Chapter 11

A few hours later Bonnie wandered back into the lab looking for Michael. KITT realized that she was looking for him and lowered the tint on the driver side window. Bonnie saw Michael sleeping in the car. She walked up to KITT and patted his roof.

"How long has he been sleeping?" she asked KITT

"I believe he fell asleep a little over an hour ago. He had a very rough night " KITT quietly replied.

"When did you two find out about Chad?" she asked

"The CIA agents showed up around eight o'clock last night, but Michael had spoken with a friend from the FBI earlier in the afternoon. Agent Martins confirmed that Chad was not in the witness program, and that he had a very classified military record."

Michael heard KITT talking and opened his eyes. He saw Bonnie leaning against KITTs hood. He opened the door and got out of the car. His head still hurt and now his shoulder was beginning to join in too. Bonnie watched him get out of the car, she noticed that he seemed stiff and was moving slowly.

"Are you okay?" she asked

"Hey I'm supposed to be asking you that" Michael said. He noticed the puffiness around her eyes and knew that she had spent some time crying.

Bonnie crossed her arms over her stomach and seemed to hug herself. "I'm alright, or at least I will be maybe someday."

Michael reached out both of his hands and placed them lightly on Bonnie's arms. He rubbed her arms a little and then gently pulled her into a hug. She went willingly and easily and almost collapsed in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face in his chest.

"I'm so sorry Michael. I said such horrible things to you," she sobbed. "Please forgive me"

He held her tightly and rested his chin on top of her head. He closed his eyes and just soaked in the feeling of holding her. "Awww, It's okay. There's nothing to forgive. I'm sorry that I was right."

They stood there and held each other for several minutes. Finally Bonnie pushed away. She patted the front of Michael's shirt.

"I've made a mess of your shirt," she said sniffling.

He released her from the hug but left a hand on her shoulder. Then he looked down at his shirt and back up and smiled. "That's okay. I'll send you the cleaning bill."

She laughed a little. "Are you ready to talk to the CIA agents?" Michael asked

She looked down at the floor and then away from him. "Hey it's alright if you need more time. No one is going to force you to do anything." Michael said.

"What do they want from me?" she asked

"Just to ask you some questions about Nichols. You don't have to talk to them. They have enough stuff on Nichols to put him away for life without anything from you. That's why we don't have to risk KITT or you in any way to catch him."

"What is the plan to catch him?"

"Well we need you to get him here, and then we'll take it from there. But you're going to have to call him and invite him over." Michael gently said.

Bonnie looked up into Michael's eyes. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Yes you can" he paused " You have to, we have to put a stop to this guy."

"I feel like such a fool Michael. He used me," she said

"You're not a fool," he said. "Just human"

She smiled a little. "Do I have to do this today?" she asked

"No of course not" he answered.

"I'm too upset right now. If I called him I think he would know it. Maybe tomorrow I'll be angrier. I think I could do it if I were angry at him" she said and turned to Michael.

"Okay. In the mean time I have just what the doctor ordered." He took her arm and guided her to KITT's passenger side, opened the door and helped her in. Then he went around the car and slid into the driver seat.

"Where are we going?" she asked

"Anywhere you want, or nowhere." With that he started the engine and drove out of the garage.

Later that evening Michael escorted Bonnie to her suite. She opened the door and went in.

"Okay so I'll go tell Devon we're back and have him round up the CIA agents. Then I'll come back and get you." Michael said from the hall.

Bonnie shook her head yes, and Michael reached in grabbed the door handle and closed the door. He turned to go back downstairs to find Devon when he caught sight of the Englishman coming out of his own suite at the end of the hall. Michael waited for him to catch up.

Inside Bonnie's room she noticed her answering machine blinking and hit the playback button.

Chad's voice emitted "Hey angel, I didn't hear from you today and I got worried that your boss might have been a little to hard on you. I hope not. I miss you already; give me a call I really want to see you. Oh yea and I'm excited about meeting your friend too. Luv ya."

