Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 11 – Turnabout
Chapter 4
F.L.A.G Underground Facility
David sat behind his desk, typing at his laptop. He was putting together the clues he had gathered so far on the identity of F.L.A.G's traitor.
It had to be more than just Samuel Long. Samuel could indeed have given K.A.R.R information on K.I.T.T's weaknesses. The fire, the electricity. That information he could have provided.
But how had Samuel been captured in the first place? How was it that K.A.R.R knew when Katherine went to take her tests?
There was no doubt in David's mind. Someone currently inside of F.L.A.G, inside of this base, was giving K.A.R.R information.
The idea of a traitor burned him to his very core. He had hand picked every single member of his Team, done exhaustive research into their backgrounds, discovered every secret of their lives. Or so he had thought.
He stopped typing and leaned back in his chair. He stared at the ceiling broodingly.
Someone had outwitted him. Someone was running around under his very nose. And not only that, they were hurting his Team. The employees that it was his job to manage and look after. Three times one of his employees had nearly been killed, because of KARR. Because of a traitor.
His hands gripped the leather arms of his chair tightly. After a few seconds, he forced himself to relax. He exhaled calmly and shut his eyes. “I'm going to find you.” He said softly. “Hide while you can, you can't escape. You have to stay here, because a sudden absence will give you away. But you'll make a mistake eventually. And I give no mercy to traitors...”
There was a soft tap on his office door. He opened his eyes and straightened up in his chair. “Enter.”
The door opened and Alex peered into the room. “Dad, I'm hungry.” He said, a little pleadingly.
“I had Angela make you lunch.” David said. His eyes were on his laptop screen, going over the information he had already put down.
“That was hours ago.” Alex frowned.
David looked over at the clock on the wall. It was approaching six. “All right, let's go.” He resigned himself. He stood up and walked over to the door.
Alex was relieved. “Thanks, Dad.”
David led his son to the Kitchen. Carmen was there already, standing in front of the stove. She smiled at Alex. “Hey Alex, hungry?”
“Starving.” Alex said at once. He peered at the stove. “Are you making empanadas?” He asked hopefully.
“Sure am.” Carmen said. “Rice too. Take a seat.” She nodded to one of the tables.
Alex sat down obediently. He watched Carmen expectantly.
David walked over to the counter. He opened up a cabinet and began pulling out plates. “Don't worry about that, I got it.” Carmen said while she cooked.
David turned to her. He gave her a long look.
“Go sit down.” Carmen told him. She still wasn't looking at him. “Stop staring at me like that, why is it everyone is so frickin' shocked whenever I do something nice?” She muttered irritably.
“It's such a rare occurrence.” David said, unfazed. “Maybe you are feeling sentimental.”
Carmen snorted lightly as she loaded up two plates with food. “You wish.” She said. She carried the plates over to Alex's table. She set one down in front of Alex, who dug in immediately. “Careful, hot.” She scolded him as she set down the other plate.
Alex looked up at her, but didn't stop eating. She frowned at him. Then she looked over at David. “I'm heading back to Building B.” She told him briskly. “I still have a lot of work ahead of me if I want to get KITT's new engine working.”
“Carry on.” David said.
Carmen nodded and walked quickly to the door. “Thank you!” Alex called after her, around a mouthful of food. She waved bye on her way out the door.
David sat down across from Alex. He pulled the second plate over in front of him and picked up a fork.
Alex slowed down to a more human pace. As he ate, he glanced at his father. Neither of them spoke.
It was Alex who broke the silence. “I don't think Carmen likes you anymore.” He remarked.
“I doubt she ever liked me.” David said. “I'm not a likable person.”
Alex took in his father's expression. It was vacant, like he wasn't really there. He was preoccupied with something else. “There's something wrong.”
David looked down at the food in front of him. “It's not bad.” He judged.
“Not the food.” Alex said. “Something is bothering you.”
“How do you know that?” David asked, looking over at his son.
“It's written on your face.” Alex said. “Your brain is miles away. What's wrong?”
David shook his head. “It's not something you would understand.” He said. “Work stuff.”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “You always underestimate me.”
David gave his son a long look. “When did you become so bold?” He asked.
“Mom signed me up for karate.”
David looked interested. “Oh? How is that coming along?”
Alex scowled. “It's too flashy. I'm not learning anything useful. I wanted to take Judo.”
David nodded. “Judo is good for defense.”
Alex pushed his empty plate away. “So, what's wrong?”
“Someone has betrayed me.” David said simply. “Sensitive information has been leaving F.L.A.G, and I do not know who is leaking it or how they are doing it.” Alex's face fell into one of deep concentration. David gave him a searching look. “Well?”
Alex looked back up at him. “Have you checked the phone records?”
David's eyebrow twitched. “This person is cunning, they wouldn't make a classic mistake like that.”
