Chapter 7
When Michael came to, it was pitch black in the house. He tried to stand, but abruptly had to sit down again to avoid passing back out. Moving to a standing position more slowly this time, Michael finally managed to stay upright. His head throbbed where the wood had made contact with flesh. Putting his hand gingerly to the spot, he felt dried blood.
"Michael! You're conscious!" K.I.T.T.'s worried voice came over the comlink. The sudden sound made Michael's head hurt worse.
"Ugg," Michael groaned back, "K.I.T.T., tell me you were able to track her!" Michael moved toward the front door as quickly as he could.
"Yes, Michael. He took Carlee out a back entrance to the basement. He had a car waiting there. We must hurry, though, you've been out for nearly two hours!"
Michael groaned, cursing himself for assuming the room would be empty just because the lock was on the outside of the door. He should have assumed there was an exit to the outside of the house in that room.
K.I.T.T. opened the driver's side door when Michael ran out the front of the house.
"How far away are they, K.I.T.T.?" Michael asked, as he slid behind the wheel.
"They stopped half an hour ago. It's going to take half an hour to get there in pursuit mode."
Michael moved to shift the car into reverse, reversing his hand to grab the dashboard, to keep from falling over, even though he was sitting down.
"You'd better let me drive, Michael, you're in no condition." K.I.T.T. knew there was no way he was going to be able to talk Michael into letting him take him to the hospital and letting the police handle rescuing Carlee. On the other hand, he figured he could win the argument about who would drive.
"You got it pal! Just get us to her!"
K.I.T.T. put himself in Pursuit Mode, reversed out of the driveway, shifted the transmission into drive, and rocketed away from the abandoned mansion, toward Carlee's location.
Michael groaned as he was pressed back into the driver's seat, but managed to ask, "Did you contact the authorities?"
"I attempted to Michael, but they are experiencing problems with the emergency system again."
"Damn!" Michael cursed. "Hurry, Pal! We're her only hope!"
"Michael, there's something you should know about Carlee," K.I.T.T. began, knowing he shouldn't be telling Michael this, especially not under the present circumstances, but knowing Michael had the right to know. "Carlee loves you, too. She's just afraid of what will happen after this assignment is over."
Patting the dashboard, Michael said, "Thank you for telling me, K.I.T.T. Carlee and I are going to have a little talk, after we rescue her."
The black T-top sped down the road. K.I.T.T. zipped in and out of the sparse traffic, turbo-boosting when it was too dangerous to go around. The sun had finished setting and stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky.