The mechanics weren't the talkative type, actually, they in no way or form even resembled a mechanic. Not like the one he'd come to love at least.

They'd barged into his space at about 6 in the morning, lifted him up, and prodded him like a sick rabbit. Logically, he was in physical tip-top form in no time, the suspension having been taken care of, but there was no emotional gauging or mental checkups of any sort. Just like all the other times, while they'd come to repair him he'd kept quiet, being a little shy about interacting due to the lack of any formal introductions. He didn't bother about it too much, it wasn't absolutely necessary but would it kill them to at least give him a 'good morning'?

"Good morning." He remarked quietly while they installed new tires, Kitt feeling a little annoyed at being jacked up a bit roughly.

"Uh? Hey, Jackie, I think it's active." One of the mechanics pointed out, nervously.

The lead mechanic walking beside the jacked apple candy red Banshee took in the steady flowing scanner silently.

"Knight Industries Two Thousand. ARE. YOU. ACTIVE?!" The woman shouted boldly.

"I'm red, not deaf," Kitt remarked dryly, revving the engine under the hood in greeting. He genuinely wanted to form a bond with the lead mechanic if he could at all help it. He'd seen her for quite some time in past repair sessions, and although she'd looked a bit unapproachable he was starting to get a little lonely during the long hours of restoration.

Jackie set her hands on her hips frowning.

"Is it normal for it to speak like that?" She asked one of the guys adjusting one of the tires.

"Not entirely," Kitt replied for himself. "Also no need to call me the Knight 2000, I'm Kitt." He internally smiled.

"Oh, uh…"

"So, how long have you worked here?" He casually continued, attempting to engage her in the conversation.

She glanced around her.

"Uh, me?"

"Yes, you. I'd assume you've got extensive experience in the automobile profession."

"I'm an intern."

'Great.' Kitt internally sighed.

"So…I'm the first 'car' that's under your care?" Kitt asked, anxiously. The sound of some metal tool hitting the ground resonated in the warm building somewhere behind him.

"Yeah," She nodded, crossing her arms. "I was the best in class." She smirked.

That didn't sound too bad.

"Word of advice, perhaps next time don't tell your "patients" you're ''new"." I honestly don't mind that you are new however, my driver is also new and you could say this is new to me too!" Okay, he was rambling – not a good way to break the ice.

"Are you done?" The woman furrowed her brows.

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's just some voice calibration, right?"

Kitt internally cringed.

"Jackie was a pleasure speaking to you." He archived his frustration for a later assessment.

The woman awkwardly nodded as they lowered the red Pontiac back onto the ground. The team congratulated themselves but left the source of accomplishment out of the celebration. Bonnie would have never done that, she would have asked him how everything felt or if he had any complaints. Michael would have said something along the lines of…


MEMORY BANKS%

DATA STATUS: DECOMPILING…

OPERATION: [CONDENSED RENDERING…]

"Looking, good Buddy." Michael smiled taking in Kitt's black sheen with pride, happy to hear Bonnie had completed the upgrades.

"Thank you, Michael," Kitt replied pleased.

"What do you say? Have a little fun with some turbo boost…" The man excitedly emoted within the mobile HQ, making his way to Kitt's driver's side.

"Michael that hardly sounds appropriate right now, aren't we on a case?"

"Yes, we are, but they don't pay us to be boring…"

[RECOMPRESING]

RESAVING…


Kitt watched them all leave, hoping maybe just maybe…they'd come back…but not to fix him…no, to simply just talk! To chat! To get to know him, and him them. They all looked like a great team of novice mechanics but that wasn't a reason to frown upon them. Everyone had to start somewhere, even him at some point!

Kitt decided he'd write them up a letter of appreciation. Perhaps that would allow him to fit better in their eyes, instead of just being "the spy car in the garage."

Kitt opened his email quietly, searching for his assigned mechanic crew. Realizing he didn't have it; he mischievously accessed Maddocks instead.

Kitt braced himself as he was struck with a multitude of files.

The man's email was cluttered with notifications of unread mail almost from top to bottom! And that was just his morning emails!

