*****
With a whoosh of displaced air, the black Trans Am lifted up into the sky, pressing the driver back into the plush seat; the acceleration and G-forces holding him there. The wheels spun rapidly as traction with the ground was lost. Michael felt a small thrill of satisfaction as he rose into the air, clearing the obstacle in front of him by mere inches.
It was short-lived however, as the jolt of impact made his teeth clack together, almost catching his tongue between them as he landed. The car hadn't lost any speed from the maneuver; it slid only the tiniest bit as traction was restored.
He could see the suspect car in front of him, fleeing towards the railroad tracks that crossed this section of town. The suspect had tried to lose Michael in busy traffic, then had darted past a red light; forcing Michael to Turbo Boost over the flatbed truck.
Now the railroad tracks. Michael could hear the toot-toot warning whistle of the approaching train. The safety gates were lowered and flashing red.
Michael winced, knowing what this whacko was about to try. "Kitt, how close is that train? Does he have a chance to make it?" The tracks were rapidly drawing closer.
"At his rate of speed, he might just make it, but it's going to be very close." Kitt replied after scanning the speed of the vehicles involved.
"What about us, Pal?"
Kitt didn't hesitate on his next pronouncement. "We will not make it."
"Turbo?" Michael asked, reaching for the button for the second time. The train was almost to the crossing. The engine loomed larger than death; the ever whine of the horn present.
"Insufficient distance." Kitt replied, barely leaving Michael enough time to slam on the brakes.
Michael stomped down hard and watched as the suspect crashed through the safety gate with only a mere second to spare. The train just missed his bumper and then it was over. Kitt slid to a stop as Michael cranked the gull wing hard to the right, forcing the car into a skid. When the dust finally settled, Michael could practically reach out and touch the passing train if he lowered his window.
"Damn it!" He swore as he smacked the steering wheel hard. He could see the car speeding away as he glanced between the freight cars. "Can you track him on your sensors?"
"Negative, Michael. There is too much interference." Kitt reported.
"Damn." Michael swore again.
"Michael, are you alright?" Kitt said as he scanned his partner. Michael seemed unusually tense today. "We've had people escape before, why should this one affect you so much?"
Michael reached over and shifted Kitt into reverse to turn the car around. The rather unusually long train was still passing outside his window. "I don't like seeing any of them get away."
Michael waited until the caboose was past the crossing before trying to trace where the suspect had fled to. Kitt could offer only the faintest suggestions, as the road led to a major highway which had no less than 12 exits that he could have chosen.
He finally gave up and headed back to the city, he would have to follow other leads. The drive back was in silence.
"Is something bothering you, Michael?" Kitt asked after 30 minutes of complete silence. "The last time you were this quiet was when you found out Bonnie was leaving the Foundation."
Michael navigated around a small sedan before stopping at a red light. "I've just got a lot on my mind, Pal."
"Would you like to talk about it?" Kitt offered.
"I can't explain it in terms that you would understand, Buddy." The light changed to green and Michael moved the car forward with the traffic. "It's a general feeling of unease and it's not just because that car got away."
"Is there anything I can do?" Kitt had worked with Michael long enough to know that when Michael brooded it was never a good sign for the immediate future. Kitt had taken lots of damage in the line of duty, usually after Michael's feelings of unease or restlessness. Good thing Bonnie was always there to repair him. He generally wasn't looking forward to another such adventure.
"No, sorry, Buddy. I wish I could explain it. It's a feeling of…" he paused, searching for a word.
Kitt ran through his thesaurus trying to find a word to help Michael's apprehension. "Discomfit?" he suggested.
"Not really, more like wary. I can't really put my finger on it." He sighed. "I guess I'd feel better if I had something positive happening in my life right about now."
"You have Bonnie." Kitt reminded him.
Michael drove two more blocks before pulling over in front of a convenience store. "That's another thing. Have you noticed Bonnie acting strangely?"
"Strange as in how?"
"Strange as in moody, temperamental, excitable." Michael clarified steepling his fingers in front of his face.
"No, Michael, I hadn't noticed."
He shrugged. "It's probably just this mission. I'll be relieved when it's over." He stepped out of the car and smiled at a young woman standing just off to one side of the doors. She had two young children in a stroller.
She was also very upset, and fumbling around in her purse looking for something while the children were crying. The little girl was about three or four, her brown hair in two pigtails, and her brother who appeared to be about two years old was yanking on his sister's hair.
The woman looked up at him with sad eyes. Michael felt his heart go out to her. From the way all three were dressed it was obvious that she didn't have much money. The clothes were faded; the stroller was an older model, way older than the children inside.
Her eyes met his and then she looked back to her purse, embarrassment filling her face.
Michael was not the kind of person to ever leave a woman with children, especially one in distress. He stepped over to her. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you seem upset. Is there anything I can help you with?"
She sniffed and tried to move her tangled strawberry-blond hair out of her face. "Um, no, not really. I'm just mad that I misplaced the $5 I was going to use to buy milk." She looked around the area. "I bet I dropped it a couple of blocks back when I had to take a few toys out of my purse." She sighed again and attempted to quiet the kids down, yet her frustration wasn't helping.
