Part III

Two weeks passed and Kitt never heard a word from Rachael. He knew it wasn't worth crying over spilt milk, so to speak, but he had no idea what he really did wrong. He asked himself every night what he had said that could have turned her away, but he thought that what she said to him was worse, yet he wasn't going to leave her completely for it.

He knew Michael, Bonnie and Devon meant well by trying to get him to go places with them, watching three movies in a row, or all of them going out to dinner. It had worked, to a certain extent, but seeing happy couples sitting at tables in the corner or walking down the street, arm in arm hit him in ways he had never experienced. Until now he had never felt the pain of loss on the end where the other person is still alive, but no longer willing to respond to you. He knew humans were complicated people, but he was slowing starting to realize that once a mistake was made, there was no going back. He couldn't be programmed to fix the error he had made.

Christmas, however, was only a week away, and Michael had yet to go shopping even once. He pretended to beg Kitt that he needed his help on getting something special for Bonnie, something that would hopefully result in her saying yes to having dinner with him, which he had been asking for since they first met. Wanting Michael to be happy, and get himself out of the house, Kitt agreed and they took off one Saturday afternoon. The malls were packed with last minute shoppers, but Kitt and Michael were having a good time finding something for Devon.

"Michael, please, a Santa jacket?" Kitt asked as he eyed the piece of clothing.

Michael held up the bright red jacket and made a face they usually saw Devon wearing when he knew something they didn't. "Why, young lad, I think it would be rather sporting of him to wear this on Christmas day," he mimicked.

Kitt laughed lightly. "As much as I think its funny, I don't think Devon will on this one."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Michael replied and put it back on the rack. "Any suggestions?"

"You can get him a new cricket club," Kitt suggested. "Paint his name on it, perhaps?"

"Now you're talking," Michael laughed.

They walked out of the store ten minutes later with a sweater they both could picture Devon wearing on the occasions he didn't wear a suit. Kitt wondered if Devon would actually wear it or if it would sit in a drawer for years with the tags still hanging from the collar. Michael, though, was convinced Devon would wear it at least once just to make it look like he appreciated the thought.

After that store they both agreed for a quick lunch before heading across the mall to find that special something for Bonnie. Every line for the small counters of the fast-food stands was long. Michael decided that he'd get both of them a Chinese take out meal and Kitt went off to find an unoccupied table.

Kitt sat at the table he found for what seemed like hours, but he looked at his watch and it had only been a few minutes, yet Michael looked as if he barely moved two feet in the line. He couldn't help but shake his head at the sound of the term "fast food." Kitt saw people of all ages eating around him, including a small child eating an ice cream cone, although it seemed to hit every place on his face with the ice cream except his mouth.

As he smiled to himself and turned back to see if Michael's line had made any progress he noticed a girl walking towards him. At first he thought she was just going to pass him, but he soon discovered he was where she was headed. For a moment he wondered if she was someone from the foundation, but he had never seen her before that he could remember.

"Scott? Scott, is it really you?" She said as she stopped once she reached the table.

"Excuse me?"

She looked excited, both in a good and bad way, as for which one, Kitt was unsure. "Scott, I can't believe you didn't tell me! When did you get here? How long have you been back to normal?"

Kitt stood up out of respect for being a lady's presence. "I'm sorry; I think you've mistaken me for someone else."

"Don't act naïve with me, buster," the girl said a little harshly. "Do you know what I've been through for the past few years?"

"Miss, really, I—" He looked at her light brown eyes and reddish-brown hair. She looked so familiar. Then it dawned on him—she thought he was Scott. Of course; the man he resembled was named Scott Bordeaux—she must have known him.

"Scott? What's wrong? Don't you remember me?"

Kitt saw how desperate she was for him to say her name. He had no idea what relation she was to Scott Bordeaux, but he was beginning to feel uncomfortable, now having several of the people at nearby tables looking at them.

"Miss, I wish I knew who you were, but you've made a mistake. My name is—"

"Hi there," Michael said coming up from behind them. "You know her?" He asked Kitt.

"No," Kitt said, but looked back at the girl quickly when he said that. She looked stunned.

"Who's this? What's going on here?"

"I was just going to ask the same question," Michael said as he set the tray of food down on the table.

"Look, Scott, this isn't cute anymore. I don't need games from you right now," she said sternly.

"Scott?" Michael repeated. "Miss, I think you've taken him for someone else."

"Not you too," she said.

"My name is Kitt Knight, not Scott Bordeaux," Kitt said before he could realize that he made the error of mentioning the last name of his body's previous identity before she could even retaliate.

"If you're not, then how the hell did you know his last name?" She asked harshly. "C'mon Scott, I haven't seen you in years! Why do you have to be like this?"

"Ma'am, I think you've got him confused," Michael said, obviously not making the situation better when he butted in.

"I don't have him confused! I know who he is, and I have no clue who you are!"

