Knight Rider
Remember The Knight
Part IV
By Ldydeb
The morning after Tina's kidnapping attempt was again filled with activity. Devon dictated several letters and memos to Selena; then she took them to her computer and prepared them to send. The memos regarded new safety protocols throughout the Foundation and Knight Industries, including notifying all employees to report to the computer labs to be assigned password access to the systems. Selena's next task; contacting the company she had hired to clean the inner offices. She gathered information and presented a report to Devon.
Her investigation led to a discovery that someone on the FLAG staff had betrayed them. Michael was sent to visit the prison where Lennox was held without bail to interrogate him, using the confession signed by the young kidnapper, to find out who had helped him. While he was getting nowhere, KITT infiltrated the prison's computer systems to gain access to the records of all visitors and telephone calls for and by Lennox. Then KITT did a quick run of those lists against the payroll logs of FLAG and Knight Industries until he found a name that matched. By lunch, Michael and KITT were on their way back to the Foundation, having transmitted their information to Devon.
Entering the reception area, Michael found Selena pacing with a slight limp – her cane useless, discarded behind her desk. Her green eyes blazed with gold and she held her arms akimbo, drumming her fingers against her skin. Michael smiled at her knowing Devon had purposely kept her away from the traitor and his interrogation. They had decided it would be dangerous for the traitor if she was allowed near him, they would never get answers from him. She was to be kept out of Devon's office until the police arrived to arrest the man, one of the security guards that protected the grounds of FLAG.
Michael decided it was time to distract Selena and greeted, "Are you ready to go pick up more of Jasmine and Tina's things?"
Selena replied, remembering both her Aunt and Devon's order after she had finished getting out the mail, "I don't really have a choice, Mr. Knight! Let's go."
Michael laughed, "It is not going to be that bad and You don't need to be here."
Selena retrieved a black leather handbag from under her desk, "Let's just get this over with!"
KITT drove the couple to the place Selena had not been inside for over four months. As the driveway approached, Selena requested, "Is everything safe?"
KITT replied, "All clear, Selena."
Selena was quick to thank KITT and exited before she lost courage to go inside again. Michael met her on the sidewalk and walked with her to the door. He noticed her quiet attitude and decided to let her stay that way. He hoped that if she remembered anything that it would not hurt her and he could use it for evidence.
Selena entered her living room and was immediately hit with rolling waves of nausea. Her brain throbbed inside her skull. She reached to steady herself with the wall only to find Michael right beside her. His comforting hand held hers, while the other hugged her shoulders to steady her. He spoke into her ear with reassurance, "You don't have to go in, Selena. Just tell me what to get and where I can find it."
Selena could not move, could not speak. She was bombarded with fragmented, disjointed movies running through her thoughts. A feeling of rage poisoned her slowly. She was torn between wanting to put the pieces of her memory together to stop them from torturing her, and feeling relief that she could not, did not want to face – the guilt and shame they produced. She tried to focus on something she did find familiar, comforting.
Her eyes fell on the paintings that used to line the walls. They were lined up against the patio doors waiting to be returned to their proper spots. In front of the pile was the picture of her family. Selena found her father's strong eyes reach out to her – both scolding and comforting – offering her forgiveness. Her eyes looked over the newly painted kitchen and the new paneling in the living room. The carpeting, new cabinets and countertops for the kitchen were to be replaced soon. Selena knew that Devon arranged to have anything that might bring about Selena's memories too fast, to hurt her changed. What Devon could not redecorate was her head.
Again she felt Michael's presence envelop her in peace. His scent was too familiar and she looked into his eyes. Her eyes widened in recognition. She suddenly knew they had been intimate with each other. For a brief second, she recalled feeling his kiss, enjoying his touch; then watching him sleep under a blanket on the living room floor. But it felt more like a dream than reality – a reality she missed and feared. Looking again into Michael's face, Selena blushed slightly. She could see that he actually did remember, the details, while her recollection was only of feelings – again, a dream.