Kitt was careful to not open any of those, typing a keyword into a filter box. He chose 'mechanic' because…well wasn't that the most logical action?

No matches.

'Lead mechanic' sounded better, perhaps this would give results.

No matches.

It wasn't returning anything promising so he typed in 'Jackie' instead, it also came back empty.

The mechanics had no emails?

Maddock didn't have their emails perhaps? Although given he was the co-director of the Foundation, shouldn't the man be directly in touch with all his employees, to begin with?

Engrossed with the task on hand Kitt decided to search the Foundation database for the emails instead, fishing them out and carefully storing them for later use. Poking around in the digital space he found strings of emails floating in the board's trusted circles.

There were many new board members he didn't recognize but one name stood out: Jennifer Knight.

Kitt shuddered under the luminescent light casting down over him in the dim warehouse.

"Will she remember me?" He asked out loud. He hoped she would. It'd be nice to talk to someone who'd understood the era he'd come from. He hoped she still held him in high regard.

"Hey, Kitt!"

The car jolted backward, the utterance of his name shaking him a little.

"Goodmorning, Shawny." He happily greeted.

"Morning, how are your 'legs'?" She fondly kicked one of his tires, the chassis shuddering slightly.

"Solid, yours?" Kitt reciprocated.

Shawn smiled, adjusting her cap and brushing off her grey uniform.

Kitt internally scolded Maddock. Was it really necessary to make Shawn wear the same thing every day? That man seriously had power issues.

Shawn entered the cabin, pulling the ultrasound gun from its charging port attached to the center console and sliding it into her holster.

Kitt let out an inaudible sigh. He disliked the fact that every night he had to share the power packs with it and felt slightly uncomfortable and disturbed at the fact that a part of the chassis could detach.

"Ready to go?" Shawn grinned, beckoning the Pontiac Banshee forward and towards the exit.

"You know me, always living on the ready," Kitt replied, noting Shawn was getting restless in the bucket seat.

"Everything alright?" He asked instinctively, taking vitals.

"I'm fine." She grumbled. "Just a little restless." She shrugged it off, casting him a fake smile. Kitt didn't buy it, meticulously running the scans.

They might live in an era where chips could be inserted to repair injured brains, and create calculative bionic arms that could play tennis without breaking a sweat but…a microchip was not the best replacement for a muscle as advanced as the human brain, especially an "obsolete" one.

Kitt took the wheel from the woman leading the chassis towards the hospital.

"Kitt!?" She shouted, slapping the steering wheel in dismay noting the direction he was taking.

"It might be malfunctioning." Kitt rebuked. "Aren't I all the time?" Using humor to tranquilize her.

She crossed her arms.

"I'm fine, Kitt. I'm not a child!" She glared down at him.

"...Shawny and I'm not an apple."

Shawn clasped her hands over her face as she tumbled into a laughing fit inside the cabin. Kitt taking the chance to increase speed down the traffic-jammed streets, everyone commuting to work at the early hours of the day.

Without Michael around, there wasn't anyone to occupy Kitt's ever caring mind, except maybe Shawn. She wasn't too bad, not as playful as Michael or understanding but friendly enough to get along with usually. Although Kitt heavily missed having someone who could easily catch onto his unease and help him deal with his ever-present emotions. As usual, he was having a tough time rebuking its existence.

The crimson vehicle pulled in front of the towering hospital building. Shawn exited, Kitt standing out brightly amongst the other cars in the dim light of early morning. She smirked towards Kitt as she entered the building, disappearing into the crowd of people coming and going.

Having dropped her off at the entrance, Kitt drove on his own to find a suitable place to park feeling slightly relieved to be let out of his obnoxiously warm garage.

He found a space just to the side of the building, sleeping the engine and listening to Shawn's comlink. There was a chance she'd try to pull a fast one and just hang around the lobby to make time but Kitt had taken care of Michael long enough to understand the creativity of the human mind when it came to avoiding unpleasant environments - like the hospital...


