roofs of those two cars as well, although the items in their hands were instantly more recognisable. The one on the driver's side of the cab was clutching an Uzi 9mm and aiming it straight at him. The one on the far side was holding another harpoon launcher.
As the truck driver watched helplessly, the figure from the lead car fired. The projectile smashed easily through the window and opened out, latching on as the car pulled forward, yanking the window out via the cord attached to the projectile. As the window smashed on the tarmac, the lead car pulled to the right, and the second car on the far side pulled in front of the truck, the first car falling back. The figure from the second fired his harpoon gun, which stuck into the passenger seat. He then attached the cord to his belt and leapt from the Civic to the truck, and hauled himself into the cab. The driver's first instinct was to fight back, but with the semi-automatic trained at him, he knew it wouldn't be a wise idea.
His new passenger levelled an air pistol at him and fired. The driver felt a dart strike his arm, and he began to feel drowsy. The cars on either side backed off as the truck started to weave back and forth across the road. Before he passed out, the driver felt his passenger pulling him out of the way, and taking his place. The hijacker struggled for a few moments before gaining control of the rig and straightening out. The cars pulled in line with the truck now under their control, and sped off into the night.
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Knight relaxed as the car shot down the desert road, grateful for the break. His last assignment had been relatively easy, and he was satisfied with the outcome. The panel above and behind the cut off steering wheel lit up with green bars, one in the centre, and one in each corner, approximating a wave form as the car's cool, steely voice emerged "Michael's calling."
"Put him through Karr," Knight replied automatically, his hands moving to the steering wheel as the monitor lit up, "hey Michael, how's things?"
"Busy," Michael replied, his blue eyes twinkling. "Where are you?"
"In the desert, on the way home from our last assignment."
"How soon can you be back at the SSC?"
Knight shrugged. "Karr?"
"We'll get there when we get there," Karr replied coldly.
Knight shrugged, not bothered by the car's attitude. From what he'd been told before partnering with the machine, the personality was a lot friendlier than it had been previously. Although it still seemed cold and indifferent occasionally, it rarely was with him. "I need a more accurate estimate Karr."
The Trans-am was silent for a moment before answering. "A day, maybe one and a half depending on traffic. We'll need to stop for gas, and my less important systems will begin shutting down to conserve power as we travel. I need to recharge my power packs."
"I know Karr. We'll see you in two days," Michael said and the monitor went blank.
Knight raised an eyebrow. "Wonder what's going on. Michael's never usually that abrupt."
"I guess we'll find out when we arrive," the car replied, "if we arrive."
"We'll get there," Knight replied, smiling indulgently, knowing the car's sensors would pick it up. "Let's move pal."
A panel on the dashboard slid back, and he pressed the green button revealed. A small light flitted above the button and... Nothing happened. Knight pressed the button again, a system failure message appearing on the car's monitor –"Karr, what's wrong with the SPM?"
"Diagnostics don't show any problems," the car replied. "It may be related to the lack of power remaining, as super pursuit mode does drain energy rapidly."
"Anything you can do?"
"I am redirecting some of the power-flow from my solar energy collectors directly into super pursuit. However, it may not be effective, given that the collectors were unable to recharge my power cells effectively."
"We'll get Bonnie to look into it." Knight frowned slightly and hit the button a third time. This time, the car's air intake rose slightly, allowing it to cram in more air. At the same time, the spoiler angled more steeply as it raised, allowing for more down force, while panels in front of the rear wheels slid back to reveal two more intakes. There was a whine as the extra engines powered up, and with a burst of power and thrust, the car rocketed forward, dust kicking up behind as it tore across the desert. Knight's eyes closed as the car sped along, and he let out a sigh. "Where were you when I was street racing?"
Karr knew that he wasn't really expecting an answer, instead concentrating his scanners on the path ahead, ready to take control if necessary.
End of Chapter 1…
(Author's note – this super pursuit mode is very different to that seen on the original KITT, or the Attack Mode for the Knight 3000 – This one is far more discreet and fits the body styling of a fourth gen Trans-am)