Michael tracked Dr. Wesley down in his office, despite the late hour.

"Hey, Doc, it's Melissa. She's running a fever and complaining about the room spinning. I gave her two Tylenol. She's asleep, with Devon keeping an eye on her."

Wesley laughed, "Guess Emily owes me $10."

"Um, what?"

"We told Melissa to take it easy and not overdo it now that she's done with the surgeries and recuperating. Emily thought she'd listen to us. I know she's Wilton's daughter. Rest and Tylenol should be all she needs. Especially the rest."

"Thanks."

On his way back to Melissa's room, Michael passed Bonnie. She was carrying some tools and papers and muttering darkly to herself.

"What's up, Bonnie?"

"These are my tools. For working on Kitt." At Michael's blank look, she elaborated. "I found them in Melissa's room, on her desk, next to KARR. Melissa never asked me if she could borrow them."

Michael sighed. "I'll add it to the list."

"List?"

"Of things Melissa did that she shouldn't have that I will have to talk to her about."

Bonnie gave him a sympathetic look. She then said, "I left KARR in her room."

"Is that –"

"Wise? Safe?" Bonnie sighed. "Probably. I checked, and Melissa gave KARR limited sensor range. Her room is about the extent of what he can detect. KARR's only external connection is a channel to Kitt, which only works if Kitt wants it to. And KARR has zero mobility, being only a CPU."

"Melissa did all that?"

"She's as brilliant as her father was. I pity her professors when she starts college." Bonnie looked at what she was carrying. "Of course, she had my tools and KARR's schematics. With notes."

"Notes?"

"Wilton Knight's handwriting, if I am not mistaken. Well, I'm off to put my tools where they belong. I'll file KARR's schematics, too. Oh, and Devon's watching over Melissa."

"Another reason it's probably okay to leave KARR in her room?"

"Yes."

Bonnie gave Michael another sympathetic smile and then left. Michael shook his head and then continued back to Melissa's room.

"Michael?"

"Yes, Kitt?"

"There is another reason to leave Karr with Melissa."

"Oh?"

"They seem to have established a rapport, which will be helpful in giving Karr a second chance."

"I think we're at more than KARR's second chance, pal."

"Karr was not given the appropriate feedback and still expected to change. Now he has that feedback. So this is truly his second chance."

"You could be right about that."

"Also, I have been making some inquiries."

"What'd you dig up?"

"Melissa made three phone calls yesterday to arrange for a Knight Industries retrieval unit for today, after her PT session."

"She can do that?" Michael was learning a lot more about his ward today.

"Knight Industries is privately held, and Melissa is the majority shareholder. Though technically, you need to sign off on her actions, as she is a minor and you are her legal guardian."

"Any idea why she went after KARR?"

"She did not provide any explanation. Or rather, none was on any of the paperwork turned in by the retrieval unit."

"I am going to have a very long talk with Melissa. Tomorrow."

Michael wondered the best way to approach this situation. He and Melissa had an interesting relationship. He was her legal guardian, thanks to a last-minute change Wilton Knight had made to his will. But she was 16 and about to graduate high school before they met. In the months since then, Michael had – as usual – rarely been at FLAG. Melissa, on the other hand, rarely left, between preparing for and recovering from the various surgeries. Devon saw her more often than Michael did. Bonnie probably saw her more often, as a matter of fact. And this was the first real issue Michael had been faced with as Melissa's legal guardian.

"Michael, if I may make two observations and a suggestion?"

"Sure, Kitt. What have you got?"

"The first observation: Melissa is a bright young lady."

"Agreed. Though how that helps . . .?"

"Michael, Melissa always has a reason for her actions but sometimes lacks the . . . life experience on which to base her reasoning."

"Makes sense. Go on."

"The second observation: Melissa has neither lied to you nor refused to answer a direct question you have put to her."

"She didn't introduce herself when we first met. And she didn't tell me about Greg, not for a couple of months."

"I never said she hasn't . . . misdirected you. Though in both cases, you were at fault. You didn't ask her name until hours later. And you didn't ask her whether she had a boyfriend. However, in both cases, when you asked, she immediately gave the full truth."

Michael mulled it over. Kitt was right: Melissa might not volunteer information, but she always gave him the answer when he asked. If he asked.

"Okay, I'm with you so far, buddy."

"Which leads me to my suggestion: Simply ask Melissa what is going on."

"I'll give it a shot."