"Well, I think I can help you with that." He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. He opened it and thumbed through the bills he was carrying. He withdrew a $50 and handed it to her. "Will this help?"
Her hazel-green eyes went wide as saucers. "No, I couldn't take that. Thanks, but, I can't."
Michael put on his best hurt expression. It usually worked on Bonnie. "If you refuse, I'll be hurt. You wouldn't do that to a nice guy like me, now would you?" His blue eyes radiated sincerity and trust.
She looked warily from him to the car he had just exited. It was obvious that he could easily afford to give her the money, yet her mother had taught her never to accept charity. However, her mother wasn't around right now and they really did need the milk.
He could read the indecision in her eyes. "It's alright. My name is Michael Knight. I work for the Foundation for Law and Government. You can trust me." He was still holding the bill out in front of her. "Go on, take it. Consider it a gift from a fellow citizen."
She reached her hand out carefully and he placed it in between her fingers. He could see a feeling of relief wash over her. She swallowed once. "I… I'm Jenna. Jenna Cooper. These are my kids, Aimee and Josh." She finally managed to get the kids quieted by picking Josh up and balancing him on one hip. "I can't thank you enough for your kindness."
He smiled at the kids. "Think nothing of it, and I'm pleased to meet you all." A sudden inspiration struck him. "Why don't I take you all out for lunch? We can stop on the way back and get the milk then?"
Her expression went from happiness to guarded suspicion. "I don't know." She eyed the expensive black car again. "I'd better not; I've heard stories about men swooping out of nowhere to kidnap young vulnerable women."
He couldn't blame here for being careful. "Okay. If you change your mind, I'll be in the store for the next 5 minutes or so. I promise you I wouldn't hurt you or your children." He smiled his dazzling smile. "You think about it."
He left her there for a moment, and walked into the store. He selected a bottle of soda, and a bag of chips from one of the shelves. He brought his comlink up and spoke into it. "Kitt, see the young woman outside the doors? Her name is Jenna Cooper. See what you can find on her."
"Right away, Michael."
Michael pretended to peruse the shelves. It only took a few seconds before Kitt beeped the link. "Michael, I have the information."
"What did you find out?" He asked in a soft tone all too aware of the fact the clerk was watching him over a magazine.
"Jenna Cooper, age 24, lives in the Golden Skies Mobile Home Park which is right up the road. She's currently unmarried and lives alone with her two kids, Aimee age 4 and Josh age 2. Her current occupation is cashier for the local grocer. Shall I go on?" Kitt reported.
"No, Buddy, that's fine. Thanks." Michael took his purchases up to the register and paid for them. The cashier kept giving him guarded looks but didn't mention anything about the fact he had seen Michael talking into a watch.
He stepped outside the doors and found Jenna still standing there, still undecided. "Well, did you decide?" He asked her, hoping she would accept. She looked like she needed a good meal and a day where she didn't have to worry about the kids for a few hours. "I'm leaving now to get me some lunch. I'd much rather have company than eat alone."
Oh this was such a hard decision for her! She looked to her kids and back up to Michael. "Okay, but under one condition."
"Sure," Michael agreed. "What would that be?"
"I pick the restaurant." She smiled at him.
Michael agreed and they loaded up the kids and the stroller. In light of the fact that he had no carseats for the children, he ordered Kitt to unlock the seatbelts in the back. Kitt did and the children were safely buckled up. The stroller was placed in the trunk.
Jenna gasped at the dash as she finally got in the wondrous black car. "Wow, I've heard of high-tech but this takes the cake. Functional yet beautiful."
"Why thank you." Kitt replied.
"And it talks!" Jenna stated with surprise.
Michael had to laugh. He would bet his whole salary that Jenna never had a chance to enjoy something this sophisticated. "Yes, it talks. Kitt, this is Jenna. Jenna, this is my car, Kitt."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Jenna. You have adorable children." Kitt said with charm.
"Nice to meet you too, Kitt." Jenna ran one hand over the dash. "Man I wish Brandon could see me in this car. He'd be green with envy."
"Brandon?" Michael asked, quirking an eyebrow while he started the car. "Where to for that lunch?"
"Brandon is my ex-boyfriend. He dumped me and the kids just recently for this young chick he met at a bar. We're better off without him." She explained but Michael could see talking about him hurt her. "As for lunch, go down the road, three traffic lights, turn left, then left again on Cherry Street. It will be on the right; the name of the place is Stacie's Buffet. They have some of the best food around."
True to the words, the food was delicious, the company was fabulous and Michael got a chance to relax. By the time the lunch was over, Jenna seemed happier and was even willing to let Michael help her with the children. Michael surprised her yet again today by taking her shopping both for food and new clothes for her and the kids. By the time he took her home, Kitt's trunk was fully loaded with goodies.
They parted on good terms, with Michael promising to call her again before the week was over, and Jenna on cloud 9 that such a bad day could have a happy ending. Even the kids took to him like a charm; Josh had been reluctant to see Michael go. Aimee had wanted Michael to stay as well, showing big puppy dog eyes when he announced it was time to go.
Michael was now driving to the semi; he had to rendezvous for Kitt's recharge. He was almost there when a call came thorough. "Michael, Bonnie's calling."