“So, you haven't checked the phone records.” Alex guessed. David frowned at him. Alex shrugged. “Well, how else would someone communicate outside? We're underground.”
A thoughtful look crossed David's face. Then he frowned at Alex again. Alex gave him a wary look. “What?”
David reached across the small table and ruffled the boy's dark hair. “Hey! Quit it!” Alex exclaimed indignantly, raising his hands up to fend off his father. When David stopped Alex frowned at him. “Why did you do that?”
“You should have a little more respect in your voice when you talk to me.” David told him, though his expression wasn't stern. Alex's frown deepened. “When you make a face like that, you look like your grandfather.” David joked.
“Grandad? Really?” Alex said, the frown disappearing. David nodded. Alex leaned forward a little. “What was he like?” His eyes looked to the side. “You know, before...”
“He was a good man.” David said. His eyes focused on something in front of him that only he could see. “He did a lot of good. Years ago. Charles reminds me of him a little. They both believe the world can be saved.”
Alex chewed on his bottom lip. “How did it happen?” He asked. “Mom won't tell me. She told me to ask you.”
David gave his son a long look. “He was shot. He was betrayed by someone he trusted, and they nearly killed him.”
“When is the next time we can visit?” Alex asked.
“How long do you have off from school?”
“I go back on Monday.”
“Maybe this weekend.” David said. “As long as you don't cause any trouble until then.”
Alex nodded quickly. “Deal.”
********
ROOC Warehouse #012, Outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona
Kat clutched Diana tightly around her shoulders. Her eyes were scrunched closed. The rapid fire of K.I.T.T's light machine guns made her ears ring.
K.I.T.T ceased firing. Silence fell over the area. Kat's breathing was frantic, but she didn't dare move.
Diana was in tremendous pain. Something had struck her from behind with an incredible amount of force. She could hardly think.
She struggled feebly against Kat's tightening grip. Kat looked down at her and released her quickly.
Diana lay on the ground, grimacing in pain. She squirmed, her hands clenching into fists repeatedly.
“KITT, watch Diana.” Kat told him. She looked over the wall to where the unknown man had been standing. “He's not shooting anymore, you must have got him.” She stood up.
“Kat, it could be a ploy.” K.I.T.T cautioned her. She walked over to him and opened the passenger's door. She popped open the glove box and pulled out her 9mm. She loaded a clip of wax bullets and put a spare into her jacket pocket.
“KITT, I have to check it out. If we can capture him alive, we can find out about KARR.” Kat began to walk through the wreckage.
K.I.T.T watched her go from the edge of the burned factory. His Driver had given him an order, he had to obey. But he couldn't stand by while she was in danger. If he could get Diana inside of him, then he could follow Kat without breaking orders.
The problem was that Diana was facing away from him, so he could not communicate with her. There was also the fact that she had been shot in the back. The chances that she could move on her own were slim.
Kat could see among the blackened ruins a darker figure lying on the ground. She kept her gun trained on it and jogged lightly over.
K.I.T.T ran a medical scan on Diana. She had taken a bullet to her spine, but there was no blood loss. The bullet had gone through the large plastic coat and her jacket, but had stopped at her shirt.
Diana has been wearing Kat's shirt this whole time. The force of the shot had still knocked her down, but it hadn't penetrated her skin. But, Pierce had only made one shirt, which of course meant that right now Kat was not wearing it.
Kat stared down at the figure lying at her feet in disbelief. The sunglasses had fallen off and we lying next to him. There was a large bruise developing on the right side of his forehead. “This isn't him.” Kat said. “KITT, this isn't the unknown man.”
K.I.T.T connected to Kat's eye cam. “I can see him now.” K.I.T.T said. “It's the Security Guard from the gate.”
“Why the hell is he dressed up like the unknown man?” Kat asked. She was feeling angry now. Just how many games was K.A.R.R going to play?
“Kat, you must get back here. This is a very dangerous situation.”
Kat ignored his concerns. “How is it that you can see him now?” She asked.
“I do not know, though his image is not entirely clear. There is a faint distortion to his right.”
Kat bent down and picked up the sunglasses. “Can you see these?”
“I can see nothing. Your hands are distorted now. I can still pick you up on my sensors though.”
Kat turned the sunglasses over in her hands. A wax bullet had struck it, fracturing one lens. “We should get these back to Pierce.” She put them in her coat pocket and straightened up. She started to turn back to K.I.T.T, but froze halfway.
The unknown man stood ten yards away from her, gun raised. There was no question this time, she could see him clearly. He was wearing sunglasses as well. Which probably meant that K.I.T.T couldn't see him.
“KITT, he's here.” Kat felt her throat tighten with fear. She quickly raised her own gun up.
They both stood, facing each other, ten yards apart. The unknown man fired.
