KR2K8AS Episode 14
Episode 14 - Hot Summer Knights
K.I.T.T sped down a dark, deserted highway. His tires running over the asphalt the only sound. The moon was full and bright overhead, lighting his way to the horizon. Liquid moonlight ran over his sleek, black surface. His windows were tinted black, showing nothing of the interior.
Inside, the front seats were empty, the steering wheel adjusting back and forth on it's own. The soft sound of waves lapping over a sandy beach drifted from the stereo and filled the cabin.
In the back, a dim light shone from the ceiling, illuminating a sleeping Kat curled up in the backseat, covered with a dark gray fleece blanket. Her loose, dark hair was her only pillow.
K.I.T.T had been driving for most of the night, safeguarding his Driver as comfortably as he could. It had been a long day in a string of long days. Since the Crawler had been activated, they had been so busy they were on the road more often than not. Kat refused to overlook anyone who might need their help. K.I.T.T knew that while their intentions were altruistic, every bit of data from each mission was sent back to F.L.A.G and carefully examined. That data was then used to fuel Knight Industries research.
It was long, dangerous, and sometimes thankless work, but now it was time to return to F.L.A.G for a rest. He would be examined thoroughly as he had not had a tuneup in a while. Carmen would give him another coat of his nano skin paint. Pierce would backup his memory and probably defrag his hard drives. Kat would rest in her bunk, and possibly 'hang out' with Angela, which mostly consisted of Kat letting Angela dress her up. If K.I.T.T was really lucky, he would have time to play some games with Ian before they were sent out again.
K.I.T.T's random musings were interrupted by a communication link from Pierce. He found that odd, it was the middle of the night and Pierce liked his sleep. It was probably something important, so he opened the link. As soon as his did so, the link disappeared. That was very odd. He tried contacting Pierce.
There was no reply. This was vexing, like the equivalent of a prankster ringing a doorbell, then running off. He decided to call Pierce's cell phone.
It rang many times before it was finally picked up. "Un ugh?" Pierce mumbled sleepily.
"My apologies Pierce, did I wake you?"
"'Course not, who needs sleep?" K.I.T.T heard a shuffling against the phones microphone, probably as Pierce shifted around on his pillow. This was followed by a loud yawn. "What's up, KITT? It's... 3 in the morning."
"I just received a communication link from you a moment ago." K.I.T.T told him. "When I answered, there was no reply."
"You must be mistaken." Pierce mumbled. "I clocked out at 10:59. David doesn't let me work past 11 anymore."
"I am never mistaken." K.I.T.T replied. "It was from you."
"Not unless I can type in my sleep." Pierce paused. "Even I'm not that good."
"It was from you." K.I.T.T repeated stubbornly.
"Okay, okay." Pierce yawned again. "I'll check it out in the morning, all right?"
"All right."
"Good, now don't bother me about this anymore." Pierce's voice grew faint with sleep.
"I won't." K.I.T.T replied.
"G'night, KITT." Then he hung up, and K.I.T.T was left with his musings.
F.L.A.GUndergroundFacility
It was early the next morning when everyone in F.L.A.G was awakened for an important announcement from David. Ian was out of bed and dressed right away. Pierce lagged behind, sleepiness wrapped like a fog around him. He made a side trip to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee before heading to the Main Lab.
Once everyone was assembled in the Main Lab, David made his appearance. He stepped out of his office holding a piece of paper in his hand. He looked as crisp and neat as he always did. Pierce wondered if the man even needed to sleep, or if he just powered down at night. As he sipped his coffee he imagined David curling up under his desk after lights out.
David placed on hand on the metal railing and looked down on the Main Lab. He held up the piece of paper in his hand. His expression was not a happy one, but that was par for the course. Everyone waited with bated breath. Even Charles was leaning on the railing outside of his office, his full attention on David.
"I have here a fax from the CEO of Knight Industries, Andrew Corwin." David said, his dark eyes traveling over each of his employees. "The only man who has more authority over your lives than I do." Charles smiled faintly at that.
Down in the Main Lab, everyone started looking at each other. A general feeling of dread blanketed the crowd. Pierce glanced over at Carmen, she had her arms crossed and he could tell she was working up a good glare in case she needed it.
