Switch

by Macx

set in the Fire&Ice universe; it was a completely normal surveillance and investigation case, but a small lab accident changes Michael and Nick's view of their partners -- quite severely

Switch
by Birgit Stäbler

Author's note: I've been told by one of my beta readers, elfin, that the fic's theme was handled lighter than the usual Fire&Ice stuff, especially considering what is happening in Switch.
This is intentional.
Switch was written after a long row of darker fics and my mind just decided to make this lighter than it could be.
Thank you :)

There was darkness for an undetermined time, silent and complete. Then sound intruded, garbled. It roused his brain, urging him to do something.
Nick didn't know what was worse. The actual moment before losing consciousness or the moment after his mind was waking up again, confused and muddled, trying to make sense of what he remembered last. It wasn't much, he decided. He remembered going to the research lab with Michael and Bonnie, then there was a blank.
Great, his mind decided. Just great. No idea what had happened and too groggy to get his thought processes into a semblance of order. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. It just hurt, period.
Well, he had to start somewhere, so he blinked his eyes open. His view was slightly tilted since he lay on the floor, and what he could see wasn't all that much. Mostly gray wall space and something that his mind insisted he should know.
Sitting up was a task. He felt like he had been run over by a tank who had then invited its twin to do the same. It wasn't so much pain but a huge ache in his head, bordering to a migraine but not really there yet. It translated down into his teeth and neck, and he wished it would stop. A moan alerted him to a second person close by and when he turned his head, clenching his teeth against the sudden flaring pain, he discovered Michael. His friend lay sprawled next to the lab table, currently fighting the same fight Nick had to get up. Blurry eyes tried to focus and finally they focused on Nick.
"Nick?" Michael's raspy voice could be heard.
"You okay?"
Nick decided he didn't sound any better than Michael.
"I feel like hell. What happened?"
"You tell me." Nick managed to raise himself to his knees, though it was more willpower than actual bodily strength. "I haven't the faintest."
"We're at Senecca, right?"
Michael coordinated his limbs enough to sit up, rubbing his temples. Migraine, Nick decided. Whatever had hit them, it hadn't made any difference between the two men. Now he looked around and nodded.
"Yeah, Senecca."
There was a light flashing outside the room they had been in and now that he finally managed to control his focus, he discovered a third person in the room as well. Dr. Walter Kramer, his brain told him. The man who had.... what had he shown them? Something... something about a magnetic detector, wasn't it? There was this hazy recollection about a malfunction. It was a medical fact that people lost some of their last memories just before the black-out. NIck felt he now belonged to those people.
Michael finally found his feet and stumbled over to Nick. He gazed at Kramer's form in puzzlement. Nick didn't think he was able to kneel down and check the scientist for life signs without finding himself right next to him on the floor as well.
"That's Kramer," Michael mumbled. "He showed us the MAD....."
Yes, Nick's brain called happily. The MAD. Kramer's research pet project. Something about a new, improved model. FLAG and Senecca had worked together on several other projects in the past before making this one their latest joint venture. When Senecca had taken on the MAD project, the Foundation had asked for a security check and sent Michael. Michael had muttered about being no watchman or professional in the matters of alarms and locks, so Nick had volunteered. It had been a nice change for once and he had wanted to look around Senecca anyway - without having to break in.
Everything was slowly coming back, but something was still very wrong. It wasn't the fact that Michael and him had found themselves unconscious on the floor. Or that Kramer was still either out or worse, dead. Something was nagging him.
The door was flung open and several people stormed in. The sudden volume of voices demanding to know what was going on and the screech of sirens from outside only served to intensify Nick's headache. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing them to go away. What had happened? Why had they been unconscious?
Karr?> he asked, turning to the only other source of information he had except for his own, rather leaky memory.
There was a shift in the presence that was always with him and Nick felt alarms rise inside his own head, drowning out those of the real world. Inside his mind, he turned to the link, gazing down the connection he had to his AI partner. The presence was still there, linked to him through the neuro implant in the back of his neck, connected to his mind more intimately than thought possible. It was pulsing, alive, and... not Karr. It couldn't be Karr. After over a decade, Nick knew his partner inside out, could tell apart the slight nuances in the ripples, could read pulses as if they were printed text. This wasn't Karr. It was different but the same, so very much alike but...
"Oh my god," he mumbled.
No one heard him. In the real world, people were swarming around the lab, among them paramedics. One was examining Michael, another was trying not to let Nick swat him away as the ex-agent fought with his inner balance.
Kitt?!>

*

Michael felt groggy, but his headache was slowly receding. While he wasn't very sure about what had happened, a large part of his mind was certain it hadn't been an attack. The MAD had suddenly fired up and they had blacked out. That much he gathered. Paramedics swarmed around him and Nick; two had picked up Kramer and wheeled him out on a stretcher. He was asked questions and answered them as best as possible.
Nick, who had finally freed himself of the helpers, staggered over to him. Neither was very stable on his feet.
"Michael?"
There was something strange in Nick's voice and not just the raspiness.
"Have you talked to Kitt yet?"
The expression in those blue eyes was suddenly very intense, chasing the clouds from Michael's mind.
//Kitt?//
Something was there. He felt it and since the presence had been in the back of his mind, he hadn't felt any alarm upon waking. Now he turned completely toward where his partner usually sat - and frowned.
//Kitt....?//
No, it couldn't be Kitt. It felt different. He knew Kitt. Michael tilted his head and gazed at the presence, then suddenly withdrew in shock. No! No, no, no! He back-pedalled and nearly did so in the real world as well. A hand clamping down on his arm, squeezing hard, brought him back to reality. Shocked, he stared at Nick, who returned his wide-eyed look calmly.
"Thought as much," the dark-haired man remarked.
"You.... Kitt?"
He nodded.
Michael groaned and buried his head in his hands. Immediately, one of the paramedics was at his side, insisting he and Nick went to a hospital. Michael, too shocked to argue, just nodded. He doubted any doctor in this world could cure what had happened though.

* * *

Nick sat on the examination bed in the hospital, patiently waiting for any of the rather harried looking nurses or doctors to come by. Their little accident had coincided with a multiple car pile-up two hours earlier, and since the paramedics working for Senecca had a contract with the Memorial, Michael and Nick were trapped here. Michael had been whisked off to another cubicle, so Nick sat all alone by himself. He had crossed his legs at his ankles and was gazing at the light blue curtain that prohibited his view of the outside world. There was nothing here he hadn't seen before, so he turned his gaze inward, studying the new presence at the other side of the link.
Kitt was a soft, whitish presence, pulsing gently, sitting behind hastily erected barriers. He was watching Nick, but he didn't attempt to either talk to or touch the other mind. Nick was grateful for it. Right now, he didn't think he could deal with it. Still, he had to eventually.
Nick wondered how Karr was. He needed to talk to his partner. Badly. While Michael still had his com-link, Nick hadn't worn the earpiece and throat mike. He normally only carried those devices with him on cases, and even then he relied on the mind-link more often than not. It had become a convenience, an easy, silent way to communicate. It wasn't the nauseating last-ditch option in case everything went down the drain, it was an everyday way of checking on his partner, gauging his mood, simply talking, and being there. Nick and Karr had taught Kitt and Michael how to control the link; Kitt and Michael had taught them how to use its full potential.
His thoughts were interrupted by a middle-aged nurse who pushed the curtains aside. She jotted down his answers to her questions concerning his name, address and insurance. Nick didn't even have to think too hard. The data was an easily remembered, forged identity. The nurse was soon followed by a doctor who poked and prodded him. Nick let it happen for now, answering more questions and making it clear he didn't intend to stay the night, much to the doctor's chagrin. The man finished his examination, then it was back to waiting again.
Nick lay back and turned his attention to his new partner. Kitt?> he tried.
Maybe communication was possible. He had to find out a few things and he knew he wouldn't be released for maybe another thirty minutes. Much as he usually left the hospital at the first moment, this time was slightly different. It gave him the time to try out what this meant. There was a fluctuation in the presence and Kitt seemed to approach.
Hello, Nick> he said carefully.
Nick felt a shiver race down his spine. This was different. Hell, this was as different as fire was from ice. Kitt wasn't Karr; had never been. Nick hadn't had a doubt about it before, but touching Kitt now.... It was beyond words. And he hadn't even let his barriers down.
Hi> he replied cautiously.
It was not like the few times he had felt Kitt while he was close to Karr. Back then, there had been a filter between them in form of the older AI.
Michael told me what happened> Kitt continued gently. I understand what occurred>
Good. Do you have any contact with Karr?>
Of course. He is disturbed, like me, but he likewise understands>
Nick nodded slowly. He knew this had to have hit the AI even worse than him. It sounded stupid, but Karr had been made for him, not for Michael. While Michael could deal with the neuro implant as professionally as Nick could, he had never had to deal with Karr without Kitt or Nick's interference.
Hope Michael's not too freaked> he muttered.
Kitt chuckled, a soft vibration along the link. No. Karr has erected blocks to keep Michael from actually touching him>
Good thinking, Nick lauded silently. He was about to send an order, then stopped and rearranged the wording. Kitt, do you have Dr. D'Angelo's number?> he asked.
Yes>
Could you call her?>
Nick wasn't used to asking in so many words. Normally he would simply have told Karr to call their friend, but he was trying to immediately adjust to this new situation. Kitt wasn't used to snapped, brisk orders all the time.
Of course, Nick>
Nick gazed at the ceiling of the cubicle. He still felt headachy and his neck muscles were all cramped, but he was actually not on the verge of a full blown separation panic. Kitt's presence was helping fill the invisible hole.
How is Michael faring?>
As well as you> Kitt answered. He also insists on getting out of here right now>
Nick chuckled. Nothing new there.

They were released three hours later with sheets of paper full of medical advice, a prescription painkiller and the firm order to get some rest. Dr. Kramer would have to remain in the hospital over night since he hadn't regained consciousness until the ambulance had arrived in front of the emergency room.
Nick crumbled the paper into a ball and tossed it into the next garbage can. It was closely followed by Michael's. The two men walked silently out into the car park where the TransAm and the Stealth sat side by side. Nick stopped in front of Karr's dark prow and looked at Michael.
"Kitt called Christa. I hope she has an idea," he said slowly.
Michael nodded. "This is awkward."
"More than that. You dealing okay?"
Michael snorted. "As okay as you can expect." He leaned against Kitt and Nick saw the brief expression of pain flicker across his features as he tried to touch his partner out of habit and failed to find him.
"Freaky, hm?"
Michael shot him a quick look, then just shrugged. "Kinda."
Nick pointed at the com-link. "It's back to the roots."
A grin. "It's not like I forgot how to do it." The grin disappeared just as quickly. "So, what now? How could this happen and why did it happen?"
"That's what I want to find out, Michael. I doubt it was a simple malfunction." Nick opened the door and slid into the Stealth.
Michael followed his lead and got into his car. The two vehicles tooled out of the parking lot.

