A/N: I am combining Grammarly on Google Docx with Microsoft Word Spell Checker. In this chapter I used Microsoft Review Read Aloud. Hoping to catch more spelling errors and misplaced words. Exp. word and world sometimes get mist.
Chapter 14: Stout Guardian in the Machine
Saturday, November 26, 1983,
?
10:23
While Michael was using K.I.T.T.'s monitor to play Pac-Man, K.I.T.T.'s sensor detected a disabled automobile ahead. Pulling Michael away from his game he relayed this information to him.
Looking up Michael said. "That looks like a damsel in distress."
Michael pulled over and got out of the glossy Black Trans-Am as the women continued to say. "Help." in a defeated tone.
K.I.T.T. kept his scanner peeled for threats as his driver helped the woman with her loose distributor cap. With his external directional mic, he heard the woman offer Michael a drink at her house up the road. Saying. "What if this stupid car breaks down again and you're gone?" He knew Michael could not resist this pretty damsel.
Loud music began playing in the house preventing K.I.T.T. from hearing the woman and Michael's conversation as a box van pulled into the driveway.
A kid in a yellow ball cap, red t-shirt, and blue jeans steps out to look at the glossy Black Trans-Am.
After the kid got back into the box van a strange computer remotely accessed the K2000's systems taking them out of standby. "I beg your pardon." K.I.T.T. announces to the strange computer. A text prompt came through. 'Hello. My name is Randy, I want you, don't resist. It won't do you any good.'
This Randy began to reset systems to override K.I.T.T.'s control over the K2000. After some attempts, Randy was able to gain access to the K2000's controls like doors, hood, driving, etcetera.
Doing some back-and-forth test-driving Randy eagerly said he had full control over the car, but not K.I.T.T.
Randy typed in a forced command code, program sweeper. In the first pass, K.I.T.T. rejected the codes and said. "I am the Knight Industries Two Thousand. Serial number Alpha Delta 227529."
Deep within K.I.T.T.'s Matrix, a security firewall is activated. K.I.T.T. detects the unknown entity and asks. "Who are you?" The entity travels past K.I.T.T.'s consciousness and past his Matrix's firewall. It pushes Randy out of the K2000's systems.
Randy yells. "Hay, what is this?" He typed quickly as one of his monitors changes to a green 1D drawing of a knight in full battle gear holding a Claymore sword with his right hand on the handle and left on the pommel.
The Claymore was pointed down towards the ground and behind the knight was a castle with its gates firmly closed.
"What is that, Randy?" Looking at it he realized that the green lines were 1s and 0s of code. This was a security program he must have inadvertently activated trying to force his way into the Trans-Am's CPU.
"I do not know, but I will beat it." A text box made of green words came up like a speech bubble. 'Holt stranger, state your vindication. Thou shalt perish if not.'
Typing in commands Randy made his own 1D swordsman to strike down the knight. As Swordsman1 swung, a name tag appeared above the knight's helm. 'Stout Guardian'
The Stout Guardian just tiled his Claymore sword slightly. Swordsman1's sword was cut in half, and it fell forward getting destroyed by the Stout Guardian's blade.
The bubble next to the Stout Guardian's head did not change but a small new box of complex code appeared in the sky above the castle.
"What is it doing now, Randy?" Randy ran a sweep over the box of code when one of his other systems that was scanning for the K2000 radio frequency picked up an outgoing long-range Comlink.
"Oh no." Randy typed as fast as he could to stop the Trans-Am from making a communication link. "I am sorry I can not stop it. The Stout Guardian is creating a level 4 encryption communication link with somebody."
"You said you could block its long-range communications, Randy."
"I did not know about this security program."
Saturday, November 26, 1983,
Knight Industries F.L.A.G. Mansion
11:03
Devon was going over the expense and future case reports for F.L.A.G. *Boop Bring Boop* He instantly stopped what he was doing, got out of his chair, and pulled out the book titled Communications over Vast Distances. The book pulls out on a rail he pushes it to the right and flat against the shelf. Placing his full right hand on the cover of the book. "This is Devon Miles."
The drawer below instantly popped open, and he quickly picked up the *Booping* phone with the level 4 light illuminated.
P: "Stout Guardian, thou seeketh the Black Bishop." Devon instantly pulled another dull-looking book from the shelf. This one was the newest code name book. Quickly flipping the pages, he found his phrase to say in return. "Speak thy truth, sir Guardian, for thou art the Black Bishop."
