Little ole' me own Knight Rider? Ha! Ha! Ha! And the moon is made of cheese too!
Switching Places
Chapter 4
The constant drone of the planes engines was just ignorable background noise by now to Sarah. She had been in the air for almost an hour and a half, long enough to have completed the mission briefing with Alex. The mission was straight forward enough; retrieve the stolen missile navigation system, the difficult part started after that. The FBI had been able to pin down the city where the thieves were going to sell it, but after that the information was a little fuzzier. They had the names of a couple of potential buyers, however the FBI didn't want to alert the Canadian authorities with any of this information in case it got out before the navigation system was retrieved.
**
The trepidation that Mike had when he talked with Sarah just wouldn't go away all the time he helped Carrie with some old mission reports. Finally finished with the reports he had slipped out of Carrie's office when she was busy on the phone, paper work wasn't his forte.
As he pushed his wheel chair towards the control center he could hear Billy and Zoe bantering back and forth about which of them had scored the highest on their IQ tests, he smiled, noting KITT wasn't in his maintenance sling. Sarah must've taken the Shelby out for some tests.
"You know Billy you'll get more girls if you let them think they are smarter then you," Mike said deciding not for the first time that the guy was helpless when it came to women.
Billy wheeled around and stared at Mike, guilt quickly taking the place of his surprise. "Oh… ah Mike what… what are you doing here?"
Mike looked at the startled tech in front of him, bells started to go off in his mind, and he looked more closely around the control center. Techs were busy on several computer terminals and other screens showed an array of programs that were running. The main large view screen showed a map of Wisconsin and Michigan along with the Canadian province of Ontario. A small red dot on the screen was traveling northeast past the city of La Crosse.
A cold chill went down his spine as he swung his gaze back towards the two nearest techs his voice devoid of all emotion as he said, "Where is KITT? And why is the control center at Mission Ready Status?"
Billy looked nervously at Zoe, he definitely did not want to be the one to tell Mike, the ex-Ranger scared the tech a little. The murderous look in Mike's eyes right now was doing nothing to alleviate Billy's fear.
"Billy! Tell me what the hell is going on!" Mike's voice was starting to rise.
At that moment the large view screen switched from the map to Sarah's head as she sat in the Shelby.
"Billy? I need you to run a computer simulation of that program we discussed to make sure there aren't any glitches in it before uploading it to KITT," Sarah said as she was looking at KITT's internal systems screen. When Billy didn't answer right away she looked up at the view screen that was connected to the SSC.
"Sarah!What the hell is going on? Where are you? Why do I hear plane engines in the back ground?" Mike fired the questions at a very surprised looking Sarah.
"M…M…. Mike?" Sarah could see Mike sitting in the control center, his face hardening in anger. This was not the way she had planned on telling him, of course she couldn't for the life of her figure out how she was going to tell him, but it certainly wouldn't have been like this. Taking a deep fortifying breath she answered in a much calmer voice then she felt.
"I'm on my way to Canada with KITT to retrieve a missile navigation system. Why? Were you looking for me?" Sarah's voice was sweet as she asked the questions. In for a penny in for a pound she thought.
"On your way to…" Mike's voice trailed off in disbelief. Surely he must have heard her wrong.
"Canada. Toronto to be exact." Sarah said as she saw Mike slowly stand from his wheel chair the anger radiating off him in waves, the look he was sending her would have turned her to stone if that were possible.
"You! Are on your way to Canada! With… KITT?"
"Yes. I'm…" Sarah hesitated for a fraction of a second. "I'm KITT's new driver. Temporarily of course until you are well enough to return."
Mike stood leaning heavily on the edge of the desk for support. He could feel his face draining of color as the cold wave of realization washed over him. Sarah was KITT's new driver?
"Mike I wanted to tell you. Before I left but… I just couldn't, I…"Sarah tried to explain but Mike's yell of outrage cut her off. He seemed to have recovered from his shock anyway.
"Of all the stupid…! Has everyone lost their mind? Who in their right mind would appoint you? A Woman! To be KITT's new driver? Are they insane? You have no training! These people could be killers!" Mike's voice echoed around the SSC in outrage causing some of the tech's to look over at Mike.
"Mike! I am not some helpless woman! I've had the training from the FBI! Plus I'll have KITT with me." Sarah said trying to sound reasonable.
"The FBI training! Ha! What a load of bull! I've got Black Ops training and look what happened to me! You're going to get yourself killed!"
"Mike, please calm down I'm not going to get myself killed." Sarah's patience was starting to slip. This man could be such a hypocrite.
"Calm down? I'll calm down when you are back here!"
"Michael, I do believe that Sarah has made a very wise suggestion. In your current state…"
"KITT don't! How could you let Sarah do this? You know how dangerous it can be out there!" Mike raged at the AI.
"Michael I did not 'let' Sarah do anything. I received my orders and I am following them." Even Mike in his agitated state heard the abdication in KITT's voice.
