Chapter 8

Hold me Dearly

Nora opened her eyes and looked around the place. Her head hurt so much.

" Where..." Her speech was muffled by a bandage wound around her head. She tried to turn her head, but it hurt to even think about it.

"Your awake then?" a female voice whispered. Nora looked slowly around at 302 who sat on the ground leaning against a burnt, bent piece of metal. "We didn't think you would make it. Laying like that for nearly four days." 302 said and handed Nora a cup of something warm, and held her head up. Nora drank deeply from it.

"What is this?" Nora whispered.

"whatever was left from the refreshment area in the plane. " 302 answered. Nora gasped and looked around at the mess surrounding a clutch of trees. Mostly burnt down and black, some still smoldered.

"Michael...KITT?" Nora asked seeing Michael laying on the ground, surrounded by blankets, mud, and soot smothered his face. KITT parked nearly beside him.

"He's breathing." Was all KITT could say. Nora lifted her hand and touched KITTs black body and sighed.

"Its my fault this happened. If I hadn't of gone and had to be as bold as I am...and get myself caught..." Nora closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "I'm such a fool."

"Oh shut up." 302 said and stood up. "We don't need that bullshit now. Right now we need to find a way out of this."

"But how...where are we? KITT...is your navigation systems...4 days you said?" Nora asked and then sighed.

"I'll take that as a no." Nora lay back feeling a soft hand in hers. She slowly turned her head to see Michaels blue eyes. She smiled and nodded.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." It was the nicest thing she's ever said to Michael. She didn't feel like striking up an argument any ways. Besides...what was there to argue about.

"Have we..." She rolled over to look at 302. "What about...what about 9...is it damaged?" Nora asked. 302 stared disbelieving at her.

"How did you?" She looked confused.

"No...he's fine." She said pointing to a tree near a clearing. The bike stood. The silver paint scratched, but it was undamaged.

"Good...Imma need a few parts then...oh don't worry I won't kill him. He'll be fine. I just need a few components to fix KITTs radio. I'll fix him back I promise." Nora said and slowly stood up and gasped as she fell back. Her leg was bloodied up.

"I uh...didn't know...how to fix a leg after it had been impaled." 302 whispered. "9 didn't know either." 302 admitted Nora smiled at her.

"Its alright, I don't really feel it...tell I stand up." Nora stood up on her better leg and hobbled over to KITT.

"You know...Brent never lived long enough to name you properly." Nora said sitting down on KITTs hood and looked around at him. She gritted her teeth seeing the damage done to him.

"Take care of him KITT." Nora said not really knowing what the real damage to Michael was, but knew it was pretty much like her own. "Michael...hang in there okay. Just hold on." Nora said and stood up hopping over to 9.

"9 won't let you touch him. " 302 said.

"Zoe..." Nora said and looked up at 302.

"What...?" "Your name...it'll be Zoe. if you look at 302 backwards...its Zoe." Nora said and smiled.

"Um...okay." 302 said and stood up holding onto Nora as she walked.

"Don't worry I'm sure you know Brent better then me." 302 said.

"You should know the over ride codes."

"Of course. Its his old student ID number." Nora smiled and gasped in pain.

"Maybe you should sit..."

"No...I can't rest...not tell I'm finished." Nora said and sat down next to 9 and began to pull wires, and parts out of him.

The sun began to rise over the eastern skies.

"So...your name is TOM?" Nora asked.

"Yes maam." TOM replied from speakers just below the speedometer.

"Nora...we have company." KITT said silently pulling up behind her.

"Friendly?" Nora asked. KITT opened his passenger door.

"I don't know. I'm afraid my long range scanners won't allow me to find that out. Its to fuzzy." KITT said Nora looked at TOM who raced on toward 302 who was changing Michaels bandages.

"Hide." He said and 302 picked Michael up. Nora saw the full extent of Michaels injuries. She gasped as she looked at KITT.

"Is it bad?"

"3rd degree burns. He's not...feeling to well either. Nasuea." KITT admitted.

"He'll be fine...Devon will get the best plastic surgeons again. You'll see...he'll be back. Just as annoying and obnoxious." Nora said and giggled.

"Nora...?" KITT asked.

"Yes?"

"Did you ever...intend for me to fall in love?" KITT asked. Noras eyes immediately fell on the red flashing voice box that she always imagined as KITTs face.

"Who?" Nora asked with a smile her eyes fell on 302.

"Her?" Before KITT could answer. Goliath burst through the trees and KITT revved up speeding passed him followed by TOM.

"Follow his tracks. They may lead to a town..." Nora yelled as she tried the communications system. "Devon...do you read me?" Nora yelled

"Dear god child where have you all been?"

"Our plane crashed...Michaels bad, my leg is...pretty much...immobile. The 302 unit is alright, TOM is a little scuffed but okay, KITTs windshield is bowed in, and he's missing a door. Have a burn unit on stand by upon our return." Nora said.

"Burn unit, why?" Devon asked concerned.

"Just do it!" Nora cut communications. Goliath sped toward them faster and faster becoming a battering ram. "KITT are you al right? Your speed...its not up to par. Whats wrong?"

"I'm afraid my tires are a bit...worse for wear. Being in that much damage in one day...and the fires."

"Oh look...a city its...crap..." Nora sighed. If it was one of the worst things Nora hated...it was gambling...and this was the worst town to be. Los Vegas.

"Its going to be hard for him to get Goliath through all that traffic. Even if he does turn KARR into a monster truck." Nora said and smiled.

"We may win yet."