Chapter 12

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Jonathan was sent to the floor with a hard blow. Alex kicked him in his ribs over and over again. "You helped her get away!" He shouted. "After all I've done for the both of you." He kicked him again until he was out of breath. Jonathan's gasps for air could be heard down the hall.

Alex then lifted him up. "Now, you got one more chance, Brusner. Either you bring the necklace back to me within the next twenty-four hours, or I'll get rid of you, along with the rest of that Foundation scum. And don't even think of escaping. My men will be watching you. Get him out of here." He pushed Jonathan over to Smitz who escorted him out.

Dedra simply sat at the table in the interrogation room, filing her nails. "You're coming apart at the seams, Alex, dear. You're losing your touch. Had you followed my advice, we'd have a car 'and' a pilot. K.I.T.T. and the Foundation would be history now, too. I would have been a much better choice for the driver.

Alex glared at her. "As beautiful as you are, Dedra, Carrie is much more qualified. You aren't even half the woman she is."

She brushed off his comment. "Hmm. You didn't feel that a few months ago, did you, Alex?" She smiled, knowingly. "Tell me, are you 'really' surprised that she seems to have become close to an AI? I mean, after all, 'you' were the one who broke her heart, and had locked her away."

Alex walked over to her, grabbed the steel file, and snapped it half. "Hey!" said Dedra. "Not my fault the little twit went crazy!"

"Getting involved with you was the biggest mistake I ever made." he said with a low growl. "If the rumors I hear about you are true, if what she accused you of doing is true…you're in bigger trouble than FLAG is. Count on that." He threw the broken file on the floor and walked out.

Dedra noticed a photograph of the girl on the table. She took it in her hand and crumpled it in her fist. The next time she saw her, she was going to get the job done right this time herself.

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That afternoon, Kitt drove Cara back to the mansion. There, Michael was waiting at the main door, putting on his comlink. "There's Michael now." said Kitt.

"There's no way I can do this. I'm so ashamed of myself."

"Michael is a very forgiving person, Cara." Kitt said. "Anyway, you can't hide in my garage forever."

"I was hoping for a couple days at least." She sighed and got out. She made her way over to him. "Michael, I'm really sorry about before. You've been a great asset to the Foundation. You deserve more respect than that."

"Well now," said Michael, "it wasn't all your fault. I guess these past few hours have been hard on all of us. But I meant what I said. You stay put for now, got it?"

"Got it, chief." Cara said with a mock salute.

Michael ruffled her hair. "You better go in. Dinner's almost ready."

"Okay. Bye, Kitt. Don't fight with Star too much while I'm gone."

"I'll try my best not to." said Kitt. Cara went inside. Michael looked after her, deep in thought. "Michael, is something wrong?"

"Ya know, I keep getting this feeling I've met Cara before. Like I know her from somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Yes. I also had that feeling when I first met her. But if we had met someone like Cara, surely we would know it by now, wouldn't we, Michael?"

"That's what I'm thinking, Kitt. Did you find anything else on CompuTech and what it has to do with her?"

"None, I'm afraid." Kitt answered. "There's basically nothing on the internet. All their activities are very secretive. I've found nothing on Star or any employees named Carrie. They have, however, been blasted by the community for cruelty in their animal experiments."

"Sounds like Harrison's been working under the radar." said Michael. Kitt grew quiet. "You okay, pal?"

"I'm just finding this all rather odd, Michael. Her memory loss. The way she was left at the Foundation that night. The way she was half-starved. The nightmares she's been having. Star even said she has no parents to speak of."

"Poor kid." Michael said. "And I thought I had a lot to deal with when I came here." He walked over to the car. "You really care about her, don't you, Kitt?"

He was quiet for moment. "Yes, I suppose I do. I don't want her going back to her old life if it means being treated that way." The thought of Cara in the hands of such people made him very upset.

"Neither do I, buddy. Don't worry. I made a promise to Devon, and I'll make it to you. She'll be taken care of."

"Thank you, Michael."

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Jonathan pulled up just outside the Foundation. He leaned back against the seat, clutching his side. Each time he breathed, it burned like fire. And every few minutes, a van from CompuTech would drive by, a constant reminder that he was being watched.

He backed the van up behind a few trees and some large bushes. He could hide here for now. He needed to rest a while. It would take at least a day's worth to recover enough to even move on his own again. Yes, he would hide, then have enough time to come up with a plan. Maybe he could go up the balcony and snatch the necklace while she slept. He was able to steal the formula before.

Jonathan only hoped Alex would forget about Carrie once he had 'S' and the necklace back.

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(The following evening)

Cara headed up to her room. She changed into her night clothes and noticed something. The balcony door was ajar. 'It must have blown open.' she thought. She stepped out onto the balcony.

She looked around. Everything was quiet, but she had a bad feeling. It seemed as though something in the night was stirring, that everything seemed restless around her. She laughed at the thought. It was probably nothing.

She went back inside. She took off her necklace and crawled into bed. For a while, she just laid there, thinking of that other woman's voice. Nuts, evil she had called her. Cara shivered just thinking of the woman's green eyes and shrill laugh. She then remembered what Kitt had said. "Believe me, Cara. She's wrong. Trust me."

He was probably right. The blonde seemed half crazy herself. She had to be wrong.

She hugged the pillow to herself and fell asleep.

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A few moments later, Cara realized something (or someone) was moving in front of her. She opened her eyes and saw a hand in the dark. She turned on the lamp and saw the man from before at her nightstand, reaching for the star pendant.

"Put that down!" she said. She jumped out of the bed, trying to get the necklace away from him. The two fought.

"Carrie! Stop!" said Jonathan. But she wouldn't let go. They both crashed to the floor, fighting.

Meanwhile, down in the garage, Star noticed the activity going on. "Kitt, something's happening in Carrie's room."

"What is it?"

"She's fighting with someone!" Star said, frantically.

"Michael!" Kitt called over the comlink.

"What, Kitt?" asked Michael. He was going over some paperwork with Devon and Bonnie in the main office.

"Hurry! There's an intruder in Cara's bedroom!"

They all took off for Cara's room. Michael was the first to reach the door and kicked it open. He pulled Jonathan off her and punched him. Jonathan fell backwards, stunned.

"Why, it's Joel!" said Devon. "What in heaven's name are you doing back here?"

"He was after this." Cara reached down and snatched the necklace from the man's hand.

Michael pulled Jonathan up off the floor. "Come on!" he said, angrily. "You've got a lot of explaining to do." He dragged him from the bedroom and the others followed.

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