"Orders. What orders?" Mike demanded.
"The orders came from the highest level of FLAG. I had no choice but to follow them. I am sorry Michael." KITT's voice was full of sorrow for he knew he had again let Michael down.
Sarah's eyes widened as she listened to the AI. Was KITT really against her becoming his driver? She had just assumed that the AI was trying to protect her, she hadn't considered that the AI really didn't want her here.
"It's ok KITT, I know all about orders!" Oh yeah Mike knew about orders! That was one of the reasons that he had left the Army Rangers. Having to obey orders like them or not.
"Yes, well I have my orders too Mike and I plan to see them through. Woman or not!" The coldness in Sarah's voice was unmistakable. "Billy up load that program as soon as you are finished. We are nearing the drop off point. Sarah out." Sarah hadn't been prepared for the pain that Mike's words had inflicted, or KITT's for that matter.
Mike stared at Sarah, there was so much more he wanted to say, now that the anger and fear were starting to subside his practical side was trying to break through.
"KITT!" Sarah's voice was still cold as she prompted the AI to end the communication link.
As Sarah's face disappeared from the view screen Mike felt all the wind go out of his sails. He hadn't stood in almost a week and suddenly his legs gave out on him and he went crashing to the floor of the SSC.
"Mike!" Billy cried as Mike's body crumpled.
Zoe was the first one to get to Mike but she hesitated in helping the downed ex-soldier knowing that he wasn't going to be very receptive of the help he was offered. He was a proud man, and signs of weakness were hard for men like that. She wasn't disappointed as the air turned blue with the colorful words that Mike uttered as Billy and another tech helped him into the wheel chair.
Furious at himself for his feebleness and his inability to do the job assigned to him, Mike wheeled out of the SSC. If anything happened to Sarah because of it, he would never forgive himself.
**
The communication link was closed for only a moment when Alex and a flight tech walked up to the Shelby's driver side door.
"We will be starting our approach in just a few minutes, remember to strap yourself in the car for the approach and until you have safely exited the off ramp. The wheel locks will remain in place until you are given the go from me, when the off ramp touches the runway. This isn't a very long runway so your window to disembark is very narrow. Any questions?" The flight tech asked in a professional voice.
Sarah shook her head, maybe it would be a good idea to let KITT handle this disembarkment.
"Sarah, remember we need to retrieve the navigation system as soon as possible. I'll be returning to the SSC if you need anything, all right? Be careful Charles will never forgive me if something should happen to you." Alex said as the captain informed them to buckle in for their approach.
Sarah nodded her head, she knew her mission.
"KITT activate auto restraints." Sarah's voice was cool, professional the sting from her confrontation with Mike not quite enough to over rule her nerves. She'd be damned however before she let the AI know how much his words had hurt.
"Auto restraints activated" However the coolness in Sarah's voice hadn't gone unnoticed by the AI.
The pitch of the planes engines changed as the aircraft began it's decent.
"KITT you are to take us off this plane then I will take us along our pre arranged route to the border at Sault Ste Marie." Sarah's stomach turned over, she didn't mind flying but landing always had that same stomach rolling effect.
"Alright Sarah. If you wish I can easily drive to the border also."
Sarah rolled her eyes, men, they always want to drive. "No, I'd like to drive. I want you to do a mass search for all the likely buyers for the missile navigation system, taking into account their last known location." Sarah already knew the names of the buyers that the FBI suspected were going to be there but it couldn't hurt to do a search of her own. Plus it would give the AI something to do.
In less then ten minutes the flight tech gave them the go ahead and KITT backed out of the airplane onto the runway. The Shelby's tires screamed as it rapidly decelerated, causing the car to swing sideways along the tarmac.
Sarah watched as the planes ramp closed and the huge plane lifted off the ground once again. Leaving her and KITT behind to begin their mission. Taking a hold of the steering wheel Sarah turned the Shelby the rest of the way around and headed back along the runway to the maintenance road and out onto the small highway that ran adjacent the landing strip. She had memorized the first dozen directions from her briefing with Alex.
It had been silent in the Shelby for almost a half hour, the countryside that whipped past was tree lined for the most part. Sarah couldn't help but remember the first solo trip she had with KITT to Las Vegas. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Sarah, Billy just uploaded the program you asked him to and I've stored it in my mainframe. I've also completed the search that you asked me to do and using some additional parameters I've narrowed down the possible list of buyers to fifty-three. If you would like I can display them for you." KITT had noticed the way that Sarah had been acting since the conversation with Michael. He had been pondering it while doing the search that Sarah had requested, as well as some research of his own, trying to figure out what was bothering Sarah and why.
"I was thinking that once we crossed the border then we could go over the list and maybe narrow it down further."