Everyone's attention turned back to David as he began to read aloud. "Dear FLAG employees, some time ago, your Katherine Knight saved not only my life, but the future of Knight Industries. Since then, I have been trying to think of the right way to thank her. Summer time is quickly approaching and Dr. Graiman has informed me through his weekly reports that Miss Knight has not had any vacation time, or even had any time away from her work. I aim to remedy that now by inviting Katherine to stay at my summer home for two weeks, as my family and I will be going overseas this summer."
Everyone down in the Main Lab began whispering to one another. David paused his reading to look at them. Silence fell, and he continued. "I also know that my rescue was a team effort, and had it not been for the many fine men and women at FLAG, Miss Knight would be completely in the dark, so I also extend this invitation to all of you."
Excited chatter sprang up out of the Main Lab, accompanied by a few cheers. Not even David glaring down at them all could stop it.
"This is sooo awesome." Ian said excitedly. "I haven't been outside in over a month! I think I've forgotten what unfiltered air smells like!"
Pierce wasn't as thrilled. In his mind he was calculating how much of his work he could bring with him while he blistered in the sun. At least he knew that Andrew Corwin would have WiFi. Well, he hoped it at the very least.
Better yet, maybe he would be able to not go at all. There was no way F.L.A.G could be completely emptied out for two whole weeks.
"Obviously," David said as he folded the paper neatly. His voice carried over the crowd and everyone hushed. "FLAG can't be emptied out for two whole weeks." Some people groaned at that, Ian included. "Instead, the Team will be split in half. One half will accompany me for the first week, the other half will accompany Charles for the second week. Katherine will, of course, be staying at the summer home for the full two weeks."
Katherine? Pierce's interest peaked. He had always thought it odd that David called Kat Miss Knight, rather than Katherine, when he was the one who introduced everyone to using the more familiar given name. It was to promote friendship and equal understanding among a group of people who would be unable to get away from each other for four years. Now, David had switched, that was even odder.
Pierce recalled a few weeks ago there was a mission in which David and Kat left at separate times, but ended up on the same mission, and came back to F.L.A.G together. David had been positively fuming, and wouldn't talk about what happened. Pierce had hoped it was something truly embarrassing, but Kat didn't give any details either. K.I.T.T had been forbidden from talking about it at all by the both of them. Any attempts to question the car was met with a denial that day had existed at all.
Pierce's musing were interrupted by Ian approaching him. "How come Katherine gets both weeks and we don't?" He sulked.
Carmen walked over and slapped the back of his head lightly. "Your idea of time off is playing videos games in the rec room. Katherine's is sleeping in KITT's backseat."
"Okay, okay." Ian said quickly. "I see your point. Just let me gripe a little, it makes me feel better."
Carmen smiled. "It'll be good to get out and soak up some sun, I'll be as white as Pierce soon."
"Oh, ha ha." Pierce said humorlessly. "I'm going to go pack."
Ian and Carmen watched him go. "He's going to hate being away from work." Ian commented glumly.
"He's not going to pack clothes." Carmen said knowingly. "He's going to go see if a server will fit in a suitcase." Ian laughed.
"What is with all this commotion going on here?" Kat asked as soon as she stepped into the buzzing rec room.
"Oh my god, Kat!" Angela exclaimed, hurriedly running up to greet her. "You are not going to believe this!"
Everyone in the rec room immediately began talking at once. Kat tried to follow what they were all saying, but wasn't able to until K.I.T.T broke down all of the different voices for her.
"Wow..." she said, her eyes a little wide. "Two whole weeks, just for me?"
"Isn't it awesome?" Angela squealed excitedly. "I finally get to put you in a swimsuit."
Kat rubbed her upper arm nervously. "What am I going to do with myself for that long?"
"That's obvious, relax."
"Idleness isn't really my thing..." Kat blinked rapidly. "And what about KITT? He'll get lonely."
"I will not." K.I.T.T said in her ear defensively. "I'm not so pathetic as to utterly break down if I am parted from you for a paltry twenty thousand, one hundred and sixty minutes."
Angela put a finger to her lip thoughtfully. "You have a point. KITT can't stand being away from you. Remember how long it took you to convince him not to spy on you in the bathroom?"
"I was not spying." K.I.T.T said. "You have such a penchant for attracting danger everywhere you go that I was merely being cautious."
"Maybe we can ask David?" Kat suggested hopefully.
"Fine, don't listen to anything I say." K.I.T.T said grumpily, then fell silent.
