KITT dodged another blow, the clear plating on his body chipping off more and more. Christine hesitated at the fenceline, watching KITT battle the monstrous Hearse. After delivering a crippling blow which sent KITT spinning her way, Tank paused for a moment a bit winded.

KITT skidded to a stop next to Christine, exchanging glances with her. Christine sighed and started her engine, rolling forward.

"Alright, my turn," she growled.

She and the Hearse squared up, Christine revving her engine. White clouds of exhaust billowed around her, her insides glowing green and her headlights shining a blinding white glow. Tank flinched backwards, his confidence dwindling.

"Why're y'all wastin' your time here?" Tank growled, his headlights flickering.

"We're not wasting our time," Christine scoffed, "We're just trying to stall you until the cavalry arrives."

Tank just scoffed back at her. "Your General doesn't scare me, I already did him in."

KITT rolled forward, flashing his lights. "General Lee doesn't hold a torch to him. He is feared by every Defect and man in three states, so much so, that his name mustn't be spoken."

Christine glanced back at him, curious as to why KITT's added drama was necessary.

Like a flash of lightning, Tank pulled forward, catching Christine off guard with her gaze averted. In a single, swift motion, where Christine was sitting now sat Tank's tire, and under it a mangle of crimson-red steel. KITT jumped backward, his scanning light drifting back and forth anxiously. The three of them were speechless for a long moment, Christine more so than others. Tank slowly backed away, the metal of Christine's body crunching under his tire.

"That ain't no way to treat a lady, friend," an engine rumbled from behind them.

Tank whipped around to see Thunder sitting just a few feet away from where Christine had been flattened. However, instead of scaring, like a few others had done, Tank just laughed. Like before with Rig, electricity arced around Tank's frame.

"Oh, I'm gonna enjoy this, been savin' it just for you," Tank growled, tauntingly.

Thunder charged up as well, headlights flickering and arcs of electricity jumping between his cab lights. "May the best spark win."

The rush of wind getting knocked out of his lungs was one thing, but trying to keep hold of his cousin was another thing. It was roughly half a second after their fall down the elevator chute that Bo regained consciousness and woke nearly face-to-face with the inferno below before Luke could finally grab him and pull him up.

As the three of them hung suspended in the air, Luke looked up, past Michael to see John leaning out of the fifth-floor doors, holding Michael's right forearm in a vice-like grip. In that agonizing moment after realizing they weren't dead, not yet, their breaths were caught in the silence.

Then, slowly but surely, they moved. John pulled Michael up and out of the elevator chute, Luke and Bo moving with him. Michael disappeared over the edge of the floor, John reaching down to grab Luke as soon as he was up. Luke pulled himself and Bo up with little help. However, as soon as their feet hit the fifth floor, Luke found himself pushed out of the way as John wrapped his arms around Bo.

"Okay, okay, yeah," Bo choked out, pushing away from him. "Dad, I'm fine!"

John chuckled. "Say, that's the first time you called me Dad!"

Bo reddened a little bit, his face getting serious. "Don't let it go to your head."

John's smile cracked a little as Bo walked away, however, he didn't have the chance to go after him, as Michael walked up.

"Hey," he said, catching John off guard.

John turned to face him and the two of them stood, glaring at each other for a short moment. Then, Michael held out his hand with a sigh.

"Thanks for saving our asses back there," he said flatly.

John hesitated for a moment, looking him up and down. Slowly, he formed a grin and shook Michael's hand. Michael returned a dry smile, knowing full well that he wouldn't have hesitated to let him die if it wasn't for that blonde kid.

Another tremor within the building made them all stop and hold their breaths. They all exchanged worried glances.

"Time to go," Devon said hastily.

They looked around promptly with a few raised eyebrows.

"Go where? How? The lower floors are burnt up," Luke argued.

Just then, they noticed that Rosco, who'd subtly disappeared since their arrival on the fifth floor, suddenly reappeared, wielding an office chair. Without a word, he lifted it above his head, Bonnie and Luke ducking out of the way, and hurled it through a window. The chair broke through with a deafening crash, showering the ground below it with glass. They watched as the chair disappeared in its plummet to the pavement, Rosco wiping his hands theatrically.