"Patch her thorough, Kitt."
Her worried face appeared onscreen. "Michael, where the hell have you been? You were supposed to meet me hours ago!"
Michael looked confused for a minute, then he remembered. He had promised to pick Bonnie up and they were supposed to have gone to meet with one of the suspect's contacts. In his meeting of Jenna, he had completely forgotten. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, I forgot. You see, Jenna needed milk, and the kids were just about outgrowing their shoes, so I…"
Her expression hardened. "Jenna? Kids? Michael Knight this was business! Did you even follow Martinez like you were supposed to?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yeah we followed him and were almost part of the noontime express." Michael quipped, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry I missed the meeting, it wasn't on purpose."
"Right, Michael." Bonnie said her tone hurt and angry. "Where are you now?"
"I'm on my way to the semi now." He replied keeping his tone level. "I'll be there in less than 15 minutes."
"Try not to get sidetracked this time." She clicked the link closed with no further comments.
Michael sighed and stepped on the gas. This wasn't going to be easy to explain no matter how you looked at it. He was in hot water and he knew it.
*****
Bonnie sat staring at the view screen where Michael's picture had just been. Jenna? Kids? What had he been up to now? How could he forget about her now? Did he suspect that she was hiding news from him?
She got up and began pacing the length of the trailer. No, he couldn't know. She had told no one about the results from that test, and she was as yet uncertain what she was going to do.
Abortion was out of the question for her, in her upbringing it was frowned upon very strongly. Adoption was always a choice, but could she really do that? Could she give up a baby?
The last option she had was to keep the baby and raise it herself. Again, not the best option, due to her line of work. Could she balance a career and take care of an infant at the same time?
She sighed and tried to clear her mind. Now was not the time to decide. Now was the time for her to be getting things ready for when Kitt returned. He would need a recharge, and possibly a good wash and wax.
She was in the process of preparing a bucket of sudsy water when the comm beeped for her attention. She placed it down by the back bay of the semi and went to answer the call.
The monitor came up with Devon's face. "Hi, Bonnie." He greeted her cheerfully.
"Hi, Devon." Her voice was not as cheery, nor did she think she could project a false cheeriness right now.
His face fell. "I'm taking it from the expression you are wearing that the meeting did not go very well."
She sighed. "It didn't go at all. Michael never showed to pick me up."
"What?" Devon voiced his surprise. "Does he realize just how important it was? We spent weeks setting it up."
Bonnie had to shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine, Devon. I just got off the comm with him a few minutes ago. He's on his way here. Evidently he got sidetracked."
"Well he better have a good excuse, as I don't think we are going to get another chance at this one." Devon lamented. "I just hope this didn't cost us the whole case."
"Me either."
"Have him call me when he gets in." Devon said as he signed off.
Bonnie sighed again as she turned off the monitor. She walked to the back of the semi and stepped down the ramp. It was parked off to the side of the road, near a small park.
The sun was just setting and she walked over to a park bench and perched upon the back of it, resting one hand on her knees the other one pushed back her long hair.
Her life was changing now. Just as the sun set and the day started, so was her life. The chapter of her being single and carefree was coming to a close. She was so absorbed in her thoughts as the sun crept closer towards the horizon that she didn't hear Kitt approach the semi and drive up the ramps.
Nor did she hear Michael walking his way across the short grass, his footsteps almost as quiet as Kitt's Silent Mode. One hand was resting across her stomach, her mind eight months ahead of her. How was she going to tell him?
"What's the worst that can happen?" she asked herself, not knowing Michael was right behind her. "He loves me, right?"
"You bet I do." His voice was right beside her ear.
Startled, Bonnie yelped and jumped up off the bench, one hand clutched to her rapidly beating heart. "Michael!"
"In the flesh." He held out his arms for a welcome-home hug.
Instead of the hug he was expecting he got a slap on the arm. "Don't ever scare me like that again!" She barked at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Her face was drawn up in anger.
"Sorry, Bon." He said as he reached for her. "I didn't really mean to scare you. You looked so lost in thought that I didn't want to disturb you."
She pushed past him and headed for the semi. "So scare me instead. I'd love to know where you get your logic from."
He chased after her. Her long legs had her up to the ramps in a few brisk strides. "Bonnie? Is something bothering you? You don't need to bite my head off," he questioned her as he followed her up the ramps.
"No, no, I'm fine." She lied as she came around the spot where Kitt was parked. "Devon wants you to call him. He's not thrilled that you missed the meeting." She reached for the bucket of sudsy water and the sponge.
"Yeah, I figured he wouldn't be pleased. I really did get sidetracked."
Bonnie snorted. "Yeah, Jenna. I heard." She dunked the sponge into the water and wrung it out a few times before dropping it with a sploosh on Kitt's hood.
"Hey, hey, it's not what you are thinking," he said as he tried to reach for her arm.
She pulled away from him. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" Her other hand began to rub vigorously on the MBS shell. "You a mind reader now?"
He stepped back from her and held his hands up. "Truce, Bon. I just happened to run across her while I was buying a drink."
