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CHAPTER SEVEN
"Is it contained?" Bonnie asked, craning her head around the corner to peer into the room.
"No," Kitt responded, "I am using all available systems to deter it, but it is progressing steadily. Any word from Karr?"
"None," Bonnie scowled, "But we're working on it. How are your energy levels?"
"As long as I keep up my concentration, I should be fine, Bonnie." Kitt sounded a little tired, if that was possible. "I believe Michael is coming to join us."
Bonnie heard the footsteps from outside, and Michael rushed into the room panting for breath.
"We've*pant*got a problem," he said, leaning against the nearby wall to rest. His cell phone was solidly in his right hand.
"And I believe I've got a bigger one," Devon said, entering the room through the other door, "There's been activity."
"What." Bonnie asked, more a statement than a question.
"Devon, I'm sorry," Kitt said, "I'm afraid I can't detect-"
"Of course you can't," Bonnie interrupted, "Why do you think they're monitoring things upstairs? We all know you're busy."
"Bonnie is right," Devon agreed, "However, it seems as if we might have to transfer your current duties to the team upstairs. I'm afraid we need you, Kitt. You too, Michael."
"You're right," Michael said, "Devon, I just got a phone call-"
"Michael, you don't understand," Devon said, "The activity we spotted-well, it was Them. And I'm afraid they're heading towards Elizabeth's school."
"They can't be," Bonnie said.
"Devon, she'll be fine." Kitt said, "I'm sure it's only a coincidence. I was very adamant about cutting off all ties with her. There is no possible way they could be heading there for her. Besides, I am currently needed here."
"Can we take that risk?" Michael asked, "I just got a phone call-"
"What if she thought something was wrong?" Bonnie asked, interrupting her husband, "How can she contact us? She's very observant. What if they're after her, and she notices?"
"Impossible." Kitt said.
"Kitt," Michael asked, "Has she tried contacting you today?"
"Lizzie was trying to call me earlier," Kitt mentioned, "She managed to send an SOS signal based solely on the timing of her calls. But Michael, I am certain she is only worried about Karr."
"Maybe we should tell her," Bonnie said.
"No," Kitt argued, "Not unless we were to tell her face to face. It is too risky over the phone."
"You know," Michael said, "Don't you think that if Lizzie really, really needed to contact us, she'd find a way to get our attention?"
Kitt's scanner picked up. He recognized something in that tone of voice.
"Michael," he asked, "What was that about a phone call you received?"
Michael waved his cell phone. "Lizzie's school," he said, "She's missing."
"What?!" Devon and Bonnie asked.
"Why didn't you say so before?" Kitt asked, "Devon, prepare to switch the project to the team upstairs. I need to leave with Michael right away!"
"Hang on a minute," Michael said, holding out on hand to stop him, "Listen. She's not kidnapped. I think. BUT-"
The three other occupants seemed to be hanging on that one word.
"-The school has informed me that if she doesn't show up soon," Michael continued, "They are going to issue a search warrant for her arrest."
"A what?" Kitt asked.
"What on Earth did she do?" Bonnie asked, her voice raising to threatening levels.
"Indeed!" Devon added.
"Apparently, she destroyed public and private property," Michael said, "Whatever she wants to tell us, it must be pretty urgent. Now Kitt, I think we need to call her and find out what's going on."
"Right away Michael," Kitt said, "Can you use your phone? I'm a little busy at the moment."
"Right," Michael whipped his phone up and began pressing it. He put it to his ear.
The room was silent.
"Nothing," Michael said, hanging up, "It goes straight into her voicemail."
"Michael," Bonnie said, "Something is definitely wrong."
"I agree," Devon said, turning to look at Michael and Kitt, "You two had better leave as soon as possible. Bonnie, start preparing the transfer of Kitt's program to the team upstairs."
"Thank you, Devon." Kitt said.
"I can't believe this," Lizzie said, "I practically sit up all night, for the second night in a row, and after I finally fall asleep, you apparently wake up to do this. As if it was a complete accident."
Karr sat there smugly.
"I know you did this on purpose," Lizzie finished, "Now let go of me!"
But Karr was unmoving. Oh, Lizzie knew he was awake. He wasn't even trying to hide his scanner. Sometime in the night, he had rolled over her to pin her to the ground.
By her hair.
His wheel had driven over her hair.
