Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 3 – The Knight Before Christmas
Chapter 3
“Por amor de dios!” Carmen exclaimed when she saw K.I.T.T. “KITT, what happened to you?”
“Missile.” K.I.T.T answered.
“Several.” Kat corrected, not looking up from her reading.
Carmen looked back and forth between them, her hands on her hips. “Okay, bath, now.” She said sternly.
K.I.T.T rolled silently off his circle and through a huge doorway behind Carmen's workstation. Kat looked up from her reading. She couldn't help but smile. “He's just like a little kid.”
Carmen waved her hand. “Nah, he likes it, it's fun. Come and help, you need some cheering up.”
But Kat was already reading again. She shook her head. “No thank you, I really have to learn this-” She was interrupted as Carmen grabbed her by the back of her vest and hauled her out of her seat. The book slipped from her hands and fell onto the desk, snapping shut.
Carmen was a lot stronger than a woman a head and a half shorter than Kat had any right to be. Kat wondered what she was hiding under her coveralls. “When I say you need cheering up, you get cheered up, comprende?”
Kat tried struggling out of Carmen's grasp, but couldn't find a way to do so with dignity. “Uh... si?” She said weakly.
“That's right.” Carmen finally released her, allowing Kat to straighten up to her full height.
They were in a white-tiled room. Two large drains were set into the floor. K.I.T.T stood over them. Various hoses were hung up along one wall. “Huh...” Kat said in bemusement. “I would think that with KITT's budget, you'd have an automatic car wash here.”
“Please!” Carmen shook her head. “This is much more fun. And those automatic washers can never get a car fully clean.” She smiled grimly. “The best things are done by hand.” Kat raised an eyebrow at her.
Carmen unzipped the top half of her coveralls, revealing a black sports bra underneath. She shrugged her arms out of the sleeves and tied them around her waist. She reached up and tightened her ponytail. “Might want to take off that vest, and that special shirt Pierce gave you.” She told Kat.
Kat unzipped her vest. She pulled it off, and her shirt, leaving her dark green tank top. She left her dog tags on and stashed everything out of the way. Then she walked back over to Carmen. “Okay, what do I do?” She asked.
Carmen handed her a hose. “Soap first, of course. Get on the other side, we'll see if we can get this crud off him.”
Kat moved around to K.I.T.T's other side, near the Driver's door. She was amazed by how different Carmen looked under her coveralls. The baggy gray material hadn't given her much shape.
Carmen was extremely fit underneath. Tight, toned muscle stood out under her tanned skin. Her abs were well-defined on her flat stomach. Her breasts were high and firm.
Kat had to admit that she didn't cut so impressive a figure. She was tall, for one thing. That automatically put her on the thin side. She had muscle, but it was a wiry kind of strength. Her skin was a milky white that burned easily. With dark hair and dark eyes she was also the complete opposite of blond, blue-eyed Sam.
Kat wasn't one for self-esteem issues, she was just a pessimist. She knew she had her good points. She just didn't really go on about them much.
Soon, the two of them had K.I.T.T covered with white foam. Then they scrubbed him down. Kat noticed that Carmen was being extremely thorough, making sure that no trace of the soot was left.
Meanwhile, they had gathered a small audience by the door. A few of Carmen's mechanics were loitering, watching the two women work.
One of them was tall, and tanned like Carmen. He had dark eyes that had that smoldering look to them that made women weak. His black hair was chin-length and curly. It always had a wet look to it as well. He wore the standard gray coveralls. A tag on his chest read 'Enrique'.
The small group was growing slightly larger as two of Pierce's technicians joined the mechanics. Kai was one of them. Rei frowned at him from her desk.
They watched as Carmen turned the water hose on Kat, who shrieked indignantly. A full-blown water fight ensued. Enrique turned to Kai. “It's a shame Pierce isn't allowed down here.” He grinned, showing off a set of brilliantly white teeth.
“Such a shame.” Kai agreed, not taking his eyes off of the two women.
A young man joined them. He peered around the group, trying to see what they were all staring at. Enrique glanced over at him. This guy was new.
The young man caught Enrique's glance. “Uhm... Hello.” He said a little nervously. “My name's Ian. I'm new here. I work for Pierce. Do you know where he is?”
“He'll be up in his quarters.” Enrique said, then turned back to Kat and Carmen.
The other mechanics and technicians slowly drifted back to their work, leaving Enrique and Ian there. “I guess I'll go find him...” Ian said distantly. He didn't move though, as he had caught sight of the water fight.
Enrique glanced at him again. He straightened up to his full height, which was considerably taller than that of the young man. “You know that's my Tia you're ogling.” He said roughly.
Ian nearly jumped. “Oh, I'm sorry.” He said. “I didn't mean to stare at your girlfriend.” He mumbled nervously.
Enrique frowned at him. He had his arms crossed over his chest. “Tia means 'Aunt'.”
Ian looked incredibly nervous. “Sorry again.” He said. He took a step back, as if he feared violence on Enrique's part.
Enrique stared at him for a moment. Then his face broke out into a grin. “Welcome aboard, Ian.” He said, slapping Ian on the back.
Ian coughed a bit from the force of Enrique's blow. “Thanks.” He croaked. He relaxed a bit. “So, that's KITT, huh?” He nodded to the Camaro. His eyes had a longing in them that was not unlike how he looked at Carmen and Kat.
“Si.” Enrique answered. He gave Ian a bemused look. “You just start today?”
Ian shook his head. “I started last week, but Pierce wouldn't let me in the main lab. I finished the work he gave me, and when he didn't come back to pile more on me, I went to look for him.” He looked around. “When do I get to meet KITT's Driver? I bet he's such a badass.”