Not knowing if either of them would be comfortable exploring his memories, Selena separated slightly from Michael. She looked out at the living room she needed to enter. Finding her voice, "Jazz's allergy medicine is in the kitchen, Michael. I'll get it if you'll grab her art supply case from the closet."
Michael felt his breathing return to normal. He didn't realize that he had been holding it until Selena finally spoke and her hand had released his from the iron tight grip she held it in. He caressed her shoulder in answer of her request. He went to find the items, but his quest did not last long.
An outcry of distress sent him to the kitchen. Before he could enter, Selena knocked him out of her way to get to the bathroom beyond the stairs. Her hand was clamped to her mouth. The sound of retching filled the room. Michael wanted to help her but knew she would not let him. He heard the bathroom become silent, then water running. Finally the door opened. Michael pulled Selena into a tight hug; "Feeling better?"
Selena remarked, "Yes. I don't know what made me do that. I entered the kitchen…" She held on to Michael tighter, her head shaking away the images that had terrified her only moments before.
Michael needed to keep her together. They had only come to retrieve personal things for Jasmine and Tina's trip back to San Francisco. He set Selena away from him and suggested, "Not now. You go upstairs. I'll get Jazz's medicine."
Selena had no energy to fight. She turned and limped up her stairs. Her ears still tingled like having a tiny mosquito whizzing inside her head.
Michael watched her disappear to the second floor. He had not been inside Selena's home since the night she kidnapped him. He knew it had been here that Patrick Judson had taken custody – abducted Jasmine and Tina. He could almost imagine how. He entered the kitchen lost in thought, his mind filled with Selena making him coffee the night they first met. He had watched her every move, every facial expression.
His memories were scattered. He found what had caused Selena to become ill. The once golden-beige carpet was stained with bits of blood. It stuck together in places. His eyes scanned the counters, the stove. Raising his wrist, He instructed, "KITT, get a few pictures for me. I'm scanning Selena's kitchen. Contact Devon and Bonnie now!"
Michael ran his hand over the area. KITT videotaping and digitally producing still photographs. He remembered Selena yelling at him inside the attic that Judson had raped her; but Michael had assumed it had only happened the one time – while he was kept prisoner, for her making love to him. He now suspected there was more, this was what Selena's mind was protecting her from.
KITT read Michael's vital signs and spoke, "You need to calm down, Michael. There's nothing you can do now to change what happened."
Michael countered forcefully; "Don't let me off the hook, KITT! I should have done something before it happened. I should never have left her a lone that day. I should have dragged her with me." He ran his hand along the counter's edge, bits of dried blood peppering his skin, his eyes blurring.
KITT announced, "Bonnie is waiting, Michael."
Michael responded, "Thanks, Buddy. Bonnie, I'm going to be sending you photos of Selena's kitchen. You need to send a couple of tech's here to collect forensic evidence."
Bonnie replied, "I thought it was done? Wait…Michael, just scrape off a little and put it into the new compartment on your wrist communicator. KITT can take pictures of it and analyze it."
Michael replied, "Done, but get your team over here. I want to be able to have an iron clad case against Judson by the time I find the bastard!"
Bonnie asked, "What's wrong, Michael? What did you find?"
Devon joined Bonnie in front of the camera. He asked, "How is Selena?"
Michael grimaced, "She's upstairs. She became ill again. Devon, did you see…Have you been here? Have the police?"
Devon replied, "Yes, Michael. I toured the place with Lt. Benjamin."
Michael asked, "They why wasn't the kitchen covered? I don't remember reading any reports on what they found here – that any were even done."
Devon replied, "I don't understand it either, Michael. From what Benjamin told me, all they found were several sets of fingerprints. One of them proved Lennox had been there."
Michael surveyed the area again, his own stomach rebelling. His voice was sadly angry, "Well they missed a hell of a lot more!"
Devon viewed what Michael had seen. He too could not understand how the police missed so much evidence that was so plain to see. Devon replied, "I agree."
