Michael Knight stood in front of the full length mirror and tried to get his tie straightened. He ineffectually brushed over his dark jacket, which was as free of wrinkles as it had been a minute ago, and then looked at his mirror image again. How he hated these official receptions! It always meant formal clothing and smiling the whole day, chatting with the board members or the invited guests. It was the first time since the incident with Jennifer Knight that he would meet the board members and he wasn't looking forward to it. Kitt shared his mixed feelings.
Someone knocked and then Bonnie stuck her head into his room.
"Ready?" she asked, then gave an appreciative whistle. "Hello, handsome!"
Michael chuckled and turned once, giving her a good view, finishing with a little bow. "Thank you, my lady." He looked at her and returned the whistle. "Hello, beautiful."
Bonnie smiled. She had chosen a shoulder free, dark blue dress that would catch a few eyes, hopefully mostly Michael's. And she knew it already had. She slid an arm around his waist.
"If you continue looking at me this way, my boy-friend might get jealous."
He drew her closer. "Oh, let him," he murmured.
"You're feeling mighty daring today."
Michael bent down and kissed her, deepening the kiss and holding her tightly. Bonnie surrendered into the warm embrace, enjoying the moment of privacy and intimacy. They had had few of those lately, mainly because Michael had been on a longer undercover mission.
"Can't we just stay here?" Michael murmured.
She laughed softly. "I wish. I think Devon would send out search troops if we don't show ourselves. Hey, you are the star of this party!"
Michael groaned. "Don't remind me. Endlessly smiling and evading romantic offerings from every single woman in the room."
Bonnie tickled him. "Aha...."
"Ey!"
She drew back, kissing him gently again and then linked her arm with his. "Come on, Mr. Knight, it's show time!" Michael sighed. "Oh, by the way, did you hear that Nick was also invited?"
"Yep, I heard about it. I don't think he'll make an appearance. Not his kind of work."
Bonnie smiled. "You'd be surprised."
And Michael was surprised. When he walked down the stairs to the terrace leading to the large tent outside where the guests were gathered. Devon had had a large summer tent erected, with waiters walking through the guests mingling there, a buffet table, chairs, tables and a small band playing soft music. More guests were walking around the premises, some standing around Kitt and talking – either with the AI or about it. Michael sent an amused inquiry to his partner and received
a sigh in return. Few of the invited guests recognized Kitt as a person and talked about him and his functions as if he weren't there. Kitt usually refrained from commenting because it got him comments like 'Oh, darling, it reacts to my voice!'. Only the board members and a few special people knew there was more to the AI and even fewer accepted him as a person.
And then Michael discovered Nicholas MacKenzie. He nearly gaped. Nick's preferred clothing were jeans, shirts, T-shirts and jackets. Now he wore a dress similar to Michael's complete with a tie, looking brisk and sharp. Not only a few of the female guests looked his way and Michael grinned. Nick's expression was one of polite distance and though he talked to the occasional guest, Michael recognized the mask MacKenzie was wearing this time. His smiles and politeness were only show to keep everyone happy.
"Hi, Nick. I didn't think you'd come," Michael greeted his friend.
Nick gave him a brief, real smile. "Neither did I."
"Where's Karr?"
"Out of the immediate line of sight." The smile turned wry. "I don't think anyone would want to meet him, let alone know Karr is back working for FLAG."
"Well, the board knows."
"And we should leave it at that. This is a fund raiser, not the Nightmare at FLAG episode."
Michael chuckled. "Don' be too hard on yourselves."
Nick sipped at his drink. "Only stating the truth, Michael, only stating the truth."
One of the female guests walked by and shot an appreciative look at the two men. Bonnie, who just came back from getting drinks for Michael and herself, shot Michael a mocking look.
"Do I have to be jealous now?"
"Nope, I think she was looking at Nick."
Nicholas rolled his eyes. "One reason why I didn't want to come. Since Mr. Knight here is now in good hands, every woman around is on the hunt again." With that he walked off – or maybe he fled.
Bonnie giggled. "Poor guy."
Michael grinned. "Lucky me."
* * *
Nicholas sauntered past some guests, sighing silently. What had ridden him to finally come here after all? Karr had not been happy and still wasn't, and Nick was no party animal. But he was a member of FLAG and as such he was representative of the foundation. He had thought of doing Devon a favor, though the man didn't really deserve it. One year was not enough to redeem him in Nick's eyes, though he had done a lot for both Michael and Kitt. Well, he was here, he had to suffer through it.
"Nicholas MacKenzie."
He stopped and looked around, coming face to face with a small, slender and white-haired woman. She had a rather grand-motherly look to herself, but her eyes sparkled with life and intelligence, and he was immediately wary of her. His mind raced to supply him with a name. She was a member of the board of directors.... Quinn Campbell.
"Mrs. Campbell," he greeted her politely.
She smiled. "I see you did your homework."
"I always do."
"So I heard. We never met personally, but what I heard about you, we owe you a lot, Mr. MacKenzie." Nick scrutinized her friendly face, looking for clues. Quinn smiled again. "I know you don't want to hear this, but we owe you Michael and Kitt's life, especially Kitt's."