Shawn took a seat in the waiting area after checking in and letting the desk woman know she was coming in to have a check-up on her chip. Her nose twitched from the antiseptic smell flooding her nostrils. They quickly accommodated her name and by the time she decided it wasn't worth waiting anymore the doctor had shown up.

"Miss McCormick! What a pleasant surprise!" He beamed, approaching her nervously. Several patients looked up from their seats at the doctor tiredly entering the lobby.

"I'm back." She rolled her eyes shrugging, standing from her seat.

"I see, and what for, might I ask?" He led her away to a private hospital room. Shawn followed a little hesitantly.

"Well, recently I've been feeling unusually restless and a little extra tired." She rubbed the back of her head. "No big deal I'd think, but Kitt dragged me in this morning, and…"

"Restless?" Doctor Glassman asked, awakening an idle computer nearby.

"Well, yes but it could be something entirely different." She glanced toward the ceiling. "Chances of catching the flu are 5% to 20%..."

The doctor smiled, happy to know the chip was still operational.

"We'll run some test." He offered, already arranging an appointment.

"Oh, no." Shawn shook her head, glancing over the man. "Isn't there just some pain medication I can receive?"

"I don't think that's adequate." The doctor stood up. "I'll see you next week, may I take you to your car?" He motioned with his hand, smiling kindly.

Shawn took off her cap, letting her hair drop down to her shoulders.

"Kitt will probably have lots of questions for you anyways, don't say I didn't warn you."

The doctor opened the room door frowning.

"Kitt?" The man's face instantly twisted with dread before smoothing out in curiosity. Shawn failed to notice.

"You'll see." Shawn grinned sliding her hands into her uniform pockets wondering how her partner was holding up in the parking lot.


Kitt had heard everything and was very content to know Shawn hadn't bailed out. It was for her own good to visit the doctor. He would hate it if something happened to her because of a faulty chip. Thing was, wouldn't it be his fault if she got sick? To an extent he figured. The chip was his after all. He had to admit however that he was falling short without the chip, as it was difficult at times to reroute subroutines when specialized chips like that one were missing.

He pulled out of his parking space and approached the woman and doctor coming into view.

"Good morning, Doctor Glassman." Kitt politely greeted as he came to a stop along the curb.

The man's eyes widened, turning to McCormick for guidance, as he didn't see any driver in the crimson car. Something more about it, however…was exceptionally queer.

"This is Kitt," She motioned eyeing Kitt suspiciously. "May as well get over it, Kitt shoot!"

The doctor jumped in place, his legs stiffening.

"Oh!? What!?" He nearly screamed.

Shawn furrowed her brows. Kitt scanned the man's vitals noting his agitation, concluding it to the fact he'd never seen a talking car before.

"It's a phrase," Kitt assured awkwardly. Who hadn't ever heard that phrase before? Was this doctor usually this jumpy? "I just wanted to ask about the longevity of the particular cybernetic chip implanted in Shawn's brain, it's mine you know? I took lots of detours back in the day with that chip. I want to ensure the poor thing won't burn out in Shawny's head." Kitt remarked remembering Bonnie's kind hand readjusting and running maintenance on his systems. He almost laughed out loud at the thought of Michael looking over her shoulder and talking about all sorts of odds and ends while she desperately tried to finish whatever she was doing. Those sessions were always his favorite and most amusing ones at best.

The man let out a sharp gasp.

"Oh! No, It's a very healthy chip, I assure you!" The man waved his arms before himself urgently.

Kitt internally rolled his eyes.

"Not by all means," Kitt countered. "I recall carrying that chip through hardship. This particular chip managed to survive a confrontation with a huge metallic monster with a battle ram. I never had trouble with it, Bonnie kept me in clean health through the years but times change and people get older, and so will that chip! So how long does it have?" Kitt urgently asked, his thoughts transitioning to how Michael had changed. There'd been a time when they'd been inseparable, but now the man had walked away from him not once but twice.

Shawn let out a gasp of her own, shocked to hear the news that Kitt had ever gone up against a "monster", she gaped down at Kitt's steady scanner in curiosity.