* * *

"Well, I can't exactly say how it happened, just tell you what it did." Dr. Christa D'Angelo looked at the two men. "The pulse from this Magnetic Anomaly Detector completely rearranged your neuro implant settings. It was something between a total crash and a reset. As I see it, and my colleague agrees," she nodded at Bonnie, "the neuro patterns were so completely scrambled that the implant had to reboot in a way. It sought out the next available link and connected to it."
"But why not go for the old one?" Nick wanted to know matter-of-factly.
"I don't know, Nick."
"Can you reset it again?" Michael asked.
"Not without surgery and that's out of the question. I won't fiddle with your brains, gentlemen, since I have no clue what each neuro wire in your brains does. Bonnie explained the technicalities of the implant to me and I agree with her that they might reset themselves after a while. The pulse pushed them off course and since both of you have been implanted for so long now, I believe your mind will do the descrambling. It just takes time."
Nick looked thoughtful. "It's all theoretical."
Christa nodded. "Of course. There's no precedence to this. No one apart from the two of you has undergone the implantation and running a simulation on a machine won't help us here. You are unique."
"As much as this flatters me, I'd like to know how long it takes till I get Kitt back on the link. No offence," Michael added, looking at Nick.
"None taken. I'd prefer the old setting as well."
"We could try stimulating the implant," Bonnie now spoke up, smiling as she noticed Michael's grimace. "It wouldn't be pleasant."
"No thanks," Michael sighed. "I'd rather let it work itself out. Even if it takes a while."
"Define 'a while'," Nick muttered, rubbing his neck. His eyes flickered over to the rail. Just a floor below sat the physical forms of their two partners, but currently, Karr was as far away from him as was possible.
Neither of them was going through separation because the presence on the other side of the link was still there. It just wasn't the presence they were used to. Nick was trying to cope with the warmth and white light, while Michael was being blocked from Karr's mind presence with everything the other AI had. No, this wasn't a situation he wanted to last.

* * *

Senecca was a private research company that mostly worked for the government. They had a wide range of expertise in some pretty different fields of research. Their projects ranged from sophisticated engine blocks for marine vessels to geological land survey and biochemical research. Michael had read up on them just before visiting the facility. While Senecca as such wasn't a name widely known, the company had made some astounding discoveries and worked hard on realizing them for mass production. Senecca as such, the mother company, never stepped into the spot light. Their two subsidiary companies, AllTeck and Secur did that for it.
Driving past the security check post at the main gate, Michael looked thoughtfully at the sprawling gray complex of the main facility. Senecca was huge, consisting of multiple, one-story labs with interconnecting, underground walkways, and the representative office structures right near the entrance. That simple security check had turned into something else. What it was, he had no clue. Maybe it had been a simple malfunction, maybe it had been more. Somehow he didn't think the whole accident had been related to his or Nick's presence. No one here knew about the implants and even if someone did, there was no guarantee that the anomaly detector would affect them in any way.
Parking Kitt outside the office building, Michael cut the engine. He sighed softly.
"Michael?"
"Yes, buddy?" he answered, barely remembering in time not to make it a mental question.
"Are you okay?"
It was an almost innocent question, but Michael knew the depth of where it reached. Was he all right? Was he fine? The answer was simple. No, he wasn't. He was separated from Kitt, linked to Karr, and he still felt too good. That 'good feeling' was what made him feel bad in turn. He should go through separation pains, but he didn't. He was fine, he was okay. Not on top of the world, but good.
"No," he answered honestly, gently running a thumb over the sensor. "No, I'm not. I miss you."
There was a soft hum, something normally only heard inside his mind. Now it was audible, made audible so he could perceive it.
"I miss you, too," Kitt answered softly. "Nick's presence helps to ease the loss, but he's…. not you," Kitt finished, sounding embarrassed.
Michael laughed softly. "Same here. I'm glad I'm not a complete mental and physical wreck, but Karr….."
"Is different."
"Yeah."
Michael never ceased his strokes. He thanked the powers that be that neither he nor Nick were out of the picture completely, taking their respective partners with them, but this wasn't a solution either.
"It will heal," Kitt said with conviction.
Really? Michael thought, not uttering a word, gazing at the world outside. What if it didn't? He swallowed and chased the dark thoughts aside. It would heal. Christa had told them it would reset. It wasn't a hundred percent certainty, but it presented them with a good chance.
Michael turned back to the case at hand, to Senecca. He didn't know what he would find here or whether there was actually anything to find, but it was better to be out and about than to sit at home and read computer files. It kept him occupied and too busy to think about their current situation. Nick and Karr had left, investigating on their own. He was glad for it, but he also knew that it didn't solve the pressing matter at hand: the switch.
Bonnie had argued that he should stay home for a day and simply get some rest. Michael had countered that there was nothing physically wrong with him. The injury was in his mind, concerning a piece of metal. There was nothing rest could do for him.
Nick had been right that it was back to the roots, and for Michael, it wasn't that much of a great change really. He still used the com link on missions. Nevertheless, it was awkward and he found himself turning to the link to talk to his partner, just reassure himself of Kitt's presence as he always did, but then he realized that Kitt wasn't there. Karr wasn't really there either, he had to confess. The darker AI had yet to talk to him and he had erected more blocks around him with each passing hour. Kitt had acknowledged that he and Nick had communicated already and that he was doing fine; Karr refused cooperation. Not that he needed him to pass the time, but Michael felt unwell with the current situation of enforced silence.
"We'll be in touch," he muttered.
"Of course, Michael," was Kitt's calm reply.
Michael smiled, briefly touching the sensor pad that had been almost neglected in the past. They hadn't needed it. The touch through the implant was much more than this physical sensation could ever be. Now it had to do.
He was met by a security guard as he entered the office building and led down the long, winding hallways. There was glass, marble and steel everywhere, tastefully arranged. Sun poured in through the windows and the artificial light of the large lamps increased the effect. It was impressive, but slightly too much for Michael's liking.
"Mr. Knight!" A tall, gray-haired man in his late fifties greeted him, brown eyes looking him up and down. "I hope you feel well again."
"I'm fine, Dr. Harper," Michael replied while he was calling himself a liar in his mind. He was far from fine, but also not as bad as it could have been.
"Terrible, terrible accident. It shouldn't have happened, Mr. Knight."
"I'm aware of that and it's the reason why I'm back."
Harper sighed. "I hope this changes nothing concerning the Foundation's funding of our project?"
"That's not for me to decide," Michael replied smoothly. "I'm here to check security and yesterday's incident might be a security problem, or simply a computer error."
Harper nodded, looking unhappy. He was the head of the two large AllTeck research facilities that were working on several dozen smaller projects. Harper himself had welcomed Nick and Michael yesterday, giving them the grand tour that had ended in Kramer's lab and the test room where the MAD had knocked them out.
"Dr. Kramer is still at the hospital," the older man told him. "Security has shut down the lab and secured the MAD."
Michael nodded. "I will talk to Dr. Kramer when he has been released. I'd like to know more about the MAD security plans and general security measures concerning Senecca."
"Of course. You will have top clearance to look around the facilities, Mr. Knight. No problem. You can also access all reports, files and protocols you need from here."
Harper opened a door and gestured for Michael to enter. The room was square, more or less empty except for a row of desks, and had a floor-to-ceiling window that gave a good view of a large part of the facility. The desks were made of a metal, had a clear desk top, and there was a computer screen set into the surface with touch-pad keys.
"I understand you are cleared for these kind of top security files by your company, Mr. Knight, so I'll leave you to access the computers. If you want to have a look around, please tell the guard outside. He will issue you a special security card."
Michael nodded. Devon had made sure that he would be able to get what he needed from Senecca. Even if there was a file he wouldn't be able to open, he could always ask Kitt, or Nick, to crack it.
Harper left him alone and Michael sat down on one of the chairs.
"Kitt?" he asked into the comlink.
"Here, Michael."
He smiled. Of course Kitt was there. "Any ideas where I should start?"
"Patch the comlink into the socket for the portables. I think I can access the mainframe from there."
Michael took off the new and improved wrist watch com link and pulled at the innocent looking dial on the right of the display. It extended, pulling a thin wire out of the casing. He connected the com link to the terminal and waited. Kitt could enter any mainframe or computer the com link was connected to within seconds, without having to crack security codes. Anyway, Michael had been cleared to browse around. It shouldn't be a problem.
"I have found the two projects Dr. Kramer was working on lately. One was a refinement of the old Magnetic Anomaly Detectors. Basically, the MAD is a big electromagnet, without any pull. It is generally mounted either under or in the tail of maritime recon planes and used for searching for submarines or wrecks, as well as for mapping purposes.
The second project is a new reactor for submarines. The engine works on a chemical basis, generating the power the boat needs. It consists of a hydrogen and oxygen tank, a reactor, that looks like a sponge, and a water tank. The water is a by-product of the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen, which also gives the engine its power. The whole engine uses no more than one third of the original reactor's space."
Michael frowned as he saw the files open on the touch screen. "How top secret is this stuff?"
"The MAD is running as clearance level 5, the new reactor as 7."
"Kramer was working on both projects?"
"Affirmative. He had an advisory position on the reactor project and was head of the MAD research. Both are far from finished, Michael. The new MAD has just been tested once. The reactor hasn't left the lab testing stage yet."
"Okay, anything on what happened yesterday? Security reports and so on?" Michael wanted to know.
"There is very little. The MAD is still deactivated and taken off all power generators until further notice. Dr. Kramer's team is looking into the sudden activation. They believe it was a computer glitch. The MAD is activated and deactivated over a secure computer protocol from the lab outside the test tube. While you and Nick were inside the chamber, there was no one at the controls. Dr. Kramer had been scheduled to look into some design problems concerning the magnet's shielding against outside influence. He was the only one locked into the computer system."
"And he was with us in the lab. He was knocked out as well."
"Exactly," Kitt agreed.
Michael frowned more. "Was it a computer glitch?"
"Unknown. I don't have enough data yet."
"Can you pull security protocols from here?"
"Yes."
"Do it. I want to know if there were problems lately. I also want to know who works on the MAD, now and in the past. We'll check their backgrounds if necessary."
"As you wish, Michael. Do you think this was aimed at us?"
"For some reason, no. But I want to be sure." Michael gazed out of the window. "If it was aimed at us, how could the person in question know both Nick and I would enter the MAD test chamber? If the machine had been fired with us outside, nothing would have happened. It sounds a bit far fetched."
"But you don't think it was an accident."
He sighed. "Call it a gut feeling, Pal. Anything from Nick?"
"Shouldn't you know?" Kitt teased.
Michael grimaced. "Very funny. Ha-ha. Karr's not exactly talkative. I don't even know if he's paying attention to me or not. He completely shut off."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault. Is he always like that?"
Kitt chuckled. "Most of the time, yes."
Michael raked a hand through his hair. "Great."
He looked at the screen again and decided there was nothing here he could use. He pushed himself away from the desk and left the room. Outside, a security guard nodded at him and Michael was led to the lab where the accident had happened. Apparently, Harper had informed his people.

* * *

"You okay?"
The question sounded unnaturally loud in the otherwise silent cockpit. Nick, leaning back in the dark leather seats, gazed at the dash as if he could read something from the smooth displays.
"According to my last checks, I am functional," Karr replied neutraly.
Nick sighed. "You know that's not what I meant."
Silence again. Karr dragged it out for some time, then a soft rumble escaped the voice synthesizer. "I am dealing."
"Aren't we all?" Nick mumbled, feeling exhausted and drained. The events were catching up with him and he hadn't slept since he had left the hospital.
He reached out and touched the sensor. Back when the link had been nothing but an unnatural addition to both parties involved in Wilton's experiment, the sensor had been Nick's way of reaching for Karr. Of touching the AI to tell him he cared. He hadn't been able to express it in any other way; he still wasn't able to voice it. At least vocally. The link had enabled him to send emotions, even if that concept had freaked him at first. Nick's emotions were under a tight wrap and nothing ever leaked unless he allowed it to; or lost control.
Today the sensor was still there, accessible but rarely used. The close bond through the implant made it redundant. Now, it was Nick's only way to touch Karr, tell him he wasn't alone.
"Kitt seems to be adjusting to it," Karr now remarked.
"Appearances are everything," Nick replied calmly. "I'm not Michael."
"Thank goodness."
He laughed. "That bad?"
"I'm currently not the one to judge."
Nick left his hand on the sensor, feeling a low, barely perceptible rumble course through his body. It was a faint vibration, though strong enough for him to recognize it.
"You won't let him close?"
"Why should I? His mere presence at the other end of the link suffices."
Nick thought over his brief interaction with Kitt. It had been weird, but pleasant. He didn't feel guilty because of it. It had been a necessity and he used assets as they came.
"Just make sure those walls between you two don't accidentally launch you into separation trauma," he then said quietly.
Karr was silent for a moment. "I'm monitoring the link," he then answered. "I won't let it happen to either party involved."
Nick smiled. "I think Kitt's grateful for it. And so am I."
Karr didn't answer that. He didn't have to. Nick knew he wouldn't let anything happen to Michael Knight and if he had to drop the walls a fraction, he would. Karr would call it survival instinct; Nick called it caring.