She rubbed harder at an imaginary spot of grime. The sponge was drying out so she dunked in back into the bucket, splashing water onto the floor. "So of course, you had to ask her out for lunch." She flung her arms wide and sudsy water went flying through the air, narrowly missing Michael. "Never mind the fact that we had an important meeting scheduled. Oh no, the pretty girl comes first." She slapped the sponge back onto the hood.
"Hey now, she needed help!" Michael tried to defend himself against her attacks.
Bonnie stopped scrubbing and turned to Michael, her dark eyes flashing angrily. "Someone ought to teach you not to pick up strays."
As she turned back to her impromptu wash job, Michael stepped up behind her and grabbed her arms. He turned her around even as she struggled against him. "I don't know why you are acting like this," he told her as his own face hardened. "All I did was buy her and her kids some lunch and a few desperately needed items. She was very young and got pregnant too early in life. She was in need of a caring person to listen. Nothing more." He released his hold on her. "I will not have you bad mouthing her when you've never even met her."
"You can't rescue every damsel in distress, Michael." Bonnie said angrily. How she wanted to tell him right now. Just blurt it out and be done with it. "We had a job to do." She gave up on the sponge and just dumped the bucket of water over Kitt's hood. It splashed everywhere, including the windshield.
Kitt activated the wipers, cleaning the window. "Bonnie, if I may interrupt…"
"No, you may not." She stated clearly. "Stay out of this, Kitt."
"Don't yell at him."
"I'll yell at him if I want to." Bonnie shouted now, close to tears. How did this get so out of control? "You have no say in what I do."
"That's enough, Bonnie." Michael warned. "I think you need to take a few to calm down and cool off before you say something you will regret."
"I think you are right. Excuse me." She brushed past him in a huff and headed back out of the trailer and into the park where Michael had first found her.
When she was gone, Michael whistled. "What do you make of that, buddy?"
"Obviously she is distressed about something, and I don't think it was just you missing the meeting." Kitt replied. "Her vitals were spiking all over the place."
"Yeah, I could feel the tension in the room myself, pal." He picked up the now forgotten sponge. "Let's give her some time to cool down. In the meantime, how about I give you the remainder of your bath?"
"Shouldn't you call Devon first?"
Michael refilled the bucket and knelt down next to Kitt's tire. "Nah. After Hurricane Bonnie I don't think I could handle another storm right now."
He began washing the fender and thinking. How could helping someone make Bonnie so mad? What was it about women that he just couldn't get a grasp on?
*****
Bonnie hugged her knees to her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had returned to the bench and was trying to sort out her feelings. She turned to look over her shoulder at the semi, half-expecting to see Michael coming out after her.
She both wanted to see him put forth the effort and at the same time, didn't want to see him at all right now. If he did show, she wasn't sure if she would hug him or slap him. She felt so confused.
She wiped the tears off her cheeks with one sleeve of her jumpsuit and realized for the first time that it was wet. She must have gotten in the way of the water she had dumped on Kitt.
She closed her eyes and emptied her mind. It wouldn't help her much to stay angry like this. A chilly night breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees and she let it carry her worries away. She shivered slightly in the damp jumpsuit, yet she wasn't ready to return yet. She still had too much frustration in her. How could she get so jealous over a simple lunch date? Michael took women out all the time on missions, it was part of his job; yet for some reason this one date had her nearly in hysterics.
She let her breath out slowly, thinking of her unborn child. Was Michael capable of loving a baby that would undoubtedly have features from a past he was trying really hard to keep behind him?
She laid her head down on her arms while she thought. She was so tired as well; it had been a trying and exhausting day for her.
Half an hour later, Michael ventured out of the semi to go look for her, figuring that if by now she hadn't calmed down, she wasn't going to. He found her fast asleep on the bench, one hand under her head, the other one wrapped protectively around her body.
She barely fit on the slender wooden surface, yet she had managed to fall into a deep sleep that had her snoring lightly. He knelt down next to the bench and placed one hand on her arm. He frowned when he encountered the dampness of he fabric and felt a light shiver race over her otherwise still form.
Standing again, he removed his leather jacket and draped it over her body. She relaxed at the warmth now covering her. Michael reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Bonnie?" he whispered gently to her.
Her eyelids fluttered momentarily but she did not waken. He tried again. "Bonnie? Come on in where it is warm."
In response, she tried to roll over but was hampered by the back of the bench. She mumbled something but then fell back asleep.
Michael bent over and easily scooped her up into his arms. He waited a moment to see if this would wake her, and set her off on another tangent. When all she did was adjust herself and rest her head on his shoulder and continue to snore, he walked back to the semi carrying her.
He placed her on the bed in the sleeping compartment, and considered changing her out of her damp clothes, but decided not to push his luck. If she woke while he was undressing her, goodness knows what would run through her mind about what he would be trying to do. He left his jacket draped over her and pulled the covers up to her neck, letting her continue to sleep.
He caressed her face gently with one hand, pausing only to kiss her forehead once. "I love you, Bonnie. Goodnight, Angel. We can talk tomorrow."
One he was sure she was settled down for the night, he stepped quietly out of the room and back to the main compartment. Now that the first storm had passed, he prepared himself to make the call to Devon and weather the second one. He just hoped he didn't make too much of a mess of the case.