It wasn't very comfortable. Her hair came down a little below her shoulders, so it wasn't cropped too short, but it wasn't too long either. Not long enough for this, anyway.
"Karr," Lizzie said, all patience starting to leave her, "Get off!"
Karr only flashed his favorite headlight sequence at her.
"I have no idea what that means," Lizzie said, "But I need to get up off the cement floor now."
Karr didn't move, so Lizzie tried to. She yanked her head up as far as it could go.
"OW! Ow, owowow," she said, dropping it back to the ground. "Karr, you're hurting me! Let go!"
Karr only settled down on his shocks, apparently getting comfortable right where he was.
"Karr, no!" Lizzie said, "What's this about, anyway? I mean, if you're afraid of me leaving, that was you who did that yesterday, remember?"
Of course, Karr couldn't understand her. But couldn't he tell that she was really annoyed right now?
"Karr, I need to get up," Lizzie said, "It's morning."
Nothing. Lizzie was seriously losing patience.
"UGH! Karr, let me go!" She was practically shouting now. She waved her arms rapidly, hoping to somehow inflict damage or scare him enough to let her go.
Suddenly her right arm connected with something and scraped it, and it hurt. Lizzie gave an involuntary scream, and curled in on herself as much as she could go without moving her head. She pulled her arm into her line of vision-
She was bleeding. It was just a scrape, but it was a long scrape, and it was unexpected.
"Oh no," she whimpered.
Apparently realizing that Lizzie was genuinely hurt, Karr drove off her and she quickly sat up. She ran to her backpack. Had she packed a first aid kit somewhere in there? No? What was she thinking! Wait. The house. That probably had what she needed!
She raced inside. It wasn't until she had washed, disinfected and then placed six three bandaids over the long cut that she started to calm down.
"Okay, that's taken care of," Lizzie said as she walked back into the garage, "Sorry for screaming, Karr. It's not even that deep."
Karr came up to her and pushed against her with his hood, flashing his favorite headlight sequence.
Was he telling her he was sorry?
"It's alright," Lizzie said, patting his hood, "Well, at least now I'm up."
She walked over to her backpack to get some breakfast, but she had a follower. And he was currently pressing up against her back.
"Karr," she said, pushing his hood away one-handed, "I'm fine!"
Karr only shivered and came in closer to her.
Lizzie sighed. "Fine," she said, deciding to ignore him for now, "Now. Breakfast. Then we'll figure out what to do next."
"Devon. Are you certain the team can handle-"
"Not for long Kitt, but it will be enough, I hope." Devon responded, "How are you on time?"
"Getting there," Michael responded, "Kitt's passing all the traffic, but it's still going to be a while."
"Don't worry, Devon. As soon as we have Lizzie we're heading back to the Foundation." Kitt said.
"Good. Try not to take any longer than you need to."
"Roger," Michael responded.
"I really wish we didn't get her involved in this," Kitt said as Devon hung up.
"Me too pal," Michael said. His stomach growled.
"Michael-"
"Not now, Kitt. We need to get to my daughter first. I can grab something to eat on the way back."
"Right, Michael."
"Oh. This could be a problem," Lizzie said, "Karr. I'm not going forever. I'm coming back."
Karr stayed right where he was, pinning her to the garage wall behind her.
"Listen," Lizzie said, "I need to leave to get some things straightened out. I need to go talk to Security about the damage you caused, before someone comes looking for me. And you can't come because-well, I need you to stay here. I mean, you heard the weird phone call I got last night. I think someone else is after you. 'Don't go searching for him,' the guy said. He didn't know that you're with me, and I can't let whoever it is find out where you are."
Karr didn't move.
"Karr. Please let me go," Lizzie said, "I promise I'll be back."
But Karr was unfazed.
Lizzie groaned. "Listen," she said, perfectly willing to start her argument all over again-But then the doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts.
Lizzie froze. Who would be knocking on Mrs. Mahogany's door? One of the neighbors?
She listened, pressing her ear against the wall to try to hear what was going on outside. There was another ring of the doorbell, and then the sound of pounding-"Lizzie!" A familiar voice called out, "I know you're in there!"
"Oh no, it's Brit!" Lizzie said, "How'd she find me? What should I do?"
Once more she pushed against Karr, and he actually moved back. Lizzie left the garage immediately and raced through the house before opening up the front door for her roommate.
"Elizabeth." Brittany greeted her, her face unusually stoic, "Do you know how much trouble you're in?"
