Chapter 4:
KITT calculated his arrival at the Foundation in less than 20 minutes. The hot sun bore down on his sleek black coat, but it didn't heat up a degree as he drove along the deserted desert road.
He knew that he was doing what Michael wanted him to do, but he couldn't help the bottled up emotions he was feeling about coming home.
He felt….Sad. Anxious. Scared even.
KITT was sad that once he got home, (that is, if he doesn't get caught by a policeman along the way) he would have to live with the reality that he never would really see Michael again, at least, not in person. He was anxious about whatever they would just plain say when they see him pull up on the drive-way. He was scared that Devon would confirm his worst fear about getting a new driver.
He sighed deeply.
He shouldn't be thinking of these things now. He needed to have his mind clear of everything in order to do this right. Last thing he wanted to have happen was him go run off into the desert again, wallowing in self-pity.
He checked his ETA: 3 minutes until arrival.
"Here goes nothing." He said to himself as he made the last turn before coming down his street once more.
Then, he pulled up to the gates.
'Why does this feel so weird? This is my home, I shouldn't feel uncomfortable in my own home.' He thought to himself as he watched the guard inside look up from his book he was deeply involved with.
KITT couldn't help but feel a little awkward when he saw the friendly guard he knew so well do a double take when he saw who it was at the gate. He quickly scrambled out of the little guard house.
"KITT?'" He said as he slowly walked over to the long lost and missed AI. "Oh my gosh! Where have you been? Bonnie and Devon are worried sick about you. Especially when they saw you….leave." he said sadly.
KITT winced when the pain he thought he got rid of, surfaced yet again. He stayed silent as he tried not to break down in front of the guard.
"I heard about Michael, KITT." He said with an at most affectionate and apologetic tone as he gently patted KITT's warm hood. "I-I'm really sorry about that KITT. You didn't deserve that. Nor did Michael."
"It's ok." He said a little too firmly.
It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the guard's paying respects to him, he was grateful for that. He just didn't want to break down again….
Not now at least.
Thankfully though, the guard got the hint that it was still a very sensitive subject and opened the gates for KITT without another word.
As soon as KITT pulled up the drive-way and sat in front of the mansion, his circuits began to spin.
There were people all dressed in black dresses and suits everywhere.
"So this is why Michael wanted me back at the Foundation." He muttered sadly as he looked around the Foundation's grounds and realized just what was going on.
FLAG was having Michael's funeral and burial on their grounds.
KITT was relieved a little that they decided to have him buried here at the Estate and not at some random cemetery. This was, after all, Michael's home. If the roles were switched, KITT would want to be buried on his home turf…..
It would also be a lot easier for him to come visit Michael every now and then.
KITT froze suddenly. Not 30 or so feet away from him sat a shiny mahogany casket laced with beautiful snow white flowers all the way around it and had a giant bouquet of the same white flowers on top of it.
There were people standing around it. Mostly family and friends but there was also a few people he and Michael helped as well. However, two of these people KITT zeroed in on immediately.
Devon stood at the foot of the casket with Bonnie wrapped in his arms. He wore a nice black suit and Bonnie wore a midnight black dress. Both, from what KITT could see, were crying.
KITT wasn't sure if he should drive towards them or stay where he was…..
Well, he would have to make his presence known at some point.
He drove slowly. Thankfully no one seemed to want to bother him so he was able to get over to them pretty easily.
KITT pulled up behind them with some distance in between. When the other people who were standing at the casket saw KITT, they moved away with hurt looks on their faces.
Bonnie looked up when she saw people walking away. A frown formed on her face as she looked behind her….
And nearly fainted with surprise.
There, parked only a few feet away, was KITT. His scanner paced back and forth slightly erratically.
When Devon turned around to see who it was Bonnie was staring at, he jumped slightly.
"KITT?" Bonnie mouthed.
KITT was a little taken back by the way his friends were acting towards his presence. They weren't scared of him, were they?
Bonnie finally found her voice at that moment.
"KITT! Where have you been?!" She said as she ran up to the AI and collapsed in front of his scanner. A few tears fell as she talked.
Devon came over with her and also crouched down beside Bonnie.
"Oh my goodness my dear boy! We've been so worried about you! Are you alright?"
KITT still didn't really didn't want to answer that question because, well, the reason for his actions was sitting 30 feet away from the three of them.
But he decided he better reassure them. After all, they were obviously worried about him.
"No. I don't think I ever will be 'alright.'" He stated sadly.
Bonnie and Devon exchanged sad looks. KITT was hurting. And there wasn't anything they could do to make him feel better.
Computers aren't like humans where overtime they can slowly forget the pain of losing something dear to them. Computers don't exactly have a grieving process that allows them to fully except a person's death. It's always in their head and they can't get rid of it.
Essentially, in KITT's case, he lost a part of himself….
And there was nothing that could fill that gaping hole in poor KITT's heart and soul.
"I'm so sorry KITT. I know it hurts. Trust me on that." Devon said while patting KITT's prow comfortingly.
"What do you m-mean?" KITT asked in a small voice, trying his best to keep from breaking down.
"My father died in a tragic car accident when I was 12. It crushed me to know he was gone. My relationship with him was very much like how it was with you and Michael. We argued. We had fun. We were just….very close." Devon's voice shook a little when he finished telling his story. Bonnie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Suddenly a friend of Bonnie's came over to them and placed her hand on Bonnie's shoulder.
"It's time." Was all she said in a soft voice. Bonnie nodded and stood up with Devon following.
However, Bonnie never removed her hand from KITT's hood as the four of them walked up to where everyone else was.
Once they walked over to the crowd, the priest sadly looked at Devon, Bonnie and KITT before he began his speech.
"My dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to celebrate a life that opened up many closed doors for others. A life…that was taken in the line of duty." Bonnie buried her face into Devon's shoulder and began to cry. KITT's frame shook slightly as he was struggling to stay strong.
"This man did miracles and wonders for others. Stepping in the line of fire for anyone and anything. To say that this man was a hero would be an understatement." He turned towards the casket standing beside the podium and stretched out his hands over it. The friends and family of Michael also did the same.
"Michael Knight, may God take you in his caring hands and never let you go. May He guide and open the Golden Gates of Heaven to you. May He always watch over the family you left behind and comfort them as they grieve your loss. Amen."
There was a chorus of "Amen" as they all said there last good byes to Michael.
They lowered the casket into the grave foot first so it faced the beautiful mansion. KITT couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't hold back the tears from falling anymore. He began to silently cry.
He couldn't help but feel like the other half of him was missing. That he wasn't whole anymore. That his life wasn't whole anymore.
And that it never would be again.
Michael was really gone.
The mahogany casket made a soft thud as it touched the cold dirt below. The crowd began to sadly move away from the scene to give Michael's closest family some privacy. Both Bonnie and Devon began to slowly move to the foot of the casket and looked down into the deep hole that now held a beloved agent. KITT rolled up behind them a little distance away.
Bonnie heard the soft hum of his engine and turned around. She could tell the AI was crying. She silently gestured for him to come over beside her. KITT hesitantly rolled forward and came up right beside Bonnie's leg.
The three sat there like that for what seemed like eternity. None of them made any attempt to talk or even breathe for that matter.
But one thing was for certain….
They still had each other.
Yes, it was true that they were the last of the breed. But they wouldn't let it go unnoticed.
They were going to stand by their name, and bring justice to Michael's death.
The priest's words were true, Michael wasn't a hero, he was a Knight.