Bonnie promised, "I'll be there with a team tomorrow, Michael, when you have Selena safely out of the way."
Michael requested, "Devon, I want to be at Selena's next session with her doctor. I want to know what happened to her…all of it!"
Devon cautioned, "No, Michael. If she is forced to remember too soon or too quickly the effects could be deadly."
Michael sighed, "I know, Devon, I just witnessed her tossing up her lunch after only three seconds in this room." Michael flaked some of the dried blood into small opening of his wrist communicator. Then he knelt to pull a few strands of fiber from the carpet under the stove and counters. He searched the cabinets until he found a box containing plastic bags that sealed at the top. He quickly took a peak around the bar to see if Selena was coming down the steps. When it was all clear, he spoke, "KITT, ready?"
"I am. Switch."
Michael pressed a tiny button and the compartment opened, the first sample encased between two razor thing pieces of plastic. He put that in the bag. He placed the carpet fibers in next, one at a time. KITT repeated the process of recording the data and sealing the samples in plastic. KITT began a search through his database, analyzing and then sent the data back to Bonnie.
Michael impatiently asked, "Well, KITT, Anything?"
KITT replied, "It is definitely blood and it is Selena's. There is something else, Michael." KITT did not want to tell his partner what that something was. KITT had been with Michael long enough to know how he would react. The sound of soft footfalls coming down the steps broke up the impromptu meeting. Michael whispered, "We'll be back soon."
Devon replied, "Good, Michael."
Michael looked through a few more cabinets until he found a medicine bottle with Jasmine's name on it. He joined Selena by the entrance hall. He found her carrying three large duffle bags and a large paint-stained case down the stairs. In a heartbeat, he was at her side to lighten the load she carried.
The trip back to the foundation was quiet. KITT inquired, "Are you feeling better, Selena?"
Selena had been staring outside the window watching the scenery. She could not shake the images in her mind and the mosquito refused to leave her head, the nausea from her stomach. Her voice was a little uneasy; "A little, KITT, thank you."
KITT still amazed Selena. She focused her thoughts on him to dispel and clear her mind. Her eyes watched the lights and computer generated read outs coming from KITT's massive dashboard/control panel. A small smile tried to brighten her mood. She remembered Michael commenting, "There are times when I feel like I'm in the cockpit of the space shuttle." KITT had tossed back, "Would you like to be shot into space, Michael? I'm sure Bonnie and I could work something out."
Michael heard Selena clear her throat in a soft, suppressed giggle. He repeated KITT's question. Selena ran her hand lovingly across KITT's silky smooth skin and replied, "Yes, KITT, my friend. Thank you."
Michael wondered, "Why the change, what cheered you up?"
Selena related what she had been thinking about, sharing her humor with Michael and KITT. The trio arrived at FLAG's gates, KITT letting Selena off at her gatehouse. She promised she would meet him at the garage in ten minutes with the rest of her sister's things packed and ready to go.
Selena entered the tanned stone bricked two-story structure. The house was situated like a sentry along the east entrance to the Foundation property. Its twin was the guardhouse on the other side of the road. They could be joined together by a large iron gate that was computer controlled with security cameras and alarms set up to keep those on the property safe and sound. The gatehouse's first floor was mostly a garage whose entrance was at the back of the building. Selena entered through a side door inside a vestibule with a set of stairs leading to the second floor. A second door led to a large exercise/great room behind the garage. A third door led to the garage.
Selena dropped Jasmine's black art case and canvas portfolio next to the door, along side Tina's in-line skates and gym bag. She lugged the two duffle bags up the stairs. Selena pushed open the dark brown windowless door and set the cases on the table. There was a part of her that had grown to love the space Devon had assigned her. She was protected yet had privacy and peace. There were no memories trying to invade her thoughts – nothing to look at that was familiar and a puzzle at the same time.