******
With a whoosh of displaced air, the black Trans Am lifted up into the sky, pressing the driver back into the plush seat; the acceleration and G-forces holding him there. The wheels spun rapidly as traction with the ground was lost. Michael felt a small thrill of satisfaction as he rose into the air, clearing the obstacle in front of him by mere inches.
It was short-lived however, as the jolt of impact made his teeth clack together, almost catching his tongue between them as he landed. The car hadn't lost any speed from the maneuver; it slid only the tiniest bit as traction was restored.
He could see the suspect car in front of him, fleeing towards the railroad tracks that crossed this section of town. The suspect had tried to lose Michael in busy traffic, then had darted past a red light; forcing Michael to Turbo Boost over the flatbed truck.
Now the railroad tracks. Michael could hear the toot-toot warning whistle of the approaching train. The safety gates were lowered and flashing red.
Michael winced, knowing what this whacko was about to try. "Kitt, how close is that train? Does he have a chance to make it?" The tracks were rapidly drawing closer.
"At his rate of speed, he might just make it, but it's going to be very close." Kitt replied after scanning the speed of the vehicles involved.
"What about us, Pal?"
Kitt didn't hesitate on his next pronouncement. "We will not make it."
"Turbo?" Michael asked, reaching for the button for the second time. The train was almost to the crossing. The engine loomed larger than death; the ever whine of the horn present.
"Insufficient distance." Kitt replied, barely leaving Michael enough time to slam on the brakes.
Michael stomped down hard and watched as the suspect crashed through the safety gate with only a mere second to spare. The train just missed his bumper and then it was over. Kitt slid to a stop as Michael cranked the gull wing hard to the right, forcing the car into a skid. When the dust finally settled, Michael could practically reach out and touch the passing train if he lowered his window.
"Damn it!" He swore as he smacked the steering wheel hard. He could see the car speeding away as he glanced between the freight cars. "Can you track him on your sensors?"
"Negative, Michael. There is too much interference." Kitt reported.
"Damn." Michael swore again.
"Michael, are you alright?" Kitt said as he scanned his partner. Michael seemed unusually tense today. "We've had people escape before, why should this one affect you so much?"
Michael reached over and shifted Kitt into reverse to turn the car around. The rather unusually long train was still passing outside his window. "I don't like seeing any of them get away."
Michael waited until the caboose was past the crossing before trying to trace where the suspect had fled to. Kitt could offer only the faintest suggestions, as the road led to a major highway which had no less than 12 exits that he could have chosen.
He finally gave up and headed back to the city, he would have to follow other leads. The drive back was in silence.
"Is something bothering you, Michael?" Kitt asked after 30 minutes of complete silence. "The last time you were this quiet was when you found out Bonnie was leaving the Foundation."
Michael navigated around a small sedan before stopping at a red light. "I've just got a lot on my mind, Pal."
"Would you like to talk about it?" Kitt offered.
"I can't explain it in terms that you would understand, Buddy." The light changed to green and Michael moved the car forward with the traffic. "It's a general feeling of unease and it's not just because that car got away."
"Is there anything I can do?" Kitt had worked with Michael long enough to know that when Michael brooded it was never a good sign for the immediate future. Kitt had taken lots of damage in the line of duty, usually after Michael's feelings of unease or restlessness. Good thing Bonnie was always there to repair him. He generally wasn't looking forward to another such adventure.
"No, sorry, Buddy. I wish I could explain it. It's a feeling of…" he paused, searching for a word.
Kitt ran through his thesaurus trying to find a word to help Michael's apprehension. "Discomfit?" he suggested.
"Not really, more like wary. I can't really put my finger on it." He sighed. "I guess I'd feel better if I had something positive happening in my life right about now."
"You have Bonnie." Kitt reminded him.
Michael drove two more blocks before pulling over in front of a convenience store. "That's another thing. Have you noticed Bonnie acting strangely?"
"Strange as in how?"
"Strange as in moody, temperamental, excitable." Michael clarified steepling his fingers in front of his face.
"No, Michael, I hadn't noticed."
He shrugged. "It's probably just this mission. I'll be relieved when it's over." He stepped out of the car and smiled at a young woman standing just off to one side of the doors. She had two young children in a stroller.
She was also very upset, and fumbling around in her purse looking for something while the children were crying. The little girl was about three or four, her brown hair in two pigtails, and her brother who appeared to be about two years old was yanking on his sister's hair.
The woman looked up at him with sad eyes. Michael felt his heart go out to her. From the way all three were dressed it was obvious that she didn't have much money. The clothes were faded; the stroller was an older model, way older than the children inside.
Her eyes met his and then she looked back to her purse, embarrassment filling her face.
Michael was not the kind of person to ever leave a woman with children, especially one in distress. He stepped over to her. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you seem upset. Is there anything I can help you with?"
She sniffed and tried to move her tangled strawberry-blond hair out of her face. "Um, no, not really. I'm just mad that I misplaced the $5 I was going to use to buy milk." She looked around the area. "I bet I dropped it a couple of blocks back when I had to take a few toys out of my purse." She sighed again and attempted to quiet the kids down, yet her frustration wasn't helping.