* * *

Michael sat in his motel room, going through the data he had dug up in the depth of Senecca's system. He had returned three hours ago, finding Nick's room empty. Their rooms were interconnecting and Nick had not locked his side.
"This is useless," he muttered as he skimmed over the next report. "Everything looks good. No problems with any of the team's members except for what you normally find. No criminal deeds except the occasional speeding or parking ticket, no mysterious pasts, nothing."
Kramer himself, who Michael had first suspected to be the target of this 'accident', had no real enemies, except for his colleagues. Rivalry in the lab was a common phenomenon. Everyone wanted to have the great breakthrough. Kramer was head of a team, he had worked with many of the men and women at Senecca before and he had never had any problems with either of them. The same went for all victims from prior incidents. There was also no relation between them. Different labs, different projects, and they had even held different positions.
"Not completely, Michael," Kitt's voice came from the comlink.
"What have you got?" he now asked, catching himself just a fraction of a second away from using the neuro link.
"Before Dr. Kramer became head of the MAD research project, Dr. Joan Zimmer applied for the position. She had the best chances of becoming the new project leader, but then Kramer was taken off the reactor project to head the MAD. She made quite a scene, as security reported. She had to be removed from Harper's office, called him a liar and a cheat, as well as a few other choice names....."
"Is she still working for Senecca?"
"Apparently. She refused to work under Dr. Kramer, so Harper reassigned her to a smaller team that only peripherally works on the MAD problem. Her contract states she is an employee of AllTeck, the subsidiary company."
"Did she ever threaten Kramer, Kitt?"
"According to the recorded data, no."
Michael rubbed his neck and leaned back against the pillows. "Well, that's something to work on tomorrow. Is Nick here yet?"
"I'm not a spy, Michael," Kitt chastised him mildly.
He smiled. "I know. You could ask Karr."
"So could you."
He groaned. "No, thank you."
There was a brief silence. "Karr estimates their time of arrival around 2 a.m."
Michael glanced at the radio clock on the night stand. That meant in about three hours. He was too tired to stay awake that long. If Nick had found anything important, he would have called. Swinging his legs over the bed's edge, he rose and walked into the bathroom. He would call it a night and see what tomorrow brought.

* * *

Nick had almost immediately fallen from barely awake into deeply asleep upon hitting the bed. He and Karr had arrived later than estimated because of a quick stop at a coffee shop where Nick had bought another coffee. They had hit a traffic jam on the highway five minutes later as an accident had closed two of the three lanes. Karr had been silent since, shutting down some functions to recharge, while the rest of his sensors were keeping track of his driver.
Kitt regarded the blue presence with interest. Nick was so different from Michael and it sparked a child-like curiosity. He carefully reached out and touched the mind that was temporarily connected to him. It wasn't Michael's warm amber he was used to. Nick wasn't cold; far from it. There was a human warmth there Kitt wouldn't have expected if not for the link. Nick was human, of course, but he could be emotionally so cold that it came as a surprise that he wasn't when touching him on this level. He wondered what Karr saw when he touched Nick; he wondered how he perceived Michael now. He ran a tendril along the fragmented shields, noting the bad shape they were in, wondering from what incident these fragments had remained. Those were old shields, not new ones. Ancient, even. Protecting scars, he realized.
Kitt shivered as he gazed at the battle scars, old and healed, signs of prior fights with another mind. The blue light was marred by them, but still beautiful in its own way. Compassion rose inside him and he retreated out of the area. This was private, not for his eyes, even if he was the only one currently seeing them. Even if it was just temporary. Nick's presence shifted and Kitt backed away, aware that he was trespassing, taking advantage of Nick's lowered shields to snoop. The ex-agent had been too exhausted to put up much of a defense and Kitt knew that Nick trusted him not to sneak around. While Karr had curled up into a steel ball that no one could touch and that didn't radiate its presence, Kitt was trying not to shut the other man out. They had been thrown together by an accident but Michael had yet to even talk to Karr through the link.
Kitt doubted that Karr would hurt Michael, but his brother was almost paranoid in his behavior. He had encapsulated himself, putting up enough blocks so Michael was simply feeling something but nothing definite. Karr was convinced he would hurt him. Nick on the other hand had had no problems communicating with Kitt, though he was keeping his presence distanced, always swallowing down any harsh reaction, likewise shielding. Kitt sighed. It wasn't like he was made of glass, he mused, and neither was Michael. Still, the other two insisted not to venture out any further than they had already chosen.
At least Nick talked to him. It was strange in a way, having another voice come down the connection he usually shared with Michael, and he missed his partner dearly, but there wasn't any separation pain. He was thankful for that.
Nick moved in his sleep and Kitt risked a quick touch. The blue light shivered, feeling warm and soft to the touch, and Kitt smiled, running a fine tendril over it. Suddenly there was a brief spike, then a flash that vanished so quickly, Kitt wasn't sure it had been real. As he tried to move away, he became aware of where he was. Or wasn't. He no longer saw the blue spark in the scarred environment. He stood in the middle of a deserted wasteland, sand underneath his feet. Feet? Kitt felt surprise rise in him, then his attention was drawn to the debris. Lots of debris. Small parts, large parts, all so familiar, and he shivered. It had once been a car. The K.A.R.R., a tiny part of him whispered. He didn't know why, but he was aware of the fact.
His view shifted as he moved closer to the debris, without actually thinking about walking. It wasn't him, he realized. He was simply seeing this. He saw the broken and burned wreckage, the barely recognizable form of his brother. The TransAm. As he had been before. The person whose eyes he was looking through knelt in front of an array of microchips and a hand reached out, gently brushing sand from the surviving CPU.
"Too late again, right?" someone said and Kitt flinched.
Nick?
"Like last time," Nick's voice continued, freeing the CPU. "I should let it end here and now, you know. It would be so much better for us. Easier. But I can't. We were made, we are survivors, we have to live with this, and maybe there is a chance for both of us."
A dry chuckle could be heard.
"I know you are still there. I know you want to live. So do I. We can only do it together."
Hands grabbed the CPU and pulled it from the debris, sand cascading off the black, dented case.
"You do not own me!"
The harsh declaration snapped Kitt around and he stared wide-eyed at the darkness that now encroached upon him. Black, threatening, cutting into his mind like razor blades.
"No one owns me! No human ever did!"
It was Karr's voice, but so different from now. It hurt to listen to it, it was agony to feel his touch, and like a spectator, Kitt saw Nick crumble down, yelling in pain. He wanted to stop it, but he couldn't move.
"If I die, so do you." The whisper was loud enough to be a scream.
"I'm not dependent on you!"
It was like a declaration of all-out war, but with each stab or slash Karr took at the human connected to him, he weakened as well. Kitt didn't know long the battle took, but he saw the scars this had inflicted, he cried silently as he saw the bleeding tears in Nick's walls. And he saw Karr curl up into a dying, black spark, shivering and miserable. He wanted nothing more than to be accepted, to have an existence. But he had been cast away, shut down and abandoned, and the pain had multiplied over the years. He had let it all out, hurting the one who had helped, hurting himself in turn.
"We cannot live without the other," Nick whispered, sounding hoarse. "Wilton Knight connected us, Karr."
"I don't want this," Karr argued weakly.
"But you want to live."
Silence.
"Then accept what it means."
The world swirled back into focus and Kitt finally managed to free himself from the cluster of memories, shocked. He knew all about Nick and Karr's early encounters from his brother, but he had never felt it so vividly, like he had been there as well. In a way he had been, right now, in a memory.
Kitt retreated completely. He knew he had seen more than he should have. He had had no right, but it had been an accident. He had touched an area no one had visited in a long time. He doubted Karr had ever ventured there and Nick would lock the experience up.
So many scars, he thought sadly. So much pain. It had taken them both too long to realize that their partnership was more than simple necessity to survive, that it could be beauty and warmth. But they had, and that was important.
Kitt smiled slightly. He had been given an insight into the enigmatic man Nicholas MacKenzie was and he treasured the memory, painful as it was. He would have to be more careful as he used the link to Nick because this was as treacherous as quicksand. Nick's mind was not Michael's.

* * *

Michael and Nick met in the morning in Michael's room, Nick bringing breakfast along. He had discovered a near-by coffee shop with a decent breakfast offer. They had to reheat the scrambled eggs and bacon strips, but the coffee was still boiling hot.
"Okay, so Dr. Zimmer's our suspect," Michael said around a mouthful of cream cheese bagel.
"Sounds almost too easy." Nick walked over to the microwave as it announced that the eggs were finished with an insistent beeping noise.
"Sometimes it doesn't have to be complicated," Michael commented.
His friend smiled briefly. "True. We just need proof."
Michael held up a piece of paper. "Here's her address. Searching rooms for incriminating evidence is your forte. I'll see what I can find out about her from her colleagues. I also want to talk to Kramer."
Nick snatched the paper out of Michael's hand and stuffed it into his bleached jeans. "No problem."
"Speaking of which. How are you faring with Kitt?"
Nick raised an eyebrow. "Apparently better than you with my partner."
Michael shrugged. "Can't complain. He isn't talking to me."
Another smile. "He's not very talkative on his best days. It's normal. Considering that none of us likes this any more than the other, I think he is managing great so far. So is Kitt." Nick gave him a closer look. "You?"
"Fine. No nightmares, no coldness except for the blocked link, no separation problems. It's almost too good." A wry smile passed over Michael's lips.
"We can be grateful that it's like this, Michael," Nick said calmly. "It could have been worse."
"Huh, yeah, we could now be tuned in to a 24/7 country station."
Nick chuckled. "Exactly." He grabbed a plain bagel and the second cup of coffee he had brought along for himself. "I'll be in contact. Call if something comes up."
Michael nodded and threw away the empty cardboard boxes from their breakfast. He was on his way ten minutes later to visit Senecca once again.

* * *

The apartment Dr. Joan Zimmer lived in was outside the city in one of the older suburbs. It was located on the second floor of the ancient brickstone building with the number 1277. The first floor was a shop for herbs and rather weird looking, other things. The name was Olde Shoppe and Nick had to smile. From the whole make-up, he suspected it sold 'mysterious ointments' along with Halloween merchandize. Getting into the apartment wasn't difficult and he slowly pushed the door open.
The apartment, which was more or less one big room with two doors leading to other rooms -- maybe the bathroom and the bedroom --, looked like a hurricane had hit it. There was a mess of books, pieces of broken glass and flowers lying on the floor. One table was overturned. A computer was sitting unscathed in the mess. It didn't so much look burgled than simply vandalized. There was no method to it, Nick thought. It was more the picture of someone letting out his rage, destroying what was handy.
Walking through the mess he went for the computer, his usual first target when searching a room or house.
"Keep me posted on possible interruptions," he addressed Karr, who was listening in through the headgear Nick was wearing.
"Affirmative."
Booting the computer, Nick sat back and watched the screen go from black to blue and then display the wallpaper Dr. Zimmer had chosen for her monitor. It was a flower arrangement. Nick set to work.
After two hours, he had found several encrypted files that had piqued his interest, as well as a few CDs in a small storage box in a locked drawer that could be helpful as well. Copying every file that hadn't come with the machine, when Dr. Zimmer had bought it, onto several CDs, he then switched off the computer. He would have Karr decrypt the data and browse through the unencrypted files later. A quick search of the small apartment revealed no further clues. Leaving it the way he had come, Nick walked down the stairs and over to where Karr was still sitting in the late afternoon sun.
"Let's get back to the motel," Nick decided. "We have work to do."