Her thoughts repeated the trip to her home, what she had seen in her kitchen. But her headache returned, her cheek twisting and the sockets of her eyes seeming to swell shut. Crossing past the little table in the gatehouse's dining area to the kitchen, Selena quickly found a medicine bottle in the cabinet over the sink while filling a glass from the dish rack with water. She breathed away the urge to hurl the thing across the room. Her eyes caught sight of one of her journals. She wanted to sit down and write out the images that had come to her head, like her therapist suggested. Her watch reminded her that time was slipping away. She rinsed her glass out and placed it face down in the sink's dish rack.
Selena finished packing her sister's things, checked the room her Aunts shared for anything they may have left behind and began the process of carrying them down the stairs to her golf cart inside the garage. It took her three trips to get the cart loaded, her legs rebelling the last trip down. The muscles in her injured leg cramped up. The suitcase she held slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor of the vestibule.
In pained frustration – her green eyes bright with anger – Selena cursed while grabbing the railing and began hopping down the rest of the stairs. Her head filled with static, her vision blurred and her stomach threatened to erupt again.
On the far side of FLAG the warehouse garage was crowded with activity. One of the limos was being made ready to leave with the tires and gas supply checked and the inside stocked with snacks and drinks. Devon excelled as host to Selena's Aunts, escorting them on a small tour of the laboratory, the FLAG semi-truck; and an explanation of the intricate system of computers that monitored and cared for KITT.
Jasmine sat by herself on the steps leading up to the lab. She had a tablet on her lap, her face buried in a sketch. Tina had chosen to stay with Michael and KITT. She played chess with KITT. Michael laughed when the child put his friend in check. They were all waiting on Selena. Michael looked at his watch again and then across the large bay to find Devon.
Devon brought Marie and Dawn over to KITT. He stood behind Tina looking over the mini-chess board set between the driver and passenger's seat on KITT's center consol. Beautifully carved pewter medieval style pieces set around the magnetized board. Marie was intrigued with watching her niece. She encouraged proudly, "You almost have him, Tina. Michael, you are a brave man to play our Dolly!"
Michael replied, "I'm not playing, Marie."
KITT announced, a hint of frustration in his voice, "I am this child's victim, Madam."
Tina's eyes concentrated on the board, barely listening to the adults around her. She watched a piece move across the board by itself. Marie had also seen it and remarked in astonishment, "Tina! You are playing KITT. How is that possible?"
Tina shrugged and explained, "Easy, Aunt Marie. See," she pointed at different parts of the game; "the board is connected to this place here. KITT tells the board where to move his piece, and with the magnets on the bottom they go there. The only thing KITT can't do is reset the game or remove his pieces. I get to do that!" She responded to KITT's move and said, "Check, KITT," as she removed his bishop with her queen. She then blew a bubble with the gum in her mouth.
KITT replied, "Young Lady! If you think I'm going to lose this time, you are mistaken!" He moved a knight in to threaten her queen and protect his king.
Tina retorted, "I've got you this time, KITT and you know it! The queen must protect the king!" She was about to pounce on another piece and get out of danger from the knight. Her audience laughed and applauded her skill.
Michael revealed to Dawn and Marie that KITT had been coaching Tina's chess game since meeting her. What Michael didn't say was that if truth were told, he knew that Tina was KITT's favorite among the Kirk women. Michael understood that KITT was a little jealous of Michael's affections for Selena. Michael had been wondering where their relationship, if there could ever be one, might lead. If Michael ever wanted to retire, KITT feared they might never see each other again. Jasmine was not as interested in KITT as Tina. KITT responded to the intelligence of the girl. He learned she was already a skilled chess player, including having played a few tournaments and realized he had found another "kindred" spirit. KITT could almost see a young Bonnie in the child.
One of the garage doors opened automatically giving entry to Selena driving her golf cart into one of the bays. Michael was the first to see her rise gingerly out of the cart. She held her cane again using it to hobble towards them. Their eyes met and her smile was wry with embarrassment and frustration. Michael was puzzled until she reached the group.