"My name is Michael Knight, and this is Kitt," Michael said, trying to keep his voice low to hopefully keep hers from raising another level. "I think I know what's going on here, so if you just sit down and let us both explain."

"Explain what?" She asked harshly. "That you're lying and making up this stupid excuse to pretend you don't know who I am? Damn it, Scott, I'm not in the mood! You don't even know why I'm in California, do you?"

Kitt was becoming more confused by the minute. The girl wasn't making any sense, which in a way was expected, seeing that she was convinced he was Scott. "Please understand that I am not Scott," he tried again.

Somehow Michael finally was able to get her to sit down as he and Kitt did the same. He pushed the tray of food away, Kitt being thankful for that in case she decided toss it at one of them. She looked very upset now and Kitt wondered if she'd ever believe them.

"How do you know Scott?" Michael asked.

"What kind of game are you playing?" She asked once again.

"It's not a game," Michael told her, his voice still calm. "We do have a logical explanation for this, but I just want to know who we're dealing with."

"My name's Nadine Corvonce. I was Scott's girlfriend," she said finally.

Kitt could feel the world spin around several times when she said that. She said she loved him. They were sitting in a strange room with the television on. His arm was around her shoulders and her head lay against his chest. He pulled her closer. Kitt blinked his eyes several times and shook his head to the side, waiting for the pulsing nerve near his temple to stop aching.

"Scott was in a coma that doctors said he'd never come out of," Michael said.

"I know that," she said.

"So then all I have to do is explain Kitt to you," Michael said with a serious look, hopefully serious enough that would convince her that he was telling the truth. "Ten years ago an organization known as the Foundation for Law and Government came out with a state-of-the-art car that would be driven by one man who would fight criminals who operated above the law. I was that man and Kitt was that car. Kitt stands for the car's name, the Knight Industries Two Thousand, and who you hear and see now was the voice and personality of the car.

"A little more than six months ago, I had been shot and decided that it was time for me to retire from the foundation. But Kitt here decided it was time for him to move on as well, only instead of spending eternity as a car, he found a way that would bring medicine and science together—his memory was implanted in a human brain—Scott's brain."

Nadine sat in silence with a bewildered look on her face. She stared at Michael as if he was some sort of Martian, and ignored Kitt's presence completely. "You expect me to believe that?" She said finally. "A car that talks….that has a personality? Putting a computer into my old boyfriend's head? What kind of insane creature are you?"

Michael leaned back in his chair and held his hands out. "It's the truth, whether you want to believe it or not. Scott would never be himself again, even if he did come out of that coma. With Kitt going into him, it was relieving Scott of his life as a vegetable."

Nadine stood up, tears streaking her cheeks. "You're horrible. I can't believe you'd put all that effort into making up such a lame story. I don't need this right now. I was wrong when I thought I loved you." And with that she was gone.

Kitt watched her hurry off into the crowed of people and disappear. He turned to Michael with a worried face. "That didn't go well."

Michael took in a deep breath and let it back out slowly. "If she doesn't want to believe it, then that's her problem."

"I never expected that; especially because he was from Kentucky. If she was an old girlfriend, what is she doing out here?"

Michael shrugged and moved the tray of Chinese food to the center of the table again. "No idea. She sounded like a desperate girl, if you ask me. If she was his girlfriend at the time of his accident, then obviously she's looking for closure or something."

Kitt didn't add anything more to the conversation. He wasn't sure what to think. It was miraculous that someone would recognize his face as the previous owner when he was on the opposite side of the country Scott Bordeaux had lived.

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"Maybe a necklace," Michael suggested as he whacked the ball when it jumped into his court.

"It'd have to be something very beautiful," Kitt replied as he smacked the ball back to him, "that is, if you want it to help you win a date with her."

"You sound like you're the expert," Michael stated as he ran across the court and came just a hair short from the ball touching his racket. He stood up straight and waited for a moment before going after the yellow tennis ball. "Diamonds?"

"Are expensive," Kitt said. "Do you have that kind of money?"

"Think Christmas, buddy," Michael said as he jogged over and picked up the ball. "There are all kinds of sales going on this time of year."

"A point well taken," Kitt said, bending his knees, ready to receive the serve. After the ordeal at the mall the other day, they had lost interest in pursuing a special gift for Bonnie.

"So we agree on a necklace?" Michael asked after hitting the ball back over the net.

"It's your gift, not mine," he said. "I already found what I'm giving Bonnie."

"But you're my moral support," Michael replied. "I need your input and statistics on how well she'll like it."

"Very funny," Kitt replied.

Although being December, California's weather was still warm enough for a good workout on the tennis court. Kitt enjoyed this sport, his mind keeping busy and focused on where the ball was going, not to mention getting the exercise. Kitt swung his racket, hitting the ball perfectly down the center of the net at his opponent, but Michael had stood up straight again and looked past Kitt.

"Giving up?" He asked with a small smirk, but footsteps from behind caught his attention.

