CHAPTER 9
In the afternoon, General Patel arrived unannounced to the Foundation. The wind played with a few loose strands of her hair, with her high heels clicking on the tile floor, as Jamie dashed to the west section of the Foundation, heading to the parlor where guests were escorted to the waiting area. She knew why the general was here.
General Patel stood; annoyed with her for he didn't like to wait on anyone, and growled at her. He checked out his uniform in the mirror, making sure everything was in place. He was a plain man with an attitude of a two-hundred-pound gorilla: he wasn't afraid to show it. Jamie had a fierce attitude like a tigress ready to defend her territory; she was going to need it.
"I don't like to wait." He turned slowly to show that he was in charge here. "I find it quite rude. Anyhow, it is good to see you, Alexis Jamie White." He gave a low growl for he was displeased to be here.
Jamie held back her chuckle, but this was a strategic game she was about to play. That she needed to win to keep Michael away from the general. "General, what brings you by?" she asked in her sweetest voice.
"I wanted to see how playing house was going for you, and if you needed anything, or getting bored in this fancy place," he replied.
The man was skilled and sharp as a tack. He didn't miss anything.
She giggled and patted his metals in a playful gestured to get under his skin. "How nice of you, I'm truly fine at the moment, such a nice gesture. Would you like anything to drink?"
He took a step closer to her, staring into her eyes, and wanted to intimidate her. "This isn't a social visit," he snapped, as he removed her hand from his medals and ribbons.
Her green eyes grew huge. Then she gave a playful laugh. "It's not... you could have fooled me... asking me if I needed anything." Tapping her finger on her face, she said, "Maybe you're the one that needs something."
He growled again out of disgust. "Acting like a child is beneath you, Alexis."
"I'm confused. First, you ask if there's anything I need. Then you tell me this isn't a social visit. Now, you tell me I'm acting like a child. Perhaps, you are the one acting like the child, sir." She narrowed her eyes to glare at him.
The general let of out a puff of air. "Fine, I will tell you why I'm here. If I can't have Michael Knight. Then I want the car!" He demanded.
"That's not within my power, sorry."
He took another step trying to scare her and refused to back down from his position. "FLAG is over! Alexis, you're on a sinking ship."
"All this nasty advice isn't helping your deaf pleads, sir."
"I hate to see a bright and young woman wasting her youth behind bars below the surface."
She folded her arms across her chest. "I can't give you the car because I don't have jurisdiction. I'm here to investigate the charges against Mr. Knight."
"I can wait, he will be mine soon enough, and the car too because I have the time. Alexis, any of your rogue stunts, I'll see personally, that I get your head."
General Patel walked away from her; she whirled around to stare him down.
"Sir," she said.
He stopped, turning around.
"General, if I discover that you are behind these charges, I'll personally nail your hide to the wall."
He bit down grinding his teeth. "I'll be watching you."
"Be my guest, sir, because I am easy to watch," she said.
General Patel stormed out of the parlor.
"This is about KITT. So, he is taking the opportunity to seize the car," she mumbled and thought about her next move. Her head began to pound on the right side, she headed to her bedroom to lay down.
After a short nap and then a hot shower, her head was feeling better, and Jamie stopped a migraine in time. Now, in another set of dress clothes with a pair of tan flats. Her beige shirt and brown pants on and with her hair pinned up, feeling professional, but she longed to wear jeans and a t-shirt instead. Leaving her bedroom, she noticed the Foundation was too quiet. There was no one making noise or just chatting. Remembering, she had an access card to the garage, looking at her watch. She had plenty of time to investigate the garage before leaving to the lab.
"Hey, mate?" yelled Chloe, "where are you going?" Her friend had a habit suddenly appearing out of nowhere. The truth was Chloe always kept an eye on Jamie.
"I'm going to the garage to check something out," Jamie said, adding, "General Patel is after the car."
"I know what that means. You are searching for trouble." Chloe put her hands on her hips, standing in front of Jamie. "Boss, I don't like this case, because there is a huge boatload of trouble aiming for you. Derrick said he couldn't find that Bonnie woman and this place got quiet after the General left."
Jamie looked at her friend and knew that Chloe was concerned about her. "I cannot drop this case."
"Why not? This is your future we are discussing here!"
"This is my uncle's dream and his legacy. I cannot watch or stand aside and let it be destroyed by outsiders," she explained.
They reached the garage, Jamie used the access card, as the door closed and open. They entered the computerized garage, with flashing red lights from a role of towering computers, sitting against the north wall. Steel cabinets were on the east wall holding the equipment and tools. Next to them, there was a computer station and a little sitting area with the kitchenette.
"Is this a garage or a fancy lab?" Chloe ask.
"Both. They must have hidden him somewhere else." Jamie walked around searching for clues with the car was at.
"What are you talking about?" Chloe asked, looking through the kitchenette for clues.
"That's on need-to-know." Jamie sighed. "Also the new location for me." She walked to the computer station, which wasn't working. "Trust is in short supply around here."
"You can't blame them, you are working for the enemy, and not everyone is going to buy that you are neutral in this investigation," Chloe said.
"There's another possibility." Jamie sighed. "The powers that be in Washington DC may not tell us about crucial decisions, for we may warn FLAG."
"Do you believe Mr. Knight is innocent of the charges?" Chloe asked.
Jamie stood, trying to gather up her emotions. There was something about Michael that made her emotional. It was difficult for her to stay logical, and Chloe could always read her. "It is looking..."
Knocking came from the door, Chloe let out a huge sighed and walked to it.
"Saved by the other person," Jamie mumbled and turned around to see Derrick holding an envelope. "What's going on?"
"Spider said, you would understand," he said, and gave her the envelope.
Jamie opened it, pulling out a piece of paper, as she gasped, biting her bottom lip. This was a major clue that changed everything, while her heart pounded, and felt the danger level rising over her head. She held up the piece of paper to the camera.
Devon stood, and watched the monitor in disbelief in a backup office on the grounds. Bonnie's face was pale, while she raced in with a file, as she tried to hide her fear. Once again, they found themselves in a middle of a nightmare scenario that was getting dangerous. The one word that reminded Devon and Bonnie this was their reality without Michael's help.
"How is this possible?" Bonnie asked.
"I don't know how. It's here. And explains a lot why General Patel wants KITT."
Bonnie stared at the screen studying Jamie. "Can we trust her?"
"Michael is going to need her assistance. So, yes." Devon was reading the file and then walked away. "We have a lot of work that needs to get done for time is running out."
Bonnie studied the screen to see Jamie staring into the camera with her green eyes burning with anger and fear, as she held the paper with a single word: KARR.
KARR was the first prototype that Wilton Knight created, and it was evil and dangerous for it was programmed with self-preservation. As for KITT was programmed to protect human life. Bonnie had hoped from the last encounter with KARR that Michael and KITT had destroyed it.
Somehow, KITT's evil twin had survived.
"Bonnie, are you coming?" Devon asked.
She raced to join Devon.
