Chapter 2

Pierce lay on his back and stared into nothing. The walls and ceiling were painted white, a blank canvas that he couldn't touch.

There was no one around at this end of the facility. No one worked nearby. His stomach growled and the sound was loud in the stillness.

He heard footsteps coming down the hall and sat up. Carmen appeared in front of his room, a metal tray in her hands. She lifted it up. "Hungry?"

The small table in the room was set up at the bottom left corner of the window/wall. A sliding door system was set up so that a tray could be slid over to the table.

He stood up and sat down at the table. Carmen lifted up her door and slid the tray inside. She closed the door and he slid his open. He slid the tray over.

"Sorry, I have to stay here to get the fork back from you," she told him.

He picked up the plastic fork and arched an eyebrow. "In here the only person I could hurt would be myself."

"David doesn't want you doing that." She gave him a worried look.

He looked at the plate on his tray. It was filled up with brown rice and beans, chicken, and vegetables. Also on the tray was a bottle of water and a cookie wrapped in plastic wrap. "You made this for me?"

Her cheeks darkened. "I tried not to make it too spicy. I wasn't sure if you liked a lot of spices."

"I don't mind spicy food," he replied as he started eating.

Carmen watched him eat and began to frown. "I've been talking to David. He can't keep you in here like this."

"Don't bother. He's just doing what he feels he has to." Pierce didn't look up from his food. "Nothing you say is going to get through to him."

Her voice rose angrily. "He doesn't have a single shred of proof and he knows it!"

"I'd rather talk about something else." He kept his voice calm and his eyes on his plate.

"I don't know what else to talk about." Her hands clenched into fists. She was far too agitated to engage in small talk.

"What about the kiss you gave me yesterday?" Had it been just a day ago? After everything that had happened between then and now it felt like a century had passed.

"We can talk about that once you're out of here. You don't need additional drama right now."

Finally he looked over at her. "No, trust me, I'd rather talk about that than reflect on my current situation."

She shifted from one foot to the other and looked to the side. "What do you want me to say?"

He thought for a moment, chewing his food thoughtfully. "How long were you planning that?"

Her cheeks flushed mahogany. "I wasn't planning that. I had KITT drive me back because I was worried about you drinking alone. I wasn't really thinking things through."

"I'm starting to wonder if you ever do."

She gave him an outraged look. "I do, too! I just have an impulsive streak! Do you have a problem with that?"

He looked at her without blinking. "No, I don't."

Her outrage was quickly doused. She put a hand on the glass. "I know that whatever David thinks you did, you didn't do it, Pierce. You're obstinate and stubborn, but you'd never do anything to endanger the Team."

"How do you know that?" he asked carefully.

"I've worked with you almost a year. You don't smell evil."

"You can smell evil, now?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I've always been able to sniff out evil thoughts." Her expression was challenging.

"And that didn't stop you from sleeping with David?"

She shrugged. "Not really. David's evil to the core, of course, but he's still on our side. He does evil things to benefit the Team. He does the stuff that Charles won't." Her worried expression returned. "He's going too far this time, though."

"What if you're wrong?" Pierce finished his food and put the fork back on the tray. He lifted the door and slid the tray into the compartment.

Carmen didn't retrieve the tray. "What do you mean?"

"What if he's right this time?" Pierce studied her face carefully. "What if I am a leak?"

"You're not," she said stubbornly.

He stood up and walked over to the glass. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. "What if I was?"

"I would know if you were."

He placed one hand on the glass and leaned down to her. "What would you do if I was?"

She gave him a long look, her jaw clenched. She lifted up the door on her end and retrieved the tray. Then she turned and walked away.

xxxXXXxxx

Charles sat behind his desk. There was a mountain of work in front of him, but he had no desire to do any of it.

He leaned his elbows on the small clear spot in front of him and rested his forehead on both hands. "If only you were still with us Wilton," he whispered to himself. "Between you and Devon, you'd have this sewn up in no time. I feel like I'm barely keeping things together."

His phone rang next to him. He pushed the speakerphone button without looking at it. "Yes?"

"Good afternoon, Charles," K.I.T.T said formally.

"Good afternoon, KITT. Did your game end early?"

"No we're still playing. There's just something bothering me, and I was hoping you could help."

Charles looked up. "If I can be helpful to someone right now, then I'll jump on that opportunity."

"After my latest altercation with KARR I'm doubting my capabilities. Now that he has my old Camaro shell I no longer have the advantage of superior technology. He has much more practical experience than I do. How can I defeat an A.I that has spent its entire existence on survival?"

Charles nodded. "I can see how you would be concerned, though I'm honestly not sure how I can help."

"You've dealt with KARR in the past. Can you give me some insight as to how he was defeated back then?"

Charles shook his head. "I never dealt with him directly. After I created his A.I, it was the former FLAG that dealt with him. Before and after he went rogue. The only information I have was gotten secondhand."

"Could I ask someone from the former FLAG, then?"

"That's a well that has almost run dry. There are less than a handful of people still left from those days."

"What about my predecessor? The Two Thousand was the one who had the most direct contact with KARR, correct?"

Charles smiled wryly. "That's a mild way of putting it."

"If I could contact him, even remotely, then I could find out what tactics he used to defeat KARR in the past."

Charles shook his head. "There's only one person in the world who knows where Michael Knight and Two Thousand went after the former FLAG closed shop, and he's in no state to divulge that secret."

"Has he passed?"

"He's still alive, in the technical sense."

"What happened to him?"

"He was shot." Charles' shoulders sagged. "By someone he trusted. Once in the heart and once in the head. His family managed to save his life, but he just drifts now. He is no longer aware of his surroundings."

"What is his name?"

Charles gave a small, dismissive wave. "It was changed after the incident, to protect him and his family. Once upon a time he was Devon Miles, Director of FLAG."

"That name is in my files, but there are no references to him after 1990. Was that when he was shot?"

Charles let out a heavy sigh. "Yes it was. His son was twelve years old at the time. He almost watched his father die right in front of him."

"Charles, do you know who Devon Miles' son is?"

"I do indeed, and so do you."

K.I.T.T sounded genuinely surprised. "I do?"

Charles gave the speakerphone a small smile. "There's very little resemblance between them. He takes after his mother. When I look at him I can see that he wants to live up to his father's legacy, but he doesn't want to risk making the same mistakes, either." He put his arms down on the desk and rested his chin on them. "Our Director has no room left in his heart for trust."

"David is Devon's son?"

Charles closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes, he is."

"Then he knows where Devon Miles is located?"

Charles shrugged. "I'm sure he does, but getting the location out of him is probably impossible. He's quite protective of his father." He opened his eyes. "I'm sorry KITT, I wasn't much help to you."

"It's all right Charles. I think I understand the situation a bit better now. No wonder KARR hasn't found what he's been searching for all this time. Everyone he knows is gone, even his enemies."

"Almost makes you feel sorry for him, doesn't it?"

"No."

"Well you have a lot to ponder and I have a lot of work in front of me. We can continue this conversation later on." Charles began shuffling files around on his desk.

"Thank you again, have a good day."

"You too, KITT."