Disclaimer: Don't own Automan-wish I did. Please don't sue. All of the disclaimer see Chapter 1.

A/N: Sorry for the slow update. Enjoy! Oh before I forget, I will be posting every Tuesday and Thursday!

Ch. 4--Getting Involved

Roxanne looked up as Wally walked into the LAPD main squad room wearing a white shirt, his favorite black tie with white pinstripes, a gray business jacket, black slacks, and black shoes; his police ID clipped to his left breast pocket like usual. He usually greeted her as he got closer to her desk. He didn't say anything today. He had a newspaper folded up and tucked under his left arm. He looked troubled as he went into the computer room.

Wally sat down at the computer terminal and opened the paper. He stared at the picture on the front page for the second time that day with disbelief. The picture showed a smiling, young man with light brown hair and hazel eyes in a forest ranger uniform standing alongside another smiling young man with blond hair and blue eyes also in a forest ranger uniform. The caption underneath the picture read: "Forest Rangers Ridge and Daniels taken last year." The headline read: "Forest Rangers Kill Each Other Over Drug Deal Gone Bad." Wally couldn't believe it. He had talked to John only yesterday and now John was dead. What was even worse was he was being accused post humus of drug trafficking and murder. Wally knew John had never touched illegal drugs in his life. He also knew John was no murderer. The bogus charges had to be linked to the crooked cops John had mentioned to him. "Life and death trouble, huh, John?" Wally murmured to himself. He looked at the door as it opened and Roxanne walked in.

"Wally, are you all right?" she asked concerned.

Instead of answering her question, he held up the newspaper with the front page facing her. She studied the headline and the picture. She gasped in recognition. "Wally, is that the same man you introduced me to at your high school reunion?"

"Yeah, Roxanne. It is," he replied glumly. "He called me yesterday right here at the station saying he was in some serious trouble and needed my help. Now I read this. John was never involved in illegal drugs and he's no murderer. The last thing I said to him was 'I'll see what I can do.'" A sudden look of determination came over his face. "I have to help clear his name."

He turned to the keyboard and started typing: "Load Automan". The question "What is your clearance?" popped up underneath the command prompt. He typed "crimefighter". The words "Please wait..." appeared underneath.

A sudden rumbling could be heard and felt as if an aftershock had occurred. The lights in the room flashed and dimmed. A white ball of light shot out of the monitor, circled Wally's head once before making a beeline for Roxanne. Roxanne tried to shoo Cursor away from her, but he was insistent on giving her a kiss. "Cursor," Wally admonished as he saw the ball of light seem to gently give Roxanne a kiss on the cheek. Wally stood up when he saw Cursor hover near the door knowing that was where Automan would appear. The tall, shimmering silhouette of a man started forming next to Cursor.

After Automan had fully materialized, he turned and greeted Walter and Roxanne. "Hello, Walter. Hello, Roxanne." He immediately noticed the troubled looks on both Walter's and Roxanne's faces and asked, "What is wrong?"

"Auto, remember the high school reunion I told you I was going to go to?" asked Wally.

"Yes," replied Auto with some confusion.

"Well, I met a good friend from my high school days, John Ridge. Roxanne met him." Wally nodded in Roxanne's direction. "Yesterday, he called me saying he was in some serious trouble. Now I read this." He handed the newspaper to Auto. As Automan scanned the story, Wally continued, "I just know he couldn't have been involved."

"How can I help?" offered Automan handing the paper back to Wally.

"I'm going to need your help persuading the captain to let me go to Waterton/Glacier International Park. I have to help clear John's name." Wally thought for a few moments. "I have an idea."

"Well, I'll leave you to your work," said Roxanne not wanting any part of Wally's plan. She turned and left.

Wally entered a glass enclosed office with a door partially ajar with Automan in a light blue shirt and blue three piece suit disguised as Federal Agent Mann. "Captain E. G. Boyd" was taped to the door. A man in his late forties with graying black hair was in the office discussing a case with a man in his late fifties with thinning black hair. "Hi, Wally, Agent Mann. How can we help you?" said the gray-haired man, Lieutenant Jack Curtis.

"Hello, Lieutenant, Captain," greeted Automan in return. "I came to inform you of an important situation that will require the involvement of Officer Nebicher here."

"With Wally? What's the problem?" asked Jack confused.

"It has to do with a federal case I am involved in concerning a double homicide in Montana near the Canadian border. Officer Nebicher was the last person to see one of the victims alive. I will require Walter's assistance in trying to piece together what happened before the two murders," replied Auto.

"Of course, Agent Mann. We're always happy to lend a helping hand to the FBI whenever possible," said Captain Boyd. "I'll place Officer Nebicher on special detached assignment."

"Thank you, Captain. I knew I could count on your cooperation," replied Auto. With that, Wally and Auto left the captain's office.

Back at Wally's apartment near the marina, Walter was packing to go to Montana. Automan looked on. Wally turned to him. "All right, Auto. Almost packed."

The printer nearby started spitting out a printout. "Ah, our reservations are here," said Auto tearing the printout from the printer. He handed Wally the printout to look over.

"Great. Let's get going then."

"We should take the fastest route there possible before the trail gets too cold," replied Auto. Wally smiled knowing Auto was referring to his sleek, aerodynamic, supersonic jet known as the Autoplane