*

'This is a land of freedom, of proclaimed equality and the right to express yourself. But it is also a land of chauvinism and male dominance. They fear us. And they know why. We can do their work just as well, maybe even better. We aren't as dumb as they make us, as they want us. Still, we have no chance to enter the male dominated sectors of business.'
Nick raised his eyebrows as he skimmed over the entries and scrolled down, skipping several pages of text that was about women's rights and male suppression of the woman at work. Dr. Zimmer quoted articles from a magazine that was apparently printed by the Female Rights and Liberation Association. She was a long time member of it and Karr had found her yearly payment to the association on her bank statements. She paid quite an amount.
The encrypted files had turned out to be diary entries. The encryption was easy to break for someone like Nick and Karr. She had used a code program that was available in every better computer sales establishment. Most of the early entries had been about Zimmer getting her job at Senecca, how she had worked in different teams on different projects, how she had published papers in the monthly Science World magazine, how proud she was to achieve something of a status. The entries had changed within the last two years, though. Coinciding with her membership of the FRLA. She had become more critical of her male colleagues, supporting her female co-workers, demanding raises or fighting to head project teams. While she had been able to achieve some of it, she had never headed a team. Harper had, according to her diary, preferred to choose a male colleague with less qualification, just because she was a woman.
Soon, another sort of daily entries was added. She was now talking about her female colleagues, how she tried to help them into leading positions, and whenever one of them was accepted, she scored as well. But she had never managed to rise herself.
Nick made a few notes and went to the next file, which was from five months back. A frown creased his features.
"Karr, check on Dr. Martin Buttaccio, Senecca employee."
There was a minute of silence, then his partner got back to him through the by now ever-present ear piece. "Dr. Martin Buttaccio, age 46. Was with Senecca for fifteen years. He had a serious car accident six months ago. Apparently his brakes failed. Ever since he has been confined to a wheelchair."
"What was his last position?"
"Senior consultant on several geological survey projects."
"Since when?"
"He was nominated a year ago."
"Any other candidates for the job then?" Nick wanted to know.
"Dr. Rebecca Dawson. She took his place after the accident."
Nick pursed his lips and read over the paragraph in Dr. Zimmer's diary again.
'June 4th. Becca made it. With a little help of course. Divine intervention, so to speak. I'm so proud of her. Looks like Buttaccio is out of the game for good. No loss.'
"Another check, partner. Zachary Walling."
"Zachary Walling, lead engineer for the new submarine reactor," Karr responded. "He left Senecca two months ago, claiming he couldn't take the pressure any more. He was under heavy medication just prior to his departure from the company."
"Diagnosis?"
"Persecution mania."
Nick nodded slowly. 'Poor Walling,' Zimmer had written. 'Seeing things. Or is he? I never thought it would work like magic, but it did. Cost me some, but it was worth it as well.'
"Let me guess," he said slowly. "A woman took his position?"
"Correct. Grace Lancre."
Another nod. "Who would be next in line for Kramer's position?"
"Dr. Julie Watson."
"Get me files on all three women, Karr. I want their complete history. Look for any signs that they ever had any contact with the FRLA or still have, as well as their relationship to Dr. Joan Zimmer." Nick shut down the files and rose. "This isn't just coincidence any more."

* * *

Dr. Walter 'Wally' Kramer had returned to his lab the same day he had been released from hospital. There had been no further complications or problems throughout the night and he had insisted on being released. There was work waiting for him that couldn't be postponed. So when Michael walked into the lab to talk to the scientist, Kramer was understandably less than happy about the interruption.
"Dr. Kramer," Michael greeted him.
Kramer nodded once. "What can I do for you, Mr. Knight? I hope you are not going to sue me over the little accident?" A brief smile flickered over his features.
Little accident? Michael thought. Now there was the understatement of the year. Then again, Kramer had only been knocked out and the doctors attested that to stress-related collapse after his body had been shocked by the malfunctioning MAD. It might be true in Kramer's case, but not for Michael and Nick.
"Happen often?" Michael now asked.
"Of course not!" Kramer answered, sounding impatient. "The MAD malfunction was just that. A malfunction. Something in the starter program went wrong. Luckily, a security override shut it off."
"And if it hadn't shut itself off?"
The scientist frowned. "That is an unlikely event."
"But just supposed that unlikely event had happened?" Michael insisted.
"The MAD might have short-circuited. There would have been severe damage."
"Explosion?"
Kramer gave a snort. "Hardly, Mr. Knight. It might have burned a bit from the short-circuit, some smoke, but no explosion. Now if you would please excuse me, I have work to do!"
Michael nodded slowly. "Thank you, Dr. Kramer."

Michael walked down the almost empty corridors of Senecca." Kitt?"
"Yes, Michael?"
"Anything on the so-called computer glitch?"
"Not much. It looks like it was a normal malfunction. A programming error."
"Could it be?"
Kitt was silent for a second. "Hard to believe," he then answered. "The program ran with accuracy and very few errors for several months now. The section that now showed a fault had been checked and rechecked only a week earlier and labeled virus and problem free. There is also the fact that even though there is room for errors, this particular one shouldn't have fired up the MAD as it did."
Michael frowned. "Meaning?"
"I checked the program and found traces of a piggy-back command, Michael. Someone attached another program with a simple command to the existing one. It would fire up the MAD, block the security override and get it to short-circuit."
"It didn't short-circuit."
"Because whoever put the hidden program in forgot that there are backups," Kitt replied.
"So he wasn't a professional," Michael asked.
"Not in my opinion."
"Okay, theoretically, what would have happened if the MAD had short-circuited?"
"It would have destroyed a large amount of the machine," Kitt answered. "Months of work and millions of dollars would have been wasted."
"But no explosions?" Michael clarified.
"No. No explosions."
"Consequences?"
"The Foundation would most likely have withdrawn funding," Kitt theorized. "Senecca would have had to turn to other funds or declare the project a failure."
"And with it, Dr. Kramer would have lost his pet project."
"Affirmative."
Michael frowned thoughtfully. He remembered Joan Zimmer.
"Kitt, check if Dr. Zimmer's in, please?"
"According to security, she is in her lab. Section C, room 1075."
"Well, let's talk to her then," Michael decided.
"You think she is behind it?"
"I'm not sure. She has a grudge against Kramer, but I haven't the faintest if she would go as far as destroying a potential source of money her company needs to exact revenge."

* * *

Nick sat on the queen-sized bed of his motel room, the notebook on his lap, scrolling through the scattered information Karr had managed to dig up on the three women who had or would have profited from their male colleagues' departure of Senecca – one way or the other. A carton of Chinese veggies and noodles sat next to him, as well as a six-pack of Diet Coke. Three cans were already empty, as was half of the now cold food. Nick scowled at the information. There was very little of it and he knew he had to go out and do some foot work. It might be the only way to get information.
Not my strong point, Nick thought sourly. Give me a computer any time. While he did investigative work, he would rather hunt down the information in a computer maze. Michael was the P.I. type. With a sigh he leaned back. He knew that none of his contacts would be able to help him here.
Kitt?> he reluctantly contacted his temporary partner.
Yes?> was the immediate answer by the gentle, warm voice.
Where's Michael?>
As strange as it still was to have Kitt there, it was also not too bad. Nick knew it was wrong, but it was also nice. He had no illusions about how wrong this link was. Kitt had never been meant for him and in the long run, the connection would hurt them both. Right now, Nick was reigning in his usual reactions, his normal way to communicate with Karr, and he tried not to shield against Kitt's warm, close presence all too much. Karr never went this close to him and it subconciously scared him.
We are currently at Senecca. Michael has interviewed Dr. Kramer. He is now on his way to talk to Dr. Zimmer>
Nick frowned. Okay>
Was there any assistance you required, Nick?>
No. No, I'm fine. Tell Michael to be careful around Zimmer. I haven't figured her out yet, but what she wrote down in her diary and from the way her place looked, she's unstable>
I'll tell him> Kitt answered, sounding disturbed. Bad?>
Nick sighed. I'm not sure. Either she's just a fanatic member of the Female Rights and Liberation Association, or she has gone over the edge and is trying to push male colleagues out of the company>
Kitt's presence shifted and now Nick felt the worry. He sighed and got off the bed. He threw away the empty cans and the food carton, then closed the laptop and left the room.
Just be careful> he said once more, then got into the Stealth.
We will> was the soft answer.

* * *

Karr felt tremors coming from the other side of the blocks and they told him just one thing: Knight was in trouble. In this regard, Kitt's partner wasn't any different from Nick. He was just as much a trouble magnet as Nick, and he approached it the same way: head on. Leaving his partner to deal with the emotional waves coming through the link. The difference lay in the way he was present inside Karr's CPU. The amber spark was disturbing him on some subconscious level that he couldn't explain. While the link as such hadn't suffered and he wasn't going through separation cramps, the simple existence of the amber light was unnerving. Nick's representation was a blue light, cool, smooth and simply familiar. Knight was warmer, fluctuating and very much alien to Karr. It was one reason why he had erected the blocks and refused to communicate with his temporary partner. The other was simple necessity and logic: why would Knight choose to talk to him? He didn't have to. He was still Kitt's partner and had the comlink.
So he had settled back to watch, keeping his audio and visual sensors primed on Nick, communicating with his partner through the old head gear and revelling in the simple, fleeting touches to the sensor pad inside the Stealth. Part of him had monitored Knight, just in case. It was just as well that he had done it because, as not really otherwise expected, Knight had ended up right in the thick of it once more.

