Sarah's eyes searched the area for her friend or her brother. Mike could have easily doubled. He was always there for her…either way, there was a slight love for the man in her and she wouldn't let him die.

"MIKE!" She slammed the two men holding her into the wall and ran to the two men in the middle of the parking lot. She shoved Jason off of Mike, his body drenched in blood that wasn't his, the problem was the gash in his head and the poison that had probably already wiped his system clean.

"KITT! I need a syringe!" The car's dashboard ejected one and she filled it with the real antidote in the bottle from Jason's pocket. She jabbed the needle into the back of Mike's hand as Carrie and Torres joined them.

"Sarah…do you think?"

"I don't know Carrie…I really don't know…" She slapped her friend's face once or twice before he seemed to come to and the gun in his hand fell to the ground. His eyes never opened, but his breathing returned to normal and his heart had been restarted.

"Let's get him home."

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Mike's POV

I thought I was dead, my brain didn't deny me the thought either. I was ready to be told were to go and watch Sarah from where-ever I was. When I lifted my arm and pain ripped through my body…I knew I was still alive.

"I don't think so Mike…they're trying to get you back to 100%." Sarah's calming tone filled my ears. Thank God they hadn't killed her. Her warm hand keeping my arm in one place so I wouldn't ruin the well placed IVs.

"Hey…"

"Welcome back…they cleaned you of poison apples." I smiled.

"Merry Christmas." She looked to the computer screen…it was the 24th. She smiled and clicked around a bit.

"KITT misses you…my father is impressed with his bond with you. He's really become almost human with the computer limitations of course."

"He learns like a puppy." We both laughed a bit. A nurse eventually disconnected me and told me I could leave. Sarah had brought a new shirt and jeans with her. Considered the only pair I seemed to have with me been soaked with Mirage's blood. "Where'd you dad meet the lucky women?" She rolled her eyes as we got into the Ford Escape.

"Inventors conference…she bothers me but makes him perfectly happy."

"Not to sound crazy…but Zach sneaks around quite a bit."

"He's 12 Mike, what do you expect?"

"What is her maiden name Sarah?" She stopped at the light and looked at me, still a little sweaty in the front seat. "That's what I thought."

"Mike, you're jumping to conclusions."

"Want to bet?" We got out and scanned into the SSC. She wouldn't even look at me, until she realized it was prime work hour and nobody was around.

"Christmas…" She was probably right. I headed for the lounge and there was everyone, smiling and surrounded by plenty of food and the Xbox was in high gear. They even got Torres to play. Zach was enjoying crushing him in Halo like any kid would.

"Nice to have you back Mike." Torres hit a few more buttons on the control and smiled. Sarah was talking to Zoe and Carrie while Dr. Graimen and wife were nowhere to be found. I ignored it…maybe Sarah was right and I was over reacting. The lights in the room seemed to dim when Zach insisted on watching a Christmas movie. Thank God this time far away from KITT. Everybody couldn't resist but join him in the happy viewing of the Polar Express. I took the opportunity to find Sarah, who had left to catch up on sleep. Her pod door was shut and I knocked and opened it anyway. She was soundly asleep. I guess saving a life does take a toll. I resisted the temptation to kiss her and left, heading into the control room to talk to my favorite soldier other then Sarah.

"KITT, are you awake?" No answer; the red lights on his hood didn't blink like they normally did. "KITT? Earth driver to AU." He still didn't even creak. I opened his driver side door and slid into the seat. It was like being home again. KITT's monitor or windshield didn't even light up. I ran my hands down the steering wheel and noticed his finger-print start glowing. I pressed into it and KITT slowly came to life. "Hey buddy, remember me?"

"Hello Michael, it has been a long time." I didn't think two days was a long time and neither did…KITT…normally. "Occupant restraints activated." Some one had screwed with his main-frame…the belts clamped tightly down on my body, crossing in the center like I was trying to get a criminal to talk by spinning him. Twenty seconds later, my one wrist was held to the arm rest and the other to one that wasn't there before. Keeping my hands off the wheel and away from the belts holding me into the seat.

