Knight Rider

Remember The Knight

Part III
By Ldydeb

Three days slipped past too quickly realized Selena as she drove her cart to the rear of the mansion with Jasmine and Tina.  They had spent two wonderful days being sisters again.  Selena and Jasmine had stayed awake their entire first night together.  They drank gallons of chocolate milk; and they ate an entire package of OREO Cookies and a half-gallon of ice cream.  They talked about boys, specifically about one Jasmine met at her summer art class.  They giggled and healed.  Selena had even had the courage to ask Jasmine if she was OK with having to go to court.  It was turning out to be a good visit.

That afternoon they planned to spend by the pool.  Selena had arranged for FLAG's inner offices to be torn apart, cleaned and painted.  No one would be able to go inside them for at least a day or so.  This led to adding a picnic to what was promised to be a beautiful day.

The Kirk sisters met their Aunts sitting near the pool under an umbrella-topped table.  They were enjoying iced tea and a plate of cold fruit with a strawberry yogurt dip.  Dawn Herrera wore her auburn hair tied up behind her head, the length sprouting down like a waterfall.  She was dressed simply in a one-piece black bathing suit with a matching crepe black skirt and sandals.  Marie wore a floppy, blue straw hat, a one-piece blue suit that flared into a skirt around her thighs, and a large white cotton cover-up.  They were joined by Michael and Bonnie.

Selena sat down with a plate of her own while Tina and Jasmine ran off to jump into the pool.  Soon the sounds of their horseplay enticed Michael to join them for a game of Wally ball.  Selena's eyes appreciatively followed Michael as he entered the water.  Her interest intensified.  Her mind filtered images to the surface of another swim in the pool.  She rose from her seat, caught in her trance causing her aunts and Bonnie to become concerned.

Aunt Dawn rose up first to bring Selena back to them.  She laid a hand on her niece's shoulder and spoke, "Selena, Hun?  What…"  The woman lost her words, noticing something odd sticking out from under the strap on Selena's bathing suit.  Dawn pushed back Selena's hair to see a tattoo of The Queen chess piece and the words "PJ's Toy" angrily written underneath like a branding.  There were small scars going down Selena's back, evidence of someone beating her, slicing her skin.  Horrified, Dawn demanded, "What is this?"  Then she looked into Selena's eyes and saw fear, shame, and then nothing – numbness.

Bonnie stood to offer an escape, "Selena, I think Devon is suppose to call soon with the report on the baby stealing case.  You might want to go check on the progress of the workman."

Selena nodded, but Dawn refused to let her go.  She faced her sisters and requested, "Marie!  You need to come look at this!"

Marie sighed.  She had already seen the tattoo, the wounds – when they were still fresh.  She had helped change the bandages on them while Selena lay unconscious.  She did rise, but not to look.  She drew Selena in to her safe comforting arms, away from Dawn.  She spoke softly, "Go take care of your job, Dear."

Selena was afraid to speak.  She had been on the verge of remembering something about Michael, something good.  Or so she thought because it didn't bring pain.  Then her favorite aunt found the marks on her body – marks that only caused her immense pain.  A feeling of panic and fear drowned her senses every time she noticed the tattoo in a mirror as she showered or dressed.  She had taken down the full-length mirror in her bathroom so she couldn't see it anymore.  She had also taken to dressing and undressing in that bathroom and only that bathroom.

Around them Tina emerged from the pool.  One of the housekeepers approached the table pushing the commotion over Selena away.  The woman carried a tray with a package on it.  She informed, "Miss Kirk, this package was delivered for you.  It is marked urgent."

Selena thanked the woman, retrieving the package.  She listened to Tina asking to use the facilities inside.  Selena stared at the package, her mind puzzled by the label, which had her name on it, but nothing else:  no return address or sender's name.  Then again she had recently met a prostitute who had some information for her.  Selena had given her FLAG's address and told her to send it anonymously.  Tina again asked, "Selena, I need to go inside."

Selena nodded, "Go on, Tina.  You know where to go."

Marie replied, "I think I'll go with her."

That offer drew a smile of gratitude from Selena, her mind still on the package.  Bonnie looked over her shoulder and responded to the lack of information; "You should wait to open that until we get it to the lab."

Selena shrugged, "That is not necessary.  It is probably just from that girl I told you about."

Bonnie argued, "Just wait, Selena," and jogged off to get Michel.

