Scruffy was cruising up and down the streets of Las Vegas. He particularly liked the strip where all the pawnshops were. Easy pickings, He would watch to see which people were entering with items and leaving empty-handed. Chances were they just sold or pawned the items and would now have cash on them. Easy pickings indeed.
He turned down the street where the Gold and Silver pawn shop resided. This store always had good merchandise ever since they went on TV. The problem was sometimes the camera crews were out on the street, like today. Deciding to skip it today to avoid the risk. He stopped when a pink and white bike came screaming down the road doing a wheelie. He had never seen a V-Rod do that before. Intrigued the scruffy man pulled his bike around the corner where he could observe unseen. The other bike then slid right in front of the camera crew. The rider dismounted the bike and removed the full-face helmet, painted to match the bike, revealing a short redheaded girl. "Perfect" he said to himself. "This girl is just what we were looking for." A grin spread across his face. He would wait for her, and then follow. If the opportunity arose he would take it. At the very least he may learn where she was staying. So staying in the shadows he waited. When a few minutes later the area was flooded with cops Scruffy almost bolted thinking that they were onto him. When the Cops left with a Spanish man in cuffs, he relaxed and waited some more. She couldn't stay there all day and her bike was still out front so she didn't come to pawn it. "Patients she will come." He pulled out his cell phone to report to his partner.
Ranma thanked Rick and Lilly. It turns out that the members of the Desert Flowers were all named after flowers. Lilly was the group's organizer. The three missing girls' names were Daisy, Holly, and Iris. Daisy was the first to go missing. Unfortunately she had a habit of taking off without telling anyone. So when Lilly reported it to the police they did not take it seriously. Iris and Holly disappeared a day apart from each other. The police put it down as a gang war and said they would look in to it when they had time. This was when Lilly called FLAG. Dallas would have to wait Bonnie decided to redirect Ranma to Vegas to investigate.
Ranma took some time to view the store before she left. There was a lot to see but what caught her interest were the swords. Looking at the blades earlier for the show made Ranma think about having a blade of her own. In truth she never expected to find anything of real quality here. Most Katanas outside Japan were knock offs, or owned by people that would never sell. Now the civil war sabres were not the quality of a good Katana. But one peaked her interest. Hoss came up to the counter breaking her quiet solitude. "Are you interested in adding to you collection?" he asked amiably.
"Actually I don't even own a sword of my own. That last blade we looked at was to be mine one day, but now…" the red head left the sentence unfinished. She looked away from the man before her and returned to study the Sabres.
Hoss realized there was more to the story from her reaction but didn't push it. "Well an expert without a collection. We can't have that." He smiled and pulled down a sword and scabbard from the wall. It was in perfect condition with little wear. "Rick said to give you something if you wanted anything. He thought you might end up in the bike dept. I told him anyone with a bike like yours would not trade that easy. I guess I won the bet. I said you'd be in the sword dept." smiling he handed it over to her for inspection.
The red head unsheaved the sword and inspected the blade. There were a few nicks in the cutting edge suggesting this blade had seen battle. The hilt was ornate and the blade had very integrated engravings. "This was an officer's blade. The edge is still sharp and well oiled to prevent rusting. Owned by a Cornel if I am right." Hoss was impressed but Ranma smiled. KATT fed her most of the information from her ear buds. Not that Ranma didn't know anything about swords. She was just not that familiar of civil war swords as she was with Japanese blades. "Is there a way to test the sharpness?" a smile crossed her face.
Hoss nodded they too like to check out weapons they bought. "Come out back and we can find something to suit your needs."
Ranma noticed the camera crews were still filming, and gestured to them. "Would this be something you could use in your show?" Hoss thought about it and nodded. He called over his father and the camera crew's director and explained what was about to happen. It was agreed that it might be entertaining and worse comes to worse they would not use it.
Rick, Hoss and the camera crew went back out side to the parking lot, where a watermelon was set up for the demonstration. Ranma once again unsheathed the sword spun it around in her hands to test the balance. She then attacked the offending fruit in a motion too quick for the human eye to follow. When the red head was done she sheaved the blade. There on the table stood a prefect watermelon looking, to all the world, to be untouched. "You missed." Rick dead panned, sounding disappointed. Ranma shrugged, walked over to the green orb and carefully removed a piece from the middle, and proceeded to eat it.
