CHAPTER FOUR
"Here's the assignment," said Ashley, "You will all take turns driving this black trans-am down the driveway. Those who succeed will be placed in a simulator and given a virtual assignment. Those who do not succeed will have to retake the test next week. Understand?"
The candidates mumbled their understanding.
"Good," said Ashley, "Sarah Brown, you go first."
Lizzy took a deep breath, then stepped inside Karr.
What was she expected to do?
She shifted gears, and while shaking from fear since she knew what Karr was capable of, slowly drove Karr to the end of the road.
"Congratulations," said Ashley, "You have succeeded."
Slightly confused at the fact that the test was so easy, Lizzy watched as the other candidates took their turns. To her surprise, only two others were able to start the vehicle, and one other person-a boy Ashley called by the name of Frederick-was able to drive Karr to the end of the driveway.
"Well," said Ashley to the two of them, "You both have succeeded. Now it is time for the simulation."
Frederick waved his hand towards Lizzy. "Ladies first," he said gallantly.
Tentatively following Ashley, the two of them walked to the simulation room.
"Here," said Ashley, "Is your greatest challenge. You will have to interact with the computer to fulfill the assignment. Based on the interaction, it will be decided whether or not you have the position in FLAG."
She sat Lizzy down on a chair in a pod, and the door started to close slowly.
"Good luck," said Ashley.
Silence followed, and then Lizzy heard the voice she most dreaded to hear.
"Welcome," said Karr, "The virtual assignment will now begin."
Lizzy took a deep breath, and prepared herself.
"What is the assignment?" she asked.
As Lizzy sat in the room next to pod recovering from what Ashley called "simulation sickness", Frederick took his turn in the simulation pod. Unfortunately, he did not think to address Karr to ask for advice, and thought that he was supposed to order Karr around because he thought Karr was merely a computer. When Frederick finished he had completed his goal, just like Lizzy.
"Alright," said Ashley after Frederick had successfully recovered, "You both have completed the goal. That in itself is a huge success; very few complete the simulation. However, other conditions are taken into account."
"What?" asked Frederick.
"The agent you will be partnered with makes the final decision," said Ashley, "The results will be presented in a moment."
She glanced at a screen on the opposite wall, and the eyes of the two finalists followed here there. Within seconds, words in red appeared: Frederick Godfrey has performed well, but has not passed.
Ashley looked to Frederick. He looked downtrodden, but immediately walked over to Lizzy and wished her luck.
"You did great," said Ashley to Frederick, "You are the perfect model for an agent. We now have you on file, and when there is another opening, we will be sure to notify you."
"Thanks," said Frederick, "I can walk myself out if you direct me to the door."
"It's out the door and to the left," said Ashley, pointing the way.
As soon as Frederick was gone, Ashley walked back inside and nonchalantly looked back at the screen on the wall.
As soon as she did, words appeared in green: Sarah Brown has passed.
Ashley's eyes opened wide, as did her mouth. Clearly she had not been expecting this. She took an astonished look at Lizzy and walked briskly out the door, shutting it behind her.
Lizzy, who everyone thought was Sarah Brown, was confused. The way her sister had run out of the room made her wonder if there had been some mistake. Of course she had wanted to get into FLAG; that was why she had applied in the first place.
Suddenly it hit her. She had applied to be Karr's driver. And she had succeeded.
What had she gotten herself into?
She pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. She might as well text Kitt that she had succeeded, and when she was able she could let him know that she had to work with Karr.
Passed, she texted, then she turned off her cell. There would be no response.
Just then Ashley came back into the room, looking flustered.
"Well," she said, in a voice that betrayed she was very confused, "It's official. You passed, Sarah."
Lizzy nodded.
"Come with me," said Ashley, "I will introduce you to your new partner."
Lizzy followed, knowing what was going to happen next. Ashley would introduce her to Karr, explain that Karr was a supercomputer, explain how the tests were centered around him, etc., and expect Lizzy to be completely astonished. She probably would not tell Lizzy Karr's violent history, however.
Ashley brought Lizzy back outside.
"This is Karr," she said, gesturing to the vehicle.
"Where?" asked Lizzy, pretending she didn't know.
