A Knight with the Viper
Chapter 3

 
	The full moon shone brightly. It was more than enough light to 
illuminate the abandoned warehouse. The old storage facility had not been used 
in nearly ten years. It looked like something out of a cheap horror film. Even 
the eerie light coming from the back window seemed appropriate. The small 
computer terminal barely lit the room. On the nearby wall, a large city map had 
been scribbled on. The lone figure loomed over the computer. He had accessed 
Security systems and building schematics. Trying to determine whom his next prey 
would be. What strike would have the greatest reward, yet have the right element 
of danger he craved. The jewelry store had been too easy. But the strange silver 
car with its amazing weaponry had made it more interesting. The cellular phone 
rang.
	"Yes? ......... That's right. ....... I know those components are hard 
to come by. 
No I don't want the latest items. I don't have the time to make changes. ..... I 
can pay. ....... Very well." He hung up. To the side of him, a dark shape sat 
motionless. Except for the red lights that ran back and forth.
	"Master Knight," KARR said, "I have found the weaknesses in the 
structure that you wish to strike next."
	"Very good," Garth Knight said, "Have you found anything on the police 
frequencies about us?"
	"Yes sir. There is an APB for a car resembling me."
	"Resembling? Put it on my terminal."
	A few seconds later, a text version of the police broadcasts appeared on 
the screen. The report gave a description of the suspect. How could they know  
what he looked like? No one could have seen through the tinted windows. The 
description wasn't quite right. His moustache was not mentioned. Garth's eyes 
widened. Could it be? The car's description. Red lights in front piece. Black 
Trans Am? It had to be him.  Garth's fists tightened. He had hoped not to have 
to deal with them so soon. 
	"What is the status of your weapons?"
	The car ran a quick diagnostic. "They are non-functional. I still 
require some parts, but it will take many weeks for them to be delivered."
	"There is no time. We must speed up the timetable. Find the necessary 
parts. We will obtain them another way."
	"Yes sir." 


	The semi rocked back and forth as it drove down the highway. Dr. Bonnie 
Barstow was connecting the final pieces of KITT's new laser pack. At least this 
one is getting put in KITT before anyone can steal it she thought to herself as 
she connected the last wire that would give the laser power. 
	"Okay KITT," she finally said, "try powering up the pack."
	No sooner had she said that, there was large pop and sparks flew from 
KITT's engine. 
	"Damn it!" Bonnie slammed her fist on the wall of the semi. Devon and 
Michael came running in from the front.
	"What happened?" Devon asked, "Are you all right?"
	"Something's wrong with the laser pack," she said, disgusted, "Are you 
okay KITT?"
	"It would appear the laser pack requires more power than my systems can 
provide," KITT replied, "None of my systems are damaged." 
	Bonnie pulled up the schematics for the laser pack on her computer. 
	"I think I can turn it down a bit. That'll reduce its effectiveness but 
I don't see any other way."
	"Perhaps we can increase the power flow to the laser by channeling extra 
energy from some of my other systems," KITT offered. 
	"No way KITT," Bonnie said," We'll want all your systems at 100 percent 
for your confrontation with KARR."
	"But we still haven't found any evidence of KARR's involvement," Michael 
said, "That silver car I saw today could be the car we're looking for."
	"Bonnie," Devon said, "what did you come up with on the woman Michael 
and KITT saw?"
	 Bonnie punched a few more commands. A picture and police record came 
up. 
	"Detective Cameron Westlake, Metro Police Force. She's got one hell of a 
service record. You think she's crooked?"
	"Possibly," Michael said, "Could you get anything on the driver?"
	"KITT's video couldn't see him."
	"Michael," Devon said, "In the morning I want you and KITT to try and 
flush out that silver car. Try to identify the driver. And it might be a good 
idea to avoid contact with the local authorities." 
	Michael turned to his partner, "KITT, monitor the police frequencies. 
See if we're being looked for."
	"Of course, Michael."


