Los Angeles hummed with the usual nightlife camaraderie from the famed Chinese Theater to the parties on the piers and boardwalks, to the beaches that lined the coast. But even the famed City of Angels had the nefarious dark side as well. Criminals from the mafia, drug dealers, gun runners, bank and jewelry store robbers, murderers, rapists, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. On a spot near the Hollywood sign overlooking the entire cityscape, a dark clothed figure stood overlooking the place they called a temporary home. The outfit with the long biker jacket was black and gold like that of the Knight insignia. Long red hair blew in the breeze, as the hair was lifted by the breeze, the Knight Chess piece emblazoned large on the back of the jacket showed the line of a majestic and honorable clan. It had been thirty-five years since I had been here last. Thirty-five years since we all as young Knights began our training as future Knights and sooner when we had first graced our great uncle's estate and investigative command center. I stood overlooking the city with it's lights, glitter, gold, flash, and flare. Much had changed since we were here as kids, after years of fighting crime all over the world using our special abilities, we were being called back to where it all really began for us. We actually returned here tonight and were, at the moment, running our scanners over the city and her extensions. To me California, especially Los Angeles, had lost my attention.
"MichaelAnne," my four wheeled partner behind me called. "The rest of the team has finished their canvassing of the city and the surrounding areas. What is next on the mission?"
"I am not sure yet, Taric." I replied, not taking my eyes off the city. "All I know is that we were to drop the case we were doing and set up base here in L.A. But I do not know who it was that sent the message to Macc's mainframe. But we need to meet them back at where we parked Macc and get some sleep in our motel rooms before our mysterious caller sends us somewhere else in the meantime."
Someone had used one of Flag's former codes to break into Macc's mainframe and messaged us to meet here, but they did not say who they were, how they got in, or how they knew about us. Oh my name is MichaelAnne McKagan, Call Sign: Knight Thunder. My partner is Taric which is an acronym for Thunderstar Automated Remote Interactive Computer, but I call him Taric. Something was seriously off here, why would we have been called back so soon after starting our Ultimate Crystal Quest? Something seriously felt off about all of this and I was not afraid to mention it. We all returned to the hotel we were staying in until later in the morning when we would make our way to Uncle Wilton's estate. I was half afraid of what we would find in there if anything at all and that was a scary thought.
The next morning right on schedule, MichaelAnne, her siblings, and the rest of the Knights made their way to the Knight Mansion which was once known as the Foundation for Law and Government. They parked behind and alongside each other along the circular driveway in front of the massive building. On the front of the building and all the way around, it was covered with vines and was showing signs of aging.
"I cannot believe how bad Knight Industries let this get run down." I thought. "Uncle Wilton would roll over in his grave."
"There is possibly as much ground to cover inside as well as outside." Randall replied. "I wonder what Uncle Wilton would have thought if he was alive to see this."
"I would say that it is a miracle that it is still standing." he announced. "How long has it been standing empty?"
"As far as anyone knows, since Michael left, the headquarters was moved somewhere else." I said. "It remained so until someone decided to put it up for auction sale. But with some extra help, I managed to out bid those who were trying to get their hands on it. Come on Knights, I am sure there is plenty of clean up work inside the estate."
I unlocked the door and Uncle Wilton's hologram disappeared. We all went inside and scattered to the various rooms pulling drop cloths off of the furniture and opening the windows to let the light in. I went up to the second and third floors opening up, clearing out, and brightening up the rooms as I went along. Finally, I arrived at the master bedroom, the one room that had been closed off and sealed after Uncle Wilton died. I knew what I would find in there because the room had been left untouched since that fateful day all those years ago when I thought I would be saying good-bye to him for the last time. Little did I know that when he "died" his life essence became a part of the Digital Electronic Visual Operating Network, D.E.V.O.N for easier reference, Devon, if one preferred. Later, Devon Miles joined him. My dad and his Knights; before he "died" and resumed his life as Thor Thunderis, made their own tweeks to the system making Devon the heart of the entire what would later become known as TsueiaSafari Universal Enterprises and connecting all of the company networks to them. Nothing went on through the connected ThunderStar companies that escaped Devon's scrutiny. Taking a deep breath I broke the seal on the door and opened it turning on the light as I went. Instantly memories flooded my consciousness taking me back to when I was seven years old and Uncle Wilton was on his last day. While Michael and Devon were away test driving Kitt, my seven year old self slipped into this room unnoticed. I could not help the tears that flowed while watching the life of one of my favorite uncles slip away.
(Flashback) I slipped around to the other side of his bed, climbed up, and snuggled up close to him trying secretly to send my newly discovered healing power through to him. I loved him so much it hurt to know that I was going to lose him. I was startled when I felt his arms envelope me.
"Now Micki, what is this all about?" he asked. "Death and farewells are a part of life. I have been ready to go for a very long time and you are too young in your abilities to survive a full healing."
"But it would not be the same without you." I sobbed. "There is still so much we can learn from you." He gently wiped the tears from my face and smiled.
