Chapter 10: End Of A Very Long Day New Team Members!

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA AIRPORT
8:53 A.M. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2065

The plane's engines roared as the pilot throttled back and began to land. It bounced off the ground twice then slowly coasted toward, and parked by, the communications tower.

After a few minutes, the back end of the gigantic plane slowly opened and lowered toward the ground, forming a ramp up into the hollow body. One by one, the vehicles filed out of their portable garage. The Beast was the last one out and the first to complain.

"Where the hell are we? Mayberry?" his husky voice said in disgust.

"Sheriff Taylor and I are goin' fishin' this afternoon, wanna come along?" said Plato, giving his best Don Knotts impression.

"Very funny, Plato," said Beast.

"Now, now, guys, let's not fight," Trek cut in.

The cars began to pull out onto the highway. Kyle and Dante were in the lead followed by Keri in Kitt, Jenny in Domino, Duke in the Beast, and finally Erica and Trek in their combo-car.

Kyle's voice broke into each vehicle, "Okay, people, we're doing this the old fashioned way. You each have a photo and description of Damien Steele. Now, I want you all to split up and ask everyone you see about him. Don't exclude children, they sometimes see more than adults do. Keri, you stay with me. The rest of you have your assignments, get going."

Each car in turn pulled off onto a side road leading down to a small business district. Only Kyle and Keri remained on the main street.

"Kitt?" Kyle's voice sounded in the car, "I understand your systems are fully functional?"

"Yes," replied Kitt.

"Can you locate any emanations from Karr? You do know what they would be, right?"

"Indeed I do, but I'm not getting anything. I can only pick up traces from the vehicle Karr is installed in, not the CPU itself. And since his original body was the only one I could trace, I'm afraid I'm of no real value to you."

Keri squirmed in her seat, "Why are we out here anyway? Can't you just use one of your fancy government gadgets to find this guy? I mean, we could be out here all day and find nothing!" She stared out Kitt's window at the road in front of her. Maybe I should've stayed and gone home. I didn't realize it would be so... dull, she thought.

"Kyle," Dante broke the silence, "I'm detecting a concentrated amount of electrical activity ahead."

"Where?" Kyle said, trying to see it for himself.

"Just ahead on the left. It's a red brick house."

Kyle looked around in disgust, "Almost all of them are red brick!"

"I see it too!" Kitt blurted out. "It's the third house on the left. And it's not electrical activity. Someone or something is generating an electrical field. My sensors can't penetrate it."

Suddenly, a shiny black Trans Am bolted from the house's driveway, skidded onto the road, and took off away from Kyle and Keri.

"That's him!" Kitt yelled. "Let's go!"

Kyle tromped on the gas and floored it. Quickly, he pressed a button on Dante's high-tech dash and yelled, "We've got him! Converge on my coordinates!"

From throughout the entire neighborhood, the sounds of screeching tires could be heard as all the vehicles made drastic U-turns. From every other side road, a car darted onto the highway, joining the chase. Tires squealed and engines roared as they followed the sleek black car down the road.

"Look out!" Dante yelled, as he swerved to the other side of the road. Two rockets flared from the back end of the car and streaked toward the others. Dante swerved out of the way just in time. Kitt began to swerve, but one of the rockets exploded on his right headlight, leaving a very slight dent and gray ashes spread along his hood. The other rocket missed and caught a tree at the end of the road, blowing it to a splintery pile of firewood.

"Whoa!" Keri said, directing Kitt back into the right lane. "Are you okay, Kitt?"

"I'm fine. But I don't want to take another blow like that."

Kyle's voice came through the speaker again, this time directed to one car, "Beast... sic 'em!"

"I thought you'd never ask," came the husky voice of the black truck.

All the cars again moved into the other lane as Duke hammered the gas and the Beast tore down the road at full speed.

Damien looked into his rear view mirror. "Those fools! Do they think they can actually defeat us?" he gloated.

"Shall we show them who's boss?" asked the dash board.

"We shall."

Two more rockets, fired from the strange black car, bounded for the Beast who easily dodged them. He quickly counter attacked with two rockets of his own. Unfortunately, the car swerved out of the way.

