KNIGHT LIFE

 

“Knight Rider: A shadowy flight into a dangerous world of a man who does not exist.”

 

 

Part I:

 

            “All right KITT,” Michael Knight whispered to the dashboard of the car.  “Keep your scanners pealed.  We don’t want any visitors tonight.”

            “Of course, Michael.” The surveillance mode tracker moved to its highest point, and the red scanner of the black Trans Am moved quickly back and forth.

            Michael Knight slowly moved out of the car and tried to silently shut the door behind him.  Ever so cautiously did he move across the parking lot to the office building.  Arriving at the door seemed to be easy enough, but the true task would come when it came time to get out. 

            Michael brought his wristwatch to his mouth and pressed the small button on the side with his right thumb.  “How about hitting the off button for the security system and giving this door a little unlocking?”

            “Right away, Michael,” KITT responded through the com-link.  Almost immediately a small click was heard in the door and it was unlocked.  Michael gave his partner a thumb up as he swiftly entered the building.

            The halls were fairly dark, only being lit with a few floodlights scattered ever twenty feet.  However, with KITT’s navigation program, the man was able to easily find his way through the corridors, up the stairs, and two doors down to the room where he needed to be.  Once again the microprocessor used its abilities to open the locked door.

            Michael Knight double-checked the room before completely entering, making sure there wasn’t anyone waiting for him inside.  Once he was satisfied there wasn’t, he jogged to the corner of the room where there was a small wooden cabinet.  However, looks were always deceiving in this business.  The single door was opened to reveal a small safe. 

            “I’ve already opened it for you Michael,” KITT announced through the watch-like communicator. 

            “Good work, pal,” Knight responded as he opened the thick metal door and withdrew the several papers that rested inside.  “Well, well, what have we here?” Michael said to himself, a small smile creeping across his face.  “KITT, I think we found our man.”

            Michael quickly flipped through the documents in the folder he held in his hands.  Usually he would take pictures using either microfilm, or having KITT do so using the small screen on the watch.  But this time none of that would be necessary.  This time, the evidence was going with him.

            “On my way back down,” Michael told KITT as he jumped to his feet and made his way out of the room and down the hall.

            “I’ll be waiting for you,” KITT said.

            Michael jogged down the tiled-floor hall, down the stairs, and towards the front door.  The doors were in sight and soon he could see the view of his black t-top waiting for him in the parking lot. 

            His hand reached out and came in contact with the door, pushing it open just enough so he could slip through.  “We got it KITT!” He said holding up the files and jogging towards his partner.

            However, KITT didn’t respond—he had just picked something up on his scanner.  “Michael!  To your…”

            There was a loud gunshot. 

            “Michael!” KITT yelled as the man broke into a run.  KITT immediately started the engine and opened the driver-side door to hasten their escape.

            Unfortunately, they were facing the rifleman.  Another shot was fired and the folder filled with the papers went flying into the air, and Michael Knight fell to the ground unconscious.

            “Michael!  Michael!” KITT repeated over and over, but there was no response.  KITT began to worry as he contacted the local police and asked for immediate medical help.  Once that was done, he turned his attention to locating the assassin, but they were already out of range.

            Now KITT was left alone with the unconscious form of his partner and friend.  Scanning Michael’s vitals showed that he was not dead, but needed help quickly.  He only wished there was some way for him to get him into the vehicle and take him to the hospital himself, but being a car, that was impossible.

 

            It was several hours later before there was any word on Michael Knight’s condition.  Bonnie Barstow, KITT’s primary programmer, walked slowly to the parking lot where KITT was parked and awaited any news. 

            The sensors under the door handle scanned her fingerprints and then unlocked to let her open the door.  She sat down in the passenger seat instead of the drivers, mostly because that was Michael’s appointed place.

            “Bonnie, will he be alright?” KITT asked.

            Bonnie’s eyes rested on the three-columns of red lights above the steering wheel that blinked at different levels every time KITT spoke.  That was their way of “looking at him” when he spoke.

            “He just got out of surgery,” she started and then her mouth formed a smile.  “The doctors say he’ll be just fine, KITT.”

            “I feel terrible, Bonnie,” the computer told her.  “I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on around us.  I was just happy to see those papers in Michael’s hands.”

