"Jim, I'm gonna pop over the gas station over there. Do you have a canister
of some kind that I could borrow?" Jim's gaze travelled over to the other
side of the street directly across from the impound yard. The "OPEN 24h"-
sign flickered on and off and on again in the early morning sunshine.
Andrea had been here for hours already. "Sure, there's a five gallon
canister behind my office. Andy. I know that look! What are you planning?"
Andrea's grin disappeared replaced by a determined look. "I'm planning to
go over to that gas station, fill that canister of yours with some high
grade fuel, pour it into that Pontiac and return it to it's owner." Jim
opened his mouth, but before he could break into a litany of just why she
shouldn't do that Andrea continued: "Look Jim, we've known each other for
some years right? You trust me right? So trust me this one time. I KNOW
what I'm doing. Tomorrow may be too late. That car doesn't belong here."
She stopped herself as she realized that she was rambling and a blank look
had settled on Jim's face. He had no idea what she was talking about.
Closing her eyes Andrea took a deep breath. "I have to help a friend, Jim.
I know it's not by the book, but I need that car to do it. All you have to
do is give me the key to that gate and look the other way. If I get caught
-which I won't- I'll say I made you do it." Jim grabbed Andrea by the
shoulders: "Andy! Stop talking! I can see this is important to you. By God,
I don't understand why, but listen. Have you typed the reports on the car?"
Andrea shook her head. "Okay, see I was kinda busy with my other work." Jim
patted the rolled up magazine in his back pocket. ".and I forgot to write
the impound paper-pile-crap on that thing, so it doesn't exist here, not
yet. If you know the owner of that beauty and want to return it, I won't
stand in your way. Besides that's just on more paper I won't have to write
and I sure won't regret that! Just don't drive off into the sunset with
that set of wheels. The force couldn't stand losing you." With that he gave
Andrea's shoulders a small shake, walked to the gate and opened the lock.
Turning he began whistling to himself as he walked into his small guard
post he liked to call his office.
Andrea watched her friend walk into his small room and settle down with his
ever-present magazine. He looked up and winked at her. She mouthed "Thank
you" to him and slipped out through the gate. Andrea crossed the road,
filled the canister with premium grade fuel, paid and slipped back into the
impound yard. From far away she could see the red scanner moving slowly
back-and-forth as if Kitt were deep in thought. Smiling she walked to the
TA. "So do you run on rocket fuel or well regular unleaded do?" Kitt
scanned the inside of the canister and found five gallons of premium grade
petrol. "Is that for me? Why?" Andrea circled the car trying to find the
gas flap. "Of course it's for you. I don't run on unleaded. As for why.
we're gonna take a drive my newfound-automotive-friend. Now WHERE can I
pour this?" Kitt's licence plate popped out. Carefully Andrea poured the
fuel into Kitt's tank. Andrea opened the door and sat down in the driver's
seat. "I want you to see something that could help you Kitt. No reports
have been written about you, so you don't exist in this impound. It's
daybreak and he should be there today. Sooo. let's get moving shall we?"
Kitt was confused. He understood that technically reports that should have
been written about him apparently hadn't been written. His newfound friend
Andrea seemed determined to show him something. "Trust me." She had said.
Though talking with Andrea, reading about someone else who had gone through
what he was going through had helped ease his guilt about killing the
child, Kitt could not bring himself to contact Michael or the Foundation.
Andrea had been helpful so far. Kitt did trust her. Calling up the
appropriate programs Kitt ignitiated his turbine engine. It felt good feel
the fuel moving through his engine. Switching to normal cruise, Kitt
relinquished control to Andrea. "Since you seem to know where we are going,
please drive. I do not consider myself an adequate driver after what I
did." Andrea lifted her hands to the gull-shaped wheel and applied gentle
pressure on the accelerator. The Knight Industries Two Thousand left the
impound yard behind and headed west.