"Metalic monster?" She certainly wanted to know more about this story.

"Shawny not now."

The doctor clapped his hands together, feeling a little awkward speaking down to the patient's car which seemed, for whatever reason, to sound like a caregiver of sorts.

"Despite all that, I think the chip has a long and healthy life span." The man nodded sheepishly, turning to face the sky and taking in the stronger rays of light starting to cast down over the side of the building.

"I'm glad." Kitt internally smiled relieved. "Why might the restlessness and drowsiness be about then?"

The doctor slightly trembled.

"Shawn is scheduled for an appointment next week. We'll find out then." The doctor respectfully dismissed himself. Kitt noted the man's urge to leave. He was about to inquire about the man's state when…

Shawn waved gingerly, anxious herself to get going, Kitt opening the door for her. Maybe he'd call the doctor later to know more about the chips state...or his state, as clearly something was bothering the doctor.

"Why do I get the feeling you'll be dragging me back here next week too?" Shawn cheekily remarked, steering the car to do their rounds.

"It's what I'm for," Kitt replied smoothly.


They'd been called to check up on suspicious activity near the outskirts of a residential area overlapping a suburban commercial area…Kitt was swiping his scanner madly in the afternoon rays. Feeling a little uneasy about his limited abilities to help Shawn and most importantly – keep her safe.

Kitt recalled all the times he'd provided Michael with oxygen whenever he'd gotten ill, poisoned, or anything of the sort that required its immediate administration. It wasn't easy to keep a grown man healthy and strong when you were constantly on the road from one location to the next, but Kitt had managed to encourage healthy habits in Michael or in more despairing times…nagged about them, usually, that was enough.

He had to admit that with Shawn he was blessed, as she wasn't as headstrong as Michael at least Kitt didn't think she was. Perhaps around the same level of headstrong, but whatever the case sometimes she was likewise more reasonable than Kitt himself. Whenever had he lost his collected demeanor? He often thought of that, in the past he wouldn't lose his temper (not that he really had one then) but now – in the end, things had changed, and perhaps this change had required him to adapt – he could only suppose.

They rounded a corner, the red car ultimately lacking stealth when it came to color scheme. A bright red target amidst the afternoon mist. He didn't like it, not only did he feel spotted but also a little ridiculous. Whose idea was it to paint a discrete orientated vehicle red anyways? Only Maddock for sure.

Shawn parked kitt aside.

"I'll check out the area by foot." She explained, reaching for her ultrasound that'd been charging off its snug port again.

"You can't be serious. Shawn, look if they shoot you twice I'll gladly give up another chip for you but the possibility of surviving another hit is…"

"Around 5%, most being fatal 90% of the time." She smugly replied.

"And that's just head injuries." Kitt interrupted. Shawn blinked down at the voice modulator cozily tucked in the center.

"I don't plan on getting shot." She cast a fragile smile, beginning to open the door, Kitt slamming it shut.

"Shawny," Kitt begged. "Don't go, let me pinpoint and access the situation first."

"Kitt," The woman's fuse running short. "I'm getting tired of you always…"

"Taking care of you?"

"Yes!" She shouted. "I can take care of myself!"

"Hmph." Kitt locked her securely taking control of the vehicle pulling out of the parking space and scanning the area for the suspect. In all honesty, the whole 'go-on-foot-thing' wasn't entirely necessary. Not with a ranged scanner, Kitt could find the suspect or estimated location from a safe distance without having Shawn walking face-first into the danger, so long as structural interference wasn't a problem. Michael had done that a couple of times and each and every one was equally infuriating and anguishing for the computer. Even after years working by Michael's side on edge-of-your-seat cases Kitt couldn't get used to the feeling of having to let his driver walk into danger, especially when they knowingly walked into danger. All the times he'd have to wait nearby, anxiously pleading that Michael was alright and that he'd call him up and let him know everything was going to be okay. That this wasn't the last case…this wasn't their last goodbye…that they wouldn't be separated for a long time to come…that he'd come back again…

"Kitt!" She screamed. "You can't just do whatever you think is right, I have a say too!" Shawn interrupted Kitt's thoughts.