Devon looked at the first page that had the Stout Guardian's I.N.D.E.X. and started to worry. The Stout Guardian was only to contact him if the K.I.T.T.'s Matrix was compromised and if Michael was indisposed or dead.
Before he could scan the page for the correct phrase, the Stout Guardian spoke: "Sir Black Bishop, intruders at the gate. What be thy orders?"
"Which gate, sir Guardian?" replied Devon.
P: "The Black Knight's main gate, sir Black Bishop."
Looking through the page, he found what he wanted. "Thou seeketh the Crusader, sir Guardian."
P: "Thy Crusader, out to save a damsel," Devon sighed and mumbled, "[Of course he is.]"
Saturday, November 26, 1983,
?
11:05
Randy watches as the box of complex code turns into lines to become a 1D drawing of an owl that lands on the Stout Guardian's left shoulder.
The owl's speech bubble was green but its words were yellow. Even worse was that all of the owl's text was encrypted to show. "Hoot Who Who Hoot." The Stout Guardian's prompts were all in old English as he spoke to the owl.
Randy tried everything he could to get rid of the Stout Guardian, the owl, or the Trans-Am's CPU. This was impossible, the Stout Guardian protected the gate, and the gate was heavenly encrypted. He would need to kill the Stout Guardian, then attack the gate, and then after that gain access to the CPU. This would take him hours or days to crack if he had the time.
Randy turned to the woman and shook his head. "I'm sorry Adrianne, I cannot vanquish the Stout Guardian in time."
She was disappointed in Randy. "If we are able to take the car, how long?" Trying not to disappoint her, he said. "Well, five days if I go all day at it, or I could take what we have and try again next time."
"Ok, we will give that a try." Randy looked at the screen just in time to see the words all hackers feared to see appear.
'I concur, sir Black Bishop, we art under siege.' Randy's eyes went wide, and goose bumps went up his arms as the Stout Guardian plunged his Claymore into the digital line-drawn ground. There was a loud *POP* and the smell of burning circuit boards as the Stout Guardian pushed his Claymore deeper into the ground. More *popping*, smoke, and burning computer components filled the box van. Randy jumped out of his seat and began flipping all the power bank breakers off as the computer caught fire.
Adrianne opened the side door of the box van to hear. *Wear* *Clunk* *Hiss* Came from the Trans-Am as its magnetic locks engaged and back pressure locked its doors. Its windows and all lenses turned completely black as Siege Protocol took effect, sealing the car in complete lockdown.
Adrianne knew it was over, there was no way to move the lockdown Trans-Am now. That KNI and HGI will be here soon with an assault team. Running to her car she orders Randy to get in, leaving the box van full of computers and evidence to burn to the ground.
Saturday, November 26, 1983,
?
11:48
Nickey was the first one to arrive at the house in C10-003 to see the K2000 in full lockdown mode. Pulling her newly issued IEP (Impact Energy Pistol) from the lockbox in the armrest of the Chevrolet C10 truck.
Before exiting she did an echo-location pulse and a thermal reading. The biometric scanners were still not working with the Mimetic Mesh Armor, so 003 was not equipped with one.
The only human in the area was somebody sleeping in the house on the couch. Getting out of the truck the music was deafening as she got closer to the front door with her IEP ready with the safety off and set to its lowest 4:1.
Which is 4 bursts per cell before she must eject it from the slide. This version holds 6 cells with one in the chamber which is helpful for the lower setting. At 3:1 or 2:1 she of course gets less shots but more power in each shot.
Walking past the burnt-out van in the driveway she entered the house. Her head started to pound from the noise. With her gun at the ready, she turned the corner to see Michael Knight slumped on the couch in his black jacket, t-shirt pants, and boots.
Seeing no one else she shut off the noise and walked over to Michael to check his pulse. "Mr. Knight wake up." Nickey shook his shoulder, but he did not wake. She went to the kitchen and opened the cabinets looking for a glass. They were all empty and the only glasses were in a box set of newly bought wine glasses.
She did not raise her Comlink to her face just spoke aloud. "Zero3, drive around the property. Look for anything out of place and find out who owns this house."
*Humm* She heard Zero3's engine start and the crunching of her tires heading for the detached garage.
Zero3 follows her driver's orders. It was Nickey who started calling her Zero3 along with the her pronoun. Zero3 did not mind, she thought it was nice to be the only other female program. She did not have, near the capabilities of an AI like A.R.I.A.