	The sun was just starting to rise. There was a chill in the air. Garth 
sat in his ultimate weapon. KARR was scanning the building in front of them. The 
components that were needed to complete KARR's weapons were inside. 
	"What have you found?" Garth asked his loyal servant.
	"I have determined our point of entry," KARR replied, "there is a single 
security guard on duty."
	On KARR's screen was the computer-generated image of the building's 
interior. It showed the point of impact KARR had found and how the boxes were 
arranged. The location of the guard was also shown. 
	"Let's go," Garth said. He turned the ignition. The turbine engine came 
to life. Garth accelerated towards the building's wall. Seconds later, the 
Knight Automated Roving Robot smashed through the concrete wall as if were 
shaving cream. 
	

	The security guard awoke from his little nap and fell out of his chair. 
He stood up, put his hat back on and ran towards the storeroom. He looked 
through the door. There was a tall man loading boxes into the back of his car. 
He noted the wall. How the hell did that happen? The guard hadn't heard any 
explosion. The thief was alone. This would be an easy bust. 
"FREEZE!" The guard came in pointing his gun at Garth. "Don't move."
	Garth just stared at the guard. 
	"Get on the floor. GET ON THE DAMN FLOOR!"
	"Eliminate him, KARR."
	The guard looked around. "Who the hell you talking to?"
	The whine of turbines came from the car. The guard turned his gun on the 
car. He immediately realized that no one was in it. The car moved forward at the 
guard. The guard fired. The bullets bounced off the windshield. KARR hit the 
guard and pushed him into a wall. The guard's face turned blue and then he 
slumped over KARR's hood. KARR backed away from the victim. His lifeless body 
fell to the floor. 
	"The problem has been rectified," KARR said. 
	"Good. Let's finish and get out." 


	"Cole," Allie yelled across the room.
	Cole, Westlake and Frankie hurried over to Allie.
	"What's up?" Cole asked.
	"There's a break in at an electronics warehouse at the far end of town."
	"Any idea who?"
	"No. There's just the silent alarm."
	Cole turned to Westlake, "Let's go."
	The two got into the Viper and sped off down one of the tunnels. Cole 
pressed the hidden button and the car morphed into the Defender.


	"Michael, I'm picking up something on the police frequencies," KITT 
said.
	"What is it pal?"
	"There's a silent alarm going off at an electronics warehouse not too 
far from here."
	"That's got to be KARR, Michael," Devon said.
	"We're on our way!" Michael jumped into KITT. The semi's door lowered 
and Michael backed out onto the street. The Knight 2000 spun to face the 
opposite direction and sped off.


	Garth was loading the last of the boxes he needed for KARR. He closed 
the hatchback of the Camaro. 
	"Sir," KARR said, "the police are approaching."
	"And as usual they are too late." Garth sat down and drove KARR back out 
the hole in the wall. As he turned down the road, KARR warned him of the recent 
arrival to the scene.
	"There is someone approaching at a high rate of speed."
	Garth looked in the mirror. He immediately recognized the black form of 
the Knight Industries 2000. It was approaching rapidly. Garth said nothing. He 
just concentrated on his escape.


	"Michael, there's a black car leaving the building."
	Michael looked ahead and saw the car accelerating down the road.
	"Give me a scan. Is it KARR?"
	KITT quickly scanned for the distinctive electronic signature of KARR's 
CPU.
	"It's KARR, Michael"
	"Let's get him!" 
	Michael reached to the right and pressed the button marked "PURSUIT". 
The sound of KITT's motor changed to one of serious high performance. The chase 
was on. 
	But the Knight 2000 was not the only vehicle with such a feature. Garth 
grinned as he pressed a similar button on KARR's dashboard. The turbine's in 
KARR's motor now operated at their peak. The boxes in the back. Would they weigh 
down KARR? The screen showed a computer image of the chase. KITT was closing in 
but not very quickly. There was still a chance to escape. 