"I'm responsible for your safety Michael! I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you!" Kitt shouted in return.

Shawn froze, the vehicle continuing forward without a word.

"Kitt – what did you just –?"

"I've detected someone just 12 yards away! They're armed!" Kitt shouted over her, hurrying quickly forward and sneaking up on the suspect snooping around the older city museum lot nearby.

Shawn switched over into her work mode, tightening her hold on her ultrasound as Kitt used the prow of the car to momentarily "trip" the suspect fleeing in the empty parking lot. Shawn leaped from the driver's side and missed the shot with her ultrasound. She jumped forward managing to snag the scuff of his sweater struggling to get a hold of the taller man. In comparison to him, Shawn was a midget!

Kitt was centering his own built-in immobilizing ultrasound too but Shawn was in close proximity with the suspect and the things weren't entirely foolproof either. He'd done the research…there was a low chance of stopping someone's heart, even with low chances Kitt was hesitant to resort to this safe but equally dangerous weapon.

The woman was able to pry the man's weapon from his hands, losing her footing and falling; the man darting away like a jackrabbit. Entering the closed museum through an idle window. Shawn secured "her" weapon and tossed the suspect's out of pure adrenaline as she chased after.

Kitt instantly caught the mistake.

"Shawn!" He called after as he darted behind her, but the woman quick and persistent crawled through the open window after the man.

"Shawn that's an actual gun!" Kitt screamed alarmed, bumping the vehicle's nose against the brick building.

"Shawn?!" The woman didn't reply and he couldn't pinpoint her with his scanner from all the electronic interference.

Kitt backed up just enough to gain momentum, pulverizing the brick wall effortless as he drove through it. His CPU drawing in energy by the bucket loads; as he homed in on Shawn. She'd be in deep trouble if she shot the suspect by "accident".

The red hardtop continued to race through the museum, setting aside his horror of running over ancient artifacts as Shawn's and the suspect's lives hung in the balance.

He was able to catch up to them, getting a visual of the suspect and Shawn trailing not too far behind preparing her supposed "ultrasound". Kitt reacting quickly drove onto a museum showroom platform briefly becoming airborne landing between Shawn and the suspect, crushing a fossil display. With a single expertise maneuver successfully pinning the man against the wall while scolding Shawn for being so careless.

"Shawn put that down!" Kitt shouted at her, fuming.

The woman gasping for air ran her hands over the look-alike, shaking her throbbing head approaching Kitt's open passenger door, and depositing the gun in the glove box. Kitt promptly sealed it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She gasped, leaning down to catch her breath.

"I did! Structural interference would be my guess!" Kitt argued. "That doesn't explain why you didn't stop in the parking lot when I was literally behind you!"

"Sorry to interrupt but…" The suspect trying to pull himself loose from Kitt's driver's door pinning him down. "You're both cops, right? Chance you'd take 2k dollars and let me go?"

"NO!" Car and woman shouted in unison.

"Kitt, call a police unit will you." She grumbled, her headache persistent.

"Already called the moment you ran off like that!" Kitt scolded. "Look Shawn teamwork is key here, and communication is…"

"...is also important." She groaned. "It was one mistake, okay?"

"Well, that's just enough to get you killed!" Kitt shouted, feeling his motherboard tremble from the excessive energy draw. He tried to calm down knowing full well that his CPU was in discomfort and being parched by the intense temperatures. His scanner bolted from side to side brightly. "Shawny…"

The woman rolled her eyes awaiting the AI's words crossing her arms.

"I don't want you to get hurt or go to prison for a foolish mistake."

"Have you ever gone to prison? Like it would matter, people don't learn anything in prison anyway." She countered, "they don't even age a day."

"No, but I've been impounded enough times to know traditional prisons are horrible."

"Well, that's the thing 'old man'!" She growled. "Things have changed. Your ways don't work anymore!" Shawn shouted stomping her foot. Kitt revved his engine in disgust.