"What ever you say Ricky." She said with a wink. At that moment the entire watermelon collapsed into small bite size pieces. The gathered crowd erupted into cheers.
Deep in an underground base, just below an airplane hanger, a group of people were huddled around a computer terminal. Zoe typed a command into the computer. On the screen a blown apart blue print of a three-wheeled vehicle appeared. "As you can see, this bike has military applications. The body is a combination of nano tech and a molecular bonding agent that makes the bike nearly indestructible and super lightweight. It is equipped with chain guns and anti tank missiles. The canopy is treated like the body and provides a heads up display." Explained Billy.
"Where did you find this?" asked Sara "This design is nothing like what my father worked on. For one he would never make a weapon system."
"I disagree." Said Zoe. "This is very much like the KARR. Designs we had to deal with not too long ago. The weapon system is not what we are concern with". She said and started to pull up computer files on the big screen for everyone to see.
"What does cause alarm is the fact just after finding this a big section of FLAG's computer references went off line. These files seem incomplete." Continued Billy, "There are hints that an AI personality was ready to be installed. But there is no trace of where it is."
The black mustang was listening very closely to the conversation and came to a conclusion. "Does this mean I have a brother other than KARR?" The red light on his air intake pulsed back and forth a little faster then before.
"I doubt it KITT." Zoe answered giving Billy a dirty look for mentioning the missing AI. "The files on the K.I.T.T.I. project have been terminated and all files on the AI deleted. The report says there were only military applications and no real urban practical uses. Talk of a stripped down version, project K.A.T.T. are mention, but no files are found describing the details of the project or if it even went to design faze."
"KITT remember the motorcycle from the other night? " Mike turned to his human companions and explained. "Last night on our way home form Vegas we passed a motorcycle doing over one hundred sixty miles per hour. That's not the strange thing about the bike though. We could get no readings on it. It was like it was a phantom." Mike stated.
"I tried to take a photo of this bike for later investigating but even my digital camera would not work. It was like it had an EMP device of some sort. For all intents and purposes this bike and rider did not exist." The black mustang ironically stated due to his own non-existence.
"We will look in to this ghost rider later." Sara smiled then turned more serious. "We need to look into the security breaches now. That needs to be our number one priority. What if someone was able to steal KITT's files or KARR'S or even this so call project K.I.T.T.I. This would be bad news in the wrong hands." She paused for a moment thinking. "I wonder… No it couldn't be." Sara said to herself.
Bonnie had to put her tea down on the computer desk before she spilt it all over herself from laughing. "Really, that's how you met?" the story was just too funny. "I mean you just grabbed her chest and started squeezing?" she wiped a tear from her face as she calmed down a little only to burst out laughing again from the embarrassed expression on the younger woman's face.
"It's not that funny." Said Nabiki with a small pout, and then smiled. "It's funnier. You really had to be there to appreciate it."
"Sorry to interrupt, but I think I have found something." Said KATT, as she sent over the data to Bonnie and Nabiki's computer screens. "We need to get Ranko moving."
"Ok I'm on it KATT." Said Nabiki feeling relieved that she didn't have to continue her story to the older woman. "Hey Wild Rose we need you to stop showing off and get back to work now." The red head frowned which caused Nabiki to laugh. "Come on you can play later but your partner has some info we need to discuss."
Ranma nodded stating that she understood and said her good byes to the crew of the gold and silver pawnshop. "Ranko walk a little seductively please." KATT requested "When you get here come around to the left side of me and check your makeup in the mirror. I can show you the video in the mirror." Ranma did as she was requested but felt silly just the same. She knew that she was being observed for KATT to make such a request.
Upon arriving she bent down and looked in the bikes side mirror. Taking out her lipstick she made to repair her face. "What's up?" Ranma inquired.
The mirror now showed an image of a scruffy man on a custom made bike sitting around the corner just out of view. "This man has been waiting here since just before we arrived. I noticed he got really nervous when the police arrived so I thought to check him out. It appears that his bike has been made from several other bikes. The serial numbers don't match. Guess what I found out?" KATT said smugly her playfulness was starting to show.