Impatient to solve the puzzle, Selena tore open the package.  A white marble, medieval style queen chess piece rolled out of the envelope just as Michael and Bonnie reached the table.  Selena took out a simple 3 X 5 card and read, "Ready for a new game, My Toy!"  Her inner voice repeated "My Toy" over and over, the words sounding so familiar, so hated.  Then she could almost hear another voice inside, and hate turned to confusion, then nauseating fear.  In response to her thoughts, she threw the marble piece across the table as Jasmine and Michael approached.  Selena's hands pushed against her ears, her eyes closed tightly.  Her voice begged in a soft whimper, "Please.  Make him Stop."  She was beginning to sink into the chair beside her, as her voice became more insistent, "Shut UP!"

Jasmine went to help her sister, "What's wrong, Selena."

Michael steadied Selena, getting her to look at him.  He looked over at Jasmine and asked, "Have you seen Tina?"

Dawn replied, "She needed to use the restroom inside."

Michael looked worriedly at Bonnie and then at Jasmine, "Go with Bonnie, Jazz.  See if you can find her for me."  Bonnie and Jasmine ran towards the mansion.  As soon as they were out of sight, Michael knelt next to Selena's chair to calm her, help her deal with the thoughts plaguing her mind.  He could see that she was trying to shut her mind down to the ugly voices and images.  She looked pale; sweat beading her face and neck.  His lips found her forehead, while his fingers found a soft cloth napkin.  He took the napkin, dunked it in a nearby pitcher of water and then began dotting Selena's cheeks and neck with it, hoping it would help bring her out of her trance.

Selena responded slowly.  She lay docilely against Michael finding the peace she had needed.  Her eyes opened to find his intense loving and worried stare.  There was safety and love in his face and in his touch.  She wanted to stay locked against him forever.  Jasmine's screaming voice from the offices of the mansion bombed that peace.

Michael followed Selena as she made the space between the pool and the French doors in a cheetah's pace.  Jasmine and Bonnie met them and informed, "There's no one here.  We can't find Marie or Tina." 

With Dawn following behind, they entered the office to find it deserted.  Michael raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke, "KITT, I need you to contact Devon now! And make a sweep of the grounds." 

KITT quickly accessed the security cameras around the property and found the van from the cleaning company backing out of its parking space to leave the property. While informing Michael of its departure, KITT scanned the van and then engaged his automatic mode to quickly close the distance between them.  KITT also engaged the controls that opened the main gates of the property and sent a message to the computer that operated the controls to keep the gate locked.  He did an internal shut down of all the gates on the property.  When he was sure the van was not going anywhere KITT informed Michael of his actions.

While KITT was in the process of stopping the van, the search for any sign of Marie or Tina continued.  Bonnie heard a faint tapping noise coming from inside a closet in the hallway.  She called out bringing the others to her.  Bonnie opened the door to find Marie had been shoved inside, the belt of her swim robe used to tie her hands behind her; a ball made from a cotton towel shoved inside her mouth.  Michael and Selena hurried over to her Aunt to help pull her out of the closet.  The moment the towel was removed, Marie spoke quickly, "Tina…"  She swallowed, trying to get her dry mouth working again, "He's got her…the rrr...ug guy!"

Selena let go of her Aunt and ran from the room, Michael not far behind.  She found her cart and with Michael jumping in beside her, she drove to where KITT said he had trapped the van.  Michael breathlessly asked, "KITT, Is she in there?"

KITT replied, "I only detect one life sign, Michael, in the rear."

Selena opened the side-paneled door.  Tina lay unconscious inside a sealed-around-her-neck sleeping bag.  A noise by the bushes near the gate caught her and Michael's attention.  Selena ignored the stiffness in her leg and tore after the noise to find a young man in his late teens, early twenties hiding.  He tried to run, but Selena grabbed his shirt and lifted him from the ground.  She pushed him toward the brick walled fence where he had tried to climb up to get away.  Michael tried to pull her off of the boy.  He wanted to question him.  But Selena shook Michael off and threw her fist at the boy's face; "That was my sister!  What in the hell were you doing with her!  Where did you think you were going to be taking her!"

Michael was forced to lift Selena off the ground to prevent her from killing the boy with her bare hands.  To the boy, Michael ordered, "You!  Stay put!"  He hauled her back to KITT who already had the passenger door open for him.  Michael stuffed Selena inside, then went back to get the boy.  A little too gruffly, Michael pushed the boy towards the golf cart and set him in it; "Don't move."