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Are you guys like siblings or something?" The suspect asked, giving up on releasing himself from the stiff door engrossed in the odd conversation instead.

"No!" The two shouted again.

"Sorry I asked."

Shawn paced away, glancing over all the property damage inside the museum Kitt had done willingly to protect her from herself.

"Ugh! You're right!" She leaned up against a support post nearby. "It's all my fault!" She cuffed her hands around her face, kicking the post in anger. "Why can't I do things right!? I'm messing this partnership up!"

"Shawny don't be too tough on yourself." Came Kitt's soothing reply, quickly taking her vitals, a subroutine that had crashed into the haze when he'd been in high pursuit. The high energy draw had weakened a capacitor that would soon need replacing. He'd need to tell Maddock to fix the fluctuating temperature problem too, his CPU wasn't being cooled off properly for whatever reason.

Shawn turned to face the quiet red hardtop.

"Kitt, how do you even stand me?"

The question was unaccounted for, Kitt thinking slowly over his reply as he thought of someone special he'd back up in a heartbeat despite the differences between them. Would there ever be a chance for that to come back?

"Let's just say, you aren't the first."

Shawn faintly smiled.

"Aw and that's supposed to make me feel better?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Worth a try," Kitt remarked cheerfully.

"More or less." She chuckled taking a seat on the passenger side. "Sorry,"

"I apologize too, I share the fault."

"So we do?" She grinned mischievously grasping the steering wheel like how Michael had done on so many occasions years ago.

"Most of the time, unless it's absolutely necessary to frame someone…"

Shawn laughed.


The police had arrived taking the suspect and confiscating the gun for termination. Kitt explained the occurrence of the accident to the letter. His vivid memory allowed him to easily describe the finer details, much to Shawn's jealousy.

Maddock would be furious, given the extent of the property damage. There was no doubt.

Kitt and Shawn were running inventory of the damage taking photographs and video, Kitt silently calculating the costs. Shawn walked silently beside the humming car, kicking debris absentmindedly.

"Shawn." Kitt cautioned.

"Oh," She grimaced. "Right." Picking up what seemed to be a shard of some prehistoric vase. "How much would this cost new?" She commented.

"I rather not tell." Kitt sighed. "Be a miracle if they even found another."

Shawn gently set the shard aside.

"People aren't into museums that much anyway, just look at this place. Opens every few days a week." She tried to downplay the situation.

"I'm into museums," Kitt remarked, the car flinching as Shawn brushed some vase pieces aside with her foot so Kitt wouldn't run them over a second time.

"So, you like museums, classical music, black paint jobs, turbo boost, and caring for me?" Shawn suddenly listed.

"You've been taking notes? Try this for size," Kitt mischievously answered simultaneously scanning the damage around them. "You like fast nice-looking cars. Hate vaccines. Love to show off, teases me to no avail. Doesn't like sushi. Mysteriously pranks Maddock every Thursday…loves to destroy him at tennis, sings like a majestic bird."

Shawn kicked his front tire.

"How do you know all that?" The woman chuckled, her eyes twinkling.

"It's a gift."

The car flinched stopping abruptly, catching a distinct sound echoing in the distance. Shawn reached for her holster.

"What is it?" She tensed.

Kitt's scanner hummed quietly the crimson glow increasing.

"I'm not sure," Kitt replied.

Shawn unsheathed her gun.

"Let's find out."

"Shawn where are you going!?" Kitt whispered, trailing behind the stealthy woman.

"I'm checking things out." She crouched down.

"Alone?"

The woman faced the worried car rolling her eyes.

"You're here, aren't you?"

"I drove into that one…" Kitt sighed.

"More like jumped or whatever…"

She came to a door, gently turning the handle, preparing herself to barge in.

"There's no one inside," Kitt announced calmly.

"...You sure?" She replied, making Kitt's confidence deflate.

"I'd usually say yes, but…"

The woman smirked, kicking the door ferociously and pointing her gun into the glowing room. She blinked taking the daze of the old projectors running and old televisions looping footage over and over again.

