Echoes Of Another Life

Amanda Killgore

The below characters are on loan to me. I wish I had KITT. If they ever make KITT I want him.

Hanging out at the mansion for a few days, getting a much deserved rest after saving life as we know it was what Michael told himself he was doing. In reality, he was in so that KITT, the real hero, could have his ten-thousand-mile checkup.

Ding dong.

He waited. No one answered. Since when was doorman duty on his repertoire?

"Michael, would you get that? The butler's at a doctor's appointment," Devon called from his office.

Since now, he guessed. Wonderful, but he had no real excuse to say no.

Opening the door, he beheld a lovely woman that would have tempted him if she was a few years younger or he was Devon's age. "Can I help you?" he asked, remembering the manners that had been drilled into his brain in another life.

"Is Devon Miles here?" she asked.

"Yeah. He's been holed up in that office too long. Getting hidebound. Come on."

This probably was not protocol, but what the heck?

He led her toward Devon's office, whistling to be annoying. "I guess I should announce you. I'm just subbing for the butler."

"I figured that out," she smiled. "But let's not, I want it to be a surprise."

"Gotcha."

He knocked on the door frame. "Yo, Dev. Someone here to see you." Michael stood aside to let Ms. Mysterious walk in.

"Hello, Devon."

The look of shock made Michael wish his key ring had a camera on it. Have to talk to Bonnie about that.

"Hope? Hope Muir?"

"In the flesh, you b...d," she agreed, moving rapidly across the room to slap him. "How dare you just vanish like that?"

"I'll just go down and help Bonnie with KITT," Michael whispered loudly.

No one noticed.

"My dear, it was for your sake that I left. My work was too dangerous and you had the children to consider. It was for the best. I didn't want to leave you."

Tears gleamed in her eyes. "Working for a charitable foundation is dangerous?"

"There's more to it than that, actually."

She opened her purse, and for a moment he feared she was going for a gun, but she withdrew a familiar note:

"Dear lady, if only I could stay, but to do so would ruin the future you might have. So I will be a past dream you can recall fondly. Devon."

"I never claimed to be a poet, blast it."

"The kids were devastated. Even your nephew tried to help us find you, but you just vanished, like some kind of spirit."

"That was the point."

"And I never found any happiness without you. The kids are grown now. I want the truth, and if I can forgive you, to be part of your future."

Seeing that the stubborn woman was determined, and he never had won a fight with her, Devon sighed. "Very well. Come with me. But this stays with us."

"Of course."

He led her to a secret elevator and they rode down to Bonnie's 'bat cave.'

"Devon, did you...? I guess so," Michael said.

"Hope Muir, this is Michael Knight. Bonnie is our science expert, and that is..."

"Hello, Ms. Muir," KITT's voice called out. "I saw your face in Devon's files some time ago."

"That is KITT, the Knight Industries Two-Thousand."

"Devon, what are you doing?" Bonnie hissed.

"Having a life. Didn't you urge me to do that once?"

"Who was that speaking?" Hope asked, turning pale.

"KITT."

"The car?"

"Yes," Michael agreed.

"His voice is..." she began.

"Irritating," Devon snapped. "I wanted another voice put in, but the first Mr. Knight said it was perfect."

KITT blew a raspberry, having the last word.