"Well, I think I can help you with that." He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. He opened it and thumbed through the bills he was carrying. He withdrew a $50 and handed it to her. "Will this help?"
Her hazel-green eyes went wide as saucers. "No, I couldn't take that. Thanks, but, I can't."
Michael put on his best hurt expression. It usually worked on Bonnie. "If you refuse, I'll be hurt. You wouldn't do that to a nice guy like me, now would you?" His blue eyes radiated sincerity and trust.
She looked warily from him to the car he had just exited. It was obvious that he could easily afford to give her the money, yet her mother had taught her never to accept charity. However, her mother wasn't around right now and they really did need the milk.
He could read the indecision in her eyes. "It's alright. My name is Michael Knight. I work for the Foundation for Law and Government. You can trust me." He was still holding the bill out in front of her. "Go on, take it. Consider it a gift from a fellow citizen."
She reached her hand out carefully and he placed it in between her fingers. He could see a feeling of relief wash over her. She swallowed once. "I… I'm Jenna. Jenna Cooper. These are my kids, Aimee and Josh." She finally managed to get the kids quieted by picking Josh up and balancing him on one hip. "I can't thank you enough for your kindness."
He smiled at the kids. "Think nothing of it, and I'm pleased to meet you all." A sudden inspiration struck him. "Why don't I take you all out for lunch? We can stop on the way back and get the milk then?"
Her expression went from happiness to guarded suspicion. "I don't know." She eyed the expensive black car again. "I'd better not; I've heard stories about men swooping out of nowhere to kidnap young vulnerable women."
He couldn't blame here for being careful. "Okay. If you change your mind, I'll be in the store for the next 5 minutes or so. I promise you I wouldn't hurt you or your children." He smiled his dazzling smile. "You think about it."
He left her there for a moment, and walked into the store. He selected a bottle of soda, and a bag of chips from one of the shelves. He brought his comlink up and spoke into it. "Kitt, see the young woman outside the doors? Her name is Jenna Cooper. See what you can find on her."
"Right away, Michael."
Michael pretended to peruse the shelves. It only took a few seconds before Kitt beeped the link. "Michael, I have the information."
"What did you find out?" He asked in a soft tone all too aware of the fact the clerk was watching him over a magazine.
"Jenna Cooper, age 24, lives in the Golden Skies Mobile Home Park which is right up the road. She's currently unmarried and lives alone with her two kids, Aimee age 4 and Josh age 2. Her current occupation is cashier for the local grocer. Shall I go on?" Kitt reported.
"No, Buddy, that's fine. Thanks." Michael took his purchases up to the register and paid for them. The cashier kept giving him guarded looks but didn't mention anything about the fact he had seen Michael talking into a watch.
He stepped outside the doors and found Jenna still standing there, still undecided. "Well, did you decide?" He asked her, hoping she would accept. She looked like she needed a good meal and a day where she didn't have to worry about the kids for a few hours. "I'm leaving now to get me some lunch. I'd much rather have company than eat alone."
Oh this was such a hard decision for her! She looked to her kids and back up to Michael. "Okay, but under one condition."
"Sure," Michael agreed. "What would that be?"
"I pick the restaurant." She smiled at him.
Michael agreed and they loaded up the kids and the stroller. In light of the fact that he had no carseats for the children, he ordered Kitt to unlock the seatbelts in the back. Kitt did and the children were safely buckled up. The stroller was placed in the trunk.
Jenna gasped at the dash as she finally got in the wondrous black car. "Wow, I've heard of high-tech but this takes the cake. Functional yet beautiful."
"Why thank you." Kitt replied.
"And it talks!" Jenna stated with surprise.
Michael had to laugh. He would bet his whole salary that Jenna never had a chance to enjoy something this sophisticated. "Yes, it talks. Kitt, this is Jenna. Jenna, this is my car, Kitt."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Jenna. You have adorable children." Kitt said with charm.
"Nice to meet you too, Kitt." Jenna ran one hand over the dash. "Man I wish Brandon could see me in this car. He'd be green with envy."
"Brandon?" Michael asked, quirking an eyebrow while he started the car. "Where to for that lunch?"
"Brandon is my ex-boyfriend. He dumped me and the kids just recently for this young chick he met at a bar. We're better off without him." She explained but Michael could see talking about him hurt her. "As for lunch, go down the road, three traffic lights, turn left, then left again on Cherry Street. It will be on the right; the name of the place is Stacie's Buffet. They have some of the best food around."
True to the words, the food was delicious, the company was fabulous and Michael got a chance to relax. By the time the lunch was over, Jenna seemed happier and was even willing to let Michael help her with the children. Michael surprised her yet again today by taking her shopping both for food and new clothes for her and the kids. By the time he took her home, Kitt's trunk was fully loaded with goodies.
They parted on good terms, with Michael promising to call her again before the week was over, and Jenna on cloud 9 that such a bad day could have a happy ending. Even the kids took to him like a charm; Josh had been reluctant to see Michael go. Aimee had wanted Michael to stay as well, showing big puppy dog eyes when he announced it was time to go.
Michael was now driving to the semi; he had to rendezvous for Kitt's recharge. He was almost there when a call came thorough. "Michael, Bonnie's calling."
