chapter five

Michael walked into the reception area of the mansion just in time to see Devon open the door to SAC Rich. He quickly took a step back into the shadows, making sure he was as invisible as he was going to get. Rich didn't even look in his direction. He simply smiled at Devon in a way that set Michael's teeth on edge. "You will not believe what fell into my lap last night as I was checking my email." he said jovially. Devon simply watched as the man took a seat on the couch without being asked.

"I'm sure I won't." he said flatly, not bothering to sit. "So enlighten me."

Rich's smile got wider, if that were possible. He looked like a kid on Christmas day that got exactly what he wanted. "I received an anonymous tip, Mr. Miles. This tip told me that Michael Knight reprogrammed the 2000 to kill John Clay." He closed his eyes for a moment, clearly relishing the victory. "That makes him a murderer."

"Michael is not a murderer." Devon said tightly.

"If you keep hiding him, that makes you an accessory." Rich continued, still holding that smile in place. "Tell me, Mr. Miles, are you willing to risk the integrity of the Foundation for Law and Government just to protect some cowboy wanna-be who used your technology to get revenge on his replacement?"

"My son is not a murderer!"

Michael's eyes widened in shock. Son? He knew he respected and loved Devon as he would a father, but he had no idea the older man returned the sentiment. A slight smile curved his lips, but only for a moment. Rich picked up on the slip as well.

"Your son?" He said it quietly, rolling the words around for a moment before the smile faded. "That would explain a lot, Mr. Miles. More than I actually anticipated. People always say the most when they don't realize it." He gave Devon what was supposed to be an understanding look. "I know what it's like to have kids that leave the straight and narrow. My daughter did it. Left home when she was seventeen and became a hooker. Now, all I want to do is question him, find out if this tip is true. Will you let me do that?"

Devon glared at Rich. "You must think I'm dense." he hissed. "I will not allow you to come anywhere near Michael. You will not question him – you will arrest him on sight!" Michael noticed the way Devon rested his hand on the back of the couch opposite the one Rich was resting on, and his blood ran cold. Michael had once hidden a gun behind the cushions. It made him feel better to know Devon and Bonnie had some way to protect themselves if something happened while he and Kitt weren't there. There were several guns stashed in other areas of the house. Devon was taking this much more seriously than Michael had anticipated, although admittedly he never expected it to go this far.

At least now he was the FBI's target. Someone at FLAG must have tipped them off, which meant they were planning on using his arrest to get to Kitt.

Rich, completely unaware of his predicament, stood up with a grunt. "I have a warrant to search the premises and arrest Michael Knight if I find him. I wouldn't advise stopping me." As he turned to walk away, Devon calmly moved the gun and held it behind his back. They walked past the shadowed corner where Michael was hiding, and Devon calmly passed the gun to Michael.

The garage was on the other side of the compound. He had to get there before Rich did. He waited until they went out the back door and took off out the front. Michael was at a slight disadvantage. In order to reach the garage, he was going to have to circle around and come at it from the side. Devon and Rich had a straight shot, but with Devon stalling, he might just get there in time. Besides, he had a backup plan.

"Kitt! Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Michael. What's going on? The scientists are on the move – Bonnie's trying to stop them, but Brocklien will be down here any minute!"

"Bail, Kitt. Get out and get to the beach. I'll meet you down there. Rich is here as well."

There was a long pause. "Rich has a warrant for your arrest."

"Yeah, buddy. He does."

"Is Devon – "

"He's buying us the time we need."

There was another pause, but this time Michael heard the sound of the Trans-Am's turbines as he started the engine. Relief washed through him. Kitt was going to get out of there, they would hook up at the beach and get out of the city as fast as the speed limit would allow, and then they would figure out where to go from there. First priority was to get to safety –

Suddenly the comm. link went dead, and Michael staggered to a stop. His breathing was short and ragged. "Kitt? Kitt!"

There was no answer.

/---/

"Michael?!" Kitt's voice had turned into a shriek as Brocklien shut off the comm. link. Jared had Bonnie held at gunpoint, one hand over her mouth to keep her from talking. The sound of Kitt's cries tore at her. The last time he sounded like that was when they thought Michael had died. For three days after that, the only thing Kitt would say was Michael's name, as if it would bring the man back to him. He was doing it again, falling back into the shutdown mode he always went into when Michael wasn't there.

Brocklien stepped into the garage, a slight smile on his face. "He won't answer you, 2000."

Kitt froze. "You again." he said, his voice suddenly much calmer. For some reason, that scared Bonnie more than his panic had. "Do you not learn from the mistakes of others?"

"Why, whatever could you mean, Kitt?" Brocklien put a sneering emphasis on the name, and Kitt felt his anger spike. "I simply gave SAC Rich what he wanted. I told him Knight had programmed you to kill John. Now he has someone to blame for his friend's death, and I have the legal right to do to you whatever I please. Now open up for me."

Kitt slammed the car into reverse and backed away, Michael's words running through his mind. But he couldn't simply run away. Bonnie was at gunpoint, Devon was possibly in equal if not greater danger with Rich, especially if he had let Michael escape and Rich found out about it, and Michael was still alive. It was so hard to keep that fact in mind, to keep the horror and fear from washing over him again the instant he had lost connection with his driver. "I will not." he said coldly. "Only Bonnie touches me, and certainly not under your command."

Brocklien flashed Jared a look, and the younger boy cocked the weapon. "You don't understand. I thought this through. Your programming won't let you let Bonnie here die. She will die if you don't give me what I want."

"Bonnie would not want me to sacrifice myself to save her." Kitt said quietly, and he noticed the way Bonnie seemed to sigh in relief at his words. "I will not grant you access."

"And if I kill Knight?"

Kitt froze. It was an empty threat, and yet suddenly everything that made Kitt who he was came crashing down on him. Forget programming – he had ignored or overridden that often enough in the past few months. It wasn't even anything against Bonnie. She was important to him, and she knew that, but even she knew exactly how important Michael was.

Michael was everything Kitt had. He was programmed to protect Michael, and even if he didn't have that programming, he would still do anything for his partner, his anam cara. He had to fight against his own protectiveness to say what needed to be said.

"You don't have Michael."

"Don't I?" Brocklien smirked. "Rich isn't on his way here. In fact, unless I'm mistaken, he's arresting your driver right now. I make a call, and Rich will kill him."

/---/

Michael fell to his knees and had to quickly force himself to stand back up. No, Kitt wasn't dead, there was no way Kitt could die, something was wrong with the connection –

The thoughts ran through his mind, but he couldn't focus on them. He couldn't fight as Rich walked up behind him and quickly forced him back to the ground. Something inside him flared to life at the sight of Devon standing there in shock, and he started to struggle. "Devon – Kitt!"

Devon understood. "Rich!"

It was just enough of a distraction. It really shouldn't have been, but Rich had gotten cocky. Michael wasn't putting up half the fight he thought he would. So he thought it was safe to look up at Devon, just to humor the old man.

He wasn't expecting Michael to twist free and punch him in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

/---/

AN: Whew! That's intense! Sorry if it sounds a bit choppy, it's supposed to.

Oh, and can you guys go and give my story Hit Man some reviews? It needs some lovin'. Please? I'll give all of you cookies!