Knight Rider 2008 Alternate Storyline – Episode 5 – Countdown
Chapter 5
Knight Industries Corporate Headquarters, NYC, New York
K.I.T.T opened a comlink to Pierce. “I was just about to call you.” Pierce said. “David told me he would contact me after he hooked up the cameras, and he hasn't called.”
K.I.T.T spoke to Pierce as he pulled out of his parking space, heading back to Knight Industries. “I am patched into the camera system now. David's tracker is registering him on the first floor, but I do not see him on the cameras. He could be helping with the evacuation.”
“Evacuation?” Pierce asked, confused.
“Kat has discovered a time bomb on the 55th floor. I'm going to retrieve her and Andrew Corlan now.” K.I.T.T replied.
Pierce's confused expression deepened. “Retrieve...? How?”
“I've downloaded the blueprints for the building. There is a freight elevator designed to carry heavy equipment. It's still functional and it goes up to the top floor. I'll take it up.” K.I.T.T said simply. He reached the building and drove into the underground garage.
There was some tapping at keys as Pierce brought up the same blueprints. “KITT, that elevator is only rated to hold 6000 pounds. In your truck form you exceed that weight limit.”
“Only by 13.8 percent.” K.I.T.T replied. He stopped in front of the elevator, turning around so he was facing away from it.
“You still won't be able to fit.” Pierce countered. “Maybe in your old body, but not as the Ram.”
K.I.T.T contacted Kat through the implant. “Kat, can you authorize Pursuit Mode? I need to make myself smaller.”
“Sure, go ahead.” She said. “But can you tell me what you're-” K.I.T.T closed the connection.
“KITT, this idea is stupid and dangerous.” Pierce told him sternly.
“Not if it works.” K.I.T.T activated Pursuit Mode. He folded in his truck bed, bringing the back wheels closer to the front ones.
“What does Katherine think about this?” Pierce asked.
“I don't know, I cut off communications with her.” K.I.T.T used his connection to the security system to open the elevator doors. He backed into it slowly, then shut the doors.
Now Pierce looked angry. “You're not supposed to be able to do that, KITT. You're programming does not allow you to cease communications with your Driver.”
“My Primary Directive overrides all other programming.” K.I.T.T responded. The elevator groaned as it carried him up through the floors.
“Now you're using your Primary Directive for your own ends.” Pierce threw his hands in the air. “You're AI is outgrowing your programming. I'm telling Charles.”
“I'm not going rogue, Pierce. I'm just saving Kat's life.” K.I.T.T told him.
Pierce pinched the bridge of his nose under his glasses. “I thought we had a bit more time before you hit the 'Defiant-Teen Phase'.”
The freight elevator opened up into a large, unfurnished space. K.I.T.T drove out and consulted his blueprints, as well as the security cameras, pinpointing exactly where he was in correlation to Kat. The 55th floor housed the boardroom as well as several display rooms. He appeared to be in a storage room.
There was a crash behind him, and an earsplitting shriek that stopped suddenly. “You hear that?” Pierce asked. “That was the elevator cable snapping and the emergency brakes locked. You won't be able to go back down using the elevator.”
“There are still other exits.” K.I.T.T replied.
Pierce sighed heavily and continued to type. “Okay, since I can't seem to stop you, I might as well help however I can. Be careful driving on the floor. It's been reinforced with concrete in some areas, but there are some weaker patches. Here, I've highlighted the supports on the blueprints.” He sent the updated blueprints to K.I.T.T. “I don't see how you are going to get to Katherine though, none of the doorways are wide enough for you.”
“The only thing that separates Kat and I are mere walls.” K.I.T.T said. He cut the comlink.
********
2:13 Beep!
2:12 Beep!
2:11 Beep!
Kat stared down at the timer intently. She and Corlan both stood on the table in an attempt to get away from the smoke, which covered the entire floor and was slowly rising up. It burned their lungs fiercely when they breathed it in, making them cough.
Kat held her sleeves over her nose and mouth. “Whatever your plan is KITT, I hope it works.” She muttered. She paused, listening intently. “What's that sound?”
It was a dull, rhythmic crashing noise, growing steadily louder, till it was nearly deafening. Then it stopped.
“Hurry. I'm outside of the boardroom.” K.I.T.T said in her ear. “I can't come in and get you, the boardroom is on a weaker part of the floor.”
Kat climbed down from the table in disbelief. Coughing, she made her way to the double doors. She opened them. “KITT!” She cried in relief. The smoke was thicker in the hallway. She hurried and helped Andrew Corlan off of the table. K.I.T.T opened both doors. Kat helped Corlan into the passenger's seat.
She ran around and got in on the Driver's side. K.I.T.T closed both doors, then turned around. “Activating air purifiers.” The smoke in the truck dispersed.
Kat spotted a timer on the windshield. It read: 1:27
“Is that what I think it is?” She asked.
“It's the timer for the bomb.” K.I.T.T replied.
Kat felt nauseous. She wasn't sure if it was from the gas, or from nerves. “We'll be safe inside of you, right? The blast won't get through your Molecular-Bonded Shell?” She placed her hands on the steering wheel.
K.I.T.T was the one doing the driving though. He drove through several more walls, away from the boardroom. “The shell will survive against the impact and the heat intact.” K.I.T.T replied. “But the shock wave may still damage my systems, and could harm you and Mr. Corlan. That and the explosion will take out several floors of the building, judging from the size of the bomb. We could potentially be buried in the rubble with no way for me to get you out.”
“Then, what do we do?” Kat asked.
“Escape. I'm working on that now.”
“How did you get up here?” Kat asked in disbelief. “Not that I'm not glad to see you...”
“I took the freight elevator up. I broke it though, so we can't use it for our egress.”