"Problem solved," Rosco reported with his signature giggle.

Devon nodded. "Out a window."

"Alright so we climb down. The levels below us are on fire, the wall's hot, how do we make it down without burnin' alive?" Luke asked.

Devon smirked. "Who said we're climbing down?"

Luke gave him a confused look, then they heard it: the sound of approaching sirens. They each stole a glance out the window to see fire trucks forcing their way in through the front gate, trailed by two ambulances and a regiment of police cruisers.

"KITT contacted the authorities as soon as the building caught fire, they should have us out of here in less than five minutes," Bonnie explained with a smile.

The party grew quiet, a few of them turning to look at John, who took a few steps back away from the window.

"Mr. Cathoway," Devon started.

John shook his head. "I take it this's where y'all turn me in then, right?"

Devon nodded, giving him a despondent look. "My guess is you'll be put away for life provided you go quietly, comply, and plead guilty."

John scoffed, looking at each of them. "And I assume there ain't nothin' your Foundation can do for me, is there?"

"If I'm being honest, we've been trying to put you away for quite some time now," Devon added. "I'm afraid there's no bargaining out of this one, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place."

John shrugged, taking a couple more steps back, nearly to the elevator doors. "So it would seem." He stole a glance towards the approaching fire truck, its ladder extending upward towards their broken window. "Y'all should probably go before I do somethin' irrational."

Michael raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

John shrugged again and smirked, leaning back. "I dunno, probably somethin' like this."

With that said, he fell backward into the elevator chute, disappearing into the bright-orange blaze. From that point on everything seemed to move in slow motion. The truck ladder reached their window and Rosco and Michael bolted. Bo yelled and tried to run after John, but Luke grabbed him and pulled him back, chastising him on how John was gone and that they had to get out of there.

Luke pushed him out the window and onto the ladder, following after him as soon as there was room. Then, a short moment later, Devon and Bonnie brought up the rear. And so, down they climbed to Acid's front gates, and out onto the empty street where the authorities were parked.

From there, the Foundation took control of the situation, answering police questions and making sure the Hazzard natives got any medical care they might have needed from their recent escapades. KITT met them in the tangle of police cars and ambulances to explain what had happened with the Defects and to speak with Devon, Bonnie, and Michael. Michael more so than others.

"Thunder was able to take Tank no sweat, but he severely damaged my outer shell and flattened Christine into a pancake. I'm aware she has her own reconstructive abilities but with an injury this severe I'm not sure what it'd take to get her bent back into shape," KITT explained.

"Does General know?" Luke asked.

KITT nodded. "He's pretty worried and if you ask me I'd say he's plum tore up about it."

Devon gave him a faint smile. "Well, KITT, I see you're embracing Southern culture and vocabulary with an open mind," Devon jousted at KITT's turn of phrase at "plum tore up."

"I actually like Southern culture. Say, Devon, have you ever been juking?"

A handful of them laughed heartily.

"No, but I dare say I may have to try it sometime," Devon replied with a heartfelt smile.

"Different subject, what'd Thunder all do with that Hearse?" Luke asked.

KITT chuckled. "Let's just say he shocked the nasty right out of him; he's on our side, now."

"Well, that sure changes the course of things."

Bo sat on the back bumper of one of the ambulances, resting his aching head against one of the doors. He wished he had a dime for the amount of busted heads he'd get in a day. If so, he'd have two dimes, which, of course, wasn't a lot but still odd that it'd happened twice.

The pain from two similar head injuries was enough to have him taking advantage of the aspirin Ms. Barstow had thrown in her backpack. However, even with a double dose, Bo's ears were still ringing.

"Still hurtin'?" a familiar voice asked.

Bo nodded and looked up, not making much thought of it. Upon doing so, his heart leapt in his throat.

John sank to his haunches, giving him a small smile. Soot lined his cheeks and forehead, a few charred patches here and there on his coat. His light-colored hair stuck out in nearly every direction.