"Right here," said Ashley, "Karr is the vehicle. Or rather, the computer inside. Karr has an artificial intelligence, and he has chosen you to be his new driver."
"Our partnership will be grand, Ms. Brown." said Karr by way of introduction.
Lizzy pretended to be completely astonished, and continued to act this way as Ashley reached into the vehicle and pulled out a funny looking device, introducing her to a new kind of comlink that would be surgically implanted in her ear, which she could use to communicate with Karr. She was told that she need only speak for Karr to hear her through the mechanisms in the comlink. She still acted astonished as Ashley pulled her back into the building and introduced her to too many agents to remember, who all congratulated her, and then pulled her over towards the white building of FLAG and told her she would be introduced to her new room, where they would leave her to peace for the night. But tomorrow, she was to get up at 6:30 am for training.
As Ashley, Lizzy and a very large group of agents made their way to the building, Karr suddenly drove up to them. This startled most of the agents present. Lizzy guessed that, judging by their faces, they still did not trust Karr.
"With all due respect," said Karr, "I would like to take Sarah out for a drive."
"You can't do that," said one of the agents, responding a little too quickly. Lizzy remembered that his name was Gerry.
"She is my new partner," said Karr, not swayed by the denial. In fact, he sounded like he had been expecting it. "And I would like to take her on our first drive before training starts."
"There is no time," said another agent, named Samantha.
"There is plenty of time," responded Karr, "She has the entire day today."
"No," said Gerry, "She just survived three of your tests. She needs rest."
"I defer to Ms. Knight," said Karr.
"There is time. Let them go," said Ashley, "That is, if you want to go, Sarah."
"Sure," said Lizzy, "I would love to."
She stepped towards Karr, who politely opened his driver's seat door for her.
"Just our luck," said one of the agents, pointing to Lizzy and Karr, "They get along!"
"Hush," said another agent, whose name Lizzy had not been able to catch.
Lizzy stepped inside the car, and Karr closed the door. Instantly, before she had even buckled, Karr took off. He drove from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about two seconds.
"Wow, you really want to get out of here," said Lizzy, buckling up, "Where are we headed?"
"The desert," explained Karr, "I thought it would be a good idea for us to get used to the way we drive together. And I thought you might be tired of those overbearing agents by now."
"You really don't get along well," said Lizzy.
"No," said Karr.
"Well," said Lizzy, watching the desert pass them by, "When do I get to drive?"
Karr instantly changed from auto to manual, and Lizzy grabbed the wheel. She stepped on the accelerator and watched the speedometer creep up to the 200's.
"Want to stretch your legs?" she asked.
"I have no legs to stretch," said Karr.
"It's an expression," said Lizzy.
Suddenly, they passed another car on the road. It might not have been so suddenly if they hadn't been going 215 miles per hour.
Karr instantly took over when Lizzy's reflexes could not react, and maneuvered them around the other car.
"Wow, that was close," said Lizzy, bringing the car back up to 216 miles per hour.
"You are not frightened," said Karr in surprise.
"Why should I be? You had it under control," said Lizzy.
"Interesting," said Karr.
"What?" asked Lizzy.
No response.
"Okay," said Lizzy after an awkward pause, "What do you want to do out here?"
"Drive." said Karr.
"Fine by me," said Lizzy.
"What is your real name?" asked Karr suddenly.
Lizzy's heart stopped. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"You know what I mean," said Karr, "If you did not, your heart rate would not have accelerated."
"Really? I thought it stopped," said Lizzy, "I really have to work on keeping it calm. Alright, I use a fake name. How did you figure it out?"
"I did a background check on all the applicants as soon as you all entered the first room to achieve the first test," said Karr, "And Sarah Brown did not exist yesterday. I must commend you on the details of your documents, however. They fooled FLAG, and that is very difficult to do."
"You didn't tell them?" asked Lizzy.
"Why should I?" asked Karr, "What difference would it make?"
"Well, it is imperative that I keep my true identity a secret," said Lizzy.
"And why is that?" asked Karr.
Lizzy paused. She didn't trust Karr, but she was forced to work with him. Could she tell him the whole truth? Would he believe it? And could he even be trusted with it?