"KITT? What the hell are you doing?" His engine didn't start but the transmission on screen did. There was wife from hell and her husband. Dr. Graimen looked like me, bound helplessly against his will and well worse for him, gagged to keep anyone in the surrounding area from hearing him. He hadn't been hurt, but the black cat suit his wife had on didn't look good.

"Like the upgrade Michael?" I growled and tried not to tense against KITT's restraints. "I thought so…KITT, deliver our gift." An electric shock ripped across the seat belts and the seat back, a scream couldn't be held back. "Zach helped ruin your car…not to mention his older brother…Jason…who you so nicely disposed of. I was upset Mike. Now you can feel the wrath of my anger. KITT, again." I managed to stifle the yelp this time…but the pain was just as bad. I was determined not to show weakness. By the third shock, it was easier said then done. I could feel myself fading and the real KITT breaking through his imposter system.

Michael, can you hear me? I have been intruded by an enemy system, don't get in.

"Little too late for that KITT." Sarah's petrified scream tore through the building and I could see Dr. Graimen jerk painful against the cords holding him in place. His daughter's scream wasn't something he wanted to hear…let alone mine. I slipped my one hand out of the band holding it down and over-ride the locks. Still in plenty of pain, I sprinted in Sarah's direction. I pulled open the pod's sliding door. She was right in front of me. She got behind me, I pulled the gun I had used on Jason and held it tightly in my grasp. The smirk of the shadowed man was entirely too familiar.

"You thought you killed me didn't you Traceur…heh…think again." He stepped halfway into the light. He didn't have a scar or anything. "Shocked? Course you are…you hit a human robot Mike. Blood and everything else was fake." I swung at him, missing completely. "Don't let your anger get the best of you." I swung again, catching his jaw this time, and tugging him violently to the ground where I could lay down the law.

"You had your mother marry him to kill me…"

"Never you Michael…she really did love him…but you got in the way of the family taking the Rider line with them…" I thumped him again, no blood came. A smirk did. "You try entirely too hard Mikey…" His fist hit its intended mark for my jaw. I flew back, hitting the wall. Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin. My pistol slid across the floor and under the bed; leaving me defenseless again. He shot and I dodged a few of them as I scrambled across the floor in pursuit of the gun. A few inches away when I flipped over to reach, his boot forced me to my back and slammed down on my wrist, at least spraining it. The barrel locked in position of in between my eyes.

"When I kill you…your head above my fireplace…I'll marry Sarah and have your dog tags hanging above her door…no wait; I'll shoot them. I'll have the bullet preserved and your blood kept in a jar." I glared at the barrel. The safety clasp clicked loading a bullet into the barrel. I held perfectly still, waiting for it. Sarah had run to save her father. The minute I pulled or struggled he'd shoot me. I could only think about death…this time, parting me and Sarah for the rest of her life. Jason seemed to wait for the possible recoil. I held my place; keeping both eyes firmly on the loaded gun. I could hear footsteps, they were fast paced. I kept quiet. It wasn't Sarah, Sandra Graimen, black cat suit and everything stood in the doorway. Her smile at my helplessness was enough to send me through the ceiling.

"Hello Mr. Traceur, satisfied with yourself…? You were the only one who could see this coming and nobody listened." She brushed her hair out of her face. "We have everyone under our control…Torres and Carrie…my husband…my step-daughter…KITT…now you." I didn't move. "You warned Sarah…she didn't listen…you can watch her marry Jason." She tossed Jason a pair of handcuffs and a key card. "Leave him in his pod…" I didn't fight him. I let him force me to the ground and lock the door to the pod. I flipped open a drawer. Empty.

"Damn it." I was hoping for a least a pair of wire cutters or maybe even a laser strong enough to cut the chain. Where was sane KITT when I needed him most? I tried not to pull or strain…knowing they would all be watching me, knowing I was smarter then the average bear and could easily foil the whole thing with a push of a button. The door slid open and Sarah stood in the doorway…in a dress I could have only dreamed of having the pleasure of kissing her while she was in it. Tears streaked her face and she trembled. She didn't like the situation any better then I did.