Enrique chuckled. “She's right there.” He said, pointing at Kat.
Kat was soaked at this point. She pushed her wet hair out of her face, laughing. Ian stared at her, his mouth falling open. “Wow...” He breathed. “This is the best job ever.”
Enrique looked amused. He patted Ian on the shoulder. “I gotta get back to work, seeya around.”
“Okay, enough playing around.” Kat told Carmen. She was grinning. “I really do have to get back to work, let's finish up.”
“Fine.” Carmen was smiling too, she was also soaked.
Kat turned her hose back on K.I.T.T. “You've been quiet, for a change.” She commented.
“I've been listening to the radio. They are playing Christmas songs and I wanted to know more about what Christmas was. I was confused by the Wikipedia article.”
“Oh really? What are you listening to now?” Kat asked.
'Santa Baby' filled the tile room. Kat and Carmen laughed. “You're not going to find out much about Christmas from that song.” Carmen told him.
“Try John Lennon's 'So This is Christmas'.” Kat told him. “That's the kind of schmaltz Christmas is about.”
“Hey, I like that song.” Carmen said defensively.
“I do too, but that doesn't mean it's not schmaltz.” Kat told her. She went back to hosing soap off of K.I.T.T. “Just wait till later on, KITT, you'll get to watch us strange humans set a plastic tree ablaze.”
One spot wasn't come clean. She ran the hose over it again. When it remained, she bent her head close and peered at it. She blinked in surprise. She ran two fingers over the large spot eaten into K.I.T.T's black paint.
She directed the hose all down his side, revealing more missing paint. How had that happened? During the attack? They had scraped up the highway pretty good, but there were no scratch marks on K.I.T.T, just these irregular spots of paint missing. Had the fire eaten away at it?
If she remembered her reading correctly, K.I.T.T's layering went: Molecular-Bonded Shell, coat of glossy black paint, nano-skin. The nano-skin should have protected the paint from the fire, unless...
“Carmen.” Kat leaned over K.I.T.T's hood to talk low to the other woman.
Carmen looked at her and turned off her hose. “Yeah?”
“Is KITT's nano-skin weak to fire?” Kat whispered anxiously.
Carmen nodded. “It's fine though, I'll repaint him and redo the skin, he'll be all right. His shell can stand up to fire pretty well.”
Kat frowned worriedly. She didn't like thinking of K.I.T.T as vulnerable. She rubbed a spot on his hood where the paint had been burned away.
“Your sentiment is touching, but unnecessary.” K.I.T.T said in an amused voice. “Carmen is right, I'll be fine.”
“I guess so. If this is the worst that comes out of a scrape with four missiles.” Kat said. She sighed heavily. “I have work to do, I'm going to go get changed.” She gathered up her things and exited the tiled room.
She swept past Ian without even noticing him and headed up the metal staircase. Before she could pass David's office, the door opened and he stepped out. Kat stopped in her tracks. Great.
He was typing something on his Blackberry. She waited for him to pass so she could go up to her quarters. She wanted to get into some dry clothes. He glanced at her briefly, then did a double-take. He frowned disapprovingly at her chest. “Those have to go.” He said.
Kat's eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
He walked up to her and took her dog tags in his hand. “These, you should not be wearing them.” He said.
Kat took a step back, but he just pulled them over her head. “Give those back!” She said indignantly.
He held them up. “This is not who you are anymore.” He said sternly. “What is the point in creating a new identity for you if you are going to wear something like this and disregard it?”
Kat gritted her teeth. Her dog tags were a part of her. They were a link to her old life. A life she had given up.
"You're such an ass.” She said acidly. She marched past him and out of the main lab.
He stared after her, then looked at the dog tags in his hand, scowling. He shoved them in his pocket and walked down to Charles' office.
********
Katherine changed into a pair of jeans and a red turtleneck. The clothes that had been provided for her fit her perfectly fine. The problem with them was that they were all new. She missed her worn, thirteen-year-old jeans that had been washed so many times they were nearly white and felt like silk when she slipped them on.
Angela was in the room, rooting through a box of what looked like red and gold tinsel. “I'm decorating the kitchen and rec room.” She told Kat. She pulled something out of the box. “Here take this, I only have the one left.”
Kat reached out and took it automatically. She turned it over in her hand. It was a bundle of dried mistletoe and holly tied up with a ribbon. “What do I need this for?” She asked Angela with a smile.
“Luck.” Angela said simply.
Kat gave her a dubious look. “Luck?”
Angela gave her an expectant look in return. Kat laughed. “I don't think I will be getting lucky for Christmas.” She told her.
Angela shrugged. “Keep it anyway, I'm sure you'll find a use for it.” She went back to her rummaging
“If you say so.” Kat said, though she was amused. She looked at the mistletoe and holly and felt a sudden pang in her chest. She left quickly before Angela could notice the change in her expression.
*******
Kat returned to the main lab. She grabbed her book off of the desk and walked over to K.I.T.T. The smell of car paint was in the air. “Open up.” She told him, not wanting to touch him.
He opened his door for her and she slipped into the driver's seat. “I really need to get through this as soon as possible.” She said, holding up the book. “Make sure no one bothers me.” She told him.
“Am I allowed to use my grappling hook on anyone that tries?” He asked.
“If you have to.”
Kat looked down at the mistletoe and holly that was still in her hand. Impulsively, she reached up and tied it to K.I.T.T's rear view mirror. “What is the purpose of that?” K.I.T.T asked her.
“Maybe you'll get lucky.” Kat shrugged, smiling a little. “Can't hurt, can it?”
“I suppose not.” K.I.T.T sounded bemused.
Kat searched for her place in the book and fell into reading at once.