"Micki, you will learn as you grow." he replied. "You will have Devon, and your parents, and Michael will need you too. When you first went to him and touched his hand as a means to calm his fears and pain, believe it or not, you imprinted on him. You connected with him in a way that no one else has or ever could. You will be each other's strength. You feel it, do you not? You feel his thoughts, emotions, when he is in pain, you will be able to track, find, and connect with him and you will always be able to feel each other no matter how far away that you are apart." He reached under the pillow next to him and handed me a large manilla folder with the words Operation: ThunderStar on the tab. "Inside this folder is my failsafe mechanism for Flag and Knight Industries. In the event that something happens to Devon and or Michael and when the time is right, you will know when you will activate that failsafe. I cannot tell you what will happen, but you will know it when you see it. What is it?"
"Devon and Michael are back from testing Kitt." I replied. "They are heading this way, I am not supposed to be in here but, I wanted to spend the last bit of time with you that I could."
"Hide in the walk-in closet on that side. I will cover for you." Wilton said. "Micki, always remember, your greatest strength lies with you and your siblings together."
"I love you Uncle Wilton." I sobbed hugging him one last time and kissing his cheek before slipping off the bed. I was about to move to the closet but it was locked. As the bedroom door was opening, I dove under the bed with the folder in my hand and scooted over to Uncle Wilton's side of the bed. I saw Michael's boots and Devon's wingtip shoes.
"Oh no, we returned too late." Michael applied.
I felt the sadness suddenly wash over him at the thought of being too late to talk to Uncle Wilton again. "You were almost too late." Wilton supplied. "What is the matter, was the car not fast enough for you Michael?"
"That car is fantastic, It ought to make you another fortune." Michael declared. "Hey, look. I don't even know what to say. You've got to put that machine on the market. It could save thousands of lives. There's never been anything like it."
"Another fortune is not one of my more urgent problems." Wilton said. "And have it taken away from me and kept off the market like my airplane. That car is not yet ready to go public. It has a more immediate mission. I have plans for that car. Plans that should interest you greatly. Think about the opportunity you have. You don't exist. You're legally dead. No one can trace your source of funds or identity. Even your fingerprints have been altered. You set it up when you still had faith that 'one man could make a difference.'I want you to get that spirit back. I want it to be your obsession as it is mine."
"Perhaps I can explain more easily sir." Devon suggested. "It was no coincidence that we happened to be there the night you were shot. You see we were following Tanya Walker, looking to catch her in possession of enough evidence to put her and her friends away for a long time. she took Knight Industries, too, For a couple of million dollars worth of designs. And as smooth an operation as I've ever seen. On top of all that, MichaelAnne alerted us to the danger that you were in."
"Wait, how was she able to alert you to danger I was in before it even happened?" Michael demanded. "So how does that little girl fit into that equation?"
"There is really no way to explain the imprinting connection that happened after she alerted us to the trouble you were about to be in." Devon applied. "We thought they were just dreams she was having that was causing her fear, but she was adamant they were not dreams and they and their outcome scared her so much that she would not relax until we swore that we would be there to help you. And then when we got you here and settled, while you were struggling through your flashbacks, Wilton and I watched as she was drawn to you so much that she glowed gold when she touched your hand, seeming to send her warmth and strength to you. But that was not all, her power radiated from her and encircled you in her aura."
"I thought I was dreaming." Michael admitted. "But she assured me that I was safe and her Uncle Wilton and Devon would protect me just as she would. From then, I could feel her sincerity."
"It is more than that, my boy." Devon continued. "MichaelAnne, through her power, somehow strengthened an empathic connection to you that no matter how far you are from each other you will always be able to sense each other. But she and her siblings possess abilities that only you and their parents would ever truly understand. She has reason to believe that you are one of the legendary Knight Guardians and trainers from the distant past who trained her, her siblings, and other youngsters in that time. But back to the business at hand."
"So that is why I am here. You were going to use me to get them." Michael interjected. "Or that you were considering allowing me to use you and the Knight 2000 to get them as well as get back everything they took."
"This is no time for quibbling." Wilton replied. "Michael, we have a common cause here. To put Tanya and her friends away. Common sense dictates that you and Devon work together on this. But Tanya is only a beginning. There is much more to be done. Much more that you can do for me. You see Michael, I want to live on through you."
"Mr. Knight...I cannot stand here at a time like this and lie to you." Michael appealed. I could feel his heart breaking right along with mine. "I just do not know if… Look, I would like to be able to promise you I will feel like taking on the world some day, but I cannot. I use to have a real life with real friends. Now I still wake up in the middle of the night shaking, remembering that gun in my face and the whole world blowing up."
"Remember that moment, and think of it as your baptism by fire." Wilton replied. "You were spared to lead a great fight. Do not turn away in fear. One man can make a difference. You are going to be that man. Think about it, Michael." Through Michael's eyes I watched as Uncle Wilton lifted his hand to him. He looked from the hand to Uncle Wilton's face and notices there is a small smile on his face. Michael was fighting off emotion as he reached out and took the hand. Under the bed feeling my uncle's life force slipping away, I used a blanket that was there to muffle my heartbreaking sobs while attempting to soothe Michael and Devon's heartbreak. What he said next and last I learned was for me and my siblings just as much for Michael. "This will be done your way all the way. My adventure has ended, and yours has just begun." Uncle Wilton relaxed, his eyes slowly closing out visitors. His smile faded to a look of peace. Through Michael's eyes I could see him looking at Uncle Wilton's hand in his own and then he placed it at Uncle Wilton's side.(End Flashback)