Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 10 – Knight's Valentine
Chapter 2
Kat and Scott sat at the bar. They ordered their drinks from a tired looking man behind the bar. Before Kat even got her drink, K.I.T.T spoke in her ear. “You might want to get out here.” He said. “Some very large men seem to be objecting to my presence. They've brought a sledgehammer.”
Kat looked over at the door. Scott turned his head as well. “What's up?”
“That's what I'm going to find out.” Kat said, standing up. She abandoned her drink and headed for the door.
She exited the bar just as one man was preparing to enter it. Kat looked over at the men by her car. “Excuse me?” She asked, raising her voice. “Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?”
“Is that your car?” The man next to her asked.
Kat folded her arms across her chest. “It is. Has it done something to offend you?” She looked pointedly at the sledgehammer in one of the men's hands.
The shortest of the men stepped forward. He was also the best dressed. “It has offended me by sitting in my spot.” He said.
Kat arched a brow. “What? That's it?”
The man next to her snorted. “Isn't that enough?”
The shorter man scrutinized Kat. “Do you know who I am?”
Kat shook her head. “I don't believe I've had the pleasure.” Her tone was cool.
“I own this bar.” The man said. He gestured to K.I.T.T. “That's my spot.”
“It wasn't marked.” Kat said. She was feeling irritated by the extreme amount of testosterone in the air.
“It doesn't have to be. Everyone knows it's my spot.”
“Obviously not everyone, since I didn't.”
“Look.” The man said patiently. “I need to park my car.” He indicated a black Mercedes at the side of the road. “I would ask you kindly to move your car, but I am not kind, and you would not move it even if I was.”
“Sorry.” Kat said. “But I was here first, and the space was unmarked. I would have moved it for you, if your first reaction to it hadn't been to break out the sledgehammer.”
“If you will not move it, then we will move it for you.” The man warned.
“I'd love to see you try.” Kat said.
The short man looked over at his fellows. The one with the sledgehammer hefted it up and walked over to the Driver's side door. It was somewhat of a tight fit for a man his size, as the car next to K.I.T.T was outside of it's line.
He held the sledgehammer with both hands, one hand right under the sledge, and the other at the end of the handle. He hit the Driver's side window with a short, controlled motion. Kat guessed he had a lot of practice breaking car windows.
It's didn't work, of course. The man frowned. He hit the window again, with more force. Not a scratch appeared on the window.
One of the other men walked up behind him. “Give me that.” He said, annoyed.
He handed the sledgehammer over and slid out from between the two cars. The other man held the hammer with both hands on the end of the handle. He swung back as far as space would allow and hit the window as hard as he could.
The sledge bounced off of KITT's window and into the window of the other car, shattering it. “Hey! That's my car!” One of the bar's patrons shouted, walking past Kat.
Kat looked over at the short man, raising one eyebrow. Kat's eye-cam activated as K.I.T.T scanned the man's face. After a few seconds the name Anthony DiAngelo appeared next to his face.
Meanwhile, DiAngelo was speaking to her. “Okay, so the car is armored. Very funny. What is that? Line-X or something?”
“Or something.” Kat said.
“It doesn't matter, we have other ways of moving vehicles.” DiAngelo turned to his lackeys. “Go get the truck.” Two of the minions left.
Scott appeared behind Kat. He frowned at DiAngelo. DiAngelo on the other hand looked pleased. “Scott, nice to see you're here. Getting ready for tomorrow?”
“I won't be able to race.” Scott said. “Car's busted.”
DiAngelo clicked his tongue. “Gee that's too bad.” He said with exaggerated sympathy. “I have fifty grand riding on you. And you know what happens when you forfeit.”
Scott got a panicky look in his eyes. “I can get her fixed, just give me a few days.” He said.
DiAngelo shook his head. “You know I can't do that, Scott. I have a very tight schedule to maintain. Without it, everything slips into chaos. If you don't race, you forfeit.” Scott paled.
It was at this time that a blue pickup truck arrived. It backed up behind K.I.T.T. One of the men got out. He walked around to the back and readied a winch. “It won't work.” Kat said. “The wheels are locked.”
There was a series of clicks as K.I.T.T locked his wheels. DiAngelo frowned. “It doesn't matter. It'll drag easy enough.”
Kat shrugged. “It's your truck.”
The man hooked the winch's cable to K.I.T.T rear bumper. Then the man in the truck drove forward. The cable went taut and K.I.T.T didn't budge. The man gunned the engine. Still no effect.