"I never knew Michael Knight as someone who would give up," Bonnie said with a smile and a glimmer in her eye. "Are you boys having fun?"

"If you count losing miserably fun," Kitt replied in a humorous tone.

"Well, I'd let you two continue, but Devon requests both of you in his office," Bonnie informed.

"Now? He knows we came out here," Michael said going over and grabbing two towels, tossing one to Kitt.

"Someone's here and he wants you to talk to her," Bonne explained. "I hear you met her the other day at the mall?"

Kitt looked at Michael, knowing he thought the same thing he did when Bonnie said that. "Is her name Nadine Corvonce by any chance?" Michael asked as they followed her back into the house.

"As a matter of fact," Bonnie replied.

Kitt and Michael followed her down the main hall and into Devon Miles's office where he sat behind his desk and a young girl with reddish-brown hair sat across from him on a chair. She looked sheepishly at both men as they entered and Bonnie moved off to the side.

"Ah, Michael, Kitt," Devon greeted. "I believe you know Miss Corvonce."

"We've met," Michael said with a forced smirk.

Devon stood up and went around to the front of the desk, sitting down again on the very edge of the polished wood. "Miss Corvonce has come to us for help with her ex-boyfriend, and I think you'll find her story rather serious."

For a moment Kitt thought Devon was referring to him and what had taken place the other day. But neither Devon's nor Nadine's attention was on him completely. "What is her story?" He heard Michael say.

Devon looked at Nadine for a moment and then spoke. "I'm afraid Nadine is being stalked by a man named Robert Oliver. He followed her here from Kentucky, and she feels that he's dangerous enough to hurt her or her grandmother."

"Grandmother?" Kitt asked, not expecting to hear of a second person.

"What's he after you for?" Michael asked suspiciously.

"I…I don't know," she said timidly. "I figured money or something."

"I propose we not only see if we can find out what his motive is and put a stop to it, but watch out for Nadine and her grandmother until everything's settled," Devon stated.

Kitt remained silent, and Michael decided not to add anything else. Bonnie looked at the two of them as she sat in a chair off to the side of the room. Devon felt an uncomfortable air come about the room, knowing the story of what happened the other day in the mall. He adjusted his tie and stood up to clap his hands and then one each on the shoulders of Kitt and Michael. "I trust you can take it from here?"

"I'm retired, remember," Michael reminded him.

"Of course you are," Devon said with a smile. "This is hardly any work for you. The foundation will do the rest of the work on this one."

"Glad to hear it," Michael said as he took the towel off from around his neck and headed out of the door with Kitt.

"Michael, Kitt? Would you be so kind as to bring Miss Corvonce to her car?" Devon asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Nadine stood up and followed both men out of the room, at first saying nothing. She seemed to pace herself away from Kitt as the three walked towards the front of the house.

"So tell me, what made you believe in our story, Miss Corvonce?" Michael asked, putting a bit of stress on her name.

Nadine looked up at Michael and looked slightly embarrassed. "I went home and looked up the organization you named—this place. When I found out it was true, I couldn't help but piece everything together. I talked to your secretary for a few minutes and asked how advanced of a technology department you had, and when she said top of the line, I finally realized that maybe you were telling the truth."

"So perhaps now you believe me when I say who I am," Kitt said, thinking he may have stepped a bit out of line again.

Nadine stopped walking, causing both Kitt and Michael to stop and turn to her. "I don't care what you say; you stole my Scott's life." She stared angrily at Kitt, her eyes boring into his and tearing him apart inch by inch.

"Scott didn't have a chance," Michael said now pretty much annoyed with her attitude.

"People have been in comas for years and came out of them acting like they took a ten minute nap. Don't you tell me about chances—he didn't have a chance to wake up. Instead this thing pushed right through his head and acts like he did nothing wrong."

"Now you listen to me—" Michael started, but Kitt held up his hand.

"Forget it, Michael. Good day, Miss Corvonce." Kitt needn't look at Nadine anymore to see that she was staring him down with the uttermost hatred. He retreated to the kitchen while Michael finished walking her to the door, taking out a glass and filling it with Gatorade.

"You didn't need to put up with that," Michael said joining him a few minutes later.

"She's right, Michael. Scott Bordeaux didn't have a chance. I did steal his life. The one crime I commit since being activated was taking over someone's life. I had no right. And I see that I've hurt her more than she can afford." Kitt didn't finish his drink; instead he left it on the counter and started for the doorway.

Michael grabbed his arm. "Don't you go around thinking like that now. I'm glad you made that choice—I'm glad you've had the opportunity to do this. If you let yourself get depressed because of some young girl's anger at her mishaps, then I'll never talk to you again."

Kitt looked at him helplessly, yet a serious glare came from his eyes. "I'd like to wash up, Michael." The hand left his arm and he turned again, but didn't leave. "I thought I should tell you though," he said. "I remember her." After saying that, Kitt walked out of the room and went up the stairs to his room where he could be alone while taking a shower.