Nabiki grinned as the redhead looked annoyed. With a sigh Ranma replied. "Are you going to say that the serial numbers are from the missing bikes?"
The disappointment in KATT's electronic voice was all to clear "Yes, well some of the missing bikes."
"Well I guess we need to talk to this Gentleman and see what he knows." A very nasty smile crossed the redheads face. Ranma stood up took out her ear buds and brushed her hair out of her eyes before donning her helmet once more.
Once Ranma's helmet communications was activated, a worried Nabiki spoke over the helmets speakers. "Now listen here missy. Don't go after him half cocked." She said in a very annoyed voice.
Slipping on KATT's seat Ranma shrugged non comitial. The engine of the white and pink bike roared to life, and after releasing the clutch. The bike sped off right pass the scruffy man. "I am not going after him. He will be coming after me."
Just as she predicted the custom bike came to life and was in pursuit at a safe distance to not draw any attention. KATT provided a video image to both Ranma's visor and POLE's head quarter's terminals. It was more than obvious that this was their man or at least someone of interest. Not wanting to be too obvious Ranma made some turns to see if he would follow. Seeing that he was Ranma wanted to see how determined the guy was and started to weave in and out of traffic and cutting some lights close. He took the bait almost getting hit by a car when he ran a red light trying to keep up. Now the fun could start, the red head thought. All the while head quarters was yelling at her to stop her foolishness. Taking the fastest way out of town as not to involve the local police, bike and rider acted as one. "What packages are you equipped with KATT?" Ranma asked her metal companion.
"I have the basic tracking complement, the stealth setup and the hologram packages. No weapons, offensive or defensive, are installed. We could wait until the rolling unit arrives tonight to change the configuration."
"No need, what we have is perfect. Prepare to initiate operation possum."
An angry faced Nabiki appeared on Ranma's helmet visor screen. "Just what is operation possum? I hope it isn't what I think it is."
"Sorry can't hear you must be losing the signal. You are breaking up." Turning the connection for the phone off. She shifted into a higher gear wanting to get out of town faster.
Scruffy followed not wanting his prey to get out of site he closed the distance between them. Now out in the open desert the red head sped up. The chase was on.
Nabiki screamed in frustration. "I am getting the air support unit ready. We are going after that egotistical self centred moron." She slammed her fists against the desk top almost knocking over her coffee in the process.
Bonnie laughed, even though she too was worried she couldn't help thinking about another young man many years ago that had frustrated her so. Nabiki stared at her angrily. "I am not laughing at you, just remembering something from the past. You really care for her don't you?" The look on the younger woman's face said it all.
"It's complicated. We started off on the wrong foot and then there was my sister." Bonnie thought she could see Nabiki's mood darken for a minute. "Because of her I never took a real interest in Ranma. In fact I was downright hostile towards him. It was only because of what happen on the day we left our families that I got a chance to meet the real Ranma. I feel that it was my fault that we had to leave our home. I know that is not true, but it is how I feel." She said while she started to shake.
Getting out of her chair Bonnie crossed the office to Nabiki's desk to grab the younger woman in a reassuring hug. "It going to be ok. Ranma is skilled and KATT is with her."
Ranma opened the throttle racing along Puli Dr into the mountains. Careful to keep the scruffy man on the custom bike in her rear view mirror as not to lose him. The view of the city would have been breath taking if she had been paying attention, more concerned on finding the perfect place to put her plan in to action. "There is a fork in the road up ahead Ranko. Perfect for operation possum."
Reducing speed a touch allowing her pursuer to catch up Ranma smiled. "Thanks KATT you know what to do." Spotting a patch of gravel KATT activated her hologram projector. Her back slide out causing Ranma to fly off over the handle bars. She tumbled across the road as the pink and white V-Rod slide off the side of the mountain.
Scruffy could not believe his luck. Not all was good luck though. Sure the girl was practically gift wrapped but the bike was a loss. He had hoped to keep it for his self. It would have needed painting but now it didn't matter. Pulling out his phone he called his partner to come and pick her up.