"Ooo, great idea! Let's go, I know where he is." Angela grabbed Kat's hand and the two women exited the rec room.
They found David on his way to Charles' office, a sheet of paper in his hand. "David." Angela called to him.
Without turning around or slowing his walk, he responded. "You can't bring the car."
"Come on, that's not fair."
This made David pause and turn on his heel. "Fair?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "Whom am I being unfair to?"
"Kat, duh." Angela answered, gesturing to her.
The dark expression on David's face was making Kat very uncomfortable. She put a hand on Angela's shoulder to lead her away, but the other woman wasn't budging. "So, you are saying that I am the one whom is being unfair to let Katherine joyride on the beach with a billion dollar piece of military-grade technology?"
Angela didn't have an easy comeback for that, so Kat stepped in. "Actually, I honestly feel that a long separation from KITT will affect him more than me. He's programmed with a certain level of attachment to his Driver. My main concern is his AI suffering from conflicting programming."
"That's not a problem." David said. "I'll have Charles do a partial shutdown, he won't even know you're gone."
Kat's misgivings grew, but could she really argue? She was still in hot water from her last mission, where she ran into David during a particularly strange jewel heist. Ever since then, David showed annoyance whenever she so much as moved.
Still, it seemed like a sad thing to do to K.I.T.T.
David entered Charles' office, paper in hand. He shut the door firmly behind him and marched over to Charles' desk.
Charles looked up from his computer, his glasses reflecting white from the screen. He leaned back in his chair and observed David's stiff posture and sour expression. "Come right in." Charles said blithely. "I wasn't in the middle of anything important."
David looked back at the door, realizing just then that he hadn't knocked. His expression intensified for a second and turned back to Charles. "My apologies, but it's time to go over the list."
"Ah, now we decide who goes when. Who should I be taking on the second week?"
David placed the rough draft of his list on the desk, turning it so that Charles could read it. "I've decided to take the main troublemakers. I don't feel right letting them out of my sight."
"Pierce, Angela, Carmen & Diana." Charles read the names. "Diana really only causes trouble to you. Perhaps I should take her on my week."
"No, the Medical Team is divided unevenly, we may need her expertise in case of injury."
Charles looked at David over his glasses. "Diana does Forensics. She's only ever worked on cadavers."
"She has a medical background, she was going to be a pediatrician before the accident." David picked up his list again and perused it. "The Security Team is divided unevenly as well, so take John and Casey with you. They have the demeanor to fool the casual eye."
"That leaves you with Kevin."
"You can have Ian. I don't want Pierce conspiring with him."
"Shall we split the twins?" Charles asked, speaking of Kai and Rei.
"No, you can take them both. I'll have Carmen and Thomas, so you take Enrique and Adam."
"KITT will be staying here, so why split the Mechanics Team evenly?"
"Just in case." David said ominously.
After a few more minutes, the final list was thus:
David- Carmen(Head Mechanic), Pierce(Head Computer Tech), Angela(Disguise and Costume Artist), Diana(Head of Forensics), Kevin(Head Custodian), Dustin(Head Medic), Keth(Security Team), Jason(Head of Security), Thomas(Mechanic)
Charles- Kai & Rei(Computer Team), Ian(Tech Intern), Eric(Medic), Sarah(Medic), John(Custodial), Casey(Custodial), Amanda(Security Team), Enrique(Assistant Head Mechanic), Adam(Mechanic)
"You're in for an interesting week." Charles commented. David resisted the urge to sigh.
Angela and Kat entered their room together. "God, what am I going to PACK?" Angela exclaimed, heading immediately for her dresser.
Kat's attention was on the floor. More specifically a small slip of paper on the floor next to the door. Someone must have slipped it underneath while they were gone.
She bent down and picked it up. In neat script a short note was written. "There is a spy in F.L.A.G."
Her stomach went cold and immediately tightened. K.I.T.T scanned the text quickly. "The handwriting doesn't match any that I have seen." He reported. "Shall I alert David?"
"No." Kat said softly. "It could be a prank."
"Who would want to trick you?"
"I don't know. Just in case, be careful."
"Are you going to stand there mumbling, or are you going to help me?" Angela called to her. She was standing in the middle of the remains of a clothing typhoon, some swimsuits had even made it up to Kat's bunk.
Kat crumpled up the note, tossing it in the garbage can as she walked over to Angela to help.