Chapter 4: A Little Miracle, Pt. 1

Kitt tried to keep the emergency line open, but to no avail. The last thing that had been spoken before the line was lost was Devon calling out to him in worry. Marissa was in the front passenger seat, while Michael was trying to find someone that was either living nearby or on the road. They had been stuck in the same place for about an hour and a half.

"Did he get the message?" Marissa asked.

"Most of it…I think…"

"Maybe you better power down so that you don't freeze to death."

"Not until Michael…back."

"There he is," she said pointing to a form that was walking towards them.

"Doesn't look too happy…powering down…now…Rissie…wake me…if we…"

The door opened, although very slowly, then the voice modulator stopped.

"Is Kitt okay?" he asked as he tried to close the door again.

"Yeah," she replied, "He said he has to power down, so he doesn't freeze to death. If we get out of here, I'm to wake him."

He nodded, "If we don't freeze to death ourselves. Was he able to call for help?"

"Yeah…I don't know how much Uncle Devon was able to understand, though."

"You okay?"

"Uh-huh…"

"C'mon, Marissa, you don't need to act tough."

She sighed, then said, "Tired and cold."

"That you don't need. It's the starts of hypothermia."

"Huh…? That have anything to do with freezing…?"

"That it does. If you go to sleep, you might not ever wake up again."

She asked, "You're not kidding, are you…? I've been in cold weather before, in Montana, but this is worse. I'm worried about you."

"Hah, I've been in worse. You're looking at someone that's been in forests of 'Nam and up in the cold of Canada—" he winced, seeing that her expression was one of disbelief. "What is it…?"

"Um…you're not gonna believe this, but…I think I see a couple walking towards us."

He turned around and saw a tall woman with white hair coming up to him, gesturing to open the door.

Michael frowned, then did so. He managed to get back out and peered at her. It looked like she was in the same state, age-wise, as Devon, being not elderly but not young, either. She wore a brown coat and gloves, as well as brown boots.

"Oh my goodness!" she said, "Are you three okay?"

"Y-Yeah…but we got stuck out here in the blizzard. My car's freezing over—"

"And you two aren't far behind. Dear…! Dear, over here! Here they are…!"

They heard a male voice, seemingly the same age as the woman, "I'm coming, love…hey! Come on and help get them loose!"

Marissa looked about her, not being able to see much in the blizzard, yet hoping that she could see what was going on.

"Don't you worry, little one," she heard the older woman say soothingly, "We'll help all of you, including the car. Now, just relax…relax and rest…"

She peered through the snow at the woman, "Um, who are you?"

"Not now, dear, just rest. You need all the strength you have to stay warm until we can get you free…Papa…will you give her something nice to drink? She seems thirsty."

"Yeah, now that I think about it, I haven't had something to drink since we left Chicago."

She heard voices, many of them, more than she could imagine being in a group…and all of them seemed…young.

At that moment, a large, round man in a brown coat came up to the woman, two mugs in his hands. The containers were giving off steam and looked delicious. "Here, give these to them. They'll both need it."

She nodded and gave one first to Marissa, then Michael. "Dearies, we're going to take you all to our house, so that you can all recover and wait out the blizzard. The poor car can thaw out, too."

"Kitty," she was murmuring, "Please, wake up…"

"Don't worry about Kitty," the man said reassuringly, "You'll be all right. Just drink this, it'll warm you up."

She nodded, sniffed, then took a sip.

"Michael, this tastes like chocolate."

He nodded, taking a sip as well, then started drinking it normally.

"How'd you guys have hot chocolate on hand?" he asked after a moment.

"We have our ways of keeping drinks hot," the older man replied. "Go ahead and drink it all, then get some sleep. We'll wake you when we get you to our home."

"Sounds good," Michael nodded, having already finished drinking the mug of hot chocolate. As soon as Marissa had finished hers, he handed the mugs back to the woman, closed the door and sat back.

Normally he would not be so trusting of strangers…although now they were in a bad situation…and he got the sense that these folks wouldn't harm them.

Michael looked to make sure that Marissa was comfortable, then snuggled into his seat, praying that these people were in time to save Kitt, much less themselves.

000000000000000

In the blizzard, a single black semi with a gold outline and a chess piece pulled onto the highway. The people inside had finally managed to reach the coordinates that Kitt had sent to them.

As soon as the back opened and the ramp was lowered, a single person ran down it. It was Devon, dressed in a thick coat, boots, hat and gloves.

"Michael!" he called out, looking around him as he ran. "Michael! Kitt! Marissa…!"

There was no reply, save for the howl of the icy wind.

"Michael, where are you…? Answer me…!" he continued to shout, although now inside, the feeling was changing from simply negative worry to fear.

Another form ran up to him, and for a moment, he thought it had been Michael. He smiled, relieved…until he was able to discern who it really was.

"Devon," Bonnie called out, "Don't go too far, we don't have Kitt to lead us back."

"I don't care! All three of them, they're in this mess… Michael! Rissie! Kitt!"

Bonnie looked on the ground carefully…then called out, "Devon…! Over here…!"

He hurried over to her.