Michael gazed around the featureless room he had woken up in, trying to remember how he had gotten here. It was a gray-tiled, longish room, the walls looking like metal. There were no windows and the door was a smooth inset rectangle to his left. There was a panel next to it. Probably some kind of hidden locking mechanism. His head hurt and he wondered what made people hit him over the head all the time. Did he have a 'Hit Me' sign on his back?
"Aw hell," he mumbled to himself.
How could this have gone so wrong? He had just wanted to talk to Zimmer, but the blonde scientist must have decided he was a threat. She had answered his questions rather superfluous, then had told him that she wouldn't answer any more questions about her person without a lawyer. When Michael had turned to leave, she had hit him with something.
Lifting his left hand he was about to ask Kitt for help when he realized two things. One, the comlink looked decidedly trashed. That posed a problem. Two, he wasn't alone in the room. At the far side of the wall, a small hatch had opened and something square and compact had been pushed inside. Well, not really pushed. Rolled. Small, multiple wheels were carrying the little box into the featureless room where it stopped after three feet. Michael stared at the thing and felt his heart miss a beat as the box started to open on top. Something looking like two little cannons rose and started to swivel.
Oh, shit.
Senecca had at one time been concentrating on developing new weapons and Joan Zimmer had been participating in some of those projects, but all of her research had been turned down as unfeasible and too expensive. Looking at the small robot, Michael wondered if that was one of them. Moving away from the box, he felt his thoughts race to find a way out of this. He was cut off from Kitt and his partner had no idea that he was in trouble. Michael stopped abruptly as he saw the cannons swivel in his direction. He was just fast enough to throw himself to the left as twin pops could be heard. Something pelted into the wall behind him.
Michael's thoughts moved independently from each other, reflexively considering and rejecting theories and options at lightning speed. The cannons swivelled again, following his movements and he evaded once more, this time feeling the hot breath of the bullets pass by his ear.
//Don't move!//
He froze in his tracks, paralyzed by the shock of the cold voice suddenly in his mind and sheer surprise that Karr was talking to him.
//It detects motion//
//How... how do you know?// he managed, shivering from the feeling of having Karr talk to him through the implant. It was.. weird.
Adding to that, he felt light-headed and nauseous, but he knew his name and what day of the week it was. It he had a concussion, he wasn't impressed. He had had worse hangovers in the past.
//Your thoughts translated into my CPU, Mr. Knight. Since it only attacked you after you moved, I draw my conclusions from there//
//Ideas?// Michael wanted to know, keeping his eyes fixed on the robot. It was rolling through the chamber, apparently searching for its target.
//I am trying to access Dr. Zimmer's project files to determine the machine's weak spot//
Take your time, Michael thought. I'm just fine standing here like a statue.
The robot had arrived at the other side of the room and turned. Now it just sat there, unable to see Michael because he wasn't moving.
//The machine is called a Seeker 3000// Karr suddenly said and Michael winced.
Damnit, how could Nick suffer this cold, almost freezing contact? It was like touching an ice cube. It almost paralyzed his mind.
//The Seeker is self-sufficient and its shell can only be opened by the correct remote broadcast sequence//
//Which means I'm a sitting duck// Michael muttered.
//Not if you can disarm it. The Seeker's weak spots are the twin cannons on its top// Karr told him. //The moment it is disarmed, it is no longer a danger//
//Oh very funny, Karr. How do you think I can do that without moving? I'll end up like Swiss cheese if I do!//
//No need to be sarcastic, Mr. Knight// Karr replied, sounding slightly piqued. //Twitch your hand to get it moving again. It will scout the room to acquire its elusive target. The moment it passes you, you have to move and grab it. It's your only choice//
Sweat started to gather on Michael's forehead.
//Trust me// Karr added, startling Michael.
Trust him. He had to because of what Karr represented in his oh-so complicated life. Kitt's brother, linked to him through a private channel. Nick's partner, linked through the implant. He was part of this team, but he wasn't Kitt. And still, he was the only one he could turn to for help right now. He had broken the silence and he was trying to aide him. That his touch was colder than Kitt's, that he wasn't Kitt, had to be secondary. It wasn't really Karr's fault.
//Okay// he managed. //Let's do it//
Michael twitched a finger and the robot immediately reacted. The cannons moved, searching for him, and it began to roll across the room.
Oh boy.....

* * *

Karr was monitoring Knight as he would Nick, with the one difference that he still kept a few barriers erected. He had felt the reaction of his new 'partner' when he had initiated the conversation and while it was exactly what he had expected, it also pained him in a strange way. He shouldn't care what Kitt's driver was thinking about him. He had never concerned himself with anyone else but Nick and later Alex, but because of this switch, he now had Knight to take care of.
Kitt was fretting over his driver, unable to reach him in any way, and his sensors weren't picking him up either. The test chamber's shielding was sensor sweep proof.
_He is doing fine, Karr addressed his younger brother. _He knows what he's doing.
_He is? Kitt joked weakly.
Karr gave a little snort. _At least he's giving a good impression of doing so.
Kitt turned to him, nervous energies racing across his white spark. _I wish I could at least pick him up on my sensors! It's bad enough I can't talk to him through the link. Now he's completely cut off!
Karr felt a beginning hysteria emanating from Kitt and reached out, wrapping a tendril of himself around the panicking AI. _He's doing fine, Kitt, he soothed him, his voice dropping to an uncharacteristic softness. _He took out the Seeker and the moment he has the panel off, I can direct him how to crack the lock codes.
Kitt trembled a bit, then quieted down, forcibly pulling himself together. He briefly turned to the link he now shared with Nick and Karr almost smiled. Apparently his partner had picked up on Kitt's distress as well. Concentrating on Knight again, he moved forward.
He was greeted by an almost automatic retreat from the amber presence and he tried to squelch a sigh. Knight was still undoing the tiny screws of the panel with his pocket knife.
//You could have mentioned that the robot still shoots when I grab it// Kitt's partner muttered angrily through the link as he worked.
//It was a possibility// Karr admitted.
//So? Why not tell me?//
//You might not have worked with me then//
//Oh! So now that I got nearly shot you think I feel more trusty toward you?// Knight snapped. Another screw fell to the floor. //Guess what!//
Karr swallowed a growl. This wasn't Nick, he reminded himself. This was Michael Knight and he was different. //I only required you to trust me in this. You don't have to make it a day-to-day regular!// he replied sharply.
Knight stopped in his work and leaned his head against the panel, inhaling deeply. Karr was aware that the reply must have triggered some side-effects. Nick had told him he had suffered from brief headache attacks when Karr had snapped in the beginning of their partnership. Anger translated into pain for the other side if the partner couldn't channel or block the emotion. Knight wasn't used to Karr, but Karr felt far from apologizing right now.
//I won't// the human now bit back.
//Good//
Knight worked in silence, then finally he was done. //Panel's open// he said neutrally.
//Describe the panel to me// Karr demanded.
//It's a number lock. I have a pad with nine numbers and an LED display// was the answer.
//I'll have to lock into the Senecca security computer systems, Mr. Knight, to determine which sequence is allotted to the test chamber. Please wait//
Karr approached the mainframe and swiftly slipped inside, hunting down the security protocols. It would take a few minutes, he knew. Senecca had sophisticated security and he had to evade dozens of trip wires and watchdog programs. But he had learned from Nick's skills in the time they had been together now and he knew how to evade the dangerous intruder traps.

Michael stood in front of the now open panel, gazing at the simple digital lock. Simple because it just required the correct code. Still complicated because there were too many possibilities for him to hit the correct combination any time in the near future. Looking away, he found his gaze drawn to the small attack robot. As Karr had said, there had been an opening for him to grab the guns and with it the robot. What the AI hadn't mentioned was that the guns would still go off. A small burn on his left wrist attested to that. While a part of him understood that Karr hadn't really betrayed him by not telling him about the possibility of the guns firing, another part felt distrust rise like a tidal wave.
Kitt would have told him. Wouldn't he?
Michael frowned. Well, maybe. Kitt was protective as well, but he doubted that Karr felt the same. This was a necessary evil until the implants straightened themselves out. Who knew how long that took..... Three days working on this case and he was already close to trying out a complete blockade. The problem was, he couldn't uphold it indefinitely. The moment he fell asleep, his defences would go down, leaving him vulnerable.
Karr's not your enemy, part of him declared.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, he didn't behave like a friend either.
//I found the security code//
The voice again. Cold, almost monotone, too business-like for Michael, and so... distant. It hurt to listen to Karr and it had really pained him to have him snap back.
You snapped first, the voice reminded him.
Michael entered the numbers the AI told him and the door swished open soundlessly. With a sigh of relief, he stepped outside, leaning against the wall. After a second or two, Michael gathered himself and jogged down the hallway toward the exit of the lab complex. The blinding sun only gave him a moment's pause as it stabbed through his eyes and into his aching head. Whatever his feelings toward Karr were at the moment, there was a more pressing matter at hand. He had a saboteur to catch.

* * *

Joan Zimmer had disappeared. One of the guards had seen her leave, but she hadn't taken her car. Apparently, she had used the bus that stopped in a street near-by and it was impossible to know where she had gotten off. Michael, frustrated and slightly headachy, glared at the bus stop sign, then turned Kitt around. He knew where she lived, so maybe she would return to her home.
"Michael? Nick is calling."
"Put him through."
"What happened?" Nick asked without a greeting.
"Zimmer caught me off guard and I had a nice little encounter with one of Senecca's toy," Michael ground out. "She's on the run. I lost her because she took a bus. I'm going to check her apartment."
"Don't bother. She trashed it quite thoroughly. I doubt she will go back."
Michael sighed explosively. "Ideas?"
There was a thoughtful silence. "I'll contact the police to get an APB out on her," Nick then said.
"You are turning this over to the police?" Michael felt amusement rise.
"I don't bother myself with simple things," Nick replied.
He laughed. "Okay. Anything else?"
"I'll see if I can find some way to track her. She has two credits cards and Karr's monitoring withdrawals. We might want to keep an eye on her friends as well."
"Dr. Dawson and Mrs. Lancre." Michael nodded.
"Since I'm halfway across town and close to Dr. Dawson's place, you might want to take over watching Lancre."
"Already on my way."
Michael quickly checked where he was, then turned into the next street and headed for Grace Lancre's address.

* * *

Nick sat comfortably inside the Stealth, seat tilted back so he wasn't immediately visible to the casual eye, keeping Rebecca Dawson's place in sight. It was a small house with a garage and a garden stretching out behind it. According to Senecca's personnel file, Becca Dawson was single, no children, and had bought the house five years ago. Flowers bloomed in the tiny front yard. A sporty red car parked in front of the garage.
Unconsciously, his right hand rested partly on the sensor. Now and then his thumb stroked across it as if to reassure his partner that the physical presence of his driver was real. Their link might not be working, but he was there. Karr was silent, quietly accepting the touch.
After about two hours, a slightly heavy-set woman with blonde, shoulder length hair left the house, walking over to the car. She tossed her handbag onto the passenger seat and then drove off. Nick watched her turn the next right, then sat up.
"Well, let's see where she's headed."
They had followed Dawson for nearly twenty minutes down the main street and toward the highway when Karr broke the silence.
"Nick, Dr. Zimmer just used her credit card."
Nick raised an eyebrow. "Where?"
"Croft Mall."
"Location?"
"1455 Second Avenue."
"That's across town."
"Affirmative."
Nick frowned. "Get me Michael."
Michael answered the call after ten seconds. "Croft Mall?" he asked, sounding surprised. "Nick, I'm right in the mall, following one Grace Lancre. She just went into a toy store. I saw her use her card when she bought some toys."
Nick's frowned deepened. "Hold on a minute. Karr," he addressed his partner again, "check Grace Lancre's credit card."
It took longer than before, mainly because Karr had to pull the information from the depths of both Lancre's personnel file and her bank statements. "Mrs. Grace Lancre used her credit card over two hours ago at the international airport last minute check port."
Nick cursed. "She's smarter than I thought she is. Michael, we're on the wrong track. Apparently she switched credit cars with Lancre. Whether Lancre knows or not is unimportant. Zimmer went straight to the airport."
A curse echoed his own. "Heading there now," Michael answered and broke the connection.
Nick left Becca Dawson to drive onto the highway alone and without a tail. He used the next exit from the main street to go the other way, straight for the airport.
"Karr, call airport security. Tell them there's an APB out on Joan Zimmer and to apprehend her ASAP."
"Understood."

* * *

"Flight CA104. This is your last boarding call at Gate 34. Flight CA104, last boarding call at Gate 34."
The tinny voice of the announcer tried to pierce the noise in the international departure hall of the airport. As usual, a lot of people pushed and shoved past disembarking passengers from one of the shuttle busses, hurrying to catch their flight. Others calmly walked over to the check-in areas to deposit their bags.
"Attention, flight BA694, all passengers please proceed to gate 12."
Airport security had reacted faster than Michael would have guessed. He had barely parked Kitt in one of the drop-off zones, flashing his ID, then when a uniformed man met him at the doors.
"Mr. Knight? I'm Harold Barker, airport police detail. We have apprehended Dr. Joan Zimmer just fifteen minutes ago and she's currently in custody. We have called for a cruiser to pick her up and get her to the local precinct."
Michael nodded, relieved this was really over. Joan Zimmer hadn't been an unusual criminal, just someone who had unknowingly turned their entire lives upside down. "Thank you. Any problems?"
"None at all, if you don't count her yelling bloody murder at us and calling us quite unprintable things." Barker flashed him a grin. "She deflated a little when the lieutenant intervened."
Michael raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Lieutenant Antonia Gordon," Barker explained. "Apparently Mrs. Zimmer has a problem with male authority figures. Lieutenant Gordon had barely any problems with her."
Michael chuckled. "Thank you. I'll get someone to clear the paperwork from the Foundation with you."
"No problem. Do you want to accompany the cruiser to the precinct?"
"I don't think that's necessary. Please tell the officers in question to relay all to this address and number." He handed the man one of his personal cards. "I'll give my statement any time you need it. Simply call."
"Will do, Mr. Knight."
They parted ways and Michael walked back to Kitt, who was curiously looked at by some of the people who were walking into the airport terminal. He slipped into the car and sighed.
"It's over, Kitt. They got her."
"Thank goodness," was the heartfelt answer.
Michael smiled. "I second that. Is Nick on the way here?"
"He turned around to head back to the motel when he heard that Dr. Zimmer was caught."
"Okay. We'll do the same and pack our stuff. I want to get out of here and home ASAP."

