The next morning, Michael groaned and rolled over. He had been talking with KITT and Tristan had been listing in. KARR was basically sedated since he was getting aggressive. He now knew everything worth knowing, from both AI's having "forms" to Tristan and KARRs' 'relationship' of sorts. This had all be said in the night a few hours after Michael had hit the sack and almost immediately afterwards, KARR had started going into cascade data failure, so grave were the injuries sustained. Michael sighed as he replayed KARR's pained and restricted sighs and growls as the mechanics had worked on him but to no avail, he had been put into the next stage of partial shutdown. He had considered briefly that the sounds that had come from KARR could be sexual, but he had dispersed that thought with a chuckle. KITT had been confused when his driver refused to let out that little secret but had let him get away with it this time.
Sitting up, Michael gazed at the wall in front of him sleepily before yawning hugely and swinging himself out of bed and he stood, staggering a little. He could feel the sleep falling from his body and he shook his head and stretched before making his way to his wardrobe and pulling out the spare clothes that had been put there. He pulled them out and looked at them a little critically before shrugging. Dark royal navy, almost black jeans with a tight black muscle shirt. Nice. He noted with no small amount of amusement that he had spare underwear as well. He slung his garments over his shoulder and strode out the door, heading the directed way for the showers, noting with a wince the sound of welding and a scream from KARR. So even in partial shutdown, he could still feel things? Well, for KARR to acknowledge pain at all, that had got to hurt. That had got to hurt...a lot.
When he next came downstairs, he passed KITT who was facing KARR but near the stairs, as if waiting for him. Michael placed his hand on KITTs' hood as the Mustang moved forward with him. Mike swallowed as he glanced at KARR and Tristan. KARR had been forced under even more and Tristan had a pained expression on her face. Michael hung his head and gritted his teeth, closing his eyes. Even though KARR was pure evil, there was still a part of Michael that cared for him and right now, that part of him burned inside him like a fire. Guilt racked him and he sighed, coming to a stop and looking towards Tristan. He opened his mouth to say something but Tristan put her hand up to stop him. Michael watched her carefully and the sound of the technicians working was almost deafening.
"Michael, don't say that you could have prevented this. Pridmore ultimately caused this and KARR went in there willingly." she paused and took a deep breath, running her hands over the now cold form of the sedated AI.
"I guess he deserves some credit for his blood lust, even though, I'm not sure what he'll be like when he wakes up." she continued softly. Now she looked up at Michael and he saw that she hadn't slept well at all last night for dark circles were beginning to appear around her eyes. Michaels' hand edged back over KITT's hood to rest on the sensor bridge and he moved his fingers along and back, variating the pressure he put on the bridge. Soon, he could feel KITT starting to vibrate under his touch. It was something like a silent purr, something no-one could see or hear but only someone touching him could feel. Michael sighed and massaged his neck with his hand, removing it from KITT. She was surprised to feel the cars' weight at the back of his leg and KITT murmured.
"Don't stop, please..." KITT surprised himself with those words but he was feeling strained after the encounter with Pridmore and KARR calling him "brother". He hadn't told Michael about his stress and his "form" paced around his systems, bored, checking and double checking everything and he had been almost hysterical in his joy when Michael finally came down the stairs and made contact with him. He now registered Michaels' staggered breathing and increased adrenalin levels and sighed, to himself thinking he may have shocked the man a little and moved back, surprised to find Michael replace his hand quickly and press down. Inside himself, KITTs' form mrowed and lunged upwards to try and get the most from that touch.
Michael smiled at his partner and carried on with the movements and KITT resumed his position, pressed into his drivers leg and the vibrations increased but to the naked eye, KITT seemed just to be close to his driver and not moving. Michael closed his eyes for a moment and then turned his head to look down at the clingy AI and shook his head and pushed off KITT with a few small pats before rolling his shoulders and going over to Tristan and standing close to her, looking down at KARR through the corner of his vision. It was weird seeing the powerful Mustang just there, defenceless and "drugged" in a sense since he was basically sedated, forced to go into partial shutdown. His expression hardened and fury ran through his veins for a reason he couldn't understand and his voice shook a little when he spoke to Tristan.
"When will he be back in action?" he asked, eyes still fixed on the Mustang in front of him. Unknown to Michael, he had begun to shake a little in anger. Tristan had noticed this and placed herself between Michael and her own vehicle and leant on the hood, whilst reaching out to Michael. She ran her hand soothingly up and down his arm, feeling his muscles vibrating a little in his anger.
"Later today, Mike. Hey," she looked into his eyes and stood up fully, putting both hands on either side of his face. His eyes flashed down to hers and Tristan smiled softly at him.