The AI waited for Sarah to say more but when she didn't he decided to ask her what was wrong. "Sarah I've noticed that you have been upset ever since you talked to Michael. May I ask what is the matter?" It seemed to the AI the logical question.
Sarah felt her blood pressure go up again at the mere mention of Mike, and she had thought she was starting to cool down. She was silent as she tried to think of an answer that would pacify the AI.
"Mike can be a egotistical jerk at times. You have your orders. I have mine, so let's leave it at that!" Sarah groaned inwardly that was not the cool professional reply that she had intended, her emotions had gotten the better of her again.
The only sound in the Shelby was the whine of the tires on the asphalt. A sign on the side of the road announced that the Canadian border was twelve miles away in Sault Ste. Marie.
Sarah slowed the Shelby and pulled over to the side of the road, stopping.
"Sarah, what is the matter?" A bit of worry in the AI's voice, as he scanned all of Sarah's vital signs. His scanners picked up an elevated heart rate and blood pressure, but they weren't able to pick up any cause.
Sarah sat trying desperately to force her feelings into the proverbial box and shut the lid. She opened the door and got out, thinking maybe a little fresh air might help.
"Sarah?" KITT asked. "Where are you going? Do you need to pee?" The AI knew that Michael would stop to do just that at times when they were on the road.
Sarah couldn't help the roll of her eyes and the smile that came to her lips as she was reminded of the time on the way back from Las Vegas when Mike had asked KITT to stop for that very reason. With a heavy sigh she rubbed her hands up over her face, if she didn't clear the air with the AI, how was she going to complete this mission. She began to pace back and forth on the gravel in front of the Shelby.
"KITT, we need to have a talk," Sarah began but the AI interrupted her.
"There is a incoming communications link from the SSC would you like me to put it on my surface screen?"
"No KITT. Terminate online feed with the SSC." Sarah did not want anyone ease-dropping on this conversation.
"Online feed terminated. Sarah why did you have me just cut Dr. Graiman off and go off line?"
"Because KITT I need some answers and I don't want anyone listening in."
"Oh. What is it that you need to talk about Sarah? Is your menstrual cycle about to start? I have read that women often experience hormonal imbalances before their cycle is about to…"
"KITT! No!" Sarah cried flabbergasted that the AI had come up with such an idea. "I need… look KITT I need to know if you don't want me as your driver."
The AI was silent a moment then he said slowly, "What would give you that idea Sarah?"
Sarah huffed and shook her head there obviously had to be a 'y' chromosome programmed into the AI somewhere!
"KITT you all but told Mike that you did not want me here. That you are only following orders."
"But Sarah I am following orders."
"Look KITT don't play coy with me. I know why Mike is upset, he is an overprotective male chauvinistic jerk. What I need to know is why you don't want me here. Is it because you are programmed to protect me or is it… something else."
The AI was silent as he ran through his programs trying to answer Sarah's question.
"Sarah I believe the best answer for your question is several answers. Yes I have been programmed to protect you, as well as all human life. It is not a matter of wanting you here or not, I have received my orders and I must follow them."
"KITT!" Was she ever going to drag the answer out of the AI? " If you hadn't received those orders…?"
"Then no, Sarah I would not have brought you along. I would be here with a stranger."
Sarah looked up at the red sky as the sun set behind the tree line.
"It is not a choice I made Sarah. I have come to care for you and I do not wish for you to be in dangerous situations. I may not be able to protect you, as I wasn't able to protect Michael. As for the orders, I overheard Agent Torres speaking with someone on a secure line and if you had refused to be my new driver and one was not found for this mission to go ahead today then FLAG was going to be terminated, for good."
Sarah looked at the Shelby in surprise, who was pressuring Alex? And for what purpose? "Who was Alex talking to? And why do they want to terminate FLAG?"
"I wasn't able to get a fix on the call as it was a very high-tech phone scramble. However I have been running the voice on the phone against my voice recognition database, but I have yet to come up with a name. The FLAG organization however has recently come under suspicion from the highest levels of the DOD."
Sarah sighed, this was more then she wanted to deal with at the moment, as a hundred other questions began popping into her head.
"Sarah it is getting dark, would you please get back into the car?"
"KITT, I guess we don't have any choice at this time except to follow our orders and get on with this mission." Sarah said as she slid into the drivers seat. "However I think that when we get back to the SSC we need to investigate this further."
"I agree Sarah," KITT said, and after a moments pause the AI continued. "Sarah, I have thought about your other question and after running it through my microprocessor several times I have come to the decision that it is not that I do not want you here, it is just that I wish it were under safer circumstances."
Sarah nodded her head that made sense. "Thanks KITT." Sarah said gently. "How long before we reach the Canadian border?"
A/N Well here is another chapter! Hope you like it. Let me know what you like about the story, or don't like. I'm trying to stay as true to the actual
charactors as possible. I'm not computer knowledgable(?) so if you see that things are named wrong let me know. Thank you for reading, until next time,
cytpotter