Selena leaned on her cane to keep herself from falling. Her head still ached but the dizziness had finally subsided. Her injured leg refused to cooperate, the muscles cramping painfully. Her Aunt Marie noticed how Selena's cheek tightened with each step – her eyes squinting slightly – yet Selena's smile refused to go from her face.
Aunt Dawn noticed next and was the first to act. "You need to sit down, Selena."
Devon found a stood nearby and handed it to Dawn. Dawn had taken hold of Selena's hand to get the girl to sit. But as she did, Selena's eyes wrinkled as if stung by a bee. Selena tried to withdraw her hand, "Please, Aunt Dawn, I can manage." She was thankful for the stool.
Dawn turned Selena's hand over and discovered deep scratches and a large red welt beginning to turn a few shades of blue running from her palms along the inside of her arms to her elbow. Michael worriedly stepped closer to take hold of and inspect her other arm – it too was scratched and beginning to bruise. He asked, "What is this?" His memory bringing pictures of the fingerprint bruises that hand banded around her upper arms from being shaken by Patrick Judson.
Selena was puzzled by Michael's reaction; she didn't understand why he'd be so upset by a few bruises. She dismissed, "Nothing. I fell down the stairs at the gatehouse."
Marie responded, "Oh Dear, Selena. How did you manage that?"
Tina had over heard the adults and she ran to Selena's side, "Are you OK, Selena?"
Selena squeezed her sister in a tight hug, "I am fine, Dolly. Your big sister just tried to do too much by herself."
Michael scolded, "I told you I should have stayed!"
Selena responded contritely, "I know, Michael. I have been pushing myself too much."
Dawn asked, "What happened?"
Devon interjected more pointedly, "Was it another dizzy spell from your headaches?"
Selena knew Michael must have told Devon about the incident at her house. Selena evaded both her Aunt and Devon and turned to Tina, "So what have you been doing?"
Tina jumped up excitedly, "I'm about to beat KIT at chess! Wanna watch?"
Selena rose up on her cane and replied, "Sure." She followed Tina back to KITT and watched her sister climb back into the passenger seat. Selena was about to bend to look inside, but Dawn stood in front of her niece. Knowing what she wanted, Selena looked at Devon and then back at her Aunt. She supplied, "Yes, Devon, Aunt Dawn. I was on my way down the steps, my leg cramped up, my head exploded into this creepy colorful void, my stomach wanted to expel what it had not earlier; and the next thing I know I'm laying face down on the bottom floor of the entranceway." She again produced her bruised hands and smile, "Hence, I've got my cane again."
Marie looked at Dawn and Dawn at Marie. Marie asked, "You become nauseated when you get the dizzy spells?"
Selena nodded. She suddenly heard their thoughts of what was/might be happening to her in her own thoughts. She shook it away just as quickly – dismissing it as being stupid. Marie and Dawn however requested that Devon talk with them away from the group. Devon agreed, as he needed to see that Selena's cart was unloaded and the things put away inside the limo.
From the lab entrance, Bonnie entered the bays, taking the stairs two at a time until she reached the bottom. She was excited, proud of the work she had been doing, the problems she encountered and solved. She tapped Jasmine on the shoulder and asked the young woman to come with her.
Selena felt a tug on her slacks. Tina had reached out from her seat inside KITT. "OK" Selena replied and bent to watch her sister. Michael had moved to sit in KITT's driver's seat to observe Selena. He worried for her, about her. His head was filled with every smile, every flare of anger she ever gave him and every time she tried to "mother" him, hell every time she "mothered" the entire FLAG team. He was beginning to be able to read her thoughts just by watching her face, her body language.
He watched her squat down to watch Tina finish the chess game with KITT. Selena's eyes stared at the game. They were suddenly filled with pain, fear. She blinked and smiled. He heard her ask Tina who was winning. Then Selena remarked, "You know, Tina, I used to play chess."
Tina replied, "I remember! You are very good!" Tina blew another bubble and announced while removing KITT's Knight with her queen; "Check-mate! KITT!" Looking back at her big sister again, Tina asked, "Do you want to play?"