"Oh," She shrugged. "It's probably these old boys we heard."

"Don't be offensive."

"My bad," She lifted her hands in dismissal walking away from the open door heading back to analyze the damage further down the museum.

Kitt, however, was drawn to the old projectors and ancient television screens. Watching footage from days before he existed and days he'd been happy growing in not so long ago…or so it had seemed.

Intently watching, one of the projectors displayed a familiar face over the white backdrop.

"What are your future plans for the foundation for law and government?" An excited voice beamed loudly, showing a mouth full of teeth towards the camera.

"Well, we've come to a decisive arrangement where we'll be integrating with our sister organization Knight Industries." A gentle and kind voice echoed over the speakers.

"That's interesting, will you be running all this as director Mr. Miles? You've been head of the foundation for years and have led countless efforts to aid those in need, the powerless and defeated." The interviewer gestured to Devon looking frail sitting on a couch fashionably too new for him.

"Well, I plan to if the board sees fit with it." Devon smiled making Kitt shudder, yearning for the familiar presence of the kind heartened man. His politeness, his attentiveness.

"If all goes well I plan to hand the baton to my co-director Russel Maddock, who truly agrees with me that one man can make a difference alongside those he loves."

Kitt felt a chill run down his mildly warm memory banks.

"Where ever did you go, Devon?" Kitt asked out loud, he still hadn't been able to get in contact with him or figure out where he'd gone the last few months. He just didn't understand why he would suddenly withdraw from the Knight foundation when they needed him the most right now. Kitt needed him the most during this hard transition, hadn't Devon been there for him and Bonnie when he'd been newly introduced to Michael? Devon had helped him see that under that dark leather jacket was a man worth getting to know, Devon had told him that. He had made him see past his initial programming and actually bond with the man that'd become his driver. Kitt had been nervous to get to know the man but with Devon's encouragement, he'd been excited. Now that Devon was gone he wanted the man's encouragement and healing words so so much, he didn't understand why Michael had kept the reason behind Devon's leaving behind lock and key. Was it because he'd done something wrong? Was Devon upset with him in some way? Had he not kept his word of making a difference?

"Thank you! For joining us today Mr. Miles!"

"My pleasure." Both men shook hands turning to the camera with smiles as it faded gently to black. Kitt engraved Devon's steady smile into his memory. He hoped he would be showing up soon enough.

"These were some of the last notable presentations of Devon Miles before he mysteriously died in an illegal gun accident on the streets of San Antonio –" Came a saddened and steady voice from the speakers.

Kitt's entire system crashed…the AI was almost unresponsive as on-screen they carried Devon's presumed casket to his burial. The car couldn't pry himself to look away as he relived his entire life – whilst they lowered the casket into the cold ground.

"We like to think of it as our car."

Painfully watching he skimmed over the crowd. Where was Michael?! Shawn?! When had this happened?! He caught a glimpse of Maddock dodging the camera as he painfully let go of a singular salt tear.

The AI was consumed by the moment, drawing near the door, involuntarily craking the door frame as he applied more and more pressure.

"Devon…" Kitt sobbed as the projector came to a black frame and unceremoniously rewinded to the start. "You're…" The car pulled out, squealing tires as he did a donut, crushing the useless artifacts underfoot. 'Gone…'

The thought was an unrestrained monster that had beared down on him savagely out in the desert. Tossing him aside in rejection. Trash for the rust to consume. Broken for the thieves to tear down. Immobile…to die out in isolation alone, as his voice dried out from the despair consumed slowly by fleeing life pushing away from him no matter how hard he reached out and cried…

"Kitt?"

The AI remained immobile, paralyzed as everything cascaded in uneven thoughts, ideas – theories.

Shawn strolled towards him, giving him a puzzled look as to why he'd not followed her.

She could not be trusted. Or could she? Didn't she care about him? Did anyone anymore? Or was he just another tool asset for everyone to abuse?

"I'm alright." He murmured, his scanner numbing out as the pain speared him, lacerating, tearing out a bigger hole into his being. A chunk in his dwindling black armor.

"We should go."