"It will be fine, don't worry about it, Michael. Pridmore won't get away with this." she soothed him. "Damn right he won't..." snarled a scratchy and husky voice. KARR had fought the suppressors in his system and despite the pain, had regained consciousness. Tristan spun round and went to his front immediately, spreading her hands on his hood and checking him over, the technicians were busier than ever. Tristans eyes were searching his scanner bars which were faint but moving in a steady pattern and brightening slowly as he killed the inhibitors put in his system. His suspension came back and Tristen felt his body firm up and rise under her hand and was even more confused. How the hell did KARR find the strength to do that? It wasn't a system that was meant to be forced apart or moved without commands. KARR had just ripped and blasted his way through it. Tristan swallowed and finally found her voice.
"KARR?!"
"Yes, last time I checked, that was still me." come the sarcastic reply, the voice deepening and strengthening. They had got his MBS and self healing program online and to KARR that was all that was needed. He hated being touched by so many different people. A computer screen exploded and sparks flew everywhere as KARR snarled and killed the system inhibitors in him. Tristan stepped back as the wires fell from him, steam hissed and several sparks of healing MBS flickered over his form. Michael just stared in amazement as KARR super taut suspension come back online fully and he raise himself and roared. The computer around him virtually shattered, the wires fired and were vaporised, steam and mist swirled around him, only his scanner lights and his black outline could be seen and of course, his constant growl. He roared again and the technicians backed away from the computers and away from him. Once the smoke cleared, KARR was revealed and he was in his normal Mustang mode and snarling quietly, a few more sparks flew from him as he healed himself and his systems came back online and the quiet whine of his full recovery haunted the air around him. Inside is CPU, KARR had his teeth bared, hackles and tail raised and was easing the pain from himself.
It took fifteen more minutes for the mustang to be approachable, such were the extent of the damage sustained and the time taken to heal himself.
Tristan, predictably was the one to approach him first and lay her hand on his hood, feeling the metal warm up underneath her palm, she traced it down to the edge of it and then removed her hand, turned around and sat down in front on him, leaning her back against his solid bulk. Leaning her head back she closed her eyes, feeling KARR's temperature heat up till she was warmed throughout her body. A little gift from him to her, if he could not do anything else, at least he could make sure she was comfortably warm. Tristan sighed contentedly and leaned into him more. KARR let out a deep purr for her ears only before popping his driver s door open.
"Get in." he said quietly, voice still laced with his subsiding agony. Tristan lifted one eyebrow with her eyes still closed, her voice was languid, almost lazy, such was her comfort in her current position.
"If you plan on driving off with me and trying to seduce me in your current state, think again." she replied. KARR chuckled.
"I was planning nothing of the sort...and you know full well I can seduce you in my backseats..." he replied. Tristan cracked one eye open, closed it again and then shrugged.
"I'm in." she said and bounced up from her position and curved gracefully around KARR in a leap and then in another, shorter bound dived into his front seats. KARR shut the door with a solid "thud" and blacked out the windows. Michael pulled a wry expression.
"Oooo! Private time!"he snickered then threw KITT a death glare.
"Don't get any ideas." he warned him.
"Who? Me? Never..." KITT was the picture of innocence.
= = =
"Well, they'll be getting the help whether they like it or not." Michael was speaking to Sarah in KITT and had her face covering most of the windshield. Sarah rolled her eyes and huffed.
"Ok, then. We're going to have to collaborate on this..."
"Or just not get in their way." interrupted Michael with a dry tone to his voice, he looked up, past Sarah to see three hulking men walking towards KARR. He turned back to Sarah who rolled her eyes again.
"So, then, where is this Tristan? I'll need to speak with her if this is going to go ahead."
"Tristan is being seduced by KARR in his backseats..."
"Ew."
"Yes, I know, but it's not Tristan who you'll need to speak to...it's Thowza, or whatever he calls himself." finished Michael leaning back and stretching. He ground his teeth together making both Sarah and KITT wince.
"I wish you wouldn't do that, Michael." KITT pointed out. Michael gave him an amused look.
"He's right, I mean, it can't be for your molars..." pointed out Zoe who rolled skated over.
"Or your premolars..." added Billy who scooted behind Sarah in his chair.
Michael just lifted an eyebrow, ground his teeth once more, hard, and doubled over swearing like a cat. Sarah and Zoe burst out laughing but stopped abruptly as there was a tapping on the window.
Straitening up, Michael looked look the window, narrowing his eyes at the man outside. It was Thowra. Michael could see out but Thowra couldn't see in so it was safe for Michael to roll his eyes and then lower down the window. Thowra leant on KITT and surveyed Michael with those hard grey eyes of his. Michael nodded to him.
"Knight. In two hours time, we take down this idiot, Pridmore. Are you with us or against us?" he asked coldly, his eyes flicking to the screen and meeting Sarah s' for a brief moment. Michael was about to answer when Sarah interrupted him. Her expression was something on the brink of a sneer.
"We're "with you", if that's the correct term to use. We want out money back so apart from that, we're against you." she replied coolly. Thowra laughed softly.
"Have it your way, sweetheart. We move in two." he pushed upwards and left abruptly, rapping hard on KARRs' blacked out windows.