"Patch her thorough, Kitt."
Her worried face appeared onscreen. "Michael, where the hell have you been? You were supposed to meet me hours ago!"
Michael looked confused for a minute, then he remembered. He had promised to pick Bonnie up and they were supposed to have gone to meet with one of the suspect's contacts. In his meeting of Jenna, he had completely forgotten. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, I forgot. You see, Jenna needed milk, and the kids were just about outgrowing their shoes, so I…"
Her expression hardened. "Jenna? Kids? Michael Knight this was business! Did you even follow Martinez like you were supposed to?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yeah we followed him and were almost part of the noontime express." Michael quipped, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry I missed the meeting, it wasn't on purpose."
"Right, Michael." Bonnie said her tone hurt and angry. "Where are you now?"
"I'm on my way to the semi now." He replied keeping his tone level. "I'll be there in less than 15 minutes."
"Try not to get sidetracked this time." She clicked the link closed with no further comments.
Michael sighed and stepped on the gas. This wasn't going to be easy to explain no matter how you looked at it. He was in hot water and he knew it.
*****
Bonnie sat staring at the view screen where Michael's picture had just been. Jenna? Kids? What had he been up to now? How could he forget about her now? Did he suspect that she was hiding news from him?
She got up and began pacing the length of the trailer. No, he couldn't know. She had told no one about the results from that test, and she was as yet uncertain what she was going to do.
Abortion was out of the question for her, in her upbringing it was frowned upon very strongly. Adoption was always a choice, but could she really do that? Could she give up a baby?
The last option she had was to keep the baby and raise it herself. Again, not the best option, due to her line of work. Could she balance a career and take care of an infant at the same time?
She sighed and tried to clear her mind. Now was not the time to decide. Now was the time for her to be getting things ready for when Kitt returned. He would need a recharge, and possibly a good wash and wax.
She was in the process of preparing a bucket of sudsy water when the comm beeped for her attention. She placed it down by the back bay of the semi and went to answer the call.
The monitor came up with Devon's face. "Hi, Bonnie." He greeted her cheerfully.
"Hi, Devon." Her voice was not as cheery, nor did she think she could project a false cheeriness right now.
His face fell. "I'm taking it from the expression you are wearing that the meeting did not go very well."
She sighed. "It didn't go at all. Michael never showed to pick me up."
"What?" Devon voiced his surprise. "Does he realize just how important it was? We spent weeks setting it up."
Bonnie had to shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine, Devon. I just got off the comm with him a few minutes ago. He's on his way here. Evidently he got sidetracked."
"Well he better have a good excuse, as I don't think we are going to get another chance at this one." Devon lamented. "I just hope this didn't cost us the whole case."
"Me either."
"Have him call me when he gets in." Devon said as he signed off.
Bonnie sighed again as she turned off the monitor. She walked to the back of the semi and stepped down the ramp. It was parked off to the side of the road, near a small park.
The sun was just setting and she walked over to a park bench and perched upon the back of it, resting one hand on her knees the other one pushed back her long hair.
Her life was changing now. Just as the sun set and the day started, so was her life. The chapter of her being single and carefree was coming to a close. She was so absorbed in her thoughts as the sun crept closer towards the horizon that she didn't hear Kitt approach the semi and drive up the ramps.
Nor did she hear Michael walking his way across the short grass, his footsteps almost as quiet as Kitt's Silent Mode. One hand was resting across her stomach, her mind eight months ahead of her. How was she going to tell him?
"What's the worst that can happen?" she asked herself, not knowing Michael was right behind her. "He loves me, right?"
"You bet I do." His voice was right beside her ear.
Startled, Bonnie yelped and jumped up off the bench, one hand clutched to her rapidly beating heart. "Michael!"
"In the flesh." He held out his arms for a welcome-home hug.
Instead of the hug he was expecting he got a slap on the arm. "Don't ever scare me like that again!" She barked at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Her face was drawn up in anger.
"Sorry, Bon." He said as he reached for her. "I didn't really mean to scare you. You looked so lost in thought that I didn't want to disturb you."
She pushed past him and headed for the semi. "So scare me instead. I'd love to know where you get your logic from."
He chased after her. Her long legs had her up to the ramps in a few brisk strides. "Bonnie? Is something bothering you? You don't need to bite my head off," he questioned her as he followed her up the ramps.
"No, no, I'm fine." She lied as she came around the spot where Kitt was parked. "Devon wants you to call him. He's not thrilled that you missed the meeting." She reached for the bucket of sudsy water and the sponge.
"Yeah, I figured he wouldn't be pleased. I really did get sidetracked."
Bonnie snorted. "Yeah, Jenna. I heard." She dunked the sponge into the water and wrung it out a few times before dropping it with a sploosh on Kitt's hood.
"Hey, hey, it's not what you are thinking," he said as he tried to reach for her arm.
She pulled away from him. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" Her other hand began to rub vigorously on the MBS shell. "You a mind reader now?"
He stepped back from her and held his hands up. "Truce, Bon. I just happened to run across her while I was buying a drink."