Selena stared at the chess pieces for several long, silent seconds. She took the black queen in her hands, her mind playing a new movie of a different chess game. She saw the face of her opponent – his cruel laughing eyes daring her to make a mistake, challenging her to beat him, rigging the game so that he was always the winner. His voice sounded in her head, "The Queen failed to protect the King, My Toy! The King will kill the Knight!" Her eyes lifted to Michael then back to the queen. Her brain began flashing pictures of him standing outside. The man from her nightmares was behind her.
Tina reached for her sister's hand, but Michael caught her and suggested, "It's almost time for you to go with your Aunt Dawn, Tina. Go check to see if Selena forgot anything from your room before it's packed in the car."
Tina was about to argue, but then she saw the vacant look in Selena's eyes. Selena was still staring at the chess piece. Tina looked back at Michael and pleaded, "I'll go, Michael. Please make Selena happy again." She scrambled out of KITT and ran towards her Aunt, burying herself worriedly into Marie's arms.
Michael knew Selena was listening. He knew she was remembering something. Her eyes changed rapidly with displays of raw emotion. He took advantage of her half state of awareness and half state of remembering. He prompted, "What do you see, Selena?"
Selena replied, "You! You are the Knight! You were the knight…but the knight…" Gunshots went off in her head blowing away her memories and bringing her out of her trance like state. She closed her eyes, threw the piece at Michael and ground out, "I hate chess! KITT never play it again with my Tina!" Before rising to walk away from them, She added, "The knight always dies!" Before Michael could reach across to stop her, Selena hobbled away from him and KITT. Her cane hit the floor violently hard with each step.
Bonnie and Jasmine sat together by a set of computer terminals. Selena approached doing her best to quiet the aching in her head. Bonnie held out a small box for Jasmine. Selena heard Jasmine ask, "What is this for?"
Bonnie looked up at Selena and explained, "Just a small souvenir so you don't forget me."
Jasmine opened the jewelry box to reveal a tiny 14-karate gold guardian angel pendant with matching earrings. Bonnie lifted the pendant from the box and Jasmine sat still for her to clasp it around her neck.
Selena smiled at the gift, touched by the heart-felt gesture. She replied, "It is beautiful, Bonnie, but…"
Bonnie grinned, "I've got a set for you, Selena, and one for Tina." She handed a cloth-covered jewelry case to Selena. "It is not just jewelry. There is a tiny link to KITT's and the Lab's computer systems. It monitors your location, your vital signs and will act as a homing signal if you are ever in trouble."
Selena and Jasmine chorused, "What do you mean…?" They looked at each other.
Bonnie explained, "If you are ever in trouble or lost…" Bonnie looked to see if her friends understood "lost". Selena toyed with the box, grateful that Bonnie tried to protect her sisters but skeptical it would work. She also felt invaded, angry, that the Foundation, KITT, would know where she was every minute of the day. She would have no privacy, almost like being under house arrest and having to wear a beautifully disguised electronic invisible chain. For my own protection against the monster in my nightmares, she thought.
Selena followed Bonnie and Jasmine to the limo that would take her sisters away from her again. She vaguely heard Bonnie explaining her gift to her sisters. Bonnie's voice registered in her thoughts, "Dawn, Marie, I created this jewelry to prevent another kidnapping, or at least to stop one. Jasmine, Tina, if you are ever in trouble all you have to do is press one of your earrings. KITT will immediately know something is wrong and contact your Aunts, Selena, Michael and Me. He will be able to find you. So please wear the earrings at all times."
Tina asked, "What if I can't touch my ears or if my necklace gets stolen or lost?"
Selena watched her baby sister, intrigued by such a grown up question, the sound of worry in her small voice. Bonnie had anticipated that question, not coming from Tina, but she had already planned an answer. Bonnie lifted the necklace from its box and clasped it around Tina's throat. Tina's set was also a guardian angel with small earrings to match. Bonnie then put the earrings in Tina's ears. Bonnie said, "OK, Tina, pretend you've been put inside that sleeping bag again."