"I cannot allow an employee named Mr. Cooper to recognize me," said Lizzy finally.
"And why is that?" asked Karr.
Lizzy desperately hoped that Karr was not friends with Mr. Cooper.
"I need to expose him for the criminal he is before I can reveal myself," she said, "But if my identity is exposed my mission will be compromised."
"Then I will assist you," said Karr, "I am no friend of Mr. Cooper."
Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief.
"But I must ask who you are working for," said Karr, "Although I do not like many of FLAG's newer agents, I cannot allow a foreign agent into FLAG."
"I am working for myself," said Lizzy.
There was a short pause.
"Very well," said Karr, "But I can tell you are not telling me the whole truth."
"Of course not," said Lizzy. "I hardly know you."
"And yet you told me everything else, despite never having talked to an artificial intelligence before," said Karr.
Lizzy was silent.
"I do not know what you have been told about me," said Karr, taking over the driving and accelerating to the 300 mile per hour range, "And I know the agents will tell you many stories once we get back to base. I want you to know that most of them are true."
Lizzy remained silent.
"But that was years ago," said Karr, "I have agreed to a contract with FLAG, and although they still mistrust me, they let applicants like yourself sit inside me today."
Lizzy looked at the dash quizzically. Where was Karr going with this?
"But you had an advantage," said Karr, "You knew me."
"What?" asked Lizzy.
"You knew what I was the second you saw me," said Karr, "Your heart rate accelerated as soon as you saw me. You also knew how to drive me, and how to address to me in the simulation. You were familiar with speaking to an artificial intelligence, although you were deathly afraid of me when you entered me for the test. You are still afraid of me."
Lizzy did not know what to say, but she felt her heart beat faster.
"Clearly, someone has told me about you. And someone has taught you how to drive me, or a car just like me."
Lizzy's heart seemed to spiral out of control. Karr was hitting on that which she had hoped to keep secret. If he found out that Kitt was still alive, her life might be in danger.
Suddenly, Lizzy started having a panic attack. She couldn't breathe, she started to see in tunnel vision, her heartbeat seemed out of control…
"Breathe, Elizabeth," said Karr, slowing down while simultaneously blasting her with cold air from the air conditioner. After what seemed like forever, Lizzy finally controlled her breathing and her heartbeat. Her tunnel vision dissipated.
"You are fine," Karr said, "Do not worry, I will not harm you."
"Can I get out?" asked Lizzy, still panting.
They were in the middle of the desert, but Karr opened the door and let her out. Lizzy stood beside him, controlling her breathing while trying to avoid touching the hot exterior of the car.
"Do you have panic attacks often?" Karr asked.
"No," said Lizzy, "That scared me."
"Good," said Karr, "I would not like my driver to succumb often to such a malady."
Lizzy frowned a little at his reasoning. So he really was as selfish as they had told her.
"I am not angry with you for driving Kitt," said Karr, "Although I am surprised at his continued existence."
"What are you talking about?" asked Lizzy, feigning ignorance. She was outside of Karr, and so his sensors might not pick up her heartbeat, and therefore might not pick up on the fact that she knew exactly was he was talking about.
"Your panic attack when I mentioned another vehicle betrayed you," said Karr, "I joined FLAG as soon as I found out that Kitt was destroyed. But I see that FLAG was mistaken."
He wiggled his door impatiently.
"Are you ready to leave?" he asked impatiently.
"Um, sure," said Lizzy, getting into the seat. She really was not comfortable with Karr, but she was getting pretty hot out in the desert.
Karr started to drive, and turned around on the empty desert road. They must be going back to base, then.
Lizzy thought over what had just occurred: Karr claimed that he thought she had worked with Kitt. What should she say to respond to that? At least it seemed that Karr was not going to destroy her for any supposed connection to Kitt. After all, he had helped her through the panic attack, telling her to breathe…
Her eyes opened wide.
"You called me Elizabeth," she said, "During my panic attack you called me Elizabeth, not Sarah."
That meant that Karr somehow knew who she was, and that he knew her true identity. He knew that she was Elizabeth Knight, and not Sarah Brown. And this was Karr, she wasn't sure if she could trust him. If he told anyone at FLAG, she was in big trouble...