"No. If I had really done something I wouldn't be here for you to thank me. You'd be hunting for Michael and Kitt because they would have vanished from the face of the Earth."
Quinn nodded, not the least bit ruffled by his straight-forward answer. "I know that, Mr. MacKenzie. I heard about you from John and I read the files Wilton kept. I know your reputation and I know you make good on both your threats and promises. Let me tell you that I am glad you are on our side."
"Accidentally."
She chuckled softly. "For over a year now?"
Nick met her clear eyes and smiled slightly. "Long term effects."
"Still, thank you from the depth of my heart for what you did, Nicholas," Quinn then said seriously. "Losing Michael and Kitt would have been hard, but knowing why it had happened, who would have been responsible, and knowing that it might have destroyed Kitt's soul, it would have been devastating. And I'm not talking Foundation business. I recognize Kitt as a person and so does John, but there are still people within FLAG who see nothing but bubble chips and wires in him."
Nick slowly drank the rest of his juice mix. "I see that the files I read on you were not wrong either," he then said with a fine smile.
Quinn raised her eyebrows and then simply linked her arm through his, surprising Nick, though he didn't resist. "Humor an old woman and let us walk around a bit," she said.
Nick chuckled.
* * *
John Landes stood on the terrace overlooking the reception. He watched Michael Knight as he mingled with the others, noticed that though he seemed at ease, there was an underlying tension. But there was a lot more tension coming from Nicholas MacKenzie. His appearance had been a surprise and that he had stayed till now was an even bigger one.
"An amazing young man."
Landes turned and smiled a greeting at his fellow board member. "Michael or Kitt?" he teased.
Quinn Campbell chuckled. "John, really...."
John grinned.
"I talked to Mr. MacKenzie. I have to say I can see a bit of what Wilton saw all those years ago when he wanted him for his prototype. He is amazing. Just like Michael. They come from the same roots, even if their lives were totally different." Quinn looked thoughtful. "But I don't want to know what he went through in his past. There is a lot pain in him, a lot of anger, and he is still so young."
Landes was as always amazed when it came to the elder woman. She could see through people so easily... it was one of her many talents and one reason why she had always been good at dealing with possible investors face-to-face. She was like a lie detector on legs. And she was right about Nick. There was a lot of pain hidden in the latest addition to FLAG operatives and he was rather young. At least what Landes had gathered from hear-say and Wilton Knight's files. Nick had been employed early by the government and trained ruthlessly, part of some kind of secret project that had later been abandoned. He didn't want to know what the young man had gone through.
"Is Karr here as well?" Quinn now asked.
"Yes, I think I saw him parked in the garage. I didn't go and make small-talk though." He flashed her a wry grin.
Quinn nodded. "It's an incredible partnership, just like Kitt and Michael's. I talked to Kitt after the initial 'run at the main attraction' was over. He seems quite balanced and calm."
"He had a lot of support."
"And I'm glad he had it."
They walked along the terrace and Quinn finally found herself looking at the large hangar-like building that housed millions and millions of dollars in technical support, parts and equipment. The birth place of Karr and Kitt.
"And I'm glad we went through with the deal," she added as if in an after-thought.
Landes had to agree. It had been their best decision ever. If it hadn't gone as positively as it had, they would now be without a flagship and driver. Suddenly, as he looked back toward the reception, his eyes narrowed.
"Oh, no," he said softly.
Quinn followed his gaze. Her lips became a thin line. Both their gazes locked on Jennifer Knight who walked confidently among the guests, smiling and nodding at them. She was purposefully striding toward where Michael was chatting with Devon.
"Excuse me for a moment," he said and quickly left the terrace, aiming for the more dangerous of the two people who would most likely erupt if they caught sight of Knight's daughter.
He caught up with Nick almost too late. He saw the younger man turn and look over to where Jennifer Knight was, and who was now aiming for him instead of Michael. A cold, hard expression formed on Nick's face and he froze into a statue. John wanted to say something, but he stopped, suddenly aware of a glint in the younger man's eyes he had seen occasionally before.
"Mr. MacKenzie, how nice to see you," Jennifer greeted him with the falsest smile possible.
"Ms. Knight."
Landes did a double-take. Nick's voice sounded polite and friendly.
Jennifer's smile wavered a bit. "I didn't see your name on the guest list."
"I used my maiden name."
John hid a smile.
"And did your pet monster follow this invitation as well?"
Nick's smile grew, though there was no warmth in it. "He is around. You want to stay for the feeding?" A faked a glance at his watch. "Should be within the next ten minutes."
A muscle in Jennifer's cheeks twitched. "I could have you thrown off the premises."
"I could have you run over by my 'pet monster' again if you prefer," Nick said, voice emotionless and dangerous now.
Her eyes flashed. "Have fun, Mr. MacKenzie." With that she turned and walked away.
John Landes found himself exhaling. Nick turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Relax, John, I rarely kill people on my days off. Especially not on an empty stomach." He took an appetizer off a plate of a passing waiter.
Landes shot him a nasty look. "Not funny, Nick."