“Then what, pray tell, is our egress?” Kat asked as she buckled her seatbelt. Corlan did the same.
“There's a parking garage across the street that is under construction.” K.I.T.T replied. “It's twenty stories high.”
Kat's mouth fell open. “You want to jump?” Her voice rose. “Are you insane?”
“I'm not sure.” K.I.T.T replied calmly. “I've never had a psych screening.” They barreled through the last wall, leaving only a wall of windows between them and outside.
Kat's eyebrows shot up. “KITT-”
“If you have a better idea Kat, you have 45 seconds to tell me it.” K.I.T.T said.
“If we miss the parking garage, will we survive the fall?” Kat asked.
“There is a seventy-five percent chance that both of you will.” K.I.T.T replied. “If you activate Turbo Boost, we will reach the parking garage just fine.”
Kat closed her eyes tightly. “Just go, then.” She said, hitting the Turbo Boost button. “Only you could make driving out of a building make more sense than staying in it.”
K.I.T.T activated his laser, heating the glass and weakening it. He shot forward, blue fire erupting from under his rear bumper. The window didn't slow them down the slightest. The glass shattered and they were soaring through the air.
It seemed forever to Kat that they were in the air. But it was only seconds. They hit the roof of the parking garage hard. Both airbags deployed. K.I.T.T turned as soon as all four wheels made contact, stopping their momentum. He rocked to a halt.
Kat unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the truck. K.I.T.T changed out of Pursuit Mode. “You don't need a psych screening!” She shouted at him angrily. She kicked one of his tires as hard as she could. “You are completely insane! We could have all been killed!”
It was then that the bomb went off. Fire ripped out of the top floors of the Knight Industries building. There were several smaller explosions as well, then the top floors collapsed in on themselves. The windows on the lower floors all shattered at once. Kat could feel the heat of the explosion from where she stood.
She turned back to the truck meekly. “Okay, I'm sorry. Good car.” She stroked his hood gently.
“Apology accepted.” K.I.T.T replied smugly.
Kat peered in on Corlan. “Still alive?” She asked.
“For the most part.” He replied. “Though I don't think I can take too many more brushes with death.” He placed a hand on his chest. “Not good for the heart.”
“Same here.” Kat said. She got back in, closing the door behind her. Her hands tightened on the wheel as she suddenly remembered something. “David! Did he get out?” She asked K.I.T.T anxiously.
“I am no longer connected to the security system, so I cannot pick him up on any cameras that might still be functioning. His tracker is registering on the first floor though.” K.I.T.T replied.
“Let's go down there and see if we can find him.” Kat said. She spotted a ramp leading down into the parking garage. She steered for it.
“I could drive.” K.I.T.T offered. “If your nerves are still a little rattled. I've heard that brushes with death can affect equilibrium.”
“Oh no, you've done enough driving for one day.” Kat told him firmly. “You'll be lucky if I ever let you drive yourself again.”
********
Once they were at street level, Kat parked a few blocks away from the building. The Police had cordoned off the entire block around it. “I need a badge.” She told K.I.T.T.
“Check the glove compartment.” K.I.T.T replied.
Kat popped opened the glove compartment. She rifled through it and pulled out two badges. “Should I go for FBI or NYPD?” She asked.
“I suggest the New York City Police Department.” K.I.T.T said. Corlan nodded in agreement.
Kat peered back into the glove compartment. “KITT, how much stuff do you have in there?” She asked.
“Carmen and Pierce fill it as needed for whatever mission we are on.” K.I.T.T replied.
“Hm, okay.” Kat shrugged. “Make sure you change my ID.” She opened the door and stepped out. “Wish me luck.”
“Luck.” K.I.T.T replied as Kat shut the door.
Andrew Corlan looked around the interior. “Remarkable.” He breathed.
“Thank you, Mr. Corlan.” K.I.T.T replied. “Allow me to introduce myself, as we did not have a chance earlier. I am Knight Industries Three Thousand. You can call me KITT.”
“It's a pleasure to finally meet you.” Corlan said. He continued looking around the interior, peering at the buttons and gauges. “We were going very fast back there, and I could have sworn you were smaller. What kind of engine do you have?”
“My apologies Mr. Corlan. You do not have authorization to know that.” K.I.T.T replied. “Only the Director of FLAG could authorize that information, and his location is currently unknown.”
Corlan's gray eyebrows shot up. He was a bit taken aback. “Oh.”
********
Kat walked up to the Police barricade. She flashed her badge and the officer let her by. Broken glass littered the street. She picked her way through it to the entrance. A few people were being brought out in stretchers.
“Proceed 50 yards forward.” K.I.T.T said in her ear.
Kat walked through the shattered entranceway. She looked around the lobby. It was in shambles. Plaster dust coated the floor lightly. Furniture was overturned. Firefighters and paramedics rushed back and forth, getting the last few civilians out.
“Turn left.” K.I.T.T told her.
Kat turned, heading forward. This part of the lobby was deserted. “David?” Kat called.
“Proceed 20 feet.” K.I.T.T said.
Kat spotted a large receptionist's desk ahead. Perhaps David was unconscious or hurt behind it. “David?” She called.
She peered around it. “No one's here.” She told K.I.T.T.
“His tracker is showing up right at your location.” K.I.T.T replied. “By my readings, you're standing right on him.”
Kat looked down, she was stepping on a jacket sleeve. She moved her foot. She bent down and picked up David's suit jacket. It had fallen out of an overturned trash bin. Kat searched through it and found David's gun and cellphone. That and a silver lighter. She wasn't sure if it was David's or not, but she took it anyway.
She straightened up, clutching the jacket in both hands. “David.” She called. “David!”