	
	The Defender was speeding towards the scene. The weapons were ready and 
at their peak efficiency. Two cars came speeding from the other direction. 
	"Cole, look!" Westlake pointed at the cars.
	"I see 'em. Hang on!"
	Cole drove the Defender across the median and arrived at the other side 
just as the two black cars passed them. The chase was on!
	Cole noticed that the cars were trying to push each other off the road. 
It was obvious that the Camaro's driver was more aggressive. 
	"Okay. Let's try the new pulse guns," Cole said.
	"Charging now," Westlake replied, "Which one do we take out first?"
	"Whichever one we hit first."
	The screen showed the gun was ready. Cole fired.


	"What the hell was that?!" Michael said as the pulse flew past KITT.
	"Unknown. It appeared to be some kind of artificial ball lightning. It 
came from the silver car."
	"Great. So KARR has a partner this time?"
	"It would appear so," KITT said, "How do we handle this?"
	"First we get out alive."


	"It is that silver car again Master Knight," KARR said.
	"It would appear the Foundation has expanded some since my last 
encounter with them," Garth said, "Divert more energy to your drive system."
	"Yes sir."


	"We're ready with another pulse," Westlake informed her partner.
	"Here goes." Cole pressed the button. This time the charge hit squarely 
on the rear of the Trans Am.


	Lights flickered and warning alarms blared. 
	"Why are we slowing down?" Michael asked.
	"The electric charge is disrupting my power supply."
	"Can we compensate?"
	"One moment, Michael."
	"We don't have a moment!"

	
Garth watched the events taking place and was puzzled.
"Sir," KARR said, "the silver car has deliberately fired on the Knight 2000."
"Interesting," Garth said, "Whoever's in that car thinks we are working 
together." He laughed. "We'll let my 'brother' deal with them."


"All right!" Frankie said while watching the screen at Viper base," We got one."
	Allie wasn't so certain, "I don't know. He's not stopping."
	Cole and Westlake watched the Trans Am. Would it stop?


	"How 'bout it KITT?"
	Just as Michael finished his sentence, power came back.
	"Good job buddy. Now let's take care of our friends and then deal with 
KARR."


	"Damn it!" The Viper team said almost in unison. As Cole was getting 
ready for another charge, he noticed a black substance coming from the back of 
the Trans Am.
	"Oh Sh...,"
	The Defender hit the oil slick. Cole could not keep it on the road and 
they spun into the shoulder.
	"You okay?" he asked Westlake.
	"Yeah."
	Cole was mad now. He drove back onto the road and resumed the chase.


	Michael saw the silver car spin out of control. 
	"Nothing like a classic oil slick, eh, KITT? Now let's get KARR before 
that car catches up again."
	Michael floored the accelerator. KARR had pulled ahead a bit but that 
wasn't going to help him.


	"Sir," KARR began, "There is a construction site ahead of us."
	On the screen was the construction KARR had mentioned. There was a 
flatbed truck with concrete pipes on it. A crane was unloading the pipes.
	"How convenient," Garth said.
	Garth continued his acceleration. Straight for his new target. At the 
last possible moment, Garth hit the button marked "Turbo Boost". KARR leaped 
into the air. He was high enough to clear the flatbed, but crashed right through 
the concrete pipes. 
	The site of a flying Camaro startled the crane operator. He hit a lever 
that sent the crane crashing down upon the truck and blocking the street. 
Workers rushed over to their friends to make sure no one was hurt. Some had 
already began to pick up the concrete pieces that now littered the road.


	"Michael!" KITT said.
	"I see it. Are we clear to turbo?"
	"There are too many workers. The risk factor is too great."
	Michael hit the brake and turned the wheel. KITTT came to a screeching 
halt just inches from the truck. Michael got out of the car and looked over the 
truck. He could see KARR just going out of site. At the exact same moment, the 
mysterious silver car pulled up and screeched to a halt. Michael turned just as 
two people, a man and a woman, got out of the car, guns drawn. The woman had a 
badge.
	"FREEZE! Metro Police. Put your hands on that car!"
	Michael had no choice but to obey. He placed his hands on the roof and 
didn't say a word as the man searched him. He looked over the truck again. KARR 
was gone. 
	"Next time," He thought to himself.


To be Continued...