"Thought I was done for, didn't you?" John said with a wink.

Bo nodded again and dropped his gaze, leaning back against the ambulance door. "You're leavin', ain't you?"

John returned the nod and stood, readjusting the gun strap around his shoulder. "I'll be back, and when I do, we're gonna have a talk."

"About?"

John shrugged. "Everythin'. Your momma, why I did what I did. And… maybe, you could tell me a little bit about this so-called Hollow Hill?"

Bo nodded, tears springing to his eyes. "Later."

John chuckled and grinned. "Right, later, when I'm no longer public enemy number two."

The two of them fell silent as they locked gazes in that heartfelt moment, until John laughed and ruffled Bo's hair.

"Well, I've gotta go," John said in his big, booming voice as he turned to leave. However, he stopped, looking back over his shoulder. "See you around, kiddo."

Bo nodded and watched him go, disappearing into the sea of flashing lights.

As the night faded into the early morning, the Knight Foundation operatives sat congregated in the mobile unit, as they had so many times before. Devon and Bonnie stood at the front of the trailer, Michael sitting on KITT's hood with his arms crossed.

"So, you mind telling me what this has all been about?" Devon finally asked after a long moment of silence.

Michael averted his gaze and sighed, relaxing his arms and laying a hand on KITT's scanner. "I suppose you want the full story."

Bonnie smiled warmly. "We're not angry with you, Michael, we just want to know why you ran off like that."

Michael glanced at her then back at the floor. "Alright, I'll put it simple, I was being blackmailed."

Devon tilted his head to the side, concern melting onto his face. "By whom? For what?"

"Acid knows that I'm not really Michael Knight."

At this, Bonnie grew worried as well. "But you are Michael Knight."

Michael shook his head. "In their eyes, I'm still Michael Long. So, in exchange for the secrecy of my identity, they wanted KITT, but I wasn't about to give him to them."

"What exactly were they threatening you with?" Devon asked.

Michael sighed again, growing anxious. "Imprisonment under identity theft and fraud."

Bonnie's face fell. "A felony…"

"So, after dodging bullets for about two months, I 'gave in' and promised to bring them KITT, which of course I didn't do. However, once they figured out I didn't have KITT, they weren't too happy. Not surprisingly, they took me hostage, and that's where I've been for the past three months."

They all grew quiet for a moment as the information sank in, until KITT spoke up.

"What about me? Remember all the things you said, all the things you did. All I want to know is why!" KITT exclaimed.

Michael got up off of his hood and walked to the wall. A small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I was afraid. I was scared that you'd start letting your emotions cloud your judgment, that I'd lose my partner. There was a reason you were programmed without emotions, so things like St. Petersburg wouldn't happen."

"So that's it, you're allowed to have emotions and I'm not?"

Michael shook his head. "There can only be one problematic operative and better me than you."

"I'm not problematic, nor will I ever be. If anything, no longer being emotionally numb has given me better judgment. I now have the ability to be empathetic, and I'll no longer be rightly concerned with your life but all life, including dogs."

Michael sighed and looked up, exchanging glances with Bonnie.

Bonnie nodded. "He's keeping them, and that's final."

Michael returned the nod, glancing back over to where KITT sat.

"What do you plan to do now, Michael?" Devon asked.

Without turning to look at him, Michael answered, "I don't know. You got a case?"

Devon grinned. "Yes, as a matter of fact I do."

Michael turned and locked gazes with him. "Good," he said, a smile slowly spreading across his face, "let's get rolling."

They arrived back in Hazzard by early noon. The sky was a bit cloudy, the air hazy. Rocks and bits of gravel popped underneath the Defects' tires as they pulled into town. Rig's air brakes yelped as he lurched to a halt on the side of Hazzard's main road in front of Cooter's garage. As he did, the doors opened, Cooter jumping out into the wet air, exclaiming, "Mother dog, y'all made it back in one piece!"

The Defects all exchanged glances through the sudden, somber silence. Tank backed away and General rolled forward.