            “Well, don’t worry,” Bonnie told him resting her hand on the dashboard.  “The police recovered the file and Andy Jacobs will be on his way to prison within the next 48 hours.”

            “That’s good news.  At least Michael’s wound wasn’t in vain.”

 

            It was only three days before Michael Knight emerged from the hospital.  Devon Miles, the senior director of the Foundation for Law and Government, which Michael worked for, contacted the hospital and notified them that Mr. Knight’s request for a visiting nurse was in order.

            Both Devon and Bonnie, along with KITT, met Michael at the hospital and he was wheeled out in the wheelchair to the entrance where KITT waited patiently, the driver’s door open. 

            “Its good to have you back in the saddle, Michael,” KITT said with contentment in his voice.  “How are you feeling?”

            “I’ll be fine as soon as I eat some real food, buddy,” he said letting the auto door close.  KITT started the car and remained in Auto Cruise, seeing that Michael’s right arm was being held in a sling, so he was in no condition to drive himself.  Bonnie and Devon, as usual, followed in the FLAG limousine.

            “Welcome home, Michael,” KITT said as they rolled into the long driveway of the Knight Mansion. 

            “Thank God, KITT.  Thank God.”

 

            Michael spent the next month recovering from his bullet wound.  And during that time he had to convince KITT that there was nothing he could have done to stop it, but after a week, KITT stopped blaming himself.

            But now a new subject was being raised.  Something that KITT would not be able to stop blaming himself for.

            “Michael, that’s ridiculous!” Devon exclaimed, his hands spread out on his desk as he began to rise out of his chair. 

            “But why?  After all that’s happened,” Bonnie said unfolding her arms that were crossed over her chest.

            “Look, I just think its time for me to move on,” Michael said in a semi-demanding, yet calm voice.  “This isn’t the first time I’ve been shot and almost killed.”

            “Michael, if you want a vacation, then you can have one,” Devon argued.  “But to leave the Foundation all together…”

            “Devon, I’ve been here for the past nine years.  Now its nothing against you guys; you’re the only ones I’ve got in this world,” he reminded them, “but after what happened, it made me realize that I’m not immortal and I need to give this life a rest.”

            Devon sighed and sank back down into his seat, leaning over the desk and folding his hands.  “There’s nothing we can do to persuade you, is there?”

            “Not this time, Devon.”

            Bonnie walked over to the window where she could see the black Trans Am parked in the circular driveway.  “What about KITT?”

            “I’ll just tell him,” Michael said.  “He’ll understand.”

            “You think so?” Bonnie said sarcastically.  “Michael, he’ll think that it’s his fault that you’re leaving.  What will happen to him once you leave?  There’s no one else that would be suited to replace you!”

            “Bonnie, you know that our jobs here aren’t as important as they used to be.  That was the first case we did in months.  The Foundation is expanding and our little investigations just aren’t good enough anymore.  You know that as well as we all do.”  Michael looked her directly in the eyes, giving her a serious stare.  Bonnie only turned away to hide her emotions.

            “Alright, Michael.  We’ll arrange your leave,” Devon said looking to the side of the desk.

            “Devon,” he paused.  “I’m sorry.”

            “So am I.”

            After the discussion, Michael went down the main stairs and out the front doors.  Once he reached the car, opened the door and sat down on the beige-upholstered seat. 

            “Is something wrong, Michael?” KITT asked innocently. 

            “Well, pal, I’ve come to a conclusion,” Michael said pressing the tips of his fingers of one hand against the other. 

            “And what would that be?” KITT asked, almost afraid of the answer.

            “I think its time that I moved on,” Michael said, trying his best to sound cheerful, although he failed miserably.

            “You mean depart?  Leave the Foundation?” KITT asked alarmed.  “But Michael, we’re partners…”

            “I know, KITT, but we just don’t have it like we used too.  When was the last time we had a reason to turbo boost, or to use super pursuit mode?”

            “Almost a year ago, if I recall,” came the answer.

            “And how long ago was the case before this past one?”

            “Nearly four and a half months.  But I fail to see your point, Michael,” KITT said.