Nick emptied his glass. "Ask Karr if you don't believe me."
"I'd rather not."
Nick's gaze traveled over to where Michael stood with Kitt and he frowned briefly. John thought he saw a flash of worry in his eyes.
"Something wrong?"
Nick didn't answer. He simply handed his empty glass to another waiter, then left Landes where he was and walked over to Kitt. John suspected that something *had* happened, but on an emotional level. He continued watching.
*
"Michael?"
The quiet voice intruded into Michael's soft conversation with Nick as he tried to appear as if he was still enjoying the party while fervently wishing he could leave. But he couldn't. He had to at least show some returned gratitude for what the board had given him. And it meant that he had to stay to the bitter end, even suffering Jennifer Knight.
Now Nick joined him, eyes alert, probing, knowing.... He didn't say anything else, just stood there, leaning casually against Kitt's hood, surveying the remaining guests. It was late afternoon already and only a few really pesty ones still stuck around. As did Jennifer Knight, who was animatedly chatting with a well-dressed older couple.
"Time we pack our bags and head home," MacKenzie finally said.
Michael smiled wryly. "Party's not over."
"It will be soon. You two did enough representing." His eyes lingered first on Michael's slightly drawn face, then wandered to Kitt's expressionless outside. "Flashbacks?"
Michael shook his head, sighing slightly. "No. Just emotions." It was true. Kitt had not started to flash, but there was a hard to define emotion running through him whenever it came to Jennifer Knight.
"Good."
"But I won't give her the pleasure of running, Nick. She wants to put this to a test, so let her. I won't leave because of her."
Nick grinned wryly. "You are learning."
"Only from the best," Michael quipped.
Nick raised an eyebrow. "I'll 'mingle' again. You two take it easy." He tapped Kitt's hood affectionately.
Michael felt the smile Kitt displayed and strangely enough he thought that Nick saw it. He watched him as Nick walked back into the party. "You okay, Kitt?" he asked softly.
"Yes, Michael. I can take it."
Michael smiled and gently embraced him through the link. //I know, Pal//
* * *
Karr was parked in the large hangar-like garage adjoining the mansion. Everything around him was dark and quiet, only the emergency lights spreading some meager light. Karr enjoyed the blackness, the quiet, and the anonymity he had here. He was merging with the blackness around him and he preferred it this way. Like soft echoes from far away he heard Nick's thoughts, felt his partner's soothing presence in his mind, and he listened with half an audio to what was coming through. Nick didn't like it here, and neither did he for that matter, but he had come to show good will and also to keep an eye on Kitt and Michael. From another angle came Kitt's gentle waves. Karr kept the link he had to his younger brother open, watching him just like Nick was, just from another point of view. Kitt was not completely at ease here, but he was also not close to a total panic like months ago. Good. Progress.
Karr ran another check on the people outside, his tracking system always remaining on Jennifer Knight longer than on others. He was very tempted to simply shoot her, to end it, but he had made a promise to Nick and also to Kitt. He would keep it – for now.
* * *
It was over. Nick leaned against the black Stealth, yawning, feeling beaten and exhausted. This had been worse than staking out the most elusive target! He had had less trouble going through with breaking into a foreign embassy and stealing documents than lasting this long throughout the reception. At least he had had a nice conversation with Quinn Campbell and he had to confess that the elder woman was an intriguing conversationalist and he found he liked her, though it didn't run conform with trusting her.
Karr rumbled softly and Nick smiled. "Yeah, yeah, we are leaving. Don't be so jumpy."
"I am not," Karr growled.
"Sure."
Nick watched as the last of the guests left and then gazed over to where Kitt was waiting for Bonnie and Michael. He had thought that both would stay at the mansion for the night, but Michael had declined. He wanted to be 'home'.
"How is Kitt?"
"Balanced and calm, but anxious to be home," Karr answered levelly. "I share his feelings."
Nick nodded. Suddenly a warning lanced through him, though Nicholas had heard the footsteps already.
"So there you are. I thought you had disappeared."
Nick warily looked at John Landes, knowing that the man wanted something, even if it was just a small chat. With Landes, even small chats needed caution.
"What do you want, John?"
Landes gave him an innocent smile. "Want? Me? Nothing. I just wanted to chat a bit with our newest member, even though I seem to have misplaced the employment records." His smile was even more innocent now.
Nick mirrored it. "Lousy housekeeping."
John cast a curious look at Karr.
If he touches me, he'll lose a foot> the AI snarled through the neuro implant.
Nick sent a chuckle his way. "Don't even think about it," he told the board member as he started to reach out for the Stealth. "He's touchy when it comes to strangers leaving finger prints all over the paint."
Landes raised an eyebrow but heeded the warning. He knew where it was coming from. "I hope to see you again another time."
"Don't count on it." Out of the corner of his eyes Nick saw Michael and Bonnie heading for Kitt and he knew that was the signal. Off they went. "Now if you'll excuse me."
Karr had already started the engine, which was running with a soft, low growl, and Nick got it. They followed the black TransAm, Karr expressing his relief that they were finally away from the oppressing presence of FLAG. Nick could only agree.