"Not all of us," he rumbled despondently.

Rig let down the ramp of his trailer, the doors swinging open to reveal Christine's smashed body. By some miracle, she looked remotely better than she had upon entering Rig's trailer. Cooter's heart fell, and he looked from each of them solemnly.

"Well, y'all just can't go through one mission impossible without someone bitin' the dust, can you?" he asked quietly.

"Can you help her?" General asked.

Cooter thought for a brief moment, slowly forming a nod. "Yeah, with a little time and effort I think I could pull somethin' off. Can't be much worse than when you went a-flyin' down the ravine."

General nodded as well, turning back toward Tank and Thunder. He shared a glance with each of them, none of them saying a thing. Thunder followed him silently, Tank following Thunder's lead anxiously. Cooter sighed and ran a hand over his mouth, staring at Christine's broken body.

"Yeah, I dunno if I'm gonna be able to do anythin' about this," he mumbled under his breath.

Just then, the sound of a few familiar voices floated around from the other side of Rig's trailer. Cooter straightened himself and readjusted his grease-covered cap.

"Now, you boys stay outta trouble so I can sleep for, say, two or three days," Rosco said in a stern yet exasperated voice.

Cooter heard Luke scoff. "Well, in that case, challenge accepted."

"I'm serious now, I'm tired!"

"Well shoot, Rosco, two days? I reckon that'd be a new record!" Bo exclaimed with a laugh.

Luke joined his laughter with a chuckle. "Alright, Rosco, you want some quiet around here, you got it. I promise we won't give y'all no trouble for a couple of days."

"Well thank you, I appreciate that," Rosco replied happily.

"Two or three days, give or take, and that's all you get. Come Sunday, there's gonna be two black streaks goin' down Main," Bo added.

Rocso made a noise and stalked off, Bo and Luke turning to each other and laughing as they walked towards the garage.

Cooter flashed a grin and chuckled off his worry. "Well, look what the twelve-ton semi dragged in."

At this, they heard Rig snort as he departed for the square.

"It's good to be back Crazy C, say, what's the word on Christine?" Luke asked.

"Should be able to get her fixed up in little less than a week," Cooter answered quickly.

"That's good to hear."

Cooter nodded, trying not to make it obvious, in turn deciding to change the subject. "Hey, ah, Autumn stopped through on her way out west, told me to tell you to call her once y'all got back, provided y'all weren't knockin' on them pearly gates."

"Guess we'll just have to give her a call later tonight then. Anythin' interestin' happen these past three days?" Bo asked.

Cooter smirked. "Well- as a matter of fact, the Boar's Nest hired a new waitress named Tonya."

Bo smiled. "Well hot damn! Looks like I'm booked for the night!"

Luke sighed. "Dude, we ain't even been in Hazzard for five minutes and you're already chasin' somethin' with a skirt. At least take the time to tell Uncle Jesse and Daisy you're still alive!"

Bo shrugged, fixing his shirt collar and walking off. "Eh, you can do that. If you need me, you know where to find me."

"Ain't nobody gonna come lookin' for you, especially in the middle of a Friday night!" Luke called after him.

There was no response as Bo disappeared up the street.

"You reckon he's gonna walk to the Boar's Nest?" Cooter asked skeptically.

Luke shook his head. "No, he'll probably just hitch-hike, I wouldn't worry about him."

"So… what now?"

Luke shrugged. "I dunno, I think I'll probably go home, visit with Uncle Jesse and Daisy some until Bo calls me either cryin' or drunk 'cause Tonya dumped him."

Cooter laughed long and hard.

Luke clapped him on the shoulder, turning to leave. "Well, I'll see you around, Cooter. Good luck on Christine, yeah?"

Cooter nodded, wiping tears from his eyes and watching Luke leave, wondering if there was any easy way to break it to General. Slowly, his smile faded and he turned back to the open trailer, his eyes drifting over Christine's body. He sighed, resting his hands on his hips, unsure of what to do from there. He figured he might as well get started, maybe an able body would do some good for her broken spirit, and maybe General's too.