            Michael let out a heavy sigh.  He knew he couldn’t tell his friend that they weren’t as important as they used to be; it’d break his microchip heart.  “KITT, I’m getting too old for this kind of stuff.  I was beginning to forget that I’m not immortal, and that I haven’t had the chance to live the life of a normal man.”  He paused, hoping KITT would say something, but alas the voice column remained blank.

            “I just think its time for me to retire, buddy.  Nothing against you, but I can’t do this forever.”

            “I understand, Michael,” KITT assured him, but Michael knew better than to believe him.

            “You know I’ll miss you,” Michael said, trying to boost his friend’s spirits back up.

            “I’ll go with you,” KITT suggested.

            “You can’t, pal,” Michael said and then explained, “You belong to the Foundation, not me.  Because of that, you’re stuck here.”

            “Sometimes I don’t like being a computer,” KITT said quietly.

            “But you’re the best computer in the entire world.  Heck, KITT you’re not just a computer, you’re the best person to ever exist.  I wouldn’t trade you in for a different model in a hundred years.”

            “Thank you Michael.”  There was silence for the longest while.  But KITT was still thinking about what Michael had said.  “Michael,” he started.

            “Yeah KITT?”

            “If…if I weren’t a computer, would I be my own proprietor?”

            “Sure.”

            The conversation didn’t go much farther after that.  KITT was silent most of the time and Michael’s stomach was growling for food.  He left the car to think alone on the driveway with no way out.

 

            Michael only stayed another week or so at the mansion.  That gave him enough time to find a decent, fully furnished condo on the shore—one of his favorite places.  Once he was packed and the papers were signed, he was ready to go.

            “The best of luck to you, Michael,” Devon said shaking the younger man’s hand.  “Keep in touch.”

            “I will.” He turned to Bonnie who was finding it difficult to say good-bye to the man she grew to respect since they first met.

            “Take care of yourself,” she said.

            “You too,” was the response and he pulled her into a hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

            Next in line was the person it would be the most difficult to say avoir to.  Michael looked over the front end of the black t-top, watching its scanner move back and forth rather slowly.  He had to admit, he and KITT didn’t get off the best of starts when he was transformed from Michael Long to Michael Knight.  The idea of having a talking car with immense capabilities was mind boggling at first, and he didn’t like to have someone constantly offering suggestions like KITT did at first.

            But the relationship grew from not only a partnership but to a deep and meaningful friendship.  In the past nine years they had been through more than ten people would have gone through in a lifetime.  And through those times they grew to respect, love, and honor the other. 

            “I guess this is farewell,” KITT said.

            “I’ll visit.”

            “It’s a shame we can’t shake hands on that,” KITT joked, causing a smile to spread on Michael’s face. 

            “You take care of yourself.  Don’t go getting into trouble,” Michael told the car.

            “You need not tell me that Michael.  You know I’m always on my best behavior.”  KITT’s scanner moved quicker now.  “Good-bye, Michael.  It’s been a great nine years.”

            “The feeling’s mutual, pal.”  Michael gave one last pat on the hood, feeling the smoothness of the black paint under his palm.  Then he moved over towards the taxi that waited for him to climb into the backseat.

            He shut the door behind him and rolled down the window.  “Bye.”

            Devon waved and Bonnie reiterated her previous sentence.  KITT was the only one that remained still and quiet.

            The taxi began to pull away, and as Michael took in the scene of his friends, he couldn’t help but let his mind remember the great times they had traveling across the country in the semi, sharing the holidays with them, and most of all the adventures he and KITT had. 

            For the entire way towards his new home he had his eyes closed, letting his mind relive those moments of speed in the car, the turbo boosts over trucks and fences, the conversations during road trips, and most of all, the best friend he’s ever had.

 

ßßß

 

            Three months had passed and spring blossomed through the country.  The time went on slowly since Michael Knight left the Foundation for Law and Government.  Devon remained busy with his work and spent a great deal of time in various meetings across the country.  Bonnie had found another job working in a mainframe facility and was seen less and less at the Foundation, which was now only a part-time job.  And when it came to KITT, the car was parked in a side garage, not having been out in days.