She moved her 1981 Night Black Chevrolet C10 frame in front of the closed garage door. Directing her radio frequency wave emitter at the door, she flicked through all 300Mhz to 400Mhz. She picked up the *Bing Bong Bong Bing* of the house's doorbell before she found the correct frequency and the door began to slide up.
Pulling into the garage Zero3 used her sensors and cameras in her frame to do a full 360-degree spherical view around her frame. Seeing something she turned to use the high-definition cameras in her grill to get a better look.
A large wooden property for sale agency board was propped against the wall. The dirt on the two 4x4 post was still wet like the sign had just been pulled out of the ground. Backing out of the garage she moved up the driveway to the front yard facing the road.
Sliding up and folding back her right fog light in her bumper she fired the Silver Spires-shaped shock line into the ground. She sent a pulse through the line doing a ground sonar pulse reading. This shows her fresh footprints and the holes where the property for sale sign was.
Setting up an untraceable level 2 encrypted call, Zero3 called the agency's number on the sign. Getting through she introduced herself as an NSA investigator looking into somebody using houses on the market to avoid the local police from different states.
Zero3 was going over the information when Mr. Knight came running out of the house shouting, "K.I.T.T." He ran up to the Night Black 1982 Trans-Am that was all blacked out, because of it Siege Protocol.
"Talk to me buddy, what happened." He reached the Trans-Am and as he was reaching for the driver's door handle Nickey grabbed his arm stopping him.
"Mr. Knight, wait the K2000 is in lockdown, you need to disable it first." He stops and starts to pace in front of the K2000 mumbling. "[What was it, awww, I can't remember the override.]" He turns to Nickey and asked. "Can you remind me of the override commands?"
Nickey shook her head. "I do not know that Mr. Knight, K.I.T.T. is your partner. I know all Zero3's protocols and overrides."
Zero3 could confirm that Nickey had to know all her command codes to prevent a close call like what happened with 001 and a Knight Industries delivery truck.
13:16
With Nickey and Zero3's help Michael was able to put together what the woman wanted. That the house was just a front, before the Rook backed down the driveway. Devon and April exit the trailer.
They approach Michael and Nickey who are standing next to the Night Black C10 truck with a matching bed topper. April spoke first. "What happened, is K.I.T.T. alright?"
April looked at Michael and then Nickey for an answer. Nickey shrugged her shoulder. "I was told to stay here until Mr. Knight left. He cannot leave since he forgot the lockdown override code."
Devon spoke up as he stopped 10 feet in front of the K2000's Biometric scanner with both his hands facing the scanner. "Sir Guardian of the Black Knight, thou Black Bishop hath arrived, open the gate."
*Hiss* *Thunk* *Click Click* The K2000's windows became transparent, the magnetic door locks disengaged, the back cabin air pressure released and, the electric charge running over the frame shut off.
K.I.T.T. regained access to the K2000 as the Stout Guardian disappeared deep into the layers of K.I.T.T.'s Matrix. He did heed the Stout Guardian's advice and kept his outgoing communications offline, using his speaker and onboard mic only.
Michael spoke into his Comlink. "K.I.T.T. can you hear me, buddy," K.I.T.T.'s voice did not come from the Comlink but from the external speaker on the Trans-Am. "I am here Michael, it's good to have control of my frame again. April my Comlink system was used to hack my K2000 systems."
April spoke up. "Ok, K.I.T.T. I will start working on a new encryption and firewall for your Comlink systems as soon as I get you into the Rook.
Adrianne and Randy watch from the hill across the road 2,500 feet away in their backup box van. Looking through her binoculars she saw Mr. Miles stand in front of the Night Black Trans-Am and it looked to go back to normal. "Randy, can you access the Trans-Am now? Its Lockdown mode just disengaged."
Randy started typing when lines of code began to trace his transceiver signal. "NOPE!" Randy jumps from his chair and yanks out the transceiver module. "Sorry, something tried to backtrace me. The trace originated from that Glossy Black Chevrolet C10."
The *Rumbling* *Roar* of a V8 engine filled the surrounding quiet then the *Vroom* of a downshift as a Dark Burgundy Red Trans-Am shot down the road. Adrianne heard another downshift and the *squeeeek* as the Trans-Am did a controlled 90-degree drift for 600 feet before its engine *Roars* again.
Its slide puts its nose right at the house's driveway as it races down it. Doing weaving fishtails around the KNI trailer, it stopped 5 feet nose to nose with its nearly identical twin.