She rubbed harder at an imaginary spot of grime. The sponge was drying out so she dunked in back into the bucket, splashing water onto the floor. "So of course, you had to ask her out for lunch." She flung her arms wide and sudsy water went flying through the air, narrowly missing Michael. "Never mind the fact that we had an important meeting scheduled. Oh no, the pretty girl comes first." She slapped the sponge back onto the hood.
"Hey now, she needed help!" Michael tried to defend himself against her attacks.
Bonnie stopped scrubbing and turned to Michael, her dark eyes flashing angrily. "Someone ought to teach you not to pick up strays."
As she turned back to her impromptu wash job, Michael stepped up behind her and grabbed her arms. He turned her around even as she struggled against him. "I don't know why you are acting like this," he told her as his own face hardened. "All I did was buy her and her kids some lunch and a few desperately needed items. She was very young and got pregnant too early in life. She was in need of a caring person to listen. Nothing more." He released his hold on her. "I will not have you bad mouthing her when you've never even met her."
"You can't rescue every damsel in distress, Michael." Bonnie said angrily. How she wanted to tell him right now. Just blurt it out and be done with it. "We had a job to do." She gave up on the sponge and just dumped the bucket of water over Kitt's hood. It splashed everywhere, including the windshield.
Kitt activated the wipers, cleaning the window. "Bonnie, if I may interrupt…"
"No, you may not." She stated clearly. "Stay out of this, Kitt."
"Don't yell at him."
"I'll yell at him if I want to." Bonnie shouted now, close to tears. How did this get so out of control? "You have no say in what I do."
"That's enough, Bonnie." Michael warned. "I think you need to take a few to calm down and cool off before you say something you will regret."
"I think you are right. Excuse me." She brushed past him in a huff and headed back out of the trailer and into the park where Michael had first found her.
When she was gone, Michael whistled. "What do you make of that, buddy?"
"Obviously she is distressed about something, and I don't think it was just you missing the meeting." Kitt replied. "Her vitals were spiking all over the place."
"Yeah, I could feel the tension in the room myself, pal." He picked up the now forgotten sponge. "Let's give her some time to cool down. In the meantime, how about I give you the remainder of your bath?"
"Shouldn't you call Devon first?"
Michael refilled the bucket and knelt down next to Kitt's tire. "Nah. After Hurricane Bonnie I don't think I could handle another storm right now."
He began washing the fender and thinking. How could helping someone make Bonnie so mad? What was it about women that he just couldn't get a grasp on?
*****
Bonnie hugged her knees to her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had returned to the bench and was trying to sort out her feelings. She turned to look over her shoulder at the semi, half-expecting to see Michael coming out after her.
She both wanted to see him put forth the effort and at the same time, didn't want to see him at all right now. If he did show, she wasn't sure if she would hug him or slap him. She felt so confused.
She wiped the tears off her cheeks with one sleeve of her jumpsuit and realized for the first time that it was wet. She must have gotten in the way of the water she had dumped on Kitt.
She closed her eyes and emptied her mind. It wouldn't help her much to stay angry like this. A chilly night breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees and she let it carry her worries away. She shivered slightly in the damp jumpsuit, yet she wasn't ready to return yet. She still had too much frustration in her. How could she get so jealous over a simple lunch date? Michael took women out all the time on missions, it was part of his job; yet for some reason this one date had her nearly in hysterics.
She let her breath out slowly, thinking of her unborn child. Was Michael capable of loving a baby that would undoubtedly have features from a past he was trying really hard to keep behind him?
She laid her head down on her arms while she thought. She was so tired as well; it had been a trying and exhausting day for her.
Half an hour later, Michael ventured out of the semi to go look for her, figuring that if by now she hadn't calmed down, she wasn't going to. He found her fast asleep on the bench, one hand under her head, the other one wrapped protectively around her body.
She barely fit on the slender wooden surface, yet she had managed to fall into a deep sleep that had her snoring lightly. He knelt down next to the bench and placed one hand on her arm. He frowned when he encountered the dampness of he fabric and felt a light shiver race over her otherwise still form.
Standing again, he removed his leather jacket and draped it over her body. She relaxed at the warmth now covering her. Michael reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Bonnie?" he whispered gently to her.
Her eyelids fluttered momentarily but she did not waken. He tried again. "Bonnie? Come on in where it is warm."
In response, she tried to roll over but was hampered by the back of the bench. She mumbled something but then fell back asleep.
Michael bent over and easily scooped her up into his arms. He waited a moment to see if this would wake her, and set her off on another tangent. When all she did was adjust herself and rest her head on his shoulder and continue to snore, he walked back to the semi carrying her.
He placed her on the bed in the sleeping compartment, and considered changing her out of her damp clothes, but decided not to push his luck. If she woke while he was undressing her, goodness knows what would run through her mind about what he would be trying to do. He left his jacket draped over her and pulled the covers up to her neck, letting her continue to sleep.
He caressed her face gently with one hand, pausing only to kiss her forehead once. "I love you, Bonnie. Goodnight, Angel. We can talk tomorrow."
One he was sure she was settled down for the night, he stepped quietly out of the room and back to the main compartment. Now that the first storm had passed, he prepared himself to make the call to Devon and weather the second one. He just hoped he didn't make too much of a mess of the case.
******