            Although computers aren’t supposed to feel human-like emotions, KITT felt more than just depressed.  He felt useless.  He had overcome his original programming years ago and Michael would always say he was a human under the hood of a flashy car.  But even now KITT didn’t feel like that flashy car.  Bonnie would visit, but even that wasn’t as much as it had been, and Devon rarely left the house for matters other than going to the airport.

            During this time of loneliness, KITT thought over and over again what it would be like to do what he pleased, to be able to come and go and enjoy the world he was missing while being parked inside of a garage.  He would even let himself sit in the cargo bay of a plane, and he hated to fly.

            One day, however, when Bonnie took a seat behind the wheel, KITT asked her something that she never would have considered to come out of his voice column. 

            “Bonnie, I’ve been doing a great deal of thinking,” he told her.

            “About what, KITT?” Bonnie asked interested.

            “Would I be able to free myself from this car and live a life as a human?”

            Bonnie was not only silent from shock, but also for a lack of an answer.  “What do you mean KITT?”

            “Only that I’m tired of being in this garage day in and day out.  I want to see Michael again.  I want to be able to go wherever I want to,” he said, his voice seeming to show that he was getting more excited with the thought.

            “Well, I’ll ask Devon if you could go down to the shore and visit Michael if you’d like.  I’ll see if I can get the day off from work and go with you,” she suggested.

            “You don’t understand,” KITT said, the excitement disappearing from his voice.  “I don’t want to be a car.  I want to be like you and Devon and Michael.  I want to be human.”

            Bonnie let out a quick and soft laugh.  “KITT, that’s impossible.  Building a robotic body that would function properly is out of the question.  And there’s no other way.  Why do you ask of something you already know the answer to?”

            “Because I’m useless now.  I heard Devon’s phone call to the board members last week.  I don’t want to be living from a wooden box filled with mothballs for the next twenty years until someone happens to come across the crate and wants to know what’s in it.”

            Bonnie knew exactly what he talked of.  She had an argument with Devon about this topic after that phone call.  The board had taken KITT into consideration, but found no need to keep him functioning.  They had put the matter before Devon, who was reluctant to agree that KITT should be put into retirement until he was needed.  Bonnie had told him that it would be like homicide to do such a thing to the car, who was a part of their little family.

            “I talked to Devon about that and he said he wasn’t going to go through with it,” Bonnie tried to reassure the car.

            “Yes Bonnie, of course.”  After that, KITT had nothing more to say and Bonnie left.

            Yet the topic came up on the next visit.  It seemed that KITT’s mind was set on becoming human.  He had done a great deal of research on scientists and doctors that might be able to perform such a task.  Not only that, but he had found that a Dr. Larson in upper state California had preformed a surgical procedure that included using microchips to help a simple part of the brain of a one of his patients function.

            “He was very successful with the operation, and he said he would be up for an even greater challenge to help the life of another.  I’ll read you the article, if you’d like,” KITT said, the article along with a picture of this doctor showing up on his small monitor that extended from the dashboard to the right of the driver’s seat.

            “KITT,” Bonnie started. 

            “I know Bonnie,” he said sadly.  “Its not possible.”

            Bonnie sighed and looked at the voice column while biting her lower lip.  “Look, I’ll cross it by Devon and see what he thinks.  But don’t get your hopes up.”

            “I’d appreciate that Bonnie, thank you.”

 

            “He wants to what?” Devon asked astounded.

            “He wants to be a human.  Devon, he’s in denial and in deep depression.  Ever since Michael left he’s thought of nothing else,” she tried to explain.

            “But the money the research alone would cost.  We don’t even know if something like this is even possible,” Devon said.  His hands were folded rather tightly on top of the desk.  He could feel the pressure begin to mount on his shoulders with Bonnie’s every word.

            “Well, KITT has it in his mind that it is.  He wants us to contact a Dr. Larson who did some surgery involving microchips in the brain.  What else is there to do?”

            Devon let out a deep sigh and got up from his leather chair and walked over towards a window. 

            “Devon, it will shatter him if we say no,” Bonnie pointed out.

            Devon held his hand to his brow, rubbing his fingers over his forehead to relieve the growing headache.  Finally after a long moment of silence, he turned around.  “Find Dr. Larson’s phone number and ask him if he could meet with us.”

            Bonnie smiled, happy to hear that Devon Miles was willing to give KITT a chance.