Tina held her arms to her side like she couldn't move. Bonnie continued, "OK, now just like you've learned to do incase your body is on fire: stop, drop and roll, pressing your ear to the ground."
Tina shrugged and then fell to the ground and pressed her ear to the hard cement. Across the room, KITT's roaming light on his front fender came on and began cascading back and forth. Michael came running over and demanded, "What's wrong? KITT told me Tina's in trouble."
The women applauded and Tina squealed in delight. Selena was unimpressed but gratified her sisters were now as safe as they could ever be. She was also grateful that Bonnie went to so much to find a way to keep them from harm, that she cared and loved them too.
Bonnie explained the false alarm, the test to Michael. Michael turned to Selena and asked expectantly, "Where is yours?"
Selena brushed him off as he reached for the box in her hands. She purposely took her sister's hands and led them away from Michael. She remarked, "Time for you two to go back to San Francisco." She kissed her sisters one at a time, her voice unable to make a sound.
Jasmine took up Michael's cause and challenged, "So, are you going to put on your jewelry?"
Tina added, "'Course she is, Jazz, she wants to be safe like we are."
Selena frowned. She did not want to have her privacy invaded like that. But the worry and trust in her sister's eyes elicited her to promise, "I'll wear them, My Girls."
Dawn approached, checking her purse. "Very good, Selena. Now I can go home in peace."
Marie watched her niece very closely, her mind repeating all the times Selena had gotten sick since they had arrived. She removed the jewelry box from Selena's hands and removed the delicate-looking chain. Dawn removed the earrings and when they were finished, Selena's ears and neck were filled with angels. Across the room KITT's monitor was heard initiating. KITT notified Bonnie and Michael that Selena was successfully connected to the system.
Tiredly and wistfully, Selena watched her family drive away, the knight semi-truck slowly following behind. Bonnie and Devon would be escorting her family back to San Francisco. Michael approached and suggested, "Our turn. Did you get everything you'll need?"
Selena sniffled, already feeling the loss of being without her family, her strength. She ignored Michael wanting to curl up and cry. Michael knew what she was feeling; he wanted to console her but also knew that his comfort was not what she needed. She needed him to get tough with her. If she was going to learn from him, if the training was going to be a success; then he was going to have to make her accept his authority, to follow his lead exactly to save her life. He would have to resist his urge to protect her, comfort her if she hurt or wanted to give up, was afraid to try. They were going to be alone for almost a month, only her therapist coming to the lake to talk to her. Michael had a hard enough time keeping his hands off her while they worked before. Now that they were to be roommates, he planned a lot of cold showers.
Michael swallowed hard, pursing his lips together in determination; "Selena, Did you hear me?"
Selena stiffened, fighting her desire to smack him. "Yes, Michael, my bag is in the cart." She turned towards KITT, the sound of her cane clipping on the ground as she walked.
Michael ordered, the sound halting her pace, "Well then, Selena, since you have made a point of doing for yourself, I suggest you make sure it gets transferred to KITT." He strode past her, stopping to take her cane, "And you don't need this anymore." He pushed her back toward the golf cart.
Her eyes blazed with a plot of revenge, but she held her head higher and marched to the cart. She refused to complain while her bruised arms scraped against the case as she lifted it out of the back. She struggled a bit, her bad leg trying to carry the brunt of her balance. Michael was sure she was going to fall. But to his pride she soon had the large suitcase, a matching make-up bag, and her purse in her hands. She walked with only a slight limp to KITT's luggage compartment.
When they were both seated safely inside KITT, Michael began to dictate a list of rules to her. First there would no late nights reading, no sleeping late. She needed to be ready to jog with him every morning by 6 am. Selena remained silent waiting until Michael finished. She knew he expected her to balk, to protest. But she refused to give him the satisfaction. The rest of the trip would be very silent.