* * *

They had returned home to the warehouse within twenty-four hours of the arrest of Joan Zimmer. Michael had driven by the precinct to give his statement on the attack on his person, then he had followed Nick home. But while the case was over, without really having been an official case, the problems weren't. Now that he had nothing else to think on, he was achingly aware of the blocks between him and Karr. Not that he wanted Karr to break them, but they were a bothersome coldness in the back of his mind.
"You two need to talk," Nick told him as he got himself a cold Coke from the fridge. "We don't know how long this will still last. You have to learn to tolerate each other."
"Don't tell me that, Nick! Tell it to the stubborn mule your partner is."
Nick grinned and sipped from the can. "Currently, he's yours, so I'm telling you that."
Michael glared at him. "You sound like you are taking a vacation here!"
"Maybe I am."
"Hopeless!" Michael exclaimed.
He turned and walked over to the railing, gazing at the two black cars, one his partner, one currently linked to him. After long minutes of pondering, he walked downstairs.
Michael had no idea where to start. Looking at the black Stealth, he tried to read anything from the inflexible metal hull and failed. There was no scanner, no way to see if Karr was upset, bored or plain ignoring him. The only way to gather that was from the link, and currently, his temporary partner was far from cooperative. The blocks had slid smoothly back into place after helping Michael out of the test chamber and if at all possible, they had grown worse.
"I think we had a bad start," Michael finally began.
"Of course," Karr replied. "I tried to run you over."
Michael blinked, then sighed deeply. "I didn't mean back then! That's history."
"It is a history that plays into what happened yesterday as well," the AI replied.
"You want to tell me that I'm still prejudiced?" Anger played into Michael's voice.
"I don't think I have to tell you."
"I think it's more like you want people to uphold the image, Karr!" Michael accused. "So you don't have to deal with the changes!"
"Nothing has changed, Mr. Knight. It was never more clear to me than yesterday. You do not trust me and I do not need you to."
"Well, then it might come as a shock to you, but I do trust you! I just hate to have possible dangers kept from me in the assumption that I might not go along with the plan. I'm not Nick. I never will be. But right now we have to work together!"
"The case is over as far as the Foundation is concerned," Karr said neutrally.
"But our problem isn't!" Michael tapped his index finger against his forehead. "No one knows how long this will take and, personally, I hate it to run into a block of ice each time I miss a step in my own mind!"
Karr was silent for a while. "You wouldn't want to touch me, Mr. Knight. You flinch away from any contact."
Michael sighed deeply. "Yes," he confessed. "Because you are different. Not in any negative way," he added hastily.
"No offence taken. I know I am not Kitt."
"Exactly. I have to get used to this ... new voce in my head."
"What is there to talk about, Mr. Knight?" Karr wanted to know reasonably.
"I don't want to discuss football with you," Michael said, exasperated. "I just want to be able to turn around and not run smack into a wall you put there. I'm not about to sneak up on you, Karr! I trust you not to overrun my mind. All I ask is for you give me the same courtesy."
"It has nothing to do with a ridiculous fear of intrusion," the AI replied coolly. "I am protecting you from me. I thought you would appreciate the effort."
Michael started to pace, then stopped into front of the Stealth again. "Okay, I appreciate it, but it hurts me. Not physically, but it hurts. Even Nick lets Kitt closer!"
"Now you are comparing apples with oranges."
He rolled his eyes. "Were you born this thick-headed or did you ask for a new program?"
Karr didn't deign him with an answer.
"We have no idea how long this will last, Karr. I don't want to be your partner any longer than you want to be mine, but right now, it's a given fact: nothing has changed. Just give it a try, okay? I promise not to wince away from you."
"You cannot hold that promise, Mr. Knight. A part of you is afraid of me. Physically, I cannot hurt you and you know it. You would have to threaten me or Nick quite seriously to provoke an attack. In your mind, you believe you have no defences against me. You live with the fear that my presence will hurt. That is your barrier, Mr. Knight. Not mine." The words were delivered calmly, without judgment, but still Michael read a certain criticism in them.
He closed his eyes, feeling the truth sink in. Yes, he was subconsciously afraid of Karr's presence in his mind. He would have no back-up in form of Kitt, no other shields than his own. He would touch Karr's unfiltered presence, even if only briefly, and he shied away from it. It was a reaction he couldn't control.
"I'd like to work on that, Karr. But I need your help."
"This is temporary," Karr replied. "Why would you have to work on accepting a link to me if it will change in the future anyway."
"We don't know when everything will be back to normal."
A noise almost like a sigh escaped the Stealth. "Don't tell me I didn't try to convince you not to experiment with this," he then said.
Michael felt the barriers between him and Karr melt away like snow in the sun. It was slow, deliberately slow, and he braced himself. There was no pain, no wave of cold ice like a glacier moving in. There was simply a darkness at the other side. A live darkness. It wasn't just the dark that came with the absence of light. It was alive, pulsing, sentient. Michael swallowed, staying where he was. Karr didn't move. He simply sat there, letting Michael take the first step.
//Wasn't so bad// Michael finally said.
The presence seemed to shift, but it didn't come closer. //Do you think so?//
The voice. Cool as ice, smooth as silk. Not as harsh as in the lab, but there was an edge to it that Michael just wasn't used to. An edge of steel that could cut if necessary. That could hurt. There were still shields around both minds, protecting them, but the communication lines were open.
//Yes// Michael said, pulling himself together. //Last time I didn't have a warning//
//You want me to whistle before I say something?// Karr asked, a kind of nasty undercurrent in his voice.
No, not nasty. Sarcastic, Michael decided. He had to change his thinking here. Karr wasn't evil. He was harsher than Kitt in many ways, but he was a living being, an AI, sentient and able to feel. He had shown it in the past time and again. He simply wasn't the soft white representation Kitt was through the link. Each AI was mirrored in the way they looked through the mind's eye. Karr's darkness wasn't the sign of evil.
//Know any nice tunes?// Michael joked.
There was a rumble that sounded almost like a chuckle. //I'm not a cell phone, Mr. Knight. You cannot choose an alarm tone for me//
Michael smiled. It really wasn't that bad as long as he didn't try and compare Karr to Kitt. He would have to remind himself of it, he knew, but he would manage. Still he hoped that the link problem would resolve itself soon.

Nick sat on the couch, dressed in washed out blue jeans and a simple gray t-shirt. He was watching CNN but his attention was somewhere else. While he couldn't feel Karr's presence and judge the situation from the link, he had another source to keep an eye on the happenings downstairs. Kitt. The younger AI was watching his driver and from his quite open reactions, Nick drew his conclusions. Apparently the argument downstairs was progressing, having its ups and downs. He could have used the headgear to calm down Karr, but he had decided to let the two of them duke it out. Karr wasn't about to do something foolish and Michael wasn't the person to try and kick Karr's exhaust across the floor. They might be like oil and water, but at least they were currently civilized about it.
Keep me posted> he sent toward Kitt, paying the report about the success of a wildlife program in Southeast Asia barely any attention.
No casualties yet> Kitt remarked, smiling.
Nick gave a snort of amusement. Kitt had the same opinion as he did: let them work it out and intercept only if bodily harm might occur.
Half an hour later, Michael trudged up the stairs, throwing Nick a dark look. Nick raised his eyebrows.
"What did I do?" he asked innocently.
"You gave him your sense of humor."
"Michael, I don't have a sense of humor. I got mine from Karr," Nick answered seriously.
The other man grimaced and feigned a pillow attack. Nick laughed. For just a moment, the tension was broken and the two men could forget the problematic situation. Nick grabbed a chocolate chip muffin from the plate at his side and tossed it to Michael.
"Peace offering?" Michael teased.
"Declaration of war against healthy food."
He snickered and plopped down on the empty armchair.

They spent the remainder of the afternoon in a companionable atmosphere. Michael attempted to write his report, ignoring Nick's wryly delivered comments on his take of the case, and finally he gave up. He shoved the laptop away from him.
"Kitt is bad for you," he grumbled. "I liked you better when you were the silent type, Nick."
Nick smiled openly, not the least bit offended. "We both take that as a compliment."
"Kitt!"
"Yes, Michael?" came the reply through the comlink. His partner sounded just as amused as Nick looked.
"Stop turning him into a likeable, sociable person, okay? This is creeping me out!"
"As you wish."
Michael rolled his eyes. "I hope this changes soon."
"Afraid you'll turn into me?" Nick teased, a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.
"My worst nightmare."
"No more muffins for you," Nick decided and grabbed the plate, carrying it into the kitchen. "I'll be out of your hair anyway now," he continued as he walked out of the kitchen. "Karr and I have a date with a contact from an old case I'm running."
Michael just nodded, not even thinking about asking. He wouldn't get an answer anyway. He put bare feet up on the couch table and contemplated what to do. In the end, he sighed and turned back to his laptop.
Silence descended over the warehouse, only broken by Michael's renewed attempts to finish the report.

* * *

The next morning, Michael had finished his report on the Senecca case for Devon and was rereading the notes he had made, then checked what he had written in the file that went to Devon. It sounded all so simple and straight-forward. No one could tell how much pain and suffering had been involved for each party, be it Joan Zimmer or the hapless male victims of her crusade. Michael doubted she'd ever see the light of day again. She would get at least twenty-five years to life sentence. There was no word about what the MAD accident had caused for the investigating FLAG operatives. No one had to know about it. Those who were told had been chosen by Nick and Michael personally. Since Devon knew about the implant and was also responsible for new cases winging Michael's way, both men had decided that Miles needed to know. Delivering the report to him in person would be one opening to address the topic.
Nick, who had returned throughout the night, accompanied Michael. The slight smirk on his features told Michael that his friend would enjoy this. While it wasn't exactly fun living with the temporary switch, it would be amusing to see Devon's reaction. As he walked down the iron cast stairs and toward the cars, Karr suddenly clicked open the driver's door.
"If you want to shock, shock in style," he said and there was a hard to describe tone to his voice.
Michael stared, surprised by the invitation. "You were eavesdropping!"
"That, Mr. Knight, is most definitely not my style."
"Liar," Nick called lightly, leaning against Kitt.
Karr rumbled.
Michael approached the Stealth carefully. Despite the fact that the AI had by now opened up slightly and despite their conversation last night, he still felt a little apprehension. Nick was no great help either. He was simply grinning at them.
"Alright," he finally muttered and tossed the folder with the CD and some printed paper onto the passenger seat. "I get to drive!"
"Be my guest."
Nick shook his head and turned to Kitt. "Guess you have to make do with me."
Kitt opened the door. "I could think of worse," he answered, laughter in his voice.
"You are so good for my ego."
Michael glared at them. "Hope all this humor and ease isn't permanent, Nick. I'm downright scared."
"Jealousy talking," Nick sighed, shaking his head with a theatrical expression of sadness.
"Definitely," Kitt added to the teasing.
Michael rolled his eyes and slipped into Karr. "I hope this ends soon."
"I agree," Karr answered, voice cool.
Michael raised an eyebrow.
"Kitt is enjoying this way too much," the AI added.
Michael had to laugh. The Stealth pulled out of the warehouse, closely followed by the TransAm. While Michael took the direct route to the mansion, Nick decided to keep out of the spotlight. Kitt left the controls to him, a show of complete trust, simply monitoring the traffic..