"We move in two hours, Tristan! Start getting ready!" he yelled at them before walking off. Michael rolled up his window just as KARR let out a bad tempered snarl.
Turning back to Sarah, he noticed she was examining her nails in a casual manner but there was a venomous look in her eyes. Michael raised one eye brow, lips curving into a smirk. Sarah gave him a withering look.
"Creep. And that goes for both of you. See you in two hours." she half snapped at him and cut off the connection. Michael roared with laughter.
= = =
Two hours later, the SSC and Thowras' small group had completely surrounded a warehouse in a rural part of California, which was where Pridmore had been seen last and been traced to. Both mustangs were in attack mode and KARR had primed his torpedoes and KITT had his EMP ready. Both itched with anticipation. Michael shifted in his seat and sat back.
"KITT, fire EMP Pulse."
"EMP Pulse fired." replied KITT as a blue wave spread out and the lights in a directed wave at the warehouse and the lights in the warehouse flickered and died. There was a raucous in the warehouse, Michael and Tristan leapt from their cars, Michael armed with a modified semi-automatic and Tristan a samurai sword with Japanese throwing stars. The signal was given.
"Go, go, go! Get his account numbers and trash the place, burn it to the ground and then leave! Move!"
KARR surged forward with KITT, both of them in attack mode. KARR let loose his torpedoes and they crashed through the flaming debris and went deep into the warehouse.
Mike and Tristan charged in just behind them and jumped on the nearest guards or fighters whilst the SSC and Thowras gang swarmed around them, creating a bloody chaos wherever they went, more Thowras' men than the SSC, to be honest.
Trist and Mike fought back to back, Tristan performing effortless swings with her Samurai and randomly stabbing and slashing with a throwing star, whilst Mike engaged in hand to hand combat.
Tristan ran a guy through the chest with her sword and threw him away and was just about to go for the next man, when he turned round and her eyes met striking dark ones. He had a beauty spot on the side of his nose and a severe expression.
...Torres??!....
Tristan rolled aside in mid lunge and landed on her back, by the time she was on her feet again, the man was off and running, she tried to take off after him but was tackled around the midsection and thrown to the floor. Tristan screamed like a panther and brought the butt of her sword down on the back of his head, just where the head joins the neck, once, twice until the sound of breaking bones rang out like a gunshot. Tristan grunted and kicked the man off her, rolling onto her font and throwing a star into the leg of and approaching attacker. He crumpled, yelling.
Tristan was about to deliver a killing blow when a deep, guttural, death embracing voice rang out.
"Files recovered."
It was KARR.
Tristan and Mike looked at each other and then into the murk of the warehouse as the sound of engines grew. KARR tore out of the gloom, quickly followed by KITT. KITT pulled up alongside KARR as they sped towards their drivers. KITT had to stop to let Michael in, but Tristan jumped onto KARRs' hood, onto his ceiling and swung into his cabin. They sped to the entrance and KARR stopped as KITT and the rest of the men who survived ran past them and got into their jeeps and trucks and moved away.
Tristan had KARR spin a full 180 so he faced the warehouse. Her eyes were hard as flint her voice laced with fury.
"Burn this place to the ground..."
"Burning the place to the ground." complied KARR and sent off to highly explosive missiles into the smoky depths of the warehouse.
Blinding light erupted as flamed surged towards the sky and Tristan covered her eyes with her arm, turning her head away to protect herself.
She started as she saw a dark figure standing beside the quickly burning warehouse, the right side of his face illuminated from time to time. Those dark eyes reflecting the fire and carnage...and he nodded once, before turning. Tristan blinked and he was gone. That had not been a vision, she had seen him twice.
She glanced at KARR who was too busy taking in the scenery to notice and then looked away again. It was best not to say anything...for now.
"Tristan! It's Mike."
A screen flared up on KARRS windshield as KARR span again and roared off down the highway. Tristan swallowed and sat back, checking their increasing speed.
"Yes, Mike."
The man on her screen smiled sadly at her and Tristan could see he was moving at some speed.
"It was great working with you and knowing you. look, the money should be transferring now as we speak, but, this is the last time we can speak, we will erase of history of our collaboration and you must convince Thowra to do the same, or there are too many loose threads." he stated.
Tristan nodded, her throat suddenly dry.
"I understand, Mike. It will be done." she rasped softly. Michael nodded and went to switch of the link but she stopped him.
"Michael, wait....I...." she desperately wanted to tell him about the man she thought was Torres but her thoughts clashed and collided. Michael creased his eyebrows.
"What? What is it?" she asked concerned. Tristan finally shook her head and gave him a quick smile.
"No..nothing. I'll miss you, it's been fun. Bye."
"Yeah....it's been fun...Take care." and the link was cut.
Tristan sighed and flopped back down on the seat, releasing control to KARR.
"Well done, KARR. Take us home."
"With pleasure"
= = = =
E.N.D