"I should have listened…" Her eyes didn't make contact.

"Sarah its fine…you trusted her…you were supposed to." She kneeled in front of me, running her fingers though my hair and then down my cheek. She couldn't stop sobbing.

"I'm…sorry Mike…" If I could have hugged her I would have…the handcuffs prevented it from happening. I could feel angry tears streaking my own face…it hurt to be unable to comfort her.

"It's not your fault…" I leaned the best I could toward her…trying to get closer. She followed through…her lips meeting mine, my simple dream becoming a reality but not in the way I was dreaming of. Sarah stood up, looking down at me in fear and sadness. I could only look back…not knowing what words would solve the problem. She knelt again…knowing the worst yet to come.

"How dare you Sarah…the day of our wedding and you're kissing another man…" I growled and everything in my body went into attack mode. "I would ask you to be the best man Mike, but that would make killing you a little difficult." Sarah's face, all puffy and red buried itself into my shoulder. Jason was furious, jerked her up and dragged her out of the room…I struggled to the limits of my strength. The second the door slid shut again, it was over. The angry tears returned to emphasize the pain of my fight.

"Tears won't help anyone Michael…" My mother's voice echoed through my head, days before my father died. She was dead now too…shot when getting intermixed with the group who wanted both me and Sarah dead before. "Remember to be strong…you're strong Mike…the strongest man I've ever met." Her kind eyes burned in my mind.

(Flashback)

"Michael come, I'll show you my car." The little boy ran over to his father's black Pontiac and climbed into the seat.

"Hiya KITT!" The Knight Industries 2000 laughed with the greeting from the child. He revved his engine to thrill him. The six year old giggle with delight.

(End Flashback)

My father was always gone. I remembered that, every time he would come home he would rush back out. I headed to the military straight out of high school and didn't care what he thought. I was a defiant idiot I remembered him screaming at me; he even had me spar him on the note that I hadn't had martial arts training yet. He had broken my arm and sprained my ankle, broken a number of my ribs and cut into my back. The scar stayed with me; the lasting reminder of the man who loved me until I was a teenager and then turned his back on his own son. KITT 2000 was retired and turned into scrap while Dr. Graimen started the new model. I was an Army Ranger when my mother called informing me of my father's hospitalization. I showed up in uniform…I didn't have a choice. He scowled at me as I entered his room, the stare burning my soul. Tears streaked my face. I remember telling him no matter much he hated me, I loved him. With that he passed on.

"I still love you Dad, the military only prepared me for this." I pulled the hand cuffs again. My wrists were already raw from pulling. Eventually one of Jason's guards came and unlocked them; I took advantage of the free moment.

"Thanks man…I got a wedding to crash." I cracked a hook punch into his face and side kicked him down. I stole the key card and heading down the hallway. I opened Carrie's pod and found her and Torres tied together, both gagged. The shock on their faces was priceless.

"Don't look so surprised." Torres's comment was muffled as I pulled Carrie's restraints off first; then his.

"We were told you were dead Mike."

"Well here I am. Stay here so they don't suspect I'm free." They both nodded and I locked them back in and slid out of the eye of the cameras and unlocked Billy's pod, to find him and Zoe in the same situation as Torres and Carrie just were.

"Thank God for you Mike."

"Stay put." Before he could complain I left and headed for Dr. Graimen, and was cut off by his wife.

"Freedom isn't quite free Michael…" I dodged her taser and kicked her right in her chest. The wind rushing from her lungs and her hand trying to grab my ankle; I stepped down on it, breaking it and headed for Dr. Graimen, who thank God was only handcuffed. Last but not least was Sarah. Jason had her in the control room and I pulled a gun from Torres's desk and stepped into the room. KITT was to swear them in or whatever they called marriage. I fired into the bulletproof glass of KITT by Jason's left hand. Sarah's swift turn, to see bloody, sweaty me brought a smile to her lips.

"I object."