Returning to the van, Michael brushed his fingers tenderly across Tina's cheek and hair.  The thought of what could have happened to cause her to lose more of her innocence incensed him.  Gingerly he lifted the sleeping bag that enveloped Tina from the bed of van and laid her next to Selena on KITT's driver's side.  He ordered, "KITT, are the police on their way?"

KITT replied, "They should be here in about 5 minutes or less, Michael."

Michael replied, "Good!  Meet me at Selena's gatehouse.  I'm going to take Tina to her bedroom.  Then follow me back to the offices.  And don't let Selena out until I come to get her!"  He refused to look at Selena, knowing that becoming KITT's prisoner was not sitting well with her.

In fact, Selena's eyes were daggers aimed straight at Michael face.  But she said nothing when KITT agreed, "I promise, Michael."  Michael closed the door to the Trans-Am hearing every vile curse Selena could think of and threats if he didn't let her go from her seat.  He grinned at her anger.  It was good that she was calming down and not hysterical anymore.  He waved at her and watched as she crossed her arms over her breasts, turning away from him to stare ahead at nothing.  Michael pounded on KITT, sat inside the golf cart to return to take care of the kidnapper.

The next half-hour, Devon entered his office to find the police talking to every one.  The young man was sitting in a chair, handcuffs on his wrists behind his back.  Michael stood menacingly over him grilling him for answers.  Devon cleared his throat.

Michael looked up and then nodded to the officer watching him.  The boy was dragged out of the office.  Before the men could speak, however, Selena's Aunt Dawn approached; her worried eyes betraying her normal cool, calm nature.  She demanded, "Mr. Miles.  I thought we were all safe inside this small village of yours!  How did this boy get past the security system My Selena has been so proud of?"

Marie also approached.  She scolded, "Dawn!  Mr. Miles…I mean…Devon is not at fault!  No one is except that monster."

Dawn harshly rebuked, "I know who is responsible, Marie.  But why is he still free!  Why was he able to do all those terrible things to my babi….my nieces!"  Dawn's formidable demeanor was falling away as she remembered how her own sister, The Kirk Sister's mother had been so unfairly taken from her…them.  She was not about to lose her sister's children.

Devon held the woman's hand and replied, his own sense of failure peppering his words, "Dawn, I assure you…We are doing everything humanly possible to protect our…your family.  Please believe that Selena is as important to me…to the Foundation as Michael is.  Jasmine and Tina will be protected as best we can."  Devon looked at Michael; "Where is Selena?  I need to talk to her."

Michael pounded the table in frustration then he replied sheepishly, "She's still locked inside KITT.  I told him to keep her until I could come to get her."

Devon laughed.  Bonnie replied, "I suggest you go get her, Michael."

Marie asked, "Why did you do that?" She had a suspicion of why knowing how someone could get so frustrated with Selena that they would want to lock her up.

Dawn inquired, "Is Tina still with her?"

Michael answered, "No.  I took her into her room at the gatehouse so that when she wakes up she won't be afraid.  Mrs. Greenly is with her."

Dawn smiled, relieved by Michael's thoughtful care.  She offered, "I'm going to take Jasmine there and go to sleep myself.  Is Selena's cart back in her spot outside?"

Marie followed her sister, hugging Michael; "Don't feel fad about this, Michael.  It really is a victory!  That monster didn't get what he was after and my nieces will make sure his accomplices go to jail!"

The moment they were finally a lone Devon insisted, "You better go get her before she manages to give KITT a verbal beating."

KITT Announced, "That is not something you need to worry about, Devon.  Miss Kirk is sound asleep.  She takes to the tranquilizing vapors very well."  KITT sounded quite proud of himself.

Michael, on the other hand was already preparing the explanation and apology to Selena's outrage once she realized what KITT had done to her.  He informed, "I'm coming anyway, Buddy."

Devon realized they had a few minutes to talk and asked, "Wait, Michael.  What happened?  Why did you have to lock Selena up?"

Bonnie replayed the events for Devon, Michael finishing the details of Selena trying to kill Tina's kidnapper.  Devon wondered if the man gave up who had hired him and where he was suppose to take Tina.  Michael replied, a little more than just irritated, "He claims to know nothing beyond some guy he'd never seen before promised him $20 grand if he smuggled one of the women living here off of FLAG property.  He had pictures of all three Kirk sisters in his van."

