(These next two chapters are sort of different.)

Chapter 17

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That night, Cara was exhausted. After watching Kitt and Star race, she had spent the entire afternoon in training. She knew she that even though she wasn't an active operative yet, she needed to stay in top form. That's what Devon would have said.

She laid in bed for nearly an hour, tossing and turning, and finally got up and went to the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet and found the last of the pills that Dr. Hartman had prescribed for her injuries. 'Good. This will help me sleep.' She swallowed the pill and went back to bed.

Soon, she found herself dreaming of her last days at CompuTech.

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(About eleven months earlier.)

Carrie was finishing up some work on 'Project S'. She had spent a good part of the day programming the large main computer and was tired.

"Carrie, I'm afraid you're working yourself too hard." said S, scanning her vitals. "Maybe you should take a break?"

"Wish I could, S. But you remember what Alex said. He wants your CPU ready for transfer in a few months and I want a good head start."

"I'm not sure I want to be put into a car." whined S. "I mean, a machine like me is too sophisticated for field work."

"Too bad." said Carrie. "This is what you were you were designed for. Anyway, Alex is counting on us."

"Of course I am." She turned and saw Alex in the doorway. He walked over to her and kissed her cheek. "How are you, love?"

"Tired but good." Carrie flipped through a large booklet. "I just got done running some data through S's memory banks."

"Terrific." Alex said. "I can't wait to start testing." He saw a strange look on her face. "Carrie?"

"Alex, do we really have to destroy the other car. I've looked through the files you gave me on K.I.T.T. From what I know, it seems to be a really great car, just like S will be. Maybe FLAG and CompuTech can co-exist somehow."

Alex sighed. "Carrie, my father had a very bitter fight with Wilton Knight. That man ended up taking all the credit for the one good idea Andrew Harrison ever had. It was his last wish that I see 'Project S' come to fruition. I'm going to make FLAG pay for all that they put him through. And I need your help to do it."

He lifted her head towards him. "Please don't start doubting our cause now. Not after all your training. Not after all the hard work you and Jonathan have put into 'S'."

"I won't, Alex." said Carrie. Although she still wished she and S didn't have to destroy the K.I.T.T. version. She had heard quite a lot about the car and it's first pilot, Michael Knight. They sounded like quite a team.

"Here. I've got something for you." said Alex. He pulled out a silver necklace from behind his back. It had a star as pendant with a blue stone. "It's S.T.A.R.'s activation device. I couldn't wait to put it on you." He went behind her and fastened it around her neck.

She admired her reflection in S's screen. "Oh thank you. It's beautiful."

"I knew it'd be perfect for you once it was completed." He kissed her softly. "I have some papers to tend to. Don't be long, okay, Carrie?"

"Okay, Alex." They kissed again. He left while she continued to work. She smiled at one point. There was no one she loved more than Alex. Soon, it was dark and she yawned. "Okay, S. I'm tuckered out. Go in to recharge mode and we'll start again tomorrow."

"Okay, Carrie. Goodnight."

"Night, S." Carrie left the hanger and started to walk across the lot to get to the main building.

Suddenly, she was jumped from behind by a large man dressed in black. Carrie did her best to fight him off. She sent him to the pavement with several punches and kicks. He caught her leg and sent her to the ground. He pulled out a large knife. Carrie struggled to keep herself from being stabbed.

"Who…are you?" she asked as they fought. "Why…are…you…doing this?"

"Vale sent me." the man said in his deep voice. "Got orders to get you outta the way."

"Vale?" No, it couldn't be. Carrie always knew Dedra was jealous of her, but she never thought she'd take it this far.

Carrie was able to knock the knife from the attacker's hand and she rolled to the side. She picked it up and turned just as he came at her again. She felt the knife stab him in his chest. His eyes widened and his mouth opened. He collapsed to the ground, dead.

Carrie dropped the knife. "Dear God. What have I done? I killed someone." She ran towards the main building where Alex was staying. Alex would help her. He'd know what to do.

"Alex!" She ran into his office. "Alex I need help! Please!" She finally found him. "Alex! I…" Carrie stopped suddenly. There, in front of her was Alex and Dedra, kissing.

Alex turned and faced her. "Carrie!"

"No." She put her hands up over her ears. This wasn't happening. She could deal with the fact that Dedra hated her. But now she had killed someone, and Alex had…betrayed her. She saw Dedra smiling behind him.