* * *

Devon had received Michael's call half an hour ago, announcing his visit. It came as a surprise since Michael usually sent the case data by Net and only paid a personal visit when the case was VIP or held a high level clearance classification. While Senecca worked secret projects, the case as such hadn't been high profile or hush-hush. It hadn't even started as a case, just a simple security check. Who could have known there was a deranged lunatic woman trying to take out male colleagues to satisfy her own cravings for recognition. Standing near the window, Miles gazed thoughtfully out onto the drive way, wondering what had made Michael decide to appear personally now. In a way, the older man missed having him around. The exuberance and sometimes even childish behavior of his operative and friend had lightened up many run-of-the-mill days. While meetings and conferences with Kitt's driver had been sometimes too much to take for an old bureaucrat like Devon, he had secretly enjoyed it.
Fresh wind, as John Landes had once told him.
All of that had disappeared when Jennifer had attacked and nearly killed Kitt. The avalanche this had cut lose had destroyed a lot that had been built in the many years of trusting friendship and working partnership between Devon Miles as a representative of the Foundation, and Michael Knight, their operative, driver of their prized AI project. But Devon knew that Michael's decision to leave Foundation grounds, as well as to fight for Kitt, had been the best he could do. He himself had been too weak to protect a friend. He had actually done more harm than good. The last two years had shown an increase of trust, especially since Jennifer's death, but it was a far cry from before.
Devon sighed and was about to turn away from the window when he caught a glance of the black car coming up the driveway. For a moment he felt a smile cross his lips, then his jaw dropped. It wasn't a TransAm now pulling up to the parking lots in front of the mansion. It wasn't Kitt. But it was Michael getting out of the car and, carrying a folder, walking up the stone steps to the mansion's entrance. He looked positively relaxed, taking the stairs two at a time. There had been only one time Michael had actually driven Karr and that had been while Kitt had suffered from the after effects of Jennifer Knight's deeds.
"Hey, Devon!" Michael called, smiling as he entered the office.
Devon forced a smile onto his lips, trying to pull himself together. "Hello, Michael. How nice to see you again."
Michael dropped the case file onto Devon's desk and Miles was about to sit down when a second person entered his office. Nicholas MacKenzie gave a curt nod and then sat down on one of the visitor chairs, almost slouching back, hands folded across his stomach.
"Case is all wrapped up," Michael's voice jolted him out of his fascination. "Barely any problems."
Devon had no idea what this was about, but he was getting a very bad feeling. For Michael to come, it had be something serious. For Nick to accompany him, it had to be catastrophic and maybe even life-threatening.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Devon now asked, eyes fixed on Nick.
"Like I said, we ran into barely any problems at Senecca," Michael said, sitting back in the second chair. "But there was a little.... accident."
Oh dear. Devon quirked an eyebrow. "How much did it cost and who do I have to appease?"
Michael actually grinned. "Senecca is still standing, Devon. The problem isn't with them either. It's... us. The link."
Oh dear, he thought again.
"There was an accident with the Magnetic Anomaly Detector," Michael went on. "While there is no physical damage to any of us, something happened to the implant and it looks like it got scrambled. Dr. D'Angelo and Bonnie had a look at whatever it is they did to check us and they think it'll reset in time all by itself. Until then, we have the simple problem that Nick and I switched partners."
Devon was aware that he was staring at the two men, not really comprehending what Michael had more or less jovially told him. "Care to run that by me again, my boy?" he finally managed.
"Simple," Nick spoke up. There was a smirk in his eyes Devon didn't like. "Up until we get everything descrambled and reset, Kitt's connected to me and Karr's in Michael's head."
"What?!"

* * *

Michael was still grinning to himself as he parked Kitt in the warehouse. Devon's complete loss of facial features control had been hilarious. The older man had managed to catch himself, but his shock had been all too visible for someone like Michael, who knew him quite well by now. While it was really still amusing, Michael also knew that it was serious, too. He had calmed Devon down, had promised to keep him up to date, and then gotten the promise of no more cases till this was solved out of Devon.
Throwing the TransAm's door shut, he walked over to the stairs. He had driven home in Kitt. Nick had just grinned and said nothing, and there hadn't been a peep from Karr since. Michael was looking forward to a cold beer and tonight's hockey game. What he hadn't been looking forward to was what happened next. There was a tingle in the back of his neck, followed by a feeling of falling forward while still standing upright. Michael's hand flailed for the stair's rail and he caught himself, his knees buckling.
"Michael?"
"Shi-it!" he muttered and fell heavily on the lower steps. His breathing was coming in short quick gasps and his face was flushed.
"Michael!" The voice he heard, Kitt's voice, grew tinny, far away.
The world was moving way too fast all of a sudden and it felt like all the blood was leaving his head. A burning sensation spread from his upper neck and radiated through his head, then gradually disappeared. Screwing his eyes shut he breathed heavily, fingers digging into the skin of his skull. He bit his lower lip, riding out the wave of dizziness.

Karr didn't know what happened, just that he was suddenly experiencing a miniature electronic thunder shower and an impressive display of lightning across an inky black background. Nothing of it hurt, simply disturbed him, and he moved away from it, deeper into his CPU. The shields between him and Knight wavered badly, threatening to tear under the pressure. Something hissed by, leaving a faintly smoking trail across the plains he inhabited. Again, there was no pain.
Suddenly his world was cut in two. Karr gave a gasp of surprise as he saw the rip, then warm white light spilled into the darkness. It raced toward Knight's blocked neuro implant, passing through the barriers that crumbled under its onslaught, and then enveloped the amber presence.
Karr knew he was staring, but he was too stunned to do anything else.
_Kitt?
The white, familiar presence turned and gazed at him. Karr's fears multiplied. Oh no, please, no.

"Michael!"
The insistent voice reached his ears, but his reply was sluggish.
//Michael!//
He snapped his head up, eyes wide, staring at Kitt. //Kitt?// he tried hesitantly, his brain feeling like made of cotton wool.
//Michael!// was the happy reply.
"Oh my god!" he breathed. "You're back!"
Happiness and relief flooded through him in a warm, glowing tidal wave. He turned toward the implant to greet his partner, then stopped. No, this didn't feel right. Kitt was there, yes, but he wasn't alone. It was like there was a weird echo to his partner's presence, like a shadow lurking just behind him.
"What the heck….?"
"Michael, we have a problem," Kitt voiced what he thought. "The link to me returned, but you still have one to Karr as well."
"Ah damn….!"
It was all Michael managed.
"I take that personally, Mr. Knight," Karr's cool voice could be heard.
Michael had been totally unaware of Nick arriving. Now he looked at his friend and discovered the blank expression. "You?"
Nick shook his head. "Nothing. Kitt's only connected to you now, Michael," the ex-agent answered slowly. "Just like Karr."
Michael inhaled deeply, cursing silently. So his implant had decided to try a reset. Just too bad that it hadn't unscrambled itself completely.
"So now I'm stuck with both of them and you have …."
"Nothing," Nick supplied grimly.
"What now?"
"We hope for the best," was the reply.
Nick walked past him on the stairs, heading for the kitchen. Michael remained where he was, the enormity of it all crashing down on him. That he was now linked to both AIs wasn't the worst of it. Nick had just separated from Kitt and if Michael's fears were correct, his friend was encountering a cut link in his mind. Michael knew what that felt like and he didn't envy Nick the time until his own implant rebooted.

* * *

"Gawd, somebody do something about this!"
Michael tossed the magazine he had been reading onto the couch and glared at nothing in particular. He was just about ready to take back his earlier statement about two AIs sharing the link not being so bad.
"Problem?" Nick asked, looking up from where he sat cross-legged on the two-seater couch, working on something or other with his laptop. He had mentioned creating an extensive back-up server to the one he usually used, as well as logging Michael's old case files.
"Two problems! I knew Kitt and Karr aren't exactly seeing eye to eye on a few things, but they could at least keep their discussions out of my head!"
Nick smiled wryly. While the separation that was by now lasting almost two days hadn't gone by without leaving visible marks, he was holding up pretty well so far. He slept less than usual when he wasn't on a case and he appeared a bit absent sometimes, but all things considered, Michael guessed they were doing moderately well.
"Ask them."
"I tried, Nick. I really tried. It's not their fault either. The whole link is completely messed up. In a way, I'm hearing echoes of their private connection in my head. It's nothing clear unless they argue."
"Like right now."
A nod.
"Well, your chance to try out new shields."
"Very funny, MacKenzie," Michael growled. "I don't need advice, especially bad one. I'm hearing voices in my head!"
Nick smirked. "Maybe you should go and see someone about it then."
Michael threw up his hands and pushed off the couch. "I'm this close to trying out the cuff!" He held his thumb and index finger half an inch apart. "This close!"
It was an empty threat and Nick knew it. Neither of them would ever voluntarily put on the cuff that forcefully separated them from their partners.
"Upper left drawer," Nick replied, his voice sounding almost bored.
"Don't tempt me!" He sighed. "I just wish Karr would stop referring to me as 'Knight' when arguing with Kitt. You know what it's like when someone talks about you while you're present?"
Nick smiled slightly. "I can imagine. At least he's calling you by your own name, Michael. You don't want to know what he called me in the past."
"If it was 'annoying', I can only concur!"
With that Michael stalked into the kitchen. Nick chuckled and then turned back to his work.

* * *

The day had passed into early afternoon. Nick had abandoned his laptop work and gone downstairs. The server would need time to go through the automatic procedure of checking all the files for broken data strands or viruses. Dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, knuckles and hands wrapped with protective bandages, he attacked the sand filled bag that was only one of many fitness and endurance training devices. A small part of the lower level that wasn't used as a garage, diagnostic center or storage, had been converted into a training room. Pummelling the bag, Nick tried to concentrate only on his moves, shutting the world out, ignoring all that was trying to distract him. Including the dead link.
The bag received another hard punch and Nick gritted his teeth. Don't think about it. Just be on automatic. It will get better. It's only temporary. Several more blows rained down on the innocent leather. Block everything. Don't let it get to you.
Good advice, but the problem was that it had already gotten to him.
Nick stopped, breathing harder than he wished he would. He stared at the swinging bag, then turned on his heels and walked out of the fitness area. He pulled off the slightly soiled protective bandages and threw them into a waste basket.

Karr watched his partner walk by, noting the tensed muscles, the blank face and he didn't need the link to know that Nick was just barely keeping it together. He knew his partner inside out by now, even though Nick would deny it immediately. While it wasn't a ride in the park to have Knight still connected to him, it was more than enough to keep Karr from experiencing the same symptoms Nick was going through. He thought about talking to him, but then decided not to. Nick's whole body language told him to leave him alone.
The sad fact was, Nick was alone without Karr even trying to distance himself.