K.I.T.T. picks up the *Rumbling* and *Squeaking* of rubber on concrete. He did not have time to turn his frame when his older brother K.A.R.R. skidded to a stop 5 feet in front of him.
The amber scanner light of his scanner traced quickly back and forth. K.I.T.T. knew his brother was scanning him for damage. K.A.R.R.'s deep commanding voice came from his external speakers as the Burgundy Red Trans-Am's driver door opened. "What did you do to my little brother Mr. Knight."
Michael raised his hands in a waiting gesture as he said. "I did nothing K.A.R.R. K.I.T.T.'s fine see."
"Then why did his Stout Guardian activate?"
Alex closed the driver's door as April stopped behind him and looked from the Night Black Trans-Am to the Burgundy Red Trans-Am. She spoke in a shocked tone. "You're the Knight Automated Roving Robot, your K.A.R.R., Wilton's first AI housed in the K1000."
Alex walks over to Nickey as K.A.R.R. answers April's questions and Michael answers K.A.R.R.'s interrogation question about what he was doing while K.I.T.T. was being hacked.
Alex could tell Nickey was nervous from her fidgeting hands, breathing, and the sound of her fast-beating heart. "Nickey, what have you found out?"
Taking a calming breath, she spoke in a professional manner to her boss. "This house seems stage. There is only furniture on the main floor. The rest of the house is empty and there are only brand-new set boxes for plates, silverware, and wine glasses. Zero3 found a newly pulled-up property for sale signpost in the garage. She called the agency and found that this house had an open viewing 2 months ago. Nobody else has come to see the property since then."
Nickey was going to continue when her Comlink *Beeps* looking at it she turns and opens the C10's driver door. Leaving the door wide open she hops in and looks at the lower center monitor. "Alex, somebody locked onto Zero3's Comlink system and tried to hack it. Her encryption blocked it and she tried to back trace it but the person hacking pulled the computer's transceiver."
"How does Zero3 know the transceiver was pulled." Nickey turned to the monitor and then back at Alex. "The computer sent her the error before she lost its signal. She was unable to track it."
Alex spoke up over K.A.R.R. and Michael's now heated discussion of responsibility. "K.A.R.R. scan for the nearest cell tower."
"The nearest cell tower is 15.16 miles from here towards the city." Alex spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "That means the hacker is using their own transceiver and based on the burned van they are using a portable system. That means its range can only be a max of 2,600 feet with a clear line of sight. Nickey, can you do an ARK sweep?"
"Yes, Zero3 do an ARK" The Night Black C10's tailgate drops, and the back two armor panels of the bed topper swing open like French doors to fold back into the side of the bed topper. A rail slides out of the bed and angles 90-degrees up. A 2-foot tall 5-inch diameter rocket with a stylers topper and hundreds of embedded cameras in its shaft was pulled up its track.
With a *piss* of high-pressure air the rocket jumped 6 feet into the air before a burst of white flame from its kicker launched it 1,500 feet up, trailing a data cable.
The data cable sent the images back to Zero3 and she saw the box van with a transceiver antenna on its roof, up on the hill across from the front of the driveway.
Sending the information to K.A.R.R. and her monitor for her driver. K.A.R.R. backs away from K.I.T.T. and spins to face the road and the direction of the van.
Alex was behind Nickey looking at the monitor from the open door, then 20 feet away to open the burgundy Red Trans-Am's driver door in 2 seconds. In 5 seconds, K.A.R.R. and his driver Alex were racing up the driveway.
Adrianne face turned chalk white as she threw down her binoculars and jumped in the van's driver seat. "Hang on we are getting out of here now; it's coming for us."
She got 100 feet from the end of the dirt road just before the paved freeway when the Burgundy Red Trans-Am stopped in front of her. A few seconds later the Night Black C10 and Trans-Am pulled up next to it.
Knowing she could not outrun the super vehicles she reached over, flipped a large breaker under the dash, and hit the EMP button.
The Electromagnetic pulse travels 500 feet around the box van. The pulse knocks out K.I.T.T. and K.A.R.R.'s Biometric scanner only, blinding them. It caused Zero3 to shut down and reboot, which took 10 minutes.
In that time Adrianne made it past the vehicle and out of sight. She parked the van and escaped in a plane-looking car, leaving Randy behind.
