chapter ten

Karr watched Connor and Michael work for a few minutes before saying anything. Connor – determined soul that she was – was back under his hood, trying to make it safe for her to reattach the CPU to the engine. Michael and Bonnie were barricading off the entrance as well as they could with the few cots laying around. Kitt would be providing most of the protection, considering his MBS. There was, however, one problem that he was pretty sure no one else realized.

"Kitt," he said suddenly, "just what do you plan on doing when the shooting starts?"

"I have been in gunfights before, Karr." Kitt shot back, not in the least bit concerned. "I know what to do."

"Yes. When you're with Knight, who doesn't shoot back." Karr said dryly.

Connor cursed. "I forgot about that. Kitt isn't programmed like you are."

"He might be more fun if he was."

"What's the problem?" Kitt demanded, sounding slightly impatient. After all, he had been in situations like this with Michael numerous times, and they had always gotten out alive and in one piece. He watched as Connor climbed out from under the Ferrari and wiped her hands off on her jeans. Her knuckles were scraped bloody, and some of the blood had trickled down her arms. She didn't seem to notice as she picked up her sniper rifle once again and took up position behind Karr. Damaged as he was, the MBS was still functional.

"We aren't going to be laying down suppressive fire to get out of here." Connor said simply. "We can't actually go anywhere. So I'm going to have to kill them if they get in my range."

There was a full second worth of silence while Kitt processed that. "Say what?"

"I don't want to kill anyone." Michael said quietly. "I'll help keep them off of you, but I won't kill them."

"You might just have to." Karr said. "Once you start firing, they'll start shooting back. Firefights suck that way." There was another pause, this one more tense. Connor hesitated, but only for a moment.

"Get out of here." she said quietly. "All of you, get in Kitt and get gone."

"What are you talking about?" Barstow demanded. "Not too long ago you were more than ready for us to help you. Now you want us to go? How does this make sense." Her hands were on her hips in a pathetic display of anger, and Karr almost laughed at her. He could tell she thought she was intimidating, and maybe to someone with a softer background she was.

But Connor and Karr had dealt with more intimidating people than Barstow. Connor gave her a look, never abandoning her position. "If you won't kill, then you aren't of any use to me. All you'll do is get yourself hurt and slow us down." she said calmly.

Once again, Michael had to wonder. "I'll provide you with some cover." he said slowly. "But I won't kill anyone I don't have to. Understand?"

Connor sighed. "Sure."

They turned their focus back on the entrance. Five gunmen had lined up just outside of their barricade, and Connor recognized them as guards for the Institute. A grimace of disgust twisted her features. For five nameless men, she knew all three of them by face. They had, at different times, been bodyguards and prison guards for her and Karr. Sometimes on their side, sometimes keeping them far away from each other, depending on the whims of the Director. She wanted nothing more than to shoot them all down where they stood.

But there was time for that later. Right now her concern was getting them to back off long enough for her to get Karr out of there.

One of the guards opened fire. Michael popped off a few rounds, making them duck, but deliberately not striking them. Karr wished he could roll his eyes. Connor rose up from her position, fired, and took out one of the guards with a single shot between his eyes. He dropped like a stone.

"Connor!" Kitt snapped.

"I told you I wasn't going to spare anyone." she shot back, quiet anger making her voice shake. "If you don't like it, you should have left when you had the chance." All four of the remaining guards opened fire, and conversation was cut off at the sound of bullets flying. True to form, once the guards figured out Michael wasn't actually trying to hit them, they focused their firepower on him. Cursing, he ducked down behind Kitt.

Karr snarled something unfriendly-sounding. He couldn't really be of much help like he was. He could faintly hear Kitt checking in with his driver, making sure the man hadn't taken any serious damage. He wished he could at the very least move, maybe have access to his laser, but that was impossible with his engine being in the condition it was in. Karr simply couldn't do anything to help Connor, and it pissed him off to no end.

Connor raised up again and opened fire on the guards. Two more went down before a deep voice called a retreat. Instantly, all gunfire stopped, and a short man in a slick suit stood just outside of the barricade. With the setting sun at his back, Michael couldn't tell what the man looked like. He seemed awfully confident for someone who had just had his guards mowed down by one person.

"Is this really necessary, Connor?" he said, his voice deep and bland. After spending so much time with Devon, Michael could detect the slight British accent in his voice. "Three of my guards, your friends, dead?"

Connor snorted. "Whoever said they were my friends, Director?" she sneered. "I can mow them down all day. In fact, take another step forward and I can take out the person I really want to kill right now." She grinned humorlessly, although she knew the Director wouldn't see it. "Come on. Be a man. Step up and I'll end this once and for all."

The man she had identified as the Director laughed at her. "How long do you think you can hold out against my troops, especially with an ally who won't kill?" he pointed out dryly. "Come on, Connor. Use that head of yours. I'll kill you and take Karr back. So if you want to live, all you have to do is give me Karr."

"Connor." Karr murmured.

"Don't." Connor shot back. "Surrender is not an option. Never has been, never will be." She adjusted her aim and squeezed the trigger. Her shot was off, but not by much. The bullet glanced off the cement right by the Director's feet. Louder, she added, "Is that answer enough for you?"

"I can wait you out." he hissed.

Connor laughed. "Nope. I have an advantage over you."

"Oh really? And what is that, pray tell?"

Connor cocked her weapon. "I'm not afraid to die."

"You're fighting awfully hard for someone who's not afraid to die." the Director shot back.

"Karr needs me alive right now. That's the only thing that's ever kept me alive. You should know that."

There was a long pause. Finally, the figure of the Director pulled back. "I will think on this." he said quietly. "But don't think you've heard the end of me, little no-name."

And with that silence descended on the group.