Part 5: Auto Cruise
Cira was now 9, and a much happier child having adjusted to her new home.
"Michael," Devon said walking up to him back at the Foundation. "April and Ihave built a program specifically designed to completely erase KARR's computer intelligence system. However, there's one problem we were not able to fix."
"What would that be?" KITT asked.
"PROJECT RESTORATION could not be designed EXACTLY the way we wanted it to." April said. "There is a glitch we couldn't overcome and remove."
"Daddy, whats going on?" Cira asked, tugging on Michael's jacket.
"We found a way to rebuilt KARR."
"But…" Cira was still afraid of KARR.
"Don't worry Cira." Devon said, patting her on the head. "KARR will have a brand new system and he will be more like KITT than the old KARR once the system is installed."
She smiled. At least the child understood and accepted what they were doing! It made everyone feel better.
"So," Devon said, turning back to Michael. He glanced at Bonnie, who knew what was going on already, but Michael didn't, so he focused most of his attention on him. "Because of this disk, when you try to install it into KARR, it will freeze up and will leave about 10 percent of the memory left."
"That's not much though is it?" Michael asked.
"Technically no, but I don't think we want to when it comes to KARR." KITT said. "I don't think we want to risk having KARR remembering too much, and getting any rebellious ideas."
"Are you sure that might end up happening?" Michael asked, glancing at KITT.
"It's possible, but not likely." KITT replied honestly.
"Better safe than sorry," Devon quipped. "Therefore, once we tow KARR back, I suggest we run the program again to try and eliminate even more memory; particularly if the memory that KARR bears is dangerous."
"Right." Michael said.
"Now, go find KARR." Devon said, tossing him the CD that read "Project Restoration."
"Daddy, can I come with you?"
Michael glanced at April and Devon, for a moment looking unsure.
"I don't think it's safe for you to come along, Cira. KARR might get really defensive."
"Or is it offensive?" KITT piped in.
"Good point." Devon said.
"Frankly I think it's hard to say." Michael replied.
"You might be right about that Michael." KITT agreed. "It can be a very confusing concept."
"Supposedly it depends on how you look at it." April said smiling.
Michael walked over to KITT, and patted the Trans-Am; then opening the door.
"April said it right." Michael said. "It's all about perspective."
"That makes more sense." KITT replied, sounding amused, though the AI had no feelings.
"Good luck." Devon said. "We all know how hard KARR is to find."
"We sure do." Michael said, and pulled KITT out of the sleek black truck, once again on the road.
"Once we get out of the main frame of the city, start scanning for KARR." Michael told KITT, keeping the cruising on manual. He felt like doing the driving again.
It was a long drive, so Michael sat listening to rock music on the radio.
"A human heart goes out tonight
Yes a red hot love on a red stop light
I see a scene so cold it echoes in blue
Oh those twisting tongues they are after you
Wop bop a lu bop son you gotta move up
Of what a story dreams to buy
Dont need a knife to violate my life
Its all so insane
When the other man has none
You dont need a gun
Yes a russian roulette no fun
I dont need a gun
I just need someone
I dont need a gun
Blood red lights a domination street yeah
Just need your love and I feel that heat yeah
You can drive me through
That red stop light
With a whiplash smile…."
"Found anything yet KITT?" Michael asked.
"Wop bop a lu bop son you gotta move up
Flip flop fly
Lawdy miss clawdy…"
"Not yet." KITT said.
"KARR must have really gone far." Michael commented.
"I'm fearing that." KITT agreed.
"Of what a story dreams to buy
Don't need a knife to violate my life
Its all so insane.
When the other man has none
You dont need a gun
Yes a russian roulette no fun
I dont need a gun I just need someone
I wont need a gun oh yeah
You will always be crying yeah
Oh you will always be dying…"
Michael yawned. "KITT can you take over until you find KARR?"
"Sure Michael."
"I'm just going to sit back and relax for a few minutes."
"Oh you will always be dying…"
"Thanks KITT."
"Anytime Michael." KITT replied.
"Elvis a fight the dying light
Johnny ray hes always crying
Gene vincent he cried who slapped john, john, john.
Yes and me, Im movin, movin, movin, movin on.
Yeah to be someone
I don't need a gun."
After listening to a few more songs on the radio and hearing two commercials, Michael got fed up and turned the music off. They were exploring the desert now, and KARR could pop up on KITT's scanner readings any minute.
"I finally picked up KARR's location. KARR is a few miles ahead down the road. May I assume auto control?" KITT asked.
"Yes you can." Michael said, letting go of the wheel.
With in less than a half a mile away KARR spoke to KITT.
"KITT, I'm warning you, don't come close, haven't you understood my warnings?"
"KARR, we're not a threat; don't you realize that?"
"You're bluffing. Simply bluffing." KARR said. "I can't trust you after what you Wilton Knight did to me."
"KARR, that's childish," KITT said as he approached KARR.
"Why would that be?" KARR's voice was negative and completely threatening. "Something tells me my reasons are good enough."
"The only reason why Wilton Knight had you shut down was because something was defective in your system. You weren't safe."
"And you are?" KARR accused.
"In a manner of speaking, yes." KITT said.
"I don't care what you're plans are with me." KARR sped up, and started purposefully releasing oil slick.
KITT skidded out of the way and moved to KARR's right side.
"You're more interested in self-preservation than the being concerned over the preservation of human existence!" Michael yelled.
"KITT-don't you dare let that human try to sabotage me!" KARR ordered, and jerked far to the left.
"Sorry KARR, it's not sabotaging. We're coming here to fix you up, not harm you." KITT said.
"Do you think you're so confident that an inferior model such as yourself would even stand a chance in getting a hold of me?"