After the EMP knocked out some systems it took Alex 20 minutes to find the problem and get K.A.R.R. moving again. "I am sorry K.A.R.R. I overlooked a spot missing your EMP shielding from your last repair. I will have Grace and Trix go over the K1200 frame to make it completely EMP-proof."
Friday, December 02, 1983,
F.L.A.G. Mansion
21:15
April was covered from head to toe in a paint suit in the paint room with K.I.T.T. parked in the center. "April, how does this Pyroclastic Lamination adhere to my Molecular Bonded Shell 1000?"
April waved her spray gun across the K2000's Night Black hood, up the passenger side A-pillar, over the t-top, and down the back spoiler. "Oh, it uses an acid etching method to adhere to the MBS1."
"Wait April, did you get approval to do this?" K.I.T.T. asked as he scanned through the documents from this Pyroclastic Lamination application and the three signatures. One from Devon Miles, Jennifer Knight, and April Curtis. K.I.T.T. pulled up the material contract he digitally signed for his Crystil-line windows and lens, which specifically states that any coating needs approval from Grace. That acid-etched stickers like military helicopter tail tags were banned.
*Pop pop* *crackle* *snap snap* The sound like Pop-rocks began at K.I.T.T.'s windshield and small goose bump-looking bubbles spread across where April sprayed the Pyroclastic Lamination coating. The *crackling* and *popping* of glass sounds in the room and K.I.T.T. picks up HNO3 or nitric acid from the chemical reaction with the anti-acid coating that was already applied to his Crystil-line glass.
Pyroclastic Lamination was forcing the acids to stay on the glass as it quickly cured. Like trying to squeeze a drop of water between two hydrophobic surfaces with an iron press. The drop will do whatever it takes to get away from the hydrophobic surfaces. In this case, the acid was bursting through the Pyroclastic Lamination and flying into the air.
When it hit the floor or the K2000's armor it ate right through it. *Booop* *beep beep* *Booop* K.I.T.T. set off the hazardous chemical alarm in the bay and throughout the mansion. "April, get out of the room."
April drops the spray gun, ran out the door and it closed behind her. She looked through the glass as she heard the door lock and seal from K.I.T.T.'s command to the mansion's computer.
K.I.T.T. access the fire suppression system in the paint room. 25 white cover caps in the ceiling blew off from the high-pressure NaHCO3 or sodium bicarbonate foam mix.
NaHCO3 acted as a neutralizer for the HNO3. The room filled with the powdery foam that covers K.I.T.T.
April was typing rapidly at her terminal on the other side of the glass when Michael burst through the side door in a thin gray nightshirt, pajama pants, and barefooted. "What happened? Before April could reply Michael was at the paint room door and trying to open it. The door was still locked, and he reached for the keypad when Devon's voice came from the side door.
"Michael wait. April, tell us what happened?" Michael turned to Devon who was in his normal suit even at this hour of the night.
Looking over the chemical analysis K.I.T.T. sent to her terminal before she spoke up. "The Anti-Acid coating applied to the Crystil-line glass that we are field testing for Hargon Industries based on the contract K.I.T.T. sent to my terminal, along with his chemical analysis. Showing that the Anti-Acid coating separated the acid etch compound in the Pyroclastic Lamination. This chain reaction created HNO3 that spattered, eating through the floor, the MBS1 coating, and K.I.T.T.'s base paint. Once the acid is neutralized and he gives the all-clear I can assess his damage.
22:30
An hour later K.I.T.T. sent the all-clear and April with her two colleagues entered the paint room. The K2000 hood and top of the front bumper were covered in randomly sized blotches of acid-burned Tri-Helical Plasteel.
Taking her pen, she pressed it to one of the larger blotches punching a hole in the Tri-Helical Plasteel. "I'm so sorry K.I.T.T., I will replace all this to make you good as new. I will even apologize to Grace, in order to get you a new windscreen.
"It's all right April, It's just metal and glass, you were not hurt and my Matrix is protected. That is what matters."
Saturday, December 03, 1983,
F.L.A.G. Mansion
9:00
K.I.T.T. was parked in his spot in the garage over the inground lift with April, Michael, and Devon watching the matt gray M291 armored HGI truck. The M291 parked in front of the garage door to the right of K.I.T.T.'s bay.
Grace and her three helpers exit the old retired A.A.R.V. that has been refitted to transport parts for HGI's various vehicle units. Walking up to Devon she shook his hand. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."
"No problem Devon, now tell me what happened so we can prevent it in the future."