Bonnie asked, "Where was he supposed to take her after leaving the mansion?"

Michael replied, "An abandoned airport in the mountains."  Michael stood up feeling very tired.  He ran his fingers through his dark brown curls, rolling his shoulders trying to ease the stress in his mind and muscles.  "I don't know what to do, Devon!  I can't even keep her safe here!  If that little girl had disappeared," his chest hurt to even contemplate the possibilities, "had gotten past the gate; not even KITT could have found her.  Selena would never have forgiven me!"

Devon feared, "Michael, It would be worse than that.  Losing her sister again might just send her back into the hospital."

Bonnie listened to her friends, her family, worry for a woman who she too had grown fond of.  But her thoughts were for the first friend she had lost to Patrick Judson because Michael could not find HER in time.  Bonnie had gone to the morgue with Devon.  She witnessed the autopsy of her friend Caiti.   Bonnie knew exactly what happened to her friend; her mind filling her nightmares with the images.  She heard Michael and Devon trying to come up with a new strategy to protect Selena, her family and the Foundation itself.  Her thoughts pictured little Tina laying on a cold metal table, ripped open for the medical examiner to describe how horribly she was tortured to death.  Bonnie squared her shoulders and declared, "There has got to be a way to keep Tina and Jasmine safe!  Not just them!"  She paced the floor, Devon and Michael watching as she ranted, thought out loud.  "There has got to be a way to protect anyone who comes to us for help!  We should feel safe within these walls; I need to be safe inside my lab.  Our clients need to feel safe outside of these walls too!"

She faced Michael, her eyes asking him for answers.  Then her eyes fell to an object around Michael's neck.  A smile brightened her eyes, an idea coming into her head; "I got it!  I've Got IT!"

Without explaining herself, Bonnie fled Devon's office.  An hour or so later, she entered her laboratory carrying a shopping bag.  She tossed the bag onto her desk and pulled her chair close to her computer screen.   She slipped a headset over her ears, "KITT?"

An electronically produced yawn deafened her ears; "What can I do for you, Bonnie?"

Bonnie asked, "Did Michael come to take Selena home yet?  Are you alone?"

KITT responded, "Yes, Bonnie.  Michael took Selena into the gatehouse about a half-hour ago.  Did you want me to contact him?"

Bonnie responded, "No.  I need you, KITT.  Together we are going to prevent further kidnappings!"

On the other side of the Foundation property Michael gently pushed open the door to Selena's bedroom.  She had nestled herself lightly within his arms.  She had been like that since he'd removed her from KITT's passenger seat.  He had found her in the middle of a nightmare.  Her cheeks were wet with tears, her body shifting uncomfortably in the leather seat.  He had tried to rouse her while KITT made the short tip across the property from the main building to her gatehouse.

The first time she shrank away from his touch, her mind caught up in the dreams.  The second time he disturbed her was to pick her up into his arms to carry her into the house.  As he rose, her sleeping form against him, he looked to find her large green eyes watching him curiously, silently judging him.  Her breath was warm against his cheek.  She circled her arm around his neck and snuggled contently within the safety of his embrace.  He was quietly amused and gratified to find her fast asleep again, a small smile tempting him to kiss her.

As he carried her to her bed, however, he forced himself to remain detached, controlling his desire to hold her.  Carefully he laid her on the mattress, grabbed a chenille blanket from the bottom of the bed, and draped it over her.  He reached to brush her hair away from her face and she reached for him.  Softly, she asked, "Tina?  Is She…"

Michael smiled in the darkness, "She is sleeping in her room."

Selena cleared her throat, licking her lips.  Her mouth had a funny dry and dead taste to it.  She desperately needed a drink of water.  She whispered, "How…Why did I fall asleep?  I was so angry with you and yelling…"  She coughed and licked her lips again, "Yelling at KITT."

Michel comforted her, his reply in soft soothing tones, "Just go back to sleep, Selena.  You have a big day tomorrow."  He began to gently trace the outlines of her face, memorizing every tiny pore, eyelash.  She was asleep before he reached her lips.  She had turned her face toward him, the moonlight from the window casting her face in a perfect iridescent glow.  This gave him an opportunity to trace her scar. 

In that moment he was not sorry her memory was gone.  He remembered enough for both of them.  Even tracing the pattern etched in her cheek brought her voice yelling at him from inside his attic prison.  Michael kissed her cheek and then bid her "Good night" He slipped from her room to find slumber in his own.