chapter four
Even though the sun was beginning to set, Michael made no move to return to Foundation headquarters, and Kitt didn't mention it. They drove aimlessly in silence for the most part, the homing beacon off so none could track them. Bonnie and Devon would worry, but they would understand. This was needed – the reassurance that everything was all right. Kitt was drawn from his thoughts as Michael shifted a little in his seat. "They got close."
Kitt sighed. "Yes. Bonnie stopped them though."
"Next time we might not get so lucky." Michael cautioned. "Next time I might not be there. We were lucky I was coming to see you anyway about the will."
"We've always been lucky." Kitt said calmly.
Michael gave him a look of polite disbelief. "How so?"
"It was luck that we were at the same diner that night." Kitt pointed out. "It was luck that I was parked close enough to hear you, that we recognized each other, that – "
"Enough." There was a hint of laughter in Michael's voice, and Kitt ceased his list. "Not all of that was pure luck, Kitt. The day will never come that I don't recognize you – not due to something I couldn't control like amnesia." he cut off Kitt's immediate reminder. The AI chuckled. "Let me remind you the same thing happened to you." Michael suddenly turned serious. "That's one reason I don't want them near you."
"You think Brocklien would try to erase my memory banks?" Kitt demanded.
"Let's just say that, if it was me, I would at least install a failsafe in case the new code doesn't work. Kinda hard to kill for someone you don't know." Michael placed his hand against the dash, something he'd taken to doing lately. Kitt relished the contact. "I need you to promise me something, Kitt."
"Depends."
"If they get that close, get out." Michael hated saying this; he had to force the next words out. "I don't care who you have to mow down or leave behind. Don't let them change you."
There was a full second of silence as Kitt processed that. "Michael, you can't be serious!" he exclaimed. "I would not leave you in their hands any more than you would leave me. It's absurd!"
"Absurd or not, that's what I want you to do." Michael said calmly. "I can take care of myself, you know that."
"I won't."
"Kitt, please." Michael pleaded. "They can use me, or Bonnie, or Devon, against you. All I'm asking is that you don't give them the chance."
"So if something happens to you I'm supposed to just drive away and leave you to your fate?" Kitt seemed especially hung up on that. It was mildly surprising that he didn't even say anything about Bonnie. "Honestly, Michael, where in the Code of Friendship does it say that? It's – no! I can't!"
"Code of Friendship?" Michael couldn't help but laugh. "Where did you hear that one?"
"I made it up." Kitt groused. "And you are not changing the subject, not when you brought it up!"
Michael sighed. "Kitt – you know what you mean to me." he tried to back up and explain, but he had the feeling this was one battle he wasn't going to win. "I could not live with myself if I knew they used me to change you. That I can't do. Do you understand?"
Kitt sighed. "I understand." he said quietly. "I've always understood. But programming or not, I can't do it. I'm – no, I'm not sorry. I can't."
Michael pressed his hand tighter against the dash. "Then I guess a promise is out of the question." he teased lightly. "Still, just know – push comes to shove, that's what I want you to do. Whether you do it or not is up to you." He yawned then, and Kitt chuckled.
"Rest, Michael." he said gently. "I'll make sure no one bothers us." Michael nodded and took his hands away from the wheel, leaning back in his seat as Kitt tinted the windows. Within minutes Michael was out cold, and Kitt was left once again with his thoughts. He understood where Michael was coming from – if the roles were reversed, he wouldn't want Michael risking his soul just for him. He understood that Michael had to ask, knowing Kitt would refuse, simply because it was Michael. He had to make his point known even if no one listened to him.
Kitt also knew Michael would come up with a plan to keep Kitt from ever having to make that decision. He would do something that would take it out of Kitt's hands, so to speak. Kitt couldn't let that happen.
It was his turn to plan, and it was going to have to be a good one. Michael's life depended on it.
/---/
A furious Brocklien paced the length of the garage. The sun had set a few hours ago, and still Knight hadn't shown up yet with the 2000. Sitting on Bonnie's stool was Jared, his eyes narrowed in thought as he sat quietly. He seemed to be far more calm than Brocklien. "So what do we do?" he asked the older doctor. "It's not like we can simply kill Knight off. The 2000 would probably kill us."
"I know that." Brocklien hissed. "But we have to find a way. I told Wilton he was insane for trying again with Karr. Now I have my chance to prove I was right and Karr was the better of the two."
Jared gave Brocklien a hard look. "Wait a second – that code doesn't change the 2000's primary program?"
"Oh, it does, just not the way I lead Devon to believe." Brocklien said simply. "I saved some of Karr's programming before we deactivated him the first time. It will reintroduce the self-preservation concept from Karr, but keep the preservation of human life from the 2000. It will create the perfect balance."
"Or it could cause a cascade data failure that will destroy both of them." Jared pointed out dryly. "You really haven't thought this through, have you?"
"What do you mean, both of them?"
"The 2000 and Knight. Knight isn't going to leave the 2000 to quietly tear itself apart. He's going to try and stop it. When he does, the 2000 will likely kill him." He spoke slowly and clearly, as if speaking to a child. His frustration was evident. Just what was the lunatic thinking? "I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be in Devon's line of fire when he finds out we caused that."
"You will not be blamed." Brocklien said easily. "I will take full responsibility for whatever may happen."
"So you're going to do it anyway?"
"Yes. I don't care what happens to Knight or the thing they call Kitt. In fact – call Agent Rich. I have a tip he might want to hear." Brocklien smiled.
Jared sighed. This wasn't going to end well for anyone.