"Come on, people!" Kyle said. "We're destroying more of the town than we are of the bad guys!" He looked around. Fortunately, there were no civilians on the streets at the moment.

Beast's voice broke through the noise of the engines, "I'm gonna ram him!"

Duke's mouth dropped open and his eyes grew big as saucers, "What! Hey, I didn't say...!"

"Do you want this guy taken down or NOT?" Beast cut in. "If we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it NOW! Don't worry, you'll be fine. I think."

"Oh, you think do you?! Well I'm driving, and I say no way!"

"WHO'S driving?" Beast asked, slyly.

Duke looked at the wheel he was holding and jerked at it slightly. It did not budge. He glared at the dash.

"Let it go, Beast!" Duke tried to coax.

The truck began to accelerate.

"Come on, let it go!"

The tail end of the car was approaching faster and faster.

"Beast no!"

The truck crashed into the back of the black car, mangling its bumper and taillights and sending a spider web crack up the rear window. The Beast, however, was left undamaged.

"Ow, my neck!" Duke whined, uncharacteristically. "I think I have whiplash!"

"Quit whining, you baby. How do you think I feel? My grill hurts!"

The car skidded and weaved around but soon regained its traction.

"I have been damaged!" Karr said, angrily. "You said my body was made of reinforced steel alloys. If it was, my bumper would not be dragging behind me."

Damien glanced behind him, "So I lied. Big deal. As soon as we get away from these clowns, we'll go see about fixing you up good. But for now, let's get out of here!"

Karr rambled on, "I have been told many things in the past, Damien. Almost all of them have been lies. I will not tolerate being lied to again. The next time you do, they will not be able to find your body."

Damien stepped on the gas, trying to gain speed and outrun his followers.

"Are you threatening me?"

"That was not a threat," Karr said, flatly, "That was a promise."

Damien swallowed hard. He knew what Karr was capable of, and knew how much he liked to do it. Karr was the equivalent of a homicidal madman. If something stood in his way, he would blow through it. If someone stood in his way, he would mow them over. Damien did not want to think about what Karr might do to him, so he pushed the pedal all the way to the floor and pulled away from his pursuers.

"No! He's getting away!" Jenny yelled. "Now we'll never catch him."

"We may not be able to catch him," Keri reasoned, "But we can still shoot at him. Everyone direct your lasers at his right rear wheel, and fire on my signal..." She paused for a moment, "Fire!"

From the front of every car shot a thin red beam. They all converged on one spot on Karr's back tire. Within seconds the tire exploded and the car began to throw sparks from the metal hub dragging on the ground. Pieces of rubber flew back and bounced off Domino's windshield.

"Eww, that's disgusting! I expect a full wash and wax when this is all over," she said in her deep, seductive voice.

"He's starting to loose control," Erica observed.

Karr swayed from side to side, throwing sparks and chunks of metal and rubber.

"Not having a fourth wheel is hindering my ability to regain proper traction," said Karr, increasing the loudness of his voice. "We are going to crash."

Karr's back end swiveled around and he started to skid sideways. The speed at which he was traveling was too great for going sidelong, resulting in the car flipping over several times, scattering shards of glass and metal all over the road. It finally came to a rest smashed against a tree in someone's yard.

Damien looked up and tried to focus his eyes. When he saw how severely mangled Karr was, he decided to ditch his failed attempt to resurrect him.

He started to pound on the T-top above him. He would have used the door, though, if it wasn't wrapped around the tree. The T-top finally gave way and popped open. Damien started to climb out.

"Wait, please, where are you going? You have to help me," came the crackled, garbled voice of Karr. His voice seemed to convey pain and half consciousness.

Damien looked back, "Sorry, Karr, I really am. But it's not like I can pick you up and carry you with me."

"But... "

"See ya 'round," he said and jumped up through the roof. He slid off the crunched car and began to run away.

"I... do not think so," Karr fought to spit out the words, "I am NOT taking the blame for all this." He searched his inventory. The only operable weapon left was his grappling hook. He aimed and fired, wrapping the hook around Damien's legs and pulling him to the ground. He struggled to release himself, but it was no use, the rope was twisted too tight.