"They're almost gone, but…I see Kitt's tire tracks, up to a point…then they vanish."

He shook his head, "What the blazes happened to them…?"

"I don't know, but we need to get back inside call the local police…get some search parties together."

000000000000000

Michael felt a bit lightheaded as he started to come out of a dream…one in which he and Marissa were in the hot desert, alone…and calling out for Kitt and Devon, the only ones that could help get them to shelter…to somewhere with plenty of water.

At one point he had collapsed on the ground, and heard the little girl telling him to get back up, to wake up…to not leave her there alone.

"That's his name, eh…?" he faintly heard.

"Uh-huh."

"My, such an honest little girl…"

"I'm not a little girl…I'm nine years old!" A pause, then, "Michael…c'mon, Michael, wake up…"

He fought against waves of darkness that were making him want to stay asleep.

"Michael! C'mon!"

He slowly opened his eyes, then closed them again, pained by the sudden bright light.

"That's it…slowly this time…" the older woman from before said, "No need to blind yourself."

He complied, opening them slowly time, letting his eyes adjust to the light.

As soon as they focused, Michael slowly looked around him. He was in a bedroom, and a nice-sized, well-furnished one. The walls were made out of wood, and there were different things about, such as a dresser, a full-length mirror, a door to the bathroom… Michael found himself in a warm, cozy bed with a comforter and blankets on it.

When he turned his head back, he tried to sit up…and found himself dizzy.

"Whoa!" That was Marissa's voice.

"Take it easy…you were closer to freezing to death than we thought," the woman said as she helped him sit up, "Once you relaxed, I guess the adrenaline wore out."

"Yeah," Marissa agreed, "Mama and Papa had to wake you twice on the way, or so they said."

"Ma…? Marissa, they're not your parents."

"No," the woman admitted, "I told her to call me Mama, and so should you. Everyone around here does."

"Okay, that explains it…but…how long have I been out?"

"A day," Mama answered, "You haven't eaten since then, so it's no wonder that you're dizzy. I figured you'd wake up soon, so I had lunch made."

He nodded, "Kitt…where's…is he okay…?"

"Yes, we managed to thaw him out, and just in time," the little girl answered, "He's been worried, too."

"That's an understatement. Michael, how are you feeling…?"

"Tired…dizzy. Kitt, Marissa, just where are we?"

The little girl and Mama exchanged glances, then Marissa replied, "I don't think you'd believe me. I don't know if I do myself."

The older woman chuckled and pinched her on the arm.

"Ow! Why'd you do that…"

"You said you didn't know if this was a dream, dear." She peered at the girl closely, "Dear…your name…are you Marissa Miles…?"

"Huh? Yeah, that's my name. Are you checking to see if I'm being honest again?"

"Not this time…but my husband's told me plenty about you."

"He-he has?"

"Yes. He'd come over to Montana every year, knowing you were being held prisoner…and every time, he'd be shot at by that dreadful man…the one that killed your mother."

"O-oh…I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We were happy when Kitt found and protected you." She smiled, then said, "Can you help be bring in Michael's lunch…? Then you can relax and play."

"Umm…play? What's that?"

Her brow furrowed as she said, "Ohh, that's right…you don't know how to play at all. Well that's all right…this is a time of learning, after all. Well, please help me bring in his lunch, then we'll make yours."

"Okay, Mama!"

As Michael leaned back into his pillows, he thought to himself, trying to figure out just what had been discussed in front of him.

"No…can't be…they're real after all…?"

000000000000000

A day after Devon and Bonnie had arrived in the semi, the two of them were at the police station. The older man looked pale and a bit drawn, with eyes that were a bit bloodshot. Bonnie wasn't much better.

She looked down the corridor and finally found the head of the precinct walking towards them.

"Anything…?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Miss Barstow, Mr. Miles…as you know, it is a blizzard out there. It's possible we might never find Mr. Knight or Miss Miles. I suggest, for tonight, you stay at a hotel…then in the morning, go home. If we find them, we will call you as we head over there. We do have your address and phone number."

Devon shook his head. "No. That's my niece and a man I consider as my son out there. I won't…"

The man sighed then said to Bonnie in a lower tone, "To be blunt, the last time that a blizzard this cold has gone through here, there have been plenty of deaths. The chances of them surviving are not too good. We won't give up, but you ought to know the facts of the situation."

She glared at him, seeing that Devon, with his keen hearing, had heard what was said. His mouth tightened and he quickly looked away.

"Devon…let's get to the hotel for tonight," she said quietly.

The Englishman had been about to say something harsh to the head of the precinct, but held whatever it was back and simply nodded, mouthing a quiet word of thanks.

As they traveled from the station to a hotel room via taxicab, the older man had been deep in thought, yet distraught at the same time.

She looked at him, concern plain on her face as his eyes glittered for a moment before he dabbed at them with a sleeve.

"We'll find them, Devon," she said quietly.

"And if we don't…? Bonnie…losing Rissie the first time was bad…so was coming close to Michael, Kitt or both dying…but if I lose all three of them…"

She nodded, patting his arm. She knew the rest of that statement. If he lost all three of them, the ones he held closest to his heart, it would kill him.