"Yes." KITT said. "Because you're the one with a problem, not me."
Michael took over for a minute and sped to the left, almost ramming into KARR.
"What do you think you're trying to do to me, human?" KARR ordered.
"You'll just have to find out, won't you KARR? KITT, assume control again."
"Right away Michael." KITT said as he took over. KITT skidded to the back and then burst over to the left side of KARR; their sides only an inch and a half apart or so.
"I won't let you get that close." KARR said. "Give it up, KITT." KARR veered far to the right again, a good five yards away, off the road. KARR obviously wasn't concerned about that.
"Like I would? We'll show you who's inferior, won't we Michael?"
"Yes indeed buddy." Michael said grinning. "Let's keep after KARR."
They began to round a sharp left turn and KITT pressed towards KARR threateningly. As KITT did this Michael crawled to the passenger's seat.
KITT was able to predict what Michael was doing and opened up the sunroof for Michael.
The easiest way to get to KARR's control system was to jump onto it from KITT. It would take to long to climb from window to window, so Michael had to jump instead.
"What are you going to smash the windows with?" KITT asked.
"A knife. Not the windows, KITT." Michael said. "The tires. April and Devon designed a knife especially made for breaking into KARR. It's the only way I could possibly get in, since KARR won't AGREE NICELY for me."
"You're hopes are too high to think that could ever happen, human." KARR scoffed.
"That's what you think." KITT said. "Michael's scheme is very practical. Not hopeful. You'll see how easy and effective it really is in just a minute. That knife is no ordinary knife."
"Not if I can help it." KARR said quickly and moved far to the right once again.
"KITT," Michael said. "Do whatever it takes to keep up with KARR. Get me next to him again." Michael was now on the flat black hood of KITT. He clutched on to the mirror for balance due to the sharp wind from high speeds; since they were going about 100, but he didn't need much.
KITT used the turbo boost to speed up. KARR caught up, and then just as KITT's speed began to decrease slowly and the AI skidded to the right and almost rammed into KARR. At this same instant, with the custom made knife in his hand, Michael ordered himself to JUMP.
With a thud, he landed on KARR's hood. Knowing KARR was going to thrash about like a fish that had just been hooked, Michael's free hand immediately latched on for supporting his balance. It would be less easy for KARR to throw him off this way.
This was the easy part of it all. Michael only had to get to KARR's tires and then PROJECT RESTORATION would do the rest-literally; except he had to break the windows open with the knife that could penetrate the glass AND KARR's tires.
Michael moved around, and reached down for KARR's left-fore tire.
"Don't think it's going to be that easy." KARR said and leaned it's nose down.
"You can't possibly block off your whole tire. Sure it covers the top half, but its e ven harder to cover the bottom half." Michael sneered, and reached down farther-but all too suddenly, KARR threw the left side of the hood up, with a sudden launching force that Michael hadn't expected. Michael's head and upper body bounced sharply but had no other effect. He counteracted this force and plunged his arm back down towards KARR's tire. Once he heard the pop, Michael was satisfied, and shuffled over to the right tire with ease, blowing that one just as easily.
Almost acting enraged, although the AI had no feelings; KARR swerved about stubbornly realized that the left tire just went completely flat. Once three tires were gone, KARR was hardly able to move ANYWHERE.
Durring KARR's frantic swerving, Michael moved back over to the driver's window. He hurled his left arm towards the window to puncture it several times. Once this was accomplished, shards of glass went everywhere. Michael climbed on top of KARR, who tried to open the sun roof but the roof opened slowly and he had enough time to slide down KARR's backside.
He lay on his back at a very obscure angle, close enough to KARR's left rear tire. KARR kept on swerving, but the AI was slowing down tremendously now that the tires had been blown out.
"Let's face it KARR, you're going to have to give up for once." Michael stabbed that tire, and immediately he felt, and heard it begin to deflate.
"I wish we'd thought about this a long time ago when we first encountered KARR," KITT said. "KARR could already be fixed by now."
"Well, unfortunately we just didn't think of creating the right weapon for it at the time."
"But now I'm glad we have it, it certainly did better than that laser gun." KITT said.
"It sure is." Michael agreed. "KARR was hard to catch with the laser gun. This knife has no limits as to what it can help in doing."
Michael crawled over to the left side and blew out the left tire. KARR was only moving at about less than 10 miles per hour now.
"Give it up KARR, you're not going to be able to do anything now that you're tires are blown."
Michael said.
"Once you're re-programmed you won't have this problem again." KITT said.
"So just cooperate with us okay?" Michael added, rolling over to the right and blew out the final tire.
"Cooperating doesn't come easy." KARR replied.
"Well, it won't matter in this case." KITT said. "You're no longer CAPABLE of fighting back."
For some reason KARR must have been really angry at KITT for saying such things. The AI knew it had to give up, and was, if it had any amount of emotions, was furious and jealous of KITT all at the same time. Hence, it refused to speak another word. What would that do anyway?
"It's all downhill from here." Michael said, stabbing out the rest of the glass from the roof of KARR. Once all the glass was gone, Michael slid in. He searched for a place to slide in the disk. He almost grew frustrated with the task, but luckily he was successful.
"Shutting down AI control systems..."
It took no more than a little less than sixty seconds before it was complete.
"Shut down complete at 100 percent."
"Begining memory whipe out process...50 percent."
About fifty seconds later: "85 percent."
"Project restoration could not finish Memory Termination Process."
Halfway through the program as expected it froze and left twenty percent of the memory.
"I guess we can't do anything about that." Michael said. Sighing, Michael removed the disk and put it back in the case. "Well buddy, let's call Devon to tow KARR back to FLAG."