Bonnie felt the blood in her veins turn to ice. She was so mad, how could she have ever fallen for that asshole? She picked up the answering machine and heaved it at the far wall.

Michael and Devon were talking just outside her door when they heard the crash. Michael pounded on the door and yelled to Bonnie to open up. The door opened and he found himself looking into eyes that had turned to stone. He had never seen anything like the expression Bonnie was wearing now.

"Now I'm mad" she said and brushed past Michael and Devon. Both men stood there staring after her for a few seconds. Then Michael glanced into Bonnie's suite. There was a hole larger than a fist in the dry wall and the remains of an answering machine on the floor beneath it.

Michael chuckled a little, looked at Devon and said, "And you thought I had a temper"

They both followed her to Devon's office. The CIA spent some time briefing Bonnie on Robert Nichols and the plan they had come up with to capture him. All she had to do was make a phone call and invite him over without tipping him off that she really wanted to blow his head off.

"I'll call him tonight and set up the meeting for noon tomorrow" she said. She wanted to get the call over with so she wouldn't have to stew about it all night tonight.

The two agents retired for the night and left Bonnie, Michael and Devon alone in the big office. Michael turned to Bonnie "I want you to leave after you've made the call. There's no reason for you to be here tomorrow."

She faced him square on. "I'm not leaving."

"Bonnie, it's safer and that's one less thing that I'll have to worry about" Michael said.

"Well that's just too bad. I'm not leaving." There was a strong conviction in her voice and Michael realized that he wasn't going to win this one.

"Alright fine. Will you at least stay with KITT tomorrow until that bastard is in custody and off the grounds."

"I'll think about it"

"Well then why don't we give you some privacy to make your phone call. Feel free to use my phone since yours appears to be out of order" Devon said.

Both men started out of the room.

"Michael" Bonnie called. Devon had made it to the door and was almost out of the room with Michael right behind him. Both men stopped and turned around.

"Would you wait a minute?" she said.

Michael and Devon glanced at each other and then Devon continued on his way. Michael shut the door and came back to the center of the room. "Sure." He said.

She crossed her arms and moved toward him. "I don't want to do this alone. Will you stay?"

He smiled a little "anything you want". He went over to the couch and sat down while she moved behind the desk and sat in Devon's chair. She picked up the phone and dialed Chad's number. Michael turned and stretched out on the couch. He wanted to try to give her some privacy, and he wasn't sure he wanted to watch her make the call.

'Hello" Chad said on the other end of the line.

Bonnie took deep calming breath and said "Hi there"

"Hey I was beginning to wonder if you were going to call"

"Sorry, I've been working. Devon asked for a bunch of silly paper work and reports, and he insisted that he have them by morning. I think it's my punishment," she said.

"Oh you poor thing"

"Yea, well I guess I deserve it" she paused. "So, you have any plans for lunch tomorrow?"

"No but I'm hoping you'll give me some."

"How about coming over?"

"Okay twist my arm," he said.

She laughed lightly. Michael could tell it was very forced and he hoped Chad didn't know her that well. "I'll see you around noon then. I'll clear you at the gate a head of time" she said.

"Yea I'll see you then. I'll miss you tonight.

"I'll miss you too." She replied.

Just before he hung up he asked "will I get to meet KITT tomorrow"

Bonnie grimaced "Yes you will. I've told him all about you and he's looking forward to meeting you too. I'll see you tomorrow." With that she slammed the phone down in its cradle. "Over my dead body" she mumbled.

"Let's not say that OK" Michael said from the couch. "And don't throw Devon's phone. We're gonna start running out phones pretty soon."

Michael got up from the couch and walked over to her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the chair, then started to drag her out of Devon's office.

"What are you doing?" she asked tiredly.

"Let's go get a drink," he said.

"Okay I could really use one."