* * *

Michael placed the grocery bags into Kitt's trunk and wondered why it looked like he had a small family to take care of. The shopping list had been extensive and Nick had simply smirked as Michael had complained bitterly about always waiting till the last minute, when the fridge was so empty you could hear your voice echo in it. Nick had only reminded him of the fact that it was Michael's turn and Michael had forgotten.
Oh well. Yes. He had forgotten it. He slammed the trunk shut and checked the time. Nick had driven over to Ed's and they had agreed to meet for a late lunch. He would need another twenty minutes to get to the sandwich bar Michael had discovered a few weeks earlier. They made hellishly good sandwiches and the cappuccino was a dream.
"Let's go, pal." He slid into the driver's seat and Kitt left the supermarket's parking lot.
"Nick's already at Robin's," Kitt informed him.
"Well, we'll be late," Michael muttered and swiftly slid the TransAm into the flowing traffic.
They were twenty-five minutes late.
Robin's was a small family sandwich bar, and was mostly kept in light wood. It was moderately full and Michael discovered Nick in one of the three booths. He slid in and ordered a Coke and a coffee as the waitress approached.
"Got everything?" Nick asked, smiling.
"Oh, shut up." Michael buried his nose in the menu.
Their orders placed, Michael looked around the coffee shop to check the other customers. It was a habit, one he would never be able to shed. Nick did the same, blue eyes roaming over the patrons. Their job demanded they kept their senses sharp and most of the time Michael didn't even realize what he did. Their food arrived ten minutes later. It was good as always and Michael cleaned his plate in record time, leaning back.
"Gotcha."
Nick swallowed his last bite. "You were cheating," he muttered. "You didn't chew. You also got fries left."
Michael chuckled. Part of him still worried over Nick, taking in the haunted expression and the coldness in his eyes. Moments like these chased the cold away, but Michael was aware of the simple fact that if the separation continued a while longer, he would start losing Nick piece by piece.
As they stood at the cash register, waiting for the waitress to print the bill, the door to the sandwich bar opened and then closed again.
"Okay, everybody stays where they are!"
The commanding voice belonged to a man in a black jacket and a ski mask pulled over his features. He was accompanied by another man, equally masked and dressed. Both had guns in their hands.
"Get the money, Pop!" the first man commanded, gesturing with the weapon.
"And you get your wallets!" the second man told all the customers.
Michael carefully took out his wallet. He was in no mood to get shot. Nick had tensed slightly, watching the men like a hawk. The coldness had multiplied, the pain he felt transforming into the readiness to fight. His eyes were swiveling inconspicuously around the counter and his hand slowly slid over to the abandoned tray of the waitress. Michael readied himself to do whatever came next for him to do.
One of the two thugs still stood near the entrance, now and then sneaking glances toward the window to check if anyone had noticed what was going on. The other was busy collecting valuables from the other guests. Suddenly the door opened with a soft chime and an elderly couple came in.
That was the moment Nick acted. The tray sailed through the air and hit the thug at the table in the back. The man gave a grunt of pain and turned quickly to see who had attacked him. Nick was ready. His first blow snapped back the thug's head, effectively breaking his nose. The man yelled, stumbling away, waving his gun. Nick's foot came up in a roundhouse kick, connecting with the right wrist and the gun flew. No emotions could be seen on Nick's face; nothing at all. He dealt the blows without anger or satisfaction as he sent the would-be robber into oblivion.
Michael had not wasted any time either. He had launched himself at the second man, the one standing by the door. The man had been distracted by the entering couple and had no time to react when Michael crashed into him. Both men went to the ground and Michael disarmed him with ease. The man put up a short fight, nearly dislodging him, but Michael hit him squarely in the face and the man fell unconscious.
"What's going on here?" the elderly man demanded.
"Darling, it's a robbery!"
"Call the cops," Nick said emotionlessly.
He stood off to one side. He wasn't physically separated from the others, but emotionally, he had already removed himself from the situation The man behind the counter complied readily. The whole thing hadn't lasted more than a minute.
Michael smoothed his jacket. "How come we always end up in situations like that?" he asked rhetorically.
"Talent," Nick replied with a faint smile that couldn't smooth the hard lines around his mouth.
//The police are on the way// Kitt told him. //Are you okay?//
//Fine, pal//
Something moved in the back of his mind, just out of his direct perception, and Michael knew who it was.
//Tell Karr Nick's okay as well//
//Of course. He's just worried, Michael//
//I know, Kitt. I know//
Michael was worried as well. It was just another reminder of what wasn't right in their world. While most of the day had almost been like a normal day, excepting he robbery attempt, some things still weren't right.
The darker presence retreated, but it was still there. Hovering. Just as always.

* * *

Nick stared up into the darkness of his room, a sliver of grayish light from the outside casting lighter shadows into the dark. He couldn't sleep. He usually managed to grab a few hours of rest per night, but it wasn't a healthy sleep. While the coldness in his mind wasn't as bad as the other time he had been forcibly separated from his partner, it still ached. Kitt's presence had never been Karr, but it had given him the necessary security and stability to continue as if nothing had changed.
Finally he got up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, and left his bedroom. Everything was quiet outside and he soundlessly crossed over to the stairs. He gazed at the two indistinct black shapes, wondering how Karr was doing. He was still connected to Michael, but now he was sharing the link with Kitt, and he had his private link partially invaded as well. It had to be difficult.
He didn't know how long he stood there, but it had to be a while. All the time he couldn't shake the feeling that Karr was looking up at him, wordlessly, unmoving. Finally he turned and went back to his room.

Michael woke to find the first faint tendrils of dawn streaking across the morning sky. He could see the faint blues and whites and grays of the sky through the skylight of his room and the huge floor-to-ceiling window. He hadn't even lowered the blinds last night. He grabbed a shower and pulled on a pair of black pants and a gray shirt, then left the room.
Nick was up already. As usual. A full pot of coffee sat on the kitchen counter.
"Isn't it a little early for you?" Nick asked as Michael poured himself a cup.
"Under normal circumstances, yes," Michael agreed, sipping at the black liquid. "But I wouldn't call our current situation 'normal'. Things are a little weird." Michael scrutinized his friend, noting the dark circles under his eyes. "You okay?"
"I should be asking you that question, Michael. You are the one with two AIs in your head." Nick gave him a humorless smile and Michael grimaced.
"You are the one who has lost his partner," he then drove his point home.
Nick had enough self-control left not to wince. He had a world-class poker face and Michael knew there was no breaking through unless a tiny crack appeared. "I didn't lose him, Michael. Karr's still alive."
"He's just not there, right?"
Nick sighed and concentrated on his coffee. "A few years ago I would have told you that it's just fine like that, that I don't need him to be any closer than what the chip does already. It hurt to have him close back then, and we… disagreed on a lot of things. Like my continued existence."
Michael grimaced and Nick gave him another humorless smile.
"A lot has changed since," the younger man continued. "For good, for worse… and kind of like forever. I had trouble accepting it in the past, but Karr is part of my life and I need him."
"I know," Michael said quietly, touched by the rare openness his friend was displaying. "This will solve itself eventually, Nick."
"I know. I just wish it would hurry up."

* * *

Nick apathetically flipped through the TV channels. It was afternoon, and there was nothing even remotely interesting to watch. He couldn't get himself to concentrate on any news channel either. Finally, he shut it off in disgust and gazed out the window. The warehouse was silent. Michael and Kitt were gone, after Michael had decided to make use of the brilliantly sunny day and spend it on the beach. Nick hadn't been inclined to follow.
With a sigh he rose and walked over to the computer center, checking his mailbox. While there was a lot of incoming mail, nothing of special interest caught his attention. Nothing to keep his mind busy, distract him from the by now growing pressure the black hole in his mind was exceeding on his sanity. He and Karr talked occasionally, but it did nothing to elevate his mood, or that of his partner. And it did zilch for the emotional pain. Right now, Nick would give a lot to have the whole implant situation back to what it had been over a decade ago. No emotional bond, just pure functionality. He cringed as the thought came. No, back then had been bad as well. Worse even.
Nick blinked against the sudden wave of dizziness that washed over him. Whoa. Not good. He knew he was suffering from sleep deprivation and he hadn't eaten much either lately. His basic food groups currently consisted of coffee and diet Coke, mixed with the occasional microwaved bowl of popcorn or a burger. He knew he should watch out for himself, but he didn't care. The dizziness increased, obscuring his vision, and Nick inhaled sharply. Really not good.
And then it hit him out of the blue. It was like a sharp slap into the face and he reeled back, legs buckling under him. He fell heavily to his knees, a soft cry escaping his lips.
Oh my god, he thought, over and over again. Oh my god, no…. No!
His shivering had become uncontrollable. His teeth chattered. The piercing sensation stabbed into brain and he screamed. The world around him shattered into a million pieces. The pain disappeared just as quickly as it had come and with it, something reappeared. It healed the cracks, made the world whole again.
Karr?> Nick whispered.
The sensation flattened him. Karr's presence enveloped him completely and he reached for the silky, black blanket, wrapping himself tightly into it. The link had completely reset itself.
We're back> the achingly familiar voice said softly.
Yeah. Feels great> Nick laughed weakly. He pulled himself up with the aid of a near-by chair.
Karr retreated slightly, giving him some breathing space, and Nick smiled. Part of them was still holding on tightly, revelling in the newfound link.
So Michael's finally rid of you?> he teased.
I am rid of him> Karr corrected him.
He laughed. Depends on your viewpoint>
Nick plopped down on the couch and massaged his temples. He didn't really have a headache. It was more like a strange pressure in his head, but not in a painful way.
I think my viewpoint has just been put back into the right focus again> Karr replied quietly.
Nick felt a smile crease his lips. Yes, so has mine>

* * *

Kitt felt content. His world he had known for the last few years was back. He was reconnected to Michael, he no longer felt any echoes from Nick, and Karr was with his own partner again. Karr was radiating the same emotional content as Kitt felt, and the younger AI had to smile. To his virtual eyes, Karr appeared like a large predatory creature, now lazily stretched out and watching his partner. He was, at the moment, completely at peace with himself and the world.
Michael was on his way to a new case, which sounded easy enough. At least compared to some of their past cases, though the Senecca security check had been laughable at first as well. Kitt smiled more as Michael flipped through the channels and found a rock station. It would take them three more hours of driving to get to their destination and until then, Kitt had little to do except monitor the traffic, his systems and keep an eye on Michael. He wasn't complaining.
For a while he had wondered whether or not to talk to Karr about the brief flashback Kitt had experienced when touching Nick's mind. It had been an accident, brought on by the unfamiliarity of the territory he had entered, and he had realized that no one had been there for a very long time. With it, the knowledge that Karr wouldn't be very happy about recalling this particular event had come. Kitt had chosen to keep it as his secret. It was Nick and Karr's shared past and he respected it. He cringed at the memory of the scars he had seen, but he had always been aware of the fact that Nick carried a lot of them. His past before Karr had already hurt his soul, and with Karr's refusal to be linked, a lot more suffering had been added. The healing had started years ago, but no amount of healing time could ever erase the visible facts.
The accidental switch had given Kitt an insight into Nick, one he would treasure. He understood more of why Nick pushed people away, why he hid behind masks. And he realized just how much Nick had developed and grown since their first meeting in the desert, right after Michael's implant had activated. He was thankful for it, and maybe even a little bit proud to have this sole knowledge.

Karr felt more relaxed than he had in what seemed to be a lifetime. Not that he could call his current position relaxed, but it was good to have Nick back, to be whole again, and so it didn't matter that his partner was currently scaling up the side of a high security office building, intent to break in. This was something that had been on the back burner for a while now and Nick had finally decided to do this job. It was easy, something he could do in his sleep.
Monitoring his free climbing partner, Karr felt himself smile. Back to normal, as it should be. While having Knight as a temporary partner hadn't been too bad, it also hadn't left him with a feeling of completeness either. Knight had never been meant for him and never would even be remotely a substitute. He had never envied Kitt his partner and he knew Kitt felt likewise. They had who was best for them, who fit them, and who they deserved. It sounded harsh, but Karr saw nothing negative in the connection between him and a human any more.
Nick slid into the office, soundlessly slipping through the dark room and toward the computer. Karr kept watching.
Yes, everything was back to normal, for all of them.