They were approaching the Missouri state line when Randi suddenly asked, "KITT, can you tell me about your partner?"
"Michael? What would you like to know?"
Randi shrugged. "I don't know. It's just been pretty quiet so far, and I think I need something before I start dozing off."
"Well, where should I start?" KITT asked. Randi wasn't sure, but was that a hint of humor in his voice? "I suppose it should be at the beginning. I take it you don't mind a long story?"
Randi grinned. "Not at all. Fire away, KITT."
"Well, it started in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was working undercover for the LAPD..."
* * *
They had stopped for a midday break in another town. Randi was stretching her legs outside KITT when he suddenly exclaimed, "Randi, get in, quickly!"
She didn't hesitate, throwing herself into the driver's seat and closing the door. "What is it, KITT?"
"I've just picked up a communication, on a frequency that I have only found used by the Black Rings. I believe they are looking for us."
Randi felt herself tighten, a mixture of fear and anger rising inside her. "Do you know where they are?" she asked. Was that her voice? It sounded so cold.
After a moment, KITT responded, "That blue van across the street."
Randi located the binoculars to get a better look. There were two people visible inside the van, neither of whom she knew. It didn't make her feel any better, though; they had probably been shown a picture of her. Had they already seen and recognized her and KITT? How close was the Black Rings?
"We need to get out of here," she murmured. KITT's engine came to life, and she pulled out of the parking lot and headed back for the interstate. As they approached it, she glanced at the rear-view mirror, hoping that they weren't being followed. No such luck.
"Damn," she whispered.
"A surprising word, coming from you," KITT commented. "Perhaps, if we get far enough ahead of them we can lose them."
"Not likely," she grumbled. "How many black Trans Ams can there be left in this nation? Especially one with a license plate reading K-N-I-G-H-T."
"Do you have any better suggestions?" KITT asked.
Randi frowned, mostly because she did not. She drove back onto the interstate, still followed by the blue van, and noted that there was no one else visible on the road. She sighed. "KITT, how fast can you go?"
"Considering that I am limited to normal cruise, and that I have not been active for nearly two decades, I would say somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred fifty miles per hour. What is your idea?"
Randi stifled another sigh. "Trying to get far enough ahead to lose them." She pressed on the accelerator.
KITT shot forward. The blue van dropped behind at an incredible rate, disappearing as soon as they went around a curve. Randi held the steering wheel tightly, trying to keep them steady. "How Michael Knight did this all the time, I'll never know," she muttered.
"Normally, I was able to help him steer," KITT pointed out. "Be careful; there's a bridge up ahead."
The bridge was gone almost as soon as it was upon them.
After several minutes, Randi saw a semi in the distance, approaching at an alarming rate. She eased up on the accelerator. "Do you think that we can lose them by abandoning the interstate?" she asked.
"It is a possibility," KITT said. "However, it would take us a longer time; four days, rather than three, though it is closer to three and half rather than two and a half now."
"Then that's how we'll do it," Randi said. "Let's rework our route from the nearest exit."
"Already done."
"Then let's go."
* * *
They encountered Black Rings agents three more times, once that evening and twice the next day, despite the fact that they were no longer on the interstate. Randi began to drive well out of the way, adding even more time to their travel, in hopes that they would lose the agents, but with no luck. She decided to try and figure out another option.
"This is ridiculous," Randi muttered. KITT's hood was up and she was glaring at the mess of mechanics underneath. "I am not a mechanic or an electrician."
"You are the one who suggested this," KITT reminded her.
"Yeah, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into," Randi protested. She straightened up and came back around to the door. "Let me see those schematics again."
"They're still on the screen."
Randi studied the layout, trying to fix it in her mind so that she could determine what needed to be fixed and how. If she could just get the auto drive active, they could put a lot more distance between them and the Black Rings agents, because KITT could drive when she got tired. Of course, getting the auto drive active was the fun part.
Fortunately, KITT was intimately aware of how his system was supposed to work, and between his guidance and the schematics Randi finally managed to get it pieced together, though it was rough work and took several hours. What started when the sun was still above the horizon ended long after dark, and it took some doing to get the stronger flashlight positioned correctly so she could finish.
"Okay, try it," Randi said, stepping to the side. KITT's engine came to life, and she held her breath, waiting.
The car moved forward several feet, turned, paused, and then KITT shifted to reverse and backed up beside Randi.
"The system is not up to full standard, but I have control over myself again," he said with what Randi was sure was a note of satisfaction. She laughed with pleasure as she closed the hood.
"KITT, we are a go! Ha! FLAG, here we come!" She started picking up the tools.
"You are in an uncommonly good mood," KITT noted. "Though you have reason to be."
"Indeed I do! We both do." Randi returned the tools to the trunk. "And now you get to drive. I need some sleep."