“Come on, let's push.” One of the men said. Three men moved around to K.I.T.T's hood and placed their hands on it. “I wouldn't do that.” Kat called to them warningly. “My car doesn't like being touched by strangers.”
A bzzzt! sound rent the air and the three men jumped back. They shook their hands, grimacing in pain.
Then the winch broke off and the truck shot forward. It braked sharply. K.I.T.T hadn't moved an inch. Kat was getting tired of things though.
“I should call the local authorities.” Kat said, annoyed. “You're trying to vandalize my car. You're failing, but you're still terrorizing your patrons.” She indicated Scott and the man who had his side window smashed in.
“That may be a problem.” K.I.T.T said in her ear. “The local Sheriff is Joseph DiAngelo. Anthony's brother.”
Anthony DiAngelo laughed. “Yeah, go ahead. You do that.”
“Looks like we can't rely on the Law for help.” K.I.T.T said.
“Great...” Kat said softly.
“It looks to me like someone who is 'above the Law' should teach these gentlemen a lesson in manners.” K.I.T.T said.
“I was just thinking the same thing.” Kat muttered.
“What was that?” DiAngelo asked.
“I said, would you take a replacement for tomorrow?” Kat asked. “I'll race for Scott.”
DiAngelo snickered. “You? You don't look like a racer.”
“Appearances can be deceiving. Case in point: my car.” Kat said.
“That thing's as heavy as a tank, there's no way it can move fast.” DiAngelo countered.
“Oh, he'll move plenty fast.” Kat said. “I'll even have my mechanic lighten him up a bit, if you're worried.”
DiAngelo gave her an appraising look. “Deal. If you win, I'll let Scott here live.”
“And you'll give him the prize money too, so he can get away from here, and you.” Kat said.
DiAngelo rolled his eyes. “Fine. If you lose, I take your car and kill Scott.”
“Fine.” Kat said without hesitation.
“Tomorrow. High noon.” DiAngelo grinned. Kat could see several gold teeth. He turned to the man who's side window had been busted. “Move your car.”
“Don't bother.” Kat said. “I was just leaving.” She walked over to K.I.T.T.
Scott followed her. “You don't have to do this, Katherine.” He said urgently.
“How did you get into a mess like this anyway?” Kat turned on him, frowning. “Gambling?” She guessed.
Scott shook his head, a little sheepishly. “I am a good racer, I just have horrible luck.” He nodded over to his car.
“Gambling isn't good for the health.” Kat said.
“You're telling me.”
Kat opened the Driver's door. “So, after this, you're calling it quits, right?” She asked.
“If I get out of this alive, I will do anything you ask.” He said.
“Good.” Kat closed the Driver's door and backed out of DiAngelo's spot. She headed back to F.L.A.G.
********
F.L.A.G Underground Facility
When she got back she looked up at David's office a little guiltily. Pierce caught her gaze. “David's not here.” He said.
Kat looked over at him in surprise. “Good.” She said.
Pierce looked curious. “What's up?”
Kat explained the situation to him. His eyebrows shot up. “I'll call Carmen in Building B.” He said, picking up his phone.
When Carmen came into the Main Lab, Kat explained the situation to her. “I'll see what I can do to make him lighter.” She said. “He won't be as durable.” She warned.
“Hopefully that won't matter in a race.” Kat said. “Let me know if you need me for anything,” She headed up the metal staircase.
********
When she entered her quarters, she was surprised to see Kevin in her room. He jumped down from the vent in her ceiling, and he looked as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
“Oh, heya Katherine.” He said, smiling nervously. “I didn't know you shared quarters with Angela.” He looked up at the vent. “She said the heating was out, and I should come take a look. Then she left right before you got here.”
Kat frowned. “Really?” She asked. This sounded like a typical Angela-ploy. Angela loved the cold. She never turned on the heat.
“Well, there's nothing blocking the vent...” Kevin said as he closed the hatch. He was tall enough to reach the ceiling easily. “Let's check the thermostat.” He walked over to Angela's dresser. The thermostat was right above it.
Kat watched him, trying to figure out what Angela's plot was. Was she interested in Kevin? If she was, then she wouldn't have left the room. Besides, Kat suspected that she still had feelings for Sam. Did she think Kat was interested in Kevin?
Kevin frowned at the thermostat. He pulled a screwdriver from his belt and pried off the case. “Is this... gum?” He asked, deeply confused.