He saw that her front was covered in blood. "What happened to you?"

Just then, one of the guards burst into the office. "Jeffery's dead, sir."

"What?" asked Alex. "How?"

"Her." said the guard, pointing at Carrie. "We all saw her pull out a knife and kill him in cold blood."

"That's not true! He ran into the knife." She turned to Dedra. "Alex, she tried to have him kill me!"

"Alex, dear, I would never." Dedra said, sweetly.

"No, of course you wouldn't." He turned to Carrie. "I'm very disappointed in you. You just killed one of my best men. Why would you do such a horrible thing?"

"Alex, please she wants me out of the way!"

"Quiet! I don't believe you. She's not capable of anything like that. Now stop making up stories." He looked away and sighed. "That's at least three months of solitary confinement."

"What? Aren't you hearing a word I'm saying? She set me up!" He turned away from her. "Oh, I see. I guess what I heard about you was true. You are nuts!"

Alex walked over and hit her, then ripped the necklace from her throat. "Get her out of here!" he ordered. "And don't let her out until she learns to behave herself." The guard dragged Carrie. Dedra laughed quietly as she was led away.

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Carrie spent ten long months in solitary confinement. It was ten months of hell. They nearly starved her and her skin had turned pale. On top of everything else, she was trying to deal with a broken heart. One night, Jonathan snuck up to her cell with some food.

"I'm trying to get you out of here, Carrie." he said. "If I could just get the keys to the lock."

"Why bother?" she said. "After what I did?"

"You didn't mean to, Carr. When we get out of here, we'll get a good lawyer. I…saw Dedra today."

Carrie looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"She's lost it. I've never seen her look that crazed before." Jonathan said. " I think she's planning something for you."

"She's just as crazy as he is." They heard footsteps.

"Someone's coming."

"Okay, Jonathan, look." Carrie said. "Go into Alex's office and see if you can get the necklace. I'm going to try to make a run for it when I get a chance."

"I'll be waiting. Be careful."

"Right. You too." He took off and she sat down on the cot, waiting for the guard to come. But it wasn't a guard.

The cell door flew open. "You've been a bad girl, haven't you, Carrie?" said the blonde. "I always knew deep down you were evil."

"You did this to me." Carrie said, bitterly.

"So what if I did set you up?" said Dedra. "No one will believe someone like you, especially after what you did. You're a murderer. Fortunately, I know how to 'remedy' the situation. Let's go for a little walk." She pulled out a gun. "And don't even think of trying to get away."

Carrie had no choice but to follow her. She was dragged down a corridor into a dimly lit room. She was pushed onto a steel table and strapped down. Dedra placed two pads with wires on both sides of her head.

Dedra leaned over her. She almost laughed. "Who'd have thought you'd go nuts." She smiled evilly. "Pleasant dreams." She left to go pull the lever.

Just then the door to the room flew open. Jonathan was there with the necklace. "No! Dedra! Don't!" Carrie was about to yell something when she felt a jolt of electricity to her head. The hot sensation burned her as she let out a scream. Everything went dark after that.

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Cara sat up. 'Oh God!' She dressed as quickly as she could. In the hallway, she found Bonnie.

"Bonnie, where's Jonathan?"

"What? He's resting." Bonnie replied.

"Where is he!" she yelled.

"Down the hall, two doors on the right. But Cara…" Cara didn't stop to explain. She ran into the room where Jonathan was recovering from his injuries. She slammed the door behind her.

"Carrie!" he said, sitting up. "It's good to see you. I was wondering when you were going to…what?"

"It's true, isn't it?" she said. "They locked me away because I killed someone."

'Oh no.' he thought. 'She remembers what happened.' "Yes. But Carrie, it wasn't your…"

"And Alex and me? We were…" It almost made her sick to think of him. "He betrayed me?"

Jonathan was silent.

"Answer me!"

"Yes. It's all true. But you have to understand. I guy like Harrison is out there. I didn't want you to remember." He tried to get up to comfort her, but she backed away.

No. This wasn't happening. Not to Cara, but to Carrie. She had killed another person and had been involved with the very man trying to take down FLAG. The others would never forgive her. Not Michael. Not Kitt. They would never trust her now. She ran from the room. Jonathan called after her, but she never heard him.

The voice in her head 'had' been right. She had committed the ultimate sin. And she had nowhere to hide from the truth.

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