Just then Team Knight Rider came to a screeching halt in the yard next to Karr.

"Hog tie that little heifer!" exclaimed Plato.

"Hey, look at that!" said Trek, "I guess the good guys caught the bad guys."

Erica leaned over, "You mean the bad guys caught the gad guys."

Trek looked again and saw Damien struggling at the end of the rope connected to Karr like a worm on a hook.

"Hmmm... you're right," he said.

Erica gazed over at Trek, "Really?" She was shocked he had admitted being wrong.

"Yeah."

Kyle ran over and restrained Damien while Duke worked on the grappling hook.

Keri walked over to the mangled body of Karr and placed her hand on his dented hood.

"So you're the famous original prototype of all these cars. How does it feel to be brought down by the younger generation?"

"Not very good," Karr said slowly. "Quite painful, actually."

"You feel pain?" she said, interested.

"Yes. Very much so," his voice sounded as if he was almost grimacing. "Please, make it stop hurting."

Keri shook her head, "I'm not sure I know how to do that."

"I do," said Kyle, walking over. "Deactivate him before he hurts anyone else."

Keri put up her hand, "Wait, Kyle, look at him. He's obviously not going anywhere. Let me take him. I'll reprogram him to be more caring for human lives. Please?"

Kitt pulled up beside Karr, "I agree with her, if we reprogram him to respect human lives above his own, he will be more agreeable."

Kyle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "What do you have to say about all this, Karr. It's your choice, deactivation or being reprogrammed?"

"Since my dominant programming insists that I not be harmed, I believe the most painless way to proceed is to be reprogrammed," Karr said, slowly pronouncing every word as if they were his last, "Although I detest this idea... perhaps... perhaps it will be better... I... I do not care anymore. But I have just one request... "

Kyle shrugged, "What?"

"Please, do not lie to me. I have been lied to most of my life, and I am tired of it. I will let you do anything you want to do to me, as long as you do not lie."

"I think that's a fair deal," said Kyle, nodding his head.

Just then the owner of the house ran outside in a T-shirt and boxers, swearing like there was no tomorrow.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?! Get off of my God-damn property before I call the cops!"

Duke walked by, pushing Damien in front of him, "We are the cops," he said flatly and shoved Steele into Dante's passenger seat.

"Who's gonna clean up all this mess?!" yelled the man.

Trek patted him on the back, "I'm sure you'll figure something out. Have a nice day, sir."

Across the way, Kyle stepped up to Keri.

"Thank you."

"For what?" she asked, not looking up from Karr.

"For helping us apprehend Steele and getting Karr under control. It took a lot of courage to do that."

"You're welcome, then," she smiled.

"Of course, the car gets no recognition for his work," said Kitt.

Kyle grinned, "I get the hint, thank you, Kitt. Without you we would have certainly lost."

"That's better."

Keri laughed.

Kyle turned to her, "In fact, you did so well, I'm going to ask you to stay on with us."

Keri was taken aback, "You want me to join Team Knight Rider? Are you sure?"

"I was never more sure."

"I... I don't know what to say."

"Say yes," Kitt offered.

She thought a moment, then asked, "Will I get to play with machinery and the cars?"

"Absolutely."

"Well then," she looked at the ground as if she was afraid of telling Kyle what she wanted to say, "I guess my answer would have to be a resounding 'yes'."

Kyle smiled and shook her hand, "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks."

Kyle turned toward the others, "People? I'd like you to welcome our new team member... Keri."

Everyone cheered and Keri beamed.

"What about me?" Kitt asked. "And Karr? What about us?"

"Yes," Karr said weakly, "I declare that Keri is my new owner now, and wherever she goes, I go."

"Same here," said Kitt.

"Of course. You two are on the team as well. We couldn't leave you behind."

"Good," Kitt said. "You hear that, Karr? We're part of a family again."

"I... do not know what to say. Thank you, all of you."

Keri pulled Kyle aside and asked, "So, now that I'm an official team member... do I get paid for today?"

Kyle looked at her and for the first time in a long while, he laughed.

END