Yep. Definitely an Angela-ploy.
Kevin picked at the hardened pink mass with his screwdriver. He hesitated for a second, choosing his words. “Did you see the database site?” He asked. “Someone posted a poll about you on there.”
“I saw it.” Kat kept her voice carefully calm. “You wouldn't happen to know who posted it, would you?” She asked.
Kevin shook his head. “Nah, I'm horrible with computers. John told me about the poll. He said I got a few votes.” He glanced over at Kat.
But Kat wasn't listening to him any longer. She was lost in her own thoughts. She had to find out who posted that damned poll!
Just then, Angela walked in. “There you are!” She said to Kat. “I was just looking for you.” She glanced over at Kevin. “But I can see you're with someone, so... bye!” She hurriedly exited.
Kat lunged for her. Kevin went back to picking gum out of the thermostat.
“Wait a second.” Kat said. She pulled Angela aside just outside of the room. “What are you plotting?” She asked her, keeping her voice low.
Angela's eyes were wide and innocent. Kat's suspicions were instantly confirmed. “What do you mean?”
“You know, Kevin has work to do, why are you playing around?” Kat asked.
Angela grinned. “He likes you.” She whispered. “I heard him talking about you on the phone in the Rec Room.”
“You don't have to do things like this.” Kat said. “I'm not looking for anyone.”
Angela gave her a motherly look. “You could use a date or two, Kat.” She said. “I haven't seen you interested in anyone since you got here. And all the guys are practically falling over themselves for you.”
Kat gave her a skeptical look. “I don't think-”
“Fine, don't believe me. But Kevin does like you, even you have to see that!” Kat shook her head. Angela sighed. “You're hopeless.”
“Angela, did you post a poll on the database site?” Kat asked.
Angela looked genuinely confused. “There's a poll on there? I haven't logged on in ages.”
Kat nodded. “Someone put a poll up about me.”
“Well, Charles and Pierce are the Administrators. Have you asked them?”
“They both deny putting it up.” Kat told her.
Angela thought for a moment. “What about David? He has access to the site as well.”
“I dunno. He doesn't seem like the type for petty jokes. He's more of a 'grand schemes' kind of guy.”
“What's the poll about?”
Kat rolled her eyes. “Who's going to be my Valentine.” She said. “Apparently twenty-eight people have voted so far.”
Angela looked interested. “Who's in the lead?”
“I don't know the results yet.” Kat said. “It closes on the 13th. Angela, can you answer a question for me?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Why are the guys here so insane?” Kat asked. “I never got this kind of attention back at the Base.”
“I'll tell you, but do you really want to know?” Angela asked. Kat nodded. “KITT.” She said simply.
“KITT?” Kat was confused.
“Yep. Take a B girl, put her in a hot car, suddenly she's an A. It simple, really.” Angela said.
“I would consider myself a C+ actually...” Kat murmured. She was absorbing this new information.
Angela frowned. “That's because you never do anything with your hair... But it's true. Every guy on the Team wants to make out with you in KITT's backseat.”
“Angela!” Kat exclaimed. “That's just wrong.”
“I know I am new at the whole 'lip-reading' thing,” K.I.T.T said in her ear. “But did she say what I think she just said?”
“No.” Kat told him firmly. “She said no such thing.”
Angela shrugged. “Fine, don't believe me.” She looked Kat over. “Something's gotten you wound up, what is it?”
Kat sighed heavily, then ran through the events of that afternoon. Instead of sharing Kat's annoyance, Angela's reaction was completely different.
“This is wonderful!” Angela hugged her excitedly. “Oh, my baby is going to be in her first drag race!” She exclaimed cheerfully. She pulled away from Kat and looked up at her. She mimed wiping a tear from her eye. “I've waited so long...”
Kat laughed weakly, she couldn't help it. “Angela, are you all right?”
“Of course not!” Angela frowned. “Do you know you've been driving the world's most powerful car for two months and you have not had one race yet. Not one!” Angela smiled excitedly. “I can't wait to get you dressed.”
“Dressed?” Kat asked. “Do I need to be dressed up for a race?”
“Yes!” Angela said. “There is a protocol for these things. You have to look the part.”
“You've been drinking your special hot chocolate again, haven't you?” Kat asked dryly.
“Please humor me...” Angela begged.
“Angela...” Kat began.
“Please...” Angela looked up at her with wide eyes. Kat sighed in defeat. “Yay!” Angela cheered.
